Umbilical Cord

how handsome is this fella, though? :)

why do these things stay on for SO long?! gah! i always feel bad about giving the babe tummy time when they still have this attached :( it's been over three weeks (yesterday was three!) and i can't stand it anymore. well, not really- but i always worry about if it is comfortable for the babe or if it will start smelling foul and/or something bad will happen and i will need to take the babe to the doc's. none of which would be all that bad. just a fair nuisance with two other cuties to worry about.

o Christmas tree!

well- we got our Christmas tree two weekends ago and i love it! it happens to be the tree that we're all bunched in front of with the boys. baby #3 is the little green dot in front of me and is super duper handsome! the older boys had a lot of fun walking around and finding the right tree. it was quite adorable! it is the third year that we've cut down our tree with our friends who invited us. so fun! last year, we added on going to a pizza place that is SO GOOD. i just wish we were within delivery range. seriously- we'd keep this place in business! :)

oh my goodness!

i am still alive. the baby is healthy (and a boy!). so far, he's sleeping really well. i'm healing fairly well (and quick- yay!). and he eats well too. which is great. he eats a lot in one chunk, apparently is eating every 4-5 hours and somehow gaining about 3 ounces daily. the pediatrician was impressed. i totally lost the bet i had with the husband on his weight gain. i thought that he would be around 7lb 11oz which is about 2 ounces above birth weight, but a pound heavier than he was when we left the hospital. whoa- he was 8lb 8oz. waaay off. anyway- without further ado- here's the handsome fella. :)

the husband, #1 and #3. (#2 was running around the room trying to get his hands on the remote control since we never let the kids hang out in this room)

going for walks

has anyone asked how you connect with God? for me, it is through nature. when i'm having a rough time with the kids, the best thing for me (and them!) is to get outside even if it is for only about twenty minutes. i need to be able to breathe the air that has the plants and animals He's created mingled in there with it.

this past weekend, the hubby and i both agreed that we needed to go for a walk with the kids. we went to a nature park near our house and i took a bunch of pictures. most of them are not.so.hot. after three years, i've been trying out the settings on my camera and it's kind of crazy that i don't get it. at all. these photos aren't horrible- but i have no idea what i'm doing. anyway, here is a pleasant photograph of a small lake with some ducks flying overhead. i took a lot of pictures of the ducks flying in "v" formation and it was super cool. the ducks are often WAY too small to see in the photographs from this weekend, but it was cool in real life.

after we walked around the lake, the kids needed to use some facilities and so we headed to the library nearby and then walked around our favorite neighborhood. so refreshing! i can't wait to walk with the new baby.

God's hand is found in the Bible, the following are some examples that stand out to me:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."
{Isaiah 55:8-13}

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
{Psalm 33: 6-9}

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
{Psalm 19: 1-6}


Whenever I read Psalm 19, it reminds me of my favorite songs from growing up in church:

Canticle Of The Sun
Refrain:
The heavens are telling the glory of god, and all creation is shouting for
joy, come, dance in the forest, come play in the field and sing, sing to the glory of the Lord

Sing to the sun, the bringer of day, he carries the light of the Lord in his rays, the moon and the stars, who light up the way unto your throne.
Refrain
Praise to the wind, that blows through the trees, the seas mighty storms, the gentlest breeze, they blow where they will, they blow where they please, to please the Lord.
Refrain
Praise to the rain that waters our fields, and blesses our crops, so all the earth yields, from death unto life her myst'ry concealed, springs forth in joy.
Refrain
Praise to the fire, who gives us his light, the warmth of the sun to brighten our night, he dances with joy, his spirit so bright, he sings of You.
Refrain
Sing to the earth, who makes life to grow, the creatures You made to let Your life show, the flowers and trees that help us to know the Heart of Love.
Refrain
Praise to our death, that makes our life real, the knowledge of loss that helps us to feel, the Gift of Yourself, Your Presence revealed to bring us home.
Refrain

Hopefully you feel refreshed!

november 24th

baby bump at 38 weeks

well, the baby should not be in the belly any later than november 24th. it has been a slow and fast pregnancy, which can be confusing. it was slow until september and then it turned into today. today is 13 days before my due date. #1 was born 14 days early and #2 was born 13 days early. preclampsia being the reason. tomorrow will be the longest a baby has been in my belly. whoa.

