Rhonen and Jackson

Rainy Day Painting

2012-01-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

The boys did some beautiful art work on this rainy Saturday. Their pictures are currently displayed in our dining room :)

Railroad City

2012-01-12T20:24:00.000-08:00

Rhonen received this wooden train set for Christmas and it is now his FAVORITE toy! He plays with it everyday and loves to construct the track. He even creates little cities with his blocks and other toys. He is very creative and we love to see what he comes up with!

Afternoon Light

2012-01-07T20:13:00.000-08:00

2012-01-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

Our little Jack is now 15 months old and growing leaps & bounds. He is very charismatic and full of so much personality. He is climbing on just about everything and he can run pretty well. He loves to do whatever brother is doing even though he's still a little guy. You wouldn't know it by his account :) He's a great eater and tries most foods. He can use a spoon & fork and drink from a toddler cup (one with out a lid!) He is talking a lot and says new words every week. He also likes to sing songs like "wheels on the bus" and "slippery fish:". He's also a great dancer. The boys like to do "happy feet"...it's just about the cutest thing you'll ever see. Jackson is very affectionate, that I appreciate more and more. He just went to the doctor and had a very good report. Here are his numbers;

Height: 30.5 inches
Weight: 24 lbs 11 oz

He's a wonder to watch, a great brother and friend, and an adorable son. We love our litte Jacka Doo!

2011 Comes to an End

2011-12-31T22:51:00.000-08:00

Well, the year has come to an end and I sit here in awe of what has happened, just to our little family. We moved into our first home at the end of last year and it has been a work in progress since then. You don't realize how much work a house requires until you try and make it your home. The boys are growing up fast and Dustin and I are trying to keep up :) They are such joys...full of creativity, energy, and sweetness. The bond they have as brothers is indescribable. Nothing can warm my heart more than hearing my boys tell each other "I love you"!

We got Chickens, a composter, and our garden. All of which Dustin & I had been wishing for but unable to create with out this house. It may seen minimal, but it's amazing how your life can be so directed with opportunity. Which brings me to the point of this post....opportunity! With each day, I realize just how fortunate I am, how fortunate my family is, and how much we really have to be thankful for. Complaints can be voiced each day...but we are able to change the direction of unhappiness into something positive!

We (our family) have so much, and yet much less than most people. We live with one car, on a strict budget, and plan for major upgrades and expenses. And yet I think we are ultimately, quite happy compared to many. We don't desire more than we have, well at times maybe, but overall we are content. I believe our travels have shown us how "the other half lives" so to speak. I have learned just how precious clean living environments, health care, and nutrition really are. At times, I am sad about how the world is progressing, I worry for our children. And yet all I can really do is hope.

That is my New Year's Resolution...if there is a negative, find hope! And if it can't be done, then I will accept it and find a way to learn from it.

May we all find Hope... Happy 2012 to you all!

Christmas Dinner

2011-12-31T22:22:00.000-08:00

For Christmas dinner we returned to our Cioppino tradition! We opened a Napa Cab that we have been saving for 7 years and it was well worth the wait.

Christmas Morning

2011-12-31T22:14:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas morning this year was filled with blueberry pancakes, sweet babies opening presents, skyping with Oma & Opa, and a great family gathering at my father's house. The boys were showered with gifts and mom & dad did pretty well too! Santa was good to the Holley family this year...although Rhonen is still convinced that Santa is going to bite you! So be-ware :)

Cousins

2011-12-31T21:59:00.000-08:00

We had a great little pre-Christmas celebration with our Cousins...please take note of the pictures above (aka Jackson getting ready to pop Rhonen with a plush soccer ball). We had a wonderful morning with our Chico family!

Christmas with Gigi & Gramps

2011-12-21T22:06:00.000-08:00

My grandmother (the boys' Great Grandmother) and Gramps came to Chico for an early holiday celebration. It was a wonderful evening! The boys got a new table, lots of books, and wonderful toys. We enjoyed home made tamales, courtesy of Dustin. We are so fortunate to have such a supportive and loving family base, and I am more aware of this each year!

