The Newest Edition To Our Family

Our family finally has another girl in the house....Sara.
Sara is 1 yr old and was adopted from foster care. She is a yellow lab and ??? mix. She is the most loving and playful dog. Alec is crazy over her. She fetches and loves to play. She is a sweet girl who won our hearts because of her gentleness with the boys. It was a huge decision for Andrew and I. Alec had been asking for a puppy and we wanted him to have furry friend. It was a requirement for our dog to fetch because Alec loved playing with the neighbors dog. After searching petfinder.com and reading about Sara, we knew she would be the perect fit for us.

Alec has spent the first week playing in her kennel, cuddling under blankets with her, and feeding her lots of treats. She warmed up quickly to us and now feels like part of the family. Sara is a mostly outside dog. Alec asked if she could come inside one morning and I told him know. I then heard him walk back out and say, "my mama said you can't come inside." So sweet. We are so glad we decided to get him a dog. Alec is in love!

8 months and Very Curious

I can not believe my little baby is 8 months. He will be a year before we know it. He is super chunky and loves his big brother.

At 8 months Anderson:
Has 8 teeth
Got his first ear infection
Likes to drink juice from a sippy cup
Prefers to feed himself tablefood
Grabs everything in reach and eats it
Is still in love with his paci. At night he wants one in his hand too.
Pulls his hair while eating and rocking to sleep at night
Smiles at everyone who gives him attention
Screams ALOT...he is learning how to get what he wants
Sits up well and plays with toys
Loves to stroll around in his walker
Gets so excited when you turn the bath water on
Is working very hard to crawl...up on all fours but falls and slides backwards
Is weaning himself... he has learned to use his teeth on his mommy...Ouch.

Wow, I am way behind

It has been a busy month. I have been working more than normal thanks to my sweet mom and granny who have been babysitting some. Alec started playing blast ball this summer. That has certainly been a challenge to watch....their attention spans are so short. He spent most of his 1st game kicking dirt, playing with his hat, and trying to pretend fight with his teammates. It was very frustrating for Andrew. His 2nd game was a definite improvement. I think they are starting to get the game.

We took a weeks vacation to the beach with the Lewis'. It was crazy with all the kids. Alec, Anderson, Addy, Emmy, Ava, and Ella. Anderson was a sick and cranky baby with an ear infection and swimmers ear. He loved the beach and would try to eat handfuls of sand. Both of my boys loved the pool and ocean. Alec loved swimming and going underwater. I am so proud of my big boy.

 We celebrated Father's Day when we got home. Going to eat an awesome country lunch at Granny's and visit Pa Pa at the nursing home (he is doing much better) then finishing the day with the Hale's at Old Chicago for dinner. Andrew is an awesome daddy. Alec would love to play with his Daddy all day!

A supper blurry pic of my boys on the bumper boats. They were all smiles...stupid camera:)

Pets...maybe not for us

Well, I have been slacking on the blogging.

Our biggest adventure with the boys, or really just Alec, was the new pet or pets.

Last Friday, we found a box turtle in the middle of the road in our neighborhood while the boys and I were walking. The school bus was coming so I picked it up and put it in the stroller. We had been contemplating getting Alec a pet for sometime and I thought, this might be a good, low maintenance one. So we brought him home and researched a little bit about him. He was just a male box turtle...nothing too scary. We made him a box to live in. I tried to get Alec to name him but he just wanted to call him turtle so Andrew named him Murtle the Turtle. We would get him out to roam in the yard but really Alec was a little scared of him and he of Alec. I really felt bad for the guy and thought he would be way happier if we let him go. Alec started talking about getting a fish so I told him if we could let Murtle go (we only had him 5 days), we would get a fish. He tried the whole....but I want 2 pets...and went back and forth about it. So, I decided to take him to Pet Palace and look around. I asked the guy if they had turtles and he said it's illegal to sale them in TN....because they carry Salmonella. Well, that was the kicker for me....Murtle would be set free today.

