Tave - 6 months old!!

Our baby has been with us for half of a year! Whoa.
It's crazy to see how different he is from six months ago, and crazier to think what changes the next six months hold.
Every moment is so precious.

Here are some of the highlights from Tave's sixth month:

• Visit from Grandpa Dan.

• Weston now likes to call Tave his 'pillow', luckily Tave thinks it's hilarious and just laughs and laughs.
• Tave is even more interested in the world around him. He thinks people watching is the greatest thing ever, and just LOVES to be part of all the happenings.
• He is having a hard time taking naps. He'll get on schedule for a few days and then decide that's not very cool.
• Despite the lack of napage...he is SO happy and sweet.

• He loves to be sitting up. (Still working on doing it by himself)
• He thinks these wipes containers are the best toy. Actually, anything that makes a plastic crinkle noise is cool.
• He rolled over for the first time! From back to front. Way to go Tave!

• Helped carve his first pumpkin...okay he just hung out and watched. He thought it was great fun!

• Celebrated his first Halloween! Arg...

• Tried Rice Cereal for the first time! (Nov.5) Yum. He really loves eating at the same time as us and will get mad if he doesn't get to. It's so funny! He also tried peas and is really enjoying that taste. Yay for greens!

He loves to munch on his two fingers and he loves strings. (don't worry, I watch him well with them)

Dear Tave,
We love you. We love you so much. You are such a joy in our home and bring even more love and laughter than we knew was possible. You and Weston are already such great buddies. How lucky we are to watch your relationship develop and to see you wonderful, sweet boys loving each other. I am always amazed when I see you together at how much my heart has grown for each of you.

We love being your parents.

Love,
Mom & Dad

A Sisters Visit

I love my sisters!

The three of us sisters got together for some much needed girl (and kiddo) time. It is always a blast to see the kids together and to catch up.
This visit was no exception.
With two 2-year olds, one 1-year old, and a 5 month old, we were definitely busy. They all love exerting their independence in their own ways, which can be down-right hilarious. (We just had to make sure and laugh!)
Thanks for the great day Chels & Shar. We loved it!



We would follow the kids into a room and slowly they would migrate to different room without us! It took a few times before we finally realized maybe they were trying to tell us something. haha

Their cat had kittens the day before we visited. I haven't held a newborn kitten in SOOO long.
It was so sweet and soft and cuddly.

And that's all the cat I need. ;)

To the cucumbers!
(The cucumbers? Whaat? Yeah, they were being funny!)

All of the cousins!
When 3 out of 4 has a smile on their face and no one is crying--
who cares if they are looking or not.
I call this a very SUCCESSFUL shot!

And here's Tave's smile.
He was saving it for when he was held!

I have spent my life coveting this hair. Can you blame me?!
It is the most gorgeous shade of natural dark brown
It is thick and soft
and just beautiful!

She's going to donate it to locks of love
Love you Chels!

Firsts...

November 5th

This date brought some fun 'firsts' .

One being:I always have mixed emotions when the first snow falls.
I admit, when I glance out the window and see the beautiful white scene, my first impulse is to gasp and shriek and do a little happy dance.
For those few, brief moments, the magic of winter is upon me and I am thrilled to see it's return. I race to Weston's room to throw open his curtains and watch him jump up and down with me. We can't wait to get outside, to catch snowflakes on our tongues and to roll snowballs in our hands.
I feel like a kid again and it feels great!

Going outside is exciting with a two year old. And wondrous and delightful and all those fabulous things that snow should be.
Then the chill sets in and I realize that we will have snow for a good 5 months.
5 months! Yikes. Magic gone. Dread setting in.
I am a California girl at heart. That means WARMTH and sunshine and shorts in December. It means flip-flops year round.
But I will bask in the beauty of snow every day with my little snow-loving-boy while it lasts. and lasts. and lasts.
(seriously, what is it with kids, I don't think they feel the cold one bit!)

We had fun, though. And thank goodness it melted the next day. I am in fall heaven for a few more weeks at least!


Tave's FIRST food:

He has been SO curious about our food.
Just see how intently he is watching me mix it up!

Not too sure...

Weston was such a good big brother.
He watched the entire time and kept talking about how Tave gets to eat cereal now. It was so much fun to have him there and to see him so interested in what was going on!

Tave's new scrunchy face!
He loves doing the thing where he blows out of his nose like this. So funny!

All messy!
What a delicious dinner...it was a hit!

In loving memory...

Dear Grandma Bea,
You wrote me an email a couple of weeks ago. This is my letter to you that I kept meaning to send and kept thinking about. But I didn't. My days got busy and filled with little boys and errands, and all of those things that don't seem as important right now. (well, except for those little boys!) I'm sorry. It's a little late, but I'd like to think that you will read these words. Or at least feel them and know that I love you.

