Lexi Anne: 11 Months

January 16, 2018:

Happy New Year Lexi Anne! It is now 2018 which marks a couple of big things for our family. First you will turn one next month :( aunt Emily will graduate this May and your Dad will have just one more year of Pharmacy school! I am pretty excited about the last one haha. January was a pretty slow month for us, which was good and bad. It was nice to not feel like we were always going but it made the month drag on, winter is rough because there isn't much to do but we've made it work.

We started out the month down in Utah on New Years day, we didn't get to stay too long since your dad had school the following day but we were able to have lunch with my family before we headed home. Sundays have gotten a little harder now that we have 9 am church and your nap is at 10 am. But your dad and I have found ways to make it work out. This month our church got a new Prophet because President Monson passed away. We were lucky enough to be able to listen to a special broadcast announcing the new Prophet this month, I am excited for President Nelson and know that he will be a wonderful prophet.

You were able to come with me to my friend Sammi's baby shower, it was so fun to spend some time with friends that I haven't seen very much since leaving my last job. Life gets pretty crazy around here but it's always a fun time when we are able to get together and catch up. You did such a great job, you loved playing on the gym floor with the other little kids and all the yummy food!

No Dr. appointments again this month thankfully you haven't caught any of the yucky colds or flu bug! But on one of our many visits to Costco this month I had your dad weigh you and you are 19 lbs. 4 oz.  You have tried some new foods this month, some of your favorites include quesadillas, marshmallows, cucumber and sometimes cottage cheese. You really aren't too picky of an eater but occasionally you won't want to eat what we are having. Your two front teeth came in this month, luckily they were one right after another so you didn't have to wait too long or have too much pain. There are two more that look like they are trying to come in but we probably won't see them until February. You have mastered blowing kisses, whenever you see Daddy put on his coat you automatically start to blow him kisses because you know that he is about to leave, its cute but also a little sad.

You have really started jabbering more this month and finally started to say dad more often! That made your dad so happy, he says you can have anything you want as long as you keep saying dadda or daddy! Haha! You still really like to dance, and you will usually start dancing right away when we play music, sometimes you will be shy if people are around but mostly we are guaranteed dance moves from you. :) I have started to do your hair occasionally in either pigtails or a little side or top ponytail. You look so cute and grown up! Your little personality is showing more and more each day, you do the cutest little faces sometimes it just cracks us up! My favorite is when you are excited about something and you will scrunch up your little nose and do a cheesy grin that shows your teeth. Its so funny! You have started to not like certain noises, lately the blender, vacuum and blow dryer have really bothered you. One day I was vacuuming before your dad had to go to work and you pulled the funniest face, luckily I was able to get it on camera! :) YOU HAVE STARTED TAKING STEPS! You aren't full on walking just yet but you get braver and braver everyday. Mostly I can get you to walk to me if I have food or something you want. On January 29 I was able to catch you walking towards the recliner! You even stopped and crouched down and then stood back up and kept going! Lexi you are getting so so big! It's hard to imagine that on February 16th you will be One years old! It makes me sad but I am also excited to see you continue to grow and learn, we sure love you and are so happy to have you in our family! You bring your dad and I so much joy daily!

*update: you started walking January 31st, you are still cautious about it but you do a fair amount of walking and crawling now.

little pigtails

the face you made while I vacuumed

Lexi Anne: 10 Months

December 16, 2017:

Merry Christmas Lexi girl! I can't believe that the holidays have come and gone already! We sure enjoyed celebrating them with you, and cant wait for the many more to follow.

Well as usual we had another busy month due to the holidays. This month we decorated the house in Christmas decorations. After Thanksgiving you watched Grandma Almond and aunt Dorothy put up Dorothy's tree and you were mesmerized by it. Once we finally put up our tree you weren't as fascinated by it (granted we did block you from being able to reach it) but you did like the pretty lights. Every time we were out and about this month and saw any kind of lights or decorations for Christmas I made sure to point them out to you, I am pretty sure the lights are your favorite.

