The Cowan Family

Another Day of Snow

2012-01-19T20:20:00.000-08:00

We are going on day six of all being home together. We had a very productive snow day today. We played cars, played in the tent/tunnel, painted with cars, went on a walk in the snow (again), daddy put new faucets in all of our bathrooms and put up new bookshelves in Bennett's room. Oh, and we made it to the store for more wine and Starbucks too.

More Snow!

2012-01-17T20:09:00.000-08:00

The snow keeps on falling and we keep on playing!

Spaghetti

2012-01-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

Last night Bennett had spaghetti for the first time. As you can see, he loved it!

15 Months

2012-01-15T07:09:00.000-08:00

Bennett continues to amaze us. His ever growing vocabulary is amazing. He can repeat anything you say. Here are the words that I've heard from him lately: Elmo, mine, car, truck, Buzz, Woody, Jessie, Barbie, book, night night moon (favorite book), blankie, bath, Hudson, where, snow, blueberry, grape, B (the letter on the wall in his room), diaper, stinky, pee pee, go, up, down, work and I'm sure there are more. He has started telling me when his diaper is wet or stinky and wants it off. I hope this means that he will be easy to potty train like Hudson was. He is happy from the moment he gets up each morning and loves to nap. He still naps from 1:00 - 4:00ish each day and is ready for bed by 7:00. He is getting more independent and enjoys playing in the playroom with Hudson. His favorite things to do are play basketball, go down the slide and build towers with blocks (to knock them down). He has quite the appetite and would eat all day long if I would let him. He is still nursing 3-5 times a day and eats 3 meals and loves to have snacks with Hudson at the small kids table. His favorite foods right now are avocado, veggie booty, grapes and oatmeal. I can't believe that he is 15 months already. Time is flying by.

SNOW!

2012-01-14T18:45:00.000-08:00

Today was perfect. We went to the gym as a family, came home for a big breakfast and looked outside to see the snow start falling. After the boys woke up from their naps we headed out to play. Then we came back inside to warm up, have dinner and watch some football. Saturday perfection.

Garbage

2012-01-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

The garbage can has become Bennett's new obsession. We now keep the garbage can on top of the dryer in the closet. It was moved after I found him eating a cracker out of the garbage. Luckily it was just a cracker. I remember Hudson's obsession with this same garbage can. Only he was obsessed with throwing stuff away (like our cell phones, keys, the house phone, my wallet...)

Buzz Lightyear Making Muffin

2012-01-13T16:24:00.000-08:00

My Fish

2012-01-13T16:21:00.000-08:00

Hudson started a new session of swimming lessons this week. We took last session off because we were busy with fun holiday activities and didn't want to miss classes. I was a little worried about starting back up because he had a new teacher too. I didn't need to worry. Hudson is a little fish. After class his teacher told me she hasn't ever seen a three year old swim like that. Proud mommy moment.

Party Hats

2011-12-31T21:09:00.000-08:00

I bought the boys new years party hats to wear for our family new years eve "picnic". Bennett didn't think it was such a great idea. Bennett never cries, and loves hats. I guess that is why I couldn't resist taking his picture while he was protesting. At least Hudson tried to make him feel better...such a good big brother.

New Years Eve

2011-12-31T20:58:00.000-08:00

We had a family friendly New Years Eve. Our morning started early with daddy making a Starbucks run for coffee and breakfast. Then we headed to Jump, Rattle and Roll to show daddy how Bennett loves to jump and go down the big slide now. After all the jumping, the boys were hungry so we went to lunch at Red Robin. After lunch we were all in need of a long nap so we headed home. When we woke up we decided to order pizza, rent a movie and have a "picnic" in our family room. It was a simple way to end the year, but perfect because we were all together.

Children's Museum

2011-12-30T14:34:00.000-08:00

My parents bought the boys a membership to the Imagine Children's Museum for Christmas. This is a wonderful place for the boys to let out some energy (usually). We went today with Shelbi and Olivia and it was MADNESS. I guess going when school is out for Christmas is a bad idea. Oh well, the kids had fun and I got to practice taking pictures with my new camera again. I love it, but there is so much to learn.

Bath Time

2011-12-30T14:16:00.000-08:00

I had a fun time practicing with my new camera when the boys were in the bath the other night. They making taking a good picture pretty easy. Cuteness!

Dinner Downtown

2011-12-28T15:01:00.000-08:00

On Monday we went with my brother and Melissa to Matt's at the Market for dinner and then to the Edgewater Lounge for drinks and dessert. My parents watched the boys at our house and I think it was the longest, most relaxing time I have had away since Bennett was born. We walked around Pike Place for awhile, had an amazing dinner, wonderful wine, great conversation, followed by yummy cocktails and honey and lavender creme brulee. The only negative was my late bedtime and early wake time to meet them for breakfast before they left back to Houston.

*Pictures were taken with my Christmas camera...thanks honey!

Christmas Day

2011-12-28T06:36:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning was by far my favorite Christmas to date. Hudson woke up so excited, but patiently waited upstairs for almost a half hour for Bennett to wake up. They were both in awe of all the presents that they saw when they came downstairs. Hudson opened everything pretty quickly and Bennett mostly enjoyed the empty boxes and wrapping paper. When we were cleaning up Hudson said "I sure got a lot of stuff for Christmas, but I love it all". When the high of the morning wore off a bit John took the boys to surprise his parents and say Merry Christmas to his brother and Stephanie. This was one of my favorite gifts, it gave me time to shower and get ready for Christmas at my parents rental house with family. When they got back we went to my parents rental house. My whole side of the family was there. It was a very special Christmas, especially for my grandpa. He had all of his kids/spouses, grand-kids/spouses and great grand-kids in one house for Christmas. It was very busy, and it was perfect. My mom did an amazing job on everything (as always) and I think I need a week to recover from our 3 days of eating, drinking, late nights, short naps and present opening.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-28T06:17:00.000-08:00

This year we spent Christmas Eve with John's parents. We attended the children's service at St. Thomas with them. It was the perfect Christmas Eve service for little ones. The children of the church acted out the story of Christmas and lead Christmas carols. It was a short service and Hudson and Bennett both enjoyed it. After church we went to their house for dinner and presents. This is when the present madness began. Sweet Hudson 100% thought that Christmas meant he received ONE present from Santa and that was it. He slowly became a bit overwhelmed. That night he said "am I still going to get slinky dog from Santa even though I got all these presents?".

