Nursery!

Yesterday, Matt made the executive decision that we were taking Sydney to nursery.  She really is about 2 weeks away from her 18 month birthday, but Matt said she's close enough.  Sydney has been pretty hard to handle in church since she started walking, because she is so curious and just wants to walk around.  Poor Matt has had the blunt of it all because I was the primary pianist and could not take care of her, so he got to take her for 2 hours of church every week.   Sacrament Meeting was especially hard, because it was last and Sydney had just had it by then.  Church with kids is hard because it throws them off their schedules- naps, lunch, etc.  and they don't quite know what to do.  Anyway, we are attending church in my family's ward until our house is built, and after Sacrament Meeting we walked up the stairs to the nursery.  Matt set Sydney down at the top of the stairs and she just walked into the room like, I didn't know all these toys and kids were here?!  She didn't even turn around.  The leaders asked us her name and told us it looked like she'd be fine.  As we were leaving a little boy started running for the door after his mom, crying, and Sydney looked at him like he was crazy.  When we were in Sunday School, every time the door opened I would look back wondering if they were bringing her to us.  But she made it through the two hours with I'm sure less anxiety than her mom!  Matt went to pick her up at the end of church, and they told him that she was social and talkative- that's Sydney in a nut shell!  So we officially have a little break before we have to worry about taking care of a baby the entire time at church.  I have to say it was really nice to be able to actually sit and listen during church!  It is hard to believe that Sydney is old enough to be in nursery!  I have to say, I'm proud of her for doing so well, and it is a little sad that she doesn't "need" me at church, but I am glad that she is so independent.  I love her little personality!  Here is a picture that she colored on her first day at nursery...

  

Happy Easter!

I would have to say that Easter is one of my favorite holidays.  I love that it means spring is coming!  I love that it is always so close to general conference.  I love the spiritual boost that we always get at this time of the year.  Easter has such a special meaning behind it.  I am so grateful for all that Christ has done for us.  I am grateful that he has saved us from both  spritual and physical deaths.  I am grateful for the hope that the resurrection gives us.  It is always easier to have hope at this time of year, which I am grateful for, because there can be so many scary or unsure things that happen in our lives.  I love what President Monson told us in conference, "Your future is only as bright as your faith."  Sometimes it seems so easy to have fear.  But one thing I have learned, is that you can not have faith and fear at the same time.  So I try my best in this tough world when so many loved ones are having challenges, to have faith that everything will work out.  It is hard sometimes for me not to fear, but Easter and conference have given me a boost.  I am grateful for that boost, and I am grateful to know that Christ has gone through all that we have been through.  If we can have faith everything will work out and our future will be bright!

I also love that Easter has so many fun and bright activities that go along with it!  We spent Easter with my family this year and slept at their house.  We had a lot of fun coloring eggs, finding our Easter baskets, having an Easter egg hunt, going to church, having an  Easter lesson that Allie prepared, eating Easter dinner, and spending time together!  We had the opportunity to go to my cousins' ward and hear Elder Packard speak.  It is always such a special experience to be in the presence of an apostle.  I loved hearing his bold testimony of Christ! The spirit was so strong as he bore witness of Him, and it really helped us remember the true meaning of Easter.  Matt and Sydney were lucky enough to shake hands with this great man!  It was also an especially fun Easter for us because Sydney was so interested in all that was going on.  It is so fun to watch her discover the world.  She doesn't take the little things for granted.  When we go outside, she looks at all the little things: the flowers, the dirt, the grass, and she studies it.  She loves this world and it is so fun to see things through her eyes!

Sydney's reaction to the colored Easter eggs... she called them 'balls' at first

The colored eggs...I think we got some pretty good ones!

Sydney's Easter basket!

Sydney's Easter dress and basket...

Allie reading Sydney one of her new books, Sydney just couldn't put the eggs down!  She carried around eggs all day!

Easter egg hunt!  There were some very easy ones for Sydney to find... she loved running around, picking up all the eggs and putting them in her basket!  I think she even took a few eggs from other people's baskets!

Sydney's new chair that grandma and grandpa Holmes gave her!  She loves things that are her size!

We hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter!

Moving and Stuff...

Well, I think I have finally recovered from the past month's events!  We have been so busy preparing for this move...I actually think it was the hardest move that we have had yet, as far as figuring out how to pack things and where things need to go.  The contract we had for our apartment ended on March 31 and we didn't want to extend it because it costs so much more money, so even though our new place isn't done yet we decided that we needed to move.  The two main things that were hard were 1- we got back from our trip to Hawaii on March 29th with 2 days to be out of our apartment, and 2- we had to move most of our stuff to a storage unit.  So I had to figure out where everything needed to go.  If we needed it with us where we were living, if it went to the storage unit, if it went to Hawaii and then to the storage unit, or if it was DI or garbage.  I was pretty stressed and busy for most of the month of March, with tutoring, packing up our belongings, being sick & tired, and just preparing for the trip and the move.  I also made these wood letters for Allie's birthday, which took up some time, but was fun!  I can't believe Allie turned 13 this year!

