2 month mark, 3 little words, tree-hugging, and some potty talk...

Happy 2 months to this little man.

Gus really is a dream baby, he is so sweet and snuggly. Sam, Mabel and I can't get enough of him. Between the 3 of us he gets smothered with love. I can't believe how fast time has flown by, I feel like we brought him home yesterday.

Both of our kids have Sam's frowny brow and look very serious most of the time. Gus started smiling recently and it's one of the best smiles I've seen. Its starts as this little one sided smirk then grows in to a full on open-mouth grin. Then of course the minute I get the camera, he goes back to this...

Here is a glimpse of a smile. I still have not managed to get a full on one yet but we're working on it.

Mabel is hilarious these days, her quirky little personality is coming out in full force and let me tell you, sister is a hoot. She is speaking so well. It's so awesome to communicate with her and know she can understand what I am saying, she is so smart. Sometimes she will say things out of the blue and it will be crystal clear and we will be like, holy cow!?! When did she learn to say that?! Throughout the day, Sam and I  talk on the phone to check in, she usually takes the phone from me to say hi to Daddy and tell him how her day is going. The other day, after giving the phone back to me to say good bye, she yelled at the top of her lungs, "bye bye Da Da, love you" it was so adorable, I almost died. "Thanks Mama" also felt pretty good to hear for the first time. She is also singing  parts of songs she knows from music class and rock'n'roll Elmo. She walks around the house saying "Elmo Rocks, la la la, Elmo Rocks". And of course Sam and I are still called "Ham and Abby" in place of Mama and Daddy, when ever she feels like being a little stinker.

Sidewalk chalk is one of our favorite pass-times.

Her "M" shirt is her new favorite.

Sitting in Baby Gula's carseat.

Mabel is litterally a tree-hugger. I swear this was not promted. My little enviornmentalist!

Mabel is 17 months old

Gus loves to have his photo taken :)

A couple of weeks ago a special package arrived at our house for Mabel. Her very own potty chair. She was quite excited about this. I know most people do not start potty training until 2 years old and later but I thought I would get one early because well it was on sale and we would need one eventually and because she is showing a lot of interest in the potty. She tells us when she goes "peeps" and "poops" in her diapers all the time. Also I figured introducing the potty slowly and getting her comfortable with it can't hurt.

I have done zero research on potty training and don't plan to. We're going to take a very relaxed and natural aprroach to it and when  it happens it happens. For now it looks great with the rest of our living room furniture.

So that's it for now. I will end with a few cute pictures of what bathtime looks like at our house these days :)

Back to the blog and a few flash backs.

Wow, where to begin. As the mother of 2 babies it's been so hard to find the time to update. I keep a notebook in the kitchen where I write down things I think of to mention or want to remember, and I have about 3 pages worth.

To start, Life is Good.We are finally starting to get into a groove as a new family of 4. Having 2 kids under the age of 2 is no joke...we are TIRED! Let me re-affirm though, it's the good kind of tired. Whether it's when I am awake at 3:00 a.m listening to the soothing sounds of the bathroom fan with a wide awake 7 week old, or at 3:00 p.m. entertaining a 17 month old that just woke up from her nap and wants to unfold 5 piles of laundry I finally managed to fold, I am constantly reminding myself how fast this time is flying by.

I am really trying to take it all in. Yesterday I told Sam, "Come here for a second". When he did I said "Give Gus a kiss on the lips". He did and then looked at me like, OK...now what? I tried explaining  myself, how we should be taking mental notes of what a new baby feels like. Yesterday I had a bazillion things I could have done while Mabel was napping instead I decided to hold Gus while he slept and breathe my little guy in. There is nothing better than newborn skin or little tiny hands and feet. I love this age. I also love Mabel's age. I think it's The contrast between them that gets me all emotional.

Don't we look tired...yikes.

Flash back time... My Mom was here for an entire week to meet Gus. Originally she was supposed to be here when Gus arrived but those things never work out do they now. And in true Grandma fashion both babies were spoiled and snuggled like crazy.

My Mom and her very first Grandson.

