First Hair Cut!

I gave Paige her first hair cut today! She was such a brave girl! =>

I just had to. Her hair was lop-sided and it was really buggin me. => haha
The left side has always had more hair and now you could really tell. The right side looks like normal baby hair, but the left side was all shaggy and such.
You could even see the difference on the back of her head. (yes her hair does slant more to the left too). Jared didn't want me to cut her hair. He wanted it to "run free and wild", and thought she had to be older to cut it. Once I explained she could be however old to cut her hair he was not so opposed to it anymore. He still wanted it to be wild tho haha.
So I began cutting my 10 week 5 day year olds hair. =>
She was so good! She just sat there and played with her burp cloth! She is such a good little baby!
I only trimmed little bits on the left side. And I am by no means a professional hairdresser, but it will do for babies hair. =>
Just a little trim off the top, still shaggy like Daddy likes it => haha
A little more cleaned up on the side (remember, not a professional)
And cleaned up on the back. I know it looks like Paige has bald spots but she actually has a LOT of hair! Jared and I are suprised about that. All her hair she is growing in now is blonde! Jared calls the hair she was born with "two toned" because the ends are brown but the roots are blonde! Maybe I will have my blonde haired blue eyed California girl after all! => And we are also surpised she has straight hair so far. Both Jared and I have curly/wavey hair. We are betting her curl will come soon tho.

Blackout Curtains

I finally got blackout curtains for Paige's room! I have been wanting them for a while now, in the hopes that it would help her sleep better at her naps. I bought two different kinds (but both pink) to see which one worked better. They both blocked out a little light, but nothing super noticable. And they made her room glow pink. I was not very pleased with them but they were just like all the other brands out there (just as thin and same material). So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I went to JoAnns and bought blackout lining. I figure two would be better than one, and it would give double the dimness. I was so wrong, it like QUADRUPLED the darkeness! It is AMAZING! Here are examples of what I am talking about.The one on the left is the one I added extra blackout linging to, and this picture was taken at 8:00pm with the lights on in the room. You can see the light shinning thru the right one.
Then I turned the lights off. This picture doesn't even BEGIN to capture how much light was still getting thru the right curtain. (The room was stil glowing pink and it was not that dark). But you can see the HUGE difference between the curtain with the addition and the one without. And can you believe how bright it still is at 8:00pm? Ridiculous!!
And I took a picture with the flash so you could better see the color, and how the extra backing did not change the color at all.

I am still amazed at how poorly the supposed "blackout curtains" that block "99% of light" did! I am half tempted to go buy normal curtains and compare the two. I honestly don't think there would be a big difference. Needless to say, once the extra backing was added the light coming in was plenty dimmed and Paige is taking longer than 30min naps (but that might be because of the boo boo buddy too, but more on that later)

Nick Name

Jared was playing with Paige the other morning while I was eating breakfast and this is what I hear Jared say:

"You are so cute Paige! You are just a cutie pie!.... No, you are too chubby to be a pie, you are more like a cake. You are such a cutie cake Paige!"

Oh I was laughing so hard! That is one of the cutest things I have ever heard! And he still calls her a "Cutie Cake". I hope it doesn't give her a weight complex or anything when she is older. haha But it is sooo cute! =>

Boo Boo Buddy

I did a craft project today! Yay me! => I am pretty sure it is the first one since Paige was born! I am trying a new thing.... not watch as much TV. That seems to be a major part of my life. It begins because I don't like being home alone without sound (music, tv, movie, etc), I get bored of songs quickly so I turn on the TV. Sooner or later I get suck into a show, then another, then another, and I have nothing to really stop me. I decided to cut back my television time DRASTICALLY. And to fill the time today (which there was a LOT of) I decided to make a boo boo buddy. For those that don't know, a boo boo buddy is like an electric heat pad, but without the electric. You fill it with rice or beans or something of that sort and put it in the microwave to heat up. I like them better than electric heating pads.
It is pretty simple to make. Just make any size or shape sack and fill it with rice. Kalyn brought over a couple shirts a while back. She wasnt going to use them anymore and most had fun patterns on them so she figured I would like to use them for some sort of craft. I choose to use the mono-colored shirt for the first attempt at a boo boo buddy. But I wanted to make it cute-er that just an orange square so I used some of the scraps to make fabric rossetts, and the 'belt' from another shirt to add a pop of contrasting color. I like how it turned out! => It is far from perfect but it will definately do its job! Yay for the first craft with a baby! (even tho it did take ALL day to make! => ) And yay for my first boo boo buddy!! =>

I Love Skype!

