Because I Don't Want to Forget.

I always forget to scan our Christmas Cards.

This year I opted out of a Christmas letter. Too much work it seemed, and we barely got our family photos done in time. We kept waiting for Derek's schedule to work out and then the weather. Boy I am soooo happy with how they turned out. I have always wanted photos in the snow. It was perfect timing and we thought we'd just have to improvise not knowing  how the weather was going to be. I love seeing my little family grow and I'm glad we have photos to remember these amazing times. 

2012 to Rembember

January:

Derek started studying hard core for step 1. Eden was put in her big girl bed. 

February:

Derek turned 28. Found out we were having baby #3.

March:

Went to Disneyland for spring break. Eden turned 2.

April:

Celebrated 6 years of being married.

May:

Derek finished his 2nd year of medical school and was basically gone 24/7 studying for step 1. Found out we were having a girl.

June:

Sharice turned 27. Derek took and passed step 1. "He did great actually". Kids spent 2 weeks at Grandma and Grandpa Heaton's while Mom and Dad went to Europe and visited Derek's mission in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

July:

Derek began rotations for 3rd year of medical school in cardiology and internal medicine. Got a commuter car for Derek.

August:

Kael turned 4. Derek started his surgery rotation. Found out that I had placenta previa and would need a c-section.

September:

Kael started preschool. We were told the baby would need to come early, so Elara Jane Bradley was born on Sep. 25th.

October:

Derek started his psychiatry rotation. Celebrated Halloween.

November:

Derek did his OB/Gyn rotation. Visited Grandma and Grandpa Heaton.

December:

Derek has a 3 week break. Derek blessed Elara on Dec. 2nd. Celebrated Christmas and visit with friends and family.

This has been one crazy, busy, exciting year. I can only hope 2013 gives us as much joy as 2012.

One last thing I don't want to forget. A couple weeks ago we put presents from Grandparents under the tree. During nap time I was feeding the baby and Eden decided to come out and open all the presents under the tree. So, we decided to not put any presents under the tree until Christmas Eve as is our tradition. Well Christmas Eve night we put all the presents under the tree and put the kids to bed. While Derek was wrapping last minute presents and I was feeding the baby, once again Eden snuck out of bed and began opening presents! The little stinker obviously didn't learn her lesson. She then spent a half hour in time out because she refused to say sorry for opening other people's presents. She is so stubborn! She finally caved in and laughed as she said sorry. It was so frustrating, but it was a night to remember.

Elara LOVES her Dad!

Ward Christmas Party

Imagine opening the curtains and finding Eden Mooooooing at you. Yup. That's how it started. She wanted nothing to do with being a shephard. It was a COW all the way. If you look at her mouth you can tell she was mooing. And she did it through the whole entire play. Kind of embarrassing? Yes. BUT, mostly I laughed.

 Kael was the cutest wise man! He was "the red" wise man. He was so tired, and emotional by the end of the party. He just wanted to do the play over and over and over. He didn't want it to end. It was just too much fun dressing up as a wise man. He wanted to throw it into his dress up stuff.

If you can't tell, we had a lot of fun!

I'm so glad when Daddy is HOME!

Dad has taken us to the zoo, to the dinosaurs at City Creek, to see Santa Clause and we LOVE having Dad HOME!

 Eden is obsessed with clementines right now. She eats them like they are candy. 

Kael's Primary Program Part

Our primary program got pushed way back this year until the second week in December. Our primary got down to about 9 kids and 5 of them were sunbeams. So after combining the primary's they still had to create the program. Kael did an amazing job memorizing his part. He got nickles for every time he said his part. He did AMAZING during sacrament meeting. He stood up and sang when he was suppose to. (Well stood up, he only knew 2 of the songs), he held still for the most part, and did an amazing job saying his part. I'm so proud of who he is. He tried to be sooo good and he did. Not bad for my little 4 year old!

