Gracie Mae born on this day!

Gracie Mae Stutzman was born today at 1:43. She weighed 7lbs even and is 19 inches long. Everyone is doing great. We think she looks a lot like her big brother Bo.

Potty Training is underwear...I mean way

We officially started potty training on Saturday! Reece had gone a few times on the potty before and I knew she was ready. It was a rough start...Saturday morning we let her go bottomless and put the potty in between the kitchen and living room. I got a sticker chart and M&Ms for rewards. It took her 5 hours (noon) to go on the potty (it also took me going on the potty and giving myself a sticker and an M&M - hey, I was desperate). She is very strong willed and pretty much refused to go. She didn't go on the floor or anything either. She was complaining that her bladder hurt (she pointed to the area)...I told her if she went it would not hurt anymore...that did not work...nor did taking away the blankie, paci, outside priviledges, going with daddy to the store and farm, seeing the neighbors...but she finally went and after that has continuted to go on her own. There is one problem though...she has to be bottomless...as soon as I put a pair of panties she thinks she is safe. I also think she is not sure how to tell me when she has to go but she is getting better. So when she is bottomless, she just runs over and goes. So hopefully that won't last long. We can't have her being commando all the time...but then again, maybe she takes after her mommy :) The biggest milestone was that she went poo on her own Saturday night before bed. I was busy fixing Brody a bottle and she comes running into the kitchen saying "good job, poo-poo - yea!" and clapping. I was like "no way" and ran to look...sure enough!! I of course was screaming and making the biggest deal out of it as Brock was shutting the windows so the neighbors wouldn't hear...what a sissy! Our first outing was church! I worked nursery so I thought it would be safe to wear the training pants and bring and extra pair along with. I took her to the potty there 3 times and she did not go and ended up going pee in her pants...darn! She went before nap and then refused to wear a diaper to bed. I felt this was a good sign and she did wake up dry from nap Saturday. So I figured we would give it a shot. She did well and woke up dry. We also ventured out for ice cream with panties on and she did fine there too. So potty training is going well so far. We are hoping we are well on our way to having one less child in diapers. I don't mind changing them but it will be nice on the pocketbook!!
She is also doing well with the no paci and blankie rule - the new rule is that they aren't allowed to leave the house. She hasn't asked for them once...unfortunatley as soon as she is tired she runs for them...these pics were taking today right before she went up for nap.

Putting a sticker on the sticker chart.

Clapping for herself.

Happy Birthday, De De!

Welcome to the "2" club! We had a ball at your party on Saturday! Hope you have a great birthday!!

Grand Bear Resort

Brock and I took Reecey to Grand Bear Resort up by Starved Rock for a couple of days. She loves the water and outdoors. We could hardly pull her out of the water to go to bed at night! This was her first hotel experience too. She did very well and was very well behaved. She is super fearless though and that worries me some. It is good for her but you do have to watch her every second. She would just go down the big slides herself even when some of the water was too "big" for her. But I love that she loves the water and outdoors - I know where we will be spending our summer!

We got to walk a few trails up at Starved Rock. Reece did all the stairs herself...what energy and determination...

She is such a climber...I was amazed she could climb this herself.

He really is the ultimate Bears fan I guess - Day 6 & 7; Reece & Brody check ups

Brody has slept all night with the helmet on the past 2 nights and it has gone excellent. Today is his second day with wearing the helmet 23 hours a day. He's seems really happy and normal and it doesn't seem to bother him while awake or asleep - Praise the Lord! We are hoping and praying the adjustment continues to go well and that he'll have a perfectly round head before we know it!!

Also...Reece had her 2 year visit and Brody had his 6 month visit at the doctor's today. They are both growing and are healthy. Reece is at "the top of her class" reaching heights of 34 and 1/2 which is 70%. She weighed in at 28 and 1/4 which is 72%. Brody is still a shorty. He was 26 inches which is 30%. This is different for us since Reece was always in the 90th percentile at this age. He weighed 18lbs which is 52%.

Day Four: Ultimate Bears Fan (still)

Brody is doing super with his helmet so far! Today he had to wear it for 6 hours, then off an hour and then wear it until bed which was probably another good 4 hours. He even napped in it for 2 and 1/2 hours for his morning nap and an hour and 1/2 in the afternoon. So he doesn't seem to notice it much. Tomorrow he will do 6 to 8 hours with one hour off and after that he will pretty much be wearing it 24/7. I do not care for the helmet much. It's pretty bulky and it's hard to hold him like a little baby and that makes me sad!! I know it will be a short time he will be in it but by then he'll really be on the go and not so much of a baby. Hopefully he will still want mama to hold him.

Here's B doing his normal routine but this time with his new helmet....
"What helmet, mom?"
(if you blow up this pic I think you can see his little tooth on the bottom)


Ahhhhh...taking my hour break from the helmie

And I put these on here for kicks...I know some people are amazed this guy still likes a swaddle blanket so I thought you would like to see it in full length...pink as can be...these will be great when he starts dating!

See....look how happy is?!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from the whole gang! (left to right: Tate, Bo, Brody, Reece, and Kennedy)

Day One: Ultimate Bears Fan

As some of you may know, our pediatrician recommended that we have Brody fitted for a Cranial Band or helmet to help with his Deformational Plagiocephaly...or more often referred to as flat head symdrome due to sleeping/laying on his back. After a couple of months of measuring and seeing doctors, he received the helmet today and is doing okay with it. It is very tight which makes it very hard to get on and off. I feel as though I will break him when I put it on or take it off. He cries during that but after it is on or off he is fine. For today he is to wear the helmet for one hour and the off an hour 3x's and he won't have to sleep in it. By day 6 he will be wearing it 23 hours a day. After 5 to 8 weeks, they will reassess and make adjustments to the helmet. He will hopefully only have to wear it 3 months max (before the real heat of the summer hits).

Since we could pick any kind of graphics we wanted on it, we decided to go with the Bears logo...maybe people will think he's just some ultimate bears fan (or his dad is).

When we got home, he did fall asleep in the helmet but only for about a half hour. It makes him very hot and he was drenched in sweat (not to mention the affect swaddling has on his body heat). He may be a Bears fan but he still has to use a pink swaddle blanket...it's the biggest one we have and he still won't sleep without it. So let's just say he's the ultimate Bears fan who is in touch with his fem side!

Happy Birthday Reecey!

Happy Birthday to the little cupcake!!


Eating cupcakes and icecream with my cousins and friends


Gift bags for my friends

The coolest cupcakes ever!

Reece 2, Brody 6 months

This Sunday, Reecey turns 2...I cannot even believe it! Last year on her birthday we announced that being a big sister was soon in her future. I can't believe that on her 2nd birthday her little brother will be 6 months. How are lives have changed since last year! I love watching them grow and they just really love each other!

(My scanner is finally working)

I am shocked at how much they actually resemble each other (look at the eye shape, nose, and mouth). When I look at them separately I don't see it but when looking at this picture, you can totally tell they are brother and sister.

This is the best smile we could get with the two of them. It is so much harder with two. Either one was cheesing and the other one crying...you know the drill.

The BIG 2 year old - sooooo innocent, isn't she? Don't let her fool you!

And the big ham....

He's very happy...although working on his bottom teeth.

He's rolling over now and can sit up by himself for a little bit (rolling over, a tooth, and sitting up in a matter of 3 days...how does this happen?? I am scared to see what tomorrow brings!!)