The Postlewait Family

Snow day!

2012-01-16T20:26:00.001-08:00

It snowed this weekend! This was our first snow in the new house. It’s always exciting because snow on the coast doesn’t happen often! Of course, I went and picked up some sleds before the snow came. We had a great time playing.

Last night:

Today…

Our house…in the snow

2012-01-16T20:21:00.001-08:00

Here is our house and views from our house in the snow…so pretty!

Ben: 9 Months Old!

2012-01-16T20:06:00.001-08:00

Ben was 9 months old on the 11th! He is still the biggest sweetheart and his personality is getting stronger each day.

Here is what’s new with Ben these days…

He is waving. He looks at you and sticks his arm out. Then, he will open and close his fist at you.
His is pulling up on to everything. This includes his bed which is now lowered. He loves to pull up onto our fireplace which is probably now a game because he just laughs and laughs. He is working on falling to his bottom. He does a pretty good job but every once in awhile he just fusses to help getting down from standing.
He has 6 teeth (4 on top and 2 on bottom)
He sleeps on his belly now. There is no fighting it. You turn him over and he flips right back to his belly.
He is starting to dance by swaying back and forth.
He plays patty-cake.
He has many different crawling speeds. He is also starting to wonder off in other rooms without us.
He is sleeping GREAT! He goes to bed around 6:30 or 7:00 and I have to get him up at 6:30. For me, he still takes 3 naps a day (about after 2 hours of being up). At daycare, he takes 2 naps and sometimes on the way home.
Eating: where do I begin? I try not to compare Ben to Callie Beth but here it goes…Ben eats a TON! CB was a dainty little thing that never ate too much. Ben will keep eating. When he sees a bowl that might be his, he starts to get fussy. When then turns into crying his eyes out while pulling on my pant lets while his food warms up. If you don’t feed his fast enough, he will let you know. ha! He is eating 3 big meals a day with snacks in between. He loves MumMums. He will drink juice every now and then. Lately, he is eating a lot what we eat but little tiny bites.
He wakes up so happy but needs some cuddle time before he wants to get down and play.
He smiles at everyone!
His eyes are still bright blue.
And best of all…he says Mama! Yay! One evening, Ben was cuddling with me on the couch. Jake came over and took him to get some cuddle time in. Ben started fussing, looked at me, reached out his hands and said “Mama”. Melted my heart!

Miss Callyn

2012-01-12T20:51:00.001-08:00

Callie Beth loves to read at night…so Santa brought her a head lamp for Christmas

She loves to cuddle with Daddy. She always says “I want Daddy to cuddle me”

Naked Boy!!

2012-01-12T20:39:00.001-08:00

Adorable :)

Someone learned to blow raspberries and does it all the time :) Too funny to keep out!

LOVE

2012-01-12T20:24:00.001-08:00

It melts my heart to see the love these two have for each other!

Happy and Everywhere!

2012-01-12T20:07:00.001-08:00

Ben is everywhere these days which makes him an ever happier little guy…

And this is what he does when is starts to get tired: So happy!

Sick little guy

2012-01-12T19:55:00.001-08:00

Yes, I am playing a little catch up…

Right before Christmas break, Ben got a pretty nasty cold which went straight to his ears in 1 day! The poor little guy was MISERABLE! They put him on a pretty strong antibiotic and he was feeling better the next day and back to new a few days later. Bless his heart! Here are some pictures:

Christmas Afternoon

2011-12-26T16:36:00.001-08:00

After naps, we headed over the Grandma and Grandpa Postlewait’s house with all the aunts, uncles and cousins for a wonderful dinner and some more Christmas celebration!

Uncle Joe and BenUncle Chad, Aunt Jill and William The familyThe cousins minus Ben (he was napping) Grandpa and Callie Beth Ben digging into his gifts Samuel, William, and Gwynn Our little family!

Merry Christmas!

2011 ornaments

2011-12-26T16:25:00.001-08:00

Christmas Morning :)

2011-12-26T16:22:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas! Callie Beth was a lot of fun as she actually ‘got it’ this year. Ben had a lot fun ripping in to presents! It took a long time to open gifts as Callie Beth just wanted to play!

Before…First look… First gifts they went for… cutie :)new rain bootslove the hats… new camera And for Callie Beth’s big gift…she was SO excited! as she calls it “a big trampoline”

jumping away!Ben in his chair We hope you all had an amazing Christmas! We are already looking forward to next year. I can only imagine how much more fun it will be!

Santa Came!!

2011-12-26T15:57:00.001-08:00

Santa made a visit to our house on Christmas Eve!!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T22:32:00.001-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve! This is our first Christmas as a family of 4! Callie Beth is so excited…she already got up and asked if Santa came yet :)

Our little tradition…after baths tonight, the kids got in their Christmas pajamas, we went downstairs and opened one gift. Callie Beth got milk and cookies ready for Santa and left some reindeer food on the front lawn. We then read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ and tucked her in bed :) Ben was already fast asleep.

I thought it would perfect to get a picture of the kids in front of the tree…Ben had other plans…She knew Santa was watching…Binos so she won’t steal her Daddy’s anymore. She loved them. Let’s just say they are in bed with her tonight :)Ben’s turn…he really liked the ribbon.Glow worm like his sister.Reindeer food…after she put it out she started yelling for them to “come and get it” and “Here reindeer” So cute! Merry Christmas Eve!

Tis the Season

2011-12-24T22:31:00.001-08:00

We have been really busy lately getting ready for this wonderful holiday season!

Getting the Christmas tree was lots of fun! Callie Beth tells everyone that we have a big tree at our house and then invites them over to see it :)

First look at the decorated tree…

Just too cute :)

Two and 3/4 :)

2011-12-22T16:52:00.001-08:00

Callie Beth is 3 months away from her 3rd birthday! She is changing so much so I thought I would do a little update. She is turning in to a little girl and no longer a toddler.

