Oh, Canada!

Oh, wow it's been a long time since I've put anything on here. It's been a fun couple of months, now let's see if I can remember them!

Well, fresh in my mind is our recent trip to Canada. That's right, I finally got to go back to my home and native land! And Paisley finally got to meet her Grandpa and Uncle Nate. It was a great trip. We left on Saturday morning, and drove allllll day. Of course we couldn't go through Idaho without stopping for lunch at Big Judd's, where David successfully downed a pound of hamburger (and that's just the patty), a giant basket of fries, and a root beer. Yummmm.... :S

Paisley was an angel. She slept through most of the drive.

On Sunday, it just so happened that one of my best friends, Sarah, and her husband, were in Calgary, so we were able to get together with them. I don't think going to Canada would have been complete without that. Also, Philippe and Marisa arrived with little almost-one-year-old Eli, who is cuter than ever, and it was so good to finally spend some time with all three of them.

My grandma got to Calgary on Monday night, and she looks amazing!! I just kept thinking, I hope I look as good as her when I'm in my 80's! It was so good to finally spend some time with her, and especially for her to meet Paisley.

We went swimming and hiking with my dad. I only wish I had taken more pictures, but pictures or not I'll never forget how good it was to see Paisley playing with her grandpa.

Sigh. There's so much more to say about the trip, but it all boils down to how wonderful it was to be home, with family, all together. Mom's food & good talks, Dad's boistrous laugh, cards with Grandma, Boston Pizza, Canadian Rockies, RW&Co, walks with Ginger, bonding with brothers and sisters, and lots more. It was all long overdue.

On the way back we had a great adventure. We stopped in Helena for gas and Paisley's diaper change, and a weird burly-looking Montanan walked by cussing at us, and saying something about putting up with people like us. Could it have been the homemade breakfast burritos we were eating? Maybe the BYU symbol on our license plate? Maybe he has something against changing a baby's diaper in the back seat of a car? We'll never know. Anyhow, he followed us out of the parking lot after flipping us off, and then got off at the very next exit. Phew!

Well, about 50 miles down the road, we pass a state trooper in an Expedition. He pulled out of his sitting spot and followed us for about 20 miles before we came across some random firewood scattered out in the road. A log tumbled under our car, but we kept driving at our extra safe speed, as there was a cop still on our tail. A few miles later he pulled us over, along with two other cops that had pulled in behind him somewhere along the way.

So, there we were, being pulled over by not one, not two, but three state troopers! The officer explained that he had pulled us over to make sure the log we ran over hadn't caused any leaks, so David and I both got out to check under the car. Meanwhile, the three cops walked around the car, looking inside. They took turns asking us questions about where we were going, where we were coming from, lots of questions about the baby, etc. When we established that there was no leak, the officer asked for David's license and registration, just to make sure we weren't wanted. You can imagine we were pretty curious about why we had really been pulled over by the time the officer came back and told us we were free to go. Weirdest experience ever. We spent the next two hours throwing out different possible explanations. Did the guy at the gas station get a laugh in by reporting that we had stolen a baby? Maybe he told the cops that he recognized us from a wanted poster? Or maybe it really did take three state troopers and a bunch of repeated questions to make sure we didn't have a leak under the car...

Well, now we're back in good ol' Provo. David's back in school and he starts his new part-time job at Squire tomorrow. As for me, I'm at home with our baby that I swear gets cuter by the day, tutoring French twice a week, and taking care of the elderly lady upstairs.

As for the reason anyone reads this blog anyway, Paisley is making some important steps in her life:

• She got her 6 month shots
• Weighed in at 14 lbs, measuring 27.5 inches
• She's eating peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans. Good thing she has nothing to compare them to yet!
• We've established a great bedtime routine: I nurse her, read a story or two, sing her a song, and put her into bed. She'll just play quietly in her bed until she falls asleep! I love it.
• She's been sleeping through the night! All it took was one night of letting her cry it out, and it seems to have broken her habit of eating in the middle of the night. Fingers crossed.
• She's sitting up! She still needs a spotter, in case she makes a sudden move and topples over, but she's almost an independent sitter.
• She props herself up on her arms, and when she wants something badly enough, she'll even get up on her knees. Unfortunately, she usually ends up scooting herself backwards, which doesn't make her very happy.
• And now for pictures.

