weekend apart

johnson ranch golf course.
yes, this is in arizona. i wish i would've seen it! getting lost (while biking)sometimes has its rewards:)
colin and i at the airport.

jeff catching some air on the crazy terrain.
another cool discovery while trying to find the way home. . .

jeffs friend colin from tx came into town this weekend. we haven't seen colin for a couple years and it was fun for jeff to have him in az when i wasn't here. they played tennis until the wee hours of the morning, golfed, went to the cabin and had a crazy time mountain biking (you'll have to call jeff for the whole life-threatening story), and went to a comedy show. we love monica and nora!
britta, jill and scott. jill loves her daddy's toothbrush:)

congrats amy!
olivia and jill pretty in pink.

gma and gpa pete
jill was getting too popular while in utah. we had to hide her celebrity. that tongue gives her away though!

i got to go to utah for Amy's graduation from UVU (previously known as UVSC. it was a much needed dose of mom and dad pete. jill also got to play with olivia and meet scott and britta and the beans. we were able to meet up with monica and nora too. utah is so beautiful at this time of year. the size of the tulips blew me away!! i really enjoyed the good scenery (big flowers and bigger mountains) and great company!

even though we both had a fun weekend, it's not so fun to be apart. the best part of the weekend was coming together at the airport on sunday. i love jeff and jill and me together forever.

6 month photo shoot

heres jills stats:

Length: 25.5 in 39th %tile

Head: 16.5 in 33rd %tile

Weight: 13.5 lbs 5.6 th %tile

I'm feeding her and she's eats a lot i promise!!! look how happy she is! i promise she's not hungry.

6 months today

Jills milestones meet this week:
- found feet and seems to like the way they taste

- rolling from back to belly

- copying the "hee" sound of hello after we say it

- 6 months old today

Easter

Easter Sunday is great. I wonder how the tradition started of "Easter dresses" etc. Perhaps wearing something "new" is symbolic of the resurrection, like eggs. If nothing else, it's nice to dress special just to remember the resurrection. What do you think?

Jill has her eyebrows up all the time. it makes her look surprised, as if saying "oh hi, i didn't see you there."

I can't get Jill to sit anymore (see a few posts back). she stiffens up and will not bend at the waist. we're working on teaching here to hold onto things so we don't have to steady her all the time. what a crazy girl. and, not that's not Antonio Banderas. that's Jeff.

Here's a family picture that's going on the wall. as many of you know Jill has two teeth poking through. now, it's not her tongue that's out, its her lips in. it's funny to watch as she tries to figure out what is going on in her mouth. i wish you could see her Easter dress here. she looked so pretty!

Jilli Jumper

Untitled on Vimeo

last weekend

last week jeff was working at the Pinal County fair. jill and i got to go on friday and enjoy the animals!! i loved these sweet little goats. what's their names again? i also watched the showing of pigs. i'm not sure how i'd feel if i raised a beautiful animal and then turned around and sold it for bacon. don't get me wrong. i eat all the meat i can, however i can only imagine that these animals become part of the family. anyway, i loved to see all the kids run around wearing green (4H) and taking care of their animals. eventally i want to be a cow/farm girl. i know that jill would love to run around the compound with all the goats, sheep, pigs, cows and riding the horses.

on another topic. i LOVE conference weekend. firstly, it reminds me of being younger and going on vacation to utah. secondly, i love listening to all the talks. finally, i love Pres. Hinckley!!! i feel like those older people who always talk about Pres Kimball. i know i'll always talk about Pres. Hinckley.
These were some of my favorite thoughts/talks from this weekend. . . Elder Holland: "no misfortune is so bad that whining will make it better". "speak with a new tongue. the tongue of angels". Pres. Faust: "We must forgive, even if the other has not repented". "hate retards spiritual growth". Elder Oaks: "festering in destructive". "3 parties: me, spouse, the Lord". Elder Eyring: "SOMEDAY" "do not be complacent by what we have already done". "please, let me serve this day". Elder Dahlquist: "who's on the Lords side who?" "1) never forget who you are 2) learn to control your thoughts".

