At home with the Hansen's

our 6 month baby

2012-01-28T06:31:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's true! Our baby is 6 months old and counting...my how these months have flown by! He is cruising along towards 1 year old at a rate I can't seem to slow down (except the sleepless nights, they seem to be sticking around like forever!). As I viewed my 5 month post about him I find it sad I am still dealing with a sick boy. He has spent the last couple months battling croup, RSV, runny noses, and ear infections.... currently on his 3rd round of ear infections (both ears might I add) and the wheezy breathing started in the night just last night again. Can this kid get a break? Gheesh! Poor babe!! Other then constantly trying to get better, he is a happy boy who loves to be held, loves to kick his legs, bounce in the jumpy thing, look at books, and watch his brothers. He also loves the outside (we've gone on a few walks this winter, crazy!) and turns out he loves the water. He took his first trip to the Dells last week and LOVES the water. Good thing. since we live at the pool in the summer :) He weighed in at 18lbs 11oz this week, seems to be turning more blonde, and reminds me of a butter ball at the moment :) He has his first two bottom teeth, is up on all fours all the time and scooting around the floor, but not sitting up yet, loves his binkie and his fingers too. Little Mister is learning more each day!

Answered prayer!

2012-01-25T08:47:00.000-08:00

We have a prayer wall at our house and for about 2 months now, Austin has consistently put "snow" on this list. It was sometimes hilarious to listen to him pray for snow every night before bed while Jaxon was praying for the military, his friends, or a family member. Austin was sure that God would send him some snow. God answers prayers in His own timing and the arrival of snow for this 4 year old was no different. The morning he woke up to find enough snow to sled in our backyard with was a VERY happy day...for him at least. Dave started the morning complaining about the snow at the breakfast table. Austin's response... "well, I love the snow, Dad. It's amazing!" Happy SNOW day to him!

A Christmas for the ages

2012-01-22T07:42:00.000-08:00

Christmas is almost a month gone, but I have to post a quick few comments on this year's celebrations... Let's just say...it was a Christmas for the ages! Whew, leading up to it was pretty normal holiday season happenings. We did a lot of our family traditions and it was really fun to have another child really grasp onto some of them this year. It is such a joy to watch Jaxon and Austin both remember and look forward to some of our family traditions. I was so looking forward to having a baby boy over this holiday this year. There is something magical about holding a sweet baby boy as you celebrate Jesus's birth.... however, my sweet baby boy got VERY sick a few days before Christmas and lets just say... that magical feeling was hard to find a lot of the time :( None the less, I did my best to make the most of it and not let a very fussy, achy, can't sleep or eat or breathe well, baby get me down. (I only had 1 melt down on Christmas Eve... sorry fam!! :)

As the fog of sleepless nights and long days started to lift I stepped away from this time period feeling a little beaten up and decided I did not want to let circumstances define me. They got the best of me at times and nobody benefits from that. So, being a not very New Year Resolution type gal...I turned over a new leaf. I made about 7 New Years Resolutions this year!!! And I have to say the effort put towards really making some changes on paper has been very helpful. Number one on my list... laugh more, complain less. If I am to survive this life of motherhood with 3 boys I better learn to laugh things off or I may be doomed. My attitude over the holidays really only hurt myself in the end and I was a overly tired pouty baby inside...boo me, but seriously, get over it already. Looking back...my circumstances were just that. A circumstance that was only for the moment. And I tripped and fell flat on my face as I tried to walk through it. Sigh... thank goodness for grace. The white snow has been a beautiful picture of God's grace for me these last few days... though our sins are scarlet, He washes them away and makes then white as snow. Christmas had some magic left in it after all...

Christmas Eve... got everyone dressed and decided it wasn't wise to take Carson out. So we stayed home...

...and good thing we did, because this is what he did :)

after a breathing treatment... big brother checking in

Christmas Morning! Smiles and a great slow lazy morning...

Carson's 1st Christmas

Dad's clone :)

Our only family picture over the holidays... on our way out the door to head home. Sure loves this crew!

happy to see you

2012-01-20T15:36:00.000-08:00

We just returned home from a little winter vacation at the Dells! We left with blue skies and hooded sweatshirts on... we returned to cloudy skies and winter coats on! It was a great week, but I think we had some that were happy to be together again :) Updates soon on Christmas 2011 and Dells Vacation 2012!

1 down, ?? to go...

2012-01-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

I make too many lists. Lists for books I want to read, lists for people to call back, lists for what to do today, lists for ideas to try, lists for rooms I want to tweak around the house, lists for people to send cards to, lists for the grocery store, and so on. Most of my lists are mental ones these days as I need a list to remind me what lists I need to write down :) One thing on my list for way too long has been this HUGE open blank space on my front room wall. Thanks to a little pinterest and some old ideas I had and a couple new things I received as Christmas gifts, I was able to check one thing off a list of mine! The gallery took me all day of laying arrangements on the floor and in-between chasing, er I mean, taking care of my kids and everything else that happens here... I finally finished a project. Yeah me. Oh, and I'm also catching up on my blog... check out the links to the right :-)

A's birthday "day"

2012-01-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

We always start our birthday boy's off with their favorite breakfast and a few gifts from mom & dad. This year it was egg biscuits for this birthday boy!

Austin was so fun to watch open gifts this year! We don't spend a ton on birthday gifts, but instead try to get one thing they really, really would like and I pick up a few things here and there on major clearance through-out the year. As he opened I calculated in my head and figured I spend about $20 total on 6 gifts. His reaction to everything was priceless.... I should have had a camcorder going!! Everything was "this is amazing" "thank you" "this is awesome, look Jaxon, this is amazing". Simple, genuine joy. I loved it.

A few amazing birthday toys and two excited boys!

His birthday was a Monday, so we had usual daycare kids here and enjoyed a quiet little play day doing a few of his favorite things. Playing cars, coloring & painting, baking cakes, reading books, watching a cartoon, and just hanging out.

The birthday boy before his "G'ma & G'pa" party.

He was so sweet opening gifts from family.... he took his time, opened carefully, read the card, and thanked each person. And I think every gift got an "this is amazing" response :)

4 year old!

It was a wonderful weekend celebrating our newly turned 4 year old!!! Thanks to all who helped!

Our boy turned 4

2012-01-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

December is a busy month for everyone and having a birthday boy this month is something we work really hard to separate from all the Christmas season hoopla. We really want our boys to be celebrated on their birth-days and use that time to honor them and who God made them to be. Austin was so excited to turn four for many reason, but one of the most anticipated reasons was to have a friends birthday party.... like big brother Jaxon. He has tagged along to all of Jaxon's friends parties and knew they were pretty fun :) Being he was only turning four, we kept it very simple and small this year.... more of a glorified play-date with a good buddy cousin and two pals he regularly plays with. It was a simple little party doing a couple of his favorites things, eating his favorite foods, and playing with some of his favorite little pals. It was really fun to focus in on Austin this year as he turned four. This is one of my favorite ages of all children and I am looking forward to this next year with him at home!!

He LOVES Cars anything and that was the theme for the night...

He helped decorate his cake (had a sick babe this year so the track shaped cake quickly turned into a simple double layered circle track cake, but Austin was still thrilled.... all that mattered! :)

Dinner with his friends...

His favorite food requests... pigs in a blanket, orange slices, cracker sticks with cheese dip, and fruit smoothies.

He loves to paint, so the kids all painted little wooden cars...

Carefully painting...

He loves to race cars, so the kids raced around the track that our friend, Natalie, spent a good chunk of time creating :)

And he loves cake and ice-cream...

Presents.... the Under-dog costume was a hit! He wears it almost every day.... over his clothes, over his pajamas, over his coat.... pretty much all the time. (Thank you, Mark!!!)

And what's this 4 year old's party of favorite things without his favorite pal, Natalie!!

Everyone had gone home.... and he sat quietly and drew in his new note-book pictures of his friends and the number "4". What a sweet little way to celebrate becoming four.

Who needs time?

2011-12-30T12:16:00.000-08:00

Oh my, this may turn into a monster of a post because my brain is a wild mix of very tired and very full all at the same time. I feel like I jump out of bed every morning already running and do a nose-dive back into it every night just hoping for a few zzzzz's on my pillow, still imprinted with the marks I left on it from the night before. When I think back to pre-kids I laugh at the busyness I thought I had. I WAS busy, but with things I filled my plate with and in some weird way I liked to be busy.... I think it made me feel somewhat important to have "so many things" going on, it gave me purpose at times, and it filled me up at other times. Needless to say, busy has a new definition these days after 1 husband, 3 kids, 2 dogs, and a fish later. (Yes, 2 dogs....more on that another day :) This girl didn't know busy until these last few months. And would you believe me if I told you I do not have one stinking thing on my plate at this moment other then raising 3 boys, a little child-care that I provide still, and an occasional small group meeting (which is very occasional these days since we all have new babies!). I sat up the other night nursing a sick baby and tried to think of anything I do outside my house.... getting groceries, volunteering at school, and returning library books does not count.

I never in a million years when I was a little girl and wished for nothing more then to be a mommy think this life would be this way. It looked so easy from my perspective back then. Get married and have babies.... binga banga boom. Happy life, check! I didn't see the signs that I am sure my mother had of exhaustion, long hours, dirty hair, spit-up on clothes, empty coffee pots, dirty floors, and......happy kids. Oh yes, I do sort of kinda remember that visual. These days I am that visual. And some days, it gets the best of me. And then at my better moments, I remember God's words for me to be still. Our culture tells us to be busy, to do lots, cram things in, act stressed and over-commited, and never say no. Our Father tells us just the opposite. I think partly because HE knows that amongst the nitty gritty of intentionally raising these little ones, we have to find stillness in our heart because the work-load from raising children alone is simply put; busy. I need time to plan out activities and fun games that not only show my children how much fun we can have together, but also hear God's word. I need time to prepare good meals so we can gather around a table together and share in good conversation. I need time to turn my house into home, a place where all who live here want to land here at the end of their day. I need time to read stories to and listen to stories read to me, as my children learn that books and learning can take them anywhere. I need time to just sit and hold a baby, while he learns to trust and love. I need time to discipline, yes, that's right.... to pay attention to my children's stages and guide them lovingly and patiently. I need time to let interruptions happen in our day, so others feel welcome in our home and know our door is always open and inviting. I need time to have my kid's friends over, so our home can become a place for young ones to safely and lovingly grow, play, and be together. I need time to properly provide for my family, so they are healthy, clean, and physically taken care of. I need time to make family traditions, so my kids can look forward to and build on family togetherness through things we do together. I need time to just sit and pray, so my children are daily taken to the One who does truly watch over their every breath and step in life.

Being busy and having time go hand in hand for me these days. I must carve out the time to let my days be filled with the busyness of raising our kids and being a home provider, so that at the end of my day when I fall into bed exhausted I know my tired brain, heart, and body will have been best used for this season of life. This life as a mama is happy and wonderful and the most rewarding job I've ever done and ever will. It is also very hard some days, very tiring some days, and more then I ever dreamed. Even though I am so tired these days I addressed all my out of state Christmas cards to Iowa, tried to use my face moisturizer on my tooth-brush, put my milk away in my food pantry, returned some movies to the library and took some books back to the movie store, and can't remember what I did 1 hour ago.... this spit up on, dirty haired, overly coffee-ed, owner of dirty floors and laundry mountains, and oh yeah.... happy kids, is doing everything I can to say no these days to anything outside my duty as simply put "mom". The stillness this provides in my life is the stable part of my brain and heart that knows the direction it is going when everything else around me is going every which way. So, as I jump into the New Year coming up I want to go in knowing that time is forever a gift and one not to be taken lightly. I hope to use it in every way I can being that mom I always wanted to be.

10 o'clock Tea

2011-12-28T09:24:00.000-08:00

Having a house full of boys, we often do lots of "boy" playing around here. The few kids I watch only consists of 2 girls in the mix so they often get roped into playing cars, digging in the sand-box, and playing tackle games. Well, this day I decided to indulge in a typical little girl's idea of fun... their very own tea party :) First we baked the muffins together, set the table together, and pulled out my tea set. I taught them how to properly use their dishes, pass the food, pour the "tea" (hot cocoa), let the girls go first, and say please and thank you. They all loved it! I think a mid-morning tea time may need to make my social calendar more regularly!

Holiday Fun Day!