Oh Christmas Tree

2011-12-03T20:00:00.001-08:00

We have a beautifully decorated Tree, a noble fir. It smells amazing and is very charming. However, it has all of the ornaments on the top of the tree, so our children don't destroy them! It looks somewhat unbalanced, but wonderful nonetheless!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-03T19:46:00.001-08:00

This year we had Thanksgiving Holiday with the Holley's who drove all the way from Utah and San Jose to be with us. Rhonen and Jackson got to spend two whole days with their cousin Ekite. Dustin cooked an amazing Turkey with all the fixings. We are so fortunate to have such a great family to share Thanksgiving with!

New Do

2011-12-03T19:39:00.001-08:00

Cottage Cheese & Spoon

2011-11-10T19:22:00.000-08:00

Jackson has insisted that he feed himself 100% of the time...which makes for very messy mealtimes. He loves to use his spoon and is pretty good at maneuvering it.

30 Months...aka 2 1/2!

2011-11-09T22:12:00.000-08:00

Rhonen is now a big boy 2 1/2! He growing and changing so much each day. Here is a list of recent accomplishments:

-He can sing songs and sometimes he makes up his own words.
-He is a great climber, often going to the top of the play structures by himself. He can even climb the pretend rock wall at the playground!
-He decided that he wanted to sleep in his big boy bed and has done so successfully.
-He is starting the potty training 1st steps...he even went in his potty for the first time!
-He is a great brother! Lately he takes Jackson's hand and tells him what they are going to look for..."Come on Jack Jack, let's go see mama" is what I heard this morning. He is very loving and and kind with Jackson
-He can draw straight lines.
-He can almost always find the moon in the sky, day or night.
-He carries on conversations at the park with other children and adults.
-He can pour his milk over the cereal, with supervision of course.

These are just a few of the wonderful things we get to be a part of each day! What a wonderful child he is :)

The Reading Chair

2011-11-09T21:56:00.000-08:00

This is our reading chair...that is now a new "nap" chair :) Rhonen is now sleeping in his toddler bed but he sometimes falls asleep here after a good book.

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

This year for Halloween Rhonen was a pirate and Jack was a cute clown. Mommy was a kitty and Daddy was "Bubbles", TV character. Rhonen was not too thrilled to dress up but quickly caught on to the trick-or-treat protocol. And Jackson was right behind brother, ready to collect treats in his bucket. I must say that holidays truly take on a new found glory when you have children to share them with!

2011 Pumpkins

2011-11-02T16:17:00.000-07:00

Picture Time

2011-10-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

I took the boys to a local photographer, Park Avenue by Terese. She has the cutest props and we some great shots. I was exhausted at the end, trying to get photots of two toddlers can be difficult. Oh, and we had to get the last photo of Jackson because it was just too sweet to pass up :)

Jackson trying to catch chicken

2011-10-24T08:48:00.001-07:00

Rhonen is sick

2011-10-19T17:19:00.001-07:00

Rhonen has been sick for about 6 days with a bad cough, fever, and runny nose. We went to see our Pediatrician Dr. Brown on Monday, but she told us his lungs were clear and didn't warrant antibiotics (which he's never even had, knock on wood)! Here is a cute video Dustin took today, he's sweet even when he feels crummy!

Hawe's Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

We took the boys to a pumpkin patch in Anderson, which is about an hour north of Chico. This place was amazing. It was like a harvest dream come true for families. It had pony rides, a real Train, tractor rides, a four-horse stage coach, a giant bounce pad, play areas, food and of course, pumpkins! The farm was so picturesque...the snow capped Mt. Shasta loomed in the back ground on a perfect October day. We all had a great time. I think we'll try a few other pumpkin patches this month, but Hawe's will be hard to beat.

Boys in Stroller

2011-10-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

Dustin snapped this pic of them eating banana's...I love these two!

Visit from Portland

2011-10-05T21:08:00.000-07:00

My best friend Dawn came down to Chico with her family for a visit. It was so wonderful to spend time with her. Her son William is 2 months younger than Jackson and the boys had a great time playing with him. We even managed to get all three in the bathtub! It's nice to be around the Gonnsen's because we all have a great time together. Thanks for the visit and we love you all!

