Still Alive!

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are still alive.  I will try and find time to add some pictures soon.  I've been busy working 4 days a week still and keeping up with a newly 1 and not quite 3 year old.  They know how to keep me running!

BABY'S FIRST CHRISTMAS

It's been fun having our kid's birthdays just short of 2 years apart. This morning I took pictures of Broxon in the jammies Brayli wore for her first Christmas and some silly antlers I still have for some reason. Maybe for silly pictures like these. Its fun to watch them grow and see similarities and differences. Brayli's ears are smaller, her face is more round with a dimple in her chin, she has Matthew's weird cowlicks that prevent having bangs. Brayli's hair is blonde and Broxon's looks like it might stay brown. Her eyes are bigger but Broxon got the long dark eye lashes and bushy eye brows. Both have beautiful blue eyes and are completely adorable in my book! Brayli is in the middle in the below one if you didn't notice the bow and earrings. Wait, her cheeks were to chubby to see her earrings straight on.

We finally got our tree up a couple nights ago. Brayli had fun helping but I didn't take a picture. We are excited for Christmas this year. Brayli loves driving around and looking at lights and Broxon will be old enough to enjoy eating wrapping paper. :)

I've been to video Brayli's singing but keep forgetting. I FINALLY remembered tonight after her bath.

I like this second one because it shows how she makes up her own songs. She is quite entertaining these days!

Halloween

I'm way far behind on blogging but it's too hard to catch up so I'll just add Halloween and be happy I at least did something I guess.

These are at Matthew's mom's house. Matthew didn't want to dress up but Brayli, Broxon, and I were all bees. He's the bee keeper without a costume :)

Brayli ended up going to the doctor on Halloween afternoon and got diagnosis with a double ear infection. Luckily she had gone to our ward trunk-or-treat on Saturday night so we didn't feel like we had to do much outside on actual Halloween night. We did go to a fun party and Kimi's house but I forgot to take pics. Check out her blog.

She and I both loved her little stinger. This last one is my best attempt and a pic of my kids. Here's a look into the future of trying to get a good picture with both kids looking at the camera. :(

Thanks to my friend Becky (Be Closer Photography) I got some great pictures of Broxon and Brayli for their 2 month/2 year Birthdays

And she's done!

Now that it's a month passed Brayli and Broxon's appointments, I'm finally making time to blog. They're both asleep and instead of sleeping myself, I decided to blog. Because they are 22 months apart I was able to schedule their 2 year old and 2 month old well child checks on the same day. It's a little harder getting out of the house on time with 2 kids but we're getting it figured out.

BRAYLI (2 YEARS)

Weight: 27 1/2 lbs (60%)

Height: 34 1/4 (50%)

Brayli is a such a little character. I don't even know how to describe her personality. She is silly, creative, stubborn, inquisitive and way to smart for a 2 year old! She is a great helper around the house and with Broxon. She loves to learn new things. Her imagination is amazing. She loves to bring us pretend meals from her toy kitchen. I love sitting back and just watching her play when she doesn't know I'm watching. She talks to her dolls and makes up stories and songs. She is a happy little girl most of the time and is great at entertaining herself. She will still sit and look at books forever! She has a few memorized and will read them to herself. We sure love our Brayli Girl!

What can Brayli do?

~Count to 10 in 4 languages (English, Spanish, German, and Japanese)

~Name most shapes

~Name most colors

~Recognize her name and spell it on a good day

~Recognize the names Dad, Mom, and Broxon

~Talk in sentences and carry on a conversation that makes sense

~Tell you her birthday (August 15th or 15th of August)

~Sing multiple songs. Her favorites are "I am a Child of God", "Twinkle, Twinkle", "Popcorn Popping", "Happy Birthday"

~Identify males as daddys and females as mommys

~Dress and undress herself

~Put her socks and shoes on and take them off

~State what body part is used for each sense such as, I hear with my ears, taste with my tongue and my favorite, I lift heavy toys with "my nuscles" (muscles) as she flexes.

~Take care of her babies (dolls, stuffed animals)

~Collect "tiny" rocks

~Paint her nails, ours, and her dolls with make-up brushes and do our make-up

~Brush hair and put it in a "pony hair" (pony tail)

Brayli entertains us each day and surprises us with the things she says. She amazes us with how fast she learns new things. I'm not quite sure how she does it.

Now for her pictures:

She wanted to sleep with a whole bed full of babies. Where's Brayli?
At the fair
Painting her toenails with make-up brushes
4 wheeling in Cascade
Holding her bowl of rocks that she carried around the campsite
Matthew likes to throw our fearless girl "so high"

And she loves it!
I bought Brayli new panties yesterday. I was surprised at how excited she was. She carried them around until dinner time when I MADE her put them down.

This isn't a very good clip but I can never get her to count for me when I have the video going.

Stats!

BROXON (11 weeks old)

Weight: 12 lbs 11 oz (45%)

Height 23 in (25%)

Head circum 40 1/4 cm (65%)

His short stature would be the reason why his 0-3 month pants are too big. I didn't realize his head was so big though!! Must be all those extra brains in there. :)

Broxon is such a great baby. He has been so much better than Brayli was. She was a very fussy baby so it's been nice having a calm baby that doesn't cry for hours in the evening.

What can Broxon do?

~Smile

~Coo/talk

~Occasionally laugh

~Kick and splash in the big bathtub

~Sit through a hair cut-Buzzers and all

~Squeal like a pig when he's really mad

~Drink 6oz every 3-4 hours

~Grasp small rings on toys

~Tolerate his big sister trying to "help" take care of him

and best of all . . . .

~Sleep through the night

Yes, you read it right. He's been sleeping through the night for almost a month now. He eats around 9ish and sleeps until 6:30. What a GREAT boy you are little Broxer! We sure love you!

Here are a few recent pictures

Before
During

After
Gotta love the bald spot!

We left his crazy cute spikes

I'd have to say we didn't do too bad considering he was only 2 months old and doesn't know how to sit up yet.

Nap time with the grand parents

He can hold his own bottle-sometimes

The swaddling days are coming to an end for this little guy