The Nichols Adventure: 2013

Friday, September 6, 2013

Deegan has arrived!

A long awaited post is finally here...

Baby Deegan arrived 2 weeks early on July 1, 2013 at 1:01 AM, weighing 6 pounds 2 ounces and 19.5 inches long. He came into this world much quicker than his sister and mommy is very thankful for that! This is old news for most everyone as he is now 9 weeks old and growing bigger every day! At 9 weeks, he now weighs 12 pounds 10 ounces (yes he has doubled his birth weight at 2 months!) and is 23.5 inches long! His "big" sister Austyn weighs a whopping 32 pounds and is 41 inches tall!

Deegan has made our family complete and brings us all so much happiness and smiles every day! He smiles with big open mouthed grins and is talking to us in "ah's" and "oh's" and melts our hearts daily. Austyn loves her little brother very much and is really helpful (most of the time) and caring! She loves to be a mini mommy and can't wait until her brother can be more interactive and play with her. He loves her too!

Austyn started her PreK class a few weeks ago and is really enjoying it and doing great! She even has little homework assignments (and she is excited to do them)! She dresses herself each day in matching attire and jewelry (dress/skirt/shirt, panties, necklace, bracelet, ring and a hair pretty - all must be color coordinated)! Some days she goes through many wardrobe changes! If we have music on she usually has to change into her ballet or fairy clothes so she can dance (especially if it is her favorite songs: Gone Gone Gone by Phillip Phillips or Peace of Mind by Rebelution). She is our tiny dancer. She is still in ballet/tap classes and is excited to start dance class again next week. She tells us she wants to be a "cook" when she grows up and loves to help mommy in the kitchen. She is growing up so fast.

Here are some of the many pictures we have taken from the past few months!

Austyn's dance recital in June - she did great on stage (so did her best friend Ella)!

Her first debut in the press - the Ojai newspaper (she is 2nd from the right)

Austyn wanted to try on mommy's wedding dress

Some belly shots:

7 weeks to go!

5 days before arrival

The day before I went into labor!

Austyn's first day of her PreK class (holding her first homework assignment)

Deegan Anthony Nichols born July 1st!

Coming home from the hospital (tiny boy in a big seat)!

Deegan's 1 week photo shoot with big sister Austyn

Snuggle time

First bath (he screamed) - but he now LOVES bath time

1st day at the beach with his cousins and sister!

Little man :)

First big smiles captured!

Talking and smiling with Auntie Jen

2 months young!

First time in the pool (to cool off from Ojai's 100 degree weather)

This picture cracks me up (check out Deegan's smirk in the background)!

Austyn just finished swimming lessons for the summer and is doing really great swimming & diving)

Our love to you all!

Serenity, Nathan, Austyn & Deegan

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Growing Up!

April 3, 2013: Well it's been quite awhile since we've done a post! Austyn just turned 4 a few weeks ago and has a newfound independence since this birthday (some of the time)! Now that she is 4, she is determined that she doesn't need help doing many things (like getting dressed, getting her own water, going to bed by herself, not getting sad when I drop her off at school...). This is what she says anyway ~ many days she forgets about this independence and needs reminding that she is 4! She makes us laugh all the time (and occasionally tests our patience)!

We've had a busy summer and 2013. Here are some photos and updates from the past 6 months.

Oh - in case you don't know yet- Austyn is getting a new baby brother in July! She is very excited - and so are we!

Austyn is still doing ballet and practicing for her June performance on stage! Sometimes her and her best friend Ella chit chat during dance and have to be separated!

Austyn got a big girl bike for her birthday and is loving it!

Princess party - Austyn dressed as Belle!

We took a trip to Hawaii in October and had a fun visit with lots of family. We first stopped in Kona and Austyn got to meet her Auntie Nichole, Uncle JR and cousins Kepa and Crew. Next we went to Kauai to meet up with Noni, Papa, Auntie Heather, Uncle Brian, Kevyn, Spencer, Macy and Cody. We had a great adventure!

Nathan and I went on an adventure excursion in Kauai (kayaking, hiking, swinging from ropes into swimming holes, picnicking, zip lining and a day of fun!)