Hello 63 degrees

Welcome back, sun and warm weather. Feel free to stick around. So far today I have done laundry, dishes, vacuumed, cleaned up Miles room, and showered.  I get this nice pep in my step when I can open the windows and breathe fresh air!

 Hazel is sitting up well now on her own.  I snapped these in my bedroom the other day. I liked how natural her eyes look in them. This is the color they look in real life. So often in pictures they just look dark and I can't see the greens and browns that are in them.  She is such a good sport for me snapping away. What a fun girl she is turning into!

The Cruds.

Hello cruds! You hit our house solid on January first with Trevor.  I may have not been so sympathetic towards him while he weathered the illness. I have babies to take care of and two is my maximum.  Then Miles started coming down with a cough about 4 days ago and each day has gotten progressively worse.  Well, turns out our boy has ear infections, bronchitis, and tonsillitis all at once. So fun.  Let's add to it that Trevor jets off to rotations for the 12 wake-time hours each day and it's so cold I can't take the kids outside.  January, you have been rough.  But I will win.

Cheese!

In an effort to get Miles to look at me while I'm taking his picture I often put something on top of my head.  I think it relaxes his face and opens up his eyes--one of my favorite of his features. Yesterday, I caught him with this puzzle piece on his head yelling cheese!  I know the picture doesn't fall into the 'rule of thirds' very well, but I still really like it.  I have no idea how to use editing software--I haven't got to that lesson in my photography class yet.

I also feel the need to blog about this photo because I have significantly cut my time back on facebook and went through a spree of unfriending and unfollowing. I think that may mean I'm inching ever closer to uncool adulthood.  If it wasn't for my photography group and my co-op group I would get rid of it altogether.

Happy Monday!

2015 resolutions

1. Take better pictures. I have tons of pictures of Miles and Hazel, but I don't have professional ones taken regularly. So I would like to learn to take higher quality pictures of them. I have been taking some online lessons the last few days, and I think I'm improving. They are in order of the last three days, with the oldest being the top picture.

2. Start and finish an afgan. I plan to do the Crochet-a-long (CAL) on a blog that I read.

3. Stick to all 21 days of the elimination diet my doctor suggested. (Starting Jan.5) 

4. Brush Miles and Hazel's teeth morning and night.

Christmas 2014

How in the world is it the end of December?  This year has flown by. Maybe it was the move to Tulsa, the fact I had a baby, or that Miles turned 1. I can't believe we are closing in on 2015.  2015 holds lots of exciting things: Trevor's pharmacy school graduation, I turn 30, and no more pregnancies for me!  I'm sure there will be other things, but those are at the top of my list currently. Before I get ahead of myself, here is a glimpse of Christmas 2014.

 Hazel is sitting up by herself! She enjoyed seeing all her grandparents and they all agreed that she is much more pleasant to be around these days!

 We went and say the Rhema lights here in Tulsa. Everyone laughed as they passed us. It could have been the fussy pink puff I had strapped to my front. 

 We also visited Silver Dollar City, in Branson.  Miles loved all the lights. We watched the parade and rode the carousal.

 On Christmas Eve we celebrated at Pops and Gramma's house.  

 Hazel (0), Miles (1), Kaia (3), and David (5) all showing off their Christmas pajamas that Gramma made.

Miles' older cousins are so patient with him.  It is so fun to see him trying to be just like them!

Pops and Miles work on his new tool box.

Hazel checks out her new toys.

Christmas morning we went to Grammy and Papa's to open more presents! (Miles has a red lip because he tripped and fell at SDC. Good thing Papa had a hanky ready to stop the bleeding!)

Grammy and Miles check out the stockings

Papa and Hazel watch from the couch.

Miles with his new piano. He's a natural!

Miles trying out his new beanbag chair!

We also celebrated Christmas with my Granny Nina in Conway and have plans to celebrate with Meme and Poppy in Kansas City this next weekend. By the end of the month we will be all Christmased out. We are so thankful for the family and friends we have who love our kids to pieces. 

Knee-Walking and Snot bubbles

Well hello months 5 and 19.

 I am sitting here at 4pm while the two of you nap, trying to put my thoughts together to sum up the last month.

Miles:  You are ridiculous. The last 2 months have been a ongoing battle to get you to walk on your feet.  Yes, my friend, knees are not made for walking. I think, crossing my fingers, that we are finally there. You see, it is important for you to walk because you weigh 25 pounds. That is a lot to carry around.  We joked that you must be afraid of heights. The doctor kept reassuring us that there was no medical reason you weren't walking... (that sounds like the same tune I heard when you wouldn't crawl). I think you just understand consequences and knew it would hurt if you fell. You are cautious and methodical.  I think these traits will serve you well.  Besides the whole walking thing, you are right on track with your age development. You can stack 5 blocks on top of each other. You say lots of words: { no, thank-you, water, Mama, Dada, Nana, (Grammy- sounds like mammy), more, here ya go, love you, cookie, ball, book, uh oh, duck, quack, doggy, nose, mouth, moo, drink, baby, sister, hello, hi, bye, Pops, open, eye, yes, milk, Miles, two, three, wee, donut, ho ho ho} There are probably more. Lately you've been stringing them together in two word sentences.  You know how to put your clothes in your hamper. You even follow directions! I hope you are this helpful and easy going at age 12!

Hazel: You are ridiculous. You talk cons-tant-ly!  The doctor even commented that you were advanced in your babbling.  You can roll, sit up for short periods of time, hold your neck like a pro. You love to chew on your hands. You hate binkies and bottles. You would rather be sitting up than cradled. Every time you cough or sneeze, you fart.  You love to watch your brother. You are 16lbs and 26 inches long. I am happy to say you and dad both survived your 3 days together while I did a practicum for my Master's degree. This is mostly kuddos to him because you weren't the most pleasant person to be around. You have also been battling a cold this month.  You have the most epic snot bubbles ever. You win grossness and boogies.

You both still adore each other. Here Miles is 'reading' Hazel their first Christmas card.  Miles is always 'sharing' whatever toy he has with Hazel. Hazel will roll herself whichever way she needs to so she can see where Miles is at all times. I am so excited to see how their relationship grows as they get older.

Hazel: 4 months

Hazel spends most of her day watching Miles.  She loves to see what he's doing and be as close to the action as possible. She rarely cries these days, but when she does it's most likely because she has lost sight of her brother. She reserves her best smiles for him. 

 

 

Here is a little size comparison.  She is catching up! Her head is just as huge as his was as a baby, and I'm confident it's not finished growing. On a side note, I hate my Samsung Galaxy 5.  I would give anything to get my iPhone camera back.  Live and learn.

 

 I don't want you to think Hazel's affection for Miles is one-sided. He loves her too. Here he is cradling her chin, smiling at her. She is one lucky gal to have such a sweet big brother.

 

Here they are first thing in the morning. Miles is always super excited to see that Hazel is still around when he gets up  It's safe to say, she puts up with him 'loving' her, very well.

 



Our girl recently had to get some new clothes because she is SO long. She can wear 3-6 month clothes as long as they don't have feet. Her pj's are 9 months in order to not crunch her toes. This is why she is frequently photographed in her brother's old pajamas.

 



 I am pretty excited to see what her official stats are when we go in for our 4 month check up next week. This girl is on the move. Watch out world!