Tree Huggers

"Hot Chocolate" Party!

2012-01-15T20:46:00.005-06:00

Grandma Lewis bought Chyler a tea set for Christmas. She loves it and asks to play with it every day. This week Chyler and I had a "hot chocolate" party together! The pictures and video were just too cute not to post.

Here are our "friends" who joined us

Pouring the water

Mixing in the chocolate

Sharing her drink with Mr. Cat

Christmas!

2012-01-11T13:51:00.001-06:00

All of my siblings, their spouses, and my nephews were able to gather at my parent's house for Christmas- 17 people in total! Between us, we we live in California, Utah, Oklahoma, and Connecticut and haven't all been together since my wedding 2 1/2 years ago.

My parents did a great job filling our time there with delicious meals, movies, playing basketball/ping-pong/tennis/pool/volleyball, visiting a museum, looking at Christmas lights, going out to eat, game nights, flying around my dad's remote control helicopter, shopping, taking pictures, and more!

Get ready for picture overload!
(in no particular order)

My Family

Chyler ready to help Grandma
(Don't worry, she didn't get near the oven)

Family Bowling Picture
(minus Jackson, who is sleeping)

Chyler and her baby doll

Chyler & Connor
(My mom has high-chairs and booster
seats for when grandchildren come. It's great!)
Braden admiring Jackson
(He told my sister "I like looking at Baby
Jackson because he makes me happy.")

The Christmas Tree and presents
Blake & Chyler all ready for our walk

Grandpa Lewis & Chyler spent lots of time with Kayzan

Cousins Jackson & Connor

Chyler, Kyla, Blake, Connor, & Brittany on a walk

The one-year-olds playing together
Grandma Lewis & Jackson
Blake & Chyler dancing to music
(Seriously, it was so cute!)

The one-year-olds waiting to go outside to play with Kayzan

Uncle Adam & Jackson

Chyler bowling! She got a 58!

A very special thanks to my family, especially my parents, for helping me out with Chyler and Jackson. Brian wasn't able to stay the whole time because of work. Everyone stepped up though and really helped me out.

Jackson's Baby Blessing

2012-01-11T13:41:00.000-06:00

Since all of my family was getting together for Christmas, we decided to bless Jackson while they were here. The only Sunday that everyone was in town was on December 25, so Jackson was blessed on Christmas Day!

Our family with Grandma & Grandpa Tree

Aunt Raelene & Jackson

Jackson & cousin Tyler
(They're exactly 3 weeks apart)

Family picture with Grandma & Grandpa Tree

Family Picture with the whole Lewis side

Family Picture

Nursery

2012-01-10T22:51:00.006-06:00

Chyler turned 18 months on January 7, which means (drum roll please)... she got to go to nursery on Sunday!! We weren't quite sure how she'd handle it, but to our delight she did great! Brian took her in, showed her some toys, and then left. She never fussed a bit!

After church, Brian and I talked about how maybe she handled nursery a little too great. It would have been nice to have been missed a little :) We'll take it though.

Like Mother Like Daughter

2012-01-10T14:28:00.008-06:00

When I look through pictures of me when I was younger, I always find pictures of me walking around in my parent's shoes.

Well, it turns out that Chyler has a fascination with shoes too!

Chyler loves going into mine and Brian's closet and pulling out our shoes. It's so cute to watch her try putting them on and walking around the house in them. We took a video of her the other day trying on Brian's shoes. It was taken early in the morning right after she woke up, so it's kind of dark. At least you'll get to hear her high-pitched voice in excitement!

A Piece of Heaven

2012-01-10T13:11:00.006-06:00

It amazes me how I feel when I hold this little guy. Whenever I feel stressed or upset over something, all I have to do is hold Jackson and peace sweeps over me. He truly is a piece of heaven.

Photo-Shoot

2011-12-11T21:01:00.007-06:00

My mom graciously stayed with us the week Jackson was born. While she was here, she managed to squeeze in a little photo-shoot of him. Here are a few:

Big Sister

2011-12-11T13:05:00.003-06:00

Before Jackson was born, I was a little sad to think Chyler wouldn't be my baby anymore. She was still so little and somehow, I felt like I was cheating her out of her baby/toddler years by bringing another baby into our family so soon. (They're only 16 1/2 months apart). Since Jackson was born though, my worries and fears have gone away. Overnight, my view of Chyler has changed. I no longer see her as my little baby, but instead, I've been blessed to see how big she's gotten and how much she's grown. She'll always be my first baby, but she'll also always be my oldest. This little one has so much spunk, determination, love, and orneriness inside of her, I think she'll do the job perfect.

Labor & Delivery!

2011-12-10T22:05:00.013-06:00

For those of you who may be interested, I thought I'd post about my labor and delivery of little Jackson. Ever since being pregnant with Chyler, I've always been curious about everyone else's labor.

6:30 a.m.- On the morning of Monday, November 28th, I woke up to an upset stomach. Brian wasn't feeling well either, so I thought we must have either eaten something bad or caught something.

7:00 a.m.- I got up with Chyler and let Brian sleep a while longer. I still didn’t feel that great, so I took it slow, just letting Chyler play and eat cheerios for breakfast.

8:00 a.m.- Brian got up and left for work and said he was feeling better. About that time, I started noticing my contractions more, but played them off as Braxton Hicks.

9 a.m.- I noticed the contractions were getting stronger and about 4 minutes apart. I wasn’t positive I was in labor, but decided to call Brian to let him know he might need to come home.

9:30 a.m.- The contractions were still 4 minutes apart and some were really hurting. I also noticed that my thighs were burning during contractions, something that I remembered feeling when I was in labor with Chyler. I called Brian again and told him I was pretty sure the contractions were legit. He said he needed to finish some things up and then would head home in about an hour.

10 a.m.- I called Brian again and asked him to come home now. He said he just needed to finish some things up in the next 10 minutes and then would come straight home. In the meantime, I finished packing last minute things for Chyler and I.

10:40 a.m.- Brian got home and quickly packed the suitcases into the car. We dropped off Chyler at a ward friend's house and then headed over to the hospital.

11:00 a.m.- We checked in to the hospital where they checked me to see if I was truly in labor. It was obvious the nurse was surprised when she found that I was dilated to a 6! Brian then mentioned that I wanted an epidural to which she responded, “we’d better hurry.” They quickly moved me up to another floor where they started my IV and took blood work to see if I could even have an epidural. Within an hour, my blood work returned and looked fine and the anesthesiologist arrived to give me an epidural.

My experience with this epidural was vastly different from the epidural I received with Chyler. With this epidural, I still felt touch (whereas with Chyler, I didn’t) and it didn’t take as well to my right side (whereas with Chyler, it didn’t take as well to my left side). For the remainder of labor, I continued to feel pain on my right side that never went away.

12 Noon- I was dilated between a 6 and a 7.

2 p.m.- My doctor arrived and broke my water. I was dilated to a 7 then, but not for long!

2:45 p.m.- The nurse checked me again and said I was dilated to a 9. She said she’d come back in a half hour and check me again. It was 5-10 minutes later that I told Brian I could feel the baby moving down. He wanted to get the nurse then, but I told him to wait a little bit longer because I didn’t think I could progress that quickly.

2:55 p.m.- The nurse came back in because the monitor on my tummy wasn’t picking up the baby’s heartbeat very well. It turns out I was dilated to a 10, the baby was down, and I was ready to push.

3:00 p.m.- All the nurses rushed into set everything up to deliver little Jackson!

3:05ish p.m.- My doctor arrived and I started pushing. I pushed for 5-10 minutes and little Jackson arrived at 3:17 p.m.! He was healthy and weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz. and measured 21 inches long!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

2011-12-07T12:56:00.004-06:00

I had planned on decorating for Christmas last week, but since the little guy came sooner than I had expected, I didn't get around to it. Yesterday, I had an hour window where Jackson & Chyler were both sleeping, so I decided to bust out the Christmas decorations. It's my favorite holiday of the year and just having a baby didn't seem like a good enough excuse not to decorate.

Unfortunately, our living room is on the smaller side and not big enough to hang up our Christmas tree. My mom was generous enough to let us borrow this one though. It may be small, but it still does the trick.

This is the ornament I picked out for Chyler this year.

She's our little princess!

Here's the ornament I picked out for Jackson this year.
A little on the boring side, but it's hard to tell what he's like before he born :)

Our apartment may have a small living room, but a bonus is that it has a fireplace! I was so excited to hang up our stockings I made!

I put up various other ornaments throughout our apartment, but these ones were my favorite and I just had to share!

He's Here!

2011-12-01T19:44:00.007-06:00

Our little guy decided to make an early entrance!
He was 10 days early!
(No complaints from me :)

Jackson Lewis Tree arrived Monday, November 28 at 3:17 p.m. He weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz. and was 21 inches long. More information on the labor coming soon!

Our little Jackson

Mom & Jackson after delivery

Dad & Son
Chyler & Mom
Dad, Jackson, & Chyler

First Family Photo

To view some pictures taken at the hospital, click here: http://www.our365.com/NewbornPortraits/BabyDetail.aspx?birthid=1b136ccf-45a8-4352-9520-7b78f1b5eab9&utm_source=wnshare&utm_medium=email&utm_content=wnshare_mom_babylink&utm_campaign=wnshare_button

38 Weeks!

2011-11-25T22:00:00.005-06:00

That's right, he's almost here! I'm due on December 8, less than just two weeks away.

38 weeks

Here I am at 37 1/2 weeks when I was pregnant with Chyler. I'm definitely a big bigger this time around (and feeling it), but surprisingly, I've gained the same amount of weight.

I've almost finished my check-list of "things to do before the baby comes." I hope to finish the last few things either tomorrow or on Monday. Ready or not, here he comes (but I hope to be ready :)

Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T20:49:00.008-06:00

For the past two years since Brian and I have been married, we've spent Thanksgiving with my parents in Bartlesville. This year though, things worked out to spend the holiday with Brian's family in Stillwater. While we always enjoy being close to family, it's been especially nice during the holidays. (I know Thanksgiving wouldn't taste near as good if I was doing it all myself!)

To help ease my mother-in-law's work load, I offered to help make some pies. I looked through tons of cook books and finally decided to make a pecan pie (my favorite!), lemon meringue pie, and pink peppermint pie. For never making them before, they turned out quite well. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of these beauties.

For the holiday, Brian's grandparents came down from Indiana. We only spent Wednesday night and all day Thursday with them, but we enjoyed their company for the small time we were there. During those two days, we went out to eat as a family on Wednesday, enjoyed lots of delicious food, had lots of good conversation, played card games, and more. While I didn't take too many pictures, I managed a few:

4 Generations

Grandma & Grandpa Tree, Chyler, Brian, & Brian's dad

Grandma & Grandpa Tree, Chyler, & Brian

As I've mentioned in the past, Chyler LOVES going outside. It was in the high 60s all day, so I took Chyler outside to explore. She loves picking up sticks, pine cones, leaves, and more. It's pretty cute to watch :)

Yes, she has two different colored socks on. Please ignore :)

Due to the meaning of the holiday, I thought I'd take a minute and write some of the things I'm most grateful for:

1) A hard-working husband who is working full time and taking classes to finish his master's degree.
2) A beautiful, fun-loving daughter who makes me smile everyday.
3) A healthy baby boy.... who is almost here!
4) The opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom.
5) The gospel of Jesus Christ and the direction it's provided in my life.
6) The most amazing parents I could ever ask for.
7) A strong bond with all of my siblings and the opportunity we have to get together for Christmas this year.
8) Being a U.S. citizen and enjoying countless freedoms.
9) Having gained an education in a rewarding (and flexible) field.
10) Building a house and getting to move into it in May!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

Hair

2011-11-25T20:34:00.005-06:00

I've been trying to grow out Chyler's hair, but she's needed her bangs cut a few times. My mom has always been around to help me in the past (aka- my mom just cut her bangs while I watched). This past week, Chyler needed her bangs cut again and I knew I couldn't wait until my Mom was around. I got brave one morning, sat Chyler in her bumbo chair with lots of Cheerios, and went for it. While I know I didn't do a perfect job by any means, I don't think I did half bad for my first time.