In case you can't understand his part:
"I don't know everything about the priesthood, but I do know I love my Dad, and I want the priesthood like he has!"

The Bishop asked him to say his part 3 times after the program, and a bunch of people told me how good he did. I'm so proud of how hard Kael works!

He now also has the first article of faith memorized.

Sure love this kid!

We LOVE December

There are so many fun things to do in the winter if you just put your mind to it. I feel like we have really been enjoying this season and I just love spending time with my favorite kiddos.

 Kael's Gingerbread Men.

 Eden's Gingerbread Men.

 Sleeping Elara. Usually her hands are behind  her head. Of course she moved them seconds before the picture. She has outgrown her newborn clothes. I weighed her on our scale at home and she was 13 lbs! She is growing up way too quickly.

 Miss Eden is growing up before my eyes. She is quite the 2 year old. We straightened her hair with a flat iron and she became a little girl not just a toddler. She is always wanting my make up and to do her nails. So for fun I gave her pink lips, blush and a dash of mascara and Bam, I'm never doing that again. She is too cute for her own good!

 Kael is loving school and is doing so great! We are so proud of him. He accomplishes so much each day and is becoming quite the little gentleman!

Family Snow Day 12/9/12

Oh Christmas Tree

We got the tree up Thanksgiving weekend. Kael thought that meant Santa Clause was coming the next day. We then made a chain to count down the days until Christmas or it was going to be a long month.

Kael has written a letter to Santa, decorated an ice cream cone Christmas tree, made paper chains, made cotton ball snow men, reindeer out of candy canes, and today we are going to decorate ginger bread men from costco. We love Christmas crafts, that's for sure!

Comfy Much?

That's how we roll.

A Name and a Blessing

December 2, 2012

Derek was able to bless Elara today. It was a beautiful blessing. It felt like Elara knew what was happening today. That it was a special day. She slept good last night and got up to eat at the right times for me. Then, she woke up content this morning and as the day progress she got more and more smiley. She was so happy! She smiled and cooed and was just beautiful today. Derek did an amazing job with the blessing. The spirit was so strong. Elara did great too! We feel so blessed! We had Derek's Mom and Step Dad, his sister's family, and my parents that were able to come and it made it super special. Thank you to those who could come and thank you to those who thought of us today. I have just felt an overwhelming sense of joy today. I love my little family so much!

Our Attempt at Being Indians

We have really been into craft activities lately. It keeps me and the kids busy and hey we love it! Craft #1 was indian head dresses. Then, paper plate turkeys. Then paper chains to count down to Christmas. Things like that. I decided to take pictures of the headdresses. I tried teaching the kids to say, "How White Man". And to hold up their hand. It was quite comical like I thought it would be. 

 First attempt. (Didn't get it at all) Mom is crazy.

 Ok Mom you are crazy so we will give it a go.

And throw in our own version of what "How White Man" should look like. Yup, they are pretty funny kids with an even funnier Mom.

Thanksgiving was a blast. We ate yummy food at Derek's Mom's house. Then we got 3 whole days to relax with Dad. Couldn't get any better. Good food and family. We are getting excited for Dad's 3 week Christmas break and seeing more family!

Burned Pickle Pizza

I won't put large photos on of this, but yes it is burned homemade pepperoni pickle pizza. Ever since Kael watched a Barney "yes I said Barney I let my children watch it, thanks netflix" show that made a disgusting pizza made of tons of weird stuff that included pickles, Kael has wanted to make a pizza with pickles on it. So, one day we set to work. It was a masterpiece! Plenty of cheese and pepperoni's. The dough was made great. One problem. I get distracted easily... AND... I burned the pizza. Not just a little. Like 15 minutes over too much. No worries. Kael and Eden still ate a slice. And they did eat the part with pickles...

Don't mind Eden's dirty face and expression. Truly she did love that pickled pizza. She ate it and asked for more and carried it around with her throughout the day. Gross. Yes.

