It is Official....

I have been promoted to Associate Professor, and more importantly, awarded tenure from the University of Utah. Aah.

Don't you all wish you could wear such cool outfits as part of your job?

Baby no more

When did it happen? When did Carolyn get so big?

She loves her little sister. Elizabeth is lucky to have such an awesome big sister.

Not much excitement here, just an ordinary night in our house

Then, Carloyn wanted to take some photos.  She wanted to take a picture of me and Elizabeth sitting in the chair, since we are there every evening.  At least, she got me and Elizabeth in the frame.  She is becoming quite the photographer.

A day at the park

Liberty Park is not far from our house.  It is a large park with lots to do.  Last weekend, we packed up and spent the entire day there. 

We started at the Aviary, where Steve and Carolyn fed the birds. 

Next, we rode the old school amusement rides.

Carolyn and Steve went on a canoe.  While in the lake, Carolyn pulled out a big clump of lake grass for her baby sister.

 

We walked across the street for Thai food.  Before leaving, we even spent some time on the playground and fountain, where Carolyn of course came out soaking wet.  Elizabeth was happy as a clam riding around in the stroller and sling for the day.

Good day. 

In the mountains

Carolyn asked if we could go into the mountains.... so I put elizabeth in a carrier and good shoes on carolyn.  We went to the base of one of the ski resorts, which has a really accessible trail around a lake/meadow with no major elevation change.  We did that and carolyn looked at the peaks right in front of her and asked if we could climb to the top.  So, we did.  I picked a trail that was 1.25 miles one-way that ended at a lake.  It had about 650 elevation gain.  I figured we would go as long as she was still moving well and enthusiastic about doing it.  To my surprise, we made it all the way to the lake (and back without crabbing once).  She was so proud of herself.   

Oh, and she carried a log which was as big as her all the way to the top.  I made her leave it at the lake before we came back down.

A day at the library

....with a photographer friend.

Photos by Whitney Thatcher.

She must have died ...

All moms probably remember the first night their baby slept so long that you wake up disoriented because your body does not know what to do with a full night's sleep.  Well.  It happened!  Finally.  I needed it.  Elizabeth went to bed around 11.  I woke up around 7, the sun was already up, and I thought to myself, "Oh my god, she must be dead.  I haven't heard her all night."  I was confused, thinking I must have gotten up sometime in the middle of the night and did not remember.  But, no.  I actually got a full night's sleep.

Once I pulled the cobwebs out of my brain, I went upstairs to check on her and found her calmly and sweetly sleeping.  She woke up shortly thereafter (probably because I grabbed her hand and startled her).  Happy as can be.

Fluke?  Or the start of a new phase?  I can only hope it is the latter because this momma is seriously sleep deprived.  I am usually OK with the broken sleep, but it has been getting to me the past few days.  The world looks a little brighter this morning.  Amazing what a full night's sleep can do for a person!

Carolyn is 4

4 year old photo shoot. Lots and lots of photos.
See them all here:  2012-Carolyn is 4.

Photos were taken at Red Butte Gardens by my neighbor, Kate. 

Heere is the condensed version of my favorites:

At about this time in the photo shoot, she said, "I'm bored!"  I asked her if she wanted to go to the children's garden before we left, since she had been so patient and cooperative.  Of course, she wanted to go run around for a bit.  And here are the photos you get from a "bored" child.

  

Ah.  No longer bored.  I love this girl.  Her energy is unparalleled.  And, her enthusiasm is pretty awesome.