Halloween 2012

 I have to say that this was probably one of my most favorite Halloweens ever! Bryson has been excited for weeks about dressing up as the Hulk and it was so much fun watching him get excited. 

 

He was ready for his party at MDO today. Practicing showing his muscles.

 



Halloween 2011

I can't believe this was my baby a year ago. He's grown SO MUCH in a year!

 

I was glad I could go to his school today for his party. It was right in the middle of J's nap time and if you know me then you'll know I'm a stickler for keeping him on his schedule. But I decided I would let it go. I'll only get to experience this part of his life once and I don't want to miss anything!!!

 

I LOVE this picture of B. He's been doing this a lot lately followed by "let me see here." Hilarious!!!



All the parents finally got to meet Pete the Cat. Bryson talks about him all the time, but I had no idea who he was until today. All the kids loved him. I'll have to see if I can find the book. One of B's teachers told me that he usually belts out the song to the top of his lungs, but I guess he toned it down a little bit while momma was there.

 

We met up with our friends the Allison's so B and E could trick or treat together. Best friends forever!!! My heart just explodes watching these two together. :-) And how cute is E's costume!?! Her twin brothers were Thing 1 and Thing 2. I hate that I didn't get their pictures. They even had the cute little blue wigs. A-DOR-ABLE!!!

  

 Funny babies! Halloween 2011

 

Here's the little peanut. He slept for most of the trick or treating. He had a little Hulk costume, but when I went to put it on him he'd already grown it. How in the world does that happen? Definite mom fail.

At one point during the night these two decided to check out their loot in one of the neighbors yard.

Later on we met up with my SIL and BIL with their two babies. These two boys cracked us up all night. Owen was the cutest little Buzz Lightyear!  

They were so amazed at all the candy they were getting. Ha!

 

Look who decided to watch big brother and his cousins rack up on WAY TOO much candy!

We were finished and getting ready to go home and the boys decided they would get Pawpaw to take them to "just one more house Pawpaw!" Grandparents can never say no!

 

I was so proud of my little man tonight. I can't believe how BIG he's getting. I tell Clay this a lot, how I wish I could freeze B at this age. He is just starting to understand things and get excited about stuff. I don't want to blink and miss any of these special family moments.  

jaxon {6 months}

jaxon you turned SIX months old October 9th!

I can't believe you're half way to turning ONE. I'm not sure I'm ready for that just yet. Where has the time gone? Even though you are growing bigger and bigger every day, you will always be my baby. I guess that's what comes with being the last child.

You are pretty laid back. You go through phases where you want to be held all the time, but of course I don't mind. :-) 

You absolutely adore Bryson and love getting his attention so he will talk to you. Just the other day I laid you on his bed so he could read a book to you. One of the sweetest moments I'll remember of you two together.

I have FINALLY started you on cereal and some baby food. You've had sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, and pears. You've even gotten to taste a few spices like cinnamon, garlic powder and allspice. You are still taking 4-5 8oz bottles a day. 

You don't really have a favorite toy right now. Anything you can chew on gets your attention. You have been drooling for several months, so it's been kinda' hard to tell if you're teething. 

My favorite thing you do is when I'm rocking you at night or for one of your naps you love to look around your room and then up at me, then you will lay your head down on my chest and start sucking your thumb and fall asleep. My heart just explodes every time I feel your little head resting on my chest!

Peek-a-boo is your favorite game right now. You get so tickled when we play. It's funny because sometimes you'll be lying on your mat on the floor and grab your monkey blanket and try and get it over your face and I'll start hearing you laugh. It's the sweetest sound.



