Happy 5 Month Birthday!

We love our sweet Sydney Louise!!

Sorry the picture is so small. When I enlarged it, it became blurry.

Milestone! Sydney started rice cereal last week and quite enjoys it. She gets excited when she sees the bowl and spoon and cries when it's all gone. Seoul loves to feed her.

Daddy loves his Princess Peach!

Sydney was playing hide-and-seek with Seoul and chose this as her hiding spot (with a blanket over the top of the bed). She looks so little!

Disclaimer: the rest of the pictures were taken with our broken camera so I can't change the settings. The screen is broken so we can't see to aim or the resulting picture.

Our smiley girl. She gives them freely... except when she's mad, she will let you know! She giggles daily and the other night Seoul actually got her to have a "laughing fit" with her antics. We love the girls adore each other!

Enjoying the non-rainy weather while Seoul plays. She's pretty content to sit and observe.

Chillin' on the couch.

Milestone! On her "birthday" she rolled from front to back on her own. Intentionally.

Milestone! Sydney has cut her first tooth... didn't expect it to be the bottom left incisor (I think). She chews on everything she can get her hands on... and if there is nothing then her hands or my hands.

Sydney loves to stand - she likes to stand on the couch and look out the window at the trees moving in the wind. She can stand on her own for a bit. Sitting - she is doing well and can hold herself up for short intervals. Life is moving right along and she's growin' & learnin'! And she cries. Oh, does she cry! She is opinionated we have learned... maybe she has learned how to get attention over Seoul. Fortunately she does sleep, too. At night she sleeps a solid 8-10 hours, with random nights of waking once in the night for her binkie. Our hearts are full having her in our lives!

Love my Grandpa

Seven years ago today Grandpa Salway passed away. What an amazing man! I remember he was quick to smile and had a sense of humor, but yet didn't hesitate to reprimand us grandkids when needed. He loved music and had a beautiful voice. I remember he told me I had talent playing the piano because I could follow him well enough. He would sing and have me accompany him... slower, faster, softer, louder, etc. From what I know people thought very highly of him as a man with great morals as well as religious knowledge & conviction. From the first time he met Kelley he liked him... Grandpa told Kelley, "you have all your ducks in a row." Love you Grandpa!

Stylin' Grandpa!

Grandpa with his first wife, Grandma Eunice.

Grandpa with his second wife, Vellis (the Grandma I know).

Grandpa & Grandma with their kids at my Mom's missionary farewell party. [L-R starting at top: Hope, Iva, Derek, Ruth, Hal, Grandpa, Grandma.]

* Most pictures taken from Aunt Hope's album on Facebook *

Double Trouble

We love our girls! These days Seoul likes to ask (ALL the time), “What are you smiling (or laughing) about?” Her imagination is boundless – blankets and pillows become boats and the beach. She’s not into me rocking her before bed anymore, which makes me a little sad. Of course she is very opinionated and doesn’t hesitate to let us know what’s on her mind. Sydney is also very opinionated and doesn’t hesitate to let us know she needs something by crying. We think she has learned how to be heard over Seoul… by screaming so the whole neighborhood can hear! She is full of giggles and smiles and plays with her toys. She loves to blow bubbles and stick out her tongue for raspberries. Tummy time isn’t such a trial and she’s getting better at sitting up, although still needs support. When the girls are older and can gang up on us we are in trouble!

Sydney is so patient with Seoul loving on her… and lately Seoul asks to hold her often. It is so cute!

Seoul shows Sydney pictures and tells her who is in each picture. What a good big sister teaching her already!


When did Seoul turn into a little girl instead of toddler??

Hm… should I touch it or not?

Our drunk-on-milk big girl and oh-so-upset baby!

Classic Seoul picture face.

Sydney used to stare at her fist a lot… it’s now progressed to actually sucking on her thumb. Can you see how she’s lifting herself up on her feet… strong legs.

Family prayers. If only it were this pleasant every night.

Aunt Laurie & Uncle Jerry sent her this adorable purse… she loves it!

Why aren’t you picking me up, mom?

Seoul keeps Sydney company during tummy time…. and sometimes thinks it’s helpful to add weight to make her stronger.

Seoul’s new favorite activity is making “sticky balls” with play-doh. She ends up with piles of them.

This stink eye says, “enough tummy time mom!”

Sydney’s discovered her tongue. Seoul can’t smile any other way… and it’s adorable!

We love those jammies!

Sisters.

There’s that tongue again! Cutie pitootie!

Either Sydney thinks Seoul is funny looking or she loves her sister. Sydney loves to watch Seoul and loves to smile at her.

Seoul thinks it’s fun to remember (and try on) all the clothes she used to wear.

We love these girls and they are the best!

what happens when there are three??

These two beautiful girls keep me busy and my arms full. I love it! However, I feel so behind with some things lately. That's life, I suppose.... never truly caught up but always learning to prioritize.

More Tulip Festival

We ventured out to the Tulip Festival again with my mom (at the end of April). This time it was far less muddy but a bit windier. The highlight of the trip for Seoul was the cow train. We love making memories with Grandma!

  

Our Silly Seoul

Disclaimer: If you've seen this post already, sorry. Blogger is being funky at night and I'm pretty sure this posted already but I just looked this afternoon and it didn't show up on the blog for some reason... (or just call me nuts!)

Here are some more miscellaneous pictures! Enjoy  

Two high fives for no rain and playing outside!

Looking a little too big for this… maybe it’s time to move on to a real bike…?

Making friends with the Uncle David & Aunt Ashley’s new little puppy.

Hard at work building her toy… love those daddy-daughter dates!

Cleaning up after Daddy makes a mess outside doing yard work. “Don’t walk here!” she says.

Favorite outside / park activity: swinging.

A little melancholy that Sydney doesn’t share her love of driving (Sydney was crying in all the other pictures).

Seoul’s lovely hairstyle… can’t beat when she does it herself!

As she says, “I’m so beautiful!”

We love this little girl SO MUCH! As she asserts her independence we can’t help but love her more. She’s pretty much the smartest girl ever (in our opinion, of course) – she counts, she recites books & rhymes, she knows her alphabet, and surprises us every day with new phrases and facts. Her memory is unbeatable – she reminds us of events that happened months ago – and if you mention it once, you better follow through or she will not let you forget! It’s good times with Seoul and we’re so glad she’s our little girl!