The Najm Family:

The Najm Household the past few weeks!

2009-09-20T21:19:00.001-07:00

The past few weeks have been really busy for us....there have also been a lot of fun things that have happened with the boys.....Last night, Nadim buzzed Hunter's hair off.....I was nervous at first but he looks so cute i am over it now....and in the long run it will be saving us a couple hundred dollars! He was a champ (I bribed him with licorice, his new favorite treat) and he LOVES his new hair......
This was today.....just hanging out on a lazy sunday.....you will probably see this one on the christmas card.....
Football season is hear and you all know that WE LOVE FOOTBALL in our house....every Saturday now, Hunter wakes us up saying "Its Game Day." Needless to say, it pleases Nadim's soul.....after breakfast, the boys get on their USC jerseys and the day has begun......they missed their nap last weekend since we had friends over to watch the game.....they were so tired, they passed out in the living room at like 5pm!
We have been having HUGE problems with napping lately......finally after about an hour and a half of telling them to be quite an sleep, i checked on them to find Ethan in Hunter's bed.....best buddies.....I love it!
Donuts! My boys LOVE donuts.....does not matter what kind or where they are from, they just love them.....had to capture the breakfast of champion face!

Tony Pepperoni Nights

2009-09-20T21:16:00.000-07:00

We have been going to Tony Pepperoni with our good friends the Cains......we love the food, the atmosphere (since our kids literally run laps around the place) and the conversations we have.....here are some fun pics from the last TP experience!

Intermediate swimmer

2009-09-20T21:10:00.001-07:00

So Hunter started swimming lessons in May and at first he hated it.....couldn't even get him in the water.....Now he loves it......we have kept him going through the fall because he was doing so great, we wanted him to advance as much as possible......he has been stuck at the beginning 2 level for about 3 months (floating on his bask was a HUGE hurdle to overcome) but the other day before his lesson he said, "Mommy, today I am going to kick with my kick board, float on my tummy, float on my back and streamline." I in turn said OK, knowing full well that this probably would not happen.....GUESS WHAT! He did all of it.....and because of that, he passed up a level and is noe Intermediate 1! I could not believe it! This picture is of Hunter and Kristen, our amazing friend who has helped us with these lessons all summer long! Hunter loves her!!!
Hunter and Coach Melinda.....
Hunter got the ring the bell and pick a prize from the treasure chest.....later that night we even went to the candy store to celebrate.....congrats to my little swimmer!

Angels Game

2009-09-20T21:03:00.000-07:00

Almost a month ago, (I cannot believe how fast time flies!!!) we took Hunter to another baseball game with my dad and sister......here are a few pics from the night......this was before the fireworks started.....i love the smile on his face when he is with his daddy.....so sweet!
Finally got him to take a great pic!
Hunter got a cookie ice cream sandwich and boy was he excited about it.....he was teasing my dad with it.....I love this shot because it totally describes the relationship Hunter has with him....so fun and playful.....he loves his papa!
RALLY MONKEY!
The fam: Daddy, Aunt Britty, Mommy, Hunter and Papa!

Shake Shack

2009-08-23T17:06:00.001-07:00

Thursday Night we decided to drive down the coast and stop off at the Shake Shack.....we always see it and talk about stopping but we never do so off we went.....here are the boys checking out the scenery after ordering our shakes......
Hunter and his new cheese face.....so silly
Shakes finally came.....Hunter ordered vanilla oreo, Nadim got banana date and Ethan and I shared.....get ready.....dark chocolate mint chip with oreo.....it was awesome.....

See.....

Dodger Game

2009-08-23T16:57:00.001-07:00

So Friday night Hunter experienced his FIRST dodgers game.....Nadim was beyond excited....like a little kid in a candy store.....although it was a long ride on a friday, we finally made it with plenty of time to enjoy dodgers dogs, which Hunter had been talking about for days!
Yep.....He ate the WHOLE thing.....I could not believe it.....and he followed it with fries, watermelon wedges, licorice, frozen yogurt.....he is a bottomless pit!
Dodger dog was great mom!
Our family (minus Ethan) at Dodgers Stadium.....Christmas card watch out.....
National Anthem....
Hunter and Mommy.....
Cheese.....Hunter made friends with everyone we were sitting around....he was talking to them the whole time...love that kid.....
Game over.....dodgers win 2-1.....and the fireworks begin......

Seriously, does it get better than this?

San Diego

2009-08-16T09:46:00.001-07:00

On thursday and Friday we headed down to San Diego for a mini-vacation.....we took the boys to the Zoo and to Sea World....we had a free night at the marriott and it was awesome....here was the view from the hotel room, which, the boys loved.....hunter did not quite understand what a hotel was, but they loved it.....most of the time they spent looking out the window at the boats and the helicopters flying by!
They spent a lot of time wrestling too!
We walked around the marina, had dinner, got dessert and enjoyed our time away.....it was so fun to take a little vacation as a family....that was something we had not done yet and i am sure we will be doing again soon!

OC Fair - Najm Style

2009-08-16T09:29:00.000-07:00

Every summer we look forward to the OC Fair......been that way ever since Nadim and I started dating and now it it turning into our little family tradition. Nadim and I used to go, walk around and eat food but now we ride rides, play games and enjoy other things that the boys love. This was the first year Hunter really wanted to ride on rides and play games.....The pirate ride was the first thing he wanted to go on.....and he wanted to go by himself (proud mommy moment)
Next he saw the big slide and asked to go....Nadim and I thought yeah right but he did.....he climbed up about 15 stairs before he stopped, screamed for Nadim and got some help....I am not sure if you can see the sheer look of panic on his face in the picture but watching him go down the slide was priceless!
One of my favorites moments was this dune buggy ride since everyone went on......I love the smiles on all of their faces! Ethan LOVED it too which was great!
Hunter wanted to play games so naturally I knew to pick one where we could actually win something. We went to the game where you throw the dart at the balloon. Each game you get 2 darts.....so I had nadim throw one and Hunter throw the other.....Nadim popped a balloon but Hunter did not....he wanted to try again and this time he was 2 for 2.....that meant he got to take Teddy Trojan (as we now call him) home.....how cute!
We ran into our friend Roger while we were there....Hunter was excited that he was in his uniform!
Seriously, priceless!
Hutner and Jadyn......we met my family later on and Hunter got to do things all over again once Jadyn came.....the fun never stopped!
Me and my love.....
Bumper car mania.....Hunter was a stud once he learned how to control the car!
There were not many rides Ethan could go on and naturally, we had to go with him so here i am with him in the train ride.....dont know how i fit in there but he loved it! He was steering the wheel and saying choo choo the whole time.....
The boys won light up swords from Randy and his game playing adventures.....here is Ethan playing with Uncle Bill.....so cute!
Ethan got to guard some of the loot we won at the fair....he took his job pretty seriously!
Sweet Hunter man......all and all this was a fun night.....we cant wait to come back again next year.....it will be even better with the boys older than they are now.....who knows, next time Hunter might try a roller coaster again!

