Baby Anita

Our neighbors, Kimia and Jeff, moved away about a month ago and we were SO sad to see them go! We became really great friends! Like friends-for-life kind of friends! During one of their big moving days, I watched their little girl Anita for a bit and she is so adorable! I miss them so much! Darbi didn't know what to think of her though..

She's 5 1/2 months old now! I need to go visit! I miss snuggling with that baby!!

Stair Houdini

She's a mountain goat. Before we got that gate, I had an assortment of everything I could find to block the stairs off and she would still find a way over it all. Now, in place of the stroller, we have 2 king sized pillows stuffed under the railing. It's working for now... She's so sneaky.

Books Books

I have a TON of posts in queue waiting to be written and posted but I have to get this out. I love books. I love 'em!! Nap time = Mommy's reading time. I just read the most amazing book and I really need to share it with everyone. The Maze Runner by James Dashner Very similar to The Hunger Games. I won't get into it right now but if you haven't read this book (either one really)... we can't be friends. Go read it. Now. Do it. I wonder if admitting that I love TMR makes me seem really nerdy. I don't care. I really love a good story. A stay-up-far-too-past-my-bedtime-book is the best kind of book!

After reading TMR, I had to check out Dashner's site to see when the next book will be coming out. (The Scorch Trials comes out 10/12) I think I want to be friends with this guy. :) His thoughts on the movie Inception are exactly how I feel! If you haven't seen this movie yet.. we definitely can't be friends. Or maybe if you take me with you to see it, we can still be friends. :) LOVE that movie.

Other thoughts:
Mockingjay came out today. I haven't started it because I know it's the last book of the Hunger Games series and I'm a tad sad about it... but I'm crackin' it open right after I hit publish tonight!! Note on how popular this series is: the book came out today remember... Orem library right now has 179 REQUESTS for that book and it came out TODAY!!!! That's how good it is. Sheesh.

Also:
It's 11 at night and I'm making Clint read the first chapter of The Maze Runner so he'll be hooked and read it. :) I'm terrible.

Her First Steps

Darbi took her very first steps today!! FOR REAL!!! I called Clint 3 minutes before he was leaving for work to give him the good news. He was so mad he wasn't there for it but she showcased her talent when he got home and we have some juicy baby step videos for you! In this first one, she's walking funny and not picking up her right leg. Just so you know, she doesn't do that all the time.

4th of July

Apparently I didn't take very many pictures on our little trip to Wyoming for the 4th of July. When Mom is around, I let her do all the work! :) We drove up to Lander, WY and celebrated with my Mom's whole side of the family. Her cousin puts on a big fireworks show every year and it was pretty cool. I think we may have brought back bed bugs from the hotel we stayed in though. :( The pest control people are coming out on Friday. I'm grossed out every time I go to bed. ICK.

Me & D

Grandpa & Darbi

Great Aunt Amy & Darbi

My Mama & her sibs.. (oldest to youngest) They're a fun bunch! :)

NICU Reunion #2

Back in June, super Mama Megan threw a little lunch for a bunch of us NICU grads. At one time or another, all of these babies were in the same hospitals. We had a fun time figuring out all of our NICU time lines and how we overlapped in our hospital stays. It was the first time I was able to meet Heather and the second time I met Kelli. (We met briefly at the first NICU reunion). These women are AMAZING. I'm so glad we had this little get together to showcase all of our miracle babies with each other. Megan made the most incredible baked ziti and I am both ashamed and glad that I had 3+ servings. :) AND I brought some home to Clint.

All the cuties!

Paizlei - We never met sweetheart Paizlei at UVRMC but Heather and I connected through Megan and the blogosphere.. Blogging is a wonderful thing!

Paizlei & Crew - Crew needs no introduction. Darbi and her cute boyfriend go way back. :)

I love my little girl.. The tiny mouth and the surprised eyebrow raise get me all the time!

Whit. Whit and Reese (below) are twins. I wasn't able to meet these two cuties in the hospital but Kelli found me online later when we realized we were in the same place at one time or another. (His skills with a fork were amazing to me Kelli! :)

Reese.. Twin to Whit.. Adorable. She reminds me a lot of Darbi, sizewise, but this little girl was walking and talking. I wanted her to rub off on D. :)

Heather & Paizlei - Kelli, Whit, & Reese - Megan & Crew - Audrey & Darbi

All of us cute Mama's and our babes. Our sweet sweet miracle babies. It was a blessing to have lunch with you ladies and we definitely need to do it again! :)
(I stole all these pics from you Megan.. :) Mine did not turn out AT. ALL. This Mama needs a new camera..)

