Pictures with the Richens

As always, an overload of posts when I finally get around to blog!

Here is Christmas in Utah with the Richens:

Quincy's 1st Christmas

Nana had this tendency to put Q to sleep in the jump-a-roo

 Grams and Gramps Richens, 

Quincy and Moki trying to figure each other out 

Go LeBron! Go Heat!

 

Scott

Here is my officer, Ensign Richens. Doesn't he look good in uniform? We are missing a picture of him in his dress blues. Top left- Scott commissioning in May, top left NWU (Navy working uniform)- Scott won't be wearing these more then once or twice over the next 4 years. Bottom left, summer white dress uniform (in the winter) on Q's blessing day. Finally, bottom right, his everyday work uniform with the school behind him.

Scott is liking his job as a heat transfer-fluid flow instructor at the Navy Nuclear Power School. His first class will be taking their final his Friday, so at the end of this week Scott will officially be an experienced instructor. Scott being the over achiever that he is has had the highest average score on tests compared to the other heat transfer classes. I am shaking my head at him, but proud of him too.

He has been working as the assistant scout master at church, as he was told when when he was called, but last week he was informed that he is supposed to be working with the 11 year old scouts.

Scott is thrilled that Quincy is a little rolling machine now...except when he is trying to change her diaper. He is a proud little daddy loving making her smile and giggle.

Me

Despite what you think my life isn't 100% Quincy. here it is:

Life is good.

I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting yesterday with my presidency and I was super worried, I guess it turned out okay. I spoke on 2 YW values, divine nature and virtue.

New Beginnings tomorrow...I think I would prefer being a counselor.

Trying to decide if I can make it work to go to girls camp in June.

Thinking of ways to add color and  style to my bland apartment and starting to gather items and ideas thanks to the addition to the budget for "Jenny's projects."

Wearing capri's and sandals in January despite all I have been taught. 80 degree weather has been too much for me and abnormally warm for Charleston, but I  am not missing the snow and ice storms in Utah. Thankfully we are back to 60-65 degree weather.

Planning vacations for the next year: D.C. in March... Is it feasible to go to Utah again in August? we could meet up for Lake Powell... seriously thinking about it. Maybe a cruise at the beginning of December? Anyone wanting to be with us next Christmas? we will probably be staying in Charleston.

Trying to invite friends over so life will be fuller here without family, we have had some good game nights, although the apartment is a little small and we need more chairs.

New cooking goal: try cooking a vegetable a different way 1x/week. Maybe I can get Scott excited about something.

Missed my family in their fun date night/Christmas gift to see Phantom this weekend
Also sad to miss sharing my love for Uncle Lonnie at his funeral Saturday. After several years of battling cancer he passed away Monday, January 21. My note to him:
             Uncle Lonnie, I love you. You are a wonderful uncle. Thank you for the fun water fights on July 4th, you would have your super soaker and I would have a cup to fill with water, although unfair it was always fun. Thank you for making my last visit with you so special and thinking of me with a real southern breakfast before I moved to South Carolina. Thank you for inviting my family to make memories and sing together at your Christmas work parties. Thank you for letting me hang out with my mom as she worked in your Orem store and Thank you for paying me to sweep so I could by myself some York peppermint patties in the laundromat next door. Thank you for your example. All my love to you and your family. I wish I could be there with you on Saturday.

Updated Growth Chart

	Weight	Height
Birth	7 lbs. 5 oz.	19 inches
48 hours	7 lbs. 6 oz.
1 week	7 lbs. 15 oz.
2 weeks	8 lbs. 11 oz. - 55th%	20 inches - 50th%
4 weeks	10 lbs. (with diaper and onesie)
2 months	11 lbs. 14 oz	22 inches
4 months (Jan 9, 2013)	14 lbs. 15oz - 72nd%	24.5 inches - 49th%

5 months

Dear Quincy,                                                                                                                                      January 28, 2013

Tomorrow you will be 5 months old! Holy Smokes! You are no longer my little baby but my big baby. It is so fun to have you around; you are the light of our lives. You have taken quite an interest in things. You started to understand how to grab toys and bring them to your mouth. Your favorite trick was using your pointer finger as a hook to try to get it around your toys, but you have past that phase now. J You make me smile.  Now like any smart baby you want anything mine or dads, just not what is yours. You see us drink our of our water bottles and then all you want is to do what we were doing and get that huge bottle to your mouth.  Last time I wrote (before Christmas) I was so excited to share with everyone that you had rolled over. Well, that you had rolled that one time until yesterday. When we got home from church you were rolling like the happiest baby their ever was, from your tummy to your back, from your back to your tummy…and back and forth.  Today you have rolled both ways a couple of times too, keep it up.  (Dr. said since you were a broad baby may take longer to roll, plus you like having your arms spread eagle which isn’t so conducive to rolling.) We started spoon feeding 2 days ago which, will take a little adjusting for you even as thin as it is. You've been watching us eat eagerly and trying to grab our food so we decided it was time. You had a great 1^st Christmas in Utah and made everyone adore your even more than before. You already have a bank account in your name so I guess you’re growing up.

I hope I can be your best friend throughout your whole life. Please know you can come to me to talk, cry, or just hang out. Life is just about perfect when I get to wrap my arms around you and hold you tight, it’s even better when dad has his arms around us too. I love you my baby girl!

Love always,

Mommy

Dec. 23- Jan. 26

Here are a bunch of short videos of Q growing up. Love this girl! this is probably mostly for grandma and grandpa, but she sure is cute! 

December 23, Playing with toes

December 24 (?) Giggles!

December 29, Peek-a-Boo wiggles and smiles 

December 29, Watchin the train at Grandma and Grandpa Allen's

January, Smiles for daddy

 January 26, First attempt at spoon feeding