Oh yah, did I mention football season started? Here's dad teaching Paisley the important things in life

Me and Dad at Elbow Falls

Our little family

Matching Paisley

Four generations! OK not the best picture, but it's a miracle that we got them all in the same picture without photoshop!

Paisley's first trip on the C-train!

This just makes me happy

The cutest nephew in the world. Happy 1st birthday!

Kyle, Sarah, and us. Love those people.

Our happy little baby!

Summertime!

Believe it or not, I'm actually better at keeping my blog up than I am at writing in my journal! OK, that's sad...

So, big events in the past couple of weeks:

David and I went to the Manti Pageant. It's a play that depicts the story of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the journey of the pioneers across the plains to Utah. We left Paisley with her grandparents, and took a beautiful drive down to Manti. We had good fair food and watched an uplifting performance. It made me appreciate the temple and everything the pioneers went through so that my family could be sealed together for eternity.

This is me and David after a funnel cake, potato twists, grilled turkey, a hamburger, and homemade root beer. If we look a little chubbier than usual, that sounds about right.

The beautiful Manti temple

Paisley slept through the night!! She's always been pretty good about sleeping, usually only waking up once a night to eat and then going right back to sleep. But this time she slept all the way through!! I woke up feeling more refreshed than I remember feeling in my whole life. Can't wait till that becomes a pattern.

We finally went to Color Me Mine! I've been asking David to take me since we met, and so he planned a day and we all went as a family. We brought Paisley because David had a special creation in mind. He picked out a goblet that he could take to work and show off. Then we worked together to paint Paisley's foot and hand, and pressed them onto the cup to leave her prints. It turned out great! I made a bowl, and we had a lot of fun. We'll post pictures soon.

Fourth of July weekend was tons of fun. We had a yard work day in the morning and got tons done! It felt great to get so much accomplished. We went to a party for David's grandma's 82nd birthday. Paisley's cousins Taylor and Violet were there and she had a blast playing with them. As soon as she saw Violet she started laughing and talking. She was just thrilled to be aroun

d little ones her age.

Monday was July 4th. David and his dad ran in the Freedom 5K and they both did awesome! I was so proud of my husband, and his dad! They both placed among some of the first in their age groups. After the race we went and watched the parade with John and Christine, then walked down to the Freedom Festival and ate some good food. Then we ate some more good food at the Doumas a couple hours later, and slept the hot afternoon away in an air conditioned house. Family, friends, fun, and good food, topped off with a long nap? It was a perfect day.

Paisley in her 4th of July outfit

The two running champions

Our little Douma family in red, white and blue (my purse was red)

A couple of weeks ago, I met a new friend who lives two doors down from us. I hadn't met her before because she and her husband go to a Spanish ward. She has a baby boy two days older than Paisley, and we have just about everything else in common. We've been walking together in the mornings, and have even started jogging! It's so nice to have someone to exercise with, and even nicer to have a new friend.

And last of all, here are some recent pictures of our not-so-little baby!

These are the moments I most love being a mother!

My first collage! What a cutie-pie!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to Daddy Hartford, Daddy Douma, and David, the best father Paisley could ever have. I love my husband, but I think I love him the most when I see him with our little girl. Little girls are complex - I know, because I was one. They need lots of love and attention. They need to know that they're special and beautiful, and worth more than any treasure. And there's no one who can show them those things better than a dad can. Dads have such an important job, and I know that David will be among the best. After all, he learned from the best!

Father's Day makes me miss my dad. It feels like forever since I've seen him, and it has literally been forever for David and Paisley. We hope to make it to Canada some day soon.

Paisley went for her 4 month doctor's visit and immunizations. She was an angel! I can't believe she's already four months old. She laughed and smiled her way through the doctor's appointment, and showed the doctor some of her new tricks. She weighs 12 pounds and she's 26.5 inches long, which is in the hundredth percentile for height for her age!

By the time we got from the doctor's to the health department for her shots, she had fallen asleep. I was sure she would be fussy if I woke her up, especially if it involved drinking a yucky syrup and being jabbed in the thighs. But when I woke her up, she just smiled and cooed at the nurse - until the nurse stabbed her, then she let out a few cries. She was kind of fussy for the next couple of days, but now she's back to being her happy little self.

