Jayla's first trip to Blue Eye, MO

Jayla on the plane ride home. She loved the plane. She was so happy!! THANK GOD! Everyone talked about how she was such a happy baby.

My sister and I went in on a very nice cookware set for my mom. She was crying because she has been wanting this for ever! She deserves it with all the cooking she does!

Jay and Daddy at Silver Dollar City's Christmas lights show

Grandma and Grandpa Skorstad with one of the many snowmen at Silver Dollar City.
My mom and now Jay love snowmen!

Mommy and Daddy with Jay. It was so cold!!!



Silver Dollar City's Christmas parade. Jay slept through this. We only went to watch this for her!

Walking around Silver Dollar City waiting for the sun to set so we can enjoy all the beautiful lights.

Jay bundled up nice and cozy from the freezing cold.

Jay loving on her Grandma

My parents' dogs Tag and Hobo.

Finally we remembered to get a family photo!!

Jay pointing to all the fishes in the big fish tank at Bass Pro Shop.

My parents backyard. So peaceful!!

I love this one. Where's Fargo? Jearel had to borrow my dad's attire to ride on my parents' tractors. I don't think they make clothes like that in AZ.

Jay's long flowing locks of gold. :)

OK just her wild tubby hair!!

My mom couldn't take Jay on any wagon rides due to the weather so she just made her an indoor wagon. Nice job mom!! She loved it! I couldn't stop laughing though. This is definitely something only Grandma would do!!

She spent hours in the indoor wagon. I thought for she my mom was gonna have a heart attack pulling her everywhere. ~Again only something that Grandma would do~

Passed out from all the entertainment. My mom enjoyed it so much that I had a hard time getting her to put her in her bed!

Getting into trouble with Grandpa

Grandpa making Jay laugh and laugh!! They were so cute together!

Being spoiled as usual!! She was such a happy girl on our vacation!

More presents

And more....

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Yep ONLY my dad and his friend would fish in this weather!!

On the lake my parents live on.

We took Jayla on her first little vacation to see her Grandma Skorstad and meet her Grandpa Skorstad for the very first time. My parents moved to Missouri eight years ago. People always asked why the heck would they do something silly like that, but I completely understand. My dad is a huge fisherman and where they live couldn't be a better spot for them. It's like they moved to their little piece of heaven. It is absolutely gorgeous out there. They live right on the lake. To just walk out on their deck and see the view they see everyday is just breathtaking. I am so happy for them, but at the same time it has been very hard with out them here. Especially now that we have Jay. My mom is such an amazing person and does so much. She works so hard at always making people feel right at home. Those of you who know her know exactly what I am talking about. She is a clean freak and always cooks and bakes a ton of food. Holidays have always been so important to her. She does such a great job at entertaining. I have talked and talked it up to Jearel for years and now he finally got to experience it first hand. I want to follow in my mom's footsteps when it comes to the holidays. This is something I have missed so much since they have been gone. Their house was beautifully decorated, we were well fed, and we were SPOILED to no end. Thankfully the weather was extremely cold, which led us to spend most of our time in the house. My mom wanted to go, go, go and was a little upset that we were tied up in the house. I wouldn't have had it any other way. This gave us time to really enjoy each others company and left more time for them with Jay. We had a great time. It is so hard to leave them and more so now with Jay. I'm wishing and hoping they make it out here for Jayla's birthday. ~~ Hint, Hint Jearel~~

~~Thank you Mom and Dad for everything that you do. I love you both so much!! We had a wonderful time. Also thank you for all the sweet adorable presents for Jay. She is very lucky to have amazing grandparents all around.~~

The Holidays and Jayla's first!

Getting the idea down of quad riding.

(She loves this little ride thanks to her Grammy and Papa Garrett)

Crawling everywhere

Jayla loves her Great Grandma Morris

Hanging with her Grandma and Grandpa Riley on Christmas Morning

Her outdoor swing from Grandma and Grandpa Riley.

(This was one of the many adorable presents from them)

Her first doll from Santa

She loves to kiss everything, beware though it is a wet one!!

So excited about her first doll!

Her first pair of Vans

Opening her first Christmas present from Santa

Eating her first homemade Waffle thanks to Daddy

(A Christmas morning tradition)

Every year Jearel's mom feels it is necessary to dress up Baby in something like sweaters, shoes, and this year a fancy Christmas Collar.

