The Wood's

3 year well check.

2012-01-23T08:13:00.002-07:00

River had his 3 year check up with the pediatrician last week. He has grown a TON! Don't ask me how he did it, the kid eats absolute NOTHING!
Guess chocolate milk does the body good.

Here are his stats:

Weight - 36 lbs (90 %)

Height - 37 1/5 inches.(90%)

And still one big noggin! (Love it!...reminds me of a cute little cartoon character)

He's perfectly right on schedule with everything. In fact he's pretty smart for his age...I always thought he was so mature. Kinda like a little man...a mini Bret. However, he has zero interest in potty training. About 5 months ago we bought him some underpants and put him in them and took him to the potty every so often during the day. He actually had a few days with no accidents! And Then one day he decided that he wanted nothing to do it. We Couldn't even get a pair of underpants on him...and you can just forget about letting him run around with no diaper at all (which was gonna be plan b). He HAD to have his diaper on. He event tried to put one on himself. (now that was funny). Seriously stubborn. Yeah yeah yeah...we all have stubborn kids right? Well take your most stubborn kid, multiply it by a billion...and you have River. The dr assured us that this is so normal. That boys are much more difficult to train than girls (we all knew this anyway right?) He told us not to push it, and the more we try and force it...the longer it will take.
Okie Dokie dr. You're the boss! BUT if I'm still changing diapers when he's 10, then I want my money back!!
I always take pictures at these appointments. Of course I forgot my camera this time...So my phone had to do.

3 years old!

2012-01-12T22:30:00.002-07:00

Can't believe this little goofball is 3 years old!

Yup...my little pirate is now officially out of the two's (Notice I didn't say "terrible two's"...we may still have a little of that going on!)
All he wanted for his birthday was a birthday party hat, and a pirate cake. Come on...how can you say no to that. Such cute little requests.

Of course I had my friend, Audrey, make another cake for him. I've known Audrey for a long time (way back in my primary days). She is so sweet and talented. How darling is this cake?? River LOVED it!! It's always such a shame to have to cut into a cake like this...

(love the look on his face..)

Oh this kid...he can be a stinker. But he is also the sweetest little boy I know. He's so loving and always tells me he loves me "big much!" He watches me get ready for the day and tells me I'm so "handsome". Never goes to bed without giving a big kiss to Bret and myself, then says "goodnight and sweet dreams". Seriously?...could he be any cuter?

Happy birthday, River. We love you big much!!

**I know I know, it's a little late to STILL have our Christmas tree up. I just hate taking it down so bad! I love walking into my living room and see it standing there in all it's massive glory. Just makes me happy. So I told Bret just to leave it up a little longer. (Don't worry, we took it down the day after River's birthday)

Christmas

2011-12-26T22:40:00.000-07:00

Somebody must've been a good boy this year! I blame Bret for the gift overload. (yes, these are all River's presents...ridiculous, I know)

One of these stockings is for our 4 legged child (I blame Bret for this one too)...

Oh yes...THE "shootgun" that River has been so patiently waiting for. Every single time you ask River what he wanted Santa to bring him, his answer was always a "shootgun".

Tell me that's not the cutest helmet you've ever seen!...

Goes perfectly with his new set of wheels...

And last, but not least...the coolest pirate ship you've ever seen.

Last night we were playing with some of River's new toys, and just out of the blue he says "Santa Claus really likes me!".
Yup, he sure does kiddo!
Merry Christmas!!

Santa

2011-12-03T21:00:00.001-07:00

We paid a visit to the man in the big red suit yesterday. It was a huge difference from last year! Last year he really didn't want to sit on his lap, and he would not even consider smiling. Well, he was so excited to see Santa this time! The second he got on his lap he told Santa that he wanted a "shootgun" and Legos for Christmas...and then (pause for effect....) he SMILED for the camera! A true Christmas miracle!

You better be a good boy!....

We met my friend, Liz there. We went together last year also, and got a picture of River and Harlowe (her daughter) together with Santa. We were going to try and do it again this year, but it didn't work out. I did get this cute little picture though. We love Harlowe! She is just 3 months younger than him. They've been friends since day one. So cute...

Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

This year we went to my mom's house for a DELICIOUS Thanksgiving feast. Not everyone was able to be there, but still a ton of fun to hang out and play some games. It was a good day. Thanks for everything you did, Mom. It was perfect!

Mr. River (a.k.a. "The Boss") spent the day in uniform. (of course I forgot to take any pictures while we were there) He was a bit of a stinker Thanksgiving morning (that's putting it lightly), so I had to bribe him with a little something I got from the dollar store. He ate his meal with his eye patch and hook and he's been wearing it ever since.
Man, that boy can be STUBBORN!

(Every pirate needs a treasure map...)

Too early you say???

2011-11-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Nah...

Fun in the snow

2011-11-17T15:50:00.006-07:00

So we ordered new snow pants, coat and boots for River...and I think his they work a little too well, because he never wants to come inside. In fact, I think he was starting to get a little hot while he was playing outside the other night. Oh boy, Guess I better invest in some new winter gear for myself...looks like I'm gonna be spending a lot of time outside!

So funny the other day when I came outside and I saw Bret...but no River.

Can I just say that boy LOVES the snow! Good thing, because we get a TON of it up here!

Halloween

2011-11-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

River is obsessed with pirates lately. His playset outside is his "pirate ship", any sort of stick, pencil, spatula, etc...basically anything long and skinny is his "sword", and his FAVORITE show is Jake and the Neverland Pirates. So of course he was a pirate for Halloween....

The cutest pirate I've ever seen!

Poor Poor Indie. That dog puts up with so much...

About a week before Halloween one of my neighbors had a party at her house for the kids in the neighborhood. It was so cute. A bunch of other moms put together some games and activities, and even had a little spook ally. Fun to get together with all the other little ones in the neighborhood!

Sophie is our little friend that lives across the street from us. She's such a cutie...

As usual, we spent Halloween night with our good friends, The Albro's. They had homemade chili, and gluten free corn bread just for Bret. They are seriously the nicest people you'll ever come by. We always have a great time with them.

BUT, first we stopped by Grandma's house for a little tea party. Yup...you heard me...my boy loves a good tea party. He's so sophisticated...

Trick-or-treating was a huge hit. It was so cute watching him go up to each house. He LOVED it and did not want to stop! Good thing the weather was so nice!

It was a good Halloween :)

I heart San Francisco!

2011-11-13T18:01:00.007-07:00

"The coldest winter I ever spent, was a summer in San Fransisco" ~Mark Twain

The end of August Bret, River and myself took a trip to San Fransisco for a week. I LOVED it! I had never been there, so I definitely wasn't expecting it to be so cold in AUGUST!!! Still had a blast though!
We stayed at the Hyatt Regency in the Financial District. Such a nice hotel! This was the view from our room...

I loved the inside of our hotel. The elevators reminded me of Willy Wonka.

We spent the week sight seeing, eating Fantastic food, and doing as much touristy things we could fit in.
Alcatraz...

