A Visit with Nanny

On Saturday, October 16, we headed out to Millington to visit my Nanny's grave.  We enjoyed time with some of my cousins and their kids, my sister, mom, and dad.  It breaks my heart to know that my boys will never know my Nanny, but I hope we have gatherings like this every year and that I can preserve her memory in them by telling stories about her and telling the boys how much I know she loves them still!

 Carter & Abbi

 Thomas, Abbi, Carter, Taylor, & Cole

 Me, Scott, Carter, Mom, Katlin, Dad, Lindssey, Derrick, & Cole

All the attendees minus my dad and Tyler, who was on camera duty!

Kissy Pictures

Once again, I owe my tiny readership and my kids a huge apology for being a horrible record-keeper and going yet another month with no postings.  Realizing that one night last week, I snapped some shots of the boys (Carter 2 and 1 month, Cole 6.5 months) playing and some of Derrick and I kissing them.  What can I say, we're a loving family??



Carter's Party - Part 2

For Carter's party, we rented a bouncey house for the day.  Lucky for him, they delivered it by 9:00 in the morning, so he was able to bounce before, during, and after the party.  He asked the next day where his boucey house was...I think he thought it was just one of his birthday gifts!

We had about 40 people attend, and had hot dogs, chips, and cake.  The kids played on the swingset, swam despite the cool weather, and jumped in the bouncey.  It was a great time, and he got so many awesome gifts.  He got a soccer set, a scooter, big wheel, art easel, chuck the truck playset, basketball goal, football, golf set, pajamas, new clothes, handy manny tools & play set, and more. 

Derrick and I got him a bowling set and a tball set for his birthday on Thursday, and we surprised him with his swingset on Friday night before his party.  Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us, and a special thanks goes to the Hintons for traveling from Kentucky to be with Carter on his 2nd birthday!

Birthday Cake

For Carter's birthday party, he asked for a shark cake.  Our neighbor, Lisa, makes cakes for weddings and baby showers and volunteered to make his cake.  It took 8 cake mixes and turned out awesome...thank you so much, Lisa!  I had a shirt made for Carter with a friendly little appliqued shark as well, and I think it turned out so cute.  Thank you to Lindsey Whaley for making it for him. 

Here are some pictures of Carter just waking up from nap and seeing his cake for the first time.  He was overwhelmed b/c there were already probably 15-20 people in the house that came early to his party.

Carter turns 2!

Carter turned 2 on Thursday, September 2.  It is hard to believe that my baby is now a running, jumping, talking, funny, independent toddler.  I treasure the moments when he'll let me hold him, snuggle him, kiss, and hug him b/c often times these days he's just too busy for all that!  Every day is equal parts joy and challenge (hello terrible twos!) but I wouldn't trade the worst day with him for the best day with anyone else.  He is the one who made me a Mommy, and I love him with all my heart.  Happy 2nd birthday, baby!

Cole & Solid Foods

Cole starting eating cereal at 4 months and hasn't really liked it all that much.  However, we were able to start him on baby vegetables this past week, and he has enoyed them.  First, I tried sweet potatoes, and of course, he made the obligatory baby funny faces, but when I tried green beans, he loved them!  After we've tried all the veggies, we'll move on to fruits and oatmeal, which is a little bit sweeter than the cereal but still ok for him to eat once a day. 

I had been feeding him either in his carseat or bouncy seat but moved him to Carter's high chair so he could sit up and he was all smiles.  Below are a couple of pictures to commemorate his first high chair experience.

Cole - Smiling

I find myself always telling people just how happy / good of a baby Cole is.  Here he was, freshly dressed after a bath, and literally about 5 minutes before he fell asleep, smiling and posing for Mama.  I love this little guy so much!

Lazy Sunday

I have made myself a promise to take more pictures of the kids together now that I am settled into the new job, have the house cleaning schedule worked out, and the boys on a similar schedule, with just one extra morning nap for Cole.  Even if all I do is manage to get a couple of pictures each weekend and post them on Sundays, that is what I'm going to do to ensure I am truly chronicling their childhood, the fun things we do as a family, and for the sake of keeping this blog updated more regularly.

As you can see, we were just hanging out in the living room when I decided that pictures - any pictures - from this week were better than none.  Cole was about to get in the tub, so he's just in a diaper, and Carter was soon to follow, so no shorts on for him.  Oh well, it doesn't detract from the cuteness!

5 Months

Cole turned 5 months old on Wednesday, August 25.  It has both flown by (he was just my baby!) and seemed like we've had him forever.  He is irreplaceable, and is just my sunshine.  I always tell him and Carter that they split half my heart down the middle.  I love them the same, and yet I love them differently.  Cole is such a happy go lucky baby - anything goes, and he rarely cries or fusses.  He is always ready with a big smile for me anytime I walk into the room, make a silly face, sing, or tickle him. 

I have so many nicknames for him, amongst the many are Coca-Cola, Coley Moley, Colesa Wolesa, Coleslaw, and Bay-Cole, inspired by Carter saying Baby Cole and shortening it.

He is a CHUNK, a snuggler, and the perfect addition to our family.  He rolls over, ooh and aahs, loves the doorway jumper and exersaucer, and thinks his brother hung the moon.  I love to watch Cole watch Carter.  I never could have anticipated how wonderful it is to have 2 and thank God every night for my boys!