She can get herself dressed and undressed with no help.
She brushes her own teeth
She washes herself in the bath tub.
She puts her own clothes away in her drawers.
When she does something new on her own she says “I did it all by myself and I did not need help” So proud of herself.
When doing her hair and she has knots, she says “be gently Mom…I have crazy hair”
She says “I love you” and “I love you too” out of the blue.
She is such a good big sister. Before I can even get done changing Ben, she grabs the diaper and throws it away. She will also refill the downstairs diaper caddy when it is empty without asking her to.
Her vocabulary amazes me every day.
She is doing a lot of pretend play. Swiper lives in our basement :)
She is a pleaser…she asks all the time “Are you happy?” “Does that make you happy?”
She is in the watching movies lately. Some favorites at the moment are: Tangled, Toy Story, Up, Frosty the Snowman, and Rio.
She loves her baby dolls.
She loves to read. She will sometimes end up with MANY books on her bed.
She likes a night light on at night and likes listening to nature sounds.
She likes puzzles.
She loves to dance and jump.
She has a very sweet heart but also a strong personality with a temper. Luckily, she really usually only shows that side to her Dad and I.
She still likes warm milk in the morning.
She is still tiny but tall. She can wear 24 month shirts but wears 2T pants. She can only wear 2T pants that have the adjustable waists or leggings.

Christmas Card 2011

2011-12-20T21:29:00.001-08:00

Here is this years Christmas card…

Ben is 8 months old!

2011-12-20T21:26:00.001-08:00

Ben was 8 months old last week! We are so lucky to have such an amazing baby!

Here is what is going on with Ben these days:

Weight….18 pounds 14 ounces……50th percentile

Height…..28 1/4 inches…….75th percentile

He is starting to sign for “more”
He likes to pull hair
He shakes his head no
He is crawling everywhere now!! He gets faster each day.
He has 5 teeth (3 on top and 2 on the bottom). The 6th is breaking through now too
When he is healthy (not sick and no teeth) he sleeps sound right through the night. He goes to bed around 6:30 and gets up around 6:30. When he doesn’t feel good, he sometimes needs a little love in the middle of the night but goes back to sleep.
Ben LOVES his food. If you take too long between bites he gets mad at you! When he is full, instead of not opening his mouth, he lets you put the food in but then coughs or sneezes it out on you!
He is pretty good at using a sippy cup.
He loves to jump.
He is obsessed with the remote control.
He will go to anyone and smiles at everyone but loves his Mommy! Sometimes he just wants me to hold him.
He loves to follow his sister around. Callie Beth always puts a smile on his face.
He is curious!
He loves “Patty Cake” If you ask him to clap he will. He will also clap his feet for you.
He is a cuddler!
His eyes are still blue.
He says “Mama” “Mom” and “Dada”
He gives great hugs!

Little Gymnast

2011-11-26T21:21:00.001-08:00

Callie Beth has been taking gymnastics once a week at Oregon State since October. She absolutely LOVES it! She actually does very well at following directions and the skills she is learning. Every once in awhile I need to remind myself that she is only 2 :) but a lot of times, the class is a good reminder of what a great little girl we have!

Practicing skippingForward roll Turn Around Jumps…her tongue is out a lot when she is focused Her all time favorite…the Trampoline! Climbing…

Listening to instructions…. Always need to stretch More climbing

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-26T15:27:00.001-08:00

We hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

We are so thankful for so much! We had a wonderful day over at Grandma and Grandpa Postlewait’s house!

Ben is 7 Months Old!

2011-11-11T20:15:00.001-08:00

Ben is 7 months old today! He is so much fun and getting such a sweet personality.

Here is what is going on with Ben these days:

He started clapping today!
He has three teeth (2 on bottom and 1 on top). The other top one is coming through now too!
He is eating all kinds of fruits and veggies. He is eating 3 meals a day now.
His eyes are still blue. His hair is dark blonde.
He is no longer aloud in the Bumbo and bouncy seat as he can now escape.
He is very strong. He loves to jump.
He helps you get dressed now. He will push his arms through on his sleeves to put a shirt on and when you are taking it off, he will pull his arms down for you.
He will lift his arms up when he wants you to pick him up and he will also push you away if you are doing something he doesn’t like.
He is getting over his first ear infection (note the glassy eyes in some pictures).
He wakes up once or twice in the night but goes right back to sleep. He goes to bed around 6:30 or 7:00 and wakes up between 6:30 and 7:00. He still takes 3 naps a day.
He is so close to crawling. He rocks back and forth. He tries to go for a toy but hasn’t been able to coordinate his arms and legs. He moves backwards and spins around pretty well though.
He is making all kinds of new sounds. He loves to jabber.
He is very patient and laid back. He is such a happy little guy.
He LOVES his big sister. She really entertains him.

Trick-or-Treat?

2011-10-31T19:42:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween from The Postlewaits! We did some trick-or-treating which was different this year for us. Callie Beth loved it. She thought it was great that she got to walk up to people and they just gave her candy! At our old house we spent a lot of money on candy and handed it out to hundreds of kids as the neighborhood was the place to be. Out at the new house, we didn’t get one. We had a great evening!

Her ghost dress that she loved :)

Happy Halloween

2011-10-30T16:19:00.001-07:00

Callie Beth is a Strawberry this year and Ben is a spider.

Here are my cuties:

Family Carving

2011-10-30T16:12:00.001-07:00

Callie Beth told me she wanted to carve a Dora pumpkin….She loved helping and now loves her Dora pumpkin. More pics to come in the dark.

Who’s Who…Halloween Edition

2011-10-30T16:05:00.001-07:00

These two sure do look a lot alike. They share a lot of the same features. The order is: Ben, Callie Beth, Callie Beth and Ben.

Pumpkin Carving with Friends

2011-10-29T21:35:00.001-07:00

Our annual pumpkin carving with friends was at our house this year! We had a great time despite the icky weather! In all, there were 25 people here (15 of them being kids). I am disappointed we didn’t get a picture with all the pumpkins!

Ben is on the move

2011-10-29T21:25:00.001-07:00

Ben is moving around the house now. He has been pushing himself backwards but now he is starting to move forward. This first set of pictures shows his progression. We sat and watched him figure this out. He started lifting his hips and then got his knees under. He doesn’t have the coordination for the crawling yet but will get up on his knees, rock, and move one arm or leg then dive for what he wants. It won’t be long considering all this happened in just a few days.

