Sage has learned how to drink from her sippy cup. I don't know why, but I think it is the cutest thing. 

Shots, teething and transitioning to whole milk does not make for a happy girl!

We have still managed to have some fun though!

Stubborn

We have had a crazy last week in our home. Towards the end of last week Taylor had some back pain from getting hit while playing basketball. Saturday morning he woke up in a lot of pain and realized he had a kidney stone. He has had several of them and knows what the symptoms are and the horrific pain. He went to the doctor and got checked out and some pain meds. He was feeling better without having to take them and even played in his basketball game Saturday evening. However, in the middle of the night he woke up in great pain and took some medicine. The medicine made him so sick and he was so dehydrated and couldn't keep anything down. Tony came over and gave him a blessing and took him to the ER. Thank goodness for good neighbors/friends that watched Sage for me so I could go be with him at the hospital. They got him hydrated, took some xrays and a scan and sent him home with some more pain meds, medicine for the nausea and a referral for a urologist.The xrays showed he has 4mm stone, which is not good. They also compared the scan with a scan they took in 2008 and there has not been any changes to his PKD. Monday he went to the urologist and they said he had a 50% chance of passing it on his own. He set an appointment up to have it blasted Tuesday, which he ended up canceling because he is not feeling any more pain. He is still not feeling great, but the pain is gone. We're hoping he passed it on his own and there is no more pain waiting ahead. Taylor has such a good attitude and sense of humor- even when he is in pain. He said he should start naming his kidney stones and that if he did this one would be named "Stubborn". He has lots of stones up there, so it is just a matter of time. I'm grateful this is his first one since we have been married and hope we don't have to experience them often. It is awful watching someone you love in pain.

This is Taylor pretending he is dead. Someone asked how he was doing and he said he just finished writing his obituary. Poor boy felt like he was really going to die. 

A is for Apple

I'm working on an Alphabet Book for Sage which will include pictures of her with items of each letter of the alphabet. I haven't decided how I am going to print it yet because I want it to be a book she can look at and enjoy without me having to worry about her ruining it. Maybe I'll just print out the pictures and put them in a cheap photo book with letter stickers on each picture sleeve? Or maybe I will use contact paper to put the pictures/letters over the pictures of another board book? We'll see. It is also more difficult than you would think trying to come up with all the pictures because I want them to be items that are significant to her little one year old self and that she will be able to recognize... 

Folded arms

The gospel is a great blessing in our lives. If there is just one thing we can teach our children in this life, it is to love their Savior by helping them gain their own testimony of the Gospel. Sage folds her arms when we pray. They do not always stay folded, but she folds them. This is not something we taught her. One day she just did it. She saw us fold our arms and so she folded hers. It is a powerful testimony of the power of example. I know she is watching and soaking everything in- the good and the bad.  Being a parent makes me want to be better and do better.

Curtains

I decided I wanted to put up curtains.
I have wanted to since the day we moved into Starcrest over two years ago.
I found curtains I really like that bring out the blue in the new pillow I just had to have from Home Goods.
I said it could be an early birthday gift because I wanted it so bad.
Taylor said he had bigger plans for me, but if I wanted a  pillow then I could have it.
I got it.
And I got my curtains.
A curtain rod?
A much harder task.
I looked at Target, Ross and TJ Max with no success.
9:00 last night I decided I was going to go to Walmart and find a rod because I couldn't wait to put them up.
I found a rod.
Ironed my curtains.
Taylor started to put the rod up.
It was too small.
Back to Walmart I went. Exchanged it at 10:00pm.
Taylor tried to put them up again and the brackets did not extend out far enough.
Taylor made me give it up for the night.
Sent Taylot to HomeDepot at 7:30 this morning to search for extendable brackets.
We hunted at HomeDepot, Lowes, Bed Bath and Beyond and Walmart.
Nowhere could we find extendable brackets that held a 1 inch rod-only 3/4 inch or 5/8 inch.
Taylor got home a little before 6pm when we should have been putting Sage down for bed.
Instead we went to Home Depot and bought another rod that is 3/4 inch and got the extendable brackets.
Lost the receipt to Walmart so we got store credit for the second rod I got at 10pm last night.
Forgot to mention I had to jump in the dumpster to get the box for it.
Don't worry it was pretty empty- still gross, I know...
Sage was in bed by 6:30 and my curtains were up by 7:00.
Oh and this rod came with extendable brackets so back to Home Depot we will go to return the others.
I think they are beautiful.
But were they worth all that?
Probably not.
I sure did marry a good man though.

The Perfect Birthday

Our girl turned 1 on Friday. She woke up bright and early as usual and we greeted her with a giant happy birthday and singing. First thing in the morning Taylor made her a "car" with a box from Costco. He even cut out a little door and door handle, made it nice and cushy and in went her and "Sweetie" (her little baby). She loved every second of it and went on several rides throughout the day. After a morning nap we went to lunch at Corner Bakery. Our sandwiches were not very 1 year old friendly, but she sure enjoyed some chocolate cake. We walked around the mall for a bit and even ran into Aunt Jodie and Sage's Grandma Jeanne. Later in the evening the Averyts came over to celebrate with us. They love our little girl so we knew we had to include them in her big day. We ate dinner, sang happy birthday and watched her demolish her cupcake. Saturday was her big owl birthday party with cousins and grandparents. It was a lot of fun. Sage is so blessed with such wonderful friends and family that love her. We ate yummy food that her Great Grandma Jackie and Grandma Jeanne helped. We had homemade mac and cheese, pasta with chicken, salad, bread sticks, relishes, and fruit-ka-bobs. The Petersons were able to join us too so Sage was able to see her boyfriend, Cole.  Sage was able to see all  almost all the special people in her life. (We missed a few people due to sickness and due to living out of state.) Taylor and I worked really hard to make it an extra special party for her. I love detail and all the little extra things, but what made her party so special was that Sage was happy and had a good time with lots of loved ones. It was perfect. 

Taylor and I got her this big baby doll that matches her little baby doll. She would not put it down. Notice she has it in almost every picture from this point of the party on. 

 I started this post the day before her birthday knowing I wouldn't get around to it on the actual day. I got as far as uploading the pictures and never got a chance to write. I did write her 1 year birthday letter though, which is in her memory box. It has been a wonderful first year and we have had a great time celebrating her birth day! Birthday Celebration Post to come...