LIFE AS A WATSON

Charlie's 10 Months Today

2012-01-23T13:20:00.000-08:00

Along with today being Desmond's 2 year "Gotcha Day" it is also Charlie's 10 month b-day. :) She is basically the exact same age Desmond was when we first met him two years ago today!

The only time I make her wear bows is for pictures. I'm not sure she likes them that much. I know I wouldn't. :)

She finally figured out how to crawl forward this weekend. She's been crawling backwards and rolling everywhere for months but now we are really moving. Here we go!

Happy GOTCHA DAY!

2012-01-23T09:54:00.000-08:00

Two years ago today in Kigali,Rwanda we met Desmond for the very first time and became a family! In the adoption world we call this "Gotcha Day." Adopting Desmond is the best decision we have ever made. He has brought more love and laughter to our life than I ever imagined was possible. I'm not saying he's perfect because he is certainly strong willed (just like his mom and dad) but he so outgoing and friendly it's a true joy to watch.

If you have ever thought about adopting a child yourself I HIGHLY recommend it. I know you've read the horror stories that some people have gone through but for every bad story you hear there about 1,000 good ones out there. I'm not saying it's easy but neither is getting pregnant or having a biological baby or being a parent period. It's all hard! There are MILLIONS of children across the world who need a home and more importantly a loving parent.

Obviously, adopting isn't for everyone. I'm just saying that if you feel a tug at your heart and think there is a way that you could bring an adopted child into your home I urge you to pray and start seriously considering it as an option. I would be happy to talk to you about my experience and answer any questions that I can or at least point you to someone who knows more than me about the process.

One thing I know for SURE is that a parent is NOT who gives birth to a child a parent is who raises and LOVES a child day in and day out. Desmond may not share my DNA or look anything like me but he IS and will ALWAYS be MY SON.

Gotcha Day- January 23, 2010~ Our first family photo

Gotcha Day- January 23, 2012~ Headed to preschool

Our First Family of Four CABO Trip!

2012-01-21T11:06:00.000-08:00

We've traveled a lot this past year but each time it's been to visit family. So, I consider this trip our FIRST FAMILY OF 4 vacation. This past week we went to CABO! As I've mentioned before Brian's parents have a house there so it's always nice to have an AMAZING place to stay. I hope one day our kids know and appreciate these are not the kind of accommodations most people get to experience on vacation.

Here's our week in Cabo.

Brian and Charlie sitting next to Chris (my brother-in-law) and my nephew Cooper.

Chuck (my father-in-law) going over the plans for the new Cabo house they are about to start building.

She's on the move these days.

Charlie giving her cousin some love.

Okay, now getaway from me!

Bro and sis time.

My sister gave Charlie this hat and swimsuit for Christmas. Love it!

Time for our first photo shoot.

This was my sisters first family vacation too.

Wahoo!

Look at Desmond's face. Life is good!

I'll be honest I'm not one of those women who LOVE being pregnant. Don't get me wrong I was super excited and thankful to BE pregnant but I never really felt too connected to Charlie during pregnancy. Now I am completely head over heels for her!

Check out Worst Cooks in America: Season 3

2012-01-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 12th at 9pm/8c to watch my good friend Kelli Powers compete and hopefully win the Food Network show "Worst Cooks in America." Check out the link below for more info on the show. Don't miss an episode!!!

http://www.multivu.com/players/English/51722-food-network-worst-cooks-in-america/

OSU Wins the Fiesta Bowl!

2012-01-03T07:38:00.000-08:00

Brian and Desmond took a very quick trip to Phoenix this weekend to watch our Cowboys win the Fiesta Bowl. I was a little sad when I saw the pictures that I wasn't there BUT it was nice to have some down time at home. I was going to do a bunch of work at the house yesterday but then I changed my mind last minute and hired a babysitter for the day to watch Charlie so I could have a "me" day. I went to the mall (spent way too much money at Anthropologie), got my car washed and then went to pilates. If there were more hours in the day I would have gotten a mani/pedi and then facial. Next time...

Here are some pictures Keri, my sister-in-law texted me yesterday.

They went to a pep rally first thing yesterday morning.

Then lunch with Mimi.

Game time! Des and Sage sitting next to our good friend Marshall. I don't want to even know how much junk Des (and Brian) consumed yesterday.

Go Pokes~ OSU wins the game!!!

I survived the Christmas bug of 2011!

2012-01-01T20:20:00.000-08:00

Apparently there is a very bad/contagious stomach flu going around. Brian got it the weekend before we left for Tulsa, then Des got it the day before we flew out and sadly Charlie got it on Christmas night and then passed it on to the rest of my family. It was like the domino effect. Each day we wondered who would be next!?!?!? In the end 9 out of 12 of my family members got the bug. My sister, her son Cooper and myself were the only survivors. So sad...

However, we didn't let the stomach flu get us down! We still had a great time visiting with family. It's so much fun watching all the cousins play together. I love seeing our family grow!

Hope all my fellow bloggers and readers had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.

Enjoy the pics!

Des enjoyed spending quality time with Grandad. The weather was perfect our entire stay.

Charlie & Cooper. Coop is 10 weeks younger than Charlie. It doesn't look like it in this picture but they look a lot a like in person.

The kids were dressed and ready for the Christmas Eve service at church. Des (2 1/2), Jackson (15 months), Cooper (7 months), Charlie (9 months).

In my family we open the stocking stuffers on Christmas Eve. The kids loved it.

First time to open presents!

We set up Desmond's gifts on Christmas Eve so they would be the first thing he saw when he walked down the stairs Christmas morning.

Christmas morning. Here we go!

Charlie enjoyed Desmond's train track too.

Des & Jackson loved playing with each other.

Time to eat!

My little Christmas elf!

The grandkids with Grammy Jo & Grandad.

My brother Luke and his wife Julie and Jackson. They are expecting their second baby (it's a boy) in May!

My sister Jessica and her husband Chris and Cooper.

Grammy Jo & Char Char

When I walked into the living room yesterday Des was laying with (on) Charlie watching TV. It was so cute. They are the best. I love them so much!

Charlie is 9 Months Old Today!

2011-12-23T09:54:00.000-08:00

My little Char Char is 9 months old today. It's become a joke because we have traveled on the 23rd almost every month this year. Today is no exception. We are leaving for Tulsa, Oklahoma this afternoon to spend Christmas with my family. We can't wait!!!!

She is doing a new thing with her tongue this morning.

Love those two bottom teeth. Too cute!

I took Charlie's monthly photos while Brian was giving Desmond a bath. Afterwards, I sat her down to play while I started cooking breakfast. Before I knew it Desmond was standing next to me in the kitchen completely naked with her black blow on his head and her number on his belly. There is never a dull minute with these kiddos!

Desmond's First Christmas Play

2011-12-21T21:12:00.000-08:00

Desmond was in his first Christmas play last Thursday. I must say this has been the highlight of my holiday season so far. There is nothing funnier than seeing a bunch of preschool aged kids in their first stage performance. There are three different ages or I guess grades at Desmond's school. He is in the youngest class (2 1/2- 3 years old). The youngest class were barn animals in baby Jesus stable. It was HILARIOUS! They came out at the very end of the play singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS. They were all supposed to sit on the stair steps of the church sanctuary but of course Desmond and his best buddy Roman decided to stand center stage and act as if they haven't been rehearsing this performance for weeks! :) It was pretty funny.

I had planned on Desmond being a "cow" in the barn. However, I didn't open the costume package I ordered until 2 days before the play at which point I realized I had been sent the WRONG size. (6-12 months) Needless, to say he then became a different animal. Whatever I could find last minute, which ended up being a donkey. :)

Notice Des and Roman standing center stage. They should be sitting with the rest of the animals.

He did somehow manage to remember the correct choreography.

This is when Desmond and Roman decided to turn around and take a look at the rest of the cast and then proceed to kick the presents (props) on the floor.

What is he is doing here?

By the way, when I dropped him off in the classroom before the play his costume hat was on straight. However, when he came on stage the donkey nose was sideways. I love toddlers!

While the boys are away...

2011-12-11T14:05:00.000-08:00

The girls will play! Well, not really... Brian and Desmond went to Houston this weekend for a wedding so Charlie and I decided to stay home and get some things done. I got almost all my Christmas shopping done and finally got to catch up on a few of my favorite shows! I try to always stay caught up on these shows, "Parenthood," "The Good Wife," "Private Practice," and my new FAVORITE show "Revenge." Anybody else like these shows?

