It's been a big month…or two!

A lot has been happening in the Bradford Home and with all these great events comes busy days and evenings when blogging just doesn't happen.  So, this is a quick recap of all the great things happening!

Eliza:

This little three year old had been cruising around on her strider bike in the house, on the street, at the playground.  Everywhere.  One day while we were outside we put her on the "gravel blaster."  Oh, you know, only the coolest little pedal bike around. (The same one Dane learned on)  20 minutes later that little pipsqueak was riding on two wheels.  It has been so fun to transition Dane and Eliza to their two wheel bikes.  My favorite part of their new skillz is watching Matt pull Emma in the trailer and Dane and Eliza riding along side.  Family bike rides. So fun!

Dane:

He did it!  100 lessons!  I posted earlier about his reading lessons and we completed them almost a month ago.  We told Dane he would get to have a party day once he finished the 100th lesson.  He chose to have German pancakes for breakfast and to go bowling.  Talk about a party day!  Now we just read! His next goal is to read 50 books and then we will pick out a new toy.  Motivation!  What is cooler than seeing your kid read the books that just a few months ago you were reading to him.  I can't wait for Eliza to get just a little bit older- we get to do it again!!

Emma:

Whoa!! Sometimes we wonder where she came from.  She is our wrestling, spitting, sassy pants (almost) 2 year old.  She is starting to really take off on her verbal skills.  She has mastered the "I want____," phrase.  She is a pro at the "I do it," phrase, and one of our favorites is "let's go."

Emma is starting to get the hang of the strider bike.  She walks with it constantly (I am always trying to figure out why kids like to walk with a bike) and occasionally will sit on the seat and walk.  It's a start.  Won't be long and she will be cruising the streets of Edwards!

Emma is also 50% potty trained.  She is stellar at going #1…#2 is a different story.  However, just 50% potty trained is about 50% less diapers.  We'll take it!

Isabel:

Be still my heart.  Oh, how I love this little baby.  This is the first post of our sweet little Isabel.  Isabel was born May 12th at 5:04 pm.  8 pounds 8 ounces and 20 inches. It was a fairly typical delivery.  Took about 14 hours.  Maybe 2 hours of steady contractions. (I made it to an 8 with just about zero pain…after that it was a different story) Nurse came in and asked if I wanted the epidural.  Knowing that the epidural would slow everything down I opted to just press on with no epidural.  Only a few minutes later and about 10 seconds of pushing :: ta-dah :: a brand new baby!  Of course it hurt and I might do it again but I can't even describe how great the recovery was.  Easiest and fastest recovery so far!

Birth story aside- Isabel has got to be the sweetest little baby ever created! :) OK, except for your baby!  She is a pretty chill baby.  Not too much fussiness, a little bit of gassiness at nights, wakes up 1-2 times in a night.  What more can you ask for!?  (I did cut out dairy and chocolate…I think it has helped)

Matt:  Is back to work after a few days off here and there and then the 10 day paternal leave.  Not to mention a family day last Friday and then Memorial Day.  We had Isabel at a great time allowing Matt  to be home and help!  However, I think we both were ready for life to sort of move on and for us to go back to our jobs.

Jeanette:  We started the library reading program today, we love getting our blow up pool out, the kids are constantly in the front yard riding bikes, and I am figuring out a summer schedule.  You know, the schedules that work so perfectly with a brand new baby and three young kids.  It's going to be great!

Phew, there is our update!