Williams Family Beach House 2011

*family photoshoot by my talented sister, Nessa!

*"OUR" lifeguard tower, #17

*The grandkids: Harvey, Wendy, Ruby, Landon, Charlie

Almost every summer of Ryan's life, he has spent a week with his family at the same beach house. So, for the past 9 years (the length of our dating & married life) I've got to benefit from this family tradition as well. Every summer at the beach house has been wonderful, and this summer was no exception. Some highlights:

• having the help of my MIL, SIL, aunt-in-laws, teenage girl cousin-in-laws... I was actually able to have some time to myself and do things like take showers and make dinner without worrying about the kids!
• sitting out on the beach all day. Wendy played in the sand with her cousins and Harvey professionally kicked it in our hand-me-down baby tent (thanks aunt Ruth- that thing is awesome!)
• games at night! (This is always my favorite part. We put the kids to bed, cover the table with treats and play games til we can't keep our eyes open anymore. Love it.)
• family bike rides along the boardwalk and to the ice cream shop
• the time I accidentally locked us out. We didn't mind being stuck on the beach. The land lord came within an hour or two to unlock the door. Apparently during that time, all the other beach front rentals were broken into and all the vacationers' electronics were stolen. Good thing I'm so scatter brained!
• finding out that my sister-in-law is pregnant! Everyone thought they were done. I'm SO excited that Harvey won't be the odd man out, trailing behind all the older cousins. Can't wait to meet my new niece/nephew!

4 months

Harvey at 4 Months:

• weight: 19 lbs. 10 oz
• has been wearing size 6-12 month clothes since he was about 3 1/2 months old
• cooing all the time. loves to have long "conversations" with me after he eats and it's my FAVORITE time with him. he gazes up into my eyes like i'm the most wonderful thing on earth and just sighs over and over again. i melt.
• loves to gnaw on his fists & fingers
• easiest way to get him to laugh: stand him up and bounce him on my lap and say "Har-Vee-Jay!" as he bounces (Wendy likes to "help me" do this and changes the words to "CHUB-EE-JAY!" Harvey's laughs turn into nervous smiles, but he still loves it).
• loves the mirror... will smile big and coo to himself then gets embarassed and burrows his face into my shoulder, he totally flirts with himself
• SO laid back. I feel like it's because I neglect him (compared to Wendy who NEVER got put down as a newborn, he spends some time in his swing & bouncy chair so I can take care of both of them). It's like he's learned not to expect much. But then again, I really think it could be his personality.

*thanks to my talented sister nessa for taking these adorable photos

Tiny Tots

* 9/6/2011 - Wendy's 1st Day of Preschool

Dear Wendy,

Yesterday was your first day of preschool. You were SO excited. You kept asking me and your dad a million questions like, "What's my teacher's name? What does she look like? What kind of hair does she have? Is it brown, or white, or red, or blue, or green? Will there be a playground there? Will it have swings? Will I have any friends there? What about Harper? What kind of backpack can I get? How about a Giselle one?" You could hardly sleep the night before.

I know it's only preschool, but I have such mixed emotions about all this. I'm so excited to watch you grow, progress and learn new things. You are so smart and I know it will be wonderful for you to be in an environment that will allow you to begin to develop to your potential and intellect. But part of me wouldn't mind keeping you just the way you are now for a little longer. I keep thinking things like,"If we get to preschool and she skips in without looking back, I'm gonna cry. But if she goes into her classroom runs back to me crying, I'm gonna cry." I didn't cry, but it was a little hard for me to walk away from you. Your teacher, Miss Lisa, could sense my hesitation and told me that it's usually harder for the parents than the children. I hope she's right.

I hope that as you begin your schooling you remember to reach out to the other kids who seem to need a friend. I hope that when you're away from me and surrounded by your tiny peers that you are not too intimated to let your adorable personality shine. I yearn for your teacher, your schoolmates, and especially for you to appreciate how smart, fun and clever you are. I hope going to school doesn't mute your personality, you know, the one that lights up my day, every day. I've heard it said that everyone always thinks their first child is a genius, and I'm no exception. You are brilliant and I know it.

