Anderton Family: June 2009

Emri turned 4 months on Saturday!

Sunday we celebrated with Brett on his 1st Father's Day! We treated him with breakfast in bed,

and, some fun presents...including this awesome pink tie that Emri picked out for him (we're starting a tradition of getting him a new tie each year for Father's Day)!

And, a manly man's dinner....baby back ribs on the BBQ and Memphis sweet potatoe fries. It was my first time grilling ribs, so I was pretty nervous! Brett liked them....I myself am not a huge fan of picking meat off of bones and fat. Brett loves finger foods though, especially things like this that makes him a little homesick for Tonga.

Emri weighed in at 15 lbs 5oz (83% percentile) & measured 24.5 inches (54% percentile). I think this is her "suck in and think thin" face while she's on the scale! She cracks me up!!

Daddy and Emri PRE-shots....and this is her "you're gonna stick that where??" face!

I let Brett be the one to hold her this time. It's so hard either way seeing them get poked.

Some tummy time after her appointment. She was being pretty lazy and just laid with her head relaxed....

Her reflux seems to have peaked again, so the doctor prescribed her a new medicine and said to try some rice cereal as well. What???? Solids? Ah, she's growing too fast!

This was the first attempt! Not really a fan!! But such a cute little frowney face!

Some of Emri's quirks/traits up till now:

Loves to play on her gym/mat and reach for the toys
grasps toys and anything in her hands goes straight to her mouth
loves to hear herself talk and squeal
she rolls to her side when she's laying on her back, but hasn't made it all the way over yet
she found her tongue and loves to stick it out....and it's so long!
I always lay her at one end of the crib to sleep....when she gets up I find that she's always on the opposite end of the crib with her head in the corner!
started rice cereal
she sucks her bottom lip in all the time (I think it stemmed from refusing her medicine...she hates it and it's usually a battle to get it to her tummy)
likes to splash in the bath
getting more used to sitting in her Bumbo chair....she didn't love it at first
HAS TO sleep with her snuggly bear that Brett bought her the day before she was born. She loves to rub her nose in it and it usually covers her face while she sleeps (like in the picture below)!

I can't believe it was a year ago today that we found out I was pregnant...and now she's already spent four months with us! I feel so blessed to be Emri's mom and to be able to spend my days at home with her. She is such a sweetheart! I never knew I could feel such a deep love for someone so fast!

Being a mom is such hard work....but ONE smile from this precious little face is such a payoff for all the hard moments! Love you E!!

*****WARNING....THIS MAY BE A RECORD POST FOR LONGEST EVER....EVER....SERIOUSLY, EVER!*****

Emri and I spent 2 1/2 weeks in Utah while Brett stayed home to study for finals and the national board exam. We traveled out with Amanda and her boys....it was so nice to have someone else on the flight and in the airports with. I was quite nervous to take Emri on the plane for the first time by myself. She did AWESOME on our way out. Coming home wasn't quite as awesome, but we made it and were SO SO HAPPY to see Brett/DADDY! He missed her so much and we missed him too (notice how I said he missed her...not me!) We had an open seat next to us on the way out which was so great....Emri enjoyed talking to everyone around and the flight attendant loved her!

Amanda and her boys!

-------------MORGAN/OGDEN------------

Emri got some of that quality cuddle time on that she loves so much with grandma Sharon!

She got lots of attention from her aunts, uncles and cousins!

Listening to some words of wisdom from Great Grandma Anderton!

One thing I miss the most about being so far from family is all of our nieces and nephews! They grow so fast! I love them all so much! This is Kenya and Mac! So dang cute!

Tabitha the chunk! Those eyes and cheeks are to die for!

All my "sisters" and my other mom! I totally was blessed with the best women in my life....I think I lucked out with all these amazing sister-in-laws as a reward for surviving growing up with 4 rowdy brothers!

We had a day of making bows for our little girls! You can save so much money doing it this way! The ever amazing Jaimilyn showed us some of her secrets!

Apparently Emri DOES NOT like to share her grandma!

I got to see Ruby, Everett, and Morgan in their dance/tumbling recital!

Here's Emri with Sawyer, her closest cousin on the Anderton side! He's 2 months older than her.

Emri with Great Grandma & Grandpa Anderton

So cute...Mindy and Ruby both zonked out! I walked in the room to this...I'm not sure if Mindy fell alseep first while reading, or if Ruby did while listening?? Either way, the other one followed suit!

---THREE MUSKETEERS: NOW SIX STOOGES!!---

I made such great friends during dental hygiene school....it's amazing how much alike Melissa, Crystal and I are. We have stayed so close and apparently we all thought it would be a great idea to start our families all at the same time too! This was the first time we'd all been together since the babes were born!

