great great grandma Lucille's

I need to correct myself. gg grandma is 89. she was one spunky lady. I quite liked her a lot. she seemed as spry as ever. I played a couple rounds of Go Fish with her(along with some other family members) and anytime we had to steal one of her cards she would say " Shame on You!" It's crazy to see where all the personality traits spawn from. it was really neat to see all the generations together. Lucille, Kathy, Audrey, and kiersten. too bad Lincoln wasn't a girl, that would have made for a cool genealogy photo. we did take some family photos so plan on seeing those some time soon.
The RV trip will be a funny memory. Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving. I know we did.

DIY days

I've been inspired by all the house shows I've been watching at night when linc goes to bed. we have been trying to make our place more homey, little touches here and there. so I made some up cycled sweater pillows for the couches. I put up contact paper in the bathroom shelf. kalob made a bar like I posted before. we tried putting up curtains today with these wire things from ikea, since we can't touch the ceiling. the house has blinds but they seem so outdated and un imaginative. the wire wouldn't hold their weight so I was pretty dang disappointed, especially since we bought them for all 3 rooms, and it was a spice of color desperately needed.

we are getting ready to head to California for thanksgiving. we are RVing up north for 3 days to celebrate with Kalobs great grandma whom I've never met. Lincoln either ;) I'm a little nervous. a 93 year old and an 8 month old. Lincoln isn't necessarily bad,,,but he does like exploring. And banging. touching everything with his pointy finger. occasionally hitting and biting. He doesn't like to sit on anyone's lap and be still. it's getting harder to travel with him, cuz he gets bored. needless to say, I don't know if this is the greatest idea, but I'll go along with it and hope it's enjoyable.

Beanie baby

Lincoln is eating 100% better! moms- buy Sassy spoons, they are bent at an angle for lil hands and mouths to feed themselves and they have tiny cross hatched holes for the food to stick into which in turn is easier for babes to actually get more food to their bellies.
He loves eating now in his high chair.

My big boy!

Lincoln is learning so much it blows my mind!

He has been sleeping in his own crib, own room for almost a week now! Tonight with no crying even, at the initial lay down. he woke once to eat, and I did oblige him. Funny story... while feeding him in the dark, I kept hearing thumping! It sounded like it was coming from a box in the closet. so I speed walk out of lincs room and ask kalob to go check it out. He takes a gander and says "oh there are 2 mice in here!!!" And I start freaking out, my hands are over my mouth and tears in my eyes! " he can't sleep in here!!!" and then kalob smiles, just kidding. what a brat!
Lincoln also got a high chair finally. we initially got a bumbo cuz everyone raved about how space saving it is and easily moveable. and it was! but I think once the babe can sit unassisted, they just want to squirm out of it, which in turn, easily fall from. we also have no dining room table or chairs in our apt so that makes it difficult to get an eating example going for the kid. Linc maybe wasn't getting the concept until now. feeding himself though!, he's up for that! the bigger the mess the better.
he liked holding the spoon in one hand and trying to get the food in his mouth with the other. he has been so eager and advanced in most other areas, we've wondered what's his deal about eating solids.
His first experience was rice and broccoli. I have no idea if he actually got much in his mouth or not. but he enjoyed trying. Which is what we needed, cuz it's been a struggle. He's pretty stubborn and we just need to let him figure it out. It might mean he just plays in it and licks his fingers. He loved all the praise he got, everytime he ate off the spoon. What a big boy!!
He likes nutrigrain bars, apple sauce, wheat bread, noodles, beans, lil tastes of meat and cheeses. Puffs and yogurt melts too. Milk is definitely still his most favorite though.
He likes technology already. he's figuring out the iPhone every chance he gets. he knows you're supposed to swipe with one finger. he can push the Siri button. And then she says " I didn't get that " and he gets a kick out of it talking.
He loves to pull all the bowls out of the bar and play. we pick them up about 4 times a day.
I forgot to mention his stats before. his head is 98%ile. His weight is 72%ile and 54%ile for height. he's got a giant brain!
he ate snow for the first time today.
he loves books and being mischievous. he can clap!