2011-12-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

Each Christmas season I love to choose a day and spend it baking up a storm with my boys. We bake a variety of goodies, pack some boxes, and deliver later that evening. I like spending the time with them, they enjoy creating yummy treats, and I love that they put some effort into making something they can give away to others. It is such a sweet tradition that we've established and I hope to continue it for years to come! Who knows? Maybe one day I'll be baking with their kids. That is what traditions are about.... creating them for many moments to look forward to together and look back on. These years really matter as we set foundational moments that will shape our family for years to come.... even a simple holiday fun baking day :)

5 month old in the house!

2011-12-22T19:51:00.000-08:00

This little man is growing like crazy! Today he is 5 months old!! I have much I'd love to say about him at this stage, but I'm afraid my very overly tired brain can not stay awake another wink tonight... so, on that note... I am going to head to bed next to my sleeping baby boy who currently has croup, ear infection, and a little diaper rash going. Rough state at the moment for this 5 month old!!! He did experience his first nebulizer breathing treatment experience this afternoon and go on his first antibiotics today :( Boo for flu/cold season!!! Sorry you feel so sick baby.... what a way to spend your five month mark on life here. Sick or not, I sure do love taking care of you!!

little friends+mornings= fun times!

2011-12-20T11:36:00.000-08:00

Now that it is colder, our mornings look a little different. However, we still find ways to have oodles of fun...most days :) Being home with my two little boys during the day is just wonderful and M-Thurs we have little friends join us and an occasional scheduled play-date. I love watching these kids all grow and learn together. My days spent in my home with these little hands and feet teach me so very much...

Buddies having some shaving cream paint fun...

Two boys playing in the water...

Special visitor!!! Jakey came for a visit this month....they were SO excited! (Jakey lives 2 hours away now :(

Building 4 year old birthday crowns was fun...

Getting to know you kind of fun...

A little painting fun...

And, as always in my kitchen.... bake something yummy fun :)

Happy 4th Birthday, Austin!

2011-12-19T08:26:00.000-08:00

a little more Austin

2011-12-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

Sorry if this is a ridiculous amount of Austin info and photos. I make scrapbooks on shutterfly and by posting these here to my blog I can come back and remember what I want to put in my books when I finally get to them, 6 months later :) So for now... a few more of our 3 year old, almost FOUR!

Austin has spent the last almost 2 years with these 2 pals. They both came here while their mama's and daddy's were at work and/or school. It was quite the trio and Austin loved it. They both are happily home with their stay home mama's now and I couldn't be happier for their families, even as bummed as Austin was when they left. Such a fun little trio they were...and so sweet.

Austin always ready for a good observation comment...

Funny face...

Austin loved to help water the plants around the yard this year. He is an outdoors man at heart! I loved when he would throw on his rain boots and head outdoors no matter the weather!

This boy will play in the tub forever...

His umbrella. Enough said. He LOVED when the rain came and he could pull this thing out and stomp in puddles.

Always up for a splash in the backyard...

Austin has spent most of his life going to and from Jaxon's school everyday... this last year he could finally really play well on the playground equipment and chase Jaxon's friends around. They love to get him going and Austin loved the game :)

His first summer of swim lessons with Miss Jen...

His first ice-cream truck treat...

His first movie at the theatre! Right before Carson arrived we checked out Cars. I think he liked the popcorn the best and is still a true Cars 1 fan!

He can really get Jaxon to imaginary play better then Jaxon can on his own, aside from make-believe sports scenarios :)

And he and his big brother loved to sleep together almost every night during his year as a 3 year old.... love the stillness and peace of two sleeping boys side by side.

Austin and three

2011-12-17T08:14:00.000-08:00

As a 3 year old, Austin has used this year to really start to show us his own personality, likes, and spirit. What a joy to walk alongside him and watch God mold who he is becoming! He, like big brother, LOVES the water...

He is adventurous and "flies" around here all the time. This is the year I had to almost take him to ER for a mild concussion after attempting to be Buzz Lightyear and flew right off the couch onto the hard floor, head first. All with no clothes on of course. (if you know this son of mine, you know he prefers the buff vs. clothing any day! Actually many pictures I can not post because he is too naked)

"noooooo".... for so long I heard this when it would snow out. Now I hear his little prayers at night asking for the real stuff, snow, to come the next day for him to play in. I think he's the only one disappointed we don't have any yet :)

Famous for his wildy long hair that I have to trim every two weeks because it grows so fast.... and famous for his ability to sit and play cars/trains/trucks for very long periods of time all by himself. He loves it!

He is my little helper in the kitchen. I love that he keeps me on track with a few family traditions too. He would have family pizza, movie, and popcorn night every night if he could choose, not just for Fridays!

A big year... as a 3 year old he became a Big Brother. I will never forget all the excitement he had leading up to Carson's arrival.... it fell a bit when he realized Carson could do nothing for him or with him just yet, but I'm holding out. These two will be buds soon :)

He is my little creative bug. He loves painting, coloring, drawing, getting messy with whatever I put on the table for him.

And I know he's really probably too big, but I don't care. It's not like he will walk into kindergarten with these things! He was still my blankie and binkie boy as a 3 year old. He recently has been trying to ditch both though and it makes me a little sad.

Outdoors.... he would be a farm kid if we let him. Chasing chickens here and loving it!

And I can't say enough about the handful of amazing people God continues to surround our family with. As we raise these babies, God faithfully puts people in our lives who make bringing up these boys easier, encourage us, love on us, pray for us, laugh with us....just walk with us. Austin is especially fond of our good friend, Natalie. I sure appreciate her heart for my children....her heart in general. She is a light to my family and Austin spent a lot of his time as a 3 year old loving her! If I could bottle her up and freeze her for the next 20 years, I'm sure she'd be a keeper for him :)

Austin is one fun-loving kid... he still loves slides and prefers them over the swings at the park.

Austin wanted to be in almost ALL my pregnancy photos. I love how he would wrap himself around that big belly. Most of my photos are of him and I, taken by Jaxon.

He is true dirt and trucks kind of boy.... most summer days I emptied pockets and shoes full of sand and dirt.

And most of all... I have loved the way his heart is shaping towards Jesus. He talks about God a lot and relates Him to so many things. The faith of a child is so simple and real. Much can be learned from my 3 year old's heart for Jesus!

How do I pick?

2011-12-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

So many great moments, qualities, and things involving this kid!! Can't believe his FOURTH birthday is here. We'll be celebrating our boy all weekend so look for some fun photos of our 3 year old who will be this age no longer in just a few days.... there are so many great memories with Austin as a 3 year old! How do I pick just a few??? He's such a fun, sweet, easy going boy. Enjoy the pictures as much as we've enjoyed our sweet little Austin :) Let the celebrating begin!!

Headed outside... his favorite place to be.

Playing Leapster with Dad...

Getting braver with Bay Carson...

Our animal lover...

More on this boy and this puppy to come... :)

Makes up fun all by himself often...

Becoming Dad's second side-kick... (sigh, it always seem to happen to me!!)

Getting braver like big bro Jaxon...

"take a picture of me with Carson" is what I hear more and more...

LOVES his bikes and cars...

Loves to just be goofy...

Will sit for long stretches and do puzzles, color, or paint at the ole dining room table...

Loves junk food :) and sneaks it often! (little stinker!!)

More to come... we're just getting started birthday boy!

gangsta Jaxon

2011-12-12T05:05:00.000-08:00

It seems when I download pictures these days I almost always have a few I didn't take myself... or know anybody else was taking! These always make me smile.... and then laugh a bit!! Who is he trying to be here? Oh Jaxon... you are becoming more and more a very funny and personality filled boy!

"that" mom

2011-12-04T08:44:00.001-08:00

I'm not going to lie... I never I thought I would be "that" mom, but totally LOVE when my boys dress alike! It's just too stinking cute :)

Kick-off to our Christmas Season

2011-12-02T07:58:00.001-08:00

Every year after Thanksgiving we head out to the local tree farm with some good friends to find the "perfect tree". Jen and I did the math this year and this marked our fifth season of practicing this tradition. Crazy how time flies by. I still remember that first year we decided to skip Menards and Flowerama for our trees and take the then little boys out to a real tree farm. My tree has started to be not only a sign of Christmas in our home, but almost every time I look at it I also think of friendship and smiling little kids running around the tree lot. It always makes me smile.

This year was much the same as past years... we bundled up, my husband insisted the first tree we saw was fine, I convinced him to keep walking, Matt found the tallest and fullest he could find, the boys chased and darted through the trees, the men pretended to cut the tree down and then called the real tree guys over to finish, we laughed a lot, made jokes, sipped on cider, ate popcorn, and just shared a simple yet special tradition that we just threw together 5 years ago. The only thing missing this year was Matt's plaid shirt! It has nothing to do with Jesus' birth or the real meaning behind this season, but has everything to do with friendship, family, love, fun, and tradition. And it is very good. It has become one of my favorite traditions we do and it all started on a whim decision not too long ago. The tree is cut and up and the Christmas season at the Hansen's has officially begun!

Funny story... this tree we are posing with is a fake. We did choose this tree. Matthew took a lovely family picture and we cut it down. (by we, I mean the tree guy that works there!) As we were hanging out in the little shed waiting for our trees to be bundled the tree guy returned and needed to chat with them about the trees. The dad's went out to chat with the tree guy and I thought nothing of it. They were back very quickly and I assumed all was well. Well, as the guys put the tree on our car I knew it wasn't our tree we picked out. Supposedly our tree was going to split and wasn't any good. Dave and Matt wasted no time getting another to take its place and all without involving the kids and wives :) As soon as they started tying it to our car I knew it wasn't the same tree... a fast one by my husband, but it did not go unnoticed. Needless to say, he did pick out a lovely tree for us in .5 seconds!

Checking out the situation...

Waiting for our tree... notice the decorated windows in the back ground? Those are re- purposed by Dave's aunt and cousin... don't they do an awesome job!?!?

The gang... five years and counting!

Let the Christmas season begin!

A bunch to be thankful for...

2011-11-28T11:29:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure how, but Thanksgiving has been here and gone. I can not believe we are turning the calendar to December the end of this week. Time flies when you're having fun! This Thanksgiving was extra special in a couple ways... one, it is the first Thanksgiving since my grandmother passed away and we always celebrated her birthday during this time, as well as usually enjoyed many of her delicious recipes. I did my best to copy her home-made rolls recipe, but it just wasn't the same as hers. We found our way back to my home-town for lunch with my side of the family. I was thankful to have a place to go and enjoy good food and family!

"Black Friday" we headed to Dave's "home-town" (sort a kinda) to gather with his side. It was Dave's Grandma Violet's 90th birthday this year on thanksgiving too! Wow, now that's a lifetime filled with thanksgiving! On Dave's side there are so many cousins running around that it is everything but quiet :) A few years ago, Dave's sister and hubby, built their dream home and with that included a gym attached to their house. Needless to say, this has become our new family gathering spot for just about everything! They did a fine job of having a vision for providing a gathering place for many people when they designed this home. It has truly blessed us all. Our kids LOVE playing at the "gym house"!

As the thanksgiving season has come to an end, my heart is over-flowing with gratitude for the faith we share and teaches us about love, grace, and life; family we have, our friends whom we live life closely with, our home church who walks with us in every season, our "things" in life that make our life easier, good health, and each other. At the end of the day I look back and can honestly say...life is very good. We are so blessed and God has been so good to us.

My parents with all 8 of their grandkids... soon to add 2 more!

Colorado cousins (and 1 Iowa gal :)

My brother brought his puppies...

and I ALMOST said yes to this little face :)

Carson and cousin Jazlyn just catching a bit of the FB game while we eat!

Gathered around the table.... part of us :) the rest were sitting on steps, couches, counter tops, and standing! We're a big group even for a big house!

Doesn't take long for the kids to find the hoops!

Thankful for a place like this to share family time!

My Babe... he's still got it at 34!! (wink, wink)

There are 2 swings hanging from rafters... the speed they spin at makes me want to puke, but these two love it!

And I can't believe I didn't get one picture of our neighbor Thanksgiving!! We have a house just two houses down from us. As homes close to us pop up for sale or rent I always start to pray hard for whoever moves into them. I truly believe community needs to exist amongst neighbors and I love having good neighbors around us who share part of our family life and who my kids interact with. We have been blessed beyond words with our newest neighbors just a yard away. They are the kind of friends who we can ask for a cup of sugar or just drop in to say hi. We play in the yard together and share meals and tools and laughter and tears. We are so blessed by them and we kicked off our Thanksgiving with this wonderful family! A perfect start to the Thanksgiving season!!