I had a bit of a scare on Friday evening. Around 7:30 pm as I watching TV and enjoying a hot cup of tea I heard someone lightly knock on my front door. Then a few seconds later they were unlocking the front door. I immediately jumped up and off the couch and headed to the front door yelling "who's there, who's there?!!?" Then in walks my friend Amelia? I said "what are you doing here?" She said, "I'm here to babysit." Needless to say she had the dates mixed up and we had a good laugh about me almost having a full on panic/heart attack!

I have a pretty bad cold so last night I decided to take nighttime cold medicine for the first time in 2 years. I sat down to watch the Republican debates and was passed out dead asleep by 8:00 pm.

Wow, well as you can read I'm turning into an old lady. Ha! Kidding. I missed my boys but it sure was nice to have a slower paced weekend and spend some quality time with my Char Char.

Charlie was all smiles after her nap yesterday and ready for some Christmas shopping at the mall. I had about 10 different people tell me how cute my little baby boy was yesterday. Can you see what's she's wearing here? A white onesie with a pink and brown heart and pink bows on the sleeves. I realize that she is bald and both her car seat and stroller are gender neutral BUT I ALWAYS have her dressed like a girl. Come on people, open your eyes!!!

My in-laws were hosting a work Holiday party at their house last night so Brian took both Desmond and Sage to the movies by himself. Check out all the popcorn and candy. I'm pretty sure they had a good time...

Thanksgiving Fun

2011-11-28T19:07:00.000-08:00

We had an exhausting but fun Thanksgiving week in Houston. Here's our holiday in photos...

Des and Sage. Always excited to see each other.

There they go!

My in-laws had a photographer come out Wednesday evening to take pics of the entire family. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get a Christmas card picture of our family. Unfortunately, Desmond did NOT feel the same way.

This pretty much sums up my life. If I didn't have a toddler I would for sure weigh a few pounds more than I do now.

My little Char Char.

I thought maybe we could give it another shot inside. Nope still not cooperating.

Mimi & Papa with all their grandkids.

The Watsons have a tradition of decorating a candy house every Thanksgiving holiday for Christmas. Desmond and Charlie loved this new tradition.

The triplets and Payton came over to help build the candy house.

I'm pretty sure Desmond and Reese spent more time eating the candy than putting it on the house.

Avery & Charlie with baby Tatum. She is 2 1/2 weeks old here. She arrived 4 1/2 weeks early!

8 Months

2011-11-28T14:45:00.000-08:00

It's seems like we travel every month on Charlie's "month birthday." The first day we were in Houston she turned 8 months old. I'm loving this age. I think she is just getting cuter and cuter but then again I'm her mommy so of course I think that!

She loves giving kisses.

The boys got a little too aggressive with the cheek pinching here.

It's that time of year...

2011-11-21T18:47:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again where I'm getting anxiety because half my family members are texting and emailing me about Christmas gift stuff and I haven't even taken the Halloween costumes to the dry cleaners yet to get all the candy stains removed.

I'm usually a very organized and detailed person but lately I'm having a hard time staying on top of everything. I got Desmond's school pictures back today (adorable, can't wait to scan and post) and I was so upset because the order was ALL WRONG. How could THEY mess up such an easy order? I immediately left the photographer a message and when she called me back and read me my order I was mortified because it was MY FAULT. I completely filled out the order form wrong. I ordered 4 5X7's and 40 wallets. WHAT!?!?!? That is NOT what I wanted. What is wrong with me? Where is my head?

I guess being a mother to two little kiddos is more work and time consuming than I realized. :) Sometimes I feel like I am in the deep end of the pool treading water and can NOT get to the side. I'm not saying I don't love being a mom because I love my kids with all my heart but man it's just exhausting sometimes and I ONLY have two. What will life be like if and when we have a third or fourth...!?!?!?!

We are headed to Houston tomorrow for Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for some fun cousin photos. Below are a few pics of my favorite people.

When I walked into the living yesterday this is what I found Desmond doing. He had flipped his chair onto its side and was trying to give Charlie a toy.

7 Months

2011-11-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late in posting and OKAY if I'm honest taking Charlie's 7 month pics. What can I say, it's been a busy month. We took Des in yesterday for his 2 1/2 year doc appointment and also got Charlie's most current stats. Here's where she stands: 27 inches (55%) and 16 pounds 11 ounces (45%). I think she is perfect!

Enjoy our 7 1/2 month photo session.

This month she finally realized the number is a sticker.

Halloween Fun!

2011-10-31T22:08:00.000-07:00

We had a non-stop but fun filled weekend with all kinds of Halloween activities. We are all pooped and I'm pretty sure Desmond has had enough sugar to last him the rest of the year. Enjoy the pics!

Charlie and I had a little photo session Saturday morning while Des & Brian were at My Gym.

My little Dinosaur or as Desmond says "DRAGON!"

I don't even want to count up how much candy he ate this weekend.

It all started with a sucker...

That took a long time to eat.

Still not letting go of the sucker.

Pumpkin carving with dad.

I tried to get a few good pics of the kids before we went trick or treating but as usual couldn't get them both to look at me at the same time.

Mom, please stop making me do this!

Des and his buddy Briliegh held hands the ENTIRE time we were trick or treating.

I don't think I could survive without...

2011-10-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

COFFEE! I don't know about you but I sure do love my morning cup of joe. I've been a coffeeaholic for about 5ish years now. I had a brief hiatus during pregnancy but I am BACK and boy does it feel good! I have to brag just a little about my coffee machine. You see, my in-laws have this amazing coffee maker that I rave about EVERY time we visit them. On my 30th birthday they (Brian's parents along with his sisters) surprised me with my very own Miele machine! This is no ordinary coffee maker. It's a kitchen appliance. I actually had to hire a carpenter to come and redo my cabinets so I could fit the thing in there. So, I wouldn't necessarily recommend buying one of these if you don't have a space for it BUT if you are remodeling your kitchen and/or building a house and you find yourself making daily/multiple starbucks runs then this IS DEFINITELY the machine for you. It doesn't just make good black coffee (my preference) but with just the push of a button can whip up a pretty tasty latte, cappuccino and/or espresso!

I realized as I was sitting here at my computer drinking a nicely brewed cup of coffee I have never properly thanked my in-laws for this incredible gift. THANK YOU Chuck, Kim, Keri, Ryan, Carly & Jason.

Anytime your in the LA area feel free to come by and try out my favorite toy!

Here are the two reasons I have usually downed 2 cups of coffee by 7am every day!

Another quick H-Town trip!

2011-10-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

We made another very quick trip to Houston this weekend. Brian's youngest sister Carly is having her first baby in early December. This weekend was Carly and Jason's baby shower so we decided to join in on the festivities. It was quick but fun and I am TIRED! I just wanted to post a few pics before Brian and I fall asleep watching one of our many DVR'd shows.

We spent the first half of Saturday sporting orange and cheering on the Cowboys in another victory!

ELLE Women in Hollywood Celebration

2011-10-18T21:20:00.000-07:00

Our table of fun ladies + Joel

Last night I went to one of the most fun "Hollywoodish" events I've attended since moving to LA.

A few weeks ago my friend Sarah (in the dark green dress to the left of Joel) sent out an email to a bunch of her girlfriends asking us if we'd be interested in going to the Elle Women in Hollywood Celebration. Her husband Joel was the MC for the night and they had a table they needed to fill so she figured it could be a girls night out. She didn't think any of us would want to go. Is she nuts?!?!?! Of course we all jumped on the idea. What girl doesn't want to get dressed up and mingle with celebrities for the evening. :)

Every year the magazine Elle host a dinner at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills and honors/celebrates nine women in Hollywood for their work in TV/film. Until last night I had never heard of this event and quite frankly just thought I was going to a fancy dinner and would hopefully enjoy good conversation, food and wine.

I had no idea the room would be filled with major A list celebrities. Many of which got up and spoke. Since Joel was the host for the night our table was literally front and center. We had the best view of the stage!

To be honest after you live in LA for awhile you don't get that excited to see celebrities. Mainly because you see TV actors ALL the time and honestly at the end of the day these folks are just normal people with more money and more problems then the average person.

However, that being said, I will admit it was pretty cool to get to see so many of my favorite actresses in the same room at the same time all chatting with each other.

