Life with the Websters

The Tent

2012-01-28T21:30:00.000-08:00

Last night, before bed, Sammy was watching the show Caillou. In the episode, Caillou and his friend had a camp-out in his room. They made a tent and slept inside. When the episode was done, I told Sammy it was bedtime. He insisted that he sleep in a tent as well. I was not willing to make a tent out of blankets that close to bedtime but I remembered that we have a small Lighting McQueen tent in garage. I brought it into his room, set it up, and put his pillow and blanket inside. He was ecstatic.

Side note: When Sam was about a year old, he started having night terrors. They were awful and he was inconsolable. We put a T.V. in his room to calm him down before bed and distract him from the things that were scaring him. His night terrors have now stopped completely. Therefore, I have a goal to get the T.V. out of his room by next month.

He slept the whole night in his tent, without the T.V. on ... success!!! He took his nap today in his tent with no T.V. and just went to bed again tonight in his tent without the T.V. on.

This, unintentionally, may be the way we wean him for his T.V. dependence to fall asleep. Now the problem will be actually getting to him to sleep in his bed again :)

Is My Baby Really 14 Months Old?

2012-01-28T20:10:00.000-08:00

I am late posting about about Nathaniel's 14 month stats. Better late than never, right?

Nate has been really off lately. He is extremely clingy with mommy and rather fussy. He just hasn't been himself. His appetite has decreased and he hasn't been sleeping as well. We took him to the doctor last week and he was diagnosed with a double ear infection. He has been on antibiotics but is not back to his old happy self. He follows me around crying often. I want my baby back. When he is feeling normal, Nathan ....

Walks all over the place. He is still a little wobbly but for the most part gets around great. A little too great sometimes, getting into anything and everything he can reach.
Adores his big brother. He adores him a little too much at times, attacking him with kisses and hugs. He is also going through a hitting phase. Unfortunately, his favorite person to hit is his brother.
Has six teeth. He has four on the top and two on the bottom. He is working on two more on the bottom. This could be another contributor to his change in demeanor.
Loves cars and balls but would prefer a cardboard box or Tupperware over anything else.
Loves to swing. It is probably his favorite thing.
Plays independently pretty well but when it gets quiet he is most likely into something. If he isn't in the trash can, he is pulling our all of the towels from the kitchen drawer or throwing all of the shoes out of the shoe basket.
Climbs the stairs with ease. The baby gate in now permanently up.
Sleeps a lot. He takes two 1-2 hours naps daily and sleeps 11-12 hours at night.
Is a great eater on most days. He has become more picky lately but will still eat most things I put in front of him. His favorite foods are spaghetti, cheese, Vienna sausages, and bananas.
Is completely weaned from his bottles. He is now a pro using a sippy cup.
Weighs about 28 pounds (95th percentile) and is about 34 inches long (95th percentile). Yep, he is still humongous!
Wears 24 month clothes and size 6 shoes.
Still raises his arms when we say “So Big!”, claps, give high-fives, play peek-a-boo (his favorite), waves, and puts his hands on his head when we say “oh my!”
Says “mama”, “dada”, “uhoh”, thank you (“tatu”), bye-bye ("buh-buh"), more ("ma"), up up ("uh-uh"), ball, banana ("nana"), and cracker ("craca").

(This is what happens when I take Nate out of the swing)

Renewed and Inspired

2012-01-27T18:59:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, I attended a Turn Around Schools: No Excuses University conference. Only five people from my school attended ... my principal, my project specialist, my school secretary, one of our kindergarten teachers, and myself. I was honored that my principal chose me to attend among the many other amazing teachers at my school. The conference was at The Hilton San Diego in the Gas Lamp District. It was beautiful! I had a lot of fun with great people, made new friendships, laughed a lot, and ate plenty of great food. More than anything ... I learned a ton!!!

If you don't know anything about it, Turn Around Schools: No Excuses University, is movement that started six years ago. It promotes college readiness to all students no matter their background, socioeconomic level, or cultural status ... No excuses. Every classroom at my school has adopted a college. I have adopted CBU of course. We wave our college's flag in front of our classroom. We wear our college t-shirts every Friday. We make up college chants. We display college memorabilia and vocabulary on our walls. We teach our students the importance of college and show them, that despite challenges, they can do anything they put their minds to. It is a lot a fun to teach at my school.

On the other hand ...

Let's face it, teaching is not easy. There are days that I am very discouraged. There are days when I want yell at my students, throw my hands in the air, and tell them, "Fine! If you don't care, then I don't care!" I then look at their faces, receive their hugs, see them light up when they learn new concepts, and see them reach goals that they weren't sure were reachable. Therefore, giving up on my students in not an option.

I am not perfect and I know I have room to grow as a teacher, but I also know that I put my students need's first. I have a passion to motivate my students to love learning. I challenge my students daily. I teach my students the importance of working hard and trying their best. I also try to be an example to my students. I want them to love reading, writing, and math because my passion for these subjects rubs off on them. I try daily to make learning fun and exciting and I try to offer many ways to learn a topic. Many of students come from backgrounds and situations that I wouldn't wish upon any child. I try to be that person that they don't have a home. I may be the only person who hugs, compliments, encourages, challenges, and even believes in them on a daily basis.

During the NEU conference, we listened to Damen Lopez (co-founder of Turn Around Schools) speak and attended four break our sessions. Besides learning more about small group instruction, setting student goals, teaching vocabulary explicitly, and making math fun; I was inspired to better for my students. My spirit was renewed and I was encouraged to not only be an example to my students but to the rest of my staff. The most refreshing part of this conference was being with like-mined teachers who want to change education and who want to put student's needs, no matter the cost, at the forefront of their classrooms. I become so frustrated at other teachers who complain about any new thing that is throw on their plate, effective or not. If you don't like change, find a new profession. Teaching is constantly changing. Some changes are frustrating but most are intended to better our students' ability to learn. I become even more frustrated at teachers who complain about their students' behavior but constantly yell, belittle, and demean their students. If you want your students to be respectful and have strong character, model respect and character to them.

I pray that I can be an advocate and an example of these ideas to my students and the rest of the staff at my school.

I know this a long post but I am truly inspired to be a better teacher and, ultimately, a better person. Thanks for reading!!!

Where Did My Baby Go?

2012-01-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

Last night, Rachael Davis and I gave Nate a haircut. He had his first haircut a couple days before his first birthday but it was only a trim and it only seemed to make his hair grow even faster. His hair was hanging over his ears and his eyebrows. I knew it was getting too long but I also loved his floppy, blonde hair. It was hard to cut it. I made Rachael do the cutting. It turned out a lot shorter than I wanted. It is a cute haircut but I had a really hard time seeing his hair go. When I placed my baby in the bathtub to wash off the excess hair from his body, he looked so old to me and I couldn't help but cry. It is hard seeing my baby grow up. I feel like it happened all of a sudden. Within two months he was walking, weaned from a bottle, saying several words, and looking a lot less like a baby and a lot more like a toddler. Don't get me wrong, I love his new personality and curiosity but, selfishly, it has been really hard on this mommy.

Before

After

Santa Ana Zoo

2012-01-08T14:45:00.000-08:00

Sammy had been asking to go to the zoo for a while now. Yesterday morning we decided to take him. We called up the Davis family to join us because they live very close to the Santa Ana Zoo. They met us there at around 11. The zoo offered a year family pass (2 adults and up to 4 kids) for only $59. The pass is also good for many other zoos in our area. We took them up on their offer so we can enjoy this zoo and many more several times this year. Sammy, Taylor, Jordan, and even Nate and Elijah loved looking at the monkeys, birds, camels, llamas, and farm animals. It is a small zoo which is perfect for our small children. We were able to see everything in a couple of hours.

At around one, we took the kiddos to eat at Burger King and then headed back to the Davis' house for games and naps. After naps, Rachael made yummy meat loaf for dinner. After dinner, Rachael and I helped the kiddos make an art project and gave them haircuts while the big boys played video games.

It was a great, but busy, day!

Summer in January

2012-01-06T05:17:00.000-08:00

It has been abnormally warm this week. If feels like summer. It was so warm that I took my boys outside, filled their water table, stripped them down to their diaper/underwear, and let them play. They had a blast splashing and running around. When they were done, they were red-faced and sweaty. Is is really January???

New Year's Eve 2011

2012-01-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

As a last minute decision, we had some friends over for a New Year's Eve party/get together. It was simple but fun. I made taco soup and corn bread. We played games. We laughed. Nate was out by 8. Sammy made it until midnight, grumpy, but he made it. It was a great night!!! A big thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us.

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T21:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year was spent in Lompoc. It was a fabulous time with family and some great memories were made.

On Christmas Eve we drove to Lompoc in the morning and spent he rest of the day with the Webster family. That night, Nate would not sleep in the pack-n-play. He kept us up for a good chunk of the night. We knew we were in for a really exhausting Christmas day.

On Christmas day we headed over to Rob's parents house bright and early. Becky had to leave for work by 8:30 but wanted to open presents with us and the kiddos. Sammy was really fun to watch this year. He was beyond excited to open his presents. He would say, "Oh boy!" or "Look what I got!" Nate liked the wrapping paper, tissue paper, and bows more that most of his gifts :) After presents, we headed back to our hotel for our free made-to-order, delicious, breakfast. The it was nap time. Nate, Mommy, and Daddy were exhausted! Sammy watched cartoons while the three of us took a two hour nap. It was fabulous!! We were refreshed and ready to head back to Grandma and Papa's for Christmas lunch/dinner. We enjoyed a delicious meal as a family and spent more time visiting. We even walked over to the park to play. In the evening, we headed back to our hotel to spend some time with Rob's close friend, Alica. We had fun catching up. Sam and Nate were both so tired that they fell asleep while were were talking ... Sam on the couch and a Nate next to me on the floor. I think Christmas wore them out :) It was a good day!

On Monday, we enjoyed another yummy breakfast at our hotel, said our goodbyes to Aunt Becky, Uncle Joe, and Grandma and Papa Webster, packed our things at the hotel, gave Nate a nap, and then headed over to my sister's house to celebrate Christmas with my family. It was great to visit with my sisters, my parents, and my niece and nephew. Jordan and Sammy play so well together and Kloey and Nate got along great. It was cute to watch them play. Around five, we headed back to Riverside. It was a really good but busy day.

Cute story: Sammy loved our hotel. He was very excited to ride the "alligator" (elevator) and he loved the pool. He was very friendly with the clerks working the front desk in the lobby and every time we would pass by them he would say things like, "Hi, I'm back!" or "Bye Bye, I'm going to see Grandma and Papa." He never fails to make us smile.

