kouklaville

Sleepin in Malines Room

2012-01-28T21:38:00.000-08:00

We have had the same night time routine since BOTH Madeline and Mikas were babies. We take a bath, brush teeth, and read books in bed. Mikas always went with Daddy and I always went with Madeline. This was our routine. I would read 3+ books to Madeline and then rock her in a rocking chair or now I lay down with her and we listen to 3 songs. Well it has changed lately..

After Daddy reads to Mikas , tucks him into bed and closes the door, Mikas gets out of bed and comes into "MALines room"with his yellow "Ganky" (blankey) to read books with us! Its a sneeky, little last minute book reading, and cuddling of the night. It kinda puts a dent in Madelines routine as she is used to having me all to herself with cozy dozys and last minute cuddles, which I love as well!

Tonight was diffrent tho, this time when Mikas came sneeking in, it was a NECESSITY that not only does he read books with us, but that he SLEEP in "Malines" room as he didnt want WIENER CATS to get him! All of a sudden he has found these horrible felines which come to get him! Wiener Cats (or meaner cats?) are scary with sharp pointy teeth that growl really scary and come to get his toes, or baby brother, or yellow ganky or his helicopters!!

So, tonight when Mikas came sneeking in and said he COULD NOT sleep in his room cuz of "Meaner/Wiener" Cats I couldnt make him go back to his bed where "Wiener" cats would creep out and get him!

I tucked him in next to Madeline and Madeline rolled over and went to sleep. I left him in bed to fall asleep with sissy and within minutes he was out! This little boy LOVES his sissy and I love the fact that he feels safest with his "Maline" in

"Malines Room"

Snow day, our way!

2012-01-24T21:18:00.000-08:00

It snowed, and we bundled up the kids to go play in the white, fresh, clean powder..

Madeline made her first snow angel

Mikas got some good use of his "dr glubs" (gloves) while he pushed the snow off the rocks and kept knocking his GLUB off and needing help!!

(ps.putting little kid mittens on is REALLY HARD!)

and then after helping Daddy shovel the driveway..we had fun OUR way!! Daddy taught them to put their bottoms on the shovel and SLIDE down the drive way! They thought it was the funnest thing EVER!!

The Girl SQWEELLEEED with laughter and kept giggling and screaming as they started off going down the driveway FORWARD and inevitably, hit their foot which turned them around backwards and the finished the run totally backwards!

Soo fun with $4 snow shovels..who needs a sled!

Baby Ari and his favorite toy..

2012-01-24T20:38:00.000-08:00

Yup, its his tongue!

He LOVES to stick it out, lick his lips and generally entertain himself with his cute little wet tongue! It makes Madeline TOTALLY crack up!! She giggles everytime he starts sticking his tongue out..she will say, "Where's your tongue" and he will stick it out and LAUGH!! HE is SUCH a sweet, happy baby!

He is our sunny funny boy!

Good Morning MOM

2012-01-16T11:36:00.000-08:00

This is how we start the day..I sleep with baby and he wakes up at about 7am.

Then at 7:30 Madeline wanders down to climb up into bed with us..

Then we have Mikas and his brown helicopter join us around 8am..

We all cuddle for a while, watch a minute or two of tv untill someone says

"Mom, can we have a little bit of juice?"

and I am out of bed, reluctantly, to start our day..

I'd rather just stay in bed and cuddle...all day

Madelines 1st Rodeo..

2012-01-07T21:25:00.000-08:00

and the rest of us came too!

We have special friends named Lanie, Jessie and Holden. Jessie was a professional rodeo rider and so when the rodeo came to town, WE were invited to come to the rodeo! MADELINE was OUT of her MIND that SHE WOULD get to ACTUALLY go to the rodeo and see all the HORSIES!! When we got there I was overwhelmed by the smell, but MADELINE ran right up to the fence, and climbed up to see the horsies!

When she found out that we were going to a RODEO she HAD to wear her cowgirl boots, her cowgirl skirt and put her hair in a "pony tail" just like cowgirls wear!Here we are, Lanie, Jessie, Holden, Mikas, Madeline, Reed and yes BABY ARI

THIS is the happiest the girl has ever been EVER!

Little Kid Paradice

2011-12-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

Funny things tonight:

Madeline, with a very VERY intense sigh, said

"ahh, I have been watching 'stein bears all day long!!" (she hadnt, she had just watched 1 episode..

Whilst Mikas said

"Madeline!! (with a knit brow) stop acting like a PENGUIN!!" ( she was walking around with her arms flat at her sides and hands out and it was making Mikas MADDD)

and baby is laying across my lap sucking on his tongue and licking his lips..he has the baldest head and it is perfect for rubbing your hand over..

yep, just another day in little kid paradice..

ps..right after I read this post to Reed Mikas said.."Look Dad, Now I am MADDD cuz Madeline is acting like a CHICKEN!!) lol

These are a few of my

2011-12-26T11:00:00.000-08:00

favorite things..

My 3 precious children.

The best gifts I have ever recieved.

The only things I have EVER wanted in my whole life.

Yes, these are a few of my favorite things..

Madeline,

My sweetest girl ever. Loves horses. Loves baby brother and Mikas. She LOVES her daddy, she LIVES for the time she gets to be with Daddy. Loves to cuddle and do cozy dozy. She wears pink pony jammies because HORSES and PINK are her very favorite in the whole world. She LOVES to give hugs and kisses. She loves friends and is the first to say "I love your hair/dress/earrings". She is a tender soul who genuinely loves from the bottom of her heart. She tells me all day long how much she loves me and very very much misses Daddy when he is at work. Madeline has set the tone in our home as kindness and sweetness is the way she lives. Madeline, I love you, your heart, your spirit and the gift you give to me every day just by being my sweet girl.

Mikas,

My tender boy. Loves helicopters and big jet. He loves the word NO and it is usually followed by "I do it MYself". He is my independant boy who loves to climb into the car/bed/tub HIMself. He loves orange suckers. He wears light blue jammies with helicopters on them because he LIVES for his brown helicopter. He GENUINELY loves "baby bro-der" and loves starting his day holding baby bro-der and always giving him a kiss on the head. He LOVES Daddy and CANT WAIT till Daddy comes home. First thing he says is "Daddy did you go to work? Take off your flight suit!!" His big brown eyes melt my heart. Mikas, you are my funny, tender, strong boy who reminds me of me and papou. Through out the day you will say "Mom?" and when I say "What" and you say "I love you". You capture my heart with your tender ways and impress me with your independance. I love you my sweet boy, forever.

Ari,

My cuddly baby. He would be held 24/7 if given the option. He loves mama. He LOVES sleeping with Mama, a habit started while traveling and now has stuck. He love his little spot on my bed, all wrapped up and cozy. He loves to suck his hand and get both in his mouth with a slurpy sound if possible. He coo's, chatters, and makes baby sounds when happiest. He is my cuddliest baby ever, as the other 2 were so active they were hard to hold! He loves his brother and sister and loves to be where they are..even if they are noisy. He loves to be hugged by Sissy and Brother and doesnt even protest when the cuddles get a litte suffocating. He LOVES his time with Daddy, with "shimmy shimmy shimmy shimmy, shake shake shake" and tickles on the ribs, thighs and RIGHT under his shoulder blades. Daddy makes him LAUGH sooo hard that he sucks in all of his air and gets sunshine eyes. Ari, I love you. You are a miracle baby as last year at this time I was told I wouldnt be able to have anymore children. You are my brother bear, my kissy, huggy, cuddle baby. You wear a ear to ear grin when you see me come to get you after naps. I LOVE having you in my bed and miss you terribly when you sleep with Daddy on the couch. You are my sweet baby, my sweet and gentle soul. I love you.

Santa Claus came..

2011-12-25T16:40:00.000-08:00

to town..

VERY EARLY in the morning!

Madeline came down stairs and woke up Daddy..it was still dark outside! They came and woke me and we got Mikas and Baby and we ran to the livingroom to assess the loot!

First thing that happened was that Madeline said "There are no horses for me!!" My heart sank, and I decided that even tho I THOUGHT we could have a "Horse free" Christmas, I was wrong!! I THOUGHT the Pottery Barn Doll House in the lower picture would be THE GIFT as MANY little girls only DREAM of such a doll house!! WRONG..BUT then we started tearing open paper and gifts were found that saved the day!!! (Phew)

Madeline with the fated doll house, enjoying her HORSIE books that KINDA made up for the fact that there was not ONE horsie under the tree!

THIS was Mikas' Christmas!! Every time he opened a gift it was a HELICOPTER or a AIRPLANE!! He was squeeling with delight all morning! He lined them up so I could take a picture of ALL OF HIS HELICOPTERS!!

The "Firestation" Doll house for Mikas was also a real stinker. I THOUGHT with all the poor weather, they would LOVE to play "house". Instead, Mikas took the helicopter OUT of it and used to be a HELI PAD for ALL OF THE helicopters that came to his airport! It was the simple helicopters and BIG JET that WERE THE BEST!

After glancing at the doll house, and then assessing that there "ARENT ANY PEOPLE" (again Mama sucks cuz she FORGOT to order people, sending me into the closet crying) Madeline opened up a BARBIE DOLL! It was her FIRST BARBIE and Daddy had picked it out!

She was thrilled that she could color her hair and dress her..but it was really the..

HORSIE BOOKS that saved the day..she sat and read all of her new books for the rest of the day! Warmed my heart to see her all cuddled up in Baby's swing, reading!

Baby Ari got a HELICOPTER too! Ofcourse! and as you can imagine he was THRILED! He was my little lap warmer all morning!

Ari and I enjoying his 1st Christmas in our Christmas Jams..LOVE this baby..its always been love at first sight...He is so sweet

A Christmas miracle occured her in KF. Santa found Reedies FAVORITE SOCKS and Base ball caps! All Reed wants for Christmas is FLUFFY new socks, Base ball caps with no sweat stains, or advertisements..and I was thinking it was IMPOSSIBLE but

Fred Meyer really pulled thru, as it is our ONLY "department" store, and they had

HIS FAVORITE BRANDS!! (Phew)

The home run gift was Cassies! She had wanted a Coach purse, and Santa came thru! She had done soo much for us this past year that we decided to spoil her! I loved her responce as she saw it and clapped her hands at her chest and squeeled with delight! YAY!

We had a wonderful breakfast, just like Mom had made for us all of these years. I even made nut bread..It was soo nice to have egg/sausage dish, with Hashbrowns, Sparkling Cranberry juice and Nut Bread.

It made me remember how nice my Mom had always made Christmas..and I now know how HARD she worked to do it! It took me 3 days to prepare and cook..and I didnt even make cookies! We also realized how much we missed family today. We are used to going to Sophia's and Jordana's and seeing Nana and Papou. It didnt happen this year, and we thought it would be nice to just sit around and relax. BUT Christmas isnt the same without family..and we now know and appreciate that we both have great families. Next year we WILL be with family and will love it!

Baby's 1st Christmas

2011-12-25T11:18:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Baby Ari!

The best thing YOU got for Christmas was your tongue! He loves to suck, stick out, lick his lips, and play with his tongue!

He also got some chubby on his knees and theighs! I am ever so happy I didnt get such a WONDERFUL gift!! Nobody says "gee I wish "I" could get chubby knees for Christmas!!

He also got a sweet baby smile for Christmas that is a gift to us all!

This isnt his REAL baby smile, but it is the beginning of a GREAT baby grin!

Merry 1st Christmas

Baby Ari!

We are soo happy to have you with us!

Ps..This is Mikas on HIS 1st Christmas...

HAD to do the Brother/Brother comparison!

Christmas Pj's

2011-12-24T17:31:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER Christmas tradition has begun this year..stollen from my sweet friend Alysse! She always buys pj's for her kids and the WHOLE family has matching jammies! They have done sponge bob, BYU,Muppets etc!

