Our Little Man!

Weston was thrilled to get a 'suit like daddy' and official church shoes!!
He wore it around all morning until church.
What a little heart breaker we have on our hands!
Love you kiddo!!

Winner!!!!

The winner of my very first giveaway is:

Alli B!!!

Email me to let me know your favorite mini bouquet OR if you would like a custom one made. (You mentioned your fav.-- I can make that in mini if you want!)

Thanks everyone:
for checking out my shop, letting me know what you thought, spreading the word, and just being great!!

Keep checking back because April will be a fabulous giveaway.

It'll look something like this:

(the hat, not the baby, although she really is darling!)

Welcome Baby Aydrien!!

We threw Chelsea a baby shower to welcome little Aydrein!!
It was so wonderful to visit with family & friends who we rarely see.
We sure love this sweet baby boy!!

Imagination

Weston has such an imagination. He is such a fun kid and we have a blast with him.

He really likes instruments right now. And apparently there is a 'perfect' spot to put the violin...you'll see:

I let loose one night and let him play in the dirt. It was so worth the mess. He was out there singing and playing and having a grand ol' time. Of course the singing stops when he realizes he's on camera. But it's super cute anyways. Enjoy!

Some Firsts

I just had to document a few of Weston's firsts:

He made his bed, by himself, without me asking.
Honestly, I usually don't have him make his bed, so this was self taught. What a great kid!!
I just look at this picture and get all smiley and happy and think 'awwww, my baby is growing up.'

We started computer games!! Weston absolutely LOVED it!! It was fun to show him something new and have him be so thrilled.

I was a little hesitant at first to get him hooked on another form of media and entertainment. But Jeff and I both feel like learning how to work on a computer is an important and needed skill for todays children. Also, as long as we keep the games educational and limit the amount of time he spends playing them, it can be beneficial to his growth and development. I'm curious to hear any of your thoughts on this??!

Meanwhile, look how enthralled he was:

He liked it so much he even smiled for the camera for me, that's amazing! ;)

For anyone interested, the computer game we have is Reader Rabbit Toddler.

We used this game at Giant Steps, the preschool I worked in for children with autism. It is a GREAT game and teaches really good concepts in a fun way. I like that the kids can start learning to use the mouse, but don't have to get things exact for the computer to know what they want. It's an easy way to build those skills as well as shapes, letters, sounds, etc.

I highly reccommend this game!! Reader Rabbit Preschool is another great game to grow with your child!

Also, I ordered my game through Bird Rock Family.

It is very inexpensive (like $4.00 + FREE shipping inexpensive!!)

I heard about them through Marie, of Make and Takes. Thanks again, Marie!

They keep prices low by only sending you the cd-rom, no instructions. But you can access the user-manuel and any instructions online.

They are toddler games, though, so super super easy to use.

Have fun!

Oh what do you do in the winter-time...

when all the kiddos have colds??!!

Well, it's hit us again and we are none too please. Especially since we can't go outside to play. So here are some of the things we've done this week to stay busy and happy and having fun:

Turn the heat up to 85, strip down to your skivvies and pretend you're at the beach. Okay, we didn't really do this, but Tave and Weston sure think not wearing clothes is very cool. So we always have a little diaper dance party. Best part of their day. ;)


Work on some emerging skills with the kiddos. Weston thinks dressing himself is really great. If you look closely you'll see that his pants are on over his pjs. He's great at pants, we're working on the shirts now!

Gather up our stuffed friends and party hard with them. Weston is really into his stuffed animal pals right now. His imagination is just taking off and we are always along for the fun ride!! (This is Penguin's bed and he is taking a nap, just fyi)

Hire some entertainment...or just watch your niece!

It is always a pleasure when we get to watch Miss K. She is great at entertaining us and keeping us on our toes.

She is very into her babies and with the new playground (aka: our house) her baby just had to try everything out. So cute! We love you Kapria.

Dress Up: Since we woke up to snow today, that must mean Santa is on his way. Weston found these hats and had to put them on himself and Tave. The Tave-man wasn't too thrilled but West kept right on trying. Love these kids!

Spend some time with each child individually.

It's always so special and sweet to have a few minutes alone with each of my guys. Tave loves to 'talk' to me and watch me and be a part of whatever I am working on. We sing songs and tickle tummies and have a blast. I love my baby.

Think outside {or inside} the box.

We've had this one hanging around the last few days and it has been a life-saver for me. There are so many cool things you can do and be when you have a box!!

Well, there you go. Maybe this will help you on a cold, not-feeling-too-hot, day you're stuck inside!!

