Baby Belén Eliza Blankenfeld

We've had some crazy weeks lately but I have to post about my little Belén Eliza Blankenfeld. Belén Eliza Blankenfeld came into our lives on November 18 at 1:05 am at home into Daddy's arms! She was born on her great grandma's birthday (my Mom's Mom, Mary Newgent). She is so easy going and gets loved on by her brothers. Graham comes up and kisses her on the head all the time as does Preston! They love her so much! Preston can't quite get out Belén, so it sounds like Benny! Pretty cutesy!

Her first holiday was Thanksgiving and we went to the Blankenfeld's and got to see Natalie and Kenny and Tanner's parents and sisters. She pretty much slept through it, as she did on Christmas day! She is now 5 weeks old and gorgeous as ever! At Thanksgiving Preston and Graham loved seeing his cousins! Preston didn't even want to go home, so we let him stay the night with them and he did great from what Ba and Natalie told us! So glad he loves his cousins!
Tanner is now a realtor with Keller Williams officially today! He is super excited! They have great education for their realtors and the broker is amazing from what I've heard through the grapevine. He's busy with work and his continuing education. We are trying to get ready to get into a house by August, so Tanner has been working like a mad man trying to sell and lease homes so we have a good cushion for the house.

We just bought a 2006 Honda Odyssey Touring Van for our ever growing family and we love it! I've perfected the art of parking it in our crazy tight parking lot and only back-up when I'm leaving the apartment :) That was my Christmas present which I'm very grateful for!

Preston is in preschool and is talking so much now. It's amazing how fast they learn and how quick he is to copy what you say! He loves his preschool friends and is so excited to learn new things. He can have quite the attitude...but we love him and his shamyness.

Graham is our mischevious little man who can get away with anything when he shows his smile. He is so cutesy and loves clothes. He likes to grab clothes from his closet and bring them to me so I can put them on him. Sometimes he wears 2 shirts and a pair of pants, or a shirt and pants and shorts etc. His sense of style is amazing ;)
Belén sleeps and eats and is adorable and is growing so fast. I love watching her in her sleep as she smiles. It's so refreshing having another girl in our family! I can't wait for all the mother daughter moments we'll have together now and in the future!

There's an update of our family and hopefully I'll post more later :)

He's a Realtor!!!!

Oh my goodness!!! I just got the best news and this is so blogworthy....Tanner passed the National Part of the Exam and 2 weeks ago he passed the State part of his Texas Realtor exam and now he is officially a Real Estate Agent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the best news because it means our lives will be more than studying, eating, and sleeping. We'll have more time together as a family, we'll make more money, and we'll be able to prepare for the big move that we've been putting off a tad bit because I didn't want to stress Tanner out about doing things for me when he could be studying etc. I am so proud of my husband and his diligence, faith, and perseverence. He truly is perfect for me!!

We decided that for the move that we would pick a place that was cheaper so we could save for our future home. If we would've gone with a duplex or home rental....we would be super tight on cash and would not have much to save at all. So we decided to sacrifice now, to have more later :) We picked out a 2 bed, 2 bath apartment over where we used to live when we were first married. So, I am going like crazy through the apartment organizing and trying to figure out out we can keep and get rid of. I've never sold anything on craigslist, but that has now changed. It's exhilirating to post your stuff and get paid money for things that you have no use for now. I LOVE it! Well, we move in the end of February and will be there for about 1 year and while there we are going to save, save, save and save some more. It should be good!

Preston and Graham are growing up so fast. Today I gave both of them haircuts out on the porch and then we all went on a walk around the apartment complex and played at the smaller playground and had so much fun! I really enjoy being with the boys and seeing their huge smiles and hearing them laughing!

Right now, life is going so grand and I have learned that when I give let the Lord's will be done in my life, that things are easier and blessings will always be bountiful in my life! I love my family and am so glad they are mine!! YAY For TANNER!!