Thank you for the joy you bring into my life.

I love you sweetheart.

Love,

Mommy

Yosemite? No, MYsemite

*The 3 Amigos - Wendy, Harper, & Hazel pulled around by Mikey (bless his heart). See half dome in the backround?

It's hard for me to express the nostalgia I feel and the love I have for Yosemite. It was my favorite family tradition/vacation/reunion growing up. I know I am hopelessly a "girly-girl," but this girly-girl LOVES to CAMP! I prefer to "rough it" (as Ryan, my hotel loving husband, says) in a tent and soak up all that nature has to offer. (As long as there are bathrooms - I'm not gonna act like I don't get up a little early and go get ready for the day by washing my face, putting on a little make -up and doing my hair). I love the woodsy/camp fiery smells, the sounds of the wind & river, and the sights.

I felt like we were a real family when we packed up the kids and took the 6 hour road trip up to mysemite for the week. For some reason I felt so grown up, I'm used to being the kid along for the ride, but this time I got to be the parent making it all happen. I was so giddy as we left, giddy that I get the opportunity to provide these kind of experiences for my children, giddy that I have the freedom and the gusto to just load up my little family and drive somewhere far away for the fun of it.

Then & Now

Bike riding through the forest

Wendy was OBSESSED with Hazel. She followed her around like a little puppy, playing with her long golden (rapunzel-esque) hair any chance she got. If Hazel did or wore something, Wendy wanted to do it or wear it. I felt a little sorry for Wendy when she would ask me, "Mommy, can you braid my hair like Hazel?" Sorry sweetheart, mommy likes your hair short. Actually, mommy loves your hair short. She keeps asking me to grow it out. I don't know what to do because growing it out means having to DO it all the time :/ and it's so cute short. Now Wendy keeps asking me when we can go to Arizona.

The Pose

* Me, Melanie, & Rachel doing "our pose"

* Wendy & Hazel doing "the pose"

Kids on a log

Indian Village

*some things never change

*Harvey spent most of his time on a lap or in the bouncy chair. He did great!

*people came and went, but this was the day MOST of us were there

This year was special because it was the first time I got to share the Yosemite experience with Ryan. He doesn't quite appreciate it as much as I do, but he had fun (I think). We spent our days hiking through the woods and up to the base of Yosemite Falls, bike riding, exploring the indian village, and by the river's edge. The only bummer (and it's a pretty big bummer) was that it was so hot that sooo much snow had melted and it made the river too high & too fast to go in. One of the most fun things to do is lazily float down the river, just taking in the grandeur of the wilderness that surrounds you. It was kind of ironic that the HEAT made it impossible for us to cool down in the river (not that we didn't sneak behind the rangers' back and take a little dip). Other than that, it was a great trip.

3 Months of Harvey

*Newport Beach, CA - Near lifeguard tower #17

*I love this little outfit! And I squeezed him into it as long as I could.

It reminds me of 1920's mens swimwear.

At 3 months, Harvey is:

27 inches - 95th percentile for length
18 lbs - OFF THE CHARTS (like 120th percentile) for weight
Has laughed twice and it's probably one of the top 5 cutest things I've ever seen (sounds just like his lawnmower/little lamby cry)
In his 3rd month, got to experience his 1st trip to: the zoo & the beach
No longer sleeping in a basinet next to mommy, but in a crib in his nursery
Like his grandpa, he is not a fan of loud noises (especially screaming 3 year old big sisters)
Eyes are getting lighter and bluer by the day. People are always taken back when they see his eyes. They do a serious double take and look deep into my dark brown eyes, to make sure they remember them right, "He's going to have blue eyes!" They tell me. "Maybe. My mom has blue eyes that look just like his." I tell them. In all honesty, I'll be surprised if they end up blue and surprised if they don't.