Chyler's hair is super thin and I've always struggled to do anything with it. After I cut her bangs though, I decided to try something new. I know I've got to keep practicing on her, but I'm proud I was able to accomplish something... and that she let me. It lasted a whole two hours :)

Look at those cute curls in the back!

A Few More Crafts

2011-11-15T16:32:00.004-06:00

I've been able to wrap up the majority of my "to do" crafts that I wanted to get done before the baby comes. Take a look!

Last year, I made Christmas sweater stockings for Brian, Chyler, and I. With a new baby on the way, I whipped one up for little Jackson to have as well.

This was a quick craft that caught my eye. I really enjoyed it because it cost about $1.00 and I was able to sit down and finish it in one morning. If you can't tell, they're supposed to be little pumpkins.

Chyler loves cuddling on our bed and playing in our pillows. So, I decided to make Chyler her very own pillow for Christmas. Since she's our little princess, I picked out princess fabric. I hope she likes it!

What's in a Name?

2011-11-15T14:21:00.007-06:00

A common question I've been asked since Chyler was born was where I came up with her name. With a new baby coming and the choosing of another name, I thought I'd do a post on Chyler's name and baby tree's name.

Chyler Tree
When I was a teenager, I came across the name Chyler in a magazine. From that day on, I've loved the name and planned on naming a future daughter Chyler (just ask my family). The reason I loved it so much was because of it's uniqueness. Growing up, I had a less than common name and enjoyed being the only Kyla in a class. I also enjoyed meeting someone new, introducing myself, and hearing them say how pretty they thought my name was. I wanted that for my daughter as well.

When I was older, I found out that the person in the magazine whose name was Chyler actually pronounced her name with a /k/. For years, I had pronounced the name with a "ch" sound though. When I heard that, I was surprised, but happy. I felt like pronouncing it with a "ch" made it even more unique and beautiful.

Chyler does not have a middle name, at least not yet. It's a tradition on my dad's side that when a girl is born, she is not given a middle name. When she later gets married, her maiden name officially becomes her middle name. That way she can always carry her roots with her. I guess I like being different in small, fun ways because I really enjoyed how not having a middle name made my name a little more unique. Now that I am married and my name is Kyla Lewis Tree, I enjoy being able to carry my Lewis heritage with me, even though I'm a Tree.

This is just a funny story, but I thought I'd add it. When Brian and I started seriously dating, I mentioned to him that I really liked the name Chyler for a girl. Little did I know that Brian would later tell everyone that he didn't debate the name Chyler when we found out I was pregnant with a girl because it was our prenuptial agreement :)

Jackson Lewis Tree

Since around July/August, Brian and I settled on the name of baby #2. We were sitting around debating names when Brian threw out "Jackson." I've always liked the name and said we could keep it on the save list. My mom later pointed out that it would be so fitting because Brian's mom's maiden's name is Jackson. When I heard that, I latched onto the name.

Unlike Chyler, Jackson will have a middle name from birth. Continuing with the Lewis tradition, when a son is born, he is given the mother's maiden name as his middle name. I really like this tradition as well because even though his last name is from his dad's side, I appreciate knowing that he has a little Lewis inside of him as well. I am proud to have been a Lewis and I want to instill that in my children as well.

What makes Jackson's name unique in my opinion is that all 3 of his names are last names.

Jackson- Brian's mom's maiden name

Lewis- my maiden name

Tree- Brian's last name

Reaction

2011-11-04T12:31:00.008-05:00

Have you ever been driving along and someone honks at you? Or, you're on the phone with a customer service representative and they bark off a rude comment? The few times I've come across this, I've usually been offended and it eats at me. Well, yesterday I received one of "those" comments, but I have to say I had a different reaction.

I had to wake Chyler up a little early yesterday so we could get ready for my doctor's appointment. After the appointment, we ran from a play date to Hobby Lobby and then to Wal-mart. When we arrived at Wal-mart, I noticed that Chyler had fallen asleep in her car seat. I only needed to run in real quick, so I quickly unbuckled her and carried her in with her head on my shoulder. When I got to the aisle I needed, I quickly spent 10 seconds looking around and then grabbed what I needed. When I turned to leave, a lady looked at me in disgust and said, "You're making it hard to get around." At first, I couldn't believe she was talking to me. Here I am 35 weeks pregnant, carrying a sleeping 1 year old, and taking a reasonable amount of time to look around. It just blew my mind that she was in such a rush that she couldn't walk around, say "excuse me," or wait patiently. On the drive home, I replayed the situation out in my head. By the time I got home, I realized I wasn't offended in the least bit. Instead, I was sad; sad for whatever made that woman respond so negatively.

Gratefully, since having Chyler and being pregnant, I've had more positive experiences than bad ones. I never knew that holding open the door would mean so much. (But it does!) Seeing other people serve me in these little ways has inspired me to be more patient and help other young moms when I can.

Happy Halloween!!

2011-11-02T13:39:00.005-05:00

I had two costumes that Chyler could wear for Halloween this year. Just like last year though, she wasn't really a fan.

Halloween 2010

The week before Halloween, I was FINALLY able to get Chyler to put on both costumes. I knew I might not get her in them again, so I grabbed my camera.

Just like I worried, Chyler wouldn't get in her costumes before the church Halloween party. I actually put the bumble bee costume on her, but she just cried. Instead of forcing her to wearing one, she spent the evening like this:

I ended up going with an easy option, but very appropriate considering my condition. I was a cook and the baby was "a bun in the oven!"

What I've Been Up To

2011-11-02T13:21:00.006-05:00

I've feel like it's been a busy, but productive month. Here are some things I've been working on:

I know most girls do this when they're a teenager, but I finally got around to making my own recipe book. I've been working on collecting recipes all year, but I recently printed them off the computer and combined them into my own book.

I was lucky enough to attend a craft activity that my past ward held. I made 2 snowmen and a Christmas countdown. This is my favorite time of the year and I'm excited to start decorating!

I've wanted to make a Halloween wreath for months, but I finally got around to making one. I have to say I'm worried it's going to be stolen if I hang it on my door, so I guess I'll have to wait until I move into my own house!

I've also been working on making pillow covers for my LR pillows, another sweater stocking for baby #2, a little pillow for Chyler, and more. I'm excited to see how they turn out!

Family Pictures

2011-11-02T12:43:00.012-05:00

Last Saturday, my parents came down to Oklahoma City to attend the temple. Afterwards, I asked if my mom would if she'd take some pictures of our family. Chyler didn't really cooperate in the family shots, but my mom got some good ones of her when she was roaming around.

What do you do when your little one loves being outside?
I guess you take family pictures inside :)

34 Weeks!

2011-10-29T23:00:00.000-05:00

Right now I'm 34 weeks along! I can't believe how fast the weeks keep rolling by. This little guy is going to be here before we know it.

I've been more sick with this little guy than I was with Chyler, which has been a downer. On the up side though, he doesn't sit as low as Chyler did... which means my hips don't ache uncontrollably! (If you can't tell, I am very excited about this development.... or non-development :)

Home Owners... Almost

2011-10-25T14:51:00.007-05:00

Brian and I have been house hunting for over a month now. After looking at hundreds of houses online, visiting our top picks, deciding on one and thoroughly investigating it to ease my mind, making an offer on the house and getting beat out, being devastated, hesitantly looking at more houses online, and visiting more of our top picks, we have finally decided to buy none of them. Instead.... we're going to build!! We signed the contract earlier this week and boy are we excited. In just 6 months, this little beauty will be ours.

Here's a picture of our floor plan.
The outside will look like Elevation A.

15 months!

2011-10-14T11:59:00.019-05:00

Chyler went to the doctor this week for her 15 month check-up. She had to get 2 immunizations and the flu shot. While she handled the shots fairly well, the flu shot ended up giving her a fever of 101. Thankfully, with a little medicine and 24 hours later, she's as good as new again.

Length: 30 inches (50th %ile)

Weight: 20.0 lbs (10th %ile)

Mobility: Chyler has been walking for about a month now. One day, she wasn't and then the next, she was. Since that day, she hasn't looked back to crawling at all. Walking is much faster :) She's only had one bad spill (which I previously posted about) and now walks inside and outside quite well.

Teething: This little girl still has just 4 little teeth, 2 on top and 2 on bottom. With two parents who naturally had gaps in their front teeth, it's no wonder Chyler does too.

Drinking: We're working on weaning Chyler from the bottle to only sippy cups, but Chyler doesn't make it easy. I have about 8 weeks until baby #2 comes and it would be my dream to have Chyler out of bottles when he arrives. We'll have to see how that goes.

Eating: Chyler loves to put food in her mouth herself and will often spit it out if Brian or I do it. She continues to eat whatever Brian and I are eating at meal time, which makes it nice not to fix anything special. (She's always preferred big people food to baby food anyway.) Unfortunately, she's not too big on veggies. She eats just about everything else, but no veggies (well, she will tolerate corn and potatoes). I still try to give her one a day, but whether she digests it is a different story.

Chyler after eating a cookie

Communication: As I mentioned in "My Signing Baby" post, Chyler's vocabularly in sign language has taken off. She continues to learn new signs every week. The only downside to signing is that only Brian, myself, and some family members understand what she's signing. On the up side though, I've been excited to see that signing has also helped her start saying words faster. She attempts to say quite a few of the words she signs. As for her comprehension, Chyler continues to amaze me at what she understands. Off the top of my head, some of the phrases she understands are "turn the TV off," "go get your shoes," "put that back," "give it to Daddy," and "come here." Chyler has also recently mastered where her belly button, ears, nose, teeth, and toes are, but is still working on some of the others.

Chyler signing "bath" while taking a bath

Girly-Girl: Chyler is definitely a girl. She loves playing with kitchen supplies, Mommy's make-up (which is why I can't find my mascara right now), anyone and everyone's shoes, baby dolls and stuffed animals, Mommy's blow dryer and straightener (when cooled of course), and more.

Playing with my shoes

True Joys: Chyler's true joy comes from wandering around outside. The biggest smile appears on her face when Brian and I go to a park and just let her roam around in the grass. Not much is higher on her list than getting to be outside.

Chyler at the pumpkin patch

Naps: Soon after I posted Chyler's 12 month post, Chyler weaned herself from 2 naps to strictly 1 nap per day (2 hours long). Downside: I don't get as much time to do things around the house. Upside: When running errands, I don't have to worry about getting back to the apartment for nap time.