It was especially nice to have her here to entertain Mabel. If you can believe it three weeks later,  I hadn't yet gotten a chance to recover from everything. I actually got to lay around a bit and get some much needed rest.

Gus has been so alert since the day he way born. He is definitely an observer and very curious.

Easter rolled around and it was Ali and Ivy's turn to meet Gus. Of course that meant more snuggles and more spoiling. I swear my Mom and sisters never stop shopping for my babies.

Ali claimed to have the magic touch with Gus. She held him for hours on end and was concerned he wouldn't be properly taken care of (held 24 hours straight) when she left.

Ivy teaching Mabel about fashion.

I finally caved in and got Mabel's bangs cut. My intentions were to let it grow forever but sisters hair did not cooperate. All the cute clips I made for her from pinterest dyi's, yeah they were cute, but never stayed in long.

Thankfully Ivy was there to snap some photos while I held Mabel. I was very proud of her, she didn't cry at all. I was a little sad after because she looked so grown up. Still adorable though, obviously.  

After church on Easter we decided to head to the park while dinner was in the works. Mabel loves her "Occa Ball" from Grandma.

Hello Mama :)

Baby Gus loves being outside. He and I hung out under a shaded tree and watched all the fun go down.

It was awesome to have my sisters here for a few days, though time flew quickly. We didn't do much but we  had a lot of fun just hanging out taking care of babies. Through out there stay Sam and I said numerous times, "If only Ali and Ivy lived here" One word...babysitters.

After all of the visitors we were so ready to get back to normal, get into our new rhythm, and adjust. There are still some kinks to work out as far as sleep goes, baby schedules, and finding time to ourselves but it's happening and it's all good.

Get a load of these two.  

Mabel loves when I come in to get her after a nap with Gus. She holds out her hands and gets so excited when I put him in her crib. To Mabel, Gus is right up there with Piggy and Lammy and that is top honor.

More to come this weekend. We've got lots going on around here, someone is smiling and someone got a  new potty chair...Exciting stuff I tell you! 



My first letter to Gus April 10th 2012

When I first became a Mom almost a year and a half ago, I was overwhelmed with emotions. I sat down to write everything I was feeling down in hopes to understand my feelings on a deeper level. A year later I worte another letter to Mabel about how wonderful my life has been with her in it. Now here I am again writing another letter to my second baby, Gus.

                                                        
                                                                                                      April 10th 2012
Dear Gus,

5 weeks ago you came into this world and it was the most wonderful day. You are such an angel and our little family feels complete. Your Daddy and I are so in love with you and so is your big sister Mabel. Between the 3 of us you hardly go a moment without being snuggled and loved on.
                     
                   

The day you were born was an amazing day. Everything went beautifully and I can’t think of a single thing I would change. Every Monday 5 weeks prior to you being born, I would go to my weekly check ups with the doctor. I loved going to the doctor. Everyone in the office was so kind and I felt so proud showing off my big round belly. Each time Dr. Reed would tell me how strong your heart sounded and that everything looked great. Monday March 5^th it was a typical check up and this time Daddy and Mabel decided to come along so we could do some shopping after my appointment. To our surprise, after talking with the doctor he told us to make our way to the hospital that evening because we were ready to go. So home we went to pack our bags and make sure the house was ready for your arrival. I felt so many emotions that day, I was nervous and calm, excited and anxious. I spent some alone time with your big sister Mabel and we had a little talk about how things were about to change. I told her she was going to have a new baby brother who would be her best friend. We called everyone to let them know and Grandpa Ted started to make his way so he could be here to help with Mabel while Daddy and I were in the hospital with you.

Once we made it to the hospital that Monday night I decided that Daddy should be at home with Mabel until it was closer to your arrival. He stayed with me until I felt comfortable and we were sure nothing was going to be happening for awhile then home he went. I will always remember that night alone in my hospital bed in the dark listening to the sound of your heart beat. Even with contractions I was surprisingly comforted and calm. I thought about how you would look and how happy I would be to finally hold your little hands and feet I had felt kicking me for all these months. I knew in the morning you were coming. Bright and early the next morning Daddy arrived and I was happy to see him. Fortunately right when he got there I felt a major change and knew things were progressing quickly. After a few strong contractions I decided I was ready for my epidural which makes things much easier. Then after what seemed like 10 minutes you were on your way out. After about 4 good pushes I suddenly heard the sounds of your sweet yet strong cry and there you were at 11:49 a.m.

