It's a baby . . .

I figured since I am now 20 weeks along I should announce that we are having a baby GIRL! We are very excited to be having another girl and Lexi will be a big sister. This pregnancy has been a little different but I was still sick and taking medication until 18 weeks like I was with Lexi. I am finally feeling pretty good but I have had a lot of headaches and I'm already getting heartburn. I am so excited to be having another baby and we have been working on moving Lexi out of the baby's room and into a big girl bed. Luckily my parents gave us my old bed and this last weekend we drove down and picked it up. My mom is coming up for her spring break the end of March to help paint and finish Lexi's new room.

We had so much fun spending the weekend with my family and celebrating Valentine's Day. Jaron and I were able to go out to the movies and dinner with my parents while Mindy watched Lexi for us. It was great to be able to go out on a date since we haven't done that in a very long time. Lexi had a blast playing with Austin and she loved being down there. She is getting so big and talking so much. She has known all her upper case letters of the alphabet since last month and I'm working on colors and numbers with her. She is pretty much potty trained which has been so nice. Lexi also loves to watch Finding Nemo, Up, and Mickey Mouse. She turns two next month and has grown up so much.

Looking so cute before church

Loves her froggie

Austin and Lexi playing

Mindy's little girl Kenzie

A quick Christmas recap

Christmas was very different for us this year since it was just us this year. My parents were coming up after Christmas for a few days and then Jaron's parents were coming to stay a few days. We had Christmas Eve dinner with my cousin Nikki and her family which was a lot of fun and then we did some of our own traditions at home.

Looking so cute in her church dress

Lexi putting her ornament she made in nursery on the tree

Christmas Eve after dinner at Nikki and Tracy's house

Opening pjs on Christmas Eve

The best picture of Lexi opening her "froggie"

Daddy and Lexi

So cute!

Opening her ornament

Christmas morning playing with some toys

We had so much fun with family, however the huge snow storms didn't allow us to do things that we wanted to do. It did keep my parents here an extra day, which was great.

Lexi and Kysa at lunch out with family at Paradise Bakery - Yummy!

Dad and Mom

Me and Stace

It's that time again . . .

For Christmas baking! Luckily this year was a whole lot easier since Stacy and I decided to do it together. I have been doing it on my own for the last 9 years or so and this was definitely the easiest! It still took us all of Saturday but they were all on plates and wrapped up by 7 p.m. That was record time for me. They tasted fabulous, if I do say so myself, and I think everyone enjoyed them. Thanks again Stace for all the help!

Lexi wearing my apron to help bake

All the plates

Up close goodness

The tired bakers at the end of the day

Our treat wagon to deliver the goodies

So cute in her snow gear

Our ward Christmas party was last week and it was the first time Lexi got to see Santa. I was a little nervous since she freaks out whenever there are strangers around. We had been trying to prepare her by reading Christmas books, watching Christmas shows and teaching her that Santa says, "HO HO HO!" She did really well when it was our turn and she even sat on his lap without a fuss. She was very sober while sitting with him but when he asked her if she had anything to say, she said, "Potty!" I quickly informed Santa that we are potty training and that she would not pee on him! I grabbed her anyway and she walked over to get her candy cane and over to Jaron. It was a pretty funny experience anyway!

Sitting with Santa

Looking so cute and grown up before the party

Potty Training, Thanksgiving and turning 28

Look at this cute adorable little face! You would never believe that she has been a little monster trying to potty train. I have to say that I absolutely HATE potty training! It really has been such a long process. She was doing so great after two and a half weeks but the last two days at my parents and since coming home it seems like we have completely started over. I tried the potty training in three days where you switch over completely to underwear. Lets just say after spot cleaning about every inch of my front room carpet and my couches, it didn't really work for me. I just have to say I will be so grateful when it's over.

Lexi loves to read books and sings songs and its one of the only ways I can get her to go

Thanksgiving was so fun. Stacy and I took our girls and went done on the Friday before to surprise my parents. Jaron and Jaden came down the day before because they had to work. The food was fabulous as usual and we worked for hours in the kitchen to get it all made. After dinner we played lots of games that we exchanged for Christmas. We had so much fun and laughed hysterically while playing the game Quelf. Stacy gave it to us for Christmas and if you haven't played it, you should.

We did do Black Friday shopping but Mom and Mindy were the ultimate shoppers. They started at 11pm on Thanksgiving night. They got home a little after midnight, slept 3 hours and they got up to be at Kohls by 4am. When Stacy and I got up around 7:30, mom was wide awake and ready to go again with us. We got some fabulous sales at Target and Kohls. It was so fun to all be together for over a week.
Relaxing at the table after stuffing ourselves

Lexi is such a picky eater and barely ate anything

The cute little Shaw Family

Mindy's adorable little girl Kenzie getting ready to eat

Stacy and Kysa

My birthday was on Sunday, the 29th so unfortunately we were in the car for most of the day traveling back to Utah. The night before, my parents bought me an ice cream cake to celebrate. I got some good gifts from my hubby and family and then Stacy and I wrapped presents with my mom, which I absolutely love to do.

