The Smith Files

Texas Holiday Adventures Part 3: Christmas Day

2011-12-25T15:53:00.000-06:00

Christmas morning...no matter where we are, they pretty much know the drill by now!

i love this picture of three little heads just peering at all the packages under the tree!

callan was anti-christmas this year. he wanted nothing to do with opening presents. but he did really like the razor 360 big wheel that santa brought for brody.

super excited about his scooby doo book

lost in all the loot

LOVE this face! leyton can't believe that santa knew he wanted a slinky!

callan gets a new boat for the bathtub

cousin pics...practically impossible, but we tried!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T15:35:00.000-06:00

Texas Holiday Adventures Part 2: Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T15:28:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve night was a wonderful celebration as the whole family joined together to see little Collier get baptized at the Christmas Eve service. He was such a good little man during the ceremony and didn't utter a peep as he was passed around from person to person!

collier w/ his mommy & daddy and his godparents, auntie rachel & uncle kenneth

mommy and auntie rachel w/ the special boy

the matthys side of the family

After the service, we headed back to Oma and Opa's for a celebratory feast! We had a yummy dinner and cake, and the boys sprinkled reindeer food on the lawn for Santa's helpers (after they changed into their matching reindeer pj's!)

leyton gets some lovin' from uncle coy

Then the party really started...

party rock is in the house tonight!

everybody just have a good time (especially when brody gets his hands on the camera and starts taking butt shots!)

and we gonna make you lose your mind (in uncle coy's boots!)

everybody just have a good time! (when playing rock paper scissors w/ uncle jeff)

these little rockstars had a blast
(leyton, cousin kayla, and brody)

no party pooper here!

Finally, after a long and silly evening, these little men had some tired eyes and needed to get some shut eye. They set out cookies and milk for Santa before heading off to bed!

Texas Holiday Adventures Part 1: Christmas Cookies w/ Oma

2011-12-24T14:51:00.000-06:00

After a looooong drive to Texas from Minnesota, we finally reached Oma and Opa's house for Christmas! The boys were so excited to get there as they had been talking about it for weeks! What better way to celebrate Christmas Eve than to make painted sugar cookies for Santa (and a few for us, too!)

The boys were also thrilled to find this fun ride waiting for them! They cruised all over the place, exploring the neighborhood and having a blast! Thanks, Oma and Opa! We can't wait to come back and try out the 4 wheeler again!

Song Time With Leyton

2011-12-22T19:54:00.000-06:00

Love those moments when you can just enjoy them being little...

Baa Baa Black SheepThe Itsy Bitsy SpiderIntro to Rocketship Run (his fav song right now)The ABC's

The Birthday Circuit

2011-12-20T14:40:00.000-06:00

In the weeks leading up to the holidays, we have had one birthday party after another. It seems like every weekend we have at least one and up to three!! Busy, busy, but it is great to be able to celebrate special days with our friends. We have attended some really fun parties w/ new and exciting themes, so we took a few pics to help us remember all the fun we had:

Beau's Birthday at the Vikings Practice Facility--this one was a hit with the little boys AND the big boys! How cool to be able to run around on the very field that our football team practices on every week.

brody w/ his friends brady and bella, and his new friend viktor the viking!

viktor was lots of fun to chase and crawl all over. poor viktor!

yes, that locker belongs to THE adrian peterson. brad was thrilled to be able to take a tour around the vikings locker room!

Eloise's Birthday Party at Izzy's Ice Cream--the kids took a tour of the ice cream kitchen and made their very own vanilla ice cream, followed by treats at the sundae bar. Yum-O!

brody and leyton w/ eloise the birthday girl

making their own ice cream

callan had fun at the party, too!

Kaden and Kyla's Birthday Party w/ Santa--The Hokansons hosted a Christmas themed bash for their kiddos, with cookie decorating and a visit/gift from Santa. We were able to capture a few more cute pics of the boys on Santa's lap. The funny thing this time around was that Callan was totally into it and super excited to sit on Santa's lap. He kept smiling and saying, "Cheeeese."

mr. b w/ santa

his very own gingerbread house to make!

little L w/ santa

santa gave him some fun art supplies

the c man, cute as a bug w/ his reindeer antlers

smith boys 2011

Berry Patch Christmas Concert 2011

2011-12-12T20:31:00.000-06:00

It's always a treat to watch the adorable preschoolers perform at the Berry Patch Christmas Concert every year. This year we were blessed to have two little performers onstage, and what a proud mama I was! Those little ones were so cute up there, and I couldn't help but get a little choked up and teary as I watched them sing their little hearts out (or pick their nose or whatever else suited their fancy during the show.) Such a sweet, sweet sight to see!

brody and his teacher, ms. ann, before the show

mr. leyton hanging out in his classroom before the performance

leyton and his classmates waiting with ms. joannie before the show

brody all lined up with his class, waiting to take the stage

Babes in Snow Land!

2011-12-09T20:07:00.000-06:00

There's nothing like the first big snow of the season and all the fun that comes with it! Time to break out the sleds, shovels, and ice skates--winter has arrived!

are you trying to catch snowflakes on your tongue, b?

this little man is finally big enough to stay out and enjoy the cold, especially when he knows hot chocolate is waiting for him inside!

Breakfast with Santa 2011

2011-12-07T14:13:00.001-06:00

We attended the Junior League's Breakfast with Santa event again this year. It has become a fun family tradition and a great way to visit with Santa without the long lines at the mall. Plus, just look at him--could he be any more authentic?! Brody and Leyton were excited all week about their chance to sit on Santa's lap and ask for their special Christmas gifts. Callan? Not so much. He tolerated Santa but was not very excited about him. What a fun way to kick-off our holiday season! Now if those boys can just be good all month, maybe Santa will come through with all the goodies they asked for! :)

who is that strange bearded man?

finally one looks and another one turns his head!

callan's officially had enough of santa

then it was leyton's turn to tell santa what he wants for christmas. this year he asked for a mermaid, a dollhouse, and a dinosaur!

brody asked for transformers. he also made sure that santa knew we will be at oma's house, to which santa responded he will be sure to plug it into his GPS! :)

Merry Christmas!

Gopher Game

2011-11-30T16:06:00.000-06:00

Brad and Brody got to check out a Gopher football game with Pete and Maisie over Thanksgiving weekend. It was cold, but they had a blast!

Thankful

2011-11-30T13:15:00.000-06:00

In November, I took a little break from blogging. It wasn't intentional, but it happened. However, I did not take a break from being a mommy, and I can assure you these little monkeys were up to their usual tricks all month long! What a joy it is to be able to share in their adventures, their new learning, their excitement at just being kids! I am so very thankful to be their mama!
I was able to capture some footage of all three playing together, which will probably be of no interest to anyone but me, but it's all I got for November! :)
In these clips, you'll see:
Brody--being the leader, building and creating, directing, and of course, singing! (If you can make it past Leyton's screaming in the second video, you have to hear B singing his version of a very popular song by Usher. See if you recognize it! :)
Leyton--silly, silly, silly, doing whatever big brother wants him to do, but most importantly, getting into the imaginative spirit of creative play with his brothers
Callan--wandering around aimlessly, taking it all in, wanting to be a part of the action but not quite big enough, and just being darn cute!

Making caves or forts out of cushions never gets old. These kids would do this every single day if they could!

I know at some point it's probably inappropriate to let Brody listen to Usher, but right now I think it's hilarious that he recognizes pop songs on the radio and can sing them! Maybe we should invest in a little Kidz Bop!

Hope you enjoyed a peek into our world! :)

Who You Gonna Call?!

2011-11-02T20:58:00.000-05:00

Halloween 2011
we went a little retro this year...

Brody, our Ghostbuster

jumpsuit...check

light-up proton pack...check

he ain't afraid a no ghost!

Leyton, our Ghost

he liked to wear his hat open under the chin so that it was more like "long hair" and he was super excited about his ghost eyes!

Callan, a.k.a The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man

so roly poly he could barely stand up...there are two bags of cotton balls stuffed in that suit!

group pic...not so much! a little bribery involved, as you can tell from the lollipops, and we still didn't get a good photo

Let the Trick or Treating Begin!

Fun Times, Fabulous Night!

Happy Halloween 2011

A Few Tricks and Treats

2011-11-02T11:07:00.000-05:00

On Halloween morning, in anticipation of the fun night ahead...

this cute little lion cub decided to wear his lion suit to sib care

callan wore b's old monkey costume to ecfe, and even learned how to make a few monkey sounds of his own

brody spent the afternoon concocting green slime in my kitchen

and FINALLY it was time to dress-up and celebrate Halloween...

Going Wild for the MN Wild!

2011-11-01T15:31:00.000-05:00

Brad was lucky enough to receive all 18 tickets to his firm's suite at the Minnesota Wild game this past Saturday night! We invited six other families to join us with their kiddos, and we had a blast! That is definitely the way to do a hockey game. The food was yummy, the company was great, and the game was exciting (for a little while anyway.) Plus, having the box meant that the kids didn't have to sit in their seats the whole time, which I think helped keep them entertained (although maybe made them a little rowdy, too, but hey, we weren't bothering anyone!) Thank you, Dorsey & Whitney, for a lovely night out!

brody with his buddies luke and andy and their dad, matt

lola w/ her little guy, oscar and our little guy, callan

mike w/ callan, thad, and eloise

mr. and mrs. smith

mark & kaden

leyton, maisie, and brody enjoying the nice spread of food and beverages

jerry, lola, and oscar

this is how brody spent the last half of the game...angry birds beat out the mn wild!

Pre-Halloween Fun!

2011-10-30T22:28:00.000-05:00

Love, love, love this time of year! Brad and I were just talking today about what a fun holiday Halloween is and how we love it and all the fun activities leading up to it! Here's a few reasons why we love Halloween:

1. The Halloween Box-o-Goodies from Grandaddy, Grandma, Aunt Allyson and Aunt Bethany!
It never disappoints! This year they got light sticks, straw cups, coloring books, tons of candy, and screamers! Uh huh, annoying little plastic figures that scream their heads off when they feel the slightest movement. They're actually pretty hilarious, and Callan loves them most of all!

