five months...

well, the little one is officially five months old today!! and what a sweetheart he is! he is growing so fast, i can't seem to keep up with the little guy. we are loving this little baby more and more every second, and he is getting to be so funny! he makes us laugh constantly! he is such a joy to have in our home, and we just can't get enough of him or those cute little cheeks or thighs!

newsies for month five:

-he has two new teeth. i know i said that in the last post but i need to put it on here for future record. they just started growing in last week. they are about half way through. i have inspected his mouth in the last couple days and i don't spot more than that.

-he has rolled over a couple of times, but that was while he was on the bed and i am pretty sure he just rolled into us because we were making the mattress move him towards us.

-he likes tummy time for about 3 minutes then hates it

-he can hold his head up like a pro now. that's the newest thing he does while he is doing tummy time. he will use his arms and elbows as support and lift his head to look around

-he loves having his back tickled. and his tummy too. and by tickling i mean when someone tickles your back and it gives you goosebumps. that kind of tickling. a week ago Dylan was doing tummy time and he started screaming and i started tickling his back to see if it would calm him down. worked like a charm! he layed there like a dead fish, and once i would stop he would start squirming again until either i tickled him or picked him up. i have been tickling him a lot since then to calm him down whenever he is fussy.

-he is a little chatterbox. just a couple hours ago i was trying to rock him to sleep, and of course he couldn't be laying in my arms, he had to be sitting upright in my lap wrapped in his blanket so he could look around in the dark. but i was rocking him and as I was dozing off, i heard him start chatting away. it was hilarious. he did that for about 10 minutes then konked out.

-he is really good at grabbing whatever is in front of him. we don't really have to try and put his hand on something if it is in reach, he will just go for it..

-he loves the color red. if he sees anything red he will either stare at it, or if it is in reaching distance he will go for it.

-he holds his bottle 99% of the time

-he no longer has the sweet 'newborn' cry (i really miss that sweet little cry). no, he has gotten used to screaming and crying super loud. so fun for us!

-he is eating baby food! we have tried rice cereal a couple of times and he hated it! so his doctor said to try baby food that was age appropriate. we found some at Walmart and have been trying every so often for a few weeks to get him to eat it. yesterday i was feeding it to him and he finally let me feed him more than a couple of bites. it was adorable. i took a video, i will have to post it soon. and, after he was done (7 spoonfuls later) i ended up eating the rest. that stuff is TASTY! it was banana's. my fave.

-he is 34th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for height for his age. (apparently for his height babies are a lot fatter, but he seems pretty chubby to us)

-he loves to be held. we need to break him of always getting his way on that (it's hard because i love holding him)

-he is happiest in the mornings, just like his momma. i am the biggest morning person. Brett hates waking up. Dylan is super happy from the time he wakes up to his first nap. that is when i get all the cleaning done because he doesn't mind being in his bouncer because he is so happy.

-he loves to stand. he is constantly standing on our legs or anywhere that we will let him (and help him of course). he is so funny, once you pull him up to a standing position, he gets the cutest look on his face like he is so proud of what he is accomplishing. adorable.

i think i got everything this time, at least the big things. we love that little guy so much. he has made our lives better than we ever thought possible. he is amazing and has taught us so much. we love you Dylan!

BIG update...

there are a couple of updates that have happened very recently that we would like to share:

first: BRETT GOT A JOB!!! we could not be happier about this. we have been praying daily to find something that would be suitable for our family, and it came! finally! we honestly didn't think Brett would be getting a job before we moved down to South Jordan just because he has been super busy with school, interviewing is just so tough when we are up here so far away from where we will be living, and driving down there a few times a week for interviews just wasn't possible. but, we got one! it is for a job Brett interviewed for back in September. the interviewer came and held interviews here and at different universities around the state and said they would be letting the interviewees know about job offers in mid-November. well ever since November hit i have been constantly thinking about that job, but Brett has had so many interviews the last few months and little success because of how competitive the job market is right now , i didn't want to get my hopes up. but yesterday, the call came! i was upstairs trying to put Dylan to sleep and he was just sitting there chatting away, so i came downstairs to chill with Brett while he was doing some homework. i got to the living room and he said 'Kate, i think i got a job."  i thought he was joking, and it wasn't funny. i have been stressing about him getting a job for months now, and so has he. but he wasn't joking, he told me he just got a voicemail from the guy who interviewed him at Utah State Tax Commission in Salt Lake and they wanted Brett to call them back if he was still interested in the job. we were freaking out, but i didn't want to get my hopes up. but i didn't have to suppress my hopes any longer when i heard Brett call the guy back and the guy said they want Brett to start as a State Tax Auditor at the first of the new year. Ahhhhhhhhh! we were jumping up and down, i teared up, it was great! we have been hoping for this for so long, and now it's here! we don't have to stress anymore. we won't be penniless when we move. yay! it's about time that going to school forever payed off! we are so excited and couldn't be more thrilled! i am so proud of my business-man husband, going out there and getting a big-boy job!

