Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Hayden's 2nd Birthday

December 22, 2011

I can't believe Hayden is already 2 years old!! Though life is crazy in December, I am always so excited to celebrate the birth of my children along with the birth of our Savior! It makes it all more real to me. So the night before Hayden's birthday, we swapped out Carter's boy Birthday banner for Hayden's pink one.




She was thrilled to recieve a baby doll and another Baby Signing Time video (so was Mom and Dad since we could say the other two we had in our sleep). She also got big girl undies since she has been begging me to go on the potty. I just need to get myself geared up for it. I think Abbie is just about old enough and Hayden has gotten used to her enough that we are about to start the dreaded potty training time.

For Hayden's Birthday activity we went to a local bouncey house place and played with Carter, Aunt Whitney and the favorite, the soon to be Uncle Ryan.





That night we had Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Jay come with their gifts, Kurt and his family, and our close friends the Russells for cake and ice cream.




Hayden got an adorable outfit and some baby accessories from Grandma and Grandpa.











Here's Hayden with some of our awesome buddies!

Below is Hayden's latest journal entry about turning 2.



12-28-11
Dear Hayden,

My sweet baby girl, I can’t believe that you just turned 2!! You have gotten so big and the older you get the more beautiful you become. I keep thinking you are as beautiful as you could be but you just keep getting prettier. On Christmas morning I put you in your Christmas dress Santa gave you and your Daddy burst into tears, you literally took our breath away. What a little charmer you are!

You have such a multi-dimensional personality. At times you are a little snuggle bug. The other day you sat on your Grandpa Jays lap and watched a movie with him snuggling almost the whole time. He was in love. You also like to snuggle up and read books especially with your favorite pink and brown polk-a-dot blankie.

You can also be quite the spunky spitfire! If we tell you something you don’t want to hear, in your own language, but with all the right inflections, you will give us a royal chewing out with all the sassy body language to go with it! It’s quite difficult not to break into laughter at these times. You also take after your Momma when she was a little girl by throwing some pretty incredible fits. If you are upset or frustrated, you throw yourself down on the ground and start kicking away with your legs and crying/screaming all that you have in you. You hold your own with big brother Carter and cousin Dade in your battles. You don’t ever stand down and fight for your “right” in anything you think ought to be your “right.”

One thing you did not get from me is your love of all things girl. You love dressing up in high heels, walking around with a purse, and talking on your cell phone. In fact, that is your favorite pass time. You get your purse, your keys (you insist that they be real keys), and your cell phone (and often times a baby is in your arms as well) and you walk around the house chatting on your cell phone and saying to anyone you pass, “Bye. Night, Night.” And we must reply back to you or else a fit will for sure happen. It is so fun to hear you have your conversations on your cell phone. You can go on and on and there is usually a funny almost Valley Girl laughter that is inserted through out many of your conversations. Another girly thing you are very much into are shoes. The word “shoe” is one of your first words you ever said. You loved to try on any shoe that was hanging around. The last time we went to Target to get you a new pair of shoes, you tried on just about every pair of shoes you could no matter the size.

But you aren’t all girl. You enjoy playing with Carter’s Batman toys. In fact, you call Batman, “man.” You like to fly him around in his spaceship, or ride him in his motorcycle. You also love it when it’s wrestle time with Daddy and Carter. You are also a big fan of playing football with them, too. And you have got a pretty awesome arm on you. Dad’s pretty proud of that. And you make the most fierce growl that I’ve ever heard from boy or girl. Plus, who could resist your adorable horse laugh that you do that takes that girly edge off as well? When you get laughing it makes everyone else around you laugh because it is so contagious.

Other things that you love right now are The Lion King, Baby Signing Time videos, and playing with your kitchen or Grandma’s kitchen and holding and rocking your dolls. With your kitchen, you love to put things in cupboards, shut the door, open the door, take out the item and then put it into another cupboard. And then you do this all over again. It’s rather adorable to watch you do this over and over again. You also love to read books. You enjoy books with animals in them. I love hearing your animal sounds, they are sooo cute!! My favorite is your long, drawn out “meow.” Speaking of words, you are now putting two words together. Like when you want Dad to throw you up in the air you say, “want high.” You are quite the Daddy’s little girl. You love Daddy. You want to cuddle with him, you run yelling “Daddy” to the garage door every night when he comes home from work. You definitely have a hold on his heart.

I have to mention, too, how cute you are with your baby sister Abbie. You are excited when she wakes up and run up to her yelling, “Abbie” (it sounds so cute to hear you say her name). You get up in her face and in a high pitched voice full of enthusiasm you say, “Hi Abbie” over and over again. You are aware of all her toys and blankets (mostly because you like to play with them). You even like to help me change her diaper and wipe her bottom with wipes. One time, you were helping me wipe her bottom when she squirted pooh out right as your hand went behind her bum and you got baby pooh all over your hand. You were a good sport and I just wiped it off for you. I think that you will continue to be a good big sister and help take of the ones that are littler than you.

