Love. My. Boys.

Oh my goodness. You two are just. so. precious. to me. On Thursday the 18th of March in Manhattan, KS Brecken fell in love with his big brother all over again. He has always loved watching him and if he's upset or crying if Kayden just gives him a little attention he instantly stops crying. It is getting more and more evident that he loves his big brother so much. If he's upset in his carseat if Kayden will sing to him or talk to him he goes from cries to laughs in seconds. On Thursday we met G & G Westerbuhr at Dairy Queen and Kayden was showing them how he can make Brecken laugh and his laughs went from little baby laughs to big belly laughs. Brecken couldn't take his eyes off him and everything he did brought the biggest, happiest laughs. Kayden of course loved this and kept dancing up and down the dairy queen and singing for him and Breck just kept laughing and laughing. Mommy was SO happy. I have been so excited for you 2 to develop an amazing siblinghood and I got to see it happening right before my eyes. It was one of the best moments I've had as a mommy so far. And of course it made me just love you 2 so much more. So happy you will have eachother forever and will always be best buddies. A mom couldn't ask for more.

Big Changes!

The master bath of our house in Manhattan

The heart of the home, the kitchen!

My favorite part-the yard!!


The Hingst family is going in fast forward these days. Life is quickly changing and it's hard for me to keep up. Kyle was very fortunate to have 3 job offers in this horrible economy, our prayers were answered and we are so thankful that we were in the blessed situation to get to choose between moving to San Jose, Chicago and Manhattan, KS. Our choice was Kansas. He is very impressed with the company that offered him the job and I'm very happy to be closer to our families and back to seasons. I feel like the Marley and Me family...they went from Florida to Pennsylvania to return to seasons. That is something I've missed so much while we've lived here. We aren't like most AZ people who moved here to escape the seasons. We just were given job opportunities here that we couldn't refuse at the time and longed for Fall with pretty leaves, winters with white snow snuggled up by the fireplace and spring flowers, dew and rain showers. Thunderstorms. The sound of thunder cracking and watching the sky light up. Miss that so much. Hearing rain pour down your windows. GREEN. Green grass. Green trees.

And family. Being around for graduations, weddings, birthdays, and all the times in between. I want our children to know their families. Know their roots and see the value of being apart of something bigger than our little family. I believe it takes a village to raise a child and I want that village to be the people I love the most. Each person brings something to your child that you can't and I am just so happy that they will get to take all the good from all our loved ones and learn from it.

Along with the good of course comes some hard things. Leaving our friends we have had here for the past 5 years is hard. These people knew Kyle and Kaisha as a young couple with so much to learn. Freshly married, fresh out of college and so new to adult life. Happy hours with friends, late night dinners and drinks, Scottsdale bars, all of those really fun times we had as a newly married couple were with these people. They saw us go from a young couple to a family. It's hard to say goodbye to that. To a constant in your life. AZ is unique in some ways because so many people have relocated here. So many people have no family here that in a way we've made a family here with our friends. We've spent holidays with them when we didn't have out of state visitors fly in. We've celebrated our children's births with them when we had no family here to celebrate with. We've had birthday parties with them for our children and their children and each other. All those things you normally do with your family if you live near by we've done together. Leaving that and those bonds is so hard. I cry each time I think about it and have to realize how much my day to day life is going to change.

My mommy friends. Some of these people I've seen 2-3 times a week for the past 2 years. Leaving that will be hard. Leaving the mommies I spent so much time with while I was figuring out who I was as a mom. The people that were there when Kayden was learning how to sit up, to crawl, to walk. They were there for some of the most important times in my life as a mom. I love their babies so much and I love that my babies love them. I'm THAT mom that doesn't leave their child with anyone and I have people here I would trust with my most precious part of me. That trust and love is so hard to leave.

It's hard because my heart is torn. I'm very excited for all this move is going to bring. But I'm sad for the great things I have to leave behind.

Surprise!

Yesterday we were going to Fountain Hills to walk around the fountain and feed the ducks. When we arrived there we found a lot of people in green and realized they were having a St. Patty's Day festival. It was a very pleasant surprise for the day. We fed the ducks and then Kayden got to bounce in the bouncies that were set up, we listened (and Kayden danced) to bagpipe players dressed in Kilts and saw the fountain go up with GREEN water. We had a great day as a family and realized there are some things we will miss about the Valley (we already knew we'd miss the people but we will miss some of the "happenings" that go on around us).

Bagpipe Dancer!

Shake your sillies out!

This is a video of Kayden at storytime with Miss Diana. Every week he goes to storytime on Wednesdays with her and we've started going to her Christian storytime at Inspirations Tea and Book store on Fridays. He LOVES Miss Diana. She is so full of energy and happiness, I love him being around her because I hope he has a happy heart like hers! She has definetely touched his life in a very special way!

What was mommy thinking??

Buying my crazy little man a super soaker?? Guess I wasn't thinking:) Being a mommy of 2 must make my brain not work. You love soaking us with it and it gives you hours of entertainment in the backyard....so maybe it was a good purchase!

4 months old

So I tried to tell myself that b/c February doesn't have 30 days you aren't turning 4months this month:) That I have an extra month before I have to admit it to myself, but it didn't work. Despite my sadness that my baby is growing so quickly, you keep growing! And growing and growing! This month has brought a lot of changes for you!
At 4 months-
-you weighed 16 pounds, 8 ounces at 3.5 months!
-had to go to the doctor for the first time because of an illness, you caught a bad cold from Kayden and mommy, but you didn't need any medicine, just lots of breastmilk, a humidifier and saline drops were the doctor's orders!
-you are now interested in toys, you hold thema nd turn them around and put them in your mouth
-love love love to just watch your big brother and when he comes to give you some attention you smile instantly and I love seeing your face light up!
-are just so stinkin happy all the time! Your days are full of smiles and laughter and the O-N-L-Y time you cry is when you are really hungry or really tired.
-Coo and goo and squeel alot during the day
-Have rolls on top of rolls that mommy has to clean between (bet you'll loving knowing that in 30 years!)
-Have only had breastmilk to eat and drink (mommy must make super milk b/c you doubled your weight by 3.5 months!) you nurse on demand every 3 or so hours. During the night you usually sleep thru the night but right now your going thru your 4 month growth spurt (can you really be getting bigger??!!) and your nursing alot during the night and day
-sleep in bed with mommy at night/in your crib for naps
-have a secret hold you like for falling asleep in, you tuck your head in b/t my arm and chest, face down and you go to sleep right away that way!
-love doing finger plays w/ me! Patty-cake, itsy bitsy spider, wheels on the bus, this little piggy. You anticipate your favorite parts and start to smile and then break into a laugh when you know that the best part is coming up. Patty Cake-you love it when we "throw it in the pan", Itsy Bitsy-you love it when we "wash it all away" and "when the sun comes out", little piggy-you love it when the piggy runs up your body and I tickle you, wheels on the bus you like each of the motions, bus wheels rolling, wipers swishing, ppl going up and down, etc.
-like playing peek-a-boo w/ me, I'm the only one playing really but you like when I surprise you and my head pops over the blanket, you start to laugh.
-weighed you yesterday and your now 18 pounds!!?!
-wear size 9 months in Carters, 6-12 months in other clothes
-in size 3 pampers diapers!
-love to roll over. Go from back to tummy as soon as I lay you on your back.

Breck I love you more and more each day. You are my baby boy and I can't get enough of you, when I'm away from you for even an hour I miss you and can't wait to get home to see you. It has been a great 4 months having you apart of our family! You are such a special little gift from God!