Ensign Peak

Last week was not a fun one for us. First Jaden got the flu, shortly after I came down with it (probably has something to do with cleaning up all that throw up over and over again) After 3 days Jaden was acting much better so we never went to the doc. After my bout with the flu I caught a really nasty cold that is still driving me crazy! We thought perhaps Ryan escaped this evil flu The reasonable side of me was very glad that he wouldn't have to miss work and could help around the house. The miserable pregnant side of me was a bit resentful that I ALWAYS get sick and he NEVER does. Well I guess that side got it's wish cause Monday night Ryan came down with the flu and for the first time ever that I know of he called in sick to work. Alas it was not just a stay at home and rest day for him because he had the first part of his Journymans test that afternoon. Sick or not, there was no postponing so a testing he did go. And though horribly uncomfortable, he managed to still past his tests! Yay! Ryan did go to work today, I hope he doesn't over work himself and gte sicker. Oh I forgot to mention that Jaden is also now teething his canine teeth and is quite the grumpy gus. So all three of us are sickys around here and I need a housekeeper! Any takers?

After a week of the flu I thought it would do us all good to get out of the house so we did take a break (I took some tylonal and psuedofed) and we went to hike Ensign Peak in the fresh air. We had been told it was a nice short hike. Maybe only 1/2 a mile. I can do that! Well it ended up being a much steeper 1/2 mile than I anticipated. Ryan had to carry Jaden as the poor kid kept tripping and I was often having to stop and rest so as not to deprive Bella of oxygen.

I assumed the way down would be easier but my center of balance is off more than I thought by being pregnant and I had to go really slow down to prevent a tumble. Ryan and Jaden were always way ahead of me and would occasionally stop to let me catch up. We even saw a really big snake on our way down. We stopped and waited while it slithered across the path. Ryan snapped a few pictures but they didn't turn out too good. Bummer.

Although more of a work out than I anticipated, the fresh air was nice and we all had a good time before coming back to our sick house.


Eating lunch in the park. Jaden really enjoyed lunch as well as touching all the leaves and watching the bugs go about their business. We even came across a wild chicken that ran off at the sight of us.
This is how Ryan carried Jaden all the way up & down. Yeah makes me look like a wanny, but to be fair HE gets paid to exercise everyday, where the most strainuous task I do is laundry and the floors!
Yeah Ryan either blinked, or cringing because Jaden kept pulling his hair. Not sure which in this case.

We could see the whole valley from Ensign Peak. The picture's not that good, but trust me, it was pretty cool looking.

Ta da! We all made it up!

Backyard Project

It only took one lawn watering this season before Ryan decided he was fed up with moving the sprinkler around. So Friday he asked me if he could put in a sprinkler system.

"By yourself?" I aksed.

"Yup," he said. "

"Do you know how?" I wondered.

"I'll figure it out." He replied.

And off to Lowes he went. Really the only reason he asked me is cause it would cost over $100. That's fine. He just bought me Adobe Photoshop CS4! It cost LOTS more than this system.

Anyway, without any drawn plan he starts digging up the yard. He says he knows what he's doing. I suppose I'll just have to believe him, since I know nothing about it.

Jaden was happy to help all along the way. He loved to pick up the shovel or jump up and down (since that's what daddy did with the shovel)>

This last picture is our running sprinkler system! Yup it all works! What a smarty my hubby is! (click on photos to see a little better).

Jaden the hair Stylist

How to style your hair....Jaden style!
First you take whatever food you have on hand. I prefer first applesauce then strawberry pediasure. Put it in your hands and rub together vigorously.

Next rub your hands through your hair. make sure to get good coverage.

Ta Da! You have the most rockin' hair around! Not to mention the most breakfasty smelling hair!

Then mommy rushes you to the bathtub, sometimes she seems mad, sometimes she can't help but laugh. I should be the one that is mad. She washes out my perfectly good hair due every time!

Bella's Ultrasound

Yuppers that's a little girl! I can't even tell you how excited I am!!! As Ryan so aptly put as the title, this is Bella. I haven't decided if we're going to name her Isabella and just call her Bella or actually just name her Bella. (Ryan doesn't EVER want her called Isabella, he doesn't like that at all *shrug*) Oh by the way I'm not THAT big of a Twilight fan, we came up with the name while coming home from somewhere and passing by Bella Delci which is a resteraunt near our house. Ryan said "that's a really pretty name" I said "I think so too, but you know it's the name of the girl in the Twilight books" He shrugged "That's okay. I still like it." And Bella it is! After the restraunt, not the book. Hee.

Bella is looking perfectly healthy, nice full spine, no club feet, cute little butterfly heart. She's 8oz. right now, but it right on track to arrive October 14th....ish...around theres somewhere.