this time? zero symptoms.

the not-so-fun challenge this time is this thing: h1n1. if i have it when the baby is born i have to wait till i have no fever for 24 hours before i can see him/her. no nursing, no contact. seriously. what?!

the husband can't be a part of the delivery if he comes in contact within 7 days with someone who has the swine flu. seriously? what?

i get three visitors who are the same the whole stay. c-section people have to be there 2 days. i've usually stayed 3. i might not this time because seriously- thanksgiving at a hospital? not so sure how thankful i'll be. though- i will be thankful if the nurses are still super awesome like they've been in the past. with #2 we got a lot of needed assistance. especially for being second time parents. who knew that each kid would be SO different? seriously. no joke.

to avoid any issues with who can come to the hospital, my parents are being awesome and watching 1 and 2 basically from this sunday until friday the 27th at their house. i'm so thankful especially since the kids are under the restricted age of 16 for who can come and be a part of the 3 hospital visitors. husband's parents will be able to come by when it works for them. can you believe that my kids are going to leave one day with a baby in my belly and then when they get back it will be out of my belly. seriously. what?!

hope they don't freak out.

i think that i might. three kids. three and under. WHAT were we thinking? :)

just kidding- i'm so excited at this point we'll just make it all work out. i love my bean in my belly and am anxious to meet him/her.

pray for the safety and health of this baby. it's been a boring pregnancy (thank you Jesus!) but i've been the most anxious this time around. the bad stories prepare you for the worst, but they do not give me a peace of mind.

#2's new room's look

you might remember the wall decor from our old place and how it was in #1's bedroom. he loved it, and i felt so bad that #2 is in the most boring room possible since we do not trust him to not play with toys/read books. i love the balloons and i'm glad that i didn't use them all in #1's room since they aren't really reusable.


here's the most filled area in the room furniture-wise. two little red chairs with a table between. we do story time before bedtime here several times a week. it is cute (note the sheet... the boys had pulled it off #1's bed and were playing tug-o-war with it!)
a better closeup of the bed. the comforter is from my college bed, which my parents kept in great condition over the past couple years. worked out great to not have to buy one *thanks m&d!* love me my parents. and! we removed the railing- since the husband pointed out that #2 will probably not hurt anything falling/rolling out of bed. we haven't heard any cries- so i think that he was right. ha. :)

anyway- #2 loves his room. we've put him in the bed for the past two days and he's not doing so hot with naps yet, but he'll get there. we might do a pack n' play for a couple weeks so he can look around the room and get used to it during the day. not sure. we'll see!

ps- upon recommendation, we have purchased a doorknob thing that makes it more difficult to escape a room. it's working so far, so i can rest without being worried that a lil' handsome is going to be gallivanting around the house (and this kid would be eating me out of the house! ha!)

kid #2

don't think that i've forgotten about my other little dude. he is growing up really fast, too. as a testament to that statement, here's a little tidbit of information that we were surprised to find out yesterday morning (with a repeat today). lately, the husband and i have been waking up earlier to get stuff done without our beautiful kids running around under our feet. his intention is more of a "get to work early so i can get home on time" and mine is "quiet time with Jesus", and/or "check stuff out on the computer"

as i was looking at my Email yesterday, this handsome (seen above) ran into our room and basically fell over to avoid running smack into a wall- to which he said "uh, oh!" i gave my husband a look like "what just happened here?" and "did i miss it and you went to go get him?" anyway- apparently #2 is getting efficient at opening doors.

last night, in order to protect our kid from falling down the stairs† we put up a gate and this morning i heard it crash down as the kid walked out of his room. our gates are not 100% awesome, as you can tell, reader, but it served it's purpose! i knew he was out and about. i leave my hearing aids out of my ears some mornings to let them *breathe* sort of silly, but i truly relish the fact that i'm in my own world sometimes!

tonight we'll have to put the gate up a wee bit better than last night, though. and maybe sneak in a couple toys to tide him over till it is time to *get up!*

† the kid fell down the stairs last night. what.in.the.world. eugh. 2 for 2 now (kid #1 and #2, that is!)

today…

he's really three! here are some pictures throughout the weekend and today in which we celebrated our handsome boy!

saturday, had some people over to celebrate the handsome and here's the cake that i said i would be making (delicious! but RICH! we had 24 people over and the cake says 12-15 servings. we had leftovers... crazy!)
wearing a shirt that says "i am 3! roar!" so cute. he was so excited right here. i think that the cake might have just been removed from his site and he's so proud of blowing out the candles. love him


we made a breakfast just for him so he could blow out candles. :)

went for a walk with friends!