This morning, we let Sam and Nate open the presents we/Santa got them. Sammy's reaction to his big T-Rex was priceless and Nate loved his cookie monster, smiling every time he talked and carrying him all over the house. My boys scored in the toy department. I spent most of today, bagging up old toys to make room for all of their ones. It was a great Christmas but now it is time to get back into our routines and schedules and catch up on some much needed sleep :)

First Christmas Performance

2011-12-23T10:22:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, December 18th, Sammy was in his first Christmas performance at church. The children's choir sang four adorable songs. They were precious! Sammy did so well. He stood up there the entire time. He didn't sing much but stood in place, smiled, held his candle, shook his bell, and looked adorable. My baby is growing up. I'm so proud of you little man!!!

After church, Sam was so proud of himself. He said, "Mommy, I'm a big boy! I sang at church! I was good. I make you happy!" This kid just warms my heart.

Gingerbread Houses

2011-12-21T13:18:00.000-08:00

I watched Brendan yesterday ... well kinda.

I came down with a tummy virus right when he arrived. I think I had food poisoning because I am back to normal today.

Luckily, Jenni came over to help me. I don't think I could have done it without her. Thank you friend ... You were a lifesaver!!!

Anyway ...

She brought over mini-gingerbread houses for the boys to decorate. Sammy and Brendan had a blast. It was fun seeing how their little personalities shown through their decorating.

Brendan was very meticulous and organized. Every candy had its place and he even color-coded his choices. Sammy, on the other hand, was very random. He stuck just about every piece of candy on his little house and had no organization what so ever. Man I love these boys ... they are such fun!!!

Christmas wouldn't be the same without at least one gingerbread house right???

Santa

2011-12-18T21:25:00.001-08:00

This is what my kids thought of Santa this year ... CLASSIC!!!

Nate's One Year Pictures

2011-12-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

I don't have a scanner so I had to take a picture of Nate's one year old pictures but I thought I would share his cuteness anyway :) I thought they turned out pretty cute. Which one is your favorite?

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

2011-11-27T12:49:00.000-08:00

This morning was spent decorating for Christmas. Sammy loved decorating the tree. It is going to be a fun Christmas this year!

My Sister

2011-11-26T23:38:00.000-08:00

My younger sister, Kolby, has been through so much. She just had her third intestinal tear and her third major surgery. She was just released from the hospital today after being away from her family for two weeks. She is only twenty six years old and could have died three different times. Her doctors have yet to figure out what is wrong with her. Through it all, she is still positive, kind, and strong. I admire her strength. I'm not sure if I could do it.

This year, I spent Thanksgiving day with my sister, my parents, and my grandma at Cottage Hospital. It was a humbling experience. It made me so thankful for my health but, most of all, for my family. It made me appreciate what I have so much more. I often take for granted how blessed I truly am.

Tonight, I got to thinking about my sister and my childhood. I began to think what an important role she played in my life and how grateful I am to have her. Her and I are only 27 months apart. Growing up, we were inseparable. She was always tall for her age and I have always been short. We were very similar in size and we have always looked similar. People would often ask if we were twins. She was my constant playmate. I was never bored nor did I ever have to search for someone to play with. She was always by my side.I cannot think of a single childhood memory that she was not part of. As we grew into teenagers, we fought but were still close. I am bossy and strong-headed (sorry Kolby!). Being the middle child, she has always been the peacemaker. She has a humongous heart and an extremely kind spirit. As we have grown into adults, she has become an amazing wife and mother. Her love for her family overflows from her. I look up to her strength. They struggle to make ends meet but she has never let it get her down. Her body has been through so much but she stays positive through it all.

Kolby, I look up to you. You inspire me to be better. I admire you as a wife, a mother, a sister, and a friend. Thank you for helping me to put things into perspective this Thanksgiving. Keep on being strong baby sister ... I pray for you daily and love you more than words can express!

Happy First Birthday Nathaniel Owen!

2011-11-23T07:10:00.000-08:00

Nathaniel Owen,

You entered the world on the 23rd of November.

This is a day that will always be remembered.

You were four weeks early and only seven pounds.

You were tiny and content, rarely making sounds.

You were always happy.

When you gave us your first smile, Mommy became quite sappy.

When you were two months old, you were getting tickled.

You let out the most precious first giggles.

By May, you were eating baby food.

Large messes soon ensued.

In July, your first tooth made its debut.

With all that pain, I am very glad it finally broke through.

On August 12th, you took off crawling across the floor.

Within the next week, you were pulling up and finally off all fours.

By September, you were doing all sorts of fun tricks

Everyone giggled at your adorable antics.

You now believe that big brother is best

Although he may think you are quite a pest.

“Uh-Oh” and "TayTu", you can now say,

But “Da-Da” and "Ma-Ma" are what you will hear most of the day.

You now give big sloppy kisses and random cuddles

In Mommy’s opinion, you could dish these out in bundles.

As you can see, you have had a busy year,

Hard to believe your First Birthday is already here.

Happy first Birthday baby boy. You are huge blessing in our lives. Thank you for bringing so many smiles, giggles, cuddles, and even more love into our lives. We love you to the moon and back little man!

Love,

Daddy, Mommy, and Big Brother Sammy

Here are some of your 12 Month Stats:

You are happy most of the time.
You don’t like when we leave the room but, if you can see us, you are a content little guy.
You adore your big brother.
You still only have four teeth and are still working on four more.
You love, love, love cars and push them around our tile floor, making car noises.
You are a great sleeper (11-12 hours at night and two 2-3 hour naps during the day).
You love to eat and will eat almost anything I put on your high chair.
You do not love cow’s milk or sippy cups but we are working on it.
You weigh about 27 pounds (90th percentile) and are about 33 inches long (95th percentile).
You are wearing 18/24 month clothes.
You are very close to walking but loose confidence when you aren’t holding onto something. You took six steps all by yourself last night.
You still raise your arms when we say “So Big!”, clap, give high-fives, play peek-a-boo, and wave but you now also put your hands on your head when we say “oh my!”
You can say “mama”, “dada”, “uhoh”, and thank you (“tatu”).

First Haircut

2011-11-21T20:27:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, I took Nate to get his first haircut. I loved his long blonde floppy hair but he was beginning to grow a mullet in the back and a he had hair growing over his ears. This was his very first haircut and it was defiantly needed. I took him to Fantastic Sams because they are cheap and fast. The woman did a great job and was very patient. I asked her to trim up the back and the sides but not to take off too much on the top. She listened and think it turned out very cute. Nate was fabulous the whole time, not making a peep. All the ladies in the salon loved him. He love the attention. They gave me a first haircut certificate and a lock of his hair. Great experience, adorable little boy ...

Nate's First Birthday Party

2011-11-21T20:00:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Nate's first birthday this Sunday. We are blessed with wonderful friends and family that helped to make the day go smoothly and took a lot of the preparations off of our hands. Our little boy is blessed with many people who love him to the moon and back. A humongous thank you to Rachel who came up with the adorable owl theme and made most of the decor, Melinda who made the cupcakes, Kaitlin who frosted all the cupcakes and helped with setup, my grandma and my mom who helped with the preparations and setup, Carla and Rob who bought and picked up the balloons, Jenni who took pictures, and everyone else who came to celebrate our little man's first year of life. He is one spoiled and loved little boy!

Nate's adorable birthday invitations that Rachel and I made

The inside of the inviations

The cute decor

Look how much our little guy has changed!

The food table

The adorable cupcakes

Water bottle labels

The favors

Nathan was showered with clothes and toys.

He devoured his cupcake ... there was nothing left but crumbs when he was done :)

Silly Sammy Part 3

2011-11-18T20:46:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of Sam's most recent cute moments.

We were driving in the car and the sun was shining in Sammy's eyes. He says to me, "Mommy, put the sun away!"

We were in the garage and as we were coming back into the house, I turned off the light. Sam was still in the garage and said to me, "Hey Mommy, don't put dark in my eyes!"

Oh my do I love this kid!!!

Great Day

2011-11-11T18:08:00.000-08:00

Today was a great day home with my boys. We played on the swing, played baseball, rode bikes, played with playdough, watched a movie, played board games, and cuddled. I was even able to get a bunch of laundry put away during nap time. The greatest part is that we didn't even leave the house once and have been in pajamas all day. It was fabulous!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T06:20:00.000-08:00

Reminiscing

2011-11-07T20:35:00.000-08:00

I was reminiscing and looking at old pictures of Sam and Nate tonight. I was comparing how much Sam and Nate looked like one another each month of their first year of life. The memories came flooding back to me. Part of me will never forget Sammy as a baby and other parts of me can't believe he was ever that small. I can't believe how fast Nate has grown and changed. Anyway ... I thought I would share my cute boys and let you do some comparisons of your own :)

Sam and Nate as Newborns

One Month Old

Two Months Old

Three Months Old

Four Months Old

Five Months Old

Six Months Old

Seven Months Old

Eight Months Old

Nine Months Old

Ten Months Old

Eleven Months Old

Almost Walking, Uh Oh, and Thank You

2011-11-07T19:26:00.000-08:00

Nathan is a sponge lately. He is almost walking, getting into everything, waving, giving high-fives, giving kisses, and even saying new words. He now says "dada", "uhoh", and "thank you". It is too cute!!!

Click HERE to see a couple of his new skills.

The Great Spaghetti Adventure

2011-11-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

We gave Nate spaghetti for the first time tonight.

Needless to say, he absolutely loved it.

He ate ALL of it, including the the sauce left on the bowl.

Click HERE to see a video of Nate enjoying his first spaghetti.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T20:19:00.001-07:00

Our little Batman and Robin wanted to wish you a Happy Halloween!

The little dutch boy, the cowboy, Batman, and Robin had a great night full of ringing doorbells, saying trick or treat, and eating too much candy.

Our Halloween was fantastic and we hope yours was as well!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

11 Months

2011-10-23T16:18:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel Owen,

You are eleven months old today! It is hard to believe that in one month you will be a year old. You have grown up so fast and changing, learning, and growing daily.

You are a happy little guy, although, you have become quite a momma’s boy … preferring mommy over anyone else. You have been battling a cold that has gone to your chest, making drinking a bottle difficult for you. You are still teething, working on four more teeth. You now possess four teeth, two on the bottom and two on the top. Sammy can still make your smile really easily. You light up when he walks into a room. You now chase him around the house. It has become quite the game. You crawl as fast as you can to catch up to him.

