18 Months!

Duke turned 18 months a couple weeks ago! It's crazy how fast time goes, but we're loving every minute of it. He keeps me laughing and running around all day. He has so much personality in that little body of his. Some of my favorite things he does:

-waves bye-bye to everyone (even cars passing by on the street, and people at the store)

-LOVES to read. Multiple times throughout the day, we'll cuddle on his big dog stuffed animal and have story time. He'll keep getting up to get more books, then he'll come back and snuggle me. It's honestly one of my favorite things. He's such a mama's boy right now. 

-he doesn't say many words yet, but saying "UH" while pointing to whatever he wants is his go-to. His little innocent voice is to die for!

-he understands so much more than I give him credit for. The other day, I said, "Duke, go grab a diaper and wipes, we need to change your bum." He got up and went and grabbed them and brought them to me. I was shocked! I had never said that to him so I was astounded! That same week, he also learned how to throw trash away in the garbage so he's been my little helper when cleaning the house.

-sink baths are his new found love, although I don't think they'll last much longer at the rate he's growing.

-cars/trucks are his favorite. They are his #1 toy, and he would rather touch the cars wheels at the park instead of play at the playground. He's a true boy.

-he could play outside for hours. Running and exploring in the backyard is his favorite. He loves to swing/play on the tramp and pick up worms (yuck!).

-he is a solid sleeper and I'm so grateful for that. He sleeps 12-13 hours at night and takes a 2-3 hour nap during the day. He's mastered his routines.

-Duke is one tough guy. Since we're always outside, he is constantly scratching his knees and he rarely cries. I'm always impressed at how he can handle pain.

-he is seriously the biggest flirt and it just melts my heart. No matter where I take him, he is always smiling/waving at someone in the checkout line and showing off that cute smile of his. It's rare that we don't get comments from people about how much of a flirt he is. I'm doomed when he's a teenager ;)

He has the sweetest little personality and I can't imagine life without him. He's my greatest adventure and I absolutely love being his mom!

18 Month Statistics

weight: 28 lb (91%)

height: 34.75 (98%)

head: 20.25 in (99%)

Trying to hide from the Dr

Weekend at the Cabin

We spent a few days up my family's cabin in July with my parents and sister, Christine. It was a much needed getaway. One thing I love about going up to the cabin is there's no cell service. I love having no internet/wi-fi and being able to enjoy each others company without cellphones.

+On Friday, we spent the day shopping at the Outlets in Park City.

+ Saturday, we went swimming at the rec center in Kamas and ate lunch at one of the local restaurants.

+Sunday, we went to Sacrament meeting in Oakley. We played in the creek by the cabin and relaxed/played games. 

+Monday, we cleaned the cabin and ate lunch at Dairy Keen on our way home.

It was such a perfect weekend. Cabin getaways are some of my favorite getaways. We definitely need to do it more often!

Road trip to Rexburg

We made a quick road trip over Memorial Day weekend up to Rexburg, ID. Our niece, Sarah, graduated from high school so we went up to celebrate with her and spend the weekend their family. We did a little site seeing at Mesa Falls. It was all fun and games until we realized the thousands of mosquitos that were surrounding us as we got close to the falls. I already get eaten alive when there's hardly any mosquitos around, so it was no joke that I was walking bait. Every bite was worth the few good pictures we got ;)

Duke was obsessed with this clown nose and would just walk around with it on haha!

We went to The Burg and got burgers, fries and shakes. Sarah works at Fat Cats, so she hooked us up with free bowling!

We spent Sunday playing at the park and walking around the Rexburg temple. We had never been there; it was beautiful!

(Mom fail... Duke's moccasins started giving him blisters (I didn't realize they were too small for him... I felt horrible!!), so that's why he's shoe-less in most of the pics. I brought a pair of sandals for him, but they would rub right on the blisters, which made it so painful for him, so we just let him go bare foot most of the time).

Minus the sleepless nights (sleeping with a 16 month old is no joke), our weekend was a blast! It was great to get away and be with family!

Lagoon Day

The day after we moved in with Chad's parents, instead of unpacking and getting settled in, we boycotted being an adult and made a spontaneous trip to Lagoon. Chad's niece had a dance competition there, so we decided to meet up with them. It was Duke's 1st time to an amusement park and he was loving every minute of it. 

His first ride was on the Terror Ride, and his expression perfectly describes how he felt about it. I think he enjoyed the carousel a little bit more ;)

Lately, Duke has been obsessed with any sort of stuffed animal, so as we would walk by all of the games, he would point at all of the animals. Chad played a round of "Hole in One" and won Duke a little frog. His day was officially made!

It was so fun going with family because Chad and I were still able to go on rides while someone stayed with Duke. It was such a great day! Having kids makes everything so much more fun. I'm already wanting to take Duke back!

Moving Day

On May 20, we said goodbye to what we've called home for the past 2 1/2 years. We are building a home in Vineyard, UT (they break ground this week!!!), but since we have a couple months until it will be done, we pitched our tents in Chad's parents basement. They are so generous to let us move in with them! 

Saying goodbye to a house is always a little sad to me. Some of my fondest memories will be while we lived there. In the walls of that home, we faced many adventures - very difficult trials, as well as some of the greatest memories for a lifetime. We brought Duke home to that house and spent many sleepless nights trying to figure this whole parenting thing out. There is no one else I'd rather have by my side than my two boys (+ Bruno). Here's to saying goodbye to old memories, and hello to new adventures!

Mother's Day

Being a mother has been my greatest adventure.  My heart has grown in ways that I didn't know were possible. Hearing Duke's sweet voice say 'mama' is my absolute favorite and I'm so thankful for that little man for making me a mom. 

That being said, I'm grateful for my mom and all she has done for me. She has been there for me through the thick and thin, ups and downs, and all in between. She's always been a listening ear and always there to pick me up when I need an extra hand. She's always encouraged me to chase after my dreams and "be better than I was yesterday" (she would say that to me everyday as I was leaving to school). She has been my greatest example and I'm grateful for her unconditional love and support for my family. Happy Mother's Day, mom! 

{PS speaking of following my dreams, I started an online clothing shop https://onelovedbabe.com/, that's where my dress is from. Check it out!}

College Graduate!

I'm happy to announce... I'm officially a college graduate (technically, I finished my classes in summer 2015, but I walked last Friday). I can't tell you how good it feels to have that chapter of my life done with. Did you know only 6% of American's get a college degree? I didn't realize it was such a small percentage! One of the main reasons I wanted to get a degree was to set an example to my children. I want them to know how important it is to get an education.

It was so great to have Chad, Duke, & my parents at the graduation. My parents have always been so supportive growing up; that's one of the things I admire the most about them. After graduation we went to brunch at Black Bear Diner. I'm so grateful for all of the support from Chad. Going to school isn't easy, especially with a baby. Chad has been supportive from the very beginning and I couldn't have done it without him!