The Nichols Family

Teagan: Just Because...

2012-02-04T20:53:00.000-08:00

She's cute. She gets bigger everyday and I don't want to forget any of these special moments.

Right now Teagan loves to sing and dance. Every time we get into the car, she asks me to put on Taylor Swift for her and she belts it out! (She only knows some of the words, but that doesn't stop her from humming loudly to the rest, haha!)
She has also really gotten into drawing more pictures and making you watch as she draws them.
Teagan's new favorite past-time is to follow everything I say with a question... "why mom?" "Why does that lady have pajamas on in the grocery store?"
She is much more adjusted to having August around. She calls him buddy, Augusto, Gusto, Gussy-Gus, Goosey...but mostly, buddy. It is adorable.
She L.O.V.E.S Preschool
She is really becoming a great swimmer
She cracks me up all the time with the funny things she says to us. I told her one day that she was so smart and she looked at me and said, "I know mom. I'm a genius."
She MUST have cuddle time with Daddy every night, in our bed.
She is creeping ever so slowly out of her terrible two's (I did say slowly, right?) and is beginning to be much more of her sweet little self again.

She is so precious and we love her so much. I wish we could freeze time and keep her this way forever, but she'll be going off to college before we know it! :(

In the video below, she was watching a baseball show with Renny where they were going over stats. I guess she was listening more than we thought because she looked at us and said, "The proof is in the numbers!"

Cute Video

2012-02-04T20:29:00.000-08:00

Here are a few cute video clips from my cell phone:

These two are from right after Christmas

These two show how much August likes to hear his own voice!

I love these two! August loves his sister so much!

August is 8 Months!

2012-02-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

This seems impossible to me, but August is 8 months old!! He is still such a cuddler (especially with mommy!) and still loves Teagan best. He has changed SO much in the last month

He started crawling a day or two before Christmas
Within 2 weeks of crawling, he decided it was more fun to pull into a standing position
Took about a week to master, but can now get up and down without taking a header!
He is definitely a sympathy crier
Crawls with some kind of toy in hand, so cute!
Loves to bang toys on things and make as much noise as possible...then smiles proudly every time
He got 2 teeth on the bottom!!!
He is really starting the separation anxiety...If I leave his sight, even to pee, he goes crazy :(
He is doing well with swim lessons and can float with very little assistance!
He can say "mama" and "dada"
VERY attached to his paci
loves to laugh and laugh...plays peek-a-boo, too!

I was getting ready to walk away from him...

Christmas!!

2012-02-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

This was our first Christmas as a family four! On Christmas Eve, we had my family over for dinner and then on Christmas Day we went over to Rob & Cora's. Teagan was SO excited this year! We really had a great time with our family and look forward to it every year. Here are some pictures...somehow I didn't take a single picture once we got to Rob & Cora's?? Oops!

She loved all the dress up stuff!

August & Mamma Margaret!

My T girl :)

Cheese!

This is really gonna take some work!

August is 7 Months Old!

2012-01-12T07:05:00.000-08:00

August turned 7 months on Dec 21st...He is still the cutest thing ever and getting big much to fast. His personality is really coming out!
He LOVES to cuddle, hug, kiss (the big, open mouth, slobber all over you kind).
He starting crawling (at 7 months...he is fast now and even standing up on things! Crazy what happens when you fall a couple of weeks behind on posting!)
Teagan is still his favorite
He's decided to start waking up once to nurse between 3 and 4 am...at least he goes right back to sleep
He plays with his toys by grabbing them and rolling/laughing or by picking them up and banging them on the ground over and over again
He is still happy 99.9% of the time
He is definitely a mama's boy! He doesn't like it much when I put him down or walk away
I pureed some avocado for him to try as his first solid food...it didn't go over well
Here are some pictures from this last month:

August Tries Some Avocado!

2011-12-23T11:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a cute video of August trying solid food for the first time! Not so sure he liked it :) I've only given it to him one other time since then, but eventually we'll get started!

Teagan's 1st Preschool Christmas Program

2011-12-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

Teagan has had such a great time at Preschool. At Christmas time, they have a little class party and a Christmas program for us to watch. I am Teagan's classroom mom, so I got to set up the party for them...it was SO CUTE to see them all interact with each other! I was glad to see that, at least while I was observing, Teagan listening really well. Here are a few pictures from her class party and some video of the cutest little Christmas program:

We made reindeer cookies for her class!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

2011-12-23T09:34:00.000-08:00

I absolutely LOVE Christmas time. It has been more fun each year with Teagan and this year is August's first Christmas!! This is the first year that I made an Advent Calendar for us as a family that was made up of fun things for us all to do together. It has been fun, but I think it will only get better as the kids get older. Here are some pictures of Christmas time at our house and a couple of the advent activities:

Making a paper chain countdown to Christmas!

Advent Calendar I made!

The greatest gift of all!

Making snow flakes was one of the advent activities

Daddy & T making a Gingerbread Christmas Tree

xoxo

Family Photo Session!!

2011-12-23T09:10:00.000-08:00

Another fun session with Erin Tukua!! Here are some of my favorites...because we couldn't put them all on the Christmas card!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

This year I had Teagan help me with some fun Thanksgiving treats! We had a great time together! Here is what we made:

Cute, right?! Thank you Pinterest. Acorns made from kisses and nutter butter cookies!

On Thanksgiving Day, we went over to Rob & Cora's to be with the family. It was fun! This year Teagan, Estella, and Parker were big enough to create a new "kids" table...I guess our table can be renamed now, haha! The girls were ADORABLE together. They were so good. They were talking, giggling, and they actually ate their food too! It was fun watching them interact and really play with each other this year. Here are some pictures from our day:

Movember madness... August couldn't be left out!

Parker and Teagan

Estella and Teagan

One more time!

My little Monkeys

Melt.My.Heart

I love the expression here!

Dancing in the Rain

2011-12-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

Just a few pics of my little Teagan dancing in the rain for the first time :) I'm a little behind on posting...these photos are from around Thanksgiving!

August is 6 months old!

2011-11-22T23:48:00.000-08:00

August is a growing boy! Say it isn't so... he is already 6 months old! STOP IT! I want August to stay small and cuddly forever, but I know he'll be running after Teagan in no time. He really hit a growth spurt over the past month. He is now 26 3/4 inches (65th percentile) and 16 lbs (25th percentile). He is seriously the happiest baby I have ever known. He even smiles when he has a cold! He is SO much in love with his big sister... check out this video!

He has been rolling tummy to back and back to tummy for a while now, but is starting to use it to get closer to toys that he wants! He is so determined to figure the whole "crawling" thing out, but I am very much discouraging it, haha! I want all the time I can have for him to be still! The past couple of days he has been scooting on his tummy and that is enough for me. He is working on being able to sit up unassisted. I think he is teething... drool monster and constant chewing, but no pearly whites just yet. Here are some pictures taken over the past month:

Teagan's 3rd Birthday Continues!

