Merry Merry!

We had a lovely Christmas with all the family. We started in WI and ended in IL. I always come away from being with family feeling very blessed. Cole is so lucky to have so many who love him. Here are a few pictures of the packed, fun-filled days. The whole family shots will come soon when I get them. Daddy and Cole (our little camo elf) bonding while mom packs!
Merry Christmas Eve!

Cole directed us at Grandma Peterson's while we did the annual caroling.

I was so excited because I was going to get to open all of Cole's presents as well as my own...well it ended up that I held Cole while my dad opened my presents! HAHA

Getting ready to open presents with the Peterson family. Cole made it to his first present from us...the Fisher Price Nativity Set. So cute and it will be pulled out for years and years to come. A nice new family tradition.

WOOHOO...Sara, Gera,Katy, and Elena arrived late on Christmas Day from Costa Rica. Here are the cousins meeting one another. And me meeting Elena for the first time!

(Cole really isn't scared)

(Notice my cute new Vera bag on the floor)

Auntie Beth and Cole...sideways...oops!

It was so fun to watch Caden and Katy play. Carol got all the kids matching outfits...those pictures are on Naomi's camera.


We had a great Christmas. We have have had a great 2010 with the birth of Cole. Having a child makes everything about life better. I am constantly baffled at the transformation our life has taken...it is great! We are in for another transition with my going back to school on Monday. Pray for me as I am going to miss my little Cole baby! I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. It is the definition of bittersweet.

Have a WONDERFUL New Years!

3 Months...2 days early

(we totally rocked the 3 month picture...so excited about it)

This has been a great month of firsts. Oh my, I just love this boy so much...I am really starting to understand and feel the difference that a baby brings to life. It is wonderful.

And now...the 3 month update:

• Cole is still wearing his 0-3 month clothes. Most of the pants are much to long on him so I think we are closer to the 0 than the 3.


• He laughs, talks, and squeals!


• He rolls over from his tummy to his back. He has started to arch his back and look behind him so I think that means he is close to going from back to tummy. We practice all the time.


• When he is rolled to his tummy he holds up his head to look around for about 1 minute!


• He loves to stand up and look around.


• Kyle insists that Cole takes steps when he is standing....I think Cole just likes to move his legs.


• He sucks his thumb! And always is putting his hands in his mouth.


• Bath time continues to be fun, he kicks and smiles!


• We have a pretty great routine and I see the value of a routine. He is so much more content. I am looking forward to trying to keep things "normal" with all the holiday traveling.


• He goes down for the night around 9:30 (even though he falls asleep at 8:15, he eats at 9:00) and sleeps until 2:30. It is a good chunk of time.


• We wake up every morning at 8:00. I read that it is good to wake up at a certain time every morning. I agree.


• He goes to sleep for naps and at night time on his own. By that I mean he is awake, we read a story, and then goes to sleep once laid in his crib with the music and his cuddly monkey. This has been a major blessing.
  

With the 3 month birthday comes the end of my maternity leave. I am so glad for the extra week for Christmas break. My heart beats a little faster from anxiety when I think about leaving him but I know he is going to be in good hands and they already love him. I am excited to get back into the swing of things at school but know that I am going to miss Cole so much. 4:00 every day will be my favorite time when I go pick him up. I am thankful that he is mostly awake at night so I will get lots of valuable time with him. He has been such an amazing joy to Kyle and I. I can't even imagine life without him.

Look at those little feet dangling...that is the whole reason for this picture. haha

Nala loves Cole...we think! :)

I will be done with blog posts for a few days now. I have been going a bit crazy with them. haha

Makes Me Smile...

I took this video of Cole from my phone today! He cracks me up...ignore the wobbling...he is a mover! :)

Roomie Christmas 2010

It is time for the annual Roomie Christmas post! We had a great time of food, games, and fellowship. Kyle and I hosted this year and it was SO fun to use all my great dishes! We always plan to have it during the Stagg Bowl because Whitewater always ends up playing. The boys watched while the girls did gifts and made fun crafts. We are so excited to be a big Roomie family and we are really excited to have the family grow throughout the years. The goal is 16 total kids! Cole got to partake in his first Roomie Christmas and just like his mama....didn't want to miss any of the action so he had a hard time napping. He wasn't crabby at all, just wanted to be part of the fun. Today he slept hard for all naps, without fuss, in his crib because he was just pooped. TWINS! Auntie Nikki came to babysit for a few hours on Friday night. They just happened to be wearing almost the same outfit.
Mama Mumm really loves our friendship so she sent us some cute ornaments to celebrate. Susan was so good and didn't open the package until she came to Roomie Christmas.

Every year we exchange names and create a gift. This year...picture frames. We are starting the tradition of taking a group picture and placing it in the frame every year. So excited. Nikki made mine and I made Tina's.

