Catch up in pictures and bullets...

Boy things are sure busy around here with 2 boys!
Here are some pictures from January...its been a while since I have updated the blog.
In bullets (and photos below) here is what we have been up to...
-As a start to the new year...we added to our family....our great friends Erin and Mike agreed to be Marshall's godparents...we are so HAPPY that they agreed...they are such wonderful friends and we are so blessed to add them to our family
-Little Marshall is doing GREAT!!! He is a BIG boy! He is eating a LOT and is doing so much better with the crying!!! I think we are through colic...he will be 3 months this week! He is pretty much on a schedule through the day....the evening is still a work in progress, but he is sleeping from about 10pm-6:30am which is AMAZING!!! He is smiling--he has a big dimple on his left cheek, is cooing, "talking", and giggling. He is just more and more alert each day. He loves to suck on his hands and when we feed him he holds our hands at times...precious!
-We had our first big snowfall (well, now we have had 2) but the boys enjoyed looking out the window and Brayden and I snuck out for a bit in the back yard to enjoy it while Marshall took a nap
-A few weekends ago, we went with another family to a train show...Brayden really enjoyed the model trains (while the men who set them up, were a little uneasy having a 2 year old next to them) but while we were there he got to ride Thomas...he is still talking about it!
-Brayden is really loving having a brother...today he cried under Marshall's swing while he was sleeping because, he wanted him to get up from his nap :) They love doing tummy time together (which Marshall is doing well at) and Brayden has even given his penguins (petes) to Marshall...which is a BIG deal!
-We officially bathe the boys together...Brayden thinks it is FABULOUS...this came about for two reasons---Marshall is so big that the water leaks out of his little tub and the last time we bathed Marshall in his tub on the counter...he must have had to urge to go...because he peed...all over Brayden! oopppeeeeseee!
-Brayden and I built a snowman...so fun...although, he kept running away with his nose! Stinker!
-Life with two boys is busy and challenging.....but I sure do LOVE them more than EVER!!!

Christmas 2011

I am a little behind on getting up our Christmas pictures...and for some reason they showed up really small this time (but I think you can click on them and they get bigger). Anyways, We had a wonderful Christmas...once all the craziness stopped. Lets just say that it started out VERY rough....after loading up the car---which by the way, we got a car topper for Christmas because we always travel with so much stuff---we stopped to get gas. Literally we pulled up, and no sooner than Aaron turned the car off....Brayden started puking...and we are talking buckets of puke. Luckily, we were close to home, so we headed home--gave him a bath---and then like clockwork, Marshall started throwing up too. We would clean up one kid and then next would throw up. We cleaned our house, kids, car, carseats, etc...for over 3 hours. Finally it got so bad we had to go to the ER....the kids had a virus...Brayden got to go home once he was able to keep down a popsicle and pedialyte (which was around midnight)....but little Marshall had to be admitted. It was awful. The poor baby had to get an IV in his arm to keep his fluids up. He did great though...quite the trooper. So Marshall and I stayed at the hospital. On Friday evening we were released--he was doing great. Both kiddos seemed better...so we decided to still go south for Christmas. So we loaded up again on Sat morning and made it---and since both kiddos were so sleepy, we did not have to stop, so we made it in a record time---under 5 hours. I am so glad that we made the trip...even though Aaron and I both were completely sleep deprived---no sleep for about 48 hours---but it was great to see family and celebrate the holidays. Here are some pictures from southern Illinois...













Next up was Christmas in Dixon. The kids got sick again when we arrived there...and then unfortunately got everyone else sick too after we left---so sorry about that! While we were there though, we did enjoy being with more family and continuing the Christmas celebration...










Even though, the kids were a little under the weather, they enjoyed Christmas! I cannot believe that little Marshall turned 2 months Dec 26th. And the cake you may have seen above---that was a birthday cake for Baby Jesus---per Brayden's request!

Christmas is in full swing...

Christmas is almost here! Brayden wrote his letter to Santa and also had a very Happy St Nick day! Each day we do a different activity from our Adevent calendar...so we have been having fun and getting ourselves in the Christmas spirit!





We have been keeping busy on these long days---since we can only be outside for short spurts...so we have had some playdates and Brayden has been loving his gymnastic class...






One night the kids got to put their new ornaments on the tree---Brayden was extra excited about his new George ornament. Not quite sure how he hung it on the tree---but it stayed!


We went to see the Zoolights at Lincoln Park Zoo. It has been unseasonably warm around here---which we are MUCH enjoying! Brayden loved the lights...and of course this giant penguin (Pete as Brayden calls penguins)---which was our saving grace---since all he wanted to see was the penguins and the exhibit was closed!




Some other happenings around here...
-Brayden is all about singing and dancing--it is hysterical
_He is also a little parrot these days---sometimes I feel like I have a junior lori running around here!
-Brayden has also been going pee on the potty---we are not fulling potty training yet---I know it might sound like I am a slacker mom---but with a newborn, the holidays, and me soon to be packing up our house (we are moving early next year---yeah we got a house!!!) and going back to work---I am just not ready to fully tackle that obstacle....but we do have him go before/after nap and bath...and before bed!
-Marshall is sleeping 6-7 hour stretches at night!!!! And is seeming to be more content and happy through out the day :) He is staying awake for longer and is smiling, cooing and getting cuter and chubbier every day!