Welcome, Baby Gabe!

My brother Peter and his wife Abby had their baby this weekend. They had another boy who they named Gabriel Peter Lamb. Gabe looks a lot like his older brother Austin did at birth, except that he's got much darker hair than Austin had. But he's adorable and it was fun to spend the weekend with Austin and get to see the darling new baby. Congrats, Abby and Peter!

Precious

My good friend and college roommate Tonya came over last week. We live about half an hour away now and haven't seen each other since my wedding, which is way too long. I have so many great memories of those Provo days of '97 when we (me, Tonya, Alana, Melissa, Alyssa, and Sarah, and of course our honorary roommate Eric) all met in Deseret Towers in S-Hall and then lived together the next year at Liberty Square. We did some pretty crazy things including sneaking ambrosia out of the cafeteria to answer a boy for a dance, spying on each other as we came home from dates (she'll never forgive us for playing "Kiss The Girl" for her and Jason after one date, but that was payment for spying on me after a dance and falling off her bunkbed in the process in the dorms!), and divulging our most embarrassing moments to everyone in Wendover, NV. Then of course there was the time when I awoke to a clown hanging above my head that she and Melissa had hung there for some reason, or the time when I came home to find all my roommates dressed in my clothes and waiting for me in the front room (so I snuck up on them and scared them by climbing into a back window). Oh, good times! She has 3 darling little girls now who I can't wait to meet and her blog makes it evident that she is such a wonderful mama to them.

She was nice enough to share her amazing photography skills with us and take some pictures of the girls that I've wanted to get done. Sophie especially was not the most cooperative for the photo session but Tonya was so patient and good with both girls anyway. Luckily she managed to get some cute shots and then she went home and proceeded to work some sweet magic on Photoshop and sent these to me a couple days later. I was blown away by how talented she is and the amazing quality these pictures have. It's convinced me that once I get my new camera I will also have to purchase and get to know Photoshop. It seriously makes such a difference. Anyway, here are some of the pictures she took.I love how this one really brings out Sophie's red hair.

We call her our Angel Avery.

Sometimes I call her my little Asian baby, though.

This is Joseph's favorites of me with Avery.

We did get Sophie to smile a couple times, but she was not wanting to let go of her beloved pillow.

Avery on the other hand slept through most of the shoot.

A little game of peekaboo hit the spot.

I didn't really want to be in any of the pictures, but a couple turned out okay in the end. Anyone who can make me look good has got to be talented!

So thoughtful.

She wasn't awake for long, but long enough to barely open her eyes.

Sophie loves being a big sister!

Thank you so much, Tonya! You are amazing! Love ya!

Everything But the Kitchen Sink

I just got my latest Baby Center email about my 7 week old, and this is what one section said about how to go somewhere:

Prepare, prepare, prepare. If you use formula, your baby's travel bag should
include extra bottles and travel-sized cans of formula. If you breastfeed, pack
a shawl or wrap so you'll feel more comfortable nursing in public. Bring
pacifiers if your baby uses them; extra diapers, a portable package of wipes,
baggies for dirty diapers, a nasal bulb, and a first-aid kit. Pack a burp cloth,
a change of clothes, and extra layers for transit, along with the right clothes
for your destination. Don't forget a few favorite toys as well as some new ones
to surprise her with.

Oh, is that all I should bring? Yes, I'd love to tote around my entire nursery, kitchen, and playroom to the library and store with me. I really should write them and ask what I need for my 22 month old in addition to that. Puh-lease. These people are clearly either extreme and paranoid mothers, or they have never actually had children of their own. Joseph thinks we have way too much crap in our diaper bags as it is, but I think we're doing alright by only taking 2 bags to church with us each week. :)

What's in your baby bags?

3 and Going Strong

Three years ago today Joseph made me the happiest girl alive by making me his wife. It's actually hard for me to believe it's only been 3 years since we have two kids and so much has happened in those 3 years, but they have been an amazing 3 and I can definitely say that I love this man more now than I did then. Thanks for making life so fun and giving me a reason to love waking up each day. I love you, Joseph!