2011-11-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

Leading up to Teagan's birthday was very busy for us this year! We went to Hawaii for 10 days, came home for a day and a half, drove up to Santa Barbara for all 3 of us to be in Chris & Shauna's wedding, then immediately drove home so that our little girl could wake up in her own bed on her birthday. We were all tired, so we gathered up the whole family and headed over to Teagan's favorite spot for dinner... Yucatan! She wanted a quesadilla and black beans, her usual, and was so so happy that everyone came to celebrate her birthday. After dinner, everyone came back to our house for cake and presents. We had a party for her the following weekend at My Gym, in Huntington Beach. She had a blast! Brenna took so many pictures, so I just chose a few to share:

Cake Pops... I made them!

They were so excited that they were allowed to throw balls at each other!

Cousin Samuel!

Cousin Callie!

Baby Sienna...almost 1yr old!

Kate loves to pick Teagan up!

dog pile!

Aunt Diane getting some QT with August :)

Sweet little Bella!

Birthday Parade...she was NOT very happy about this, ha!

happy birthday!

And this is the look she gave while we sang to her... watch out!

Mommy & Daddy love you!

Zip line!

From Daddy & Mommy

Helping mommy bake her special birthday cake!

L.O.V.E this face :)

She wanted to decorate the cake "all herself!"

I couldn't say no on her birthday, so this is how she decorated it!

Auntie Steph and August

Present time!

Add caption

Mama Cora and Nini!

My Teagan Turns Three

2011-11-22T12:35:00.000-08:00

This year my little Teagan turned 3 years old. I really can't believe that I just typed that sentence. Time has been moving at warp speed lately and Teagan has grown up so much! She is so full of energy. She loves to joke around with people and play, play, play! She is definitely my little fire cracker. She can always make me laugh! She did the terrible two's very well and has even decided to take them with her into the three's :) Teagan is still a very sweet girl and cares so much about others. She remains her daddy's daughter when it comes to needing her sleep. She is a total daredevil. She loves climbing, running, jumping off things, roller coasters, and going fast!

This past year brought a lot of changes for Teagan...she got her first hair cut, got rid of the paci, became a big sister, potty trained, and started preschool. Wow! That seems like a lot when you write it all down! T had a bit of a hard time adjusting to all of that, but I think she is finally feeling better about it everything.

Teagan really grew a lot in a year! At age 2, she was 32 3/4 inches tall and weighed 24lbs, 2oz. At 3 years old she is 36 1/2 inches and weighs 29lbs!

Teagan at 1 yr

Teagan at 2 yrs

Teagan at 3 yrs

Dear Teagan T,

Words cannot do justice to how much daddy and I love you Teagan. You were an answer to prayer and continue to be such a blessing in our lives! I thank God each and every day for giving us the honor of raising you. We have watched you grow at an incredible speed this past year. You are witty, sassy, nurturing, adventurous, inquisitive, intelligent, and full of energy. You challenge us daily and we wouldn't want it any other way! You make daddy and I better people. I remember, like it was yesterday, feeling you move in my belly for the first time...and now you are already three years old! Daddy and I can't wait to see how you grow from toddler to little girl, and all the amazing things God has in store for your life Teagan. You are certainly one special girl, my little T, and my prayer for you is that you would know in your heart that you are loved.

XoXo,
Mommy & Daddy

Halloween 2011

2011-11-16T23:08:00.000-08:00

Halloween came up fast for us this year! We got home from Hawaii on October 26th, left again on the 28th, and came home for good on Teagan's birthday..the 30th. Needless to say, we were tired on halloween! We had taken the kiddos to Pa's Pumpkin Patch before we left for Hawaii, and had some adorable pictures taken of them in their costumes. When halloween actually came, Teagan was SO excited to put her costume on and hit the town for some trick or treating! Renny stayed home with August to hand out candy, and I took Teagan out for some fun :) She was still pretty shy this year when it came to knocking on doors and saying "trick or treat," but perked up when it was time to grab some candy and say thank you! She was dying to go to Auntie Steph's house, which is about 3 blocks away, so we trick or treated our way there. By the time we actually got to Auntie Steph's, Teagan was asking me to hold her and her very heavy bag of candy...that was our last stop! Here are some cute pics:

Chris & Shauna's Wedding!!

2011-11-14T23:39:00.000-08:00

We were very honored to be a part of Chris & Shauna's wedding! Renny was a groomsman, I was a bridesmaid, and our little Teagan was the flower girl! We got home from Hawaii late Wednesday night and drove up to El Capitan Canyon Friday morning, which was rough, but it was such an amazing time! Teagan did pretty well walking down the isle with Renny and I, however she wanted me to carry her basket and throw the flowers, haha! I whispered to her as we walked that she had to hold it, so she waited until we were standing up there to throw the petals :) My mom and sister were nice enough to come with us so that we could enjoy ourselves and not have the kids the whole time. El Capitan Canyon is a stunning location for a wedding!! It turned out so so beautiful.. here are some pics:

Laughing with the Chris's at the rehearsal

Playing at the playground the day before the wedding!

Kauai & Maui 2011

2011-11-14T23:09:00.000-08:00

Every year there is a national convention for Renny's industry (HVAC-R) which we can attend, and this year we REALLY lucked out...it was in Maui!!!! Renny's parents, sister & boyfriend, my mom, and us all went together for a 10 day vacation. We went to Kauai first for five days then over to Maui for five days. Boy did we have a ton of luggage with 2 kids, but it was a great time! Both kiddos did great on the plane, and really only managed to have one major meltdown the whole time! (quite a few "mini" meltdowns, but only one major, haha! I was pleased!) August was amazing and had a super fun time in the pool. He was very intrigued by the fountains in the kiddie pool and loved to sit and swipe his arms thru them :) Teagan is FEARLESS in the water! She was going down the water slide backwards and jumping off 5 ft platforms into the deep end! She loved the lazy river at the pool in Maui...she just floated on her back and kicked her feet all day long. I had to work to keep up with her! It was fun having the whole family there. Here are some cute pictures:

KAUAI Pics :)

MAUI Pics :)

August is 5 Months!