So, I ran out on Christmas Eve day and without a MINUTE to spare I FOUND THE PERFECT jammies! I couldnt believe my eyes when I came upon PINK pj's with HORSIES on them for Madeline and BLUE pj's with HELICOPTERS on them for Mikas!! THOSE are their absolute FAVORITE things!! It was a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE so we could do the first annual "New Christmas Pajammas"

I ran around and found pj's for Reed and I to match the kids and decided the theme was to be

"Boys in Blue and Girls in Pink"

and "Favorite things"

The kids found them under the tree Christmas Eve, and they were THRILLED with new jammies! Madeline HUGGED her horsie jammies and Mikas screamed when he saw his had HELICOPTERS on them!!

HOWEVER, I didnt take into account that REED would buy ME PJ's when I told him I was buying pjs for the kids!

So, instead of having me in pink, I put on the pj's Reed bought me and

in a round about way, we matched EACHOTHER :o)

Reed in blue shirt and plaid pants and Ari in blue with polar bears..

"Blue for a NEW baby boy"

Mikas in light blue pj's with helicopters,

Madeline in her pink pj's with horsies

and I actually matched BABY ARI with the polar bears on mine.

I LOVED this new Christmas tradition, and getting to cuddle with my kids on the couch in new jammies!

Who am I kidding, I just love cuddling with my kids!!

(in this pic, BOTH kids had come and cuddled in on me..at the same time, uncoaxed by me or Reed..it was just the perfect pic to showcase our Christmas Jam's)

Raindeer food!

2011-12-24T17:10:00.000-08:00

is a new Christmas Eve tradition started this year!

Thanks to my sweet friend Julie Isa, she shared one of her Christmas traditions!

Putting out Raindeer food for Santa's Raindeer!

First you get a bowl and put in lots of oatmeal

Then you add the "Magic" glitter..

(this year was stars and hearts glitter..it was all I had on hand:o)

Then you CAREFULLY sprinkle it (or pour out your ENTIRE BOWL like Mikas) from the front door, up the driveway all the way up the stairs to the front yard where Santa will park his sleigh and the raindeers can have a snack!

Their food sprinkling this year ended with ACTUALLY finding Santa on the NEIGHBORS lawn!! Can you imagine ANYTHING more magical??

Neither can we :o)

Christmas Eve..

2011-12-24T17:02:00.000-08:00

Because I am crazy, I decided that the 3 days that Madeline and Mikas were gonna be at Christmas Camp that I would host Christmas Eve for the pilots and flight crew from Emergency Medical Services (Reeds work) who were stuck on the clock. Naturally they COULDNT be with family, so I would cook and make it a Merry Christmas Eve.

So thus began 3 days of preparing potato cheese soup in soup bowls,bread pudding, NUT BREAD, and all the Christmas morning food. Remember I have the baby below, (10 weeks old)and he looked pretty much like this for 3 days!

Just kidding, he didnt cry the whole time..but he did sit in that chair quite a bit..Had to put the Christmas hats on him..thats just fun with babies

Cassie, our nanny, came over too! She has been PRETTY MUCH our only friend here in Klamath so NATURALLY we were thrilled she could come over and join us! The kids just LOVE her and it was soo good to make her a yummy dinner!

And here is the flight crew! They had JUST come from work, THUS the GLOWING flight suits! We really like these folks, just good people!

They all loved the soup too!

Here I am with the BEST bread pudding ever! (Really, thats what its called!) The ONLY reason I MADE bread pudding was because of our sweet little Mikas. After going grocery shopping, and loading the kids into the car..I could see Mikas jumping up and down on something that he had put in the car seat but I was too busy buckling in baby, and tending to Madeline to notice what he was doing...

He had stuffed all of the fresh bread I had just bought into the seat and was jumping back and landing on it..until it was smashed 2"thick..Christy Friend suggested I make Bread pudding and NOW we have another tradition AND favorite dish!

(and another Mikas story too!)

We LOVE Chad and his wife! They are a great couple and Chad is Reeds partner in crime at work! They have a blast together as they are REALLY way too much alike!

Merry Christmas Eve from

The Gappmayers

Pee Pee's from a boy!

2011-12-23T20:14:00.000-08:00

Today was amazing! Mikas decided he wanted to wear big boy "pantys" like Madeline does!

So, I told him everytime he made pee pee on the potty, he gets to wear big boy pantys!

SO, today after our 1 hour of quiet time (where I lock them upstairs to play/rest) I came upstair to a surprise..

A TOTALLY naked BOY! He had stripped all of his clothes off and was playing naked. I was worried he had pee'd somewhere upstairs and started looking for puddles! When I asked him if he made pee pee's somewhere he said "Yes!" (in his high pitched boy voice)

I was dreading this..but when I said "Where?" he said

"In that potty! "

He had lifted up the lid on the little kid potty and pee pee'd in the potty, pee pee still there!!

I was thrilled and we put camo boy pantys on and down stairs we went!

I put a pair on his head..Madeline thought it was HI-larious!

The low point was when he ran to the pantry behind him to get a bar and screamed "pee pee's comin!!" and pee'd in the pantry! This episode has followed other closet "christening's"..he has pee'd in my bathroom closet, and the toy closet as well!

Grrrr! Boys!

Fun with Baby Ari

2011-12-15T12:01:00.000-08:00

Ari hates hats!

SO, ofcourse I HAD to put these hats on him!

I was laughing with every hat I put on him!

This was another "fun with babies episode"

It is fun to play with babies cuz they cant fight back! lol

3 Month Ari

2011-12-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

Baby Ari is sooo funny! He is giggly, and cheerful and CHUBBY!

We had fun with baby Ari trying to make him smile, but to no avail..

but we were cracking up cuz he was

soo funny to play with!

He says

"I dont know what to do..my cheeks are soo chubby and my nose is sooo pokey!"

If you dont know what that sucky slurpy sound is, it is probably Ari sucking on his left fist! He wiggles his hand up to his mouth and gets his knuckle of his first finger in his mouth and sucks away! Its pretty funny to hear, but atleast he knows how to self soothe..hooray!

Vegas Baby...

2011-11-25T17:37:00.000-08:00

BABY meets Vegas!!

On our way to Cali we stopped in Vegas to see all of our wonderful friends and introduce them to Ari! We were invited to stay at Alises house and my kids were THRILLED to see her 5 kids! While there for 3 days we saw nearly EVERYONE we wanted to see!! It was a whirlwind trip with a 2 month old, but we all did just fine!!

This is how we roll! Mikas and Madeline are such good travelers, they are just used to long car rides and do fine! MOST DAYS I would RATHER have them strapped in their carseats on a road trip than in the house! AND baby Ari adapted to the car JUST as well! This WAS his second road trip afterall! He slept 2-3 hours at a time so when he did wake up it was perfect timing to stop at Mc D's for a run around!

First visit was with some moms from Summerlin! Rebecca Alleman hosted a lunch to come meet Ari! Sarah and Jen Johnson came along with their kiddos Kenyan and Ben! It was SOOO good to see my Summerlin Mommy friends..sooo good!

On Monday night the Houts came over to see us and meet baby Ari! ONCE AGAIN it was ooo soo good to see friends and familuar faces. Heather is such a great mom and Brittin used to come over and play with the kids when I was on bed rest with Ari. Brittin is such a fun loving girl, she and Madeline fell in love immediately..and obviously picked RIGHT UP where they left off!

Then it was off to meet up with my Vegas Moms group Mommy friends! We met up at Melissas new house and let the kids play AND fight over toys! Adonis and Mikas play/fought over the helicopter in the pic! lol Shauna is pregnant with #2 and we are soo excited to meet her new little baby! SOO good to see these mommys that I spent time with in Vegas!

That night we went to see our friends Kate and Jamie! A last minute Mc D's run to pick up food and we all got to eat dinner together! I love my English friend Kate and how easy our friendship is. She TOO is pregnant with #2 and we cant wait to meet her!

And a trip to "the Grandma and the Grandpa's" house made the trip complete! Fran and Lionel were our neighbors in Summerlin. Madeline and Mikas IMMEDIATELY took to them and called them Grandma and Grandpa! (I later realized it was a term they call people with grey hair lol) It was a PERFECT match because Fran and Lionel had grand children, but they all lived in California.. the DEFINATELY had room in their hearts for "extra grandkids". When they saw them, hugs were all around as they were sooo excited to see them! I was pregnant most of the time we lived in Vegas so they were thrilled to meet Ari..such great folks!

I LOVE the great friends we made in Summerlin, we were so blessed to be surrounded by such warm, loving, inviting people. Cant wait to go back and visit again!

A day with fish, frogs and feathered friends

2011-11-15T15:12:00.000-08:00

This awesome outdoor aquarium was built by my friend Rob Stoud! He has the most amazing back yard and finally this year the kids were old enough to get to visit the fish!

Its almost like the best of a aquarium and a zoo as he also has cockateels that he has rescued. He used to raise frogs and I mistakenly told Mikas he would get to see frogs too..but they had been released to hop in the swamplands..he was none too pleased.. BUT, the kids got to feed fish AND hold birds, all in one day!

He made the front so that kids could come and see the fish

This is a little walk down area with a seat..the kids loved seeing the fish.

He has HUGE carp and trout.

Outside at the huge aquarium, the kids were great! I wasnt worried that they would fall in but Rob was not so sure! haha

M &M loved Robi's birds! They are really tame and the kids got brave after Robi showed how to get them to climb up their arm and sit on their fingers..

Mikas was not so sure of this bird and just wanted to pet them on the head, however Madeline got really friendly with her bird and let it climb up her arm!

No trip is complete without a timed picture! We did about 6 and the kids laughed every time, they thought the count down to the picture was the best part!

Thanks Uncle Robi for having a super fun time!

Birth of a SMILE :o)

2011-11-04T15:15:00.000-07:00

I ACTUALLY caught Ari with his first smile...

from beginning to end...

sweet smiley boy!

First snow? Brrrr

2011-11-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

This morning I was washing dishes and saw white dust falling on my patio. Being the California Girl that I am, I assumed someones tree was dropping some kind of white puff balls on my deck and I would have to have Reed clean off my newly swept deck. I continued to glare out the window until it dawned on me that IT WAS SNOW! and lots of it! Madeline looked out the window when she woke up and exclaimed

"Its wintertime outside! Wintertime came outside"

So, we donned the FEW cold weather pieces I had for the kids and they ran outside!

They helped daddy "Push" the driveway

I sat outside for a MINUTE to take a picture..then back into the house I ran..

By the time it stopped snowing so the kids could go outside, we had purchased snow clothes for Mikas. He gladly put them on along with HUGE gloves which he quickly took off cuz "I dont like these dr glubes" soo, he opted for cold fingers...tough guy!

Madeline was also offered the same outfit from Walmart. 4 seconds into putting on the outfit she screamed and tears streamed down her face as she exclaimed

"I wont wear these, they are toooo puffy!!!" I tried to tell her she couldnt go out without them and she dug her heels in and said "Fine, I will just sit inside" with the same tears streaming down her face..sooo I gave in and let her go outside with LEGGINGS on!!

It was totally against what I would do, because I DEMAND to be warm outside..but not the girl...fashion first!

Pretty? yes, but pretty COLD too!

ps..this outside fun lasted all of 15 minutes..it took me longer to dress them :o)

Jam ON it!

2011-10-23T16:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, when your sister comes to town, with her 9 month old, to help you with your 3, 2, and 1 month old..you decide to make strawberry jam..from scratch.

Here we are, in the assembly line, getting ready to teach kids how to make jam..

(and learn ourselves!)

OF COURSE it makes sense to be stirring strawberry jam with a infant on your hip..

We called in the calvery, and thought with 3 women, and 4 children,

making jam would be no problem..

but we forgot Mikas was MIKAS...