Yay a little girl!

Mother's Day Weekend

We decided to take off for Idaho for Mother's Day. After all that IS where our mothers are.

Here's Jaden all packed up and ready to go. Yup climbed in there all by himself. What's with the cheesy look on his face? I told him to smile. Hee. I think he looks like a chipmunk.


Saturday was Baby animal day at the fairgrounds Jaden was pretty tired, but I think he still had fun. My dad and Sara got a lot of GREAT pictures so look for them on my scrapbooking page in the future.

Jaden really liked playing in the corn they had set up. Even when daddy buried his legs in it.

On amazing coincidence, Sara was visiting the same weekend from Montana. She of course brought her little Zsolt with her, but left poor hubby to work back at home. It doesn't stop there. Kenny and his wife were also there from Washington D.C. He has a bit of vacation time before going to work at the pentagon. since so many of our freinds were in Idaho, we decided to have a little get together. Jacob and Melissa and their little one Landon also came. They live in Idaho Falls, so not a big trip for them, but we were sure glad to see 'em. We played some games, had some root beer floats, but mostly just talked. It's amazing how some things change, and yet then again some things never do.

Here's Jaden playing oh so nicely with Zsolt. I was so proud of how well he behaved around the younger boys. Maybe there is hope that he won't try to smash is new baby sibling when it comes along.

We had a great time and was sorry to have to leave. Ryan and I are very blessed to have such great mothers in our lives. We were happy to get to spend some time with them. And of course, so was Jaden. He sure loves his grandmas!

Mommy's Little Helper

Since Jaden started walking he's wanted to help mom and dad with whatever they happen to be doing. Most of the time this made for a LOT more work for ME. Fortunately Jaden is starting to actually be helpful! And he loves it!

We have a garbage can under our computer. Jaden learned long ago that he is not to touch or take anything out of the garbage, but recently he's learned that he is allowed to put things IN the garbage, but he can't touch it again once he has. This is nice because we can tell him to pick something up off the floor and put it in the garbage. Yay!

He's also found that if he stands on his toes he can reach to put stuff in the sink. Before long he was picking up cups (somehow we always have cups everywhere) and putting them in the sink. This is most helpful when I'm sitting at the computer or on the couch with a cup of water. I can finish it and ask Jaden to put it in the sink for me. Ta Da! No more cups everywhere! When we're in my bedroom doing laundry he'll even gather all the cups off my nightstand (I have a cup of water there every night and the cups pile up sometimes) and take them all and put them in the sink! What a great helper!

This picture is lousy cause I had the camera on the wrong setting and had to snap it really fast just to get it. He's so hard to get pictures of anymore.

He also knows that things should be closed. Closets, dishwashers, cupboards, doors, he will close everything that is open, whether you get your hand out of the way fast enough or not. The high cupboards (that Ryan often leaves open) he will point at and say "uh oh" until you close them, or if I leave a spoon or any other dish on the counter he will point at it till it gets put in the sink. Wow! Now if he'll just put his own toys away we'd be in really good shape!

Something else new, One night Jaden wouldn't let Ryan put the book away when going to bed, so Ryan let him have it in his crib. He now insists on it every night and some nap times. He'll sit there and "read" for quite awhile! One night Ryan took the book and put it back on the book shelf once Jaden was asleep. About 3 a.m. Jaden was whining and saying "uh oh" So I went to see what the problem was. He had thrown out all his blankets and was pointing to the book shelf. Yup he wanted his book back! Then just yesterday I went to get Jaden up from his nap, I figured he wanted to cause he was making quite a bit of noise. I went in and found him sitting and looking at his book. Reading outloud I guess. I put the side of the crib down and held out my hands. He shook his hands at me (that means no) , stood up and tried to pull the edge of the crib back up. Jeez, so sorry to interupt you personal reading time! So perhaps Jaden has a little of me in him after all. I too will not go to bed without a book with me. ;)

Catch up

You may need to click on the pictures to get a better view. Sunday I had left the diaper bag out. Jaden dug through the side pockets and pulled out the checkbook and pen. He then climbed up on the couch and proceeded to write a check. It was so funny. He looked so serious sitting there with the checkbook. He watched Ryan pay tithing earlier and this kid doesn't miss a thing!

In other news, Jaden is officially a non-sucker, of his thumb that is. Ryan and I can't pinpoint the exact time he stopped but it's been about 2 months now. Man this kid is easy! Self weens off of nursing, self weens off the thumb, now if he'll potty train himself we'll really be in for easy times!!

He speaks many many words and phrases now. He loves being able to communicate better. We appreciate it too. I especially love that when he's paying attention he'll say "dank u" (thank you) when you give him something and a jumbled your welcome when you say thank you to him.

