Father's Day

Happy Father's Day! It was fun to be able to celebrate Spencer's first official Father's Day. He is an amazing Daddy. Even though she is only 3 months old, Reese loves it when her Dad comes home. She will just watch him talk and walk around. Anytime he looks at her she smiles. He holds her facing out and plays with her in the mirror and she just goes crazy- it's so cute. I am so lucky to have such an awesome husband who is also an awesome father. Reese and I love you Spence!

I also want to say what amazing Dad's Spencer and I have. We were able to talk to Ed for a bit yesterday. I am so glad that Spencer had his example to grow up with. Ed is a hardworking man with a rock solid testimony. He is very practical and intelligent but also very kind and loving. I am lucky to have him as my father-in-law.

I love my Dad and let me tell you... he loves Reese! Being a Grandpa looks good on him. My Dad has taught me so much about how to live my life. He is also such a hard worker, but has always been able to prioritize and make time for our family. He has taught me the importance of education, how to love music, how to be patient and how to have fun. Lucky for me, Spencer has all the good qualities of both of our Dads. So again, Happy Father's Day to Spence, Ed and Dad. I love you!!!

Whoops!

So I recently did something dumb- unintentionally of course. When we landed in Utah we went to rent a car. I'm 25 now, so my Dad was going to put me on as a driver. Well, when the nice man at Enterprise went to check my license he kindly informed me that it had expired on my 25th birthday! I figured it would be no big deal, I would just go and get a new one. Well, since it was a Utah license and I now need a Washington license, I have to take the written and the drive test! Not only that, but because my license is now invalid my Mom has to drive me to the DMV. I had to borrow the Driver's Ed. book from my little brother so I could study last night. I had to review the hand signals, how far I can park from a fire station, and the legal Blood Alcohol Content- no one remembers all that stuff! So the moral of the story is- take out your license and check the date so you don't have to feel like a 16 year old all over again.

Ha Ha Ha!

Reese is such a happy baby. She hasn't really had a full-out giggle yet but she is getting so close. I took this video in Utah this weekend of her and her Uncle Josh playing together. It's a little long, but it is really cute. Seriously I think we all spent most of the weekend staring at Reese and waiting to see what cute thing she would do next. Enjoy!

An Eventful Weekend

Reese and I were able to spend the weekend in Utah. Before I tell you about it just let me say I'm sorry to all my wonderful Utah friends who I didn't get to see. This weekend was all about family.

We flew out Friday morning. I have no idea how people travel with babies by themselves. I am so glad I had Mom and Dad to help me with all my stuff! Reese did awesome. She slept during take off, woke up and played during the flight and then fell asleep right before we started our descent. It just could not have gone any better. The reason we went to Utah was for Grandma Edna's 90th birthday. She didn't know that Reese and I were coming, and it was so fun to surprise her. She is an amazing lady.

Friday night we had a bridal shower for my sister Megan. Reese got to meet her great-aunts on my Mom's side. Everyone just loved her of course. She was all smiles for everybody.

On Saturday, Ed and Lorie came down to see us. We went out to Grandma and Grandpa Porter's house in Bountiful. They were thrilled to meet Reese. Grandma Shirley Porter is the "S" in Reese's name. Ed and Lorie took us out to lunch at Wingers- yummy- and then we went shopping for some father's day gifts. I'm so glad I got to see them for a minute- Reese was too. She has grown so much since they came up to see her when she was just 3 weeks old!

Sunday was Grandma Edna's 90th birthday. We had a big party at Layton Park to celebrate. Lots of our family and friends were there and again Reese was so great. We really have the best baby. She smiled at everyone and was passed around. It was great to celebrate Grandma Edna and her many accomplishments. Her cousin and neighbor came down from Idaho and were able to tell us stories from when they were all young and growing up. It was so fun. We enjoyed the rest of the day just hanging out. Grandma Edna loves Reese so much. It was fun to see them talk to each other and play together. I took some video, which will be fun for Reese when she is older so she can remember her Great- Grandma. We took a walk later and Reese sat up in her stroller for the first time. She loved being able to look ahead and see where we were going. Unfortunately it was cold (in June- come on!) so we had to bundle her up really good. We played games that night with Megan and her fiancee Boone and Josh and Kara came over too. They read Reese "Underwear" which was always our favorite book and Grandma Edna's house.

Monday we went shopping for Reese at the Carter's outlet in Salt Lake. Josh was the worst- he just kept holding things up and saying "Kara look how cute- we have to get her this." Reese is so spoiled. I'm hoping she will get some cousins soon the balance things out. Monday night we flew home and Reese was excellent on the plain again (the 3 year old sitting behind us was not!) We were both so excited to see Spencer. The whole way home she just looked at him and smiled. It was a wonderful weekend, but it was nice to get home again. I love my family- immediate and extended- and I am so grateful for my knowledge that we can be together forever!

The big two-five

So last Thursday was my 25th birthday. I don't worry too much about getting older- I'm sure I may feel differently when I hit those bigger mile stones. But for now, I am just really enjoying the age I am and the stage I am at in my life. I had an awesome birthday. When I was growing up, my mom would decorate the kitchen with streamers and put all our presents out on the table so we could see them when we first woke up. Spencer has continued this tradition for me. In Spencer's family you get a special birthday breakfast- we continue that tradition as well. I absolutely love Rice Krispy Treats cereal and you can't find it here in Washington. My sweet husband bought me two boxes in Logan a few weeks ago and had been hiding them in the garage! I am easy to please. The day was great- Reese was awesome. My mom took me to lunch at Panera and we went shoe shopping. That evening when Spence came home from work he let me open all my presents- most of them were clothes (it is so nice to not have to accommodate a big pregnant belly.) He took me to a nice dinner at Coho Cafe and we came home and had ice cream sandwiches. It was a great day.

Then on Saturday it was sunny (Finally!) so we headed south to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. I love doing stuff like that. It was a gorgeous day and the Zoo is right up against Puget Sound (I think... I get a little mixed up with the bodies of water around here.) Our favorite things were the elephants, the snow leopard, the polar bears (Spencer had never seen one before!), the meerkats, and of course the Asian River Otters.

My not-favorite animal was this peacock. As many of you know, birds freak me out. Well, of course we were at the zoo all day so Reese needed to eat. So we found ourselves a nice spot in the sun on the grass to feed her and eat our picnic lunch. Well this peacock came out of no where and was just roaming free. It walked right in front of me- like 3 feet away. It was pretty and all, but I was kind of defenseless sitting there feeding my baby. Luckily it didn't attack me, and it walked off while being chased by someone's toddler. But other than that- it was a perfect birthday.

Baby Update

It's been awhile since I've posted pics of Reese. She is doing great. She is just smiling like crazy and I think she is getting pretty close to laughing. At her last appointment she was up to 13.5 pounds and 24 inches long.

She is starting to figure out that her hands belong to her. She has sucked her thumb a couple of times, which at first I was really against, but she still struggles taking a binky so if she wants to suck her thumb I'm going to let her. It's funny though- because sometimes she will sit there with her mouth open, and she is trying to get her thumb in but she keeps hitting herself in the forehead. It's so funny.

We try to do some "tummy time" everyday. It's not her favorite, but she doesn't hate it. She talks a lot when she's on her tummy though- just jabber, jabber, jabber. She is a great baby because she likes to be held and played with, but she also likes to be by herself. We have one of those "gyms" where she can lay on her back and stuff dangles over her. It has a little mirror on it and she likes to look at and talk to herself. She is my little buddy and we have so much fun together.