Colton Samuel | Month 10 at a Glance

:: Got two more teeth
:: Smacks his lips when giving kisses
:: Mimics what other people are doing
:: When listening to music, he kicks his feet, claps his hands and bobs his head wholeheartedly
:: Stands all on his own
:: Weighs 26 pounds
:: Officially all grown out of 18-month clothing
:: Plays peek-a-boo
:: On the go. Constantly.
:: Still excessively cuddly, unless he has something to do, places to go, or people to see.
:: Has an ever-growing vocabulary consisting of Mom, Dad, Joochy-jooch (Jimmy), N'ston (Winston),Tia, Ta (Tabby), Wh'zuuuuuuuup? Wh'saaaaaaaat? Ba (bye, accompanied with earnest waving)...

Gratitude 30/30

I'm grateful for Christmas and traditions and Christmas trees and ornaments and festive festivities and the end of November and a gazillion gratitudes I can't possibly fit them into one month of lame mobile photos and stuff. I really am. But at the moment I'm mostly just grateful that my weird obsession and happy therapy is relatively safe and creative. Snowflake, anyone?

Gratitude 29/30

I'm so grateful for the incredible gift of motherhood. Even if we're not always photogenic.

Gratitude 28/30

THANKSGIVING DAY... And so grateful for my favorite and messy-est  troublemakers.

Gratitude 27/30

Grateful for pie baking evenings with one of the sisters such as this one.

Gratitude 26/30

Grateful for bedtime.

Gratitude 25/30

Some days I just can't help but be grateful for this little boy's exquisite sense of style. I need the laugh if he's going to pull all the other 3 year-old antics he does.

Gratitude 24/30

Because who isn't grateful for accessories?

What Life with a 2 Year-Old was Like

Finds a dead bug on the floor. "Oh no Mom! Fix him? The bug broke; he is not working!"

Jimmy and the neighbor's grandaughter make eye contact. For a long moment they stand there sizing each other up. Jimmy broke the awkward silence by raising his orange plastic pistol, pointed it at her and said, "Pcheeou!" and walked away. I found myself using one of those never-thought-I'd-say mom lines, Jimmy, don't shoot the neighbor kids!

Wet willies. Jimmy loves them. Loves giving them, loves receiving them. The only thing he can't stand is when you just give him one. It drives him  nuts. The other ear has to have one too.

Typical argument
   I love you, Jimmy!
   I love you, Mom.
   Awww
   I love you toooo!
   I love you more!
   No, I love you so so so so so much!!!

Watching me put makeup on says approvingly, "Mommy coloring!"

Jimmy and his cousin Kailyn go to their grandparents and always, always want to watch their favorite youtube over and over. Goat kids bouncing around set to holiday tunes.
Me (looing at a book with Jimmy) -- What does the bear say?
Jimmy -- RAAAWR!
Me -- What does the baby goat say?
Jimmy -- (singing) Jimgle bells, jingle bells!

Jimmy loves to peel onions.

Supposed to be cleaning up the toys in his room, Jimmy meanders into the kitchen. Sighs and says, "Huh. Beskipable me."

I have to admit, you do start re-thinking your whole makeup job when the 2 year-old points at your eyebrows and affectionately compliments you on your "Nice 'ustache."

Watching Jimmy put a very apologetic Winston in timeout for barking is hilarious.

Ever clumsy and obsessed with the color of everything, face plants the door. Shaking himself off he keeps running, and calls over his shoulder, "Hey Mom! What color's the door?"

Admiring my valiant efforts at carrying a large heavy basket full of groceries Jimmy sweetly complimented, "Wow. Good boy, Mom!"

"Oh hi, Buzz!" I say to Jimmy, clad in a ToyStory shirt.
"No," he corrected. "THIS is Buzz," pointing at his shirt, then pointing at his nose, "this is JIMMY."

Jimmy do you want to be Colton's mom today?
NO! I want to be Colton's JIMMY!

