VanZoeren Adventures

Our Little Cinderella

2012-01-24T15:32:00.000-06:00

I had heard fabulous things about Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Little girls visit Cinderella's castle and are transformed into princesses--isn't that every girl's dream? But I wasn't sure if Arden would care anything about it because she was not into princesses at all. I'm pretty sure the only princess movie she has seen is Beauty and the Beast!

But, we decided to go ahead and book an appointment for her and Santa was gracious enough to provide her with a beautiful Cinderella dress (Santa thought Cinderella would be Arden's favorite princess because she wears her favorite color--blue!)

Arden was super excited on Christmas morning when she found out we were going to Disney and that she was going to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! But a few days before our trip, mommy started to get worried. It dawned on me that Arden has never even had a haircut. What if she flips out when it's time to sit in the beauty chair and have a ~~stranger~~ fairy godmother-in-training fix her hair!

Needless to say, Arden LOVED every minute of her experience. She didn't want the traditional Fairytale Princess look; instead she opted for the Disney Diva look---complete with blonde "extensions" (she wanted yellow hair just like Cinderella).

We decided to let Arden keep her Cinderella hair up for the entire trip. I definitely had to doctor it up each morning with lots of hairspray and bobby pins. You can imagine what her hair looked like after a week of not washing it!

I'm pretty sure that we've played "hair dress-up" every day since we've been home. She asks me who I want to look like and gives me suggestions like Princess Aurora, Jasmine, and Belle :) She absolutely loves playing "hair dress-up" and "princess dress-up"!

Arden, we are so glad you loved every minute of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! You were a beautiful princess Cinderella :) We just want you to know that you don't have to be all made up to be OUR beautiful princess--we love you JUST THE WAY YOU ARE! You are beautiful to us--inside and out and we hope you never forget that. We love you sweet Arden!

Disney 2012

2012-01-19T18:04:00.000-06:00

We had a fabulous time at Disney World! While we were there, Geoff and I kept saying to each other "Now we know why people keep coming back!" There is SO much to do and see---there's absolutely no way to get it all done in one trip.

We started off our Disney adventures with a SUPER cold day. According to the weathermen (even the day before), the 1st day was supposed to be in the 50's. Boy, were they WRONG! The temps barely made it into the 40's, and with the windchill it felt like it was barely in the 30's. We were NOT prepared for that kind of cold. Thank goodness we had packed some long-sleeved shirts and a couple of blankets because we definitely put them to good use that day!

We quickly learned that Arden loved meeting the characters. It didn't matter if she knew who they were, she was jumping at the chance to have her picture made with them. Little did we know that this would be one of the highlights of the trip for her. She wasn't a fan of riding anything (or even watching shows) but she was ecstatic to meet the characters :)

Tucker was such a trooper! The first day was brutal for him; thankfully my mom offered to take him back to the house mid-afternoon. We had plans to stay until the park closed and we all knew that once the sun went down, the temps would fall quickly and he would be miserable. We are so thankful Nonna was willing to help out and keep our little man as happy as possible! The other days were definitely warmer and he hung in there the best that he could. He enjoyed watching shows and seeing the characters, but did not care too much for waiting in lines. We can't wait to take him back to Disney when he is older--we know he will love it!

We ended our trip with sunshine, warm weather, and some kid-free time. Thanks to our parents for taking the kiddos so we could enjoy Disney on our own. We really appreciate all you do for us and our kids!

Disney truly is a magical place and I can't wait to return when our kids are older and can experience so much more. Who am I kidding? I can't wait to return so I can experience it all again!

Enjoy the pictures!

Waiting to enter Magic Kingdom--can you tell it was COLD?!

Arden's 1st character meeting!

Waiting to ride Dumbo...she wasn't a fan of the ride but we made her do it anyway!

Quite possibly my favorite picture from the trip :)

Tucker loved "It's A Small World"

She didn't keep these glasses on for long. Apparently 3-D movies aren't her thing either!

someone's getting sleepy...

....and he's out! What a trouper :)

Even Auntie April had some fun with the characters!

On TriceraTop Spin....again, she wasn't a fan (it was just like Dumbo). This picture was taken when the ride was over so that's a smile of relief!

Our last day @ Magic Kingdom

Dancing with Goofy during the street party!

We love the princesses!

We LOVED the teacups! I was the only brave soul that would ride with them :)

Enjoying some kid-free time!

Stay tuned for pictures from Arden's Cinderella make-over!

Just Imagine

2012-01-12T17:03:00.001-06:00

Today, Arden was on her play phone when she said to me "I'm calling H.H. Gregg". I then listen in on this conversation:

"I need a cell phone for Carmeniques. Do you sell those? Ok, I need to get one for her."

Gotta love this girl and her wild imagination :)

(And if I haven't told you about Carmeniques, please let me know. I would love to do a whole post on her imaginary friend!)

Christmas Card 2011

2011-12-15T11:24:00.000-06:00

To say that it was a challenge trying to get the perfect picture for our Christmas card is an understatement.

I guess when you have a 3 year old who loves a fake smile and a 9 month old who would rather be on the floor playing you have to take what you can get.

We almost had to go with this picture:

But thankfully our awesome photographer, Auntie April, was able to capture this one:

We hope this holiday season is filled with lots of love and joy!.

Merry Christmas from the VanZoerens!

Sneak Peak

2011-12-12T11:21:00.000-06:00

Arden's school puts on a little Christmas performance each year. This will be her first year to participate and she is so excited! She's been practicing every day and we can't wait to watch her live, on stage :) However, we wanted to capture one of her "rehearsals" on video.....just in case she catches a case of stage fright :)

Pitiful :(

2011-12-07T14:43:00.001-06:00

Arden has been sick since Sunday night. She started running a fever and complaining that her eyebrow and tummy hurt. I quickly figured out that by eyebrow, she meant head :) By Monday night, she came down with the stomach bug and she spent all day yesterday in mommy and daddy's bed watching cartoons.

This was Arden last night:

She seemed SO much better! No vomiting all day and her temp was maybe 99.

This is Arden today:

Terrible picture, I know...I tried taking it while she was sleeping, but the flash woke her up and she wouldn't let me take another one :( Her fever is still gone, but she has been vomiting all day.

I hate that she is so sick, especially with the stomach bug. She deals with this enough with her cyclical vomiting that I wish she never had to have the stomach bug. Poor girl. And no one ever tells us how hard it will be for mommies. Not only am I trying to make my sweet girl feel better, but I have a curious little 9 month old to try and keep away from Arden and the messes! Oh the fun :)

Please pray that by tomorrow she will be back to her old self.....for her sake....and mine!

Warm Welcome

2011-12-07T14:23:00.001-06:00

In early November, Brad (Geoff's brother) and his fiance, Abby, came for a visit. We don't get a chance to see them very often, so we were thrilled to spend some quality time with them. Arden was so excited for Uncle Brad to visit and quickly warmed up to Abby (she had met Abby maybe once before). I'm pretty sure that by the time they left, Arden was confident she had made a new best friend ;)

Brad and Abby, we are so happy for you guys! Thank you so much for coming to visit and we hope you will come back again very soon. We are looking forward to your big day in May :)

9 months

2011-12-07T12:06:00.001-06:00

I seriously don't know where the time is going! Tucker is growing way too fast---I'm trying not to think about the fact that his 1st birthday is less than 3 months away!

I don't have any growth stats for him because his well check is later this month, but I do know he is a big boy. He is beginning to outgrow 12-18 month one-piece outfits because he has such a long torso. I'm pretty sure he weighs 21+ lbs so he's a bit of a chunk, too.

He is a very busy boy....and oh, he is fast! It only takes him seconds to crawl and find ~~trouble~~ something to get into ;) He definitely keeps me on my toes!

Tucker is already testing us, too. Our little mischievous boy does not take "NO" for an answer! If he is getting into a cabinet that he's not supposed to, or playing with the nightlights in the hallways, we pop his hand and say "No, Tucker". Instead of crawling away and finding something new to play with, he just smiles and laughs....then goes back to what he was doing. Oh boy....looks like we may need to baby-proof a little more :)

He is also becoming more confident in standing unassisted. His balance is getting better each day and I see him standing and playing so often. I bet it won't be long before he starts to take a few steps!

Tucker is finally starting to sleep well during the night---PRAISE GOD! He is consistently sleeping 5+ hours at a time which means I only have to get up once a night to feed him. Also, I am in the process of transitioning him to bottles. He isn't super excited about this, but I pray that we can make this transition as quickly and easily as possible.

