Flowers & Springtime!

I Love SpRiNg! 

I love flowers!  They really amaze me and they make me happy every time I see them!  I love to watch them grow and it is so exciting to me when they blossom.

Does anyone know what these are called?  They are amazing!  The flowers are fragrant like a rose (they have the most amazing smell of any flower I have ever smelt) and the blooms are two times the size of my hand.  The last week in March, the plant just started to sprout from the ground kind-of like a tulip and now they are about 4 to 4 1/2 feet tall.  They are so tall they are falling over. Like I said they are incredible!

I love seeing all these flowers everyday!  It's amazing how well things grow out here in Indiana!

I planted my flowers right after Easter during the first week in April and they have quadrupled in the last Month.  Below is the day I planted everything.

 I love the changes and all the amazing new plants and flowers!  I love how green everything is!  Love it!  Love it!  Love it!  Here you can see the change in our front yard in just one month.

Josh Broke His Arm

About three weeks ago, Josh and Dad were riding their bikes together.  Josh was having a blast like always until he road over a bridge and was going downhill when he decided to following his dad making a rather sharp turn (about 130 degree turn).  He hasn't quite mastered slowing down on his bike yet, so he fell.  As he was falling he went to brace himself with his left hand and snap.

John immediately new it was broken.  He loaded Josh in the bike trailer with Nate and John road all the way home riding his bike while holding onto Josh's bike in one hand.  John is lucky he didn't crash while doing this.  Meanwhile, I was in the shower getting ready for our date that evening.  John burst in and said way to calmly that Josh broke his arm.  I totally thought he was kidding at first since he was so calm about it.  

John made Josh a homemade sling and gave him pain medicine and then took him to the ER since it was a Saturday.

Beware:  

If you get queasy easy don't look.  It even makes me queasy and I was an surgical nurse for years that helped take care of major traumas.  Maybe it's because it is my own son that it makes me actually queasy.

Josh was so tough.  I never saw him cry at all.  He did complain about the pain though.  He was a definite trooper.  Here he is getting his splint.

It's been a little rough with the broken arm, but we are all adjusting and Josh is now finally sleeping through the night again. Nock on wood.  Josh's famous saying lately is "I can't do it, I have a broken arm."  Josh uses this as a great excuse to get out of doing things he doesn't want to do.  This equals a smart kid and a frustrated mom.

Onto a Happier Note!

Josh now has a Bright Orange Cast.  

He hasn't allowed me to take pictures of it, but today we went putting as a family at the elementary school that Josh will be attending.  The elementary school was raising money to help those with spinal cord injuries.  They did an awesome job!

We all had a blast and Josh putted really well.  He almost made two hole in ones and birdied about 5 holes.  He is amazing even with a broken arm.  Can't wait to see him golf again when the cast is off.

Look at that Natural Swing!

They had Fire Trucks there and the boys had fun pretending to drive the fire truck.

It was a blast to have John home today and spend time as a family!

Nate 12 to 15 Months

BABY STEPS

These are a few photos from a little photo shoot I did for Nate's One-Year Photos.  I just love this happy baby boy and I just want time to stand still because I love every moment with him.  Seriously, why does this time of life have to go way too fast?

15 Month Stats

Weight: 22.3 lbs. (19%)

Height: 32 in. (78%)

OFC: 18 3/4 in. (50-75%)

*This picture looks almost identical to one of me in my crib at the same age.  Maybe one day I'll figure out how to get it on my computer*

Nate is a light sleeper, but he is also a really really good sleeper.  I can almost never watch Nate sleep or take a picture of him sleeping (I really do love to watch my babies sleep) because he wakes right up all smiles.  The funny thing is, I take the pics and then he goes right back to sleep.  I actually enjoy waking him up because he is so pleasant.

Every time I lay Nate down for a nap or to go to bed he just smiles, waves bye-bye, and then says "Nigh, Nigh."  I love it!

Nate is a snuggler.  

He snuggles Mom, Dad, and Josh.  

He love to snuggle in blankets.  

He has recently found two new snuggle buddies: Winnie the Pooh (above) and the Giraffe (below) that I made for him.