sleep training again

This time im just focusing on night time. naps And night time were way too much for all of us the first round. the first night Lincoln cried for 2+ hours, the second night was 45 minutes, tonight was just thirty but I tried to give him a dream feed and top him off for the night, just now at 1am, and he's in there crying and practicing saying mom. breaks my heart. But it's been tons better than our first attempt at sleep training.
It's just a hard balance. He doesn't eat real food hardly so I know I shouldn't wean him at night yet, he'd wake starving. seriously, he only ate maybe 3 feedings of milk and 2 noodles and 5 puffs through out the day, And he woke to eat 3 times last night to eat. We are going to buy a high chair to see if he's more into eating by himself. I know I'm in for a lot more messes, but it would be nice for him to start transitioning from the boob to real food. So we could all sleep the night through.
When he is really throwing a fit, I've been going in and holding his hand through the slats. he does eventually quiet down and fall asleep. But a minute ago he was putting his face between the slats and kissing me. he is the sweetest baby.
he has never been a cuddler before, but when I scoop him out of the crib in the dark to feed, he is just the most precious snuggler ever. I just sit in the rocker and pat his fat diaper bum and soak up ever second. cuz I know it's a fleeting moment.


The first pic is of him in my bed. it was supposed to be his last night with us but then the next night was Halloween. We couldnt make him so very sad on Halloween! so then we waited til Monday...;) see how he took over my pillow! And then yesterday he just conked right out in ikea. ( don't we all wish for a nice shoulder to sleep on after ikea!)

Pncl party

The party was fun. Lincoln was restless but he enjoyed clapping. it was nice to get all dressed up and feel pretty, believe me, it doesn't happen often. kalob always looks so good in a suit and tie. When he went on stage, lincoln cried. hes a big daddys boy as of late.
Unfortunately, we forgot to get a picture of the three of us :( or any full body shot of any of us. I think the next time I get cute, I'll fake like it was that night and wear the dress and take a picture. it probably won't be til next years award party before I get dressed up like that again. I was finally able to wear the Swarovski crystal earrings kalob bought for me last year...and then we ended up camping for the awards party! No need for them there!
Our office was 8th in the company. Our managers both got multiple awards(go team!) and kalob was one of the top lead techs so he earned a television! big surprise,,, we weren't expecting it at all. but I'd like to say that he really didnt need the tv( though its awesome) just some well deserved recognition and appreciation goes a long way. Kalob works so hard, he is loyal and invested. this job isn't easy. It's stressful and tiresome, sometimes working from 7 am til after midnight for 4+ months; this season ended up being 6 months. I know the reason he works so hard is for me and Lincoln. I'm grateful for him. Also to the people that have put us in the position we are in, who've pulled for us, and supported us. For the friends we've made along the way and for our families who we leave too often who miss us. and now...I'm enjoying this small break we have together, til we start all over again! (I guess, that would be my lil speech, if I were accepting his award haha)

I was just counting this all up, We have moved 7 times, 4 states, in our 6 year marriage! Bakersfield, ca to Provo, ut to logan, ut to Virginia beach, va back to logan, ut different house, then to Raleigh, nc and now to Salt Lake City, ut. Gotta love life, wherever it takes you!

Halloween happened

It came and went. we didn't really do anything. No trick or treaters. No party. we put Lincoln in his costume for about five minutes. we ordered pizza from the famous PI and watched the jazz game.

other important things, Lincoln started clapping today, no coaxing from mom and dad. he just sat up in bed (ours) and started clapping in the dark.

we keep buying him new toys. His room is put together about 80%. he has the most room in the whole house, just for him, and yet he doesn't like playing in there alone. and he sure as hell hates the baby gate. so new toys, to convince him it's the greatest place to be.

kalob made a beautiful bar for us. I felt like whoa, my mans awesome! now if only I could decorate....

Lincoln joined Gymboree. A great place to get all his energies out. He played for an hour there and then was going to pass out tired. We also went to Provo while kalob had manager meetings and I found a dinosaur playground in the mall! and by happy accident, we ran into Becca and Ezra.
Tonight is the year end party, hopefully Lincoln's a good boy so I'm not outside all night.