My Saturday morning helper

A nice Saturday morning at home. I think I'll make some banana bars with these black nanners on the counter.

Oh my, curiosity quickly turns into assistance!

We had to double our batch because mom was distracted and put too much baking soda in. Then by doubling it, we ran out of regular flour and had to use a little Wondra to help out.

Mmm...the rewards of hard work!

Brady's giving out some smiles, but they're hard to catch on camera!

Brady, why are you sad?

How could something so little cause him so much grief?!?  Yes, Brady has his 2nd ear infection in his right ear and is on antibiotics again.  Our pediatrician even had another doctor come in to witness the fluid in his ear because it's so rare this young. Wow, that makes you feel special! (dripping sarcasm) If Brady's ear isn't cleared up by his 2 month check we'll be visiting the ENT to see how early he can have tubes. Oh yeah, and Brady weighed in at 14 pounds! Unofficial length measured at home 23.5 inches.

Brady with Dr. Erin (McNaughton) Lehman, OB/GYN. 

Erin delivered Brady. She is one of mommy's best friends from high school.

What a priceless experience!  Thank you, Erin, for your excellent care and continuing support.

6 weeks old, hmm?

Wow!

It's a tough life! lol

My Boys

Brady is such a good baby! Very easy going. Only cries a little in the evenings. Had his first night of almost 9 hour sleep on Friday night, but hasn't repeated it. Hopefully, he'll remember how to do that again soon! Until then, he's still a 3-4 hour cycle guy.  Brady loves to cuddle and to watch lights, mobiles, and TV.  Entertained by brother, too!  Just started kicking and batting at his toys on his floor gym this week. Only dislikes are when he's hungry and we're too slow to get a bottle, when brother steals his pacifier, and when he can't get a burp out.

Carson likes being a big brother.  He has this happy wide-legged strut he does when he's proud and been a good helper.  His main house duties: feeding Dizzle, putting diapers in the "special place" (box in the garage, he says "ewwwww" the hole way there smiling!), putting away laundry (with a lil help).  He also likes to help give Brady baths and washes his belly and legs for mommy. Carson has found his groove! He loves to clap and dance and watch the TV dance and singing shows with mommy.:)

Basement sneak peek

Welcome to our basement! Ben's greeters (or guards?) to his man cave. 

The basement remodel is about 80-90% done, just a little electrical and plumbing to finish up and a lot of decorating. Ben's been our main decorator, with the deer heads being hung and displayed the first night we got the furniture!  I've picked up some art, but this is mostly his domain. (FYI: Gordman's having great art/decor sales!  One of canvas arts I got was identical to one at Bed, Bath, Beyond...was $200 at BBB and only $60 at G's!)

The guest room/exercise room....yah, I need to visit this room more! I've set up a scrapbooking workshop in the guest room closet.   Maybe Carson's baby book will have more than 3 pages soon!

Playroom. Lots of room for fun! Hopefully having all the toys out of his bedroom will be less distractions at bedtime!

Ben's lounge, Carson's bouncy gym. These couches are so comfy!  Waiting on getting the TVs' installed to be fully accommodating and highlight the custom bar and entertainment center. 

Ben's decor on walls from mother nature and his mad hunting skillz and lamp from Ebay (thought it would be bigger!). Furniture Homemakers...love that super store! Megan's contribution of the pillows from BBB; bought pillowcases and used stuffing from tattered upstairs sofa pillows to fill....saved 50% and looks exactly the same as new! Does that make it a "green" project since I recycled/reused? lol

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day to our family, friends, and blog followers!

We are lovin' Carson's new "superhero" jammies!  He loves them, too, because they are the only pj's he wants to wear now!  Above he's sporting dad's raquetball goggles, too, which add to his super powers.

Carson got lots of candy and stickers from his daycare friends. 