2011-11-02T14:07:00.000-07:00

August turned 5 months on October 21st! It was an exciting month with him. He had his first airplane ride to Hawaii! He is still the sweetest little guy and is always happy. He is talking more and more...he loves to say "mama" and I love to pretend that he is actually talking to me when he says it :) He seems to say it whenever he wants a change of scenery, like when he has had enough tummy time or jumping time or when he is tired. It is SO cute watching him attempt to crawl. He looks like he is swimming while he does it and by the looks of it he is going to be one fast mover when he really figures it out! He is still sleeping thru the night and takes 2 naps a day. Teagan is, hands down, his favorite person. He always has a big smile for her and anything she does to him makes him laugh. He gets so proud of himself when he grabs hold of toys, blankets, HAIR... and he had a growth spurt! He is now 16lbs 2oz and 26 inches tall! He is up to the 60th percentile now.
Here are some shots of him during this last month:

Pa's Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-27T23:52:00.000-07:00

This year Teagan could not wait for Pa's Pumpkin Patch to open! As soon as she began to see it's construction in September it was, "MOM! There's halloween!! Can we go???" Needless to say, she was elated when the day finally came for us go head over to "halloween." We got a few tickets and Teagan headed straight for the giant slide...and of course it was her favorite thing to do there. Then it was over to the pony ride and the cars, and back to the slide! Thankfully (because we were headed to Kauai the next day) she didn't even ask to pick a pumpkin! August was adorable, as always, and just had fun taking in the sights. I can't wait until next year when he is trying to keep up with his big sister!

August is 4 Months Old

2011-09-21T22:35:00.000-07:00

I honestly feel like I was writing his 3 month blog post just last night... another month has FLOWN by. August is still the sweetest and happiest baby! He is getting better with his hands every day, rolling over, and loves to catch a glimpse of his little feet! When he sees them, he is instantly trying to get them into his mouth. The jumper is a definite favorite and he is a maniac in it already! He really does adore his big sister who can always make him laugh.
We went to the doctor today for his well check. He weighs 15lbs, 3oz and is 24 inches long. Growing boy! He is fighting off a little cold that Teagan brought home from her first week at Preschool...and so it begins. Even with a runny nose and watery eyes, he won't stop smiling! I love him to pieces. I love that he loves to cuddle & hug me...please just STOP growing up so quickly!

August Starts Swim Lessons

2011-09-17T22:24:00.000-07:00

This month August started swim lessons at Deep Blue Swim School in Long Beach! He goes once a week for a 20 minute lesson. He has been twice now and absolutely loved it the first time, and cried a lot the second time. Big sister Teagan was very excited to share her teacher with her little brother and tells him all about how much fun it is to swim! Let's hope he enjoys the water as much as Teagan!

I realize that I am extremely biased, but seriously.... HOW adorable is he?!?!!!

Sister & Brother Time

2011-09-13T00:02:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love watching my little monkeys love each other. This warms my heart...enjoy :)

Teagan's First Day of Preschool

2011-09-12T23:59:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how this day came so quickly, but my little Teagan started preschool today! She had been super excited for this day to come, but was a little nervous when she got up this morning. I'm pretty sure Renny and I were more nervous than Teagan, by far! The first day was nice because it was only for an hour and fifteen minutes and we got to stay the whole time. Wednesday is the first real school day and I can't promise that I won't shed a tear ;) Teagan had a fun time checking out the classroom. She spent a lot of time playing with the baby dolls, looking thru the sand box, and making play dough. Before it was time to go, they had some listening time where they each sat on a mat and were dismissed to their parents when the teacher called their name...this is what Teagan did not like. She saw us walking toward the door and ran after us crying :( We talked on the car ride home and Teagan said she was excited to go back again and play on the slide, but that she didn't want me to leave. Hopefully, it will go ok on Wednesday because I'm not sure this mama is strong enough for her tears! We ended the morning with a big family lunch at Ruby's!

August's Three Month Pictures!

2011-09-12T23:26:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU, Erin Tukua Photography, for another amazing session!!!! I CANNOT get over how great these photos are! What a handsome little man I have :)

Labor Day Bonfire 2011

2011-09-12T23:15:00.000-07:00

This Labor Day weekend, Stephanie and her boyfriend Jimmy thought it would be fun to have a family bonfire over at Bolsa Chica State Beach. They went and staked out a fire pit at 6am on Friday morning for fear that the beach would be packed by the time we could all get there...as you will see in the pictures, this ended up being completely unnecessary as the beach was pretty empty! Despite the really strong winds, we had a great time together! Teagan had so much fun collecting sea shells, feeding the birds, watching the water, and tasting a s'more for the first time. She did, however, very much miss her Uncle Robby & Auntie Inessa who were unable to make it this time...she LOVES getting some playtime in with her uncle :) I'm not sure how August felt about the night as a whole, but I don't think he enjoyed the sandstorm. Here are some pictures from the evening, and THANKS to Steph & Jimmy for planning!

Fun with Paint

2011-09-12T22:25:00.000-07:00

One day last week, I thought it would be fun to paint using an idea I found on Pinterest. I blew up some balloons for Teagan to use rather than paint brushes or fingers, and put her table outside so she could go at it! She had a blast :)

Let's Go Fly A Kite!

2011-09-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

Teagan has been asking if we could fly a kite at the beach for quite some time now, so last weekend we stopped at the kite store on Main Street and walked down to the sand. She picked out a Monarch Butterfly kite. Teagan had a great time!

August is 3 Months Old!

2011-08-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

Wait...WHAT??? Yes, another month has already flown by and my little August is 3 months old. He has grown SO much. He is 14lbs and getting bigger by the minute! His personality is really coming out and he has got to be the MOST happy and cuddly little guy that I have ever known... and I love it!!! He loves his mommy :) He is always smiling and is laughing so much. He loves to kick his legs all the time and is starting to grab toys! He's found out he has hands and every once in a while really stares at his little feet like he's beginning to make the connection. He is also quite the talker! He is sleeping for 10-12 hours a night and taking 3 short naps during the day...he is so good to his mommy! August is also Teagan's biggest fan...he can't get enough of his big sister and that makes Teagan very, very happy. She is always entertaining him. He loves his bath time. Here are some pictures from this past month..enjoy!

Much happier in the jumper!

Visiting at Nini's house!

little monkey

wearing the booties knitted for him by one of Nini's friends

Teagan is reading to her little brother...I think he's listening!

cuddle time!

LOVE this smile

This is what August sees most of the time :)

Tummy time!

happy in the bumbo seat!

LOVE

waiting for daddy at the dentist...

So squeezable!

my favorite little man :)

Teagan's First Trip to the Dentist Part 2!

2011-08-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

Teagan made it onto the dentist's website!! Check her out!

http://www.emerydds.com/2011/08/29/teagans-first-visit-to-emerydds/

Teagan's First Trip to the Dentist!

