10 Months

       Dear June,

we have hit the double digits sweets! time is flying by way to fast. The last month has been very exciting for you! You have started doing so many new things, and you FINALLY got your first tooth. We have been wondering when that was going to happen, and well it did at Grandma and Grandpa's house. It was just one long night and then all of the sudden a tooth appeared. It's pretty adorable! You are eating very well. You love gold fish, and waffles, really anything except for green beans. You have even taken a liking to peas, but those green beans just come right back out of your mouth. Your skills are developing great! You love having two things in your hands and connecting them. You can sit there with 2 things in your hands and play with them all day. You love to clap and rub your food together in your hands and of course your hair. You make quite the mess while eating, but you're eating so I can't complain to much. 

     You have a cold right now which is really sad, but you cuddle up tight with me, and I love it. Day's like this don't come to often, so when I get the chance to cuddle you I take it! 

     You are deciding to change up the schedule a bit, by only wanting to take one nap. I sometimes can get you to take 2, but one seems to be doing the trick. After talking with your doctor I have learned that if you are ready for just one nap, then that's ok. You are still happy as ever, though I do miss the two naps. It's a working progress. You are sleeping through the night. Going to bed about 8 and waking up about 7-7:30. Thanks for always being such a great little sleeper. You make me a very happy mom when we both get a good nights rest. 

    You have also started crawling, which I have written about already, but now you are getting so much faster, and climbing on and over things. You love to move. It's impossible to get pictures holding still anymore. It takes all I got to get you to look at the camera, but camera ready I can get a few shots. You just love to move!! Your dad and I have been trying to baby proof the house, but you always seem to find something that can go into your mouth, or that can be pulled down. You have already had your fair share of bumps and bruises but you seem chipper as always.

 

     You have been loving summer. You love swimming and are getting quite a nice little tan. I love that your chubby roll lines are all white and then your arms are tan. I think we are ready for it to be fall though. It has been such a fun summer and watching you progress and learn new things, but fall only means more excitement and more things for you to do and learn. I love you sweetheart. With every fiber of my being I love you. My life is my family and you are such a huge part of it!
    I love you.
Love mom.

1st Week Off Call

So Dan.
He's a pretty smart guy.
I love him.

Dan recently made a little up-bump in the world of Geology and is now what they call a "Geo-Steerer" I'm not even sure if that's how you spell it, but well, it's close enough.
Ok, we have established Dan as a Geo-Steerer, now what does that mean? I really don't know.
He shows me all those cool things, features, maps, diagrams, so on and so forth. Nope, still don't really get it.
In normal people's terms, an oil well is drilled into the earth. No off sore drilling in his company. Dan is the man that when the drilling bit hits a certain point he takes over and tells the oil crew where to steer the well. He is enjoying himself, and challenging himself enough to keep him on his toes, but not enough to drive him to insanity. Since oil wells Drill 24 hours a Day 7 days a week without any vacations, Dan is on a work schedule of 2 weeks on, 1 week off. He goes into the office about 6ish-7ish (depending) and comes home around 3ish-5ish (again depending on the well), but he is still on call. Which means call's at 2a.m or in the middle of taking the Sacrament at church. He is on call for 2 weeks. 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. The great thing is though, that when he has his week off, HE IS OFF! NO office, NO work, NO phone calls, nothing, but he still gets paid. This position is only temporary. They told him it's usually about a year, but could be sooner, could be later until he takes another step forward in his career. I'm Just so proud of him.

So this was his official first week off! We didn't do a bunch, simply because we just got back from Idaho, and June and I are heading back there in just a couple weeks, so we thought we would take it easy and get things done around the house. But don't worry, we have some great adventures to come during the future off weeks. Take advantage while we can right?!?

This is what we did for the first week...

We swam Lots and Lots. 

 and Lots

I chopped off more of my hair. 

