Dane is 2!

 Happy second birthday sweet Dane! I can't believe you are already 2. Time is speeding up and you are growing up so fast.

Your birthday day started off just like any other day when you and Mikey woke up at about 7:30am. I heard you giggling and talking to each other in your cribs. You wanted your milk right away and then Yaya came in to play with you. We each gave you lots of birthday kisses and hugs. We got you dressed in your new Star Wars t-shirt and went down for breakfast. It was your usual of mashed bananas and "p-burrer" peanut butter with rice cereal. You gobbled it up and had some "resees" raisins then we started getting ready to go on our adventure day.

On the drive up to LA Mikey fell asleep with his hand on your car seat (like always) and Dane, you held his hand all the way up. It melted my heart.

Daddy was working at USC so we drove up and visited him at work. We then went for lunch and got your favorite...beans and rice. Then it was off to Toys R Us for you birthday surprise, hat, and balloon. You choose some matchbox cars for your surprise and hated wearing the hat.

 

We dropped Daddy back off at work and went to get your favorite, "sip sip". Which is what you call a smoothie. We went to Jamba Juice and you were in heaven. You fell asleep in the car shortly after that and then we visited our friend Rachel Jones who has the same birthday as you.

While with Rachel and Yaya we went to a vintage store in Westwood where you decided to climb into a glass display cabinet. It took you under 2 minutes to enter the store, run away from us, and climb somewhere where we couldn't reach you. Impressive!  The store manager started freaking out telling me that I "had to get you out of there RIGHT NOW!" I could tell she was scaring you and you just froze. Eventually you got out...and climbed behind the cabinet into a small corner even harder to reach. It took us having to lift and move the cabinet to get to you. Come to find out you were just trying to find a quite spot alone to poop. It took everything I had not to giggle about it in front of the store manager since I could tell she wasn't exactly happy about it. But don't worry, I let the manager have it for being so scarey and not nice.

You also had your first crepe filled with Nutela and bananas and you loved it!

Your stats:

36 inches tall 93%
29lbs 2oz  65%
19.25 inches head circumference 50%
2t-3t clothes
size 5 diapers 6 at night


 We had 2 parties for you little Daneee. One was with some friends at a park on Saturday the 18th and the other was with the family on Sunday the 19th.

The party at the park was Pirate themed. Mostly because it was a pirate ship park so it made it easy to have a theme. All your cute friends came and they got to dress up like pirates and run around and play.

You can't get much cuter than a bunch of toddler pirates running around. Here is your friend Nova.

 

 

We had toddler friendly snacks and drinks.

Instead of a cake we did ice cream cone cupcakes and you loved them. You didn't actually eat the cake but you did lick off the frosting. We were so excited that you blew out your candle!

 

  

 

 

You got lots of fun gifts and really had a great time.

 At the family party you played with your cousins and uncles and had a ball. You really love your family and they sure love you! The party was at your Aunt Jodee's house and we had tacos and beans and an ice cream bar. Since ice cream gives you a rash you didn't have any but honestly you were so busy playing with the basket ball you didn't even notice.

Your cousins. You came home from the party know the words to Frozen's "Let it Go".

Grampa and Dane. You love your Grampa soooo much and talk about him all the time.

You got a really cool firetruck from Uncle Darrel and Aunt Kristy.

 
Dane, the rate at which you are learning and developing astounds us. You have several songs memorized, you can quote Alma 37:35, you know your colors, can count to 12, know your ABCs, know directions like forward/ backward and on top/under, you say please and thank you, you say excuse me when walking by and sorry if you knock into me. It seems like you only need to see or hear something a couple times and you memorize it. You get that from your daddy who is amazing at memorizing things. Someday you two will be able to sit and quote movies for hours together :-)

You can say a full prayer by your self now and we love hearing them. You like the part where you get to thank Heavenly Father for things. Some things that you are thankful for right now: Daddy, Mikey, Peanut Butter, Grampa, spoons, shirts, lukie, Yaya, floor, poopie, Temple, boys at church (YM). I just have to think that Heavenly Father hears your prayers and just smiles. He loves to hear from you and wants to hear everything you have to say. Keep it up!

Something that is even more amazing to us is your sweet nature. You are kind. You are gentle. You love babies (especially yours). You love your brother to pieces and have started helping me with him. You are sensitive but yet strong willed. You are very good at focusing on a task when you are playing and will always want to "put it back" when you are done. You are very giving when it comes to sharing. You will give Mikey a toy to play with when he starts to get sad.

