thank you, dr. seuss

We took our christmas tree down this afternoon- 

seems too soon.

I feel like Scrooge... or the Grinch.  

Normally, it's up till after the new year but this happened again (dumb browning smelly ol tree.)

...

I miss you already.

Speaking of the Grinch... Dr Seuss has gone and done it.  Saved my life.  My life in the hood, that is. (mommyhood).  See, Brody hates just about everything (give or take).  Broccoli, baths, t-shirts (at least the ones I pick out and act all excited about- or spend actual money on), and brushing his- wait for it- FRONT teeth.  Okay, there was something he did love many moons ago and that was the dumb binky.
WELL.  Any binky-loving-child's-mother knows the front teeth need lots of tender loving care after years of a binky addiction.  So in effort to forgo seeing a dentist just yet and recurring an incident much like the great-hair-clipping-disaster of 2010, I work hard to brush his tiny little teef- with great emphasis on the front.


But of course...
for whatever reason,
brushing the front teeth is out of the question.


*enters Ye Olde Dr. Seuss.


Brody was inspired- rather, I was inspired.  Throughout this Christmas season the Grinch was unfailingly inserted in the dvd player.  Brody no doubt watched it time and time again.  Candy poured in from everywhere- states near and far and there I sat... pondering pediatric dentists.  Then one rather festive day (naturally the Grinch was on), I decided to watch.  I beheld this:

Brody doesn't think I'm cool usually but for some reason when this part cracked me up- he laughed too- cracking up and looking over making sure I noticed.  The next time we watched it, there he went again- laughing.  Then I got an idea... an awful idea.  I got a wonderful, awful idea! Oh sorry...


What did I do, you ask?  That night, struggling, TRYING to brush his front teeth I said, "smile like the Grinch Brody!"  Guess what...

...works EVERY time.

glimpses of our holiday weekend

1. Relaxing Christmas Eve before more wrapping, stocking stuffing, and "It's a Wonderful Life"

2. Driving Christmas Eve afternoon- tony didn't know I was taking this- he looks kinda mad lol (he wasn't!)

3. Driving to see Santa (again) in which B told him he wanted a monster truck (again) and before being asked what he wanted this year (yes, again) :)

4. Well hello Christmas afternoon... and thank you Santa! I've been wanting a film camera.

5. And thank you TONY for my new favorite shirt.

6 & 7. Gma & Gpa's house Christmas night

8. I love this toothless grin resting on my shoulder everyday

...just a glimpse.  I filled a whole 8 Gig CF card of pictures that I'll hurl at you next.  I hope your weekend was as marvelous as ours!

♥

It's Christmas Eve

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

Indeed.
Christmas is here!  How I love it.

happy christmasey things

Here are some happy things as of late...

Decorating sugar cookies

(Tony and Brody watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas)

We have an annual Christmas cookie decorating day with Tony's family.  They almost cancelled it since so much is going on with everyone but since this will most likely be our last year they put it back on!  Not everyone could go but it was tons of fun.  Red hots on sugar cookies is the best thing ever- thanks dad B for showing me the light.  

"Building" a gingerbread house with B




We normally really build it but I guess Tony didn't realize he bought one that was pre-assembled.  haha! It actually worked out great since all B wanted/can do is the candy part.  He enjoyed eating the frosting but thought the candies were "yucky".

another date with Tony

We went to a jazz concert recently... the Dave Koz concert to be exact.  It was awesome!  Watching them live made me appreciate jazz even more!  It was funny though we were the youngest couple there

Christmas party

My sister-in-law throws the best parties.  We feasted on steak and played jeopardy in which my team dominated (;

Flash Mob

This was yesterday at the Scottsdale Mall- I got a tip this was going down- apparently all of Arizona knew too. :p

Forgive my crazy video recording- I wasn't even looking at what I was taping (and that's kinda obvious hahaha).  I love that it shows how many people there were!  It was madness!  I love it!

Merry Christmas!

I ran out of Christmas cards this year so I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!  Love you all.

Ode to Arizona Winter

“All I need is some snowfall…” the mom looked around...

But, since snow storms are scarce, there was none to be found.

Did that stop the old mom? No! The mom simply said,

“If I can’t find any snow here, I’ll make some instead!”

So she called her boy, B. Then she took orange threads,

And she stuck a lil beanie on the top of his head.

She dumped out some cotton- she emptied the sack,

Grabbed her trusty canon- click clickity clack.

The little boy was giddy he was happy to play

No bribing was needed, this just made his day.

Old mom was happy too- she had snow and felt glee

"What is that, is it fake? I must disagree..."

"Don't tell that to Arizona", she said with a roar

"All of us know snow does come from a store!"

(i love that brody is old enough to play along when i have crazy ideas...he's really been good for pictures lately i love it!  cutie:)
Happy first day of winter!

the last month...

So how have I been with a new baby?

Things have been great- I can't ask for anything more.

Of course, it's been hard adjusting to NO SLEEP EVER but it's worth it of course.

One night he didn't go to bed till 5!  That's FIVE AM guys.. which was the worst it's been so far (but does it get worse?).

Lately he's been going to bed around midnight every night after being up for 5 hours and then wakes up every two hours for food. I'm HOPING *crossing my fingers* he doesn't do what Brody did (never sleep through the night ever till he was a year).

Oh and he refuses a pacifier *binky- which I'm a little sad about right now.

But really things couldn't be better- I'm very lucky to have him and count my blessings everyday.