Rhonen loves Cake

2011-09-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

Birthday Cake

2011-09-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

Jackson turns 1

2011-09-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

Yes...our little guy is officially one! Unfortunately he was sick with the stomach flu on his actual birthday so we didn't do very much. He opened a few presents and tried a little cake, but that was about it :( He is doing so many exciting new things and he just resembles a little boy more and more. He is incredibly sweet and loving with us and we're so blessed to have such an amazing boy! Happy birthday to our Jackson...we love you!

Jackson Playing

2011-09-11T08:00:00.001-07:00

Bed Head

2011-09-11T07:53:00.001-07:00

Boys playing

2011-09-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

Here is just a quick example of the daily fun these boys create!

First River Trip

2011-09-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

This summer my sister and I took the boys to the river for the first time. We went around 11am and it was perfect, not too hot but just warm enough for the river water to be refreshing. Of course, Rhonen loved the river and we had a hard time getting him out. I spent a lot of time at rivers when I was young and I am happy to share the fun with my boys!

A Mother's Dream

2011-08-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

Jackson 11 Months

2011-08-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

Isn't he adorable?! I can't believe he will be one year old in just a few weeks. He's just a beautiful boy with so much personality. He is very sweet and loves to explore. He is walking well and is very fast on the floor. Jackson can even pick up a full size basketball and take a few steps holding it! His favorite food right now is pasta with marinara sauce. He loves to play "catch me if you can" with daddy. He also loves to hug stuffed animals (see video below:). Rhonen doesn't like to share his cars with Jackson, so he'll sneak in some play time when his brother isn't around.

His biggest and best accomplishment is that he has started to sleep through the night! He can say "mama" "dada" and "hi" (we think he can mimic Rhonen's "what's that?" but we're not sure). Jack loves to be outside playing in the dirt, water, or with sticks. I see him watching our chickens all the time and I know he's is plotting his moves to catch one. We're so in love with him and amazed at how fast he is growing!

Jackson Walking

2011-08-20T20:19:00.000-07:00

It's Official...we have a walker! He is now walking everywhere and doing quite well. Dustin and I always say that he looks too small to be walking, talking, eating, and drinking as well as he does. What can we say...he's advanced :)

Santa Cruz 2011

2011-08-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

This year we decided to take the boys to Santa Cruz for our vacation. Rhonen is now old enough to enjoy the boardwalk and the beach. We met up with Dustin's sister Shawna and our beautiful niece Ekite. Rhonen and Ekite loved all of the fun rides on the Boardwalk. The next day we all went to the beach. The water was pretty cold but that didn't stop us. Once Rhonen got used to the cold water he was loving the waves and the sand. We stayed in Santa Cruz for a night and then traveled over the hill to San Jose to stay with Shawna and Chad. It was so nice to see our kids together. We enjoyed a nice steak dinner at home along with some great wine! Dustin and I have realized that vacations from here on out are going to be a bit different. It's all about the kids and keeping them entertained. We will try to squeeze in a little time for ourselves but overall...Rhonen and Jackson rule the show!

Giants 2011

2011-08-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

We started our vacation off with a Giants vs. Phillies game...and they won! Of course, it was because we were there :) They boys had a great time on the trolley car and Dustin and I got our garlic fry fix. We stayed in the city for a night. We went to Buca di Beppo for dinner and enjoyed the lights and sounds of the city. Dustin and I both LOVE San Francisco...so anytime we get to go is a real treat.

First Steps

2011-08-06T21:48:00.001-07:00

Yes...that's right. Jackson took his first steps yesterday! I had just come home from work and Dustin stood him up (because he's standing alone very well) and he just lunged forward and took 3 little steps to me. All day today he has been attempting the same stunt, sometimes successful and sometimes not. He seems to be very brave and confident. I don't think any of us are ready for Jacka to be walking...of course that doesn't matter :) because he's ready!

On another note...we are departing tomorrow for a vacation to San Francisco (it's time for our annual Giants game) and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk! I can't wait! The boys have never been to the ocean. We'll be visiting Dustin's family on the trip and Rhonen and Jackson will get to see their cousin Ekite. Stay tuned for vacation pictures to follow :)

Learning to Walk

2011-08-03T21:50:00.000-07:00

From the front and back :)

10 Months Old

2011-07-20T21:05:00.000-07:00

Mr. Personality...that's Jackson's nickname this month. It seems like he has really become his own little person lately. He is engaging so much with us and with his brother. He loves to talk and does so most of the day. He has started to grunt when he sees something he wants...making it perfectly clear to us that he is ready to communicate. He is mimicking us regularly. He will do sounds, words, and gestures. And...he gives KISSES!!! Probably one of the sweetest things I'll ever experience is my baby's kiss. Some days when I come home for lunch, Jackson is so happy to see me that when I pick him up he leans in for a smooch on the lips! My heart sings when he does.