I look at you every day and I can't believe you are mine. I am so incredibly blessed to be your mommy! You have changed our lives forever. ~ I love you to the moon and back ~ Momma

Stats for the month:

weight: 16pounds 12ounces {just above the 25% percentile}

height: 27inches {75% percentile}

clothes: 6-9months

diapers: size 2 and 3

Family Photo Shoot

Last month I was in panic mode to set up a time and location for our family photo session. I had quickly realized that I did not have a "good" picture taken of our new family of four (#momfail)! How on earth had it taken me FIVE months to realize we had not had any professional pictures made. Not to mention Christmas is quickly approaching and I had to have that perfect picture for our Christmas cards this year. Maybe one day I'll get over this part of my type A personality. Ha!

I was also in the hunt for a new photographer. So of course I got on the phone and texted my girlfriends finding out who they used. I had it narrowed down to two and decided to go with Leigh Ann Photography, LLC. She's a local girl with a knack for the "in the moment" shots which was the look I was going for this year. I'm getting a little tired of the posed pictures. Don't get me wrong, for some things I love posed shots, but I knew my two littles wouldn't be in the mood to pose for pictures.

Leigh Ann did an amazing job. We did the shoot at a local spot in downtown Birmingham called Morris Avenue. I've wanted to get pictures made there since we had Bryson and I was thrilled that we were able to get it all planned out in less than 2 weeks I might add.

The boys were AH-MAZING! I could not have been more please with how good they did. For it to be an early morning shoot, Bryson did everything he was asked and more. When Leigh Ann sent me the email a few weeks later letting me know the pictures were available to few I was excited and a little nervous. I didn't come away feeling like we got the pictures I was looking for. But I was wrong!!!

Here are just a few of the pictures she captured of our family.

I can't thank Leigh Ann enough for the wonderful job she did capturing these moments with my family. When I look at these pictures I realize just how complete my family is! I'll share some more in the next few weeks. These were the ones she had posted earlier.

Now all that's left is to pick out the Christmas card! :)

Maybe Next Time

I guess you can see that I haven't blogged in over a week. I'm disappointed in myself for not being able to complete the 31 Days Series, but sometimes life just happens and other things become more important.

It's not that I don't have tons of stuff to blog about, it's just trying to find the time to fit it into my daily schedule. I guess I didn't realize how much my life would change with two kids.

For the better of coarse!

But I shouldn't let my babies be my excuse not to finish something I started. This blog is the scrapbook of my life. No I don't share every detail, but I do like having my own little place in the blogging world where I can look back on the wonderful memories we've made with the kids and its also a way to show our families what's going on with Bryson and Jaxon that don't get to see them everyday.

I don't want to look back years from now and wished I would have done a better job at this. I don't have time to scrapbook (let's be honest, I'm not that creative) so this is my way of documenting. But I also don't want to get so caught up in blogging that I miss being present in the here and now.

So maybe next time I'll be at a better place to finish what I started, but if I don't that's okay too.

Silent Auction Item: "Super Santa Package" {featuring SheSheMade and Toys R Us}

This item is donated by a group of donors to give you the ultimate "Super Santa Package".

ITEM: Super Santa Package for Kid's Christmas

Estimated Value: $150.00

•A custom made outfit from the SheSheMade Christmas 2012 collection, valued at $50.
•A $100 gift certificate to Toys R Us, donated by Jennifer and Margaret

Description:

This "Super Santa Package" will spread the Christmas cheer in more ways than one! Your child(ren) will be looking super festive in their SheShe Made attire while sitting upon Santa's lap AND you will have a $100 gift card to play the role of that jolly 'ol elf at Toy's R Us! It's a win/win for everyone, isn't it?

How to bid on this package:

          •Place your bid in the comments section of this blog post.
          •Leave NAME, EMAIL, and BID.
          •All bids must be made in $1 increments. If the last bid is $9 then your bid must be $10.


Bidding will close on Friday night at 10:00pm(EST)

Highest bidder will be the winner.

Payment will be accepted via PayPal. Winner will be emailed a paypal invoice and once paypal payment has been made, I will email you instructions on how to proceed with placing your custom order and receiving your Toys R Us gift card.

PLEASE NOTE: Auction open to US residents only. All payments must be received by October 31, 2012. These payments are not considered tax deductible.

