Hello everyone! Here we are again, three months have passed since my last post, I cannot believe it. Our lives are busier than ever, but I wanted to update you all on what has been going on with our little family.
We started September off with my birthday, my last year in my twenties (sigh). Nate surprised me with a trip to our favorite vacation spot... Cayucos. Grandma and Grandpa came along and we had a great time. We spent every day at the beach, playing in the sand, swinging on the swings, building sand castles, and we even visited the seals in Morro Bay. Keaton LOVES the ocean. He got taken out by a wave and lost his shovel, which wasn't too fun, but when we told him that the pirates took it, it was pretty cool. They still talk about the pirates at sea taking his orange shovel. These kids remember EVERYTHING! It was a great weekend with my wonderful family, full of wonderful memories. Thanks for that babe.
In September we were also greeted by a special guest one morning.... A chicken. Yup, a chicken. I crossed the road, went in to the garage as Nate was working out, and proceeded in to our backyard. Needless to say this was a good hour of entertainment for all of us. Eventually the chicken left, and though we don't know where he came from, we hope he made it home safely.
Keaton and Bronwyn also got their first taste of Thrifty's ice cream, Daddy's favorite. Our kids don't get sweets very often, but they sure do love them. They got rainbow sherbet on a cone. They had a lot of fun eating them outside after dinner.
October was full of fall fun. Grandma and I took them to the Fresno Fair where we got to see all the farm animals and even pet a pig! They tried their first fair corndog and picked out a special treat... strawberry gelato. Yum! We went to two different pumpkin patches. The first being Hillcrest in Reedley. Their favorite part was the old steam train ride. They love trains, and had a great time riding around the grounds looking at all the Christmas trees. We also got to walk through a corn maze and each picked out a pumpkin to take home too, which we carved later in the month. Later in the month I took them to The Patch in Clovis. They got to ride on a car ride, dragon ride, and go on a huge slide. Brawny went on the slide twice, and that was enough for her. Keaton on the other hand used all of our tickets on the slide, he loved it.
My cousin, Aaron, celebrated his 30th birthday and we went to his 80's themed birthday party to celebrate as a family. We all got dressed up in our 80's gear and had a great time with everyone. The kids got a kick out of "dressing up" 80's style, and so did we.
For Halloween Keaton dressed up as Woody from Toy Story and Bronwyn dressed up as Jessie from Toy Story. They picked their costumes, and boy were they darling. We took them, along with both sets of grandparents and our good friends Steve and Candace Taylor, to the trick-or-treat night in Old Town Clovis. They were both a little nervous during the whole experience, but once they discovered that there was candy being given to them, they opened up a little more. On Halloween we went to Marnie and Aaron's house for dinner, bounce house fun, and trick-or-treating. All the kids had a great time, but didn't last too long walking to all the houses.
We celebrated daddy's birthday casually with a family dinner at home, and then trick-or-treating with friends. We love him so much and appreciate all that he does for us. Keaton, Bronwyn, and I are so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing man to take care of all of us. He loves us unconditionally and so do we. Love you Daddy!
In November we got to take them to the Fire Station. They are both really into fire trucks, so they totally enjoyed themselves. My best friend's brother is a fireman so he took us in his fire truck and let the kids play with all the gadgets in there, he even took us for a ride! They got to try on his fire hat, and spray the fire hose. Keaton was in heaven.
Thanksgiving was great. We had a wonderful time with family, and stuffed ourselves until we couldn't eat any more. Spending time with family and friends is something that Nate and I truly cherish.
Within the last three months Keaton and Bronwyn have grown both physically and intellectually. They are seriously so smart. They absolutely love reading, doing art projects, and are using their imaginations more and actually engaging in pretend play with each other. They both love music, dancing, and instruments. Keaton is especially fond of the guitar.
They had their first experience with a bubble bath. They had a blast, and now ask for bubbles all the time. We had a movie night in mommy and daddy's bed, the motion picture? Toy Story 2 of course. We set up the projector, hung up a big sheet, and ate popcorn. It was so fun, and such a great memory. They also got to make their Auntie Jacqui cookies for her birthday. Bronwyn ate more frosting than she used on the cookies, so I had to finish them.
As you can see we have had a busy, fun filled three months. With the holiday's approaching quickly, I know that life is going to get busier. BUT, it will be filled with many more memories, firsts, traditions, and most importantly FAMILY. I cannot express the love and fulfillment that my life has brought me thus far. Just when I think it can't get any better, it does. Nate, Keaton, and Bronwyn... You three are my everything. Thank you for making me a proud wife and mommy, who feels loved every day with the thank you's, kisses and hugs from my three favorite people in the whole world.
Thanks for checking in. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you! Until March 2013.....
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
June, July, and August
Hey, hey.... I'm back!!! I know it's not the first of the month (I'm only two days late)sorry. Three months flew by, and what a fun filled summer we had. I've got tons of pictures and lots of updates on the kids and our wonderful family.
This summer has been full of new babies, one each month to be exact. My cousin Aaron and his wife Jennnifer welcomed their first baby boy on June 17th, Kyler James. Keaton and Bronwyn absolutely love him to death and talk about him all the time. In July our friends Karen and Jarod welcomed their second child, Luke Johnson. And on August 1st, our good friends Marnie and Aaron brought little Joy Hutchason in to the world. Lots of babies, and more to come... One in September, and another in October. Fun times!
