The Holley Spot

"Did You Feed Ethan Oatmeal for Breakfast?" and Train Horns....

2011-06-22T18:40:00.004-04:00

This afternoon I went to get Jenna's oatmeal out of the cupboard and noticed it was not where I left it......

A little back story - Ethan had a reaction(rash bt not hives) to oats when he was first introduced to it.... We confirmed an oat allergy when he was about 1 year old. Ever since, Ethan has never eaten oats. Although he still eats the baby cereal like a hot cereal, Rice, Barley and Wheat. Oats are in a lot of cold cereal and he has never taken to eating the other options..... anyway, needless to say, Jenna has now started solids and I have given her oatmeal with no problem....but her cereal box looks like Ethan's box....

The other issue at hand is that our town "forgot" or rather did not comply with the FRA(Federal Rail Assoc.) law changes in the past 5 or six years since it was changed and has resulted in the expiration of the QUIET ZONE in our town. Therefore they must blast their horns every time they cross the street on the railroad tracks.... We live 3 houses and across the 2 lane street from a train station and it has been a rough several days as every train, even at 5:10 am and 11pm lays on the horn. So not much "great sleep" is happening in the Holley house.....

So I kicked Scott out of bed this morning: middle of the night infant needs and train horns and a late night getting to bed just were not allowing for a good rest.... I just could not roll out..... So Scott apparently as sleep deprived as I, or just a little behind me.... Rolled half awake out of bed and fed Ethan breakfast.....

Back to this afternoon finding the Oatmeal in a different location I asked Scott if he had given Oatmeal for Ethan's breakfast, and he is pretty sure he did "Oh my gosh I think I might have. I just grabbed the first thing I saw!".... Nothing happened to Ethan thank goodness, but I am not sure whether or not Ethan is really "allergic"..... I suppose we shall see next time we see the allergist....

I am a bit dumbfounded and maybe he has grown out of it... Who knows!!! But seriously these trains are starting to effect our minds one way or the other!

2011-06-18T09:30:00.001-04:00

Jumping into June

2011-06-17T14:19:00.014-04:00

"Kiss Me Mommy! My bib says they are the best and I want you to have the best sweet potato kiss ever!"

Chunky Thighs

Rolly Jenna found the curtain and the wall...

Peek a Boo!

Camping + about 5.5 hours of sleep in a tent = Passed out Ethan 5 minutes into watching "Cars"....

Daddy and kids adorable duo.

"My Love Camping"

Marshmallows will make for a great night ahead!

Mowing the lawn with bubbles! Thank you Mimi!

Batters Up! Don't worry mom, it's a padded bat.

Sunday afternoon.... and Sunny! Doesn't get any better than that!

"Play Soccer with me?"

Sorry for the few weeks of no posting here - Busy busy and more busy of whatever it is that I do as a mom. We have been trying to get out side when weather permits and we have definitely had some great sunny days to spend in the new and improved back yard. Even the kiddie pool has been filled a few times to beat the heat!

Here is the update on all specimens living in this house....

Scott - Working away at his relatively new job. Roasting in our bedroom that has no AC behind a closed door "Saving the Financial World" I quote. Well not completely but he is doing his thing in there none the less. Scott finished up the back yard and it looks great! With a little help from Google, Home Depot and YouTube - we have a very nice play space in the back of our apartment.

Britt - Just hanging on to "the fact that this part of life is a phase, and it too shall pass". Let's just say some days of being a mommy are better than others. I am excited to have a project coming up. I am doing the wedding favors for a wedding in August. I am super excited and will post pics of the finished product then. Candy Buffet here I come!!!

Ethan - In a hitting phase. In a play soccer or baseball phase. I a let's just get a little crazy phase. Lets just say the time out seat is warm a lot these days. But in his off the hot seat time he enjoys playing with friends, kicking a soccer ball and talking and or parroting mommy phrases. Apparently everything is his right now too. Jenna gets a good laugh from his silliness and so do I. He is very cute but let's be honest Terrible twos are a rough time for everyone. But I still love the kids a ton! I especially love that he asks for "Piggy kisses and a big Squeeze" at bed time:)

Jenna - Rolling around and finding new frontiers on the green carpet. She has a new excersaucer and loves to bounce in it and is learning how to spin in it. She is teething - but no pearly whites have busted out yet. She is laughing more and showing a bit more personality. She loves her food and is just super cute most of the time.

House plants - I have officially cared for 2 house plants for 1 year and have not killed them - success!

Daddy's little helper and a serious baby with a little spunk

2011-05-31T20:16:00.015-04:00

Up close and personal~ Jenna 5 months old

What's this I found mom? Ohhh those belong to me!?

There is another half I didn't know about?

I just can't smile enough!

I love my life in the cute lane...

Ethan and Jenna kicking it in the jungle...

What is going on here? Scott is making Ethan lay the sod, well with a little help:)

Backyardigans

On one side you see the grass and the other the dirt, it's a before and after shot!

Ethan fluffing the bush - it has to be just right...

You can't really see it but so begins the fascination with a little worm....

Playing with the worm "snake"...

In Ethan's own words.. "Worm is broken, fix it mommy?"

He has each end of the poor thing in each hand.... if only mommy had enough superpowers to fix the broken worm.

Jenna - a serious avid reader of baby books.

Last Monday the week started off pretty good. I was on my A game and actually obliged Scott to another hair cut - it happens every now and then that I give in and do it rather than be lazy and tell him to go somewhere they are certain to cut it too short. I got the Scissors out and set up in front of the TV - this is a little insight into a bit of our marriage... Scott was watching a WWII show and I don't think I could have done a good job cutting his hair to a very fashion lacking show - it was very fortunate that my sister informed me that the new season of the Bachelorette was on... which I insisted we watch while I cut his hair - 25 guys stepping out of a limo was definitley going to give me a lot of haircuts to gain inspiration from right? Well not really - but Scott was nice enough to let me do that while asking I gouge his eyes out with the scissors. Let's just say sometimes out taste in TV clashes, but if you want it your way get the scissors out.

Scott left Tuesday and did not get back until Saturday morning. So of course after leaving the Boston oven heated up to 80+ degrees and I sucked up and prayed for no back injuries and hauled 2 AC units up tot he kids rooms - I can handle the heat but you know they are hot when they need several refills at night.

We did 2 days at the park and one of those days we spent 3 hours basking in the sun and playing hard. Ethan made a new girl friend too, they played together for at least an hour and after we left I asked him if he had fun playing with the little girl and his reply was...

"Uh huh, she's cute!"

I had to laugh, this boy is going to be a chick magnet, he himself is just adorable and I don't think the ladies are going to be able to resist.

After playing super hard that day - Ethan went to bed with such ease - which is nice when the bedtime routine falls all on me alone - He crawled in after saying his prayers and said he was going to "fix my tired"...

