About a month ago as I was putting Emma to bed and about to sing the same 3 songs I have sung every naptime and bedtime for the past 6 months (per her request!), she looked up at me and said..."new songs please".  THANK YOU.  I sighed with relief and asked what song she would like..."Child's Prayer".  This was a sweet moment for me.  I went on to sing "I am a Child of God" and "I hope...".   A few days later after I sang the songs, she wispered in my ear as we were snuggling, "sing to daddy".  I took her out to Chris and I was shocked with what I heard.  She belted out these songs and now does this same routine every night.  And yes, I know that she is totally working us over to stay up later!  But how could I pass this up...

It's always entertaining to go back and match up pictures of Emma with Taylor at similar ages. Here the girls are almost the exact same age...just shy of 5 months and I love this stage. Love those big open mouth smiles! Isn't it funny how different they look but how they both look exactly like Chris!   

Price is Right

Any guesses?  Here are some hints...

a total of 22 items

4 dresses, 5 skirts, 2 bathing suits, a pair of shoes, shirts and lots of polka dots

all purchased new at Old Navy

This deal deserved more than just a framed receipt on the fridge for the next week...!

One down, one more to go

And the diagnosis was great! A slightly smaller and mishaped head but will fill out with time. However, I was not prepared for all the brain development testing and when the doctor pulled out the ultrasound machine to take a look inside, I was about to excuse myself. But thankfully, she's developing perfectly and her little perfect brain was the best thing I had ever seen. His only recommendation...pin the side of her pajamas to her sheet so she'll sleep on the side of her slightly big forehead! Yeah right...I might as well just stay up all night with her. I'll take the big forehead and flat back head for now!

Taylor had a lot to say after we got home from the appointment. I think she's telling us that she's FINE!! And to stop with all this worrying! It reminded me of her first big smile after she received a blessing when we learned she had reflux...

We are so so grateful.

Say Cheese!

Emma has had this interest in our camera, like most kids I'm sure, we are just dumb enough to let her actually play with it.  So a few months ago I was spending much of my time deleting pictures of the carpet, walls, parts of my body that just never again need to see the flash of a camera and maybe some toes here and there but lately we've been more impressed with her photography skills and humored by her reactions.  But the other day I walked in to find that she had turned the camera on herself and was posing away.  I just got to sit back and watch...it was great.

"I love being potty-trained, I love it!"

I thought I was going to roll over and die when Emma said this today!  She certainly did not get this from me.  I have had no desire to potty-train...she has always been way more ready than I!  When she came to me last week in a diaper telling me she needed to go potty in the toilet, I figured at that point I had no other choice.  It was time.  She's doing great...no more accidents but we're only half way there.  She hasn't left the house diaperless or slept without one...that will be a while, a long while.  She's got the Ogden genes.  Pees like you would not believe while sleeping.  Lets just say that I am changing her sheets everyday with a diaper on.  Any tips?

Specialists

Yesterday at Taylor's well-check we got news that she would yet again need to see another specialist.  That has become the dreaded word for me at her appointments.  This was especially disappointing since all seemed so well.  Sadly her little head that I joked about in a previous post measured smaller than last month and has a very small soft spot.  As the doctor put it, it is taking on a "triangular" shape...flat in the back but growing in the forehead.  Sounds much worse and strange than it is.  Nevertheless, we are being sent to a Neurosurgeon with the best case scenario being a helmet and the worst being surgery to insert a disc that will initiate growth.  After lots of tears, talking with family, and binge drinking, diet coke of course, we realized how similar her head shape is to Chris' and that there could even be a better best case scenario...the Adcock fivehead (and I mean that in the best possible way!!  I love those Adcock foreheads!).  We are trying to be optimistic and assume the pediatrician is taking a very precautionary approach, but until next week I'll be sitting on pins and needles.  We will be seeing the Neurosurgeon on Wednesday and the ENT on Thursday to discuss her mishaped inner ear.  

With becoming a mother, I discovered a piece of my heart that I never knew existed.   It is the greatest blessing to have children, but with blessings come challenges all which make us stronger.  And days like these remind me of how grateful I am for the power of prayer and the Priesthood in which I find so much comfort.  

Just another thing she got from daddy...

This little girl just loves to draw and I've loved watching her scribbles turn into actual recognizable objects!  It won't be long until you are unable to tell my drawings apart from hers!!  Hopefully she'll take after Chris in the art department!

(If you look close enough, this is a signature for her...a strawberry!)

4 Months Old

It's hard to believe that today Taylor is 4 months! 4 months is what I've been waiting for...it was the lucky number that I've heard most babies get over reflux and thankfully, I think this is the case for her. Now things seem so easy but I think my definition of "easy" changed drastically after experiencing her first month of life. She is the sweetest little baby and is totally happy to just sit in her chair or play on her mat. She takes the best naps but hasn't quite mastered sleeping through the night which is the total opposite of what Emma did as a baby and to be honest, I'm not quite sure which I prefer! This past month she has started babbling away and is super ticklish on her shoulder...it's the best place to get a great laugh from her. She is still tiny at almost 12lbs but is in the 75th% for height and drumroll...only 15% for head!! What?! We've decided she has my eyes but everything else is all Chris! We just love her like crazy and we are so grateful for her sweet little spirit!

I LOVE long weekends!

We had such a fun busy weekend...I'm so sad it's almost over but luckily I have the premiere of 90210 tomorrow to keep my spirits up! (And a premiere tonight of a show I won't mention because it's way too trashy but everyone needs a guilty pleasure, right??)  

Friday we headed out to Redlands for Cori's wedding...she looked beautiful and everything was so nice and went so well.  A bonus of her getting married was being able to spend some time with the parents.

(4 generations ~ introducing Taylor to Great Papa T)

Surprisingly, I didn't get any pics of Emma at the reception.  But it was great, she was convinced the whole time that it was a dance party and at her request, we sent Taylor home with Dad and Papa so we could "no go home" and stayed until we sent the bride and groom away with bubbles!

Saturday morning we hung out at the hotel and Emma exerted any little amount of energy she had from her minimal hours of sleep on crazy cruise control showing off to the parents.  We then met up for lunch with some of the Miles and then  had to say goodbye.  We went straight to Chris' parents for the first USC game which we ended up killing!  Emma was completely trashed after not sleeping much in the hotel so we called it a day after the game and came back home.  

Some more pics from our long weekend...

Bowling was awesome...worth every penny to see Emma's reaction after rolling that first ball.  For the rest of the day we heard, "I Love Bowling!".  And I seemed to make good of every last frame...didn't matter if I guttered every other bowl, I spared or striked that last frame every time!

Rediscovering our bikes!

Time to say goodnight!