Happy birthday Aunt Aly!

Eric is clearly a little distressed realizing we won't be there to see Aly on her birthday, so he asked me to make this video. Please don't judge the baby talk, after all, he is a baby. So Happy Birthday Aly, we love you!

More Eric

Yes, we're the parents that are convinced that every single thing our baby does is adorable and should be recorded. I would probably post a picture of what a good pooper he is if I got too carried away, but not to worry, I will hold back on that one (don't worry, I don't have a picture to post). But it's because he really is so dang cute! And we have the excuse that we left behind family that wants to see lots of updates on him.

Here is Eric's new talking he's been doing a lot of lately. This is actually what sound Tanner and I wake up to each morning through the monitor.


We should be more uptight about fruit, but I just up and gave Eric some cherries in his fruit net, he's about 6 months anyway. He wasn't so sure about it, but eventually loved it. He was stained all over by the time he was done.


Eric has finally learned to roll from back to tummy! At least going one direction. But it's a lot of work to get all the adorable chub moving around!

Eric's first day on the swing

Eric's new thing is this silly fake laugh/cough

Eric loves oranges in his fruit net and gets really upset when they are gone

Discovering new things

Some things we have discovered this week: Eric wants to be a football player. We told him he just has to wait until the football isn't bigger than he is.



Eric loves to swing! He had so much fun and looked so cute slumped against the front of it.







Highchairs are fun!!

And sweet potatoes are delicious.

But make you gassy.

It has been two weeks today since we got in Milwaukee, which seems crazy to me. We miss everyone a lot, but are excited for school/work to start so we'll be busier.

I got a job! I start in 3 weeks, part-time, it will be evenings, so Tanner will watch Eric, yeah!

We have discovered frozen custard and I could gain a lot of weight out here, luckily we don't have money to buy it too often.

Eric can now almost roll onto his tummy from his back; he has also started fake laughing, which he of course, finds hilarious.

Eric is still down for his afternoon nap, which means he has been sleeping for 2.5 hours. Which makes me feel like this:

But makes Tanner so nervous he keeps sending me in to make sure he is breathing.

This picture makes me so happy it is ridiculous. He is just the cutest thing. He loves this bouncer so much, I thought he'd be getting tired of it by now. But he just jumps and kicks like crazy. The other night I youtubed some River Dance music and played it while Eric danced his happy little jig. I thought it was too clever and funny and Eric seemed to agree. Tanner just waited for me to turn off the music.

Our neighbors are amazing, I'm so grateful for nice, friendly, awesome people.

The end.

Swimming!

Today we went swimming in Fred and Kathy's (our landlords) pool. It was Eric's first time swimming and he loved it! He was so calm and kicked his chubby little legs the whole time!

It's hard to see Eric's legs in this picture, but he was actually kicking enough that he was moving forward a little.
With Daddy, so fun!
We were worried about him burning, even with all the sunscreen, so Kathy found this hat to try. We couldn't stop laughing, it was so funny and so cute!
Every time I would lean him back like this he would think about it for a minute and then just kick, kick, kick, it was so funny.

Not loving us laughing about the hat. Actually, he was just making a silly face because he was tired, but he probably didn't appreciate that either.
We had to keep stopping him from drinking the delicious chlorinated water, mmmm.
This is where he went right when we got home, he was so tuckered out. He looks so big!

My favorite sound

Eric is so giggly now, we can't get enough of it! He laughs a lot for Mommy, but Daddy is the one that really gets him going no matter what. Tanner just has to look at Eric and he gets a big grin on his face, it is so cute. He is so much fun, we are loving every minute. Things are still great, we are just wanting to be done unpacking, but there is still a ways to go. Every time I think we're getting closer I open a couple more boxes and a new huge mess is made. But the place is great and we feel more and more blessed every minute. Tomorrow is our first day in our new ward, we are so excited. We still can't believe we are here sometimes and that this is all real. But we have a lot of support, it is so great because all of our neighbors are in med school and know exactly what we're going through. Here is Eric with Tanner, Tanner's beard always tickles Eric and makes him laugh.



Here is another one laughing with Daddy, I just never get tired of recording it. When he gets tired he laughs like crazy and in this one he was about to go down for a nap.

This last video is of Eric laughing at Aunt Tay while we were staying with them before we left. He was totally delirious because he was so tired and went crazy laughing. He is just the funniest, sweetest boy ever and we love him to pieces.

A new start..

We had Tanner's cousin Alyssa do some family pictures outside our apartments in the village a few weeks before we moved. She did a great job, we absolutely love them! (alyssa kay photography, she's on facebook if you're interested). We gave them to our families before we left so they would have an updated picture of Eric before we left. These are some of my favorites:

Eric was a little stink and wouldn't smile most of the time, but once Sheboygan was brought in, he obliged.

This one is my favorite. I just love this face, those dimples, and how you can see his adorable chub. Also, those big blue eyes kill me. He's just the cutest little guy, and we love him so much!

