Bell Canyon Hike

Devin begged for a "real hike" for a long time. We'd been meaning to do a hike for awhile, and were finally able to make it happen.

The problem was we didn't do enough research before the morning came. We weren't quite sure where to go. After throwing around a few ideas, Rich said that the Scouts had just done the Bell Canyon hike. I'd seen some friends post some things about this hike recently, so we decided to do that. The problem is that most of our friends only made it to the reservoir, or only up to the creek crossing. We, however, were hardcore and didn't want to leave without seeing the lower falls, so we ended up hiking 4.7 miles round trip! When we left the house that morning we were only planning on a 2.5-mile hike, at most.

Landon was getting pretty tired by the end, but after some snacks and a break at the waterfall he perked right up and was a chatterbox the whole way down. Even when he'd fall, he'd pop right back up assuring me he was fine. 

Devin was a major hiker the whole way up. He was so much faster than us all and had to wait around for us! He was so happy we were doing a "real" hike and absolutely didn't want to stop before the waterfall. He did have a harder time going down, as he was a little more nervous--and a lot worn out! 

But, we all made it back and were happy with our accomplishment. We stopped at Wendy's on the way home, and somehow Nora got hold of Devin's chicken sandwich. He didn't try very hard to get it back. So she was covered in mayo by the time we got home!

Nora 9 Months

Oh, this baby girl grew up soooo much this month! On June 21, she pulled herself up to kneeling on the laundry basket, on June 22, she went back to sitting position from kneeling, and on June 29, she pulled herself to standing up to the couch. 

It was like a blur of growing up in a one-week period. Now she pulls herself up all the time, and on July 6, she even let go of me while standing and tried to stand all on her own! Stop it, Baby Girl! Rich and I commented that all of a sudden she seems so much bigger. By the end of the month she was walking along the couch and anywhere she could stand. It's kind of funny to see her mobile when she's so little, but also, I just need her to stop getting so big.

She's eating from the table 75% of the time and hasn't really hated anything so far. I even spoiled her and gave her sugar and ice cream on the 4th of July. I never would have done that with the boys. So, there you have it Nora; you won't have as good a documentation, but you will get to do things earlier than your brothers!! Already spoiled. Mostly I'm happy that she loves avocados and is definitely on team cilantro. She does have a bad throwing-food-on-the-floor habit, but we forgive her since she's just a baby. Ha!

 

Her sleep was a bit rockier this month because she did not like sleeping in the tent at Lava Hot Springs, and though she went back on routine once we got home, the next weekend--right at about her 9-month mark--she started waking earlier in the morning and during the night a few nights. I think she was working on some teeth again, though no more have popped through yet.

Nora still loves her brothers and laughs so much for them, but I am her favorite, by far :) She always watches me and wants me to hold her above everyone else. I have revel in that preference right now because I'm sure it won't always be that way!

She enjoys climbing up on the tile ledge and exploring wherever she can. She enjoys eating food (or anything) off the floor and hates wearing her hat outside. She doesn't mind the grass too much and will even try to crawl around on the cement. 

 

She's a pretty happy little girl and makes the cutest little sounds. She blows good raspberries and vibrates her lips so well. She does a good lip popping imitation when anyone will go back and forth with her. She refuses to do sign language and prefers to shrill scream instead. Man, her new scream is shrill and loud. My goodness! 

She hates her face being wiped but is one adorable girl, so we forgive her. She does like to pull hair and is very interested in exploring anything she can. She really likes swinging outside and feeling like a big girl with the boys. It often puts her to sleep.
 

We just love this 9-month girl!

Baby Milestone: Standing

One June 21--almost exactly 8 months--I looked over to find her kneeling against the laundry basket. She'd pulled herself up and was pleased as punch about it.  

 

 

Then on June 29, Devin was reading on the couch and announced that Nora was getting too close. The cute little bitty had pulled herself. Again, super impressed with herself.

  After this she was just climbing and standing everywhere she could. 