Irvine Park Railroad

2009-08-16T09:18:00.001-07:00

About two weeks ago we took the boys to the Irvine Park Railroad....Nadim had a few days off and his sister was down from Northern Cal, so we figured we would get all the kids together and go. Here is Hunter, Hudson and Julien getting ready to ride the train!
The najm clan coming at cha! not many girls in the mix these days!
We also went to the OC Zoo and the kids loved to brush the goats.....Hunter was not too sure at first but then he jumped right in! Nadim and I stayed outside of course......
Hudson and Ethan.....the baby Najms.....hanging out and enjoying their snacks
Here is our little family....what a fun day we had....cant wait to go back for their annual pumpkin patch and christmas festivities!

Cookie Lee and Me!

2009-08-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

I just got back from my annual Cookie Lee Convention in Anaheim....it was a great weekend of friendship, learning and lots of bling.....This is Valerie, my upline and cookie sister....it was so great to see her and hangout since she lives in AZ.....This year I got my $25,000 in career sales pin....she was there to cheer me on as I walked the stage.....So crazy that this business has been a part of my life now for almost two years....what a blessing!

Eagle Scout

2009-08-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

On our anniversary weekend we celebrated 5 years of marriage.....I cannot believe it......this year was also special because we got to be a part of a special day for my cousin spencer.....after years of hard work and dedication, he made his eagle scout! We are so proud of his accomplishments! Way to go Spence!

Bre's Wedding Day

2009-08-15T21:21:00.001-07:00

Here is my beautiful cousin Breanna on her wedding day......
Wedding party!
Bre and I
Ethan took over the dance floor.....all night long....he was so awesome....everyone loved him
Hunter with the happy couple!
The Najm Family
Hunter asked Lauren to dance since her hubby was back home in Utah.....this was one of my most memorable moments of the night.....sweet boy!
Ry, Jordan, Spencer, Brit and I.....family!
Spencer and I rocking the dance floor.....we seriously worked it out.....our family totally danced the night away.....it was so much fun!
End of the night sparklers....a perfect way to end a perfect day!

Breanna and Kevin's Rehersal

2009-08-15T21:13:00.001-07:00

Although it was a few weeks ago now, we were blessed to be a part of my cousin's wedding....here is the happy couple the night of their rehearsal.....we went to dinner at the Derby dualing piam bar....IT WAS SO SO SO FUN!
Nadim and I hanging out in the private party room......
Sister, Mom and I
Sister, Grandma (she's so hip I love it), and I
Cousins: Jordan, Jadyn, Bre, Rylee and Britt
I love this shot....the kids spent a lot of time looking out the window at the cars passing on crown valley pkwy.....so sweet....it was an amazing night.....followed by an incredible wedding!

These are my boys

2009-08-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

What can I say? As hard as it is to raise kids sometimes, how can you not forget about all the craziness when you look at these pics.....I love my boys.....they are the loves of my life....my heartbeat....the reason I smile and the reason why I am happy.....so sweet....most of the time:)

Hunter's first baseball game

2009-07-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

As a Father's Day gift for my Hubby and my dad, I decided to get some sweet tickets to an Angels Game. Hunter has never been to a game and I knew Nadim had been dreaming about this day since Hunter was born....needless to say, Hunter was SO good and her had a BLAST. This picture was his reaction when we walked into the stadium and he saw the field.....so sweet!
Here is the gang.....in our sweet 5th row seats.....in right field.....next to Torri Hunter!!! Boy was Hunter excited when he heard his name:)
Time for the National Anthem.....I told him to put his hand over his heart during the song.....he was trying so hard to figure out what the deal was.....bless his heart!
After the National Anthem, they did a two blackhawk helicopter fly by......I got major goosebumps....I loved the movie black hawk down and this moment was so touching for everyone in the stands.....they flew by and then rounded the field.....i get goosebumps just thinking about it!
CANDY NECKLACE!
Hanging out with Papa at the game! RIGHT ON!
Here we are in full game mode.....
Papa bought Hunter his first Rally monkey! I wore it to try to convince him to do the same.....it did not work...until.....
THIS IS THE SHOT OF THE GAME! It does not get better than this!
Hunter met a little girls named Avery who was sitting behid us....they decided to make silly faces with each other for about an inning.....
Hunter learned to do the wave.....took him a few times but soon enough.....
He was up and out of his seat!!
Time to dance with my Rally Monkey.....this was so amazing to watch....he was hilarious!
At the end of the night, we saw the fireworks.....they were so awesome....Hunter was blown away....nothing beats a big bang friday night when you stand under the fireworks.....all and all this was such a fun night.....we will definitely be bringing the little man up again soon.....we already have a dodger game on the calendar dor August.....cant wait!

Ethan's Big Boy Bed

2009-07-04T10:15:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday we spent the day taking down Ethan's crib.....it was a sad moment as I realized more and more that I no longer have a baby. We set up his new big boy bed and her took to it like a champ.....although the first night when we said it was bedtime, he said NO about 15 times. We have found him twice in his room, playing with his toys instead of sleeping and we have also found a bunch of cars in his bed with him. All and all it has been a great transition.....and now we have two big boys!!! I cannot believe how fast they are growing up!

Donut Store Sundays

2009-06-07T13:46:00.001-07:00

So the past three weeks now, we have gotten up on Sundays and taken the boys to the donut store. We using to go to Krispy Kreme religiously but we have now started taking the boys to MV donuts.....Nadim think that they are a "real" donut store......at any rate, the boys dont notice a difference.....
Here is Hunter saying cheese to the camera.....he LOVES to talk to people in the donut store....and they like to talk to him to......
Do I even need to explain this one?
BIG BIG bites.....Hunter LOVES donuts and always orders the same one.....chocolate, with chocolate icing and pinkles.....(sprinkles:))

Swimming Lessons

2009-06-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, Nadim and I decided to sign Hunter up for swimming lessons. He goes two days a week for a half hour at a time. I now feel like a mom in a new sense......my oldest is involved in outside activities. I have enjoyed taking Hunter to lessons, especially on days when I can find someone to watch Ethan. When the lessons started, Hunter was showing no signs of getting past the first step.....half the time I could not get him in the water.....there were lessons taht we had to leave because he would scream.....then there were the ones where he would talk back to the teacher.....at any rate, a week and a half ago we had a break through.....
Now he gets into the pool no problem.....the past two lessons we have been trying to get him to fully go under the water on his own.....first the forehead went, then the eyes, then the ears.....he was so close that I often wanted to go over and push his head down a little more.....terrible I know....so today, bribery was in full effect.....I told hunter that if he got all his hair wet today and went under the water, I would take him to the candy store....he was excited and so was I....by the end of the lesson, he was all the way under the water.....so much so that Melinda (one of his teachers) got worrie for a second. We celebrated when he went all the way under ( a HUGE milestone from where we started) and when we looked in the water, he was still holding his breath.....future swimmer perhaps.....SO, Hunter got to ring the bell........
He was SO excited....when he rang the bell, everyone stopped their swimming and clapped for Hunter....I was a PROUD mommy and even prouder (if that is a word) that I actually had my camera.....as if ringing the bell wasnt enough, Melinda gave Hunter a GOLDEN COIN......
Here he is with his GOLDEN COIN......after we showered, we went to see my friend Kristen, who is the director of the swimming school (Hunter loves her....we always have to go and say hi to her or else the lesson is not complete) He turned in his coin for a prize in the treasure box......
Here he is with Kristen.....and his prize.....its the little spinning top in his hand.....so we got in the car and on the way I reminded him about the candy store. He skipped, jumped, and got really excited when he said "Im gonna get watermelon wedges, M&M's, suckers and gumballs." So I called Nadim and we all met up at the candy store......
HOW CUTE IS HE!!! We spent about 10 minutes in the candy store and Hunter racked up a $10 tab that mommy took care of......contents in bag was: watermelon wedges, sour gummy worms, one tootsie roll pop, a roll of smarties, M&M's in blue, maroon and white, 4 chocolate cars, a 100 grand (for daddy) and a kit kat (for mommy)....all and all it was a GREAT trip to the candy store and and even BETTER swim lesson!!!