Baby Tyler Ryan

The first nephew on Clint's side of the family finally made his entrance last night at 7:42pm. He weighs 6 pounds 4 ounces, is 18 inches long, and as healthy as can be! We can't go visit because of Darbi's little bug (which I think is on it's way out BTW. No fever today!). He is going to be a beautiful spoiled little boy and I can't wait to meet him! He has 3 sisters who are ca-raaazy about him! Makes me really really want to have another baby...

Sariah & Tyler

High Temp Sicky

My sweet little girl came down with an underarm temperature of 103.1 today. Which is bad. But because the underarm temp is always a little lower, you're supposed to add a degree.. an entire degree (we knew this from her days in the hospital but still.. that's alot!) which means her temp was 104.1!! YIKES. Clint and I rushed her to the Dr. today where we sent off a strep test, a urine test, and also a little blood work. We've ruled out the common flus/sickness going around right now and it's either strep, a urinary tract infection, and if it's not either of those - we go in for more tests tomorrow. She won't eat anything except for Puffy Cheetos.. I figure it's better than nothing. :( She is downing her juice like crazy so I'm not too worried about her fluid intake. I just hope she feels better tomorrow.

She's not a happy girl tonight.

D's New Bestie

Last Wednesday, I got a call from my Aunt Holly (daddio's sis) saying that her son who was here at a BYU Football camp had possibly torn his meniscus and need a ride to the ER. (don't worry - he's fine) My neighbors were over watching the World Cup and I had just put Darbi down for a nap so it worked out perfectly. TV time for the neighbors if they would stay at my house in case Darbi woke up. :) I haven't seen Andrew since he was five and was mildly obsessed with Starfox on his N64 and would give no one the time of day. Turns out, he's a way cool kid and I'm kinda glad he hurt himself so I could get to know him! He wants to come to BYU next year and I'm super excited! We met up with him again today and took him to Brick Oven and then for a walk around campus/south of campus giving him the inside scoop on how cool BYU really is. And I think Darbi found a new bestie. :)

No More O2!

As of Thursday afternoon, we are officially OXYGEN-LESS. Trips to the moon are being planned as I speak! It's such a weird feeling. We took her off the O2 during the day about a month ago. Talk about feeling liberated!! Holy smokes. No tie downs - no leashes - there was happiness all around. My shoulder was screaming thank you's at me every time I left the house! But we were just given the ok to go without oxygen at night too! I feel like I'm forgetting something every time I put her to bed.

I remember when Darbi first came home from the hospital, I was constantly thinking about what it would be like to have a Normal baby. With normal weight gain, normal trips to the grocery store (without darty-eyes at all those germ factories), normal meal times, and I would dream about how it would be to just simply take Darbi out of the car. It was always such an ordeal. Leaving the house meant having one shoulder with a heart monitor, the oxygen tank and the other shoulder with the heavy diaper bag with every necessity known to mothering. On top of it all, one of those elbows had to carry the car seat. Keys, sunglasses.. don't drop anything... and try to get the kid and all her glory in the car. Now, I carry the kid, my purse... and THAT'S IT. I love it. She loves it. No need for extra O2. I think things are changing around here. She's Normal. CAPITAL N. Yeah, we're still a little germ conscious. It's not something that goes away overnight. But I'm feeling a ton better about not getting crazy looks everywhere we go.

Sidenote: We're DONE nursing! Officially. Can you believe I nursed for 18 months?! Yikes. Before I had Darbi, my silly ignorant self always said the day she gets teeth, we're done. I'm so glad we nursed as long as we did. I am 100% confident that that is the reason she stayed so healthy and has done as well as she has so far.

Isn't that face so much cuter without all that tubing?!

Lazy Bones

She's getting a little big for her bouncer.. But I can't bring myself to put it away. I want more babies.

S'go Swimming

We took Darbi swimming the other day. First time in the pool. She HATED it. But there were some obnoxious boys having some stupid cannon ball contest right next to us. Hello?! I have a baby right here!! It's a pool.. I can't complain. She warmed up to the pool after a bit but she had to be right next to me clutching my shoulder the entire time. Hand-offs between Clint and I turned into frantic security grabbing attacks by Darbi. I think the next time will be better. We may just stick to the bathtub and the blow-up pool in the backyard...

When we got there she couldn't keep her eyes off the pool though.

Miss Crabbypants...