I like to RIDE my Bicycle~

We've been slacker parents and haven't really been on the ball when it comes to teaching lifelong skills to our kids in a timely manner. But my theory is the longer you wait, the quicker they learn! ;) This applies to potty training, shoe tying and bike riding.

Brooklyn and Blake both received big kid bikes WITHOUT training wheels from Santa Claus this year. Matt had taken the Monday after Christmas off so we figured that would be the perfect time to teach them how to ride. Blake had a bit of an advantage because two years ago, he was successful at learning how to ride a two-wheeler, we just haven't upgraded bikes and their scooters were so much more fun. Brooklyn has always spazzed at the mere mention of removing her training wheels, then it's too hot during the summer, blah, blah, blah, excuse, excuse, excuse.

We headed to a retention basin in the front of our subdivision (we met up with Derek, Spencer and Andrew, who was also learning to ride his bike) that provided super hills for the kids to practice their balance skills. Both of them did excellent right from the start, although Brooklyn got so nervous if ANYthing/one came within a 100 mile radius of her while riding. haha!

Videos~

Off they go!Preston and Gavin loved being pulled by Daddy in the bike trailer!

The hardest part was teaching how to get themselves going on their own on flat ground, braking and turning. After LOTS of tears and drama from our girly girl, I think it's safe to say that we officially have ourselves two bike riders! And I know in these pictures, neither has a helmet on but that's because when we went to fetch them (meaning helmets they got as TODDLERS), we quickly found out their heads have grown significantly and sitting on the back porch being baked in the sun results in straps that dissolve into dust at a single touch. Oops! But I assure you that I ran out and bought NEW helmets that day because all of a sudden, I'm a paranoid freak now that my almost-eight-year-old babies are riding bikes in the street all on their own. ;)

Preston turns TWO!!!

I can't believe my BABY is already TWO years old!!!!!

Fresh out

3 months

6 months

9 months

1 year

18 months

****

We had Lebaron family pictures scheduled on his actual birthday (Monday), so we celebrated the day before with dinner and a little family party at our house. My parents and sibs all came over, Matt's parents, Mike & Melissa and Derek & Kristin brought their kids.

More Toy Story toys!!! THIS is the item that I nearly didn't get on Black Friday.
I was SO excited to give it to him and he LOVES all the little characters!What toddler doesn't love a tunnel to crawl through???My parents gave him this wheelie motorcycle. He prefers to ride it. Haha!His "cake," a huge cookie.
We made personal pizzookies for dessert.

Preston is obsessed with Toy Story (particularly Woody) and motorcycles, airplanes, helicopters and garbage trucks. He's so, SO good to let me brush his teeth every night. Preston is a little chatterbox and is constantly talking up a storm. I sometimes forget how young he is because he talks so much! He'll pretty much say anything you ask him to. He knows almost all his colors (struggles a bit with red). Preston LOOOOOOVES his Daddy!!! When he hears that garage door open in the evening, he goes running to greet Daddy! Still likes to be outside just bopping around, riding his little "bike" or trying out one of the kids' scooters. He's a good listener and pretty good eater. Sometimes he shows his toddler independence by refusing certain foods. He loves eggs, berries of any kind, pineapple, chips & guacamole, "mungers" (cucumbers), broccoli (finally!), cheese.

He has been my most, how do I put this gently, BUSY child. A bit naughty, if you will. Anything that can be gotten into, he gets into it. He stands up in shopping carts, he's dug into his own poopy diapers too many times to count. He recently busted the glass in one of the doors of our entertainment center. Surprisingly, he's the only child who hasn't attempted to climb out of his crib by this age!! And he'll probably do it tomorrow since I just jinxed myself. Although he can be a bit of a troublemaker at times, he still is such a sweet boy. I love when he holds my hand while we walk to change his diaper. I love that he knows Star Wars charaters names thanks to his big brothers. I love when he sings "Jesus Wants Me for a SunBEAN." I love that he lists off names of family members (cousins, uncles, aunts). I love that he'll snuggle me. I love my Presty-boy!