Hunter and Target

2009-06-03T21:05:00.000-07:00

The other day, Nadim and I took the boys to run our weekend errands. As most of you should know, target is one of my favorite places to shop......naturally I have passed this love on to Hunter. Whenever we go to Target, all he wants is to look at the toys....so much so that he will continue to ask to see the toys until you take him there. Although it is hard to get shopping done, his excitement when he sees everything is worthwhile. He rarely gets to pick a toy out but I have been looking to get him some more games since is loves to play them. So this time, we went to the toy section and we picked out Disney Yahtzee Junior and the Candyland Preschool Edition (in the pink case might i add.....that is a whole other blog!!) He was so cute when I told him we would by them.....they immediately went into the cart before I could change my mind. After we purchased the games, he thanked Nadim and I and then asked to hold the bag.....hence the picture above.....GOSH! How I love this kid!!!

Laker Game!

2009-05-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago, Brandi and I had the opportunity of a lifetime... to attend a Laker playoff game! Thanks to our friend Lindsey, who is a Laker girl, we were able to get tickets to Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against the Nuggets. The Lakers played great, and it was a night that Brandi and I will never forget! Here are a few pics of the memorable night!

boom boom boom

2009-05-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

this is what happens when daddy goes to work!

fun pics of the boys

2009-05-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

ethan's chicken pox

2009-04-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

tonight I uploaded a ton of pictures that have been sitting on our camera for a few months. as I was scrolling through, I couldn't help but notice the pics we took of ethan when he had the chicken pox. poor little guy, looked totally miserable, but handled it like a champ... see for yourself.

Photography by Tara Marie

2009-04-08T18:05:00.001-07:00

My good friend Tara has finally taken up photography. She always loves to take pictures and she has been doing a lot to kick start her photography business. She specializes in children, babies, pregnancy, family shoots, and birth shots. She is AMAZING with kids....today we met at the park so she could mess around....so much for messing around.....these shots are incredible! If you like what you see, check her out on her website: www.photographybytaramarie.com

Hunter is 3!

2009-03-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

So last weekend was Hunter's 3rd birthday. It is hard to believe that 3 years ago I was in the hospital wondering if I would be able to handle this little bundle of joy. Now, three years later, he is still here so we must be doing something right. Last week, yes i said the week, was entirely devoted to Hunters Birthday. .Sunday was a BIG deal because Hunter got his first Disneyland pass.....I think Nadim was more excited than Hunter was.....All and all, it was a great week!
Here is the PASS.....how cute is he!
Friday we took him to Pizza California Kitchen as he calls it for dinner with his grandparents and great-grandparents....it was AWESOME! Saturday we had a family party at the park with a big cake and a bubble machine....
Nadim took him to make a yogurt on Wednesday (which is a HUGE deal to Hunter at the moment....nothing like watching a little one mix their toppings). Thursday I took him to toys r us where he got a birthday crown and a balloon.....he also got a new Phineas and Ferb video which is another BIG deal at the moment.

proud

2009-02-19T21:30:00.000-08:00

i'm proud of our little family. i'm a lucky man!

some fun highlight of the boys...

hunter

is loving music right now... whether dancing along to music, or naming instruments, he can't get enough of it!
is learning the words to the USC fight song! it's a complicated song, so for an almost 3-year old, he's singing it pretty well. my favorite is when i catch him by himself in his room singing the song, it's the best!
is talking up a storm. i don't know what we did, but he's turning out to be a smart one.
has a cannon for an arm. pitcher? shortstop? quarterback? if you're within 20 feet beware, if he wants to throw something and hit you in the face, he will.
i can't wait till it dries up a bit so that we can start running around the park again!

ethan

he's a little fighter! he is incredibly strong-willed and if he wants something, he'll find a creative way to get it.
needs a bite of everything. so if you're eating near him, be ready to share... or else!
every parent thinks their child is the cutest. but honestly, ethan really is. he's so dang cute!
he loves to roughhouse, and when he tackles you, you will feel it. maybe a little linebacker? we'll see...
he gives the best squeezes. if you get one, hold onto to him for as long as you can! he doesn't give them often, but when he does, he makes them count!

some pics of the boys

2009-02-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

Were still alive

2009-01-31T21:07:00.000-08:00

I have recently joined the facebook family.....and i love it.....nadim made fun of me at first but after about a week or so, he decided to be cool and get a facebook just like me!!! needless to say, blogging has been replaced for a little bit.....about a week ago, Nadim was in Colorado for work and his boss, Andy gave him a hard time about how we are not blogging.....SO ANDY THIS ONE IS FOR YOU.....WE ARE STILL ALIVE AND WELL.....more pictures will be posted soon!!!

Goodbye 2008......Hello 2009

2008-12-31T12:39:00.001-08:00

Wishing you and your family a very happy and safe 2009. We have been so blessed this past year and pray that the coming year will be even better. We have two amazing kids and each other...nothing else seems to matter yet we continually get to enjoy so many of the things that life offers. We pray that you would experience happiness and good health in the year to come. HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE NAJM FAMILY: Nadim, Brandi , Hunter (33 months) and Ethan (14 months)

Auntie Mary's Party

2008-12-31T12:36:00.001-08:00

On Saturday, we took the boys to Nadim's Aunt and Uncle's house to celebrate her 75th birthday! It was such a blast...there were so many kids running around and it was really nice for the boys to see some of their family that they rarely get to see....here are a few shots of the day.....how cute are they?

Donuts in the Morning

2008-12-31T12:33:00.001-08:00

This morning after a great breakfast, i decided to give the boys some hostess powdered donuts.To say that Hunter loves donuts is an understatement so naturally he was bouncing off the walls before one bite! Ethan on the other hand has NEVER had one of these donuts.....needless to say he went to town....had to take a picture and share! What a great way to start off the day!

Merry Christmas from the Najms!

2008-12-21T12:30:00.001-08:00

christmas cookies!