Temper Tantrums: Yes, they've started. And truthfully, they've been making an appearance at our home for quite a while now. Chyler hates it when she doesn't get her way and knows how to effectively communicate her dislike. A few things I know that are sure to set her off is when she has to be buckled in her car seat; when someone else is going outside, but not her; when someone else is on the computer, but won't let her touch the keyboard, mouse, or screen; and when mean Mommy won't let her play in the bathroom. Life sure is tough for this 15 month old!

Socially: Chyler is still a little clingy, but is miles farther than where she used to be. From 6-12 months, she used to hate it when anyone besides Mom, Dad, and very few select others even touched her. Now, she's much more accepting and willing to go with somebody she's familiar with. When Chyler is around people she knows and loves, she pulls out the smiles and giggles and seeks for every bit of attention she can get (and of course, she always does).

I can't believe my little girl is so big! They're not lying when they say time passes fast.

No Tattoos

2011-10-11T14:41:00.005-05:00

This past weekend, we visited my parents in Bartlesville again. It's always nice to get away for a few days and spend time with family.

While we were there, my mom thought it would be fun to put a Smurf tattoo on Chyler's arm. Chyler, on the other hand, did not agree. As soon as it was on, Chyler started crying and holding her arm. Thankfully, I was able to grab a washcloth and quickly get it off, but the fiasco didn't end there. For the next 10-15 minutes, every time Chyler looked at her arm (even though there was nothing there anymore), she'd started crying.

While I am grateful that Chyler appears to not like tattoos, I have to say it was pretty funny! This will have to be one of those things we kid her about later :)

My Signing Baby

2011-10-05T21:59:00.004-05:00

Since I was a teenager, I've always been fascinated by American Sign Language (ASL). In fact, it was what originally interested me in my study of speech-language pathology. During college, only one ASL class was required, but I wanted to gain a greater proficiency in it and ended up taking 5. Over the years, my skills have slipped a bit, but not my love for the language.

A few months ago, my mom brought home a baby sign language video that she found for a quarter at a garage sale. I played it for Chyler and ever since, her sign language vocabularly has taken off.

She now knows the following signs and uses them frequently:

frog, cat, dog, duck, hat, book, milk, star, bath, moon, dad, touchdown, toothbrush, light, sleep, shoe, ball, baby, love

She's still working on perfecting these signs:

water, please, juice, cookie

For your pleasure (and so I could capture her impressive skills), I took a video of her signing some words. She gets a little distracted by the clip in her hair, but you get the picture :)

Nursery Rhymes

2011-09-26T10:01:00.004-05:00

I have fond memories of reciting nursery rhymes as a child and remember quite a few today. I recently came across a new one in Chyler's book that I hadn't heard of before. Am I the only one who finds this one a bit odd though?

Goosey Goosey Gander

Wither shall I wonder?

Upstairs and downstairs

And in my lady's chamber.

There I met an old man

Who wouldn't say his prayers.

So I took him by the left leg

And threw him down the stairs.

I guess the moral of the nursery rhyme is good though:

Say your prayers!

Can You Say "Ouch!"

2011-09-24T14:03:00.005-05:00

I recently posted that Chyler had taken her first steps and was learning to walk. Progress was slow in the beginning, but all of a sudden, Chyler has just taken off! She surprised me on Monday by walking around the apartment and hasn't stopped since.

On Friday, when Brian got home from work, I thought it would be a great idea if we all walked to the mail box together (since we live in an apartment complex, the mail box is a ways away). This little girl has quite the independent spirit inside her and insists on doing everything herself. Even though she just recently learned to walk, she insisted that we not hold her hand to help her. She stumbled a few times and got her hands dirty in the dirt, but that was about the worst of it. Then, when we were just about to get back to our apartment, Chyler totally face planted it into the sidewalk. And boy, did she cry! She had dirt all over face and had scraped up her nose pretty good. After a bath, 2 bottles, and a signing video (for comfort) later, we finally managed to clean her up and settle her down.

She must remember falling because she's definitely been more clingy today. Considering this was the biggest traumatic experience she's had though, she's handled it quite well (especially considering she already had a cold and a runny nose).

These pictures aren't the most attractive, but you get the idea.
Poor little girl!

My 26th Birthday

2011-09-23T10:43:00.008-05:00

Tuesday was my 26th birthday! Geez, where does time go? I'm older than a quarter of a century! I still feel young at heart though. It's funny how even though the years pass, I still feel like I just graduated from high school, just graduated from college, just got married, and just had a baby. Maybe my timing is a little off :)

Anyway, I had a great birthday and was lucky to be surrounded by those who love me. It started off on Monday when Brian came home from work to surprise me with these beauties:

Tuesday morning was pretty normal. Brian headed off to work bright and early while I caught a few more ZZZs until Chyler woke up. The rest of the morning and afternoon were filled with exercising, laundry, and running a few errands around town. About 3 in the afternoon though, the party began! My parents arranged to attend the Oklahoma City LDS Temple that day so they could celebrate with us afterwards. When they were done, they came to my apartment and took Chyler and I to a delicious Mexican restaurant where Brian met us. (Mexican food is my favorite!)

After we ate, we came back to our apartment for cake, ice cream, and presents! My thoughtful husband may not be the most creative or artistic when it comes to cake decorating, but you can't say he didn't try :)

Getting ready to blow out my candles!

Chyler waiting patiently for some cake and ice cream

As for my presents, I was surprised with money, the movie Tangled, mint chocolates, a crock pot cookbook, lotion, hand sanitizer, and more candy. To top it off, all of my siblings called to wish me a Happy Birthday. I know lots of thought and effort was put into my birthday by my parents and loving husband. Thank-you so much!

Look Who's Starting to Walk!

2011-09-16T11:44:00.005-05:00

9/11

2011-09-12T22:10:00.006-05:00

On September 11, 2001, I first found out about the terrorist attacks at the end of my 1st hour. It was Tuesday and my day to drive in driver's ed. When we got back from driving, I walked back into the classroom and saw everybody watching the news on a little TV in a corner. As I sat down, I turned to my friend and asked what was going on. She gave me the update that an airplane had just flown into one of the World Trade Center Towers. I remember not really understanding what was going on. I hadn't heard of the World Trade Center and it was hard to imagine someone intentionally running an airplane into a building (make that 2).

As I went to my next class, my teacher said something interesting that I'll never forget. He mentioned that these attacks were symbolic in our day to JFK being shot in our parent's day. It's something we'll always remember and something our kids will read about in the history books. I went home that day, still not fully comprehending what had happened, but I made sure to write the events in my journal.

In honor of September 11, I just wanted to take a minute to post a few things:
I'm grateful for the firefighters and police officers who risked their lives that day.
I'm grateful for the men and women (and their families) who've fought and continue to fight overseas today.
And most of all, I'm grateful to live in a free country. I know the United States of America is a blessed land and I'm grateful to be a citizen.

Labor Day Weekend!

2011-09-07T09:51:00.008-05:00

Brian was able to arrange his schedule so we could have an extra long fun filled holiday weekend. On Thursday afternoon, we drove up to Stillwater to spend some time with his family. His younger siblings were out of school on Friday and it worked out well being up there for the day. Lots of time was spent talking, playing video games, going out to eat, and more. On Friday, I also turned 26 weeks. Here's a picture of my growing belly!

When Friday afternoon rolled around, Brian, Chyler, and I headed to Bartlesville to spend the rest of the weekend with my parents. On Saturday, we enjoyed watching the BYU Cougars beat Ole Miss 14-13 and listening to OSU Cowboys beat Louisiana Lafayette 61-34! Woo hoo!

While we were in Bartlesville, I also took advantage of my Mom's expertise and made a book cover for Chyler's baby book. I love the variety of pages on the inside, but have never been a fan of the cover. So, I looked up a pattern, bought some fabric, and went to work. I really liked how it turned out!

Before Picture

After Picture

On Sunday, we went to church with my parents and enjoyed a low key day. That evening, we got to Skype with Adam and Aaron's family (my brothers). Don't you just love modern technology?

On Monday, we enjoyed a beautiful picnic at the park. (And when I say beautiful, I mean beautiful. A cold front moved in on Saturday night and ever since, it's been nothing but 80s! Good bye 100 degree weather!! You won't be missed :) Here are some pictures of Chyler and Grandma Lewis playing!

Grandma & Chyler swinging
(and Chyler trying to kick me :)

Going down the slide
Hanging out in the rhino
(as you can tell, this one wasn't her favorite)
Practicing Walking
(She took her first steps while we were there this weekend!)

We love having family so close!

Visits from the Lindseys!

2011-09-01T11:41:00.007-05:00

The month of August was a lucky one for me. Two of my dear friends passed through Oklahoma and I was able to catch up with both of them! It's kind of funny because both of their names are "Lindsey" and I actually lived with both of them my last year at BYU.

Lindsey H was home for a few weeks before she headed back out to Provo. Whenever she's in town, our old posse group always finds time to get together. Attendance seems to be getting smaller every year, but we still enjoy our get togethers when we can.

Brian, Chyler, Me, Lindsey, Kerri, & Jared

Lindsey R was driving from Arizona to the east coast for her last year of law school! Lindsey drove right through Oklahoma City and was able to meet us at our apartment for dinner, meet Chyler for the first time, and catch up for a few hours. She was driving all by herself, but I'm grateful to hear that she made it safely.

Lindsey & Me

I Love to See the Temple

2011-08-29T11:47:00.009-05:00

Despite the stress of moving to a new city and new apartment, there has been one aspect that I have particularly enjoyed. We are now less than 10 minutes from the Oklahoma City LDS Temple. With a one-year-old and another on the way, words cannot describe how nice it is to drive to the temple and do an endowment session in such a short period of time. What makes it even better is the building where we attend church is right across the street. What a sweet blessing it is to see the temple on a weekly basis.

The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple

I Love to See the Temple

1. I love to see the temple.
I’m going there someday
To feel the Holy Spirit,
To listen and to pray.
For the temple is a house of God,
A place of love and beauty.
I’ll prepare myself while I am young;
This is my sacred duty.

2. I love to see the temple.
I’ll go inside someday.
I’ll cov’nant with my Father;
I’ll promise to obey.
For the temple is a holy place
Where we are sealed together.
As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth:
A fam’ly is forever.

Official!

2011-08-26T22:17:00.006-05:00

During my senior year of my undergraduate degree, I first learned about what's called a CFY. It stands for Clinical Fellowship Year. The quick version of what it means is that after you graduate with your master's degree, you have to work 1,260 hours (about 9 months full time) under supervision before you can become nationally certified as a speech-language pathologist.

I am happy to report that even though it's taken a little longer than I originally thought it would take, I am now a nationally certified speech-language pathologist.

Check out my new and improved credentials:

Kyla Tree, M.S., CCC-SLP

If you can't tell, I'm pretty proud of them! To celebrate, I bought Dove chocolates with caramel inside. Yum!

Together Again

2011-08-18T13:12:00.006-05:00

Brian, Chyler, and I are finally living under 1 roof again! After the Lewis reunion, I took a few days to do laundry and pack up our stuff in Bartlesville before I made the 2 1/2 hour drive to Oklahoma City.

