Bobby at 3 Months

 our sweet little bobby is 3 months! (3 months and 1 week to be more exact :) )

he is so so sweet and we can't stop ourselves from kissing him about 500 times a day. just look at that face! you would too!

Bobby went on his first plane ride this month to Colorado and saw snow for the first time. He celebrated his first Thanksgiving with Mor Mor and Papa Howard and he was our best little traveler! His Grauntie Stephanie made this cute little pirate shirt for him (and matching ones for the bigger boys and they LOVE them!)



he is getting over a second cold (thank you big germy brothers!) but it hasnt affected his sweet demeanor.

he very patiently sits in the office while mommy works or while mommy sews and whenever you look at him he smiles, like "hey! thanks for looking at me!" its kinda sad...but he is mostly in my arms because i can't put my baby down...i think i am afraid he will grow or something if i do...my last baby...so sad...i will baby him until he is old and then i will sneak into his room like that creepy book, "I love you forever"

Sorry in advance Bobby!

Colorado Trip - Part 2 - Highlands Ranch

so...being back now...i am realizing how spoiled i am...having only ever lived in socal my whole life...and getting to visit the pretty snow, and then LEAVE it!

especially with kids...how do you guys do it?

we could not stay in doors all winter or else people would get harmed....and lose hair...maybe both.

but there are also drawbacks to living in a season-less place.

there is such a beauty and rhythm of the changing seasons. they mark your year and years and time.

the snow is also a blanket of silence. a very welcomed blanket i am sure.

in many ways i am jealous of you guys who experience seasons...and then in other ways i envision piles of snow on my driveway that need to be shoveled and 2 hours of getting the boys in snow clothes every day and i change my mind a little.

i like the thought of snow....lets put it that way, shall we?

this is the scenery behind my mom and howard's house in Highlands Ranch - we took a couple of lovely strolls when we were visiting with them. It started snowing on us the first day and on our walk home it was getting dark and people were putting up Christmas lights and it was so nice and winter-y - i am so glad my  boys got some snow experience this year!

on our second walk we attempted a geocaching adventure but the cache was most likely lost in an excavation, but it sparked a new hobby for us!









this picture makes me laugh because bodie was really hanging on to me. and that is bobby i am carrying...and bryson has started to really become clingy too...i feel like a magnet these days.

we had a very full time - full of fun and adventure and new experiences and very little sleep! but we loved spending time with mor mor and papa howard and can't wait to go in the summertime so we can catch us some fish!

An Update

hopefully i will get some time in the office this week to post some more pics and finish my colorado post...but until then a quick brain fart update:

* bodie hit his head this week harder than i have ever seen a kid hit their head...i called my sister about concussion symptoms...there was a dent...and then a goose egg of epic proportions...he is since doing fine...

* we only put up christmas lights in the backyard this year...it makes me smile though every time!

* bryson has entered his "emo" phase...after a time out because he disobeyed he was crying and asked, "why don't you just sell me away?" to keep myself from laughing i asked him, "who do you think would buy you, Bryson?" to which he had no reply.

"face"

* bobby has found his hands and has also developed a "mad" sound...too bad its super cute and we just laugh at the poor little guy...

* bodie has been cracking us all up with his word explosions - he seriously has like 10 new words a day and is putting sentences together in amazing ways. its weird that this little person we have known for almost 2 years is now speaking his mind. he loves to sing his favorite songs, "yo ho, yo ho pirate ME!" and "inkle bells, all da WAAAAY" and "dragon puncha!"...he is very into praying and always says "Ahman"...he loves to make me smile with his face that he makes, which we call "face"

* i was so proud at myself for finishing my Christmas shopping and intended to make a bunch of home-made gifts and then zoodies orders piled in...so sorry people...you get gift cards

* the only music i have been listening to lately is Christmas music, natch...we listen to XM channel 23 - Holly - we heard this song and were a little amazed! and of course Amy Grant and I am loving the Bebe and Cece Winans album my dad gave me a while back.

* our Jesse Tree is going smashing...i am quite happy with myself that we have done all 5 days without a hitch. Bryson is loving it AND retaining the info! amazing to me...i so so recommend doing this - puts advent into perspective!

that is all...hope you all are well and that you are enjoying this beautiful advent season!

Colorado Trip - Part 1 - Breckenridge

Bryan and the boys doing "face"

we got back last night from our Thanksgiving trip to Colorado. My mother and her husband Howard moved there 3 1/2 years ago and this was our second time visiting them. the first time we only had bryson...this time was, in fact, quite different with the 3 boys. this was our first time traveling with all of them. they did amazing on the plane. i think it had to do with the fact that the older boys sat with their daddy and i had bobby on my lap away from them.

