Week of Firsts with Abby

We've had a quiet week at home, but it's been a fun week with Abby doing lots of new things. First she devoured her daddy's ice cream cone. She's had a little lick here and there in the past, but this time she was like a baby bird with her beak open and would NOT take no for an answer. She loved it.

She is up on all fours and scooting around. I wouldn't call it an actual crawling yet, but it's darn close. So this means she's more able to put little wrappers and junk in her mouth more easily. The other day I could tell she had something in her mouth, and I said "Abby, ahhhh" and opened my mouth wide. She copied me and opened her mouth wide and said "Ahhh!" So cute.

This week she also made an attempt to clap her hands when I clapped mine. She's quickly becoming my little mimick. She's also started eating little cut up veggies as finger food that she can pick up herself. She's been loving that.

She is truly a joy in our family. I don't know what we ever did without her.

Happy 4th!

We had a great 4th of July which started with everybody waking up early so we could go see Tige run his second 5K race. (The first one last month we arrived as he was getting a drink after the race, so I was determined to not miss this one). He did great--almost the same time as last time, but this race was 1/4 mile longer. He took 2nd in his age bracket and got a running pack prize with a water bottle and gel flask. After the race we ate a pancake, egg, sausage breakfast at the park.

The race.

After the race with the cute 4th of July kids--Abby has a flag headband and red shoes. Too cute!

We spent the rest of the day having fun too. We saw "Ice Age 3- Dawn of the Dinosaur," everybody took a nap, then we had a delicious BBQ with steaks, peppercorn/mushroom gravy from Cuz's recipe, squash and tomatoes from Char's garden, and pina coladas! And we watched the city fireworks from our backyard, and St. George was actually a pleasant temperature by 10:15 p.m. I'm grateful for my family and for the country I live in.

Tall Abby

Abby had her 9 month check-up yesterday. The Pediatrician asked if we had put her on a stretcher and stretched her out since her last appointment. Her face and body are getting leaner, she's losing some of her major rolls on her cute little thighs, and she's getting long. At over 29 inches, she's in the 92% for her height, but only in the 25% for her weight, and the 17% for head circumference. Her 4th tooth is coming in so she's been running fevers for the past couple of weeks, but has still been happy and sweet for the most part. She's not crawling yet, but is rolling and scooting and somehow manages to grab about anything she wants to get. I occassionally call her Grabby Abby since she's so sneaky and stealth about grabbing stuff.

Cabin and the Lake

We've had adventures this week with a quick trip to my parents cabin to see Jeff, Melenie and Adam and then a trip to Lake Powell with Clark's family, my parents, and David and Bryce. Lake Powell was quite a trip . . . Here are Kason's top 5 TERRIBLE things that happened:

5. WIND. It howled all night our first night there, and the kids wouldn't go to sleep until after 10 p.m., and Tige and I hardly slept a wink. Not a good night.

4. RAIN. It rained Friday afternoon, so we sat in the tent for several hours. Our usually brave Kason uttered phrases like "We're gonners!" and "It's going to flood." Water started seeping into our tent and started getting out bedding wet. In my 33 years of going to Lake Powell, I think this was only the 2nd time it's rained on us.

3. The TUBE. We put Brock and Kason on the tube to be pulled behind the boat. Should have been fun, but I think they were sitting too far forward and when the boat started pulling it, it submerged with the boys hanging onto it. They emerged from the Lake crying hysterically and Tige had to jump in to calm them down. They did not enjoy the ride!

2. SKIING. Clark bought a new beginner set of skis for the kids, and Brock & Kason both tried it. Kason was a tropper giving it a shot 3 times, but each time he hated it and cried. Getting splashed in the face while trying to hold onto a rope isn't any 5 year old's idea of fun I guess. Maybe next year.

1. FISHING. My dad fell asleep while "watching" Kason's fishing pole (baited and hanging off the side of the boat), and before we knew what happened, it was gone. Some poor fish is swimming around with a brand new spiderman fishing pole and a hook stuck to him. We tried to cheer Kason up by telling him he must have caught a really big fish!

The kids had a ball swimming, playing in the sand, and making nature discoveries though, so it wasn't all bad. We stuck Abby in a little sand pool, which she really enjoyed.

And I only had to try and stop her a dozen times from sticking a fist full of sand in her mouth.

A ski attempt with my dad.

Lunch at a cafe near the cabin with Jeff's fam.

Rachel's Baby Shower

Andy & Rachel came down from Wyoming last weekend, and we threw her a little family baby shower. We had a nice time visiting, and she got lots of cute presents. Her feet are very swollen from the long car ride down, but other than that she's feeling great and looks so, so cute!

Opening presents.

Rachel 36 weeks and Char about 24 weeks.

David's wife is about 32 weeks, so we have lots of Taylor babies coming soon. Yipee!