Simplicity

Tanner and Levi making burgers on Labor Day! The meat was fresh from the butcher at Sprouts and let me just say they were delicious! Ohh and did you notice Tanner's lack of hair!! I think he looks really good with no hair...but now he's growing his hair out because he likes Graham's hair..lol!

Baby Graham on the swings at Eureka park ! It was his first time ever on the swings and he loved it!!! He was content to stay there all day :)

Baby Graham is a mini me and this is a cutsie pic of him from his view of the world on the floor!

This is Preston dressed for church! He loves Nursery now and he gets excited when we say, " Preston do you want to go to Nursery?" He smiles and says "YEAH!!"

So, lately our life has been crazy and hectic but we're still breathing and getting from day to day in one piece!! Little Graham is 7 months old and is working on the crawling thing! He has 2 teeth that came in on his cousin, Kirsten's 8th birthday :) That was one long night, but he is the first of his cousins to get teeth! You know when he's in pain because it doesn't happen often, but when it does it's serious :) He is our happy smiling boy. Tanner calls him our cookie dough boy :)

Preston is growing up every day and is one clever boy!! Everyday I can understand something new he is trying to tell me..like I decoded how he said I love you and now it melts my heart when I tell him "I love you" and he says it back to me. Preston loves helping Graham and calls him "G." When we are getting ready to go and Graham is sleeping, he'll say "G" and he'll know that we still have to get G! Pretty cutsie. He also loves giving hugs and kisses and is super sweet.

Tanner is trying to finish up his Real Estate stuff and is trying to prepare to take his exam. Pretty exciting to have my own real estate agent be my husband :) That'll be great!!

I am working and trying to SIMPLIFY our lives so we can be ready when we want to move! I am really working on SIMPLICITY and loving my life instead of filling it up with crazy things. I can't think of any crazy stories at the moment, but when I do, I'll post them :)

Laziness

So, lately I've been really wanting to update my blog but laziness has overcome the moments that are free!! Our family has grown and we are loving it! Little Graham is a precious little guy who is always smiling and laughing. He loves Preston and will do whatever he has to to watch what Preston is doing. Preston loves his baby brother, too. Preston's love may sometimes be viewed as some hard loving....like swinging his swing really high, as they both laugh or turning Graham's johnny jump up round and round! Once Graham can move, he'll be trying his hardest to keep up with Preston. I definitely have my hands full right now!
Tanner has been working on his real estate license and finished all his classes and is studying for the big state exam and getting everything in place for that and working full-time! I've been doing the homemaker thing and realize that there's no rest for the weary :) It's fun and rewarding.
Meanwhile, we are working on getting preapproved for a home loan so we can really start looking for a house. Our apartment lease goes up in February and we don't want to renew, so....we have about 6 months..YIKES!! I am so excited and cannot wait!!!
I don't have any pictures to post because they are all on my external harddrive and we're getting ready to go to a surprise 60th birthday party for my dad...so I'll have to post some pics tomorrow after church!
My sister-in-law Brendi really made me want to keep up better with my blog since I've been loving reading her blog and she has 3 kids so I can definitely keep up too with writing since I only have 2 at the moment! SO...THANKS BRENDI!
Keep checking back and I'll be hoping to keep you updated!!

Random Pictures

Here are some random pictures from the past couple of months like New Year's Eve, Snow days in Denton, and Sunday afternoons for you to enjoy! My pregnancy update is at the bottom :)

The snow was so deep that Preston kept getting stuck in it and at one point he just sat there until I came and helped him out! We got 12.5 inches of snow!!

When Tanner got home from work we went out and played in the snow and sledded with one of our cookie sheets and Preston loved it! It was great...it was late but since the sky was white and the snow was white it felt like 5 pm instead of 7 pm when it is normally dark!

Preston sitting on unfinished snow man...he hated coming inside and would have stayed outside all day if I would have let him...but since it was so deep I had a hard time keeping balance walking in the snow and being pregnant so poor guy...he didn't have a great playmate to play with!!

