Emerson Turns One!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EMERSON ROSE!

I honestly cannot believe this sweet girl has been with us for an entire year. She is PURE joy, and makes everyone smile. She's social, yet she has her shy moments. She's already even obedient, and she gets her feelings hurt so easily if we scold {lightly} her for something. She is so beautiful, and she is exactly what we needed in our family. We love her beyond measure.

She is really trying to communicate with us these days. If I ask her where something is, she goes and gets it (binkey, sippy cup, shoe, etc.). When she sees me with a diaper and wipes, she quickly lays down for me (this is a new development--in the past she HATED getting her diaper changed and was the biggest wiggle worm--and she does still have those moments). She is still a cuddle bug and will still sleep on our chests! I don't know many one year olds that still do that. She is an excellent eater, and will eat ANYTHING you put in front of her. She loves her food, yet she is so petite! She also loves her big brother, and follows him around. They are best buddies, and I LOVE to see that every day.

As you may have guessed, we had a little photo shoot today. It actually took me a LONG time to prepare for, and though I am happy with the results, it was not what I had envisioned. Enjoy!

Okay, the plan here was to put her in what was supposed to look like a hot air balloon, all "Up" style. The wind didn't help, but at least I got a couple shots.

Isn't this Mexican dress adorable?! Marcy got it for Emerson, and I absolutely love it. This is Emerson getting in touch with her Mexican side. :)

And lastly, you mustn't overlook her cupcake headband. LOVE IT.

Emerson, we love you so much!!

Off to a good start!

2011 is off to a good start! We just returned from a trip to Albuquerque and El Paso to see these two tie the knot. Meet Clay and Andy. Clay is Cliff's little brother, and Andy is my new sis-in-law. ...

I feel like I was just helping Clay with his 7th grade science homework from Mrs. Shashy. Not that I'm soooo much older than him, but he was in 7th grade when Cliff and I started dating. I thought we were still the newlyweds! I guess they have taken our place!

The wedding was in the Albuquerque LDS temple, and their reception was the following weekend, so we were in El Paso for a week and half. That gave us plenty of time to have fun with all of our family. We got to visit a lot with Grandma Dotty (my mom's mom), our parents, and the little cousins.

I had several photo shoots in El Paso, so Deborah, Cliff's cousin & Danny's mom, watched my kids a few times. Thanks, Debs! Stone and Danny have SO much fun together. They wrestle, they get mad at each other, and then they get over it, have some more fun, and then the cycle repeats. Bumps and bruises are always included. They are a lot of fun to watch. Here are some pictures of them wrestling on the temple grounds after the wedding. ...

The following two pictures are just to prove, it really is in good fun...

Stone sometimes thinks he's a Kung Fu Fighter. I think Danny got knocked in the face on the following one...

I just can't believe January is already wrapping up. I looove where we are at in life right now. I just want to freeze time for just a little bit and enjoy the stages my kids are at. Oh how it passes so quickly.

*****

Update on my kiddos...

So this boy...
told me yesterday, that he needed to take off his undies so he could go swimming. No, I don't let him skinny dip. I told him it was too cold to swim. I turned around, his undies were off, and he was pretending to swim on the carpet. This kid is HILARIOUS, though sometimes inappropriate. But he is only three...

This girl...

is about to have her BIRTHDAY!!! WHAT?! I seriously feel like I JUST gave birth to her. I can remember that day perfectly. I can remember what Stone was wearing, I can remember looking out my hospital window, watching my Dad and Stone play at the park. I can remember exactly how she looked on that day. Though it feels like yesterday, SO much has happened since then. Cliff finished his last semester of law school, graduated, passed the bar, I had a business trip to Michigan, we moved, Cliff started his job, I resigned, and my photography hobby has become much more than a hobby.

***

Lastly, how is everyone doing with their resolutions? I must admit. Mine start THIS week. I have many things I want to work on and accomplish this year. Usually I pick a few things I can really focus on. But I have several things in different areas of my life that I want to work on, yet NOTHING is written down. And my goals HAVE to be written down, or it's as though they do not exist. I've been working on them, but I don't feel like they are officially my goals yet. We stayed put for the holidays and traveled shortly after for the wedding, so I feel like our holidays have now wrapped up, and now it's time to really work on 2011.

There. Did you make it through this post?

Stone Enters Primary

I don't know how it happened, but my lil' boy is now a Sunbeam. Is that possible? Is he really already 3? Actually, he's 3 1/2. In our church, the little ones go to Nursery until the January after they turn 3. They begin nursery when they are 18 months old. They sing songs, learn simple lessons, eat snacks, and play with toys...all while their parents go to their Sunday school classes and church meetings. Then they graduate to primary the January after they turn 3. Those 3 year olds are called Sunbeams. And that is what happened to this boy this past Sunday. He became a Sunbeam.

I'm actually in the Primary presidency (so I help with all the kids 3-11). So I got to see the transition take place, and I must say... he did MUCH better than I expected of this overly energetic, superhero playing boy. We had to talk it up to him the whole week before. He was a bit devastated that he'd no longer be in nursery. Yes, he got out of his chair a few times. Yes, he kept unbottoning and buttoning back up his vest. Yes, he insisted on marching up front while the teacher was teaching, and close the mailbox because it was open. BUT, considering the amount of energy this kid has, and considering he is known to be a bit rowdy {that may be an understatement}, I would give him an A+ for the day.