2. Hay Day in Linden Hills!
This was actually a new event for us this year, but it was great! Fun to dress up, go on a hayride, and trick or treat around downtown Linden Hills. We decided very last minute to go, so we literally threw costumes at the kids and ran out the door. You'll have to wait to see this year's real thing!

3. Pumpkin Carving With Our Neighbors!
I love that we've been doing this every year on the evening before Halloween since we first moved into our house. It's become a fun tradition that I look forward to each year. Thanks, Schwartz family for hosting us again this year! Happy Halloween!

The Great Pumpkin Party

2011-10-30T22:05:00.000-05:00

We hosted a little pumpkin party for some of our friends from school, soccer, skating, and other areas of our life at our house last Sunday. (If you read the previous post about me staying home to clean the house, now you know why! :) The Molepske family joined in to help us put on this fun little shin-dig, and it was a blast! We spent the first part of the party outside in the backyard, where we provided lots of tools and patterns to create some fun jack-o-lanterns. Then, everyone headed inside to enjoy some yummy eats...pulled pork, baked beans, corn/wild rice chowder, and treats galore! I didn't take nearly enough pictures as I was way too busy running around playing hostess, but the party was definitely a success and a fun way to get ready for Halloween!! :)

luke and andy get to work on their pumpkin while oliver and stella look on from some comfy chairs

eloise is checking out the tub of guts while mike works on the family pumpkin

lots of carving going on! (little addie is totally eating pumpkin seeds out of that tub!)

eyeball cupcakes--grotesque but good!

the smith family pumpkin...we tried to keep it inside this week so the squirrels wouldn't eat it, but it completely rotted and we had to throw it out today. boo! :( at least it had a little moment to shine.

Sever's Corn Maze 2011

2011-10-30T21:47:00.000-05:00

We have been busy busy the last few weeks, enjoying all the fall activities and the last few nice weekends before we are blasted with that white stuff I don't want to think about! Last weekend, the big boys headed out to Sever's Corn Maze while Mommy and Callan stayed home to clean the house. I LOVE this event, so it was really hard to miss it, but sometimes a mama just needs some time to get the chores done. It looks like the boys had a ton of fun without us!

this year's maze has a space theme

the corn pit is always a highlight of this place!

great picture, but could his face be any dirtier?!

new this year...a parakeet petting zoo! the boys talked about this for days!

hard to see, but there's a bird on his stick. so fun!

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-21T22:26:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line held their annual Pumpkin Trolley event, where you ride the trolley down to Farmer Ken's Pumpkin Patch and bring home a Halloween pumpkin. (It sounds a little more exciting than it really is, but it's cute and fun, and the kids love it, so we do, too!) The day was absolutely gorgeous, so it was the perfect time to take a nice walk down to Lake Harriet and go for a little trolley ride.

they can't wait to hop on board!

the boys were very taken with all the spooky decorations on board

callan's first trolley ride

pumpkins

pumpkins! everywhere you looked were pumpkins!

gabriel and everett joined us for the ride home

it was a fun day!

Fall Soccer 2011

2011-10-16T22:04:00.000-05:00

Brody just finished his last game with his fall soccer team, The Bumpers, and he ended it with a bang! He has shown steady improvement since beginning last spring, and I am so very proud of all his hard work. He loves the thrill of scoring a goal, and most of all, he loves the praise and adoration he receives from all of us who are there to watch. This team was really fun, with some good buddies that Brody has made in the past few months. We'll take a little break now to focus on some winter activities, but I have a feeling he'll be back in the spring for more soccer fun!

practicing before the game w/ coach sage

let the game begin!

time for the medal ceremony
(w/ some of his teammates--livia, laci, brady, brody, luke, andy, & hudson)

dog piling on coach brett...

there's a coach under there somewhere!

soccer is really hard work!

Leaves

2011-10-12T21:42:00.000-05:00

Nothing like having a little fun in a big, crunchy, freshly-raked pile of leaves...

Happy Fall!!

Fall is (not) in the air!

2011-10-11T12:31:00.000-05:00

Today is October 10, nearly the middle of October, and we are in the midst of a near two-week stretch of days that have been in the 80's. Everywhere you look, the leaves are turning beautiful colors and falling all over the place, but the cool, crisp air that you would expect around here is nowhere to be found! Now don't get me wrong..I've lived here long enough to know that winter is right around the corner and I should be basking in this glorious Indian summer. But, it's kind of weird all at the same time. I love the fall weather, so this is just a little bizarre. Plus, I'm worried that we're going to go straight from summer to winter, and that's just not cool!
We headed out to Minnetonka Orchards this past weekend for some fall fun. I don't think we've ever worn shorts to the apple orchard before! Again, not complaining, but I was definitely craving cold water over the hot apple cider and warm apple donuts that I usually can't wait to taste. It was still a great day and a perfect way to tire out three busy boys!

Trying to get these men on the move to stand still long enough for this shot was next to impossible. We gave it our best effort!

Cowboy Day 2011

2011-09-22T09:52:00.001-05:00

This was Cowboy Day at Berry Patch two years ago...

he looks thrilled, doesn't he?

And this was Cowboy Day at Berry Patch this year...

Yee-Haw!

We've Got a Walker!

2011-09-21T09:51:00.002-05:00

Callan decided to take the plunge and become a walker today! We were outside playing in the front yard when all of a sudden he just stood up and took a few steps. He was so proud of himself that he kept doing it over and over again, getting a little better each time. Of course, he also just happened to be wearing some awful hand-me-down pants that were way too long, so I kept thinking he was going to trip and fall. Even so, I was thrilled to be able to capture the first few moments of his new trick on video! Walking is hard work, so he eventually grew tired of it and went back to crawling, but I don't think it will be long now before he his literally running to keep up with those big brothers of his!

60th Birthday Surprise!

2011-09-18T11:39:00.004-05:00

My Dad turned the big 6-0 this year, and much to his surprise, my family threw a fabulous birthday bash for him at The Cotton Club in Granger, TX. He was enormously surprised, even more so because Callan and I flew down to be there for the big event. He had no idea there was a party in the works, so it was super fun to watch his shock and then happiness to see so many family and friends in attendance. I was really happy to be able to make the journey down to Texas, for all of 48 hours, to be there for my Dad's big day. What a fun party!

surprise!

sisters

gdaddy and callan

mmm, cake!

dad and his four daughters

(kelli, allyson, me, and bethany)

dad's birthday gift from his hunting buddies...a walker, completely accessorized and ready for a hunt!

dad and some of his closest friends (and one of his brothers!)

see where i get my height?

two out of the four grandbabies made it to the event...w/ callan and collier

Happy Birthday to a wonderful father and grandfather, and here's to many more!

First Day of School 2011

2011-09-13T11:38:00.003-05:00

School is finally back in session! Woohoo! All the boys started their new classes this week and have loved them so far. This mama is so excited to have a good routine back in place and a little "free" time!

First Day #1 -- September 12, 2011

Brody's first day at Berry Patch in Ms. Ann's class as a Strawberry

Callan's first day of ECFE in the Toddlin' Tykes class w/ Teacher Brenda

First Day #2 -- September 13, 2011

Leyton's first EVER day of preschool at Berry Patch w/ Ms. Joannie and Ms. Lauren as a Huckleberry

Happy Birthday, Prince Leyton!

2011-09-11T11:34:00.006-05:00

Dear Leyton,

Today is a special day for our family because you turn three years old! Happy Birthday, little man! You are getting so big--tall and lanky as can be, but even more than that, you are learning so many new things each day. In the past year, you have officially crossed over from being a baby to being a little boy. It is bittersweet for me, but I am so thankful to be able to watch you as you grow up. You bring such joy to my life and to all those around you!

Your world was turned upside down this past year as we welcomed your little brother into our family. As I knew you would, you took this major change in stride. You've never been the only child in the family, so you had no problem adding another brother into your world. It was definitely harder for Mommy and Daddy as we had to adjust to having two babies in the house! It didn't take us long to realize that you were quickly growing out of being our baby and developing into quite the independent little spirit. You have certainly given me my exercise this year, chasing you all around whenever you get the whim to wander. You also began using your language skills a lot more to express yourself, and we were very impressed at how your vocabulary blossomed! For most of the past year, you cried pretty much every morning at breakfast. We weren't exactly sure why this started, but if things didn't go exactly how you wanted them to, the tears would start. I'm kind of glad, ok really glad, that phase is over! :)

This was the year of the prince[ess.] You pretty much went head over heels for anything sparkly, twirly, and/or with long hair! You ravagedmy closet, trying on whatever shoes you could get your hands on, and I kept finding you with my dresses off their hangers and draped over your little shoulders. You took quite a liking to a little orange Home Depot apron, calling it your "skirt," and whenever we left the house all winter, you had it on! People who didn't even really know us recognized us because of that funny apron! When we visited the Arboretum in Dallas, you stared in wonder at a young girl in her quincenera dress, totally in awe of such a beautiful "princess!" You also began draping my scarves and blankets over your head to make long hair. One day, I overheard you in your crib calling out "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" and then I peeked in to see you tossing the blanket over the side. :)

Most of all, you have just been the sweetest cuddle bug! No matter what you are doing, whether it's whipping up "tomato soup" in your kitchen, building a "castle" with blocks, or watching your favorite movie (Beauty and the Beast,) you love to sit on my lap, give kisses, and throw your arms around me with the biggest sweetest hugs ever. I just can't get enough! Even though I can clearly see that you are growing every day, I still think of you as my sweet baby boy. I'm not sure that will ever change!

Happy Birthday Prince Leyton!

(This picture is old, but that blue crown is where it all started!)

Love,

Mommy

A Party for a Prince!

2011-09-10T10:15:00.000-05:00

This family has been celebrating one birthday after another, and on September 10th, we hosted a royal tea for our sweet Prince Leyton, who turned 3 years old! It was a magical morning full of fun, friends, and family to share in Leyton's special day!

As you know if you've been reading my blog for the past year, Leyton has taken quite a liking to all things princess. He loves to dress up in my skirts and heels and is drawn to all the princess dolls whenever we visit Target or any other store with toys. I knew it would be fitting to give him a royal themed bash, and he loved every minute of it!

We decorated the house in turquoise and chocolate brown with streamers, ribbons, and a sparkly crown tossed here and there. For the food, we decided to do tea sandwiches, fruit, and cheese. Cookie cutters helped to make the little sandwiches super cute, and we served pb&j, chicken salad, and cucumber/cream cheese. I also tossed in a plate of crown-shaped homemade graham crackers, a surefire hit with my kids!

