Growing Boys

Time is flying and here I am again trying to play catch up as I am not doing a very good job at blogging. The boys are growing and changing every day! We are coming up on Parker's 3rd birthday in just 3 months!

Parker has developed a very big vocabulary and talks in full sentences. He does a great job communicating to you what he wants with all these words he knows now! He still loves to play outside...enjoys playing in the dirt, kicking the soccer ball, hitting the baseball, taking walks in the wagon, sliding...he's all boy! He can put his underware, pants and socks on. We are working on the rest but he usually persists on trying before we get to do it! Eating has gone in spurts. A couple days he will eat great and then he will slow down. He is still in 3T clothes mostly with a few items a 4T. 

Austin is talking more and more every day, saying 'cheese', 'thank you', 'choochoo'...and trying to copy such words as 1,2, 3, A, B, C...after each one. He understands a lot of the things we tell him, 'sit down', 'lets go bye bye', 'lets go outside'...he gets very excited when you tell him it's time to go play outside, standing at the back door so excited to go play. He loves to dig in the dirt with Parker, slide, play in the sand box (and eat it!), and ride in the truck around the backyard. He is a BIG eater. He eats most anything I feed him with some of his favorite foods being guacamole, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, cheese, yogurt melts, tortilla with melted cheese, sausage cheese muffins, pancakes and french toast. Not to mention most any other meal I make to accompany these things!! He definetly doesn't miss a meal. He is still wearing 18 mo clothes and size 4 diapers. I forgot to mention that he loves to make funny noises with his tongue and gives lots of kisses!!!

 Going to school...

 Getting a haircut at a fancy salon because all the chop shops seem to mess his beautiful hair up. We are growing it out so scissors were needed not buzzing it.

 Books came out so Austin could go in!! They love their books and will spend hours looking at them.

 Loves his chairs!!

 Love my boys!!

 Loves looking at his books.

 Bed time cup of milk and cartooons!! Our nightly routine.

 Hanging out in their chairs in their 'tent' I made them!

 My messy but good eater

 Helping with the dishes since he wouldn't go to bed one night!

 The sun is in Parker's eyes every morning on the way to school so he insists on his sunglasses just like mommy!!

 Beautiful!!

 Fire truck visited school this week. Parker loved it....

 and so did Austin!!

 Bed time...

Playing in the dirt!!

Destin 2012

At last I will blog about the fabulous vacation we took 2 1/2 months ago. We left on a Friday night thinking the kids would sleep all night. Although they didn't sleep all night they did very well. It was a 13 hr drive. We rode with my parents which made it easier, giving us each a turn at driving. I took the 4 am turn in the fog of Mississippi which was exhausting. I wasn't tired till I started driving! We met Larry and Reba there for our week long vacation. We also got to visit with Denise, Lance, David and Amber as they game down from Georgia to see us.

The house we rented was conveniently located on the beach front. The boys were able to nap while the rest of us continued to relax inside or out on the beach. Austin wasn't to sure about the sand at first but warmed up quickly, loving every minute on the beach and in the water. Parker loosened up enough to play for about 30 min at a time but couldn't stand the sand on him and wanted to spend most of his time inside. We all got really tan, ate lots of junk and got to relax.

The trip home was not as smooth. We left in the morning so the boys were well rested and not wanting to sit in the car for 13 hrs. Naps were a disaster and there was a lot of fussiness the whole way home. Lesson learned...only drive at night with small children. We look forward to going back again. Maybe next time Parker will enjoy the sand more!

So much to update...

Wow! It's been two months since I blogged last and so much has happened since. We went on a family vacation in August, school started, found a house and got moved in, had Austin's 1 year check up and had Austin's 1st Birthday party. I'm exhausted all over again to think about it all!

School started Sept 5th. It was a transition time for the three of us who were so used to going and doing as we pleased all summer. Getting up at 6 am and actually having to get ready was a challenge and still is! Parker has grown to love his class and teachers (Ms. Sandy and Ms. Lana) and so has Austin (Ms. Becky, Ma. Ann and Ms. Nancy). The first two days were exhausting for me and a bit overwhelming. We have 10 kids in our class, all who come on Wednesdays. They were all adjusting too but I think we are finally getting into a routine! I look forward to these days because I not only get to see my kiddos but I get a short break from mine. The staff at ELC is amazing. They are all genuine christian women who are great to work with and for. All the positive energy is wonderful and makes the day so much smoother. I am truly blessed.

School started then two weeks before we closed on our house we had to flee our apartment because it was infested with fleas...yuck! Mike and Marilyn don't even have dogs, it was their neighbors dogs. We were afraid they would keep being tracked in so rather than going back and staying we moved into my parents. They definitely spoiled us! We got a meal every night, laundry folded and washed and help with the boys!!! I wish I could say it was all bliss the day we closed on the house but we still had another week before we moved in.   We had the kitchen cabinets painted, bought new appliances, got majority of all the rooms painted, carpets cleaned, and house and yard exterminated. Did I mention neither of us took off work for any of this. Thanks to my mom and sister the house got a complete scrub down and then finally a week after we closed the moving of furniture began! Larry, Reba and David came in town to help by assembling, arranging, washing dishes and help wrangle the boys!! Finally we stayed the night in our house for the first time that night (by accident!) I got back to my parents, got the boys a bath and realized I forgot the pack n play at the house for Austin to sleep in, so back to the house we went and there we stayed (all but Todd, he went to my parents that night after work to get some much needed rest).

Oh what an adventurous night the first night was, the boys went down great but then the sickness hit. About 3 am. Parker woke up with a fever of 103.3 and the chills. Of course all the medicine was still back at my parents. After calling the nurse, I gave it till 4 am and text my super sister who came to the rescue with in minute with tylenol!! He was finally back to sleep by 5 am, Austin was up at 6 am and he had fever again at 10 am. This went on for three days when he had his last fever Monday morning at 4 am. The Dr. said it was a virus but no one else got it so I think he was utterly exhausted from the move also. He was going on fumes and his allergies were already bothering him. I was thankful he was finally feeling better because when the fever spiked he was miserable, laying in bed for hours at a time not wanting to move.

Parker at the Dr.gagging him self because he wants to throw up again. He was crying so hard in the waiting room, he gagged on drained and thew up so he became a bit dramatic about throwing up.

We are finally settled in our new house! One month ago today, we closed on our charming house in Weatherford, Texas and are completely in love with it. It was a step down in size but well worth it. We have a one story vs. two, 3 bedrooms vs. four and 1 living vs. two which has left us with a lot to get rid of and I am accomplishing that slowly with a garage sale and online! It is truly perfect for our family. The backyard is still plenty big for the boys to run and play and grow. We are on a very quiet street which is a huge change from before. We still enjoy our neighborhood walks but this time they are much more quiet.

Austin is ONE!!!! Yes my baby turned one, September 22nd. We celebrated his birthday with friends and family on the 29th with a farm themed party. It was a good time for everyone although it rained all day long.

Austin had to get 4 shots at his one year check up, one of them being a flu shot.

His Stats were the following:

Height: ----> 30 1/2 in. (75%)

Weight: ----> 23.15 lbs. (85%)

Head: ----> 47 1/4 cm (75%)