Carson is 4 months old!

2011-11-22T13:41:00.001-08:00

Um, my baby is 4 months old? Whoa, that flew by! I can say that now but it didn't feel like it was flying by the first couple months!! I am so happy to report this month that we have ourselves a pretty happy and content little man. No, he still doesn't like to sleep a ton, but he is happy! I will take it!!

Oh Carson...where do I start? He is teaching me SO much these days and I am loving having a baby in our home again. He has become a very smiley little man and will sit on your lap and coo with you all day if you want to. He "talks" a lot and loves to be on my shoulder watching what is happening around him. He recognizes all of us too and it is so fun to see his face light up when we give him some attention. He loves to lay on my lap and have me read board books to him, play on his floor mat and started to grab the little animals, giggle when you squeeze his chunky spots in his legs or under his arm pits, loves his bath usually, and likes to cuddle. He's just started to get in the bumbo chair and jumpy thing and the verdict is still out for how much he enjoys those. He also rolled over for the first time last week. His cloth diapers give him such a bubble butt though that he can only roll without it on :)

Sleeping wise- again, he is a "routine baby" I'd say. Wake up, nurse, awake time, nap, and that same routine all over again about 3-4 times a day. He takes anywhere from 30 min- 1.5 hr naps and I am slowly learning how to adapt to a babe who is unpredictable in how long he will sleep. The days I plan to accomplish something like laundry he naps for 30 minutes. The days I plan nothing and start nothing because I am sure he will wake up any minute he sleeps 2 hours and I could have cleaned my whole house in that time. (It's amazing how fast you learn to get things done when given very short amounts of time to accomplish anything or vise versa... how little you get done when you have a baby who never sleeps... I about died when my friend, Natalie, saw my laundry pile, er I mean mountain, this week!! :-) He is pretty happy in between these mini naps though and I am grateful for his happy temperament. He has also finally relaxed a bit with his eating schedule. He nurses about every 3 hours during the day and at night will go down usually between 7:30-8:30 and nurse once before he wakes between 7-8am. The last week he has been up a bit more at night, but I think he is having a little growth spurt...I hope!

He got his shots today and weighed in at 16 pounds and 24 1/4 in long. Supposedly, that is 80% and 15%. All in all, we are blessed beyond words with a very healthy baby boy and we have come to just love what he brings to our home! Happy 4 months sweet baby boy!

Thanks to big brother Jaxon he had a painted blue nose one night... I found him like this while making dinner. Oops, Carson was not impressed and it did not come off for a couple days. Kind of funny looking down at your baby with a blue nose!

Carson LOVES being outside.... oh, how we miss the warm fall days!

Our little rolling boy...

He is so sweet to watch sleeping.... yes, he is a tummy sleeper and loves his binkie and blankie tucked under his arm :)

Our chunky monkey!!

4 months old!

Lets see how fast he fills up my basket :)

caught ya!

2011-11-20T20:06:00.001-08:00

Barely got my camera out in time to catch these two just hamming it up the other day! They were smiling up a storm at each other, clearly impressed with each others view :)

And he might kill me some day for this picture, but how "Austin-ish" is this? :) Caught him!

Yup, clearly have no clue who wrote this on my window frame.... unless you know any kids in my house who can read and write and get the lids off of the markers... oh, wait, that leaves me with just one boy in mind??? :)

And lastly, I caught my little man with two favorite fingers in his mouth... just like his daddy did as a boy :) Like father, like son already!

turkeys and snowen

2011-11-18T13:02:00.001-08:00

The first snow has come... and gone! I don't know what it is, but I just can't wrap my head around the fact that the holiday season is here!! We still have bright yellow leaves falling, bikes in our garage being rid, and football games happening in the backyard. The first snow surprised my boys as they awoke one day last week and they were dressed and out the door by 7:30am building their first snowman. Two days later, I was making hand turkeys with the little guys. Oh, Iowa weather... you never surprise me!

A bunch of turkeys...

How funny does this snow guy look with green grass under him and fall leaves behind him?

Trick or Treat

2011-11-15T11:39:00.001-08:00

My boys love Halloween! We do everything pumpkiny, sweet, simple, with friends, and just have fun. We use pumpkin carving as a perfect time to share the idea that God cleans us out and uses us to shine for Him. I have some great childrens books that really help teach this image to our kids. The last handful of years we have done a little party at our house for anyone with young kids who want to come over for chili, kid food, and fun before trick or treating. It's become a really fun tradition we all look forward to. I love seeing the kids get all dressed up playing all over our house and yard. I really enjoy feeding people, even if it's basic chili and pigs in a blanket :) We had a beautiful day for the party this year, followed by a perfect night for trick or treating. I'm not going to lie, it was a busy few hours... but worth every barfed on shoe I had, spray painted head I saw, apple cider on my floor, and counter full of dishes left at the end of the night!!!

We started the afternoon fun by heading to school to see Jaxon in his costume parade.

There's Jaxon this year... a ninja :) His choice of costume this year, whatever it is they do!

Let the party begin... lots of cute kids to be found, but I was terrible at getting pictures this year!! Too much going on!

Our home was filled to the brim... and I loved every second of it!

Babies were EVERYWHERE!! I think I counted 9 new babies that were not here last year at this time! How crazy is that? God has been good to so many of us!!

I got nervous the food would run out. Some how the "real" food was all gone and I was left with pans full of pumpkin bars... how did that happen?

Getting ready to head out with Dad for trick or treating... a different year for us with Carson. I needed to nurse him so I stayed back and caught up to them at our friends home later. I hear the boys made out very well thanks to Dad's work crew :)

Ah, boys... what else can I say? This involved my son, his best friend, and a can of black spray paint. Need I say more?

Carson was a bear this year and he played the part well about 30 minutes after I put this on him.

Okay, so I never actually found a time to snap a pic of all 3 boys on Halloween... so a few days later counts too, right?

fall favorites...

2011-11-12T14:59:00.001-08:00

The days are shorter and the mornings so chilly you can't help but want that cup of hot tea to start your day. I down-loaded my camera and realized I had tons of fall pictures I never blogged. Here are a few of our favorite fall moments at our house.

Pumpkin carving with little friends!

Painting pumpkin faces with some of my daycare crew!

Our yard gets TONS of leaves every year. While it is work, I love it. And so do our boys :)

A lazy Sunday fall afternoon.... we have a picture of Dave as a kid on this same bridge outside of town. We drove out to check it and the river out.

It was a little high for me, so I hung out at the end and held on tight while snapping pictures :)

Halloween cookies, of course!! I had two great helpers for this project.

And they did a great job!

Little buddies finding their smiles at the same time... too precious!

This fall Austin has just clicked with putting puzzles together. He does all kinds and ones I would think to be too hard for him. He spends long stretches doing this, it's so fun to watch him.

More leaves and more leaves and more leaves...

Jaxon has mastered tree climbing and I have to tell him to come back down from WAY too high of places! Ah, boys!

And more leaves :)

And more leaves and more cute boys :)

What a beautiful time of year to be outside.

something new

2011-11-08T12:57:00.001-08:00

Attempting something new! Check out my "tasty food" tab at the top of this blog :)

marrying

2011-11-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

I love creating an atmosphere at our dining room table that provides space for good conversations... honest ones, humorous ones, simple ones, deep ones, everyday ones, real ones. As the boys and I ate our turkey sandwiches and munched on Austin's choice of cheese balls and apple slices we some how got to the topic of "marrying". Austin informed me, like he usually does with this topic, that he was going to marry Natalie someday. When I told him that I really liked the qualities Natalie had and I would love for him to marry a gal like her some day, I thought she was maybe a bit too old? (She is 21 today, he is 3 :) He just laughed and said he'd marry Eisley instead. :)
I then asked Jaxon what kind of girl he wanted to marry some day and he was very quick to ask "you don't have to get married do you?" Of course I told him no he didn't HAVE to, but what if he did... what would he like his wife to be like, IF he did marry someday? The answer he gave me in .5 seconds.... "she has to be really good at sports and a killer football player!" I look forward to meeting this killer athlete someday :)

pause moments

2011-11-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do is to "pause time" every so often with my family. I know you can't actually pause time, but I can really pause what is going on around us for a short period and provide an atmosphere where we can just connect, be filled with peace and simplicity, and just really be together. I don't do this enough, though if I did it all the time I'm not sure it would have the same effect on us. One of my favorite places to go to do this is our local Reserve center. It is filled with beautiful woods, trails, trickles of water and blue skies on a good day. There are no phones, TV's, computers, or schedules. Just us and God's creation. A perfect spot for boys to just be boys :) I took advantage of a lovely fall Saturday afternoon a few weeks ago and snuk my boys and a close friend over to the park for a bit. We did nothing but hike, run, walk, crawl, chat, listen, watch, and breathe fresh air. It was just perfect. Life just seems to get busier within our home these days and it is moments like this that help me stay focused on our purpose in this stage of life... pausing moments are a great way to fill myself up with fuel to work hard within all the fast paced moments that are often just as lovely, just not as simple paced.

Fall flying by...

2011-10-29T08:57:00.000-07:00

The days are getting shorter and fall seems to be flying by! The colors in our neighborhood have been beautiful this year and this morning we woke up to many of our leaves hitting the ground. Football, pumpkins, nature walks, and chili has made it's way into our lives and holiday music, snow-pants, Christmas goodies, and turkeys will be before us soon. Here's a few snaps of our fall days...

We pulled out the car seat cover to keep the little man warm...

Dad and Carson dressed in long sleeves for church... time to put the summer stuff away.

Hoodies for the boys as they enjoy snack outside a few more times...

Painting pumpkins...

Carving pumpkins...

Okay, this is any time of year :) Our buddy Natalie stopping by.... to check out Dave's sweet new ride. A 93 Camry WAGON! His old car was questionable to make it though the winter... this was our best and cheapest find. The boys love the backwards back-seat.... old school style! :)

Jaxon's art... he recently joined a local Youth Art Team for the fall and seems to really be enjoying it! A very fun first for him!! (and this is from art class at school... I love the creations he brings home to me)

Carson's last few weeks

2011-10-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

To capture Carson at this stage I have to write a few things before I forget, because he is changing and growing way too fast! In some ways I am ever so thankful and in other ways I wish he would just slow down!! I can not believe he is already 3 months old. I feel like we just brought him home a lot of days, but I suppose with 3 active little guys the days are going to just start flying by me.

I weighed him at a friend's house and he is roughly 14 pounds. His legs and second chin can prove it.... he has really plumped up this last month. He still eats more often then I would prefer, but I think we are heading towards a wider stretch in between feedings. He has been pretty consistent with nursing every 2-3 hours. Often times the late afternoons and evening feedings are barely 2 hours. Whew, that can get exhausting and makes it hard at times to do anything other then nurse and make dinner for the rest of us. Yet, I love the built in times of day for me to stop and just hold him and coo with him amongst the busyness in my house. At night though he will go down usually between 730-8:30 and when he doesn't have a cold (his current status) will sleep until 4ish and then wake around 730. I am thankful his nights are pretty good most the time. Too bad we don't seem to live in the "most the time" at the moment. For a boy who can sleep like a champ at night usually, he does not do the same during the day. I've never had to teach either of my first two how to nap. Carson.... let's just say we get lots of lessons together!!! He is more of a 30-45 minutes napper, but seems pretty happy and content when not sleeping, so I can't complain I have a crabby baby... just one who doesn't need much sleep during the day. Darn it! Now that he is getting so smiley and interactive it is more fun to hang out with him during his awake time. The first couple months he was just kind of crabby pants with me when not eating or napping. I must have been really boring him :) It's SO wonderful to have a baby that is content... finally!

