It's a Wonderful Life

I love year end lists like the ones that come out this time of year, so I'd thought I'd make one myself of my top 10 favorite things of 2008. In no particular order, well except the first one that really is the top! :) : 1. Wyatt being born. The whole experience of being pregnant (and not getting super sick like last time), a much better C section, and not being completely drugged up was so much better. Then in the end, I got an adorable sweet baby boy that has added immeasurably to the Nyholm family already. 2. Talking and playing with Jackson. This year was so much fun to finally hear what Jackson has been thinking this whole time. I love just having conversations with him, b/c I never know where they will lead. He's definitely my little buddy. 3/4. Seeing Derrick come home from his mission/ Our summer trip home. I love Derrick so much and enjoyed his letters with all their optimism and testimony while he was gone, but it was sooo great to get him back. With all 23 of ...

I hope everyone had a good Christmas. Ours was very nice and relaxing. I was sad not to be in CA, but it was fun to establish our own traditions the way we wanted to do them (however, next year I hope to be in CA!). We had such a great Christmas Eve: Yummy dinner, fun Christmas Eve program with nativity and carols, and Jackson and Wyatt got to open their Christmas PJs and their books. Christmas morning was a blast with Jackson absolutely overwhelmed (in a good way) with all the fun. Right at the end of our unwrapping, the power went out b/c we were in a huge snowstorm. Sadly, the caramel-apple french toast I had cooking in the oven was only half way done, so we had to throw it out :(. Jackson and Erik played out in the snow and I stayed cozy inside with Wyatt. We then had our friends, the Jensens, over for dinner (Luckily the power had come back on in the early afternoon so were able to prepare the food!) Anyway, it was such a fun day and I'm so glad Erik is taking the week off nex...

I can't believe Christmas is this week! I'm already sad its ending, but I guess that's what next years for, right? Anyway, this week we had some more Christmasy fun making gingerbread houses, watching Christmas movies, making our neighborhood Christmas gifts and taking them around, continuing our "Christmas themed scripture study" with Jackson (it's basically a countdown of scriptures about Christ using pictures I found in this month's Friend), playing in the snow, and lots of other fun things. I'm going to have to think of a lot of fun activities to fill my Jan. :) I am definitely one to eat treats lying around the house (this is not helping me with my quest to lose my baby weight by the way!). But for some reason, this gingerbread house does not tempt me. I think its cute and Jackson had a lot of fun making it, but it looks disgusting to eat! OK, this picture is not so cute with my pastiness, but Jackson took it and I was impressed with how centere...

Yay , it's Christmas time! I really didn't think I would care too much about all the fluffy stuff of Christmas this year since I just had a baby (well 7 weeks ago), but nothing could be further from the truth. This is definitely my favorite time of year and having a new little baby just makes it that much more special. I may be so tired my eyes are crossed, but at least I can look around at some pretty lights and listen to fun music while I'm trying to wake myself up! Here's our cute little Santa. My Mom started a tradition of having her kids take a picture of their baby's first Christmas in a Santa suit that she frames and uses in her decorations. I like the idea a lot, so now I have two little Santa pictures in Christmas frames on our mantle this year :) We've been making a lot Christmas cookies this year (especially once I found tubs of sugar cookie dough that just needs to be rolled out and cut!), and Jackson is definitely a fan. He loves rolling out the d...

This weekend we blessed Wyatt. It was such a special time for us, and we were so happy that so many of our family members were able to travel up here for the event! We feel so blessed to have sweet little Wyatt Boyd Nyholm in our family :) Our cute, cute boy. I'm not really a fan of baby boy blessing outfits, and this isn't really an exception. I feel like he's about to fly away with his collar! However, Wyatt looks so adorable no matter what, it makes up for the outfit. I also forgot to put his shoes on. We received some really cute crocheted ones that I was so excited about, and then of course I forgot about them! Kelsey and Jeremy's baby Bailey was blessed on the same day. They were up here from Colorado, and it made the day extra special. That will be fun for the cousins to look back and see these pictures of them. Here's most of the gang. I love our families!

Jackson had so much fun with Clark and Ella. He loves to copy what they are doing, and he gets a lot of good ideas for play when he's with them. Grandpa helping Wyatt pose. Check out the nice static in Wyatt's hair! Poppy and "Poppy's boy" It really is fun to hang out with everyone. I feel lucky to have such good family on both sides.