Got to play with chalk while waiting for dad to come home from work


riding a bike! wearing a sweet hat my friend, b, made. (i took a lot of pics today, b, so i'll email you a couple of the hats that look real great for you to use!)


#1- we love you so much. we're so glad that the Lord has blessed us with three years of your life. we are so excited to see and experience you growing up.

chuckle

one of the funniest things i've heard #1 say to #2 occurred this weekend after his birthday celebration. we're eating dinner, and the boys have a small bowl of blueberries. #2 is squeezing them a bit before putting them in his mouth... and #1 says:

"you squeeze it, big boy!"

the whole table erupted into laughter, and although #1 wasn't trying to be funny, he saw that he is quite a comedian and kept trying to say funny phrases for the rest of the weekend to get us all laughing again.

#1 is such a blessing in our lives. thank you, God, for him!

three!

this weekend my oldest is turning three. i just can't.believe.it.at.all. seriously- i remember him as a peanut in my arms. or as my sister says when he was "scrunchy" (5lbs 9oz is kind of a small baby)

anyway... i asked him what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday and he said chocolate. i am not a fan of chocolate, so i'm going to make it jazzy so i can enjoy making the cake. the cake i've chosen to make is from this blog via this blog. doesn't it look delicious? i hope mine turns out just as grand looking and that #1 enjoys it. we've been counting down to his birthday for 14 days (total) and tomorrow we're having a birthday part which has a special star on the date to get him excited. personally- i really hope he's successful at blowing out the candles because he's been practicing his blowing *forever*! so cute.

"three candles, cake, ice cream, mom. i get to blow out the candles." (a.k.a. - don't worry if you're coming and you don't have a present. he doesn't care- he just wants to blow out the candles and eat unhealthy food)

gah! i'm going to have a three year old in the house!

halloween - a recap

i am draco malfoy - check out my wand

harry potter - thank goodness for make-up!

both boys really had a good time with halloween. they also wore robes (see below image) that i made, but these photos are super cute. my aunt thought that #2 got hurt-- ohhh harry potter. #1 keeps asking for candy corn that we never ever got, but is more than happy with the candy we slowly hand out to them.

the hubster taught #1 (and encouraged #2) to wave his wand and say "trick or treat!" upon going up to the houses. we had smallish bags for the boys and they were fairly full with only two streets that we went down (by our old house, sigh). kind of crazy. when we got back home we found out that people do go trick or treating in our neighborhood and we felt kind of bad that we didn't just go around our block. oh well! i liked the fact that i could see where we were going- street lights are definitely good when you're not trying to sleep :)

my little men after their treating. a wee bit cold and draco's hair is a bit crazy. they loved the necklaces as well. handsome fellas. love them!

goals

picture from the petting zoo last month.

here are my goals for the next few days (before october is over!)

- write more than usual on this thing (i've been averaging 4 to 5 times a month, and i really want to be able to look back in the future to more so i can see growth, laugh at the horrible grammar, and have fun reading)
- love on my kids
- keep kids healthy
- send out kid #1's third birthday invites!
- clean the house
- make costumes tonight for a possibly rainy halloween (is it really worth it?!)
- probably BUY candy for that halloween.. ha.
- clean off my desk (the husband would be SO happy)
- eat some salad… i've got some yummy veggies! which reminds me- i totally forgot to go to the last farmer's market of the year. oops
- wear my hair down a bit more. i don't really like it down without styling and the time i have in the a.m. isn't really conducive to that luxury. bummer. i got a compliment from a friend who's honest with me today, so i think that is a good sign (aka- it's not SO bad...)
- take more pictures of my cuties. -- i got the camera back from my husband today- it was hidden in the car, which is a HUGE bummer for me the past week.
- finalize the rest of my Christmas purchase list. i've got most of it nailed down, but i'm trying to be a bit creative for a couple people in the family and that is TOUGH! had to start early this year because the baby is due soon! (PTL!)
- spend time with Jesus in the morning.

oh no! it's ME!

