Happy New Year's Eve!

I made it!!! I took a photo of the boys together every Saturday for the entire year of 2011. I can hardly believe that I stuck with it, haha. Not all of these pictures are the best quality, some were taken using my cell phone but each one shows the boys making memories together. I'm definitely doing this again next year. 

Check out my slideshow and re live 2011 Rowan and Cruz style.

IL Christmas 2011

We had a fabulous trip to Illinois this Christmas. I would say that it was one of the best ones yet. We got to see so many family members and the weather was bearable. Some of the highlights were:

-on time airplane flights with perfectly behaved little boys

-seeing both sets of grandparents, three sets of great grandparents, aunts, uncles and numerous cousins.

-having a birthday party for Jesus with Grandma

-hanging upside down with Uncle Randy

-building a gingerbread train with Grandpa and Deona

-going fast down the hills on the country roads on our drive to Morton

-taking off and landing on the airplane... these events elicited "wheees" and "can we do that again"

-playing Flipping Flapjacks hundreds of times at Grammy & Grampy's

-getting to play with cousin Summer

-eating candy for dinner at Great Aunt Mar's

-helping my sister register for my first little niece, Jade

-Rowan's new Leap Pad

and

-getting to witness the boys as they grow to understand the true meaning of Christmas- the birth of their Savior. 

One last thing, thank you to everyone for keeping our travel arrangements in mind when choosing what size of gifts to buy our children. It really helped us get home much easier. :)

Countdown: 2 Days

Two days until we leave! There is much packing to do. Both boys have already packed their carry on bags though. I get to have my own carry on bag for the first time in a while. I am so incredibly excited about that. No toys, bottles or diapers in mine! While I am sad that they boys are getting so big, it definitely has its perks.

Merry Christmas!

Our Early Christmas Morning

We had a fabulous time celebrating an early Christmas this morning. Both boys were super excited this year and their eyes were wide when they got their first glimpse of the presents under the tree.

I love how they are constantly putting their arms around each other for photos now.

When he saw the presents close up, Rowan yelled, "that one has my name on it!" He was also proud to read the tag on their joint gift that said 'Rowan and Cruz' since those are all words that he knows how to read.

Cruz just kept holding each gift he opened out to us and said, "open please, open please."

The boys' favorites gifts were Cruz's train wash, Lite Brite, Rowan's Leap Pad Explorer and the game Sequence for kids.

We had our traditional cinnamon roll breakfast along with some bacon that Santa left in Roger's stocking. This was the best 'Christmas morning' yet.

Here's a peek at last year. I can't believe how much they've grown. :)

Christmas Cookies!

I took the easy way out this year. No chilling dough, no rolling, no cookie cutters. We made oreo balls and the boys were just as excited about those. 

We started while Cruz was napping.

The boys were super excited. Rowan really understands that there will be gifts for him when he wakes up. He had a hard time falling to sleep tonight.

I am so excited for the boys to open their gifts in the morning. Those backpacks are rolling backpacks for them to take on our trip. They are going to be so excited to wheel those through the airport. Gift giving is definitely one of my big love languages. I may be more excited about all of these presents then the boys. :)

Love Award

Today Rowan was awarded the Love Award in Chapel. Friday isn't normally a school day for him so he thought it was so much fun to be there today. On a separate note, Roger couldn't be there so I took the kids by myself. Its honestly exhausting to try to keep Cruz happy in a quiet environment, remind Rowan of the appropriate ways to sit and worship PLUS take pictures to document the experience. This is when having two children 20 months apart comes to bite me. :) Anyway, I didn't get as many pictures as I would have likes and I will admit that I bribed Cruz with a sucker but it was still so neat to see Rowan get recognized. He was so proud.

9 Days!!!!

Just 9 more days until we hop onto a plane with a gazillion suitcases, endure a 3.5 hour flight, 2 hours worth of car rides and finally arrive at my mom and dad's. Sounds like a lot of work but we can't wait. Luckily our boys are pretty easy going little travelers. We are looking forward to seeing a lot of you but until then, here are some videos of things we've been up to.

Rowan is a pro on his strider now... he's almost ready for a two wheeler!

Cruz loves to count to 10 with Rowan. I have no idea why Rowan's sitting in a high  chair. :)

Rowan can now count all the way to 30! Big stuff.

