Gracie turned One!

So little Miss Grace turned one on February 27th! We had just a fun day at home playing and doing whatever she wanted. I wanted to do a photo shoot with her and came up with making a one out of cardboard and then wraping it in paper. It turned out really cute thanks to my awesome husband who did it all!

Me and my birthday buddy. 

With her Birthday money from Great Grandma Jones we got some wooden blocks and she has been having lots of fun with them. 

She's getting so big I can't hardly stand it. She is so smart and learning new things everyday. Justin does this thing where he squeezes his hands together and says "squeeze!" now whenever Justin comes in the room Grace does it back to him. She is great at playing peek a boo and just having a fun. 

I love this one! It shows her funny little personality and a little bit of her mischeivious side. She sure is getting into everything. The saying that goes kind of like this. " Trying to clean up after a toddler is like trying to plant flowers in a tornado " has been ringing true at our house lately. But it's all good as she is learning and exploring.

How we really feel about photo shoots. Mom happy and excited. Grace.....very upset. 

This girl LOVES books, especially the book of nursery rhymes that Great Grandma Jones got her. We could look at that book all day every day. She loves to turn the pages, look at the pictures and just sit and have fun with mom. 

I love this one and was so sad that she moved just enough to make it blurry but she's still cute.

Grace is a lot like me in the fact that she loves soft things. She loves her blanket and when she's tired she has started to snuggle her blankie and anything else soft. She has never been much of a snuggly baby even when she was tiny so it's kind of nice to have that now. 

My beautiful babe. I can't believe what a little girl she is starting to become. She is such a joy and a light in our lives. I reflected back on what was going on  year ago and I am so glad that everything went well and that she made it a year. We both survived with many more years to come. She is my best little buddy and we have so much fun with her. What a blessing and a challenge it is to be a mother but what a great reward when she snuggles me or comes to me when she's hurt or smiles and plays with me. No better love then the love of a child. I am so grateful that I get to share in her love and show her my love for her.  Nothing is better then family. 

Baby Butler Baby Shower

In early August we threw a baby shower for Justin's sister Jyana who is going to have a baby girl in October. It was fun to help with the decorations and to get everything ready. Justin's family is getting pro at throwing together a baby shower . By the time his youngest sister has a baby it will be nothing.

We are so excited to have a Messenger/Butler cousin and so close together! I hope that they will have great memories of playing together. I have a cousin on my mom's side and we are only a few months apart and growing up we were the best of friends. He still has a special place in my heart even though we are both adults and busy with our own lives.

Anyways...Justin's Aunt Maria was able to come and she makes great diaper creations that are not only beautiful but functional. With all the diapers she used on the cakes for my baby shower I didn't have to buy diaper for about two months!

I wish I could take credit for this cake but alas I just paid the creator. A gal that I visit teach loves to do cake/cupcake decorations so I asked her to make some cupcakes and a baby cake. Isn't it adorable? It was very tasty as well. If you need a fun and yummy cake in the davis county area use her! She is great. 

I forgot to take a pictures of the beautiful mom to be. But lets be real who really wants to take pictures when they are pregnant. I know I wasn't supre jazzed about it just did it for the docmentation. But she is looking great. So far Jyana has been doing really well and I am glad. I hope that all goes for her during labor. It's kind of hard to prepare for something you've never done but she is very prepared and ready. Now she has only weeks! We are excited. Our little Grace has brought so much love and joy into our lives that I am happy for Jyana and her little family to experience that as well. We love babies! 

Grateful

This past week was a really rough one for me. I was physically tired, emotionally drained and mentally exhausted. Work was hard, baby wouldn't sleep and kept crying, and family stresses added to the mix. Needless to say I was feeling pretty overwhelmed and not knowing how I was going to make it through.

I came home extremely grateful for my handsome husband. I am always grateful for him but he has been especially helpful this past week. Listening when I needed him to, fixing the problems that he could, cheering me up or just hugging me and above all always showing me love, respect and kindness. I love him with all my heart and he makes me a better person. 