I wanted the cake to be truly magical, but I didn't want to spend a fortune having someone else make it. After spending many hours browsing the internet for all the "castle cake" ideas, I finally combined all my favorite ideas into a design of my own. Thanks to Oma's magic and Brad's architectural expertise, we were able to make the cake come to life. Leyton absolutely loved it! Covered in marshmallows, chocolate m&m's, and silver sparkly stars, he thought he had literally gone to heaven!

prince leyton's castle

pretty good for a couple of amateurs, huh?

We asked the guests to come in "royal" attire, and they did not disappoint! Brody, of course, wore his knight costume, and we bought Leyton a king costume for his special birthday celebration. My mom even brought out my old tiara from when I won Miss Eagle Lake back in high school! Leyton loved his costume but preferred Mommy's tiara over his puffy king hat. :)

prince leyton and his royal knight, sir brodan thomas

sir brody and his queen mother geri

princess sugarplum kate

the molepskes of pillsbury

queen shoma and sweet little princess kyla

A royal celebration would not be complete without a castle, so we rented a bounce castle for the backyard. Let me tell you--this was the best idea I've had all summer! Since the party was in the morning, the rental company decided to drop it off the day before so that we would be sure to have it all set up in time for the party. We ended up getting to keep it for over 48 hours--pretty much the whole weekend. My boys loved it, and I'm pretty sure the party guests did as well! :)

bounce castles are fun for everyone! (couldn't resist posting, geri! too cute!)

love this sweet princess! (brody took this picture--isn't it great?)

Before sending our guests on their merry way, we treated them to a cruise through the royal candy bar, where they filled their crown bags with all sorts of decadent treats. (If anyone needs blue and white candy, please let me know! I have so much left over!)

I owe a special thanks to my mom who helped me immensely with making this party happen! I couldn't have done it without you! After hosting three birthday parties in less than two months, I'm pretty tired out. But I am so glad that we were able to give each of our boys a special celebration. And I'm already looking forward to next year's birthday bash...robot dance party, anyone?!

Oma's Visit!

2011-09-09T21:29:00.000-05:00

Oma came for a visit right at the tail end of the summer, and we were so happy to have her here for a little over a week! We had never had a visitor during State Fair time, so of course, that was the first thing we wanted her to experience. I think she had fun! We certainly did! Who can resist the cheese curds, pronto pups, fried snickers bars, Sweet Martha's cookies, fresh-squeezed lemonade, deep fried pickles, chocolate-covered bacon on a stick...you get the idea!

he visited the oink booth...and then he ate one.

this little man had his share of yummy goodies, too!

the rides were probably the highlight of the day!

i think i might be sick! :)

Thanks for all the fun, Oma! Come back soon!

Summer Recap

2011-09-03T15:58:00.001-05:00

Summer is officially over here in Minnesota. The leaves are already starting to change colors!! I can't believe how fast the last three months have gone! Of course, we were super busy with all sorts of activities, visitors, and trips, so it's no wonder that time moved quickly. Here is a little recap of a random assortment of things we did this summer that I just haven't gotten a chance to post about yet...

Brody's Spring Soccer Team--The Spikes

Brody's Summer Soccer Team--The Blast

Children's Museum and the Rooftop Art Park

Camping @ Baker Park w/ The Molepskes

(we were playing yard darts, and Brody was totally beating me!)

I guess he does cry sometimes!

yummy fire roasted corn!

(thad, ellie, brody, and leyton)

mmm, s'mores!

Bye Bye Summer, and Helloooo Fall!

Callan @ 13 Months!

2011-09-01T15:15:00.001-05:00

Well, it took over 12 months to get them, but Callan finally has teeth! Six of them to be exact...and they all came in at the same time! You might think that sounds miserable, but apparently he did not. This little guy just took it all in stride, and I didn't hear one extra peep out of the ordinary. Now with a mouth full of chompers, he's starting to look more like a little boy and less like my sweet baby! But I am happy to discover that he really did have teeth hiding in those gums after all!

In other news, Callan went to visit Dr. Bodine for his 12 month check-up. He continues to surprise me at just how little he is. Thankfully, he hasn't quite fallen off the charts just yet. He weighs just barely 20 pounds--19.95 to be exact, which puts him in the 10th percentile for weight. For height, he's at 31 inches, or the 75th percentile, and his little head circumference is still hanging out in the 10th percentile as well. Little beanpole he is! You would never think he would be so small if you ever watched him eat. He is quite the eater, and will consume just about anything I put on his plate and then scream out "ma, ma, ma" when he wants more. I guess this size is just how he is meant to be. :)

No walking yet, but he's getting closer every day. He loves to "walk" all over the house pushing his favorite tractor toy. In the video, you'll see him walking on his knees, but now he's graduated to walking on his feet while pushing it.

He also loves to play with his brothers. It is really cute to watch them together, when they're all getting along. ;) Callan doesn't hold back, and as you'll see below, he can be quite the instigator! I love how he just keeps coming back for more!

It's hard work keeping up with these three busy boys, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

12 Month Photos

2011-08-30T20:59:00.000-05:00

Here are some adorable shots of Callan taken by my friend/neighbor, Wendy. They were taken just a day or so after Callan celebrated his first birthday. Wendy captured my little man's happy grin just perfectly! This is exactly how he looks the majority of every day. We are so blessed to have this sweet little man in our lives!

The cake smash pictures were lots of fun. Callan was not quite sure what in the world we wanted him to do with that cake, but it didn't take him too long to figure it out! I love how he goes from looking at it curiously, almost apprehensively, to sticking his foot in it by the end! :)

Auntie Kelli and Collier Come to Visit!

2011-08-20T14:17:00.000-05:00

A couple days after our return from Hawaii, we had a great little visit from Auntie Kelli and my sweet little nephew Collier. I think they enjoyed escaping the Texas heat for a few days, and we certainly loved having them here! Brody pretty much wanted to hold Collier the entire time he was here! :) So sweet. We had a low-key few days but managed to squeeze in some fun things, including taking Collier on his first zoo expedition. I can't wait until he's a little bit older and these guys can all play together. It is going to be pure mayhem!

brody holding his cousin collier for the first time

it's fun to dress up baby cousin!

collier and his auntie at the park

maybe the sweetest picture ever!

collier and his mama at the mn zoo

cousins!

our brood

Hawaii 2011

2011-08-15T07:14:00.000-05:00

Hawaii...it's become a family tradition for us. Every other year, and it always seems that we have a new baby each time we go! :) The kids had a blast, especially because of all the playtime they had with their cousins. Sun, sand, and surf--what more do you need on vacation? Here's our adventure in pictures:

Honolulu Zoo

concrete hippos

viewing area in the middle of the fish tank

sweaty baby enjoying the zoo

check out the safari behind b's head

we have a pic from two years ago of b on this same giraffe...he's a bit bigger now!

Ko 'Olina Resort

Beachin'

me, brad, emily, joe, jill, and andrew

fun with grandpa

leyton, callan, and izzy

surf dude...we bought this surf suit there, and I love it!

happy baby loving beach life!

matching surf suits

Paradise Cove Luau

cousins at Paradise Cove...ansel, leyton, a.j., isabel, brody, and finn

cute!

brody and a.j.

what do you do when you get an umbrella in your drink? you hold it over your head in case of rain, of course!

totally cheesy...love it!

the grownups had fun, too!

Fun in the Sun

little trickster

war paint at the north shore

matsumoto's...one of our fave places!

tropical sunset

all that's missing is a mai tai in hand

daddy's boys are on the attack!

Waikiki Beach

enjoying the sunset our last night on the island

aloha!

Happy 5th Birthday, Brody!

2011-08-04T23:12:00.005-05:00

Dear Brody,

Today was a day I likely won't forget anytime soon. You see, on this very day you have officially been part of our family for five whole years, really five years and a bunch of months if you count all the time you spent cooking in my belly! What a fantastic five years we have had together! You bring so much joy and life to our little world, and I can hardly remember what my days were like before you were in them. You are strong, spunky, and smart as can be! You constantly keep us on our toes, and I wish I could bottle all that energy you've got so I would feel like I might actually be able to keep up with you. :)

Right now, you love knights and dragons, superheroes, and pretend play of all sorts. You love to be outside on all sorts of adventures, and you are an expert at organizing games on the playground with any number of new "friends" you've only just met. You are brave, yet you can be shy when strangers try to speak to you. You can also be timid about trying out new things that you find a little scary, like the big waterslide at the Edina Pool (although you have been jumping off the diving board ALL by yourself all summer!) You love to go go go, and I find that our best times are spent when we are out and about, experiencing the world and learning together. You have become such a big helper, and you absolutely adore taking care of your baby brother.

Today was a great day! Since we are leaving for our big trip to Hawaii tomorrow, we decided to let you cash in the money you've been saving so that you can buy some fun souvenirs and treats while we're on vacation. Looking back, I can remember the day we received a funny looking object in the mail a year or so ago. We couldn't believe that a coconut could actually be shipped to our doorstep! We soon discovered that it was more than just a coconut--it was a bank, and Grandma and Grandpa had mailed it to you so that you could save your money for our trip together this summer. You went right to work, enlisting the help of any of us who had any extra change to spare. You were great at saving, and it totally paid off! We were all shocked to discover just how much money you'd been keeping in that hollowed out shell. Today we met Daddy at his office, went to lunch, and then headed over to the bank to trade in your change for some cash. You loved every minute of it, and I know you'll have fun picking out lots of goodies in Hawaii.

I hope that your birthday was a special and memorable day for you. We certainly enjoyed sharing it with you. Cheers, Mr. Brodan T. Smith, and best wishes for many more fun-filled and blessed birthdays. We love you to the moon and back, to infinity and beyond, more than words can say!!

