Babies Don't Keep

I can't believe our sweet Allie Jane will be 7 months old in 5 days! seriously, didn't she JUST come home from the hospital??

I've noticed she will go a few weeks or even months normal, and then all of a sudden, she will grow up right before our eyes! The past few days have been no different! She started sitting up pretty good a month or so go. She would be totally bent over and barely balancing with her hands. A week or so ago, she also started getting into a plank position and sometimes get up on her hands and knees like she was going to crawl! She also started eating "big girl" food and wasn't really sure if she liked it or not.

Well, we came down to Scottsdale for some dental conferences for Grant, and she has mastered sitting up, crawling, and is all about this food thing! Apparently, we needed some sun and warmth!

So intrigued with the grass

Last week, I totally had a melt down. I was realizing that our little baby is no longer a newborn and a full blown infant! It all started when she started trying to escape her baby bathtub. She was so done with laying in the bath sling. So, I went and got a laundry basket (yes, laundry basket) and turned it into a bath tub. It is the perfect invention! It's the exact size for her and the little holes are placed at the perfect height to be able to fill the basket enough for her! PLUS all her toys stay within reach.

Anyways, there was the bath upgrade. Then, I realized Allie hadn't used her swing in like 2 weeks! it was literally collecting dust and taking up space in our living room. So, I decided to take it down. It took me a week to finally get the courage to do it. We took it down and replaced it with a little jumparoo. She LOVES it! Every time you say "jump, jump. jump!" she gets super excited and jumps!

excited smile

At her 6 month appointment, our pediatrician said she was old enough to sleep in her own room. She challenged us to just try it one night and see how it goes. So, i did, and guess what? She slept ALL night in her own room…in her own bed! She woke up once to nurse and then went right back down. I was floored at how amazing she did! I woke up the most refreshed i have felt since before she was born! I hated that i enjoyed it so much! So, a week later, I took her co-sleeper down and put it in her closet. I cried when I broke it down. My sweet baby is no longer going to sleep next to our bed! As if that wasn't hard enough, I have to put her bouncer chair up in the shed as well. I usually put her in it while I shower, but I got out of the shower to see this…

Yeah, all done with the bouncer! She's not even safe when buckled!!!

So, as you can see, I had a tough month! My baby is growing up! I've really had a hard time! I think its because she is growing out of more than just clothes now. She is growing out of toys, and baby furniture she has been using since day one! I know all of these things need to happen, but I'm still sad! I am so grateful that I am able to still nurse her. She may be grown out of a lot of things, but I still get those small moments of holding and cuddling my baby. I don't even want to think about weaning. Luckily, I have no plans on that for at least another year. I caught myself crying when thinking of all the things she is growing out of. I swear it was just yesterday we welcomed her into this world! Now she is crawling, sitting up, and probably going to start saying words any time soon! 

After church cuddles

My sister and her family came and spent a week with us. They were looking for houses because they are moving back! Yay! here are some pictures!

Allie's cousin brother, Dax. They are going
to be best buds growing up!

"driving" the car

We went to Sam's club during nap time.
So, we made due with what we had ;)

Grant's parents and Aunt came to visit as well. We enjoyed our time with them!

playing piano with Grandma Butler

Great Aunt Marilyn (Birthday twins)

It was a tradition for Grant's family, while growing up, to go camping over Easter weekend. I really want to start fun traditions with our family. so, we decided since it was General Conference weekend, and the weather had been so warm, we would go on our first family camp out. Of course the weather turned cold and windy, so we decided to stay home and camp out in our living room. It was a good thing we stayed home, because Allie was going through a growth spurt and was up every couple hours that night. I don't even want to picture what it would have been like in the middle of nowhere outside!

All ready for our faux camp out

Our first Easter as a family of 3 was so fun as well. I'm really glad I got Allie's basket and little presents a few weeks before Easter, because it got really busy and we wouldn't have gotten her anything if we had waited. I know she won't remember anything anyways, but I still wanted to get her a basket and a few things! We never ended up getting our own baskets out, or the Easter decorations, but we got her stuff done. That's all that really mattered to me. Grant and I decided to do a joint present for the two of us and we got a grill for our back yard! We love it! Grant's cousin, Derek, and his family had us over for Easter dinner. We had lots of fun spending time with them and their boys!

Easter morning

She has this adorable smirk!

First Easter as a family of 3!

Here are some more random pictures from the last little while…

Her 6 month proffesional pictures

Her 6 month pictures I do with her monkey and quilt

Just a girl and her dog

She is always happy!