I thought her little tip toes were the cutest.

  

 

Solid Foods

The night before Nora's 6-month appointment we were having sweet potatoes for dinner, so I mashed some up and let her try them. She opened her mouth right up, and we could tell she was excited about getting food. But the texture wasn't smooth since I didn't use the blender, so she was like, "Um, no thanks." Ha!

 


 After I blended them up the next day, she took them much better, though it still took her a few days to figure out the tongue thrust so all her food didn't come back out. At her 6-month appointment the doctor gave me the official go-ahead to start Nora on solid foods and probably wondered why I hadn't started her already. I'd waited so long mostly because I was lazy! She wasn't really showing signs of readiness until right before the appointment anyway, so it was just easier to not have to worry about solids.



I never could get her to like Mum-Mum rice crackers. I was shocked since that was a staple with the boys. She moved right on to Ritz and graham crackers. I ended up giving away the rest of the Mum-Mums to a friend with a baby just a few months younger than Nora.


After eating for a few months, I would say she's been a great eater overall. She still is picky about breakfast, and I haven't gotten her amounts there figured out, but she does really well with most foods. I've been braver about feeding her from the table sooner than I did the boys. Mostly I think this is (once again) because I'm lazy and don't want to do baby food anymore, but also the doctor told me that recommendations are different now and that it's better to give food earlier that might cause allergies. So since my family has lactose and gluten allergies, after the first month or so I stopped giving her one food at a time and just started giving her anything and everything I thought she could eat. And she's done great.  I'm mostly happy that she likes avocados since both boys hate them, and I can officially say she's on "Team Cilantro." At almost-nine-months (oh how sad it's taken me this long to blog about her first food) she really doesn't have a long list of dislikes. She did get over her hatred for bananas once I realized she liked them cold, but she still doesn't gobble them up. She didn't like broccoli on the first tries, and peas aren't her favorite, but I would say she will take bites of everything else. Watermelon and green beans are her very favorite foods. But, as I said, she likes avocados a lot and blueberries. Cottage cheese is a good thing for her and she likes pasta. Anyway, so happy that's she's a fairly good eater. Love her dirty face :)

Brothers

Oh these boys are so lucky to have each other. They have been getting along so well lately. Of course they still have their problems and fights, but they have been using their imaginations so nicely and coming up with fun projects together.

I mean, I love looking out the window to see them running in circles and then writing notes. When asked what they were doing they told me they were seeing who could run in the most circles before getting dizzy.

These boys love being outside exploring. Whether it's catching snakes or hunting quail eggs (we had to have a discussion about not touching eggs in nests!) they are just the cutest. They went back after the quail hatched and found the eggshells. They then came in and studied the shells under the microscope and Devin took notes. I mean, really, how can you not love these boys!?

 

 

Another day I looked down the stairs when I heard their voices. They were having impromptu scripture study together. Devin was reading to Landon, and periodically he would stop and help Landon recite a few verses like we do during our family scripture study.

After the scripture study it was time to head to the bus stop, and Landon Boy wants to be just like Devin, and he's been wearing his backpack to the bus stop every day since we bought it for him. It just warms my heart to see these backpack twins at the bus stop. Landon just wants to grow up too fast. Darn him!

 

One Saturday I came upstairs to find Landon's mattress in Devin's room with both beds all made up. I'm not sure how they got the mattress into Devin's room, but it was too adorable when they asked, "Can we have a sleepover!" I had to let them becasue they'd gotten along so well all day long. I just loved hearing them giggle in Devin's room. They actually had their first disagreement of the day after getting into bed, but they worked it out and ended the sleepover on a good note.

 

Since Landon just wants to be like Devin, he desperately wants to read. I just think it's adorable to see them reading together. Love these little bookworms.

These kids just make me happy. And it makes me happy to see them being good brothers to Nora. Landon, especially, loves her to bits and always wants to hug her. I loved hearing him singing, "Nora, I love you. I loooove you! I loooove you sooooo much!"