Love.

Scarlett, what was your favorite part of the cruise?

After thinking for a minute, she replied; 
Standing at the bottom of the whole entire ocean.

{In Grand Cayman we took a boat 4 miles out in to the middle of the ocean, to a sand bar.  Uncle Kyle helped Scarlett realize she could touch the bottom with her toes.  It was clearly a profound experience for her to look around and see nothing but beautiful turquoise ocean, yet she could feel the sand, the earth, beneath her feet.} 

Eleven Months

Sydney has definitely gotten the shaft when it comes to me documenting her growth.  Though she is now closer to twelve months (I won't dare say "one year"), I am going to do my best to remember what her 11th month of life was like...

This girl is adventurous, curious, stubborn, and sweet as candy.  She is all smiles.  All the time.  She is a great little walker, though she weebles and wobbles a bit from time to time.  She is crazy fast making her way up stairs, but we still really have to work on getting back down safely (she thinks she can hold on to the banister and just walk down).  She adores big sis and wants to be involved in everything she does.  Sydney doesn't always want Scarlett involved in what she is doing, however.  Sydney says "Dada" all day long, and rarely says "Mama".  She has been sleeping through the night (wahoo!) for about a month.  Still only two bottom teeth.  Loves most foods, and is a terribly messy eater.  She likes to feed herself, and is pretty handy with a fork or spoon.  She still likes her bottle before naps and bed.  Sydney loves her morning nap.  She sleeps 3 hours in the morning, if our schedule permits.  She most likely will not take an afternoon nap if her morning one is so long.  Some days I wake her up after an hour and a half, and she will sleep for two hours in the afternoon.  I love the afternoon nap.  And I can't wait to go down to a one nap schedule.

This photo is from December 23, 2012, after we first boarded the Carnival Legend for our Christmas cruise.  

 Syd is a happy camper, most of the time.  She is genuinely in love with most people- though she certainly prefers familiar faces.  She can be ever so clingy, and I don't mind the snuggles.  She gives big wet kisses.  Even makes the "mmm" sound.  Sydney loves being outside.  She loves wind.  She has no fear and even loved playing with a monkey, and sting rays on our cruise.

Morning six of the cruise.  Happy as can be!

Sydney is in love with her pacifier.  And obsessed with her Little Giraffe blankets.  Notice below- the day before we left, I packed one of Syd's blankets, and when I left the room, Sydney found it folded in the suitcase, and proceeded to lay down, head on her blanket, body half in the suitcase.  It was nap time.  Little did she know she still had a blanket in her bed. 

This is one of my favorite shots from the cruise- chubby baby in a bikini?!  Yes, please!  Syd posed herself.  I just wish the paci wasn't in the way of seeing her big, gummy grin!

Sydney Magoo- oh, how we adore and love you.  You're growing up too fast.  You're just not quite a baby anymore.  And we can't wait to see what your sweet little spirit will accomplish in this world.

Welcoming Home Kellen

On December 11th we welcomed my cousin, Kellen, back home from his two year mission in Seoul, South Korea.  Scarlett was only 13 months when Kellen left, and Sydney, well, she wasn't even in the making.

 Kellen had a nice big welcoming committee!

 Scarlett was the first to run to him and show him the sign she made- Welcome home, Kellen!

 Scarlett has met Reilly a few times before, but she really took a liking to him this time around.

 "Nice to meet you! I'm Sydney!"

 Just me and my boyfriend...

So glad to have you back, Kellen!

Thanksgiving 2012 and Sydney's 10 Month Update

Thanksgiving this year was so strange.  Ashley and Kyle didn't come home from Utah, and my dad had the flu.  My Aunt Deb hosted, the great-aunts were there, Fowers, Grandpa, my little family of four, and my mom.  It just felt different with so many people missing.  Nonetheless, we enjoyed delicious food, and good company.

Johnny, Sasha, Grandpa and Scarlett.

 Sydney turned 10 months old two days before Thanksgiving- these are going to have to count as her 10 month photos.  Isn't she adorable?  Rob, too.

 Sydney blessed us the night of her 10 month birthday by sleeping through the night, and over the last month has been fairly consistent.  Not every night, but we're getting there.  She is still an amazing napper, would sleep forever in the mornings if I would let her, and still takes a good 2 hour nap in the late afternoon.  We still only have those 2 bottom teeth.  She carries things her mouth when she crawls.  She loves being chased up the stairs.  Points to what she wants.  Says "Dada".  Wants to feed herself using utensils.  Screams if she is not getting what she wants.  Doesn't like you to break up her food.  Like a little monkey, she uses her feet to hold things.  Loves taking things out of a box, putting them back in.  Likes taking lids off things and putting them back on.  Imitates sounds- fake cough, animal noises.  Drops food off the side of her high chair when she is done eating.  Plays peek-a-boo.  Blows on her food, though it looks like she is sniffing it.  Waves "hi" and "bye".  Gives high fives.  Shakes her head no.  Loves her Little Giraffe blanket and won't sleep without it.  Sleeps on her tummy.  Walks a few steps at a time, but still prefers to crawl.  Has been having tummy problems, so we have to add prune juice to her bottles.  About the only time she ever cries these days is when she is pooping.  She's a tough cookie and loves her big sister, even when Scarlett is a bit rough.  Sydney is still just a sweet, easy going girl.  She makes life easy.  She is curious, and gets in to everything, but Scarlett prepared us well for that.