Thank you for your support and happy bidding!!

31 Days series - being in the moment {day 10}

I adore watching Bryson and Clay play with one another. I remember back to when Clay and I longed for a child and wondered if we would ever become parents. Clay wanted a little boy so badly and if I was being honest I did too. I've just always thought of myself as a boy mom (and know that I have two, I think I can enter into that category)!

Yesterday I caught them playing baseball together. Well the toddler kind, where daddy throws a smaller version of a soccer ball so that the toddler can hit it each time :) Ha! Bryson was so proud of himself.

And I know his daddy was too!

Remembering Matt Turner

Today I'm participating in a Blog/Twitter Day of Silence in honor of Matt Turner.

Please lift up his wife Julee, their daughter Preslee and the rest of their family during this difficult time.

They will need your prayers in the days, weeks and months to come.

31 Days series - being in the moment {day 7}

I guess it was inevitable that eventually the cold bug would hit our house. And it hit us like a ton of bricks. We're all four coughing and sneezing and walking around like zombies (well mommy and daddy are). So needless to say I don't have a lot to share today. No mushy post to go along with a cute picture of one of my littles.

I didn't walk around with my camera today snapping pictures. All I wanted to do was curl up in my bed and wish that it would all go away. I think I hate it most for the kids. I hate watching them feel so helpless. But today is one of those "real life" moments. Where nothing is scripted out. And I guess that's what this 31 days is all about.

Also, would y'all please be in prayer for Julee Turner. She lost her husband in a tragic car accident last night. They have a 10 month old little girl Preslee. If you think about her in the days and weeks to come I'm sure she would appreciate your prayers.

31 Days series - being in the moment {day 6}

Today was somewhat of a depressing day at our house. Most of you that read my blog probably know that I'm a HUGE Auburn Tigers fan. And my husband is 10 times worse than I am. So needless to say our loss to Arkansas today put a damper on things. :( And can I go ahead and state for the record that Auburn is terrible when it comes to playing at 11am. I mean really, we're awful!!! I know that we're not THAT good enough to play during the "prime time" hours, but hey did you see how tough we played LSU? That was a night game. Somebody help this tiger girl fan out! Ha!!

But even though we didn't pull out the win I dressed my babies up for the game. Hey, I live in the South. If it's college football Saturday, then the boys are dressing up. :)



Jaxon sporting his sheshe made paw print bloomer set! I loved how this turned out. Ashley did a wonderful job!

I fought all morning with Bryson to wear his shirt. I wanted to get the boys pictures made in together, but it just wasn't going to happen. I'll admit that I was a little disappointed. I feel like they are growing up SO FAST and I want very much to bottle up this time with them. This time where I can get away with them wearing matching shirts and Bryson still being able to wear monogrammed things (I know that is drawing to a close and I'll probably be in mourning on the day it's over).

He finally came around after the game. He woke up from his nap and saw that little brother was wearing his, so he had to jump on the bandwagon too. 

 

Good moments or bad ones, one day when the boys are grown and off to college I'll wish I had this time back with them. Even if I didn't get that exact picture I wanted, I'm going to wish my babies were still this innocent.

31 Days series - being in the moment {day 5}

With my new work schedule starting this upcoming week, I've found myself looking at pinterest and some of my favorite mommy blogs a lot for ideas to do with Bryson since I'll be home more.

I was on Instagram the other day and saw where Lyndsey posted a picture of her daughter painting pumpkins. I thought to myself "why in the world have I not thought of that?" Something so simple and easy.

So all week I've been on a mission looking for pumpkins, paints and paintbrushes. I made sure not to let Bryson see any of these things because I knew he would have a melt down right there in the store about wanting to hold the pumpkins or asking to paint "RIGHT NOW!"