We ventured off to the circus in June with some of our friends... The Johnson's and the Parvainian's. Though the circus was almost a two hour show, the kids made it through the whole thing and really enjoyed it. We went early and saw all of the animals before the show. They loved the elephants and clowns.
In July we went down to San Diego to visit James, Molly, and Nathan. We took the kids to Sea World and the beach. They loved the Shamu show, but what they still talk about is Elmo land. They got to meet Elmo, give him hugs and kisses, and even take a picture with him. We saw a show with the Sesame Street characters that they really enjoyed too. When we went to the beach Keaton went right for the water, smiling the entire time. Bronwyn, who is not a big fan of sand, actually took her shoes off and ventured in to the water too. It was a quick weekend trip, but we had so much fun.
In August we went and checked out the new Sea Lion Cove at the Zoo, had a picnic lunch with family, and fed the giraffe's. Even though it was super hot, the kids had a blast. Having a Zoo membership is going to come in handy when the weather starts to get a little nicer.
We have done a lot of swimming in our pool this summer. Though they don't know how to swim yet (we'll tackle that next summer) they both really like the water. They enjoy taking rides on the raft, jumping off the side, playing on the step, and walking around in the spa.
Keaton and Bronwyn love playing with play doh. For their birthday the got a great set of various colors and tools to play with. They like making necklaces, rings, and bracelets with it. They will sit at their little table for a good 20-30 minutes playing and talking to eachother. If you ask either of them who their best friend is, their reply will always be bubba or sissy. It is so darn cute, and couldn't be more true. They are so close to one another, I can't imagine having it any other way. They love playing in forts that we'll build for them. They take books, pillows, stuffed animals, and play in there for a while. Hiding is something that they have been doing a lot of too. They will hide under blankets, giggle when you can't find them, and pop out at you, laughing and smiling the whole time.
We're getting close to potty training. Bronwyn is much more interested in it than Keaton. We have had lots of trips to the potty and successful outcomes. Now it's just a matter of really going for it 100%. I think in the next month or two we're going to go for it. Hopefully when I write the blog in December I will be telling you all that we have TWO kids out of diapers.
With the olympics happening this summer, we watched a ton of various sports. Keaton and Bronwyn both learned how to hit a ball like a volleyball player does. They can both catch a ball now too, most of the time. Bronwyn loved watching gymnastics. We would tape it at night and watch it the next day with her. She now pretends that she is Gabby, the all around gold medalist. She will jump and flip of the couch, swing on her slide, and somersault on the ground telling you that she is Gabby girl. I see a lot of me in her, I use to pretend just like that when I was younger.
We have done a lot of disciplining this summer as well. We are the parents of two, definitely two year olds. They are testing us daily, no... hourly. Bronwyn listens more than Keaton, but has a harder time with sharing. Keaton wants to see just how far he can go before he gets in trouble. With Keaton if we give him a warning and tell him that he will go on time out, he usually won't do it again. Speaking of time out, the kids are now putting their stuffed animals on time out. Winnie the Pooh goes on time out most often for some reason. Recently, they have been getting out one of their Olivia books, and in the book Olivia goes on a BIG time out for painting on the walls. I think the whole concept of time out is really sticking with them, wouldn't you?
Now I am going to brag about just how smart Keaton and Bronwyn both are. They can both sing their ABC's from beginning to end and count to 10. I am now working on letter recognition with them by doing little crafts and games each week, focusing on a new letter each week. I don't know how much or if they are really retaining any of it, but I figure they'll be familiar with letters when they start preschool next year. (Yes, we're already thinking about preschool!) Keaton and Brawny will both catch on to different songs that we sing too, and we'll hear them singing together sometimes. They talk ALL THE TIME, and really well too. It amazes me the vocabulary they both have. We read them at least two books every day, and many of the books that we read they remember various things that happened in the stories. As a former teacher I couldn't be more proud... they're two and already showing comprehension skills. I am one proud mama!
As you can see we have been very busy. Keaton and Bronwyn keep us on our toes and frustrate us at times, but no amount of frustration could ever compete with our smart, happy, vivacious, free spirited, hilarious twins who keep our family energized and smiling every day. Nate and I are so blessed to have them in our life. Our family is complete and full of love. I couldn't ask for anything more.
Well, I think that is about it for this quarter. Enjoy the many pictures and we'll see ya again in December. Thanks for checking in!!! Until next time...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
This summer has been full of new babies, one each month to be exact. My cousin Aaron and his wife Jennnifer welcomed their first baby boy on June 17th, Kyler James. Keaton and Bronwyn absolutely love him to death and talk about him all the time. In July our friends Karen and Jarod welcomed their second child, Luke Johnson. And on August 1st, our good friends Marnie and Aaron brought little Joy Hutchason in to the world. Lots of babies, and more to come... One in September, and another in October. Fun times!
We ventured off to the circus in June with some of our friends... The Johnson's and the Parvainian's. Though the circus was almost a two hour show, the kids made it through the whole thing and really enjoyed it. We went early and saw all of the animals before the show. They loved the elephants and clowns.