and second: we are not moving until Brett is done with school. this news is nothing compared to the news up above, but Brett no longer has a place to stay (long story) and a hotel would be way more expensive so we are just staying here together until Brett is done with school in mid-December. i am actually really happy about it. i was not looking forward to living away from my hubs for 2 weeks. good thing i didn't start packing yet eh? i really do need to get a start on that though, so i don't have to do it all last minute like i would've had to if we were moving down next week.

so there's the new updates. oh, i guess there is one more. the babe is going to be a chomper soon. he has two teeth growing in. both on bottom. he hasn't really been too onry with it, the only reason i know is because i felt them a couple of days ago when he grabbed my finger and shoved it in his mouth.

i will leave you with this little video. i took it a couple of weeks ago and i think it's pretty funny. ignore my nasty voice. focus on cute little Dylan.

all i want for Christmas...

i cannot believe it's that time of year again...turkeys, yummy treats, family gatherings, stuffing, snow, the dreaded butt-cold of Winter, Christmas tunes, snowflakes, slush, presents. the bottom of my jeans always damp, glistening lights, Christmas time and making Christmas lists!! so crazy that it's time for me to write up my Christmas list for 'Santa' already. i feel like i just did this list for last year.

i think you might be a tad bored with my list this year. i think as i get older, my lists get shorter and shorter. not because i don't want anything (that's not possible for me), it's because everything i want is just a little expensive.
i know that there is no way that i am getting everything i am asking for, we would go close to broke if i did. but, 'Santa' wanted a list of a few different things that i want so i wouldn't know exactly what i was getting. so i am giving him a detailed list right here, complete with pictures and descriptions so he can refer back to it. you can thank me later Brett :) and don't worry, i am giving you A LOT to choose from.

here we go in no particular order except for item #1:

i am just a little obsessed with this watch. i was first obsessed with one at Nordstrom's until i saw the pricetag and that wasn't happening ($275). this is a cheaper version pricewise, but not quality-wise. And, they almost look exactly the same. this is a Fossil. and Santa, the name is Stella Stainless Steel Watch in Rose Gold. i am in love with this watch. really though.

Adobe Photoshop CS5 version. this is the best photoshop out there. and the priciest. but, if you are a student, you can get HUGE discounts on this puppy. Santa, you know where to find the discounts.

any color(s) of OPI nail polish. this grey one seen above is beautiful, but any shade(s) will do. you can find at Sephora or Ulta

Santa, if you can get me one of these, then we are set. let me know if you find one.

this camera lens. it's a 50mm f1.8 AF-S for Nikon. this lens is crazy amazing. Amazon.com or Inkleys.

 ipad 2. Santa, i know you think that ipads are stupid and that you would prefer me to get a different type of tablet that wasn't so overly-priced or that wasn't so limited in things it can do, but i reeeeally want one. or you could just give me money to start a savings account for one. that works too.

P.S. i love you. love this movie. always have, always will. makes me cry every time.

Full House all seasons box set. self explanatory.

