January

It's one of our goals this year to make sure that we snap at least one quick family picture every month. After six months of having a baby, we quickly began to realize that Eric and I weren't being document at all, so here's to a new goal!

January started off with a brand new semester, which means tenant check-ins for us.

We had to be back to Rexburg on January 1st to begin the process. 

The first official day of checkins was Friday the 2nd. We didn't think it would be that busy, so Eric headed off to Wyoming to help his Dad put together a new office there. That left me and Hallie home to take care of check-ins.

It was crazy.

Our door was constantly being knocked on, especially at the most inopportune moments (i.e. While feeding Hallie, trying to put her to sleep, or while I was using the bathroom)

Luckily my parents arrived that evening (to bring Holly up to school) and were able to give me a break for the rest of the night.

Then things settled into a new semester schedule. Eric went back to school, and me and Hallie got back into our little routine.

Eric bought me PiYo for Christmas, so me and Hallie have been faithful in doing our work-out every morning.

Hallie's downward dog is out of this world.

It feels so good to get up and get going after a two week break of sitting and gorging. Eric has done it with us a few times and was  surprised at just how intense of a work out it is.

In trying to be healthier, we've tried to incorporate more vegetables into our diet. So pretty much we eat stir fry for dinner every night... because we don't really know how else to eat vegetables.

We have another dish that we love, peanut chicken. So good. So we made up that same peanut sauce and added it to our stir fry... and voila, new favorite dinner ever. We had it 4 times last week.

Ok one more quick story. 

It's the first Monday of school right? I'm brushing my teeth that night, and I notice that my furthest back teeth have something black stuck in them.  I try to brush it out, pick it out etc.. and nothing is working! Whatever it is, it's stuck in there good. 

So I call out to Eric, "Hey honey? Have my back fillings always been black?"

Eric "Like Silver Amalgam fillings"? --- (obviously a pre-dental kid)

Me: "Uhh.. yeah? Have they always been like that?"

Eric: "No, I just did a report on silver amalgam, I would have definitely noticed if my wife had them."

So he comes and checks out my teeth.

"Oh my gosh... your fillings must've fallen out! It's just a big black hole! We've got to get you in ASAP! No wonder your breath has been so bad lately" (thanks hon)

So he proceeds to call his dad and tell him about how the craziest thing has happened to my fillings and that I need to be seen ASAP.

So the next day, between his classes, we speed into his dad's orthodontic office to have him look at my teeth. 

Dad: "What's the problem? These are just her silver amalgam fillings.
Us: "But I/She doesn't have silver amalgam fillings!
Dad: "Um... yes she does. I can see them right here.
Me: " How come they've never been black before?
Dad: "Let's pull out your X-rays from 6 months ago and see.

Sure enough, I've had these for years and we've just never noticed them... needless to say, we felt silly... and I was kind of disappointed that I didn't have a good excuse for having bad breath.

Mouthwash has since been purchased.

6 Months of Hallie Grace

Our little Hallie is 6 months old!

This month with her has been so fun! If I had to describe her in two words, they would be curious and goofy. She cracks us up all the time with her silly little quirks. She's learning so much, so fast and you can't help but be so darn proud!

She sits up like a champ. She started sitting up by herself a little before she turned 5 months. But she has totally mastered it now. If she starts to lean to far over or back, she just tightens that core and pulls herself back up. I'd kill for her core strength!

She had a week straight where she'd just give us the goofiest, cheesiest smiles! Oh man, they killed us. So funny and so cute! They remind us so much of grandpa Skousen. She now reserves those big ol' smiles for special occasions.

She still does her little spitting routine, but not nearly as often. It still cracks up everybody at church, and she's so cute that they don't really seem to mind getting sprayed with baby spit.

Lately, her tongue has been her best friend. She has it out all the time!

Thankfully, Hallie still loves her carseat. She loves going on drives in the car. I love this about her!

Eric loves squishing her face every which way. This is "Mad Hallie"

She's been babbling like crazy these past few weeks too. It mostly sounds like "ba ba ba" but every once in  a while we hear a "ma ma ma" thrown in there. We aren't counting it as her first word quite yet though.

We're also working on getting her to sleep unswaddled. 

Night mare.

I put her down for her naps unswaddled, and she's up within 20-30 minutes. If she's swaddled, she can nap for 60-90 minutes. I haven't quite braved putting her asleep for the night unswaddled, too scared of not getting any sleep!

She's currently sleeping  10-12 hours through the night, with a dream feed or two thrown in there.

She's not afraid of strangers, which is one thing I currently love about her. She doesn't mind who's holding her as long as they have a face she can explore with her tiny little fingers. I hope she stays that way, it makes leaving her with a babysitter a breeze!

Pretty much we can't get enough of this sweet girl. Happy half birthday Hal!

Week of Anniversaries and Pure Nostalgia

 The next few days of this month are BIG ones for our family!


