Winter Is Here!

Well, we had a few nice fall days this past week, complete with a beautiful double rainbow. I guess we blinked too fast because winter is here now! We got several inches of snow today and will get more tonight, but it's supposed to warm up again into the 50's again next week. Maybe we'll get a few more fall days before it hits the perma-frost, but who knows.

Our fall double rainbow (second one on left is not very visible in this photo)...

Here is Beckett Lee at five weeks old (notice the onesie). This soft musical frog he has next to him is the first toy he's been interested in. Just this week he's started smiling a little and making some cooing noises. I just can't believe he's not a newborn any more!

Natalie and Beckett goofing off on the couch...

And big sister still loves to hold her little brother.

So far Beckett's eyes are still blue, but not a really light shade, so I'm still not convinced they'll stay blue. Kyle left Monday for North Dakota again, and he's supposed to be back this Monday, but I'll believe it when I see it! My mom was planning on starting her drive back tomorrow, but will wait another day or two until the weather warms up a bit (fair weather driver!). Not much else is new here with us, just taking it easy this week. Next week we're going to head to the pumpkin patch with Mandy and get ready for Natalie's third birthday party next weekend! Yes, our little baby is growing up so fast. She still loves school and all of her play dates and is quite the independant young lady now. She is as beautiful as can be, but equally demanding sometimes! We had a rough few days when Kyle left because she's gotten so used to seeing him every day over the last 6 weeks. She really is a daddy's girl and misses him a lot when he's gone.

On an exciting note...welcome to the world Leyah!!! Our dear friends Mariah and Yshai in Portland had a beautiful baby girl early this morning after a long labor. Congrats to you and new Grandma Anne and all of Little Leyah's aunties and uncle. This child will be loved beyond belief! We can't wait to meet her in November.

Hope you all are staying warm and dry and not getting too upset about the stock market...Kyle had to calm me down a few times today. Thanks, honey...you are the love of my life and I miss you terribly! XOXOXO

A Week of Fun

Wow, another week has flown by! Kyle and I had a great night in Cody, complete with a prime rib dinner at the Irma. The weather has been gorgeous again, and I had fun walking around town with Beckett in our new stroller and just visiting shops I never have time to look in when I'm there for a quick Wal Mart run! We are still having lots of great help from Grammie, and Madison and Karrie came for a visit. The girls had tons of fun playing and fighting, and it was really funny to watch them interact for a whole two days.

Natalie and Madison having a tea party...

Aunt Karrie and Daddy with Little Man Beckett...

Madison is a little hesitant to get close to the big animals, but she did try to feed them apples with Natalie and even sat on Momma Stormy (Natalie's horse) for about 5 seconds!

Grammie and Natalie have made fishing poles out of our garden bean poles to use in the empty pond off the patio...they have been catching some real whoppers!

And here is my baby Beckett...he will be one month old already tomorrow! (Yes, that is a tear in my eye you detect)...

Not much else is new with us, just enjoying the nice weather while we still have it. I think it's supposed to turn next week, so we'll be bringing in the rest of our green tomatoes. Mom and I mad esome great pesto with my left over herbs yesterday to freeze for the winter, and we still have enough to make more today. I absolutely love fresh basil, and I put parsley in it too. I think Grammie will stay about another week, then I will be on my own! We're headed to lunch with a play group today and then we'll watch the homecoming parade! We are all doing great, but please send prayers for Pastor Jack who has been very sick with an infection this week and our friend's daughter who is also very sick and was sent to Billings. She is not even three, and they can't determine what's wrong with her, so it is a very scary situation. She's been in the hospital since Monday night. We hope all is well with you all and that you have a great week. Hugs and love!

P.S. I sent photos of the kids to most of you relatives far away this week, so look for them in the mail!

"I am constantly amazed how my love for my children can transform me in every way." ~J.B.T.

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Well, another beautiful fall day found us in Worland again today, so we spent a lot of time outside. I love this weather! Natalie has been demanding all of Grammie's attention these last few days, so I insisted she take a break today for three whole hours. I took both kids to lunch and the park with friends, then to run a few other errands. Natalie was very good and listened well, and it seems the last few days she's been adjusting well to me having to divide my attention with Beckett. It was good practice for me. We had to go to the hospital for a billing question (and to see Gina!), so while there we weighed Beckett again and he is now at 9 pounds! He was 9 pounds 2 ounces with clothes and a diaper on, so we figured around 9 or so. Our little man will not be little for much longer! I can't believe how much he's changed in the last 3 weeks.



Speaking of change...here he is having his first bottle feeding today. Daddy remembered just what to do, and he took to the bottle with no problem. Now if I can keep pumping, Daddy can help with early morning feedings!

And here is Grammie feeding horses this morning with Natalie in the red wagon. It was so cute to see her riding around in the wagon with a stack of hay! We are so glad to have Grammie's help!

Here is a quick video I got of Natalie today giving her rendition of Baa Baa Black Sheep. She realized toward the end that I was filming her! She loves to read to Beckett.

Not much else is new here...just enjoying our babies and the fall weather, and I'm excited to get out of town for a night with Kyle tomorrow. I guess that's bad when Cody seems like a vacation! Hope everyone else is well and has a good rest of the week!

P.S. We can't wait to see Aunt Karrie and Cousin Madison this weekend!!!

Two Is Better Than One!

"We must become the change we want to see in the world." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Well, I can't believe how the days are flying by! Kyle went back to work this week and my mom has come out to visit and help out. She has been so great at entertaining Natalie that I'm afraid she'll be bored to tears when Grammie leaves! Beckett is doing great and loves to watch and learn from his big sister. It is so sweet to see her want to interact with him, and for the most part she is very careful.

