When October Goes

Our family had a pretty good October. There were some ups and downs, but overall, we're doing well. Stephen spent a few days at the beginning of the month in California for a work trip. It was hard to be a single parent without him, but Paige and I survived. Stephen had a great time during his trip, and even took an opportunity to do some karaoke. He brought home a lot of swag from other companies, but the best gift he gave was taking a day off of work to help me clean the house and overall recover from his absence.

This month, Stephen and I got haircuts. Stephen needs his hair cut every four to six weeks to keep it looking good, but I can get away with much longer before I need a cut. In fact, it had been over two years since I had a professional haircut (I occasionally trim it myself to get rid of split ends).  It was so refreshing to feel like my hair had a style again. I don't know at what point Paige will need a haircut. So far, it's growing really nicely and staying out of her eyes for the most part. I can put her hair in a ponytail and pigtails, and there might be enough for a small braid, but she won't sit still long enough for me to get in a good try. 

Stephen and I both got callings in our new ward. I am a visiting teaching supervisor, and Stephen is a gospel doctrine teacher. As stressful as his calling may be, he does a great job teaching, and has even had to fill in for another teacher and give a lesson on the fly when no one showed up to teach. Stephen has also been filling in for other callings. Word got out that he can play the organ, and now he substitutes when the official organist is out of town. Everyone was impressed at how talented he was, especially considering his age. He has also covered for the primary pianist. My husband is very musically inclined, whereas my instrument of choice is the radio. It's good that he can bless others with his talents.

As anyone over the age of 18 in America is painfully aware, voting season is upon us. I wanted to be an informed and involved voter, so I spent time watching debates between candidates. While there is obviously much to say about the presidential candidates, I focused a lot on local races. One night, we went to a "meet the candidates" night at a local school. Both Stephen and I found that to be very helpful. It was great to talk one-on-one with someone about issues, and then cross the room at talk with their opponents about the same issues. I ignored party lines and tried to get to the real stances people had. While I know I don't know every issue or every candidate well, I had a lot more confidence voting this year than I have in the past (at least in some of the races).

I can't cover October without covering Halloween. Last year, we dressed Paige as the tooth fairy while Stephen and I were dentists. This year, we continued the family costume theme, but this time, we went with Pokemon. I got a pikachu costume for Paige from China that turned out to be really cute and super easy. I decided that Stephen and I should be Ash and Misty, and I went a little more diy on our costumes. I did some thrift shopping and rummaged in our closet. I sewed Stephen's jacket, which turned out to be a fun project with low stress (it's only a costume, anyway). I'm really proud how everything came together.

Our family had fun carving pumpkins. We had gone to a local farm a few weeks ago, and there, Paige became excited about pumpkins, though we waited until closer to the holiday to actually buy some. I was hoping Paige would like playing with the pumpkin innards, but she wanted nothing to do with them. She became really disinterested when we told her she couldn't eat the raw pumpkin seeds. However, she was a good sport and let mommy and daddy carve an outline of her hand into her little pumpkin. Stephen carved a spider and I went with a classic jack-o-lantern face. We watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" as per tradition, and listened to the only two Halloween songs in existence (Monster Mash and Thriller). 

We had a great time trick-or-treating. Paige caught on really quick and was happy to grab candy and put it in her pumpkin bag. She totted to each house insisting that she carry her candy, even when it got quite heavy. If people held out the bowl of candy long enough, Paige would grab a second or even third handful. She seemed to have a knack to grab candy she wouldn't like, like red hots, so we had to help her trade sometimes (especially when there were good stuff she would want to share with her parents). She was really cute and had a lot of fun. I really enjoyed watching her participate now that she's old enough to understand somewhat what is happening. 

With all the fun happenings this month, we've also struggled a bit. I don't want to go into too many details, but I've been having some health challenges lately. I was suffering for a while before I finally got the medical attention I needed, and after 2.5 liters of fluids pumped into my body with an IV, I felt much better. I started some new medication, and while that definitely helps, one of the side effects is drowsiness, and boy, am I tired! I basically have to nap every day when Paige does. I'm feeling much better overall, and while I'm not healed, there is hope. We are excited for the holiday season. Spending time with family and watching Paige enjoy the celebrations will be worth all the effort. 

Weddings, birthdays, and funerals

If you haven't heard already, the past few weeks in our family’s lives have been kind of crazy. We've had a lot of ups and a lot of downs that are all just part of mortality. We've been able to celebrate with those who are celebrating, and we've mourn with those who are mourning.

To start off, at the beginning of September, I received news that my grandma was in surgery. There were some complications, but for a while things looked hopeful. However, her health took a turn for the worse. It was over the 3-day Labor Day weekend that I heard my grandma may not make it. After talking with Stephen, we decided that Paige and I should go to St. George to be with my mom and my grandma.

Stephen would have come as well, but he was scheduled to fly to California for a work conference that week. It actually turned out nice so that I was able to have help with Paige while Stephen was out of town. I drove down that Monday evening and visited my grandma in the hospital. She was heavily medicated, and, in order to control her pain, sedated as well.

The next day, many of my grandma's children gathered at the hospital. They had a family council to decide what should be done with my grandma. The road to recovery would have been long and difficult, if it was possible at all. There was also the questioning of her quality of life if she did recover. After much prayer and consideration, my grandma's children decided to honor her wishes to not be kept alive with machines and rather to allow her to join my grandpa in heaven. My grandpa had died two years ago to the day.

My grandma's passing was very peaceful and spiritual. I personally felt the confirmation that this would have been what she wanted. In fact, a few days before I knew things were going bad, I had a dream where I saw my grandpa. Only I could see him and I asked him what he was doing. He told me with a smile on his face he was just waiting for my grandma. Basically, he was waiting for whenever she was ready. The look he had on his face was very loving and tender towards my grandma. It was a very special dream of comfort to me. I have no doubt that they are together again.

That next weekend, I came back home to Salt Lake City for Stephen's cousin's wedding. Stephen's family was able to come and stay with us for a night and attend the wedding with us the next day. It was great to show them our new house since they hadn't seen it yet. The wedding was all so beautiful. They are one of those couples that make you feel like they were meant to be together all along. It was a nice day to spend with family.

A few days later, my dad came to stay with us while he had cataract surgery on one of his eyes. The surgery had been scheduled for a while and he was excited to have it done. Everything went well with the surgery, and Tuesday morning came with zero complications. My dad was supposed to go into the eye doctor for a follow-up check, and then drive home to St. George. I had been invited to go hang out with some friends that morning. I had to leave about a half hour before my dad would have needed to leave, so I asked him to lock up and drove to be with my friends. About a half-hour later, I received a phone call from my neighbor saying that my dad was having a stroke. Understandably, I was quite in shock. I left Paige with my friends and drove to the hospital to be with my dad.