2008-12-21T12:26:00.000-08:00

fun pics from this christmas season

2008-12-21T12:22:00.000-08:00

hunter learns about the difference between boys and girls

2008-12-14T18:55:00.000-08:00

hunter grew up a little bit this weekend. he wanted to spend the night at his nana's house on friday, and little did we know that when we picked up on saturday, that he would gain an important bit of knowledge. here's a loose, but similar dialogue of what happened.

HUNTER: (grabbing a doll that used to be brandi's, which nana still has at her house) nana, i be the daddy and you be the mommy!

NANA: okay hunter, who's this (referring to the doll)?

HUNTER: this is baby sawah. she needs a diaper change. i change baby sawah!

NANA: okay hunter.

HUNTER: nana, where's her penis?

NANA: (laughing hysterically at this point) hunter, girls don't have a penis. only boys have a penis.

HUNTER: (totally serious and intense about the conversation) then what do girls have nana?

NANA: (still laughing) girls have a vagina.

HUNTER: a bagina?

and so the conversation continued. luckily, hunter hasn't been totally fixated on this fact the past day, so hopefully, he's taken this piece of information and locked it away for now. i'm hoping the "where do babies come from" question is still a few years down the rode. nobody tells you about these things when you become parents!

disneyland at christmas time

2008-12-05T19:57:00.001-08:00

if you know our family, you know that one of things we love to do most is to go to disneyland. and what better time to go than at christmas time! we had a chance to head up there a few days back, and although the fireworks were barely visible because of the fog, it didn't stop us from having a good time!

USC - Notre Dame game pictures

2008-12-05T19:33:00.000-08:00

thanks to some of our gracious friends, we had the opportunity to take in the USC - Notre Dame game over thanksgiving weekend. it wasn't much of a game, but the time before and during the game was unreal! i can't wait till we can actually take the boys! here are some pics that we managed to take during the game..
.

why i love saturday mornings

2008-12-04T20:42:00.001-08:00

i love saturday mornings. the boys and i have started a little ritual that we go through every saturday morning. here's a little peak at what goes on... just one more reason why my boys are the best!

exhausted

2008-11-21T15:43:00.000-08:00

no wonder it's so quiet!

2008-11-05T16:29:00.000-08:00

the family has been a bit under the weather the past few days, but i didn't expect to see what i did this morning. as i was getting ready for work, ethan was a little bit fussy. the past few days, he's been pretty sick... the fever has died down but i think he's been feeling a bit achy and no quite like his usual self. a couple of minutes had gone by and i realized that i hadn't heard him fuss for a couple of minutes. i wondered why it was quiet, so i decided to walk out to the living room. hunter was laying on the couch watching his cartoons and ethan, well, this picture says it all...

Riding in the wind

2008-10-23T16:14:00.000-07:00

We have been rolling the car windows down lately per Hunter's request.....Ethan absolutely loves to ride in the wind.....this was on the way home the other day.....he smiles, laughs, and smiles and laughs......
Kind of like the dog that you see sticking his head out of the window on the road....but way cuter and with less slobber....

Ethan's new facination with leaves

2008-10-23T16:11:00.002-07:00

I dont know why or when it started, but Ethan loves leaves......the other day at Nadim's parents house he spent about 15-20 minutes picking up leaves and throwing them on the ground.....
Over and over and over again.....
With a big smile on his face.....

Yep....he is mine!!!

2008-10-23T16:11:00.001-07:00

Nothing more to say......

Pumpkin Patch with Daycare

2008-10-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

Today I took Hunter to the Pumpkin Patch with Ms. Teresa and his daycare friends.....Here he is on the tractor....her got upset because he thought it was a ride.....he was telling me that he was a farmer on a tractor taking care of his animals.....he was so proud of himself.....
Here he is driving the cars with his pal Milo.....
And riding on the train with Brookie.....she is cute....straight from hunter's mouth
Here is Hunter with Ms Teresa.....

AHHHHH Talega

2008-10-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we went to Talega to celebrate Braden's birthday.....Ethan is 4 days older than him so it was a double first birthday weekend for the boys.....hunter was deathly afraid to cross over this bridge that they had at the park....it was funny....i have to admit so when he finally stopped being a wussy and crossed by himself, we had to take a picture.....
Here is Nadim with the birthday boys....they are SO cute.....happy birthday to us!!!
Here is Hunter on the swing.....first time for this as well....he used to be really scared to even get on them but he loved it.....had to get a picture of his smiling face.....
Bucca experienced his first swing ride as well.....he smiled the whole time....it was almost relaxing for him....I will have to remember that when he had another grumpy day.....isnt he the cutest?

Hunterisms part 1

2008-10-23T15:45:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite picture of Hunter....I love that kid....although he gives me a run for my money everyday, i dont know what life would be like without him....he says the funniest things......and he is SO smart.....

Here are a few "Hunterisms:"

1. Nadim will ask him what day it is.....Hunter says "Its Game Day Daddy...Go USC..."

2. Haffa - means have to

3. Phineas and Ferrobots - this is a song from his favorite show Phineas and Ferb

4. After he gives you a kiss is says: "and no licking"

5. "there is no possibility mommy"

6. When were stopped at a light he screams "come on people!"

7. "I luzs you" - means i love you

8. "I luzs boobs" - means i love bucca boos....or ethan....we need to work on changing this one

9. "That's for gurls....I am a boy."

10. "Mommy where the cheerleaders?"

11. "Hey baby, whats your number?" thanks to House for this one

12. OMYG - thanks to my ET girls

13. Ahhhhh, Tawega - code for ah, talega

and the list continues....everyday.....

Hanging with Papa and Britty

2008-10-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

When Nadim was in Sacramento about a week ago, i took the boys over to visit my dad, grandma and sister. We ate lunch and spent the afternoon watching football and playing outside in the backyard......it was a perfect day.....sunny but with a nice breeze....the boys sat outside for about 2 hours and played.....it was perfect....here are some shots of the boys hanging with my dad and sister.....

Hamper Time

2008-10-23T15:38:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday I stayed home with the boys to get some stuff done around the house....when i have a lot of laundry to fold, i will bring it up and fold it in the front room....the boys (especially Ethan) LOVE to play in the hamper, push each other, put toys in it......this was the first time that they both thought to get in the hamper together....it was too cute so here are the pics i was able to capture before Hunter tipped them over.....still need to work on how to get out.....

Ethans first carousel ride

2008-10-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

About two weeks ago we took the boys up to Disneyland. When we got there we found out it was closing early for Miley Cyrus' 16th birthday party so we were bummed. The good news is that in the hour and a half we had, we got on quite a few rides. We went on the Jungle Cruise (Hunter's new favorite), Casey Jr. Train, and the carousel. Ethan had never been before so we tried putting him on the ride......he LOVED it!!!! Looks like our future trips to the happiest place on earth will just keep getting better and better.....

Big Boy

2008-10-05T11:25:00.001-07:00

Hunter is getting so big! Every day I look at him I wonder when he stopped being a baby and suddenly became a BIG boy. Although it is sad to see him grow so fast, it is also awesome to know that he is becoming a little person! He is still my little baby and will always be but from the looks of these pictures, i would say that he is a little man. He is adorable that is for sure and before i know it, i will have to be locking him up and protecting him from the masses of girls that i am sure will be chasing him!!!!

