Fun at Grandma and Grandpa's house

Our first Plane ride

So DJ and I went to California for my brothers homecoming from his mission.  My Grandmother wanted to come as well so we had decided to drive out there together.  Well to make a long story short my wonderful cousin (with lots of money and a generous heart) thought it would be better for us to fly.  So he got us a private jet in which we flew from the Provo airport to the tiny airport in my home town.  It was an adventure I will never forget.  I am very grateful to him for the easy with which we were able to get there and back without  stress or lack of sleep.  Looks like DJ will be almost a year old before he makes the twelve hour drive to Grandma and Grandpa's house, but he was only 6 months when he went on his first plane ride.

Hanging at the Falls

In June David had a rare day off of school and a reasonable start for work the next morning so we took a day and did our first family picnic.  We went up the Bridal Veil falls in the Provo canyon and enjoyed the beautiful mountains around our Utah home.  After sandwiches we went on a walk to the foot of the falls and played in the pool of ice cold water that is there.  D.J. was not such a fan of the water or the sunglasses we tried to put him in, but he did like playing with Mom and Dad and being out of the house.  Family time really is the best time!

The Zoo

So I had this great idea.  My aunts, my cousin, and I all live around Northern UT but not really close to each other and never seem to hang out.  So I thought why don't we all meet in the middle and go to the Hogle Zoo!  We got it all planned and worked out, I was going to be amazing!

The day arrived.  David really wanted me to try the new umbrella stroller we had just purchased so I decided to pack super light.  Just what I could fit in a diaper bag.  All seemed well.

On the drive up things were going okay.  DJ was refusing to sleep but wasn't fussing so that was okay.  I was making great time!  Until I took the wrong exit.  Long story short 1 hour and directions from a crazy guitar guy later I finally got to the zoo super late as everyone else is finishing lunch.  By this point DJ was super hungry so I mixed up a bottle for him.  He wouldn't take it.  I looked at it to make sure it was mixed up well and got a whiff... it smelled sour, no sour is the wrong word, it smelled like the milk in those commercials that turn the guy into a zombie would.  GROSS! But I was prepared, I dumped the bottle out, rinsed it thoroughly and mixed a new one.  Same thing.  Not good.  I nursed him a little bit while every one was on the train but he was so hot under the cover that he didn't really want to eat.  So we snagged some cheese puffs from aunt Kim and yogurt bits from the diaper bag and pressed on.

The first animal DJ had a really interaction with was the Monkeys.  There were some really cool ones right at his eye level and I pushed the stroller up so he could see them.  I didn't think he was paying attention till I tried to walk away and he reached his arms out and fussed.  So we stayed for a while and until it was time to wave and move on.

Things were going really well until the Elephants.  Now I have a confession to make.  I put my kid in front of the TV.  Not often, only about once every 2-3 weeks when I get totally fried and behind and am trying to get dinner done and cant handle the crying.  Our go to is the musical extras on the Jungle Book.  He LOVES the Elephant song.  You know "Oh the aim of our patrol, is a question rather dull.  For to march and drill over field and hill. *trumpet* is a military goal".  Every time it comes on he bobs back and forth back and forth and giggles.  So I thought that the Elephants would be really fun.  BOY WAS I WRONG!  The trainers were starting a show right as we got there and I elbowed my way to the front so I could get DJ up close.  They had the elephant eat and wave his trunk and everything was good.  DJ even smiled a little.  Then they had the elephant stand on his back legs and trumpet.  THE END!  DJ was done, cooked, and finished.  He turned and grabbed me so fast I got whip lash and began to scream in terror.  Poor kid.  I had to go to the back where he couldn't see the elephant any more just to calm him down.  I tried to take him back but every time he saw the elephant he would freak out again.  (Luckily that doesn't apply to the movie, he still loves the song).

 Well it was all down hill from there.  He got hot and tired and hot and hungry and hot.  He began to wail unless I held him, which was hard while pushing a stroller.  By the time we got the the giraffes (my faves by the way) he was a disaster.  So I said good bye to the family and raced to the front of the zoo, all the way up hill, pushing a stroller containing a screaming baby.  Yeah you can imagine the looks I got.  To get out we had to go through the gift shop and as soon as we entered the air conditioned store DJ stopped crying and started smiling.  (He must have seen daddy give mommy money for a stuffy that morning).  We took a minute and I let him pick between a monkey, giraffe, and a elephant.  He picked the monkey/gorilla/lemur thing (that we have dubbed Lemurilla).  Off to the car we went. I stopped at a store and got a new bottle and apple juice so that my little man would hydrate on the ride home.

Not a perfect zoo experience but not the worst I guess.  Hopefully we can go back sometime with Daddy and things will go a little better.