My dad then explain to me what had happened. He had carried his suitcase upstairs and was lifting it to put it on the couch to add a few more items to it. He said he then felt very dizzy and nauseous. He laid on the ground, hoping it would help him feel better, but it didn't. He tried calling someone for help but his phone wasn't working properly. My dad then crawled a few feet to my front door and laid on my porch, calling for help. A few of my neighbors heard him and were able to call the ambulance for him. My dad was numb on the right side of his body. Later in the hospital, it was determined that he also could not swallow. His speech was very labored and slow.

I called my family to update them on what had happened. Once the doctor told me to tell my mom to come, she gathered the kids from school and drove up to Salt Lake. My dad was transferred to the Murray Hospital where he stayed a few days. So many people were concerned for him, it was hard to keep everybody updated, especially when there was either no news or only negative news to share. Everyone had good intentions, but I felt like the only answer I could give to everyone was "I don't know."

Even though my dad was in the hospital, my grandmother's funeral was scheduled for that weekend.  We had to leave my dad behind in the good care of his doctors to travel to Arizona for the funeral. It was nice to have Stephen travel with me this time. We stopped in St. George the first night in order to break up the driving. We then continued on to my grandparents’ home town of Page, Arizona the next day for what presumably would be my last time visiting there. Well, it was obviously a sad time together, but it was really nice to be with so much family. There were many relatives there that I had not seen in years. My grandmother's funeral was beautiful and I felt comfort and peace. She was 82 years old when she died. She had nine kids, 37 grandkids, and 37 great-grandkids. She lived a full life and was loved much and gave much. Honestly, I feel like since everyone has to die sometime, this is the ideal way to go, surrounded by family and love.

Being at my grandma's house without her there was different, but there was also so much family that it felt like home still. While going through some of her things, we found a stack of love letters that my grandpa had written to my grandma while they were dating. They were sappy and full of longing during their long-distance relationship.

For those that don't know. My grandparents eloped when my grandma was 16. They had told her parents they were going to visit the Grand Canyon. Instead they drove to Vegas. There, they wanted my grandma to prove that she was 18, but since she wasn't old enough, she couldn't prove anything. So they drove to Pioche, Nevada. There, the wedding chapel decided that, if she looked old enough to get married, she was old enough. After their elopement and a night in Parowan, my grandpa took my grandma back home and they both said they had a lovely time at the Grand Canyon! After a few weeks, my grandma admitted to her parents that they actually got married and wrote my grandpa asking him to come get her. My grandpa nervously talked with my grandma's dad, and after a bit of disappointment from my great-grandpa for the secrets, he said he approved and told Grandpa to take care of my grandma. In their record of this story, my grandma said he had more than fulfilled that promise.

Because there was so much extended family visiting, we were not able to stay at my grandma's house. Instead, a kind neighbor of my grandma's offered up her home. We were amazed that the accommodations. They were several bedrooms and two kitchens. However, the biggest surprise was probably the indoor ball pit built into the wall. Paige was initially nervous to play in there, but she warmed up to it and had fun. The neighbors also gave us snacks and fed us dinner and breakfast. We are very grateful for their generosity.

The Sunday after the funeral, we all drove back home to St.George. We then got ready and went to the temple for some photos. To backtrack, my sister Susan got married this summer. we have been waiting on the photographer for the photos for several months. She finally reached out to us and told us that the photos were lost. She was able to recover the photos from the reception, but all of the photos taken at the temple were no longer available. It was very heartbreaking to hear. To try to make this up, we had a redo wedding photo session this weekend. We all dressed up as if it were the wedding day and took photos. While this obviously cannot replace the actual events with all of the wedding party, it is at least some little consolation. Once we were done with the photos, Stephen, Paige, and I drove back home.

After all of this craziness, it was nice to celebrate Stephen's 26th birthday today. I surprised him at work with a balloon and some cupcakes. Page and I also put his name on the wall with crepe paper as per our tradition. I made him sausage casserole, a dish his mom makes, and well I got a stamp of approval, he did admit that it wasn't quite like how his mom makes it. He told me he was willing to let me practice making it anytime I want. I gave him some presents and let him play games with his friends online for the evening.

I'm sure this blog post is missing several details that would be worth noting. The past few weeks have been so busy and crazy, it is hard to remember everything. However, I think my family and I will be stronger for all of this. Page has been resilient through all the turmoil and changes. She is really cute. I wish I could capture every adorable things she does and share it with the world. I could mention her expanded ability to talk and her creative ways of playing with toys. I wish I was able to remember every little detail of her and capture it in time for ever. She is growing up. I love each stage of her life as it comes. It's been quite an experience to see so many phases of life within a few weeks. Childhood, weddings, sickness, and death. You can also add beginnings of life into this mix, because a close person to us told us they were expecting recently. I'm not sure how public they are making the news, so I won't give details. Mortality is an interesting process we all go through. I thought being an adult was something I achieved by getting married, having a child, and buying a house. However, I now realize that being an adult means dealing with adult problems that don't always have an easy answer or solution. However, through it all, I am comforted by the gospel and by my Savior. I am grateful to know that families are forever, and I am grateful that I have the family that I do.

Summer Adventures

There is so much to cover because I haven't written in a few months. My excuse is that I was too busy living life to record it (or I procrastinated, but I like the first reason better). There are four major things I want to cover: Susan's wedding, Nicholas coming home, buying and moving into our first house, and how adorable Paige is. Each of those topics deserve a post on their own, so forgive me for cutting out details. 

Wedding: My sister got married! Susan is child number four in our family, but the only other married sibling I have. She married Joe Harris in June. It was a beautiful wedding. I had been helping for months before, so it kind of felt like showtime on their wedding day to make sure all of our plans came together. They were sealed in the morning in a beautiful ceremony at the St. George temple. I loved seeing how excited they were and how much they loved each other--it brought back memories from my wedding day and how eager I was to be married to Stephen (best decision ever). 

We took pictures afterwards and went to the luncheon. That was put on by Joe's family and they did such a great job that we borrowed some of their decor for later that evening. After lunch, it was a race to make sure all the last minute details came together. I decided to print off slips of jobs that needed to be done during setup of the reception since I knew we only had an hour to decorate. I'm so glad I made the job assignments because then it was really easy to give the needed information to the many kind helpers who showed up early to set up. We finished with 10 minutes to spare, which is pretty great. 

