Christmas

Well I found my camera and I have a lot of catching up to do so here goes....
For Christmas we went to Oklahoma. The day before we left, I took Logan to the doctor to get his flu shots and decided to have him checked out because he had a fever and was not acting normal. I found out he had ear infections and pink eye. It as obvious the poor little guy was not feeling well and I was worried everyone back home wouldn't get to see the "real Logan" but after just a couple days on the meds he was back to his cheerful self. Logan and I went a week before Scott so we could spend more time with my family which meant that I would be flying with Logan for the first time all by myself. I was pretty nervous because Logan won't go to sleep when people are holding him, he always wants to move around, and, like I said, he was sick. Everyone at the airport and on the plane was really helpful. He, of course, made a few friends with that big smile and contagious laugh of his. After wiping down everything in reach with antibacterial wipes and cleaning both our hands with antibacterial gel multiple times, I ended up passing him around to a few nice people wanting to play with him and help me out. He did cry some and he didn't sleep much at all but, with those people's help and feeding him practically the whole time, we made it. Logan got spoiled rotten by all the friends and family excited to see him. We had to make a trip to the school my mom teaches at for some lunch and a little "show and tell." He loved all the attention and so did Nana. We mostly just visited family and friends, made treats, ate treats, and shopped the week before Scott got there. Here we are decorating some sugar cookies. Over half of them were eventually eaten by Scott.

It was the first time Scott had been away from Logan and only the second time away from me for that long since we've been married. Scott productively spent his lone time watching all the seasons of "The Office" and cleaning out the refrigerator. Whenever we'd talk on the phone, I'd put it on speaker and Logan would just light up as soon as he heard his voice. We were happy once he finally joined us the day before Christmas Eve. We were so glad he came when he did because that night it started to snow and on Christmas Eve it was an all out blizzard. The winds were 50-60 mph and snow drifts were piled a few feet deep in some areas. Cars were stuck and abandoned in the middle of the roads. Highways, streets and the airports were all closed and visibility was pretty much non-existent. It was a huge mess because snow plows and sanders couldn't get out since you couldn't see 3 feet in front of you and once they did, all the abandoned cars that got stuck in snow in the middle of the road made it difficult to plow them. I have a feeling another state a little more equipped for this type of thing wouldn't have had quite as many problems. Needless to say, unlike most snow storms, we were completely snowed in Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We watched a lot of movies, played games and ate the whole time. Had it been any regular day I wouldn't have minded it but it kinda put a damper on our celebrating. The pictures don't do justice but they're all I got.

Papa likes to introduce Logan to new foods every time we see him so this time he fed Logan snow.

Because the winds were so strong, snow was coming in under the doors. Since Logan liked it so much the first time, he decided to help himself to some more.

Logan was pretty excited about all his presents, (and by all I mean we came home with a large suitcase full of Logan's just toys and still had to ship some) but the paper and the bows were definitely his favorite part.

He's such a good helper. Here's Logan with some of his favorite people.

We had a great time and even after 2 weeks it seemed too short. We didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see and eat everywhere I wanted to eat but other than that I have no complaints. I came home 5 lbs heavier which to me signifies a good trip. The flight home was much easier with Scott there and I think he gained a little more respect for me seeing how difficult it was even with the two of us there.

My parents got him this outfit but sadly he didn't get to wear it for them since they cancelled church so we had to do a little photo shoot of the little handsome man.

Oh P.S. I want to make a christmas tree ornament or decoration of some kind each year using a picture so if anyone has any ideas please let me know. Obviously I have yet to do this year's.

A Little Set-back

I'm very behind on blogging and I blame most of it on the holiays. I have attempted to start the catch-up process but realized, after looking everywhere imaginable, I have misplaced my camera with all our recent pictures still waiting to be uploaded to the computer. Stay tuned. Hopefully it will turn up soon.

7 Months

Logan turned 7 months last week. I know I say this all the time but I seriously can't believe how fast time flies and how much he changes. He weighs about 18 lbs. and is 26 3/4 in long. He still isn't crawling but he's getting very quick at scooting. He can sit up all on his own and in turn can now ride in a cart without his car seat. Yay! Literally every time we go to the store at least one person comments on how excited he looks to be alive. He just thinks he's livin the high life riding around in the carts like a big boy.

One of his favorite things to do is stand up to play. He was kinda cranky one day and wasn't very interested in his toys so I just decided to stand him up against our couch and he was immediately entertained. You will notice in this picture our ottoman is in front of the tv. That is because he's decided one of his other favorite things is crawling under the tv and playing with the dvd player and whatever else in under there.

