Christmas, 2014 {Part 1}

Yes.  It's April.  Shhhh.  I'm still going to blog about Christmas, 2014! Lest I forget.

We started and ended the Christmas season in Estes Park at my family's new place that they finished rebuilding this past April-- after the fire that burned our old cabin down in 2012.  We spent the weekend after Thanksgiving up there-- we saw the "Catch the Glow" parade when they officially light up downtown Estes and also put up the Christmas decor at "the cabin."  It was a great way to spend time with our loved ones and kick off the season! 

 The boys wrote their letters to Santa again this year prior to getting our photo with him at the Bass Pro Shops down the road from our house!  It's so much fun to watch their tastes, thoughts, and handwriting skills develop from year to year.

 Westin kept track of his wish list on his ipad before he wrote his letter to Santa :)

 Be still my heart!

 

My babies on Christmas Sunday!

We did some fun Christmas crafts together this year!  Some of my favorite "quality time" with my boys is spent finding creative outlets... I think that's one interest we ALL share-- at least at this point!

Of course, in keeping with the TMNT theme of 2014, we had to make some Ninja Turtle ornaments!

 I'm so excited about these canvases... I know I'll get them out each year and reflect on our Christmas 2014 and how little each of their feet were!

Click here for Part 2

Brooks' Nursery

Somehow, I keep forgetting to post this! My apologies to those I've left hanging!

One of my favorite things to do while pregnant is get the nursery ready. Followed closely by washing, folding, and putting away teeny tiny clothes!  Each of my babies has had the same nursery but I've redecorated each time so that it feels new and unique to each one.  I LOVE Brooks' nursery.  I spend a good amount of time in there each day-- changing, nursing, rocking, reading, repeating.  It's a happy place for me and I hope it is for him too!
 

I chose a nautical theme this time for my sweet summer baby.  Luckily Pottery Barn Kids had the perfect bedding-- I love the classic, timeless look. With baby boy #3, I didn't feel the need for any baby blue ;) I feel like this look can easily grow with him.  

Most of the wall decor came from Hobby Lobby!  My sister found the sailboat and anchor and used them in my baby shower decor and the rest of it I picked up for a little bit o' nothing. 

Kreg made this wonderful name sign for him!  Pallet wood and rope he picked up at a feed store.  He's so crafty!  I absolutely adore it.

I wanted the dresser in the closet... only problem is with the sliding doors I couldn't get the drawers open! So we just took the doors off and I made some curtains out of Target rugby stripe sheets. 

Everyday baby essentials. Burt's Bees lotion, Alba un-petroleum jelly, lavender oil, booty butter, and some homemade hand sanitizer... everything else can be managed with breastmilk, coconut oil, and probiotics, am I right?? :)

Sweet little love completes the ensemble, don't you think?

I just treasure these baby days! There sure are some tough moments... many of them come in the wee hours of the morning.  But they go by SO fast.  I shared this on my facebook page a few days ago and think on it again as I document my "Brooks & me space." I hope it will bring a sense of purpose & perspective to my mommy friends who find themselves in the tough moments.

It's three A.M., they're all asleep,
And no one's here to see
As we rock slowly back and forth
My baby boy and me.

His little head is feather- light
Tucked up against my chin.
I hold his tiny hand in mine
And stroke his baby skin.

The old apartment house about us creaks and groans,
The clock hands creep around.
He snuggles close to me still
And makes his baby sounds.

I love those quiet hours so much
And cherish every one.
Store memories within my heart
For lonely nights to come.

All to soon he'll be grown up
His need for me gone.
But until then I still have time
For kisses and for song.

Time for quiet hours like this
With him cuddled in my arm,
Where I wish he'd always stay,
Protected, safe and warm.

And yet I know the day will come
When this tiny little hand
Will be much bigger than my own.
He'll grow to be a man.

But until then he's mine to love,
With no one here to see
As we rock slowly back and forth
My baby boy and me.

Judy Emery

Brooks William {6 months}

 Somehow, this sweet baby boy is 6 months old (as of December 11, 2014).  He is 100% delight.  As Kreg says, "he's the kind of baby that makes you think you want more babies."  He's just easy to please.  Happy to be here.  Content.  Healthy.  Full of joy.  Thank you, God! 

 A little over 17 pounds and 27 inches, I am so so pleased at how he has grown!  He started so very tiny! He's right in the middle of the growth charts on weight (48th percentile) and still pretty long (75th percentile).  I *think* his eyes might just stay blue... we will see!  His hair is growing in lighter but I can't decide yet if it will be brown or blonde.  I'm betting on a little brown hair blue-eyed cutie.  I just love watching them grow & change into "themselves!"

 Brooks' favorite things right now are: toys-- any kind, but especially wooden ones that he can chew on (no teeth yet, we're still working hard on them!), his brothers, FOOD, and snuggles with mama.

 He sits very well and is getting sturdier as he stands-- he hasn't shown much interest in crawling, though!  This surprises me because his brothers were all about it-- but I'm alright with him just scooting and army crawling at this point... it's slower and easier to keep up with, ha!

 Brooks does the most adorable thing with his hands... I'm going to have to catch it on video but when he wants something he opens and closes all his fingers (I call it spirit fingers!) as he reaches for wants.  It's just one of those sweet little things that reminds me that each baby is a unique individual person.

 Brooks said his first word last month: Dada.  Kreg has been working on this since practically day 1, so it's only fair!  I love watching him watch our mouths and try to imitate us.  So far, he has "Dada" and "byebye" down... and is quite good at blowing raspberries.  Mama is coming, I'm sure of it :)

 We started solids this month! After 3 babies, I still have yet to buy a jar of baby food... We've always fed our babies "real" food and done the smallest amount of pureeing as possible.  It wasn't until after Westin that I learned there is actually a name and method for this-- it's called Baby Led Weaning.  I steam his veggies and give them to him whole and he gnaws on them until he's mashed them enough to swallow.  Does he choke?  No.  Does he sometimes find his gag reflex?  Yes.  But less and less as the days go by :) He also eats whole bananas, Cliff kids bars (that was kind of an accidental discovery... but works just as well as oatmeal), sweet potato "fries," drumsticks (okay, we pull most of the meat off first but we do leave him some and he loooooves it), yogurt, and bone broth.  He has a hearty little appetite and I love to watch him discover new tastes and textures.

Thank you, God, for the blessing of our little Brooks!  We pray that he will continue to grow strong and healthy, that he will have a servant heart and a desire to know You intimately.