Precious Baby

Xander will be 3 weeks old on Monday. I hate to jinx myself by putting this down in writing, but he is such an awesome baby! We feel so blessed. He eats good, sleeps good and is happy and content. He seems oblivious to the noise that the other kids make and he even patiently tolerates it when they smother him with kisses. He nurses well, takes a bottle well and doesn't mind being passed around. He likes being held, but he will also let me put him down or carry him in the sling. I know I'm slightly biased, but I also think he's pretty dang cute. We could not have asked for a better baby. We love you Xander!

HUGE thanks to my friend Lacey for taking these precious pictures of Xander. She is so talented! She also took some awesome pictures of Tressa in her ballet outfit a few weeks before the baby was born. You can see more of her stuff on her photography blog(http://www.laceycphotography.blogspot.com/). Thanks Lacey!

Baby Xander is Here!

Xander Dean Briggs

March 9, 2009
8 lbs. 5 oz. 21" long

Baby Xander joined our family this week. I can't believe he's finally here. I was induced on Monday, March 9th. We arrived at the hospital at 5:00 am. They got us in a room and all ready to go by 6:00 am and he was born just before 11:00 am. It was pretty quick and smooth. I only had to push one time and he came flying out...Jason said the doctor almost dropped him.

He is healthy and happy and so far seems very calm and easy going. Oh, and by far my best nurser...which is awesome! It's so stressful when the baby doesn't catch on or doesn't eat well, but Xander has it down already - YAY!


Our first family photo

The kids were both so excited to meet their new little brother. They have been so sweet to him and are always wanting to hold him and help take care of him. Xander is a lucky boy.


Grandma Jennings and Grandma Briggs both came to help out with the kids and I don't know what we would have done with out them. It was such a treat to see them and they were a huge help! They helped make the transition smooth for the kids too by making sure they got lots of attention. We love our Grandmas!

Welcome to our family sweet boy!

Tressa's First Ballet Performance

I took ballet classes when I was Tressa's age. I liked going to ballet class. I loved my yellow "birdy in the tree top" costume. But when it was time to perform...I wasn't so sure. I remember a picture that was taken of me just moments before my class was supposed to perform at the mall (I'll have to see if I can get a copy from my Mom to post). I was wearing my costume and looking up at my Mom in terror. Apparently I refused to get on the stage and my Mom took me home. Needless to say, that was the end of my ballet career.

Tressa's temperament is a lot like mine was as a child, so in the back of my mind I was fearing a repeat of my little stage fright episode. She loves ballet and has been looking forward to her first performance for months. The performance was cancelled and postponed twice because of weather...(hence the Christmas music on the video clip, even though it's February)...so there was plenty of time for nerves to build up. But they also got lots of time to practice and a couple dress rehearsals to help them prepare. Tressa really LOVES ballet and does a great job. I tried to help her feel special and excited about the whole thing, but I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from her on the big day.

Okay...so obviously I was a lot more worried about it than she was. It wasn't a big deal to her at all. She wasn't the least bit nervous - just excited. And she did a great job! Jason and I really enjoyed watching her. She was so cute! Afterward she enjoyed watching the rest of the groups perform and we gave her a bouquet of pink tulips. She was very proud of herself and felt so special. I'm proud of my little ballerina too.

Here are some pictures I took at the dress rehearsal:

Felicity, Tressa, Gabby, Jillian

sitting pretty

arabesque

curtsy

cutie

Here she is on the big day!

Tressa & Jillian waiting to perform

the performance (she's on the right end)


hugs from Daddy

so proud

my ballerina

After the whole thing was over and we were in the bathroom changing her clothes Tressa excitedly asked "Mommy, will I get to do a performance again sometime?" I smiled and said "Sure sweetie!"

What can I say...she doesn't get it from me.

Fire Station Tour

We took the kids on a fire station tour a couple weeks ago for playgroup. All of the kids really enjoyed it. They got to tour the whole station, see the fire trucks up close, and one of the fireman even put his gear on for them. Corbin LOVES fire engines and is always the first to point them out on the road. He was funny to watch on the tour because he was so excited and curious, but was also a little cautious. He wanted to explore, but he wanted me to stay right by him and hold his hand once in a while. It was really cute...he was totally into it and even paid attention to what they were saying. He was popping out all kinds of new words later, like "emergenhee". I asked him if he remembered what number to call if there was an emergency and he perked right up with a big confident smile and said "1-9-1!" Close buddy!


Tressa really liked the tour too. She remembered the last time we went and had been asking me if we could go again. Her favorite parts were climbing in the fire truck and trying on the fireman's hat...oh, and she apparently really liked the fireman too. Later that day we were driving around and out of the blue she said "Mom, that fireman who tried on the fire clothes for us sure was a handsome guy huh!" He WAS a handsome guy...but she's not supposed to notice stuff like that yet is she?! I thought it was so cute and funny. I told Jason about it later and he teased her a little about it. He asked her if the fireman was more handsome than he was. When she nodded he scooped her up and said "What?! Nobody's more handsome than your Daddy!" She replied "Okay, Daddy....but that means nobody is prettier than me, right?" What a smart girl.

White Trash Sledding

I still remember our first winter here in Oklahoma, which we kind of rolled our eyes at because it was so mild compared to Utah. There was one or two days of snow and barely enough to cover the ground. We were out shopping on one of the snow days and the traffic was horrible. We attributed the delay to a bunch of hillbillies that didn't know how to drive in the snow. Come to find out the traffic jam was actually the result of cars that had literally parked in the middle of the road. No, they weren't broken down. It was just the most convenient place to park for sledding down the grassy slope right next to the nearest freeway ramp (we're a little short on mountains and hills here). Not only were they parked in the middle of the road and sledding ten feet from the freeway, but instead of sleds they were using laundry baskets, storage bins, cookie sheets...seriously. And it wasn't just one crazy family, there were tons of people doing this. Jason and I couldn't believe it! We were cracking up at how white trash it was. Then again, if it only snows once or twice a year would you bother to buy and store a sled? Three years later, I'm ashamed to say we have joined the white trash sledders (but don't worry...we found a quiet safe little hill in our apartment complex). The kids had a blast.





Boys will be boys.


Not one of his brightest ideas.


"I help you Daddy!"


Who needs a hill anyway?




Snowball fight. Actually it was more like snow chunks. The snow was icy and hard to form in the shape of a ball, so they were limited to chunks they could find near the walkway.




My little snow angels.

Family Bowling Night

We only go once in a while because it's so expensive, but the kids have sure taken a liking to bowling lately. They LOVE it! I think they feel pretty cool that they can do it all by themselves (if you don't count the gutter bumpers and the ramp). It's so cute watching them. They like to choose their own ball, lug it to the ramp all by themselves, watch anxiously as it rolls toward the pins and jump up and down in excitement afterward (even if they only manage to knock a few pins down). They cheer each other on and give lots of high fives and they even like wearing the funny shoes. Here are a few pictures of the fun time we had.













The only part they don't like (as you can tell by Corbin's face) is when it's time to leave!