Love,

Mommy

Up North at the Cabin

2011-08-03T14:20:00.000-05:00

While Grandaddy and Grandma were visiting, we headed up north to Nisswa for a couple days to stay in a beautiful cabin on Lake Edna. In Minnesota, everyone has a cabin, and all summer long many of our friends are always "up north." Maybe we'll have to invest in a second property one of these days, if we decide we're here for the long haul, but for now, we are perfectly happy to use someone else's! The cabin was perfect in every way, and we had a fabulous time pretending to be real Minnesotans!

cute as a bear

first fish! (brody ran all the way back from the lake to show me!)

leyton's first fish!

a sweet moment of togetherness, making scrambled eggs (moments before my camera fell in that very bowl!)

happy baby loves the cabin!

big helper

Fishing on Gull Lake w/ Grandaddy, Aunt Ally, and Guide

he caught the big 'un!

pioneer village in nisswa

allyson and callan w/ the sasquatch

my big was terrified of this dude! i had to hold him for the pic and he would barely let me get this close!

all of us up north

Turnin' Five and Feelin' Fine!

2011-08-03T13:42:00.009-05:00

Brody turns a whopping five years old tomorrow!! Can you believe it because I just can't?! We celebrated a little early with a party on Saturday at the Wood Lake Nature Center. Very nice place for a kid's birthday party...super easy and fun! The Big B originally told us that he wanted a fishing party. Yes, I know, fifteen four and five year-olds with fishing poles and hooks don't mix, right? That's what I thought, too, so I started hunting for something that would be a similar idea without the risk of a hook in the eye! It turns out that the nature center has all sorts of different party activities incorporating the outdoors, and the one we chose matched Brody's interests perfectly. It was called "Pond Dipping," and that was pretty much exactly what they did. A guide took the kids out to the floating pier on the marsh, where she then gave them each a small net and a bowl and told them to dip their nets in the water and see what they could find. The kids were thrilled to find all sorts of little creatures, most often Japanese snails. The big ticket items were the little minnows, and quite a few of those were found as well. I think Brody could have stayed out there forever just "fishing" away!

this mama can barely hold her birthday boy anymore!

getting instructions from the guide before the fun begins

brody and his japanese snail

eleanor found the first minnow

ruby

kevin and calvin

maisie

don't fall overboard! (brody, eleanor, mylee, gabriel and everett)

no pond dipping for this little cutie, but he didn't mind just watching

After the pond dipping experience, the guide brought the kids back inside and let them touch one of the center's many turtles. Then we served pizza and of course, cupcakes! After the yummy eats and present opening, the kids toured the rest of the nature center and played together until their parents arrived. We sent them home with cute little gift bags containing punch balloons, lollipops, mini markers, and fish magnets to color. It was a very memorable party for a very special little man, and I hope it fulfilled all his fishing dreams!

gabriel, ruby, brody, and everett

a fishing party calls for fish cupcakes!

yummy yummy!

the blue fish were the most requested

presents!

treats!

You're Only One Once!

2011-07-28T16:07:00.006-05:00

We celebrated Callan's first birthday last Saturday with a farm themed bash at our house. It turned out to be a great day, despite the weather predictions! We had rain in the morning and late at night, but during the party it was dry...a little steamy, but dry. Thank goodness, since we had eleven families joining us to celebrate and needed some room outdoors to fit everyone comfortably!

the birthday boy!

Once I decided on the farm theme, I could barely stop myself from putting all the great ideas out there to use. It is so much easier to plan a party these days when you can literally type in what you want, and the internet returns thousands of pages of ideas and pictures that others have done. The hard part is being selective and trying not to do it all!

We set up different stations around the house for fun and food. Indoors, we had the food and drinks tables, of course, where we served such items as "Chicken Feed," "Cow Patties," and "Haystacks." We also set up an art station where the kiddos could use foam farm animal stickers to decorate their own farm scenes. I searched all over the house to find every farm toy and book that we owned and set them out as well. Outdoors, we had a Duck Pond (a kid pool filled with floating ducks) and a Pig Pen (an area in the yard filled with big pink balls that had pig faces drawn on them.) I also decorated the wagon to look like a hayride for the kids to enjoy. To top it off, we set out our John Deere tractors and trucks for the kids to play with on the deck.

even though this pic is blurry, it shows just how happy our little guy was!

I decided to forgo a large cake in order to make adorable farm animal cupcakes. These were so easy! I found these fabulous fondant icing cupcake toppers on etsy, so all I had to do was frost the cupcakes and stick these on top. They were a huge hit with the kids, and it was fun to let them pick out which animal they wanted to eat!

Callan LOVED his cake. Big surprise, huh? He devoured it until there was nothing left but a few crumbs. He also loved the fondant cow on top, and sucked away at it until it was gone! It was really cute to watch the big kids crowd around him to watch as he ate his first bites of cake. :)

(Sorry the video is sideways...a little technical error on our part. :)

Some of the party guests...

the kuhn family...hannah, addie, matt and leni

brody and carson

gabriel and everett

maisie

leyton

kate and amanda...kate was playing peek-a-boo with camera!

ansel and isabel

We sent the guests home with birdhouses decorated to look like barns, and personalized lollipops. They were a labor of love, but I thought the finished product was really cute!

All in all, it was a lovely party for a very special little guy who's only one once!

Happy First Birthday, Baby Boy!

2011-07-27T12:11:00.005-05:00

Dear Callan George:

Tonight I stared at your little face in wonder as you enjoyed your bottle at bedtime. I rocked you as I always do and felt grateful for those quiet moments that we were able to share together, after the hustle and bustle of a busy day at our house. And it was more than just a busy day--it was a special day, because you turned one year old! I still can't quite believe it. I don't know how on earth a year can possibly go by so fast. If I really look close at your sweet face, I can still see you as a newborn, and sometimes I wish I could turn back the clock and have you that way again. But I'm so very thankful for all the days we've had together and all the little moments that I've experienced with you. You are a gift beyond measure, and I love you with all my heart!

You weren't all that anxious to come out of my belly...that is, until the doctor handed you your eviction notice. Then you came charging out of there so fast I didn't really know what was happening, but I think you just somehow knew that you were going to need to be able to express yourself and make your wishes/needs clear. You are the youngest of three boys, after all! :) I thought you looked exactly like your brothers at first, but I quickly realized that you had your own unique look, too, and I found it even more astonishing as I began to see how much you resemble your Grandaddy, whom you happened to be named after. You were a good little baby, right from the start. We had some issues with feeding and screaming, but other than that, you settled right in and became an immediate part of our family. Your big brothers adored you right from the start, and so did Daddy and I. And even though it has been an absolutely crazy road we're all traveling on together (three boys is exhausting!) you have fit in seamlessly, and now I couldn't imagine life without my "little" in it.

So what did we do today, on your very first birthday? Well, we started the day with blueberry banana pancakes, and you ate more than your two big brothers combined! You were so cute with your toothless blueberry purple grin! Then we played with all the fun toys you got from your friends at your birthday party. This morning, you really liked the turtle ball from Aunt Allyson and Aunt Bethany, and you loved the push cars from Leni and Addie. You took a nice long nap, and in the afternoon we brought out your brand new sand and water table, a gift from Oma and Opa. Needless to say, it was an absolute hit, and you spent a nice long time in the backyard splashing and digging in the sand. After dinner, you took a bath with your big brothers. You were really excited to hold the big duckie that Ellie and Thad gave you, but then Leyton snatched it away. This made you so mad that you actually started waving your hand at him like you wanted to hit him! I guess we'll have to start working on gentle touches. :) Then we rocked and sang songs in the dark, and I loved watching your sweet little smile as I sang Happy Birthday a couple more times. I am happy that we had your party on Saturday. It was a great birthday party, filled with family and friends, and you had such a fun time, but today, on your real birthday, I was happy that it was just us. You only have one first birthday after all, and what a lucky mama I am to have gotten to spend it with you!

Happy Birthday my sweet little man. I hope your life is filled with many many more celebrations and special moments surrounded by those you love.

Love,

Mommy

Springborn Visit!

2011-07-25T15:36:00.003-05:00

The Springborn family came up for a visit last week, and since the last time we saw them, they have added a member of the family! Little Molly Louise arrived just a little over a week before they made their journey back here. She is just adorable! My boys loved having their buddies Mia and Lily here to play with again, and Brody couldn't get enough of little Molly. It was so fun to have them here for a few short days to catch up and hear all about their new adventures in Texas! Thanks for visiting, Springborn family, and congratulations on your new little lady!

mia and brody at home on the range

leyton, lily, brody, and mia playing dress up

not the most flattering picture of brody, but look how well he is doing holding baby molly!

Fourth of July 2011

2011-07-25T14:45:00.005-05:00

Wow, I'm way behind on blogging! Not sure how that happened (wait, I'm a busy mom with three kids, that's how!) but that's the way it goes sometimes. Summer is flying by around here, and we are trying to spend as much time as we possibly can outdoors in the sun and warmth. All too soon, these days will be long gone! :( Here's a quick recap of our 4th...

We were lucky enough to have the McGrath family visiting from California, and our boys were thrilled to have their cousins here for a visit! The whole Smith brood got together for lunch @ Grandma and Grandpa's and then had a fun outing of mini-golf and ice cream near Lake Minnetonka. The kids had a great time hanging out together and working on their putts!

leyton on the turtle sculpture at the golf course

the kids feeding the goats...right after a crazy horse on the LOOSE came over to say hi!

leyton and aj watching the ball go round and round...leyton could have watched this for hours

waiting in line to putt...ansel, isabel, finn, and brody

Our family had a bike parade/block party to attend that evening, and as it worked out, all the cousins ended up back at our house for the parade. We managed to find bikes for all the boys while Izzy took over "wagon duty" with the two littlest ones.

leyton showing his spirit

ansel, finn, and brody ready for the bike parade to start

ansel, finn, brody, gabriel, everett, and declan

izzy doing some decorating

on your mark, get set, go!

waiting for the whistle

callan and leyton being paraded by izzy

After the parade, the cousins headed off on their own 4th of July adventures while my crew stayed at the block party for awhile longer. And, as has become the norm on Beard Avenue, we got together with the Schwartz family later that evening for some fun fireworks in the street and a nice little s'mores roast! We were even able to catch the fireworks show over Lake Calhoun just by sitting in the middle of our street! It was a perfect view, and since Callan was already in bed by that time, it was nice not to have to drag the whole family off somewhere to see the fireworks. Everyone was beat after such a fun day, and we are thankful we were able to make such great memories with friends and family!