I have decided to throw my goals of having any sort of schedule out the window and just stick to an everyday routine. I try to do the same thing in order each day to help Carson find some rhythm to his day and to understand when it is time to sleep and time to be awake and time to eat. I've had to juggle him around taking Jax to school, fixing lunch, picking Jax up from school and any evening activities we may have. I think I said this before, but the poor babe rarely gets to go down when he wants to or often time has to nurse early or late due to other's schedules in the house. I hate waking a sleeping baby, but he usually gets woken up to do a to and from school drop/pick up. Each day though he seems to get better at being flexible...slowly but surely :) My new frame of thinking is "15 minutes at a time". I do not plan much past 15 minutes because nothing seems to go as I planned when I do much past that, ha! I just never know these days. I think I am learning to be flexible more then Carson :)

I can not believe how crazy smiley and talkative he has gotten!! It is so fun! He would sit on my lap or in my arms and just laugh, coo, and squeal back to me for long stretches of time. I love seeing his personality bubble over and I think we have a bit of a little Jaxon on our hands :) He seems to really love faces and being talked to by anybody. For a babe who has shown me he doesn't intend to just "fall into line" here, I sure love him to pieces still and feel so blessed to have a beautiful and healthy baby boy. 3 months is a short time to fall in love so fast, but that is exactly what I have been doing!! :)

PS check out our 3 boys pics in the post below... I can't believe how much they look alike!

3 boys @ 3 months

2011-10-26T20:08:00.000-07:00

Jaxon at 3 months old...

Austin at 3 months old...

Carson at 3 months old...

3 months & counting...

2011-10-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

Our baby boy is 3 months today! We had a really fun play date this morning and our good friend, Katie, snapped away at our boy! I love them! Carson is becoming such a happy fun little guy!! It's so beautiful out today though, so I will leave you with these handsome pictures and come back when the sun isn't shining to write a bit on our 3 month old. Happy 3 months, Carson... we sure love you!

self portrait

2011-10-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

As I emptied my camera I found these pictures... the last one cracks me up! Apparently Jaxon had a little fun with my camera and while doing so he posed his best looks. Not sure who he is trying to be in the last photo? Must get that face from his dad :)

the boys of fall

2011-10-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

This is where we spent every Tuesday and Thursday evening for the last 7 weeks... right here on the side of the football field watching our boys practice their favorite game called football. Jax is in the orange with his arms around his buddies. He loves his football buddies!

The boys had GREAT coaches this year and they made the practice's really fun, as well as teaching them a thing or two about the basics to the game.

Our whole family came as often as we could to practice's. Austin always had siblings of other boys to play with and the parents were a super fun group this year. Some nights it was too chilly for Carson, but most nights he was a trooper :)

Jaxon handing off to his buddy, Gabe. You can tell these two play ball together every day! They worked really well together.

Coach Mike gathering the team for a play...

Napping baby Carson... we had 3 new baby's on the side this year! Carson, Simeon, and Finn were such good little babies at all the games... they will be out there before we know it!

The Dad's were awesome... they usually stuck around to play a little pick up game with the kids afterwards... I love watching them play together :) I'm not sure who had more fun... kids or Dad's?

The boys of fall... (and 1 girl, watch out...she was pretty good!!)

Austin stayed entertained with his cars at most games... I always brought him home full of softball field dirt and grass.

Another play in action...

Good season team Eagles! We had such a fun team this year... I loved the families we got to hang out with during the week and on Saturday mornings. It was a great group of nice kids and it was fun to watch them learn a game together. It sure went fast... we're already planning some fun play times because I think we're all going to miss this crowd (and game) a bit :)

okay, just a few more...

2011-10-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

hello Baby Austin

hot cocoa with cousin Amber!

Jaxon loved being a big brother from the start :)

Birthday lunch!

football themed party!

Baby Myles and G'pa

perfect cheeks for squeezing

pals

winter fun always ends with hot cocoa :)

family friend, Drey, and boys

Austin and Myles

Casey's Pop Run!

May Day baskets...

Boys and little buddy, Boaz

Longfellow soccer... such fun!

more old ones

2011-10-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

state fair, pregnant with Austin

late summer/early fall pool day :)

peter pan phase...

Jaxon and Baby Myles with DAve... MN wknd

Jaxon and Kyler in MN

my little reader

prepping baby room for Austin

napping together

Jen & Dave with Jax at Carrol's Pumpkin Farm

Mason & Jaxon at pumpkin farm

Uncle Aug & Aunt Katie used to come over each week for dinner and laundry when they were at UNI freshman year

trick or treating... Brent & Chris dressed for the occasion :)

Jax trick or treating at Katie & Jonny's :)

At friend, kris's, baby shower! Five kids between these 4 gals now :)

fun fall days

Christmas sweater party at the Brown Bottle with DTI crew...me days from having Austin :)


Wedding shower :) These two have two girls of their own now!

I am enjoying cleaning up my old pictures a bit too much! It's taking me waaaayyyy too long!!! :-)

old times sake

2011-10-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

Cleaning up my hard drive has me looking through old pictures.... and this is one job that makes me smile :) So many fun memories captured on one little computer drive! Can you find yourself in some of these? Enjoy! I may post a few more of random's here in the next few days....

Planting weekend for you???

2011-10-06T12:57:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year to split off and replant your perennials! We have tons of hostas, day lilies, tiger lilies, peonies, phlox, a red fall flowering plant, and yellow flowering summer plant. If you need plants, come this beautiful weekend and help yourself!!! All plants and flowers are free if you are willing to come dig them up and take them!! Pictures above are just a few varieties to choose from.... much more here! I even have a couple rose bushes I'd be happy to pass along too :)

a true fan

2011-10-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

Jaxon, unlike Austin a few weeks ago, LOVES Vikings games with his dad!!! Austin loved everything leading up to getting to the game and then was ready to head home. Jaxon can't wait to just get there! Dave has a couple cool connections through his job and the last couple years has been able to round up a couple pre-game field passes. Jaxon loves getting to hang out down on the side-line, shake hands with the owner, and meet the Vikings mascot. For a 6 and 7 year old boy who loves this game, that is pretty awesome stuff! There is talk the Vikings may be moving west and I am pretty sure I will have more then 1 sad boy in this house if that happens. For our father/son bonding trip sakes...I sure hope it doesn't happen!! Dave is sure molding a true fan in our eldest son!

at the end of the day...

2011-10-01T11:43:00.000-07:00

I love to just find the bed with my kids at the end of the day and cuddle while we recap our day and look forward to the next. Squeezing in between them is one of my highlights every day! Usually dad and the dog joins us too... I surely will miss these snuggle times when they decide they are too big or too old for their mama to climb in with them :) Jaxon always talks away as he tells us something from his day, Austin usually wants to know what he is doing tomorrow and what time I am going to wake up in the morning, and if Carson is awake still, he just lays and stares at his brothers or in my arms. Dave and I usually say our good-nights as we try to convince Jaxon that he needs to be done talking for the day ("just one more thing" he tells us) and Austin is asking for one last kiss and hug. ahhhh...... some days I can't wait for my day to end so I can get here :) What sweet little moments that help make up our family...

growing!

2011-09-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

This is Carson this week with this very cute hat on... I had to really squeeze it on and it pops off pretty easy now once you move him at all. His little ears don't even fit in anymore :(

And, here is Carson just 9 weeks ago! Holly and I were doing everything we could to hide the extra hat in the back of his head because it was so big!

I think we are all growing in more then one way around here lately... but Carson's is the most obvious (and cutest!!) :)

Before I forget...

2011-09-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to write this post for oh, say, about 4 weeks now! As I was in the thick of new baby stage I knew what I was feeling had to be recorded somewhere or I would forget all the "stuff" that has come with having this new baby in our home. Well, before I forget, I am writing as fast as I can right now while the boys are miraculously napping for a short time together today.

Where do I start? I guess at the very beginning... once upon a time a young mother prayed a big prayer for another little baby. The Big Man upstairs was feeling gracious enough to deliver this prayer to this young mother on July 22, 2011. Well, actually this little prayer was answered sometime in October of 2010, but mama got to meet this sweet baby boy on that very hot day in July. Mama welcomed the beautiful new baby with a heart full of joy, humbleness, love, and amazement. Another beautiful healthy baby boy... how could I be so lucky, she thought?!?!

The first sign of a rocky start should have occurred to this mother that first night in the hospital room when that sweet baby boy wanted to do nothing but nurse all night and cried in between all these nursing sessions. Surely, any other mama would recognize a baby who would not go ignored! Sweet little beautiful baby boy came home and sure enough, he proved he did not intend to be known as the third son who just did whatever he was told and was as flexible as could be around everyone else in his family. Sigh... As Baby Boy and Mama got to know each other, she started to notice this baby boy was not as much alike on the inside as he proved to show on the outside. Though he closely resembled his older brothers outside, his mannerisms did not match up. Big brothers were known as easy, laid back, calm, comfortable babies. Baby boy #3 was showing he did not care for that role.

Mama wasn't sure if it was a mix of everything or just the bumpy start to baby boys first few days (weeks I should say)... but she knew inside she didn't always feel that pure joy that is supposed to come with being handed the best gift in the world and the very desire of her heart. After only a couple weeks Mama was finding her insides were feeling quite tired, anxious, weepy, guilty, stressed, ugly, and just plain bad at times. Mama found herself up many nights crying in the middle of the night, impatient, annoyed, and just down at times. After bringing two older baby boys home and adjusting so well with them, she just didn't recognize herself most days. In between some really great and sweet and fun moments, Mama also found herself at the bottom of this roller coaster ride feeling the opposite! Who was she? Where had her old self gone? What should she do with this new Mama? Only One could possibly know...

Mama had to admit to herself that she was having a hard time transitioning to three little ones in her home. She also had to admit that she really needed some help, something that she didn't let herself do often, but she knew she needed it... from her poor husband living with the roller-coaster wife, from her friends who seemed to all have it together much better then she, from her neighbors who had no clue how much she needed to say yes when they offered to take her big boys or bring a meal or clean her floors, from her kid's friends mom's who made a play date look so easy at the drop of a hat, from the kind people from church who sent some money her way to help cover her maternity leave from her self-employed job, from the nice chiropractor who adjusted her rather cranky baby and made him fuss much less, from the kind firefighter who offered to carry her groceries while she juggled her 3 kids at the grocery store (was I that obvious!?!?), from her kind friends who let her just be tired and weepy and a little crazy.... as you can see in this story, what Mama started alone became nothing short of a group effort as she moved forward with her sweet new baby and new family of five.

What Mama was already learning was that He was not finished with her. She knew becoming a mother had taught her so much about herself, about God, about life in general. She was rather surprised when the third time around God once again was twisting her and turning her to make her even more into who He created her to be. Mama had been torn up before and learned mighty life lessons as she hung on for dear life, hanging by her threads. It seemed, in Mama's eyes, that she was experiencing the sometimes hard but very loving molding process once again. And what would a story be without a "happily ever after" ending? Mama knew they existed, but for a bit she forgot. You see, as young Mama let herself get stuck in the yuck and muck of her immediate surroundings, she forgot about the very big story really happening. At the end of all stories, He is there. The best part is that He is there before and during the story too. While the story may lead her down twists and turns, it always ends up right where He planned for her all along. Mama was reminded of this good ending as she read through Lamentations one day. A reminder that happily ever after ends with her Creator, the ultimate life giver and hope of this world....

At the end of the day Even though I have been so tired at times, felt so yucky about myself at times in the last few weeks, failed miserably at figuring out just what my baby needed at times, and just felt overly overwhelmed... I was reminded of God's very steady and constant love and desire for me to do well. The mix of little sleep, a semi-unhappy baby Carson, new routines and schedules, a rough start to 2nd grade for Jaxon, a family budget that was feeling very stretched, post-pregnancy hormones, mom guilt, and the very true reality of Satan using a little bit of bad self-esteem and taking it a mile on a new mom has had me at moments feeling just yuck. Yuck, yuck, yuck. Nobody likes to live in yuck. Adding Carson at just this time in life is teaching me sooooo much. While I don't like living in the yucky places, I do love and appreciate what I learn while I am there.

I had to write about this before I really started to forget. I don't know when it started happening but while I go through the motions here and embrace this stage of life, I am finding the joy seems to out weigh the yucky feelings much more these days. Those first few weeks were really hard and the last couple months have been a roller coaster for me. It seems we have more good days then bad now and I am loving that little Carson has started to find some routine to his life and is becoming such a happy little guy. He still isn't the best napper, but he is happy when he is awake! I seem to be able to juggle having 3 boys with a bit more style and grace then I started off with and everyone, I think, goes to bed at night feeling loved, happy, and cared for in this house. We are laughing and having fun and making great memories. I am learning a lot and know that it is in the really hard places where God shows me the most about myself. I love, love, love my new baby boy and being mommy to three amazing kids. I love my very hard working husband. I love my very understanding friends. I love my helpful family. I love my community and this place in life. God IS good and life here is a crazy ride sometimes...but who would change it? Not me :)

Baby is 2 months!

