Eight Months

So, I am a little behind on posting with the busy holiday season but I really don't want to get behind on Liv's developments and milestones. She is changing, growing and learning something new every day.

For Liv:

At about 7 1/2 months you started crawling all over the place. First, you started crawling backwards and would get really frustrated because you couldn't see where you were going and would get stuck. Now you are all over the house and so happy to be able to follow us.... EVERYWHERE! We love to hear your little hands slap the floor and we can tell that you are so excited about your newly discovered mobility. This is the first video I was able to catch of you crawling.

You definitely prefer to be on your feet like mom and dad. You have been pulling yourself up to stand for a few weeks now and have learned how to fall back on your bum. You love to go in my closet and pull yourself up on the clothes hamper and smile in the mirror. It is so cute! Just this morning you were standing up and hanging on to something with one hand and you attempted to let go... and we could see it in your eyes... you wanted to walk. You are still working on your balance and will balance on your feet with no hands momentarily. You love to stand at the window sill and watch what's going on outside. 

You are into everything that you can get your little hands on. You love to explore around the house so we can't leave you alone for a second. Any little piece of anything on the floor goes straight into your mouth so we have to be really careful. You are already getting into all the cabinets and will empty drawers. The Christmas tree has been especially tempting. I guess it's time to say goodbye to all the plants, end tables, candle holders, lamps, picture frames, etc.

You now have two bottom teeth. They didn’t bother you too much coming in but we did notice that you were a little grumpy some days. You can make funny sounds with your new teeth and love to hear yourself make sounds with your little voice. Your deep growl always makes people laugh. You are still a chatterbox and love to talk and have people mimic your noises.

We are starting to introduce you to more solid food. You have tried peas, spaghetti squash, butternut squash and acorn squash, apples with walnut, banana, tomato, lemon, carrot, sweet potato, and chicken. Your favorite is definitely banana. You don’t really like to eat from a spoon. You would much rather play with a pile of food and get it everywhere. You are already pretty good at feeding yourself but tend to shove too much in your mouth at once. We have had to do the finger sweep several times.

You really enjoy going out to restaurants and stores. You get a kick out of people watching. You are always so good and rarely cry when we are out and about....unless we are in the car seat... then you have to be entertained. On one trip, mom had to sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Up on the Housetop for 30 minutes straight and you would cry if I tried to take a break.

You still LOVE other little kids. You get really excited about the books we read with pictures of babies and kids and you love to turn the pages.

You are starting to dance and point. It is so cute to watch you shake your little body when you hear a beat.

You love bath time and you are now out of the "baby" tub. You have so many fun tub toys to keep you occupied but you still prefer to play with the faucet. You have figured out how to stop the drain from letting the water out, too.

You have regressed a little with your sleeping habits and will wake up every four hours. We aren't sure if it's a growth spurt, new teeth coming in, the furnace waking you up or if you just want some cuddle/snack time with mom. I can't tell you how much I enjoy and cherish our quiet times together.

You are a major snuggler. When we put you to bed or down for a nap, you have to have your face nuzzled up into the blanket. You have the sweetest, most sensitive personality. You amaze us each day and we are so lucky to have you in our family!

Playing Catch-Up

It's almost the end of the year and I have been really bad about posting lately. We have had a wonderful holiday despite the cold and snowy weather. I have so many winter house projects planned: cleaning closets, pantry and office, as well as finishing projects started years ago. I have yet to start anything.... waiting for the busy holiday season to be over and what I call the BLAH!! months (January through March) to begin.

We have received a lot of snow lately. Brett LOVES it because it gives him the opportunity to snow blow the entire neighborhood. It's nice because the neighbors will bring over yummy treats!

Liv enjoyed watching Dad snow blow.

This is Ludo. He is an Italian Greyhound and belongs to my sister and brother-in-law, Melinda and Paul. We were so excited for them to visit all the way from Vancouver for Thanksgiving and can't wait until their little baby girl arrives in February. Yay for cousins!! We had a baby shower for them to celebrate.

Paul, Michelle (holding Liv), Melinda and Mallory

Liv LOVES this toy from Melinda and Paul. It is the Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube. She actually threw a little fit when her cousin wanted to play with it.

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Brett and I had a nice feast at our house this year. I was in charge of making dinner and Brett was in charge of taking pictures and watching Liv. The dinner was a success. Unfortunately, Brett forgot about his picture taking duties and we didn't get a shot of our guests. Oh well.

