Love Those Boys!

A quick update on my 3 little guys....

                                                                  MILES: 
He's a little more than 3 months old now and growing LIKE A WEED. At his 2 month check he weighed 13lbs, so I imagine he has gained a few more pounds since then. He's officially in 6 month clothes (which is weird to me because the twins were so tiny for their age.) He smiles and laughs often. He can roll from his stomach to his back. He is SO STRONG. He loves tummy time and works hard to push up on his knees....uh oh. Miles LOVES his big brothers so much and they love to smother him with love. He uses a binkie, but has recently been sucking his thumb. Most nights he will sleep 7 hours straight and then another 3-4 hours and has started sleeping on his belly now. He HATES having covers on his legs and kicks them off immediately.  Miles is such a joy to have in our home.

Miles LOVES LOVES LOVES water. Whether it's the bathtub or the pool, he's a fan.

JOSIAH: 
He initiates learning and is always looking to learn new skills. He can buckle his carseat 100% by himself. He rides a "big boy bike" with training wheels and always wants to do what the big kids are doing. He likes structure and I think he'll really enjoy school. (when the time comes.) Josiah likes to dress himself and comes up with some interesting "outfits" (as shown in the photos).

                              ARLO:
"The Enforcer" - Rules apply to everyone except him!!
Mischevious
Wild
Accident-Prone
Charismatic
Charming
Energetic
Happy
Social

His most recent accident - wrestling with his brother and he hit the floor hard! poor baby.

2 MONTHS OLD

Happy 2 months to my sweet little Miles!!

We have loved EVERY minute with him since he was born. He is PERFECT.

 Miles is such a chill baby and he just "goes with the flow." Seriously, the ONLY time he cries is when he is hungry. Miles is an extrovert because he loves being around people; the louder, the better. If you put him in a quiet room, he will wake up and cry for someone to come get him. Sometimes I have to turn the TV on at night, just to help him fall asleep. He absolutely adores Arlo & Josiah. Miles smiles often and is beginning to make laughing noises...melts.my.heart.

It makes me sad to think how fast these 2 months have flown. I LOVE the newborn age. His spirit has just come from heaven and I feel so close to the veil when I hold him. I look into his eyes and it seems like he knows eternal truths that we forget as we grow older. He reminds me to be innocent, kind and forgiving. When I hold him, we talk, but not aloud. Our spirits communicate to each other and time stands still. I wouldn't trade those moments for the world.

His first time in the bumbo. He was concentrating SO hard to keep his head up.

MONSTER BASH!

On Saturday we officially celebrated the boys' birthday with a MONSTER PARTY! 

We had a great time at the playground with 16 adults & 25 kids.

The much anticipated cake that I found on Pinterest...the boys' have been so excited for it!

The Table

Aunt Susan & baby Miles

Matt & the bean bag toss

The crazy birthday boys & daddy

Josiah playing "Pin the Eye on the Monster"

Daddy with Josiah & Cline

Arlo was our bar tender and was OBSESSED with it.

Josiah & cousin Cline

Arlo & cousin Matt

Arlo & daddy

The "Goody Bag Bar"

3 YEARS OLD!!!

About 1 week old, NICU

July 2009 - 3 1/2 weeks old...Going home from the hospital

That's right folks, the twins are 3 years old! At times it feels like it has flown by, but at the same time, I can't remember life without them. I imagine that's how it feels when we reunite with family after we die - like we've always been together. On their birthday (Saturday) we celebrated by doing some of their favorite things - yard sale-ing, swimming pool and playing with friends. Arlo requested macaroni & cheese for his birthday dinner and Josiah asked for a cold hot dog (eeww!). Jason will be back in town this coming Friday, along with my sister & her kids - we'll do the big celebration when they are all here.

I feel like the boys' age/phase right now is both AWESOME and EXHAUSTING. They understand rules, but are constantly testing  the boundaries. I have to be alert to their actions at all times because they are quick!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE to sit on the couch and watch them play together - they love to play pretend (doctor, dentist, policeman, monster, cowboys, etc). Because they spend every minute together, I also have to break up a lot of fights. Sometimes I feel like a referee & counselor because I have to physically separate them; then talk them through the situation, their feelings & agree upon a resolution. I guess this is the story for any parent with more than 1 child.