Annual Christmas Dinner

2011-12-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

Last night we had our annual Christmas dinner with the Banks and Tiroux families. We have been getting together to celebrate Christmas for years and our event has evolved over time. We started years ago with getting all dressed up, going downtown for dinner and then out on town. We now gather at one of our homes with all five kids and try to eat dinner and keep track of our kids and our glass of wine. Even though the we are now going home when we use to be heading out we have just as much fun. There is nothing better than watching our kiddos form friendships as strong as ours.

Ivars with Aunt Melissa and Uncle Brett

2011-12-24T07:48:00.000-08:00

Aunt Melissa and Uncle Brett are in town for Christmas! My parents rented a beautiful home on the water in Mukilteo. Yesterday the boys and I went over and we all went to lunch at Ivars. The boys did great at lunch and Hudson loved feeding the seagulls with Uncle Brett. Bennett was in awe of the water, ferry boats and the seagulls. It was a great start to many fun days with my brother and Melissa here. Love them!

*Photo taken by Hudson

Cookies for Santa

2011-12-21T15:11:00.000-08:00

Shelbi and Olivia came over and the the kids made cookies for

Santa. They did an awesome and job and had so much fun. They

both loved the frosting (on their fingers) and putting the sprinkles on

the most.

Preschool Christmas

2011-12-17T21:36:00.000-08:00

Today Hudson had a Christmas program at his school. Each child had the chance to say their name and "Merry Christmas" in the microphone on stage...no way, not Hudson. During the first song he stood there frozen, by the second song he was singing and during the last song he even did the hand motions. All in all quite a success for an on stage performance scheduled during the boys nap time. Bennett even made it through and called out for Hudson about 1 million times and clapped more than I've ever seen a baby clap. He sure loves his big brother. In case you are wondering, I did get a few tears in my eyes. I'm one proud mommy.

Frozen on Stage

Cute Reindeer

Daddy and Bennett

Busy Week

2011-12-16T22:26:00.000-08:00

This week Max (our Elf on the Shelf) came to live with us. Hudson had a Christmas party at preschool. We went to storytime with Olivia. Bennett experienced the Children's Museum out of the Ergo for the first time. Hudson and I went to Warm Beach with Shelbi and Olivia and we even had time to make thumbprint reindeer ornaments!

This Weekend...

2011-12-11T13:58:00.000-08:00

Cousins

Grandpa Doug & Bennett

Sledding with Daddy

Making Snowballs

Yummy Cupcakes

Trying Ham for the first time at brunch...yummy.

Happy Hudson

My Sweet Boys

We had another crazy busy weekend full of holiday fun. Hudson and I went to the Polar Express storytime on Friday night. On Saturday we spent the day in the mountains with the Cowan side of our family. We played in the snow, went sledding, decorated cupcakes, played with cousins, open presents and even skipped a nap! On Sunday we went to the Santa brunch at Overlake with grandma Corinne and her friends.

Christmas Treee

2011-12-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

With a little "help" from Hudson and Bennett we finally got our Christmas tree up last week. It took two days. One day to get it up and one day to decorate it. You will notice that lack of ornaments at Bennett's height. I decided it's not worth it, this year our tree will be a bit top heavy. Life is during the holidays is a bit harder with two...but twice as fun!

Tis The Season!

2011-12-04T21:40:00.000-08:00

This weekend we...

Saw Santa Fly

Made a gingerbread house at church

Did crafts with daddy

Pet a REAL reindeer!

Picked out our Christmas tree

Had our picture taken with Santa

and loved doing the advent each morning!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T14:21:00.000-08:00

Why I Love Preschool

2011-11-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

If I could only figure out why he is thankful for olives.

Preschool Class 2011

2011-11-15T16:36:00.000-08:00

Slow down!

2011-11-13T09:08:00.000-08:00

Now that I'm not doing the monthly updates on Bennett I feel like I'm not recording his amazing new accomplishments as much. I'm going to try to be better at updating what he is up to. He still prefers to crawl, but can take 2-5 steps. He loves walking with his shopping cart, going down the slide in the playroom, playing Toy Story with Hudson and LOVES books. He has quite the vocabulary. His words include...dada, mama, mommy, Heidi, Hudson, dog, woof woof, duck, quack quack, book, monkey, night night, blankie, wawa, car, truck, all done, up, hat, hot, more, cracker, Elmo, Olivia, papa, mamma, banana, apple, berry, grape, bean, roar (like a dinosaur) and he can pretty much copy anything you say. It's so amazing to watch/hear him talk so much. He loves his baths with Hudson. but they are getting a bit crazy. The bathroom ends up pretty wet. They both like to "swim" in the bath and do "under bubbles". He is still nursing and honestly I don't see that ending soon. I let Hudson wean on his own and he did so around 18 months. Only time will tell with Bennett, but I bet he goes longer. I'm often asked how I managed to go this long with both boys. I wouldn't have it any other way. I feel so blessed to have spent the precious, quiet, one on one time with them. It's time that I will always treasure. As Bennett becomes a toddler I hope that he continues to enjoy his quiet time with mommy. Hudson and I love to have our bedtime cuddle, book reading and song singing time at night. I think it one of my favorite times of the day. Bennett still takes two good (2-4 hour) naps a day and sleeps 11 hours at night. He loves to eat, his favorite foods are blueberries, grapes, pinto beans, mum mum crackers, peas, green beans and ground turkey. He continues to be such a blessing.

