Thursday, May 31, 2012

Splash Park Playdate

 
 Today we met a bunch of our MOPS friends at the splash park for a fun "end of the year" playdate.  We packed our lunch, got on our swimsuit and headed out for a fun day at the park.  

 Ryan was totally in his element playing in the water.  Colton did great and chilled in the stroller watching the kids play.  I was hoping he would take a nap but I think there was too much to look at.  

 It was great to see our friends and hang out with everyone.  The boys had a blast and came home and took great naps.  Colton napped from 12:30-4:15.  I think that's a record.  So thankful he is feeling better and sleeping better.  

It was a fun park day.  So excited there is a new park with a splash pad even closer to home that just opened last weekend.  We can't wait to check it out.  

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Random Wednesday

We've had a pretty normal low key day today!  I have just a few random thoughts for today!

 
Two and a half can be a fun age but can also be challenging.  Some days it seems Ryan spends the whole day in time out.  I'm so happy the last few days he has been so sweet and acting so good!  He is eating well, obeying and just being sweet.  Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself, ha!

 Lately when Ryan does something outstanding, like eat something he doesn't usually eat or pee in the potty, I tell him he's a rockstar.  Tonight at dinner he ate everything on his plate!!!  That's so exciting around our house.  We ate pork tenderloin and peaches.  

 Colton seems to be doing much better with teething.  He is eating so much and eating everything I put in front of him.  He is totally my child because he LOVES watermelon.  I love, love, love watermelon!  Today I noticed he picked watermelon off his tray over everything else.  

 I'm so excited I finally got Ryan's second year photo book done.  It came in the mail today and I couldn't wait to see it.  It looks fabulous and I'm so pleased with how it came out.  Now I just need to get on the ball with Colton's first year book and Ryan's third. 

 So I think Ryan is totally ready for potty training.  He has been waking up dry in the morning and after naps.  Lately when I suggest he go sit on the potty he refuses and says "no potty, no potty, diaper, diaper".  So frustrating.  I think it's a totally control issue.  

I want to do the three day potty training method, which is basically cold turkey into big boy undies.  I need to wait a few weeks since he will be in summer camp in the morning all next week.  Today I was asking him what big boy undies did he want to get and he got all excited and wanted to sit on the potty.  So we did and he peed.  

 I printed this sticker reward chart and told him if he gets 10 stickers he could get a milkshake as his reward.  So far he has two stickers.  We will see how this goes. 


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Eleven Months

 Colton - You are ELEVEN months old!!!!  
I cannot believe you will turn a year old next month!

What have you been up to this month???
 You weigh 17lbs and 9oz (Ryan was 22lbs at this age)

You wear size 12-18 month and some 9-12 month clothes. You wear size 3 diaper and size 3.5 shoe)

 You are a great sleeper!  You typically take two naps a day.  A short morning nap, about an hour, then a longer afternoon nap between 2-3 hours.  You go to bed around 7pm and wake between 7-8am. 

You are a super great eater!!!  You already eat more food than your big brother.  You like peas, carrots, grapes, peaches, bananas, watermelon, cant elope, pears, cheese, oranges and chicken. I am SO happy that you love so many foods.  

You still take 4 bottles a day, usually around 5-7oz.  

 This month you finally started crawling!!!  You army crawl all over the place.  Lately you've been getting on your knees and rocking back and forth.  I'm sure you will be crawling on all fours very soon.  

You love to stand.  You will climb all over me and find my hands so you can stand up in my lap.  You haven't pulled up on objects yet but I'm sure you will soon. 

You love to clap your hands and are starting to wave.

 You took your first plane ride this month when we went to DisneyWorld on vacation.  You did awesome and were so easy on our trip.

You still only have two bottom teeth but recently you've had a tough time teething with your top two teeth coming in.  Bless your heart.  We can't wait for those little whitties to pop through.  

You are such a sweet and good baby.  You are so easy and just good natured.  I'm sure the terrible two's (and three's, ha) will catch up with you but right now you are just too precious for words.  

