Bear Lake

After Maddie's parade yesterday, we just decided to drive up to Bear Lake... ha ha, for those of you who aren't familiar with the area, it's about a three hour drive from our house!

We didn't actually get to the beachy part of the lake until about 4:30pm because we {Mike} 'had' to stop in Evanston for fireworks on the way up and then for the famous Raspberry Shakes before we went out to the lake. The shakes were amazing, worth the trip in itself! I have been craving one of these shakes for a very long time now!

We hung out at the lake for a couple hours, and had so much fun! It was actually really nice because there has been so much rain here that there was actually a mini 'lake' in front of bear lake that was very shallow (Maddie could walk across the whole thing) and it was warm water! Once you walked over to the actual lake, it was much colder.

Maddie was having the time of her life! This is heaven for her... outside, sand, and water!!

Chloe just enjoyed sitting on the towel eating cheerios, yogurt melts, and fishy crackers! She was in her own little heaven!

After the beach we ate at the local pizza place and then headed back home. Such a fun day!!!

Lehi Parade

On Saturday morning, Maddie was in the Lehi City Parade with her Sunshine Generation group. Even mom got to ride on the float with her. She had a blast with her friends, singing (or screaming) their songs and waving their flags. She loved every minute of it. Any attention this girl can get! :)

Chloe Anne

Chloe Anne- We had Chloe's name chosen just before we got pregnant with her, just a name we both really liked, and actually agreed on. Anne is my middle name.

Age: 10 1/2 months

Stats:

Weight: 19.47 lbs (42.24%)

Length: 27.88 inches (35.78%)

Head: 18.1 inches (86.94%)

*Stats seem a bit off to me. Dr said he thinks Chloe wasn't stretched out all the way for the length measurement, but wasn't concerned enough to remeasure her. I just don't think a baby can go from being in the 85% down to 35% in just a few months, meaning that basically she only grew 1/2 an inch, especially when she's been between 76% and 95% since she was born.... interesting! I'm a little concerned if it's accurate, something I'll have to keep my eye on!

Favorites:

Food: Cheerios, Yogurt Melts, Fishy Crackers, Watermelon, Ground Beef, Rice, Corn, Ice Cream, any 'real' food really

Least Favorite Food: Baby Food... doesn't like it anymore! :)

Drink: Soy Formula, Water

Activity: Playing with Maddie, Dumping out toys, baskets, etc.

TV Show: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Stuffed Animal: Little Bunny (we call it crunchy eared bunny because she chews constantly on the ears, which makes them hard and crunchy!)

Person: Mommy

Chloe is the sweetest baby. I know I am totally biased, but really, everyone constantly tells me how happy she is, and she truly is just a happy baby. It takes a lot to make her cry. She still has this sweet newborn cry at almost 11 months now, and I think it's because she just doesn't cry much so she hasn't really outgrown it! People love to smile at Chloe because it's just so easy to get a smile from her!

Chloe is on the go, constantly! She is miss speed crawler! She pulls herself up constantly, always wants to be standing, and jumping. Recently, she has gotten a bit brave letting go and standing on her own for a couple seconds, but this has only happened just a few times.

Chloe loves to eat. But not baby food. She is not a fan of that anymore. It seems like once we started letting her taste our food, she wants nothing to do with baby food. She doesn't yell or scream or cry about it, just spits it at you and laughs. At least someone thinks it's funny, huh?! But really, this girl would eat all day long! We always carry cheerios with us wherever we go. It keeps her quiet and entertained.

You wonder why we need to keep this sweet baby quiet? Just because one is sweet, doesn't mean they're quiet! This girl is loud! Not as loud as her sister (she's hard to beat!) but she just talks, talks, talks and isn't quiet about it! She still says ma-ma, da-da, and mom and actually knows who we are when she says them. When she wants me, she'll cry for mom or ma-ma. She also says ba-ba still (which I don't think really means anything, I don't think) and even added a na-na to her "vocabulary".

Chloe loves her blanket and pacifier. She doesn't have to have them all the time, but she loves them when you give them to her. I love to get her out of bed and hand her a blanket, she snuggles right in and gets so excited. Neither of my girls have been real snugglers, and I totally wish they were (maybe the next one?!) But Chloe does a little bit every now and then, but not much!

Chloe makes the funniest faces and noises. Mike and I have been watching her lately and just laugh at the funny things she picks up and does. She gives high fives and yummy, slobbery kisses! Chloe also has a cord obsession. She loves to find my cords, usually plugged in. It drives me nuts so I usually unplug one and let her play with it, probably not the smartest idea, but oh well, it works for now!

Chloe loves to play with her sister! She follows Maddie around wherever she goes. They'll sit and play Little People together, read books, etc. Sometimes Maddie isn't always the nicest sister, but most of the time she's pretty good with her. She still isn't the best at sharing with her, but she's at least gotten good about trading toys with Chloe. If she wants what Chloe has, she'll take her a different toy. And let's be honest, Chloe, at this point, really doesn't care what she has, as long as she has something in her hand that can go in her mouth.

Madeline Jean

Madeline Jean- Mike and I had Maddie's name chosen very early into our marriage (possibly even before we were married). It was the only name we had picked out (and agreed on). And Jean is my grandma's middle name (who we all love and miss very much!)