In the past week and a half, I've been spending lots of time organizing and cleaning the apartment and just getting caught up on things. Despite the business of our schedules though, we've managed to squeeze in some play time. Brian starts classes again tomorrow so we've tried to make the most of our time.

I haven't taken a family picture since we've been back together, but here are some of Chyler and what she's been up to.

Watching a signing video

Getting used to shoes

Being adorable :)

Lewis Reunion

2011-08-18T13:02:00.006-05:00

The first week in August, Chyler and I headed out to Utah with my parents and brother (Adam) for a Lewis Reunion! It was perfect timing too. While it was the hottest week in Oklahoma (around 112 F every day), the high in Brian Head, UT was 65 F.

(I have to start off by saying that Utah is a good 2 day drive from Oklahoma. Adam might differ, but I have to say Chyler handled the car ride quite well. There were moments of tears and struggle, but for the most part, she was content reading books, watching signing videos, playing with toys, and getting a few naps in.)

Here's my dad with Chyler letting her experience grass for the first time. (I can't put her in the grass in OK because of chiggers.) She took some time to warm up to it, but towards the end of the trip, she loved it!

Anyway, continuing on with our tip. We first drove to Provo and dropped off my Adam's stuff for college in the fall. When we arrived in Provo, we went to my other brother's (Aaron) apartment that night and enjoyed some delicious dinner. Here's a picture of Chyler playing with her cousin, Connor. I'm so glad she has cousins close to her age. These two are just 4 months apart.

Connor would take blocks out out of the
bin while Chyler kept putting them back
(I think she may have inherited some of my organization skills)

The next day, we went up to BYU's campus for awhile and I was fortunate to meet up with one of my past roommates, Jayrin. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera, so no picture! I was also lucky enough to randomly run into another past roommate while waiting outside the WILK. It was so good to see you Suzy! (Sadly, no picture on this one either)

We later drove down to Brian Head and found our cabin we were staying in for the week. The whole family (minus my brother Scott, his wife Megan, their son Blake, and my husband Brian) were able to attend. We were fortunate to all stay in the same cabin and all get our own room. (Thanks Mom and Dad!)

The next day the reunion was in full swing. To start, they took a picture of each person that was present at the reunion to make the "Lewis Family Tree." Each leaf represents all the descendants of my Grandma and Grandpa Lewis. "All Because Two People Fell in Love!"

The next three days were filled with hiking, playing games, biking, going to Zion's National Park, eating, socializing, and more fun. Chyler and I didn't participate in all the activities due to nap schedules, the fact that I'm 5 months pregnant, Chyler is young, and Brian couldn't come on the trip. However, we had a great trip enjoying everyone's company and spending time with family.

Aaron and Connor before the big hike
(Chyler and I were actually fortunate not to participate on this one! It started raining and hailing soon after they started. Poor little kids!)

Connor, Brittany, and Aaron at the cabin

The boys enjoying some hot tubbing
(My dad, Aaron, & Adam)

The cutest little girl around

Chyler playing with cousins, second cousins, and cousins once removed

As I mentioned previously, one day of the reunion everybody headed down to Zion's National Park. We rode around a bus and viewed the sites, went on a few hikes, and toured a museum about the park. Here are a few pictures:

My dad graciously volunteered to carry Chyler during the hike so I wouldn't have to do it while being 5 months pregnant. Chyler & one of her favorite pals, Grandpa.
Some pretty scenery at Zion's

Adam, Mom, & Dad on a hike at Zion's
Dad, Chyler, Adam, & me hiking

Another activity that was part of the reunion was the Mountain Man Competition. This included throwing a hatchet, chopping wood, shooting guns, building a fire, and an activity where the kids used a squirt gun to put out a candle. (Can you tell they're from Wyoming? :)Here are some of the pictures that capture the events:

Dad throwing a hatchet at a target
Aaron chopping wood

Adam, Dad, & Aaron starting a fire

To end the evening and the reunion, we had a slideshow of pictures from the past few days. Then Grandma and Grandpa each spoke a little about family and their past. How I love these two people! They make me so proud to be a Lewis.

Grandma cutting the cake
"Happy 60th Wedding Anniversary!"

How lucky Chyler and I are to be apart of this family!

We love you Grandma & Grandpa!!

Can We Say Miserable?

2011-08-08T14:47:00.008-05:00

I grew up in Oklahoma, but I have to say I've never really gotten used to Oklahoma's hot, humid summers. (I've just grown to appreciate not so hot weather, meaning 90s.) For the past month, temperatures have been in the 100s more often than not. And latley, it's been above 110°F. Talk about "uggghh." I have to say whoever invented the air condition is my hero.

Here's to hoping for cooler weather soon!

Pregnancy Update

2011-08-08T14:41:00.004-05:00

I'm 22 weeks along!
Just 4 more months until our little guy joins our family.

Here I am at 21 weeks.

12 Month Update!

2011-07-29T14:45:00.014-05:00

Chyler actually turned 1 on July 7, but due to the waiting period between shots, Chyler didn't have her 12 month appointment with the doctor until two weeks ago.

The stats are now in!

Height: 28 inches- 25%ile
Weight: 18 lbs. 2 oz.-between 5-10%ile (We have a small, but very active and healthy little girl!)

Swinging at the park

Clothes

: She usually starts wearing a new size just as she gets to that age. She's currently wearing 12 month clothes, but her pants are often a bit big. She's not into shoes much, but that's probably because I rarely put them on her. Socks never tend to stay on long either. Again, that's probably because I only put them on for church.

Such a cutie

Food: Ever since birth, Chyler has taken some time to adjust to eating new things (nursing, then cereal, then solids). Thankfully, I think it's finally over! She now usually eats whatever we put in front of her, whether it's vegetables, meat, fruit, grains, or whatever. This has also led to a decrease (although not completely) in throwing food on the floor, which I have greatly appreciated :)

Crawling/Walking: Chyle isn't walking yet, but has started letting us grab her hands and walk her around the house. I'm guessing it will be another month or so. Until then, she'll be the fastest crawler around.

Sporting her sunglasses

Teething: Chyler's two bottom teeth came in at 11 months and the two top ones just popped through!

Naps/Sleeping: Chyler has been a great sleeper at night for months now. She goes down around 7:30 p.m. and wakes up at 7ish. As for naps, it seems like we get on a schedule for awhile and then her body changes. She usually still takes 2 naps a day (about 1 1/2 hours long each), but I wouldn't be surprised if just 1 nap is in the near future.

Favorite Things: Chyler LOVES my parent's dog and signs "dog" whenever she see him or any other dog. She has no fear of Kayzan and will independently pet him or let him come up and sniff/lick her. Chyler also loves the piano. This includes banging on it and trying to climb on it. She's going to miss both of these when we move to Oklahoma City this week. Chyler also loves books and spends a good deal of time just looking at them or having us read to her. She enjoys entertaining us by bouncing up and down, whether music is playing or not. One of her all time favorite games is playing "chase." She knows Grandpa Lewis is best at it and will get a head start any time she sees him. Chyler also loves crawling up and down the stairs (not the best hobby, I know). It doesn't seem to bother her to climb up, go down, climb back up, go down, etc. Chyler loves to make faces at people. She scrunches her nose and sniffs. It never fails to make us laugh!

Her sniffing face

Speech & Language: In addition to signing "dog," Chyler also signs "hi/bye" and has been doing so for months now. If you're lucky, she might even attempt to say "hi" while waving. As for words, she says "mama" and "dadda," but also uses them for other things besides Brian and me. She has recently tried saying "banana" when I say it, but as you can guess, it's not too intelligible yet. Chyler has been saying "more" for awhile now. I used to try and teach her how to sign "more," but she always just looked at me. Then one day out of the blue, she just started saying it! I'm also trying to teach her the signs for "drink" and "all done," but no progress there yet. I've started showing her some signing videos and I'm excited to see what she picks up!

Chyler waving to the camera

I know I say it all the time, but I'm so grateful for this little girl! She keeps me on my toes, but I love being her mom.

Last Day of Work

2011-07-29T14:40:00.006-05:00

Today was my last day of working for Therapy Source for Kids. While I've enjoyed interacting with preschoolers, polishing up on my skills, and finishing the hours I needed for my certification; I'm pretty excited to go back to being a stay at home mom. I have to say that's where I find my true joy and satisfaction in life. You just can't beat it.

I felt pretty official when they
gave me my own business cards!

Graduating!!

2011-07-29T14:29:00.002-05:00

OSU's accounting program allows you to work on your bachelor's degree and master's degree at the same time. So even though Brian only has 3 more classes until he graduates with his master's degree, today he finished his last class to officially graduate with his bachelor's degree!!

OSU doesn't have a graduation in August. By the time they do have one, Brian will have basically earned his master's degree. So, we decided it would be most practical if he just walked for his master's degree and we counted it for both. Nevertheless, I am still very proud of him for all his hard work and dedication!

Happy Graduation Sweetheart!!

Pioneer Day

2011-07-26T21:54:00.003-05:00

As some of you may know, members from the LDS church celebrate Pioneer Day on July 24. It's a day that we can commemorate the pioneers of the church in these latter days for all their hard work and the sacrifices they made so we could have the gospel of Jesus Christ. I, like all members of the church, have much to be grateful for on this day.

I have a strong heritage of pioneers in my family and look forward to rereading their journals every year. Here is a story from some of my Lewis ancestors that I stumbled across this week:

"David Lewis and his 3 brothers, Enoch, William, and Elias were converted in Wales and left their homes and some of their families their to join the Saints in Utah in 1856. The four Lewis brothers along with their families sailed from Liverpool on April 18, 1856. When they reached America, they took a train to Iowa City. The long journey across the ocean, the crowded unfavorable conditions on the railroad (meaning lack of food and unsanitary conditions) was more than their youngest child, John, could stand. He passed away in Iowa and was buried there. The rest of the family pulled handcarts across the plains for 4 ½ months before they reached the Salt Lake Valley. Some went barefoot to save their shoes for later. Elias’s wife, Ellenor, was very proud and particular about her shoes. She always kept them shiny and clean. When they reached the Missouri River, she took them off, set them on the bank of the river, and when she got on the other side, she discovered she had left them. She walked the rest of the way bare-footed."

The pioneers sacrificed everything for what they believed. Taking the time to study their stories every year has given me the desire and strength to try a little harder day after day. I'm amazed by their faith and the sacrifices they so willingly made. I pray that we can all become a little more like them.

New Job!

2011-07-20T14:25:00.010-05:00

Brian recently got a new job!
He is now a proud employee of the State Auditor's Department (of Oklahoma that is).

Due to this unexpected pregnancy (for those of you who were wondering :), Brian and I decided we needed to make some changes, so he dropped out of school.

Just kidding! He only has to take a few more classes until he finishes his master's degree in accounting. So, being the wonderful man that he is, he has taken on a full time job and is finishing the last few classes online. It may delay graduation by a semester, but we decided the pros definitely outweighed the cons.

Here's to regular paychecks and an amazing husband!

Announcement!

2011-07-14T08:05:00.009-05:00

Chyler has an important announcement to make!

She's going to be a big sister!

That's right! I'm pregnant again. I'll be 19 weeks (just over 4 months) tomorrow, so we figured it's about time to start telling people.

