What A Stud!

I still need to write about all the festivities of the past couple weeks (it was a whirlwind!), but it is going to take more time than I have right now. It is late and I am tired. However, I really could not pass up posting a few pictures of Trent...

He received this outfit from Grandpa Smiley for Christmas. He looked so stinkin' cute when I put it on him this morning, so we had a little photo shoot.

I even got a half-smile out of him! I told Trent that all he needed to get me for Christmas this year was a smile. I am happy to report that I got my wish! Trent began making a lot more eye contact a few days before Christmas and he smiled for the first time on Christmas day! It was wonderful.

I know I have said this before, but I am in love with this little guy! We are so lucky to have him in our family, he is a great addition. My only complaint is that he is growing too fast. It is amazing how big he getting. He is so strong. He holds his head up really well. He is such a happy baby. He only cries when he is hungry - once he eats he is happy again. I think he is going to have his dads blue eyes. He is also beginning to make cooing sounds. Oh, I love being a mom!

Well, that is all for now. It feels great to blog again, hopefully I will be posting again soon.

Time Flies

Time flies when you are havin' fun! It has been a crazy week!! There is sooo much to do and so little time. The problem is I create projects for myself. At the beginning of the Christmas season I knew I had two projects to accomplish for Christmas. This was very doable. And then I got an idea. And then I got another idea. All of a sudden I had about eight projects to do. Why do I do this to myself?? Well, first of all, when I get an idea in my head, I just can not let it go...I HAVE to do it. And secondly, I really do enjoy giving homemade gifts.

So this past week has been full of project after project after project. Will I get it all done in time?? Who knows, only time will tell. And since time is flyin by, well...we shall see. What I do know is that last year I was up until 4:00 am on Christmas Eve and I am determined to not do that to myself again this year. Oh boy, wish me luck.

Here are a few pics of this past week:

Speaking of time flying, Trent is now one month old! He is such a sweet baby. This is how I found him napping one day this week. Too cute.

We took our kids to get their Christmas pictures on Thursday. I absolutely love Ashlyn's dress. I probably spent more than I should have, but it was worth it. She looked adorable! And Trent is such a handsome little guy. I was nervous about how Ashlyn would do with Trent, but it went very smoothly. The pictures turned out well.

Ashyln fell and whacked her head on the corner of the oven door. Poor girl has hit her head way too many times since she learned how to walk. It seems as though she always has a bruise on her forehead. Luckily, this happened after we got the pictures done.

Christmas Gifts

I went Christmas shopping tonight. I am seriously behind. I wish I could say it is because I had a baby 3 1/2 weeks ago. But, let's be honest, I am seriously behind every year. I never start my Christmas shopping until after Thanksgiving. And I actually like it that way. I enjoy the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. It makes me happy. I get excited thinking about what to get my family and friends, planning it out, and then making those purchases. Also, I don't like to ask people what they want for Christmas and I don't like to make requests for myself. I prefer the surprise on Christmas morning.

So, tonight as I was out on my shopping adventure, I began thinking of Christmas's past and gifts I have given and received. One of the most memorable gifts I have ever given was three years ago when I gave Brian a puppy. It was such a fun gift to plan out and give. Who wouldn't love getting a puppy on Christmas morning? I hardly slept on Christmas Eve because the anticipation was so great - I felt like a kid again!

Another memorable gift was the marshmallow gun I gave Aaron two years ago. I don't really know why...it was just a fun gift to give.

The most memorable gifts I have received are the sentimental ones. The books my Dad and Mom have written and given to their children over the years are priceless. I would not trade those books for anything.

I would love to hear what your favorite gifts are from Christmas's past. Both given and received...

Christmas Spirit

So it is only the 6th, and we have already been having such a fun and full holiday season! I mentioned this before, but on Saturday we went to the Festival of Trees and to Thanksgiving Point. Both of these events were fun and memorable.

On Sunday we were able to attend Maya's blessing. It was a beautiful blessing and I always love getting together with my family - they are the best. We went to Mindy and Marty's home afterwards for a delicious brunch, featuring my favorite - breakfast casserole. Later that day, I took Trent to my ward for Relief Society were he played a very important role in the Christmas program.