And then he started to do this…this kid is strong :)

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-29T21:02:00.001-07:00

We headed out to the Airlie Farms pumpkin patch last weekend. It was a beautiful day. Callie Beth had a blast and Ben seemed to enjoy himself just taking it all in! Grandma and Grandpa Postlewait joined us too! We had a fantastic day!

Corn Maze She loved seeing Cash and Ashley there!This girl loves her Daddy!My boy!! 0

Ben’s 6 month check up

2011-10-29T20:59:00.001-07:00

Ben had his 6 month check up a couple weeks ago.

He was…

weight……17 pounds 6 ounces…..50th percentile

height…….27 inches…….70th percentile

He is perfectly healthy! He did not like his shots but calmed down the minute I held him!

Callie Beth’s New Haircut

2011-10-29T20:55:00.001-07:00

Callie Beth got her haircut a few weeks ago! We love it :)

Sunset Nights

2011-10-29T20:52:00.001-07:00

We have had some beautiful sunsets lately…Mr. Ben was already in bed.

Jake’s Mule Deer 2011

2011-10-29T20:51:00.001-07:00

Jake went over to Eastern Oregon for mule deer earlier in the month! Here are the pictures from his trip! Yay for filling the freezer!

Ben is 6 Months Old! Happy Half Birthday!

2011-10-11T07:07:00.001-07:00

Ben is 6 months old today! I truly can’t believe how fast this is going. He is half way to one!!! He goes to the doctor next week so I will let you know his stats then.

Here is what is going on with Ben these days:

He has his two bottom teeth
He can hold his own bottle (when he wants t0)
He is starting to be able to sit up on his own but topples over when he gets tired.
He can scoot around backwards when on his belly. He can roll when ever he wants and move himself around in circles when on his belly.
He LOVES to jump. He loves the jumperoo and now when he is standing on our laps. He actually pushes off and pulls his feet up when he is in the air.
The only hair he had left from when he was born was a comb over which I just trimmed off. He looks so different but pretty darn cute (and a lot like Callie Beth).
He loves cereal. We have also tried sweet potatoes, acorn squash, butternut squash, and peas. So far, he is not a fan of peas.
He is very ticklish, mostly under his arms. That is the best way to get him to laugh.
He is laughing all the time now but mostly at Callie Beth or when I go to give him kisses on his neck.
He has a dimple on his left cheek.
His eyes are still blue.
He is starting to make lots of different sounds. Ma, Ba, Da, etc.
He loves the remote to the T.V. When he gets that in his sight, he is on a mission to get it in his hands.
He loves when you sing but I can’t sing to him while he is nursing or having a bottle because he stops and just smiles at you.
He is still very happy and easy going. He doesn’t get mad. He is very easily entertained. The only time he fusses is when he is sleepy, hungry or needs a diaper change.
He can get all his toes in his mouth.
He loves his Ambajam blankie and his beaver stuffed animal.
He goes to bed around 6:30 and gets up around 6:30. He does not eat in the middle of the night. Before this last tooth, he would wake up and talk to himself for a few minutes and go back to sleep. He has been waking up crying a few times a night with these new teeth. He still naps a lot. Most of the time, his naps are not that long but he can’t be up for more than 2 hours.
He is always smiling and is one of the happiest babies. We are so very lucky!

Callie Beth is 2 and a half

2011-09-21T18:06:00.001-07:00

Little Miss Callie Beth is half way to three! Wow! It is such a treat watching this little girl grow up. Boy do we love this (not so little) girl.

She truly has such a big heart and wants to make everyone happy.
She has TONS of energy and loves to be a little dare devil! She loves to jump on and off couches and beds. She really has no fear and loves to be a monkey and climb. She loves to be swung around and upside down. She plays pretty rough with Daddy. This little girl definitely has some athletic ability.
She is VERY independent
She loves her baby dolls and plays such a good mother to them.
She also LOVES her baby brother. It is so sweet to see her light up around him. She is affectionate to him and a great helper to Mommy.
She honestly rarely throws fits. Yes, she is a little stubborn but she handles situations pretty well these days.
She loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, avocados, Mac & cheese, strawberries, granola bars, applesauce, eggs, and sausage.
She is a little too smart for us sometimes :)
She LOVES to read and be read to.
She has a good mix of girly-girl and tom-boy in her.
She loves to run and play chase / tag. She will actually ask for her “running shoes” and then go out and run laps in the drive way.
Her favorite show is still Dora the Explorer.
She helps unload the dishwasher, take clothes in and out of the dryer, folds clothes, and puts her own clothes away in her drawers.
Lately, she is gathering (or we call hoarding) everything. And there really is no way to know where things might be. I have found juice and her phone in the back of the coat closest. We couldn’t find a pair of her shoes and it turns out they were inside Jake’s shoes. The list can go on and on. But when it is bedtime and she asks for something particular to sleep with, it usually means we might be looking awhile.

She was posing on her own??? Not sure where she learned it!This is her “grumpy face”

Blackberry Pickin’

2011-09-18T19:41:00.001-07:00

We have bunches of blackberry bushes on our property. We went out to pick some and Callie Beth loved it. She is great at finding the perfect ones! Funny little girl won’t eat them though…she prefers the strawberries in the back yard (a lot like her Momma).

Jake’s elk 2011

2011-09-17T21:11:00.001-07:00

Jake got his elk two weekends ago! Yay! That means he won’t be MIA anymore AND we will have a freezer full of meat!

Ben is 5 months old!

2011-09-11T21:08:00.001-07:00

Ben is 5 months old today! He continues to be such an amazing baby and I truly can’t believe how fast time is flying.

Here is what is going on with Ben these days!

