Although there are so many things that NEED to be done in a few hours, I somehow feel the need to leave a little post. I think about the blog a lot and how much I don't write. This is something that needs to change. In the new year, I want to write A LOT more. This space is not only to keep everyone updated with pictures and what-have-yous, but memories. Something our family can look back on and say, " remember that?" I want to capture all of lifes little moments in order to remember!

Today is Christmas Eve. Cohen's FIRST Christmas Eve. Tomorrow will be his first Christmas day, he will have his first visit from Santa. Cohen's great grandparents and I took him for his first time to sit on Santa's lap. He was very good. He looked right at the camera, no tears! However Santa was kind of lame. He had no personality, he didn't interact with the kids at all! He just sat there. It was like he was a piece of furniture. Just part of the set-up in the make believe North Pole. He was about as interesting as the paper machete elves they had on display everywhere. No, I take that back the elves had smiles and where hanging Christmas ornaments.
Even though Santa was a dud this year, it was great to get a picture of Cohen with Santa.



We are going to my Uncle David's house for Christmas Eve. It will be so much fun to have all the family together. We really missed everyone last year. Last year my parents were in AZ and we weren't able to make it to the Twin Cities due to a blizzard in La Crosse. But this year we are here and we will be with everyone. I am making and baking desserts for the night. I have all the Christmas shopping and crocheting done. :) I have made most of the Christmas presents this year, I think my hands are going to fall off! I will take pictures of the things I made when people open them, I can't post the pics I have taken yet because well... nobody has opened their presents and I don't want to spoil the fun.

We are going to church at 2:30 and then heading down to Uncle Davids after that~! I hope to get lots of pictures taken. So stay posted, they should be fun!

Merry Christmas everyone I hope you all have a wonderful night!
Safe travels Santa ;)

Praying your Christmas brings a heart full of joy as you remember God's amazing love shown through his son, Jesus.

Way to go me... I haven't published a new post in a month. I am certainly doing great at keeping this updated.. HA! Oh well I will be trying harder to keep everyone updated.

11:00pm on Monday night. I should probably be trying to catch some zZz's seeing that my son is sleeping soundly in his crib right now, but instead I have this crazy amount of energy to spew onto some blog pages. Here goes a ton of mumble jumble... try to keep up!

Cohen is almost 3 months old already... cruisen along at 12 well nearly 13 weeks. Good grief! I feel like we just took him home from the hospital! He is getting so much bigger and stronger everyday. He is holding his head up like a pro now. I have to keep myself in check these days because I find him so amazing, every day. I have to really think about what I am saying before I say it, because I can feel myself becoming one of "those" moms.

I never want to be one of "those" moms. You know, the kind that think that their child is the greatest thing since sliced bread. The kind that think their child could do no wrong. I hope to appear humble when it comes to my little man. I want him to know I think the world of him, but I don't want him to think the world revolves around him. I want him to have a balance in his life where he is confident in who he is, but doesn't boast and isn't cocky, but humble himself. Man I am not even in the difficult years of parenting and already I feel the pressure of trying to figure out how to perfectly round my child.

With that said... my son is AMAZING! :) (just couldn't help myself)

This past week has been so much fun. Cohen's first snow storm, first Thanksgiving, decorating for Christmas. Its been busy.

I am so excited for Christmas this year. I don't know if its because I am still such a kid myself, or if it really is a magical time of year, but Christmas just really does it for me. I find it so amazing that even as a two month old who doesn't know much about the world yet, the simple sight of our Christmas tree can make him happy. Today I was getting some things done in the kitchen and the fussy little guy just was NOT happy in his swing. I picked him up and he got a glimpse of the Christmas tree lights and forgot what he was so upset about. I sat him in his Bumbo for awhile in front of the Christmas tree. Awe-struck he sat there for about 30 minutes (in Mom time that's forever). I am so excited for all the Christmas's to come and all the traditions to unravel for us as a family.

My Christmas present came early this year. I got a new camera. I have been wanting one forever!!! It is sort of intimidating, but I have already gotten some really great pictures of my posse.

I have found that sometimes writing can be difficult. For some its difficult because they aren't sure what to write about. For others, such as myself, its because there is too much to say and you have no idea where to start. The single thought of starting to write down whats in your head overwhelms you entirely so you end up just purposefully leaving your blog blank day after day.

