Spring Break 2014!

The combination of Ava having her first spring break from preschool and Ryan working longer hours for busy season was the prefect time to take a little road trip to Texas to see our family there. Mom and Dad came and picked up me and the kids in OKC to make the drive. 

These two have more fun together every time we get together. Her closest cousin in age and such a little sweetie! 

Here's all the cousins. Its easier to say just be crazy then try for a regular picture. We have two new additions due this spring/summer that we are excited to welcome to the crew, a girl and a boy to add to this mix! Excited to make some more trips this summer to see them! 

We went to the zoo this time and it was fun. Ava just loves her big cousins.
She got to have a sleep over the first night with Allie and she couldn't have been more excited. 

Little Rhett, wiped out and about to nod off for his morning nap.

Here is awake and post lunch and having some fun with his meme and punkie by the carousel.

We also got to go visit the Lahmeyers one evening, Q got a pet Rat recently that Ava got to see and hold and she has talked about it every day since. 

Our first Spring Break was lots of fun making memories with those we love! 

Babies in a Basket

Ava

Rhett

10 months old...

10 months old! 

He's now been in the world longer than I carried him and he's rapidly changing and doing fun things every time I turn around. 

There are certain moments that you see your child in a different light, at a new stage and it just hits you where you are now instead of where you have been. Rhett sitting perfectly still and engaged in story time at the Library, there he was, my little almost toddler, he was looking and acting so big, then I realized because he is this big now.  This time last year I was pregnant with him now he is sitting up big and tall next to his sister for story time what a difference a year makes, what gift it is to watch them grow. As we approach the one year milestone its exciting and also hard to believe this first precious year is coming to a close. 

I have a similar picture of Ava in our laundry basket at this age, I will have to find it and post them side by side for comparison.

The first time I saw him pull up to a standing position was this day with the baskets! He has also mastered the army crawl the rate of speed he can shimmy to what he wants is impressive. This guy is on the go, his favorite place to go is down the hall to see what's going in sister's room. Those eye lashes and checks are my favorite features, love this picture for capturing that so well. 

A new favorite sleeping position, buns in the air! 

I love when he just wakes up from his nap, usually some wild bed head going on and for the first little bit he just wants to snuggle, with his head draped on my shoulder, he's quiet and still as he gets his bearings and those are some our favorite moments together right now. 

Introducing solids has been quite the up and down, start and stop journey. This week I came across a new way he would take some solid food, by slurping up these puree packets.


Naps are down to two most days. Still nursing about the same amount but can stretch out a little longer when needed. Getting up 1-2x a night.

Exciting to think all the fun milestones just around the bend but also so glad to soak up the space we are in now.
Happy 10 months sweet boy!

We made it!

I think we are finally on the up swing after over a few weeks of both kids getting some pretty yucky colds and coughs. They took turns one having it one week and the other having it the next which meant sleep deprivation spanning about two weeks total. I was seriously feeling the mental strain of the lack of sleep at the end of this week. I found myself looking for something for several minutes that I was actually holding in my hand, I couldn't think of words I wanted to say, I would walk into a room and have no idea what I came for... This is one of those weeks I have thought and thought about single parent's and the challenges they face, even with Ryan's help getting up at night and trading off it felt like we were at max capacity. I am super thankful that this was Rhett's first time to be sick so we had a pretty good 10 month run.  We got some snow and ice so being forced to stay in rest and recoup some more was probably a good thing. Today was a pretty enjoyable quiet little snow day. 

Snow, Snow and more Snow!

Recently we had 3 rounds of snow and lots of crazy low temps to go with it! 

Watching the snow still falling on a Sunday Morning

Lots of snuggle time

Headed out to dinner to beat the cabin fever.

This week we are back in the 60s and soon will be 70s! So excited for spring to arrive and stay. 

9 months of Rhett!

Rhett is now 9 months old!

Favorites: Taking off his socks, clapping his hands, all music: often when he hears music, he stops what he's doing, looks to where its coming from and starts bobbing his head and body. He loves books, when reading them in his rocking chair, he will peer over the side after we read each one, ready and excited for me to pick the next one out of the basket.

Milestones: Trying to crawl but not quite there yet, getting up on knees. Reaches for us. He shows more preferences for familiar faces, he often cries when I walk into another room. No teeth yet but think he is working on his bottom two. 

Feeding and Sleeping: Makes it a lot of nights till around 5am or 6am before waking to eat. He now turns most nights to sleep on his tummy. This change seems to also coincide with his better sleeping patterns. He is still napping 2-3 times per day, depending on the length of them. He has decided he is only really interested in finger foods instead of purees. He is liking finger food pieces of bananas, steamed apples, steamed carrots, steamed sweet potatoes, puffs and yogurt melts. I also mashed up some spaghetti when we had that the other night and he loved it. He loves drinking from his sippy cup.  He still nurses about every 3 hours. 

How is his first Birthday just around the corner!?

a little anniversary...

A little anniversary happened in January. 15 years ago Ryan and I shared our first kiss. I can recall that moment with great detail as I do my other most cherished life moments. There is a great debate between us if it was after our first date or second date but none the less it was a momentous occasion. I didn't know it at the time if he would be my first great love or the love of my life but I knew it was something I would never forget.  Time has told that tale and it was the start of something that has tremendously blessed me every day since. This year we also will celebrate 10 years of marriage so I find myself reflecting on us.

Like all real love stories he knows and has seen the best of me but also the worst of me. I love him and the way he loves each of us in the way only he can. I really am pretty blessed to be his and have the life we do together. 2014 will be a milestone year for us, the last 10 years have been precious and dear to me. We went from living in our little apartment and finishing graduate school to settling into our family life chapter with the a daughter and son over that span of time. What a special time it has been, what a special time it is now, definitely living the dream, a dream that all started with that little kiss.