Snow Gold
Originally uploaded by Jollyboy

have you ever wondered where a noise was coming from? pretty much all through my life, if i know where a noise is coming from i can choose to ignore it. if i don't know, then it can drive me crazy for hours. near the end of my pregnancies i tend to find more mucus in my body (nose) in general. moments ago, i was sitting down and thought "WHERE is that noise coming from?!" then i realized it was my mouth. it was wide open and i was breathing in and out. goodness. how i would not be allowed to sit in peace if i were at my parents house breathing like that (hence the headgear i got to wear at night for a great length of time). the worst part is, if i breathe through my nose, the noise is worse.

what a conundrum. :)

oh camera

where are you? i just need to ask the husband where it is, but i use the computer most often when he's not around. tonight is a night where he isn't (he's seeing a movie with a friend- zombieland), and i thought it was time for a post :)

here's some eye candy that comes from a blog i regularly look at (not necessarily read... oh copywriters don't hate me!) and i love her shots. i think that some of the wedding pictures are a bit too crazy/creative for me, and i would be bummed that my special day is a bit blurry. but i LOVE how she does it for other people. ::here's the link to her site:: and also one of her photos:

love me some origami

today, as we were driving home from a meeting and went through the *downtown* we live in #1 began to chat (b/c he was done with his snack). it was pretty sweet with all the decorations and #1 pointed out the pumpkins, hay, and the like. for some reason he has started to associate his birthday with halloween decorations. i find that to be amusing- but it's also getting a little bit tough because i feel like he is anxiously awaiting the day he wakes up with presents to open and candles to blow out. until november 10th, he's gonna be a bit disappointed!
he mentioned his three candles and how his cousin, mia, and he could blow them out on his birthday because they are both three. i thought that was adorable. she turned three in september, but they are aware that they are the same age. love it. i just wish we lived closer! gah. birthday invites have little candles on them and the number three. he loves candles and numbers- so i hope that when he looks at his baby book he remembers this obsession that will most likely have been WAY over.

conversation with #1

after we got back from a trip with the family out eastward towards d.c. - i was still getting laundry done (aka hadn't even started it) and the toddler dampened a couple undies. we were out. here's our conversation:

me: we're out of underwear, you're going to have to walk around with no undies or pants.
#1: i could wear a diaper.
me: you don't wear diapers anymore. you're a big boy.
#1: i could wear a diaper.
me: you haven't worn a diaper for more than a month, we're not going to put you in a diaper. go play, i'll look for some clean ones.
#1: ok. i go play.

if only i had remembered that i did a bit of organizing and a whole stash was in a drawer in his room. oh well, it only took a couple minutes to remember!

out of the mouth of babes

:#2:


- "apple" (likes the flavor, but not the length of time to chew)
- "no" (he's been shortening how he says it. originally it was kind of like a question. now it is definitive)
- "wah" (water)
- "milk" (you know it)
- "mommy"
- "hi" (he's shortened this one as of this week. before, it was SO cute- longer than normal like "hhhhiii" now it's almost like .hi. it's ok. but sad)
- "duck" (this means dog or duck - i'm sure to most people they don't sound entirely the same, but for me, it does)
- "ribbit" (so cute how he says it)
- "buh, byeeeeee" (i still love how he says this. SO much!)

right now, he's kind of boogie, and under the weather- which isn't too hard with the coldness that came in yesterday! today is rainy, so we've been trying to figure out what is best to do entertainment-wise.

love me that little man.

out of the mouth of babes

:#1:

- "come on down honey" (my response: "who is honey? me, #2, my friend or her daughter?")
- "stay in bed, okay?" (talking to a small stuffed frog on the floor)
- "come on up!" (on the way up to the bath, wearing only a shirt, and tapping his bottom)
- "#2, would you like some more?" (talking to the lil' bro)
- "oh! the music is on" (responding to this cute elmo symphany cd i've checked out from the library. he really seems to like it)
- "mommy, would you like some milk?" (trying to share his milk with me. -no thanks, buddy-)
- "i am not clean and dry in my pants" (this was the first time he said he wasn't... and he WAS! we are still working on potty training. way longer than 3 days- though he did go to the bathroom right after this)
- "mommy, lets get a book" (while at barnes and noble tonight- we got harold and the purple crayon and swimmy! two of my favorite books growing up)

prayer times are still silly and sweet. love my handsome.

i won something!

seriously, i totally won something!!!!!! (an everyday 5x7 photo book) i can't believe it. :) i've been reading this blog since a few months before #1 was born. i've been selective about what i *enter* to get a prize, but i've never won. so shocked. what a fun blessing!

here's kellicrowe's blog. she's so much fun to read and loves jane austin (no joke), blogging, scrapping, photography, homeschooling and much more. i love to read it when i need a smile on my face.