King Bucca

2008-10-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ethan loves blankets and stuffed animals. He has a few animals that he has to have and throughout the day he will squeeze them and give them kisses. He loves blankets too but rarely plays with them because Hunter always has to have all the blankets......when Ethan manages to get one, he likes to have me wrap it around him like a king....i had to take a pic the other night to remember the moment and tell him when he gets older!!!

Gameday

2008-10-05T11:14:00.001-07:00

This weekend was all about USC for our family. It all started on Tuesday night when we were eating dinner. Nadim was talking to Hunter and he asked him "Hunter, do you know what tomorrow is?" Hunter, with all his might shouted "Game Day!" Nadim was not referring to the game at that time of course but we both laughed at Hunters enthusiam for Game Day. Ever since then we have been building up Game Day. So, yesterday morning we woke up and again, Hunter shouted "Game Day!" This time he was right so Nadim told him "yes bud...it is Game Day!"
Throughout the rest of the day, Hunter walked around the house reminding us of the game and singing the USC fight song.....when the boys woke up from their naps, Hunter asked if we could go to the mall. So we put the boys in their jerseys and headed out......while we where there so many people came up to us and commented on their matching jerseys......
When we got home, it was time for the game.....we busted out our USC game blankets and watched as a family. Hunter shouted for touchdowns and celebrated with Nadim when we scored....and we shot some awesome new SC pics......hope you enjoy!!!!

another conversation with hunter

2008-09-30T22:32:00.000-07:00

i probably have at least 3 amazing conversations with hunter everyday. and by amazing, i mean, "how can a two and half year old come up with or remember this stuff?" these conversations sometimes last for a couple of minutes, but often times are just one or two-liners. today did not disappoint...

me: hunter, do you know what tomorrow is?

hunter: (in a deep excited voice) it's game day! go trojans! U-S-C! U-S-C!

me: (appreciating his enthusiasm) no buddy, tomorrow is the first day of october. but i love your enthusiasm for game day. let's come out saturday morning with that enthusiasm, okay?

hunter: okay daddy!

two and a half years old and already a diehard trojan fan (and dodger and laker fan too). i love this kid!

Oceanside

2008-09-18T14:56:00.002-07:00

My Aunt Kory and Uncle Bill have a condo in Oceanside that we like to visit every once in awhile. A few weeks ago, to close out the summer, we took the boys down......Hunter had a blast at the beach while Ethan hung out inside with Daddy.....Rylee helped Hunter build a sandcastle which he loved.......
Hunter decided that he liked the beach water on this trip.....so much so that he woud run in and out like there was not a worry in the world.....I, of course, was the one worrying......i love this picture though because it reminded me of how small Hunter still is, but also about how small we all are when compared to the great things on this earth.....I know it may sound weird but it was a good reminder for me......
We decided to trap Hunter in the sand......when we finished he threw up his hands and shouted "save me.....save me!" I love that kid.....
The boys also dug a hole for Jadyn and Hunter to stand in......they loved it......
Here is me and my hunterman enjoying family, fun, and Oceanside!!

Boys wil be boys!!!

2008-09-18T14:56:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, we decided to walk down to starbucks, get a drink and let Hunter run around. As we were enjoying the afternoon and our coffees, I looked over to check on Hunter and i found him bent over by the bush. When i asked him what he was doing, he ran over and said......
"Look mommy, I found a shell." I looked in his hands and to my surprise, Hunter had grabbed a snail out of the dirt.....I looked at Nadim and laughed.....then I told Hunter he was holding a snail, not a shell. Here is what happened next......
Hunter decided to play throw and catch with the snail. Nadim was totally grossed out that our son was playing with a snail, while i could not stop laughing......at this moment i realized, yet again that coming from a family with a TON of girls does not help you raise a little boy......I love my hunterman but pray that someday when the next one comes, it will be a GIRL......

Ethan the "HAM"

2008-09-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

The past month or so, our little guy, Ethan has turned into a total ham. All of the sudden the sweet and shy little baby has turned into a little guy with a BIG personality. He loves to smile and make silly faces......here are a few shots to enjoy!

and so it begins...

2008-09-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

this is an actual conversation [word for word] that i overheard this morning between hunter and brandi...

hunter sits down in front of the computer and starts moving the mouse around...
brandi: hunter, what are you doing?
hunter: checking email mommy.
brandi: really? who did you get an email from?
hunter: the girls (pronounced goy-ils) mommy.
brandi: ummmm, okay.
hunter: yeah, they're coming over later.

and so it begins... i thought we had at least a good 10 years ahead of us before hunter even cared about girls. apparently, he has other plans.

what hunter has eaten since 3:30pm

2008-09-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

it's now 6:45pm, and hunter has been a non-stop eating machine today. since 3:30pm, this is what he has eaten.

fruit snacks (the finding nemo kind)
string cheese
a handful of goldfish
cream cheese sandwich
handful of frosted flakes
4 chicken nuggets
a whole tomato
a whole bowl of blueberries
a large slice of watermelon
a few bites of potatoes
another cream cheese sandwich
an apple

so glad that i will be at work when all this food runs its course.

Grandpa's Work

2008-08-13T20:03:00.000-07:00

I love PaPa's work....I have only been one time but when we went, we got to eat lunch at Ruby's with PaPa.....then he walked us around his big office where we met all of his friends.....and i got chocolate from his secret stash in his desk.....I would have a picture with him but he accidentally blinked when we took one...I love my PaPa and hope to visit his secret stash of chocolate again really soon!

Zoomars Petting Zoo

2008-08-13T19:50:00.001-07:00

Last Friday we drove down to San Juan to take the boys to Zoomars Petting Zoo. It was a lot of fun, although I could tell Nadim was struggling.....he hates animals and the smell of them but he sucked it up for the sake of the boys! Here is Ethan talking to the forsey as Hunter calls it. The picture really cannot capture how awesome it was in real life.....
Here is Bucca smiling while Hunter kept busy.....he is so cute...look at those teeth.....
I love this pic...only my kid would think to do something like this.....gotta love him!
We HAD to take a picture with the forsey.....enough said.....
Here we are trying to feed the bunnies and guinea pigs....Hunter was afraid so instead of feeding them, he pretty much chucked the carrots at their heads.....Even though he did not like the feed the cuddly, fluffy animals, he loved to feed the horses....I have to be honest, I was pretty nervous that my kid may get a finger bitten off....

Here is Hunter riding the horse....he is not afraid at all....not even nervous....I love this shot....straight out of a western movie, cactus in the back, cowboy in a hat and a cute little guy on a big horse.....all and all Zoomars was a great experience for Hunter.....he still talks about it every day so i am sure we will be back at the "fetting zoo" soon

Disneyland

2008-08-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

Last week Nadim took a few days off and one of the days, we took the boys to Disneyland. It was pretty warm but we were able to get on some rides. Hunter loves the carousel, Dumbo and his new favorite is Jungle Cruise (we went 2 times!) He did not want to ride Pirates this time which was weird but maybe next time....all and all it was a good day....we ate dinner and got a treat (Hunter took about 15 minutes to pick the stack of suckers he wanted) and headed home for the night....Ethan passed out on the walk to the car.