We put him in the production line, mixing the strawberries with the sugar..he was sooo happy to get a big wooden spoon, and soo much responcibility! I was thrilled that my 2 little helpers could ACTUALLY help me!! I was feeling VERY "Julie Isa" until I heard Mikas cry and wimper that he needed his hands washed..Washed? Hmmm, why? I thought, until I looked closer...

He had decided that the jam needed something special, it was missing something...

and then he figured out what it was..it was missing

AIRPLANES AND HELICOPTERS!

But ofcourse!

and yes, we DID eat that jam!

We Made A..

2011-10-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

SPPOOOOKY HALLOWEEN!

Madeline saw someones house all decorated for Halloween and she asked Daddy and I if WE COULD MAKE a Halloween! 2 SECONDS after I said yes and showed her the 4 plastic bins in the garage, she has asked and asked and asked if we could PLEASE

Make a HALLOWEEN!

SO, today, since Daddy was off work, we spent hours outside Making our

SPPOOOOKY SPOOOKY HALLOWEEN!!

If you cant make it by our house for

Trick-or-Treat..

Heres a sneek peek!!

Spooky spooky Daddyyyyy

Sppoooky Spoooky Kidds and Daddy in the GRAVE YARD

Kids and Mama with the

spooky spooky skulls!

OH Deer!

2011-10-06T17:46:00.000-07:00

If you look closely at this picture,

TAKEN OUTSIDE MY FRONT DOOR..

you can see a pair of pointy ears, 2 black eyes and a black nose peeking out from behind the tree..

and then they get a little braver..

and finally the whole little creature came out to see who was staring at them!!

It was a mommy and her 2 babies..

and then, like most little creatures, they turned and walked away..less interested in us and more interested in the yummy grass on the neighbors lawn...I will NEVER get used to seeing these AMAZING creatures grazing on my lawn! I just LOVE the Deer who come to visit us! Definately some of the BEST visitors we get here in Oregon!

Oh Deer! :o)

Baby Ari's 1st Bath

2011-09-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

Rub-a-dub dub

Baby Ari's in the

SINK!

He is sooo little we can put him in our bathroom sink and he can enjoy a warm and cozy

hot tubs!

Wide awake and kinda lovin being back in some warm water!

It was nice to give him a nice scrub, it took 3 WEEKS for his belly button to fall off and I was DIEING to get to give him a warm bath!!

(I REALLY just wanted that "Baby Fresh" scent on my baby!)

and EVERYONE loves baby toes...everyone!

Newborn Ari

2011-09-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

Just like with Mikas, Ari got the best photographer in the world to photograph his little parts and sweet newborn-ness

Please enjoy our baby boy...

Ari Paul Gappmayer

8 lbs, 21"

born 9/10/11

Madeline {4} Mikas {2} Ari {4 days}

This picture captures EXACTLY how Mikas and Madeline feel about their baby brother

They beg to hold him first and want to give him kisses all day long..

nothing but pure love for their new brother

Happy BIrthday to my baby Ari

2011-09-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

Happiest {BIRTH}-day to BOTH of us Ari!

You are my very very special boy! You always felt like a sweet soul in my tummy. I love this photo because it captures how I felt and feel having you safely in my arms. MY BABY..my sweet baby in my arms...

We had QUITE A JOURNEY together to getting YOU in MY arms..BUT, you have been a very willing companion, and I have truely loved having you "along for the ride". I cant believe we made it to here..it was a long trip..

I held you in for 39 weeks and 4 days! We traveled for 2 days to Southern California. We found a beautiful beach house for you to come home to surrounded by family.

You, all cuddled up in my tummy and me praying everyday that I would make it to September when Daddy was off work. But when I saw you, from the first moment I held your little wet warm body and looked into your eyes, it has been love at first sight.

This picture is special to me because it was your first "smile" and we were all alone and it was only for me!

You are my sweet boy, and these pictures were taken on my cell phone, very casually, and when you and I were alone. But I have to say, they capture the sweetness of our time alone together.

You are a sweet soul, a sweet baby.

I am soo glad you are here, safe in my arms to love..

I love you baby Ari,

Love, Mommy

Baby Belly MEETS Carlsbad

2011-09-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

We MADE IT to my Drs Apt..

39 weeks pregnant in

CARLSBAD!!

Pacific Coast Womens Health

HERE WE COME!!

I cant believe after driving 2 days, we FINALLY have made it to my

"dream appointment"

(imagine being 39 weeks pregnant and THAT is your dream appointment:o)

Dr Ramber, is my HERO!!

(she ok'ed my drive down, and said she would take me as a transfer patient!)

I cant believe I GET TO have my baby with Dr. Shipp, AT Scripps Encinitas, IN Carlsbad WITH family all around to visit, and CORINA to take my birth photos!!

This whole thing is WAY to much to imagine, way too much to have guessed, but

ALL OF MY DREAMS COME TRUE!!

At 10:45 am I get to get see all the docs at Pacific Coast Womens Health,

get checked and then soon..

HERE COMES BABY!!

A Babe-cation by the POOL!

2011-09-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

Most people go on VAcation, not many go on a

Babe-cation!

At the last minute we decided to DRIVE down to Carlsbad and rent a BEAUTIFUL beach house so we could be close to our favorite OB/GYN Dr. Shipp so he can deliver new baby! NEXT TO THE HOUSE was a BEAUTIFUL POOL!

Nothing like a little Sun AND Surf to welcome our new baby and enjoy a

Babe-cation!

The Auntie Marilyn and sisters by the pool

Cora does the pool in a stylish bicini

Mikas JUMPING in over and over, while I was TRYING to eat pizza!!

He loved the "Hot pool" and the two had a blast with the freedom of their floaties!

Daddy with his two favorite floaties!

Sun Bathing Beauties

Madeline and Mommy soaking up the sun! Madeline had to do her "Model Pose"

Ahhh, and the BEST way to end the day!

(The legs only shot makes us feel like its VA-cation..

the belly reminds us its a BA-cation!)

Hot Tubs and Clean Kids

2011-09-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

Every night we have a routine..we eat/stare at dinner, watch a little tv

and then we have popsicles in the hot tubs!

(Mikas always dips his in the water and his is gone 10x quicker than Madelines)

Here are my two clean kids, after hot tubs..

Madeline had decided that she no longer will wear matching proper jammies, NOOO, she has to wear "mama shirt" and leggins, and EVERY NIGHT we have to put on socks because her "Feet might get cold"

(This started after I started working in La for 2 weeks on back at Christmas)

So, She has taken over all of my pre-baby/nursing t shirts and

this is how a girl looks for bed

Brother wears SHORT sleeve jammies and long pants..

(that MATCH normally)..

He still gets SUPER hot so we cant wear long sleeves!

His favorite saying in the "hot tubs" is

""I" WILL do it"..I have to let HIM pump soap into his hand and he washes the belly, AND the hair AND sometimes tries to wash Madelines hair..in which case

she SCREAMS!! Because at 3+years old she STILL hates water in her face..

I sure love my squeeky clean kids!

Coming Home Outfit for New Baby

2011-09-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

A long time ago, about 38 years ago, my mother received the sweetest baby outfits as a baby shower gift. The brand was Petit Bateau. The gift, given by my Yaya's best friend "Thea Alex" was a pink and a blue stripe outfit for "THE" baby she was carrying. HOWEVER, when my SISTERS were born, 2 girls and not 1 boy the cutest outfits were never worn!

When I found out I was having a boy I was THRILLED to get to "dust off" the precious newborn outfit that my mother had kept in a cedar chest for so long and put it on Mikas as his "Homecoming Outfit".

I still look at that outfit and sigh..it is sooo perfect.

Mikas' Sweet New Baby Outfit!

Well, when it was time to buy/find a new outfit for New baby, I was in a bind. I LOVE the Petit Bateau outfit that Mikas wore home, however I wanted to be able to hand down MIKAS' outfit to HIS wife for their children.

Sophia came to the rescue. She wanted to find the perfect outfit for New Baby, and she did. With the help of Jordana, BOTH Aunties pitched in and now New Baby has Petit Bateau as well. I am just THRILLED and cant wait to see New Baby in HIS very own special "Coming Home" outfit!

NEW Petit Bateau for New Baby

A BIG thank you to Auntie So-so and Auntie Jo-jo!

Now, New baby can come home in style too!

Cassie Preschool!

2011-09-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

SO, its 4 pm and all us moms start the wind down, count-down to bed time..

BUT NOT CASSIE! She is our nanny, preschool teacher extraordinaire!

I SWEAR she always has a trick up her sleeve, just when I am thinking "humm, what are we gonna do to keep them occupied for the next chunk of time...

TODAY SHE WHIPPED OUT

WHIPPED CREAM!

I was SURE our "Non-sticky, Nothing on MY hands" girl would object.

Since EVERYTHING goes into Mikas' mouth, I figured we would be lucky if he walked away without it on his clothes, hair and ears!

I was WRONG on both accounts! Cassies first rule was "YOU have to play with it first before you taste it!" and look at a girl, she is DIGGING IN, smearing it all over the table cloth, and making "Pand Prints!" (hand prints:o)

And Brother just kept saying "Look Mommy, LOOK!". He smeared, made slappy "Pand Prints" and eventually licked his fingers clean. AND amazingly enough, NONE was in his hair!!

A-MAZING day at Cassie Preschool!

Cutest Room Made for NEW BABY

2011-08-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

SO, here is a ALMOST FINISHED cutest room for

NEW BABY!

(All we need is to know his NAME to paint HIS letters and put them on the wall)

As both Mikas and Madeline have had rooms with the same furnishings, I HAD to mix up the decorations for our NEW BABY and put a new spin on the old look!

I LOVED Mikas bedding (and since he slept in a laundry room and never used it) I took that bedding and the yummy colors and added fun new animals that I FELL in love with!! (Damn Rosenberry Rooms!!) Little by little I have collected the CUTEST, softest Jungle animals to welcome home our new baby brother!

Art work from Rosenberry room..YUMMY. Found this FURRIEST, softest elephant at Pottery Barn Kids and HAD to add it to the jungle!

(Madeline and Mikas BOTH have animal chairs in their room that I bought for their nurserys:o)

Changing table and dresser! Reed put the 4th coat of spray paint on these! First they were pink, tan and mint green for Madeline. Then Reed painted the pink ones brown for Mikas. AND this time they all went blue and brown for new baby! I LOVE IT!!

(And Reeds willingness to paint, and re-paint the SAME baskets!)

(in the empty picture frame will go his newborn picture ;o)

HAD to get these hand made hats from Etsy!! Teddy wears the elf hat which New Baby will wear in his newborn shots..with the diaper cover!! Had to get the "Aviator" hat cuz..well you know, DADDY is a aviator! LOVE how this room came together!!!!

Daddy Does a FLY BY!

2011-08-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

SO..

in the middle of dinner..on a normal Monday night...where Cassy and I are force feeding the kids...we got a phone call, from Daddy..

FROM THE AIR!!!

He was flying in the area and called to tell us to come to the patio and wave hi!! THE KIDS WERE ESTATIC!! So, we waited and waited (the whole 3 minutes) and then all of a sudden we HEARD DADDY!!! Mikas started screaming "Theres Daddy in the Helicopter!!" Madeline kept saying "Hi Daddy, HI, I LOVE YOU!!"

No matter how many times I see Reed in the air, I alway get a rush of excitement!! NOW I have 2 other "Biggest Fans" to share that excitement with!!

A Helicopter Room FIT for a Boy!

2011-08-28T11:41:00.001-07:00

Mikas loves everything that goes ZOOOM!

A car, a train, and ESPECIALLY a helicopter!