The reception was everything we had planned for it to be, and Susan and Joe were a lovely bride and groom. After the sendoff, cleanup happened pretty quickly, too. I'm so grateful for all the help that day. It was a wonderful day with family, and I'm grateful for weddings that bring people together. Joe and Susan are great together, and it was nice to celebrate their marriage that day. 

Homecoming: Stephen's brother, Nicholas (also child number four in their family), came home this summer from his LDS mission in France. I went to the Salt Lake Airport to see him during his layover for a bit with some other family members. It was his first time meeting Paige too, since he left while I was pregnant two years ago. The next day, Stephen, Paige, and I drove up to Boise to spend a week with the Rollins family. 

Nicholas gave a great homecoming talk on Sunday. It was fun to see how much he has grown and how much he is still the same. The main differences include his bilingual abilities and his hair. Since it was the first time in two years all of Stephen's siblings were together, we spent the next week having a stay-cation in Boise (though for us, it was an actual vacation) for our Rollins Reunion. We swam at a lake, went hiking to a waterfall, played in a park, watched Finding Dory, went golfing, and played a lot of games. We were really grateful to spend so much time with family.

House: We bought a house! Crazy, right? We are young for homeowners (I'm 24 and Stephen is 25), but we were ready to start building equity. The process was crazy to find a house as the market is really hot right now, but the moment I saw the listing for this house, I knew I wanted it. I was ready to put an offer in without walking it, though we did wait until the next morning after we walked through it to make a strong offer. After some back and forth, they accepted our offer. That whole process took from Friday night to Monday night. 

The next month was a long process of paperwork and waiting. Stephen handled most of it, which I am so so grateful for. Our agent was great and our lender was very helpful. I would highly recommend both of them. We finally closed on the house a week and a half ago and moved in last weekend. Guys, this is such a great home for our family. Five bedrooms, four bathrooms, completely finished basement, granite counter tops in a large kitchen, huge master bathroom with a separate shower and soaking tub--the list goes on.

It's located in Daybreak, which is a community in South Jordan, UT. We are right by the elementary school, really close to a pool and the lake, as well as several parks within a few blocks of us. I can't imagine a better location. There is also shopping close by with any store I could want. We share a grassy area known as the courtyard with several other houses, so Paige will have a great play space as she grows to share with her neighbors (and we won't have to mow it). We also have great neighbors who have been helpful and friendly. I look forward to getting to know them more and making strong friendships since we plan on being here for a while. 

Paige: I have a full-blown toddler. Paige is vivacious. She has been really resilient with all the action and changing going on around her. She is very vocal now, and while her language isn't quite English, I can understand her pretty well. She says "yeah" consistently, and most of the time, she even means it. She loves dogs ("dawdaw"), ducks ("dawdaw"), and daddy ("dawdaw"). She gets excited for dinner time ("ninneh") and knows we need to pray before we eat. Lately, when I haven't given her the food quickly enough, she will fold her arms, babble, and then say amen ("ma") and blow a kiss all on her own, thinking this will bring her food quicker (Stephen and I try to kiss after we pray, so she consequently thinks all prayers end with a kiss).

Paige has come to like water. She enjoyed swimming during our Boise trip, and has since settled down during bath time. She even enjoys it now, which was not the case a few months ago. She loves to read and brings me books--we've read through all the ones we own so much I can basically quote most of them without looking. Paige loves being a helper. She adores the praise we give her when she does things to help us. She learned how to throw away her own diapers, which is great, but now thinks it's "helping" to put anything into the trashcan, which has led to some digging adventures for us. She wants to help load and unload the dishwasher, mostly by hiding the silverware around the house. She will close doors for us and is all too excited to hand me toilet paper when I need it in the bathroom (yeah, I get an audience now--full blown toddler, remember?). 

Paige is learning how to do stairs in our new house. She's only had two tumbles, and both of those were in the first two days of living here. Since then, she has learned to go down stairs backwards, and while I still want to spot her, she's fully capable of going up and down on her own. She thinks she is one of the big kids, too. Anytime she gets to play with children older than her, she loves it. She's been doing great in nursery and is excited to play at the new parks we're taking her to. I'm sure there's more, but I can't think of anything else to mention. She's just my little buddy. 

As you can see, our Summer has had a lot of life-changing events. We are really excited for our new circumstances and for our setup. We are honestly in a good place. There have been difficulties, sure, but there have also been so many kind people helping us. I am so grateful for God and how He is watching over me and my family. We have truly been blessed. 

Start of Summer

Summer time is officially here in the Rollins household. We've started our crazy summer adventures, including looking for a house, a vacation, and a staycation. It's been a whirlwind of a month, but I'll try to recap.

We told ourselves we wouldn't get a realtor until June--but then we met Emily. We were spending that Saturday looking at open houses, a common hobby of ours, when we drove by a house I had seen listed online the day before. I didn't think there was an open house for it, but then I saw the signs and balloons. We went in and were greeted by Emily, who instantly impressed us. When choosing a realtor, one of the biggest factors is how well your personalities mesh. She clicked with us really well, and I felt she understood us in the few minutes of talking with her. She's the kind of person you want as a friend. After we left, she sent us a personalized video, going above and beyond, and that's all it took for me to know she would be a great person to help us. 

We met with her the next week to talk over our wants and needs, and then started looking at houses. It's very different to go through a casual open house compared to a private appointment. Open houses are low pressure for us, and it has been mostly daydreaming. Now, however, with our realtor, things just got real. I have to thoughtfully evaluate each house and question if I want to live there or not. Daydreaming is one thing, but trying to actually make decisions is very stressful. I want to make the right choice, but it's hard when my options change daily. 

We saw seven houses the first outing, and got a good feel for things but nothing grabbed our attention. Then on Thursday night, a listing was posted for a house in a neighborhood we really like. We scheduled to see it the next day at lunch, and while there, got excited. There were some downsides, but overall, we were happy enough to make our first offer. We went in a little below asking, but had a strong offer otherwise. However, our realtor found out there were already multiple offers on it and the sellers planned to accept the highest price on Monday regardless of other factors like order of offers submitted or quality of financing and such. We decided not to fight for that house, but were glad to get our first offer out of the way.

That night, Stephen and I left Paige with a babysitter and went to Park City with some of his coworkers for a "team activity" for Stephen's work. We toured a chocolate factory. This place prided themselves on the purity of their chocolate and only had the cocoa beans and a bit of sugar as ingredients, making the bars taste nothing like Hershey's. They were not my favorite flavors, but it was a fun experience and a good date night all the same. After the tour, we all ate at an Italian restaurant where Stephen and I actually ate during our Honeymoon. It was yummy and a fun night. 