ETHS Cheer and Song

2008-08-06T11:40:00.001-07:00

These are just a few shots of my cheer and song girls at camp.....when looking at these, i am reminded why i continue to do what i love to do.....it is all about these girls.....they are fun
they are beautiful and carefree and they work hard
Most importantly, they are not afraid to be themselves......a good lesson to be learned and reminded of....

The Najms Tackle the OC Fair

2008-08-06T11:25:00.001-07:00

Last Thursday night we took the boys to the OC Fair. Hunter absolutely LOVED it. We met up with my mom and Randy, Aunt Kory, Jadyn and Grandma Liz. We eat good food, rode some rides, saw some pig races, checked out the cows and horses and played some games. Hunter experiences his first rollercoaster, which he hated if you cannot tell by the picture above.....
This is my Grandma Liz, My Aunt Kory, my mom and I. We rarely take family pics like this so i decided to seize the opportunity....the pic looks great!
Here is Hunter man on a wooden bull.....he is so dang cute and surprisingly, that night, he wanted to take pictures.....
This is Jadyn and Hunter checking out the HUGE cow they had at the fair. we must have stood there for about 10 minutes looking at it.....Hunter was in awe of course.....
This is Hunter on his first REAL pony ride.....I wish i had a video camera.....he smiled the whole time and loved every minute of this ride....looks like a horse may be on the Christmas list in the near future.....if so, he may have to settle for riding lessons.....
Here is Hunter and Aunt Fory, as her calls her.....she took him on the carousel ride twice and he loved it. She is so great with kids, it is no wonder she was able to raise 4 of her own....
Here is Nadim, Ethan and my Grandma Liz.
Hunter was not to fond of playing the games until the squirt gun turned on and the water shot out.....this is his game face.....
This is the prize that Bop Bop (Randy) won for Hunter. Ethan grew to love it more.....he was moaking at it the entire night.....it was like his new best friend.....All and all the day was amazing....we had this killer chocolate kettlekorn, the kids got lambie blankets from my mom and we all had a blast....looking forward to next year!!!!

Breanna and Kevin's engagement party

2008-08-05T21:44:00.000-07:00

On sunday night we took the boys over to my Aunt Korys house to celebrate the engagement of my cousin and her soon to be hubby. It was so much fun having the family together. All the decorations were amazing as always. My aunt decorated in pink and brown, two colors i love together and will use if we are ever blessed with a baby girl! The food was fantastic....she had peppinos cater it but there was a bunch of snacky foods that i kept eating throughout the night...it was a blast and the boys had so much fun with their family members.....Here is a picture of the boys with their Uncle Bill.....Hunter especially loves him.....he asks about him a lot of the time.....and he is a USC fan....that helps!!
Here is the happy couple.....they have been together about as long as Nadim and I.....can you believe it.....we are SO happy that they are getting married.....they are a perfect match for each other......
Hunter spent most of the time upstairs in Jadyn's room.....he found her dress up clothes as you can see....Is he really my kid?
While Hunter was playing upstairs, Ethan spent most of his time outside being juggled around from family member to family member. He was comfy for awhile on the table playing with a balloon. He kept moaking at the balloon when he saw it....every once and awhile he would get frustrated with it, hence the face above.....
Here is Hunter with his favorite second cousin, Jadyn. These two are becoming really good friends really fast.....Hunter always wants to play with her, even though he will hit her, pull her hair and wrestle with her.....she is so good with him.....a good little mommy to be.....arent they just adorable?
This is Ethan with Kevin's mom, Karen.....she loves the boys and is always so sweet to them!
This is part of the bridal party....Lauren Jones, me, Breanna, and Laura......i think we are missing Rylee and Lauren Salgado? Anyways.....we are gonna have a blast.....cannot wait!
Here is Hunter devouring his pizza....surprise surprise.....
This is my cousin, Jordan......she is a ballerina and she just got back from San Francisco where she was offered a full scholarship (only 6 people got it) for the next year. She will be leaving in about a week and a half for a whole YEAR! She has worked so hard for this and she is finally able to chase her dreams.....She is so talented and we know she will do well this year. I love this picture....she looks like a model with her hair blowing in the wind (actually it was a fan but no one needs to know that)

Ashley's Shower

2008-08-05T13:16:00.000-07:00

Ashley is one of my best friends from the good old days at El Toro. Throughout the past 8 years we have managed to stay in touch throughout college, dating, weddings, babies, and life. Her and her hubby, Travis are one of our closest friends. We love to hangout and do life together. Ash and Trav have played a huge role in our lives and the lives of the boys. They love our boys and our boys love them. The best part about doing life with the Harmors is that now, they are finally getting ready to have their first little baby....a BOY names Graham (whom i have been nagging them for forever!!) We are expecting his arrival at any time this month and this past saturday, we threw her a shower. It was a small shower with close friends and family. We had a blast eating yummy food, playing games and talking about the adventures of parenting. Here are a few pics!

Eric and Alexis

2008-08-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

Our boys LOVE to hangout with our friends Eric and Alexis. Eric and I have know each other since before high school and Alexis is now married to Eric. Nadim married them last October just 4 days after Ethan was born. They live up the street from us which is AWESOME because we love to meet up on the weekends for breakfast. These breakfast outings always seem to turn into other events like running errands together, hanging out and having lunch for the day, or coming over to help with furniture. At any rate, we love them and the impact that they have on our boys. They are such amazing friends and we feel so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives.....

Hunter Man

2008-08-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

Hunter is getting so big....i cannot believe he is just about 2 1/2 years old. He is a busy man who loves to play with cars, see horses, go to chuck e cheese, eat pizza and get donuts and the donut tore...that is right with the tore (he forgets the "s") Here are a few pics of the hunterman. The best thing about him is that although he is busy and extremely STUBBORN, he is also the sweetest and smartest kid in the world. The little things he thinks about and says throughout the day make be smile and remember how blessed we are to have him!!!

Little "E"

2008-08-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

I am currently in the middle of my downtime for El Toro. During these three weeks my goal is to do things with the boys I don't do on a regular basis. Yesterday and today Ethan and I have spent a lot of time bonding. We have been playing with toys, cuddling and cooing in Ethan language. Needless to say, I LOVE THIS LITTLE MAN! He is so sweet and I am so blessed to be spending some alone time with him. Check out how cute he is....wouldnt you love to spend your day with him?

meet michael

2008-07-22T15:40:00.001-07:00

this is michael. hunter says that he's happy to meet you.

you may be thinking to yourself, there's nothing there. it's just a white background. yup, you're right, it's just a white background. most people can't see michael... and that's because he doesn't really exist. but to hunter, michael is very real.

michael is hunter's imaginary friend! we literally found out about him last saturday. i happened to be sitting on the couch and brandi was in the room getting some work done. ethan was rolling around on the floor and hunter was bouncing from room to room, just playing and having a great time.

all of a sudden, he shut our bedroom door and all we could hear was, "Michael where are you? Michael come in!" this went on for about 5 minutes.

finally brandi, walked over to him and asked who he was talking to. hunter in his typical style, kept his answer simple, "uh, michael mommy."