(with a "little" encouragement from ME cuz his Daddy is a helicopter pilot:o)

So I set out to do the funnest little boy room with all kind of bright colors and ofcourse,

HELICOPTERS!

It all started when I found the material for the curtains..

I found this cutest fabric on Etsy and a REALY sweet girl up here in Klamath named Jaime Olsen OFFERED to make the curtains to cover the BLACK OUT curtains that Mikas needs in his room (It is brighter than the sun in his room!)

I LOVE the way they turned out!!

Daddies collection of helicopters went PERFECT on the shelf in Mikas' room!

Reed and I hand painted the letters to match his super cute room!

The whole room! I LOVE the way it turned out!! And when Mikas walked in he said "I LOVE my roooom! and preceded to hop from colored spot rug to colored spot rug!

He got the train table for his 2nd birthday, I gotta take pictures of him playing on his train table, because Thomas goes EVERYWHERE with him, as well as a hand full of cars, and helicopters!

This is one of my pride enjoys of the room..What a difference a YEAR makes!

He had newborn pics done by my friend, Corina Nielson of Mikas laying on the dog

chair and a YEAR later we redid that photo of Mikas sitting on that

SAME DOG CHAIR!

I LOVE how it shows all the growing my little Mikas Man did in a year!

The 2 Muskeeters

2011-08-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

Mikas and Madeline..partners in crime..best buds..2 peas in a pod!

Yup, even tho I SWEAR I didnt give birth to twins, these two have cycled up and I have 2 kiddos who look, act, talk, walk and play like twins!

The FIRST THING they say in the morning is "Where is Mikas?" or "I want to see Madeline"..and when they first see each other they run to eachother

(I swear)

and say "Good Morning!!" and give eachother a good morning hug!

Here they are in their morning routine..both get a warm sippy of soy milk and cuddled in the corner of the couch with blankies (Mikas' is a GANKY).

This is how they start the day, every day, lovin' each other!

No, I cant believe these kids love each other sooo much!!

(Madeline shows her favorite dog "Marina" who goes everywhere with her!)

(Mikas has tiny helicopter next to him..the norm for us!)

9 MONTHS Pregnant

2011-08-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

9 MONTHS pregnant.

YUP, 36 weeks of growing another friend to join our family!

Here I am standing on the deck of our home in Klamath Falls Oregon.

I LOVE the view we have outside, thus the pics on the deck!

Funny thing about this shirt is that it is the SAME shirt I took many-a picture in when I was pregnant with Mikas! It is one of 2 blue maternity shirts that I have!

Holding a baby, hoping he stays IN for atleast another 3 weeks. This pregancy has been a BREEZE right up until now. YUP, the same preterm contractions, the same meds (Terbutaline) and the same SLOW DOWN and LAY DOWN for the next 3 weeks.

This little baby boy is calm and gentle tho! I gotta say the only time I hear from him is when I get into a hot bath and he wiggles and I see knees, elbows and other parts roll across my belly. It is so funny that he is calm, that most of the time I STILL forget that I am pregnant, I just feel like I have a basketball under my shirt!

Pioneer Days!

2011-07-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

What a fun time to get together, eat REALLY GOOD FOOD, and hang out as a family!!

Family shot with my big ol' belly and the HUGEST dandilions EVER!!

(33 weeks of baby boy..8 1/2 months:o)

The BIG hit at this picnic was the BUNNIES!! A family raises these long haired angora bunnies and brought them so kiddos could CLIMB INTO a huge dog cage and love all over these bunnies!! It was the funnest thing EVER!!!

OF COURSE Madeline wanted to bring her bunny home. She started by grabbing it, then pulling it onto her lap, and then INSISTED it get "rock-a-byes". Amazingly enough, I'm not too sure the bunny minded, however I DONT know how long it lived past the Pioneer Picnic!

Throwin" Rocks

2011-07-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

One of the MOST favorite activities that Daddy does with the kids is goin to the lake to throw rocks!

So, we put on tennys and go to "Our Lake" and find PERFECT rocks to throw!

Mikas LOVES to "Throw the rocks" and could LITERALLY do it for hours! Madeline LOVES to look for the perfect rock, perfect stick and make SURE that they are "all togethers" on the shoreline!

Finally, we tried this day to take a "Mommy and Kiddos" pic on the rock above the water. It LITERALLY took a dozen pics and it was Madelines FAVORITE activity and Mikas' LEAST favorite activity. If he had it his way he would just throw rocks and swing!

The 4th of July!

2011-07-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

Reed and I have always LOVED the 4th of July. It is REALLY our anniversary, as we first started hanging out and started "Officially Dating" ON the 4th of July!

SO, on this day, we couldnt just hang out, and clean out the garage, we HAD to have plans and luckily the new folks we met in Klamath Falls invited us to the OFFICIAL 4th of July party at Kathy Browns House!! Her house is on a little hill and overlooks the lake that they do the fireworks over! The funny thing is that you cant throw a stone without hitting a lake here, and OUR house overlooks a lake but not THE lake that they shoot the fireworks over! SO, luckily we KNEW the Browns and had the best seat in the house!

As it got dark, we grabbed a picture of all of us! This was NOT easy since every kid in the group was running around with glow necklaces and eating cupcakes, candy and drinking soda!!

(7 1/2 months prego :o)

As we settled into our seats to watch fireworks, Mikas wanted to snuggle! THIS is totally unusual since he HATES to be rocked to sleep, wont sit on your lap (unless hurt) and is USUALLY on the run! Well, minutes into him sittin on my lap, he cuddled under the blankets and FELL ASLEEP!! He slept thru the ENTIRE FIREWORKS SHOW!! I gotta say I LOVED the cuddly little guy in my lap as I almost NEVER get to cuddle him "like a baby" :o)

The "Down-town Kathy Brown Group"!

If you notice, in the above pic, Madeline is missing! Its because she had made friends with "All the girls" and "Needed to be with her friends"! If you look closely they are all about 12-14 yrs old!! THEY LOVED HER, and having a little friend with them, so even tho we wanted her to be with us, we let her go "Be with her friends" which I am sure will be the first of many times!

Happy 4th of July everyone and Happy Anniversary Reedie! Love YOU!!

Happy 2 yr Birthday Brother!!!

2011-06-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Lil' Brother MIKAS!!!

You are such a funny guy! You always have a train or a car in your hands! AND talk a mile a minute to tell us the go "Zooom". Here you are in motion with 2 of MANY cars that you WILL NOT go anywhere without!!

You have the softest hair, the biggest brown eyes and LONGEST eyelashes! YOU melt ANYONE who looks at you! I love your chubby little cheeks and that at ANY MOMENT you will say "Mommy, I LOVE YOU"! You love Madeline, and the MINUTE you wake up all you want to do is find her and say good morning!

You LOVE to eat pasta, and say "I DO IT by MYSELF" heaven forbid WE even THINK of loading up a fork and TRYING to feed you!

You are one VERY independent, strong willed, smart, funny little guy!

WE LOVE MIKAS!

We had a fun Gappmayer family party at Grandma and Grandpa's house! Everybody came! The aunties, the uncles and all 25 of the cousins!!

Mommy and Daddy love the boy sooo much! You arent one for sitting on Mommys lap (unless you are hurt) BUT every minute you can you JUMP on Daddys lap!

Time to sing Happy Birthday to you!! Daddy designed the CUTEST "Cho-cho train cake..made all out of cupcakes!!

When we told you to blow out the candle..and I kept saying "BLOW MIKAS" you were blowing THRU YOUR NOSE!! You had JUST gotten over the WORST COLD and could only THINK that blowing air only came THRU THE NOSE!! sooo funny!

Big Brother gave you the best gift ever..Brand new CARS!!

The fam..all togethers!

And my favorite pic of all..

The Brothers and Sister Pic..What Beautiful Kids!!!

WE LOVE OUR KIDDOS!!

Happy 2 yr old MIKAS!!

The Duck Pond

2011-06-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

One day, out of desperation, Nanny Stella took Madeline and Mikas on a car ride, and AMAZINGLY ENOUGH happened upon a DUCK POND!! That began the days of going to the duck pond..we even went so far as buying wild duck food from Petco because it was our evening outing! IT WAS our FAVORITE OUTING!!

Sittin' and feedin' our friendly feathered friends

Just hangin out with the ducks..

THIS day, we happened upon a MOMMY DUCK and her ducklings!! They were sooo cute and fluffy! What a GREAT place to be born!! WE ALL wanted to hold a duckling!!

This group of pics are SPECIFICALLY taken to make Daddy a nervous wreck!!

He was ALWAYS afraid if they got REMOTELY CLOSE they would fall in! I would always say "fall in and...??" The pond was only about 2 1/2 ft deep! SO, these pics are PROOF that our kids are not only animal lovers, but have common sense as well!!

NO ONE ever fell in, in the 3 weeks that we went!!

Bath time for a Broken Boy!

2011-05-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

This is how we had to bathe a boy..for 3 weeks, 21 days!! GRRR, it was such a hassle!!!!

BUT, OFCOURSE, he LOVED his time in the sink!!!

That plastic thing on his cast was supposed to protect it from getting wet, YEAH RIGHT! Not on a 20 month old, not when that boy LOVES the water!!!

Despite that we had to LIFT him up, into the sink, which was tricky..Despite the fact that he made a GIGANTIC MESS and always flooded the kitchen. DESPITE the fact that we had to do his bath and sissys at the SAME TIME because he would cry to go into to the tub with sissy and she would cry to go into the sink (so Nanny Stella and I would have to run from the kitchen to the bathroom to bathe kids).

Despite all of these things...

HE was still a happy boy! Yay for that!!

We love our little water baby, broken foot, cast and all!

The Boy's First Cast!

2011-05-17T22:59:00.000-07:00

I heard the screams from a boy..but as a seasoned mother OF a boy, I have learned to pause, wait for the next cry and THEN run to the rescue. THIS time, when I found a boy, he was curled into the fetal position, holding his foot and sobbing..uncontrollably.

I saw the "Decorative Boulders" that he had taken a fancy to, loved to pick up the stones that "I" couldnt even budge..but he would pry them up with his 18m strenghth and throw them into our kiddy pool. Today, the luck of the Irish was NOT with him, and the gigantic polished boulder landed RIGHT on his foot.

I actually waited the night, not wanting to sit in the ER all night long. I dosed him with as much pain killer as I could. It didnt matter, I knew in my heart of all mothers hearts that there was NO avoiding the inevitable.."The First Broken Bone". So off to the urgent care to get x-rays, then to the Peds to get a referral. I tried to help him protect it..but every time his little toe hit the ground he SCREAMED! It COULDNT OF BEEN A MINUTE TOO SOON when the Peds Bone Specialist said "What color cast?" I blurted out BLUE as it is his favorite color and I just wanted Lil' Mikas Toe to be protected. The funny thing about kids is that they will hurt the toe, and then go right back to walking and HURT the toe again! They have no memory of what REALLY hurt the toe! Very difficult for a Mommy of a 2 yr old!!

Oddly enough, the Peds Bone Specialist said within minutes he would master walking WITH it and it wouldnt slow him down ONE BIT! He was right..zooom Mikas went past us, just hobbling along like nothing could hold HIM down!

I Gotta say "Phew" I lived thru his 1st catastrophe rather well. Reed had been working 60 days straight and it was on me to be the mommy of a boy. I give myself an A for keeping calm, taking care of a wounded boy, making clear decisions and NOT CRYING!! I know, I know, this will be 1 of many injurys I will have to endure

"raising a boy"

The Bird Guy at Fabulous Freddies

2011-05-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

Once again, I was SURE my kids would be scared of this guy and his parrot!

BUT NO, they LOVED the big green bird!

Learning how to pet a parrot the RIGHT way..lets not "ruffle feathers" :o)

Touchin' the feathers!

Brother LOVED having the bird on his arm! He was just THRILLED!