So proud of Kyle!

AND NOW A FEW PICTURES OF COLE...

New way of being put down for a nap. He hugs his monkey and it holds the nuk in! And so darn cute!

Reclining like a big boy!

Notice the Dr. Seuss book....he loves them! Mr. Brown is his favorite but I think he likes the way that I read them and it makes it fun to read them because of the rhyming. We read one before nap time every day.

THURSDAY is 3 months!

Merry Christmas to Katy Lou from Nala

Cole the Movie Star

Last night Shannon inspired me to get going on the videos! :) We continuted chatting about firsts and I knew that I had to document these by putting it on the blog. And I know Gramma Kringel in TN and Sara in Costa Rica need to see more of Cole in action. Lets be serious, Jordan, Josh, Mariah, and Taylor in Menomonie, and Brad and Betsy in Cedar Grove, and Naomi in Milwaukee, and Beth in Port, etc...you get my drift...all need to see him in action. :) So enjoy the little guy...I know I do!

Roll Cole Roll

So on Sunday I took a really great video of Cole rolling over with our new video camera. It has been processing for 2 days. So frustrating! So, tonight we took one with the camera! I just have to say that I am so thankful that these "firsts" are happening before I go back to school. He has been smiling, laughing, and rolling! Such great times! We are so excited! I hope to get a laughing video on camera tomorrow...it is precious! Being a mommy is pretty great!

Father Like Son

See the resemblance??

We don't have any pictures of me on the computer as a baby...come on over and I will show you the on the fridge. Cole is a good mix!

Dreams Come True

I have been waiting for this moment to happen. This morning I went into Cole's room at 8:30 because I heard him making noises. I walked in and looked over the side and he smiled at me! Smiled like he was happy to see me this morning. Then we started to chat and he made his excited face! It was the PERFECT way to start the day! What a blessing he is!

Cousin Fun!

Caden was so good while posing for pictures with Cole. So sweet!
These two will be wrestling together before we know it!

First time in the kiddie pool with Daddy!

So excited to add Katy and Elena to these cousin pictures at Christmas! :)

2 MONTHS

Happy 2 Month Birthday to Baby Cole! He has been such a joy over this past month as he has started to interact wtih us more and become cuter every day! :) It is amazing how proud I am when he takes a good nap in his crib or smiles or rolls over or coos.

Here are the highlights of the month:

• Cole is now 10 lbs 11.5 oz. and 21 3/4 inches long. He was called "petite" by the doctor today! He measures in the 20th percentile for height and weight. His head is the 44th! :)
  
• He has is a very good baby and cries when he wants something or is tired. Sometimes he gets fussy at night for "fussy" time but lately he has been pretty happy! I think he likes to look at himself in the mirror!


• He is ACTIVE! Loves to splash in the bath water. He likes to be moving in our arms. He really prefers to be looking around rather than cradled in our arms.


• He has rolled over 3 times. They were real this time and is happens when he does a push up, so maybe he is just toppling over!


• Smiles! He has smiled at me, smiled in his sleep, smiled at himself in the mirror. So dang cute! Wish I could catch it on camera...only one picture has been captured on my phone.


• Sleeps in his crib without his little bassinet thing.


• Takes one short nap in the morning and a long nap in the afternoon.


• Sleeps 4-5 hours at night and then goes back to his 3 hour feeding schedule.


• Favorite Song is Hakuna Matata and enjoys his Baby Einstien Lullaby Cd. He just really enjoys music and noise!


• He is finally wearing 0-3 months clothes and all the pants are too big for his "petite" body. haha


• He is just so much fun and we play every day!
  Thankful this year for a happy and healthy baby boy! We are so blessed to have him be part of our lives. Love you Baby Cole!

Christmas Cards

I love love love Christmas cards! I love sending and recieving...hint, hint! Shutterfly is offering 50 free cards if you display there cards on your blog. I have ordered from Shutterfly in the past and will do it again this year! It is super easy and they have so many cute designs. I really love the multiple pictures to show different family members or the big photo of the whole family! I almost always do the photo card instead of flip open card but they have really cute ones of both! Check it out here http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards!

Which one do you think I will choose?

Cole Bradley Update: We have been practicing putting Cole down for nap in his crib so he learns to fall asleep on his own. I wasn't ready to do it before but now seems like the right time. It has been going pretty well. He definitely cries but when he wakes up from his crib nap, he is much more content. On Tuesday we started and it went perfectly. Yesterday, he really wanted to be held. Today, I did lay him down and he cried and has been taking a nice long nap. Very proud of him. Now the next task will be laying him down for a nap at my parents this weekend while the men go hunting! I have also wanted to do this at nighttime. Yesterday was the first time that he didn't fall asleep before bedtime. So I layed him down, he cried, I soothed for a minute, he cried more, and he slept! He was fed at 9:00, sleeping by 9:45, and woke at 2:30 to eat again. Pretty good night!

