Voice and Pigs Discovered

Sorry that these videos are not the best! I ALWAYS have my phone with me and I don't always have my Ipad or camera. So I had to rerecord this from my phone onto my Ipad.And it was too big to do the entire video so I had to break it up into two separate ones. But it gets the job done:) So in this video Zach and I were watching a baseball game and Rayni was carrying on an entire conversation with the TV while sucking on her pigs. Her voice and her pigs are the newest discoveries. She has always cooed with us but this is actual talking...well kinda:) Enjoy!

Our First little family Easter:)

Easter was our first real "Holiday" with miss Lou. And I was so so stinkin excited for it. I of course had the outfits planned months in advance. I always remembered my mom getting me an Easter dress every year and I wanted to start that tradition for Rayni. I also had to include Zach and I in this... gives us an excuse to get something fun to wear too:)

Before I start in on our fun Easter festivities I wanted to think back when I was a girl and our fun traditions. When talking to my mom the other day about Easters passed she said that she never loved the Easter bunny rabbit part of Easter. She said that we never had a pretty yard at that time of year to hide the baskets and it never seemed very fun in the house. I was quick to stop her and say that I always loved Easter. And that she did a great job. The Easter bunny would hide eggs in our house and I would always get the ones that were up high and Tater and Ray Ray would get the ones that were lower. I always remember getting an Easter dress, like stated above. The one that I for sure remember what it looks like was one with big sunflowers all over it. and a straw flower hat to go with. I know there is a picture out there somewhere of Tater and I on the porch Easter morning with our new Easter outfits on. A serious one and then one of him and I pulling at the corners of our mouths with our tongues sticking out. If I find I will be putting on later:) My mom then told me that she was glad to make a good impression on us for Easter.

Getting off the Easter subject for a bit this conversation I had with my mom and then a blogpost I saw on Facebook went hand in hand together:

http://powerofmoms.com/2012/04/your-children-want-you/

A quote I loved from this:

"Can we remind each other that it is our uniqueness and love that our children long for? It is our voices. Our smiles. Our jiggly tummies. Of course we want to learn, improve, exercise, cook better, make our homes lovelier, and provide beautiful experiences for our children, but at the end of the day, our children don’t want a discouraged, stressed-out mom who is wishing she were someone else."

My mom never felt like she made a big impression on us for Easter. But little did she know what a great job she was doing at showing us how much she loved us. And put forth effort in making lasting memories that I will forever hold dear to my heart and now pass them on to my little lady. So thank mom for all you do and even though you may feel like you were never enough you were always the MOST to us:)

Any who (wiping the tears from my eyes:)) Back on Easter. Saturday night I wasn't feeling my best. My legs started to hurt really bad. I had run some errands that day and thought that maybe I had over done it. So went to bed with hopes that tomorrow would be another day and I would feel rested. When I woke up I was feeling...ok. I had the in laws coming over for Breakfast in a couple of hours and new I had no time to sit and wait to see if I would feel any better if I laid in bed longer. Got Rayni up and got her fed. Let the Easter Bunny in our house to set up his fun treats for us. got breakfast prepped. And then got ready. Got Daddy and Rayni up (she fell back asleep) and went out to the living room to find what the Easter Bunny had left.

Rayni got a new dress, some barefoot sandals, matching headband to her mommy's, a book about the savior, and her first basket. Daddy got 2 new shirts and some candy. Mommy got a new skirt and some candy. And both Mommy and Daddy got scripture journals to help us out while we read the scriptures. (which we have done every night this month!!!) So proud of us:) My sister-in-law is always getting on my case about how organized I am. She commented on Facebook about this picture that the Easter Bunny is too organized and makes the rest of us look bad... I told her that this Easter bunny has a problem. Thus glad that I read the blog post above about moms!

Zach's mom and dad were soon behind and we were getting ready for breakfast. At this point I was starting to get tired... but I knew I had no time for that so just kept going. Once they got there and we were waiting for breakfast to finish cooking I shared a "True meaning of Easter" lesson with everyone. I again remember doing this with my parents once??? or a couple of times??? and when I found it on pinterest I wanted to do it as well.

