2012!

2012 was a truly blessed year for the Johnson family.  I can hardly believe how fast it went!  Here is our year in review... in pictures, of course!

{January}

unseasonably warm weather, book worm, bumbo time

{February}

6 months old, started solid foods, lots of smiles and sweet faces

{March}

first picnic, enjoyed spring time outside, new foods and lots of high chair time

{April}

first easter, play time with friends, visit to Minnesota

{May}

1st Mother's Day, Lainey's dedication, finger painting, 1st TULIP TIME!

{June}

#2 is a BOY, new car seat, 1st pool trip

{July}

cruising around furniture, getting into everything, 1st plane ride, trip to North Carolina, 1st visit to the ocean (for Jed AND Lainey!)

{August}

Lainey's 1st birthday!

{September}

trip to Minnesota for Labor Day, walking toddler!

{October}

enjoying fall, trip to apple orchard, Halloween at Jed's office

{November}

sweet time with Lainey before her brother's arrival, welcoming Wyatt, baby snuggles, Lainey meets a horse on Thanksgiving

 {December}

preparing for Christmas, special visitors from NC, snow day, celebrating Christmas!

So much has happened in one year.  We've been abundantly blessed.  I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store!

Christmas {2012}

We had a great, great Christmas this year.  We stayed here in Des Moines for the first time and made some wonderful memories with some extended family and as a little family of 4.  I think I'll let the pictures do the talking.

There was a very small pile of presents under the tree... until Grandma and Grandpa showed up!

One of Lainey's gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Johnson was this fun sled!  We've yet to try it outside but it's a big hit in the living room!

My big girl on Christmas Eve.  I cannot believe she stood still long enough AND smiled for me to take her picture!

Wyatt... unimpressed with the present thing.

That tissue paper was pretty exciting to Lainey!

All I wanted for Christmas was a decent picture of my family.  This one is totally imperfect and perfect at the same time.  I LOVE it. 

Christmas morning!

Auntie Em picked out this sweet shirt for Wy Guy!

Lainey got some new animals for her zoo!

AND a big girl water bottle!  Now maybe she won't steal Mom's!

We got the kids a few new books for Christmas.  This one, Christmas in the Manger, is PRECIOUS.  A wonderful and simple book about the birth of our Savior!  I'd highly recommend it!  Isn't the page below so adorable?

Big hugs for Dad!  

Wyatt and the aftermath!

 With having my hands a little more full these days, I didn't get any more pictures Christmas Day (besides phone pics) when we traveled to Knoxville for Christmas lunch and family time but it was wonderful.  We definitely missed seeing family in Minnesota and all of the traditions there, like Uncle Todd's omelettes, but it was nice to sleep in our own beds and attend church here, etc.  Thankful for a great Christmas season with our little family and most especially for the true meaning of Christmas - Happy Birthday Jesus!

dear Lainey {16 months}

Lainey,

These days you are both a hilarious toddler and a blessed frustration, often within 10 seconds of the other.  You know what you want, but you don't know what you need or what's best ... I suppose that one won't change for the next 17 years or so.  Your vocabulary is exploding but it's still really tough to understand what you're saying sometimes and you tend to stick to single syllables most of the time.  Da, Mom, do(g), fsh, NO (you know that one real well), hi, doh (window), tee (tree), chair,  Sigh (Simon), Pa (Grandpa), Bee (baby), NeeNee (Lainey), nack (snack), car, waffle, shee (sheep), pig, see (horsie)...the list goes on.  You have started to put words together though.  Tonight you said "Bye Wy, bye baby, bye Sim" on your way to go to bed.  It was so totally precious.

You love dressing up.... scarves, random articles of clothing, etc.  You insisted on wearing this little ensemble to bed the other night.  It was the most precious sight to peek in on you sleeping in your crib, with this tutu on.  So sweet.

One of the funniest things about you right now is your LOVE of nap time and bed time.  You are the only child I've ever heard of who literally leaps out of our arms into your crib most afternoons and evenings.  You consistently nap for 2-3 (glorious) hours and are more than ready for bed by 7:30pm and stay there without a peep for 12 hours each night.

