Gone Country

Last week we had a HUGE adventure! Our little family flew to Nashville for the week. I had meetings scheduled, and there was literally no way that I could attend my meetings in Nashville without bringing Chloe. Fortunately, Brandon was willing to haul us both half way across the country. Lucky guy.

I was tied up in meetings for the majority of the time, and Brandon was stuck in the hotel room tending a somewhat grumpy baby. I cannot express how grateful I am for Brandon. He is the very best dad and a really wonderful husband. There is no way that I could perform the responsibilities of my job without his help....lots of his help.

On Thursday night we were chauffeured in a LIMO to Opryland. The Opryland Hotel is just enormous, and it was decked out for Christmas. We walked through the hotel, and Chloe looked at all of the lights. She ended up being a little tourist attraction herself....so many people stopped to comment on our little bug and her headband. It was kind of funny. Perhaps the most wonderful part of the Opryland complex is the GIGANTIC OUTLET MALL! I could have spend days, hours, months shopping there. We tackled a little Christmas shopping. It was fun evening.

While we were in Nashville, we celebrated our 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!! I simply cannot believe that we have been married for five years. I am so lucky to be married to Brandon. What a wonderful road we have traveled together so far. It has been so fun to watch him as a dad; little Chloe just adores him. He is such a genuine, loving person, and even though he loves golf, xbox, fantasy everything, his friends, and ebay almost as much as he loves me, I wouldn't trade him for the world.

I was SUPER nervous about flying with Chloe. I could just imagine a myriad of disasters unfolding throughout the four hour flight. Luckily, she was an absolute angel. We couldn't believe what a good little baby she was throughout the whole trip. She is such a smiley, cute little miss. Even when we woke her up at 3:30am to catch our flight home, she was delightful. We just love her!

We survived our first major travels as a family...hopefully our next trip will be for pleasure instead of business.

Grateful Hearts

Better late than never, right? We spent Thanksgiving in St. George with my family. It was wonderful! We have so very much to be grateful for this year...little Chloe, our families, our jobs, and just a multitude of blessings. Prior to enjoying a fabulous Thanksgiving Feast, Brandon played a round of golf with my dad, and Chloe and I visited a very fun park.

While we were in St. George we were able to spend "Black Friday" watching Eric play baseball in Mesquite. I can't believe he is a Senior this year! I think Brandon is looking forward to not attending any Snow Canyon sporting events soon :)! We love to watch Eric play; he is so very talented.

Chloe is such a good little girl in the car. She sleeps most of the time, and we read books, sing songs, and watch the John Mayer video on Brandon's blackberry the rest of the time. Thank heavens for John Mayer!

The week after Thanksgiving, Eric's Madrigal Choir sang at Temple Square. We braved the FREEZING cold to go listen to them sing. Chloe loved the concert; she slept through the whole thing. She was NOT a fan of the cold...she must take after her mom :)!

Little Bug

Chloe is getting big so very fast! We visited the pediatrician on Monday for her FOUR MONTH check. Her stats are below:

Weight: 13 pounds 3 ounces (50%)
Height: 25 inches (75 - 90%)
Head: 42.5 centimeters (75%)

Here are her two month stats:

Weight: 9 pounds (10 - 15%)
Height: 21.5 inches (75%)
Head: ...for some reason I don't have this measurement...

AND her two weeks stats:

Weight: 6 pounds 15 ounces (10%)
Height: 20.5 inches (75%)
Head: 36 centimeters (25 -50%)

Chloe has finally started growing. She started eating rice cereal a few weeks ago, and she LOVES it! Her favorite fruits and veggies are apples, pears, and sweet potatoes. I had been feeding her cereal when she was sitting in her bumbo chair, but she started to squirm around too much so I moved her into her high chair. Chloe gets a little anxious when I don't get the cereal to her mouth fast enough, and she starts eating the tray on her high chair. She is such a funny little girl...she must have Brandon's personality. We just laugh at our tiny baby sitting in her huge high chair.

Chloe rolled over several weeks ago. Now, she is a rolling machine. As soon as she is on her tummy, she flips to her back. She loves to play with her feet, and she has started taking off her socks. Chloe has turned into a little chatterbox. She used to just coo so sweetly, but now she just yells at us all of the time :)! She has FINALLY started to nap during the day. I put her in her swing around 9:30 and 3:00, crank it up as fast as it will go, blast the awesome music that her swing plays, and she's asleep in about five minutes. Her swing is turning out to be a great investment.

