My growing giraffe

As Sage stood in front of the mirror looking at herself as I fixed her hair like a "princess"... "I growing mama. Growing big. Look my neck. (as she puts her chin up in the air messing the hairstylist up and rubbing her neck.) I'm growing like a giraffe." - Sage the growing giraffe

If I could keep you little...

Of course there are chaotic and frustrating moments and moments that I lose my patients and temper with my girls. Well, my oldest girl for now... I'm sure I will have those moments with my sweet, angel baby Harper someday (even though that is hard to believe). However, I simply adore them and can't get enough of them. Harper woke up at 4 in the morning, which she hasn't done basically since we brought her home from the hospital! She wasn't crying or anything... just chatting away. I sat and watched her on the video monitor for the longest time and just smiled. As I sat there losing sleep and knowing my other lil sweetheart, my lil early bird with a 5am internal clock, would be waking up soon so I probably was up for the day at 4am, I told Taylor, "this is true love! 4 hours of sleep and watching my angel roll around at 4am melts my heart!" They both melt my heart. I am kind of obsessed with them. The thought of them growing up is so bitter sweet. I love Taylor Swift's song "Never Grow Up" but I love the book "If I could keep you little..." even more... My sweet friend Jessica gave it to me for Harper and I couldn't help but tear up as I read it. The words pierced my soul and were a reminder to me that these moments will not last and to cherish every one. They also reminded me that there is so much to look forward to. I love being a mother and cherish the moments with my girls and can't wait to see who they end up becoming, because I know they can become anything and anyone they want to! They have the world at their fingertips! 

If I could keep you little, I'd hum you lullabies.

But then I'd miss you singing your concert's bug surprise.

If I could keep you little, I'd hold your hand everywhere. 

But then I'd miss you knowing, "I can go... you stay there."

If I could keep you little, I'd kiss your cuts and scrapes.

But then I'd miss you learning from your own mistakes.

If I could keep you little, I'd strap you in real tight.

But then I'd miss you swinging from your treetop height.

If I could keep you little, I'd decide on matching clothes.

But then I'd miss you choosing dots on top and stripes below.

If I could keep you little, I'd cut your bread into shapes.

But then I'd miss you finding, "Hey! I like ketchup with my grapes!"

If I could keep you little, I'd tell you stories every night.

But then I'd miss you reading the words you've learned by sight.

If I could keep you little, I'd pick for you a friend or two.

But then I'd miss you finding friends who like you, too!

If I could keep you little, I'd push your ducky float. 

But then I'd miss you feeling the wind behind summer's boat.

If I could keep you little, we'd nap in our fort midday.

But then I'd miss you sharing adventures from camp away.

If I could keep you little, I'd fly you with my feet.

But then I'd miss you seeing sky and clouds from your (airplane) seat.

If I could keep you little, I'd keep you close to me.

But then I'd miss you growing into who you're meant to be!

5 months

Harper, 

You are the happiest and most easy going baby! You bring so much peace into our crazy days. You sleep between 12-14 hours a night and always wake up with a huge smile on your face. Naps are hit or miss, but regardless you are always so happy. You are becoming quite talkative and lot to chat. You also have discovered a love for pulling hair. Sometimes your sister gets a little too close and you yank on her hair. She doesn't love that. You put just about everything in your mouth. There have been a few days we have thought you may be teething because you have had a little fever and were a little bit fussy, which is just not you. We have fed you oatmeal and sweet potato, which you are not a fan of either yet. You are very ticklish and even Sage can get you laughing as she rubs her nose on your belly.  You have the best laugh. You also seem to really enjoy tummy time. You always seem to be poopy and  have frequent blow outs. It has kind of become a joke. Every time we go anywhere and we go to get you out of the car we expect to change you. You are wearing size 3-6 months clothing and we just bumped you up to size 3 diapers. We figure you weigh about 15 lbs. You are so very loved. We love you and are so blessed to have you!

What a difference a year makes...