He helps me be silly.

He's a great travel companion and even better friend.

He is always up for an adventure.

He helps me reach my goals.

He likes to have fun.

He's a great daddy and he's cute too!

I love him so much for so many other reasons but mostly this week, I love him because he makes marriage fun, home a heaven and family a joy. We are coming up on our three year anniversary and I still feel like we are honeymooners just now with a baby. It has been some of the best times these past few years. 

Justin thank you for taking care of me and Grace and always showing us love.

Mother's day Madness

We had a busy but great Mother's day this past weekend. I had to work all day Saturday and for a little bit on Sunday so we didn't do much. But I came home to a sweet surprise from my husband and got to snuggle my little baby who made me a momma. 

On Sunday it was busy because it was my sister's birthday and she would be able to Skype with us on her mission. I had to work till 5 and she was going to call at 6. Well we can't leave till the last patient leaves and we had some people still there at 5. But I work with some awesome people who basically kicked me out so I could make it to Logan on time and see my sister who I miss so so much. It was great to see her and hear her fun stories on the mission. 

She is trying so hard and wanting to be a good missionary and example to those she meets. It was great to feel the spirit that she has with her. She may not think so but she is a great missionary with a very willing and dedicated attitude. We miss you Sister Stoddard! Then after dinner we had a fun photo shoot with my lovely momma. 

Me and my baby before church. 

My mom, me and Grace. Three generation shot. 

This pictures makes me a little sad with how little our family has gotten over the past little while. With one sister living in California and another on a mission we are much smaller in number. But it's still cute. 

All the Bryan Stoddard Grandbabies. Hard to get them to all look at you with like 4 different cameras around. Love those kiddos so much. 

All the grandkids minus my sister's boy and baby on the way.

Our little family. Grace is almost smiling in this one. =) 

Over Mother's day I was thinking a lot about moms'. About how from the minute the little baby is made we are sacrifcing. Sacrifcing our bodies, mental capacity, energy and so much more. I sometimes think that I'll never get my body back to a more normal state for a long time. It makes me frustrated at times because it would be easier to not nurse my baby but then I would be missing out on so much. It then made me think of my mom, having six kids and doing so much for us everyday. Many times my mom went without so that we could have something wether it was food, clothing or time. There are so many other great examples of loving, kind and sacrifcing mothers'. It made me grateful that I get to be part of the club now and also appreciate my own mom and mother-in-law so much more.

So Happy Mother's Day to you and your loved moms. Without mom's we wouldn't know where anything is. =) 

Visitors

We had some fun visitors this past weekend. Justin's brother Jayson and his wife Neha came for the weekend to come and cuddle little Grace, and hang out with us too....I guess. =) It is always great fun to see them. They always make such yummy food and bring fun games to play. It never fails to surprise me how much Justin and Jayson are alike when they get together. I really wish at times that their dad was around because I am pretty sure all three of them would be doing the same things.

They had lots of good bonding time with Grace, Neha got her alseep and we had a successful time with Jayson. He was so cute and nervous about holding her  at first and she picked up on that but eventually they both relaxed and had fun with each other.

Whenever I attempt to do a family shot someone is always missing so we are missing Jourdan in this one. Funny side note we took the pictures on a timer and it took 5 in a row and Grace got progessively cranky. This one is almost crying. =) 

We also got some great exciting news while they were here. Grace is getting a Messenger cousin! Well a Butler cousin but on the Messenger side. Justin's sister, Jyana annouced that they were expecting a baby in October. She was tricky and had everyone looking at videos about where she works then added a fun one about her dog. At the end it had the ultrasound pic. Justin's mom started screaming, I was in the other room feeding Grace but when I heard that scream I knew what it was. =) We are so excited for them. Grace will get two cousins this year one on each side, lots of baby fun and love. P.s  Jyana I hope it's ok I shared. 

