Whelp....it's been 2 months yet again, so I guess it's about time I updated this blog! The last 2 months have gone by so quickly and it's all starting to blur together. The biggest accomplishment for me was that I completed my stats 121 class and did really well in it! It was really intense and at times very overwhelming, but I'm really proud of myself for being so diligent, getting a good grade AND even enjoying it! Yay me! :-)
Other then that class, the only really exciting thing we've had happen over the last 2 months is my trip to Seattle to surprise my family for Ben's homecoming and my trip to Texas to be with Liz when she had baby girl! It was so fun to surprise my family and fly up to Seattle before I headed to Texas. Rebekah is the only person that I told, so she requested work off for the day and was able to pick me and and be in on surprising my family. It worked out really well because right when we pulled into the driveway, the missionaries rode up on their bikes, so we rang the doorbell to get mom to come to the door and when she came out to say hi to the missionaries, Beka and I hid against the garage door and walked out so she saw us! She was SHOCKED and the expression on her face made it all worth it! I love a good surprise! After we got our hugs in, she went and told Ben that the missionaries were outside waiting for him and Ben came out and we surprised him in the same way! He didn't have quite the reaction that mom did, but it was still SOOO good to see him after 2 years! I've missed that kid so much! After surprising Mom and Ben, we hatched a plan to surprise Dad and Jon as well. They were out helping some family move and when they got home, we had moved Beka's car to her place, so they wouldn't be tipped off that she was home, and both Beka and I hid in the bathroom and waited while Jon and Dad came into the kitchen and then we stepped out for them to see us! Dad had quite a surprised look on his face and Jon seemed indifferent! LOL...not in a bad way though. It was so fun to pull off! I flew in Saturday afternoon and that evening, Brian and Ruth came over and we had an enjoyable dinner together.
Sunday was Ben's homecoming and as a surprise to him, Mom, Beka, Sister Kozy, and Rebecca Kozy sang, "Because I Have Been Given Much," but it was special version with a verse in Portuguese and a verse applicable to being a missionary. You could tell Ben was really surprised and when he got up to give his homecoming talk, he got all choked up and emotional. It was so super cute. It seemed to mean a lot to him that we had practiced and surprised him with that. Sunday evening we had an open house for Ben and it was fun to see people and watch Ben interact with all the old friends and family of his. It's good to have him back!
Hadlie's 1st quad ride and it was with Uncle Ben! She looks scared, but she's not...just wants mommy to be holding her! She liked it!
All dressed up in her Sunday best ready to hear Uncle Ben's homecoming talk! I gave her to one of the Bishop's daughters to take her out into the hall during the singing of our song because I knew she was just going to scream her little head off. Sure enough, as soon as I opened the door to the foyer, the piercing sound of her scream could be heard! Of course she stopped as soon as I was holding her again. At least she knows what she wants!
Hadlie's not sure how she feels about Grandpa Ralph holding her!
A few minutes later, she decided she was okay with it and was happy to be in Grandpa's arms!
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| All dressed up and ready for bed! |
Monday was a pretty chill day with everyone but Mom having to work, so we just spent some time picking raspberries, cherries and jostle berries. One of my best friends, Melissa Tousley came over and just kicked it with me throughout the day. It was so good to see her and connect with her. She did awesome keeping Hadlie entertained and walking around the yard with her to keep her from crying. Surprise, surprise, Hadlie cried for ANYONE who wasn't mommy and who took her away....and when I say cried....she SCREAMED!!! It was frustrating at times because you just want your family and friends to love your baby like you do, but your child won't let anyone hold her and connect with her, so it's a tough process. It's all good though...all in due time I guess. That night Ben gave Hadlie her first ride on the quad and she did really well! She only seemed unhappy because her mommy wasn't holding her, not because she was taking a ride on the quad! Monday night came and I got the much anticipated, but hopeful that it would come later text that Liz was in labor and headed to the birth center to have her precious little girl. I was soooooooooo bummed. I started crying and just couldn't stop. I missed being there for her and helping her through her labor by merely hours!!!!! I know she didn't need my help and she would do wonderful with her husband, but I had been there for all 3 of her older children and to miss this one by such a short window was such a tough thing to swallow when I first realized it. I received texts throughout the night from Austin and around 2:30 got one that said baby girl Heath had arrived! My flight was due to leave Seattle for Texas at 6 that morning.
