Truth

Jump for joy...

Christmas is here.

Trouble? Yes.

Do you really need to ask?

It is Beckam.... middle name mischief.

He found markers at Jason and Melissa's house and just couldn't resist. 

I couldn't resist having to turn around to hide my laughter when looking at him.

These pictures were actually the next morning after breakfast so it had worn quite a bit. {yes, I did let him sleep, eat, and play with it all over his face.  Bad mom? Maybe. But it made me laugh.}

Apparently he did not notice it was there until he saw his reflection in the bathtub faucet.  It was great.

Seriously love this little boy.

I often shake my head and wonder what on earth happens in that little brain of his but he sure keeps things interesting fun around here.

Happy birthday, little lady

It happened.  About 1 month ago {ahem, yep slacker} my baby turned 1.  Cannot believe it, then again it feels like it has always been.  I have been smitten with this little lady since the moment I met her.

It has been such a joy to watch her learn and grow.  It is truly fascinating how a little girl can be so vastly different from her brothers but also fit so perfectly.  She is full of love, smiles and so much joy.  She has filled a void in me that I did not even know existed until she was born and I felt so much more whole. 

She does have a bit of shyness in her that is typically only manifest in large, unfamiliar groups {unfortunately, just like her mama.}  She loves to observe and cautiously join, until she is comfortable.   However, her eyes always sparkle with so much happiness.  It makes my heart happy to see her.

   

It has been such a joy to have her in our family.  We all adore her and cannot get enough of her.

Things to remember-

-You are this close to walking.  You will walk on your knees or holding someone's hand but not on your own quite yet. {mom, and you tights, hope you start soon}

-You talk all.the.time.  It is so so so cute to listen to you jabber.  I think you sound like a little martian with your words.  Love it.

-When you get shy you will put your head down and your hands over your ears.

-Your hair can finally hold a clip by its self.  It usually stays.... until you realize it is there and pull it out to chew on.

-You love to smile at everyone.  You know when you are the center of attention and soak it in.

-You have the best belly laugh.

-You climb on and pull out everything.

-Your favorite thing, that you cannot have, is moms wallet.

-At 12 months you weighed 20lbs and were 30 inches tall.  

Sure do adore you, little lady!

typical saturday morning.

Doesn't everyone 

lay in bed,

in their undies,

and laugh their guts out

on Saturday mornings?

That's normal,

right?

Capri: Month 9 & 10

Now that you are almost 11 months I guess it is about time....

-You have become extremely mobile these past few months.  You started your army crawl a few months back but you have finally realized it is much faster {and cleaner } to use your knees instead of your tummy.

-You love to eat and get V.E.R.Y. frustrated if we are eating and you are not getting a bite.

-You love people.  You give loves, hugs, and smiles to everyone you see.

-You like to give big bear hugs when you get out of bed.

-You love the stairs and are actually rather good at them.

-You like to stand up on everything.

-You now have 7 teeth and like to remind us that they are there.  {ouch}

-You babble all day long.

-You usually go to bed at 7pm and wake up around 7:30am.

-You really love bananas.


We love, love, love you to pieces.  You are the sweetest little thing and we are so thankful to have you in our family.  We all adore you.

-You are always getting new bumps and bruises.

-You say mama and dada all day long.

-You are starting to think that big kid food is way cooler than baby food.

-You like to try and steal Beckams' sippy cup.

Someone please tell me...

How did this happen?

Seriously.

First day of kindergarten was a complete success.

He came home asking why he couldn't stay all day.

Home work, uniforms, school projects.

I am a full fledge mom now.

I love it.

Capri: Month 8

I cannot believe that we have reached 8 months already!  You are closer to 1 year than you are to being a newborn... how did that happen!?

You are the pretty much the sweetest baby ever.  

-you love your blankets. a lot.

-you have not met a food you don't like.  You are always interested in taking a taste of whatever we are eating.  Your recent favorite has been graham crackers and bananas.

-you love the pool.  You will sit back and float around all day.

-you were not too interested in the beach.  

-you love to smile and do at everyone.

-you recently found your voice... and it is loud.

-you just got a new highchair and you think you are pretty cool stuff in it.

-you are still a pretty good sleeper and if you have to miss a nap you are pretty good and just going with the flow.

-you just started to army crawl and seem to find everything and anything on the floor.

-you l.o.v.e. jewelry.  I have to turn my wedding ring into my palm when I feed you because you always want to grab it and eat it.

-you are still wearing 6-9 month clothing.

-you will do anything to get a hold of a diaper.  You find them so interesting.

-you bring so much peace to our house.

We love you little lady.  So so so much.  You bring us all so much joy.... 

but you are getting big way too fast!  Just stay little forever.

*side note: yes, Beckam did turn 3.  I didn't forget.  We celebrated.  I didn't take pictures, shoot.  He was so sweet.  I am working on his 3 year old pictures.... soon.

