Wheat Harvest 2010

Wheat harvest 2010 is complete! What a harvest . . . basically every machine broke down - all 3 trucks, both combines at least once, the grain cart tractor - you get the picture. Crazy!!! But it's done! And Braden is sad. He loved going out every day to ride with daddy in the combine. Anytime I get close to the back door today he goes and stands by it asking to go! Here he is all smiles with daddy. I LOVE this picture!

Future combine driver in training?

And this is where Addyson spent most of her riding time. This is a little booster seat with a tray. One of those items we purchased recently that I am wondering why we didn't buy a long time ago. Anyway, I think she could have sat there all day - eating snacks, drinking her sippy cup, playing with toys, and watching the wheat.




This is where Braden spent most of his time - in my lap checking it all out.

And here we are playing in the wheat in the truck.

All hot and tuckered out after playing in the wheat - it has been hot! They don't lay still like this very often - they really were hot and tired!!!

Braden was so tired one night when we got home a little after bedtime that he got his burp rag he likes to chew on in his crib, went and stood at the rocking chair, and said nigh-nigh!! His first words other than mama and dada. And he continues to say it. It's so cute. Addyson said it a few weeks ago but I thought it was a fluke but now I'm thinking she probably knew what she was saying.

In other news, Addyson - Wait, strike that, I should say I gave up Addyson's night time bottle. She could not have cared less to have a sippy cup instead. Yeah!!! So all the bottles have been packed away!!

And Addyson got her first haircut. I just trimmed her bangs. These are not nearly as dramatic as Braden's before and afters but just to show you --

Before - swept to the side like they normally were

And combed down so you can see just how long they were before:

And after!!!

And some other pictures of our cuties:

And now - on to planting beans!!

Rain, Rain, (and colds) Go Away!!!

Finally, some sunshine!!

It has been raining and raining here. But now we finally have some sunshine! Here is a picture of the wildflowers in the back of our house. Different ones are constantly blooming.

We have been taking our turns being sick at our house. After 2 weeks my yucky cold is gone. Braden caught it the middle of last week and started coughing and wheezing. We didn't make it long before heading back to the pediatrician. We are now the proud owners of a nebulizer; Braden gets breathing treatments and they seem to be helping. Barely any coughing and a tiny bit of wheezing - but anyone who has been around Braden knows he's always been sort of raspy so it's almost back to normal. It is not enjoyable to keep a 15 month old busy boy sitting still on your lap for 10 minutes per treatment, but he's been doing pretty good. Addyson has a runny nose and is coughing but it's not deep . . . yet . . . and no wheezing. They are dealing so well - so happy even though they are sick. I am so thankful for that!

Before they got sick, we managed to get in their pool and play with daddy's help. I don't trust myself with both of them in there yet. They loved it! How cute are they in their swimming suits!!!

Here they are showing off their sippy cup skills - Addyson is doing much better and just gets a nighttime bottle still. That needs to go away soon but neither her nor her mama is quite ready for that. We fought so long to learn how to drink bottles it's hard to let go!!

I'm not exactly sure what Braden is doing here but yelling happily about something - probably food!!

I think Addyson is working on some molars - she has some meltdowns like this . . .

But most of the time is pretty happy. She likes to help in the kitchen at suppertime, and HATES to be ignored. I think that's what prompted the previous meltdown picture.

Braden loves this box. We did absolutely nothing to it. Just a box, but he climbs in and plays with the flaps and whatever else he can think of. Great entertainment! Since he can't be outside every moment of the day as he would like, he settles for this.


So we're trying to be well and get ready for wheat harvest - when we dry up!

15 Months Old

On Thursday Addyson and Braden turned 15 months old!

We had their 15 month well check Friday at the pediatrician's. Since they are both walking ALL over the place we have actually lost weight but here are the current figures. Addyson weighs 15 pounds and is 2 ft. 3 in. tall (both in the less than 1%). But her head circumference is on the charts at 45.5 cm in the 38%. Otherwise she is following the curve, just far below the normal chart. Braden weighs 25 pounds which is in the 46%. He is 2 ft. 7 in. tall which is in the 47%. His head circumference is 48.5 cm which is in the 84%. They got 3 immunizaions. Dr. Patron finally said about Addyson, "I think she is just going to be little." All along I've never felt like he thought there had to be something wrong, but that he was checking everything to make sure we weren't missing something that could be caught early to avoid any increased problems later on. And we kept trying different things to get her more calories, etc. But I feel like we've finally all agreed to be able to just rest in the fact that Addyson is tiny - super cute and very determined to be herself - nothing wrong, just little and feisty! Their soft spots are officially gone - no more babies, hello toddlers!!! So we're so thankful for a good checkup and we don't go back until the 18 month well check in September! We've never gotten to wait that long between appointments. Hooray!

This is pretty much how we've been feeling lately at our house . . .

Exhausted!!!

I haven't posted lately, because well honestly I just felt like I was complaining every time I started blogging. Here's a quick summary of what we've been up to. Addyson and Braden both had a virus - fever 102 or so for a couple days. Then Braden decided to work really hard on some teeth. I have NEVER seen him so angry and upset. He felt horrible - it reminded me of him in NICU those first few days on the vent when he just did not want to be bothered and the nurses mentioned his temper. He just thought life was tough. And Addyson was super jealous of the loves he got. But we survived. Then Ryan was feeling crummy, I got a yucky cold which is just now starting to go away. Throw in busy farm work, home repairs, cranky kids, grouchy exhausted me, and it just wasn't the best of times at our house. But through it all God is so loving and thankfully never gives up on me even though I'm so quick to complain instead of praise. I've been listening to some Sovereign Grace music I downloaded. Back when we were having a really tough week with lots of dr. appointments and during some of the darkest times of battling infertility my friend, Ellen, gave us some music that was so comforting on those drives to appointments. So I went looking for more of their newer stuff and found some good stuff - they are so great! I'll have to work on updating the music here on our site with some of it. So anyway, we're feeling encouraged and things are looking up around here . . . for now!

They have figured out how to get on and off of their rocking horse and the lion and just get on and off all day long.Addyson, so proud she can climb on the lion. Check out that crazy morning hair!!My happy little boy has returned!!! He loves to walk as fast as he can straight toward me and fall into me giving loves. They are the best thing a mama can ask for!!!And this cutey is hilarious. She walks everywhere, no more crawling for her. She is so determined at whatever she does. She concentrates so hard to do things correctly. She falls and gets right back up. She must walk in grass or any uneven surface. She is just so determined!!! She can stand up in the middle of the room even though she's just walking. (Braden still has to crawl to the nearest thing he can pull himself up with - granted he has a little more weight to pull up!)

Braden's New Do

Bye Bye Baby Curls . . .

Hello Big Boy Haircut!!

What a handsome little boy you are!!! The curls were super cute but it was time for the mullet to go. The curls were starting to lose their curl and it was time to face the fact that you're growing up into a wonderful little boy!

Braden did an AWESOME job! He sat perfectly still . . . the only wiggling was when he dropped his Smarties on the floor. He wore the cape like a pro! Thanks Deb for a great first haircut!! It was fun to spend some one-on-one time with Braden. Not often do I get to give Addyson or Braden all of my attention; I think I should start figuring out how to do that more. We ran a couple errands before his haircut and even had a few minutes to play at the park. What a special little boy!!