We did it!

Well, I don't know how many of you remember me and Clark finishing reading the Book of Mormon last year (we read almost every day from July - February). Right after we finished, we started over in Spanish. Well, one kid and half a pregnancy later, we finally finished! Yeesh, it took forever! And my pregnancy brain is so bad that I didn't realize how close we were to finishing until I was reading my verses and turned to the last page. Yup. Observant me. :D

Since Clark's mission president told them to read the Book of Mormon every day, we'll be starting over (in English) but since I'd like to go through the Standard Works, we'll begin reading the Doctrine and Covenants, too. :) So, a couple of verses of the Book of Mormon, then about ten in the Doctrine and Covenants (because ten is all we can manage with a crazy toddler trying to pull apart the pages or leap to her death from our bed). Maybe by the time this next kid is three years old, we'll finish. :D

Polls!

I'm super behind on blogging (I know, I know, I always am) but I realized that I'm two weeks away from finding out whether or not Azucena will have a baby sister or baby brother this Christmas and I wanted all y'all to have a chance to guess the gender (remember, you had a month with her!).


Also, I've been trying to figure out what the big deal with Matthew McConaughey is. So, yeah. Take that poll, too. And if you want to elaborate your answers, you're welcome to in the comments. :)

Owlz Game (June 22)

As we all know, Clark loves sports. He really hopes that our children love sports too (whether or not they play them). So, of course, he really wanted to go to a lot of events this year. Unfortunately, what with school and moving and second pregnancy and such, we haven't been able to go to many things. Happily, we did make it to an Owlz game. We only made it to about six and a half innings, though--Azucena just can't handle focusing on something for so long. :)

 

 In case you've wondered, this is Clark's real smile. I love when I get it on camera!

 
And we were so lucky to get seats pretty much right behind home plate. I mean, look how close we are! (Oh, and while we were there, at least two people broke their bats while at the plate. Crazy, eh?!)

Thursday

Things that need to get done today:

1. Shower
2. Azucena's nap
3. Eat about 6 more meals
4. Go grocery shopping
5. Choir practice
6. Make dinner

Things I'd like to get done today:

1. Shower
2. Take a nap
3. Eat about 6 more meals
4. Go scrapbook shopping
5. Choir practice
6. Deliver thank you notes
7. Go to a carillon concert

Things that will probably actually get done today:

1. Eat about 6 more meals

::sigh::


EDIT:


Things that got done today:

1. Shower! Woo!
2. Azucena's nap
3. MY nap!
4. Choir practice
5. Ate a few more meals
6. Thank you notes
7. Grocery shopping
8. Dinner

Water Park (June 14)

Since Azucena turned one year old and because I really wanted to get out of the house, I decided to take her to the water park in southern Provo. This year, she was completely free! However, she was also a LOT more aware of her surroundings which lead to this:

(hanging onto my swim skirt for dear life) and this:

(escaping to the grass which was away from the water park).

However, after an hour or so, she finally felt confident enough to hang out at the edge of the pool and splash (see the beginnings of a smile?) . . .

 

    Well, mostly. :D

Outdoor Concert (June 12)

 
 There's a family in Orem that hosts outdoor concerts in the summer. This time around the special guest was Dallin Vail Bayles, whom I have loved since hearing him perform at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics (and during the national tour of Les Miserables about a year and a half later). I really wanted to take Azucena so she could have a chance to hear good music in an environment that wouldn't be upset at her age. Luckily, she loved listening to the music (also, the girls next to us had coloring books, which she loved looking at).

The set list was as follows (and was shared by Dallin, his wife, and their friend, whose name I didn't record because they said it really fast):

Something's Coming (West Side Story)

Go the Distance (Hercules)

the Wizard and I (Wicked)

Her Voice (the Little Mermaid)

Simple Little Dreams (110 in the Shade)

Music of the Night (Phantom of the Opera)

Til I Hear You Sing Once More (Love Never Dies)

One Hand, One Heart (West Side Story)

I'd Give It All For You (Songs for a New World)

Children Will Listen (Into the Woods)

The Prayer

For Good (Wicked)

God Bless the Outcasts (Hunchback of Notre Dame)

Bring Him Home (Les Miserables)

It's Just Another Ordinary Miracle (Charlotte's Web)

Astonishing (Little Women)

the Impossible Dream (Man of La Mancha)

One Year Old!

Happy birthday baby girl!

I can't believe how quickly the past year has gone. It feels like it was only a few weeks ago that you came into our lives and yet, it also feels like you've been with us for forever. Cheesy, but true. :)

This past month have had a lot of changes. You:

• finally got a tooth! Hooray! You didn't enjoy it but it's coming in nicely. :)
• took your first steps! You still don't like walking by yourself very much (we have to trick you into it almost every time) but you're up to about a dozen steps in one go. We're so proud of you!
• Started eating "real food." It's been fun giving you stuff right off our plates but it's even funnier to watch your reaction to some of the things you've tried. You especially love cooked zucchini.
• Traveled to a few new states. You're up to eight total now: Utah, Wyoming, Oregon, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri (the last four are your new ones).
• You imitate the sounds we make now. For example, you can make the elephant sound and you can "shh" us when we ask you to say prayers.
• Speaking of prayers, we say "shh, it's time for prayers" and you hold your finger up to your mouth, say "shh" then fold your arms. It's so cute!
• You know how to ask for certain songs! You point your pointer fingers together for "Itsy, Bitsy Spider" and you open and close your hands for "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." I love it! 

We love you so much, Azucena! We're happy you're with us, we feel so blessed that you're growing and learning so much, and we're excited to see what happens in the next year!

Love you!

~Natalia~

note: your one year doctor appointment isn't until next Monday so I'll update your stats then. :)

edit:
Length: 30.25 inches
Weight: 19 lbs 7 oz

You, waiting for the nurses to come back in and give you your year-old shots.

Hungry Caterpillar Party!

Since Azucena's birthday is the same weekend as an all-day family wedding, we decided to celebrate a weekend early. The theme we chose for the party was "A Very Hungry Caterpillar," since Michelle had been kind enough to gift her a plushie version and we've been using that to keep track of how much she's grown over the last year. Here are some pictures of the decorations. (My dad decorated the cake. Skills, no?)

Azucena loved visiting with the other babies that were able to come to the party. We had chalk for drawing on the sidewalks outside the building, balls to kick around inside, and lots of fruit for everyone to eat. Azucena didn't really understand opening presents, so Clark and I did most of the work for her.

On the other hand, she caught on to eating the cake rather well. :D 

 

  

Travel List

Things I need to remember for my next vacation:

1. Don't travel pregnant (at least, during the first trimester)
2. Don't travel pregnant with a baby
3. Don't take the nice camera you were gifted less than six months ago
4. Pack an extra camera, just in case
5. Fly as much as possible
6. Avoid layovers
7. Pack more than two books to read in a one week period

Four generation photo

Azucena and I were able to go on a week long trip to the mid-west to meet/see my mom's side of the family. I'm so grateful that Clark was okay with us heading out for so long. Here is a four-generation picture from our trip! (And the last three of us are the oldest child in our family!)