The sea lions at Pier 39. They are just always there...all year long! River LOVED seeing them.

Fisherman's Wharf.

We ate at this place called The Crab House. Delish!!

The Aquarium of the Bay. Very cool.

My FAVORITE show growing up was "Full House". So I was pretty excited about seeing these houses.

Got to try my first oyster....

It was actually pretty yummy!

China Town

Ghirardelli Square
Poor River got sick about 2 days in. Luckily it only last about 24 hours. It was the first time throwing up for the poor guy. I felt so bad for him...

I can't believe how fast that week flew by! We had such an incredible time!!

Lesson learned

2011-11-08T13:15:00.004-07:00

about a week ago our laptop crashed. I've always just put my pictures on my laptop (so much more convenient than our desktop)....sadly they are gone now. We got it when River was about 8 months old, so all the pictures prior to that our on our desktop. I could just scream!!! I was so sad. Thank goodness for my blog and facebook or we would have nothing from September 2009 until now! I can't tell you how many times in the last 3 months I almost sat down to catch up on some blogging and post pictures, but I kept putting it off. I could just kick myself now for not doing it!
Sooo...for those of you who don't have your pictures backed up...DO IT NOW!!

9 YEARS!

2011-08-02T17:19:00.001-06:00

Thank you for the best years of my life...For loving me unconditionally...For being such an amazing daddy to our sweet boy...For working so hard for us...For always telling me I'm pretty (even when I'm not)...For never getting mad at me (even when I deserve it)...For always thinking of River and I before yourself...

But most of all...Thank you for marrying me.

Happy Anniversary, Bret. LOVE YOU! XO

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T15:39:00.005-06:00

There's a saying that goes, "Good fathers make good sons". That being said...I have the best son ever. :)
Thank you, Bret, for everything you do for us. For providing for River and myself, for bringing joy into both of our lives, for your love and your patience...But most of all for being such a good father to my sweet little boy.

Happy Father's Day. Love you so much!

Dirrrrrrty dash

2011-06-14T11:09:00.000-06:00

About a week ago I joined some friends in a 5k called "The Dirty Dash" up in Soldier Hollow. It completely lived up to it's name! The ENTIRE course was in mud. It was a tough race (with what felt like an extra 10 lbs of mud in your shoes), but SO much fun! It had different obstactles (climbing over walls, running through tires, jumping over bales hay, etc...) We got just a little dirty. Not too bad...

Tried my best to "clean off" before I left to come home. All I had with me were baby wipes. Bret thought he needed to take a picture. Pretty sure I still have junk in my ear. Sick!

So fun to get down n' dirrrty! :)

TERRIBLE blogger!!

2011-06-07T18:46:00.001-06:00

Oh man...I have been the worst! I've fallen so far behind in my blogging that I don't even know where to start. I'll just post a bunch of pictures of what we've been up to the past month. Gosh, this is just pathetic! I promise I'll be better!!!
The Saturday before Easter we went to an Easter egg hunt at the park. LAME! Way too many parents snatching up the candy for their kids! So very frustrating. Poor River. It was total chaos! He only managed to get like 2 little candies and that was it! Oh well...he didn't seem to mind, and I got a few cute pictures.

A couple of weeks later we headed up to Rexburg, ID where Bret's brother and his wife live. Their sweet little baby girl was being blessed. I took a bunch of pictures, but unfortunately they were deleted from my card before I was able to get them on the computer. I was so ticked! It was a quick trip, but a fun one! Thanks Justin and Carrie for being such great hosts!

After that, Bret's parents were in town for a while and we were able to spend some time with them. River had a blast with both of them!
He absolutely adores his grandpa!

And grandma ain't so bad either...

SO handsome! Gotta love the hand in his pocket.

I just had to throw in these pictures of River getting a haircut from Dad. He makes the most hilarious faces.

eAsTeR BuNnY...

2011-04-25T10:13:00.004-06:00

Once again our visit with the Easter Bunny was a total bust...
Oh this child of mine....

So sorry, Santa and Mr Bunny...please don't take it personally.

.

Baby Zoey

2011-03-15T17:47:00.001-06:00

A couple of weeks ago Bret's brother and his wife made a visit from Rexburg with their sweet new baby. While they were here I took some pictures of the little darling. She is just so cute. I definitely have a lot of practicing to do, but they were so much fun to take! Thanks, Justin and Carrie, for letting me do it!!
Here are a few that I thought turned out cute...

Happy birthday to Bret!!

2011-03-14T11:59:00.001-06:00

Bret turned 45 last Friday....45!! I'm sure he'll love that I am publicly announcing his age, but come on...doesn't he look great!? He is such a good husband and daddy...and I am so lucky that he is all mine!
Happy birthday honey! We sure do love you.

(I love this picture...it's SO River and Bret!)

No more ear infections

2011-03-07T14:20:00.006-07:00

....well, hopefully!

Poor little fella has pretty much had an ear infection since Thanksgiving. It would clear up after about a week of antibiotics, and then just return 2 or 3 days after. So we finally went and saw an ENT, and scheduled River to have tubes put in his ears. It was such a minor procedure...but still so sad to see your baby in a hospital bed.

He did SO well!! When Bret and I went back to post-op to see him he was just sitting up coloring like nothing had ever happened. Didn't even cry once. What a little sweetheart :)

Just playing while we waited...

When it was time for River to go into the operating room the anesthesiologist put him in this little wagon with a few toys and just wheeled him off. They were pretty sneaky! I was worried that he was going to be sad when he had to go off with a stranger...but this couldn't have been more perfect!

I really like his dr. He was so sweet with River, and us too! Hope this does the trick!!

Too cool for school

2011-02-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

River and I went to Walmart earlier this week. After paying for my things and half way out to the car, I notice River has a pair of sunglasses in his hands....sunglasses that I did not pay for! The minute I notice, he immediately put them on...now how can I say no to that?? Don't worry, I went back in and paid for them! Little fella has some sticky fingers!! I'll let him off with a warning this time ;)
He looks pretty cool (He sure thinks so anyway!)

Happy birthday Mr River!

2011-01-09T18:29:00.002-07:00

See this little guy...

He's 2 years old!!!

I had my friend make this ADORABLE cake for his birthday. She asked me what I would like her to do. I told her that he LOVES trucks, cars, and planes, and that she could just do whatever she wanted with that. WELL...I have to say, she did not disappoint. It turned out so stinkin' cute!
(I love that the speed limit is "2". So clever.)

River absolutely loved his cake!...

I love this picture of Bret and River putting together his Hot Wheels track. Such boys...

I cannot believe it's been 2 years since this sweet boy came to us and changed our lives forever. We are so thankful to have him in our little family.

Happy birthday, River. We love you so so so much!!!

2 year check up

2011-01-08T13:19:00.002-07:00

River had his 2 year check up on Friday. Dr says he looks fantastic! He went through quite a growth spurt in the last 6 months. He now weighs 27.11 lbs and is at 50% for weight, and is 35 1/2" long which puts him at 90% for height! (6 months ago he was only 20% for weight, and 55% for height.) His head is 19 1/2" and in the 80%. A growin' boy for sure!

