Huston - December 2012

Huston, you have had a very busy month.  Both sets of your grandparents came to visit, you have a new little brother at home, you left school to stay home with mommy and we are planning our move to Washington for daddy's new job.

The biggest thing that has happened in the last month is that you can have full conversations with us now.  It's amazing what comes out of your mouth and what you remember.  You also pick up the funniest phrases and know just how to use them in a sentence.  You are a very funny little man.

You had so much fun when your grandparents visited.  Nana Loretta came first, but it rained a lot during her stay.  We mostly stayed home and played and got to know Baby Nolan.  Then Memaw and Papa Lowery came and we had nicer weather and were able to go to the beach and San Francisco.

Christmas preparations were lots of fun, we got the tree and decorations up, you got your Elf on the Shelf (which you named Charlie Brown), we made Christmas cookies and you were so excited about presents and Santa and snowmen.

In addition to you showing signs of becoming a famous chef, you may also be a famous photographer.  You are obsessed with taking pictures and nobody is safe.  I got a new camera so I gave you my old one and you had the battery dead within a few hours of receiving it.  I'm very impressed with some of the shots you get though....you have an eye for getting random things I wouldn't even have noticed.

One of your favorite expressions is "I want a lot a LOT".  You also are learning to express your preference on things....the bath is a teeny bit hot, you like it "warm".  You don't like things to be too loud and you are starting to get a little bit of OCD from your dad and I.

You have always liked what we call "belly on belly".  You lift your shirt up and put it on my belly when your "tummy hurts".  Lately you have really really gotten into it and LOVE to have your back or belly rubbed or tickled.  I'll try to to do it and will stop as I get distracted and you'll tell me "GO!".

You are completely obsessed with soft pretzels.  That is all you want to eat and when looking at Black Friday ads with Gramma, you decided you HAD TO HAVE a pretzel maker they were advertising.

Although it's a little sad watching you grow up so much, I love the little boy that you are becoming and am so proud of you and the relationship that we have.  I also love to watch the relationship you have with Daddy and Nolan.

Nolan - 1 Month

Nolan, I can't believe you have already been with us for a month! 

You are now 9lbs and 7oz and are so alert and strong.  You can already pull your head up and hold it without it wobbling too much and you push so hard with your legs that you've even rolled over twice.

You aren't really a fan of tummy time yet, but you love cuddling, tasty toes, showers and baths.  Most of all, you love to watch your big brother.  You are usually very serious looking, but when you watch him playing with you, you are just in awe. 

Everyone is still deciding who you look like.  You look a lot like Huston did at your age and you have the same hairline, but your hair and eyes are much lighter.  Some people even think you might have a little red in your hair.

You are a very vocal little man and you grunt and moan and coo a lot.  We always know when you are awake!  You get really, really mad when you get the hiccups and you try to fight sleep with all your might.

We are so excited to have you join our family and can't even remember what it was like before you came.  We love you so much little boog!

Huston - November 2012

Huston it has been quite a month.  Not only did we have all the fun of Halloween and fall festivals, but we also had the arrival of your new baby brother!  I feel like you have grown up so much this past month both physically and developmentally.  You are no longer my baby, you are my big boy!

For Halloween you were Spiderman and loved every minute of it.  We had a party at your school and then went trick or treating that night.  You got it down and went to every house and said "Trick or Treating" and "Thank you".  We also went to the Harvest Party at your school and you got up on stage to sing your songs you'd been rehearsing so hard...unfortunately stage fright set in and you stood up there and looked scared to death.  Either way we had lots of fun.

You have become so funny and I can't keep up with all of your funny sayings.  Here are some of my favorites:

• You have started adding "very much" to your "I love yous" - "I love you very much"
• Anytime you see something on tv, you say "Mommy, I want that" or "Mommy, I want to go there".  Now that we took you to Disney, I think you believe we can take you to anywhere you see on tv
• If I say something wrong or misunderstand you, you say "Silly mommy"
• If someone calls you a pet name (i.e. little penguin) you proudly say, "I'm not a penguin, I'm a GROWLY LION!"  That is your classes name at school
• If you don't like something and we ask why, your reply is "It's too yucky"

You are also full of not so cute sayings....you have learned a few curse words and you are starting to talk back.  I knew this day would come but I'm still not ready for it.  I'm torn between laughing and being so mad and embarrassed.  Your favorite right now is replying to anything we ask you to do with "No, YOU, go pick up the toys."  "No, YOU, eat your dinner."  Argh.