Friends dvd box set. Santa, we love watching friends. you would enjoy this present too you know :) 

and last, but most definitely not least...this beautiful coat. i love it. i need a nice coat and if you are looking for one for me Santa, look no further. just go HERE it's my favorite. and wine red or navy blue will do.

ok, i think i am done. don't worry, i promise i don't think you will get me all of these. and i don't want you to. but, you have a huge bucket-full of things to choose from. and that's what you wanted so that's what you got. 

and just remember, Santa. i have been a reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeallly good girl this year. i gave birth for crying out loud. i pretty much did the impossible. i went through pains you will never have to feel, all so i could give you your beautiful son. i did that for you. unselfishly. and willingly. think about it :)

say cheese...

yesterday was my photography class...it was soooo fabulous! i don't know why it has taken me so long to sign up for one of those. i wish i had done it a long time ago. once i got there (i will just sum up my morning for you, my alarm didn't go off in time because my phone decided to die the one time i needed an alarm, the drive to Ogden was complete rain/snow, and my gps got me lost, but i was only 10 minutes late somehow) i learned more than i ever thought i could about my camera. and i also learned i need to buy a new lens asap. i just have the standard lenses the camera comes with, and Camille (the photographer holding the class) let me borrow her 50mm f1.8 lens for the 6-hour class (that is what we were using to shoot and learn about) and holy moly! i found what i want for Christmas this year. that thing was amazing. i got home after the class and was trying to take pictures with my lens and it was total crap. i couldn't get nearly the same results as i got with the 50mm. i need that lens!
 She also taught us how to do everything on our camera's manually which i LOVE! it took pretty much the entire class to get the hang of doing everything manually, but i will NEVER go back to having my camera on auto again. you can do so many things with it when you control everything. it was awesome. i have been taking pictures all day today just applying the techniques i learned and the functions of my camera. i love it. i was always so scared to use my camera manually because i thought it was so complicated, but once you know what all the buttons mean, it's a breeze. she gave us each a manual she made explaining all the functions of our camera's and the basics of Photoshop (yep, i now need/want that too) and tips and tricks she does. that thing is incredible. i just love that manual. it explains everything i need to know about photography. she also split everything she went over into 6 sections and made it really easy to understand. then after each section she had us go and do a 'photo assignment' so we could apply what we learned and she would come around and help us and answer questions. she was so good about answering all the questions we had and helping us understand everything she was talking about.
she also set up a 'mini-shoot' for us, and she had models come in so we could practice our new-found techniques on them in different lighting. it was wonderful. it was snowing hard outside but we braved it and it was totally worth it. oh, i just loved it all. the time went by so fast and i didn't want to go home, i was having so much fun learning about my camera.
here are just a few of the 500 pictures i took yesterday (and no, that is not an exaggeration).

so what ya think? not too shabby eh? (*note: the pics of the side of the chair and the green balls were one of the photo assignments we did, we had to make the background blurry and focus on one thing.) this class was so worth every penny, the snowy drive and getting lost. i can't say enough good things about this class! Camille was such a great teacher and really helped us try to understand the concepts and helped us to get everything she wanted us to learn. i am so happy i took it. i wish i had another one to look forward too. oh, and if you want to read and see more pictures of the photo class, you can go to Camille's blog post about it HERE (and you should because I am in a picture or two:)

thanks again, Camille! you are seriously amazing!! i learned sooo much and can't get enough of practicing everything you taught us.

engagement video...

don't worry, i know posting this is totally random. there is no significance to today (except i guess we have been married a total of 905 days, if that counts at all) but i came across this little video last night while i was organizing my pictures on my computer and realized that nobody, i mean NOBODY, has ever seen this video besides Brett and i. i meant to post it after we got engaged, but as engaged people often do, we were too busy having fun, making out and wanting to cuddle so i never got to it. so i am doing it now before i forget again. i think it's super cute, and don't worry if you can't hear anything...the camera was a little too far away so you can't really hear anything except at the end....you can hear me squealing if you listen really closely as he bends on one knee. (if you want to hear the entire engagement story, you can read it right here)  i just watched it for the first time last night since we got engaged and it made me so happy. it's crazy to look back on that time when you have come so far. i love it. i am so grateful Brett asked me to marry him and that we are living such an amazing life and have the most amazing baby. i am so happy my life has turned out the way it has.

enjoy :)

big news...