Iphone pictures from Kael's birthday

So, I totally forgot about the pictures Derek sent me from his phone of Kael's birthday. Better late than never because I don't want to forget this boy's cute face on his 4th birthday. He loved it so much and he just makes us so happy!

 Kael had to show Grammy and Grampster he could ride his bike with only 2 wheels. He is such a show off. 

 And we can't forget Angry Birds Blocks. I don't think this was on his birthday, but almost every time we get these blocks out this is what he wants to do now. I make "green piggies" build a wall, and Kael makes a red, blue and yellow angry bird to throw at them. He could play this all day if I let him.

And we always love Discovery Gateway. I just need to brave it with all 3 kids again, and I'm just not that brave yet. Maybe when Derek has a break sometime...

Elara is 2 Months

Elara had her 2 month check up yesterday. She got shots and did great. I got brave and took all 3 kids. Kael was a little chatter box and had the whole waiting room laughing and smiling at him. He would go up to random people and say, "Hi, I'm Kael, so nice to meet you." Then, a conversation would start and bam the whole room was wrapped around his finger. He makes me smile. I'm so proud of him being friendly and loving all those around him. Eden was super busy getting into everything. Elara slept most of the time and was just super pleasant! She is continuing to grow and get bigger and bigger every day. She just isn't listening to me to slow down. Kael and Eden were around 11 pounds at their 2 month apt. Elara hasn't quite caught up, but for how small she was when she was born compared to the other 2 she is doing GREAT!

STATS:
Weight: 10 lbs 7 oz 27%
Height: 21.6 inch 14.7%
Head Circumference: 15.3 inch 72%

She has gained 4 pounds since her 2 week check up.

The doctor did find a heart murmur. Bummer. It wasn't too concerning though because she is gaining weight and is not having a hard time breathing at all. So, all they will do is watch it over the next couple of years. It could go away as soon as a month or two, or it could hang around her whole life. I've come to realize if one of my children is going to have something "possibly" come up it will be Elara. She was my hardest pregnancy, delivery, and now giving me things to worry about...

All that said, goodness I love her so much! She is cooing and smiling and she makes me smile every day. She had her longest sleep stretch last night. I'm certain it was because she was exhausted from the shots. She went 6.5 hours. She has only gone 6 hours once before. Most nights it is about 3 to 5 hours maximum. She seems to be getting over a growth spurt too. She really is a good baby. She still gets colic every once in a while, but it is definitely getting better. For the most part she goes back to sleep after she eats at night. I'm just planning on her not sleeping through the night until about a year. That's about how Kael and Eden were and she is acting about the same as the both of them.

Oh man, I had no idea how much love our family would gain by having Elara come to our family. I love seeing Kael and Eden just love her to death. I love seeing Derek sing to her and her huge smiles she gives him. I have to work for her smiles, but the moment picks her up and holds her it seems like she smiles right away and starts cooing. I love this little girl so much and I'm soooo glad she is a part of our family!

Elara at 2 months:
Elara, like Eden did hates her bath right now. Screams and screams some more, just like Eden did.
Eats about 3 to 4 hours.
Generally she is really content with life. It's taken a while to get here. She can finally be happy with being awake.
She doesn't like to be swaddled. "Eden did, Kael hated it"
Has not loved that darn binkie very much. However, Grandma Heaton found one that she will "tolerate".

Love you little Miss Elara Jane.

Love,
Mom

This is the new pacifier we are trying out. There was only one package at walmart when we went. I have about 10 of the green hospital kind in pink and purple too, but she really hates that pacifier. Shouldn't have stocked up on them. Glad she likes one though. Thanks for the help finding the kind she likes Grandma!

Love my bald babies!

 However, I really love my bald babies with cute flowers and bows. :)

 Weird camera angle, but caught the smile! So cute even after being miserable from shots!

So in love with my 2 month old baby girl. Time has flown by too fast!