Brecken Update

Brecken is starting to really interact with us. He smiles and coos often when we get close and talk to him. He has also started enjoying his playmat. I had him laying on it yesterday and he was kicking the toys vigorously with his feet, hitting them with his hand and licking one that was hanging near his face. He's also been sucking on his hands quite a bit. Still having trouble opening his hand enough to actually suck on his fingers but he sure does try!

What's happening?!

"Helping" me cook in the kitchen

Getting so strong

Trying to Take a Good Picture

Come Visit My New Blog

Okay, I mentioned the other day that I was thinking of creating a new blog to share my thrifty ideas. I was leaning against it the other day but decided to give it a go. I have lots of ideas of simple and thrifty things to blog about and will be working very hard to update it every day. I would love for you to follow my new blog if it's something you'd be interested in. Check it out here. It's called Simply Thrifty.

Grandparent Time

It's such a special treat when we get to see our families. We really enjoyed having Phil's family come out to visit after Christmas. Grandparents are always full of snuggles!

Grandma Terry got as many snuggles in with Brecken as she could!

Here's Grandma and Taeya showing off Taeya's new jammies from Singapore.

Grandpa Steve comforting Brecken

Grandma Terry playing with Brecken

Taeya's First Time Snowboarding

Here's a short video clip and some pictures of Taeya's first ever attempts at snowboarding. Although it was a mere 6 degrees or so outside, she managed to do these two little runs and a few times on the sled before she left to play on the playground at the bottom of the hill. Both times she went down, she had a huge smile on her face. She also knew how to unstrap her feet all by herself when she was done. Great job Taeya!

Two Months Old

 

Brecken's doing a good job holding his head up while sitting. 

Brecken turned two months old on Monday. He is such a sweet baby and is a BIG growing boy. He had his two-month check-up yesterday and he weighed a healthy 13 lbs 4.7 oz. I looked in my baby book and he and I were almost exactly the same size at 2 months. I was 13 lbs 6 oz at two months, two weeks old.

Taeya making Brecken do the "chubby bunny." Surprisingly, he doesn't mind when Taeya does this.

I'm getting more and more comments about how much Taeya and Brecken look alike. It's fun to see them together and see how similar their features really are.

Siblings

Even though Brecken is only 2 months old, I love seeing my children interact together. Taeya loves her little brother and constantly goes up to him to give him hugs or snuggle with him. It surprises me sometimes because at 3, she's not exactly super gentle when handling him. However, he loves her affections and almost never complains or cries when she squeezes him a bit too tight. I am so excited to see their relationship develop as they both get older.

Resolutions

Normally, I'm not one for making a lot of resolutions, if any. I have goals in life and things I want to accomplish but don't usually feel the desire at the New Year to create new ones at that time.

However, this year I have a few things I'd like to work on.

I have been such a slacker at blogging of late. I would really like to attempt to blog much more frequently as it's such a great way to record the little things that I will soon forget if I don't write them down. One way I'm going to try to accomplish this is to publish a post on MY blog before I sit down to read other people's blog's throughout the day. I also have really been enjoying finding ways to become a bit thriftier and more creative of late and would love to blog about some of my ideas or things I have discovered through reading other blogs. I'm debating whether these ideas should just be added to my existing family blog or whether I should create a new blog specifically with thrifty, creative ideas in mind. Hmm...I'm leaning more towards keeping it on my family blog but we shall see. I hope you'll join me in reading little snippets from our family's life in the next year. I love hearing from my readers...if I still have any...so don't be shy! Leave a comment if you have something to say.

On one of the blogs I read, the writer decided to do a simple, new-to-her project each month to teach herself something new and expand her horizons. I would love to do that as well but haven't yet made a list with the things I should try although I have started one. If anyone has any ideas of something they think I should try, please do let me know. I would like to attempt curtains for one room of the house we move to, make peppermint playdough for Taeya and 10 other ideas (at least). Please share if you have something up your sleeve that is easy to do, preferably thrifty and practical.

We just wrapped up a lovely visit with my husband's family. They came out a couple days after Christmas and left this morning to return to CA. We had a great time playing games, playing in the snow and baby snuggling.

 Brecken and his sweet little grinning face.

 Looking intently at Mama.

 He's a BIG boy. This was before he was even 2 months old.

 Grandma is ecstatic at holding Brecken for the first time.

 All bundled up and ready for the snow. It was about 6 degrees outside.

 Our little family ready to go sledding (all except Brecken went sledding).

 Taeya going down on her own. She didn't last long because of how cold it was.

 Taeya's first time trying out her snowboard!! Yipee!

 That's a smile on her face! She did great.

Taeya was eating her toast the other day and held it up and said, "Look, a heart beep." (her term for a heart). I, of course, had to take a picture of her heart-beep toast. 

My little man turned 2 months yesterday. He is definitely a GROWING boy. My mother-in-law guessed he's about 14 lbs now. We'll find out tomorrow at his 2 month check-up. Brecken is beginning to make eye-contact and smile and "talk" very intentionally now. I absolutely love his little grins and they definitely make my face light up as well.

Happy Birthday Taeya!

Today is my daughter's 3rd birthday! What a special girl she is. I remember the day she was born so well. We have had such a wonderful three years with her and pray that we can celebrate many, many more together.

This morning, Taeya snuggled into bed with us and whispered, "Merry Christmas." I then said, "No, it's your birthday!" We sang to her in bed and she loved it. At church, the whole church sang to her as well and she just had this shy little smile on her face but I think she was thrilled at the same time.

All morning, I was asking her how old she is. Her reply most times was, "I'll be three after Christmas." I would then remind her that Christmas was yesterday and it WAS after Christmas. We had a great time celebrating as a little family today. Phil's parents are coming in two days and we'll celebrate again with them and then have a few friends over sometime in January for a little friend birthday. Because her birthday is so close to Christmas, we have only celebrated with family the past two birthdays.

If you'd like to see pictures of Taeya's birth, they can be viewed here: http://coloradocampersphotos.shutterfly.com/taeyasbirth

Family Update

Well, after 10 months of unemployment, God has provided a job for my husband. We'll be moving to another town about 5 hours away from where we currently live, still in Colorado. It is definitely bitter-sweet as we have many friends in the area we currently live. However, at the same time, we are THRILLED to have employment in the near future once again.

We are now busy trying to figure out what to do with our house. We are planning on renting it at this point and have already sold Phil's car that we'll no longer need as he'll have a company car. We'll be moving mid-February so at this point, we're not really thinking about the move and all the packing. Once the holidays are over and family leaves, we'll get into high gear and start packing and weeding out things we don't want to move.

Here's our family Christmas card and Brecken's birth announcement.

Life has been GREAT as a family of four. Brecken is a wonderful addition and very loved by his sister (and his parents of course). Taeya loves helping with changing Brecken's diapers, putting his pacifier back in when he's crying and giving him lots of hugs and kisses. She even willingly shares her toys with him. What a blessing our children are!

Brecken update: he was weighed this week and was a chunky 12 lbs already!!! He's in the 96% for height/weight and is 7 weeks old today. He's one big guy and is already wearing 3-6 month clothes and has outgrown anything smaller. He has some reflux issues and tends to spit-up after almost every feeding but as you can see, it hasn't negatively affected his weight!