Late night tub time

Lots of tickling and kisses happened during Brooks and Ava's tub time last night. You would have never thought they were driving each other cray-zy allllll day yesterday. ;)

Post Bath Snuggles

Fresh out of the tub, snuggly and silly as ever.

I love those two. So. Much.

12 tulips for 12 months

^^ Brooks picked out these pink and "o-janch too-wips" for Aves...his little sister who is ONE YEAR OLD ^^

Yesterday was our Ava's birthday...that girl is ONE!! We can hardly believe it.

Oh. We. Love. Her. 

Sadly she was sick, even though you wouldn't think so from that last picture, but Aves was such a little trooper. A bubble bath with big brother and a long nap were on the itinerary...both happened twice. Plenty of tissues and vaseline were used on her tender nose, and oils rubbed on her feet. And snuggling in our PJs, all day long. So, not much traditional birthday fun was had, but that'll absolutely happen as soon as she's back to her normal, happy and healthy self. We're all about extending celebrations for more belated birthday goodness. 

So grateful for the day we met our little Ava...it was love at first sight.

She has been apart of our family now for twelve months.

Twelve of the best, most crazy and exhausting, but oh-so sweet, months ever.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AVA LU!

PS - I adore your giggles in the tub

It's dark in the video, because I didn't have the light on and there was only the evening sunlight coming in the bathroom window...but oh your sweet and hilarious giggles are clear as day and I love it! Thanks for humoring me with my ridiculous noises and faces...I'll do whatever it takes to hear your laughter sweet Ava. :) And when your brother decides to wake up from his late nap, he'll hop in with you and you'll have a giggle-fest together. I have no doubt about it.

Swimming with piggies and penguins

Yesterday Brooks and Ava enjoyed one of their Christmas gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Kjar...they love their penguin and piggy bath time pals. :) It was the only thing that would cheer them up while feeling so crummy. I mentioned in this post that we all had a little bug on Christmas Eve but were starting to feel better Christmas day...well, the symptoms have boomeranged and are back with a vengeance. I hate seeing my littles be sick, and being sick myself while trying to nurse them back to health is as ironic and tiring as it sounds. I'm sure I'm not only one out there who feels like a bully/torturer with the bulb syringe...but it sure helps my baby girl breath better. Cheers to more baths, movies and books, and some essential oils (thank you Mandy!). 

Soapy Alfalfas

Last Saturday these two took their first bath together in the kitchen sink. Talk about making my heart melt into a puddle...along with the puddle on the kitchen floor. And this past Saturday Brooks insisted on Ava joining him in mama's tub for a bath.  It was beyond adorable watching Brooks splash and seeing them both crack up! 

And while getting them squeaky clean,
how could I resist giving them some soapy alfalfas?

Saturday

Saturday was a good day at home with these two little lovers.

Even though our Cougars didn't win...where did that goal post come from anyway?? ;)

Dear Ava,

Hi baby girl! I love recording "firsts" and little milestones, so I thought I'd share some photos from your first "bath" at home when you were almost a week old.  After experiencing your little brother as an infant, I know how strong and resiliant healthy infant bodies are...but I still felt like I needed to be oh-so careful with your delicate frame and tiny features. I'm so glad Grandma Stum was there to help. :) Before making sure the water that was running in the sink was just the right warm temperature, we got our little station ready to get you all fresh and clean...

Bath tub thing-a-ma-jig, check.

Baby wash, check.

Wash cloths, check.

Soft sponge/scrubber, check.

Towels, check.

Baby lotion, check.

Aves we did eventually take off your diaper to wash your cute little bum...but that didn't happen until half way through, whoops. ;)  Overall you were great, and absolutely loved having your head massaged with the little scrubber given to me at the hospital.  It was after I dried you off and was lathering you up with lotion that you started crying. Nothing that few of Mama's kisses couldn't fix though. :) I then dried your "baby chick" hair (a lot like mine when I was a babe!) and swaddled you up. You were so tiny. And you smelt like heaven.

Comparing then, and now with your chubby rolls, your strong neck, and your smiling face...I can't believe that was just 2 months ago.  Now when I give you your baths I have to make sure to wash in between the rolls of your ADORABLE, chubby thighs. I love it. :)

Love always,

Mom

PS - You had your 2-month wellness check up earlier this week. You are doing stellar sweetheart! Here are your stats: you weigh 12 lbs 15 oz (88th percentile), you're 23.5 inches tall (81st percentile), and your sweet head measures 16 inches (85th percentile). I was so excited to text Daddy the picture below and tell him how good you're growing! We both love you to the moon and back.  :)

dripping...

...with cuteness

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Spiritual Health:

Personal Progress Knowledge - Value Experience #1

Read Proverbs 1:5; 4:7;2 Nephi 28:30; and Doctrine and Covenants 88:78–80, 118; 90:15; 130:18–19;131:6

Physical Health:

Mowing the lawn (is it bad that I count that as a workout?)...and lots of stretching

squeaky clean

I'm well aware that I probably have 100's of photos of my little lover boy in the tub. And I plan on taking more :) I can't help it.

Luckily I got some smiles out of him (I may or may not have been feeding him a Gogurt;) because as of late Brooks seems to be ALL BOY and does not like getting cleaned...in the tub or just cleaning his mouth with a wet wipe. Oy. Clean or dirty though, he's the best son a momma could ask for.

Next time I'll somehow get photos of our game of chase that always seems to follow bath time. My little naked jaybird loooooooooves running in the buck ;) And I love looking as his squeaky clean bum. Win-win.

my baby bird :)

After being with my family for the holidays, I've been rather nostalgic lately and sweet memories from my childhood have been flooding back (from the likes of the sweet photo my dad emailed me, and the the fort we built)

I'll take you back in time again...I can remember (or maybe it's just from looking at pictures) being in the tub with my 2 little sisters , we'd pretend we were baby birds and we'd "chirp" to our Mom who'd feed us our "worms" (little bite-size snacks...like a grape, a cube of cheese, gold fish). Well, this morning Brooks was my baby bird :) He enjoyed bites of oatmeal in his bath. Heehee!

{some of the oatmeal definitely ended up in the bath water...but oatmeal is good for the skin, right?}

I don't know what's better than a sweet baby in the tub.

Try to think of something better...you're stumped, right?