Thursday night I was desperate to get out and paid a babysitter to listen for my kids while I went and enjoyed a Stampin' Up craft night, which was so much fun! Nice to get out! By Friday I was pretty exhausted and had just about had it. But I managed to keep it together and attempt letting Ethan help make some cookies. He is so funny, he hates the noise the mixer makes and would run for the hills when it turned on! I hope he gets over some fears before Disney World in Sept. Changing Ethan's diaper has become a bit of a wrestling match at times and I was about to lose it when I finally got him up to pull his pants on, he gave me the biggest hug and a big kiss on the cheek and said "i love you mommy".... I melted. Kids can just make you nut one minute and then just be the best friend you have.

Saturday Scott finally arrived back from the SF Bay area and took Ethan to Swim class and then they worked on the backyard as seen above. It was a jam packed week of lots of things. Keeping busy makes time fly! Jenna is showing more and more personality everyday and is just so fun to watch and play with.

That is all I got as I am so tired but have to prepare some first aid info for Saturdays Emergency Preparedness fair!

Tee Tee for now - Ta ta for then!

2011-05-24T14:10:00.000-04:00

The joys of feeding kids....

2011-05-23T19:58:00.016-04:00

Jenna and a silly face, rice cereal makes you do funny things...

I finally decided that Jenna needed to start some solids - maybe motivated by the woes of feeding a 2.5 year old that is super picky he won't even touch mac and cheese, chicken nuggets and all the other food staples of the terrible twos... I think I am determined to succeed in Jenna's eating habits, in hope she can show her brother how it is done.... Who knows! But so far we have had some rice cereal and sweet potatoes, She was not too keen on the potatoes but we will keep pushing it, we get some cute faces and expressions, which make it fun and I tell Ethan to tell her "good job" so she will smile and think it is fun even if the texture and taste are foreign. It at least gives us a new thing to do together:)

This look translated = "Seriously mom, what is this stuff?!"

First batch of egg-free Chocolate Chip cookies - but where is Cookie #12?

Here it is!!!! So Ethan having an egg allergy has been a rough go, especially for mommy. I don't know if it is just laziness or a hope that Ethan would eventually grow out of it, but this week I finally caved, bought an egg replacer and made cookies that Ethan can eat. Sad, that I have let too much time - 2 years and 8 months to be exact, pass that Ethan has never had the taste of a home made cookie. He loved it! I can't get him to try healthy food, aka veggies, even though I make it look fun, but he will try and consume a cookie.... Although this evening, Ethan did eat about 3cm of a green bean, which was very encouraging, but it soon turned into a train that chugged the grooved edge of the table and eventually ended up on my plate. Progress is progress when it comes to food in this house. Let's just say that my least favorite thing to do as a parent is get kids to eat, it is a lot of work and barley touched meals give very little encouragement that we are getting it all in, but I will push forward. Here's to more baking and cooking without eggs, oats, nuts, peanuts and of course cat and dog;)

Ethan has discovered the joys of wearing a baseball cap and playing baseball indoors(weather is not letting us out much these days, so rules must be bent for sanity's sake), he enjoys a good pitch and loves it when you pitch it right to the bat which doesn't swing yet... or at least not until 2 seconds after the ball passes by. We are working on that.

This picture makes me realize how much Ethan is looking like a little boy and not so little anymore.

Such a handsome little dude.

Jenna in the swing:)

2011-05-21T17:17:00.001-04:00

Swinging for the first time....

2011-05-21T17:15:00.001-04:00

Testing...

2011-05-20T16:11:00.001-04:00

Just making sure my email can post a sentence:)

Brittany:)

May days...

2011-05-19T19:15:00.009-04:00

Ethan insisted Jenna eat dinner with everyone....

Looking through the rocks with Papa Holley

Getting some Papa love!

Our patriotic Shark Boy...

So this time the cars didn't come through under the door during quiet time....

Jenna just being content and cute:)

So May days are here, and we thought that only April brought showers but that is not the case. We have had some teaser days of spring time warm days but they have for the mean time been quite gray. Some of my Favorite Ethan moments have occurred these past 10 days...

Ethan was eating his hot cereal when some dribbled out onto the table, which he decided to make a mess with...

"Ethan, please don't make a mess."

"It's my choice."

"What?"

"It's my choice mom." So matter of fact, that I was left speechless and confused at what to say to that coming out of my 2.5 year old....

Another favorite moment - Ethan came into the living room wrapped in a tan blanket...

"I look like a Pretzel!"

A few other things Ethan has picked up on are phrases that are in the interest of knowing how we are doing... aka... "How's it goin'?", "Are you happy?", "How's work going mom?"....

He also has a new favorite game called "OK?" - So we have the futon mattress up in the living room since Scott's dad came for a visit.... Now Ethan and I wrestle around it, pretending to fall and pick each other up - usually it turns into a let's tackle mommy while I scream fest.... it is quite silly.

So as I mentioned last month, we got rid of the bink, and replaced it with a Toy Story Woody Doll, well Woody has been beheaded and I am beginning to wonder if Ethan Errs more on the Sid side of the fence rather than the Andy side. Woody took quite a beating when Ethan decided that to make his hat come off he wouldn't just take it off, he had to throw Woody across the room. I promised him we would get some super glue to try and mend him but not even gorilla glue super glue could fix poor, lifeless, beheaded Woody. We might have to lay him to rest....

Jenna on the other hand has become quite the little gal. Her favorite things are "playing with Ethan" Which en tales Ethan getting in her face and ripping his glasses off squealing in delight and then getting them dirty before I can confiscate the expensive "toy". She also loves when you sing "Old McDonald", "Wheels on the bus", and "Patty Cake". She also loves to grab my arm and eat it during diaper changes, with a little growl to boot. I decided today that we should try some Rice cereal and it went well, but it will take some getting used to. He we go again! She is lot's of fun to snuggle these days and I love the big silent smiles!

Scott has become a Gardening maniac. Our apartment had some serious weed overgrowth and a not so attractive back yard. He has, in even pouring rain, weeded, potted flowers and rolled up the fake Astroturf/green carpet in the backyard(yeah you read that right, low maintenance for you know who), and begun preparing it for sod. He is bound and determined that we have some grass to play soccer on with Ethan, as it is getting a little hard to play indoors without fearing some calamity with the decor.

I have been keeping up with the kids and entertaining them and just making sure the basics are met. It is my job. I am learning to love it. Is has been a rough road getting here but I feel that since I have made better efforts to work on my spiritual side, I think the blessings of patience are starting to arrive. Maturing as a mom has been a journey that is not over yet but I feel I am in a good place today, we will see tomorrow.....