He's also started exploring the whole house. I used to bring him into whatever room I was in and he's just move around in that one area and play. Now he's going into the kitchen, living room, family room, down the hall, in the closet, etc. Each day holds a new discovery for Logan and more work for mom and dad.

I just wanted to post this picture because I think he looks so big. He's almost too big for his baby tub. Now that he's bigger, sometimes I give him baths in our bathtub and he just loves it because he can kick and splash all over the place.

Since he can't pull himself up and can barely sit himself up with no help, there's not a lot of things within his reach and yet he always manages to find something to get into.

We recently discovered that Logan loves being outside. I take him out on our porch swing and he's just fascinated with everything around him. Scott will take him out with him on Saturdays while he's working on the yard, putting up Christmas lights, whatever project he's working on and Logan is completely content. He, of course, likes to eat grass, leaves, dirt, and yes I've caught him with rocks so we have to keep a close eye on the little guy. Here he is helping Scott rake the leaves and help me pick grapefruits in our backyard.

Some other new things Logan's doing is he loves playing peek a boo, he cracks up every time we dance, and he gives his mama kisses. He actually started doing that all on his own. One morning I got him out of bed and he grabbed my face and "kissed" my cheek. I pretty much kiss him every time I get him up or put him to bed so I'm guessing that's how it got started. Now, if I tell him "dame besitos" or "give me kisses," he'll give a slobbery, open mouth kiss. So far that's only a mama thing. Scott still hasn't gotten a kiss from him yet. He's also a very good eater and will literally eat anything new I give him with no problems at all. His favorite food, however, is still paper. Though he seems a little young for it, he actually loves to sit and look at books while I read them to him...the baby proof ones that he can't eat of course. Though I almost hate to admit it, I think he's turning into a little bit of a mama's boy. He loves everyone and has no problem going to even perfect strangers but when he's tired or cranky, sometimes I'm the one who has the magic touch. I just can't help but feel proud about that. He's also had his first haircut and sometimes I even style what little hair he has. Here he is in his George Costanza pose that he does all the time.

This first one is a picture of him doing this thing where he puts his lips together and kind of spits. I'm not sure what to call it. The rest are just random pictures.