Toy Story 3 on Ice

2011-11-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

Hudson and I had an amazing night with our friends Emily and Sloan. We started the night at the Fish Tail Brewery for dinner. After dinner we headed across the street to the Comcast Event Center for Toy Story 3 on Ice. The show was a surprise for Hudson. It was a surprise because I knew he would be so excited that he wouldn't be able to take a nap today before the show if he knew about it. When I tried to explain it to him at dinner he thought he was going to see the movie. When we got to our seats and the lights went out he was speechless. He and Sloan were in awe and silent for the first 30 min of the show. They both loved and I can see why, it was hilarious and very entertaining for all ages. I have to say that I was impressed and we will definitely be back next year.

Time for dinner!

Playing "restaurant" at the restaurant with Sloan.

The Opening Scene

Hudson in Awe

Thank you Mommy!

He even brought Rex home!

Preschool Photo 2011

2011-11-03T15:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:39:00.001-07:00

Tonight the Tiroux's came over for dinner and trick or treating. Hudson and Olivia had a hard time sitting down to eat, they were too excited to go trick or treating. After we finally got them to eat something we got the kids dressed in their costumes, bundled up and headed out. This is the first year that Hudson has been excited for Halloween and it was so fun to hear him say "trick or treat" and "thank you" without being told what to say. After each house he would say "are we going to another one?" I don't even think he cared about the candy. He just loved the excitement of the decorations, orange lights, kids running down the street and knocking on doors. Bennett loved waving to everyone and even said "thank you" at each door. Hands down this was my favorite Halloween yet (with kids that is).

Bennett Eating Dinner

Silly Olivia and Hudson

Getting Ready to Trick or Treat

My Football and Seahawk

Shelbi and Olivia (Minnie Mouse)

My Seahawk

Bob's Corn and Pumpkin Farm

2011-10-30T06:47:00.001-07:00

Mandy, Mady and Henry came all the way from Portland to make our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. This time we went to Bob's and it was a hit! The kids loved the cow train, the pony ride, tractor ride and face painting. Hudson decided that he loves horses and thinks he wants one for a pet. I don't see that in his future. At least we know where to come next year so he can have another pony ride.

One Year Photo

2011-10-27T20:54:00.001-07:00

We had a family/Bennett's one year photo session a few weeks ago. The pictures turned out amazing, but I'm not sharing them since I'm not sure what one will be used for our Christmas card. Here is one of Bennett that I adore.

First Date

2011-10-22T09:56:00.002-07:00

Hudson playing hard to get.

Sweet Olivia doesn't give up.

It worked! Look at that smile!

Holding hands...so cute.

Bennett had a date too.

Last night Hudson and Olivia had their first date. They had dinner at Red Robin and cookies at Barnes and Noble after. Hudson was quite the gentleman. He got her a balloon, gave her hug when she didn't want to sit in a highchair, helped her with her water and held her hand on the walk to Barnes and Noble after dinner. At the end of the night he even gave her a kiss. Oh, how I wish I had my camera out then.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

Today we headed to the Farm in Snohomish and it was the perfect day for it. Hudson loved seeing all the animals. He rode the cow train all by himself. When he got off he ran over to me with the biggest smile and said "I did it all by myself, and I didn't cry", he looked so proud. We watched a duck race (hilarious) and had fun walking through the big pumpkin patch. We had so much fun, I think we might need to go back next weekend!

Bennett's New Car

2011-10-15T15:32:00.002-07:00

Hudson spends a lot of time riding his bike. Now Bennett can "drive" along with him instead of being trapped in the stroller or Ergo. He loves waving at all the neighbors and cars that drive by.

Boo!

2011-10-15T15:26:00.001-07:00

The boys were more than excited to get boo-ed! This means a friend left Halloween treats on our front door and a sign the says you have been Boo-ed. The boys then were able to return the fun favor to one of their friends. This is our first time being boo-ed. It was a great way to get ready for Halloween.

Soccer

2011-10-08T15:11:00.000-07:00

Bennett's Birthday Party

2011-10-06T15:19:00.000-07:00

My baby is ONE!

Yummy cake pops...treats for everyone!

Bennett's Cake

Brothers

Having Fun at the Party

Blowing Kisses

Daddy, Bennett and Mommy

Cake Time!

We had a nice little party at The Little Gym for Bennett's birthday. We invited our family and a few of his buddies. It was nice to have it smaller than we have done in the past. I gave me time to enjoy the party and baby turning one. Bennett had a blast watching the big kids running around, he chased the balls, loved the bubbles and was totally amazed that I set a big cake down in front of him and let him have at it. He enjoyed it, but was cautious. He made it through opening presents without falling asleep and I thought for sure that would be the end of him. He surprised us all (as usual) and even sat through dinner and singing "happy birthday" at Red Robin after the party. The day was a 100% success.

12 Months

2011-10-01T21:08:00.000-07:00

Things that Bennett is doing now...

Signing milk

Saying dog, woof woof, duck, Elmo, milk, all done, up, wawa (water), car, truck, gook (book) and cracker

Taking 3-5 steps at a time

Loves eating pinto beans, grapes, turkey, green beans and sweet potato

Sleeping like crazy and smiling all day

We are blessed

To Bennett love Mommy...

2011-09-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

Bennett,

One year ago you made our family complete. From the second I first saw you I knew that you had a sweet soul. You had this calm and content look on your face that I will never forget. You have continued to have this look and the personality to match. I often have a hard time figuring out if you aren’t feeling well, because you always have a smile on your face. In the past year you have given us way too many health scares. I hope those are all in our past. If they aren’t over, you are a trooper and can handle anything (more than I can). One of my favorite things is when people say hi you hide by tucking your sweet little head under my chin. I love how you wake up every morning with a smile and a loud voice. You love to eat and really want to eat what mommy, daddy and Hudson are eating. You make this very known. It has made mealtimes a bit crazy. Don’t worry your time will come buddy. Before you know it you will be eating pizza with Hudson. I love that you really don’t want anything to do with your “baby” toys. You just want to play with Hudson’s toys. This is tough on Hudson, but this is something that you two will figure out. I also love how much you love your brother. I feel so lucky to have two such sweet and well natured boys. You two are amazing, kind and have the biggest hearts. Bennett you are such a blessing. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings us. Just promise me that you will slow down. You are growing up too fast. You will always be my baby.

