Girls/Guys Day

Today Remi got to go on his first Guy's outing with his Dad for a little dude time.

Addy and I stayed in while the boys got breakfast burritos, watched the ducks and geese and played at the play place.

Now to me, a girls day at home involves mani/pedis and crafts that we don't usually get to do with a toddler around. For Addy, it's making a tower out of stamps...

Or lining them up to make sure they all get a turn on the ink.

She's always preferred to organize her crayons or markers or whatever over actually using them to draw something. I wonder what this means about what she'll grow up to be? 

After attempting to stamp some things, she made a necklace for a friend and asked if we could mail it her. I thought that sounded like fun, so we put it on an envelope and walked down to the mail box to send it to her friend. On the way back we collected pine cones, which I thought we'd put in a bowl and use for a fun fall decoration. Addy suggested putting them in a jar, which turned out to be great idea.

Just when I was thinking she might not be the creative type, she comes up with a cute decorative idea and then paints smiley faces. You can't put these kids in a box, they'll always surprise you.

A Home Day

We spent the entire day at home yesterday and it was wonderful.

Besides painting pumpkins, I didn't have anything planned so when we saw the balloons rising over our house and Addy asked if we could go on a walk, I gladly said yes.

We saw several balloons in the air and on the ground and one landed in front of us in the middle of the street. It was like we were our own chase crew, in a stroller. 

After balloon chasing, we came home and painted pumpkins. Thankfully, I bought the washable paint because more ended up on our clothes and all over Remi's body than on the pumpkins. 

Gran stopped by for lunch and Remi pretended to read a book to her.

These two spend a lot of time playing and laughing together. Spending the day at home gives them so much more time to foster their friendship and I am so happy to see them becoming friends.

Silly Remi

Remi got his first hair cut the other day. And since it's kind of a momentous occasion, I pulled out the big camera after naps and snapped a few pictures of this handsome little man. 

It was kind of gloomy out so I had the flash on and it was making him laugh, so I just kept taking pictures. Enjoy!

When did he get so big??

Nap time Chronicles {9.10.14}

Remi woke up from his nap almost an hour before Addy did today which meant he and I got to spend some unusual one on one time together.

We spent our time in the play room stacking blocks and assembling Mr. Potato head. I watch him play everyday but anytime I get to interact with him like this I'm always amazed at what he can do. 

He's really good at putting Mr. Potato head together and I was really impressed when he put all the put all the pieces in the tub with the lid on and placed it back on the shelf where it belonged. 

Today he also climbed to the top of the play place at chic Fil a and knows how to reach the top of Addys bunks. Uh oh!!

Adelyne is 3 and a Half Years Old!!

Sweet Addy Grace turns 3 and half years old this month, tomorrow actually. And tomorrow she will be closer to being 4 than 3. How is that even possible?!?

With this being the eve of her half birthday I thought a little addy update was appropriate.

This sweet girl - she's so great. Matt and I often find ourselves smiling at each other over something she's done, said or created. She has the sweetest little heart, loves her brother and playing pretend.

I bought her an orange broom the other day and she couldn't wait to come home and clean up after her baby. Her baby is like our third child. Addy is always giving us updates on how the baby is doing, asks us to be quiet for baby and wants to include baby in everything we do. 

Addy started drawing smiley faces this week. It's the cutest thing and it me makes so proud since the only thing she had previously drawn were scribbles. She draws a circle with eyes, a nose and a mouth and sometimes adds hair, shoes and mittens. 

This girl is always up to something. Here is a "bike trailer" she made by lining up a bunch of toys together. She's also started using dialogue in her play and often recites a part of the movie Toy Story.

"Andy Im heading out the door!

Mom I can't find my buzz! 

Get another toy

Ok....."

Being a big sister can be tough sometimes, especially when you're little brother is still learning to share, but Addy is doing a great job. She gets frustrated but for the most part is very sweet and loving to Remi. They recently discovered they could hold hands while running errands and Addy cries when she has to let go. So so sweet.

Today she asked me when she could start driving. 

When you're 16.

"And then I can drive up to Colorado?'

She already wants to leave. 

*tear*

Nap Time Chronicles {8.22.14}

It's getting harder and harder to sit down to write a well thought out and put together blog post and at the same time, my kids are getting older and cuter. More than ever I want to write down and document the silly and sweet things they do but just can't find the time. So, I am going to do myself a favor and just treat this blog as a journal for a while and attempt to jot something down everyday or every other day in an effort to keep up with these amazing kiddos of mine.


After a rough night with a sick little girl, we woke up to rain today. It was a welcome sight and a great excuse to stay in and recoup. Addy bounced back quickly and didn't care to watch TV all day as we had planned on letting her. Instead her and Remi chased each other up and down the hall, stomped in puddles and rode in their "thingamiger."

Remington is One Year Old!

Our little guy is not so little anymore. Last week, Remi celebrated his very first birthday! 

Not thinking, I scheduled his 12 month check up on his Birthday and he had to get two shots. We made the best of it though and met Matt for lunch afterwards.