stinky pits

Untitled on Vimeo

my middle name is "Billy" goat

at the top of the mountain. we made it!!
this is about half way up the climb.
jill was exhausted after the hike.

on saturday, i wanted to enjoy the weather and increase my appreciation of arizona landscape. i made jeff go on a hike with me. we went to the san tan mountains. there was a 6 mile hike around one of the littler mountains that i thought we could enjoy with jill. oh, no jeff saw a much bigger and better mountain behind us. unfortunately, this mountain had no trail. so. . . we bushwhacked our way to the top. nearing the peak i was surprised that we continued going. it seemed like each step was causing a rock slide, and i was bear crawling up. once we reached the peak, as i looked down i thought "how are we going to get from here to there without dying or sliding down face first". at the top, the horizon was beautiful and we got to see the start of the sunset. i told jeff that the hike was exhilarating. he said, "hike?! that was a mountain climb".

we're in it for the long haul. . .

the doctor said between 5-51/2 months to introduce "the spoon". today she's 5 months old! (she's nippin' at your heels carrie). we thought we'd try out some rice cereal tonight. funny thing is she was more interested in "the spoon" and the bowl (btw: thanks valerie!!) than the food. it was so fun to watch her facial expressions as she tasted it. it went better than expected though.
here she is looking at "the spoon". very intent.
after eating we had some play time. any funny stories, or more importantly, advice for me as we start this new step? remember she's been all breast milk until today.

big girl on Vimeo

Chloe Sue!

here she is. . . jill has a new cousin!! Chloe was born yesterday morning. she is so sweet and tiny (6 lbs.), it makes jill look huge. Sarah (jeff's older sister) is feeling good and looks great!!! jill loves all of her cousins and is exited to not be the smallest one any more. she has a few things she can teach Chloe (such as, drooling, squeeling and lots of smiling). we love Chloe!!
jill was jealous that Chloe was getting all the attention. jill wanted to be like Chloe and get swaddled, held and have the "soothie" pacifier. what a baby! :)

big sit in the right direction

Look who's been sitting-up by herself all day long.

"the best toy ever"

jills still interested in the camera. what a sweet face.
new habits: finger sucking (couple weeks old), bottom lip sucking, jumping, talking during church, wanting to control her pacifier (this only makes it worse b/c she can't get it back in right), splashing during the bath.
any bets on her hair color? those eyebrows are looking more red. . . can't wait to see.

i over heard jeff talking to one of his single friends yesterday. his friend must have asked how being a parent is, or how jill was doing. this is the response, "She's great. Honestly, it's like having the best toy ever. I just want to play with her all day". i had to laugh out loud. i feel the same way. it's still hard for me to stop watching her every move. she's so entertaining. needless to say, the only time i get anything done is when she's sleeping. this is only if i've put her in her room and shut the door. if she's sleeping outside her room, i have a tendency to watch her then too, yes even sleeping.

which brings me to an announcement. . . jill has officially moved into her room. all sleeping (execpt an occasional morning nap with mom) is done in the big crib. up until this week she's been sleeping in the bassinet next to my bed at night. many factors have brought us to this point. 1. i'm borrowing the bassinet from Hayley. well, Hayley's pregnant and will need it soon. 2. Jill is just about too long for it. 3. jills been sleeping through the night since she was 6 wks old. therefore i really could've put her in her room long ago. i just loved having her so close, i wouldn't move her. 4. jill 'stirs' in her sleep. she's does this around 12:00, 4:00, and 5:00. finally to wake-up at 6:00. i was getting up with each 'stir'.

the first few nights i really missed having her in my room. i just love having my sweet baby close to me. i have since realized how nice it is not to have to wisper when i enter my room etc. we have reclaimed the territory!