Lately Preston loves wearing Tanner's hats! Here he is riding his little truck from Santa and in his PJs and Daddy's camo hat!!

Tanner and Preston were so exhausted from church that they both fell asleep on our bed!! So sweet!

I came home from a candle party at my Mom's house to Preston eating popcorn at the table in his diaper! Too cute!

Carissa and Preston in their PJs on New Years Eve...they were playing on Preston's big boy bed in what will be Graham's room. Carissa is 8-9 months older than Preston...but they love playing together!

So, tomorrow I have my next doctor's appointment and it is highly likely that if my blood pressure is high and if I have too high of protein levels....that they'll induce me to avoid me going preecclampsic...which is exactly what happened with Preston and I am having the same exact symptoms as with Preston. Needless to say, Tanner and I have been trying to prepare for our little man to come and have been very anxious because we don't know what will come tomorrow. Tanner gave me a blessing and I was told that Heavenly Father has known since the beginning when Graham is supposed to come and that He has a plan and both Graham and I will be healthy and strong and I just need to have faith. So, I decided to update my blog so I am not thinking about it so much!

Happy Halloween 2009!

Our Halloween was fun and it was nice to go out and be a little family! Preston was a cowboy and he even wore his boots, hat and sheriff star! He was super cute and loved people letting him grab whatever candy he wanted. At first he didn't get why people let him pick candy and keep it, but then he got the hang of it a little and loved holding his candy in his hand. We went to Chick-fil-A for dinner and then to the Trunk or Treat at our Stake Center. Preston didn't get much of a nap that day so he was tired, but he just hung out with us. Tanner carried him around to trick or treat and we gave him a piece of candy every once in a while to eat. We had fun and it was super fun to see Preston enjoying his 2nd Halloween!

Sonogram

We had our sonogram last Thursday and found out that we are having another beautiful, cutesy boy!!!!! He was all curled up in a ball and made it hard for the sonographer to measure everything. He had his c ute little ankles crossed and was moving a little, but not too much! He sure isn't much of a little guy who likes to go with the flow...he's already a little stinker. We had fun and Preston is going to be such a great big brother! We are still working on a name but hopefully soon we'll have one all hammered out! Now, I'm working on figuring out the bedroom situation, like what kind of decorations and how we're going to store toys and what furniture we need. It's been fun looking online and dreaming...! So, mommy is healthy, and baby is healthy and we are all happy to be living and loving together!

Sonogram- 16 weeks 5 days

Well, today we went for our first sonogram....I know a little late...but better late than never! It was to check the dates and to confirm the due date! I am officially 16 weeks and 5 days along and so Wednesday's are my week marker!!! The baby is due March 3, 2010!!!! YAY!!! Tanner and I were so excited. We got all dressed up and even Preston was all jazzed up in his boots to match daddy's. Preston was so good and he actually enjoyed it and sat in Daddy's lap the whole time! The baby wasn't very active. The baby was laying on it's tummy with its' hand up near its' face and the legs all curled up! Tanner was so fun...he pointed out the heart beating on the picture before the sonogram lady or I did. We thought we might have a faint idea of what it would be ...but apparently at this point in the pregnancy a boy and girl look too much alike ...so in a couple weeks we'll go back for the 20 week sonogram and find out!!! I will have to scan the pictures and post them later!! Everything seems real and now I'm always wondering what the baby is doing! I wish I could have a sonogram every day.....of course that isn't realistic...but you get what I mean :)

Lots of Fun

2 weekends ago Tanner and I went on a date and left Preston with Nana and went to the Mesquite Rodeo! We had so much fun! It was a much needed time to be together. We went with my brother Levi and his wife Rachel, and then my sister Leah and her husband Neil and their 2 boys Ty and Ethan. It was at an indoor arena and so that meant a/c, but also a strong smell that I almost gagged when I walked in the doors. After some time, it got much better and we had super fun! Here we are watching the rodeo!

This morning he got Daddy's sunglasses and loved it when I put them on him! He thought he was so stylish!

