“And She’ll Have Fun, Fun Fun…..”

It’s that time of year again where I am so happy that summer is ending because I am not a fan of the hot weather. It also means ‘Back to School’ for many, and for our household… the start of the football season. Trevor has managed to get NFL Sunday ticket for free again this year which makes the entire Smith household giddy with anticipation. (I have a feeling that Bailey and I will spend a lot of time upstairs on Sunday’s). Actually, my sister McKenna and I are playing fantasy football this year in one of Trevor’s leagues. Our strategy during the draft was to choose players with fun names and/or who we thought were cute. Our team name is “It’s Showtime Synergy” (Thank you, Jem and the Holograms) and fits in great with the other 9 men’s fantasy teams, I am sure.  Trevor and my brother in law are just hoping that this makes us even more interested in Football fun this year. (I will let you know what happens). Trevor is also excited to attend the University of Utah’s opening football game with his dad. GO UTES!!

It has been a great few weeks full of other family fun and family reunions for both sides of Trevor’s family. We got to show off Bailey, have fun with cousins, and spend more time with Trevor’s parents who got back in the beginning of July from Thailand. Janis (Trevor’s mom) and Bailey got quite a bit of ‘rock-a-bye’ time in which was great. Bailey is doing well with trying new foods. She loves pears, peaches, and squash. But she really seems to not be a fan of peas. I can hardly believe that she is almost 9 months old! Time is flying! Not to brag, but she is still the best and happiest baby ever. (Even outsiders agree). However, I have posted a picture of her sad, because it does occasionally happen and I think it is kind of funny. She continues to move and groove and I think that she will probably be one of those kids who never crawl, but go right to walking. She is also a talker, which I am sure will come as a huge surprise to everyone…since I am her mother. She has a lot to talk about, but I think most of it is about how great I am, and how much fun we have together. Ha! Seriously though, I love being a mom. She is the best thing I have ever done and I am so beyond grateful that we have her in our life. It was a struggle getting her here, and then we had even more troubles after she got here, but she is completely worth all of that and more!  Trevor and I have even managed to go to the movies twice in the last few weeks, thanks to willing friends wanting to spend time with Miss B. It’s important to stay in touch with pop culture right?

Have a great last few weeks of summer and August everyone. We are excited to see family in Idaho in a few weeks and meet my new nephew, Austin. I am sure there will be stories and photos to share from that Granat fun. Let’s get this party started quickly…..right?! Until then…

It doesn't happen very often...but she does get sad sometimes. Isn't it funny?

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL!! (we had to buy the football outfit in the boys section...how sexist!)

Leave on a mission, come home to a new grand-baby!

Don't worry, this is how she is most of the time.

Cute cousins!

Pretty in pink.

Came downstairs on a Sunday afternoon to this....when do I get a nap?!

"Hot Fun in the Summertime..."

It is summertime and we all know what that means... it's the perfect time to visit Arizona and its nice temperate climate! [read sarcastically] Many of you might know that I do not enjoy the heat, but we were all excited for the reason we recently ventured to Arizona, Trevor's parents are home from serving as Mission President and Mission Mom in Thailand! They were gone three years and were on a mission in Hong Kong before that. So after nearly 5 years living abroad it was great to have them return to the good land of the U S of A and be able to celebrate with the entire Smith clan on the Fourth.

It has been a great few weeks since we last saw you all. Bailey was a champ for her first road trip to Arizona and slept for the first 20 minutes and the last 45, but was happy the entire time. It was a pretty similar story for the return trip as well. What a trooper! We truly are so lucky with this happy girl. Bailey has finally started on solid foods and she is still not sure how she feels about them, but we are moving right along and trying to find something she likes. She also got 2 new top teeth to go with her 2 bottom teeth - so at least we know she has 4. She is also rolling right along (literally) while trying to figure out other ways to move around. I think that crawling is in the near future. 

I am also back to work full time at the library. I am fortunate that I get to work from home 2 days a week. We found a great lady to watch Bailey - her name is Arlene. The best way to describe her is "Cloris Leachman meets Betty White". She has been watching kids in her home for 25 years and I know that Bailey gets a lot of attention especially since she is her only child right now. Speaking of attention - Bailey has had a ton from all the fun we have had in recent weeks visiting family. She loves her cousins and all her aunts and uncles and especially her grandparents. I know because she talks to me - it may sound like gibberish to some people, but I completely understand what she is trying to say. Have a great rest of July and we will be in touch soon with more tales and adventures I am sure.

 First 'Solid' Food Experience

"Happy Fourth of July Daddy"

Smith Family Back Together

Ready to get her swim on!

Successful First Swimming Adventure

Me and my sisters in law (and our "babies") - we make this look good!

Bailey and her daddy on his birthday

Family photo in AZ

Best Potato Head Ever!