BEST MOMENT OF THE WEEK: Cole smiled and laughed at me about 4 times! I have been waiting for these really true "smile right at me" times and they are happening! It is so fun and makes the exhaustion so worth it. I can't wait for him to do it for Kyle and everyone else who smiles and laughs at him! He has rolled over twice this week too.

Is it true that because he was 3-4 weeks early that he will be 3-4 weeks behind in the weeks development? I think it depends because he has been doing all the head lifts for weeks but the smiles took longer to come. Interesting!

Well this was a long post with a lot of rambling! :) Have a wonderful weekend!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Oh my goodness...Mr. Cole Bradley is a big boy already! I was flipping through some pictures yesterday and couldn't believe how different he is looking already at 7 weeks old. He is greatly enjoying bath time. Newest development...a big kicker! Look at those ripples in the water! He might just be the next Michael Phelps, haha! Carol, next year Noah's Ark, he is going to love the water slides just like Baby Ethan! I might just need to bring a warm water blanket like the one Cole is sporting above!

This is the new favorite position in the boppy. Soothing for an upset tummy and a great prop up for a boy who loves to look around the room. I just can't believe how big he is already! And look at that forehead...so defined!

Someday I might blog about something other than Cole but really...what else do you people want to read about?!?! :) haha

Best Birthday Present Ever

I spent my birthday weekend with this handsome little man while his daddy went hunting!

How lucky am I?!?!

And spending it with my mom and sister was wonderful too! :)

Another Day o' Fun

Well, today we had another day of firsts. Cole took his first bottle from Kyle. I had to call the lactation consultants to make sure we did it right...I have been confused about all this pumping, bottle feeding, storing stuff. So she told me that I should not be the person to give him his first few bottles. Kyle was the chosen one and he was really excited! Other than calling to me a bunch of times about what to do, he did great! Cole chuggalugged like usual! I was patiently waiting (pumping) in the other room so he wouldn't smell me. haha Anyways, then after his bath and screaming time we decided to try out the baby bjorn for the first time. He now weighs enough for us to put him in it. I tried to wear it today when making dinner but forgot how to put it on...haha! I am excited to use it more often...I see lots of stuff getting done in the near future! We had a lovely shower this weekend. Beth planned a great baseball themed event! We were blessed with many things for baby! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Happy 1 Month Birthday Cole!

Cole is 1 month old today! That month went FAST! I guess that is what I will be saying for the rest of his life. Here are a few tidbits of information from Cole's first month of life:

• He was 6 lbs 11 oz at birth. At his two week appointment he was 7 lbs 1 oz. Today he weighs 8 lbs, we think. Kyle weighed himself and then grabbed Cole so you know how accurate that is!


• He is eating every three hours and then every 4 - 4 1/2 at night. He is an eater and goes in like he has been starved! This accounts for his chubbiness!


• He can lift his head and move it from left shoulder to right shoulder. He is starting to grasp onto toys. I think he enjoys music from me singing to the little tunes.


• He loves to be talked to and read to. Really it is just the talking but I like to think he loves to read!


• This past two weeks he has been getting better at focusing on a face. The best is when we will talk and he will look that way! Oh joy!


• The morning is our favorite time of day. He is quite content after his 9:00/10:00 feeding and we just relax and play.


• 7:00 pm is fussy time...every night! It is going okay since he is such a good baby!


• His big outings for the month have been to the doctor everyday for a week for his jaundice, to the Whitewater vs. Stout football game, to the pumpkin farm, to the lake with Dad, and to both grandparents homes for sleepovers!

Cole has been such a joy this month. We are getting into a comfortable routine with him and enjoying watching him grow. Kyle is so excited to play with him. I am so excited to have him smile, a social smile! :) Thank you God for this little blessing!

I love my school!

What a darn cute kid!

I just love working at my school! One of those reasons is because of the amazing parents. They are so giving and supportive. One of the perks this year is having an amazing photographer as one of my student's mom. I have loved every single one of her pictures that I have ever seen. When she emailed me to let me know that the class gift for Baby Cole would be a photo session, I just about cried with joy! Here are a few of the pictures she took. Thank you so much Kelly and the rest of the parents in my class!

A Day of Firsts

Well, most of these days are days of firsts. Today we had some big events happen with Cole. First, he took a nap in his crib. Part of the process of getting him used to not sleeping in our room and falling asleep on his own. Second, his stump fell off so that means REAL BATH! I love bath time. I think Cole enjoyed it to, he loves water like his Mom! Fun day at the Dieringer household!