Singing for Quarters

Today at church, Nana bribed Beau with quarters at Pizza Ranch if he would do a great job singing in church.  Well, he did!  He even tried doing the motions to the song.  Good job, buddy!

Trains, Trains, Trains!

  

Saturday we took Beau to the mall to see the Penn Central Train Club exhibit.  He absolutely loved all of the trains and didn't even get upset that he couldn't take them home.  I think we know what this guy wants for Christmas...a fancy train set :)

Family Sing Off

I found this gem of a video from when Clint, Tara and Bebub stayed over the other weekend.  What can I say, we like to sing in our family! :)

Banx and Chelle's Birthday

 

Thursday was Banx and Grandma Chelle's birthday.  To celebrate Banx's birthday, we went to Happy Joe's in Pella.  Beau and Banx had a great time playing games, but mostly riding the horse.  Their main quote for the night, "We need more tokens please".  

After dinner at Happy Joe's, we stopped at Scott and Michelle's to help celebrate Michelle's day too!  While spending time there, Beau decided to freshen up on his doctor skills by practicing on Baine.  Beau had been saying this fall that he wants to be a school bus driver when he grows up.  Well after seeing Dr. Posthuma on Wednesday for his 3 year check up, he now wants to be a doctor.  Moving on up in the world! :)

Beau decided to show off his new "dangerous skills" for Grandma Chelle and Grandpa Scott

At Banx's birthday party on Saturday, Beau had a heck of a time swinging at the piñata.  Practice makes perfect, buddy!

Tailgating at the Rielly's

Last Saturday we spent the day at the Rielly's to watch the Iowa game.  Everyone was having such a good time, I don't even know if we watched the whole football game or not!  Tom and Mary have become great friends to Joe and I, and I am so happy to have them in our lives!  Beau and Baine are definitely lucky to have such a great daycare provider who loves them like her own :).

During the afternoon, it was very quiet in the house all of a sudden.  I ask, "Where are the kids?  Where did Joe go?"  Then all of a sudden I hear a lawnmower going.  I run to the window to see Joe driving Tom and Mary's lawnmower, pulling a sled full of kids behind it.  He always finds a way to entertain :)

Bonding Time With Grandparents

     I was really nervous with Baine being born that Beau would get very jealous and feel "left out".  Needless to say, this did not happen, at least not yet anyway.  So to try and prevent Beau from not getting enough attention, he has spent a lot of time with his grandparents lately.  He knows that every Tuesday and Thursday he gets to eat lunch with Grandma Chelle.  Michelle has been so wonderful about helping out with Beau at preschool and taking him to Mary's for us.  It is now her and Beau's tradition to eat out after preschool.  Beau will tell you "On Tuesday we eat at Wendy's and Thursday we eat at Hardee's.  Chelle doesn't like McDonald's because it's yucky."  Priceless.
     Wednesday nights are Beau's nights to spend time with Nana.  She picks up Beau and Banx from Mary's, takes them out for a treat, and then to church for the night.  Beau loves these nights because he knows Nana is taking him to get donuts, and then he gets to play with his friends at church...two of his favorite things :).  The other weekend Nana had Beau and Banx for a sleepover.  These two act more like siblings than cousins, and I hope that never changes!

Watching Paw Patrol at Nanas :)

      Beau is extremely attached to Papa and She-She.  Whenever we are driving in the car, Beau will say "Green means go.  Red means stop.  Yellow means SLOW DOWN AND DON'T GET HURT!"  I will say, "Who told you that Beau?"  "My She-She told me that, Mommy!"  So precious.  Beau loves it when Papa teases him.  Beau's favorite color is blue, and Papa's is red, so they will banter back and forth as to which color is better.  And when it's time to go to bed, Beau runs into the bedroom and says he is sleeping on Papa's pillow!  My dad and Shari are always asking to have Beau, especially on the weekends.  This has been so nice lately because it has given Joe and I a little break from keeping up with our wild child and it gives us 1 on 1 time with Baine.
     Something Beau loves to do is to play in Papa's red car!  He says that Papa's car goes very very fast, but not She-She's car, only Papa's car.  And then Beau told me my car was slow too.  Thanks Beau!  :)

Beau's Quotables

Beau's personality is developing more and more everyday, and he is just saying the cutest things!  I keep telling myself that I need to write down these things, but keep forgetting.  So here are a few examples recently:

*We were sitting at the dining room table with Clint, Tara and Caleb playing cards.  Out of no where, Beau decides to take roll call.  He says, "Bebub, if you are here say 'Gobble, gobble'."  It was hilarious!

*On the ladder going up to his top bunk, Beau said, "Mommy watch me.  I'm going to do something Very-Very dangerous!" (he waves his hands back and forth as he says it) and then jumped to the floor.

*Nana: "Beau, where is Bebub's harmonica at?"
  Beau: "Here Nana, I'll show you!" (Keep in mind we have been looking for this harmonica for OVER A YEAR!
 Nana: "You know where it is, Beau?"
 Beau: "Yep, it's in my special place"
---Sure enough, Beau takes my mom into his room, and behind his door where we have a "wall of wheels", Beau had a whole pile of little toys he was hiding behind the wheels.  And the harmonica was there.  Whenever we would ask Beau where this was, he would't tell us!  Little turd :)

*Beau: "Can Baine talk to me yet?"
  Mommy: "No, not yet."
 Beau: "Well can Baine play with me then? I think he wants to play."

*Beau: "Mommy I couldn't play outside at Mary's today."
 Mommy: "Oh really?  Why not?"
 Beau: "Because it's freezing cold out mommy!"

Christmas Is Coming!