Callan's Baptism

2011-07-07T16:48:00.003-05:00

Our sweet little baby boy was baptized this past Sunday at a beautiful ceremony at St. John's Episcopal Church. We had been waiting to do it with the hopes that his godparents, Aunt Emily and Uncle Joe, would be able to be in attendance. We were lucky enough to have them here for a visit this summer so we decided to go for it! Mr. Callan looked adorable in the antique baptismal gown that has been passed down through Brad's family, and he only uttered a quick little shriek of surprise when he felt the water on his head. After the service, we ventured back to our house to share a lovely brunch, organized by Daddy since I had only returned from Texas the night before. It was a lovely morning spent with family, and we are thankful that we were able to share this important day with them.

Our family with Aunt Emily and Uncle Joe

Family pic with Grandma and Grandpa

with the Rev. Dr. Mariann Edgar Budde

(This picture of Callan makes me laugh...he looks so nonchalant about the whole thing!)

It's Raining Men!

2011-07-01T16:19:00.001-05:00

With the addition of my newest little nephew Collier, we're up to four boy grandbabies on my side of the family. Where are all these little men coming from?! Even though we all thought for awhile that Aunt Kelli was surely having a girl, we are thrilled that B, L, and C have a new little boy cousin to play with!

Isn't he a doll? LOVE that baby!

Last week Callan and I took a little trip down to Dallas to meet the newest member of the family and get some cuddle time. Man, was he cute! What a sweet little bundle of love! :) It was so great to see my sis in action as a mama, and I have no doubt she'll be amazing. She is the Baby Whisperer, after all!

Callan can't wait to play with Collier!

George and Mini-George!

Look at that beautiful new mama!

Callan was intrigued by all the gifts that kept arriving. He decided to check out one of the boxes!

Collier and Callan with their Aunties

GDaddy and his newest fishing buddy

This was the longest I had ever been away from Brody and Leyton, but I hear they had lots of fun back home with Dad...lots of eating out, movies, and even a trip to Lake Harriet to play with the Smith cousins. I have to admit that I enjoyed a little peace and quiet, but it was nice to see their smiling little faces when I got home!

Can't wait to see little Collier again soon!

Strawberry Pickin'

2011-06-29T15:07:00.000-05:00

June is the perfect month for strawberry picking in MN, and we were excited to get a chance to head out to Apple Jack Orchards, spend a little time in the fields, and come home with a huge box of fresh, ripe, and delicious strawberries!

cheese face alert--he's so darn excited about getting his hands on those strawberries!

big boys on the jumpy pillow

lil monkey wants to jump, too!

strawberry pickin' is hard work!

11 Months Old!

2011-06-27T16:47:00.000-05:00

Today Callan is one month shy of being one year old! I am in complete denial that he is growing up so fast. The time is just racing by, and before we know it, he's going to be running around with his two older brothers, creating more mayhem than I can possibly imagine! :)

In the past month:

Callan is now up every flight of stairs he sees. I can't keep him away from them! Our living room stairs don't have walls that allow a gate to fit, so we have to come up with creative alternatives, like two laundry baskets filled with clothes, which he somehow pushed out of the way with no problem! Since then, I've resorted to stuffing the back cushion from our big leather chair on the first step. It works for the most part, but he still manages to discover when the cushion is pushed out of the way, as you'll witness below.

In addition to stair climbing, Callan is now pushing his lion walking toy all over the house while using his two feet to take little steps. He is SO proud of himself and starts smiling and shrieking when he takes off!

He is also communicating a ton and trying to mimic words and sounds that he hears. He can wave and say "bye bye" and last week started using "ma ma" when wanting me. I love it! He also attempts to say the word "hot" when I put food on his tray at mealtimes, and he likes to try to mimic the "vroom" and "choo choo" sounds that I make when playing with cars.

The cutest trick this month is his "cheese face." It's this adorable little grin that he makes when he is being silly, and it truly shows him at his happiest little self. You can't really predict when he'll do it, so it's hard to capture it on film, but I'll keep trying. It is so fun to watch our sweet baby boy growing up!

Our New Nephew!

2011-06-22T16:41:00.003-05:00

Auntie Kelli and Uncle Jeff welcomed their first baby today, and we are so excited for them! Collier Ward Hammon was born at 1:17 am and weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces. He gave his mama quite a hard time about coming out of that warm, cozy belly, but we are so thrilled that he is finally here safe and sound and cute as can be!

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-19T15:16:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you can't get any good shots, no matter how hard you try...

We had a nice Father's Day this year. Brad is such a good daddy to these little boys! :) No exciting plans, but we managed to cram a lot of things into one day--church, brunch, shopping, more shopping (we got Daddy a new tent for camping--one that can hold all of us comfortably!) naps, and dinner/playtime at Grandma and Grandpa's house!

Brody and Leyton would probably say the best part of the day was getting double desserts...cheesecake at brunch and apple pie/ice cream at dinner! :)

Happy Father's Day!

Gray Hairs

2011-06-17T14:27:00.001-05:00

I thought for sure it would be Brody who would lead me to go gray. You see, Brody is 100% all boy, rough and tumble, physical, sometimes aggressive, and downright loud. He can be obnoxious, rambunctious, and every other adjective you can think of to describe a busy four year-old boy. But he's not stealthy, he doesn't run away, he's terrified if he doesn't know where I am, and he's certainly not quiet. Enter Leyton Hill Smith. All those things I just mentioned? He's all of them to a T. And in the past couple of months, he's scared me so many times that I'm surprised I haven't aged about twenty years! So now I'm thinking that I had it all wrong. It's not going to be Brody who gives me a head full of gray hair...it's going to be his little brother!

(after he snuck into the bathroom and got ahold of my mascara)

We have had to call 911 twice in the past two months when Leyton suddenly "disappeared." The first time was back in May when I went to pick up Brody from school. As I was walking inside the building, I looked down at my hand and realized my finger was mysteriously gushing blood everywhere. I stopped to look at it, and when I looked back up, Leyton was gone. I wasn't the least bit worried. I thought he had just run ahead to Brody's classroom. But when I peeked my head in, he wasn't there. To make a long story short, that disappearance led to a thirty minute (yes, THIRTY minutes--an eternity when you can't find your little one!!) search all over the building, the parking lot, and everywhere else we could think of trying to find my lost boy, enlisting every staff member in the building as well as a few remaining moms to help us. After 20 minutes of searching and calling his name, one of the moms suggested that we call the police, and I completely lost it. I had to be led away and calmed down. All I could think was, "How could I have just lost my child?" and "I have to call Brad!" and "How am I going to tell him that Leyton is lost?" Every possible awful thought ran through my mind, and I felt completely helpless. It was truly the most horrific experience I have had yet as a mom. When I finally heard someone yelling my name and saying that he was found, I ran to that little guy so fast and scooped him up I thought I might break him from hugging him so hard. There was not a dry eye in the room, and I was so thankful to have him safe and sound once again. It was crazy to experience going from a perfectly normal day to one of the most awful experiences you've ever had.

Fast forward to June 16...Brody's last soccer game of the spring session. I was standing on the sidelines holding Callan and watching the game. Leyton was eating a snack and standing next to me. At one point, he handed me his snack bag, and then the next second, he was gone. I immediately started scanning the crowd to see if I could spot him. No luck. I began searching the perimeter of the soccer fields to see if I might see him running off somewhere. Nope. At that point, I decided I needed to start telling people that I couldn't find him, but I was actually a little embarrassed to even say it. All I could think was, "Rachel, you did NOT just lose him again!!" It was even worse because two of the moms who had helped me in the first search were at the game, too. I knew the emotional stress they had experienced the first time, and I didn't want to bring that on again. But, it had to be done. I couldn't find Leyton, and I needed help. Yet again, this led to a thirty minute search, calling the police, suspending the soccer games, a frantic call to Brad, unmarked police cars scouting the adjacent neighborhood, and terrified parents looking here and there and literally everywhere for my missing little boy. I didn't panic as much this time around, but even so, as the minutes keep ticking on and you know that he could essentially be farther and farther away, there is no stopping the fear and anxiety from washing in. Eventually, thank God, he was found walking around in the parking lot. And once again, more tears, hugs, and the feeling of total relief.

I wish I could say that was all...but it's not. On Sunday, he escaped from Brad in a store and we had to basically close it down until he was found. It was a real "Code Adam," with all the workers on their walkie talkies looking all over for the little blond boy with a white shirt and khaki pants. Where did they find him? Hiding under a men's clothing rack. Twice I have gone into his room at naptime to find him out of his crib and nowhere to be seen. Once, I discovered him asleep in his closet with the door completely shut (he doesn't know how to open doors...yet!) and the other time he was asleep under Brody's bed, fully wrapped in the comforter.

So what do you do with a little boy who likes to play hide and seek without telling you about it? How can I convey the seriousness of this? How/Should I punish him? We talk about it all the time, and I now make sure to carry him at all times, or if that is not feasible, I've gone back to making him sit in the stroller. I also recently purchased a tracking device thinking that the $20 it cost was well worth it for a little peace of mind. I haven't needed to use it yet, but I'm sure the time will come any day now.

I love this little boy so much, and I can't even comprehend what I would do if something were to happen to him. Hopefully, this is just a phase that will pass as quickly as it started. But for now, I am on high alert...and getting more gray hairs by the day!

10 Happy Months!

2011-06-09T22:10:00.003-05:00

Baby Callan turned 10 months old right under my nose, and I hardly even realized it! I can't believe he's almost a whole year old! How can this be? Really! I feel like he only just joined our family, and now he'll probably be walking around in two months or so!

This is such a great age--not very peaceful, but great! So many new things to see, touch, taste, and explore, and he is on the move nonstop until he shuts his weary little eyes and falls asleep at night! We've hit some big milestones this month:

CRAWLING! Yep, Callan is officially on the move and watch out world, here he comes! From the second I put him down on the floor, he is off, and he is fast, so I have to keep my eyes on him before he finds that almond that was dropped on the floor, or the dog's water bowl, or the nasty toilet brush...it's endless excitement around here!

(Since his 10 month birthday, he has also started pulling up on just about anything and climbing stairs! See, it just gets more and more fun...and dangerous!)