I think you know that I am on maternity leave and at home during the days, so you aren't so crazy about school drop off lately. We've changed your enrollment to two days a week, but you still throw a fit when we take you.  Once we are gone, you still love it though.  Your teacher says you are great at tracing, karate and helping set the table during snacks and lunch.  Your favorite color is red and you love to draw H's.  Anytime we see an H on a poster or sign you point it out.  You corrected me the other day when I thought you drew a circle - you said "that is an oval!"  You have been practicing really hard for your Christmas musical and I hope you are excited about performing it.

Daddy and I took you to see "Wreck it Ralph" after weeks of you getting excited over the previews.  It was the first movie that you sat through for it's entirety.  You told everyone for days that you went with your Daddy and spent your birthday gift card buying some figures from the movie. Next on your list is  "Guardians" because you want to see the bunny.

You also learned a new song from Dad - "Down By The Bay" and you sing it with him and finish each verse.  It is so cute and you get so excited when he mixes up what you see in that verse (i.e. Have you ever seen a Moose kissing a Goose...)

Finally, the big thing this month is the arrival of your baby brother.  Our whole pregnancy I have felt you bond with your little brother, you've always wanted to cuddle him via my belly and asked lots of questions about him, but nothing compares to how great you are now that he is here.

You always want to know where he is, want him to sit by you and announce when his eyes are open or when he does something funny.  Anytime I am holding him and he starts looking for food you say "He's Rooting and Tooting!".  I am already so proud of what a good big brother you are and I can't wait to watch you two grow up together.

Even though you won't let me say it now because you want to be a "big boy", you are still my baby, even though I have two baby boys now and you always will be!  Love you baby boy!

Nolan Arrives

Nolan, you have arrived!  We were so excited to meet you that we kept hoping you'd show up a little early, but you stuck to your scheduled date.  Since you brother was delivered Cesarean, the doctors scheduled yours and we checked into the hospital on November 6, 2012 at 10:00am and had you in our arms by 12:51pm. 

Once we got settled into our room, your big brother came to meet you.  I was a little nervous about it, because he was only three and wasn't sure how he would take to a little friendly competition.  He was smiling so big and kissing you and loving on you that my heart just doubled in size.  I could immediately tell that you two were going to have a great relationship.

Since Daddy had to spend the nights at home with Huston, we got some one on one time in the evenings.  You liked to sleep directly on me, but the nurses frown on that, so this is what I would see when I put you in your crib....

.....I pulled you out every second I could and enjoyed the cuddles!

We are so happy to have you home now and are enjoying watching you grow.  Daddy, Huston and I love you so much and are so excited to have you complete our family!

Final Countdown

36 Weeks

We are just a few days out from meeting our second baby boy.  This pregnancy has really flown by and has been completely different from my first.  It's amazing that no matter how uncomfortable it gets, it never takes away the excitement of meeting our baby.

Even more exciting is how Huston totally understands that there is a baby in there.  We really didn't think he would understand it all, but he talks about (and to) his baby brother all of the time.  By the questions that he asks, you can tell that he does realize it is a baby that will be coming.  He went with me to a doctor appointment the other day and there was a poster up with the mom and fetus and he saw all the details and said "Is that baby Nolan?"  Now he points out where his eyes and his booty is on my belly.  As the crib, clothes and new toys showed up in his room he just says "Are those Nolan's?" and doesn't seem to be too worried about sharing a room.  He even clapped when he saw the carseat was installed.  Let's just hope this continues after he is really here!

Doug and I like to talk about the boys all of the time and wonder which one will be which personality and what their relationship will be like, of course it is all just guesswork right now, but what we do know is that we are absolutely blessed that we have added one more to our family and can't wait for him to be here with us!

