A Sad Day

Well, I have always known that someday the greatness would come to an end.  And if this week is any indication, my run of sleeping in is sadly, finally over. 

My children have decided to start getting up at 7 or shortly thereafter.  

I know a lot of people have it much earlier, and would do a back handspring to sleep until 7.  But for me, the queen of the non morning people this is a very, very sad realization.  I am hoping this is a phase somehow related to the transition to a big brother room and big boy bed, but I realize it may be the end of an era. 

Luckily, Avery takes awhile to wake up like his Mamma and is happy to chill in the bed for a few minutes while I find my happy face.  Hank would really like to jump start and play, but he is learning that Mamma needs a minute (or 20) to get it together.  It also makes me sad because it means we have to start putting these little buddies to bed earlier, boo we like to play after dinner not go straight to bed. 

This realization has lead to several others.  Mostly, these boys are growing up. 

Look what Ave can do

I realize this isn't perfect, but for my boy who couldn't have cared less about his letters even late this spring, this is a very BIG kid thing to do. 

And this is picture of his little brother doing a very BIG kid thing, too.

Our little non-talker is already improving by leaps and bounds thanks to his weekly visits from Miss Ho-Wee as he likes to call her.  Here is proudly singing the ABC's in his best high soprano voice.  A few weeks ago you would have no clue what he was saying, but now you can pretty much get most of the ABC's and even part of the next time won't you sing with me. 

Ugh, they have got to stop growing so fast.  It is killing their hormonal Mamma. 

It is beginning to feel like spring around here.  I hope it stays!  But, it has made me realize we are still the allergy /asthma house.  I am so very thankful for our allergy/asthma specialist who found the right daily medicines to keep my boys happy and healthy so far this year, but I don't know of anything that can beat the crazy weather and blooming that is going around here the past few days.  Poor Avery succumbed and was s-i-c-k the first part of this week.  He was so sick he barely even spoke to Dr. Y when we went to see him.  You know my boy always has something to say.

Thanks to the creators of Xopenex and a lot of TLC and inside time :( we are on the mend!  But, I realize that spring is here and we are going to have to be very diligent about our medicine and know that fun time outside might equal breathing treatment time inside.  But, more than anything I realize I am blessed!  I sure do love these little guys!

Most Productive Weekend Ever

Two weekends ago we had the most productive weekend ever.  I use the term we rather loosely.  I did provide some meals, sort of keep the kids entertained, and I did gather most of the materials ahead of time for Linde. 

But Aunt Linde did this all in one day. 

The big brother room went from drab to fab in no time flat.  Hopefully I will get my act together soon and get the stuff up on the walls and then I will try to show a few more pictures.  I LOVE the stripes.  I think they are just the right thing to give the room some spunk, but keep it manly and simple as well.  I am truly amazed at how she cranked out these stripes.  I would have taken a million times longer to tape and retape and measure again and again, much less be brave enough to do the actual painting.  And, while she was doing all this she chatted with the boys and gave them jobs to make them feel special. 

Michael and his dad also worked their tails off that weekend.  I may have mentioned/thrown them under the bus for the fact that the plaster job on Hank's walls didn't work so well....
So, they slaved and slaved to pull down all the plaster covered panels and put up brand new sheet rock.

They carefully took Hank's name off the wall to save for the big brother room.  Michael gets a gold star for also saving a panel.  He had the great idea of saving it and marking the boys' height on it, that way we will always have a piece of our first home with us wherever we go and we won't have to be sad to leave their growth chart.  I have to say it helped a lot with how much it broke my heart to take down one of the two cutest nurseries ever. 

Here are the walls before the new sheet rock, but after the paneling.  I forgot to get a sheet rock picture. 

Michael and his Dad for sure get a gold star because they let the boys help and watch a ton.  It meant the world to them both, they felt so grown up and loved being special helpers.  I am very glad they lived through the day and had a great time!

Happy Valentines Day!

We hope you are sharing today with someone you love!!

