#haventupdatedinforever

Why the hashtag? Because my smartphone has become my life. Today my brother texted me a picture, and I tried to "like" it. I miss the days of my old ghetto phone- I was able to text and that was it. I rarely had access to the Internet, maybe on the rare occasion Brian brought his laptop home. I have completely neglected my blog, because when there's a picture I want to post, I just quickly do it on Facebook or Instagram. My blog has become obsolete! And I never take the time to read other people's anymore... It makes me so sad:/ but today, we turned on the kids videos and it made me realize there's so much a picture can't get across. My kids are growing so quickly, and I know I am going to forget so much! So I will try to update as quick as possible:) Quincy is now 10 mos old! He is a crawling machine and always gets in SO MUCH TROUBLE!! He loves to get into everything, and loves to tease. Haha he has such an awesome personality. It is so cute to see him and Julia interact- they LOVE to play together and make each other laugh. He loves bananas, he's 100% a bottle baby now, and his absolute favorite treat is pizza crust haha. His nicknames are kincy, butt-butt, and bumblebee. All given to him of course by Julia. He weighs 20 lbs (39th%), his percentile for height is 74th, and head is 97th haha. Guess its all those big brains in there. He sleeps from 7-8 every night and only wakes up once at like 6-ish to eat. He's a good napper and a happy baby. He is sick quite a bit though- he catches everything!! So different than my julesies.
Julia is such a good sister. She really is so kind to him, and will do anything to make him happy. She is always there to comfort him. Sometimes she plays a little rough, but I'm sure before I know it, these roles will be reversed. She started preschool once a week with her friends, and loves learning. She loves to read books- her favorites right now are Pinkalicious and the little critter books. Her favorite movie right now is Despicable Me, and she goes around quoting it all the time. The other day at church, we used the small nursery potty and she said "ah look at you, little tiny toilet!" (Obviously a D.M. line:) She loves to cuddle with mom, and she constantly has me and Brian rolling over the things she says. She really is such a good girl. I take that for granted sometimes, until my friends remind me how easy I have it:) She just makes me smile, love that girl.
Seems like our lives just get busier and busier all the time.... We spent over a month in California for Christmas and my parents homecoming from their mission. We had such a great time there- it was hard to leave my family... Especially since my parents sold my childhood home recently. It was weird thinking "I'll never sleep here ever again!" But I'm sure I'll get over it when I'm able to visit them at the beach haha. We have been keeping ourselves busy with church, school, playdates, and of course lots of trips to Disney World. Brian is always telling me "there's just not enough hours in the day!" It's true- it's crazy how fast time seems to be flying by... Especially when I look at my kids. Julia was just a baby, and Quincy was born..... like yesterday. We're almost coming up on his first birthday! Aghhh! Where did the time go??
I seriously feel so lucky though- of course there are lots of times I wish I could just run away and have a "me" day. But I honestly just think I have been so blessed. I have two healthy, sweet babies who are so easy, and so fun to be around. I have an awesome husband who works his butt off for us, and always tries to be a good dad, husband, and priesthood holder. I have great friends who keep me sane, and always help me find ways to escape when I need a mom-break sometimes:) and of course, I'm blessed to have such awesome family who put up with me, and a Heavenly Father who I know cares about me. I'm sorry this post is so cheesy, but I'm just feeling really sentimental today:) alright, picture time!

My baby is 6 months! I wish he would slow down:( He is so much fun.... he has such a cute little personality. His favorite things in the world are rice cereal, and his sister. He just adores her. It's so fun to see them play and interact together already.... it's seriously the best. He loves to sit up, and rock back and forth to music. He is a pretty chill kid. Haha who knows if he'll stay like that... yesterday he threw his first two temper-tantrums when he didn't get his way. No!! Not that stuff already! I just want him to stay small and submissive, ha!
 At his 6 month appointment he weighed 17.13 (50%)
and was 27 inches long (54%)... pretty average baby compared to his giant big sister:) He still isn't sleeping through the night.... not even close! He's up more at nights now, than he was as a newborn! Grr... oh well, I can't complain, because he is just so good and happy all the time. He just makes me melt... love that baby:)

Fall Catch-Up

We went to Atlanta to visit my BFF Carolyn- Charlie and Julia loved playing together

Halloween was so much fun with our friends... Julia could've trick-or-treated all night

Best picture we got of Quincy:( He was a cute little Jack-O-Lantern

Julia started dance, and is TOTALLY obsessed with it.

We spent a few days in Orlando after the election. I just needed to get away! Ha!

We finally let her wait in the ginormous line to meet Merida

Brian was asked to be Belle's Knight in Shining Armor in the new Fantasyland... ha!

Of course I can't have a blog post without a picture like this:)

They had cute "Tinkerbelly" dance classes at the resort we stayed at. It was so cute to see Jules shake it...

My cute little pirates

We have all been sick for months now! Seems like we just can't get over this stuff!

Julia ready to eat some turkey!

