14 months

As of Thursday, Caitlin is now 14 months.
-She has doubled her teeth count in the last month.. 6 new ones. She got her one year molars, and a couple towards the front.
-still doesn't really feel the need to talk. She is vocal but not saying very many solid words. She sticks to "mama" "dada" and "baba". Otherwise, she pretty much gets what she wants anyways so what's the rush? Sometimes she will surprise us and say something but it's never heard again. Hopefully she is storing everything in that little head of hers so when she does decided to talk she'll have plenty of ammunition.
-she points at things she wants and if that's not clear enough she will get your finger and pull you over. or if you are standing she will push your legs so you walk over.
-she drinks only from a sippy cup now! no more bottles! We still put her down for her nap and bedtime with milk, but it's from a sippy. This was a big step but she actually did really well with it. No we're working towards not having to be put down with a drink.
-she blows kisses and plays patty-cake, but only if she wants to. 
-she pretty much just loves life and loves to do what she pleases, but there are a very few things that she REALLY REALLY loves:
#1 going outside. she LOVES to be outside. she knows that if she put her shoes on she gets to go outside so she is constantly bringing me shoes and trying to get me to put them on her.
#2 her blankies. she has two and she needs both to go to bed. if i let her she would carry them around all day with her.
#3 chocolate. i try not to give her too much but, she's like me: she really really loves it whenever she can get her hands on it
#4 her daddy. She screams and runs to the door whenever he comes home from work and wants his full attention whenever he is around. she loves to wrestle with him.
#5 the book "Moo, Baa, LaLaLa" by Susan Boynton. It's just a little board book that my mom got for her before she was even born and she loves it. She will bring it over and sit in your lap and as soon as you're done reading she wants you to read it again, and again and again. I literally have it memorized. She likes other books but loses interest pretty fast, but not this one.

Arizona

Caitlin and I took a long weekend trip to Arizona. We went down for Madison's first birthday party and stayed with Jeff and Melissa and Madison. We also go to see Christine and Cason and Lorraine who came too. And Melissa's parents. We had so much fun together with the babies and the party and our little excursions. The cousins are so cute and funny and so different in their own little ways. We had such a great trip.
Saturday was Madison's party and unfortunately i forgot my camera back at the house so i will have to steal some pictures because it was such a cute party. Melissa did such a good job planning everything. It was at a park by their house and it was a "diva party" so everything was zebra print and pink. It was so adorable. Madison is the sweetest little girl. After the party we went to a mexican restaurant for dinner and Caitlin really got into the guacamole:
Sunday we went to church, hung out, watched a movie and went for a walk around Jeff's campus. The babies love their grandma, especially Caitlin. She honestly prefers Grandma Lorraine to me whenever she is around she wants to be with her, and rather have her than me.

Monday we went to the pumpkin patch and had a lot of fun and got very dirty. Surprisingly, my fearless little girl was not a fan of the petting zoo this time, she clung to my legs the whole time but she did like exploring other things like the tubes and the hay and the corn kernel box. That night they all needed a bath really bath so we thought it would be fun to have them take one together. Caitlin was NOT into that idea. She started screaming as soon as we put her in and when we took her out she just cowered in the corner the whole time. Always full of surprises. And no matter where she goes she is a mischief maker! That night we watched the 1984 version of Footloose.

 

typical Caitlin.. first chance she gets she tries to make a run for it. I see that face on a daily basis, this picture cracks me up.



Tuesday we took Lorraine and Christine and Cason to the airport and Caitlin said a tearful goodbye and then Melissa took be to "Last Chance". This is the store where they take everything from Nordstrom Rack that doesn't sell.. basically scratch & dent Nordstrom. It was awesome. No pictures, but plenty of items to show for it. :) Melissa and I made a couple bows while the girls were sleeping and then that night we got pizza and then after the babies went to sleep Melissa and I went to see the new Footloose. We were the only ones in the theater! then another couple came late. But that didn't stop us from dancing. I liked the new one a lot.

Wednesday morning we went to the park and saw the ducks and then took everyone home for a nap. Then we got packed up and headed out. We got home safe and sound but had so much fun on our trip. Jeff and Melissa were great hosts and we did so many fun things. Caitlin was in heaven with so many fun people the play with and honestly, me too.

Friday

Friday (10.21) we went with some friends to Cornbelly's and spent the morning exploring and playing. Caitlin had lots of fun playing with anything that wasn't an attraction: the gravel in the play pit, corn cobs, pushing other people's strollers around... but she also had fun in the bounce house, playing with pumpkins, climbing in things, riding in a corn barrel wagon, going on the cow ride, and being with so many other kids.

 
 

That night we went to the Turnbull twin's birthday party. It was at "Jump on it" and the kids had so much fun bouncing on the trampolines to their little heart's content. Caitlin was pretty tough and held her own with the big kids jumping around her. Unfortunately I only got one lame phone picture but the party was so fun and we just love Mason and Cal.

foto friday

typical...

