December 6, 2010

Oh Christmas Tree


To do something different, we went to Tanaka Farms in Irvine in search of our Christmas tree this year.

 Noah did NOT like the mud


Breathing in the fresh, earthy pine


We ended up with the very best tree we have ever had. It was the perfect shape, the most beautiful dark green, and smelt AMAZING! We found out it was shipped from Oragon only hours before it was in our truck, it even had fresh snow still on its branches. 

I'm not sure we will go back next year though. The trees were three times the price we usually pay. Yikes! But it sure was beautiful to look at!


December 1, 2010

Who is Who?

Now this is for all of you who say Dean doesn't look like Noah did...

Who is who?

 Photos 1 & 2








Photos 3 & 4





Photos 5 & 6




 Photos 7 & 8







Photos 9 & 10 







Photos 11 & 12








Photos 13 & 14









And our family photos have changed...















But I am sure you can see the difference from 2008 to 2010











You may have seen some of the more obvious differences between Noah and Dean, but if you didn't (mostly because of the poor quality photos) here are some we have noticed:
  1. Dean has lighter eyes than Noah had
  2. Dean has a little bit more fat on his chest
  3. Dean likes to open his eyes very wide
  4. Noah was a tad bit smaller than Dean
  5. Noah's face was perfectly symmetrical, Dean's is still shaping
Similarities, both:

  1. Are good eaters! They both could eat awake or a sleep
  2. Slept 10-12hrs at 8 weeks old
  3. Smile more for Dad than for Mom
  4. Have the sweetest lower lip mad face
  5. Have big cheeks (both on their face and bottom!)
  6. Are happy to eat by bottle or breast
  7. Spit-up mostly on other people (ha ha!)
  8. Have large heads that they could barely hold up (at three months)
  9. Have similar nose, lips, hair color, and chin...and so much more

Answers:
  1. Noah
  2. Dean
  3. Dean
  4. Noah
  5. Dean
  6. Noah
  7. Noah
  8. Dean
  9. Noah
  10. Dean
  11. Noah
  12. Dean
  13. Dean
  14. Noah

November 19, 2010

AMAZING


 Aren't they perfect? Isn't it amazing...


...the photos a mom can take


...the beautiful moments she can capture


 and the places she can capture them?


November 19th 2010
Dean's two month checkup

12lbs 14oz, 23in long
(almost 2lbs larger than Noah was at two months!)

October 31, 2010

Halloween 2010

 Halloween weekend we were adventurous. First we went to the pumpkin patch. Noah was not as enthused as I thought he would be.  
 

 An evening at the Harvest Festival was one of the highlights of the entire year. So much fun, infact, I only snapped one photo. But it was a cute one!
  
 
Halloween night we went downtown Huntington Beach.
 (Yes, Eric has a mustache. It was to raise money in support of a fire family grieving their loss)

Our littlest guy looking OH SO CUDDLY!


 Can't miss a holiday with my sis and her super cute family!

October 1, 2010

FOUR

As most of you know, we recently welcomed a new addition to our family.
We became a family of FOUR



Four is the number of times I kiss Dean's perfect face every chance I get.



FOUR is the number of days early Dean came.


Four are the number of events we celebrate in September

September for us is busy:
9/17 Our Anniversary
9/19 Noah and Dean's Birthday
9/24 My Birthday

FOUR times the love, the testosterone (Eric, Noah, Dean & Duke),
the joy, and the happiness we have in our home

September 22, 2010

Dean...

...you stole my heart

September 21, 2010

Welcoming Baby Dean

It all starts at the BEACH...

 Saturday morning, September 18th, Eric, Noah, Duke and I (with my huge baby Dean belly) took a walk along the beach. Noah loves to throw the ball for Duke and run in the freezing cold water. Yikes! I like to take photos and stay dry on the cold mornings! Ooooh, and chat on the phone with my lovely friend Jodie. We love the beach and all of us agree it was a wonderful start to our busy weekend.
While Eric fed Noah lunch and put him down for a nap I went to run up and down the hills and the stairs at Placentia Park. Yes I really ran. Unsuccessful in my attempts to spur on labor, I headed back towards the beach for a hair appointment with the very best stylist in OC! My sister Brandi of course! After, we all load up and head to the last event of the day, a birthday BBQ for our good friend Sean.

Driving down PCH Noah says "Dean, coming?"
Me "he is with mommy in mommy's tummy".
Noah "Ooooh"
Eric "I think Noah knows something we don't"

As we unload the car at they BBQ Noah yells, "Dean Coming!"

Just then I felt my fourth labor contraction that hour...

We spent 4 hours with amazing friends, 4 hours full of people agreeing my belly was too small, betting on birth dates, toasting to his health and drinking to his soon arrival. By the fourth hour I had to drag Eric and Noah out of there.  Nausea had taken over me. Though I was having consistent contractions every 20 minutes the nausea was nothing new. It was, unfortunately, a daily fight throughout both pregnancies. At home I quickly changed into comfy clothes and snaped a photo of my belly to post on facebook. 
The title was: DOES HE LOOK FULLY COOKED TO YOU?


That night, while Eric and I lay in bed I explained to him that I finally gave up. With only 4 days until my scheduled cesarean, I decided to give up my exhausting efforts to force this baby out naturally. That was the last thing said as we drifted off to sleep. Until 1am when I felt a very hard, loud CRACK and POP!

I thought, "Dean IS coming Noah"

 2am in the Hospital. Contractions were on top of each other. They were more intense than the monitor screen would allow. I couldn't wait to get an epidural, and some Zofran. Throwing up during a contraction is just about the worse thing you could ever imagine!

 Enjoying a Popsicle after I got my epidural.

 My mother, sister and Kim were there for support during Dean's birth

 Just a few short hours later our second little man was born.

 Or should I say BIG BOY!

Eric is such an amazing father, and great with a newborn

I share this photo because it is the reason why I wanted to attempt a VBAC. Successfully having a VBAC gave me so much freedom, gave me the ability to enjoy some of labor, take care of Dean, and myself in ways I couldn't with a cesarean. This was 1 hr after giving birth.

Numy and Grampy were proud to have a second McCoy grandson


 Deten and Auntie Stephani

 Eric and I are blessed with amazing family and the most amazing friends. Nick and Jodie took Noah for two nights and brought him to the hospital to meet Dean. Jodie and I were able to catch up while admiring


 Noah was not sure about where he was and what he was supposed to do in the hospital room. His reaction to Eric and I was normal, he said an excited Hi and wanted hugs, to Dean, he said Hi Hunter! We tried to explain that this is not (his cousin) Hunter, but Dean who we have been waiting to come out of mommy's tummy. It didn't really sink in...


...until this photo. My excitement could not be contained.

Noah looked at my tummy, looked at Dean and screamed, "Dean!!!" 
and then leaned over to give his little brother a kiss.

 Our first family photo of the FOUR of us

 Noah went home with Nana,

 Eric and I, and baby Dean head home,



 
...and so it ends (this story that is) at our home at the Beach.