This month you gained a new cousin, Remmington Jaeger Almond was born on December 21st. Your dad and I were fortunate enough to be able to drive to Utah with you and Grandma and Grandpa Almond to meet him that week. I thought it was pretty neat that he also came 3 weeks early like you, but he weighed 6 lbs and was a little bit taller than you. He is such a precious miracle and we are so glad that he and aunt Hillary are all doing well! I can't wait for you two to start playing together. This month we also found out that aunt Melissa will be having a baby girl in May! Yay! Another cousin for you to grow up with! We are so excited about all the babies in the family!

We had a few of Christmas parties this month but you only attended two of them, we went to our ward Christmas party on the 16th and you visited Santa for the first time. You definitely surprised your dad and I because we thought you were going to cry when you saw him. But instead you just stared at him for a second and then back us. We took that as our sign to quickly snap your picture and then we moved onto the dinner portion of that party.

The second party you went to was our family Christmas Eve party with Dad's side of the family. Every year we trade off with either mommies family or daddies and this year we were in Pocatello. Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday so we all dressed up in our Christmas Sunday best and attended a musical sacrament meeting, then we spent the rest of the day at great Grandma Ruth's house. That evening we went to the church for our Christmas Eve dinner, nativity and a few games with the family. Grandma Almond made a Grinch pinata for all the kids, you didn't mind it until they kids yelled with joy as all the candy fell to the ground. That was a little too much noise for you, once we got you settled down we went back to great Grandma Ruth's and found that one of Santa's elves had left a special gift for all the Almond grand-kids. Inside was some warm Christmas jammies for all the kids! You and cousin Claire matched and Dillon, Caleb and Cohen matched it was so cute! Once we got a few pictures of all the kids your dad and I decided to get you home and off to bed.

Christmas morning you woke up at 6:30 am and we turned on the Christmas tree and found that Santa had visited you! He left you a cute push toy that has all kinds of fun sounds and music, it had a telephone and much more to play with. I was excited because it will help you gain more balance and eventually you'll start to walk! Not that I am super eager for you to walk but I know it is in our near future! You were so excited when you first sat on the ground next to it you kept leaning over to the side and smiling and then you would kick your feet. After you played with your new toy for a minute we had you open Grandma and Grandpa Pope's present. They bought you some adorable outfits, but you won't fit into them probably until the Fall. After that we got a call from aunt Kristin and packed up the car and headed over to great Grandmas to open more presents and eat breakfast. You were definitely spoiled this year, Grandpa and Grandma got you some fun new toys! They bought you a puppy named Violet that sings, teaches you colors and more. A cute picnic basket that talks to you ( grandma accidentally bought the Spanish version, so we had to exchange it haha), and some new books. Santa must have known you were coming to great grandma's because he left you a stocking with some candy, new hair bows and another little rattle toy. After breakfast you took your morning nap and the older kids went out to play in the snow, they built an awesome snow fort! Cousin Claire got a play kitchen and you loved it! You would crawl over to play with it whenever she or anyone else wasn't looking. :) Later that afternoon we had a big family dinner, ate some yummy pies and played some games. What a wonderful first Christmas it was for you and for your dad and I as a family of 3!

A few days after Christmas my cousin Jonny was getting married in Utah and my aunt Karen graciously let us drive down with her to attend the luncheon! It was so fun catching up with her during the drive and listening to her sing you some cute songs! We then decided to spend the rest of the week with Grandpa and Grandma Pope and aunt Emily. We went to the luncheon and you got to see some of my cousins, your aunts and uncles and grandparents. Later that evening we went to see "The Greatest Showman" luckily uncle Brady was able to join us, and one of aunt Emily's friends babysat you for us. We went shopping just us girls, we drove to Salt Lake and saw the Christmas lights at Temple square, went to the park (it was 50 degrees and sunny) ate tons of junk food and celebrated New Years Eve! Your dad joined us on New Years Eve since he had to work most of that week. We went to my cousins mission homecoming talk on the 31st and then attended a family luncheon with my dads side of the family. After that we came home and played with you, once you went to bed for the night the grownups played some fun games and rang in the New Year at 10 pm instead of Midnight. Your grandpa had to work at 6 am the next day and your dad and I were exhausted, plus you tend to wake up at 6 am now. :) It was so much fun to be able to spend time with both sides of the family before the New Year!