For proof, here I am at 17 weeks
To add to the excitement, this week we found out we're having a boy! Now we'll have one of each! Our little baby will join us around December 8th!

Happy Birthday Chyler!! (Part 2)

2011-07-13T13:44:00.009-05:00

We celebrated Chyler's 1st birthday with my side of the family after my parents and brother returned from Guatemala. We had to celebrate it a few days earlier than her real birthday so Brian could be there as well.

Despite my lack of baking and cake decorating skills, I was happy with how the cake turned out. (I did have a little help from Grandma, but that's besides the point :)

The cake

Family Picture

It's a tradition in my family to let the person whose birthday it is to cut the cake. Chyler needed some direction, but eventually got the hang of it. You can see from the pictures that she wouldn't let go of the plastic knife the whole time she was eating.

Cutting the cake

Here's a short video of Chyler figuring out how to eat the cake.

It didn't take long before she caught on!
Yum!

Chyler enjoyed all the attention. She kept stuffing cake into her mouth because it was making us laugh!

After cake and ice cream, we opened presents! Here are a few pictures of some of the things she got.

Bubbles!
Camera
Animal puzzle that makes noises
Chyler wasn't very excited to wear her birthday headband, but she's still a pretty cute one year old! She's blessed our lives so much this past year and we're grateful she's ours!

Happy Birthday Little Princess!

Happy 1st Birthday Chyler!! (Part 1)

2011-07-12T15:48:00.018-05:00

We celebrated Chyler's 1st birthday last week! Since both sides of the family live close, she got a double dose of birthday fun.

We first celebrated her birthday with the Tree family by heading up to Stillwater for the weekend. I've been wanting to take Chyler swimming all summer, but we haven't gotten around to it. I finally insisted we go for Chyler's birthday. She loves bath time and I figured she'd enjoy swimming just as much... and she did! She enjoyed splashing around, moving through the water, and going down the slide. She was a little squirmy, but that's only because the kiddy pool was too deep for me to let go of her. This girl definitely enjoys her independence. We'll definitely be making trips back to the pool in the future.

Raelene (Brian's sister), me, & Chyler
Going down the slide

The rest of the weekend was spent playing, having fun with family, and of course the birthday celebration!

Playing monopoly with Daddy, Uncle Matthew, and Uncle Jacob

Playing with blocks
Chyler's birthday shirt she wore all day

Here are a few of the cupcakes I made.
Can you figure out what the skittles are shaped like?

In past birthday celebrations, Chyler has gotten scared when we've turned the lights off and blown out the candles, so we decided to leave the lights on. She never cried, but the candle still freaked her out a little.

After some initial help, she slowly started to piece at the cupcake.
She eventually got the hang of it and started eating it!
I have to say she didn't get as messy as I thought she'd get!

Happy Birthday Chyler!!

Home Sweet Home

2011-07-06T16:16:00.009-05:00

On July 4th, we welcomed my little brother, Adam, home from his mission! For the past 2 years, he's been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Guatemala. We sure missed him and are excited to have him home!

Brian, Chyler, me, Elder Lewis, & Dad at the airport

Christian Radio

2011-06-29T20:25:00.006-05:00

Growing up, I listened to a variety of music on the radio- country, rock, oldies, and more. When Sundays rolled around, I turned the radio off and listened solely to music from LDS artists. I wanted to make Sundays different than the rest of the week and really concentrate on my Savior.

One summer while I was in college, I came home and was in the car with my younger brother, Adam. He had the radio on and turned it to a Christian radio station. I have to say I was a little surprised. I had never really listened to the typical Christian music on the radio before. As I sat there listening though, I realized I did enjoy the music and it wasn't vastly different from the religious music I was used to. That being said, my music habits didn't really change because I didn't have a car and rarely listened to the radio.

This past year while living in Stillwater, I was thumbing through the radio trying to find something I liked. I came across My Praise FM, a Christian radio station on 107.3, and decided to listen to it. Over the next few weeks, I found myself listening to it more and more. Not only was it filled with uplifting music that was upbeat and helped me keep my thoughts on the Savior, but they also aired "Focus on the Family" and other religious programs. It wasn't long before I was only listening to My Praise FM.

I'm not sure why I never chose to listen to the typical Christian radio music before. I think it was because I thought it would present different things that I believed. I have to say that since listening to My Praise FM though, I haven't come across any lyrics contrary to my beliefs. In fact, they've gone hand in hand. I still choose to only listen to music from LDS artists on Sundays because it's calmer, but my week is now filled with more uplifting music than before. I'm grateful for this change and the strength it's given me.

Here's a video of one of the songs I like:

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-26T22:47:00.004-05:00

Brian celebrated his 1st Father's Day this year! It's been a great first year and he's looking forward to many more to come.

I recently banned Brian from wearing his favorite orange tie (he's an OSU fan) due to a stain. To make up for it, for Father's Day we bought him 2 new ties, one of which was orange. We also compiled a CD with different versions of Come Thou Fount. It was a special song in Brian's mission and holds a special place in his heart.

5 Things I Love about Brian Being a Dad
1) He can make Chyler giggle better than anybody else
2) He's always willing to watch Chyler so I can get things done.
3) He thinks about and plans for her future
4) He values and supports me in being a stay-at-home mom
5) The hours he got up with Chyler in those first few months during the night so I could sleep

I also wanted to wish my dad a Happy Father's Day as well. We didn't really get to celebrate with him because he's on a Book of Mormon tour with my mom getting ready to pick up my brother from his mission.

5 Things I Love about My Dad
1) He taught me the importance of education and encouraged me in my ambitions.
2) He loves my mom and buys her flowers on a regular basis.
3) He's smart with money and taught me the value of it.
4) He's the hardest worker I know.
5) He values family and loves getting on the floor to play with Chyler.

There's so much more I could say about these two men. I sure love them and am so grateful they're apart of my life.

2 Years!

2011-06-26T22:46:00.000-05:00

It's been two years since Brian and I were married!

Our anniversary was on June 20, but since Brian and I only see each other on the weekends right now, we celebrated on the 11th. To even the responsibility, Brian and I take turns planning our anniversaries every year. I plan the odd years and he plans the even ones. Since I planned our anniversary last year, it was Brian's turn this year. To start the date, Brian planned for us both to get massages! Neither of us had one before and we wanted to do something fun and unique. (I have to say it was fun to do it once, but I wouldn't make a point of going on a regular basis.) We then went out to eat for dinner, went on a walk around the park like old times, and enjoyed some delicious frozen yogurt together. A big thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Lewis who watched Chyler so we could celebrate. We love the little girl, but it was nice to have some time to ourselves.

Here's to year number 3! Love you!

What We've Been Up To

2011-06-26T22:18:00.009-05:00

Our summer has had its ups and downs this year. The ups are always one the weekends and the downs are during the week. The reason? Brian and I are living apart and only see each other during the weekends.

I needed to work 125 more hours until I could qualify to earn my national and state ceritification as a speech-language pathologist. Before Chyler was born, I worked in the schools and finished 90% of my hours. I took the past year off and stayed at home with Chyler, but still needed to go back to work to earn the last bit. I looked for a job in the Stillwater area, but broadened my search when I couldn't find what I was looking for. My parents live in Bartlesville, OK (2 hours from Stillwater) and I started searching in their area. I was lucky to find the perfect job! I work for a company that provides speech and language therapy to children from families with low incomes who typically can't afford services. I only work in the mornings while my wonderful mom watches Chyler. It's been an almost perfect arrangment (except that Brian isn't here).

Besides working and looking forward to the weekends, Chyler and I have enjoyed living with Grandma and Grandpa Lewis. They've welcomed us with open arms, especially Chyler :) I'm grateful for this opportunity that she has to be so close to them and for them to be so close to her. I can tell Chyler loves her grandparents and lights up every time she sees them.

Here are some pictures from our summer:

In June, we attended a festival with tons of food and entertainment.

Brian's favorite place to have Chyler- in his arms
Bonding before saying good-bye for the week

Chyler loves anything with a cord! Lately it's been the nintendo controller.

Unlike her mother, Chyler LOVES dogs. My parents have a collie and Chyler smiles in delight every time she see him!

Mother's Day!

2011-06-26T21:14:00.007-05:00

I know this over a month late, but I'm trying to play catch up. Plus, I can't do a Father's Day post without a Mother's Day post.

This May I officially celebrated my first Mother's Day! Chyler has brought so much joy to my life and I'm so grateful to be her mom. To celebrate, Brian and Chyler bought me the perfect gift. Like most girls, I am always freezing. In particular, my hands and feet are always ice. Brian and Chyler bought me warm fuzzy socks to keep my feet warm! Even though it's summer time, I've already made good use of them.

5 Things I Love about Being a Mom
1) Hearing Chyler say "Mama"
2) Getting sloppy wet kisses from her
3) The smile on her face when I walk in the room
4) How she prefers me over anybody else (...except at naptime of course; then, I'm the last person she wants to go to :)
5) The pure satisfaction and fullfillment I get by taking care of her. I just can't find it anywhere else.

I also want to say Happy (belated) Mother's Day to my mom. I was fortunate to spend the day with her and celebrate together.

5 Things I Love about My Mom
1) She's always serving everyone around her. She doesn't know how not to help!
2) She loves being a mom and a grandmother.
3) She's always around to answer my bazillion and one questions about cooking, sewing, and more.
4) People say I look just like her.
5) She's talented in so many things- singing, playing the piano, cooking, sewing, cake decorating, saving money, and so much more!

I love you Mom!

Posts Coming Soon

2011-06-21T20:19:00.004-05:00

Usually I'm pretty good about blogging every week. However, with the recent move, not having Brian around on weekdays, working 20 hrs/week, and so much more, my life has been throwin in a whirlwind.

I've started getting used to things though and I promise to re-enter the blogging world soon. Posts coming within a few days!!

Until then, here's a picture of the cutest little girl to keep you satisfied :)

Happy Easter!

2011-04-27T13:08:00.008-05:00

Brian and I went apartment shopping last weekend and were just too exhausted to do any of the normal traditions of dying Easter eggs or putting on an Easter egg hunt for Chyler. Even though Chyler is still young and doesn't really know the difference, I still wanted to do something. So, on Monday night for FHE, I insisted that we dye eggs and that we put on an Easter egg hunt for Chyler. Here are the pictures to prove it!

Chyler found some eggs!

Yum!

Here's a video of Chyler.
(Please ignore the loud washer in the background!)

Here are pictures of Brian and I dying hard-boiled eggs:

I only hard-boiled 4 eggs. A little on the lame side, but at least we did something!

Crafts

2011-04-20T10:57:00.006-05:00

Lately, I've been trying to add decorations to our bedroom. While strolling through the aisles at Hobby Lobby, I saw an insert that showed how to make paper flowers. I thought they were cute (and easy!) and would be a great way to tie in some color to our room. Voila!

At the beginning of April, I looked through different blogs to find an Easter craft I could make. Here's one that I found that wasn't too difficult. I still might play around with the ears, but I'm pretty happy with it.

Brian, Chyler, and I visited my parents this past weekend. While we were there, my mom and I made this adorable Easter hanging. I just love it!

Moving!