You are a great sleeper. You sleep 11-12 hours at night and take two 2-3 hour naps during the day. You love to eat. You prefer snacks and finger foods over most baby food and bottles. Because of your congestion, formula makes you cough so you have no desire to drink and bottle most of the time. You weigh about 26 pounds (90th percentile) and are 32 inches long (95th percentile). You are wearing 18 month clothes. We love your chubbiness!

You speed crawl (or speed bear crawl) everywhere. You pull up on everything, walk around furniture, and can even stand up by yourself. You can walk holding only one of our fingers but refuse to take a step on your own. You get into everything, including DVDs, remotes, books, brothers toys, etc. You love to raise your arms when we say “So Big!”, clap, give high-fives, and wave.

We love you little man and can’t believe how fast you have grown. You bring our lives so much joy.

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother Sammy

(ok Mommy I'm done!)

Lucky Mom

2011-10-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

I am so lucky and so blessed to be the mommy to two adorable and precious little boys.

When I come home from work exhausted and discouraged, I come home to two little boys who make it impossible to not smile.

I come home and Sammy runs to the bathroom saying, "Mommy I poop for you, it makes you happy." I come home to random Sammy hugs and kisses. I lay Sam to bed every night and he says, "I love you more than gummy bears." I say I love you more than choo choo trains and he says, "I love you more than chocolate." I say I love you so much and he says, "I love you more." You may call it stalling ... I call it precious. I come home to a little boy who, unintentionally, makes my day better.

I come home and Nathaniel gives me huge smiles. I come home and Nate give me belly laughs. He raises his arms above his head when we say, "So Big." He gives high fives. He raises his arms when he wants me to pick him up. He cuddles on my chest every night before I put him to bed. He lights up when I walk into a room and often cries when I leave. He is a mama's boy and prefers me over anyone else. I come home to precious baby with the most contagious smile and an infectious laugh.

Hard, But Worth It

2011-10-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

I have a hard class this year ... one of the hardest I have ever had.

When one of my students walks up to me and asks me to pray for him because his dad is leaving for Iraq that morning, I realize it could be worse and that I am with this class for a reason.

At the end of most days, I am exhausted, overwhelmed, and discouraged.

When my students perform exceptionally well on a district benchmark, setting the bar high for my grade level, I realize that my hard work and stress is worth it.

I am disrespected most of the day by many students.

When I receive a picture, a letter, a hug, or a "Mrs. Webster you are the best teacher I've ever had", I realize that I am making a difference.

If I can change the attitude of one child ... I've done my job.

If I can motivate one child to care about their education ... I've done my job.

If I can help one child believe in them self ... I've done my job.

If I can brighten the day of one child with a listening ear or a compliment ... I've done my job.

If I can help one child understand one thing they never understood before ... I've done my job.

If I can push one child critically think ... I've done my job.

If I can be positive example to one child who has no positive example at home ... I've done my job.

It is not always easy but I truly do have the best profession ... great class or not, I love what I do and appreciate every opportunity I have to be an example to the little lives I encounter on a daily basis.

Silly Sammy Part 2

2011-09-30T21:49:00.000-07:00

Sammy has a huge imagination and quite the personality. He has a mind of his own and often gives us a run for our money. He also makes us laugh daily with the things that come out of little mouth. Here are some of his most recent silly/cute moments:

We were driving home and Sam asks me to open his window. After I opened it, our conversation went like this:

Sam: “Mommy, look at all the trees! Can I touch them?”

Me: “I don’t know Sammy, can you reach them?”

Sam: “No Mommy I can’t reach them. I have no powers. I can’t fly!”

I was loading the kids in the car and Sam found a gummy worm on the floor of the car. Before I could stop him, he put it his mouth. I have no idea how long it had been there … I guess it is time to clean my car. Once I began driving, our conversation went like this:

Sam: “I want more gummy worms Mommy.”

Me: “No Sammy, I don’t have anymore, besides, you weren’t even supposed to have that one.”

Sam: “Go to the store and buy more please.”

Me: “No I am not going to the store right now.

Sam: (While pointing to a house) “Knock on their door Mommy. They have gummy worms?”

Sammy has a small speech impediment. He says certain words incorrectly. I often call his language “Samese.” Some of his words sound like cuss words (funny but embarrassing). He has this recent fascination with bridges. He pretends Daddy’s legs are a bridge and that his cars and toys are passing over it. He also calls freeway overpasses bridges and get excited when we go under them. Not too long ago, he was playing with Daddy and he says, “Daddy, you a bitch.” Rob was stunned but soon realized that he meant bridge. We were at the zoo and he points to a little girl crossing a bridge and says, “She a bitch.” He meant she is on a bridge. It was totally embarrassing but funny at the same time … we couldn’t help but crack up J

He also makes up songs all the time.

This is his superhero song, which he sings any time he is playing with his superhero toys:

“Batman (or any superhero), he’s a good guy. Riddler (or any villain), he’s a bad guy. Batman, he’s my friend. Watch out Riddler! Batman, he’s a good guy. Riddler, he’s a bad guy.”

This is the song Sam sings to Nate when he crying in the car:

“Twinkle twinkle little star, feel better Nate, no more crying, twinkle twinkle little star”

When we pray before meals, he says the same prayer every time. It goes something like this:

“Thank you Jesus for Mommy and Daddy and Nate and Brendan and Jordan. Thank you for our food. Amen!” He now loves Jordan Davis, so much that she has earned a mention in his prayers. Too cute!

I am sure there is more but I needed to write these down before I forgot them. I hope you enjoyed my kiddo’s cuteness as much as I do!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

"Look at my new teeth!"

Chuck

2011-09-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

We love the show Chuck. We introduced it to a lot of our friends and they have also become big fans. Season four just came out on DVD so we decided to have a Chuck party and watch it together. Out pastor loves the show as well and offered the big screens at the church to watch it. Melinda went all out with the decorations and food. Everything we ate and all the decor somehow related to the show (cheese balls, Subway sandwiches, grape soda, yellow and green cupcakes, and yellow and green Buy More decorations) ... such fun! Thanks Mel for putting on a great party ... it was a ton of fun!

Blessed

2011-09-26T19:36:00.001-07:00

I have been very blessed to work at three great schools. At each school, I have had the privilege of getting to know great teachers and staff who have become cherished friends. At my current school I teach with, not only great teachers and staff, but great people. They are supportive, encouraging, and fun!

This past Thursday, a group of us went bowling together after school. We brought our families and had a great time. Sammy loved pushing the ball down the lane. He did a great job being patient and waiting his turn. He melted down at the end when I told him he couldn't play in the arcade but, overall, he did a great job. Nate had a grand time being passed around between the teachers and staff. The rest of us had fun being silly and getting to know one another better outside of school. It was also nice to meet other teacher's kiddos.

I am truly blessed to work with such wonderful people. Thank you Emily, Diane, Dirk, Viviana, Sheila, Melony, and Alex for a great time!

10 Months

2011-09-24T13:31:00.001-07:00

Nathaniel Owen,

You are ten months old today! I can’t believe it! We love you a ton and can’t believe how fast you have grown.

You are still very happy and content most of the time. You have been teething pretty badly lately so you have been a little more fussy than normal. You now have three teeth, two on the bottom and one on the top. Your second top tooth is almost in and has been bothering you pretty badly. Big brother is still your favorite, although, you have become quite a fan of daddy lately as well.
You still sleep really well night (11-12 hours) but you have decided that you dislike napping lately. You will take about a two hour nap in the morning but will only sleep about an hour in the afternoon.
You still love to eat. If Daddy or I are eating, you come up to us, open your mouth, and whine until we feed you. You are a little beggar. You have become a pro with snacks and a sippy cup. You prefer to eat finger foods and baby food over bottles these days. It is a struggle to get you to finish a bottle most of the time but, hey, maybe weaning you from a bottle will be easy.
You weigh about 25 pounds (90th percentile) and are 31 inches long (95th percentile). You are wearing mostly 18 month clothes, except for shorts and some shirts. You are a chunk and helping me build my arm muscles daily.

You are crawling everywhere. You still don’t like to crawl on the tile so you bear crawl. You have perfected it and become pretty speedy. On the carpet you crawl normally and very fast. You are pulling yourself up on everything and cruising along furniture. You can even stand by yourself for a few seconds before falling. You love to hold my hand and walk with me. We think you will be walking within a month or so. You are into anything and everything. You love to torture your brother and take his toys. You are not interested in baby toys whatsoever. You would much rather play with Sammy’s toys, shoes, remotes, or boxes.

You are learning and absorbing a lot lately. You babble constantly. When we say, how big is the baby? … So big! … you raise your arms over your head. You clap and wave. Your new tricks are precious!

Your smile is really contagious and lights up our world. We couldn’t imagine our lives without you in it. We love every part about you little man and we love watching you grow and learn.

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother Sammy

Camping

2011-09-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

We went camping this weekend. It was a blast! When we all decided to go camping, we knew we needed a place with bathrooms and a playground. We also knew we wanted a place that was a little cooler for the kiddos. Rachael Davis found a great place in San Diego. We knew we were risking a hard trip with seven kids (all under the age of five) and only five adults (Scott couldn't make it ... we missed you friend!)

Unfortunately, we didn't arrive sunset on Friday night so unpacking and making dinner was a little frustrating. Luckily, the Davis arrived in the afternoon and were able to set up two out of three of our tents for us. By 9ish, all the kiddos were asleep and the adults were able to sit around the campfire a relax. When we were all heading to the bed, the babies woke up. They took turns crying and waking each other up. It was rough. Nate was the worst. His top teeth were coming in so he wouldn't take a bottle and just wanted to be held. I felt really bad that he was keeping everyone else up. Eventually, Daddy worked his magic and he fell asleep for the night.

Saturday we were woken up bright and early (6:30am) by our children. We reluctantly got up and made breakfast. Thanks to Rachel, Rob, and Rachael we had yummy pancakes, bacon, and eggs. After are bellies were full, Nate went down for his morning nap. I stayed behind and took a short nap while the other adults took the rest of our six kiddos to the park to play. When they returned, we fed the kiddos a picnic lunch (most of us adults were still full from breakfast). Rachel Keys brought lunchables, which were a great and easy lunch for the kiddos. After lunch, we laid the older kids down in one tent to take a nap. They ended up just talking and playing but at least they rested some and we were able to have a little down time. After naps, we took the kids to the water park they had at the location. The kids had a blast running through the water sprayers. It was a nice way to spend a warm afternoon. At around five, the we started dinner. We made hamburgers, corn of the cob, and ranch beans. It was delicious. The kids were able to roast some marshmallows, although, they preferred the marshmallows straight from the bag ... silly kids! We started getting the kiddos ready for bed at around seven and they were all down by eight. Because the older kids had no nap, they all went down very easily. It was amazing! Justin, Rachael, Rachel, Rob, and I were able to make smores, talk, and relax around the fire for a long time. It was so nice.