~~ Thanks Phyllis, I'm sure baby truly loves it ;)~~

Our Christmas Tree after Santa arrived for Jayla. The sack was full of presents for Jay from Grandma and Grandpa Riley. Jayla is a very loved baby girl and just a bit spoiled!!

Jay enjoying her time with her Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Garrett on Christmas Eve.

So this is the one and only picture taken of us for Jay's first Christmas.

There so happens to be a piece of Spinach in my tooth since it was snapped in the middle of me trying to enjoy some spin dip.

But how could I not share it. It's the only one!!

(Thanks Shawn)

Yes I know this is way late. Blogging takes a little of your time and since Jay has become extremely dependent on me, I find my time on the computer NON-EXISTENT!! She wants to sit in mine lap and bang the keyboard. If I don't give in then there is a huge temper tantrum. Needless to say why bother right. If you haven't noticed she wears the pants in our house!!!

Our Christmas was amazing this year. Like I have said before there is something about having a child and how our holidays are filled back up with the spirit you remember as a child. I'm looking forward to the years to come as it will only get better.

Jearel has a large family and we were kept busy, busy, busy. Everyone wanted to see little miss Jay and showered her with LOTS of presents. I joke now that we need a bigger house just to hold all of her toys. Thank you so much to everyone who shared in a very special year for Jay.

We love you all very much.

Helping Mommy Pack

So we are getting ready to leave on Wednesday for Branson Missouri to visit my parents. This will be Jay's first time on a plane and the first time she will be meeting her Grandpa Skorstad! This will also be the first time in 7 years that I get to share in Christmas with my parents. It has been way too long!!! My sister and her family live in Bloomington Illinois and are making the 7 hour drive down to my parents as well (here's to crossing my fingers for good weather so they can acutally make it). I am so excited to see everyone and for Jayla to meet her cousins Erin and Tyler!

It has been a hectic couple of weeks trying to get all the holiday shopping done, get ready for my finals for school, and also getting ready to leave. I hate to fly so mentally I have to prepare for this months in advance. It doesn't make it any easier being a mommy and now having to worry about a child. Poor Jearel, every time we fly he ends up with bruises on his arms when we hit turbulence.

~On to the helping mommy pack-

Jayla was so cute sitting on the floor as I get all her stuff together in the suitcase. She was really trying to help even though she has no clue what is happening. I bought this hat for the COLD, COLD weather we are heading to. Mind you the size is 3T (she has an extremely large head). She wore it for most of the time we were packing until I went to grab the camera. I still can't stop laughing at how cute she is in it!!

Little Miss Avery

Jenni and I made it up to the hospital yesterday to meet Avery Mae Keilman. Here are a few pictures of the beauty!! Jayla can't wait to meet her new friend

~if they are anything like us Camille we are in for some trouble ;-)~

Congrats to Camille and Brandon and welcome to the parenthood club!! We love you!

10 months old 12/12/08

~This ones for Candis and Jenni~

Well as of yesterday Jayla turned 10 months old. It's hard to believe she will be a year in just two more months. As Jayla turned 10 months she got another friend, Avery! One of my best friends Camille had her baby girl last night. It's ironic that Lola, Jayla, and Avery will share in birthdays on the 12th of the month. Seeing the pictures of Avery and knowing their excitement of seeing her for the first time, brings back so many memories with Jay. It really does seem like yesterday that we too were experiencing that for the first time. I think that I am officially ready to start trying for baby number two! Thanks little Miss Avery! Just not til after the holidays pass and maybe Jayla's first birthday!

Jayla's milestones for this past month:

~started crawling, it's more like a crippled craw, she leaves one leg completely limp and drags herself across the floor. But hey it counts.

~switched from soy formula to regular. Her doctor thought it would be a good idea to see how she tolerates cow's milk, since in just two more months she will be on whole milk.

~started eating real foods. She lost all interest in jar foods, so her doctor said go for feeding her whatever (except, eggs, peanuts, and fish). This has been a disaster, for one it is extremely messy, and two we have found she only likes french fries and graham crackers. She takes after her mom.

~she also can pull her self up more now than not. She has gotten so strong on her feet I have a feeling she will be walking real soon, probably before she masters that crippled crawl.

~she officially says: baba, mama, dada, and ny ny when she is mad or tired.