St. George
This past weekend we went on Olive’s second road trip to visit my dad and Jim’s parents in St. George. It was such a nice, relaxing weekend! Olive did so well sleeping in a totally new environment and playing with people she hasn’t seen for a long time.
We swam, ate yummy food, watched movies, played a little golf, swam some more, and had lots of grandma & grandpa time.
Olive is getting so silly!! She was playing with my clear phone case and kept looking through it at us, squishing her little nose, and smiling. She’s also clapping and waving! I haven’t quite gotten her to wave hi and bye yet. She randomly waves at things like the ceiling fan, trees, the sky, and the cat. It’s adorable! As she gets tired her wave gets a little slower and she doesn’t quite lift her hand as high, but she sure is trying!
We had a great time watching her play at the pool. She was pretty nervous at first, but once she got the stairs under her bum she had fun. Hopefully we can get some more swimming time in this year!
She loves computers and phones! To coax her to crawl, I’d just open up Jim’s computer. She would get so excited! She kind of does a crab crawl with the foot of one leg and the knee of her other leg. When crawling long distances she ends up going in a circle and not quite getting to her destination.
8 Months
Nick Names: Sweet Pea, Baby Girl
I can: “Bob, bob, bob…”, cry “Maaaaaammmmm, mamamamm”, “Pfffffff….”, “Hup hup hup”
I like: eating fruits & sweet potatoes! No green things for me… but Mom’s not giving up yet. I love to feed myself and fling food all over with the spoon. I love computers, phones, and anything with a screen!!
Recently I’ve: learned to push myself up onto my bum instead of being stuck on my back or belly. I can make little hops (not quite crawling). I graduated from my crib to a Montessori floor bed!
Favorite foods: Sweet potatoes, pears, bananas, toast, avocado mixed with any fruit.
I don’t like: peas, green beans, broccoli, spinach. I hate when someone takes something away from me. Getting my nails clipped.
Mom’s favorite things about me: Giggles, when I lick her arm, “Mmmmm!” when I really like something, no teeth yet!, flapping my arms instead of clapping
Dad’s favorite things about me: When I spit out the food I don’t like, dancing to the record player music, belly laughs, reading stories, coming home at lunch to play!
Next month I’m looking forward to: crawling, swimming, road trip, clapping, waving, and hopefully finding a veggie that I like besides sweet potatoes.
Happy Easter!
We had a great relaxing Easter this year! The Easter Bunny visited Olive and brought her several empty plastic eggs, a little set of wooden eggs, and a cute little knit bunny. Olive enjoyed clapping the plastic eggs together and dumping everything out of her basket. She also got a little lamby and a musical toy from the Easter Bunny at Grandma Lori’s house. We spent a lot of time out in the sunshine celebrating Spring!
7 Months!
Nick Names: Sweet Pea, Bawla, Bawlive (she really doesn’t bawl very much… it just has a nice ring to it!)
People say: I’m so sweet, I know what I want and I’m going to get it!, I have cute chubby little arms/wrists
I am: an amazing jumper, growing more hair (but only as a mohawk so far), eating all sorts of yummy foods (my favorites are sweet potatoes, pears, apples, and anything Mom or Dad are eating)
I can: say “Bob, bob, bob,…” and cry “Maaaaaammmmm, mamamamm”
I like: making noises, blowing bubbles with my food, rolling all over, going for walks, throwing my pacifier out of the crib in the middle of the night and making mom crawl around to find it in the dark
Recently I’ve: started sticking my tongue out like a little lizard, started bouncing on my hands & knees… Crawling here I come!!
Favorite foods: Sweet potatoes & Pears!