Behind again

Okay so updates..

DJ 6 Month Stats
Length: 25 1/2 in
Weight: 14.06 lbs
Head: 82% ( I can't find the page with the exact number in inches... whoops)
Favorite Food: Sweet Potatoes and Nectarines (but he'll put away almost anything... see this)
Talents: Scooting and rolling all over.. he crawled once but was sabotaged by an over excited Mom, sitting up by himself, and imitating sounds (well he tries at least)
No Teeth


DJ had his first wild life experience the other day.  We were walking back from the Wilk and saw some ducks. He thought they were super cool.  There were a ton but of course by the time I got my camera out they were all gone except for one.  Dang birds.  Oh well, we are going to the zoo next week so i'm expecting lots of pictures with animals then.

There is a duck in that water... Can you find it?!?

Daddy's Boy (not the traditional mother's day post)

DJ ADORES his daddy.  No matter how tired, hungry, or crabby he is there is always at least a tiny smile when David walks in the door.  In fact this last week DJ has become increasingly possessive of Daddy time.  We can actually pin point it to last Sunday when we had some friends over.  Jeremy and Tiffany are some of DJ's favorite people, he recognizes them and doesn't have to make friends again every time we see them.  Jeremy and DJ giggle and goof all the time.  Well DJ was asleep, but woke up while we were finishing dinner.  David went in and got him.  They came out to the living-room all smiles and giggle.  That is until Jeremy reached over and tried to tickle DJ.  DJ started to laugh, then looked at Jeremy, looked at David, and began to scream.  David had to walk away from the table with his and cuddle, even then it took a few minutes to convince DJ that Daddy was not going to hand him over.  This scene has been replayed, even with me a few times.  He gets very upset if he sees David leave in the morning, and as soon and David gets home starts to reach for him.  I actually don't feel left out at all.  It is so sweet to watch them play together.  I know a lot of men have a hard time interacting with little babies and I am so grateful that David has been so good at it.  It is definitely paying off now that DJ is becoming more fun and interactive.

Some things have happened in our little Wymount community recently that have really made me so grateful to have DJ and David in my life.  To have survived the surgery that brought this little angel into our lives and that he made it through those first few weeks.  In this day and age we often don't think about how as women we really do enter the "valley of the shadow of death" to bring our children into this world, and how sometimes women don't come out on the other side.  Being faced with the mortality of it all is a very nerve wracking experience.  So right now I am so grateful to be able to watch my little boy fawn on his daddy, even on 'my day.'  Just being around to watch them play and interact makes me feel so blessed.

Quick Catch up

Two months have flown by! Lets see,

DJ stats:
5 Months Old
weight: 12 lbs 6 oz
height: 24 in
favorite song: I'm trying to be like Jesus
Talents: rolling over, scooting (forward and back), eating toes, holding a bottle, stealing glasses, and sitting up by himself for 10 minutes

Favorite toys: Pooh Bear, Beanie babies, and blanket monkey

Favorite food: SWEET POTATOES

No teeth

My little Bugs is getting so big.  I mean yes he is still on the small end of the baby world, but when I look back at the pictures of when he was first born I can't believe how much he has grown.  He really is the sunshine in our world.  We play and giggle, and yes we also cry, throw tantrums, and spit up.  But the moment when I pick him up and he gives me that big toothless grin my heart just melts.  Being a Mom is everything and nothing like I thought it would be.  I am so grateful for this little spirit in our home.  He brings such light and joy.

Any who, besides DJ the update on our lives is.  David has finished the winter semester and is into Spring.  He is taking a full credit load both spring and summer.  He also picked up a 4am-7:30am shift at work, which means my hard working man is working 7 days a week all summer long.  He still has his ten hour shifts Saturday and Sunday.  I am so lucky to have him.  He works so incredibly hard.  I am at home with DJ and trying to stay on top of everything.  I'll admit most of the time I fail miserably.  A natural homemaker I am not. It is a challenge every day, but if David can work so hard the least I can do is have a clean house for him when he gets home.  And the amazing man doesn't even get mad on the days that I fail to do that.

David and I have both been working hard to loose weight.  I have now lost 60 lbs since DJ was born (that is based off what I weight right before I delivered).  Its really exciting and kinda sad that I weight less now (5 months after having a baby) then I have the entire 3 years David and I have known each other.  Of course because I had a baby my body is NOT the same and clothes do not fit the same way.  But I am still super happy.  25 more lbs to my dream weight  but only 10 to a healthy weight.

Can anyone tell it is 1:30 am and I don't have my glasses on? i am getting progressively blinder, I can't even read my computer screen without squinting.  Oh well I had best get off before I embarrass myself too bad.

Promise I'll write more often.