 You are such a blessing to me and your daddy.  We love you so very much!  

I cannot believe that we will celebrate your FIRST birthday in just FOUR weeks!  It feels just like yesterday I was holding you in my arms in the hospital for the first time.  


Love this picture - it's like he's saying "seriously mom, are we done yet?"


Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Day Weekend

 
 This is one of my very favorite pictures of Ryan and Colton to date!  Love it!  

We've had a wonderful holiday weekend!  Saturday we went to our friends neighborhood pool to swim.  They have three boys and their youngest is Ryan's age and a good friend of his.  Ryan had a blast with his buddy Bret!   We played, ate lunch and came home for naps.  

Saturday night my sweet in-laws came over to watch the boys so Matt and I could have a date night out.  We went to Longhorn for dinner then made a few returns at the store.  It's so much easier when you don't have to get two kids in and out of the car.  

 Sunday we went to church and came home for lunch and nap time.  This picture of the boys is so cute.  I was tickling them trying to get them to smile.  

After naps we went to a cookout with our small group.  So bummed I didn't get any pictures.  Ryan had the best time playing!  He was running around outside, playing on the swing set, playing in the sprinkler.  He was so hot and sweaty.  It was great to see our friends and hangout too.  They loved on Colton and enjoyed playing with him.  

 Today was great!  We went to the gym this morning to workout then took the boys out to the pool.  Colton was fussy since it was close to his nap time.  He finally conked out in the stroller for a little nap. I realized today that it's going to be a lot harder this year taking the boys to the pool by myself.  Matt was with me today but it was still hard.  We will definitely still go but it will be challenging.  Ryan LOVES the pool and seriously had the best time.  He was so upset when we had to leave.  

 I took this picture yesterday before leaving for church.  I asked Ryan to get daddy's shoes out of the closet.  He went to the closet and brought back these, my rain boots.  We laughed so hard!!!!  This boys is so funny!  We laugh all the time!


Friday, May 25, 2012

Welcome Summer

To me, Memorial Day Weekend is the official beginning of summer.  We had a great time kicking off our first day of summer.  We started the day by meeting our friends Will, Caroline and Ashley at the pool.  We packed up our lunch and headed out for a fun day at the pool.  Ryan LOVES the pool and couldn't wait to get there.

The kiddos played in the baby pool jumping and splashing having the times of their life.  So glad Colton did great and took a short nap in the stroller.
  

We ate lunch at the pool then headed home for naps.  The boys were wiped out from playing so hard and went down easily for their naps while I ran on the treadmill.  

Thankfully Colton has been sleeping better the last few days but still not taking his wubby much.  I wish he would sleep longer like he was but I'm just glad he's not crying for thirty minutes after I put him down. 
 After naps this afternoon I decided to take the boys for our first snow cones of the summer!  Yummy!  Ryan got his usual banana and I had strawberry.  When we got snow cones last summer Ryan would make the biggest mess and would be sticky from head to toe, ha!  I always got him banana since it's yellow and wouldn't stain anything.  He proved today that he's growing up and did so good.  I think next time I will let him pick the flavor. 
 Colton enjoyed a bite or two but didn't really know what to do with the sweet and cold treat.  

Tonight Ryan helped me make homemade pizza.  He helped sprinkle the cheese and pepperoni's.  I used pioneer woman's dough recipe and it was awesome.  Great pizza!  We will definitely be making it again!

Big news around here: Colton is finally CRAWLING!!! Yay!  He started crawling soon after we got home from Disney.  He is army crawling and definitely making his way around.  Yesterday he pulled up on his knees a few times and would rock back and forth.  I'm sure soon he will be crawling fast.  

The days of putting him down with his toys and knowing he's not going to get into anything are over!  I love it though and so glad he is moving and getting curious!



Thursday, May 24, 2012

Graduation Cookies

 I made these adorable graduation cookies for my friend Jayne whose daughter just graduated from high school.  
Jenna is headed to Ole Miss in the fall and is so excited!
 
