Zoey Ella Turns Two

2 years ago tonight Zoey began her journey into the outside world. I vividly remember her kicking and dancing her way out! It was funny to be in labor and feel her crazy kicks. It was very different from my labor with Zachary. At 6 am she entered the world screaming her head off. I was a little worried, but she has been a peach since then!!

1 day 

1 week

2 months

3 months

6 months

 7 months

8 months

10 months

1 year

1st Birthday 

18 months- her half birthday

 20 months

22 months

2 years old~

Precious Little Girl,

You fill our lives with tenderness, happiness, and wonder. Your angel voice speaks and sings like an angel. The last few months, as you have been learning to talk, have been especially fun. You know all your letters and numbers to 10 pretty well. You are starting to learn your colors and the sounds of the alphabet. Simple puzzles are pretty easy for you, as you have been doing them for several months now. You LOVE the Taylor Swift song "We are Never, Ever Getting Back Together," and request it every time we get into the car. You sing it with the sweetest lilt in your voice, and dance around, too! You also point out every church as a "temple" and sing "I Love to See the Temple" with equal sweetness. You love to read stories, especially ones that have sort of hidden pictures or recurring themes. LMNO Peas is one of your favorites, with a tiny ladybug to find on each page. You also love the Llama Llama series and Disney princesses. In the mornings, you demand to play with our phones to keep you quiet until we are ready to get up. You don't sit still too long to watch TV or movies yet. You love drinking milk from your sippy cup with "mas in it." This is how you refer to the instant breakfast we lace it with in an attempt to fatten you up. You weigh 21.8 pounds- only a few more pounds than you weighed a year ago. Unfortunately, you like to throw your food on the floor much more than you enjoy eating it! You have always slept through the night pretty well, with the occasional hiccup. Napping is going pretty well, though you have recently started to drop 1-2 naps every few weeks. You adore Nursery at church, along with belting out hymns with us during sacrament meeting. 

You have been such a precious addition to our family, Miss Zoey Ella. We treasure every day we are blessed to have you!

Happy 60th Birthday, Dad!!!

 My amazing father just celebrated his 60th birthday last week. I am late posting this blog, because I wanted it to be perfect with all the photographs I had envisioned. Over a week later, I am opting for imperfection and the the photos I could easily find for the sake of getting it done. Maybe someday I will have the time to go back and add more!!

I really wanted to do something awesome and memorable for his birthday. I seriously tried to have one of these delivered, but I should've realized they are not available in Idaho Falls. Lame!!! IF doesn't even have a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory to deliver birthday treats. I guess the day-late gift cards will have to do until you make it to Dallas or Utah, where there are more venues with proper means to celebrate!!!

Anyway, I just wanted to post some pictures of him with his wife, children, and grandchildren for the occasion. It's sad that mine and Nick's weddings were before the age of digital photography, so someday, hopefully I can scan some images in and include them. All of us adore you, though, Dad. We all feel so lucky to have you in our lives. You have been a great supporter of us setting and achieving high goals. You have helped fund our educations, weddings, and many other life events with your hard work and dedication. Our children all adore you. Even though mine are many miles away, you are often in their thoughts and prayers. They know right who you are in photos, and lovingly point you out. Zoey has gone from calling you "Bucca" last fall to "Panka" right now. There is a book we have about grandpa's, and Zoey often points at it before bed and insists on reading the "Panka one"!! 

 We all have a soft spot in our hearts for our sweet father and hope we have many more birthdays to celebrate with you. We were all disappointed and underwhelmed that we couldn't get it together to make this a bigger celebration for you (we all know how much you love to be the center of attention at a big shindig!!), but honestly, it was a special day in all our hearts. Maybe by your 65th, we will all have it together enough to celebrate the way you deserve and we can take a cruise or something!!!

Baby Zach and Adam Jack

With Zach a few days after he was born

Mike, Dad, Uncle Jackie, Grandpa Alexander

We love you with all our hearts, Dad!!!