pictures in walnuts

We had a little photo shoot out in a walnut orchard down the street. I really needed family pictures. Not only did we get pictures of our family but Heathy's guitar, which is breathtaking. For those who don't know, Heath made this guitar with his own hands. I've said it before but I don't think I would believe that he made this if I hadn't watched every step. It's pretty rad.

This was a really fun time. Beautiful leaves. Beautiful trees. Beautiful kids. Good music. Good friend taking pictures. Thanks Taylor, we love you.

Oh, Boy!

We are in love. Beckham Sawyer Blair is absolutely perfect in every way. He is healthy, strong, calm, sweet and he is ours.

Here we are just out of the O.R.

I had missed Jovie so much when we were in the hospital. I had to stay for 2 nights and I have never even spent 24 hours away from her. When I got out of the car she ran up to me and said, "Mama! Beckham!" and lifted up my shirt. I said, "Jovie, Beckham's not in my tummy anymore. He came out and Daddy is getting him out of the car right now!" She ran around the car to Heath's side, lifted up her arms and said, "Have it!" meaning I want to hold him now! This is Jovie admiring her brother for the first time.


She sat and pointed out all of his features..."eyes, nose, fingers, monkeys, hat."



I haven't been able to capture his full smile on camera yet but here's a sneak peek. He smiled on day 2! He is so expressive! He even giggles.

We met Joylene and Lachlan at the park today.

laying in the grass


Two buddies on the plane


Jovie and Daddy ARE airplanes.


Our family of four:)

Trick or Treat

We had a really fun night at Janice and Jim Avila's house. They made such special food and opened up their house to our crazy kids. Jovial loves all of her friends so much!

My dino

Jovie and Margot

Trick or Treat!

Jovial and Adelaide Riley

Pumpkin Patch

We took our girl to the pumpkin patch on Friday afternoon. I wish there was something this fun and festive for other holidays in Visalia. Can't someone open a beautiful Christmas tree farm with fun activities for kids? Bottom line: I love the pumpkin patch.

We read a book called Apples, Apples, Apples about a family of rabbits who went to an orchard to pick apples. Jovie was REALLY into the book. She was fascinated that they got to ride on a tractor and pick apples. So, I knew she was going to love the pumpkin patch...tractor pulled hay ride...picking out a pumpkin. The book starred Minna and Pip. So, when we saw this cut out naturally Jov thought it was Minna and Pip.

Jovial was so quiet and contemplative while we were here. It seemed like she just wanted to take it all in.

She loves the white pumpkins and I could tell she really wanted to take this one home.


Last year she was only 2 feet! Such a big girl!


We also met the Armerding's there, they make everything more fun.

The girls even enjoyed the ride on the ricketyest wagon not in a museum.

Jovie finally hopped out to help Tay.



I wish I could have a corn pit in my own backyard, so much better than sand.

Jovie loves brother

Our family enjoying rare, lovely weather in August at Taylor's Hot dogs,
which is one of my favorite places to eat during both pregnancies.

I love my girl...so much. Life with her is so much fun. Her personality and awareness just keeps growing. Lately, she loves to sing and dance, loves to play with playdough and draw, and LOVES to touch my tummy and talk to her brother.

Jovial decided to draw with markers on herself this morning.
She is pointing to her legs and saying orange and red.

This afternoon we made playdough. She loved cutting into it
with the cookie cutters and plasticware. I loved the way it made my
kitchen smell and how it calmed her down. It was pretty therapeutic
for her to manipulate the dough, a very good pre-nap activity.

Throughout the day she will just stop playing and remember brother. She will walk over and (if we're not in public) pull up my shirt and say, "Hi,brother! Hi, baby. Lub you." She will kiss my tummy repeatedly, and rub and pat and then finally shove her finger into my belly button and yell, "pop!" Which is exactly what it looks like it's going to do. I have learned to say, "brother is moving" as oppose to "brother is kicking" because she thinks that is an invitation to kick him back.

She has become so quirky lately, mostly involving food. She isn't one of those kids who will only eat chicken nuggets or mac n cheese. Meals seem to be totally dependent on her mood and whim. Lately, she only really wants food if it's presented in an exciting way. Carrots cut into thin circles, nectarines cut into tiny triangles, apple sticks... it's a good thing E Dutton got me such an amazing knife for my b-day. She's REALLY into dipping and eating with chopsticks. She is insistant that she has her own fork or spoon (sometimes both) and wants to eat every bite with them. She even insists on eating even fresh baby carrots with a fork. I finally put my foot down when she wanted to eat goldfish crackers with a spoon. Her favorite meal? Miso soup, potstickers (dipped in soy), edamame, and rice. She also loves pizza or really anything that is covered in parmesan. She doesn't like cupcakes or ice cream but bring on the cookies. And if we have anyone over for dinner it wouldn't matter if we were eating all of her favorite things in the world, she just wants to play. I am getting kind of tired just writing about it.

Jovial eating chicken and dumpling soup minus any dumplings.

Also, I know I have mentioned this before, but my daughter has begun to love dinos and I love her for it. I definetely had a dinosaur obsession for a time when I was little but I don't think this little. She finds them in stores, on signs and in books. The other day I was walking through Winco and she yelled, "Dinos!" Then I realized she needed the Dinosaur fruit snacks. This is her Halloween costume.

Playdough recipe

2 cups flour
2 cups water
1 cup salt
2 Tbsp. oil
2 tsp. cream of tarter
food coloring

In a large skillet whisk your dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl whisk your wet ingredients and add to dry. Mix well before you turn on the heat. Constantly mix while heating on medium. When the dough starts to stick together well pull out and knead. Keep in a large ziplock for a couple of months.

dinosaurs marching

The Dutton's let us borrow this wonderful Laurie Berkner DVD. Jovie loves it! This song is called We are the Dinosaurs. When it starts Jovie immediately goes to her toy box and pulls out her toy T-Rex and marches with it. Neither Heath nor I prompted her to do this which is why I think it is so awesome. She is usually more animated. I am not sure if she was being shy in front of the camera or if she's still sleepy. She also usually roars as the song is ending but, whatever...you get the idea. She's having fun.

Seattle

We just had such a good vacation! Jovie was an amazing traveler. I was honestly a little nervous. She is just so busy, I didn't know how she would do sitting for the flight. I made her a little backpack which I filled with stickers and crayons and a coloring book. She was really into the sticker book which had so many stickers and spots to put all of them. Our flight was only two hours and surprisingly none of us were freaking out at the end of it.

Pear plane!!! (this is what jovie calls an airplane)

Jov took her baby on the plane... of course.

This is the sticker book I bought for her backpack. This might be the best $3.00 I spent the entire month of July.

I look really tired but I think I am just enjoying sitting and having extended snuggle time with my goose. She is enjoying her goldfish.

Jack and Jovie loved each other right away. They haven't seen each other since last Christmas but everyday for the last few weeks Jovie points at the picture of them together and says, "Jovie and Jack".

Evidently they both like buckling and figuring out little fine motor puzzles.

Jack and Heathy playing at the playground which was walking distance from Heidi's parents house.

Bath time

Uncle Bubba makes yummy bar b que chicken.

We spent an afternoon at a little petting zoo.

Jovie plays in the garden while we play croquet.

We enjoyed every minute of the time we got to spend with our family in Seattle. This trip actually felt like a vacation. We didn't come home feeling tired and glad to be done. We came home thinking of when we could go back and when the Alaniz family could come visit us.