 The nurses laid you on my chest right away and it was heaven. You were absolutely beautiful. You became so calm when you heard my voice and I held you tight, you knew exactly who I was. Daddy and the nurses took you over to be weighed and measured. You were 8 pounds 5 ounces and 21 inches long and in perfect health. Daddy and I were so proud. Shortly after you arrived Mabel was on her way to meet you. I couldn’t wait to show her our new baby. I knew she would love you so much and sure enough she smothered you in kisses the minute she saw you. I had dreamt of that moment and it was just as I imagined except one million times better.



                 
We decided to name you Gus Theodore because it fit you perfectly. Your middle name, Theodore is after Grandpa Ted who we love. Everyone loved your name.

The next couple of nights in the hospital it was just you and I. It was very quiet and peaceful and we both got a lot of rest. I just stared at you for hours, you really were the sweetest little man. You were such a good eater right away as well and hungry all of the time. After getting the OK from the doctor we finally got to go home and I was so ready for our new chapter to begin as a family of 4.

The past 5 weeks have been lovely. Busy, but still lovely. Daddy went back to work slowly to help us ease into things. Daddy really loves having another man in the house I can already see how close you two will be. Every night when he gets home, he can hardly swoop you up fast enough. He loves to watch his Manly shows on tv while snuggling his boy.

You’ve already met a lot of family in the short amount of time you’ve been here. Grandma and Grandpa Williams were here right when you came home from the hospital and a couple of weeks later Grandma Karen came to stay for a whole week. Aunties Ali and Ivy spent Easter with us which was so much fun. You were the first one up to find your Easter Basket!

I love being home each day with you and Mabel, my sweet babies. Our days at home are very fun. Mabel loves to play with you and show you all of her toys. Every time you drop your pacifier, she jumps up to put it right back into your mouth. Though sometimes she tries it out first. She loves to un-button your little sleepers. I can hardly keep clothes on you with her around. We listen to Music and reading lots of books. We go to the park and take walks. You really seem to enjoy being outside. You recently started smiling back at us when we make funny faces at you. Mabel calls you “Baby Gula” because she can’t say her s’s quite yet. It is so cute and is very catchy because we call you that sometimes too. While Ali and Ivy were here we called you “Gubrs” which turned into “Doctor Gubrs” and then “Doc”. I’m still not sure how that came about so you will have to ask them someday.

Our family feels so complete with you here. I feel so grateful each day to be your Mama and can’t wait to watch you grow. I dream of the fun we’ll have with you and the little man you will be.

I love you more than words can say.

Love Mama

He is here and he is beautiful!

Gus Theodore Williams was born March 6th 2012

We are so blessed. He is healthy, happy and an absolute dream.



Mabel's First Year January 10th 2012

                                                                                                                    January 10, 2012

Dear Mabel,

Right around this time last year I sat down and wrote a letter to you about the day you were born. It was a spur of the moment idea as I was looking to vent all of the wonderful feelings I was experiencing and blissful moments that had taken place from then on. Now that you have turned a year old I am finding myself yet again wanting to write down all of the wonderful things about you, my sweet little girl, and the joy you have brought to our lives. I hope to make this a yearly tradition so someday you will have a nice collection of letters from your Mama recapping what I hope and pray to be a beautiful life.

It’s hard to decide where to begin, there is so much to tell. At this very moment I just laid you down for your morning nap which you take everyday. I am listening to you snuggle your “friends” and sing yourself off to sleep. I cherish our Mama and Mabel days together, they are so sweet and mostly predictable. It’s becoming more and more apparent that you like things the way you like them, certain things at certain times of the day, Daddy says you get this from me. I try to switch things up every so often and teach you the joys of being spontaneous.