Monday night was our annual Lifferth Family Christmas Party and a good time was had by all! We love this party. My only complaint is that our family is so big, I never get a chance to talk to everyone. Santa made a surprise appearance, which the kids of all ages loved! I wasn't sure how Ashlyn would react, but she did really well.

Tuesday night we went to dinner with the Smiley's for Brian's dad's B-day. After dinner, Brian and I took our kids to a live nativity. I was so impressed by this production, I took my parents, Mindy and her girls again last night. It was so well done. I really can not give it enough justice. The props and scenery were fantastic. You really felt as though you were stepping back in time. They had live animals, including a camel, sheep, a llama, a donkey, goats, chickens, and a calf. Of course, the animals were Ashlyn's favorite part.

The nativity was set up so you walked through a series of scenes including shepherds, the three wise men, and then into the city of Bethlehem. In Bethlehem, they had depicted woodworkers, basket weavers, pottery makers, beggars, and an Innkeeper stating that there was no room in the Inn.

Maybe it is because I just had a baby, but I felt a new respect and love for Mary as I walked through this nativity scene. When I saw the donkey, I was overcome with emotion as I thought of what she endured. I can not imagine being nine months pregnant, riding around on a donkey, trying to find a place to give birth.

The final scene of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus was a very powerful and spiritual experience. It really got me into the Christmas spirit, the true Christmas spirit. This was a perfect way to start off the holiday season.

We have many more activities planned this month. It is such a fun time of year, busy but fun. With all the happenings of the holidays, I hope I will be able to keep with me the true spirit and meaning of the season.

I'm It...But You're Next!

My sister Mindy tagged me. So, here are some facts about Brian and myself...

• How long have you been together? Well, we met in high school. But I guess I wouldn't start counting until after he got home from his mission in May '99, so that makes 8 1/2 years.

• How long did you date? 2 years
  

• How old is he? Brian turns the big 30 in January. He is 17 months older than me, but not wiser ;)
  

• Who eats more? Usually Brian. Usually, because I think I out ate him during my pregnancy with Trent.
  

• Who said I love you first? Good question. I think it must have been Brian. Is it terrible that I can't remember?
  

• Who is taller? Bri
  

• Who sings better? Neither one. Ashlyn is better than the two of us combined!
  

• Who is smarter? Since Brian is a college grad, I'll give him that one :)
  

• Who does the laundry? Me. Brian makes me nervous when he does the laundry. I've had quite a few things shrink and change color when he has done the laundry in the past.
  

• Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Brian
  

• Who pays the bills? We do it together. We have bimonthly budgeting sessions. It works out really well for us. We both know where our money stands. We figure out how to pay off bills quickly. We don't hide any purchases from one another. We stay out of debt. And most importantly, we never fight over money.
  

• Who mows the lawn? That is a definite Brian. I hate to admit that I have never once mowed a lawn. Wait, I don't think I have ever even started a lawn mower! No wait, I haven't ever touched a lawn mower!! Brian thinks it's pathetic.
  

• Who cooks dinner? Me. But Brian is always willing to help with whatever I ask him to do. And of course, he owns and operates the grill.
  

• Who drives when you are together? Brian, but I am a really good back seat driver!
  

• Who is more stubborn? I say Brian, he says me... Who do you think is going to win that one?!
  

• Who kissed who first? Brian kissed me on my parents front porch.

• Who asked who out? Brian asked me.
  

• Who proposed? Brian did. Twice. That is a whole other story!
  

• Who is more sensitive? Me, hands down. I have seen Brian cry, but probably only a total of five times. He has probably seen me cry 100+ times.
  

• Who has more friends? Mi casa es su casa.
  

• Who has more siblings? Me. I've got him beat by two.
  

• Who wears the pants in the family? I think we are a pretty good team. I'd say it's a 50/50.

Okay, there you go Mindy. Thanks for the tag. Now, I'll tag my cousins Jen and Mark, and my good friends Emily and Jamie. Can't wait to see what ya'll have to say!

