Signing Our Lives Away - 5 Years of Them!

So our Pontiac Sunfire decided to die at an intersection a couple days ago. Greg was almost home when it happened. A girl helped push it out of the intersection, and a guy in a truck helped tow it home.

We had a decision to make: pay the 600 to get it semi-fixed or sell it to Tunex for 200 and get a new car - as you can see, we chose the latter!
It can seat up to six people, so it'll be great for a family. Greg never wanted a mini-van, but once he test-drove this one (Mazda 5) he decided he could handle, maybe even enjoy owning one! Plus this is more compact than a normal minivan so it can curve like a car and only slightly feels like a bus. :)

As you can sort of tell, we've already junked it up with our stuff. I plan to clean out and organize all the stuff we had in our Pontiac and hopefully keep this one clutter-free.

Doctor's Visit-

On Friday Toby had his 12 month doctor's appointment.

The doctor said Toby is healthy and the heart murmur is gone. Toby's weight of 20 lbs is in the 10th percentile (I don't know why, I feed him all the time), his height of 30 inches in the 61st percentile. I thought he would weigh enough by now to be in the forward facing car seat (22 lbs), but since we already have him in it, we'll keep him in it and drive more carefully.

Toby also had 4 shots and a pinprick to check his iron. His cries got louder with each shot (the nurse had to do them one by one) and he looked at the nurse with shock that she would hurt him and he looked at Greg with shock that he wasn't stopping her and was in fact holding him down! I thankfully wasn't in his line of vision.

That night he probably only got about 4 hours of sleep, a little more than what Greg and I got. Even Ben sleeping in the loft had a sleepless night from all the fevered crying.

Fortunately it is 6 months away that we have to go through that again!

Toby Climbs-

If you've seen Toby at the Platts' house, you know that Toby loves to climb the stairs there. At home there are no stairs for him to climb so he has become creative - and dangerous.

We heard Toby crying and ran into the nursery. Toby had climbed the jogging stroller and couldn't get down! This photo doesn't fully show how high he had climbed and the dangers on the floor if he had fallen.

We watch him more carefully now!

Toby Walks!

This week Toby started letting go of his car and trying to walk on his own!

And it took quite a few attempts but we got it on video:

"Sweet Bean"

I've been working on this painting since around February. I couldn't figure out how to do the hair and it still doesn't look right, but I'm calling it finished. I'm limited in my painting abilities because the only training I had was one oil painting class in high school and I'm not even working with oils, so it's a bit frustrating. Someday I'm hoping to take some acrylic painting classes.

This was painted from a photo of Toby when he was about 1 month old. Greg wants me to do a painting for every child we have. I think I can do that. We shouldn't be having more than 3 or 4 kids I think.

"Sweet Bean" with flash

"Sweet Bean" without flash

First Word-

Sunday morning I was changing Toby's diaper when Greg started singing in the next room.

I told Toby, "That's Daddy singing. Do you hear him?"

Toby turned to look into the next room, then clearly and distinctly said his first word: "Daddy!"

Sure, he babbles all the time but this was the first time has said the word "daddy" and clearly meant it.

Maybe he'll say "mommy" next.

Toby's First Birthday-

We celebrated Toby's birthday on Saturday, between General Conference sessions.

Hannah, Kathryn, Josslyn

Checking out the presents

Toby's ready to blow-

Ice cream and cake

Face plant

Don't eat the plate!

Toby had fun opening the first few gifts.
Then he got mad when we took them away, in order for him to open the rest!

11 Months!

I'm so excited for Toby's first birthday!

There are so many things I want to get him. I'm sure he will rip right into the wrapping paper and probably play with that instead of the toy. He loves paper.

Toby has learned how to point! Greg asks him, "Where's Mommy?" and a lot of times Toby points to the correct person. He's not walking on his own yet, but he gets around well enough by hanging on to things.

High Chair

We finally bought a highchair.

And just in time too, to teach Toby how to drink from a cup.

It's much easier to feed him - no distractions like toys and tv.

Doctor Appointment-

Toby had his 9 month doctor's appointment a day before he turned 10 months (a bit late!). I found his doctor online and so far I'm pleased with how he handles Toby.

Dr. Ferriera weighed Toby (18.5 lbs - 7th percentile! maybe I need to feed him more?), measured him (28.3 inches - 30th percentile), and checked him over.

When the doctor checked Toby's heartbeat, he noticed a slight murmur. But he said it is common for kids that age to have one and told us not to worry. So we'll try not to. Other than that, the doctor said Toby's healthy!