Brody's 1st XRAY!

What a day! So Brody STILL has this annoying cough that will not go away. After another doctor apt. today to check his ears (which are perfect), Dr. Ball decided to send him for a chest xray for the cough. WHAT??? You don't tell this to me. I am neurotic by nature (thanks Dad) and these things freak me out. For some reason I always think the worst. Thank goodness my husband is much more positive and brings me back to reality. Dr. Ball just wanted to rule out any type of walking pneumonia. Maddy was amazing hanging out with the tech, while I wear the protective gear for Xrays (after the tech asked me if I could be pregnant- ummmmm-NO). So after practically torchering my little guy by trying to hold his arms this way, that way, etc. to get his chest xrayed.. he is fine! Thank God! His heart looks great, lungs look great. Must just be another cold! Isn't it summer where there shouldn't be any colds?? Go away dumb cough. We are SO over you! I am sure this will not be Brod's first xray if he follows in his daddy's footsteps!

Sleeping babes

AAAHHH...naptime!

My market helper

We only needed a few things at the market, so Maddy got to push the cart. Now everytime we go she wants to do it. She is my little helper!

Sunday Morning Walks

Our Sunday morning walks always turn into playing at the park. Maddy is so good to sit in the stroller while we walk Ladera, that she deserves to get out and play. Brody is such a big boy now that he sits in the stroller and watches everything. Mad likes to hold Dakota's leash and walk her for awhile. We love our family walks on the weekends.

Too cute for words

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Happy Birthday Grandpa! We hope you had a great day and were surprised on Monday night! WE love you so much. Thanks for taking us to the park and playing fun games with us!

Love, Maddy and Brody

A great picture of Grandpa and his four grandkids!

COLDPLAY

Friday night we got a call from Mike's sister, Stacy. She asked if we wanted tickets to Coldplay for our five year anniversary (next month)??? Uh- YES!!!!! The funny thing is I had bought Mike tickets for V Day for the concert last Thursday, however it was in San Diego and we weren't able to make it. We were bummed we couldn't go and sold the tickets. When Stacy asked us if we wanted to go in Irvine on Sunday night, it was a no brainer. Our friends, Josh and Amy happened to have tickets too. And we were all in section 7- so weird! We had the BEST time ever! We haven't been to a concert together in a long time. Coldplay was awesome! They are great entertainers and love what they are doing. I even spotted Gwenyth in the front row. Don't think I wasn't looking for her the whole time. We had great seats and had so much fun! Thank you Stacy and Steve. And for those wondering- no I didn't mean to wear a yellow shirt - but Mike made me aware of it when Coldplay was singing "Yellow". Haha!

And a big THANK YOU to Bri for watching the kiddos!

Big Girl Bed

Our little girl is growing up! She no longer wears diapers. She hasn't had an accident for five days. She talks up a storm and wants to know everything. And now..she sleeps in a big girl bed. My Papa made this bed special for Maddy. We have had it for a couple of months now but I wasn't ready to put her in it. Well, last Saturday Mike and I did the big switch. Mike took apart her crib and put her bed together. She looks so cute in it when she is sleeping. I think I shed a little tear when she got in it for the first time last Saturday for bed. Where is my baby? I tell her all the time "I don't want you to grow up" and she responds with "I want to be big!" I just love her!
A big THANK YOU to Papa for Maddy's special new bed! We love it!

Taking her first nap in her new bed. Can you tell I was nervous because

we hadn't bought a siderail yet??? I put her bumpers all around it.

Music Class

We love music class on Thursdays. Last week Greyson came with us and after we went to a picnic at the park with Kelly and Ashley! We love summer!

Maddy's First Cut

Yes, it has taken me two years, four months and twenty days to get Maddy's first haircut. It was finally time. When your daughter starts growing a mullet- you know it is time for a trim :). I have just wanted her hair to grow for so long and was waiting- but today was the day. She was so excited since her two best friends, Blake and Owen, went to get their hair cut yesterday from Ms. Kathy. Blakie told her that she would get a sucker from Kathy after her trim, and she was ready. She wasn't quite sure when we first got there and gripped on to Mike. She would not let him put her in the rocket to sit, so she sat on my lap instead. She did great and her hair looks so cute. Actually, some people probably wouldn't even be able to tell- but we can. It is trimmed and even on the ends. Pay attention in the video to how she wasn't so sure and kind of cracks a smile. So cute!

Before the trim. She isn't sure about this.

Kathy made her hair wild for the "before" picture.

Full mullet in the back.



OH SO CUTE!!! Look how proud she is!


We are all done!


Posing with her "first haircut" certificate.
All she wants is her sucker.

A little smile!

Cute side picture.

Yeah! Finally, the sucker!