He is crawling with perfection and cruising along furniture very well. Just this past week he has started to let go and stand alone for about 5-10 seconds. He loves to be outside and has no problem getting around. He just does a little monkey walk instead of crawling...to protect his knees of course! And boy, does he love sticks! Whenever we are outside he searches for a stick to hold either in his hand or mouth.

His appetite is another thing that has grown this past month. Dustin and I are planning to have an orchard of fruit trees by the time these boys are 5 :) He is eating table foods very well and drinking from a sippy cup. He loves to take little sips of water from our glasses as well. I'm still breastfeeding him regularly which is both exhausting and gratifying. It seems like the longer you breastfeed the more tiring it becomes. But I love the intimate time with him!

He is just a sweet and happy baby. I am amazed at how fast he is growing and how smart he is! We love our "Jacka" and couldn't be more proud!

Mud Boots

2011-07-20T21:02:00.000-07:00

Look at his feet :)))

Garden & Oak

2011-07-17T15:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our garden. Dustin built these planter boxes and has cultivated these plants from seed. They are starting to produce and it is beautiful! The top picture is our oak tree in the back yard. We had some work done to it earlier this year and it is looking quite healthy.

Jackson doing dishes

2011-07-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

Dad's Glasses

2011-06-29T19:42:00.000-07:00

Chicken Whisperer

2011-06-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

Here is Rhonen with our Emma chicken.

Napa 2011

2011-06-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

We took Jackson on his first little trip last week. We got the opportunity to wine taste in Napa for a day with a great group of friends. We decided that we could take Jack but Rhonen would stay at home with my dad (he liked that better anyway). Jackson did great in the car and when we were wine tasting! He did have to nap about half way through but that was perfect as I only wanted to taste at one winery...so we took a little break in the rental SUV. Then we headed up to Mount Veeder to stay at our friends winery, Yates Family Vineyard. The estate is just spectacular! It was such a treat to enjoy an evening there. Jackson even got to play with my friends daughter, Hannah. The next day we headed back home. It was a quick, but completely fun trip! And Jackson proved to be a great little traveler.

Funderland

2011-06-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

We took Rhonen to a place called Funderland in Sacramento for a belated Birthday trip. We had to postpone it for almost one month because of illness and work schedule. But we finally made it down...and had a great time! It is basically an amusement park for ages 2-12. Rhonen loved going on the rides with dad and he even went on a few by himself. We met our Gigi and Grandpa Carl there and followed the rides with a nice picnic in the park. It was a great day and we all had a blast!

New Stroller

2011-06-25T07:02:00.000-07:00

I finally talked Dustin in to getting a new stroller....and here it is! Our old double stroller was hard to push and uncomfortable for the kids. So we traded it in for the City Mini Double by Baby Jogger. It wasn't cheap....but it is well worth the price tag! I'm one happy mama :)

Jackson 9 months

2011-06-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

This post is a little late...Jackson is now 9 1/2 months old :) His little personality is really coming out more and more. He is a very happy baby. He has started to interact with Rhonen...mimicking and laughing at him each day. Of course... Rhonen loves it! He loves to eat and we have been trying new foods each day. Rhonen also gives Jackson little treats from his plate. Sometimes Jackson really lucks out and gets a piece of cookie! Their relationship is growing so much and it is amazing to watch.

Jackson is also crawling quite well across the house. He can even pull himself up and do a bit of cruising :) He is very vocal...he already sounds like he is using baby lingo. When we are out in public Jackson will act very coy around strangers, but he is really just drawing them in for a lengthy shower of attention. He seems very confident for a little guy.

Finger Foods

2011-06-08T21:31:00.000-07:00

Jackson has graduated to finger foods :) He loves to feed himself and is quickly loosing interest in pureed baby foods. So far he has enjoyed cereal, banana, teething biscuits, and avocado chunks.