Love always,

Mommy

Change

2011-09-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

The three of us have been through a lot together...high school, college, moving to Bellingham, me off to San Diego, then Austin, weddings, birthdays in Vegas, road trips, heartaches, disagreements, laughs, tears, pregnancy, and now motherhood. Our next change will be the Banks family moving to Portland. It's not too far away, but far enough to make our frequent play dates and not as frequent and get togethers as families harder. I'm trying to stay positive and tell myself change is good. We have been through a lot of it and it has always worked out in the end.

Airplane

2011-09-19T10:32:00.001-07:00

This weekend Hudson went to Jacob and Hanna's birthday party. Part of his goody bag was a airplane to build and paint. It was a hit! Hudson and daddy put it together and Hudson painted it this morning.

Soccer

2011-09-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

Hudson started playing soccer at the YMCA in Mill Creek. Somehow I even ended up being the assistant coach. We showed up to the first practice and they didn't have an assistant. So to keep the team together I decided to do it. So far it's been pretty fun for both of us.

Kids at the Creek

2011-09-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

Hudson started Kids at the Creek preschool last week and loves it! He goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:15-11:45. It is the perfect time for school since that is Bennett's nap time. After I drop Hudson off I get home just in time to put Bennett down and he sleeps until we have to pick Hudson up at school. So this mommy gets some much need alone time. Even though I most likely will spend this time taking a shower and getting things done around the house, it's nice knowing I have some guaranteed quiet time twice a week.

Happy Birthday Olivia!

2011-09-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Today our favorite two year old had a super fun rainbow birthday party. We had a fun time in the sun celebrating Olivia's second birthday. The kids loved running around at the park, wearing the silly animal hats, playing with the bouncy balls and of course the yummy rainbow cake!

11 Months

2011-09-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that Bennett is 11 months, I only have one month sticker left. I'm not going to lie it's freaking me out. The second baby sure seems to grow up faster than the first. I think it's just because you are so much busier the second time around. Bennett is still the sweetest baby I know. I wakes up with a smile and laughs all day long. He loves to play with Hudson's toys, enjoys walks in his stroller, loves blueberries, talks a lot and mimics many words. He now says mama, dada, mamma (grandma), papa (grandpa), huss (Hudson), nana (banana), cracker, wawa (water), stinky, tickle tickle, that, this and he loves to point at everything. He's not walking yet but, he's getting close. Honestly, I want him to take his time. The sooner he walks the sooner he's a toddler and not a baby. I have less than three weeks to prepare for his first birthday. I just can't believe it.

Amazing Vaction

2011-09-05T11:26:00.001-07:00

We (our family, my brother, Melissa and my parents) just got home from the most amazing family vacation. We rented a house near Manson on Lake Chelan. We were on the water, with a pool/hot tub and had the best weather! We rented a boat for 3 of the days and a jet ski for one. Hudson was able to drive both and loved it. I think he was more comfortable going fast on the jet ski than I was. He informed us yesterday that he wants a boat for his birthday. He might have to settle for the promise of driving the boat again next year. We plan to go back next summer and might even rent the same house. It was perfect. For the first time in a long time I felt like I got a vacation (not a trip). My parents took the kids a lot of the time. John and I were able to sneak off to my favorite winery, Melissa and I visited the spa at Campbells, had lunch and of course visited the winery again, we spent a lot of time relaxing on the boat and I even was able to sleep in a few times. It was exactly how I wanted to end our summer.

The House

Date Night

Bennett Loving the Pool

Snacks by the Pool

Driving the Boat

Our Family

My Parents

Brett and Melissa

Loving the Boat

Bennett Not Loving the Life Jacket

My Family

My Mom, Melissa and I

Last Day

The Group (Bennett was napping)

Sunny Day in Madison Park

2011-08-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

Today was an amazingly beautiful day in Seattle. We headed to Madison park to visit friends, have a picnic and play at a very fun park.

Who Needs a Girl?

2011-08-18T20:50:00.001-07:00

Hudson plays with a lot of girls. Truly, each of my close friends has at least one girl. I believe that it has helped him to be very kind and sensitive. Maybe it has gone a bit too far, but I think it's cute. He loves dressing up like a princess with Charlotte as much as playing cars. I'm just going to call him well rounded.

Us Lately

2011-08-18T20:36:00.001-07:00

We have been enjoying the sun...

Baby Henry Poolside

Snack Break

Starting Soccer

Waterpark

Standing Up

2011-08-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

When I walked in his room to see this for the first time I was surprised, happy, excited and lets face it...sad.

10 Months

2011-08-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Bennett is 10 months old and I can't believe it. I'm starting to plan his first birthday and it is so bittersweet. I'm thrilled for the next stage on life where both boys can walk, play together and lets face it SLEEP. There is the other part of me that want to freeze him right here, just like he is today. He is my baby and he is growing up. Soon I won't have a baby to snuggle and I will have two toddlers. I know I can have another, but I don't know if that is the plan for us. So for now I'm trying to soak up every second of his baby cuteness.

Things Bennett is doing now...

Standing Up

Doing Signs for More and All Done

Drinking From a Sippy Cup

Getting Into Everything

Cowan Family Reunion

2011-08-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

Soccer Outside the Cabin

John Relaxing

Hudson and Claire Catching Bubbles

John and Greg

Grandma and Bennett

Grandpa and Great Grandpa

Long Day

After we left Lincoln City we headed to the Cowan family reunion at Silver Falls. It was the perfect place to gather with family and lots of kids. We all had cabins that surrounded a large grass field. They had a swimming pool, creek to play in, fire pit for smores, hiking trails and great places to ride bikes. Hudson was in heaven! We enjoyed the 90 weather and were beat by the end of the day. Hudson really enjoyed playing with his cousins. Bennett loved all of the attention from people that were meeting him for the first time. I enjoyed chatting and relaxing in the sun and I think John just loved being away from work and turning off his mind. It was perfect.