Preston rocking on his horse in true style, a onesie, new shoes, and his cowboy hat! We love playing with our little man! He loves to play with our keys, too

Here is Preston this morning! Poor baby, he lost a sock and his pants :)

Well, I am now 14 weeks and I feel like I'm showing way too early...so I thought I better start taking tummy pics since I didn't take them for Preston! I'm wearing some of my prego clothes...but they don't fit that great...but neither do my normal clothes...so it's been interesting! At least the morning sickness has slowed and I'm feeling better! We are super excited about this stage of our lives and also nervous...but it'll all be fabulous!

Sweet Moment

Tonight, I was getting ready to put Preston to bed and I had brushed his teeth and given him some milk, (but not in that order) and I put him down and sang him his song, Families can be Together Forever. I went and relaxed on the couch for a couple of minutes when I realized that I had forgotten to change his wet diaper before he went down. So, I went back in and he was laying crazily in his bed in an odd position and I told him I needed to change his diaper, thinking he would wake up. I picked him up and he laid his head on my shoulder and I just told him loving words and telling him how I forgot to change his diaper and I laid him on the changing table and he was still asleep!! I thought for sure that taking his little shorts off would wake him up, but nothing did! Not a new diaper, or diaper cream or even snuggling his pants back on!! He was DEAD asleep!! So sweet! He was tuckered out and so tired! SO I picked him up and laid him back in bed and covered him up and he didn't nudge! So precious! Tonight will be a long night with Tanner stripping and refinishing a floor for Ace's Bar....He probably won't be home till near dawn....ugh! I better go and get some sleep so I can take care of Preston while he sleeps tomorrow! I just had to share that cutesy story! Ohh and he's a picture of PReston after he ate every single bit of hershey chocolate bar that Tanner gave him (only 3 break offs)!

update!!

Here are some pictures from our Wisconsin trip! We have so many and I will keep updating with more pictures! here are a few favorites!! Below are more updates! ENJOY!! :) Preston playing with one of my 2nd cousins husband! He went straight to him and loved playing peek a boo with his sunglasses...after about 5 minutes he realized that he didn't really know him and he quickly escaped!! So sweet! All of the men and boys there all were very entertained by Preston and when they left they always said goodbye to Preston. Some of them even shared their icecream cake with Preston! He was the star!

Cutesy Daddy Son moment at the rock pond of Fred and Dellas with a cutesy little boy with a fire engine hat on and a water hose!

My Great Uncle Fred's fire truck that he put together and remodeled. He even drove it in the 4th of July parade and it made it to the end of the parade unlike past years when they had to push it through the parade for parts of it! It was way cool! FD stands for Fred Dartt. He was a volunteer Fire Chief in the city for years and years.

Preston and Grandma Dartt, my Dad's mom at Chili's. That was our first night in Wisconsin and Grandma was so impressed with Preston's eating habits! He ate like it was going out of style!

Preston and Mommy at the hotel before we left to pick up Daddy at the airport! YAY!

Well, in the Blankenfeld family there have been some major developments in the recent months! We went on our first official family vacation with Preston, we found out I was pregnant, and morning sickness has reigned what we do everyday and anyday! It's been crazy! Little Baby Blankenfeld #2 is due in late February and I am officially 9 weeks along, 1o weeks on Monday! I've been super tired and very sensitive to smells...Tanner has been awesome, helping out with things that I can't do and just don't have energy to do! We are super excited about our little baby!

Something else that's new is I am totally loving Twilight series! I read New Moon and am almost done and I started like 3 days ago!!! SO AWESOME!! I can't wait for the new movie! Lately Preston, Tanner and I have been enjoying playing at home and being together. Preston loves being outside....which I don't always...but we try to go to the park at least every other day! He is our adventurous little sweet boy! He now gives kisses and makes the smooch noise when he wants one!! SO precious!