I don’t like: sleep training (and it has been postponed since Mom doesn’t like it either)
Mom’s favorite things about me: sweet smiles in the morning, “Mamamamammmm” cries, silly lizard smiles with a little tongue peeking out of her grin, giggles & silly faces, my adorable diapers 
Dad’s favorite things about me: pretending I’m a rocket ship blasting off into the air, giggles, spit bubbles, “Bob, bob, bob” babbles, wearing Dad’s hats, silly tongue, chillin’ on the couch
Next month I’m looking forward to: crawling??, Playing outside, playdates with my baby friends
My Grandma
My grandma passed away about a week ago, peacefully and surrounded by family. Though we knew it was coming (after 30+ years with a chronic leukemia), it is still difficult for me to accept. My grandma was the best! She was incessantly cheerful and an inspiration to me.
As a child/teen I would walk to my grandparent’s house after school and work on homework, practice my violin, eat oranges & dried peaches, watch Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and be with my grandparents. I remember Grandma teaching me about shorthand, trying to improve my handwriting, and letting me dig through the treasures in her basement. It was there I tried my hand at embroidery, crocheting, and discovered my love for old stuff.
Before she passed, my grandma was admitted to Huntsman for a few days. I went up and visited when I got off work. It was so good seeing her. Even though she wasn’t feeling well, she held my hand, told me she loved me, and was as cheerful as can be. When I asked my grandpa if anything needed to be cleaned up at home, my grandma piped up and said, “I’ll clean it up…” Though she wasn’t physically able to do a lot for herself, it puts a smile on my face remembering how she wanted to help.
I sure love her and I’ll miss her so much!! The last time I saw her she gave me & Olive a kiss, a hug, and a squeeze of the hand. I can’t wait to see her again and I know she’s watching over me!
6 Months
Olive is 1/2 a year old! That is so crazy!! Time goes by so quickly and she has grown and changed so much.
Nick Names: Lolly Lu, Little Miss, Sweet Pea
People say: I’m smiley! I look just like my daddy!
I am: 16 pounds and 26 inches long
I can: roll all over the room (backwards, forwards, around in circles), jump in my jumper, almost sit up completely on my own, laugh and smile,
I like: rolling, grabbing my toes, splashing in the tub, eating (sweet potatoes, yams, peas, bananas, toast, baby treats), jumping in the jumper, grabbing Jake’s tail & whiskers, reading books, watching Eilly, giggling at Lanna
Recently I’ve: almost started pushing up on my knees (crawling, here I come!), gotten really good at whining!! Just like Mom…
I don’t like: dirty diapers, when my pacifier is missing
Mom’s favorite things about me: Spit bubbles, jabbering, rolling all over, smiles and giggles, I try to eat EVERYTHING, my little cough/laugh
Dad’s favorite things about me: the rare occasion I sleep for more than 4 hours at a time, giggles, flying in the air, jumping, eating food
Next month I’m looking forward to: sitting up on my own, Spring!!, pincer grip
Day to day…
With the new year in full swing now I feel like I’ve finally gotten around to a normal schedule. I’m catching up on a lot of stuff (see the two posts below this one) and settling in. At the beginning of the year I started working Tuesday through Thursday at the Huntsman Outpatient Pharmacy. It has been a bit of a rough transition with work being so busy — we have fewer staff than before, more prescriptions than ever, and we’re training a new technician — and me missing my baby! Luckily Jim’s sister is able to come watch Olive while I work. It is such a blessing knowing that Olive is being watched by someone who loves her and wants the best for her just like me.
Jim’s work is also changing a lot with two designers moving to other jobs and his boss moving on as well. In his spare time Jim helps me with Olive and has been working on finishing our laundry/office in the basement. We’ve painted and now all we have left is the floor and then furnishing the room. I can’t wait to get all of my stuff organized!! Our next big project will come in the Spring with the backyard! We’ve got firepit, patio, and garden planter plans that I wish would magically appear.
Olive has been getting a lot better at falling asleep. She fusses a bit while I wrap her up, but as soon as I set her down she calms down and usually falls asleep. She is the queen of rolling to her belly now!! Every time I lay her down on her back, she flips over. We recently hung up some bookshelves made from the ikea spice racks (like these) in her room so she has a little reading corner. I’m working on knitting a floor cushion to add to her little reading nook. She’s growing up so fast!!!