2011-04-18T22:16:00.005-05:00

That's right, we're moving in just a few short weeks. Life is about get a little bit crazier, but we're excited to head to Bartlesville, OK. It's 2 hours away from Stillwater where we are now and right next to Grandma and Grandpa Lewis.

After I graduated with my master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology (Communication Disorders), I worked for a public school district in Oklahoma City. I started working the school year a little bit late though and didn't earn all of my hours to get my national and state certification (just 125 hours off). I've been looking to find something since Chyler was born, but have been unsuccessful till now. I finally found something in the Bartlesville area and we're super excited about it. In just a little while now, I'll be able to write my name like this:

Kyla Tree, M.S., CCC-SLP
(Masters of Science Degree, Certificate of Clinical Competence- Speech Language Pathology)

9 Months!

2011-04-18T22:10:00.014-05:00

I usually only write Chyler's stats in her baby book and my journal, but I figure I'll join in the trend and put them on here.

Earlier this month, Chyler turned 9 months! Time sure flies!

Stats
Weight: 16 lbs. 6 oz. (10%ile)
Height: 27 1/2 inches (25%ile)

Food Chyler had a hard time adjusting to solids, but has been doing better over the past few months. She is still mainly nursing, but eats some solids 1-2 times a day. Her favorite food are bananas!

Movement Last month, Chyler full on started crawling. She's everywhere now! She's also started pulling herself up onto her knees and sometimes onto her feet. No crusing yet, but I'm sure it's coming.

Sounds She's been making a few sounds now and unfortunately for me, /m/ is not one of them. Throughout the day, she definitely says "dadda" plenty. I'm pretty sure she doesn't associate Brian with "dadda" though.

Teething Since Brian didn't get his first tooth until he was 10 months and I didn't get mine until I was 12 months, it's no surprise Chyler doesn't have any yet. She's started drooling a lot more though, so I'm sure they're coming!

Favorite Toys She likes balls, big puzzles, books, and just about anything that makes noise! I might come to regret this later, but she also loves my cell phone and keys. Baby keys just aren't the same in her eyes. Now that she's learned to crawl, she also loves the contrast in tile and carpet and spends plenty of time in between them. She's also fascinated by all the little pieces of "stuff" she can find on the floors that Momma wishes she couldn't find :)

Favorite Things To Do She always gets a huge grin on her face when we go outside and on walks. She also loves bath time. She's learned how to pull the plug out of the drain, so unfortunately for her bath time is often cut short because of it. She loves playing with Mom and Dad. Her favorite games are when we "chase" her and play hide and seek.

We sure love this little girl and are so glad she's ours!

Listening to music on the computer
Eating Mom's keys
Just doing what she does best- being adorable as ever!
Playing with toys at Grandma and Grandpa Lewis' house

Chyler & Daddy

2011-04-18T21:34:00.013-05:00

Ever since Chyler was born, Brian has "played" with Chyler. Between being tossed up in the air, sitting on his shoulders, dancing, balancing acts, and so much more, she really tolerates him quite well.

Look how she can lay flat in the air! Talk about some muscle!

Her amazing balancing act

They sure love having fun together!

Kisses

2011-03-30T21:53:00.009-05:00

Ever since Chyler was a few months old, we've worked on giving kisses. Chyler's version of giving a kiss means opening her mouth wide against your cheek. I'm not sure why, but the past few days Chyler has been lunging foward to give me kisses. Take a look:

Pretty cute, huh?!

Hide & Seek

2011-03-24T12:02:00.005-05:00

Chyler has started crawling! She's definitely still in the initial stages, but she can get just about anywhere she wants. Here's a video of us playing hide and seek:

I had to downgrade the quality of the video to load it on blogger, so sorry for the fuzziness.

Biggest (but also smallest) Fan

2011-03-23T17:02:00.005-05:00

Look who's ready for the BYU game tomorrow! Go Cougars!

Spring Break

2011-03-19T22:29:00.007-05:00

OSU and just about all of Oklahoma had Spring Break this past week. Yay, right? Well, not so much. The break started with Chyler and I getting a nasty cold with sore throat, congestion, and coughing. What's worse than getting sick? Getting sick while trying to take care of a sick baby! Thankfully, Brian was able to take care of us over the weekend and provide much needed relief. Come Monday though, we were on our own. Since he didn't have any classes, Brian decided to work a 60 hour week (that dreaded tax season). With a husband barely here, Chyler and I headed up to Bartlesville to spend part of the week with my parents. They also weren't feeling great, so we were all sick together. Despite the ickyness of the cold, we had a great time with my parents. While we were there, we went bowling, I searched for a job, and we watched lots of good movies: New Karate Kid, Race to Witch Mountain, and Meet the Morgans.

On Thursday, we headed home just in time to watch the BYU game! Brian got up at 5 am just so he could make it back for the game. Go cougars! (I didn't fill out a March Madness bracket, but if I had, I'd totally have guessed they'd win.)

When talking about BYU basketball,
you can't not mention Jimmer Fredette!

Friday and Saturday were were basically catch up days- laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, cutting Brian's hair, etc. I also managed to squeeze in some craft time and of course, watching BYU cream Gonzaga :)

All in all, it wasn't the most exciting week, but still pretty great.

Valentine's Day Craft

2011-03-19T22:20:00.005-05:00

In February, I started working on making a Valentine craft to hang on my door. Sadly, it never really turned out. After some improvising and a couple trips to Hobby Lobby, I came up with this:

I'm really happy with how it turned out. Too bad it's already March though. I'm sure it'll look great next year :)

Basketball

2011-03-04T12:23:00.004-06:00

Brian and I both played basketball growing up. I played from 4th grade to 8th grade while Brian played from 8th grade to 12th grade. Although, I have to say Brian's love for the game trumps mine. He was the captain of his high school's basketball team and still plays at ANY chance he can.

(Please, no laughing :)

Here I am in my basketball uniform in 8th grade

Here's Brian playing during his senior year

I think Chyler must have got some of our (mostly Brian's) genes. She'll pick the basketball out among all of her other toys and sit and play with it. It's still a ways off, but I think we might have a little basketball player on our hands :)

If she doesn't play basketball, that's fine and we'll still love our little Chyler. However, if she does, she couldn't have a happier dad. Brian has commented that he hopes that at least one of our kids play basketball. We'll see!

Christmas... in March

2011-03-04T12:14:00.004-06:00

In graduate school, one of the clients I worked with gave me a Christmas stocking made from a sweater. I fell in love with it and thought it was the cutest thing ever. I hung it up proudly every Christmas. The only problem was that I didn't have one for Brian or Chyler. Instead of buying a stocking from a local store, I decided that I'd have all our family stockings be made from sweaters. So, last December, I googled how to make one, went to Goodwill and picked out some sweaters, and started sewing (well, actually stitching). It took me awhile to figure out which fabrics are better, the best way to stitch them together, how to cut out letters, etc. But, I'm finally finished! Lo and behold our Christmas stockings.... in March :)

Date Night

2011-02-26T11:22:00.021-06:00

Last night, Brian and I enjoyed a date at home. After Chyler went down for bed, we started what I had looked forward to all day... making dessert! We began by mixing the ingredients to make homemade ice cream in our ice cream maker. It doesn't stop there though. What goes best with ice cream- brownies of course! I found a recipe for Andes Mint Brownies at http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/06/andes-mint-brownies.html and wanted to try them.

Both turned out scrumdiddlyumptious!

We then watched some videos of our all time favorite comedian, Brian Regan. We watched "Epitome of Hyperbole" and "Standing Up." I just have to say one word- hilarious!

In honor of how much we love watching him, here's one of our favorite clips:

Too Cute Not to Post

2011-02-25T10:56:00.008-06:00

Experts tell you to put your baby asleep on their backs to reduce the chance of SIDS. I've been doing this with Chyler since the day I brought her home from the hospital. However, ever since Chyler has learned to roll over, she's decided the tummy is a much more comfortable position to sleep. (Thankfully, experts also say that if a chid is capable of rolling over then the risk or SIDS is gone, or at least rare.) Every time I check on her, whether she's napping or sleeping, she's ALWAYS on her tummy. What a little rebel this one is :)

Speaking of checking on Chyler, Brian and I can't help ourselves but go look at her every night before we got to bed. A few times, we've been surprised to find her with her little tushy in the air. When this happens, I've hurried to get my camera to capture it, but by the time I get back to her she's changed positions. That is until last night. I finally got it! This picture is just too cute not to post. Of course, she might differ when she's a teenager, but that's ok :)

She's Getting Closer!

2011-02-21T21:27:00.002-06:00

Chyler still crawls backwards and sometimes gets stuck under the couch. But.... she's making progress!

For the past week, Chyler has been pushing herself onto her knees and sometimes onto her feet in the push-up position. No forward movement yet, but definite progression. I'm so proud of my little girl!

Finally!

2011-02-18T21:54:00.006-06:00

My mom was always an amazing cook. Everything she made always tasted delicious! Unfortunately, I didn't take advantage of her mad skills. Now as the main cook of the house, I'm paying for it.

Last year, I attempted to make homemade bread for the first time ever and it ended in disaster. For some reason, I couldn't ever get my bread to rise. Come January 2011, I decided that one of my goals would be to learn how to make homemade bread and rolls. I made a batch of bread in January, but again it didn't rise. Urrr... Thankfully, after a suggestion from my sister to check out Mel's Kitchen Blog (http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/03/delicious-whole-wheat-bread-two-recipes.html), I realized what I was doing wrong. I use a Blendtec Mixer, which has an Auto Knead button. After I had mixed all the ingredients, I just pushed the button. After a few minutes, it stopped and I just went on to the next step. After reading Mel's advice, I realized I wasn't kneading the bread enough.

So, today I tried again. And....

Voilà! I did it!

Throw Pillows

2011-02-18T21:50:00.003-06:00

Over the past two weeks, I've been working on throw pillows to match my new comforter. For having done them all by myself (remember, I'm not a great sewer), I think they turned out quite well.

Now for wall hangings and more...

Valentine's Date!

2011-02-16T20:55:00.006-06:00

Since Brian's Mondays are packed with work and school and is gone from 7am to 9:40pm, we celebrated Valentine's Day last weekend. We were a little unsure of what to do, but finally decided to recreate our 1st Valentine's date together.

To start the day, Brian bought me and Chyler flowers (always a good way to start)! Brian knows I love Gerbera daisies so he bought me 3, one for each year I've been his Valentine. He bought a beautiful carnation for Chyler. She loved it, but between trying to eat it and the stem breaking, I think it lasted 5 minutes.

There are only 2 flowers pictured because
Chyler got her hands on one of them

Chyler with her flower

Brian had 2 Valentines this year

That evening, we went out to eat. We didn't want to ask anyone to watch Chyler in case they were celebrating Valentine's Day early as well, so we took her with us. She's always an angel when we got out and this time was no different. The waitresses and waitors all commented on how beautiful she was. And of course she gave them her million dollar smile. (Sorry, no pictures! I brought my camera to the restaurant, but forgot to get it out.)

After dinner, we came home, put Chyler to bed, and watched "Beauty and the Beast." Unfortunately, the week caught up with us and we were both dead tired about half way through the movie. We went to bed at 9:30 pm.

Looking back, it wasn't just like our 1st Valentine's Day, but still just as special.

