Trying to be Positive

Hi everyone! No I’m not dead, just close to it. :) I have been super busy with photography and we are kind of having an off week around the Jones’ home. I am determined to think positively so I have listed the bad things that have happened, with what good I can find in it.

Negative: On Tuesday, December 1st, I got a speeding ticket. It was my first ticket ever. Up until Tuesday, I have been pulled over a grand total of twelve times and had zero tickets. Three of them were for a broken headlight (two of them in the same night on my way home from Richmond), but the rest were for speeding, stop sign, things I really deserved tickets for. In all fairness I haven’t been pulled over in about three years and I truly didn’t know I was speeding, but still, ticket.
Positive: 1. At least I haven’t gotten a ticket the other twelve times. 2. I was on my way to have lunch with Stacy. I got to have lunch with Stacy. 3. I took this picture of Traegan and Isabelle and it kind of melts my heart!

Negative: Traegan was sick. It is just an ear infection.
Positive: 1. It is just an ear infection. 2. I have finally learned how to give him medicine without him spitting it up. 3. I had a lovely trip to Ogden (stretching here).

Negative: On Sunday we went to drive to Logan for Josh’s cousin’s baby blessing. We made it just past Mantua when our car overheated and we had no choice but to pull over and wait. Yep, stranded in the canyon in the freezing cold, with a hungry, screaming baby.
Positive: 1. Josh’s mom was seriously inspired and had her phone on so someone was able to come rescue us in a timely manner. Otherwise it would have been hours because every one was in church. 2. We were going to take our family pictures that day so I had extra clothes to bundle Trae in so he didn’t freeze.

We also hung out with the Jones family on Sunday. I love the babies together.

Chloe eating her little toes. From what I can tell and have seen, this is pretty much her favorite thing to do.

Traegan giving Owen a kiss/bath. Poor little boy was soaking at the end.

Later that night, we took of Traegan’s shirt so we could feed him and he just looked so cute. Oh another positive, he is doing much better with rice cereal these days.

Negative: “F’Ing” car costs $500 to fix. Merry Freaking Christmas!
Positive: 1. They invented these things called credit cards. 2. The next costly repair is three strikes and your out. Not really sure if that is a positive or not, but we will be rid of it. Just with a car payment. Dang!

Negative: Our DVR broke. I lost all my recordings, which I was saving for my mom and sister to come watch and they can’t come fix it until Friday.
Positive: Yeah, I don’t have one. I love TV and it's all I can do while I nurse my child a thousand times a day.

Negative: Josh is sick today. It is just an ear infection.
Positive: 1. It is just an ear infection. 2. He is home. I love that! 3. We got our regular flu shots while we were at the doctor and the funniest thing ever happened. The girl gave me the shot and then put the band aid about two inches above the hole she just poked in me. It gave us a good laugh at least!

All in all, we have had some serious surprises the last little bit. And I would have been much worse off it wasn’t for little Trae. He can make me smile no matter what.

Traegan’s New Tricks
- He can now sit completely on his own. He loves being able to look around and feel big. He also loves to play with toys while sitting.
- He kisses me on command. He grabs my hair or face on both sides and pulls me in for a wet, slobbery kiss. It’s just what I have needed lately.

- He loves his bouncer so much. He jumps like a crazy man in it, especially when we watch him and go, “Jump, jump, jump.”
- Traegan has learned how to spit. He started doing it on Friday, December 4th and hasn’t stopped yet.
- He has also learned how to growl. He is pretty proud of himself for that too.

Here is a video of him sitting, spitting, and screaming. We took it on Friday when he started to spit and it is just so cute. Sometimes when he is happy, he will just sit and scream happy screams and I love it so I’m glad I captured it. Oh and don’t mind his seriously red face. He has really dry skin around there. Something about weather and spitting/drooling. We are working on it.

Anyway. I hope every one is doing as good or better than us! Hopefully I can post more now that pictures are slowing down.

Cupcakes, Cereal, and Turkey

As part of my new photography venture, I do a lot of blog stalking of other photographers. I never understood when they said that they weren’t very good at taking pictures of their own children. Well I am now guilty of the same thing. The last month or so when I have actually been busy, there have been hardly any pictures of Traegan and it makes me sad. I vow to do better. He changes so much everyday that I can’t bear to miss documenting any more of it!

Before I get going I just had to share this one picture of Trae. On November 13th, Julie and I spent the day shopping and then met up with the husbands in Ogden for dinner. It was so much fun to have some much needed girl time!

At dinner, Traegan was really tired and wouldn’t sleep because Olive Garden was so busy, loud, and there was so much to look at. I picked him up and while I was holding him, he just kind of laid down on the table. I thought he was reaching for the toy, but he fell asleep like that! Excuse the quality, Julie took it for me with my cell phone.