Getting into the conversation mode

2011-05-08T21:03:00.003-04:00

So this week Ethan was very cute in a few ways, well he is always cute but he did/said some very cute things and I had better type it our before I forget! Mommy brain will do that, basically my short term memory is aging faster than the rest of me.

Scott came out for dinner(and by "out", I mean out of his home office). Ethan was at the table and the conversation when something like this...

Ethan, "How's it going dad?"

Scott, " Good, buddy! How are you?"

Ethan, "How's work dad?"

Scott laughing, "good!"

I realize that Ethan is asking his daddy the same questions I ask Scott when I see him for the first time after work... So cute!

Next was today... So at church Ethan went to nursery class and we got report that he tried to escape and successfully got out the door 3 times. So I decided to confront Ethan on the issue head on after we had gotten home during snack time....

Me, "Ethan, did you leave Nursery today? Did you run out of the room?"

Ethan, "Uh Huh, I get in trouble at church."

So hard not to smile while telling him it is not okay to leave the class....

I love that kid!

Scott and I went on a "first" date(since Jenna arrived) last night to the MOS Planetarium. Yes, we escaped the house for a few hours! Kid free! This is a sure benefit for knowing your downstairs neighbors well enough to leave the monitor with them and exchange babysitting that way... It was a lot of fun and very much needed. It is so easy to get caught up in the kids and the household stuff, that you forget to be silly and laugh like you did during the early dating years and newlywed moments. But we had fun teasing and smiling and playing around on the musical steps at the MOS. After going to the planetarium you come out wondering a lot about how small we are in the universe and how vast space is. There are so many wonderful things out there and it is beautiful! I need to dust off the telescope and take a peek here this summer. Life is precious and we should live every moment to it's fullest. We may be small and a speck in the universe but we are important and significant to our little planet and to those who matter most to us.

Until next time:)...............

Flowers and Snow, but not together....

2011-05-06T14:07:00.004-04:00

As promised I took a quick zip out the front door to capture our street during spring time, before all the flowers forgo their home and land on the ground. I love Boston in the Spring. There is no description that would suffice how Spring makes me feel when it finally arrives after the cold winter. Life can come out of the ground so quickly! So here are 2 pictures that might help you understand how drastic the seasons are here:)

Funny things kids say...

2011-05-03T22:06:00.014-04:00

Before the sleepies took over.....

After 3 days of no napping....

Jenna, "Ethan there is a bug on your fire truck from going too fast", Ethan "Cool!"

Deep in thought about whether this plastic ring is BPA free or not....

Mmmmm I like a good bird to munch on...

Just another day on the job...

Jenna wants to be heard dang it!

There is a sweet little thing about this gal:)

So this past week, Ethan says "that's pretty cool, huh?" a lot.... He uses the word cool like it is going out of style or something! Today while nursing Jenna during lunch... he says to me, pointing in my direction, where Jenna is eating "that's pretty cool food mom".....Uhhhh, what? I had to laugh. He also is very encouraging lately and as I finish vacuuming... "great job mom" I hear..... Lets just say his vocab gets more cute and interesting every day! He also said his own prayer before bed tonight, I was so proud. Most of it was whispered, but it was very cute all the same!

Jenna has taken to cooing and gahhhhing with stuff in her mouth and she squeals in delight. She has a favorite toy, a bird with very colorful wings. She is also just loving the attention Ethan dishes out on a regular basis. He loved to get on the floor next to her and play along side her. Quite cute!

Scott is doing well, be we can't say the same for the new Jetta that got rear ended on the freeway this past weekend... But he did pass both tests to sell securities, so that was a big relief! Scott and I are missionaries for our congregation and we are loving getting our plan together to help people learn how to share what we believe:)

Not much else is new around here, just enjoying some nicer weather, although, I am not sure if we have colds or if it is just allergies or both, but we are feeing a bit of something - Trees are blooming like nuts out here right now! it is beautiful... I will have to take a picture and put up a comparison of the winter to spring.... since it is soooooo drastic and that is the only thing I appreciate about Boston climate shifting with the seasons... In the mean time, here are cute pics of the kids... since the parent is always taking the pictures....

2011-04-25T21:01:00.012-04:00

Jenna Taking her Fancy bath

Taking a break from putting and climbing the course

Daddy helping Ethan figure out the difficult two handed swing...

Looking like a pro...almost...

Jenna getting a little crazy with sand in her toes at 4 months old! She loved it! Who wouldn't?

Our cute boy Ethan!

One of the Family on a windy day in the sunny sand!

Wild ponies!!! Watch out!

This past week we took off Wednesday morning to drive down to Ocean City, MD. It was a good 10 hour trip, stops included to feed the crew and change diapers. But we survived! We met our dear friends the Cramers down there and had a blast. With their 3 boys and our 2 kids we adults were outnumbered, especially in energy! Certainly there was plenty to do. Thursday we went to the Assateague National park where the wild ponies roam free. They were very cute and Ethan was very excited to see them. We then headed to the beach where the kids played in the sand and Ethan ran around taking it all in. The wind was a blowing but none the less it was fun to sit and watch the waves and kids play. Friday was a day for indoor activities! including indoor miniature golf and lunch at Five Guys, and some quality arcade time where mom and dad won enough tickets for a plastic dinosaur which is sitting on the couch at this very moment. Then the boys sent Shauna and I over to the spa for facials and massages, a real treat for mommies of busy kids! We walked out a little wobbly, I think we got to the point of relaxation. After a trip to the pool and lots of running up and down halls, the kids went to bed and before we knew it Saturday morning was here and we packed up and drove off to NY.

It was fun to see friends and as the guys put it, if you set your expectations for traveling with kids pretty low, you can have a good time! We sure did! We even stopped in NY, NY for a stay with our other dear friends the Blanchard's who will be moving to London this summer, so we are glad to have been able to stop in for a visit which might be the last for a while. They even treated Ethan and their kiddos to an Easter Egg hunt. I am sure the bunny will make a drop off for Ethan next year, he was a little too tired this year... We finally made it home and now we are all adjusting back to normalcy.

Jenna has her 4 month check up tomorrow and I can't believe we are already at this point. She is laughing and loving sticking things in her mouth as she is trying so hard to master holding things with her little hands. She has been able to roll tummy to back and almost rolled back to tummy yesterday, it is just a matter of time and she will be rolling around the house!

Ethan is an explosion of words and sentences. One of my favorite memories this weekend was Ethan asking if I could fix his Oreo that he ate all the cream center out of. He is also getting the idea of friends. He gave hugs all around when we left our friends and it was so sweet. Underneath all that 2.5ness he really is a sweet soul.

We feel especially blessed this weekend to remember the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a blessing He is to the World. He died that we might live. We can access his atonement and be forgiven for our shortcomings. We are truly grateful for the example of his life.

