Splash Park Time Again

It's that time of year again.
We've been heading out to the Splash Park.

We've already gone a few times and I expect to go many many more times before the heat is gone. (Last year we went at least once a week all summer long)

Kids in swimsuits are adorable, so I have a few pictures that were taken before we even left the house.

This is one reason why it's fun to have a girl. I think Parker is ridiculously adorable, but honestly he NEVER looked this cute in a swimsuit:

Parker put together this outfit himself. (If you couldn't tell) His bright green striped swim shorts, a red and white striped shirt that he calls "Amberica" (since it looks like the American flag) and a camo cowboy hat

Aria has a goofy hat too

Aria climbing the stairs before we go- man I want to devour that yummy looking thigh
Two little bums as the babies go up the stairs.


Eventually I do put the camera down and we leave the house.

Once I got there early, so I showed Parker (and Aria) the big tunnel nearby. He learned about echoes that day.

Parker trying to grab the ladybug he had been watching:

Sometimes Parker will play in the water.He loves to play with these blue spray guns.

But he still spends a lot of time looking like this:

He often ends up avoiding the water, and just watching all the other kids play- I don't get it, but hey, if it makes him happy- then whatever

Aria on the other hand kind of likes the water

And playing with toys

She also enjoys trying to eat rocks and leaves.
For some reason Parker loves to eat at the park or the splash park so I always bring plenty of snacks.

I guess playing at the park makes you hungry...

and thirsty...

and tired.

And who doesn't love a good hooded-towel picture?

Growing Up

So Aria has started taking steps. Can you believe it? A newborn baby about to walk! Okay, okay so she's close to 10 months, it just fells likes she's a brand new infant.

And worse.... communication! She has clearly understood when we sign milk, more, and eat for awhile now, but she has now used one of her own. She signed 'bath'. Twice. Which is an appropriate word for this girl to learn: she loves the water and she loves the bath.... a lot.

This picture is completely unrelated, but I can't resist posting a picture of my princess

Weight Check

Yesterday we had another doctors appointment for Aria.

Two months ago she was dropped under the 10th percentile for weight and was labelled as a failure to thrive, then one month ago she had gained nearly a pound and was sitting right on the 10th percentile, well, now she is 16lbs 4 oz- still cruising along the 10th percentile.

She is 27" tall so she maintained the 25th percentile for height.

Since all of her blood work came back normal and she has been gaining a normal amount of weight over the last two months, they don't see any reason to worry at all. She's just showing signs of being petite. Which is always just fine, especially for a girl

Born of Goodly Parents

The other night we had our friends, the Holdaways, over for dinner and FHE, and Tatum brought some awesome Book of Mormon dress up clothes for the occasion:
Jason fleeing Jerusalem with his daughter:

Going and getting the plates:
Lehi and Nephi playing with a dump truck:

These boys were so cute... walking around with swords and robes. I loved it.

Clown Feet

Over the Hill

Last weekend we went to my Aunt Gale's 'surprise' 50th Birthday Party. This isn't a big event, but we have a lot of pictures from it, so I'm going to share.

Thanks to my dad for being such an awesome Grandpa... Parker LOVED playing with you.
(And talked a lot about you for a few days)

Aria likes you too.... she just doesn't say it as much

I made the cake for my Aunt:

It's definitely not my favorite cake that I've made, but it was good practice (it says 50 & FABULOUS in case you couldn't tell)

And here's the family wearing some ultra-cool 'over-the-hill' glasses

Beautiful Aria, trying to eat them

Goofy Parker

Just me...

And what a stud, even in those silly frames!
Plus a big shoutout to my awesome husband for blogging about the father son campout--- Thanks Jason, You're awesome!

Father-and-Sons Campout

We (Parker & I, I=Jason) went to father and sons with our ward. It was a fun experience; Parker enjoyed himself and it was nice to be in the great outdoors. I didn't want to drive so I conned Bro. Offen into taking us with him. Bro. Offen and his son, Zach, are great and their company definitely made the trip more enjoyable. It was good for Parker too because Bro. Offen helps out in nursery and Parker already likes him a lot, and Parker doesn't like very many grown-ups.

