Cutest Little Kids

Get ready to see the cutest little kids, EVER! I took these photos yesterday when Lizzy asked to have her little brother on her lap. They were so cute together, I had to rush to get my camera. This morning when I was loading the pictures up, I started tearing up when I saw how cute the photos turned out. I LOVE my kids! They are so, so cute!

Grandma's Visit and St. Patrick's Day

My mother came to visit us over St. Patrick's Day weekend. Her visits are always a treat, especially now that she has little grandchildren to spoil. Baby David LOVED his grandma, and Lizzy had a blast with her, too!

One of Lizzy's favorite games to play with Grandma is throwing the ball down the slide. Grandma is a great sport and very fun to play with. I could hear Lizzy screaming with laughter from every room in the house. I'm sure the neighbors heard her, too.

My mom is so good with children! Lizzy loved all the attention.

Grandpa North took us out for lunch at our favorite diner: Woody's.

After Woody's we headed over to one of our favorite places, Wheeler Farm.

The baby animals were adorable!

We love it when Grandma Whitcomb comes to visit us! Hopefully we can see her again soon.

Meet Lucky Charms!

Here's a snapshot of Lizzy's new little friend, Lucky Charms.


She named it herself without any coaxing from me. I personally would have named it "Slimey" or "Sammy." Maybe even "Wormtail" from Harry Potter, or "Wormtongue" from Lord of the Rings, but that's only because I'm a grown-up and think too much. "Lucky Charms" is a very charming, original name for a worm, plus it's named after Lizzy's favorite cereal, which makes it absolutely perfect.

Have fun living in our yard, Lucky Charms!

Spring must be right around the corner.

David is 5 Months Old

The little guy has been doing this all week...

Rolling over onto his tummy.

and this...

Sucking his thumb.

And he's also been eating this....


He's growing up!

Snow is Yummy, According to Lizzy

"Mommy, look! Snow in my mouth!" She opens up her mouth to show me. I guess she doesn't realize it has melted already. "I get some more, Mommy!" She takes off running. I can hear her bare feet padding against the tiled floor. The sliding glass door opens and shuts a few seconds later. I can hear her footsteps approaching once more. "Mommy, LOOK!" She shows me her finger which has a thin layer of snow perched on it. She sticks it in her mouth. "Mmmm!" There's nothing quite like having snow for breakfast, especially if you're only two.

The Highlight of My Day: February 2012

My blue-eyed boys. They definitely look like brothers.

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in February 2012:

Wed 2/1/12: I finished Lizzy's piggy hat tonight! It's sooooo CUTE! I'll have to take a picture of Lizzy and David wearing their hats side-by-side.

Thu 2/2/12: I drove Emma and her carpool friends to school this morning. The snow made the road slick, so when I put my foot down on the brake we didn't stop, which worried me a little until I remembered to pump the brake. Brad asked me tonight if I was scared when that happened. No, not really. I thought it was kind of fun, actually.

Fri 2/3/12: I finished reading "The Hunger Games" this evening. It was a good book!

Sat 2/4/12: I always enjoy de-cluttering my house. Thank you DI, for taking my junk.

Sun 2/5/12: I made a batch of Amish Friendship Bread last night and really enjoyed eating it today. YUM YUM! Plus, the pot roast I made for dinner today turned out really, really well.

Mon 2/6/12: I organized Lizzy's toys today. I used a plastic drawer cart to divide her toys into different groups: dolls, balls, plush toys, puzzles, books, dress-up clothes, etc. My living room looks a little less cluttered.

Tue 2/7/12: Brad was too sick to go to the library tonight, so I went with Emma and Lizzy on my own. I enjoyed the time I spent with my girls. Emma entered a favorite book contest at the library. Lizzy was very happy to get "Bolt" again.

Wed 2/8/12: Brad and I watched "The Help" this afternoon. It made both of us cry.

