Owen at 4 Months

Dear Owen, 

     4 months old, but it feels like you have been apart of our family forever. I can't even remember what it was like to not have you in our home, and I like it. You bring so much happiness into our lives, and you and your sister just sit and giggle back and forth to each other, that I can't help but chuckle at the both of you.

    You are such a big boy. You have outgrown the majority of all your 1-3mo clothes are are starting wear 6 month size. You are wearing a size 3 diaper already and we haven't even hit the 6 month mark yet. You love to eat, eat, eat. I am hoping that I can start you on rice cereal soon, simply because I don't think I will be able to keep up with you for too much longer, but we will find out at your appointment what your doctor recommends. For now, you seem to be content eating every 3-4 hours and lately its been every 2. I think it's just because you are going through some growth spurts. 

    Sleeping is getting much better, and you are slowly catching on to this whole "all night long" thing. I am still getting up with you once a night and then you get up around 7, but go right back down for a morning nap until about 9. Every once in a while you go all night, but it's still a work in progress. Your sleeping schedule is getting much easier and much more predictable, which helps plan out our day a bit better. I am trying to make it so you don't have to sleep in your car seat as much, and realize that you sleep much better in your crib, than being flung around in a car seat. 

       I love giving you baths. You are so calm, even with your sister trying to help clean off all the soap, or scrub your head. You love to kick the moment your toes hit the water, and then you slowly start letting them float and you just lay there with such a happy grin on your face. You really love your baths. 

       You do very well with tummy time and mostly hold up your neck when we are holding you. You are getting very good at controlling your head movement and also learning to grab things with your hands, including your toes. You love your toes! You hate not being able to let go of a toy once you have grabbed it though. You get really frustrated after a while, and I haven't released it from your hands. Don't worry, you will soon learn to let go. You are ridiculously close to rolling over, that it's driving me a little crazy, you sit and balance on your side, and all you need is a tiny bit of momentum and you would have it. In fact, I think it's probably harder to balance on your side like you do than it would be just to roll over ,but you seem to be comfy on your side, and that's ok. Though I sometimes can't stand it and give you a little nudge just to get you to your tummy. 

       Your hands have become your soothing tool. You also love to suck on your blankets or your bear. I had to stop swaddling you, first of all because you started throwing a fit when swaddled, but second of all because you got loose, and then would push the blanket up to your mouth and start sucking on it. It made me panic walking into your room and seeing the blanket around your neck, so no more of that! You seem pretty content with your hands though, and you once again refuse to take a pacifier. We haven't really needed it all that much, so I guess its one less habit to break when you are older. 

     Bottles have become your friend, and you haven't had a problem taking one, once we found the right kind. You still prefer me, but at least you are willing to take a bottle and we don't feel like we are forcing you to drink it. 

       You love to be held, and hate to be left alone. I can't leave a room without a few screams, but I must admit that when I do leave a room and June is in there with you, she is quick to come comfort you by rubbing your head and sing twinkle twinkle little star and it melts me to my core. Oh you two will just be the best of friends, I know it! You are calmed by her. You don't scream when I leave, but you see her. You know her and it's one of my favorite things. You really do love to be held and would rather be held all day. You make me get creative on how to get things done around the house with you and wanting to be attached to my hip all day. 

     All in all Owen, you are a light in my life. You fit right into our family and I see more and more of that every day. I love you from the bottom of my heart, and you have no idea how much you always put a smile on my face, even on bad days. You continue to be such a good baby and I can't believe how blessed I am to have you in my life, and to call you my son!

Happy 4 months baby boy!!

             Love, Mom

Just some randomness

Just a little randomness of life. I don't even think these are in order, but I had to get them posted before my random photo folder got too big! The random everyday photo's are my favorite and I'm so glad it's so easy to capture such small memories, but when you look back, they always seem to make the biggest impact! I really am blessed with these two babes of mine! 

Our inside, going crazy because it's cold outside faces! and lot's of coloring! 

She's really big into helping me with everything, and I mean EVERYTHING! 

"Mama, I help you…" 

We are also really big into being princesses with crowns and magic wands. (Her magic wand is a self back scratcher that can expand) 

 Baby Owit's mad tummy time skills

June in the bumbo

Playing dolls with our little friends 

deciding on a new computer while holding onto the two little rascals 

Horsey rides, and her reasonable behavior when she has to get off. 

