Big Boys

Tonight was a big night in our house and I didn't even see it coming!  We have had Mr. Wyatt Bear's crib set up for a few weeks now but he's been sleeping in our room since he was born...he has started HATING the pack-n-play and in turn hating sleep time, leaving us with a tired baby that was sleeping in our bed.  We loved the sleeping baby when we were sleeping, but I was on constant alert during nap time and bedtime, worried that he would fall out of the bed.  Well today I laid him down in his crib and he loved it.  It was the comfy mattress he was looking for and the space he wanted to roll around on until he was ready for sleep.  Three naps and a successful bedtime and he's in his own room- until he wakes up to nurse, then he's back to cuddling with his mama!  Not to be outdone, Little Guy decided he wanted to stay in his big boy bed for nighttime.  I set his bed up on Tuesday and we've been using it more as a stool to climb into the crib than anything else, but after bedtime stories he told me he wanted to stay in it, and he laid his head on his pillow and that was that...can it be that the day my first baby moves into a bed my youngest babe moves into a crib????  It's an awesome journey watching our little buddies grow up, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I cried a little when I said "Good Night".

Happy Birthday Papa

We set out for a late afternoon adventure to celebrate Papa Tim's 59th birthday.  He declared his birthday dinner as the best day of his 59 years second only to the day he met my mother (he may have a slight flare for the dramatic!).  Nonetheless, he was in heaven having his three grand babies there and if only we had had Mark there it would have been a full family dinner.  We were excited to be able to wish Papa a happy birthday and we are SUPER excited to celebrate him at our miniature golf excursion this weekend.

Indiana Star

     We started our day with a sparkling brunch to celebrate Miss Iris' 2nd birthday.  I still can't believe it's February- we spent the morning outside in spring clothes and sunscreen.  After the birthday bash we came home for naps- Little Guy literally fell asleep while talking (cookie in hand) on the way home.  It was PRECIOUS!
     My aunt and uncle came into town from Indiana for the anniversary party, bringing along one of my cousins I haven't seen in over two years and his girlfriend we hadn't met (who we totally LOVE!).  It was so great to see Joey, my baby cousin, the little boy I remember seeing on an ultrasound at my aunt's prenatal appointment, now a college graduate and getting ready to move to a new state and start his career...that makes me feel OLD!  After Iris' birthday, the Indiana ladies came up for some outlet shopping and stopped by to see our new kitchen.  My aunt Lori is probably one of the funniest/craziest ladies I know so shopping with her is always a blast!  The four days in California were nice, but it made me miss them even more...I am hoping we can get in a trip to celebrate the high school and college graduations this June!

65 years and counting

We celebrated my grandparents' 65th wedding anniversary today.  65 years...the diamond anniversary...something many couples can only dream of celebrating...it was a magical day filled with love and laughter and a great time for my grandparents to have their family and friends all gathered together.  I love that my grandpa wore his suit jacket and they both donned corsages while they renewed their vows in my parents' backyard.  The taco trucks, gorgeous dessert table, and lotto ticket party favors made the day perfect!  We had a chance to snap a few photos of the 413 crew (that's the nickname I made up for our four babies born in 2013 with documented friendships that started in utero.).  Here are a few shots from the day:

Play Dating

Little Guy had a real play date today...he was picked up by Auntie Heather and went to play with Jack Jack before Daddy picked him up to come home for dinner.  It's just the beginning I know, but I can't believe he's play dating already!