In July we went down to San Diego to visit James, Molly, and Nathan. We took the kids to Sea World and the beach. They loved the Shamu show, but what they still talk about is Elmo land. They got to meet Elmo, give him hugs and kisses, and even take a picture with him. We saw a show with the Sesame Street characters that they really enjoyed too. When we went to the beach Keaton went right for the water, smiling the entire time. Bronwyn, who is not a big fan of sand, actually took her shoes off and ventured in to the water too. It was a quick weekend trip, but we had so much fun.
In August we went and checked out the new Sea Lion Cove at the Zoo, had a picnic lunch with family, and fed the giraffe's. Even though it was super hot, the kids had a blast. Having a Zoo membership is going to come in handy when the weather starts to get a little nicer.
We have done a lot of swimming in our pool this summer. Though they don't know how to swim yet (we'll tackle that next summer) they both really like the water. They enjoy taking rides on the raft, jumping off the side, playing on the step, and walking around in the spa.
Keaton and Bronwyn love playing with play doh. For their birthday the got a great set of various colors and tools to play with. They like making necklaces, rings, and bracelets with it. They will sit at their little table for a good 20-30 minutes playing and talking to eachother. If you ask either of them who their best friend is, their reply will always be bubba or sissy. It is so darn cute, and couldn't be more true. They are so close to one another, I can't imagine having it any other way. They love playing in forts that we'll build for them. They take books, pillows, stuffed animals, and play in there for a while. Hiding is something that they have been doing a lot of too. They will hide under blankets, giggle when you can't find them, and pop out at you, laughing and smiling the whole time.
We're getting close to potty training. Bronwyn is much more interested in it than Keaton. We have had lots of trips to the potty and successful outcomes. Now it's just a matter of really going for it 100%. I think in the next month or two we're going to go for it. Hopefully when I write the blog in December I will be telling you all that we have TWO kids out of diapers.
With the olympics happening this summer, we watched a ton of various sports. Keaton and Bronwyn both learned how to hit a ball like a volleyball player does. They can both catch a ball now too, most of the time. Bronwyn loved watching gymnastics. We would tape it at night and watch it the next day with her. She now pretends that she is Gabby, the all around gold medalist. She will jump and flip of the couch, swing on her slide, and somersault on the ground telling you that she is Gabby girl. I see a lot of me in her, I use to pretend just like that when I was younger.
We have done a lot of disciplining this summer as well. We are the parents of two, definitely two year olds. They are testing us daily, no... hourly. Bronwyn listens more than Keaton, but has a harder time with sharing. Keaton wants to see just how far he can go before he gets in trouble. With Keaton if we give him a warning and tell him that he will go on time out, he usually won't do it again. Speaking of time out, the kids are now putting their stuffed animals on time out. Winnie the Pooh goes on time out most often for some reason. Recently, they have been getting out one of their Olivia books, and in the book Olivia goes on a BIG time out for painting on the walls. I think the whole concept of time out is really sticking with them, wouldn't you?
Now I am going to brag about just how smart Keaton and Bronwyn both are. They can both sing their ABC's from beginning to end and count to 10. I am now working on letter recognition with them by doing little crafts and games each week, focusing on a new letter each week. I don't know how much or if they are really retaining any of it, but I figure they'll be familiar with letters when they start preschool next year. (Yes, we're already thinking about preschool!) Keaton and Brawny will both catch on to different songs that we sing too, and we'll hear them singing together sometimes. They talk ALL THE TIME, and really well too. It amazes me the vocabulary they both have. We read them at least two books every day, and many of the books that we read they remember various things that happened in the stories. As a former teacher I couldn't be more proud... they're two and already showing comprehension skills. I am one proud mama!
As you can see we have been very busy. Keaton and Bronwyn keep us on our toes and frustrate us at times, but no amount of frustration could ever compete with our smart, happy, vivacious, free spirited, hilarious twins who keep our family energized and smiling every day. Nate and I are so blessed to have them in our life. Our family is complete and full of love. I couldn't ask for anything more.
Well, I think that is about it for this quarter. Enjoy the many pictures and we'll see ya again in December. Thanks for checking in!!! Until next time...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Keaton and Bronwyn's 2nd Birthday Party
I thought I would post an extra blog this month of Keaton and Bronwyn's 2nd Birthday Party. The theme was Mickey and Minnie, there was swimming, a taco bar, presents, and cupcakes. They had so much fun seeing everyone and playing with all their friends. Thank you all so much who came, you truly made it a memorable party. We loved spending time with all of you and had a great time celebrating Keaton and Bronwyn.
I also wanted to let everyone know that I will now be doing the blog every 3 months, so I will not have a new one out until September. So to all of you who tune in every month, thanks for checking in as always and have a wonderful summer. See you all in September with TONS of pictures I'm sure. Love you all!!!
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
2 YEARS!!!!!
I am sitting here in a quiet house, Nate is at the CE graduation and the kids are asleep, and I have found myself looking at the title of this post... 2 YEARS (tear)! I have so many different emotions running through me right now; pride, happiness, astonishment, saddness, love... the list goes on and on. As I think of the past two years I can't help but marvel at how my life has transpired. Two years ago today Nate and I were blessed with the most amazing gift, TWO beautiful and healthy babies. Our lives were changed at 7:39 pm, and then again at 7:40 pm. Words cannot express the instant love that I had for my children, or the love that I have for them today. I have never been more proud of myself or Nate. Looking at Keaton and Bronwyn today, we've done a damn good job so far. We are a great team, and though it takes so much work raising twins, I wouldn't change our experience for anything. I love my life, I love my amazing husband, and I love my darling children. Blessed doesn't even begin to express how I feel.