We didn't have any doctor appointments this month and you luckily made it through the holidays without catching any sicknesses! I would say that is a win for sure! I did weigh you at Grandma Popes and you are 17 lbs. 7 oz. You are one independent little girl, the only time you want your dad or I is when you are really tired or if you haven't seen your dad all day. Other than that you like to play with your toys, tear the books out of the bookshelf and push them around on your hands and knees. You are starting to get more and more brave and will let go of things and stand all by yourself. Your balance is definitely improving and I know your new Christmas toy will help with that. You are getting better at feeding yourself, we haven't let you use a spoon or fork on your own yet, but you love finger foods. We introduced graham crackers, squeeze and go applesauce pouches, apple chunks (very small pieces), and gold fish crackers. You really love the baby puffs you will pound a whole can in a week. :) We have been teaching you how to high five us, and you are starting to blow kisses! You are wearing 9 month clothing still and size 3 diapers. You take 2 naps a day and have now started to SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! I am really excited about that. :) We sure love you baby girl and can't wait to see what 2018 has in store for us!

Lexi Anne: 9 Months

November 16, 2017:

Happy Thanksgiving Lexi! I am loving this Holiday season with you, I have always loved the Holidays but having you with us makes it a million times better! It is hard to believe though that we are already to the end of November and that in just a few short months you will be ONE! But we won't think about that right now, we'll just pretend that isn't for another year. ;)

What a fun month we have had, We spent a week and a half down in Utah visiting mommy's family. Uncle Brady had a Saxophone solo at his school so Daddy and I went with your grandparents and uncle Chris and aunt Carla to watch him. He is so talented not only with the saxophone but also at the piano. Mommy was able to attend aunt Emily's last year in the Nutcracker ballet that her dance company puts on annually. It was bitter sweet as I have enjoyed this tradition that last five years, sadly I wasn't able to bring you because you were too little but I bet that we will see many a Nutcracker performances when you are older. We also celebrated your first Thanksgiving with my family (a little earlier than actual Thanksgiving). That is also part of my families tradition after seeing Emily's Nutcracker we always do an early Thanksgiving because Grandpa always has to work on the actual holiday. :(

Mommy and Daddy at Brady's solo

Grandma, Grandpa, Chris and Carla

Nutcracker! 

Aunt Emily was the prettiest Snow Queen Ever! 

Candy Cane

Waltz Soloist 

The whole family (minus you and dad)

Grandma, my aunt Karen and cousin Sammy came too

 Grandpa and I

We celebrated your Daddy's birthday the day before Thanksgiving by going out to dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Almond. On actual Thanksgiving we were with Daddy's family at great Grandma Ruth's house. It was fun but also odd since you were the only kid, we are used to having your cousin's there. We sure missed them, it was way too quiet. You mostly slept through Thanksgiving, but when you were awake you were such a happy baby. You spent the awake time crawling and playing with either your dad, Grandparents, me or aunt Dorothy. After your afternoon nap your dad and I gave you some mashed potatoes and some turkey, you didn't really seem to like the turkey (the real stuff not the pureed baby food mush) so we ended up giving you some baby food to make sure you weren't hungry. You loved sharing my coconut cream pie with me, but mostly I think you loved the whip cream ha ha.

We didn't have any doctor appointments scheduled until December 1st, at the appointment you weighed 17 lbs 6 oz and you are 26 inches. You still really love solids and we are trying to do what they call "baby led weaning" by introducing more table food instead of pureed baby mush. This way by the time you are one and older you will be used to the foods textures and able to eat them without being mashed up. So far you really like sliced apples, banana and avocados. I tried to introduce steamed broccoli and you spit it out, should've known better ha ha. You still just have the two bottom teeth but I think your front top teeth may make an appearance next month. We'll see, your dad keeps singing the Christmas song "All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth" whenever I say you might be teething ha ha. We are working on getting you to sleep through the night and have stopped the night time nursing all together. You seem to do fine with the not eating in the early morning but the going back to sleep on your own is a work in progress. Your hair is starting to get longer so its harder for me to style it, but this month I did try a little side ponytail and it was too cute! You are still wearing size 3 diapers and mostly 9 month clothing, some 6-9 month outfits still fit you though. We sure love watching you learn and grow each month Lexi!

Cutest little 9 month old! 

Such a good model! 