CUPCAKES

Last Thursday was Jettsen’s birthday and we came up for the party. Noelle made the cutest cupcakes I’ve ever seen (Jett loves Elmo/Sesame Street).

Jett tried some of all of them!

Traegan and Owen loved on each other. It is seriously cute when they are together; they just sit and stare at each other or touch each other’s faces, hands, toes. I love it!

CEREAL

Traegan turned five months! Where did the time go? The next day I decided to start him on rice cereal. The doctor has been having me wait since I’m lactose intolerant I guess he is more likely to develop food allergies. But since I can’t handle nursing every hour (it’s already been a month and a half) I decided it was time.

The classic face. I love him so much!

I couldn't pick a favorite picture/face...

The end result...

Here is the whole thing start to finish, I realize probably no one will watch it, but if you do, don't mind the constant camera flashing. Yes, I am one of those moms who photos and videos major milestones.

TURKEY

Thanksgiving! I love you!

On Sunday we had Thanksgiving- Part 1 at Josh’s Grandma and Grandpa Jones’. It was delicious and so much fun.

Then for Thanksgiving- Part 2, it was my family’s turn this year and we had lots of fun at my Grandma and Grandpa Perkes’ house. Good food, company, and fun.

Traegan had really cute clothes on, but pooped on them so this was his back up onesie.

My happy little man!

Grandma McMurdie and Traegan

Some video of Traegan on Thanksgiving. This one is worth watching. At least the part where he attacks my sister's dog, Doodle. Or when he tries to walk.

Then we went to visit Scott and Kathy and Jettsen. Little Owen came down with a case of pneumonia on Monday. They took him back to the doctor on Tuesday, who sent him straight to the hospital. He has been there ever since. From what I understand he is doing fine now with the pneumonia, but is not able to keep anything down and they won’t release him until he can hold onto his food. Jason has been back and forth, but Noelle has pretty much never left Owen’s side and Jett has been hanging out with his grandma’s in the mean time.

When Jett saw Traegan he just laid down next to him and snuggled up to him. A few minutes later he asked Traegan if he would play cars with him. I think he was missing his little brother. It was so sweet; I literally started crying.

So I just wanted to say I’m SO GRATEFUL for our health. Life is very fragile and it is so precious. My Grandpa McMurdie also had a health scare this week and it truly does just make you happy to have your health. So get better soon Grandpa McMurdie and Owen, we love you both!

Plugging Along

So it has been a long freaking time sine I have updated this here blog. Amazingly enough my photography business is keeping me pretty busy. I told myself that I wouldn’t put those pictures up on this blog, but since I haven’t taken any pictures of my own child and since these are family…

Janece-

Kylie-

Kylie and Chloe-

I’m pretty proud of them! More on the website (click on the pink flower up top)…

So we have just been hanging out with family and band practice and pictures and the usual. That is really all I have to say.

Traegan has got a few new tricks.
- He laughs now; it melts my heart every time.
- He is pretty good at sitting. He does really well until he gets a toy up to his mouth, which apparently requires arching the back and falling over.
- And he has discovered how to, um I guess we will call it “crawling”. Really he does the legs right, but hasn’t figured out the arms. So he gets his legs up under him and proceeds to push them out and drag his face along the floor.

Funny right? Don’t believe me? There is video of both!

Traegan attempts crawling... his own special way.

November 11, 2009

This one is Traegan laughing. Please excuse the terrible camera work. It is the sound we were going for anyway and it is hard to hold the camera and make the boy laugh.

November 12, 2009

And yes, it is 5 AM. Traegan is having another "party". Hopefully I get a nap today!

Early Veteran's Day

This morning I went to a Veteran’s Day program at Spring Creek because my youngest brother Tobin was in it (even though it isn’t until next week). It was very cool.

Trae enjoying his fingers and the show.

Tobin in line and giving his part.

My cute Grandpa McMurdie who is a veteran of the Korean War and was standing as they recognized him.

Say what you will about the current wars. I myself tend to lean more Democrat (which is different from most my family and friends- don't hate me for admitting it) :) and don’t always agree with what is going on. But there are still men and women serving our country right now.

Working at SymbolArts and living near Hill Air Force Base gave me many opportunities to meet people in the Armed Forces. People who left their families even when it wasn’t convenient; one of my co-workers son’s had never met his daughter until she was a year old.

It breaks my heart and then makes me proud to have people willing to do that. And even if I don’t agree with things going on, I’m still grateful there are people who will serve and who have served to protect my freedom. Thanks to them!

... Bears, Oh My!

We had an awesome Halloween. Lots of fun, family, all the best things in life.

We started out at the Jones'. We hung out for a while with Grandma and Grandpa waiting for the rest of the gang to arrive and man I'm glad we did. Look how cute they all look together.