2011-08-24T23:48:00.000-07:00

On August 18th, all four of us drove over to the dentist together for Teagan's first dentist appointment! Both Renny and I were scheduled for our regular check up, so I called and had Teagan added in with us. I talked with her about it the night before and Teagan was worried..."I don't want to go to the dentist, Mommy, I'm scared!" After I explained what would happen she seemed a little more at ease, but I was worried about how it would go down the next morning! Boy were we surprised when it was her turn! I let Teagan watch while the dentist looked at my teeth (luckily no cavities!!), and when Dr. Alyson asked her if she could look at her teeth...she was actually excited! She followed Dr. Alyson into her room and when I offered to sit in the chair and have Teagan on my lap, she said "I do it all myself mommy! It's my turn." Dr. Alyson was so awesome with Teagan and really made her feel comfortable. She counted Teagan's teeth (she has 20!), and polished them. She was very proud of her "shiny" teeth when she was finished and LOVED that she got to pick a toy from their toy chest.

August didn't want to feel left out with the "firsts" so he had his 1st poopy diaper that went ALL over both him and his carseat :( To add to the fun of cleaning this up, a Japanese Beatle thought it would be fun to circle us for the duration of the diaper change! Teagan got a good laugh watching me scream :)

Teagan is a Super Swimmer!

2011-08-24T22:56:00.000-07:00

Teagan's swim school, Deep Blue Long Beach, has a 6 step program for their swimmers. Each level has specific accomplishments and the kids receive a sticker when each one is reached. When all the accomplishments for a level are completed, they get a ribbon to reward them! On August 15th, Teagan completed level 2 (Octopus)...yay!!! She was SO excited to get another ribbon and she also got the first sticker for level 3 (Sea Turtle)!

Palm Desert

2011-08-03T23:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we took a trip out to Palm Desert with my mom and Renny's parents. It was Teagan's 3rd time out there and August's 1st! Teagan was SO excited about swimming in the pool and going to The Living Desert. It was a cool 105 degrees outside, which we expected, but what we weren't expecting was the humidity! That made the hot seem much hotter! We got out there in time for dinner at Roy's, then came back to the house for some swimming! Teagan was nervous about the pool for all of about 30 seconds, then it was near impossible to drag her out :) On Saturday morning, we got to The Living Desert right when it opened to try and avoid the intense heat. We saw so many animals and walked around for almost 2 hours before I thought it was getting to hot for little August. We went home from there and played at the house for a couple of hours before leaving again to grab lunch. After lunch, there was no stopping Teagan from some pool time! She was nonstop...Jumping into the deep end, climbing onto rafts and then throwing herself off, trying to touch the bottom, and racing back and forth between all of us was all she wanted to do! I didn't think she would ever get out and after going like that for a couple hours straight, only the promise of a popsicle did the trick. We came inside and watched Sleeping Beauty, hoping Teagan would fall asleep, but that didn't happen...she was still up and ready to play! When little August woke up from him nap, Renny and Teagan came with me to get him out of bed. I walked out of the room with him, but Renny and Teagan stayed in the room to play some more. After just a little bit, it seemed all too quiet. I walked back to the room to find Renny asleep on the bed with Teagan cuddled right up against him...so precious!!! Renny woke up about 2 hours later, but Teagan slept until the next morning! I guess all that swimming and being out in the sun caught up to her :) Here are some cute pictures from the weekend:

The Giraffes at the Living Desert

We just couldn't get both Teagan and the giraffes to look at the camera at the same time :)

Striped Hyenas!

Leopards!

This leopard thought Teagan looked like breakfast

Zebras

August wasn't very impressed :)

Back at the house!

Sleepyhead

Flowers in the front yard..so beautiful!

Aquarium Fun!

2011-08-02T23:52:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks back, Teagan, August and I joined Mamma Cora and Auntie Steph for a morning at the Aquarium of the Pacific. It wasn't Teagan's first trip, but she really loves it. We followed her all around while she touched Moon Jellies, Sting Rays, Sharks, and Starfish. It was fun to see her so excited...she can't wait to go back! Here are some pics:

August is 2 Months Old!

2011-07-28T17:17:00.000-07:00

August is changing so quickly... I cannot believe he's already 2 months old! He is so alert and always looking around. He smiles ALL the time.. I love it :) Teagan adores him and he can't get enough of her, it melts my heart! August is still a very mellow baby and is sleeping thru the night most of the time. He weighed in at 13 pounds, 9 ounces!!! Chunky! He is 23 1/2 inches long. That puts him in the 82nd percentile for weight and 51st for height. Here are some cute pictures from the last month:

August had so much fun in the jumper for about 5 minutes...then I left the room to grab the camera and came back to this:

July 4th, 2011 (yes, I know I'm a little late)

2011-07-27T22:50:00.000-07:00

This is the 2nd year that we had some family and friends over for a bbq and fireworks down at the beach to celebrate the 4th. We had a great time! I took some pictures before everyone came over, but then set the camera down to just enjoy the time with family & friends. Teagan had a BLAST with her friends...she definitely thought it was her party :) She even asked daddy to clean up the house before "her friends" came! That girl can always make me laugh. Here are some pictures from the day...Brenna took some really cute ones of all the kids, but I still need to get them from her.

When it got dark, we all walked down to the beach to watch the Queen Mary fireworks. The kids all had so much fun and Teagan decided it should be the 4th of July everyday :)

Teagan is Swimmer of the Month!

2011-06-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

The month of June has been an exciting one for our family! Teagan was chosen as swimmer of the month! She has really progressed in her swimming and is probably better than me at this point, haha! Here are a couple pics of my little fish:

She can now swim the length of the pool underwater all by herself! She just rolls over when she needs to breath, and then back to keep going the distance. Here are a few videos:

August is 1 Month Old!

2011-06-22T22:39:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's already been a whole month since August was born! I can't believe it. He is changing SO much already that I can't wait for what's ahead (except that, of course, that will mean time is moving much too quickly). August looks a lot like his big sister Teagan did as a newborn, but is much different from her as well. He is such an easy baby so far! He is much more of a "when I'm awake, I want to be held" baby than Teagan was. His hair and eyes are both much lighter than Teagans. He LOVES to eat much more than Teagan ever did and is growing a lot faster. In the past month he has started smiling so much and is constantly cooing! It is the cutest thing to hear his little voice :) He was born at 7lbs, 11 oz, but dropped to 7lbs, 2oz... at 1 month he weighed in at a whopping 10lbs, 8oz! Here are some cute pics of my little man's first month:

One of his first nights at home

Snoozing

August with Grandma Karen and Great-Grandma Margaret!

22nd Great-Grandchild for Grandma!

What is this thing mom?

1st bath

I think I like this!

Big Sister Teagan wanted to watch

Not so sure anymore

All done!

My little Cowboy

1 month old

Teagan's First Sleep Over!

2011-06-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

Teagan spent her first night away from home recently and stayed at Mamma Karen's house! She was beyond excited :)

Teagan had such a great time at my mom's house and asks all the time when she can do it again!