LOVE!

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34

That verse is the theme verse for Rowan's school this year and we've been working to live it out at home. Our kindness jar is one of the ways we've been doing that. Each kind act *might* be worth some marbles in the jar. They aren't always so that the boys aren't doing kind things JUST for the sake of getting a marble. Different tasks are worth different amounts of marbles. When Rowan helps Cruz put on his shoes that might be worth 2 marbles where as if he doesn't yell at Cruz for knocking over his trains, he gets 8. Cruz earns marbles for using his manners, sharing toys, saying "yes, mommy," and obeying the first time.

We've been encouraging Rowan to spread that kindness at school. It might help that he gets 10 marbles for having a kind day at school. :) Rowan won this months "Love" award (for his class) with a special emphasis on sharing. Rowan really struggles with sharing so the fact that he's made progress with it thrills me to pieces. Rowan will get his award along with the other winners in a special chapel service. He also gets a special snack with the pre-school director and a day where he doesn't have to wear his uniform.

Random acts of kindness and helpfulness being displayed at the Baum house. 

Nativity + Cars

Rowan: Mom, do you think this is where the cars parked at the stable?

Cruz: 20 months.

Cruz's 20 month post is a few days late. Oops. If you've been dying for a Cruz update though, you are in luck! Here are 9 facts and 9 photos about our little 20 month.

1. Cruz is often mistaken for a girl if he has a hat on. People often comment on his "doll like" features. While I don't particularly love my son being mistaken for a girl I completely agree that he's gorgeous.

2. Cruz's favorite food is turkey dogs and he will eat two or three at a meal. He also loves macaroni and cheese, cereal and yogurt. Getting him to eat anything else is a bit of a battle.

3. Cruz can throw quite a tantrum. They don't last long but they've been coming often these days. "No" and "mine" are very prominent in his vocabulary.

4. Cruz loves to read! He has finally found a use for books other than as a weapon. He loves to have Rowan read to him and he loves to snuggle up in Rowan's bed for stories at bedtime. 

5. Cruz adores Rowan and follows him everywhere. He is much happier when Rowan tells him not to do something than when I do.

6. Cruz has a huge giggle which he shares with us often. He loves nothing more than to get tickled or play chase and laugh hysterically.

7. Cruz is the age that Rowan was when he was born. I cannot believe that. Rowan seemed so much older to me. Cruz is my baby. :)

8. Cruz is my snuggle bug. He loves cuddling with his blankie, his stuffed monkey or his family members. He also initiates bedtime "loves" and I think giving hugs and kisses to everyone, including Cooper, is a favorite part of his day.

9. Cruz adores Christmas trees, balls, Elmo and trains. He says lots of words but isn't super interested in naming objects. Cruz uses words to get what he wants but he's definitely more physical than verbal.

Brothers 49/52

When I saw this my heart melted into a puddle. I ran and grabbed my camera and hid around the corner. Quiet moments like this have been rare this week. Moments where no one is upset have been few and far between so that made this one extra special to me. Moments like this make me so thankful that the boys have each other. 

Soccerin' Around

I haven't brought my camera to a soccer game for a couple months and with only one game to go, I thought I should today. 

Rowan adores playing soccer and gives it his all every time. I am so proud of him for playing so hard even when he can't quite catch up to the ball. I'm proud of him for running in every time his coach calls him unlike some of the kids who prefer to sit out and eat snacks. I am incredibly proud of the way he cheers on his team while he's taking his turn on the sidelines. I am also proud of the way his soccer skills have progressed through out the season. He has a ton more control when kicking the ball and he's gotten more aggressive (in a good way) out on the field.

I am also proud of Cruz. He behaves so beautifully during the soccer games and loves to cheer Rowan on. He will sit with Roger and proudly point on the field and say, "Rowy, the ball!!!" or "Go, Rowy!" 

Cruz is quite the soccer player himself and spends the other portion of the game kicking the soccer ball around with Roger, Sunnie and Monty's dad. 

Learning to be part of a team is a huge emphasis in their soccer league. The high five line is much better now but was hilarious at the beginning when no one had the right hand extended. :)

Like I said, next week is our last game and we are sad about that. I will share some videos from the final game and hopefully a team picture next week!