A snowy "leap day"

What a stormy day today was! The wind started early in the morning, at least by 2:30 AM when I woke up to feed Russell. 

It blew all morning and Keldrie kept asking me what the noise was.  Sometimes I enjoy a good storm, other times I don't. Today I was a little indecisive about it. It is fun to have a snow storm, but not when I have places to go and Matt needs to get to and from work and school safely. 

Also, why is it that today, the last day of February, we are getting our first snow storm in months?! I don't care. I am taking down my Valentine decorations tomorrow and putting up my spring stuff! Stinky weather. I love that in Utah we get 4 seasons, but Spring and Fall never seem long enough to me. We seem to only get about 3 weeks of Spring before it gets real hot and then the process repeats in the Fall. I guess it will just have to be Spring in my head and in the decor in the house!

This is such a random, nonsense post. I just have lots on my mind and not enough time to settle my thoughts before I type. Is writing like therapy to anyone else? It just feels good to get the thoughts out of my head and onto the paper (or computer screen). 

My sweet Russell is growing well and fast. He is putting on weight and filling out nicely. I love his big chubby checks. He is my little chipmunk! We are busy getting ready for his blessing around here. I have so much organizing and cleaning I want to get done by Sunday morning. I probably won't get it all done. I should probably prioritize my list.  Perhaps I will have to do that tomorrow morning. 

Tomorrow also marks Russell's 6 week mark and my post-delivery appointment. I'm expecting a full bill of health and being allowed to get back to my usual cleaning routine. Not that I haven't cheated and used the vacuum a few times.  I am actually feeling really great. I seem to be recovering quicker this time than with Keldrie. Maybe it's all in my head. 

This March marks Matt and mine fourth anniversary! Four years! It has gone so fast! I'll save all that we have done for a post closer to the actual anniversary, but it has been on my mind a lot lately. Everyone seems to have this opinion that there is a "four year slump" when it comes to marriage, but I don't really expect one for Matt and I. We are still getting along swimmingly and we have two beautiful children who make us laugh everyday. 

Well, at 8:30 pm on this windy, wet day, I am happy to have both my children close by and Matt sitting next to me working on homework. Of course I wish he wasn't working on homework, but at least he is safe beside me. Even if his homework is frustrating him at the moment. 

Hope all of you and your loved ones are safe as well! 

Such a busy Saturday!

You know those days when there is just so much fun stuff to do, you are wondering why it all has to fall on one crazy day? That was this Saturday.

The day started with a special Stake Relief Society Meeting. Matt promised to watch Keldrie so I could go. I took Russell and had a good time. There was lots of good information for parents and grandparents, and after the 4 workshops, we ended with a beautiful and delicious luncheon and these cupcakes!

Next up was Julia's 6th Birthday Party! I know I have said it before, but my sister-in-law, Gaby, throws the best kids parties in town! The decorations are always on theme and adorable and she has games perfect for the age group.  Here are some of the pictures from the afternoon!

Keldrie loves the Cinderella Dress and of course, the outfit isn't complete with out the shoes! Any girl knows that! 

The girls all sitting in their dresses, listening to Gaby read Pinkalicious: a girl who ate so many cupcakes, she turned pink! 

The men-folk observing. 

Love this picture of Josh! 

Keldrie's got her game face on! 

After that, we headed to my mom's house so she could get her daily hugs and kisses on her new grandson. Once we were home, I realized what I usually do on Saturday: Clean the house. Oh well, why not start the week with a challenge, right?

Now here are a few pictures of our Sunday afternoon at first Matt's Parent's house and then my parent's. 

Julia loved holding Russell! 

Grandma Keller loved holding Russell too! 

Keldrie had a long day. Isn't her cut hair growing out nicely? Oh yeah!

And last but not least, my new favorite picture of the week!

Have a great week everyone!

My Valentine's Gift!

I finally got my Valentine's gift! Do you know what it was? Here is a hint! 

Do you know? Have you seen this clock before? Here is another hint!

 How about that Moose? I'm sure you know now!

Matt took me shopping to the outlets in Park City! 

It was so fun to walk around with my family and look at all that stuff! There are so many fun stores that I could never afford, even with the outlet prices! But that is part of the fun! We shopped and shopped. Keldrie and Russell slept most of the way up and Matt and I were able to talk without interruption and enjoy each others company. We did have to cut it a little short because Keldrie said her tummy hurt, and after we totally brushed her off, she threw up to show us she was serious. Bad mommy moment, but lately she has used the excuse that her tummy hurts to get out of everything from bedtime to eating her dinner. Luckily she didn't throw up much and it didn't get anywhere. Russell was an angel the whole time!

I love this store! So many cool gadgets you didn't even know you could get for your kitchen! 

 

Keldrie and Matt played on the slide for a minute. And I mean about 2 whole minutes because the wind was blowing up there and it was cold! I was so glad that Matt had put Keldrie's winter coat on instead of the cute jacket I was going to put on her. 

Russell was bundled up against the cold too! He only got to get out of his car seat/stroller once, and that was for a bum change! 

When you aren't feeling well and have a long car ride home, what could make you feel better than your two best friends, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty! The "Princess" stage is in full swing at our house! 

So that is our trip! I bought a few gifts, so no pictures, but we had a blast! 

And to finish it off, here is a picture of Russell this morning, while I type this up! 

Valentine's Day 2012

Did everyone have a good Valentine's day? We did! 

We started out the day by opening the presents Grandma Keller had sent home with us the night before. 

