PHOENIX

As summer approaches I am busier and busier with photo shoots and weddings. I kept a week in May open after Brent had some long-term projects due for us to be able to go on a trip. The flights to Hawaii were full so we decided to go to Phoenix, and we had the best time.

The first day Stella enjoyed her (probably) last free flight as a lap rider, and then when we arrived at our hotel she was totally thrilled with the room and its bed.

We were pretty lazy most of the trip, but we did make it to the pool. I don't know what Stella loved more; swimming around with a noodle or reading the gossip magazines that my mom loves. (Stella calls them pictures.)

Stella: "Look how Jen buys her own milk. She is so down to earth."

Nama: "I know. Can you believe Britney makes people carry her shopping bags? What a diva!"

Stella looked so cute in her little outfit I took her outside before we went out to take some pictures of her. I asked her to pose, and all of the following pictures of Stella with her head tilted resulted.

For dinner we were invited to my dad's best friend's house for dinner. The Hayward's home is just gorgeous and has a prettier backyard/garden than most hotels I've stayed at. Stella loved walking around, seeing the wild bunny rabbits, and eating asparagus and cake for dinner.

Stella had a great time the entire trip. She was so good and was always up for her next adventure. We did a lot of shopping and just hanging out. Every morning, Stella was so excited to see that she was still in Phoenix and that her Nama and Papa were just in the other room. She loved opening and closing the doors in our mini-condo and discovering loved ones on the other side. She was a very busy girl and it showed when we went to dinner with Larry and Sherie and she went into a zombie trance while sitting on Larry's lap.

Overall I had a great time, and I am so glad that Brent took some time off of work to come and spend time with us (and happily make me watch Buffy and Angel). I found some really pretty black Prada heels and a few other treats to help me remember Phoenix with fondness.

LAZY

Our days at the Gummow home in Idaho are usually lazy days. The weather was really beautiful in IF on Sunday and we just hung out in the front yard while we watched the boys play. I was also privy to the information that Heidi has an obsession with protecting newborn babies' ears from wind (or slight breezes as the case may be). Just when I think I know everything about that girl, she surprises me.

On Monday, about an hour towards home, Ashley announced that she missed baby Wyn already. I guess we will just have to hold tight to our memories, because there is no way Ashley and I would ever want to live in Idaho!

OZ

Two years ago, I sat on my couch and cried for two hours because I was too pregnant to go to Idaho Falls to see my best friend be Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz dance recital. "This baby has already ruined my life, and she isn't even here yet!" I wailed. But never fear, Heidi's dance instructor decided to do it again, only this time she asked Heidi to do it knowing that she would only have about three weeks to recover from a C-section before performing. Heidi really wanted to do it though, so even though she was greatly harassed by her family and friends over it, this weekend was the big event.

Ashley came along with me and we took a road trip away from our babies. We were even able to stop at Maddox, which Ashley had last eaten at when she was like 13, so it was a real treat for her. We listened to some of our favorite old songs and chatted so much that our 3.5-hour trip just flew by.

Before the show, Craig wanted to go out to dinner to a place next to the theatre. I felt pretty cool hanging out with the star of Idaho Falls' production of Wizard of Oz. There were posters with Heidi on them EVERYWHERE. I saw them at the grocery store when I was in Idaho last weekend, and then when I went to dinner at the restaurant before the show, Heidi's poster was plastered right in front of me while I was going to the bathroom! There was even a GIANT billboard showing off the adorableness of my BFF, who was 8 months pregnant in the promotional picture!

We were allowed backstage for some exclusive access to the performers. I mostly was interested in Dorothy of course because she was the star of the show.

When it was finally time for the production to begin I was on the edge of my seat with my camera in hand. I took way too many pictures because everything Heidi did was ADORABLE! Now, this was a children's dance recital, not a play, so it was mostly a lot of dancing, which sometimes got a little long. I felt the same way Catcher did: "When my mom is on stage, I love it, but I just want to fast forward through the other parts." There were some cute dancing moments, but none of them could compare to on-stage Heidi. I had a little tear when she first appeared on stage and again as she was taken up to the rafters on a swing back to Kansas.

At the end of the show Dorothy was bombarded by tiny fans, and gave many an autograph and posed for many a picture with the little ones.

Soon she was back at home with baby Wyn, who didn't even need to see her on stage to know that she is a star.

BABY WYN!

This weekend I headed up to Idaho to meet our new nephew Joshua Wyn. Wyn is adorable, of course, and he is super tiny. He has really long everything including fingers, accented with a perfect tiny head. He is such a good baby and hardly made a peep the whole weekend. He is the luckiest baby ever because his parents are awesome and his two older brothers worship him. Welcome to the world baby Wyn!

For pictures from Wyn's semi-official photo shoot click HERE.