The Big Sister

2011-06-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

Teagan is very proud to be a big sister to her "Baby August." She really adores him and is so nurturing already! Every time he makes even the slightest peep, she is running to me saying, "mommy, mommy, hurry! Baby August needs you!" I haven't been able to get all that many cute pictures of the two them together... Teagan has decided to not want her picture taken at all. But here is what I've been able to get:

My August is Here!

2011-06-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I realize that I am a little behind on this one...but hey, I'm still getting used to this whole having 2 kids thing :)

Here I am the night before going into labor: 40 weeks / 2days

And here is Renny and Teagan the same night:
I went to bed that night feeling like I was never going to have this baby, however I woke up at 6am the next morning with my body telling me a different story. I got out of bed to use the restroom and had a contraction... then I heard Teagan wake up (which she NEVER does this early, of course). As I walked to her room, I had another contraction. This is when I realized I would definitely be meeting little August sooner than later! Considering I had 3 good contractions in that 10 minute span, I walked Teagan back to our bedroom to wake up Renny and let him know that it was go time! Renny got ready while I called Auntie Steph to come hang with Teagan. I got ready and we left for the hospital. We arrived at 7:20am (not recommended by the way...shift change time and people are not in a hurry to help you!) I was dilated to 5cm and went very quickly to 8cm. The nurses rushed me up to delivery and there was ALMOST not enough time for an epidural. It was kind of a blur since it happened so quickly, but August Renholt Nichols was born at 9:32am, weighing in at 7lbs, 11oz and was 20 inches long!

Time to go home!!

Here are some pictures from his newborn photo session (Erin Tukua Photography) :

We are so happy to finally have him home with us! Our family is now complete :)

Easter Weekend 2011

2011-04-26T23:30:00.000-07:00

We had such a great Easter weekend together this year! We packed a lot of fun into Saturday and Sunday because soon enough, little August will be born and we'll have to take it easy for a bit.

SATURDAY:

Teagan and I made "Resurrection Rolls" for breakfast and ate them together with daddy when he came home from a fun morning of surfing. I was so impressed with Teagan! I showed her how to make the first roll, then she did the rest! Amazing what happens when I just let her go for it, haha! This is a really awesome way to tell the story of Easter and they are so yummy! This will definitely be an Easter tradition for us!

Ingredients:
Marshmallows - represent Jesus (pure & free from sin)
Butter - represents the oil in which Jesus' body was anointed with before burial
Cinnamon & Sugar - represent the spices that Jesus' body was also anointed with before burial
Biscuit Dough - The tomb in which Jesus was buried

When they are done baking, the marshmallow evaporates and you are left with an empty tomb to represent the Resurrection of Jesus!

After we finished breakfast, we got cleaned up and headed to Disneyland! Teagan had a blast, as usual, and it was great to go one last time as a family of three. I was expecting to have to make the most of it through the crowds, but was very pleasantly surprised to see hardly anyone!!! We hit up T's favorite rides: Jungle Cruise, Pirates, and the Merry Go Round. We enjoyed some lunch in Toontown, saw Pluto, Goofy, and Captain Hook...then headed home! Unfortunately, I didn't remember to bring my camera...

That night, Renny and I went to the Angels Game and Teagan stayed home to play with Mamma Karen.

EASTER SUNDAY:
Renny and I actually had to wake Teagan up on Easter morning so that we would have enough time to search for eggs and see the basket left by the Easter Bunny before going to church. She was so excited and had tons of fun! After the great message at church, we headed over to Renny's cousin Lexi's house for a family party. Teagan had a great time playing with her adorable cousins Estella and Parker. This year it was fun to watch them run around together, play, and search for eggs. Estella just turned 4, Parker just turned 3, and our little T is the baby for a few more weeks at 2 1/2. Again, I forgot to bring my camera to the family party.

Coloring Easter Eggs!!

2011-04-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

Last year, Renny and I let Teagan color her eggs the night before Easter. This left little Teagan with green/blue dyed hands on Easter Sunday, which is why I decided that this year we should do it a few days early! The Itson's usually come over to hang out and eat dinner on Thursday nights, so I thought it would be fun to have a little egg coloring party. Here are the pictures!

Really concentrating!

Saying "cheese" but refusing to look away from her egg

Cheese!

Always acting silly for the camera

She loves hanging with Daddy

Right after this, she thought it would be fun to lick the egg..

Daddy's girl

Proud of her creation!

Pretty awesome if you ask me :)

Looking forward to more Easter traditions and celebrations this weekend!

The Paci Fairy

2011-04-22T22:58:00.000-07:00

When Teagan turned 2 years old back in October, I started thinking about a good time to take the paci away. I knew I wanted to do it before little August was born, but since she only had it for naps and bedtime, it was hard for me to think of taking it from her. She never made a big deal of having it, but I noticed that when we moved her into a new "big girl" room and she got a "big girl" bed, she seemed to grow a little more attached to the paci. Since her birthday is at the end of October, it seemed like there was always something going on with all the holidays, birthdays, weddings, baby showers, vacations, etc... that there just wasn't a good time to take it away. I had almost given up until one Sunday evening, a few weeks ago, when the perfect opportunity came our way! Renny, Teagan, and I were out for a walk around town and when we got home, discovered that our dog Bisou had gone upstairs into Teagan's room, got her paci and brought it downstairs to snack on. She ate half of it! Teagan found it on the floor and, oooh man, was she mad at Bisou! She ran over to me with it and said, "it's ok mommy. It's ok. We just buy new one at a store, right???!!!"

I decided this was the perfect time to take it away. I explained to her that since she was such a big girl, we couldn't buy any more paci's... they are really just for babies. I went on to tell her about how we could hang the paci on her bedroom door, and when she went to sleep, the Paci Fairy would come and exchange it for a big girl toy. She didn't seem on board with this until the word "toy" came out of my mouth. She gladly stuck her paci in a baggie and helped me hang it on her door at bedtime. She was overjoyed the next morning when she discovered the toy from the Paci Fairy! She has only asked for her paci twice since then and is satisfied when I remind her that she traded them to the Paci Fairy for her big girl toy. If I knew it was going to be so easy, I would have done it months ago!

Baby Shower for August!

2011-04-22T22:18:00.000-07:00

On March 27th, we celebrated August with a small shower at Brenna's house. My sister Andi, Stephanie, and Trisha all helped put it together. It turned out beautiful and was really a lot of fun. We ate yummy foods and delicious cake and did lots of talking, without playing any real games...my favorite kind of shower!! Thank you so much Brenna!! Brenna was also photographer for the day and took some really cute pictures:

Pretty Cake!

The Spread

The favors

Me!

My sister and I

Grandma and I

My mom and I

Andi and I

Steph and I

Moira and I

Moira, Honey and I

Nini and I

Marla and I

Aunt Diane and I

Aunt Kathie and I

Look at the camera Sienna!

Little Sienna Harrelson

Tracy and I

Cora and I

Soo squeezable!

