Caleb is 3 Months Old!

Our little Chipmunk is 3 months old and the honeymoon stage has only lengthened and grown deeper. This sweet boy is all he seems and so much more. I just love his personality! He loves to smile and knows just how to light up a room. He is definitely a talker and one of my favorite times of day is hearing him and Connor jabbering away in the back seat while we drive to Grandma's house. He certainly likes to eat and still nurses every 2 hours. He actually has thigh rolls! Caleb only tends to cry when he wants something and it is such a sigh of relief! He has found his hands and tends to grab  at everything, including mommy's hair. He is so easy to take anywhere, and I think I'm still pinching myself, because yes, I do know the difference! He is starting to giggle, and as I was sitting down to write this he rolled over for the first time on the floor with daddy. This baby does not absolutely need his paci and falls asleep quite often without it. As for sleep he wakes up at night somewhere between 3-5am and sometimes I can even put him back to bed after his feeding. Caleb loves to be worn and near mommy, but can't get enough of his brother, and always laughs at daddy. He is also great while he spends the day with Grandma Glenda. He is extremely strong and is constantly trying to sit up and stand. People are always commenting about his strength and his smile. He seems like a thinker and wants to see everything. One of daddy's favorite things is that he squeaks and Connor likes that he "plays" with him.

 I can't believe it has been 3 months since he was born. It is going so quickly. Connor is growing just as quickly, and my heart can't keep up with all of this change happening so fast. I would like things to slow down please. My clone boys bring me so much joy! Caleb makes this baby thing easy. I now get why the Duggars have so many!

From Stitches to Stock Shows

I thought I had prepared myself well enough when I discovered I was having a boy, but you don't know until you live it. C1 got his first set of stitches and we're all doing fine!! We were enjoying family night at Grandma Glenda's house and after getting up from the dinner table C1 was bouncing about and tripped over his own feet, banged into the couch, and landed on the tile floor. His little chin split immediately, and I knew right away he needed stitches. I grabbed ice and a paper towel, and held him on my lap in the back seat of the car while daddy rushed us to the ER. Four stitches, a popsicle, and a wind up airplane later we left the hospital with our bruiser. The big boy didn't shed a single tear after the initial shock of his fall. He's too cool.

On Friday we found ourselves at the beginning of a four day weekend and a fun adventure to the great state of Texas. After a quick poll on FB and an invitation from Buddy, Daddy immediately booked a trip and started the planning. C1 was most excited about flying Southwest and was rewarded by flying one of their newly painted planes. C2 wasn't even aware he was on his first flight and did great!!!!

Abbie and Connor became fast friends and it was so much fun watching them play together. The Finnie's were such great hosts and happily took us all over Dallas starting with an evening at Top Golf. With a gorgeous sunset and interesting driving "skills" we all had fun! We ended the evening with a steak dinner from Saltgrass! Yum! Our bodies were still on east coast time and we were so lame to fall asleep earlier than they were ready.

We were also the lame ones who woke up early! Connor was so excited though because he knew we were heading to the Rodeo! Saturday saw us driving their two cars (babies with the ladies; big kids with the dads) to Fort Worth to see the Stock Show and Rodeo...evidently it's a big deal!

The kids had fun seeing all of the animals, the dads were excited about the food, and I was happy to have girl time with Sherry! After arriving we found out that the Rodeo was sold out, but we did not give the news to the big kids. They didn't know the difference and had fun anyway. Especially at the carnival.

We let them choose what rides they wanted to go on, and by the time we got to dinner the big kids were fast asleep in their car seats. Connor slept in an empty booth while we ate real Texas BBQ. We tuckered the poor cowboy out!

Sunday was our museum day and our first stop was the 6th Floor Museum right in the heart of Dallas. It was interesting to see how interested Connor was in it, and insisted on wearing my in-ear tour guide. He even pointed things out to me as we encountered them, including the infamous window. He kept telling me "that's the window mommy" and looked right at the picture of it on the wall and showed me which one it was. He was listening so intently. The area has been preserved to look exactly the way it did on that fateful day and was a little eerie. I found it a little more disconcerting to see the X marked in the street exactly where it happened.

We did go down to the street and the kids even ran around on the Grassy Knoll. So weird to see it all in person.

The other exciting museum of the day was the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. It was so cool, and I won't lie, I was completely hoping one of the Bush's might be there.

Inside was an exact replica of the Oval Office the way it was decorated while he was in office and it brought back so many memories of visiting Leslie while she worked there. All of the little facts and tidbits came right back and it was such a fun experience. It was very child friendly and the big kids were able to touch the interactive computers around the museum and even played some games.

Everyone was so kind at the museum and it seemed they all really enjoyed their jobs. Each person was so full of information and wanted to share their knowledge. I think we all had fun. On the way back to Buddy and Sherry's house the guys picked up groceries and we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for everyone. Perfect evening after a great day!

Monday saw us waking up at our leisure, hitting a little bit of shopping, and then on our plane home. It was an amazing trip! Tim was ready to book a trip immediately back! Buddy and Sherry were such wonderful hosts and made us feel so comfortable. The kids were able to be kids and run around, and the babies were able to be babies no need to keep everyone quiet. The playroom upstairs for everyone to hang out in was a magic place and Abbie and Tyler were so sweet to share their toys. We had SO MUCH FUN!!!! Texas is definitely my kind of place!

This is Thirty

New Year, new decade, new mom (ish). 