The next day, we saw five or six more houses. We were immediately impressed with the first one we saw.  The flooring was really pretty, it had a family room and a living room, the kitchen was nicely done, but best of all, it had a double oven! Oh my goodness, enticing! There were some negatives, the like the laundry being out in the open next to the nursery, and the basement was only 50% completed (I like the idea of an unfinished basement to put my personal touch on, but it also equals work and more money). I also was really disappointed in the master bath. Overall, it was a good house--Stephen probably liked it more than I did, but I knew it had a lot going for it. 

We left that house and saw a few more, but none of them compared the the first one. Then, on the final house, we finally had some competition against the first one. It had a huge kitchen and a nice floor plan, with carpet in the living area. The basement was completely unfinished, but that means we can choose where to put walls and really design the full space. The master bathroom was impressive except for the carpet. Whoever decided to put carpets in bathrooms is gross. However, it would be an easy fix. The other down side is it's only a 2-bedroom house, and we were really looking for 3. 

We spent the next few hours going back and forth on those two houses, wondering which we should put an offer on, if either. We finally decided on the first house and submitted our offer that night. I was very unsure and had my reservations, but it was probably due to the process as a whole--I assume I'll be anxious over buying any house. We went to their ward that Sunday to get a feel for the demographics of the neighborhood and drove around the area more. 

The next day, Monday, we heard back from the sellers. They had countered our offer. We had gone in $10,000 below asking, but felt it was fair due to comps and such. They asked for an additional $6,000, which wasn't bad. I still felt uneasy about it, and after talking it over a lot more with Stephen and getting the advice from others, we decided to decline. We had only been in the market formally for a week and felt like there would be better options to come. However, before our realtor was able to formally decline the offer, the sellers revoked their counter offer--a move that rarely happens. It was weird and unprofessional, but since we didn't want it anyway, things were ok. 

That same Monday, Stephen and I went on vacation--but not together. Stephen's work has an annual company retreat. This year, they went to Zions. He hiked Angel's Landing, rode horses, and played lots of fun games with his coworkers. I decided to spend the few days he was gone with my family in St. George. There were wedding plans we wanted to get done that were easiest if I was there too. It was also good to have help taking care of Paige. I don't know how single moms do it. We had a lot of fun with Grandma and Grandpa Hutchins, as well as aunts and uncles. We made a lot of progress on the wedding plans and had a nice break. 

We both came home Wednesday and had some downtime before Memorial weekend. Heidi, Stephen's sister, Scott, her husband, and their daughter Elise came to stay with us for a few days during the long weekend. Elise is only a few months older than Paige, and while it makes a bit of a difference now, as time goes on, the age gap will matter less and less. I'm glad they have each other as cousins, and can grow up to be friends. 

It was fun to have their family visit. We went to Wheeler Farm Saturday morning and the girls loved seeing the animals. Paige was just old enough to appreciate her surroundings, and Elise had fun making the animal noises. Afterwards, we came home and had lunch and let the girls nap while Heidi and I went to Ikea. I want to shop there more--they have a lot of good deals on more than just furniture. 

That afternoon, we gathered everyone up and went to Temple Square in Salt Lake. The girls liked watching the water fountains in City Creek, and had a lot of fun in the children's play area in the Church History Museum. The weather cooperated for us too, even though the report made us worry. We put the girls to bed that night and stayed up playing games. Sunday we went to church and then had dinner with Stephen's Grandma and Grandpa Barth who live nearby.

On Memorial day (which is today as I'm writing this), we took the girls to a splash pad nearby. Today was the first day of the season for the splash pad to be open. I expected a crowd, but when we got there, it was just us. People trickled in though, and there was a good turnout by the time we left. Paige was very hesitant and unsure about the water. She wanted to be held rather than play in it. We helped convince her that it was suppose to be fun, and she slowly got into it more and more. I'm hoping more exposure will help her be more comfortable. Elise had a lot of fun splashing and playing. 

After we had our fun there, we went and ate In-n-Out burgers. We said our goodbyes after lunch since they drove back up to Idaho right afterwards. It was a good staycation for us, and glad to have family to share it with. It's different being the parent when planning vacations and activities than as a child. but a lot of fun still. I hope to do more holidays like this in the future.

Right now, I'm enjoying a bit of down time while Paige is napping before doing some shopping and cleaning. The rest of the summer is going to be as eventful as the past two weeks have been, so stay tuned for more blog posts to come, and cross your fingers we find the perfect house!

April Overview

It's been almost two months since I last wrote. Now that I'm not specifically doing monthly updates on Paige, it's harder to fit this blog into my life. I keep meaning to write, but it's one of those things that unless I make time for it, I'm not going to find time for it, and there are plenty of things in my life I want to make time for. Paige and Stephen have been my top priority, and right now, their needs are met, along with mine, so I might as well take this time to share what has been happening in our lives.

I wish I could capture every moment of Paige's life and share it with everyone. It would be great if I could remember every little detail at every phase of her life. Maybe in heaven, when I get to watch my life story, I'll be able to watch hers as well. She is the light of my life right now. Paige is a sweetheart and a happy child. I love watching her play and learn and interact with me. She talks a lot more now than she use to. Her vocabulary includes: Dada, Mama, Ball, Water, Bubbles, Nana "Nurse", Bye, Yes, and a very vague I Love You. She doesn't cry much, but she has lately started to squeal when she is upset. But with her better capacity to communicate, I'm able to meet her needs easier so she's not so cranky. She will also sign for food, and wave. 

Paige is a full-blown runner. With my broken foot, she is faster than me. There are times I struggle to catch her before she runs too far off, but for the most part, her walking has been a blessing. She likes to climb the stairs (with my help) by stepping up each step. It basically requires her to raise her leg to a 90 degree angle to get her foot on the next ledge. I hold her hands so she can pull herself up. It's pretty fun. She also likes to walk to where she's suppose to go. Paige will walk to the car from our door and wait for me to open it and put her in, and she will walk to her room when it's nap time or she needs a diaper change. She's really obedient and compliant with that, and that can only be attributed to her peaceable nature. 

She's also very social. I've been making a point of getting out of the house more and doing things. My broken foot has slowed me down some, but we manage. Many of our favorite stores have electric carts for me to use. I put Paige on my lap and drive around the store, more often than not just browsing. Paige will wave to people and leaves smiles wherever she goes. We've also attended a lot of mommy groups through La Leche Leage and other events, and she's done really well playing with other kids. She loves watching older children run around, and is very curious about younger babies (though not always as gentle as she should be). She has been going to our gym's daycare as Stephen and I work out twice a week for a half hour, and that's been good for her social development. It's a safe space for us to practice separation and independence (she's better about it than I am).