A blurr

2011-04-18T20:12:00.002-04:00

I don't recall what we did this past week... I think it involved some grocery shopping, some play-dates and a few trips to the park.... So goes the life of motherhood. Both kids had snotty noses again midweek which kept us in for at least a day. I think we spent a little time out in the backyard too, because there are now rocks in Ethan's indoor dump truck and one came out with the laundry. Next time I will check all the pockets.

Scott and I are Missionaries for our congregation and we both spoke in Church Sunday, I think my brain is a little fried from coming up with what I was going to say. I don't like speaking in front of large crowds, but it went well. I do however enjoy the process of learning more about being a missionary, and being more open about my faith. I have come a long way in the past few years and being a mom has certainly accelerated my progression in having a better relationship with God. I can certainly improve in many areas.

Ethan is now on a every about 3 days napping routine since the binky went away. Sad. But true... I find it a bit more challenging when I don't get that nice 3 hour break from having to either entertain him or keep him out of trouble. I hope that as soon as the weather is more consistent, we will be getting fresh air more often and the newness of the outdoors with keep him occupied.

Jenna is a silly girl. She very much hates tummy time. She is very cute and smiles a lot. I decided to weigh her in this afternoon, 14.3 lbs. She is now entering the 6 month old clothing size. She has over the past few days been very "talkative". She also has a favorite toy. It is a very colorful bird that crinkles and squeaks. She can't seem to ever shove enough of it in her mouth.

Sorry, no pics this week, but we will surely have more next time:)

A week without daddy...

2011-04-10T20:23:00.009-04:00

Really, we do love each other, we just can't have any evidence of it....

Stand Up Woody!!!

Is this a good pose mom?

Waking up Happy!!

This week was a long one. With daddy out of town, I had to get creative with the kids, well not terribly creative, but we had to keep busy with things to do or else it would have seemed an eternity without the extra help around. Accomplishments included taking the kids to the Zoo twice, outfitting them for the summer, getting rid of Ethan's Binky..."the Bink"... baking cookies and trying to keep the house in order...

So what did everyone do this week?

Scott - Was half way around the world in Goa, India at a conference for work. Rough life, I know... But he got to endure 35 hours of 4 flights, customs, security checks and all the travel delights each way, so I suppose it wasn't all that glamorous... He got to swim in the Arabian Sea, eat Indian food 3 meals a day and got to enjoy the warm sunshine as his wrist gives away how much sun he got while wearing his watch...at the beach... He enjoyed the experience and getting to know people that he will be working with over the next several months.

Brittany - Happy to report that I only nearly cried once this week while Scott was gone. I think that reading my scriptures and praying every night only brought the extra blessings of patience with Ethan this week. Especially since he slapped me in the face while I was trying to get him in his car seat at Target, because he really wanted to run around the parking lot and touch all the cars.... I know if I had not had the extra strength within I would have gone nuclear but I kept my cool. I was happy to hear that the weather was going to get warmer so I went and got the kids a few warm weather outfits, hopefully I won't need to shop again anytime soon.... Shopping with 2 is an interesting experience. I took the kids to 2 different Zoos this week and Ethan enjoyed learning the names of the animals and seeing them in action, we got to hear a Lion roar and Ethan loved watching the Otters swim. I am finding it a lot of fun to watch Ethan's vocabulary and sentence structure mature.

Yesterday I baked Chocolate Chip cookies, the first cookies to get baked since December... And I made up for the lack of cookie eating these past few months... Guess I will have to workout 4 days this week instead of 3...

This week I was also asked to do the wedding favors of a friends son's wedding in August as a paid job:) That is so exciting... maybe this will be the start to having my own side business of custom creations. I am very excited!

Ethan - So we are now 2.5 days into having no binky. Friday afternoon I slipped a "Woody" interactive doll under the Toys R Us cart and then that afternoon before nap nabbed all the binkys and stowed them away. I told Ethan that the Binky Fairy came and took them all up high into the sky because he is such a big boy and doesn't need them anymore and she left him a present in his room. He didn't seem to mind at all, because he had a cool new toy. After missing a few naps and going to bed fine until today.... he finally had his meltdown. I went to tuck him in his bed for nap and he said "Binky?" and then proceeded to cry about the missing binks. I had to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star 2 times before he calmed down and then went to sleep.

Jenna - Happy baby, such a trooper with all the love Ethan gives her. She is getting to be very smiley and I am picking up on all or most of her cues for eating, and sleep and change of activity or change me mom I am soiled. She is such a joy and we are having fun looking at each other and doing Patty Cake, which she thinks is quite silly.

April is here!!!

2011-04-03T20:59:00.006-04:00

Here are a few favorite pictures of the week!

This week has been a good one. We are learning lots about being parents, not by choice but by necessity... Juggling two is a serious act when it comes to kids. Lives are at stake, and not just my own. Ethan has entered a new phase of hitting and throwing. Not a fun phase by any means, lets hope it is short. Here is the down-low on everyone...

Scott - Traveled to Chicago and LA this past week, and lets just say he returned to not so nice weather on April first... no joke, it was snowing.... Glad he decided to come home and not get on a plane back west... He has been a huge help managing bed time and I am loving it!

Britt - Keeping it together at home. Making sure everyone has their meals, making sure everyone is clean and so forth. I had a great lunch out with my Nursing School buddies and it was as always a very yummy experience, lets just say I got the Banana Cream Cheesecake.... I am learning a lot about how to deal with the 2.5 year old and all that entails while managing a 3 month old. There have been some recent struggles that have been hard but thanks to great support and friends and a loving Heavenly Father, I gained so much knowledge about myself and what my role as a mother is.

Ethan - This week we ran out of "Handy Manny" fruit snacks... well we "ran out" because Ethan had already had a bag of them, and Ethan informed me later when asking for them that "mommy ate them all gone"... very cute. Today we had friends over and they brought theier little toddler over with them and when Ethan saw that there we 2 babies, he counted them out for us "2 babies"... "one...two".... Glad he is getting the 1 in there since before he would just start at two. We also went to brunch at a business school friends place and they have a little black kitty... lets just say that the "Wixom kitty lover gene" has been passed down... Ethan was in love and I don't think the kitty was so in love with Ethan but put up with all the attention Ethan was dishing out. "black kitty sooo cuuute"....I think the kitty will need therapy for PTSD.

Jenna - She is grabbing toys and laughing more this week. She sat in the Bumbo seat for the first time and loves to shove her shirt or rather any fabric in her mouth and chew. I hope teeth aren't coming so quick but if she gets your knuckle she chomps!

That is all for this week:)

Week of fun things...

2011-03-28T17:17:00.002-04:00

Jenna is getting to be lots of fun with her first real laugh this week and some grabbing at toys, she is well on her way to cute and adorable things!

