"I TWO!"

Look at how she has grown!
I can't believe that Adelaide is actually two!
She is such a sweet little girl, and although sometimes she gives us some grief (she knows what buttons to push...) she is perfect for our family. She adds so much spunk to our home life. She loves to dance and shake her "boo-ey" as she calls it. She can sing lots of songs, and lead music. We love to play with play-doh and color. She loves trains and planes.
Addie is such a good big sister. She loves Leah so much. She likes to sit by her or hold her all the time. She gets concerned when Leah cries. They like to cuddle in the morning, which is adorable!
This year will be so fun! She will start skiing this winter and she will go on the sno-mobile with dad when we go to Idaho at Christmas. I am excited to see you grow and develop into an even cuter girl than you are now, if that is even possible.

PS: Today is Leah's 6 week mark!! YAY!! I'm going running.
We love you Addie!
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Vancouver

For Addie's birthday, we headed to the COUVE. We are really glad we were able to celebrate with family and friends.

Thanks to everyone who came!

Addie opening her presents. She got this little piano from our good friends, and she LOVED it!
Leah and my Grandma Shirley.
Addie and her cute little friend Darci. We miss having them around to play.

Addie and two of her great-grandmas, Grandma Doty and Grandma Shirley.

Leah and Grandma Doty

PS: We did some family pictures today. My good friend Lauren did a fabulous job!

Check her out here: www.lulabellphotgraphyblog.com

13 for THURSDAY

1. Addie loves to hold Leah. She says, "baby a-ho-ween!" and holds out her arms.
2. Addie dumped a brand new, tall bottle of Mylicon infant gas relief in my bedspread, sheets and her clothes.
3. While changing the sheets, Addie pulled all the towels out of the linen closet.
4. Leah just wanted to be held this morning, which I love, but makes it difficult to accomplish much.
5. After cleaning up the bed, we went downstairs and I found ANTS freaking everywhere in the pantry. Luckily, most were on the floor and in the garbage, so clean-up was relatively easy. Thanks 409. I have to get ant poison tonight though.
6. By easy I mean, one screaming baby and one two year old wanting to help...yes very easy.......
7. I made ooey gooey muddy buddies. It combines chocolate, peanut butter, marshmallows and caramel. That recipe holds the key to my heart.
8. Addie helped me make said muddy buddies. She helped me measure and "DUMP!" She gets very excited about dumping.
9. Addie didn't take a nap, instead she pulled the flower wall clings off her wall and ripped them.
10. My grandpa brought me an amazing cantaloupe and yummy banana bread. Those have helped the day, so have the muddy buddies.
11. Addie is into drumming right now. She LOVES to play the drums for Rockband.
12. Today is very warm for here. Feels great! Both girls wore onsies most of the day.
13. I can't wait to see Mike tonight. I love when he is home. He is SUCH a great dad! Everyone's attitude (Addie...) gets better when he comes home. He is the apple of my eye.
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Some pictures

Picture 1: Addie in the river over in Leavenworth. We went on Saturday for the day and it was so fun! Super hot and we ate gelato! Addie ran everywhere and threw the biggest fit when we got in the car to leave. We went to the river and played for a while. As you can see, we left our swim wear in the car.
Picture 2: Addie clicking around the house in my heels. She thought she was something else.
Picture th3: sweet Leah.

Ok, question to moms of toddlers: did yours go through a no napping phase even if they needed one? Addie gets so tired, so we go through her nap time routine of snacks and some quiet time watching a few minutes of a movie. But when she gets in her room, she gets up and plays. Not with toys but with clothes and the laundry basket, and suddenly she "isn't" tired anymore. The problem is that when she gets up she is so ornery and can't hardly function, because she is so tired. What can I do to alleviate this problem? What has worked for you with your kids?
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Happy 3 Years

I love this picture of us. We were on our honeymoon in Costa Rica. We were on a huge all day excursion experiencing 4 wheeling, toucans, monkeys, hot springs, volcanic mud, horseback riding, waterfalls, and zip lining through the canopy of a rain forest. It was a perfect day.

Just the other day we were saying how 2008 was our year. We traveled a lot, got married, danced (mike did what??) and skied together. We saw some awesome things and did some amazing things.

To be honest, I don't think 2008 was our year, at least not our best year. We have so many more "best years" left, and then followed by eternity.