Some of my besties on etsy

Normally I just blog about my family. My blog is basically an online baby book for my kids and their grandparents that don't get to see them every day. I don't normally tell people what they should buy, but lately I've been so impressed by some of my good friends and how incredibly talented they are, that I just can't keep it to myself.

Let me tell you about my friend Emily. She is SO crafty. She is not only crafty but really funny. And despite being almost intimidatingly pretty, she's incredibly down to earth and genuine. For Wendy's 3rd birthday she blew me away, I mean I was speechless, with the adorable little doll she made to look just like Wendy. I love it a little too much, more than anyone should love a material object. I was going around the party showing it off like it was one of my own children. Wendy named her "Wendy Dolly Doll." It's soft and cuddly and my most favorite item in Wendy's "big girl princess room." She sits proudly next to the pillows on Wendy's bed. I've had a lot of people ask me where they could get one and I had to regretfully inform them that it was a gift. A one of a kind. But not any more! YOU can have your very own "Dolly Doll" made to look like your own little one! Her etsy shop is YellowString. (p.s. Emily made some of these doll to help raise money for my cousin Davy's benefit. It was a labor of love. That's just the kind of person she is.)

Moving on, let's talk about Yvette. She is a sweetheart I know from church. We both work with the youth at our church and she is SO much fun! She also blew me away with her gift, but this time it was for my Harvey. She missed his baby shower, and came to my house out of her way to drop off her hand made gift: these ADORABLE beanies!! As you can see, I love it SO much, I made it the theme of Harvey's 2 month bearcub-in-the-woods photoshoot. They're not only cute, but made out of cotton (not normal yarn) so they're super soft. Wendy was jealous so she went home and made a girly one for Wendy. I told her I saw some wanna be woodland beanies at baby gap that didn't come close to hers and that she needed to sell some on etsy. With some encouragement from her hubby she opened up shop! Now YOU can get these wonderful beanies at Vetty Artsy!

I've already told you about my friend Melany before. Her hair clippys for little girls are some of the cutest I've seen. ESPECIALLY the new bows she's put out. I bought about 5 of them and think I need some more (you can see Wendy wearing one on Harvey's blessing day). I told her she needed to make bowties for little boys as well. There are a lot of different bows out there and hers are the best. Melany also donated a lot of her goodies to Davy Jean's benefit. YOU can get these goodies on etsy at Jellabee Jr.

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And finally, Merrilee. We are not actually "friends" but I feel like I know her. She is an uber talented artist with two little boys. I LOVE her blog and her ideas for parties and fun boy activities. Now that I have a boy, I've realized how hard it is to find cute boy stuff. I mean the kind of stuff that makes me giddy because I love it so much (like Emily's doll). But her blog makes me feel that way. Among LOTS of other cool things (like the "Lovely Love My Family" prints), she does custom portraits. I bid for this one at Davy's benefit and won. This portrait of Wendy hangs on the wall in her room and makes me smile, not only because it's so darn cute but because it was for a really great cause. I love her work and YOU can get some of it on etsy at Tuesday Mourning.

You're welcome.

Harvey's Blessing Day

June 12, 2011

Thanks to my little cousin Davy's benefit on June 10th, my little family was blessed to have A LOT of friends and family in town for Harvey Jay's blessing. In fact, we planned it that way. And even though I knew there would be a lot of people, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the love and support we felt from ALL the friends and family who came out to share this day with us. My kids are so lucky to have so many people out there who love them.

The day was perfect. The weather was perfect, the turn out was perfect and my baby was perfect (even after being passed around like a hot potato). It was the first and only time I've ever seen Ryan's father and brothers in suits & ties, which was so sweet. I also think it was really cool that Harvey, like Wendy, got to have SIX great-grandparents at his blessing. Ryan did a great job with the blessing and then I got to show off his skills to our friends and family when his a'cappella group sang the musical number, "Love At Home," in sacrament meeting. They are so talented. I didn't want it to end (the musical number OR the day).

Thanks again to my awesome aunt Ruth for taking these pictures! Homegirl's got talent.