Thu 2/9/12: My favorite moment of the day was wrapping my arms around my husband; hearing him tell me how wonderful and beautiful I am and how much he loves me. I feel very blessed to be married to my sweetheart. He is the most important person in my life and I love him with all my heart.

Fri 2/10/12: Baby David tried rice cereal for the first time! He did very well and ate all the cereal I prepared for him.

Sat 2/11/12: The cutest moment I had to today was playing on my bed with my two "babies." Lizzy and David really seemed to enjoy each others company today, and I loved watching Lizzy try to play with her baby brother.

Sun 2/12/12: I made my homemade chili tonight for dinner. After dinner, I enjoyed watching the new "Napoleon Dynamite" show with Brad and the kids.

Mon 2/13/12: We played our own family-friendly version of "Spin the Bottle" tonight. We took random turns telling each other what we love about each other. It was really sweet.

Tue 2/14/12: I had a fabulous Valentine's Day this year! Brad is so very wonderful. Candles, candy, a clean room, a homemade Valentine, sparkling cider, strawberry cheese cake, cute cooperative kids, and a nice show to watch... It was lovely.

Wed 2/15/12: Today I am excited with the prospect of us owning our first home! It's probably not in the near, near future, but I know it's going to happen, and I'm thrilled with the thought!

Thu 2/16/12: I enjoyed playing video games with Scott tonight while Brad took the two girls on their Valentine's Day date.

Fri 2/17/12: Brad took off work today, and he and I went to look at houses. It was a great date!

Sat 2/18/12: I enjoyed eating chili and visiting with the Bruce-Clan. Brad and I were also able to sneak out of the house for a little bit and look at houses.

Sun 2/19/12: Emma attended her first Young Women activity tonight: New Beginnings. I am so very grateful for all of the supportive ward members in our ward who go great lengths to show how much they love our family.

Mon 2/20/12: It was nice having another "Saturday" with the kids and Brad! I love President's Day weekend. Brad brought me breakfast in bed this morning, while I was nursing the baby. I liked that.

Tue 2/21/12: We had a nice little trip to the library tonight. Draco, the library lizard, was wide awake and alert in his tank, which kept Lizzy thoroughly entertained.

Wed 2/22/12: I am having waaay too much fun on Pinterest! I am definitely addicted.

Thu 2/23/12: David had his four-month well-check. He was very friendly with his doctor and gave her lots of smiles. He was only in the 6th percentile for his weight, and 59th % for his height, which shocked me. I thought he was a little round porker. I guess not.

Fri 2/24/12: Brad and I watched Kung Fu Panda 2 with Lizzy tonight. It was a very cute show.

Sat 2/25/12: It was fun bumping into Marian and Natalie at Sam's Club today. Lizzy had fun spotting them throughout the store.

Sun 2/26/12: We came home from church to a wonderful smelling house. I had a pot roast cooking while we were at church. It was way, way good.

Mon 2/27/12: David LOVES playing peek-a-boo. He has finally gotten to the point where he squeals with delight whenever he sees my face. Love it!

Tue 2/28/12: I sneaked off to the library tonight while the kids were finishing their beef stew and watching the Simpsons. Brad had a late night, but everything turned out well, and we had lots of good things to talk about before bed.

Wed 2/29/12: Scott made dinner for the family tonight because I had a fever and wasn't feeling well. I love my teenage bonus boy!

David's 4-Month Stats

Weight: 12 pounds 15 ounces, 6% for his age.
Height: 25.6 inches, 59% for his age.
Head Circumference: 16.5 inches, 29% for his age.

4-Month David
If I were to describe David in three words I would say he's easy-going, observant, and happy. David loves discovering the world around him. He is learning new skills and developing his own unique personality.

New Developments This Month

• He began eating solid foods (rice cereal).
  
• He can lean over and reach for objects.
• He can sit with support.
  
• He squeals with excitement and laughs when happy.
• He can roll on his side and scoot himself on his play-mat while lying on his back.