The way last night worked is that each honoree was introduced by an actor they have worked with and then the honoree spoke about their work in the business. It was truly inspiring to hear these women share their personal stories of what makes acting so special to them.

Maybe I've been in LA too long but I thought all the honorees looked healthy, beautiful and age appropriate. I didn't think anyone looked plastic or TOO skinny.

Here's who was honored last night:

* Barbra Streisand (pretty cool to hear from a legend)

* Jennifer Aniston (Reese Witherspoon introduced her. Reese is super charming and adorable.As always there are rumors that Jennifer Aniston is pregnant. She certainly didn't look pregnant last night but I guess she could be in the very early stages...)

* Viola Davis (Have you seen Doubt? She had 8 minutes of screen time and got an oscar nomination. That's how talented this women is.)

* Michelle Pfeiffer (at 53 looks AMAZING!)

* Stacey Snider (big time producer, Jon Hamm introduced her and was hilarious!)

* Naomi Watts (gorgeous and incredibly humble, love her)
* Freida Pinto (from "Slumdog Millionaire. Love that movie)

* Evan Rachel Wood (she's an intense actor and extremely talented)

* Elizabeth Olsen (younger sister of the Olsen twins. She's been getting a lot of attention for work in indie films. She is adorable and major personality.)

Last night was amazing, fun and somewhat surreal! Today I was back to REALITY. I got home around midnight and at 3:00 am was awakened by a teething Charlie and then at 6:00 am Desmond was staring me in the face saying "I get up! It's daytime!"

Time for an update

2011-10-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

I am long overdue for an update. Here's what's going on with us...

BRIAN~ It's his busy time of year at work which means I am basically a single mom during the week. Hence the reason for very few blog updates these days.

ME~ After a semi short "giving birth hiatus," I am getting back into acting. What does this mean? I am back in my weekly acting class, doing workshops (meeting casting directors) and unfortunately I need to start looking for a new agent. I left my agent a few months ago (time for a change) but that means I desperately need a new one. The way this business works is that in order to go on auditions (book jobs) you've got to HAVE representation. It's a catch 22 though... In order to get good representation you've got to have a good resume. (book jobs) I HATE the business side of SHOWBIZ. It's a miracle that anyone ever actual gets work out here. For reals!

Along with acting, I wrote a 30 minute sitcom pilot last year with a good friend. Not sure what will come of our show but it certainly was a fun and creative experience. My writing partner just had a baby 2 weeks ago. I'm looking forward to writing something new with her soon!

I guess what I'm saying is that when I'm not changing diapers, feeding babies, driving kids to school, taking out the trash, doing laundry, paying bills etc... I am still sort of trying to do something creative with my 5 seconds of free time.

Oh yeah, I did co-chair/plan our Young Life Gala again this year. It was last weekend. Thanks to everyone who supported us. It was a huge success!

DESMOND~ Mr. Des is LOVING preschool. I'm amazed at how much his speech has improved. He's all boy and full speed ahead. As I've said before there is never a dull moment with him!

CHAR CHAR- I seems to call her "Char Char" more than "Charlie" these days. We'll see what sticks. She is 6 1/2 months. She is so sweet and such an easy baby. She smiles all the time, she's a great sleeper and is now sitting up! My only issue with her is that she's not the easiest baby to feed. She was a terrible nurser. So, she became a full time formula baby around 6 weeks. It took me months and months to get her to eat semi-well from the bottle. Now she kind of eats a few bites of oatmeal in the morning. She's such a girl when it comes to food. She truly isn't that interested in eating which is the opposite of Des.

Now for some fun pic updates!

Every month Desmond's class learns a new memory verse. Here is Desmond saying Septembers memory verse.

The other night when I was done giving Desmond a bath, I took out the plug to drain the water turned around to look at Charlie and when I turned back around Desmond was laying flat on his stomach with his tongue down the drain. GROSS! I had to get a picture of this for my family.

Charlie has found her tongue. She is ALWAYS sticking it out. YES, she's still bald!

She can finally "sit up" in the double stroller. It makes trips to the park much easier.

She loves to swing.

Of course, Des loves to push her on the swing.

Yay! Finally sitting up without assistance!

6 Months

2011-09-23T14:04:00.000-07:00

Charlie is 6 months old today. I was VERY unsuccessful at capturing a good photo this morning. Oh well, I tried my best.

We are headed to Houston this evening for a very quick weekend. One of our best couple friends, Mark & Jacqueline are having twins and are we are helping host their baby shower. We can't wait!

Okay, so here is my best attempt at 6 month baby photos.

She smiles all the time. Well, except when I am trying to take staged pictures.

Des woke up half way through the photo session and of course wanted to join in on the fun.

Seriously, when is this photo session ending?

I-phone shot

Playtime!

She is starting to talk or I guess babble a lot.

The Emmys

2011-09-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

Brian may work super long hours and lots of weekends BUT there are a few perks to his job. (He's the director all of the event suites at the Staples Center) For example, getting to attend the Emmys! Last night my good friend Lauren and I went to the Emmys. Lauren and I are both huge TV junkies, so we had a blast!

My BFF Lauren. She's brilliant. A former lawyer turned writer. She and my other friend Abby just sold a pilot to ABC Family. She is also in the process of writing the next big teen novel!

This is not a flattering photo but I had to get at least one red carpet pic. There are two red carpets at the Emmys. One for the "real TV stars" and then one for us regular folk. The two red carpets are separated by security guards and red ropes. It got really bottle necked because everyone kept stopping and starring at the celebrities. The security guards were constantly yelling "Come on! Keep moving!" I was thinking "I don't care about seeing celebrities! I'm ready to get inside and have a cocktail! Lets move people!"

While I was walking the red carpet, Brian took Des to Roman and Henry Jakes 3rd Birthday Party.

If they were smiling this would be one of the cutest photos ever. Kate (little girl on the far left) is Brooke Anderson's daughter. Brooke is a co-host for "The Insider." She's one of our good church friends. As we were walking down the red carpet last night we saw "The Insider" booth from afar and got Brooke's attention. She was so cute. She was about to interview some star and when she saw us she waved really big and got out her camera and took a picture of us. So funny! Check her out on "The Insider." She's on every night on CBS 6:30pm (CST) and 7:30pm (PST).

http://www.ccmillerphotography.com/blog/

2011-09-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

When we were in Tulsa in June we stopped by college roommates house so all our kiddos could meet. Charlie fell asleep while we were there so we had an impromptu photo shoot. Here are my two favorites! Charlie was 3 months then. She'll be 6 months this Friday.

If you live in Tulsa or the surrounding area and need some family photos taken definitely give Carissa a call. You can check out her photography blog at http://www.ccmillerphotography.com/blog/

P.S. Got last minute tickets for the Emmys tonight. Leaving in about 2 hours for the show!

Des started preschool

2011-09-17T22:11:00.000-07:00

Desmond started preschool this week! He is going to our church's preschool (just down the street) three times a week from 9am-Noon. He's in the youngest class (the "avocados"). In fact, I think he is the youngest one in his class which I guess makes him the youngest at the school.

My mom is a little horrified that I am sending him to preschool at 2 1/2 years old. When we were growing up you didn't go to preschool until you were 4 years old. Most people here send their kids to some kind of school at 2 1/2 - 3 years old. I guess that means they will be in school FOREVER.

Des was so cute this week! I of course captured it all on camera.

Des and his buddy Meredith. She also has a new little sister at home.

Actually "sharing" with Roman. They don't always do that. So, this is a good thing.

The first day of school his friend Guy was crying because his twin sister is in the other class and he missed her. A few minutes after Guy started crying Desmond grabbed his hand in an attempt to make him feel better. He has such a sweet tender heart. Ah, I love that. I hope he stays this way forever!

Lining up and waiting for the rest of the class after "outside playtime." AKA recess.

Daddy's coming home!

2011-09-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, Brian has been in Scotland this past week on a golf trip with his dad and two brother-in-laws. I'm not a golfer but it sounds like they had an amazing time. I can't wait to hear all about it in person. Brian gets home tonight and Mimi leaves tomorrow then Desmond starts school next week! I can't believe the summer is over. Well, it's been pretty hot here so I'm not sure the summer is over just yet but I am definitely looking forward to the fall!

Brian about to tee off.

From far right: Brian, Chuck, Jason (Carly's husband) and Ryan (Keri's husband)

Thanks Mimi for all your help! We are going to miss you!

