Mommy Talk

So when I was without kiddos, I laughed because Moms always talked your ear off. I thought man those certain woman really just like to talk. I had no problem with it but just noticed it. I love to talk too, just not on the phone. I get it from my mom, talking is normal, it means you are social and have a personality! Well now that I have a child of my own, I now know what is is like to get a visitor. I love it when I see someone who doesn't speak gibberish. I take advantage of it, especially since I am usually cleaning or something while they stop by. I love how you see different stages of life and how each change your position on things. I will thank my mom for that talking thing, because of it, I have lots of great people in my life and there is always something to talk about!!

Max and Mum Mums

We have some good friends here, The Hannamenn Family and they have CUTE kids. Well the middle little guy is Max. He reminds me so much of our niece Reece, tons of energy and the cutest things alive. I stopped by their house for a visit the other day and Max had me look at some family pictures, pointing out everyone, it was cute. He missed his cousins back in Arizona and I am sure they miss him, who wouldn't? We were done and then he said we have a picture of Ellah, Jenni (his mom) said only on the computer and he insisted they had a picture. So we asked to see it and he pulled out of the cupboard the Mum - Mum Wafer Box and said, "See it is Ellah." We laughed because little ones are so smart because I was wondering how on earth they got a picture of my darling little girl...this baby looks so much like Ellah and Max had made that observation. We love you Max!!!

Maunawili Hike

Over the long weekend a huge group of us decided to take a hike. Everybody tagged along and had a blast. It was a perfect hike, not just the boring trail hike, we had to cross a few streams, crawl over the logs, jump over the tree roots and then climb stairs (which the kiddos were pretending they were train tracks)....shoot three pregnant woman did it!! Power to the women for sure!! At the end was a waterfall which led into a small waterhole where people would dive into, SCARY!! There was a small hole just deep enough from the high spot. We had so much fun, each one of us took care of all the kids, as long as somebody had a little hand, it was okay. We did get pretty muddy, which made for more fun. Here are a few pictures of the crew....The group at the beginning of the hike, Moore Family, Crosby Crew, team work while crossing the steam, Mexican family trying to cross the border, The Taylor Three, cute little Braden and Kolea, Bells hanging out on Daddy's back, Hundley Family, and finally the end, which looks like everyone else on the Island had the same idea of a hike that day. But we had a blast and afterwards, we went to the beach and relaxed with lots of food. Great day, great hike and great Friends, life couldn't get any better than this!!!

GERMS GO AWAY!!!

With moving to TVA along comes germs. All the little ones caught the same virus. Poor Bells had been running a fever of 101 since Saturday, she wouldn't eat anything, diarrhea and sleeping. Along with this, she is cutting her K9 ( C, H) for you who know the dental lingo. The hardest teeth of all, so far. With 8 teeth, I am glad I am weaning her, hahaha. The only sad thing is, we went back on weaning because she wouldn't eat anything, her throat was swollen and so she would nurse a little bit, just for comfort. Yesterday she was given a good shot of antibiotics, this morning she woke up a completely different little girl! I love modern day medicine! Our baby is back!!! Here is back to weaning!!

Ka'ena Hike

We went for a hike with the Hitz family a few weeks ago to Ka'ena Point. It is such a great hike, easy and beautiful. A beach half way to relax for a minute and then a light house at the end and beach with a little pool to swim in. We were lucky on the hike because we saw whales, albatross nesting and once again seals coming right up to us and barking. I love this place! We don't even have to worry about running into bears!!

Old Place to New Place

We moved apartments in the beginning of January. We are happy and sad at the same time. We lived in the nicest apartment within 3 towns and loved it. We had our privacy, our own secluded beach, awesome neighbors who always gave us fish, going running and then jumping in the ocean afterwards, it was just a beautiful apartment, it helped that the owner was fabulous! We moved to campus marriage housing, it was great for the bank account!! We have had some troubles when we moved in, they didn't have time finish the "to do list" and they just moved us in. I scrubbed and bleached EVERYTHING!! I guess that is what happens when you work in any medical field, you are insane when it comes to germs! We had trouble with maintenance getting in here to fix things but we are glad they are almost done. The other night, the wind blew the mirror in the bathroom off the wall that we had told them to fix, glass everywhere and a HUGE hole in the wall. CRAZY! As much as we miss being able to walk around naked and our own beach....we love our new home! We have wonderful friends everywhere. It is good for Michelle and Bells because they are close to the other mom and kids. We are very happy here and still visit our old apartment often to see Perry, Teora and Ka'ena! Here are a few pictures of our old apartment, Ka'ena one night on the bluff, "our" beach (bathtub beach) and then the three of us on a kayak!

Advice for Bells

Through many situations and observing....one lesson we have decided to teach Bells is to be yourself. Many people need to read and understand this one. We love it....

Why waste all your time and energy trying to fit it,

When you were born to stand out!!

Holiday Cakes

We are really getting into the cake business, well fun of it anyway. We made some over the Christmas break. One was for a friends family reunion and the other was for the homeless shelter on Christmas Eve. Everything is edible. We made our own modeling chocolate and made the snowmen and penguins. We are so excited for Ellah's birthday cake....a 3D gumball machine, pictures will be posted, hopefully it turns out as expected.

