"Oh my doodness"

The boy's train set that they got for Christmas has unfortunately been in a heap the last few days while we wait to glue down the tracks. Although I wish I could allow them the ability to be creative and build different layouts for the tracks, I quickly realized that wasn't going to be possible. Justin spent over an hour putting all the pieces together and it took Kellen about 10 seconds to demolish the whole thing. After putting things back together multiple times on Christmas day, we decided it would be much more practical to make it "indestructable". Yesterday I was watching Cole play with the trains while rocking my sweet sick Kellen. I got such a kick out of listening to him ramble on and on to himself about what he was doing. "Get this piece...Fits right here!... Bridge goes right here...I did it, ME!...How 'bout THIS train...CHOO CHOO!...Push it like this...Where does this go?...How 'bout right here...Animals go in this train, ROARRRRR" In all the misery of Kellen feeling horrible yesterday, and my distress of trying everything I could to make him feel better, there was the sweetest little voice that made me smile. "Oh my DOODNESS" he'd say when two pieces of the tracks would slip. I mean really, how precious can he be?

Happy 1st Birthday, baby Kellen, a little late!

Well, it's official, our baby is ONE. I must say that I'm a little surprised at how well I'm handling it. I really thought I would be sad and desperately want to turn back time and replay his first year. I'm really enjoying the ages the boys are these days. It's the toughest stage yet, in many ways, but it's also been so enjoyable for me to watch them start to really interact and play with each other. They push their cars in circles around the downstairs, side by side. They wrestle and tackle each other and send each other into laughing fits. They play peek-a-boo and dance and just genuinely enjoy each other's company. So because I'm extra smitten with them lately, it's okay that Kellen is ONE. As long as he doesn't turn TWO for a reeeaaaaaallllllly long time:0)

The reason I keep this blog is because I want to be able to look back and remind myself of what the boys were like as they grew up. So, since this is Kellen's birthday post, here's a little snapshot of what he's like these days. He is mischevious and sneaky, and loves everything dangerous. He loves to climb into chairs and stand up backwards, especially rocking chairs because that adds a little extra rush! He climbs over and through tables and chairs, into toy boxes and over anything that's in his way. The dishwasher is one of his favorites, and of course stairs. I think I have a gray hair growing in just writing about his escapades! I have said for months that if we made it to his 1st birthday without a trip to the ER I would be impressed. Well, we made it, but that's not to say there haven't been some close calls. He loves slides, and will fly down them, face first, without the slightest hesitation. He laughs all the way down the slides that are meant for "big kids". He says a few words: "bye bye", "dada", "mama", "hot", and "night night". He's been taking steps now for a couple months, although it isn't his preferred mode of transportation. He will take up to 10 steps at a time and then either fall off balance or decide that crawling is faster. He doesn't have much patience, and gets frustrated easily (wonder where he gets that?). You better watch out when he gets mad. He balls up his fists, closes his eyes and screams until his face is red. He loves to play rough with his big brother. Their favorite games is for Kellen to try to crawl away and Cole runs and tackles him so he falls on his belly. I guess I'll regret letting them do this when Kellen busts his lip on the floor, but it's so hard to make them stop when they are both squealing with joy. He is still a Momma's Boy, and, yes, I still love it! He gives the best hugs and kisses, and loves to point to himself proudly when we ask "where's baby Kellen?" He had his first real haircut on his birthday. I've trimmed it twice along the sides and back, but it was definately time for a big boy cut. We had pictures taken in the morning before the haircut, though, so I could saver the memories of his crazy hair. It's so fair, the total opposite of the rest of us, and often times is sticking straight out. It still has a good amount of red in it, especially in pictures, but I think it's turning mostly blonde. I can't believe I'm sad the red is growing out. I actually really like it because it fits his personality! He's a pretty good sleeper and goes down for the night at about 8pm and wakes up around 7:45. He is still taking two naps a day, his morning nap from about 10-11:15 and his afternoon nap from about 2-4.

Justin's parents came to visit on Kellen's birthday and I asked his mom to make his smash cake since she made Cole's on his 1st birthday. It was so cute with a little clown climbing up the side, and Kellen LOVED it, especially the icing. I remember Cole's 1st birthday cake being the first real sweets he ever had. Sorry I can't say the same for Kellen:) Speaking of food... Kellen probably eats 3 times the amount of food Cole does, and I haven't come across anything yet that he doesn't like. Seriously, he will eat anything. It's great because I can always count on him eating what we eat. It's weird in a way because I couldn't begin to say what his favorite foods are. I have no idea! He likes it all. He scarfs down green beans just as quickly as he does cake. If I had to pick one food that I thought was his favorite, I think it would be sweet potatoe. He'll eat an entire sweet potatoe for dinner, in ADDITION to the main course! We think he has hollow legs because he certainly doesn't look small to us, but he is still in the 25th percentile weighing 21 lbs 6oz. He is 50th percentile for height at 29.75inches. Justin took him to his check up this time, and man was it hard not being there. I just kept saying "it's just my thing" when Justin asked why he couldn't just take him since I had so much to do that day. I'm pretty sure I told him 5 times to make sure he got him all the way dressed except for his pants before the shots so that he could just pull them on and scoop him up! 4 shots the sweet thing got- it's just ridiculous how many immunizations our kids have to get these days.

