Weeks in the Summer

We have sure enjoyed having Justin around for the last week. He dilligently worked each night and Saturday to build these shelves for our cluttered garage. We both cannot wait to get all of our stuff on them and have a clean garage!

 Natalie and I have been enjoying the warm sunshine and play time. We live really close to a park with a splash pad and usually end up there at least once a day. Each Wednesday we meet up with some other moms and toddlers for a play group. This week we hosted and made good use of the splash pad once again. I am so grateful I have made friends with these ladies. We are all unique and come from very different walks of life, but really learn alot from one another.

We went to the Washington County Fair last Saturday to see family friend's animal exhibits. We had a good time smelling hay and enjoying some Oregon Dairy Women ice cream. That night I cut Justin's hair for the first time. It was a big confidence booster. I refused to do it when we first got married. He is so patient and like his dad says, "The difference between a good an bad haircut is about 3 days." I think his looks pretty alright for a first timer.

Natalie is signing and communicating more and more. She is definitely changing into an all out toddler. Over the last week she has really gotten into playing with and trying to wear my shoes, necklaces, holding her baby doll, and wearing an apron when in the kitchen with me.

While Western Oregon may not have good sweet corn, they do have amazing berries. Natalie and I went and picked at a U-Pick last week. She isn't really a fan of blueberries and mostly just squishes them and throws them on the floor. Justin and I really like them though, especially in muffins.

Just a few more quick pictures from life with our little 16 month old:

 She was pleasantly surprised to find the mop bucket still full after her nap yesterday.

 

Prior to going to bed last night, she insisted on going outside to sit and read her book.

I think she is getting pretty good at putting off the bedroom routine.

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

That Day Was Today

One of the activities we did at my baby shower for Natalie was having the guests answer a questionnaire for mom and baby. One of the questions for Mom (me) began with the prompt of, "I hope you aren't afraid of...." One of my friends wrote, "little hands in the toilet."

I chuckled at the time and have not thought much more about it. That is, until today, because my readers, today was that day. After Natalie woke up from her nap she ventured into the bathroom. I am pretty sure the toilet seat was down, but I am not for certain. Either way she ended up happily splashing away at the water.

Oh and an offer we put on a townhouse was accepted yesterday! We are so excited and know that it is a huge blessing and miracle from our Heavenly Father how it all came about. I will write more on it later. We have been busy with trying to get all the paperwork together for it so we can close April 30th.


Justin and Ruth Blazzard

This pictures is a couple months old. We just like to meditate with our feet in the air some times.

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Bumbo Pro

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Natalie has become the center piece at our evening meal. She refuses to be anything less, unless she is given the option of sitting on our laps. She sure loves tasting anything and everything she can get in her mouth. The middle picture really captures her drooling stage. Last week we started her on solid foods. She thinks they are pretty cool. So far she has tasted oatmeal and sweet potato. Originally I planned to wait until she was six months old. However after accessing her personality and my pediatricians go ahead we decided to go for it. So far it has worked out well. It was a good experience to realize that being a parent requires flexibility and meeting the needs of my child rather than the plan in my head. Aren't here eyes adorable?

Similar?

I always thought it was cute when people posted pictures of their children doing something that looked similar to a picture of themselves from the past. I never thought I would get one though. A few Sundays ago I snapped this and was surprised at the similar setting as I was oh say 24 years ago. Funny thing about it, Natalie even sucks on her bottom lip like I am in this picture.

How to Enjoy a Summer Evening

Since Justin is on the road a lot, Natalie and I spend all day just the two of us. In the evening time she can get a little fussy and wants to be constantly moving. I on the other hand just want to sit down and kick up my feet. We came to a compromise, we go for a walk. It is enjoyable for both parties... well I believe Natalie likes it, she usually falls asleep during it so I would say she is at least relaxed by it.This is what our day looks like at about 7 p.m.

In the beginning....

 This is a big A hill we have to walk up... Well ok,  maybe I choose to walk up it, but it is still hard

A garden that someone has in there front yard, it is sometimes tempting later in the season to pick their cherry tomatoes. Don't worry, I never do.

 We take this road because it is quiet with few cars. That is something we miss about our life in the country. It is always so noisy here. Notice her eyes and we aren't even close to the finish line.

 Beautiful view when we get to the walking park.

 This is the walking park. It is exactly .5 miles around it. We just walk through it because the stroller on the gravel turns poor N into a bobble head.