We looked around at all the reptiles...lizards, snakes. All of which he wanted....but I of course would not go for in million years. The pet guy tried to convience me that a snake would be a good option...or maybe a rat.....no way!

So I talked Alec into a beta fish...pretty, easy, and cheap. Sounded good to me. He came in a cup that had a hole in the top. On the way home I had to keep reminding Alec not to touch him to which he responded "he wants me to pet him". I should have known then.
When we got home, Alec noticed that Murtle had escaped his box outside (with moms help). But he was okay, only a little fake crying. He had a new fish (it was all part of the plan).

We got him all set up in his bowl. Alec said he looks like Nemo and that would be his name. Alec wanted to leave him in the living room so everyone would see him he said. Well today when I went to lay Anderson down for his nap, Alec had his way with Nemo. I caught him elbow deep in the bowl.

Now, an hour later, I noticed poor Nemo is not moving.....rest his soul.

I guess we will put having pets on hold. Well Alec is up from nap...time to break the news to him.

Here is a picture of Alec and his Turtle. I would post a picture of our fish...but he was not alive long enough for me to get one:(

Update: I told Alec about the fish. He showed no remorse...just wanted to be the one to flush him down the toilet. Now he just reached in the tank, saying "come here little fella" and grabbed him. He brought him to me, said "touch him, he's dead". Then he walked him to the bathroom by himself saying "I need to get other pet" and flushed him down the toilet. Oh boy....

Big Boys Need Bikes

Alec is officially a big boy. He has graduated up from the tricycle to the bicycle.

After spending a fun day working with his Papa, they went bicycle hunting. As expected, Alec wanted the Spider Man bike. Alec thinks Toys R Us delivered it to his house (Really, I had already bought a brand new one at Once Upon a Child for half price earlier that day because I knew that is what he would pick). It was a rainy afternoon but he did try to ride it before dark. He could not fiqure out how to go at first because when he would back pedal, unlike on a tricycle, he was pressing the brakes.

Here is a picture of dad trying to help him. My dad is the biggest kid at heart and would spend 24/7 with Alec if he had the time. They are best buddies. Alec never wants to come home when he is with this Papa.

This is a blurry action shot. Dad was on his knees pushing him.

Alec was dressed by his Papa if you can't tell.

rubber boots, cowboy hat, windsuit pants, and a pajama shirt:)

Today, we went and got his helmet. It looks just like a shark with big teeth and a fin on top. He picked it out himself. After only a few trys, he was riding like a pro today. He was so proud of himself!

My New Hobby

Alec 3 years and Anderson 6 months

I have had a great time over the last week snapping pictures of my boys with my mom's new camera.
I have loved catching Alec doing some of his favorite things.

Alec loves worms and a his rainy, easter birthday provided the perfect setting for worm hunting! He was all smiles while he and his daddy teased me with the a handful of stringy worms. The worms were given a new home....the bug box the easter bunny brought. They were joined by a snail....who he said loves bubbles, gave him a kiss and has a mouth and eyes. He also gave his snail a hug...hmmm? Poor snail. Alec really needs a real pet but we are not ready for the commitment of a dog. Mom now has two new kittens at the farm. He loves them, drags them around, shows them his toys, and dunks them in water outside! If they run away....we won't be surprised:)

Alec has finally decided that he likes riding his tricycle. He had a fun time chasing Ella at farm on her bike. Alec is going with my dad soon to pick out his first bike...I thinking he will probably go for a spiderman bike.

Anderson was a little grumpy when trying to get some 6 month pictures. He is teething and wanted everything in his mouth. His little hands are grabbing at everything now. He loves being outside! I am very pleased with what I got. The farm has so many cool places to get great pictures. I can't wait to try again.

6 mos....really?