Love this one!

Stuffing my face with cake :)

Can't wait for a little boy!

Let the gift opening begin!

pretty decorations!

Thank you Brenna!!

Trisha and I

The whole day was a lot of fun and I can't wait to hold my little August Renholt Nichols soon!!

St. Patrick's Day 2011

2011-04-17T23:13:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's Day was really fun this year with Teagan. I'm trying to start some new traditions, so for breakfast I made some green pancakes! Teagan helped me mix everything together and was super excited about eating them.

Later in the day, we had lot's of fun over at the Jacobs house. Shanna has some great pictures on her blog, here

Playdate at Rush Park!

2011-04-17T22:57:00.000-07:00

Continuing the March madness...

The MOMS group that I am in at Shorelife Church had a super fun playdate at Rush Park in Rossmoor. Teagan had a blast!

Baby Shower for Dana!

2011-04-17T22:52:00.000-07:00

As I said before, March was one busy month! The first weekend was a bridal shower, and the second was 2 consecutive baby showers! I went out to Moreno Valley for Stacy & Stephanie's joint baby shower to welcome Samuel and Callie. It was super fun, but I forgot to bring my camera :( The next day, my friend Kristin, and I threw a baby shower for our friend Dana! We had a great time and Dana felt the love as we celebrated baby Kensley! Again, I wish I had taken many more pictures!

Inessa's Bridal Shower

2011-04-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

The month of March was jam-packed with fun things to do! I started off the month by throwing a bridal shower, along with my sister-in-law Steph, for Inessa (Robby's fiance and our future sister-in-law). There was so much preparation and planning leading up to the shower that I was very excited to see it come together beautifully! Fun was had by all. I wish I had taken more photos, but here are a couple:

Baby August

2011-04-17T21:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I last wrote.. we've been busy! I simply cannot believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by. I'm very excited to meet my son and back at the end of February we got to take a peek into my belly to see him. It was really fun. Some of the family joined us at the doctor's office to have a look at August, including my little Teagan. He was very cooperative during the ultrasound and we got some great pictures! The best part, for me, was seeing Teagan's reaction to the whole thing. She was so cute! Everytime that Teagan spoke to him, he would turn and open his eyes!! It seems that he already loves his big sister :) Here are some pics from the ultrasound:

He has his hand up against his face and is sleeping here!

Here is his leg and foot (resting against my rib!!)

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-02-16T21:37:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is so much fun when you have little ones to share it with! Our house has been decorated for weeks and Teagan had a great time making her own valentines to hand out to the fam. This year I set the table for 3 and made a special dinner for all of us! Teagan loved giving daddy his special valentine and getting to sit at the table with us instead of at her own little table. I made Lamb, asparagus, roasted potatoes, and a really good spicy feta dip! Chocolate covered strawberries AND strawberry shortcake were for dessert. YUM.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Long Beach Aquarium

2011-02-14T22:53:00.000-08:00

Yikes, it's already been a month since we actually took our first family trip to the Aquarium in Long Beach..better late than never! Renny and I went to the Aquarium together right after it opened, but hadn't been back since then. We thought that Teagan would enjoy going to see all the different kinds of life in the ocean. We were right! She had a blast and it was hard to even get a quick picture of her looking at the camera because she wouldn't turn her attention from all the fishies :) Here are some pictures from the day:

Teagan had such a great time that day! She spent a lot of time looking for "Nemo" and "Dori" which was pretty cute :) Can't wait until we can take a trip up to Monterey Bay and show her that Aquarium!

The Cuteness that is Teagan

2011-01-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Not sure exactly when it happened, but to say that Teagan is asserting herself as a big 2 year old is an understatement... she has turned into my little monster :) I must say that I am very thankful that she seems to reserve all the beastly behavior for us at home! She behaves really well when others are around. Just when I think I'm going to lose my mind...she reminds me that she is still my sweet little Teagan at heart! Example: Yesterday morning, she woke up and came to get me. I walked her back to her room to change her diaper and when I sat down (ready for a challenge about changing the diaper) she gave me a hug and said, "I love you sooo much Mommy. I love you all the nights in the whole world!" I had to hold back the hormonal preggo tears... if only she could understand how much I loved hearing that! It was just what I needed to replay in my mind throughout the day each time she responded to my words with things like this: "No Mom! (not mommy anymore, just mom when she's mad) No, I will NOT to that!" I remember when I thought a simple "no" was frustrating, but now she gives complete sentences as to why she will not do something.

Teagan got some "piggy paint" in her stocking this Christmas, and was dying to have me paint her nails the other night... so much fun!

We followed it up with a fun walk around Seal with Daddy :)

Teagan has always been a ham when it comes to the camera, but hates it when I try to video her. However, the other night she was willing to let me get my way! I know I'm biased, but she is just plain adorable :)

Here is a cute photo from the night:

She's a Survivor!

2011-01-06T23:38:00.000-08:00

Teagan has been taking swim lessons for close to a year and absolutely loves the water. She was ready to take her survival test this week and I was anxious to see how she would do. Teagan passed!! She was pretty surprised to be thrown in unexpectedly, but did a good job. Here is a video:

The survival test was the last step before moving on to the next level at Deep Blue Swim School... she is now an Octopus! Go Teagan!

New Years Weekend

2011-01-06T23:17:00.000-08:00

We kept it really low key this year for New Year's. Renny had the day off, so we just spent the day together as a family, which was really nice! Teagan loves it so much when daddy is home from work. Somehow, I managed to forget about taking any pictures this entire weekend :(. After Teagan went to bed, Robby and Inessa came over to hang out. We had such a good time talking and watching surf dvd's that we didn't realize it was the New Year until close to 12:30! On the first day of 2011, we drove out to Temecula and visited with the Harrelson's. Renny and Teagan got to meet sweet little Sienna for the first time! She is so cute! Again, sad that I did not bring my camera... overall, it was a very nice weekend to start off the year! Looking forward to the many exciting things to come: lot's of new babies, Robby/Inessa's wedding, our new little man and so much more!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-06T23:15:00.000-08:00

Christmas this year was so much fun! We put up our tree the day after Thanksgiving and decorated the house that weekend. Teagan and I also went to the bookstore and bought some new books about Christmas. She loved having me read a little bit each night before bed and really loved the advent calendar Mama Cora bought her with the yummy chocolates for each day... we did that after lunch time. I love that she knows it's Jesus' birthday! She does love a good birthday celebration, haha! She thought it was so special that we would give and get gifts on someone else's birthday besides her own, which made me smile. Teagan did not want any part of going to see Santa this year... I think she remembered how terrified she was last time =) However, she was excited to see what toys he would bring her Christmas morning!
On Christmas Eve, my mom, sister, and sister's boyfriend came over for dinner and gifts. I made yummy chicken enchiladas with green sauce, spanish rice, and salad. We had pumpkin pie for dessert!