He had to get another vaccination and a flu shot. So sad. It rips my heart apart every time I watch them poke him.

Poor baby. I spent a little longer than usual in the exam room this time. I didn't have the heart to put him down. I think he needed a little extra love from his momma...and I was perfectly happy to provide it :)

Christmas

2011-01-05T23:04:00.002-07:00

We had a wonderful Christmas!It was SO much fun watching River open his presents. He did great! I thought for sure that we were gonna have to help him out, but he just went for it! He doesn't quite understand the whole Santa thing yet, but he still seemed to love every second!...Probably almost as much as we loved watching him! :)

Indie wanted in on the action...

Took this picture of River a few days after Christmas. Turned out kinda cute, so I thought I'd share

Hope everyone had a merry Christmas!! XO

Snow

2011-01-05T22:53:00.002-07:00

Went out in the back yard and took a few pictures of this gorgeous sight last week. It was so pretty! Complain all you want about the snow...but it sure is beautiful huh?

Santa who?

2010-12-23T09:01:00.001-07:00

Took this little deadpan to see Santa last week.....

Now let's take a look back to Easter, shall we?...

...Notice anything? Gosh, is it too much to ask for him to at least pretend to be excited?! We laughed so hard after seeing the Santa picture. It's his exact same face that he made for the Easter Bunny! Too bad you can't see all of us behind the camera making complete fools of ourselves just to get a dang smile. Sheesh!!

We were with my friend Liz and her little girl Harlowe(a.k.a. River's girlfriend). So we decided to get a picture with both of them on Santa's lap. Isn't she the cutest little thing you've ever seen?? Harlowe is such a doll!

Once again...NO smile from my little stinker! Since River was a baby he's always been a little on the serious side. Doesn't matter how much you dance, wiggle, sing, pull silly faces, or just down right make a total idiot out of yourself...River will have this look on his face, reminding you that...yes...you are a big dork. But....it's just one of the billion things I adore about my baby boy. Sure do love the kid!
On a side note...betcha he'll be fantastic at Poker one day!

Why do I buy toys?

2010-12-02T22:58:00.004-07:00

Clearly all we need is a flashlight and a crazy dog...

Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

This year my family came to our house for Thanksgiving. It was A LOT of work (I'm not gonna lie!), but it was so fun...and turned out really nice too!

The "kids" table. Kinda fun to go a little fancy every once in a while. I think the kids liked it too :)

I don't have good picture of all the food. We had enough to feed 2 armies!! If ya know Bret...then you know that the appropriate amount of food just isn't enough.

The fam. Once again I don't have a picture of all of us together. But you get the idea...

River loved this little book. He was being so cute "reading" it. He's really starting to use his words more and more. And I have to say it's the cutest sweetest thing I have ever heard! Love this little rascal so much.

We even had our Christmas Tree up! SO unlike us. It may not be decorated yet...but it's a start.
River had a ball playing with his cousins...showin' off and being silly.
So did Indie...

And what's a Thanksgiving with out a little post turkey snooze?

It really was a fun Thanksgiving. Worth every bit of the hard work!!
We truly live a blessed life. So much to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! XO

Halloween fun

2010-11-01T11:17:00.001-06:00

Friday night we headed over to the church with my friend and her kids for a little "trunk-or-treating". River LOVED every second of it!! Every time someone would drop candy in his bag he would say "WOW!"

I swear he really did love it!! This just seems to be the expression he makes every single time I try to take a picture...

Then on Saturday night we went trick-or-treating to my mom's house. His little costume made me laugh so hard when I would look at him from behind. So stinkin' cute to watch him walk around with that huge mane.

Of course we had to go inside and play with grandma for a few minutes :)

I dare you to find a cuter lion!!

My sister-in-law let us borrow this awesome costume. Thanks, Shana!!

As usual we ended our evening with our dear friends, the Albro's. They made some yummmmmy chili, and I took River to a few more houses in their neighborhood. Thanks guys!!
(The nice thing about a 1 year old is that he's already forgotten about the candy. Outta sight, outta mind.........until I need to bribe him. hehehehe)

Pretty in Pink Fashion Show

2010-10-07T13:13:00.000-06:00

A couple of months ago my friend, Liz, called and asked me if I would be willing to be a part of a fashion show with her. At first I was like HECK NO! But she was not taking no for an answer. Soooo...I said yes. WELL, it turned out to be SO much fun! It was a charity event to raise money for breast cancer. Tickets to get in were $20 each, which was donated to the "Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink Foundation". The show was held on Friday, September 24th. The Good Things Utah girls were there MC-ing. Such a fun night! I'm so glad I was able to be a part of such an amazing event. Thanks for "making" me do it, Liz!! ;)

Liz and I. She has been one of my very best friends for EVER! Love her!

With Nicea from Good Things Utah. Super nice girl!!

Such a fun night! What other excuse would I ever had to dress up as a Go-Go girl!? ;)

Indianapolis

2010-10-05T11:16:00.002-06:00

We just got back from a week in Indiana for a P.A. conference that Bret attends every year. Each year it's in a different city, and this year it was Indianapolis. There wasn't a whole lot to do there...but any time away is a fantastic vacation for me!! And what can I say...the food was great! We found some EXCELLENT restaurants!!

One of the days while Bret was in a meeting I took River to the Indianapolis Zoo. It was within walking distance of our hotel. He got to touch the sharks and feed the giraffes.

We took a tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. During the tour they told us about a tradition called "the kissing of the bricks". After the race the winner gets out of the car and kisses this strip of bricks. Sooo.....

Quite possibly the cutest darn thing to step food on the track :)...

The winner's podium.

Indianapolis State Museum...

Downtown

River was such a good boy on the plain.

I love this picture of him on the moving sidewalk at the airport. Such a little man! So funny!

We traveled to our hotel in style. A limo picked us up from the airport.

Yes...that's a television in our bathroom. I loved our hotel! One night when we got back to our room there was a little toy train for River to play with. They were SO nice!

I love these trips. So much fun to get away for a week. Next year....San Francisco!! Can't wait!

Bowling

2010-09-19T12:05:00.001-06:00

Last night River and I went bowling with some of my family, and I must say...bowling with a one year old is no walk in the park! Good thing the lanes next to us weren't being used. I spent most of the time chasing after the little stinker!

But I'm pretty sure he had a wonderful time...

He even got a spare!

See these two...

2010-09-08T13:04:00.000-06:00

I love em' a lot

Just thought these pictures were cute :)

Just the girls.

