Everything Jensen

Wow! It’s been a hectic December. We installed all of our Black Friday purchases…which Melinda intended to blog about but didn’t have time. Long story short, we rocked the sales and got a new fridge, washer, dryer, and over-the-range microwave (All for 50% off or more – SCORE!). But, enough about appliances. Last Friday, Melinda’s brother Jed got sealed to his beautiful bride in the Portland Temple. We feel blessed and lucky that we were able to travel out west to celebrate with them. Melinda’s Uncle Joe conducted a beautiful ring ceremony after the temple sealing for all of their family and friends. I’ve included a link to Uncle Joe’s incredible speech - here . Kiss the Bride We’re excited to have Eve as a part of our family! She and Jed make such a cute couple. The reception was wonderful. Eve was a real “do-it-yourself” bride. She even made her own bouquet! You can see some of the pretty purple flowers she used in the picture of the buffet below. Mom and Melinda cut up the fruit for...

Roughly nine years ago, Melinda was in her freshman year at BYU and making lots good friends, including her neighbor across the hall, the talented Becky Reading (Hamblin).  Fast forward to 2010 - we're still almost neighbors, and Becky is still talented (of course). She's opening her own photography business (check her out at http://beckyhamblinphotography.blogspot.com/ ). We were lucky enough to be some of her first models! Here are a handful of pictures she took for us last Saturday. It was super windy, and Becky was really resourceful in getting these shots. We think the ones of Adelaide are especially cute.

Thanksgiving is a very special day in the Jensen family. Yes, we get to officially celebrate gratitude for our innumerable blessings (hopefully, we do this daily – not once a year). And, it’s when we start cranking up the Christmas carols on our iTunes. But, perhaps most importantly, it’s the one day of the year that the Turkey Shirt can come out of the closet.  Behold, the Turkey Shirt! It’s really a shame that there aren’t more Turkey-themed holidays, because the world would benefit from more Turkey-shirt exposure. This Thanksgiving we were hoping to go visit the Porters down in Florida. But, an unfortunate side effect of Matt’s job switch was a lack of vacation days. So, we weren’t able to make the trip. But, we were able to spend Turkey-Shirt Day with our friend Mike and the missionaries. Melinda provided the turkey and cranberry sauce. Matt made rolls. Mike did the sides…and the missionaries brought their appetites. A good time was had by all! Thanksgiving at Mike's Adela...

Sometimes, Adelaide eats carrots. Sometimes, she sneezes. Sometimes, Adelaide sneezes while eating carrots... Gesundheit!

It probably won’t surprise anyone reading this that Melinda has researched and over-researched childrearing. So, now that Adelaide is four months old and hitting off all the signs of a baby that’s ready to try some solids (according to a list Melinda compiled from half a dozen books), she got her first taste of rice cereal. First bites of rice cereal. Delicious! We had read all about how she would reflexively push the food out of her mouth with her tongue, and how it would take some time for her to get used to the texture. As is so often the case, Adelaide disregarded what the experts had to say and went straight to chowing down. She loves her rice cereal and after only a few tries figured out how to polish it off the spoon. Sometimes, she doesn't want to give the spoon back. Chomp! Since last week, she’s also added pears to her diet. Soon, she’ll be getting carrots (yes, Melinda has a food introduction chart – didn’t you know she would?). Right now, we’re just getting her use...

When Matt and I shorten Adelaide ’s name, we use the second half, not the first. So, we couldn’t help but choose a costume that plays off our little Laidey’s name. We think she’s about the cutest lady bug there ever was! Adelaide loved (to try to chew on) her costume. Adelaide has perfected her blank stare for the camera... Bumble Bee Mommy and Spider-Man Dad Complete the Bug Theme We had a lot of fun with our pumpkins this year. There were a few times Melinda regretted her complicated design choice while working out carving-cramps from her hand. Matt had to help a little to finish it off. But, we think they turned out pretty nice. Spoooooky Pumpkins! Adelaide didn't carve her pumpkin. She's anti-squash violence (and too little for knives). It was a pretty warm Halloween, so we got a lot of trick-or-treaters! We’ve really been enjoying the cool, pleasant weather. It’s perfect for taking the stroller out. Adelaide loves to go “off-roading” and listen to the leaves crun...