Headed back to LA

2011-09-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

All good things must come to an end... We've had a great week in Houston but it's time to go home. Brian, along with his dad and two brother-in-laws left for a week of golf in Scotland on Sunday. So, Kim (my mother -in-law) is flying back to LA with me and the kids tomorrow. I can clearly fly back with them by myself but I am SO GLAD she is coming with me. It will make it a much less stressful experience. :)

Here are a few more pictures from our time in H-town!

Des enjoyed spending labor day with cousins Payton (8) Sophie (5) and Reese (5). (and Carson (5), not pictured)

The boys LOVE their new toy golf cart.

We took the kids to the Aquarium tonight for some last minute fun.

The many faces of Des. He's a character...

Sage and his mommy Keri.

Cousins

2011-09-05T07:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a fun filled weekend of activities with cousins, grandparents and friends. Check out the pics.

Our family

Here's Avery. She is 16 days older than Charlie.

Charlie watching Avery bounce.

Charlie meeting her second cousin Reese.

Hanging with Aunt Carly. She is 26 weeks pregnant. We can't wait to meet Tatum in December!

Whoa! Check out the airplane.

Me and my little princess. Love her!

Checking out the giant game of chest.

Golf time!

Des wasn't so sure about the paddle boat.

Charlie having fun with cousin Lisa. She has had lots of practice with babies. She has a 7 year old daughter and 5 year old triplets!

Hanging by the pool with Grammy Jo.

Des enjoyed his pool time with Granddad.

Wahoo!

Charlie has the smallest mouth. She is constantly making this face with her tongue barely sticking out.

We were sad to see Grammy Jo and Granddad go this morning. They drove down to Houston this weekend to see us. It was so special to get to be with both sets of grandparents.

I'm in H-town!

2011-09-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

Well, I changed my plane ticket AGAIN and arrived in Houston Wednesday evening. It's been a fun 48 hours. I've already caught up with a few friends and enjoyed lots of quality family time. We (our family, Brian's family and my parents) are headed to Houston Oaks this weekend.

Houston Oaks was originally just an okay golf course North of Houston but switched ownership a few years ago and is now a really nice family country club with swimming, fishing, volleyball, tennis etc... It's the perfect family weekend getaway. As soon as the kids get up from their naps we will head that direction. I'm looking forward to a fun weekend with both sets of grandparents! (AKA- lots of extra kiddo help!)

Uncle Ryan and Uncle Jason play in a weekly men's soccer league. Des enjoyed watching the game with his cousin Sage.

Watching "Cars." We've only seen this 100 times so far.

We tried to get a good photo of all the cousins yesterday. So far, it has not been a success. We are determined to get a good one by the end of our trip!

Keri turned this photo into black and white. Love it! Definitely framing this one.

Our trip to the mall was exhausting today. Everything with the Watson's is exhausting. They go non-stop ALL the time!

I miss my boys...

2011-08-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Every year Brian goes back to Houston for a quick fantasy football draft weekend. I don't know how many teams he has this year, (probably three or four) but there are two leagues he is in that are run by all his buddies in Houston. It's always fun for him to go back and do the draft in person. The whole fantasy football thing is a little ridiculous to me but I guess it's a fun hobby for a guy. (and some girls)

I usually go back with him but I am hosting a bridal shower today at our house. So, we decided that Desmond would go with him so he could spend time with his cousin Sage and the rest of the Watson family. Charlie and I are holding down the fort here.

Since we are all going to be in Houston again next weekend we decided that Desmond would just stay the week in Houston with the family. I already miss him so much!

I am so used to going non-stop everyday from 6am-8/9pm I had no idea what to do with all my free time yesterday. I actually drank a cup of coffee sitting down!

Well, as much as I love free time I already pushed up my flight to Thursday. Even though Des exceeds the amount of energy I think is possible in a human every day, I can't go that long without seeing my little buddy. Below are pic's Keri sent me yesterday of Des and Sage.

Big boy room at Mimi & Papa's.

5 months and growing

2011-08-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

Charlie turned 5 months old on Tuesday. Below are a few 5 month pics I attempted to take. It was a little difficult this month because Desmond kept touching her right arm the entire photo session. It was kind of funny at first but then got a little irritating after awhile. :)

Notice a little hand touching her shoulder...

Watching her bro.

This is my new favorite pic!

Quick photo update

2011-08-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

I know I am way past due on a blog update. No good excuses, just like most people our life has been busy. Our weekend getaway to Cal-a-vie was AMAZING! Since the kids weren't with us I didn't take any pictures. However, I do have photos of the kids that Mimi sent while we were away plus a few other good ones.

I took these photos before we left town. My favorite time of day is right before bed time when everything is done for the day and the kids and I can just relax for a few minutes. I love watching them play/sit/lay together.

Look at Charlie checking out Desmond's green beans. I think she's ready to eat something besides formula!

I'm glad she can't grab things just yet or that green bean would definitely be in her mouth.

Oh no, here we go. Big bro trying to give sis some food.

Mimi did a great job texting us photos and videos of the kids while we were gone. Here is the first video.

Desmond LOVES syrup!

This might be my new favorite picture of the kids.

This isn't the most flattering picture of Papa but I think it's hilarious/a little disturbing that he's asleep holding Charlie and Des is just chilling in the back taking a potty break.

Mimi & Charlie

Charlie smiling at Papa first thing in the morning.

Bro & sis time...

Cal-a-Vie here we come!

2011-08-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have ever been this excited or READY for a vacation. On Wednesday, Brian, myself and his sister Keri and her husband Ryan are driving down to Cal-a-Vie (north of San Diego) for a 4 day health spa vacation. The way this place works is that you spend the first half of the day hiking and taking fitness classes and the second half of the day getting spa treatments. For those of you who know me know that I love to exercise. So, this is my dream vacation. Minus the part where they don't serve alcohol. I would really like to enjoy a margarita by the pool. Oh well...

I am a little anxious to leave the kids. I've never left them for this long but I know they will enjoy spending time with their grandparents. Brian's parents are coming to town tomorrow. Let the countdown begin.

As always a few pics of my munchkins.

Des got a much needed hair cut on Friday.

He really does try to play with her. I think it's kind of cute.

Des loves to lay on Charlie's back. I'm assuming this isn't hurting her...

Playtime was exhausting...

Immediately after I made our bed Saturday morning, this is what Brian and Des decided to do. Thanks guys.

Des loves to go through my costume box. He always gets out these sunglasses. He's definitely got personality.

Again with the laying on the back.

Last night Des told me he wanted to read Charlie a book.

I love her smile.

Did you find a lost child?

2011-08-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

Since adopting Desmond we've had a slew of funny, rude, ignorant etc... questions/comments made to us. This weekend Brian had a "first."

On Saturday Brian needed to visit a few suites during the X Games (he works at the Staples Center) and thought it would be fun to take Des downtown to see the festivities.

When Brian got home he said they had a great time BUT he did experience a "first" with Desmond. I said what do you mean? He said "TWO different security guards asked me if I had found a lost child?" Ha! ha! We both got a kick out this question.

There isn't one week that goes by that I don't get asked "Are you the nanny or mom?" Honestly, I'm rarely bothered by these comments. I think it's funny to see how uncomfortable people get when trying to come up with the "correct" way to ask these questions. In which they never do.

I once had someone tell me that Brian and I we were very "GREEN" for adopting. She thought it was great. I really had no idea how to respond to that statement. Wow...

When I told my hairdresser we were adopting she GASPED and said "Oh my GOSH, you CAN'T have kids of your OWN!?!?!?" Like this was the worst thing in the world.

You name it, it's probably been said or will be said to us. The only comment that REALLY bothers me is when people say "do you have or want REAL kids?" I know what they mean but that comment needs to be rephrased big time. After having that said to me numerous times I kind of lost it awhile back on a lady who said that me on an off day. :)

Anyhow, thought my readers would get a kick out of Brian's scenario this weekend. We sure did.

In another news Desmond started summer school today. He was so cute this morning I just had to take a picture of him with his "cars" lunch box. I promise he was more excited then he looks in this picture. Why do kids never smile when you need them too?

I'm worried that the back of Charlie's head is getting too flat. So, she's been spending a lot of time in the bumbo and on the floor for tummy time.

As you can see she loves tummy time.

9 Years Ago Today...

2011-07-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

Nine years ago today, Brian and I were exchanging vows in Tulsa, Oklahoma at Redeemer Covenant church followed by a reception at Southern Hills Country Club.

