Getting Too Big

getting ready to pull up

He made it... look at his cute little feet all curled up!

Adjusted the feet and made his goal... put thing in mouth

Oh my sweet little baby is getting so so big and I don't want him to. He army crawls, as he is still not technically crawling, everywhere he wants to go and has now started pulling himself to standing on anything that will hold him. He has tried on some unsturdy things and falls over and gets a bonk but he's a tough little guy and doesn't cry much. He greets me nearly every morning standing in his crib bouncing up and down like crazy with his adorable grin. The poor babe has had his top tooth sitting along his gumline ready to poke through for over a month and I just don't know what is taking it so long. It bleeds every time he eats or chews on anything and it is stubborn as can be. I can't wait until those top teeth finally come through, although it will make me sad. For some reason, when a baby gets their top teeth, they just don't look like a baby anymore to me. Oh how I love and adore my Bear Bear!

The Beast

I was too lazy to take it out of the carport to take a picture, so sorry it's not a great shot. And no, that is not our old crappy motorhome in the pic. It is our neighbors and it probably hasn't been used in over 20 years I'm guessing. Our neighborhood is ghetto fabulous :)

Okay, The Beast is what I lovingly call our 12 year old Ford Expedition. We have had it for nearly 6 years and when we got it I absolutely LOVED it. I don't mind it still, but I am so ready for a new car. It has been such a good car for us and we have loved it. Whenever anything has been wrong with it, it was very minor or just regular maintenance and Andy has always been able to fix it himself. Until... (to make long story shorter-but a warning, it is still long- I am just writing the facts)

-Sunday morning we are driving to church and the car is making some really weird noises. Andy and I look at each other and laugh. It's always making weird noises. It's 12 years old for heaven's sake.

- After church we drive home and the weird noise is gone.

-Sunday evening we're driving to my grandma's for dinner. On the freeway in between 2 exits the car just turns off after making some more strange noises and the needles and lights on the dash are wacking out and going crazy (up, down, on, off, etc) We coast to a stop on the side of the road.

-We both realize neither of us brought our phones. Crap... why do we even have phones if we don't carry them with us?!

-Andy tried (unsuccessfully) for 30 minutes to fix the car.

-Andy finally leaves me in the freezing cold car and crying kids who are hungry to run as fast as he can, in a suit, to his parents house who live about a mile away from where we are stuck.

-25 minutes later he drives up. We leave our car on the side of the road because Andy is sure the highway patrol will give you 24 hours to move it before they will tow it. We make it to a worried grandmas for a delicious dinner.

-That night Andy goes back to try and fix it so he can at least get it home. Unsuccessful.

-Next day (Monday) Andy takes off work so we can get the car home. My dad calls and offers to help us tow it home. Andy declines, he is sure he can fix it enough to just drive it home.

-Andy goes back to where the car is... it is gone... crap.

-Andy calls highway patrol and finds out they have towed and impounded our car. Jerks. Apparently, you only have 24 hours to move it if it is not on the freeway pavement. Well, of course we were on the pavement, there is a foot of snow next to the pavement, are we supposed to drive into it?? Retards.

- Because it is a holiday, the DMV is closed, which is who you have to go through to get a car out of impound. So we have to wait until Tuesday to get it. This just keeps getting more and more fun.

-Tuesday morning (Andy has to take off another day of work) Andy goes to the DMV to get the necessary documentation to release the car.

-We go to the tow yard. $150 later, Andy tries to jump start the car with our other car. It starts. I start following him home. After a block he pulls into a parking lot. The car has died again. He thinks it's the battery and takes it out so he can get it tested at an auto shop. We start driving home and run right into an accident. We sit for 30 minutes before they finally close the freeway and divert us off the next exit.

-We FINALLY get home (this has been a really crappy day so far) and Andy goes to the auto store. He comes back and indeed, the battery is bad- he got a new one. We drive back to where the car is and he puts the new battery in. We make it home, but when we get out of the car he tells me the battery light is still on and he thinks it might be the alternator. He spends the rest of the day and part of the night fixing the car and at the auto store.

-Wednesday morning Andy tells me the car is running, but he thinks there is still something wrong with it, so not to drive it anywhere I don't HAVE to go. It works for me fine when I take and pickup the kids from school. We go to the gym later and on the way home... what do you think happens? You'd be right if you guessed that it died yet AGAIN. Luckily it is right by a repair shop and they say they'll take a look at it. Andy calls his mom(ummm, yes, we won't ever forget our phones, anywhere we go, ever again) to come and get us, and she so graciously does.

- Next day (Thursday) I have no car and forget to call someone to take Laylah to school. Shoot. Luckily my friend takes her on very short notice. She's great. I don't have a car all day. It is torture!

- Andy's wonderful mom let's me borrow her car on Friday. Thanks so much. Friday afternoon the repair shop calls and says our car is fixed. They had to replace the alternator that Andy had just replaced on Tuesday. Apparently it was bad. What the crap?! $450 later we pick up our car at the repair shop. Thanks a lot guys... you're great.

-And now my car works perfectly!

So after all of this, I am DEFINATELY ready for a shiny new car. Hmmmm, maybe someday...

