margaret is ...

... 4 months old.

... a roller from her back to her tummy. (Apparently, it's the harder of the two directions. Show-off.)

... a snuggle bug.

... sporting a sweet bald spot.

... a stander.

... still obsessed with her car seat.

... a smiling fool.

... crazy about her grandparents.

... a giggler like her mom. (Although unlike me, she makes you work for it.)

... a chubette.

... a sleeping machine.

... a TV-lover. (Don't judge.)

... a kicker. 

... a bow baby.

... one relaxed little napper. (See above.)

... a lover, not a hater.

... a mom fan.

... a dad fan.

... a heart stealer.

the nursery (phase 2)

Remember how Adam and I embarked on this nursery project eight months ago?

Remember how I never posted the delightful results?

And remember how I now have a 4-month-old that rolls?

I remember.

But behold! Here are pictures of Margaret's cozy little nursery. I'm so in love with the room (and its owner). BIG thanks to Adam and my mom for making it happen.

Disclaimer: I'm such an average photographer (and I use that photographer term loosely) that the lighting and coloring on these photos is in no way consistent. My apologies ...

The main attraction.
From her bird bedding to the custom-made drapes (thanks Mom, Erin and Kara!) to the butterfly mobile, I love traipsing in and out of here a million times a day.

Kara gave us this sweet, sweet dresser.
I adore the butterfly decals on both the dresser knob and the drapery rod.

View from the top.
I'm a big fan of the lamp, the booties, the "Fancy Nancy" books and the bookends.
Oh, and the "I am a child of God" plaque makes me happy.

LOVE this changing table. (So does Maggie.)
LOVE the baskets.
LOVE the beadboard.
LOVE the bouncer.

Maggie HAD to have a cute laundry hamper. Obvs.

Pictures of the wee one — with green polka dot frame mats!

 Picture of the Salt Lake Temple — where it all began.
(And with a purple polka dot frame mat!)

Where the magic happens —
11-hour sleep nights and the cutest, comfiest rocker recliner (in pistachio!).

 And the best part of it all?
These two.

meet laurel

I have a friend named Laurel. Well, she was my sister Erin's friend first. But now she's my friend. And Adam's friend. And she'll be Margaret's friend one day, too.

Laurel is a high-powered executive at Deseret Book; a hilarious, poignant, inspiring and beautiful blogger; a runner; an author; a confidant; a youth speaker; and a God-sent guru to teenage girls everywhere.

Yes, she is as impressive as she sounds. 

I want you to meet Laurel for a very important reason. She has a new book coming out — "He Loves Us and We Love Him: You've Memorized It, Now Live It."

I haven't read it yet. But I'm so going to. Laurel is a must-read. 

You can pre-order the book here. And if you are a teenage girl, have a teenage girl, were once a teenage girl, or know of these things called teenage girls, you're going to want to read Laurel's book, too. 

I don't promote just anyone.

happy birth day

Best. Birthday Gift. Ever.

A year ago today I found out I was pregnant.

I can still see Adam's face as we waited for those elusive little lines to appear. I can still see his eyes telling me we'll be OK either way, but wouldn't it be amazing?

Today of all days.

I walked into the bathroom feeling like I could faint at any moment. When you decide you want to be pregnant, you want to be pregnant yesterday. And when you've been trying to be pregnant for a while, you desperately want to know you can get pregnant. Period.

I picked up the test and thought about throwing up. "Morning sickness?" I chuckled to myself. And then I smiled at my inner-humor on this most important of occasions. Adam was rubbing off on me.

"Well? What does it say?"

And that's when I saw it. That second — appropriately faint — line.

I beamed at my dad-to-be, and I clung to him — just like I had every month for the last nine months.

"We're pregnant," I remember crying. "We're really, really pregnant. And on my birthday! Does it get more perfect than this? I don't think it gets more perfect than this."

Those eyes of his. I can still see the glee.

"Nope. I don't think it does."

My 26th birthday granted my wish of motherhood — a wish I had earnestly made in delicious daydreams and powerful prayers.

And I didn't even need a candle.

hallstrom happs (part 2)

Oh, Canada. (Actually, it's "Oh, Vancouver," if you want to get technical.)

We Hallstroms had fun in your dear city. 

And there are a gajillion pictures to prove it.

"Woah! I'm only 3 months old and I'm in another country. This is, like, totally cool.
Oh, and I'm wearing wicked cute watermelon shorts my Mom bought me. Is she like obsessed with watermelons or what?"

Erin, Brett and mini-Brett.

We biked around Stanley Park and had SUCH a delightful time.

There's nothing like sisters in sweet helmets.

For Erin, riding bikes is not "just like riding a bike." 
But she was the MVP of our ride and let nothing get in her way. 
(Well, almost nothing. :)

Could this picture BE any cuter?

 This is the Capilano Suspension Bridge.
So completely cool.

It was way more wobbly than you'd expect. Ergo, it was way more fun.

Tree stump break!

Wave to the Hallstroms! 
This is us on our Treetop Adventure.

Fuzzy pic, but it had to be posted. 
Margaret was downright angelic on the trip, 
but every baby deserves a good cry now and again. 
Does it make me a bad parent if I think she looks super cute when she cries? 

 Then we took a ferry to Victoria. Beautiful Victoria.

See what I mean? These are the glorious Butchart Gardens.

I love him.

Have you met my parents? You should. 

I'm a big fan.

Carousel time!

Please appreciate the utter joy on Ryan's face.

Yeah, sometimes we feed Maggie with our noses. 

Don't judge.

Three of the absolute best women I know.

Throughout the entire trip, there was a lot of this going on ...

... so we could get faces like these.

Sigh.

hallstrom happs (part 1)

Picture this ... a 12-passenger van (with 12, count them, 12 passengers), two countries, three meals a day, X pounds gained (I don't want to know the exact number), millions of laughs, three hotels, 957 pictures, and one fun family.  

Thank you, thank you for an amazing trip Mom and Dad. We love you infinity plus! (I speak Ellie.) 

First up, Seattle. 

Vancouver to come. 

Margaret got to know her car seat very well on this trip.
Little trooper.

Sweet girlies.

Love this photo of Ellie and my man.

Just beachy.
(See the Space Needle in the background? Margaret looks SO impressed.)

On the waterfront.

Space, meet the needle

View from the top.

Ladies who line.

Beautiful Erin.

Yeah, Maggie's eating lunch at the top of the space needle.
She's fancy like that.

These jelly fish are all afloat at the Seattle Aquarium — 
the most mediocre aquarium I've ever visited.
We were robbed! Well, Dad was robbed! :)

Looks like Maggie's easy to please. Too bad she was the free one.

My dad and his babies.

The Baby Bjorn was super handy (though, ironically, hands-free).

They throw fish here at the Public Market Center.
You couldn't pay me to catch one. Like, ew.

Happy trails, happy girl.