Snowed IN...

 For those of you who live in Utah know how much snow we got at the end of November. But for those of you who have just moved into a house for the first time know that you buy a shovel at the first mention of snow. We got over 15 inches of snow on a beautiful Sunday morning. It just kept coming and coming. I love the snow, especially when it hasn't been tainted by pollution and such, just soft, fluffy and white. Jackson almost died until I decided to let him out to help Daddy in his year old snow clothes. I felt like Ralphie's mom on "The Christmas Story" trying to pry him into his too-small snow clothes, but decided a few minutes somewhat cold in the snow would end a whole day of an upset 2 year old. He loved helping John push our makeshift snow shovel, an old cupboard door, all over the driveway. They did a great job clearing the driveway and they actually made it to church too.

Trains!

Daddy and Jackson playing trains

For anyone who has spent three seconds with Jackson would know that he loves trains. Both Grandmas have a train set and he is know to walk right in their doors and ask where the choo-choos are, no hello until he can see there is a choo-choo nearby. So as a treat for being a new big brother, and a way to keep him busy while I took care of Bradley, we bought him a Thomas the Train track set. He absolutely loves it. All trains are now affectionately named Thomas. As a result we play choo-choos, talk choo-choos and sleep thinking about choo-choos. When John was tucking him into bed, which means completely moving him around and under his covers, he said as clearly as if he was awake, "Choo, Choo." I am so glad that he found something that he really likes.

A rare moment caught...

Jackson playing "nicely" with baby brother...

I can sMiLe!!!




5 weeks old!

 

Spooky...

Terrifingly cute, I mean!



Our cute little Ghost!



Our happy little Puppy!



 The trio of cousins, Mason (a dragon), Jackson (a puppy) and Wesley (superman).

We were trying to talk Jackson into being something a little more frightening for Halloween, like a dinosaur, or even Buzz Lightyear...but he is a very sensitive little guy. And quite afraid of anything remotely scary. I did give him many options, but my sweet little scare-dy-cat opted for this fuzzy puppy costume instead. I have to admit, he makes the cutest little puppy I've ever seen.

We had a family Halloween party the Sunday before Halloween at my Mom's. Everyone brough spooky treats and yes once again, my cute little toddler was too terrified to eat the spooky treats. There was alligator bread, banana caterpillers, brain and worm jello, apple and marshmellow teeth, oreo spider cookies, mummy pigs in a blanket and mom's famous homemade chili. It was really fun to see everyone together.

Twins???



Bradley 3 1/2 weeks

 

Jackson 3 weeks old



A happy 2 year old...

Happy 2nd Birthday Jackson!

Jackson is such a happy boy. I would say that is the most frequent comment that strangers say about him...the next is that he is very busy, followed by a "good luck" to me. He is always ready to play and his favorite toys are his "choo-choo's," which he got after Bradley was born. He is always loud enough for all to hear him, but he is making head way on using his quiet voice. He loves to play with kids and is fast to go up and try to make friends. He loves it when Daddy comes home to wrestle and chase him. He loves giving his Mommy huge bear hugs. He also enjoys chatting with Bradley and gives him toys frequently. His favorite show is Curious George, which is only fitting since he reminds me of that monkey anyway. He is very sensitive and somewhat of a scare-dy cat. He is also a happy helper to Mommy and Daddy.We love him so much and are so lucky to have him in our home.

2 year old stats:

36 inches tall (93%)

31 pounds (76%)

I made him a "choo-choo" cake, which he turned out to be terrified of, oh well!

We had a fun family party for Jackson, all his little cousins came and he ran all over the house with excitement. He was unsure of what to do with his presents, and wanted to play with each toy after he opened it, he older cousins stepped in to help out.  He was also a little nervous of the cake and ultimately Daddy blew out the candles.

We love you Bug!

Pumpkin Patch

 We went to Petersen's Farms for family home evening last week to let Jackson have his first experience of picking out a pumpkin. He was so excited to play in the dirt and run around. We saw "puppies" (aka goats ;) and chickens, they were very fascinating for the little guys.

And of course the occasional fall into the mud is a must with little boys.

Ta-da...mission accomplished!

The pumpkin was just the right size for Jackson, he did attempt to carry larger pumpkins...thus the muddy hands and pants. But after he saw this beauty he knew it was the one.

 

Jackson is really into tractors, trains and trucks, it was torturous to convince him to get off.

I think we had discovered a new family tradition.

The After-Bath...

Bradley loves lying around after his bath, he is so content and alert. I couldn't resist this cute little face and had to save the moment. 

My mom made the blanket that he is lying on, isn't it cute!

Happy Sunday...

Gardener Village

My sister, her boys, my mom and my little crew went to Gardener Village to see the witches and to hopefully get a few pictures of my boys together.

This was the only picture that we could get of the boys, and Jackson is not too happy about it. Let's just say we are having some adjustment issues with Jackson and the new baby.

