Vienna: 15 Months

On the 14th, Vienna turned 15 months.  She is in the 75th percentile in head and height, and 65th in weight.  She is a happy toddler.  She loves to smile, laugh, be tickled, be chased, and to play with her sister.  She has learned a few words from time to time, but doesn't consistently say anything. However, she is incredibly phenomenal at getting her point across.  For instance, recently we had a few friends over for dinner.  There were two two year old boys here.  The first boy took the toy Vienna was playing with.  Vienna squawked, then walked over to the second boy and stood right in front of him, pointed to the first boy and said "deh".  Boy #2 marched over to boy #1, grabbed the toy out of his hands and gave it back to Vienna.  Vienna snagged it and ran away with the biggest smirk on her face.

She is the cuddliest little girl in the world. Last week our home teachers came over for the first time while the girls were awake. Vienna climbed right up onto his lap, and snuggled right into his lap, and while sucking her fist with one hand, she reached up with her other and held the guy's cheek.  She is so good at spreading her big heart full of pure love around.  She is so good at forcing people to love her. She is adored wherever she goes.

She is an excellent climber.  One morning the girls were playing in Cambry's room while I was cleaning up breakfast.  C runs into the kitchen and in a concerned voice tells me "Vienna's climbing". I race to C's room and Vienna was halfway up the bunk bed ladder by herself.  When she saw me, she just gave me her squinty eyed, and squinty nose smile like "I solemnly swear I am up to no good".  She's so fast, I can hardly blink!

This is a climbing episode gone bad.  She was so intent on holding that little nutcracker in one hand and her cracker in the other, she tried climbing out of this box that's was chest high, with no hands. , then once she fell in the box, she completely wedged herself in it. Yes, I raced to get the camera before getting her out- for posterity's sake naturally.

WE LOVE YOU VEENA BUG!

Marbles Museum

This museum is so fun.  I didn't take too many pics though.  Vienna's first time here and she had a good time, even though we didn't get to the baby stuff. huh. I guess only the oldest kid gets to play in the age appropriate areas.

Cambers loved making pizzas when older kids weren't standing too close.

I love this pic.  These are our neighbor friends.  Chase loves Vienna.  He was squeezing her face and gave her a big kiss.  His mom and I were laughing so hard we couldn't stop it. Doesn't Vienna look like wax??

The more we hang out with these cute boys, the more I can see the difference between boys and girls.  Cambry was so excited about making a tower "tall tall tall" and Chase was so excited to karate chop it down.  We had a great time here.

The Strawberry Patch

On evening after school, we went to pick some strawberries at patch by our house. Cambry was a natural at it. She would pick the strawberry and actually put it in the bucket.

Vienna picked some leaves and tried real hard to eat them too.

The girls - best picks in the patch.

About halfway through, we told Cambry that she can eat some while she picks. Every strawberry she picked from then on end up in her mouth.

Vienna was more interested in eating the hay.

The lighting was so great. So, Joslyn tried snapping a few photos of Vienna, but she was too tired to perform.

Cambry didn't want to be left out. So, she worked her way into the photo shoot. I love the strawberry juice all over her face.

After all that picking, the girls weren't great models - this is the best we got.

Things that matter

I'm out of the running for mom of the year.

I woke up irritated.  Why? Who knows.  After giving the girls breakfast we headed out to a nearby lake to run it out.  Since it was drizzling and chilly (50ish) I kept my babies in their footie pajamas and put hats and jackets on them.  After 2 laps, I still had energy, but C had been patient long enough about being in the stroller.  I thought- no big deal, I'll get her out to run around, leave the Vienna strapped in the stroller for a lakeside view, and run sprints back and forth in front of the lake.  Cambers thought it was a great game, and Veena enjoyed the tickles she got each time I made it back to her in the stroller.
  Then to my utter horror, after sprinting about 70 yards away from the stroller, I turned around and I saw it ever so slowly rolling towards the lake.  It was like one of those bad dreams where you're running as fast as you can, but you're not going anywhere. It eased onto the grass and the front wheel rolled off the one foot drop off and sloshed into the water. Still running my heart out. The back wheels followed. The whole stroller did a slow nose dive, tipping forward and completely submerging my little angel under water strapped in the stroller. After centuries it seemed like, I lept into the water in the lake I once said you couldn't pay me enough to touch, struggled to flip the stroller back up to get my baby above water.
   There she was still a foot underwater, eyes wide open and surprised. With super human strength and speed that no doubt was a divine gift I pulled the stroller high enough where  V's face could be above water and unbuckled the dozens of buckles it felt like that had her securely in place, and held my calm that was calm as could be.  Couple of coughs, couple of smiles, couple of shivers (yes, it was Cambry on the waters edge that was FREAKING OUT, poor girl).
  Suddenly my petty irritation vanished and my to-do-list for today was unimportant and what really matters became a priority. We had more snuggles, hugs and kisses, less selfishness, more service and I love you's, less meaningless tasks and errands, and more prayers full of gratitude. I'm so so grateful that I got to put my child in her bed tonight, unharmed and happy.

