Like Father, Like Son

James almost 9 months old

Mike around 9 months old

Seriously! I am sure my genes are there somewhere?!!! It it crazy how much James looks like Mike!

Pool Fun

I got James a little $5 pool at Walmart and it might have been the best $5 I have ever spent! He LOVES playing in his pool and it gives us a chance to get out of the house everyday! I know one picture would have been enough for this post but I just loved them all!!!

Michael McLean Concert

Ashley found out about this free concert put on by the Deseret Bookstore. I am so glad she did because it was so much fun. Michael McLean is such a talented man, not to mention very entertaining. It was a very fun night!

Thanks Ash! It is always fun to do stuff together!!!

Fourth Of July Weekend

We had a great 4th of July weekend. It started off with the Freedom Festival in Provo. It was a blast! James loved seeing so many people...especially kids. Then we had a bar-b-que at Ryan and Danielle Mahoney's house. Which is always fun! Ryan birthday happens to be on the 4th of July so they always have a awesome bar-b-que to celebrate...fireworks and all! Then it was off to the Missionary Park with the Gidding's for the Stadium of Fire Fireworks. It was a great weekend!!!

James at the Freedom Festival

He He He!!! This picture cracks me up!
Thanks Uncle Patrick!!!

James & his new friend Lilly

The kids hanging out watching the big kids (aka. us crazy adults & neighborhood kids)
catch the para shooter fireworks.

Mike & Ryan setting off a firework

James & Daddy watching the Stadium of Fire Fireworks.
James LOVED the fireworks!

James & Reagan playing

As I celebrated this holiday with my family and friends I couldn't stop thinking about the amazing men and women overseas and their loving and devoted families. I am so grateful to the amazing soldiers fighting for us to maintain our freedoms. But I am also grateful and in awe of their supportive families that let them go and serve our country. You are in my thoughts and prayers! I pray for the soldier's safety and their family to be comforted. I know that they will all be blessed for their efforts.

Hope everyone had a GREAT Independence Day!!!

Randomness...

I was going through my phone tonight and noticed I had some fun pictures I wanted to share...

James Jean Diapers

Our normal day to day of James & mom hanging out

Family grocery trip. Mike took James to more exciting parts of the store
while I shopped. Then all of a sudden I heard giggling & this is what I saw coming my way...

James loves to play in his crib after naps. This is how I usually find him ;)
He is kicking his music box.

James & I on our walk... notice his cute cowboy boots :)

James loves playing in boxes

Sitting in his toy box

I just can't get enough of this kid. There are many times he tries my patience but at the end of the day I wouldn't have things any other way. He is such a fun and active little boy! It is exhausting keeping up with him and he isn't even walking by himself. He is so much fun to play with and to watch him learned and figure out new things everyday is such a blessing.

8 Months Old

I know I say this every month but "I can't believe my baby is 8 months old"! He is getting so big! Some things about James:

*He is sleeping in his big boy crib in his very own room. He is doing much better with it than I am. He actually sleeps better now.
*He has one of his bottom teeth and another one is starting to break through.
*He LOVES the water! In the bath, the pool & the little water park. He is a little splasher too. He doesn't even care if he gets splashed in the face.
*He can scoot backwards and rolls over to things he wants.
*He loves climbing everything. He will try to climb up anything. He wants to walk so bad. He will pull himself up from your hands and take a bunch of steps to where he wants to go.
*He loves rice cereal with banannas mixed in. He also really likes sweet potatoes, green beans, watermelon & strawberries. He HATES baby meat & peas. He will gag them up.
*He is into everything that he can get to. We are going to be in trouble when he finally starts walking.
*He takes 2 naps that are about 2 hours long and has a rest time where he just likes to be alone in his crib for about 20 minutes.
*He sleeps about 10 hours at night, nurses and then goes back to sleep for another 2 hours.
*He still loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and also likes Special Agent Oso, Phineas & Ferb & Handy Manny.
*James LOVES playing with his dad and cuddling with mom.
*He always tries to get Puma and will dive from your arms if he sees Puma on the floor.
*He LOVES having a family hug and Mike and I singing "We are a Happy Family". I know we are cheesy but he thinks it is so fun!

There is so much to write but I am going to leave it at that! We just love our little boy so much! He brings so much love and joy into our home! The weirdest thing is that I can't remember what life was like before James joined our lives. We LOVE him sooooo much!!!

Happy Father's Day Mike

Mike and James on Father's Day. James is such a lucky kid to have Mike as his daddy! Mike is so good with James and so helpful. James LOVES Mike so much! He gets so excited whenever Mike walks through the door everyday. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful boys in my life!!!

James & the Giddings Girls

I am so happy that Ashley & I are both back in Utah! It is so much fun to watch our kids interact and play. Brooklynn is so good with James. She plays peek-a-boo with him and he loves it! James is either making Miss Maylee laugh or cry. James will try to talk to her and laugh and she will start craking up. However, he is such a little yeller and it scares Maylee. So she will start to cry and he will stop yelling and look at her with this concerned look. Then she will stop crying and he will yell again and of course it all starts over again. It is a little funny. Maybe one day James will learn how to talk to the ladies with out making them cry ;). I am so glad that Ash and I live somewhat close to one another and that our families are growing together!

Beenie Girls Graduation

I still can't believe my baby sis has graduated high school! I can't believe she is old enough to be heading off to college & living on her own! It is so crazy! I am so proud of her! She is such a talented and virtuous young women! Not to mention she is absolutly beautiful!!! She has way more of a clue about dressing cute, accessorizing, doing hair & make-up than I ever did or do! Congrats Beenie Girl! I love you!!!

Our drive to & from California