Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas from my family to yours!

Ianisms, and Baby B's name....

Ian is the sweetest little guy. And the things that he says are precious. The things that come out of his mouth as a two year old are so innocent, and unpredicatable. I want to share a  few  things I think are funny, cute, and just too much not to share. Enoy!

"I did it , Hooray! That's Better" -after going poo on the potty.

"I wash hands, That's Better"

"Too hot mommy, ok, I cut it", he walks to my breakfast plate and cuts my pop tart with his fork, blows on it and says, "There that's better!"

"When he goes in the bathroom to do his bussiness he says, "I shut the door, ok, shut the door!"

"Daddy, ear boogies" -he says to Mr. as they are wrestling and he sees wax in Mr's ears.

At dinner, ..."I pray...Name of Father, son, holy spirit, amen, bless us oh lord, I hungry, father, son, holy spirit, A-MEN!"



"E, I, E, I, O.....he has the whole world in his hands"

Everyday Mr. and I drop him at daycare he says, "Love you Mommy, Love you Daddy, Have a good day, ok?"- It's so cute!

He currently calls Santa, "HO, Ho, Ho"..and when you ask him what he wants Ho, Ho ho to bring him, says he NEEDS him to bring paints, p-please!

"When anyone sneezes he says, "Well, Bless you." and after you say, "Thank you", he says, "welcome".

After he does something to help out for example putting a dish in the sink he says, "TA-DA!", or after feeding the animals, "TA-DA!", or putting napkins on the dinner table, "TA-DA!"

and my favorite, "Mommy..my brother", lifts my shirt and kisses, pats, or sings to Brennan. Yes there it is the big Reveal Baby B will be called Brennan Robert Murphy!!!

What cute and precious things do your little ones say?

When your Boy (or Girl) is all Wiggly...

.....and you want to avoid frustration....here are 25 things to do! T-4 days until Christmas Vacation! I am overly excited and my anticipation to have me time with e-man is growing,  however 17 days straights tends to get a little overwhelming at times.

So here is the savior list, the list I will use to entertain, distract, have fun, laugh, giggle, and get out the wiggles:

1. Put him in an empty bath tub, give him water colors and let him go.


2. Put rice in a cake pan and let him pour from cup to cup.(inside a large storage bin)

3. Put him outside everyday regardless of weather.

4. Give him a small spray bottle of water and a rag. Set him loose on the fridge front, bathroom tile, linoleum, etc.

5. Make homemade play dough; give him a rolling pin.

6. When reading aloud, ask him many questions. Get him pointing, naming, giggling over each picture.

7. Have him run and tag the front door, run back and give you a high five, and repeat. And repeat. And repeat.

8. Find an empty box we can fit in; stay in the room with him to ensure safety- but get that book you’ve wanted to read for a while, because he’ll be busy for a while.

9. Teach him how to build a fort with the cushions.

10. Let him spread the PB and J.

11. Play with him for at least 10 minutes at a game he loves. (In our case Hungry Hungry Hippos!)
This will satisfy much of the need for attention that leads to naughtiness.

12. Bubbles!

13. Boys tend to be tactile learners; stacking cups and plastic containers in an accessible cabinet can be fun.

14. Fill the kitchen sink with soapy foam; get out a big ladle and some cups and let him go at it. Let him “do dishes.”

15. If you have a play house, let him throw a safe ball out of it.

16. Find an old spoon and let him dig in dirt.

17. Music facilitates learning like no other activity. Make up silly songs to everything- be silly and tease your children with music.

18. When he is feeling mean and you are feeling mean, tickle him.

19. Don’t be afraid to repeat activities often; if he is getting restless, immediately choose a “go-to.”

20. Let the little guy “help” you in all of your tasks until he discovers his blocks or trains again. You’ll be teaching him valuable skills. This one can be hard because we want to get things done, but the boy will be grown soon and might now want to help anymore. This may be one of the most special times of your lives.

21. Play a favorite dance song of yours; let loose and dance around. Your boy will either laugh or join in; both are fun.

22. Use your pull up bar low on the door frame- and let him swing. (Need to bring home from classroom)

23. Find markers and a notebook; let him go to.

24. Assess his needs- is he hungry, tired, needs to use the potty, overstimulated, bored, or lonely? Help him fulfill that need.