We both had just graduated from Oklahoma State University and were ready to start our new life together. I can't believe we were only 22 years old. What were our parents thinking!?!?! I guess there was nothing they could do or say. We were in LOVE and getting married. That was that. :)

After we got married we moved to Houston, Texas where Brian went on staff with Tomball Young Life and I started working as the events manager for the 2004 Super Bowl.

Who would have thought nine years later we'd be living in Los Angeles so I could pursue acting and Brian could work in sports. Most importantly we'd have two kiddos. One from Rwanda and one from my belly.

Who knows where the next nine years will take us. It doesn't matter to me as long as we are all healthy and happy!

4 Months and More Fun Photos

2011-07-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

Charlie turned 4 months yesterday. I'm loving this age! She is smiling, laughing, babbling and getting into somewhat of a predictable schedule which make life a thousand times easier! Below are her 4 month photos and a few other pics I took this week.

What?

This is the only smiling photo I got. She is quite the mover which makes taking her monthly photos a little challenging. Hence the blurriness of this one.

I tried to sit her in the corner of the couch BUT that didn't work so well. She still needs some assistance when sitting for longer periods.

As always, my favorite crying photo. "STOP! I hate this!!!!"

She loves those fingers.

Hanging with daddy.

Des sure is enjoying his summer popsicle.

Des giving his sis some love. Since we are new to the whole potty thing, I just let Des wear his undies the majority of the time we are home.

I guess he got tired of hearing my constant potty encouragement.

I'm dying to know what her hair is going to look like? Straight, curly, blonde, brown, strawberry blonde... Who knows! She hasn't had one new hair come in since birth. :)

CARmageddon and more...

2011-07-16T18:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend we are having the most publicized freeway closure EVER in LA. Hence the phrase/term everyone is using for the weekend, "CARmageddon." For months now there has been road construction on the 405. Starting late last night and hopefully ending Monday morning the 405 will be completely closed from the 101 to the 10 for an expansion project of the freeway.

I heard one estimate that over 500,000 people travel this part of the interstate everyday. The portion of the interstate they are closing connects the valley to the west side. There are obviously other ways to get to each side but everyone is FREAKING out that there will be MAJOR DELAYS. It's kind of funny how much of a panic everyone has been in. Brian thinks the city has done such an amazing PSA campaign about the closure that no one will go anywhere and the freeways will be empty. He may be right BUT we are still going to stay close to home this weekend. :)

In other news Des did a great job this week with potty training. Well, I guess he's been doing good with going "pee pee" it's the other portion of going to the potty we are having trouble with. Oh well, one potty training thing at a time.

Funny story regarding potty training: My mom is a fashion/apparel teacher and brought one of her students to compete in Nationals this week in Anaheim. On Wednesday, I decided Des and I would make the trip down to Anaheim to see her. Of course I was a little anxious because this was going to be our first long car ride post potty training.

Des did great on the way to Anaheim and even did good the entire time we were walking around downtown Disney. THEN as we were loading the bus to head back to my moms hotel Des started saying "pee pee coming, pee coming." Oh NO! We were no where near a bathroom. I started to panic. He was trying so hard to hold it but I knew he couldn't make it all the way back to the hotel. What do I do!?!?! THEN I remembered I had a small plastic bag in my purse. YES! I rush him off the bus, walk to the nearest tree, pull down his pants and have him pee in the bag. Phew! Crisis averted!

I'm sure people were staring in disapproval BUT I don't care. Desperate times call for desperate measures. :) I'm sure this will not be our last close call with a "pee pee" accident.

Sorry no pictures for this post. I was too focused on where the nearest potty was located everywhere we went this week to take photos.

Potty training boot camp worked!

2011-07-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

Why am I such a worrier? I spent months stressing over how hard it would be to potty train Desmond and of course as usual, Brian was right, he did just fine.

To be completely honest, potty training is a piece of cake after everything we went through with our cats urinating ALL OVER our house for MONTHS last year. It's sad, but true. :)

For those first time moms who are about to potty train here's what I did that seemed to work for us. About 4-6 weeks ago we ran out of diapers and started using pull ups. I then started taking Des to the potty 3-4 times a day to just get him use to the idea.

This past Friday morning we started our own 3 day potty training boot camp. Here's what we did:

Day 1- First thing Friday morning I showed Des his big boy underwear and told him that he was going to start wearing big boy pants just like daddy from now on.
* I pumped him full of liquids all day and took him to the potty every 20 minutes.
* I put a fun ring tone on my phone timer and every time he heard the timer go off he would say "potty time." We just made a game out of it.

Day 2 - On Saturday we did the same thing but started taking him to the potty every 30-40 minutes.
* I also made a sticker board. So, every time he goes "pee pee" he gets one sticker and then if he goes "poo poo" he gets two stickers. Some people do candy. Honestly, I don't think he cares about the reward at all. He either wants to do something or he doesn't. Maybe the reward is more for me. :)

Day 3- By day three he started telling us when he needed to go!
* Also, since we spent all three days at home, I just let him run around in his undies.

I can't believe the boot camp actually worked!

I think the main thing with potty training is that your kiddo WANTS to go. Using the potty is not something you can MAKE them do if they are not ready. I guess that's what I was worried about. Luckily, Des was ready and so far it seems to be working. Although, we have been home bound for 3+ days. So, we'll see what happens when we go out into the real world. :)

P.S. I can't believe I just typed an entire blog entry on potty training. Wow, how life has changed!

Day 1 of potty training. First set of undies and sippy cup of the day.

Finally got a good camera. Trying to learn how to use it now. Looks like I'm a little out of focus here.

Watching his morning cartoons while mommy gets things done around the house.

Chalkboard time!

Love him!

My fellow Rwandan mommies- Do your kids still suck their fingers? How am I going to break him of this habit?

Hey! Watch me. I can touch my toes!

Yes! I got them!

Time is up! GET ME OUT OF HERE NOW!!!

My hubby and kiddos.

Bro and sis tummy time.

Okay, I guess this means tummy time is up.

The day has finally arrived...

2011-07-07T18:27:00.000-07:00

I've heard so many horror stories of potty training that I have been dreading and putting it off for months! However, Desmond starts preschool in September and HAS to be potty trained. I can NO LONGER wait. The day has arrived! So, starting tomorrow the pull ups go away (minus nap time and bedtime) and we will be in a 3+ day potty training bootcamp at our house. Sounds fun, huh... I already have a babysitter lined up for tomorrow. She can watch Charlie and I can focus on taking Desmond to the potty every 20 minutes. Well, who am I kidding, she's really coming to encourage and be my personal cheerleader. J/k

Who knows, maybe Desmond will catch on quickly and it won't be so hard. Either way, I've been trying to mentally prepare myself for a somewhat frustrating weekend/month(s). We shall see... Say a little prayer for us this weekend!

Other than potty training here's what's been happening with us...

My three most FAVORITE people in the world!

Charlie is finally big enough to sit in the bumbo!

On Tuesday, my friend Mia hosted a kids crafts day at her house for all our friends kids. Desmond is so outgoing and friendly he LOVES stuff like this.

Mia had the entire morning planned out. I think they are warming up here.

They had their own little marching band.

Making noise shakers here.

Des NEVER skips a treat. He now likes to open our pantry and point to the second shelf and say "I want treat mommy." Let me tell you, it's real fun when it's not treat time and I have to say "no."

More bumbo time.

He got out his drum and gloves for Charlie last night.

When we were in Tulsa a few weeks ago I got together with my two roommates from college and their kiddos. As you can see we had a lot of success getting them to all look and smile at the camera at the same time.

Rolling over...

2011-06-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to be somewhat good about giving Charlie "tummy time" every day. Usually she only last a few minutes or seconds before deciding she'd rather be on her back. However, yesterday she was holding her head up really high and rolled over about 5 or 6 times. Of course as a proud mommy I captured it on video for all to see. :)

Our First Family of Four Trip

2011-06-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

We flew back to LA late last night from a fun and busy four days in Tulsa, Oklahoma visiting my family. It was the perfect weekend. We spent lots of quality time with family, met up with old friends and ate at all our favorite places! I got my Taco Bueno, Sonic, Hideaway and Java Daves fix. I should be good for awhile. :)

Now that Desmond is 2 years old he is required to have his own seat on the plane when we fly. Thank goodness for that rule! It makes a world of difference. He loves traveling and was such a good kiddo on both flights. Charlie did good too but was a little fussy at the beginning of both flights but that's only because she was tired. She's a very good baby BUT when she is ready to go to bed she wants to be in HER BED! This poor family behind us last night had a one year old who screamed bloody murder the entire last hour of our flight. This is terrible, but I was just so glad it wasn't one of my kids.

