Flowers in January

I have new pictures for the month of January (finally)!!! Atley is now 6 1/2 months old! At her last Dr.'s appointment, which was about 3 weeks ago, she weighed in at 15 pounds, 9 ounces, and she was 27 1/2 inches tall. She was in the 97th percentile for height, and only like 45th for weight. She's growing so quickly, and just gets more adorable and fun everyday. She's eating a variety of solids now... but still makes the "gross" face whenever I give them to her. I don't know if it's the texture or what. Also, she just doesn't open her mouth very big. I see other babies get all excited for solids and just plow through the food with pleasing ease, wide mouthed and everything... not this little girly girl. She takes little nibble bites, and opens her mouth about half an inch and I have to RUSH the food in before she decides to clamp her mouth shut. She's so funny. I think it's yet another sign of her girliness. Sorry Andy... I really don't think we have much of a tomboy on our hands. (he keeps hoping) Let's face it though. He just really wants someone to play sports with, and someone who actually cares what the score of the football game is that he's watching. I'll watch with him... but I'm usually just looking at how funny all of the players look in their little tight pants, and some of the afros poking out from underneath the helmets. Yeah... I'm not much of a sportsfan... but I'm an Andy fan, and I try my best to enjoy what he's enjoying. (or at least I try to trick myself into thinking I do)

This is a pic of Atley in her Christmas present that Santa gave to her... a little rainforest jumperoo. She LOVED it when we first put her in it... now she's having a bit of a hard time with it. She's had her feet caught in the little seat putting her in it a few too many times, and now she cries every time we try to put her in it. Don't know exactly what to do about that. I'm trying to avoid it for about a week, and then we'll try again. haha ;) Look at her little twig legs... I love them!!

Andy brought me home a dozen beautiful red roses after his last trip to New Orleans! When he showed them to me, I exclaimed "You got me flowers!!! And they're red because you LOVE me!!!" Yeah. I say weird things sometimes, but I don't realize how silly they sound until after they have already come out of my mouth. He also got me more fun stuff for my favorite little new toy... my ipod. I've never loved a gift so much. I use it when I clean, when I run, when I want to tune out Atley's cries (j/k)... the ipod I mean. Music is truly wonderful. Back to the subject at hand, the roses. They make me so happy to look at. I know they wilt and die eventually (as they look in this pic because I waited too long to take it), but just the pure simple beauty of a flower brings me so much joy. They don't need makeup, or clothes to make them look pretty. I know it sounds silly... but they are just simply beautiful. And they smell wonderful too! Who could ask for more from the Lord??

Here is a cute pic of my other little flower!! She's beautiful, isn't she? This was taken on the day she turned 6 months exactly.

Andy AND The Battle of The Diaper Bag

We have this really nice diaper bag that my mom gave to me when Atley was first born. I've loved it!! When we were in Utah over the holidays, we were using formula for Atley off and on, and I guess we stored one of them in the diaper bag for some time. Sometimes our bottles leak, and this time I guess the bottle leaked and we didn't find out about it until too late...

All was well in Ephraim, UT. Atley and I were sleeping peacefully in the guestroom of Andy's parents' house along with all of our luggage and... THE DIAPER BAG. Well the morning we were getting ready to leave Utah, Andy walked into mine and Atley's room (he prefers to sleep on the couch at his parents house because we keep the room too hot), and he said he hit a wall of stink when he opened the door. He assumed it was Atley and I and so didn't say anything just yet to be polite. So a little later in the morning we were getting the diaper bag ready for the trip home and..... WHOA!! STINK! I have never before smelled just a pungent putrid smell in all my life! Our diaper bag smelled like a rotten cheese factory. And to think he thought it was us! Anyway, we had to drive 12 HOURS in the car with that cheese smell. I thought I was going to vomit. It was so bad, that Andy and I would use it as punishment with each other. "You better...... or else I'll make you smell the cheese pouch!" Childish I know.

So now that bag of stink is banned from the house until we get the smell totally out. Anything even NEAR it wilts and gets contaminated with stink. So it's sitting in the garage... and everyday, Andy gets his cleaners in hand, paper towels in another, scrunches his nose, takes a deep breath and goes into the garage to battle the stink. He's told me his routine. He does a round of clorox bleach cleaner, then clorox wipes, then he fills the pouch with Scrubbing Bubbles and lets that sit. One week later? Still stinky! He sure is determined though, I have to give that to him. Haha!