2010-08-16T15:33:00.001-06:00

This past weekend I got together with 4 of my very bestest friends for a trip to Park City. We stayed Friday and Saturday night (without the kiddos!). I've been friends with these crazy girls FOREVER (3 of us go all the way back to elementary)! Now...12 years outta high school, 8 1/2 kids later (congratulations Candace!), and we've STILL got it! You know your true best friends when, no matter how long you sometimes go with out seeing each other, you can still pick up right where you left off. Every memory of high school includes these beautiful gals. Every occasion with them is the funnest (most hilarious) time ever. I love all the nicknames, one liners, inside jokes, ridiculous conversations, hilarious car memories, etc. etc. etc... Love you guys!
(Candace, Amber, Ally, me, and Liz)

It was so fun, just hanging out, shopping, and eatin' great food. Gotta love Park City!

Thanks for a fantastic weekend, ladies!

I'd rather be a mother...

2010-07-24T09:13:00.000-06:00

About a month ago I was at my neighbor's house. In her family room she had a little plaque on a shelf with the most amazing quote. I've been thinking about it ever since, and thought it was worth sharing...

"Some homes try to hide the fact that children shelter there. Ours boasts of it quite openly. The signs are everywhere. For smears are on the windows, little smudges on the door. I should apologize I guess for the toys strewn on the floor. But today I sat down with my children. We played and laughed and read, and if the doorbell doesnt shine, their eyes will shine instead. For when at times, I'm forced to choose, the one job or the other, Id like to be a homemaker but I would rather be a mother."

...So beautifully said.

Discovery Gateway

2010-07-21T16:52:00.005-06:00

On Monday I went with a friend of mine to the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum. I've never been there before, but have walked by it several times when I've been at Gateway Mall. It was the cutest place ever! River Loved it! They had a million things that were perfect for his age group. I think We'll definitely be making another visit!

They had this cute little "grocery store" with little shopping carts that the kids can fill up and push around. It even had little check out stands where you "pay"...SO cute! (Tamina, you would love this!!)

Such a fun place for little kids! So glad we went. :)

Draper Days

2010-07-17T21:05:00.003-06:00

Today we went down to the park and had a little fun at Draper Days. River had a blast playing on the different things they had set up for kids. And we had just as much fun watching him.

Going little too fast for the camera...

The little pony ride was so cute. (Don't let his face fool you...he loved it!)

Watching the ponies. He thought they were pretty neat.

Coolin' off with a snow cone. It was SO hot!

Time to head home where the air outside is a little bit cooler!...

Fun day!! Sure do love that little stinker.

18 months...and sick :(

2010-07-09T17:13:00.000-06:00

River had his 18 month check up this week. Dr said he looks great. However, he's had a rough week. Friday I went to lunch with my friend, and noticed he was not quite himself. Wouldn't sit still and VERY clingy to me. I thought he was just being a stinker, or grumpy. When I got home and took him out of the car he was on fire! SO warm! So I took his temp...103.2! Oh poor baby! How miserable he must have been while I was dragging him around to lunch and the store. I called his Dr's office and they had me bring him in. They weren't quite sure what he had..but said there was nothing they really could do for him. The next day he seemed to be much better. Well that was just a big tease! He had another fever that night. In fact he had a fever every day until Tuesday! He hardly ate anything that entire time!
This picture KILLS me! This was on Friday before we left to go see the Dr. His eyes were so sad and droopy.

Wednesday was his check up. Still sick. So sad...

Well, today I think he is FINALLY better! It's so nice to see him being his funny cute self again!

I cannot believe he is a year and a half!! Could somebody please make time slow down a little? Gosh!

Soooo....18 months:

23.3 lbs (Friday he was 24 lbs...so sad), and 32 inches long

He's in the 20% for his weight, 55% in height, and 75% for his noggin. Such a cute lil' rascal :)

First dentist appointment.

2010-06-30T15:52:00.007-06:00

Last week River fell and bumped his mouth in our bathroom. A few hours later I noticed that he had chipped one of his front teeth. I was concerned that maybe he had hit it hard enough to cause some sort of damage to the tooth. So we called a pediatric dentist in our area and they told me to bring him in. His appointment was yesterday morning....and boy was it fun. (I'm saying that sarcastically of course) I felt like there should've been circus music playing in the background. To be a fly on the wall would have been hilarious! Once they took us back to the room we waited about 20 minutes for the dentist to come in. Let's just say River was all over the place. Why is it that exam rooms at the dentist never have doors? Sheesh!!! During the exam, River was actually SO good! He just sat on my lap and opened his mouth. It was so darn cute.
Of course I had to document his very first visit to the dentist, so I managed to get a few pictures...

Like I said...He was ALL OVER THE PLACE!

They made him a cute little balloon sword after the appointment. He was happy as a clam...

Long story short...dentist thought his tooth would be fine. Just told me to watch it for any color changes.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-21T10:53:00.004-06:00

Happy Father's Day to the man who gave me the best darn little boy in the world!

He works hard so that he can provide for us. So that we have food on the table, and clothes on our backs. He drives our old car so that River and I can drive around in the nice car. He always packs a lunch to take to work, meanwhile I am going out to lunch with my mom or a friend. He hardly ever buys new clothes for himself, but never even blinks an eye when I buy something for River or myself. Never does he complain about going to work while I stay home each day with River...I guess what I am saying is thank you, Bret, for all you do for us. We love you!!

Good weekend

2010-06-21T10:33:00.000-06:00

Saturday afternoon Bret and I had a few errands we needed to do in Salt Lake. We decided while we were out that we would go to Rodizio Grill at Trolley Square for lunch (Bret's favorite). Of course as usual it was DELICIOUS! After we ate we walked around the mall for a few minutes. River had never been on an escalator...and let's just say he quite enjoyed it. He and Bret probably went up and down 5 times. So funny

On the way home we hit the park.

And of course, what would a Saturday be without a little yard work?

Sunday we took a trip to the zoo. I had been wanting to take River there for a while now. He seems to really love animals, so I was excited to see what his reaction would be to a place filled with every kind of creature you could think of.

Perfect end to a perfect weekend :)

Isn't she a beauty?

2010-06-16T17:07:00.002-06:00

I was just going through our pictures, trying to get them organized on the computer, and I came across these. Have you ever seen a prettier dog?

...If I don't say so myself. :)

Are you kidding me?

2010-05-24T11:20:00.004-06:00

Just when you think summer is coming...

Bret took this picture AFTER he had cleared the driveway.

30 ain't so bad...

2010-05-11T16:58:00.006-06:00

At least that's what I keep telling myself. Wow! When did I get this old?! I have to say I don't feel any different than I did when I was 20. But the number "30" just kinda freaks me out. I have this memory of when I was in 3rd or 4th grade and one of my friends telling me that her mom was having her 30th birthday. Back then a 30 year old was OLD...NOW look at me! I'm one of em'!!! Yikes!

Oh well (sigh)...I guess it's not so bad when you have this little guy to love...

So cute.

2010-05-07T09:56:00.006-06:00

There's a famous quote that goes, "Every boy should have two things: a dog, and a mother who will let him have one".

I concur...

Gardner Village

2010-05-06T12:55:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week I took River to the petting zoo at Gardner Village. He LOVED it. I was a little nervous at first when he went near the bigger animals, but the guy that worked there assured me that they were all very tame and harmless.
So cute!

