18 month check up

Dr. Peterson told us today that Sydney weighs 21 lbs and 8 oz and that she is 28.8 inches tall. This means we can get a forward facing car seat for her! We went and got one today. It was pretty exciting to look back and see her face while we were out this evening. Plus, it makes us feel better to know that she is growing and that we are doing something right.

Friday Fill-in

1. Enough with the cold and snow.

2. Politics causes me to be conflicted.

3. I've been craving ice cream; what else is new?

4. Sydney makes me laugh.

5. I wish I could go to someplace new and exotic next week.

6. Next year has been on my mind lately.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to no screaming toddlers, tomorrow my plans include doing something as a family and Sunday, I want to play games with the Phairs!

Testing

We took Sydney to nursery this week, as a trial for next week when she will actually be 18 month (I am going to have an 18 month old child next week!) She LOVED it! She played with the toys and got to read books and have a snack and color a picture with other kids close to her age. She was really good too. I stayed with her the whole time, but I don't think she would have even noticed if I left. So, maybe next week I'll actually get to hear all the lesson in Relief Society.

Friday Fill-in

1. It's January: it's cold and wet.

2. Fresh fruit and sunshine is what I crave most right now.

3. Cork and wine go together like some other things I have no clue about.

4. Spending time together is so nourishing.

5. Let us dare to not watch mindless tv late at night.

6. People should come visit my home.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doing something fun (any ideas?), tomorrow my plans include cleaning out our closet and Sunday, I want to make it through church without a meltdown!

BYU v. Wake Forest Basketball Game

Before the game started.


Sydney kept herself (and us)entertained by dancing.


The student section. The game was a white-out, so they all got free matching t-shirts.


Cosmo made his entrance from the ceiling. Seriously, somehow Charles and I had never been to the beginning of a basketball game, so we were floored by the "show" that occurred. Lights, music, it was all pretty choreographed and very amping.


Basketball team entering.


The Marriott Center was sold out! It was pretty impressive. And VERY LOUD.


Wake Forest free throw.


None of my BYU side action shots came out very well.


And, sadly, this was the final score. But, it was a really good game.

Singing

So, this is the first time we've actually heard her sing. If you listen to the whole thing, you can hear the difference between her singing and her talking. But no matter what, it's still pretty cute.

Memories

So, this week Sydney and I (well, mostly me...pretty much all me)have been cleaning out her room...specifically the closet in her room. The first year we lived here, it was our food storage/Christmas decoration/catchall closet. And when we had Sydney, we just closed it up and kept storing stuff in there. When I took down the Christmas tree this year, I decided that I ought to try to clean out that closet a bit, you know, at least try to make it all fit nicely and maybe make room for Sydney's dresser. A large part of what was in there was boxes of papers from when we moved in and when we made room for Sydney. It took me hours to go through them...especially with Sydney "helping".

Another reason it took me hours to go through them was that I kept finding things that would make me laugh or cry (I cry all too easily these days, but that's a post for another day). Things like:

• The note from the Biology 100 lab I taught with Danielle where our student said that he would marry me if I asked him.
• Tickets from movies and programs from shows.
• The note Charles wrote me when I had to crawl through our tiny bathroom window in our first apartment. (Sydney Bristow had met her match, let me tell you.)
• Old semester schedules (color coded and with Alias viewings scheduled in as well.)
• Thousands of pages of class notes (an exaggeration, but not by much)

But now, the closet is organized (still no room for the dresser, but we'll get there...maybe when we move) and I can't wait to go through ours to get rid of clothing we don't wear anymore and see what memories we dig up in there.

Mishmash

So Trevor and Julie stopped by tonight to bring us the things my family sent out for us with him. With it was new cell phones (yay! Mine was getting really old.) and some new shoes and clothes for Sydney. She loved them. Especially the skirt my parents sent her...she wanted to wear it OVER her pajamas. Not only that, but it was too big, so she would hike it up over her belly to keep it up. And get affronted if anyone pulled it down under her belly. It was really cute, I'll have to take some pictures tomorrow.

Oh, and Mom, the fudge was AWESOME!! Perfect after the rough day at church we had. (It looks like we'll be skipping out on choir this year until Sydney can handle not getting a nap before church.)

Amazing Me

Sydney amazes me with what she tries to do sometimes. Like, just right now, when she went to the kitchen, pulled out a plastic snack bag and tried to stick her snack in it. Or with all the words she now says or tries to say. Or how she can put her socks on all by herself...most of the time. And that she says please and thank you, sometimes without being prompted. I love that girl.

Friday Fill-in...not feeling very creative tonight.

1. The world is glorious, and wondrous as can be.

2. I'm sorry was the last thing I said.

3. I wonder as I wander.

4. I'd rather not be at the end of all things.

5. There's something to be said for staying home and going to bed early.

6. Someplace warm is where I want to be.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to staying home and watching Sydney play, tomorrow my plans include BYU v. Wake Forest basketball game at the Marriott Center and Sunday, I want to enjoy having afternoon church!

Cute Pictures

Charles and Sydney playing Army Men with Kaitlin and Cameron Phair.


Sydney's yamaka...or just an infant hat that she insisted on wearing around the house.


This one just cracks me up...heh.


Sydney taking a nap...note the sticker on her foot

Christmas Day

We had a lovely Christmas day, just the three of us. Sydney slept in until after 8, so we were able to wake up on our own and just take our time. And she loved EVERYTHING she opened. She kept exclaiming "oh, wow" and wanted to look and play with everything. She made us stop and put her new clothes on her and read her the book she got and let her sweep with her new broom. It was a lot of fun for us to see her so excited and curious about everything.





In the afternoon, we braved the snow and rain and went to see Bedtime Stories together. Sydney came with us and did really well in the theater. We sat on the handicapped row so that there was space for her to run around and let her gorge herself on popcorn and soda (mother of the year award nomination right there, thank you very much). It was a very fun day, and so nice to spend it together.

She was so worn out, that she fell asleep in her highchair at dinner...which has never happened before

First Time Sledding

We took Sydney sledding for the first time on Christmas Eve, back and forth on the balcony outside our apartment. She LOVED it! She kept laughing and saying "whee" while Charles pulled her. She loved it so much that the next time we put her coat on her, she ran over to the sled and kept calling for us. And when we left without the sled, she bawled because we left it behind.

Friday Fill in

1. I must visit every state before I die.

2. You can't stop the beat.

3. I wish I never had to buy batteries again.

4. Being a mother and wife has helped me change my life.

5. I know the songs we sang in show choir by heart.

6. If I weren't so afraid, I would travel more without Charles.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to maybe have a game night, tomorrow my plans include probably being bored at home and Sunday, I want to be ready for Charles to go back to work on Monday!

T'was the Night Before Christmas...

Well, I think we'll have a white Christmas, since this happened on Monday...



We've talked about and "acted out" the Nativity...though there were a few holy sheep in there and Noah had to stand in for the angel...



We've opened our Christmas Eve present of pajamas...



And the stockings are hung by the tree with care...



Now, all that is left is to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!