Corie - 4 Months Old!

Aliyah, Corie, and ConnorCorie turned 4 months old on Aril 17, 2011. She's growing so much! Don'tcha' just love those thighs?!?!? She's so dang kissable and huggable! We had her 4-month well-check today. She had to have 3 shots! OUCH! She was a trooper though. Corie's measurements were: WEIGHT: 16.23 lbs. (93%) LENGTH: 24.8 inches (69%).
We also learned that she has 2 different skin conditions going on. From her neck down she has spots of eczema. The Dr. wants us to lotion her up with Cetaphil 6-7 times a day. From her neck up she has some other skin condition (the name is too big to remember). It's a lot what Mike has and he wants us to use Selson Blue on her to help with that. Hopefully she'll grow out of it. Mike never has but, maybe she'll get lucky. We also get to start her on cereal! I'm excited and hopeful about this because she still wakes every 3 hours, during the night, thinking she's starving to death. The good part but, also tough part, of this age is the Dr. no longer wants us to feed her during the night. So, it's time to "train" Corie to sleep through the night, a.k.a. the cry-out method. I dread it but, once they catch on, they REALLY catch on! I'm looking forward to that because right now I'm so VERY sleepy all the time! This month, Corie has figured out just how much she loves to stuff her fist in her mouth and to eat her fingers, especially her thumb. She prefers eating her fingers, rather than a binky. She also discovered her voice. She is SUPER LOUD and the more tired she is, the more squealy she gets! She gets so loud that the kids plug their ears and Connor says he can't concentrate. Corie is OBSESSED with her tongue and reminds me of a lizard or a frog! She loves to stick it out! Especially if she sees your tongue or you making a noise with your tongue. She really seems to recognize voices and tracks quite well. She loves to stand, of course with helps. She's starting to sit on her own well, not perfect but, is doing well. Corie loves to pull the blanket close to her face and mouth when she's about to go to sleep. She loves Connor and Rylie and really seems to get a kick out of Grandma McGinnis. Corie also gets very excited and will flap her arms like a bird and kick her legs up and down, breathing really fast! Her hair is starting to fill in.

Spring Break With my Sister & Her Family

Rylie, "K", "A", Corie, Connor, and "J"

X marks the spot (Don't exactly know why this is on the trail)

You are my sunshine!

My sister Stacey, her daughter "E", and Corie

"A" before picture

"A" before picture

"A" after picture

"A" after picture

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Around a month ago, my sister and her family came to St. George. Her husband had conferences down here so, she and her 4 kids came with. I am so, so glad they did! My kids and their kids get along really well! They are all so close in age! We did a lot of fun things. They came the week of St. Patrick's Day & Rylie's birthday so, we did a lot. For Rylie's b-day, which is the same as St. Patrick's Day, we started out by getting McDonald's (Rylie's favorite place to go). Then we took it to the park and let them all eat and play for a while. Rylie loves swings so much so, we made sure to go to a park that had swings. After the park we went and picked up the cake that Rylie picked out. Of course, it was My Little Pony's! Then, we all went to go see Tangled. Luckily, Mike was able to meet up with us to help handle the kids. It was an adventure but, so fun and such a great, cute, funny movie! I have to get the soundtrack for sure! After that, we headed home to prepare and finish up the St. Patty's Day dinner. We did corned beef and cabbage and cabbage mashed potatoes. Yummy! We did the corned beef in the crock pot this time and it turned out so dang good! So tender and the flavor was amazing!!!! After dinner, Mike's parents and sister came over for cake, ice cream, and presents. Everyone had a great time and Rylie got everything she wanted, which wasn't hard since all you had to get was horses or ponies and you made her day. It was such a fun, fun day!
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We also took the kids for walks around to enjoy the weather and to get some energy out! It was so fun for them to just run and play and have no boundaries. They had fun spotting lizards and we even saw a few dogs for the kids to pet.
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My niece has been wanting to have her hair cut for some time. My sister said she wanted it short but, I didn't realize how short. She pointed up to her ears but, I talked her into a bit longer. We ended up cutting so much off that we were able to donate her hair to locks of love. At first I could tell she wasn't sure and was a little uneasy about it. However, it changed fast. We noticed that she was flipping it all over, feeling it, she kept looking in the mirror, and was so smiley about it.
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I'm so glad that my sister was able to make it down here. I love my sister a whole bunch and wish we lived closer to each other. It's amazing we get along and have as much fun as we do, considering how different we are and how much we fought growing up. We both have the same quirky, goofy sense of humor though! I am grateful for her and the things I can/have learned from her!

Rylie's 3rd Birthday - March 17, 2011

Rylie in the Mickey Mouse Ears hat she chose at Disneyland Rylie, with her brother, sister, and cousins at the movie 'Tangled' Couldn't take her eyes off the screen to look at me

Rylie, K, Connor, A, J (Corie was sitting next to Rylie, on the left)

Rylie's "My Little Pony" cake that she picked out!

Opening the Cinderella Barbie from Grandpa & Grandma Jeppesen

Sharing her sucker

Mmmmmmm!

"Oooooooh!"

Don't know what they were all excited about but, thought it was a cute picture!

Getting ready for corned beef and cabbage

Part of the outfit that Grandpa & Grandma Jeppesen sent her for her birthday. As you can tell, Rylie has skinny legs and no rear end. So, while her tops are 3T, her bottoms are all 24 months or even 18 months, in shorts. So, the cute pants that came with the outfit fall off her. Her legs are really long but, no waist so, we have to buy adjustable waist pants in a 3T and 4T and sinch them up as tight as they will go.