I had taken 12 eggs and put things in them that symbolized important parts of the Easter Story and corresponding scriptures to go with each egg. It was fun! And it helped us get into the true meaning of Easter.

(here is where I got the idea: http://preparednotscared.blogspot.com/2010/04/happy-easter-everyone.html)

After that was over it was time for breakfast... I went and checked on it in the oven and the eggs weren't quite ready so I decided to turn on the broiler for just a sec to finish off my breakfast bowls... well can you guess what happened?


Yep I burned them!!! Then the fire alarm went off! I almost cried until my father in law came over and put his arm around me and told me it was ok. I was so embarrassed. Well we did our best to try to salvage them. But luckily the insides really were pretty good it was jut the roll that got burned. It is amazing how much stuff I have burned since I had Rayni... I get side tracked so easily now. Well I made 6 bowls for the 4 of us and surprisingly they all got eaten. I don't know if they were just trying to be nice but they seemed to be all right!

Well while we were sitting there talking and laughing over breakfast I could feel my body going down hill fast!!!After my in-laws had left I told Zach that I think I need to take something if I am going to get through today. I didn't want all the fun things I made or I mean the Easter bunny made to go to waste. After looking at our medicine and realizing that there was nothing I could take because I am nursing I told Zach that I had to take something so I guess I have to go to the store to get Tylenol cold medicine. I thought that for sure Heavenly Father would understand that I needed to go to the store to get some medicine to be able to spend time with my family for Easter. I went to Walmart and walked over to the medicine isle. When I found the one that I needed I started towards the register. I started thinking in my head that the cold part really isn't bugging me all the bad it is just the body aches that are killing me. So I thought why don't I just take some Tylenol... and I had some at home. Then I thought well since Im here I am just going to get it incase I am worse tomorrow. But then I had a thought in my head that I would be blessed if I didn't get it and went home and just took what I had at home. I listened to the prompting and headed back home. I told Zach what I had felt and I think he was proud of me;)
I took the medicine and laid in bed while Zach and Rayni played next to me. I was feeling do sick... I didn't know how this was going to work. I debated back and forth about church. I wanted to go so bad but I seriously felt like I could not get out of bed. I told Zach how sad I was if we didn't go and that we needed to go. He was so sweet and said that we could pretend that next Sunday was Easter if I really felt that bad. Well with much deliberation I decided that it really was not ok for me to go. I really wanted to see my family so I thought if I just rest for a bit while I wait for the tylenol to kick in I will be able to go.

Well I was blessed like the prompting said I would be. I was able to feel better just long enough to have a great time with my family. I seriously have the best one! I did however over extend my visit and could feel the medicine wearing off. I told Zach it was time to go. And since then I have been miserable. But I got to have the Easter that I wanted... Besides going to church. But Next Sunday will be Easter church Sunday for my Family:)

Here are some fun photos of the day:

Love my little family!!!!
(notice the matching headbands and barefoot sandals the Easter Bunny made;))

Best friends and cousins... This is Rayni's cousin Beckham. They are 12 days apart

Mama's girl!

My 3 month old little lady

3 months going on 16! This little lady is only 3 months but is such a danty little thing. I can't believe that my little baby is already 3 months old. It is going by so stinkin fast that I find myself wanting to remember every little moment, every little smile, every little frowny face, every little squeal, and every little snuggle. But i know that as time goes on there are going to be many more memories that I will be cherrishing.

Rayni has become a big mama's girl!!! You would think by the way that she acts that I hopld her all day long and spoil her to death... so not true! I work monday through friday from 8:20 till 3:50. And the only time I really get to snuggle my angel is at night and on the weekends. But somehow she has truely become attached to my hip and my little shadow. It makes me feel really bad when she doesn't want to snuggle with her grammy lou, her poppy, or her grammy Rayni but most of all it kills me that she isn't a fan of cuddling with her daddy:( I can tell that it breaks his heart at times. But I also know that at some point in every little girls life her daddy becomes her best friend. He is the best daddy and she will know this very soon:)One day I will be the one that is sad because I have been tossed aside. So for now I am soaking it all in... that she wants me and she wants to be my best friend.