25. Replace every negative thought immediately with a positive one. Instead of, “My kids drive me crazy” think on purpose “This is a phase; Johny really is a good kid” or “My kids must be bored. What can I do to help them?” See an article on this here: http://powerofmoms.com/2009/04/thought-replacement-therapy/


Bonus (our newest time passer): We have a basket full of alphabet letters. We let Ian dump them in the foyer, and then ask him to find us.."H", and run it to the basket, and on and on!
Any ideas to add to the list? Please Share!

23-25 Weeks!

Here they are they big bump reveals! I have been so busy with other things I have yet to document my bump, feels, ect about baby B. The pictures are not top notch because they are taken with my phone, however you can see the difference in 2 weeks!!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 23-25 Weeks

Size of baby: B is the length of an ear of corn

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 11 lbs

Maternity Clothes: I wear maternity jeans and pants but everything else is regular.

Gender: It's a boy!!! Brennan.Robert.Murphy.

Movement: I've been feeling the baby a lot  lately!

Sleep: I'm sleeping pretty good!

What I miss: Nothing really - and being able to pick up Ian without my stomach muscles begging me to put him down. It breaks my heart when he says, "Mommy Hugs", and I have to bend down instead of swoop him, and squeeze.

Cravings: Surprisingly None

Symptoms:  A few Braxton Hicks, a growing tummy, some tiredness

Best Moment this week: Feeling B move from the inside, and out!

I'm 23 Weeks!

and now i'm 25 weeks!

Holiday Kisses

There are lots of holiday recipes floating around, and I have been guilty of pinning lots of them! I finally tried one, and love it. It's the perfect mix of salty, and sweet, and christmas! I thought I would share it with y'all, becuase it is the season of giving, and I know you, or someone you know will love it too!

Holiday Candy Cane Pretzel  Kisses
(Adapted from Katie Cupcake/Pinterest)

What you Need:

2 bags of Holiday kisses (or your preferred flavor)

1, 1 pound bag of waffle pretzels

What you Do:

Preheat Oven to 300

Line a Large Baking Sheet w/ Parchment Paper

Place about 120 Pretzels (you may need to use 2 baking sheets) about 1/2 inch apart.

Place unwrapped Kisses on the Pretzels

Bake in the Oven for about 2 minutes or until they appear Glossy, and are Soft all the way through

Sandwhich them by placing another Pretzel on Top

Place in the Frig for about 15 minutes

Enjoy!

Weekend Adventures...

We had a very busy weekend! Saturday morning we went to the Train Museum in Duluth. While there we go to look at all the old trains, walk though them, as well as the buses. We took a train ride, watch the model trains, and saw "HO Ho ho." (This is what Ian calls Santa.) Last year it was a disaster when we took Ian to see Santa, he is screaming in the picture, this year I told then I wanted no picture, just to let Ian visit. To my surprise he walked up , and gave Santa a hi five! He would not sit on his lap, but when Santa asked Ian what he wanted he replied, "a boat", Mr. agreed! After this is went to Bass Pro Shop to do a little Christmas Shopping and see the fish. Ian passed out cold, until we got to the fish, then he lit right up, of course. After this we attended Ms. Hayden's Cowboy/girl themed party! Ian go to ride a pony, and have endless hours on the jumpy slide.

Sunday Mr. went fishing, so Ian and Momma had some bonding time. We started our morning off with fudgesicles, and The Polar Express. Then we went for a walk in the woods, and explored for rocks. When he returned home we painted, and worked on a little Christmas project for GiGi, Great Grandma-Grandpa Kihl, Apa & Nana, and Grandma and Grandpaa! (We will post about this later this week!) After lunch we snuggled and watch Nemo. While Ian napped, I got to edit some photos, and enjoy watching my sweet angel sleep.

I love our weekends. Sometimes they are busy, sometimes they are slow, but what matters is that we spend it together making memories! What was your weekend adventure?

looking anywhere but...

After almost a year of launching my photography business, I figured that I could do our photos this year for our Christmas Card. Ha Ha Ha. For some reason working with others children to capture a great moment works for me, but with my own child I get anything but the perfect capture. No of my tricks work with him, none. Usually I have our cards ordered by now, addressed, and ready to send out the 8th, only becuase 8 is my favorite number, and this year I have nothing. Perhaps I should just send what I do have so all our family and friends can see what a handful a two year old is! All Momma wanted was for Ian to look at her, he didn't even have to smile, I would of taken a silly face, or silly face, but Ian looked anywhere but at momma.