We went to St. George last weekend for Brandon to play in a golf tournament...I'm always game for a trip to St. George :)! It was nice to visit with my family. My mom, Liz and I took a few trips to Christensen's and did a bit of sewing.

I've started putting up all of my Christmas decor...Brandon's gonna kill me. I insisted that we have a tree upstairs, downstairs and in Chloe's room. What was I thinking...gotta love the holidays :)!

Tr!cK oR TrEat!!

Happy Halloween!!!

XOXO - Brandon, Emily & Chloe (our little Pumpkin Princess :)! )

Tiny Miss Chloe

Our little Chloe is already THREE MONTHS old! I simply cannot believe it. She is so much fun! I love watching her little personality developing. She is a little chatter box, especially after a bath or during a diaper change. Chloe looks just like her daddy. We recently went to a wedding reception where I was asked why she looks so much like her dad even though I had do to all the work to get her here :)! She is getting so very big. We went to visit her new friend, Breckyn, and we were amazed at how huge Chloe looked. Chloe is a very good sleeper at night; she hits the sack around 9:00-10:00pm and has been waking up around 8:00am. Her new bedtime gives Brandon and I a chance to listen to the awesome spanish radio station that our baby monitor picks up :)! I returned to work. (YUCK!) It actually hasn't been too bad. I really love my job, and it has been so comforting to know that I am leaving Chloe with her dad, who loves her almost as much as I do ;)! Chloe is a very good girl while her dad is watching her; she just sleeps the whole time. It is amazing how she has become our whole life. We just love her so very much!

Here are a few pictures of our little bug - I can never catch her smiling!

Chloe and Brandon hard at work in Brandon's office. This is how I found them one day after work! Brandon had just re-dressed Chloe after a terrible diaper. When I returned home after my first day back, they both met me in the garage :)!

Chloe's serious face

Chloe and her tiny friend, Breckyn

Just lounging on Mom and Dad's bed

Chloe always sleeps with her hands clenched in fists above her head.

A Blessing from Above

Chloe's special blessing day was Sunday, September 6th. Brandon gave Chloe a beautiful blessing. It was such a very sweet experience. As Brandon and I reflected upon things we would want for Chloe in her life, I was just overwhelmed by what a little miracle she is. We just love her so much! We had a little lunch with our family and friends after her blessing! We are so grateful that Chloe will grow up surrounded by so many people who love her! (I'm a little teary thinking about it :)! ) It really was beautiful day!

Chloe was VERY grumpy when we were trying to take pictures in her blessing dress!

A Few "Firsts"

I can't believe that our little Chloe is almost two months old! The time has just flown by, and she is just our little angel. It has been fun to experience a few "firsts" with Chloe.

First nap in her big crib

First trip to the salon

First Snow Canyon football game

First trip to St. George



First softball game with Dad

First Weber County Fair

Newborn Portraits

We had Chloe's pictures taken when she was just 8 days old. Here's a little peak at a few of our many favorites. Our photographer, Mikki, was wonderful; check out her blog "Captured by Mikki."

Chloe Mae

On July 9th at 10:39pm, Brandon and I were blessed with the arrival of our sweet little girl. She is just a miracle! Chloe Mae weighed 7 lbs 5 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. The adventure started at our appointment with our midwife on Wednesday night; she determined that my blood pressure was too high and scheduled a medical induction for Thursday morning. We arrived at the hospital and experienced a very long day waiting for Pitocin to kick in. The actual active labor portion of our day at the hopsital went very smoothly and was very easy. I feel so lucky! Brandon kicked right into "Dad" mode. He was such an awesome support thoughout the delivery, and he is such a natural with Chloe.

Chloe is an absolute angel! She has a broken collar bone, but she has been such a brave girl. We love her so much, even if she doesn't sleep at all at night :)!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of the visits, texts, flowers, and phone calls. We are so grateful for our family and friends!

A Father Indeed

I shared this video during my Relief Society lesson on Father's Day. Brandon and I thought it captured the love of a Father perfectly. It really is worth watching. (Just click on the text below, and you'll be sent to the video.)