Tucker can also wave bye-bye and he is really great at smiling for the camera! This is such a fun age as we watch his little personality grow :)

Happy 9 months sweet Tucker!

Just Daddy and Arden

2011-11-22T11:19:00.001-06:00

Arden has always loved the movie Shrek. We aren't sure what sparked her interest, but for several months it was the only movie she asked to watch. When we found out Shrek: The Musical was coming to the local Broadway Theatre League we knew we had found the perfect birthday gift for her.

Instead of making this a family event, we decided this would be the perfect Daddy/daughter date. They had a great time and we are so proud of Arden for making it through the whole performance (they went to the 2pm show---which is usually her nap time!) I know Geoff is looking forward to many more daddy/daughter dates--what a blessing those are for both of them :)

Dear Daddy,

Thank you for taking me to Shrek. I had lots of fun. I love you!

-Arden

3 Years Old and All Grown Up

2011-11-08T22:16:00.002-06:00

I just don't believe it has been 3 years since this little girl graced us with her presence!

Our lives were forever changed on that November afternoon and we cannot imagine our lives without her.

God has blessed us with a spunky, big-hearted, strong-willed, super-smart little girl and we are so thankful He chose us to be her parents!

Sadly, I think it has probably been a year since I did a little "Arden Update" so hopefully I won't leave anything out!

She continues to be a great sleeper---usually sleeps 10-12 hours a night

Still walks on her tippy toes :)

First things she asks for each morning: brekstast (breakfast) and daddy

She is so curious and is always listening to everything we say (hmmm.....this sounds a little more like nosey instead of curious!)

Has been fully potty-trained since May (2 1/2 yrs)

Can recite her ABC's and can identify many of them when written

Is learning letter sounds

Can count to 15...almost 20

Knows her full name as well as our first and last names

Is often shy when she first meets someone, but will soon talk your ear off if you let her :)

Has an imaginary friend named Carmeniques (sounds like Dominique) who has been around for almost a year

Loves her friend Molly---talks about her NON-STOP!

Apparently has a boyfriend @ school named Jackson :)

Is extremely strong-willed

Loves music

Has an excellent vocabulary

Asks LOTS of questions

Loves books. She is starting to "read" and it is so cute!

Is becoming a better eater.

Loves to help make decisions---from what she is going to wear to what car we drive or what we will have for dinner. She is very opinionated :)

Can buckle and unbuckle herself in the carseat---this is a HUGE help!

Her favorite color is blue

Is the best big sister Tucker could ask for!

Arden Leigh, we are so blessed to call you our daughter. You are the light of our lives and you bring us so much joy each day. We are proud of the little girl you are and can't wait to watch you grow this year.

WE LOVE YOU!

This is getting dangerous!

2011-11-08T21:26:00.000-06:00

Our photo sessions have now moved to the floor...Tucker is just too mobile for the couch!

Wow...8 months already!

We have such a happy guy on our hands.

He smiles so big every time he sees the camera...his whole face lights up with each smile :)

He is crawling EVERYWHERE! (started just before turning 7 months)

Can stand unassisted for several seconds

FINALLY cut his first tooth on 11/7/11

Is sleeping 5-6 hour stretches at night

Pretty much loves any food I feed him

Loves drinking from a straw

Is still extremely clingy to mommy...especially when I'm in the room but not holding him

Wears size 4 diapers

Has a little temper when we have to take things away from him

Is the sweetest little boy in the world...and we are so blessed to call him our son!

7 months with Mr. Bear

2011-10-03T14:20:00.000-05:00

After taking two months off, Mr. Bear is back in action for his monthly pictures.

And Tucker is on the move and as happy as can be!

It was a little difficult to take his picture because every time the camera would flash, he would laugh and try to crawl off the couch!

Instead of picking just one picture to post, I decided to post the whole shoot so you could see what I mean!

I just can't get enough of his big, bright smile. It brightens my day and fills my heart with so much joy!

Who wouldn't have a good day after seeing his face?!

We love you big guy and are so blessed to call you our son :)

6 months and growing!

2011-09-23T16:49:00.000-05:00

Our sweet baby boy is growing so fast!

How have we already gone from this

to this?!

At 6.5 months, Tucker:

Weighs 20 lbs. and is 27.5 in long (90th percentile for both)

Is sitting unassisted (started around 5.5 months)

Scoots EVERYWHERE! (also started around 5.5 months)

Occasionally uses his hands and knees to move---it won't be long before he is crawling

Loves to pull-up on everything--even tries to "walk" along the furniture he is holding onto

Eats avocados, pears, squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, and peas

HATES cereal of any kind

Loves his sippy cup...for chewing on the spout ;)

Has taken a few sips from a straw

Has poopie problems just like Arden did at this exact age (NOT fun!)

Loves laughing and playing with Arden---and Mommy and Daddy love watching this :)

Seems so much happier now that he is mobile

Can sleep 5-6 hours at a time---if he wants to :)

Goes anywhere from 3-6 hours between feedings

Prefers to fall asleep in his crib over anywhere else---including mommy's arms :(

Hasn't cut any teeth---but we expect to see some very soon!

Wears a size 3 diaper, but this may not last too much longer

Is already in the clingy phase---he doesn't like strangers to talk to him even when I'm holding him!

Prefers his Mommy over anyone else....but I think Arden is a close 2nd :)

Is generally a very happy and easy baby!

Tucker Gerrit, we cannot believe half of your first year of life is already behind us. We love watching you grow and learn new things every day. You are a sweet, happy boy and we love you so much!

Look what I can do!

2011-09-21T16:05:00.000-05:00

"I don't know about this, Mommy!"

"Is this how you do it?"

"Ummm...."

"Uh, guys....I could use some help over here!"

"I think I've got it now"

"YAY!"

"This is my new favorite thing to do! I can pull up on the ottoman..."

"the couch...."

"and even an old diaper box!"

(how on earth his is standing like this--I have NO idea!)

"I can even play with Arden---how fun!"

(sidenote--don't these two look just alike?!)

Our little man is growing so fast! He's been scooting around now for a good month and just started pulling up on things about a week ago. It won't be long before he starts crawling....and then walking! Yikes, could time PLEASE slow down?!

And Arden---our sweet, spunky, strong-willed Arden :) She is growing and learning new things every day, too. I need to do a separate post on her---soon, I promise!

Watchin' Airplanes

2011-09-17T15:37:00.001-05:00

Moontown Airport hosted the annual Grass Field Fly-in today. Geoff is an airplane fanatic so yesterday he mentioned he wanted to take Arden. Instead, we decided to make it a family affair, and I am so glad we did!

It was a beautiful day to be outside---lots of sunshine, a cool breeze, and of course, all the airplanes you could ask for :)

I'm not really sure why this shuttle model was there, but we took the opportunity to take a group photo!

We watched the MedFlight helicopter land and the kids were so excited to get a chance to sit in it!

This blue plane was tiny! In the air it didn't look so small, but sitting next to all the other planes it looked like a child's toy!

Our kids are destined to love airplanes....in fact, they already do. I'm pretty sure this makes their daddy/Uncle Geoff and Tuck Tuck really proud :)

Just another day

2011-09-16T15:00:00.000-05:00

Now that Tucker is on the move, he has discovered Murphy! He is always following him around trying to love on him....

Good thing Murphy already has a good hiding spot...at least until Tucker figures out how to get under there :)

And Arden.....well, she's still my cute, sassy, 2-going-on-12 year old!

(And yes, she dressed herself!)

I love these kiddos so much!

The View From Here

2011-08-19T11:10:00.007-05:00

Does it get any better than this?

(I wish I could take credit for these great pictures, but I'm definitely NOT the photographer in the family. Thanks, April, for always capturing our wonderful memories!

Arden meets Tucker!

2011-07-20T10:37:00.002-05:00

I meant to post this video a LONG time ago, but I was having trouble uploading it on blogger and just never got around to uploading it to a different site. But, I've finally done it and wanted to share!

http://vimeo.com/26674775

"Nap Time"

2011-07-20T10:35:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, Arden decides she doesn't need a nap. Instead, she sings and plays until we go in and make her go to sleep. On this particular day, we heard her playing off and on for about an hour. At this point, we went to her room to make her lay down and this is what we found! Sorry for the poor quality--we were trying to stay hidden! And I have no idea how to make the video not be sideways--I'm pretty new to this video stuff!

http://vimeo.com/26674307

1/3

2011-07-20T08:45:00.001-05:00

4 months old. Really? 1/3 of Tucker's first year is over? I need that pause button NOW!