Bathing buddies. Yes I do bath them together. I hated pulling out that stupid baby tub every time to bath OD, when it's so much easier just to put him in with June. The Bumbo was a one time thing…. Turns out it floats in water and was giving Owen a ride of his life! (Thanks June, for holding him safe" 

Patiently waiting for lunch 

Me being weird, and Owen questioning my weirdness… Don't worry OD you'll get used to it

Saturday's with Friends

Owen and his wonderfulness of falling asleep anywhere. His sister was the exact same way and I love it! 

Our nighttime, making sure everyone is tucked into bed, and that includes Sally. 

Owen and his continued happiness. Seriously such a good baby. 

Walks on the green belt, feeding the ducks and meeting up with friends

The V-Day Post

Our Valentine's day was a really good one this year!! We had fun as a family and Dan and I were even able to escape for a few hours. Here was our day. 

Well really it actually started Thursday night, when Dan and I were heading to bed, he turned to me and said "I really wish I didn't have to go into work tomorrow, if only I would have talked to Neil (Dan's boss) about not coming in that day, mmmm... bummer " I just looked at him as said, "ya, too bad." Then he said it again... "If only I had talked to Neil about taking tomorrow off!!!" This was more of a "Don't be an idiot Lesli, listen to the tone of my voice" at that point he couldn't hold the smile back and I was like "Really?!?" hahaha we get excited over small things like that, so don't judge us. 

Dan usually only works until about noon on Friday's anyway, but it was so nice to have him for the whole day. You would be surprised at how many days we don't actually get to spend together. Even our Saturday's are usually booked up with Church or work responsibilities, or sick kids, so it was beyond nice to actually have the entire day together .

Valentine's morning, June and Daddy went to a special Valentine's breakfast, just those two. Me and OD stayed home and straightened the house a bit before the day really began. 

Dan told me that she only liked pouring the syrup but said it was "Yucky syrup". She also wanted the strawberry pancakes so dan ordered the french toast, but I guess once June saw Dan's she grabbed his plate and switched with hers, Telling Dan they were going to switch plates. 

Then they came home and June surprised me with flowers. Her Favorite color is yellow, so naturally she brought me home yellow flowers. Dan said she picked them out completely on her own. I loved them and I it made it even better knowing that she really did pick them out herself. 

After a quick potty break and loading up OD, we headed downtown to the Perot Museum. Each time there gets better and better, simply because June is becoming interested in more and more things.


Owen did fantastic. He didn't make a peep the whole entire time. People were loving how they would walk up to him and he would flash them that adorable smile of his.



Is she not getting so big?!? It is so hard to watch her keep growing but yet it's one of the best things as a parent.




Owen loves looking at himself, so to keep him entertained I flip my camera around on my phone so he can see himself, he was making all sorts of faces, so I snapped a picture.




After basically dragging June out of the Museum we headed home for some "quiet time" which now means listening to June sing or talk to her self for 2 hours, but she stays happy and it lets me get some things done around the house.


We had a little Valentine for each of the kids, but I forgot to snap a picture, only because we were in a bit of a rush to get out the door to make our dinner reservation.

Dan picked up one of our favorite little babysitters, who June adores. As soon as she walked through the door June ran right up to her, grabbed her hand and took her to go play.  Mikalea is one of our regular babysitters, so we didn't have to explain to much for the kids since she already knew... It meant that Dan and I could make a quick escape and get to dinner.

Dan took me to III Forks. We don't really eat at super expensive restaurants very often, but when special occasions like Valentine's Day comes around, we like to experience finer food dining. We feel a little more classy. It's fun to get dressed up and feel like a young couple having a night on the town, instead of two exhausted young parents who don't get nights out all the time. The food was delicious and it was so nice just talking to the man I love about everything going on in life. It's amazing how much you can just keep talking, when you haven't had a real conversation all week because of the crazy kiddos and really just being exhausted.



It was such a wonderful day and I am love all my Valentines. I am one lucky lady to have so much love in my life!!!