He was so excited when I told him he was going to get to paint pumpkins today! He immediately headed for the door asking a thousand questions. I laid out the pumpkins and he began painting away.  I showed him how we had to dip our brushes in the water each time we painted with a different color. He is my little rule follower, so he made sure to tell me each time he put his brush in the water. Always wanting mommy to know he's doing as he's been told. :-)

This little project lasted almost 2 hours! I think we might do this one again in a few weeks. Ha!

And I have these three adorable little pumpkins sitting on my front porch.

31 Days Series - Being in the moment {day 4}

I'm linking up with The Nester.

Today didn't start out like I had planned. It was grocery shopping day and I had several things that I needed to get done around the house also.

Here lately it seems like we are going through the terrible threes. I don't know where it came from, but as soon as Bryson turned 3 the whining and smart attitude came with it. It's an everyday occurrence where he and I battle with one another. And it usually starts right when he gets up. So needless to say I wasn't looking forward to going to the store after the morning we'd had.

I'm not really sure when it hit me. Maybe on our way to get the groceries, but I completely forgot about what had happened that morning. I realized that there are going to be A LOT more days where he and I will battle with each other.



But there are only a few days left where I'll get to take these two little ones with me to the store or to CFA or the park. I'm not going to get these days back.

So no matter what happens at the start of our day things can turn around.

31 Days series - being in the moment {day 3}

I'm linking up with The Nester.

I am so thankful that we have been blessed with such wonderful friends. We all have grown so close over the last 5 years. We have kids that are very close in age and I hope that they will be able to remain friends forever.

I know I've talked on here about one of Bryson's VERY BEST friends, Elaina. Her mom and I haven't been able to tell if its because they are boy and girl or a few months apart, why they can play so well together. It really is fun to sit and watch them interact with one another. I really believe they are the best of friends.



They cheer each other on and will encourage the other. It really is amazing to watch your little ones grow up and develop these friendships.

I think I could learn a few things by watching these two.

31 Days series - being in the moment {day 2}

I'm linking up with The Nester.

Lately I haven't gotten to spend a lot of one on one time with Bryson. And I think he's kinda' sensing it. I have found since becoming a mother of two how difficult it can be sometimes to balance your time between your kids. I'm almost 6 months in and I'm not where I want to be, but I'm making progress.

Today Bryson had his first dentist appointment (I'll be sure to blog about that after the 31 series), so I thought it would be a good time for me and my oldest to have some alone time.

We had an AH-MAZING day! We talked about all the stuff he loves (Cars, school, church, and Toy Story). We talked about his brother and daddy. He sang every song to King George and the Duckie while we were in the car.

I was so proud of him while we were in CFA, because he ate all his lunch before he asked to go play. I even let him pick out a toy from Target for being so good.



I told Clay late this evening that I get sad sometimes at night because I think about how fast the time goes during the day. Oh how I wish I could slow it down!!!

I was so thankful for this time I got to spend with Bryson! I want him to know that he is still loved by me even though he doesn't understand why Jaxon sometimes gets a little more attention. I don't ever want him to feel like his brother was/is loved more.

That's why I think these one on one "dates" with him are important. I can't wait to plan more of them!!!

31 Days series - being in the moment {day 1}

I'm linking up with The Nester.

Mondays are probably my least favorite day of the week. I'm either getting ready to go back to work that night after being off for the past week or its the start of my first night off.

Well today it was the start of my first night off. Which usually means that I'll end up being awake for over 24 hours. YIKES!!!

On these days I will get Bryson ready for school and drop him off then come back home and either put the baby down and catch up on the DVR or do a few house chores.

But today I decided to skip the house chores and rock Jaxon to sleep.



I rarely rock him to sleep during the day. Because I'm always thinking about what needs to get done while he's taking a nap. Mom fail I know! And I feel guilty for missing this one on one time with him that I have on these days.

These days are so few. I'm going to blink and soon they'll be leaving for college. I don't want to regret that I was too worried about the dishes in the sink or the mounds of laundry that needed to be folded. My baby is only going to be a baby for just a little while.