Oh, I can't wait for eternity with you!
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13 for Thursday

1. Today will be all about ME (adelaide). I turn two in 11 days!
2. I had my first sno-cone today. I LOVED it! We went to a bbq for Aunt Marit's orthodontic clinic and had cookies, pirate's booty, balloons, slides, swings, and sun. We had so much fun!
3. Aunt Met (Marit) came to visit us on the train yesterday! She'll be here for a week!
4. I love to wear my jemmies for bed and naps! (Last week I called them jerries)
5. Dad and I like to pick bees in our back yard. I don't know why dad calls them raspberries though.
6. I LOVE swim suits. I could wear my suit all day every day.
7. Tootsie Rolls are my favorite candy. Aunt Andy left a ton at my house a few weeks ago and I am loving it!
8. I call baby Leah baby-nee.
9. I love cream of mushroom soup for lunch.
10. Little Mermaid is my favorite moo-bee. I also really like Robots and Cars.
11. When we go to Target, I like to yell, "SHOPPING!" as we pull into the parking lot.
12. I HATE having mom wash my hair. I don't know why she keeps trying, but every day she does the same thing and every day it makes me mad.
13. I love to sing and dance. I learn motions to songs very quickly and then I like to sing it over and over and over.
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4 Weeks

Leah Rose is 4 weeks old today! Her hair still sticks straight up. She is a great sleeper at night, which keeps me sane. She eats so much better than Addie did at this age. Leah is a loud sleeper. She grunts and mmm's and ahh's unless she is in a deep sleep. If she wants to be asleep, you HAVE to rock her and pat her bum, she'll be gone in 30 seconds. She loves bath time. She just sits in the water so content. And she likes to have her feet rubbed. When I pull her out of her bath and she is crying, I put lotion on her then rub her feet for a minute. She turns to jello.

I am healing really well. Two more weeks until I can start working out again! I am so excited to run. And lose some weight to fit into my regular jeans.

Addie is adjusting. She is SO GREAT with Leah. She is soft and loves to kiss her. Adds is always concerned when some one other than mom or dad holds Leah. She tells Leah that she loves her. When Leah is about one, Addie will love having a smaller person to boss around. Addie is also hitting her terrible two's. I am trying to figure out what sets her off and how we can avoid certain fights. I am figuring out bath time currently. I am glad I can get her to wash her body...now for the hair... It is especially hard before nap time or before bed. Addie, like most kids her age, doesn't do well tired. But we are getting better.

Mike is awesome. He helps me to know that everything will be ok, even if Addie's diaper hasn't been changed in too long, or I don't have dinner ready. We have our 3 year wedding anniversary on monday and I can't believe its been 3 years, but at the same time, its only been 3 years. We have so much more to accomplish and so much more life to live together.
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13 for Thursday

1. I love when Leah sleeps like this, with her little hand all fisted up under her chin.
2. Leah's schedule works perfectly with Addie's. And I can usually get a nap in!
3. Other than having Leah here, the best part about not being pregnant is no more heartburn! I ate chocolate cake tonight (thanks Juliana!) And I can sleep in peace...for a few hours.
4. Addie doesn't just say I love you, she says, "I love you, too!" Its so cute! 5. I am glad that the weekend is almost here. I am dying to have Mike to ourselves for a whole day.
6. I actually made dinner tonight! With no girls asking to be held, nursed or for candy.
7. I wish I lived closer to more of my friends. Why does everyone gravitate to Utah? Maybe we should just follow suit...
8. I am trying to figure out what to do for Addie's 2nd birthday party (when the heck did she turn into a BIG GIRL???) If you have any ideas for themes, gifts, activities, please send them my way.
9. I am excited for fall. I am thinking of ways to decorate for fall, and for Halloween (which is one of my favorite holidays).
10. I am going to go shopping by myself this weekend (ok, I'll will take Leah, but free of a certain busy, hates-sitting-in-the-stroller little girl...) 11. Addie and I love playing with Play-doh together. I make lots of balls and snakes. She is good about mixing all the colors together.
12. I am dying for sushi, but I am saving myself for a place in Vancouver that is apparently sushi heaven. Kenna, you better be right!
13. I am glad I got this post done before Friday, because then I would have had to do 15... And 13 is a lot as it is...especially when I'm tired and can't think straight. Maybe I should switch to "Ten for Tuesday?"
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Faith

