Waterfalls and Butterflies

We like to call Jessie FM. The fun mom. I kinda think that sometimes she really thinks that she is your mom! :) She loves you SO much and we are definitely her hobby! She pops in almost every day after work to either say hi for a quick minute or has some sort of activity planned for us. She has created calendars for us in the past with scheduled activities. Her mentality is no work, all play. Sometimes I have to get mad at her because we can't play EVERY day. I have to work, keep the house clean.. there ARE chores that need to be done. But she sure is fun. She is leaving us again to go teach English in China on August 1st so you can be certain that almost every day after she works (she works until 2) there is an activity planned.

One little adventure that was really fun was a hike that we went on. I can't remember what the hike was called but it was in Draper and we walked to some waterfalls. With you being the active toddler that you are, any activity that is outside... walking or running... is a good one for both you and me. You walked most of the way all by yourself and had so much fun finding butterflies along the way. You tried calling them to you by patting your leg and putting out your hand out and saying, "Come here, little butterfly." You also loved the waterfall. It was a perfect hike, perfect weather, and a perfect little adventure for the 3 of us! (4 if you count little Hank.)

You are trying to get a butterfly to come to you.

Funny Girl

A couple of Sunday's ago, I came into the family room to see you and dad watching this show. I have never seen Funny Girl but I have seen Hello Dolly and it is one of my favorites. We grew up watching that show at grandma Hart's house, singing the songs, and trying to re-create some of Barbara Streisand's hats. After seeing both you and dad's reaction to this show... it is a must that we watch it! Both your eye's were glued to the TV and you had funny little smiles. Neither of you would even glance in my direction or even noticed my existence. I finally got out my camera to capture the moment.. and you still didn't notice I was there!

You two sure make me smile.

Liberty Park

We went to Liberty Park last week and had the funnest time!! They have a little water park called the 7 Canyons and the 7 rivers that flow into the Great Salt Lake. SO SO FUN!!! Great grandma Hart also treated us to rides on the Merry Go Round. We had a blast and cannot wait to take dad with us next time!

Learned Behavior

It is interesting how much and how fast little kids pick up on your own behavior. I have to be so careful with what I do and say… Whitney, you repeat or try to reenact the littlest things, it’s funny. Some reenactments of late:

You were at Megan’s house and had just finished eating a treat. Instead of throwing your wrapper in the garbage can you threw it on the ground. Megan asked you nicely to put it in the garbage and you put your hoodie over your head and said “I can’t, I’m TOO tired.” And then you went and laid on the couch, like you were so exhausted you couldn’t pick up your own garbage. J Not such a great “learned behavior” but one that you have definitely heard me say many times… sadly.

Another time, Daddy and you found a little baby spider in a spider’s web on the side of our house. Dad thought it would be fun to try and feed it soo you went in search for some food. You guys came across an ant hill so naturally you two picked up some ants and tried to feed the spider. I don’t know if the spider actually ate the ants but every time you see an ant hill now you try to pick them up and you go in search of the spider. (Which is no longer there.) If there is one insect I SUPER SUPER dislike it is ants, really. They freak me out! I’m pretty sure dad taught you this just to make me a little crazy!

You also love to do whatever we are doing. When dad is working on the computer, you like to work on yours too.

Just working so hard!

Parker

Parker is such a fun uncle and you absolutely LOVE to love him or don't want anything to do with him. You really just love him, but you love him so much that you get embarrassed around him. Last week Parker babysat you while the girls went to get manicure's and pedicure's for Jessie's wedding and here's what happened:

According to Parker, you had stepped in some dog poop and so he decided to just put you in the bath tub. I guess he was dirty too and he decided to get in with you. (NO WORRIES THOUGH PARKER WAS WEARING A SWIM SUIT!!) I guess you guys were having so much fun that Parker completely lost track of time and you were in there for over 1 1/2 hours. Parker had a baseball banquet that night and his friends were at the house waiting for him, but the 2 of you were just playing and swimming with the jets and the water to even hear anyone trying to call or get into the house (Parker had locked the front door so you wouldn't escape!) Finally Jessie got home and pulled you 2 wrinkled prunes out of the bath tub, Parker rushed off to his baseball dinner and you were the happiest little wrinkled prune in the whole wide world!

Sprinklers, baby monsters, and nail polish

Whit you love to get wet and run through the sprinklers. We haven't really had many warm days to take advantage of this yet but when it's warm we spend every possible second outside. On Monday we (me, you, and Camden) walked down to the school to play on the play ground. To our lucky surprise they had the sprinklers going and you had so much fun running in them. They would slap your face and you would run as fast as you could back to me and then run as fast as you could back to the water. You are one busy body that loves to run around.

When we got back home we were outside waiting for Rochelle (Camden's mom) to come and pick him up. You kept saying that you needed to go inside to grab something so I said ok, you opened the door like 3 times... let the dogs out like 3 times :(... and were gone for a little bit inside looking for something. Finally you emerged back outside with your hands in a cupping shape, like you were holding something. I asked you what you were holding and you said, "Oh, just my baby monster." and you showed me the imaginary monster in your hand, asked me to hold it for you, and then went back to playing with Camden. You love to play pretend.

