A visit with Santa

We got all the boys to sit with Santa today. No tears and everyone told him what they wanted:)

First birthday cupcake

Shane's first birthday and thus his first birthday cupcake. He mostly just tore it apart and played with it but did get some in his mouth:)

The cake

Cupcake Cake for Shane, Jacob, McKenna, and Popo

He's ONE!

That looks good!

Frosting is gone...

That was yummy cupcake!

He's ONE!

His new slide:)

New jammies from mom and dad

Flannel shirt

New book from Grammy and Popo

Camo jammies from Grammy and Popo

One year later

As of yesterday the boys (M and Z) have been with us for a year...and what a year it has been! As I get presents wrapped and under the tree the biggest difference is that we are now mom and dad and not Mark and Heather. We are a family and the boys feel like they are our own children and that they have been with us forever. We have had many challenges this past year but when we take time to look back we realize that we have come a LONG way. Z no longer kicks and screams when strapped into his car seat, M's tantrums are down to a few a month (not a few a day) and they are quick to end, both boys are on ADHD medicine and their attention spans are much longer, and talk of how wonderful tummy mom was is a thing of the past. I think they have adjusted well to being our children and part of a forever family. Each day is still a work in progress but the testing is minimal and each day is more joyous. We look forward to this coming year and another year under our belts as parents. If we've come this far in a year, I am excited to see where we will be this time next year!

Miner family pictures

Grammy and Popo with all of their grandkids

Miner family

Miner family Christmas

The cousins ready to eat

M dressing up with cousins...this will be used against him someday:)

Big brother and littlest brother

Newest toy?!?!

S found an old CVS card and had a hayday with it! Perhaps he thinks he's a dog:)