They loved this tree!

Yummy cheerios

They get along so well and had so much fun!

Best Buds

Pancakes ... Yum!

This is how we walked all the kids to the park. It was super precious. Great idea Rachael Davis!

Rob and Elijah on the swing

Nate and Caleb playing in the pack-n-play ... the easiest way to let my kid "play" but not get filthy :)

My hubby

I love my best friend!

Silly Justin

Beautiful Rachael

Such fun at the water park

Brendan loved these "guns"

She is so darn cute. Watch out Justin ... you are in trouble in ten years!

Drying off after a fun time in the water

Look how big my kid is. Caleb is 16 months. Nate is only 9 months but is already much bigger than his friend.

They really love each other.

Wee!

So handsome

Caleb is a big boy now.

Roasting marshmallows

Yummy!

Nate even stole a marshmallow from Rachel when she wasn't looking :)

Brendan roasted marshmallows like a champ

All the kids slept through the night and didn't wake up until around seven ... this was a huge accomplishment! Sunday morning/early afternoon was spent packing up camp. After cereal, Rachael Davis and I took the kiddos to the park, while Justin, Rob, and Rachel Keys torn down camp. It worked out nice to get the kiddos out of their hair while they broke down tents. When we returned from the park, we helped finish up loading the cars. At around 11:30 we headed to McDonald's for lunch. Sammy came down with a fever a was not himself so we didn't stay long. When we got on the freeway, both Sam and Nate fell asleep within seconds and slept almost the entire way home.

It was such a nice trip! Considering our kiddos out numbered us and that they were all under the age of five, it wasn't that stressful. I think this will have to be an annual tradition ... maybe even a biannual tradition. Next time we look forward to Scott joining us. The Davis and Keys are some of my favorite people. Thank you guys for an amazing weekend!

Laughlin

2011-09-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

We traveled to Laughlin this weekend for our friend Jeff's 30th Birthday. Rebecca and Jeff rented cabins/houses right on the Colorado River. It was great having kitchen to cook in, a living room for the kids to play in, and a dining room table to play games on. Friday night we just hung out in the houses and played games. Between all of us, we have five boys (such fun!). During out games, the kids camped out on the living room floor with their pillows and blankets. They all eventually fell asleep while watching a movie ... it was really cute!

Saturday we spent most of the at the river. We had three wave runners and took turns taking them out. Sammy went out with Daddy and with Uncle Rob. We were afraid Sam would be too scared to ride the wave runners but he actually loved it. He told both Daddy and Uncle Rob to go faster. Later Rob and I went out together. We were having a great time until Rob's hat flew off. We turned around to go get it and when we leaned over, we fell off the wave runner. It was quite an experience trying to climb back into the darn thing. We were tired and soaked but it was actually really funny and something that we will laugh about for a long time. We had a hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch and then spent the remainder of our time relaxing in the sun and watching the kiddos play in the water. Sammy loved to play with the rocks, splash in the water, and sit on the wave runners (even when they weren't moving). Nate was happy just sitting in someone's lap and watching his surroundings. He even took a nice nap in Brianna's lap. At around 2, Rob and I took Sam and Nate back to the house for baths and naps. In the evening, we all headed to the casino for a yummy prime rib and crab leg buffet for Jeff's birthday. After dinner, the kids camped out on the floor again while we played more games. They were all asleep much faster this time.

Today we went out to a nice breakfast buffet at a different casino and then we headed home. It was a really great weekend. Sammy had a ton of fun. He didn't want to leave the "riber" and wanted to ride the "boats" (wave runners) over and over again. I feel so grateful to have such great friends in my life. A big thank you to the Posth's for inviting us to share this fun weekend with you!

"Big Kid" Church

2011-09-04T20:48:00.000-07:00

Sammy went to "big kid" church for the first time today. He is in the three-five year old class. He was excited because his friends James and Josh are in his class now. His teachers said that he struggled at the beginning and cried some but by the end, he did really well and even participated in the lesson. I am proud of my big boy. He is growing up so fast!

A Day at the Zoo

2011-09-03T21:44:00.000-07:00

We headed to the Santa Ana Zoo today. It was a great day! The weather was nice, it wasn't too crowded, and the the kids had a blast!

We saw some neat animals.

Sam had an a great time! It was as if he had never seen animals before. The world is so exciting to a three year old ... man I love this age!

Nate was completely content in the stroller just people watching and eating snacks :)

Both of the boys loved the train ride. Sammy pointed to everything and said "Look!" Nathan thought it was funny to ride the train upside down :)

Leadership

2011-09-01T18:44:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't say I am a born leader. I will be a leader when no one else steps up to the plate. In college I had many group projects. I would normally get stuck leading my group because no one else wanted to. I can be a good leader when I need to be but I am just as happy allowing someone else to lead.

This is my seventh year of teaching. I am not the best teacher but I love what I do and believe that I am pretty good at it. I have a love and a passion for my students. I set high expectations for them and expect that they meet them. I think these attitudes (even if I don't want them to) reflect to the rest of the staff at my school. I have taught on three different teams, at three different schools ... all of which were wonderful. I have always been one to share ideas when they have been successful and offer advice when I found it necessary, but I, in no way shape or form, thought of myself as the leader type. I talk too much, I care too much about what others think of me, and I am often way too nice.

This being said, when I was asked by my principal at the end of last year to be on the leadership team for the 2011-2012 school year, I was caught off guard. I knew it was an honor to be asked to be the leader over the rest of my grade level, but to say that I wasn't a little bit nervous would be a lie. This is only my second year at this school and I am still getting to know my team. It is also a large responsibility. I reluctantly expected the offer in May and have been leading my fourth grade team during meetings for about a month.

Honestly, I am really enjoying it. I love sharing ideas and I actually like the responsibility. In a weird way, being on leadership is making me a better teacher. I find myself trying harder to be an example to my rest of my team. More than anything, I love getting to know more people on my staff. I had grown close to my fourth grade team and the fifth grade team but hadn't had many opportunities to get to know individuals from other grade levels. Being on leadership, has allowed me to get to know several other wonderful teachers and even my principal better. Today leadership had an all day collaborative. I learned a lot, but, more than anything, I learned that I work with wonderful teachers and amazing people that I am honored to know.

It is going to be a busy, challenging, fun, rewarding, and wonderful school year!

Okay, Maybe I am more of a leader than I thought :)

Did I say that we have fun?

Nine Months

2011-08-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

Baby Nate,

You are nine months old today! Really, nine months! I feel like I just brought you home from the hospital. Even though it is happening way too quickly, we love watching you grow and change.

It is very rare when you are not happy. You are content most of the day. If you cry it is probably because you are tired, hungry, or wet. When big brother is in the room, you are constantly smiling, squealing, or laughing. He is your favorite person on the planet! You now have two teeth so your smile is even more precious. Your newest thing is to let out a high-pitched squeal when you get excited. Every morning when I go to get you out of your crib, you give me a really loud squeal and a huge smile.

You are a great sleeper. You nap from about 9am-11am in the morning, 1pm-3pm in the afternoon, and 5pm-6pm in the evening. You sleep from about 7:30pm-6:30am on most nights.

You are a piggy and could eat all day if I let you. You eat a 6 ounce bottle every 4 hours and an 7 ounce bottle in the morning right when you wake up. You eat a large bowl full of rice cereal or oatmeal (mixed with juice or fruit) in the morning. You eat a container for vegetables and a container of fruit for lunch and for dinner. You are now also eating snacks between meals. You love rice crackers (Baby Num Nums) and puffs. You also love yogurt bites but you have trouble picking them up because they stick to your fingers. We have introduced a sippy cup during snack time but you have trouble holding the cup to your mouth.

You are huge but have slowed down in your growth a little. You still weigh about 23 pounds (90th percentile) and are 30 inches long (95th percentile). You are still in 12 month clothes but need 18 months in most pajamas because you are so long.

You officially crawling. You don't like to crawl on our tile so you bear crawl across it. I can put you on the floor and in minutes you are across the room. (Click HERE to see what I mean). You get into everything ... DVDs, shoes, etc.

Nathan, thank you for bringing our lives so much joy! We love you very much.

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother Sammy

Stop taking my picture Mommy!!!

Happy Third Birthday Samuel Allen!

2011-08-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Samuel Allen,

I can't believe my first baby is three years old today. How did that happen? Yes you will always be my baby. I will never forget the first time I ever saw you. You were my precious little miracle. I never knew I could love someone I had never met as much as I loved you. I also never knew how I could love you any more than I loved you at that moment .... Well, it was easy. I fall in love with you more daily. I can't imagine my life without your big brown eyes, you contagious smile, your infectious laugh, your vivid imagination, your heart-warming cuddles, your sloppy kisses, your adorable speech impediment, or your unwavering stubbornness. Happy Birthday little man.

Mommy, Daddy, and baby Nate love you more than words can express!!!

Here are some of your recent stats:

Growth:

You weigh 37 pounds (85th %ile) and are 39 inches long (90th %ile). You wear 4T shirts, 3T shorts, 4T pants, and a size 9 shoe.

Vocabulary:

You still have a slight speech impediment but will repeat anything and everything you hear. You talk in full sentences (or try to) and often make me smile with what comes out of your little mouth. You are very inquisitive and smart.

Interests:

You love, love, love super heroes of all kinds but Spiderman, Batman, Hulk, Ironman, and Wolverine are your favorites. Your Super Grover stuffed animal and he has become your new favorite. He sleeps with you every night. You also still love trains, dinosaurs, and cars. You love playing outside and anything involving water ... your pool, your water table, water guns, etc. Daddy is still the coolest guy on the planet. You try to be just like him and do everything and anything he does. You are also very obsessed and protective of your baby brother, making sure he is okay and close by at all times.

Eating:

You are still picky (I think you always will be) but you now try most things. You have been eating what we eat for dinner on most nights. This is a huge accomplishment! Your favorite foods are still fruit, French toast, cheese, corn, peas, pizza, and quesadillas.

Sleeping:

You are a great sleeper, sleeping 10-11 hours every night. You are a great nap-taker, taking a 2-3 hour nap daily. You haven’t had a night terror in months so we are hoping you have outgrown them.

