5 Months!

We have a 5 month old! Lydia has amazed us with all the fun things she's started doing this month. She had a growth spurt and learned how to do lots of things all in one week :) I have found myself telling her to "stop growing!" a lot with all the new things she's been doing. My favorite thing about Lydia this month is watching how much she loves to connect. She waits to make eye contact with people and lights up when she sees a familiar face. Her eyes are so sparkly. We love this little girl!

You weigh: 16 lbs 8 oz

This month you've enjoyed: A day trip to Logan with Mom and Nana to see Uncle Jason in Savior of the World (you watched the whole thing with wide eyes), date nights with Dad, your first christmas, eating rice cereal (no oatmeal, please, you will gag), watching the BYU/ U of U game with Asher, Rowan, and Gia, trips to costco in the carrier, stroller rides in the highest sitting position so you can see, playing with and talking to Serena, playing on your play mat, cuddling Papa -you love him, kissing Nana, getting dressed up for family pictures, discovering Maggie,

What you are doing: hooking your bottom gums with two fingers (all day, every day), grabbing and pulling at toys, sitting up (with mom and dad close by to catch you when you fall), eating rice cereal
(you have also tried peas, apple sauce, bananas, and oatmeal), giving lots of kisses, saying Dada and hieee (you say hiee when we first get you from your crib, but I don't think it's intentional), still not rolling over, taking 2 hour naps, putting both hands on our cheeks when you want to talk, and"petting" Maggie.

BYU/ U of U game. You and Asher are super into football

Savior of the World with Nana. You were so happy the whole time. After watching you love this and Aunt Brittany's play last month I think it's safe to say we have another music lover in the family :)

Kisses for Nana

Sitting up like a big girl at the grocery store

How Lydia generally feels about anything that's not rice cereal 

playing with Dad

Catching up: Christmas

I am super behind on posts for the end of the year! This year was our third married Christmas together and Lydia's first! Christmas always feels like it's coming soooo slow during finals week and then it rushes in and is over before we know it! I'm happy to say this is our last post-finals Christmas EVERRR. We had so much fun celebrating and are lucky enough to live close to both our families. It makes the holidays so fun :)
This year we didn't decorate the house until December 18th. In part because of finals, but mostly because we didn't know how to dog proof our decorations. Last year Milo and Maggie thought all the decorations on the tree were toys. After a few previous incidents of ornament destruction I came home to find bulbs strewn across the floor, all the bottom branches of the tree bent to the floor, and Milo mid-bite on a bulb. Milo stayed in time out until Harrison got home that day because I was so mad I didn't know what to do with him. So this year I was so scared to put up a tree we just didn't. Until finals were over and Harrison thought of this clever solution.

I'm happy to report they didn't get to a single ornament this year :) I also got them these ugly sweaters to wear. Don't let their faces fool you, they love them. I love Milo and Maggie. They are best friends and they always have so much love to give. Having dogs has been such a fun part of our marriage, despite having to get a little creative about christmas trees and baby toys ;)

We went to Harrison's parent's house for Christmas Eve. Andy made green chili (one of the many reasons I'm grateful I married into the Smith family) and we opened a few presents. This year Heather made Lydia two adorable jeggings with matching bows and a tutu to match all her cousins. Aunt Angel also got her two beautiful hand made dresses. We have a very crafty family :) Lydia was more into the paper than the presents this year. She surprised me by fussing when I tried to take a package away from her to open it. I didn't know she was old enough to know she wanted things!

 This is one of my favorite pictures from Christmas Eve. Lydia loves to connect with people. She loves to be face to face. She'll put both hands on your face and gab gab gab. Or give you a ginormous kiss.

After dinner at Harrison's house we went to my parent's house. We have so much fun spending Christmas morning with Jason and Brittany. It makes everything last longer since our family is still small :) My favorite gift this year was a nursing/ carseat cover Harrison made me. It's so stretchy and I use it all the time!

Lydia looks more like Harrison every day :)  

Merry belated Christmas!