October 2016 & December 2016

Sooooo apparently I typed and never posted December or October's posts..... So here they are! My goal for 2017 is to keep on top of these monthly posts. Here is to hoping!

October

Goodness me, I keep finding myself faced with the end of the month and no blog post updates to show for it. I try to write things down in my phone as they come up, but it makes for a pretty pitiful post. Lets be real this mommy brained lady is not going to remember much if it is not written down as it happens. So bear with me as I attempt to summarized October 2016. If it counts for anything, I am finally in a good system of getting pictures off of my phone on to my external hard drive.... so at least I win there, right?

October in a nutshell....

- Harrison turned 2. Wow that is crazy! That pretty much seems like the bulk of our month. My biggest little turned a big old two. It was really fun to get to see him love his birthday. If that even makes sense. Like he really understood that this was all about him. A special day (lets be real dayssss) all about him. He loved to sing happy birthday. If you asked him about his birthday he would say, "I blew out candles!" He was showered with lots o love and happiness and that is truly all a mom could ask for.

- We flew to NOLA to surprise Cheech. Chong put together a "met you day" party to celebrate the day they met 40 years ago. It was great fun. Our sweetest friends Mr. & Mrs. Whelen watched the babies for us so we could celebrate. We are so lucky to have such great friends.

- October has been full of pumpkins, fests, patches, friends, and fun!

Harrison

- We celebrated his birthday by going to Storybook Ranch pumpkin farm and out to lunch after. Him and I went to the donut shop and he picked out a special donut (which he only ate the candy eyes and nose off of). We sang him happy birthday about a million times, and he got to celebrate the day with family and friends. We threw him a transportation themed party. There were snacks galore and a Mickey play land toddler bouncer that he adored.

- The things that he says these days are truly hysterical. He just puts these sentenced together that have us rolling in laughter and frankly take my breath away. I have no idea where he gets them, but man its great when he says them.  Some examples: 1) Kellie and I were talking while we loaded up our cars after a pumpkin patch adventure. Harrison goes, "Mommmyyy what chu talking bout mommy?" I was like whah, how do you know to ask that? 2) One morning I was putting pea crisps into his lunch and he was watching me. He then says, "How bout you put some of Harrisons plate mommy?" I of course obliged. I love that he ends everything with mommy! 3) The night of his birthday party Christopher and I were putting him to bed and he said, "get me out Harrison bed mommy. I want to watch football." Of course you do you little stinker.

December

Phew! 2016 seems to have flown by. I thought it was fast with Harrison, turns out it is even faster with Douglas!

I was pretty bad at "Keeping Up The Janes Krewe" for October & November.... So here is hoping December and next years monthly posts are better & more informative!

So far we are 16 days into December and just loving Christmas. I have always loved christmas, obviously, but this year is a whole new world of living christmas. I am getting to see the magic that is christmas through the sweet eyes of a two year old. The simple little things about Christmas that are often overlooked as we age are the things that matter the most to Harrison!

Some Christmas Magic we are loving this December:

-We have to drive in and out of of neighbor a certain way. There is one house that just brings so much joy to our drives. They did it big with inflatable things at Halloween, they did it just as big with Christmas! Harrison doesn't even know some of the "characters" that they have, but we still tell them "Hi" & "Good Morning" all the same! "Hi Mickey Trains, Hi Santa, HI Drago, HI Olaf, HI Pen-gin, Hi Santa, Hi Snowman, Hi!!"

- Lights, oh that magic that is christmas lights. Take my breath away overtime and we haven't even seen any big Christmas event displays. Just neighborhood magic. Harrison love the christmas lights.

- Decorating the tree was one of my very favorite moments in parenting to date. He loved putting the ornaments on (only two were harmed in the trimming of the tree). Of course all of his ornaments were clumped together and one part of our tree is stunningly full. He loves to choose the lights that the tree will be on - boy after my own heart and pretty much always chooses white. Our lights can be white, colored, and flash between the two -- don't choose this option, it give you a major headache.

