Happy birthday to you!

Rewind! Gosh sitting here and thinking about what memories I want to include on the blog I realize how much I've really missed.... I bypassed two of my favorite little guys birthdays! Kyler and Lawsen both had their 1 year birthdays in the same week! Both guys are movers and all over the place but Lawsen is the silent assassin and Kyler is the LOUD rattle n' roller! Both adorable and easy to love!

Cole is constantly (or so it seems) reminding me that it's not a competition and I know that but it's also a GREAT feeling when the gift you decide to purchase seems to catch their attention the most :) haha NOT A COMPETITION. Got it. It's kind of cheating when you go for the fun toy as opposed to something they actually need more like clothes or socks ;) Plus we like to add more noise to their household... Julie is always reminding me of payback so I'm making sure to make it all worth it! haha

Its always a great time when Grandma Gloria can make it to the party!

Not to sure about this....

Big brothers are there to instruct I'm sure...

Didn't take him too long to figure it out :) Lovin' the cake

Nice mess Ky Kys!

Soon to be parents Tom and Linds :) 

Memi and Kader

Brodes was being a tired little stinker and started throwing the balls everywhere but in the 'hoop' and refusing to pick them up.... it's a good thing hes so darn cute when he's tired!

I was surprised because Lawsen actually enjoyed opening the presents and needed to check every single one out, assessing them and then picking the favorites!

Talking story book is always a winner!

Bigger cousin Westyn showing the ropes

Little Avery was so cute! I think she was thinking this was a birthday party for her instead of Lawsen!

Grannie Em with her little monster. Every morning I bring him to her house no matter the mood he ALWAYS has a huge smile for her!

Nanny and Kade.... I just adore watching her with him! Talk about completely whipped.

Didn't take Lawsen too long to figure out the cake idea

My mom and Dad putting together the adorable giraffe rider they bought for Lawsen. Apple didn't fall to far from the tree! She's determined for him to love it and he did for sure!

Auntie Jean and Boogerbear

Johna Abby and Ashley telling Kade some stories and put him to sleep.

Both birthday were fun to see family and close friends, see the boys love all their new presents and definitely got me excited for Kades 1st birthday!

Sweet potatoes, Peas and Bananas OH MY!!

We have officially rounded up our first week of baby food! :) The faces I have gotten to see through the different flavors has been hilarious! We started with the bananas figuring he would love it, and while it could have been a big mistake to start with what most consider the easiest, it wasn't. He did love his nanas after the initial shock of food instead of formula but I'm pretty sure that the sweet potatoes have become our favorite! In fear of having an orange baby I incorporated peas every third bite and that went a LOT smoother than expected! Most babies that I have come across HATE peas! While he wasn't thrilled he would take them, swallow and then shoot me a smile once they were down. I get the feeling that he's pretty proud of himself and as he should be! He has definitely gone through all of the changes a baby faces beautifully with ease and Cole and I couldn't be more thankful for that :) We keep saying and couldn't me more convinced that the next child of ours is going to be one heck of a handful!

This kid is seriously so much fun and I really can't imagine my life with out him anymore. Cole and I were just talking about how life before was so simple, on the go when you want and it never really seemed that simple before. I've always been more of a home body and family oriented person so it's not an unbelievable shock but it is an adjustment making sure there's a babysitter lined up or making sure we can bring him with. Our parents have been SO awesome with our lack of planning and asking for last minute help. I'm sure that will come with more practice but my mom has been a saint for days and Chuck and Leslie have been great for our weekends. We really can't say thank you enough! It's so great that all of our friends are in love with him and that he's really good with everyone else as well! He's quite the charmer to say the least :)

There's still some adjusting to do for all three of us, but for the first week I think we're doing awesome!

HOW COULD I FORGET!