She was acting a little shy when it was time to say hi to Auntie Andi's boyfriend, Eric.

Thank you Auntie Andi for the new Aquadoodle!!! I LOVE it :)

This is the new face she adopted when we told her to say "cheese"

Thank you so much Mama Karen! I'm gonna play in this new cave for the rest of the night!

On Christmas morning, we took our time having cinnamon rolls for breakfast and opening gifts as a family before we headed over to Mama and Papa's house for the day:

Again with this face... she was really excited for the dollhouse, bible, and sunglasses that Santa dropped off :) She only took off the shades to get dressed for the day!

Teagan had a blast at Mama and Papa's house for the rest of the day! Since she is the only grandchild on both sides of the family, it is safe to say that she was spoiled beyond belief! We opened gifts with Renny's family and then were joined with some extended family and very close friends for a delicious Christmas meal.

All ready to drive over to Mama and Papa's house! Below is her on the ride over.. she loves the shades!

Teagan in her new push petal Ford.. pink of course! She can't reach the pedals, but drove the car with her feet on the floor..

Teagan and River playing with some new toys!

Love this one... so sweet!

Here is a cute little video of Teagan dancing like a ballerina:

A Little Fun Before Christmas

2011-01-06T15:48:00.000-08:00

I always feel like the holidays start mid-September for us because from that point right up until Christmas, we have tons of birthdays and celebrations. My September calendar alone has 15 birthdays of close friends and family! October has it's share as well, including my little Teagan. After that, I feel like Thanksgiving sneaks up, then all the December birthdays and Christmas..and finally New Years. Phew! I truly love this whole time of year and have tried my best to balance taking photos for memories and actually living in the moment to enjoy it with my family. Here are some fun things from November and December before Christmas:

Teagan dressed herself for the day. It was a little chilly, so she put on sweats under the tutu :) We had a really fun day together that included taking her baby for a walk around the neighborhood.

16 weeks pregnant! The time is flying by so much quicker than when I was pregnant with Teagan!

Happy happy birthday to one of the most awesome people I know, Moira!! Glad we could celebrate with you!

Daddy made a tent for movie night! Beauty and The Beast :)

Backtracking A Little :)

2011-01-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

Not sure how I forgot, but I never did a post on Teagan's 2yr pics or the family session that we did for the holidays! Here are some of my faves from both:

Erin (erintukuaphotography.com) always does such an awesome job! Believe it or not, Teagan was pretty unhappy for the majority of this shoot...and somehow Erin turns out beautiful pictures every time :)

The family session was so much fun! We met up with Erin right next to Mission San Juan Capistrano and took some great photos! Teagan was much more of herself for this session :) We finished the night with a yummy dinner at Ruby's before we drove home. It is a really fun place to just walk around if you ever get a chance... I hadn't been since my 4th grade field trip to the mission!

It's A Boy!!

2010-11-19T22:26:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Renny and I went to have an ultrasound done in hopes that we could find out the gender of the baby. The tech told me to drink something cold about 30 minutes prior to the appointment, to get the baby moving. I drank two big glasses of water early on in the morning and then we headed out to our appointment after Renny came home from surfing. On the way, we stopped and got a yummy Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino... a big one. I figured a lot of something cold AND caffeinated would really get the baby to move. Of course what I didn't think about was how badly I would have to pee by the time we got there! As soon as we walked in, I asked the tech for the key to the bathroom. However, she explained to me it was better to have a full bladder for the ultrasound since I was only 13 1/2 weeks..... great. So I had to laugh at myself when I could barely lay back on the table without peeing my pants! The first thing the tech said to me when she started the ultrasound was, "see...that's your bladder right there. It's really full!" I thought to myself, "yeah lady, I know. Thanks so much for continuing to make me think about that fact!" I finally got my way when she saw that my bladder was so full that it was actually crowding my curled up little baby! Phew! I hopped my way back down the stairs (after going to the bathroom) hoping that the baby would loosen up and move around... and it worked! The tech pointed right between the legs and asked us if we were ready to know the sex of our baby. IT'S A BOY!!!

We were both so super excited! A little boy! I can't wait to meet my little man and to be a family of four!

**word to the wise: when they tell you to drink something cold before you come... just drink a little something cold and not a whole bunch of cold water, followed by a large blended and caffeinated drink. Your bladder will thank you :)

Thankful On Paper - Week Three

2010-11-18T14:05:00.000-08:00

Week Three

Thankful On Paper

On this third week of Thankful On Paper, I could have written to so many different people that I am blessed to have in my life. Since I had to pick one person, I chose to write to my very best friend Trisha. I met Trisha in the third grade at Los Altos Brethren Elementary School. I was the new girl and we became friends right away.... TWENTY years (wow!) later, she is still the best friend any girl could ask for :) Thank you Trisha:

You are always there to listen when I need to talk, laugh, or cry

I can tell you absolutely anything...and you will still be my friend and not think I'm crazy :)

You accept me for who I am and are a very loyal friend

You can always make me laugh when I need it!

I want you to know that I truly am blessed to call you my best friend! Here's to the next twenty years! Love you girl!!

Thankful On Paper - Week Two

2010-11-11T15:06:00.000-08:00

Week Two!

I am thankful for my mom every single day, and chose to write her a note for this second week of being Thankful on Paper. My mom has always been there for me and helps me so much anytime I need it. I am blessed to have a mom who is so supportive. She adores Teagan and Teagan loves her "mama Karen." Thank you mom for loving me so much! I appreciate all that you have done and truly am thankful for you every day. I love you!

Teagan's 1st Hair Cut

2010-11-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

Teagan has probably needed a hair cut for a long time now, but I just couldn't bring myself to cut the cute and curly little manny she had going on. I just couldn't. But Renny and I decided it was time... my good friend Kristin said to bring her over and she would cut it. I drove her over to Kristin's and Teagan got to watch daddy's turn first before she got in the chair. When it was her turn, she wanted no part of sitting in that chair alone, so she sat on my lap. Here are some pics from the experience:

The After:

Week One - Thankful On Paper

2010-11-04T16:02:00.000-07:00

   I love the idea of sharing thanks with others all the time, but especially during the holiday season. My friend Rachel had an awesome idea of writing to someone you are thankful for (on paper...like actually sending a letter in the mail) every Wednesday in November, and then writing a blog post about who you wrote to every Thursday in November.

   I decided to write to my husband, Renny. I am so very thankful that he is my hubby and I thank God for him every single day... however, I'm not sure that I actually tell him enough how much he means to me. I wrote to him this morning and put the note into the lunch that I made for him. I am thankful for him because:
   He is an amazing father to Teagan
   He works incredibly hard to provide for his family
   He loves me, no matter what
   He loves Jesus

Thank you Renny for sharing forever with me. I love you!!