Our sweet boy is growing and changing every day. I'm really disappointed in myself for not taking many pictures of our kiddos lately, but I'm beginning to understand why I rarely saw baby pictures of Nathan and April (sorry, mom, for always giving you a hard time!).

At 4 months, Tucker:

Can roll from back-to-tummy and tummy-to-back!

Is starting to scoot. He's trying to figure out how to keep up with Arden :)

Is teething! You may have noticed in some of the pictures that he is wearing a necklace. This is an amber teething necklace I bought from hip-green-baby. I loved using Hyland's teething tablets with Arden, but since they aren't available right now, we are trying out a different natural method. So far it seems to be working--he's been a lot happier since we put it on :)

Loves to be tickled! He gives us some good belly laughs and snorts when he is tickled--and almost always ends up with the hiccups!

Is finding his voice. He isn't making any specific sounds (ex. ba-ba, da-da), but it is so cute to watch his face as he realizes he can "talk" and "yell".

Has the chunkiest thighs! I have such a hard time getting his diapers on because of all his rolls :)

Weighs 17 lbs 4 oz and is 26.75 in long (95th percentile in both!)

Is reaching for, and grabbing, EVERYTHING he can get his hands on. He also gets mad when you don't give him what he wants. (hmmm...maybe we have another strong-willed child?!)

For the most part, he is still sleeping at least 6 hours a night.

Instead of crying when he wakes up in the morning, he has started "talking"....I love it when he does this :)

Is starting to eat some solids--we've tried rice cereal and avocados so far. Both were a success!

LOVES his big sister! He is all smiles when Arden is around---I can't wait to watch their relationship grow :)

First time in the high chair

First bite of solid food!

Picture Pages

2011-07-19T15:05:00.005-05:00

Remember that show? I loved it as a kid. This post has nothing to do with it though, except that it is full of pictures that should have been posted a long time ago!

Playing dress-up

If you are around Arden long enough, I can promise you will hear her talk about her friend "Mowwy" (Molly). They have a blast together and rarely fight---which is music to my ears since Arden and Silas fight like siblings!

Tucker's first time in the exersaucer--he was just shy of 3 months old. He is loving this thing more and more each day....but he still prefers to be held over anything else :)

I promise he likes his bumbo!

Love this picture!

My sweet Arden---she is growing up way too fast!

My mini-Geoff :)

Okay, mom...I'm tired of the photo shoot!

Seriously, isn't it my nap time?!

Blowing bubbles in our undies! What?! You don't do that around your house? :)

He started pulling this frog around 3 months...and hasn't stopped. I think the music constantly plays when he's sitting in his bouncy :)

Can someone push the pause button please?

2011-07-18T14:04:00.001-05:00

Seriously, if life had a pause button, I would be pushing it right about now! We have been busy all summer but all I want to do is just STOP and soak up this time with my two babies and the love of my life. If I could even just remember to take a few pictures so I could reminisce later, that would be great, but my camera is the last thing I think about while I'm juggling my mommy duties every day.

Anyhow, Geoff and I were so lucky to be able to take a vacation to California in June--JUST THE TWO OF US! We are definitely blessed to have parents (and siblings) who will take care of our babies so we can get away. Words cannot express how grateful we are to them--we know not everyone is as lucky as we are!

Although it was hard to leave my two babies...

it was WONDERFUL to get away and spend 8 full days with this handsome man :)

We spent time in Lake Tahoe, Napa, and San Francisco. I'm normally a "let's just lay on the beach ALL day" kind of girl when it comes to vacations, but this was definitely one of the best trips I've ever taken.

Geoff visited Lake Tahoe several years ago on a business trip, and has talked about taking me there ever since then. He said words could not describe how beautiful it is, and he was right. Even on a cloudy day, it's beauty is indescribable!

Our hotel/casino is the one in the middle

Sorry to bore you with all the mountain/lake photos, but seriously---it was breathtaking. Pictures just don't do the place justice, so I definitely recommend you take a trip there if you ever have the opportunity.

After a few days in Tahoe, we traveled to Napa Valley--another gorgeous, peaceful place!

We toured 2 boutique wineries, which were very fascinating (and had delicious wine!)

Our last stop was in San Francisco. There is so much to do in this city--we will certainly have to visit again.

The view of the Golden Gate bridge as we were driving in from the North:

We went to a Giants game! Even though it was pretty chilly once the sun went down, we had a great time :)

Touring the city!

Our hotel---super fancy!

Alcatraz

We definitely saw some interesting things as we toured the city....

and some familiar things as well....

Geoff, I am so thankful we were able to take this trip together. God has blessed my life with a wonderful husband a terrific daddy for our babies and I will forever cherish the time we spent growing our marriage. Happy 7th anniversary--I love you!

3 Months

2011-06-09T01:08:00.003-05:00

@ 3 months:

~Tucker is still such a happy baby!

~He usually sleeps 6-8 hours at night

~Rolls from his tummy to his back. He has only done this in his crib--and he quickly lets us know he doesn't like to be on his back!

~Likes to sit in his bumbo seat

~Can pull the frog on his bouncy seat to play the music

~Loves to kick in his bouncy seat

~Still prefers to be held by someone but is learning that this can't be done all the time

~Is now going to the chiropractor once every two weeks---I can't begin to tell you how much these visits have helped reduce the amount of spit-up. Thanks Dr. Aplin!

~Weighs around 15 lbs.

~Smiles and laughs at us all the time!

This week, Geoff and I are blessed to be enjoying some kid-free time together in California. We are having an awesome time soaking in God's beautiful creation in Lake Tahoe, Napa, and San Francisco but I miss these two kiddos like crazy! Thanks to our parents for taking our kids for the week---we can't thank you enough. We love you guys!

2 Months

2011-05-10T07:11:00.007-05:00

Tucker turned 2 months on May 3rd! Time is really flying...I'm already having a hard time remembering him as a not-so-tiny newborn and this makes me very sad :( BUT, we are trying to soak up every moment with our little guy. He is truly a bundle of joy and a gift from God!

A few things about Tucker @ 2 months:

*He weighs 13lbs. 13ozs and is 23.5 inches long (90th percentile for both)

*He smiles all the time

*He's starting to "talk" to us

*He still loves to be held and lets us know that when he is in his swing, bouncy seat, etc. :)

*He prefers to sit up straight or stand when someone is holding him--he doesn't like to be "cradled" unless he is sleepy.

*He can hold his head up like a pro--and has been able to do so since shortly after he was born!

*He would sleep all day in mommy's arms on the couch if he could...and mommy would love to be able to do that one day ;)

*He usually sleeps 4+ hours between feedings at nights. I can usually feed him around 10pm and only have to get up once in the middle of the night with him.

*He enjoys going to the chiropractor! He is all smiles when Dr. Aplin adjusts him--and for that I am so thankful!

*He looks so much like Arden when she was an infant, but it's sometimes hard to see that because she had so much hair and, well.....he doesn't have much at all!

*He is loved so much by Arden, Mommy, and Daddy!

Adjusted

2011-04-23T08:22:00.004-05:00

Everyone has to adjust when you welcome a new baby into the family. One of the adjustments I've had to make is figuring out how to deal with spit-up. Arden NEVER spit up; Tucker does it all the time. That is until we took him to the chiropractor!

A few years ago, I would have thought you were crazy if you suggested I take my newborn to the chiropractor. But, desperate times call for desperate measures, and I have recently heard from several people that chiropractors can help with so many issues so I thought we would give it a try.

I am so glad we took that chance! Tucker has had two appointments and I can already see such a difference with him. He doesn't mind getting adjusted and he rests SO well on the days we go! I look forward to our appointment each week, and can't wait to see even more improvement.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep...

2011-04-23T08:06:00.003-05:00

Right in my own bed!

Tucker has been sleeping in his own bed for the past 2 weeks which has meant a better night's sleep for everyone!

He still gets up every 3-4 hours (sometimes sooner) but I don't wake at the first sound he makes like I did when he slept in our room.

Sweet dreams, Tucker! Now, if we could just get you to sleep through the night.... ;)

Real

2011-04-23T08:02:00.002-05:00

I'm having a hard time photographing Arden's real smile.

Instead, I get these faces...

The last one is the closest I could get, but it just doesn't do her beautiful smile justice.

I guess I will keep trying...I'm sure she won't mind posing for me :)

Mommy's Little Helper

2011-04-23T07:32:00.003-05:00

No matter what I'm doing around the house, Arden always wants to help--sweeping, unloading the dishwasher, you name it--she is right on my heels asking to do her part :)

Doing laundry is no different. If she finds me loading/unloading the washer and dryer she runs in and begins helping.