Hadlie getting ready for take off on our leg from Salt Lake to Seattle! She did such a good job on all the flights we took throughout the vacation! So proud of you sweet girl!
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| She was the hit of the flight! |
Tuesday morning came and we headed to the airport at 4:45 in the morning....so very, very early. LOL...Dad took me to the airport and when I got there and he had dropped me off, I was in line and realized as I only had 40 minutes to get through security, check in and board, that I had forgotten my diaper bag with my id and everything for Hadlie in the camry. I started balling right then and there and asked a random guy if I could use his phone as he walked by because he was staring at me crying and he just kept walking....such a discouraging feeling, that you needed help from a stranger and they refused to give it. Thankfully this very kind older gentleman came up to me and asked me what I needed and told me it was going to be alright. I asked him if I could use his phone and he said, "of course." I called dad and told him that he had my diaper bag with my wallet and id and he said turned around and was able to bring it into me as I waited in line. With that disaster averted, I checked in and thankfully the security line was really short and I was able to make it on time. Another tender mercy that happened throughout the day was that Hadlie did amazingly well on the flights. She was such a trooper. She slept for 2 hours of the flight and flirted with the passengers around us for the other 2 hours! Thankfully I was able to nurse her and swaddle her and she went to sleep easily on the flight to Texas....she did not extend the same courtesy to me on the flight home! We arrived at Dallas Love Field airport and Austin and his beautiful babies had all come to pick me up! It was soooo good to see them! I have really missed those sweet kids and often wished they still lived a short drive away.
I was surprised as Austin drove us back to his house of how rural it was where they lived. It was prettier than I thought it would be, but definitely more out in the boonies then I was thinking in my head. Both Jon and Jenna's and Liz and Austin's home is beautiful and in very welcoming and well kept neighborhoods. I would love to have a house like that one day! It was sooooo good to see Liz and finally be reunited with her and to meet her newest angel for the first time! I was so excited to be there and to help in any way that I could! The time went by WAY too fast!
Emeri and her beautiful baby sister Oakley! And my amazing sister Liz with her 4th child and 2nd daughter! Love you and am so proud of you my beautiful sister!
I wanted my focus of my trip to be to help Elizabeth out as much as possible, but at the same time, to bond with my family whom I don't get to see very often. I wish that I could have stayed longer and helped in so many more ways, but I'm glad I was able to go at all! Thank you mom and dad for the birthday present of my flight down to Texas! The first couple of days, Jenna and I kept all the kids together at Jon and Jenna's house, just to give Liz a little breathing room to recover and rest as much as possible. It was a very busy and fun time! I loved seeing all the kids together and watching them interact and kind of envied them because they're so close to each other in age and in distance and I wished that I was able to be close with them as well. We went to some parks, played in the splash pads, went shopping, played outside, went bike riding, and read a lot of books! I have so much respect for both Liz and Jenna and don't know how they balance having 3 and 4 kids and make it look relatively easy! It's A LOT of work!!! LOL...but very much worth it!
Hadlie's turned into such a little giggler! I LOVE this video and the joy that this little girl brings to me!
Hadlie loved swinging in the swings almost as much as Gracie! Gracie would have been content to stay in that swing and be pushed all day long! So fun to realize that these 2 are only 4 months apart!
Hadlie just chillen on Jenna's counter top waiting to be fed or held!
Hadlie was up bright and early every day of course and it was fun to have some alone time to just soak up some time with my sweet heart! Such a happy baby early in the morning!