May has been an eventful month. The kids started up gymnastics again and LOVE it. It's great socialization, learning to listen to other adults, how to follow directions, and take turns. Their teacher is wonderful! We made two trips out to Todd Beamer park, and played in the water. They love to be outside. We also took a trip out to their Great Aunt Marsha's house where they got to feed the horses, water tomatoe plants, play the piano, and put the horses in their barn. They were such a big help and we got a kick out of watching them be big kids.
Mid month Nate and I had a wedding for two of our very close friends down south, so we got a weekend without kids. That's right, we left them home with both sets of grandparents. We are so incredibly lucky to have the four of them so involved in our lives, they are such a big help to Nate and I. Bill, Becky, Mom, and Dad.... I hope you know just how much we appreciate all that you do for us! Anyway, the kids had a blast and even though we missed them the second we pulled out of the driveway as we watched them stand in the window waving "bye" to us and blowing kisses, we had a nice weekend just the two of us. I think the best part was coming home. We came home on mother's day, and I was greeted by my two sweet kids and a sign made by them for me. It was so sweet, but probably the sweetest thing was when I told them that I had missed them, their response to me was, "I missed you too mommy". I just love them to pieces.
They are talking soooo much, sometimes in full sentences. My favorites are "I miss you", "Good Morning Mama/Dada", "Wake up!", and of course "I love you". They talk to eachother all the time and are the best of friends. If Brawny doesn't know where Keaton is you can here her saying, "Where'd Bubba go? Bubba!!!! Bubba, where are you?" It is so sweet watching their relationship develop.
Nate is now off for the summer, and with him being done before all the schools get out we planned a trip to Disneyland. It was, by far, the best family trip we have had. So much so, I am hoping to do it again next year. With us were my parents, nate's parents, and James, Molly and Nathan. We went during the week and spent three days hopping from Disneyland to California Adventure. The kids were great, with the exception of the first night. Long story short.... they were up from 11:30 pm to 4:00 am, first crying and then talking/laughing at eachother talking about "Mickey's house". They were just too excited to sleep. Needless to say, the first day we were very tired, but the kids rallied and were awesome. They had the best time meeting the characters, riding the rides, and watching the parades. Seeing them in the happiest place on earth (Mickey's house as they call it) made me the happiest mama. We've been home for over a week now and they are still talking about the character's and asking if we're going to Mickey's house when we get in the car. Best. Trip. Ever.
So, that was our month. Now, I am no longer a mama of two babies, but two toddlers. I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for me and my wonderful family. Until next time...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Month #23
Time flies when you're having fun!!! This month was jam packed with so much of it, not to mention this whole year... it flew by. In just one short month our beautiful babies will become true toddlers. We will no longer tell people their age by how many months they are, they will simply be TWO. We will soon have TWO two year olds! Please take a moment and say a prayer for Nate and I as we embark on what many call this upcoming year as the "terrible two's", although I do not anticipate it being terrible. The truth of the matter is, we have awesome kids. They have their moments, but Nate and I continue to work really hard every day to raise them right.
This month started off with a trip to the Cayucos with Mimi and Pop Pop (Bill and Becky). Let me start off by saying that vacations will never be the same, relaxation is saved for nap time and bed time. Our week was full of beach days, playing in the sand and ocean, flying kites, walks down town, and trips in to Morro. Keaton LOVED the water. It was hard to keep him out of it even though it was like ice. Bronwyn was fine in the sand as long as she had her shoes on. They had their first doughnut, Keaton liked it and Brawny didn't. We can't wait to go on trips every year and make new traditions with our two little beach babes!
Easter was a ton of fun. We woke up and the kids got their presents from the Easter bunny, went to church, and then hosted a family dinner and Easter egg hunt at our house. They were darling in their Easter clothes, and really enjoyed finding their eggs. They helped each other by finding one another's eggs and taking them to each other. Spending time with family is something that is very important to us, and it was great to spend Easter with everyone who could make it.
We also went to breakfast with the animals at the Zoo with the Whisenhunt's and the Johnson's. It was freezing, but the kids had a great time eating breakfast, seeing all the animals, and getting tattoos. It was so fun watching them get so excited as they saw each animal. They were thrilled to be there.
The end of April means one thing in Clovis... The rodeo. So they got dressed in their new Levi jeans and we went to the rodeo parade. They loved the horses and music. They would wave at all the floats and animals, and dance to the marching bands. Keaton wanted to actually be in the parade, so he started pulling the wagon down the street. They enjoyed themselves and I think it will be a yearly tradition that we do with them.
They love being outside, so we spend a lot of time out in the backyard playing when it is nice. They mimic everything now, so we really have to watch what we say. Nate always calls Keaton "buddy", so one day Brawny started calling him buddy. They are getting closer and closer every month. I often times just stand outside of their door and listen to them "talk" to each other and giggle. It is moments like that, that I want to remember forever. Hearing their little voices and laughs is one of the best parts of being a mommy. They both realized that some of their shorts have pockets. Watching them walk around with their hands in their pockets is hilarious. They are full of energy and fun. We love them so much.