(the pic is off her blog... hope you don't mind, kelli!)

obsession

are they all bad? one i am having right now is the need to u-pick stuff. after our blueberry trip, we went and picked apples. with our small group. and it was great! oh boy- do i love the goodness and the longevity of the fruit we-pick. it tastes so delicious. #1 still talks about going blueberry picking. i wish it was closer. i'm looking for one that is. we'll see- next year we'll have to do some more.

so, reader(s), do you think all obsessions are bad?

the routine

this is #1 going "night-night" for play. he plays with sheets on a regular basis. i find it hilarious. ps. how hideous is this room? wallpaper. yuck.

of praying before bed may have gotten a bit *too* routine. in the past, the husband and i have held hands with #1 and prompted a prayer for him. apparently i got a bit repetative (since husband is often at grad school in the evenings) and he's taken over. here's a glimpse of the prayer i heard tonight:

"dear Lord. thank you for today. i love you. thank you for mommy, owen, cooper, daddy, cooper, mommy. and cooper. and owen. owen and cooper go night night. thank you for grandma and grandpa woodby's house, and grandma and grandpa westbrook's house. thank you for baby #3. going night night,.... .. .. i love you. in God's name. Amen"
other things that have been prayed for in the last week: grizzle, and sampson (my in-laws dogs...), random foods like waffles. but mostly the usually family, and going to bed. i've never asked him to pray about going to bed, but it is super cute. i wonder if he'll let me record it so i can keep it for memories. hmmmm... better do it soon! he's so proud of himself when he's done.

love him. and can't wait till he loves HIM.

potty training

the lil' man looking at the map so we can plan our trip to the cousin's house next month!

i had no idea that potty training could be so exhausting. many people probably don't opt for the method we chose (3-day potty training), but oh well. #1 is 34 months old and really needs to own up to it. he's done GREAT today. he has been dry all day, and keeping us in the know. we cheated and left the house this morning till nap and all went well. by keeping close to areas with bathrooms, we were able to experience what it would be like for #1 to be out and about and how comfortable he is with telling us his need to use the restroom. being prepared with two pairs of undies and shorts, i was surprised that we didn't need them. we're on the third day, so i'll have to do a write up in a couple months to say "yeah, this worked for us" or "oh boy- it lasted way more than three days." i remember having a lot of accidents (tmi?) growing up, so i'm not really too concerned about mishaps here and there. just trying to avoid them in general. keep praying for patience! i need it!

expansion…

another picture of essentially our new ride

my little toyota corolla was not going to make it legal for me to drive with three children in the car with me. last week, the husband took the car to his parent's house to hopefully sell it. he put it in the driveway and the next day we had completed a transaction of sale. yes, it really was that fast. i love that his parents are willing to let us use their driveway since many cars drive past. it's the second vehicle we've sold on the drive, and maybe the 4th or 5th one that has been placed out there. (this one sold the fastest, though!)

i didn't have a car once the hubby got back from his business trip (thank goodness he could hitch a ride back home with a co-worker since the trip was for training and other people from his office needed to go) and although it wasn't bad, i had to be alert enough in the morning to consider my options for the day. usually, we're not that busy- but it was a bummer to want to pick up some needed groceries and be stuck at home without really a simple way to get them. i'm a flexible lady, so i would just say- nah, i don't need the car and then later kind of regret it.

this weekend, i had my ten year reunion from high school and we stayed at my parent's house. after the husband insisted we look at a vehicle on saturday — i begrudgingly went. 7 hours later we were driving home a van and then 30 minutes later we were off to the reunion. i'll write about that another time (if i remember).

so now, we are van owners. #1 is crazy about it and talks about it all the time. some things he is saying about it:
"ooooh! the ban doors are sliding closed. mmmmmm. click!"
"lets go in our new ban"
"please open my window"
"#2 likes the ban, too"
"ding, ding, ding! doors closing"
today we went to the farmer's market and on the way back to the van he said
"walking back to the new ban. then we go to the new house" (he's still kind of adjusting to the fact that we don't live two blocks away from both the farmer's market and the library... on those days- i am, too!)

i've decided that although we have a van, i am certain that i won't ever be a soccer mom. even if my kids play soccer. it's the personality, not the vehicle- right? (talk to me in about 10 years and we'll see if i was being silly today…)

where am i?

whoa. not the best photo, but it is still SO cute!