The Day of her Valentine's Party

We were so excited for June's little Valentine's Party the day before Valentine's Day. June seriously talked about it all week, how she couldn't wait to give her friends their valentine's and to have "special treats". She was so excited! 

The day finally came and June's little friends would be here soon. 

As I was setting up, June was having a hard time staying out of the treats. I had to keep refilling the bowls, she was loving it!

We had a little bit of "princess time" before her friends would arrive. She has the little dinosaur from 'Toy Story' be the monster blocking the princesses and she has Buzz and Woody come and save them, over and over again. 

She was acting completely fine, but you can see in her little eyes that she just wasn't feeling herself. 

10:30 came and so did our friends. June ran to answer the door to greet all of her little guests. As soon as they walked through the door though, June got awfully quiet and all of the sudden just wanted to lay down.

She laid like this for a while and then said that she wanted to go to bed. I took her to her room and she fell asleep for the remainder of the party. It was so sad. 

While June slept, the little festivities continued. We played with toys and then had special treats, and exchanged Valentines.

 June has the cutest friends, and so do I! 

Emma and Amanda

It really was a fun little Valentine's party, but I was so worried about my poor little June bug! I have such great friends who were willing to do anything they could to help with Owen or help me make sure June was ok!

I'm so glad I had Owen as my Valentine that morning. He definitely is out numbered by all these girls. 

After a fun filled morning, all of June's little guests left and poor little Owen got put back in his swing, and my full attention was turned to June. 

She felt hot again, so I grabbed both thermometers, and checked the armpit, forehead, and ear. All were above 102 degrees. At this point I had had it. I didn't even call the nurse line, I just called and made an appointment, telling them I would explain when I got there. 

Unfortunately, June's original pediatrician was out of town, but I was so grateful to get in with another partnering doctor. I called Dan and he met me at the doctors office. 

Before I continue let me give a little back story... 

Mother's Intuition: 

 It's kind of funny, because just the night before, June was still coughing so bad, I thought her lungs were going to explode... After getting her calmed down from another cough attack, I walked out and turned to Dan and said "I can't help but feel that there is just something else wrong with June, it has nothing to do with this cold or cough, but I just feel that there is something that we are missing." I remember thinking back to a week ago when we went to the doctor yet again and I prayed so hard for Heavenly Father to please just help me know what is wrong with my daughter. How can I make her feel better, I just knew something else was wrong. After that I had this sick feeling in my stomach for the rest of the week. Ask Dan, He will tell you how worried  I was about it. So it was beyond weird that the next day, June spiked another fever. 

A friend of mine from June's party told me to always trust my instinct. To trust a mother's intuition and that it can't fail you. She was absolutely right! 

So We go to the doctor and we are there for 2 hours running test after test to try and figure out what in the world is going on with her poor little body, but every test was coming back negative. It was sounding like we weren't going to get an answer and just hope the fever goes away like it did last time, but I just couldn't shake the feeling that this fever had nothing to do with this cold, or virus in her lungs...

My sister thought that maybe it's a bladder infection, because her little girl has gotten them before and that explained the random fever, but June had no other  symptoms of a bladder infection, so I didn't know whether to bring it up with the dr. or not, but I just couldn't hold back anymore, so I asked...

I told the doctor that I wanted to rule out a bladder infection, that I would like to have her urine tested. She looked at me kind of funny, and asked me if she was having any symptoms besides the high fever. I told her no, but I still would like it to be done. She then told me that it really wouldn't be necessary, since there is really nothing that is showing a bladder infection, and that we would have to test her urine, and that can be difficult for a toddler to pee on demand like that. I didn't care. I got a little firm, maybe a little over protective and absolutely requested for a UTI test. She said ok, if we can get June to pee in the bowl than we can do it. 

I took June into the Bathroom and she was fighting me on not having to go. I got a little teary eyed and just pleaded and begged with her to just try and tinkle a little bit. I was giving her anything she wanted, still no. So, I told June that we were going to say a little prayer to help her go pee. we kneeled together on the bathroom floor and June helped me say a little prayer, and as weird as this might sound, the second we said Amen, She told me she needed to go potty. Our prayer was answered and I knew Heavenly Father was there watching over us. She wasn't even scared of the little bowl. She peed right in it and we were able to collect a urine sample. 