Sweet Kellen, my Mommy's boy, I am so lucky to have you in my life. You make me happy, and proud, and I just love every bit of what makes you the special little boy that you are. You are the perfect mix of boyish craze and baby sweetness. We love you!

The Gingerbread Train Masterpiece

We had our 3 favorite neighbor girls over to decorate a gingerbread house and train on Tuesday and it was absolutely precious to watch. They definately ate more candy than made it on the gingerbread. Cole's train toppled to its demise about an hour after it was created, but it was fun while it lasted. Hopefully we'll make this a holiday tradition for the kids!

"What are you thankful for, Cole?" ... "ME!"

We have so much to be thankful for this year. Most importantly, we have two happy and healthy little boys. They continue to amaze me every day, and I am so proud. We had an awesome Thanksgiving with both sides of the family, and were reminded how lucky we are to have such wonderful and supportive people in our lives. Wednesday the boys and I spent the day (and night) at my parents house with my Dad's side of the family. Justin had to work, so unfortunately he couldn't come with us. The boys had a blast, as usual, harrassing the dog and obsessing over "Nina" and Pops. We got up on Thanksgiving and drove back to the house to spend the day with Justin and his parents. Once again, the boys had a blast, and harrassed Grandma and Grandpa's dog and obsessed over everything THEY did.

I have been waiting for the time when I could start documenting all the funny things my kids would say so that I could go back and read them. Cole has become quite the talker lately, so I want to share a few funny stories. I have a rule at the table that Cole has to take 2 polite bites of everything on his plate, even if he doesn't want to eat it or he has to go sit in time-out. We just started this about a week ago, but it has really helped with our struggles to get him to eat. At dinner the other night I was telling him that I wanted him to eat some of his sweet potatoes, without having mentioned the 2 polite bites rule yet. He quickly said (more to himself than to me) "No time-out Mommy. Two polite bites potatoe, THEN eat ice cream!" Then after dinner he asked me "Nina take Chadbourn walk?" I told him I was sure Nina remembered to take Chadbourne for a walk but he insisted "Talk Nina" and went and got the phone. How could I resist. I dialed the number and handed him the phone and he proceeded to ask "Take Chadbourn walk? Pops too? See leaf truck? Me go on walk too!" When we were at my parents house he went with Nana and Pops when they would take their dog, Chadbourn, for walks and apparently they saw the truck that sucks up all the leaves because he couldn't stop talking about it. I guess he got worried that maybe Nina would forget to take Chadbourn out for a walk, so he better call and ask her about it. Here's another one... I like to ask Cole "Who is Mommy's favorite boy that's 2?" and he giggles and pats his chest and says "ME!" Now he brings up the topic by saying "Mommy's favorite boy 2...ME!" Then he tells me that Kellen is our favorite baby. He makes me laugh. On the way back home on Thanksgiving, I told him Grandma and Grandpa were at our house and he was so excited to get home and see them, and of course Baxter too! He told me "Grandpa in tunnel too? With me?" My cousin Cassidy gave them a tent with a tunnel that had been hers and they have really had a blast with it. So naturally he was hoping Grandpa would climb through the tunnel with him.

It's been a lot of just Mommy and the boys lately, because Justin has been having to work a lot of extra hours. He worked over 70 hours this past week. Not fun for any of us, and unfortunately it isn't going to get much better between now and the first of the year. The worst part is that he is having to miss most of our fun holiday festivities because he is working every weekend until January. A couple things we are looking forward to, though, are the Christmas Carol in downtown Raleigh with my brother and his wife (Nina will stay with the boys) and hopefully a fun outing on Kellen's 1st birthday. I can't believe he will be ONE in a couple weeks. It just doesn't seem possible. I thought Cole's first year went by fast.