Lexi Anne: 8 Months

October 16, 2017

Happy First Halloween Lexi! I can't believe we are already to Halloween, its crazy how fast this time is flying by. I also can't believe you are 8 months old! Seems like yesterday you just turned a month old and I was leaving the hospital...FINALLY! :) Now you are a busy and social little baby, and we love it!

This month has been so fun, we went with Aunt Dorothy and cousin Mariah to a pumpkin patch for your first time. You loved the pumpkins and were really interested in what they were. You were so stinkin' cute sitting on top of the big pumpkins, you immediately started to explore them to figure out what they were. We had so much fun taking pictures of you and watching you get excited.

Pumpkin Patch fun! 

We also got to go and visit Grandpa and Grandma Almond in Nampa this month. Your dad had a school event so we took that as an opportunity to go and visit. We also got to see Aunt Kristin, Uncle Artie, Dillon and Caleb. Aunt Melissa, Uncle Chase, Cohen and Claire. While we were there we were lucky enough to go as a family and visit the new Meridian Temple, it is so BEAUTIFUL! You loved the lights once again. I think one of my favorite rooms was the celestial room, the chandelier was breath taking. While in Nampa we also got together with our friends Dusty, Courtney and Clara, Courtney was so nice and took our family pictures for us. The last picture of us as a family was taken in the hospital so it was definitely time for an updated one. :) They turned out so cute, you look so big in a few shots so I am glad that we were able to get some taken.

 Family pictures! 

Meridian Temple:

We got to celebrate your first Halloween with you! I have been waiting so long for us to be able to do family costumes and I can't wait for the many more years we get to do this. This year we couldn't decide what we wanted to be, we kept going back and forth and then time got away from us. So we found a cute bear zip up for you and decided that we would be Papa bear, Mama bear and you would be the baby bear. You looked so cute, I decided to add bows to your ears that way people would know you were a girl. :) We got to go and visit my friends from my previous job, it was so fun to see everyone again.We also went to our ward trunk or treat, everyone kept commenting on how cute you were! You loved watching everyone in their costumes you were such a trooper as we took you around to the different Halloween festivities! I can't wait to see how you react next year when you will actually be able to walk and say Trick or Treat!

This month you learned how to officially crawl! It was so fun to watch you go from sitting, to getting up on your knees and then figuring out how to move your arms and legs. You look so dang cute and are pretty proud of yourself. You like to follow me around the house and when you make it to the kitchen you like to lay on your belly and pound the floor. You like the sound it makes, its really cute! You also said your first word this month....MOM! Sorry daddy :) You don't say it a lot but when you do I can't help but smile. You also like to say Hi, sometimes when we are out and about you will say it to people. Mostly you just say it to us or family but we love it! We're working on Dada or dad but so far you just smile when we say it to you.

 Little lady you don't ever slow down, now that you have mastered crawling you are onto the next thing. Lately we've found you standing up all by yourself and not holding onto anything! You are so strong! Granted that only lasts for a few seconds before you fall onto your bum, but still. Ugh, you're trying to grow up too fast! You also tried to stand up in the bath tub and learned the hard way that isn't very safe, but you still really love your baths! On October 7th you cut your very first tooth, and on October 25th we found a second tooth came through. Your dad likes to say you got your two front teeth before Christmas, but I remind him that the ones you have are on the bottom so technically you could still get your two front teeth for Christmas. Anyway you won't let us look at them or get a picture so we have to feel, but it's cute when you smile to see those little pearly teeth. You have tried a few new foods this month. You liked trying avocado, tuna, mac and cheese and you also like pumpkin (definitely your dads girl). You are still wearing some 3-6 month clothing but you are starting to grow out of them so mostly you wear 6 months and occasionally something 6-9 month (every brand is so different size wise, so it's hard to tell without trying it out). We bumped you up to size 3 diapers which seems much better and not as snug. Sadly you got your first cold this month so we took you into the doctors to make sure you didn't have any ear infections etc. Luckily you didn't and the doctor said you were getting over it, while there we decided to see how much you weighed. You are 16 and a half pounds! I wish I would have asked them to get your height but doctor says you are growing as you should.

I am so excited for this Holiday Season and can't wait to share many more memories with you as a family. We love you Lexi!