Haven and Copper!

Copper's breeder turned friend of ours, Jody, sent Haven this adorable onesie!  It says "My best friend is a Brittany."  Isn't it precious?!

I have been anxious to put her in it once it fit and have a Haven/Copper photo shoot!  If you have ever been around Copper, you may think that is a crazy idea.  But I assure you he is like a different animal around Haven!  It's like he just knows she's delicate and he can't mess with her.  In fact, I think these pictures are funny b/c when we were posing them, he looked so confused like, "you don't usually let me get this close!"  Ha!  So we took this one first...

And then we managed to get this one!  I wish his ears would have been forward, but it was like he was so concerned that we were putting her on him that he wouldn't just relax!  Ha!  He had just been to the groomer's so he had a nice little handkerchief too!  Give Haven a few months and I'm sure she'll be crawling all over him... it will be interesting to see what he thinks about that!  Love my two babies :)

Kisses for Mommy

Here is the video I mentioned in my last post.  This is Haven's new thing... she does it all the time!  And I hope she never stops!  I love it!

3 Months Old!

Dear Haven,

I can't believe you are 3 months old!  Like usual, time is flying.  You are such a JOY!  You are so smiley all the time now.  I love to lay you on the couch next to me and interact with you.  You make the funniest noises and sweetest faces.  You move your arms and legs around so much and you just seem so excited.  We moved you into your own room when we got back from the Haven World Tour and you have done great in there ever since.  It was really hard for me to not have you in the room with us anymore.  I loved being able to take a peek at you at all hours of the night, and getting up with you in the morning was so easy.  However, ever since we moved you, you have been sleeping 8-10 hours a night!    You don't make a peep (knock on wood) from the time we put you down at 10ish til between 6-8am the next morning.  It is fabulous!  So all in all, you are sleeping better and so are we.  Still on a sleeping note, you have become a cat-napper during the day.  Several 20-30 minute naps have become the norm and you hardly ever nap in your crib.  You will sleep on the couch next to me while I work or in the swing, but put you in that crib and I barely get out of the room before you scream.  It's ok though, I will take the 8-10 hours a night any day!  Lately you have started turning your cheek into me, as if you want to kiss me.  It's the cutest thing... I have a video of it I will post.  I still have newborn clothes in your dresser that I am dreading packing up.  And now you're getting so long that your 3 month sleepers aren't going to fit for much longer!  Slow down baby girl!  I'm sure I'll keep saying that for the rest of your life.  That and, I love you SO much!  3 month photo shoot...

How bout that face?!

And a couple just for fun...

On our way to a Tippi Toes open house... how cute are you?!

Sorority Raise Your Baby

I recently had the most surreal experience... You may know that I was a Theta at OSU.  Well, my dance company has classes in Stillwater so I have to make trips over there every so often to meet with my teachers, put flyers around town, etc.  I like to keep hiring Thetas as my teachers (why not keep it in the family?!) so this trip I had to meet with my teacher who lives in the Theta house.  Here comes the surreal part... it felt SO strange to bring my baby into the Theta house where I lived for 2 of the best years of my life.  Stepping in that place brings back a flood of wonderful memories I had at this house...

Memories of rush and posing with my friends...

 

Memories of Mom/Dot night, where the most wonderful friendships started...

Memories of date parties...

Memories of spandex and "memories"...

Memories of the BEST snow day ever...

Memories of getting ready for shows...

Memories of just plain ridiculous-ness...

Memories of my engagement day and surprising my friends at my candlelight...

And so many more memories.  I came home from dates with my future husband here.  I answered an ad for a part-time Tippi Toes dance teacher here.  I laughed here, I cried here, I ate here, I slept here, I studied here, I danced here, I sang here, I prayed here, I loved here.  And now I bring my baby here.

I got to catch up with our house mom, which was SO fun.  She was so surprised and excited to see me come through the door...and with my baby girl.  It's hard to believe it has been 4 years since I moved out of this place.  Haven and I visited the last room I lived in before I moved out... 

My apologies to whoever lives here now and my exposing your mess.  When I lived here, we had big puffy floral curtains and a floral border around the room.  Sick, but awesome.  Imagine a hot pink bed spread and these sweet friends...

Obviously so much has happened in those 4 years... I got married, bought a house, became a Tippi Toes franchise owner, and had a baby, among other things.  It just doesn't seem possible.  Maybe one day, Haven will go to OSU (her Daddy would die if she became a Sooner), and maybe, just maybe, she'll end up in this incredible house that is so dear to me.  That will be even more surreal.  But if not, I can only hope that she makes the kind of wonderful, thoughtful, hilarious, there-for-you-always friends that I made in this place.  I hope they all get to read this.  Love you all so very much. --Boz

1st Friend Update!

