Merry Christmas

We don't have a fire place for our stockings so my parents were nice enough to give a stocking holder that we used when I was growing up.
Here is our Tree in our apartment, its kinda bare, we still don't have a whole lot of decorations, but I'm working on it. (but thanks mom for letting me borrow some, so we had something to put on it!)
We spent Christmas Eve up at my parents house this year, other than being extremely sick we had a good time, being able to spend it with family, and remembering the true meaning of Christmas.
Sadly this is the only picture I got of us(this pregnancy is taking a real toll on me) But hey at least I got one. Daniel really seemed to enjoy Christmas this year, when we were all ready to go out to the tree to see what Santa brought Daniel had just the reaction I was hoping for, he saw his toys from the end of the hall and went bolting for them, and was just grinning from ear to ear and just laughing and playing. He didn't care much about opening his presents, all he wanted to do was play, I would hand him a present to open and he would look at it, push it to the side and crawl right back to his new toys. But I can't complain he was the happiest little guy, and thats really all I wanted. We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and we hope you all have a safe and Happy New Year(and hopefully I'll be feeling better by then!)

I'm so bad at keeping secrets!

So we were going to wait until I was further along but I just can't hold it in any longer, as some of you know and some of you may not know, we are expecting baby #2! We are due July 23, 2008. And are so excited, and scared at the same time. But we are really looking forward to this new addition to our family! Since about the 1st of December I have been keeping a pregnancy blog, its kind of my way of venting and keeping I guess you could call it a modern day journal, but if you want feel free to check it out, I'll be keeping all my updates from doctors apt, pics and just whatever I feel like blogging about there. Here is the link: www.heatherjuly2008.blogspot.com, I also will have it posted to side in my links.

Now its not very often I get a cute picture of him smiling at me!
Everytime Daniel would crawl by this bear he thought he had to stop by it and kiss it! (so cute)

Daniel and I spent this last week up at my parents house. After about 6 months of waiting for there new house , it is finally done. So with my dad having to go to Mexico on business I decided to head up there for the week and help my mom so she would'nt feel so overwhelmed with everything that needed to get done, but we had a good time and their house is really starting to come together. These are just some random pictures I took over the week, I didn't get very pictures taken,(I always bring my camera, but I just forget to take pictures) I have been a little absent minded lately. But Daniel had a really good time, and I'm glad I got to spend this time with my mom!

Look what I can do!

Since Daniel has been crawling he has never had to experience stairs, so this last week while we were up at my moms house helping them move into there new place, I decided it was time to teach Daniel, he caught on quite quick, at first he was a little scared, he would go up a few stairs and look down and then look at me with this horrified look, but the more we did it the better it got and by the end of the week he was going up both sets with no problem and actually quite quick and no fear! So we are proud of our little man and now we just need to work more on the walking!

Girls just wanna have fun!

Daniel had more fun helping Rosie open her presents than he did on his own birthday!

I just love being able to spend time with the girls! This last week we all got together for my friend Rosie's 27th birthday, we got some dinner, talked forever, then went back to her place for cake and presents. Daniel had a blast as well, when we were at dinner he found a new game to play, the highchairs there have wheels on the bottom so he figured out if he pushed himself away from the table he would go rolling backwards, and for abot 10 minutes thats all he wanted to do, he would push himself away and then I would bring him back and he would laugh, then we would do it all over again. Sounds pretty simple, but he got a kick out of it. And for all of us we had some good entertainment watching him.

Family

We really enjoyed our time with Jasons parents this last week, it was sad to see them go, but we are just so glad they got to come out and spend Thanksgiving with us. I just wish Jason would have had the week off work so we could all be together, but I guess thats the price you pay when you work retail, but hey not for long, this last week Jason got a new job, one of our good friends was able to help Jason get this new job, but for me the best part is no more working weekends and no more nights(what more could I ask for??) So thanks Randall for helping Jason out!

Spoiled with Presents

You can never have to many books.

Instead of trying to open his presents he just wanted to stare at the wrapping paper, so Grandpa stepped in to help out our little guy. He got so excited as each present was opened, and unlike last year he had a great time and even more fun playing with the paper. But he got some great gifts, he got some new winter clothes, and some books from Grandma and Grandpa Goins, and a little bowling set and some more clothes from Grandma and Grandpa Carroll and we got him a anywhere chair from PB kids with his name personalized on it, he hasn't quite figured out how to crawl in it yet, but he has mastered getting out.