Aren't They Cute?

I think the boys have enjoyed the shaving kits and bubble bath they got in their stockings this year!

 Only real men can shave in a pink bathtub!

An update on all my nervousness....
-the big boy room is going pretty well.  Linde came and painted and it is AWESOME!  She will come back soon and help me put things on the wall and then I will show you the fabulousness.  
-sleeping in there isn't too bad either.  I did laugh really hard when Avery called out in a panic because Hank had climbed up in his bed Monday night.  Hank does require one spanking most afternoons to convince him to stay in bed for his nap.  He's a little stubborn. 
-I think we are closer to a boy name.  But, I'm still not ready to commit. 
-Hank started speech this week.  I am so relieved.  It was really nice to have someone honestly say he does need some help, not just tell me everything is fine when I knew it wasn't.  He doesn't have anything earth shatteringly wrong.  But, he couldn't hear for most of last spring, so it's time to make up for that.  
-We are blessed and I am remembering that every day!!!

We Survived!

Well, little Mr has given up his crib.  

 At first he said what????

 then he thought some freedom might be nice

and he was ready!  

Avery was an awesome biggest brother and pumped for the change.  The first night was rough.  Poor Michael, I left him alone and headed out to the movies.  I promise I didn't mean for it to work out that way.  

Several days later I got mine when Hank realized he could crawl out of his bed instead of taking a nap.  

But, overall I have to say the transition went pretty smoothly. 

Hanky is a wild sleeper, it must be a second born thing, my sister is, too. 

Avery sleeps pretty still, but sadly the fish at the corner of his bed had to go.  Hanky was not having the middle of the night music, and I can't say that I blame him.  

And because I am OCD I love how they ended up.  Left to right they are in both alphabetical and birth order.  :)

Aunt Linde is coming to make the big brother room fabulous this weekend, so I will show you pictures when it is not boring and white anymore!!!

Nervous

Well, I find myself feeling a bit nervous lately.  About several things....

Tonight is Hanky's last night in his crib.  Tomorrow his big boy bed goes up in the big brother room.  I'm nervous he won't stay in his bed at nap time.  But, I think I am more nervous that he won't be my baby boy any more.  He is already seeming so big.  

Avery's bed is moving to the big brother room, too.  I'm nervous he will wake his brother up in the mornings, and Hanky needs that extra hour of sleep.  I'm nervous he will be super chatty at night, he loves to talk!  But, I am most nervous that he will think he got kicked out of his amazing giraffe room because of the new baby.  But, when we talked about the new baby he couldn't have cared less so it will probably be fine!

With Avery and Hank in the big brother room it is time to "fix" the walls in Hanky's room.  I get that nervous sick at my stomach feeling about covering up one of my two favorite rooms in the house.  I absolutely love Hanky's room and it makes me so sad to have to cover it up.  I am also nervous because Michael and his dad are the "fixers," if we are being perfectly honest they aren't quite so emotionally attached to the room. 

I am nervous because I think have passed along a few of my OCD tendencies.  Avery lined up all these napkins perfectly the other day while he was supposedly taking a nap.  Hank perfectly dissected his bean burrito at lunch yesterday eating first the cheese, then the beans, and then the tortilla.  Oops!

 

I am nervous because Hanky doesn't speak as well as I think he should.  I know he knows what he is saying (but we have no clue about 75% of the time) and I am pretty sure he understands what we are saying.  But there is a lot of screaming and grunting and incomprehensible speech from my favorite one year old boy.  Thank goodness for speech therapist friends who can come hang out with my friend and let me know what he needs. 

I am nervous because we signed up for preschool for next year and Hank will join his brother at school.  I am going to miss that little blondie and his adorable grin.  We have had a lot of fun on our alone days this year.  I'm nervous I will have a hard time finding special time with my soon to be middle child.  I am also nervous that he won't LOVE school like Avery does.  He begs to go to school every day! 