5 Months
Nick Names: Slobber Monster
People say: I’m a cuddler, I still look just like my dad, my hair is getting longer!
I am: fitting into my 6-9 month clothes, blue-eyed
I can: Blow some amazing spit bubbles, grab my toes, yank my socks off, squeak my Sophie giraffe, drink out of a cup, suck through a straw, grab Jake’s fur and eat it (yuck!),
I like: bath time, tasting everything I can get my hands on, watching Mom & Dad eat, cousin & auntie time, toes, fingers, thumbs
Recently I’ve: rolled onto my belly from my back (just once), started falling asleep on my own without crying, tried some rice cereal & banana, gummed some bread
I don’t like: being tired, being stuck on my tummy, loud noises, strangers when I’m tired (but I make an adorable super sad face with strangers), growing teeth
Mom’s favorite things about me: When I say “Grrrr…” and blow spit bubbles, squeals, rolling, falling asleep for naps, waking up from naps with a smile, giggles, wide gummy grins, when I hold a book by myself,
Dad’s favorite things about me: Giggles, spit bubbles (but not when the spit gets all over him), trying food, being the Hulk baby, squeals
Next month I’m looking forward to: Eating food, sleeping more than 3-hour stretches at night more consistently, more giggles, playing, jumping, sitting up? I can sit balanced for a second, then I topple over. Teething… 
Christmas
Several things made this year’s Christmas more magical than the rest. All of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents on my Mom’s side of the family were together for the first time in too many years. It was so fun melding our Christmas traditions… We acted out the Nativity with little Olive playing the role of baby Jesus. We listened to Grandpa’s hilarious version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. We ate some true Alaskan salmon. We participated in the first ever handmade gift exchange with the cousins — what TALENT!
We had a full house on Christmas Eve and Christmas with Jim’s family here to open gifts, eat breakfast, and go to church. Olive enjoyed her grandparent time and loved slobbering all over the wrapping paper. With so much excitement, Olive pretty much refused to nap. No nap = grumpy Olive and grumpy Mom. Of course with a smile like hers you can’t stay grumpy long.
My birthday celebration was perfectly low-key. No cake. No candles. Just some family, hot chocolate, and Christmas. I really do love sharing my birthday with the best holiday! I love the decorations, music, traditions, and spirit.
On the 26th, Jim and I had our first day off together since Thanksgiving so we visited the new Natural History Museum with Olive. It was ridiculously crowded, but still so much fun to see the exhibits and architecture of this amazing building. It’s gorgeous! U of U employees and students get in free!! I’ll definitely be going again!
4 Months
Nick Names: No new ones… just the more frequent use of “Loaf” by Lanna
People say: I’ve got chubby cheeks, I’m happy, “Does she ever fuss?” -Grandpa Welch
I am: 14 pounds, 25 inches long, and adorable
I can: Roll from my belly to my back, roll from my back to my side (so close to rolling onto her tummy!), laugh (rarely), sleep in my own crib (though I still wake up too much for Mom’s liking)
I like: Grabbing Mom’s hair, sucking on everything, holding french fries, saying “Wow”, drooling, reading books, watching Eilly
Recently I’ve: Met some new friends, felt snow for the first time, went on my first road trip, started pulling my knees under my bum while on my tummy (crazy!), survived my first wind storm and 12-hour power outage
I don’t like: When I forget how to roll from my tummy to my back and have to do tummy time, being tired, missing naps
Mom’s favorite things about me: Rolling & squirming!, back floats in the bath tub, hands that love to grab things, jabbering,
Dad’s favorite things about me: Petting Jake, sleeping in on Saturdays (sometimes), holding french fries, jabbering, laughing,
Next month I’m looking forward to: My first Christmas, meeting family for the first time, hanging out with Mom&Dad on the weekends (no more working every weekend! Yay!), more rolling, a rounder head (hopefully)