Finally an answer

Poor Brody had a cold about three weeks ago and it never fully went away. Although he hasn't had a runny nose or fever anymore, he has had this random, horrible, flemy cough that has not gone away. I just knew that something wasn't right and after yesterday's doctor apt. we finally have an answer...his first ear infection. POOR BABE!! You would never have known that he has one because he has still been his happy self, sleeping through the night. When Mad had her horrible run of ear infections, starting at seven months until about a year, she was up crying all night. This little guy is tough! So now we are on antibiotics and his ear infection and cough should be gone soon. I don't know what it is but our kids are always bald...and prone to ear infections. :( I love bald babies- not too fond of ear infections though.

I might be biased...

...but this kid is stinkin' cute!!!

AAAHHHH ---- I LOVE him!!!

Lucky!

Maddy got a new outfit from Auntie Lou for her birthday and it was too big- until now! She wore it the other day and looked SO cute! Thanks Auntie Lou for the LUCKY love! I love these pictures because of her sweet smile and excitement in her new outfit. This girl loves to pose in front of the camera.

Papa's 85th Birthday

Me and Brodster
Maddy and Brody posing, with Grandpa in the background.

Brody and his great-grandpa, Papa. Happy Birthday Papa!

Getting some love!

Mad wasn't so sure of this turtle at first, but then she loved it!

Brody and his great-grandma, GG.

Hanging by the pool at Aunt Stacy's and Uncle Steve's.

Maddy and Brody and their cousins, Jack and Hayley.

Mike's Grandpa, Papa, turned 85 this past week. We got together at Stacy and Steve's house to have lunch and swim and celebrate him! There was also a dancy party with Maddy, Jack and Hayley. Watch the video clips to see Maddy's dancing moves! I think she got them from her daddy :).

Jack and Hayley have an electric piano and the kids traded off playing it, while the others danced. Maddy's dance moves are...interesting and SO cute! She just kind of runs in place. She had so much fun with her cousins that day.

Hawaii Fun!

We had the most FABULOUS time in Hawaii!! It was a much needed, relaxing vacation with my family. My mom found an amazing 3 bedroom/3 bath condo for all of us and the kiddos, while my parents stayed just two minutes away at the Mauna Kea. We loaded in the minivan everyday with six adults, three carseats and our beach gear and drove the short trip to the beach, where my mom had saved our chairs for the day. SHE IS THE BEST!! We tanned, built castles, laughed, had yummy drinks and just enjoyed being together. It was a great trip!

On our way there. This was Brod's first plane ride and Mad's second.

The pilot came on and announced there was a Hawaiian Air plane flying right below us on its way to another island. Pretty cool and kind of scary too.


We made it to Kona! Maddy and her princess backpack.

I am happy to be off the plane with two kids. They did great!

Off to the Hau Tree for some drinks. Auntie Lou and Case just arrived.

Maddy and Grey loved seeing the parrots. These are the same birds that my sisters and I saw every summer going to the Mauna Kea.

First day at the beach. Maddy and Gamma went to Mom's room to get the sand toys!

Poppi and the the kids enjoying the water.

Grey was pretty much like this the whole trip.

Happy Baby!

Just relaxing with her snack after playing in the sand.

We went to a Luau this night but had drinks first at the Copper Bar.

Daddy and his boy hanging out!

Family picture at the Luau!

My sisters and I used to go on stage and do the Hula, so I took Maddy. She was exhausted from a long day at the beach. I did most of the dancing and she watched with a half-smile.

The guys did a Walmart/Costco run to stock up for the week and we had to purchase this
Walmart exersaucer for Brody. It was the best purchase because we brought it to the beach everyday and used it at the house.

One day we went to another hotel to see the dolphins.

A party at another hotel for one of the golfers.

Cute cousins in their sunglasses with their arms around eachother.

Mad was SO good and took her nap just like this EVERY day. She would sleep for about two hours and then be ready to go again. It was awesome!

Mad and Grey watching the dolphins.

Maddy loves pushing her brother around.

Auntie Lou and Maddy having some special time.

Being goofy at the condo.

Brody took his naps like this everyday. He just fell asleep in his stroller under an umbrella. Or he fell asleep in Gamma's arms first and then went into the stroller. They were so good at the beach. During naptime Mom stayed and read her book under the umbrella with the kids and Mike and I snorkeled. Thanks mama!

The 4th of July! Our last day on the beach. Maddy rocking her patriotic suit!

The kids "surfing" the big waves.

Brody was unusually sad in this picture. We tried to get a cute shot in their 4th clothes but he wasn't having it...

...until he had his bottle and he was much happier! This was his 1st 4th!

We had a GREAT trip and a GREAT 4th!!!
Thank you Mom and Dad for an amazing trip and Mom for all the planning you did.

It could not have been better!