The Twins

I babysit a little guy named Cache. His father is actually the missionary who taught me in North Dakota (saying with the accent). It is really cool that we both ended up here and our children just a few months apart. People often mistake them for each other because they are both usually naked, always tan and just CUTE!! They even act like siblings, fight over toys and then share!!

The Weiner in Weaning

The grass is always greener on the other side, right? Well my Nephrologist told me to have her weaned by December due to my kidneys but I really wanted to hold on to that and he knew it. So when we went in and I didn't have it done, he gave me the look and said by February! Well I am in the process of getting it done and well I thought it would be harder on Bells but nope, ughhhh. It is hard on me, so emotional. Then the stress of asking yourself, is she getting enough? She is. We made the decision to not use formula since she was a preemie and NO BOTTLES!! She is doing great so far, it is just me. I am not sure if the other mothers have this problem and it could just be that I won't get to breast feed again and she is growing up so fast! My baby is almost a year old! Funny because you want to be done with it and then when it comes that time, you want to hold on to it and well really it is so much easier at times. But both of us are doing great with it and soon enough, she will be a solid girl!!

Fat Girl on a Diet?

Ellah is a very voluptuous baby girl! She is tipping the scales at 26.4 lbs and to tell you the truth I am scared because she has grown out of size 5 diapers and the next step is 6 (toddler size) with less diapers for more money. I am ready to potty train this girl! Some people give me looks of shame because I have a very "healthy" baby and others love to just squeeze her chubs. Either way I am proud to have pure cream for milk! She is now eating EVERYTHING she can get her hands on and I love it! Here are some lovely chubby moment pictures and maybe if I didn't let her get into the fridge when she wanted, we might not have this problem, hahaha!!

Lucky I'm in Love With My Best Friend

Last December we celebrated our 2 year. Even though some days get hectic and I don't see him much due to school and running around with a little monster...I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful husband, one who I share so much interests with, what can I say, he is my best friend! Here is a poem he wrote to me and gave me.

The day we wed

Will always be

The one I love

my fondest memory

My favorite gift

I've had since then

Are all the days

With me you've been

The greatest thing

That I could see

Is you with me

On our Anniversary

Destined to play sports

Some might say how wrong it is to say SHE WILL play sports but really, with parents as active as us, she is destined to play sports. A good thing about Ellah going to be our only child is we can take her everywhere and do a lot of things. She has already spent a good amount of time on the basketball court, softball field, hiking, swimming, running and even at the bowling alley. Especially with a daddy like Jeremiah, he is always trying to get her to play with the basketball. She is not going to be a dainty princess that is for sure. We've seen proof of this. Some of daddy's favorite times with Bells!

Cruel and Mean Parents

I am laughing right now because the entertainment parents get from the cruel things they do to their children. But really, it is soooo funny. Just last night we all got together and played games, one of the little guys, Mason, was the only baby awake and he is just 6 months and his dad put a pillow under him and would scoot his little legs back and watch him fall face first into the pillow, sounds mean but hilarious. No children were harmed during this time! Mason was actually enjoying it. This was a toy that Jeremiah (Santa) put in my stalking. Of course after sizing it up, we realized it would fit Ellah's head and here is the evidence!!

Dreamin' About the Future

This picture is one of our favorites and who could argue? One afternoon in our backyard or is it a backbeach? Anyway....she is thinking about something hopefully her future or probably whats for lunch!!

Water Baby!!

That was one of the reasons we wanted to move from Alaska, there is just more possibilities when raising a child and we are glad because Ellah enjoys the water so much. Living in Hawaii is perfect for this reason. No matter what, we can just go jump in the ocean and we never leave home without swimsuits and towels. She is learning how to swim, seriously, we tell her to kick and she goes at it and well it helps out that she has her own natural floating device! She loves putting her face in the water too, way more than Mommy does!

Her Daddy Side

I have finally caught a few pictures of her daddy side and this is exactly how daddy looks when sitting on the couch relaxing. She for some reason found her arm rests in her car seat and LOVES them. She is so excited to use them when we put her in and then when we take her out....she gets ery grumpy, kinda like daddy!!

Are there such things as baby bras?

Please anyone let me know if you have heard or seen of a baby bra! We are in desperate need of one for Ellah. If not then we are going into business and making some money....

Exactly like her Mother

I love looking at my daughter and seeing myself and at the same time seeing my husband. There is just something so amazing about that. We get a little of both, some people say she looks so much like her daddy and then some people say she looks so much like her mommy. Her sleeping ways are just like mommy and how she can't sit still for more than a minute, she has her mommy's personality SO much.... My mom says that is what I get, I was a little devil of a child, not a bad one just always busy. These remind me so much of some of my very own baby pictures! Nothing like a mommy and daughter!!

Stages

I love the stages and milestones they go through but gee they go so fast! Ellah loved the jogger and well she still does but now she loves to get out and help push, which goodness takes quite a bit longer. Even the grocery store visit takes a very long time but I love it. She already wants to drive a car too!!