If you have any other ideas for me, we'd love to try 'em out!!

The Blooming Button Giveaway

Okay folks, here's the deal:

My sister informed me that I need to do a little giveaway. Which, really, is just a fun way to bribe you all to look at my shop. ;)

But, hey, I'm game!!

So here are my giveaway rules:

• go to my shop: http://www.bloomingbutton.etsy.com/



• Check out my bouquets.



• Come back to my blog and leave a comment letting me know which one is your favorite, what you think about my shop, and anything else you want to add. (except if you hate it, please don't say that)



• If you blog about my shop (or email friends if you don't have a blog) or put my button on your blog you will earn 5 extra entries. Just tell me in your comment what you did.



• You have until Friday March 28th @ midnight to enter.
  

Saturday morning around 9ish I will announce the winner (picked by the random generator thingy).

The winner will get to choose:

A CUSTOM mini bouquet made by me!!

You can pick one already in my shop, or brand new colors all your own.

Have fun and Thanks to everyone who has already commented/emailed and let me know what they think.

** If you have already left a comment on my first Blooming post I will enter you in the drawing an extra time as well. ;) And if you already blogged about it and grabbed my button-- you don't have to do it again.

and here's another fun juicy tidbit: I will be doing a giveaway in April as well... I'll let you guess what that one will be!!

the Blooming Button

I am thrilled to be announcing that my etsy shop:

is now officially open for business.

You can click on the banner above, or on the sidebar, or check it our here:

http://www.bloomingbutton.etsy.com/

I hope you like what's in there enough to spread the word!!

Feel free to let me know your very honest opinion and to give any pointers or tips you think I may need.

Thanks so much!!

I will be adding a larger variety of items in the near future, so check back often. :)

**Don't worry that the hats aren't for sale yet!!**

I am crocheting like mad to get them done and they will be ready within the month of March!! (Yikes, only a week and half left!!)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'm a little late in posting this, but I had to share our fabulous St. Patties Day.

We had so much fun with the boys.

We started off the day by picking out our green outfits.

Weston was absolutely thrilled that he got to wear green and even more thrilled that the entire family matched. Matching is one of his favorite things. (hmmm...he is my child!!) I had a darling green cardigan I wanted to wear, but West picked a different shirt for me. What can I say, I love making him happy.

During playtime with Daddy, a little leprechaun friend came to visit. He left footprints all over the house and when we followed them, we found the treasure he left for us.

The boys really liked following the footsteps, and they loved the green treats and toys that Mr. Leprechaun left, but Weston was SO sad he didn't get to talk to our leprechaun. He kept asking to see him, but you know, those little guys are quick. ;)

So to help Weston not miss our friend quite as much, we colored pictures of the leprechaun instead.

Dinner, of course, was a deliciously green meal: green eggs, green milk. Well, that's it. But it was festive and yummy.

We'll definitely be carrying on these green traditions through the years!

All moms fake it.

My friend, Sharla, posted an awesome article on her blog.
I really loved it and since her blog is private, I thought I'd share it with all of you. My favorite is the very end.

Enjoy.


No mother really knows exactly what she's doing
By Erin Stewart
Deseret News
Published: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009 6:41 p.m. MST

I love watching people's reactions when I tell them I write a column on motherhood. Their stunned eyes go from me to my daughter, who is covered in chocolate, throwing a tantrum and biting my leg. They are confused, to say the least.

"It's not an advice column," I add quickly. "It's more like an observational humor column. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing as mom."

And I can see the world making sense again to that person as they promise to read my next article.

But here's the dirty secret that I've found out as a mom: I'm not the only one who is lost. None of us has any idea what we're doing.

That's right — all moms fake it.

Oh sure, we love to talk about the latest parenting book we read or the discipline method that works wonders for our child, but the truth is we're totally clueless. If we do happen to stumble on a winning sleeping routine for our baby, a way to get them to eat or a trick to getting them through a grocery trip without complete meltdown, it's sheer luck.

There are plenty of times when I am hit smack in the face with the realization once again that there is no manual for motherhood and so much of it is trial and error.

You know, errors like completely forgetting to feed my daughter dinner last Saturday because I was so excited to be going out on an actual date with my husband. I actually did my hair and actually took a pre-date picture and actually hired a baby sitter.

And when I got home at midnight, I realized I had also actually forgotten to feed my daughter.

I'm not proud of this by any means.

I know all you Super-Moms out there are gasping while you knit baby clothes and scrapbook in your child's memory album. But come on, in your heart, you know kids are a guessing game and we're all desperately trying to get it right without doing too much lasting damage.

