Sunday Outfit

This is Ray-Ray's newest outfit. Unfortunately, he made a mess of his cute jeans, but we had to take a picture of him in this grow-up plaid shirt, before he outgrows it. When we started snapping pictures, he wasn't sure about all attention and bright flashes of light from the camera.

But, then he really started smiling and showing off.

Stretching

Fri, May 23rd

So, here is the rest of the outfit that goes with the hat, so big!

Thurs, May 22nd

Ok, I haven't finished laundry, it is clean but I didn't care to fold it when he has some new outfits that almost fit him. The back says "bow wow" there is also a handy bib, but we used the day before when he spit up big for the fist time in weeks...so we will have to include it later.
BJ is totally ready to do some big boy stuff with Ray, but I wasn't too sure about this after BJ ducked down to make it though some doorways with him.
Clara hears us laughing and having fun so she barks to get our attention then sits looking up at the window, too cute!

Hiccupps

Wed, May 21st

I had an appointment for some tests at the hospital and it was cold out, so we got dressed up and Ray seemed to like me taking pictures of him, so I took lots.
He managed to take the hat off while I was getting ready and waved it up and down as if to say, "hey, Mom look what I did:)" He really didn't want us to go because, just as I finished feeding him and sat him up to burp him, he spit up all over his paints, the couch, and me. Needless to say we were late.
Once we got back home he seemed to be a lot happier and posed for more pictures.
But laying down wasn't good enough...
He wanted to sit up, but since he is still learning he first leaned back too far...
then forward too far...

then finally just right:)

Tues, May 20th

It started out as a great day, Raymond slept in and was being super cute (just before I took the picture he had his hand up by his head). Then, while I was taking a shower and getting all clean and ready for the day, Ray-Ray was working up a surprise for me.

The craziest thing is that he was sitting UP in his bouncy seat with a recently changed diaper, so that would mean he had to have made quite a lot of it and pushed it up against gravity to even get it looking like this, wow!

Discoving his Right foot

That's right, on Sunday May 18th Raymond was sitting up as he leaned forward and noticed his right foot for the first time that we have seen. He stared as I touched it and pointed out each of his toes, he seemed to understand that he could feel what he was seeing and watched me for a long while. He even reached toward his foot with his own hand! We are so proud of our little guy and are excited to see what other new discovers he makes this week.

Our Trip to visit family

As we waited in Logan for my sister Tiffanie and her family to arrive at the restaurant, Raymond was checking out Grandma's "Hawaiian" shirt. He stared at it for a good 15 minutes.

This is my brother Matt and sister Camille waiting with us, the fancy restaurant we went to was called the Black Stone. It was really cool looking and had a waterfall room just inside.
On the way back home we stopped to get a bite at Maddox, only the best restaurant in Brigham City, and when Grandpa had to take Raymond from Grannie and he just held him in mid air not sure what to do with him. Camille and I just laughed and thought it was cute how awkward Grandpa can sometimes be with little Ray-Ray.

Too Much Air

What Raymond does when we blow on him:)

We love our equipment

BJ and I love the baby swing, bouncer and pack n' play he has and lately he has been loving them a lot too, just check out these pictures. What you can't see is that he can reach the mobile and moves it on his own he also will pull himself up with his stomach and his back will be up off the bouncy seat about 3 inches for just a few seconds. This whole workout makes him sleep very good at night (last picture).

Just being cute

Dang, this kid is cute! Check out the special button BJ found to make him smile! We actually aren't sure if it is somewhere on his forehead or nose so we make sure we hit it by sliding our finger down his face. He really seems to like it. Plus there is a surprise at the end, just stop it when BJ drops the camera, you don't really want to see me, right?

Daddy's Pacifier

When Daddy is being lazy (practically all the time) he just sticks his finger in Ray-Ray's month to keep him quiet. The only thing is Ray has the "Jaws of Death" and as soon as his teeth come in his fingers are gone!

Raymond looking out the window

Some more pictures

Nap Time!!!!

Us Now

I can’t believe how quickly our time together has passed by, we’ve been married for two years on "Cinco de Maio" (the 5th of May), but each day brings with it new challenges, as well as new joys. Our greatest and latest joy is a new baby boy born on March 16th weighing 8lbs 3oz and measuring 19 inches. We named him Raymond after BJ's wonderful uncle. Since deceased, we want our son to be as warm and kind as he was. Raymond means "wise protector" and we feel that our son has a great purpose as we watch him grow and strive to be deserving parents. Our lives have been changed by him already. I have devoted all my time to being a mother and wife and BJ is working his hardest to provide. He will be returning to school ASAP to finish his degree in Mechanical Engineering in Missouri after we sell our townhome and move. Luckily, it shouldn't be more than just 2 more years for him to finally have his degree! This blog would not be complete unless I include a little on our sweet puppy Clara. She is a one year old, Australian shepherd with all the energy in the world. Raymond’s birth has also changed her. She is much more obedient and learning to be gentle and not jump up on everyone she sees. Clara has learned numerous tricks and continues to surprise us with how smart she is.

How it began

Our story began more than 6000 miles from here, in a city called Curitiba, Brazil. We met each other while serving our missions there. BJ remembers seeing me first, randomly at different meetings, but we were formally introduced at a concert that the missionaries participated in. We were placed next to each other in the line to enter the stage, and stood near each other while on stage. In between rehearsals we struck up conversation, but made sure to keep it proper and professional, although BJ, to this day, still swears that I was hitting on him when I was just being nice. We didn’t see each other for several months, until mission reorganization placed us in the same district, we then saw each other several times a week at meetings. As fate would have it, transfers came, and we were separated again, me to one side of the mission, BJ to the other, neither one of us thinking we would see each other again. Until that is, two transfers later and I was packing my bags to go home, I make it into the mission home, and who should I find there with a hurt knee going home as well, none other than Elder Myler. Turns out that the area he went to was renowned for finishing off knees and ankles with its hills. So there we were, sitting next to each other on a long flight back to our homes. Neither one of us could sleep much on the plane, so we passed the time by talking, as well as playing dots (BJ will never admit that I beat him every time). BJ told me stories about the nephews and family that was waiting for him, as well as the things he was planning on seeing and doing when he got back to his home town of St. Louis, MO, especially a trip up to Nauvoo that he was planning on taking later in the summer. Hearing this piqued my interest, I had wanted to visit Nauvoo. Now I had the opportunity to do it with this fun guy I was sitting next to (the sister missionary in me was already wearing off).

Needless to say, a few months later, I and my younger sister Heather boarded another plane out to Missouri to spend the weekend with BJ and his friends, in Nauvoo. During this time BJ hardly left my side, as we toured the sites, as well as attended the temple. We talked a lot, mostly in Portuguese, and discussed how we felt since coming home. On the drive back to the airport, BJ told me that he really liked me, and asked if he could see me again while he was out in Utah for a friend’s wedding, I of course said “SIM!!”. Two weeks later, BJ was the one boarding a plane, and this time we would get to spend the entire week together, it was like a dream come true. Our relationship continued this way, one of us flying out to see the other, until a weekend in October when my Mom stopped by my work to visit. She said that there was a surprise for me in the back of the van, lo and behold, there was BJ, come to see me with a special surprise, BJ came into my work with a rose, and a ring. I of course said “SIM!!”. Seven short or long months, depending on who you ask, later, we went back to the Salt Lake Temple to be wed.

Clara Growing up