At his auntie's wedding, Jimmy was sitting at the edge of the dance floor admiring the laser lights. I asked him if he wanted to dance. "No," he replied, "I want to sit in the stars."

While trying to help Jimmy not pee on his shirt while going potty, he got all frustrated with me. "No, Mom! Jimmy can do it! You just.... go look in the mirror!"

Jimmy, do you have to go potty?
No, I have to go fart.

We were talking about birthdays. "Jimmy, you are going to have one next month and you're going to be THREE!" I say, holding up 3 fingers. A short time later I overheard him muttering happily to himself. "And Jimmy is going to be 'W'."

I found Jimmy looking at his reflection in a window, using a black crayon to draw eyebrows, side burns, an 'ustache', and a tiny little triangle beard on his face. Not bad for 60 seconds of my back turned.

Brushing his teeth, he proudly informed me, "I'm gittin' all the bugs out of my teeth, Mom!"

Trying to calm an over-tired, over-dramatic, melting down Jimmy who wanted to go to bed but didn't want to go to bed, I told him "You are a big boy; you're not a baby, you don't need to cry."
"No!" He snapped, "Jimmy is a BIG. BABY."

Jumped into his baby brothers bed and bounced while he sang "Two little monkeys jumping on the bed...!"

Playing at his Grandma's house with all of her awesome toys for kids, Jimmy starts going up stairs. He paused and articulately explained to me, "I will be right back. Don't move. Play with your toys."

Gratitude 23/30

I'm really loving happy bed heads like this one.

Gratitude 22/30

Grateful for this weirdo, relatively psychotic, obnoxious, child-proof family canine. He loves our kids (his brothers, according to him) and he kills spiders so he's alright in my book.

Gratitude 21/30

Especially grateful for snuggly cuddly snowy days like today... every once in awhile.

Gratitude 20/30

Grateful that I was successful in combining all my favorite ingredients of chocolate, pumpkin, oatmeal and whole wheat to create the moistest, delicious-est tried (3 times) and true cookie of the year. If you ask nicely I may reveal my secret recipe to you.

Jimmy's 3rd Birthday

It's quite possible that the 3 year-old in our house got a little bit spoiled in the celebrating of his big birthday. He's so cute and funny though it's hard to refrain from showering him with all the love in the world.

 

The festivities began a couple days before the turning of three when his grandparents had a little party for him.

  

 Lots of presents!

 And a super awesome yummy minion cake made by Grandma & "Tia"

Fact: Getting spoiled is exhausting.

 The morning of his birthday his mom and dad took him to Denny's for breakfast. He would have been satisfied if they only served chocolate milk.

 Because the other side of the family still wanted to celebrate with him we had another tiny party for him. I put a truck on a platter, loaded it up with chunks of crazy cake. Threw in a few gummy worms and topped it with a candle. Easiest birthday cake ever.

We sure like having this sweetheart of a kid that wraps everybody right around his pinky finger.

We love you, big guy!

Gratitude 19/30

I love hot glue and fabric scraps.

2014 Brittney Hobein Photograhy Wall Calender

I'm so excited to offer 2014 wall calenders of my original photographic work. Professionally printed on quality paper with some of my personal favorite photographs captured over the last year. I'm selling them for $19 (plus shipping, if applicable). Contact me to order (brittneyhobein@gmail.com). Order soon to get them in time for the holidays!

Okay, I'm off to do another happy dance....

Gratitude 18/30

Grateful that my boys love each other so much that when one sleeps the other doesn't know what to do with himself.

Gratitude 17/30

Grateful for super fun birthday nieces.

Gratitude 16/30

So grateful for this sweet and sharing little boy and his darling behavior when shopping for his toddler cousins' birthdays. Yep. I reward good shopping manners with special treats and toys.

Gratitude 15/30

Grateful to celebrate day 15 of the gratefulness challenge exploring my quaint historic tiny home town. And to enjoy a coffee date with the baby sis in the welcoming coffee shop while at it.