Back To Life. Back To Reality.

The vacation is over. After 2 1/2 weeks, Brian headed back to work today :( I am sure that none of you are feeling badly for either of us, but I think it is sad! I have lost my second set of hands! It has been so much fun having Brian at home and he has been such a big help. He has changed diapers, given baths, fixed meals, cleaned, vacuumed, put up Christmas lights, read books and played, and changed more diapers! And he has done it all without complaint (well mostly - he wasn't thrilled about cleaning the toilet!). I love you Brian!

Last night, Brian told Ashlyn that he had to go back to work in the morning and she said (with a bit of enthusiasm), "See ya!" But, I don't think she really understood what he was saying. I know she has loved having her dad home and will miss having him around all the time.

On the other hand, I do not think Trent knew this morning that his dad had gone back to work.

We ended Brian's vacation with a bang on Saturday. We went to the Festival of Trees and then Thanksgiving Point. Brian had never been to the Festival of Trees and I had not been for a few years. I was not sure if Brian would enjoy it, but he did! He even said he wanted to go again next year. Of course his favorite tree was the Darth Vader/Star Wars tree, decorated with over 250 Star Wars figurines.

Thanksgiving point was Ashlyn's favorite part of the day. We rode a horse drawn wagon around the light display. It was priceless to see Ashlyn's reaction! She kept saying, "I so excited! I so excited!"

Ashlyn also loved the horses and kept saying, "I see horses!" She had so much fun, she cried when we left.

It has been such a great 2 1/2 weeks. Thanks for everything Brian - you are the BEST!!

She's NUTS!

As I mentioned in a previous post, Ashlyn has a new hobby - collecting treasures. I have a centerpiece on my kitchen table that contains an assortment of nuts. And well, need I say more?!?...

2 Weeks

Time flys. Trent is two weeks old today - already!! I can not believe how fast these past two weeks have gone by. But, it is amazing how quickly he has become a part of us. We are no longer a family of three. There are four of us now and it is wonderful!

Trent had a doctors appointment today and he is doing very well. He is now 8 lbs. 14 oz., which means he gained over one pound in two weeks! I have a feeling he is going to get quite chubby! That just means there will be more of him to love :)

Week In Review

WOW! I can't believe it has been a week since I have posted. I feel like such a slacker! Maybe I am not the blogoholic that I thought I was! Not true, this has been an isolated incident, I promise. It has been a busy and fun week as we have been adjusting to having two kids. Brian has been off work since Trent was born and he does not go back until December 3rd! I have loved having him at home. I wish he could be home more often! We having been having great fun spending time together as a family. We have not done anything too exciting - it has just been nice to simply relax and play with our kids. Here are some pics of our week:

Our first family photo :)

A couple months ago, Ashlyn was wearing a pair of overalls with a pocket in the front. She became enthralled with putting little treasures in that pocket - food, toys, etc. The problem was that when she was not wearing her overalls, she no longer had her "treasure pocket". She quickly solved this by using her shirt - ANY shirt - as one big pocket. We are constantly finding crackers, fruit snacks, binkis, and small toys hidden in her big pocket!

These pictures were taken on Thanksgiving. We were sitting around eating pie, when I looked over to find Ashlyn stuffing oranges in her "pocket"! This was her biggest treasure yet! What a hoot!!

It is so fun having a boy! I am in love with this little guy. The only bad part about having a boy is the golden arch you get while changing a diaper. There is no controlling that one! I think my laundry has doubled in the past two weeks.

Ashlyn still loves her little brother. She loves to peak at him while he is sleeping. If she hears him cry she will run to his rescue, making sure he has a binki.

Ashlyn has been spoiled with presents since Trent was born. Maybe that is why she loves him so much! She got this My Little Pony from my friend Sandy - thanks Sand!

It is so fun having two babies in the family. Ashlyn was born just 6 weeks before Maggie and it has been fun to watch them grow together. Now we will get to see Trent and Maya grow together. Aren't they adorable?!

