General Conference, Flat Stanley, Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary... Where to Begin?

Where to begin? Well this April has been one full of "first times for Melanie." Also, it's been full of fun, love, and excitement! I feel like I say this all the time, but we are so lucky to have this little one in our lives. It's so TRUE! This month there was General Conference. It was our first Conference with Melanie. We also had our second Wedding Anniversary and MUCH MORE!

Ok, let's "begin." 

On your mark.... Get set..... GO!

One of the best things about having a little girl is that you can dress her up in cute outfits and pretty headbands. 

The other week Melanie got to hang out with Uncle Ben and got to Facetime her Nana and Tata. They enjoyed that. I like that picture of my parents and Melanie Facetiming because they look so happy and she looks like a baby Buddha. Hahaha!    

Melanie has grown so much and learned many new skills in the past month.
Now that she can hold her own head up, she has learned to multi-task while doing that.
For example, she now LOVES to lay on her belly while watching the cute little kid show Arthur, and eat her hands at the same time.

There is a new store called Scheels. It's a huge sports, hunting, recreational store. It's a total "Man Store." I have literally heard men call it Heaven on Earth. Oh brother.....

Anyways, we went there because Dallan hadn't gone there before and he had been wanting to really bad. 

OF COURSE we just had to go to the football section. We gave Melanie a football and she seemed to be fascinated. Dallan was one proud Daddy. 

Pretty much I can't take enough pictures of this little Munchkin. 

My whole world in a picture. I love these two with all my heart. 

Melanie caught her first cold this month. Poor thing was miserable. All she wanted to do was cuddle and sleep in our bed. I felt bad for her because she couldn't breathe out of her nose because it was so boogery. Good thing we had the booger sucker thing that they gave us at the hospital when she was born. I had to suck boogers out of her nose all the time. I felt like I was going to suck her brains out. Hahaha! 

Melanie is now feeling a lot better and is back to her happy self! 

We went over to my parents house a few nights ago to hang out with them. I had to put this picture on here, it's one of my favorites. 

Anyways, we were there all in the living room and my dad was holding Melanie. I look over and see this. I had to take a picture. 

"How far can a baby's back arch on one's belly?" 

I think the picture answers that question perfectly!

This picture is awesome and Melanie looks very content and comfy. 

Here is a picture of Abby trying to sneak in a few kisses for Melanie. 

Can I just say we are so lucky to have such a happy baby! 

So one day when I put Melanie in her car seat, I noticed that the straps were getting a little tight. This girl is getting bigger and bigger every week! She noticed it was getting a little tight too, obviously from the look on her face. Hahaha!

It was as if she was thinking "Uh Mom... you're not going to make me sit in the car like this are you?" 

Don't worry. I loosened the straps. Now she fits in her car seat perfectly. 

No, she is not butt naked in this picture (even though it looks like she is). This was right before I gave the Little Squish a bath. Look at all the chub. I love it!

So usually I've been cutting her finger nails while she sleeps because people say it's easier that way. One night I decided to just do it and let her watch to see what I was doing. She did great! She didn't cry one bit. If anything, she was curious and wondering what the heck I was doing. 

This Munchkin still sleeps in the car like a Champ. Hopefully, she is like this on our trip to California in May. Yes we are driving there! 

We'll see. We can only hope. 

Wish us luck!

Melanie has discovered her thumb! 

She also has been using her hands more and more for other things too. She can grab and hold on to things now (seems like it's always my hair). 

She likes to play with these new toys that we've introduced to her. The only thing is... she seems to always get them stuck on her face and can't figure out how to get them off herself. Hahaha! 

Like I said earlier, we experienced our first General Conference with Melanie. She slept through most of it, but was all smiles during the times that she was awake. 

Every Sunday, we have Music and the Spoken Word on the TV. Music and the Spoken Word is a mini concert that the Mormon Tabernacle choir does every Sunday. They sing and give a spiritual message. They have done it every Sunday for years and years. Anyways, they broadcast it on TV so we turn it on on Sundays and it puts Melanie right to sleep. It's weird. As soon as we turn on the Mormon Tabernacle choir, she calms right down and goes to sleep. She can be screaming her head off and as soon and we play their music, she puts a cork in it.

My young cousin Sophie has this project she is doing with her Elementary School class. It is called a "Flat Stanley." This is all based on a book that her class has read. Basically, it's about this boy named Stanley and he gets squished and becomes flat. He goes places and has lots of crazy adventures. Anyways, her class had to make their own "Flat Stanleys" and send them to people out of state so they could see all the adventures that happens outside of California.

Sophie wanted to send her Flat Stanley to Dallan and me in Utah! Here is a little sneak peak of what he's gone through. 

Being in the middle of crazy Dallan and me... AND... being slobbered on by Melanie. 

If Stanley comes back soggy, I'm sorry Sophie! It's just Melanie kisses!

Since I cut my hours at work to be with Melanie more, I've been going nuts with cooking new and tasty things! 

Our Grandma and Grandpa Hope gave me this awesome deep fryer and I used it for the first time the other day and I LOVE IT! I made homemade fries with it and they turned out delicious! Dallan and I couldn't get enough! There is nothing like a homemade fry. This is how I will always make our fries now. There's no going back. DELISH!

 I couldn't have done it without the fryer, so THANK YOU Grandma and Grandpa Hope! I appreciate it!

Lastly, Dallan and I celebrated our second Wedding Anniversary. The day before our anniversary, we went to a restaurant called The Harvest out in Thanksgiving point. It was fancy and romantic. The food was good too! Then on our actual anniversary, we went to Applebee's. We went there because that is where he took me for dinner on our first date (which was April 6th, 2007). We have gone to Applebee's on every April 6th since 2007.

April 6th is a special day for us. It is the day we had our first date 6 years ago, and it is the special day we got married 2 years ago. 

I can't imagine my life without my amazing husband. He is the most wonderful man I have ever met. Who knew I would marry my high school sweetheart? 

AND...

I'm sure thankful that I did.