I just have to laugh about this, my cute mom was wrangling the boys while Lauren was kind enough to take pictures of Bradley...This is what happens when you try to attempt to take a picture of two 2 year olds and a 3 year old. Enjoy!

...Love These Boys!

Proud Big Brother, taking a turn on the baby swing!

Sitting in the Spotlight...

...in my skivees!

Brad had a pretty bad case of jaundice when we came home from the hosptial which required bili lights. I think he looks pretty cute with his "sunglasses" on. He hated the bili bed and just cried and cried for 3 hours straight. I did too! It was so nice to be able to just use the little bili blanket the next day so I could hold my baby when he cried. I am so glad that everything resolved itself without another hospital stay.

Cute Little Number 2....

We are so glad that he is finally here!

I was induced early in the morning, around 7:30 am, on October 1st at St. Marks hospital. My water was broken around 9:30 am, and I was started on pitocin. I got my epidural around 10:50 am and was complete by 11:30 am. I opted to "rest and descend" which allows my contractions to push the baby down, cutting down on pushing time. When I felt ready to push, 12:15 pm, I found out my Doctor was in a c-section, so I opted to wait for her to finish before delivering. It was a very long 50 min! When she finally arrived she could tell that the baby was facing up instead of facing down, so I had to push on my side to let gravity help do it's thing and he turned the right way. After 20 minutes of pushing, he was here at 1:34 pm! I was surprised that everything went so quickly. I feel so great now, I just love not being pregnant. No more contractions, heaviness, tummy, etc. etc. It is so great and plus I have the cutest baby boy to show for it all.

BEFORE

Bradley Morgan Riggs

8 pounds 9 ounces

20.5 inches long

AFTER!

 Yes, he has the cutest platinum blonde hair all over. Seriously I don't get a claim on either of my boys.  The nurses were just as in love with him as I am, and would come by just to see him and his ample blonde hair. Infact he got his hair washed twice while we were there just from all the admirers stopping in to touch his cute hair.

Jackson is so proud of his baby brother and while he is still trying to warm back up to Mommy he has really taken to his brother. He always is good to find him a  toy to play with and gives him his stuffed animals when he crys. Things just seem to feel better all around now that he is here. We love him so much and cannot imagine him not being in our little family.

 

What a cute pair!



It was bound to happen sometime right...

Cousins, Jackson and Mason, decided to do some redecorating of their own, by way of markers. We caught them in the act and they both immediately started to cry, it was somehow intuitive that you should not color on the walls. Jackson was not as easily persuaded to stand next to his artwork but Mason was proud as can be. Oh the joys of the terrible twos. Maybe it's the fact that it's just washable marker, but the whole situation makes me laugh.

Good thing it was only a small part of the wall downstair ;)



35 Weeks...

Here's the tummy at 35 weeks. People say I look "good for 35 weeks" and have a "cute little tummy" but I just feel large and incharge.

It also works as a shelf!

(Jackson was watching John take the pictures and kept saying CHEESE, CHEESE! I could stand it and had to get that cute little boy to say CHEESE with me.)

Big Boy Bed...

Much to our surprise Jackson learned how to climb out of the crib a few weeks ago. After failed attempts to keep him from climbing out in hopes of having a little bit more control of the evening hours when the baby comes, we decided to give in and put him in a big boy bed. He has done pretty good for himself. I thought for a few nights there that we were living with a newborn already, but he has finally decided to stay and enjoy the bed. He looks so tiny in his bed, but has now decided to share it with 3 or more stuffed animals every night. Way to go Jackson.

Now to just get potty trained....

New home...

West Jordan...

Here is the new Riggs Palace. We love having our own yard, garage and...walls. Life in suburbia is so great. The neighborhood has been extremly welcoming and kind. We already like the ward and look forward to getting involved. Now, if only all the remodeling were done...hopefully soon!
I seriously love having a place for Jackson to run around that is safe and enclosed. Lucky for us the previous owners were avid gardeners and left us yummy asian pears and grapes to harvest. Next spring I look forward to having home grown strawberries, apricots, cherries and plums...and whatever decides to grown after my first attempt of planting.
More pictures to come...before-and-after's!!

There's a First Time for Everything...

Jackson experienced ice cream cones while living at Grandma and Grandpa Riggs. He loves them and while I wouldn't dream about giving him one without a huge waterproof bib, he did pretty good for himself. This is the closest thing to a smile that he would give me, what a silly boy!

Splash pad or bust..

Grandma Riggs (my sweet mother-in-law), Lily (my niece), Jackson and I went to a splash pad while we were staying with them in limbo between homes. Lily loved playing in the water with all the fountains, sprinklers and water toys. She had a blast zooming around from one thing to the next. Jackson, on the other hand, felt like we were torturing him.

