Say Cheese!

At Last! My camera shy baby smiles on command! We were about to walk out the door and she just looked so grown up, I whipped out the camera and she smiled. Boy, I am admittedly easy to impress.

The Many Reasons Why We Love Bedtime

A few nights ago we were putting Evelyn to bed and I was thinking how this is one of my favorite parts of the day. Not only because we're putting Ev to bed and then we can relax, but because she gets so snuggly right before we lay her down.
I snuck out during our bedtime routine and grabbed the camera. I ended up with the best picture ever! Snuggly baby and daddy. I love it. Enjoy.

Soon To Be Family Of Four

Hurray! I'm finally 12 weeks pregnant, so I can post it on my blog. It is so true that you show so much sooner with your second:

I'm (hopefully you already knew this) just kidding. I don't like the looks of this picture that was taken on Evelyns due date, but I feel the need to embrace what's coming.

Evelyn and Derek shared the same due date of Sep 10th (Derek was born on the 2nd and Ev on the 13th). Interestingly enough I am now due on what was my due date. This was not planned. So I'm due on June 25th, and I was actually born on July 5th. My poor mother had me ten days overdue. I was 9 lbs. 5 oz. Did anyone else squirm when they read this? This is sounding a lot like revenge. Did anyone elses mom ever say, 'I hope you have a child just like you', at some point? I'm sure my mom said it every day of being overdue. The point of all of this is, I think I'm going to be plenty overdue myself and I'm prepping for it.

When I'm asked what my due date is I am tempted to say July 5th. If only to avoid the, "You're STILL pregnant?" comments that everyone who's been 9 (or 7 or 8) months pregnant loves.

We're very excited and I'm excited to be pregnant through the winter this time.

A Few Family Pictures From Island Park

My father-in-law just sent me these pictures from last weekend in Island Park. This is the whole family. As you can see, we tried to get all the grandkids to sit with grandpa on the couch, but Evelyn is totally clingy to mommy and daddy right now, so she's just looking at them. This picture gives me the giggles, because this is so me and Derek. I would be kissing Derek in every picture if I could but all I do is lean into him and I get this look: (apparently Brad gets the look too.)

Here's grandpa with all his grandkids. All of them did so well except for dear, sweet Evelyn. This picture must have been taken between cryings.

Hanging The Lights

Does anyone else ever feel like they're just playing house? Like we're not really adults, just teenagers who are pretending to play house? This felt like another moment of playing house. We hung Christmas Lights on the house. It was really fun for all of us because the weather outside was very pleasant and it suprisingly didn't take that much time.

I am happy to post this picture of Evelyn smiling. She normally becomes very quizzical when the camera comes out. I feel the need to prove that she does smile. I got this stroller out so she could push it around, but instead she wanted to sit in it and watch dad hang the lights.


Derek hanging the lights.

Evelyn was helping with the lights as well.

Then decided to climb the ladder once she saw how it was done.

And continued to climb...

More (supervised this time) climbing...

The Goose is Getting Fat

I want that to be the title for every post now that it is December. I always have that song in my head during Christmas season, 'Christmas is coming the Goose is Getting Fat...'

We were in Island Park this last weekend with all the Reeds and went tree hunting. We found a great one. Derek and I both agree that it's the best tree we've ever had. We love it.

We came home on Sunday and decorated the tree and the house. It was so fun. Evelyn really enjoyed it as well. The decorated tree looks great, except that there are no ornaments on the bottom third of it. I thought things would be much easier if we did it that way.

Here is Evelyn putting on her ornament from last year.

I just bought this BYU ornament and Derek loves it. He chose this to be the first ornament on the tree.

Little Monkey

Evelyn is a serious climber. I can't figure out how she climbs onto the things that she does. These pictures were taken on Thanksgiving Day at Great-Grandma Reeds house. The food was better than it's ever been. It was so yummy.

This picture in particular is how she climbes best: one inch from falling.