Summer Fun!

Summer here is ridiculously HOT! Which I'm sure most of you know. However, it sure makes it nice to be able to jump in a refreshing swimming pool on these long summer days. Our community has a pool, the water is not heated so it is generally pretty cold. Cyrus doesn't mind as long as mommy or daddy is in the pool with him. Here are some pictures from swimming with Aunties on Memorial Weekend and Mommy and Daddy at other times. Cy loves the water. He puts his little arm out and hits the top of the water to splash. My favorite is when he does a big splash and it gets him and he gets this look that seems to say, "Why did you do that?" or "Hey, who did that?". I love love love being the mother of this beautiful boy. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Grandpa is a Hall of Famer

So- our family has a nice claim to fame now. Most little grandkids probably think their grandpa is the best and should be famous-because he's famous to them. Well, let me introduce the one and only Hall of Famer in our family.......

.....drumroll, please......

Clair E Blaser was inducted into the Eastern Idaho Agricultural Hall of Fame on March 26th, 2010 Congratulations Grandpa!

We celebrated at his award banquet. He was one of 5 inductees, and by far the best. He had the biggest following. He had all 10 of his children there, some of their spouses, many grandchildren, and even 4 great-grandchildren one was 18 the others were under 4 1/2 months (Cyrus). All together we filled I think 56 seats at the banquet. My grandpa shared some really neat stories about his love for farming and agriculture-he even got a little emotional. It was very sweet to see, and I hadn't heard some of the stories so I really enjoyed it.

The most amazing event prior to the banquet was that my Grandpa decided to get clean-shaven. (I'm sure with some gentle prodding) He has been growing a beard for over 16 years and has never shaved it, trimmed it, or groomed it. He looked so handsome and so much younger. My grandma looked beautiful and positively glowing that Grandpa was his handsome self again. We are so honored to be the posterity of these 2 wonderful people. I cannot begin to share the love I have for my Grandma and Grandpa- they are so giving and kind. I have countless memories from Grandma and Grandpa's house.

It was also fun to see a lot of my cousins I hadn't seen for awhile and many aunts and uncles. Cyrus got to meet a lot of new people and they all loved him! Aunt Ashley was having a difficult time sharing him-she even told me that she didn't want anyone else to hold him because that meant less time she got to hold him. Cyrus sure does love his Aunts though. Every time one of Cyrus' great aunts gave him back Ashley would swoop in on him. She is an excellent swooper. Then I would hear Aunt Stancy or Barbara say, "Hey how did you get him?" She would say, "I went and took him." As if she would need any explanation for holding her beautiful nephew.

Oh and for documentations sake....Cyrus first tooth broke through on this evening too!

Some pics of the good times! Grandpa and Grandma with their ten children
This is a picture of almost all of us who attended (minus JB because he disappeared and a couple who left early) it was really difficult to round us all up into one corner. Click on the picture if you want to see it bigger. Aunt Barb and Ashley and Vivian (3 weeks) Cyrus' 2nd cousin- look at that head of hair! (Notice Dani and my dad in the background)
Miriam and Aunt Melanie with Cyrus

Ashley with Cyrus and Me with Vivian 2nd cousins

Cyrus (4 1/2 months) with Riggin (4 weeks)another 2nd cousin

Cyrus playing on the ground during the banquet

Operation Visit Liesel

Warning: Long post but wonderful!

This is a story about 2 old friends and 2 new friends in the making or as Liesel would say, kindred spirits. So Liesel is one of my best friends. We met in February of 2004 after I moved into her apartment only being told by Aaron-another roommate, "You'll love Liesel. You guys are a lot alike. Like dancing and stuff." I thought, "Yeah sure we'll see." I don't really remember how Liesel and I became such good friends but we did...it probably was from all the crazy dancing, singing, and making fools of ourselves. Liesel and I lived together from February 2004 until she bought a house in June 2005 (correct me if I'm wrong) well by then the other roomies had all left and I couldn't live in a 3 bedroom apartment by myself. By July 2005 I was engaged and so I moved into Liesel's house until I got married in October.

Sometimes when you get married things change. Well, things didn't change much for us except our residence. Liesel got married in November and we pretty much still saw each other at least 3 times a week. We would usually take turns having each other over for Sunday dinner. We always had such a great time together. She was always there for me (and I hope I was there for her). Well, our lovely lives in the city continued until she decided it was best for her and her family to move to Utah. So in the Spring of 2007 Liesel moved to Utah. I sobbed for a really long time. The lady at the store asked how my day was and I cried and told her my best friend just moved. I'm sure she thought, I didn't really want your life story. Then I called my mom and cried the whole time I drove to work. I didn't think I could do this. It felt like a hole had been left in my heart.

