It's a baby girl!

We had our half way mark appointment today and found out that another little girl is in her way to join out family! Excited would be an understatement- we were crying because we were just so excited. Now to be honest we would have been thrilled with either a girl or a boy, but the thought of Avery having a little friend to play with and grow up with makes us so excited and happy for her. I have 2 little girls and I couldn't feel more blessed than I do! But even more is that she is perfectly healthy and growing right on track... In fact a few days ahead! I am always so anxious at this appointment because I just hope an pray everything is alright with the baby. Thankfully she is good and we can hardly wait to meet her. I sometimes can't believe that I have been blessed with my little growing family... It truly is my greatest joy and I thank Heavenly Father all the time for this blessing. 

We can't wait to meet you little girl and feel so lucky you are coming to us. We love you so much already:) 

(She was hiding and being very modest during the ultrasound.. So much so that it took us like 20 minutes until she revealed herself to us, haha. Hayden says she takes after me in the modest department:) 

A daddy's girl

These two have literally become inseparable. She prefers him over anyone else, and I love to watch their relationship continue to grow! They are best friends, and Hayden is sure that everyone knows his 2 year old daughter is not only his best friend, but the coolest and funniest person he knows:)

Family date

Hayden surprised us and took us to see Cinderella! We all had so much fun going to a movie (we don't get the opportunity to do things like this very often). Avery loved it, Hayden liked it, and I thought it was so so so much fun!! 

I miss this lady.

Lately I have been thinking so much about her

and I just wish so much that I could have her back even just for an hour.

She was my grandma... but really she was so much more.

I know that if she were still here then she would randomly call to check on me.

She would know when I was having rough days and needed someone to talk to..

She always knew.

She would call to ask me about Avery and she would want to know all the details about her.

She would be there when I needed a reminder that I can do hard things, 

and she would encourage me so much just by those few little words.

She would be so excited about this new little baby, I just know it. 

She would ask how Hayden was doing in school and let us both know how proud she 

was of him. She was our biggest fan. 

She would want us to come visit her since we live so much closer to Mesa now, 

and I know we would have already gone.

I wish we could go. 

Hayden asked me the other night the thing I missed most about my grandma and I couldn't narrow it down, haha. But the more I thought about it I think I figured it out. 

I miss that my grandma cared. 

I miss that she would call just to call and to find out what was going on in my life.

I was important to her and she cared about the small details in my life.

She would call to see what activities I had planned at the assisted living center for that day.

She called to see what I made for dinner that night.

She called to see what me and Hayden did on our date night that week. 

She called to make sure that I was ok after Avery was born.

She called simply because I mattered to her.

She was my mother.

She was there when I needed her, good times and bad. 

Sometimes I think about the relationship I had with my grandparents and can't help but feel extremely grateful for them and their sacrifice. I was so blessed to have them. 

I miss that. I miss my grandma and her love, support, and encouragement.

I miss her silly jokes, and her wise counsel.

I miss her phone calls and visits.

I miss her letters and poems.

She is my hero.

And as much as I wish she was here to share this part of my life with, 

I know she is watching over me and my little family and cheering us on from above.

And I know that if I live my life worthily then I can continue to make her and my grandpa proud.

Life in Cedar City

Well we have been here for 3 1/2 months already!

At times it feels like it should be a lot longer than that, and other times it feels like 3 months is about right, haha. Slowly but surely we will feel more at home here I am sure.

But we have been trying to keep busy. After we had been here about 7 weeks me and Avery flew to Oregon to spend a week with Hayden's parents. We were sad to go without Hayden and we missed him a lot, but we sure had a lot of fun. And Avery hasn't stopped talking or praying for Wojo since. 

About 3 weeks after that we headed to Rexburg for a quick trip to visit the Busby's there. We were able to surprise a few of the girls and that was a lot of fun. We came at a busy time for them, so that was kind of a bummer but we still had a good time and it was a lot of fun to spend so much time with Hayden. And since then we have just been home and we don't have any more travel plans for a few more weeks, As fun as it all was, I think it took a toll on Avery and threw her off her schedule, so its nice to be back home for that reason.

We have made a few weekend trips to St. George and we sure love being able to go. It is such a big vacation spot and we are lucky to live 40 minutes away. I also have attempted to make a trip down there with Aves by myself, and it was quite the adventure. I am sure once I get more familiar with this place then I will be more comfortable going without Hayden. All I know is that there is no way I am going to be able to do things like that on my own for a while once the new baby comes! Haha, Or else I will be begging Hayden's grandma to come with me and help out. Plus I decided to take Aves to lunch on my own and thought it would be fun to go inside so she could get out of the car and run around in the play place a little bit. Turns out that she thought it was hilarious to stay at the top of the play structure and point and laugh at me all the while ignoring me telling her to come down. She was up there for like 20 minutes! 

This girl. I tell you she keeps me busy!! 

But have I mentioned how much fun she is?

She makes me laugh all day long and she really is my best little buddy.

She is smart and witty and cute and we simply cannot get enough of her.

Here are some pictures of the past month here..

Free cone day at DQ

Visiting the St. George Temple.

She LOVES it.

It is the most sweet thing in the world.

Walking to church in her pretty Easter dress.

See what I mean?! She is hilarious! 

She does things like this all on her own!

Taking a snooze in the car. 

 Again, her own doing.

Avery the hipster.

Helping me make dinner, 

with socks on her hands that she refused to take off.

 Me at 16 1/2 weeks pregnant with #2

I am showing much more quicker this time around!

Enjoying a sip of the good ol Dr. Pepper

Baby no more.

My little girl's first time sleeping in her new bed.

So bittersweet.

It is bittersweet watching her grow up. I love it and am so grateful to experience it

but man oh man does it pull at my heartstrings to watch my baby grow so fast.

I swear she was just born last week!

But she is full of so much personality and spunk

and it is so fun to watch.

She sings all the time, 

and she has even used to potty a few times!

We find out if this new baby is a boy or a girl in just 12 days and we can't wait.

We are beyond excited about this new baby, but it's hard to wrap my head around the 

fact that Avery is not going to be my baby forever. We won't ever have this time back with her

and so I am trying to soak it all in and focus on this time that she will have both mine and Hayden's full attention. 

We love her. She is our whole world! 

But we are so excited for her to have a little sibling and to watch that relationship develop. 

We are blessed she is our first child, we just know she is going to make the best big sister.