I LOVE SKYPE!! It is one trillion bazillion times better that phone calls and text messages!

For some reason I have had a harder time being away from my family being married. When I was single I loved being out and on my own, and talking to them once a week was enough. Now I have done a complete 180. I miss my family so much! And I wish we lived close to them! Living by my aunts does help this late onset of home-sickness (what else should I call it?) but its still there. One thing that is very close to a cure is Skype! I can get my 'family fix' video chatting! LOVE IT!

Look at my cute family! They miss me too! => And yesterday, for the first time, Paige Skyped! It was so much fun! My family can get a little 'Paige fix' now too!

Paige's first Skype call was less that a success. My fam called me and when I answered, all my family, in unison, yelled "Hi Paige!!". And the best I can figure is that is scared her and she just started crying. So we hung up and called back like 5mins later when she was calmed down. The second call went great!

I am a little ashamed to say I had forgotten about Skype until now. (We Skyped a LOT when Jared and I first moved to Utah and it just stopped when Paige was born). I am so glad we started using it again! I LOVE SKYPE!

Chatty Paige

Paige just LOVES Jared! They have the cutest conversations! She is talking a lot more lately, and mostly to her Dad. She will talk to me so a few minutes a day, but never for as long as she talks to Jared. I think it is so cute, and I just LOVE it!!! These are videos from this week. She was playing with him on the bean bag on Wednesday and talking with him on the couch on Friday. Each time they had at least a 10min conversation, even tho I only caught a portion of it on video. SO CUTE!!!!

One of my favorite sounds she makes is in the bean bag video, around 34second into it. She sounds like she is saying "Hi-ya". I just can't get enough of it! The CUTEST thing I have ever heard! We love our little chatter box!

Daddy Daughter Bonding

Paige LOVES Jared! She is a mommys girl when she is tired/hungry/uncomfortable/....basically anything unpleasant. When she is happy she wants her Dad (go figure right?) But I LOVE it! Whenever Jared is home she just goes to him and talks! (I have some chats on video but for some reason I cant upload them, Ill keep trying tho). She just loves playing and talking to him! So cute!

Paige and Jared play so well together! It is so cute!
Then Paige noticed I was there, and decided she wanted to look at me instead of Daddy. Aren't those the most guilty faces you have ever seen? So cute! => We just love our little girl! And I love that Jared is such an amazing father!!

Going Private

After much discussion between me and Jared, we have decided to take this blog private. We feel it would be best, for many reasons. It is not because we do not want anyone reading it, we would love everyone who want to to read it. We would just like to know who is reading about our little family, and make sure we are being as safe as possible. So send us your email addresses, or leave them as a comment! We would love to have you come back and read our blog!

Rolling Over

PAIGE ROLLED OVER!! Oh I am so excited! My little baby is growing up so fast! It was just yesterday at our doctors appt that they said she would start trying to roll over, and tonight she did! Jared and I were playing with her, giving her some tummy time and she just rolled on over! I was so excited I totally screamed. That frightened Paige more than rolling over did. haha Then I got our video camera to see if I could record her doing it again, and she did! I am a total first time mom, being so excited over the little things, but I am ok with that. => My little baby can roll over!! Wahoo!! (side note, please excuse my annoying excitement and celebrating. haha)

Oh No! Shots!