With being home on maternity leave, I decided that I would decorate for Christmas early this year since I had the time and I hate going through all of the work to decorate and only have it up for a few weeks!  So the other night as I was decorating the tree, Beau was anxious to help.  So Daddy put him on his shoulders so Beau could hang ornaments at the top.  Beau has been VERY adamant about getting a star for the top of the tree.  I don't even know where he learned that stars go at the top of trees!  That is on tonight's "to-do" list--have Beau help hang the star at the top of the tree :)

Baine is 1 Month Old!

     I cannot believe it has already been one month since Baine has been born.  I must say, it has been an amazing one month!  People had kept telling me "good luck with two!  It's a lot of work and hard."  While that may be true later down the road, right now things are going well, too well, with the boys!  Beau is such an amazing big brother and just loves to help out with Baine.  Whether if it is getting a diaper, throwing away a dirty diaper, feeding Baine a bottle, putting his binky in his mouth, you name it and Beau wants to help do it!  I am so proud of Beau :)
     Baine is such a good baby!  He is a very good sleeper and even a better eater!  Eating 6 ounces at every feeding is making me VERY sore to say the least :)  Newborn clothes did not fit long, he is in 0-3 month clothes right now, but is almost out of those too!  I do think Baine is going to be my "beef-cake" as I call him :).  Baine loves to snuggle and to just be held.  I might be spoiling him with that, but I'm home all day with him and it is all I want to do---just hold my baby!

Learning Church Behavior

     Recently, Beau has been doing an amazing job at church on Wednesday nights for PowerKids and on Sundays for Church School.  I do think it helps with having Banx with him so he feels more comfortable and so she can boss him around a little bit :).
     Last Sunday Joe went upstairs to check on Beau and this is how he found him.  So yes, he was behaving well the teachers all told Joe, but apparently he needed to rest for a little bit during the lesson :)  Can you find Beau in the picture below???

Sleepover at the Pierson's!

     Last weekend we had a sleepover at our house, all weekend long!  My sister was out of town for a court reporter's convention, and Austin had recently had surgery on his ankle, so he obviously needed help with Banx and Bond.  So we decided we needed to have a slumber party at our house!  I must say, I absolutely love having friends and family in our house.  And we are constantly entertaining :)  Friday we had Austin, Banx and Bond stay the night, then Saturday we had Caleb, Clint and Tara stay the night.  I love the weekends.  Having my cousins and other family members at our house makes for the best memories---especially for my children.  Clint, Caleb and Tara are so good to Beau, and now Baine too.  The video doesn't do justice of what our weekend was like last weekend.  Our house was crazy, loud, and I wouldn't have had it any other way!

Austin the background makes me laugh

Happy Birthday, Nana!

November 9 was my mom's birthday.  We were able to all go out to eat to celebrate her special day, and the kids were even decently behaved :)  I hope your day was as special as you are mom, you deserve it!

Baine's Newborn Pictures and Beau's School Pictures 2014

It is that time of the year again where we get to meet with Amy for family pictures---except this year we also needed newborn pictures :)  Amy is simply the best photographer and I will forever cherish the photos she has captured of my family.  Thank you Amy!
Here is the link to Baine's newborn pictures....

http://amydoerring.com/index2.php#/proofing/
Password: baine

Beau had school pictures this year!  Here is the link for his pictures...
http://tiffanylaynephotography.photoreflect.com/store/ThumbAccess.aspx?e=9409634
Password: holle

Can You Tell They Are Brothers?

Here is a picture combination of Beau and Baine, both just one day old in the hospital.  Although Baine is darker than Beau, they look so much alike!

Halloween 2014

     This year for Halloween was a little crazy with two kiddos.  We were going to dress Baine up, but he went as a sleeping baby instead :)  I did not want to wake him up just to dress him up as a giraffe and to put him back in his carseat!  Beau went as a pirate.  He was so cute saying "Arg matey!"  He is my little spitfire!  After a fun day of having a Halloween party at school, part at church the night before, and then trick or treating on Thursday, Beau definitely had good use out of his costume this year!

Flashbacks

As I was going through pictures on my phone to update our blog with, I came across these two pictures of Beau from last year.  He was so little!  It just amazes me how much he has grown in the past year.  Isn't my little baby anymore :(.  

Our little lion last year at Halloween

Beau will be so mad at me someday for this :)  Banx-3 Beau-2

First Two Weeks As a Family of Four

     Well, we have officially been home for two weeks now as a family of four and I must say, I AM LOVING IT!  I truly feel like I have the best of both worlds now.  1. I have Beau who is at such a fun age where he loves to play, we can have real conversations, and is just my little sweetheart!  2. I have Baby Baine and I just LOVE the newborn stage.  I am enjoying everyday where I can just lay with him and cuddle---my absolute favorite.  I am just so overwhelmed with the love I have for our two boys right now.  I truly never knew I could love this much.  I know every mother feels this way, as they should, but I am so blessed and grateful to have two perfect children.  Beau is loving the role of big brother and is always at Baine's side!  The boys are sharing a room together, which a few people tried giving me grief about and it made me a little upset to say the least.  Well, as an update, the boys are doing GREAT in their room.  Baine sleeps on average 6-8 hours already at night, and when we does wake up to nurse, Beau doesn't even bat an eye.  He is such a heavy sleeper, he will never wake up! haha.  I have heard from so many moms and have done a lot of research that says if your children share a room growing up, it teaches them respect and improves their relationships skills.  It makes sense if you think about it!  So for everyone who was skeptical about our boys sharing a room---you were wrong! :)  They are doing great and honestly, if Joe and I were to have another baby soon, we would have THREE share a room!
     Here are a few pictures of Baine and Beau over the past couple of weeks...

Baine's First Bubble Bath!

Loving Our Cuddle Time

He's Pretty Attached To His Baby Brother

Nana, Beau and Baine getting ice-cream