Merry Christmas

So, I obviously have not been very good at keeping up on the blog, but at least I can wish everyone a Merry Christmas and put up some recent pictures for you to enjoy (if anyone is even still checking this since it's been so long since I've posted anything) :) This year we have been trying to emphasize the fact to Sean Jr (Ezra's a bit young) that the reason we give presents on Christmas is because God gave Jesus to us - the greatest present ever! Thank you, God!!

Gidget and other fun things!!

My friend, Nicole, has a really cool new blog where she is sharing all kinds of advice, info, and tips. She is having a giveaway now of some super cute gifts as she starts up her etsy store. GO check it out at www.gidgetgoeshome.com and you could win!!

Other fun things are that Ezra is almost 1 now!!!! (at the end of the month)He is WALKING!!! He still reverts to crawling when he wants to, but he's standing up from the ground and choosing to walk on his own with his arms straight up in the air :) He is also a mischeivious little guy - climbing, opening, lifting, tipping over, and getting into EVERYTHING!!! He has his big brother to wrestle with and wants to be doing whatever he is. Sean Jr is loving "helping" daddy work on the backyard - playing in the dirt pile and hammering pieces of concrete. He loves to pretend with his toys or pretend that he himself is an animal, movie character, or someone we know. We are enjoying our house and making it a home.

Adventures in Daley-ness

The biggest adventure in the last month is that we bought a HOUSE!!!! Along with that we have a now "cruising" and crawling-like-crazy baby and a bundle-of-energy 3 yr old. We've been working on our house when we can - painting, cleaning, recovering chairs, building shelves, fixing screens, ordering blinds, buying all kinds of fun things :) We've also been taking walks to the park, going to the zoo, hanging out with friends, having grandparents here to help, and all the other normal everyday things we do. Oh, also, Ezra got his first hair cut (he had a very long piece on the top/back). Here are a couple pictures and more will hopefully come soon :)

7 Months Old!

Here are the 7 month doggy pictures I promised:



As you can see, now that he can roll and scooch it's not so easy to get the picture :)
I wanted to put up more videos, but I don't think it's working (worked on preview, but when I viewed the blog I couldn't see it) - sorry about that.
Here are a couple more pics to enjoy instead :)

Video!!

Here is Ezra enjoying some home-made baby food (yea for me :)) - it's so cute the way he "talks" while he's eating now - it sounds like he's saying "num, num, num!" I think it's pears that he's eating in the video.


More videos to come soon!

Things are about to get interesting

At 7 months old, Ezra has started scooching (is that a word?) forward now!!! It's sort of like the "army crawl" but he uses both arms at once under him and pushes with his feet and pulls himself forward. He'll be crawling full force very soon - I can feel it :) So, we've begun re-baby-proofing. It's fun to watch him see a toy and go after it - and he's eager to be doing what his big brother is doing too. They have so much fun making each other laugh! Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment (7 month doggy picture coming soon!)




Also, a couple weeks ago, my brother and his family were here from Colorado and we had so much fun!

Fun, fun, fun!

So last weekend I went away with my moms group to a hotel in Costa Mesa for an overnight getaway! It was called "Beauty of Simplicity" and there was a "black dress" dinner and raffles and games and food and all kinds of girly relaxing. It was wonderful! Sean was at home with the two boys!!!! First time I've left Ezra overnight and he did great - took the bottle fine and behaved very well for daddy! The boys went over to our friends the Beans house (Janet was also on the retreat with me) Fri night and then met up with a couple dads and their kids at the park on Saturday. As soon as it was over, we headed south for a gathering with the Daley fam.

Also, last month, we went to the Long Beach aquarium with Sean and Ezra's great grandparents and cousins and to the LA zoo with our dear friends the Patricks. Here are a few pictures of all of these fun, fun, fun events! :)

froggy and doggy

Here are the pictures you've all been waiting for. This is Ezra's 5 month doggy picture (although he is almost 6 months old now!)And here is Sean Jr's first froggy picture (he was 4 days old) and his 3 year old froggy picture!

We were in the parking lot of Costco the other day and a woman said, "Aaah, my 20 yr old son is in Iraq right now, I'd give anything for a day with him at that age (talking about Sean Jr). It's true what they say - they do grow so fast! I want us to truly enjoy every stage with them and appreciate what God has given us!!! Here is one more picture just for fun and cause I think my boys are the cutest!

Getting big. . .

Sean is 3 years old!!!!
Ezra is 5 months old!!!
Here are some pictures for your enjoyment. Check back soon for the froggy/doggy picture and more details (too hard to write while nursing!)

Priorities and Funny Things

We have been examining our priorities in the last week, prompted by a study in our Sunday morning interaction group. When asked, we would of course say that our priorities are God, marriage, kids, then everything else. But is that always what they truly are?? No. So, we are committing to fix that by setting daily Bible reading times (setting the alarm to get up before the kids do!), prayer nights and adding more prayer times with Sean Jr too. Also, we are committing to spend one hour each week (at least) kid-free to just talk and re-align these priorities. God is amazing, and we know He will do amazing things through us if we give ourselves to Him. Pray for us, if you will, and also I challenge you to take an honest look at your own priorities.

Okay, on to the "funny things." Sean Jr is almost 3 years old!!! I can hardly believe it! He is always doing and saying things that make me laugh (and sometimes make me frustrated, but let's try to focus on the good). *A while back, we got a box in the mail and I was going to open it. Sean Jr said "You don't have a knife. You're not a man, you're a girl, so you don't have a knife." I said he was right, but that I could find some scissors to use :) *I asked Sean Jr to throw a diaper away for me and he said "Not a chance!!!" Anyone who knows [big] Sean probably knows that he got that from him! I started laughing so hard that for about a week every time I asked him something he gave me that answer cause it was so funny. I had to convince him not to say that anymore!*We play music for Sean Jr when he goes to sleep and since his CD player is not working, we've been playing the radio. Well, he can recognize some artists and I hear him calling to me from his room sounding very excited, "Mommy. . . Jeremy Camp is in my room, too!!!"*It may be time to get a new CD player based on the next funny thing he said - I have his radio set on the Fish (Christian station) which has commercials, of course, one being about advertising for your product/business on their station. After his nap one day, we were playing outside and he said to me, "Mommy, how are you abvertising on the fish???"Never a dull moment around here!Just for a little update on Ezra - he is almost 4 months old (on the 25th) and such a joy! He smiles easily and often and laughs now too which melts your heart! He rolls to his side, but hasn't gone over yet. He loves to watch his brother go back and forth and round and round as he plays, although he sometimes gets startled by him too. He is pulling everything he can into his mouth, I think he may be teething already! It's amazing having a little baby around again ("little" does not technically describe him, but you know what I mean). We are enjoying being a family of 4!!!