So, the next blog that I write I will be a mommy of TWO year old twins. Wow. Our babies are getting so big and growing in to such smart, kind, polite kids. I am so proud to be their mama.
Enjoy the TWO slideshows this month full of pictures. The first slideshow is of all the pictures that we took this month and the second is full of our awesome shoot with the amazing Ryan Jones (Uncle Ryan). As always he did an incredible job and we can't wait to share his amazing talent with all of you. Hope you enjoy the many many pictures we have to share with you all. Until next month...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Month #22
This month was jam packed with firsts, laughs, discipline, and many memories. I'm pressed for time, so this blog will be short and sweet, but with lots of pictures for your enjoyment!
Here's what happened this month:
1) Keaton broke out in the rash that Brawny had last month. It just finally cleared up.
2) Keaton crawled out of his crib!!!! Here's the story: He woke up early on March 5th crying. So Nate and I got up slowly, and suddenly he sounded much much closer than normal. We both looked at each other at the same time, didn't say a word, and went out to see if what we were both thinking was indeed what was happening. As I walked out of our room, I saw Keaton running down the hall, yelling for me, clearly scared. We thought our time with cribs was over. I wasn't ready for that so I looked in to a crib tent, which I never purchased. But he hasn't done it since, thank GOD! (knock on wood) I think it really scared him.
3) They started a gymnastics class and absolutely loved it! My "hunch" about Brawny being a natural was right. She excelled at it. We went twice and decided to take a break until a better class comes along, which will hopefully be soon.
4) They both call each other names now. Keaton calls Bronwyn "sissy" or "dawn dawn", and Bronwyn calls Keaton "buba" or "Keaton". They have become really close this month; playing with one another, sharing more, and wanting to be with each other all the time (like they have a choice!) I caught them whispering back and forth in Brawny's closet. They are too darn cute.
5) We started picking out bed time books and reading their pick before bed. Brawny especially likes this, and now refuses to go to bed without picking out a special book.
6) Both of them have gone pee pee in their potties. This happened a couple times this month. I always put them on their potties before they get in the bath. Keaton did it two nights in a row, and Brawny did it before a nap. I am hoping with their interest in the potty, that in a couple months we can do some hard core potty training and get rid of diapers!
7) They both think every thing is funny. They will laugh at each other and say, "Buba's funny", or "Sissy's funny". They're right, they are funny.
8) I took them to the Zoo with AAmah (grandma), PopPop (grandpa), Great Aunt Debbie, and cousin Ian. They LOVED it. We haven't been in a few months, and the change in them was amazing. They really enjoyed walking around and seeing all the animals.
9) We started instituting time-outs this month. We have a designated corner in the hallway that they sit, and stay in until we go and get them. This has really helped with sharing toys, hitting, and being nice to the dogs. Neither of them like it, but after they have sat for a minute or so, we go and get them, explain what they did and why it was wrong, they apologize, and give hugs and kisses. Disciplining TWO almost two year olds is really hard work, but I know that just as our hard work with sleep training and eating in the first year paid off, I know that this will too.
So, that was our month. Hope all is well in your world. It's pretty darn great over here in ours. See you all in May...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Here's what happened this month:
1) Keaton broke out in the rash that Brawny had last month. It just finally cleared up.
2) Keaton crawled out of his crib!!!! Here's the story: He woke up early on March 5th crying. So Nate and I got up slowly, and suddenly he sounded much much closer than normal. We both looked at each other at the same time, didn't say a word, and went out to see if what we were both thinking was indeed what was happening. As I walked out of our room, I saw Keaton running down the hall, yelling for me, clearly scared. We thought our time with cribs was over. I wasn't ready for that so I looked in to a crib tent, which I never purchased. But he hasn't done it since, thank GOD! (knock on wood) I think it really scared him.
3) They started a gymnastics class and absolutely loved it! My "hunch" about Brawny being a natural was right. She excelled at it. We went twice and decided to take a break until a better class comes along, which will hopefully be soon.
4) They both call each other names now. Keaton calls Bronwyn "sissy" or "dawn dawn", and Bronwyn calls Keaton "buba" or "Keaton". They have become really close this month; playing with one another, sharing more, and wanting to be with each other all the time (like they have a choice!) I caught them whispering back and forth in Brawny's closet. They are too darn cute.
5) We started picking out bed time books and reading their pick before bed. Brawny especially likes this, and now refuses to go to bed without picking out a special book.
6) Both of them have gone pee pee in their potties. This happened a couple times this month. I always put them on their potties before they get in the bath. Keaton did it two nights in a row, and Brawny did it before a nap. I am hoping with their interest in the potty, that in a couple months we can do some hard core potty training and get rid of diapers!
7) They both think every thing is funny. They will laugh at each other and say, "Buba's funny", or "Sissy's funny". They're right, they are funny.
8) I took them to the Zoo with AAmah (grandma), PopPop (grandpa), Great Aunt Debbie, and cousin Ian. They LOVED it. We haven't been in a few months, and the change in them was amazing. They really enjoyed walking around and seeing all the animals.