Sometimes (okay, all of the time), Adelaide gets up very early. But, we don't mind when she says good morning like this. Speaking of adorable babies, check out this overload of cuteness. These were all the babies at Andrea's goodbye party. Our good friends the Tanners are following opportunities westward and moving to Colorado - despite our best efforts to convince them that hanging out with us was worth more than gainful employment. Good luck Tanners! A Baby Bonanza!  One more time with the Mommies! 

If you are wondering about the title, no, we don't think Adelaide looks like a baby whale... Those are lyrics from Adelaide's favorite bath time song! Adelaide digs her bath time. She’s not especially fond of water or anything. And she hates getting out and being cold. But, she loves having her hair washed (or combed or brushed). Such a girl!  Sometimes we wonder if her head is  ticklish, she laughs so much… It's hard to believe how much she's grown in three short months. She's smiling, cooing, rolling over, and doing all the things babies like to do at this age. She's growing up so fast, it makes Melinda want to have another one :). 

This summer was record-breakingly hot and humid. While we were inside being grateful for the air conditioner, our garden took advantage of the hothouse weather and infrequent pruning to explode. Our new fig tree grew from six inches to six feet in a few short months. Our tomato and pepper plants also would have topped six feet if they hadn’t toppled under their own weight. Our mint went from a small, one-foot patch, to covering an entire hillside behind our back fence. This weekend, we decided it was time to tackle our out of control plants. Weeds and clover patches were dug up. Vines were untangled. Mint was viciously hewn back. Giant tomato and eggplant bushes were ripped from the ground. And, we harvested our four to five feet tall basil plants. Adelaide...cheering us on from her bouncer. Harvesting the basil, stripping the leaves, and then cleaning them, literally took hours. That’s on top of the hours we already spent rehabilitating our yard. But all of the frozen pesto we ...

Adelaide always has lots to say. Whether she is grumping at Mom through her monitor about an unwanted nap time or cooing at Dad about everything and anything, she's a very vocal baby. Adelaide tends to clam up once she spots a camera. But, Mom was able to get this video without being noticed this morning.

This weekend we went to Virginia Beach. There was a big ham radio festival, and Matt was able to purchase his first ham radio. He passed the tech test for it last spring and received his call sign from the FCC just before Adelaide was born. Sunny in September The weather was beautiful so we also enjoyed some time on the shore. Adelaide loved napping in the sunshine, but wasn’t a big fan of the water. Of course, not many babies, cuddly and warm in their Dad’s arms, would enjoy being woken up by having their toes dipped in cold water. But, that wasn’t the deal breaker. She got over the initial surprise of having her feet get wet pretty quickly. When the wave snuck up behind her and Dad, crashing into her little bum and soaking her diaper, well…that was the end as far as Adelaide was concerned. Snoozing on the Sand While at the beach we also saw lots of dolphins. They were playing and jumping no more than a couple dozen feet from the shoreline. We don’t have any pictures of this, however...