I would be lying if I said I didn't want to take one of the little lambs home. Oh my...they were sooo cute!

Of all the times I've been to Gardner Village I have never noticed the little petting zoo they have. Funny how the world becomes a different place when you have a child :)

15 month check up

2010-04-08T13:03:00.011-06:00

Took River in yesterday for his 15 month well check appointment. Dr said he is "fit as a fiddle" (as my mom would say). 22 lbs, and 31 inches long. Still a skinny little guy. He's 20% for his weight, and 60% for height. I told the Dr I was a little concerned that he isn't eating as much as I think he should be. But he didn't seem to think it was a big deal since he is still gaining weight (2lbs in 3 months).

Poor thing had to have 4 shots. He didn't even cry, just got a little sad. I've decided that it doesn't make a difference if he cries or not...it's STILL really hard to watch your baby get poked. What a little trooper...

All dressed and ready to go get his sucker. Not quite as happy as when we first arrived, but nothing a little treat won't fix. :)

So thankful every day for our healthy boy.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-06T11:13:00.002-06:00

The Easter Bunny made a visit to our house, and left a few things that he thought River would enjoy.

Every time we bring home a stuffed toy of any kind Indie automatically thinks it's for her. She's never been a chewer...just likes to play. Good doggy.

Better watch your back, River! ...SUCH a food thief!

Eeeewww!

We had a nice Easter, just hung out and relaxed. It was a good day.

IT'S A MIRACLE!

2010-04-06T11:03:00.001-06:00

Gosh, it's about time! Little stinker finally got up the nerve to start walking Easter day.
(This video was taken yesterday)

15 months old today!

Who cares about the Easter Bunny?

2010-04-02T15:19:00.004-06:00

Not this kid...

I love how the bunny looks so sad in this second picture. It's as if his feelings are hurt that River doesn't really care about him. So funny.

River has always been sort of a "tough crowd". Not easily amused, and always so serious. His first visit to the Easter Bunny was no exception!

My handsome boy.

2010-03-26T17:36:00.002-06:00

A couple weeks ago my mom and I took River to get his first "real" haircut. It was WAY over due! Bret and I would joke that our little girl had such cute hair.
I took this picture right before we left...

It was so dang cute to see him sitting in the little airplane chair with his cape on.

He was SUCH a good boy! I got to choose a dvd for him to watch, and they gave him a little sucker. He was happy as a clam.

The finished product. So handsome!

I just thought this picture was kinda funny. Wish I knew what goes on in that little head of his.

I would be lying if I said I didn't get a little emotional...when we walked in he was my baby, and when we walked out he was my little boy.
Sure do love this kid.

New pictures

2010-03-14T18:24:00.009-06:00

Bret, River and I took a quick trip to Vegas last month to visit Jamie and her family. While we were there we had her take some pictures. They turned out really cute. She really does such a great job. Thanks Jamie! We love them!
Here are just a few...

Some G & G time.

2010-03-14T17:27:00.000-06:00

Bret's grandparents were here from Oregon last week. We got to spend a few days together. Always great to see them! River was just fascinated by Grandma. She knows a zillion different nursery rhymes and songs, and when she would sing them to River he would just stare and smile at her. It was so dang cute!
Thanks for a fun visit, Grandma & Grandpa!!

Saying bye to Grandpa.

When I walked into the living room and saw this, I had to take a picture. So sweet.

Happy birthday, Bret!

2010-03-14T12:05:00.005-06:00

Just had to say Happy birthday to the best guy I know! (This is a little late, I know.) Bret's birthday was Thursday...44 years old!!! I could say 44 things I love about him, or 44 reasons he's the best husband and dad in the world. Shoot...I could list a MILLION reasons! But I'll just keep it short and simple...
Happy (late) birthday, Bret! I love you! Can't even begin to imagine my life without you!

(PERFECT excuse to whip out this picture again...you're welcome :)

Wheeler Farm

2010-03-13T18:13:00.003-07:00

A couple of my friends and I took the kiddos to Wheeler Farm yesterday to have a picnic and see the animals. It was so fun (as usual) to hang out with my friends. I've known these girls since elementary school, and every time we get together it's always hilarious. I think River had a good time too. Of course, he was surrounded by girls...what's not to like huh?

Feeding the ducks...and each other :)

Ellen.

2010-03-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me, know that I am a HUGE Ellen DeGeneres fan...HUGE! Last week I was able to attend a taping of her show in California. THE funnest thing EVER! I went with 2 of my sisters...Melanie and Tamina.

After the show we decided to drive to the Hollywood sign. You can only drive so far and then you walk up a trail the rest of the way. It was pretty fun.

It was such a quick trip, but very fun...and worth every second!!

Such a big boy!

2010-03-04T17:16:00.007-07:00

Last month we bought River a big boy seat! I love his new car seat...and I think he does too! I can tell he loves that he can see out the windows now when we are in the car. I love it when I look in the rear view mirror and see his cute little face watching the world go by. I can't get over how big he looks in it! I just have to keep reminding myself that he's not a baby any more.

I was a little worried that he wouldn't be able to sleep in his new car seat like he could in his infant seat. Guess he feels right at home!...

I'm a great aunt!

2010-01-31T11:20:00.004-07:00

My niece Brittney and her husband Jared had their first baby on January 18. I drove down to Cedar City on Friday to see the little cutie. He is SO tiny. In fact he is the same size as River was...I just don't remember River being so small! We are so happy for Jared and Brittney, and love little Jasper so much already!

Jasper Jeffrey Thompson.

Welcome to the world little man!

Happy birthday River!

2010-01-08T14:50:00.001-07:00

Can't believe it...our baby boy is ONE year old! As I am sitting here typing this there are tears in my eyes. I just keep thinking about that amazing morning when the nurse placed him on my chest. That overwhelming magnificent feeling of pure love...not only for my baby, but for my husband as well. I do not regret the 7 wonderful years Bret and I spent together just he and I, but I did not know I could love him any more than I had...until that very second. I thought, wow, this human being is part of BOTH of us. Both of our blood runs through his veins. Both of us responsible for his very being. We created him.

I spent the entire 9 months of my pregnancy just praying and hoping that I would have a healthy baby. I did EVERYTHING by the book...daily vitamins, exercise, no pop, etc. I think back to my life changing experience 2 1/2 years ago, laying in a hospital bed in the ICU, in completely different circumstances...People praying for MY health! Now here I am a couple years later, maybe even in better health than I have ever been,....and a perfect, beautiful healthy baby boy in my arms. I stared at every inch of him. From his head of blond hair, down to his tiny toes. I couldn't believe how perfect every little part of him was! His little body was so warm against mine. I felt no pain. A complete feeling of euphoria came over me. Then seeing Bret hold him for the first time, I knew he felt the same love. Here we were at the hospital with a BABY! OUR baby!! It was unlike any feeling I had ever had. I often look back at the pictures from that day and sometimes get a little sad. Although I love to watch him grow and change, a part of me just wants to keep him my "baby" forever. I know I must embrace his changes and let him grow into this little boy that he is becoming...this little boy who will someday become a big brother, a man, a husband, a father, a grandfather...
But for now, he is our adorable little 1 year old.