Josiah & Arlo have excellent verbal skills. Sometimes I can't get them to stop talking! They speak in complete sentences & are learning new words every day. They have mastered their colors, can sing their ABCs & count to 10. They are currently learning to count higher & distinguish each letter by sight. They are both skilled in reasoning and logic and they have a good understanding of cause and effect.  Both boys can distinguish between girls & boys and kids & grown ups. They love reading books and we spend quite a bit of time reading before bed. They also LOVE singing at bedtime - their top 5 requested songs are 1)I hope they call me on a mission 2)Called to Serve  3)Families are Forever 4)ABCs  5)Twinkle Twinkle. Both boys can dress & undress themselves (which is SO helpful for me).

Jason & I are so blessed to have Josiah & Arlo. Their strong spirits will be a force for good in the world.  We love you boys!!

Here's a little about each boy recently....

Josiah (Nicknamed "Sy" or "Siah")

Josiah is quite the character & has a strong imagination. He LOVES to play pretend & is always begging for me to join him. Josiah has a very nurturing side & can't leave baby Miles alone. He carries 2 baby dolls around the house and pretends that they are baby Miles. Josiah LOVES to wear crazy clothes and costumes - he rarely wears the same outfit all day long. He is a dancer too & can really bust a move! Josiah's favorite color is red and favorite food is yogurt. When he grows up he wants to be a "missionary and fireman and marry Katelynn Everts."

Some of my favorite Josiah quotes & pronunciations:

fingers = "neeners"

airport = "ear-port"

paper = "pay-ker"

van = "bain"

My 3 year old!

Arlo (nicknamed "R")

 Arlo has a BRIGHT personality - he is optimistic, cheerful & forgiving. He gives smiles liberally & his eyes sparkle when he smiles - it melts my heart. Arlo has excellent manners - with very little prompting by me, he will say please, thank you, & you're welcome. He has recently become a little helper - getting a binkie for Miles, throwing away trash & assisting in the kitchen, etc. It may be genetic (haha), but Arlo is a pop addict - if you have a carbonated drink sitting around, you can bet that he will sneak a sip. My mom has nicknamed Arlo "the enforcer" because he loves to enforce rules on other people (but doesn't think they apply to himself!!) Arlo loves to sing and he has memorized quite a few lyrics to primary songs & playtime songs.  Arlo's favorite color is orange & his favorite food is pasta with "white sauce" (alfredo). When he grows up he wants to be a missionary.

Some of my favorite Arlo quotes & pronunciations: 
(Driving in the car at night) "It's too dark, I can't see my eyes."
(Referring to his Doritos) "Mommy, these chips are too spicy for girls."
(Jason asked him what his nickname is) "My name is not Nick"
(Arlo's recent prayers) "Thank you Father, Thank you Father, Amen" (followed by 2 claps)

Grilled Cheese =  "girl cheese"

 

My 3 year old!!!

1 YEAR MARK

Exactly 1 year ago today we moved to Texas.

A lot has happened in that one year - we bought a house, a minivan & had a baby. Phew!

Being so far from family is not fun, especially since Jason was traveling for work 7 months of that year.  The Church has provided me with instant friends. I know that at anytime day or night, I can call anyone on that ward directory & s/he will be there with whatever I need. I have both celebrated with these friends and cried on their shoulders. They are remarkable people.

I love living here in Texas (other than the summer heat) and I am grateful for the blessings we've experienced the past year. Here's to another great year Texas!! Yee Haw!!

Eat Your Vegetables!!

I am OFFICIALLY a gardener!!! I have a crop and it is edible!! Since I have never grown a garden, I decided to start little - a 6'x12' raised garden with zucchini, squash, green beans & carrots. I had to invest in the fence around to keep out the DOZENS of rabbits that hang out in the yard.  I planted the first week of March and we started getting vegetables last week. Every morning for the past week the twins and I go outside and ceremoniously collect anything that's ready to eat. So far we have gotten 3 zucchini and LOTS of green beans.

Obviously I planted too much because the garden is like a JUNGLE!

The boys are so excited to eat the vegetables that we usually eat them with our breakfast. Kids excited to eat their vegetables?????? - A MOTHER'S DREAM COME TRUE!

I haven't gotten creative with cooking them because roasting them has been such a hit. We cover them in some olive oil, cracked pepper, garlic salt and LOTS of Parmesan cheese - Bake at 400' for 10 minutes.

The boys help me snap the beans each morning. Here we are this morning getting ready to bake our vegetables!!

So, is the $50 I invested in this tiny garden worth the money?? ABSOLUTELY! Jason and I have been brainstorming for next spring to expand the garden to grow LOTS more.

• I have learned basic gardening skills.
• My children can experience the fun of gardening.
• We have fresh, organic produce every day.
• This is a small step towards becoming self sufficient and providing for my family.

SIDE NOTE: Arlo calls it "You-zucchini" - not sure why, but it's pretty darn cute!

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