Daniels Birthday Lunch

No matter how hard we try, we just can't get him to look at the camera when we are trying to get a family shot! 2 year olds, gotta love them!

Needless to say Daniels Favorite place to eat is Olive garden, he eats those breadsticks like there is no tomorrow, so we decided what better way to finish off Daniels celebration but with lunch at the Olive Garden, sadly Grandma Carroll couldn't join us, she was on our couch sick as can be, but we all had a really good time, enjoying some good food and being able to spend time together.

Daniels Cake

This year went a lot smoother than last year, he still didn't want to eat any of it, but at least he let us sing to him without crying. He would touch it for a second then he would pull away like get this away from me. I don't know what it is, but he just doesn't like sweets. But hey that is perfectly okay with me.

2 years old!

Its hard to believe its here, but our little guy turned 2 on November 23. As I look back at some of these pictures when he was born its hard to believe that he was ever that small, but just a little recap on Daniel, he was born at 3:18 p.m at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, VA via c-section, yes after 23 hours of sitting in a hospital bed in labor I was ready for them to do whatever was necessary to get this little guy out. He was 5 lbs 12 oz and 19 inches long. He has grown to be such a great little boy and such a joy to have around, I love watching him grow, and experience the world around him! So Happy Birthday Daniel and we love you so much!
So with Daniel turning 2 I thought I would share a few things about him.

*He loves to play patty-cake and peek-a-boo, and any other hand game.

*He hates sweet things (such as cookies, cake, ice cream)

*He loves his veggies! (I think he is the only 2 year old who prefers veggies over sweets!)

*He has to have his alone time every day, at about 3 or 4 in the afternoon he starts to get a little fussy, so I put him his bed with his tigger and he just plays and sings for about 30 minutes and then he's ready to come back out and play.

*He is the best toddler to go to bed, I try to put him to bed at the same time every night and he never fusses and within about 20 minutes he is asleep and sleeps for about 11 1/2 hrs. (what more could I ask for???)

*He is very observant of things around him, he is very curious and is always trying to learn something new.

*He loves his stuffed animal tigger and has to sleep with him every night.

*He is quite the little book worm, we could probably read the same book about 20 times in one day.

*He is not difficult to take to the doctor, when he gets his shots he doesn't even cry.

*He loves to be the center of attention! (but really what toddler doesn't)

There are probably a million things I could list about Daniel but these are just a few, but we are so grateful for him and the joy he brings to us everyday.

Happy Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we spent it up at my Grandma's house up in Bountiful. Plus we had the added bonus of Jasons parents flying out this week from Virginia to visit and spend Thanksgiving with us. So we have been loving every minute of it, being able to spend time with my parents and his parents, plus Daniel has loved how much attention he his getting, I mean he has 2 Grandma's and 2 Grandpa's to spoil him. And believe me he is taking advantage of it! Oh and if we look tired in these pictures that is due to the wonderful Thanksgiving dinner we had, I don't know what it is about it, but we were all ready for a nap after dinner. But everything was so delicious, and Daniels favorite part was the sweet potatoes(he has loved them since he was a baby!) and he loved dipping the rolls in gravy, but strangely he was not a fan of the turkey, but he tried quite a bit, but he just prefered the sweet potatoes.

gaming time with daddy

I came home from the gym the other day and found Jason already trying to get Daniel into games. Daniel was really getting into it. So when I went over to pick him up he started throwing a little tantrum so, I put him back on Jasons lap and he immediatly was quiet, well I wouldn't say quiet, but he was happy again. I guess we have a little gamer in the works.

My story....

• So my friend sent me this in a message and I thought it would be kinda fun to blog it, so here it goes.

*Hi, my name is: Heather Lea Carroll

*Never in my life have I: smoked a cigarette

*The person(s) who can drive me crazy is: people who are selfish and only care about themselves

*My high school was: Bountiful High, Bountiful, UT

*When I'm nervous I: play with my hair

*The last song I listened to was: "Bubbly" by Colby Caillat

*If I were to get married right now it would be to: The man i married 3 years ago, (yeah i'm already married)

*My hair is: shoulder length with some highlights

*When I was 4 I: was living in New Jersey

*last Christmas: we went up to my parents house

*I should be: finishing the piles of laundry I have sitting in my hallway

*When I look down I see: the blanket around my legs keeping me warm

*The happiest recent event: celebrating my anniversary

*My current complaint is: i'm bored, with jason always having to work nights and Daniel goes to bed so early(i have tried keeping him up, but he just gets cranky.), it gets pretty lonely.

*I have a hard time understanding: why people think they need to go 60 mph in the carpool lane.