Holiday season has definitely been a crazy one already so far and I haven't been very good at updating. Just so happens too that a lot of milestones having been surpassed lately as well! Kade cut his first TWO teeth!! SOOO incredibly exciting and SO weird to think how fast everything is moving! Ready or not! They showed up November 12th and I knew they were coming but it happened sooner then expected! I've tried to get a picture of them but he doesn't like to show them off just yet so maybe later! What a big boy!!

First Thanksgiving Dinner!

Every year for Thanksgiving I have always liked to help my mom, but always at my convenience and never too much responsibility! I never wanted to be the one to screw something up too badly. I love cooking and am pretty confident but a 20 plus pound turkey has always been beyond my stretch until this year! Cole had told me that he was getting so excited for turkey at the beginning of November and I just brushed it off and said yep in about 3 weeks! haha Friday came around and we were grocery shopping and he comes out of no where with a turkey saying can we please get this?! UGH I had no excuse... I have Saturday Sunday and Mondays off and for some reason I can never back down from a challenge so I said yes. Then he decides he wanted the bigger bird because it's a better deal! We ended up coming home with an 18 pound turkey and while I have wanted to I have never even roasted a chicken let alone a HUGE turkey! Saturday and Sunday the birds home was my kitchen sink thawing out and reminding me every time I looked at it that I was supposed to cook this thing! I think I drove my mom crazy with questions and for some reason questions that I already knew the answers too! The nerves were definitely getting the best of me....

Monday came around and we had Kaders 6 month appointment at 10 am in Bellingham with the AMAZING Dr. Wisner! I just adore that man and so does Kade! He gets an automatic smile as soon as he sees him every time and we have really only been there a total of 4 times. Doc let us know that our little man is still off the charts and looking extremely healthy which we can't thank God enough for! 95th in length and 90th in weight! Way too go BoogerBear! The dreaded nurse came in and gave the shots, we screamed and then went and saw Dad at work for a little bit :) Cole hates not making it to any appointment so it's kind of a must! The man did make it to every little appointment during the pregnancy and everyone for Kade except for the last two and I think it's killing him.

Anyway, I had a lot planned for my day so we got going home and I ran to my moms to grab her turkey pan (beings I don't own one for that big of a bird) and as soon as we got home seasoned the bird and got him in the oven! Fingers were crossed as well! Cole wanted turkey SO bad and I think any woman wants to impress their man haha so the pressure was on! In between baisting I was setting up our Christmas tree and dealing with a fussy baby. This is getting EXTREMELY long so to wrap it up the whole dinner turned out amazing! I was so relieved and excited and really it was SO simple. I was just getting overwhelmed with the whole idea but it was actually really enjoyable! Christmas music was playing, our Christmas tree was lit, I had candles going and dinner couldn't have been better! One of the BEST winter nights I've had in a long time! Such a good family night :)

Turkey.... Stuffing..... Corn....Real deal mashed potatoes and gravy! I was pretty impressed with myself! Can't wait for next year and now that I know I can do it I will actually enjoy the whole process with zero stress! :)

Devoured... Cole wasn't kidding because I really didn't even eat that much!

Baby steps

We are sitting all by ourselves!!! Seems so simple but it's so exciting! We made sure to put the blanket behind him because he definitely has not gotten the hang of it completely and likes to kick back unexpectedly. He's getting stronger and stronger and doesn't sit as nicely in our laps anymore. We still get plenty of cuddle time but when he wants to play, he really wants to play. More and more personality is coming through and we're starting to see where we could really have a mover and a shaker on our hands! Our eyes will have to be peeled at all times for sure.

Visting Superheros and Monster

Chris Julie and the boys made our house one of their stops for trick or treating and I had to snap a few pictures. Crew and Brodes came RUNNING into the house with flashlights blazing and pumpkin pales in their hands looking for the candy bowl! haha Brought me back to being a kid and how fun tricks or treating was. Crew knew where our usual candy bowl was and thought to go there first but little did he know we had 'special' candies for them. We went and got the big boy candies from the gas station down the road and something so simple turned into the coolest thing ever! I love how easy it is to make kids happy. Its making sure they don't eat everything at once and get a stomach ache, that's the hard part!

