Creative Ways to Distract Autumn

After many months of friends complaining that Brandon and I need to update our blog with current pictures of Autumn: this is how we chose to distract her so we could catch up. I hope everybody enjoys all the new pictures!

Yummy!

Autumn has a Tooth

Yesterday on March 20, 2010 Autumn finally got her first tooth at 7 1/2 months old! She is also currently rolling front/back and back/front. She is not crawling yet and we don't know if she ever will. She gets around in the area we leave her by rolling around and pushing off with her legs while on her back. Right now she is pretty content with this type of mobility. This weekend she has also been sick with pneumonia. Even with a sick daughter and very tired parents, Brandon and I are soooooooooooooo glad to have our little girl!! She is very happy, smiley baby that brings her parents a lot of joy!! All the pics below were taken on March 20.

Autumn with her tired Daddy!

Splish, Splash, Autumn loves her baths!

Autumn absolutely LOVES her baths!!! As soon as the water turns on in the tub, those little legs of her gets kicking away. She is all smiles during bath time.

March 2010: Autumn 7 months old

February 2010: Autumn 6 months old

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Brandon was surprised when he opened the door in the morning.

Our toy poodles,Sandy (brown) and Molly (grey), cautiously inspecting the snow!

The two above pictures, Brandon took from our bedroom window of our street.

While Elizabeth and Autumn were out in Utah for Grandma Barnum's funeral, a severe storm hit the north eastern states of the US. During the night of February 25, 2010 the snow storm came and it snowed, snowed, snowed. Cornwall, NY (where we live) recieved over 30 inches of snow over 2 days. The weight of the snow destroyed many tree branches and power lines, leaving many in Orange County without power for several days. Brandon was out of power for over 48 hours and our townhouse was in the 30's by the time power returned. We are very greatful that Elizabeth and Autumn were out in Utah during this time!

Grandma Roberta Blake Barnum Passed Away

Rather than Elizabeth getting to wish her dad a "Happy Birthday", Lawrence Dean Barnum notified Elizabeth that his mother died in the early morning on his 61th birthday. On February 19, 2010, Roberta Blake Barnum died in her home at the age of 80 years old. This was Elizabeth's second grandparent to pass away in 4 months. Roberta Barnum was a hard-working, determined daughter of God that grew up on a farm in St. George, Utah. She married her sweatheart, Odean Barnum on Marh 3, 1948 in the St. George Utah Temple. She devoted her life to her family, raising 3 outstanding men, served in the St. George Temple as a temple worker for many years, and spent endless hours researching geneology for her Blake family line. Grandma Barnum loved the gospel and loved President Gorden B. Hinkley.  Grandm Barnum had waited her whole life to meet her ancentors on the other side of the veil that she had her own funeral completely planned, wrote her own eulogy, and already had her gravestone carved! Elizabeth was able to fly out to St. George, Utah to be with her family as thye celebrated the life of her wonderful grandma. These are the last pictures taken of Grandma Barnum while alive. Pictures taken on January 2, 2010:

Elizabeth Dahl, Grandma Roberta Barnum, Autumn Dahl, Grandpa Odean Barnum, and Brandon Dahl

Grandma and Grandpa Barnum- Married 61 years!

Four Generations: Grandma Barnum, Lawrence Dean Barnum, Elizabeth Dahl, Autumn Dahl

Grandma Barnum, Grandpa Barnum, Lawrence Dean Barnum (their son), Kathleen Barnum (their daughter-in-law)

I am sure comfortable!

Autumn -5 months old

We bought this nice, expensive back supporter for Autumn to help her sit up until she has good balance on her own, right. Wrong. Autumn choose to use it as a lounge chair rather than a support chair.

Watch out for Deer!

While driving to work in the dark on Feb 7, 2010, Elizabeth managed to hit and kill a deer while driving. The results: one really soar neck, $7,000 in damage, and 3 weeks of repairs.

The Damage

The Newly Repaired Xterra. Elizabeth is so excited to have her vehicle back.

Taking After her Daddy!

Who does Autumn look like?

Brandon: 4 months old

Autumn: 4 1/2 months old

Elizabeth: 2 and 7 months old

 She is all Dahl. Not only does she look just like her daddy, Autumn is in 99% in head circumference, 99% in height, and 70% in weight on the child growth charts. These are very typical for Brandon's family. Brandon's mother, Jenene Dahl (Autumn's grandmother) is 5'11" and all of her siblings are over 6 foot. 3 out 5 of Jenene's grandchildren have head circumference in the 99%.

Caught in the Act!

 January 2010- Autumn 5 months old

Brandon decided that since she was now eating solids, it was also ok for her to start eating popsciles. She absolutely loved it, just like her Dad! Brandon now can't even eat a popscile around her because Autumn get really upset if her daddy doesn't share.

Autumn is also a teaser like her dad. Even though she can't talk yet, doesn't mean she can't joke around like Brandon! Molly, our toy poodle, is always tring to lick off drool or spit up off of Autumn and we are constantly getting after Molly for being in Autumn's face. Autumn is constantly encouraging and inviting Molly to lick her face by leaning towards Molly with her mouth open! Autumn just laughs when Molly does.

Counting our Blessings from 2009 and Looking Forward to 2010

January 2010:
Before Brandon and I focus on 2010, we would like to reflect the past year. We would like to count our many blessing and show off some of 2009 highlights for our family:

For Brandon's graduation trip (and our last big trip before the baby), we went down to Mexico Maya Rivera for a week at an all-inclusive eco-resort. Although I was 4 months along, we visited many Mayan ruins and even swam with dolphins.