Thumbelina and a package of Reese's, plus a Valentine's Day shirt. Russell got a toy too and a shirt as well. 

Next was a  visit to Grandma Smith so we could deliver her and Grandpa Smith's Valentine Cards. 

Keldrie and Grandma Smith raced cars. 

After that, we headed home for lunch with Daddy and naps for the kids.  When we got home, I was surprised with a spotless house and the dishwasher running. Matt even vacuumed! We gave Keldrie the present we had bought her and then but her down for her nap. Matt is giving me an afternoon at the Park City Outlets as my present and I gave him a membership to club called Toastmasters.  Then it was time for him to go to work. 

I got to making him a chocolate cake. It turned out very delicious, but then the bottoms stuck to the round pans, so I have to picture for you. It was yummy, but not pretty. In fact, one whole side started to fall off when I frosted it. I told Matt "This is the ugly stepchild of the cake, we ignore it and pretend it doesn't exist." 

Matt had to work from 2 to 7, and so the kids and I  headed out to my mom's house for the afternoon. 

What a cheese ball my daughter is! 

Matt came home from work and made me an incredible steak dinner. The steaks were cooked so perfectly. Amazing!  We had some sparkling apple cider with our dinner and finished off the night by watching one of  our current favorite shows, White Collar. Matt rubbed my feet while we watched and I fed Russell. By 11, we were in bed and on our way to sleep. 

It was a great day! It wasn't too expensive or high pressure and we had a newborn with us the whole time, but hey, he is pretty cute!

Similar but different!

Keldrie 

Russell

Keldrie

Russell

Keldrie

Russell

My babies have lots of differences, but they have some similarities too! And we love them both so much! 

February 2012

Here we are, about 1/3 of the way done with February already! Also, my sweet little boy is now 3 weeks old! Can you believe it has been that long already? He is starting to chunk out and spends quite a bit more time awake these days. 

He also got to go to the mall for the first time yesterday. All four of us headed out, mostly because Matt is looking for something to get me for Valentines. I had nothing to suggest. I need some new clothes, but since I'm still losing baby weight, it doesn't make much sense to get any now. 

I have vowed to put some actual pants (not sweat pants) on for our Valentine's Date, though. 

So if anyone has a good idea for me, call poor Matt and let him know. 

Russell is such a good baby. He is calm and quiet and only cries if he needs fed or his pants changed. And since he is such a great baby, I was able to get a lot done yesterday.

Do you ever have a day where you are so productive, you feel like Super Woman? That is how I felt yesterday. I got mountains of laundry washed, dried, folded and put away. I got the kitchen clean, although it didn't stay that way for very long. Matt even cleaned the toilets for me, so now all the bathrooms smell good again. Besides all that, I made dinner and had that trip to the mall. To top it all off, I had a really good hair day. It's probably the most I've gotten done in about 2 months.

It has been such a weird winter. We've had more rain storms than snow storms from what it seems, however a few days ago it was snowing (sort of)  and Keldrie decided that she needed to play in the snow.  We were headed out to my mom's anyway, so when we got there, we suited her all up and let her go in the back yard by herself.  None of the rest of us wanted to go. 

She had a ball out there by herself! Snow angels and little footprints now decorate my mom's backyard.  Of course she threw a fit when it was time to come in, but she did come by herself. Maybe she just understood that it would not be pretty if I had to stomp into that snow and haul her in myself.  

Russell got special treatment from is Uncle Tyler while Mom watched Keldrie in the back yard.

In other news, we gave Russell his first bottle. I knew when I decided to breastfeed that the one thing I could do to keep at it was to make sure he would take formula if I needed him to. I just knew it would drive me crazy to have to limit every outing to a few hours so I could get home and fed him. I'm happy to report that he loved it. I had my mom feed it to him. He drank about 2 ounces and a few hours later, had no problem going back to me. Got to love it when a plan works! He and I are also quite fond of his binkie. Pop that in his mouth and his eyes usually start to droop! Score!

As you can see, his coloring has stayed quite dark (for a baby of two white people), and he has grown a second chin. I love his dark hair. I never thought I would have a baby as blond as Keldrie and Russell is more what I would have expected my baby to look like.

We are all doing well here in the Smith household! 

Can't wait for Valentines Day! I think Keldrie is going to be making some cards this year! 

We've been busy, doing nothing!

I know I haven't updated in a long time, but I've been busying holding my new baby. He is a precious as you can imagine and we are so happy to have Mister Russell in our home. I don't really have much to share. I really have just been doing housework and holding him. Once in a while, I put him down long enough to cook a meal for my family.

Here is what we know about Russ so far:
1- He does not like to have a bath. He squeals and cries the whole time his little body is in the water.
2- He does not like to have his diaper or clothes changed.
3- The only time he does like his clothes changed is if they are wet, and he will still cry the whole time.
4- He does respond to Mommy and Daddy's voices, even big sister's voice sometimes.
5- Right now it appears that he will be blue-eyed. Not surprising, but I was wondering if they would. His eyes are so big!
6- We are all in love with him! Keldrie is always asking to hold him and loves to kiss him. Usually she is trying to do both of these things whenever I am feeding him and she has had more than one tantrum as I told her, as kindly as possible, to get off.

Besides this, I have pictures!

Daddy and Russell at the hospital. 

So mad! 

Can you see these circles, too?

Just like his daddy, he will sleep with his arms over his head, if he can get them out of his blanket. 

Half- Smile! 

Don't worry, she isn't chocking him, that is a hug. 

Keldrie is loving being a big sister! 

Sweet Dreams!