Yay for babies! Yay for visitors! We are getting more visitors next week my sister and her son are coming for a while. We love to spend time with family and miss them when they are gone. Here's hoping we see you soon!

Called to Serve!

   

   It was finally the day for Sister Stoddard to report to the MTC on February 6th! We all got together and spent a few more hours with her before she headed off on her next Grand Adventure. Here are most of us at my brother's new house, hence the awesome whiteness of it all. =)

We picked up Grandma and went down to Lehi to meet up with the rest of the family. We took as many pictures as Suzanna would allow. 

Yay for sisters! These girls are my best friends and Natalie and I are going to miss Suzanna a lot but at least we still have each other for a while. 

Grandma Lu and Suzanna.

Suzanna with the parents.

We got all together and then went to lunch at Cafe Rio in Lehi. While there I think we saw two or three different sets of Elders, someone headed to the MTC today and also a set of sisters. It was a hopping place for missionaries. We said goodbye at the restaurant since only one car can take her to the drop off spot. She didn't look nervous or sad and I think we all did a good job of not crying. 

We are all going to miss her a lot but we are so proud of her. She has such a strong testimony and desire to serve the Lord that it would be a shame to keep her to ourselves. She will stay at the MTC for two weeks then head off to the California, Roseville Mission. 

Good luck Sister Stoddard! We love you and look forward to seeing you in 18 months!

Baby Shower

So....this past weekend my wonderful in-laws threw a most spectacular Baby shower for me. They put in so much work with all the yummy food, cute decorations and organization of it all.

It was surprise party! Justin told me that we were going to over to his mom's to help his sister with something then going to movie. When we got there everyone was already there and surprised me! It was a surprise and fun to see all my family and friends. It was so springy with bright colorful flowers and girly colors everywhere. I even had a special decorated chair to sit at and a corsage type thing that struggled to stay on. =) It was lots of fun to visit and to open so many presents. My little girl will be very well diapered and styled. =) I felt very loved and special, especially with all the effort Justin's family put into the shower and their gifts. I knew they were excited but not that excited. =) She'll be one loved little girl.

Justin's sisters worked on this decoration and I loved it! They did a great job, even down to the big bow on the baby's head. =)

Home checking out the stash of stuff. Justin's Aunt Maria made all these cute decorations out of things you can use like diapers, bottles, blankets and other baby stuff. She made some really cute ones and it was fun to see what she used in them.

A motorcycle with a super soft lamb on top. My niece liked playing with that.

A little bassinet type thing, the white blanket is so soft and fluffy. I love soft things so I really liked that one.

A cake and tower of diapers! They were so cute and I know they took quite some time to make since it took me a while to take them down. =)

Me at 36 weeks. So excited.

This is more of how I feel lately. =)

Things have been going well actually, the only thing that has changed as of late is some occasional pelvic pressure ( TMI I know sorry). I have been feeling the pregnancy heat more and more, I take my blankets on and off during the night. One lady asked me if I'd been out in the sun and I just told her no I just am always flushed lately. =) My feet have been getting a little more swollen, not crazy just more, I would have a little after working but now it's there no matter what. It makes me a little nervous due to my nursing knowledge but everything else is good so then I try not to worry about it.

I now go to the Dr. once a week which makes the time go by faster. I went this week for my 37 week appointment and we talked about getting induced or not and labor stuff. It got me a little nervous just that it's getting so close! Next time I go he'll check me and see if anything is happening and we'll go from there. I keep telling my baby that she can't come out yet not until I am done working on the 26th. =)

Work is going pretty good. I am still able to do everything and help where I can. They have changed my hours so I do two days a week 1-9 instead of 3-4 days a week from 5-9. It's been good so far and I do like not having to go to work so many days during the week. Almost every lady patient asks me when I am due so that's fun. I just have 7 more days of work till I go on leave so hopefully they go by fast. Things are good and just checking days off the calendar and staying active. It will come before I know it.