August Rush

I know it's nearly halfway through September, but things have been busy around here, at least for me (which is just how I like them!)  Happy to have some chill time long enough to catch up a bit.

This is our sweet "baby" who is less and less so with each posting.  When I see him next to other kids, I still see a baby, but seriously, who am I kidding?  He's staking out his independence more each day.

Like this face!  That is a straight-up BOY!  But he's snuggling his Pooh bear, which never happens and which is so, so adorable to me.   

He shows affection for most of his toys by chucking, banging, chewing, dropping and hitting them, so it was nice to get this cuddly exception on camera.

Okay, this has honestly got to be one of the most precious expressions ever made ever.  I know I'm his mother--it's just sheer perfection.

THE LIPS!!!  WHEN WILL I GET OVER THE LIPS??!!

Dude likes to get cozy any way he can.  He's no respecter of crib space, he loves up on all of it.


So part of our "busy" in August was a couple of trips to AZ for Jasper and me.  The first was an impromptu trip down with Rob where I got to perform on this awesome recording of Rob Gardner's music, which music I'm utterly head over heels for.  Jake came to join us toward the end (I was home a week) and got in on the fun of our newest little nephew, Jay McDowell!

Uncle Rob working his usual baby magic.  This man knows kid better than just about anyone I know who doesn't have them.  Oh Rob, we miss you!!

Looks like a Mac-Cam baby for sure!  I think he's only one or two days old here.  Awww... (And I gave him that blanket he's snuggled in. :)

The happy mama, who was gracious to host our crazy big Moffat family visits on more than one occasion.  We love babies!!

See??

And speaking of babies, ahem, here is J in a fish towel, courtesy of his (first cousin once removed, but really more his great-aunt) Julie Beck

Awww...and here he is snuggled in the afghan his mommy made him.  It's all completely tucked and blocked and finished, and of course, now out of danger of him spitting up on it.  I'm obviously generous with myself and timelines.

Our expressive boy.  The great thing is, he doesn't "say" it yet, but he always lets us know how he's feeling.

Jasper on his 14-month birthday rides in his big boy carseat for the first time!  Wow, we love this carseat.  It's the little things...

He makes this face all the time, the nose-scrunch, huge smile face, and he completes it with a seething, noisy breathing in his nose and out his teeth.  It's so funny.  Where they get this stuff...?

Rob's thoughtful roommate hosted him a "house cooling" party when Rob was moving to Utah to teach at UVU.  We got to live around the corner for him for a year and we loved having him pop in and come with us to Costco.  

Jasper loved having him around, too.  So happy for him, and we'll sure miss him.

Bwuvos.

Sigh. Another trip to Arizona.  Just the thing to cheer me up. 

The second trip was for Audrey, my brother's fiancee's, wedding shower.  My Aunt Lila hosted and it was lovely!

Jasper hangs with his cousin, Lewis, aka, his future self.

I thought this lemonade was the cutest idea ever. Those are muffin wrappers and mason jars.  Adorable, right?

Homemade, monogrammed cupcakes.  I say, those Prestwich ladies are clever and crafty!  Oh, and Audrey's older sister is expecting triplets on Valentine's Day.  That doesn't really have anything to do with anything.  But it's amazing, and I felt like sharing.

Homemade decorations.  'Cause you know, everything else wasn't already a ton of work...

I'm so in love with this table of my aunt's, I don't know what to do with myself.  I think it was the first picture I took at the event.  Just the table.  The bare table and chairs.

YUM!

The Dalton girls.  That's David's beautiful bride on the left.  They'll have tall, thin, beautiful Snow White babies.  (And check me out--actually getting to enjoy the event!  I even helped decorate!  My aunt is a grandma, and she has a pack-n-play, so my baby napped nearly the whole time.  WEEEEEE!)

My grandma and her baby twin girls.  

Presents!  

Jasper jammin' with his cousin Eve, who seriously knows how to cut a rug.  She is so good with him.

Me and my bitty man.

Jasper loves Devlin, and he's just starting to give real hugs and kisses.  And it's the best thing ever when he does.  Jasper has some awesome cousins.  It's like they know just what to do with a pint-size buddy.

And even more lovey time with baby Jay.  My mother in law and I got together to bake bread while I was in town for Granny Day, Jacob's grandmother's birthday, so we used it as one more excuse to stop by Cammy's, bring her a loaf, and snuggle the little guy.

This girl looks so good!  I think every new mother has a glow, but she was fresh-faced and done up every time I saw her.  She looked and said she felt like she didn't even have a baby.  So awesome.

Just so peaceful.

And...back to more crazy pictures of life with a toddler.

Oh boy.  That toy remote his Grammy gave him has saved us on many an unpleasant diaper changing occasion.  And the golf clubs, well, after nearly 3 months, he's just starting to get that the point is to putt a ball with them.  He's so funny.  For all the banging and swinging and throwing he does with those clubs usually, when you actually get him up to the ball, he has the daintiest little putt you ever saw.  

Making his "Who" face.  Don't know why, it reminds me of the Dr. Seuss characters.

By the way, Jake broke his hand playing basketball (see: brace) and this is probably one of the coolest toys ever.  It's a train track that shifts either into a wheel that can roll around the house or a wavy track that goes in forwards and reverse.  Another birthday win.  What a lucky boy!

Jasper is starting to say "Mama" now after months of saying "Dada" and I think he's starting to make the meaning connection with them.  He's starting to eat off of plates and bowls and using his own utensils.  He likes to play with his musical toys and dances by bouncing up and down or moving his feet really fast.  He's mastered the art of going up stairs and is almost as sharp going down, he's even starting to venture successfully into walking down them.  And it appears he's sensitive to cow's milk.  After many long days of crying fits and crankiness that were not indicative of his usual behavior, we switched to soy and WOW, what a difference.  No more sudden waking and crying in the middle of the night, no more spit-ups, no more heaving himself on the floor in a fit of woe and sadness, well, at least not as often. ;)  Major, major upgrade.

And that's all for now!  See you in the fall!