And she always helps fold the clothes. But most of the time the clothes end up here:

Apparently, helping Mommy fold clothes actually means it's time to play dress-up :)

I love my little helper...let's just hope she has this same desire when she's older!

So In Love

2011-04-08T13:58:00.005-05:00

Five weeks ago, Tucker graced us with his presence.

I've never questioned whether or not I would be able to love another child as much as I love Arden, but the reality of our ability to love didn't set in until the day he was born. What a reminder of God's great love for each and every one of us!

We are all SO in love with our precious little boy!

It is already so hard for me to remember life without him. Five weeks seems like such a short period of time, but to me it seems like Tucker has always been a part of our lives.

Tucker is such a sweet baby! He is a good eater, starting to sleep 3-4 hours between nightly feedings, and is awake more and more each day. He is starting to coo and smile---both of which I love :) He also LOVES to be held, and I love that too, but it does make it difficult to get anything done!

Tucker @ 1 month

This is where you can find Arden most of the time:

She is still head-over-heels in love with him--which is such a blessing! Her first words each morning are "Where is Tucker?" and "Hugs and kisses--Tucker!". Her tantrums are few and far between now--and we are so thankful for that. We pray that we don't have to deal with those again (or at least for awhile)!

We've been terrible at taking pictures this time around--I guess we are too busy with a newborn and 2 yr. old! But I was able to snap a few shots of Tucker the other day while Arden was napping. Here are a few faces we are beginning to see each day :)

We love you sweet Tucker!

And so it begins...

2011-03-16T13:14:00.002-05:00

Arden has loved Tucker since before he was born.

Her reaction to meeting him for the first time was priceless (I'm still trying to get the video to upload...if you have any suggestions, please let me know!)

When she wakes each morning, the first thing she wants to do is see Tucker and give him hugs and kisses.

Her love and affection for him completely melts my heart.

BUT...

Our usually well-behaved little girl is acting out--A LOT.

She is defiant---telling us "no" all the time and refusing to listen/obey.

She is extremely emotional---bursts into tears when we tell her she can't do something.

Biting episodes are becoming more frequent...

She no longer wants to be the "big girl", but wants to be the "baby".

We knew this was coming, but it's still so difficult for us. We are struggling with knowing how to handle this behavior. We've tried to spend some one-on-one time with Arden to remind her that she is still so very important to us and her behavior definitely improves during those times.

Please just pray for our family during this time of transition--and if you have any suggestions, we would be so glad to hear them!

Tucker Gerrit is here!

2011-03-09T12:00:00.000-06:00

We welcomed Tucker Gerrit into the world @ 2:08pm on March 3, 2011. He weighed 9 lbs. 11 oz. and was 20.5 in. long. I was blessed to have a smooth labor and an even easier delivery (I pushed for less than 20 minutes!). We are completely in love with our little man and Arden is equally smitten by him :) She has been such a big helper and absolutely loves giving Tucker hugs and kisses! I'm working to upload the video of Arden meeting him for the first time--it's priceless!

Things at home are getting easier each day. I'm fortunate to have Geoff home with us until the middle of next week--I know it's making the transition so much better. Our first couple of nights were rough but things are finally settling down. Tucker loves to eat--right now we are up every 2-3 hours but I know things will get better soon! We are just trying to enjoy every moment with Tucker---no matter what time of day/night it is :)

Enjoy the pictures---I should have many more to post soon!

BIG BOY!

Arden meeting Tucker for the 1st time!

Our family of 4!

Silas meeting Tucker :)

Arden opening her Big Sister present ;)

Waiting!!!!!!!

2011-03-03T08:29:00.002-06:00

Melinda and I arrived at the hospital last night for her scheduled induction today. Everything went well last night and we enjoyed a relaxing night alone just watching TV.

Melinda did not get much sleep, however I managed to sleep pretty well.

Now we are just waiting. They started Pitocin at 6:30am and broke her water at 8am. She just got her epidural and now we're hoping things move along smoothly.

Melinda is doing great! She's sitting here talking and laughing and enjoying her last few hours without a newborn. Keep us in your prayers and especially Melinda as she prepares to deliver Tucker. We will update and post pictures as soon as he gets here!

-Geoff (with the help of Auntie April)

While We Wait

2011-03-02T14:32:00.005-06:00

I should have posted these a long time ago, but as we all know I'm not the best at staying on top of my blogging. I can only imagine I won't get any better once Tucker arrives!

These are pictures of Tucker's nursery. A huge thanks goes to my mom for doing the awesome paint job, my dear friend Dasha for painting the furniture (with some help from April and Geoff), and sweet Carla Woods for making his bedding. Everything turned out perfectly--exactly how I envisioned.

Now all we need is for Tucker to be here! He is scheduled to arrive sometime tomorrow; I think I will put Geoff on blogging duty like he was during Arden's birth so that we can keep everyone updated :)

I just had to include this picture of our sweet Arden, who is so ready to be the best big sister there ever was!

Arden, your daddy and I love you more than you will ever know. The past 28 months have been the best months of our lives. You bring so much joy to each and every moment we spend with you and we know that you will continue to bless our lives in the years to come. We look forward to you meeting Tucker and watching your relationship with him grow. Tucker couldn't ask for a better BIG SISTER! We love you sweet Arden---you will always be our baby girl!

Update

2011-02-21T07:48:00.002-06:00

2 weeks ago, we received the results from Arden's endoscopy. It showed some irritation in the lining of her stomach, indicating some reflux problems. Right now she is on Prevacid once a day and we return to Dr. McClellan the first week of March for follow-up. We are so thankful that the tests showed something that is easy to treat and we are hopeful that Arden won't suffer anymore episodes. Thanks to all of you for your prayers-we really appreciate them!

Looking for Answers

2011-02-02T21:07:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow morning Arden will have an endoscopy to see if we can find the reason for her random vomiting episodes. Please keep her in your prayers as she will be sedated. Pray for us too--I'm sure it will be harder for Mommy and Daddy than it will be for Arden! We should have the results of the test no later than Monday--we will keep you updated!

Success!

2011-02-01T07:27:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was not a good day in potty-training land.

Arden had accident, after accident...including two poops.

Needless to say, I was exhausted and discouraged :(

But last night, something happened....something miraculous!

We got home from dinner and Arden said "POTTY!"

She sat on the little potty, then said "Poopy on potty!"

She then moved to the big potty....

And pooped on the potty for the very first time...all without any prompting from us!

HOORAY! There was much celebrating, rewarding, and picture-taking, of course!

The first words out of her mouth were "Mommy, POOPY! Big prize! Chuck E. Cheese!"

Yes, sweetie---we are SO proud of you! You got your big prize last night (mini reese cups instead of M&Ms) and if you keep this up, we will definitely be taking a trip to good ol' Chuck E. Cheese :)

Now, let's just see how long this lasts.

Maybe, just maybe, we're turning over a new leaf with potty-training!

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-10T13:10:00.005-06:00

It's hard to believe that we've had a significant amount of snow twice in less than 3 weeks...

We didn't get a chance to really enjoy the snow at Christmas because we were busy preparing to host the Norton family Christmas...too much cleaning had to be done!

Last night, I was afraid we weren't going to be able to enjoy the snow this time around because Arden decided to come down with the stomach bug, but thankfully it seems to be a mild case and she is all better now :)

This is what we woke up to this morning:

We think we've had around 8 inches of snow so far. Flurries are still falling occasionally, but I don't think we will have much more accumulation. However, it's not supposed to get out of the 30's until the weekend so it looks like the white stuff will be sticking around for awhile!

After we all bundled up, we headed out to enjoy the snow. In the past, Arden hasn't been too thrilled about playing in the snow. After just a few minutes she is ready to head back inside to be warm and cozy (she's my kind of girl!). She lasted a bit longer this time around, but still wasn't too interested in playing and preferred to be carried everywhere we went.

Building a snowman with Daddy!

Murphy had a blast playing in the snow! It was hard for me to get a picture of him because he was so busy playing!

The finished product...pretty good if I do say so myself :)

Enjoy the snow...and enjoy all the extra family time God has blessed you with. I know we will!

Where has the time gone?

2011-01-06T07:56:00.006-06:00

I love Christmas....it's my favorite time of year!

We had a blast watching Arden discover the joys of the season....

Santa, toys, candy, and even snow!