our ward just got split. we had aprrox 800 members. nuts huh? of-course not all of those were active, but we needed to down size. there where two elders quorums and over 150 actuve primary children, 4- 5 nursery classes etc. you can imagine the chaos primary was. i was called as the 2nd counslor in jan. i love the primary. after the split, i was worried i was going to be released. i got my same calling and am enjoying the smaller sizes. last sunday in senior primary i couldn't help but tear-up while the children sang "I'm trying to be like Jesus". it was so powerful!! i haven't felt the spirit so strongly in a church meeting, let alone primary. i have three sister-in-laws that are primary choiresters now. i can't tell you how important you are!!! music truely invites the spirit. i love serving in the primary. in-fact, i think i'd been happy here for the rest of my life. i love those kids.

jeff got called as the ward mission leader. he is so excited. missionary work is something that jeff has always been passionate about. i can't wait to see jeff grow and work in this capacity. i know it's a few years away, but i'm excited to serve a mission with him. he is a great missionary.

Jill bill of health

Jill got her SHOTS yesterday. No matter how many shots I've given, I don't think I'll ever get use Jill getting shot. I didn't cry this time, so I am getting better. The feeling that I've had consistently with each appointment is anger. I get so mad at the medical assistants' that give the shots. First of all, why can't the GREAT MEDICAL FIELD find a way that four shots can be combined to one. Secondly, if the vaccine for rota virus is oral, why can't the others be oral and get rid of needles all together? Thirdly, is there not another helper so you can do all four shots at once, instead of one after another after another after another? Fourthly, I know that I could've do a better job than that stupid nurse!!!! Okay, so the medical assistance did a pretty good job (much better than the one at the two months appointment), she nice and compassionate and knew what she was doing. Now that I've vented my frustration, here's Jills stats. . .
(don't make fun of my sweet bean pole)

Height: 24 inches long (40th percentile)
Head: 16 inches round (30th percentile)
Weight: 12 lbs (10-15th percentile)

The doctors not worried about her weight. She said that it's probably her 'genetic make-up'. Jill danced and smiled for the doctor and we got a CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH.
(Sorry, no pictures. Batteries are dead)

Pink flamingo

jill won't use both legs at the same time. she loves to stand on one. it is hilarious to watch her. she also loves to try and jump. she's taking after her mom:)
daddy and baby staying up late. when jill's tired her eyes and nose get pink, but she still smiles.

today

four months today and almost sitting up!! okay so she still needs our help but she really wants to do it herself.
before
after. i'm pretty sure this move is on purpose and not accidental anymore. everyday it seems like she gets more coordinated and more animated. i love watching her progression. i've worked a couple 8 hour shifts and Jeff has gotten to spend more time with Jill. she loves her dad!! i think that it has helped them bond and now she really lights up when he comes in the room. we love having this sweet heart in our lives. what a great four months!

happy valentines day

Jillian loves to give love and be loved. what a sweet heart.

sweet face, big feet

a good dose of Jillian!!

she was fascinated by the camera. i should bring it out more so she won't look straight at it. it was so fun though, b/c she was talking to it and laughing the whole time.
blurry but cute
what's up with the shudder speed? Jillian is so patient and sweet.

a little bright.
a little dark.

i haven't taken the time to figure out jeff's camera yet and the pictures reflect it. i felt like we all needed a big dose of Jill though. so, here you see the lack of skill with digital cameras.

if you'll also notice the clothing; the weather has been just beautiful. Jillian, Jeff and I have been wearing shorts and tee's in the 76-80 degree weather. it's so fun to play outside in the grass and enjoy arizona.

stans home!!!

jill was so excited to meet uncle stanley. look how anxious she is :)
they hit it off. it's so great to see stan home. we are so proud of him.
a little blurry, but i love the expressions. smiles can be seen but happy tears can be felt. stan just returned from his mission in RioDeJanerio Brazil North. jeff's excited to help stan adjust and i'm sure he'll be a great uncle for jill. we can't wait to hear more stories and see pictures from Brazil.