Impromptu Play Date

Our usual gymnastic plans were scratched since it was a holiday so we decided to go run errands...You can imagine how excited Little Guy was this prospect...and to be honest, sometimes running errands with two little loves is just not worth it.  The time it took me to have them unloaded out of the car, Little Guy in the cart, Mr. Wyatt Bear in the ring sling, shoes and snacks secured and the car locked, was actually longer than the time we were in the store- somehow that doesn't seem like a productive outing.  Well, in the chaos that came from running errands, Little Guy requested a play date with Pey-Pey, Auntie, and Uncle Mar, but I "knew" they were working so I just left messages so they would know how loved they were.  Weren't we surprised when Auntie called back and they were all home AND looking for someone to play with.  Little Guy was so jazzed to play with Pey Pey and all her toys and Mommy lucked out when Uncle Mark took on the challenge of cleaning the spray paint off her car!  No more blue paint and a happy toddler to boot, sounds like a win win to me...it could have been a trifecta of greatness if Mr. Wyatt Bear had napped on either the going or coming car ride, but he didn't...oh Mr. Wyatt Bear, why does sleep not love us right now????

Beds and Bounce Houses

This is happening in our living room right now...I asked Gabe to go with me to Sam's Club to get Little Guy a big boy mattress and I hinted that I wanted to look at bounce houses.  I thought I would have to do some convincing, but no, Daddy was more than on board, he couldn't wait to get it home.  Little Guy was all about his bounce house and since deflating it for the evening he walks around asking if we can fix his bounce house.  I am seeing a well loved future for our bounce house!  In other exciting news, the big boy mattress has been purchased and the bedding is in the mail, so one of these days we should be getting closer to a big boy bed for Little Guy.  He's not bothered by his crib and doesn't seem terribly excited about the new bed, but we'll see how he feels when it's in his room.

Bowling and Boudins

It was a chilly kinda day and Daddy surprised us by staying home to hang out so we made the most of it and did all sorts of crazy things....it all kicked off with a no nap morning (thank you Mr. Wyatt Bear), followed up by a trip to see the cows hay, naps for the boys and some shopping time for Mommy, and then a trip to the bowling ally and dinner at the new Boudin's Bakery.  Little Guy LOVED seeing the cows and getting to drive Daddy's truck in the field- he opens the window and calls them just like he does Olive and Winston and gets such a kick out of watching them follow the truck.  Bowling was a blast, Little Guy got brave enough at the end to try just rolling the ball without the ramp and it actually worked out better.  Daddy better be careful, he may soon have some competition for second best bowler in the house.  Finishing up our family day with dinner out was a treat for me (no cooking OR dishes) and we all enjoyed the yummy soups and salads.   Daddy better hope we don't get spoiled with him home all weekend, we had too much fun all together!

Happy Valentine's Day

What a sweet day it is to celebrate with my three very handsome Valentines!  We started our morning off with an early Little Guy wake up but since Gigi was here, we got to sleep in a little while longer...that is until Mr. Wyatt Bear woke up well before 7am, so I can't really call it sleeping in.  We had a fun and productive day getting errands run before we headed over to the Santopadres for a family fun celebration.  The kiddos enjoyed heart shaped pizza while the mommies and daddies dined on crab, lobster, Kobe steak, Caesar salad, mashed potatoes, and carrots...with champagne and homemade pizookies to boot.  Ya, I'd say it was a pretty delicious celebration!  Mr. Wyatt Bear went right down in the pack and play so he missed all of the festivities but the older kiddos played so well together and hung on until 9:00!  Here's to hoping for a true sleeping in morning tomorrow!

Mini Date Night

Gigi came out for a slumber party so Daddy and I could go on a pre-Valentine's day date.  We haven't been to the movies together in FOREVER so we decided that's what we wanted to do.  I had also been absent from bedtime all week, so we wanted to go out after bedtime but early enough to be back home for Mr. Wyatt Bear's first wake up which has been getting earlier and earlier these days...see how our window of opportunity was shrinking???  We were left with only two movie choices so Monument Men was the winning choice and I think we were both pleased with the movie.  It was as light-hearted of a war movie as you could get and entertaining to both of us.  Plus we got home just as the baby was really starting to wake-up, a win win for everyone!