He rolls over both ways.
He can spin all the way around when on his belly
We are working on sitting up. He does great on our laps. He tries really hard to sit up on his own but either just topples over or tires to eat his toes.
He is about to cut his two bottom teeth. It won’t be long! He constantly has something in his mouth and the drool is like a faucet.
He loves baby oatmeal! Rice cereal was really hard on his belly so we switched. He has been having it for dinner for a few weeks and we just started giving it for breakfast too.
He usually goes to bed around 6:30. He gets up to eat once, usually between 1 and 2 and goes right back to sleep. I wake him up around 6:30. He still can’t be up for more than two hours during the days which makes his naps sporadic.
His eyes are still blue.
His hair is almost all out. He just has that little patch right on top.
He LOVES toys now and will grab anything near him. He loves his little book that makes crinkle noises and he can suck on the ends.
He loves the exer-saucer and the jumper-roo. He also really enjoys his playmat still.
He thinks his sister is fascinating! He loves to watch her and smile and laugh at him. And Callie Beth can always get Ben to smile. So sweet to watch.

I have to put this next picture in there….This shows what it is like taking pictures of a 5 month old with a 2 and a half year old around. If she isn’t distracting Ben, she is trying to get in the picture or mess up the picture :) Hello Mickey Mouse I am so going to miss that tooth-less smile!!!Wasn’t so sure about opening eyes too wide outside…

Working Mom

2011-09-06T19:59:00.001-07:00

I went back to work this past week and today was the first day of school! This summer and my time with Ben and Callie Beth truly FLEW by! It is always a super busy week getting ready for a new school year so that helped keep my mind off things.

When it was time to go back to work after having Callie Beth, I dwelled on it the entire week before. I cried several times a day and it was all I could think about. It really ruined the last week I had with her at home. I swore I wouldn’t do that with Ben…and I didn’t. I knew I had to go back to work but I refused to let myself think about it. I was still a mess the night before and his first day at daycare (which is understandable).

Both kiddos are at the bank daycare full time. Callie Beth has been going two days a week all summer. She loves it and she really needed that time away to play and socialize with other kids…but I must say she misses Tia and Grandma! That gave me time with Ben and to get stuff done around the house. One thing that really helped ease my mind with Ben’s transition is knowing he has big sister there (who always makes him smile).

Ben had a great week! He is teething so he has been a little more needy (I wouldn’t even say fussy) than normal but still an extremely happy and easy baby. Callie Beth LOVES having him there too. She is such a good big sister.

This will be an interesting school year. Our school district passed a bond back in May. Part of the money is being used to get rid of all our portables and build a new wing for new classrooms, cafeteria, and office. They will remodel the old office and turn them into classrooms. Construction started back in June which means the portables are gone. So for this year, our school is split between two locations. We are still one school just operating in two different places. It will be an adventure but it will all be worth is next year!

Let’s hope for a great school year!

Who’s Who again…

2011-09-06T19:57:00.001-07:00

And…Up top….the order is Ben then Callie Beth. Ben must have a bigger head because we could not make enough room in the hood to make it look like Callie Beth’s picture :)

Bottom….CB, Ben, CB, Ben. Ben has more hair (but will be bald soon….it is falling out by the handful) and Ben is definitely not dainty like Callie Beth was.

House work

2011-08-24T14:11:00.001-07:00

We have been putting a lot more time into the house now that the summer is winding down. I go back to work Monday and hunting season starts Saturday. The upstairs bedrooms and hallway are almost done! Yay! It makes such a big difference and I can’t wait to show before and after pictures.

Callie Beth LOVES to help…. And after all the hard work…time for a bath. Definitely my favorite picture of the two of them so far…

Ben’s 4 month check-up

2011-08-18T20:54:00.001-07:00

Ben had his 4 month check up! He is doing great. Doctor said he looks perfect. Of course I already knew that :) He did great with his shots too! He didn’t even cry…just a little fuss and was ready for a nap.

weight…….14 pounds 13 ounces……50th percentile

height…….25 3/4 inches…….80th percentile

All smiles tonight…tough little guy!

Ben’s First Cereal

2011-08-14T21:43:00.001-07:00

We gave rice cereal a try the other night. Ben seemed to enjoy it. At first, he wasn’t too sure about it but it wasn’t long before he was trying to grab the spoon. It didn’t really agree with his tummy so we are waiting a few days to adjust before we try again. He is growing so fast!

Ben is 4 months old!

2011-08-12T20:51:00.001-07:00

Ben was 4 months old on Thursday! Time is flying by. We are truly blessed with such a happy baby.

His 4 month check up is next week. I will post his stats then!

Here is what is going on with Ben these days:

He loves to kick his feet
He likes to stand up
His eyes are still blue
He is in 3-6 month clothes and size 2 diapers
He loves to eat (lately twice in the middle of the night)
He usually goes to bed around 8 and wakes up around 7 (with eating once or twice but going right back to sleep). He can’t be up for more than 2 hours at a time. He still naps quite a bit throughout the day.
His hands are starting to work pretty well.
He is just now finding his feet. He likes to lay on his back and roll side to side
He is figuring out new noises every day
He has discovered toys and is starting to play with them. He loves his little book and the toys on his play gym.
The swing still puts him to sleep
It is amazing the amount of drool this boy is producing. He is great at making spit bubbles
His hair is falling out by the handful
He loves the bath and swimming
He especially loves watching his big sister
He gets really excited when you pick him up…he does this little wiggle that is so cute
He is belly laughing
He smiles at everyone

Camping: Bend

2011-08-12T18:18:00.001-07:00

We just got back from a little camping trip! (Well, we took Jake’s parents’ Winnebago) It was definitely nice having that with a 4 month old and a 2 year old! Thank you Fred & Merrie!

Here we go… One nice thing was the T.V. Thank you Dora for a very peaceful drive.

We started off in Bend. Jake’s friend, Corky lives there with his family. They have a huge annual crawdad feed / pig roast. We have always been out of town for it but not this year. We had a great time.