He understands baby, and belly, but he can't quite get "baby in mommy's belly" He looks at my belly then looks at his but he sees no baby. Can't blame the kid, it is a rather confusing notion.

He loves playing outside. We go out for about an hour every day. He likes Cory's ramps that we still have in our backyard. They're great for sliding down on your belly, or rolling a ball down. He also loves poking at the bunny. She doesn't seem to mind. He keeps calling her a doggy and wonders why she doesn't sound like the other doggys. I keep saying bunny, but everything is either a doggy or a bear to Jaden.

When we had Easter candy I would let Jaden have a couple jelly beans after he ate all of his snack. If he dumped it on the floor I would point to it and tell him he had to eat it all. After eating it all for a few days he got too smart for me. He ate some of his favorites out of his snack dish then dumpd the rest in the garbage under the computer "all gone" he said showing me the bowl.

Loving this kid! He makes me laugh every day!

Living Planet Aquarium

Saturday Ryan took Jaden and Me to the Living Planet Aquarium. I knew it wouldn't be as good as the aquariums I had been to in Florida, but was still excited to go. We had a great time. Jaden liked looking at the fish, but was not a big fan of being contained. He got very grumpy at the end because he wanted to run around.

Jaden pointing at the sucker fish local to the lakes here in Utah.

Can you see the 3 different colored eels?

Don't worry. I found Nemo.

They had a tank with Rays in that we could touch. Jaden liked just putting his hands in the water, but thought it was neat when one would swim by.

Some cool looking bugs!

Another big long eel. There were sharks in this tank too. Jaden thought they were pretty neat.

A fresh water ray. Look at those cool polka dots.

There was a little kid area where he could run around a bit and look at fish himself without having to be held. This was his favorite. But he soon decided to check out the rest of the exhibits and ran out of the area. He's bumped into 4 people and was knocked over by a 5 year old before we caught him. Man he's fast!

We had a great time!

Bye I love you!

Jaden made me laugh so hard today! As I sat at the computer he would pull up to me on his bike, give me a kiss and say "bye I love you" while waving bye (okay so it took me a minute to figure out that was what he was saying, but I'm sure it is). He then would back up and turn into the kitchen, Just before he went in he'd blow me a kiss. He then would come back in and do it all over again. I laughed so hard I almost cried. Clearly this kid has seen Daddy leave many times and knows the routine.
Jaden waving bye after giving me a kiss.

Hoppy Easter

We had a great weekend! My Mom and her cousin Carol came and stayed with us. Friday was Brooklyn's Birthday party. She was so cute! It was a blast and Jaden had fun "helping". If you'd like to see pictures of Brooklyn's party check out Jeremy and Jessica's blog. The link is there on the side.
This picture has a story all it's own. Saturday Jaden and I went shopping with my mom and Carol. At Wal Mart they had the Easter Bunny for the kids to go see. We thought Jaden would be scared (not a lot of luck with santa clause after all) so we passed by the line. But, while Mom and Carol were looking at jackets, Jaden kept looking back, pointing and jabbering with the occasional "Bu Bu" So I took him to the bunny. He was so excited that they couldn't get him to look at the camera. He just kept looking up at the bunny with an excited look on his face. It was hilarious. Finally the girl got this picture. That's excitement and not fear I promise. Even better it was Free!!! Yay! So Jaden LOVES the Easter Bunny!

Easter morning was more exciting than it's been in years. I filled the baskets with TONS of candy also Ryan's with Jerky, oatmeal pies, bubbles and cadberry eggs. Mine with headbands and make-up (that I needed anyway) and Jaden's with a bunny, bubbles, some little people, and a car in an egg. Of course Jaden also got that Nifty bike! It looked much smaller in the box, I suppose he'll have to grow into it a bit.

Grandma also got him a cute stuffed bunny and Carol got him a ball like Brooklyn's cause he liked it so much!

First thing Jaden saw was the peeps in the baskets. He munched this one down in a hurry.

We had a little Easter egg hunt just in our house. Jaden had fun find ing the eggs, but more fun rattling them and throwing them down to bust them open and get the piece of candy inside.

He wasn't too sure about the grass on his head.

Later in the day we went out and played with the bubbles. Jaden LOVED the bubbles, but hey, who doesn't?

Of couse we had to make a visit to our very own Easter bunny. Jaden loves touching her soft fur. She's okay with it as long as she's safe in her pen.

And of couse we had to take the bike out for a test drive. Jaden couldn't quite reach the pedals, but he really enjoyed being pushed on the bike or just scooting it along with his feet.


Happy Easter everybody!