Hair Cuts

The girls got their hair cut at a kids hair place for the first time the other day. I have always just trimmed it but we needed a change so I didn't want to mess it up.

Rachel getting her curls trimmed up.

Livy getting a bob. Her hair was always in knots and tangles and there was crying when it was time to brush it so we chopped it.

Curly-Q

Short and Sweet! We love the no fuss do. It's great for her and me. And it looks cute on her too!

A little candy reward for being so good! There were no tears or problems. Just sat right down and got it cut. Couldn't have went better.

Got One!

Finally got a smile from Mr. Colt! It's not even a full big smile but it's something. This was about two weeks ago and I have been kind of slacking on the photos since. He's two months now and getting big. We have his 2 month appointment this weeks so I am excited to see how much he weighs!

 

Mr. Serious again

   

Livy and Rachel enjoying their tutus from Aunt Cass!

Little things that make me smile

• Things Rachel said lately:
• You know you eat out too often when your two year old asks "Which resturant do you want to eat at tonight?"
• On a discussion about not opening the door for strangers, I said they might take you to which Rachel replies, "Yeah, they will trap us in their nets."
• Crying after a small boo boo she said "Can you wipe these sad things from my eyes." Good description of tears. I guess I hadn't taught her that word yet!
• "You can count on us mom!" In response to almost anything.
• Sistee=sister
• Rachel definately talks more and has the dramamtic creative mind and it shows with some of the funny things that come out of her mouth!
• Livy is still the more serious and straight forward thinker. She is logical, as much as a two year old can be, and still listens to her mommy, for the most part. (except when it comes to duck and pas) 
• She can take stuff from Rae to torture her but mostly is just a sweetie who caters to Rachels demands and whims. "Livy will do it, I want the purple one Livy, Go get my cat for me Livy, etc."
• If she has to leave her plate or duck or paci she make sure to tell me and daddy "Don't eat my food daddy", "Don't suck my pas mommy." So concerned about it it made Eric ask me I had eaten her food or something!
• Words of hers: pas=pacifier, peep=pee
• They love the Book of Mormon videos about Nephi. Lately they have incorporated Laban into their playing. They yell "Guards, guards" while running around. Usually they are running away from him, or can't go in the tub because Laban is in there, or my least favorite from the movie, "Laban is going to kill us." Lovely. Sometimes they choose the other characters to play, but mostly it is Laban. They used to pretend they were on the boat to the Promised Land but now we just get the violent side of the videos.
• I think that Livy has gotten pooping on the potty!!! The past week she has taken off her pants and gone and sat on the potty all by herself to do her business. I'm so proud of her and finally see that there could possibly be an end to this long journey. Still pees in her pants so we have a ways but the gross part is in the pot, yea!

There goes January

I can't believe January is over already. Time is flying around here. Here are some of the latest picture from the past two weeks. I haven't been able to capture Colt's smile on camera yet because everytime I bring it out he gives it a strange look and ceases smiling. One of these days. This week he has been smiling a lot more so hopefully soon I''ll get one.

This picture was at the end of a very long day. Eric went with his brothers and parents up to Austin for the day and didn't get back until 10:30 at night so it was a long day and my first all alone from morning until bed time. It went relatively well except for a few too many pooping incidents: Rachel 2x in her pants, Livy 1x in her pants, 1x in the tub ("Mom come and put this away please" holding the poop in her hand), and Pebbles in the house too, which Rachel decided to pick up, lovely. So these pictures (above and below) describe how I felt at the end of that day too!

Kind of a smile.

Livy sharing ducky.

6 weeks old!

Pictures of their dresses from Tina that they love. They wore them to church and then Rachel had to wear hers on Monday too. Livy was sad here because she had to put ducky down for the picrture, Rachel was consoling her.

Smiles all around!

Livy attempting to console Colt while he was crying on the floor. She lays on top of him basically. It's pretty funny and so sweet.

Using the mat in his room to measure him against. I am gonna try and take a picture each month to see how much he grows. He is about 12 lbs. now at 7 weeks and rolled over in his crib once. Hasn't done it again yet but has gotten close, front to back.