Also this weekend I threw a baby shower for a friend and had so much fun having a bunch of ladies over to celebrate and socialize! I had so much fun getting decorations made, favors and the like. I love getting crafty! If I could be anything in another life I would be a party planner:) Scott took Ethan to the mall and entertained him there while Jenna and I partied with the gals! It was a bit concerning though when Scott got home and told me that he bought Ethan 2 shirts..... I think my heart skipped a beat... Scott... buy clothes... for our kids! unheard of! Luckily he did a good job and they passed my standard for cute clothing...

So this past week was a lot of fun. Our congregation did a Spring friendship week where it is basically a secret santa type thing where you leave gifts or notes to an assigned family. I had lots of fun thinking of ways to give to our family. It was also fun to find a bouquet of daffodils, brownies and sparkling cider left secretly on our doorstep:). I was getting a little suspicious that we were being stalked by our secret family, because every time I left the house to go deliver our gift I found one on our step when I got back, even though I was only gone for about 20 minutes at most!

On the down side of fun, Ethan has another wonderful cold, complete with snot bombs. We are glad spring in nearly here! We need some warm days to make the bugs go away!

Getting big...

2011-03-21T20:18:00.002-04:00

So this last week was a fun one, Jenna must be going through a growth spurt because she isn't going super long stretches at night like she was for a long time:) .... Hey it means she is growing right? She is getting stronger too:) She loves to stand with help and tells all kinds of tall tales.

Ethan is just being super cute with all the things he says these days. his vocab is exploding and he is starting to get more complex with his sentence structure, which is so fun, you can almost see the neurons firing sparks out of his ears. We signed Ethan up for a swim class that will start at the end of April, I think he will love it! It will be a fun Saturday thing to do for daddy and Ethan.

Scott is loving his new job and I am loving seeing him more often:)

Play time at the Children's Museum!

2011-03-20T22:22:00.008-04:00

This is Scott. Yesterday was daddy/son day at the Children's museum. We took the train downtown, which for Ethan was the most memorable part of the day. "Purple train" went through a "scary tunnel". He was simultaneously excited and scared as the big train approached, and wanted to ride it all day.

At the children's museum he spent about 2 hours putting golf balls in tubes, and then another hour and a half "driving the train", which was actually a plane cockpit. (I guess that is part of the fun of a children's museum - its whatever you want it to be!). If any of you are wondering how long a 2.5 year old can run non-stop at a children's museum before they pass out, I'm not sure... but it is at least 7 hours. Fun times!

The effects of winter...

2011-03-13T19:54:00.002-04:00

SO needless to say, the past 3-4 weeksh ave been nothing more than a Holley petry dish with loads of bugs to pass around.... Winter has been rough weather wise and health wise... not that anyone is suffering more than a cold or tummy bug but it just seems that someone is always needing a Kleenex these days, and in Jenna's case, the blue suction bulb... I will spare the nasty details but mommy, aka me, is dying for winter to be over, not only so we can enjoy the outdoors, but to avoid the straight jacket for certain member of the family and spring out of the prison at 9 Irving St...

The update on the family person by person is as follows.....

Scott - Started his new job at Harken Capital. He has set up an at home office in the bedroom and is working roughly part time from there. He is certainly enjoying the fact that he can now cut out commuting time and hit the gym more often, which his personal goal means at least 3 times a week. He is getting a bit more family time as well. Ethan is loving that daddy is home more and often will see him every day and evening. Such a nice change for us all. Scott has also put together our family Will, done the taxes and found time to do his calling at church as the Assistant to the Ward Mission Leader. Good things are coming out of this new change in our lives and Scott will certainly enjoy his free time more...

Brittany - I am surviving the winter with a 2.5 year old and a 2.5 month old. the best thing I have purchaced in a long time is the double stroller. I can now leave with both kids and hit the mall, or craft store a bit easier.. This will likely increase my spending but it just might help me get through the days. I am currently planning a baby shower for a friend and I am loving the creativity that has been on the back burner for a while... I recently threw my back out while Scott was in NY for work, and I have to say, thank heavens for Relief Society and the friends you meet. A friend came to my rescue and helped with the kids so I could get to the Chiropractor and thankfully Scott came home early, which was super helpful since Ethan got a stomach bug that night.... It has been an interesting rollercoaster in the mommy job department, but I am trying to see the good in it all and I am trying to hold on to the hope that someday I will look back and say I did a pretty good job holding together while trying to raise my kiddos.

Ethan - Recently his vocabulary has turned into sentances which are often very cute. Recently he pooped in the tub for the first time on my watch. I was talking to Scott on the phone while watching Ethan play in the tub, then before I knew it there were a lot more "items" in the tub and Ethan was screaming in fear of his own doing in the tub. Quickly I hung up and pulled him out telling him firmly not to move. He turns around, peering into the tub "It's like chocolate, poop make you sick!"..... Thanks buddy for ruining my craving for chocolate for a while.... He even mentioned it on the phone with his Grandma Wixom... He is getting much better a repeating exactly what I say which is a little scary. So mommy has to watch her mouth a little more closely. Ethan is still loving to go fast, and when it is time for a meal, nap or bedtime he now asks or rather states "play 2 minutes", or "one more time?". He has also become the master staller and looks for every opportunity to change the topic if he doesn't like it or the task by running for a distracting diversion..... smart people those little ones....

Jenna - Happy girl who loves to smile. She has now rolled tummy to back 3 times and is very intent on grabing things but still is working on making it happen... She is a very cute little thing and just loves to "talk" about anything with anyone. She has even let out a small laugh. She loves her big brother too:)

We are looking forward to spring time and are planning to drive to VA to see some friends in April and we finally booked our vacation to Orlando, hoping Ethan will still be in love with Disney by then(Spetember). Which is quite likely since we pretty much only watch Toy Story these days....

Success!

2011-02-11T14:31:00.003-05:00

I just had a proud me moment I thought I should share...

Nap time was going to be a struggle... Ethan did not want to get a diaper change or put his comfy pants on... so I did not say much just did the usual routine, laid him down for a diaper change and he seemed to eventually get the idea. Then came time to get in bed. He was ready for a fight, I was not: crying and getting right out as soon as I left the room and shut the door. Then came the door pounding; not my favorite consequence of shutting him in with a baby proof door knob, but he must not be able to get out into the rest of the house during sleep time... So I stood there a few seconds and let him pound - it was loud, so I went in and said nothing and put him back in bed, more crying and such and I left the room and did this about 3 times. On the 3rd round I had given him a kiss, so when the 4th round came, I went in after waiting longer with the door pounding and put him in bed and I said nothing, then as I was going out the door, he said "Big Kiss?". I obliged. and then left and now he is down for the nap... I so wanted to react, but I held strong today and did not engage in the toddler games... end result =good:)

Part of growing up

2011-02-09T14:57:00.006-05:00

Can you find the car? Jenna at 7 weeks old, a little smile...