- Santa, oh my gosh, Santa. The kids loves him some Santa!! He has been so excited everytime we have seen santa, he just kicks his feet and smiles. This last visit he did tell him he wanted a ball for chrismtas and douglas wanted a cookie.

September 2016

I am just gonna go ahead and be honest, Septembers post got away from me. I started so well and then I did not keep up. So when I was writing Harrison's 2 year post I realized that I never did more with sept than what I jotted down int he first week. So you will have to settle for the very half assed post that this is. I am not even proofreading it. So take it or leave it. 

Harrison:

- Harrison started school! Cottonwood Creek Kid Care! He is in the toddler class with Ms. Mawy & Ms. Jewlie. They said he has been very easy going, always eats everything (shock), very busy, and very talkative. They send little report cards home each day. So far, as of three days in, we have: Day 1 --> no nap, ate everything, easy going & happy Day 2 --> fell asleep at 130 (the teacher apologized, I said no biggie and I thought it was an improvement), ate everything & happy Day 3 --> fell asleep at 110, ate everything, happy, and as a bonus he was busy anddddd they are working on screaming (face in palm.... I guess its a good sign that he is truly comfortable at school, right?) 

- We get these great little reminder texts at the end of the day that tell us a little summary and what we can look forward to learning the next day. Its been great because H tells me every day, "I play with friends and cars. Ms Mawy & Ms. Jewlie." So this lets me get more out of him. Yesterday they read Pete The Cat Wheels On The Bus. So when I asked him if they read that he said, "Doors open shut." And opened and closed his hands like a book. It was really cool to see because I could see the things that he was leaning at school. We read that same book at home, but I have never shown him "open shut" with his hands like that, we usually open and close out fingers (more like flashes). 

- y'all we are a month out from being 2 and I am already over the 2 year age. Goodness me, this kid is tiring. 2 year olds are still babies but very much independent babies.... great combo huh. I am loving watching the knowledge and growth, but having a very hard time loving the sassy-no saying-boundary pushing-little monster stage. I know we will get through and I am already learning a lot about myself as a mother. phew. 

Douglas:

- Poor guy is full on cutting the top 4 teeth. For as easy of a teether as Harrison was, douglas not seem to be. He isn't awful, but he is definitely affected. In his defense though, H never got 4 at once. D is so snotty and drooly, he has had a fever spike once and then it went down. But all he wants is to be held and warn. So mommy is obliging. 

Two Years Too Fast

October 14th, 2016

Today my baby turned two. Wow two years old! It truly has been such a fun journey. We have our amazing moments and crazy awful hard moments with a little of everything in between. I have come to realize that every age has its challenges. But with each challenge I have found that there are 5 amazing and incredible moments of growth and development and just plain awe. I find myself in so much awe at my sweet HarBear. I look at him sometimes and I just think "wow. you are mine. we made you. this incredible. stubborn. spunky. big hearted. sweet. loving. strong-willed. determined. little boy." I just cannot believe we could make something so perfect. I think that the age of two will be one that leaves me wanting to put my head through the wall many times. But I know that it is going to be one that continues to shape me as a mother. This little guy teaches me something everyday and is constantly challenging me to the very best person I could be. It is amazing how when it comes to being something for your children you can do it. You have to do it because it is for them and you do anything and everything for them. 

Harrison has shown me what it means to feel 12 emotions at one time. I look at him some nights as we read our 3 bedtime books and I think "man I truly did not like you today, like more than once today I wanted to shake you and be like whyyyy? But I sure do love you some kind of fierce. Like dude I f-ing love you to pieces." How one little person can brings so much out of me I do not know. I do  know that I just cannot wait to see what this next year of life brings for you Harrison. I just know you will face it head on with as much grace as your little solid body can manage. :) 

Some fun things that you did this year were:

- Start school: Cottonwood Creek Kid Care

- Become the very best big brother to ever exist. I truly have lost my breath on so many occasions watching you interact with Douglas. Even though you tackle and push him. Even though you take his binky. You shine with love for him. The way you look at him. The way he looks at you. It is an incredible bond that I will never understand and I am so humbled to watch. I thank god everyday for giving you this gift. A gift of brotherhood that I hope you always treasure and cherish and love the way you two year old self does. 

