Half Pint!

Happy half birthday Lydia Rose! This month has FLOWN by. My favorite thing about Lydia this month has been watching her give love to people who need it. We had a couple experiences where Lydia sat quietly and cuddled with people who needed a lift. She is usually too busy to cuddle so these moments were extra special. Lydia makes me think about Lehi's vision of the tree of life. In the same way people were drawn closer to the tree's beauty and light people are drawn to the peace and happiness she emulates. She has such a tender heart. Being close to her makes me want to do things that will help me to be as happy and peaceful as she is. Her eyes sparkle. She looks so intently at people. It is a part of her personality I absolutely adore. I love watching her grow :)

You are:
27.5 inches long
17 lbs 6.5 oz

This month you've enjoyed: Having Dad home for Christmas break, swimming at the rec center, story time at the Provo library with Aubrey and Serena, going to puppy barn, visiting Amy and Ryan for a lunch date, seeing the animals at the Bean Museum with Aubrey, Ezra, and Serena, going to the BYU art museum, lots of sewing days with mom, eating food in your highchair, family dinners, bundling up to take Milo and Maggie to the park, play dates with Asher and Liz, going out to eat with the girls for Brittany's birthday, and an afternoon on campus with Dad while Mom got her hair cut.

What you are doing: kicking your "swimmer legs" from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep, eating baby food and some table food (you've tried: sweat potatoes, peaches, squash, peas, carrots, bananas, apples, prunes, rice, alfredo sauce, roast, bread), holding your own weight to stand, sitting up by yourself, saying "mmmm" when you're upset, grabbing your feet, wearing shoes, pinching things with two fingers, smiling when we get our phones out (every time, even if we aren't taking a picture), giving big hugs when you get up from naps (you always lay your head on our shoulders and pat our arms), opening your mouth reeeally wide to do what we call your "lazy smile"

Play date with Asher

Right after you woke up from a record 3 hour nap

My little buddy

Psyched about sitting in a highchair

Bundled up at the park with the puppies

Day date with Dad on campus

Cuddling Grandpa

Modeling your new "cousin blanket" We went to Joann's three times in a week to get this fabric because I loved it so much I had to make blankets for you and your cousins :)

You are officially too big for the mamaroo!

Birthday lunch with Brittany 

Swimming at the rec center with Dad, Mom, and Asher

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!

Family Pictures

We took family pictures at the beginning of December! I wanted to wait to post pictures until after Christmas :) Here's a HUGE shout out to my friend Kyra Cummings for taking them (kcphotography I hiiiiiighly recommend her) I think being able to capture people's happiness is a real gift. Here are some of my favorites!