A Father Indeed

I am fortunate to have great "Fathers" in my life...I've been thinking about how lucky I was to have a dad who was so willing to teach his little girl important things. When I was young, my dad would read to me every night; we burned through Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, and The Swan Princess. He shared his talents with me and helped me to develop my talents. I remain so grateful for his constant support.

We celebrated Father's Day with Brandon's family. His dad is one of Brandon's favorite golf companions, and they continue to cultivate their shared love of hidden "treasures" from the D.I. (most of which are on shelves in my garage...). Brandon has inherited a few fun characteristics from his dad; they both love to tease tiny kids. Our nieces are very concerned that this constant pestering will be the story of our daughter's life. We are thankful for all that Lee does for us.

It is crazy to think of my husband as a father...I can't believe it will be here so soon! Brandon will be a truly wonderful, sweet dad. I'm pretty sure that our little girl will quickly wrap him around her fingers. We were discussing our parenting tactics a few nights ago, and he declared that he will just let me discipline our daughter so that he can comfort her and be the nice parent. He informed me that he'll just say to her, "Oh, come here, Sweetheart. Mom is so mean, huh?" (Brandon's exact words, I swear!) I know that Brandon will be a fantastic dad; I can't imagine anyone better to help raise our daughter.

Just a quick update on the baby...um, she's HUGE! Okay, maybe not huge, but she's certainly a healthy gal. It all makes me a little nervous...yikes! I'm feeling great; I worry that maybe I am feeling a little too good. I'd like to be in the "timing contractions" stage soon, and I'm just not seeing any sign of that. Apparently, I am the queen of amniotic fluid. When we measure on our ultrasounds I am at the top of the "normal" amniotic fluid range which, coupled with our growing gal, is making me feel super, super large. I love it though...I feel so grateful that everything has been so smooth with the pregnancy. I just can't wait to see her...hopefully sooner rather than later :)! Our AMAZING family has thrown WONDERFUL baby showers for us! I am overwhelmed by everyone's kindness and generosity. We love you all!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!!!

Today we celebrate Brandon's special day. We've had a "week long" celebration in his honor. On Monday, Memorial Day, we enjoyed a BBQ and swimming with his family, Tuesday night we went to the Taylor Swift concert, and today, he's spending the day at Wolf Creek golfing. We'll wrap up celebrations for Brandon tonight with a couple's massage! Phew! He is one lucky boy!

I'm so thankful for Brandon. He is such a great husband; he makes my job as his wife easy. He is constantly making me laugh, and he always is kind and supportive. He really is my "life's delight." As we enter the world of parenthood, I am so grateful that he will be by my side; I can't imagine anyone who will be a bettter father. He has been so patient with me, even though he is ready to be done having a pregnant wife :)! I appreciate all that he does for me and our little family. I am lucky to have him! Happy Birthday, Brand!

HUGE Update

First - here is a quick picture from Easter. We celebrated in St. George with my family, and it was wonderful! My parents are always so generous!

Second - We enjoyed a very fun "Family Vacation" with Brandon's family a few weeks ago. We spent three days in Disneyland and one day in Sea World. It really was a blast! I don't know that I would ever return while 7+ months pregnant...I had very swollen ankles (and a swollen face, I swear!). The kids LOVE Brandon, and it was fun to see them enjoy Disneyland and Sea World.

Third - So, I'm a little late on Mother's Day...I'm so very grateful for my mom. I don't know what I would ever do without her. She has taught me so much, and she continues to be such a support to me. I hope the one day I can be half the "wonder woman" that she is. Brandon's mom has always been and continues to be so supportive of us. I'm thankful for her! Mother's Day gave me a nice opportunity to think about the mantle of "motherhood" that will shortly rest upon my shoulders. I hope that I am ready for such a huge responsibility!

Finally - My AMAZING friends threw me a wonderful baby shower this weekend! It was really so very nice! They are all such talented girls, and I am so grateful for all of my friends and their support. Everyone's kindness was really overwhelming. Thank you for making sure our tiny girl will be well taken care of!!!

Sew what?!

So, I'm not really the world's best blogger. I just barely make a post every month! It's awesome, right?