2011-09-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

Wow, 2 months since Carson has arrived. It has been such a blur for me. It seriously has gone so fast and such a variety of life we've had. Carson began life as a bit of a high maintenance baby, I have to admit. My first two were such calm and easy going babes. Carson was not so sure of everything those first few weeks. He wanted to nurse all the time, didn't sleep very well, and mostly just wanted to be held. Whew...this mama wasn't sure about some of her days!!! I pulled out my Baby Wise book and dug into that for a couple weeks trying to tweek his routine a bit. I worked really hard to have him eat, be awake for a bit, and then nap and then start that whole cycle over again. It took a few weeks, but we have gotten into a pretty decent cycle of that. I just really wanted to help him get some predictability in his life, so I could have a bit in mine too! He is sleeping pretty well at night now. Bed time between 8-9pm, nurse around 2ish, nurse around 5-6ish, and awake between 7-8. Not too bad for 2 months old. Sometimes he will just eat once at night even and those nights are so awesome! I love my sleep! Carson started smiling around 4 weeks pretty regularly and he's really started cooing back now. He makes good eye contact and I love seeing his face light up when he finds my eyes and sees my smile. His day time is going decent... not the best napper yet, but he is happy when he is awake, so that's not too bad. I can usually count on 1 good nap a day and the others are, well, all over. In his defense, he rarely gets to finish a nap since we leave twice a day to take and pick up Jaxon at school. Third child... just gonna have to be flexible :) Today he weighed in at 13lbs and 6oz, 23 1/2 in long! He is a growing boy! Life with Carson has already taught me so much. Perhaps I will post more on that on a later day. All in all, we have a sweet baby boy who is stretching my heart and filling it up each day he is here. I love him to pieces and am so thankful to be celebrating the life of another baby boy at 2 months old! His big brother Jaxon just adores him, Austin is starting to think he is kinda cool, and dad has even been caught a few times entertaining him :) Happy 2 months baby boy! We sure love you!

Carson...2 months old.

Our little chunky monkey!

So wide awake at 2 months and so alert. He's been a very alert baby from the very start!

Carson and his buddy, Jace.... 7 weeks apart between them.

Austin below...

Okay, our REAL chunky monkey!! This was Austin at 2 months old... look at his cheeks!?!?

Austin here again... mop of dark hair and more cheeks. Carson definitely resembles Austin, but a bit more on the smaller side of big :)

Jaxon below... at 2 months

Jaxon was a sweet baby with very calm mannerisms.

He also was one of the happiest, smiliest babies I have ever been around! look at those smiles at 2 months!

A happy and chill Jaxon.

Carson again...

This is Carson cooing and talking... he has been such a chatter bug, whether he is sleeping or awake, he likes to make little noises :) He is really starting to coo back and smile big when you talk super nice to him!

He has a serious face too... :)

little ladies

2011-09-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

These are the little ladies in Carson's life right now... so precious!

Cousin Jazlyn and Carson are already comfortably 2 months into life here (well, almost 2 months for Carson). They are growing so fast! It is fun to see them get big together.

And small group Baby #5 is here! How sweet is little (okay, BIG -9lb 8oz!!) baby Eisley laying next to Carson. I think they were only about 2 pounds difference between them in this picture. We are pretty excited she is finally here and I can't wait to see all five babies lined up next to each other. Toby (baby #1) will be crawling all around them and Eisley (baby #5) is still getting the hang of this new place... such an amazing pace babies grow as they develop into little people!

As much as I love little baby boys... these little ladies are pretty darn amazing too!!!!

when did u get so old?

2011-09-18T13:35:00.000-07:00

Dave and Jaxon are away this weekend to a Vikings game. Beautifully, my two younger boys have napped the same hours this afternoon and I've tackled some much needed laundry, blogging catch-up (see below!), baking for the week, and giving Austin a very much needed hair-cut! Whoa... he tried a shorter look today. When did he get so old??? My baby is growing up...

cub & a spark

2011-09-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

Wow, this fall is a lot of new things for us! I can not believe Austin is old enough to tag along with big brother to Awanas this fall. Austin was SO excited to go and Jaxon was SO sweet helping him get settled into the program the first couple nights. I really like the Awanas program they go to and am also so happy they enjoy going. They do such a great job of helping our kids hide God's word into their hearts and add to their encouragement of loving God and people. Jaxon remembers so much from what he learns here and Austin already is picking up on some great Bible knowledge. As I parent I am learning that my kids learn just as much outside the home as they do in it. I am thankful for a place like this that my boys can go and make friends, learn truth, and be loved. Here are the boys the first night... don't they look too cute? :) We've got a cubbie and a sparkie this year!!

I lub my friends

2011-09-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

I recently went back to my in-home child care "job" after a very quick 6 weeks :) Knowing I have to work a little bit to make our family budget work, I am so so thankful I have a job I can do from home. Being able to stay home with our kids is such a priority on our list and where my heart truly is. Being able to work from home doing what I enjoy doing is such a gift. I love being with kids, enjoy teaching them, and providing for them. I had a lot of changes with child care over the last 6 months and this fall kicks off a whole new crew! (well, almost new... new to me and my schedule!)

Austin was so excited to have some friends here to play with again. However, the night before the first kids came as I was telling him who was coming he said "okay, and can my friends that I lub come too?" He was ready for his buddy Jakey and Avery :) I love how he says "love...lub" right now and it was so stinking cute and kinda sad because I had to tell him no. Good thing he loves people easily. I'm sure our new crew will be on his "lub" list very soon!! Welcome new friends!

Ayden, Austin, and Madi having first snack together :)

Jace and Addelyn waiting patiently for lunch :)

Addelyn and Austin making up fun in the tent!

doesn't he looked thrilled?

2011-09-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

If you know my husband you know he is NOT a baby man! He loves our kids, don't get me wrong... but he would prefer they all come out about 9 months old :) This was a moment when he actually held him for more than 2 minutes. I couldn't resist. I had to snap a photo of the two guys before I picked him up. Doesn't Dave looked thrilled? ha-ha-ha-ha

CF Tigers!

2011-09-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

My boy's favorite season has arrived.... football! Dave starts counting down the days starting at the end of the last season...and I am not kidding. Now that our boys are getting old enough to stay out a bit later on a Friday night they are loving getting in a little CF Tiger fun. We've got some good friends who also love them some good football and friend time! Here is a kick-off to the season with a pre-game pizza party... by the time they headed out the door this mama and a certain 2 little boys were more into a movie and popcorn night :) hey... those games start late!

take 2

2011-09-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

Getting a "good" picture of all three of my boys these days is proving to get harder as we add more boys! I usually snap about 5-10 pics and hope for the best :) Here are a few of my attempts... Carson seems to be the easiest to work with and he's the baby! Ha! However, I do love the faces I get in all my attempts to get the "good" one. They are sometimes my favorite because it is SO them:) Either way, such sweet little moments happening so much here these days in between the hurry and hustle of life.

First Timer!

2011-09-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

Dave took Austin to his first Vikings game a couple weekends ago. Austin was pretty excited to be going by himself with his dad. They had a very fun day planned! Dave took him for a picnic lunch, a trip to the awesome Indoor park, Mall of America, out for dinner, games outside Vikings stadium, and to the game of course. Austin LOVED the entire day... until about 2 minutes into the actual game :) Then he asked if they could go. Ha!
On the other hand, I was home with Jaxon and Carson and we hit up the Air Show in town. While I thought the Thunderbirds were amazing and even brought to tears to my eyes at their amazing skills and representation, Jaxon was ready within about an hour of the whole afternoon. I think we may have switched our entertainment around on our two boys, oops :) All in all, it was a great day and big reminder that we need to set times up more often of good one on one time with each of our boys. I loved the evening I had with just Jaxon while Carson slept and Dave got to really be with Austin with no distractions. Much needed for all of us I think.
Thanks dad for planning such a fun day for Austin! Carson will be waiting in line for his turn in the cities soon enough! And don't worry boys... next time we will send Jaxon to the game while Austin and I find us something that has wheels or flies :)

Excuse This House

2011-09-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

Thought this was appropriate for my home right now. These days I am happy if I can unload my dishwasher or fold a load of laundry in the same day, but I am happiest if I made time to sit down enough to see into my boy's eyes and just really be...

Excuse This House

Author: Unknown

Some houses try to hide the fact

That children shelter there,

Ours boasts it quite openly,

The signs are everywhere.

For smears are on the windows,
Little smudges are on the doors
I should apologize, I guess
For toys strew on the floor.

But I sat down with my child
And we played and laughed and read
And if the doorbell doesn’t shine,
His eyes will shine instead.

For when at times I’m forced to choose
The one job or the other,
I’d like to cook and clean and scrub,
But first I’ll be a mother.

never say never

2011-09-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

I think when I had Jaxon and someone asked me if I was going to try cloth diapers I said something like "never in a million years". :) Well, as I usually learn with things in my life... never say never! I did not use cloth diapers for my first two boys. However, when Dave's sister showed me her super cute, super (fairly) easy, and super financially smart cloth diapers.... how could I not?!?! I waited until my boy was 10 pounds and out of that poop 10-12 times a day stage. I have loved the new diapers! Heidi uses super cute fabrics and has a new fleece liner that is soft for baby's bum and easy to clean. I love how well they are working and how much money they are saving us!! If you ever considered cloth diapers, check these out! She does make them and sell them and I totally support her product! I can't believe I gave into these, but am so glad I did. Thanks Aunt Heidi!!!

PS Heidi makes these for a fraction of the cost that you find on-line...well worth the up front money :)

3 of my favorite things

2011-09-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

Every night the last thing I do before I get into my bed is check on my boys one last time. I love to see them sleeping peacefully and whisper a prayer over them before I end my day. It is one of my most favorite times of my day. It is such a habit that the few times I have been so tired and forgotten, I have almost fallen asleep and then wake with a startle, knowing I won't be able to go back to sleep until I crawl out of bed and sneak into their rooms. I love sleeping little boys... sweet little faces breathing and dreaming good things.

first friends

2011-09-02T01:38:00.000-07:00

You may remember a past picture of our small group gals... 4 of us pregnant and 1 little man already here. Well, we are down to one more to arrive...and very soon! Here are the latest three bundles of joy. It is such a blessing to have friends surrounding us with kids close to our own boy's age. Some of Jaxon and Austin's best buddies today were their first little friends as infants. We're so grateful Carson is going to have some peers his age running around at get-togethers and gatherings over the years with our friends! Plus, aren't they so stinking cute!?!? :-)

Carson turned 1 month!

2011-08-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

Carson turned 1 month old last week and it's taken me until today to down-load the camera pictures to post this! My friend, Danielle, gave these cute little sticker ties to me for a baby gift...what a great idea! They are so cute, I love them! Here he was on August 22nd. He is already showing to be a character of his own... he is not like either of my first two babies really. It will be fun to continue to see what his personality will be as he gets bigger each day. I already can't imagine life without him! We love you Carson Benjamin! Happy 1 month of life here with our crazy crew :) You have survived! ha!

a helping hand

2011-08-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

I can't let this season go by without without brinigng light to the simple gestures that make life so much better for me when I am adjusting to something new in life, such as a new baby :) Bringing Carson home has been a beautiful, wonderful time for me... but I would be lying if I said it hasn't been hard at times. A new baby brings a big shift into this family dynamic and while we couldn't be happier with our new bundle of joy, we are having to figure out a new routine here amongst us five.
My mornings are getting a bit more in rythem as I try to balance being up before my 2 big boys in time to have their breakfast made, clothes laid out, school things ready, myself clothed if not showered, and time for nursing before I get Jaxon out the door to school. Some mornings I go to school in my shorts I wore to bed and my hair under a hat. Some mornings Carson cries longer then I prefer while I finish packing a school snack or brushing my 3 year olds teeth.
The day is filled with baby feedings, diaper changes, baby cooing, getting baby to take a nap or two or three, a tiny bit of house maintance, and as much time as I can give to Austin to explore outside or ride a bike or paint his name or work on his numbers or read from his Bible or anything else he'd like to try or learn. Lunch is made or pulled out from the fridge and enjoyed around the table together, usually while I nurse Carson and attempt to eat at the same time. Books are read and Austin naps and I care for Carson some more. I might make a grocery list or two, read a devotion, sort some laundry, return phone calls and emails, pick up a room, or on a really good day...sneak in a nap! We get Jaxon and have snacks and hear about his day.
Then the part of the day comes when I try to figure out what exactly we are going to eat for dinner. Some days I got it down and some days...not so much! This is where I feel so much gratitide for the friends and family in my life who have carved time out of their own lives to prepare food at their house, make a mess of their kitchen, clean up their kithcen, tend to their own kids while doing this, and haul a wonderful meal over to our house to enjoy a yummy home cooked meal.
I can not explain the amazing gift of a good meal while I transition here as a mom of three :) We had an out pour of helping hands bring us awesome meals after Carson was born. I couldn't think of anything more helpful during this stage and I really want to remember just how great this gesture was to me, so I can pay it forward myself in the future. I even have 3 meals in my freezer made by friends for when I return to work next week doing daycare here. My mind rests a little better knowing I can take "prepare a good nutritional meal for family" off my list for a few days as we keep walking forward in this new stage and figure life out a bit more each day. So to all you out there who has ever taken a meal to a friend, family member, neighbor, or even stanger.... THANK YOU for being a helping hand at that time. It is by far one of my most favorite gifts!!!!

