10 months and moving...again!

Okay...big news! We're moving into a house!!! A couple in our ward that we know from SUU has a house that they rent in LV and since our lease was up soon...we got a talkin'. It helped that their renters weren't paying their rent and got evicted too. We were going to move in today, but they decided to put new carpet downstairs. So it won't be until the 16th. I'm willing to wait for that! It is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house and I'm super excited!! I've been packing all week and am reminded how much I hate moving.

We still have boxes that we never unpacked, books mostly, so it has made packing a little easier. We also saved all the boxes from our first move and the cat apt move as well. My mother-in-law is coming next week to help me pack the kitchen; she's the best! I'm excited to be able to allow Traegon to jump, pound, and kick on the ground all he wants without worrying about the downstairs neighbor, and his yucky smoke smell that drifts in through any open windows (which makes spring so sad when its tainted!) I am definitely going to miss this ward though. We've made a lot of great friends that we hope to stay in touch with. And the Primary kids! I was the first counsellor for a few months and really enjoyed working with the sweet ladies in our presidency. It was so fun to teach sharing time too; it made me really miss teaching.

My birthday was on the second...and I got spoiled rotten! Ben made me German pancakes for breakfast (that was after he got Traegon up and fed him!) We had General Conference that weekend as well. Ben took the day off from work, so it was lovely to spend time with our family and get a spiritual uplift on my birthday! I made 7 layer bean dip (yum!) and opened presents. My mom and I have something in common, we like to have lots of wrapped presents, even if it is little, everyday stuff. I remember getting candy bars, crackers, knick knacks, cereal, pens, bracelets...random stuff growing up and it was so fun! So whenever I give Ben the gift box he says, "that's not a real present! Its just something you would buy normally!" His idea of a real present is something bigger and more costly, I guess. Speaking of the gift box, in order to save our marriage happily buy presents for each other, we've had to pick from our gift box. For some reason we both think that the other is hard to buy for and think that to buy for ourselves is so much easier...but that isn't the spirit of gift-giving is it? So one Christmas, we decided to make a gift box. Mostly because Ben went to Walmart to buy presents for two hours and came back with a bag of socks, of which I had told him I needed on his way out the door. The whole time he was there he kept seeing things that he wanted and thinking, "Oh man! I'm so easy to shop for!" While whenever I go, I think the same thing of myself! Ha! We put all the things we want over the year, but don't want to buy for ourselves, in a box. That way it is more of a surprise, by Christmas you've forgotten what you've wanted and are so excited to get it.

Okay..sorry tangent there...so this year Ben got me starburst jelly beans (the blessing of having your bday near Easter), The Giver (the book I compare ALL controlled environment books to, even if they are not at all similar), shorts, Enchanted movie, and a hiking backpack for Traegon! SPOILED! Ben's sister, Kimmy, came over for the 2nd session of Conference and she gave me measuring cups and spoons. Super cute too! My mom had mailed me the Our Best Bites cookbook earlier and my friend Amanda, in Germany, mailed me a book of my blog! Both awesome presents that still make me smile and giddy when I see them. My friend Meesha came over the following Monday to hang out with our kiddos and she gave me a cute picture frame and some handmade soap and lotion that smells so good! Thanks everyone! Best birthday this year! :D :D Kimmy watched Traegon for an hour and Ben and I went shooting at a range we had happened upon just a few miles out of town. I think shooting water bottles is super fun and love to watch them explode. A little destructive...I know. But I think it helps with the three R's, right? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle? Heh heh. The birthday dinner this year was ham fried rice, potstickers and ice cream sandwiches! So...when I say spoiled rotten, I mean it!

Traegon's 10 month mark was yesterday. We had a little photo shoot, which he was grumpy for most of it and wanted me to just let him be. Luckily he gave me some really cute shots. This is what he is up to now:

- Nine month shots went okay...he's in the 25th percentile for everything. I guess that means he's well rounded and consistent?
- 6 Teeth and likes to bite everything, including me. Ouch!
- Tantrums of flinging himself backwards while doing a high pitched squeal. Especially when he's gotten into something he shouldn't and is being dragged away. Oh boy the dramatics! (Ha..I wonder where he gets that from. Definitely not me. heh heh heh)
- Crawling...well...kind of. He's into the scoot/army crawl/gallop. Its quite funny actually and he's gotten really fast at it. Now that he can get around (and into things) he is non-stop room to room.
- Sleeps through the night wonderfully. I think I am all caught up on the sleep I missed the first 7 months!
- Still sporting the natural mow-hawk. I've heard from a few people that I should buzz it all off and let it grow all together. I think it fits his personality too much. Maybe when he's a year...or more...
- Loves it when Daddy comes home from work. He gives him his belt to bite and it is covered in bite marks. Good thing it's black!
- Drinks water from his sippy cup really well now. No more puddles in the carpet and wet socks! (I hate that!)

- Uses his walker to walk down the tiny strip of linoleum in the kitchen.  I'm excited to have a little bigger kitchen! He's going to love it!
- Will only stand for a little bit, but is starting to realize that he wants to pull himself up to get things...but hasn't figured out how yet. (Take your time buddy!)

Last but not least! My bestest-friend-sister-from-another-mother is coming the 15-19th!!! I know, its right when we are moving. I feel so bad, but it just ended up like that. She is so understanding though and said she would help us even though its her spring break! She's so great. I can't wait. We have big plans of relaxing *after the big move on saturday* eating lots of food, playing at the park, walking down the strip and going shopping! I'm SO ExCiTeD!!!!