Paige is a voracious eater. She's getting a little chubbier, but overall, she's still petite. I did put away some of the 6 month size clothes last week, but I sure got my money's worth out of them. She loves to eat and wants to taste everything. Paige especially loves if the food comes off of my plate. She knows what dessert is and persistently asks for food. She will literally eat more in one sitting than I do sometimes. She also loves to eat frequently. It seems like every ten or fifteen minutes, she asks for a snack. She loves applesauce, wholegrain crackers, fruit snacks, cereal (chex and cheerios mostly).

We had some struggles with nursing after she turned one. I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue or not, and she wasn't being very considerate of my needs. After talking with a lot of moms, I've been able to set boundaries with her and teach her nursing manners, and that has helped us a lot. We now really only nurse in the morning after she wakes and at night before she goes to bed. Every now and then we slip another nursing session or two in during the day, but it is now so much more manageable for me, and we'll continue until it no longer benefits us.

Paige is super playful. I'm having a hard time keeping up with entertaining her. We've gone to parks and she loves the slide but hates the swing. She enjoys shopping and likes to turn off the power on my electric cart while we're driving around (she enjoys it far more than I do). Paige loves her toys, especially the ball she got for Easter (have I written since Easter? I just checked--no I haven't). While she and I are buddies, she thinks daddy is hilarious. She loves her books too, and knows each book well. 

Thinking about Easter has reminded me of all the large events I haven't recorded here. I've tried to keep my facebook updated, and I've taken a lot of pictures and videos. Briefly, we celebrated Easter. It was so fun to set up a basket for Paige. I loved picking out gifts for her, and sewing her a new dress. She caught on to the egg hunt idea, and it became a lot more fun for her when she realized there was often chocolate inside them. She also had a lot of fun at the family Easter party with Stephen's relatives--she even took second place in the egg roll. We enjoyed watching General Conference and hearing inspirational talks. Paige did pretty well during the sessions so that we were able to watch and glean information from them. 

I've been doing a lot of wedding planning for Susan. There are only a few weeks until she gets married. I've also been socializing, as I mentioned above. I've enjoyed strengthening friendships. This past week, I was able to strengthen the relationship with some of the women in my life through Women's Conference. This was a two-day event of spiritual classes as well as service and socializing. One of my favorite parts was the concert with a lot of great LDS musicians. I had a lot of fun with my mom, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt-in-law (is that a term?), and grandma-in-law (again, probably not a real term. I just call them my aunt and grandma). Stephen took off work to stay home with Paige. That was the longest I'd ever been away from her. It was sad to miss putting her to bed for the first time, but she did great with daddy.

One of the biggest new things in my life is mturk. It's something I heard about on a blog about ways to make money at home. Most of my attempts at making money have been through apps that give me a little bit here and there. It has taken me months to earn even $20 on one app, and while I have a few going at once, it's nothing dependable or impactful. However, mturk is different. It's done through Amazon, so you know it can be trusted. It's basically people hiring out work that artificial intelligence can't do. It tends to be a lot of surveys, but there are other jobs such as evaluating photos or transcribing audio clips.

I've been doing it for three weeks now, and I've almost made $100. I know it's still not a huge amount, but for me, it's a lot. I'm basically rich now! It's all done on my computer in my free time, so I never have to compromise my roles as a wife and mother. I can do as little or as much as I want. There was a curve at the beginning, but now I can easily make $5-$10 a day without stressing out. Talk to me if you want more info. We're using this money to save up for new furniture, and that motivation keeps me going.

The new furniture will be going in our new house! Except, we don't have a new house yet. Sorry to get your hopes up. But we are getting close to starting the process of home ownership. We got pre-approved for a loan, and we are happy with the amount. We should be able to find a great home within our budget, though it will probably be farther away from the freeway than we are now (we are like, a quarter of a mile from the freeway now). We're looking at Daybreak or Herriman, though I prefer Daybreak by a long ways; Herriman just feels so rural and far away from everything where Daybreak has its own community and a lot of great shopping close by. We're hoping to find a good realtor in June and be more serious about the process. It will be sad to move from our basement apartment--it has been good to us--but we don't want to stay underground forever. 

As you can tell, life has been exciting. Everything is on the up. My foot is getting better, and while I'm still using special equipment like my boot or new surgical shoe, the break is healing on its own. I get it checked again on Thursday, but as long as the trend continues, I'll be walking normal and even running in no time. This summer has a lot of exciting adventures in store, and it'll only be more fun to watch Paige experience the warm weather and family outings. We're happy with what we have now, and grateful for all the plans God has for us. We are blessed.

All This On One Foot

What a month! Life has had a lot of ups and downs lately. Let's start off with the fun story of how I broke my foot: wrestling alligators. Don't believe me? Alright, then, I was walking and then broke my foot. Yup. That exciting. I was going down my stairs super carefully like I always do because I don't want to trip or fall or anything like that. We were coming home from Church, so Stephen was carrying Paige for me. I reached the bottom of my steps safely and waited there while Stephen unlocked the door.

Once it was open, I took a step forward to go inside and slipped. I was wearing one-inch wedge heels and my heel decided to walk on the side of my shoe instead of the bottom. My foot rolled and I caught myself in the doorway, already knowing I was injured. I sat just inside our door to examine my foot. I could see it starting to swell. With my previous experience of spraining my ankle quite regularly, I figured that's all this was--a sprain--and took things easy. We wrapped it and I borrowed crutches from a neighbor. I told myself two weeks and I would be back to normal.

That week, we had family in town visiting for Paige's birthday party. We spent time with both the Rollins side and the Hutchins side. It was really special to have both families supporting Paige and us as she turned one. I hobbled around the best I could, borrowing a boot and relying on my crutches, trying to will my way through a quick recovery. Paige started walking that week, and I joked she was walking better than I was (which was true). 

We had a great party for Paige. I did it in a pink and gold theme, based off of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". I went all out with the decorations and pink and gold food. I love party planning. I love hosting. I love living life like it's Pintrest, even for just a few hours. We had a really good turn out for the party, and I think people had fun. Paige received a lot of thoughtful presents (thank you all!) and enjoyed her cake smash. I'm really proud of how well things went and how fun it was.