It is so amazing how tiny Trent's hands and feet are. I am excited to watch him grow, but I love how small he is now. It is a bitter/sweet feeling.

SO BIG!

When we got home from the hospital on Friday, Brian insisted that Ashlyn had grown. He was certain she had gained a few pounds and grown an inch or two. She did spend two days at her grandmom's house, so she may have gained a couple pounds! However, I think it was his perspective which had changed. It is amazing how big Ashlyn is, now that she has a baby brother.

Even little baby Maya, born eight weeks before, suddenly seems bigger. Although, I know that Trent will quickly pass her up in size.

Rivalry Week

Simply said...

GO UTES!!!

Our Little Guy

Sorry for the delay in posting pictures, we had some technical difficulties at the hospital. We are excited to show off our little guy! He is doing really well now. He has had some difficulty with breathing. They had to clear his nasal passages and he also had a chest x-ray to rule out the possibility of fluid in his lungs. Just so you know, I had to be the strong one - Brian got a little emotional. It is amazing what can make a tough guy cry!

Just minutes after he came into this world.

Love at first sight! Ashlyn loves her new baby brother. Trent has already been smothered with kisses from his big sister.

Proud Papa!

Trent has been such a good baby so far. He is a great sleeper - I am sure that will change.

Me and my babies!

Isn't he just adorable?! As you can see, he has quite a bit of light brown hair. We are in love!

Side note: A BIG, special thanks to my cousin Rachael for designing our new layout! It is perfect Rachael, you are the best!

Worth The Wait!

After 41 weeks, we are proud to announce.....

IT'S A BOY!!!!

Trent James Smiley came into this world at 7:25 pm. Weighing in at 7 lbs. 10 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. I went to my appointment today at 2:40 and was dilated to a 7. My doctor said she was not comfortable sending me home, so I walked right over to labor and delivery. She broke my water at 5:30, and well, the rest is history! The delivery went really well. I only had to push for about 10 minutes. The best part of all is that he is healthy! Pictures will come tomorrow.

My Girl

A - Affectionate. Ashlyn gives the best hugs and kisses. All you have to do is ask for a big hug and she will throw her arms around your neck and give a big squeeze. And if you ask for a kiss, she will pucker up and give you a big wet one! However, the past couple of days when I have asked for a hug or a kiss, she has said, "No, no hugs." Then I say, "Please, can I have hug?", and she will oblige. I guess she is trying to teach me a few manners!

S - Sunshine. Ashlyn is my sunshine. She is such a happy little girl and makes me so happy. When I quit my job in June, I wondered how I would adjust to being a stay at home mom. But Ashlyn is such a joy to be with! I love spending my days with her.

H - Helpful. Ashlyn loves to help me when I am cleaning. She will hold onto the vacuum, which seriously slows me down, but I love that she is trying to help. She also dusts and mops the floor along side me. Hopefully this will continue as she gets older!

L - Loves to Learn. Ashlyn amazes me. She is so smart and she is constantly learning something new. She loves to learn new songs. Most recently she has been learning shapes and colors. And, she has caught on so fast! My favorite is when she points to the color orange and says, 'oranges'. She is just too cute, and smart to boot!

Y - "YES!" Ashlyn is very agreeable. Her new word is yes. I am sure that she does not understand everything that I tell her. But, whenever I explain something to her and say 'is that okay?' or 'do you understand?' she says, "Yes!"

N - NEVER a dull moment. Ashlyn is a crack-up! There is never a dull moment when she is around. She is constantly making me laugh. From the time she was born, her Grandpa Lifferth has commented on her sense of humor. And it is so true! She has such a funny personality.

I love my little girl. I am so blessed to have her in my life.

Patience Is A Virtue

Whoever said this was never 4 days past their due date...



Actually, I do feel like I am being pretty patient. I could have been induced this weekend, but I decided to wait it out. But honestly, I really thought I would have had this baby by now. My 41 week appointment is on Wednesday. I think I'll be going :(

No News Is Good News...

