Not So Many Words...

It is hard to think of anything to blog about that isn't all about the baby! But our lives ARE obviously all about Olivia right now...so here is some more of her. The first picture is typical Olivia. Arms waving like crazy, twinkly smile, and legs up high. What a girl.

Bath Time!

Our lives are becoming more and more routine with each day, and I LOVE that! I was so thrown off at first with Olivia because I depend on my routine to anticipate and prepare for each day, and there has been such a lack of that since she arrived. Going with the flow has never been one of my strong attributes. I have felt so out of control (Control? Me? Never! LOL) and the past few weeks, I've finally felt like I can handle things a little better. Progress. I have never been forced to learn so much about myself in such a short amount of time!

Olivia turned 3 months last Monday. She is more beautiful each day. Here are some fun new things she is loving and experiencing:

I bought a Moby wrap. It has basically saved my life (thanks, Erin for the suggestion!). The wrap has become part of our routine, and if Olivia goes in the wrap right after she eats, she goes right to sleep. She is so happy to just sleep the day away while I work around the house or go for a walk and she has been sleeping better at night since starting to take regular naps. I should have tried this wonderful little invention out a LOT sooner.

Speaking of sleeping, Olivia had two nights this week where she went to be around 11 and only woke up once until 7 AM. That may still not sound great, but for me, it has been HEAVENLY. Feeling more and more like myself every day! And a rested baby is a happy baby!

Olivia gets to go to Primary from now on with me, since my new calling is the primary pianist. She is at a point where she'll sleep most of those two hours in her car seat, and the rest of the time she can sit on my lap while I play. It should be an adventure! I am SO excited.

Ryan and I decided to try putting Olivia in her cradle again last week. We have sort of been taking the path of least resistance up to this point, so she has been sleeping in her bouncer, but no more! She has taken to it quite well, and now my feet have room in the bed again!

Bath time is part of our bedtime routine, and our little fishy just loves it. Getting her ready for her bath my second favorite time of day (my favorite is when she first wakes up and is SO happy!) because she gets so excited. Here are some pictures for your (mostly, for my own) enjoyment.

Some Pictures...

Olivia and Grandma Boehmer
With Uncle Chris(who went into hiding during most of our last visit to avoid a haircut)

We love this girl!

Oh, Alex

Alex's letter this week kept me laughing the whole time I was reading it. He is so hilarious, without actually meaning to be. He is such a great missionary.

Hey Mom, March is going alright so far; transfers is coming up next week so we will be getting our call next Monday if we are even going to be split apart. It does seem like it's time though since we have been together for almost four and a half months now, and believe me being around the same person twenty-four seven for four and a half months is not ans easy thing to do. Such is mission life I guess. we had Zone conference again last week on Wednesday. We talked a lot about how to Find people to teach in a creative way during those hours of the day in which finding is very hard to do. In fact there was one companionship who wrote Mormon.org in the snow as they walked down the street and their prime investigator was the one who took the time to find out why someone had written this in the snow all along the sidewalk. Our ward had the privilege of providing lunch for the conference and they did a wonderful job with it. in Fact the mission office staff loved the orange jello that was served so much that they basically commanded my companion and I to find out who made it and how they did it. After lunch at the conference there is always a scripture mastery contest and the winner gets a tie if its an Elder and I'm not sure who gets it if a sister wins, but I won the tie this last time that. I was so nervous and shaking when it came to be my turn to so the scripture. I have noticed that the one you don't have memorized is usually the one that is picked for you to do so to avoid that problem i just memorized all of them. I have seen the pictures of the new missionaries that are coming out for here and what do I get to my surprise but to hear that another Missionary is coming from Tooele. This was very cool and only got cooler when I found out who it was, so I guess that Devin Orton is coming to Minnesota at the end of the transfer nest week. i laughed so hard to see that someone I actually knew was going to be coming here to Minnesota. It sounds as if your busy over there and I still can't believe that Seth (our cousin) is going to be leaving on his mission about the same time I went on mine. I have been remembering Brian and how he must be in the middle of the dessert somewhere and not in the cold. or Even in teh midst of gunfire and how scary it must be. I hope he's safe. Love you all Love Alex

I've Been Found Out

Hello! This is Olivia speaking and I just want you all to know that I am so smart! I have my mommy pretty much all figured out! I have found that as long as I don't sleep for any substantial length of time (day or night) my mommy will be so tired that she'll let me do anything I want! These things include, but are not limited to:

• sucking on my empty bottle because I'm not hungry, but I don't really like those binkie things
• sleeping whereever I so desire (usually in my bouncer chair), and
• eating small amounts at (very) frequent, random intervals.

This awesome pattern will continue for the foreseeable future, since I am only at the peak of my contentment while riding in the car and being held completely upright...neither of which are very conducive to Mommy and Daddy getting much R&R. I love my life!

Mommy speaking: I love, love, love my beautiful baby girl, but I think I may need to read some parenting books after all. :)