          Here is the outcome.......

Maybe I should go ahead and send these out, what do you think?

I'm Two!

Ian turned 2 on November 13th! We kept it small and family oriented since his 1st birthday seemed very overwhelming. He is very into trains and dinosaurs, and so we kept a dinosaur theme, and had an amazing ice cream cake made for him! We also visited the zoo! Happy 2nd birthday sweet boy!

Here I am!

There is sooo much going on right now, and for the past 4 months, since my last post. I do intend to be a better blogger, someday, I'm not sure when but I am hoping now! Between school, family, photography, an obnoxious commute, and grad school, I am finding it hard to keep it all together! And to add to all that...Did you notice?   I am referring to  the title of the Blog, it is no longer: and then there were... Three FOUR! We are expecting our 2nd son April 1st!

When I first started this blog, I was a single girl, and it was therapy, then I got married and started a family, and it became a memory journal, and then a memory journal embedding as a baby book for Ian. I have a confession, it's sad but true that Ian has no baby book, and I really have no ambition to make one for Baby B. Well Ian has a baby book but it's half full, and full empty. When I stopped writing in it, I was blogging instead, meaning that really, Ian and Baby B have something better than a baby book - they have an advanced, interactive, electronic e-baby book (or an iBabyBook if you are a Mac user)! Ok it's now justified that I did fail at the baby book, but have something much better!

Next week I have finals, I have finished about 50% of the reading, I just can’t bring myself to finish the other half.. Mostly because the books are very dry, hard to follow, very confusing, and I’d rather bond with my husband over the the latest episode of Revenge, or cuddle or wrestle with Ian. Seriously, though, have you seen that show?! Were hooked, and stay up late just to watch it!

My sister is getting married in June! I'm so excited for her! She and her Mr. have been together for over 10 years, have 2 awesome sons, and are finally taking the plunge! What I am not excited about is the date. (Sorry Sis) It is in June only about 6 weeks after Baby B's due date. So: 1. I have to travel with a 2.5 year old, and 6 week old to NY from GA 2. I am the maid of honor (which I am honored, seriously), but fitting into a dress in front of 150+ people that soon after having a baby...ugh. I'm hoping that after 4 weeks, I can kick in p90X gear again, and look amazing. ha right. With a little faith, exercise, and breast feeding, I hope to look great for a women who just had a baby! I hate the fact that I am so far away and can't help more with planning and decisions, but if you know my sister she is stubborn, and set anyhow so any suggestion she asks for she is going to do what she wants regardless, I love and admire her for it!

So my life is wonderful, and stressful, and crazy, but it's  mylife, and I couldn't be more blessed. Although I have promised a zillion times before, this blog will be getting my attention a lot more. I mean it is my memory journal for my family, and life, as well as my advanced, interactive, electronic e-baby book!

And no post in complete without pictures of this crazy, awesome, handsome growing little dude:

Blueprints

This post is random. My Mr. is an engineer, environmental focus designing waste water sewer plants, but also can design blueprints and has worked on one of the owner of his companies new house. I am very proud of his efforts. While becoming addicted to Pinterest this summer, I started thinking that maybe someday we will be able to design our own house, and started pinning houses, kitchens and other rooms that I love. Ideally I have our whole new house planned. Mr. doesn't agree with all of it. So here is the Murphy Dream House.

The House- I have always wanted a big front porch to let my children play, and relax with Mr. at night.

                                                              (southerlivinghouseplans.com)

The kitchen is open and large, white, with lots of light! Mr. doesn't love it, he likes the white, he doesn't like that this particular kitchen is open to the dinning room and living room, which is what I love!

                     ( Via http://thepleatedpoppy.com/2011/06/house-tour-week-kitchen/)

The Living Room...however we would have completly different furniture with hopefully a lake view!

We both completely agree on the bathroom...

(Via Google.com)

The Master Bedroom.....I love the alcove, and lighting!

                                                              (via rareandbeautifultreasures.com)

Oh My..every wives dream......Laundry room

                                                                             (via google.com)

So there it is...the Dream.....Do you have a Dream Home, Do you Pin it?

