tanaya 15th bday

happy HAPPY birthday to my baby girl!!! whoot whoot!!

her birthday was on a monday this year so she started celebrating it the friday before 

Friday

it all started with chili. 

tanaya loves her friends mom's chili...so they made her a whole pot just for her!

Saterday

having her friend party. she wanted a spiderman cake, of course :)

making a wish!

tyson gave her these bateman pj's - complete with a cape! (they didn't have a spiderman one)

after pizza, cake and presents they went paint balling and had a blast

so tough!

the girls.

the gang.

Sunday

getting ready for her family birthday party

family party with her 2nd spiderman cake 

Monday

BIRTHDAY DAY!!!

her birthday breakfast: yogurt, chocolate milk, and waffles :)

off to school. officially 15!

after school, her friends came over and they watched movies in the harry potter room

then we took her to dinner. she wanted Sills. always a favorite.

we LOVE you baby girl!!!

johns dc trip

work made me go to washington dc for training.  it was hard leaving so soon after caiman being born but i mad the most of it.  it was fun walking all over dc and seeing the monuments.  it'll be more fun next time when the whole family gets to come with.

just got off the plane at reagan airport and waiting for the train

took a walk around the capital building the first night

checking out the white house from the south lawn

mmm crab cake sandwich, sure do miss the food on the east coast

stopped by arlington on the way back to the airport.  such a somber place

dc subway, so easy to get anywhere you need

pics with caiman

here are some random, precious, pictures of caiman with daddy, tanaya, & grandma beverly

mine & caimans hand

i had to get one picture of me with him - even if it was just a body part :) 

grandma, cole, & caiman

my beautiful, beautiful, babies

caiman 1 month old

such a precious little man. i can't believe he's already one month old. he's simply perfect.

Caiman is a little snuggler, which i love! he just nestles right up to your chin and lets you love him. he is also a very good eater, but he sucks so hard. he just goes in for the kill. now that i'm toughened up i'm good, but those first couple weeks he was my little piranha man. he's a good sleeper too and just an all around good baby. when he's upset, going into his sisters room is the only thing that cheers him up. he loves looking at all her things on the walls and listen to her blaring music. and he hates a wet diaper. we always know when he's wet because that and when he's hungry are the only times he cries. and he pees almost every time we change his diaper. i've lost track of how many times we've all been peed on, except tanaya, he hasn't peed on her once.

caiman was circumcised at a week old. although we wanted it for him i couldn't bare the thought of the doctor hurting him. they assured us they completely numb the area but it still made me cringe.  john had to be the tough one and take him in and hold his hand while i sat in the parking lot and cried. john called me when they were finished and i went into the hospital room and nursed him.  john assured me that he was totally numb and he was just fine through it all.  john was so fascinated by the whole process that he wanted to share details with me but i couldn't handle knowing what they did to him, so he told his friends and my brothers instead :) they gave john a little finger binky to give caiman before i came in and john said he now understood how hard he sucks because he was killing his finger. the days after he healed like a champ, although the vaseline we used to help him heal and make sure he didn't stick to his diaper gave him major diaper rash. now he's totally healed.

caiman had a couple gassy days that weren't very much fun because his belly hurt, but his uncle ryan showed us how to rub and bounce them out of him. ryan spent a few days rubbing and bouncing for hours until caiman felt better. he's such a cute uncle.

on august 23 he weighed 8lbs 8oz - double numbers must be his thing. he has been SO much fun to get to know, and snuggle, and kiss. we all just LOVE him!

1st day of 9th grade

oh.my.gosh. it's here. 9th grade and her last year of junior high. 

i'm not ready for this...but she is! 

she's got her cute outfit on with her amazing shoes and spiderman backpack...

her awesome nails...

a perfect breakfast of french toast and bacon...

and a (forced) hug for her mom as she walks out the door :)  i LOVE this girl! 

make good decisions! :)