Yum.

Don't you just want to eat her all up?

She is pretty much the sweetest thing... ever.

Capri: Month 6 & 7

I cannot believe that 7 months has passed with this little peanut.  She is such a joy and is growing up so quickly.

-you are finally brave enough to sit all on your own.  you still tip yourself over sometimes when you get excited but for the most part you do well.

-you love your baby food.  you haven't found one yet that you don't like.

-you love to squeal all the time.

-you sleep 11-13 hours at night... its a beautiful thing.

-you are totally content to take your naps in the car seat.

-you are complimented on your eyes all the time...they are a beautiful blue.

-you had your second tooth pop through.  

-you chew on everything.

-you can roll but only do so when you are in the mood.

-you love your soft blanket.

-you smack your lips often.

-you love to softly run your fingers through moms hair and just look at it.

-you go with the flow well.

-you love, love, love the pool.  we put you in your floaty and your relax the whole afternoon.

-you hate the big bathtub, go figure.

 -you also turned 6 months old... a month ago.  I was intentionally waiting to post the 6 month pictures until we had you weighed at the doctors.  However, the appointment was pushed back several weeks because of a trip to the ER we had to make with you.  One night you spiked a fever and couldn't stop throwing up.  You quickly became very lethargic and glassy eyed so we rushed you to the ER in the middle of the night.  After many hours, test, prods, and pokes the finally discovered that you had a UTI, you were one sad little baby. 

We did eventually make it to the pediatrician for your 6 month check.

At 6.5 months-

Weight- 16lbs 4oz

Height- 26.5 inches

Head- 43.5 cm

You are such a joy and we are all so thankful for the sweet and calming spirit you bring to our family.  We love you baby girl!

Blessings from Heaven

 Back in February Jared blessed this sweet baby girl of ours, and it was beautiful.

We were lucky enough to be surrounded by all of our family.  We waited until my cute brother, Ryan, came home from his mission so he could be there with us.  We were also then able to enjoy his amazing homecoming talk the next morning.

We went to Utah and were actually able to bless her in my sister-in-law, Marisa's, house on Saturday February 26, 2011.  It was so wonderful to be in Wright's home with family and friends and to watch all the men who love Capri dearly take part in giving her a name and a blessing.  

It was beautiful.

 Little Miss was an absolute angel.  

The blessing was followed by a delicious dinner and lots of chatting and laughing.  It is such a blessing to have this sweet little baby girl in our lives, to have the gospel and the priesthood and to have family that loves us all and each other so much.

Such blessings from Heaven. 

It was so much fun to pick out her blessing dress and all the little "details" to go along with it.  I found her beautiful ivory dress in a little antique shop in Ohio and then her Uma and Papa bought it for her.  It was a joy to plan the blessing and even more wonderful to be there.  

Thank you to all of our family and friends that made the trek to Utah to share in this wonderful occasion with us.  

How lucky

That I get to call these 2 little men mine!

They make my life crazy.

They make my life loud.

They make my life happy.

They make my life.

They are learning {in small steps} to really enjoy each other.  They are definitely brothers and like to "love" each other like brothers {punching, kicking, bugging} but they are really starting to have fun together.

There is nothing like watching your children learn to love each other.

Capri: Month 4 & 5

 Once upon a time there was a little girl named Capri and her mommy was really good about posting about her... until she turned 4 months. {lame, I know!}

Month 4 has come and gone and seemed to fly by.  Despite all the doctors visits, runny noses, mucousy coughs, breathing treatments, and sleepless nights we made it through and couldn't have loved this little baby any more. 

At 4 months you were...

24.5 inches long

11 lbs 14 oz 

and

41 cm head circumference

You are officially smallest and longest baby in our family.

And before I knew it 5 months snuck up on us.

-You love to smile.

-You giggle and laugh all day long.

-You love to sleep snuggled up with your blanket by your cheek.

-You love to stand on our laps so you can see what is going on.

- You are a little talker.

-You are finally wearing 6-9 month clothes.

-You really like your rice cereal.

-You usually go to bed around 8:30 p.m. and wake up around 8 a.m. 

-You drool all.the.time.

-You love to chew on anything, especially your clothes.

- Your cheeks are starting to fill out and you are getting little chubs on your thighs.

-You eat 6-8oz per feeding.

-Your little eyes sparkle.

-Your arms and legs are always going.

-Nicknames include- baby girl, Caaaapri, and peanut.

You are the sweetest and easiest little baby ever.  We love you so so so much!

Brotherhood: defined

I love my little men and they love each other... most of the time.

It has been interesting to watch their relationship grow and develop.  To watch them try to figure out where each others buttons are and how to push them just enough without getting into trouble.  But in the same breath, be the one they turn to when they do.  

When I lay in bed at night and think of them I picture them as they are above. 

