Norah 5 months

-Has become our little roller. She can get all over the place. Although sometimes she'll get stuck on her tummy and whine til I turn her back over but then she immediately goes back onto her tummy.

- Is wearing her 3 to 6 month clothes.
- Has the cutest smile in the world. Her eyes light up when she smiles. Adorable dimples when she smiles. 

-Still such a happy content baby. She doesn't need much entertaining to be happy. And puts up with Lincoln pushing her and sitting on her. 

-Very Social. Wants to be part of everything going on. 

-DROOLS all over the place.

-Constantly is playing with her toes. Or anything else that she can reach. Grabs at EVERYTHING. Has really started to like her little toys (or really anything within reach really). 

-Has started to not like her car seat as much. But only if it's in the evening and we're driving around.
-Loves Lincoln and doesn't get bugged by him being right in her face all the time.
-her cheeks are still as chubby as ever.
-Is still a great sleeper but sometimes she will wake up between 6-7 or so and want her Binky. Once she has it she usually sleeps for another couple of hours. 
-Love to kick her feet and arms.  It's hard to keep her bundled in her swaddle for very long because she's so busy.
-Still isn't great at sitting in her Bumbo or in the jumper. She'll do it for a minute but then gets annoyed and wants to get out.

 FIRST FOODS

 -Has tried rice only a couple of times. She definitely seems interested in eating that we've been lazy and haven't been giving her solids quite yet. So she still just drinks breast milk.

 I know I already had a picture of her in he sink but it was too  cute not to post...

 She found a new best friend in the mirror!

August's Awesomeness

Adam's work was SUPER busy. We def. saw a little less of him during the first part of August.  One night, Adam's crews were working late doing some paving on the freeway so he took them some Pizza.  Lincoln was in little boy heaven. He could hardly look away from what was going on long enough to let me take a picture. Like Father, Like Son.. 

We made sure to go to the SplashPad a number of times... Main Street is Lincoln's favorite by far! 

 Grandma Penny made a quick visit to us--- Lincoln always loves having Grandma around.  Lincoln made sure to show off his bike riding skills as the rest of us walked down to 'Breakfast at Tifiny's' for Lunch- which is always Yummy.

 I had some money on the counter and later noticed that it was gone.  I figured Lincoln was the culprit. After some convincing he finally showed me where he had stashed the cash- Inside me closet.

Magnets are a 2 year olds favorite thing.  Lincoln loves them so I made him some fabric fishes with magnets in them so he could go fishing. We then found other magnets around and ended up fishing for ABCs....

 Love this little ball of joy!

 Lincoln was not happy about having to go home from Nana and Pop's house.  He was having way too much fun playing in the sand.

 Lincoln loves shopping with me if he can have his own cart.  Thank you Smiths!

 One of my very Favorite things about summer is the endless peaches we get. We were busy canning, freezing, making fruit leather, and mostly EATING them. When we went and picked them Lincoln and Adam had a blast throwing all the yucky ones that had fallen off the tree to the cows. It seemed to me like the cows liked them about as much as I do.. but really who wouldn't love fresh peaches!

Norah 4 months

Big smiler.
Puts up with Lincoln when he climbs in the crib with her. Still sleeps in our bedroom in her pack and play because I'm too nervous to put her in her crib with Lincoln in his room because he climbs in with her.

Lincoln absolutely adores her.
Slobbers like crazy!  She is constantly drenched in front.
She's a very good eater, she hasn't had any solid food but she almost seems interested.
Always clasps her hands together like she is praying. 

Has started to want to grab at things.
She laughs little laughs when we play with her and makes cute baby noises.
She sleeps really well- Like 9 to 12 hours good. And rarely wakes us up in the middle of the night.  It's a dream.  She sleeps best when she is swaddled in her swaddle blanket. Although she does like to sneak one arm out.
She has the brightest eyes and alert countenance.
Has started to want to sit up. When she is lying down you see her lift her head up and try to sit up.
Has started to sit in her Boppy and Johnny jump up But usually only like to sit in there for a little bit.
We love her with all our hearts! 
Will roll from here tummy to back. 

Stats at 4 Month old appointment.  August 13th, 2013
Weight: 14 lbs 1 oz. 49%
Height: 25 inches: 75%
Head Circumference: 16.4 inches 63%

July

For the 4th of July we went to Breakfast at Egg and I--- went to Vernon Werthon Park to the cities festivities for about 15 minutes (it was way too hot!) and then we ended the night up on the "D" airport hill watching the fireworks.  We only had one small mishap when Lincoln tipped over in the stroller while he was strapped in and he and the stroller did some tumbling down the hill. He ended up with a few scrapes--- a few tears--- but with all the fireworks going he quickly forgot about those and was happy as can be watching the fireworks. 

We spent the 24th up in Pine Valley--- pretty much relaxing. We were so lazy and really only ate and read books. Well I guess we did go for a run that morning but that's about all we accomplished. Sometimes it is sure nice to do nothing! 

We love having indoor smores when we are at the cabin.

 Nothing better to do than read and enjoy our beautiful view!

 Norah just being cute!

 Other random happenings in July-
Lincoln has become buddies with quite a few of the Deacons in our ward...Here he is with Wyatt Parry.

 Peach season arrived. Lincoln loved to help out pick and eat our yummy peaches.

 Lincoln has always been a really good napper... sleeping for usually 2 or 3 hours every afternoon. It hasn't been until just recently that he has started to find better things to do other than sleep. There are many days that I can hear him in his room playing for a hour or so before he falls asleep. On those days I am never sure what I am going to find when I go get him from his nap.  This particular day he had done some reading and fallen asleep on the floor with his legs under his bed and hands behind his head. Whatever works right?

