The New Me

This is me two years ago on the day I got my braces on. You gotta look at the bigger version to truly appreciate how much my teeth have changed.


This is me today. WAHOO! I love my new self (even though my teeth are slimy). I got brave and also went and got my hair cut short. I figured that I might as well get Peter used to a whole new mommy at one time instead of slowly. I love the new me.

P.S. Alli will you help me out and put more layers in it. They stylist didn't quite figure that part out from my description of what I wanted.

Cousin fun

On Thursday afternoon I went and picked up Peter's three cousins for an afternoon of fun. We went swimming, made pancakes, and the boys played the computer. It was such a lot of fun having them over. It was also good practice for having 4 kids instead of just one. Wow, what the juggling act.

Yea for Peter!

Peter has finally figured out how to crawl!!! He took his first crawling "steps" on Saturday evening and he's been getting better and better at it each day. It's been wonderful because things as simple as a burp cloth will keep him occupied forever since he can chase it around the room. Yea for another big milestone in his life.

Also, Peter's bottom two teeth finally popped through last Sunday. He's been a happier baby since then. Yea. As for me, I'm just trying to make every day slow down. I mean honestly, is it already the end of July? Time is flying by so fast.

He's trying so hard

Peter has been trying so hard to crawl the past couple of weeks. Every morning when I wake up I think that today will be the day he finally figures it out. He is so confused on how to get his feet to go where they need to go. Occasionally he gets stuck and looks like this.


Last night Brandon gave me a break from the baby and made zucchini bread with Peter while I watched a chick flick. It was so cute to see them working together in the kitchen. BTW, thanks Alicia for the zucchini. It's been soooo yummy!

It's A Girl

On Monday, my sister Lisa and her hubby Brent went in for the ultrasound of their baby. They are having a GIRL. They were very generous with the DVD of the ultrasound and I got to see my little niece up close. Oh man, she is so cute already. It's so exciting to have another baby on the way! Baby Ella will be the 2nd grandchild on my side.

Lisa and Brent will be moving to Tallahassee in approximately 3 weeks. They will be living there while Brent gets a Masters Degree. I'm so happy for them, but we will miss them so much once they are gone. My Mom is so excited to have a granddaughter coming soon. She's already started quilting her a special blankie. Ella is schedule to come on November 30th, so she and Peter will be about a year apart.

My perfect smile

I spent yesterday morning at the orthodontist office. The orthodontist told me that my perfect smile will be noticeable to the entire world on July 28th!!! I am so excited!

I have one last decision to make in regards to my braces and I don't know what to do. In your opinion should I get a permanent wire on my top and bottom teeth or should I just opt for the removable retainer? It's so hard to know what would be the best.

Milestones at 8

Peter is now 8 months old! How did time fly by so fast? As I was looking at him this morning I swear he looked a zillion times older then when I put him to bed last night. My baby isn't a baby anymore :'-(

Peter ate his first cracker by himself today. It was an experiment that I thought might work and I was very impressed when it did. I plopped him down on the kitchen floor and he went to town. It was so cute to watch. He tries so hard to be grown up.




Excuse the large picture of Bran's bum, but I had to post this picture. Peter loves to walk with help now. He would do this all day long if I had the strength to hold him up. I'm beginning to wonder if he will skip crawling and go right to walking.

Finally, it has been confirmed - Peter is teething. Two little baby teeth are trying to poke through on him bottom gum. I'm so glad to know the reason for his really crabby attitude the last week.

This is such a new experience for me that I was neglectful in doing the investigative work (which caused a lot of crying from Peter) until today. Poor chap. Needless to say, he'll get a lot more of mommy rocking and singing to him. I would appreciate any advice/recommendations on teething babies. Okay, now it's off to bed for me. What a memorable day.

Our 4th of July Celebrations

Our Independence Day Holiday was truly marvelous. We spent it going to the Brady Family Reunion, attending our ward breakfast, doing church work after the ward breakfast, going to the Thomas bbq, eating more bbq at the Burr Family Reunion, and then having OFFHE at Aunt Laurie's house. It was a whirlwind of a weekend, but we loved every minute.

Of particular mention is Peter meeting his Great-Grandma Christensen, Great Uncle John, Great Aunt Janet, and a bazillion cousins for the first time. Here are lots of pictures because Nathan and Lanay plus my bro. Kent couldn't be with us :-(

Me and Peter with Great Grandma Brady and Great Grandpa Brady

Lots of Burr Cousins at the Grandma House

Peter enjoying Aunt Laurie's toys

Peter and Great Grandma Christensen

Doing church work with Daddy

Peter and cousin Kiersten

Jon and Marti

Peter with Julie

Brent, Lisa, and Amy

Grandpa Davis

Chatting away

Brandon and Peter reading (Karla, do you recognize the book?)

Lots of cousins jumping on the tramp

Uncle Alex

Our holiday was only complete after a phone call this morning telling us that Peter gained a new cousin. We'll wait for Aunt A to post all the details. Wahoo!!!

Richard

This past Thursday night Brandon, Peter, and I went and celebrated the HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT of Uncle Richard (as Peter would say). Richard graduated from high school and we are so, so proud of him. It was a long road for him fraught with many obstacles, yet he received his diploma in spite of them. Yea!!!

Richard, you have:

Courage
Determination
Persistence
Self-Motivation
Fortitude
Resolution
Endurance
Tenacity

and Spunk

We are so proud of all that you've accomplished. Way to go dude!

Hurrah for Saturday

In celebration of my Mom's 53rd birthday we went as a family to the Oquirrh Temple Open House. It was so amazingly beautiful inside! I was surprised with the size of the temple because it's smaller then Provo or Mt. Timp. Regardless, I enjoyed every moment. It was oodles of fun to take Peter on his first trip to the Temple. I hope it will be the first of many, many, many trips for him.
The day was a little overcast, but we managed to dodge all the rain showers while we were outside. After the temple we had a picnic at Amy's apartment complex. We weren't able to dodge the raindrops there though so we had our picnic inside.

After eating we were able to successfully figure out how to do a video chat with my brother Kent. He is stationed in Ft. Gordon in Georgia and we haven't heard much from him since March. It was so nice to see his face and hear his voice all at the same time. As you can imagine, my Mom was so happy.