Wow, little brother is now 6 months old. It is amazing how much they change in such a short period of time. Anderson is growing like a weed (size 9-12 mo clothes now) and learning to do more things everyday. He has a fun little personality, the most kissable little cheeks and dimples, and the softest, chunkiest legs.  His skin is just so soft and fluffy you could just eat him up. The past few months have definitely had its challenges though. The poor guy is a little advanced for his age. Sounds like a good thing, right?? WRONG!! Every mom wants their child to be advanced in some areas....just not orthodontically advanced. In 2 months, Anderson has gotten 6 teeth. Yep, that's right. At 6 months old, he has 6 teeth. Four on the bottom and 2 on top (except the top teeth are on the sides instead of the middle, like a vampire). Very funny but hard on the little guy. We are hoping the front come in soon...but maybe not too soon. The poor baby needs a break. He is definitely a paci-holic now.

At 6 months:
- Still not sleeping through the night. Bedtime is 7:15 but he still often wakes every 4 hours. At best he sleeps until 3:30 to eat and then up by 6:30 for the day.
-3 naps a day
-Eating every 3.5-4 hours with solids at breakfast and dinner.
-Loves to jump in the jumper
-Can roll around on the floor to find his paci or toy
-Puts everything in his mouth
-Likes to play with Alec when he is well rested....but cries if Alec bothers him when he is tired
-Is super nosey....he stops nursing to check things out.
-Sitting up with a little support, but mostly on his own
-Loves to be naked and get his diaper changed. He also loves the bathtub.
-Kicks his feet on the floor so much that he had a scab on his heel. He thinks it is great fun!

It has been a busy 6 months but we have adjusted and love having two little boys. Alec will be so excited when Anderson is finally big enough to play. He is always trying to wrestle with him and show him his toys. But he is not quite ready to share them...hopefully that will improve with time.

That's Alec under the walker in his PJ's pushing him down the hall. Anderson was a little annoyed.

Blue eyes...we are still waiting for them to change. But I hope they don't:)

5 Years...Where has the time gone?

Just what have we done over the last 5 years?

1. Relocated and renovated a house (2006) We came home from our honeymoon in Jamaica to a house with no concrete in the garage, no front porch and worst of all....no flooring. The first few weeks of marriage were spent with only sub floor in the house, walls that needed painting, 2 wicker rocking chairs, TV tables, and a TV with Rabbit ears. But no need to stress (I can say that now that it's over), it was our home. We were just honeymooners with a long list of honey-do-projects. It was like marriage counseling. We learned to work together and we loved seeing what we could do with our own hands. It was a year long project.
2. Bought our first brand new vehicle. Andrew needed a new truck. The teal green ghetto truck had to go!
3. Vacationed in Mexico. It was a second honeymoon except half the week I was with a single man. Andrew let the waves knock him down and his wedding ring off. So only 14 months in and Andrew needed a new wedding band.
4. Time to think about kids. We must have been bored with the house being mostly finished. We had just found out we were pregnant when Andrew was offered a lending position at Legends Bank. It was the best decision for our growing family.
5. We had just celebrated our 2nd anniversary when our family of 2 became 3. Alec was born April 24, 2008. Andrew was a great dad right from the start. We only became closer as a couple as we learned to care for our newest edition.
6. Adjusting to the sacrifices that come with having children. EXHAUSTION!!! Extra expenses, childcare, and oh, don't forget....better start saving for college!
7. Well, I think we just enjoyed 2009. We vacationed with friends in Destin. I can't remember what else.
8. Winter 2009 we decided that the toys were taking over and if we were going to have another child we were going to need more room. So the renovations started again with a hole being knocked in the wall and our bonus room being built in the side of the garage. That was a great decision and money well spent.
9. Feb 18, 2010. Andrew celebrated his 29th birthday with a great big surprise....we were expecting again. Andrew wanted a fall baby this time. His rationale...the grass did not need to be mowed in the winter and we would not have any vacation plans then that a baby might mess up. Oh..and if it was another boy then he would be the oldest in sports (and therefore a little bigger and hopefully better:)
10. October 15, 2010...Anderson arrived and Alec became a big brother! We really had to learn to work together. It became "you take this one, I'll take that one".
11. Jan. 2011 we made the decision for me to stay home during the week with boys and Andrew to keep them while I worked on the weekends. It was a tough decision and it has been very challenging at times. The boys are a handful for sure but they are our greatest blessings!
12. I found another nursing position at Northcrest since I was not getting to work much at Centennial. I now have two "every now and then" jobs. Figuring out the orientation has been tricky because of childcare but I think it will be worth it in the end.