*I won an award: man I don't really remember, maybe in high school I did.

*I want to buy: some new workout clothes, mine are getting a little worn out

*I plan to visit: my parents this week, its my Moms birthday this week and we get to all go out to dinner!

*The world could do without: Britney Spears

*Most recent thing I’ve bought myself: we got this amazing painting of the Sacred Grove from Deseret book.

*Most recent thing someone else bought me: my mom got me some nice new shoes for Daniel

*My middle name is: Lea

*In the morning I: wake up at about 8:00 a.m., feed Daniel then get ready for the gym, then we are out the door by 8:45, I then drop Daniel off at the daycare at the gym, and then I enjoy a intense workout.

*Last night I was: watching movies with my hubby

*There’s this guy I know who: I just adore(yes its my hubby!)

*If I was an animal I’d be a: I'd rather not be an animal

*Another name for me would be: someone who is need of a haircut

*Tomorrow I am: going to get some much needed cleaning done

*Tonight I am: working on my christmas cards

*My birthday is: May 20

This is my story so now tell me yours !!

Lounging

Lately Daniels new favorite place is the couch, I think he's just wanting to be like mom and dad. It seems its like that with everything lately, if he sees us doing something, he wants to do it too. I was a little hesitant to let him sit on the couch by himself, considering he doesn't know how to get down by himself yet, but to my surprise he sat there and watched all of baby einstein. Which was good for me, considering I got a lot of much needed laundry done. I just wonder what he will want to do next. It will be interesting to see.

Daniel and Tessa play so good together, and they both have an equal love for books, its so cute you'll see them both pull the books out and they babble to each other as if they are reading them to each other and then take turns passing them back and forth. Having Tessa over everyday has actually been a real blessing, she motivates Daniel to do things and he learns from her new things everyday, plus he has a little friend to play with.

I've been tagged

• 5 Things I was doing 10 years ago

*starting my sophmore year in high school

*traveled to Europe with my parents and friend Bethany

*was dancing with my high schools drill team

*learned how to ride a unicycle(it was for drill team)

*practicing everyday with my drill team

• 5 Things I was doing 5 years ago

*was going to UVSC

*working at Nordstrom

*living in Provo

*going on roadtrips with my girlfriends

*

• 5 things I was doing 1 year ago

*we had just celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary

*was in a car accident

*bought a new car

*I finally decided it was time to lose the baby weight and got a golds gym pass

*going to Primary Childrens to attend clinic for Daniel

• 5 jobs I have had

*Nordstrom

*Media Play

*Kohls

*IHG Hotels Group

*Dick's Market

• 5 snack I enjoy

*junior mints

*hot tamales

*warm brownies

*fresh strawberries

*hot chocolate

• 5 things I did yesterday

*went to the gym

*laundry

*took Daniel and Tessa to play outside

*went grocery shopping

*did a little scrapbooking

• 5 things I would do with a million dollars

*pay off all our student loans

*buy a nice home(big enough to enjoy and have a few luxuries but nothing to extravagant)

*put some away for the future and for Daniel to go to college and any other future kids

*buy another car(I'm sick of only having one car! but hey I get to stay home, so its worth the sacrifice right now)

*travel

• 5 Things I hate doing

*cleaning the bathroom

*driving in the snow

*going to a doctors apt and waiting forever, its just our luck that this always happens to us

*camping(i just don't like it, i've tried it and well.....i'm just not a fan)

* I am very impatient so I hate waiting around for people (i guess we are the same on this Jana lee)

• 5 t.v. shows I like

*Grey's Anatomy

*24

*Private Practice

*The hills

*Heroes

• 5 Biggest joys of the moment

*the day Jason proposed

*our wedding day, and our sealing day(we were sealed exactly one year from our wedding date, and I was 9 months pregnant)

*the day Daniel was born(he brights up our day everyday!)

*the day Daniel started crawling(against all odds, he is progressing so well, we are so proud of him)

*as hard as it was the day when Daniel was diagnosed with Spina bifida, because we finally had answers and we were finally able to go forward with the right treatment for him.

• 5 people I tag

*Viv

*Kendall

*Jenny

*Rosie

*Kellie

Lets Bowl

Last Saturday night a group of my girlfriends and our husbands all got together for a night out. With Jasons work and school schedule we don't get to do this very often, so it was so good to finally get out and just enjoy ourselves. Daniel had a blast too, he kept crawling after everyone, as if he wanted to bowl too. Jason beat me both games, but it was still a lot of fun.