Update on Kaiah

Kaiah is spending the week at Grandma Wewe's house because I have to be at this stupid Common Core thing all week long - so, obviously, this leads to me seriously missing my little girl. I thought I would take this sentimental mommy moment to write down some adorable memories of my Kai.

• Her favorite movie BY FAR is Tangled. I have no idea how this happened, but she is obsessed with it. Every time we get in view of the video cabinet, she runs over and searches through it until she finds her favorite movie. Then, she'll just sit still for at least the first half - usually more. Sits still. That never happens!
• She still doesn't say a ton except, of course, for "No!" Jer, being ever clever, made this a little better by teaching her to say "Oh No!" It just seems a little cuter and a lot less bratty stubborn.
• She has learned how to say "Elmo" and "Grandpa" and "Side" (for outside or slide). I love every new word and think that she gets so much more adorable with every one.
• She is still fiercely independent - seriously. She tries to do everything, and I mean everything, by herself. She hates help and needing mommy and daddy!
• Plus . . .
• She is going to be a big sister in Januray! I am 14 weeks along, due January 16th! We can't wait! :)

Still Alive

Yeah, I haven't blogged in over 2 months. I wish I could say it was because nothing exciting was happening, but it is actually the opposite. Tons of exciting things have been going on, and I have missed blogging all of them. Living with my brother-in-law's family for a whole month while homeless - missed. Kamie and Alex moving away - missed. Jer's 29th birthday - missed. Getting the drill job at Wasatch and our whole first month of practice - missed. Stephen finishing his bout with chemo - missed.  Buying our first home and moving in - missed. Kaiah growing up before my eyes - missed. So, so ridiculously sad.

I don't really know what kept me from blogging. I guess it just felt like I always had so many more important things to do. But, really, it is those important things that were the most important to blog. I can kinda tell how my life is going by the frequency of my blogging. You can guarantee that if my blogging has slacked, something else in my life has, as well.

So here's to a new, committed approach to blogging!

Oh, and I also missed BYU going Independent - can't forget that!

Being a Mom

Being a mom is . . . well . . . it is everything. It has completely changed, not only my life, but my whole perspective on life. Jer and I will sometimes reminisce on the five years we had together before babies. We miss being able to just leave and go out to eat or to the grocery store or to the movie. We miss staying up late and sleeping in. We miss spending money on anything we want. We miss quality time together.

But, we have completely realized that those five years, while wonderful, were nothing compared to this.

Our lives had no importance. Nothing we did mattered to anyone but us. While we did love that time together, it really didn't mean much.

Now, our lives mean so, so much more. Our lives have meaning. Our lives are important. Kaiah makes them that way.

And it is the best thing in the world.

12 months

One week from her birthday, Kaiah had her 12 month checkup! She is 22.19 lbs (67%) and 28.75 inches (36%). Still short, but super healthy. The doctor said that everything looked great with her, but she hated her shots. After the nurses finished and I picked Kai up, she glared at them and chewed them out until they left - such sass!

My Kai bug, at 12 months:

• Walks, runs, and stamps her feet all the time. She never crawls - ever. She is happiest when she has plenty of space to run.
• Her favorite foods right now are peas, gold fish, pizza, cheese, yogurt, grapes, and raisins.
• She usually sleeps from about 8:00 pm- 7 or 8:00 am and takes two naps.
• She just started this weird dance thing - she kinda spazzes out just the right side of body and runs in circles!
• When she sees something that she likes, she "oohhhhhs" sooooo cute!
• She loves to open her dresser drawers and pull out every outfit that she owns.
• Her favorite show is Juno Baby (junobaby.com)
  
• She strongly dislikes grass - like, it is the best baby sitter ever. Put her on a blanket in the middle of the grass and she won't leave.
• She is finally, for the first time, starting to get a little cuddly. Little being the key word.
• She is our complete life. We love her more than we ever thought possible!

Happy birthday, Kai bug!

The birthday

My family has a tradition of having extremely drawn-out birthday celebrations - and our little Kaiah's has been no different!

Tuesday, March 1st my baby turned one year old!

Mom and Dad both had to work, so Kaiah spent the day with Aunt Kamie and Cousin Ari. She got to take up one of her new toys to play with, and Jer and I bought her "fun" food - toddler meal, apple juice, and some toddler cereal bars. Kamie planned a fun edible craft project, which Kai loved until she got the frosting on her feet! Our baby girl HATES to be dirty or anything fluffy/slimy.

When we got home, we played for a bit and then went to Pizza Factory for dinner. Kai loved sharing our breadsticks and ate her own cheese pizza!

Then we came home and let her break open her "new" Christmas toys - the ones that were too old for her at Christmas time. She loved each and everyone.

Finally, we went to Kneaders to get her a birthday cupcake. Being our little prissy girl, she didn't eat it at all because she didn't want to get her hands messy. Dad didn't mind doing her a solid by finishing it for her :)

Then off to bed in some new jammies!

Today we took her one year pictures and I think they are going to be amazing!

Tuesday is her doctor's appointment, so we will see then how her stats are.

And one week from today, next Saturday, is her birthday party! We can't wait to see everyone there!

One

My baby is one . . .

Oh. My. Word.

Happy birthday to the most beautiful, intelligent, hilarious, adorable little girl in the world. You are everything.



We love you bigger than the sky and more every day!