We bought June new alphabet bath toys

 June having a rough week with teething. It's a very rare thing to have her fall asleep in our arms

Just melts my heart

Watched countless power struggles over toys

Had late night swims

Played the guitar

 Shopped and ate all over the city including Sugar Queen cupcakes

 Continued attempts to make a grumpy girl happy

It honestly was a lazy, but a much needed relaxed week. Dan is now back at work and I am home trying to get june back on her schedule. It was so fun, and I can't wait for the many more weeks we have off together!

9 Months

Dear June,
   Another month past and another month older. 9. 9 months. You today are a grumpy nine month old. You definitely woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. It's cool though, being grumpy once in a blue moon is something I can handle, but non the less you are a GRUMP!
     Starting out as a 9 month old you are busier than ever! Your on the move, your pulling things down, tipping things over, and making me constantly have to keep an eye on you. I love watching you move. You are constantly steam rolling all over the place and scooting that booty! You are crawling in your crib, you just crawl back and forth, but when we put you on the floor you are back to on the belly.
You can go from you back to belly to sitting up in record time. You love just sitting on your bum and kicking your legs.
     You love to eat really anything we put in front of you. I think if we let you, you would pound an entire waffle by yourself. You love waffles! You also love fruit slices, and well like I said really any food we put in front of you. You are feeding yourself and it keeps you busy until you run out of food, then you are arching your back and banging your head on the back of your chair. You just like to eat.
     The summer has been non stop fun with you. You love the going to the park, and swimming. You love reading books, and listening to me read to you. You clap whenever you hear people clap, on TV, Radio, and people right in front of you. You just clap all the time. You start bouncing up and down when music starts, and you laugh so much when you and daddy dance. From day one you have loved music and that just makes me so happy.
     You are so dainty with your movement. The way you pick things up is so adorable, and you are just so curious about whatever you are doing. It melts my heart. You love playing with wood blocks and rolling them across the floor. Ranger thinks it's a game and chases after them, and you just laugh and laugh. You and Ranger are getting more and more into each other's way. It's funny, but I am constantly breaking up fights between toys. Sometimes you win, and sometimes he wins. Don't worry no one has gotten hurt. yet.
     Sleeping. Well we put you to sleep awake and let you drift off on your own. um, but you have learned out to get to a sitting position on your own and now we find you playing in there, but you're quiet so I guess what ever floats your boat. You're sleeping through the night and we are still on the same schedule throughout the day. I am getting you to go to bed a little bit later now days, I feel that you aren't ready to go to bed yet when we put you down, so we are working on that.
     You are constantly talking. Constantly, constantly, constantly. Da Da is coming out of your mouth non stop, and your daddy is just going wild with excitement. He loves it. You are always jabbering about something, and making a new noise every day. Last night you were starting to make this deep man voice, and it was creeping me out a little bit. Funny, but creepy.
      June, there is so much more I could write but I think I would write forever and ever because I just every little thing that you do.

             You continue to be my perfect baby. I worry about your next sibling.

          Oh i love you Ju-Ju.
                   Happy nine Months

               Love mom.

Rexburg in July

I really enjoy going home. It's just home. I think my favorite it walking into my parents house, where I grew up, and the smell of home hits me and it's the greatest smell. Our house always smells so good. I hope that one day my children will feel the same way about our house as I do my parents. It's a good place to be. 

(LOT'S of PICTURES!) You have been WARNED! 

Dan's family had a Lancaster Reunion in Idaho Falls over the 4th of July, so I thought this would make the perfect opportunity to head home a little early and spend some time with my fam. I was really excited to hear that my other siblings would be coming home too, well except for megan, because she is to cool for us... JK MEG! 

I headed to Rexburg a few days early before Dan, just to hang out. June and I had a great time just us and Grandma and Grandpa. 

We went for walks, played on the Tramp, had lunch, went shopping, and did a major grocery trip before all the family came. 

We're gangster's. It's just how we roll. 

Um... She's just too cool for you. 