Switching babies with Kelsey Grandpa and Grandmother washing Wyatt's hair Sunday morning. It was so nice to have so many extra helping hands :) Grammy and Wyatt Uncle Peter is so good with the babies

Whenever I'm in the shower, the bathroom, or rocking Wyatt to sleep I never quite know what to expect when I find Jackson. I thought we baby proofed the heck out of this house, but apparently it is not enough for one Mr. Nyholm . He pretty much thinks he can do whatever he wants without any help. Here is just a sampling of the things I've caught him doing the past couple of weeks: 1) He climbed up to where I keep the scissors (luckily they are the kid kind), found an otter pop in the freezer cut the top off and ate it. 2) He opened the "child lock" on the cupboard found some Lysol spray, turned the nozzle to on, and cleaned the kitchen table. 3) He got himself a sippy cup with a matching lid, got out the chocolate syrup and milk, and poured and mixed chocolate milk for himself. 4) He measured out some detergent put it in the washing machine and was in the process of putting dirty rags in the washing machine. 5) He climbed on top of the kitchen cabinet, reached to th...

So this week had a lot of firsts for Wyatt: He had his first pumped bottle given to him by his Dad and a very eager brother. Looking at this picture, makes me realize Jackson has been shirtless quite a bit these past couple of weeks. I guess getting him dressed has dropped down on my to do list- sad, huh? Jackson also helped with his first bath. I was expecting screaming from Wyatt, but he was as calm as can be. However, if I let Jackson wash his hair with a very coarse bathroom scrub brush like Jackson insisted he might not have been too happy! He had his first outing in the snow, but as you can see he was pretty covered up. I wouldn't mind the winters here if I were covered up like this :) He also went to church for the first time today, but I don't have any pictures of that one. It was nice to be back in the ward where people have been so supportive and kind to us. We are one lucky family!

So today is such an exciting day- more exciting than the Oscars :) I would normally try to throw an election day party tonight (go ahead make fun I don't care), but I'm just too tired. I'll just have to settle for dressing the boys in red, white, and blue, trying to watch the coverage on NBC and the Colbert Report tonight, and hopefully gloating to Erik b/c my candidates will win (I voted before Wyatt was born)! Hip Hip Hooray for elections :)

I didn't really get a costume for Wyatt b/c I honestly didn't know if I would up to taking him anywhere 11 days after his birth, but he is such an easy going baby he ended up joining in the fun. Luckily Jackson had convinced me to get this pumpkin onesie at Walmart before he was born and my sister Laurel sent the cute hat and socks, so he ended up looking quite festive! Already we have so many pictures of Jackson holding Wyatt, because he loves being a big brother. He is always asking to hold him and give him kisses and then he'll say, "I'm a good big brother" or "He is so cute!" It's really fun to see him in this role. We had one excited monkey on our hands to go trick or treating! Erik held Wyatt while we walked around the neighborhood trick or treating. It was the most walking I had done since giving birth and I was really happy my C section is healing so quickly!

I guess I can't fit all my Halloween pictures on one post, so we'll do two. We had a fun time celebrating with our new little one. I was really impressed with Erik's Jack-O-Lantern skills and Jackson loved being able to use a knife to cut a face out (scary I know!) Jackson doesn't like to get too dirty for too long, so he kept wiping away all the pumpkin gunk over the table, the chair, his shirt, his pants, etc. :) What a cute little pumpkin! This was the last night my Mom was here :(, so she was able to take a family picture. I'll have to post the pictures from when my mom was here, but a lot of them are on her camera so I'll get them later. Let me just say though, that every new mom should have their mom stay for almost two weeks, I don't know what I would've done with her!!! Jackson so excited to finally be dressed in his costume ready to go to the Trunk or Treat.

He's finally here! Wyatt Boyd Nyholm was born Oct. 20 at 1:18 pm and we couldn't be happier! 21 inches and 9 lbs 7 oz of cuteness awaits! Would you believe the Dr. is cutting into my uterus right now? Ah, the joys of anesthesia :) And now they are sewing me up, luckily we got to hold Wyatt while they did this, so I didn't have to wait to meet him. Lucky Wyatt with Grandmother