- You have grown quite a great group of little friends. I am so happy to see these friendships develop. Some come and go and some stick around. But it sure is fun to watch you find love in so many forms. 

- You have taken a few trips to NOLA and to the Lake. But you also got to take your first beach trip! We went with Raine and Papa to Destin and you loved everything about being a beach babe. 

- Your vocabulary is just mind blowing. You have this incredible comprehension and communication that I find to be brilliant. You really can communicate on so many levels and I love seeing peoples surprise when you speak to them.

(I know I am missing so much. But I truly cannot remember... I need to update more). 

October 15th, 2016

Today we continued to celebrate Harrison. We had a party full of food, friends, and a giant Mickey Playland bounce house play yard thing. It was a great day. Harrison probably had 25 juice boxes, 17 cheese balls and 8 packs of gummies. Who knows what else. Actually I have no idea what he ate at all because I don't keep track when we party. He had a great day and that is all that matters. I am so proud of this sweet life we have made here. We truly are very blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people. I thank God everyday for placing this path (the good and bad) in front of us. Tonight when we put H to bed we asked him if he had a great party. He said, "blew out candles." And then put his arms up and said "Hold Ju." So I gave him a hug and he said, "watch football." As in he does not want to go to bed he wants to go out in the family room and watch football with his peeps. Ha! I admire his style!

Here are a few pictures of his big bday weekend!

The face of the very sweetest 2 year old!

He did not like the pony ride, he did it, but he made sure to let me know he was not cool with it. 

Big brave boy loved the huge slide!

It may have taken be 20 minutes to climb up, but he did it!

A little smooth face picture with my guy!

The face of a very happy 2 year old on his party day!

Cupcake icing rules 

Always a kind sweet boy sharing with his brother. He tackles him plenty, so he at least makes up for it some...

August 2016

I did so good at keeping up with August as we went, but never posted.... Oops. Well here is what I have got! Bonus I found my font cheat sheet!

Douglas:
- 8.2 officially rolling over. He will only go to his right side. He took his first belly nap and side nap today. He doesn't not know how to get from belly to he back or side though.
- 8.3 adorable selfie talking video (see below). Uncle Oosche pointed out that he does not blink at all during the video.
- We noticed that he was starting to be too much of a busy body to take carseat naps. So we started a schedule of sorts. He seems to be a 145-2.5hr wake time guy. I aim for 2hr from wake up to first nap, and then 2.5 for the next nap (this is our window to leave the house. man i don't miss this. I was so happy when H went to one nap for this reason). and then he takes a third cat nap in the afternoon and that is 2-2.5 hr wake time. So right now his schedule is roughly:
       7: wake 9-10: nap 1 12-1/130/145: nap 2 330/4: cat nap all naps are had in his crib if I can control it, sometimes he falls asleep in his carseat for nap 2's start, and sometimes his catnap is during evening errands. He puts himself to sleep. We read a book, sing our 2 songs and then I lay him down. sometimes he fusses other times not.
- He is pretty solid on nursing every 3hrs, sometimes I can get 4 out of him, but this kids is clearly starving.
- He is seeming to try and transition from 3 to 2 naps. The last few days that he has taken 2 naps, but gotten up early where it would be a lot of awake time before bed, we put him down for a 3rd nap. But he just played in his crib. Today (8.21) he got up at 6, and we went to 8am church so he fell asleep at 9 on the way home. I moved him to his crib and he slept till 10. Then his second nap started at 1 and is currently, at 3:11, still going. This has never happened.
- 8.8 was the first night we did not night nurse and it was also the first night that he got a bedtime book. He pretty much sleeps through them, but they are there. We have gone back and forth and tried different things to find the best routine for D. Whether it is independent of Hs or with him. Ideally we would like them to be together. But Douglas has been waking up at 530 and thats not cool. Anyways we haven't found his perfect timing yet. Keep you posted. One thing is that he goes right to sleep, he doesn't fart around like Harrison does.
- We started solids on Friday August 19th. We did sweet potato, cauliflower, and avocado. He took to it pretty quickly. He is however obsessed with the utensils and plates and cups involved with food. So he will get fits of anger until he gets one. And then ignores food. He is a weirdo. We have done all sorts of veggies, a few fruits, ground turkey, eggs, greek yogurt and cottage cheese. Maybe more, t is hard to remember with this second kids. Things are not documented as well. I can only imagine what it was like for the 8th kid in families. hahahahah