I am nervous because we are having another child.  Holy cow!  We had a pretty easy transition from 1-2 and that makes me nervous that this will be the transition that gets us or that this will be the baby that doesn't make it easy for us like Avery and Hank did.  

I am nervous because we need a lot of rain this winter/spring.  Thank goodness we got some last night and this morning.  Not only did it let us wear galoshes and play with umbrellas, but hopefully it is filling up the lake.  Avery and Hank will be very sad boys if there isn't enough water this summer.  Mamma and Daddy will be, too.  

I am nervous because I am at a very scary part of pregnancy for an NICU nurse.  26 weeks is scary.  That's a very tiny baby with a lot to overcome.  I know we are so very blessed with our 2 healthy boys.  I want Wee 3 to stay right where he (or she, but I think it's a he) belongs for many many more weeks. 

I am nervous because these 2 boys are t-r-o-u-b-l-e!  I love that they love each other and have so much fun together.  It is so fun to see them starting to really play together (even if it almost always involves jumping on or off of something they are not supposed to.)  They do also love to push each others buttons and make each other crazy.  I want more than anything for them to be building a life long friendship providing them with their best friend for life!  It makes me nervous to try to figure out to help them have the relationship I want for them. 

I am nervous because Wee 3 has no name.  Well, she Wee does (Sadie Jo), but he Wee doesn't.  This is not like us, we didn't have much trouble coming up with names for the last 2 times.  We just look at each other with no solution.  I wouldn't change my boys names for anything I love how special they are, but we kind of put too much pressure on ourselves giving the boys 4 such very special names!  

I am nervous because Avery is a better driver in reverse than I am.  My family may have called my bumper cars in my early driving years because I tend to bump into things while in reverse.  While Hank does need a helmet to ride with Avery because of the rough starts and stops when asked Ave to park his car by the shed he perfectly backed up to the shed first try with no bumps.

Thanks for letting me get all my nerves out, I know I don't really need to worry about anything and that I am very blessed!  

GREAT Aunts!

The last week at our house has been pretty eventful.  Avery and and Hank got to play with 2 of their great Aunts, pun intended!

Of course, I took no pictures....
sorry.

Great Aunt Susan Jo came last Wednesday.
She was very busy.  She and LouLou pained the big brother room base coat, so now it is all ready for Aunt Linde.
She also played in tents, threw rocks in the lake, and gave us good excuses to go to Dairy Queen and Sonic and eat other Texas treats she can't get in North Carolina. 

We were so glad Aunt Susan Jo came to Dallas, took the boys with her to Papa and LouLou's lake house and then came back and spent one more night with us in Dallas.  We are now in official count down to summer mode, when she will hopefully be back to help us celebrate the 4th of July and meet Wee 3!

We were also so glad to get to see great Aunt Suzi and cousin Taylor.  They came up for a night and we got to all have dinner together.  They were troopers when Avery and Hank totally latched on and didn't let them out of their site until bed time.  Aunt Suzi even left a surprise for when the boys woke up the next day, GREATNESS!  We were sad Jamie Lee couldn't come visit, but we were glad she stayed home to get well for school and that Uncle Jay stayed home and took good care of her!

And all the extra supervision came just in the nick of time, because Hanky is bound and determined to kill himself!  And to be perfectly honest after asking him to get down 972 times day, I am occasionally tempted to look the other way.

Mr Mr managed to skin his face, get his first bloody nose and almost bite all the way through his top lip in 2 separate falls Monday and Tuesday. 
The kid is part monkey.

The rule at our house is passy time is only when napping/sleeping so that is where the pappy lives.  So monkey man started climbing up in his crib to get his pappy.  You know he has done it again when he starts yelling help to get out.  Good thing the big boy bed is getting put up next week, and I finally moved the pappy out of reach during the day.  
But don't worry the busted face came from chasing Avery and trying to pull him off the scooter and climbing over the back of his anywhere chair and then hitting the coffee table.  BOTH things he was asked not to do.  Good thing he is cute.