Happy Birthday Sage

Today is Sage's birthday. She was born at 5:55p.m. on May 7th, 2008, at 33 weeks. She blesses our lives as our little angel. She has a very special, very righteous, very spunky little spirit. We feel it a great honor to have her in our family. We will have a picnic at her gravesite this weekend. We received flowers from Aunt Reese, Uncle Will, Danica, and Dax today, to honor her birthday. The flowers are beautiful and make us smile. So very thoughtful, thank you!

Our Little Sponge - Baylor

Baylor is surprises us daily with new words and play! He is so curious and loves to discover new things. We have bee using the nursery manual for Family Home Evenings. We sing a song or 2 or 3, have a prayer, give a little lesson (mostly talk about the pictures in the nursery manual), then play a game or go outside. Well, last week when we were finished he grabbed the manual and said, "Ok guys, sit down guys." So Josh and I sit on the couch. He then turns pages in the manual quietly identifying what he see's, "....Jesus, girl, friend...." and looking up at us - he's teaching us! Then he sets the manual on the piano bench and says, "OK guys stand up!" He then tells to clap our hands and stomp our feet. We follow his lead and he is completely delighted we are following his commands. He then says, "OK guys, sit down." We sit back on the couch and again he flips through the manual identifying what he see's, telling us the letters he can identify, or of course telling us about tractors, "front loader, backhoe, grater..." he loves to talk tractors, then "OK guys, stand up." This time he says "tractor" and starts acting like a front loader. Using his hands and arms he mimics scooping up heaving rock and dumping it out. We are to act like tractors too, complete with sound effects - "bbbbbvvvvvvvh." And then, "OK guys, sit down." We get another lesson then are asked to stand up again so we can play "ring rosies", walk like peguins, act like birds, or whatever else pops into his adorable little head! We do this again and again and again, until we say, ok Baylor just one more time. Then we do it a few more times after that because he is so ADORABLE. He is so proud to be leading us in this fun, and we are amazed at his creativity and delight. Last week, I took the kids grocery shopping with me. Luke in the front seat and Baylor sits in the basket with groceries piled on top of him. They were really good, so when Baylor asked for a treat I bought him a package of gummy worms. He was elated and wanted to hold the whole package. I was fine with that as long as he only ate 2 or 3, which he did, suprisingly. I should have a little more faith in him. He asked "WHY?" just 2 or 3 worms. I told him if he ate too many it would make his tummy sick. "Okey Mommy." Later, we pull them out again and he carries them around and again, I remind him, "don't eat too many, they'll make your tummy sick." They are sounding really good to me, so I ask, "Baylor, can mommy have one of your gummy worms? " He replies, No, mommy. They too much for you. They make you sick." Too cute, I snuck one out of the bag later. Also, right now he is really loving to talk with Grammie on the phone. So when I'm talking with Di, I'll say, "Bay do you want to talk to Aunt Di?" "No I talk to Grammie, myself." Then I say, ok talk to grammie. So he gets on the phone with Aunt Di who pretends to be Grammie just so she can hear his sweet voice! I also, just adore Baylor's "Tant toos," and "I sorry mommy." He has a halo over his little head and we just adore him.

Luke is nearly 9 months

What has Luke been up to? Luke loves to be tickled and has a giggle that makes us laugh, too! He loves brother and is very interested in whatever Baylor is doing. Baylor can really get Luke laughing just by babbaling at him and saying "Lukey, Lukey....hi Lukey" in his playful voice. Luke is very good at turning 360's on his tummy, to get to toys in all directions, within his reach. He gets quite upset when we move a toy out of his reach in order to motivate him to move his body forward....crawl. We'll just have to wait and see on that crawling thing. He's an excellent eater right now, and I love that. A great sleeper, too. Strictly just a tummy sleeper, been that way since 3 weeks old. Most nights he'll sleep around 10 hours before wanting to eat. He got his bottom two teeth at 6 months and just had his top right one pop through a few days ago. His top left will be through any day. Baylor and I gave Luke his first haircut at 7 months. I buzzed his fuzzy little head and Baylor combed and dusted off the loose hair. Baylor was so excited to help and Luke didn't mind getting a no. 1 buzz. Just a precious, rolly polly sort of guy with the sweetest personality. We are so grateful he's our little boy.

Baylor Rides Trike!

Baylor learned to push pedal! He propelled himself by pushing the pedals on 12-29-11. He liked to sit on his trike before and just play with the pedals, but last week we had a simple lesson and mommy repeated, "push pedal, push pedal, push pedal..." and there he went across the room. He was so proud. I love when he does new things - he feels so great!

