Video Monitor

We purchased a new baby monitor a few weeks back.  This time we splurged on a video monitor.  I highly recommend this not for the visibility but for the laughs it provides.

Since Finn is still sleeping in our bedroom we decided to put the video monitor in Olivia's room.  Generally speaking Olivia is a great sleeper.  However, every once in a while she fights her naps.  I have to smile when I see her though the monitor reading to herself, playing with her stuffed animals (aka - slamming them down on the bed over and over again by their ears) or even galloping around her room on her "horse on a stick".

The Tale of the Coffee Bean

"Coffee nose" is a phrase that we hear a lot from Olivia these days.  Why you might ask?  The story is actually quite humorous, one that I love to tell.

One of Olivia's favorite weekend activities is to brew coffee with dad in the morning (this is the first thing she has to do when she gets up in the morning, even before she goes to see mom).  She gets to stand on the counter, smell the coffee beans and press the button on the bean grinder.  All while giggling like a little school girl.

Cleaning out the coffee pot:

Smelling the coffee beans:

Opening the hatch:

Grinding the beans:

Showing Dad where the beans go:

Happy little girl:

About three weeks ago Olivia got a hold of the coffee bag and ran right out of dads reach.  Dad made the mistake to say "don't worry, she hasn't put on one her nose yet".  What was the next thing Olivia did?  Push a bean up her nose.  Scott and I played operation that night.  We looked up her nose with a flashlight, tried to suck the bean out, listened to her breathing.  Nothing.  We figured maybe she didn't actually put the bean up there and if she did, it would make its way out eventually.

Keep in mind, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  When I was little I stuck a piece of macaroni up my nose and Grandma stuffed a bean up her nose and left it there long enough to sprout!

Anyway, back to Olivia's story.  Three weeks after the "Coffee Nose" incident I was out having lunch with my mom and her friend, Cherie.  We had the restaurant to ourselves. Olivia, of course, took over the restaurant by running around and screaming "chase me Cherie".  Before we knew it Liv ran into a table as she was looking back at Cherie.  That's all it took, one hard cry and out came the coffee bean.  I actually didn't see it.  My mom walked over, picked it off Olivia's shirt and flicked it on the floor.  As soon as I saw it I knew immediately what it was, the coffee bean!  Olivia was right, she did have coffee in her nose.

Lesson learned for mom and dad - don't mention things around Olivia that you don't want her to do.

Finley Turns Two Months Old

Wow how time flies, my baby boy is two months old already.  It seems like just yesterday we came home from the hospital.  Finn is growing like a weed.  He started off at 7 lbs 8 oz and is now 11 lbs 11 oz.  He loves his food, eating every two hours on the dot (we don't get much else done at our house besides feeding the kids, and dad).

Finn is learning new things each week.  He is a little preacher, cooing and yelping at all times.  He's even turned into a better sleeper.  He now sleeps anywhere from 6 to 9 hours a night (this is within the last week so we are hoping it continues).  It seems like he is getting over his colic, which make our days a little more tolerable.

Finn's two month photo shoot at Gee and Papa's house.

Finn and Great Grandma Momo

Here's a picture of Olivia at two months, do you see the resemblance?

Olivia at two months

Finn at two months

Thanksgiving Round Two - VanVooren Style

This weekend we celebrated Thanksgiving for the second time.  This time it was with my side of the family. Aunt Abbie and Emmie arrived in town on Saturday morning, Olivia couldn't hardly wait to see Emmie, she talked about it all morning long.

The food was delicious and the girls had fun chasing each other around Papa's house.  

 

Finn did great, he caught up on snuggle time with Auntie Abbie and even had his two month photo shoot (more on that later).

Every time Olivia goes to Gee's house she has to have makeup put on and her hair curled.  Once girlfriend is all "done up" she has to go show papa how cute she looks.

"Hoyts"giving - Thanksgiving Round 1

This weekend marks the first of three Thanksgivings that we will be celebrating this year.  We are extra thankful for everything we went through, we need three turkeys to help us ring in the year.  I forget how long it takes a family of four to get out the door these days, we almost missed the carving of the turkey, lucky I got in a small photo shoot before we left.  They aren't the best pictures, but with a two year old that just woke up from a nap and a colicky 8 week old, this is as good as it gets.

Dinner was wonderful, everyone brought a dish to pass.  We had two turkeys, a ham, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, dessert and much much more.  The girls got a kick out of sitting at the kiddie table (I wonder how long that will last).

Olivia had to go back to steal the leftover marshmallows that the other girls didn't eat.  Surprised?  

Too bad Finn didn't get to join in on the turkey fun, the smell must have been too much for him.

One last picture of the girls in their matching PJ's from Amber.  Aren't they the cutest?!

Lets Get The Party Started

I've decided to join the blogging community.  I'm not sure if I can keep this updated but I thought I would give it a try.  This will be a nice way to keep family and friends updated on the hilarity that ensues in our household every day.

Someone in our house has a sweet tooth (she must take after her mom).  I've been noticing the candy dish is starting to dwindle, finally!  I thought I was the only one eating out of it, I guess not!  Someone, who shall remain nameless, has perfected her climbing skills.

Once Olivia decided she had enough candy, she wanted to hold her brother for the very first time.  Or maybe she just wanted to steal his paci.