She had a joint party with her friend who is going to Miami University in the fall.  
These turned out so cute and I really enjoyed making them.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Rough Wednesday

 This face about sums up our day!  The last couple days Colton has been super fussy and not sleeping well.  Normally he is a great sleeper and a pretty content and happy baby.  Yesterday I started thinking he has an ear infection.  He was fussy, not taking his bottle well, refused his wubby and touching his ears.  
 I called the doctor first thing this morning and they were able to work him in first thing.  I would have bet money that it was his ears.  She said his throat was red and has some congestion but his ears look perfect!  I was shocked.  He does have a top tooth coming in so she blamed his fussiness and sleeplessness on teething.  
 It was a rough day around here.  In fact, one of the roughest i've had in a long time.  

Colton woke up at 6:30 this morning, ugh! Most days when I put him down for his naps he goes right to sleep or plays quietly in his bed for a few minutes and then falls asleep.  Since he has refused his wubby, since his top gums are bothering him, it's making it very hard for him to fall asleep.  I ran to walgreens this afternoon to get some baby orajel and teething tablets.  
Thankfully tonight he took his wubby and fell sleep pretty easily.  Praise the Lord for that.  Hoping tomorrow is a much better day!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Old Friends and Teacher Gifts

 
After college I lived back home in Memphis and got involved in my churches singles' ministry.  I met some lifelong friends during that time in my life and made some awesome memories.  Two of those friends are Kate and Bob.  We ran around in the same circle and sooon after meeting Kate and Bob began dating.  They eventually got married a few months before we did.  

Kate and Bob now reside in NW Arkansas.  Bob's parents recently moved here to Loveland.  Small world.  And they go to our church!  How crazy is that?
Well Kate and her daughter Madeline are in town this week so we got the pleasure of going to the park with them and grabbing lunch at our favorite - CFA.  We had the best time visiting with them and hanging out!  
As I mentioned last week I was in baking mode.  I made these adorable cookies for Ryan's teachers at MDO.  I saw this adorable idea online and I knew I had to make these for his teacher gifts.  
They turned out so cute!  The tag says "Thank you for teaching me and making me one 'smart' cookie this year".

Monday, May 21, 2012

Party Weekend

 
 This weekend was great!  Last week I was swamped, in a good way, with cookie and cake orders.  I will post some of the cookies later this week!  I love making cookies and cakes for family and friends.  

I have so many people tell me all the time that I should go into business with my sweets.  Well, I sorta have.  I do sell my cookies and cakes.  Mostly I sell to friends and family and friends of friends.  I would love to grow my business but right now my priority is my boys.  Maybe once they are in school full time I can look into opening a bakery, a real dream.  Until then I will enjoy making sweet treats for friends and family.  
 On Saturday we went to Caroline's first birthday party at Recreations Outlet.  Her brother Will just turned 3 so they wanted a small cake for him to celebrate.  I loved the way it turned out.  I found a picture online and just tweaked it a little and created a vision for what I wanted.
  
Caroline's smash cake.  
 I made these cupcakes for all the guests at the party. 
Heather was fabulous and said to take the theme ladybugs and Cars and go with it.  
 My sweet friend Heather and her adorable little ladybug
 We love the Joseph family and so thankful to call them friends!
 Heather was showing Will his Cars cake!  He was so excited and wanted to dig in right then.
 Caroline was the cutest ladybug I'd ever seen.  I love her bow with the little antlers.  I told Heather that if we have a girl down the road I must borrow this adorable tutu.  
 Ryan had a blast at the party.  He was running, jumping and bouncing on everything.  The boy was covered in sweat when we left.  He has so much energy.  He was having the time of his life. 
 Caroline digging into her smash cake.  She couldn't wait to eat it.  Her favorite were the fondant dots, haha!  Fondant doesn't taste that great so we had to show her the yummy buttercream icing and cake.
 Look who else couldn't wait to eat some cake???  Hilarious!  Mom and Dad were enjoying some cake as well!
It was such a fun party and we all had a blast.  Thanks to the Joseph's for throwing a terrific bash and we can't wait to hang out again.