So You Think You Can Dance - Josh and Katee - Top 20 Hip Hop

This is my favorite dance on this show from this week! Amazing!!!

One of my FAVORITE mommy moments!

So, I love Utah and my family here! It has been amazing being here. Yesterday morning, I walked into Lori's area to see all the kids dressed in princess costumes and spiderman costumes and such. It was so cute. So, I was like, "Caleb wants a costume!" Lori took him and disappeared to find a costume. The next thing I know, she brings this little ladybug in. I look and see Caleb's little face in the costume, and DIED LAUGHING! Oh my gosh. Then, Caleb LAUGHED HIS HEAD OFF at me laughing at him!!! It was the most hilarious mommy moment. I loved it.

COUSIN BABIES!!!

Tonia and Connor *10 weeks old, Lori and Ashlyn *3 months old, and Danielle and Caleb *5 months old!

So remember the posts back in August and November 2007??? The ones where me and two of my sisters in law are all pregnant? Well, here is the beautiful end result!!!

Elder Watson!!!!

It's official. My baby brother is a missionary.

We flew out to Utah on Monday (Caleb did NOT like the 4 hour flight from Atlanta to SLC... and neither did our neighbors on the plane!... woops) and then Wednesday morning came all too quickly. When we got to the MTC, we put Terry's bags where all the new Elder's bags were, then we walked to the front of the building. We went through one door, and he went through a separate one where they gave him his nametag and his official MTC address. He handed me the nametag to put on him. I have never seen him smile that huge!
Then, we took some pictures in the entrance and headed toward THE ROOM. You know, that dreadful place where you sit and listen to people blah blah blah knowing you're about to say goodbye to your loved one for two full years before you get to see their smiling face in person again? Yeah that room. At the end of all the blah blah blah (which were actually very good talks), we all stood up to "rip the bandaid off." Terry and I looked at each other, and lost it. We cried and hugged and I told him I'm proud of him and to lose himself in the work. He hugged my parents and Blake, then I hugged him again, then he was off. He charged toward that door labeled, "Elders," while we walked slowly toward the door labeled, "Family." He already looked like a leader, as other missionaries followed him toward the door.
I am so proud of my brother for making this decision. He did it. I hope you all keep him in your prayers and write him! Let me know if you want his address!

Go Terry!... I mean Elder Watson!

Blog Slacker

I never thought it would happen to me... I have become a blog slacker... My own blog is even boring to me. So let me just let you in on the life of the Haines family as of late.

First of all: Sleep. Or lack thereof...
At about 5 weeks old Caleb began to sleep 8 to 10 hours a night without making a peep. It was a miracle. The only way I can explain how it happened is that we would wrap him tight so his arms would not whap him in the face at night...

Then, one day I began to worry about his sleep and naps because he only napped when held, and it didn't last longer than 30 minutes at a time. So I began to research how to help him nap better. In so doing, somehow Caleb's entire sleep schedule got thrown off. So, at 12 weeks, the usual magic number for when babies START to sleep through the night, our baby STOPPED...

He started waking once a night... then twice... and every now and then 10 to 15 times a night. He wants his pacifier or wants to eat or wants a diaper change. I just have to say that this was probably the hugest trial of my life so far. Notice that I talk in past tense? Well the past two nights have been SO much better. Granted, he still wakes up about 6 times.

BUT he went from:

3 Months Old: 8 night hours of sleep SOLID with 5-6 cat naps (less than 1/2 hour)

to

4 Months Old: 10 night hours of sleep chopped up in 15 minutes to 3 hour increments with 3-4 cat naps

to

4 1/2 Months Old: 10-11 night hours of sleep (waking for his paci several times) with 3-4 real naps (1/2 hour to 1 1/2 hours)

The journey was a hard one, but I can live now. Those 6 weeks were SO hard. I thought I was going insane. Literally. I would cry every night around 3 a.m. when Blake and I had both been up half a dozen times.

How did his sleeping get better? Well... I have no idea! I started wrapping his arms tight again, and my mom babysat him a few times, and it just happened. Well, to tell you the truth, prayer was the only real solution. Praying to get through the trial and then praying that we could teach Caleb to sleep through the night and he would feel comfortable and safe.Second of all: Travels. Caleb has already been on 3 plane trips. We have been to Utah once, then Disney World, and then Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. The reason for all the travels in these last few months is that my brother is going on his mission and we wanted lots of family time with him! Caleb does great at amusement parks and on planes! He's awesome.

Oh my goodness I love his little swimsuit his Grandma Haines got him!!!

Yay for bathtime!

Third: My brother is going on his mission in a week and a half. I have been really emotional lately, and aside from lack of sleep I think that knowing my bro will be gone 2 years has been a factor. He has been so fun to be with these last few months. He got his endowments out last week and that was awesome. He got his hair cut the night before the session. He was sad to lose those long locks of his.

But Terry looks great! He gave his farewell talk on Sunday, with the subject of search, ponder, and pray. I love my baby bro.

Happy 4th Honeymoon!!! (aka 3rd Anniversary)

For our Anniversary, Blake planned a really fun day! We first got dressed up and went to have portraits taken at Sears. They turned out really great!

After our photo shoot, we made build-a-bears that look like each other. Then, we ate at Maggiano's for dinner and stayed at the Embassy Suites near the airport, where we stayed on our wedding night. It was such a great day!

I cannot believe we have already had our 3rd Anniversary! We met about 8 years ago at EFY in Rexburg, Idaho! I remember the very first time I saw Blake. He was laying on the grass with this grin on his face that he has never lost. I love it. His smile has been imprinted in my heart and my mind ever since. Blake lights up my life. He means everything to me. I love you Blakey.

PS- it's okay to laugh at his blonde hair. I always tell him it's the reason we never dated before his mission. HA!!!

I thought I was a pug...

Caleb's First Lake Trip! He loves the boat!

Happy Birthday Summer!

I just felt like saying Happy Birthday to Summer. She and I met when her family moved to Tennessee for 6 months in 1998. A few months before she moved there I had been praying for a friend, and then she showed up. We were the only 2 our age in our Ward, and were convinced we were best friends in Heaven!

This is me and Summer the last day that she went to Brentwood High School with me in December of 1998.

This is me and Summer on my 20th Birthday! I am sure we knew each other in Heaven because if it was not for Summer, I would have never gone to EFY in Idaho where I met Blakey!!! Love you Summer!

Baby Belly Laughs

It is the best thing in the world to hear Caleb laugh!!