Callie Beth cuddling with Corky (They have two little boys so they were quite fond of this little girl). They even offered to keep her :)The pig fell in the fire…here they are trying to figure out what to do. Turns out the rod snapped in half. The pig…fixed after it fell in the fire A dress wasn’t stopping her Ben was amazing! Everyone commented on how happy he was. He definitely got spoiled by everyone holding him! Aaron drove from John Day to see us and meet Ben Corky has two little boys. This one, Easton (3 years old) and Callie Beth were inseparable! She nicknamed him Easie. We figured when she gets a little older, she will have to stay with Grandma to keep them separate. They loved this little Gator. I think they rode this for hoursAaron with Callie Beth and Ben Ben even met himself a little lady, Hailey. These two are 4 days apart.

See below for the next part of the trip!

Camping: Cottage Grove Lake / Pine Meadows Campground

2011-08-12T18:15:00.001-07:00

We then headed to Cottage Grove Lake at Pine Meadows Campground. We went last year for just one night. Our friends the Retherfords invited us down. There is always lots of kids and lots of fun.

We had such a great time. In fact, Callie Beth cried when we left and cried when she saw our house. She said “I don’t want Callie Beth’s house. I want to go to the lake and go swimming”. Poor girl!

Here is Callie Beth and Faith. Faith’s Mom, Tia is the friend who watched Callie Beth three days a week till she turned two. Callie Beth and Faith think of each other as sisters and they get along so well.

“Cheers” to their lollipops By the fire… Enjoying the sun Callie Beth in her rhino and Harper floatingMiss Gracee Miss Harper…she cracks me up Angie, Gracee and Harper Poor Ben in the purple Bumbo Such a happy guy Callie Beth is an amazing big sister. Computer time Baby Lucy wanted to go swimming The Relaxation Station and the trampoline And this was literally 2 minutes in the camper coming home. Swimming and camping wears you out!

Cannon Beach 2011: re-creating the picture we love

2011-08-01T15:24:00.001-07:00

When Callie Beth was a baby, Jake got this picture of her in front of Haystack that we loved. I played on the computer and came up with this: We wanted to try to get the same shot of Ben…boy it was hard. This is the closest we got. I will mess with some other pictures too to see what I can come up with. Not bad? Some of the shots we got in the process: And here is Haystack during the sunset And the sunset

*******See below****** There are 7 new posts!!!!!!! Make sure to click on older posts when you get to the bottom of the page or to the right to see all about our trip.

Cannon Beach 2011: Fun in the Sun

2011-08-01T15:13:00.001-07:00

And of course we got to enjoy the sunshine.

***see below for more posts***

Cannon Beach 2011: Bonfires and S’mores

2011-08-01T15:00:00.001-07:00

We had a bonfire every night except one! We roasted hot dogs. Callie Beth had her first s’more experience! Ben was happy as long as he was warm. Watching the sunset with our little family…awesome evenings!

Mmmmmmmmmmm A girl and her Daddy…melts my heart

***see below for more posts****

Cannon Beach 2011: Little Fishies and Seaside

2011-08-01T14:32:00.001-07:00

We went up to the beach cabin in Cannon Beach this past weekend. It is always so nice to get away and relax (as much as you can with two little ones).

We did lots of swimming in the pool. We had a hard time keeping Callie Beth out of the hot tub. That hot tub was really HOT. We did let her go in it but would make her go in the pool every couple minutes to cool her down. She didn’t understand why we were making her do that when a 6 month old was sitting in it!!!! This girl loves to swim. She got really comfortable by the end of the trip and was trying to swim on her own without the floaties!

Ben actually loved swimming too! He just talked and smiled the whole time :) After swimming…happy kids We went into Seaside one days to the outlets and downtown. There was a little train that Callie Beth wanted to ride. And there was a carousel to ride on too! She picked her horse and insisted I ride one too. She would not let me touch her horse while we were going around! We were thankful she isn’t old enough to play in the arcade or insist on going in the toy stores. Jake would have a hard time saying no to her :)

***See below for more posts****

Cannon Beach 2011: Early Mornings

2011-08-01T14:29:00.001-07:00

I have mentioned before the weather on the Oregon Coast is pretty crazy. The beaches get pretty windy and cool but it sure is beautiful!

We love to take early morning walks on the beach to find sand dollars. CB did not want to wear her shoes. Once we got out there, I think she regretted her decision. She was pretty cold and had Daddy hold her the whole time.

I promise Ben is in there! :)CB loved Hazel once again. Click here to see what I posted about this dog last year. CB really needs a dog. We just aren’t ready yet! sad leaving HazelDad and his boy… CB reading to Lucy…such a sweet thing to watch And then there were those mornings where we got up and then went back to sleep for a little bit…Heaven! Enjoying breakfast outside!Seriously, this kid is such a happy baby

***See below for another post***

Portland Zoo

2011-08-01T13:17:00.001-07:00

On Thursday we headed over to Portland to go to the zoo (thank you Joe, Kasey and the kiddos for the tickets). We had a great time minus the 4 car pile up on the way back adding an hour and a half to our drive home. Callie Beth loved the big animals the most and her favorite was the zebra. She actually said “bye zebra, love you” as we were leaving.

Great purchase…love this stroller This is about when nap should have been….grumpy face! Of course Ben is sleeping! CB wanted to go see the dinosaurs. When we got to this and it starting making noises, she didn’t want anything to do with them! Trying to bail! Her favorite… And this is what the zoo does to you…

Summer Festival Weekend

2011-08-01T09:57:00.001-07:00

This is the second time doing this post.…I think it got lost in blog-land. Last weekend was the Toledo Summer Festival. There are all kinds of events from Thursday to Sunday. Our little town turns into a really big town for this weekend. Jake worked at it most of the weekend.

Saturday morning we thought we would go see Daddy while he was cooking. We went to a Mrs. Santa breakfast to help raise money for children who won’t get a Christmas.

We then ventured out for the parade.

Callie Beth and Shaylee Angie, CB, Harper, Christian, Faith, Clayton CB, Harper, Christian, Shaylee, Faith, Clayton Miss Callie Beth Sunday we went out to the festival. You can ride the rides for $5! There aren’t many for little ones. CB fell on the concrete on her way in. She got pretty bad road rash on her hands and knees. Just enough to put her in a pretty bad mood. She still enjoyed the rides but her hands must have bothered her pretty bad. She would have had a blast! She actually wouldn’t use that hand for 4 days!! She was a little apprehensive going by herself at first but then loved it! Loved the big slide Going again with Angie and Harper First taste of cotton candy!