I'm too lazy to pull out my decent camera to take pictures these days so here are some pictures from my i-phone. They are not the best quality photos BUT at least I'm taking pictures right?!?!?

The first day we were in Tulsa, Charlie turned 3 months and I turned 31. Ugh, I just prefer to stay 30 forever. It's amazing how much changes in one year. Last year I was in Napa on my birthday for a wine tasting adventure with friends and definitely NOT pregnant. This year if I had to choose between a glass of extremely good vino and getting an extra 30 minutes of sleep, I would definitely choose sleep!

As always my favorite monthly crying photo. I promise Charlie is a happy baby. She just prefers to be on the floor kicking and moving around rather than being held or sitting up on the couch for ridiculous photos.

My sis and our kiddos.

At least Desmond is having a good time.

Charlie and her cousin Cooper. They are 10 weeks apart. Even though he is younger he's already beating up on her.

Getting some rest while the girls shop. The second child only gets naps on the go.

Des played for hours in the kiddie pool my mom bought. He couldn't even change out of his wet bathing suit before passing out on Grammy Jo.

He slept for two hours on the living floor like this while the rest of us sat in there and talked and went about our business.

My Grammy Smith who turned 91 yesterday, stopped by to meet her great grandkids.

Ha! Ha Coop! I've got you this time!

I don't think Aunt Jess is ready for 3 kids just yet...

Headed to T-town

2011-06-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

Once again I've got family telling me to update my blog. This week it's my Aunt Sue. So, here you go Sue. This one is for you. :)

I don't have anything too exciting and/or new to report this week. However, we are headed to Tulsa tomorrow to visit my family and meet my nephew Cooper. This will be our first trip as a family of four! I'm hoping Charlie does well on the flight. We shall see... I'm just looking forward to some good quality family time.

Here's some fun/cute pictures of the kids from the past few weeks.

This is a picture my friend Michelle (Briliegh's mom) took of the kids when we went to Underwood Farms a few weeks ago. They are waiting for the animal show to start.

This is how Desmond greets all his lady friends. He is so outgoing. I love it!

Charlie is starting to smile a lot. It's so cute!

Every single time I lay her down on the floor for tummy time Desmond gets down with her.

He loves kissing her tummy.

On Saturday we went down to Huntington Beach for Judah's 2nd Birthday Party. For those of you new to my blog, he was also adopted from Rwanda. His mom, Becky and I became very close during the adoption process and got to travel together in January 2010 to get our boys.

Chilling with daddy.

Desmond LOVED his ring pop. Nobody was going to take this from him!

I love my kiddos!

Desmond's Certificate of Citizenship Ceremony!

2011-06-09T14:45:00.000-07:00

Last night my sister-in-law Keri sent me a text and said, "you need to update your blog. It's been two weeks!" Ha! Ha! I love that my family keeps tabs on my blog. :) Every day I plan on doing an entry and then somehow before I know it, the day is over.

I have to do an entry today because it's a very special day! This morning Desmond got his Certificate of Citizenship (COC) !!! He officially became a citizen when we readopted him on July 9, 2010. However, it is very important for every citizen that is NOT born in the United States to obtain a COC. It took me a long time to put together the paper work to apply for the COC and then I had to go downtown to the federal building numerous times to turn in additional documentation. So, you see, this is a BIG deal to me! I now have all the documentation I will EVER (I hope) need for Desmond.

Below are pictures from today and the past few weeks.

Waiting for the COC Ceremony to start!

Reciting his "Oath of Citizenship."

He got a little tired of sitting.

At the end of the ceremony they had all the kids come up front so the parents could take pictures. Unfortunately, I only had my i-phone camera. Can you find Des in this picture? I'm pretty sure he was the youngest kiddo getting his COC.

I think I was the only one crying during the ceremony. It's a big deal to become a U.S. Citizen!

We were supposed to go to Omaha over Memorial weekend for a Rwanda reunion. However, after weeks of no sleep we decided we weren't ready to travel with a newborn just yet. I'm sad we missed out on quality time with all of our Rwandan friends BUT we did end up having a fun "Stay-cation." On Friday we met a few friends at Griffith park and toured the trains. I've got to get Des out of the house every day for some kind of an activity or he goes crazy! (so do I)

Des enjoyed his train ride with his daddy, friend Cosi and her daddy Ryan.

On Saturday we met friends at the beach! First beach day of the summer.

I had to get a picture of Charlie in her first bathing suit.

Again, when taking pictures of Charlie you only get one shot!

On Sunday we met friends at Underwood Farms. It is the perfect place for kids Desmond's age. All kinds of fun animals to touch and ride. In this picture he is hugging his friend Briliegh. Every day before nap time and bedtime we say a prayer. This was his prayer a few days ago, "Dear God, Thank you for Briliegh, Elmo and Cookie Monster." Probably my favorite prayer ever!

He loved his first pony ride.

On Memorial day we had a bunch of friends over for some BBQ and pool time.

Des loves to get down on the floor and play (or try too) with Charlie.

My new favorite picture of the kids!

This is Cooper Carter! My newest nephew. My little sister and best friend Jessica gave birth to Cooper on June 3rd. He weighed in at a healthy 6 pounds 5 ounces. I can't wait to meet him in a few weeks!!!

2 Months Old

2011-05-24T17:06:00.000-07:00

Charlie turned 2 months old yesterday. Time is definitely flying by. I'm sure before I know it she and Desmond will be chasing each other around the house.

However, for now I'm glad we have only one kid that can run. :) Today at My Gym during circle time (when all the kids are supposed to sit and follow the instructions of the leader) Desmond was sprinting on the outside of the circle smiling at me and saying "Chase me! Chase me!" Oh geez! He's out of control.

Here's a picture of Des from a birthday party we attended last weekend. He LOVES animals. Especially dogs. Sadly, he'll never have one at our house. Well, I guess I should never say "never." As of now that's the plan. :) We'll see as time goes on...

Birthday Parties, Mother's Day and more...

2011-05-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

Wow, I am very behind on blogging. It seems that my two young and active kiddos are pretty much taking up the majority of my time these days. Our life is busy but it sure is great!

Here is a quick update on us...

* Miss Charlie is doing very good! At her two month check up yesterday she weighed in at 10 pounds 10 ounces (40% for her age) and 22 inches in height (75%). For the past three nights she has actually slept through the night. (10pm-6pm) I'm sure this is not for good but I'll take all the extra sleep I can get right now! Overall, I would say Charlie is a fairly easy newborn. As long as she is well fed and has a clean diaper she is happy. Thank you Lord for a good baby. Does an easy baby mean a tough teenager? Probably.

* Des is full speed ahead these days. Seriously, I'm not sure how it's possible for such a small person to have SO MUCH ENERGY! He is such a people person. I just love it! It's so much fun to watch him interact with all his buddies. I can't wait for Des and Charlie to be able to play together.

* As for Brian, now that the Lakers and Kings are out of the playoffs we get to see a lot more of him. Brian is an amazing and very hands on dad. I couldn't ask for a better partner that's for sure.

* Me- I'm exhausted and feel like I can never catch up on all the things I need to get done BUT at the same time I am filled with more joy than I ever dreamed possible. Kids truly are one of God's greatest gifts. It's cheesy but true.

Below are pictures from Mother's Day weekend. Enjoy!

Brian's parents and his sister Keri (including her two kids and husband) came to visit over Mother's Day weekend. Desmond and his cousin Sage spent lots of quality time together. Sometimes they fought but mostly they played. :)

Avery (on the left) and Charlie (on the right) met for the first time! They are two weeks apart.

We celebrated Desmond's birthday party a little late this year. Better late than never! We had a big party at his favorite place- My Gym!

Papa was in charge of Charlie during the party.

My Gym did such a good job. He truly was the CENTER of attention. He of course loved it! They brought him out in a sled and had all the kids follow behind him as everyone sang happy birthday. It was very entertaining to say the least.

The girls relaxing before Mother's Day brunch.

The boys loving on their sisters. As you can see Charlie really enjoyed this moment.

Avery didn't mind the kisses.

Des and his daddy enjoying some OJ at brunch.