Enjoying her avocados

My Target buddy

Uh oh….

We were able to see my dad for about 20 minutes before our
flight left to phoenix. He was in town helping my sister move in!

Like I said, we have been down in Arizona for the past few days. We didn't tell anyone. Not even family. We just wanted to come down and relax and have our own little vacation. The past few months have been INSANE for us! Grant has been crazy busy with his work. He has come home at around 7pm almost every night the last little while. It's great that he has been busy, but very exhausting none the less. We have had people staying at the "Butler Hotel" (thats what our family calls our house when they come) off and on the last little while. I have admiration for those who host people in their homes on a regular basis! It's EXHAUSTING! But, we love having family/friends visit us! Anyways, it's been a really relaxing and enjoyable week in sunny Arizona! Its been nice to just sit on the couch and do nothing while Allie takes a nap! So, if you are family that lives in AZ and are reading this….WE LOVE YOU! We just wanted to take a mini vacation and not have to worry about running around Pheonix and having a set itinerary.

She LOVES swimming!

We celebrated G's birthday while we were here!
I got him a Go Pro Camera

There is an outdoor mall just a few blocks
down from our hotel that Allie and I
would walk down to

Sunday best

We went to dinner with some of Grant's dental
buddies he met at his classes. One of them snapped
this cute picture of them

Another thing this girl can't resist is eating the cart.
I've just given up on freaking out about it. Its a point-
less battle, I've decided.

One of our outings was to Babies R Us. I could
not resist buying this teether that looks like a
chicken wing! It makes me laugh!

A lady at the hotel asked if we wanted her to take a family picture for us.
Of course we said yes!

It has been so busy, that I haven't had much time to blog. I wish I was better at it, but our sweet girl keeps me super busy! With her being more mobile, it's been a constant game of keep-away (she loves anything made of paper, card board, or plastic), so literally, my days consist of making sure she doesn't die ;). I will say this…I love being a mom. It is the best job ever! I am exhausted most days, but being able to spend all day with my girl and to watch her grow and learn new things, can't compare to anything else. I am truly grateful Grant has a career that allows me to stay home. 

We took Grant's Go Pro down to the pool to try out and I compiled it all! 

14 Days of Love: Day 5

Another day- some more love!

Hearts on hearts on hearts...

This morning, we went to a Baby-And-Me class. It was actually pretty fun! There were about 7 or 8 of us there with our little babes. There were a few that were around Allie's age too! We talked about mommy and baby stuff and sang songs! We also made these cute bell bracelet things! I put it on Allie, and she just went to town shaking her arm to make it jingle! Who would have known tying a jungle bell and ribbon to an elastic band could be so fun?

I laugh at myself because I used to think it was silly to go to these kinds of classes and sing silly songs, but it was fun and I bet Allie will enjoy them a lot more as she gets older! It's nice to talk to adults for a few hours also, instead of a baby and a dog all day!

14 Days of Love

I was going through Allie's clothes a few weeks ago and noticed she has a lot of pinks, reds, and hearts.  So I decided to do a fun little 14 days of Valentines leading up to Valentine's day! She has enough little outfits to do one for each day!

I totally forgot to take a picture of her cute little red sweater dress on Sunday, and I flat out spaced that I was doing the 14 days on the 2nd, so you'll have to use your imagination! (Mom brain is a very real thing).

So the 3rd day of Valentine's day:

I love elephants, so this outfit was a must!

4th day of Valentine's:

to tell you the truth, I though this romper looked
silly. But then I put in on her, and I think its
cute!

And then, she got annoyed and tired. So, this happened:

So, with that, we will conclude! 

The Ugliest Trait

Jealousy.

Ugh. I hate that word. I hate, even more, the fact that I struggle with it. It has literally taken me a few months to even start writing this blog. I felt embarrassed and ashamed to admit I sometimes have jealousy issues. But then It got me to thinking that there are probably lots of women out there who also have this struggle. They may be a little slow to admit it as well. So, I'm going to go out on a limb here and admit some things and hope that it can help someone else in their struggle.

Remember when we were teenagers and fitting in was one of the top priorities? We had to wear the right clothes, say the right things, watch the right shows, and listen to the right music. Having friends and being invited to the "cool parties" was a big deal. As a teen, I thought all of that would just suddenly disappear when I got older. I never thought adults needed to fit in or feel like they had to compare. Some how when you turned a certain age, that whole need to be "cool" just disappears. You get married and then you suddenly don't ever worry about those extra pounds or love handles.