  
Once we arrived in Arizona and got settled you started growing so fast! By the end of the summer you were sitting up, rolling over, and talking up a storm. You learned to wave bye bye, clap your hands, and give kisses. We had such a fun summer exploring our new surroundings and making a life here. Your favorite days were spent swimming, you are definitely a water baby. We enrolled you in swimming lessons 2 times a week and you were the smallest, but the best baby in the class.

You had a lot of visitors over the summer. Grandma Karen got to come in June, Grandma and Grandpa Williams came for the 4^th of July, and Auntie Ivy spent a whole month with us while Auntie Ali came for the last week.

In August you said your first word, “Da Da” and “Duck” shortly followed. I started taking you to Music classes and story time at the Library where you play with all the other babies and check out new books every week. You love to read so much.

You and I took another trip to North Dakota in September where Aunties Ali and Ivy tried and tried to help you crawl but you just were not ready. However you were ready by October, right after Halloween. We had so much fun with you this Halloween. You dressed up as your favorite animal, a pig, and looked so cute. When we would ask you what a pig says, you would  squinsh up your nose and snort. After Halloween you hit yet another growth spurt. It took 1 month of you crawling and before we knew it you were walking in November. You have also added many words to your vocabulary such as dog, Mama, and baby to name a few. Daddy’s whole family came to spend Thanksgiving with us in Arizona and you loved playing with your cousins. Everyone was so impressed with your walking skills and how smart you are.

My favorite memory of this past year was our family vacation to San Diego for your 1^st birthday. You have always seemed to love animals especially dogs and horses, so we planned to take a trip and spend your birthday at the zoo, just us three. It was the best 4 days ever. You, Daddy and I had so much fun. We took you to the beach and watched you run in the tides. You were so happy and completely mesmerized with the great big ocean. Even though the water was freezing you splashed your feet and played for hours. Daddy and I loved watching you so much. You loved the sand and all the seagulls as well. Our day at the zoo was also amazing. You loved every single animal you saw especially the gorillas, polar bears, elephants, panda, and giraffe.
          
             

When we came back from our trip we had to prepare for Christmas. You and I shopped and shopped and shopped some more. We had so much fun decorating our house and listening to Christmas music. You especially loved the Christmas Tree and said goodnight to it every night before bed. Daddy and I took you to the Grand Canyon railroad in Williams Arizona for the Polar Express ride to the North Pole. You got to meet Santa Claus and he gave you a jingle bell. You had so much fun listening to Christmas music and watching all the other kids play. You even ate a sugar cookie the size of your head! We spent Christmas in North Dakota this year but didn’t get to see any snow. Even so you had so much fun running around Grandma Karens house and waking up Ali and Ivy each morning. Every night we were there people came to see you. You got to see a lot of cousins and friends and even your old pal from Kansas City, baby Jack. Since then you have been talking so much! You say “that” “Gama” “Ali” “Ivy” “Tree” you even like to call me “Abby” or “Ab” when you want to be funny. You also know a bunch of animal sounds like what a puppy says, a duck, a cow and a bird. Your favorite toy right now is your baby doll. You love to give her babas, change her diapers, and give her kisses.

Now you are preparing to be a big sister. Your little brother will be arriving in a couple of months. I am spending lots and lots of time just snuggling with you because I know that our quiet days at home alone will be scarce this next year. You are also becoming more and more busy and I know in no time there will be art projects and play dates taking up your time. I know you will be such a great big sister and am so excited for you to have someone to grow up with.

You have brought so much joy to our lives this past year and we feel so blessed to have such a smart, sweet, healthy baby who is so happy. I love you so much more than you can imagine and look forward to a wonderful 2012 with my darling little Mabel.

Love Always, Mama







My first letter to Mabel December 20th 2010

                                                                                                  December 20^th 2010

(Three weeks post arrival)

Dear Mabel,

Welcome to the world my dear sweet baby girl. The past three weeks have been the best of my life and I feel so blessed to be your Mother. I feel as though the stars have finally aligned because this is what I was put on this earth for. To take care of you and love you, for all time.

This is the story of the day you were born.