I can't believe it has already come and gone :(

As much fun as it was, and I know it will continue to be--

Our prayer is that Arden and Tucker will grow to know and love the true meaning of Christmas

and will enjoy giving so much more than receiving!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We had a wonderful Christmas spent with family. Of course, I took very few pictures and left that to my talented sister who owns a "real" camera! So....until I get a copy of all those pictures, enjoy this shot of Arden and Silas on Christmas Eve. They were waiting oh-so-patiently to open their presents!

I can't believe how fast they are growing--can someone please slow things down for me?!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Tucker in 4D

2010-12-13T21:33:00.003-06:00

We had our 4D ultrasound today and learned a few things about Tucker...

He loves to sleep with his hands at his face...

He doesn't wake easily...

and is pretty stubborn, just like another little VanZoeren that I know :)

There are 58 images on the cd we received; I'm pretty sure they are all the same, minus the diaper shots she got! Even though Tucker wasn't very cooperative today, it was so exciting to see him in 4D! I tried to find a 4D picture of Arden that was similar to one of his, but I had a hard time. Feel free to check out her pictures here and see if you think they look alike!

I wish I could say Arden enjoyed the "photo session" as much as we did, but I don't think that was the case. Unfortunately, we think Arden got a little too hot on the ride over (she was bundled up so much since it was only in the 20's today!) and got a little carsick. She was very fussy when we got there, fell asleep for a bit, then woke up and immediately got sick :( She tried to tell me in the car that she was hot, but there was nothing I could do besides turn down the temperature. Thankfully, she was fine after the little incident---maybe we are done with being sick for awhile!

Back in Action!

2010-11-29T18:09:00.004-06:00

Yes, I've been a blogging slacker.

I apologize.

I can't promise I will do a better job, but I will try.

And yes, I know you've heard that before :)

ANYHOW...the last 3-4 months have been so busy for us! We spent almost a month at the beach, took two trips to the hospital with Arden, she started school, she spent 10 days with her grandparents in Michigan, Geoff surprised me with a trip to Washington DC for my 30th birthday, Halloween, celebrating birthdays, and most recently--Thanksgiving! Not to mention all of my Dr. appointments, re-arranging rooms to get ready for Tucker, picking out a nursery design and fabrics...I could go on and on. I realize things are not going to slow down for us anytime soon but we are still trying to enjoy every day we are blessed with!

I've done a couple of separate posts with LOTS of pictures so keep scrolling to read those.

I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving and are enjoying the start to this holiday season!

Turning 2!

2010-11-29T17:14:00.009-06:00

It's hard to believe that our baby girl is already 2! It seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. Arden has brought so much joy to our family--we are so thankful God chose us to be her parents and blessed our family with her. There is nothing sweeter than hearing her laugh, receiving her hugs and kisses, and watching her grow into a beautiful little girl. Arden Leigh, Mommy and Daddy love you so much. You are the light of our lives and everyday with you is a blessing from God. Happy Birthday sweet baby girl--we love you!

We had a combined birthday party with Silas earlier this month. Arden's theme was Toy Story and Silas' was Mickey Mouse. We had a great time with our friends playing with play dough, finger painting, and coloring :) Thanks to all of our friends and family who came--we love you all very much and you have a special place in our hearts!

Lyon Farms and Halloween

2010-11-29T16:40:00.010-06:00

The pumpkin patch was a huge hit with Arden and Silas. They had so much fun playing in the corn pits, seeing all the animals, and of course, picking pumpkins! The only negative was that we went late on a Friday afternoon and it got chilly very quickly. Next year we will make sure to go on a warm Saturday so we can make the most of our time.

Trick-or-Treating (or as Arden calls it "Tricky Tricky") was a blast! It was so fun to see them dressed up in their costumes and actually participate in the festivities. Silas was interested in trying to get into people's houses while Arden definitely wanted to make sure she got her fair share of candy :)

Beach 2010

2010-11-29T14:45:00.017-06:00

For the past two years, my parents have rented a condo in Gulf Shores for a whole month. This year, we all spent the first week together (minus Uncle Nae-Nae who started his new job that week!) as well as Labor Day weekend. During the weeks in between, Arden and I were lucky enough to spend time there with Nonna and Silas. It was great to be able to just relax and enjoy time together without driving back and forth every weekend like we did last year.

Arden and Silas had so much fun! Silas was a fish from day 1 but Arden took a little time getting used to the water. It didn't take long for her to adjust though; by the end of the first week she was having a blast with little man! They definitely reversed roles when it came to the sand--Arden loved it from the beginning; Silas....well, let's just say he's not a fan :)

I could have posted hundreds of pictures but I didn't want to bore you too much. Hope you enjoy a snapshot of our trip. Thanks again to Nonna and Tuck-Tuck--we truly enjoy our family vacation every year!

It's A..............

2010-09-28T07:10:00.002-05:00

BOY!!!!!

We are thrilled to add a little boy to our family! I know it will be totally different than raising a girl, but we are so excited to have the experience of raising a boy. And I know that Arden is going to be a wonderful big sister to her little brother :)

And before you all start hounding me for an update on Arden, let me apologize. Between 3 weeks at the beach, 2 trips to the hospital, multiple doctor appointments for all of us, etc. I just haven't had time to update. I'm hoping to have a little bit of free time next week--Arden is headed to Michigan to spend a week with her grandparents--so hopefully I can give you all the update you are waiting for!

Time

2010-08-17T15:24:00.003-05:00

Who has time to post when you are having so much fun on vacation?! We are having a blast at the beach. April has taken hundreds of pictures so I will try and upload some very soon...that is, if I decide to get out of my float or beach chair :)

And baby makes 4!

2010-07-18T20:31:00.004-05:00

Baby #2 is due to arrive February 27! We are so excited and can't wait to meet our new blessing from God. We had our first Dr. appointment this week and everything looked great. Please keep our family in your prayers as we prepare to welcome this baby into our family!

Playing Catch Up

2010-06-30T22:16:00.004-05:00

While I don't have time to give you an actual update on what we've been up to lately, I thought I would share some pictures of our cutie patootie! She is growing like crazy and changing every day. Even though she has entered into the "terrible twos" we are still loving every minute with Arden. Hopefully I will be able to give you a more detailed update soon, but for now, enjoy the pictures!

Breakfast time!

Arden's first day of MMO!

Her first day was the only day she hasn't cried when we left her. Thankfully, I'm not one of those moms who can't leave her when she is crying. I give her a kiss, tell her I love her, and quickly hand her off to the teachers. I know she has a wonderful time once she calms down--and what a great experience this is for her!

I love this picture! It looks like she was caught red-handed in a bowl of cookies!

Surprisingly, she hasn't tried to climb out of her crib....YET!

Her new pastime--playing in the tupperware cabinet!

We are headed to Michigan this Friday--hopefully I will take lots of pictures and won't wait months before I share them :)

3,2,1....Blast Off!

2010-05-25T13:55:00.004-05:00

It has always been Geoff's dream to see a shuttle launch and I am so happy to say that we were finally able to make that dream come true! 2 weeks ago, we made the journey to Kennedy Space Center. Watching the shuttle launch was one of the most awesome and memorable things I have ever experienced. I will definitely remember it forever and I'm so glad I was able to watch it with Geoff.

On our way to Kennedy the morning of the launch

Can you see the line of cars all the way over the hill? We were in stand still traffic for much of our trip--we were lucky to travel even 10 mph. It took us almost 3 hours to drive what would usually take 1 hour! We were hoping to see the astronauts as they prepared to board the shuttle, but because of all the traffic, we didn't make it in time.

We were so lucky to be able to watch the launch from where the media was located. This is the countdown clock that you have probably seen on TV if you have ever watched a launch. If you look closely, you can see the shuttle on the launch pad behind Geoff. We were approximately 3 miles from the pad--this is as close as anyone can be during the launch!

This was our view behind us. See the all glass building behind all the media trucks? This is where all the big wigs watched from--including former astronauts and David Letterman!

3,2,1.....

BLAST OFF!

These pictures do not even begin to do it justice. It was amazing and breathtaking--an awesome experience I will never forget. Thanks Geoff, for letting met tag along with you :)

Hanging out in Cocoa Beach after the launch--waiting for all the traffic to die down.

Of course, we wouldn't have been able to enjoy this awesome experience if it weren't for my parents and sister who took great care of Arden while we were gone. Thank you so much Nonna, Tuck-Tuck, and Auntie April--we love you so much!