Rylie turned 3 years old on March 17, 2011. She was so lucky to have cousins (4 of them) visiting from out of town at the same time of her birthday! So, she had a great time! We started out the day by taking the kids to the park and have lunch and play. Then, we took all of them to go see 'Tangled'. Such a cute and fun movie!!! I loved it!!! After that we headed home to have our Americanized (ha,ha) Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage! We did it in the crock pot this year and it turned out really good!!!! The kids even enjoyed it! Afterwards, Aunt Shannon as well as Grandpa & Grandma McGinnis came over for cake, ice cream, and opening presents. Rylie got some really awesome and fun things. Her favorites would definitely be the life-like horses she got! A couple big changes have happened since Rylie turned 3. She no longer has a binky! HALLELUJAH! Can I get a whoop, whoop?!?!?! Also, she is 100% pee-pee potty trained (except for at night). Now going #2 in the potty is a trial but, somehow we'll figure it out. Soon, I hope. Rylie still loves horses and ponies! Every bath she has, she has to have her horses with her! Her favorite color is pink. She loves any sort of chicken nuggets, spaghetti, pancakes, and scrambled eggs. Like her Mom, Rylie LOVES candy! She hasn't had her 3 year old well-check visit yet but, at W.I.C. she weighed 30.6 lbs. (40%) and was 37 1/2 inches tall (60%). She loves to laugh and run! If you take her to the park to swing, you'll be her best friend! When she tells you she loves you she'll say, "Love you, too!"

Disneyland - Day 3

Mike & Rylie taking a ride on the trolley pulled by a horse. So happy! Connor at the goat pettying zoo

Rylie had no fear with the goats!

Jessie & Woody

Rylie & Connor loved the tea cup ride!

Darth Maul, at the Star Wars Training show

Rylie & Shannon

Monsters Inc. ride

Laura & Sulley

Rylie cooling off in the water

The kids heading into the pettying zoo, to see the goats.

Rylie & the goats

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Mike's parents left the morning of the 3rd day of our trip to Disneyland. It worked out fine though because by the 3rd day we were a bit worn out so, I didn't mind sitting with Corie and taking care of her while they went on rides. Sometimes Mike or Shannon would sit with Corie too. We spent the 3rd day hitting their favorite rides, plus a few new ones. Like, we took Connor on Indiana Jones. He was really nervous about riding it but, in the end, he really enjoyed it. He keeps talking about the large stone that rolls and looks like it's about to hit you. We ended the day by going on the water rapids ride a couple times. By the time we left that night, we were ready to go. We drove straight through and got home around 2:30am. The trip to Disneyland was a blast!!!!! The kids loved it and are still talking about it! I can't wait to take them again, whenever that happens. It really is a magical place and so worth it to go and make some awesome memories with my family!

Disneyland Trip - Day 2

At the hotel, the 2nd day, waiting for the bus
Laura & Chip, at the character breakfast

Shannon, Chip, Grandpa M. at character breakfast

Connor and Dale at character breakfast

Laura & Tigger

Corie and Dale

Minnie giving Rylie her autograph

Awwwww! Connor and Minnie!

Timberrrrrr!

Rylie, Grandpa M. and Perla (Cinderella)

Perla (Cinderella) and Connor

Eeyore and Connor

Captain Hook & Connor

Connor & Rylie in Bug's Life Land

Laura, Rylie, Shannon, Connor, and Mike

Mike, Connor, Rylie, and Grandma M.

Mike, Connor, Rylie, and Grandma M.

Caterpillar on the left: Laura & Rylie

Caterpillar on the right: Mike & Connor

Rylie & Laura on the left/Mike & Connor on the far right

Mike & Laura

Shannon, Rylie, Laura, Corie, Connor, Mike

Mike & I (yes, I'm freaking out) riding California Screamin'

Mike, Laura, and Shannon

Mike, Grandma M., and kids on ladybug ride

Kids on "It's a Small World" ride

Buzz Lightyear ride

Connor eating breakfast with Chip.

Rylie meeting Minnie Mouse!

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We spent a lot of the 2nd day at California Adventures. I prefer California Adventures, maybe because the rides are more up-to-date. The kids loved the area that had all the Bug's Life rides. Mike insisted I ride the California Screamin' ride. Yeah, once was good enough for me. I get really nauseous on those rides and felt pretty shookin' up when I got off. Mike and Shannon weren't even phased by it. If you ask Mike, he'll do an imitation of a sound I made on the ride. He said it sounds like a death groan. Connor really loved the Wild Rapids water ride there. Connor did so awesome at going on all the "big" rides! The only one he backed out of was the Tower of Terror ride, which I can understand. It's pretty crazy. The only bummer thing about California Adventure was that Rylie was too short to ride a lot of rides so, I felt bad about that. Broke my heart when they turned her down. So, while Shannon and Mike took Connor on some of the bigger rides, I took Rylie and Corie on the rides we could ride on together. Like, the caterpillar ride. Rylie loved it and Corie could ride on that one so, it was perfect. Rylie also loved the little splash pad/water areas. So, it ended up being ok. Thank heavens they did have splash/water areas because Day 2 was on the warm side for us. After some time there, we went back to Disneyland and hit some rides that the kids adore, like Buzz Lightyear and It's a Small World.