Ethan playing cars (27 Months old)

So who thought that 2 years olds could take a tantrum to the max for 1 hour straight? I sure did not...

10pm last night I hear a knocking at Ethan's door. I answer it and other than the usual "fix the bed" it is "book?" .... My reply is "No we already did story time and now it is time for bed"... Lets just put it this way, he did not like that reply. Soon Ethan and I were stubborn head to stubborn head.... It was an all out battle of the wills, and I didn't have time for his games of indecision(wanting something then not and the wanting again etc....), Jenna was crying and hungry, and as soon as Ethan was in bed I shut the door and he then would get out and pound over and over... It was not a pretty sight, I have to admit, what is a parent to do when the needs of 2 kids clash? Why the heck am I wanting to reciprocate the tantrum? One is about to rip down the door and probably wake our downstairs neighbors kids, the other is about to turn purple from crying.... near tears my hubby arrives home and he takes over while I feed the baby.... and get her to bed... then I go back to assist in the battle of wills...which ended much better than my previous frustrated attempt. He reached out to hug me and I held him and he calmed down, much better than the trashing about we had already been through. He looks at me and says "It's mine?", the new dreaded word... then he says, "Share toys" puts his head on my shoulder and gives out a last sob. I ask if he wants me to sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", and he said yes.... then at 11pm he goes to bed... Lots' learned in that hour....

I am glad we made it through that but at the same time I can't believe how frustrating it can be to raise a toddler and care for a newborn who doesn't understand and can't care for herself. I just had to cry it out and try to not feel guilty that I raised my voice and yelled. That is not who I feel I am.... So after much thought over how I handled it, I have a new plan after researching methods on how to either avoid those episodes or simmer them down quicker. More sleep for me and more activity for him would do us both some good (Pending the weather and germs don't ruin every day of the week)...

Parenting is not always easy, but it is always rewarding. Every hug I get from my little man is worth every "bad" moment, because it weighs more heavily. He makes me laugh and cry, he makes me less selfish, and melts my heart with his dimples. It is certainly a learning curve. So that is that. I can't take him for granted and need to dig deep within to master myself and help him in self mastery. Here is to a better day...

SO I am bad at blogging....

2011-02-05T20:13:00.000-05:00

So here we are February 2011......

Just an update on life in general....by person

Scott - Graduated June 2009 from Harvard Business School and took a job at a consulting firm called OC&C Strategy, which he will soon be leaving for another job at a PE placement group called Harken. SCott has been busy traveling for work but loves the challenge it has brought, but we are looking forward to a new adventure in the career area of life. Scott has sicne been enjoying being a great dad to our little(well, not so little) Mr. Ethan. He enjoys working on some family history and just relaxing from the craziness life brings. We moved from our apartment in Arlington, MA, to Medford, just the next town over. We were sad to leave our place of nearly 7 years(holy cow), but are enjoying our new place and the basement has become one of Scott's weekend projects that never seems to end. After accumulating lots of stuff over 7 years and having a kid, not to mention the slow trickle of childhood sentimentals being sent our way, the basement is in constant motion.... Therefor it needs maintenance.. Also Scott has become very invested in our family emergency preparedness plan, so we have made a goal of house 3 months worth of our family needs, so more stuff in the basement..... But we feel that is a good thing.

Brittany - I am a proud mommy of now 2 kiddos. I am bust just making it through the day and making sure the house does not fall apart. After leaving home I slowly turned into a very tidy person so I clean up a lot since I have a living tornado in the house. I also have continued to play around with crafting and decorating the house... I love to relax and to get my "therapy" through being creative, but time is not something I have a lot of. I have a quilt for Jenna that I am needing to finish, since I have a goal of making one for each of my kids.... I continue to work per diem as an RN at Beth Israel Deaconess Med. Center, but right now I am on Maternity leave, so we will see what the future holds on that front. I do want to keep my skills up, plus I have enjoyed the intillectual stimulation and social aspect of working here and there. Over this past summer, Amanda, my sister in law was our live in nanny that watched Ethan while I picked up more shifts, it was great to get out of the house a bit:). I enjoy hanging out with friends and going to the park with Ethan, although New England winter has been harsh and keeping us inside a lot.....

Ethan - Turned 2 in September and is a joy to be reckoned with. He is full of all the fun a 2 year old brings, ranging from infectious laughter and cuteness to mischievous naughty behavior with a tantrum thrown in every so often. But he truly is a good and loving boy. He loves Cars, and Thomas (what boys don't?). He likes to run fast and his favorite new word is "cool". He is a cute kid especially with his little glasses on. He is a very picky eater, but we will wait it out.... He learns very fast and already knows his letters and numbers. He loves his new little sister and when the Jenna cries he says "what's the matter?" and he says "I love you, baby" and gives her sweet kisses. When Jenna is happy he mentions it... He is just lots of fun.

Jenna Lianne - Jenna joined us just before Christmas 2010. She came at a whopping 9 pounds and 7 ounces. A shock to me since Ethan was 6 lbs 13oz. She is very sweet and a very good baby. I think she is going to bring us lots of joy and mommy is having fun having a girl. It is amazing how the time has flown by, she will be 7 weeks old on Monday. We had a very memorable Christmas with her as my mom, dad and sister Jessie joined us out here in Boston for the holidays and Jenna was the cherry on top.

If I did not mention it before - we have no kitties now, we had to give them away. Ethan is allergic to them and so we found a good home. Bucky and Boo went together so that made mroe feel better about parting with them, but it was a hard adjustment for me, and Scott would never admit it but he misses them too:)..

So what is in store for us? Will we stay forever in Boston? The answer is that there is the potential that with his new job we can choose any location we want to live. So after about 6 months we will be looking at how things are going and see what and where it makes sense to be... most likely it would be either A). Stay in Boston, B). Move to SLC, or C). Move to Seattle area... I will hopefully blog more and keep you all posted. Plus this might be a good place for me to document my musings and life experiences as a mommy, and keep you updated on what is going on in our little family.

Tantrum and crying fits....

2009-10-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

Okay so Motherhood is not always what you fantasize while that little bun is cooking. The Bun, aka Ethan, was all nice and warm and browned on top for the past year, and now he has opened up and the steam is burning my fingers!

So I had a fabulous expereince with this little man while shopping for craft supplies for a YW project. Ethan had wiggled his way out of the shopping cart and so I had to hold him, because the little guy should have been name Houdini. He then goes on to wiggle with all his might out of my arms so I can only put him down..... then he heads for the display of fake floral wreaths, I could just picture the disater..... I of course am trying to check out my stuff and he is on the loose! So I go and pick him up and let the screaming begin! Tears and yells and wiggles are overpowering me and I can only put him down, happy as a bug he heads for more items of interest. Luckily my frined Ande was with me, who finished checking out for me, while I headed to the car... with Ethan walking along side me happy as a camper. As soon as I try to get him into his carseat, some wizard must have yelled "Petrificus Totalis"... Because he went straight as a board and only super mommy stregnth could get his hips to bend... And more crying and tears.... Gosh you think my main goal in life to to be the evil mommy monster that ruines all the fun....