#1 keeps hopping in the front closet and saying "where did #1 go?" it is hilarious.
#2 sneaks into the closet and then suddenly i hear a muffled "buh bye"
eventually i hear and see him sort of :spill: out of the closet and he is giggling like he is part of the best, and biggest secret ever. i love it.

i'm a little worried about their safety especially when they do it together, but honestly- they are boys and they will get a little crazy sometimes. i feel like i hear more laughter than crying.

for the sake of the closet door, i'm slightly thankful that the closet hide n' seek game is slowly phasing out. i'm not sure if it would make a difference to me if it was our house and we *owned* the door, but i'd like to say that if we owned it, i would be less concerned. although- we'd have to buy it anyway, right? hmm....

this was one before breakfast after a diaper change. usually we have the babes wear some pants

hello!

my latest fav

from the mrs. meyer's clean day line-up. i had always kept away from the scent because i didn't really want to have the smell of baby powder in my house outside of the basic stuff that you *normally* put on babies. it reminds me of my first deodorant, and i simply can't do it. to my surprise this blossom scent is not even remotely like baby powder, but a honeysuckle scent. i looove the smell of honeysuckle! (*i really miss the honeysuckle nectar from bath and body works- it was fantabulous)
anyway- bought it at buy buy baby and have been enjoying it for about a week. splendid!

a moment of truth…

i get that it's only 2:30, but seriously- i'm whipped! this is totally going to be my plan tonight. i know the kids won't say these words to me, but i'm pretty sure this is how they feel :)

(this is a sheldon comic)

boots please

these boots have been a favorite ever since #2 set his eyes on them a few weeks back. last week, i helped him get into them and although he can't walk he bends his knees and sort of *bounces* around... stationary. :) so handsome. this isn't one of the best photos from that day- but i LOVE his face. he seems to really like the pompoms on them and pokes them a lot.

love him and this exploration stage (as long as he's safe- he's way more of a daring babe than #1 was/is!)

me n' boys

this lady has been hungry! i'm just glad that i finally look *pregnant* and even the stand that i go to regularly at the farmer's market concurs. i love the family that runs it and hope that they think that i'm cool. they have a boy that is a few months older than my #2, and is a cutie.

#1 had a follow-up appointment for his speech on wednesday, and it went really well. i'm so proud of him and his language development over the past 5 months. in march, he was 6 months behind and now he is about 2 months behind. what a great leap! i've also realized today that he really doesn't speak in two word *sentences* anymore, even though i told the person he did. he's definitely in a three to five word range, not that i'm focusing on counting them. he's really grown a lot over the last few months, and it has been so amazing to see that he is able to communicate with us. the latest development is controling the incoherent yelling and teaching him a way to speak with others so they understand his wants/needs so that #2 will learn a better way to react in situations of stress. this mostly comes about when #1 is alarmed about the fact that a toy was stolen from him, or something along those lines emotionally. the hardest part is, if #1 simply asked to have the toy/cup/etc back, #2 gladly hands it over. soooo... i guess it's good, but a learning experience all the same. love my boys!

house update!

we have this alcove in our bedroom that magically fits these two chairs we *had to buy* from pottery barn after #2 was born. after 5 months of living here, the chairs and floor in front of it were clean (and still are about 2 or 3 weeks later!) and so we finally hung up the artwork the hubby and i created at the old place above the chairs. these chairs are lovely. if you have a pottery barn nearby and tend to shop in the area that the store resides, you should totally look at their floor model sales. we've gotten about 6 items of furniture this way, and it's not that bad. if you are extremely particular about scratches and things, this may not be the best option for you. we tend to have our own issues with moving furniture, so nicks don't detract from buying the piece of furniture.
what a blessing it is to have this space. i love reading in the chair next to my hubby or looking out the window which is next to the chair by the lamp.