well, we just have some news to say to everyone out there if you already haven't heard. no, we aren't pregnant. no, Brett hasn't gotten a job yet (but he is still interviewing and looking). yes, we are moving. wait, what? you are moving? YES! we. are. moving. yahoooo!! i have lived in Logan now for 4 years, and i am dunzo. i have kinda had it with the worst winters in Utah, the small town college scene, the ghetto Walmart down the street, and the dumbest drivers in Utah. seriously, Logan is the capital for the stupidest drivers known to man. don't get me started on why because i won't be able to stop. just know it's the truth. but anywho, back to moving. we are moving...in 2 weeks! yes, we know its soon and yes, we know its going to be a lot in that short amount of time, especially since we don't want our families to have to drive up here to help us because it's going to be freezing and just a lot of driving. so we are doing it ourselves, and i think Brett will recruit a few of his friends up here to move the big stuff. but we are totally up for the challenge. and no we haven't started packing. that part starts today. i am not looking forward to it. packing is not my favorite thing and i have been putting it off for a week now. today is the day. if we don't start today we might not get it all packed in time. i am excited to get rid of all the junk we don't need anymore, but not excited to pack up everything.
oh, and you are probably wondering why we are moving in 2 weeks when Brett has school until mid-December. we don't want to have to pay for December's rent, and we could definitely use our deposit for Christmas money along with our December's rent so it was kind of a no-brainer for us. well, maybe not for us, but for Brett. it's going to stink living down in south Jordan just me and Dylan for 2 weeks, but apparently, to Brett, the money is worth it. and i know it will be worth it to me to once we actually have money for Christmas.
oh, and as to where we are living. well, like i said, we are moving to South Jordan, and moving into my mom's basement apartment. it's super nice, has it's own entrance and kitchen and everything. it's going to be a little tight, especially since there is only one bedroom which means Dylan is going to have to sleep in the exercise room (in his crib of course). it's going to be interesting. but good. i am actually really excited. and so is Brett. Logan is just old news now. the drive back and forth from Salt Lake and Logan has gotten so routine and old i could literally drive it with my eyes closed. it will be soooo nice to live close to all our friends and family, especially for the holidays and we won't be having to drive back and forth every week for family stuff. and it will be fun to live so close to my mom and siblings, and Brett's family. they are all obsessed with Dylan and it will be nice that they will be able to see him more, and we have built-in babysitters. woot woot!
we will most likely be living at my mom's for a year and a half. Brett will be done with his master's program by then so it will hopefully be time to look for a house! yippee!
it will be sad to leave all our friends up here, especially our ward. we just love our ward. it will be hard going from such a great young adult ward to a family ward. but, i love my mom's ward so it won't be that hard. it will just be different, but good.
it's weird, some days i just can't wait to get out of here, and others i am so sad to be leaving. i have said for so long that i can't wait to get out of Logan. and now that's it's here it's so surreal. i am so sad to be leaving a great townhouse that we have built and made a lot of memories in. we brought our first baby home to this house. we have grown so much here. it will be good though. the change is scary to think of, but once it has happened i know we will just love it.

so much to do, and so little time. 2 weeks is going to come a lot faster than i think it is.

the best part about sundays...

sleeping in (Dylan let us sleep in until 9am today. absolute heaven.) then making an extremely yummy breakfast with my sweetheart, filled with pancakes made from scratch, bacon, eggs, and homemade syrup. Scrumptious.

oh, and having this guy to eat it with (he's the best)...

and watching and laughing at the happiest baby around...

who got wiped out from all his giggles and chuckling...

yep, that's the best part about sundays.

10 things i heart about today...

uno: i got to give my baby boy a bath this morning. very fun.

dos: we took a road trip to provo and back.

tres: brett had a major job interview. that is why we went. and it went really well.

quatro: i got to eat at my favorite food place ever. Zupas. so amazing. look it up.

cinco: i got my extensions tighened and looking purdy.
ces: dylan was in his carseat for 4 hours straight and didn't make a peep. rare and awesome.

cieta: i got a new bra. well two actually. victoria's secret doesn't exist in logan and i had to take my chance. it's been 3 years since i have had a new one and the old was was getting reeeally old. i heart my new ones. adorable and supportive. sorry if that's tmi but that was a major part of my day. ok?

ocho: brett and i belted to the radio on our road trip. to keith urban to be exact. yes, we are awesome.

nu eve: i booked the hotel that me and my 3 best girl friends are going to be staying at on our girl's trip this december. little america, watch out. four crazy girls are comin' your way

dies: i got to spend the entire day with my two favorite boys. best thing ever.