January 25th:

This day marks 6 months of having sweet baby Hallie in our lives. 6 months I've been a mom! Half a year! Ah where did the time go? She just gets better and better everyday. I can't believe how much she has learned to do already, she amazes us everyday and we just stinking love her!

January 26th:

This day marks 2 years since Eric and I became "official" and started dating. It marks 2 days since each of us had our "last first kiss"-cue T.Swift song-. It is really one of my favorite memories. I fought so hard against dating Eric for SO long. Finally giving in and deciding to give him a shot turned out to be the best decision of my life. Darn my prideful, stubborn self! But I love that he would not give up, even though the odds were SO not in his favor. If that doesn't make a girl feel loved and wanted, I don't know what does!

January 27th:

This day marks 1.5 years of marriage for us! I love looking back at pictures of our wedding day. It was seriously the best day ever. We couldn't have been happier with how everything turned out. It was so peaceful, calm and special. I loved that my grandpa was able to seal us shortly before he passed away. I love that we were sealed in the St. George temple, where my parents and grandparents were sealed. I love that so much of my new Hillam family made the effort to drive all the way down to Southern Utah to be with us. I love that my best friends Keri, Claire, Taryn, Emily and Holly all traveled to come support me. It was just a blissful, perfect, beautiful day. Most of all, I love that I've gotten to be Mrs. Hillam for the past year and a half. Eric has been such a wonderful husband and I know that he'll get better and better and better. I love learning from his quiet example. I loved watching him become a dad and absolutely excel in his roles as such. I love being in love! Happy 1.5 years to us!

January 31st: 

This day marks two years since I received my endowments in the Rexburg temple (in preparation to serve my mission). Little did I know that it would also be the day that I received my answer that I could, and ultimately would, marry Eric. One of the happiest moments of my life! I love that Ive been able to go to the temple often these past two years. It's been such a blessing in my little family's life.  I love going to the temple with my sweetheart and reminding ourselves of those sacred covenants that we have made with God and with each other. There is no better feeling, and no better motivation to be a little better every single day.

Daddy's Girl

Hallie is totally and completely obsessed!
She is a whole 'nother girl the second her daddy walks into the room.

I could have her happily playing on the ground with her favorite toy, and she'll lose immediate interest with it as soon as she sees or hears Eric.

She'll stare him down and follow his every move as he puts his backpack down, takes his shoes off, washes his hands etc. All the while holding her arms outstretched for him, begging him to pick her up.

As soon as he is all hers. She smiles and squeals and seriously won't take her eyes off of his. He's the only one that she will truly laugh for. She gives everyone else fake cough squeals.

She loves holding his hands. When she's with him, it's the only time she's really focused and not easily distracted.

She really does cherish every single second.

And so does he.

And so do I!

November!

November was a HUGE blur. I have no idea when it started and no idea when it ended. So I'm going to chalk that up to the fact that it was probably a really great, really busy month.

My parents came up to Rexburg the first few days of November (I think... it may have been Oct..)
I love it when they come. Especially now that we have Hallie. It's just so much more fun to have them see all the funny and cute things that she does in person, rather than trying to explain it over the phone. I love how much both sets of Hallie's grandparents love her. It makes me love them even more, simply because they love my child.

Holly and Madi both turned 19 on November 6th and 7th. I love having those two close by and they love doting on their sweet little niece.

Well... I can't remember anything that happened all during the middle of the month, so I'll cut to the chase...

We went to Overton (my home) for Thanksgiving! Eric hadn't been there since we got married a year and a half ago, and Hallie had never been there. So I was so excited to go and spend time with my family in my hometown.

We left Tuesday early morning so I could get down to the DMV in Mesquite to renew my license before it closed. Hallie was a saint the whole time. She just slept and smiled the entire time.

We had a blast over Thanksgiving break. We pulled taffy, played Beatles Rockband, had cornhole and kubb tournaments, ate amazing food and made delicious goodies, including SUSHI!

Hallie loved being spoiled with everyone's attention. And Eric and I loved just being there with family.
Hallie turned 4 months old on the 25th and so far this is my favorite stage! She is soo smiley and is trying so hard to laugh. Right now it's just a high pitch squeal with a huuuge smile. So cute.

She loves to be in a sitting or a standing position. She hates laying flat, especially on her tummy. Although she does sleep really well flat on her back.

Eric is the only one who can get her to fall asleep like this. It's great for during Church. With anyone else, she constantly lifts her head up and swivels it back and forth.

Hallie loves her Bumbo!

Perma-Glitter

This is the Christmas dress that my mom made Hallie out of leftover scraps from Natalie's prom dress. I love it and love that my mom can and will do this type of thing! Hallie looks so cute in it and loves to chew on the big tulle bow in the front.

However... yesterday I had a very concerned father about ready to google "How to get glitter out of a baby's head".

It's been over a week (and 3 or 4 baths) since Hallie wore this dress, and it appears that she has glitter imbedded into her skull! Haha, when the light hits her just right, she's our little disco ball.

 She doesn't seem to mind and neither do I. Shine on Hal. Shine on.