Cute story....He loves closing his door to his room and so one morning I went to be the human door stop and laid in his doorway and played with him with his toys. Next thing I knew he went to the living room and grabbed his blanket off the couch and came to drap it on me like I do with him before he goes to sleep. Then he left and came back with the bigger blanket from the couch. Lastly he went back and grabbed me a pillow and gave it to me. He then proceeded to go grab some books to read from his changing table and then came and snuggled him close to me so I could read to him! I wasn't feeling that great and he always has this second sense when Mommy doesn't feel great. So we laid and read books! He is so precious and I can't believe he is almost 15 months old!!! AWWW!! My baby is growing up!

Our First ER Visit

So, today was a crazy day! We planned on going to the temple and letting Mom and Dad watch Preston, but that soon changed around 9:40 am! Tanner was at the church building helping to set up chairs and vaccum the hallways. I was at home with Preston just playing and getting ready! Preston wanted to get on his rocking horse and I put him on it and turned my back and poof he had fallen off the horse and hurt his front, top middle tooth!!! Blood was every where and I was freaking out! I called Tanner and told him to come home immediately. His tooth had flipped up in his mouth near his lip and it wasn't loose! I immediately gave him some tylenol and he calmed down when I let him play with my phone because he was hurt! He loved it! So, I called my sister Meredith to ask her if what to do. I called Care Now and they told me to go to the ER. We went and the doctor and nurses were so nice. The Dr. told me they were going to push the tooth down and then up into his gums! He said that they weren't going to numb the area with a needle, because it would be easier and faster to just do it and the needle would probably hurt more.....SO the dr. and 2 nurses came in to help hold Preston down and perform the procedure. I held down his body and arms...poor little guy! He made it through and was so good! He is on a soft food/drink diet and has to take antibiotics to ensure that no infection occurs. We are going to make an appointment to see a dentist on monday to check it out!!! Being a mom is hard work! I just wanted to take the pain away from him and hold him....He came home and went straight back to his rocking horse....to make Pa proud. He fell down, but got right back on!! :)

He can't have any bottles or soothie for a couple of days and so we thought...I guess it is time to wean him! So, that was our Saturday morning!!! ALso, one of the nurses was Ruthann Wilde from 3rd ward so it was nice to see a familiar face and she helped us out and gave us some good info on dentists and that he will be fine...even if the tooth falls out...it just means he might be toothless for a while until he gets his big teeth in!

On the other hand, we bought our first car together this week at Jim McNatt dealership! I researched online all of the dealerships and their used car inventory to see what fit in our budget. Ended up all the cars I was interested in were all at one place! YAY!! I made a notecard for each car and put the specs etc on it! We test drove like 5 cars and the last one was it! It's a 2007 Chevy HHR LS. It is midnight blue with dark tint and only 38,000 miles! We got an awesome deal! I now drive in style!

Well, that's our drama for now! I am making Preston his first big blanket...a john deer one! I'm pretty excited! Just have to start it...yikes! Our family is great and loving every second together!

Preston's First Birthday!

We celebrated Preston's birthday just recently and I wanted to post some pictures of our newly turned one year old. At the birthday party with my family, by the time we started eating cake, Preston was so tired and exhausted that he didn't want any cake, but only some yogurt...!!! I made Preston's cake and it was so delicious, chocolate fudge cake with chocolate frosting and some blue additions with a fabulous wilton frosting can. We had so much fun celebrating with him. He got some toys that were for his age...since he was still practically playing with his newborn toys and he even got a carseat!! He is growing up so fast and I am amazed at his sweet spirit and loving, cuddly self!! He has been taking steps lately and took 4 or 5 to me from Tanner yesterday. He doesn't walk all the time, because he still likes to crawl, but sometimes the daredevil in him will come out and he will prove you wrong. Tanner and I like to sit across from each other in the living room and have Preston walk between us...sometimes a little enticing is needed, but we do what it takes!!! On his real birthday, the 13th he did try some of Nana's white cake and loved it! It's pretty cute because he is turning into his own little personality...if he isn't done chewing and you try to offer him food, he will either, take out the food that isin his mouth if what you have looks better, or he will shake his head no and then finish chewing and when he is done he will open up!! Pretty cute!

