Ladies Man

Oh this child makes me smile!  Each and every day is a joy!  I could never kiss him enough, squeeze him enough, make him laugh and smile enough!   

Here's our little Ladies Man eating some gram crackers and then some pears for his dose of solids for the day - He loves eating all this wonderful tasty stuff and is having fun exploring with his tongue and trying to figure out what the heck to do with it :)  Finger foods are an adventure.  He can pick the pieces up and bring them to his wide open mouth but hasn't figure out that he needs to open his hand once its there so that the food can actually then go into his mouth :)

 Hehehe - I think this is so cute of him! It just captures his little personality!

Dinners at BYU

Nathan amazes me!  He is such a wonderful man and a hard worker.  He is currently balancing work at UIS and being a fulltime student at BYU.  He pulls long days and is dedicated to his responsibilities - I know it cannot be easy for him.  We keep Daddy in our prayers!

Since Nathan is at school most evenings studying I decided more than a year ago that I wanted to make family dinner a priority and I wanted us to be able to eat together whenever possible.  So I make dinner, pack it all up and Harlow and I head down to the BYU campus to join Daddy for some family time.  Sometimes its brief but at least we get that chance to sit down together.  (I'm grateful to my mother for teaching me the importance of sitting down as a family at dinner time.  They are memories I cherish and traditions I want to keep alive.)  I don't mind the extra work and mess...to be able to eat with my honey is all worth it!    I love our little family!

funny little story: so for our wedding we were given this portable heat pack (seen in the pictures below).  When we looked at it both Nathan and I were like 'when are we ever going to use that!?'  I have to say a big huge THANK YOU to the Colvin family for that gift because it's awesome!  and I use it nearly everyday to bring a hot, homecooked meal down to Nathan.  Who knew that'd be one of the best, most used wedding gifts we received - Colvin's, you guys are hecka great!

My Birthday

I've just turned 26...how crazy, time just keeps flying by!  

This year we have 4 of the 7 siblings living up here in the Utah Valley!  It is so fun to have so many of us living so close together...it's a first in a long time.  Becca, Me, Paul, and Whitney went out to eat at Cafe Rio to celebrate.  It was so fun to be together and for me to spend time with my brother and two sisters!  

Another surprise for me was when Nathan came home in the middle of the day...He was suppose to have a big day at school and work and I wasn't going to see him hardly at all but decided to come home to be with me for a while which was the best thing ever!  I got to spend the day with my honey!!  It felt so wonderful!

That night Harlow and I got dinner ready and took it down to Nathan at BYU.  We also took down my birthday cheesecake the Calabro children (my neighbors) made for me and doorbell ditched it to me :)  It was so yummy! goodness!  Nathan and I ate bites together amidst intense studying for Nathan.  Funny how birthday's change as you grow - though they are different they are stil sweet

Yes, this is a new outfit on Harlow...we go through a few of those everyday :)

Oh! Look up here Harlow!

There we go!

(Family pictures are harder than I thought and I know they'll only get harder and harder as the years go by and our family grows.)

6 Months

Our Harlow Boy has turned 6 months old!!

• Harlow sits up all by himself now, even when reaching for and playing with toys.  When I lay him back he strains his back and reaches out forward to be sat up like a big boy, wanting to see and be a part of everything that is going on.
• He is smiling so big!  and laughing too!  It feels so good to walk into his room, call out for him and watch him turn to find me with a huge smile across his face and to see his eyes light up when Daddy comes home!!  
• When I'm getting him ready for bed Nathan likes to come in and kiss on his boy.  Harlow goes from being 'out' to being wide awake as soon as he hears his Daddy coming!  That little bug gets a huge smile on his face and excitedly wiggles his arms and legs all about :)  When Nathan leaves the room Harlow goes back to nursing but its not long before he turns and stares at the door, waiting for any chance that his Daddy will come back in, which often he does.  So on it goes, he'll nurse then turn to the door, dive his face back into me to nurse again and just as quickly turn out toward the door and just stares - and on that goes.  This all gets me laughing pretty good - so much for getting him down quick.
• Harlow loves to eat - nursing, fruit, veggie's, crackers(...but not the pureed meat he got yesterday, maybe we'll wait a bit longer on that or just combine it with other veggie's that he likes)  He'll fuss and its only because I'm not feeing his fast enough.  He loves eating whatever we are eating.  I need to have quick hands because he pulls things off the table and counters, my bowl and plate are some of his favorite to go after.  He also loves drinking out of a cup.  Its just little sips of water but he loves it...I think he mostly loves the coolness on his lips and the way water feels to the touch.
• He loves it when we sing.  It quiets him down when he's fussing and makes him smile when he's a happy boy.  He likes to explore with his voice too...maybe we've made a little tenor!! 
• No teeth yet
• Not crawling either
• But he does like to turn himself in circles while he's on his belly (like a sundial) and roll over to get himself places and grab toys.
• Daddy loves to have him stand and balance him in his hand!  They are a cute little duo!  Harlow smiling away while his Papa steadies him in his palm.  Nathan would often ask people "So if I balance him every single day will there ever be a day that I won't be able to do it?  If I can do it today then shouldn't I be able to do it tomorrow?"   - we've discovered that yes, there'd come a time when Harlow's mass growth with exceed Nathan's muscle growth in his arm...but until that day we'll be balancing away here at the Andersen house

There are not enough words nor adequate descriptions to convey the amazing feelings of being a parent, particularly a Mom!  It brings me the greatest joy and is fulfilling.  I cherish this time in my life.  Harlow fills my day with smiles and laughs, sweet memories and tender moments.  We don't know how you could possibly love anyone any more than we do this child!  
He is our world!