Potty Training:

You pee in the potty like a champ. You have pooped on the potty several times but it is still not your favorite. Mommy tries to be patient but sometimes feels you will be potty training until the fifth grade. Work with me Sam! I know it will come but sooner rather than later would be nice.

Behavior:

Let’s jut say that you inherited your father’s stubbornness (Daddy would say that you inherited it from me of course). You love to test our buttons and when you put your mind to something it is hard to change it. You go to time out a lot more often but at least you still stand there and serve your time without much of a fight. Your favorite things to say lately are “no”, “no I not stop”, and “no I don’t want to”. Age three may give us a run for our money … much more than the "terrible twos" ever did.

Funny/Cute Moments:

You often grab my face and say, “I love you” or “You pretty”. It melts my heart! You talk to your toys and make them talk back to you with silly little voices. You randomly make silly faces at me and your brother. You "read" me books in silly voices and with hand motions. In the car, you tell me to go when the light is green and stop when the light is red. When Nate cries you tell him, "It's okay Nate" and give him a hug or a kiss to make him feel better. You randomly sniff Daddy or I and tell us, "You stinky ... you need a bath!" When you get really excited you say, "Oh boy!" and jump up and down. You say bless you when ever any of us sneeze.

Silly Sammy

2011-08-15T18:31:00.000-07:00

My kid has quite the personality. He is hilarious at times and never fails to make me smile!

Baby-Proofing

2011-08-12T20:30:00.000-07:00

Let the baby-proofing begin! Nate is pretty much crawling. He often crawls backwards but can get to where he wants to go most of the time. Last night he got himself stuck behind the rocking chair. Tonight he got stuck under the coffee table. The little stinker is keeping me on my toes but he is loving his new found freedom!

Click HERE to see a video of his new moves.

Seven Years!

2011-08-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

August 7, 2004

Today Rob and I have been married for seven years .... WOW .... seven years! I am so honored to be married to such a wonderful man and father. The last seven years have been the most joyous years of my life. Rob, you have been my rock, my best friend, and my comforter. Thank you for loving me and thank you for being an inspiring daddy to our beautiful boys. I love you Robert Webster and look forward to many more amazing years as your wife!

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

"How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?"

2011-08-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague is Sammy's favorite book. It is a very cute book and is one of my favorites as well. Mark Teague is one of my favorite children's author/illustrator. We read it before bed on most nights. I read it to him in funny voices and we act out what the dinosaurs do in the book. We stomp our feet, swing our necks, we sigh, and we pretend to cry. We have read it so much that Sam has memorized it. After I read it to him, he insists that he reads it to me. He also reads it with silly voices and acts like the dinosaurs in the book. It is so precious. The book goes like this:

How does a dinosaur say good night when Papa comes in to turn off the light?

Does a dinosaur slam his tail and pout?

Does he throw his teddy bear all about?

Does a dinosaur stomp his feet on the floor and shout: "I want to hear one book more!"?

Does a dinosaur ROAR?

How does a dinosaur say good night when Mama comes in to turn off the light?

Does he swing his neck from side to side?

Does up and demand a piggy back ride?

Does he mope, does he moan, does he sulk, does he sigh?

Does fall on the top of his covers and cry?

No, dinosaurs don't. They don't even try.

They give a big kiss.

The turn out the light.

The tuck in their tails. The whisper "Good night!"

They give a big hug, then give one kiss more.

Good night. Good night, little dinosaur.

Click HERE to watch Sammy "reading" his version of the book :)

Back to School

2011-08-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

This whole week I have been in my classroom from nine to two getting it ready for my new group of kiddos. I got a lot done this week and feel ready for my new school year. Tomorrow is my first official day back. It is a work day filled with staff meetings and more preparation. Monday is my first day with students. I am very excited to meet my new group of kiddos but am not excited to be away from my boys. I have loved every minute of the quality time I have had with Sam and Nate. It is always hard leaving my boys at daycare but even harder after two months at home with them. Monday will be a bittersweet day for me.

Can you blame me for not wanting to leave these precious little boys?

Sammy and Brendan's Monster Bash

2011-07-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Rachel and I decided to have a joint birthday party for Brendan and Sam this year. They are only five weeks apart so having a party that fell right between their two birthdays made perfect since to us. We also decided that, after two years of big birthday parties, we were ready for a low key party this year. We decided to have their party at Pump It Up. It was perfect because you bring your own snacks, cupcakes, and decor, let the kids jump and play, give them their cupcakes, play some games, and send them home. The best part was, the party was only two hours long and we didn't have to clean up the mess!!

Rachel came up with an adorable monster theme. She is a great party planner. We were able to create an adorable monster bash thanks to her awesome creativity!

The older kiddos had a blast jumping on the jumpers and sliding down the slides.

Even the babies had a fantastic time!

Some of the adults got into the jumping action also but even those who didn't had fun visiting and catching up. Shanda (who just got back from China) even came to celebrate with us!

Sammy and Brendan were made kings for the day and got their own special thrown to sit on.

Brendan and Sam were showered with gifts from wonderful people.

Sammy and Brendan's monster bash was a huge success!!! We had 10 kids, 7 babies, and 22 adults all celebrating our precious little boys. It was an adorable, fun, non-stressful party. I highly recommend Pump It Up! Our boys are very blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people who love them very much. Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make Brendan and Sam's third birthday party special!

Teenage Girls

2011-07-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

My niece, Lily, has been staying with us this last week. She arrived on Monday (the 18th) and I took her to the airport today. Rob worked all week so Lily and I were able to have some quality girl time. We had a ton of fun watching movies, playing games, getting a pedicure, shopping, and chatting. Sammy adored her and often times wouldn't leave her alone ... sorry Lily! Nathan thought she was really pretty because he wouldn't stop smiling at her. Since Lily lives in Arizona, we rarely see her. I was really glad we got to spend time getting to know her better. It was a great week!

I also learned a lot about teenage girls during her visit. Don't get me wrong, Lily was very sweet and very respectful but I kept thinking, God bless my parents! ... they had three teenage girls! I learned that they can sleep in forever (I think 12:30pm was her record this week), they can text all day, they spend a lot of time on their hair and nails, they are not always easy to entertain, they are boy crazy, and they could shop for new clothes all day if you let them. I am sure I was very similar at this age and that it is completely normal but, if I ever have a girl, she may give me a run for my money!!!

Eight Months

2011-07-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel Owen,

You are eight months old today! I can't believe how fast your are growing. Please slow down!

You are happy all day but especially when Daddy or Brother are in the room. You smile with your whole face. Your smile brightens our lives. Your laugh is the cutest noise on the planet and is extremely contagious!

Sleeping and eating are your favorite activities. You love to sleep and do it a lot. You still take about three hour naps a day but you now sleep from about 8pm-7am every night. This is wonderful for Mommy and Daddy!!! Eating is also a great love of yours. You eat a 6-7 ounce bottle every 4 hours, rice cereal or oatmeal in the morning, and baby food at lunch and dinner. You are not picky, eating anything I offer you. You even get mad when I am not fast enough with the spoon.

You are enormous ... much bigger than your brother when he was your age. You weigh almost 23 pounds (90th percentile) and are 29 inches long (95th percentile). You are completely in 12 month clothes and can even wear 18 months in some things. At this rate your are going to wearing 2T clothes by the time you are one!

You roll everywhere and scoot/army crawl to things you really want (you just started doing this yesterday). You try to get your knees up every once in while but you just don't seem too interested .... which I am completely okay with. I am not in a hurry for you to become completely mobile. You also love toys (any toy). As long as someone is the room with you, you can sit and play with toys forever.

Nathan, you have completely stolen Mommy, Daddy, and even big brother's hearts. You are the sweetest and happiest baby. We are so blessed to have you in our lives!

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother Sammy

First Tooth

2011-07-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel got his first tooth yesterday (at least it is the first day I actually felt it). I knew his teeth were close to poking through so I wasn't surprised. He has three more about to pop through as well. I love when babies get their first teeth. Their little toothy grins are my favorite.

Painting

2011-07-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

Sammy has really been enjoying painting lately. Washable paint is wonderful and so much fun. Sam loves to paint with a paint brush but his favorite is finger painting. He has a blast and I now have some really cute paintings on my fridge!

Happy Birthday Rob!

2011-07-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

Last night I threw Rob a surprise 30th Birthday party. His actual Birthday isn't until July 26th but I figured he would be more likely to be surprised if I threw it a week or so before is actual Birthday. He is the hardest man to surprise but I think I succeeded.

After church, I took Rob out to lunch and a movie. When we returned home friends and family were at our house to yell surprise. Our fabulous friend's Rob and Carla Niemi and Rob's wonderful Aunt Kathy provided and delicious appetizers, pasta, and salad. Melinda made an awesome cake. Becky and Lito were an awesome helping to watch the boys and prepare the food. We had a fun water activities for the kiddos. At 7:00 a huge semi truck filled with XBOX 360, PS3, and Wii games arrived. This was my big surprise for Rob ... especially since I knew he already suspected a surprise party. The big "kids" and little kids all had a blast playing games in the truck. The truck was filled with six TVs that the adults used to play Halo and Call of Duty. The little kids and the women played games on the two TVs on the outside of the truck. Everyone had a blast! It was a really great night filled will laughter, family, and friends. I was glad I could give Rob a special evening of great memories ... he deserves nothing less. Happy 30th Birthday babe and I love with all of my heart!!!

(I forgot to take a picture of the outside of the truck so I stole these first three pictures from the company's website)

Super Grover

2011-07-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

At sea world I bought Sammy a Super Grover stuffed animal. He is Sam's new favorite toy. He goes with Sammy everywhere and sleeps with him at night. Sam is currently talking to Super Grover over breakfast.

Here is their conversation:

Sammy: "Hi there Super Grover!"

Super Grover (Sammy talking in a silly voice): "Hi there!"

Sammy: "You flying Super Grover?" (making him fly in the air).

Super Grover: "Yah ... look there's Nate."

Sammy: "He so cute!"

Super Grover: (Making him fly over to Nate who is sitting in his high chair) "Yah ... I kiss him" (making him kiss Nate's head).

Sammy: "Aww, that so nice Super Grover"

Happy Birthday Brendan!

2011-07-14T05:35:00.000-07:00

When my best friend told me she was pregnant in October of 2007, I was elated for her! I was so excited to become an honorary auntie to Rachel's little bundle of joy. When I found out I was pregnant in January of 2008, I was so excited that our babies would grow up together. When Rachel and I found out we were both having boys, I couldn't wait to watch our little guys grow up to be great friends. I remember going to hospital to meet Brendan for the first time and being overcome with joy! My best friend was a mommy! I just felt this unique connection to him, as if he was truly my nephew. I loved him!

