Trip to the Children's museum

Sawyer with his musical pals 

We took a trip to the Children's museum this past Friday with some friends. We had a lot of fun. It was nice to get out and do something. We now have a season pass and hope to go there more often (although, I don't know if I can do all 4 kids by myself). Thanks to my good friends Rachel and Carissa, going out with 4 under 4 was doable.

Christmas and New Years in Minneapolis with the Beckering Clan

                                       All of the grandchildren except Brody who was sleeping!

Everyone checking out their toys

                                      
                                              Baby Miles in Breanna's new doll stroller

                       Grandpa and Grandma enjoying the grandchildren open and play with their gifts

                                         Little dress up and make up were a part of the girls' play

                                             Brody and Miles taking it easy on the couch



Brody sending the "Grandma's" some love

Christmas 2011 and Nathan and Ella's 4th Birthday

 Ella got Barbies for Stuive Christmas and she was just a little bit excited

 Nathan got a garbage truck and he spent most of the night picking up let over wrapping paper and putting it in his truck!

 We celebrated Nathan, Ella, Connor, and Elijah's Birthdays too!

Nathan and Ella got new PJ's for Christmas

 All of the Stuive grandchildren except for poor Sawyer who was exhausted and was sleeping soundly.

 We woke up early to open our Birthday gifts.

 Brody is getting big........

 but not as big as his brother Sawyer.

 youngest to oldest

 Sawyer loves food and making a mess out of himself.

 We are so proud of our Ella. She can spell her name. She loves to read books to Nathan and her mom and dad. She loves to color, paint, and do puzzles. She has a wonderful imagination and is very willing to help her mom when it comes to baby Brody.

 Nathan is such a blessing to us. He is in love with wearing pajamas and considers clothes an necessary nuisance his mother makes him wear. He loves to play play dough, color, and paint. He also loves bags. Bags of any kind. He loves to collect things and put them in his bags.

Can you believe they are 4!!!!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We feel so blessed in this New Year. Well of course in part to the new addition to our family. We cannot even imagine life without our little Brody. He is giving us smiles and even has giggled (then of course ends up with the hiccups). Ella and Nathan are now 4. I can definitely see growth in them as well as some stubbornness and willpower. Sawyer is a sponge. We tell him anything and he knows exactly what we are saying. But what is Sawyer saying..................... not much. We try but he prefers to say, "da da" and "yeah." He is starting the terrible 2's in some areas, but is so cute and lovable so all that naughtiness fades away. We are excited what is ahead of us in 2012!

Were growing !!!!!!!!!!

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Ours was very special because Brody got to meet his Grandpa and Grandma Minnesota. They were able to stay with us for the long holiday weekend. They got lots of one on one time with the grand kids and Tim and I (along with Brody) were able to go to a wedding while my parents babysat the rest of the kids. It is always so bittersweet to have them visit and then have to leave. It always takes me one day of having the post-family visit blues and then life goes on as normal.

Brody is growing. We had our two week appointment and he weighed in at 8lb, 11 oz and 20 and 1/4 inches long. So he gained a whole pound in 2 weeks. He still has his gassy moments and I am praying he will grow out of it. He sleeps about 2-3 hours at a time during the night and either I am getting used to the sleep deprivation or I sleep during his feedings, because I do not feel too tired during the day.

Everyone else seems to be adjusting pretty well. Sawyer is our mischievous one and we finally borrowed a gate from our neighbors so that Sawyer could not get upstairs. He loved to go in our shower and try to get our bar soap to play with or eat! The twins love to give Brody kisses, but otherwise leave him alone (which we are okay with).

We hope you are enjoying this holiday season! More pics to come soon.