Birthday pictures.

2010-01-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

Sharing a little cake with Indie. (he loves to feed Indie...we have to tie her up when he's eating)

I love the look on his face in the picture.

All cleaned up and ready for bed.

1 year checkup

2010-01-08T14:14:00.001-07:00

Dr said he's just as healthy as can be!
12 months: 20 lbs 4 oz, and 30 inches...
Tall and skinny like his daddy :)

Baby Chanley

2010-01-03T20:51:00.004-07:00

Meet the newest member of our family! Little baby Chanley was born on New Years day! She belongs to Lance and Denise (Bret's brother and his wife). I haven't been able to see her in person yet, but I'm excited to go meet her sometime this week. Congratulations, Lance and Denise!!

Christmas

2009-12-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about how Christmas seems to change every year. Well, I guess Christmas doesn't really change...but how I feel about it. Especially now that we have River. I don't feel the need or want for stuff that I did in the past. (and not just at Christmas time) Presents have become less important and the stress level isn't quite as high. It's so amazing how a baby can totally change your priorities. I have tried this year to remember what we really are celebrating. And I will do my best to help River, as he gets older, to remember the same things.

With that said...we had a wonderful Christmas. Our first one as a little family.
We definitely didn't go overboard...but Santa did drop off a few cute things :)

Ooooohh, I love this little guy!

It's so cute to watch River play with trucks and cars. He loves them. This little truck came with a little boulder that it carried in the back (which happened to be his favorite part!).....don't worry, it was lost by Christmas night.

Phone call from River.

2009-12-21T00:22:00.000-07:00

Either I'm on my phone a lot...or River is just REALLY observant.

Temple Square

2009-12-15T01:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to see the lights at Temple Square with some good friends who were visiting from Colorado Springs. It was FREEZING, but beautiful as ever. I always get a little nostalgic when I am downtown. Although I LOVE where we live now...it's just that it's where we spent the first 5 years of our marriage and so many memories were made there.

River seemed quite content under his 1,492 layers we had him wrapped up in. He didn't make a peep. It was coooollllddd!!!

We have been close friends with Dave and Kim (and Dave's sweet parents) for several years. It was fun to be with them again for a couple of nights.

Oh Christmas Tree

2009-12-15T01:10:00.000-07:00

It's about time! We've been pretty busy the last couple weeks. Better late than never!

Thanksgiving in Vegas.

2009-12-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

This year we headed south to Las Vegas where Bret's sister lives to spend Thanksgiving. Bret's parents and brother were also able to make it. We had a great time!
We piled a little bit of everything on River's tray, stripped him down to his diaper and just let him go to town. Such a mess...but he seemed to enjoy it!

Nothin' like a Thanksgiving feast to put a smile on your face...

Jamie had lots of toys that River loved. Here he is taking Carly's jeep for a little test drive.

Such the ladies man. Just watching a little t.v. with his nieces. I thought it was so cute. (I couldn't get the picture to rotate)

Jamie's husband, Mike, is an optometrist so when ever we go down we get eye exams. This is what was on my camera when I came out from having my exam. Quite possibly the funniest picture ever!! We laughed so hard.

Wish I would've taken more pictures of everybody! I realized when we got home that I didn't really have any of all of us.

It was such a fun trip, and SO nice to get away for a few days. Thanks for having us, Jamie!!

He's mobile!

2009-11-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

River is officially on the move! Up until last week he difinately got around, but it was just on his stomach...Kind of like an inch worm :). The other day I look down and there he was on all fours. Since then he's gotten pretty good at it! I thought for sure he was going to completely skip crawling and go straight to walking. I was wrong! Just wanted to take his own sweet time to get around to it! Guess I better keep an eye on the stairs!!

This is just a short video, but you get the idea...

River's 1st Halloween.

2009-11-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

River was the cutest little Dalmatian for Halloween. We stopped by my mom's for a bit, and then off to some good friends of ours for some YUMMY chili. It was a fun night!

Awww...he looks so sad in this picture. Maybe it's because everybody thought he was a cow!

Alright, enough with the pictures! (his face says it all)

9 months already.

2009-10-17T11:55:00.000-06:00

Hard to believe that River is now as old as my pregnancy with him. Too bad my pregnancy didn't fly by like these last 9 months! He is getting so big. Everyday he is more of a little boy than a baby! I've already had to cut his hair a few times! He hit a few milestones over the summer. He now says "dada". Although I'm sure he hasn't associated the word with the person yet, but still so fun to hear him say it. Occasionally he'll just say "dad", I love it! He loves to clap his hands, play with his big beach ball, and tear around the house in his walker. That is hilarious to watch. He can seriously move in that thing! He loves it when we hide around the corner and he has to come find us. He's getting to be so much fun. He now has 2 1/2 teeth. He cut his 2 bottom teeth back in August, and just a couple days ago one of his top teeth made an appearance! He still will have NOTHING to do with baby food (unless we stick a spoonful in his mouth when he's not expecting it)...BUT if it's something he can put in his mouth himself then he's all for it. Little Mr. Independent. Every night I just put what ever I made for dinner on his tray and he goes to town. Not the cleanest but hey, I'll take what I can get.

We went to Gardner Village with a friend of mine. Thought for sure he was gonna cry when I sat him next to this witch. Nope!

River's girlfriend. Her name is Harlowe.

His 9 month appointment was last week. I always take pictures at these appointments. Today I was going through all of them and I just cannot believe how much he's changes over the months!...

Brand spankin' new! 6 lbs 8 oz, 20 inches long...

2 months (first shots): 10 lbs 7 oz, 23 inches long...

4 months: 14 lbs 1 oz. 26 inches long...

6 months: 16 lbs 3 oz, 27 inches long...

9 months: 19 lbs, 29 inches long, and happy that he didn't have to get any shots!...

Family pics

2009-10-17T10:56:00.000-06:00

When we were at the cabin in August for the Wood family reunion, my sis-in-law took some family pictures of us outside. We've been having computer issues and haven't been able to get them up until now.

She always does such a great job! Thanks again, Jamie!

One of my favorites. I don't know who's face I like better...River's or Bret's.

A little bath time entertainment...

2009-09-22T14:42:00.000-06:00

I had to post this little video of River in the tub the other night. It's so cute how much he loves Indie. Something is wrong with my camera, so I was only able to record just a little bit...but still pretty darn cute :)

Trip to Baltimore, Etc...

2009-09-09T20:22:00.000-06:00

Warning...Tons of pictures in the next 3 posts!

This was right near our hotel in Baltimore's inner harbor. It was in a great location. Just shopping and different entertainment every night.

Poor little guy didn't get a chance to have a real nap.

Go Yankees!

Bret's plate of....ummm...food?

I had to put a couple of pics up of us at dinner. River is finally big enough to sit in the high chairs at restaurants!!