Sissy was brave too! Amazing! She loved the green birdie and thought that bird was "SOOO BEAUTIFUL"

FABULOUS FREDDIES!!

2011-05-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

I have HORSIE kids!

Any day, any time, saddle up a horsie and they will go for a ride!

So, when Fabulous Freddies had KIDS DAY, and we saw horsies, that was IT for them!!

We went around, and around and around! Luckly, the other kids wanted the free pizza, bouncy house, arts and crafts, and fire truck!

NOT MY KIDS, all we did was ride Horsies!!

My Horsie Kids!

Madeline QUICKLY fell in love with "Purple Horsie" and cried all the way home when after an HOUR of horsie riding we had to say good bye!

Mikas loved riding the horsies too!

They would get off and on the horsies, and wait with "Best Manners" for 1 kid to squeeze in between them, and then it would be THEIR turn again! Mikas QUICKLY became a fan of RED horsie (the lead) and it was OFFICIALLY his horse! Wow, I never expected MY KIDS to be horsie kids, since I am TERRIFIED of them..

I guess its in the blood, DADDYS blood! :o)

Tea Time

2011-02-19T11:16:00.000-08:00

This is a post about how Brother and Sissy handle the SAME tea time!

Madeline had BEGGED to have a tea party, and wanted to invite Mikas to the tea party. With all of my logic, and paper towels in hand, I watched closely how my 2 kids, from the same parents, approached something as simple as

"Tea Time"

Tidy Sissy vs. Tea Time

(Note a few drops on the table, a little on her chin)

Messy Brother vs. Tea Time

(Note, the RUINED onesie, stained pants, and you can almost SMELL the cocoa sented boy!

Madeline CAREFULLY pours the Hot Cocoa into the cup! She had such a blast carefully pouring the Hot Cocoa into the cups for she and Mikas..being sure not to spill a single drop!

Mikas, on the other hand, wanted to taste, feel, and wear his Hot Cocoa. He LITERALLY ruined this onesie, and had to go DIRECTLY to the bath! I could NOT of received more POLAR OPPOSITE kiddos! IT is SOO funny to watch them live/co-exist in the same house!

God Bless our messy brother and tidy sissy!

Cody's 4Runner!

2011-02-11T11:40:00.000-08:00

Cody got a new truck!! He got a 4Runner, his first car that he paid for himself! He had to come to Las Vegas to pick it up, so THAT meant we had a fun visit with

Big Brother Cody!!

Cody in front of his Truck!

Cody and his 1st 2 passengers! They REFUSED to get out, they wanted to take a car ride with Cody! Atleast he knows his FIRST PASSENGERS were Mikas and Madeline!

Dad and Cody!

And Love-Loves on their BIG BROTHER Cody!!

(They INSISTED on him holding them at the same time!!)

Come back and visit us soon!! We LOVE you Cody!!

Girl is a horsie!

2011-01-30T10:14:00.000-08:00

Madeline has a love for horsies. She loves horsies, and pretends to be a doggie too!

I dont know where I got such a funny girl, she licks her "paws" and rears up on her hind legs like a horsie when she is happy about things!

I love this girl, so funny is a girl!

My Sisters Patent Leathers shoes!

2011-01-30T09:45:00.000-08:00

Our Mikas loves NOTHING more than to get into his sisters shoes EVERY MORNING, whilst still in his jammies, and put on his sisters SHINEY patent leather shoes! He puts them ON himself AND usually on the right feet! and then he precedes to go about his normal morning's activities! Hes our VERY dressy little boy!

This dry erase book was ORIGINALLY purchased for Madeline, he has TAKEN OVER this toy and made it his own as well! We just love our little brother who DEFINATELY has a mind of his own!!

Ol' Bucket Head

2011-01-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

At the Springs Preserve, there is a Archiological site to dig in..

So, while Madeline and Lincoln were digging for dinosaur bones, and filling their buckets with sand..

Mikas was busy STEALING a bucket from the sand pit and putting it on his head and running around! When he did it, I heard a group of people giggling and looked over to see Mikas with the bucket on his head! He REFUSED to take it off, and thus we call him

Ol' Bucket Head!

Wings over the Springs

2011-01-22T16:19:00.000-08:00

A Saturday at the Desert Springs Preserve

Today we met with our friends from Moms Group Shauna, Lincoln, and Tim at the Springs Preserve! They were having a special bird show eagles, hawks, ravens and even an owl! The kids LOVED seeing the "birds"

Bessie the hawk bird flew over our heads across the stadium..at one point I felt like it was gonna hit me in the head! I actually DUCKED (no pun intended:)

After the presentation, the kiddos got ot climb up and meet Bessie upclose! (honestly they were more interested in the poop on the cement UNDER her!)

Then we went to see desert amimals that live in the Springs Preserve! This little fox had burrowed "underground" but we could see him just fine thru the 1 way double glass! Mikas loved looking at the lizards up close! Madeline felt bad for them cuz they "loss their Mommy":)

How the girl paints vs the boy!

2011-01-22T00:26:00.000-08:00

Madeline, all clean, not a drop on her smock, daintly painting a "pretty picture" on her eisle..colors dont touch in the tray, and not a DROP of paint gets on her fingers or PAINTING COMES TO A SCREECHING HAULT until such paint is removed from her finger!!

AND THEN there is Mikas..Yes he EATS paint! He touches it to his tray, gets a fair amount on his brush and STUFFS it into his mouth, THEN spits it out and RUBS it off of his tongue, ONTO his cheeks..ONLY to repeat over and over again! Yes, some DOES make it on the paper, as you can see..SOME art work does happen TO HANG UP, not to just CLEAN OFF of the boy!!

This time Sissy decided to help baby. SHE WAS MORTIFIED that he kept putting his fingers in his mouth and kept saying "NOOO BEE BEE, BAD BABY!!" BIG TROUBLE!! MOOOOOOOM! But as you can see, HE is QUITE happy with his work of art, on his paper AND on his cheeks!

Christmas Morning

2010-12-25T23:52:00.000-08:00

We were blessed by having my wonderful friend Julie Isa DONATE her home so we could have Christmas as a family! She set us all up in her empty house,and even shared a little Christmas tree for us to put the kids Christmas gifts under!

The kiddos woke up like usual, because they dont know Christmas day from Thursday or ground hog day! BUT what made today special was TODAY there were NEW PRESENTS!! SO, we tore thru them, and forgot to grab photos DURING, but here is the aftermath!!

Favorite gift of Mikas was his Matchbox cars loop-de-loop that he could SHOOT cars off of! Daddy shows him how!! He just kept saying "Cars,Cars..Cars!" As this was his FIRST time having any Matchbox cars!!

Madeline got the "SAME AS CHAMERLINS" jute box, keyboard, microphone!! SHE LOVED IT!! She just kept singin' and singin' JUS LIKE CHAMERLIN!"

But the best gift of all..what was it that they were fighting over?? Flavored "Lipglops"(lipgloss) OR Chapstick as we all know it! Yep, they tried on ALL 6 flavors, and when we werent looking, guess what Mikas was doing..yup..EATING IT!!

Would we REALLY expect anything less?

It was a really fun 2nd Christmas with 2 kiddos!

Merry Christmas Auntie Marilyn!

2010-12-24T00:10:00.000-08:00

A Christmas Surprise For

Auntie Marilyn!

Because I STRIVE to surprise Auntie Marilyn with the BEST Christmas present, this one came to me starting in July when we first moved to Vegas! However, because I didnt have time until the LAST MINUTE, this beautiful wreath happened to BE a Christmas Miracle!!

Auntie Marilyn has a beautiful photo of a blonde girl walking with roses in her arms into a field of tall grass near the oceanside. I made this wreath for her to put in her bedroom to match the picture hanging over her bed because she LOVES wreaths!! I later found out that she LOVES pussy willows, and along with the wreath and pussywillows, I added seashells, blue flowers and starfish! It turned out absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! (way better than the photo) As you can see with her expression she LOVED it too!

Yay for Christmas and SPOILING the ones you love!!

Merry Christmas Auntie Marilyn!!

Early Christmas Eve cont

2010-12-23T23:37:00.000-08:00

We x-Grutsis gals LOVE giving eachother Christmas presents!! AND we love LOVE LOVE getting them!! So here we are, acting like kids ourselves..getting WAYYY too excited to see if INDEED it was the BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT of ALL!

Lets not forget it was Levi's 2nd Birthday too! He got a basketball hoop and everyone joined in for a little "hoop" time!

While that was going on, the girls were busy coloring their purses, and Madeline was doing light bright and Mikas was playing with his new cars..EVERYONE was happily playing/creating/practicing/enjoying their Early Christmas Gifts!

Gappmayer Christmas 2010

2010-12-22T23:29:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas 2010!

All of us standing in front of the Christmas tree wearing our Christmas BEST!

Mikas practices his "Little Drummer Boy"..umm, no thank you Mikas, even tho you are stinkin' cute!

All us squeezed around Jordanas Beautiful Christmas table! Probably the LAST year we can do this! Little-kid-table, THERE THEY GO!!

Kids opening presents!! Cecile loved the earmuffs BUT the purse WAYY MORE! Kaiah LOVED her dress, BUT the purse more!! Madeline and Mikas made out like bandits with HORSES a PLENTY! Elijah got a laser tag gun from so and I ..all were soo happy!

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-22T23:03:00.000-08:00

Mikas and his Car

2010-11-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

Mikas loves a car, he loves this car! AND because the kids are 15 minutes apart, we MUST have 2 cars! (Note the blue one behind him) It was determined the MOMENT he saw the cars that the RED one was his and there is NO changing HIS MIND on this!! He is such a funny boy..ALL boy! He climbs in and honks the horn or just opens and closes his door. I warn you DONT try to pry him out or you will meet witha very unhappy guy! He WILL call you if he needs your assistance..like when he tried to climb in the WINDOW and got stuck bum in the air..or when he slipped off the seat and got stuck between the bottom of the seat and the concole and the wheel. OTHERWISE, just get out of his way!!!!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T20:34:00.001-07:00

to my 2 FAVORITE Dalmations!

I tried to make Mikas stand on the porch with Madeline. Then I tried to make Madeline HOLD Mikas' hand to keep him on the porch..all it did was make two puppies VERY MAD!

AND we are OFF.. to "knock the doors" I figured we would do 1 or 2 houses...after Madeline had a "taste" of her first door, she was addicted and had to do the rest of the neighborhood! Daddy was none too pleased but she would say "Jus come on WREED, jus come on!!

She would say in her sweetest voice "Happy Halloween"..

then to our neighbor she got a hug AND a kiss and then a customary "puppy howl" to say thank you..Mikas would chime in from WHERE EVER he was with "aahhhwhaooooo"

Knocked the door but waiting for the lady!

She was thrilled with the puppy! She and Mikas were glued with EVERY dog they came in contact! She would say "Trick or Treat, where's your dog?" and try to walk in!

At this door, as we were walking up she was kinda doin the pee pee dance. When I asked her if she had to go pee pee she said YEP! Just then the door opened and the first thing she said to the nice lady who OWNED the house was "I GOTTA GO PEE!" The nice lady IMMEDIATELY showed her (and me) to the 1st bathroom on the right! I laugh as I even write this!! hahaha

Mommy and her puppies!

And this little guy just ran, and ate lollypops (all over his costume) and was a GREAT sport!! He was, however, kinda like hearding a cat, and by the end of the night I wished his costume came with a collar and leash!

A 3rd Birthday Party For

2010-10-16T22:21:00.000-07:00

MADELINE!

This year, we went to California to see everybody and celebrate Cecile's and Madelines Birthday. BUT because Daddy couldnt come, we had to come home and have a party for her here too! NOT to mention the tea party we had for her and her little friends from our Mommy Group in Vista! SO, a girl got 3 BIRFDAY partys! 3-3yr old Birthday party's for Madeline!