You can come off as a pretty serious and intense little boy to people that don't know you or when you are somewhere new. But the truth is you are supper silly and funny. You will dance around when you are happy and say silly things. You have started making up words and having me repeat them and then you crack up at how I say them.

You learned the "Let's go Dodgers" chant and now change it to "Let's go Mikey, Let's go car, Let's go Mama". Pretty much anything that you can think of you cheer for it.

You are really into transportation right now. You love cars and trucks, buses, trains, airplanes, and skateboards. Pretty much anything that moves. You got a race track for Christmas and you have a bunch of cars that you use one it. You know the name of each one like the "Gam-ber-bini" (Lamborghini), "Anton Marton" (Aston Martin), Ford Falcon, Race car, fast car, white truck, and police car.  Driving in the car with you is always exciting because we yell out different kinds of cars.

You are getting your 2 yr old molars right now and I can tell they are really bothering you. I think that it is effecting what you like to eat right now. Your favorites are smoothies (fruit&veggie&protein) and beans and rice. You also like to change favorites frequently. For example one month you will love beans and hate rice and then the next month you will love rice and hate beans. You are keeping us on our toes!

I am so excited for your Terrific 2's to be here! You are teaching me so much as a parent and I am so grateful to be your Mama.

 A huge thanks to my sweet friend Rachel Thurston for snapping some pictures at Dane's pirate party!

"I'll still be one year old tonight..."

“When i have said my evening prayer,

and my clothes are folded on my chair,

mama and daddy switch off the light,

I'll still be one year old tonight.

But from the very break of day,

before the children rise and play,

before the darkness turns to gold,

tomorrow I'll be two years old…

two kisses when i wake,

two candles on my cake.

A goodnight kiss for the one year old

to send him to sleep and to dreaming.

And blessings to the two year old

who'll climb out of bed in the morning.”

 Our sweet baby Dane, tomorrow you turn two. You have changed our lives. You have made us parents. We love you more than words can say little munch, and are so excited for the adventures ahead!

Love,
Mama and Daddy

Michael is 8 months!

We had your 8 month check up today little Michael and you were wonderful. No fussing when Dr. Lee and the nurse were checking you out. You just laid there with wide eyes looking at them and then to me for reassurance and then back at them with a little smile.

 At your 8 month check up with Dane getting his 2 yr check up.

Here are your stats:

30 1/2 inches tall %=off the charts 
16 lbs 14 oz 50%
17.25 inches head circumference 25%
You are wearing 12 month clothes (with the pants cinched in) 
Size 3 diapers and 4 at night
2 teeth- bottom front

Our little bean pole!

You are a really fast crawler now and have started standing on your own. Yup, that's right! The first time I saw it was at our stake's Christmas program. After the program everyone went into the cultural hall for cookies and hot chocolate and all the kids (including your brother) were running around. I decided to put you down to crawl and explore for a while. I started chatting with some friends and look over to see you in the middle of the cultural hall by your self standing! Both feet were planted on the floor and your arms were out. There was nothing around for you to pull up on so you just figured it out on your own. I started freaking out and scared you and you fell down. You got me so excited....and a little nervous. I think you wanted to run with the other kids.

 Checking out the lights at the LA Temple

You are sleeping about the same. You wake up 2 times throughout the night and wake at 7 for the day. You sleep with your new Mimi blankie, your binkie, and your stuffed monkey. It's the sleep trifecta. We can put you in your crib with those things and you will silently fall asleep.

 

 Snuggling with your Mimi blankie made by my mom.

 

Sometimes you like to jump in bed with your brother.

You are still nursing 5 times a day and have solids 3 times a day. You are not ready for anything to chew yet. For example: if I make your rice cereal too thick you start to gag on it. Once while at a restaurant with me and your Aunt Yaya I gave you a tiny piece of squished banana and you gagged so much that you threw up all your previously eaten food. Which was green beans. Lovely. So we are sticking with runny purees for now.  When you are done eating you will put your hands above your head and make a scrunch face. If I still try to feed you after that you will try to hit the spoon away.

Mama and her boys. No doubt about it, you have my eyes and your daddy's nose and mouth.