Silver Dollar Fair

2011-06-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

We took the boys to the Silver Dollar Fair last weekend. This was a favorite of my childhood memories and I couldn't wait to bring the boys! They were coming off of a week-long sickness so their enthusiasm wasn't all there...but we had a great time. We went to the animal exhibit first and to our surprise, Rhonen was a bit scared. In his defense, some of the goats were pretty scary! We let him go on a kiddie ride and ride a pony. His horse's name was Mocha, and even though he was scared at the animal exhibit, he was ear-to-ear grin while on that pony!

8 Months Old

2011-05-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry...I can't get this picture to rotate :(

Jackson is eight months old and it seems like he is becoming a little boy right before us. He is fully mobile now and working on pulling himself up. And I can tell you now that this child has ambition! When he sees something that he wants...there's no stopping him. He has mastered the "pincher" grab and is putting everything he can find into his mouth. This month we have began feeding him finger foods, which he loves! And he can drink water from a sippy cup well.

He is perfect in so many ways-

He is loving and charming.

He is our son and brother.

He is bright and happy.

This is our Jackson!

Jump Start for Art

2011-05-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

Throughout the month of May, every Friday, Rhonen has been going to an art class for toddlers. The teacher would bring different mediums for the kids to try out each week. Believe it or not, every child enrolled was a boy! The class lasted for one hour and the kids were free to walk around, talk, play, or do art. It was so cute to see Rhonen interact with his peers. Since the class ended we have noticed him more interested in drawing on his chalk board and coloring.

High in the Sky!

2011-05-15T21:29:00.000-07:00

I always tell Rhonen that I'm going to push him "high in the sky"....today he repeated "sky" with his arms in the air :)

Slide Down Happy

2011-05-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

Rhonen Turns 2

2011-05-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday my baby Rhonen turned 2...even though he's a toddler he's still my baby :) We kept it low key this year with cake and presents at home along with a afternoon spent at Chuck E Cheese. We're also planning a trip to Sacramento next week to visit the zoo/funderland. He 's been going through a lot of developments these last few months that are worth noting:

-He talks a lot! He learns new words each day and is quite animated when he talks.

-He tries to sing songs...although we can't understand the words just yet.

-He loves to test the boundaries :) We're working on this one.

-He mimics what we do...if I do the dishes he's right there to help me. If Dustin is pulling weeds....Rhonen pulls the closest thing that resembles a weed (usually something that was intentionally planted).

-He can climb to the top of just about any play structure all by himself.

-He has started engage in pretend play. He'll pretend that he sees a cow or that he's eating food. It's really cute :)

We are in awe of how quickly he has grown. He is smart, ambitious, funny, and loving. Happy Birthday to my sweet Rhonen!

Feeding Time

2011-05-10T21:06:00.000-07:00

What a moment! Here is Rhonen trying to feed Jackson...more of the squash ended up on his face than in his mouth! But hey...his heart is in the right place :) "Sorry Jack!" as Rhonen would say.

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

This mother's day I was able to sit back and enjoy the company of my two boys. They are so full of life, curious, funny and sweet! I am one lucky mama!

Fire Truck

2011-05-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

You have no idea how happy he was...a toddler's dream come true :)

Stroller Pics

2011-05-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

Moo

2011-04-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

This video was taken Easter Sunday afternoon...after a few candies.

Good Morning Jackson

2011-04-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a little soundbite from our talk this morning :)

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter this year complete with Rhonen's first egg hunt. He picked up the concept very quickly and found all of his 25 eggs in no time. He recieved a farm magnet toy from the Easter bunny and two Easter baskets (one was left at Grandpa's house...he was kind enough to bring it over :) Jackson got a new bee book. What a fun day!

Egg hunt

2011-04-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Chickens

2011-04-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Our chickens are now a few weeks old and slightly bigger than in these pics. We have named the two yellow gals, Dixie and Emma. The darker birds are Petra and Bertha. Along with laying yummy eggs, we are hoping to teach our boys to have compassion and empathy for animals. They are supposed to be wonderful pets for children, especially these breeds. We love our little chicks!