Brendan was due in June but was born almost two weeks late. Sam was due in September but was born five weeks early. This made their intended three month age gap only five weeks! I love that they are so close in age. The past three years, I have watched Brendan and Sammy grow together. They are very close. They fight like brothers but ask for one another when they are apart. During the school year, they are together every day at daycare, bickering often, but during the summer, Sammy misses Brendan very much and vice versa. Their love/hate relationship makes me smile.

Happy Birthday Brendan Matthew Keys! I love you very much! I love your big blue eyes, I love your adorable laugh, I love that you are sponge and absorb everything, I love your curiosity, and I love that I can play a big part in your life and watch you grow up. You have grown into a handsome, active, smart, stubborn, and sometimes difficult child that I absolutely adore!!

Swinging

2011-07-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

I put Nathan in the swing for the first time the other day. He absolutely loved it and was laughing hysterically. This adorable, happy little boy has completely stolen my heart!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Playing" a Game

2011-07-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

Uncle Joe came to visit for the week. Tonight Rob an Joe were playing a "nerd" game (as I call it) and Sammy REALLY wanted to play. It has figurines in the shape of dragons and soldiers ... which are really really cool to our almost three-year-old. He was too young to play the game. Daddy told him he could watch but not to touch. When I came in the room, he was sitting there quietly, with his hands folded, watching Daddy and Uncle Joe play their game.

He did this for quite some time until he couldn't stand it any more and began touching things he shouldn't touch. When daddy couldn't stand it anymore, he created a little mini game board for Sam using the extra pieces and figurines. This was the greatest thing is Sam's little world. When I went to take his picture, he told me all about the game saying, "Mommy look my game!" "Mommy look my dragon!" "Mommy look my lion!" He was so excited to be "playing" a game with Daddy and Uncle Joe ... two of the coolest guys on the planet. I love that he wants to be just like his daddy and he wants to do everything that Daddy does. They really do have the cutest bond that absolutely melts my heart!

Sammy's "game"

Daddy and Uncle Joe's game

Less and Less

2011-07-09T10:58:00.000-07:00

I used to think Sam and Nate looked very similar. As Nate gets older, I think they look less and less alike. Don't get me wrong, they are undeniably brothers. I love that they are opposites in many ways. Sam has huge brown eyes and medium brown hair whereas Nate has big blue eyes and platinum blonde hair. Nate is starting to look more and more like me and Sam is beginning to look more and more like Rob. Sammy is a combination of Rob and I whereas I think Nate is going to look more like me with Rob's big smile. One thing is certain ... they are both adorable, happy, boys who bring so much joy to our lives. We are a proud and blessed Mommy and Daddy!!!

What do you think?

(Samuel at 7 Months)

(Nathaniel at 7 Months)

Building a Fort

2011-07-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

My friend Jenni was over and we were playing with the boys. Sam kept taking the pillows off my couch and Jenni came up with the idea of using them to build a fort. We grabbed some sheets and attempted to use them and the pillows to create a fort in many ways ... none of which really worked.

Rob eventually got involved. He pulled out some chairs to make it better but even his fort wasn't great.

I have an L-shaped couch that is in two pieced. We eventually moved the two parts of the couch parallel to one another to create a tunnel type fort. Sammy loved it because he could crawl in and out. Even though our "fort" was nothing to extravagant ... Sam loved it and had an absolute blast! It is amazing how easy it is to entertain a toddler!

Even Nathan had a blast :)

Happy Birthday Kaitlin!

2011-07-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

My sister's birthday is this month so Sammy and I took her to Seaworld for the day. She had never been before and absolutely loved it! We had a lot of fun! It wasn't too hot or too crowded. We got there at 9, left by 2:30, and saw/did almost everything at the park. I am very glad that I could make my sister's day special ... she deserves the best! Happy Birthday Kaitlin. We love you very much!

4th of July 2011

2011-07-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

We had a very fun 4th of July this year! Our great friends, Rachel and Scott, have an amazing view of the fireworks from their backyard so we headed to their house for swimming, a BBQ, sparklers, and fireworks. The kids had a blast in the pool, the ribs and pulled pork were delicious, the sparklers were a lot of fun, and our view of the fireworks made the show wonderful! I love hanging out with the Keys, Pfeffers, and Davis'. We have great friends! Overall, it was a great day had by all ... I can't wait until next year!

(Get ready to be bombarded by a ton of pictures!)

Scrub-A-Dub-Dub Two Boy in a Tub

2011-06-28T09:28:00.001-07:00

Bath time is so much easier now that Nathan is sitting up on his own and I can throw both boys in the bath at the same time. I did this for the first time yesterday and both boys loved it. Nathan is such a water baby. He loves baths and a pools. He loved having Sammy in the bat with him. He just smiled and laughed at everything Sam did. I think Sam loved having Nate in the bath as well. He wanted to wash him and give him all his ducky toys. It was very cute!

Seven Months

2011-06-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel Owen,

You are seven months old today! I feel like you were born yesterday. I am trying to savor every precious moment with you because I know how fast this time flies by. I am excited to watch you grow but part of me wants you to stay my baby forever :)

You continue to be a the happiest baby. You smile at anyone and everyone and do it constantly. You rarely get fussy unless, of course, you are hungry or tired. Your daddy and brother are your favorite. You light up when they are in the room.

You love to sleep. You fall asleep almost anywhere but sleep best in your crib. You have decided that you now love to sleep on your tummy. As soon as a I lay you down, you flip over and fall right asleep. Considering you hated to be on your tummy less than a month ago, it is funny to me. You were spoiled when grandma and grandpa were visiting and slept a lot in people's arms. You loved that! You still take about three two hour naps a day and sleep from 8pm-5am every night. At 5 I feed you a bottle and you fall right back asleep until about 7. It has been very nice!

You love to eat! You still eat a 6 ounce bottle every 4 hours. You still love your rice cereal or oatmeal in the morning and now eat baby food at lunch and dinner. You will eat anything. Sweet potatoes and bananas are your favorite just like your brother. I am introducing new flavors and you have loved all of them.

You are huge! You weigh 21 pounds (90th percentile) which is more than my best friend's one-year-old :) You are 29 inches long (95th percentile). You have already grown out of almost all of your 6-9 month clothes and can wear most of your 12 month clothes. We love your chubbiness!

You are developing great! You roll all over our floor. When I put you down, leave the room, and come back you are never in the same spot that I put you. When on your back, you use your legs to scoot backwards all over the place. It is really funny! You also now sit up completely on your own. You love to sit on the floor and play with toys. You can even throw your self forward onto your tummy from a sitting position. You do this to get to your toys that are out of your reach. When on your tummy, you scoot to reach toys. You try to get your little knees up. I figure you will be crawling in a month or so.

Your head looks much better! Our pediatrician recommended us to physical therapist to help re-shape your head without a helmet. We have yet to meet with them yet. Because you now love to sleep on your tummy and can sit up on your own, I think it is beginning to fix itself.

Baby Nate, we love you very much. You are such a happy little guy and bring our lives so much joy. We can't imagine our lives without your contagious smile and infection giggle!

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother Sammy

Happy Father's Day Rob

2011-06-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

Rob,

Thank you for being an amazing father to our boys! They adore you. You are the first person Sammy asks for every morning. I love watching Sam's eyes light up and a huge grin appear on his face when you get home from work. You can get Nathan to laugh and giggle like no one else. He already adores his daddy very much. We are all very blessed to have you in our lives. I love you Rob and am honored to raise our boys with you! Happy Father's Day.

-Tawni

Cute Moments with Sammy

2011-06-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

I was home alone with the boys tonight. I put Nathan down early so Sam and I could spend some quality time together. We spent time sharing a bowl of ice cream while watching cartoons and cuddling on the couch. While this age is often difficult and Sam has quite the mind of his own, he is also pretty darn adorable. He was so super cute tonight and made me giggle on more than one occasion. I just wanted to share a few of those moments.

I was going to the bathroom when all of a sudden Sammy walked in and said, "Mommy went potty!!! Oh boy!!! You a big boy!! Yay!!!" He was so excited for me.

I have played a game I call attack of the thousand kisses since Sammy was very small. I grab him and attack his little cheek with thousands of kisses. Tonight Sammy came up to me, grabbed my face, said "ousand isses!", and proceeded to kiss (and slobber) all over my cheek. He did this over and over again, saying, "ousand isses nose!", "ousand isses belly!", ousand isses arm!", ect.

While laying on the couch together, Sam put his little hands on my cheeks, pulled my face to his, kissed me, and said, "Mommy I love you." I said I love you too Sam and he responded with, "I love you more mommy." I say this to him every once in while but tonight he initiated it with so much sincerity.

To be honest, Sam drove me nuts today. We had a horrible potty training day and he didn't want to listen most of the afternoon. When I am completely frustrated with my two year old's stubbornness, he does precious things like this.

Sammy, you bring my life so much joy! I love you very much little man!

Nate's Six Month Photo Shoot and Family Pictures

2011-06-18T05:15:00.000-07:00

On June 17th, we headed to Citrus Park to get Nathan's six month photos and some family photos done by our wonderful friend and talented photographer Emily Burton. She did a wonderful job and we love them! Here are some of my favorites or should I say a lot of my favorites ... It was really hard to choose :)

Rejuvenated

2011-06-18T04:54:00.000-07:00

Rob and I have not had a weekend away from kids since before Sammy was born. Needless to say, we were in desperate need of some alone time with one another! When we found out my parents were coming to visit for a week, we decided give them some quality time with their grandchildren and go away for a couple of days. My parents graciously agreed and we enjoyed a great two days away from kids. It was beautiful!

On Wednesday morning, Scott and Rachel met us at our house and we traveled to Temecula to go wine tasting. We made it to two wineries, went on a wonderful behind the scenes tour at Ponte Winery, and enjoyed a fancy lunch at Calloway Winery before I came down with a horrible migraine. We had planned to visit two or three more wineries but we had to cut our plans short. (Sorry Scott and Rachel!) Luckily, our hotel let us check in early. I was able to take some Excedrin, get a nice back rub from my wonderful hubby, and sleep for about an hour. When I woke up, I felt much better. Rob and I walked around old town Temecula that afternoon. It was a lot of fun stopping in the all the little shops and spending quality time with one another. After old town, we enjoyed a nice dinner at Red Lobster and then headed to see a movie at the four dollar theater. It was a great day! In the morning, Rob and I went back to Ponte to purchase one of the wines we really enjoyed and went to one more winery where I bought some yummy pineapple champagne.

