oh, august

The last time I posted was just after my grandfather died at the end of July.
There's good reason I haven't posted since-August has been a whirlwind.
I looked at my calendar and everything we have done has overlapped.
I think our little family has had maybe a total of four days at home without visitors or vacations.
We've spent 24 hours in the car with a baby driving back and forth from grandpa's funeral,
a week with my entire family in Hawaii,
had Jay's family in town for education week at BYU,
my family come to town to move my little sister in (YAYYYY.),
a tiny human with the stomach flu while everyone was here,
and today Jay's family comes back to town for a family wedding.
August is nearly through and had I blinked I might have missed it.

I remember last summer when there was so much going on for us with a new baby, state, house, puppy, job, etc. somebody told me to try and take a step back to enjoy it because there are very few stages where everything will be so new and exciting. And it's true. And I recognize there will be phases where we won't have so many places to be and people to be with. So I'm just sitting back the best I can, not worrying about the un-mopped floors or unfinished upstairs bathroom. Not stressing about getting up the pictures from Hawaii with accompanying posts, and only focusing on loving my sweet sick baby (and hard-working husband) and getting the spare bedroom sheets washed between visitors.

So in honor of our month, I'll share some family pictures we took in Hawaii that sort of speak to our life right now. Jay laughed when I wanted a family picture just how we were on our last day in Hawaii before the sunset, but I knew we wouldn't get another chance before we left and we had minutes until the sun went down. So although I am still in my bathing suit, Rory is naked eating pizza, Jay is only humoring me, and we have a sweet little tag-along: this is life lately. A little nuts, extra people involved, not always put together, but really happy.

Visitors, visitors, we love visitors.

I love family that's kind of obscure family. You know what I'm talking about? They just make your family feel bigger! Well, my brother in law has a sister that is seriously a doll, and I've always loved her. She happens to go to school in Idaho, and I told her when we moved here that she had to come stay with us whenever she came to Provo.

And she did this weekend! We were so glad she came and mugged on our baby and accompanied me for a walk down center street with good conversation and ice cream. We also window shopped, slept in, walked the new temple grounds, and ate homemade meals. And McKenzie happens to be one of the baby-whisperer types, so there was a lot of hanging out with Rory (and Rory constantly gazing at Kenz). We are absolutely and unabashedly old people when it comes to leisure and bedtime around here, so we all turned in relatively early after games at night. I would say I feel bad, but I didn't really because I can remember how good a full night's sleep felt when I was in college. We love having all visitors, but especially ones like McKenzie! Thanks for staying with us sweet girl!

Is there anything you do when you host guests that I need to put on my list? Let me know!

*Also we tried Rockwell Ice Cream on University and it totally lived up to the hype. You should go!
**And can we all appreciate Rory laying one one me a couple pictures down?! She's way into that these days. I love it. 

Life lately in iphone pictures

Here's how life lately looks: [and pictures for grandma] 

-First things first, the pictures range from family vacation at the beach until now. Rory has been so blessed to have felt so much love during this first little stretch of her life! Grandma and grandpa great visited us, and then Clara and Winnie came and I swear I've never seen a two year old as obsessed with babies as Clara is with Rory. Every morning when we would come down the stairs she would rush out to see "baby cousin" and immediately plop down on her butt where ever she was and open her arms to hold her. It melted me every single time- I miss that chunky muffin. Anyways...

-We've moved! We're in Utah! Now, people keep asking me, "are you settled?", but the answer to that question is tricky. We are moved. We are living in our house. Jay has started his new job. I have a pseudo routine set up with Rory. But the house we bought is a foreclosure that needs a little tlc, so settled is not the right word. Our first day in our new house was spent ripping out the carpet because the previous owners had un-potty trained pets living inside.... it was disgusting. And nothing was really cleaned when they moved out, so everything had to be washed before anything could be put away. And doing that with a baby in arms is not the easiest thing I've ever attempted. As a mom, you find out really quick which things can be done with one arm and which can't. Also which things can be done with baby strapped to you. [though it helps, it doesn't make everything possible] So here we are, walking around in sandals indoors because we are living on mostly dusty concrete slab until they can finally come and put in our new floors... and putting only the most necessary furniture in the house [enter mattress and rocking chair] while the rest sits in the garage.

-THUS... we have so many people we want to see and have over, but our house isn't really ready to entertain (much less functionally eat dinner in) right now, so we are having to hold off on being hosts until we at least get floors. But we love you! We are working on it!

-A huge plus about being in Utah is that it puts us close to Jay's extended family. Our first Sunday here, his grandma invited everyone over for dessert and it was so fun! Jay has a whole passel of girl cousins from ages 9-24 (ish) and I'll just say that Rory never got put down with all of them there and loved every minute of it. We love being here so close to them!

-She is the funniest sleeper. First, she's loud- it is so so funny. She grunts and makes these little throaty groans in her sleep and it's hilarious. Also, she drools hardcore and if she escapes the swaddle she twists as far as she can onto her side and puts her hands straight up in the air.