After the first few days, we were able to move things back into Liz and Austin's house and it was fun to be able to spend time there as well. For the 4th of July, we went over to Austin's mom's beautiful house and had a lovely BBQ with Austin's mom, his brother Mitchell and his wife Katie and their 3 kids! So with Jon and Jenna's 3, Liz and Austin's 4 and my 1, we had 11 kids there aged 5 and under! It was so fun! Thankfully it's a huge house and they had beds, highchairs and toys galore to keep the kids entertained. While everyone watched a movie upstairs, Jenna and I had a nice long talk while cleaning up the kitchen from the BBQ dinner we had. It was nice to talk with her and connect with her on a deeper level. The next day, so Saturday the 5th, we went to this really fun City of Celina 4th of July celebration! They had blow up toys for the kids to play on, booths to win toys, a band and music playing and an awesome firework show at the end! I wasn't planning on keeping Hadlie up the whole time, but she was doing so good and was a rock star throughout the whole night, so we stayed and watched the fireworks! She just sat in my lap and watched the fireworks! The only thing that would have made the night just perfect would have been having Juan there!!! I'm glad that I wasn't super strict on Hadlie's schedule and allowed for a wonderful opportunity to create memories with my family. She survived and did wonderfully and I wouldn't change the craziness of the trip at all with her schedule because I think it's important that she learns to be adaptable and I don't want to regret missing out on creating memories with her!
Had fun spending some time at the pool at Liz and Austin's neighborhood! So fun to watch Hadlie play and see all the adorable children enjoy spending time in the water!
Sporting herself a little mohawk and chomping down on her delicious swim diaper! The water felt so nice in that baking Texas heat!
I love this picture! Hadlie just wanted to play with Oakley already! They're going to be BFF's!!!!!
This was Hadlie's first time sitting up like a big girl in a shopping cart! I know it's not a big deal, but it seemed monumental to me! She's getting too big too fast!
Hadlie with Grandma Ralph! So happy to have her in Texas with us! Let the party begin!
On Sunday after we went to church, which was really fun because everyone attends the same ward. It's not like it is in Utah where the next street over is a different ward. We had to drive 15 minutes to church which I'm not used to either, but it was a good reminder that life isn't like it is in Utah, in any other state. I love the strength that members have in wards outside of Utah! I miss that. Anyways, after church, my former co-worker Joey came all the way from Denton, about a 45 minute drive just to say hi and catch up for about a half an hour. I can't even tell you how touched I was by this. It really meant a lot to me and it was so good to see him and to catch up with him and his new wife Megan! I love this picture cuz all of the kids are dressed up and they just automatically congregated when Liz was taking a picture of Joey and I! LOL...Issac looks too cool in this picture! Can't believe he's almost 5! Sunday night was really fun to just sit around with the adults and play games and eat popcorn and just have fun together. I miss those times so much. Family truly is all that matters.
Monday was a LOOOONG day....LOL...not in a bad way, just in a different way. I still had fun for the most part. We took the kids to a thrift store in the morning and then we took them to Winco....LOL...talk about an experience. Thankfully we all 3, Jenna, myself and mom had a cart and strapped all the kids in, so they couldn't go running around the store. They took turns crying and pouting and fighting and whining, but we SURVIVED!!! I actually didn't think it was that bad, but what do I know. Both Jenna and I needed to feed our babies, so while we fed the kiddos a sub sandwich from Winco, we fed our babies and then headed out. Well, as I followed Jenna, I didn't come to a complete stop at a stop sign and wouldn't you know it....I got pulled over. So here I am, driving Liz and Austin's van, my mom is in the car, along with Isaac, Andrew, Emeri and Hadlie....greeeeeeaaaaaaatttttt. Just what I needed. So mom dug through and found the insurance and I had the officer open the back door of the van and grab my wallet because I couldn't reach it and of course a few minutes later, he comes back with a ticket for me. My initial thought....what a jerk!!!! I'm obviously from out of state, I have a van full of kids and you're STILL going to give me a ticket?!? Makes me mad just thinking about it all over again. Thankfully he didn't tell me then how much the ticket was, even though mom asked, he said he didn't know. Of course I start crying after the officer leaves because I'm so bummed about having to waste money on something so stupid! I know I was in the wrong...but come on....throw me a bone! Anyways, after that we headed back home and of course on the way home, Jenna decides she wants to try and find a back road home and we get lost, leading to another 20 minutes detour after my embarrassing 20 minutes detour....:-( So at this point, all the kids are very tired, whiny and hungry. LOL...that's what you call a failure of a morning! We got the kids home and to sleep and things started getting better. We got dinner ready and enjoyed the rest of the evening playing games and taking a trip to the pool for an evening swim for family home evening! I really enjoyed the time with my family and was so sad to think that I was leaving the next day, albeit, I was happy to see my husband and I know he was so super excited to see Hadlie!