I remember saying this about Addy too but if feels like once Remi turned 1, he began to develop and grow at a rapid speed. I love this age where they are beginning to talk and walk and are always learning to do new things.

Remi's development might seem to be coming on even faster since he has a big sister to copy. He wants to do everything she does. He prefers cups and water bottles with straws, wants to use a fork with every meal and if Addy is eating it, he assumes he can eat it too. 

Remi is walking really well now and getting faster and faster. He follows us from room to room and loves to walk circles around things. He does a funny little pivot with one foot when he needs to make a sharp turn.

He received several trucks and cars for his birthday and we are excited for him to learn how to play with him. For now, one of his favorite toys is Matt's old phone. He puts it up to his ear and pretends to talk on it. 

What up Birthday Boy?

Remi has become quite useful in retrieving our shoes for us, even when we don't need them. He's not satisfied until we've put them on.

But enough rambling. Here are his One Year Old Stats. I've done this with Addy at each Birthday and I'm excited to continue the tradition with Remington.

AGE: 1 year old

WEIGHT: 17.95 pounds

HEIGHT: 29 inches

FAVORITE FOOD: Grapes and Blueberries

FAVORITE TOY: One of Dad's old phones

FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Throwing balls and "painting" in the backyard

SCARED OF: Balloons (one popped in our living room and he avoids them at all costs now)

DISLIKES: Reading books

BEST FRIEND: Addy and he LOVES his cousin Carter

WORDS: "ball," "baa!" (boo) and "dada"

SILLY TENDENCY: He likes to play peek a boo with waiters and people at restaurants. He says "baa!" as they walk by and then chuckles to himself like "ha! I got 'em!" It makes us laugh every time.

Happy Happy Birthday Remington! We love you!

Thoughts on Birthdays {Remi is almost one}

It's been a while since I set down down to blog about something that wasn't one of my children but I think the eve of my son's first birthday is as good a time as any to pick it up again.

First birthdays are always a little emotional for mommas and I have to admit that I've been feeling a little emotional today. But if you see me crying at all this week, it will be tears of joy. My little guy will be a year old tomorrow and I am so thankful for his life and for this past year with him in our family.

I used to not be a big fan of Birthdays. I always thought they were full of unmet expectations and let downs. How selfish is that?

After my daughter was born and I turned 26, I started to view birthdays in a different light. Instead of focusing on the number of birthday wishes I received, I wanted to focus on all the blessings I'd received throughout that year. Thanksgiving was going to be a new theme for my birthdays. 

I want thanksgiving to be a theme for my children's birthdays too. I want them to learn that their years are numbered and each one is a gift to be celebrated. And a celebration can be simple or elaborate. They probably won't get a huge party every year, but every year we can look back on the past one and praise the Lord for all he's done. 

So on the eve of my son's very first birthday, I'm thankful for nurses and doctors who made the call to send him to the NICU for a week after he was born when his little lungs weren't' working the right way. I'm thankful for modern day medicine that got him right back on his feet and that we were able to take him home, a week later than we had thought, but we got to take him home. I'm thankful for a sweet little girl who loves being a big sister and a caring, hard working father for my little guy. I'm thankful for our friends and family and a community of believers to raise our little boy in. And Im thankful for this handsome little guy and the way that he has changed our family for the better.

Sweet Lil Momma {Addyisms Vol. 6}

Our little guy has been fighting a new tooth and a case of Roseola this week which has involved a lot of crying, screaming and hair pulling, not just from Remi. But amongst the chaos, sweet Adelyne has somehow gotten even sweeter.

When Remi woke up pretty grumpy after a rough night fighting a fever, Addy offered to hold him and kept saying. "It's ok, come to sister. I know you don't feel good. I know, I'll take care of you. It's ok."

Then she entertained a tired Mom and a sick Brother with an impromptu magic show. "Can anyone tell what's inside my hat?" 

I put a screaming Remi in his crib so I could use the bathroom. He continued to scream and then I heard the two of the them laughing together. Addy had snuck in there to "take care of him." I listened to them for awhile and then Addy came out and said. "Mom, I'm just in here, I'm taking care of Remi, you don't need to come in here. He's ok." 

She went off to the kitchen and got the thermometer from the counter and proceeded to take his temperature. After she got a good reading, she left again and came back with some tylenol. When I told her to put it back, she returned with a handful of syringes. When she finally understood that she wasn't allowed to give him medicine, ever, she set down and "read" him a story.

Here are a few other sweet and silly things she's been saying lately:

"What's that?"

Sweet tea

"Does it help you be sweet to me?"

She calls scoring a basket a "hump down"

"Why did Remi just fell?"

He just lost his balance

"Maybe it went in his tummy"

"Mom, I wish we could go under the fence and have an airplane next to our house so when we go places we could take an airplane. But I saw the wall was broken so we don't need an airplane we can just take our car."

"Dads so nice to Remi"

He's nice to you too

"Ya"

He's a good dad huh?

"Ya he kills the bugs for us"