numbers

kid #1 is still into numbers. he counts to ten and then runs around in circles. pretty much 50 times a day. obviously, i encourage this. i figure once he gets to about 100 x's a day, we'll be able to run together. how great would that be. since kid #1 is 2 years old and kid #2 is 1, every time kid #1 sees the number one, he says #2 is one and #1 is two. it took me a while to understand what kid #1 was saying, but now i'm hip to it (hope you followed!). it is so cute. i'm not sure kid #1 gets that he won't be 2 forever, and we've talked about being three, but it hasn't happened yet and so he seems to be clueless.

love my boys. right now, they are both under the weather. so sad since they are normally fairly upbeat. they still are active (hence the counting/running) but they are much more cranky. today was a lot better than yesterday. i thank the fruits of the Spirit for that. yesterday i was so embarrassed when i spent time with Jesus. definitely had to ask for forgiveness and guidence because i was being one stinker of a mama.

though... i did have a SWEET date-night with the hubby. we got ice cream, met up with a couple for dinner at bw3's and then went to a movie and i ate popcorn. whoa... am i preggers or what. it was a night out that i needed. love that man.

blast from the past (for me)

when i was younger, i was totally obsessed with press-on nails. i still think i have a couple boxes of them that have been *gently used* at my parents house (eeeew). yesterday, i was watching tv while plowing through some magazines, and saw a commercial for said nails for the first time since i was about 8 years old.

if the commercial running was anything like the one i saw yesterday when i was young, then i can totally see why i would be enthralled with this product. it revolved around people who had long nails that could do tons of things that you would want to do as you get older. the most specific thing that drew me in was the end of the commercial where the girl is dancing at a club (which when i was 8 it would have been pure innocent lust for that kind of environment).

unfortunately, on this side of my teens, i don't really buy into the commercial at all. first of all, EVERYONE in the commercial has their nails with french manicure press-ons. obviously, i'm not one to look like everyone else, so it is kind of unappealing these days. second of all, i've always had decent nails (even when i was 8) and have no trouble growing them. third, those things are not cool to take off your actual nails. it hurts. i don't like it. and the glue is weird. i already have kids who sometimes tug at my nails and it hurts a lot even if it is a gentle pull.

anyway- if having a french manicure is impractical for you because you can't keep your nails long, then here's the link to bring back the late 80's/early 90's in full force: kissusa

besties of #2

well, it is much overdue, but here's some bests of #2 these days.
• he's understanding so much of what we say these days, it is great. he knows when i say lets go upstairs, and he starts running over to the bottom of the steps!
• he sort of gives kisses. sometimes he gives it with his mouth, other times he leans his head to your lips. but every time he makes a sound like "mwah!"
• loves to eat. willing to try almost anything- which is what we do in our household. you don't have to *finish* but you have to try everything 1-3 times (depending on age/understanding)
• how he is learning how to sign more, but can say more now.
• how he says "all done!"
• he follows #1 around when they run from room to room. we call it "go! go! go! time" and he definitely makes sounds that sort of resemble those words. i usually give high fives when they come around to me and he'll double back if he forgets to stop.
• love how he jumps on the bed... why we are encouraging this with the 5 monkey's jumping on the bed book is beyond me, but it's SO cute. he bends his legs and giggles b/c it is so fun.
• the interest in looking at books is growing. it's strange to me how he likes looking at them upside down, which #1 didn't do (even though i never said- no, this side up!). so cute. he'll say "book! book!" when he wants one
• how #2 will grab a book and wander over and plop down on my lap for me to read to him, or if i'm standing he'll tap me with the book. sometimes he misses my lap, because he is backing up, but i love it. so cute. when he's done he'll say "the end!" and get up with the book. most often he'll take two steps and then plop back down to reread it. hilarious. (i have decided that if the kids want me to read with them, i will stop what i'm doing and read)
• doesn't mind getting dirty (which is both a plus/negative)
• love how he'll run up to me randomly and give me a big hug. makes me feel so special.