Twinsies

What can I say, I am a sucker for matching outfits.  The photos are terrible (between a mobile infant, a crazy toddler, and a cracked phone it's a wonder I get photos at all), but the cuteness is still there!  Auntie got them these sweet Future Fire Fighter sweatshirts for Valentine's Day (their Daddy may have preferred Future Farmer digs, but Uncle Mark was proud!) and all ready we have gotten a ton of wear from them.  Mr. Wyatt Bear is filling out the 12 month clothing already, holy cow!  Oh Little Loves, you melt my heart everyday, but there's something about matching duds that just does me in!

Paint Mommy's Car Part 2....

Today we headed to Lowe's to grab the curtain rod for Mr. Wyatt Bear's room.  I had quite the shock when I came out to my car all scuffed up, or atleast I thought it was...upon closer inspection, it was smeared blue paint from my sweet boy's little art festivities a few days earlier.  I am not sure how we missed the blue paint covering the front bummer, passenger door, and driver side door....I am little worried that my car has now set through three rainstorms and this paint doesn't show any signs of washing off...

Great Papa Jim

Today we had Daddy's Grandpa Jim over, yep Great Papa Jim as Little Guy was calling him.  He is in town visiting from Brazil and had yet to meet Mr. Wyatt Bear so it was a perfect chance to catch up and make some introductions.  Little Guy was excited to see the man who had mailed him his Thomas game (also known as the Innotab 3) and even more excited when he found out that Papa, Grandma, AND Uncle Luke would be coming...talk about a captive audience for trains and puzzles!  It was great to see Jim and have an early birthday celebration- he turns the big 9-0 this March and was proud to tell his he ranks in the top 5 for the world rankings of swimmers in his age bracket 90-95!  We all hope to be as fit as he is when we're his age!  Here are some photos from the visit- even Great Papa Jim got in on the crazy "cheese ball" faces.

So Yummy, You Could Eat It

Today Miss P came for a play date and as always, it was too much fun!  She loves playing with the boys, but she REALLY loves climbing on Mr. Wyatt Bear since he doesn't protest or attempt to stop her...her days may be numbered with this passive play after today's events.  Miss P was just so excited to give Mr. Wyatt Bear kisses that she grabbed hold of his cheek, with her mouth, and bit down...she left a little teeth mark to remember her by and a hilarious video for the mommies to re-live the moment over and over...Oh Miss P, you are such a love but those teeth are SHARP!

Paint Mommy's Car

I was diligently working on Mr. Wyatt Bear's curtains this morning when I heard something...the suspicious sound of silence when you thought your toddler was in the playroom.  I decided to investigate and found out that my sweet boy wasn't in his playroom, he was in fact in the garage, where I had just put a fresh coat of blue spray paint on my mobile for the nursery makeover.  That's what I get for not looking the top toddler proof lock!  Little Guy had rubbed his hands all over the mobile and covered every last inch of his hands in blue paint...then he proceeded to rub his hands all over OddBall, leaving her with a Grover like glow...he announced my car was next as I carried him in to the bathroom (since his feet were also covered in paint); looks like I found him just in the knick of time!

Who wants to Race?

Little Guy is OBSESSED with walking OddBall and Neigh-Neigh on leashes...in the house...and then prompting them to race because he is running and they have no choice but to chase him because, well, they're on leashes...in the house.  I do feel sympathy for the dogs, but I have to say, they really are his best little friends- he wakes up asking to play with them, and if he could have them IN his crib for naps and bedtime, he would.  We've gotten to the point where naps are only (mildly) successful if OddBall is in the beanbag chair next to Little Guy's crib...and that's only after she's sat in my lap with Little Guy while I've read the nap stories.  So while it may be a little tiring, and frankly sometimes annoying, to be leashed inside your house, it really is a highlight of Little Guy's day and I'll pretty much do anything to hear that genuine toddler belly laugh!

