Month Fourteen

This last month was great!! Even though we only spent a short time at home in Utah. We had a blast visiting everyone!

The month started off with Mama Dee visiting Utah for a short time to attend Uncle Corban's graduation! Yippee for Corban!!

We got to play with cousin Pepper outside with BUBBLES!!

Playing with Mama Dee! Elsa loved playing with all of her pretty necklaces!

Then we were headed off to Etna, California.

Great Grandma Elsie passed away so we went out to be with family and attend her funeral. It was great being with everyone. The service was wonderful, what an amazing woman that raised a wonderful family and lived a loving and service filled life. We will miss her and can't wait to be with her again! I'm sure she is keeping busy in the spirit world. We love Grandma Elsie!!

Elsa was such a good sport with all of the driving. 39 hours of driving in 4 days, Utah to Etna, Etna to Utah, Utah to Missouri.

Singing Head Shoulders Knees and Toes for the millionth time.

Just a little bored.

Eating on the go! As you can see she still likes to put stuff in her hair but she is getting better.

Very bored!

Elsa really did a great job on the car ride. When we finally arrived to Missouri and Elsa was free of her car seat we noticed that her head was crooked... poor girl's head was kinked to the left. She could barely move it and when she did it was done lopsided. It eventually worked out but it was so sad to see.

While we were there we through a baby shower for my sister. Russell's this year are being blessed with three boys! Duncan won't be the only one now.

Russell girls! All we are missing is Teneill.

Two of the three boys.

Neesha's nursery theme is black, white and bright green elephants. So we had to incorporate it into the party food! We had fruit and veggies, Micah's famous artichoke dip with black and white chips, mini brownies with peanut butter frosting(elephants love peanuts), Pistachio ice cream (Neesha's favorite and it's green) sandwiches with green chocolate elephants on them, green elephant sugar cookies and regular and candy peanuts! I love party food!!

Anna our big helper!

Hopefully she wont make this a habit...

Micah and I made a bedding set for Neesha. Micah made it happen! I didn't touch the sewing machine once. I think it turned out pretty cute and we got it done in less than a week.

I won the pattern for a puff quilt from HoneyBearLane so we thought we would give it a try.

A visit to the KC Temple!

Daddy and Elsa being silly!

A visit to big brother Duncan!

Hanging out with cousins and aunts!

Elsa loved playing with her cousins Anna and Adiline!

Elsa does this thing were she waves her finger side to side and says "no-no-no".  During the time we were with my family, Adiline bit Elsa and as Micah was giving a serious talk to Adiline about how we dont bite and it's a no-no, Elsa stops crying, whips out her finger shakes it back and forth and says "no-no-no". Everyone was laughing for the rest of the day.

Back at Grandma and Grandpa Thackeray's house...

 

 Blake and Slade picked up a new hobby while we were there.

Chilling out in the pool!

 Already following their daddies footsteps.

I wish I had taken more pictures of the trip. Elsa loves all of her aunts. She warmed up to them pretty quick and would even walk to them. Elsa loves her Grandma Thackeray! Elsa loved to crawl to her room and explore. When Grandma took a nap, Elsa would crawl over to the door and point and talk to her. She didn't like Grandpa very much, only when he gave her ice cream.

Elsa loves playing with cousin Sawyer! Getting runny noses from each other, stealing toys, getting bonked in the face with a snack cup and getting splashed in the pool. How much more fun could two babies have? It really was fun to see them play and interact together.

Such a handsome little man.

Sad to say goodbye but happy to be home!

Three weeks of being away from home really makes the dust settle so I've kinda been in a spring cleaning mode(or could it be nesting?). Since there wasn't much in the fridge I thought it would be a good time to do a deep clean!! Elsa was a big help!!

We loved spending time with our family and friends!! The long drive is definitely worth it!

13 months

 Well that month went by super fast...

Honestly, we didn't do much... but here are a few highlights!

 We are starting to get warmer weather... every once in a while we'll have a random blizzard! Still, warmer is better and we've been able to enjoy some beautiful days outside!!

Elsa really likes it outside! Which makes me super excited for this summer! Parks, pools, walks and just playing in the yard!! Maybe I'll get lucky and get a little tan!!

She loves to explore everything... with all senses... no exception to taste...

Elsa is really starting to show her true colors...

 All my potatoes have Elsa teeth marks on them...

 She LOVES the phone, any kind! If it looks like one... it becomes one! Some times I'll catch her with a phone up to her head just jibber-jabbering away.

 She has this weird obsession with putting stuff in her hair... when we are out side it's leaves, twigs, pine needles, pine cones, grass, etc. When we are inside...

Umm, yea, lint and carpet threads?

 Meal time is the worst...

Bananas are the worst!
It is so cute when she's putting bows and headbands on, though.

 Did I mention she chews on my potatoes?

 This experience made me question if she got switched at the hospital...

She cried while eating an ICE CREAM sandwich...?

Elsa is just a learning machine! It's amazing to see how fast she catches on to things now.

