G is 10 months (+1 week)

Our little monster is just over 10 months old.  He is a pretty incredible kid and has quite a set of lungs.

At this age, he:
- pulls himself to standing and get back to the floor smoothly.
- army crawls himself all over the house, but rarely crawls on hands and knees even though he can.
- eats like a pig.  I think if I were to nurse him every hour around the clock, he'd be full.  But that's not the case.  He will nurse and still eat 1-3 "ice cubes" of food.
- has added berries, bread, pancakes, waffles to his diet.  I'm pretty sure he'd eat everything in the fridge if I let him.
- screams whenever E comes near him (I think he fears for his life) or when E takes anything from him.
- still has the goofiest grin.
- 6 teeth, though it seems as though a few more might be sprouting.
- stops nursing before falling asleep.  He's much rather fall asleep on your chest.
- makes a mess faster than a speeding bullet!

- has several bruises and bumps on his face (forehead, nose, eyes)
- does well playing on his own. E "demands" so much of our attention when playing that G just kicks back and does his own thing, which is great, but it makes me sad at the same time.  I'm looking forward to when they play together, although I'm not looking forward to the fighting either.  Then again, it happens already!
- will not be still for a diaper change. At all.  It's frustrating.
- makes our lives crazy and we love it.

California Vacation {First Family Trip}

Paul and I decided to take the boys on a family vacation.  Soon into our trip, I discovered that a vacation isn't really a vacation at all. In fact, it's much more work and stress than just staying home.  What made it difficult for me was the fact that G needed to nap so much and it just didn't happen.

We headed out on Monday evening, in hopes that the boys would fall asleep (and stay asleep) the whole ride.  G fell asleep about 30 minutes into the trip, while E enjoyed watching the numerous trains that we passed along the way. E had trouble falling asleep because he kept saying that he wanted to go home. By 8:00 or so, E was asleep as well.  I had to use the restroom, which woke up G, and he cried until we stopped at a vacant (and shady) gas station where I nursed him.  He continued to cry until he fell asleep, but as we hoped, they slept until we arrived at the hotel around 1:00am. E was able to get back to sleep quickly, but it took G until almost 2:30 to fall asleep.  Of course, both boys were up around 6:30.

The first full day of our trip was spent mostly at the beach.  E and G both really enjoyed playing in the sand.  E liked having us carry him in the water, but he's only handle walking into the water on his own for a short amount of time. While E would play/run/dig/sit in the sand, G would run his hands through it over and over again. He liked the sand so much that he would try and eat it. He also tried eating seaweed and anything else he discovered in the sand.

Day two was spent at the San Diego Zoo.  I left both my camera and phone in the car, so I was unable to take any photos.  E liked looking at the animals at first, but was ready to leave about an hour into it.  He kept telling us that he wanted to go home. We kept seeing the guided tour double decker busses driving past us, and E wanted to get on it.  Once we were riding it, he was so worn out that he really could have cared less about the animals. What finally got him up and excited was seeing a "digger".  We spent a little more time at the beach that evening

Day three was our final day in California.  We packed up, loaded the car, and set off for Legoland.  Luckily, it was only a 10 minute drive from our hotel, but the kids fell asleep.  Paul and I stopped for our daily Starbucks run, and then drove around for about an hour until E woke up. We arrived just after 1:00 and stayed until the park closed at 6:00.  I think E had a great time playing, riding some kid rides, watching a fire safety show.  He was excited to hear that we were heading home to be with Layne, our dog.

When we arrived home, I put E in his bed and he asked me, "At home in my bed?"  I think he was relieved to be at home again. I know that I was!

E is 3!

A big happy birthday to my sweet, silly, inquisitive, analytic, willful, cuddly little man.

My, how you've grown in three short years. Each day you continue to surprise as with what you know and what you can say. You're laughter and smile are contagious. You love to tell us how much you love us and your brother.  We can't wait to see what you have in store for us. What you've already given us is more than we could have ever imagined.

I always knew that I wanted to me a mother.  Thank you for continuing to teach me how to be a better Mommy and how to be a better person.

collage courtesy of Emma Youngdale Photography

collage courtesy of Emma Youngdale Photography

collage courtesy of Emma Youngdale Photography

You're my favorite Evan. We love you dearly.  

Bras

Yet again, my child continues to make me laugh.

Scene: I'm changing G's diaper and putting on his pajamas. Paul is in our room changing out of his work clothes. E comes running from our bedroom to meet me, with one of my bras in his hand. 

 E wraps the bra around himself and says, "Mommy, you put it on like this?" 

"Yes," I say chuckling. 

"Mommy, you put it on like this? So milk doesn't come spilling out everywhere?"

"Yep, pretty much! Who told you to say that?"

No answer. Then I hear Paul tell me he's done that the past two days. Seconds later, E returns with my swimsuit top.

"Mommy, you put it on this this and go 'Oooooh'?" he says wiggling his hips.

What a funny kid!