Memory Game

I have seen this on several people's blogs and I thought it would be funny to do. I know I used to be kind of a brat (maybe some people think I still am :) so I know there might be some interesting memories, but that's okay, I'm willing to risk it! Here are the rules:

Rules
1. As a comment on my blog leave any memories that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot- anything that you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog to see how many people leave their memories about you! If you leave a memory about me, I will come to your blog to leave a memory about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory about you in my comments. Everyone play! I want to see if their are at least a few good ones! And I need a good laugh :)

Barbie/Princess Birthday Party

Playing pin the crown on the princessDaphne with her Papa. He has got to be her favorite person in the world

Dressed up in one of her many dress-ups from the trunk. I have a feeling she will not be wearing regular clothes for awhile...

Yesterday was Daphne's birthday. She wanted to go swimming for her birthday, so after we picked up Laylah from school we went swimming for 4 hours. She loves to swim. We came home and got ready for her party after we ate the dinner of her choice- french toast and bacon. Daphne was so excited to have a Barbie and the Diamond Castle Birthday party. Well, about the only thing I could find at the party store with that theme was plates and cups :( I was able to order a Barbie and the Diamond Castle cake though (which wasn't ready when I went to pick it up! ARGHHHH! I hate Walmart... but it was finished in time for the party :) So, after discussing it, Daphne thought it would be okay to have a Barbie/ Princess party. It was fun. We invited my whole family, including my Grandmas, and everyone said they could come, and then the day of, one by one people called and said they were sick. Weird. So, only my parents and Kaylie were able to make it, and also my friend Becca and her two darling girls Madi and Kenzie. Daphne didn't care that hardly anyone was there, she still had a blast and loved every minute. She received 2 movies- barbie in Rapunzel, and a Disney Princess movie, Sleeping Beauty barbie with a bed, Melody Barbie from Barbie and the Diamond Castle, Glitter the Horse from Barbie and the Diamond Castle, a huge trunk full of dress-ups and jewely, new princess slippers, new black boots, clothes, and a bunch of candy. She was in heaven, and still is today as she plays and plays. We played a game, Pin the Crown on the Princess, which Laylah won (I think she cheated :) and had cake and ice cream. It was a fun party, and thank you everyone for coming!

Daphne's Collette Family Party

Last Sunday we celebrated all of the January birthdays on Andy's side of the family. There are 4 within a week of each other, and we always have a big party. This year Andy's mom made the cake, which was so nice of her because she is one of the birthdays. But she is an amazing cake decorater and it was so cute. Daphne got some cute fun gifts from Andy's family, including an adorable singing Cinderella doll that she loves. It was a fun party.

Lucy and Daphne are only 4 days apart. My sis-in-law Jenny and I were pregnant together and lived next door to each other the whole pregnancy. It was so much fun. So, you'd think they would be best friends, right? Wrong... even until about 6 months ago they were constantly fighting. They have just begun to tolerate each other. It's pretty funny. That's why Grandma put them holding hands on the cake... high hopes for the future?? :)

I guess Daphne was the only one interested in blowing out the candles?

Daphne Turns 3

The day Daphne was born- my smallest baby at 8 lb. 10 oz. 21 in. long

Poor baby got RSV at 2 weeks old and had to be on oxygen for 2 weeks and almost got sent to Primary Children's. I swear she's had a permanant runny nose ever sinceFirst Lake Powell trip First Birthday!First trip to the beach on the Oregan CoastSecond Birthday!Big sister

Cute Daph

Yesterday was Daphne's 3rd birthday. I cannot believe she is already 3 years old. She was born at a really hard time in my life, so mostly I just can't believe that it has been 3 years since that point. We all just adore Daphne. She is the sweetest, most caring little girl. She makes us laugh every day with the funny things she blurts out. And it is just so hard to say no to her! She gets this huge frown with a big pouty lip and it is so sad that she quickly gets whatever it was she wanted. She has everyone wrapped around her little finger. Daphne loves to sing and dance. She wears dress-ups every day and sings and dances around the house. She loves to go to her grandparents house and asks to do so about every other day. We're trying to get her to understand that you have to be invited to places before you go there :) She loves all of her siblings and gets so sad if they won't play with her. She is so good at sharing and she is so sweet to anyone that is smaller than her. She speaks very well for her age and she knows some of her letters and most numbers. She knows all her shapes and colors. She cannot wait to start dance like her big sister. Her favorite movie right now is Barbie and the Diamond Castle, but I'm sure once the new barbie movie comes out, it will be that. She also loves Curious George, and Arthur in the morning. She loves her Barbie's and Barbie house and she also loves makeup and purses and babies and anything girly. She loves to go clothing shopping and has great taste! She is a good eater and loves oatmeal, pancakes, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, pears, apples, grapefruit, chicken, rice, noodles, mac and cheese, broccoli, asparugus, artichokes, and a lot more. She started praying in the last year and also was potty-trained in September. She has grown up so much. We love you so much Daphne and are so glad you are a part of our family!

At her 3 year appointment these were her stats:

height: 36 1/2 inches (44th percentile)

weight: 29 1/2 pounds (38th percentile)

She has grown a lot because at her 2 year appointment she was in the 10th percentile for both. She's growing up too fast for me.