It's a lot of new right now. New perspectives for sure. I don't feel like I'm thirty. Thirty seems much more mature, refined, a "got life figured out" age. I still get birthday checks from my sweet aunts and grandparents. I can see that my priorities are more focused but the struggle is figuring out how to make them happen. I want this decade to be more about "my people" and less of those who aren't. I've got two priceless boys who will only be this age right now; they are what this decade will be about. I look back on my twenties with pleasure, but not longing. 

In the past decade I've been humbled by loss, wizened by fourberie, and redeemed by blessings and grace. I can only imagine what this new decade will hold. Onward and upward I say!

I see my thirties as holding so much potential, so much adventure. Following the Lord's call on our lives and finding the path we were meant for. I may even figure out how to keep a tidy house, but with two boys I doubt it.  I'm so blessed by a tight knit family, and friends that know how to encourage and uplift even from miles away. That also means I need to get better at posting mail. (New decade, new resolutions?) They made turning 30 so wonderful! A surprise party, and then days of sweet wishes, and Tim even brought David Yurman into the mix.

My thirties are going to be based on priorities. I'm gently being reminded of this while Caleb sits next to be me, smiling and cooing, trying to get me to come and play with him. I just put Connor down for a nap and now have a moment to sit with my perspective. I went back to work this week, and yet I still have an itch for something more, something different. I feel a tug. I don't know what it means or where it leads but I know

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I have a Christmas tree to un-don and halls to un-deck, but I also have a sweet baby who wants me right now, so that's where I'll be.

Caleb's First Christmas

I realize that it's technically the new year but I have two kids now, and in the process of living life (and a surprise birthday party) I am just now having the opportunity to sit down and write about the most epic Christmas ever!

 We started off Christmas break (because yes I did go back to work the two days before school was out and cried those two days) with a quick trip up to the Dis per tradition. To make the trip even better we stopped by to see the boys new cousin Hayden de Rose! He is beautiful and yummy, and I cannot wait for our boys to grow up together and the adventures to come in the future. I'm already planning family vacations. I see camping, and hiking, and fishing, and lots of fun, and I'm sure a fart joke here or there (but I'll pretend to not hear them, they are boys after all).

 Caleb turned 2 months old on the 23rd and by Christmas day he was 9 weeks old. He is growing and changing daily! People cannot get over how strong he is, and he is really trying to hold his head up and even stand on his two feet. He coos and talks and smiles just to charm the socks off of you. The nurse the other day commented about how handsome he was while he was flirting with her. She said won't need to flirt because he's so cute. He's cool that's for sure, and the C-word never entered our front door. Yes, we see bouts of reflux, and we've gone through bottles of little tummies because he hates the liquid zantaq, but this is nothing compared to Connor. With all the cooing he does I tell people we're working on "Mama" next! Though I think my super power is making clones, their temperaments are night and day. He also decided to sleep through his 3am feeding a few days before Christmas and that was the best present ever!!

Our church this year decided to have a family Christmas Eve service, called Jingle Jam, and the whole family participated in some way. Rehearsals started at 3pm and it forced me to rethink the supper I make for all of us. I set the table the night before with all of our pretty dishes and crystal, and then once we got home from service.....Tim grilled up some hamburgers!!! Yum-o and easy! Toasted pretzel buns were a must, and it turned out great.

 Dear Santa,
These coo
kies are
for you.
Thank you
for bringi
ng my prese
nts.
Love, Connor

 Santa came to our house! Connor was thrilled, Caleb was awake, and Daddy and I couldn't have enjoyed it any more than we did. Connor really was excited over "Santa" this year, but equally as in awe of baby Jesus. It was so neat to see both. The excitement and the reverence. We hung a special Santa key on the front door because we don't have a chimney and evidently it worked! He even ate the cookies we left out for him, and one of the reindeer, maybe Blitzen, dropped a carrot outside.

 This was the present Connor purchased for Caleb and then wrapped himself.

Caleb was next to me Christmas morning and giggled and cooed the entire time. It was so precious to hear his sounds combined with the pure joy exuding from Connor. Of course Caleb got presents because a lot of life is going to happen between now and next Christmas that would warrant toys for growth and fun. Connor helped him open each one, and by that I mean Connor opened all of them plus his own. It really was a win win.

 These are the gifts Connor purchased for us from his Holiday Boutique at school. A baseball key chain for Daddy, and a purse mirror for me. Perfect!

 Grandma's house is just as amazing on Christmas morning. Connor was excited to open more presents and Caleb was content to be Santa's Little Helper....or sleep.

 I loved that Grandma Glenda used the stocking we brought back from Disneyland Paris for Caleb's stocking. It was a great little detail of the day!

 I would have to say the present that brought the most joy and excitement Christmas morning was the Corvette from Papa that matched his. Connor really wanted a car that he could sit in a drive, and this couldn't have fit the bill any better. It even has a way to open up the throttle and the little speed demon was going 6 mph up and down the street. He's gotten so good at it over the past week that he does tricks and peels out and drifts all over the sidewalk and driveway.

 We took our annual picture with Santa and even had an awesome silly string fight in the front yard. Every box and present was opened and enjoyed. That's what makes the day so fun! Grandma Glenda got us beautiful leather couches that were delivered to our house one surprising morning the week of. They are amazing, and poor Roxy is not allowed near them...

It really was the best Christmas ever, and I can only imagine how it will be next year. I continue to feel so blessed by the Lord, and I know that 2015 will have it's own adventures and surprises, and the wonderful thing is I know Who is in control.