Quincy enjoying his Thanksgiving sweet potatoes

Merry Christmas!

Julesies and me at the Disney World Christmas lights throughout the years.... it's gone by way too quickly:/

Quincy gets his annual kiss too:) He loved the lights!

Julesie's 3rd Birthday

Julia looks forward to 2 days a year: Halloween, and her birthday. After waiting for Mom, Dad, and Quincy's to pass, it was finally her turn! Grandpa Bob flew in to spend it with us, and we stayed at a real fun condo down by Tampa. We went to the beach twice, ate at a few cute ocean view restaurants, played with LOTS of new toys, went to the Children's museum, and just had tons of fun with Grandpa. Jules was in total heaven, and loved waking up to all her party decorations. She was so pumped the whole day. Waiting to see her cake almost killed her:) She is too funny. Well, she waited so long for her birthday season, we couldn't just limit it to one weekend! We had a little get-together with some of her close friends a few days later, so she could have even more birthday fun. She is obsessed with her birthday, and keeps asking me if it's her birthday yet... I keep telling her it's a LONG way off:)

Opening presents and blowing out the candles on her "Brave" birthday cake we made her

At the Children's Museum the day after her birthday

At her little party- we had a "Cars" cake this time.

Messy kids and cupcakes

Julia and some of her besties (haha Amelia, loving TJ's outfit here

 )

To Julia:
Jules, I've never written you a letter before, but you just turned 3- and I wanted to take a few minutes to let you know how much I love you. You mean the world to me! Words can't describe the excitement I felt the first time I heard you were a girl... I knew you and I were going to have so much fun together, and we'd be sidekicks for life:) You are my little buddy... you love to snuggle (ha even when I don't), you love to help, you are such a good big sister. Everyone calls you Julesies, because aunt Christi started calling you Julesie-bub and then somehow Julesies just stuck. You even call yourself Julesies- so when people ask your name and you tell them, they have no clue what in the world you just said. You have the most awesome personality. You didn't start talking until later, and we can still only understand like 70% of what you say, but you have the biggest personality for a 3 year old. You are the most social little kid I have EVER seen... you love making new friends, old and young, and you always have. We'll be walking anywhere, and you just say hi to complete strangers all day long... I love to see people light up when you do that to them:) You are the biggest tease of a 3 year old I have ever known... you get that from your dad. You love to tease and pester all the live long day, and you love to get a rise out of people. You are a total stinker like that. Your new victim is your baby brother- probably because he can't fight back. I tell you all the time what the word karma means... one day he'll be bigger, and it will be payback time. You sit in lots of time-outs for teasing... the stool in the bathroom is like your second home some days ha. You have been obsessed with your blankie since the first time you touched it. You have never been without it a day in your life for over 2 years now. It is your total comfort... you suck your thumb while you hold and smell it. You LOVE to dance... we recently put you in dance classes... you love them. Miss Jackie says you are such a great student... you listen so well- that you follow all her her moves, even when she is just itching her head:) You are a good listener, but you also like to see what you can get away with. We fight a lot some days, so I try to have something for you to do or someone to play with most days so you can get all that crazy little kid energy out. You scream all the time. You never laugh. I can count on one hand how many times you've really truly laughed since you were born. You just scream when you are excited and happy... which is all the time. You love pizza and guacamole- they have been your favorite foods since the first time you had them. I love when you say "deewicious." It's like your favorite word... you stole it from your cousins and ran with it. You have absolutely NO fear. There isn't a ride or a show or a situation too scary for you. You are the biggest, bravest 3 year old I have ever met. Speaking of biggest.... you are ginormo. You have been since birth. You were almost 24 inches tall, and haven't slowed down yet. You are the tallest kid in nursery by far, and everyone thinks you are a lot older than you really are. You wear a 5t shirt because your torso is so long. You were going on roller coasters when you were only just 2 because you made the 40" height requirement so young. You love to swim. You are a water baby. You could swim the whole day if we let you. I knew you would love it. The first time I bathed you, you were in heaven, and have loved it every day since. I think you were supposed to actually be a fish. You are so independent. You have this "it's my way or the highway" attitude. I tried to potty train you 6 months ago (for 2 whole months!) And you would have none of it. One day a few weeks ago, you just decided you were potty trained- and that was that. We've never even had an accident. It's totally nuts, but that's just how you are. Your daddy is your hero, you get ecstatic when he comes home. When I ask you who you are going to marry in the temple some day, your answer is always "My daddy." When I lay in your bed with you at night, you always ask to talk about "my family." We talk a lot about your cousins, and uncle Jeff's dog Aki, and your favorite uncle Randy. You always tell me you want to fly on a plane to see them, and you then mimic an airplane going up into the sky. I think you look just like your daddy, but with my mouth. You guys have twin eyes, and can make all the same hilarious facial expressions. Those sweet eyes get you out of trouble- I look at them and just can't get mad at you sometimes:) I just love and adore you. I always worry and stress and have a ton of mom-guilt that maybe I'm not doing this right... maybe I'm not raising you good enough... not teaching you enough... not spending enough quality time with you... being too hard on you. I am always worried that I'll mess you up. That I'll take away that rambunctious, hilarious personality that I love. I hope I am doing what's best for you baby girl, you mean everything to me. I hope you can look back on your childhood and remember all the good and happy times we are having right now together. You have made our lives so happy, and we have been so blessed to be your parents. You are the most amazing girl I know, and I couldn't possibly love you any more. Happy 3rd birthday, my Julesies!
Love, Mom