Yeah, wrong.

I'm an adult, married, etc and none of that has gone away. And if you are being honest, I think the same may be true for you. Even just a little.

I still look in the mirror and wish I was skinnier. I worry what other may think of my stomach pooching out that extra "baby flab." I still obsess over making friends and wondering if I'm weird or saying things that would make other think I'm uncool. I find myself comparing myself to others CONSTANTLY! It gets bad sometimes. I find myself feeling like a loser seeing other people doing wonderfully fun ad exciting things in their lives and I'm just blah, boring Laura.

It makes me feel gross inside knowing I think these things.

It's stupid and a waist of time. Why do I feel this way? Even when I reprimand myself every time those feelings of envy and jealousy flash through my mind?

"Dang, she looks good for just having a baby 2 months ago. I'm 4 1/2 months postpartum and I still look like I'm with child."

"Wow, I wish I were invited. I must be lame and boring."

"Their house is so neat and organized. I'm so lazy."

I find myself saying these things over and over and over.

Not even because I feel sorry for myself or anything. They just flash through my mind without hesitation.

It got me thinking that I need to do something about it. I can't live a life filled with envy, jealousy, and comparisons. I need a change of heart because these thoughts are not productive!

I listened to an awesome little radio bit on Mormon Channel about dealing with jealousy. I loved the part when she suggested naming at least one thing a day you are thankful for. Because jealousy and envy are signs of ungratefulness. Being jealous just shows how ungrateful you are towards your own life, that you have to be angry towards people who seem to have things going their way.

I'm going to work on that. Being grateful for even the simplest things in my life.

I also read an inspiring Enisgn article. I was happy to see that I'm not the only one who has spurts of envy. I was also happy to find a great resource for over coming it. Losing myself in the service of others. Digging deep and letting the Lord "refinish" me.

I AM unique. I AM enough. I don't need to compare to others. I have all I could ever need.

This month I am going to focus on this. I'm going to look hard at myself and get to the bottom of these insecurities.

Being a woman can be hard. Being ANY kind of human can be hard. Especially socially. I think it's important to support each other instead of compare. Everyone is fighting their own personal battles and sometimes wearing a facade. Instead of envying, I'm going to be happy for others. Celebrate their accomplishments. Celebrate MY accomplishments. Let's be happy for each other, shall we?

Allie Jane

As you can see, I changed the name and URL for our blog! I was getting a little bored of just "The Butler's." "The 'B' House" sounds more creative and fun ;). 

I guess since she is almost 4 months now, I should introduce our littlest Butler!

Courtney Jacobs Photography

This is Miss Allie Jane Butler! Born September 17th, 2014 at 11:31 pm. Weighing in at 7lbs 2oz and 18.5 inches long! Allie was born via an all natural water birth! It was such an amazing experience! Painful, yes, but so calm and peaceful! She didn't enter the world screaming, but just staring around like, "Alright, I'm here, lets do this!" and her personality has been calm and happy ever since! 

The name, Allie Jane, comes from my great grandmother, Allie Jane (Greer) Gladden. My Grandpa Gladden's mother. I never had the privilege of ever meeting her, but I know she was/is an amazing woman! At Allie's blessing, my grandma Gladden gave her a gift of a quilt. It is a quilt that Allie Jane, herself, hand pieced and sewed together! My grandma has had the quilt top just laying around for years. She quilted it up and gave it to our Allie Jane! It is such a beautiful quilt! It is hanging on her crib until she is old enough to actually use! Right now, I use it for her monthly pictures.

Lisa McKnight Photography

Lisa McKnight Photography

Lisa McKnight Photography

Lisa McKnight Photography

Lisa McKnight Photography

Lisa McKnight Photography

As you can tell, we are so in love with our precious little girl!

We are so lucky blessed to have such a happy baby! She rarely ever cries unless she is hungry or tired! and even then, it's only a little whimper! She has slept through the night since about 5 weeks! Mamma is happy she enjoys her sleep! Allie loves baths and has since she was able to take "big girl" baths! She can be fussy, but once you put her in a warm bath, she gets a huge smile on her face! The past week, she has discovered that kicking the water makes splashes and that is fun! She squeals in excitement every time! 

This was her first ever "Real" bath

We got this little bath toy out and she LOVES it

She is starting to grab things! Her favorite is to grab at bright designs on your shirt! Or mommy's hair! Her hand-eye coordination is getting pretty good! She has recently been more interested in Winnie, our yellow lab. She likes to feel her fur and pull at her nose! Winnie is starting to re-think this whole baby thing ;). 

