our weekend & a milestone

We live for weekends together around here! So much fun packed into an evening and 2 days (Friday evenings always count!). We had big plans on Saturday to work in our yard, get some much needed weeding and mowing done as well as work on building a pallet garden and a sandbox for Liam. The weather had other plans though but I'm not complaining because our yard could use the rain! We've been working on finishing a big dirt patch that we originally had intended to concrete for extra patio space but didn't want to foot the bill after we discovered it would be a $1,500+ project so instead, we went for a much more affordable option, pea gravel. We put in a fire pit with it and it feels like we are camping right in our very own backyard! We are loving how it is turning out so far and have been anxious to break out the fire pit. I'll share pictures when it is a little closer to being finished. After 3 consecutive days of 70-80 degree weather last week, I added hot dogs and s'mores makings to the grocery list thinking we could have our very first fire out there. Then the rain came and the party happened inside instead over a George Foreman grill. haha You win some, you lose some! It was still tons of fun though and we have all summer to break in the fire pit. 

I think Nic would agree that the best part of our weekend was Sunday at church. It has been a constant battle since Liam was walking at 10 months old to keep him entertained in the hall at church. He can't stay in the chapel because he makes too much noise and just wants to run everywhere. We've been taking turns with him while the other one tried their best to glean something from the messages shared. Yesterday, I don't know what was different but Liam stayed in the chapel for 45 minutes just happily watching other people, eating his snacks, and pulling out all the candy I brought in our bag for our primary class and sorting it on the floor. It was a happy surprise! When littles turn 18 months in our church they get to start going to nursery. We've actually been more anxious and dreading Liam going than excited because that place is germ haven. Whenever Liam gets sick the symptoms always seem to show up on a Monday night orTuesday morning, in just enough time for those Sunday germs to spread. It was just a new parenting hurdle for us. Anyway, we've been joking back and forth for weeks now that we both thought Liam was going to walk right into that room filled with fun toys and new friends and  never look book. That is exactly what he did! He got to play play-doh for the first time, stand in the middle of a circle of kids and watch as they all mimicked the actions to fun songs, and had vanilla wafers for snack time. 

I peaked in on him a few times just watching him interact with other kids from the window. It's not very often I get to be the fly on the wall. I don't know how to better describe the feelings that I felt as I stood there watching him from a distance but it was as if my heart was bursting from my chest! I am so proud of how brave, confident, independent, and full of life he is becoming. He is going to take this world by storm and there is nothing that brings me more happiness as a mom than watching him thrive! We are so proud of him conquering this new milestone!

Here he is playing play-doh with his new friends ...  

At the end of church I went to go pick him up. He was patiently waiting for me at the door and when I opened it, I found him with the biggest grin on his face that said, "Mom, I had the time of my life today!" His teachers told me how great he did on his first day and handed me this paper bag of a little boy dressed in his Sunday best that Liam colored. I know this will probably only mean something to me as his mom but it just made me beam when I saw his very first craft he's ever made! It now has a home on our fridge where I am sure I'll never be able to take it down. Being a mom is the best! 

Rue's First Time Outside & a Video

Up until the end of last summer, we haven't had a fully fenced in yard. We are loving having it done this year and it was finally time to let Rue experience the outside world! She was completely FREAKED OUT for the first five minutes, wouldn't even leave her cage. haha

She finally decided it would be safe enough to hop on TOP of her cage and scope it out from up there until Liam came along and tried to push her off. haha Sorry Rue!

For the first little while she army crawled everywhere with her eyes wide open and her ears perked. Her innate ability to sense danger sure kicked right in!

It didn't take long after that to realize there wasn't any danger and she hopped all over the place, stopping every few minutes to clean herself off of course. haha

I LOVE when she cleans her face. It is the cutest!

Liam LOVES her!

And an amateur video of her first time outside! We already can't wait to spend more time with her outside this summer. Now let's just hope she doesn't eat my garden while she's out there. :/

A Year and a Half Today

Which means he's practically driving already. 

Our trip to CALIFORNIA & a video

Last Thursday we woke at the early hour of 3:45 A.M. to make the drive to the Salt Lake airport for a family vacation in San Diego, California. I was nervous to wake Liam and transfer him to the car but he drifted right back to sleep shortly after we pulled out of the driveway. The excitement of the trip was all that kept Nic and I going even when the dreaded four hours of sleep headache kicked in rather quickly. We blasted the same song over and over again (Army of Helaman, the only song Liam sleeps to in the car) as we slowly watched the sun rise. Despite getting up so early, with traffic and shuttle time we had about 50 minutes to check our bags, go through security, and make it to our gate. After being told several times by the bag checkers, "you're late", I was FREAKING OUT the entire time we stood in the security line that we were going to miss our flight. While waiting, we also noticed our boarding passes didn't list the terminal gate we were supposed to go to which only added to the imminent stress! Needless to say, we sprinted to our gate and were greeted by the nicest man who said with a smile, "You must be the Williamson's!" haha We made it on our flight with five minutes to spare and not a second more. It was the most intense airport experience I've ever had! haha

I pulled out all the stops to get Liam through the flight! A sucker, two bananas, a Lara bar, an applesauce, mustache stickers, jumbo crayons, his favorite movie Home on the tablet, a few new apps, our wallets, stackable buckets, you name it. Naturally he made it through all of those things about 30 minutes into the flight! Our only saving grace was that the third seat in our row was empty and it gave him room to stand up and move around a bit. Bless those sweet airline people for seating us there! We did NOT get so lucky on the trip home. 