We got on the subject at my parents house that my children still look nothing like each other, or like me. Cole still looks just like his Daddy, although I see myself in him much more than I do in Kellen. I think my Grandma hit the nail on the head when she said that Kellen looked more like my brother's child than mine. I think I thought my brother and I looked more alike than we really do because everyone else seemed to think we don't look much alike. He looks like my Dad's family and I look more like my Mom's. Maybe someday I'll have a little girl that looks at least a little bit like me :0) My family did say, however, that Kellen has the same personality I did as a baby. Always on the go, testing limits, brave and quite a bit hard headed. They joked that you could tell my brother to stop standing up in a chair and he wouldn't try it again for a month, but you could tell me over and over 100 times and I would keep standing right back up, and laugh about it. That's Kellen. Cole is much more sensitive, eager to please, laid back and reserved (Justin!). I am amazed at how different they are both in looks and personality.

Roasting marshmellows and Nana and Pops' house

I just think this picture is cute because he looks so tall and skinny!

Cole and Gram hard at work on a puzzle

I love profile pictures. I could just eat this boy up!

Playing with Cassie

Failed attempt at a photo shoot

One of the two best babysitters in the world, Aunt Suzi

Playing in the tunnel

They played with this tent/tunnel for hours

Kellen and his Daddy, I mean uncle Chris ;-)

Uncle Chris and Aunt Jen. I have a picture just like this of them with Cole...I need to find it and post it again.

The Elf on the Shelf...our new favorite book!

If anyone was wondering where Cole gets his cowlick...here ya go...

I hope everyone had as wonderful of a Thanksgiving as we did. Thanks to everyone who made it so special for us!

I'm Alive

I really wish I didn't care so much about having things in order. I wish dishes in the sink didn't taunt me, and dirty toilets didn't beckon me. I want to let things go. I want to focus more on the things that REALLY matter. I want to have "lazy days." I can't allow myself to relax. I'm a do-er, a planner, a worrier, an organizer, a thrower away-er of frivilous things. I hate clutter. I hate to be behind on my responsibilities. I guess there could be a flaw more terrible than being hard on yourself, but this one is mine (well, one of them)- and I hate it. Hence the reason why it's been a month since I published a post. It's not because we haven't been doing really fun things that I'd love to share with you. It's because I tell myself that I should be doing other things. Why don't I make the time to do something I love...something for myself? I don't know, wish I did. It annoys me.

I'm done complaining about myself now. Here's what my little pumpkin heads have been up to lately...

We went to Hillridge Farms to pick pumpkins, go on a hayride, ride a train, and see some farm animals (forgot my dang camera), had a fall festival in our neighborhood and the boys rode on a farm animal (pony), had some pretty awesome play dates with friends, had dinner at Uncle Chris and Aunt Jen's new place, planted some bushes with Nana, had a yard sale, bought a car, sold a car, inherited a 67 mustang, TRIED to be understanding and patient with Daddy's crazy work hours and obsession with DEER (the boys have done much better than I have!), went to a fun birthday party, Justin and I went to an adult Halloween party as A Shotgun Wedding couple (hehe wonder whose idea that was?), went Trick or Treating with neighbors, whew...we've been busy! It's been a great start to the holiday season with my boys, but we've also had our share of frustrations. I'm pretty sure the words "Cole please stop whining" have come out of my mouth 867 times in the last couple months, and that is also the number of times I have saved danger boy (Kellen) from certain catastrophe. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have gray hair by the time he turns one. I swear that kid is tough as nails and too brave for his own good! Justin has been working lots of overtime lately, which is no fun for any of us.

Surprisingly Cole wasn't afraid to ride the pony. Kellen wasn't either, but that I'm not surprised about ;o)

Can you hula hoop your age? Yea I don't think so...

My world...doing what they do best

Too bad you can't see my big flashing ring. And yes Justin has his mouth full of sandwich.

Cutest elephant I've ever seen. And I've seen one recently too!

My sunshine. Man you look like your Daddy here.



Eating cupcakes at a friends birthday party.

You calling me a monkey?


Trick or Treating. That fat elephant made us carry him the whole way! Sure am glad I pushed around that double stroller just to carry the camera.

I hope you know...

Dear Cole,

I hope you know how much I love you. You've just turned two, and although it makes me sad in a way to know you are growing up, it warms my heart to see what an amazing little boy you are growing up to be. I can't help but think that of all the things I've done wrong in my lifel, I got you right. Although you couldn't have convinced me during the eight months we tried to conceive, there was a reason for the wait. I understand, now, that the time wasn't right in those first several months because I was waiting for you. You are patient, and remind me that life shouldn't be rushed through. You are kind, and you inspire me to be kind. I hope you know you were the purpose of my life; the missing piece that I could never fill in my heart. I hope you know that whenever you fall, I will be there to pick up the pieces. I hope you know that whenever you are afraid, I will be there to hold your hand. I will always hug for too long, kiss too many times for no reason, and tell you that I love you every single day. I promise.

