Christmas 2010

Briggs' first Christmas was busy and eventful! He handled it like a champ and even started sleeping through the night with the exception of a few nights! I'm so glad he has become a part of our family!This is my grandfather. He asked me to take a picture with Briggs! Isn't that cute! This was his first Christmas without my grandma. Grandpa turned 99 on December 23rd!! He came for the days when we had Christmas at my parents home. Somehow, he slept through the craziness...I guess being hard of hearing isn't always bad!
Piper and Briggs received a cool wagon from Michael's mom and step dad! Piper loves it!

I know it isn't good for a person to wear the glasses of someone else but this was too funny! I already know my dad is freaking out that we're going to ruin Piper's eyes as he looks at this picture! Don't worry Dad, she didn't wear them long!
This is Homa holding Briggs--Michael's grandmother. She turned 90 in November!
Back to Christmas at my parents. They bought a karaoke machine for the grand kids to enjoy. Piper was all about dancing to the music! Piper had a blast dressing up with her cousins! The pictures above and below are of her dressed up in some of my grandmother's 'red hat society' attire. My mom set some of that stuff back so the grand kids could play with it at her house when they visit!

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we were in Texas at Michael's dad and step mom's house. On Christmas Eve, Diana always prepares a fun party for the family to attend with music, yummy food, and drinks! Then on Christmas Day, we eat breakfast and open presents in our jammies and then eat a big Christmas dinner later in the day!
Piper had a lot of fun opening presents this year. She didn't understand that she could not open all the presents and became frustrated when all her presents were opened and she didn't have more. Many family members allowed her to open their presents!!
Michael giving Piper, Maggie, and Jonah a ride!
Grandpa with Briggs
Piper received a pillow pet from Grandma & Grandpa (weren't those popular this year!!) and she was in love with it instantly!!
This is Michael and Matt (his brother).
This is our sis-in-law, Amy(Matt's wife).
Our family Christmas picture. Piper has a mouth full of nuts! Lovely!
After all the Christmas festivities came to an end, Michael and I were able to take a "mini-vacation" in OKC! My sister, aka Wonder Woman, allowed us to leave both Briggs and Piper with her and her 4 kids while we stayed at the Skirvin for two nights! Her husband was even out of town! Michael and I shopped, slept in, ate yummy food, went to a movie...basically relished in freedom! It was a nice, needed break! I think it helped re-energize me!

Sometimes we're naughty and sometimes we're really, really nice!

Sister was caught on camera being super sweet to brother today! I think it's official--she likes Briggsy bear! Now that I'm mentioning nicknames we have a few around here...Piper is referred to as sister, sissy, sister pants, and Piper swiper! We call Briggs, brother, Briggsy bear, and bubby (not much though b/c she thinks bubby is the 'thing' that was in my tummy and Briggs was not that 'thing' in my tummy!!) Oh, and a door-to-door salesman that just came to our house referred to me as a domestic goddess instead of a stay-at-home mama so I'm digging that nickname right now! ...Now, how can I teach my kids to treat me like a goddess...hmmmm...:-)
Notice the red dot in the middle of her forehead! No, we haven't changed religions or cultures...a friend hit us with something at church on Sunday! ha! Lovely for Christmas pics! :-)
This is Briggs' new hobby--chewing on his fists! I think teething has begun. Boo to the hoo! I want him to stay a gummy grinned baby forever! Well, maybe not forever but longer than they do!!
9.5 weeks here! Last week at his 2 month appointment he weighed 15 lbs, 4 oz and measured 23.5 inches long. His weight was off the charts and height was in the 95th percentile but his head measured in the 25th percentile...not to worry though. The nurse said that was normal!
Briggs just moved into size 3 diapers last week and I'm already thinking we need to move him into size 4's real soon! Yikes!!!! Piper stayed in 3's forever! He's so close to sleeping through the night and when I say sleeping through the night I mean 6:30 am! Last Thursday night he slept until 6:30 then we had two nights in a row where he didn't make it, then two more nights of sleeping until 6:30 and then last night it was 5:30 am again! Ugh! At 15 lbs I think he can do it!! Most nights he sleeps until 5:30 at least. I put him down at 7:30 pm and he goes right to sleep then wake him to feed at 9 pm and then he goes right back down until morning. Piper was sleeping through the night by now so I'm rooting for him to hurry!! But, I'm in no hurry for him to get bigger!! Stay small!