Crazy, maybe?

2011-08-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

You may finish reading this post and think I am the craziest mother out there. I think my husband would take your side on this one, even though it turned out very well, despite the risks involved :)

So, this day started with a quick phone call from Dave's parents just a few days in advance asking if we wanted to go to Adventureland. Seems fun enough... a majority of the Brody clan was going and who wouldn't want a fun day with cousins and family at an adventure themed park? Well, Dave couldn't go and I had 3 boys on my own, including a 3 week old!! I was torn and had about 1 hour to make a decision. Hormones running high, mom guilt setting in from the last couple weeks of feeling like a boring mom and not doing enough fun things with my middle child, end of summer, school starting, hormones running high (oh, did I mention that!?!), trying to "do it all", and a bad decision maker these days and I found myself bawling for a good 20 minutes before I made a quick and final decision. One phone call to Dave's mom and I was committed. I was taking 3 kids, including my 3 week old to Adventureland in 3 days. Yikes! I had a pit in my stomach for the rest of that night and then woke up the next day and decided..."I was going to make this work and had a great group to go with to help me when I couldn't!!". I really wanted to do something fun with my big boys before summer ended and I really wanted Austin included in something fun outside the house. Jaxon has had lots of fun play dates since I had Carson and Austin has been a trooper and just hung out here a lot of the time. This could be a really fun day trip if all my ducks fell into a row!

Well, as you can see from WAY too many pictures on this post that we had a GREAT day!! Things timed really well for feedings for the babe, my big boys behaved awesome all day, I had amazing helpers, and the weather was perfect. I am so glad this crazy lady decided to go and I am just as thankful that the day went so well. What a perfect ending to summer :)

With in 5 minutes of getting into the park Jaxon rushed off with his cousins to find a ride! See him with his arms up...let the fun begin!

Austin had his eye on the train ride and nothing else until he could sit on that train!!! Here's a bunch of the cousins waiting to board the train!

All Aboard! Austin and cousin Myles :)

So, Jaxon was onto bigger and faster rides then Austin...or me :) Austin however, LOVED the kiddie rides!

He literally rode these trucks about 8 times!

Some of the ever so helpful helpers!!! THANK YOU to G'pa and G'ma Brody for holding babies and filling in wherever and whenever needed!

Another fave of Austin's... around and around he went on his sweet wheels :)

G'pa was good at holding sleeping baby while I got to play with Austin... a much needed day for me and my middle boy!!!

Cousins having fun!

We looked like quite the caravan with all our strollers!! 2 singles and 2 doubles here and 1 was in action some place else! Holy little kids!!

Jaxon was good about doing a few small rise with his brother... I sure appreciate his great Big Brother skills!

Uncle Kyle made Jaxon's day SO FUN! Thank you Uncle Kyle for taking Jaxon (and all the big cousins) on the "big kid" rides. His day would have been much less fun without your help!

We survived...and were all smiling when it was time to go home! Thank you G'ma & G'Pa for treating us all to a fun family day...it was great!!!

Austin's first choice of fun :)

3 wks came and went

2011-08-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

I'm just a little behind because Carson's 3 week mark came and went already! Here he was with his brothers the day he turned a short 3 weeks old. He sure is a sweet baby boy!

one last time

2011-08-21T08:29:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that this mom and her boys spend as much time at the community pool that we can in the summer. I love having a nice pool in our town to take our kids to to spend time together, see friends, play in the water, and enjoy their childhood on lazy summer days. I hope my kids have fond memories of doing just that during their summers. At the pool I am not distracted by laundry, cleaning, and other random things at my house and can only play and watch my boys...it's a wonderful needed oasis :) Once Carson arrived I knew my time would be slim to none at the pool. I really didn't want my boys to have to miss out on the last month or so at the pool. We have had such awesome friends offer to take them and as a mom I have felt so blessed to have those other mom's and friends step in to make sure they were getting some fun pool time! I had to get to the pool one last time this summer with my crew. It was great. I waited til boys had napped, been fed, and off we went. We were meeting some friends there, so I knew I had some back-up help if and when needed!! I loved being able to play with my big boys at this stage in their childhood and hold onto their little hands as I pulled them around the water and tossed them in. Carson woke at the very end and I nursed him as the sun started to set and just breathed in the smell of summer all around me as I felt fall just beginning to come in. It was a perfect last summer pool day with my boys...all three of them :) Thank you to my dear friends who have spent time with my big boys at the pool while this mom was cuddling and feeding a new babe at home! We'll be back in full force next June!!

One last time at the pool for the summer...

A New Year!

2011-08-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can not believe the school year has kicked off already! This summer just flew by (though I did not feel that way about mid-July, 38 weeks preggo and 110 heat index! :) This is the first year Jaxon wasn't totally excited to head back... he kind of wished for a few extra days off. He was looking forward to seeing his friends though, a locker all to himself this year, and the new wing his classroom would be in. Second grade does come with a few perks for a 7 year old boy :) We are happy to see him begin a new year with good friends in his class and a new set of things to learn and experience.

To begin our school year we baked our "Back to School" cake together the day before... who doesn't get excited for cake?!?!

"Back-Pack night" We literally picked our two big kids up from the pool (they were there with friends) and went straight to Back Pack night... just seems weird to be swimming at the pool and then have to go to school. Sigh.... the final days of summer. Austin insisted on wearing his backpack too. He would have stayed if we would have let him I think?

THE locker he has been talking about all summer! He looks so old standing next to a locker!!

Night before school I make his favorite meal and then we celebrate with Back 2 School cake. Usually a grandparent or two can come and this year a few family friends stopped by to pray for and wish Jaxon a good year. As our kids enter school and our friends kids do, I have found it so important to cover them in prayer... prayers for them as individuals, their teachers, the school, his peers, safety at the school, the principals, and all the people that influence my child's day at school. As our kids spend more and more time in the schools I know the best thing I can do is pray for them as they go and learn life here away from home. We feel really blessed to have such a great school and friends and family who pray for our kids as well as they travel this path.

First day as a 2nd grader!!! Looking good, big boy! Happy School Year to you!!

foggy days

2011-08-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

It seems when you bring a new born home that the following days are a bit foggy. Days and nights run together and the normal routine of life you knew before is quickly thrown out the window as a new one starts to take shape. I knew with two older ones at home that I needed to provide some normalcy, yet be okay with the chaos that would probably come naturally for a bit. Our days have definitely looked a bit different since Carson has arrived, but they have been really good mostly and I hope my big boys enjoyed their last few weeks of summer... baby brother included :) I tend to get overwhelmed with people right after I have a baby. I like to hide away in my house with my family and just get to know my new little one and our new family dynamic. This means I don't leave the house much, answer my phone much, or even my door at times. I don't want to be rude, but I just need those first few weeks to adjust and love on my new babe. I have had some great help step in to keep Jaxon entertained and Austin even at times too. We've also just done a bit more creative playing inside and unfortunately a bit more TV/movie watching. When you are nursing every 2 hours it seems easiest at times to just put the movie on and sit with my kids to watch while I nurse. Even in these foggy days I've tried to make them fun for my big boys since it is their summer break! I am slowly feeling the fog rise and it's good to feel a bit more in a routine. School starts tomorrow and I know I am going to have to put my fog lights on to get a jump start back to the school year!!

domino walls... a fun morning activity :)

Carson tried out his floor play mat... and for the most liked it!

We've snuck in some great visitors here and there...

I have snuck in a few naps here and there too... :)

Carson has worked on his double chin...

Brothers have bonded...

We've made the most of baby nap times, backyard pool, and hot sunny days...

Carson even joined us outside a few days for picnic's and pool time :)

And we've made forts...inside and outside...a fort is always a welcomed fun project by boys!!

first bath

2011-08-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Look who did NOT like their first bath? Poor guy... screamed from the time I stripped him down until I wrapped him in a towel again.

After a very quick bath, he finally was content again. Good thing him and I are on a similar bathing rotation right now.... about every few days is all either of us can get in these days! Lucky him, not so lucky me :)

pie auction

2011-08-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

For the last few years Jaxon has made a pie with my mom for the 4-H pie auction. Jaxon enjoys baking and it's a great cause to help out. We plan to have our boys in 4-H once they get a bit older and I like supporting the program while we wait for that day to come. I love what the program stands for and what it helps teach families together. We usually get out to the fair, but we had a new baby that week this year. Grandma took them for a quick morning trip over there to see the animals, but they would have enjoyed a bit more time! This year Austin got to help make a pie too... Grandma brought all the pie stuff and made it super easy to do while I just held my new baby :) I forgot to take a final picture, so all you get is their prep time. I heard they sold for a good price AND even better, they tasted good too! Good job boys and thanks Mom!!

(PS I am catching up on blog posts, so check my first few from today below :)

Brotherly Love

2011-08-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Jaxon is at a great age to bring a new baby home! He has totally surprised me with how helpful and in tune to Carson he is. He constantly holds him, often just picking him up to cuddle. He often lays next to him and just talks to him. He often is the first to tell me... Carson is crying, Carson is awake, Carson is acting hungry, Carson fell asleep. When I come out of my room in the morning with Carson he is first to say "HI CARSON"! Almost 7 1/2 years between these two, but I think Jaxon is going to have a soft spot for his littlest brother :)

I love watching these boys learn to love each other, all 3 of them!

PS I am catching up on blogging pictures so don't miss my first few posts from today :)

#22

2011-08-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

Every spring the kids and I make a "summer to-do list". We list all the things we hope to do that summer and post it on the fridge so we can look forward to the things not yet crossed off. We usually get everything done, but some summers go by before each thing happens. #22 this year was "go camping". Dave had the week after Carson was born off, so he tackled this activity with the big boys one night in the backyard. It was a bit muggy and I am kind of happy I had a good excuse to sleep inside...even if I was up nursing all night! I was only able to get these two pictures of the boys as I snuck out in the pitch dark to snap a few with a new baby in my arms. The boys had fun and Dad survived... they even lasted all night out there!

Hello Greats!

2011-08-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

Just a couple days after getting home from the hospital Carson and cousin Jazlyn were able to meet their Great Grandma Violet! I think they were a bit heavy for Grandma, but we did get them both into her lap for a few pictures. It's so cool to look at the generation gap between these two and know so much history lies between them.

slowly but surely

2011-08-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

Austin is what I would have called the most excited to meet Carson before he arrived. He is the child who talked to my tummy, hugged my belly, talked about what he was going to do with Carson, brought him up in conversations, and got excited to get baby things out. I was just as excited to have him come meet him in the hospital. I will never forget hearing Jaxon's voice coming down the hall or his smile as he entered that room to meet him the first time. Austin was a few steps behind and his reaction was.... well, priceless too, but not how I expected! He glanced over at the tiny baby and said hi. He then proceeded to find Dad and ask when he could go get a treat :) His interest was small and he would rather look at the rocks out the window and find something to play with in the room. Well, I am happy to say Austin is slowly warming up to Carson! I really think he thought he was getting an instant playmate when his baby brother arrived. A lot of the things Austin talked about doing with him before hand.... going down the slide, sleeping together, going swimming, riding bikes, playing cars.... well, that wasn't happening just yet. The last week or so he has been warming up though and has asked to hold Carson out of nowhere or has come over to look at him and talk to him. I have no doubt these two younger boys will be buds before too long :)

Austin said "take a picture of me with Carson"

Wanting to hold him before bed...