Exercise stations along the walking path. Justin and I occasionally practice these...lol.

I heart summer evenings and they are even better with a baby.

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Three Month Old Baby

-Has an incredible smile and shows it best in the morning

- Loves to eat her fists

- Great talker

- Favorite toy is a little mirror I have, she loves to look at herself and talk... Who doesn't love to look at  themself in the mirror?

- Was babysat for the first time so mom and dad could go to the temple. She was very well behaved.

-Weighs somewhere in the 12- 13lb. range and about 24 in. tall

- Sitting up in the bumbo pretty well

- Very alive and awake at church, sometimes this means we spend alot of time in the halls

- Is not a big fan of tummy time, but is getting better at holding her head up

- Is learning to play by herself under her play mat mobile

- Enjoys going walking with Mom

- Still wearing 3-6 month clothes

- Is such a blessing in our life!

Justin and Ruth Blazzard

Just a Couple of Things

- For the first time ever, I made chicken Stromboli for dinner last night. Justin loved it even though it had spinach in it. Another huge accomplishment, getting him to eat a green leaf!

- My visiting teachers brought over peonies today. They are beautiful and I love them! They remind me of my grandmother because she has a peonie shrub in her yard.  Kind of an old fashioned flower and their smell is heavenly.

- Being a first time mom is hard. I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything, but it is the most intense work I have ever done. Natalie has been super fussy the last couple of days. Maybe she is starting the teething process? Time will tell.

- When I was in college I learned about how students have different learning styles. The one learning style I remember without pulling out my notes is called, "Concrete Sequential." These people like to have the specifics of an assignment laid out for them. How many pages, word spacing, font size, topic, etc. It is hard for them to have a lot of free reign and run with it. I remember this one because this would be my learning style. The expectations of life right now are very open ended. I can get up whenever I want (unless Natalie requires other wise). I can clean or not clean whenever I want, I can watch a movie or play on the computer instead of doing something more productive, etc..... This is awesome that I can do what I need to or want to when I want to, but it is hard for this woman that likes structure. I am wondering if I need to be more deliberate in my living like setting a schedule of Monday- laundry, Tuesday- Vacuuming, Wednesday- Grocery Store day, and so on. It is not as though I have alot of extra time these days, but I always like to feel like I am being productive for our family and doing things to better myself. The mom schedule is presenting a new opportunity to figure out how to be a happy, successful human being. Three things I do try to get done everyday, even if nothing else gets done- prayers, read my scriptures and some sort of exercise. Other than that Natalie is my priority and things fall as they may. I also think part of this may just be evolving with the needs of your child. There is a time and a season to everything in life and right now is my season to be spontaneous and not be so hard on myself when the laundry that is folded, still isn't put away after two days and I just want to sit and read my book instead of doing that because the first break I get in the day is at 10 p.m. at night.... However, I have never been that person that easily lets things go so I can relax.... I don't know- I guess it just comes back to priorities.

- It has been amazing weather this week with sun and warmth. I love it, except for the hotness of our apartment. Excited for summer, I really want to take Natalie swimming.

- Grateful for my calling of being on the Relief Society Activity committe. This allows me to use some of my strengths and talents in life that I would not be able to use right now other wise. I think it is important to be able to use our talents because of the joy and satisfaction it can bring us in life.

- I got my hair cut last week. Yep, the mom cut, right? My hair was falling out all over the place, was super hot and took forever to do. I really like this new hair cut, but like always will be growing it out again. It is convenient for time and electricity purposes.

- We had our first Oregon Strawberries this last weekend. They were AMAZING! Like the very best I have ever had. Did you know Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside and are part of the rose family? Next best part to eating the strawberries, talking to the farmer who grew them. There is just something for me about talking to other people in agriculture. We get each other.

- Went to the temple last weekend together. Wonderful as always. Natalie did fabulously with her baby sitter. The baby sitter is a gem and am grateful for her being willing to watch her.

- I made these yummy healthy granola balls last week and then I made them again this week, did I mention that they were yummy and healthy? I added a tablespoon of chia seeds the second time around. Yummmm

- Enjoy these pictures

 Super easy t-shirt bag I use for our library books. I just couldn't bring myself to 

throw away this old college T.

 Love her happy face

 Smiles for Mom and Dad

 

 

Hanging out after being a fussy bug for an hour

 

I was taking her clothes off because I thought maybe she was hot. I don't think she liked the idea of using her shirt as a hat....

Justin and Ruth Blazzard