Beach!

I kept forgetting it was December while in California.  The weather was so nice!  We went to the beach our second day there and it was amazing- mid seventies and super sunny!  Even though it was warm and beautiful, Hattie wasn't too sure.  The waves were quite loud, the water cold, and sand unfamiliar.  Here are some pictures from my mom and Ashley's iPhones- thanks for the pictures!


After a while she was ok with sitting on a towel on the sand.  Initially she only wanted to be held!

Here's the whole group minus Adam.

We saw dolphins! 

 

 

 

Our next evening at the beach Hattie decided the sand was ok.  She loved grabbing a handful and letting it run through her fingers.  She also thought it tasted delicious :)

 

 



Disneyland!

Last week my mom and siblings all gathered in Southern California.  It was an amazing week!  It's the first time we've all been together since having a bunch of babies.  It was so great seeing everyone and makes me wish we all lived closer. 

On Monday and Wednesday we went to Disneyland and California Adventure!  I did not take many pictures as it's difficult to maneuver a stroller/carry a child and take pictures at the same time.  Disneyland is a much different experience with a baby.  You can't ride as many rides, but it was still fun.  I think Hattie's first trip to the happiest place on Earth was a success.

The giant (fake) Christmas tree!

Meeting Tinker Bell!  Charlotte was so excited (but also a bit shy).

Hattie's first ride!  Casey Jr.

She loved the baby carrier!

This picture from the Tower of Terror cracks me up.  Kurt and I have very similar expressions and for some reason we're both only raising our right hands.  Also, there's a hand in front of Clarence's face.

Olivia loved the parade!  She was so fun to watch.

Cousins!  Aren't these two adorable?  Until Livi sits on Hattie's back like she's riding a horse...then it all falls apart. 

11 Months

So much happened this past month!  She gives kisses, waves goodbye, claps her hands (when she hears other people clapping in person or on TV she will often join in), makes more noises including 'g' and 'j' sounds.  She will say mamamamama when upset.  She learned how to open her puffs container with her teeth!  See!

She tries to imitate things like clicking your tongue and snapping your fingers.  She also shares!  Hattie will hand me something and then I hand it back and we'll go back and forth several times.  And not to mention- she can walk!  I can't believe how much she's improving day by day. 

For her 11 month photos I put Hattie in a dress that my mom mad for me when I was around 1 year old.  This dress is awesome and hilarious and totally looks like 1988.  It's impossible to get this girl to sit still so we only took a few pictures and most are blurry.

Not too sure about the shoes...

And they're off!

P.S.  My mom is really good a sewing!

Cousins and Friends!

There are a couple things I forgot to post about in November!

Hattie and her cousins had fun at the park a few weeks ago- one of the last days before the super cold weather started.  The three of them are so cute on the swing set!

Friend Reunion 2013 also happened!  It was a fantastic weekend spending time with Cassie, Tori, Sarah, and Jeanette- my best friends from college!  All of us met up here in Utah (Sarah and I live here) for the very first best friends reunion.  There were carmelitas, magic punch, scene it, and reminiscing!  Wish we all lived closer!  And unfortunately, I don't have any pictures. 

And one more thing- Kurt and I went to see Catching Fire (second movie in the Hunger Games series) and it was amazing.  Better than the first one.  It was also the first movie I've seen in theaters this year!  And will probably be the only one :)

Utah Snow

Winter is officially upon us!

It's hard to tell, but Hattie is waving in this picture:

It snowed lots more after these pictures were taken.  Snow here is different.  I now understand why it is sometimes called powder!  It's not super icy and is so light it blows in the wind.  The streets aren't nearly as bad here either.  Certainly there are rough patches, but the less icy snow, fleet of snowplows, and not to mention the experienced drivers/snow clearers means the roads are a bazillion times better than in Western Washington when it snows.  Also, snow is less exciting when it doesn't guarantee a snow day!

Hattie's first Christmas will be white (knock wood)! 

AHS

The landlord is finishing the basement of the house we live in.  Yesterday, some guys came to deliver the sheet rock.  One knocked on the door to ask me to move my car.  I agreed, no problem!  To my bewilderment, his next question was "So you're a Seahawks fan?"  What?  where did this come from?  We don't have any Seahawks anything anywhere.  Is there a Seattle something somewhere he can see in our front room and just made the leap that we must be Seahawks fans?  Then I realized what shirt I was wearing- Anacortes Seahawks Volleyball.  A shirt from high school.  Even though it's the wrong colors and the wrong sport entirely it's the only explanation I can think of.  Good thing I (by default) am a Seahawks fan or else it would have been even more confusing. 

5 years

Five years ago I was taking a final in Kane Hall with a gross boy hacking up phlegm beside me.  How do I know this?  It was the first entry on my blog!  Oh how times have changed!  I'm glad I've been able to record all those changes on this blog.  Yes, I mostly only document happy things, this is a public blog after all, but really those are things I want to remember.  We absolutely learn from our challenges, but remaining positive is always beneficial.  And that's what this blog helps me to do- see the good in my life even when going through hardships. 

Happy Birthday Blog!  Thanks for documenting a life of Charity. 


December 2008 (visiting Adam and Ashley in Utah)

December 2009 (engaged- in Iona)

November 2010 (apparently I didn't take pictures in December)

December 2011 (remember when I used to take selfies all the time?  No?  Good.)

December 2012 (it's hard to tell in the first picture, but I was 8 1/2 months pregnant)

December 2013 (first Utah winter and Hattie's first December! Also, I've had that black hat for way longer than I thought)

 

 



Look who's walking!

She's been taking a step or two or three for about a week now, but tonight she really took off!  I think we officially have a walker (at 10 months and 3 weeks old)!

 

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

There's snow on the ground and decorations up in our house!

I put most of our decorations on our mantle.  I love my free printables from Pinterest- the banner and the Joy to the World map.

And the tree is up!  I'm sad to admit that we bought a fake one.  We're going to be gone the week before Christmas and decided it would probably be better to get a fake tree for when we're not home.  Lame!  I think it looks alright though.

If Hattie learns how to stand up on her own (she can stand up on her own, but not for very long) we're going to have to move up some of those ornaments :)

Can't wait for Christmas!

Thanksgiving

Hattie spent her first Thanksgiving up in Iona at her great-grandma and great-grandpa's!  It was a small group consisting of us, G&G, and Uncle Todd. 

We had a delicious dinner!  Hattie ate turkey, sweet potatoes, Jell-O, green beans, bread, and hated mashed potatoes!  They were in her mouth for all of 1 second before she spit them out.  What a weirdo!  Potatoes are delicious!

Here she is!

And here's everyone (except me):

 

 

 

After dinner we had pies- made by me!  They don't look too pretty but they tasted good!  Grandma loved the lemon (especially the crust- thanks for the recipe Ma!) and Grandpa loved the pumpkin- said it was one of the best he'd ever had.  Good thing I used Grandma's recipe :)

 



We stayed for the whole weekend.  Kurt, Hattie, and I did some Black Friday shopping which wasn't too bad in Idaho Falls.  Apparently it was busy, but was like a regular shopping day back in Washington.  Todd went home on Saturday and afterwards the rest of us went to the mall for a walk.  Then to The Sizzler for dinner! 

I also helped Grandma set up the tree!  The star on top is 50-60 years old!  She also has ornaments that were her mothers and several others that were gifts.  It was fun going through everything and learning about where they came from. 

It was a great weekend!