Adelaide loves both of her parents, no doubt about it. But, her best buddy is definitely Dad. Adelaide thinks her Dad is so much fun. Every morning they play and dance. The games they come up with make Mom laugh. Story Time is SO exciting Climbing Mount Dad Playing Rockstars Buddies, Amigos, Freunde, Amici, Amis,  Barkada Poor Adelaide cries and cries when Dad leaves for work. She is all smiles when he comes home. Adelaide won’t go to bed until she has had a little Dad time and protests against her evening nap when Matt has to work late. Mom hopes Dad doesn't have any business trips anytime soon. No one would get any sleep!  All worn out

Matt’s mom and sisters came to visit us last week. This means that poor Matt was outnumbered 5 to 1. He is dreaming of a day when there might be some brother-in-laws, sons and/or nephews to help him out. But, until then, he put up with floral themed cupcakes, mall shopping trips and chick flicks like a champ. Matt and his women Everyone really enjoyed meeting Adelaide, and she was thrilled to have so much loving attention lavished on her by her grandma and aunts. We’re looking forward to being merry with everyone again this Christmas. Ho ho ho. Adelaide loving being loved

Matt’s youngest sister Kristin turned 21 yesterday. She and the rest of Matt’s family are visiting us (okay, visiting Adelaide). So, we were able to celebrate together. This was especially fun because Kristin is going on a mission to Frankfurt, Germany in the fall (Yep, that's where Matt went). So, we’re enjoying our time together before she goes on her 18-month adventure. Happy Birthday Kristin! To celebrate, Melinda made sunflower cupcakes. They aren’t exactly like the ones in Hello Cupcake – but we still enjoyed eating them.  Delicious!  We've really enjoyed having the Jensens stay with us and will be sad to see them go in a couple days. It's been an exciting summer with lots of house guests. Though things will start to slow down in the fall, we're sure Melinda will still find many excuses to make crazy cupcakes. 

Yesterday our friend Andrea was nice enough to host a baby party for some of us new moms. Andrea has a little girl that is about three months old, and the rest of us had babies born in July. From Left to Right: Avery (2 weeks), Kelsey (5 weeks),  Adelaide (6 weeks), Elaina (3 months) It’s amazing to see the difference between the newborns and the three month old. Can they really grow that fast so quickly? Wow! Adelaide seems to be putting all her growth effort into length. She is 95 percentile for height. We had to bump her up to larger clothes so we could button them over her diaper. But, she doesn’t quite have the girth to fill out the larger sizes, so sometimes her onsies look like clown clothes. She still pulls it off though, because she is amazingly adorable. Oh no! Just out of reach.  This can only end in... TEARS!

Adelaide turned four weeks old today. She’s getting bigger, smarter, cuter and more talented every day. Today, her Dad blessed her at church and her name was officially entered into the church record. Dad did a great job and Adelaide only cried a little (lot) when she was being blessed at the front of the chapel. Of course, she stopped as soon as the prayer was done. Like we said, smart! Grandma Gale and Grandpa Jeff were in town to see the blessing.  So was Aunt Kristin, who was nice enough to take this picture! She wore an adorable dress that was a present from Grandma Barbara. Adelaide wasn’t so sure about all the puffy whiteness when Mom put it on her. But, she got used to it. At least, she didn’t destroy it with a blown out diaper like she does to most of her cute clothes. Her record so far? A five and a half foot shot that splattered her changing table, diaper pail, crib (and sheets), swaddler, carpet and Mom. Like we said, talented! Yes, her proud father took a pic...

Sorry to all the west coast grandparents who have been eagerly awaiting more pictures. We are taking them compulsively as our daughter is exceptionally adorable. But, she’s so adorable, we can hardly find time away from her to do things like post pictures (or, sleep). A big “Thanks” to Melinda’s mom who is making sure that we are still eating at least three square meals a day. Here’s the family in a nutshell: Adelaide: Eats, Sleeps, Eats, Looks Adorable, Eats, Blows Out Diaper, Eats, Sleeps… Melinda: Still generally out of commission. Spends time feeding Adelaide or being zonked out on the couch. Matt: Transitioned into Super-Dad role. He swaddles, he burps, changes diapers, keeps Melinda on her medicine schedule, runs errands, and many more amazing things. And, here are more pictures. Feel free to tell us how wonderful and cute she is. Go ahead, we don’t mind. These are mostly still from the hospital. We haven't had time to download the 100 or so we've taken at home :)...