Then: August 18th, 2005

Now: August 18th, 2008

Baby Love

Avery has started cooing and smiling at us. It completely melts my heart every time. One little smile goes a long way around here. I can wake up in the middle of the night with her any time if only she'll give me a little smile. This morning I had her sitting on my lap facing away from me, and she craned her neck around to stare at me until she got my attention so that she could "talk" to me. It's so adorable and I wish I had my camera then. I can't seem to catch that darling look on camera. She's 6 weeks old!
Here's kind of a little smile, the best I could get.
Avery also has the biggest yawns I've ever seen on a baby. They're so funny to see.

My Indulgences

I usually am only into one show on TV at a time. Earlier this year it was American Idol. Lately it's been "So You Think You Can Dance." I love this show. I got started on the second night of the top 20 so I missed all the preliminary auditions and Vegas, but I loved what I saw. I love all the creative dances the choreographers come up with, I love how the dancers perform them, and I love getting to know everyone as the show unfolds. (I could do without Mary Murphy's screams and Nigel's cheesy smile, though.) I even vote ocassionally for my favorites. So I was way excited this week for the finale. I knew it would come down to the two boys, but I honestly didn't care who won, as long as it was Joshua, Twitch, or Katee. I was thrilled for Josh and think he really deserved it. And someday I will be able to dance like them. It'll probably be in the next life, but I'm gonna do it. Now I think my new thing to watch will have to be the Olympics. I love the summer Olympics! My other indulgence right now is the same as many of yours, only you've all probably finished it by now. I didn't get my copy until Wednesday and haven't had as much time as I'd like to read it since, but I'm halfway through now and enjoying it alright. It's definitely not what I predicted, though Joseph did somehow see coming the major plot twist that's occured so far. But I'm dying to talk about it with someone! Nobody here that I know of is reading it and I wish I could just discuss what I think so far without having to read people's reviews who have finished the book and get spoilers. I hope I like the second half and that the annoying things stop being annoying to me. (And this is for Jenny: I'm not in camp Jacob so much anymore. I think I was really only pulling for him all along because he's the underdog. If Bella had chosen Jacob, I would've been pulling for Edward. But Jacob's just gotten on my nerves this time around. I'm defnitely more an Edward fan than ever before, despite his too perfectness.) Alright, time to go back to being Mom and trying to sneak a few pages in here and there. :)

I Don't Wanna Grow Up

Sophie has reverted back to babyhood, including the oral phase. Now, though, the oral fixation is more of her way of being sneaky and defiant, sticking things in her mouth that she knows we don't want her to eat, just because it'll get a reaction. (Yes, classic I'm-trying-to-figure-out-where-I-fit-in-with-this-new-baby-around behavior. She's actually doing really well overall, I think.)

Sophie wouldn't take a pacificer to save her life when she was a baby, despite our best efforts, instead finding her thumb at 5 months and never looking back. But now that we stick it in Avery's mouth, Sophie's fascinated with it and sticks it in hers. She's actually gotten much better about this the last week and now just shoves it in Avery's mouth any time she hears her crying (which is helpful to me when she does it nicely!)

She also was never happy in the bouncer or swing as a baby, but you'd better believe those are 2 of the funnest things to play with around here now. At least someone's playing in them, since Avery doesn't seem to love them either.

I want to know how we get a baby who actually likes to be swung instead of insisting on being in someone's arms all the time? (sigh)

But despite all the reverting back to baby behaviors, Sophie really does want to grow up, though I really hope she'll never be able to fit into these men's size 13's (or so).

She's too darn cute for her own good, and such a keeper! We think we'll keep them both! (And I really do Sophie's hair in pigtails every day, they just fall out during her naps!)

4 Weeks Old

Avery is 4 weeks old today and we can hardly believe how fast those 4 weeks went. We had her well baby check-up today and here are her stats:

• 9 lbs.--50th percentile
• 22 inches--80th percentile (she's a tall one!)
• 37 1/2 inch head circumference--50th percentile
  

What other time of your life will it be great to say you gained almost 2 lbs. and grew 2 inches in one month? The doctor congratulated us on how well she's growing. Atta girl, Avery!

Sophie is so good with Avery Jane and loves to hug her, but isn't too keen on holding her. We had to bribe her to keep her here long enough for this shot.

Sophie is always very attentive to Avery's needs. As soon as she hears her cry, she's right there with her paci and blanket to soothe her. Such a good big sister.

What a beautiful baby!

I love my girls!