You now say two words: Mama and Dada , along with a lot of baby babble. We think you actually know who Mama is and who Dada is and will say our names while looking at us. So fun! You also know your name and will respond to it. Probably because Dane and I are singing your name to you all day long. "Mikey, Mikey, Mikey!"

 

 Visiting your Aunt Yaya at her work, The Queen Mary.

You have been sick a few times this month. It makes me so sad to see you so sad. All you want to do is be held by me. You are my little snuggle bug and I love it. You will crawl around after me and when I pick you up your arms and legs cling to me for dear life.The only medicine you have had so far is fever reducer...no antibiotics needed.

Sick = snuggles

Speaking about crawling around after me, I joke with daddy that you are like my new puppy. You are crawling around after me all day! If I'm in the living room so are you. If I'm in the kitchen doing dishes, so are you. You will also crawl around after your brother and try to play with whatever he is playing with. Lately it is his new race track. Dane makes them go and you make them crash. It's great fun.

 

 Helping mama with the dishes.

 

 Playing cars with Dada and Dane.

You had your first Christmas! It was soooo much fun. You had a ball playing with all of the wrapping paper. Your favorite thing was a tiny bow you found to play with. Your gifts were some bath toys, your stuffed monkey, and some noise makers. It was spent with Mama, Dada, Dane, and Yaya. It was perfect.
Your first visit to see Santa happened at Disneyland and you had no problem sitting on his knee and smiling for a picture.

 

 Visiting Santa at Disneyland with Samantha Smoot.

 

Dane's new dump truck carrying its cutest load. 

Your first Christmas jammies.

Christmas morning!

We are so in love with you Michael. You are like a bright happy light in our family. You are constantly getting loved on by someone in our family and most of the time it is from Dane. You two are best friends already and I can't wait to see that develop.

Photo credit: Jodee Christensen

So, till next month little monkey, we love you to pieces!

Michael is 6...and 7 months!

Hi my darling little Mikey. You are now 7 months old! You have done A LOT of growing and changing the last two months and I'm excited to tell you about it. You are still a very happy and content baby. You have no problem finding something to play with on your own but love when Dane plays with you too.

7 month Stats:
Weigh- TBD
Height- TBD
Clothing- 9-12 months
Diapers- 3 for the day and 4 at night

Your hair is still a dish water blond and your eyes are dark hazel. I think both aren't done changing. But you absolutely look a lot like me but with your daddy's nose and mouth. People still ask if you and your brother are twins.

Right at 6 months you started scooting around. Mostly pushing backwards and you also figured out how to get into crawling position. At 6 1/2 months you started crawling. And not just experimenting with crawling, I mean really getting around. Before that you liked to plank  and do "downward dog" a lot. Right around this time you also figured out how to sit your self up. I was startled to walk into your room and finding you sitting up in your crib waiting for me.

At 7 months you started pulling your self up to standing and you are a really fast crawler now. I call you my little puppy dog because you will just crawl around behind me where ever I go. You want to always be in the same room as me and if you aren't and brother isn't playing with you, you will cry. I love looking down and seeing this little face looking back at me.

On December 7th you cut your first tooth! It was your lower left front tooth. Your teething signs were that you were very drooly,  a little more clingy & fussy and that you didn't want to eat solid food. You got your second tooth exactly one week later! It was you lower right front tooth. You have been chewing on everything you can get your hands on. Including me!

You are still our little bean pole. Long and skinny! Lately you have really been blowing me away with your flexibility/strength/balance. I will find you sitting in the funnies positions like it is no big deal. And you are FAST! If you see something that you want you get it. I tell your daddy that you have his reflexes.

Something that you do that I just adore is that when I pick you up you get extremely excited and start flapping your arms, kicking your feet, scrunching your face, and panting. Then you will borrow you face into my shoulder or face like you are giving me a hug and a kiss. We are so in love my little monkey.

Since we started solids (at about 6 1/2 months) you have been getting constipated a lot. It is so sad and I can tell you are so uncomfortable. I have increased the amount of peaches I give you and reduced the amount of rice cereal by a bit and that has really helped. You are a great eater still and will eat and fruit or veggie that we give you. You also are still nursing throughout the day and night.