NOT TRUE!!! I really wish I had some grand news to share. But alas, still no baby. I did in fact make it to my appointment yesterday despite what my doctor thought. And I did make another appointment for next week. I am 40 weeks pregnant today. If I have to go to a 41 week appointment, I will be quite frustrated!

I am dilated nearly to a five. Not much different from last week. But, I still can not believe I have not gone into full-blown labor yet! Because of how far along I am, my doctor did give me the option of getting induced. I am not sure I want to go that route. I was induced with Ashlyn three days before her actual due date. My doctor wanted to induce me for two reasons: I was dilated to a four (sounds familiar), and I was measuring big. Brian was a big baby and my doctor was worried that Ashlyn was going to be a big baby. She wasn't though, she was a perfect 7 lb. 8 oz.

Since I was induced with Ashlyn, I really want to know what it is like to go into labor naturally. Plus, I think it would be more exciting to go naturally than to schedule the birth. However, if I make it to my next appointment, I just might change my mind! Feel free to make a new guess as to when this baby will come. And I also want to know if you think it will be a boy or a girl.

And The Survey Says...

I did not sleep well last night. Surprise, surprise. I was up more than usual, and I tossed & turned a lot! Because of this, when I called Brian this morning, one of the first things he asked me was, "Are you ornery today?" I told him that asking if someone ornery is not a nice question, regardless of their mood. He disagreed. I told him to ask some of the ladies around his office their opinion of the question and then get back to me. In the mean time, I thought I would conduct my own survey. Is asking, "Are you ornery?" a rude question???

Big Sister

Since the day I found out I was pregnant, I have wondered how Ashlyn will react to the 'new baby'. It has made me sad a few times thinking about how this will affect her. Ashlyn has been my world for the past 20 months and now she will have some competition. Soon I will not be able to give her all my time and attention. I have tried to talk to her about the baby, but really she has no idea what is coming. When I ask her where the baby is she will point to my belly.

She likes to give the baby hugs...

and kisses.

She is such a sweet girl. My hope is that she will still feel loved and will always know how important she is to us. All in all, I think she will love being a big sister and she will be a great one.

What A Woman!

Yes, that is my husband! Brian dressed as an old maid this year. He made a pretty scary looking lady. I would not let him hug me while he was was wearing the dress and wig, it was just too weird. Brian hasn't dressed up for Halloween for about 6 years, but it paid off this year. He won two contests! At my cousin Jen's Halloween party, Brian won for "Best Male Costume". He then dressed up for work, and won 1st place! He was awarded $50.00 for braving this get-up. Way to go Bri! I should also mention that he shaved his legs for the occasion! I think he had so much fun, he just might dress up again next year :)

Our Little Devil!

My original idea for Halloween this year was to have Ashlyn be a rabbit. She does a very cute bunny impersonation by wiggling her nose and I thought it would be adorable. Then at a recent doctor visit, I was looking in a parenting magazine and saw this cute little girl devil costume. I thought it would be perfect and would fit Ashlyn's personality so well! So I got online, looked it up, and it was $50.00! That only included a tutu, horns, and pitchfork - tail and bodysuit not included. I thought that was a bit much, so I made it myself and I think it turned out pretty darn cute. And the whole ensemble cost half that price, which included the tights and shoes! It really is fun to make costumes for kids. Last year I made Ashlyn's monkey costume. It is a satisfying project, especially when it turns out well.

I took Ashlyn to Brian's work place and she caught on to the trick-or-treating idea very quickly! It only took a couple times before she began walking ahead of us, into each office saying, "trick-or-treat" and holding her bag out for a goody! She had a lot of fun and she loved the attention. I then took her to my dad's work place to get more treats. I think she would love this as a daily activity! Later that night, we took her trick-or-treating with Ben & Maggie through my parents neighborhood. By the end of the day, after these three events, I think she had gathered enough candy to last a whole year! And she loved every minute of it! Holidays are so much more fun with kids.

If you have looked at Monica or Mindy's blog then you have already seen this next picture. But what I love about this photo and what you may not have noticed is Ashlyn. If you look closely, she is plugging her ears! Apparently the chaos of the group photo was too much for her!

What a fun day! Happy Halloween!!