The Happenings...

Everday life:

This still cracks me up. I feel like a circus, especially at the grocery store.

I love this picture because Rainey looks so tiny, and Eleanor looks huge.

Rainey asks to hold E and then take a picture almost everyday. This is a classic sequence.

First Smiles:

Sweet, smiling girls before church

I love this one

Bear Lake:

This was not staged. They were all reading at the same time. Awesome.

Rainey loved the this as long as we were going under 10 mph.

E sleeping in the back of the car -- still enjoying the sand and water.

Sweet friends.

Potty Training:

This is huge for me. I had been dreading this for a long time, but I decided one day that it was time. I knew she was ready, and we just had to do it. We're on the fourth day, and I think she's got it. We've only had a few accidents, and now she goes by herself. I'm so proud of her!

Showing me her big girl underwear by her chart. She's no longer interested in the chart. She just goes now.

I had to get an action shot. She thinks it's so funny that she's not looking at the camera.

Rainey's room:

Kevin's sister and her little boy came out for a few days, and thankfully, she helped us get started on re-doing Rainey's room. I've wanted to at least re-paint, but I just couldn't get it going. Redecorating is not one of my strengths...

Just before a walk

This is how we ran our errands -- pretty crazy at times, but I love all of these faces.

Here's the before video:

The room could not get worse..

The (almost finished) after:

I posted these now because Kevin is leaving tonight on a 10 day trip and who knows how long it will be before we hang everything and do the finishing touches. But this at least gives the idea. .

Sisters

In answer to some requests, here are some more pictures:

Rainey loves to hold "Baby Eleanor":

And she loves to "rest by her":

Time with Gramsey:

Eleanor after a bath (pre-acne):

With her aunt:

Rainey with her new jammies from Dad after his trip to China:

The girls without Dad on Father's Day -- we sent this to him in China. We missed him so much! It's so nice to have him back, even if we're still in survival mode. Slowly, but surely we're getting better at two.

Welcome!

Eleanor June, born June 6 at 4:23am, weighing 7 - 11.

We were so excited to finally meet her.

Kev got to give her the first bath.

Rainey meeting her for the first time. She is so sweet and gentle with her baby sister.

Going home!

Randoms...

It's been a while since our last post. Things have been busy.

Kevin turned 30!

We took a trip to celebrate (without Rainey). This is the (loud) bird exhibit outside our room... it was a love-hate relationship.

I finished school! Sweet Kevin brought both of his girls some flowers -- Rainey was SO excited to get flowers from her Dad.

We're getting ready for #2 or at least we're starting to face that reality. Rainey can't wait to hold her.

It's finally spring, which means lots of outside time.

And I had to include 2 random pictures:

I love the beginnings of drawing people -- this is her "dancer girl." She really doesn't like to draw on paper, so I can only see these works of art on the white board...

This leotard is from her cousins, and she loves it! (as do I)

Some new faves

Green drink -- every other morning

Painting

Holding babies on her lap (I hope it lasts until the summer and is just as fun when it's her sister)

Without pictures to back them up, the list also includes dresses that can "twirl," helping Mom cook, and dancing.

Also noteworthy is our trip to NYC without Rainey. We had a blast with Kevin's parents and we got to see quite a bit for our short time. I love that city!

End of Year

I can't believe we're in 2010 and that we have a 2 year old. Here's an attempt to catch up from the end of October...

I love this picture -- she is so crazy about her Dad. We both love it when he walks in the door from work, but she won't really leave his side from that point until bedtime. She also loves puzzles. So you can see from the look on her face how pumped she is to have both things:

What a sweet, happy girl:

Back in the beginning of December, we celebrated Rainey's birthday with family. She was SO excited just to have people there to sing "Happy Birthday" to her and then to watch her blow out the candles. Her face while we were singing was priceless. We were recording instead of taking pictures, so I can't post it on here, but it was one of pure joy. And nothing is better for a parent than that, especially when it is so simple. Just a few birthday shots.

She got to open a present from Grandma when she first woke up:

She had a friend come over, and she shared her new fashion with her. Rainey always wants to put dresses over whatever she is wearing. Her favorite combo is jammies and a dress.

Just after the singing and candles. She has such a satisfied look on her face:

Opening presents with cousins, aunts, uncles, and Gramsey:

We got to have Christmas here with my family. Once again, we have great video of Christmas morning, but no pictures. Rainey loved the tree -- she would ask to go sit by the tree multiple times a day.

This is a typical face, not sure what it means. But we had a good time putting together the gingerbread house:

An amazing Christmas gift from my Dad for all of us -- tickets to the Jazz game. Look at how close Jerry Sloan is! What a night!

We visited the Mitchells in California for New Year's weekend and took Rainey to the beach--she was in heaven. She LOVED the waves, even though the water was freezing. She wanted to be nakey in the waves, and so we let her. Kevin was quite embarrassed, but I thought it was awesome.

2010 should be even better than 2009 -- Kevin just started in a new position, I finish school in May, and we'll have our second girl in June. And just that we continue to be near family is fabulous.