Sunday, February 1, 2015

Daily Life - January

Time for January pictures!

We did Christmas with Eric's parents in early January..... the kids got some more great stuff they've been enjoying!
 


 Just hanging out one morning
 Poor Cole got another nasty cold around the 4th of January. Here we are in the steam room again, trying to breathe. (I also ended up with it about the same time, so this was helping to clear out both of us!)
 I took him to the doctor that afternoon because something just didn't seem right. Look at his poor little eyes while seeing Dr. Nail. Glad I trusted my instinct and took him in because we had our first ever ear infection. Neither Carter nor Ella have ever had one, so this is a whole new thing for me as a parent. We got on antibiotics right away.
 His eyes and sinuses continued to swell that evening. Poor baby boy. So pitiful and miserable.
 He didn't really want to sleep anywhere except on Mama, so on Mommy he slept, all night long. In the recliner upstairs, and then in the lovesac. I think he actually ended up sleeping pretty good. Mommy on the other hand, not so much. Especially because I was fighting the yuckiness too.
 Still a little snuggly and clingy the next day. We did a lot of laying around. (In our warmest clothes, I might add, because it was 20 degrees outside and freezing inside, yikes!! Rocking the giant hoodie here!)
 Feeling much better the few days after, and up for a little playtime. Ella always includes Cole in on whatever she's doing.
 Toasting bread with a monkey strapped to her chest. :)
 Playing salon and giving Mommy a new do.
 Sweet face.
 Oops, hat got turned. It's dark in here, I guess I'll just go to sleep!

 Enjoying a meal at our favorite hibachi place.



 Cole in Ella's baby stroller.... he looks huge! I wish we would've thought to put him in it 2 months ago, I'm sure he would have fit perfectly!!
 He loves his baby brother something fierce.
Cole's starting to wiggle so much on the floor that he's spinning himself around and he'll end up in a completely different spot than where you put him. The beginning of mobility!
 Cuddled up watching The Smurfs together.
 Cole's almost too big for Ella to hold anymore.
 Bath time smiles

 Cole loves to look at himself in the mirror.
 He smiles so big at that cute baby he sees, it's adorable!
 Cole is so lucky to have this boy in his life. I know Carter will always have his back.
We got this play money with Grandad's face on it at the company's casino party. The kids thought it was hilarious, and Ella loves to stash it in her purse.
 Ella and I had a girls day recently, complete with painted nails and hair cuts. Fun with my girl!
 It was her first trip to the nail salon, and she loved it. :)


 And she did great for her haircut by Ms. Heather. Such a big girl!


 Loving on Cole.
Cole's first nap in his room, Thursday 1/15. It took him a few days to transition. He was a little restless at naptime and woke a few times during the night those first few days, but he's done great ever since then.
He loves tummy time now! He often rolls to his back and sometimes struggles to get back to his tummy again, so he fusses until someone flips him back over.

 Cutie pie.
 He also has found his hands recently, and always has them in his mouth! Which makes for a slobbery mess.
 Ella set up a tea party for her and Cole.
 He doesn't look so sure about the tea.
 Loving tummy time.
 Hanging with Carter
 Cole rode in the stroller for the first time (out of his car seat), and he seemed to love facing out and watching everyone, except for the sun in his eyes on the walk back to the house from the park.

 Looking so big.

 Enjoying a beautiful MLK day with picnic and play at the park. Great way to spend a day off of school for the boys.
 Loving her lemon cake from Starbucks. Mmmmmm.
 Watching Carter do homework. Exciting stuff.
 :)


 Cole's very interested in toys lately, and Ella loves to bring him LOTS and LOTS of toys, ALL the time. HA!
 Silly girl at dinner one night. Who teaches her this stuff???
 Carter dressed up as a train conductor for community helper day at school. Cute boy.
 Cole loves to be tickled and Ella loves to tickle him!
Eric participated in Career Day in kindergarten along with 4 other parents. They had a fire fighter, a physical therapist, a Navy pilot, a nurse, and an electrical engineer
 Ella dressed Cole up as Joseph using his burp rag. LOL!
 Sweet smiles.
 Ella is obsessed with make up, and Eric bought her a cheap little make up kit. It's suuuuuper messy, and she went a little crazy with in one day!
 She loves to push Cole in the stroller, even if it is just in circles!!
 Eric bought himself a toy for his birthday.... a remote control helicopter. He and the kids sure have had a lot of fun with it. It's hard to see, but it's that tiny spec in the middle of the clear blue sky. It flies easily 100 feet up in the air if there's little wind. Pretty cool!