Things that matter

6 Months

Vienna turned 6 months this week.  She is such a little darling angel in our home.  Here are some of the things we love about her:

• She has a smile for everyone, and most of the time is content and happy.
• She sucks her whole fist to soothe herself.
• She adores her big sister.  I never hear her giggle for anyone like she does for Cambry.
• She can get to wherever she needs by rolling. If I set her down on a blanket, 1 minute later she is across the room chewing on a book or toy she spied from the blanket.
• She has the strongest, bounciest legs and loves to be held so she can jump on our laps.  
• When I sing to her, she sings with me.  Sometimes she does it when I hold her while I'm talking on the phone (or saying the prayer in Relief Society).
• She sucks in her lower lip and looks like a grandma without her dentures.  
• She can entertain herself pretty well right now.  If she can't reach a toy, she finds her hand, foot, or ear to play with.
• She has the most kissable cheeks and neck and the most squeezable thighs and arms.  She has rolls on top of rolls.  She's wearing some 6-9 month old clothes, some 12 month.
• She makes our home so much more peaceful.  She has a calming influence on me, Devin, and Cambry, individually and collectively.  

Height: 80th Percentile 26 1/2 in
Weight: 87th Percentile 17 lbs 14oz

Living Life

Here's a little more every day stuff.  My little suckers. It's tiring business!

V's the little puppy that chews on everything

C in her element: leaves and rocks

I forgot babies can start sitting up about 5 months.  Devin tried it out a few weeks ago and she sat for over a minute.  She didn't love it one bit.

A little water fun

Cambry is obsessed with buckles, snaps, clasps, etc.  She realized that diapers connect together, and loves investigating.  I didn't put V's pants back on her after changing her and I left her unattended for 90 seconds.  When I came back I saw her diaper in the doorway... Then Vienna.  REALLY??  It was my Elder Wirthlin "Come What May and Love IT" moment.  He said "The next time you're tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable."

Walks, apples, and Cambry are really good friends

After C woke up, I stuck V in her crib for a little sister time.  C started piling all her friends on V.  I told Cambers- Not on Veena's eyes or mouth.  Nice Work Cambers.

V trying to swallow a train.  She rolled across the entire room to catch it.  She's mastered her roll.

Baking with Daddy

Each morning Cambry stands by our front window and waves bye to Daddy as he pedals away. Cambry loves this morning ritual and I can tell Devin loves it too.

I'm doing P90X work outs a few times a week during V's morning nap.  Cambry does it with me... kind of. I've learned that it doesn't work to well with the mat.  haha.  I have a new level of respect for fit moms.

Vienna 4 Months

Vienna turned 4 months old last week!  I can't believe she has been a part of our family for that long.  She is a big precious baby and I'm constantly thanking God for letting me be her mom.  She is so quick with a smile and so calm, she creates much appreciated peace in our home.  She's staying in the 90th percentile in height and weight.  She is getting so strong and can hold her big head up on her own for long periods of time. She is very curious of her surroundings, and is putting everything in her mouth.  She can roll on to her side, but can't make it all the way over.

We somehow bypassed the passifier again.  She soothes herself by sucking on her fist.  She has a stuffy nose these days and it's so cute/sad to hear her breathing through her nose like Darth Vator so she can suck her fist. Then she'll stop every 10 seconds and gasp for air out of her mouth.

We love you Vienna.  Thank you for coming to our family.  We are a better family with you part of it.

Camera Clean Up

Vienna has mastered the art of creating dreads in the back of her hair.  I've had to cut several out because she is very productive at night making them.

Whenever I ask Cambry where her teeth are, she makes this face

Cambry and her friend watching TV as close as they can.  I mostly love Cambry's bum cheek sticking out.

One of Cambry's favorite hobbies is washing her hands.  She loves the bubbles and being up on a chair where she can reach the light switches.

A piece of Heaven

I know one day I'm going to miss these little curls

We thought we'd try it out... She's still way too little.  She was totally freaked out.

We went with a bunch of friends to dinner.  We have such great friends here.

Cambry was hoping for a job, and cleaned the tables and chairs throughout dinner.

Our Christmas miracle