It's the Little Things in Life

You know your a parent when you get so excited to hear your baby cry for the first time.  And for your child's first poopy and/or wet diaper.  That first smile they make when they are sleeping and then awake.  It's amazing to see it in their eyes when they recognize you for the first time.  When they are sick and all you want to do is make it better so they don't have to suffer, but it's so wonderful to hold them and snuggle them.  Oh how wonderful and heavenly the sound of their first laugh.  The first real nights sleep.  The first time they roll over and you call everyone you know to tell them the good news.  When they start to scoot around and then you discover just how dirty your floors really are.  The mess they make with their first attempt at rice cereal.  The first steps, and their new discovery of two hands that can reach everything.  The first hair cut and how it is so much harder for you to say goodbye to those baby locks then it is for them.  That first slobbery kiss and accompanying hug where their arms can't quite reach around your neck.  Their first, second, third words and then discovering that they pay much better attention to you than you thought.  The first time they say 'I luvs you Mommy'. The first time you realize that they are actually singing the words to a song in the back seat of the car.  When they can tell you the story of their favorite book just by looking at the pictures.  And consequently noticing when you skip pages because you are tired and want to finish faster.  The times they have to remind you to fold your arms and close your eyes for the prayer.  When they walk around the house repeating lines to a movie.  When after so long of you encouraging them to do it by themselves you get frustrated because they want to do everything by themselves.  The tantrums that you just want to laugh at but you have to keep a straight face or turn around and hope they don't notice your shoulders shaking from the silent laughter.  When after months of potty training they poop in the potty and you again feel the need to shout it to the world.  After you dance around like a lunatic, give them hugs and kisses, and tell them they can have the car you promised when they turn 16, and the pet they were offered will be a fish.  

We are just reaching this point with Drake.  My little man turns 3 in two weeks and sometimes I can't believe how much of my fondest memories have happened in just 3 short years.  Drake is so much fun to watch and listen too.  Logan is his little shadow whether he likes it or not.  I can't believe that I still have a years to watch him grow and hear 'I luvs you Mommy'.  

Happy almost 3rd birthday Draker!!

 Riding his bike to the park

 Not so impressed with being dressed in drag

Posing with his picture he made for Daddy while Dan was away for Drill

These Boots were Made for Walkin

i love this picture, Mason is trying to get Drake to look at the camera

FAMILY PICTURES

Since all the family was together for Christmas we decided we needed family pictures. It was freezing cold but we had a great time

DISCOVERY GATEWAY

I took the boys, our neighbor Anna, and Dans brother Jim toDiscovery Gateway. It was so much fun! Drake loved the water and Logan loved the balls. It was great watching them play. I can

Drake loved the water
Logan and the balls
Jim and Logan
Drake and Anna
Drake thought the helicopter was awesome

Anna and Logan going for a ride

LOGANS WALKING

Logan has been teasing his Dad for a while. After a few DAYS of walking across the room Logan decided it was go time. Dan was so excited!! The only problem is my sweet little boy is now a bit of a terror. He thinks he is so funny when he makes a mess. He is also really hard to keep still, as you can tell from the pictures. He has this really cute smile where he scrunches up his nose and he laughs. He is even keeping up with Drake a little more too, and loves it.
Logan running away
He thinks he's funny
Drake wanted a picture

2010 Holidays

Temple Square

It was almost Christmas and we hadn't made a trip to Temple Square yet to see the lights. So we called up our friends the Fulton's and headed over after some delicious Smashburgers. It was a freezing cold night so we didn't stay really long but long enough for Drake to make his way under the chains and almost to the nearest sheep in the Nativity scene that is set up by the north Visitors Center. Oh the memories he is helping to create. Anyway it was beautiful and I glad we made it this year.

The reflection pool with some lights and fog
One Happy COLD family

Christmas in Santa Clara

This year after four years of marriage we were finally able to go to Santa Clara for Christmas. Since Dan works for UPS he works Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas so up until this year it has been impossible for us to come home for the holidays. Dan still had to work the Monday following Christmas so he went home by himself and the boys and I got to stay and play. This year all my siblings were in town for Christmas. Angie & Nate and their 4 kids came in from Hawaii, Eric & Heidi and baby Kinley came in from Oregon, Sarah & Miah and their 5 kids came down from Springville, and of course Dan & I with our 2 from SLC. It was a full house. When it came to sleeping Angie and Sarah's families went to Angie's house(they still have their house cuz they were only going to be gone for 2 yrs) a couple of blocks away, and Eric and I at my moms. It was late nights and craziness, but totally worth it.

Like I mentioned Dan works Christmas Eve and this year he finally had a good shift. He was getting off at 3pm but at 915am he called and said they were going to be letting people off early! I hurried and packed the car and at 1030am he was off and we were on the road. We made it in time for a wonderful Christmas Dinner and lots a fun with all of the Drakes(22 people), Grandma & Grandpa Beatty, and my moms brother Mark his wife and three kids. They kids put on a great Nativity with baby Kinley as baby Jesus and the production managers, Mom and Sarah, helping to get the kids on stage for their parts. After the Nativity we opened the traditional Christmas jammies and then headed to our places of sleep. The next morning at 6am the Staheli house people showed up and we woke the other kids to come roaring down the stairs to see what Santa had brought and open gifts. It was so fun to have so many people opening gifts. Drake I think got every thing a 2 yr old boy could want: trains, airplanes, tractors, dump trucks, music or should I say noise makers. Logan was more interested in balls he got a lot of stuff but his favorite was a little baseball tee with a bat. He had a great time. Dan and I had fun too!! It was an awesome Christmas.