The next weekend, Stephen and I had dates planned. His work rented out the tubing hill at Solider Hollow for their employees and family. We left Paige with a babysitter and drove out to the hill. We had a lot of fun tubing down in large groups. I romped around on the snowy hill, telling myself the sprain was basically healed. I took a break for a bit for it, but besides that, I didn't miss out on any of the fun. There was one run we did with at least a dozen people. Near the top, Stephen fell out of his tube and decided to triumphantly run down the hill after us. It was really funny. 

The next day, Stephen and I went to a dance in honor of Valentine's Day. Because we had had so many family events going on the weekend before, our Valentine's Day was simple--we exchanged gifts, and then Stephen got me flowers and chocolate the next day (since V-day was on Sunday this year). He gave me a home spa kit, complete with a back scratcher, bubble bath, loofah, head massager, and a pumice stone.  I got him a jade Manaia necklace in the shape of a dragon--it's a pendant from New Zealand, where Stephen served his mission, that has significance in the Maori culture. 

Since we didn't do much for the actual day, the dance was our way of celebrating this year. It was a corny, cheesy stake dance, but I loved it for that quality. Everyone dances like dorks, and it's endearing. Stephen doesn't particularly like dancing, but he'll do it for me. We danced until my feet hurt, and then danced more. We left Paige with a babysitter and didn't stay long, but it was still fun.

Earlier that Saturday, I went to a Fearless Birth convention. Stephen's cousin got me free tickets, so I took a friend from La Leche League. We had a really good time. We basically just looked at a bunch of vendors, got a lot of business cards, and had fun samples. When it was time for the raffle drawing, I was excited to hear my name as one of the winners! I got to choose from a large table of donated prizes. I ended up with a large gift basket full of prenatal supplies (no, I'm not pregnant, but someday I probably will be again). Going through everything, there was probably at least $100 worth of samples and supplies. I'm glad I went!

The next week, my sister, Susan, got engaged. When she started dating Joe, everyone knew they were going to get married--except for Susan and Joe. They took their time of formally dating for 2 months before getting engaged. I'm super excited to help plan their wedding. I'm their official wedding coordinator, and I beg to say I'm more excited for their wedding than they are (though they are definitely more excited for their marriage than their actual wedding day). I've harped on them to get their opinion on details to start making progress, and, while I may be preemptively planning some aspects, we're making good progress. 

Three weeks after I rolled my foot, I went in to see my podiatrist about my orthopedic shoe inserts. It was a follow up appointment and really casual. I mentioned that I hurt my foot and asked if they would check it just in case. By this point, I was walking on it normally, though I definitely knew it got sore easily. It had a really bad bruise for the first two weeks, but had faded by then. I had gone tubing and dancing and even ran on the treadmill a bit with it. They took x-rays of my foot; it was broken. They showed me the image of my fifth metatarsal and how there was an obvious gash in the middle of the bone. It was still barely connected, but looked like a wedge was created as the bone split.

They podiatrist started saying words like "surgery," "screw," and "plate," and I felt the blood disappear from my face. We decided to take a conservative approach at first, hoping my foot heals correctly with a boot and crutches, but if it doesn't, I may need surgery to fix it. This would start my recovery process all over again. With the way things are now, I am able to get around and take care of Paige, but, if I need surgery, that won't be the case for some time. 

I have one more week before I go back in to check on my foot, so any positive vibes and prayers would be appreciated. I've been much more careful about taking care of my broken foot since then. I'm wearing my boot all day, and I use my crutches when I don't have my boot on, like at night. I've also used the electric carts at stores and, while I feel ridiculous driving around the stores with Paige on my lap, the carts have really been helpful. 

A week ago, Stephen took me out on a date to get sushi. I absolutely love sushi, and it's one of those foods that I don't even attempt making myself at home. If anyone ever wants to bring me sushi, you will instantly gain points in my eyes. After dinner, we came home and made a blanket fort in our living room and watched a movie in it because we are adults. I highly recommend blanket fort dates--it was in a blanket fort that I first kissed Stephen on the cheek when we were dating. The next morning when Paige saw it, she was really confused, but slowly warmed up to it and ended up playing in it a lot before we took it down. 

This past weekend, my mom and my sister Sarah came to visit during their Spring Break. We met up with Susan and Deborah, my sisters, and went wedding dress shopping for Susan. It was a lot of fun to play Say Yes to the Dress with her. She looked good in every gown. We had a pow-wow about her wedding details, and while it was stressful at times, I'm excited about it all. It was also just good to have family visiting. Paige bonded more with her Grandma and Aunt Sarah, and my mom helped me to sew an Easter dress for Paige. It turned out so adorable! I'm excited to see her wearing it in a few weeks.

As far as Paige is concerned, she's growing happily and healthfully. She weighs 18 lbs now and took her one-year-old shots like a champ. She talks a lot nowadays. She says "Daddy" very clearly, and likes to call me "Jane", or as she says it, "an". She also says "yes," especially when we offer her food. She has started to pick up a bit on baby sign language and points to her mouth when she's hungry. She waves a lot, too, and her sign for "all done" is basically just a wave. The point is to communicate though, and she's good at that, so I'm happy.  Paige will wave hello and goodbye to people, and she folds her arms during prayers. Shes' a vivacious eater and dances when we're getting her food. We're having some power struggles with nursing, but while I may be ready to wean her some days, she's still happy to nurse.

She walks like a pro now and seems to prefer it to crawling. She likes her shoes and tends to carry them around with her rather than wearing them. Paige has been more explorative at home and found the blanket closet we have. She loves to hoard her toys in there. Paige enjoys shopping and has been really excited the few times I've let her walk around a bit at a store, though those escapades are short-lived when she starts emptying shelves. She also enjoys walking around at church, and while we keep her contained during sacrament meeting, the next two hours are sometimes spent wandering the halls, following her. 

Paige is a huge Daddy's girl. She has associated phone calls with Daddy and asks if it's him every time I call anyone. She also runs to the door to greet him when he comes home from work. She'll call for him from the crib when she wakes up, and when it's the middle of the night, I like to shove Stephen and remind him, "She wants you." She actually just wants him to get her to bring her to me, but still, I don't have to get out of bed (it helps that her foot is broken, so I don't want her walking on it to get Paige overnight. :) -S).  She sleeps really well most days. She's going back and forth between one and two naps a day, but they still last about 45 minutes. She's growing up, and while it's bittersweet, it's been a lot of fun. She keeps us on our toes, and since I only have one fully-functioning foot, it's an adventure.