Oregon Coast

2011-08-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

View From Our Room

Running From Waves

My Boys

Hudson Flying His Kite

Buzz Kite

Fun at the Pool

Dinner at Mo's

Last Wednesday we headed to the Oregon Coast (Lincoln City). We stayed at the Inn at Spanish Head Resort and it was amazing! It was our first time going to the ocean with the boys and it was the perfect place to stay. It was right on the beach and there was and elevator that took you right to the sand. It had an outdoor pool and amazing food at the restaurant. While we were there we also had time to hit the outlet mall and eat at Mo's which is one of our favorite spots. We hadn't been there since we have had kids and it super kid friendly so that is even better! The boys both did a wonderful job in the car (sleeping and watching movies) and the weather was perfect. All in all a huge success!

Happy 3rd Birthday Mady!

2011-08-01T13:48:00.001-07:00

The Birthday Girl

Prince Bennett

Prince Hudson

Yummy Cake!

Princess Jumpy House

My Boys

Last weekend we celebrated Mady's 3rd birthday princess style. She had a princess jumpy house and all the fun princess goodies to go along with it. She even had prince crowns for Hudson and Bennett. It was a beautiful day and the kids loved jumping and playing together. Both boys were beat from the heat and couldn't make it home without falling asleep in the car.

Woodland Park Zoo & Dinosaurs!

2011-07-24T06:44:00.001-07:00

Trying to get a group picture

Olivia and Bennett...don't think they were very excited about the Dinosaurs

Hudson and Mommy

Waving hi to the Dinosaur

Baby Dinosaurs

Hudson's favorite T Rex!

Last week we went to the zoo to see the dinosaur exhibit. Hudson has been obsessed with all things Dinosaurs lately. The exhibit was perfect or him. He was a bit nervous when we first got there. He had a lot of good questions such as are they going to be loud, will they bite, can they get out, will they want to eat me? It was pretty fun to watch him take it all in. The Dinosaurs are at the zoo until September. We will be going back for sure!

Last T Ball Game and Party

2011-07-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Checking out the airplane in the middle of the game

Ready to field the ball

Home Run!

Team Cake

First Trophy

Hudson's last t ball game. After the game they had a party where they received their pictures and a trophy. They even had a baseball cake with thier team name on it. It was very cute. T ball has been such a good experience for Hudson. Next up is soccer!

T Ball Pictures

2011-07-23T14:06:00.001-07:00

Henry Shane Banks

2011-07-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Henry Shane Banks

Henry and I

Henry and big sister Mady

Our dear friends Shane and Mandy had a baby boy last week. Little Henry Shane Banks is absolutely adorable and looks exactly like big sister Mady. I went over to bring dinner the other night and to cuddle the sweet baby. Mady was so good with him and loved to hold him and tell mommy and daddy when Henry needed something. She is a natural big sister.

Spokane

2011-07-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

Bennett Swinging

Water Park

Papa and Bennett at the water park

Swimming at the country club

Bennett poolside

New Dinosaur pj's

While John was climbing Mt. Rainier we headed to Spokane to spend the week with my parents. The weather was beautiful and we had FUN!

Mt. Rainier

2011-07-19T14:19:00.001-07:00

For the past six months John has been training to climb Mt. Rainier. His adventure was this past weekend. I'm so proud of him and so glad that he is home.

Hudson and Bennett

2011-07-13T19:52:00.001-07:00

I'm in absolutely in love with each and every one of these pictures. Thank you Jocelyn K Brown Photography!

9 Month Check Up

2011-07-07T13:25:00.001-07:00

Length 29 inches (73rd percentile)

Weight 22 pounds 14.9 ounces (82nd percentile)

You can see Hudson at his 9 month check up here. He weighed 21 pounds 10 1/2 ounces (70th percentile) and was 29 1/4 inches long (85th percentile).

Fourth of July BBQ

2011-07-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

Bennett Napping

Hot Tub Swimming

Olivia

Time to eat!

Hudson and Olivia

Bennett

Shane and John

After the parade we headed home for naps and time to prep food and repack the car. When the boys woke up we went to Shelbi and Dustin's house for the "Tiroux Family Fourth BBQ". The weather was perfect for fun in the backyard. The kids ran through the sprinkler, played in the pool, swam in the hot tub and had a a blast running around. We enjoyed time in the sun with a lot of yummy food, a few too many drinks and of course fireworks.

Fourth of July Parade

2011-07-05T13:56:00.001-07:00

Bennett having a snack before the parade.

Mommy and Bennett

Hudson and Olivia

Mady and Olivia

My Boys

Mandy, Shelbi and I

Shane, Mady, John and Hudson

We started our Fourth of July at the Bothell kids parade. This is our third year going and by far the best. Hudson is at the perfect age where everything is exciting and new. He loves being in the parade, seeing his friends, watching the big parade, and most of playing with his buddies Mady and Olivia. Bennett did an amazing job. He sat in the wagon almost the whole time we were there and loved watching all the people. The parade has definitely become a family tradition.

Bennett & Hudson

2011-07-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

Last week we had Bennett's nine month pictures done by Jocelyn Brown. She is AMAZING! I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures and I'm even more excited to have her do Bennett's one year pictures. We are going to do a cake smash!

Pool Time

2011-07-02T16:34:00.001-07:00

Oh how I love summer and even more I love watching my kids enjoy it. When Hudson wakes up and sees the sun outside he always tells me all the things he wants to do. It usually sounds like "mommy it's sunny today, we can ride my bike, go to the park, have a picnic, play outside, put water in my water table and then take a nap" yes, he wants to do all of these things before 1:00. He loves being outside. Luckily Bennett like it too.

9 Months

2011-07-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

Bennett is 9 months old and is one happy baby. He has 4 teeth coming in right now and it doesn't even seem to phase him. He is crawling all over the place and loves to get into Hudson's toys. Each night when I get him undressed he crawls right to the bathroom and waits for Hudson. He loves his bath time with Hudson. The past few days it has been warm enough for us to put out the baby pool. He loves this just as much. I want him to slow down, but he really just wants to be a big boy like his brother. I guess all I can do is sit back, try to relax and take it all in.