Well, that sums up our married life thus far! We feel very blessed by God to have each other, our boys, our family, and the life and home that we have built together.

I Dr. Woads

This week I think Alec might one day become a doctor and this is why.

Alec loves worms. Over the weekend, Andrew had Alec outside and he found a worm....a dried out one. He was so excited to find one since they have been gone all winter. It did not phase him a bit that it was moving. He was going to fix it.

I came into the kitchen and Andrew said, "look at Alec's worm". It was placed right above the kitchen sink on the window seal. "Yeah, you have a worm". To which Alec responded, "it needs medicine. Mama, give him some medicine to make him better, he dead." So we had to have the conversation of how once things are dead, medicine will not bring them to life.

Again yesterday, Alec was playing on the porch and he called me over, "I got show you mama, this bird is dead on porch." I went over and sure enough, a pretty bird, was dead on the porch (not sure how, it looked fine). I was just going to kick it off the porch into the yard but he was not going to have that. "No mama, he need medicine, look at his eyes". (Alec is very into what peoples eyes are saying. He told me the other day that in the book, The Happy Man and His Dumptruck, that the man was not happy. "Look at his eyes, he's mad".) So once again we had the once dead always dead talk.

Earlier in the day, I got this picture of Alec and Anderson. Alec had found my stethoscope where I had cleaned out my car. Tuesday, Andrew had taken Alec to see Dr. Roads because he has a rash on his face. Our conversation went something like this "mama, take off Andason's shut, I gonna listen to two his haut. I Dr. Woads". (Note...Alec is not very good with saying his r's). And, I know Alec's shirt doesn't match and his hair was crazy but that's his paint shirt and we were staying in all day:)

I not a big boy...I not married

At our house, most things are defined as being big boy or baby. Most days, Alec chooses to be a big boy, but other days he needs his mama and pretends he is crying like a baby. Discipline is a never ending challenge with him constantly testing us.

Over the past few months, we encouraged Alec to eat his dinner and vegetables so he could grow big and strong. Well, that has become pretty funny now. When he wants something to eat (like junk) he tells us "my belly button not full. I not growing big and strong anymore. See" and he shows his belly. Then when he has eaten something we asked him to and he feels proud, he stands on his tippy toes and says "look, I growing big and strong."

When I got home Thursday after girls night, Andrew was putting him to bed and their conversation went like this. "Daddy, you sleep with me?" "No, Alec, you are a big boy and you can sleep by yourself." Whining, Alec responded, "I not a big boy...I not married". Hahaha. You could not help but laugh. Alec sleeps by himself everynight and always has but he still tries to come up with a reason why he can't go to sleep. Usually it is that he is "huuungry" or he has to poop. He tries to yell all things that might make us come back to his room and let him get up. His little brain never stops. I love it.

Here is a picture of him eating and looking "big and strong".

He is standing on his stool that he pushes around the kitchen to help me cook and do dishes.

Here is Alec being a big boy holding his brother, the baby!

Not our normal week...I hope.

I just started this whole blogging thing and I already feel really behind.

What a week!
Well, the week started with Anderson getting two more teeth (only one day apart) for a total of 4 at only 5 1/2 months. He has been a little fussy and a total paci addict. Poor baby. Here is our happy little fellow showing those sharp teeth off. All 4 are on the bottom.