hiking in the woods

we live near a park and i convinced the hubby to agree to get the metro pass to make us go after our trip to colorado. we really had a great time hiking out there and felt like the kids would really enjoy the time connecting with nature. two weekends ago, we headed out to go for a hike and had breakfast as a family together. the kids did really well and #2 sat better on the bench while eating than #1 (he couldn't sit still!).
it looks like a night shot here, but only because if i didn't use the flash the photo would have been all blurry. what a bummer that would have been. anyway, #1 was stoked about hiking through the woods... all smiles.
#2 was a bit more excited about the sticks and things that he could hold or throw into the brush nearby. the latest thing we're working on with him is not throwing when people are around. #1 is getting pummeled sometimes because of the lack of understanding (not everyone is always ready to throw a ball with you, #2! you need to wait till they look at you... i know you'll learn).
here's the hubby and #1 taking a break on a log. this is one of #1's favorite things to do. sometimes he'll even sit on a stick because he wants to be *cool* like that and take a break like daddy does. at this point, i'm not really sure why scratching of heads is occurring other than i have three or four of this same shot. we're going to pretend that they are wondering where to go next and what to do.
good thing the boys are here and can point us to a sign! the kids loved this thing and wanted to slap around/touch/bend/pull/push each one we passed. love those kids.

all in all, it was a great trip and we had a stellar time hanging out even with the bugs biting. we're going again this weekend and are hoping that we'll have been luck not being attacked by bugs on the other side of the park. one can only hope!

glitchy videos can be fun (it's glitchy b/c it's long, sorry!)

i think that my kids are happy to be home.

i know that they had fun with the grandparents because when the hubby and i went out to dinner for our 5 year anniversary last friday, they were hardly phased by the fact that we were leaving for the night. i don't think that they knew we'd be gone only for a few hours. it could have been a few more days and they would have had the same response. this is obviously both good and bad for us parents. good: because i know that my parents are doing great with the kids and giving them the attention that they crave/need (especially my mom dedicating her time to help out!). bad: because they do not seem to be remotely phased that we could be gone for a longer period of time. does this mean we aren't needed? wanted? missed? oh how sad.

it's moments like this video that i've posted above that make me *so happy* to be a mom. i love hearing the boys laugh and watch them be silly with one another. i can't wait to add to the bunch and see the blessings expand in my life (Lord let me be present for those blessings! needless to say, i might be a bit nervous!).

a taste of our travels from the past week, below. enjoy!

just a tidbit about me...

i love comics. i always have and once had aspirations of being a comic strip artist. that kind of went out the window when i realized i can't really draw, and you have to keep up with one theme in your strip. one of my first comics was about this worm who saved other worms from drying up on the sidewalk. note: worms are NOT difficult to draw. i have a knack for knowing my skills and adhering to them (though it is kind of restrictive).

one of my favorite comics that i'm enjoying right now is *sheldon* and it can be read here. i love the concept, the general clean humor and the art. great stuff. take a trip over there and have a good read a couple times a week. and maybe even a laugh. if you want to know about the characters, check it out because it gives you a great background for the strip.

besties of #1

i love the lighting in this photo even if it isn't the best. photo taken june 4th at the park

well.. i've weighed myself a couple times lately, and i'm losing weight. i'm not quite worried, because i know i'll pack it on again, but i feel like 6 lbs is kind of a lot. i guess not eating everything on my plate because i'm full so early in the meal is making a difference. we'll see what the doctor's scale says next thursday. i feel like those aren't as forgiving.

some fun things about #1:
• when we go get #2 from his room after their naps, #1 knocks on the door and says "knock, knock!"
• taking off his shoes always is done the same way: sitting at the bottom step and then running with one shoe in hand, and the other on his foot the LONG way around the stairwell to the closet. then he heads back to the step and repeats with the other shoe in hand. so handsome.
• wanting more freedoms. he takes pride in his ability to put on his carseat straps by himself and won't let me help him unless he's holding something like a book or a toy (even though i have to wait f-o-r-e-v-e-r for him to do so).
• the way he is repeating what we say during prayer times. *adorable*
• the way he talks to daddy on the phone. sounds kind of like he's really sick or losing his voice, but he's starting to really like it
• when he runs in circles in the dining room area and counts to ten. then he runs through the kitchen, front door foyer and heads back (it's a circle). and repeats.
• how he says "i love you"

he's wearing a sticker eyeball on his head. he finds it hilarious. i love it... of course!