9) We started instituting time-outs this month. We have a designated corner in the hallway that they sit, and stay in until we go and get them. This has really helped with sharing toys, hitting, and being nice to the dogs. Neither of them like it, but after they have sat for a minute or so, we go and get them, explain what they did and why it was wrong, they apologize, and give hugs and kisses. Disciplining TWO almost two year olds is really hard work, but I know that just as our hard work with sleep training and eating in the first year paid off, I know that this will too.
So, that was our month. Hope all is well in your world. It's pretty darn great over here in ours. See you all in May...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Month #21
21 months.... That means in just 3 short months our babies will be TWO, no longer babies, but true toddlers. Where has the time gone? All I know is that it has gone by way too quickly. Every day we watch them and are truly amazed by them. They are growing so fast and learning so much. Once they see us do something they instantly know and remember how to do it too, it only takes one time of observation and they become a pro. Both are repeating everything we say, will string together more than one word to make their desires known, and say please and thank you all the time.
We took them to a trampoline arena, Skywalk, in the beginning of the month with our friends Karen, Allie, Stephanie, and Claire. The kids had a blast, maybe not as much fun and Nate and I though. They jumped, played with balls, and went in the foam pit, which Brawny did not like. Nate and I jumped in the pit and "disappeared" from her sight and she freaked out. I'm sure she'll have a much better time next time we go. We also went to the Little Gym and participated in a fun class there. One huge difference between Keaton and Bronwyn is that Keaton jumps right in to any new experience and doesn't look back, where it takes Bronwyn a while to warm up to the new situation.
We traveled down to San Diego to hang out with James, Molly, and Nathan and celebrated James' 30th birthday. The first night was rough with all the kids. They were so pumped and excited to see each other that it made for a sleepless night. We spent a day in Sea World, and the kids loved seeing all the animals and playing in Elmo land. Seeing them in Sea World got me really excited for May when we go to Disneyland for the first time!!! We had such a great weekend spending time with the Elsea's, thanks so much once again (James, Molly, and Nathan) we love you three so much!
Keaton James... he is our little man who loves fixing things. He takes his tools and fixes their play house, pretends random toys are drills (with sound effects), and enjoys figuring out how things work. He is full of energy and gets in to mischief on a daily basis. Just this month I found him in the bathroom, in the tub, all of his clothes on, with the water on. When I found him, soaking wet, he just looked at me with a huge grin on his face and was absolutely thrilled with what he was doing. Though he did get in trouble for this, I couldn't help but laugh afterwards. He is such a curious little boy and we love every ounce of him.
Bronwyn had a rough month. She broke out in a mysterious rash that stuck around for about two and a half weeks. Trying to figure out what the cause was wasn't easy, in fact we never figured it out, thankfully it has cleared up. She also ended up with a little cold, but now is all back to normal. With her being sick both kids learned how to blow their noses on their own. Bronwyn is feisty, hilarious, and loving. She knows what she wants and goes for it. She shows all the signs of being a natural gymnast, so we will be enrolling her and Keaton in a class at Clovis Academy next month. She will LOVE it! Every day she begs Daddy to "see babies", so he has to get out his phone and pull up the pictures and videos for her to see. Watching her grow in to such a smart little girl makes for one proud mama. We love her to pieces!
Oh, and if you were wondering, this month we set a record... In one day, each child pooped 7 times! That's 14 poopie diapers! (I just couldn't resist documenting that)
As I reflect on this month, and where my life has taken me, I can't help but smile. I am living the dream that I had always had envisioned for myself. I will admit that not every moment is perfect, but I have a loving husband who is incredibly involved and supportive and two healthy, wonderful children who have brought so much joy to my life... That's pretty darn perfect!
Thanks for checking in on our little family. Until next month...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
We took them to a trampoline arena, Skywalk, in the beginning of the month with our friends Karen, Allie, Stephanie, and Claire. The kids had a blast, maybe not as much fun and Nate and I though. They jumped, played with balls, and went in the foam pit, which Brawny did not like. Nate and I jumped in the pit and "disappeared" from her sight and she freaked out. I'm sure she'll have a much better time next time we go. We also went to the Little Gym and participated in a fun class there. One huge difference between Keaton and Bronwyn is that Keaton jumps right in to any new experience and doesn't look back, where it takes Bronwyn a while to warm up to the new situation.
We traveled down to San Diego to hang out with James, Molly, and Nathan and celebrated James' 30th birthday. The first night was rough with all the kids. They were so pumped and excited to see each other that it made for a sleepless night. We spent a day in Sea World, and the kids loved seeing all the animals and playing in Elmo land. Seeing them in Sea World got me really excited for May when we go to Disneyland for the first time!!! We had such a great weekend spending time with the Elsea's, thanks so much once again (James, Molly, and Nathan) we love you three so much!
Keaton James... he is our little man who loves fixing things. He takes his tools and fixes their play house, pretends random toys are drills (with sound effects), and enjoys figuring out how things work. He is full of energy and gets in to mischief on a daily basis. Just this month I found him in the bathroom, in the tub, all of his clothes on, with the water on. When I found him, soaking wet, he just looked at me with a huge grin on his face and was absolutely thrilled with what he was doing. Though he did get in trouble for this, I couldn't help but laugh afterwards. He is such a curious little boy and we love every ounce of him.