Halloween 09'

Halloween started a week and a half ago for us with the ward party and trunk or treat. Luckily my wonderful and talented mother made Lexi the cutest Flapper costume. She looked adorable and we took a million pictures too. This was Lexi’s first trick or treating experience and she was totally into it. Since it is freezing cold in Utah and already snowed this week, our ward just sits in a big circle and the kids walk around and collect their candy. At first Lexi wasn’t sure what was going on, but soon she discovered there was candy in her bucket and she soon learned how to grab it for herself and drop it in. Most of the time she is very timid and shy around people she doesn’t know, but that didn’t matter I guess when candy is involved!

Doesn't she look so grown up!?

Check out those lashes!!!

Jaron’s work also had a trick or treating at his office on Friday. They provided pizza for everyone and the kids were able to go around to all the offices and get candy. Jaron was able to borrow a costume from one of our friends and it was a big hit!

Every holiday I always bake something festive and most of the time I try to make a decoration or something. This year I made pumpkin sugar cookies, which I attempted my decorating skills on, and to make a cute little ghost girl! Both turned out relatively well I thought!

The weather was very nice actually tonight on Halloween, but it was still a little cool. We added a little shirt to Lexi's costume to keep her warmer and she still looked adorable!

Woo hoo! Check out that leg!

Nursery!?

This is Lexi ready for church looking so nice and innocent until it is time to go to nursery! The last two weeks Lexi puts a death grip on Jaron or me once we enter the room. She doesn't care about the other kids or the abundant amount of toys scattered about the room. The first couple of weeks she loved it and could have cared less about mom or dad, but something changed and now we get lots of tears and screams when we try to leave. I don't know if we should stay in there for a few weeks or what!? I don't want to punish the poor nursery workers! Anyone have any suggestions?

September

This month we were busy with family and just living life. My sister Mindy and her two kids came up to visit for 10 days at the beginning of the month. Alexis had so much fun playing with Austin and we had a good time just hanging out. I got Mindy to get up at 6 am, which if you know Mindy is a shocker, to go to the gym with me. We had to be back before all of the kids woke up and Jaron had to leave for work. Jaron is such a great husband and would get up at 5 am to go to the gym so Mindy and I could go together. It was nice to work out with someone again and fun to go with Mindy. We were able to make lots of new dinners too.


Alexis and Austin waiting to go on a walk

My cousin Nikki's 5 kids with Austin and Alexis after having FHE together

September 15th was Stacy and Jaden’s 2nd anniversary and they invited Jaron, Lexi and I to stay one of the nights with them up in Park City. For their honeymoon they stayed at the Marriott Mountainside and wanted to stay there again. They got a double room the first night and since Jaron and I didn’t do anything for our anniversary this year, we thought it was so nice of them to invite us. We had so much fun shopping at the outlets, making dinner together, and enjoying the pool and hot tubs there. Even though it was only one night we had a great time.

Kysa sporting some adorable Nike shoes at the Nike outlet

Eating dinner at Ruby Tuesdays in Park City

Stacy, Kysa and Jaden with us at dinner

The rest of this month has been great just enjoying being with Alexis. She is growing up so fast and says new words everyday. She absolutely loves the television show Super Why and would watch it over and over everyday if I would let her. She is constantly grabbing the remote and saying “Why” over and over. We have been having some struggles with her screaming lately however. She has lots of mini tantrums when she doesn’t get what she wants and begins screaming. The only thing that I have found to work is to put her in the bathroom and close the door until she stops. It is only for a few seconds and then we talk about having a soft and nice voice. This happens multiple times a day, however. Anyone have any suggestions about what to do when your child screams?
Other than the screaming, I just love being able to see all the new things Lexi learns. Her hair is getting so long in the back so I have been experimenting with what little strands of hair she has. My mom says my hair was exactly the same when I was little so I guess there is some hope that it will thicken a little. I love that Lexi is getting more independent and yesterday even helped my bake a dessert for FHE. Her favorite part was licking the spatula, but it was so fun to have her “help” me.

Bed head!

Lexi loving her sunglasses

Her adorable Nike warmup we got from my mom's friend

Lexi loving Aunt Stacy's homemade freezer jam in Park City

Loving the camera!

Lexi in her cute jammies pushing her favorite toy these day

My big girl in her cute camo pants

Watching her favorite show, "Super Why"

Enjoying the rewards of helping mom make a treat