Beautiful Night

2011-07-25T17:32:00.001-07:00

I mentioned Jake had limbed up some trees and created this view from our deck. Now we can take advantage of the beautiful sunsets on the Oregon Coast!

Thanks Honey!

Callie Beth’s First Haircut

2011-07-16T20:56:00.001-07:00

I took Callie Beth for her first haircut today! Jake was out of town and couldn’t go but he told me I would be in trouble if I let her cut off too much or if she didn’t have any curl on the end :) CB did great! She got almost 2 inches off…just enough to make it look healthy…and the curl is still there. She is growing up too fast!

Before…During…

After…

***see below for another post***

These Days…

2011-07-16T20:52:00.001-07:00

Ben LOVES his play mat. He loves to bat at this toys, grab on to them and make them sing. Callie Beth seems to enjoy it again also :) CB seems to enjoy sushi and eating with chop sticks. She actually does a better job than I do… Jake limbed two huge trees we had on our property that were very overgrown. This is what we used to see from our deck looking this way… CB watching Daddy from the deck…And now it opens up to a nice view…minus the crummy weather today, the ladder and the trailer.We have almost 20 rose bushes in our back yard. I can go out and get a dozen just about every other day. That really makes a girl happy!

Also, I mentioned CB giving us a hard time without binky. Well this was the morning after a 2 hour fit the night before. She got in bed with me around 6:45 and slept till 10:45 a.m. I was in shock. She is doing much better. And a proud moment…we have some little critters tearing up our yard. These moles really make a mess. Well, today I got my first one with a shot gun! I know Jake and Merrie are really proud of me.

Ben is 3 Months Old!

2011-07-12T18:01:00.001-07:00

Wow! Where is the time going? Ben was 3 months old on Monday. Here is a few things going on with Ben these days…

He has the best smile! It truly melts my heart!
He squeals and his laugh is a little chuckle.
He likes to smile at his toys.
Ben loves to stand up. When sitting, he can actually push himself up.
He loves the car and her car seat...always puts him to sleep.
He is a great eater…we are still nursing.
He has spotted his hands. He likes to look at them and is starting to be able to grab things.
His sleeping is still on and off. He generally goes to bed around 9. He usually wakes up at 3 to eat and back to sleep till about 7. Every once in awhile he will get up twice to eat. He can not be awake for more than 2 hours at a time during the day.
To let us know he is ready for sleep, his eyes get red. He starts to rub them and yawns.
His eyes are still bright blue.
His hair is starting to fall out.
He has started drooling.
He is very ticklish.
He LOVES his playmat. The swing always puts him to sleep. And he enjoys kicking in his bouncy seat.
He is very laid back. He sleeps a lot. Usually the only time he fusses is when he is hungry, dirty, tired or needs to burp.
The grunting has stopped (thank goodness).
Like his sister, he likes to bury his head to fall asleep.

“Look at my muscles!”So happy… Look at those eyes…

Here is Callie Beth at 3 monthsAnd Ben… Look a little alike? :)

***new post below***

Bye Bye Binky!!

2011-07-12T15:11:00.001-07:00

We have said a final fair-well to the pacifier. We have weaned Callie Beth before but if you been following the blog for awhile, you know what a terrible teether that little girl was so we gave it back to her. She only had it when she was sleeping. She would wake up in the morning and put it in her nightstand right away.

We had a party to say goodbye to it! I got some balloons and we tied binky to the balloons. She let it go and we watched it fly away. She thought that was great (little did she know what it really meant). In place of binky she got Mickey and Minnie Mouse (which she loves lately). She knows binky is for babies. She tells you it “went uppy top in the sky with the airplanes”.

We are now into day 12 of no more binky! Boy has it been rough :) Naps are usually better…some days no fuss….some days 2-3 hour fits which results in missed naps. Night time is worse. The fits usually last a long time and some nights, she is waking up in the night. Boy, we have one stubborn little girl!!!! She has lost so much sleet that she slept till 10:45 yesterday morning.

I just keep telling myself, this too shall pass.

One last suck…. Letting go…

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T19:40:00.001-07:00

We hope you had a wonderful 4th of July :)

Portland Children’s Museum

2011-06-30T13:29:00.001-07:00

Wednesday, we ventured out again and went to the Portland Children’s Museum. This place was awesome! There was SO many cool things to do. Callie Beth was an angel and Ben slept! :)

At one point, a little girl took a shovel from CB’s hands. She looked at me and said “But Mom, I had it first”. As the other parent just sat there, I said “I know” and went and got Callie Beth another one…

Water WorksBrushing the Alligators Teeth Grasshopper Grocery & Butterfly Bistro The Baby’s Garden Dig Pit The Clay Studio Wonder Corner Vroom Room Play It Again Theater It was so much fun to be able to do all these things with Callie Beth. I wish Jake could have come. But looking at these pictures, it’s kinda sad…she isn’t a baby anymore. She is such a big girl now! We had a great mini-trip!

***See below for 3 more posts***

Auntie Ann and The Little Fish

2011-06-30T13:04:00.001-07:00

Aunt Ann (Jake’s Aunt) came up to the hotel to see us and meet Baby Ben! She was so kind to watch the kids for a little bit while Jake and I snuck down to the lobby to have a drink. We then all went out to dinner. After dinner, Jake and Callie Beth went swimming. This girl LOVES the water!!!

We had a suite type hotel room where there was a king bed and then a pull out bed. In between, there was a pocket door. We thought this would be perfect. CB could go to bed and we could watch TV and hang out. WRONG…she was not liking that door being closed between us. We did manage to talk her into leaving it a crack. At one point I thought I heard her, I looked up to find this… Sneaky….who knows how long she was there. We all had a good laugh!