New York

2009-09-09T20:20:00.000-06:00

New York was SO much fun! Our Hotel was right in Times Square...loved it!

At the Statue of Liberty....Manhattan behind us.

River just doin' a little sight seeing...

Times Square.

Ground Zero.

Waiting at the subway station.

Central Park.

Washington D.C.

2009-09-09T20:00:00.000-06:00

The White House....I love the look on River's face.

Union Station. River wasn't quite sure what to think of all the birds.

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. This was pretty cool. Just one of many museums we saw.

Wood family weekend.

2009-08-12T15:36:00.000-06:00

Last weekend we had a family reunion up in Heber. My sis-in-law, Denise, arranged for us to use her Aunt's cabin. It was so nice to get away from the heat and just relax. The food was great and the company even better! Thanks, Denise!

River pulls this face a lot lately. Kinda funny.

All the grandchildren...

I had to put these pics up of River and his cousin, Carly. I love the looks on his face, And Carly is such a doll...so hilarious. Love that girl!

One of the nights I came into our room and Bret had River sitting right in front of the bear. He sat there for a while just staring.

There was a pond not far from the cabin that the kids loved.

I took this picture while we were on one of our walks. It was so pretty there!

7 years!!

2009-08-12T15:18:00.000-06:00

My how time flies. On August 2, 2002 Bret and I were married. Now 7 years later, I couldn't be happier. Can't believe we've been married for 7 years!

I love you, Bret!

(This picture is from when we were dating...back in 2000 maybe? Not the best picture with the shadows behind us, but the oldest one I could find. Over 9 years ago!)

Stubborn little guy.

2009-07-31T16:26:00.000-06:00

Just to give you a little update on how the feeding is going...

Any tips??
P.S. I guess I need to clear something up...towards the end of this video it sounds as if I am saying a naughty word. I am actually saying shut (because he keeps shutting his mouth)...not the other word it sounds like. A couple people brought it to my attention. Just thought I needed to address it. :)

Brittney's wedding.

2009-07-20T19:45:00.000-06:00

My oldest niece, and the very first grandchild to my parents was married on Saturday. The wedding was at "The Gardens" in Toquerville. It was so pretty there, and brittney made such a stunning bride. I still can't believe she is married!

Congratulations Mr.& Mrs. Thompson!

Walking down the isle with her dad...

The bride and her bridesmaids

My niece, Courtney, was Britt's maid of honor.

The groom and his men...

The wedding party.

First dance as husband and wife.

Dancing with her dad...pretty sweet.

Anthony tearin' it up on the dance floor. Seriously the entertainment of the night. He was awesome!

Poor River had a long night being passed around.

American Idol concert!

2009-07-20T19:44:00.000-06:00

If I were to say that I am a HUGE American Idol fan, it would be quite an understatement! And this year was no exception. Well, lucky me, Bret snagged 4 tickets to their concert (on the floor might I add!) We went with Jaron and Liz. I LOVED it! Such a great show!!! Each one of them did a fantastic job! I'm sure I seemed like I was 29 going on 13...but I really don't care. It was fabulous!

Kris Allen? Whatever...I don't even care. Ummm...ok, I LOVE HIM!!!!!!!! (Don't worry, Bret is well aware of this) :)

6 months old, and more shots.

2009-07-09T15:11:00.000-06:00

I took River to his 6 month appointment yesterday. He got 3 more shots, and one oral vaccination. So sad. But as soon as I dressed him again he seemed to be just fine. I know it seems a bit mean, but for the sake of keeping a family journal I always take pictures of him during these visits. Plus it's pretty interesting to compare the pictures and see how he has changed each time. He now weighs 16.3 lbs and is 27 inches long. He hadn't grown quite as much as he did from 2 to 4 months. At 4 months he was in the 95th percentile for his height, now he's in the 75th percentile. Still a big boy!
(Don't worry, I gave him loves for a bit before I took this picture. This is when I sat him down to dress him)

Dressed and a bit happier...

The Dr gave me the go ahead to give him cereal and baby food! I was so excited to start it! I waited for Bret to get home so he could be there. It wasn't quite as successful as I thought it would be. It's definitely going to take some practice. (I'm sure those of you who have had babies know this already!) If anyone has any advise...please do share. I just tried the rice cereal at first, then I tried a little bit of the carrot baby food to see if he would like the sweetness of it. Nope didn't like either.

We were sitting out on the back patio and River was pretty happy at the time so I tried it again outside. It was a little better, but not much. Guess it's gonna take some time.

No lemons for River.

2009-06-29T18:55:00.001-06:00

I let River taste a lemon yesterday. I felt a little bad after, but it was pretty funny.

Cedar City visit.

2009-06-29T18:39:00.000-06:00

Last weekend River and I went with my mom and my sister down to Cedar City for my niece's bridal shower. It was a short trip, but fun!

This is my other niece, Courtney.

Jared and Britt...Jared doesn't look embarrassed does he?

River got a little bath in our hotel room. It's so much easier now that he can sit up!

Look what I can do!!!

2009-06-20T20:14:00.000-06:00

Big boy can sit up all by himself!

River's first camping trip.

2009-06-16T10:16:00.000-06:00

This last Friday Bret, River, Indie and I, along with a couple of our friends and their little baby (who was born 1 week after River)all piled in our car and hit the mountains. It was really fun despite the rain! We went to a place called Soap Stone up past Kamas. It was beautiful! River did so good! We put him down to sleep in the tent around 11:30 and he slept until around 8:30-ish. He didn't even wake up once. I was really surprised. He always sleeps really well at home, but I wasn't quite sure how he was going to do outside in a tent. It was just a short camping trip because I had to get back kinda early on Saturday. I am looking forward to going again when we can take a little more time.

This is Jake and Anna's baby, Lawson. He's so cute.

I think Indie had a fun time too...

5 months old...practically a man ;)

2009-06-09T17:11:00.001-06:00

Our little guy was 5 months last Saturday. Gettin' big!!

If he has something to lean on, he can stand up all by his self! (these jammies are so huge on him!)

Bret's grandparents came last week for a quick visit, so I took a few pics.

Grandpa gave River the little medal that's around his neck. He got it when he graduated from high school in 1937! It has the different sports he played on the back along with his name. I thought that was pretty cool. Also, I didn't know this until now...Bret and his grandpa graduated from the same high school!

4 months old, and growing big.

2009-05-14T10:15:00.000-06:00

River is getting to be such a big boy! I took him to his 4 month appointment last week, and he got more shots. He was such a trooper. Only cried when they were actually giving him his shots and quickly stopped when they were through. He now weighs 14.1 pounds (my back, however, tells me he weighs 25 pounds) and is 26 inches long! Both the Dr and the nurse asked me if I had a tall family or if my husband was tall, because they seem to think he is going to be pretty tall. He's growing and changing every day. I went through his closet and boxed up all his newborn and 0-3 months clothes. Even though I am so happy to see him grow so big, it made me a bit sad. He has reached a lot of milestones in the last 2 months. He is very vocal and jabbers all the time (as you saw in the video below :) He loves to stand, it's so cute. He's pretty good at it too! I just hold him by his hands and he does the rest on his own! Last night he was laughing when I was playing with him, it was so adorable. He is still not a big fan of tummy time. We are working on that. Bret's mom told me that Bret walked before he crawled when he was a baby, and I have a feeling River will do the same.