Holding hands.

Looking to each other for guidance.

Laughing together.

However, when I wake up and am actually in the throws of life with them this is how it R.E.A.L.L.Y is...

I will take it.

It is real.

And it makes me giggle.

So there you have it... 

Brotherhood in real life.

Capri: Month 3

Can you believe it... 3 whole months!!  Time is going so fast I just cannot believe it.  I am not sure if it is because she is my 3rd and I am into "mom grove" or because she is my little girl but I am so happy, content, and in love with this little baby.

She just makes my heart happy.

 -you love to smile.  especially at mom... and I love it!

-you just discovered your hands and are constantly fascinated by them.

-you are always holding onto your shirt with your right hand.

-you just started to giggle a little bit.

-you sleep about 8 hours at night.

-you do not like the camera.  You smile and smile until the camera comes up and then the smiles are gone.

-your eyes are still blue... and absolutely beautiful.

-you love your blanket by your cheek when you fall asleep.

-you take most of your naps in your car seat... Guess it comes with having older siblings that are always on the go.

-you made your first "sick trip" to the doctor.  poor baby!

-your arms and legs are constantly moving but yet you still remain so calm.

-you always want to see people.  you can be screaming your lungs out and if we just walk into view you are fine.

-you love your tongue and are always sticking it out.

-you eat about 5 ounces per feeding.

-you can calm anyone who is holding you.

-you are all girl.  even your cry is sweet and dainty.

-you love to keep eye contact with whoever has you.

We L.O.V.E. you our sweet little Capri.  You have brought so much peace and happiness to our home.

Christmas 2010

 Santa made it to our house and it was truly a success.  I gave myself a gift this year.  I decided to allow myself to enjoy the moment rather than spend all of my time trying to document every second of what happened.  It is always such a struggle to know when to just stop, put down the camera, and enjoy my children being children and this year I decided that the first few moments would be documented in print and the rest as memories I will carry with me forever.

 We had the pleasure of having my cute sister and her adorable family with us for Christmas.  Alli and I couldn't help but laugh when we realized that we had unknowingly put all the boys in the same jammies. What are the odds that we would not only have bought the same ones but also put them on them the same night... we must be sisters or something :).

We also were able to have some good friends come over to join in the Chaos of Christmas morning with us and we also had my mom and dad with us via skype.  So it was a houseful.  So fun!

Cade loved everything he opened and wasn't afraid to share his excitement with all of us.  He is truly one of the most fun kids on Christmas morning.  So far the most played with gifts have been their Harry Potter wands and their remote control cars.

 

Beckam on the other hand had to be Convinced to open A.L.L. of his gifts.  He was so focused on all the candy that surrounded him that he had a hard time paying attention to anything else.  He was so worried that Cade would take his candy {and rightfully so} that he wanted to put it in his pockets to protect it.  Only problem, jammies don't have pockets.  That didn't stop Beck.  He shoved all his candy in his "pockets" anyway and carried it around in his pant leg all morning.  It was quite the sight to see him try and get it out.

Maddux was such a sweetie.  He wanted to just hang back and take it all in.  I can't blame the poor kid.... the Nielson boys can be rather overwhelming on a normal day let alone Christmas morning.

He was such a trooper.

And Miss Capri was an angel as always.  She slept most of the time and the boys took turns opening her gifts for her and then attempting to show her what she got.

Although I put down my camera and lived in the moment there was one that I just couldn't miss.  Jared and I have been so excited about having a backyard so we could get the boys a trampoline and it has been one of the best things we have ever bought.  The boys L.O.V.E. it.  They jump at all times of the day and night.

I love that I can look right through my kitchen window and watch them play, jump, and do whatever they can to get my attention.

It was truly a wonderful Christmas.  It was so nice to be surrounded by our family and to join in the excitement of childhood with them.  We feel so blessed.

Capri: 2 Months

...2 months...

10lbs 1 oz

22.5 inches

39cm head circumference

- you are the sweetest little thing ever.

-you are full of smiles.  you can always see your smiles coming before they show up.

- you average 4oz per feeding.

-you eat every 4 hours.  you are awake for 1.5 hours and then sleep for about 2.5.

-you cannot fall into a deep sleep unless you are wrapped up nice and tight.

-you always manage to pull your bows over your eyes when you are in the car seat.

-you spend a.lot. of time in the car but love it {thank heavens}

-you sleep for about 6 hours at night but made it to 9 hours once you hit 9 weeks.

-your brothers constantly smother you with kisses.

-you are a noisy sleeper.

-you have blue eyes. {crossing fingers they stay blue}

-you took your first vacation to California with mom and dad and were amazing!

-you did not like getting shots and let the whole doctors office know it but were totally fine as soon as they were over.

-you are so calming.

-you are finally fitting into 0-3 month clothes.

-we love you to pieces.