Hazel Jane, born March 27th

Emri, born February 20th

Parker Brown, born April 18th

Our first playdate....and photoshoot! Here we all are....in our assigned spots on the couch! We didn't quite fit as snuggly as we used to! ha ha! We were having way too much fun!

It only took like 25 tries to get all six of us (kind of) in the picture! We were laughing so hard! The babies...not so much!

I think they will be the best of friends....once we get back into town!

The pic below is so sweet! Parker is quite the stud muffin...already holding hands?! His dad even told him "no funny business" before we came that day! What a smooth kid!

--------------SALT LAKE-----------

Here's proud uncle Kolby meeting her for the first time! He and Momma Max picked us up at the airport! She was quite tired from the day of travel!

Emri got to spend some time in the mountains for the first time!! This is taken on top of Butterfield Canyon looking into the Salt Lake Valley. We drove over the mountain on our way home from visiting Kade's new house in Tooele instead of taking the freeway home...this was much prettier!

Emri with great Aunt Bonnie

While we were home she learned this little trick...I'm guessing one of her uncles taught her?!?! Can you believe how long that tongue is?!

4 Brklacich Generations

Meeting uncle Kade for the first time!

E and Great Grandma Brklacich...she's the first great grandchild, so this was a special visit!

E and Great Grandpa Brklacich

The main reason for our trip out west was to support Kolby.....he made it to graduation and we are SO SO PROUD!!! Here's Emri with a bunch of Kolby's football buddies. Very sweet!!

Kolby we love you! It really seems like just yesterday you were Emri's size and attached to my hip! Yes, you're still my baby!

The fam, minus Kade who was sick and Brett who we left in Ohio to study his guts out!

The kiddos....crazy we all came from the same parents! We have quite a variety of style in our family...never a dull moment, that's for sure!

One of my bestest friends Katie made a special trip from Cali to say hi (and also to visit her brand new niece)! We were so glad to see you for a short hour!! Emri's face is hilarious!

-------ISLAND PARK-------

My cousin and I planned a little family reunion in Island Park. Several of our family members were brave and camped in the rain. We really roughed it....in a beautiful cabin (my kind of camping)! This is my cousin Jill....she was due with her little guy, Pratt, one day before I was due with Emri. Her doctor induced her a week early. Jokingly, before Jill had him, I had her tell her baby Pratt to tell Emri to get here QUICK! Emri was very obedient and came the very next day (about 27 hours later)....also a week early!! I guess Emri really missed her buddy!

Emri and Pratt reunited for the first time since before birth (4 months ago)!! It was so fun to see them next to eachother! They have such different body shapes, but are very similar in height and weight!

Some pics at Buttermilk campground in Island Park. Kelti, I know you will appreciate me posting this picture of you! My uncles cooked an amazing dutch oven meal....ribs, chicken, potatoes and cobbler! YUMMMMMY!

Uncle Kent and my cousin Kort

Bridger...camping in true Bridger fashion. Some of the yayhoos were brave enough to get in the lake and do some skiiing....not I!

I'm sure glad we brought some babysitters! All of my cousins kids were loving Bridger, Brody and their friends Casey and Trever. The boys didn't seem to mind having the attention of those darling girls...oh, and you too Blais!

Roasting some mallows around the fire....I was so sick, I really think I ate like 18 marshmallows! Thanks Kelt, you are the pro of toasting the perfect golden-brown gooey goodness!

After a chilly day in the rain we took shifts soaking in the hot tub! I opted out of this rowdy shift....but when Jill, Greg and I went out late that night we got poured on! Kinda fun!

Ty and Jill with Pratt and Emri....I guess this is what it would be like to have twins?!?!

Great Grandpa Reynolds holding the babies....there have been 2 more great-grandkids born even since these 2 little munchkins! There are 18 great-grandchildren and one more on the way! It was interesting to see that Emri and Pratt both liked to be held the same way when they're tired. Jill and I figured it's because grandma Eleanor must have held them and loved them the same way in heaven before they came to us!

Dad grillin' up some mean burgers! No, it's not snowing....just lots of smoke from the BBQ!

4 Generations of Reynolds'

On the way home from Island Park we visited grandma's grave in Ashton, ID to show Emri as Eleanor is her middle name. We sure miss you grams!

Me & Emri with Angi and her twins Claire and Jane! Angi delivered baby #4 two days after this picture was taken...doesn't she look amazing?! She's superwoman! We were so lucky to stop at the hospital on our way to the airport to meet little Ty! In all, I met 5 new babies while we were home! CRAZY!! We must have all been pretty bored 9 months ago! :)

We had such a fun time visiting everyone....even with all these pics there were still so many times I didn't even pull out my camera (I guess I was busy with the baby?!)! Emri met so many new faces and saw a bunch of new places. I felt like we were going non-stop! It totally RAINED every day we were there, but we didn't let it stop us from having fun! We are definitely trying to catch up on our sleep now that we're home! Hopefully we can do it again soon!