***See below for 2 more posts***

OMSI

2011-06-30T12:52:00.001-07:00

So, one of my fears about having two children was taking them both out places by myself and still be able to keep both kids happy and well behaved.

On Tuesday, I finally overcame my fear and took the kids to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). They have a great area called the Science Playground for children under 6. It’s a place for kids to play, explore, and engage in science. Callie Beth had a blast! She was so well behaved. She played very well with all the other kids and loved to people watch. She did run from me once. As soon as I caught up to her, she told me she was tired and wanted to go “night night”. That was our cue to leave. Ben was of course an angel and slept!

I really wish we had more stuff like this closer to home.

Please excuse the pictures, we left the camera at the Grandparents house so all these are with my cell phone!

Fossil FootprintsMagnifying Glass with ButterfliesCheese…Bear Cave ArtPlaydoughMagnetsThe storeEarthquake House And this is what a long morning at OMSI does to you…long nap time in the hotel :)

****See below for another post….

Ben meets his Great Grandparents

2011-06-30T11:24:00.001-07:00

Jake had a class in Portland the last couple of days. We thought we would tag along! On our way up, we stopped at Jake’s grandparents house so they can meet their newest Great Grandson (he makes number 13)

Summer Time…

2011-06-26T13:21:00.001-07:00

Hi there! I don’t have much to report. We have been taking full advantage of the sunshine. We try to be outside most of the day. We are also slowly working on the house. The upstairs is ready for new trim and doors. I have been doing a lot of sewing projects (I will post pics soon). Most importantly, Ben and Callie Beth are doing great!!

Enjoy some pictures…

Here is someone who has been hanging out in our yard! He looks like he is going to be a nice 3 point. We will see. Jake is pretty excited but he had just spent a couple days planting all different types of berries (that this little guy ended up eating). Jake spend a few more hours today moving the berries to the fences part of the backyard! What should we name him?Mr. Benjamin Miss Callyn Pool time… Watching the birds… Silly CheeseMowing the lawn with DaddyRelaxing… Love him…

Ben is 2 months old!

2011-06-14T21:08:00.001-07:00

Ben was 2 months old on Saturday! He had his check up and shots today. He did okay for his shots…he still wasn’t feeling great from his cold. He is perfectly healthy and developmentally on track.

weight……12 pounds 8 ounces……..75th percentile

height…….24 inches……..90th percentile

This is what's new with Mr. Benjamin these days…

He is doing really great at holding his head up.
He is very alert and loves to watch what is going on.
He knows our voices and will look for us when he hears it.
He smiles and coos a lot and is a very happy baby. He rarely cries. He really only fusses when he is hungry, sleepy or needs to be changed.
He sometimes fights going to sleep. Once is he about there, he gives a little fuss and then is out. We have been working on putting his to bed sleepy but awake. He is still sleeping in our room but napping in his room.
He still sleeps A LOT during the day. He really can’t be up for more than 2 hours at a time. You can tell he is tired because his eyes get really red.
He is starting to laugh.
He goes to bed around 10. He usually wakes up around 4 to eat. Some nights he goes right back to sleep. Other nights he thinks it is fun to smile and coo at me. I try to explain to his that no matter how adorable and precious he is, 4 in the morning is not the time :)
His eyes are still blue.
He really enjoys his bouncy seat. The swing puts him right to sleep. He also enjoys his play mat.
He loves to be out in the sun.
He is a very laid back baby.
He is a champion eater (as you can tell by his stats). He nurses about every 3 hours except at night, he has been giving me a 5-6 hour stretch of sleep.
He likes to stand up.
He enjoys the bath.
He likes to watch his sister. I even catch him smiling at her now and then.
He is still a loud baby. The grunting has decreased.

watching his sister…. As you can tell by looking at Callie Beth, she had a cold here. It was the first once since February. With all the sickness going around, I was surprised we made it 4 months. With the joys of having two children now, I worried about her giving it to her brother. Sure enough, 2 days later, Ben got his first cold. Thank goodness it was pretty mild and fast moving. But the poor boy was miserable Sunday night! He is doing much better today!Laughing at Mom… Telling me something important… Taking a nap in his crib…

5 years ago…

2011-06-10T10:11:00.001-07:00

Five years ago this June, I gave up everything I have ever known to start a new chapter and exciting adventure in my life….moving to Oregon. Where has the time gone?

So much has changed. I have a wonderful husband. We have recently moved into our second home…a home we will be in for a long time. We have been blessed with two beautiful children. I have made some amazing friends. I finished my 5th year of teaching at Toledo Elementary and 7th overall.

I wanted to share some pictures of that summer 5 years ago…

It started with a wonderful going away party… That summer, Jake was playing for the Modesto Nuts in California. We took a little trip to San Francisco. It was windy…Enjoyed baseball in the California Sun… I headed to Buffalo for Mike and Amanda’s wedding… And here I am today with my two babies…

I am a lucky girl!

Finally Warm Weather!!

2011-06-06T10:02:00.001-07:00

The Oregon coast really is a beautiful place to live but the rainy / dreary days can really get you down. I feel like we have had so much rain…it was really starting to drive me crazy! This past weekend we finally had some days where it was sunny and warm enough to get the pool out! And we took advantage of the weather by being outside all day!

I told Callie Beth that we can swim when she gets up from her nap. The minute she woke up, she came out of her room with her bathing suit in hand and said “ready to swim Mom”.

It looks like we have a nice 10 day forecast….stay tuned for more!

7 Weeks Old!

2011-06-01T10:03:00.001-07:00

Ben was 7 weeks old Monday. Time is just going too fast. He no longer looks like a newborn. When he is awake, he is so alert and interactive but still sleeps a lot. His smile just melts my heart. I promise to stop these weekly updates after 2 months….they just change so fast these days!

Here are some pictures:

6 Weeks Old!

2011-05-25T13:14:00.001-07:00

Ben was 6 weeks old on Monday! Seriously, where is the time going? He is doing great….such a happy boy! We are seeing more and more smiles each day. So handsome :)

I had my 6 week check up yesterday. Everything went well. I am beyond ready to start getting back in shape! Also, I forgot how much work it is to take little car trips with such a little one. Oh, we did a little shopping too!!