Not too crazy about it!

Daddy, Mommy, and Preston all together!!

Preston's eyeing his first birthday cake with daddy!






Preston's Cake!!

Playing with presents with Kirsten. He got this awesome train that has three cars and animals that sit in them and it sings and is super cute. The animals all have moving parts and the best part is that Preston thinks it is amazing. Let me tell you, the best place to spend less money, but get more toys for your dollar is Once Upon a Child. You may have to go every so often, but it's totally worth it when you find what you want.


Playing with the new dump truck we gave Preston!

Hmm, white cake and frosting...he loved it! Every second !

Preston's cutsiness

Today was an awesome day! I went shopping with Meredith and Summer. I was able to buy Preston's birthday presents at a resale shop for $20 and then I found the perfect bathroom rug and towels. Tonight I went to Ross and wasn't expecting to see Summer, but she was in town and she was planning on going to Ross, so we met up, shopped and bought some cute dresses and then went out to eat! It's so fun being able to have a mini girl's night and it was much needed!! Tanner got a little stressed since I spent so much, but he knows that that is me and he loves me anyway! It was a fun and very successful shopping trip! And Preston was amazing! He kept letting me drag him from store to store and was just the most adorable shopping buddy ever!

I just wanted to post some cute pics of Preston and the mischief our almost one year old has been getting into. He has taken a couple of steps on his own and I know that one day he will up and start walking everywhere! He's the cutest little guy and he's all ours! YAY!!

This is Preston right after he took a bath and was so tired!

Preston all of a sudden got really quiet one night and so I went to go see what he was up to and I found him playing with the diapers he pulled out of the diaper holder. He thought he was hot stuff. While it was pretty shamey, it was ohh so sweet and cute at the same time!

Tanner makes the best smoothies and so I am always buying strawberries and asking him to make me one, so here is Preston loving the smoothie that Tanner made!!
Preston and me waiting on our smoothie!

Preston just ate rice and beans and got it everywhere and then we gave him a couple of cheetos and this is our beautiful cheesy, ricey baby!

Look-a-Like Meter

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Blank family tree - Geneology

Looks like Preston looks like Tanner more!

Just Another Day!

Today I went shopping with my sister Meredith and we had so much fun! We were shopping for bathroom stuff to redecorate Preston's bathroom. I did find some cute pic frames that all matched and they were $3 a piece. (YAY!) Tanner helped me put them up and I put in some bath pics of Preston. Lots of fun. The bathroom is coming together, slowly but surely! I made tacos for lunch with this awesome Taco Bell dinner kit and Preston loved the rice. He gobbled it all up and let us take pictures. Too cute. I'll load them later! Tonight we went to Target to buy diapers and ended up buying Preston an early birthday present. It's a fridge farm magnetic animal set and he loves it. That was pretty much our day!

Back into Blogging!

Today I am finally getting back into updating the blog!! YAY!! Preston turns one soon and it seems like just yesterday that we brought him home! He is moving and grooving. He is crawling around like crazy and loves to pull up and walk on things . He is trying to climb up on anything and everything and he is so shamey, but so cutesy at the same time!

Our family picture taken by us, the most professional (yeah right)!

Ohh how Preston loves his cheetos!!

Preston and Daddy with matching haircuts!

Halloween

Here are some random pictures! Preston turned 6 months old on the 13th! Here are some pictures from Halloween and our family party!

Preston was a dalmation puppy for Halloween! We were his dog walkers!!

This is Tanner and Preston at our Family Birthday Party for October! I love these pictures!

Aren't they so handsome!!

Around here it's been hectic! Tanner was sick last week, Preston has a ear infection, and I have my allergies kicking in. I am finishing up all of my school projects and ready to start Christmas shopping when school is over. Tanner is working hard and already started his Christmas shopping! We are so excited that Preston is growing up and becoming our little man!