Rob and James

Just after the 4th of July, James was able to meet his uncle Rob and Aunt Ali for the very first time. We don’t get to see my brother, Rob, and his wife Ali very often so it was so exciting to see them and hang out with them.  Currently, my brother is working on a new CD with his band so he grew his beard out really long. I thought James would be afraid of him, but he wasn’t. The first time that Rob held James, James flashed him a huge smile (James must have thought Rob’s beard was silly).

While Rob and Ali were here we went up American Fork Canyon and had YUMMMY tin foil dinners. Rob decided to get creative with the dinner and we added some banana squash to the tin foil dinners and it was so good.

Our dinners:

• Hamburger
• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Golden Yellow Potatoes
• Carrots
• Banana Squash

Grandma gave James his first dip in the river up the canyon too.

James in the River 1

James in the River 2

James in the River 3

I don’t think he expected the water to be so cold. Normally when his little toes touch water, it’s nice and warm. It was pretty funny though.

•••

Rob and Ali have been so nice to Sweet Baby James. They always have presents for him. This time when they came they brought the cutest little animal print socks. One pair matched James’ Tigger shirt from Disney World perfectly.

T-I-Double g-ER

Check out the zebra print socks they gave him in the picture with James and Rob. Those are cute too. There are a couple other prints too.

He’s just so handsome. I love our little man.

*ps: if you live in Utah or Salt Lake County and are interested with working with Ian for some pictures, visit his web site or let me know and I can get you in touch with him. He does a great job!

His Name: James Edward Phelps

His Blessing: Beautiful.

I am so thankful for a wonderful husband who holds and honors the Priesthood and was able to give our baby a blessing. It was a wonderful blessing. And I am also thankful for the other wonderful men in our lives that were able to share in the special blessing.

Of course after the blessing we celebrated with food, friends and family.

James was passed around to everyone! By the end of the day all he wanted to do was be all alone on the floor by himself with no one bothering him. (I tried to get pictures with James and everyone who came, but he wasn’t too happy about that, and some of our family snuck out before we could get pictures. Oh well.)

Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with us. It was a beautiful day.

baby feet

Riddle me this: How is it that in James short 12 weeks of life that I have clipped his fingernails too many times to count, but have never had to clip his toenails?

I blame Bryan.

In our 4 years of marriage, I have never seen Bryan clip his toenails. I’ve never seen him clip his fingernails either but I’m fairly certain that he bites his fingernails (I know he can’t be biting his toenails because #1 that’s gross and #2 he’s not that flexible).

My boys just have magic toenails that don’t grow.

I wish I had magic toenails too.

Snack-Food Cake

I would have had this cake for my wedding. It’s kind of wonderful.

I think I need to find some use for a cake like this. Perhaps a birthday party.

Too fun.

[found via Be Different, Act Normal then searched out a different picture and found it on the Food Network]

I do miss my wonderfully clear pregnancy face. It may have been wider than normal, but it was clear.

Post-pregnancy is a different story.

*sigh*

2 Months

*Note: I love this picture because of how peaceful he looks…however, he had just gotten his shots and just 10 minutes earlier was SCREAMING like a BANSHEE in Kohlers. Poor little guy. Food, sleep and medicine make it all better.

• 23.5 inches tall (68 percentile)
• 10 lbs 13 oz (31 percentile)
• 37.47 cm around his head (15 percentile)

I love my little squirmy guy.

Swagger Wagon

And although my handsome husband and I aren’t planning on getting a mini-van anytime soon, I still laugh and appreciate.

That’s one thing I won’t miss about being pregnant.

This year my handsome handsome husband officially celebrated his first Father’s Day. It was a pretty good day. James and I picked a movie to give him for Father’s Day, but couldn’t wait until Sunday to actually give it to him, so we gave it to him on Friday and watched it as a family Friday night (well, all three of us actually fell asleep, but we attempted to watch it as a family).

Sunday my two boys celebrated the day by taking a three hour nap after church and before our family barbecue. I made my grandma’s rolls and yummy peanut butter bars (I had never made these bars before, so I was a little worried about how they would turn out, but they were WONDERFUL. Click the link, follow the recipe and try them yourself, they are so yummy) while the two of them slept. I was pretty excited about the peanut butter bars because I know how much my handsome husband loves chocolate and peanut butter and I wanted to make a special treat for him for Father’s day. He loved them. SUCCESS!

(sometimes I feel extra homemaker-y)

My snoozin' boys

Note: this picture wasn’t taken yesterday it was a little while ago. My hands were covered in flour so there is no picture of their snooze yesterday. But I love this picture. Notice how they are sleeping exactly the same with their hands up behind their heads. What you can’t see is that they both have their legs crossed the same too.

I’m so wonderfully thankful for Bryan and what a wonderful dad he is. One of my favorite things about sweet baby James coming to our home is watching Bryan be a dad. He’s wonderful.

Bryan, you are going to be a wonderful example and influence on our sweet baby James and all of the kids we have later. I know that they are going to learn so many wonderful things from you. I hope that James grows up to be as patient, kind, smart, hardworking and wonderful. I love you.

Grandpa:

Also this year, my dad was able to celebrate Father’s day as a grandpa for the very first time. James is the first grand baby on my side of the family and my dad is such a cute grandpa.

Earlier this past week, James and I were in Provo near BYU and decided to stop by and say hello to my dad at work (and use his sink to make James a bottle because he was SCREAMING). My dad took James around to all his co-workers to show him off, beaming “This is my grandson, James EDWARD.”

When we named James, we gave him both of his grandpa’s names: James after Bryan’s dad (Sherman James Phelps) and Edward after my dad (Edward McCracken). As James grows up, I hope he realizes what wonderful men he was named after.

James and Grandpa

As a dad my dad is pretty wonderful too. I know that no matter what he will always be there for me.

Toward the end of my pregnancy, I got pretty sick and was throwing up everything that I ate. It started in the middle of the night and the next morning I was still feeling horrible. My husband had a meeting, so he had to run to work, so I called my dad. I knew that he would have to drive past my house to get to work, so I asked him if he would bring me a something to settle my stomach. He brought me four different drinks, bananas, rice cakes and more. He said just in case one thing didn’t work, I would need options. I thought he would just bring me something from his house, but he stopped at the grocery store on his way to my house to make sure I had everything that I would need to feel better. After he dropped the food off, he realized that he should have gotten me a coke as well (he said the coke syrup would help my stomach, but I can’t stand the taste to actually get it down to my stomach), so he drove to the gas station by my house and bought me one and brought it back to me.

He always wants to make sure that we, his kids, have everything he needs. He is a wonderful example of love and service. Growing up, I remember him always helping other people. As a home teacher, neighbor and friend he would always be there if you needed him.

Dad, I love you and am so thankful for the wonderful example you have been to me and for the many things you have taught me.