Rather than bore you readers with the needless details I'll just give the fun stories. The camping trip was at Stoneman Lake, about 1 1/2 hours north of Phoenix. A few miles after the turn off you hit dirt road and a T-intersection. Typical of most Father and Sons weekends there were a myriad of paper plates plastered over the forest service sign. After 30 seconds of perusing we got a bit frustrated that we couldn't find our ward. Then we noticed the 4'x6' (that's feet) blue highway sign that read: "Cactus Lane Camping ->" Our Elder's Quorum president owns a sign company that makes and installs highway signs. We felt like idiots that we didn't see it right away - but everyone expects to see a paper plate for these things. Turns out others had the same issue so I didn't feel so bad.

Parker had fun and got to experience guy stuff that he doesn't get at home. He enjoyed throwing things in the fire, although he never wanted to get very close. He really liked roasting marshmellows, he got to try hot chocolate (not often served in Phoenix for you outsiders), and took a huge step toward manhood - peeing standing up. I was so proud of the little guy. He even got to play a little wiffleball although he didn't really get it. I'll have to work on this one a bit if he is to maintain the wiffleball legacy, but we have time.

A few pictures of the event:

Bro Offen and his son Zach (pre-departure). Thanks again for taking us.

Parker and I ready to go. Parker doesn't know what he is in for.

Parker is such a good kid. He sat in almost complete silence for the full 2 hour drive with only a book or two to play with.

Parker really enjoyed the tent: setting it up, being inside, all of it. I tried to put him to bed around his regular bed time. So we got in the tent, put on his pj's, read a couple books, and went through the rest of the bedtime routine. He snuggled up in his sleeping bag and just layed there smiling. I would pretend to sleep to see if that would help him. But every time I opened my eyes he was just laying there smiling at me. Then I would smile and laugh, and he would laugh. After 30 minutes of this hilarity I gave up and took him back out to the camp fire to get more worn out. Eventually we both got tired and went to bed.

One of the fathers brought a horse trailer and horses. Parker wanted to go look at them off and on but wouldn't pet them.

Parker enjoying some breakfast. You may be wondering what that strange floating plate is to his right. Believe it or not there is a camouflage chair there supporting that plate. I think everyone should have such a chair for camping and hunting. But a word to the wise - once you set it up always leave something conspicuous on it (like a white paper plate) or you may never find it again.

Parker exploring.

Parker and I about to head home.

I really think the experience brought us closer together. I look forward to many more of these with my wonderful boy.

3/4 of a Year

Today Aria is 9 months old. We are foregoing the normal 9-month-old-well-child-check-up since we're going in monthly for weight checks because she was diagnosed as failure to thrive.

Here are some pictures of the most gorgeous girl to ever walk (crawl) the face of the earth

In the swing

She makes a bee-line when she sees the dishwasher open

Angelic

Sleeping

In the bath

Feeding herself

Playing in the fridge...

Trying to drink the A1 sauce

At 9 months old, Aria:

~Has said mama a few times, and even though she doesn't really get it- I love it

~ Is much more independent than Parker ever was (is). At playgroup she'll just crawl away from me and play, and she won't even care where I am until she's hungry. As long as she is in a decent mood (fed, and it's not too near nap time) she will let anybody hold her- this is a HUGE change from Parker.

~Pulls herself to standing all of the time and cruises a little.

~Has been able to stand on her own for a few seconds at a time, but it's a very, very short time before she drops to the ground

Time has gone by ridiculously fast, but there's no doubt that we've loved these past nine months (9 days is more what it feels like) with our little bug.

A Day to Remember

Do you remember where you were on May 12th 2006? I do! Four years ago today I got married to the coolest man alive
4 years down... eternity to go

Bye-Bye

For whatever reason (BYU) my sister and her husband have decided they need to move to Utah.
Lame!
My two sisters are like my two best friends and now they'll both be living out of state. It's a little depressing.

We'll miss you guys a lot... hurry and get done with school, K?
Katie remember, you'll always be my favorite little sister.