We Like To Party

First things first, Stella is going to have a little sister!

Ryan is feeling outnumbered, Stella could care less at this point, and I am feeling excited about the fact that Stella's massive wardrobe will get a second run.

Actually, we are all thrilled and already can't wait to meet the newest little princess.

We decided to find out the gender here in Utah (and a little early @ 17 weeks) so our moms could come along.

I am sure the ultrasound tech thought we were crazy when two grandmas, an aunt, a great aunt, and a little sister all showed up for the party.

But that's just how we roll.

Everything is a grand event with our family.

Little Sis didn't want to cooperate too well at first.

We got some beautiful profile pictures (something we didn't get of Stella), but when the time came for the big reveal she was just not having it.

After nearly a half hour of trying I was getting nervous that our attempt to jump the gun a bit was backfiring.

Of course that would happen to us.

Thankfully the tech was so sweet and let us go walk around during her next appointment so that we could try again one more time after they left.

One Dr. Pepper and a chocolate chip cookie later and the babe was completely flipped around and ready to cooperate.

She still only gave us a few shots, but we got what we came for.

We may be biased, but at least we know we make beautiful girls!

Besides looking at unborn babies, we have spent lots of time relaxing with the people we love most in the places we love most.

The trip started out a little rough with Stella being diagnosed with Strep throat.

A few days of antibiotic later and she was as good as new.

Between the meds and my mom's dog Dodger she was actually pretty happy most of the time, but we are all happy she is feeling better.

During her illness Stelly Bean really took to Grandma J.

She pretty much hated me for about a week.

Only Grandma J could make the world right for this child.

This is pretty true for all of us most of the time, but for Stella this week Grandma had all the power.

Great Aunt Jodi and Grandma J took Stella on a little tractor ride around the Bickley property.

She was loving her time with both grandma and my aunt and uncle's dog, Chloe.

Stella has hung out with three dogs this trip, all lovingly referred to as Dodger.

We picked daddy up from the airport on Saturday and spent the next day on a day camp out with the Palmer fam in beautiful, desolate Yost.

Before we left Grandma P made sure that we were NOT going to let Stella near the water or fire and that we would watch her like a hawk.

We promised we would.

Two hours later Stella fell out the screen door on the trailer and ended up with some nasty gashes and scratches.

It could have been so much worse and I am grateful for a tough little girl who even stopped mid sob to say "Hi Dodger" to Ryan's uncle's dog (not named Dodger, by the way).

We were so excited to finally meet baby Leyla!

One of Stella's favorite things to say is "Hi Leyla", so she was ecstatic to finally meet her one and only cousin.

She is so sweet and it is so fun to snuggle a little babe again.

Don't let the look on her face fool you, she was loving the 4 wheeler.

Here is Molly (aka Dodger) stealing Stella's crackers.

Stella actually thought it was hilarious and kept taunting her with them the entire afternoon.

We were able to spend an evening at Greg and Karly's beautiful new house eating dinner and watching the Heat loose the NBA championship.

What a great night.

Stella thought Leyla's swing was just her size and loved climbing in and out and swinging away.

Perhaps a little foreshadowing of things to come in a few months?

Stella enjoying a little Frederico's lunch special and running around Grandma P's house.

Nothing better, that is for sure.

We were able to spend the day catching up with some of our favorite friends, the Kings.

Carson and Stella weren't completely sure of each other at first, and then Stella became a bully but overall it was so fun to visit and solve the world's problems over yummy food and Aggie Ice Cream.

Strep throat and all, I would have to consider our trip so far a major success.

Another week of Logan hospitality and Bear Lake relaxing + a week of Arizona sunshine sounds great.

After that we might make our way back to Ohio and our last year of school...we'll see how it goes.