Sports moment for the month: Well, the Canucks did not win the Stanley Cup. Not this year. And worse than that, some Vancouverites tried to destroy Vancouver as a result, burning cars, rioting, and robbing. That was a sad, sad day. However, the Heat did lose the NBA playoffs - I mean, the Mavericks won. And that was happy.

I love summertime. Last Friday we got together with John and Christine and went to the Summerfest parade in Orem. Paisley's first parade! She hated the beginning where the cops came out on their bikes with loud sirens and honking their horns, but other than that she mostly slept through the whole thing! It was a good parade, but mostly it was good to get together with John and Christine.

This week was the Strawberry Days rodeo in Pleasant Grove. We decided to go at the last minute, did our best to dress up like cowboys, and left Paisley at Grandma's house. By the time we got there it was a full-force windstorm outside, and about 30 degrees colder than it should be in the middle of June. I was not prepared for that in my flip-flops and short-sleeved shirt, but we braved the weather and had a lot of fun. The strawberries and cream they served makes it all worth it anyway. We decided that when Paisley gets older, we're signing her up for the 'Mutton Busting' event, when little kids ride out on sheep and see how long they can hold on. The average must be like 4 seconds. The other favorite is the 'Cash Cow' event, where they stick bills on calves and let a mob chase the cows around, grabbing the money off of them as they go. I have never seen kids so excited, or cows so terrified!

Michael, David's brother, went through the temple last night for the first time. We attended the temple session with him, and it was a great experience. It's easy to forget how incredibly peaceful it is inside the temple. We don't go as often anymore now that we have the baby, but whenever I go I just feel like I could be there forever. The spirit is so strong, and I'm reminded of all the good things I want to do, that I haven't had the motivation to do. And what's more, I all of a sudden have the motivation to do them!

Writing this blog makes me realize how great life really is. God has been so good to us, and it is an adventure watching his plan for us unfold day by day.

Go Canucks!

Since the bathroom is still demolished, we're still basically living at the Doumas. In the morning, I drop David off at work and then go back to our apartment for the day. It finally stopped raining for a couple of days, so I took that as an opportunity to get outside and do some yard work. The problem with yard work is that once I start, I have a hard time stopping! In the last couple of days, I've weeded 3 flowerbeds, planted flowers in one of them, trimmed hedges, rototilled the giant vegetable gardens, and started a vegetable garden of my own! I convinced David that we should just plant one little watermelon plant for fun, but by the time I finished we had peas, carrots, pumpkin, parsley, basil, tomatoes, cucumber and zucchini. Woops!

We went for lunch with a recruiter from Deloitte today. He was here from Dallas for a wedding, and he and his wife took us out to the Olive Garden (on Deloitte's bill, of course). We're still in the process of deciding which offer to take. We've both been leaning towards Ernst & Young in Austin, and in spite of how delicious the Olive Garden food was today, I think we're still leaning that way. In fact, if I weren't such an indecisive person, I would say we were sure of it. Why do decisions have to be so hard?

One thing that we're definitely decided on, though, is that the Canucks are going to win the Stanley Cup this year! They're playing their first game against the Boston Bruins at this very

moment! Third period, no goals. It might be a tough fight, but we'll do it. Paisley will be so honored to one day be able to say that she was born the year the Canucks won the Stanley Cup. Oh, right. She'll be living in Texas. Well...

Speaking of Paisley, she is growing up more every day. Some exciting developments are:

• She used to hate tummy time. She would only last a couple of minutes before she started fussing. Now she's strong enough that she just lies there on her tummy with her head up, looking around the room, and never gets tired of it!
• She found her voice!! Her new favorite thing is to listen to herself talk, making the cutest little squeaks and squeals. Her face is so expressive that it's almost like she's speaking, just in a different, much cuter, language. When you laugh at her, she bursts out in high pitched little giggles right back at you.
• She's starting to be able to put herself to sleep, rather than having to be rocked to sleep.
• She's been going to sleep between 8 and 9 every night, and waking up consistently at 7 am. Usually she'll wake up once in the middle of the night, but last night she slept all the way till 5am, then went right back to sleep till 7:00. That's 9 hours!!
• As you can imagine, these last two are especially exciting for me.