We got home around noon. Sammy was so excited to see us and Nate was all smiles. It is amazing how much more you appreciate your children when you are away from them for a while. This mini vacation was very needed. We both feel rejuvenated and refreshed. Thank you mom and dad for watching our boys and giving us this time!!!

Busy

2011-06-17T07:29:00.000-07:00

My sister, brother-in-law, and niece came into town last Friday night (6/10/11). Jordan was very excited to see his parents and baby sister.

We went to Knotts Berry Farm on Saturday and had a great time. My parents also came into town on that night.

My whole family went to church with us on Sunday morning and we spent the afternoon at the park.

Monday, we went out to a nice lunch a Chilis. Kolby, Jesse, Jordan, and Kloey left that night. It was sad to see them go.

Tuesday we stayed home and let the kiddos play outside. Nate loves the water table. My dad made Sammy a makeshift t-ball field. He taught him to hit the baseball and run the bases. It was adorable!

Wednesday, my mom, dad, and sister watched our boys overnight while Rob and I went wine tasting in Temecula (more on that later). We got back early Thursday afternoon . We spent the rest of the day spending time with my parents and Kaitlin. We played an exciting game of Apples to Apples.

My parents left Friday morning. It was very hard saying goodbye! It has been very busy in our house but some great memories were made and it was fabulous time with family.

Jordan - Day Three and Four

2011-06-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a lot less busy and a lot more relaxing. I set up the pool for the boys in the backyard and they had a fun splashing one another. I was able to get some cleaning done and Jordan had fun playing video games. In the evening Rob took Jordan and Sam to a comic book store while Nate and I went out to Sushi for Melinda's birthday. He let them each pick out one comic book. They loved that! Jordan also got a rub on tattoo and thought it was hilarious to trick his parents into believing he got a real one.

Popcycles for dessert!

Jordan asked me, "Can I have one last cuddle before you put him to bed?" Such a sweet boy!

Today we went to target in the morning. It was quite an adventure taking three boys to the store but they were all very good. Nate just chilled in the front pack, Sam sat nicely in the cart, and Jordan followed us close by. I let Sam and Jordan both pick out a toy, which they loved! We then ate at the Target cafe. They both enjoyed apples with caramel, chicken nuggets, and slurpies. This evening we all went to John's Incredible Pizza. Jordan and Sammy absolutely loved the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet, the desserts, the rides, and the games. Nathan loved the lights. He was mesmerized and looked around the entire time. It was a great day!

Nathan absolutely adores his cousin!

Jordan - Day Two

2011-06-07T18:57:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy but fun day. I started off the day by cooking the boys french toast and bacon. They loved it!

The boys then spent the morning playing outside in the water table ... splashing each other and getting soaked.

After lunch, we went to the park. The boys had a lot of fun running around, going down the slides, and playing on the swings.

After naps, we headed to Aunt Kaitlin's house to take advantage of her pool at her complex. I am very bummed that I forgot my camera. Nate loved the pool! He loved to splash in the water. Jordan also had a blast in the pool. He didn't want to leave. Sammy was a different story. He was petrified of the water at first and refused to get in the pool. After a while, he warmed up and would put is hands in to splash and stick is feet in a little. I eventually convinced him to let me hold him in the water. He loved to splash and get his face wet. He didn't want to stay in too long but I plan to take him back many more times this summer so he can get over his fear.

After dinner, Jordan played a video game with Rob. Actually they are still playing together and having so much fun! It is cute seeing them work together and having so much fun.

It was a really good day but I bet the boys will sleep well tonight :)

Jordan - Day One

2011-06-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

We drove up to Lompoc this last weekend to "kidnap" my nephew for a week. Kolby had a hard time saying bye to her little guy. (This is Jordan's first time away from Mommy and Daddy for an extended amount of time). We are excited to spoil Jordan and get to spend quality time with him. Because they live so far, I don't see my nephew as much as I would like. I know he will have a blast and that it will be a great week for both him and us!

Today Kaitlin came with Sam, Nate, Jordan, and I to spend the day at Huntington Beach. It was a short, but sweet, trip. Sammy was really cranky and deathly afraid of the water but all the boys (including Nate) had fun in the sand. We only stayed about 2 hours because Sam and Nate both needed naps. The drive home was awful! We got lost in Costa Mesa, went the wrong way on the freeway, and got stuck in traffic. Minus the drive home, it was good trip and the kiddos had fun.

Trip to Lompoc - June

2011-06-06T20:59:00.000-07:00

We went to Lompoc this last weekend to visit with family and to pick up my nephew. Jordan is staying with us for a week. It was a fun weekend.

We drove up on Saturday morning and spend the day with "Amma" and "Papa" Webster, uncle Joe, Aunt Becky, Uncle Lito, cousin Ezekiel, and new baby cousin Tabitha. It was fun day. That night the guys (Rob, Joe, and Lito) went to see the new X-Men movie while Becky and I ordered Chinese food and watched the little ones (all four of them ranging from two weeks to almost three) at our hotel room. That was an interesting experience :)

On Sunday we had a nice breakfast at our hotel and then headed back to Grandpa and Grandma Webster's house for more visiting and lunch. At about 3:30 we headed to Kolby and Jesse's house to pick up Jordan and visit a little. We hit the road at about 4:30. We had a long trip home but made it safe at about 10.

It was a great trip and we are excited to spend the week with Jordan!

Six Months

2011-05-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

Nathan,

You are six months old today! It is hard to believe that you have already been in our lives for half of a year. It is even harder to imagine our lives without you in it.

You are such a happy baby. You smile and laugh constantly and only get upset when hungry, poopy, or left alone. You like being around people. You adore your big brother. In your little world, he is coolest person on this planet. He can make you smile and laugh more than any other person. Last night he was jumping and you were laughing hysterically. You watch Sam like a hawk, smiling at every thing he does and says.

You are an amazing sleeper. You love your crib and fall asleep as soon as we lay you down. You take three 1-2 hour naps daily and sleep from 8pm-6am every night.

Eating is your favorite activity. You eat a 6 ounce bottle every 4 hours. You also eat cereal in the morning for breakfast and baby food in the evenings for dinner. You have loved most every baby food you have tried. Peas and peaches are not your favorite by themselves by you will eat them mixed with other veggies or fruit. You absolutely love carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, green beans, apples, bananas, pears, and blueberries.

You are a chubby little guy and we love it! You weigh almost 20 pounds (85th percentile) and are 28 inches long (85th percentile). You fill out all of your 6-9 month clothes and can even wear some of your 12 month clothes. Your chubby cheeks, legs, belly, and arms make us smile. You are just precious and so huggable!

Your head looks better to us but it is still flat in the back. We have made sure to keep you sitting up more often and we try to place you on your tummy regularly. We will see what the doctor says at your appointment on the 27th.

Nathaniel Owen, we love you more than words can express. You are a little bundle of joy and such a blessing in our lives.

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother Sammy

Two Years, Nine Months

2011-05-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

33 months ago, God blessed us with this amazing and adorable baby boy and in three short months he will turn three. Where did the time go?!?!?! He continues to make us smile daily. Here are some of his recent developments.

Growth –

He hasn't gained any weight the last three months but has shot up in height. He weighs about 35 pounds (85%) and is now 38 inches long (95% percentile). He wears 3T/4T shirts, 3T/4T pants, and size 8 shoes.

Vocabulary –

He talk better daily. He can talk in short sentences and it often times surprises me how well he can communicate now. He still says certain words incorrectly but his little speech impediment often times makes me smile.

Interests –

Cars, trains, trucks, dinosaurs, super heroes, playing outside, daddy, and baby brother.

Eating –

He is still very picky but is willing to try new foods now. He is a major fruit kid. I think he could consume a whole bag of blueberries or an entire cantaloupe in one sitting if we let him. His new recent favorite foods are pancakes and french toast.

Sleeping –

He still loves his firetruck bed and sleeps really well in his own room.
He still sleeps 10 to 11 hours every night and takes a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon.
He still has nightmares and become scared easily but is getting better.

Potty Training –

Potty training is doing much better. He is pretty much completely peepee potty trained ... poopoo is a different story. He doesn't like to go number two on the potty at all. We are working on it. Luckily I have this summer off with him so we can dedicate a lot of time to it.

Behavior –

He still goes to time out like a trooper ... nose in corner and all.
He loves to test us lately and will see what he can get away with.
Overall he is a really great kid but he gets in trouble for the following on a regular basis: He loves to tell us no, he sometimes enjoys hitting and pushing other children, and sharing is not his favorite activity.

Funny/Cute Moments –

He still randomly gives us hugs and kisses and says "I love you" regularly. He will now say "I love you more" after we tell him we love him. It makes me smile.
He believes that stickers belong on your face and thinks it is hilarious to see himself in the mirror.
He is already very protective over his baby brother. He tells me "get Nate" every morning when we are walking out the door as if I would forget otherwise. We recently went to Sea World but left Nathan with friends. Sam was very concerned about his brother, asking for him often.

Starting Baby Food

2011-05-17T05:30:00.000-07:00

I started Nathaniel on solids when he turned five months. We started with rice and slowly introduced baby food. He is a little piggy. When the spoon gets close to him, he opens his mouth wide and shakes his head like a little bird. It cracks me up. So far he loves sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, green beans, apples, bananas, blueberries, and pears. He is not so sure about peas and peaches. We recently bought a Magic Bullet and I have been making some of my own baby food. It has been fun experimenting. I love this stage!

"Peas ... Not so much Mom"

"Sweet Potatoes are much better!"

Five Months

2011-04-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

Nathan,

You are five months old today! You are a happy and easy baby. You are changing a lot lately and are looking more and more like your big brother. You smile with your whole face. Your little smile is contagious. You are a very ticklish and it is very easy to make you laugh. You also adore your big brother and laugh at him very easily. Your laugh is also infectious. You are just too cute for words. You are still a great sleeper, taking three 1-2 hour naps daily and sleeping 8-9 stretches at night. You love to eat! You chow down 5-6 ounces every 3-4 hours. We adore you chubby cheeks, thunder thighs, buddah belly, and triple chin, and roll-covered arms. You are huge and we love your chubbiness!! You had your four month appointment on April 8th are doing wonderful! The doctor said you are doing great but that you need to be on your tummy more (your head is a little flat in the back). If you would stop screaming your head off every time we place you on your tummy that would be wonderful! You weigh 18 pounds (75th percentile), are 27 inches long (90th percentile), and have a 17 inch head circumference (50th percentile). You are growing out of most of your 3-6 month clothes and almost ready to move up to your 6-9 month clothes. We love you more and more every day. You bring our lives so much joy and we love watching you change and grow. We love you with all of our hearts Baby Nate!