Brett took this picture right before I was pulling everything together for dinner. I think I said something like, "I don't have time to stop and smile.... AND STOP BUGGING ME!!!" Such a joyous time.

I usually have all of our holiday decorations up in mid-November.... Yes, I am one of "those people". But I think our new tradition will be to decorate the day after Thanksgiving.

 

The Ferocious Liv

Liv has transitioned through so many funny phases as her personality develops and as she learns how to express herself. This is the newest "voice" we hear all the time. Sometimes she uses it to express her frustration and other times she is just wanting to hear herself make funny noises. Either way, it leaves us wondering if we should call an Exorcist.

Lots of Laughs

I have mentioned before that Liv LOVES our dog, Jessie. If she is in a bad mood all we have to do is bring the dog in or take her outside to see Jessie and it makes her so happy. In this video I am feeding Jessie treats. Something about the jumping and chomping (and mom's silly noises) makes her laugh. I love how at about 38 seconds she has to take a few deep breaths. She must be thinking, "All this entertainment sure is tiring.'' This video is just a few hours after her 6 month well child visit where she also had a bunch of shots. I didn't even cry this time... Liv was so proud of me. At 6 1/2 months old, Liv was 18.08 lbs (78%) and 26.77 inches long (74%). Her noggin is 17.4 inches (87%).

Christmas Present Spoiler Alert

So, for the last year and a half I have been telling Brett how excited I am because I don't have to think about what to buy our parents for Christmas... I just have to pick out a nice frame.

I am glad we got a good shot of Liv's kiss sandwich. 

And those big, blue eyes....

Mom is clawing baby in this picture... Don't ask me why. Probably too much on my mind: sit up straight, eyes open, smile pretty, suck in, chin down and out.

Don't Liv's ears just scream "NIBBLE ON ME"!?

Here is one of just a few smiles we got that day...

Family Pictures

We had our family pictures taken by Stephanie with Giovannalou. You can also check out her blog. We liked the way these few preview shots turned out and we can't wait to see the rest of them. The whole experience of having pictures taken is so nerve-racking: getting off work early, planning what to wear, worrying about a bad hair day, cooperation of the weather, driving to Utah county...Brett and I have a major aversion to that place. We ran into a snow storm and she almost talked us into canceling but I persisted and I am glad I did. I really didn't want to have to go through it all again. We were in the middle of a random field and it was so cold! It was a little difficult to get a smile out of Liv. She is so funny....

Liv's First Halloween

We had a fun Halloween weekend. To point out the obvious, Liv was a flower. She was really good to not rip the flower off her head but after a couple of hours she was done with the costume. It rained a little on Saturday so we didn't have a lot of trick-or-treaters come by the house. We put Liv to bed at 7:30 so we turned out the lights and snuggled on the couch with a big bowl of candy. Here is a picture of two of my favorite things: Liv and big bowls of candy.

Brett dropped her off at my work on Friday and we did a little trick-or-treating (more like show-and-tell). Of course, Brett and I ate all of the candy we collected. Someday she will wonder why all of her Halloween candy is disappearing and blame mom and dad. Is it okay to make up stories of candy-thieving trolls?

I hope she is not a sugar freak like me. I am not sure where I acquired my addiction to sugar. I blame the overwhelming availability of amazing candy in my hometown... places like Riddle's, Christensen's, Sprouse Reitz, Ideal Dairy, LK Pharmacy and the Richfield city pool. I have earned a regular paycheck since I was eight. I worked at my dad's auto parts store cleaning and sometimes making deliveries (on foot). I would eagerly anticipate payday (which I still get excited about) and I would cash all of my funds at Valley Central Bank and blow my entire check on candy. Occasionally, I would buy useful stuff like Barbies, purses, jewelry, school supplies and random stuff from Hallmark. Most or all of these stores were between my dad's store and home so I would walk or ride my bike and load up on candy.

I have a love for most candy with the exception of circus peanuts (sooo gross!!). I wasn't really into chocolate as a kid, mostly just the sugary, junky stuff like laffy taffy, slap sticks, tootsie rolls, licorice, cinnamon bears... I could make a list a mile long. Let's just say my picture was never on the "No Cavities Wall" at the dentist's office. I have a mouth full of silver to prove it. I am looking at my list of things to do and Call the dentist is at the top of my list.

Back to Her Cuteness... Liv loved this frog outfit from Grandma TT. It is so snuggly and warm... she wore it all day on Saturday.

