Bath time

Jenna LOVES her baths! Because of the smallness of the place we live we have had to put her bathtub on the kitchen table. She knows that when I lay her down next to the tub that it's bath time! She gets the biggest smile on her face and is happy throughout her bath.

Unfortunately now she is too long to lay down in her bathtub. There is a little bump in the middle of the tub where it snaps together and her bum now hangs over it. I can't imagine that it's very comfy. We've started putting her in the shower with Austin. She hasn't liked it at all and cries every time we put her in. We are making some progress in that she didn't cry last night . As soon as she is done and I've wrapped her in her towel she is as happy as a clam! And breaks out into a huge smile. I'm sure she's thinking, "Thanks Mom for saving me!"

My little Mother Teresa

Bonding

Need I say more?

Bunny

Jenna loves her little bunny blanket that Grandma Summerhays gave her. She has a hard time going to sleep without it. She loves to put it right up by her face to fall asleep. It is so soft and silky! I wouldn't mind having one to sleep with either!

Jenna's First Christmas

I have been trying to get this post out for a month! Life has been crazy and really busy. Being a mom, wife, and working full time takes up all my time!

Christmas was hard for me to really get into this year. The craziness of going back to work full time was not meshing with excitement for Christmas. At first we weren't going to have a tree. Our little apartment isn't big enough for a full sized tree because of the rearranging we had to do when Jenna was born. I know you don't need a tree to make it Christmas, but to me it wouldn't have been the same. Austin was voting for no tree. I finally decided to get a small fake tree from Robert's Craft. By the time I got around to buying the tree it was the week before Christmas and there was only one small non-lit tree left in the whole store. I brought it home and knew it was pathetic looking, but at least it was a tree. Once I got the lights on it (I re-strung it twice), and the ornaments, it actually looked quite cute.

The tree

The stockings were hung...

Austin and Jenna

The best present of the year!

Jenna liked the paper more than the presents!

Austin was so excited for Jenna to get Snow White!

Mama and baby
I was so excited to spend Christmas with my little family. I know Jenna didn't understand one bit what was going on, but that didn't stop my enthusiasm to wrap her gifts and open them for her!

Jenna's haul!

Ingrid Michealson, gotta love it!
Austin also surprised me with a new car stereo! I can now listen to CD's in my car again!

Austin with his surprise gift!

My friend Jen sent me the best package! It was the gift that just kept giving! I don't know how she stuffed that box so full. Thanks for all the great stuff Jen!

I guess you could say we might have gone a little overboard with the electronic gifts this year.

It isn't Christmas unless you have Christmas Casserole! Yum!

We went over to my parents to talk to my sister Meghan who called from Brazil. It was so good to hear her voice!

My mom embroidered this adorable baby sampler. It has Jenna's name, her birth date, height and weight. It was such a thoughtful gift!

Austin sporting the bow from one of Jenna's gifts. He looks like a 1920's flapper!
Every year my mom gives a bear to one of the grand kids. This year she gave it to Jenna.

Jenna in her cute Christmas outfit.

My beautiful sisters Shannon and Eliza with Jenna and Mallory

Austin and Shannon
Lisa and Mallory (Mallory didn't want her picture taken. Sorry Mal!)

Jenna trying the Bumbo chair
She had been doing so well with holding her up we thought we'd try it out.

Ready for bed after a busy but fun day!

My little Mei Mei in her Christmas jammies!

So Hungry

One morning in December I had gotten up with Jenna to feed her. She was getting fussy letting me know that she was ready to eat. She was on an antibiotic at the time and I wanted to give that to her first. I went to stick the syringe in her mouth, but before I could get it there, she had grabbed it out of my hand and shoved it in herself and started sucking . I was so shocked! I started laughing and couldn't stop. Austin came out and snapped these pics of the incident. I guess she really was HUNGRY!

