Established 2001
As JT played outside after dinner tonight, he jogged by my kitchen window and yelled, “I LOVE YOU, MOM!” and blew me a big kiss. I grabbed the camera and snapped a picture a few minutes later because I know when I look at this picture, I will remember that moment and how wonderful it made me feel. As my friend Sarah told me, “The days are long but the years are short.”
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| Happy to sit and play! |
JT got a cool Spiderman puzzle from his friend Cole’s birthday party and he was pretty excited to put it together. It is a 25-piece puzzle and this is how far he got completely on his own before he lost interest and went off to play trucks. I was impressed!
Lately he has been pushing George around the house in the stroller.
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| Grandma, Haley, and me |
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| Her first time in shoes – Mary Jane Robeez |
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| Making JT sit for a picture with the birthday girl |
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| Aw, Mom! |
On Sunday, Jim gave me my present… after we got home from church, I left. By myself. And I got a spa pedicure and manicure while I looked at cheesy magazines and didn’t think about anyone’s nap time. Then I went to the mall. By myself. To shop for me. I walked into Gap and Old Navy and bought a bunch of new tops and a few new pants without shopping for children’s clothes or feeling guilty about buying new clothes. Then I drove home and we had pizza and salad (that I didn’t have to make) and brownies for dessert (that I didn’t have to make) while we watched Finding Nemo. It was wonderful! The only downside was when JT decided he didn’t like the movie because of the sharks (“I’m all done with this movie.”), and when he cried at the end because Nemo left his dad (“But he’s supposed to stay with his dad!”).
Monday… I had to work but it was for my consulting job and so that was fun. My parents both came to babysit for the day and JT practiced his airplane moves with Grandpa Cole.
On my actual birthday, I got both kids up and out of the house quickly so we could spend the morning at a Children’s Museum with Grandpa and Grandma Cole. You can see that JT was not thrilled to be up before 8:30. Haley, on the other hand, was fed and cheery by the time I coaxed JT into clothes.
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| Good morning, Sunshine. |
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| Good morning, Sunshine! |
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| Haley hangs with Grandpa. |
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| JT thought driving this car was so fun. It was the first thing he wanted to do! |
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| First attempt at watercolors |
Tuesday night, Jim’s parents came up to babysit while we went out to dinner with friends. Jim had dropped a beautiful flower centerpiece and card off at the restaurant ahead of time so it was sitting on the table when we arrived. He told me to order all my favorites so, five whole Chinese entrees and a side of egg rolls later, we were stuffed and took home a nice lefttover box that I ate on Thursday for dinner. We had a blast hanging out with friends. It’s good being 31!
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| Love it! |
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| The birthday group – thanks everyone! |
Haley is sitting to play now and is eating squash (butternut, acorn, spaghetti), sweet potatoes, yams, green beans, peas, and rice cereal. Today we start avocado! Her head has grown too, because today on our walk her hat was too tight. 🙂
I got some great pictures to mark her seven-month-day. The lighting kept changing in the room with the partly cloudy weather we were having, so the lighting on some is better than others. She is wearing a top that I got her before she was born that I’ve been excited for her to fit into. Behind her is the PBK Daisy Garden quilt that Grandma Keene got her. I thought it was the perfect backdrop to welcome in spring!
This week my cousin Elizabeth is visiting from Idaho with her two boys. Gideon is about six months younger than JT and Titus is barely younger than Haley. My Aunt Linda had us over for some play time and a yummy lunch so we could visit. Ma-Maw (Great Grandma Christensen) and Grandma Cole were there too.
Haley and Ma-Maw
JT and Gideon changing tires on the Bronco
Remember when we were pregnant?
Too bad Marissa wasn’t there too!
Just two days apart!
And three pounds…
Silly Putty buddies
JT was so excited this Monday when he got to do gymnastics with Jim instead of me. I took the opportunity to take a bunch of pictures and play with Haley. We love Peak Gymnastics and can’t wait for Haley to be old enough to join in the fun.
Last-minute coaching
Miss Amy helps with a forward roll
Straddle stand during circle tim
The toss and catch station
Miss Amy assisting with a backward roll
Contemplating a jump to a “freeze knees”
When the water looks like this, it’s a good day to ski. 🙂 We called our friend Adam and hit the water!
It was over 50 degrees outside and the water was close to that… not bath temperature but good enough for us. Between dry suits, hot water showers, and boat heaters, it’s hard to complain. It was only my third ski in over a year and it felt great!
We were surprised how well Haley tolerated her boating attire.
Nothing like the boat engine to lull a baby to sleep.
JT’s turn to drive!
Adam, professional baby holder, didn’t bring his ski gear. Next time!
Afterward, JT and Cole got to play in the yard for awhile. They had an awesome time jumping off an overturned boat into the grass, and throwing pinecones into the lake.
Haley has really learned how to better use her hands in the past few weeks. One of the things that is new because of her new skills is that she isn’t swaddled to sleep anymore. Here she is lying in bed first thing in the morning… so snuggly! She can get her binky back in if she can see it… the problem is that during the night she can’t see it at all. But all week I’ve only had to get up less than five times total in the nighttime, so I think that’s excellent progress. (You may not remember that JT had a few hours of screaming attached to his deswaddling, but I sure do!)
She is also becoming a more active part of her eating. Since she can rake and pick up smaller objects and sit on her own, we may try out some puffs soon. I am surprised that she is such a tidy eater. JT kept getting his hands in the way and it was a super mess. Check out how he looked at this age after eating green beans. This is Haley’s face after finishing her own bowl of green beans. Pretty clean, if you ask me!
She is loving water from her sippy cup…
and likes testing out her spoon skills when we’re done.
Wonder what she’s smiling at? Her big brother, of course!
After dinner, Haley has time in her exersaucer while I clean up. The other day JT was playing with his cars near her and had to use the bathroom, so he dropped the cars on her tray as he left. Her eyes lit up. I imagine she was thinking, “Finally! Here they are! He put them down!” She worked very hard to get the cars into her little hands, one at a time, and taste tested each one.
Jim’s schedule changed a little early this year, so we’re back to family day on Sundays already. Woo-hoo! We get to relax, have fun, and hang out. (The other six months of the year, we don’t have a single day of the week for this!) The downside of this schedule is that Jim and I don’t see each other at all for 72 hours every week… but let’s not dwell on that. Anyway, we had a great time. And Jim and I randomly watched an entire movie while the kids napped… I can’t remember when that happened last. So nice!
Haley dancing with Dad
Playing trucks. Of course.
Even Slider gets a little love!
This Harley shirt was the first thing we bought for Haley. We got it last February on our trip to Alabama. (The first thing we bought for JT was a Harley shirt, too. Except he wore his at four months old.) I put it on Haley this afternoon after her bath and when she got up from her nap she was in a great mood… and sitting on her own! She sat all by herself for about two minutes while I took a ton of pictures. This one is my favorite.
The Keene Family 