THIS party was the "REAL" party, thrown ON her Birthday, WITH her Mommy AND Daddy!

She just HAD to see her "Birfday Party" (the cake) and kept "tuchin' the Birfday party"

Stealing tastes of her "Birfday Party" " I LOVE IT!! IT tastes like STRAWBUURYS"

A lady in waiting as she patiently waits for "THE KIDS' to arrive!..

legs crossed, in her party dress

The party back yard!! With kids!!

Mikas VERY BUSY mixing himself a drink!

Daddy and a girl, making bubbles

"I makea the bubbles Mama!!"

The gals and the "Birthday Daddy"

More Party Mammas and babes!

Every one say Mac-n-CHEESE!!

(I made my Moms HOMEMADE Mac-n-Cheese and it was a HUGE hit:)

"Happy Birthday to you..Happy Birthday to YOU..Happy Birthday dear

Madeline!"

She just LOVED everyone singing to her!!

Make a wish!!

YEA!! SHE DID IT!! Yea! Now she can finally have

Birfday Cake!!

(She wanted a piece with "flowers on it" and then licked the frosting off 3 cupcakes instead!:)

Mama, Daddy and Maddy!

"What is it??" I LOVE that she can open presents now, all by herself! She was SOO excited about each gift!

"We do play-do now??" I LOVE IT!!"

Play Doh!! Yea!!

BUT THE BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA was from Alyse and Susanna...

Her VERY OWN HORSE TO RIDE!!

Her face tells it all, and she didnt get off it all night! At bed time, SHE WANTED him to sleep WITH her, we compremised and he stood and stared at her through her crib!

As I turned off the light she said, "I love you Horsie, Its ok, I here.. good night"

Mommy and Madeline..

2010-10-16T21:36:00.001-07:00

I love you sooo much..MOOOW much than I could ever tell you..

I love a girl, A girl named Madeline

SOO funny is this girl, her giggles make my heart smile..

Cheek to cheek, my Girl and I

Happy 3rd Birthday

My Sweet Sweet Madeline

Happy 3rd Birthday!!

2010-10-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

Madeline!

My Sweetest 3 year old girl!!

Today you were born, 3 years ago! I had NO idea how my life would change!

You bring MAGIC into my life, you are magical in the way you see things, and do things, and treat people. I love everything about you!

*like the way you are INSTANTLY concerned if someone is sad! You will come to me and hold my face in your hands and say "Its ok Mommy, its ok..Come here little Mommy and I hold you"

*I love how you LOVE YOUR DADDY! He is the #1 man in your life and makes your whole day!

* I love how you have ALWAYS loved "BeeBee" and even tho you ALWAYS steal his toys away from him, if he is crying you come over and hug/choke him and "I give a Kiss"

*YOU ARE POTTY TRAINED and love to "Make a pp on the potty" So Proud!

*if you dont want to do something, or wear something you say "I CANT like it, I CANT like this!

* I LOVE LOVE LOVE your giggle, it lights up my day, and makes my day WORTH IT!

*You call Auntie Marilyn "Auntie Grandma" and love her JUST like she was YOUR Grandma, you just cant LOVE people enough!!

*You still eat like a bird, 25% for weight, 75% height!

You are my favorite girl, my special dancer, my bestest hugger..

I LOVE YOU Madeline

Happiest Birthday to MY BEST GIFT EVER!!

Madeline can DANCE!

2010-09-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

For Madelines 3rd Birthday, Daddy suggested and requested that her present be ballet lessons! He just thought that our little dancer would LOVE twirling and leaping in her very own class! SO, I looked online and VOILA, Fairytales and Tutus was discovered! Today was her very first class and..

she LOVED it!

They start their class like all serious ballerinas do, with a good stretch!

And they all find their spots on their OWN butterfly mat!

(the whole time Miss Karissa is singing "itsie-bitsie-spider" to make them do "sunshine arms")

..up came the sun and dried up all the rain.."sunshine arms"

Madeline in AWE of miss Karissa

Doing "sunshine arms" and "tippie toes" to the music

Look at the smile as Madeline follows Miss Karissa..arms on her hips and pointy toes

This is how happy she was in class!!

A SUPER-HAPPY-FOR-A-GIRL face!!

Waiting to dance (in Hello Kitty ears, and tail) with her "Rainbow Maker"

Sunshine arms, with Rainbow maker, and moves to music!

Twirls with Miss Karissa..

(the other little girls were FACING Miss Karissa, MADELINE was NEXT to Miss Karissa,

NOT on her spot, but being a "teachers aid":)

All go to do rainbows to the little rose tree

and the only sad part of the class..was when it was over..and then the tears started as she said

"Doooo AGAIN..not leeeaaavvveee..DOOO AGAIN!!

And Daddy carried her to the car, tears and all..but..

YES MADELINE, we will do again, every Monday till Christmas:)

Then she will do the Nutcracker as a final performance!

CANT WAIT!!

IT was sooo stinkin cute!!

Leid Discovery Museum

2010-08-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

Leid Discovery Museum

2010-08-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Doin The STAIRS!

2010-08-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

Sophia and Jordana and the kids came to check out our new home in Vegas for the weekend!! The first attraction, wasnt the back yard, or the toys..it was the STAIRS!

Mikas and Madeline carefully looked over the edge, Madeline FINALLY getting brave enough to scoot down on her bottom! Mikas just looked on and cheered her down the stairs!

Cora did the stairs, and then proceeded to do her own dance in the corner! SHE just thought it was HILARIOUS to dance a jig in the corner of the stairs!

After MUCH thinking, Levi took the dive DOWN the stairs RIGHT into his favorite place, HIS MOMMYS ARMS

(complete with thumb:)

THE GIRLS WERE THE BRAVEST OF ALL!! Cecile and Kaiah decided to grab their sleeping bag and FLY down the stairs!! Faster and faster with no concern for personal safety or the fact that EVENTUALLY they MIGHT JUST end up in a HEAP at the bottom of the stairs!

A Naked Boy on the Porch

2010-07-21T21:18:00.001-07:00

I just couldnt resist..he is soo beautiful and he climbed out of the pool by himself to sit right there! Had to grab a shot..if for no other reason but to have black mail material down the road!

and then he STOOD UP FULL MONTY gave us his best rendition of

"Wash-a-da-Baby"

He was sooo proud of his standing and washing ability..had to grab it..and then edit it as well!

Pool Play Las Vegas Way

2010-07-21T15:28:00.001-07:00

SO, in hot Las Vegas fashion where the front yard has grass, and soft cement, we pull out the SMALLEST blow up pool and take our baths outside..on the front porch! Yep, naked as a jay bird! Add two water bottles, two styrofoam cups and 1 hose and we have hours of fun!

A beautiful water baby working away with his water bottle

Pouring/drinking from hose/cup

oops..I think a LITTLE TOOO much hose water

YEP, choking on hose water

A girl smiling at the mama, looking for the froggie in the lense!

(thanks Erin, she remembered that on her own:)

Working so hard on the pouring, and stopping every once in a while to fight over the hose! And putting the hose on babys head and soaking him!

(which earned her a free head soak from Mama with the hose, and she screamed cuz she hates water on her face!!)

Juicy moist baby skin..I just want to eat him!!

Big brown eyes that melt my heart

and we always get a "little behind" when we play in the pool..

Rub-a-dub-dub

2010-07-20T15:00:00.001-07:00

there are two super cute kiddos in the tub!

I love tub shots, the bubbles, the clean kiddos and an audience that cant get away easily!

Proud to be an

2010-07-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

American

where at least I know I'm free..

especially on the 4th of July to come to a bbq at Jordana's house!

This year Jo and Sean hosted and it was a EAT-o-rama for all of us!!

I love dressing my kids in red/white and blue on the 4th! I had the CUTEST tank top but the 60 degree weather made me pull out my long sleeve shirt and grumble below my breath!

Uncle Seany pulled out sparklers!! SO fun, except my kids were terrified by the them, note the photo above, and so all the other kids had more to play with!

Kaiah, Maria, Cecile, and Elijah had a blast!

Maria does the sparkler dance!

Madeline loves her Papou-sie!

The happy Marquis Family,

Justin proudly wearing his 4th shirt from OUR BBQ extravaganza from 2 years ago!

Good Ol' Uncle George MICKAS with his namesake, Mikas!

The two of them chumming it up!

Bestest buds..in the making!

Auntie Marilyn gets the surprise of the party!!

Yep, lovin the 4th, but lovin my family the most! I love any get together that involves FAMILY!

And they called it..

2010-07-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

PUPPY LOVE!!

My parents got a puppy..let me rephrase that, my parents CARE GIVER talked my Dad into a poodle puppy..and we all now refer to her as "Precious Angel". When in Cali I took the kids over for the afternoon and we met "Precious"..and the rest is in pictures...

Licka da face, licka da face, repeat..repeat..repeat

Papou and Madeline lovin a puppy!

SOO funny is that puppy that licks and jumps and plays!

SOoooo exciting!! Precious is a Lick-a-holic!!

Cheese!

To Precious account', I must say she is the SWEETEST dog EVER! You can hold her like a baby (not that I do, I dont even like to hold my OWN babies) and she is sooo thankful for being rescued! Gotta love a rescue dog! So, Briged, you did good!

Happy Happy Birthday

2010-06-24T21:30:00.001-07:00

BABY!

I cant believe you were born ONE year ago today. WOW, how things can change in a year! One year ago you and I were sitting in a hospital room, all alone, getting to know eachother for the first time..on the outside! I remember looking at you and taking multiple pictures of you as you just laid there asleep. Daddy was home sick and it was just you and I. I became the mother of a son that day, and I really didnt know what to think about that. I had NEVER imagined having a son, and here you were, so different, so boyish, yet just a baby all the same. Brand new. Such a good nurser. SO many sweet sounds. SO calm.

AND here we are a year later! You have learned to sleep thru the night, make doggie sounds, are SUPER mobile, yet can not walk yet, much to your dismay. AND over the past year become attached to me. You have always been so independent, not wanting to be cuddled, or held for hours on end (thank you). But now, when you see me, you crawl to me and sit in my lap. THOSE moments I cherish. I love your curiosity. You are WAY more curious than Madeline EVER was or IS!! Just the other day I caught you driving your little car up the wall and put it RIGHT into the trash can! You were fasinated by the fact that the car disappeared into the flap on the trash can. From that day on the trash can lived out doors!

You are my water baby! Just like Mama, if you are upset, into the bathtub you go! Since you have been sick and teething lately, you have had 2 baths a day! You got 2 top teeth on New Years and since then we have been teething, yep for 6 months, but today, you finished the biggest accoplishment..all 4 front teeth!! Big sigh of relief!

You are a really CALM baby. Just like Madeline you will ride in the car forever, as long as your bum gets changed from time to time and you have a fresh bottle or snack.

We are reading to you and you LOVE it! for your Birthday Daddy bought you 6 puppy books!! And as you opened them, you looked LONG AND HARD at each one!! I love that you take after Daddy, you, he and Madeline can always get lost in a good book:)

I still cant believe I have you, Mikas, my son!

I love you sooo much and cant wait to see what this next year brings!

You are such a sweet, tender little boy. I am so anxious to get to know you better as your sister Madeline has blossomed and become such a fun girl to know! I just KNOW you have alot to tell us and I cant wait for you to become our fun little boy with tales to tell!

Thank you for coming to us..

I love you soooo much,

Mommy

Little Boy Blueberry..

2010-06-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

Mikas loves his blueberries..a cup EVERY MORNING

and EVERY MORNING I get to clean up...

Little Boy Blue..ish-purple!

on the face and hands..

in the hair..

the head and ear

Blueberries, blueberries EVERYWHERE!

