GQ

My little GQ, at least that is what I thought when I saw him in this button up shirt.  I thought he looked so funny dressed like this for a baby but what a cutie.  He gets me every time with his half smile like he knows just how cute he is;)

 All dressed up for church

All Dressed Up

This is the last post of 2011, promise.

For New Year's Eve the four of us and my parents got dressed up to head to church and to diner.  Our New Years consisted of a late night of games and the New Years Ball dropping in the background.  It was nice and relaxing.  Here are a few of the family pictures I got before we headed out.

Time With Family

Here is a picture recap of our family time in Cincinnati.

Nolan with two of the shirts I made him

I mentioned in a prior post that we all attended the Christmas play at my parent's church.  After Gracie got to meet the dancer that played Mary.  Most of the pictures above were taken with my phone so they are not very good but I still love them.  The kids on their daddy's shoulder after the show.  Gracie meeting Mary, she actually touched her face, I was a little embarrassed but I think she was checking to see if she was real.

Family Picture

The beautiful table for Christmas Eve diner

The Family

My mom and I made these cups that I found on Pinteret

Grace helping Nina with dishes

Gracie & Alex working on the train table

Nolan getting some much needed game time in;)

Not Just for the Birds

When I was little my brother and I climbed my grandmas tree all the time although Troy loves to tease me and say there is no way I can climb a tree.   Well, I can and my little Gracie girl seems to be interested in doing the same thing.  While in Cincinnati even when there were no kids to play with I bundled Gracie up and sent her outside with the family dog Carson.  She loved playing with him and throwing the ball.  I also often found her playing in the not tree, no worries it is not high at all but she loved hanging out in it.

These days it is hard to get Gracie to give me a real smile so each time I take a picture I take not one but about in hopes to get a "pretty smile"  She has come up with so hilarious smiles, below are just a few of them.

Playtime {Outside}

As I mentioned before the weather was wonderful and we headed to the park one afternoon where I was able to enjoy watching the kids play with the Nina & Papi.  I also got a couple of adorable shot that I thought I would share.

Cute Cousin Love

My nephew Aiden and Gracie were just adorable all week.  They got along so well and really seemed to enjoy each others company.  Aiden even was willing to share his iPod touch with Gracie.  These two sat in this chair for sometime one evening playing games and watching movies.  Of course as parents we ate it up.

Playtime {Inside}

It has been a while but I need to do a little catching up from the last couple of weeks, this includes so of our Christmas activities, so here we go.

While in Cincinnati we did have wonderful weather but we also had a good amount of rain and when it comes to kids we like to get them out so they can run around.  Cincinnati seems to have some of the neatest places to take kids for little or no money.  The family headed to an indoor play area.  This play place is actually a place where they sell amazing swing sets but for a small fee you can play there or even have a yearly membership.  They even had an indoor basketball courts and a gymnastics area.  The kids had a blast and even I got to go down the biggest slide in the building. 

Aiden & Gracie racing

Gracie playing in one of the houses with Aiden

The kids playing on the swing

This was in the center of the place
Gracie went done the slide & I was nervous too

2 Months

At Nolan's 2 Month Check Up:

Height: - 24 1/2 - 98%

Weight: 13lbs 8 oz - 82%

Head: 15 1/2"- 64% - much smaller then miss gracie

Info: you have very dry skin on your for head

What Nolan is up too:

• smiles all the time
• when you are awake you want to be talked too
• making bubbles
• sticking out his tongue
• just started cooing
• loves being naked
• favorite person by far is Gracie he smiles the most for her
• eating every 3 hours sometimes 4 and at the most 5 
• sleep schedule - you go to bed between 11 & 2 you are my little night owl. you then sleep until any where between 7 & 8. you eat then sleep 3 more hours....I think this counts as sleeping through the night although   I wish my sleep started earlier but I have adapted
• traveled to Cincinnati twice 
• loved on by lots of family & friends at Christmas
• you continue to spit up.  Gracie never did this so I have to always carry a burp cloth.  You spit up not just after you eat but anytime.  I have gotten use to smelling like spit up because no matter where the burp cloth is you seem to miss at some point.  This includes spitting up on your outfits. Dr Weber is not worried so this  is something I am getting use too;)
• while in Cincinnati daddy did some belly time with you and you rolled right over
• even in you sleep positioner pillow 
• you have a baby pillow that elevates you just a little while you sleep at night, you do scoot until you hit the sides
• nicknames: little man, squirt, buddy, pumpkin

I knew my little man was growing but wow.  When I was at the doctors office I was getting out my pen to write down the percentages and the nurse was joking around telling that they were all 100%.  This little guy guy does not look like a  2 month old.  Yesterday he took a morning nap and an after noon nap as if he was 6 months old.  I walked him into his room at about 2pm and laid him down and walked out and he went to sleep.  Now he had not slept since noon so I knew he need to sleep but it was still a lovely moment to have both kids in there rooms for naps at the same time.  For a moment it was all so peaceful.

Saying Good Bye

Sadly with the end of the year came a sad goodbye.  Since we started going to Faith Bible Church we have been loved by some amazing friends.  The end of this year we say goodbye to the Durant Family with sadness of missing the time with them and happiness to see what is to come in there lives.  We have been so blessed by their friendship and encouragement.  Jana is the wonder women of motherhood.  In August she took on the task of watching our Gracie a couple of days a week.  This means that she added to her already 3 children house hold to make 4 and with excitement found out baby number 4 was on the way.  She took it all on and we were so grateful to have such a great women loving on Gracie.  Gracie loves and adores her 3 kids and their play time will be so missed.  We just want to thank you for everything.  We love your family and are excited to see all the things God does during this time.  He has already laid out the path and I just am excited to hear about everything he does along the way.

Miss you already.  I wished I could have hung out at your house today in my PJs.
Love You Guys!

Adi & Gracie

Jana & I at Co-Op

the black & white pictures makes 

the no make-up look so much better;)

Gracie with the Durant's

Levi, Gracie, Adi, Ricky & Jana

Jana & Nolan at the Hospital

The whole Durant clan with baby Nolan

the kids 2 summers ago on our camping trip

A Blessed 2011

I can look back at every year and see so much to be thankful for, to see all the changes, and all the prayers that have been answered.  I can look over my life and see how much God has blessed me with, an amazing husband that loves and adores me, a best friend and an amazing father.  I have two beautiful kids.  A great family that loves and supports me.  Encouraging friendships with whom I can be honest and a church that has blessed us.

I just want to reflect on the heart sorrows of the year and the things that God has blessed us with.

• The year started with us going through tests to find out why I could not get pregnant
• In February Troy's Grandma Velda passed away
• Found out I was pregnant
• My friend from college son passed away in the worst possible of ways
• We found out that I was having a baby boy
• Troy and I celebrated 8 years together
• We welcomed my first niece Nora to the family
• My Grandma passed away - Thankful for the time I got to spend with her right before
• Gracie turned 3
• Last day of work
• Welcomed a healthy baby boy
• Found a name for our new baby boy, Nolan
• Being blessed and loved on by my parents
• Friends moving
• See my brother this Christmas

With the year ending and the New Year beginning God always brings about new things to come with challenges, changes, and excitement.  We are excited to see all that God does for our family.

OUR LITTLE BLESSINGS