So I Croup...yeah....(Six Months and Several Firsts)

Summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the streets...

Hard to believe that Bailey is now 6 months old - it has been an exciting last month. Bailey is now the proud owner of 2 teeth with hopefully more on the way (only 2 bottom teeth would be bizarre). We also went on a short road trip to Idaho to see family in preparation of our longer car adventure to Arizona coming up in just a few weeks. She was a great traveler and was in good spirits the whole time. Sadly, she did succumb to her first sickness last week. She got croup and after a sad "gollum" sounding cough, and a rough night or two, we were off to the pediatrician's office. One check up and a shot of steroids later she (and therefore I) were feeling a lot better. We had to give her a pill the following day which had to be crushed into something really "strong tasting" I was told. The fabulous pediatrician suggested chocolate syrup and well let me tell you - a spoonful of chocolate syrup helped the medicine go down in the most delightful way! We were just getting ready to start solids when this little lady got sick so we put it off, but now we can tell her that her first non formula food was Hershey's syrup. Rice cereal will pale in comparison for sure. 

I am getting back to work several days a week now and hoping that my return to the workforce will be fun and not too traumatizing for Bailey (but honestly, mostly for me). I did the obligatory 'Have a baby and cut your hair' thing. But in my defense I was losing handfuls and brush-fuls of hair daily. It was for the good of our drains and my mental health that we try to slow down my current balding situation.  But, regardless...I make this look good!

It is also our 8-year Anniversary. We are so glad to have Bailey to share it with!

Pretty in Pink

Steam Treatment (sorry for the nudity)

Chocolate Syrup Helps the Medicine Go Down

Cool Rider with Uncle Kirk

It's Black - It's White...Yeah Yeah Yeah

Happy and Feeling Good

Mommy Makeover - Shortest Hair Ever

Word to your Mutha! (Happy Mother's Day!)

Happy Mother's Day to every lady I know!

This year was a lot happier and more fun for some reason than past Mother's Days'. We have been spoiled with our perfect Miss Bailey, since she has been mostly sleeping through the night for months. But last night, as a special Mother's Day present, she slept through an almost 10 hour block! Best...Present...EVER!!!

Bailey continues to roll over and has started teething, but she is still as happy and easy going as ever. The big update is that she is reading. Quite an overachiever at not even six months old (see the pictures below). I have gone back to work and have been fortunate to work from home for the last month or so while I continue to heal and get stronger. It will be fantastic when I can say goodbye to my sexy oxygen. In the meantime, we are having fun at the Smith House. We are looking forward to upcoming trips to see family in Idaho and in Arizona. We are especially excited for Bailey to meet her Grandma and Grandpa Smith when they return from Thailand in July. 

Until next time - stay classy. 

What an attractive couple of ladies!

Advanced Reading 101

Polka Dot Fun!

I can't tell...do you think she is happy?

"My future is so bright, I gotta wear shades"

Glamour Baby!

Being this cute and brilliant is exhausting!!!

Movin' on up...

It has been an eventful last couple weeks...

Bailey has finally made the big move to her crib and she is loving it. So are we - especially Trevor. We continue to be spoiled with her sleeping through the night. 

She insists on rolling over and while we are happy and excited for her to be 'movin on up', it is so much easier when she stays where you put her. So we will discourage crawling as long as we can. :-)

I am now working from home and even went in this past week for a couple meetings. It was great to see people and it seemed absolutely normal to be there even though I have been out for the past four months. 

We hope that everyone had a great Easter weekend last week! Bailey's first Easter was pretty fun, even though she did not seem to want to color eggs this year. Maybe next year. The Easter Bunny kindly delivered some new pacifiers and future snack food.

Happy Spring everyone!

It's exhausting being this adorable!

Welcome Spring!

Happy 1st Easter!

Surprise cold-weather day, thanks for the fabulous coat Auntie Janette!

"Don't mind me and my beautiful blue eyes"

Stationery card

Her Monogram Birth Announcement

Announcements for every life event: graduation, wedding & baby.

View the entire collection of cards.

Fun, Flirty, and Four Months Old!

So Bailey is four months old now and already quite the rock star. To celebrate, I finally got my last drainage tube out! I am almost all healed and things are very exciting. We had a fun St. Patrick's Day with our Irish lady. Bailey is amazing (of course) and we are so happy for our miracle baby everyday. For anyone keeping track - we are up to about $300,000 in medical charges! But thanks to my fantastic benefits, we will only be paying a fraction of that. Thank goodness for health insurance! 

Have an amazing week everyone. 

We'll meet you down at the Bailey O'Quinn for a pint!

Happy Girl

Possibly a bad rattle choice? It is child proofed at least - and she is so happy. 

This hand is delicious!

I make sleeping look good.