End of Summer

Summer Vacation is officially over- well it was last Sunday for me. School started on Monday, and exhausted me all week! I do have a great class this year- which is very refreshing! They are a bit "chatty" but I'll take it over behavior issues. I have missed there silly sayings...my favorites from this week...."Mrs. Murphy, I'm R rated"....."really?"...."yeah a rich man", and "well my dog I was tickling him last night and he peed all over me like squirt out in a stream pee". Oh my...they say the craziest things.

Things around the house have been very relaxed in a crazy way. When I say relaxed I mean it's a mess. I have no picked up, wiped down the bathrooms, or dusted in 2 weeks. Upon walking in you may not think it's a mess but to me..ugh. It has been crazy because it's back the commute schedule which includes waking at 5:30, dropping off E-man at 6:30 driving an hour and 15 min to work, working 8 hours, picking up E-man between 5:30-6 depending on traffic, home, cook dinner, play, bath, read books, bed, mommy shower, bed, repeat. Whewh. I hope the day when I can stay home, and only do photography happen much sooner than later.

Ian is growing like a weed! He is finally going to sleep at bedtime without Mommy or cries or fits! He is talking in sentences, and has become quite sassy at times. I guess the terrible twos are starting slightly early. He is so much fun, and so silly. We laugh all the time. He is also saying "I'm Sorry" at all the right times, and is sincere, which I love it is so sweet, he even says it to the dog, and the cars in the publix parking lot as we walk in because he thinks we are in there way.

Photography is going well, and is still coming in waves. I am learning so much, and growing with even shoot I do. I have a few today I am pretty excited about! I am also running my first marketing ad. I will reveal where and what it looks like in a few weeks!


Have a great weekend Y'all!

Lala Land...

..if I ever opened my own homeschooling school, or daycare I would call it Lala land! Lala because that is what my nephews call me and I think it is so sweet, and Land because it just makes it fun! Some parents may be hesitate by the name, and others may run to it, but it's fitting.

Today I had my niece over so that she could play with Ian for day, and we could also have some quality time together. After the day I must say that I have oodles of respect for all daycare providers. I had an agenda set, but man was it exhausting, fun, but I was in bed at 8:45 right after Ian feel asleep all on his own, we were both tuckered out.

We started our morning with a gourmet breakfast of toaster strudel and banana, and Auntie Melissa had a large cup of coffee. Next we got in our swim suits and headed outside. We took full advantage or the swimming pool, sandbox, trampoline, and adventure hill. Ian and Hailey would jump so much in the trampoline, and fall laughing so hard, it was precious. They also spotted the moon, and for about 10 min straight kept calling, "Come on Moon, Come on!" They were demanding the moon come down and play with them. After that they took an adventure climbing and rolling down the large hill in our backyard. Next we got out the crayons, and colored pictures. Are you tired yet?  Me too. After that we returned inside to have some juice, and graham crackers, while watching and dancing to Barney. We played buses,a nd trains, and hide and seek.

Next Hailey was interested in my camera, so we had Ian "pose" for us as she sat on my lap, and snapped pictures of him! Again, they were laughing so hard...we may also have a future photographer on our hands, I think I know what I am getting her for Christmas!

So even though my living room looked like this.....

I wanted to make paint projects with them....my intentions included these cuties.......                            
  
                                          

However Ian and Hailey clearly had other intentions.....

*FYI for my sister in law...Hailey threw a fit when Ian had Cars pull-ups, and she did not, so I gave in and let her wear cars, I told her she couldn't get the car wet or full or poo poo, and she agreed!

Some may flip over this mess, but they are just kids, and I am firm believer that sometime you just have to let kids be kids. Messes can be cleaned!

After this we ate lunch, and watched Cars. Hailey feel asleep for 3 hours while Ian took the barrette out of her hair, and put it in mine, saying, "Pretty". When Hailey woke up we again went outside and jumped don the trampoline, and played in the sandbox.

It was nice having someone for Ian to play with, and have fun. It sure would make thinks easier on me if he had a playmate all the time, so it's not Mommy, Mommy, Mommmmmmmmmmmmmmy.


And just because they are so darn cute.....

Would you send your kiddos to Lala Land?