7 Months Old

2011-04-18T16:01:00.001-07:00

Little baby Jackson isn't so little anymore...7 months tomorrow! He's a joy and we're just eating him up :) This month he has began to scoot and roll around the floor and has mastered sitting by himself. He has tried to push up onto all fours and can lift his tummy up for about 5 seconds. I know it's just a matter of weeks before he is exploring all over our home, but for right now he stays in one room. Sleeping has greatly improved. He now naps twice a day for about one to two hours in his crib...all by himself! Nighttime is getting better too...although I'm still getting up at least three times to nurse him. No rest for the weary (aka the mother who has 2 under 2).

He loves Rhonen and starts laughing each morning when he sees him come out of his room. He also loves Rhonen's toys :) But his brother is learning to share and will often offer Jackson one of his toys. Jackson loves splashing in the bath and putting just about everything in his mouth. Have I mentioned the hands on this boy ?! First of all he has quite a grip. You have to really pry things away from him. Second...he is fast. If you're holding him in one arm and pick something up in the other, he is all over it. I think that comes from Dustin's side and I am sure Jackson will be able to mimic all of daddy's hand tricks in the coming years. I am clinging to these last few months of baby time...and what sweet time it is!

New Pets

2011-04-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

Today we bought four baby chicks....yipee! Names to be revealed later.

Welcome spring!

2011-04-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

Yes...we're ready for some nice weather and it's seems to be on it's way. I can tell this summer will be all about getting wet, playing, and just enjoying our backyard. It's a nice thing to have, a backyard.

Rhonen Outside

2011-04-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos I've been meaning to post for a while...sorry for the delay. Rhonen loves to be outside regardless of the weather, and to be honest, he's a much better child when he can enjoy the great outdoors.

Family Visit

2011-04-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

Last weekend our Gigi and Grandpa Carl came up to Chico from Elk Grove for a visit. They got some wonderful shots while they were here :) Thanks Grandpa Carl.

6 Month Numbers

2011-03-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

Jackson went to the Doctor on Thursday and here are his official numbers:

Weight: 20.5 lbs
Height: 26 3/4 inches
Head: 45 cm

Aside from his cold...he growing very well and completely healthy. What a blessing.

6 Months Old

2011-03-19T21:50:00.000-07:00

Here we are...the six month mark for Jackson. He is just the sweetest baby :) He's doing well eating solid food and he's up to two meals per day. He officially has TWO teeth, as of today. Yeah!!! He can sit on his own for about 30 seconds...then he kind of rolls to the ground. No real movement yet.(which is fine if you ask me:) He's had a difficult time sleeping at night but hopefully that will get better since his teeth have come in. We have also been trying to transition him into his crib during nap time. It's a work in progress. Sleep is the hardest obstacle for us. It's sometimes very loud in our house, so I've put a noise machine in his room to help. I know that he will get better at sleeping and napping eventually when he is ready. He goes to the doctor on Thursday for his check up...I'll post his numbers then.

He's got a great little laugh and loves to play. What a beautiful baby he is!

Bird Bath

2011-03-19T21:31:00.001-07:00

We bought this bird bath last month and it is now the topic our our breakfast conversations and Rhonen's favorite place to put his toys.

First Tooth!

2011-03-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

After four long nights of Jackson waking up every hour, we have his first tooth! This milestone makes me a little sad :( No more little gummy baby grin...but now we have the cute, toothy baby smile. Just another reminder of how quickly children grow...first tooth, first step, first sentence. We're just so happy to be a part of it, being present in each moment of their growth is something Dustin and I are consciously thankful for.

For the love of the sippy...

2011-03-11T21:47:00.000-08:00

Gimme that cup!

Rhonen the Dare Devil

2011-03-11T21:05:00.001-08:00

Here we go...the beginning of many years to come watching our boys preform stunts in the comfort of our own home :) Don't worry...no toddlers were hurt in the filming of this video.

Remember this hat?

2011-02-28T15:02:00.000-08:00

Well of course you do! It's just too cute to forget.

5 Months Old

2011-02-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

Jackson is now 5 months old! Here's an update...

-He found his feet and loves to try to get them into his mouth

-Due to his ferocious appetite...we've been experimenting with first foods and sippy cups. Not much goes in...but it's been fun watching him try.

