Branson's First Month

I really can't believe it's been a whole month since our sweet Branson Michael entered the world. His big brother Nolan has always been so easy going, even as a baby, that I've worried that he was what some call the "trick baby." The easy baby you get first to "trick" you into having another, only to have your world turned upside down by a screaming, demanding, and difficult second baby. However, I'm so happy to report that Branson is a dream baby! He is seriously so sweet and easy going. He's usually content to sleep anywhere, although when he wants to be held he'll let you know. Not because he's mean about it and starts wailing or anything, but he's just clearly discontented and unhappy until you finally cave and stop what you're doing to hold him ☺ Let's be honest though, it's a real pleasure to hold this sweet boy.

We have also learned that he loves his car seat, and is apparently really comfortable in it! (hallelujah!) If he's a little fussy as we're about to head out of the house, almost as soon as we put him in the seat and turn on the car he's out like a light!

Let's see, what else. He has done a lot more peeing without the diaper on than his brother did. Nolan probably peed on us a total of 2 or 3 times, but Branson has already exceeded that. And, sorry if this is gross (or embarrassing in the future. Sorry, not sorry Branson!) - but he once shot poo at me while I was changing his bum! Yes, it shot at least a foot! haha.

He's been pretty good at night, sleeping at least 3 hours in between feedings since birth. But he's such a LOUD sleeper, that it's sometimes still hard for us to sleep with him in the room. Oey, he'll toss and turn and grunt and hiccup for half an hour straight! He's not crying though, so I won't complain haha.

He also is a multiple sneezer, sometimes sneezing as many as 5 times in a row!!

People love to comment on how different Nolan and Branson's hair color is! I admit, as much as I love Nolan's blonde hair, it's SO fun that they are so different, yet (according to a lot of people) still look a lot alike. People always quip that we've got one kid "for me" and one "for Justin" as far as hair color goes haha. Justin used to try to correct people and say, "well I don't know, I was born with strawberry blonde hair and was blonde until I was probably 4 years old." But I told him to just own it and say, "That's right!"

We sure love him and can't wait to really start seeing his personality come through the next few months.

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Here's his 1 month pic

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Get ready for picture overload!!

Justin loves the snuggles he gets from Baby B.

He likes to sleep with his cute mouth open a lot.

Angel baby

Our favorite fox pj's have been resurrected! And of course Nolan loves them too!

I'm dying over this one! He is SO handsome!

Our first time going out as a family! I was still not feeling the best, but I just had to get out of the house! So we went to a Teriyaki Bowl place in Ft. Union.

Then to Target where of course dad and Nolan had to look at the phones ☺

Nolan hasn't really been too sure about his baby brother. So far he mostly just ignores him, probably hoping he'll eventually go away haha. But he has also had moment's of pure sweetness. 

Once when Branson started crying and I didn't immediately get up to go get him, Nolan looked toward where the crying was coming from and with a worried look on his face said, "Go check!"

He's been sweet other times too. Here he is giving "Baby Banson" kisses...

...and checking out his cute little toes

...and giving him a bottle 

...and helping daddy give him a bath

One night Nolan was getting everyone cups for dinner and he kindly included Branson in his calculations. I had to intervene though when he put water in the purple cup and walked over to Branson with it, saying, "I give Banson a drink of water!" ☺ I had to explain that Branson is little and doesn't drink water yet haha.

This is how Branson feels about his big brother.
"Oh Nolan, what am I going to do with you?"

In all seriousness though, I have no doubts these two are going to grow up to be best buds!!

We love you so much Branson Michael and can't believe you've been on this earth for a whole month!!

The Holiday Season and Christmas with the Mathews

I just love the holidays! I love the smells, the lights, the treats, the parties, the giving, the family time, the...everything! Having a newborn this year made it extra special, but also sort of made it pass like a blur. I did a pretty good job of purchasing most of my gifts before Branson was born so luckily I didn't have to worry too much about that.

Justin and I also started making a list this year of all the traditions we'd like to either begin or continue with our kids. I'd love to keep the holidays simple, but have a few things that my kids really look forward to each year, especially ones that promote family togetherness and help us remember the Savior and the true meaning for the season.

My favorite part about this Christmas (besides Branson, obviously) was watching Nolan start to discover everything. We taught him to shout "lights!!" whenever he saw Christmas lights so every time we were in the car we'd hear an enthusiastic "LIGHTS!" from the back seat ♥

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Christmas card from the Holladay 14th Ward nursery. Of course Nolan found his way into Jeanni's arms, silly kid.

We spent a really fun evening with friends making gingerbread houses!

Nolan loved playing with all their toys

Carli and Echo

Samantha is older than Nolan and loved jumping off the coffee table onto the couch. Nolan had a blast copying her and saying, 'Now my turn!' but he couldn't quite make the jump. He tries but his feet never leave the floor. ☺ It was sure cute to watch him play though!

All the kids

 (L-R) Echo, Macy, Samantha, Nolan, and Branson

The whole crew

(L-R) Meghan B., Branson, Nolan, Justin, Liz, Brian F., 
Carli, Echo, Brian S., Samantha, Meghan S., and Macy

 We made some Christmas cookies! Nolan was in charge of decorating. The sprinkles may have come out much faster than we expected, but he didn't mind and was clearly very proud of his work!