I spoke to one of my best friends today on the phone. We talked about a few things that made me start to think a lot about faith and the whole Gospel plan. As we were speaking I looked down at my two beautiful daughters and had a sweet peace come over me knowing they are mine and Mike's forever.
I thought afterwards a bit about faith. It seems lately my hardest trial is Leah's two hour feedings in the middle of the night, but I have been through a few hard times.
I know that everyone always says, "If you just have faith, you'll get through it." While I know that those are true words, it doesn't take any of the burden of your trial off your shoulders. Life isn't meant to be easy and there will always be hard times. In our darkest moments, having faith is important, but I know it can be very hard to act on that faith and the things we know we should be doing.
I guess I am still sorting out my conversation with my friend from earlier, but what I do know is that having faith means taking a step into the dark and knowing that the light will follow. I know that even if we are doing everything right in life, we might still experience our darkest days. Having the Gospel in my life doesn't take the sting out of my trials, but thanks to the Atonement and the Plan of Happiness, I can overcome those trials and come out on the other side a better person.

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13 for thurs

1. My cousin put this up on FB the other day and I thought it was pretty funny.
2. I don't actually have a bunch of pictures of the girls on my phone because we bought a new camera the morning Leah was born. We went to best buy to get a camera specifically for the occasion. So, I'll load the pics on my computer then put them up.
3. I made my first solo trip out with the girls today. We just went to Babies R Us for diapers (I hate that store, but its just down the road 2 minutes). Addie was so good and Leah slept the whole time. I did bribe Adds to sit in the cart with a Tootsie Roll.
4. Last night was such a good night. Leah slept and ate really well.
5. Addie and I are enjoying the sun. We ran through the sprinkler for almost an hour today! It was so fun!
6. Mike has tomorrow off! Hallelujah! I am more excited then him, I think.
7. As much as I love having my in-laws here, and ALL the cleaning my MIL does, I am curious/excited to see how life is when its just us.
8. We are going out to eat again tonight. But we are going to Anthony's, a really good seafood place down on the water. We will dress up a bit I think.
9. Mike is SUCH a great husband. I am so glad he puts up with me and the post-baby mood swings.
10. Mike is an Awesome dad! He makes sure to play with Adds every night and then he will always get up and change Leah's diaper for me in the middle of the night.
11. Mike is nice to look at. And kiss.
12. I am loving the warm Seattle weather this week. It has been perfect temps and we have been able to play outside lots!
13. I am going to go buy a new dress this weekend. I need it. And some shirts, maybe some pants? Oh, and I need new make-up.
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Two Weeks!

Look at our BEAUTIFUL Leah!
I absolutely love her!
Addie loves her little sister!
Mike is so sweet with Leah!
She is two weeks old today, and we had a weight check and she is 6 lbs 8 oz. Almost back up to her birth weight.

In these last two weeks we have learned a lot:
- Addie thinks that the whole family needs to be together all the time. She loves having Leah in the same room as her. Addie said "I love you" (sounds like "ah-low-ee" and she always says it twice) for the first time ever to Leah, then bent down and kissed her. I almost cried.
- Leah was wearing a onesie the other day and it had a big watermelon on the front (thanks Allyson!). Addie saw it and looked at Leah and said "I love you!" She paused, looked down at the watermelon, looked at me and yelled, "A BITE!" Then she bent over and pretended to take a bite of the watermelon along with sound effects! It was SO funny!!
- I am learning more about my in-laws. I haven't spent too much time with them in the past and this last week has been great. I have always loved them, but I love getting to know them better! Addie took a bit to warm up to Grandma H, but she took right away to Grandpa H. They are two of the most generous people. I am so grateful for their help, and for taking us out to eat lots!
- Leah is a GREAT baby! She hardly fusses and if she does, its due to the fact that I took to long to feed her. She usually sleeps 2 four hour stretches at night with an hour and a half long feeding/dozing/spitting up/pooping episode in between.
- Leah's hair CRACKS us up! It just sticks up all over the place. I just love it.

While we have yet to settle into any sort of schedule, we are enjoying this time with a new baby. I know this is going to sound clichéd, but I just love to look at her and see her move, look around, go cross-eyed and smile in her sleep. She is perfect. We love having Leah in our family. I can't believe some days that she is actually here and ours. I thank heaven for her every day.
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