Dear Danielle;

When things get frustrating, and you worry about your abilities as a mom, please remember the things that make it all worth it:

Snuggling up with a clean-smelling baby with soft skin and complete trust in his eyes. His little snores alternating with binky squeaks in your ear, and the weight of his head on your shoulder as he falls to sleep.

The absolute delight he shows in every new discovery. The little "o" he makes with his mouth, and the sliding "uh-oh" he repeats every morning on the way to day care. The way he wiggles his hands and feet when he gets excited.

The way he breaks your heart a little each time he laughs in happiness when he sees you, buries his head in your shoulder when he's shy, and bumps his head into your calves when you're making dinner.

Remember these sunshine moments, because one day, he'll push you away when you try to hug him, roll his eyes when you tell him you love him, and lament to his friends about how "mean" his mom is. And on those days, pull out those memories to remind yourself it's all just a big show, and deep down he's still that same little boy who once upon a time covered your face with wet kisses, patted your back, and said, "Mamamamama."

So Forgetful!

As I was perusing my old blog posts, I realized I had forgotten to post the rest of the pictures that Jenn took of our family. I especially like the ones of Bryce and Cole. They turned out so cute, and I can't believe I neglected to put them up. Sorry about that, Jenn!

Melting...And Loving It!

Over the weekend, the Barber family headed down to Diamond Fork in Spanish Fork Canyon to go camping. It also happened to be the big 6-0 birthday for my beautiful mom. (Although how we got her to spend it camping is beyond me!) It was brutally hot, but we still had a fantastic time.

Bryce and I:Mom and I:
Trying to stay cool:Someone loves his Grandma:Cole absolutely loved Randa's dog Buckley. I adore this picture:That's the only way I could keep him in the baby prison:Ahhh...teenagers:With Great-Grandma:Going hiking!
Trying to cool off in the river:Tammy & Jaycee:Party Girls? Yikes.Thuggin' it - silly birthday hat style:Happy Birthday, Mom!

Not Fair!

We took Cole to the pediatrician yesterday for his 9 month check-up. He's doing well, and progressing as normal...except in one area. He is 30 1/4 inches, which is off the charts for height, but is only 19 1/2 pounds, which is 28th percentile on weight. The doctor was shocked when I told her he eats about 50 ounces of formula a day (recommended for his age is 24). So, now our little man has to go on....a high calorie diet. That's right - cheese, breads, and meat. Not fair - what do I have to do to get on a high calorie diet?!

Alpha Girls, Unite!

Over the weekend, we had some of my sorority sisters out for a BBQ. It's so crazy to me that we met all the way back in college. (I know, I know, it's like a whole 5-6 years ago.) I'm just glad that we still are able to get together. It's also fun to see how everyone is "growing up."

Amber, Lance, Sadie, & SawyerHeather & ChadCindy & Shawn
Steph, Cassie, & ShawnEmma & me - we match!I apologize to Jenn for no pic of her family - wrangling 3 boys into a picture can be somewhat difficult!

Matching Binkies...
Cole especially enjoyed Sadie's sparkly jelly shoes.
All of the kiddos. How can there be so many?!
Boy talk around the fire.
The girls - I'm not sure why mine's blurry. If anyone got a clear shot, would you email it to me?Thanks to everyone for a good time and great food. We should do it again - Cowabunga Bay anyone? :)

Oh no.

Cole started crawling this week and we are so proud of him!

He loves playing with the camera and practically mowed me over trying to get to it. I love this shot!Of course, he's into everything and we're starting to try and baby-proof. Any good tips or ideas to make this whole transition-to-toddler thing easier?

Good things...

I ask you, who need toys when you've got:

Magazines,
Paper Napkins,Baby Prisons,Daddy's Nose...and Glasses,Swings,and Tupperware.I think I'll save this post and pull it out on that day that Cole starts whining for a toy at the store.

Happy 4th!

As I sat looking at the photos we took over the holiday weekend, I realized I hadn't really taken the time to reflect on what Independence Day means - the revolution and the sacrifice required to break away and form a brand new country. Instead, the weekend was filled with family BBQs:Playing Baseball,Watching Fireworks,
Eating Ice Cream,Watermelon Seed-Spitting Contests, Going Swimming,And eating gigantic breakfasts at Village Inn.I started to feel a bit neglectful towards my thoughtlessness, but then asked myself: Do I think the founding fathers would have approved of my spending the weekend doing what I like, when I like, and however I chose?

Absolutely.