The Neverending Day

Thanksgiving morning we went over early to Scott's parents' house so we could all go on a hike. I wasn't sure how Logan would do just because he had a short nap, doesn't really like the sun in his eyes and we'd be hiking until his lunch time. Well he had the time of his life. I really wish I would've taken more pictures because he and his cousin were so cute in their little hats. Anyway, Logan literally chatted, smiled, and laughed the whole time. He loved just looking around, being outside, and having so many people around him. We had a lot of fun hanging out with Scott's family just eating and talking. Here's a couple pictures from a little photo shoot of the cousins but I'm pretty sure Christi got some much better ones with her camera. Scott's sisters, Stacy and Christi, had been talking to me about staying the night at his parents' (they live an hour away) and going Black Friday shopping with them. I was undecided and with the rush of trying to get Logan and the food ready that morning, I completely forgot about it. Though I didn't have a change of clothes or a toothbrush, after a little coaxing, I decided why not. I have fond memories of going Black Friday shopping with my dad where we would get up around four. We'd wait in line for maybe 30 min or so. He'd get whatever gadget or electronics he was after and then I would just shop around the mall and get whatever deals I could find and when I was ready to check out, he'd show up with the money. Obviously things were much different this time around without dad but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The mall opened at midnight so about 11:30 we left the kids at home asleep with grandma and grandpa Bair and headed to the mall. We assumed there would be a good number of other crazy people like ourselves but when we pulled up, we saw lines about 4-5 people wide from every entrance going all the way out to the parking lot. Here we are in line. This is the beginning so we have big smiles of anticipation for our all night shopping extravaganza.
Now I should mention that this mall was having a deal where if you spent $100 between 12 and 3 am, you could get a mall gift card for $50 from the service desk. We didn't have anything in particular that we were going to buy but we figured that between the 3 of us we could certainly pull that off. Well it seemed like everyone else in the world thought the same thing because by the time we stepped inside the mall, people were already lined up for this gift card. Apparently we are complete amateurs because we found out people went to the mall the day before and scoped out everything they wanted, tried everything on, etc. and then came in groups the next day so they could split up, buy everything, and stand in line all at the same time. Stacy found this, this, and this picture online from the mall we went to. You wouldn't ever believe me unless you just saw it for yourself. Needless to say, we gave up pretty much immediately on getting a gift card but I can honestly say I have never seen anything like that in my life. It was incredible. We followed that with a trip to Old Navy which opened at 3am and then to Target which opened at 5am and then Joann's which opened at 6am. We got home exhausted and delirious. I learned a few things from this trip that I thought I'd share. 1. Have a detailed plan. There's way too many people to be browsing around or trying on clothes. You should know exactly what you're getting and where it's at before you step foot in the store. Also, you should never waste your time buying things you could get for the same price any other time. Get in and get out as fast as humanly possible because the more you wait, the longer the lines and the crazier the people get. 2. Bring snacks. By 4am I was so hungry I was tempted to eat my own arm. 3. Dress for winter. Yes, it's nice here in Arizona in the winter but it still gets down to the 30's and 40's in the middle of the night. We were reminded of that while were standing in line outside in our short sleeves. 4. Go armed. I haven't decided what the best method of protection would be, but you definitely need something. We did have a little "secret weapon" of our own thanks to Christi but it just wasn't enough against these people. Nothing dangerous happened to us this time, but it's important to note that on Black Friday all societal norms and rules go out the window. It's complete madness. On that day, normal people are found pushing and shoving, cussing and yelling, cutting in line, running inside the store, stomping on feet, ramming into people with their carts, etc. We've all heard the stories. People get trampled to death for goodness sake! So be prepared to fight for your life. 5. This one is most important. Take a nap! At 6:30am after shopping for seven hours, going on 24 hours of no sleep, I barely had the energy to breathe and was just about to pass out when Logan woke up. I didn't even get to take a nap until about 9:30am and I seriously thought I would die. I have told people to remind me of how I felt at that moment so I never make that mistake again. To top it all off, I haven't been able to sleep since that night. I'm averaging falling asleep at about 2am so if I seem a little edgy, you now know why. It was, however, quite an adventure and now I have some good stories. I did end up with a couple good buys but IF I ever do that again, I will be much more prepared the next time.

29 Reasons

I'm a little behind on my blogging but last week Scott turned 29 so I thought it'd be appropriate to make a list of 29 reasons (in no particular order) that I love him. I realized as I was doing this that it was very hard to narrow it down to just 29. I decided to pick some reasons that maybe you didn't know about him. I think it'll be much easier when he's 50 to make this list.

1. His snoring not only wakes me up but wakes himself up
2. He's funny but doesn't try to be
3. He calls me Hon, Honey, Hottie, and occasionally Lil Muffin
4. He makes "to do" lists of things he wants done every night and on the weekends
5. He likes to skip around and chase me around the house
6. He doesn't know all the words to ANY song but he sings all the time
7. He loves to people watch
8. Though he comes across as emotionless, he's a softy and cries during movies
9. He loves to cuddle all night
10. He plans on buying a cabin near Payson
11. He steals the covers every night
12. He does laundry, cooks dinner, cleans the house, and loves to vacuum
13. He's a great money manager and actually does "number figuring" and math for FUN
14. He has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen
15. He flosses every single night
16. He's very humble and never gives himself credit for his knowledge and abilities
17. When we were married he wouldn't eat any vegetables and now he includes them in dinner when he cooks
18. He would use his only free moment to help someone else...even if he doesn't know them
19. He would do anything to make me happy
20. He hates most games...but loves card games
21. He is quietly confident...I don't know how else to describe it
22. He loves to listen to the Jim Rome show and could sit around and quote it (usually incorrectly) for hours at a time
23. He's constantly trying to be better
24. He wishes he could dance
25. He loves sports especially basketball and baseball
26. He would do ANYTHING for me and Logan and loves us more than anything
27. He has a great laugh
28. He's the man of my dreams even though he's not over six feet tall
29. He loves the Lord, honors his priesthood, and has a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ

Happy Birthday Scott! I love you Honey!

Scooter

Since Logan has started to scoot around a couple weeks ago, he's progressed very quickly. I wanted to get this up before he starts full-on crawling. I recorded him scooting today to get one of his favorite toys, his phone. Yes, one of Scott's old phones was dubbed "Logan's phone" in hopes that he would leave ours alone. P.S. I apologize for my annoyingly high voice. I've tried to stop but Logan just responds so much better and no matter what I do, I just can't help it.