Hayden, I love you so much and am so grateful that you came into our family. We have a lot to learn from you. You are a sweet, sensitive girl. But at the same time, you can give us a run for our money. I will always cherish and love you. Thanks to the love of our Savior who loves you even more than I, we can know that we can be together forever. Always stay close to Him, know that it is through Him that you find real, eternal joy. I love you my little girl. Thank you for the joy that you bring into my life and into my heart.

Love,
Your Momma

Monday, December 19, 2011

Carter's 5th Birthday

On Saturday, the 17th, we celebrated Carter's Birthday by having a party at Chuck E. Cheeses. He wanted it to be an angry birds party.




I know this picture is blurry, but it shows Whit's excitement so well. She was enjoying herself some chucke!!



Whit and Ryan were kind enough to come along for some crowd control along with Grandma Bon and Grandpa Jay. We needed it, too. I have never seen Chuck E Cheeses so busy!! It was out of control and I was on sensory overload for hours after.





Grandma had to get in on the games, too.





Our buddy Allissa.





I loved watching Kyrsten get into this game as much or more than her son Robbie. It was so funny.



Jill and Grant looking so good together.





Blaize, Milana and Rocco were also in attendance.









That night I did some decorating around the house to make it special for Carter when he woke up.



I got this idea from a blog, that you crepe paper their door so they have to bust through when they wake up. When Carter woke up he crawled under because he thought I had put it there to keep him in his room so he wouldn't get to his presents.



Carter holding all of his gifts from his party the day before. His buddies brought him some pretty sweet gifts!



Candles in the pancakes.


Notice the before face...



and the after face.


Have any of you watched the Jimmy Kimmel videos where he asks parents to give their kids really lame gifts for Christmas and tape their reaction? So many of the kids threw these huge fits and I thought, man if my kids ever acted that spoiled I wouldn't give them any real Christmas gifts. Well, guess what happened when my own child opened up his Birthday gifts?!? He liked all of them (Hot Wheels wall track, Hot Wheels cars and another small Hot Wheels track) until we got to the last gift... it was a long sleeve t-shirt from Target. He opened it and immediately got ticked and called it DUMB and STUPID and I can't believe you got me such a lame gift. And then he escalated into tears and threw it and got really mad demanding that we take it back and get him another gift. So the picture above is Matt taking a picture of our spoiled Carter with his presents while giving a major stink eye to the present he tossed to the side. Why do I ever think things like my child has never or would never do that because that means it will ALWAYS happen!!!


Sunday night we all got together to celebrate our December birthdays at Jay and Bonnie's. Carter had a specific look in mind for his cake and I followed it to a T. I think it is safe to say that cake decorating is NOT my thing! He wanted blue frosting with a green alien and only the face filled in with green frosting.


Carter looking all handsome on his 5th birthday.


Grandma Bon and Grandpa Jay got Carter Ninja Legos and we didn't take a picture of it, but sweet Bonnie tried to make another of his crazy requests come true and tried to make him a green alien hat. It was a good try Grandma! :)


Here is a list of 20 questions that I wanted to document for him of the things he likes at 5:


1. What is your favorite color? Green

2. What is your favorite toy? Batman

3. What is your favorite fruit? apple

4. What is your favorite tv show? Phineas and Ferb

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Mac and Cheese

6. What is your favorite outfit? My Digger Shirt

7. What is your favorite game? Dragonvale (on Dad’s Ipad)

8. What is your favorite snack? Cheese stick

9. What is your favorite animal? Snake

10. What is your favorite song? Batman Song

11. What is your favorite book? Fisher Price School Book – because it has the Dinosaurs in it

12. Who is your best friend? Grant Sessions

13. What is your favorite cereal? Fruit Loops

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play with my friends.

15. What is your favorite drink? Juice - apple

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? My animals

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? pancakes

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Rock N Roll star


Carter your Dad and I love you so much and are so grateful you have come into our family!! Happy 5th Birthday!!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Introducing Abigail Bonnie

November 22, 2011

Abigail (Abbie) Bonnie was born at 5:48 pm weighing 6lbs 8oz and 19 inches long.

She is named after Abigail Adams (wife of John Adams - 2nd president of the United States) and Matt's mother Bonnie - another example of a remarkable woman.




Right after her first bath.






Here she is 2 days old.




Hayden and Carter are also in love with little Abbie. Carter takes the more soft and gentle older brother, responsible approach with the baby. I'm pretty sure Hayden thinks she just got a new baby doll to play with.










The nurses put this cute Thanksgiving bow in her hair.






My baby girl Hayden as of 3 days ago, looks like she grew up over night. She now looks so much bigger to me. She really has lost most of her baby look and is looking more and more like a little girl.


We are so excited to have our precious Abbie in our family now. She is so precious and we are feeling so thankful to have her here safe and sound this Thanksgiving Day!


Here are a couple videos of Abbie and the kids:





Friday, November 18, 2011

Let's go ahead and finish up October

Carter finished up his 3rd season of soccer. And I think it may be his last one for a while. He is ready for a break. He improved this season, but we still have a ways to go.








Grandpa reading to the grandkids.


I can't remember for sure, but I think I was just shy of 35 weeks here.


The kids wanted in on the fun so they stuffed their shirts with babies or stuffed animals to take a picture, too. Hayden only wanted to run around with her pregnant belly.

And here's a quick video of my two children that I love and adore: