December. . before Christmas.

SSOO many pictures. . . but I'm just doing a quick pick of a few to post. . .

Sean and I often get some snuggle time when he wakes up from his afternoon nap.

Aunt Jess snapped this one of Sean on my lap

Never too young. . .

Sean loved the tree, I was thankful he still wasn't crawling yet, I could keep the tree out on the floor.  Max was old enough to know that the ornaments were "very special" as he would say.

Ward Party Santa.  Max was so excited, he got in line again!

Jared got to come with us to Disneyland after the quarter ended.

Max loves Tarzan's Tree house!  Especially the Leopard.

This little Pirate band was playing outside Pirates of the Caribbean

Santa at Disneyland.  This was the longest line we waited in all day, then right as it was our turn it was time for Santa to go on break!  Oh boy. . .but we finally got to meet him.  The little Cottage he was in was cute, like a little Gingerbread house.

There were real Reindeer outside the Cottage with little name plates.

Love those little ears sticking up.

Buzz's Astroblasters

Making Christmas cookies, he was totally into it.

Fell asleep with his Pirate hook.  He calls it "the eagle" for some reason.  "Mommy, where's my Eagle?"

We went as a family to get a closer look at the Nativity at our temple, it was just before sunset.

as the week ends . . .

Right now I am feeling very very thankful for my community and friends.  I don't think either of us knew exactly what would be in store for us as we moved here and started our family and Jared's PhD.  But even though we face many many challenges and some days are tough I am so thankful for the community we live in.  It has it's bumps . . .won't list them. . .but it really is a special place.  I love the fact that random strangers have wished me Happy Chinese New Year this weekend, that I made good friends with a little Russian Grandma who hardly spoke English but would always light up and say, "Hi Max!" as we passed her almost daily, that this red-haired guy in the building next to me will always step aside as I come through the narrow part of the sidewalk with my double stroller and give me a smile, that little bunnies and squirrels cross my path as I walk to my car (I pretend I'm Sleeping Beauty), that we have outdoor movie nights in January and 100 people show up, that we have a tiny garden plot in our cute community garden, that I could help my neighbor calm down when her baby fainted in her arms and she was yelling for help, and especially that I can just send a quick text and meet 5 or so amazing friends at our playground 10 minutes later.  It's funny how we ALL count down the days until we're done with grad school but we know it will sure be HARD to say good-bye to our life here. . .I still miss my dear friends who have already moved on.

I just heard this song for the first time a few minutes ago but it seems to fit this post. . .


(thanks for sharing the video, Jess!)

November '11 Favorites

hello, hello out there. . .it may be possible that I can count my readers on one hand these days. . .haha.  Enjoy these snaps of the kiddos.

Max loves his "people"

We got an email from a friend one morning saying she had some extra free passes to the OC Zoo, we met her there a few hours later.  Part of it is a petting zoo. . .

The snakes were the last thing we saw there.  Max had been really into snakes at this time.  He calls them all "pretend snakes" (the word pretend to him means it's not scary) this one just kept following him back and forth behind the glass. . .I have a video but it will take forever to upload, anyway, he loved it.

Friends outside the Zoo.

Oh this picture just cracks me up.  This was totally Max's idea to put them in the baby tub together.  They barely fit.  Max was so excited, this is his excited face and he balls up his fists and shakes them when he's happy about something.  Sean was just chilling out, happy as can be squished in the little tub.

Out for a walk. . .this little car was out by the dumpster last summer and Max insisted we take it home.  He's just about too big for it now but still pushed himself all along our walk.  This was the day after a hair cut.

Brother snuggles

A major blessing for me is when Max takes his 3+ hour naps.  They don't happen every day but when they do, I get some one on one time with Sean, or occasionally a little snooze of my own if Sean goes down.  Here we are killing time until Max wakes up . . .

Sean started Rice Cereal, he tolerates it but it's not his favorite.

This is for Uncle Chase.  Jared made Max a paper bag dress-up outfit just like Uncle Chase used to make as a kid.

Max got a big boy bed.  We finally decided this would be the best time to make the transition.  He did well for a couple nights, then we had some of the roughest couple weeks ever . . .but we're good now and the boys go down for the night in the same room.

  
 Max sits on the edge of his bed and sings "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. . ." he totally came up with this himself.

My chubby chubs

This was just too funny I had to snap a picture.  I baby sat 6 kids for one hour ages 9 months, 16 months, 3 years, 3 years, and my own kids 2.5 years and 4 months.  It was a little crazy but every one was happy for that hour!  Luckily Sean stayed asleep.

Diaper boys

With Aunties Mer and Jessica and Uncle Chase on Thanksgiving

Little Jammy Jam Session.

Happy Sean in his walker

Best of 2011

We've come so far this year.  So many memories in 2011.  So many great photos.  Looking through them I have to remind myself to enjoy every moment and every stage in life.  Here are some favorites.

January - celebrating my birthday at Balboa, 20 something weeks pregnant

 February - our little cherub

March - our little buddy we were babysitting a couple times a week, on St. Patrick's Day

April - 30 something weeks pregnant, teaching dance.

 May - sharing and ice cream cone at Ikea, you can see Max's hair was getting a little out of control.  He got his first real cut this month.

June - Our perfect Sean Jared White was born.

July - getting a handle on taking care of my two babies.  I asked Jared to snap some of me and the baby before church, Max joined in for some snuggles. . . .I didn't even end up making it to church that day. . .this just sums up our summer.

 August - Sean's beautiful blessing day, you are so loved by so many baby Sean.

 September - the beginning of yet another school year, good thing we have these amazing buddies to help us pull through the tough days and help us remember that we will look back on these years and miss them.

 October - loved my little Peter Pan, our first time doing a family theme.

 November - Sean's first time in the swing at Mason Park.

December - they are not all uploaded yet, most of Christmas is still on the camera but I'll end with this photo I took of our temple at sunset a week before Christmas.