Photography Class...

So, I am not sure if a lot of you out there know this, but in the last year or so, I have really taken an interest in Photography. And not just a little interest...kind of an obsession? Yeah, that word is definitely fits how I feel about it. I just LOVE it. I love taking pictures of anything and everything, and I love the editing and being able to transform pictures in different colors and ways. I took those photo's you see at the top of this blog, our family ones, and I edited them afterwards and I think they turned out pretty good. Not amazing, but good. But anyways, my friend, who just left on his mission in May sold me his DSLR camera for a very, very generous price and I must say it was the best purchase I have made in a long time. I love that thing! I take it with us almost everywhere we go just in case there is something to take a picture of.

Well, I love my camera, but I don't know a whole lot about how to use it to it's full potential. So, one of my best friend's older sisters, Camille Garrison (who is an amazing photographer by the way, see her blog here) has been doing photography classes for a while, and I have been super tempted to sign up for one but have been a little bit...nervous? I don't know, I guess I am just scared of jumping in with both feet and actually learning about photography, my camera and how to take amazing photo's instead of just trying to teach myself. Don't ask me why because I don't know. So I was looking at Camille's photography blog a few weeks ago and saw that she was going to be doing another photography class in the middle of November. I talked to Brett about it, and really decided that this was something that I want to pursue, this is something I want to major in and get my degree in, and eventually want to turn into more than just a hobby and a love, I want to start my own business once I feel that I am good enough. My passion is that strong for it. So, I did it! I signed up. Sounds lame that I am proud of myself for doing that, but I am. It's just scary to go after your dreams sometimes, even if you are taking baby steps to achieve them (hey, that could be an inspirational quote or something :) So November 16th, I am starting my dream. I. can't. wait. It's going to be great. She is printing up amazing books for us that are catered to our types of cameras, and she is going to have models there that we can practice the techniques she shows us on, and she is going to show us how to use Photoshop (well, as much as she can in 7 hours). Once I get good enough, or where I want to be with my photography, I will buy Photoshop. But not yet. That is yet another baby step I will take when I am ready.

So November 12th, come as you may. I am ready for you. And oh so excited :)

Good Day...

Today has just been an all around great day. For the last 5 days Dylan has been getting up at least 4 times in the night because he caught a super nasty cold from me last week, but after he slept not only through the night, but slept 14 hours (yes, you heard me right, 14) and I got a sound sleep, I woke up feeling like a million bucks. Then Brett came home super early from class and told me his class was canceled that morning, so we all got to hang out as a fam until I took Brett up to his 12:30 class, only to have him call me 5 minutes later and had me pick him up because his second class got canceled as well. Bonus! Brett has been gone pretty much all day every day (minus weekends) for the last couple weeks studying his butt off for school so this was a real treat! So, we went shopping. Of course :) I got the cutest leather jacket EVER (thank you 30% off coupon) at Head Over Heels, then we went coat shopping for Brett. Nada. That kid is THE pickiest person when it comes to anything he puts on his body. Seriously. Then we decided to go to the hippest place in town right now...Kneaders! It just opened last week and I have wanted to take Brett since he has never tasted the savory goodness of that place. 

Turkey Bacon Avadcado on Focaccia Bread with Potato Cheese Soup for the Mr.

Chihcken Salad Sandwich on Crescent with Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup for the Mrs.

Both were so divine. Brett loved it but wasn't a huge fan of the price. I must agree with that. Our bill came up to $21.67. Yeah, kinda expensive, but really yummy. We decided that when we go there from now on (because, lets face it, we will :) we are going to share a meal. Fine with me, neither of us could finish our meals because they were so big. 

Then once lunch was done, we went on a nice drive around town to see the leaves, came home and took a little family nap and relaxed until 5, then Brett headed up to campus yet again to study. And that's where the ol' boy's at now, and sweet Dylan is sleeping and I am relaxing. 

Such a good day :)