The doctor walked in with a shocked look on her face and said her urine is full of bacteria and we are sending it off to the lab to be tested. She told me that my mother intuition was spot on and to always trust it. (I just want to say I love my ped. office and all the doctors there, this was just a weird situation, because she had no other signs of a bladder infection besides the fever, which we thought was being caused by June's nasty little virus.)

A huge sigh of relief came over me, like we solved the mystery. I felt proud for being so pushy and fighting for something I wasn't even sure was really there. 

We got an antibiotic for June and we get the test results back on Monday. We are hoping it is just a UTI and no other permanent damage is done... 

June's fever is staying down and we are hoping it's because this antibiotic is kicking this UTI out the door. I just want June to feel better and be her normal little self again, and the antibiotic seems to be doing that. 

So her Valentine's party didn't really go as expected, but I just have to be so grateful that our prayers were answered and that we seem to finally be feeling better. 

Opening Ceremonies

We love the Olympics over here at our house and it's even more fun having two Countries to cheer for.... Though at this point in the Olympic games America is struggling just a bit, and Canada isn't doing too hot either, but we have loved keeping tabs on these Winter Games. 

Friday, the 7th was the opening ceremonies for the Sochi, Russia Winter Olympics. They did a fantastic job, except for the mishap with one of the rings, but I feel all in all it was great and WAY better than the London opening ceremonies two years ago. June had no clue what was going on, but it was fun to keep her up just little bit later than usual to watch and eat our body weight in chocolate.

She was so intrigued with it all and would shout out all the different animals and colors that she saw! Totally worth keeping her up for it. 

We did take a break to take Sally potty... She really needed to go. 

Owen decided to wake up and join the Olympic party as well! 

I love these babes of mine. 

On a side note: So I look through all these random pictures of random things that we do, that are so simple, and probably make no difference to my children, but I love these moments. I have to document these small Friday nights to remember how simple and good life really is.  I told Dan just this morning that I truly feel that I am at a place in my life where I feel so content and happy right where I am at. I don't know what the future holds, but these are such good days (Knock on wood). Not all are great, but in the grand scheme of things, I am truly happy. I feel happy and I love where life is right now. It's hard for me to talk about the future.... Maybe not being in Texas anymore, or the thought of leaving my little house, because I like right now. I hope my future is as good as right now, and that's what makes me worried, but I just wanted to write down that as of this moment, life is good, even on days that feel like failures, or I didn't use to the fullest, life really is so good.

Snow Day!

Remember how I was all about blogging and I was writing posts pretty much everyday?! Ya.... not sure what happened but it caused me to stop blogging for a bit and now I am even more behind on blogging! I hate being behind, it gives me anxiety... Oh What?!? Lesli have anxiety?!?!? SHOCKER!! hahahaha sorry, a little inside my head joke. 

OK, So winter. We are beyond ready for it to leave our presence. We have had a few teasers of what happiness warm weather will bring to our souls and skin, I might add, we are all looking a little pasty white around these parts, and we are ready to welcome the sun and warm weather with open arms!!  

Last week this cold weather was joined with some snow. This really isn't anything new for us here in Texas.... Though people here act all crazy when it snows, but I have lived in Texas for almost 5 years now and every year we have had at least one day of snow, so I don't really get why everyone gets so upset about it. Ha, gotta love Texas. 

This year's "Snow Day" was a little sad because June was still pretty sick, but she wanted to go out and play in it so bad, so we went out for all of two seconds and that cold air hit her lungs and she couldn't stop coughing, so back inside we went. I didn't even have time to snap a picture of her in the snow. So we watched the white stuff fall from inside the warm house. 

We still had a fun day. Thankfully we had some fun activities planned for the day inside so the snow didn't really stop us. 

 June made hearts with a toilet paper roll and paint, then we pulled out the glitter paint and made the kitchen table look very pretty. Lately when June wants to finger paint or use glitter paint or I guess any kind of paint, she calls this activity decorating. She brings me paper, or other things from her scrap bin and tells me "I want to decorate it". I have no idea where it came from, but it's adorable. 

She puts the glitter paint on a paint brush and then smears it on the paper. Really she just likes putting the glitter on the paint brush so its always in big globs that usually ends up all over the table, but she loves it and it's easy enough to clean up so I just let her creative mind go. 