Holding onto him for more then 2 seconds :)

Actually wanted to get in this picture! He'd been avoiding Carson pics :)

Still his favorite snuggler... Kasey girl :)

2 weeks old

2011-08-08T13:24:00.000-07:00

Carson is just a tad over 2 weeks old and we went to the doc today to have his first check-up. He weighed in at 8lb and 4 oz and 20 1/4in. I knew if I didn't blog this I would forget, so don't mind all my details if they get boring to you!! He is nursing every 2-3 hours right now and sleeps like a baby... asleep for a couple hours, awake for an hour or more, asleep, awake, and so on. Some nights are a bit foggy with cut-up sleep, but these days are short lived, so it's okay :)

As for the rest of us after 2 weeks... I think we are adjusting okay. I am loving my new baby boy, yet finding my way as a mom of 3 instead of 2 right now too. My hardest part has been feeling so stretched between 3 kids at very different ages. I miss my good one on one time with my big boys, but know I would miss my tiny baby if I didn't just hold him and nurse him now. I am hoping to get some big boy dates in soon, even just hanging in the backyard pool or a morning walk. I've snuck some of this in, but not enough. Jaxon has been my awesome helper and really seems to enjoy holding Carson and entertaining him when I need a shower or to make a meal. Austin is laid back enough to just kind of go with the punches right now and I'm thankful for that. Dave is getting very familiar with the grocery store aisles and sale days and running any errands I need done :) I've decided that during these 6 weeks off I am going to spend my time caring for and nurturing my 3 boys, cleaning the clothes we need to get by, and feeding them... the rest of "life" can wait til we've had our "baby-moon" here at the Hansen house for a bit. Jaxon starts 2nd grade next week and summer is quickly turning into fall... life will snatch us back up before we know it!!

how do I pick?

2011-08-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

Carson's 1 week old newborn pics... well, a few of them. I have A LOT to pick from.... but they are all so stinkin good!! How do I pick!?!? It was really fun to take them with my sister-in-law, Holly. Having a talented photographer in the family is a HUGE gift!!!! :)

we'll miss you!

2011-08-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

Just a few weeks ago I blogged about my love for baking and passing it down to my kids. I spoke of my grandmothers who shared their gifts in this area with me growing up and just how much it impacted me. Yesterday one of these wonderful ladies passed on from this earth and joined her son, daughter, and many others in heaven. I have no doubt she is happy and painless and feeling God's love as He embraced her as she went home. My grandma was a lovely lady. She was traditional, classy, giving, compassionate, patient, forgiving, kind, helpful, and wise. She lived a remarkable life and raised a bunch of great kids. She always had a cookie or home baked cinnamon roll or hot bread with her jam or a piece of pie or a cup pf coffee for you when you visited. She always had room at her table for "just one more" and could feed a few or a houseful if needed. She could whip up the best home made waffles, eggs, and bacon for you when you stayed over night or just showed up in the morning. When we were little she would go out to the garden with us and pick beans, raspberries, and tomatoes. When I slept at her house I always could smell the hydrangea tree just below my bedroom window or the old perfume smell that lingered in my aunt's old room. She gave to many...and served in many areas. She wrote letters back and forth with me after I went to college and always reminded me to be good and enjoy whichever season of life I was in. She loved the Lord and read her Bible as much as she baked goodies from her old farmhouse kitchen. She was a great grandma and I will miss her. What a gift to have spent the time I had with her and I will no doubt pass on a handful of things she showed me as I grew up just down the lane from her on the old family farm. Grandparents are such a gift!
Welcome Home, Grandma!

Photo Card

2011-08-02T09:11:00.001-07:00

Storytime Blue Baby Announcements

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Happy B-Day to our fave guy!

2011-08-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday today to our favorite husband and daddy!!! Here's a few pic's of our favorite guy and some of the reasons we love him!!!

He's the first person to greet our little boys with me and nothing makes me happier then getting to do that with him... he's the earthly partner I need in this life to bring these boys home and raise them!

He deals with tired cranky kids to make things like fireworks and late night football games fun and memorable...

He works hard to help care for our home...

He has one of the biggest hearts I know and will serve wherever needed...

He plays with our kids...

He takes time and reads to our kids...

He does things that drive him crazy, like putting things together with a million parts, for our kids...

He gets home from a long day at work and plays some more with our boys...

He does special things for his wife... like surprise carpet and other super nice treats!!

He teaches our kids to work hard and encourages helping each other out...

He plans super fun (and super cheap) vacations for us...

These are just a handful of reasons to celebrate our man today! We love you, Babe, and hope you have a really great year being 34!!!! Thanks for all you do to care for us and make our life complete!

gotch ya!

2011-07-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

I love those first few sleepy smiles new babies give you. I usually get them right after he's done nursing or in the middle of a deep sleep. I caught one on camera! So sweet!! Can't believe it's been 1 week... we love us some new baby Carson!!!

fearfully & Wonderfully Made

2011-07-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

Last picture of Baby Carson in my tummy. 39 weeks and almost time to meet him!

July 22nd we had our dear friend, Miss Natalie, come over for lunch and we headed to the hospital! She stayed with our boys and we checked in around noon ready to meet our third son. Our last photo as a family of four!

The delivery went really, really well. I will never forget Jaxon running into the room shortly after he arrived saying "Carson...where is he?" with the biggest genuine grin on his face. It makes me melt every time I think of it. He climbed right up and wanted to hold him and has held him probably 100 times already.

Carson Benjamin was born at 4:07pm and weighed 7lbs 11oz (exact same as Austin weighed) and was 20 in long. He has dark hair like his brothers did and his mama's dimples, like his brothers too. Most people have commented how much he looks like Austin...yet a more narrow or petite face like Jaxon had.

Carson had his name picked out months ago, after a State capital search of name ideas, like Jaxon (Jackson, MI) and Austin (Austin, TX). Carson came from Carson City, NV. Benjamin came from our sweet little friend Ben that passed away last May and was Austin's little buddy. A reminder that God is a life-giver, ultimately and even through pain, He gives life. Carson is a welcomed life that we feel an incredible amount of thanks for and want to praise God for showing us life again through the miracle of a child.

I was able to do skin to skin for the first hour he was born, so they waited to weigh him and here is a first shot of his little body after that.

Proud Daddy!

Our fresh new family of five... I love it.

Requested to hold Carson again.... he's so proud :)

Having two energetic little boys in a small hospital room can get tricky... we used the jacuzzi tub for fun one afternoon :)

Austin didn't get too close at first... by day two he was willing to peek in and say hello.

A sleepy baby after his first night of nursing all.... night....long. Literally. Thankfully that has slowed down some!

Wide eyed baby boy!

Getting ready to head home... my Hansen boys! I do not predict a boring life ahead of me :) Four of my most favorite people ever!!! Blessed to be wife and mom to this crew!

Heading home...

First Brothers picture :)

They were excited to put him in the van... we got a play by play all the way home about what Carson was doing.

HOME! A beautiful sleeping baby boy... a sweet moment in our home. Every night as I lay my kids down to sleep, before I say goodnight, I tell them they are fearfully and wonderfully made. I couldn't help but lay Carson down and feel God's promise in my heart for this little one too. Fearfully and wonderfully made indeed! We love you Carson! Welcome to this crazy family!!

Thomas & Friends

2011-07-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

115 degree days means this very pregnant mama is NOT spending much time outdoors, unless we are fully dunked in the pool! Wow, has it been HOT!?!? When this box arrived from the UPS man I couldn't help but figure out something to entertain my kids with it. Austin was napping and Jaxon helped paint the entire thing. Once Austin woke up we were able to create our very own Thomas Train. Austin loves Thomas and just trains in general, so he was pretty excited! He couldn't wait for it to dry and luckily this entertained my kids for a whole afternoon while we avoided the outdoors :) Austin's quiet little personality (yes, he has a very quiet, stick to himself side for those that can't believe that about a Hansen boy!) climbs in at times just to color or look at a book or just lay down or drive his cars in there. And Jaxon was such a sweet big brother wanting to get it done for him and so excited to show him the finished product. Just another simple summer day in our house... I love these days at home with my boys, 115 heat index or not!

Happy 10 Years, Babe!

2011-07-21T06:14:00.000-07:00

Last year on our way out to our traditional Brown Bottle anniversary dinner!

10 years ago today! Can't believe 10 years have gone by... Happy Anniversary, Babe! Looking forward to many more...

recent accomplishment

2011-07-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

Austin spent most of breakfast trying to get this to work one morning. Nobody showed him this trick that I know of. I just looked over because he was being so quiet and he was trying to get his spoon to stay on his nose. About 7 minutes later he walked into the kitchen like this..."Look mom" he said. It made me smile :-)

Strawberries & Smoothies!

2011-07-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

I tried something different this summer with the boys... we went to a local strawberry farm and picked our own strawberries! They loved it! Jaxon was especially good at picking them and finding good ones and Austin was especially good at following us and eating them as we went :) I wanted to gather enough to freeze for the summer because we're always making fruit smoothies. If you picked your own at this farm it was $1.59 a pound! A great deal for fresh strawberries. I think I found another little tradition to do with the boys. Strawberry picking every summer may need to make our summer wish list every year!

I was bummed I forgot to take my camera to the farm, so here we are returning with our berries.

The boys helped wash them, ate some, picked green tops off, ate some, bagged some, and ate some :-)

We made strawberry shortcake for dinner that night and froze about 6 quarts of berries and had some fresh ones to eat for a few days. Yum!

A yummy snack!! here's the recipe to our favorite fruit smoothies I usually make.... very simple and a perfect summer treat!

Fruit Smoothies:
1-2 ripe bananas
frozen strawberries
vanilla yogurt
apple juice
ground flax seed

In your blender put 1-2 bananas cut up, 1-2 cups of vanilla yogurt, and fill rest of blender with frozen strawberries. Pour juice in to almost top of blender. Blend! Add flax seed (this is for pure extra fiber nutrients, can make without). I don't have an exact recipe with real measurements but this is fairly accurate. Sometimes we use frozen raspberries, blueberries, or peaches too. Enjoy!

almost to the end

2011-07-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here we are... final weeks of this pregnancy. I feel like I just posted that we were having another boy on here! We have entered the "2 week time frame" start of when baby boy COULD arrive, but no promises. Both our boys came 9 and 10 days early...so I'm trying to be prepared in case that happens again, yet keep my mindset open to the possibility of it being past the due date too. You never know!With the heat and humid forecast though, I wouldn't mind going early :) The last week or so I have so enjoyed some one on one time with just my two boys. I know this dynamic will change very soon and I cherish some final moments with just them at this stage. I am so excited to bring baby boy home too and am sure life will move forward beautifully between us as we bond with our newest member. I love how families just mold as their hearts are opened up for more members. God is good that way!

Being only days away (I think) I have found myself doing the normal "nesting". Cleaning house, washing bedding, cleaning out closets, cleaning the garage some, cleaning the van, preparing some freezer meals, stocking the freezer with quick meals (bought my first frozen pizzas since probably last time I had a baby, if then?), paying any unpaid bills, cleaning up my email, organizing toy area, packing hospital bags, finalizing plans for when baby comes for our boys, reorganizing storage area, charging video camera and camera batteries, typing up boy's schedule, setting up pack n play in our bedroom, adjusting baby car seat, getting the dog's hair cut, cutting my kids hair, scrubbing the bath-tub,washing nursing bras, putting away too small maternity clothes, hmmmmm.... that's it so far :) I think I have nested!! I have given myself a pass on my gardens this year... they are over grown, weedy, and a bit out of control. They are the one space on this property that I just can't let myself get worked up over... they will come back next year and I will just dive in then. Between the heat and bending over to work in them it just ain't gonna happen!!!

Alright... 38 weeks, well nested, and feeling pretty full.... this better be the end :) We are excited to meet our newest Hansen boy! Any guesses on his birthday???

My sis-in-law took some photos of my belly before it is gone! Here it is at 37.5 weeks! Whoa mama!! (Thank you Holly!!!)

And don't forget Jaxon's great photography. He has done a great job capturing this pregnancy in photos for me!! Thanks buddy!!