I love your smile. Your happiness that was infectious and your laugh that always brightened my day. Thank you for always sharing it.
I love the notes you would send in the mail- telling me how much you love me, my boys, and that if you were young again, you just might marry Jeff yourself. That one made me laugh. And made me grateful that you love my husband too.
I love how patriotic you are. Just walking into your home made me want to sing our National Anthem. I should have for you.
I love that your walls are filled with pictures that tell the story of your life: you, grandpa, your children, grandchildren, and great- grandchildren. We all know how much you loved us.
I love the little jig you would do when you were excited about something.
I love that I could always count on doing a fun crossword puzzle with you during our visits.
I love that you always played games with us.
I love that your favorite color is yellow. For a long time that was my favorite color-- just because it was yours. I should have told you that.
I love our phone conversations- how thrilled you were to be hearing from us, how you filled my ears and heart with sweet compliments, were excited over my boys new developments, and the way you would always say, "I love you" and "God bless you" before saying good bye.
I love that you are great at the paddle-ball-toy-thingy. Weston loved watching you and having you teach him. What a cool thing for a great-grandma to do.
I especially love your hugs - how you would squeeze me and then pat me on the shoulder or back, as if to say "I love you this much more". I wish I could hug you right now, and have you hug me back.

Thank you for everything. I don't know how else to say how much you mean to me. You are forever a part of who I am.

I love you Grandma. I am sorry I didn't send this letter before you left us. But I am so grateful that I know where you are and who you are with. I am sure Grandpa is so excited to have you right by his side again.
Tell him we say hello, okay.
I love you.

Love,
Nicole

This was our last visit. It will be so wonderful to see you at our next one.

Jack-O-Lantern

1 pumpkin +
2 silly kiddos +
dancing +
icky sticky seeds =
a hilariously fun night!!

They came up with the idea to dance around the pumpkin all on their own.
It was so funny!

Sung to the tune of "I'm a little Teapot"

I'm a little pumpkin
Short & round
Here is my stem and here is my crown
When I get all carved on Halloween
A Jack-o-lantern you will see!

Vote

I VOTED. YaY! And it felt good. No matter the results.

Although it would feel better if my candidate won.

Just being honest.

Happy Halloween!!!

Our Halloween was lots of fun! It was just perfect for our little family.

Weston had been practicing his ARRRG all month and I must say, he makes a darling little pirate. Hmmm...I don't think a pirate would fancy be called 'darling'. :)

Here are my little mateys:

We had a neighborhood trick or treat party.
It was early enough for the little ones to enjoy before it got cold and dark. My kind of party! I sure love seeing all of the kiddos in costumes!

Weston did great saying Trick or Treat and then saying thank you.

His first Trick or Treat of the night:



Tave enjoying the festivities:
He held onto those little toesies all night!
Tave with his birthday buddies. All three of these darlings were born within a week of each other.

In age order: Tave, Hailey, & Noah.

It is so fun to watch them grow. And, of course, it's great to have hall-buddies at church. ;) I'm so glad we live by these wonderful friends.

Our family:

Can you tell what we were??? Okay, fine, I'll just tell you.

I was a ladybug and Jeff was a bug catcher. Everyone say "Awwww". :P

After the trick or treating we went to our neighbor's for dinner. Thanks Liz & Ammon for the wonderful, delicious dinner and fabulous company!!!

Pumpkin....poking
We finished off the night by giving our Pumpkins their faces. Weston picked out each of their features. Pretty cute:

And here is Jeff trying to get some energy out of Weston after his sugar high!

What a perfectly delightful (and not at all frightful) Halloween!
My kind of night!

Some Sweet Moments...

BROTHERS!!

As discussed in previous posts, Tave adores his brother. And Weston eats it up. West just loves performing for his one-man audience (well, technically I am clapping and laughing as well) and gets a kick out of his little bro. Here is the evidence:




We are having such a blast with our two guys. It is so amazing to watch them learn and grow and to see them developing the relationship between the two of them. Weston has started calling the 'baby' Tave now. He asks about him constantly when Tave is sleeping and is always so excited to see him in the morning.
I never get tired of watching them together.
Oh how I love my boys!

First bath together:

They LOVED it. This has become our nightly routine. It is so much easier to have them together. We all just laugh and laugh. What good therapy at the end of the day!


This kiddo cracks me up:


Loving on Tave
These moments are so precious since they are a little bit harder to come by the second time around. But whatever Tave lacks in quite SO much adult attention (versus first baby/grandbaby) he most definitely makes up with KIDDO attention. His cousins and friends all adore him and want to touch, play, squish, and snuggle with this guy! It's so funny to watch, but a little dangerous as well. He's a good sport.

In the midst of two busy, busy toddlers running, jumping, being taught how to share, and basically keeping everyone on their toes (Kapria & West)...Tave gets some one on one time with Shar & Trav.
He sure LOVED it!