We're back!

So I have been waiting to blog until I could sit down and post some pictures from our trips - but since that is going to take a lot longer than I have right now - I thought I'd just get on and say we're here, and alive.

We have just spent the last 10 days traveling. First trip was to Cancun, Mexico with our friends Kelly & Andy Springer. We took Hunter with us, and they brought their 6 week old baby too. Gabe stayed home and got to spend time with the Mullen's (see their blog for pictures) and his Ellis Grandparents. We met up with everyone last Sunday to send Gabe back with the Springers (Gramma Rhien was waiting for him in Cedar City) and then we headed off to Hawaii on Monday. We went to the big island of Hawaii with our awesome friends Trent & Melissa Cheney, and got home on Saturday. I promise I will post some pictures and tell about our trips later.

Hunter liked Hawaii much better than Mexico and was AMAZINGLY good on the flights to and from Hawaii, as well as most of the trip. He did NOT however enjoy Mexico. The weather in Cancun was HOT HOT HOT as well as HUMID HUMID HUMID and WINDY WINDY WINDY. Throw that all together and he really wasn't very happy - expcept for the second we'd get into our hotel room - and he was happy as a clam. It was frustrating, but to be expected. In Hawaii he had a much better attitude and really we started to "get" each other. I'm starting to understand his schedule a bit better, and he's getting better about letting me know what he needs. By the end of the trip Melissa even said, "That's you're tired cry - I'm even starting to hear it!" And he really only cried out once the whole plane ride from Hawaii to Salt Lake! GO HUNTER!

Speaking of Hunter - he has grown a TON! Seriously I need to put him on the scale, but he has really filled out, and is even getting a bit chunky (something we've never experienced with Gabe!) And this morning he rolled over for the first time from his back to his stomach - YAY! He did it so effortlessly - but wouldn't attempt it again after his first success. I'm not in anyway anxious for him to be mobile - but it is fun to reach milestones like that. He has also started to discover his hands - holding onto things better, sucking on his hands - it's been fun to watch. He still loves bathtime (and even started swimming from one end of the tub to the other in Hawaii), he LOVED swimming in the pools on our trip, and he has fun in his swing. I'm grateful we've survived the first 3 months and that things seem to be going better. It is definetly harder with 2 kids - dividing time betwee the 2 - but we're making it work.

And Gabe - what a funny little kid! I felt horrible leaving him home from our trips, but with all the traveling - we kept looking at each other and saying how it would have been SO hard with him there. But we'd also do things and think of how fun it would be to share those experiences with him - like the beach and the pools. Next time we'll all do it together (in fact, we're planning a trip to California in January and I might go with my parents and sister with the boys to Disneyland in March). We are so grateful for family who helped out while we were gone. Gabe had so much fun with cousins and grandparents and we felt so lucky to have people who love Gabe (almost) as much as we do here to take care of him. Thanks everyone!!!

I'll post pictures soon. Have a great week!