NO MORE BABY FOOD! Yay, this is such a great feeling! I love that we can give Callan whatever we are eating (for the most part,) and he eats it right up. He screeches and waves his arms to let us know when he wants something we have, and he is NOT satisfied with having anything less. It is so much easier to feed a family when we can all just have the same thing for dinner. :) Still no teeth, and still no sign of any. Kind of wondering at this point if there are any teeth in those gums of his!

100% WEANED! I wrote that as if I am really excited about it, and I guess in some ways I am. Callan decided he was done with nursing somewhere between months 9 and 10. It was a little earlier than I wanted or planned, but I have to admit that it is nice to be able to just give him a bottle and let him feed himself, especially when we need to be somewhere and he can take the bottle in the car. I do miss having that sweet cuddle time, though. Just a sign that's he's really growing up! He likes his bottle ok, but he doesn't seem to really love it. In fact, he's already starting drinking formula from a sippy cup just fine, and I feel like I could almost just do away with the bottle completely and only use the cup. But I kind of like him with a bottle...he stays a baby longer that way. :)

EXCELLENT SLEEPER! This baby absolutely loves his crib. It's kind of funny to see just how happy he is when I put him in it. He immediately shimmies himself to the corner, headfirst, and sticks his head right in the bumper, where he stays until he falls asleep. I love love love this. So cute!

Here are some recent videos:

First Day of Crawling!! He was super proud of himself!

Favorite activity right now, other than getting in the dog bowls...pushing cars around on the floor...

Exploring his world...

School's Out!

2011-06-01T14:53:00.008-05:00

It's actually been out for nearly two weeks already, but I'm just now getting around to writing this post. Brody had an incredible year at Berry Patch, and I am so proud of him and all that he accomplished! His teacher, Mrs. Mary Lamb, was amazing and did a phenomenal job with him as well as with all of her class. So much energy and passion for learning--we were truly lucky to get her! Brody had just nine students in his class, and what a wonderful experience it was to be part of such a small, family-like group. The kiddos got along great and really learned to take care of one another, almost like brothers and sisters. It was really sweet to see. While all the other kids in his class will be heading off to Kindergarten next year, Brody will stay for one more year at BP before he moves on. I know he's going to miss his pals, especially Kevin and Joey, but because his birthday is in August, we decided to follow the trend and wait before sending him off to the big, wide world! I'm happy to know that we have one more year at a place we are happy and comfortable with, and I can only hope that next year turns out to be just as good for our biggest little man!

Brody's Class

back row: calvin, joey, jannes, brody, kevin

front row: ruby, abby, mylee, eleanor

school pic 2011

Mrs. Lamb sent all the kids off with a sweet little photo album of all the pictures she took of them during the year. There were so many cute ones, and I would have scanned them all had my scanner not adamantly refused. So here are just a few of Brody's year in Mrs. Lamb's class:

Dads & Donuts

field trip to the apple orchard...love how my kid is off messin' around during the photo!

before the christmas concert

little cookie baker

baa!

abby and brody in the teepee

pajama day

joey and brody in the jungle

Berry Patch Spring Concert 2011

2011-05-30T22:16:00.003-05:00

What a show it was this year...well, at least the part I could see! I have to admit I was a bit distracted, trying to film Brody's performance while holding a wiggly 9 month old and wrestling with a naughty and noisy 2 year old! Brad was traveling for work, so I was holding down the fort alone this past week, and wow, that is tiring! I was exhausted after the show, but it was fun, and Brody loved performing. He's such an attention getter!

This was the first song they performed. I love how Brody almost falls down, stops and strikes a pose right in the middle, and then stops singing altogether to lift up his shirt and scratch his belly! We'll keep this one for blackmailing purposes later on... :)

This song cracked me up...and it cracked up Brody, too, every time he said the word "funky!"

Mr. Sun...we love this song at our house!

One of B's favorite songs to sing loud and obnoxiously!

ECFE Graduation 2011

2011-05-30T21:55:00.006-05:00

This past Monday was Leyton's final ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) class. It has been such a great class for both of us, and I am really going to miss it. I know he will, too. :( We have had the best teachers and the most fun in this class, and we looked forward to every Monday morning with Teacher Lisa! The first hour each week was spent in the classroom with the children, interacting and playing together and the second hour was a "separating" hour, where the kids stayed in the classroom with the teachers while the moms headed down the hall to the parenting room for some great discussion on a weekly topic. I have many friends from my past ECFE classes and always enjoy the group immensely, but I have really loved this group of moms and kiddos. We have had some wonderful, supportive discussions about everything from potty training to sibling rivalry to husbands' vasectomies! I have loved having a panel of women that I can turn to about any concern I might have, and they have been great at helping me realize that we all have the same issues. We have celebrated amazing joys together and comforted one another through some really horrible times as well. I truly feel lucky to be able to be a part of such a life-changing program, and I am so thankful that the state of MN sees the value in such a program and makes it mandatory for every school district to offer these classes. What a gift we have been given!

back row: teacher pam, olivia, samantha, lily, leyton, and teacher lisa

middle row: marlow, ella, keira, danny, and luke

front row: asher, mazlow, william, blake and mckenna

On Monday, Teacher Lisa held a little "graduation" ceremony for the kiddos, and it was adorable! We helped our little ones make their own graduation caps, and then they walked across a tiny stage and received their diplomas. Teacher Lisa also created a video montage of all the kids in the class with pictures from the beginning of the year all the way to the end. Needless to say, it was a tearjerker. Hard to see your little babies growing up!

Here are some of the photos from the video...

And here are some from graduation day! Now it's on to Berry Patch for this little man! :)

mommy's little graduate!

the sensory table--leyton's favorite spot in the classroom!

aren't they all just too adorable?

showing off his diploma! he's so proud! (mommy is, too!)

Tumble Time!

2011-05-22T21:34:00.000-05:00

Brody and Leyton have been taking gymnastics classes at TAGS gym in Eden Prairie this year, and they LOVE it! I originally put just Leyton in a class one morning a week while Brody was in preschool. However, the Brodester complained incessantly that he wanted to take a class, too, so I eventually signed him up for one on his free day. It has been so much fun to watch them progress this year, and I love the idea that it is a constructive, organized way to let them get out a lot of energy. They have both shown gains in their strength and movement, all the while having a great time! Here are some pictures from their last class of the spring session. (Note--Leyton's got better "action" shots because I have to be in the class with him, while during Brody's class I sit outside in the waiting room and just watch while wrangling his two younger brothers at the same time!)

working on a backward roll w/ ms. laurie

bear crawl on the bars

the cartwheel machine

brody w/ ms. connie on the big trampoline

showing off his ribbon after class

Linden Hills Festival 2011

2011-05-16T21:17:00.000-05:00

Oma has been on me to update the blog, so my goal is to get it done this week! I've got six posts to get done to get us all caught up, so here's the first...

May 14th and 15th was the annual Linden Hills Festival weekend, and it turned out to be a mix of good and bad. Good because we had our very first and very successful garage sale on Saturday, but bad because it poured the entire day! That didn't stop the shoppers, however, and there was a steady stream throughout the day. We got rid of the majority of our stuff, and the best part was that we were able to box up the rest and put it out by the side of the road for pickup by a local charity. So even the stuff we didn't sell we got rid of anyway! Yay for clean closets and a much-needed organized basement!

Sunday was gorgeous although a little chilly. The kids enjoyed the bike parade around the park and then all the kid games. Mommy enjoyed some mini donuts! :) We always look forward to this event in our neighborhood, so I am really glad the weather shaped up so that we could get out on Sunday and have some fun!

Brody in the bike parade w/ his buddies Gabriel and Everett

Leyton and Callan followed in the wagon

roasted corn...yum-o!

Lucky Me!

2011-05-13T22:32:00.004-05:00

Seriously...there is nothing more precious to me than these three little boys. I am so thankful each and every day for their health and happiness, and I truly feel like the luckiest mama in the world!

My boys made Mother's Day a special day this year. It was adorable to hear them saying "Happy Mother's Day" over and over throughout the day! After church, we headed out to brunch at Cheesecake Factory, and I have to say they were little angels the entire time. :) (You never know what you're going to get when eating out!) Then, since it was raining, we decided to take the whole family to the movies to see Rio. The boys had already given me a spa package for my Mother's Day gift, but I think Daddy might have forgotten since he bought it a few weeks early. :) I wasn't about to remind him, so we ended up going shopping after the movie and they bought me a big comfy chair for our deck so I can sit outside with a glass of wine and watch the boys create mayhem in the yard. I can't think of any place I'd rather be!

Mother's Tea 2011

2011-05-13T22:09:00.004-05:00

Each year at Berry Patch, the kids have a Mother's Tea for the mommies right before Mother's Day. It is a chance for us to spend some time with our little ones, playing and doing crafts together while they show off all the fun things in their classroom. They also treat us to refreshments and songs! It's always really cute and a fun way to spend a morning with my little guy.

brody was busy making a bracelet for me!

then he put on a puppet show for us

singing time...too cute!

The Big 9!

2011-05-13T21:17:00.006-05:00

Really, make that 9 1/2. I got a little behind, and unfortunately, no matter what I do I can't seem to make time stand still. So here we are at the halfway point (or so) between months 9 and 10 of Baby Callan's young life. Our littlest one is full of sweetness and joy, and we just love him so! He's also got a voice, and he's not afraid to use it. I think he doesn't have much of a choice--being the third in a family of wild boys, he has to be able to let us know when he needs something! Here are a few other items to report:

he's moving! C has mastered the army crawl and is getting faster and faster every day. we're seeing lots of rocking back and forth on his hands and knees, but he hasn't quite figured out how to make those legs work. he also does this really cute swimming motion with his arms and legs when he gets excited...see for yourself!

eating is going great! he's nursing twice a day and taking formula twice a day. he's making a very smooth transition to finger foods and seems to like most things. he definitely lets us know he wants what we're having, so we're slowly letting him try it all. favorites so far? bagels, avocado slices, mandarin oranges, roast chicken, cheese slices, scrambled egg, spaghetti w/ meat sauce, macaroni and cheese, black beans, and roasted sweet potatoes! No teeth yet, and still no sign of them! :)

sleeping is perfect! I can't complain one bit...we're all getting a full night's rest with usually no interruption. thank you, baby!

favorite toys right now are balls of any size--C loves to roll them and then go after them. he also loves his busy gears toy and he's getting really excited about books, too. he will laugh and laugh when we turn the pages.

in the past 48 hours, C has learned how to go from his back or belly up to a sitting position! I simply can't believe that in approximately three months, he'll be walking! my little man is growing up!