Brian and his daddy enjoying a cold bloody Mary.

Our family of four!

My good friend Kelli turned 40 over Mother's Day weekend. She hosted a half way to 80 Eighties party! Obviously 80's themed. This was one of the most fun parties I've ever been too. I totally forgot how creepy men looked in the 80's. It was also a little disturbing how easy some of these outfits came together for a few of my friends. :)

This is why you can NOT leave your two year old alone for even one second with your newborn. How did he get all these stuffed animals into her bassinet so quick. Oh geez!

"You B&T*H!"

2011-05-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

I think I had a "first" on Monday. I woman actually called me (more like screamed) a "BITCH." I'm sure at some point someone has called me this behind my back but never to my face.

This is how it all went down...

Monday morning I was out with the kids and decided to stop by a friends house to drop something off she had left in my car. I was pleasantly driving down her street and when I pulled into her driveway and got out of my car a woman (sitting in her car in the street with her window rolled down) says to me "Do you believe in signaling?" I didn't exactly hear what she said so I said, "I'm sorry what?" She then gets irritated and says "DO YOU BELIEVE IN SIGNALING!" I then realize she must have been driving behind me down the street (which is strange because I didn't see a car behind me when I looked) and I didn't signal to turn into my friends driveway.

I then say "oh, I'm sorry." She says, (in a loud voice) "well EVERYTHING in my back seat just fell on the ground." I then say, "I'm so sorry." In which she screams, "you BITCH!" She then speeds off down the street.

I wish I could have seen the look on my face. I was literally speechless. Not only did I not see her driving behind me I really have no idea why that would make someone so angry. I actually found the whole thing really funny. Hopefully her day got better.

You've got love LA drivers. They are so nice and pleasant.

Watson Party of Four!

2011-05-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

When my parents were in town a few weeks ago my friend Charlotte came over and took some pictures of our new family of four + the grandparents. Here are a few of the good ones.

Our growing family + Grammy Jo and Granddad.

I still can't believe we are a family of four now.

This is Charlie at 3 weeks. She is 6 weeks tomorrow!

This is my mommy. Three generations of ladies here.

Loving all the visitors

2011-04-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

Since Charlie was born we've had visitors pretty much non-stop. Normally this many weeks of visitors would drive me crazy but it's actual been a relief to have so much company. I'll take all the extra hands I can get right now.

This past Thursday one of my best friends from high school and college roommate Brooke and her family stopped by for a quick visit on their way back to Montana. One of their family friends that live in San Diego gave them an RV. So, they flew from Montana to San Diego and made a pit stop in LA to see us. It was hilarious to see them pull up in a massive RV. Desmond loved it! He cried when I made him get out so they could drive back to Montana.

Then first thing Friday morning my brother, his wife Julie and their 7 month old son Jackson came to town from Alaska for the Easter weekend. It was so much fun to have two sets of visitors with kiddos. Desmond was definitely entertained! Below are some cute pictures from our Easter weekend.

Desmond and Matine (Brooke's daughter, 1 month younger than Des) and Peter (Brooke's husband) playing in Desmond's room.

Des loves to kiss girls. I'm nervous we are going to get some calls in the fall when he starts preschool.

After dinner Des and Matine sat in Desmond's little chair to watch cartoons. We looked over and they were holding hands. We had to capture this precious unprompted moment.

My other little kiddo.

It was so much fun to see Brooke and meet her adorable Matine!

On Saturday Charlie turned 1 month old. When she was born she weighed 5 pounds 14 ounces and on Saturday she weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces. She finally has some meat on her bones.

After the first picture I tried to take a better one. Unfortunately, you only get one shot with Charlie!

My brother Luke and my nephew Jackson.

It was so cute/funny to watch them play together. Desmond would sit down and play with Jackson and then after he felt like Jackson had played with his toys for long enough he would move all his toys out of his reach. This would bring on a few tears but still funny.

Every Easter our church has their service at the Hollywood Bowl. This is the second year Luke and Julie have been in town for the festivities. This year Jackson got to join us!

Look at Desmond's face. He's trouble...

It's impossible to get a good picture of kids.

Desmond's girlfriend Anabelle sat with us during the service. Again with the kissing...

I love watching him pray. Yes, this means I wasn't paying attention during the prayer. Sorry!

Charlie slept through the entire service. Phew!

Desmond enjoyed his first Easter egg hunt!

I love this pic!

How sad. This is the best family Easter picture we could get. :)

Here's my new favorite photo. I don't remember what day Brian took this picture last week but basically the only way I was going to get my four hours of sleep was to put both kids in bed with me.

Two kiddos is kicking my butt!

2011-04-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

At the moment being a mother of two very small children is kicking my butt. I feel silly saying that because there are many mothers that have 3, 4 and 5 etc... children. However, it's only been four weeks since Charlie was born so I'm still getting the hang of it.

My parents were in town all last week. I am soooooooooo thankful they were here. On Wednesday I got mastitis (breast infection). It was actually a little scary. Within a few hours I went from having discomfort in my right breast to being in excruciating pain, having the chills for 2 hours and then my temperature spiked to 102. I couldn't get off the couch for a long time. I don't know what I would have done if my parents weren't here. Luckily, they took care of the kids and I got some meds and was able to get the infection under control.

This week we are back to being a family of four. No one is really sleeping at night but at least everyone is happy and healthy at the moment!

Grammy Jo and Charlie

Des loves to shove the paci in Charlie's mouth.

She is still a little small to sit in this chair by herself. No problem Mr. Rabbit can take up the rest of the space.

Sporting a few gifts that friends have gotten Charlie.

Loving her Eskimo Joes shirt. Only Okies get this one.

Look at Charlie's face. Mom, PLEASE HELP ME!

Charlie loves to snuggle.

I asked Brian to feed Charlie while I took care of Des the other day. When I came back to our room this is what I found.

I think she is a tomboy. She isn't very happy when I dress her up girly.

Des spent lots of time with Granddad last week.

He even helped Granddad put together his new lockers.

Every time I give her a bath she falls asleep.

This morning Desmond decided Elmo needed to lay with Charlie. She doesn't seem to mind.

Desmond is 2!

2011-04-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

Well, we've got a 2 year old on our hands now. On Friday Desmond turned 2! He's obviously grown so much since we adopted him at 9 1/2 months but he's especially picked up the pace the last few months.

He is talking non-stop and pretty much going full speed ahead in all areas of development. Since I'm still not 100% with it yet we decided to just do a family thing for his birthday on Friday and then we are having a big b-day party for him next month at My Gym.

We told Desmond we would take him to the toy store for a shopping spree for his birthday. Luckily he doesn't know what that means yet. :) So, we didn't do too much damage there.

This one was a winner. He loves anything and everything car related.

I will say that he enjoyed eating his 50 cent sucker much more than the three toys we bought.

Yummy, CAKE!!!

This is what Charlie did while we celebrated with Desmond. As you can tell she was very excited about his birthday.

2 Weeks Old!

2011-04-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow marks two weeks since Charlie was born. I can't believe how much our life has changed in such a short amount of time. Things are going well but it's definitely an adjustment going from one kiddo to two.

Charlie is a really good baby. She hardly ever cries and I swear would sleep through the night if I would let her. Right now Desmond is getting up more at night than she is. I think he's having a hard time with half of our attention on her now.

Brian's mom went back home last weekend and Brian went back to work on Monday. So, this is my first week with the kids by myself. It's going okay but there have definitely been some tears shed by all three of us. :)

Charlie is so small that she doesn't fit into any of the baby carriers that I have. So, I still haven't figured out how to successfully leave the house with the two of them by myself. I feel like those people that are terrified of leaving their home. :) Hopefully I can get it figured out soon.

Even though Brian and I are completely sleep deprived at the moment I can say that we are both head over heels in love with our little Charlie and big bro Des.

I think this is Charlie's favorite place to rest at the moment.

Both kids like to cuddle with daddy.

Charlie was so little when we first brought her home that we had to go buy premie diapers and a few onesie night outfits. I wasn't prepared for a baby that small. However, I am happy to say as of Saturday (less then 2 weeks since birth) she had already surpassed her birth weight and was up to 6 pounds!

More cuddle time.

The first of many bows.

Desmond got to spend lots of quality time with daddy last week.

We were very sad to see Mimi go. (aka- our housekeeper, nanny, cook etc...)

Desmond loves to give Charlie kisses.

Our first trip to the park was very exhausting for Charlie.