Yesterday was one of the worst days of my life! OK, maybe I am being a little dramatic, but it sure felt like it at times! Yesterday was Paige's two month doctors appointment, and that mean immunization shots! Gasp! Her previous two doctors visits I went alone, Jared had to work, but I made him come to this one because I didn't know what to expect, and mostly because I knew I would need moral support.
We got to the doctors and Paige was a little fussy but not bad, I think she knew what was coming lol jk. When we got back in the room everything was fine and normal. They weighed her (12lbs 5oz), measured her (23 1/4inches), checked her heart, ears, lungs, etc..... the norm. Then the two nurses came in. This is where the traumatizing part started. They made her drink a vaccine. that wasn't too bad, Paige just started fussing towards the end. Then they pinned her down, counted to three, and shot her poor little legs up! Three shots!! Paige was screaming my this point, and I wanted to cry. My baby was hurting and I could not do anything to stop it, in fact, I brought her here for that exact purpose. Oh I felt so bad!
After the shots I was just holding her and wanting to cry (but I didn't mind you). Jared was trying to get us out of the doctors and back home, but I could not put Paige in her car seat! I felt like I was abandoning her! (drama queen, I know). Jared pointed out that I was more traumatized that Paige was, because by that point Paige was fine and calm. I put her in her seat and took her home and Jared went back to work (and would not get home until 11pm).
When home thats where the drama for Paige began. She went down for a nap, and when she woke up she would not stop crying. Screaming for that matter. I tried EVERYTHING I knew and she would not stop!! Change diaper, feeding, medicine, holding, rocking, etc. I eventually put her in her crib and called my Mom crying. I was completely overwhelmed, my baby had been screaming/crying for the last 45 mins and there was NOTHING I could do about it! My Mom helped calm me down and explained that immunizations make babies sick, so Paige was crying because her little legs hurt and she felt like crap. I could understand that. And she also suggested putting Paige in a warm bath (because she REALLY LOVES baths) to see if that would get her to stop crying. I tried that. Paige stopped crying for about 4 mins, and then it started up again. By this point I had been calmed down (HUGE thanks to my Mom) so I felt a new wave of energy that I could help Paige thru the crying. I sat down with her and just cuddled her. She screamed for about 15mins more and then fell asleep in my arms. HALLELUJAH!!
After her long nap (2 hours) in my arms she was better. Not back to her normal self, but not having a huge breakdown. We made it thru the first shots!! Wahoo! And now to look forward to doing it all again in 2 months. Oh joys. haha

My Little Shopper!

Today was the first time I took Paige to the mall! It was actually my first time at the Gateway Mall in SLC too! LEt me just say, I LOVE that mall!! I so want to go back! => Paige and I met my friend Julie for a little girls play date! We shopped around for a while, had dinner at Costa Vida and went home. It seemed to go by so quick but it was so much fun! I want to do it again! => And Paige did GREAT! She stayed in her car seat and just looked around for the first couple stores. Then she got fussy so we held her. And as soon as she was held and able to look around she was a perfect little shopper! I am so proud! haha While we were in the Claire's store we found out Paige is old enough to get her ears pierced! Oh I am so excited! I want to pierce her ears so bad, Jared on the otherhand really does not want her ears pierced. He thinks only adults should have their ears pierced. I will win this debate, and our little girl will have her ears pierced before she is 18. haha =>

Thanks for coming with us Julie! We had a BLAST!

First Time Swimming!!

Today Nikki and her kids came over to swim! I have been wanting to go swimming FOREVER but was way nervous to take Paige by myself, purely because I didn't know what to expect. So it was a perfect set up with Nik and her kids! And we all had a BLAST!! I am so excited to have them come over again, and more of our family too!!

There was no shade in the pool area, and Nik and I had anticipated that, so I brought two umbrellas to make shade. Nik had the idea to pull two chairs together. IT made for one pretty cool little station for Paige. =>
My friend Julie gave Paige this ADORABLE swimming suit! This suit had a big part in making me want to go swimming so badly! I wanted Paige to use it and look so cute! And she did. =>
When we first got to the pool Paige fell asleep for a little while, which was totally fine with me haha. When she woke up clouds had covered the sun (but it was still a bajillion degrees) so I wanted to brave the pool with her. We went in the "cold pool" first. She obviously did not like it too much.
I felt like such an evil Mom, but I thought it was so cute at the same time! =>
So I decided to try again. This time Paige did not cry, she was just unsure and not enjoying it too well, but it was definately a step up from teh first atempt!
We had survived the cold pool!!! Now time for a shade break. =>
After a little shade break I decided we should try the "little pool". I had tested the water out first and it was not hot, it was as warm as we make Paige's baths (but it was certainly not cold like the big pool). As soon as I put Paige in her eyes closed and she just relaxed.We could not get her to open her eyes for anything while she was in the water. When I took her out of the water she would open her eyes, but put her back in and closed they would go. haha
The cute little girls swimming. A little before Paige and I came in the small pool Nikki and the kids went in there. That quickly changed to their favorite pool and they stayed in there for most of the rest of the time.
Paige and I just chilling in the jaccuzi.
I can not believe how much Paige liked the warm pool. Well I guess I can because she LOVES baths, and it did feel like her bath water.
I know we were there only a couple hours ago, but I can not remember why I was laughing during this picture. haha But I do know we all had a BLAST playing together in the pools!
Nikki and her kids in their favorite pool.
Sydney was learning how to snorkle. She got pretty good at it!
After all her swimming adventures Paige was tuckered out. She went right to sleep in her little cove while Nik the kids and I continued swimming. What a great little baby!
I just HAD to put one more picture of Paige in her cute little bathing suit! I might be a tad obsessed with it haha. I just can't get over how precious she is in it!!
While I was packing up the towels and gear I had to make some shade for Paige. This was the best I could come up with that would stay by itself. haha I amuse myself. =>