We arrived to San Diego around 9 in the morning and killed an hour and a half or so before my mom landed and we could go get our rental car together. Four days in a white mini van and I'm ready to turn in my Rav. haha It doesn't get much better than automatic doors folks! ;) 

The next four days were spent at a beautiful resort right on the beach. We had originally planned on taking Liam to the San Diego Zoo one of the days and maybe do some shopping in downtown Coronado but after the first afternoon playing in the ocean, we realized there really wasn't any reason at all to leave our resort. Besides going out to dinner once, that is exactly what we did. So many relatives from both sides of my family were there that it felt like a little mini family reunion. Liam absolutely adored playing in the sand. He wanted anyone who was around him to bury him up to his chest in it. haha And of course the very first day we were there, not 30 minutes of being in the sand he dunked his entire face right in it and took a big old bite. HAHA Walking in and out of the ocean waves was his second favorite part of the trip. I'll let the 50 pictures do the rest of the talking ... 

It seemed as though the 18 month stranger danger phase kicked in on the trip because Liam didn't want to be held by anyone but Nic and I. It made things interesting when we were there to see family and he wasn't in the best of spirits about being held but I know he secretly loves his Uncle Brendan! :) We are really proud of the man Brendan has become and the accomplishments he has made in his life!

These seagulls completely ransacked all the garbages in sight at the resort. Let's just say they are well fed! haha

My poor husband, I was begging him/trying to convince him the entire trip to move us here where we could be surrounded by the ocean and beach all the time but at the end of the day, it doesn't matter where I am in the world, as long as I have these two with me. I have everything I need.

Liam playing in the sand with his Sita (my mom) and my Aunt Kim!

This was moments after that GIANT bite of gritty sand I was talking about earlier! As you can see it was in his mouth, nose, eye lashes, ears, etc. after that and was so much fun to try and wash out later. Let's just say, this messy little guy was in his element! haha

Jared (my step-brother) and Abby (my niece) jumping in the waves!

Look at that face! He was in heaven! He kept shivering from the water being so cold but he didn't even care. He kept pulling us back in because he didn't want to leave the ocean.

Building sand castles with daddy and my Aunt Kim.

We only put him on that step for a minute and then we were off, I promise. ;)

The face he makes whenever we say, "CHEESE!" I love it! After covering his own legs, we got the hint that he wanted to be buried in the sand.

Swimming with his cousins, Ava and Abby! They were such good helpers with him.

I can't get over how handsome and big he looks here!

We were AMAZED at how well Liam slept on this trip! That was our one fear when booking it but he consistently took his 2-3 hour naps like he does at home and slept through the nights with only one nightmare (which scared me half to death because it was his first one). One day we weren't near our hotel room at nap time and he was exhausted. This moment was one of the only times he has ever passed out in Nic's arms. I also have to mention those little moccasins. He has been wearing those since last summer when he first learned how to walk and still fits in them. I love how he has worn little foot prints in the bottoms.

My dad and brothers Josh, Brendan, and Jared.

Being buried in the sand, round two!

Ava surfing!

There were gorgeous lemon trees growing in everyone's yards all over California!

On our last night there a large group of us went out to dinner.

Going to a restaurant with Liam these days is always a gamble. Sometimes he does great staying entertained by the people around us and the food throughout the meal and other times he grows impatient after a short time. This happened to be one of those times. He was entertained the first five minutes with this water cup. It was his very first time figuring out how to use a straw! He began to get really wiggly after that. I turned to talk to my mom and a second later Nic shouted my name and I looked back to find Liam had scooted his bum all the way through the front bar and was practically hanging from the high chair. One of the scariest moments of my life, even though it only took a few seconds to pull him out. He wasn't hurt but it terrified me. We discovered the band that is supposed to go between his legs was missing on the chair. I was just so glad he wasn't hurt.

I love that Nic got this picture of the two of us. I am usually the woman behind the camera for most of our pictures so this one is very special to me. There is nothing I ever wanted more in life than to be a mom. I feel so lucky to have this silly, adorable, handsome, smart, strong-willed, sweet little boy.

Saying goodbye to my mom and brother on our last day in California.

So many fun memories!!!

I clearly wasn't thinking when I scheduled our flight home because I made it right in the middle of Liam's nap time. There is nothing more embarassing than being crammed in a plane with a random stranger in your row, surrounded by lots of other people, and having a screaming baby who is overly tired. The last 30 minutes or so he finally fell asleep but a 30 minute nap was all he got that day. While the flight home and the two and a half hour car drive that followed was not our favorite experience, it was so worth it because the rest of the trip was a blast!! We'll see you again soon California, you can count on it!

Videography is definitely not my strong suit or something I have had a lot of practice with so parts of it are overly exposed and shaky at times but nonetheless, a video of Liam's first time in the ocean and playing in the sand ...