6 Months

Logan went to the doctor last week for his six month checkup and shots. He did really well with the shots. I was very prepared and gave him his Tylenol right before he even got the shots. His growing has really slowed down since his last checkup. He weighs a little over 16 lbs and is 26 in long. Instead of being on the large end of average, he's now on the smaller end.
Here's just some pictures I took the other day.

This is one of his most common faces lately. He loves sucking on that bottom lip.

He wanted to help out with the picture taking and grabbed the camera right as it took the picture.
Logan is a great eater and has become very interested in whatever food we eat. He loves trying to help feed himself and really loves playing with the bowl afterwards. It's a good thing he's cute cause he is such a mess. I'm doing laundry and scrubbing the floor a lot more often than I'd like to.

Some recent accomplishments are that he can grab anything, big or small, within his reach. He can hold his own bottle (when he's not being lazy). And he can not only roll everywhere but he's now starting to scoot and "inchworm" around, especially when there's something he wants but can't reach.

I'm not sure why we buy him toys because his favorite things to play with are my water bottles, cell phone, and any kind of paper...especially magazines. He'll choose those over his noisy, light-up toys any day. If any of those things are in sight, he will find a way to get a hold of them.

Logan still loves looking at and talking to himself in the mirror. He loves being outside or just looking outside. Whenever he gets upset, as long as there's a window or a mirror to look at, he's pretty happy. He no longer likes his car seat as much or anything else, for that matter, that restricts him from moving how he wants to. He's also started to try and pull himself up and sit up all on his own. Both are still a working progress but we lowered his crib just in case. If I don't keep an eye on him sometimes he'll even unvelcro his diaper. He hates getting his face and hands cleaned and to get his clothes changed. He fusses any time he can't move to where he wants or reach whatever it is he sees. Needless to say he's become much more mobile and much more opinionated. I think I have my work cut out for me. For the majority of the time, however, he's a great baby. He eats and sleeps like a champ and is, for the most part, always happy, especially if he has someone to play and talk to him. Every morning I get him out of bed laughing and squealing with excitement. We just can't get over how much he's growing and changing. His sweet little face just melts our hearts.

Happy Halloween

Here's Logan's pre-Halloween outfit. The Friday before Halloween we made an appearance at our ward's trunk or treat. Logan loved riding around in his stroller and getting lots of attention. We spent Halloween with Scott's family. Christi and her family were in town and Logan was loving being around his cousins Westin and Grace. We just hung out, took family pictures, and some pizza and walked around a little with Grace while she was trick or treating.

Here's our little monkey.
How funny is this face?

I don't know what we were doing but we missed out on getting pictures of the cousins. I got this one from Stacy's blog. Here's Grace in one of her costumes. I love this picture. It's so Grace.

I'll have to get one of Westin when Christi gets her pictures up. He was so stinking cute in his little army outfit.

Squash

Last week I started Logan on foods other than cereal. I had decided before Logan was born to make all his baby food because, though some of them are much better these days, I'd just like to know exactly what is and isn't in his food. Plus it's cheaper...win, win. Well I had no idea how to do it so I did some research and found out the easiest way to cook a squash and keep in all the nutrients was cut it in half and bake it face down in an inch of water for about an hour. Then I just scooped it out and put it in the mill. So easy! I froze about half of it in ice trays and then bagged it up so I can easily defrost the amount I need when I need it. I absolutely love the food mill and am looking forward to putting all kinds of stuff in it. Apparently you can put in whatever you're eating for dinner and make it into baby food. Anyway, I went to take it out of the dishwasher and found the base melted to the bottom. It is dishwasher safe when it doesn't fall to the bottom and the heat dry option isn't on. I'm so upset about it cause I only used it once and it was such a good time. I do have the option to just order the part that melted but it will end up costing about half the price of a new one anyway. So now I'm on the lookout for a cheap one on craigslist. If you happen to see one, let me know.

The exciting part is, of course, not the making of the food but Logan's reaction to it. So here are a couple videos of the big event. They're kinda long cause I kept trying to get him to eat more since I knew he'd be very hungry if he didn't. I'm sure the grandmas will like them no matter how long they are.

I had decided to mix it with his cereal to see if he could handle it a little better so that's what this one is. It's kind of annoying at first cause he's so noisy but in the end he ends up liking it a little more and helping me feed him. If you listen closely toward the end you can hear Scott singing to himself while he's doing the dishes.

I'm happy to report he loves the squash now. It pretty much only took a day for him to get used to it.