Here are other times I have walked in his room after nap time... He keeps himself busy at least. 

 I still don't dare put Norah in with Lincoln in their room in her crib---- it is because of this. When we aren't looking he climbs right in with her.  And usually he is just not lying beside her but on top of her.  It may be awhile til they share a room much to our dismay.

 Norah hanging out in her hot tub. Lincoln was in the bathtub and we were in a hurry so she got the sink!

 In YW/YM's there were leftover cupcakes so Lincoln was lucky enough to have Dad get one for him... Although it would have been smart on our part to actually wait til we were home and had a bib or took off his nice white shirt before he starting eating his Chocolate cupcake with purple frosting. It sure made for a cute picture though. He sure liked that frosting!

 Norah has started to get a bit restless just lying on the ground so we got out the bouncer.  She wasn't super interested in bouncing yet but she was perfectly happy with just chilling in it.  Lincoln enjoyed spinning her around and around and around.

Norah's headbands more often than not end up about like this.

 Adam's cookie making experience.  He wanted to bring treats to his Home teachees and few other people.  He always asks me to make them but this time I think I complained so he said he would just do it himself.  I was there in the kitchen watching  and I was loving it. I was trying not to tell him what to do because he hates that.  Here are just a few of the comical mishaps.
-Didn't know what recipe to do so just used the one on the back of the chocolate chips (no problem).
-Only had butter that was frozen. So attempted to soften it in the microwave. Even after my warning him that he has to watch it carefully he ended up melting it completely.  Re-do.
-Used 1 T. instead of 1 tsp. of vanilla.
-Accidentally put the flour in with the sugar and butter instead of in the bowl with the other dry ingredients.
-Did finally get everything mixed but to me they looked like they needed more flour-- but he didn't listen.  -Cooked them for a little bit too long.
-They were edible but lets just say that he didn't end up taking them to anybody in the ward. (he did take a few to work and gave them out) he even said he even got a few compliments.
It was def. a valiant effort on his part, but next time I will be the good wife that I should have been and just taken the 30 minutes to make the cookies.

 Well... we attempted potty training. Attempt is about the only thing we did. Between the two of us- my lack of patience and his lack of interest we haven't got very far with this. I think once summer is over and things are a bit more settled down we may give it a real try!

 Lincoln has started to identify some Letters.  Really only "O" and "A" does he consistently identify.  But this particular day I was in my  room and he came in with a whole handful of the letter "O" magnets and was showing them to me.  He has gotten pretty good at sorting out and matching things together.

 So Lincoln is obsessed with water. He loves to play with it--- in the sink, tub, with the hose, and loves to go to the main street splash pad area. He really could play in the water all day long!  BUT regular splashpads that have sprayers he despises. I think it is because it gets his face wet?? Not sure.  I just had to take a picture of him at this particular splash pad. He wanted nothing to do with going through the water and being sprayed. So he just stood off to the side demanding that I keep turning the sprayers on everytime they went off. He did not want to leave even though he wasn't even getting wet.  

 Andrew pushing Lincoln around at Nana and Pop's house.

Lincoln thought that Norah needed to look cool with his sunglasses on.

Barton Reunion at the Dirt Farm

We had our annual Barton Reunion up at the Dirt Farm near Bryce Canyon the middle of July. Adam was swamped at work so we(me, Lincoln, and Norah) decided to head up with Nana and Pops on Thursday evening without him.  I debated whether or not I really wanted to camp--sleep in a tent by myself with 2 kids- 2 and under (with one nursing).  I'm always up for a challenge so why not?.... and guess what- I survived and by the time morning came I was still smiling--- well sort of.  Norah was a dream and slept the entire night in her car seat. Lincoln had other things in mind. He woke up around 2 (after going to sleep around 11) and had no interest in going back to sleep. I tried everything (singing, reading, telling stories and nursery rhymes but then I got so tired I couldn't stay awake to sing or talk.... so I resorted to letting him watch TV shows on my phone while I slept). I figured he would fall asleep watching them.45 minutes later his little eyes were still wide open glued to the little screen).  At this point it was after 3 so I took the phone away and tried telling more stories and finally he fell asleep!  Thank goodness. Lets just say I was very grateful that Adam would be there for sleeping night two.    

This is us the next morning-

Our little campsite. 

 The next morning we drove over to the Mossy Caves-River Hike with the entire Barton Clan. It was the perfect little hike for all of us-- and beautiful at the same time.  Uncle Jordan was a good sport to carry Lincoln while I got the privilege of caring Norah!

 The river was BROWN-- I think due to the fact that it had rained pretty hard the day before. It blended right into the riverbed.

 That's the waterfall.

 Lincoln loved wading and playing in the river--- and mostly throwing rocks in it.

 You can't see very well in this picture but this is the actual mossy cave area.

 I love me some Red Rock.

 Love my little Bro Jordan around to help with the kids--- especially since Adam wasn't there!

After the hike we headed over to Tropic and ate Pizza with the Orchards. It was the perfect hike! 

We then headed back to camp and relaxed for the rest of the day. My favorite part of the reunion. Just hanging out, relaxing, visiting, and eating. :)

Nana and Lincoln relaxing in the hammock.

 Lincoln playing with Alex Esplin.... Lots of dirt to get plenty dirty with.

 I loved the cooler weather and the fire!

 This was Sat. morning. Lincoln slept great night #2 and even slept in--- I think the smell of bacon must have woke him up... here he is- jammies and all munching on some bacon.

 Adam came up Friday evening and we all stayed through Sat. evening.  Sat. was full of games and activities with some of our extended "Barton" family relatives that I don't know. It was fun to see and talk to a few that I actually did remember from when I was a kid--- Like Tayler and Aimee Vowles!