6 months old

he's 1/2 a year old, healthy and happy, happy, happy
he weighs 18.5 lbs and is 27 1/2 inches
we weren't kidding when we said he has a big head
he measures in the 97% for head circumference
he just started eating rice cereal, he hates it but makes some of the funniest faces
he sits up
says dada...da...da...da...da
loves to play "so BIG"
and sing silly songs (but only the really silly ones)
he loves to eat his toes, chew his binky, blow bubbles & smile
tummy time is no longer torture
he can roll from front to back and back to front
we love when he laughs... and boy can he laugh
he's one of the best parts about me
I love being his mom

attempt #23

Written so that one day I can look back and laugh.

our 23rd attempt to help our boy sleep through the night...

7:50 pm Tuck is in his own room sleeping like a baby.
9:15 pm Fin is in our room sleeping in the pack'n'play.
11:00 pm I head up to catch some ZZZZZ.
12:08 am The last time I look @ my clock before I FINALLY zonk.
3:48 am Tuck starts to cry. Chad goes in to comfort him (a new technique).
4:05 am Fin wakes up soaked from head to toe everything must be changed (somehow she removed her diaper without us knowing).
4:08 am Tuck still crying. Chad tries changing him.
4:09 am Fin back in the pack'n'play but crying to be let out, "I wet, I wet." Could there be any more "wet" in her after that last incident?!
4:11 am Fin in bed with us. Tuck still crying.
4:15 am Fin sitting up in bed having a full conversation with herself cause I'm "sleeping."
4:18 am Chad rummages through the diaper bag to find the binki "patiently comforts" our crying boy.
4:19 am Fin is put back in the pack'n'play but is crying pretty loud I shut the window and hope the neighbors can't hear us.
4:30 am Chad's back in bed. I'm back in bed. Both kids are screaming.
4:33 am Fin is put in her bed (but NEEDS! to be changed per her request) she cries for her sippy, Chad gives in. I quiet the baby who is still in his own bed.
4:40 am Everyone is in their own bed. The house is quiet.
4:42 am Tuck starts to cry. Fin calls for mom. Chad and I lay there and laugh but not really.
4:43 am I give in. I grab Tuck, ignore Fin. I nurse the baby put him to bed in the cradle at the foot of our bed.
5:06 am The house is quiet.
5:07 am Everyone is sleeping but me.
6:18 am I'm still awake staring at the ceiling fan, wishing the birds in our pear tree out back would die, and that the sun would fall out of the sky. Seriously, the sun comes up at 4:30 here... what's that all about?!
6:20 am I sneeze and wake the baby.

Family Reunion

(loads & loads of photos below)

What we loved the most about our family reunion was being able to hang out everyday with the people we love.

-eating BJ's pizza @ the main beach in Laguna

San Diego Temple- with some of the little folk
Some of our other favorite memories from a week at the beach with our family:

Scoring a FREE double stroller at the local thrift store-making life with 2 babies manageable

Reuniting with family that we haven't seen in over 2 1/2 years- Tuck with Auntie Angi

Playing with Grandma Ginny- one of Finley's favorite people
Taking our kids to their 1st baseball game- GO METS! right uncle Garth
we stuffed them silly.
cotton candy, licorice rope, hot dogs, nachos, coke, & snow cones. did i forget anything. oh, the gum off the seat in front of us.

Late nights with cousins Danni & Fin- They laughed & laughed this night! They were so much fun to watch.

The Beach- Oh how we love the beach!

BBQ at the villas- Grilled steak and pepper kabobs, hot dogs, soda pop, chips, and watermelon. Can't forget the best part... smores.

Disneyland- 2 days was a little too much for our 2 little kids. The second day we only went on one ride. We got in line to ride others but had to shuffle our way out of line because of a couple of screamers!

we went on this dang carousel 6 times it was her favorite ride and the only one that did not have a line
was it worth the $225 we spent to get into the park?!? i don't think so.

Eating In & Out and chillin' with some of our best friends

And yes folks that right the last hour of our last day this little girl decided that she loved the beach. Go figure!

Happy Birthday to the cutest twins I know!

(You guys are my favorite twins, have I told you that!)

We wish for good things to happen to you all day long.
We love love love you!

Sweaty

After a sweaty afternoon of walking around a crowded zoo I spent an even sweatier afternoon cleaning up after the dog and two kids. Two of them threw up all over the place and the other one pooped and played in it making it the mess of the year to clean up! I'll leave it up to you to guess who did what! Damn, it's like a million degrees in here, I'm sweating like a pig!!!

Jack's House

WHat A WEeKEnd wE HaD!


Finley tried out some new moves

So did Tuck
What's with our kids!?!

Thank you guys for hosting such a fun weekend.
We loved the kids, friends, food, fun, late nights, everything!

If only we lived a state or two closer we could do this all the time.
We'll see you soon (right!)

Birthday Girl

May 22 we celebrated our girlie's 2nd birthday. We couldn't ask for a cuter, crazier, more energetic, strong willed, decisive, dramatic, beautiful, curly haired, loving, fantastically spunky toddler. She sure packs a punch. She has it all and we're so glad she's ours.

We celebrated her special day with streamers, happy face pancakes, an afternoon at the Children Museum and a BBQ with our family.

Some of the birthday wishes she received for the upcoming year were for healthy teeth, lots of laughter, fun memories with cousins and to feel loved everyday. We love Finley!

cousins in may

After our health returned, we had so much fun with cousins Sarah and Jefferson Auntie Amber & Ashley and Grandma Cindy. We wish that you lived right down the street not 16 hours away like you do so that we could see you every day. Finley still calls all baby girls Sarah . We love you guys and can't wait to see you again. Hopefully soon.

Happy Birthday Brother

Wishing you Happiness on YOur DAy! PS. you have a Beautiful Little Baby!

Fathers Day

To the great men in my life ( Chad, Dad, Joe) Happy Fathers Day

You make life better.

We love you Dad

catching up

So busy. That about sums up the last month around here. We had house guests the month of May as well as birthdays, sick days, holidays and our anniversary. (Pictures coming soon)

June was spent shopping, packing and traveling to California for our family reunion.

We stayed at the Newport Coast Villas, could it get any better then this! I'd like to say we spent every day of the last 2 weeks lounging in the sun, pouring over a good book and drinking pina coladas (virgin of course) by the pool. But vacations have all new meaning with 2 kids under the age of 2. They are no longer called vacations they are called trips and are a little less fun and a lot more work. Thankfully we had Grandma Ginny and Papa Joe, aunties, uncles & cousins to kiss and cuddle our bambinos, when our arms were tired.

We loved the time we were able to spend with our family and friends. Thank you Joe and Ginny for such a wonderful "trip" to the Newport Coast.

Me love cookies

Eating these is at the top of my to do list this week.
Let's see they are big. Chocolaty. And filled with little bits of Skor.
OK go make some.

Kiki & Polly

I love her work. I just purchased the print, Walking the dog and can't wait to see it framed in the kids room. I love the connection I feel with each of her pieces. They are so simple and sweet. My other favorites are, Follow me (original), I knight thee (original), The meeting place (original), Flying home, and Off to bed. I especially love the massive family portrait in the bottom right hand corner. I would love to have one painted of our family. I love Esty!