Happy Birthday Toby!

 

My little Toby turned one a few days ago. I can't believe it has been a year.  Of course he is as cute and rascal like as ever. He has started climbing everything and getting in to everything just like every little boy should.   We had a fun little birthday party complete with his very own cake made by his grandma:

-He got lots of brotherly love.

 



 -Was very happy when his cake was introduced to him.

 

 -More excited when he got to gorge in with his face. He is very different than Tate in this way!

 -Got some new toys and Ute clothes.

 

-100% attention from dad

 

 and mom. (Don't you just love his little fists??)

 

 -Got to play outside in the beautiful fall weather

 

 with his favorite frog.

 

while his mom took pictures of this handsome boy.

 

 -We all reminisced to when this sweet boy joined our family just one year ago. Where did my baby go?

Dear Toby,
Just one year ago, you were born in the middle of the night while everyone was sleeping.  The hospital was quiet and peaceful.  Your dad and I were able to have you all to ourselves until the morning. I love thinking back to that night and the blessing that came into my life.

As a baby, you were almost too good to be true.  You were calm, content, and happy.  You fit into our family better than I could have imagined. You tolerated a lot of abuse and love from your older brother but you didn't seem to mind the extra attention.  I was lucky to be able to nurse you for 11 months and have an extra special bond with you from the start.

You have been blessed with health. You have only had one mild cold (knock on wood!).  I hope this continues!  You seem to like food at the moment; your favorites are: bananas, broccoli, cheese, yogurt, oatmeal, and goldfish.  

You are a pretty fast little crawler and recently you have been enjoying climbing things. You aren't very interested in toys because you would much rather explore.  You took your 1st few steps on Tate's 3rd birthday with an audience, but haven't started using walking as your way of getting around yet.

Toby, I am excited to see what the next year brings us. I'm excited to see you play more with your brother and explore the world.  I love you so much!

Love,
Mommy

My Love Story

We just celebrated 5 yrs together, five wonderful years!  I was looking through pictures and found some fun pictures of us when we were dating, engaged, etc. Enjoy.

One of our first pictures together as a "couple". Isn't he so handsome??

Camping trip to the Windrivers.

Bear Lake

The magical night we got engaged.

Work Christmas party

The house in the Avenues where it all began.  I have so many memories here.

Us 5 yrs later.

My everything.


I can't wait to spend fifty gazillion trillion more years with this man. I am definitely more in love with him now than when I married him (and I didn't think that was possible!) He is the best husband, father, and friend that a girl could ask for.

We were lucky to get a little alone time last week for our anniversary. I was horrible and didn't take any pictures. 
Five years ago on our 1st night together we stayed at the Hotel Monaco in downtown SLC, we got to go there again last week for a night.  It was lovely and relaxing. We strolled around City Creek and ate lots of good food (SLC seems so different now!). It was heavenly and much needed.

Home Sweet Home

Sorry about the lack of blogging lately. I haven't had internet for a few weeks and life has been a bit busy!  We finally moved into our new home, everyone seems to be adjusting well and we are happy in our new house!  

Our last morning in the old house. A little sad but tried not to think too much.

Brett went to get donuts that morning and I told him not to get any apple fritters "because nobody likes them." Well, he got 2. It was pretty funny when both the moms when for the apple fritters first. Who knew??

Thanks to all the helpers!

2 Months

2 months has zoomed by!  Toby is such a sweet little big baby!  I am so in love with this little guy.  Today he had his doctors appointment, here's the stats:

Height: 24 1/4 inches (90th percentile)

Weight: 12 lbs 6 oz (80th percentile)

-Toby is a very mellow baby and puts up with a lot of kissing/cuddling from Tate without much fuss.

-He is an eater, hence the nearly 5 lb weight gain since birth.

-He is a blow out king!  I will spare you the pictures of the blowouts but it happens quite often even though I have tried multiple different diapers. Hoping this stage ends.

-Slept through the night (9 hrs) last week. It was heaven!

-Gives big smiles after he eats, his way of saying thank you. I love it!

-Seems to like the binky quite a bit.

-He is a cuddle bug. I can't get enough of it! He is growing up too fast for me.

BLESSING DAY:

Toby was blessed last Sunday. We had family out to enjoy some grub which was delicious!  Toby was a little angel throughout the whole day and Tate was a wild angel/two year old.

My cousin Taylor (in the yellow) crocheted the blanket for Toby's blessing. Who knew she was so domestic??

Apparently the mothers coordinated colors for the big day??

Thank you everyone for helping out! 

Dear Tate,

Yesterday was a monumental day.  You came into my room sucking on your blanket (a regular occurrence) and I said to you, "your blanket is dirty, why don't you throw it away?"  And you did it.  You threw your blanket away. The blanket that you have loved since the day you came home from the hospital. The blanket that has soothed you every night and during every nap.  The blanket that you love to sniff and rub on your nose and chew on (which has grossed your parents out!).  It just went in the garbage just like it meant nothing.  I honestly didn't think you would throw it away!  I wasn't prepared for this, but I guess you were.

And guess what, you slept just fine. You didn't even cry.   I cried though.  I cried because it means your growing up. I cried because I want to keep you cute and cuddly forever and when you have your blankie you are cuddly and calm. 

But, Tate, I am so proud of you. You adjust to change so well. You are calm just like your daddy and you just "roll" with things.  You seem so confident and sure of your self.  I love you so much and am proud of the boy you are becoming.

Love,

Mommy

 

Hospital Stay

"If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite, something that makes one feel aware of God, one need not go far to find it. I think that I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes in the morning and coos or laughs because it sees the sun shining on its cradle."

-Vincent van Gogh

Toby had these sad bruises on his head.

He's still a little baby!

Home in time for game day.

Sorry these pictures took so long to blog!  Between getting an awful stomach flu and then our internet not working it has been a bit of a challenge.  We are all doing well now and adjusting to our new bundle of joy!  More pictures to come.