Bronwyn had a rough month. She broke out in a mysterious rash that stuck around for about two and a half weeks. Trying to figure out what the cause was wasn't easy, in fact we never figured it out, thankfully it has cleared up. She also ended up with a little cold, but now is all back to normal. With her being sick both kids learned how to blow their noses on their own. Bronwyn is feisty, hilarious, and loving. She knows what she wants and goes for it. She shows all the signs of being a natural gymnast, so we will be enrolling her and Keaton in a class at Clovis Academy next month. She will LOVE it! Every day she begs Daddy to "see babies", so he has to get out his phone and pull up the pictures and videos for her to see. Watching her grow in to such a smart little girl makes for one proud mama. We love her to pieces!
Oh, and if you were wondering, this month we set a record... In one day, each child pooped 7 times! That's 14 poopie diapers! (I just couldn't resist documenting that)
As I reflect on this month, and where my life has taken me, I can't help but smile. I am living the dream that I had always had envisioned for myself. I will admit that not every moment is perfect, but I have a loving husband who is incredibly involved and supportive and two healthy, wonderful children who have brought so much joy to my life... That's pretty darn perfect!
Thanks for checking in on our little family. Until next month...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Month #20
2...0..... Give me a second while I let that number sink in. Never mind, it never will. Our babies are growing way to quickly. Nate said it best this month, "If we could only groundhog day this past year." So true, Keaton and Bronwyn are at the best age. They are talking so much, understanding and listening more, growing like weeds, engaging in pretend play, and continuing to fill our days with laughter, smiles, and love. Don't get me wrong, there are challenging times every day too, but every bit of our life is full of adventure and memories. Life can't get much better. They are truly amazing.
The biggest change this month has been Keaton and Bronwyn's growing vocabulary. Bronwyn repeats almost everything, and Keaton has started talking so much more just in the past two weeks. Though our house is much louder than it probably has ever been, it is full of their tiny, sweet voices. I couldn't imagine a better sound to listen to.
Keaton is our problem solver. He loves to figure things out, and most of the time he achieves his goal. Finding something to stand on so he can reach what he wants has become a daily occurrence. He loves turning lights on and off, saying "ON!!! OFF!!!" We knew from early on how smart he was going to be, he always studies things and figures things out. He now has nine teeth, not even close to his sisters sixteen, but he'll get there. His tool bench that he got for Christmas is probably his favorite toy. He loves taking the hammer, or as he calls it "Boom Boom", and pretends to build things around the house. Bronwyn's head has become something that supposedly needs alot of fixing, so his hammer privileges have been taken away at the moment. Keaton is such a boy. He loves playing outside, doesn't mind being dirty, and insists that he helps when daddy and bapa (grandpa) are building something. He is full of energy and opinion, and we love him so much!
Bronwyn is our loving, sweet, little girl who talks non stop. No matter where we are she is talking. She bosses Keaton around and tells him when he shouldn't be doing something. At 20 months she has formed an opinion and sometimes has to pick out what she will wear for the day because she refuses to wear what I have chosen for her. Bronwyn is a girly girl. She loves jewelery, helping with laundry, pushing her baby doll around the house, and giving kisses and hugs to us (even when Keaton doesn't want any thing to do with it sometimes). It has become very apparent that she is a natural at gymnastics. She can do a somersault all by herself, with great form. Dancing is also something she enjoys. Whenever music is playing you can count on Brawny dancing. She is spunky, loves to cuddle, and makes us laugh all the time. We love her to pieces.
We took their binki's away this month, which was totally initiated by Nate, I just didn't have the courage. They would ask for them and say please. I just couldn't resist. Nate is stronger than me when it comes to stuff like that, which is why we make such a great team. They only get their binki's at nap time and bedtime. We are slowly phasing out their bedtime bottle, and hope to have it gone in the next few months. Our babies are turning in to big kids.
Apparently every man with a beard is Santa. We even ran in to the "real thing". We were out running errands and a man, who looked just like Santa, was walking towards the kids. Both of them started saying, "Santa!!!" So I had to tell him that they thought he was Santa. He proceeded to take his wallet out and hand them stickers which read, "I've seen Santa", with his picture. I guess Santa IS always watching. They thought that was the coolest.
At the end of this month we took them up to the snow. It was a great first experience. It wasn't too cold, we went down a few hills, ate lunch, and took a short break at the Johnson's cabin before we headed home. They enjoyed themselves, and Nate and I got a kick out of watching them explore in this new cold world.
So, as you can see life is pretty awesome here in the Allen house. As always, thanks for checking in. Hope you enjoy the pictures. Until next month...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
The biggest change this month has been Keaton and Bronwyn's growing vocabulary. Bronwyn repeats almost everything, and Keaton has started talking so much more just in the past two weeks. Though our house is much louder than it probably has ever been, it is full of their tiny, sweet voices. I couldn't imagine a better sound to listen to.
