PICS OF OUR LATEST ADVENTURES . . .

We went to Cherry Hill with Megan & Bentley,
and Katie & Jackson. We had a ball! I wish I'd
taken more pictures, but we were having so much fun, we
forgot all about the camera!
Aiva was scared at first, but after she had time to
adjust to all the new sights and sounds she loved it!

We went through the doll isle at Walmart and I handed Aiva
this baby and she LIT UP and hung onto that doll for dear life.
I ended up buying her her first baby doll.

Aiva LOVES walking. She feels like such a big girl when she
walks around with this walker - and she lights up when she sees it.

I'm sure every mom thinks their baby looks like
an angel when they sleep . . . I'm no exception.

Looking out our front room window.

Ogden City's fireworks at Weber State University:
Aiva's first big fireworks show. I was expecting a lot
of tears, but she did very well. She kept saying, "ba...ba...ba"
which means "ball." :)

Growing up so fast . . .

I feel like in the last couple of weeks my baby is leaving the baby stage. It makes me sad, in a way. I think back on those first, quiet days when I would just sit and admire my new little baby as she slept. I remember the joy that I felt, the way that my heart suddenly felt different. It makes me sad that the days are passing so quickly. It feels too quick. Like my time with her is sand slipping through my fingertips, and I just can't catch it. But I'm only sad when I stop to think about it. Day to day, I am LOVING watching my little girl grow up and learn new things. It is so amazing to watch her little personality develop. It seems like she is learning something new every day! The latest:

* She says "ma-ma" (me and anyone else she wants), "ba" (ball), and "baba" (baby).
No "dada" yet, but we think she's teasing Mike, because we'll tell her to say

"dada" and she'll look right at him and say "mama!" with a huge

grin on her face.

* Going backward down the stairs - HOORAY!

No more gates! This is something that we have

working on since she started to crawl.

* Aiva loves to walk by pushing ANYTHING. Anything

that isn't nailed to the floor she will use as a walker.

* She took her first steps on Thursday!

* Today I was leaving for work and I asked Aiva to give me

a kiss, and she leaned forward and gave me the

wettest, sloppiest, sweetest kiss! It melted my heart!

4th of July weekend

We had such a fun 4th of July this year! Where Memorial Day is the holiday where we always get together with Mike's family, the 4th is the one that belongs to my family. In years past, we've always just spent the day near home, and watched Layton City's fireworks at Layton Park. This year we did something a little bit different. My mom's boyfriend Koji got a deal at Zermatt Resort in Heber, and Mike and I, Koji and my mom, my sister Chelsee and Koji's sons Jared and Brett all got to go up there for a night and a couple days. For those of you who have never been to Zermott, it is really amazing. Besides the natural setting being gorgeous, the resort is also made to feel very European, and the entire experience was fantastic! We went mini-golfing, swimming, rode the carousel they have there, played sliderboard, watched the fireworks Friday tnight, and we also ate at Schneitter's, a very nice restaurant that is on the Resort campus. Friday night they had a seafood buffet, and we ate salmon and shrimp and crab legs to our hearts' content. I'm drooling thinking of all that crab. Yummmm . . . However, the best part of this whole thing for me was getting to know Koji and two of his kids. For this first time in seven years, I am seeing my mom with a man who knows how to treat her right. Also for the first time, I have found that maybe it really will be possible to blend families and actually have it feel like a FAMILY. I've always been hesitant to get to know my mom's boyfriends and their families. It is just so personal. But I really genuinely had a lot of fun and felt very comfortable with Koji's kids. We stayed up laughing and playing games after Koji and my mom fell asleep. I have hope that one day my dream of blending families into an even better family might one day happen.

This cute little carousel is right outside in the courtyard of the resort.

She LOVED the carousel. We rode on it about 4 times,
and she just laughed and laughed.

Aiva was so scared of the swimming pool at first.
You can tell that she's trying to be happy, but not quite sure about this.

After about an hour, starting to have fun.

She clung onto us like this for about 45 minutes before
she was comfortable enough to let go.

TagGeD!

Four places I visit over & over:
1. My mom's
2. Super Walmart in Clinton
3. Robert's Arts and Crafts
4. Mike's parents' home

Four People who e-mail-txt me regularly:
1. Mike
2. My mom
3. my sister-in-law Sarah
4. Shelly

Four favorite foods:
1. Cold CEREAL!!
2. Italian pasta!!!!
3. Pizza
4. Chinese

Four places I'd rather be:
1. St. George
2. anywhere warm with a beach
3. the Holy Land - I would LOVE to go there!
4. At home . . . I'm such a homebody

Four movies I'd watch over & over:
1. The King and I (the old one)
2. August Rush
3. The Lord of the Rings trilogy
4. ELF

Bands/Groups I love to listen to:
1. Enya
2. Linkin Park (just a few songs, but I love them.)
3. Instrumental music
4. Dashboard Confessional

Four People I am tagging:
1. April
2. Stacy
3. Heidi
4. Emily

BABIES AND CHURCH DO NOT MIX . . .

