Navigator of the Month

John was chosen as the Newton Navigator of the Month for being accepting. We're so proud of him!

More Santa

Victoria at 2.5

36 inches (53%)
29.8 pounds (58%)

She is obsessed with all things pink.

She had her first dentist visit. She was happy to be there but didn't want them to brush her teeth anymore than she wants me too. She pretty much refuses to open her mouth.

We had her hair cut in July. I couldn't take the mullet anymore.

We took her out of the crib in July because she and Elizabeth are using the bunk bed in the new house. We sold the crib, which I totally regret. I wish we could put her back in it. She comes into our bed in the middle of the night every other night or so. She used to end up horizontal, which was awful. Now she generally sleeps vertically and there are some nights I don't even realize she's there. She's worn me down to the point that I don't even fight her sleeping with us anymore. Benefits of being a third child.

She went through a really polite phase were she would yell, "no thank you" when ever we were doing something she didn't want to have done, like being put in the car seat. Now she just yells no.

She's also the friendliest toddler we've ever had she says hi to lots of random people.

Favorite things she says:

• Dop (stop)
• Dohn, (John)
• It's impossible to type how she says Elizabeth. It is basically Lilabef but she is all tongue when she says it.
• Gobbles (goggles)
• Calls spiders Bider-man 
• B bugs (lady bugs)
• Cake a nap (take a nap)

Victoria has tons of personality and is very happy, although, tantrums started about a week ago so we'll see how much longer I can describe her as happy. She loves to get people laughing. She loves dumping toys out more than playing with them. She hates cleaning up which probably goes without saying for a two-year-old but I feel like she hates it more than John and Elizabeth did.

She is amazingly capable which is good and bad. She can do a lot of things by herself but can also open and get to a lot of things she shouldn't.

She is fast. We cannot go outside with her unless she is within arms reach of us because she runs away at top speed. She has run into the road more times than I'd like to admit. I have felt more than once that we are lucky she hasn't been seriously injured. She has someone watching over her and for that I am truly grateful. 

Santa!

Elizabeth was all business and let Santa know she'd like a Moana lego set.

Victoria couldn't stop smiling long enough to say anything but earlier that morning she told us she wanted Santa to bring her toast.

John still hasn't decided what he'd like Santa to bring him. 

Thanksgiving

I've been wanting to host Thanksgiving for awhile now and was so glad the time had come. I was also really glad it was for a small, helpful, and forgiving group. My mom flew down Tuesday night to help me get ready. My dad, Caitlyn, Chet, and Melissa drove in late Wednesday night. 

I was as excited about the opportunity to create a cheese and charcuterie board as I was about hosting Thanksgiving dinner. 

It was 80 degrees so we ate outside, on the golf course, because we're fancy like that. John was kind enough to point out that it was a putting green not golf course but we chose to ignore him and live in our fantasy world. 

Cedar City Temple Open House

We left Victoria with Charly's cousin, which was quite possibly the best decision we've ever made. The temple was beautiful and I loved being able to walk through it with John and Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Loses a Tooth

This tooth had to be hanging on by a thread before she would let Kevin pull it. Then when I asked to get a picture she was as silly as can be.

She's lost one more tooth since these pictures. It was hanging on by far less than a thread but she was still afraid to have anyone pull it. It fell out while she was eating a grape.

Halloween

Victoria barely lasted in her dragon costume long enough to take pictures. She was much happier in the old, dirty princess dress up.

She didn't even go trick-or-treating. After dinner at a neighbor's house she was tired and perfectly content with our candy bucket so Kevin slipped out to go trick-or-treating with the big kids. She was asleep before they got back so we'd definitely made the right choice. 

Nevada Day

We celebrated Nevada with the Northshore Summit hike and a quick dip in Lake Mead. John and Elizabeth actually dipped Victoria and I were not as brave.

Pumpkin Patch and Trunk or Treat

John wore this dragon costume when he was one and two. About four years ago my friend's son dressed up as a knight. As soon as I saw his costume I started dreaming of the day when I could have a dragon, a knight, and a princess. The day finally came! Sadly, Victoria did not love the dragon costume. She was really excited to put it on but five minutes later she wanted it off and we obliged.

Busy Weekend!

Robin and Dixon came for a long weekend.

We got to celebrate Robin's birthday,

Get dressed up to go to the school's Trunk-or-Treat,

I did my second Pumpkinman Sprint.

Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

Mac Barnett is one of my favorite children's authors. His books are funny and snarky which makes reading them so much fun. He came to our library when the big kids were in Yellowstone. I was sad they had to miss it but I still went and got some books signed. While I was there I learned he was coming back for an event with Jon Klassen on the day their new book, The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse, was being released. Nothing could have made my fan girl heart happier. 

Mac and Jon were so funny together and hearing them talk about and read their books made me love them even more. John and Elizabeth both had a chance to answer questions and Mac made himself comfortable right in between them.

Goldilocks

My mom and Cait came the first weekend in October so we could do the sixty mile Goldilocks ride.

Here we are at the beginning of the race. We were late because I'd forgotten my helmet and bike number. Luckily, it is super low-key. There were rest stops every ten miles or so where we actually stopped and enjoyed treats and food. There was even lunch after the first forty miles.

This is Cait heading towards Red Rock and our last twenty miles. The last twenty were the prettiest but also the hardest. Before this ride I'd never gone more than twelve miles so my legs were tired!

It was such a fun ride and doing it with my mom and Cait made it that much better.

While we were gone my dad and Kevin finished the baker's nook (next to the oven)!

Color Fun Run

 

Cedar Girls

It has been way too long since we've taken our trip to St. George. It was so good to reconnect with the Cedar Girls!

School Pictures

School pictures aren't my favorite so the only time I've ever bought them was when John was in Kindergarten. Since I had John's kindergarten picture I wanted to get Elizabeth's too. The day they came home with their pictures Elizabeth was really excited to show me. As she was pulling her picture out John told her there was nothing to get excited about because it was just going to be a proof. When she pulled hers out and they were actual pictures John was so sad especially because his was in fact only a proof. I told him I had his from kindergarten and that is all I planned on doing for her. He asked me why we couldn't buy pictures every year like a normal family. I explained that I didn't love school pictures but had other pictures taken of him every year. I don't think I had him convinced. 

Look at these cute kindergartners!

Elizabeth was quite impressed with her picture and did not think I was taking full advantage of them so she took matters into her own hands.