Things Bennett is doing now...

Crawling (army crawl) all over

Eating 3 (solid) meals a day

Loving rice cakes, peas and green beans

Getting 4 new teeth

Saying mama and dada

Still sleeping like a dream

Cousins

2011-07-02T16:08:00.000-07:00

Emma holding Bennett

Bennett

Group Picture

Emma telling Ben how to hold Bennett

Yesterday we had a fun play date with our cousins. Tricia hadn't met Bennett yet and we had been talking about getting our kids together for a long time. After we left I couldn't believe that it took us so long to get together. The kids had a blast together. Hudson is so excited to spend three days with them at the Cowan family reunion at the end of the month.

Crawling

2011-07-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

Bennett is on the move! He has mastered the army crawl and he is fast! He is so proud of his new found skill. He loves to play with Hudson's toys and crawling allows him to be able to get to Hudson's toys...Hudson is still adjusting to this.

Happy Birthday Mommy!

2011-07-02T15:54:00.000-07:00

On Father's day we had dinner at John's parents house and we also celebrated my birthday. Hudson was very excited to sing happy birthday to mommy and bring me cake. He was even more excited to have his own birthday cake pop!

Dedication

2011-06-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

Today Hudson and Bennett were dedicated at our Church. We have been attending Gold Creek Community Church since Hudson was a few months old. John and I had been searching for a Church for awhile when we found Gold Creek. We knew right away that it was the perfect fit for us and for our growing family. Hudson will also being going to Kids at the Creek (the preschool at Gold Creek) next year. The dedication was the perfect way to celebrate Father's Day. We had our parents there, Uncle Greg and Kevin (Bennett's godfather). The boys did great up on stage and Bennett even let Pastor Dan hold him for the prayer. We went home for brunch, a nap, then off to John's parents for dinner to celebrate the dedication and Father's Day. It's was a busy, family filled day...loved it.

T Ball Game

2011-06-13T12:36:00.001-07:00

This might very well have been the cutest 45 minutes of any sporting event that I have ever seen. All the kids on the team were so proud to be there, have their team shirt on and to hit the ball then run! They all pretty much hit the ball and they all ran...but not many of them actually ran to the bases. On Hudson's first time up he hit the ball and ran to the middle of the field and got the ball (the one he just hit). On his next time up he hit the ball, ran to first, but he still had the bat with him! Like I said, the cutest thing ever!

T Ball Practice

2011-06-13T08:21:00.000-07:00

Last week Hudson had his first t-ball practice. He is playing with the Mill Creek YMCA. Yes, that is him on first base with a batting helmet on. It might just be the cutest thing ever. He loved wearing that helmet, even if it wasn't his turn to bat. I can't wait for his first game!

Goodbye Teacher Betsy

2011-06-03T14:35:00.001-07:00

Hudson and Sloan

Last Day

Goodbye Hug...and maybe some tears.

Today was Hudson's last day of preschool at the NSCCP. Next year he will be going to the preschool at our church. He has been at NSCCP since he was 18 months old. I remember asking teacher Betsy if he was going to be okay in the class because he had only been walking for a few months and wasn't talking a lot. Now I can't believe that I was ever worried about him starting preschool. Deciding to go to NSCCP was one of the best parenting decisions I made with Hudson. Teacher Betsy, the parents and the children have made a huge positive impact on Hudson and his love of school. I feel so blessed that we were able to have the experience that we did. We are sad to leave, but contributing to a co-op when I have Bennett with me has become a bit hard. Also, I want to be able to have one on one time with Bennett next year while Hudson is at school. We love you teacher Betsy and we will be back with Bennett in 2012.

"New" Car

2011-06-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

When Hudson was about 3 months old I must have been very tired. Twice within 3 weeks I left my tailgate open in the garage and John opened it (leaving many scratches)...and I backed in to a mailbox. Ever since then it's been driving me crazy. I never had it fixed because there was always something more important that we needed to pay for. Well, John gave me the best Mother's Day gift. While we were in Portland he had all the scratches on the whole car fixed/repainted and an interior/exterior full detail. My car looks and smells like new! To top it off the sun is shining so it might even stay clean for awhile.

8 Months

2011-06-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

My sweet Bennett is 8 months old. I don't know where the time has gone. Honestly, it is going by twice as fast with Bennett as it did with Hudson. I guess it's because our family is twice as busy. There were so many days that I stayed home with Hudson and just enjoyed him. With Bennett those moments are rare, but when they happen they are amazing. For example, on our little trip to Portland John took Hudson out for awhile and Bennett and I took a nap. We both woke up at the same time, he rolled over, cuddled up to me, touched my face and gave me the biggest smile. In my mind he was saying "thank you mommy". Those are the moments that I will remember forever... his sweet smile, big blue eyes and cuddles melt my heart.

Things that Bennett is doing now...

Still trying to crawl

Clapping his hands

Loving baths with his brother

Swimming lessons at Waterbabies

Sleeping 7 hours, waking to nurse then sleeping 5 more

Napping twice a day 2-3 hours each time

Eating food that he can pick up himself

Smiling and laughing daily

All Aboard!

2011-06-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hudson waiting for the train to leave Seattle

Bennett and Daddy

Naps in the big bed are Bennetts favorite

My Sweet Boys

We went to Portland to visit Grammy (John's grandma) for her birthday. Hudson loves trains, so we decided to take the train down. It was a great decision...he loved it! He sat looking out the window the whole time and Benentt slept. In Portland we had a fun birthday picnic and cake to celebrate Grammys birthday. We found an amazing Italian restaurant for dinner and both boys did a wonderful job at dinner. This means that I was able to enjoy my dinner and wine. This is rare when we eat out with both boys. Usually one does well and the other needs to get up walk around, sleep, nurse... so needless to say it was a nice night. The boys loved staying in the hotel. We got a suite so we had a separate bedroom. This is the first time we have done that I will do it from now on. It makes it so much easier with naps and babies that wake to nurse during the night. On a side note there was a Starbucks across the street so everyone was happy since mommy was well caffeinated. It was a nice little vacation.