-Within the first week we were here, there were a few really tough days. The kind where she didn't sleep well at night, took no naps during the day, and refused to be out of my arms for longer than 60 seconds. Luckily [though I thought for sure it would] it didn't last forever and now we are back to a totally livable schedule of a couple solid naps per day and only 1-2 nighttime nursings. Hallelujah, because I wasn't sure I could make it. One of the last pictures shows how I ended up at the end of one of those days- still in sweats, with baby strapped to me to keep her calm while I laid in bed to rest for just a second. Also shoutout to my sister's (and my) friend Erin for bringing me dinner on one of those rough days. You are a true gem and a lifesaver.

-Baby girl LOVES music. If I need to keep her calm a little longer to brush my teeth/do the dishes I just put some music on and sit her by the window she loves to look out and we swing it pretty nicely.

-Rory has just started this weekend to try to smile, which is the most adorable thing I've ever seen. So basically I'm now addicted to trying to make her do it again and I spend most of her waking moments talking to her and giving her the cheesiest grins. Somehow though, I just can't get the same amount of smiles Jay can- go figure.

-She's still SO TALL! I put her in some 3 month footie pajamas I had packed for the move thinking they wouldn't fit, and they are too short! Her leg can't quite straighten all the way in them! Really. It's wild- I measured her and looked up the growth charts and she's still somewhere above 90th percentile.

-Her baby acne has cleared up, but her skin has gotten so so dry since we moved! Her poor little cheeks look almost like they've got a mild case of eczema, and are so rough and scaly even though I use lotion every day. I've ordered Tubby Todd's lotion and baby wash to see if it will clear it up- I'll keep you updated on how that goes.

-Mostly, we are loving being here. Jay is loving his new job, and for now all my spare time is spent trying to furnish the house, clean, and get ready for all the company we have coming into town these next few weeks. We are a very happy little family of three.

(*oh, and we maybe snuck in to visit Aunt Karlee at the Oakland visitor's center and I made her kiss Rory's cheeks!)

 

Welcome to the world, Rory Ann

One week ago today we welcomed our sweet baby girl into the world. She weighed 8 lbs. 2oz, 20 inches long, and is healthy and happy and loved and we really feel so blessed.

-Rory Ann has a placid, sweet disposition, but will let you know with a raspy little wail if she doesn't like what's going on (aka diaper changes and anything to do with being naked). 

-The hospital was a little rough on the sleep front and we were up basically for the entire two days straight. She hated the hospital bassinet and refused to sleep there, so I was scared out of my mind she was never going to let me sleep once we got home either. Luckily for us, she has actually been a total dream! She sleeps like a champ and typically gives us at least one 4-5 hour stretch at night. 

-She LOVES to be swaddled. And loves her pacifier. They told us she would when as soon as they placed her on my chest after she was born she found her thumb and sucked it for a few minutes right then and there. 

-She has the longest most feminine hands and feet! She hardly fits in newborn socks and shoes, and we swear her hands look as long as her 5 month old cousin.

More than an update, I wanted to extend a public thank you. Thank you to everyone who visited us at the hospital and brought flowers and stuffed animals and cookies and bread pudding and fresh fruit and my favorite croissant from my favorite bakery [true story- my sister is the most thoughtful human alive]. Thank you to everyone who has texted and called and stopped in to show support and love to our sweet girl since we have been home. I have said from the very beginning that if it takes a village to raise a child, we really do already have the best village. She has already received so much love in her first week of life, and we really really feel so grateful. Thank you thank you thank you to the moon and back! We are the happiest family of three.

Weekending with the Winters

So... maybe this is a plea for you to come see us (offer still applies once we are in Utah).
But two weeks ago we had some friends from school out to visit and it was a dream.
They were only with us for 24 hours or so, so maybe it was a whirlwind dream, but still.
It was so fun to reconnect, drive around the ranch, chat, chase cows off the road,
and have excuses to eat all of our favorite things.
Friends are important, and sometimes I forget that.

And this friend in particular really has been a great friend.
There were a few people that really supported and loved both Jay and I as a couple after we got married, and he was one of those. There are some friends who just don't feel as comfortable hanging out after you get married. There are some that are still girlfriends, which you need too.

But there are some that are kind of champions of your cause, if that's the best way to say it.
They are on your team as a couple. They build you up. They love you together.
And man, especially when everything is brand new and you are still figuring yourself out...
those friendships are like gold.

So not to embarrass you Brandon, but thanks for being a Tay & Jay fan.
We sure love you, and loved you even more after your visit!
Seriously though, we talked about it for days.
You're like our family.
Come again.

Also, it just so happened to be Coarsegold Rodeo weekend and would you take a gander at that tiny cowgirl niece of mine!? Melt my heart. Also, BELLY. It's so awesome these days.