One Year

One year ago, we put a baby into a car seat, put that seat into our car, and drove away without anyone stopping us. We were all so tired that the three of us climbed right into bed and took a nap, and my new baby slept on my chest. It was overwhelming, exciting, daunting, surreal, but most of all, peaceful. Everything felt right with our family now that we had Paige. This year has carried on those feelings and added many more. There's been so much pride over watching her grow and achieve new milestones. I've never felt more complete in my life calling than as a mother. It makes sense of everything. It's also been difficult, as any parent can attest to. It's not easy to know what to do when, or if, you should or shouldn't be doing something to help your child. I wish I could parent Paige perfectly, but I've had my fair share of mistakes so far. Still, overall, I've kept her alive for a year, so that counts for something, right?

Paige is a talented, smart, active, friendly, and sweet girl. She has grown up so much, I'm sure I'm going to miss some detail about her that's new this month, but we'll try. She's talking a lot more. She pretty distinctly says "yes," "Mom," and "Dad." She also understands what I'm saying most of the time, too. A few weeks ago, she was playing contently on the floor and then crawled up to my chair and looked at me and started babbling at me. I then asked her, "Are you ready for a nap?" She then clearly said, "Yes." So I picked her up and gave Paige her binkie and she took it and laid her head on me. I took her to her room and put her down without a complaint. She then had a good nap. It was really adorable that she asked to sleep and was able to communicate that to me without a struggle (though that's not always the case). 

Hearing other moms talk about how their children struggle to sleep through the nights makes me grateful for Paige's good sleeping habits. She still has two naps a day, one around 11:00, and one again between 2 and 3 or so. Each nap is about 45 minutes, which isn't long, but it's enough. We have a good bedtime routine of pajamas, nursing, song, prayer, and kisses. In total, it takes about ten minutes, and then she's able to put herself to sleep. Her bedtime is 8:00 and she'll usually sleep through the night and not wake except to nurse once in the morning around 7, and then go back to sleep until 9 or so. 

Paige loves food. She still nurses frequently through the day. She had a bit of sickness a few weeks ago and nursed almost constantly for days, but that helped her overcome the cold quicker. She also loves solids. She eats a lot of crackers, cheerios, cheese sticks. clementines, bananas, sweet potato, mashed potato, scrambled eggs, bread, applesauce, peaches, fruit cocktail, pasta, and whatever I'm eating. She knows when I'm eating and loves to beg at my feet, especially when it's for sweets. She throws food off her tray when she's done eating, and she's not a big fan of vegetables, but she is willing to taste anything. 

Paige has become braver with walking and ended up taking some undeniable strides last night. She still prefers crawling because she's fast with it, but she loves standing to explore things, especially if she has something to hold on to or climb over. We've been encouraging her to walk with no sign of success until yesterday. She's become a real toddler to me, which is crazy, but true. Paige is also a dancer already. As soon as she's stable on her feet, I know her dancing will just improve. 

She is very playful and loves when Stephen or I get down on the floor with her and wrestle or chase her. She wants to help us on our computers too, and loves to sit in our laps as we work. I'm trying to teach her to give high fives, and she'll hold out her hand--she thinks it's funny. She loves being tossed in the air. At night, when we choose what to sing, sometimes we pick the Primary song "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" and toss her in the air throughout the song. Her favorite toy is our box of recycling that she'll dump on the floor and throw the contents around the kitchen. Paige is also a good helper and loves to pitch in when it is time to do chores, especially the dishwasher. 

We had a photo shoot last week with the amazing Jen Kastleman. She did Paige's newborn photos last year, so it was fun to see the updated comparison. Paige did amazing during the photo session, even though she skipped her morning nap. I loved how adorable they came out. Paige was cheesing it up at points and loved the attention she got. Jen did a perfect job--if you need a photographer, check her out. 

The local zoo had a free day that Paige and I went to with some friends. She wasn't feeling all that well and ended up sleeping in the baby carrier half the time, but still did really well. She was interested in the animals, but I know she'll enjoy it more in the future. Still, I really enjoyed it. Zoos are more fun with little kids and babies. I feel like she's old enough now that I can start doing things for her enjoyment rather than just her tagging along. I'm excited for that. 

I'm excited for all the new life experiences this next year will bring, and I'm humbled by the ones we've had so far. To say Paige is a blessing in my life is an understatement. To say she is a wonderful baby with such a special personality and demeanor doesn't do her justice. To say I love her with my whole soul and want to spend my entire life making her smile and laugh is only a glimpse at how I feel. I hope one day she'll understand how special she is to the world, to God, to her family, and to me. I love you, Paige!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Drive Safe Please

Happy New Year! We finished 2015 with quite a few happenings, so it's time to recap.

Stephen and I passed our neighbor gifts for the first time. We braved the storm and walked around our neighborhood, but since I grew up in a desert, I'm not as turned off by snow and many up north are. I also felt very grown up gifting treats like adults do. Maybe next year, I'll be really ambitious and print off Christmas cards and maybe even mail them. I don't want to get too ahead of myself though, so I'm not making promises. We also felt very loved by our neighbors this year, even though the entrance to our basement apartment can be difficult to find. Thanks to all who showed us love this year! Along with the treats we received, I decided to bake a lot of traditional goodies and snacks. While it was probably too much, neither Stephen nor I complained (my waistline did, though). 

On the 18th, my friend hosted a neighborhood baby/toddler Christmas party. It was so fun to be invited and to chat with other moms and watch Paige play with the other kids. I think she was the youngest there, but she did her best to keep up with them. I always appreciate making mommy friends in my area to feel less isolated as a stay-at-home-mom.

That afternoon, Stephen and I saw the new Star Wars movie. His work provided a private screening for the company and their guests, so he and I were able to see it for free. My brother-in-law babysat Paige so we could enjoy the movie. It was awesome, of course! Either you've already seen it yourself, or you're probably not interested in seeing it, so either way, I hope I don't spoil anything by saying it was really great. 

After the movie, we finished some last minute packing and got on the road for Idaho as quickly as possible. We knew we were leaving late and would be arriving in Meridian after midnight, but we were hoping that, because of our late schedule, Paige would sleep most of they way. (She did pretty well, and did end up sleeping for a lot of the trip). 

Less than an hour into our trip, however, we witnessed an accident. We were in the far left lane with a Ford-F150 in front of us. A car in the lane next to us swerved to the right for some reason (the roads were not icy at all and conditions were fine) and then over-corrected to the left, hitting the truck just in front of the passenger door. Suddenly, there was a bright flash, which made me wonder if something caught on fire. It was probably because of the chemicals in the headlights, but it was still odd to me. 