(37 weeks here)

Boys Only

2011-07-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

Dave has told me before that he wanted to take his sons on a "man's trip" or "boys only" or "wild at heart" trip (whichever you want to call it) once they started to get old enough. I don't know if getting the news we were having another boy kicked this idea into gear this year, but shortly after we found out, he decided he wanted to do it this spring/summer! Originally he was going to take each son on their own one on one weekend away. Which was okay with me as I still had one boy with me at home for a little one on one time myself. However, our weekends were FULL all of May and June and he decided to take both boys at the same time. I won't lie... I felt a bit left out and was kinda bummed to have two full nights and 3days at home with no kids... that seems so weird to type as I should have been excited for alone time, but I miss my kids when I am away from them and it was REALLY odd being home without them! Though I know this was so good for them to have this time together and I love that my husband took the energy, time, money, and work to make it happen. Our boys were SO excited and had a blast! This year Dave found a great little cabin on Anna Lake in Minnesota. They went fishing, had access to a paddle boat the entire time, shared some yummy "man" meals, and spent some great boy time together. I think it is a great tradition he started and I know there will be another little boy wanting to join in on the fun in a few years when he is big enough. Both Jaxon and Austin talked about the trip leading up to it and when they got home they were full of fun stories and time with dad.

And hey, I even was able to calm my anxious heart by the first night and enjoyed baths, 3 chic flick movies, read an entire book in two days, laid out in the sun, cleaned my house, organized the baby room, washed all the baby clothes and blankets, got my hair-cut, visited a couple friends, went to a dr appointment by myself, enjoyed Pablos, did my grocery shopping with a Starbucks in hand, cleaned out our pool, washed all the bedding, sorted garage sale items, bought the last of the baby stuff we needed, and got a couple long walks in! Wow, you can get a lot done with no kids around... maybe I won't mind this yearly "boys trip" after all :)

I sent my old camera with Jaxon and this is what he recorded below... he also wrote a journal each night they were gone with great details of what they did and how they spent their days. First Man's trip was a success if you ask me!

(Jaxon wanted to take one last picture when he got home... he choose me reading his journal. I thought a rather funny view of baby boy in my tummy... and by the way, getting a detailed journal from my 7 year old was a high-light of the trip for me... Thanks Jaxon!!)

my little swimmers

2011-07-10T12:36:00.000-07:00

I know I've said this before, but being a good swimmer is one of the goals I have set for our children. It ranks right up there as a life lesson well learned early on and used the rest of your life. Why? Because it seems we are always finding ourselves around water and I want our kids to be comfortable and strong in the water, as kids and as adults. It is good exercise and it is a good skill to have. So... I will fork over money every summer until I need to for them to learn the skills of being a good swimmer! We've started our boys in the local Rec swimming program at age 3 and they are doing great! This was Jaxon's 5th summer of lessons and Austin's 1st. What fun!! Austin was so excited, it was too cute. Miss Jen has been teaching the 3-5 year olds for like 50 years and she is an exceptional swim teacher for these youngsters. It takes a firm but loving spirit to help these first timers get right in and learn the basics of water and she does it so well. Austin LOVED her and I was so glad. Jaxon had a group this year that was more challenging, but who's better for a little challenge then our first born competitive child? They both did great and I'm happy to say they survived even the pouring rain days of lessons in that cold water so early in the morning. This was also the first year I scheduled the boys at the same time and I had probably one of my first of many times of feeling torn between my kids. We've always sat through and watched all of Jaxon's lessons and this year I was splitting time between two pools. I hated missing parts, but it is what I had to do. Ugh, the heart strings of a mom catch me off guard at times! I am however thankful I scheduled these BEFORE son #3 joined us! I will really be running from pool to pool in a few summers from now :)

Miss Jen telling Austin he was a champion for putting his face in with eyes open!
Followed by a big hug...thanks Miss Jen for encouraging our newest swimmers!!

First jump into the deeper waters... you know they trust their teachers when they are willing to jump in with no hesitations.

Jaxon doing his front float for 1 minute. He loved that he had a BOY teacher this year :)

Jaxon practicing life vest safety...

last day! Great job boys!

Austin doing his stretches... one thing I forget is how short our Austin boy is. It was so obvious the first day!

Our little swimmers!!

Signs of summer...

2011-07-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

...tan faced boys... treats from the ice cream truck...green yards...blonde streaked hair...outside all day...smell of sunscreen...

just a few of my fave!

Hope your summer is going as wonderful as ours!

a summer tradition

2011-07-05T12:20:00.000-07:00

I love when Sturgis Falls rolls around every June. There are lots of laid back activities to go do with the family and friends. I try to get my boys out for the weekend for as much as their little hearts desire. A few favorite's are the parade, music in the park, food from the vendors in the park, the Fun Run, and the bike races. No bike races this year, but everything else was indulged in times two!! I also love the street fair, but leave this option for just my girlie self and a couple friends :) Next year we'll be chasing an almost 1 year old during our summer tradition!

Parade watching with friends

Austin's favorite... the fire truck!!

After the parade...

Fun Run

Austin lining up... he wasn't so sure about getting on the start line. Then I told him he got cookies when he finished... he smiled and took off!

Happy to find his dad at the finish line and his bag of cookies :)

And our other son... who could have cared less about the cookies. He was all run and no fun!! Okay, a little bit of fun... he takes anything competitive very seriously. He was quick to let us know he got first and wore his medal proudly :) Could our boys be any different??? I love it!

a baby ago...

2011-06-30T11:49:00.000-07:00

I came across this as I was cleaning off my desktop. Dave's sister had given me some old pictures and I forgot I had these saved on here. Here was our family 4 summers ago... Dad, Mom with baby Austin in womb, and Jaxon. My, my how we all have grown :) (Okay, Dave looks the same, but the rest of us have grown!) What fun to look back! What fun to add babies to our family!

little chef

2011-06-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

My love for baking comes naturally... I have many memories as a child spending time in my grandmother's kitchen's helping and watching them bake, as well as my mom's as they all prepared yummy creations. My grandmother's have passed on their knowledge of home-made goodies, hospitality, and preparing good food for large gatherings. I treasure this from the older and wiser women in my family. One thing I learned years ago was that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach. While I adapt this idea to just about anyone, I find it to be mostly true. Bring anyone to your table and feed them well and they usually can feel the love that comes from preparing a good home cooked meal right in the middle of their heart :) I always assumed I would pass this onto my daughters someday, but so far God has blessed me with wonderful boys...and guess what? They seem to enjoy the kitchen as much as I do when I include them in whatever we are making! I love spending time baking with my boys and hope someday they will be whipping up some fine goodies and meals for their future wives!

growing babies (and mama's)

2011-06-23T05:48:00.000-07:00

Back in December on a very cold evening I found Holly in her den at her house during a family gathering to share the news we were having a baby... we still weren't telling people, but I really wanted to tell one of my closest sisters and friends. As I blurted out our news she came back with a "SO AM I"!! She was a week ahead of me! We cried, squealed like little girls, laughed, hugged a lot, and just thanked God. I was so excited to share this sort of amazing time with her. Now here we are in the warm months of summer...weeks away from meeting these little miracles we've been carrying around for the last 9 months. She is 36 weeks and I am 35 weeks... baby girl and baby boy will join us soon :) We can't wait!

Goodbye First Grade

2011-06-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

I can not believe we have a 2nd grader in our house! Once they hit school it seems like the years are just flying by. Jaxon had a great year in first grade. We continue to feel blessed with such a good school, teachers, and community of people surrounding him. Jaxon really is a natural student... he loves to go to school, enjoys learning, likes being with his peers, and makes school just plain fun! We were super proud of the progress he made this last year as a learner, as a friend, and as a leader. It is so fun to listen him to read like crazy these days and he has figured math out that I struggle with :) He's gone from being walked up to school everyday to jumping out and heading into class all by himself, as well as doing things like homework every night and keeping track of his school responsibilities. He has grown so much! I love that I can still be a part of his day by getting in the classroom some and getting to take him to school each day as well as pick him up. It was great to meet and get to know some more parents this year. Wow, school!!! Some days I still can't believe I have a kid in school :) We are excited for 2nd grade and Jaxon is especially looking forward to his own locker and the new wing next year. It will be here in a blink of an eye! So here is our goodbye to first grade.... thank you for a great year!

Last week...Field Day... it was a fun HOT afternoon with all the kids.

More Field Day... Jaxon loved it! (it was 10 different games...perfect for our competitive boy, he took it all very seriously :)

Last Day of First grade

Picking him up after school... Austin loves to wave goodbye to him each morning from the van and we always pray for him as he runs up to school... after school Austin waits patiently for big brother to come out and play or go home for an afternoon snack!

Last day with some buddies...

Gabe R, Jaxon, and Austin on our way home

And to celebrate... we headed straight to the POOL! Nothing kicks off summer then starting at the pool on a 90 degree day! Hello, summer break!!!

Happy Dad's Day!

2011-06-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

Our boys are so blessed with a really great dad! They just adore him and love spending time with him. I know there is something special between Dad's and their sons and it is a gift to get a front row seat to watch these relationships grow. I want to thank our special Dad today for going the extra mile to make our family fun, together, strong, cared for, and special. Happy Father's Day, babe!!! You're the best!

(Side note... the above picture is from the start of their "Wild at Heart" trip... Dave took the boys on a "man trip" this weekend and I am so excited to hear all about it! A post of it's own coming soon! A tradition in the making :)

34 weeks!

2011-06-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

Wow! Here we are cruising into the final weeks of this pregnancy! It really has gone fairly fast... now that summer has arrived it is really flying by. I am officially 34 weeks this week and after my last two appointments, am consistently measuring a week bigger. Had an ultra sound today to check on baby's growth and he is showing 5lbs and 9oz already. Yikes, better slow down on the Popsicles :) His heart beat today was a strong 159 and it was so fun to see his chubby cheeks on the screen. I think his chubby face looks like Austin!

A few things I want to remember about this pregnancy... the MANY comments I get about swallowing a basketball (yes, I know my stomach looks like I ate an enlarged basketball and left it to carry around with me), sharing appointment comments with my also lovely pregnant sis-in-law after every appointment we have!, hearing my boys call him by his name and excited to have him "come out", the random numb hips I have and the now numb arms I get through out the day (1st time for numb arms too), feeling him kick me in the upper left side of my ribs after every meal I eat, the little tush that he pushes up against my mid-section when I assume he doesn't like how I am sitting, Avery randomly lifting my shirt up to "see Baby Hansen" but she says his name :), he's only had the hiccups once that I have noticed (Austin had them all the time in my tummy), the not so lovely spider veins I have on my left ankle (hoping those don't stick around!), sandwiching between my two boys right before they fall asleep and having them put their arms around me to feel the baby brother moving or say goodnight to him, the way my dog lays his head right on my tummy :)

This sweet boy is almost ready to make his appearance. Such a blessing! We're getting excited and for the most part are ready...I think? I actually forgot what I was supposed to take to the hospital and had to look up on-line for a list, HA! After 3 you'd think I'd remember! Looking forward to these final weeks... anticipating our little baby boy and spending some good one on one time with my first two Handsome Hansen boys!!!

33 weeks pregnant

our chubby cheeked handsome Hansen :) (side view, nose in middle and hand up by his face)

6 and counting...

2011-06-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

Jaxon has been losing teeth since last summer and he has officially lost his two front teeth. It's funny to watch him eat right now... he takes bites from the side of his mouth, certain words have a little different sound coming from them right now, and his grin is pure toothless :) He has seemed so old as I listen to some of my friends tell me about their teething babies and toddlers, all while mine is losing all those teeth he worked so hard to get in 6-7 years ago! He is getting older...in so many ways. He is on 6 missing teeth as of today and one is working it's way loose as I type. I can't imagine him with his adult teeth coming in the front this summer! Crazy! The boys sleep together and I don't know who is more excited for the "tooth fairy" to come each time... Jaxon or Austin?!?! That darn tooth fairy forgot a couple nights... apparently if they don't show up the first night they pay double or triple once they finally do come! oops :-)

Last day

2011-06-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

My Learn and Play group on their last day! Our class of 6 shrunk down to 4 by the last month... one friend moved in December and another moved in April. It was a lot of fun to teach these little ones this last school year and it went so fast! I forgot how much I do enjoy teaching a group of young ones and seeing them progress through out the year. I am so proud of the steps they took towards being independent little learners and friends. Austin will miss his buddies next year, as I don't think I can swing teaching from home with a newborn...at least not very well :)

We partied it up, pool style for our last day! Fun water play, fun snacks, and fun games! Yahoo...summer break is here!