Our little miss Rayni has become such a little person. She is so alert, se loves to lay down and wiggle, loves to watch tv, she has this little squeal that she does that is just the cuttest thing. When we get on the floor and play with her she gets so excited sometimes that her happiness oozes out of every inch of her body and her body explodes with excitement and then the squeal comes out! I want to get it on video sometime so hopefully it will be posted soon. It is the best feeling that when she wakes up and I walk in to get her out that she gets the happiest look on her face and smiles the biggest smile. I am starting to think that not only does she have her uncle bubba's toes but she is going to have his ear to ear smile to:)

She seriously is the best thing that could have happened to Zach and I and we just love the little sweet spirit that she is!

Enjoy some fun pics of this last month:

Outside with her tay tay

Aunt Amy and cousin Kila came to vist and wore her out:)

Bath time: she loves the bath part... hates the getting out part!!!

I just love this face!!!

This is how she attempts to hold in her binky

Im not sure If I have mentioned this before but Rayni is always putting up one arm and we call it her "Lady Liberty" I even caught her doing it in her sleep:)

This is one of those moments where her happiness is just exploding! Too bad you can't hear the squeal

Hangin out in the car

Watching her puppy play on the floor.

First painted toes

just playin before bedtime

first firepit

still amuzed by Tay Tay

Relaxing

snuggling

My little fashion queen

first time in the Bumbo

DOesn't love tummy time but doing so good at holding her head up

haha still watching him

oh man... so close!!!

Daddy's girls

First day out enjoying the sun... in style of course

Still does the famous Rayni look

another giggle pic

First of many!

We recieved a fun gift from my parents this last christmas... but haven't been able to put it to use until now:)
While trying to be better about having family night we decided to break out the fire pit!
Our little Rayni has been a bit of a stinker lately with lots of crying so we weren't sure how well this was going to work out espically because as soon as we got outside she cried and cried. With mama's and daddy's special touch while we layed next to her she zonked out. I would have like for her to be awake but oh well. So our fire pit excitement consisted of Zach and I whispering our way through. But it was a blast none the less.
Zach became the profeesional hot dog cooker... I had no idea:) He made a wonderful dinner for us.
My job was the ketchup and mustard squirter:)
We had a great time and can't wait for many many more of these!!!

MMMMM!

The professional hot dog cooker

The ladies taken it easy

Yes Tay Tay was included... he was a little

protective:)

Sweet girl

The professional hot dog eater

86,400 minutes

2 MONTHS!!!!!! What? When? Where? Why? How? I can't believe my baby is two months old today!!! It is CRAZY!!! But AMAZING! Every minute spent with her is the best minute I could have ever had or imagined. I never knew I could feel this much love! Every minute that is passed is a minute I want to hang onto forever. I keep thinking that any minute I am going to blink and she is going to be 16, or going off to college, or Im sitting with her in the temple on her wedding day. But I can't dwell on what is to come or I will miss out on all the wonderful moments I am having with her now.

Some of her highlights hitting 2 months. She totally smiles and responds to us. She loves to talk and coo. She sings and dances with her mama. She LIKES to be held... but LOVES to lay on the floor to kick and wiggle. Zach and I can already tell that she is going to be a little spit fire! She has her own fake cries and ways to get our attention. If she is comfy and you move her she squeals at you to put her back. She as stubburn as her papa Syd. But as sweet as her Grammy Rayni and Grammy Lou. She loves to watch sports like her daddy and Poppy. Can't wait to see her continue and develop her own personality.

Our greatest highlight this month was on March 4th she was blessed by her daddy. (More to come in a upcoming blog post) It was more amazing than I could have ever imagined.