Little quirks:

• He is ADDICTED to his swing. As soon as he turned four months old he decided he didn't want to sleep in his bed anymore, and now he's in the swing every night. I don't know how I'm going to wean him off of it.
• He can spot people very quickly now. He is very aware of his big sister Lizzy, and looks for her whenever he hears her.
• He absolutely loves the "Mama, Mama" song that I sing to him. It calms him down instantly, even if he's hungry.
• He LOVES sticking out his tongue.
• He refuses to eat formula. Mama is the only good food around here.
• He is turning into a peek-a-boo fanatic. He can't do it himself yet, but he loves watching Mama.
  

Valentine's Day Dates

Brad and I had our annual Valentine's Day dates with the kids this year. Brad took the girls to Jamba Juice and Barnes and Noble while I stayed home with the boys, playing video games and eating chocolate lava cakes. Brad took some cute photos on his date. The girls loved being with their daddy!

Rice Cereal

Baby David has turned into a ravenous little monster this past week. All he wanted to do was eat. I was having a hard time keeping up with him, especially at night, when all he wanted to do was nurse. I even gave in and tried feeding him a bottle of formula, thinking that would calm his appetite, but that plan did not work. Bottles are not his thing and he refused to drink it. So, I decided that I needed to go a different route: I needed to introduce solid foods to him. After all, he's not so little anymore. He turned four months old last week. I bought some rice cereal and David had his first taste of "solid" food last night.

I love seeing first time reactions on babies' faces when they try food for the first time. David immediately began spitting the food out, as all babies do, but I could tell he liked it by the way he kept smacking his lips and kicking his feet in excitement. He eventually took the spoon away from my hand and began sticking it in his mouth himself.

The Highlight of My Day: January 2012

Something good happens each day. Here's what happened in January 2012:

Sun 1/1/12: We had a "Settlers of Zarahelma" rematch tonight! Scott joined us this time, which made it take longer, but it also made it more fun. I love Scott.

Mon 1/2/12: We visited the Harmans this afternoon for our annual New Year's Bash. We didn't go bowling this year, but we had fun playing games together and visiting. We played multiple rounds of "Catch Phrase" and one long round of "Nerts."

Tue 1/3/12: Prices for airfare dropped really low today! My mom will probably be visiting in March, and my sister will probably come in April. So excited!

Wed 1/4/12: I took Baby D to his pediatrician today to have his skin checked. He's such a sensitive little guy. Lizzy came with us and was very cute the whole time, saying hi and bye to the doctors and nurses. She called them all "doc-dor." "Hi doc-dor," "Bye doc-dor!" She's so cute.

Thu 1/5/12: Baby D's skin is almost completely better! I love how fast babies heals up. Tonight I helped Emma with her spelling words. It's something I love to do, but haven't done as much lately due to the baby needing so much attention. Emma is such a good student. I'm so proud of her reading and writing skills. She's WONDERFUL!

Fri 1/6/12: I love Fridays! While I enjoy having Scott and Emma home all week, it's nice having a break to spend one-on-one time with Bradley. I love and adore my husband.

Sat 1/7/12: Lizzy was thrilled to see the snow outside this morning. "Look at the snow! It's beau-ful!" She was the only one who ventured outside today. Brad and I enjoyed staying indoors, playing games, watching movies, and taking down the Christmas decorations. David rolled over on his side today for the first time while playing on his mat.

Sun 1/8/12: I liked having the extra couple of hours to get ready for church, but we were still late! How did that happen?

Mon 1/9/12: Brad, Scott, Emma, and I played "Forbidden Island" for Family Home Evening tonight. The island won, but that's okay. We still had fun!

Tue 1/10/12: I talked to my dad, my mom, and both my sisters on the phone today. That doesn't happen very often. We talked about airline flights, family vacations, and wedding plans for this year. Fun!