Some fall weather returned this week, but it was nice and sunny last week and through the weekend. Kyle and I went out on a nice ride Saturday in the hills, and it was so much fun- except for me being a little sore the next day! It felt great to be "back in the saddle," so to speak! We are headed to Cody Thursday and Friday for a water seminar Kyle has to take (he's on our rural water board for the county), so I get to go with him and have some time alone with Beckett while Grammie and Natalie hang out at home and go to school.


I think he looks more like Kyle every day!

Bath time in the kitchen sink...

And here is the pictureI took and tweaked on the computer to make into his first baby picture. I won't get the prints for a few days, but I put a nice border on it and changed the color to sepia, which is black and white with brown tones. I did the same for Natalie's first picture, so I can't wait to hang his next to hers.

And here is the little man with his grandmas. They have both been so helpful the last few weeks.

Not much else is new here...just adjusting to life as a bigger family. I am totally convinced that two is so much better than one (Curt and Diane, see how lucky you are right from the beginning?). I am constantly amazed that I can love two little beings more and more each day, and we truly, truly feel so blessed. I'm going to try and update more than once a week, but no promises any time soon! We hope all is well with everyone, and we look forward to seeing those far away over the next few months so you can see how Natalie has grown and meet her new side-kick. Have a blessed week and hugs to all.

"The best and most beautiful things in life cannot be seen, not touched, but are felt in the heart." ~ Helen Keller

One Week Old

Well, We've survived the first week! All in all, things are going great. Beckett lost some weight and is now 7 lbs 14 ounces, but the doc said he's just fine and had a little extra to lose! He's nursing well about every 2-3 hours, but was only up twice last night! He is a good sleeper for now, and this little man is such a joy. He rarely fusses and just loves to watch us and see what's going on. He loves to watch Natalie act out her plays and read stories, and she's very good around him. She wants to hold him all the time and even offered to help feed him...when I told her she really couldn't, she lifted up her shirt and said yes she could because she had nipples too! It was great.

Speaking of great...my husband definitely fits that title! Kyle has been home all week and has been such a help- everything from dishes to sleeping on the couch to get up with Natalie and letting me sleep in until 8 every morning! I don't remember the last time I got to sleep in that much! So far, juggling mornings has been the hardest, simply because there's so much to do to get ready to leave the house, and she's up so early. But things are so amazing and we feel so blessed. Having two beautiful, healthy children is more than we could ask for.


"I do not understand the mystery of grace- only that it meets us where we are, but does not leave us where it found us." ~ Anne LaMott

Natalie has been asking if Beckett can sleep with her, and tonight she settled for having him next to her during her bedtime story.

Here she is holding him. She loves to rub her nose on his soft hair.

Here I am cuddling my little man...I just want to hold him all the time and keep him from getting any bigger!

Sleeping baby boy...

Awake baby boy...

And here is a video below of Natalie playing with him on the couch. He just loves to watch her, which is good because she's so busy she never seems to slow down! We went out and rode in the nice fall weather today (Kyle and Natalie did. I'm still not feeling up to it) and we're looking forward to my mom's visit this next week. Hope you all are doing well and enjoying the cooler weather! Hugs to all.

Welcome Baby Beckett!

Once again we have been so blessed and are so grateful. Beckett Lee Tharp joined the world yesterday at 4:45 p.m. He weighed 8 pounds 7 ounces and is 21 inches long. I went into labor Wednesday night and had a longer and harder labor than with big sister Natalie, but all is well now. He has a mess of blonde hair and blue eyes, which we hope stay blue! This little man stole our hearts right away. He has a wonderful peace about him and is very calm. We came home this afternoon, and Natalie already loves to kiss and hold him. We're going to rest up this weekend, but I'll write more later this week. Thanks to everyone for the calls and visits and good wishes.

"Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man." ~R. Tagore





Big sister Natalie finally understands she has a real baby brother and will get to take him home!

Grandpa Guy

Grandma Jill

Beckett's namesake, Great-Grandpa Chauncey Lee McMillan

"Making the decision to have a child- it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~ Elizabeth Stone

First Day of Preschool

Well, Natalie had so much fun at her first day of preschool yesterday. I think she was a little nervous, but she went right in with no problem. She got up today wanting to go back, but she'll only go Tuesday and Thursday this first year. I got my crying done in the shower that morning, so she didn't see any tears from me. Kyle got to go with us, and she wanted him to go in and play with her. When he said he had to go to work, she simly said "OK" and marched on in herself. It is so gratifying to know your kids are going to a good place with good people and that they'll love it.

Here are are morning pictures. It was a little chilly, so we dressed in jeans. She insisted on taking her backpack, which is a horse head. She only needed to bring a change of clothes since they provide all supplies, but she was so excited when they showed her her own hook to hang it on, complete with her name and all.

This one kind of shows the backpack...

And here is the preschool yard. It took a little coaxing just to get her to go inside and not start out playing right away...

All is well with us, just trying to be patient. The doctor said all looks good and I'm dialated to 3, so it really could be any time. If not by Monday he said we may discuss inducing to help keep my sugars in check and not let him get too much bigger. I hope it doesn't come to that, but we'll see what the rest of the week brings! Either way, I'm ready. We have had some nice cooler weather in the 50's and 60's, which makes me excited for fall and a trip to the pumpkin patch soon! Hope you all have a great week. Hugs to all.