You take the little things like childcare for granted until you don't have it.
I have begun a new job at Northcrest Medical Center in their Women's Services Unit and will be working on the weekends there and at Centennial as well. However, I need to do my orientation during the week when they are busy soooo.... I have had to call on my family to help with babysitting. Andrew' sister Jordan and her boyfriend Matt have been stepping in during the week and my mom has gracously volunteered her spring break to babysit this upcoming week. I was scheduled to work last Wednesday and mom had got a sub for the day so she could be my babysitter. My mom is so helpful. She will do whatever she can to help make sure I can just work the weekends and be with my kids all week. Mom stayed at home with us until we all started school. Well things did not go as planned. I woke up Tuesday morning with a fever, killer headache, and super sore throat...Yes, I had Strep. So what happens when you are sick and you have your kids all day....your husband must take a vacation day to keep the kids. Certaintly not ideal, but our only option. Well when you are a nurse, you can not go work with prego moms and their babies so I was home Wednesday with my mom at the house to help. I felt so much better by then thanks to Doctor's Care and a shot of Penicillin.

By Thursday things were back to normal. After a day of grocery shopping and managing the kids (Alec's preschool was closed for spring break), I got to enjoy my evening with the girls eating at The Looking Glass and painting at Swirlz. We had a blast painting and I will definitely be going back with my free ticket I won in the drawing...Lucky Me!

Friday morning was spent making babyfood for Anderson and making fresh fruit juice pops with Alec. They were showing how to make them on TV that morning and he was super excited to try. Of course they had to freeze so I told him they would be ready after nap ( it was like 10:00). He thought that sounded good and responded "Ok, An-da-son, go take your nap now, I not take a nap". Maybe he will be a businessman....he is learning how to delegate all the jobs he does not want:)! We spent Friday afternoon in Stewart County at my grandmas and with mom and dad. It was a fun yet cold and rainy day.

Saturday was a family day with a trip to Kroger and to eat Mexican. Alec must have been starving...he scraped his plate. Then I headed to work that night leaving Andrew with the kids. Working on Saturday nights makes Sunday mornings interesting for Andrew. I was on call so I left early and got home at 5:30 and crawled into bed. Drew was up by 6 with Anderson and managed to feed and dress everyone and get them out the door and to church on time by himself. Great job Daddy!

Well, I guess I will do this...or at least try

When I had Alec...nearly 3 years ago...my sis Amanda said I should start a blog and set me up an account. So sweet of her! But overwhelmed with everything new motherhood brings (ie: sleepless nights, sore boobs, saggy stretched out skin, new bills, and lots of laundry) I laughed, thinking I really don't have time for that. You must know that I did not even have a FB account then.  Well, baby #2 came last fall and I have now joined the world of SAHM's and I kind of live through other peoples exciting lives that they post on FB and their blogs. Not that I am a stalker, I just enjoy nosing around the FB seeing the fun things people are doing (or random notes of where someone might have just shopped, ate, or how they hate when...). I am not a regular poster on FB because I tend to be long winded & wordy. Also, I am cheap so I don't have the web on my phone where I can post updates on myself all day long.

I was thinking today of how I should start writing in a diary. But I thought that sounded kind of 3rd grade and 1992. I have all these things in my head that I want to say but no one to say them to over the age of 3, unless I harass my sister or husband all day while they are at work.  Also, I am always telling my mom about all the funny things Alec says and does and each time she responds "did you write that down? I used to write down everything you girls did." And she did. Mom can look back and quote off the day I fell out the front door, got into the bleach and burned my legs, climbed up on the counters, and more. I am convinced she must have been writing and not watching. But she is right....and the best mom and babysitter ever!

Well, I have not been good at writing things down the past 3 years. I keep thinking, "how could I forget it?" Yeah, well, I have a hard time remembering what time Anderson was born and it was only 5 months ago. I think how could I forget how Alec told me "Mama I gonna tear you apart". Really there was another mean phrase before that, but I already forgot exactly what it was...that was like last week:( So this is going to be where I write. I fiqure it will be a great way to share my memories, thoughts and frustrations. And a way to print things off and save it for my boys.

Do know that if you do choose to read this, that I never claim to have good grammar. And I am sure it will be loaded with type o's and run-on sentences. I was a nursing major...definitely not an english major.