Brandon J Dahl finally graduates from Southern College of Optometry after 4 years of hard work! Brandon's parents, sister and I (6 months pregnant) were also there in Memphis to celebrate this special occasion!

We moved into our new townhouse in New York State after Brandon became active duty in the United States Army. Brandon's first assigment was West Point, NY and  he is doing a optometry residency at Southern University of New York (SUNY) for 1 year.

Autumn Elizabeth Dahl was born August 1, 2010, forever changing the lives of her excited parents, Brandon (29 years old) and Elizabeth Dahl (26 years old).

Elizabeth's grandpa Wendell L. Muir died peacefully at the age 88 years old in his home on November 12, 2009 with his wife, Martha, son, David, daugther, Kathleen (Elizabeth's mom), and son-in Lawrence Dean (Elizabeth's dad) at his side. Wendell Muir grew up in Randolph, Utah on a sheep farm and later served in the United States Navy during World War II. After the war, he married Martha Adams in the Idaho Falls Temple on June 24, 1947 and graduated from Idaho State College with a Bachelor's in Pharmacology. He had 5 children (1 son, 4 daughters) and spent his life working as a pharmacist in Las Vegas. Grandpa Muir was a righteous man that loved reading, gardening, and sheep. He was married to his beloved wife for 62 years when he passed away.  Elizabeth was able to fly out with Autumn to attend the funeral.

     With each New Year, most of us set New Year Resolutions to work towards the next year. Probably like many of you, Brandon and I often fall short on those resolutions or even forget what are goals were. This year, Brandon and I have two main focuses: making a more earnest effort to following the Lord's commandments and getting out of debt. Due to our second goal: Brandon and I decided it was time for me to return back to work! After 8 months off with a baby, I got my Registered Nurse license in New York State and returned back to the hospital setting, 1 week after returning from our family vacation in Utah. It was scary returning back to the intesive care unit (ICU) again. I felt like a brand new nurse all over again.
     Now that we are into March, I just got out of orientation, working part-time nights (7pm-7am), and we no longer have to put Autumn into day care. While in orientation, I was working full-time days (7am-7pm) and we did not have a choice but to put Autumn into full-time day care. Lucky for me, I did not have to drop her off at day care each morning. Brandon had to and it broke his heart every morning! The last few months have been crazy has I have tried to keep up full-time work, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and most important, being a mommy!!! I am so excited because I was able to talk Brandon into having a house cleaning lady come once a month to clean the house :) (Thank you, Brandon!) Brandon has been very supportive and helpful with me returning back to work even though he feels the greater effect. With Brandon still adjusting to the military ways, learning his new career, and having school assisgnments (attending lectures, writting papers, and having presentations to fullfill his residency requirements from SUNY); he has done a FANTASTIC job with the increased responsibilities of Autumn! Our little Autumn is a daddy's girl thru and thru, and I think both Autumn and Brandon have enjoyed their daddy-daughter times. Did I mention that our credit it card is almost paid off?

Introducing Solid Foods-January 2009

Autumn's mother was planning on starting solids at 6 months old and AFTER the family vacation, but all of her persisent Aunts on her mother's side wanted to start giving her solids now so that they could see her facial expression. Brandon and I decided, "Why not? What will it hurt? She is already 5 months old." So here are the pictures eating her first solids: sweat potatoes! Bananas and sweat potatoes are so far her favorite foods!

"I will to try something new. I trust my mommy!"

"Maybe I don't trust my mom."

"What is that? It is disgusting."

"Quick, get it off my tongue before I gag!"

"So, this is what I am eating. Mom, can I play with it but not eat it?"

Christmas and New Years 2009

This holiday season was absolutely wonderful! Brandon was able to take 2 weeks off of work so we went home for the holidays. It started out bumpy though. I flew out the week earlier with Autumn. She manage to pick up the croup from cousins 2 days before Christmas (the same day Brandon managed to miss his plane out West due to miscommunication.) Brandon arrived the day before Christmas ($900 later) without his luggage that contained our Christmas gifts, which was misplaced for 3 days.  Although Brandon did not have any clothes, we did not have any Christmas gifts to open, and Autumn was very sick, our family still counted our many blessings which included: being all together as a family, being able to focus on the true meaning of Christmas, and Brandon's plane took off out of Chicago a 1/2 hour before 260 airline flights were cancelled for Christmas because of snow. We spent Christmas with Brandon's family in Layton, Utah and New Years with my family in St. George, Utah. Because both sides of the family were all together in a really long time, we updated family photos also!

The Dahl's: Christmas 2009

Brandon and his siblings. Very typical of their personalities!!!! (Left: Shaun Dahl, Brandon Dahl, Sarah Dahl, Justin Dahl, Adam Dahl)

Brandon, Autumn and I

The Barnum's-New Year's Eve 2009

Back Row: Jonathan Barnum, Seth Barnum, Michael Barnum

Front Row: Elizabeth Barnum Dahl, Lawrence Dean Barnum, Kathleen Muir Barnum, Rebekah Barnum White

Ringing in the New Year!

The traditional New Year's kiss! (We still can kiss even though we are parents now, right?)

Autumn enjoying candy for the first time and did she enjoy it!

All the Ladies must be really, really tired! (Bottom: Me, Tia Barnum-Seth's wife, Mom (Kathleen); Middle: Melissa Barnum-Jonathan's wife, Leslie Barnum-Michael's wife; Rebekah on top)