From Sneezes to Central America - and Super Cute Baby!

Lots has happened in the past couple of weeks! After our camping trip, Paisley and I both got sick and spent the next few days in bed. No pictures of those days, thank goodness.

Meanwhile, David left on Tuesday for an interview with a company in Austin, Texas. His lifelong dream of dwelling in the same city as the Longhorns is about to come true! He came home Wednesday, and flew out early the next morning to go to Dallas for an interview with another company. He came back the next evening, and got to stay with us for the weekend before heading off to Austin again to interview with another company!! All three firms made him an offer, and now we're in the middle of our most dreaded task: deciding between the three. But in the meantime, we're enjoying the souvenirs David brought back from Austin - my new longhorns jacket and a decoration for the car!

While David was gone, I dealt with a flood in the bathroom! It's been an unusually rainy Utah spring, and water started leaking in through the foundation of the house. Unfortunately, most of our bathroom is carpeted (strange, I know), and so the bathroom smelled like a turtle tank for a few days. (Ah, childhood memories). It's been under construction ever since, so we've been spending a lot of time at Mom and Dad Douma's house while they put in a new floor. The good news is, they're putting in tile!!

Michael got his mission call!! Wednesday, May 18, we all gathered around at the Doumas to see Michael open his call. We even had Samantha on Skype (on and off, due to poor reception) all the way in Belgium! Michael has been called by the Lord to serve in the Comayaguela, Honduras mission! Well, it's not a city of French fries and BMW's like he was not so secretly hoping, but he's super excited, and we're all excited for him.

On the baby front, Paisley rolled over!! She's growing up so fast, I can hardly believe it! some pictures of her latest habits. I've added a video of her rolling over, along with some pictures of her latest habits.

We went for our first walk in her stroller without the car seat inside it! She's got great posture, and a great smile! Personally, I think this is one of the few pictures where she looks as much like me as she does like David!

This is her favorite sleeping position - arms out, head to the side and pointed upwards. This is a mild version.

She loves her binky. But she also loves her fingers. Sometimes she can't decide between the two and it ends up looking like this!

This one is just plain cute!

Camping in Moab!

This past weekend was a momentous one. It was our first family camping trip! We went to Moab with our good friends Scott and Falisha. We were a little nervous because we had never been camping with Paisley before, and she's still so young. But she did great! The picture above is of the three of us first thing in the morning, sitting in our tent. You can tell it's first thing in the morning because if it were any other time of day, I wouldn't be able to bear wearing a hoodie.

Pancakes for breakfast... yumm!

Below are me and Paisley at Dead Horse Point. Despite the name, it was beautiful there!! We even ran into a group of senior citizens from Vancouver, one of which was sporting a Canucks' Kesler jersey. I don't know who was more excited to see him, David or me. As you can see, Paisley didn't see much of anything up there. She was fast asleep!

Paisley and Dad, chillin' under the umbrella. It was too hot to go in the tent, but no trees to offer any shade. Thank goodness for our giant umbrella!

That's my man, fanning the fire! Between Scott and David, they got a good fire going and we had the best burgers I've ever had!

Paisley never looks so content as when her dad holds her. I was so glad to capture these!

Me and the Paiser again, looking out over Dead Horse Point.

The next day, we checked out Arches. More pictures to come!

The Tulips

Last weekend, David, Paisley and I went to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point. I have never seen so many beautiful flowers in one place! And we got some good family pictures there too!

The Beginning

One year, 19 days and 2 hours ago, David and I officially became a family. I can't believe how quickly time has passed. Since then, David has started and survived BYU's Accounting Junior Core, maintained a 4.0 GPA, and worked part time to support a family. I completed a full-time internship while going to school full-time, graduated from BYU, and experienced my first pregnancy. But best of all, David and I received the best Valentine's Day gift ever in the form of a new addition to our small family. Paisley was born at 9:31 a.m. on Valentine's day.Exactly on time, according to the due date, and perfectly wonderful, according to us.

Experiencing pregnancy and childbirth opened my eyes to what a miracle this life really is. And now that Paisley is here, it's incredible to me that God has trusted us with such a precious little child. Never have I felt such a need to rely on the Lord as I do in raising his tiny little daughter. And never have I seen his hand more in my life.