Our little wildcats...

Growing up, Jon was a huge University of Arizona Wildcats fan...how could he not be with grandparents and a great aunt living in Tucson. He lived for Arizona basketball, even dreaming that he'd play there one day along with his 6th grade bff Jon. Fast forward nearly twenty years and now our boys are donning their own wildcat gear...perhaps they'll fulfill their dad's dream and play for the U of A one day.

A special thanks to the aforementioned Great Aunt Karen for keeping the boys in style in their Arizona gear.

Happy brothers...

Love, love, love...

Oh how we love how this boy is chunking up..don't you just want to pinch those happy little cheeks?!
...and remember, college basketball is just around the corner...go Wildcats!

Three Months!

Three months...a quarter of a year old..how did that happen?! Our sweet boy is growing and changing before our eyes.

At three months, Dane Garrison....

...still loves to kick and move about...our little guy is a mover and a shaker

...is already outgrowing some of his 3-6 month clothes..this is one long little boy...

...is moving into size three diapers



...seems to be outgrowing (or at the very least tolerating) his acid reflux, thank goodness

...is only grumpy when he's hungry..and he shows it...


...but overall is a super smiley and happy little boy

...is starting to really gain his head control and can sit up for periods at a time..but still hasn't figured out how to push up on his arms at tummy time

...eats every three hours during the day (at 7, 10, 1, 4 and 7)

...sleeps through the night (6:30-7:30ish until 7:00 a.m.) while swaddled with his starry night turtle and ocean waves and rain white noise

...naps 3-4 times a day, usually for around an hour a time, but sometimes as long as two hours

...started daycare and seems to be adjusting well

...but got his first cold that he can't seem to kick :(

...still loves his swing and is starting to really love his bouncer, especially the music and lights

...coos and 'jabbers' up a storm, especially at friendly faces like his big brother Cade

...was baptized among family and his godparents Brian and Auntie Alyssa

...finally tolerates his carseat and car rides (cabin, here we come!)

...loves to blow bubbles and is a bit of a drool machine while trying to shove his entire fist in his mouth

...is really discovering his hands and likes to grasp his rattles and toys

...gives the best huge gummy smiles when Cade and I get him out of bed in the morning

Oh sweet boy, we are loving the little man you're becoming, full of life and personality. We can't wait to watch you continue to learn and grow.

xoxo

Child of God

Last Saturday, Dane officially became a child of God. We were blessed with a beautiful day with family and friends. The service was intimate and special and Pastor did a wonderful job. He even let Cade participate by being up there with us. Although it was a bit awkward when Cade pointed at Pastor and loudly whispered, "Who's that?" I guess we should find our way to church more often on Sundays!


After sharing in Dane's special blessing, we returned to our house for good food, good company and great camaraderie. (The huge badger win didn't hurt either!) We are so blessed to have such wonderful role models for Dane, not only his godparents Auntie Lys and Brian, but grandparents, friends, aunts, uncles and friends who love him unconditionally. We are so lucky...

And in case you were wondering from the last post, the top photo is Dane and the bottom photo is Cade. Were you right?

Baptismal Boys

And we're back with another edition of "Who's who?" Yesterday, we had baby Dane's baptism. He wore the same outfit that Cade wore for his baptism. And they were roughly the same age for their baptism.

Can you tell who's who?

More fallin' for fall...

As I mentioned in my last post, Cade and Jon visited me at work for our Fall Extravaganza Open House on Tuesday. Cade LOVED getting to hang in the firetruck again...just like Uncle Kyle and Gampa Yech. Here he is 'driving'...

'Look at me!'


He also loved getting to climb up in the tractor. Daddy was too busy checking out the parts on the tractor that he quoted for Case IH.

Cade was especially in awe of the HUGE tires on the tractor...'really, really big mom, right'...

Watching Dane, it's so amazing to think that it wasn't that long ago that Cade was that small. Then I look at Cade and see how much he's growing and learning every day. His vocabulary astounds us every day. Lately, he wakes up in the morning and asks, "So, whatcha wanna do today mom?" He loves pulling up a chair when we're eating or working in the kitchen and saying, "So, whatcha wanna talk 'bout?" Then he'll go through everything he did that day..with a little bit of rubbish language mixed in. We're pretty sure he jabbers like that to imitate us when we're in conversation. It's hilarious.