While the boys played in their golf tournament, us girls and the children went and swam in the Walter's pond and had a grand old time. We even all jumped in. The water was freezing. I think that I will stick to my Texas lake water. 

My Brother Mikey. I really love having a big brother.  Teachin June how we roll in the Burg

Saturday Night we had a BBQ and outside games, along with face painting. I did Brooke's face. It turned out Fantastic.

After Dinner we took the young ones on a nature walk by my parents house. It's actually really pretty where they took us. 

June Loves her Nana

 Sunday was Canada Day. I usually Do a blog post on Canada Day, but I was a little busy, So June celebrated it for us! She is half Canadian after all. 

June and the Mexican... Oh wait I mean my sister. She is the tannest person I know! All that baseball!! 

Our Last Day at Grandma and Grandpa's house. June Playing in Grandma's make up while she got ready. Look how Tiny my mom is. Like seriously! 

We Said Goodbye to my family and headed to Idaho Falls for Dan's Family reunion. It's weird. A Canadian family having a reunion in Idaho Falls. It's a rarity when our families are close together. 

We went to the Idaho Museum and visited King Tut. Cool.

They had dress up clothes so we dressed June up as Davy Crocket. She obviously is a natural hunter. 

The Reunion was held at the Davis Residence. June Loved the swing. 

and the slide

My Hoodlems 

 The 4th was a fun day. Since it was June's first I was bound and determined to make sure she celebrated right and saw it all. Parade, fireworks, the whole sha-bang! 

 Back to the Reunion. We swang some more

Grandpa Lancaster and June a little wired on otter pops

 We had a little down time so Dan and I decided to head to the Green Belt to walk around. Don't mind June's gangster face. 

 My Love

I didn't get any pictures at the fire works. It was just our little family but it was perfect. I woke up June so she wouldn't miss her first big firework show. She didn't take her eyes off the fireworks once. 

Waking her up was well worth it, even though she was laughing like a crazy person the whole way home because she was so wired. Dan and I couldn't stop laughing because of the things she was doing. Crazy Lady. 

June is a great little flyer. It was a little more challenging this time since she isn't 4 months old any more and sleeps the whole time, but she did great and people loved her! 

Just some light reading before take off...

It was a awesome trip! It always goes way to fast so I guess it's a good thing that I'm going back in 4 weeks! Trip #2 coming up!! 

8 Months

Dear June,
     It's that time again to make another post about how much I love you, and how I think you are the best baby ever! 8 months! Each month is going by quicker and quicker! I hate time, but I love watching you grow and discover new things. It's a new thing every day and at this age it's so fun to watch you discover and explore and see your little body so focused on putting a cheerio into your mouth. Love.
     Starting out at your 8 months, you want to touch and feel everything. The house does need to become baby proofed because of your little exploring mind. You love clapping your little hands when ever we get excited for you, and you are constantly rubbing your little feet on the carpet, in the water, and really any surface. You love just moving your feet. Because of that, Diaper changing has literally become a comedy show watching me try to get your diaper changed. One time a whole bum cheek was sticking out, because I put it on so crooked! Oh dear mother...
     You continue to sleep fantastico! You do have, on occasion, nights that you wake up, but you don't cry, you just start talking to yourself, saying Da Da Da Da over and over again. June watching you sleep literally melts my heart. It hurts, because of how much I love you. You still go down at 7 and wake up about 6:30.
     No Teeth yet, but you are teething like a little stinker. They will come when the're ready. We are not in any hurry, just as long as they do come eventually. Dentures at one year old, might be an issue. :)
     We are in the hot summer months of Texas, so you are enjoying splashing in the pool and soaking in the sun. I do admit I love that you have Tan lines around your chubby rolls. Adorable.
     Daddy is more in love than ever with you. Should I be Jealous?! Heck ya! He loved you so much from the moment you met, and it's only getting better. Me? I had to work hard for that love! ha ha it doesn't matter, watching him with you makes it all worth it. You two are going to be best pals. You love dancing with him, and being tossed and flipped around.
     You are a TALKER! Holy smokes you are a little chatter box. You laugh and smile all the time (except when your tired, understandable) and you use those lungs full force. You're going to be just like your mother. Loud and obnoxious!
      You are trying so hard to move. In fact as I am typing this, I am watching you reach for a book that is just a little out of grasp and you are working and concentrating so hard. You're close, VERY close!
     Eating has gone very well. You hate the green crap, but so does your dad, so he feels its ok to not eat it. I think other wise. The fruits and little bits of food we give you though, you suck in like a vacuum!
     Well Ju Ju B, that is all I have to report for this month. I cannot, literally cannot say how much I love you. My heart can't take it, but I will say it anyways. I love you.
You are just so funny!