Me trying to surf...note the tongue of concentration

My mountain man

The gang of us

oh and by the way...they almost made us buy a ticket for Bobby because you have to have proof of birth. i still haven't gotten a birth certificate for him (the agent said the letter from the midwife would do) but i didn't know it was for any baby. we had to buy bryson a ticket when he was almost 2 because of that, but thought it was because he looked almost 2...didnt know it applied to babies too! just an FYI if you happen to travel with a lap infant...but maybe you knew that already...like i probably should have.

Me forcing Bodie to have fun...Bodie politely refusing

The sleigh ride through the woods

anyhoo...so we made it to CO and the next day we headed up to Breckenridge for some snow fun. right behind the *gorgeous* cabin we stayed in was the best hill for sledding, so we took advantage of that every day.

we had an Italian style Thanksgiving - my  mom cooked AMAZING food all week...i was so so spoiled...she was in the kitchen like the whole time poor woman! but that is a way she shows her love and it would be so rude not to accept all the mama lovin from the kitchen, no?

Bodie looking so happy...

Proof Bobby was there too...our little bear all bundled up

on friday we met up with my aunt and uncle and cousins (my cousin danny and his family live in CO also) and had a St. Lucia brunch and some more snow play and then hopped on a sleigh ride to this cute little tent/cabin thing where we listened to country songs and drank hot chocolate...and the adults got a little peppermint schnapps thrown in which helped warm us up a bit...and then dinner in Breckenridge with the whole lot of us. good times!

If the boys would have slept well, it would have made the trip extra perfect...i feel absolutely exhausted from trying to get each boy to sleep and stay asleep. every night i would go from our bed to the boys bed and back to our bed, sometimes 3 trips each night. Bodie did not have an easy time of it and Bobby ended up getting a cold and so the poor guy could barely breathe.

Bodie slept so little during the trip, which is i think the real reason i am exhausted. On the way home from the airport he fell asleep (around 6) and didnt get up until 8:15 this morning - which is a record for him (he usually wakes around 5:45-6.

but the million cups of coffee helped...plus the chilly mountain air. breckenridge is just breath-taking beautiful. It so helped to put us in the mood for Christmas, even if we did come home to 70 degree California weather.

Bryan and I agreed that it was hard, but so worth it and we are glad that having 3 kids doesn't stop us from exploring and living and exposing our kids to new experiences...even if people at the airport look at you like you are nuts...and about a million people tell you, "looks like you have your hands full!" because we do...but it doesnt stop us...because we crazy like that!

Bodie did not care for sledding...but he looked adorable!

on our way...

to colorado...for our first trip with our party of 5! i have our bags packed...plus a party bag for the boys to *hopefully* keep bodie occupied long enough to not make the flight miserable for all.

P.S....packing for 5 is a workout! both mental and otherwise.

we will be heading up to the mountains (weather permitting) and spending a couple days cozying up in a cabin - we are looking forward to no computers and no work and lots of play...not looking forward to the COLD - looks like the high will be 15 degrees tomorrow! ouch...

wish us luck...throw up a prayer...we have a lot to be thankful for and excited there is a holiday reserved just for that...well...that and eating...hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday!!!

The Second Child

we would have never bought bryson a scooter before he turned 2...nor would we think to put him on the balance bike...there is just something about this that doesnt seem right!

Bodie on Bryson's Razor




Bodie on the Balance Bike

Bobby at 2 Months

okay...i am a wee bit late for this post...i realize...almost 2 weeks late, so he is more like 2 1/2 months but humor me...

sweet bobby b. he is a little sweetheart - this month he has really been cooing like crazy - big huge smiles for us and any time you pay him attention he is over the moon about it.

this month he has been active like crazy - holding his head up so well and practicing jumping on daddy's lap.

he has been sleeping much better too. he still spits up a lot, but wakes 2-3 times a night, and now i can help him go back to sleep after his second waking. the trick is to put him in the bassinet, not hold him...much to my sadness. i wish i could cuddle him but its not helping either of us out.

big brothers are in love with this boy too. they fight over who gets to hold him. i sneak peeks of bryson singing to him and bodie sneaking kisses. he is such a perfect little puzzle piece to our family. he fits in seamlessly and i could not imagine our life without him. although its only been 2 1/2 months...i feel as though he has been a part of our family all along...its odd...but this month has really been about me feeling like our family is complete and he helps seal that deal ;)