Gratitude 14/30

So so grateful for this beautiful, healthy little boy who bosses me around, cuts teeth all the time and snuggles his cuddly little self right around my heart.

Gratitude 13/30

Grateful that the dork dog is freaking awesome with my kids. Couldn't ask for a nicer canine pal for them.

Colton Samuel | Month 9 at a Glance

(October 30)

:: Learned to drink from a straw
:: Pulls himself up to a standing position
:: Walks along furniture
:: Says "All done!" when finished eating, playing, sleeping, etc.
:: After a few minutes of a red face, loud grunting, and then full-diaper satisfaction he will yell, "I DID! I DID! I DID!" until someone changes him. No joke.
:: Two new teeth!
:: Into ev.er.y.thing.
:: Weighs 24 pounds

Gratitude 12/30

Grateful for cozy hobbies on these short chilly days.

Gratitude 11/30

Grateful because every mom just needs a boy of many hats around.

Gratitude 10/30

Enjoying football Sunday. Go Packers!

Gratitude 9/30

So grateful that the world's best uncle belongs to my kids.

Gratitude 8/30

Grateful can't quite describe my deep appreciation for the blessing of having such a love in my life.

Gratitude 7/30

Happy that even though Fall has reached its peak in our corner of the world and moved on to drabber, colder things, the little maple tree in our yard is still exploding with color. Our yard, in fact, appears to be all about the Green and Gold... Go Packers.

James Teagon | 3 Years Old

(October 29)

LOVES

::  His Baby Colton. Seriously. Best friends ever.

::  His toys. All of them. Strewn all over the house.

::  That baby Colton loves to play with him. They go in their room, shut the door and play for hours. Occasionally Jimmy pokes his head out to let me know that Colton is playing with him and that Jimmy is being a good boy.

::  Helping in the kitchen

FAVORITE FOOD

::  Oatmeal

::  Pancakes

::  Fruit of all kinds

::  Pizza

LEARNED

:: how to wear big boy underwear and keep them dry (or, as he puts it, "Mater/Buzz/Bullseye/B'Queen butt" because he has awesome undies)

::  The alphabet. In sign language.

::  How to write "J", "I", "V", and "W" (only W looks more like WWWW).

::  Most colors.

::  How to count. Mostly.

WEARS

3-4T

size 9 shoes

FIRSTS
::  A new baby brother

::  trip to the zoo

FAVORITE SONGS

::  Jesus Loves Me

::  Happy Birthday

::  You've Got a Friend in Me

::  E I E I O

::  Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Baby Olson = Baby Colton

Candles = Sandals
Suuwatch = Sandwich
E-wau-you = I love you
Jumping Rex = Jumping jacks

And because I think he's the most adorable 3 year-old ever, there will probably be more posts dedicated to this milestone in his life. 

Gratitude 6/30

Grateful for yummy, yummy raisin toes.

Gratitude 5/30

Love my little Master Chef Junior who is becoming more precise and helpful every time he brings his chair-for-standing-on into the kitchen.

Gratitude 4/30

Grateful that once upon a lifetime ago I had the time and patience for tiny artistic details. Even more grateful for the tiny people that have discarded that lobe of my brain and overfilled the empty space with the joys of their very adorable selves.

Gratitude 3/30

Happy about maple leaves, and for a toddler reason to enjoy the art I loved as a kid.

Gratitude 2/30

Grateful for coffee in the morning. And the great husband guy who brewed it for me.

Gratitude 1/30

Thankful for my sunshine on a cloudy day

Josh & Mahrian | Two is Better Than One

This gorgeous country wedding, situated in my own small home town, was SO COOL. I loved being a part of this special day in their lives. Sweetest two people in the world, even going out of their way to make their hired professionals feel like part of the family. So grateful to get to witness their lives becoming one. They have what it takes to make the rest of forever last. 

Congratulations, Josh & Mahrian!!! 

Enjoy this little preview of their lovely day... There will be more on the Brittney Hobein Photography facebook page once the rest are closer to completion.