Even the "experts" don't get it right 100 percent of the time. At a seminar for mothers this month, I was reminded that all children are different, all moms are doing their best and what works for one family could be a disaster in another.

I sat in one class, for example, as a mother and entrepreneur of a parenting program told the audience how you should never punish a child. Never.

Rather, when your child sasses you and sticks out her tongue, you should hug that little child tight and tell her how much you love her and that because you speak with her in loving tones, she should treat you the same way.

I could tell several other women in the audience had the same thought as I did: "Umm … have you ever even met a 3-year-old?"

Down the hall, another mom/parenting method guru told eager mothers that you need to be firm in discipline, even using spanking if that is what will get through to your child. "Mary Poppins is gone," she said.

I left the seminars feeling a little more confused than when I went in.

So what's a mom to do when all the experts conflict, all the books come out with new editions each year proving the old ways were wrong, and every mom on the street has different advice on how to raise your kids?

For me, the answer is this: It just doesn't matter.

Maybe you don't follow the latest parenting method. So what? Maybe you haven't mastered naptime. Who cares? Maybe you wake up every morning wondering how in the world you were allowed to take this child home from the hospital and praying someone will drop off that elusive motherhood manual on your doorstep.

It's OK.

As long as your children laugh more than they cry, hug more than they hit and go to bed hearing "I love you" each night, I think you're doing a pretty good job.

And that is my expert opinion.

Daddy-time

Tave absolutely LOVES when Jeff gets home. He starts wiggling and squirming to get out of my arms (if I'm holding him) and can't wait to play with Daddy.
and who could blame him?! We are ALL pretty thrilled when Jeff gets home!
Tave especially loves when Dad throws him in the lovesack. He gets SO excited and wants to do it over and over and over again.
Just another sign that my baby is turning into a little boy!!

Tave- 10 months!

Our sweet little Tave is 10 months old!!

His stats:

29 inches long- 60th percentile

16 lbs 1 oz - 0 percentile He's long and lean!

Some highlights from Tave's 10th month:

• He can turn himself in circles while he's sitting/scooting. Very funny.
• He is SO close to crawling. He lunges forward to reach things and can get on all fours but then he's down...
• Once he's down and on his tummy he is NOT a happy camper. He hates tummy time.
• He loves other kids.
• He figured out how to click his tongue and he does it all the time!
• He laughs all the time, especially with Weston
• He has started pushing things (and food) away if he doesn't want it
• He gives the sweetest, slobbery kisses!
• He really LOVES rough housing. His favorite is being thrown in the lovesack by dad.
• He loves being outside and going down slides.
• He puts everything in his mouth
• He still loves babbling, singing, dancing, and music.
• He eats tons of foods, always wants what is on OUR plates, and his absolute favorite food is Honey Bunches of Oats.
• He had his first horrible sickness this month. :(
• He moved to the big crib. He's doing well and is finally sleeping through the night again. (Which means bedtime 7ish sleep until 5ish, eat, and then sleep until 730 or 8)
• He loves standing by the music tables and pounding away.
• He can take off his hats now. I am sad. But he thinks it's great.
• Grandpa Dan came to visit this month and he loved playing with him and being held.
• He loves his brother and dad, but definitely loves mom-time too..we all feel loved by Tave!
• He loves being held, played with, & snuggled.
• He still gives a big, huge grin to anyone who looks his way.

Dear Tave,

We are loving watching your personality grow! You are tons of fun and so sweet. You make us laugh all the time and you always make us so happy! You and West have tons of fun together. You really love your big bro. You are trying so hard to crawl, Weston has been showing you how. We think you'll catch on soon. You have started repeating sounds and noises we make, which we all get a huge kick out of. You are such a joy in our home, little guy.

We love you!

Love,

Mom & Dad

5 Cousins

Shar and I were able to spend some time with all 5 kiddos on Friday. We hadn't had ALL 5 of them together yet. It was an adventure, for sure.

I just love that on BOTH sides of the family, West and Tave have lots of cousins their age.
It makes family get togethers a BLAST!!!

Mornings with my little man...

*Where, oh where, can my Weston be?

Oh where, oh where, can he be?

With his dino pjs and his big, gray sword
Oh where oh where can he be??

He absolutely LOVES playing in the pillows on our bed.
This particular morning he was 'hiding' and I had to find him.
Isn't he great!

*Yes, I do sing the song. And I always make up silly, crazy words for the last line. West loves it. And I get a kick out of it myself. ;)