She loves the song, "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes." She can point to half of them- head, toes, ears and mouth. She also loves the song, "If You're Happy and You Know It." She's learning new sounds, "K"- she likes to say kick, key and cookie. "M"- she is starting to say mama but sometimes you really have to work at it and she likes to say moo. She loves to watch her "Your Baby Can Read" videos and tries to mimic everything on it. She gets pretty close with the one syllable words but then they throw in hippopotamus and chimpanzee. She still tries and of course what comes out of her mouth is so much cuter than the actual word. Elsa can say please and thank you and also knows the sign language to them. She can sign but can't say more, milk and finished/done. Elsa loves to fold her arms to say prayer. One day we were saying prayer and looked up and she had her arms folded... you can guess that we've been saying a lot more prayers then normal and she's the one to remind us sometimes. At such a young age she already has such a strong influence over our family.
We love our Elsa so much!!! She is such a tremendous blessing to our family and wouldn't want her any different.
Of course who doesn't love this cute little girl!!

 

Even with boogie bubbles...

And two minutes after the headband goes on...

That's what I thought!

You'll definitely think she's the cutest after this video!!

  

Other things that went on this month:

If you haven't heard we are having a little boy!! Blake giggled through the whole doctors appointment after he found out. We are both very excited. August 22 is our due date... soo if you know of anyone getting rid of boy clothes... I'd be willing to take them off their hands!!

Adventures in the month to come:
Visiting lots of family!! A trip to Missouri!!

One Year Old!!

Elsa turns ONE today!!

I can't believe it! Having kids really shows you that a lot can happen in just one year.

Elsa had a birthday party yesterday. It was so fun having family and friends over to celebrate and have fun.

Birthday cake!!

She ate it like that the whole way through and didn't get a crumb on her clothes.

The ending product. YUM!

Mommy had fun unwrapping presents but Elsa had more fun playing with them!

This is how much she loves her presents!!

We had such a fun time with everybody and are very grateful for everyone that came to share this special day with us! Thank you!
And for you that couldn't make it...
her are the yummies you missed out on!

Strawberry Cupcakes

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes                         Fruit Pizza Cupcakes

Happy Birthday Elsa!

This past month...

Elsa kinda had a hard time, she got a fever and just hasn't been her cheering self.

All because of her BIG silly front teeth!

This picture doesn't do them justice, plus both of them have come in a lot more since this picture was taken but she has got some chiclets for her front two teeth. She'll have a pretty smile just like her daddy when she grows into them.

Elsa LOVES loves loves anything stuffed and soft!

This is one of her favorites, Douglas! That is what the tag on his bottom said, Douglas. We liked it enough to go with it.

She loves him so much she wouldn't even let go to eat lunch.

Elsa's other favorite softies are Zippee the zebra, Ashley the giraffe, a few others that aren't named and now a  bunch more she got for her birthday, some even light up and sing songs!!
By the way, I found some super soft and cute teddy bears at the Dollar Store the other day and she loved them! A buck, Score!

Elsa would eat a bunch of bananas a day if we let her. She eats them every day for breakfast and sometimes another for a snack. She could live off of them she loves them so much!

Elsa will use anything to pull herself to stand, including daddy's head.  We play with her and send her back and forth between us but she hasn't gotten the courage yet to walk by herself. Even when she's holding on to you and she only has one finger she'll look at you like "are you sure?" Whenever she's ready.

We love our Elsa so much!
This past month/year has been so wonderful, every single day of it!

Elsa is going to be a big sister!

Surprise, Surprise!

Baby #3 is on it's way!

We are approx. 15 weeks, the doctor said he couldn't get good measurements so we don't get a due date until next month. With the 15 weeks guideline we are guessing this little bundle of joy will be here sometime at the end of August! I know I know, just do the math from your last period, if I had had one I would, the pleasures of breastfeeding! Blake is still shooting for another September 4th baby, he has also nick-named this little guy Blake Junior, maybe he'll get at least on of his wishes. According to the old wives tale you are sicker with girls, Duncan was moderate, Elsa I was sick until month 7 and then the nastiest heartburn ever, with this little guy it has been heaven! I'm hardly ever sick so... maybe? I honestly don't care. IF we have a girl then I already have most of the clothes, although some of the seasons will be opposite but it's better than starting from nothing. I will be happy with either, but we don't have to wait long to find out. Next month!

More FUN!!

I always think that Elsa couldn't do anything cuter than what she is doing now... I'm so glade I am wrong!

She has always got a new trick up her sleeve or a better version on the latest.

Elsa is such a jabber mouth! I always know where she is because she is constantly jabbering. She loves to mimic you! She loves to say "hi" on the phone, pet you or her animals and say "soft", she loves to eat "bananas" for breakfast with "dada", she is such a good tickler and has the "tickle-tickle" down, she says "please" and sometimes "thank you". It's so cute to hear her little versions of them all.

Elsa is hardly in the same place for very long. She loves new places to explore and new "toys" to find. Every once and awhile she'll sit and play on my lap but she's starting to prefer daddy's more. She loves to play the standing game with you. Stand her up and she falls straight for you. I know she could stand up if she paid attention to it, but it's more fun trusting mommy and daddy to catch you.

Elsa got a surprise on her oranges after dinner one day and was in heaven!! Who doesn't like cool Hwhip?!

I love her hill-billy smile!

Cousin Pepper came over to play! She is so cute! Such a personality! She loves playing with all of Elsa's baby toys! The jumperoo and walker where her favorites!! They kept her entertained for a majority of the day! Elsa loved following her around!

Elsa keeps life busy and full of smiles, laughter and LOVE!