Four Months Old

It's time for the monthly recap on Max and me sitting here wondering where the time goes. Our little man turned four-months-old yesterday, and with that "birthday" reached a new milestone-baby cereal! Being the good eater that he is, he didn't seemed bugged one bit by the new taste. Of course he had a messy face, but that's half of the fun, right?

It's so fun to watch this little guy develop his own personality. He's such a happy, easy-going baby. Even when he was sick last week, he was good. He's quick to smile and laugh and I love hearing him "talk" in his crib when he wakes up. He loves to suck on his fist (which made feeding him the cereal interesting). We have a hard time getting pictures of him smiling, because he usually has his hand in his mouth. He's also starting to get interested in toys, so I'm able to buy myself a little time if I get him busy "playing." He's been vetoing morning naps the last couple of days, and for that I'm ready to pull out my hair. Good thing he's cute.

Playing with his noise-making, kicking toy

What the heck is this stuff?

In goes the fist

This is our other life saver-a bouncy seat that vibrates and plays music

Curse You, Wal-Mart

I went to our lovely Wal-Mart yesterday to get groceries. I purposely avoided the Easter aisles, because I have a crazy love affair with Easter candy. I was trying to be so good and not even be tempted, but our darn store feels the need to spread the holiday cheer throughout the store. So unfortunate for my post-baby body, I caved when I saw these:
I like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, but I LOVE these. That extra peanut butter is a little piece of heaven in your mouth. I'm being good today and completely avoiding the bag sitting in my cupboard (I have to make up for yesterday). Now, if only I can figure out how to avoid Wal-Mart until Easter is over.

Tag, you're it

Well, I've been tagged by my cute cousin Kira. So, here's everything you never knew about me and more...

*What were you doing ten years ago?

It doesn't seem like that long ago! I must be getting old. I was in the home stretch of graduating from college at SUU. I was doing "the block" in the elementary education department. The block is a crash course on everything you haven't learned yet about being a teacher. Way fun, but crazy busy. I was also a few months pregnant with Treyson and preparing to be a first time mom. I was working at Christensen's trying to save money insead of buying clothes with my paycheck.

*Five things on my to-do list today:

1. Hold my sick baby as much as possible (double ear infections and borderline RSV).
2. Laundry, laundry, laundry
3. Call my cute friend Rachel (so sad we missed you in St. George!)
4. Figure out a bulletin board I have to do for PTA at the boys' school
5. Clean up Quincy's messes

*Things I would do if suddenly I were a billionaire:

1. Pay off the house
2. Invest
3. Give some to each of our parents and siblings
4. Travel
5. Shop (see bad habit below!)

*Two of my bad habits:

1. Buying too many clothes for the kids (does Quincy really need one more dress?)
2. Yelling

*Places I have lived:

1. Cedar City, Utah
2. Denver, Colorado

*Five jobs I have had:

1. Godfather's Pizza
2. Christensen's (clothing store)
3. Nurse
4. Chauffer
5. Maid

(ok, so the last three I don't get paid for, but I've only had two "pay-check" jobs!)

*Five things people don't know about me:

1. I am TERRIFIED of mice! If I see one, I even start crying! I can't even watch the movie "Ratatouille".
2. My closet has to be organized in rainbow-color order. Nate's part of the closet drives me insane!
3. I have to have some sort of chocolate everyday! I'm a little addicted!
4. I played the violin for about eight years and hope to be able to take lessons again once the kids are a little older.
5. I was bit by a dog when I was two-years-old. I tried to ride my neighbor's dog and he didn't like that too much. I'm still very cautious around dogs I don't know well.

So there you have it. I'm sure you're all enlightened. I don't know who exactly reads this, but I tag Teri Esplin and Ryan/Becca Esplin.

A little of this and that

Ok, I am so behind. It's been a crazy couple of weeks with so much going on that I thought I would just do one giant blog instead of a lot of little ones. Bare with me as I try to fill you in on what's been happening with our family.

The Harlem Globetrotters came to Cedar City last Tuesday. A company that Nate works with quite a bit, generously gave our family second row seats to see the big event. The kids had an absolute blast! It was so great to look down the row and see them smiling and laughing the entire time. Quincy turned on the charm and started flirting with Hi-Lite. Her smile earned her and the boys a chance to go down on the floor and dance with the team. Hi-Lite gave each of them sweaty wristbands (gross, I know), which they proudly slept with that night. My parents offered to take Max for the evening (thanks so much!) and boy, am I glad they did. Massive blowout. Need I say more? I'm just glad that I didn't have to change that in the centrum bathroom!

Valentine's was a crazy, but fun day. The kids love to have a candlelight dinner. Pretty romantic, huh! Last year we started the tradition of having a "love door." I leave hearts, a marker, and tape by the back door and each of us randomly write things that we love about each other and post them on the door. The kids love waking up in the morning or coming home from school to see what new hearts have been hung.

My sweet Valentines! I feel so blessed to have each of them (and Nate!) in my life.

These past couple of days have been spent in St. George at a baseball tournament. Our team ended up winning the first game, and then losing the next three. Every game we tend to have one bad inning that ends up costing us the game. I think the boys did great considering we still have a lot of snow on the ground and they haven't been able to practice on a field since October!

Quincy-Lou

Any mother that starts out having boys will totally relate to the relief and overwhelming emotion that comes over you when you find out that you're going to have a little girl (Susy, you know exactly what I mean!). I still remember the butterflys in my stomach the day I went for my ultrasound with baby #3. I had convinced myself that a third boy would be just fine, but I couldn't help but hope and wish. When my doctor made the announcement, my first feelings were pure joy. And then I realized that I got to go shopping for a LITTLE GIRL! Anyone that knows me, knows that not much else gets me as excited as going shopping!

Two and a half years later, I am still so in love with my little girl. She can be total sugar and spice. She definitely has her moments, and I was warned that PMS starts well before the teenage years, but I absolutely love being her mom. She tells me I'm her best friend and the "other" princess. She is total girl. She always has to have her purse and loves to play "mom" to her babies. She loves to wear dresses and adores shoes (isn't that every woman's first love?). She has her dad and brothers wrapped pretty tightly around her finger. All she has to do is look at you with her big, blue eyes (or scream in her high-pitched scream), and she gets her way. She's pretty juicy-sweet and we love having her as our only little princess. Here are some of my favorite pictures of her:

Sorry, naked pictures always make me smile!

Easter dress '07

Told you she could be sweet!

Love that blonde hair and blue eyes! We'll see how long she stays blonde!