Anyway...with the upcoming arrival of our little girl, we have been trying to get everything in order at our house. The basement is coming along. Who knew that when you drywall your unfinished basement it covers your entire house with an incredibly messy layer of dust?! It was a freaking mess! We have furniture ordered for the nursery, and I'm just hoping it will all come together before she gets here! I have been set on sewing her bedding...I think I just had some temporary insanity going on...Luckily, I found a crib set that Brandon and I both really like (who knew he would actually care what colors are in her nursery :)!!). So, my "bedding plan" has changed. I'll be buying the crib set and just making a super cute quilt for her.

I'm getting a little nervous that I'm in the third trimester...I mean seriously, do I even know how to take care of a baby?!?! There is just a TON of stuff that we need to check off of our "to do list" before we bring her home. I'm sure that we'll make it...somehow...

My new favorite article of clothing is maternity jeans! Ha! I swear I wear them everyday! I especially recommend the pair above from Motherhood Maternity, otherwise known as "the pregnant girl store in the mall (Brandon HATES this place!)."

My most recent purchase from Motherhood Maternity was a pregnant girl swimsuit for an upcoming vacation. Let me tell you, it is hottest piece of swimwear I have ever owned! It's like a stinking muumuu with swimsuit bottoms. When I tried on my new swimsuit, I just started laughing! It's awesome! I was in the Buckle getting a b-day present for Liz, and I seriously am excited to wear my normal-non-pregnant-lady clothes. Gotta love it! At least my shoes still fit :)!

Our daffodils and tulips are finally blooming. It's a miracle because it has been a very cold, rainy spring. I swear I still miss St. George weather. Somehow I manage to be the world's best weed grower. I can kill every other plant, but the weeds thrive.

Whew! That was a long rambling post!

Baby Update

We had our targeted ultrasound on Tuesday. I was a little nervous; I just want everything to be okay with our little one. Everything looked great. She is growing right on track and everything seems to be developing appropriately. It is crazy to see her move around. She is a wiggle worm; the Ultrasonographer had a hard time getting a clear shot of anything because the baby was moving so much. Our tiny girl has really long legs, long fingers and a tiny nose. It's just amazing! We feel so lucky to have her!

Here is a blurry profile shot. She was smashed against the placenta, and she was moving her little head all around. Her arm is up by her ear; she kept putting her hands by her face. We think she's darling!

I'm feeling great, kinda feeling a little large, but really good. I am feeling the baby move constantly now. I haven't been throwing up quite as much; it keeps catching me off guard though :)! No belly pictures...I'm still not so comfortable with normal pictures, let alone pictures of my huge baby belly! Ha!

Golf & Gadgets

It's been a busy month for us! We spent a LONG weekend in St. George. My parents were on a cruise, and I spent last Tuesday through Sunday in Santa Clara "managing" my brother, Eric. He was so, so, so busy. It was baseball tryouts, the end of the quarter, and some huge Madrigals concert. It made me wonder how I ever balanced high school. It was fun to be able to spend time with Eric. He is an amazing guy, and I am always so impressed by him. Liz came down from Cedar to spend the weekend with us. It was a BLAST!

Brandon spent Thursday through Sunday on a "Boys Trip," golfing everyday at various courses around St. George. Luckily, the weather held out, and he enjoyed a few great rounds of golf. Here's a picture of my "Golf Hunk" ;) and the group he played with at Coral Canyon.

Brandon, Norm, JD, & Lee

I recently tested out a few new "cleaning items." I thought I'd save everyone a little hassle and a little cash by including my review of the products :)!

This one does NOT work:

But this one does:

Happy Cleaning :)!

Sugar & Spice

Tuesday was our last OB appointment, and we were informed that....

We are so SURPRISED!!! I don't know why, but we have been planning on a boy throughout the pregnancy. So much for my "Mother's Intuition!" When our midwife broke the news, I just started laughing. I think that Brandon just about passed out! Honestly, we haven't even considered that it would be a little girl; we only have a list of boy names that we like. Now, we are just so excited that a "little princess" will be joining our family. Brandon has officially imposed a strict budget so that I don't just go overboard on purchasing cute things for her to wear ;)!

Love at First Sight...

After a VERY long wait, we are so happy to FINALLY be expecting a baby! We'll be adding a new addition to our family in July 2009. We've made it through the first trimester and survived morning sickness, otherwise known as random-all-day-sickness. Our little one is growing right on schedule. We are completely thrilled!