Trick Or Treat!!!

2010-11-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

This year for Halloween, we took Teagan trick or treating. She watched the halloween episode of The Little Einsteins, where they go trick or treating, and wanted to know what it was all about. As soon as I explained to her that you say, "trick or treat" in order to get candy... she was all about it! She dressed up as the cutest little owl I've ever seen and we headed out for some fun. The first house we went to, she was pretty timid, but after a few more houses I had to stop her from walking right into peoples homes! We went up one side of our block, then crossed the street and came back along that side of the street. She ended her trick or treating experience with knocking at our door and saying "trick or treat" to Renny, in order to get one last piece of candy. We don't really ever let Teagan eat candy, but since it was halloween... she got to try a bite of a few different kinds. I think she liked the Reece's Peanut Butter Cup the best. Good girl! Here are some cute shots Renny took of her throughout the night:

Loads of Birthday Fun

2010-11-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

My little Teagan turned 2 years old on Saturday. I cannot believe it! She is beginning to look a lot less like a baby and more like a little girl :) She makes me laugh everyday and I feel so blessed to be her mommy!
The weekend before her birthday, we had a party for her at Pump It Up on Saturday and headed to Disneyland on Sunday to see the Halloween decor. Teagan had a BLAST at Pump It Up. She didn't stop the whole time. She jumped and went down slides and laughed till she cried :) Then, she took a 4 hour nap when it was over!!

These two crack me up! Soo cute!

Climbing up the stairs with Auntie Andi...

Flying down the slide all by herself

This is when she shouted "One more time!!!"

Sweet little Micah... they share a birthday!

Too much fun can make you cry sometimes...

Group shot!

Pizza time with cousin Estella!

Some love from Auntie Steph

Singing "happy birthday" to Teagan!

She loves a good cupcake

Teagan with her friends Riley, Sierra, Serenity, and Karlie

Davin and Karlie wanted in on the picture!

She looks so little in that big chair!

We let Teagan open her gifts when she woke up from her 4 hour nap: she was so excited!

The next day at Disneyland, Teagan got to meet Tinkerbell and some of the other fairies in Pixie Hollow. She was in awe... Here are some cute pics from the day:

On Teagan's actual birthday, we had the family over for dinner at our house. Teagan had a great time playing with everyone and was super excited to celebrate her birthday again.

Presents from Mommy and Daddy

Dinner table is set!!

Mama Cora

She was so happy until we starting singing...

Tinker Bell Cake

Auntie Steph and Jimmy

Picture with Mommy & Daddy!

Uncle Obby Dobby and Auntie Nina

Mommy, Teagan, Mama Karen, and Auntie Andi

It was a great dinner and fun family time! Excited to watch Teagan grow in this coming year. Mommy and Daddy love you T!!

Life's Little Miracles

2010-10-21T23:19:00.000-07:00

It has taken me quite a while to try and put these feelings into words. Even now, the words I have finally chosen can never quite express the gratitude and happiness I feel about what I want to share today. I feel so truly blessed to say that I am PREGNANT. Renny and I are going to have our second baby! I am 10 weeks and 1 day... due May 18th.

9 weeks: yikes! I don't think I looked like this until 20 weeks with Teagan!

10 weeks, 1 day

   Getting pregnant has been a long and difficult journey. We tried for 13 months, had 1 miscarriage, and infertility treatments in order to conceive Teagan. Just after Teagan turned one, we started talking about trying again since we knew it would probably take a while. In March, I decided to go back to my doctor and have her check me out and I'm so glad I did! The cyst I had on my right ovary had grown larger than the ovary itself, making it even more difficult to conceive. The doctor suggested I have surgery to remove it, so I scheduled the procedure for the beginning of April. The surgery ended up being more complicated than expected....my cyst ruptured, I had another cyst on my left side that hadn't shown up on ultrasound, and I was covered with Endometriosis that had closed both of my fallopian tubes. They were 100% blocked. While I was in recovery, the doctor told Renny that because my tubes were both blocked we had a 99% chance of needing in vitro fertilization to have a baby.
   Definitely not the news we wanted to hear. I began praying about the situation and for the first time, I truly gave this burden over to God. I felt so incredibly blessed to have a daughter that I almost felt like I was asking too much to have another baby. Why did I deserve to, when so many other women cannot? I prayed for strength to be prepared for whatever outcome the Lord had planned. I saw my doctor a week later for a post op appointment and she told me that there was one last test she wanted to try before sending me to the IVF specialist. The name of the test is somewhere around 10 syllables, but basically they attempt to force a type of dye thru the fallopian tubes, flushing them out and opening them up. I knew what to expect because I had done this before getting pregnant with Teagan. (My right tube had been closed since trying to get pregnant with Teagan) The test is time sensitive with your cycle, so I knew it would take a bit of time before I could do it. I continued to pray and pray and pray, until I really felt the weight lift off my shoulders. I was ready to be satisfied with having only one child.
   The day came to have the test done, and I prayed the entire way to the hospital. The doctor who did the test was very nice. He talked to me the entire time and wanted to know how I came to need this test. At the end, he showed me the x-ray film and said, "well Amber, I'm not sure what happened in the month since your surgery, but both of your tubes are completely clear."
   "Excuse me? What did you say?" was my reaction and upon hearing him repeat his previous sentence, a tear began to run down my face. (weird, I know, but I am an ugly crier, haha! No one needs to see that) PRAISE GOD! I absolutely hate crying in front of people, so I did my best to thank him and get to my car quickly. Then I preceded to cry tears of happiness and thankfulness the whole drive home. I prayed, praising and thanking God for this miracle the entire way and didn't even stop to call Renny and tell him the news! When I called him, he couldn't believe it either. I called my doctor and let her know and when I went back to see her she reviewed the results and gave us the go ahead to try on our own for 3 months before we looked into any infertility treatments.
   Try we did for a month, a second month, and a third month with no positive pregnancy test. I would like to say that this didn't get me down, but I would be a liar. It was disappointing, but I just kept praying for the Lord to give us a baby or give me the strength to realize it wasn't going to happen. Renny and I talked and decided to just try another month before trying anything else. I still made an appointment with my doctor to explore our options, but she couldn't see me for another month anyway.
   Three days before I was scheduled to see the doctor about infertility treatments, I took a pregnancy test. It came back POSITIVE! Another miracle! More tears, but luckily Renny promised to love me forever, even if I am an ugly crier :) I am now 10 weeks and 1 day pregnant. There hasn't been a day that has past that I haven't thanked God for allowing us to have another child. Sometimes I still want to cry, I am so happy. Miracles do happen and God is always responsible for them.
   Thank you, thank you, thank you Jesus for this opportunity. I can't wait to meet my new son/daughter next year!