Monster Kys went straight to Kader as soon as he got in the door! So cute!

I have a feeling these two are going to be little trouble makers together! I'm sure it will be entertaining to say the least!

Oh Cruiser! Little wild child!

Me and Jules with our cameras.... It's always a photo session it seems! Its a good thing though because if I don't get it then she does! These boys are growing so fast it's hard enough to make sure we get pictures of everything!

My little sweetheart, Brodes! All this kid wanted all night was his flashlight and M&Ms.  

A little education

MY PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS!! :) I've be so excited to not only get out and do something for myself but also do something I find so relaxing! I've always loved taking pictures and had purchased a really nice camera a while back knowing I would want/need it later on. Now that Kades here I want to fully utilize my camera and get some really good candid shots. Photo sessions can get so expensive and some of the best shots are at home when everyone is relaxed. Brooke Gatterman of Roxsey Photography put on the class at a really cute little building in everson. I felt like I got a lot out of the class and now have a lot to practice with! I'll be a pro before I know it :) Terell and I road out there together and ended up taking a ton of pictures! I'll be really excited when it's pictures I will put up in my house of my own family and friends. But until then....these random pictures will do....

This little guy wasn't one of the 'models' but I was on the ground trying to get a different view and he was following me everywhere! Such a cutie!

Back of Terells head :)

She had so many fun props and the girls were so darling! I can't wait to really master all of my options and really just be comfortable with my camera!

Happy HOOOLLOWEEN!

Cole and I took off to the mall for our usual last minute shopping and brainstorming for costumes this year. We were going to go for a full costume for Kade until we decided to stop into Baby Gap and found a matching pair of mittens and hat that we HAD to have! It was of course retardedly expensive so I figured to turn it into his costume as well! :) Two birds with one stone haha considering I was getting it no matter what, I figured I'd make it better in Coles eyes ;) That store can get me every single time!

I absolutely LOVE this picture! It's that smile and chubby cheeks that I just can't get enough of! The owl 'costume' was actually quite ironic because when he 'talks' it's a lot of hoos! haha Too cute!

Cole doesn't usually care to get totally dressed up.... I can get him to do just about anything except any Disney characters, which I'm really not that sold on either, it's just the challenge! One of these days I'll get him to do it! However, as we were in the store we were looking at wigs and he came up with Kurt Cobain..... uh ya! I thought for a second and have to admit I was NOT thrilled to say the least. Who would I be if you were Kurt Cobain? COURTNEY LOVE?!? I've always wanted to dress up as Courtney ;) Not that I have ever really been the type to go ubber sexy or have to be all pretty, but Courtney was definitely a stretch to say the least! I let him have this year, but next year I see Disney! :)

We got our shenanigans in at the Loefflers on Friday night and relaxed at home as a family Saturday night. We didn't really think to turn our porch light on and really kind of forgot about trick or treaters altogether! Around 10 pm we got a ring at the door and I was thinking it was one of our friends coming over to say hi or something and when I opened the door it was two 14 (ish) year old boys in costumes with masks and it scared the crap out of me! I let our a little scream and they though it was just hilarious! After I realized what was going on I laughed with them and gave them everything we had! haha They earned it! :)Some more friendly visitors -- Chris Jules Crew Brody and Ky's came over and we made sure to go get 'special' candies. All three of them are now up and moving and it makes me so excited for when Kade starts getting after it too!

Halloween is officially over which makes me SO excited only because that means Thanksgiving, Christmas, LOTS of family, good food and cozy nights are a comin'! I'm also on board with all of this snow talk because last winter I was pregnant and was not allowed to get any boarding in and I am just itching to get up!!! Hope everyone had a good/safe time with their tricks-or-treating!