The truck then rolled back from the impact, being launched into the air and spinning several times before hitting the road and rolling more. I guessed it rolled at least six or seven times. It stopped on it's tires, gratefully. I remember telling Stephen to stop several times. He pulled off to the side of the road a bit behind the truck. I called 911 while Stephen and my brother-in-law Matthew went to check on the driver of the truck. The car that had caused the accident was stopped on the other side of the road, and several people were attending to them. We never heard how they were doing, but Stephen thought he saw them walking around, which is a good sign. 

Calling 911 is weird. I had only had experience with it on TV. The first question they asked was the location, and then wanted to know what happened. I gave the info and was transferred to the traffic branch of 911, and then I repeated the same info in the same order. The man on the phone checked the systems and told me the accident had been reported. I called as quickly as I could, but someone had beat me to it I guess. Help arrived within minutes. I was impressed when an EMT stopped at my car before going to the truck because they saw I had a baby and wanted to make sure we were alright, which we were. 

The driver of the truck was appropriately shaken up, but besides that, didn't seemed injured. Stephen and Matthew encouraged him to stay in his car until someone with proper training could evaluate him. The medics put him on a stretcher and sent him in an ambulance to be safe.  Stephen and Matthew filled out witness reports and eventually, we were able to leave. An officer stopped traffic for us so we could merge back onto the freeway, which was nice of him to do. Luckily, the rest of the drive was not nearly as eventful, and we arrived at my in-laws late but safe.

We then spent the next week with family, celebrating Christmas. It was great for Paige to have so many playmates. She really enjoyed playing with her only cousin, Elise, who is seven months older than her. She also had plenty of time with her uncles, Aunt Heidi, Grandma, and Grandpa, and other extended family. There were lots of new toys for her to play with, and she had fun exploring their house. She learned a lot of tricks from her playmates, including clapping, "oohing", dancing to music, and nailed down the word "mama." (Though she thinks she's saying "feed me" but I'm still counting it). 

We spent the week playing a lot of games, particularly Pinochle. When I first met Stephen's family, they introduced me to this game and told me it was the Rollins Game of Choice among the extend family. I hated it. It was difficult to learn and very frustrating. They tried teaching me several times over the years, but a few months ago, I downloaded an app version of that game to practice, and only that has given me enough confidence to play. I was able to hold my own this break and even had a few victories. 

Stephen and I also attended the Boise temple. It's beautiful there. As we were leaving the house for the temple, I check for my recommend and realized I left it back in Utah. I made phone calls to everyone I could think of, but kept not getting an answer. I think it was the seventh person I contacted who finally was able to help me validate my worthiness to enter God's house. In the end, everything worked out.

Stephen went to the dentist while in Idaho, and was told he would need a root canal. He was prescribed an antibiotic which he started taking. However, he had a bad reaction to it, and it made him very sick. He vomited a lot and describes the ordeal as "not fun." He was bedridden for a while, and it was sad he couldn't fully participate in things. It left him with some chest pain that he is still getting over. He got his root canal after we were back in Utah, and a good chunk of our Christmas bonus went to paying for it, from what I understand, his tooth nerve was very dead and the procedure was needed. He recovered easily and quickly from it.

It was a lot of fun to share in the Rollins' Christmas tradition while incorporating some of our own as a new family. I spent time making chocolate candies with Teresa and Heidi, as well as several other goodies. We watched Christmas movies and sang carols. Santa came for FHE and let the little kids ask for things on his lap. It was really cute. The boys enjoyed it, but both granddaughters cried on Santa's lap. On Christmas eve, we placed our presents around the tree and let Paige open up her Christmas pajamas. 

Christmas morning was fun. We had to wake up Paige for presents, but she was cooperative about it. She didn't quite catch on to the unwrapping part. She was content playing with a small, torn piece and forgot quickly about the actual gift. She got a rocking horse, new clothes, books, toys, shoes, and snacks. Stephen and I also were happy with our gifts. I got a curling iron, slippers, a handheld rolling vacuum to clean up after Paige while out and about, movies, gloves, recipe book, a board game expansion pack, emergency lantern, Pyrex bowls, and more. Stephen was a co-receiver for some of my gifts, but also got movies, a new shirt, a video game, and a book.

On Christmas morning, we got to Skype with Nicholas, my brother-in-law who is serving mission in France. I could really tell he's grown up a lot, and he's learned a lot too. It was really great to catch up with him and hear about his experiences. He'll come home next summer, so there are still a few more months apart, but we all are excited for his return. 

The day after Christmas, I took advantage of clearance prices on holiday decor for next year. We also went bowling as a family, and I got the lowest score, though I attribute that to the unfair advantage the little kids had of bumpers and a ramp to roll their ball down. If I had that, I'm sure I would have done somewhat better. We drove home Saturday afternoon. It was sad to leave family after such a great vacation, but it was also nice to come home and have some time here before returning back to "real life." 

On the 30th, I met up with some of my high school friends for a gift exchange. We skyped some other friends who had gathered in St. George. This is the third year we've done the exchange, and I love catching up with their lives. I'm grateful for such good friends and the effort we've all made to stay connected. I hosted the party up north, which worked out really well when Paige had to go to bed half way though the night. She's currently the only baby of the group, though Tiffany is pregnant. I actually went to her baby shower yesterday with Ari, another friend, and had a great time. 

Stephen and I celebrated New Years at home this year. It was a rough day for me, so we didn't party much, but since we had a sleeping baby to watch over, there's not much we could have done. Stephen did kiss me at midnight, like he's promised to every year. New Years Day, we spent cleaning, and while our house is perpetually messy due to a baby who likes to unload, we made a lot of progress, even with Paige helping.

We've had a really good year as a family. Becoming parents was a huge blessing in Stephen's and my life. Paige has thrived, which we are also so grateful for. She's grown up so much in the past few weeks. I'm impressed at how much she's able to do. She's not yet willing to try walking on her own, but she'll push a walker toy around plenty, and will walk if she holds our hands for help. She eats ravenously and frequently, and while that may sound concerning, she's eating plenty. Trust me.

I love watching her think. I can really see her though process and she tries to figure things out. It's so cute how she claps for herself now, or dances when she hears any kind of music. We sang wheels on the bus to her tonight and she boogied along to it. I had to put away the 3 month size clothing a few weeks ago. She lasted a long time in them, but it was sad to pack them away. I may have to put her 6 month size away sooner than I would like to, but she's still fits in them alright. She's just growing right before my eyes. In less than six weeks, she'll be one year old! I've cherished each stage, so I don't have regrets, but it's still sad to say goodbye to fun phases. Still, I know that 2016 will be a good year for all of us, and I hope the same for you and yours.