Here's a little about you that I want to remember when I look back on you at TWO!! You are such a lover. You give great hugs and sometimes even a few pats on the back when you really mean it. You give me the best kisses with both arms wrapped around my neck. Your eyelashes go on for days, and I'm in love with the swirl in the front of your hair (yes, the one I thought I would hate!) You look so much like your Daddy, but something about your eyes reminds me that you're mine. You love, love, love when Nana and Aunt Suzi come over to babysit you. You are so kind to your brother and I could watch the two of you interact forever and never grow bored of it. You help Kellen "cruise" by taking his hand and placing it gently on something new and you ask for him as soon as you wake up. Every morning you tell him "Hello Baby!" with the biggest smile on your face like you missed him so much while you were sleeping. So sweet. You love animals, trains, trucks, airplanes, balls, Elmo, Dora and Diego, and Mickey and Minnie. Your hair grows really fast. You don't like to eat your vegetables. Milk makes you happy when you are sad. You love to rock and ask me to sing you songs. The "Moom song" is your favorite..."I see the moon, the moon sees me, under the shade of the old oak tree. Please let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love. Over the mountain, over the sea. That's where my heart is longing to be. Please let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love." You sleep with your hands shoved under your tummy. You think you're Daddy hung the moon. You have 14 teeth, going on 16. You can spell your name, but say it "Dole." :0) You know your basic colors, and used to count to 10 in order, but now like to mix it up a little. For whatever reason, your favorite number is 7. You have great manners, and say "I love you" at the most perfect times. You love to swing, but are still timid with slides. You like to observe first before you play, and always want to help with things like unloading the dishwasher and putting away groceries. You sleep from about 8:15- 7:30 and take a 1.5-2 hour nap in the afternoon. At your 2 year old doctors appointment today you weighed 28lbs and are 35 1/4 inches tall. That's 55% for weight and 75% for height. You've always been 50th for height, but maybe you will be tall like your Mommy and Daddy afterall. We sure hope so!

We went to the Zoo on your birthday, just you and your Daddy and I. You had so much fun and named every animal (some we had to teach you, but to be perfectly honest there were some I had to teach myself first!) and each time we walked away you would tell them goodbye. We spent over 5 hours walking around the zoo and the times you wanted to be in the stroller were few and far between. You were all about your Daddy that day, and had to be holding his hand whenever we were walking. Watching the two of you makes me so happy. Your favorite animal was the otter. I think because it was really the only animal that seemed to enjoy the crowd. They would spiral and spin and swim right up against the glass and come right up to where people were watching. They are little show offs! I was personally disappointed that most of the animals were asleep, or just laying around, but you didn't seem to mind. You also really loved the lions. You ROARRRRRED so loud that you almost scared them away. Okay, so I'm kidding, but you did roar really loud at them and it was pretty darn cute. It was such a special day and although we love Kellen to pieces, I was glad to have him stay with Nana and Pops so we could have you all to ourselves. Daddy and I had made you a tractor cake (what an experience!) the night before your birthday, so we enjoyed a great birthday song and ate cake, just the four of us when we got home. These are some of my favorite pictures from "TWO AT THE ZOO!!"

Trying to blow out his candle. Isn't he cute!

Maybe it will help if I blow from this side...

Ok, this is everything I've got!

Ahhh, finally...I worked hard for this

Yummy!

Chris and Jen's wedding weekend

Weddings are so much fun. They bring together family and friends from all over, give you a good excuse to party, and just make you happy. My brothers wedding brought nothing less than all of these things, and I just couldn't be happier for he and his new wife, Jen! One of the highlights of the weekend for us was getting to spend some time with my cousin Danica and her family (and Kristen too!) at Pullen Park the morning of the rehearsal dinner. I grew up going to that park, but forgot how much fun it is for kids. The boys really had a good time. Too bad we won't have such good company every time we go! Cole really took to Camille and Kayleigh, and was over the moon to hold their hands and play with them.

I didn't take my camera to the wedding. In fact, I didn't take anything to the wedding. (Well, except my phone that Justin kept in his pocket for me.) It was so nice not to have to keep up with anything. My friend Maria kept the boys for us, and we were so grateful for a night out without the kids!

The reason I share Cole's bright and EARLY morning face that he's covering from the flash (since it was still DARK) is because it was a perfect indication of how Justin and I felt when we woke up after only a few hours of sleep!

I also have to include a couple pictures of "spaghetti night" the other night. I might... possibly... purposely give the boys spaghetti (their favorite) on nights that I scoot out before clean-up to go to work. I would never do that. Hehe. So these were pictures that Justin took to show me what I missed.