"hunter, who's michael?"

"my friend mommy."

"what does he look like?"

"i don't know, mommy."

this has gone on everyday for the past few days. if this lasts for the next few days, i think michael will be an imaginary part of our family for the long haul.

dang, i love my kids!

ethan is crawling!

2008-07-20T10:47:00.001-07:00

ethan finally decided to start crawling this morning! here's a look at his first few crawls...

hunter's new friend

2008-07-14T22:02:00.001-07:00

About 3 months ago, Brandi put her Cookie Lee business card in one of those "put your card in here to win a free lunch for your office" bowls. Funny thing is... she won! Since she really doesn't have an office for Cookie Lee, the good people at Chick-fil-a decided to set up a night where all of her cheer and song girls could eat for free.

Well, last Thursday, our family and a whole bunch of parents and students in the cheer and song program at El Toro went up to Chick-fil-a in the Tustin Marketplace to enjoy a meal.

While we were there, the Chick-fil-a cow mascot happened to be walking around greeting people. Hunter was super interested in what the cow was doing, but had no desire for the cow to get near him. Anytime the cow was within 2o feet of him, he would say, "Noooooooo cow... go away!" That lasted for about a half hour. By the end of the night, hunter had made a friend.

Thank you Mr. Chick-fil-a cow, not only for your fine dining establishment, but also for winning over Hunter's heart.

in case you didn't know, hunter loves chocolate

2008-07-14T21:59:00.000-07:00

these made me smile...

2008-07-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

... hope they do the same for you...

4th of july recap

2008-07-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

we had a great 4th of july! the day started off with us going to my parent's house for a pancake breakfast (hunter's favorite!). the boys had tons of fun with their cousins and were bummed to leave, but they knew that they had a full day ahead of them.

after my parents, we drove down to oceanside to spend the rest of the day with brandi's side of the family. her aunt and uncle own a condo steps away from the beach, so we always look forward to heading down there.

we had a full day of walking around the street fair, going to the beach, and swimming in the pool. there were, of course, a couple of moments that we'll never forget!

hunter, of course, loved playing in the sand with jadyn. those two had so much energy, just watching them play made me tired.

then brandi's cousin rylee was playing with ethan, when all of a sudden, we heard her scream. turns out that the flock of seagulls passing overhead decided to leave her a little surprise... on her sunglasses! in the midst of all the laughter and commotion, we realized that the seagull nailed ethan's back as well.

but that's nothing compared to what happened next. after we were done at the beach, we decided to head back to the condo, rinse off, and take a quick dip in the pool. both hunter and ethan were loving the water, so we decided to let them swim for a while.

after a little while, hunter looked at me and in a whimper said, "daddy, poo poo." just to make sure, i said, "hunter did you say boo boo, or poo poo?"

"daddy, poo poo!"

lifting him out of the pool, "okay buddy, go let mommy see..."

mommy's reaction said it all! we jumped out of the pool to head back to the condo and change hunter. easier said than done. along the way, hunter's swim diaper began to give it's contents began to run down his leg. thankfully, brandi's mom volunteered to clean him up. after a few minutes of hard, manual labor, he was clean... but the towel was a goner.

after that fiasco, we enjoyed some good company as we awaited the fireworks show to begin. hunter was super excited to watch the fireworks. as 9pm hit, we all gathered on the balcony to watch the fireworks, only to see that the fog that had rolled in was so thick, that we couldn't see a thing... literally nothin'! we saw A firework throughout the entire 20 minute show, and just heard the noise for the rest of the.

hunter was bummed, but took it like a champ!

Ethan feeds himself puffs!

2008-06-30T17:16:00.001-07:00

Ethan has been eating puffs for a while now but today he started feeding himself! So proud of the little man!

tan time

2008-06-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

My son loves the sun. For an active 2 year old I'm amazed that he just laid there for 20 minutes.

perfect day at disneyland

2008-06-29T21:44:00.000-07:00

on saturday, hunter started asking us to go to disneyland. it was sort of out of the blue, but he never stopped talking about it so we decided to head up there on sunday afternoon. we didn't know what to expect, since it was pretty hot outside and summertime at disneyland is always a little crazy. it turned out to be the perfect day. perfect.

it wasn't too crowded, and yeah, it was a little hot out, but the cool breeze more than made up for the heat. and the boys were perfect! both of them had a ton of fun and were very well-behaved!

here's hunter on the tram to get into the park. he thinks that this is one of the best rides that disneyland has to offer. really. his pirate mickey ears were also a must-wear item all day long.

we bought ethan's first set of mickey ears today. as you can see, he was proud to sport his mickey ears. and he's dang cute too!

we've been super-proud of hunter lately. he's growing up super-fast and i hope that i don't jinx myself by saying this, but i think he is slowly making his way out of the terrible twos, but that's a whole different blog post. like i said earlier, he was a very good boy the entire time we were at disneyland so on our way out, we decided to let him pick out a sucker. rather than picking out the biggest sucker that no human being will ever be able to finish, he picked out a cluster of smaller mickey mouse suckers that are a much more manageable size. he knew that with this choice, he wouldn't get one big sucker now that he can't finish, but rather, he would get a cluster of suckers that he could enjoy for days to come. this kid will go far. you heard it first here.
we always make fun of the families that take pictures in front of a letter at the entrance to California Adventure. as of today, we are now one of those families.

the laughs and good times continued on the way home. this kid can put a smile on anyone's face, at anytime, no matter how bad of a day you're having. i love this kid!

don't make ethan mad

2008-06-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

hunter's june obsessions

2008-06-24T21:03:00.001-07:00

apparently, hunter's chuck e. cheese obsession was so last month. with the turn of the month, came 3 new obsessions that we're asked about at least 12 times a day (that's 12 times each, not total)...

Obsession #1
We live close to Nellie Gail and several of the homes have stables in the backyard which can easily be seen from the road. Anytime we go anywhere, the first question is, "Go see horsees?" Answer, yes. A few minutes later, "Go see horsees?"

"Yes, Hunter, we'll see the horsees in just a few minutes."

As we approach the homes that have the horses, the same process continues day after day after day. "Hunter, look at the horsees up on the hill! Do you see them?"

"Yes, yes I see 'em! I see 'em!"

And as we pass all the horses, the story continues. "See more horsees?"

"Maybe, if they're on the trails, but we won't see them on the hill any more." Which brings us to obsession #2.

Obsession #2
"Uh, see bulldozers?"

"Yes Hunter, we'll see the bulldozers in just a few minutes." Depending on the time of day, this statement is normally followed by, "But they may be sleeping since the day is almost over," or my personal favorite, "they have gone home with their mommy and daddy bulldozers because it's almost bedtime."