I think we have also entered the Separation Anxiety Phase as well..... The kid wants me then pushes me away..... Well I guess this is how it will be until I am on my early deathbed; a result of mini heart attacks from Ethans disregard for safety these days.

Well..... I must now go and appologize to my mother for all the tantrums I threw and for all the shoves away. I am hoping that I can survive toddlerhood sane.... and to think I want more of these little people...... Well I will just have to be insane for a while, because at the end of the day, they are just too cute(natures way of keeping the young alive)....

A year Later! Happy Birthday Mr. Ethan!

2009-09-30T11:07:00.001-04:00

So here We are 1 Year Later with a 12month old today! I can't beleive that he has grown so much.... and might I add myslef! I feel like the past year has flown by! Ethan is such a joy in life, full of giggles and fun! He keeps me on my toes now that he can get up on a few things around the house! If I can just keep him out of the ER another year I will be a happy mommy!

Scott and I continue to enjoy our time here in Boston, although I might add that Scott has ditched me for London for 3 weeks of work...... Oh well. Next time he goes to Europe it will be with me and kid free! I am staying busy hanging out with other mommies, firends and working here and there. I find most of my time is consumed by making sure Ethan is safe from his lack of common sense, BTW when does that kick in?

Well better run so Ican get a few things done while the boy naps! Here are a few more Pictures for you all to enjoy!

Summer 2009

2009-08-31T16:59:00.000-04:00

Above is Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, OR....Think Goonies!

Boston Harbor, During the Sail Boston event, where lots of tall ship come from all over the world and show off their masts:) It was fun, and hot!

Mommy and Ethan, having too much fun...

Ethan and Grandpa Wixom, and Buster kitty in the back:)

Ethan preparing Aunt Chelsea and Uncle Jesse (the newlyweds) for the day they get one of him!

Auntie Jessie and Ethan:)

Ethan with his Grandma Wixom:)

Larabee State Park

Cannon Beach, OR.....Ethan "This sand is quite fine with a dash of salt, spinked with seaweed, brilliant! Can I have some more please!"

Great Grandma Johnson and Mickey Pupperoni.

Ethan enjoying the backyard at grandma and grandpas!

First cut, lost the battle with the toy chest...

Weeeeee daddy, push me higher!

Already a serious Artist! Dad will be proud!

" Mom, can we have stuffed frog for dinner!?"

Too cute!

So, I have 10 minutes before I have to get Ethan up from his nap, lest bedtime be a struggle! I thought I would catch everyone up on the Holley Family.

So last you heard Scott graduated from his MBA program still wondering what the next step would be in our adventure. Well we are happy to announce that Scott did find a job here in Boston! We are going to enjoy Bean Town a bit longer! We are thrilled to stay! He started working for OC&C Strategy at the end of June and is now feeling like it is a good fit.

I on the otherhand am working full time to raise Mr. E. A full time position with no pay but lots of benefits including hugs and slobbery kisses, waves and the shaking of the head (No). Just my kind of work! On a more serious note, I am looking forward to working a few shifts at the hospital in September.

This summer we have ventured out to Washington to attend my sister Chelsea's Wedding, which went beautifully! We then trekked to Cannon Beach Oregon for a Family reunion. Scott went golfing with the pros in the family and went fishing with all the guys who married into our crazy, but awsome family. They even brought home lots of salmon, and about 45 Dungoness crabs, which were littlerally devowered like wolves withing about 20 minutes. I guess I am not the only seafood lover in the family, it must be genetic. We had a great time flying kites and building the MOST AWSOME sand castle in all of Cannon Beach. We then headed back to my parents and Scott went back to work while I stayed and played in WA. Now we are back and moving forward. Ethan Will be 1 year old in September.... which makes me reflect on the past year. I think all I have accomplished is raising a cute boy who has decided to start walking already. That is motherhood. Anyway, better go get my boy up so he goes to be by 7:30! Wish me luck. We will keep you posted on our adventure in Montreal this weekend! Love and miss all you out there that I don't see too often, or those who ditched Boston for other places around the globe!

2009-06-09T09:53:00.000-04:00

Ethan and Mommy at 7.5 months

Ethan and Daddy at 7.5 Months

Ethan at 7.5.months

7.5 months

Ethan at 6.75 months

Ethan at 5.25 months

Ethan at 5.75 months

Ethan at 2.5 month with Mom and Dad

Ethan around 3 months

Christmas in WA, with Mimi Farnworth

Mom, Ethan and Dad at Church at 1.5 months

Okay, I have heard I am a bad blogger so here will be an attempt to catch up on a few things....

Ethan is now 8.25 months old! He is a busy boy! Crawling since 6.5 months and pulling to stand and cruising a little makes him feel soooo BIG! Lots of toothy smiles and some giggle with a tickle are flowing in abundance these days! He is still a very curious boy, always inspecting new items from every angle possible and then tasting every aspect of it! He eats a variety of foods now too:)

We have since my last post found Ethan is allergic to kitties, so Boo and Bucky went to a new home together where I have heard they have adjusted and settled in. It was a sad few weeks in the Holley home since we lost 2 very precious family members, but our furry friends are happy with a roof over thier heads:)

As for Scott and I......

Scott has finally gotten his MBA from Harvard Business School. We celebrated all last week with dinners, family and friends! We also went to NY for the weekend and saw a Ballet at the Lincoln Center. It was nice to get out without the baby tagging along. Scott is currently searching for the next best opportunity to start his post MBA career while doing some consulting work:)

I, Brittany, have been just busy with my church calling to serve the Youth, I love it. I love the girls soooo much! I have been keeping busy just making sure Ethan stays out of trouble. We go to a few mom groups which is great for the mental stability of any new mother:). If I am not doing those things I am enjoying a bit of Card making, sew projects, and my friend Ande and I made an attempt to make baby food; messy but rewarding. I also just keep things together here at home. Walking to the Pond and park are also a favorite, since Ethan loves the swing:)

So, life is changing for us alot these days. We are sad to see so many good friends move away, but we are excited for the future:)

Hope you enjoyed the pictures and update of the Holley family progress:)

2008-12-09T12:46:00.000-05:00

Well Here we are again, Months since the last post! Here is a quick update since I have very little time to dedicate to this blog world! Since the last post.....

Scott is in his second year at HBS, and after this week only has 1 semester left! Crazy how time flies! We are in the job search proccess and don't know where it will take us yet!