Remember this?

They are both growing so fast!  We love Kalliope and the Pattons!

Smile!

Haven has been so smiley lately...

This is what Tyra Banks means by smiling with your eyes people.

Tippi Toes B-day Party

So I promised I would blog about this... and now I'm kinda regretting that promise.  Why?  Because my 2 months post-baby body in a leotard is not exactly what I'd call flattering.  Oh well, I'll stick to my promises.  I recently provided entertainment (why does that sound weird?) at a 4 year old's ballerina birthday party.  It was SO fun!  I'm walking to the door in my get-up and I hear the little girl, "Mommy, Mommy, the ballerina is here!!!"  Adorable.  This is how I showed up to the party...

Yes, I am nursing, and yes, my boobs are huge...especially in a leotard.

This family went all out... tulle everywhere, special lighting, tutus for all the little girls, heart-shaped sandwiches, and ballerina cupcakes.  It was awesome!  We got sparkles and earrings and learned some super fun Tippi Toes dances.  The girls performed for their parents and the mom throwing the party had bouquets of flowers for all the parents to give their girls.  It was so precious!  I thought several times, "this is my job... and it is AWESOME," even if I have to put my post-baby body in a leotard and tutu and drive through Tulsa with people looking at me like I'm crazy.  Totally worth it for the smiles on those sweet little girls' faces!  :)

Teach her early!

I just thought they looked cute and wanted to take a video... then Russell busted out in some OSU fun! :)

Haven World Tour Leg 3

Next we were off to Bastrop, TX, not too far from Austin.  Russell's grandparents are divorced, but both still live in Bastrop.  I think New Orleans to Bastrop may have been the longest leg... but at this point I can't really remember.  All I know is she did good in the car again!  Then we had the luxury of our first hotel experience with a baby thanks to Poppy!  We walked in and saw 2 beds... what do you think our reaction was?  Pure JOY!  It's terrible, but we were thrilled not to have to sleep in the same bed.  Russell actually exclaimed, "Omg look!  2 beds!  We can put the pack & play in between the 2 beds so we can both get to her and we can sleep by ourselves!"  Ha!  You know you've been married a while when both of you rejoice at the idea of NOT sleeping together.  Lol!  Haven liked the Hampton Inn too... nice and cozy. :)

Russell's half-brother and his wife have a little boy named Nicholas and we got to be there for his 1st birthday party!  It was actually our first time meeting our little nephew too!  Living so far away, it's hard for either of us to make the trip, but his 1st birthday party was definitely the way to do it!  It was an absolute blast!  And really fun to see the 4 grandkids together.  Here's some pics from the party!...

I have been dying to put her in this dress, I just love it!  And it fits now!

Russell's Nanny and Haven :)

Grayson and Nicholas with Poppy!

How cute is he?!  Nicholas, I mean.  No offense Poppy.

Love those eyes!

My sweet niece, Garner.  Haven is just 6 months behind her!

Uncle Tim trying to keep up with her!  She is gonna be walking before we know it!

It's sad, but this is the best pic Russell got of Papa with all 4 kids.  It was crazy trying to situate a 3 year old, 1 year old, 8 month old, and 2 month old with an 80-something year old man.  I think some others got a better pic tho so that's good!

Russell's Papa and the girls!  Now that's better!

bahahahahaha

Our family of 3!

This will probably be my child in 6 months...can we say fear?!

One of the coolest gifts!  He loved that thing!  I mean, who wouldn't?!

Half-smile, half-fuss?  I still like it :)

Later that day, we just spent some time lounging around at the hotel.  Grayson was being SO cute with Haven.  I told Russell to get the camera and get some candids and that of course distracted Grayson but we still got a couple good ones.  Anytime she makes a noise, he says "Oooo she's talkin' to ya!  What's she sayin?" in his little cute 3 year old voice.  I just love that boy.  He is too much fun!

He also likes to say, "Garner is little, but Haven is teeny-tiny!" complete with hand motions. :)

Ha!  Grayson imitating a face Haven made.  Too stinkin' cute!

And one more of my sweet girl :)

When we told people about this trip, most of their responses translated into "you're crazy" in one way or another.  We also got "well you can do that now since you just have 1" which is probably true... it would be way harder with multiple children.  BUT, we had a GREAT time.  It was so fun introducing her to so many wonderful family members while she's still so little.  And with Russell working for the church, it is rare that he gets a weekend off so we figured we should make the most of it and do the whole week since youth group was still on hiatus.  And I'm glad we did!  Haven World Tour complete.  However, she still has more people to meet, so there will be more trips, just not a huge tour around the country again any time soon.  But gosh, I'm glad we did it.