4 Months!

I'm smitten. Straight up smitten. It's so crazy- I never wanted a boy. When I found out he was a boy, I was like- meh. Guess I'll have to get used to the idea. (Sad I know....) OH MY GOSH!!! I didn't realize how much love you have for your son... the mother-son bond is instant- it is so amazing. I remember being in the hospital alone with him that first night, and knowing my life would never be the same now that this boy was in it... I just am so incredibly grateful for him. I never knew a baby could be this sweet and good. People tell me all the time how lucky I am, what a good baby he is, and I totally know it. My pediatrician told me the other day "if I could've had kids as sweet as him, I would've had a whole football team!" Haha I totally agree! I am seriously thankful every single day. I am enjoying every minute of this kid, and every day that passes makes me sad because that just means he's getting bigger:(
 Ok sorry for all the mushy stuff... This month Quincy:
-learned to roll over (ha but can't get his arm out from under his tummy so he just ends up being so frustrated)
-loves to hear himself talk. You put your hand on his mouth and he'll get even louder:)
-has learned to deal with his big sister's "tough love." She could just squeeze the living daylights out of him (and sometimes she does) and he just sits there and takes it. Poor guy, his eyes and body just flinch when she comes around. But no one can get him to smile as big as she can... he already loves her a ton... I dunno why. I'd be terrified of her.
-laughed for the first time! Neither of my babies have been laughers, more just screamers when the get excited, so it was fun to hear his laugh.
-started sleeping through the night! I stopped swaddling him, he found his thumb, and tadah! Magic. He sure does love that thumb. It is his #1 go to for comfort... we have another thumb sucker in this house...
-still the drooliest guy I ever saw. I have to change his shirts from time to time because they are soaked past the belly button. Haha so gross.
He is just the happiest, sweetest, most kissable thing I have ever seen!
Love this guy to pieces...

Home

So Liss convinced me to go to California last-minute this summer, and she is probably still regretting it! Haha! I felt so bad because I was absolutely no help. I took care of the baby, and she inherited a fourth child... a very dramatic, emotional one:) Still not very good at all the juggling 2 kid stuff- I felt like I was in the weeds most the time! Ha I felt so out of it I didn't even take a single picture- I had to steal all these from Melissa and Erica. It was still a lot of fun though, seeing family is the best- and Liss and I have fun together wherever. We also got to play with Chris and Randy and the kids, and Nat and Jeff a lot. We even got to see uncle Scott, aunt Chelsea and baby Henny a few times (I'm so sad I didn't take a picture though!) We also saw a bunch of friends and had them over for a big bbq... it's always so fun to see everyone. Makes me want to move home when I'm there sometimes:) I even got my hair done after my Napoleon Dynamite experience (where I got up from the dinner table one Sunday and went into the bathroom and started chopping it all off- it was just too friggin hot! I had been wearing it up ever since.) So glad it's all fixed now:)
Some other highlights in California:
-ummmm, Miguels and In-n-Out!
-watching the Olympics
-seeing Jules play with all her cousins is the absolute best
-Our fun-filled day at Knott's Berry Farm
-the beach
-The few girls nights we had with some of my favorite people ever:)
It wasn't the same without Mom and Dad there- we were missing them the whole time...
Our main reason for going to California though, was to go to my grandparents 70th anniversary party. 70 years! So Liss and I loaded up the van with our 5 babies and made the 10 hour drive up there (which really took us more like 13 haha.) It was well worth the effort though- getting to celebrate such a special couple who I love and admire so much, was really such an awesome thing.
Other highlights in Utah:
-Cutler's (oh the chocolate chip cookies!!!!) and Bajio
-seeing my inlaws... they drove 4 hrs just to see us!!!
-having lots of late-night girl talk with my Gramma Betty
-getting to see lots and lots of my cousins on both sides
-getting some moles cut off by uncle Greg (gross I know, but seriously a highlight)
-spending more time with the Postoians... Julia is OBSESSED with them
Thanks Grams and the Bryners for letting us crash at your places with all our crazy kiddos! And thanks Liss for all your help- I promise I won't be so useless next time:)

the new hair and my guy

Haha it's so funny to see them on this-
 I remember riding this when I was a little girl!

After Jeff babysat the kids all night... what a trooper.

BFF's

Just some of the Marcum clan

My cute grandparents and their first wedding cake ever:)