Silly Girls

2010-04-22T09:01:00.002-05:00

What should you do when you are having silly time with your little one? Take pictures, of course! I realize these pictures are not flattering of me in the least bit, but I couldn't resist posting them. Arden had the best time mimicking me--we were both laughing so much!

I can't look at these pictures without smiling and tearing up a bit. Oh how I love this little girl so much! What a blessing Arden is to our lives!

what's wrong with this picture?

2010-04-22T08:50:00.003-05:00

Arden has an obsession with infant carriers, bouncy seats, swings--really anything that she is too small for! It never fails-if you have these items in your house, she will find them and climb in before you know it! Who needs toys when you have a car seat?!

Easter Pictures

2010-04-15T10:36:00.002-05:00

If you have a minute, check out Drake & Drake Photography to get a sneak peak of the Easter pictures we had taken of Arden and Silas. My MawMaw gave them their Easter outfits and asked if we could get their pictures made in them--who would say no to that?! I absolutely love the pictures and can't wait to see the rest!

Easter 2010

2010-04-07T16:10:00.000-05:00

When we were growing up, we spent every Easter that I can remember with my Grandmom and Granddad Norton. We would spend all afternoon hunting for eggs and spending time with the Norton side of the family. What great memories I have from those times! This year we decided to continue that tradition with Arden and Silas. Our aunts, uncles, and cousins all joined us--we had such a fun time! Arden loved hunting for eggs! We hid marshmallows inside some of them--I think that was her favorite part :) Silas wasn't as big a fan of egg hunting as Arden was; he preferred to climb up and down the stairs on the patio!

Arden, Great-Granddaddy Norton, Silas, Shelby, and MaryBeth

Someone must have told them to put their "serious" faces on :)

"Why are you interrupting my egg hunting?"

"I know there's an egg around here somewhere!"

"I've gotta hurry before Silas gets these!"

"Better yet, I will just take his basket!"

(If you are wondering why she is high-walking, she did NOT like the grass on her bare feet at first! It took some time, but by the end of the afternoon, she didn't even notice.)

"Marybeth, please help me get the marshmallow out!"

"I'm sure Arden won't notice if I take one of her eggs"

Arden LOVED riding the bicycle! She wasn't happy when her turn was over so she and Silas got to share a turn.

I think she would have sat here all day if someone would have held the bike for her.

I was so blessed to grow up with my grandparents and great-grandparents and have such fond memories of all of them. I am thankful we are starting traditions like this one with Arden--I pray that we have many more times like this with her great-grandparents!

Let the messes begin!

2010-03-19T09:53:00.003-05:00

I HATE messes! I'm a control freak and want to clean up every little mess as soon as it's made.

So, times like these are difficult for me...

I know they come with the territory of being a mommy...

but whether or not I'M ready for them, Arden is ready to be little Miss Independent!

This is her trying to hide from the camera. Every time I would get the camera out and ready, she would turn and laugh...I had to trick her to get a few shots!

It has been difficult for me to let go of the spoon and pass it on to Arden. At first she just wanted to shake it and throw her food EVERYWHERE! She's passed that now, but I'm usually standing close by with a wet cloth--ready to clean up every little spill :)

16 Months!

2010-03-03T10:13:00.004-06:00

I realized that it's been quite sometime since I've done an update on Arden, so here you go!

At her 15 month Dr. appointment, she weighed 22lb. 11oz. (50th percentile) and was 31.5 inches long (75th percentile).
She continues to be a great sleeper! Arden sleeps at least 12 hours a night, and usually takes a 1.5-2 hour nap each day.
She LOVES puzzles and is getting pretty good at them.
She does have a bit of a temper, especially when she doesn't get her way. (I wonder who she got that from?!)
Arden is definitely a Mommy's girl :)
She can say Momma, Da-Da, Nonna, baby, Abby, up, bubbles, eyes, and yes. She tries to say Tuck-Tuck and Nae-Nae but they end up sounding just like Da-Da and Nonna :) She also tries to say Apie--we are definitely making progress with April's name!
Arden makes animal noises for dogs, cows, pigs, monkeys, and lions/tigers.
She can point to her nose, mouth, ears, belly button, hands/fingers, and feet/toes. If you ask her where her eyes are, she always points to her ears instead :)
If you give Arden a paper towel or tissue, she will often start "cleaning" anything and everything around her.
She loves to "fix" her hair, and will "fix" yours if you ask her to :)
Arden loves giving kisses and is especially fond of "being sweet" to Murphy, too! Thankfully, he is so laid back and doesn't mind all of the attention.

We are truly blessed to have Arden in our lives! She continues to bring us so much joy each day and we treasure every moment we spend with her.

Future photographer :)

Every time I would try and take her picture she would start running towards me!

Too cute :)

We love you Arden Leigh and we thank God for you every day!

Funundrums and Valentines!

2010-02-26T13:50:00.000-06:00

On February 4, we took Arden to her first Circus. I was a little concerned that she would be frightened by all the craziness, but I was proved very wrong! She loved EVERY minute of it! In fact, the only time she cried was during intermission when the snack vendors walked through the isles yelling and trying to get you to buy the overpriced popcorn and cotton candy! She watched every act so intently--I can't wait to take her back when she really understands what's going on :)

I don't know about Arden, but the Globe of Steel was my favorite act! Can you believe 6 motorcyclists ride in this thing at the same time?!

For Valentine's Day, Geoff surprised me with a dozen roses, dark chocolate and peanut butter M&M's (my favorite!), and dinner at Grille 29. The food was delicious, but the time we were able to spend together was the best :) I definitely try and treasure those quiet moments we have together now that they are few and far between!

Arden also had a special Valentine's photo shoot! It was a nice surprise to have these pictures taken--thanks to our photographer, Carla, for letting Arden be your model for the day :)

Snowy Surprise!

2010-02-08T11:25:00.003-06:00

Who knew that we would wake up to snow this morning?! It started snowing just before 8am and two hours later this is what it looked like-

We've had a few other light snow days already this year, but this was the first time I was able to take Arden out to play. Nonna bought Arden this suit--it's a little big, but at least it should last us a couple of seasons. Thanks Nonna!

She didn't know what to think about the snow at first. She was very hesitant to even get down and walk!

It didn't take long for her to love it! She didn't want to play though, we just walk up and down the road!

I think Murphy liked the snow too :)

We couldn't stay out long because Arden already has a runny nose. Too bad it's not supposed to stick around for long--it would be fun for us to play outside with Daddy too!

Manicure, please!

2010-02-01T12:20:00.002-06:00

If you've caught a glimpse at Arden's fingernails lately, you would think we were growing them out so she would have a secret weapon to use when Silas tackles her! It used to be so easy to keep Arden's nails trimmed, but now I'm at a loss for how to get it done without a battle. I can't even hold her hand to look at her nails without her yanking her hand away. I've tried giving her a sucker while I trim them, and that worked for awhile, but today she just laughed and jerked away before I could get even one hand done. If you have any suggestions for making this process a little bit easier, please let me know!

I miss this girl!

2010-01-28T16:36:00.002-06:00

As much as I have enjoyed my break this week, I can't wait to get back to this little girl! I miss her hugs, kisses, and yes, maybe even her whining too! We love you Arden--can't wait to see you tomorrow!

Our Christmas In Pictures

2010-01-25T09:32:00.006-06:00

FINALLY! I know you've all been sitting around on pins and needles waiting to see these pictures!! I hate to disappoint, but after uploading these, I realized we didn't take that many :( Another New Year's Resolution...TAKE MORE PICTURES!!! Anyhow, we had a very busy Christmas as usual. On top of the 5 family Christmas gatherings, almost everyone in our family came down with the stomach bug on or around Christmas Day! What a way to spend the holidays, huh? Thankfully, we were able to get everyone healthy so we could spend time together. I love the Christmas season, and this year was no different. It was so fun to watch Arden actually participate in unwrapping gifts, instead of sleeping like last year. I know that each year will get better and better, but for now we are just enjoying the moment!

Christmas morning at our house---yes, all the presents are for Arden!

She LOVES unwrapping!

Pushing around her new car. She would rather push it than drive it around!

"Hmmm, which one should I open now?"

No, she didn't get a remote for Christmas, but maybe we should have bought her one!

We hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season and that 2010 is off to a great start.

What a way to start the day!

2010-01-15T15:08:00.004-06:00

Most mornings, Arden wakes up in a great mood. I hear her talking and playing, and I normally leave her alone for a few minutes while I finish what I'm doing. This morning was no exception, and this is what I found when I opened the door...