I LOVED playing with Nikki and her kids! I am so glad they could come over! And I am so glad I was able to take Paige to the pool and survive! Maybe after a couple more times with company I will be brave enough to take her by myself..... we will see. But Paige will become a water loving/California girl yet! haha

Smiling Paige

Kalyn and I were trying to capture Paige's smiles on camera. We put Paige in her Bumbo chair and she would just smile and smile, until we took a camera out, then she would just stare. We tried phone cameras too. This is my favorite picture that we got with the phone.It is not her biggest smile, but I think it is such a cute pose!! She is my little, adorable, happy cabbage patch girl!! Oh I love her! =>

Metting the Family!

Today we blessed Paige. More pictures of that to come later. Blessing her today means it was a family filled weekend! Both mine and Jared's parents came to be here for her special day! And this was the first time Jared's parents met Paige. Our families came over Saturday to play with us before the "big day".

This is the first time "Grandma" got to hold her little Paige! I had just gotten Paige to sleep when they arrived. (luckily Paige takes naps in peoples arms and not her bed) But of course, grandmas don't care if their baby is awake or asleep, they just want to love her! So cute! I am so glad they were able to come down and spend time with our little family!
"Grandpas" first time with his second granddaughter (and grand child for that matter).
The Miller family! Jared's sisters were able to make it down too! How fun! His brothers were caught up in work and church duties so they could not make it. It was fun to have Paige play with most of her uncles and all of her aunts (minus and uncles wife) this weekend! And all her grandparents!
Katie and Melissa (Jared's sisters) came over saturday morningto play with us, but mostly Paige. haha And my sister Kalyn came to borrow some clothes (she was teaching a sunday school lesson the next day) So Paige had all her aunts there! Ok, not really all because we were missing Jakob's wife, but Jared and I had all our sisters there! That was a fun occurance! Jareds parents came later, in the early afternoon, and my family arrived in the later afternoon.
My brothers just LOVE being uncles! They adore Paige so much!
Paige and Cole like making funny faces in pictures! haha
I think this picture was taken at perfect timing! I caught Paige right in the middle of a sneeze! Thats skill right there haha

Paige and "Poppa" cuddling! They love eachother so much! She is still so little but they do have a cute bond. "Granny" did hold Paige a lot, but for some reason I never took a picture of it! Bummer! And I am sure Trey held Paige, I was just forgetful with the camera again.

It was so much fun to have our family all together! I just LOVE how our families can get along so well and be together! It makes for a very fun filled family day! Thanks for coming and being with us this weekend!! We LOVE you guys and LOVE to see you!

Never Trust A Baby

Paige fell asleep in our bed the other day, not on her burp cloth.

My thought process....

"It will be fine. I trust her. She ate a while ago and already spit up. She will not spit up in her sleep, and I don't want to risk waking her"

What I learned:
NEVER TRUST A BABY.

Cousin Fun

This week we had two opportunites to play with family! On Wednesday we (Me, Jared and Paige) went over to Jenny's house for some smores and family! This was the first time a lot of my family would meet Paige. We had a blast up there, and Paige did so great meeting so many new people and being in such a loud environment (my family get togethers are FAR from quiet). I unfortunately forgot my camera and only had my video camera, so I have lots of video from that night but no pictures. Just trust me, we had a BLAST!

The next day Paige and I went over to Nikkis hosue to play with family again! I LOVED seeing them two days in a row!! The little girls could not get enough of Paige that day!

Paige playing with Sydney.
Hailey, I mean princess Snow White, and Paige.
Paige and Tess.
This little girl can not get enough of Paige! It is SO adorable! At the family smores night the night before Bella was ALWAYS by Paige's side when she met a new person. No matter who was holding her Bella would always help out and give lots of kisses and hugs to Paige. It was totally cute!
Raygan could not get enough of Paige either! She was not at the family smores night but when playing the next day, every five minutes she and Bella would come up to me and want to hold, Kiss, touch, talk to Paige. I LOVE that they love her so much! Hopefully we can live around them long enough for them to all play together! HOw fun would that be!?! We just LOVE family!!