Forget Baby Food

2011-05-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

Bennett doesn't mind baby food, but he prefers food that he can pick up and eat by himself. His favorites right now are avocado, banana, tofu, pinto beans and green beans. He loves food and thinks life is good now that he can join in on our family meals.

Puzzles with Charlotte

2011-05-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Hudson loves Charlotte and Charlotte loves puzzles...so now Hudson loves puzzles too!

Children's Museum

2011-05-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

Today we headed to the Children's Museum in Bellevue. We had a blast and Bennett even got in on the action!

Mother's Day

2011-05-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

This year was my best Mother's Day yet. My morning began by waking up to an empty (quiet) house. John got up early and took the boys out so I was able to sleep in, sad but sleeping until 8:30 is sleeping in for me. They came home with Starbucks and flowers. Then I was able to take a shower alone and have time to get ready (again alone) while he got them ready for brunch. It's amazing how having one hour alone in my bathroom/room in the morning can make my day. I think it's because it never happens. We headed to Overlake Counrty Club for brunch with John's parents and Greg. After brunch the boys and I took and nap. When I woke up from my nap I headed to In Spa for a much needed massage. When I got home John had the house clean and dinner was ready. To me that is the perfect Mother's Day.

My Second Swimmer

2011-05-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

Bennett started Waterbabies this session. We started him in the PT (parent tot) level 2. The ages for this class range from 6 - 18 months. Bennett is by far the biggest one in the class. I love that he is 7 months old and wearing a 18 month swim diaper (the same size as his big or not so big brother Hudson). Bennett loved his first class, just like he loves everything. I look forward to swimming with both of my boys this summer...if the sun ever comes out.

Sunnny in Seattle

2011-05-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful sunny day in Seattle today. We packed up and headed to the neighborhood park with Gwen and her girls Charlotte and Zoe for some vitamin D and a picnic. We had a nice relaxing lunch, Zoe slept, Bennett played with Sophie (the giraffe in case you haven't met her) and Charlotte and Hudson ran around and wore themselves out (just as planned). Our goal today was vitamin D and then big naps. I'm happy to say our planned worked. I love days like this.

* There aren't any pictures of Hudson. He was playing too hard to stop for a picture.

7 Months

2011-05-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

You don't want to hold still to have your picture taken. You would much rather chew on the backing to your 7 month sticker.

You are seven months old and so amazing.

Here are a few things that are new in your world...

You are trying to crawl, but it looks more like you are swimming

You are eating solids and love avocado, banana, beans, and sweet potatoes

Your face continues to light up when you see your brother

You have found your voice and try to "talk" to us a lot

You wave bye bye

You blow kisses

You are so amazing that it makes it hard to imagine that you are our last baby

Happy Birthday Rachael & Matt

2011-04-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

On Saturday night John and I went to Rachael and Matt's 40th birthday party. The party was at the Place Ballroom downtown and I was very excited to go out without a diaper bag! John and I have only been out once since Bennett was born. Yes, I know it's pretty sad. We went out on Valentines Day and that is it. So needless to say I was ready to get dressed up, wear heels, carry a purse, not a diaper bag and have some fun! We had a great time and it was even worth not feeling so great for our Easter festivities. Happy birthday Rachael and Matt!

Disneyland

2011-04-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

While we were in Palm Springs we drove over to Disneyland for two days. We packed up, made the drive, checked in to our hotel, gave the kids a nap then headed across the street to Disneyland. We went last year too, but I don't think that Hudson really remembered. I know he won't forget this trip! He was in heaven! We went on the Buzz Lightyear ride first and it was a hit. He wanted to go over and over. We finally convinced him to try another ride and then it was the same thing, he wanted to keep going on that one over and over. We had a hard time explaining to him that there were so many fun rides still to see. We ended the night around 8:00 with the It's a Small World ride. It was a nice relaxing way to wrap it up. We headed back to the hotel to get (a little) sleep so we could get up and do it all again. Around 8:00 we were up, fed, caffeinated and ready to go! We of course started the day with Buzz Lightyear and ended it with going to meet Lightning McQeen and Mater. After we ate lunch we packed up the car and headed back to Palm Springs. Both the boys were sound asleep before we even got on the freeway. I can't wait for next year!

Palm Springs

2011-04-19T21:32:00.000-07:00

Bennett loved vacation!

Relaxing in the pool was his favorite.

Brothers!

Hudson loved swimming all day!

Bennett loved naps in the big bed!

Aunt Kris loves her nephews!

Bennett loved being outside!

We all loved that daddy was able to relax and not work (most of the time).

We even went out to dinner without the boys!

We just got back from a wonderful two weeks in sunny Palm Springs. The weather was amazing, we swam every day, ate great food, relaxed by the pool and best of all were able to to spend time as a family. John had been working so much the last few months that we hadn't t seen a lot of him. He did have to work a bit while we were there, but not every day. We also went to Disneyland for two day...Hudson was in heaven! I don't know if I can wait a whole year to go back. We might be heading down sooner.

Bennett Six Months

2011-04-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

While we were on vacation in Palm Springs my super talented niece Britni took these fun pictures of Bennett. She took similar pictures of Hudson at five months.

6 Months

2011-03-31T15:36:00.000-07:00

Height 27"

Weight 21 lbs 2 oz

BIG BOY!

Today you are 6 months old. Some days it feels like you have been a part of our family forever and some days it feels like you were just born. Every day it feels like you made our family complete. You are the happiest baby. You love to watch Hudson play, you especially like to "play" with him. You started eating solids and watch out! You love to eat. You are already able to pick up puffs and put them in your mouth. This makes you very happy. You even have two teeth! You are on a nap schedule that you love. You are getting really good at settling yourself to sleep at 9, 1, 5, and then to bed at 7. Your face lights up when I come in your room each morning and I love this. Most mornings I'm tired and rushing around trying to get Hudson fed, dressed...and then I see that smile and time stops. It makes me refocus on you, Hudson and being able to spend my days with my boys. Thank you Bennett for being you, you make me a better mommy.

Birthday Party

2011-03-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

Three!