Charlotte Elizabeth Watson

2011-03-26T16:07:00.000-07:00

Charlotte "Charlie" Elizabeth Watson is here! She arrived Wednesday, March 23rd at 7:17 pm. She weighed in at 5 pounds 14 ounces and is 20 inches long.

She is beautiful and perfect! The whole family is doing well. I wanted to post a few pictures now of our little lady. I'll type more later on the whole delivery experience etc...

First of many kisses from mommy.

Brian is so sweet with Charlie.

Good morning!

Yep, I feel the same way.

Des at lunch with Mimi and Papa. They made a quick stop before heading to the hospital. Sadly, I don't have any pictures of Desmond with Charlie yet. I've been too tired to wrangle him to sit still next to her. I can say that he is very excited and sweet to his new sister.

Going home soon. Yes, those are socks on her hands. I forgot to buy little gloves.

First car ride home.

Napping on daddy's arm.

Charlotte's Eviction Notice

2011-03-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

Since Charlotte's abdomen has measured so small during utero the doctors have told me all along they didn't want me to go past 39 weeks. I guess at this point she's fully cooked and will do better out in the real world. So, as of right now I am scheduled to be induced this Wednesday, March 23rd at 4am! I really thought and had hoped that I would go into labor naturally before this point (I guess that could still happen) but either way we are thrilled to be meeting little Miss C in about 48 hours!

Please pray for a quick, safe and as pain free as possible :) delivery. I know women give birth every day but it's still super scary and freaks me out. None of the labor options sound good to me. All natural is too painful, being induced and getting an epidural is scary because who knows how I'll react to the drugs and getting a c-section freaks me out because who wants to be awake during a surgery! AAHHHH! Well, I guess I don't have a choice and she is coming out one way or another. So when people ask me my birth plan I just say "healthy baby, healthy mom." We'll see what that ends up meaning on Wednesday.

Also, pray for Brian and Des. They both have terrible colds at the moment. I am usually NOT a germaphobe but it would be nice if our family could be 100% or at least 85% healthy when Charlotte arrives.

I have my last doctors appointment tomorrow morning. Wahoo! Stay tuned... I hope to post pictures of our newest addition soon!

Baby Charlotte

2011-03-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

Desmond's baby sisters name is going to be Charlotte. As I've mentioned before Desmond is constantly pointing to my belly and saying "Baby Charlotte." We finally caught it on tape the other night. We plan on calling her Charlie but every time I ask Desmond to say baby Charlie instead of Charlotte he says, "No! Baby Charlotte." So, maybe we'll just go with Charlotte. We shall see...

Here's my 9 month preggo pic. Mom, Jessica and Carissa this one is for you.

A little update

2011-03-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

I'm 37 weeks pregnant today and very ready for little miss C to make her big appearance. As of Friday I was 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced. So, my body is definitely getting ready but I think the progress is giving me some false hope at the moment. It seems as though many women are like this for weeks before they go into labor. Either way, the big day is not that far off. I can't wait to NOT have her head pushing constantly on my bladder! :)

At my doctors appointment yesterday they estimated little C to weigh about 5 1/2 pounds. Her stomach is still very small (2-5%). For whatever reason she is having a hard time gaining weight in her abdomen in utero but according to the doctor she will fatten up as soon as she is out.

Desmond is getting very excited about his little sister. He's constantly kissing my belly and saying her name. I can't wait to see his first reaction to her.

Here are a few pictures of Desmond from this past weekend. He is so much fun!

He LOVES juice. He's got to get every last drop!

Des went to his buddy Conner's 2nd birthday party on Sunday. He wasn't really into the story reading portion of the party.

Wahoo! Cupcake time is more my style!

Pretty sure he ate the whole thing in one maybe two bites.

Laughing at daddy.

Not so sure about the Mickey ears...

Playing with friends is so exhausting!

36 Weeks!

2011-03-02T11:11:00.000-08:00

I'm 36 weeks pregnant today! I have officially started my 9th month of pregnancy. I feel like I have been pregnant forever.

I had an ultrasound at my doctors appointment yesterday. According to the ultrasound tech the baby is already very low and small which should make for (fingers crossed) a smooth delivery. I also found out yesterday that I am 2.5 cm dilated and 60% effaced. What does this mean? That everything is starting to progress naturally. My doctor seemed really thrilled about this. I guess some people are dilated for weeks before they deliver and others just days. Either way little C is headed our direction soon. I guess I should start packing our hospital bags and get the car seat ready to go. :)

Our weekend visitors

2011-02-28T08:02:00.000-08:00

Our good friends from Houston Melissa and Andy recently moved to San Diego with their two kiddos Addison and Graham. Since we now live only a few hours from each other we've decided to really make it a point to get together every now and then over the weekend. Last month we went to visit them and this weekend they came up to us. It was so much fun to have them here. Since all three kids are really good sleepers we actually did get in some much needed adult time. :)

Anyone smaller than Desmond he calls a "baby." When Graham (14 months) woke up from his nap on Saturday and came into the living room Desmond said "Hi baby! Hi baby!" Pretty cute. He is also fairly good at sharing with those smaller than himself. Not so much with the older kids.

I love Addison. She has real spunk! You've got to earn a smile from her. She doesn't just give them out to anyone. I can't believe how much taller she is than Des. Is she tall or is he short? I can't imagine him being this much taller in one year. They are exactly one year apart. He turns 2 on April 8th and she turns 3 on April 9th.

Come on, just give me one kiss!

We went for an afternoon stroll after their nap on Saturday. I promise they had more fun then they appear to be having here.

I'm loving Desmond's new little table.

We had brunch at a fun restaurant on the beach in Malibu yesterday. It was a little challenging with three kids under the age of 3. Afterwards we tried to get a good picture of all three kids. That was impossible since Desmond and Addison decided it was funnier if they repeatedly face planted themselves into the sand. This is the best picture I could get.

What a week!

2011-02-25T21:13:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have those weeks where at the end your like, "Has it really only been one week? It feels like it's been a month."

Brian's parents came for a quick visit last weekend. They got lots of Des time and helped us finish decorating the baby's room. I wish someone could have video taped the four of us trying to strategically place the letter decals to create fun words or sayings above her crib. Instead of getting a ruler out to precisely measure the words, we just eye balled it. Of course this method led to some opinions of sorts. The final product turned out good. I think...

Every Tuesday and Friday I now have a NST (non-stress test) at my OB's office. Which is sort of annoying because her office is NOT close to our house BUT it is nice to see how the baby is doing twice a week. Although, I really could do without getting weighed that often! I mean really, shouldn't they just STOP weighing you at some point. :)

When I got back to the house on Tuesday (around lunch time) I got a call from Brian that his Grandma Jean (who has been sick) had taken a turn for the worse and may not make it through the week. Since Desmond had never met Grandma Jean, Brian wanted to take him to St. Louis. By 4:40 pm on Tuesday both of my boys were on a flight to see Grandma Jean.

Their timing could not have been more perfect. As they boarded their return flight on Thursday she passed away. I'm so glad they both got to see her before she went to heaven. Brian said the first night Desmond walked into her room she reached out to him and said "sweet boy." According to Brian these were the only real words she spoke the entire time they were there.

On Wednesday I took our scheduled hospital tour. There were about 7 other couples on our tour, and I was the only one without a spouse. I'm sure they all thought I was either a lesbian or single and knocked up. Never the less I really enjoyed the tour and now feel more prepared for the big day! :)

I was so glad to see my boys last night! I wish I could have been a fly on the wall in the airplane to see Brian traveling with Des. How cute! He's such a good dad. I don't think very many dads would travel by themselves with a VERY ACTIVE 22 month old. Brian loves being a dad and is so hands on. I love it!

As for today I spent the morning getting my NST and then most of the afternoon downtown getting the remaining of Desmond's post adoption stuff done.

I'm so glad it's Friday!

I've been terrible at taking and posting pictures lately. So here are a few recent pics of Des.

On Valentines Day Brian brought home my favorite chocolates and these giant balloons. Desmond was in heaven playing with the balloons. The next morning I heard him grunting in the living room. When I walked in he was standing on his little stool trying to reach the string to the balloon. Too cute.

Drawing on his new chalkboard. We have to put the chalk away when we are not drawing on the chalkboard. It's amazing how fast a 2 year old can make their mark with the chalk in other places in the house when you aren't looking... :)

Hanging with Grandma Jean's dog.