Joshua and Kayla's Stick Tree

A few months ago Joshua found a small branch while playing outside and we both decided it would make a perfect Charlie Brown little Christmas tree for him and Kayla.  So we kept it in the garage until it was time to decorate for Christmas. 

 

He has been so excited to pull it out.  Today we out up our big tree first.  Daniel was sure he was going to be disappointed with his stick tree after seeing the big family tree.  But it was the exact opposite.  His face lit up when we brought it out and he got right to work decorating it.  It was the cutest thing watching him put on ornaments while bouncing to his favorite song, "Carol of the Bells." 

 

As we were going through all our Christmas stuff he would set aside anything that would hang and say, "I will put this on my tree." 

 

As he was getting into the box of unauthorized ornaments he told me, "I keep getting into this box because I love to." Earlier in the day he randomly told me, "You look pretty" and "You're a great Mama" so I easily forgave him of that transgression ;)  

 

So proud!

Levi's 2 Month Update

This sweet boy is two months old.  He is such a sweet baby with such a contagious smile and we love every bit of him to pieces! 

At his 2 month appointment he was all smiles for the nurse.  As she was giving him the Rotavirus vaccine which is oral, he would smile, spit it out then chuckle. It was almost like he knew he was being silly. 

 





 

Here is an update on our little guy.

Well baby stats:

Weight- 13.5.5 oz (80%)
Height- 23 inches (60%)
Head- 16.5 inches (98%)

* After he eats he is the happiest baby ever.  He will just kick his feet, coo and smile.

*He mimics you when you stick out your tongue.   

* It doesn't take much to make him smile.  Just a little eye contact and conversation.  He smiles when his siblings come into view which is so adorable!

 

 

 

* He has laughed a couple of times and it is the best thing ever!

 

I love how Joshua is looking at Daniel.

*The longest stretch he does at night is on average 5 hours though he has gone 7 which was amazing!  Looking forward to more of those in the future!  Around 5:30am-6am he will wake up no matter when his last feed was and he isn't ready to be up for the day, he doesn't want to eat, he doesn't want his paci. The only thing he wants is to be held.  So the only way to get him back to sleep is to bring him back in bed with me and snuggle so we can all enjoy a good hour or so before Joshua is up.  Bed-sharing isn't normally my thing but I do what I need to do to get one more hour of sleep these days.  While I can't wait until he out grows this little habit I am enjoying the sweet snuggles. 

My 5:30am sleeping buddy!

 

 

More pictures.

 

 

 

 

Kayla helping me give Levi a bath.  She never misses on
opportunity to help me give him a bath. 

 

  

First bottle.

 

Hanging out with my Mentor mom and Mops.

Aunt Anna sure does love her nieces and nephews.

 

Hanging out with Cousin Karl. 

 

 

Enjoying some fresh air after a few days of bitterly cold weather.

 

 

Out to eat celebrating our favorite Vet on Veteran's Day.

 

We sure do enjoy this little guy!

 

Random Acts of Kindness

In trying to teach Joshua and Kayla to think of others and to be appreciative for the things other people do for us we spent the last month giving goodies to those who help us. 

We took some baked goods to the fire station.  I left my phone in the car so I don't have any pictures and I am so bummed.  The firefighters were so appreciative.  The look on the face of the gentlemen who answered the door was of true thankfulness.  He even invited us in so the kids could check out the trucks.  Joshua sat in one and they turned on the lights for him.  He thought that was pretty neat!

Next we went to the police station.  Unfortunately I didn't realize that the lobby was closed on the weekends. I used the phone hanging near the entrance to reach on operator.  I told her we were there to deliver goodies to the police officers and she said she would send someone over.  We waited and waited and no one showed up.  There happened to be an officer there talking to a civilian.  We ended up leaving the goodies with the supporting family members to leave on a desk.  On our way home I got a call from an officer thanking us for our treats.  It didn't take him long to track us down :)  I thought that was so neat that he took the time to look us up and to call us. 

Waiting...

Perhaps the best part of delivering to the police

department was getting to watch the train this close. 

We heard the train whistle as we were walking out of the building

and we ran as fast as we could to go see it. 

We left a bag of M&M's with a note in the mailbox for the mailman. 

 

Is not the cutest little girl!?!?

I saved my favorite for last...the trash man. 

Whenever the kids are outside playing when they come pick up our trash they are always so friendly smiling and waving at them. 

Waiting for the truck!   Joshua was so excited that he extended
his arm out to give them their goodies before they were even at our house. 