Christmas Season 2011

Sharing Christmas with Baylor and Luke made this season extra special. I love Christmas! Most especially I love my Savior. His love for everyone is what makes this time of year so Merry. We celebrate his birth and the many gifts and blessings we have because of His teachings, example and infinite atonement. This spirit of giving and gratitude filled our hearts as we celebrated this year. We visited the lights and nativity at Temple Square with Grandma. Always an abundance of Christmas spirit as we walked around. While downtown we also took the Trax around for Baylor's first "Choo, choo" ride. He was elated to take a ride. I just see his big eyes as I remember the train pulling up, he was so excited. Also, this season Josh and Baylor made Artisan bread for our friends and neighbors. We had a great visit with Santa. We told Baylor and Luke the story of our Savior's birth using our Natvity set to illustrate. He enjoyed carefully holding baby Jesus and the, "beeps" he called them. "Hold beep Mommy, peas." We took a trip over Christmas weekend to visit Grandpa and GG in the warm Arizona sun! We enjoyed playing outside, going to the park, feeding the ducks, and visiting Aunt Mel, Uncle Jason and cousins Carson and Kellen. We flew back home the day after Christmas and Santa had not forgotten us. We loved watching Baylor and Luke enjoy their gifts!

Night, Night Baylor

Baylor melts our hearts at bedtime. Tonight went like this.
Mommy, "It's bedtime Baylor."
Baylor, "Read Books Mommy?"
Mommy, "Yes, I'll get them."
We read 3 books.
Baylor, "More books Mommy."
Mommy, "Not tonight, let's brush teeth." I get him to go downstairs by acting like a monster, and chanting "I'm gonna get you little Monkey!" He laughs and runs. We brush teeth and I hold him and rock him while we say prayers always telling Heavenly Father how thankful we are for Baylor and how special he is to us. Baylor smiles while I pray. I set him in his crib.
Baylor, "No nap, no more...Wake up."
Mommy, "Wake up? You haven't even gone to sleep yet."
I tuck him in blankets.
Baylor, "Rock you Mommy."
I pick him up and rock him in my arms and he whispers, "Rocky, Rocky, Rocky"
Mommy, "I love you."
I give him lots of kisses and hugs then lay him in his crib.
Baylor, "More hug mommy. 2 hugs Mommy."
I give him more hugs and kisses, and he asks for Daddy to come down. Daddy goes down and gives hugs and kisses.
Baylor tells Daddy, "Love you, love you Daddy, Mommy more hug now."
I go down again, can't get enough of him. "Rocky more mommy," he says. I hold him and rock him again, before I lay him down, tuck him in, give more hugs and kisses - Night night precious.

My Precious Boys

I cannot go to bed until I just write how much I love my boys. Cuter than cute. Let's start with Luke. We simply cannot get enough of him. He has the sweetest disposition and just chubby enough to just squeeze all day. He is quick to smile and loves to be tickeled and laugh. He is a great eater and simply easy going. We went to the ward Christmas party last night and when he got tired he simply fell asleep in our arms. That is new to us. Baylor was just different in that way. We'd run him home and I'd snuggle him until he fell asleep. And then at church this morning Luke was sitting in my lap at sacrament meeting and he just rests his chin on his chest and out. He just amazes me! No crying. Just a little fuss to let me know to let him relax so he can get a nap in. I love his style!

And then there is oh so precious Baylor. He is so darn cute I could just....you know, well his little voice is darling. He is saying so much now and we love it! "My piggy, Mommy" - He loves his little stuffed pig. "Where's llamee mommy" - for his stuffed llama. Today at church I mentioned playing with the tractor in nursery after sacrament meeting and he got really sad. He started to cry and pleaded "daddy, home, me, now mommy." That's lets get daddy and get out of here- no nursery.
He is so in love with his daddy. Typical - we're water color painting "What do you want Mommy to draw Baylor?" "TRACTOR...daddy, daddy, daddy...ME" Loves me to paint a tractor with him and daddy driving! I love putting him down to sleep. He loves blankies, his piggy and llama, his box of tractors, and for me to hold him and rock for just a minute before I put him in his crib. Last night he said "go away mommy," when he was ready to shut his eyes. Ok sweet pea, I love you, can't wait to see you in the morning! He loves Luke too. Really sweet with him. Will bring him toys and we are working on sharing with little Luke. Just love to see them interact. Baylor will dance for him, or say "hi Lukey" in a really cute deep voice, kinda like we do when we're playing with Luke.

Baylor has a real tender spirit. He's very sensitive. A sister in our ward was giving a talk in sacrament meeting and began to cry when mentioning a trial she was going through. Baylor looks at me with his big blue eyes and says "Mommy, why cry, why cry mommy?" I told him she's going through a hard time, but that she'd get better. "Oh....okey mommy, okey." He just melts my heart, he is so sweet.

We saw Santa last night and over the past couple weeks we've talk about the big guy in the red suit with the white beard. I act like Santa sometimes and then say "What would Baylor like for Christmas?", in my best Santa voice. With gusto, Bay says "Tractor!", of course, and then we applaud him! Well, last night we put this practicing to the test. I really thought he wouldn't talk with Santa or even sit on his lap, but he did, both and loved it! He was so fun to watch. He was elated to sit on his lap and he just said over and over, "Tractor me, tractor me.............tractor me, okey." Josh and I were just laughing it was so fun for us to see him make sure Santa new what to bring!

I really need to jump online more often and write because our precious boys amaze us everyday and I want to remember.