It's Fall Y'all

Pumpkin Patch with Auntie Katie

I have always loved everything about Fall and it looks like my little punkin will too.  We had lots of fun going to the local pumpkin patches, a harvest party and of course Trick or Treating!

After watching several programs on Halloween Huston understood a few things; too much candy will make you sick (Yo Gabba Gabba), leaves are falling everywhere (Yo Gabba Gabba), monsters aren't scary, trick or treating (Handy Manny) and he loves pumpkins, especially mini ones!  Everywhere we went we had to get a mini pumpkin.  He had the trick or treating piece down too.  He walked up to the doors and said "Trick or Treating" (rather than Trick or Treat, it was so cute) and most of the time remembered to say "thank you".  As soon as he turned around he'd tell us, "One more house!" and hold his finger up.  We had to drag him to the car to go home. It was great!

Here are some of our adventures......

Party at school

Costumes at school

Harvest Party

Train rides

Getting goodies in the mail

Shooting webs

Trick or Treating



Inspecting our loot



Nolan even dressed up

Huston - October 2012

Huston you are growing up so fast.  Just listening to you talk and play makes me realize how much you learn every day.  I'm constantly amazed by how much you take in and understand and you say some of the funniest things.  I keep a running list all month long so I can be sure and capture them on your blog, otherwise I'd never keep up.  Listening to you play with your toys or take a bath makes my day.  You come up with some of the craziest things.

You have great manners and you always say excuse me and bless you when it's needed.  If someone doesn't say it back, you will remind us.  "Mommy, bless me, I sneezed."  You have lots of fun with burps and will say excuse you every time someone needs it, even if it's five times in row.  "Excuse you again Mommy",  "Excuse you again Mommy."  You've also learned how to cough into your arm so you won't spread germs.  If you catch me not using my arm - you correct me and show me the right way to do it.

At school your class is called the "Growly Lions".  The other day I was joking around with you and called you my little penguin.  You proudly said, "I'm not a penguin, I'm a Growly Lion!"

You still get a few words mixed up, but my absolute favorite is "stop it" and "don't" or "quit".  Example, "Daddy, stop it knocking that over."  Sometimes you love to show off and other times you get embarrassed. Lately there has been a lot of "Mommy, watch this tricky".  You have all kinds of dance moves and songs that you learn at school that you will do for us.  On Mondays you have karate at school and you are starting to show us some of your new moves, but usually you are way too shy to share those with us.

One of your most adorable things right now is that you cannot avoid announcing "MUSTACHE" every time you take a drink, even if it's just water.

You are starting to get your little quirks and you like routine.  You do not like any tags on your clothes and will ask me to cut them out anytime you notice them.  The other day you got a monkey with an A's uniform and you made me cut his off too.  You love to have your back scratched and tickled and you will instruct us which one it is you want and are very insistent when you need it done.  You've also decided that you do not like it when I don't shave and you will tell me my legs are too scratchy and I need to go shave or you won't cuddle me.  Yes, you've already learned how to put down the ultimatums.

One of your favorite things to play right now is making dinner.  You will ask "What you want?"  Whatever we come up with, you will whip up and then ask again "what you want?"  This can go on and on.  I'm glad your dinner's don't have calories or we'd be in big trouble!  You still love to play cars and superheros.  Ms. Anna at school says that you are really good at tracing your letters and numbers.

Your appetite is getting bigger and you are starting to try new foods and even some meat.  One of your favorite things is pizza.  You also love applesauce, grapes, veggie straws, pirates booty, Popsicles and donuts.

You seem to really understand that you are going to be a big brother soon.  You like to blow bubbles on Nolan and hug him.  You will tell me, "Get him out of there" and sometimes you will even head butt my belly button and "Try to get in there."  You have helped me put away his clothes and are getting used to the crib and new baby items that keep appearing in your room.  You are even learning to use him to get things you want.....the other day at the Lego store when Dad told you only one toy, you told him that one of the toys was for Nolan.  Here we go :)  I'm so excited to see what a great big brother you are going to be.  This is your last month as an only child!

We love you so much buddy and couldn't be more proud of you!