Xander Aaron

Xander Aaron was born last night at 2:31am.  He was 7 lbs 6 oz and 19 3/4 inches.  Welcome to the world, Xander!

Operation Paci Removal

Leila has been attached to her paci since the day she was born.  Up until she was 6 months old if she didn't have a paci in her mouth she would scream.  I wanted to remove them this summer but we ran out of weekends where we were home and it just didn't happen.  Plus, it's the last "baby" thing...she is potty trained, she sleeps in a big bed, she rides forward facing in the car...so I didn't really want to take it from her.

I was off of work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday so I decided it was a good time to maybe lose some sleep over this.  We talked about how Tuesday night would be her last night with the paci. 












Wednesday morning Leila woke up at 7:30.  I told her she could get up if she was ready to throw her pacis away.  She grabbed them and walked to the bathroom garbage and in they went.

We ended up going to my brothers all day Wednesday so we skipped Leilas first nap without a paci.  We left my brothers around 5:30.  Leila asked for her paci a few times and we talked about how she threw them away because they were icky and she was a big girl.  She was sleeping 5 minutes after we left my brothers.  She woke up about 2 minutes before we got home and cried for her paci.  When we got home Chad came out to get her and she just wanted to go to bed.  We thought maybe she would nap a little so Chad put a diaper on her a put her to bed in her clothes.  She cried for 20 minutes for her paci and was sleeping by 7.  She did not wake up until 5am and was upset that she couldn't find her paci.  Chad brought her in bed with me when he left for work at 6.  She wanted water, then said she was wet and want to go to sleep in her bed. I put a new diaper and jammies on her, read her a book and put her in her bed.  She slept from 7-9!  Napping was ok.  It took her a while to fall asleep but she napped 2.5 hours.  The following days were just about the same.  Cried a little when put down for nap/bed but slept her normal amount of hours.  I did have to tell her a few mornings that we don't get up until it's light out and she went back to sleep. 

I'm very proud of my big girl!  As a reward for no paci we went shopping and she got a horse (ok Gavin got one too but I told Leila it's for when Gavin gets rid of his pacis).

Costumes

Last Saturday I dug out the costumes my mom bought for the kids last year after Halloween.  Leila is a "scary" witch.

The cape did not come with the costume but my mom said she made it when she was in 1st grade and thought it would look good with the costume.  The hat is a little big so Chads mom found one at Goodwill that fits her much better.  Leila loves being a scary witch.

My mom bought Gavin a Buzz Lightyear costume in size 12 months.  The booties were a little tight but the costume fits.  Too bad its too small to fit clothes underneath to actually go outside and trick or treat.















 

So, Chads mom found a really cute bat costume and a really cute puppy costume at Goodwill.  I debated which one she should get since a bat would go really good with Leilas witch costume but Gavin really loves puppies right now. 

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I think we chose the right one!

Halloween Flashback

2009

Gavin ~ My Little Pumpkin

Leila ~ My Little Red Riding Hood

Kiddos

2008

Leila ~ My Little Pumpkin

July Part 1

We had a really busy July full of wonderful pictures. 

Look at that ponytail!  How did she get so much hair?  A year ago she was bald!

 

 Leila loves the kitchen set she got for her birthday.  Gavin and Leila play with it almost everyday.

Swimming has become a necessity at our house.  We swim a few days and then dump the pool and start all over again.  Daddy even rigged up the wash tub with a hose attachment so we just fill the pool with hot/warm water. 

The 4th of July.  I tried getting a picture of the two of them together, looking at the camera and smiling but its hard!  This one is pretty cute of Leila.  Gavin was just too excited that he was on the couch and just wanted to crawl away and play with the light switches.   

We decided we needed a little getaway so we booked a room at "The Lodge" in Brainard for the night.  They had a waterpark and the kids really enjoyed it.  Leila slept on the fold out couch bed and Gavin slept in the pack n play.  On the way home we stopped at Paul Bunyan Land to look.  Leila loved "Babe the Big Blue Ox" and she just stood there staring at Paul.  Maybe next year we will actually pay to go in and see Paul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gavin turned 11 months on July 5th!  He is into balls right now and it's one of the few words he actually says.

We spend the day visiting my mom and Leila wanted to sleep in my old bed.  I thought it was kind of funny that she decided not to use the pillow to sleep on!

Making cookies :)

I did a mini photoshoot with Gavin for his birthday invitation.  I thought I got some pretty good pictures that show off his personality.

We had to get a new pool.  Brittany decided she wanted to go for a swim in the old pool and popped the top ring :(  I really like the new pool.  It's bigger, holds more water and Chad drilled a hole in the side so I could just pull the plug to drain the pool!  The kids love the new pool too.  Leila's new thing is to go down the slide into the pool.

Gavin

Are you sure these kids are related?  Everybody tells me they look alike but I never could see it.  Leila was always a string bean and Gavin was always plump.  Leila was bald and Gavin had way more hair.  I can totally see the resembalince in this picture!

Leila

Leila was hooked on m&ms so we made a potty chart.  When she peed she got a sticker to add to the chart and when she pooped she got a sucker.  When she filled a row we went to the dollar store to pick out a prize. 

Her first sucker...so proud!

Her first prize!

 

 

And thats the first part of July...