I finished working full time and delivered a healthy baby boy, Ethan Edward on September 30. 6 lbs and 13 oz. 20 inches long. We are doing well and can't wait to go to Seattle soon! Ethan is such a wonderful baby! Too cute you just want to gobble him up! He smiles and coos and stands on his feet with help! He is just loved so much! The kitties are adjusting well but definitley are displaying a need for more attention from me!

Over all I think we are doing the best we can with all the life changes that have come/are coming our way!

Summer 2008

2008-09-01T17:42:00.001-04:00

Pictures:
Scott and Jessica at Six Flags

Chelsea, Jessica, and me, Awe don't we look like sisters!??

Ashley and cute Little Alex! (no worries Alex, Ethan will join the family soon!)

Me preggo, barefoot and cooking - classic!!!!

So summer came and summer went!!! Holy cow time flies when baking a baby and keeping busy! Here are the current stats on what is up in the Holley household. I worked, but am now cutting down on hours with no more night shifts and no more 12 hour shifts! OH YA! I also am coming up on my 1 year anniversary of surviving 1 year as an RN. Iwent to visit my wonderful family in Washington in June. We had good times just chilling out and having fun together.

I am currently 34 weeks pregnant and wishing it would end already! I love feeling the kicks and movements of this little guy but I want to hold him!!! Scott and I went to a Birth class, Scott did NOT pass out watching the live birth video, which gives me hope that they will not need a spatula to scrape him off the floor, but no guarentee yet! The most current picture of the belly is me in action at the sink! We have been bad at documenting belly growth... but this one was in the beginning of August.

Jessica also came out to visit for almost 3 weeks! What fun we had!! She also went to EFY in Amherst, MA, she had a blast. We did some shopping and exploring. Scott took her to Six Flags while I worked (they probably would not let me on the rides anyway). They had a great time!!

Scott worked this summer for West Hill Partners, a start-up Private Equity Firm. He enjoyed the work on looking at companies to buy, did lots of research on a certain product (not sure I can diclose that). But none the less, he learned a few things this summer. He also just went to the Utah vs. Michigan game in Detroit (25-23, go UTES!) with some friends as a last hurrah for the summer since classes for his 2nd yrear at Harvard Business School start tomorrow.

We have also been preparing for our little blessing Ethan Edward to arrive! We rearranged the house, moving our office into the 3rd smaller room and setting up the Nursery in what used to be the office. It is very cute and I will post a picture once I get the camera from Scott. Let the nesting begin! There are still some small cleaning projects to do, lots of baby stuff to buy, but we still have 6 weeks plus or minus 2, to get ready, but time is flying. The Kitties have no idea what is comming!

Just a few other things we have done this summer...

Went to the beach (once) sad I know...

Scotts mom and stepdad came out to visit in May

Went to Tanglewood

Hung out with frineds

We, well I, will keep you posted on how things are going! We miss everyone who is not here with us and we love you!

Baby Feet!

2008-05-14T21:38:00.001-04:00

Okay isn't this too cute?! I love feet and here is a good shot of one of them! 5 Little Pigs to play with!

Baby Gender!

2008-05-14T21:35:00.000-04:00

Need we say more? As Scott put it in the ultrasound... "I am not an expert, but that looks like a BOY!" And he was correct, not that we were questioning his observation.....

Baby Profile

2008-05-14T21:31:00.001-04:00

So here is a better picture of the baby. Lot of growing has been done! Sooo cute! Even though they looks like little aliens they are still so cute! We had the Ultrasound May 14th. Everything looked great! The baby wiggled around quite a bit, the heart was beating and he was certainly "showing off" (See Above) and making the tech work hard! We are thrilled!

May Update

2008-05-12T20:47:00.000-04:00

Hey all, we are doing great, just enjoying a few days of Spring here in the burbs. Scott is closing in on his last day of the semester and heading into finals! Lucky him! He is doing well! He was the Music director for the HBS show which is a big Musical comedy each year the students put on. I went to one of the 4 performances and it was quite the production! (Now I understand why he was MIA for a while there) He has secured an internship with West Hill Partners, a small start up Private Equity Fund in Boston. He has been working for them that past few months on the side but will become full time over the summer. He is thrilled to be a part of a new growing fund.

As for me, I am felling the little baby move around now and I occasionally use the dopplar at work to find the heartbeat. We fine out Wednesday teh 14th of May if we are going to have a boy or girl! YAY1 It can't come soon enough. We are excited to finally have some direction in planning (or at least I am)!. I will definitley post the ultrasound pics when we get them! I am also still working hard and trying not to make any crucial mistakes with peoples lives! :) There are good and bad days, but it is the good days that keep me going back for more!

The kitties are doing fine! They are shedding like never before! Hair everywhere! Scott wondered the other day if the cats would get along with the baby, I said "Sure they will" He gave me a look like " I have friends that will 'take care of them' if they don't". I think they will be fine! they will most likely hide under the bed for the first few weeks anyway.

Summer plans include Scotts Mom and Stepdad coming out for a visit at the end of the month and I am going out west to visit my parents for a week in June! YAY! Other than that we will be around to keep you all posted on the going ons in the Holley household! Love and miss you all!

Cabo Sunshine

2008-04-02T18:58:00.000-04:00

So here are some of our fun pics from Cabo San Lucas. We brushed up on our Spanish, took a dip in the Sea of Cortez, Went on a ATV desert tour and saw some cool cacti, went snorkling, took a stroll on Lover's Beach (a real beach that you can only get to by boat) Saw humpback whales ect... Oh and we slept a lot, or at least I did, about 12 hours a night/day:)

This trip was out last hurrah as a lone couple, next time and hencforth we will have pon the kid/s off!

The summer plans are to work, take a vacation to see my patrents and my youngest sister Jessica is coming out to visit for a few weeks! Scott will intern at _______. (still awating a verdict). And we will most likely run up a huge electrical bill to stay cool in the hot Boston summer! Anyway enjoy the pictures!

The Bean

2008-03-31T20:59:00.000-04:00

March 2008

2008-03-31T20:45:00.000-04:00

Here is a quick update on what we are up to out here in Boston!

Had first peek at "the Bean" due October 14th! So excited that we can hardly wait.... 6 months to go! Have not told the kitties yet, but the decline in lap space should give them a hint! Scott is so happy that he will be a dad here soon! I can't wait to be a mom! We will keep you posted!
Took a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for a much needed break from reality! We took it easy in the sun/shade on the sandy beach and strolled the Marina. I will post pictures soon but for now I will just post the Jaguar cub pic. SO CUTE! (they are lucky I did not run off with it)
Scott is about to finish his 1st year at Harvard Business School! He Loves it and keeps super busy!
I am working as an RN in Boston at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, have hit the 6 month mark and I am loving taking care of a variety of surgical patients. I have learned tons! There are good and bad days, but mostly good :)
Will keep you posted in April!