Here are some pictures:

Callie Beth these days….

2011-05-19T14:36:00.001-07:00

I wanted to get some cute things on here about Miss Callie Beth before I forget this stuff. Callie Beth is 2 years and 2 months…

She can say flowers but calls them “fluffys” and she loves to pick them.
She thinks it is okay to tell us no by saying “no please”.
She has such a big heart and cares about her brother more than anything. If she thinks he is any bit unhappy, she will try to fix it by getting him a binky, covering him up with a blanket, giving kisses and even sharing her beloved blankie.
She is finally starting to say her name is Callie Beth and not just Callie.
She LOVES to clean.
Her favorite thing is playing outside with her Daddy. She really could stay out there all day if we let her (rain or shine).
It is the cutest thing ever when she says “Mississippi”
A lot of the time, she likes to get really close to Ben’s face. I always tell her “Ben doesn’t like it when you get that close”. Now whenever she gets close to him, does something devious or tries to help him, she looks at us and laughs while saying “he likes it!”
She can talk in complete sentences and asks questions all day long! Curious little girl and soaking it all in.

Look at those eye lashes!

Ben is 5 weeks old!

2011-05-18T16:16:00.001-07:00

We are doing great. He does so well during the day! Sleeping at night is hit and miss. He always has one good stretch of sleep. He sometimes doesn’t want to go to sleep till 11 and then does well the rest of the night. He sometimes goes to bed pretty early but then wants to hang out after he wakes up in the middle of the night to eat. And then he sometimes goes to bed great, wakes to eat and goes right back to bed (my favorite). He actually had a 5 hour stretch of sleep the other night. A lot of the books say their sleep patterns start to get more developed around 6 weeks. Let’s sure hope so!

One Month Old!!

2011-05-13T09:40:00.001-07:00

Ben was one month old on Monday! I can’t believe how fast this time goes! He is such an amazing baby! He had his one month check up. Everything looks perfect and he is a “superb eater” as the doctor would say!

Weight……10 pounds 8 ounces………..75th percentile

Height……21 1/2 inches…………50th percentile

Highlights:

He is a champion eater! He nurses every three hours.
He loves the sun.
His eyes are a very bright blue.
He does not understand the difference between night and day. He thinks it is okay to hang out and play in the middle of the night. Mom does not think this is okay! Something to work on.
He grunts and is very loud but rarely cries!!
He is really brave and will hold up his head till he gets tired.
He enjoys his baths.
He outgrew newborn clothes at 3 weeks!
He likes tummy time.
We are getting more smiles each day.
He is a very peaceful and laid back baby.

And here is Callie Beth! She loves her brother more than anything in the world! What a good big sister!

Happy Mother’s Day

2011-05-08T20:31:00.001-07:00

We hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Today was a great day! I feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. I started off enjoying my two beautiful children hanging out in our bed. We then went to breakfast with Jake’s parents. It was our first time taking both kiddos out to eat and it went perfect. We then took Callie Beth swimming. We all came home and took nice naps followed by lots of playing and a yummy dinner. Thanks to my amazing husband for making this day incredible!

**see below for 4 more posts**

Miss Callyn

2011-05-08T17:03:00.001-07:00

Little Miss Callie Beth has been a really good girl lately. She is going to daycare 2 days a week. This gives her a chance to get out and play with other kiddos and gives me a chance to have some time with Ben and get stuff done at home.

Don’t know what this is all about but she has been taking pillows and blankets and bringing them to different parts of the house. Silly girl!

If anyone has been with us in Asheville, you know how much Jake loves chicken wings. One of his latest projects has been mastering making them at home. I must say he has done a great job. He has many different sauces he makes to dip them in also. Callie Beth is a big fan!

First Smiles :)

2011-05-08T16:53:00.001-07:00

This week Ben has started to smile and boy, does it melt my heart! I was lucky to catch a little one on camera!

My handsome little man!

3 Weeks Old!

2011-05-08T16:51:00.001-07:00

Ben was three weeks old on Monday, May 4th. We are doing great! He is such a good baby. I am definitely staying busy while getting used to being a Mom of two. Callie Beth’s sleeping is getting better too. No problems with naps and we have had 2 nights so far with no fits, arguments or getting out of bed! Yay!

Ben’s First Bath

2011-05-08T16:47:00.001-07:00

Ben had his first bath on April 30th. He didn’t seem to mind too much. Before long he will be loving baths like his big sister.

Who’s Who?

2011-04-28T14:44:00.001-07:00

Yes, I was super behind on the blog. There are 7 new posts so make sure you don’t miss any :)

Can you believe how much they look alike?

Callyn @ 2 weeks Benjamin @ 2 weeks

***See posts below***

2 weeks old!

2011-04-28T14:40:00.001-07:00

I can’t believe how fast the last 2 weeks have flown by! I am feeling pretty good (so much better than this time with Callie Beth). Ben had an appointment Monday for his PKU testing and a weight check. I was really interested in his weight of course. The little chunk gained 10 ounces in 7 days…WOW! He is now up to 9 pounds 4 ounces. What a difference than with CB! I was actually worried about how much he was sleeping. I guess that is what happens when babies are fat and happy! :)

***See posts below***

Happy Easter

2011-04-28T14:33:00.001-07:00

We first want to say Happy Easter!

We had a wonderful Easter! Such a blessing to be home with our family of 4. My mom was in town and Jake’s parents come over for a yummy dinner. What a nice evening. Callie Beth loved her Easter basket with all her goodies and she really enjoyed hunting for eggs in the yard.

What a look…

***See posts below***

Coloring Easter Eggs

2011-04-28T14:21:00.001-07:00

Callie Beth had a great time coloring Easter eggs this year.

She actually did a great job and didn’t break any!

***See posts below***

Indian Cradle

2011-04-28T14:17:00.001-07:00

Jake’s Grandpa made this cradle. He was president of the Oregon Native American Indian Association a long time ago. Jake tries to carry on some of this by making moccasins and beading.

***See posts below***