When we were in the hospital he would gag a little- which scared me but I figured it would pass after a few days.  He continued to do that randomly till he was two weeks or so and now he just spits up a lot (well it seems like a lot- maybe it's just been a while and I forget what's "normal").  He's gaining weight so no one is concerned!  I told the doctor today about other concerns I had and apparently Hy is just a "hedonist"- so even though he's really really fussy at times it's just because he wants to be comfortable and can't take the pressures of life. :p

At one month he's 9lbs 13 oz, 21 1/2 inches long and in the 50th percentile for each. 

 Brody was always off the charts so- so far we have a little-er guy on our hands (:

These were pics I took of Hy at one week.. I'll post more on my photo blog sometime soon.

Which about my photography... I'm going to do a GIVEAWAY for a portait session when I reach 400 likes on facebook- think I can?  Must I bribe you?

And a random video I had on my phone.. Brody noticed the mineral oil I put on his head to keep him from getting cradle cap, that's what that was about (;

a tune for you..

thought I'd share something about me that most people don't know.  I really want to get back into piano like the old days- It's a miracle I can play at all it's been so long! (if you minus one semester of piano class a year ago;)

Anyway..

Happy Sunday!

Hyrum..

Cute 3 week old Hyrum who loves my fuzzy robe...





Hyrum's first day at church

Found these pictures in my drafts... i just had to document his cuteness. (:

I have super kids

Time seriously has "flown by".  I haven't even posted Hyrum's newborn pics, our family pics that we took weeks ago, or anything I've wanted to really.  But I'll get to it one of these days.  Can you believe my little man is already a month old today?

I HAD to make Hyrum a little newborn cape like the one I made Brody.  I had enough fabric left over to make a tiny one as well as one the size of Brody's for when he gets bigger.  It's going to be so fun to watch my little men play together- they are already best friends as was predicted.
♥
that's a tree below btw, tony couldn't tell. ha!

Happy one month, Hy.  

We love you.

{the mastermind}

Christmas... it's practically here

This season of Christmas has whooshed by me it seems.  Not like it's over yet... but maybe it has something to do with being preoccupied with a little one.  First little H arrived, Thanksgiving, recuperating, back to school, catching up in school, and now finals.  All the while, I've tried keeping up with my folders upon folders of new pictures I've taken- like I said earlier, pictures have officially begun to stress me out.  That still doesn't stop me from snapping hundreds in an afternoon though (well if something fun is going on..or Hyrum looks cute during his nap- that's every nap).

Anyway although this next week will STILL be consumed with all things not-Christmas, I've been making an effort to sit back and notice the holiday before it's completely over.  Somehow our tree got put up in all the madness and it's worked out for us so far.  (what does that even mean, you ask?) We got our tree from Home Depot for the 3rd year in a row and were a little nervous from last years rotting tree experience.  But this year we got a Noble fir (one of my favorites!) and the needles don't brown and snap as fast as they do with the Douglas, the kind we always get.  Plus they have a stronger tree-scent so I love them.  Yup.

Of course there goes Brody-always running- darting out into the street and ignoring our time-out threats completely.

B was a HUGE helper this year.  He was loving decorating!  Although he kept putting his ornaments on the same branch.

I always put the tree lights on, works out nicely that I like it and Tony hates it.  Thanks for the baby's first Christmas stocking mom.

Tony and I are funny.  We have old old ornaments from our childhood (mostly my childhood) that adorn our tree.  One of these days we'll have what we call a "hotel Christmas tree" where everything matches and it looks all professional.. but for now I rather like my colorful, old school tree.  Especially my cute carousel ornament from MY first Christmas.  I can't believe it's survived a quarter of a century.


And DATE NIGHT!  Something festive.  Yes, I realize- I'M SPOILED ROTTEN!  I have a 3 week old baby and I'm hitting the town for hours on end with my handsome husband.  (Made possible by my awesome sister-in-law and pump machines.  *Moo.)  Don't worry- in few months time I will have no luxuries like this... no wonderful family members to lend a babysitting-hand.  *sigh.  I'm not going to think about that right now though.  Nor can I tell you yet WHY that is.  Muahhahaha.

I AM however very pleased with myself- see this date-night-outfit?!  I made that shirt!  Well no- ALTERED IT.  When I bought it, it had these crazy bat-sleeves (I call them).  The shirt was cute already but I kinda felt like I'm not edgy enough for it- so I made it more "me".  The sleeves connected from the top of the shirt to the bottom of the shirt- hard to explain and somehow my picture of it got deleted from my phone.  Sorry no before and after.  Anyway, I removed the sleeves going to the bottom of the shirt and made them cute little sleeves that ended at my elbow.  I'm in love with this shirt- plus, it's a dressy step-up from my sitting at home nursing shirts.

(Notice that wet blotch on Tony's shirt?  I assured him spit-up dried clear...how LONG it takes depends on how much water you drench it in though, Tony.  Haha!  He naturally blamed me for him looking like a foolish person.  Ha! Sucker)

Our date was a blast we continued our Christmas tradition of seeing "A Christmas Carol" at the Hale Theatre Centre.  We bought our tickets back in October or something- we were pretty excited haha.  And after went to Chipotle where we got free drinks since it was late and they ran out of meat.  I just have to say just how much I freakin LOVE my husband.  He's the most hilarious guy I've ever known- and he's hot- so yah.  It's amazing being married to that guy.

It snowed after!  baha