Later that day after we were done "decorating" I put Owen down for his late afternoon nap and we decided to make Banana bread before our bananas were to mushy to use. I pretty much let June take the lead on this activity. Oh boy, the kitchen was a disaster, but she loved helping measure and pour the ingredients and watch the mixer stir it all together. ( Cracking eggs is her favorite... had to pull out about 6-7 shell pieces out of the batter....) Like I said, I let her take the lead. 

Daddy got home super early since the company was worried about slick roads, so he helped us finish baking and then we enjoyed the rest of our late afternoon snuggled together watching movies and playing. 

I do love snow days, and I don't mind the cold. I grew up in the cold, but January and February are such bleak months for us. There is no "winter fun" here in Texas so we all just kind of sit around waiting for it to warm up!! And we can't wait!!! 

Sunday Chit Chat

Have I told you how much I have been loving blogging from my phone or iPad lately?! I feel like I can just hurry and write down moments that I want to remember but know I will forget! I have the majority of the pictures on my phone anyway so it makes it so easy! 

Yesterday, Sunday, was just one of those small moments not to forget! 

First of all I took this picture because I wanted to document that June, at 2 years old is wearing a 6month size skirt... And it's a little big around the waist! 

Also, she's flossing, the girl has some major OCD about dental care. We floss and brush our teeth many times a day! No complaints here!! 

So Sunday after church, I go pick June up from Nursery... She saw me, gave me a huge hug and says "Hi mommy, I miss you, I love you" all at once. I thought the nursery leaders, and myself, were going to die of the cuteness... Then she turns around hugs her Her Nursery leaders and tells them thank you with out being prompted... Who is this little lady?!? 

Dan and I have to drive separate cars to church because of church responsibilities. So it gives me a chance to talk about June's Sabbatb day, just her and I. I asked her about her day, she tells me "good, we sing 'I Child of God", Monkeys jumping, and popcorn" She named all her little friends she missed and when I asked her about snack time she says " oh, just water...." As if it's the worst thing in the world! Then she started singing 5 little monkeys! Oh my it was awesome! She is picking up on so much lately that it's hard to keep up with her. She sings non stop! At night we just laugh because June will be in her room singing songs, she's getting pretty good because we are starting to recognize the songs she's singing! 

    She has a big thing for yellow Items. So last night she was telling Dan and I about how sad she was that her bowl wasn't Yellow... She got really sad about it, Dan and I had to keep looking away to hide the laughter! 

    Her little self is coming out more and more and her talking and memory blows me away! She counts to 10 all by herself, knows her colors and all her shapes! She also now knows how to draw a circle.. I know every kid does this, but when it's your own you feel so accomplished and so proud of them for what they are learning! She definitely has her daddy's brains!! 

Oh I love her so much!!! 

Moving Owen

Another blog post so quickly. I am on a blogging roll here people! First of all, I really do enjoy blogging, and sometimes I just really get in the groove and blog, blog, blog. Secondly I have a handful of folders sitting on my computer desktop just waiting to be blogged. So I am trying to catch up. That is the reason for so many blog posts lately... 

This past week we made the decision to move Owen into his own room. He has been only waking up about once, if at all, each night and he is three months old, so we felt it was time. I felt a lot more ready to move him than I did with June. Maybe because she was my first.... But June slept in our room until about 4 months old. 

He did great! In fact way better than what I was expecting. Our Pack N' Play moves when ever a baby moves and so I think the movement of the Pack N' Play would wake him up, so once he was asleep on his crib mattress he stayed asleep. He has been in there for 3 nights now and has continuously slept through the night! HOORAY!!! Too bad Dan and I have been up with June, still fighting this nasty croop! One day, sleep will come. 

It feels good to have him in his room. I like that both my babies are just across the hall from each other and that Dan and I can have our room back to just our room. We did joke though about how we did lose another room. It made us realize how we definitely won't be able to stay in our little house forever, it put a sad little pit in my stomach... which is funny because who doesn't eventually want to move out of their starter home and on to bigger and better things or living arrangements, but gosh I sure do love this little imperfect house that is perfect to me.