Big Day

Nathan and I have been married for two wonderful years

Harlow turned 6 months old today

After Nathan got home from work we went to eat at Tacano's for dinner (*not super impressed this time, but still fun). We can hardly believe its been two years since we were married.  What a wonderful life we have!  We feel so very blessed and happy!  haha I remember when we got married and I'd think 'oh my goodness, there's a man in my bed!' and now the thought of having to sleep alone again is horrendous!  I love cuddling up with my honey as we drift off to sleep, waking up to his sweet kisses in the morning as he's getting ready to take off for work at 5:30 in the morning, and spending all the time together that we can.  Nathan makes my world full and bright!  He is my best friend! My  strength!  With him by my side I know I can accomplish anything I set my mind to!  He encourages and uplifts me!  He makes me feel beautiful, important, and special!  

And we are a family!  Nathan and I oooo and ahhh over our Harlow Boy!  The only thing better than being married is being married and having a little angel!  Families are divine and part of God's plan, you can feel that!  Heavenly Father wants us to be happy, to be filled with total joy - that's why He gives us families!  Because that is where true joy lays! 

We grabbed a quick picture as we were all hoping in bed

Oh My Little Harlito

Trying out the Booster Seat!

Our little Harlow is nearly 6 months old!  We can hardly believe our little love bug is so big and grown up :) His back and leg muscles are strong enough to be a 'supported sitter' and he loves the freedom that gives his hands.  Everything goes right to his month and he wouldn't have it any other way.  

**We are getting ready for solids here at the Andersen house**

We brought out the booster seat to see how he'd do and he's a pro already...here in the next few days we'll be embarking on the adventure of feeding our little buddy the messy, gooey, nummy, pureed goodness of homemade (by yours truly) baby food!

...MUCH MORE EXCITEMENT TO COME!!!

Utah Lake

In the summer time I grew up in Utah Lake in Grandpa Ras's boat.  We'd be out tubing, skiing...okay the truth is that I cried in the boat until I was nearly 12... then I got over my fear of there being deadly, man eating sharks in the water and jumped right into the fun with everyone else and had a complete ball!  I love the water and bouncing around out there on the waves!  The memories are probably just as sweet as tubing itself for me.

Some people rip on Utah Lake...sure it's dirty but not more than any other lake and I'm not driving that far when there is a perfectly good lake right here.  I love the lake 

If you think it's dirty then shower afterwards - geez!

Uncle Jeff invited Nathan and I join him for tubing this afternoon.  Harlow went to a babysitter (his second one ever) and Nathan and I to Utah Lake.  It felt great to get in the water and on a tube again.  I came home with a scraped up elbow and knees but those were just proof that I did a bang-up, dang good job at staying on the tube :) 

I love the water, I love my Family, I love my Love 

3 Month Photo Shoot

so this is WAY OVER DUE!

Friday May 18th

A huge THANK YOU to my wonderful, amazing, and talented sister Becca Laing for taking the adorable pictures of our perfect little Harlow!  They make me so happy!  only problem now is to choose which ones to keep out of all them...its too hard...here are some of my favorites

Photos by Becca Laing

Great Grandma Ras

At the end of June my parents had a three day couples conference down in Arizona for Dad's work but with Grandma Ras living with them they would be unable to go if someone couldn't watch her for them.  They asked me to and offered to fly me down - so Harlow got to take his first plane flight - which he did fabulous on! (...wish I had taken pictures)  We enjoyed our few days with Grandma and Whitney and then some more with Mom and Dad once they got home and the Andersen's once we got the chance to get over and visit them.  It's so good to see family.  Whitney even took me on a date to see 'The Avengers' -Ooolala!

These few days were actually a very helpful prep for me because a few weeks later Grandma came up to Provo, Ut to stay with Nathan and I for two weeks.  Those two weeks turned out much better than Nathan and I had expected.  Though filled with many trying days that left me in tears, there were also beautiful moments that I will always remember and cherish.  Moments where I was given my grandmother back, even if just for brief seconds at a time and as if her spirit, free of the alzheimers, was able to look up at me and touch my heart with her gratitude and incredible love.  

I had to hurry to catch these pictures while grandma was taking a nap one afternoon...some are blurry but it's feeling almost impossible to get a clear picture of this little buddy of mine smiling and have it be clear...so I keep the blurries and the videos as proof that YES, my child does smile and quite a lot too!

 ...he also does the furrowed brow as he takes it all in

Harlow's Great Grandma Nadine Farr Rasmussen

ages: 4 1/2 months old

       88 years old

Poor kid looks terrified