We only have a couple of years to choose what Liv will be and then it's entirely up to her. I think it's so much fun when parents get excited about dressing up with their kids. Brett and I need to stop being lame and start thinking about good costumes. We can't wait for next year!

Little Miss Smarty Pants

Liv figured out how to clap and wave over the last couple of days which, according to the Internet, is more of a nine to ten month old milestone. Brett and I finally figured out how to download videos from our camera which was a major milestone for us as well. Here are a couple of videos to celebrate!

She started clapping last night with Grandpa Carl. Coincidentally, the Utes were playing on television (and winning). The waving started when we would pass by the mirror in our hall. She always loves to see her reflection.... Hope she always feels that way.



Six Months

You continue to be the best baby! Your dad and I wonder how we got so lucky. You are happy, easy-going, and so much fun to be around. If only we could guarantee that all our babies would be just like you...

This picture shows your cute, little dimple above the left corner of your mouth

Here are a few of your developments over the last couple of months:

You love to hear yourself talk and you are learning to make funny noises with your little voice. You will squeal or cough repeatedly just to hear the sound it makes. We were grocery shopping and the lady in line behind us was giving me strange looks because you were coughing over and over again. The other morning I was nursing you and you kept wanted to give me raspberries… funny kid!

You will sleep in the funniest positions. You love to sleep on your side just like mom and dad. Unfortunately, diapers aren’t made for side-sleepers so we often have to do a complete wardrobe change at 4am which is not your favorite thing to do.

Some things that make you giggle: Mom and dad’s dancing and singing, peek-a-boo, belly tickles, raspberries on your belly, nibbling on your thighs. Jessie (our dog) can make you laugh almost as much as mom and dad. We are loving this wonderful weather because you really enjoy being outside, taking stroller rides and playing with the dog. You also love little kids. It is so funny how you will marvel and laugh at small children but you still don’t warm up to adults easily.

You are starting to give kisses.... which we do a lot of at the Johnson house. You will give your stuffed animals giant hugs and kisses. You have a little toy mirror and you will bring it up to your mouth and give it kisses.

Daddy can send you into a trance by softly rubbing your chin… it is so funny to watch you zone out. You also love to lie on your side and have your back scratched.

You have really taken an interest in our food and want whatever we are eating so we think you are ready for solids. We tried brown rice cereal for the first time. It was hard to tell if you liked it or hated it since most of it ended up on your face and bib. We have given you some mashed-up peach and you love it so we have been adding a little to your rice cereal and you will take a few big bites. So much for starting with vegetables. You got your hands on a piece of black licorice, played with it for a minute and then stuck it in your mouth. You loved the taste and threw your first tantrum when we took it away from you.

You can spin around on your belly really well. You are attempting to crawl but, at this point, you use your head to propel you rather than your legs. Sometimes we allure you forward with a new toy or interesting object but we try not to work you too hard since we have been told to enjoy the immobility of an infant.

We think we can see your first bottom tooth starting to pop out. We haven't noticed it bothering you yet but we have the teething gel ready to go.

You especially love your daddy!

What we are up to....

We have had a busy fall and I don't see it slowing down any time soon. It's crazy to think that the holidays are right around the corner. I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. All I could think about at this time last year was that we would have a little addition to our family. And it's every bit as exciting as I imagined. Brett and I can't wait to continue and start new family traditions with Liv. I am really excited for Halloween. We bought her the cutest little costume... lots of cute pics to come.

I have been doing some canning...mostly just salsa, strawberry jam and peaches. I don't know what it is about this time of year but I always get a strong urge to cook. Brett loves it. We have been working on stocking up the pantry ever since this lady gave a presentation at my work. I signed up for the weekly shopping lists and have been saving tons of money. I am not usually a big fan of Wal Mart but since they will price match all the local stores' deals, I only have to go to one store to get all the deals. I know... I am a total nerd. I told my neighbor about it and she said, "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but you are the most Mormon non-Mormon I have ever met."

Yummy peaches from the Murray Farmer's Market

Our garden was pretty pathetic this year. I blame it on a certain infant and the weather being slow to warm up. It snowed into the last week in May. We had some great tomatoes, basil, squash and peppers. Our cherry tomatoes re-seeded from last year which was pretty cool. We had a new garden design this year but Brett wants to completely revamp the garden for next year. 