Another thing that you love to do is paint your nails and toe nails. Jess is in charge of that department but every time we go to grandma and grandpa's you always ask Jessie to paint your nails. You have now started "pretending" to paint your own nails. Yesterday, you made me sit down for about 5 minutes while you pretend painted my nails and toe nails. You would dip your finger into the imaginary nail polish and then paint each nail so perfectly and then dip again. I asked you what color you were painting them, of course you said pink. My nails looked beautiful! Thanks Whit! :)

Mcdonalds and Jesus Look a Like

You, me, and Camden hit up the Mcdonalds play place today for a fun energy draining- get out of the house- activity. It is freezing so we couldn't really play outside. You 2 are the best of buds and LOVE to love each other or fight like brother and sister. Most days you are best friends though and I love to watch you guys play. Whitney you are a little bit more reserved than Camden is. Camden will go and play with anyone and you usually just keep close to him. At one point during your play time, you came back to me and wanted to sit on my lap. After sitting for a minute, you wanted to go back to where Camden was but there were lots of people to pass in between... there was even a guy that kinda looked like Jesus (had a thick beard) and this is what you said: "Momma, I'm scared. I don't want to go by the Jesus guy." :) So I called Camden over, he came, grabbed your hand and you guys walked- holding hands- back to the play area. Your face seemed a little bit worried/unsure but Camden made it all better.. cute friends.

Lost Turtles and Little Prayers

A couple of weeks ago you and daddy were working outside in the backyard and dad accidentally left the gate open. Val was wandering around in the yard and somehow snuck out. Silly turtle. Awhile later we noticed he was gone and we were looking for him but couldn't find him anywhere! We searched everywhere we possibly could in places that he could never possibly get to!:) Dad rounded up the neighborhood kids and enlisted them in helping us find him. After about 2 hours of searching for him it finally dawned on mommy to say a little prayer. So me and you came inside and said a prayer. You asked Heavenly Father to help us find Valentine. It was so cute to hear the urgency and worry in your little 2 year old voice. After saying the prayer it was no more than about 5 minutes that one of the neighbor kids came rushing over to say that he had found the turtle!! Valentine was burrowed in neighbors yard somewhere. We were VERY happy that we found him. Thank you Whitney for your childlike faith and sweet innocence. Heavenly Father does hear and answer prayers even if they are as small as helping us find our silly turtle, Valentine.

Little Moments

{picking your nose... one of your finer traits.}

Being a mother has been the most rewarding and the hardest experience I have gone through and am currently going through. Whitney you are a very active toddler and sometimes goes ALL day long without stopping. You are just like your dad.. always going, always something to do, never stopping. I can’t keep up with either of you!!

You are so silly and say some of the funniest things and anytime I leave you-- I miss you like crazy!! You are stubborn, messy, and bossy. (All traits that make you the cute girl that I love) but sometimes you run me ragged. I wouldn’t trade you for the world and I know that Heavenly Father gave me you to teach and love. I am amazed at how fast you learn and understand things. You soak up anything and everything that I teach you. (You have mastered your ABC’s, can count to 20, can count to 10 in Spanish, know your colors and shapes, and talk in full sentences all of the time.) One of the things that I haven’t been as diligent about doing is teaching you about the gospel, which is the most important and central part of mine and Danny’s life. The last couple of months we’ve started praying with you every night before bed. If we forget, you will remind us! But you have started saying your own prayers or will copy what we say. It’s so cute! The other night I started the prayer by saying “We thank you for Jesus. We thank you for momma. We thank you for dada.” And you stopped me and said, “no thank you for dada, thank you for baba.” And then you continued to say your own prayer (you didn’t want our help) by thanking Heavenly Father and Jesus for your dogs, turtles, your friend Camden, blankies and then ended the prayer with a very loud AMEN! We couldn’t help but just laugh at how silly you are, but sometimes I forget how precious and innocent children really are. You are so pure and forgiving.. I have so much to learn from you.

Another moment that struck me by your innocent excitement was just the other night. We were driving up by the Draper temple and when the temple came into view you screamed (literally) “WOW, mama look at that big house!” (pointing at the temple). I had to explain what the temple was and that it was Jesus and Heavenly Father’s house. You said “Ya, Jesus house, I want to go in it.” I said that you couldn’t go in it yet but that we could walk around Jesus’s house and you were happy with that.

I love these sweet moments that I get with you when I can FEEL our families spirits connect. Often times I take the little things in life for granted, but you never do. You teach me and Danny forgiveness, beauty, love, and patience every day. You help me be a better me by loving me unconditionally. I love you to the moon and the stars and I am GRATEFUL for the little moments that I get with you every day!

Whitneyism's this week

I don't want to forget all of the funny things that she says. She really is hilarous and often times I forget what she said unless I write it down. Here are some funny's this week:

On Sunday while driving through Parley's Canyon, going to Danny's parents, Whitney said to me: "Momma, be careful in the mountains."

We were at Parker's baseball game on Tuesday and she got really shy around Parker. He came to say hi, but she wouldn't even look at him. Afterwards we had this conversation:

Mom: "Whitney, why didn't you say hi to Parker?"

Whitney: "Mommy, I am too shy."

Monday morning I could hear her awake in her crib so I went in to get her. Here is how it went:

Mom: "Good morning Whitney."

Whitney: "No mama, get out. I'm still sleeping!"

Whitney's Blog

I decided that I would start a separate blog all about Whitney and the everyday things she says or does. I am not going private on this blog. I just thought it would be fun for Whitney to have later on in her life, a record of the silly and fun things that we did together. I do have a personal journal as well but I thought this would be a fun and easy way to post pictures when I want (instead of printing, cutting, and gluing into a journal).. very easy. At the end of each year, I will print this blog in a book format for her. Plus, if a natural disaster were to ever occur, I'm probably not going to even think about grabbing journals or pictures.. but if it is online, it can be accessed at anytime. So little Whit, this is for you. Sure do love you lots... enjoy! :)