 Cole watching the big kids swing

 More messy make up.

 More helicopter fun
 Running around watching it fly low....
 Ha! She knows what goes where at least, for the most part. Never seen blue blush before, but hey....
Ella has had a sticker chart lately for her behavior (YAY, age three!!). When she gets 5 stickers, she get to choose a prize from a prize basket I put together for her. It's really helped a lot. She's earned two prizes. The first she chose was chocolate milk chapstick. (It lasted approximately 48 hours before it was ALL gone), and the second was this Frozen memory game. Lots of fun! And we're pretty proud of her for having so many good days lately!

 Cole is starting to put all toys to the mouth!


 He looks so long!
 Love those big smiles!
 Cole and Grace are about 7 weeks apart. They had a lunch date at Chick Fil A



First ride facing front next to big sis to get Carter from school. Can you tell Ella just woke up from a nap?
 Cutie
 She wanted to takes pictures of each other at the same time....
Early morning picture before school.
 Dinner out with friends.... I have an awesome MOPS table!
 Another cutie pie
I've been working on and adding stuff to this gallery wall for several months, and I think it's finally finished! I love it!!
 Love this silly girl so much! So pretty!
 Loving the lights!! 

That's all for January pictures!

Thursday, January 29, 2015

In Loving Memory

Yesterday we said goodbye to our wonderful, precious Granny Mary. My children were all so blessed to know their Great-Grandmother, and she loved them dearly. We will all miss her every single day. Just wanted to share some of my favorite photos and memories with her. Love you always, Granny.

Christmas 2005
 Easter 2006
 My wedding day, June 2007


Loving on Carter, May 2009

 Granny and Carter, Thanksgiving 2009
 Baby shower for Ella, August 2011
  Loving on Ella, October 2011
 Four generations. Ella's 1st birthday, October 2012
Christmas 2012
 Christmas 2012
 Christmas 2012



 Love this! May 2013
 Granny loving on Cole, November 2014
 Last Christmas with our beloved Granny, Christmas 2014
 Christmas 2014

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Cole at 4 months

Cole is 4 months old as of earlier this week! Wow, the time has flown. I love this age that he's at right now so much.... smiles, giggles, lots of love, sleeping good, not yet mobile, and little sparks of his personality coming through. So fun. 

He continues to be such a good, easy going baby. He's truly happy in all circumstances. He giggles on command, smiles at everyone all the time, and makes everyone fall in love with his dimples. He loves to lay and kick on the floor, and is enjoying tummy time more and more. He's able to roll both ways, but mostly is just happy to lay on his back. He's grabbing toys now and putting them to his mouth. Also, his hands.... he's found them and loves them! He occasionally sucks his thumb, but is mostly a paci baby. He LOVES to look in the mirror at himself, and looking at other babies in general, in person or at pictures. We've also had some nice weather lately, and he's really enjoyed being outside in the stroller, on a blanket, or just being held and watching the entertainment of all the big kids at the park.

He has made the transition to sleeping in his room now, so we've got a full house upstairs at night time! Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that we've filled every bedroom up with perfect and precious kiddos.

I took him to his 4 month well check yesterday where he got a straight-A report card from Dr. Nail. He weighs 13 lbs, 15oz and is 25 1/3 inches long. Coincidentally, I looked at Carter's 4 month stats, and both boys weighed exactly the same at 4 months. Carter was just a tad longer than Cole, and Ella was 14 lbs, even, but almost 2 inches shorter. So interesting!

Here is my chunky, happy boy in the doctor's office.

 That smile and those chubby legs!!
 Cole did have to get 2 shots. This is shot aftermath. Snuggles with a tired/achy/pitiful baby boy. 
(awwww, the baby band-aid on his thigh!)

Happy 4 months, big boy! We continue to be grateful for you, your sweet disposition, and most importantly, your good health! You are a blessing!!

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Cole's New Room

Now that Cole's room is 99% complete, I guess I should post pictures! Everything's pretty simple, but I love how it came together.





 Love these prints hanging above his crib!

I say it's 99% done because it's missing one thing, a baby! We have yet to transition him into his room, but that is happening in the next week or so, so wish us luck!!