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This year we headed to Las Vegas for Christmas. Nolan has always been an amazing traveler and I'm SO incredibly happy to report that so far Branson is amazing as well! Thank the heavens above!

Cute Nolan on Gm and Gp's couch 

Grandma making sandwiches for the 3 older boys

This was a common site. Justin running around chasing or being chased by toddlers.

Frosting sugar cookies!!

Even Granky got in on the action! I thought, oh, he's just going to frost one or two so he can eat them haha. But he frosted a ton of cookies!!


Rhett though, he was in it for the eating ☺

Coaching grandpa on how to frost the cookie because he was clearly doing it wrong.

  

Russ and Branson sleeping the day away. Lazy bums ☺

Nolan (and all the other boys) LOVED this stool. So much so that it got them into things and fighting and therefore in trouble so it had to be taken away haha.

There's something so sweet about my siblings meeting and holding my babies for the first time ♥

Sleepy grandpa and Branson

GG with the boys!

We went out to Bucca de Beppo for Christmas Eve dinner and then came home to watch a Christmas movie (Nolan is the one kneeling and looking up at the screen. With all these blondies it's hard to tell!)

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Christmas morning! (Well, afternoon. We went to church first)

Nolan's favorite part of Christmas was definitely ripping the paper. He would open a present and before he could even comprehend what it was he was onto the next one. He also thought every present was for him so if anyone needed help opening theirs he was ready and willing.

My dad loves snuggling (and sleeping) with newborns

Justin spoiled me this year (and went way over our designated budget ☺) and got us 2 tickets to see The Lion King at the new Eccles Theater AND a new grey North Face ski coat. I had seen this coat at TJ Maxx at least a couple of months before Christmas and, even though I couldn't zip it up because I was super pregnant, fell in love with it and was walking around the store with it. I knew it was too expensive though so I reluctantly put it back. However, I kept thinking about it and wishing I had just pulled the trigger and gotten it anyway, especially because it was at TJ Maxx and would be long gone if I tried to find it again. I was kinda bummed about it. But, low and behold, somehow my Justin sneakily bought it behind my back! I'm still not sure how he did it because the TJ Maxx we saw it at was in Provo! He won't tell me how or when he bought it because he doesn't want me to know 'all his secrets' haha.

GG, Great Grandpa Hunt, and Uncle Andy spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with us ♥

That Warren Russell is SO smiley!!

Playing with their new toys

Letters and cars with Unca BJ

Our favorite and most precious Christmas present this year. Cute  ♥ Branson Michael ♥

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As you can see from the video below, Nolan really wanted to go "to Rhett's house and to Beckett's house." How could we resist that?! We spent a full day with cousins and had a blast!

First up, breakfast. Devin made us waffles with her new waffle maker! Mmmmm.


Beck and Rhett got this play kitchen for Christmas and they loved making 'soup.'
 

Nolan and Rhett were equal parts adorable and equal parts frustrating together. They looked like twins and were just so darn cute, but they also fought all.the.time. Basically, Nolan is the oldest (and until recently the only child) so he's used to getting his way and playing with whatever toys he wants. And Rhett has had to constantly compete with Beck for toys so he kind of hoards them and is willing to fight for them. So you can see why we had a problem haha!! But it was still kind of a cute 2 year old fighting, you know? 

Nolan didn't really help himself either because lately one of his favorite things to do is go up to other kids, point his finger at them and, with a sour look on his face say, "OBEY you!!" (Devin said that even after we left her kids were saying "obey you!" several times a day. Oey, I guess Nolan leaves his mark!)

They were even wearing matching sweaters!! Love.

They have this great drainage wash next to their house so we had a lot of fun riding their new wiggle cars and razors.

Nolan loved this truck

Boys + Dirt = ♥

Playing with his new RC car

I'm thinking this is Gp Mathews favorite way to bond with his new grandsons ☺

Gp and Warren Russell

Gp and Branson Michael

Oh wow, could he be any more handsome?! That's why we call him 'Handsome Branson!'

Preston (yes, Preston) got an awesome remote control truck for Christmas. It can climb up rocks! Lots of fun was had with it ☺

At Capriotti's (or as Gp Mathews calls it, 'Caps') for lunch

Nolan wanted to sit with his cousins ♥

Preston and Devin have lots of cool parks by their new house so we stopped to play at one of them!

Rhett, Preston, and Beck

It was pretty cold though and almost dark so we didn't last very long. Plus Devin, miss California girl, didn't even have a good jacket! ☺ We'll need to get her one hehe.

That night all the girls went out for a girls night and hit up Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx!

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Gm getting some snuggle time with Branson.

Our last night in LV we all went out to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner. My old roommate and bestie, Brittany, was in town with her parents so she could catch a flight to Washington the next morning, so they met us for dinner! It was so fun to get to hang out with them.

Gp Mathews and Granky, Devin, Beck, Nolan, and Rhett

Johnna, Brit, Clyde, Justin

Nolan wanted to sit with his cousins. They were pretty raucous (and cute!) together.

It's just going to be so fun watching these boys grow up together!

Thanks for a great Christmas mom and dad and fam!! Last, here's a "HO, HO, HO MERRY CHRISTMAS!" from Nolan ♥