Sleeping is going okay. You still wake up 2 times throughout the night (sometimes 3...that third one kills me:) and nap about 3 times a day. You like a late morning nap at around 10 and then your big nap is with Dane from 1-3pm and then a short nap at around 5. I can just put you in your crib with your Binkie and "Mimi blankie" and you will just fall asleep. Lots of times you just nap on the go. I guess that is what happens when there are more than just one baby in the home.

We love you easy going/happy/feisty personality and you have really found your place in our family. We can't imagine life without you now. Especially Dane. He just can't get enough of you and loves to give you kisses and hugs.

Your favorite people right now: Mama, Dane, Dada, Yaya, Nana

You brighten our lives little Mikey and we adore you for that.

Dane is 21 months!

Just three more months till you are 2 little munch. These last three months have been incredible with you. You have grown in so many ways that you are astounding us on a daily basis.We obviously think you are the smartest most awesome 21 month old alive. We are in love.

Your stats at 20 months (we don't have them for 21 months):
35.5 inches tall
28.5 lbs

The biggest development is that you are talking! You are talking a lot. At right around 19 months you went from just saying words to actually forming sentences. You like to copy everything we say. Sometimes you copy things we don't want you to say. For example you heard your daddy say "stupid cars" once while driving and now you say it every time we get in the car and have to slow down because of another car. It's funny...kind of. We are now watching what we say a little better.

You have started to say prayers with us. You say "its time for prayer" fold your arms and then repeat the prayer after us. You like to sometimes say " Dear...amen" and then bust up laughing. You think it is hilarious and we think it is pretty cute.

You can count to 10. This one blew me away. I will count things here and there like the stairs, or sometimes food but I really had no idea you were catching on. Till one day I started counting 1, 2, 3, then stopped and you said 4. Then I said five and you said 6 and this continued till 10. Since then we have heard you count all the way up all by your self.

You figured out jumping. Like all the way jumping. Off of two feet, in the air, landing on two feet. And now you do it all the time. The biggest fan of this new trick is your brother Mikey. He laughs and laughs and laughs. And you know what? You love making him laugh. You also like to sit on him when he is lying on his tummy and ride on him. He doesn't like that too much but will still laugh. You also like to push on his tummy and tickle him. Lately you will lye on your tummy when Mikey is and say "crawl" and show him how. You are such a good brother.

You are still left handed when it comes to throwing, eating, and drawing.

You still have a very serious streak. It takes a little coaxing to get you to smile and laugh some times. When you are trying something new that is fun you will not smile or laugh until you are really sure about it. You also still don't really like smiling for pictures.

You have some favorite people. Auntie Yah-yah, Preslie & Chloe. You talk about these three people all the time. Even when they aren't around. Auntie Yah-yah comes over and spends the night with us and you two have sooo much fun with her. You are silly and show off your cool tricks when she is around. After she goes home it is a good 1-2 days of "Where's Yah-yah?". You have even started calling her Mama Yah-yah sometimes. Preslie & Chloe are your best friends. When you three get together there is a lot of laughing, screaming, chasing, playing, following, copying, hugging, and the occasional crying. The sad part is that they just moved away. I don't think you really understand exactly what happened but you do understand that there is "no Chloe". Every once in a while you will just say that out of the blue. It breaks my heart when you say it but I'm so glad that you were able to make such great friends.

Speaking of making friends you are getting pretty social now. You will talk to strangers and make friends quickly with people your age when we go to the park or just out to eat. Your ice breaker line is "high five" and you hold your little hand out till they give you a high five. So cute.

You are definitely developing likes and dislikes and the ability to express them. And express them I  mean screaming, throwing (slowly and carefully) your self on the floor, running away, screaming, flailing your arms, did I mention screaming? We are working together on figuring out ways to get your point across without all the drama and every once in a while I see improvement. We are both learning.

We have a molar! It's on your bottom right side and I think it was pretty painful coming through. I also think the other ones are on there way and I think this is making you a little cranky. It's understandable.

You are such a joy to us little Dane. We can't imagine our lives without you and just love you to pieces!

You are still a HUGE fan of your daddy! When you guys go out in the car together you like to repeat what daddy says and then he will repeat what you say. You guys will make funny voices when doing it. "Trrruuuuuuck" You like to ask where daddy is during the day and sometimes will answer your own question by saying "Daddys at work".

Yes, you are on a leash. You are so fast!

 All of these pictures were taken when we took you to the San Diego Safari Park when you turned 21 months old.