From babies to toddlers!

Well, it's been quite a while since the last blog update. It's amazing how quickly time flies by! We can't believe it when we say it, but our little babies turned one year old last month.
What an incredible, crazy, stressful, challenging, and wonderful year we have had. Simply put, it's been the best year of our lives.
So much has changed since the last blog update, I don't really know where to begin. I guess I'll just dive in to it starting with our little boy Mason...


Mason smiles from the time he wakes up to the time he goes to bed! He is ALL BOY!!! Ever since he learned to walk at 11 months, he's been non stop. Everything he can get his hands on gets its structural integrity tested by slamming it against a hard surface. He loves to take apart everything and figure out how every toy works. He's already outsmarted most of the family with his remote control skills, ordering "on demand" movies and recording shows on the DVR. He is so joyful! It's so much fun to watch him discover the world!!!

And then there's beautiful Maddy. What a sweetheart she has become! She walks around talking to herself in baby talk and laughing at herself in the mirror. She is so fascinated with her own reflection we sometimes thinks she would prefer a identical sister. She is our little social butterfly. She loves to interact with everyone. She also loves to learn the dances from her baby videos and walks around singing "EIEIO"

And let me tell you, when she bats her eyes and blows a kiss, the world tilts on its axis. She's our little charmer. She sure has daddy wrapped around her finger.

Here she is watching her video.

Mason playing at the park in his new shoes.

This picture represents both of them really well. Maddy in the spotlight, watching what's going on and Mason in the background trying to put a twig on the head of a bolt in the wood.

And then there's mommy... She's doing good. Five days a week she watches the babies and does most of the day to day things around the house. Her life is full of diapers and bottles, laundry and bills, and trying to stay on top of everything. The payoff comes in the little moments during the day when the babies do something that cracks her up or melts her heart. She's the hardest working woman I've ever seen... and impossible to keep up with.

Two days a week she works at Jenny Craig. She has been there for 7 years now, and she still enjoys it. And it gives her a chance to get out of the house and talk to adults for a while!

As for me... I'm good! I finished the Fire Academy in December and I've been working at Station 62 in Aloha. I've already had some crazy experiences, and seen a lot of interesting things.

I recently passed my first benchmark and I'm about to change fire stations. I'll now be working out of 64, which is the Tanasbourne area. Life as a probationary firefighter is very tough, but it's still wonderful. It's been a great job so far. I work 24 on and 48 off, so I get plenty of time to be home with the family.

Well, I guess that's about it for now. I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse into our lives. Thank you for reading! I'll do my best to update a little more often.

God bless,

The Needham Family