-I don't think he ever closes his mouth ;0

-He loves bath time with Rhonen and his jumper.

We are loving watching him grow and develop into who we call... our sweet baby Jackson.

Caper Acres

2011-02-19T13:06:00.000-08:00

Baby Laughs

2011-02-19T06:48:00.000-08:00

Valentines

2011-02-14T21:49:00.000-08:00

This isn't the best picture...for some reason the boys weren't feeling the camera today. Oh well...thank you for all the sweet Valentine wishes! Hugs and Kisses to all ;)

Froggy: Part 2

2011-02-05T20:50:00.000-08:00

Guess what I did?

2011-02-05T20:43:00.001-08:00

I rolled over! Yep...Mom put down for some tummy time, I propped myself up, and rolled over. The parents seemed pretty excited...so I showed them one more time. Now, I've got my sights set on a few things. Toys, books, and my brother's juice are coming my way!

Love,

Jackson

Big Boy Spoon

2011-02-02T19:12:00.000-08:00

Rhonen has decided that he no longer wants to sit in his highchair...he would rather sit, like a big boy, in a booster seat. He is also doing a lot of practicing with the spoon and fork. I must say, he is doing very well with both! It's so cute to see him using these little skills :)

New Bouncer Pics

2011-01-31T19:25:00.000-08:00

Callie

2011-01-31T18:57:00.000-08:00

My sister's dog Callie is one of Rhonen's favorite friends! Here is a clip from her visit last week.

The Yeastie Beastie

2011-01-31T18:49:00.000-08:00

Jackson developed Thrush in his mouth a while back and boy! is it hard to eradicate!! First we tried a prescription given to us by his pediatrician, Nystatin. That did not work. The doctor's next recommendation was another heavy duty anti-fungal called Diflucan. I wasn't too keen on that so we tried a homeopathic remedy called Gentian Violet. It's been used for decades, but because of it's messy nature it isn't widely used today. As you can see it turns everything bright purple! So for about three days Jackson has a purple mouth. But it worked when the prescription's didn't and I was able to avoid wiping out all of his good gut bacteria :) I'll take it!

4 Months Old

2011-01-19T21:00:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it? I wish I could just freeze him right now and have a sweet little baby on my hip for ever :) Jackson is growing so fast before our eyes and there are some key personality traits emerging. The first...he's particular. He doesn't like dirty diapers, he likes quiet when napping, and he doesn't like the bottle. The latter has become quite the conundrum. About a month ago he developed thrush, which is a yeast infection that occurs in the mouth. I didn't realize that he had it until just recently. In the mean time...he completely refused the bottle. He absolutely... 100% will have nothing to do with it! I'm not sure if he'll ever accept it again. So now Dustin brings Jackson to my work so I can nurse him. The things we do for our kids :)

Jackson is a happy baby and loves looking at people, especially his dad. Whenever Dustin is in the room Jackson follows him until he gets a glance. Then... a big smile! He is a great talker already and loves to watch his brother. Rhonen loves to give him hugs all day long. It's pretty stinkin' cute! We'll see what his next set of numbers are when he visits our pediatrician next week. Every night I think how lucky we are to have these two healthy and happy boys.

Bath Time Fun

2011-01-19T20:49:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you put our two boys in the tub together? A whole lot of clean fun!

The Tongue

2011-01-14T20:24:00.000-08:00

Jackson has found his tongue this week :) So cute!

A Year in Review

2010-12-31T19:45:00.000-08:00

So...it's the last of day of 2010 and I have been reflecting on what an amazing year it has been for this family! The following is a list of events that made this year one for the books-

January: We took a great trip to San Francisco, Rhonen began trying to stand and we found out we were expecting our second baby, Jackson.

February: Rhonen turned 9 months and began his love for destroying (see February blog)

March: Dustin and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary, we took a fabulous vacation to Yosemite, Rhonen got his first haircut and took his first steps!!!

April: Had a sweet play date in the park and Rhonen starred in a Public Service video for healthy nutrition.

May: Rhonen turned 1! and we partied like toddlers for Rhonen's big day, I celebrated my first Mother's Day and we found out we were having another beautiful boy.

June: We went to the 32 Annual Holley/Baker/August family reunion and had a blast, we took Rhonen to his second Giants game and he went for his first swim in the pool.