Jenna's Baby Blessing

Jenna was blessed Sunday November 29th, 2009 at my parents house in American Fork. I would like to say that it was a perfect day and nothing could have gone better. But I can't. It seems that the day of a big event for us never goes without something going wrong. Austin claims it's a Cowley curse. Being a Summerhays, we don't always have the best of luck either. So I guess we are doubly cursed.
It started out to be a nice day. But it was too good to be true. Jenna slept well that night and woke up her happy self. After feeding her, the baby fell asleep for her morning nap. I laid down too while Austin got ready for church. My mom came over to drop off a ham for us to cook for the dinner after the blessing. Austin went to church and I stayed home with the babe. She woke up from her nap and I bathed her (one of her favorite things!) Austin returned home from Sacrament Meeting and the ham went into the oven to cook. The baby once again fell asleep and I proceeded to get ready for the blessing.
We were planning on being at my parents house by 3pm so we could get Jenna into her dress and help with last minute dinner preparations.
The blessing was at 4pm. The ham came out of the oven and we got everything ready to go. Jenna was in the car and all that was left was the ham. We had the ham on a cookie sheet that it cooked on and put a cool one underneath so we could carry it. The cookie sheet directly under the ham had some grease accumulating on it from spillage from the foil pan the ham was in. I got in the car and Austin handed me the ham. Austin went back to the house to get something we forgot and it seemed like more and more grease was appearing on the pan. I was trying to balance the pan so it wouldn't spill. I knew it was hot, and didn't want to get it on me or on Austin's car. I had the thought, "Wouldn't that be great to end up with ham juice on my dress for the baby blessing." Austin returned and put the car in reverse. He was trying to go slow so as not to jostle the car and spill the grease. But to no avail. As he went down the drive way I tried to compensate for the down hill direction and ended spilling scorching grease down my legs. I gave out a yell and in response Austin hit the gas to get us back up the drive way. Well, that sent the rest of the grease spilling into my lap. I screamed in pain. Austin stopped the car where we were half way on the driveway and half way in the street. He jumped out the car, took off his suit coat and threw it onto the grass. I had opened my door and he grabbed the ham from me and put that onto the grass. I was crying and got the keys and walked back to the house. Two members of our Bishopric happened to be driving by at the time and stopped to help.
Austin got the baby out of the car and followed me into the house. I took off my dress that was covered in grease and my nylons. I had burns on my left knee, and on the top most part of my thighs. I was in so much pain. They looked pretty bad. I got into a cold shower to try to ease the pain and rinse off the grease. I had calmed down a bit and was just praying that the burns weren't bad enough to have to go to the hospital for. I put aloe on and then tried to find something new to wear. Austin's family arrived from driving all the way from St. George that afternoon. They helped clean up Austin's car and get the ham into another container. I am so grateful that they arrived when they did. I was able to get dressed. Austin felt horrible and kept apologizing that it had happened. It wasn't his fault and I kept assuring him I was fine. I wanted to stop thinking about it and get to my parents for the blessing. There would be people waiting.
We got to my parents and I took the baby to get her dressed. She looked so pretty! I felt so privileged to be chosen to be her mother here on earth.
The blessing was beautiful. Austin did a wonderful job. He blessed our daughter with many wonderful gifts and blessings. I know she will grow up to be a special little girl. We surely love our Jenna Mei!

Jenna in her blessing dress. It is the same dress I was blessed in so long ago.
It was brought all the way from England by my Grandma Hyde.

Jenna and Grandpa Summerhays

Our little family

Mom and Jenna

Grandma Hyde and Jenna

Jenna with Grandma and Grandpa Hyde
She is their 5th great-grandchild

4 generations
Me, Mom, Grandma, and Jenna

Grandma Summerhays loves this girl! So does Dad!
I am grateful for my mother and all she did in preparation for the blessing. She's amazing!

Grandpa Cowley, Dad, Jenna, and Grandma Cowley
We are so grateful to them and Sheri and Terry for driving up and back in one day to come to the blessing! We love you!

By this point Jenna had had enough of being passed around. She wanted mom and to fall asleep!

I am so grateful for my membership in the church. I am grateful for a worthy priesthood holder in my home. I am grateful to have such a wonderful little family of my own. I pray we will be good parents and raise Jenna in a way that is pleasing unto the Lord. I thank Him everyday for her and Austin in my life. I am truly blessed.

P.S. The burns on my legs were not serious. The pain was gone by that night and there wasn't as much skin burned as we first thought. They are still healing, and there shouldn't be any scarring.

A Wonderful Husband

I have a wonderful husband. I bought Jenna a little bear suit from Old Navy for Christmas to keep her warm this winter. Unfortunately I bought the wrong size. For some reason I thought she would need a 3-6 month size, but it being that big she probably wouldn't fit in it till March. So I went to exchange it today and they didn't have any left! I called some other store locations and found one up in Sugarhouse in Salt Lake. They would only hold it until 9pm tonight and it was 8:05pm when I got off the phone. Austin volunteered to drive up there to do the exchange. I know he didn't think it was a big deal, but I am grateful to him for his willingness to do it. Thanks babe!