Wed 1/11/12: Today I'm grateful to have Scott and Emma in my life. I am grateful that Brad has full custody of them, and that they spend most of their time at our home. I love them very much.

Thu 1/12/12: I got into the crocheting itch again, which hasn't happened in a while. I bought some yarn at Walmart today and began making some really cute leg warmers while watching a drama I picked up from the library.

Fri 1/13/12: We watched the end of the BBC version of Sense and Sensibility tonight. Great show! We watched the Emma Thompson version a few days ago. Brad and I are in a bit of a Jane Austen mood this week.

Sat 1/14/12: Sandwiches, Sun Chips, chocolate donuts, and cherry coke.... YUM! Brad and I enjoyed playing games and watching movies today. I love lazy Saturdays!

Sun 1/15/12: Brad and I played a couple rounds of "Settlers of Zarahemla." I won the second game! YAY!

Mon 1/16/12: Lizzy had a fun time playing in the snow this morning. I got her dressed warmly and took a few pictures of her and the cat. I think it's cute how Sushi likes to follow Lizzy around outside.

Tue 1/17/12: I sang to Emma tonight before she went to bed. She wanted me to sing Kitty Cat Man, which coincidentally is one of Lizzy's favorites, too, so Lizzy had to join along with the singing. It was cute hearing Lizzy's voice trying to blend with mine. Emma and I couldn't stop giggling.

Wed 1/18/12: I love making David laugh. He doesn't do it all the time, so I feel like I've accomplished something every time I get him to giggle. Usually wiggling his legs or tickling his torso gets him started. He also seems to think that touching his nose with his toes is very funny.

Thu 1/19/12: I did some more crocheting today. I decided to work on David's horse hat, which finally fits him now. I added a face to it. It looks absolutely darling!

Fri 1/20/12: We had a Star Wars/ice cream sundae night. It was Emma's first time watching Star Wars episode 4 all the way through.

Sat 1/21/12: Bruce and Loralee introduced us to a new couples board game called "Compatibility." We had a fun afternoon eating ham sandwiches and playing games with the family.

Sun 1/22/12: I enjoyed watching the next episode of "Once Upon a Time" with Bradley tonight. It's a little soap-operaish at times, and some parts are very predictable, but it's still fun. I'm hooked!

Mon 1/23/12: I had a very cute conversation with Lizzy this morning. Here is what we said-- Me: "Lizzy, are you okay?" Lizzy: "I have a owie. I went to doctor and have a baby." Me: "You had a baby?" Lizzy: "Yes. Right here." [patting her stomach]

Tue 1/24/12: I am making an adorable piggy hat that I plan on selling. It's so cute. I wish I had a baby girl to wear it! I'll have to make a bigger one for Lizzy.

Wed 1/25/12: I went to Book Club tonight. I haven't done that in ages!

Thu 1/26/12: I really enjoyed watching "Avatar" tonight with Bradley. The CG animation in the film is spectacular. I greatly appreciate the imagination and thought that was put into the many creatures, plants, and landscapes of Pandora. It made it feel like a real place.

Fri 1/27/12: I made a yummy fish and pasta dinner tonight, which made Brad very happy. I like making him happy.

Sat 1/28/12: The four of us went to Brother Healy's funeral today. Even though it was a sad occasion in general, it was also a celebration of Brother Healy's life, which made it happy as well. Listening to the speakers gave me the desire to evaluate my life and make improvements. I'm so grateful for the light of the gospel and the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Sun 1/29/12: Scott, Emma, Brad and I played CLUE tonight as a family. I won! It was a fun night. I love being with my family.

Mon 1/30/12: Lizzy and I befriended a cute little three-legged dachshund today, while we were on a walk. The little doggie was extremely friendly and followed us home. She stayed with us for a couple of hours until the Animal Control picked her up.

Tue 1/31/12: I picked up a bunch of drawing books at the library tonight. It made Brad very happy. He's been trying to get me to draw more lately. He says I have talent and I need to put it to use.