That's more like it

2011-02-15T17:43:00.004-06:00

Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Currently: 73°

Wednesday, February 16, 2011
High: 74°
Low: 55°

Thursday, February 17 2011
High: 78°
Low: 48°

The things that keep babies interested...

2011-02-11T21:39:00.001-06:00

Here's a picture of Chyler staring at the washer. She could stare at it for 30 minutes straight and not fuss. It's funny what captures a baby's attention.

Staying In

2011-02-11T17:01:00.007-06:00

As predicted, another storm hit us Tuesday night. We got another 7 inches! Brrr!! It's been in the negatives here. In my opinion, that's just not right. Thankfully, no ice was involved this time and it's melting quickly.

Here are some pictures of Chyler tolerating being bundled up...
just so Mom can get some cute pictures. (Notice she's not smiling)

To keep warm, I've stayed inside, put on my thermals, and worked on some Valentine crafts. I found this one at http://www.noodle-head.com/2011/01/valentine-window-garland.html. Pretty cutesy, but cheap!

I'm also working on this one I found at http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/2010/01/white-burlap-heart-door-decor-with.html. I haven't quite finished this one, but I'm excited to see how it turns out!

Valentine's Decorations!

2011-02-06T22:44:00.002-06:00

For Family Home Evening, Brian and I cut out different colored hearts and wrote something that we loved about the other person on them. Valentine's Day isn't for another week, but this way we'll be able to look at and enjoy them all week long.

I've been looking up some Valentine's Day decorations on different craft blogs. I'm hoping to make a few this week!

Crazy Weather!

2011-02-05T15:29:00.010-06:00

Last weekend, we visited my parents in Bartlesville. The weather was so nice there, we enjoyed a nice picnic by Oologah Lake. 70s in January- I could used to that! While we were there, we enjoyed good food, good company, and lots of fun. We went to an interesting museum about Will Rogers (an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, actor, and one of the best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s). We also enjoyed watching some movies and going bowling (thanks to my mom who babysat Chyler :)

Pictures from our picnic!

On Sunday, we drove home for church just in time for the colder weather to arrive :( Like most of the country, we got hammered with snow. On Monday night/Tuesday morning, Stillwater got 8 inches! In other states, that might not be a big deal, but it is in Oklahoma. They just don't have the resources to plow all the streets. Almost everything was closed on Tuesday, including schools, businesses, and even the U.S. postal service. Our governor put Oklahoma in a state of emergency. Thankfully, I don't think conditions were as bad as they have been in previous storms and they're getting better all the time. Even though we got another 1-2 inches on Friday, the snow has melted a lot. Not a day too soon though. We're predicted to get another 6-12 inches this week :(

Here's a picture outside our front door

Internship

2011-02-05T15:10:00.006-06:00

Brian started an accounting internship this past week. He's working in Enid for a public accounting firm called BKD. Enid is a little over an hour away, so he has a bit of a commute every day. (Since I commuted about the same distance last year, he doesn't get much sympathy from me.) Despite the distance though, he's really enjoyed his first week and is looking forward to learning more about... taxes. (I know. Who gets excited about taxes? No complaints from me though :)

Artwork

2011-02-04T12:16:00.009-06:00

Growing up, my mom always did a good job of hanging up pictures of temples, our family, and the Savior around our house. It was always a good reminder of what we believe and our goal here upon the earth. I knew that I wanted to do the same thing when I was older. Well, now that I'm married and have my own space, I guess I'm older :)

I've recently been looking for a picture I could put up in Chyler's room. I went to deseretbook.com and recently found two that I really liked:

Under His Wing
By Jay Bryant Ward

Security
By David Bowman

There were lots of good pictures, but I wanted one with the Savior and a little girl. I think these two do a good job of capturing how much the Savior loves children.

Mormon.org Profile

2011-02-02T21:32:00.006-06:00

I recently made an account on Mormon.org. It's "pending review" right now, but I wanted to share what I wrote:

Hi! I'm Kyla!
I'm a wife, a mother, a speech-language pathologist, and I'm a Mormon.

About Me:
Hi! I've been married for over a year and a half now. My husband and I live in Oklahoma where we both grew up. I graduated in Communuication Disorders to become a speeech-language pathologist. I love working with people and helping them overcome their challenges. I worked in the school system last year, but am now staying at home with my baby girl. She's my pride and joy and I love every minute I'm blessed to spend with her. When I'm not taking care of my daughter or spending time with my husband, I enjoy singing and playing the piano, making crafts, reading, and trying out new recipes.

Why I'm Mormon:
My parents raised me in the LDS church. I've attended since I was a baby and have rarely missed a Sunday. That being said, I no longer rely on my parent's testimony. I've gained my own through scripture study and prayer and the Holy Ghost has borne witness to me that the LDS church contains the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I love this gospel and I can't picture my life without it. It has shaped who I've become in every way.

How I Live My Faith:
My faith is a real and active part of my day. I start each morning with a prayer to my Heavenly Father, then a family prayer with my husband soon follows. I make time each day to study and read from the scriptures individually as well as with my husband. I also sing children's songs to my daughter before putting her down at night and read children's scriptures to her.

Throughout the day, I also strive to surround myself with uplifting music and media. If a TV program comes on that drives the Spirit away, I change it or turn the TV off.

On a weekly basis, I volunteer my time to work with the teenage girls in our church. I prepare lessons to teach on Sunday and help plan and carry-out activities for the girls on Wednesday nights. On a monthly basis, I visit women from our church to provide friendship and leave a spiritual message with them.

I could continue, but where do I stop? This gospel has made me who I am, and thus determines every decision I make. I choose to do these things because I know they help me draw closer to my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.

New Bedspread!

2011-01-31T12:07:00.006-06:00

A little over a year ago, Brian and I purchased a bedspread from Bed, Bath, & Beyond with gift cards from our wedding. Over the next year, I started to realize the seams were coming undone and the fabric starting to pull. I definitely thought it looked worse than just normal wear and tear. So, in the midst of my dejunking our apartment this past month, I decided to call Bed, Bath, & Beyond and ask about their return policy. To my excitement, they said they want their customers to be happy and told me to bring the bedspread back in for a refund. We made a trip to Tulsa this past week and I did just that. Since the bedspread was bought with gift cards, they gave us credit. I didn't really mind because I wanted to get a new bedspread anyways.

Here's a picture or our new comforter!

Now the task is to make new decorative pillow and tie in the colors around the room. Lucky for me, our bedroom was the room I've done the least with (probably because nobody ever sees it), so I don't have too much to change.

My Little Splurge

2011-01-24T10:51:00.004-06:00

For the past year, I've been trying to find something to organize and hold my jewelry. I was in Maurices this past week when I found this:

It was $20 though- a little more than I wanted to spend. I went home all discouraged. I thought about trying to make something like it, but let's face it, I'm not the best sewer. A few days later, I went to Maurices website and looked at it when I noticed it was on sale for $14.90! It was still a little more than I wanted to spend, but after much debate, I decided to get it. I had some Christmas money left over and plus, I really really really wanted to organize my necklaces and earrings.

I am now the proud owner of this spiffy jewelry organizer and I couldn't be happier. Anything that makes me more organized puts a smile on my face :)

She's crawling.... backwards!

2011-01-16T15:45:00.004-06:00

Chyler has been in that awkward phase where she moves her arms and pushes with her legs, but still can't manage to go anywhere. She's made progress this past week and is one step closer. Well, kind of. Instead of moving forward, she pushes herself backwards!

Here's a picture of Chyler where she's pushed herself
backwards right under the couch!

Crawling backwards has created a new problem: Chyler tries so hard to move closer to her toys when all she does is push herself farther and farther away. I've ben told that the forward motion will soon follow. For now, I'll keep busy pushing her toys closer and closer :)

New Calling

2011-01-10T21:20:00.002-06:00

Last July, I was called to be the primary pianist in our ward. Chyler was just born at that time, so I really enjoyed a calling that was easy to prepare for while I was learning how to be a mom. Despite the easiness of it though, I really enjoyed seeing the kids each week, learning which kids belonged to which family, and making new little friends. Of the whole experience though, my favorite part was hearing the children singing phrases like, "I Am A Child of God," "I Know My Savior Loves Me," "Jesus Wants Me for Sunbeam!," and more. Their singing really brough the Spirit and I really enjoyed hearing them bear their testimonies through song each week. It was another testimony to me how special little children really are.

Yesterday, I was released from my calling as a primary pianist and called to be a Young Womens Advisor. While I will greatly miss the little kiddos, I cannot explain how excited I am for my new calling! I loved the Young Womens program growing up. It really helped strengthen my testimony through lessons, activities, and girl's camp. I also enjoyed associating with other girls my age and building life-long friendships. I'm not exactly sure everything my new calling will include, but I know I'll be working with the Beehives (12 & 13 year olds). These girls are at a special age and I pray that I can be a good example to them and show them the blessings of living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

OSU Infant Study Part 2

2011-01-07T21:38:00.006-06:00

Back in October, Chyler participated in an infant study on OSU's campus. The study is a longitudinal study that takes place when a child is 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. Today was Chyler's 6 month visit. At our last appointment, one of the machines wasn't working. Since it was this time, I got a picture!

To tell you the truth, it was probably worse than the picture actually looks. However, Chyler was a champ and got through it all. While we were there, they put 3 electrodes on her tummy and had her stare at people's faces on a monitor. They then put electrodes on Chyler's ears and by her eyes and then put an electrode cap on her head with earphones. She then had to sit as still (or as still as I could get her) for 15 minutes while she listened to beeps. Lastly, she had to sit and listen to babies crying. Like I said earlier, Chyler was a champ. It wasn't until the end of the visit when she was listening to the babies crying did she start to cry. Way to go Chyler!

Go Pokes!

2011-01-06T11:40:00.003-06:00

Brian and I were lucky recipients of free tickets to another OSU sporting event. This time we watched the men's basketball team. They played the University of Texas San Antonio and won 79-63! Go pokes!

Thank-you to Grandma Tree for baby-sitting!

Christmas!

2011-01-05T21:01:00.008-06:00

Now that life has settled down a little bit, I thought I'd blog about our Christmas holiday. We're extremely lucky to live near both sides or our family, so for the holiday we took advantage of it. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with the Trees. Everyone but Brian's oldest brother and wife were there.

Chyler with Grandma Tree

Chyler's favorite part of Christmas was the wrapping paper. Yum!

Chyler with her stocking at the Trees

After the festivites at the Trees, we headed over to the Lewis' for more fun! That night, we enjoyed opening presents, eating dinner with the missionaries, and talking to my little brother whose serving a mission in Guatemala.

Brian & Chyler opening presents

Chyler & Grandpa Lewis

Grandma Lewis holding Chyler

Our Family

We stayed at my parent's house the rest of the week and enjoyed lots of bowling, games, delicious food, and fun. We love having so much family so close!

My mom got a new camera in December and had fun taking lots of pictures while we were there. They're random, but they turned out really well.

Chyler & Mom

Chyler in the saucer at the Lewis' house

One super cutie!

Who couldn't love that face?

Our Little Lamb

2011-01-02T17:08:00.000-06:00

This past week, Chyler has become our little lamb. Just listen!

Numerous times a day, Chyler makes that bleating sound. It never fails to make us laugh.