I just love this little girl so much! She makes me laugh each day with all of the silly things she does. It's moments like this I remind myself of when she's throwing a temper tantrum or feeding her lunch to Murphy. The good definitely outweighs the bad, and I can't imagine my life without her!

I know I've been a slacker when it comes to blogging--I haven't even posted about our Christmas! Hopefully in the next week (or two!) I will be able to catch up :)

From our family to yours....

2009-12-25T20:23:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas! We hope you all had a blessed Christmas and we pray God's richest blessings for your family in 2010!

The Craziest Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-12-16T12:45:00.005-06:00

I actually LOVE this time of year--the decorations, music, hustle and bustle--all of it gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling that I just love! However, it is definitely a crazy time of the year and I have fallen behind on blogging. Part of the reason for falling behind is because I have done a terrible job of taking pictures! I know none of you are sitting around waiting to read my ramblings so I waited until I had pictures to show you. Lucky for you, I finally have a few pictures--and maybe my New Year's resolution will be to take more pictures!

Arden's 1st birthday party was November 7th. We had such a fun night with our family--we are so thankful that they were all able to come and celebrate with us! Oh, and a big "thank you" goes to April for taking all the pictures--otherwise I would have nothing to show you!

She loved the frosting on her actual birthday but she had a different opinion at her party:

Arden really enjoyed unwrapping her gifts. In fact, she may have been more interested in the paper than the gifts themselves!

We honestly can't believe that Arden is already 13 months old. God blessed us with the most wonderful little girl, and we just can't get enough of her!

Besides her birthday pictures, this is the only other recent picture I have of Arden and Silas (I told you I had been a slacker lately!)

They continue to have so much fun together--what a blessing it is for them to grow up with each other!

I don't have a scanner, so I can't post our Christmas card for you, but this is the picture we used:

Thanks to our photographer, Carla, for capturing such a beautiful picture! If you didn't receive a Christmas card but would like one, please send me your address!

From our family to yours, we hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Happy Birthday Arden!

2009-11-11T07:50:00.001-06:00

Last Tuesday, Arden turned 1! I can't believe how fast this year has gone--but I know this is only the beginning of living life in fast-forward. Geoff and I have been truly blessed by God, and we thank Him every day for choosing us to be Arden's parents. We can't imagine our life without her and the joy she brings us each day!

I only have a few pictures to post from her actual birthday--Auntie April was our photographer at Arden's birthday party so as soon as I get those from her I will do another post.

You want me to do what with this?

And you are sure about that?

Well, let me give it a try...

Yeah, this is as good as mommy said it was!

She didn't even touch the cake part--she only wanted the frosting. Yeah, she is a girl after mommy's own heart :)

She loved the frosting so much, she cried hysterically when we took it away from her. I wish we had a picture...it was priceless!

She had a ball opening her presents. It took awhile, but she wanted to do it all by herself!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

I know she doesn't look happy in any of the pictures, but she was having a great time. I guess she was focusing hard on the tasks at hand and didn't know why we kept trying to take pictures! (She also had the fever virus later this week--I'm betting she was already starting to feel a little under the weather)

Stay tuned for pictures from her 1st Birthday Party!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-02T10:59:00.003-06:00

Yes, we were those parents who took their almost 1 year old trick-or-treating :) We had tons of fun and are looking forward to the day when Arden will also be able to enjoy these times! Arden was so good all night--her only issue was her hat. She HATES anything on her head, so we were lucky to get this one picture of her with it on! Here's our little ladybug:

Her first stop--Tuck Tuck and Nonna's!

(If you look closely in this picture, you can see Arden is holding on to her candy bucket all by herself. She did a great job with this all night--I think the only time she let go was when she was completely exhausted at the end of the night!)

Uncle Nae-Nae joined us for a few stops. Silas, April, Jim, and mom also joined us for the night. Isn't Silas' lion costume absolutely adorable? Mom made that for him--she is so talented!

We took four of our "Linc" boys with us. I think they had a great time too--they were also exhausted by the end of the night!

Catch me if you can!

2009-10-19T15:42:00.000-05:00

I know, I know...Arden is almost a year old and I'm just now getting around to posting her 11 month pictures! In my defense, we have been a bit busy lately, but then again, what's new?! I did take these pictures on time, I just didn't post them :)

So, this monthly picture thing is becoming a bit difficult! Arden rarely sits still, and trying to get her to sit for a picture is no exception. This was our first attempt to take her picture:
As you can see, she wasn't thrilled about sitting there, but who could blame her?! I took this picture right after we arrived home after our trip to Michigan. After spending 5-6 hours in a car, who would want to sit and have their picture taken?! Not me, that's for sure!

So, I tried again a day or two later, and this was the result:

Not much better, I know...but I guess that's as good as it gets with a baby on the move!

I just thought I'd share a few other pictures to show what Arden has been up to the last month or so. She LOVES dogs! She has started interacting with Murphy, and thankfully he is a very passive dog :) When she sees other dogs, she gets very excited and sometimes she even makes a barking noise which is so cute! Here she is with a little board book that is all about dogs:
I often find her playing on Murphy's bed. Again, we are so thankful that Murphy loves her too and puts up with all of her poking and prodding! Doesn't she look like she's up to something here?!
What a big girl she is--I can't believe she is almost one! Every day is a new adventure with her and we can't wait to see her grow and change each day!

Prayers

2009-10-14T06:13:00.004-05:00

My Grandmom Norton went to see Jesus this morning. She had battled cancer for 12 years, so although this is a difficult time for us all, we are so thankful she is finally pain-free! Please keep our family in your prayers--especially my Granddad, as he just lost the love of his life and best friend. I can't imagine the range of emotions he is feeling today, but I know he will need our support and God's peace and strength over the next few weeks and months.

Even though Arden will never remember meeting her Great-Grandmom, and am so thankful that Grandmom had the chance to spend time with Arden. Grandparents are such a blessing and I have been overly blessed to have my grandparents in my life for so long. Thankfully we have pictures to show Arden and can tell her what a wonderful woman Grandmom was.

A House Divided

2009-10-09T15:59:00.000-05:00

If you're from Alabama, this phrase normally means one cheers for Alabama and the other for Auburn. However, our house is a little different! Luckily we only cheer for one SEC team--WAR EAGLE! But we also cheer for daddy's alma mater, Big Ten's Michigan State. Arden is our little cheerleader for both teams. Thanks Auntie April, for her super cute cheer outfits--she is definitely getting a lot of use out of both.

We haven't been to an Auburn game this season, but we've watched a lot on TV. This was taken the night of the Auburn vs. Mississippi St. game. Hopefully we will make it to a some AU games over the next few seasons.
We traveled to Michigan last week to visit Geoff's family. Besides the many hours spent in a car, we had a great time. We definitely stayed very busy, and Arden was a trooper as always.

On Saturday, we headed to East Lansing to watch a great rivalry game: Michigan St. vs. Michigan. Although Michigan State hasn't had the best start to the season, they played a great game and pulled off a win in overtime! Arden did awesome during the game! She made it until mid-4th quarter when it started to rain. I took her under cover and stayed there until the end of the game. I hate it that she didn't get to see them win, but I was so impressed she lasted as long as she did.

Daddy and Arden with Sparty

Mommy and Arden at the game
Hmmm, did someone tell them this was a silly face picture?!

Final Score--Go State!

Scrambled Mess

2009-09-09T11:24:00.003-05:00

I scrambled an egg yolk for Arden this morning... and let her feed herself...

I think she liked it...

but I didn't enjoy the mess it left! I had to take her straight from the high chair to the bathtub! I'm glad she likes feeding herself--but I better get used to cleaning up BIG messes!

10 Months Already?

2009-09-05T12:54:00.000-05:00

As usual, I can't believe Arden is another month older! In just two short months, she will be ONE YEAR OLD! Enough about that though--I don't need to start crying just yet :)

Arden has changed so much over the last couple of months. She is crawling all over the place, pulling up and walking along the furniture, babbling non-stop, and just having tons of fun! She can stand unassisted for a few seconds, but once she realizes no one is holding her, she panics! I have a feeling she will be walking soon, because she LOVES to walk when she has help. One of Arden's favorite things to do is to put EVERYTHING in her mouth! I know this is a phase all babies/children go through, but I'm praying she gets over this quickly! She puts everything in her mouth--fuzz from our wool rugs, pieces of paper, crumbs, and even bugs! I pulled a dead caterpillar out of her mouth the other day---YUMMY! She definitely keeps me on my toes and I know this will only continue over the next several months.