My birthday happened to be on Mother's Day this year. Bret got me this jogging stroller. I love it!

Kinda funny.

2009-04-27T09:15:00.000-06:00

This is a video we took last night of River watching TV. He always stops talking when he sees me with the camera, so I tried to sneak up behind him. He caught me, and the talking turned to shouting. Funny...

Daddy has high hopes...

2009-04-15T14:39:00.000-06:00

Give him a few more months...but good try, Bret! :)

3 months old!

2009-04-08T09:28:00.000-06:00

Can't believe my baby is 3 months old already! I'm not exactly sure how much he weighs now since he only goes to the dr for checkups every 2 months. When I get on the scale with him, it seems he's somewhere around 13 lbs. But our scale is goofy sometimes, so who knows. We had to go get him a bunch of new jammies because he was getting too long for his and his poor little toes were getting squished. He has been such an angel!...sleeping through the night since before he was 2 months old!! He is just such a content baby with a very sweet disposition. I'm grateful every single day that I am able to stay home with him. I know that is a blessing and I'm truly thankful.

Bret found some Baby Einstein videos on Youtube the other day and River was just spellbound. They watched videos for 45 minutes! I've tried to sit down at the computer with him to check email or whatever, and he lasts 2 seconds and he's had enough. I thought this was so cute...

He found his fingers about a month ago and has been feasting on them ever since!...

A visit from Grandma & Grandpa.

2009-03-20T11:04:00.000-06:00

Bret's mom and grandparents came down from Oregon for a visit. It was the first time meeting River for Grandma & Grandpa Reading(Great-Grandma & Grandpa to little River!)

4 generations!...

River's middle name is after his Great Grandpa(Roland). I thought this was a sweet picture of the 2 of them together...

River loves Grandmas!!..

Some pictures of our cute boy. He's getting so big!..

also...It was Bret's birthday on the 11th. We went out to dinner with some of the family, but I forgot to take any pictures. Oh well. (ahem...43 years old!!!) Love you, Bret!

First shots!!

2009-03-05T16:40:00.000-07:00

I took River to his 2 month appointment this morning, where he had his first vaccinations!

Before we left. Poor lil' fella has no idea what's coming.....or does he? Call me crazy but the look on his face has a hint of fear.

He was not too happy about being poked 3 times! The nurse was really quick, which I was grateful for. (I was too embarrassed to look the her in the eye and let her see that I was crying too!)

Somebody feels much better when his clothes are on! PRESTO CHANGO!...

And he's spent... (fast asleep in his car seat the minute I get him in the car.)

The appointment went really well. The Dr thought everything was just how it should be. He's grown 3 inches since he was born (23 inches now!), and is weighing in at a hefty 10 lb 7 oz! AND...this is my favorite part...sleeps 6-8 hours at a time during the night!!!! I thought for sure I was going to be getting up to feed him at least every 3 hours. Nope. My boy likes his sleep (just like his momma!). He's also really starting to smile now. It's SO cute!

I can't believe he's already 2 months old! Kinda makes me a little sad sometimes. But it's so exciting to see him change, and to see him start showing his little personality. Too cute :)

New pics of River

2009-03-02T17:57:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law, Jamie, took some pictures of River while she was visiting from Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago. She takes such great pictures!! And once again she did not disappoint...

Thank you, Jamie, for capturing the sweetness of River while he's still so tiny!

River's blessing day.

2009-02-19T17:08:00.000-07:00

We had River blessed on Sunday at our house. It was a beautiful blessing given by my father-in-law.

River in his little outfit that made him look like a little man. So cute.

After we had quite the little gathering....37 people in our house at one time!! And enough food to feed 100!

Our little family of 3...

Time flies when you're not pregnant!

2009-02-07T10:09:00.000-07:00

Can't believe it's been a month since our River came to us. Seems like just yesterday I was in the hospital holding him in my arms for the first time.

I am grateful every single day for this beautiful, healthy child that we have.

We love you, sweet boy.

Never in a million years...

2009-02-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Indie...GREAT with kids (and little babies too!), not so great with other animals (i.e. dogs!)

This is a huge step for our little stinker!...

(No doggies were harmed in the making of this post)

My sweet little River

2009-01-18T19:48:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the world little guy...

2009-01-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

River Roland Wood
born January 6, 2009
7:24 A.M.
6 lb. 8 oz.
20 inches long

...And cute as a button!

Cutest little diaper creation!

2008-12-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago some of the girls that I taught with at challenger got together and had a little shower/party for me. I didn't take any pictures at the party, but when I got home I had to take a picture of this little "diaper cake" that my friend Steph made for me. It was so dang cute, I really hate to take it apart!

Christmas.

2008-12-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

Once again Christmas has come and gone. Crazy how fast it goes by. Bret and I had a good Christmas this year making the rounds to visit the family. My mother-in-law from Oregon was even able to spend it with us this year. It was fun making yummy food and watching Christmas movies. The holidays are so much more when you can spend it with family. I'm so thankful that Bret and I both have family that live close by.

Christmas Eve...Bret and his mom making cookies before we left to go to Lance's house.

Thanks Lance and Denise for having us over, and the good food!!

After Lance's house we headed over to Bret's sister's who lives in lehi. Forgot to take pictures there. She also had lots of delicious treats to eat! Thanks Shana!

Carolyn opening presents Christmas morning.

Then off to my Mom and Quenten's house. Thanks for the cute little toy for "junior"! (guess we need to get crackin' on a name for our baby that is due in 1 WEEK!)

Then back over to Shana and Kevin's house for a quick visit. When we got there they had made this amazing slide out of snow in the front yard. Complete with steps even! The pictures really don't show how awesome it was.

We missed those of you who live out of town. Hope you all had a great Christmas!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2008-12-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I'm pretty darn proud of ourselves for getting our tree up so early this year! Bret put the tree up Thanksgiving night, and the decorations went on a couple days later. Never I have been more excited for Christmas!! We are so close to having our little family, and the thought of next Christmas makes me even more excited! Nothing like sharing Christmas with a child. (ok, so he'll only be a year old, but still...) Not much longer now till he's here! I'm still feeling great...in fact sometimes I feel like there is something wrong with me. Why do I feel so good?? Why don't I feel awful like most pregnant women who are in their last month? Actually, ya know what?....I'm not gonna complain! ;)

Let it snow!!! (...but not too much please)

2008-11-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

I guess winter is officially here (ok, technically it's still fall). This is what we woke up to this morning.

Bret was out snow blowing the minute he woke up.

He came inside to shower and get ready for work, and the driveway was completely covered again.

Round 2 (this time with the shovel)...

Luckily I have nowhere I need to be today.
Folks, be thankful for your flat driveways!