Texas Texas YeeHaw!

2011-04-30T21:37:00.000-05:00

We were so excited for the chance to head down to the Lone Star State for Easter weekend this year, where warmer weather, flip flops, and Tex-Mex abound! This was our first road trip in the Odyssey, and it was absolutely amazing! Truly, it was more peaceful in the car those two days than it ever is at home. I have been sold on that minivan since day one of owning it, but if I ever had any lingering doubts, they are long gone now! :)

Texas...how I have missed thee! The weather was so great while we were there. It was funny that I was so desperate for warmth that high 80's/low 90's didn't even seem hot. It is always great to be back home, and this trip was no exception. Since we were only there for a short three days, we didn't venture any farther than Dallas, but it was great that all of my family came up to visit and spend the weekend with us. Fun times and family--we couldn't ask for more!

Some of the highlights of our trip...

Arboretum

We had never before visited this grand attraction, but we will definitely be going back. I heard from a friend (thanks, Aimee!) that they currently have fairy castles on exhibit, and I knew my kids would get a kick out of seeing them. Sure enough, they were a huge hit! The gardens were beautiful, the sun was shining, and it was just a perfect place for the boys to run off their endless amounts of energy.

Brody lounging with GDaddy

This picture cracks me up, especially with Leyton on that little tiny deer!

With Aunt Bethany in Peter Rabbit's flower house...Wondering how I can get one of those in our backyard. :)

Leyton in the petting zoo

Easter Carnival

On Saturday morning, we took the boys to an Easter Carnival at a nearby church. The event was totally free and had more than enough to keep my men entertained. The bounce house is always a hit, as is the train, and face painting, and a cake walk, and snowcones, and popcorn, and an Easter egg hunt...

Brody was on a mission...see how fast he's running to Aunt Kelli to put his egg in the bag?! He was not about to let anyone else get more eggs than he did!

Leyton in the police car

Mmm...snowcones!

Egg Decorating

After the carnival, we set B & L loose in the backyard with a carton of hardboiled eggs and some dye! They had a blast watching the eggs change colors. Brody liked leaving his eggs in the dye for a long time so that they would come out really dark, while Leyton liked moving his eggs from one dye cup to another so that they came out almost tie-dyed!

Baby Shower

Saturday night, we left the kids at home with a sitter so that we could attend Kelli and Jeff's baby shower. What a party it was! I loved the picnic theme, with yummy fried chicken, mac 'n cheese, deviled eggs, and banana pudding! Yummy! Our little nephew brought in a ton of loot--he is going to be one posh baby! It is always fun to catch up with Kelli and Jeff's friends and remember what partyers they can be. :) I can't say that I've ever gotten home from a baby shower at one in the morning!

Look at that little baby bump!

Happy parents-to-be!

Baby H scored loads of gear and goodies!

Aunt Kelli and Oma

Easter

Easter Sunday was another great day with the family. After attending a nice church service at SMU, we headed back for some Easter egg hunting and lunch. B & L couldn't wait to dig into all their treats! As usual, the confetti eggs were quite a hit, especially with the biggest kids! :) Poor Kelli and Jeff will probably be cleaning up confetti for the next few months! After the fun outdoors, Kelli and I whipped up an Easter feast and celebrated with everyone before all the parents had to head back home. We spent the afternoon relaxing and gearing up to head back to MN the next day.

Easter 2011 Family Pic

A short but perfect trip! We are already looking forward to our next adventures in Texas, and we are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of our new little nephew. Can't wait to meet him!

Dinner Club Reunion

2011-04-19T22:08:00.001-05:00

For dinner club this month, we were lucky enough to have the Springborns join us from Texas! What fun to see them again! The kiddos had a blast playing and carousing like old times, and their grown-ups enjoyed catching up. It was also fun to have Yumi and Eric join us with baby Hana. What a little doll baby! Sure do love this dinner club...great food, friends, and conversation, and I still can't believe we've kept it up for nearly six years!

(Brody, Maisie, Kaden, Leyton, Lily, Carson, Mia and Miya)

not pictured: the babies! Harry, Callan, Kyla, and Hana

Dressing Up

2011-04-10T21:41:00.000-05:00

It's been so long since I posted anything, Leyton's hair has already grown back! (almost!) I had a great idea for this post, but now it's late and I'm tired. It came about when all the hoopla surrounding the latest J. Crew ad came out a week or so ago. You might know the one I'm talking about...the little boy with his toenails painted bright pink. Well, the topic is a little too deep for me at the moment, so I'm just going to put up some pictures and let you think what you will. These photos show little Leyton doing what he does best...playing dress up. I'll save the rest of my discussion for another day!

If you do have a minute, you should take a look at some of the articles surrounding the ad. It is crazy what some people think and say!

Big Mama Tears

2011-03-30T15:07:00.004-05:00

30 seconds...that's all it took to go from a perfectly pleasant day to a not so great one. :( I sent the two big boys down to the playroom so I could unload the dishwasher in peace, never knowing that would turn out to be a huge mistake on my part. Within a minute, Brody called up to me that I needed to come see Leyton's hair. I knew it, before I even saw it. Brody had decided to play "barber shop," at the expense of his brother's beautiful blond locks! Although you couldn't really tell from the front, there were at least four totally bald spots in the back, along with multiple areas of uneven hair. I was horrified, but I tried not to freak out too much. I did send Brody to his room, and we later had a nice long chat about why it wasn't a good idea to cut someone's hair. Of course, when I told him there was nothing we could do but cut off all of Leyton's hair, he gave me a funny look, then busted out laughing, then said, "But mom, now he's going to look like Uncle Jeff!" :)

When Brad came home last night, I tried to convince him that I could have it fixed at a salon, but he wasn't having any of it. He took Leyton upstairs and so it began. When the first bits of hair were cut, I burst into tears, as did Brody, and Brad made us leave the room so we wouldn't scare the poor little man. I was so so sad to see his hair just falling away. :(

The end result? Well, although it is definitely not anything I ever would have chosen for my little boy, those big blue eyes more than make up for it. :)

And when we asked him to feel his head, he replied with, "It's spiky!" and a big smile. Now, if I could just get him to keep his hat on! :)

Eight is Great!

2011-03-28T14:42:00.007-05:00

Callan hit the 8 month mark yesterday, and everything is roses and buttercups with our little guy! There is something about eight months that just brings out the absolute best in the Smith babies. Not that we've had any time period during babyhood that was tremendously challenging, but eight months is just plain fun!

Some milestones over the last month:

Sleeping through the night? Check! 'Nuff said!
Along with sleeping from 7:30 - 7:30 every night, he's also taking great naps in his crib. It's hard to get a consistent nap schedule in place since I'm busy shuttling the big boys around to various activities depending on the day, but most of the time he'll take naps that range from 1-2 hours at a time, and sometimes even longer!
Cooing, babbling, shrieking, and really interacting and playing more than ever! He loves to hear songs and music, too. Tons of smiles and that cute little dimple--I just can't get enough!
Rollin' rollin' rollin' and now scooting just a little bit when on his belly. He definitely knows how to move himself around a room!
No teeth yet, but he sure likes gnawing on things so I have a feeling there might be a couple on the way...at least that's how it was for big bros!
Eating like crazy! He is one hungry boy. :) I've started adding finger foods to his pureed meals, and he is loving them. Sweet potato muffins were a big hit last week, and now he's tried cut up blueberries and bananas, a little bit of pasta, and his first couple spoonfuls of ice cream! (We went to Sebastian Joe's this weekend and just couldn't resist sharing a little bit with him. Plus, he starts waving his arms around and grunting whenever he sees food, so how can we say no?!) I'm a big believer in weaning babies off pureed foods by the time they're one year old, and I don't think we'll have any issues with this guy. He pretty much wants to eat whatever he sees.
Wearing mostly 6-12 month clothes but is starting to look like a little sausage in some of his things!
He doesn't cry when I leave him, but he cries when I get back. He does this with our Thursday nanny, at ECFE sib care when I take Leyton to class, and at the Y when I drop him off in the nursery while I work out. I love that I can leave him and not deal with any separation issues, and it's kind of cute when I walk in the room and he immediately starts crying for me. I kind of love it, actually! :)
C's fav things to do right now--jump like a maniac in his hanging jumpy thing, ride on my back in the Beco when we take walks (I HIGHLY recommend this baby product!) and roll around on the floor with his favorite toys--currently, the alphabet wheel, the singing laptop and the spinning bug toy.

Every age certainly has its highlights, but this stage of babyhood is one of the best!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2011-03-23T21:05:00.001-05:00

Today was Daddy's birthday, and we wanted to make it extra special for him. Mommy made homemade spaghetti and meatballs while Brody and Leyton decorated the house with streamers and balloons. When Daddy got home from work, we surprised him at the door wearing our birthday hats! After dinner, we sang, open presents, and shared a very yummy Ben & Jerry's ice cream cake. It was a fun day, and we hope it made Daddy feel 34 years young!

Three Men in a Tub!

2011-03-21T21:53:00.003-05:00

Is that gross? Cause that's how we roll around here. No time to give separate baths to all three boys, so we just dump them in the tub together. I'm sure it's full of pee, boogers, and who know's what else by the time they're done, but they come out cleaner than they went in (at least I think they do) and they have fun together!

Movie Night

2011-03-21T21:42:00.003-05:00

On Saturday we hosted our dinner club at our house. With the Springborns in Texas and the Lees at the hospital (Yumi and Eric welcomed baby Hana on Friday!) we were down to three couples. As usual, the kids had a blast playing together, but after feeding them first, we decided to put on a movie in our bedroom and see if we could enjoy a peaceful dinner without many interruptions. It was a huge success! One and a half hours (did you get that?! One and a half hours!!) later, the kids decided to come down for some dessert. The grown-ups enjoyed a lovely meal together with just the babies--we actually had time for a little conversation as well. And look how cute they all were lined up on our bed!

Kaden, Leyton, Maisie, Harry, and Brody

Soccer Time!

