Lucy is 2 months old!

Has it really been two months? I guess so. I have decided that from day one, Lucy has been in a hurry. She was in a big hurry to get here, and she seems to be growing and progressing very quickly. Sometimes she acts almost frustrated that she is stuck inside this tiny body that she doesn't have a lot of control over yet. Here are a few things about Miss Lucy:
*she is a cuddle bug, and loves to cuddle (the problem with this is that she doesn't like to sleep in her own bed)
*she usually wakes up once in the night to eat, but is a very early riser - just like her mom
*she has a good grip and loves to have her hands in fists (providing Stetson the opportunity to give her "knucks" quite often)
*she still has baby acne on her face, and now a red heat rash on her chest and arms, I guess this will go away in time
*she still has very watery, goobery eyes - hopefully the drops and ointment will help and she won't have to get her tear ducts opened up.
*she is a little collicy, and is usually worse when I have eaten something spicy (Mylicon drops have been a lifesaver!)
*she just started reaching for toys when they are put in front of her
*she loves to be wrapped up tight, even when it is super hot
*she loves to be outside
*she still sleeps quite a bit, but when she is awake, she is very alert and smiley
*she likes to hold her head up when she is on her tummy, and can do it for long periods of time now
*she likes the swing and the bouncer (with the vibrater on)
*she stretches a grunts a lot - super cute!
*she loves her bath
*she loves her big brother
MORE CUTE LUCY PICS:
5 WEEKS

6 WEEKS

7 WEEKS

8 WEEKS


Lucy went in for her 2 month checkup on Monday, July 19th. The doctor said she looks very healthy, and is growing good. She is now 21" long, putting her in about the 5th percentile, and weighs 10 lbs 8 oz, putting her in about the 15th percentile. So, even though she has grown a ton, I guess she is still pretty small for her age. She also had to get the dreaded shots. She did very well, in fact her cry was so delayed I started to wonder if she was going to cry at all. Then she calmed right down when I wrapped her up tight and held her close - what an angel!

She slept for the next several hours, woke up screaming then slept for several more hours. I kept watching for a fever since Stetson ran one with every set of shots, but it never came - thank goodness! However, Stetson started running a fever that evening, and I thought 'wow, what a nice brother to suffer the after-shot symptoms for his sister.' After a rather rough night of 'nothing hurts, I'm just tired and can't sleep' I checked his throat, and knew it was strep - so I took him in. Sure enough! And he got a shot too! Here is the tired little boy, finally getting some sleep - poor guy!

Aren't cousins great?

My sister and I have been very lucky to have kids around the same age. It makes it even better that we live in the same town so they can be friends. Ever since Lucy was born we have been wanting to take some pictures of them, and finally got around to it. Please note that I am NOT a photographer, and I do NOT have an awesome camera OR amazing photoshop skills, but hey, we had a good time, and I don't think they turned out TOO bad. . .

STETSON AND JD




LUCY AND ASPEN

A busy weekend. . .

It started on Friday with the Frost Black family reunion. We all met up at Kenny's Uncle Arvid's cabin and Kenny's parents were in charge. We were missing most of the Pincock family because Uncle Dick was in the hospital recovering from surgery due to a tear in his esophagus. He is doing better than he was, but still has a long road ahead of him; he and his family are in our thoughts and prayers. Anyway, the reunion started at noon with a yummy lunch of sloppy joes, chips and watermelon. We arrived a little late because I was at work trying to get monthly reports done (yes, I am still on maternity leave). Suzie did a cute craft with the kids, stars to wave at the parade. Then she helped people decorate notebooks; I didn't make a notebook, mostly because Lucy and I were having a nap, which was wonderful! I was supposed to go to my 10 year class reunion that evening, and had actually planned on it, but Kenny wouldn't go with me and I am a bum and didn't want to go alone - sorry class of 2000, hope you all had fun! Instead I stayed at the family reunion for a dinner of marinated chicken and dutch oven potatoes, followed by a program dedicated to Kenny's gradparents. It was a lot of fun, and Stetson impressed everyone with his dancing skills, yup that's my boy!
KENNY AND LUCY ENJOYING THE REUNION
STETSON ENJOYING THE FOOD AT THE REUNION

The next day was the 4th of July Celebration.
4TH OF JULY LUCY
FOURTH OF JULY STETSON
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
THE GIRLS
THE BOYS
I was really excited that I actually got to watch the parade this year; the drill team girls marched, and did a very good job.
Stetson had a BLAST catching candy with his cousins
And Lucy enjoyed being snuggled up in Grandma Black's arms in the shade
The highlight for me was getting soaked by the water truck as it came by.
Stetson was a good sport, and just laughed about getting wet. After the traditional navajo taco lunch I performed at an Independence Day Program with Brielle, Jo, Kelli and Shaeli. It was my first time clogging since Christmas and I felt a little out of shape, but it was a lot of fun! We had dinner with my family and then watched the fireworks. It was an incredible show! Stetson LOVED it (for the first time in his life) and talked my ear off the whole time. It was fun to see the show through a child's eyes.