Love you Juniper,
   Love mom

6 months in, resolution checkpoint

Holy smokes its June. I LOVE the month of June, because every time someone says the month, I get to hear my daughter's name and it just makes my day.

We have been busy. Very busy. Non stop swirl around your brain, kick you in the crotch kind of busy! I feel like June has spent the last month of her life in her car seat. Poor thing. Things aren't going to slow down anytime soon. Summer is upon us my friend and I am so excited for the many trips we have planned and getting to go to Idaho a couple times, one of those for the annual Triathlon!

Since we are already half way done with this year I thought I would give a little checkpoint to where I am with my new years resolutions. Ya that's right I am keeping them this year!
What my new years resolutions are:

Be in a house before June's first Birthday CHECK!
As you probably know we are in our house! In Love once again. We are still living at two different places, but we are sleeping at the house, and just getting the last odds and ends out of the apartment, which I pray will be the last shared wall experience I will ever have to encounter! 

Read through the Book of Mormon PROGRESS...
We are reading the Book of Mormon together, and well we miss nights, and sometimes we both fall asleep while reading, but we are trying and it's actually been going pretty well. 

Hit my pre- Dan weight. CHECK!
I look back at those pictures of when Dan and I were dating (5 years ago) I looked so tiny. I can't believe I ever complained about my weight back then... I have matured and my face,I feel,will never look that young again, but I can successfully say I have lost all my pregnancy weight, and I am proud to say that I went down 2 Jean sizes and I am keeping it off! Of course I still have the blob! My love handles will NEVER disappear. 
Be more consistent with Family Home Evening FAILURE! 
Oh man we really struggle with FHE. Unless we do it with friends it seems to slip away from us. We do try when we remember, It's one of those things we want so badly in our home, and we are hoping that with our attempted tries it will happen.  

Experiment more with different foods and make a new meal once a week PROGRESS...
Enjoying being in my new kitchen, and trying different foods. I have even thrown fish into the mix. I feel like my cooking skills are minimal at best, but it's a working progress. 
Read more CHECK! 
 I make sure to always have a book to read, and of course I read with June every single day. I have finished some great series including "The Great and Terrible" and I am on the fifth book of "Fablehaven" I love series. It just means I always know what book to grab next. So if any of you have a good series let me know! 

Take more photos and videos of June  DOUBLE CHECK! 
With I phones, a point and shoot camera, and my SLR I always have a camera at hand. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't snap some sort of video or picture of June, mostly to send to Dan at work, but also for the keep sake of how fast she is growing. 

Play the guitar together a lot more   FAILURE!
 Oh man, we haven't picked up our guitars in over a month. In fact they are still at our apartment, but maybe once we really get all settled in the house we will pick it up again. Dan used to play for June all the time, and I miss that music in our home. Im hoping it starts back up again really soon. 

Eat the blizzard of the month every month  CHECK! 
Of course we are reaching this new years resolution. How could we fail this one? There have been some delicious blizzards in the past six months and some major busts, but good all the same.


Well That's where we are at. I feel pretty good about the progress in this year. I'm sure failure will be written a lot more by the time we are done, but hey we are working and doing our best, and kicking some serious new years resolutions trash!