What's even funnier is that the day previous to finding the culprit of stink, I got dressed in the morning and I remember walking around grandma and grandpa olson's house thinking "Why the heck do I smell cheese everywhere I go today?!" I kept asking Andy if I smelled like cheese, and he kept telling me no. Huh. Guess we'll see if he can beat the stink. He's so entertaining sometimes. :)

Feelin' Fine in 2009!

So Christmas and the New Year are over... so sad. I can't believe it's already 2009! But I have a feeling this year will be so good to us! We've got our New Year's resolutions in tow... a twelve hour drive home with a baby, and you get to have conversations with each other that you normally wouldn't have time to. :) Can you say Vegas traffic? Hopefully we can pull some of them off... the resolutions I mean.

Update with Atley... she's finally cutting teeth!!!! She really is this time... I can feel and SEE them! I'm so glad they're finally coming through. She's also getting really good with her hands. She reaches and grabs for just about anything. She's also soooo close to sitting up on her own, and rolling over. Though I think she'll be sitting before she's rolling. And she's giggling a ton!!

Andy and I had our four year anniversary on the 31st of December too! I can't believe we've been married that long. We have four years behind us, and forever before us, and I can't wait. I love him so much, and we have such a great relationship. He's a great daddy, a great companion and great friend. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Lots of pictures this post... first pictures are of the Jensen family, then come the Olson pictures. Hope you enjoy!

So this is me... post gallbladder surgery during the Christmas vacation. I am finally feeling normal again.

Grandma J and Hayden in his new little winter hat.

Merissa doing... I don't know what with her bowl. Haha! Any guesses?

Grandpa J and his famous big kisses.

Hayden and Atley mezmorized by the musical duck. He was so cute with Atley this trip. He kept grabbing her by her ears with both hands and pulling her face in for a big smooch!

Cousin Kyler and Atley chillin' together on Cayson's spiderman couch.

Little Marshmallow me in the sled behind the four-wheeler waiting to be pulled. I think I had like 4 layers of clothes on in this picture! I get so cold! It was freezing that day!

My attempt at getting an action shot of Andy on the four-wheeler peeling out in the snow.

Andy in his winter attire. We had so much fun sledding and four-wheeling up Ephraim canyon together! We went just after a snowfall... so there were absolutely no tracks in the snow yet, and it was so deep and powdery. Sledding was heaven! No sore bums.

Who's this good lookin' marshmallow? Ha! Andy says, "Why do you always have to pick the marshmallow coats?!" But they're soooo warm... and let's face it. Don't I look dead sexy?

This is Uncle Tyler, Andy's brother. It was so nice to see him over the holidays!!

This is a great picture of Grace, Atley's cousin, and Atley holding hands. Grace adores Atley because she is her only little girl cousin in the Olson family. She's adorable with her. She helps me dress her and change her, and she always wants to hold her. Funny story... so Grace walked in my room one morning and saw me nursing Atley. The next thing the family knows, she's in the living room in front of everyone, with her shirt up on one side, "nursing" her doll! Ha! It was hilarious. We all had a good laugh. She's such a cutie.

Here's Andy looking suave.

Grandmo got a Cricut for Christmas! She looks so happy and pretty in this picture.

Uncle Cameron and Uncle Tunee on Christmas morning with some of their loot.

Papos with his giant remote control that Atley gave him for Christmas. We gave it to him as a joke... turns out, he loves it, and actually programmed it to his TV, DVD player and cable! No more losing his remote!

Andy, the proud father... holding Atley's big Christmas gift from Santa! A Rainforest Jumperoo.

Connor, Atley's cousin, in his new tonka truck!!

Atley's first Christmas... this is her on Christmas morning.

This is Kayden... Atley's little twin cousin. He was born only 4 days before her. He's so sweet and falls asleep at the drop of a hat! (most of the time) :)

My little neice Grace holding up a little night-gown that matches her own. Her talented mommy made them for her and made matching ones for the rest of the family as well!

Here's my cute nephew Connor, Cameron and Diana's little boy. He's taking his first ride on "Merissa"... the name of his Harley (yes, it's named after my sister). Quick story... my sister used to wear big bows on top of her head... which is how we would keep track of her at places like VF Factory Outlet... because we could always see her big bow bobbing along the top of aisles. So, the Harley's name is Merissa because... of the big bow! Haha. Cameron named it. I just think it's funny.

