The McCollems: February 2011

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Graduation

This is a very exciting post. A must read even. Ok it is very exciting for at least Darren and I. Darren completed his duel Masters degree (end of 2010). He has been in school since 2007 almost nonstop and it has been a long time coming. He will be walking in May, so I will have more to post. I am a very proud wife.

Congratulations Darren!!!

Another McCollem on the way!!!

Congratulations to Scott and Liz, Brice is about to get another cousin! I think we are going to get our first McCollem girl, but we have to wait 7 more months to find out. Can't wait!

Trying to keep up so I don't fall behind!

The baby and husband are napping, perfect time to blog a little. Things that have happened since the last post...

Sick
Yup, we all got a headcold. Darren had it first, then Brice, then me. Brice had a fever two weeks ago so i took him to the doctor, his fever was gone by the next day and the doctor said he just had a cold. But the fever was probably because of the cold mixed with his two front teeth coming in. Selfish reason I like Brice being sick, he snuggled on me. But he couldn't breath and that's why, I am so glad we are all almost 100%.

Eight Months Old!
Brice is 8 months, crazy right! When we went to the doctors for the fever he was 23.5 lbs.

Playroom
For Presidents Day weekend we made the downstairs bedroom into a playroom. We painted painted the walls bright orange and yellow, Darren put shelving in the closet for more space and we used chalkboard paint on the wall and put molding around it. Chalkboard paint actually works, don't know why I doubted it, but it works!
It is great having a place for toys!

Working on Crawling
Brice is now getting his legs under him to crawl and is scooting forward a little, not quite coordinated enough yet to get very far.

He likes shopping...for now
He is doing much better when we go out, he likes to sit in the shopping cart and look around. He is so much better in his car seat.

That's all until next post!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Phew I am caught up!

That's a lot of posting in one night. So make sure to settle in, relax, have a nice glass of wine and prepare to catch up.

A few fun facts about Brice before I hit the hay..

We found a baby video he loves, quiets him right down.
We have started eating canned meats, yes I haven't made homemade eats for him like I have all his vegetables
He is mostly sleeping though the night, I would say 5 out of 7 nights
He is scooting backwards and loves it when I put him on all fours.
He is very smiley (took him to church on Sunday and was squealing and smiling at everyone, guess we don't get out of the house often enough!)
He has definite BLUE eyes

SuperBowl 2/6/2011

Well Super things happened on Superbowl Sunday! Brice did a full roll twice! I think it caught him by surprise, but he rolled from his front to his back and back to his front. Once he realizes it will get him places, he is going to be a rolling fool!

SuperBowl was nice. Darren made his famous calzones and we had good company. Grandma and Papa, John, Megan, Bryan and the boys! Of course everything is video boxed now, so it is forcing us to think about a flat screen. But it is nice having everyone over.

Sleeping through the night…maybe 1/17/2011

For the whole week people were here Brice slept through the night. Then the night everyone was gone we went back to a waking a couple times a night, I think we are getting more teeth to add to the two bottom teeth he has. I never know until they are already through!

The Family (1/5-1/15 2011)

The McCollems and Englerts got together for the first time since our wedding in 2007. It was great having everyone in town. Those who came from out of town included: Auntie Kyla, Auntie Lauren, Riley, Auntie Liz, Uncle Brett and Grandma and Grandpa McCollem. We were busy with the baptism, but we tried to fit in what we could. We went shopping, put together puzzles (which is the only game the Englerts can play together with no fighting..OK minimal fighting), went out to eat. One night we went to Rustlers Roost which was a great time. It was Brice’s first time sitting in a highchair, my big boy! And the restaurant was so loud you couldn’t hear any squealing. I went down the big slide many times with Riley and we danced to the country music. Brice is a big fan of music. Liz had to leave the following Sunday and Brett got snowed in for a few more days. Brice got to spend the week with Grandma and Grandpa McCollem while Darren and I went back to work.

We love having everyone in town, always a good time!

Brice’s Baptism - January 8th 2010

No crying here! Our baby boy is baptized. What a great day with family and friends! Most of the family was in town for the baptism. We had a lunch before the baptism with quesh (by Grandma Englert), Potato Salad (by Grandma Ruth), Hash browns (by Aunt Liz) and Ham (by Darren). It was delicious. After lunch we went to the 4:40 baptism mass and afterwards 8 babies were baptized. Brice did great with the water over the head (we practice a lot at bath time). Not one baby cried, I thought that was impressive. Godmother Auntie Kyla and Godfather Uncle Brett, did a fabulous job with the holding, dunking and candle holding.

6 month Appointment – January 6, 2010

Like the Doctor said "It is not the big ones I worry about it's the little ones!"

21 ½ lbs 97%

29 ½ inches tall – 100%

Fun Facts (Januarys)

He still only rolls left, but he is really good at it :)

He likes warm baths now and kicks/splashes water everywhere

Still is a mover, lifts his head way up and is wanting to crawl

Is a big fake crier. Has a high pitch squeal that can break glass

Loves to be thrown into the air. Gets the giggles when you do that

His favorite song is The Wheels on the Bus. Quiets down when you sing it to him.

Still working on sleeping through the night (not so much a fun fact for mommy and daddy)

Fits in 12 month clothing

Is getting a lot more hair

Is a talker

Loves all food!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Darren turned 31! We had a nice dinner provided by Famous Daves and an ice cream cake for dessert. It was Darrens first birthday as a family. Brice and I got him a golf glove and a pair of golf shoes, to get him out on the golf course. It was a very nice Birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Brice’s First Christmas

Big news, for Christmas Mr. Brice got his first tooth! Woke up Christmas morning and saw the sharp sucker, it is on his bottom right. So of course all day we sang “all I want for Christmas is my one front tooth!”

Kyla, Jake, Riley and Lauren came visit from CA for Christmas. It was fun as usual. Christmas eve we hung out at Grandma and Grandpa Englerts. Janey, Steve, Rob and the girls came over to help celebrate. We went to the 10:30 mass, and was a little disappointed in the Christmas music selection, but that is not what it is about…right? Then Christmas morning, Our family was together to open gifts from family in MA and the gifts from each other. Brice got clothing because he is already in 12 month clothing, and in his stocking he got his first Pixar movie Toy Story 3, which is actually a kind of dark movie, we will have to get a few other lighter Pixar and Disney movies. He also got some teething toys.

Darren got me a beautiful black and white pearl necklace. I got him the essentials plus a fleece. Our main gifts were the new Incredible smart phones, which are awesome!

Don’t worry, we didn’t forget about Buddy, he got a stocking gift, the As Seen On TV toy with no stuffing, he instantly killed the squeakers and tore it apart.

Then that afternoon we went back to my parents and took a really nice family photo in the beautiful AZ weather. Then we opened a lot of gifts, Riley and Brice were spoiled! Mom and Dad cooked a delicious dinner, which after we tried to play a board game, Englert competition is a little too high, oh well still fun.

Grandma Ruth made Brice a Green stocking and she made me a Red one that matched Darrens childhood Blue stocking. It was very sweet and special.