Bryce-6 months

Bryce is six months old! He looks so much like Caden, I better start labeling pictures so I know which is which when they're older. Bryce has a little bit more of Chad's look, though, which I love.


With Bryce being six months, I decided it was time to start some cereal. It was a little sad for me, as I love being the only one to feed him. It's like all through pregnancy and up to this point, I am the one who gives him all of his nourishment and this is the first small step in him not being so dependent on me anymore.
I shouldn't feel too bad, though. He isn't very proficient at eating solids so I'll probably be feeding him for awhile still!

It is amazing to me that such a little baby can already know how to purse his lips so tightly that nothing can get in. Until it's something he likes (bananas) on the spoon and suddenly he's all for it.


We love Bryce. At the end of our whirl-wind Thanksgiving week which included the beach, Disneyland, parks, shopping and something planned every day, he was nominated the MVP of the trip--he was just so good. He is pretty cheerful, good at going with whatever we're doing, and tolerant when Caden insists on helping do everything for him.


I was so scared for our drive to Utah over Christmas, but he and Caden were champs. Bryce just sat in the back seat and talked and played and slept the whole trip. I put his and Caden's carseats together and I LOVED watching Caden take care of Bryce-getting him toys or his binky.
Life is good with my little boys.

Pictures

Here are a few pictures from when Chad's parents were here.

Playing trains


Visiting Newport Beach Temple


Watching the garbage man


Caden waiting for his grandma and grandpa to wake-up so he could play with them.


New Year's Eve. Chad fried wings and Cindy made enough snacks and dips to feed us for days. We were pretty low-key playing games, watching movies, and of course, stuffing ourselves silly!

Rose Parade Float Party

Chad's parents came back with us to California after Christmas. One of the things we'd planned on doing all together was go to the Rose Parade. Apparently you have to sleep on the sidewalks the night before to get a seat to view the parade.

Chad was the first to drop out of the plan when he found out he had to be at the clinic at noon that day and I quickly followed. No way was I taking 2 boys to watch a parade with 700,000+ others without him!

Norm and Cindy decided to stay home with us, too, and we made it a party eating apple-spice filled ebelskievers while we watched it.

That afternoon, however, we decided to attend the float party where you get to see the floats up close. Norm served his mission in soCal, and although that was over 40 years ago, he is still so good at navigating around. Parking could have been a nightmare (the park and ride had a 2 hour wait) but Norm (somewhat unknowingly) found us a spot about 2 blocks from the event.
It was fascinating to see the float up close. I loved this dinosaur one that had artichokes for foliage


and brussel sprouts to give the texture.



We definitely weren't the only ones who had this idea (about 150,000 attend the float party).



One of my favorite things was afterwards, we drove down Colorado Blvd (the parade route) and practiced our waving--




The crews were already putting the city back together--here they are re-installing a street light.


Mounds of trash

Christmas

I hope you had a Merry Christmas! This was my favorite Christmas in recent years because of how much fun it was to have a child who finally got excited about the holiday. I loved attending church on Christmas morning as well.





Every time Caden saw Santa, he always asked for Nemo jammies and Star Wars undies. Do you know how hard it is to come by Nemo jammies right now? He couldn't go for Cars or Toy Story or any other movie that's currently popular. Good thing Santa knows how to use ebay.
Caden also got Star Wars toys, nerf guns, a remote control car, some books and treats. Bryce got a board book. That's what happens when you're the baby.


We got to talk to Chad's brother who is on his mission in London. It was a little sad because it is the last of the missionary phone calls in either of our families.

Chad got a wii. I think all of his dreams have now come true.

Nativity

Our ward had a great Christmas party. They had activities for the kids...cookie decorating, Santa, crafts, etc. One of the activities was to dress up as characters from the nativity. Caden said he wanted to be an angel (we couldn't find a halo, so a crown had to do. Chad informed me the angel didn't have a halo anyway) and Bryce was a shepherd.



When it was time to go, Caden gently put the baby Jesus back into the cradle, and got him all settled--covering him and tucking the doll in tight. Then he leaned in to give the baby a kiss good bye kiss.



That little boy melts my heart.