After a lovely Thanksgiving weekend, one we thought we would be spending with our new baby girl, Daddy and I made a decision to let the Doctor induce labor because you just were not moving on your own. It must have been quite cozy in there. We spent a quiet day together Sunday, anxiously waiting to leave for the hospital in order to be there at 4:00 p.m. We watched football, made lunch, and finally got around to packing our overnight bag we had been putting off doing for so long. It was a perfect day and we were both so excited, while still a little nervous for what was ahead. We knew that no matter what we were about to go through, we were in it together, and that the end result would be worth it because we would finally have you.

When we arrived at the hospital birthing center the nurses had been getting our room together awaiting our arrival. Everyone at the hospital was so nice the entire time we were there which Daddy and I really appreciated. They showed us to our room and I immediately got into bed. The nurses and doctors started the process and Daddy kept me smiling and comfortable through everything. We watched the rest of the Kansas City Chief’s  football game, Dad’s favorite team, and they won. We took it as a good sign things were going to go smooth. Well into the night we started to get restless and uncomfortable as things seemed to be taking forever.

After a long night of no sleep and lots of poking and prodding, we were happy to see Monday morning and hopeful that you would come sooner rather than later in the day. Around 10:00am our nurse predicted you would arrive around dinner time. However about 11:00am things went from 0 to 90 mph, in what seemed to be a split second. The nurses and doctors started to prepare our room for your arrival and the doctor came to get the pushing started.

About 12:00 they gave us a quick lesson on how to breathe, count, and push as each contraction came and went. And by 12:30 we were in full on labor. Daddy was the best coach in the world and he helped me get through it. Sure enough you arrived at 12:50 p.m. and you were the most beautiful baby, not a scratch or mark on you. You weighed 7 pounds and 13 ounces and were 19 ½ inches tall. The nurses and Daddy took you to be cleaned off across the room where everyone was gathered around you. I couldn’t see you from my bed where I was stuck and I couldn’t wait to hold and snuggle you!  I could hear your soft little cry as they stamped your foot print on Daddy’s now favorite shirt. Then before I knew it Daddy had you in his arms and brought you to me. You were all swaddled up and all I could see was your face. Your eyes were closed and you were sucking on your little hands. This is something we saw you doing in a sonogram picture a few weeks earlier and we thought it was so cute. You melted our hearts and we were in love.

We decided to name you Mabel Rose, it just fit. We had two names picked out and our plan was to wait to see you before we decided. Mabel was the name of my great grandmother and was a name I had always loved. Rose is short for Rosemary which was my Grandmother whom has a special place in my heart. Needless to say you have a great name that you can always be proud of.

Daddy and I held you all day and night and just stared at you. A lot of people came to the hospital to visit you so we didn’t get an ounce of rest. Grandma and Grandpa Williams, Great Aunt Teddi and your cousins, and a few other friends were some of the first to see you.  Tuesday was going to be a big day because we were hoping to be released. Sure enough after the doctors confirmed you were a healthy, beautiful baby, and you passed all of your tests, we got the OK to go home. Grandma Karen came from North Dakota to help us with anything we needed when we brought you home. We were a little nervous leaving the hospital and Daddy drove very slow the whole 2 miles home. The next week we just snuggled you all the time. You were very tired and slept a lot. It was hard to wake you up and get you to eat.

Now three weeks later you have grown a lot. We have visited the doctor twice to make sure you are eating. Our days are spent at home and we love it. When Daddy gets home from work he joins in on the snuggling. We miss him when he is gone during the day. Daddy and I love waking up with you in the middle of the night, you are just so sweet, even when you’re grouchy and hungry.

Christmas is this week and we are so happy to spend it together as our new little family. We’ve got big plans for the Christmas. Grandma Karen is coming back with aunties Ali, Ivy, and uncle Josh, they are so excited to see you for the first time. Then we’ll spend new years in Salina with Grandpa and Grandma Williams, Uncle Andy and Aunt Gayle, and you will get to meet your cousins too. 

We feel so blessed to have you in our lives and we know it’s only going to get better year after year. We love you more than you could imagine and can’t wait to watch you grow.

                                                                                    Love Always, Mama & Daddy too