Not that its an excuse, I am just not sure entirely where to start with gathering my thoughts, but today cleared my head a little. I realized that I am entirely too excited for Christmas this year. So that's it... that's where I will start.

I am so excited for new traditions, Christmas decorations, music, smells... The list goes on and on. We have so much to be thankful for this holiday season and I know that Thanksgiving comes before Christmas (unlike all the stores :)) Funny thing, I was at the mall this weekend and every single store I went into was already trying to serenade me with "deck the halls" and "happy holidays". I am excited for Thanksgiving also, this year we will be hosting Kyle's family for Thanksgiving dinner. I can't wait to cook up my own turkey, turn on the tube and watch football and enjoy having family around.

Double Double Toil and Trouble!

The weekend was jam packed with fun. On Saturday we went to visit Uncle Joey. We asked him to be Cohen's Godfather and he was thrilled to accept the position. He has not seen Cohen since the day he was born, so he couldn't get enough of the little guy. Kyle hadn't been to St. Cloud since college and so we took some trips down memory lane with him. In college Kyle and I used to frequent a record shop known as The Electric Fetus. We took Cohen there. I got a cute picture of Uncle Joey and Cohen rockin' out!



Saturday night Grandpa Bob and Aunt Weezy came to visit. Its always fun having them over. Grandpa Bob fixed the fireplace so that we can enjoy it during these cold days. To celebrate the fireplace being in working order, we made hot chocolate with MANY mini marshmallows. There is just something magical about fireplaces I think. Maybe its that Santa comes into your house through them, or maybe its because the crackle is ultra calming or that they are romantic? I am not sure, all I know is that I am extremely fond of them and cannot wait to open presents in front of one this year. We also asked Aunt Weezy to be Cohen's Godmother. She gladly accepted as well and even said "YES" like a little kid does when they get an answer right on a test. It makes me so happy to see how much joy this little 10 pound boy can bring to everyone around him. He really is special for that reason.

Sunday we got up and went to church then came home and watched some Disney Channel Original movies about Halloween. I grew up watching Halloweentown on Disney and was incredibly surprised that when I looked at the Disney channel, not only Halloweentown was on, but Halloweentown 2: The Return of Kalimare, Halloweentown High, and Return to Halloweentown. So we watched these all afternoon. I was not happy with Halloweentown High and Return to Halloweentown. They had gotten a new girl to play the main character witch. I hate when they mess it up like that :). Then we got Cohen into his Halloween costume and went outside to take some pictures of the monkey man. Here they are!








I've got a monkey on my back... well on my shoulders same dif.












Look at that cute monkeybutt!

Since Cohen has been born we have not traveled much. We plan to go visit Uncle Joey this weekend which will be extremely fun. We have however been fortunate to have had some close friends come and visit. Friends that I was able to go through my pregnancy with. My dear friends Jamie and Becky who had their little bundles of joy before Cohen came along, but joined me in the nine month stretch.

Jamie had a boy named Brecken, such a little ham. He is wonderful and we are so happy we were able to meet him. Brecken's daddy Braedon actually introduced Kyle and I back in high school. We will be life long friends with the Hills, and are so excited to watch the boys grow up together.



Brecken and Cohen hanging out on the comfy chair!



Becky had a girl named Makenna. She is BEAUTIFUL! We met Becky and Steve in Wisconsin when I was a nanny for their two year old Colton.We were able to see them one night last month when they came up for some errands. Colton is such a card and I love that little boy so much. Colton would call my dogs "arfs". I suppose that makes perfect sense when you ask them what their names are, they say, "ARF!"






Colton with Baby Cohen (He did such a good job saying Cohen's name)

I just realized after looking over my blog, that I have been neglecting to talk about my first two babies ... the arfs :). My neglect online is a sort of indication as to what has been going on at home and I feel just horrible that the dogs haven't been out much.

Its cold... its late... we're tired... tomorrow... those are just some of the lame excuses we have been making in not taking out our wonderful pets.

Jade and Gryff are troupers though. They have been doing so well (even without exercise). About once a week Kyle has been taking them out on LONG roller blade runs. They love this and run like wild beasts, well Gryffin sort of frolics, but you get the picture.