 

 

 

The driver hopped right out and approached Joshua with a big

smile and then gave him a high five!

 

They were so thankful and even brought our trash can back up to the house for us.  Then as they drove away they honked the horn for the kids.  So fun! 

It's been a lot of fun talking to Joshua about all the important jobs these people have and how they help us.  He seems to really enjoy giving to others.  Now he will ask if we should give certain people treats.  He said we should give the worker trucks treats for all their work.  One day when I gave him a few chocolate chip he asked me who makes them.  I told him the people at the candy store and he said, "We should make them some treats."  I love that he is thinking of others!

Breakfast Table Conversation

Here is my breakfast conversation from this morning in pictures. 

Joshua's face when I told him Mimi was going to make

caramel chocolate pie for Thanksgiving.

Kayla trying to copy Joshua.

Levi trying to figure out his silly siblings. 

 

Blessed to be able to spend my days with these goofs!

Halloween 2014

The weeks leading up to Halloween the kids had such a blast playing with our pumpkins.  They would rearrange them and put them in different places on our porch, bring them in the house and play with them, we played "hide the pumpkin," and Kayla liked carrying around the smaller ones. 

Measuring the pumpkins with Legos.  He also enjoyed lining them up biggest to smallest and lining them up and measuring how long they all were together.  My little math wiz kid.

 

Pumpkin Painting. 

 

We did the Pumpkin Gospel while carving pumpkins this year.  It was so much fun and Joshua really absorbed the story. 

A cute little story that happened while carving pumpkins: Kayla was sitting in Daniel's lap and at some point I said to Levi, "lets change your diaper."  Kayla immediately said, "Down" and came running over to help me change his diaper.  She hardly ever misses an opportunity to bring me a diaper.  Such a good helper. 

Daddy asked Joshua if he wanted to use the knife to help cut

it open.  Joshua's face was priceless.  He thought Daniel was joking

and couldn't get over the fact that he wasn't. 

 

 

 

We decide to forgo our traditional Harvest Fest this year and take the kiddies trick-or-treating instead.  This was their first time doing that and to say they had a blast is a huge understatement.  It was SO SO SO much fun watching them run, yes run, door to door.  Kayla would run behind Joshua cracking up the whole way while holding her little bucket.  She was almost slap happy.  She had no idea what all those treats where that people kept putting in her bucket but she sure thought it was fun.  You could just tell that she thought it was so special to be doing something like that with her big bro.  

Levi dressed up as a baby who sleeps through the night ;)

 

Originally Kayla was going to wear Joshua's old lion costume.  When we tried it on a few weeks prior she thought it was fun for the first 5 minutes and then wanted it off.  And there was no way she was going to wear the mane.  So we decided she wouldn't wear a costume.  If she doesn't care to dress up why should we care?  As Joshua was getting ready right before heading out trick-or-treating I didn't want her to feel left out so I tried a pumpkin costume that we had that used to be my sisters.  Since she got such a kick out of all our pumpkins I tried to make a big deal out of the pumpkin costume.  We even showed her how Levi's shirt had pumpkins on it.  Nope, she wasn't having it.  So off came the costume.  Who was going to question why such a cute little girl wasn't dressed up but still asking for candy? ;)

Here she is whining, "Off, off, off."  As she was trying to pull it off. 

Batman! 

 

Levi all snug and ready for trick-or-treating.  It was really cold that night.

Joshua with a neighbor friend.  He looked her up

and down and said with the most serious face, "You don't

look like "anyfing" to me."  I about died!

 

Neighborhood buddies!

"Trick-or-treat!"

Time to check out their loot. 

 

When we got home Joshua had just as much fun passing out candy.  After passing out candy to a group of kids he asked their mom, "do you got anymore kids?"  Meaning, "Are there any other kids coming?"

 

During a lull he asked Daniel, "Gosh Daddy, where are all the kids?"

 

Someone in a scream mask showed up and after they left he said to Daniel, "He didn't look like "anyfing" to me." 

 

As Daniel was getting Kayla ready for bed Joshua told me, "Daddy said I could stay up and eat treats." Uh nice try kiddo.   

 

He might not have been successful in trying to get me to let him eat more candy but I did totally get bamboozled that night.   While Joshua was suppose to be getting his pj's on he told me, "Mommy, let's snuggle."  So of course I dropped what I was doing to snuggle my boy.  Then I realized, "wait a minute, he is trying to delay his bed time." 

 

What a fun, fun time we had.