Fortunately, since I have family in Utah, I would still get the opportunity to see Liesel it just wasn't as much. I didn't realize how much we hung out and talked until she was gone. Well, I got to see Liesel when I went up at Christmas and we even spent New Year's Eve together and we would get to see each other every few months at least.

In August 2008 Liesel moved to Mexico to be with her husband. First to Utah, now to Mexico. What was I going to do? Liesel and I had a sleepover the night before she was moving. Let's say it wasn't planned but we talked so late and didn't want to say goodbye I just climbed in her bed and slept. We said our goodbyes in the morning and then I drove away. A few tears dripped down my cheeks knowing that such a good friend would be so far away.

Liesel and her family moved and we would talk on the phone from time to time. Fortunately she has to come back to visit her family and for family functions such as weddings so I still get to see her from time to time.

Things got even more fun when Liesel and I were both pregnant at the same time and had our baby boys about a month apart. Her baby was born in October and Cyrus in November. We got to see her before she went back to Mexico when Cyrus was not even a week old.

Well, Liesel's brother got married in February and that is why I planned my trip to Utah at the same time. Unfortunately since Cyrus was sick we didn't get to see each other more than once, but one visit can keep us going until the next one. It's always fun to visit with great friends. Liesel is a great mom too and a wonderful example to me. She is so faithful and willing to do what needs to be done for her family-even though it may be difficult. Thanks for the awesome friendship! I cannot believe it's been 6 years since we met! Girlfriends are the best!

Liesel and I with our growing boys-Alex, 4 months, and Cyrus, 3 months

Liesel and Alex, 1 month Me and Cy 6 days

Best Friends in the making (even though they don't know it yet) November 14, 2009

November 14, 2009

February 2010 Maile, Alex, and Cyrus

Alex and Cyrus

Liesel and her kids

Trip to Grandma's

Okay as mentioned in our previous post, we took a trip to visit Grandma and Aunts in Utah. Cyrus was sick the whole trip but still did a great job. I didn't take as many pictures as usual...maybe because he wasn't feeling well. Since he was sick we didn't do a whole lot. Mostly hung around the house and visited. We did get to eat at my favorite Utah restaurants: Chic-Fil-A and Zupa's. We also had dinner with all the old high school group. It was fun to visit and show off Cyrus (even though my dad says he's not a trophy-it's still fun).

It looks like Amy has a plant growing out of her head!

So cute!

Aachhoo!

Dinner with High School friends

Emily, Kristin, Katie

Liz, Carrie, Jessica, Me & Cy

Playing at Nana's!
In the doorway jumper-not sure what I think!

Grandma and Cy before we left

Big Yawn!

Terrified of Mommy's kisses!

Okay maybe they're not so bad!

Sick Little Cy

So on Friday, February 12 Cyrus woke up coughing. At first I thought maybe it was nothing, but then he kept coughing and it sounded like a deep cough. We were going to fly to Utah on Saturday-so I thought it would be better to take him in rather then get to Utah and he gets worse. Basically the Dr. said he had some sort of bronchialitis, they said RSV and other viruses are like an epidemic at this time. So they ordered a nebulizer so we could work through the cough.

It is so sad when babies are sick. I felt so helpless. I know how annoying and painful a cough can be, and I can imagine it would feel worse as a little baby. He was a trooper though. The nights were a little rougher, but he was still acting pretty much the same. He was still smiling and happy as can be (which made it a little better). Here are some pictures using his nebulizer. I think he is so cute because he just looks so over it all.

He also developed an ear infection while we were in Utah and so he started antibiotics. Which he absolutely hated, but I don't blame him. I invented a medicine nose plugger in 1st grade for a contest because I absolutely hated the taste of pink amoxicillin.

I'm really not a mean mom that smiles when her baby is sick, but look at that funny face!

The plus side was a Dr visit right around his 3 month birthday so we know his weight. He was 13 lb 10 oz.

Cyrus is 4 months old

Cyrus turned 4 months old today. We were lucky to have Auntie Amanda come meet him for his 4 month birthday- she came all the way from Texas. Cyrus' statistics at 4 months are 26 3/4 inches long in the 95th percentile and 15 lbs 3 oz. (75th percentile) Cyrus also started rolling over on March from his back to his tummy on March 1st-one week shy of his 4 month mark. He thinks it's pretty cool that he can move around without help.

At the doctors office for the well check! He is really healthy and doing great!

I know he is flashed out in this picture but I think it is still super cute!

To celebrate his 4 month birthday Daddy ate a 20 oz hamburger (well bigger with all the fixins)

Auntie Amanda and Cyrus- I think this picture is so cute

Happy Baby Boy

Cyrus is such a happy baby boy! He is always smiling and laughing. I hate waking up in the mornings but it seems to be a lot easier when there is a smiling face to greet you. I have started taking my camera to bed at night so when Cyrus is so cute in the morning we can just play in bed. Here are some of Cyrus' happy faces!

Tummy time on the bed in the morning!