Carson loved decorating ALL of us with his stickers! Brady was the most cooperative!:)

First mohawk after bathtime

How does Cookie Monster eat a cookie?
Carson had fun with the BIG cookie mommy made him. This cookie monster is obsessed with his sweets right now, despite dentist mommy's efforts to limit him! A stubborn 2 year old can survive and still grow on a diet with main food groups of eggs, fries with ketchup& ranch, pizza, milk, and candy...or at least I hope so!

Grandma Margie and Grandpa Jim visited us this weekend and we got to go out for our first date night! We had a great night out with dinner at Blackstone in Iowa City, some live music at the new Wildwood country bar (good band, will have to get group to go back again), then to the Steckly's post-wrestling meet party. Williamsburg had 5 wrestlers qualify for the State tourney this week!  

Ben broke out the Bumbo tonight. Look at our big guy!:) He did good holding his head up to watch the Olympics! Brady will be 5 weeks old tomorrow! Brady is our chunky monkey and thinks he needs to eat every 1.5-2.5 hours, a full 5-6 ounces. We'll be seeing more chins and rolls soon if he keeps it up!

The Diz Factor

Dizzle.

You are the unsung family member.

Still loyal and loving, despite how little attention and time we give you these days.

You get tripped over, forgotten to be fed, kicked out of bed, and generally ignored 

until the kiddos are in bed. 

Then we may play fetch or cuddle, but a few minutes 

compared to the hours of focus you used to get is tough.

One day those boys will play with you.

Until then, enjoy those play dates with Jaba (Kathy's new pup, above)

and know that we do still love you.

(yes, I did just blog about my dog like he's a person.)

Four weeks old today!

Brady freshly bathed and all dressed up to go cuddle with Mommy's office gals.  He got lots of lovin'!

Random visit by Uncle Bob. Carson was very excited by his visit, as with all visitors, he thinks they are here to play with him!:) Uncle Bob was passing by W'burg because employer is trying to get the job for doing the University of Iowa's security for games and events. C'mon, Hawks! Give 'em the job and we could have more visits... and maybe seat upgrades!;)

Last Saturday at Grandparents Griers. "Typhoid mommy" here had a 101 fever and sinus infection that day. Then our family plague spiraled with Carson and Brady getting fevers Sunday night. Carson had flu-like symptoms and fever Monday, then recovered quickly.  Brady's fever continued, but still was a happy guy. Monday at the doctor's office got the diagnosis of BOTH boys had single ear infections. (AND Brady weighed in at 11 pounds 3 ounces!!) Brady's fever continued to rise slightly and he was eating less, so we returned to the doctor on Tuesday and he was admitted to Mercy Hospital in Iowa City for tests and observation.  They weren't able to get an IV in, but he started eating better after his first round of antibiotic shots. His fever broke Tuesday night and all the tests came back clear except for RSV positive.  RSV is basically the common cold virus, but it affects infants so much stronger.  His final diagnosis was upper respiratory and ear infection with RSV. We are very thankful the great nurses and doctors that cared for us!

Brady is doing awesome! He was a happy guy through the whole thing, and now just has a stuffy nose and a huge appetite. 

Unfortunately, Daddy finally got hit hard by the virus/bug and has had a terribly sore throat since Tuesday and had doctor's orders to not hold or touch Brady until today (Monday)!  Carson ended up staying at Griers from Tuesday to Saturday. We missed him greatly, but was good to be able to get more rest and time to disinfect the house before his return!

Yippee! I'm healthy!:)

Super Bowl supper at our house. We didn't go out to the parties with Daddy still feeling sick. Carson had a little team confusion watching the Saints/Colts wearing his Hawkeye Stanzi uniform and Bears stocking hat! 

After bath-time photo session for Brady's 4-week birthday. His hair is getting a little lighter but is still out of control with cowlics (spelling?). I think Brady looks a bit more like Ben in his baby pictures than Carson did. He's starting to develop some more of his own features and not such a Carson clone! Ok, but they still look a lot alike.

Maybe I think he looks like Ben because he has a mullet already! lol

We're going to be ready for a first haircut soon!! (no rat-tails allowed in this house!)