All in all it was such an enjoyable trip and I was so happy to be there to help and be with family. I know sometimes we fight, argue and get frustrated with each other, but at the end of the day....Families are Forever and I look forward to the day when we are all closer and can watch our kids grow up together! One day!
This picture CRACKS me up! I don't know why, but Hadlie is ALWAYS pointing her toes, or putting her legs up in the air, and on a trip to McKinney Square, with the family and Austin's mom, Hadlie was just chillen in the stroller like this. LOL...legs up and just taking it all in!
Beautiful Miss Oakley May Heath!
Cousins!!!! Gracie-13 months, Hadlie- 9 months and Oakley- 1 week!
We put Hadlie and Oakley's feet together for comparison and it was so fun to see how close they were. Oakley was 21 inches at birth and Hadlie was only 19 inches. Needless to say, Hadlie hasn't grown much since she was born.
Hadlie's first time in an umbrella stroller at the thrift store and she loved just being able to sit back and take in the sights around her.
I went in to check on Hadlie after putting her down for the night and this is how I found her. LOL...she moves around so much during her sleep that she ends up with her legs and arms randomly poking out of the crib! LOL....sleeping like a log, but sure doesn't look comfortable!
So I should probably end this post sometime, but I just wanted to post a few pictures of my sweet Hadlie over the last 2 months. I can't believe she's almost 9 months old! How is she already almost a year old?!? She's still pretty little at only 12lbs 4 oz at her last appt a few weeks ago. But she's getting so much more personality and voice! She talks all the time, she is a champ at sitting up, but still has shown no desire to try and crawl or even scoot. I'm not going to lie....I'm very much okay with this. I don't want her mobile too early because I know as soon as she starts crawling, walking is right around the corner! She gets SUPER excited when I go in to pick her up from her crib after a nap or a nights sleep. She's started throwing fits and throwing her head down on my lap when she's not happy for whatever reason....lol, it makes me laugh everytime! She's still breastfeeding and that makes me SOOOO happy! I've started enjoying that bond more now than I ever have before! It's so powerful and I love our time together! She's eating solids like she was born to eat! I have yet to give her anything that she hasn't liked! I'm so glad that she's not a picky eater!!! She's such a joy and I had no idea I could love something like I love her!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this video!!!! She just started drinking from a straw and she's so good at it! Talk about making a momma proud! 8 months old and drinking from a straw!
Big girl wanted to help daddy fix her stroller! She's chillen on his tool box and happy to be helping daddy!
She is her daddy's daughter!!! Loves her some oreos! Don't worry....I haven't actually given her any!
Love her beautiful smile! Melts my heart!
Her Abuelitos gave her a rose from their garden! We came over on Father's Day and enjoyed spending time with Juan's family!
Cheering on Mexico during the World Cup!
Our little love bug!
Words can't describe my love for this sweet girl! Her Abuelitos gave her this dress picked specifically by her abuelito and she looks like such a little doll! My heart bursts knowing she's ours forever as we live worthy of her!
