5 months

Eliza will be 6 months next week! We can't believe it, she is growing so fast. She is cute as ever and learning new things everyday. Her favorite thing to do these days besides chewing, reaching, grabbing anything she can find is to roll all around the floor. Last night I put her on the floor and a few moments later she was almost half-way across the room. She has got the rolling-over thing down and is loving her new found freedom. She also looks for toys when they drop on the floor or if I move them, its cute! She loves our dog and will laugh at him and pull on his ears. He is a good boy and thinks she is fun too. We also started her on rice cereal. She liked it for a few days but now she refuses it. This past week we have introduced squash and carrots. She is sort of liking the carrots but didn't want anything to do with the squash. Here are some pictures of what Eliza has been up to this month.

smiling for the camera

helping mom with laundry

playing cornhole with dad on father's day

hanging out with dad on father's day

getting ready to try some rice cereal

not sure what to think of the cereal but will eat the spoon

trying out new sleeping positions

visiting dad in the hospital

shopping at Target

being cute

enjoying the summer weather

eating carrots

playing hide-and-seek

It's the little things...

When Colin came home on Thursday from being in the hospital for 2 weeks, he noticed that our indoor plants looked a little droopy and dry and asked me if I had watered them while he was away. I didn't of course and said I didn't know they needed water. He said "how do you think they are staying alive?'. I thought they only needed to be watered once every couple of months. Little did I know he did this chore every week. I think the plants are glad he is home. If he had been gone any longer I don't think we would not have any plants left.

Also I was nursing Eliza one day and a huge fly was buzzing around the house. Anytime there is a fly I call Colin to come catch it. He loves this duty which is fine by me. Do you think I bothered to catch it? No, I just lived with it until Colin got home.

The moral of these stories are that I didn't realize how the little things can mean so much. I love my watering, fly-catching husband and am glad he is home.

We survived another 2 week hospitalization. Colin is feeling much better. In the past he has only had to go into the hospital once a year. But for the past 9 months he has gone in for 2 weeks every 3 months. Once right before I had Eliza, once when she was 6 weeks old and just recently when she was 5 months old. We had a lot of help from family, neighbors and friends on the nights I had to work. That was super hard for me to let other people take care of my baby but I am grateful so many were willing to help and appreciate it. It almost ripped my heart right out though so I hope I don't have to do it again for a while. Next time Colin has a flare-up we are thinking about doing home IV therapy so that Eliza won't have to be shuffled around and can just stay home with her dad like normal on the nights I work. But we'll see what happens, we're just hoping he stays free of flare-ups for a while now. He is 2 classes away from his masters so a lot of his stress will be lifted when that's done in early October. Hopefully his life can get less stressful and he can take more time to take care of himself. We love Colin. He amazes me constantly at his strength and patience through the struggles and inconveniences that come with having a chronic illness. He inspires and teaches me. He is a wonderful husband and an amazing father to our baby girl.

I love you, Mandy

The last time that Mandy posted was a couple weeks ago. She had a nice visit to the Heber City Farmers Market with Eliza. I was out of commission because I have been run down the last month or so, so anything extra after 10 hours of work and driving isn't easy....because I have been pretty ill, I ended up coming into the hospital for another 2 week admit. While I sit around in the hospital missing my girls, I feel blessed to have the sweetest little girl the world. Her eyes light up my day and her smile is infectious to all...both characteristics she inherited from her mother. I also have been blessed to have the most fabulous wife around. Mandy doesn't have an easy gig being my wife, especially when I have to be admitted to the hospital. She has to worry about me and the care I am getting, make sure that Jonas is okay, take care of the house, and see to Eliza's need. All of this is in addition to working 30 hours a week, night shifts. She couldn't do it with out the support of family and great friends, so thank you. I couldn't do it all without her.
I love her so much. She is a great strength through it all and always finds a way to make it work and be okay with it, as difficult as it may be.
Mandy, thanks for holding us all together, taking care of all of us. You are the best wife and a wonderful mother. I love you.

5 months old

Eliza will be 6 months next week! We can't believe it, she is growing so fast. She is cute as ever and learning new things everyday. Her favorite thing to do these days besides chewing, reaching, grabbing anything she can find is to roll all around the floor. Last night I put her on the floor and a few moments later she was almost half-way across the room. She has got the rolling-over thing down and is loving her new found freedom. She also looks for toys when they drop on the floor or if I move them, its cute! She loves our dog and will laugh at him and pull on his ears. He is a good boy and thinks she is fun too. We also started her on rice cereal. She liked it for a few days but now she refuses it. This past week we have introduced squash and carrots. She is sort of liking the carrots but didn't want anything to do with the squash. Here are some pictures of what Eliza has been up to this month.

smiling for the camera

helping mom with laundry

playing cornhole with dad on father's day

hanging out with dad on father's day

getting ready to try some rice cereal

not sure what to think of the cereal but will eat the spoon

trying out new sleeping positions

visiting dad in the hospital

shopping at Target

being cute

enjoying the summer weather

eating carrots

playing hide-and-seek

Heber 's Farmer's Market

I can't believe its already July. Utah had such weird (rainy & overcast) weather in June so it didn't start feeling like summer until recently. We're not getting my summer outing list done as quickly as I was hoping. I'll just have to try to cram things in over the next few weeks.

*Disclaimer - this is not a picture for the farmers market we went to, just thought it was pretty, I'd love to go to a farmer's market that looked like this

Eliza and I went on mommy-daughter date yesterday afternoon to the Heber City farmers market. Check that off the list! I was hesitant to go without Colin but he wasn't feeling well so I thought I'd let him nap in a quiet house while we ventured out for a little bit. It was so fun. I strapped baby girl into the bjorn, put a little sun hat on her, had a few dollars in my pocket and we strolled past the vendors. There were 4 or 5 bow booths so Eliza got a few more bows. We stopped to smell handmade soaps and sample fresh produce; cherries & sweet peas, then bought some of our samplings plus basil, yum! We were stopped every few seconds by people adoring Eliza and talking to her and she was not shy about giving out smiles and laughs. Last stop, kettle corn. In my opinion its not a trip to the farmer's market without kettle corn.

On my list for next week is the Park City farmer's market and Mona, UT for the Lavender festival.