2011-03-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Hudson,

Three years ago today my life changed forever. The second I held you I knew I would never be the same. Over the past three years you have grown to be such an amazing little boy. Not a day goes by when I don't feel overwhelmingly proud to be your mommy. You have such a kind and big heart. You are very sensitive (I know where you get that) and you love to talk and make people laugh. When I tell you goodnight you tap the pillow next to you and smile. You don't have to say a word, I know what this means. You want mommy to lay down and cuddle with you. No matter what I have to do that night, it can always wait. This time in our day is by far my favorite. I know a day will come when you won't want to do this anymore and I want to take these moments in and remember them forever. Another thing that makes me proud is how close we are, yet you are so independent. You LOVE to be with mommy, but you also are just fine going to preschool on Tuesdays all by yourself (you call it I self). When I pick you up your smile lights up the room as you run to me. It's the perfect balance. The day that I brought Bennett home form the hospital was one of my proudest moment yet. You were truly over the moon excited to see mommy and daddy and to meet your little brother. From that day on you have been such an amazing big brother. The first thing you say when we come downstairs each morning is "where is Bennett?", you always run to him when he cries and you love to give him hugs and kisses. The way Bennett watches you tells me that he thinks you're as wonderful as I do. I'm so excited to watch you grow into a "big boy" and I'm thrilled that Bennett has such an amazing role model to follow. Thank you for being you and thank you for being my baby. I love you more than you will ever know.

Love,

Mommy

Happy Birthday Sloan

2011-03-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

Bennett enjoying the party!

If you don't know about Sloan...then you don't know Hudson. Sloan is one of Hudson's favorite friends. They have known each other for as long as they can remember (since about 2 weeks old). They hit it off from the beginning and have been close ever since. Lucky for me I feel the same way about Sloan's mom. Emily has been a true blessing in my adventure in motherhood. To make things even better Sloan has a baby brother, Mason is only 4 months older than Bennett. I see many play dates in our future.

Sloan turned 3 on the 20th (one day before Hudson). Her party was at Northshore Gymnastics. It was so fun to watch the kids run around the gym and celebrate Sloan. We love you Sloan!

Birthday at Preschool

2011-03-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Boy

Sloan and Hudson...not so sure about the whole birthday thing.

Sweet Sloan

Hudson enjoying the yummy cake pops that Emily made.

On Friday Hudson celebrated his 3rd birthday at preschool (with Sloan too). They received their birthday crowns, the class sang happy birthday, teacher Betsy gave them a book and Emily made the best cake pops for the class. They both weren't so sure about the singing, but it was all okay when the cake pops came out!

Gymnastics

2011-03-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

Bennett watching big brother.

Hudson with Sloan right behind him.

Coach Mike helping Hudson.

The Class

Thursdays have become a favorite for Hudson. He loves gymnastics because of Coach Mike and Sloan. Coach Mike is great with the Kids and is very funny! Sloan is one of his favorite little girlfriends. They are two peas in a pod and I love watching his face light up when he sees her.

Mum Mum

2011-03-08T15:05:00.000-08:00

Today we decided to give Bennett a Mum Mum cracker. He has been eyeing our food for weeks and I felt bad. He has had rice cereal, but he isn't really into it...I don't blame him. So today during lunch I let Hudson give him a Mum Mum and he LOVED it! He ate it like he had been eating them for weeks. He finished every last bite. Now I just need to make sure Hudson understands not to feed Bennett other "crackers".

Brothers in the Bath!

2011-03-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

Bath time at our house has become quite an event!

Five Months

2011-03-02T15:07:00.000-08:00

Preschool

2011-02-24T19:07:00.000-08:00

Hudson has been going to the Northshore Community Co-op Preschool for the past two years. We decided that he is ready to go all on his own next year and we are so excited that he will be going to Kids at the Creek. I was overwhelmed by the choices and difficulty people have getting into the preschools around here. There are so many things I love about this school, it is in our church so it won't be a new place for him, it's 5 minutes from our house, they have valet system so I won't have to get out of the car with Bennett in the morning, they rooms are all very bright, clean and orgainzed, the teachers are all wonderful, and everyone I know that goes there can't stop saying wonderful things about it. Oh, and did I mention the Espresso bar inside? My baby is growing up. The next big step will be Kindergarten *tears*.

Children's Hospital

2011-02-23T19:55:00.000-08:00

Our first time in the emergency room.

Hanging out with Sophie

Bennett and I just got home from a five day stay at Children's Hospital. It's an amazing hospital, but I never want to to go back. Our adventure began on Friday morning when I decided to take Bennett to see his pediatrician. He had been coughing all night and was having a hard time catching his breath in the morning. When we got there she told me that I needed to get him to Children's right away. She also told me that he would need to be transported by ambulance because he needed to have oxygen. At this point I lost it. I tried to stay calm because Hudson was there, but I just couldn't. The ambulance came and Bennett and I rode to Children's while John and Hudson drove the car to meet us there. We spent the next EIGHT hours in the emergency room waiting for room. Our doctor said it was one of the busiest days he had seen. He said mostly because of the RSV virus. Well, sure enough they tested Bennett and he had RSV As we received the results a friend from Hudson's preschool walked by our room with her baby, he was also there for RSV. After one night/day they doctors decided that Bennett was able to go home. We came home on Saturday around 8pm. We put Bennett to bed at 9 and at 5am he woke up coughing and gasping for air. Soon he was having a hard time breathing and we called 911. When the ambulance arrived they told us they would need to take Bennett back to Children's. Again, he need oxygen on the way there. We were very lucky that Hudson didn't wake up during all of this. I went with Bennett and John stayed with Hudson. We were readmitted to the hospital and spent the 3 days trying to get Bennett to be able to breath on his own without oxygen and to not need the nurses to suction the secretions from his nose. Finally on Monday night he was breathing on his own. On Tuesday morning we were told if the morning went well we could go home. We are home now and Bennett is doing well, but has a ways to go until he is 100%. I'm extremely grateful to the amazing staff at Children's, but I never want to see them again.