He loves to snuggle after every nap and when he wakes up in the morning while reading books.

Loves to be outside.

Loves to Swing.

Loves to go on Walks.

The other day Nate puts his hands in the air every time the swing went forward like he was on a roller coaster.  It was so funny and cute.

*Note the train in Nate's hand*

Loves to play Cars.

Loves to play Trains.

Loves to make car Sounds.

Loves to listen to the sounds of trains or cars going by.

Loves to hold on to his trains and cars while we go on walks in the stroller.

The other day the weather was so nice and non of us wanted to go inside, so we ended up going on a 2 hour walk.  Most of the walk Nate made car sounds while playing with a car.  So cute.  He is such a boy!

Loves to say "Oo, Oo" about everything and make this cute face.

Loves the very few moments he can just play with toys without big brother interfering.

And now for the

BABY STEPS

On Your Mark, Get Set......

Stand

Nate took his first steps on February 9th.  

It is still to be determined when he starts walking officially.  

He still prefers to crawl.  His record for most steps in a row is 13 and that was a week ago. (I don't mind that he isn't walking yet as Josh was walking by 9 months and running by 10 months.  It is so much easier in many ways to have a late walker).

Nate is still obsessed with the vacuum and volunteers to vacuum for me.  Such a great helper already.  He'll stand there pushing it and even take a few steps here or there.

Since January 1st, 2010 Nate has spent most of his wake time pushing his push cars throughout the house.  He has a definite pattern and routine with it.  He has to go in and out of every room in a particular order.  If a door happens to be shut.  He'll just bang on it because he has to go in every room.  Silly, boy!

We visited John on his birthday at the hospital.  He just happened to be on-call (30 hour all night shift).  I snapped this cute pic of Nate walking and holding Dad's hand. 

This face that Nate is making is his face that he makes all the time around Josh.  Can you tell he looks up to Josh.  He literally looks up to him more that anyone.  He loves his older brother.

Nate makes some of the funniest faces.   He does this "what's up" face all the time.

Loves to Read Books 

(I'm actually getting burnt out from so much reading between these two boys.  I probably read to the boys for 2 to 3 hours a day total.  And Yes, I have all their hundreds of books memorized).  

Loves to Eat

He is still a good eater, but starting to get a little picky.

Loves to Throw

He loves throw his food (hope he grows out of this soon).

Loves to throw balls and play catch.

Love to throw any toy in his hands when he gets in a throwing mood (Yikes!).

Love His Dad 

Always excited to see Dad.

Loves His Mom

Definitely a Mama's Boy.

Love to Sing

He loves to sing with me when I sing to him.  We might have a future singer in our midst.  He also loves mom to sing to him.

Loves to Talk

Mostly babbles.  He has said many words, but after saying it about once or twice decides he doesn't need to say it anymore (this is similar to his desires for walking).  Let's just say Nate is pretty content most all the time.  I also quickly forget all the words he has said and then question if he really said what he said.

Words that he actually says often:

Jos (Josh)

Ah, Oh

Nigh, Nigh

Goo Nigh (Good Night)

I wuv you (I love you)

Mommy

Daddy 

Love to Give Everyone Kisses

Love to Give High Fives

Nate's 1st Birthday!

December 23rd, 2009

I know this post is way overdue, but I need to document it!  What can I say, his birthday is 2 days before Christmas and time seems to be going faster and faster.  It seriously feels like this happened only a couple of weeks ago.

Nate loves cake and especially frosting!  He dug right in.

I love that he was so messy and lovin the cake.  He sat there eating as much as he could for half and hour.  It's so funny how different my boys are.  Josh had no idea what to do with the cake for his first birthday.

Hailey helping Nate open one of his presents.

Now all the kids decided Nate was taking way too long, so they all decided to take over, much to Nate's dismay.  He's probably thinking, "hey wait; that's mine!"

I love this pic because it catches how all eyes are on Nate.  That doesn't happen near as much with the second child.  I'm sure he loved all the attention.

Mommy will you marry me post. Now it is all about Olivia Hansen