(taken 10.20)

sitting in a tiny box, putting on my headbands like necklaces. She had about 5 on at one point but was shedding them as i took the picture.

alpine loop

Sunday afternoon we took a drive up American Fork canyon through the Alpine loop. I had never actually gone the whole loop and i really wanted to see all the fall leaf colors and it was definitely worth it. We are so lucky to live so close to something so beautiful! I have decided that fall is my favorite season, i love the colors, foods, activities, clothes, holidays.. etc. Anyways the canyon did not disappoint and hopefully this fall feeling will stick around for awhile before Utah decides to have winter.

 

Foto Friday

 Caitlin likes to help me re-arrange the kitchen. Because obviously chocolate syrup, cans and salad dressing is way better suited to go in cabinets than the fridge! I've been finding little treasures all over!

grin and bear it

sometimes all you can do is smile. like when...

... your baby wakes up at 6:20 AM and is yelling and screaming her little guts out for no apparent reason other than she is awake and wants to play.

... you've been to the grocery store two days in a row to get things and you go to make dinner and realize you are still missing one single thing.

... you just finish doing every speck of the ever-building laundry in the house and have it washed and dried and put away when you baby wakes up from her nap with a HUGE blowout and you have to change her whole outfit and clean the poo off.

just smile and be glad that your problems are no where near as bad as they could be. If all you have to deal with is an adorable baby, extra errands and a little poo, you have a lot to smile about.

Foto Friday

It snowed here. First snow of the season, a little early if you ask me but luckily it didn't stay for long. Caitlin liked watching it out the window (probably would have liked it even more if i let her out to play in it but she's been sick, and let's face it I just wasn't quite ready to face the cold yet)

mentionables

things that have been going on lately of mention (not in chronological order):

A little over a week ago Caitlin and I got to have over Brooke and Kate Gottfredson while their mom went to a dentist appointment. Technically, these little girls are my cousins. But they are the cutest play mates with Caitlin and she loved every second of having them around (WAY more entertaining than mom!)

Caitlin got croup. She just woke up with a barking cough and wheezy-sounding breathing. Poor thing. Having a sick child is probably the saddest thing ever. We went to the doctor and bought a cool-mist humidifier (never knew those are actually better than the warm mist!) and she is on the mend.

I have officially joined the 21st century and got an iPhone.  It's a big deal. (Ironically, i got my iphone on the same day that Steve Jobs died.) I will never again have a bored moment now that i can check my email and play games and do whatever else right from my phone. (as if i have time to do that anyways) I also got a new phone plan, hence a new phone number and i'm officially an (801) area code... slow steps toward accepting my Utah permanence.

I put up my Halloween decorations (confession: i actually put them up back in September!) and now i'm afraid i'm going to be so sick of them by the time Halloween rolls around.

On the complete other side of the spectrum: i made Christmas stockings! I thought i might as well just make them early so i wouldn't have it hanging over my head and i'm very happy with how they turned out.  

Paul is rocking it at work. He just helped closed a huge funding deal for vivint.solar and he is doing awesome and loving it there. And working A LOT. I love it when we actually get to see him in between but nonetheless very proud of my hubbylicious.

I don't know if i've ever mentioned this but the one show that Caitlin will actually sit and watch is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Not always, but most times. BUT she likes to be watching with someone. She doesn't want to stay and watch if you leave. Today she cuddled in my lap and watched a full episode and it was heaven. (p.s. i'm not trying to push watching tv on her, but it's nice to have her attention span occupied sometimes.) 

i could get used to this...

We got to spend an amazing weekend as a family. It was so delightful to have Paul all to ourselves for a few days and to be able to do nothing but what we wanted to do. Caitlin and I both loved it so much.. i think she was a little disappointed when she woke up Monday morning to just me. Daddy is just the best.
Friday night we went to dinner and then to the BYU vs. Utah State game. It was a great game to go to as BYU was able to pull out the win in the end (THANK YOU Riley Neilson!) Caitlin actually did really well at the. She was content to sit on our laps and watch everything and listen to the bands and have snacks. I was very pleasantly surprised at this, so there may be more games in our future.

 

Saturday we slept in and then watched General Conference and got a treat between sessions. We found that Caitlin loves smoothies, which i'm not that surprised about since she loves fruit and she's getting really good at sucking out of a straw. We played outside a lot in the beautiful weather too.

Sunday we watched more conference and were excited to hear about the new Provo Tabernacle Temple. That will be really neat. Paul was also excited about the DR Congo temple because that was in his mission. One of the messages that we got from conference was to concentrate on being faithful in the small things and live life well everyday, that way we can be entrusted with even bigger things that the Lord has in store for us. Sunday night we went to Bailey's for a delicious dinner. Some of us got serious about croquet and we enjoyed more beautiful weather in the backyard.

My little family and the gospel mean more than anything to me. I am so thankful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that is led by a prophet of God. I am so thankful for all of my many blessings, and for the reminders of those blessings that i get in a constant everyday basis.