Harrison:
- 8.4 "I talk daddy" on the way to target (of course). I was blown away, and of course we called daddy.
- He is so obsessed (as of 8.4) with this one episode of Dora. He gets to have special time and pick something to watch while I put Douglas down for his naps. He has always been choosing "Dora Soccer" and loves it. He says, "kick it" "block it" "goal!" "We did it!"
-

July 2016

Wowzer, when it goes fast it goes fast! I do not know what it is about the second baby, but it is flying by!

July was a fun filled month. We went to the lake with all our cuzzies and got to spend almost a week there. Blissful relaxing heaven. It was amazing to really get to see the kids hang out. They are getting to such an aware and fun age. I love watching them grow up together! We can't wait for our newest cuzzy-bestie to come In October! I vote girl baby, Harrison says, "ChiChi baby boy." Who will win, me or H! ;) Lets be real, H always wins, in the end they always win!

Douglas - turned 5 months! WHAT!
- 7.4.16: first teeth. the bottom two. I love that Harrison crawled on memorial day and Douglas got his first teeth on the 4th of July. such little patriots!
- 7.6.16: frist night in his crib, in his room! big boy!
- He continues to try and roll over, can't get those thighs to follow orders
- sits up really well he is very study, but he can't catch himself when he falls over.
- he found his feet at the beginning of the month and his hands at the end of the month. ha

Harrison - turned 21 months! What WHAT, you are almost 2!
- Slow down time, I am already thinking about Hs bday party. Thinking October 15th and a vintage transportation theme. He is so into cars and trucks and buses and trains. So if I am gonna get "themey" I am gonna do it on my terms. hahaha! Wish me luck! He is very into sports as well, but I figure I will always have sports to go with, so lets roll with the wheeled things stage right now.
- His vocabulary is literally mind blowing. I am always amazed at the things he says, I find myself reaching for my phone at every turn. I want to record it all. I want to have it all forever and ever. This little amazing guy of mine is truly just an incredible kid and I am so lucky he is mine. I remind myself when I reach for my phone to stop. stop and just enjoy the moment. Enjoy the present. I will always have this memory and I can record other things. But just stop and take it in. You really don't want to miss it. I really really really don't want to miss a thing, and I fear everyday that I am missing something. I just have to know that it is enough, what I am, what I can do, what we are right here and right now, it is enough.
- Things H can be found saying: "its cold" "its hot" "i don't wike it" "i don't wike dat" "hold you" (sigh, i adore this!) "Dougoo/Daddy/Puppy Stop it" (never mommy though...heheh) "hep pee" (help me. M's seem to be hard for him, He says book (milk), buke (luke). But he knows that M says "mmm"). "cool one" (this cracks me up, he says it to himself. he will hit a baseball and go cool one, or take a bite of something. anything really. so funny)! "Come on" - sometimes "num on"
- 7.10.16 Harrison got his first self given holy water. He dipped his finger in and did the sign of the cross. Right now it is "fader" "son" "shoder shoder." (shoulder) He can sign the father and son, and sort of the holy spirit. But either way it was a huge moment and I was so proud.
- We have him his frog lovey blanket. We had them for both boys and were gonna give them to them for christmas, but he kept waking at 3am and so we thought maybe this would help. Fortunately it did and he is obsessed with his "fog binket." I just hope we don't develop a dependency on it. I just tell myself we will cross that bridge if/when it comes. He knows that his lovies & binkies stay in his crib for nap and bedtime, so this is no different.
- holy smokes, the other day I was changing his diaper when he got up and I told him "okay buddy we are gonna go for a run. I have your milk, your cereal, and your fruit." 5 minutes pass, we are getting ready to leave his room, and he says, "cereals, book, fruit!" I was like woah dude woah! You are so smart! I love when he makes certain words plural. cracks me up.
- he goes potty on his elmo potty before bath and sometimes during the day. We are not pushing it, but if he asks me let him. He will tell us most of the time that he is pee peeing or poo poo. but not always, and honestly I am in no hurry to potty train. So for now we just have fun with it.