My sister-in-law Diana and I sporting our fancy Christmas shirts... we are so festive. She believes in Santa, and I'm mistletoe intolerant?? What does that mean anyway?

Pictures I Meant To Post...

Atley in her little yellow pj's that we think are sooo cute!!

In this pic, daddy is making Atley clog... one of his own favorite past-times...

Home-made hat... it was my first one guys... come on!

Grandma J doin' a little foot rubbin'... that's right. Get her addicted early, so dad will have 2 sets of feet to rub!

Atley's cousins... Allie and Grace sitting at the Thanksgiving table.

Atley chillin' in her Bumbo with her little white hat on

Turkey and Dressing after the Blessing (and after the gallbladder is out)

So it's been a little while since our last post. This I realize. However, we have some pretty good excuses stored up... for instance, I had my gallbladder out on the 9 of December. Also, we went to Utah for Thanksgiving time and were sick then, as my last post stated. So we've got a whole lot of healin' goin' on for the month of December, and a whole lot of people to thank in the SilverCreek ward who have helped us get along while mommy has been sick. Can I just vent for a second... and say how FRUSTRATING it has been to not be able to care for my own baby? I haven't been able to pick her up at all for the past week and a half, and I swear she thinks Andy and grandma are her new parents to take place of her old mommy. In fact, Andy may as well grow two big lumps on the front of his chest in Atley's eyes... because she is no longer happy to see mommy... only daddy. She squeals with delight at the very sight of him! Huh... 5 months of taking care of her 24/7 mean absolutely nothing to her... only the past week and a half count. Just kidding. However, I really am looking forward to next week, not only will Christmas finally be here *for which I am soooo excited this year*, but I will be able to hold my baby girl once again, and carry her on my hip where ere I go once again. I love that little giggle box so much. She is the light of my life.

On another note, I owe Andy and my own mom soooo much!! Ever since surgery last week, they have been waiting on me hand and foot, and taking such good care of my baby girl. I appreciate their love and devotion so much. And my husband has been ever so patient with me, as I have needed help doing every little thing and have been having my daily emotional breakdowns. Thank you Andy, for loving me so much and so unconditionally. I don't know what I would ever do without your love and encouragement in my life!

So here are some pictures from the past month, our trip to Utah, Thanksgiving and such. Enjoy!

BOYCOTTING Bugs!!

So it has come to my attention that I have not updated in quite a while! So here is a little tidbit about what is going on with our little Olson family...

Atley is growing right up! At her last Dr.'s appointment, she weighed in at a whoppin' 13 pounds, 15 ounces and 26.2 inches long!!! She's also really healthy... besides a couple of viruses that have been going around. She is really starting to interact with others, and giggles all the time at the funniest things. She is a total daddy's girl, and LOVES Andy to death. He's such a good dad.
We just started her on rice cereal this past week, and she absolutely loves it! She tries to shove the spoon in her mouth herself... she's a strong little girl! I usually have to stop her before she gags herself. She has also found her stinky little feet, and loves to stick her long toes in her mouth and chomp! We think it's completely adorable.

We've been in Utah for the Thanksgiving holidays, and it's been so great to see family and friends. We had two great Thanksgiving dinners with both families... Andy went on a couple of chilly four-wheeler rides with his manly brothers and dad, while the girls and babies went to craft boutiques, made chocolate-covered pretzels and stayed cozy and warm in the house. :) Oh, and of course, we had to see Twilight! However, I don't know what it is about coming here, but Atley and I ALWAYS get sick! So... we're boycotting bugs. By saying this, I'm hoping that the winter bugs will leave us alone the rest of the year!!! (at least) Andy's dad joked with us before we made the trip that he would call ahead and reserve a room in the ER for us at the Gunnison Hospital...
So Atley and I are at grandma and grandpa's in Gunnison Ut, while Andy is away in Houston, TX on business again. We are here sniffling with colds and low-grade fevers, and I have my stupid gallbladder issues as well. Love it.
BUT, this is Andy's last business trip this year!! So HURRAY!!!!!

We are having a good time here though. Atley thinks both of her grandmas are hilarious, and just GiGgLeS like crazy at both of them.