And Sunday was Lucy's blessing day! My mom made her a beautiful blessing dress and afghan for her special day.
She was blessed by her father, along with three other babies in our ward. Curtiss and Maggie Bradford blessed their baby boy, Declan Bevan Bradford, Derick and Nidia Jones blessed their baby girl, Kloe Brooke Jones, and Chad and Tiawna Moses blessed their baby boy, Andrew Chad Moses. I wish we could have gotten a photo of the four of them together, but it just didn't happen. The blessing was beautiful, and the spirit was definately there. Lucy was so good the whole time, and was actually awake! Thanks so much to Suzie for taking some pictures for us - she does such an awesome job!
OUR FAMILY
GRANDMA AND GRANDPA BLACK
GRANDMA AND GRANDPA GROVER
THE GROVER FAMILY
WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND!

The Roundup

"The Roundup" as we call it, started on Wednesday, the 16th of June when we gathered the cows from the winter range on Cedar Mesa, and sent the across the road and up to the Bears Ears on the Elk Mountain. We are spoiled because the two ranges basically connect, so we don't have to haul them or push them on horseback for miles and miles. We usually have lots of good help to gather the cows, and this year was no exception! I didn't ride this year, but I did take the kids out for lunch, and it was super windy! Thanks so much to Kenny's parents for preparing the meal, it was wonderful!

My sister and her kids rode out to the winter range with us...J.D., Stetson, Zach, Paige

And here is my handsome cowboy and our two cute kids...

Stetson even got to ride his horse, Mater...

We had a great riding crew that continued to ride and gather on Thursday and Friday. As for me and my kids, we came home and then went back out Friday evening. Thanks again to Kenny's parents and Andy for preparing and yummy dinner for all 62 of us!

Stetson enjoyed riding his bike...

And Lucy enjoyed her very first campfire, snug as a bug in all those blankets...

And another first for Lucy...camping in our cabin...

Stetson enjoyed watching them sort the cows, while sitting on the fence with Uncle Jade...

Lucy enjoyed watching them brand, while sitting in her carseat on a 4-wheeler in the shade (another first)...I can't believe how good Miss Lucy was the WHOLE time, way to go cowgirl!

And this little buck walked right into camp to join us for lunch...

Once again, we had an awesome branding crew that was able to brand 41 big calves in just a few hours. Everyone got dirty, and hopefully had a good time. Here are a few of my favorite photos...



Thanks so much to everyone who helped out! We love you all and appreciate all you do!

One month old!

Holy Cow, has it really been a month already? Time flies when you are having fun, and having Miss Lucy around has been a BLAST! I can't believe I haven't posted about Lucy since the announcement of her birth - what a slacker. Actually, I have been slacking on lots of things lately because I prefer to just cuddle with and gaze at my beautiful baby. She is so sweet and so precious, and I feel a little closer to heaven whenever I hold her.

Lucy weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz. at her two week check up. Yeah, this chick gained a little over a pound in her first two weeks of life - way to go girl! She may have started out small, but she is catching up fast!

She had a little trouble pooping right at first, but a little water in addition to brest milk fixed that problem. Now we just have to figure out how to fix the gas - I know, wait a few months, that is what everyone tells me. It is just so sad to see her in so much pain, and she never cries unless she has a tummy ache, which seems to be happening more and more often:( Lucy still has some baby acne on her face, but it is getting better. Her eyes are really drippy, and she usually wakes up with junk in them (hopefully this doesn't last a full year, like it did for her mom).

Her cord fell off the day before she turned two weeks, which seemed crazy to me because Stetson's fell of when he was three days old! Lucy is a good eater, and eats about every 4 hours (again different than her brother). She usually only wakes up once in the night to eat, but is an early riser - just like her mom.

She tolerates the binki, but doesn't love it (I can't decide if that is good or bad). She likes to be swaddled and cuddled, which is fine by me! Lucy has already been to work with mom several times, to drill camp, and out to the winter range.

Stetson LOVES her, and always wants to hold her and kiss her and give her a binki. The only safe place for her is strapped in her bouncer, which she actually likes (again different than Stetson); he hasn't yet figured out how to get her out of the bouncer.


Lucy's was three weeks old the first time she went to church, and of course she looked adorable!
But, if looks could kill. . .
. . .someday she will get back at that big brother for all the times he picked her up, woke her up, or tore her bow off her head.

This little outfit is from her dad (notice that it is NOT pink). And the super cute flower is from Michelle Bennett - thanks!

Despite what the cute onesie from Grandma Black says, Lucy did not get to ride a horse on her one month old birthday, mostly because it was too darn windy, but she did get to go out and experience her first Roundup. Happy Birthday Cowgirl!

Fun in the Mud

Last Saturday my brother-in-law was working on our stairs, so my sister and her kids came over for lunch and then we were all just hanging out at my house. Stetson and his cousin J.D. (aka the terrible twosome) decided that it would be fun to take a mud bath. So, they very carefully removed their pants and dove in (why they took their pants off, I will never know). The mud bath turned into a mud fight, and by the time we found them, they were so covered in mud we almost didn't recognize them (or we just didn't want to). It was so funny, we had a hard time getting mad, so we got out the camera and took pictures instead. The two boys were throwing mud at each other, rubbing it in each other's hair, sitting in it, and having the time of their lives.



The fun ended (for them) when it was time to hose them off. They were all excited about it until they found out how cold the water was. We were able to find our boys under all that mud, and got them cleaned up. Good times, great memories!!!