Gryffin and Cohen have become best buds, I cannot wait to see this relationship blossom. As of now Gryffin can always be found wherever Cohen is. If I put Cohen down for a nap then Gryffin the big lug is right next to the bassinet, he cannot fit his body underneath of it, but he sure tries and shoves his head right under there. When I get up to feed Cohen in the middle of the night, Gryffin joins us in Cohen's room he plops right down next to the rocking chair and waits out the diaper change too, then goes right back to his post halfway under the bassinet.

It is true I believe that all dogs have such incredible personalities, and I just don't understand how people cannot love the crap out of pooches.

With that said here's a little update on Ms. Jaden, the dog with SO MUCH PERSONALITY. She is a little weary of baby Cohen. I don't think we could have picked a better name for "Ms. Jealous Jaden", often she is "green with envy". She has not been acting out much, just steers clear of Cohen at all costs. When Cohen cries, its under the bed for Jaden, she moans a lot and spends her days upstairs while we are downstairs or vice-versa.

I think its so funny the difference in the two pups. I have yet to get a picture with Cohen and Jaden, she doesn't like it when I lay Cohen next to her, but Gryf just lays there so here is a picture I captured of the two little buddies hanging out last week.







I needed to post a picture with Jaden too. This is right after their LONG roller blade run/frolic :).

Ps. I didn't pose them. They are just very funny and often lay together like this.

I feel as though I am often reminded in my everyday life about how blessed I am. Since becoming a parent I find myself experiencing more and more of what I like to call "mini miracles". Such things as little prayers that I find myself praying throughout the day being answered immediately, or when every time things work out exactly how I want them to.

We couldn't have asked for things to work out anymore perfectly then they have turned out this year. Our biggest blessing being a healthy happy little baby boy. We have also found a great place to live, along with some wonderful new friends who happen to live right next door. Cohen and their daughter Evy were born only a day apart. I don't think they enjoy their play dates right now as much as their mommies do, but soon they will. It has been extremely nice having new parents right next door to bounce ideas off, ask questions, and just to enjoy their friendship



Play dates with Evy are so much fun!


Not biased am I but aren't they just the cutest.




Can't wait till they can really play together :)



We are so blessed!

Everyone told me, "enjoy every second with him, they grow so fast!" I AM enjoying EVERY second, but what people forget to tell you is that there isn't a slow motion button, or a pause button. Here I sit thinking about how I really don't get into science fiction, but a time machine really would be a colossal invention. Cohen is only 3 lbs. heavier then when he was first born, but already I am having to put away some outfits and try new ones on him. I decided I have to make sure to take pictures of him in all of my favorite outfits before he grows out of them completely.







This outfit is one of my most favorite ones. I know it doesn't seem like he is very close to growing out of it yet, but I know that in a week or two, that won't be the case.

Having a child is so bittersweet, on one hand you are thoroughly excited every single time they hit a new milestone in growth, weather it be lifting their head or just smiling and cooing. You cannot wait to hear their voice and what they sound like, what color their eyes will be, how much hair they will or will not have, what they will like, what their personalities will be like. These things keep you excited and looking forward to the next step, but then as you move past that current step you realize, they will never have a first again. He will never wear newborn size diapers again in his life. He will never have his first trip to the store, his first car ride, his first bath, his first whatever ever again! It makes you sad and you think, "I should have taken MORE pictures, I should have cherished it MORE". But you cannot dwell on the firsts, because even I as a 24 year old and even his Pepe in his 70's or anyone else in the world for that matter still have firsts. I just became a mom for the first time, I will never be a parent for the first time again ;).

Life moves quickly, and I think it took me becoming a parent to really realize how much each day counts. How much you need to cherish every moment and I think I finally understand why people say, "Live like you're dying." Because time slips so quickly from us and before we know it we will be sitting at our kitchen table having tea as new Great Grandparents and thinking to ourselves, how the heck did we get here so fast.

I cannot wait to start writing more and keeping track of each and every day that I get to spend with this wonderful gift God has given to Kyle and I. We are so thankful!

I burst at the seems with happiness just looking at him, what a wondrous miracle, that which is life. The perfect mixture of the two of us, meshed up into this glorious package.

We are still trying to figure out who he looks more like, with every day he looks different. What do you think?



Cohen



Daddy



Mommy


We will see who he starts to look more like as he ages, its hard to tell right now. He still has blue eyes right now and we are hoping they stay that way! We will see, but I told Cohen that I am going to count everyday that his eyes are blue... right now we are at 62 days and counting!