Update on Chyler

2010-12-19T20:48:00.000-06:00

Warning! Continue reading at your own risk. Those with a weak heart should not continue. Chyler has been known to melt quite a few (mine in particular).

Chyler is such a happy little girl! If I could have picked out what I wanted in a baby, I couldn't have picked a more precious little one than I've been given. She's such a joy in my life and I thank Heavenly Father everyday for trusting me with one of His beloved daughters. She truly is my little angel.

This first video shows just how much Chyler loves her fun, goofy dad.

This second video shows Chyler rolling over. (It takes awhile, but she gets it :) From a very young age, Chyler used to roll over quite often but then suddenly stopped. Just this past week, she's picked it up again. I can't put her on her back for a second without her trying to roll over. She sure keeps me on my toes!

Happy Birthday Brian!

2010-12-17T23:11:00.000-06:00

I got back from visiting my brother and family in Provo on Tuesday night. Brian was still busy taking finals though, and since my parents, Chyler, and I were all on the same flight, I went home with my parents until Brian could come get me. Thankfully, he finished finals on Wednesday night and drove down Thursday morning. His birthday wasn't until Friday, but we decided to surprise him with an early birthday celebration by making a chocolate chip birthday cake! Yum!

On Friday morning, I made French toast with the big white Texas toast. (I tried to convince him to use wheat bread, but much to my dismay, he requested white bread.) I also spent the morning decorating the apartment with a few birthday supplies we had.

In the afternoon, Brian and I played a few games of pool. We used to play quite a bit when we were dating, but since having Chyler, we don't get around to it very often. Lucky for Brian, he beat me twice. We'll just say I let him win ;)

At night, we went over to Brian's parent's house where his mom made him a combination of his favorite foods- beanies and weanies, chicken cordon blue, fruit salad, and some noodles and sauce. Chyler was acting up, so I wasn't able to stay for the presents and dessert, but our sister-in-law was kind enough to take a picture!

Happy 24th Sweetheart!

Utah!

2010-12-17T17:09:00.001-06:00

Last week, Chyler and I flew out to Utah to visit my brother Aaron, his wife Brittany, and their new baby Connor! It was just a short visit, but we had a great time.

Before we left, I was a bit nervous how Chyler and I would manage the airport and flight. Gratefully, everything turned out fine. At least, it eventually did. I ran into a few problems along the way, but thankfully I got them all resolved.

Problem #1: After we got through security and to our gate, Chyler was being fussy and didn't want to sit in her stroller anymore. I took her out to hold her, but then I had one less hand to use. Since you're not supposed to leave your bags alone, I had a problem. I had Chyler's diaper bag across my shoulder and Chyler in one arm. But, then I only had one hand left to carry her stroller and a carry-on. I needed to go to the bathroom to change Chyler's diaper before we took off. After trying some awkward ways to carry everything, I decided I couldn't do it and left her stroller at the gate alone. Thankfully, nobody wanted a baby strolled and it was still there when I got back.

Problem #2: I had brought frozen breastmilk and a bottle so I wouldn't have to nurse Chyler on the plane. I went to the bathroom to defrost the milk in the sink. The bathroom had automatic sinks though and the water wouldn't just run. I finally went to a restaurant in the airport and asked if they'd defrost the milk for me. Thankfully, I asked a mother of a 4 year old and she was very understanding.

Problem #3: After the milk was defrosted, I started to put the milk in the bottle when I realized I forgot one of the pieces of the bottle that helps reduce gas. At first, I didn't think this would be a problem. However, when I got on the plane and started feeding Chyler, I realized I was wrong. Without my knowledge, milk from the bottle was dripping all over Chyler. She wasn't making a fuss though because she was still getting milk in her mouth. By the time I did realized it, Chyler's pajamas were soaked! Thankfully, I had an extra pair of pajamas with me. The seat next to me was empty, so I had plentry of room to change her.

After I changed her pajamas, everything went pretty really well. I ended up just nursing her, which wasn't a big of a deal as I thought it might be. Chyler then slept like an angel and didn't seem to be affected by the air pressure changes at all.

We had a direct flight (thank goodness!) and Aaron was already at the baggage claim when we arrived. We went back to his apartment where we got to meet little Connor. What a cutie! Here are some pictures of Chyler and Connor we took.

My parents arrived the next day. Since they were staying at Aaron's apartment, Chyler and I stayed with my good friend Lindsey at night. We had a great time while we were in Provo and got to go up to BYU's campus, meet up with past roommates Jayrin and Rachelle, eat out at Zupas as a family, and spend time with family.

Family at Zupas

Thankfully, my parents, Chyler, and I flew home on the same flight. It was much nicer having someone to help me manerver around the airport. There was once again an empty seat next to me on the plane, which I appreciated. Chyler handled the ride fine and slept all but 5 minutes of the flight. I, on the other hand, didn't have such a good experience. I've always hated flying and always get a headache. This time was no different, except I also got nauseous. Thankfully, after some time on the ground and some medicine, I felt as good as new.

Since none of my siblings are coming home for Christmas this year, I was grateful to at least see Aaron and his family... and for them to see Chyler :)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

2010-12-08T14:25:00.000-06:00

Last week for Family Home Evening, Brian and I set up the Christmas tree. This is our first year to have one, so we were really excited (ok, maybe I was the one who was excited). We're still working on collecting ornmanets to hang on the tree, but for our first year I didn't think we did half bad.

I made up a new tradition that I'm going to start. Every year that a baby joins our family, I'm going to buy an ornament that represents that child in some fashion. The idea is that when they get older, they can then take that ornament and put it on their own tree. I was having some trouble finding one for Chyler, but I came across this at Walgreens. It's not the most cutesy, but I thought it fit her well. I then wrote "Chyler 2010" on the back.

"A daughter is yesterday's dream, today's
delight, and tomorrow's promise."

Wellness Challenge

2010-11-29T22:41:00.000-06:00

For the past 12 weeks, I've been doing a "Wellness Challenge" with my Mom. By participating, I've managed to lose all but one pound of my pregnancy weight. I never imagined I'd lose the weight in less than 5 months, but I'm so so so so grateful I did!

The challenge included doing the following:
1) Drinking 48 oz of water
2) Exercising
3) No soda or alcohol
4) No sweets
5) No fast food or unhealthy snacks
6) Eat 2 servings of fruits & veggies
7) No eating after 8 p.m.
8) Read 15 minutes of spiritual or uplifting material
9) Write in your journal/blog
10) Fufill a personal goal

The challenge ended yesterday, so now the hard part will be keeping it off over the holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-29T18:25:00.000-06:00

We had an exciting Thanksgiving week! To start off the fun, we drove to my parent's house on Tuesday. They live only 2 hours away, so it's nice and close.

On Wednesday, my Mom and I got our hair cut. I was getting tired of my hairstyle and Chyler always pulling on it, so I wanted it short... really short. I picked out a picture of what I wanted beforehand. It didn't turn out quite like I imagined, but I'm getting used to it. Thank goodness hair grows!

Here I am with Chyler

On Thursday, we had a delicious Thanksgiving dinner. I've always been blessed to have family or friends to eat with on Thanksgiving and have never been the main cook. I know that won't always be the case though, so I had my mom teach me how to cook a turkey. I also helped with the stuffing, apple pie, rolls, and sweet potato casserole. Yum!

Dad, Mom, Brian, & Me

I've never been much of the Black Friday shopper, so I enjoyed staying in bed... until Chyler woke me up of course. Friday morning, we just relaxed and hung around the house. Then that afternoon, we headed back home.

Grandma Lewis with Chyler

Grandpa Lewis with Chyler

On Saturday, OSU was playing OU. Brian and I manage some apartments just south of campus. Parking is always crazy on game day and everyone sells out parking, including us :) Even though the game wasn't until 7 p.m., we were outside most of the day selling out the lot. Even though OSU lost, we made out quite well.

Chyler, Me, & Brian in front of our apartments

Here's Chyler all bundled up!

Now that Thanksgiving is over, Christmas in full gear. Chyler has joined in the celebration by sporting her new Christmas pajamas!

One of My Proudest Moments as a Mom

2010-11-17T20:19:00.000-06:00

Remeber this post?

Well, that is a post of the past. I am happy to report that Chyler can now fall asleep independently for naps and bedtime! I totally wouldn't have appreciated this post a few months ago, but now I am shouting it from the rooftops. Hallelujah! My life has order once again.

When I was pregnant, my sister gave me a book called "Sleeping Through the Night Revised Edition: How Infants, Toddlers, and their Parents Can Get a Good Night's Sleep" by Jodi A. Mindell. Before I read it, I knew nothing about naptimes and bedtimes. It's safe to say that without it, I would still be lost to this day. Thankfully, this book has given me key instructions on how to help Chyler fall asleep independently and so much more. Thank-you Kendra!

Dentist Woes

2010-11-10T20:42:00.001-06:00

I guess I'm still facing the effects of being pregnant. I went to the dentist today and found out I have 4 little cavities! For someone who has barely had any cavities in her lifetime, I was a bit disappointed :(

Chyler is totally worth it though. Look at that cute face!

Game Day!

2010-11-08T13:31:00.000-06:00

Brian and I went to the OSU football game this past weekend with his parents. We didn't just sit in the bleachers though. We got to sit in "club seating!" You know those seats at the top of the stadium with individual spacious chairs? The ones that allow you to eat all the food you want (literally) for free? The ones the require you to wear a special badge and bracelet and go through special security? Yea, we got to sit in those! It was a great game and Brian and I really enjoyed the special treatment. We decided we could get used to the high class way of living.... someday that is.

Brian & Chyler

Brian in the stands

Brian and me with our special passes

OSU beat Baylor 55-28!

Craft Day!

2010-10-31T14:50:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, my ward's Relief Society held a craft day! Here are some of the things I made:

Cute "FAMILY" photo holders

Thanksgiving tile

And my favorite- bows!

Chyler was so kind to model for me :)

OSU Homecoming

2010-10-25T13:10:00.000-05:00

OSU is widely known for having the biggest homecoming celebration! Of the many festivities that occur, one that we participated in this year was the "Walk Around."

Ever since school started, students who are members of fraternities and sororities spend countless hours making these HUGE homecoming banners. The impressive and crazy thing about it is that they're made up of little pieces of tissue paper.

The "Walk Around" occurs on Friday night where tens of thousands of people come and walk around to see the homecoming displays. It was quite the sight to see!

Brian and Chyler on game day

Brian & Chyler with one of the huge OSU banners

Me & Chyler with one of the huge OSU banners

Unfortunately, OSU lost to Nebraska. Brian was quite disappointed since they were undefeated up until this game. Good luck next time!

Grandma & Grandpa Tree

2010-10-25T11:33:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, Brian's grandparents came to visit the family! We enjoyed their company and were glad they were able to spend some time with their great granddaughter. We went out to eat a few times, went bowling, got together as a family and ate dinner, and took some pictures.

Grampa Tree, Chyler, & Grandma Tree
Grandpa Tree, Steven, Chyler, & Brian at the bowling alley
And the cutest little girl ever :)
Thanks for coming Grandma and Grandpa Tree!

3 Generations

2010-10-17T16:57:00.000-05:00

My mom, Chyler, and me

See any resemblance?