Just a little photoshoot with the Dougoo buddy!

monthly goals: take a bath photo each month

check and double check 

5 month photoshoot.... whats it matter if it was 5 days late. Poor second baby. 

eyes for brother

always gotta get one of the two of them

I have more pictures to add. But am at picture stand still. My external hard drive, my phone, and computer are all at memory capacity!

June 2016

Okay, so I am going at the blog posts at a new angle.... Since I keep getting behind on month milestone, I am going to post the actual month and what we did that month. And what age my boys turned that month. See if this helps me figure out the jumble of the posting!

Harrison (turned 20 months) 

- 20 months seems so old!! Like he is almost 2!!
- His vocabulary and comprehension is just mind blowing! He continues to surprise us. In just he most amazing ways!
- On Friday June 17th he counted to 3, 1-to-1 correspondence, put the frogs on the tuba and counted them. On Saturday June 18th he picked up a pink sharpie and said pink. Chris and I looked at each other and were like what!? We have both only talked about red & blue with him. He then continued to show us the pink marker. whoa.
- He will get up and point to people in pictures. He can do just about any animal sound. He can recognize a few letters (W.O.H.D.P.S.A)
- We have full sentences it is so much fun!! Some of the ones you hear a lot are: "Daddy home" "I did it" "my turn" "hit ball" "right there/here" "Its/I/Mommy/Daddy/Dougoo funny" "I cuk (cut)" "Daddy cuk(cut) grass"

Douglas (turned 4 months) 

- On Saturday June 18th Douglas took his first nap in his bassinet. He had previously only napped on people, being worn, in his swing, in his bouncer seat, on his bop lounger, and in his carseat. He had a few naps on a bed, but they never lasted long. During this nap was his first time using the Merlin Magic sleep suit. He has been sleeping in the miracle blanket, but can now get his arms out. He is like a magician, he moved downs and gets his legs up and loosens it, wild! So tonight we are gonna try the Merlin suit as well. Adele loved it, I hope Douglas does too. Oh, and his nap was 35m!
- Douglas began to cut his bottom teeth and they both broke through (although that technically happened in July)

June Fun:

- Lily turned 1 & we went to Houston to celebrate her! The ride down there was so-so and then awful the last hour. The ride back was excellent. Harrison watched his first ever shows, like actually watched. He only liked when Mickey sung prior. He watched episodes of Thomas and Friends and Dora the Explorer.
- Aunt KK came to visit! We had the very best time! We are so proud of the lady she has grown into in her time in NYC!
- Cheech and Chong came to visit on their way to and from Breckinridge, TX for a cousins wedding. We got to spend fathers day with both of our dads for the first time in I can't even tell you how long! We also got to spend mothers day with both of our moms this year bc it was Douglas's baptism weekend!
- Liuzza had surgery. She had two mast cell tumors removed. One on her ear and one on her back. She will now have to have any bump removed as they pop up. Because apparently you are prone to them once you have them. Please say a prayer for my sweet girl that this ugly and fast doggie cancer never fully takes her. I am very torn on continuing to put her under and have her go through surgery. I also want to keep her for a very long time. She is truly the best dog I have ever had and I love her some kind of fierce. She also adores my boys and I want them to grow up together!

Aunt McGreggor came to visit!

We love My Gym 

Lily tuned one!

so much fun at her party 

matchy matchy and no looky looky

loves to have his hair did

slip n slide fun 

handsome 4m old!