We made it! We arrived in Milwaukee, WI on Monday, July 11, around 4:30 pm. It was a crazy journey. We left Saturday around 6 am. It has been a tearful past week, but we are excited to be here and feel more and more blessed each day. This video was on Sunday. Eric was such a trooper in the car and while he was awake he had a lot of fun with his friend Sheboygan (a toy giraffe). We still can't believe we drove 1450 miles to get here, it was a crazy 3 days. It already seems forever ago.

Thank goodness my dad and brother Dillon drove our second car out here and got here on Tuesday. They also helped unload our stuff, along with a bunch of awesome neighbors that jumped right in to help us. We have already met a lot of people and are so happy to be here. Our landlord Fred is amazing! He took us out to dinner with his wife when we got here. He is so nice and is taking great care of us. Our neighbors are all med students with families as well, so it perfect. We had three offers for dinner on Tuesday night from neighbors, they are all so great. They were all an answer to our prayers. On Monday as we were getting off at the Milwaukee exit, we both got so nervous and kept asking each other, "What have we done?" "Why did we come out here?" The first night here we didn't have any of our stuff, so we bought an air mattress and slept with beach towels for blankets, it was so funny. Don't worry, Eric had real blankets and slept comfortably in his pack'n'play.

Eric has been so great, poor little guy. He has tolerated moving into my in-laws and losing his bed, being stuck in a car for three days and sleeping in hotels, then sleeping in a new room again in his playpen. We set up his crib yesterday and we thought he would be relieved to be in it again, but we put him in it and the poor little guy lost it. Every time we put him down to sleep yesterday he would freak out. I think there were just too many changes for the little man. It was so sad. He is still having a hard time today, but doing better. But once he's up he's as happy as a clam. Here is a video today from his first food: peas! He was not sure what to think and kept shivering like he was getting the chills, it was hilarious.

We are having so much fun and discovering what is around Milwaukee. The main thing we are discovering is food. There are lots of local places that are so good, but if we keep eating there, we will be a lot bigger by the time Tanner is done. The humidity is an adjustment as well, but it isn't too hot, so it isn't as bad. Tanner's school is incredible, the hospitals around it are just massive. I thought the big hospital in Utah was huge, but this place is just massive. I also have an interview on Monday for a unit like the one I worked on before, we are so excited! We just feel so blessed right now, it is sad and scary leaving everyone behind and completely changing our lives, but we feel so close to each other and so close to the Lord, we know it will be great. But that doesn't mean we aren't excited for family and friends to come visit, we have a third bedroom, so when we are done packing, get on out here!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Wow, this past month has flown by! We really can't believe the time has come for the big move. Here's what we've been up to; Tanner has his first Father's Day with the cutest little boy ever, who obviously is excited that he has the best daddy ever.

These are all out of order, but here are some of the most amazing girls I know-my friends from nursing school (minus Nicole). Ashley and Christie are weeks away from their due dates (Christie has actually had her little boy this past week!). We had a few last get togethers, which were fun and sad at the same time. They are some of the most amazing women I know. Ashley is so smart and trendy. Christie is caring and funny. And Rachel is gorgeous and one of the strongest women I know. I am so sad to leave them, but I know we will keep in touch. Our boys will all be in the same grade, how fun is that?

Eric stripped down in the heat the other day and we spent some time on the grass lounging outside.

I love these rolls!!!

With mommy after the bath. I just love being a mom so much, I never comprehended how fulfilling and joyful it would be. He is the best little man ever and I love him so much I can hardly stand it.

We had a fun trip with Tanner's family to Moab. It was nice to get away and it was my first time there. We hiked Delicate Arch while Linz watched Eric and Noelle back at the condo. We had so much fun and are so grateful to our wonderful parents for taking us all on such a fun trip.

These are the nursing school kids (sounds like a club, like those old books, the boxcar kids, eh?): Gavin, Eric, and Kaylee. Christie's newest little guy is Connor, I'll post pictures later.

There aren't words needed with this adorable face. I just love him. He is four months here. Here are his stats from his 4 month appointment:

Height 24 in-50%

Weight 15 lb. 11 oz.-75% (He was 10% when he was born!)

I don't remember his head circumference, I have that packed away already. He has also learned how to roll over, eaten rice cereal, and starting laughing. It is such a fun age and we are loving every minute. Tanner is ready to work on crawling, I'm fine with him not learning that for a little while yet.

And Eric is looking more and more like Tanner every day. This picture just makes me laugh every time I see it.

I will post pictures of our last weeks with family, our other computer is already packed away. Our stuff has already been shipped and we are driving out in 4 days. I can't believe it is already here. The sadness didn't really hit me until this past week. I had my last day at work Friday, I will do a separate post on that later when I have all the pictures. There are just so many emotions we both feel. It is saddest to think of our families not seeing Eric as often, especially with him changing so much. But we will visit and it will be great. I will be better at updating and the next post will be from Milwaukee!!