A Girl..

2010-06-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

Julie Isa captured these beauties when we were TRYING to wrangle her and her brother for a pic with Dave.

I love her, I love a Girl..

named Madeline

2 years and 9 months old... still has no real need for food...loves her blankey...still naps...says "I stay here!"...Has the BEST giggle..says "I do it!"..loves to put on her socks, shoes, and most clothes..LOVES a pretty dress...STILL kinda fights me for "brusha the teefees"...Says "I Love You Mom!..Loves a painted toe nail "SOO pretty toes!"...LOVES a sippy of milk...says "Madeline Birphday party FOR MEEE??"...Says "Nice to meet you Mom!"and shakes your hand...and LOVES LOVES LOVES a Daddy!!

I love you girl, I love you

mooooow Much!

Same time next year..

2010-06-09T08:36:00.001-07:00

Dave!

Last year Dave came out from Texas to visit!

At that time BOTH of us were carrying a little extra "weight"..

In this pic I was 9 months pregnant with Mikas

and on my way UP in weight..(41 lbs to be exact)!! And Dave was on his way down in weight!

In this pic, I am holding Madeline on my lap

and carrying Mikas IN my lap!

And Dave is holding his oldest Jensen on HIS lap!

This year however, I have Madeline on my lap

and Dave has Mikas ON his lap!

and BOTH of us have LOST 41+ lbs!!

I love our yearly visits Dave! I am sooo glad we have such a special friendship that has stayed and spand over the years! Heres to the past 20 and the last 2!

I love you Dave, and our visits!

See you next year!!

Viva...

2010-06-03T20:04:00.004-07:00

Las Vegas!!

It is amazing that with a little work, and some crafty coordination..

you CAN pull a place together in a week!

Welcome to our new home-away-from-home

Vegas Baby!

Our new living room..wanted to go with the contemporary look..

LOVE how the rug and the pillows all go together..

LOVING ORANGE and RED together!!

The view of the comfy Papasan chair! and lets not forget the AWESOME artwork!! Loving the orange and red with the black and white

Some decorations by the mantle..

Loving orange and lime green with the black and white!!

The guest/Madelines Bathroom..

HAD to do the pink and lime green when I found this shower curtain!!

Our dining room and office

All we need is a fun bright rug!

And an accent wall in ..orange!

The NEW bedroom!

FELL IN LOVE with Liberty of London at Target!!

And a boy to complete the color story!!

We LOVE our new Las Vegas Home!!

And the funny thing is that EVERYTHING you see here was bought off of CRAIGSLIST!! With the exception of the bedding(Target on clearance), and the flowers (Big lots)

I got ALL OF IT for almost NOTHING!!

Where there is a will there is a way..and a big thanks to Bree at Brezilla pillows for Etsy for selling me the black and white pillows for $10 and GIVING ME ALL THE DECORATIONS!! (rug, vases, painting, lamp) and a big thanks to our Canadian friend Todd Wouters for selling us his ENTIRE CONDO full of furniture (futon, table, chairs,FULL kitchen appliances etc) for $300!

I tell you I KNOW I am supposed to be here, in Vegas, with Reed.

THERE IS NO WAY ON EARTH I COULD OF DONE THIS WITHOUT ALL OF THE CONTINUAL MIRACLES THAT HAPPENED!!

So, welcome to our home away from home!

I am soo thankful, and amazed that we now have a place to be as a family..in Las Vegas:)

Why I (Heart) Las Vegas!

2010-06-03T20:04:00.003-07:00

Every night, I get to hear my favorite words..

DADDY'SSS HOOOME!!!

Madeline loves her daddy..and EVERY MINUTE she can be on/near/touching him..

holding his hand "makin a circle Dad"!

They FLIP OUT when he walks in the door..

its ALL KIDS ON DAD time!

A boy finally gets his turn to crawl up and attack the dad

Tellin' stories of a his VERY LONG day as a baby!

(and there were naps, and bottles, and I ate tons of food, and naps...)

A girl loves, loves, loves the Daddy

I love you MOOOO much Daddy

We can live anywhere

but we cant live without Daddy!

THe Dinosaur Park

2010-06-03T20:04:00.001-07:00

My fabulous Vegas Mama's group headed over to the Dinosaur park the other day!! WE HAD A BLAST!! I swear, Vegas has the BEST PARKS!! It has a TON of play things, swings, climbing, sand pit, and also a water feature!! It was a great time!! I love taking the kiddos to the park!

Madeline in a Dinosaur egg

Mikas climbing around this baby dino

AND THEN the water play began...

SOOO much fun!! I love going to the park with my kids!

Doing activities with them makes sooo many fun memories!

Socks on da HANDS!!

2010-05-28T14:25:00.001-07:00

SOME-times, when I put a girl down for a rest..I assume she is sleeping. THEN I check the monitor to hear her singing and playing..

"Sunbeen..sunbeen..JESUS..mumble mumble SUNBEEN..Lalala spider..sdoddss..spider WEB!"

And when I go into the room I see THIS.."HI MOM!" as she waves to me with socks on her hands and laughs....

"seee socks on da hands..funny! giggle giggle giggle"..

"Madeline gig out now..stam up Mom..stam up!"

And after I stop laughing, and pull her out of her crib she says

"Come on mom! Madeline sit on da couch now"

Yes, Madeline..go sit on the couch..haha, thank you for that,

my silly silly girrrl!

Sometimes you just gotta discover something...

2010-05-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

and the perfect place to do it is..

Mikas discovering sound..and that he can stand for EVER almost..

Mikas discovering himself in the "house" part of the museum

Mikas hands on in the baby oasis..which I had to keep PRYING Madeline as the workers there kept giving me crusty looks because the "Oasis" is for 18 m and younger...she WEARS 18 m clothes..does that count?? =)

AND Madeline got to discover SCIENCE!

Madeline got to help in a science experiment! This was a plastic water bottle with vinegar in it..when the worker put baking soda in it it created a gas which blew up the balloon! She clapped with smiles giggles when the balloon blew up! She is soo easily over joyed:)

In this pic is my Moms group leader Shauna and her son Lincoln, and Madeline and the teacher.

ANYTHING to keep these kiddos occupied, and I had a fun time too!

Time passes when you are having a good time!

We LOVE VEGAS!!:)

Happy 11 Months Mikas!

2010-05-25T11:39:00.004-07:00

11 Months of fun! I love having this fun loving little boy in our family!

Riding his firetruck, HIS way..

...all over the house, swinging his feet forward and pushing himself around

He loves to make sounds and play with his sister

He is a man of many expressions

Here comes the famous Mikas smile and two little bottom teeth

(Two top teeth are torturing you..but almost here)

Silly boy..

Ridin backwards on his firetruck! Hey, there are more than one way to get there!

(Consequently, riding the firetruck this way is VERY dangerous and inevitably ends up tipping forward and LAUCHING him! BUT he doesnt seem to mind..even tho I DO!!)

My funny, sweet, giggley, boy!

PS...Dear Mikas,

On the day of your 11 month b-day you gave me the biggest scare. You started to get a high fever which led to around the clock medicine. Your dad had to fly away over night so it was just you, me and sissy. We took you to the dr and he said you just had a bad virus. That bad virus caused you to have a fever that went ABOVE 106. I was sooo scared..you were just laying in bed, totally on fire, and quietly crying. It made me soo scared and decided to wake up sissy and take you to the emergency room. I was too scared that I might fall asleep and your fever would make you pass out and I wouldnt be there to help you. SO, at 1:30 with a fever of 106+ we went to the emergency room. As I sat there and filled out the paperwork, I realized that the date MATCHED your birthday..how ironic. 5/24/10..instead of 6/24/09. So, the first time you went to the emergency room, the first time you were ever truely sick was when you turned 11 months old. I HOPE you are never that sick again.

I love you,

Momma

The Funniest Girl I have ever met..

2010-05-24T21:07:00.000-07:00

is my funny Madeline..uncut and full of life, and curiosity, and mischief..

"runnin so fast mom..soooo fast"

"Hidin in the bushes..come on Mommy-Daddy..Madeline is hidin in the bushes..come on"

"come on Mommy-Daddy..one, two, three, ..hiding!!..four, five,.."

we say "you're peaking Madeline!" and she keeps counting..and peaking

"six,sezen, eight, nine.."

"ten..leven, telve..turteen.."

"okay guys..I come find you.."

"where Daddy-Mom go??"

"HA HA, I SEEE you! I see Mom-daddy in the bushes..you hidin' in da bushes! "

"Funny Mommy..I SEEE you..."

"ok, now YOU count, and I HIDE in da bushes"

Basically, Madeline loves to play hide n seek. She is HILARIOUS especially if you JUMP out at her and say "BOO" she will throw her head back and laugh outloud! SO, whenever she decides, she will go off and "hide in the bushes" which translates into behind the curtains, behind the towels hanging on the towel rack etc..and then the hunt is on to find a MOMMY who has to go "hide in da bushes"

Ha ha, Madeline, you make me laugh! You entertain me all day long! I MUST grab these little things you say because they are priceless and make all of the drop-to-the-ground trantrums worth it!

I love you girl,

Mommy

My 10 month old little boy

2010-05-17T13:09:00.001-07:00

Mikas can stand confidently, and now takes a few steps!

He is always looking at where he wants to go next!

He makes tons of sounds with this mouth, grrr's and gurgles, and squeals!

His mouth was all grrrr's in this shot

Here he is singing and squealing, and a little bit of smiling

Looking up and away..so interested in the world..and what he can put in his mouth next!

(previous to this pic, we dug out grass and a leaf!)

and lets not forget teething! He has been teething for about a month now!

And today, FINALLY, the top left tooth broke thru!

This pic, however was the end of the photo shoot!

He is such a curious, determined little guy! He will crawl, climb and cruise to ANYTHING that catches his eye! The other day he cruised around the ottoman, climbed up it, climbed up the couch, and crawled over to the end of it to CAPTURE the remote control!

He LOVES to eat! (THANK GOD!) He loves when I put a mound of noodles, pile of blueberries, or a cut up piece of PIZZA on his plate! YEP, this boy stopped eating baby food a while ago and can GUM to death ANY FOOD you can imagine!!

He, unlike his sister, weighs over 20 lbs already!

He wears the normal 12 month clothes, however, when you go to pick him up, he is solid!

He WAS a great sleeper! Sleepin from 6:30 pm till 4:30am when he would wake up STARVING! He would grab his bottle, gobble it down and go back to sleep.

However, when teething started, good sleeping ended:(

He loves to walk behind his little ride-on firetruck, especially pushing his sister!

(made possible since she only weighs 25 lbs:)

He thinks its a blast to push her and she steers it!

He is the giggle-est, sweetest, strongest, loudest little boy! After having Madeline, I can see how boys are sooo different than girls and he TOTALLY is! He is just so fun!

I love this little boy, MY little boy. I have a son, I cant believe it.

My little boy blue!

"Babies" FIRST Haircut

2010-05-17T11:55:00.001-07:00

WHAT?? you say! What hair is there TO cut!

and didnt you spell that wrong? shouldn't that say

Baby's 1st Haircut?

Nope, not when the TWO most hairless BABIES are getting their

FIRST HAIRCUT!

Yep, just a dusting off the top..

and trim up that back so I have a nice straight hairline

OF COURSE around the ears, no straggley baby boy cut here!

and "Whalah" a clean cut baby with no straggley, long, whispy hairs hanging down and around!

and now for his "Birthday Sister"

Look at the long, straggley, disheveled little blonde baby girl

"Just layer the top, give me a few for volume, and shape my bangs so they dont hang in my eyes and give me a soft "bob"

Here she is, Miss Marquis, a beautiful new baby girl with a PERFECT first Haircut!

A Mothers Day To Remember

2010-05-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

A picture is worth a thousand words..