Brett is funny... he has a really inventive mind which is good in the sense that he has a lot of great ideas. He can see things in an entirely different perspective. On the other hand, he will spend a lot of time and money planning and carrying out a project. In the middle of the project or once the project is complete, he will come up with a better plan or idea... One that involves even more time and money. I am the type of person that will take a long time to decide on something. I will weigh all the pros and cons to make the best, most cost-effective decision. Once my mind is made up, I am done and I don't like to have to do "things" twice. In the past, I would let his ideas overwhelm me but I have learned to just listen to his ideas and not be critical while in my head I am thinking, "Are you nuts? You just painted your motorcycle and now you want it a completely different color?!" Or, "No way are we adding a third level to our house so that we can optimize our view of the mountains." Or, "You must be ridiculous to think that we are going to tear apart the front yard so that we can add another window in the basement!" Love him... he is always making me laugh.

OK... back to the garden. Here is our one pumpkin we harvested. I haven't decided if we will carve it or not.

I have a lot of fall clean-up projects to do in the yard and garden. Last night I was out in the yard at 8 pm after Liv went to bed.... it was nice and chilly. That is the only time I can find time to get the yard in order. I couldn't see what I was doing since it was so dark. Would wearing a head-lamp be ultra dorky? We have been wanting to plant some trees since last Spring. Brett did a great job transplanting this Maple tree from our parkway to our front island.... let's hope it lives! Not a great picture... I know. Brett is a great photographer and he is constantly giving me pointers. But I was trying to take them quickly since I feel a little weird taking pictures of my yard. Oh... and I had to snap a shot while the neighbor had his BYU flag down... I guess four losses in a row will do that to fair-weather fans. The flag is back up now (after one win) but I am sure it will come back down after they lose miserably to TCU. Really?!

These are the new parkway trees (another terrible shot). They are London Plane trees or Sycamores. We hope they will be big and gorgeous and provide a lot of shade from the hot afternoon sun... of course, that's about 50 years away. One of my neighbors caught me snapping some shots and asked me if I was taking pictures so I could remember how spindly they were. Funny. I do appreciate sarcasm more than fair-weather fans, though.

We will be having our very first family pictures taken in a couple of weeks. I am crossing my fingers they turn out. You will know if they don't because I won't be posting them. And what would this post be without an adorable picture of baby Liv! I just love that milky, white complexion... she nearly glows in the dark.



And this is the view from the third level that Brett added on to the house to optimize the view...hahaha.

More pics of Liv

I can't believe that Liv is already 5 months old! Her little personality comes out more and more each day. She is a really happy baby (unless mom and dad aren't in sight). She loves to play with her toys but prefers random objects like spoons, Tupperware, cups, and junk mail. She is not even mobile and is into everything within her grasp. She sits up really well and rolls over. She has learned to comfort herself by sucking her thumb (uh oh!). She hasn't quite figured out how to close her hand when she sucks her thumb so she pokes herself in the eye.

This picture was taken about a month ago. Her hair has started growing quickly so it's a bit longer now. All of our pics are taken when she is in her pajamas so I need to catch some shots when she is all dolled up.

This is one of the first pics I was able to catch of her sitting up. Moments after, she fell backwards... oops! We have since learned to make a soft landing zone for her noggin. I think she looks like Brett in this picture.

She started splashing like crazy one night. First, with her right hand and then with her left hand. She loved it and didn't want to stop even though she was getting water in her eyes and mouth.

Hanging out with Grandpa Joel and Grandma Judie

Learning to like tummy time

I love this little face!

She refuses to sit back in her seat so she sits up and hangs on to the sides.

She LOVES to listen to music and singing. Anyone that will sing 'Popcorn Popping' is an instant friend. She will smile wide and get this look that says, "They know my favorite song!!" She likes it when mom and dad dance but she acts like she is embarrassed for us. This is a picture of her watching a video with little kids singing.

Reading time is her favorite!

Here are some pics of the fire that started in the hills above our house. These were taken about 9pm on Sunday, September 19th from our front porch. The last two pics were taken from our garage. At midnight, the emergency response team knocked on our door and told us to plan on evacuating within the hour. We packed the car and we were just about to wake the baby but we decided to just wait it out unless we were forced to leave. The smoke wasn't all that bad since it was blowing north. Most of the neighbors were already packed up and gone. The fire burned all night and by morning the hill closest to our house (in the first pic) was completely burned and still smoldering. It came within several feet of the houses up the street. Liv slept through the whole ordeal! Love my good, little sleeper! Now, with the recent rain, our house smells like a wet ashtray.