Updating the girls baby books and came across some past fourth of july pictures... So cliche, but they grow up way too fast!

Yay for long weekends!

Taylor has switched departments at work, which has allowed him to also switch schedules. Instead of working Monday-Friday noon-8:30pm he is working Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 11:30 am-10 pm and Saturdays 6am-4:30pm... We get him home 4 nights a week now instead of 2 and we get 3 day weekends every week. 3 nights a week he doesn't get home until late, but we still have our morning together since he doesn't go in until 11:30... We are loving all the family time. Saturday night we went to the Blaze Football game. Monday we went to Antelope Island and went and got lunch at Iceburg and shared a yummy cookies & creme shake. Today (Tuesday) we went to the Tracy Aviary in the morning and went to Hollywood Connections in the afternoon. It has been so much fun. We love family time and I sure love this family of mine! 

Independence Day 2013

We love holidays, we love family time and we love our country! Our fourth was as perfect as it gets. We began celebrating a few days before by doing red, white and blue crafts, painting our nails, having a fun play date with our friend Noah and Max and baking festive cookies and having a fun "star" shaped lunch. The morning of the fourth we made fun toast that looked like a flag with cream cheese, strawberry jam, strawberries, bananas and blueberries. It was tastylicious! Afterwards we went to the Murray Parade and had the best seats and the weather was perfect thanks to the rain the night before.Sage loved collecting (and eating) the candy they threw at us and waving to the princesses. Harper enjoyed people watching. When we got home Taylor and Sage went swimming while Harper and I fixed pasta salad for the BBQ later that day and also put together a surprise lunch of star shaped grilled cheese, star shaped watermelon, star jello jigglers and a red, white and blue drink. After lunch we all rested and napped and then played a game of BINGO together and got ready to see all the cousins and grandma and papa. We ate yummy food and Sage loved running around with her cousins. We played a couple games of volleyball too. Harper was an angel as always! Sugarhouse was a zoo so we ended up watching the Murray Fireworks. We had a great spot on the grass and enjoyed the show. Sage loved it. She kept yelling, "look!" and yelling out all the colors she saw. Last Four of July we announced to our families we were expecting a new lil sparkler. We sure are grateful for our two lil sparklers. We are so blessed in so many ways! We are so grateful for those past and present that make our freedom possible. 

Sagey girl

• Starting to like princesses
• We told her she is an "Early Bird" since she always wakes up between 5am-6am and her response was, "no bird. girl!"
• likes to chew gum and is actually really good at keeping it in her mouth and not swallowing it. She calls it her "bum." One day her Grandma Jeanne gave her a piece of gum and she chewed it for hours, at least 5 hours! She would take it out to eat and put it right  back in.
• always wants to say the prayer at dinner and bedtime. "Sagey say it."Her prayers are always the same, short, sweet and so sincere. "Heavenly Father. Thank you day. Jesus Christ. Amen." After she says it she quickly says, "Again!" and will want to say it again. 
• LOVES her baby dolls still.
• has an imaginary wolf friend that always comes around. Sometimes she is scared of him and other times she is not, but he has been making a daily appearance at our home. 
• always tells us she is growing. Today she informed me that her feet are growing big, but that her nose is small. 
• has a really good memory
• LOVES to sing. She is really good at recalling songs and tunes. She doesn't always get all the words, but she knows most of them and sings the right tune... some of the songs she frequently sings as she "reads" her children's hymn book are, "Child's Prayer", "Nephi's Courage", "I Am a Child of God", "I Love to See the Temple", "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man", "Popcorn", "Once There was a Snowman." She gets really shy if you ask her to sing or if the camera is on, but when she thinks nobody is listening she belts them out!
• feisty and sassy. She is determined and strong willed. I recently read the book "Happiest Toddler on the Block" and Sage's temperament is defined as "spirited" and her defiant behavior is defined as "brave!" Although she is "spirited" and "brave" she sure is so sweet, sensitive and loving. We wouldn't want her any other way! 

June