She didn't have a 10 month appointment, and I forgot to post her 9 month stats so here you go: She weighs 20 pounds (she went to the dr. for an ear infection this past week and her weight hasn't changed) and is 28.5 inches tall--both are in the 75th percentile. She didn't have to get any shots (YAY!) but she did have to have routine bloodwork done which may have been worse than the shots! The bloodwork showed she is slightly anemic, so we are starting her on an iron supplement to try and get this back to normal. It's nothing to worry about, but we do hope this isn't something that she has to deal with forever.

Over the past month, we have spent a lot of time with April, Silas, and my parents. Arden and Silas have SO MUCH FUN together, and I think she really misses him when he isn't around. She really enjoys playing with children of any age, so I guess this is good news for us when we decide to have another baby. (NO, this is not a hint that another baby is coming soon!)

Summer Hodge-Podge

2009-08-27T09:59:00.000-05:00

We have been super busy this summer! I don't have a lot of time to tell you what we've been up to, but I was able to upload some pictures for you (plus, I know that's really all you want to see!) We are headed to the beach again today and next weekend, so I'm sure I will have lots more pictures to share after Labor Day.

Playtime with Silas!

Arden has been able to pull up in her bed for a couple of months now. This is how I usually find her in the mornings or after a nap. She normally has a big smile on her face and is ready to go :)
We had the joy of keeping T and TT(from Lincoln Village) on Thursday nights and during the day on Fridays for 5 weeks before school started. We really loved having them in our home--they played so well together and with Arden and were also big helpers around the house! We really miss them and hope they can come back soon. (They took these pictures of themselves--didn't they do a great job?!)

At the end of July, we took Arden to her first Huntsville Stars baseball game. Even though it was extremely HOT, she had a great time--especially when she made friends with the 3yr. old boy behind us :)

Uncle Brad (Geoff's brother) came for a visit at the end of July. Arden enjoyed spending time with him--she hopes he can visit again really soon!

We spent 10 days at the beach at the beginning of this month. It's definitely a different experience now that we have 2 babies with us, but we had lots of fun. We can't wait to spend the next two weekends there too!

Arden's first experience with corn on the cob. She LOVED it--this kept her quiet and busy during dinner :) I think we will have to try this more often!

On a dolphin-watching cruise

Sorry, no pictures of dolphins (even though we did see lots!), but here's two exhausted babies!

Arden must be REALLY tired to fall asleep like this!

Eating at Lulu's before heading home. I couldn't get them to look at the camera at the same time because they were too interested in eating crackers!

"Hmmm, how can I get to that cracker piece before Silas gets it?"

"Since I can't reach it, I guess I will just eat the table!"

Boston

2009-07-27T10:15:00.001-05:00

We had a great time in Boston and Cape Cod! I don't want to bore you with all the details of our trip, so I just tried to post lots of pictures and will give you a caption or two along the way so you know what we were doing. I will say that Arden traveled SO MUCH BETTER this time than she did in Dallas, so we were very relieved! She had no trouble with flying (except she didn't want to be held for so long!) and she slept great in the hotel crib! We are so proud of her--our only wish is that she would be able to remember these fun trips. Oh well, I guess we will have to travel lots of fun places when she's older! Enjoy the pictures!

Considering we had a super early morning flight, I think we look pretty good--we'd been up since 3:30am!

When in Boston, you've got to go to Cheers!

Hanging out in Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market
A view of Boston from outside our hotel

Great family picture (minus the giant strand of hair in my face!)

We spent a rainy afternoon at the Boston Children's Museum. Although Arden was much too young for most of the activities, they did have a section just for little ones like her.

She seemed to enjoy everything, except for this fish tank! As soon as we stood her up beside it, she started crying, and didn't stop until we picked her up! We just couldn't help but take pictures of her :)

Butterflies landing on Daddy and Arden's shadows!

The "Arthur" show--starring Daddy and Arden!

And even though we aren't Red Sox fans, I just couldn't resist this picture!

We spent one morning at the Boston Aquarium. Luckily, Arden wasn't afraid of these big fish!

"ummmm, I'm not too sure about this Daddy!"

She even got to touch crabs and starfish--how fun!

We spent some time walking around Harvard and Cambridge--can you see how much Arden enjoyed it?!

Arden and I rode a carousel one evening. She was excited to sit on the horse until it started moving up and down!

Arden's first beach experience! Unfortunately the water was way too cold for us to get in. Thankfully the beach Arden will grow up with (Gulf Shores) will be lots warmer than Cape Cod!

Everything about Cape Cod was beautiful! This was taken on Martha's Vineyard.

Enjoying God's creation on Martha's Vineyard

Whale Watching in Provincetown--we had a great trip!

This particular whale was very friendly. He stayed by our boat for probably 20 minutes. He went from side to side, "waving" and showing off for all of us--it was so exciting to get so close to a whale!

Our family picture taken by Ryan and Kelly from "The Office"! If you look closely you can see their reflection in the window! We are HUGE fans of the show, so we were so excited to meet them!

Eating dinner at The Flying Bridge in Falmouth, MA

I have so many more pictures I could share, but these were some of the best. We had such a great time spending time together and seeing parts of the country I had never experienced. I am so thankful that I am able to travel with Geoff--what a blessing it has been! And even though Arden won't remember these fun times, she will have lots of pictures to look back at!

Back to Life, Back to Reality

2009-07-15T08:19:00.003-05:00

I've had those song lyrics in my head ever since we've been home and that's exactly how I feel! We've been home for just over a week now and I've been going non-stop this whole time! I really need to post pictures from our trip so you can see what an awesome time we had but I just haven't found time to do that while tutoring at the Linc, spending time with Geoff's parents this weekend, and working at Sylvan! Not to mention all the "catching up" at home that has to be done when you return from a trip--especially LAUNDRY! So, hopefully be this weekend I will be able to share our trip with you!
In the meantime, please enjoy this super cute picture of Arden from her 8-month photo session! Carla (0ur photographer) came over Saturday morning and got some great shots--I can't wait to see the rest of them!

8 Months

2009-07-03T19:49:00.003-05:00

Happy 8 months to our little pumpkin! We are out of town, so I haven't been able to take her picture with the bear, but I thought I would post this adorable picture for you. She looks more like a "big girl" with every picture we take!

I was going to post tonight about the first part of our vacation, but we had trouble getting Arden to sleep and now I'm exhausted and ready for bed myself! Hopefully I will find some time in the next couple of nights to post some pictures for you--otherwise I'm going to have ALOT of catching up to do when I get home! We've had a great trip so far and I can't wait to share what we've been up to!

I hope you all have a safe and wonderful 4th of July!

Our Little Fish

2009-06-29T08:45:00.000-05:00

Arden loves the water! I discovered this when we were in Nashville and her attitude hasn't changed. She loves to kick and splash and doesn't mind being dunked :) We are lucky to have our friend Stacy give her swim lessons this summer. Our goal is for her to be comfortable in the water and to know what to do in case she ever fell in. Well, we've got the first part down pat, and now we are working on the second :) Can you tell from these pictures she loves the water?

We have swim lessons once a week. Arden practices kicking, blowing bubbles, and floating on her back. I also dunk her each session and surprisingly she doesn't cry at all! I also have her sit on the side of the pool and she "jumps" in to me...this might be her favorite part!

Mommy and Arden

"But mommy, I don't want to relax!"
"I guess I can give it a try..."

"Maybe if I splash mommy, I can stop floating!"

Yay for swim lessons!

Geoff and I are thankful that Arden likes the water. We took her to the pool here at our hotel in Boston and she was in heaven(of course I forgot to take my camera)! She laughed and splashed the whole time. She even cried when it was time to leave :) This makes me even more excited for our beach trip in August!

5 Years

2009-06-26T19:10:00.004-05:00

Last Friday, Geoff and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary. Geoff surprised me by planning an overnight trip to Chattanooga! It was a wonderful surprise and we definitely enjoyed our time away. Friday night, we enjoyed dinner on a river cruise. Saturday we ate lunch at Sticky Fingers, spent time walking through downtown and along the river, and ended the day at Ruby Falls before heading home. We missed Arden, but it was wonderful to spend time together "baby-free". Thanks to Nonna and Tuck-Tuck (my parents) for keeping Arden for us!

Geoff, I am so blessed to have you as my husband. Thank you for planning this awesome trip for us--I had a wonderful time! I am looking forward to many more years together--I love you!

Our hotel

The boat we took for our dinner cruise

Overlooking Chattanooga