I had the AMAZING opportunity of having my Grandmother, Mother, Sisters and my children over for Mothers Day. I HONESTLY could not of asked or received a better gift. Then, to top off the day, my wonderfully giving neighbor Julie Isa came over to capture our day in pictures. I cant believe it as I think about the day! ALL the women who have taught me how to mother were in my home all at the same time! And all the Mothers had their children! My Grandmother had 2 of her daughters, my mom and my aunt, I had my Grandmother and Mother, my children had their Grandmother and GREAT Grandmother and my sisters had their children. I still cant believe how it came together..I GOT the best gift of all..all of them!

It was a day to remember..and now forever in photos!

My Grandma and one of HER best Mothers day gifts, her Daughter Susan

Sophia and HER best Mothers Day Gifts..Cecile and Cora

And a little moment of peace amongst the chaos..Madeline found Heaven

Hot Tubs for TWO??

2010-05-03T21:28:00.001-07:00

Sophia came over for dinner tonight and AFTER dinner, the girls wanted to take "hot tubs" together..sooo, we decided to divide and conquer and put two in the sink and two in the tub!

Cora (11 months), Mikas (10 months) Both 20 lbs!

Take one!

Take two!

and here he GOES with the SPLASHING!! Yep, it only took 3 takes until Mikas showed Cora how to REALLY enjoy the hot tubs in the sink..(I dont think Cora is convinced:)

Then on to what the "big girls" were doing..blowing bubbles in cups with straws, and pouring cold cold water on eachother, and TONS OF GIGGLING and swimming in the HOT TUB!

Recreating a picture taken LONG ago of MY two little sisters in the tub..

ahh...**sigh**..memories..sooo sweet:)

A Spur of the moment trip to the BEACH??

2010-05-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

The conversation went like this..

me:"Hey Ceely, so what are you doing today?

Ceely:"We are goin to the swap meet and the beach"

me:"WHAT?? you're in town?? I am sooo mad at you cuz you are goin to the swapmeet without me!! You gotta buy me some jeans..NO, WAIT, IM COMIN TOO!!"

and with that, I made a U-turn in the road,(I was on the way to the market), and I went home, grabbed my jogger stroller, and we met Ceely and her kiddos at Newport swapmeet! Then, four hours later, we went to Balboa Beach for hot dog roast and beach time!! It was the best, non planned, spur of the moment day, and my kiddos were wonderful as they were all along for the ride! We just wing-ed it and it turned out GREAT!

Ceely and I sitting on the beach, watching our kiddos not drown, eat, or throw sand

Mikas sitting on the beach for THE VERY FIRST TIME!! He did GREAT! he put a LITTLE sand in his mouth and soon figured out that he really didnt want that stuff in his mouth!

Madeline standing next to Mikas as he digs in and really gets goin with the sand

Then, they all got into it! Mikas just crawled around, trying to get into Chamberlyns bucket, whilst Madeline gently stroked the sand and poured it thru her fingers

Mikas says, "This sand stuff is FUN! and easy on the knees! He kept crawling around in circles, you could tell exactly where he had been because of the "crawl"trail he left behind! and then he noticed the TALL sand dune behind him..its 3ish feet tall...

So, he decided to climb it..and climb it, and climb across it, and climb to the top of it...

and puuullll himself up and crawl UPWARDS and try and try to reach the top

and FINALLY he DID IT!! HE REACHED THE TOP!!

only to roll-ish back down and do it all over again!!

Madeline got VERY brave this year!! She said "Come on Mom!!" and led me by the hand down to where the waves were crashing! As soon as the wave came close she would let it touch her toes or get WAYY to scared if it looked tooo big and run away! SMART GIRL!!

Watchin the waves..my mesmerized/brave/curious but properly fearful little girl!

and then Mikas passed out..in his stroller..next to the waves..and took a nap..he was soo tired that he didnt care that the bottle was pushin up his top lip!

All cozy and warm..he slept for an hour and then it was time to go home..it was about 7:30 by this time and my kiddos had been QUITE the GREAT troopers!

And because of them, I HAD the BEST INPROMPTU SPUR OF THE MOMENT trip to the beach and got to see my friend Ceely! Thanks kiddos! Mommy needed that!

Dinner out on the town!

2010-05-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

We decided to take the kiddos out for dinner to "The Spaghetti Factory" and see how we would fair as a "table for 4!".. We had a GREAT TIME!! The kiddos were WONDERFUL, and we got NO crusty stares from people around us!

Mommy and Madeline..we kinda have matching hairdos!

Mikas and Daddy..with simular do's as well..sans HAT!

Our smiley baby..SO BIG!

Yep, just this cute and happy! He was happy as a clam sitting in a highchair and slapping his hands on the table top! Then he GOBBLED UP more Spaghetti than Madeline!

We love our little family of 4!

Hot Tubs in the SINK Mom??

2010-05-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

PLEASE??

Is what Madeline said to me after seeing me bathe/wrestle Mikas in the sink! I thought she would be tooo big, but no, she fits JUST fine!

So, now we have "hot tubs" in the bath tub and "hot tubs" in the sink! Every day its a BIG decision where we do our "Soakin"..either way its bubbles of fun:)

Mikas is 10 months old!

2010-04-24T20:51:00.001-07:00

Happy 10 Months Lil Man!

Yep, he still only has his two bottom teeth!

(However as I am posting this he is SUFFERING GREATLY with teething!!)

He is STILL the HAPPIEST baby on the block!

(Even after crying his eyes out over sore teeth!)

Yep, he still has auburn hair!

(and what you see is all he has grown in 10 months!!)

It finally sticks up in a little mohawk!

Yep, he is STILL really mello!

Here he is kickin back like any guy, enjoyin his birthday watchin the tube, holdin a bottle, with his belly sticking out!

I love a boy named Mikas!! He REALLY is a sweet heart! He is constantly giggling and smileing and now he laughs when something funny happens on tv! He is still our little lightening bolt! He crawls SUPER FAST, sits up, stands up holding onto something and cruises about anywhere he wants to go! Just prior to these pictures he was crying his little eyes out because he is teething! But you wouldnt notice by these pics! AND, he is SOLID! He almost weights about as much as Madeline! She weights 24lbs and he is 21 lbs! HE has also blessed us with sleeping thru the night!! LOVE IT!! Put him down to sleep at 7 and see him at 5 am for a bottle and he is back to sleep to 7:30!! He also eats like a champ, more than Madeline at ANY sitting.

I truely love my little boy!

Happy Birthday Lil Mikas Man

Family time on the grass! stay in the group

2010-04-23T21:59:00.003-07:00

Another ordinary Sunday for any other family. Not ordinary for me.

I am still commuting and only seeing my family on the weekends.

SO, every opportunity to have time together is a special moment.

I capture these moments and take them to Los Angeles were

I cherish them and hold them in my heart.

Mikas curious, oh so curious about the world around him

even a blade of grass..

he has to see, touch and smell, he has to TASTE the world around him..

Daddy and Mikas..

Mikas STILL exploring the grass in his fist and mouth!

Mommy and Maddy

Oh how I miss this girl..

I can NEVER get enough of the girl!

Madeline, upclose and personal..a self portrait

and then the baby crawled over to investigate these Mommy toes..hmmm

and then he BIT the Mommy toes!! and I SCREAMED and tried to pull away my toes TRAPPED between his razor sharp bottom teeth and slimey wet boney top gums!!

The MADDY cam..

a fam photo..from Madelines point of view..

"Stay in the group!! Stay in the group"

Yes, Madeline, we will stay in the group!

Swinging Mikas & The Peddle Peddle

2010-04-23T21:59:00.001-07:00

When you live for the weekends when you get to see your kids for 40 hours, a trip to the park becomes a major picture opportunity. You snap away a simple activity to hold you over until the next weekend when you have them in your loving arms again. This was one of those days. I wanted pictures of Mikas and Madeline being themselves so I could print out new pictures to stare at at work and show my co-workers what the kids were up to THIS weekend..here ya go!

BeeBee loves a swing! These were taken while he was SWINGING!! Not easy to catch, but totally worth it! I love his carefree smiles and funny faces!

As he would come towards me I would snap another photo for the collage..

Ever so slightly different.. yet totally cute..especially all together hung around my mirror at work..they called it "the shrine":)

And along came a girl who could peddle, on her favorite trike.."peddle-peddle"! Madeline got her first trike from Santa this year and IMMEDIATELY hopped on it and peddled away!

(I hear quite impressive for a 2 year old!)

She's goin sooo fast, so veryy verrryyy fast!! Go Madeline GOOO!

Loved the sun on her face, here she is showing me wood chips..amazing how fasinating the world is to a 2 year old!

Running on the play structure that only 6 months ago she was too small and timid to walk on, let alone run across!

down, Down DOWN the slide Madeline went ALL BY HERSELF!! sooo proud of a girl who is sooo brave to climb to the top and slide alll the wayyy down the curvy slide all by herself!

Happy 8 Months Old Mikas!

2010-04-23T21:58:00.001-07:00

Our little boy is 8 MONTHS old!!

He is just getting cuter and cuter!! I just love his big brown eyes, smiles, laughs and cuddles!

Photograph by Madeline!

Silly boy grin!

He is wearing my FAVORITE baby shoes..His first Chuck Taylors! I bought them for him when I found out he was a HE!

Hiya Bee Bee!

"Mee tooo, picture of the Madeline and the Bee bee!"

Taken earlier this month..wow, how he grew!

Smiley baby boy..love a toothless-ish grin..He was about 7.75 months old

hiiii Beee beee!!..always ready for a laugh and smile! I love love love my baby boy!

a treat for the mommy :0)

2010-02-09T21:54:00.000-08:00

hello readers! this blog is being hijacked by moi in order to give a certain momma a few morsels of her children. and what cute kiddos they be! i stopped by to snap a few pics of the babes and wanted to share a few here. (note to the momma: a disc with all the cute pics is being sent home with your kids...and no. i will not post ALL 65 of the pictures on your blog for you!!)

miss madeline.

i told her there was a frog's eye inside my camera and told her to look for it hoping that i would get a good shot with some eye contact...all i got was a curious 2 year old following me around asking, "where's da bibbit?" (the ribbit aka the frog). too cute!

madeline is so sweet. the first time she saw me she yelled HI and ran up and gave me a big hug even tho she had NO clue who I am. she is so dainty, petite and fun!

and this kid has some major dance skills. you should see him do "the worm" (i know you know what dance move i'm talking about!). in fact, "the worm" is his main mode of transportation. mikas can dance all the way across the room in a matter of seconds. what a cutie!

sweet bow lips, and big brown eyes

here she is showing me how to play peek a boo while riding a scooter!

dear babys' momma: here's to hoping these pics warm the cockles of your heart for a few days....and then you can look at them again when you need a quick cockle reheat. what is a cockle anyway? i guess i am just hoping you enjoy these cute smiles!!

Hats and Islands

2010-01-27T19:31:00.001-08:00

The Friday before Reed took the kids to Utah we went to Islands. Madeline had found this white hat (in the photo) in my scarf drawer and insisted to wearing it to dinner! Well, in our cozy little booth we had a bit of fun with said hat! The photos that follow tell the story!

Narriated in Mad-el-eese"

"CHEESE with da Mom"

(she automatically puts her cheek next to mine in pics..how cute huh!)

"Madeline wears da hat..noo, I stirra da drink tooooo!"

"Mommy wears da hat! kisses for the Mommy"

"ahh, I kissa da Mommy"

(hat pulled down over mommies eyes)

"FUNNY MOMMY! Da Mommies funny!"

"ahhh, I hold you Daddy, I sit by the Daddy"

LOOK, its a bird its a plane, its a BEE BEE!

(who was ALL OVER THE BOOTH!)

And dinner was good too!