I think they are going to be best buds

Allie is able to roll over from tummy to back like a pro and will sometimes roll from back to tummy! Especially if she loses her pacifier and needs to roll over to get it back in her mouth! She can hold her head up pretty well when she is on her tummy, and will sometimes pull her legs up like she wants to crawl! Who knows, maybe she will start crawling at 4 months like her mamma! 

She hasn't quite learned how to giggle, but sometimes if we try really hard and when she is pretty sleepy drunk, we can get one or two out of her! Smiling is her favorite though! Every morning, she wakes up with a big one on her face! I like to sing, "Good morning to you" (in the tune of Happy Birthday) to her every morning and she thinks thats the best thing in the world! 

This is her "roller coaster" dream pose ;)

A few days ago she started trying to mimic what we say. if we hum and move our voice up and down, she tries to do the same! She also likes to "sing" along with music! It so fun watching her grow and learn! It amazes me how babies' brains develop! 

Every month I take a picture of her next to a sock monkey! That way we can see how much she is growing compared to the monkey! 

We also have her on a monthly picture plan with our photographer! I'm so glad I ended up doing it! I love them and our photographer is so talented! 

Newborn

1 Month

2 months

3 months

This one is my favorite! I love that the photog. lets me get in the pics also!

Grant and I are so blessed to have been trusted to help raise one of Heavenly Father's children! We couldn't imagine our lives without our sweet Allie Jane! She adds so much more purpose and sunshine to our lives! 

To Love, Cherish Encircle and Enclose

Say what? It's 2015 already! I can't even believe it! I know everyone says it, but seriously, 2014 FLEW! I know, I've slacked so much blogging, but life has been pretty busy the past almost 4 months with the new addition to our family! Little miss Allie Jane, that is! I will do a special little post all about our sweet little girl in a bit! But for now, here is a cute picture of her I took this morning.

As you all know, I choose a word every year to use as my theme or mantra. Last year's word was "cleave," and I feel it fit our year pretty well! Grant and I's marriage has flourished tremendously! It was a tough year with my parents moving and us becoming parents! But, we survived and we are getting the hang of it all! Grant is truly my best friend and I can rely on him in any circumstance! 

This year's word was pretty easy to choose. It has been something I've been needing to do for far too long! the word is "embrace." 

The word, "embrace," means to cherish, love, encircle, and enclose. This year I want to focus on embracing my family. My little Allie Jane is growing and changing so fast and I don't want to miss a moment of it. My husband is so precious to me. I want need to be his biggest fan in life. My Savior is the most important person in my life. He comes first in everything. These three people in my life are in need of my embracing. I often find myself spending so much time on my phone and social media! It has become such a distraction. My house gets neglected, my spiritual obligations get pushed to the side, and my full attention is not focused on my husband and daughter. 

This year I am taking a HUGE step back from social media. It has honestly become an addiction. Addicted to the need to post and be updated on all my friends! Don't worry, I'm not totally leaving. Just taking a big cut back. Today is the 4th and I haven't been on Facebook or Instagram since. It has been a real eye opener as to how much of a habit it is. Every 20 mins it seemed, I caught myself flipping through my phone! It's pretty embarrassing admitting it! I have been so productive these past few days. Chores done, dinner cooked, etc. I've also been able to spend real quality time with Allie. I never want to feel like I'm not going her my 100% ever again! We sing songs, read books, and practice tummy time together! We have so much fun! I've kept myself so busy, that once 9 o'clock comes around, I'm pooped and there is still no time for social media! Social media is such a bitter sweet thing! It's amazing to me how easy it is to be sucked into it! 

Wow, now that I have gone on a whole other tangent! haha 

I'm excited for this year's theme! I think I'm really going to benefit from it! As well as my husband and daughter. Allie is almost 4 months old and we are working on getting into a schedule. Being away from technology and social media has really helped. It's hard work trying to get a rhythm going. Grant and I were just talking about how our lives are changing (for the better) and how gone are the days of staying up until 2 am and going out at the drop of a hat. I turn into a pumpkin at 10pm it seems! Freak, we fell asleep at 9 on New Year's Eve! haha talk about old people status ;) 

2015 is going to be exciting! Allie is going to learn to sit up, crawl, walk, and talk! I Love seeing her learn and grow! Sometimes I swear I can see her brain churning!

I hope you all had a great holiday! And I pray 2015 brings lots of happy moments and blessing! Cheers and God bless!