After getting all our gifts open we headed to my dad's brother's, Doug, for the Drake family breakfast. It was fun to see all the cousins and eat tuffies.

We also had a family party with Dan's family but all those pictures are on his phone so unfortunately there are none currently available.
The Drake Family smorgas board
All the kids after the nativity
All the kids in their Christmas jammies
A Christmas tree packed with 22 peoples gifts and a second tree with a few more upstairs
Logan with his haul
Drake with his loot

My Baby's One

Logan is my sweetheart. He has the cutest one sided smile

and he will smile at everyone. He likes to pretend that he is shy just

so someone will play peekaboo with him. He loves to follow Drake

around and play with what ever Drake is playing with, much to Drakes dismay.

He is starting to walk and is so proud of himself when he accomplishes

something new. He likes to snuggle into your shoulder and really loves

to be held by Grandpa Drake. He laughs really hard when you tickle his knee

and giggles as the little pig goes wee wee wee all the way home. He

really enjoys throwing and chasing balls. In fact ball was his first word.

He is an absolute joy to everyone he meets. Thank you, Logan for joining our family.

We are truly blessed!!

Logan turned one on Dec 29th. Since Dan had to come back to work and wasn't there on his birthday we decided to have this cake and presents on New Years Eve. But on his actual birthday my mom suggested we go to Jumpin' Jacks. If you have never been there it is pretty fun. They have the blow up toys like slides and obstacle courses. Sarah and I did one obstacle course and had to sit for awhile to recover while the kids moved on to the next one. Drake had a great time and Logan decided that riding the Merry go round was more his style. It was out of order but he had so much fun just sitting on it that he spent most of the party there.

On New Years Eve I put a candle on his cake and unknowingly to me it was a trick candle. So after several attempts for lots of people to blow it out we pulled off and tossed it in the sink. He didn't care too much for his gifts at the time, Drake on the other hand thought they were great and wanted them all opened so he could play with them, Logan just wanted the cake. We cut him a piece of cake and he was so excited. Amazingly enough he ate the whole piece of cake. What a good boy! I love my baby boy and can't believe it has already been a year since he joined the family.

Logan on his valiant steed or elephant...
Drake enjoying the ride
Drake(left) and Sami(right) loved this slide
Austin taking Logan down the slide

Mommy and Logan

Look at all those presents
Can you tell he is excited about cake
Logan enjoying his cake!

November

Well another month has passed me by and I need to do a quick review. I think I have mentioned before that I am terrible about getting out my camera at large gatherings because I forget I can. So I have a few pictures that I had Dan's sister, Deborah, take for me. The rest of the memories are nestled securely in my mind.

Thanksgiving this year was at Dan's sister, Stephanie's, house. It was a lot of fun with all the Neville's minus Jim on a mission, and Jon and Somelea in DC. We ate good food, watched some football, had a piano and french horn concert, checked black Friday ads, visited, and ate some more. It was great to get together.
Steve Watching some football
Dan, Josh and I chillin on the couch
Dave and Bryan cheesing it for us
Dave and Barbara playing Christmas songs
Drake loving the Geotracks airplane
Steph and Mario on clean up
Deb and Logan
Grandma trying to teach Drake how to play the French Horn

A few days after Thanksgiving we had that wonderful 'blizzard'. We got about 8 inches of snow and Drake was begging to go play. I got the boys all bundled up and headed outside. Logan was tired and didn't last long outside, but Drake was having a blast and didn't want to go inside. Drake wanted to build a snowman and while we were doing so he just kept singing 'Once there was a snowman'. When we finally finished the snowman he immediately wanted to knock it over. I kept trying to convince him that Daddy need to see it first but he really wanted to knock it over. He knocked it over a couple of times but luckily I was there to put him back together. Drake was having so much fun in the snow so I tried to teach him how to make snow angels but he was more interested in jumping in the snow and then doggy paddling around in it. After two hours he finally decided he was ready to go inside. It was a great snow day!!
Drake and Logan bundled up
Drake working on his snowman
Drake after a failed attempt to help him make a snow angel
The finished project

For the first time since we have been married I was able to get out all my Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. Dan took the boys to his Steph's for the day, and Deb and I did some shopping. After shopping I came home and decorated my house. It was so nice not to have to worry about little people for the day. That next Monday for Family Home Evening we went and picked out our Christmas tree. We tied it to the top of the Van and got it into the house. It was late when we finally got home and Logan had fallen asleep in the car so he went to bed. Drake, Dan and I did the decorating. We had a lot of fun and then the final touch was Dan placing his Grandmothers angel on the top of the tree. It was fun to have Drake help with the tree and it will be even more fun next year when Logan gets to help too.

Drake on Dan's shoulders
Dan adding the angel