"I see 'em! I see bulldozers!"

And finally...

Obsession #3
"Uh, see Pillmore?" He's actually referring to Fillmore from the movie Cars. On the way to my parent's house there's an old VW bus that's parked on the side of the road. The first time we ever drove past it, Hunter started screaming, "Pillmore! Pillmore!" We had no idea what he was talking about then one day, it dawned on us.

The story continues... "Uh, see Pillmore?"

"If he's not hanging out with Sarge [one of Fillmore's friends in the movie Cars], we will see Fillmore."

As we pass and Fillmore is not parked in his usual spot... "Oh buddy, it looks like Fillmore is hanging out with Sarge today..."

"Layer?" As in, see Fillmore later?

"Yeah, buddy, we'll come back and check to see if he's here later."

And so the pattern continues, day after day after day in the month of June. What obsessions will July bring? Only time will tell...

our boys love the pool!

2008-06-24T20:58:00.001-07:00

watered down

2008-06-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

a day at the park

2008-06-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

ethan is 8 months

2008-06-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

so it's been more than a month since we've blogged... i know, terrible. but our little man is now 8 months old! time flies when you're having fun!

two big achievements since the last month... eating more solid foods and rocking back and forth on all fours! hopefully by the end of his next month, he'll be on his way to crawling!

Happy 7 months Bucca

2008-05-16T21:54:00.000-07:00

Today Ethan turned 7 months! He is such a sweet kid even though he has major separation issues at the moment.....his 7 month resume includes:
1. eating any type of baby food you put in front of him
2. have two teeth that are coming in at the same time
3. sitting up by himself
4. cuddling on command
5. clapping when you say hooray!
6. raising his hands with a big smile when you say so big
7. playing with all of hunters cars and not many of his toys
8. getting even more handsome by the second
9. laughing at hunter when he does silly things
10. reminding us daily how blessed we are to have two healthy and happy boys in our lives!!

Happy 7 months Bucca Bucca.....we love you so much!!!!

pool day

2008-05-16T21:44:00.001-07:00

Today my mom and I took the boys to the pool in Ladera Ranch. We spent a few hours letting the boys play in the water fountains and the kiddie pool that they have. It was a blast. Not only were the boys strutting their stuff in their matching trunks, but they were the cutest darn things out there....here are a few pics that show how fun our day was......

Krispy Kreme

2008-05-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

Hunter just recently found one of the loves of his young life.....Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Although we have paid many visits to the donut store, none has compared to his experience and excitement when we visit "The Kreme." He walks in, watches the doughnuts being made, comments on the milk it goes through (otherwise known to adults as the icing fountain) and runs to the corner where he pounds on the glass stating he wants the one with "pinkles." We put him at the table where he looks at the wonderful creation and says "WOW!" Needless to say, within a few minutes nothing is left.....then the famous last words....."need more doughnuts!!!"

shopping cart for two

2008-05-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

the boys and i ran a few errands this weekend, and of course, we had to stop at one of our most favorite spots... costco! typically, hunter sits in the cart, and i throw ethan in the baby bjorn and we are good to go. but not today!

costco's carts are so big that they have room for two kids! i figured, why not give ethan a shot at riding in the cart? needless to say he loved it!... and so did hunter, he was so good with his little brother!

this picture is amazing for many reasons, but here are a couple...

1) both boys were wearing their dodger gear. (i could stop the list right there because that is amazing enough!)

2) i didn't have awkward looking sweat marks on chest and my back after taking the baby bjorn off.

3) it made getting the water flat onto my cart a heck of a lot easier...

the list could go on, but i'll spare your time...

this kid is amazing...

2008-04-24T09:40:00.001-07:00

i hope our kids are this cool someday, minus the Notre Dame sweatshirt...

Star of the Month

2008-04-17T12:12:00.001-07:00

Hunter is the "Star of the Month" at daycare. Until about two weeks ago, the days of doing crafts for my kids to bring to school seemed like they were far, far away. I stayed up working on his poster for about 2 hours, proud of my work and my little man. It was all worth it the next morning when he saw it.....big smile, a thank you mama, and i realized all he cared about was the car stickers i put on the poster.....so much for the pictures!!!

Pirate life for me

2008-04-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

Hunter is growing so fast and with this growth spurt are many new "loves." One of them is pirates....He loves the "pirates" ride at Disneyland and his new mickey mouse pirate hat we bought him for his birthday. A few weeks ago we were at the mall and Hunter got this sweet pirate hat in his happy meal....needless to say he loves it!

The best part of this pirate phase is him randomly singing the pirate song (in his own way)....yo, yo, yo, yo, a pirate life me. It is getting better everyday and i am sure that by the start of the summer he will have it down with all the words! What a ham!

Baseball Anyone?

2008-04-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

So baseball season started not to long ago, which means, with the three boys (nadim included) DODGER craziness erupts. Although i dont mind watching the game and i must admit nadim has turned me into a fan, baseball season makes me question whether i will be ready to be thrown into the political mess of little league someday. For now, we will enjoy our nights on the couch watching the game as a family and remembering times like the one below. Are you kidding me? He is SO cute:) Dodger fans beware!!

chuck e. cheese

2008-04-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

every day, literally everyday, hunter asks to go to chuck e. cheese. so tonight, we went! here are a few pics after hunter ran around and worked up an appetite...

pizza slice #1

demolishing pizza slice #2 (i can't explain why he eats so much, but is still a twig)

proof that he left no scrap behind (well, almost)

ethan had to settle for a bottle. hunter was okay with that though... more for him!

dinner time

2008-04-08T19:31:00.000-07:00

saving the best for last...

mmmm... bananas...

ethan and his friend brayden

2008-04-06T21:30:00.001-07:00

ethan finally got to meet his buddy brayden (our friends tyler and keri's little boy) yesterday! they were born just 4 days apart (ethan is the older one), but brayden beats him out in every major measurement category, specifically height, weight, and girth.

based on the pictures below, it looks like these guys are going to be good buddies!

hunter loves to cook

2008-03-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

one of hunter's favorite things to do is "cook" even when i watch cooking shows on TV, he'll plop himself down right next to me and watch the whole thing from start to finish. one of the things that he got for his birthday is a cooking set from his grandpa and great grandma. here's a look at the chef in action...

birthday video

2008-03-09T11:42:00.001-07:00

happy 2nd birthday hunter...

2008-03-09T11:41:00.001-07:00

some pics of the little man's 2nd birthday...

disneyland

2008-03-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

we decided to take hunter to disneyland to help celebrate his 2nd birthday. of all the characters at disneyland, goofy, of "goopy" as he likes to say it, is his favorite. we were able to hunt goofy down, but hunter was less than thrilled to see him...

bathtime with ethan

2008-03-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

one of ethan's favorite times of the day is bathtime. since both of us love the smell of clean children, our boys typically get two baths a day. hunter could care less, but ethan is in his glory. i think these pics prove my point...

oh my....

2008-02-15T09:49:00.001-08:00