Her relationship with her daddy is more like a brother sister relationship. When he kisses her he likes to rub his wiskers on her cheek and she HATES it so she punches him in the face. They like to "yell" back and forth at eachother. Rayni will yell ever so sweetly in his face and he does it back. And they go back and forth for a bit. She sometimes gets a kick out of it and sometimes she gets totally annoyed. They are so cute together!

Her's and mommy's favorite things to do are sing, dance, snuggle, coo, and smile at eachother.

I love my early mornings with her when it is still quiet and dark. And its just our time together. It is a great way to start off my day. It does make it difficult to leave her though. But we are getting better at it!

Well we are just loving being parents to this beautiful girl And can't wait to see what she holds for us in the future:)


Enjoy some pics from the past month

Love seeing this face every morning. This is the look she gives me when she does her fake cry to get me in there to pick her up. Little stinker!

First day of Daycare

All snuggled up ready to go in the cute hat that Grammy Lou gave her

Mommy and Rayni getting their masters


Snuggling with her daddy:)

First cold:( Snuggling with mommy. It's days like this going to work is so hard!!!

This has got to be the best pic!!! She was screaming at me and then all the sudden she looked at me with this face and I snapped it just in time:) LOVE!!!!!

Her Aunt Lorie gave her this hat

I love these hands!!! Always folded

This nose just kills me!!!! I could eat it

To end with our favorite song:

"Rayni Rayni

Give me your answer true!

Im half crazy all for the love of you

We can't afford a carriage...

but you'll look sweet

upon the seat

of a bicycle

made for two"

A Day of Firsts

Yesterday was the day that I had been dreading for 6 weeks. My first day back to work! I have spent 24/7 with my little side kick and couldn't imagine anything different. Well reality kicked in yesterday and back to work it was. I didn't think that it would be so difficult. Just because it was a bit of the norm for me. My mom was a working mom and I went to a wonderful babysitter from the time that I was 6 weeks old till I was a teen (because I never wanted to leave... home was boring) I survived and learned things there that I probably never would have learned anywhere else. I wished that I could have taken Rayni to Helen but she no longer watches kids. She is still apart of my life and I joke with her telling her that she is going to just watch Rayni. I wanted Rayni to have the same experience that I did. Putting complete trust in someone to watch the very thing that means the most to me, next to my hubbie, is and was a scary thought to me. We were lucky and had some friends that had a great babysitter and suggested we go to her. I went and met her and felt very good! we set everything up so that Rayni would be going there monday-friday while I was at work. Well 6 weeks went by so fast and I did not feel prepared at all for what it was that I was heading for. The night before I was getting everyhting ready to go. I held Rayni before she went down and she was so happy and smily. Just her smile and giggles were making me cry. I didn't want to miss a minute of it. After I put her down and finished getting things ready I went to bed, but by the time my head hit the pillow I knew I would not be going to bed anytime soon. I had a billion things running through my head that included work things and Rayni things. About an hour later Rayni woke up to eat and I couldn't have been happier to get up with her. I wanted to hold her for as long as I could before I had to let her go the next day. I sat there and just stared at her and soaked in everything I could. Eventually I had to put her down and try to get some sleep myself.
The next mroning began at 5:40. I got ready before I had to get her up and ready. Got her up at 6 fed and dressed her. I then finished getting ready and ate and off we went. I had been holding in tears all morning and on the way there the eyes got teary. But they didn't flow till I handed her over. The sitter was so sweet. And I knew I had nothing to worry about. I would just miss that little thing to pieces. I cried all the way to work! It was silly. I kept watching the clock but surprisingly the day went by fast. at 3:50 I was in my car. I couldn't get there fast enough. When I walked in and saw her all cuddled up on the sitters lap I knew that she was happy and because she was happy I was happy. Our reunion was sweet and when we got home she was all smiles and full of chatter telling me all about her day. I was lucky to be able to have 6 uninterrupted weeks with my girl. And now I know that reality has to happen but she is safe and happy and that is all that matters!