Keaton is our problem solver. He loves to figure things out, and most of the time he achieves his goal. Finding something to stand on so he can reach what he wants has become a daily occurrence. He loves turning lights on and off, saying "ON!!! OFF!!!" We knew from early on how smart he was going to be, he always studies things and figures things out. He now has nine teeth, not even close to his sisters sixteen, but he'll get there. His tool bench that he got for Christmas is probably his favorite toy. He loves taking the hammer, or as he calls it "Boom Boom", and pretends to build things around the house. Bronwyn's head has become something that supposedly needs alot of fixing, so his hammer privileges have been taken away at the moment. Keaton is such a boy. He loves playing outside, doesn't mind being dirty, and insists that he helps when daddy and bapa (grandpa) are building something. He is full of energy and opinion, and we love him so much!
Bronwyn is our loving, sweet, little girl who talks non stop. No matter where we are she is talking. She bosses Keaton around and tells him when he shouldn't be doing something. At 20 months she has formed an opinion and sometimes has to pick out what she will wear for the day because she refuses to wear what I have chosen for her. Bronwyn is a girly girl. She loves jewelery, helping with laundry, pushing her baby doll around the house, and giving kisses and hugs to us (even when Keaton doesn't want any thing to do with it sometimes). It has become very apparent that she is a natural at gymnastics. She can do a somersault all by herself, with great form. Dancing is also something she enjoys. Whenever music is playing you can count on Brawny dancing. She is spunky, loves to cuddle, and makes us laugh all the time. We love her to pieces.
We took their binki's away this month, which was totally initiated by Nate, I just didn't have the courage. They would ask for them and say please. I just couldn't resist. Nate is stronger than me when it comes to stuff like that, which is why we make such a great team. They only get their binki's at nap time and bedtime. We are slowly phasing out their bedtime bottle, and hope to have it gone in the next few months. Our babies are turning in to big kids.
Apparently every man with a beard is Santa. We even ran in to the "real thing". We were out running errands and a man, who looked just like Santa, was walking towards the kids. Both of them started saying, "Santa!!!" So I had to tell him that they thought he was Santa. He proceeded to take his wallet out and hand them stickers which read, "I've seen Santa", with his picture. I guess Santa IS always watching. They thought that was the coolest.
At the end of this month we took them up to the snow. It was a great first experience. It wasn't too cold, we went down a few hills, ate lunch, and took a short break at the Johnson's cabin before we headed home. They enjoyed themselves, and Nate and I got a kick out of watching them explore in this new cold world.
So, as you can see life is pretty awesome here in the Allen house. As always, thanks for checking in. Hope you enjoy the pictures. Until next month...
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Month #19
As our second holiday season as a family came to an end I found myself reflecting on this past year. What a year it has been! We survived our first full year as parents of twins, moved in to a new home, and Nate started his dream job. It has been full of firsts, fun, laughter, frustration, and memories. I cannot dream of a better life for myself or my family. Our days are full of laughs, hugs, kisses, smiles, and happiness.... What more could a girl ask for in life? I am so incredibly blessed.
With Christmas comes old traditions and new ones. We started the month off with seeing Santa (I'll let the picture do the talking on that one), let me just say that they loved Santa from a distance. We went to a Christmas tree lot and bought a small tree for the kids to decorate, walked Cindy Lane, and went to the Zoo lights. Christmas was a blast! The time spent with family and friends was wonderful. Having kids really does make the holidays so much more fun.
Both kids are talking a lot more. Our favorite word that they both say now is please. I know, our kids are so polite. Bronwyn jabbers all the time and Nate can narrate what she is saying so well, it is hilarious. They know what the potty is and even will tell us (rarely) that they went. Bronwyn does this more than Keaton. We made many trips to the park this month and they absolutely love it. They will say cheese for the camera and pretend to take pictures of each other with their play cameras.
Nate's cousin, her husband, and baby came to visit before new years. Her little boy, Merrik, is just three months younger than the twins, so they had tons of fun playing together for a few days.
Well, I guess that's all for this month. I thought I would let the pictures do the talking. I just have to leave by saying thank you to my beautiful family. So, thank you Nate, Keaton, and Bronwyn. Because of the three of you I hold the most honorable titles that a woman could ever have... wife and mother. I love you three with every ounce of me.
Until next month, and happy new year every one.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
With Christmas comes old traditions and new ones. We started the month off with seeing Santa (I'll let the picture do the talking on that one), let me just say that they loved Santa from a distance. We went to a Christmas tree lot and bought a small tree for the kids to decorate, walked Cindy Lane, and went to the Zoo lights. Christmas was a blast! The time spent with family and friends was wonderful. Having kids really does make the holidays so much more fun.
Both kids are talking a lot more. Our favorite word that they both say now is please. I know, our kids are so polite. Bronwyn jabbers all the time and Nate can narrate what she is saying so well, it is hilarious. They know what the potty is and even will tell us (rarely) that they went. Bronwyn does this more than Keaton. We made many trips to the park this month and they absolutely love it. They will say cheese for the camera and pretend to take pictures of each other with their play cameras.
Nate's cousin, her husband, and baby came to visit before new years. Her little boy, Merrik, is just three months younger than the twins, so they had tons of fun playing together for a few days.
Well, I guess that's all for this month. I thought I would let the pictures do the talking. I just have to leave by saying thank you to my beautiful family. So, thank you Nate, Keaton, and Bronwyn. Because of the three of you I hold the most honorable titles that a woman could ever have... wife and mother. I love you three with every ounce of me.
Until next month, and happy new year every one.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
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