Just the other day on the way home from school, he asked baby Dane, "How school today baby Dane?," just like we always ask him.

He's also started to ask 'why' but if you ask him why, he'll just say 'cuz.' He's also learned to fib...sometimes when you ask him why he did something he'll say, "Cuz {Gamma, Daddy, Mommy or whoever isn't there} said so..."

Even with his innocent little fibs, He's still such a sweet boy, too. He'll come up to you out of nowhere and just hug your leg and say, "I yuv you so much." If he notices or thinks you're sad, he'll say, "Aw, wanna hug?" And when you tell him something he says, "Oh, that's cool" or "That'd be fun."

One thing is for sure, these boys will continue to keep us on our toes and make us appreciate all the little things...and laugh...a lot.

Times, they are a changin'...

I love fall..I love the warm, sunshiney days and crisp nights. I love visiting the apple orchard and pumpkin patch. I love sipping hot apple cider....baking warm apple crisp and pumpkin pie. My sister and I were talking and I said I think I like fall best because it fits my personality. Fall is the classic season...it represents family...and coziness..and thankfulness. It's a time for warm sweaters and boots. It's the smell of burning leaves and the cool, crisp air and the site of frost on golden colored leaves. You can't help but feel blessed during Fall. As the leaves change color, you see the beauty of God's wonder in action.

It's hard to believe this will be Cade's third fall...my how times have changed. Last night, Cade was able to come with daddy to visit me at work for our Fall Extravaganza Open House. We had a community pumpkin patch and Cade picked out the first pumpkin he saw...

(thanks Ali for taking this picture of our sweet boy, even if he wouldn't look you in the eye or crack a smile...)

...he was looking just a bit different from his first fall..and first pumpkin...

“Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.”
-William Cullen Bryant

A little of this, a little of that...

This post may be a bit all over the place, hence the title of today's post.

Today begins my first full week back to work...which also means my first day dropping Dane off at daycare. {Insert sad face here.} Fortunately, Jon offered to come along for the first drop off day. The hand off of Dane to the teacher was sans tears thank goodness. Wait, let me rephrase - it was sans tears for Dane...me, not so much. I suppose that's one advantage to having him start at daycare as a baby versus Cade, who started at a year old...he's much more open to strangers at his young age. Fast forward to around 10:00 a.m. when I called in to see how my sweet boy was doing and heard him crying in the background...putting me in tears as well (That's 2-0 on the tears count for me if you're keeping track...). As it turns out, he was crying because he had just finished his bottle and hadn't burped yet. When Jon picked the boys up, Ms. Roxanne said she felt bad that she even answered the phone since I had to hear my little pumpkin cry. After she got off the phone and burped him, he was all smiles. So, overall, they said he had a great first day. Hopefully all continues to go well...

And, speaking of pumpkins, we had a great trip to Helene's Apple Orchard and Pumpkin Patch on Sunday. Grandma Janet and Grandpa Tom graciously offered to watch baby Dane, who still isn't a fan of his baby bjorn (although I can't blame him, he's smushed up against me with no view of the outside world...I think once he can see what's going on, he'll be on board...literally).

Cade was a bit too preoccupied eating his apple to face the camera...

Oh, wait...look how big I am...

Cade and mommy...


Children of the corn...


Silly boy...looks like he's trying to eat the corn..."'member, 'member I yike corn mom..."

Cade and daddy...

"Look at me; take my picture!" ... hence, the pose...

Happy trails...


Cade wanted "take a pitchure of my apple all by myself, mom"

Cheese!

"I yike apples, daddy..."

See...


Picking out a pumpkin for baby Dane...


"I yike dis one, daddy..."

And, since apparently I'm working my way backwards on the weekend, on Saturday we accomplished some work around the house. Grandpa Lech and daddy put in the new front door, which means we are finally winding down on all of our summer (or fall as it may be) projects. The new door looks a-ma-zing! Hopefully we'll have some before and after pictures to share with you very soon.

Until then, happy Fall...

xo

Sun & Moon

Happy Anniversary to my sun, my moon...the true light of my life...my everything. Thank you for loving me, making me a better wife and mom and giving me our two beautiful boys, who I hope will grow up to be just as handsome, strong and wonderful as you are.

In the words of Jack Johnson, it's always better when we're together.
10.7.06

Two Months, Two Boys

Who's Who Part Two

Can you tell who's who?