Louis Playing in a Symphony

On Friday May 9th, Louis got a chance to play in the Ensign Symphony and Chorus at Benaroya Hall. One of the Cello players was not able to make it that night and Louis jumped on his chance to fill in. He only had a week to practice but he did just that after work each day. I am so proud of him! He was so good that he was asked to play with them again at their July 5th performance featuring Alex Boye. I can't wait to watch him play then!

Not A Big Fan Of The Pool

Washington had great weather for about half of last week. Thursday was the hottest with 85+ degrees. Louis and I thought is would be fun to try out Zach's swimsuit for the first time. We were not really sure how he would like getting wet but we soon found out. First, here he is modeling his swim trunks and looking adorable!

He was totally okay with the pool when he first saw it....

But, he wasn't too sure once he got in the water.

He looked at me with a worried face.

Which was followed by crying. Lots of crying.

Still crying even though he wasn't in the pool anymore.

He did calm down after about five minutes. I'm hoping that he will get used to the water soon. He loves his baths, but only when the water is warm enough. That was part of the problem Thursday.

Zachary's First Easter

We got Zachary a stuffed lamb for his first Easter and he absolutely loved it! He loves to sleep cuddled up with his lamb and it's so cute. I got some pictures of him in his Easter outfit alongside his lamb.

He started out fine and happy.

But, it quickly turned into a lot of rolling over and screaming. He was totally done with photos.

Zachary Cut a Tooth!

Zachary reached two milestones this weekend! First, he rolled over three times on his own and he was very happy with himself. He rolled from tummy to back but hasn't figured out how to do it the other way around. I don't think he will ever go from back to tummy because he HATES being on his tummy.

Second, he finally cut his first tooth yesterday! They have been a problem for the past two months and he's been really cranky because of teething. I got my first 2 teeth when I was two months old so I'm not at all surprised that he got his early. The only difference is that mine came in really fast and his took their sweet time.

Zachary's 4 Month Check Up

Zachary had his 4 month check up and shots yesterday. He is 25 1/2 inches long and 13 lbs 5 oz. We brought up the napping problems during the day. Zach hates taking naps and never sleeps during the day. The doctor isn't worried because he is getting plenty of at night. The doctor asked us some questions about his eating and his interest in food. We told him that he loves watching people eat and is always trying to get my food when I'm eating. He said that we could try to start him on rice cereal because he is showing signs that he is ready to eat solids.

Well, we tried him with the rice cereal today and he loves it. He wasn't sure about it at first but was happy with it by the end. This was the happy boy after his very first feeding.

Every Child Should Have a Pet

My family always had pets growing up and I can't my life without them. We had Guinea Pigs when I was three and, up until I was five years old, we had cats. The only reason that we had to re-home the cats is because my younger brother was allergic to them. That's when we got our first dog Abby. Well, she sort of started out being my older brother's dog but later became the whole family's dog. She was an awesome Australian Cattledog/ Kelpie mix who was extremely smart.





After Abby, we've had many other dogs and animals. Dogs, a Goat, Hamsters, Rats, Fish, a Hermit Crab, more Guinea Pigs, and a lizard. They were all amazing pets and they were there for me when I was growing up and needed a friend.

I knew when I found out I was pregnant that we were going to keep all of our animals because I wanted our child to grow up loving animals. I wasn't going to be "that person" who re-homes their animals just because they have a baby. Nope, that was not an option. I will explain why every child should grow up with at least one animal.


1) They watch over you

Okay, so maybe some animals, hamsters, fish, gerbils, etc., aren't going to be able to watch and protect you, but I will get into what they can do. I'm talking about dogs and cats. I knew growing up that our dog Abby would protect her family no matter what happened. I felt safe taking her out for a walk because I knew that she had my back. No matter the size, they are there to make sure you are always okay.

2) They are there when You are scared or upset

They see you crying and want to make sure that you're okay.

3) They are there to cuddle

You never know when you might need a flurry pillow to lay your head on. And, honestly, who hasn't felt great wrapping their arms around a fluffy animal. It's good for your heart and soul!

You still think about them, even when they aren't around. Pretend that your animal are right next to you and love them. Children are especially good at pretending animals playing with them or, in this case, sleeping with them.

Animals are family. That's what I'm teaching Zachary. You will always love your family and they will do the same. We may not share the same mother or even be the same species but we are still family.

Everything Goes In His Mouth

Everything it a Target for Zachary's mouth. Anything he can get his hands on goes in his mouth. Here are just a few.

Toys











Fingers and Toes








His Toothbrush. I give it to him when I change his diaper.





Also our hands, but I don't have a picture.