Age: 3

Stats:

Height: 38.5 inches (79.38%)

Weight: 35.05 pounds (83.75%)

BMI: 16.62 (75.78%)

Favorites...

Color: Pink (sometimes blue)
Movie: The Little Mermaid

Food: Noodles (any kind), broccoli, watermelon, bananas, peanut butter sandwiches

Drink: Apple Juice, Chocolate Milk Shake

Stuffed Animal: Giraffe

Book: Pinkalicious, Goodnight Moon

TV Show: Spongebob, Dora

Activity: Anything Outside, especially swimming

Game: Hopscotch

Person: Daddy

One Saturday morning Maddie and I went on a 'date' to see the Movie "UP" at the movie theater. I wasn't sure how she'd do, it definitely wasn't her first movie, my mom and I used to go see movies all the time when she was just a little baby. She was always so good in the theater, would just eat or sleep, never make a peep (wow, how things have changed!) We did that until she was about 9 months old. I had taken her to see a movie with the girls I nannied for, that was the last one she had ever been to... the Bee Movie. I had to take her out of the theater because she kept yelling "BEE, BEE, BEE" through the movie. Then tried to play with some little boy behind us, who was trying to actually watch the movie. I was actually impressed, she did quite well. She did still have commentary through pretty much the whole thing, but whispered most of the time! She loved having the big bag of popcorn!
This morning Maddie and I were playing with her magnetic dress up doll grandma got for her a while back. Maddie had her all dressed in an outfit and tells me, "She's not gorgeous yet". She found a big bow, put it on the doll's head and said, "There, now she's gorgeous!"

The other day Maddie told me she wanted to go to that place where you get black boogers from the dirt. I was a little confused and thought that was a weird statement. I said, "Camping?" "Ya," she said, "I want to go camping, and maybe Parker will take me fishing!" (She got this thing in her head almost a year ago that Parker is going to take her fishing and she hasn't stopped talking about it. It's the funniest thing!)

Maddie likes to take Chloe's pacifier from her (since the p-pire fairy took hers away) and she'll tell me that 'Chloe just wants to share with her' or that she's 'just borrowing it'. When I tell her to give it back, she'll say "Just one last suck mom" and seriously suck a few times on the pacifier and then give it back. Such a strange child!

Tonight after Mike got home and we had just finished eating dinner, Maddie stripped down to her underwear. This lead to a conversation about how she wasn't going to put her swimsuit on to 'take a shower in the rain' (it was/is raining outside, she's been trying to go outside to swim all day). So she's standing there in her underwear, which is not uncommon, but all the sudden says, "Hey, I know, let's have a naked party"... ummm, are you kidding me? Of course Mike and I both start laughing. Where does this girl come up with these things, really??? It makes us a little nervous what she tells people when we're not around!!

Denver

Mike and I were able to get away for a weekend to Denver. It was really for work, but thanks to the Friday's, and their kids, we got to play too! I missed my girls like crazy, but I'll have to admit, once we got there, it was nice to have a little break.

We loved to wait outside to be picked up for our next activity and watch these cute little bunnies. There were seven babies and one mama that just hung out in these bushes just outside our hotel doors.We flew in late Thursday evening. On Friday, Kelly, Bret's wife, came and picked me up for lunch and shopping while the boys worked. That night we went out for an amazing steak dinner... AMAZING! Saturday was a long day, but lots of fun! We drove up to Frisco for the big BBQ challenge. Yummy! We got home around 3:45pm and were so tired we thought we'd just lay down for a little bit and then get something for dinner, maybe catch a movie. Ya, well, we didn't wake up until 8pm so we ordered room service for dinner and a movie off the TV! Sunday (Father's Day), we flew home!

Preschool & Swim Lessons

All in the same week, Maddie started summer Preschool and swim lessons, and even had Sunshine Generation, which made for a very busy week!This was Maddie on her first day of Preschool. They had to bring a teddy bear to class with them on this day. She goes every Tuesday and Thursday for a couple hours, but on Tuesday, they stay for an extra 45 minutes and do gymnastics, which is the highlight for Maddie!

With Preschool ending at noon in Lindon, and swim lessons starting at 12:20 in Lehi, it is quite the rush to get her changed, in the car, rushing off to swim while she has a snack in the car! But, she loves swim lessons! She had 2 teachers this last time (on different days) Alex and Aubrey. She loved both of them.

Maddie is quite the handful when it comes to swimming. She thinks she can swim (she can't), she can't sit still, and has a very hard time listening. She is always the last one out of the pool, usually takes a few of the swim teachers to chase her out. One time I caught her up the stairs to the top of the slide.... scary moment as a mom, I was ready to jump in... ya, where was her teacher on that one?? Don't worry, I complained and it never happened again! :)

We missed sign ups so we've had a two week break, but we start back up on Monday!

Biggest Surprise Yet....

I have a lot to catch up on, I will work on that hopefully in the next week before Maddie's swim lessons start back up again and life gets even crazier with our daily activities. But I thought I should post since word seems to be getting out anyway, we too are surprised, to be....

EXPECTING

BABY #3

in JANUARY!

Pictures Have Arrived

Here they are....

Thanks Katie!!!