Sydney, we love you.

 Again, all I wanted for Thanksgiving was one good family picture.  But, alas, I did not get.  I did get a few attempts at a photo of me with my ladies.

 Playing games with great-aunt El. 

 Happy Thanksgiving.

A little WT Cookout

We were all set to go up to Santa Rosa to camp overnight at Spring Lake on Friday, October 26th.  Our friends, who were going with us, called that morning and their little babe was really sick, so they weren't going to be able to come.  We debated going just the three of us anyway (Sydney was staying with Grandma and Granddad), but ultimately talked Scarlett in to a backyard campfire instead.  (We also had to promise to take her to Six Flags the next morning, which we did.)

I do not love our backyard.  It is on the of the (many) things that makes me want to buy a house, any house.  We have a great side yard, perfect for our garden, but the rest of the yard is cement.  Aside from riding her scooter back and forth, there isn't much else Scarlett can do outside.  But we have a pretty sweet set up here at Grandpa's place, and until we find the perfect house, here, we will stay.

I had already prepared tin foil dinners for our camp out, so we called some friends and told them to come on over for a backyard cookout.  Rob had already loaded our Toole with firewood, so he drove the Highlander in to the backyard and unloaded.  I think he had a little too much fun building the fire.

Hisermans and my parents chowing down on their slightly charred (my fault) hamburger, potato and carrot tin foil dinners.  I actually thought it was quite tasty.

As did Miss Sydney.

I titled this "WT Cookout" because after instagramming a photo, my brother informed me that my sister said, "doesn't it look a little white trash?"  HAHA.  Why?!  Because our car is parked in our backyard?  And we're sitting around the campfire, on church chairs?  On cement?!  Okay, yes.  This may appear a little white trash.  But we had a great time and the kids had a blast.

We roasted marshmallows and ate some yummy s'mores.  The kids played hide and seek and ran around the yard screaming in delight.

And neither of my children went to bed before 10pm.  We really had an awesome night.  Can't wait for real camping next spring!

Halloween 2012

I have nothing against Halloween, except that if feels like the never ending holiday.  I swear we have been talking about Halloween since the first of October, planning costumes, buying candy, (eating candy), attending parties... and now, here we are, well in to November, and I am just getting around to looking through pictures from Halloween.  I am relieved it is over!  But we did have a great time this year.

We kicked off our week of parties with the ward party on Saturday, Oct 27.  Scarlett was so excited about being a pirate this year.  She got her "arrgh, matey!" down pat. 

 We spent that day at Six Flags, so Syd Magoo was still sleeping when Scarlett and I left for the party.  Daddy brought our cute little bumble bee over when she woke up.  And clearly, Daddy wanted to get some use out of Scarlett's hat since she refused to wear it.  That's about as dressed up as you'll ever see him.

 Ira, Isabella and Scarlett.

Pirate and Peter Pan (Scarlett and Caden).

Tuesday, the 30th, was a BUSY day.  Have I mentioned how much I love Scarlett's school?  Well, I do.  The kids had a huge party.  They wore their costumes, played games, did Halloween arts and crafts, sang Halloween songs, had a dance party (our favorite), had a parade, and even trick or treated from door to door.  Parents and siblings were invited. 

 Syd was so happy to be in school!

 This here is Liam.  These two are cute together.  They have a bit of a crush on each other.

When it came time for snacks, Liam sat down, and two kids sat on either side of him.  When Scarlett walked in the room, she was very upset, and said "I am supposed to sit next to Liam, but there's no room".  Liam, without any prompting, got up, walked to the other side of the table, where no one was sitting yet, and said "Come on, Scarlett, we can sit over here".  Be still my heart!
The kids feasted on watermelon and cheese cut in to ghoulish shapes, and yummy cupcakes baked in ice cream cones.

 Trick or treat!

Later that night, we went to our friends, the Yeakey's, for their annual pumpkin carving contest.  Scarlett was wiped out from her busy morning, so we let her sleep in the car (we were all in the front yard) for about an hour.  When I woke her up she said, "no, no, no, I want sleep".  When I told her she was missing the party, she perked up.

 Jason and Casey do an amazing job decorating their house and inviting everyone they know to their home for the festivities.  I wish I had taken more pictures of the decor.

 After the Yeakey party, we ran over to the Stake Center for my parents' ward Halloween carnival put on by the YM?YW.

 Grandma caught Scarlett's cheek with her ring- for the first time in Scarlett's life, she was a little mad at Grandma.  It only lasted about a minute.  Who could stay mad at the Grandma who doesn't say no?!

Halloween day- we dressed up the babies and visited my great-aunt Pat.

 And great-aunt El.

After naps, we headed back over to the Yeakey's for their traditional Halloween dinner, and then ran over to our lifelong friends, the McMenamins, for chili and Caren's famous sugar cookies.  Yum!

Thanks to John for documenting... I think I stopped taking pictures by the time Halloween actually came around.

 Scarlett got to play with her sweet friend Emerson who also stopped by.

 John and Caren have photos of every family who has come for the last 20 Halloweens?  Maybe more?

Since it was raining, and Scarlett really has no clue that kids go door-to-door for hours asking for candy, we didn't really do trick or treating.  She got an amazing goody bag from the Yeakeys, and all the candy and sugar cookies she could ever dream of from the McMenamins, so we called it a night.

Happy Halloween!  And here's to moving on!