Traegan- Bear, Jettsen- Elmo, Owen- Bear, Kylie- Bumble Bee, and Chloe- Minnie Mouse

And here is Trae and Owen, the two cutest little bears around.

Trae with his little bag, ready to go trick or treating.

Josh holding Trae while trick or treating. We only went to one house, just so we could say we did...

We went to my family's house after, but no one was dressed up there so we didn't take any pictures. We did go visit a few neighbors and show off the little Bear.

Happy Halloween!!!

Trae-Bear

Wow! I am so behind. It is Friday and I haven’t even done last weekend. I’ve been super busy, hopefully we will find time to carve pumpkins before tomorrow night…

Last weekend was interesting. Saturday we woke up early to go get set up for my photo shoots. We did Traegan’s first so Josh could take him and go hang out with Jason. I waited and waited and waited and no one ever came. I gave up and went to join my husband at Jason and Noelle’s. (I later found out that my appointments had the swine flu). Bummer!

Dad and Trae

He is such a sweetheart!

My favorite one.

And he's done.

Here he is realizing the torture is over and glaring at me.

He loves to touch my face.

Then Josh went to practice and I hung out with my family. I had lots of fun visiting with my grandparents and aunt who is going to have a baby in a few weeks. Man oh man did I hate being pregnant!

Monday was a normal day, but I did take this little video of Traegan trying to crawl. He is working so hard at it and I just found it hilarious.

Tuesday was horrible! Traegan had his 4 month check up. It started out just fine and we found out that Trae is kind of a shrimpo…

Length- 23.5 inches- 7%
Weight- 13 pounds 11.5 ounces- 25%
Head- 41 centimeters- 20%

Then they did the shots, which suck, but I can handle that. Then I asked about his spine. Ever since he was born he has had a little bump at the bottom of his spine. It isn’t visible, but you can feel it. The doctor has always dismissed it as a result of him being all squished in the womb. I asked again to make sure that was still the diagnosis. She felt it, and then decided we needed to do an ultrasound to confirm or deny scoliosis. Then I proceeded to freak out.

I made Josh meet me at the hospital to help. It was horrible holding him down while he screamed thinking he was going to be disfigured in some way. Truly it was the most traumatic thing I have had to do to date. Turns out he is fine, just still unsquishing. And I never want to do that again!

The rest of our week was fairly uneventful, and then today we went to visit Josh at work in costume (not me, just Trae). I decided I want it to be a tradition to go “trick or treating” to daddy’s work. And when they get bigger dad can have a big treat for them.

Then I went to SymbolArts so that my old boss could finally meet Trae. We tried part of someone else’s costume on him.

And then here is a video of Trae in the tub. I have wanted to do this for a while and never got around to it. He loves the tub! Up until Wednesday of this week he was under the impression that a splash could only be achieved by a full body freak out. But he learned on Wednesday that he could simply use his arms. Both techniques are shown here…

And that was our week. I hope every one has a great Halloween tomorrow!

I Love Love

Two years ago yesterday was the best day of my whole life! I love Josh so much and I had been waiting a long, long, long time to be his wife. It finally happened on October 19th 2007. It was a beautiful and perfect day that I will never forget.

Josh: Just so you know, you mean the absolute world to me and I’m grateful for you every day! I don’t know what I would do with out you and I am glad I have you for eternity!

One year ago yesterday was a pretty awesome day too. We celebrate our anniversary at home and had lots of fun. But then I peed on a little stick and found out that we were going to have our little Bug; and that was amazing. I love him so much too! Our life has certainly changed a lot since having him, but oh how much it is a good thing. Trae has made our little family so much better in everyway imaginable!

We had a fantastic weekend. On Friday Josh had a concert and I went out to dinner with my bestest buddy Stacy. Then on Saturday the real fun began. We took our sweet time getting ready all day and had a great breakfast together. Then we dropped Traegan off at my parents house for the evening!

Josh and I went to dinner and then we stayed in a hotel in Logan. We had so much fun on a real date again! And I slept for an entire uninterrupted eight hours! It was fantastic! We picked up Traegan on Sunday and headed home for more relaxing. Traegan has been so dang happy the last couple of days. Just a cooing and “talking” it has been wonderful.

Yesterday was our actual anniversary… but since Josh got his ingrown toenails removed and I had to visit the lady doctor, I vote we don’t count it! :) Trae did have an awfully cute shirt on though!

Also last week Traegan finally got to meet his Great Grandpa McGregor! Here he is with Grandpa and Grandma McGregor who came to see us after a doctor’s appointment in Ogden last Thursday.

All in all, I really truly love love and all that it stands for and means in my life! Who could have known that my heart had this much room to love these two men/boys as much as I do?