So Good

Kaya never ceases to amaze me with how good she is. Since she was born she was a good baby. She ate well, slept 6-8 hours at a time, never really cried, etc. She has always been so good and just sweet. She goes to bed at 7 every night, happily. She waves bye bye to me as I leave her room (tugs at my heart every time). She takes a nap every day, happily. She snuggles into her blankets, gives me a kiss, and just goes to bed. Seriously, it is crazy sometimes how good she is. Just when I think she can't get any sweeter she surprises me though. Like this week......we went to my baby appointment in American Fork and she was a perfect angel. She sat on the chair while I talked with the midwife. She played with the toys in the room and then listened to the baby's heart beat. She loves to hear the baby! When the heart beat starts she says, "Baby doll?". I love it! After finishing talking with the midwife, Kaya cleaned up the room, putting away the toys. She then put on her hat, put her toys in my purse, then handed me my shoes. She then grabbed her blankie and put out her hand and said "walk" (which means, 'Okay let's go mom'). She is so helpful! I don't know what I did to deserve such a good, sweet little girl, but I honestly don't know how I ever survived without her! Let's just hope this next one will follow Kaya's lead. :)

There is an end in sight

Jordan has been working on his MBA since last summer and to be completely honest it has been hard. It is an incredible program and I am grateful that Jordan is going to school. However, he is also working full time for a start up, SpinGo, that is doing well. I feel bad for even complaining because we really are so blessed. SpinGo is doing great and Jordan loves his job! We have a beautiful, sweet, healthy little girl and one on the way. We just moved into a brand new home. We have family all around us, which is the best! But, there is something about your husband being gone that is just hard. He is gone all day at work and then twice a week goes straight up to school and isn't home until about midnight. The other nights he is doing school work or getting caught up on work. He has so much on his shoulders but he continues to be my happy, incredible, focused husband. Even though Jordan is gone a lot and we are crazy busy, he never loses sight of what really matters. He will stop work and meet Kaya and I for lunch if we aren't going to see him for a while. He calls on his way to and from school just to say hi and that he loves us. I am so blessed to have such an incredible husband! And, there is now an end in sight. Graduation is the first part of December and I must admit that it is going to be the best Christmas present ever! My husband! Kaya will be 2 1/2 and Jade will be about 9 months. Jordan will be graduated and more time can be spent just being at home. I can't wait for Christmas! ha ha

A Great Day with Kaya May

Today Kaya and I had such a fun day together. We didn't do anything really crazy or spectacular but the day was perfect in my eyes. We spent the morning playing outside in the front yard, which Kaya absolutely loved! This winter has been an extreme one and this week it has finally been somewhat warm. Maybe Spring really will come. :) After playing outside for a while we decided to have a picnic on the front lawn. We got a bunch of snacks, put out a blanket, and just sat down together and talked and ate. It really was perfect. Just me and my girl. Kaya then took a 3 hour nap, allowing me to get a lot of work done and have time to take a nap myself. This was great needed! After nap time, Kaya and I went and ran some errands. We went to Macey's to stock up on some things for when the baby comes. Kaya drove us around the store in her awesome race car shopping cart. She was really into it and really thought she was driving. She drove us over to the bakery, where we both got ice cream cones! Gotta love Macey's! Everything about the day really was perfect! Kaya was so happy and the entire day was just about me and her. Man I love that girl. It was the perfect day before this next little one comes.

Good Night Gorilla

Kaya's latest favorite book to read is Good Night Gorilla. If you are familiar with the book it maybe has 5-10 words in the entire story. It is basically a picture book. However, on every page is a balloon, the moon, and a banana. Kaya loves to read it and point to the balloon on every page. I didn't even realize what she was showing me at first. I then soon realized that she was finding and pointing out the balloon on each page. I was so impressed! Now, she finds the balloon, points, and says, "boon". One smart kid!

So Smart

Kaya is almost 19 months now and I can't believe it. She is learning so much everyday and makes me laugh out loud several times a day. She is so stinking smart! She never ceases to amaze me with what she knows and how fast she learns. Yesterday we ran to the grocery store, Stokes Grocery in Salem, to grab a few things. I got Kaya out of the car and held her in my arms while walking to the door of the grocery store. While walking, she looks at me, points up towards the grocery store sign, and says "apple". At first I just took it as her usually baby babble but then realized she was really trying to show me something. I looked up to where she was pointing and sure enough there was an apple in the grocery sign. I was so proud I wanted to tell everyone. My kid not only knows what an apple is, but can identify and tell me that she sees one. My girl is brilliant! It seriously made my day!

Christmas at Baba's

This Christmas was one I will never forget. All of my siblings were able to come home for Christmas this year, which was so amazing! It was a crazy full house. We were all on top of each other and in each other's space, but we loved it! It was the last Christmas at my mom's, as she will be selling the house to come and move into the walk-out basement at our house. It was crazy to think that this Christmas was the last we all will spend in that house. I have grown up in that house and have many incredible memories there. However, I am excited for the new adventures ahead! Jordan out did himself this year. Not only did he get me a beautiful turquoise blue KitchenAid, which I desperately wanted, but he also had a turquoise ring specially made for me. Since loosing my engagement ring in Utah lake this past summer, I have been wanting something to wear on my lonely finger. When I opened it on Christmas day, I was so happy. It was gorgeous and designed by Jordan. I'll never forget it. Jordan also made a 2 hour video of Kaya. It compiled all of the videos we had of her into one big movie. We watched it together shortly after Christmas, and it really was so fun! It is crazy to see how fast she has grown! I absolutely love it! Another incredible part of this Christmas was that Kaya and Arden were both there together. Jenn and Stephen, and Jordan and I played "Santa" on Christmas Eve and set up the girls toys. It was so fun to finally do this for my kids, as my mom has done for me so many years. Arden and Kaya got matching wooden baby doll beds, which they loved. We had them sitting out from Santa since Baba gave them both Cabbage Patch Babies on Christmas Eve. Kaya opened her baby and immediately kissed the baby. She seriously LOVED it! My mom made them cute little dresses and matching blankets. It made me so happy, and a bit teary eyed, to see my little girl open her first baby, from my mom. Overall, Christmas was amazing. From eating way to much sugar, made by my mom, to the Charlie Brown Christmas tree, it was an incredible Christmas! I loved being able to spend so much time with all of my siblings and just laugh so hard! I never laugh so hard then when I am with my siblings. Great holiday!

An Adobe Halloween

Jordan no longer works for Adobe but we were lucky enough to still be able to attend the Adobe Halloween Bash, thanks to a good friend. The Adobe Halloween party is much more than a party. From the Jazz cheerleaders, acrobatics, hay rides, animals, free popcorn, churros, drinks, and ice cream, it is quite the event. I honestly have never seen anything quite like it. We went last year, when Kaya was only a few months old. This year was a blast because she walked through the entire thing with us. She looked around at everything in amazement and excitement. When we got to the Disney portion of the party she got so excited! She gave Pluto the sweetest kiss on the nose you ever saw! It was so fun to be able to walk through with her! This Halloween has been a blast already and it hasn't even really begun. Thanks Adobe! You really know how to throw a party!