Bob the Builder and Odd Ball

Little Guy has two things he is obsessed with right now...actually he is obsessed with a lot more (Thomas, race cars, Elmo, garbage trucks, cha milk with chocolate, Toy Story, Mickey's House...), there's just two newer things...Bob the Builder and napping with Oddball.  I am not sure how he came to see an episode of Bob the Builder, but he did and now he walks around the house singing "Bob the Builder, can we fix it?  Bob the Builder, yes we can!".  If his Bob obsession continues, I am seeing a pretty cute Halloween costume.  As for Oddball, or Olive as we call her, Little Guy has always loved her and "Neigh-Neigh", but lately he wants Oddball in his room for naps and if she's not in there, he never falls asleep.  If she is in there, he's usually good for a three hour nap.  Now this isn't an exact science, just my mommy observation, but as it stands now, Oddball is never going back to work with Daddy and is ALWAYS going to nap with Little Guy!

Hanging in my Crib

Don't judge the god awful paint job that mommy started eight months pregnant and never finished (stay tuned for more on that later this month!), but Mr. Wyatt Bear is now sleeping in the crib.  And let me just say, it was about time!  He couldn't roll, let alone move, anymore in the cosleeper and he was able to hang his arm over the edge.  I could only see the ER visit in our very near future if I didn't act fast.  He's still shacked up in his mommy and daddy's room, but now he's got tons of room to cruise around...and cruise around he does.  He loves to crawl from corner to corner and is still adjusting to all the space- translation, he's not falling to sleep quite as easily as he was before the move, but this mommy is holding out hope that once the novelty wears off my easy to sleep baby will be back at it....

7 months Old

Mr. Wyatt Bear you are SEVEN months old today...holy smokes time flies!  You are know officially closer to being one year old then you are to the day you were born...speaking of, I still think about the day you were born (on a daily, if not more frequent, basis) and can't believe that your easy going attitude and smiling personality were present from the moment I went into labor and only had to wait two and a half hours to meet you!  You have been a happy baby since your first moment of life and for that, I have created a favorites list for your 7 month birthday!  Here are seven of your most favorite things!
1.  Your big brother- Your eyes light up every time he looks your way, tries to make you giggle, or wants to play peek-a-boo.  You also know when to shutter when he gets too wild and you know you're sitting right in his line of fire, oh brother!
2.  Your daddy- You can't get enough of this silly guy who loves to toss you in the air and give you big ticklely kisses when he gets home from work.  You've been known to wake up in the middle of the night and just hang for a bit to see your daddy when he's been gone for long days at work.
3.  Your mommy-  I am your mommy and my heart melts every time I see you smile and curl out your little tongue.  You are old enough now to recognize me and to look for comfort in my arms when you're sad or tired.  It also helps that you LOVE to nurse and I've cornered the market there.  You love to hang with me, whether we're playing with toys or just chilling on the floor, it makes you smile.
4.  Anything you can eat-  I wanted to say food, but then I realized you don't discriminate between a cardboard box or an apple slice, you can eat either one and you're happy no matter what as long as you can chew on it.  You want to eat ANYTHING you see people around you eating, but you still have no teeth so mommy is pretty strict with what you actually get fed.
5.  Your dogs-  You take after your brother on this one.  You love to watch the dogs wrestle and have already figured out that dangling your food over the side of your highchair is a GREAT way to make doggie friends.
6.  Bath time-  While some may be a little concerned that you don't bath everyday, you more than make up for it with the length of your twice a week baths- you are happy to stay in your bath until the water is cold, not tepid, cold.  You love your little bath tub and have discovered the joys of bath toys.  I love giving you baths at the kitchen sink, it saves my back, and you don't have to worry about staying afloat with brother bear.
7.  Life-  You love everything we do everyday.  You are excited when a stranger talks to you in Costco and you're super jazzed when I put a xylophone on the ground and you get to army crawl your way to it.  You love interacting with the people and world around you- your happiness is contagious and we're so lucky you're spreading it everywhere you go.

Happy Seven Month Birthday Mr. Wyatt Bear- in just five short months you'll be celebrating your first birthday...Mommy is not ready emotionally to accept her baby is growing in to a toddler, and not ready logistically to begin planning your big day!  Time to decide on a theme and get to work, STAT!