Happy Birthday, dear Preston!! ☺

~~~~

I had been prepping him beforehand that when he turned two, binkies get broken and that big boys don't need binkies anymore. He only had two binkies that stayed in his crib for naptime and nighttime. Of course I was a little nervous that this would completely wreck my good sleeper. I let him have his binks for naptime on his birthday but I snipped the tips off before bed, showed him the binkies, then had him put them in the garbage. Oooooh, he was NOT happy!!! He tried just hanging onto it with his teeth. LOL! I was a little sad to traumatize him like that on his birthday, but he only cried for maybe 10 minutes before going to sleep. Since then, he's taken a little bit longer to fall asleep at naptime, and he still talks about his broken binkies, but I'm surprised that it hasn't really affected him much at all! It was easier than I thought it would be!

~Last night with binkiesA quick suck before chucking them into the garbageWhat??? I want my binkies back!!! Priceless!

{2 yr stats}

weight- 29.7 lbs 71st %ile
height- 35 in 68th %ile
head circ- 20 in 93rd %ile

Christmas 2010

This holiday season seemed to creep up fast then breeze right by! I hope all my family, friends and neighbors still know that I love them dearly, even though I didn't get Christmas cards out or holiday goodies baked and delivered. I had good intentions, I swear!

As the days got closer to Christmas, I got giddy! I tend to start shopping for my kids waaaaaay in advance because I like to have everything planned out and organized, especially since their birthdays are all so close to Christmas too! By the time the big day rolls around, I've been waiting F-O-R-E-V-E-R to give them these gifts that I'm SOOO, so excited!! Eeee!

Christmas Eve, the kids opened their ONE gift (jammies), and snuggled in for some Christmas stories. I'm trying to broaden my collection of winter/Christmas books because everyone knows what a children's book freak I am! I may or may not have bought 6 or 7 new ones this year.... :X So we read a few of those then Matt read the story of Christ's birth from the Bible. The kids set out milk and cookies for Santa and they were off to bed!

It took Brooklyn a long time to fall asleep; I think she was having anxiety over the whole thing, not knowing exactly when Santa would be coming! LOL!

Growing up, Matt's dad always set a trap for them, to keep any kids from sneaking out of their room early. So Matt set up his little trap in the boys' bedroom doorway (Brooklyn slept there with them) and they had to escape before they could come downstairs and see what Santa had left!

Coming down the stairs!!!

Let's see what Santa left for the good girl and boys!

Last year, I bought several gifts for myself and told Matt he could wrap them and put them under the tree for me. That only left me disappointed when there wasn't anything there I didn't already know about. :/ So this year, I let Matt know he was on his OWN!!! I gave him my short wishlist and left him to his own devices. ;)

We were all very spoiled this year and I'm happy to report that Matt did an excellent job in the gift-giving department!!! Probably the BEST thing was his creativity he put into the kids gift to me...

... he took the Peter Pan belt from our dress up box and added little things to it- a water bottle, fruit roll-up, flashlight, watch, etc. to tell me that I get to pick out a running belt for myself! I also got a wheat grinder and a DYSON vacuum!!!!! A+, Honey!!

I got Matt a new dress shirt (this is a guaranteed gift every year because he wears them to work every day), the Hobbit + Lord of the Rings books, utility work lights, and a new titanium watch. The kids got him a 5x5 Rubiks cube. ;)
Brooklyn declared this was the "BEST Christmas EVER!!!" which makes all that work and effort so worth it.

We got to see both of our families, plus all our grandparents that live locally. For some reason, I didn't even get my camera out at my parents! :(

Grandma & Grandpa Palmer gave Pillow Pets to all the grandkids!!! (minus Sophie baby)
My kids have been begging for these daily so obviously they were a huge hit!We love Grandpa & Grandma LeBaron!!

This time of the year really makes you step back for a minute and reflect on all the blessings that we have and enjoy, most importantly the gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for both our wonderful families and the knowledge that we have that we can be together eternally. I love the happiness that this season brings. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

Family Holiday Traditions

The Sunday before Christmas is always the LeBaron nativity. Although not EVERYone can make it, it's pretty awesome that so many still do come. This year marked 30 years of this special tradition for Grandpa & Grandma LeBaron. And guess who starred in the role as baby Jesus thirty years ago? None other than Matt! Awwhhhh....

It's so nice to have the chance to meet together as an extended family and remember the true meaning of Christmas. The number of wise men and shepherds in the family nativity *may* be a little inaccurate from the real thing, but our kids really look forward to this every year.
And of course it wouldn't be Christmas without a visit from Jolly Old St. Nick himself!! Santa, once again, graced us with his presence at the Palmer family Christmas get-together. The kids are absolutely enamored by his magic tricks. Brooklyn, Blake and Gavin all got to be Santa's lovely assistants. Blake wasn't thrilled when he found out he'd be playing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. LOL! The kiddies all sat on Santa's lap and told them what they wanted for Christmas. Brooklyn even brought a written out letter!!!I'm so glad that the kids have the opportunity to take part in these traditions with Matt's side of the family! We've had the first inklings of doubt from Brooklyn whether or not Santa Claus is real. But we've reassured her that as long as you believe, you'll still receive! ;)