From Last Week to This Week!

All I can say is "Whew!" I'm tired and somewhat stressed right now trying to figure out how to get everything done before Christmas! I'm sure Piper would appreciate having her 'normal' mommy back soon! And, Mommy sure would appreciate a vacation!! Haha! She still loves jewelry!
8 weeks! Do you think he's getting enough to eat??
One day we stayed in our pj's until late afternoon! These are Piper's favorite shoes. I don't think they even fit but she insists on wearing them! If they were the right size, I might let her wear them out!
This is the smile I got after saying I'd give her a piece of candy if she'd smile!
Briggs is such a happy and content baby!! I love his big grin and sweet coo's.
I had to post this pic b/c look at that roll hanging off of his face. Can you say "I like cream!!"
Daddy & Briggs at 8 weeks
Daddy & Briggs at 7 weeks
7 weeks
Last weekend our niece, Olivia came to stay with us for two nights. Piper loved having her around and Olivia was so good for us! I took the girls to our annual Christmas parade downtown. They were into getting candy and waving at the floats. Piper kept yelling, "Merry Christmas" to the people. She also kept asking me, "Is that Santa? Where's Santa?" throughout the entire float. She doesn't really understand the entire Santa thing and I haven't talked about him much. I think next year she'll be obsessed with him so I wasn't going to hurry along the obsession anytime soon! Plus, she is still a bit scared of all the costume stuff so going to see Santa isn't really an option right now. I'll stick to talking about baby Jesus!


Olivia with Briggs. She was such a big helper. I think Briggs has a bigger head than her!

Our Christmas Card

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We had our annual family portraits as well as Briggs' newborn portraits (even though he doesn't look like a newborn!) taken in our home a few weeks ago. I was quite pleased! Enjoy!

He's All Smiles!

Briggs sure has changed a lot in the last few weeks and has grown a ton. He's so sweet!! I love him to pieces!


I think the picture below looks like me when I was a baby...what do you think mom??
This pic represents our life right now...CRAZY!

Blame it on sleep deprivation!

Okay, in my last post I said that Piper was only 8 lbs, 2 oz. at 8 weeks old and I had a few question me on it and I adamantly said, "No, I read the email that I had sent when she was 8 weeks old and I swear it said that!" Well, I just double checked and the email said she was 8 lbs, 2 oz. at 3 (Yep, three) weeks old!! I guess my eyes thought I looked an 8 and instead I was looking at a 3! Haha!! So dorky!! I'm not getting as much sleep as I used to!!!

1 Month

(Update)One month stats: 12 lbs, 13 oz; 23 inches = 95th percentile for both height and weight!


One month has passed by so quickly! Now, don't get me wrong...there are moments that seem to last F-O-R-E-V-E-R and won't end soon enough!!! Briggs is a sweet baby! He's beginning to coo at times and his smiles, although few, can melt your heart. Piper loves him (as you can see in the picture above sharing a sweet moment!) but she also knows how to make mama go a bit postal by pulling, I mean, YANKING his arm and other mean spirited moves! I just love having a baby in the house; even though I'd like a nanny or someone to watch my kids while I get a 3 hour nap in every now and then! Ha! Sleep is overrated! Briggs is definitely growing like a weed! I weighed him at 3 weeks and he was either 12 or 13 lbs-couldn't quite tell on the scale. I take him for his 1 month checkup on Thursday. He's in a size 2 diaper and almost out of 0-3 month clothing and beginning to already wear 3-6 month clothing! Piper was 8 lbs, 2.5 oz. at her 2 month checkup so that gives you an idea of the difference in their sizes as babies! And, for the past 3 nights he has only gotten up one time to eat somewhere between 1-2:30 am and then he wakes up between 5:45 and 6 to begin his morning! I hope this lasts because I've been trying to train him to do that! We'll see!

3 Weeks

He's becoming more alert!! And, is quite the chunky monkey!

Future Cowboy

Briggs is sporting his 1st OSU shirt before Daddy heads out for the OSU/Baylor game!
And, I just couldn't resist posting this picture. This is such a dad thing to be holding your screaming kid and not notice it b/c something is more captivating on the television! Moms need that 'tune out' button too!!