I tried to show him how to participate in the water and have fun splashing, but he felt like he was being punished. I never knew how tight a little 1 year old could hold onto you. I mean he had his fists clenching my shirt and his toes wrapped around my waist. After I decided he had had enough, he ran to Grandma for safe keeping. He was very content to watch...with a little worried expression on his face as the other kids were somehow having a grand ole time.

Jackson found true enjoyment in the park next to the splash pad. He mastered that park in a matter of minutes and loved following his cousin Lily around. You could see him just a few steps behind as she would masterfully maneuver around the play ground.

This precious moment was snagged as Jackson called my name after spotting me through the goffer hole. He was making faces at me and being such a cute little clown for his mommy. What a fun day at the park.

Alligator Pool...

Jackson is somewhat terrified of sprinklers and almost all outside water activities, so in an attempt to help him overcome his fear, I found this Alligator pool. We spent a lot of time playing in the "pool." Most nights after dinner, when the heat started to give in we would set the pool up outside in Grandma's backyard and let the kids have at it. It was a get way to get the wiggles out before bedtime and usually gave Grandma and me a few laughs.

Jackson and Lily loved having a slide to fall down, but most of the time was spent playing with the hose, especially by Jackson. Here Jackson is attempting to give Lily a drink, I don't recall how this turned out, but I can only imagine that it wasn't what she had in mind.

Going, Going,....Gone!

As many friends and family know we have moved. You know sometimes when you make a decision and it just feels right. Then when everything falls into place perfectly, you feel like maybe it was meant to be. We are so excited and feel so blessed at how smoothly everything has gone. We have loved living in the River Run Condos, but are happy to see what awaits us.
Luck was on our side after we listed with a realtor, as the buyer showed up on the first day that our condo was listed on the MLS. We recieved an offer just a couple days later and after a few tweeks to it, we were under contract. All the deadlines came and went without a hitch and we were shocked to realize that we were actually going to move. We gratefully moved just over a week ago into my in-laws basement until we can close on a home. And have really enjoyed ourselves without any problems or issues.
After countless hours on the MLS looking for homes and seeing dozens of homes we finally decided on a cute little place in West Jordan. It seems like a million miles away, but again it was the only home that we looked at that just felt....homey, met the overall criteria, and "good"....for us. Hopefully the distance will fade away as we get into the neighborhood and ward. We have again been blessed to move in at a price that is within our range and look forward to making a few changes. All in time for baby #2 to arrive.
I can't explain how grateful we are to loving family who helped us get things together, clean and move. And how grateful we are to loving friends who have helped us in so many ways that we left behind. We are excited to keep in touch and look forward to hearing updates.
We will post our new home pictures soon!

The Baby Bump

As requested, here is a picture of my baby bump. I am a just over 24 weeks here. I am acutally a little bit smaller than I was with Jackson at this point, at least I think so. Everything is going great this time around. However, I am already on medication to help stop my contractions they seem to come more and more each day unfortunately. But, I am hoping that we can hold off a little bit longer with the bedrest this go around, if not avoid it completely! Keep us in your prayers!

The Tale of the Coveted Pink Coat...

While plaing at Grandma Riggs one Sunday Jackson spotted his cousin Lily's too small pink winter coat. He couldn't get enough of it. It was love at first sight. He wore it everywhere at Grandma's house. Despite sweating from the heat and not being able to use his arms properly, he had an honest-to-goodness breaksown when we pried it off to go home for the day. Grandma said take it home, we'll get it later. At which point Lily decided that she needed the coat just as badly as Jackson and she needed it now! After a small bribe of ice cream she decided we could drive away, with coat in Jackson's arms. He found it every morning despite our efforts to hide it every night. For 5 days he could think of nothing else and we decided we needed to give it back to the rightful owner before Jackson has heat stroke ;) What a funny little boy! Hopefully he will be able to find more "manly" things to play with soon!

Playdate...

Jackson had one of his neighbor friends, Ryan Cullimore, over while his mom was out to an appointment. It was a great moment when I saw how nicely Jackson was sharing his toys and even better when they decided to actually play nicely together.
This lasted over 20 minutes taking turns pushing eachother around the place. What a great payday moment!

Fix It!

Jackson has learned the manly art of Fixing Things. He pulls me over to where the tools are and tell me that he needs to "fixit." After pulling many things out in hopes to understand what he is saying he points to the tiny screwdriver. Immediately he starts to "fix" all his toys by placing the screwdriver in all the plastic screw holes. He is very smart. John was so proud to see our son taking an interest in more boy-type things!

"Sand Box"

Jackson is starting to take interest in anything and everything messy. He loves playing in the sandbox and loves even more feeling sand in his hands. He got some new sand tools for Easter and we tried them out at the tetherball court in our condos. (Tetherball, who plays tetherball these day...I'm sure it was meant to be a sandbox for little kids!)
My mom stopped by just as we were on our way out, he loved showing my mom what to do.

What a cute little boy I have. He is acting like such a big kid these days. We will definately have to give the "sandbox" a try again.