The craziest thing with moving, is that all of a sudden you realize how much stuff you have.  This is all the stuff we took to the DI.  We now have more to take,  probably more that we SHOULD take, and probably more that we WILL take when we move in.  Luckily we had helpful friends and family who helped us move all of our stuff!  Thanks to everyone who helped us out!  We know it's not easy to drop all you have, especially on a Monday.  And a big, special thanks to Courtney and Tyler for letting us stay with you!  You have been amazing hosts! 

It was pretty sad to leave our home for the past two years.  So many amazing things have happened there.  We took Sydney home from the hospital to that home.  She learned how to smile, crawl, and walk there.  We spent a lot of time going on walks, looking at the ducks and geese, walking to Michael's, Smith's, Deseret Book, and Babies-R-Us, or to get snow shacks!  I will miss the tall trees and the location.  But, we are very excited for our new home and the exciting things that will happen there.  One thing I have learned from all the moves in my life, is that every new place is wonderful, because we make memories there as a family, and every place will hold good and fun memories.  We are glad to have lived in the Springs for the past two years and look forward to the future as well!

Quick Post

I should be unpacking/organizing from our move yesterday, but Sydney is asleep and I had a quick minute to put some pics on here from our vacation to Hawaii.  It's short but sweet!

OUR FAVORITES: watching Sydney chase birds~the beach~the pool~walks~beautiful views~waking up to the sunshine and rooster's cock-a-doodle-dooing~feeding fish~a nice dinner out~snorkeling~long naps~enjoying the weather and sun~feeding the ducks & chickens~sight seeing~shopping~playing with Sydney~spending time together!

"Mimi"

I just have to say, that Sydney makes me laugh literally every day!  Lately she has been calling me "mimi".  She will yell at me from across the apartment, "MIMI!"  and come running to me.  It is just so funny and cute.  I think she got it because she used to say mama, and would  hear Matt saying mommy, so she started saying mimi.  Anyway, here are a few pictures of her antics this past week...

I have to laugh that no one got my very subtle hint that we were having a baby!  Truthfully, I wasn't sure if I wanted the news out yet, so I made it subtle.  But news travels fast, and relatives keep writing on my facebook wall, so I figured I better just spell it out and spill the beans!  As far as baby news goes... I know I haven't shared much, because truly there is not much to share.  I'm about 9 weeks along, so not very far... I see the doctor on March 16th for my first appointment and will have an official due date then, but as far as my calculations go, I'm thinking it's on or around October 10th.  I haven't been feeling great... I get sick mostly in the evenings and at night, which makes sleeping hard.  But, I do know that it could be a lot worse.  The main thing is that I've been very TIRED.  I run out of energy very quickly!  I am looking forward to the 2nd trimester, when I will be feeling better and pregnancy will just be normal.  It kind of hasn't sunk in yet, probably because I haven't gone to the doctor.  I think also, I haven't been as anxious about what pregnancy will be like, or what it will be like to have a baby, since I have experienced it before.  So, it hasn't been on my mind as much as with Sydney.  But, we are very excited to be having another baby!  It is kind of weird to think about it, since Sydney still seems so little, but she will be almost 2 (23 months) by the time the baby arrives, so we are excited that they will be able to be pretty close in age.  I am afraid that this baby will rock her world though!  Sydney loves our attention, so it will be quite an adjustment, as I'm sure every baby is... but we have plenty of time to worry about that!  It's a good thing that pregnancy lasts 9 months, otherwise I don't know how we'd ever be prepared!

The News is Out!

Simply put... read Sydney's valentine! Nobody really got it, but I have heard suspicions.

February

This month has been an exciting one for us! We have officially decided that we are moving and purchasing a condo in Daybreak! We have picked out colors, put some money down, and are waiting for it to be finished in May! Our contract for our apartment is up at the end of March, so we will be moving out then, and will be in limbo, living with some friends in their basement for about a month and a half. We are excited to have our own place though! It will still be pretty small, (bigger than where we are now) about the size of a 3 bedroom apartment (a little bigger) but we will have our own garage and lots of amenities, like swimming pools, gym memberships (with daycare provided) and other things! Plus we get to pick out our own colors of paint, cupboards, carpet, etc- which has been exciting...I only wish I were a better decorator! Here is a picture of the stuff we picked out- the wood is the kitchen floor, linoleum (left) bathrooms and laundry room floors, cupboards to the right, carpet at the bottom, paint colors in the middle, and counter tops in the middle.



Sydney has grown up a lot this month. She climbs everything, and is starting to say a lot more. She says a lot of simple words: ma-ma, da-da, baby, ba-ba, bubbles, (the "name" of one of her bath toys- I was showing her it blew bubbles, and from now on she calls it bubbles) ball, (both balls & balloons), nana, (banana) nummy, (food) cookie, and others. It is so fun to watch her imitate words that we say! And she is understanding a lot now. I can tell her to go get her shoes, or a diaper, and she will. She knows many body parts: nose, eyes, ears, hair, teeth, tounge, feet, and hands. She is so curious and outgoing. She will 'talk' to anyone, and is into everything. It is fun to watch her learn new things every day! Here are a few pictures of her from this past month-

climbing

sleeping

showing me her teeth (Love this one!)

We had a fun Valentines Day! We didn't do a lot, because we had just celebrated with a night out and a babysitter for Matt's birthday. But we enjoyed being lazy at home, making sugar cookies, and valentines. It was a lot of fun just spending time together. Here are the valentines that Sydney gave out to members of our family!