Today was a rough day. Sundays are always stressful, trying to take care of a VERY active ten-month-old all by myself. My day starts out very, very early. Since Mike is gone to bishopric meetings all morning, I have to be sure to get up before Aiva does so I can take my shower and get ready. Lately, she's been getting up earlier than usual, so today I got up even before Mike. Right on cue, as I'm getting out of the shower, Aiva woke up. The rest of my morning is spent trying to feed Aiva and myself, do my makeup and hair (while trying to keep Aiva from emptying the garbage can or unrolling the entire roll of toilet paper) and as of this morning, she's decided that she is deathly afraid of my blowdryer. Church has been kind a joke lately, but today . . . I feel like my happy, sweet little ten-month-old has turned suddenly into a two-year old. She is really not very entertained by toys. She would much rather be crawling all over the chapel, or hitting the person sitting closest to us (although I try to maintain a very wide berth between us and anyone else) or throwing her toys behind the pew where I can't get to them, or trying to tear pages out of the hymn books. And the worst part is that when I try to put a stop to any of these things, Aiva throws a tantrum. Yes, my ten-month-old is throwing tantrums. Which includes arching her back, and going into dead-weight mode, and screaming. Meanwhile, I can see my husband sitting up on the stand smiling at us. I'm sure it's funny to watch. But I am exhausted. You see, nine o'clock is about Aiva's nap time. And she doesn't get to take that nap until church is over three hours later. So we aren't making it much past the sacrament before I take her out in the hall. Today I tried taking her to a dark, quiet room and just holding her, but she screamed bloody-murder for about ten minutes before I gave up and just let her roam the halls, with me trailing behind her. Mike was a good help today during Sunday School, but I ended up leaving right before Relief Society. I just didn't have it in me to wrestle with Aiva for another hour, as I could already see the tears swimming just thinking about it. Most of the time I can keep a sense of humor about this whole thing, but today I just didn't have the patience that I needed. Does anyone have any suggestions??? How can you discipline a baby that is too young to understand? Is there something little that I can do NOW to start teaching her that some behaviors are inappropriate? I don't expect to be able to get a lot out of church right now, but I'm so tired of fighting with my very strong-willed child for three straight hours (somewhere my mom is singing the sweet songs of revenge). I feel guilty, because today is one of the first days that I have really looked at my baby and felt resentment. Most of all, I'm thinking, HOW IN THE HECK AM I GOING TO DO THIS WHEN I HAVE ANOTHER ONE???

First day in the new pool . . .

Gotta love Walmart. I got this little pool for $5. I filled it up this morning, and let the water get warm in the sun, and then Aiva and I went out and played. She sure enjoyed it, and so did I! I remember looking out the window last summer, huge and pregnant, and watching my neighbor sitting in a pool like this one with her little boy. I was so jealous, and I have been looking forward to having a little girl this summer to do the same thing with. Having kids is a great excuse to do things that you normally would not do, as a "with it" adult! (I mean, really, can you picture a huge, fat pregnant lady sitting all by herself in a kiddie pool in her backyard??? Yes, understandable, but still very silly.)

Again, with those rubber duckies!!!

Father's Day, in Grandma Cole's Radio Flyer

These are at Grandma Cole's house

To the best father I know . . .

Today is Mike's first Father's Day . . . I have been thinking about how grateful I am to be so certain of his ability as a father. For those who know me best, you will know how carefully I sought him out. My parents did not have a very happy marriage, and at a young age I yearned to have a father that was kind, and gentle, and strong, and a man of God. My dad did the best he could, and the older I get, the more I can appreciate that. But I wanted more for my children than what I had. I remember in the middle of high school reading something that said that most girls end up marrying a man a lot like their father, and it terrified me. I decided that I would ask God to help me to find a man with whom I would share a happy marriage, and who would help me to raise our children in the gospel; a man who would be kind and loving and supportive. I prayed as I have prayed for nothing else in my life! I prayed for the same thing every night for many years. I described in detail exactly the kind of man that I wanted for my children, and for myself. Heavenly Father has answered my prayers, and I see that every day as I watch Mike be a father to Aiva. He is, and will be, the kind of husband and father that I always envisioned. I am so proud of him. He is absolutely the kindest person that I've ever met. He is always concerned for my comfort and wellbeing. He is generous and considerate, and he never yells. He makes me laugh, and he holds and comforts me when I cry. And anyone who has talked to Mike about Aiva can testify that he is the proudest dad alive. He loves our little girl more than life. I am so thankful that my daughter is seeing first hand how a good man treats his wife and family. Because of Mike, she will easily be able to grow to discern and choose a man who will treat her with the love and respect she deserves. I am so grateful for Mike's love and kindness and patience, not just for me, but for everyone he knows. I am grateful to know that my husband knows and loves his God and serves Him, and will help me raise our children to be strong, good people. God heard and answered my many, many prayers. I am so grateful to Him, and to Mike, the best husband and father a girl could dream of. Thanks, sweetheart, for being "the ONE."