Love,

Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother Sammy

Busy Weekend

2011-04-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

I have been extremely busy lately. Teaching, being a mommy, being a wife, and finishing my last mater's class has kept me a just a little occupied. I have barely had enough time to breath, let alone blog, but I wanted share our recent fun but busy trip to Lompoc.

Becky's baby shower was on the 16th so we had been planning to travel to Lompoc for a while now. Rob called about a hotel on Thursday night but everything was booked due to shuttle launch at Vandenberg Air-force Base that weekend. We ended up having to make reservations in Santa Maria which was fine because Becky's baby shower was in Santa Maria anyway. I was able to find a really good deal at the historic Santa Maria Inn. It is a really old (supposedly haunted) hotel, built in the early 1900's. I thought it would a fun experience.

We left town Friday afternoon and the boys did wonderful the entire car ride! It was a long drive (almost 6 hours) so I was impressed at how well they did. When we finally got into our hotel room (8:30pm), Sammy freaked out. He was scared of something in our room. He didn't want to go near the beds and kept yelling, "Hold me, Hold me!" We weren't really sure what he was afraid of but figured it was the design on the headboards or the giant pillows that were laid across the bed. Rob was finally able to calm him down with a little T.V. By the time he finally was willing to lay in the bed with me, it was almost 10pm. In the morning, Rob asked Sam what he was afraid of and he told him, "I aw a goose, it scare me." Apparently a goose was haunting our hotel room. The only thing we can think of is that the headboard of the beds looked like a goose to him. It was very strange but humorous at the same time.

Saturday was a very busy day. My sister drove to Santa Maria to spend the morning with us. Kolby, Kloey, Nathan, and I went to the mall. Rob stayed with Sam while he took a short nap. Kolby was able to find herself a cute Easter outfit and we had a fun time visiting. At around 1:45, we left for the Becky's baby shower. Sam had a blast running around and playing with his cousin and the other kiddos there. I was in charge of games. Overall, it went really well. Delicious Filipino food was served and Becky was showered with many gifts. After the shower, we headed to Lompoc to visit with Webster family. Sammy adores his grandpa and grandma Webster and his uncle Joe. Nate is already starting to adore them as well. He was all smiles for each of them. It was too short of a visit but a great time was had.

My dad is in California visiting family so Sunday we met him, my grandpa, my aunt Colleen, and her two kiddos Emerey and Desiree at Waller Park for a picnic and catching up. After lunch, Dad wanted to walk Sammy over to the ponies. For $3.50, the park offers kids a twenty minute pony ride (what a deal!). I wasn't sure Sammy would actually ride a pony but he got really excited when Papa mentioned the idea. He stood in line with total excitement but when the time came for him to actually get on the pony, he began to cry. I am glad my dad and my aunt were in line with him, because I would have said forget it and not have made him ride. The man in charge of getting the kiddos on and off of the ponies told my dad to put him on anyway and to just walk beside him until he calmed down. My dad listened and by the third or fourth time around, Sammy was all smiles. I was shocked! He was such a trooper! He would say cheese every time he would see our camera and kept saying, "Iddy up pony!" At one point Rob and my dad told him to put one arm in the air and he did. It was so adorable. After the pony ride, we let Sam play on the playground and we visited with one another. Nathan loved my cousins and I was able to snap some pretty stinkin cute pictures of Emerey and Nate together.

We left the park around 3:30 and started our trip home. It was a long drive with two very tired and cranky boys in the back seat. We made great time but my poor children didn't think so. We got home around 8, put the boys to bed, relaxed a little, and then crawled into bed ourselves. We were exhausted. It was non-stop, fun-filled, memorable weekend but boy are we glad to be home!

Who do they look like?

2011-03-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

My boys are definite combinations of Rob and I, although I think Sam looks a little bit more like me, with Rob's coloring and Nate looks a little bit more like Rob, with my coloring.

What do you think?

Bath Time

2011-03-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

Both of my boys finally enjoy bath time!

Sammy has loved bath time for a while now. We have to spell the word bath otherwise he throws a fit until he gets one.

Nathaniel, until recently, was a different story. He would scream every time I put him in water. The last couple of times, he has not screamed and I have been able to actually get a few smiles. We are making a break through!

Giving my boys a baths is often a chore for me ... especially when Sam want to take a bath for hours and screams when I take him out and Nate hates baths and screams when I put him in. I can't wait until I can put both boys in the bath together and they can entertain one another.

A Trip to the Zoo

2011-03-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

Rachel and I decided to take all four boys to the zoo this afternoon. We both think that they are still to young to make the admission to a large zoo worth it. Instead we took them to the Santa Ana Zoo. The admission is only eight dollars for adults and kids under three get in free. It is a small zoo and isn't that exciting. It really only has monkeys, birds, and a petting zoo (definitely not worth more than eight dollars) but it is perfect for small children.

Nataniel slept most of the time and Caleb just smiled and absorbed everything around him (he is such a happy little guy). Sam and Brendan had a blast! It is amazing how different our two-year-olds are. Brendan was petrified of the fake cow that you could "milk", whereas Sammy just walked right up to it and "milked" away. Brendan loved sitting inside the fake dinosaur eggs to take pictures, whereas Sammy refused because they were filled a tiny amount of leftover rain water. Brendan was scared to ride the carousel, whereas Sammy thought it was the best thing ever. Brendan wanted to be Mr. Independent and walk by himself like a big boy and climbed on everything with ease, whereas Sammy was timid and only wanted walk while holding my hand and was very leery when climbing on anything. Brendan was most impressed with the petting zoo area, wanting to see a chicken more than anything else. Sammy enjoyed the monkeys best. It cracked us up what they were and were not afraid of and how much their little personalities are already very evident. The one thing they both thought was the best thing since sliced bread was the train ride. They were both ecstatic and grinning ear to ear during the entire ride.

Rachel and I were exhausted after chasing around two very active toddlers and pushing two heavy strollers through muddy trails but we had a great time watching our boys have so much fun. It was definitely a great day full of many fun memories!

Sam and Brendan sang songs and played so well the entire car ride to the zoo.

They really enjoyed the farm/petting zoo area.

I was so surprised that my son actually "milked" a fake cow.

I love my little man. He is growing up so fast!

Sam hated the fake dinosaur eggs ...

Brendan loved them :)

Caleb is such a happy baby and so darn cute!

These boys are just precious.

Nathaniel was totally indifferent toward the train ride.

I have the greatest best friend ever!

The train ride was definitely the best part of the day for these two little boys.

He looks deep in thought here.

Sam was having the time of life on that train.

The carousel ride was a close second for him.

It is so hard to get both boys to look at the camera for a picture.

I can't wait to watch these two grow up to be best buddies too!

Four Months

2011-03-23T04:55:00.000-07:00

Nathan,

You are four months old today! As you can see in the pictures, you have lost almost all of your hair. You have a little tuft in the front of your head that sticks straight up. It is growing back in much lighter and even looks red in the light. Your eyes still look very blue. Sammy's were already brown by now so we are thinking that yours will stay light. You are such a happy baby. You smile, laugh, coo, and babble all day. We can't get enough of you! You continue to be a very easy baby. You are awake a lot more during the day, taking three good naps daily. You still sleep really well at night, sleeping 7-8 hour stretches. You are a really good eater, eating about 4-5 ounces every 3 hours. You are chunky with the cutest chubby cheeks that we love to kiss. You weigh 16.5 pounds (75th percentile), are 26 inches long (90th percentile), and have a 16.5 inch head circumference (50th percentile). You are filling out all of your 3-6 month clothes and are wearing many of your 6 month outfits. We love everything about you ... your contagious smile, your precious giggle, your adorable babbling, your chubby little legs and arms, your kissable cheeks, and your cute little buddah belly. Thank you filling our lives with even more joy. We love you little man!

Love,

Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother Sammy

Joy

2011-03-20T15:51:00.000-07:00

These pictures represent pure joy for me. God has blessed my life with a wonderful husband, amazing friends and family, and two precious little boys. I have so much to be thankful for.

Nate's 3 Month Pictures

2011-03-04T20:31:00.000-08:00

I took Nathan to get his three month pictures done tonight. He has been smiling more and more so I thought it would be a good time to get them done. The photo studio was busy so I had to wait quite a while for our turn. I was afraid Nathan would get cranky but instead, he fell asleep in my arms. When it was time for our turn, he didn't want to wake up. I laid him down and he continued to sleep. We got some cute pictures on him sleeping but the only way I could wake him up was to do and outfit change (which I was planning to do anyway). Once I changed his outfit, he woke up but wasn't as happy as he normally is. We were able to get a few cute pictures of him smiling and a couple of his adorable, big-eyed little face. We didn't get too many shots before he became cranky. Three month pictures are never my favorite anyway so I was satisfied with what I got. I think my baby is precious so I just thought I'd share so of my favorites.

Chopped

2011-02-23T05:43:00.000-08:00

I cut my hair short on Monday. It was a big step for me. I have been wanted to chop it off for a while now but haven't had the courage to do it. I have been growing it out since Sammy was born so it was really hard to cut it all off. I will miss my long hair but was tired of doing it. It took way too long to blow dry and flat iron. Shorter hair will give me more time in the mornings and with two little boys this is very needed! Rob loves it but I'm not sure how I feel about my new short hair. Hopefully it is easier and it will grow back right?

Three Months Old

2011-02-23T03:15:00.000-08:00

Baby Nate,

You are three months old today! You are getting so big so fast. We continue to fall more and more in love with you. You are such an easy baby ... only crying when you are hungry, gassy, or need to be cuddled because you are exhausted. You are now very alert during the day. You are always looking around, absorbing all that you see. You smile all the time and now occasionally giggle. It is the cutest sound in the world! Our favorite is when you get excited and coo when we talk to you. You sleep really well at night, sleeping 6-7 hour stretches. Thank you for thinking of Mommy and Daddy's sanity :) You are still on half breast milk and half formula. You continue to be a great eater, eating about 4 ounces every 3 hours. You are still a chubby little guy. You weigh almost 16 pounds (95th percentile), are about 26 inches long (90th percentile), and have a 17 inch head circumference (75th percentile). You are filling out almost all of your 3-6 month clothes. You are our happy little chunky monkey and we love you with all of our hearts!

Love,

Mommy, Daddy, and Big Brother Sammy