2011-03-21T21:18:00.004-05:00

Brody has been playing soccer this spring at the Y, and he loves it! It's pretty funny to watch a group of 4-5 year-olds playing soccer. Picture a swarm of bees running back and forth on a court, and that's pretty much what it's like. They basically have no idea what they're doing, but they are learning a little more each week and having a great time doing it! Brody's favorite position to play is goalie, and he's even made a few saves each game. Brad is the assistant coach on the team, and I just go to cheer on my boys!

practicing their dribbles and kicks

look at him go!

team meeting

run, brody, run!

this picture has nothing to do with soccer, but I love it! brody with princess cake on leyton's half birthday

The Prince is 2 1/2!

2011-03-11T20:41:00.008-06:00

To our Little Lovey:

The world became a better place the day you entered it. :) You are our little Prince Leyton, and we could not have asked for a sweeter little guy than you. You have brought so much joy to our lives, and I could never grow tired of seeing your beautiful little face or your big blue eyes! We love you so much!

leyton eating "princess cake" on his half birthday

You are quite the charmer, and you woo people wherever you go. I think it has something to do with your high-pitched little voice and the way your eyes get so big and round whenever you get excited. It is so darn cute! I love that little voice of yours, but you definitely have a squeal that could break glass. We have to be careful to keep you content--otherwise, we must face our punishment, usually in the form of you screeching at the top of your lungs in restaurants and other public places. You are stringing together more and more complex sentences these days, so it is easier to get you to use your words when you want something. Your new favorite thing to say is, "Mama, I want to tell you sumping," and when I say, "Ok, what?" you utter something completely random like, "Cows moo" or "Callan jumps in his bouncy." It cracks me up!

You are Mr. Independent and have been for a few months now. You want to do everything all by yourself, from putting on your own clothes and pj's, to climbing in your carseat by yourself, to walking instead of being carried. All winter, you wanted to wear your dino rain boots instead of your snow boots, so we let you. :) You are also very particular about your cup, plate, and bowl (you like them to match or at least be the same color) and you want your food a certain way. If we give you a banana, we'd better not dream of peeling it for you because you'll toss it across the room so fast we won't know what just happened. When giving you an apple, we have to make sure that we know if you want it whole or cut, peeled or not. Sometimes it is very frustrating for us to see you get so frustrated, but we just try to take things slow, ask you lots of questions first, and make sure that we are all on the same page. We know that you are just trying to assert yourself and be a big boy!

Speaking of fruit, can I just tell you how much you love the stuff? One morning, you ate a banana, two clementines, a plum, and an apple all before lunch. Some of the other things you like right now are princesses and dressing up, doing puzzles and play-doh, the pancake book by Tomi de Paola that has no words, the cat in the hat, and cooking in your kitchen. Did I mention that you love princesses? Yeah, you love them a lot! Ever since you watched Beauty and the Beast, you have been so in awe of all things princess. We don't have princess dresses at home, obviously, so you improvise by wearing first the apron that came with your kitchen and now a miniature Home Depot apron. You wear them all the time---24 hours a day except when you're in the bathtub. Everywhere we go, people compliment you on your "skirt" as you like to call it, and we just smile. You like to tell people that you are "Gaston," and although I've tried to convince you that he's the villain, I think you have him confused with Belle.

typical leyton--apple in hand and apron on

Your favorite part of the week is probably your gymnastics class. You are getting so good at it! I can't believe how far you've come since we started in September. It is fun for me to share that experience with you every week, and I am happy that we have something to do together that is "just us." You also eagerly look forward to your ECFE class each Monday and playing with Teacher Lisa. At night, you like to sing and dance and have "family dances" with Daddy and Brody. It gets you all revved up before bed, but what can I say? I love watching all my boys, big and small, have a good time together.

in mama's cowgirl boots

You are full of love, life, and you bring us so much joy! Happy half birthday, Gaston!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Winter Weekend Getaway

2011-03-08T21:29:00.007-06:00

Last weekend we headed up to Duluth for a family weekend getaway with the Molepske family. If you've signed up for Groupon, you are already well aware of the great deals you can get on any number of fun things, and if you haven't signed up yet, what are you waiting for?! Brad and I have become quite the Groupon addicts, and we were excited to find a great deal on a one night's stay at Edgewater Resort and Waterpark in Duluth, a short 2 1/2 hour drive north. We thought that the waterpark coupled with a day of skiing at Spirit Mountain would be a perfect little adventure for our brood, and we were right! It was a really fun weekend! We laugh that we are at the age where we now get excited about taking the kids to a waterpark, but at the same time, some of my best memories from my childhood were from family excursions just like this, so I'm happy that our children will have the same experiences and hopefully the same fond memories.

This little Tiki Man was waiting to greet us when we checked into our room.

We tried to get a cute shot of the kids as they were putting on their swim gear, but they were too excited to sit still for very long.

A little bed wrestling before swim time!

This guy's ready for the water!

We headed up on Saturday morning, and after checking into our hotel room, we made our way down to the waterpark area. It was balmy and warm in there, just what I needed. So what if there was no real sun, warm waves, or sand...I'll take what I can get! The kids had a fabulous time splashing around in the zero-depth pool, floating around the lazy river, and zooming down the water slides, and I enjoyed a yummy margarita! After an afternoon of fun, we ordered pizza and took it easy in our room, all crashing before 9 pm.

Brody and Ellie--cute little swim buddies!

Callan loved the lazy river, but he likes warming up in his fuzzy towel, too!

Me and my big boy--isn't he getting so big?!

Cute middle man

Splash!!

The guys minus one--Leyton, Brad, Mike and Thad

Lovin' Leyton's surfer hair!

Baby C was beat after all that swimming!

On Sunday morning, we woke up bright and early and headed out to Spirit Mountain, Duluth's ski area. We had signed up Brody and Ellie for a kids' ski program, so the guys dropped them off with their instructor and then headed out on their own to enjoy some free ski time. Marhya and I took the little ones to the Lake Superior Zoo followed by a tasty brunch downtown. It was a great morning. After picking up the skiers at 3:00, we made the drive back to the cities, already looking forward to our next adventure! Weekends like these are just such a treat, and we love to get away when we can and leave the daily grind behind, if only for a couple days!

Showing off his new ski helmet

Eloise on skis--perfecting her pizza wedge!

Lookin' good little man!

Aren't they adorable little ski buddies?!

Shake, Rattle, and Roll!

2011-02-27T22:14:00.006-06:00

One month older means more new "tricks!" Oh what fun it is to watch baby Callan get bigger and learn new things each day. He is such a sweet baby, full of smiles and coos, with a little personality that is shining through more and more. :) Here's what he's been up to in the past month:

Roll Baby Roll! Callan is all over the place. He has fully mastered rolling front to back and back to front, and he uses that to his advantage to get around on the floor. He loves to roll all over his playmat, reaching and grabbing at his toys and whatever else he can get his hands on. Speaking of which, he is a grabbing maniac! I don't know how his hands can move so fast. He has overturned numerous bowls of baby food, the container of kitchen utensils, and even the knife block! I have to constantly be on the lookout for things within his reach and get them out of the way before he sees them. He also likes to grab at me...he loves grabbing my arms, my face, my hair, and sometimes those little pinchers hurt! But it's fun to watch him become so active, although the prospect of having three extremely busy boys running around in my future makes me feel really tired. I think it's time for a nap!

Eating continues to go very well, and there hasn't been a thing Callan has turned down. His new favorite things are graham crackers, and I've been trying to teach him how to eat baby puffs. He can pick them up, but he doesn't quite know what to do with them. If I put them in his mouth for him, he can eat them with no problem. I just keep putting a few on his tray at mealtimes, knowing that he'll get it eventually! The only challenge we've faced lately has been that he doesn't like formula very much. On Thursdays when our nanny comes, or when I leave him at home with Brad some nights, he sometimes refuses the formula that he is offered. I've been trying it more and more at home in an effort to get him used to it, and I think he's starting to come around. I just have to get it really warm! I'm still nursing, too, but I think he might be weaned a little earlier than Leyton was. My body is starting to show the signs already. :(

Callan loves his brothers so much, and gets really excited when he sees them. But, he's developed a very funny squeal when he sees one of them coming and doesn't want to be bothered. He lets them know that he wants to be left alone! He also screams bloody murder when either one of them takes away something he is playing with. I'm sure this is only the first of many ways he'll be telling his brothers to back off!

Sleeping...hmmm, or the lack of it! Let's just say that the past month reintroduced some sleep challenges. For some reason, after moving Callan into his crib and experiencing a few really great weeks of sleep, all of a sudden he started waking up again...a lot. In fact, right at the end of the month, he had a few nights where he woke up every two hours starting at midnight. It was pretty excruciating. So, I started letting him cry a little bit, and that seemed to help. He began putting himself back to sleep a little better. Then, the turning point came just a few nights ago when he flipped over onto his tummy. Finally---peace! I think he is just a tummy sleeper. Since we all figured that out, he's been waking up only once for the past three nights and taking really great naps during the day. Thank heavens!

And finally, the biggest news of the month is that Callan is sitting up all on his own! I was starting to get worried because I knew I had not been practicing with him like I had with B and L. Frankly, I just wasn't taking the time to sit down with him and practice like I probably should have. I finally started working with him daily, and within a week, he was doing it all on his own! He still prefers to roll around, but he's sitting for longer and longer stretches every day. What a big boy!

This has been a big month for Mr. Callan. I am so proud of my handsome baby boy!

Through the Eyes of My Child

2011-02-21T15:29:00.005-06:00

Brody received a digital camera for Christmas from Oma and Opa, and it has been such a hit! It's a VTech Kidizoom, and it's perfect for my very busy boy, who's eager to try his hand at being a photographer like mom and dad but isn't always careful with expensive technological gadgets. This camera takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'! Plus, it has some fun settings and accessories to add to the photos that make it even more fun for a kid. Check out some of his recent snapshots:

A clan of baby Callans

Leyton's future's so bright...he's gotta wear shades!

sweet little bear

b's friend joey--this one was taken at school when b took his camera for show and tell

b's friend ruby at school

close up and overexposed!

awww...how sweet!

the scary witch in the crystal ball is telling you to clean up your room now or you'll regret it!

antlers...antennae...tentacles? not sure!

self portrait

baby kyla

What do ya think of his mad skills?