You're a great eater and you're SO good with your spoon and fork.  Helps a lot these days since I don't have enough hands to hold or nurse a baby and feed you at the same time!

I love including you in on cooking and baking in the kitchen.  My friend Allison got you this adorable apron and you are pretty tickled with it.  Sitting on the counter or stovetop is your favorite thing these days.

You loooove animals.  Books about animals, animals on TV and your Little People zoo are the best.  You amaze me with what you know - you can point out animals when I name them that I can't ever remember teaching you.  You also love telling us what animals "say" - your best ones are for dogs, sheep, monkeys and chickens.  Here's a video of you and your zoo...

Your dad and I are loving this age.  It is so fun to teach you new things and words and watch you figure things out on your own too.  We think you are so great and we are so thankful for you!

Love, Mom

Merry Christmas to you!

^{MERRY CHRISTMAS!}

 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,  and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 

{Luke 2:9-14}

Merry Christmas, from our little family, to yours!

Life at home lately...

With the temperatures getting colder, (plus with a roaming toddler and nursing infant...) we've been staying in a little more often but we are staying busy and happy at home!

This little one just started smiling last week and it absolutely melts my heart!  He is just so stinkin' sweet. (Even though our nights are getting harder... :(

I picked up some McDonalds on the way home from story time one day for lunch and shared a few french fries with Lainey.  She looooved them and looooved dipping them in ketchup.  I think I created a ketchup monster.

Is that hat not the cutest thing you've ever seen?  

I spent ALL day this Wednesday making my Grandma Charlotte's cinnamon rolls for Jed to take to work for food day, only to have his office closed (along with the rest of the city of Des Moines!) on Thursday.  He still took them today and I hear they are a hit!  I thought they turned out pretty good too!  Mmmm!

Wyatt's first snow day!  We perched him next to the bay window in his bouncy seat and he loved looking outside!

But this is actually how Wyatt spent most of his snow day...!

While Dad was out snow blowing the driveway, we brought some snow INSIDE to play with!  Lainey wasn't a huge fan but we'll try it again...

My good friend Jill took me on a belated birthday date on Tuesday night!  It was my first outing without the kiddos for something FUN (although solo trips to Hy Vee and Target these days are pretty great) and it was so wonderful.  Wyatt drank a 5 oz bottle from his Daddy-o!  Way to go buddy!  Lainey never really took a bottle so she was pretty much attached to me for 10 months so this was huge.  Anyway, this is what I arrived home to.  How sweet!

We've been getting into more coloring lately!  So fun!

Here are a few videos from my adorable kiddos...  The first is Lainey trying to say "Ho! Ho! Ho!" and the second is a video of Wyatt being adorable.  He seemed to have found his voice this week!

We are super excited to see both sets of Grandparents this weekend and celebrate CHRISTMAS!

Visitors!

In early December, we were lucky enough to have my sister Emily and our niece Claire visit Iowa to see us and meet Mr .Wyatt!  It was such a wonderful extra long weekend.  Just like when they visited us last year, we were all crammed into our tiny house but it was SO much fun. 

It is really amazing the difference a few months makes with little kids.  The last time we saw Miss Claire was in August for Lainey's birthday.  She has grown up so much in just 4 months!

The girls played really well together - they share many loves...  babies, tea parties, goldfish, milk, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and their Grandma and Grandpa (who visited over the weekend as well!).  Here are some pictures from our weekend... 

Claire absolutely fell in love with her "baby Wy" ... She hardly left him alone.  Good thing she'll have one of her own to dote on later this winter!

 

Love a little cousin bath time!

Christmas jammies!

Lovely chaos!

Morning jump around!

This is what we were dealing with when Emily and Claire were getting ready to leave!  Lots of tears!

We were sad to see Emily and Claire leave but the next time we see them this spring, we'll get to meet our new nephew/cousin!  Yeah babies!  Wyatt is pumped to have a little buddy!