Father's Day

Jakey had a great Father's Day. We were going to make him breakfast in bed so we gave him a menu the night before but he was fasting this week so we were off the hook! Maybe next year. Jake is the best father in the world! Our kids are SO blessed to have him as their dad.

After we got home from church we gave him his presents. He got a Father's Day shirt with a picture of him and the kids on it like he gets every year, a new tennis visor, and new sunglasses.

Here's his Father's Day card from the kids.

His new presents

We had Jake's Dad, Craig, over for dinner and then we went to visit Grandpa Smith but I didn't take any pictures. Whoops! It was a great day.

Amber's Baby Blessing

Amber's baby blessing was on May 6, 2012. Jake gave her a beautiful blessing at church and afterwards we had a little get together with our family. All of Jake's family came which meant so much to us because they all had to travel to get here. It was a wonderful day! We're so grateful to have this perfect baby girl in our family.

Daddy, Amber, and Mommy

Our whole family

My parents sent this beautiful bouquet of white flowers for Amber

The note said, "We wish we could be there for your blessing! We know you will look like a little angel in your white dress. We love you Amber! Love, Grandma and Grandpa"

Eliza holding baby Amber

Madie and Cookie were such a HUGE help at the party! They saved the day because they left church early to come check on the quiche and they found out that my oven wasn't turned on! I thought I had turned on the delay start but I messed it up (whoops!) so they had to crank up the heat and cook them real fast. Luckily, my mother-in-law brought hers already cooked and so we got to start with that one.

Sandy brought Grandma and Grandpa Smith to the blessing and luncheon after

Misty, Lynnadele, and Brandy

All the boys hiding out in the yard

 

I took this picture of Amber in her dress about a month after she was blessed. I didn't take any great pictures of her in her blessing dress on the actual blessing day but my friend did take some for me a few weeks later. I will post those when I have them. My cousin, Mindy made the dress for me and it turned out SO pretty! She is so talented!

We took some family pictures while everyone was here and Lynnadele wanted to do a Christmas picture with all the grandkids. It was a lot of work for them to get the costumes on the kids and make them smile but it turned out awesome after Brandy did some Photoshop magic! Do you recognize baby Jesus? Amber was the best behaved of all of the kids!



Craig and Lynnadele with all the grandkids

Bridger loves his baby sister! He always wants to hold her and help me take care of her. What an awesome big brother!

Here she is at the end of the blessing day all tuckered out. She was such an angel all day! In fact, she's always a little angel. I don't know how I got so lucky to be blessed with such a wonderful baby. I told Jake she was appropriately named because she really is a gem!

Amber's Newborn Pictures

Amber had her newborn pictures taken by Jenny. They turned out SO cute! I am so in love with this baby girl.

Bridger and Graham holding Amber for the first time

I love this video of the boys holding their baby sister for the first time! They were so intrigued by her and couldn't get enough of her. When we took her away Graham started to cry. I'm so glad they love her so much!

More pictures of Baby Amber

After Jake gave Amber her first bath they fixed up her hair and put a pretty pink bow in her hair. It was the cutest thing! At night when I should have been sleeping, I couldn't help but stay up and just stare at her and wonder how this beautiful baby girl could be my daughter. She is a little angel! I'm so grateful she's mine.

Jakey changing Amber's diaper. What a good Daddy!

Since Amber was healthy and I felt fine we got to come home from the hospital the day after she was born. We put her in a darling newborn outfit (which was huge on her) and left after the 1st session of General Conference around 1:30 pm.

I just love this sweet girl!
Amber in her carseat on the drive home. Her poor little head doesn't quite fit in it yet!

It was a snowing when we drove home from the hospital. We were so happy to be home!

My mom and dad sent this beautiful bouquet of flowers all the way from Brazil! :)

Baby Amber relaxing in her swing. It was so good to have her home with us!

Visitors at the hospital

Amber was born right at the end of the 2nd session of General Conference so since the guys had a break between that session and priesthood session all our family came to visit at once. It was really fun! We had a room full of cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents all there to welcome Baby Amber into the world. My mom and dad were there with us too via Facetime.

 Graham, Ivy, and Eliza admiring the baby

 Great Grandma Donna

 Eliza's turn to hold Amber

 Little Ivy holding Amber

 Makenzie and Amber. Amber is going to love her girl cousins so much!

 Uncle Skyler and Aunt Brooke

 Uncle Barry

 Hart cousins

Aunt Corine

 Madie meeting Amber

 Aunt Cookie holding the baby. The boys stayed at her house the night before so she brought them to the hospital to meet Amber. The next night they stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Nielsen.

 Grandma Lynnadele and Amber

 Grandpa Craig and Amber

 I love this little thing SOOOOO much!!

 Amber didn't even have time to have a bath before all her visitors came to see her so after they all left Jake took her to the nursery and cleaned her up.

 He is an old pro at giving babies baths now!

 Here she is all clean and bundled up for the night. What a little Angel! Jake didn't really have any dinner and mine was disgusting hospital food so he ran out to Iceberg to get us some food and ice cream. We had so much fun sitting there with the baby eating delicious cheeseburgers and fries and talking about how much we love this new little baby! I will never forget what a fun night that was.