He is a really good baby. He has his days where he likes to cry all day but they are not many. I can't complain. I love this little man! The girls love him too and are alway still kissing him and wanting to hold him. Occasionally we get the "put him down" from Livy or the "can we put him back in your belly" from Rachel.  But then they are loving him the next minute! The other night Rachel said "I don't like that boy." Eric and I tried not to laugh at her but the way it came out was quite funny. They are doing awesome with a new baby taking so much of my time. I love those girls and am amazed everyday at how much they learn and know and understand and can correct me and hold me to what I say now. It is so cool listening to them and all that they say. Their imaginations are taking off and they have full conversations between their animals or dolls or whatever they are pretending with. Still quiet entertaining they are!

R & E

After the family left Rich and Erin stayed here with us for two weeks. It was so nice to have them around and so nice to have the help. We miss them! Not living near any of  my siblings makes me sad but made me appreciate getting to spend time with these guys for a while. It was great having them around. While they were here it was Richie's birthday so we had a cake and sung happy birthday like 5 times because the girls just wanted to blow the candles out again and again, and Livy covered the cake in spit as she blew each time!

That night we went out to eat and then went to drive the go karts for some b-day fun! The girls had a blast even though this first picture of Livy doesn't look like it! She was a little scared at first.

Rachel loved every minute it seemed!

The next weekend Rich and Erin took the girls up to Austin to visit Erin's brother and sister in law and their two boys. They ended up having a great time and staying for three nights! I was kind of sad to see them go but it was a nice break and they seemed to have a great time! Thanks Brad, Holly, Chase and Tyson for letting them stay with you!

The kids had a great time and Erin came back relaxed still but I think their antics were a little much for Richie! He was glad to be home and have their mother take back the madness! Thanks Rich and Erin! I know it wasn't easy but it was very much appreciated! We hung out the rest of the time they were here. We didn't get much sequence playing in because I was always tired but it was fun just hanging out.

Colt got lots of snuggle time too which he loved! With lots of baby practice now these two headed off to Oklahoma City for the next few months so Rich could attend the FAA training center to prepare for a job as an air traffic controller! I hope they don't freeze to death up there! We miss you guys and hope to see you soon! Good luck with school and thanks so much for being a great brother and sister. Love you!

By Ourselves

Just wanted to write some stuff real quick so I don't forget since this is all the journaling I do. It has really been good since everyone has left. (Rich and Erin stayed with us for two weeks after Christmas.) I was quite scared to do all three by myself but it has gone great. Not bad at all. I'm tired of course but who isn't? And it is not even on the same playing field as how tired I was with the girls so it is totally doable. Colt is crying more than he used to but it's still minimal I would say compared to Rachel as an infant. The girls love their baby brother and so do I! I love all of them so much and I am just happy to be here with them. We don't get much done everyday but that's OK. Eventually we will.

A few things I am thinking now a days: I am so happy to have a baby and definitely want more. I am dreading getting into a bathing suit in a few months and don't think I will ever loose this weight. And I am afraid we will never have these girls potty trained. Still a disaster and I am think they will wear pull ups to kindergarten.

Words and deeds from the girls on Colt:

Livy: Calls him baby brother or baby Colt all the time

Loves to check what he is doing and ask if he is ok

If he is crying, she screams back to him, "It's ok baby brother, it's ok." Very loudly.

If not that she screams back, "Quiet baby brother, I can't here the TV."

He was crying in the swing the other day and she went over and laid her head on him and kept rocking the swing. I asked her what she was doing and she said, "rocking him, he's sad." Such a sweetie! She loves him so much and always asks to hold him.

She says that he is magic. When I ask why she says, "his head is magic because we can't touch it." Shorty their elf was "magic" and they weren't allowed to touch it. When they girls were sick I told them don't touch his head and now she thinks he is magic because of it! I love their imaginations!

Rachel: Calls him "that guy or that boy." It's pretty funny. "What are you doing with that guy, or that boy wants to eat"

Kisses his head every time she comes near him. Sweet big sister.

Always asks to hold him and knows how to be gentle with him. Livy is a little rougher with him.

Always plays mommy and baby with Livy now. When they call mommy I always answer but she will say, "not you, Livy mommy." And they take turns feeding each other as the baby and mommy.

Finally a Family Picture, kind of

We finally got a few pictures of us as a family. It was really rushed as Eric and I were out the door to a kid free dinner, courtsey of Rich and Erin babysitting! So we were rushed and the girls didn't feel like cooperating so we barely got any with smiles but here are some that I liked.

Thanks Erin for taking the pics! April I still want to come get pictures of him with you. I waited too long because we had so many people in town and now he has bad baby acne but it seems to be getting a little better so hopefully soon if your up for it still!