July: I was enduring a hot, pregnant summer, Rhonen really began talking more and he gave up the bottle.

August: We started our baby countdown, we began looking at houses to buy (that apartment was shrinking by the day :), we took Rhonen to the zoo with Gigi and Grandpa Carl and I was thrown a surprise baby shower!

September: Jackson John Holley made his entrance into the world! This was the only event that mattered :)))

October: We adjusted to having two children...we're still adjusting. We had a Billy Idol and Tigger for Halloween.

November: Rhonen turned 1 1/2 and Jackson 2 months, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, and we put an offer in on a house!

December: We closed escrow on the 10th and it's been a whirlwind ever since! We spent a great Christmas in San Jose with family, and began settling into our home.

Which brings me to tonight. We have had quite the year and I can't wait to see what 2011 will bring. Owning our home is such a blessing and we couldn't have done it without the help of our families :) We're so fortunate to have such loving & caring people surrounding us. As I sit here tonight...I am quite content.

Wildwood Park

2010-12-01T19:26:00.000-08:00

We took the boys to Wildwood Park today. It was beautiful...we were the only people on the play ground. The park itself is situated on the outskirts of Chico inside upper Bidwell park. There are incredible views and peaceful sounds of wildlife and wind. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my morning :)

Rhonen the Builder

2010-12-01T18:24:00.000-08:00

Rho has become quite the architect with his blocks. He builds soaring towers like this one every day. Oh...and his Oma bought him this cute monkey sweater. Thanks Oma!!!

10 weeks old

2010-11-28T15:02:00.000-08:00

Here are my latest shots of Jackson. He's really becoming a solid little guy. He loves smiling for us and is quite a talker. He enjoys eating and bath time :) Overall...a happy boy!

His first set of NUMBERS

2010-11-24T21:08:00.000-08:00

Jackson had his two month well baby check up today...and the numbers are in!

Weight: 13 lbs 12 oz!!! Almost double his birth weight!

Height: 23 1/4 inches

Head Circumference: 41 cm

Our pediatrician said he's doing wonderful...perfect and healthy.

Welcome Baby William

2010-11-21T07:53:00.000-08:00

My very best friend welcomed her first child into the world yesterday! William James Gonnsen has arrived and I am so happy for her and her husband. She had a natural child birth and ended up with two black eyes, a result of two hours pushing! She's amazing and I know she'll be a wonderful mom.

8 weeks old

2010-11-19T22:11:00.000-08:00

Jackson is eight weeks old and his little personality is starting to show :)

Sleeping like a baby

2010-11-19T22:08:00.000-08:00

6 weeks with Zebra

2010-11-19T22:00:00.000-08:00

18 Months

2010-11-15T21:54:00.000-08:00

18 months...aka 1 and a half! And boy has he grown. When I see pictures of him he looks so much like a little boy, and I suppose that's what he is. Let's see...he is great at climbing and most recently jumping off of things. Scary for us but he thinks it's so much fun. Rhonen can go down the slide all by himself, even the really tall slides. He has no fear.

It's amazing to see him with Jackson...he takes such an interest in his brother. He wants to swing him to sleep, burp him after a feeding, give him kisses, and help in any other way he can. Jackson always pays attention when his brother is around and I know in a few months the bond will be very strong between them.

Rhonen is talking up a storm...the only problem is we don't know what he is saying! We can decipher about 30 words, everything else is baby gibberish. He has started to count and loves when we sing songs.

Along with all these wonderful milestones, we have also wandered into tantrum land. When he doesn't get his way..watch out! Crying, head banging, feet kicking, arm throwing tantrum!Most of the time we ignore his outburst, unless he's frustrated with a task...then we take the time to help him. It's all part of growing up :)

We're so in love with our Rhonen! We couldn't ask for a more perfect child and we can't wait to see him continue to grow and learn.

Smiles for Mommy

2010-11-07T18:59:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

This year for Halloween Rhonen was Billy Idol and Jackson went as Tigger. We took them to treat street downtown and then Rhonen got to go trick-or-treating with Grandpa. We got so many compliments on Rhonen's costume, especially the hair. And of course Jackson was the cutest little baby on the block!