Prepare for a long one!

All three of my boys are napping (amazingly at the same time) so I actually have a few minutes to post. I feel like so much has happened around here since the last time I wrote. We had 6-7 inches of snow this past Tuesday, a WONDERFUL visit from aunt Shelly, a well-baby doctors visit with Kellen, and a "baby" to "big boy" change in Cole. I don't think any of us really believed the weather forcast of snow that would actually stick and stay around for a couple days, but boy were we all wrong! I really am not a fan of snow because I hate the cold, but I had forgotten how beautiful it was. The woods behind our house looked like a postcard. I was so thankful that Justin's store closed and he was home with us, because he was able to take Cole out while I ran back and forth between taking pictures of them and checking on Kellen inside. Although we didnt have adequate "snow attire" for Cole, we bundled him up the best we could and let him play for a little while because he may not see snow again for years! He had so many layers on he could barely move! I put ziplock bags over his shoes because he doesnt have any that are water proof (haha). He had fun for a few minutes, but it wasnt long before he started getting soaked through his clothes and he walked over to the door and pointed inside. We took the hint and went back inside. He has absolutely amazed us the last couple weeks. He went from saying just a few words, to at least attempting to say more than I can count. One day he woke up and just started using/repeating common words we use, like "nap" "snack" "night night" "bed" "teeth" "eye" "bath" "kiss" "thank you". He doesnt speak clearly yet, but it was like all of a sudden the light bulb went off and he started using so many words. He has also figured out how to run and practices every night when we get him out of the tub. Something about being naked gives him a huge burst of energy and he escapes from you and runs back and forth down the hall laughing and squealing. It is so darn cute...I just hope he finds running naked less invigorating over the next few years;-) Or at least maybe he'll be a little more discrete about it. He is also becoming quite good at his puzzles, pointing to his body parts when asked, and putting shapes into a sorter. There is also one body part that he likes to touch and crack up about that Mommy doesnt find quite as humorous as Daddy does! He still loves books and being read to, and can point to several objects or animals when you ask him where they are. Occasionally he'll even mimic me when I make animal noises. The monkey is my favorite! He says "who haha"! He is not only starting to mimic us (guess we better start really watching what we say!) but also the radio. We have it on a lot of the time in the evenings and on weekends and we will catch him "humming" or mimicing tunes of songs. His favorite is the Beyonce song about "if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it" when she sings the "oh oh oh, oh oh uh oh" part! Other fun things he's doing lately are helping burp the baby, making him clap, helping put clothes from the washer to the dryer, trying to sweep into the dust pan, blowing on his food when it's hot and he still considers it his JOB to make sure Kellen keeps his paci in his mouth (whether he wants it or not!) Oh and he likes to wink at you, but apparently both eyes are better than one! And aunt Shelly taught him how to bump his cup with yours..."cheers!" One quick funny story: I was doing pilates yesterday with Cole playing in the room and I looked over and Cole was laying on his back with his legs up in the air trying his hardest to do the scissor motion with his legs like I was. I swear he cracks me up!

So, now on to sweet Kellen....or should I say "drama king Kellen." For the most part he is very laid back and content, but he sure has his moments of being very dramatic. When he decides to really scream, I think our neighbors can hear him! Justin likes to pick on him and say that he is not as "happy" of a baby as Cole was, but I dont mind a bit. Honestly I think he deserves to be in the spotlight every now and then, and if he wants to wail...then go for it buddy! He puts up with a lot, so I have a lot of compassion and understanding when he decides he wants the attention for a change. Plus there is nothing wrong with being a little moody every once in awhile, he might possibly get that from me:-) He celebrated his one month birthday this past week by smiling at both his Daddy and me. He has the sweetest smile, and craters for dimples! Just like his big brother had at his age, Kellen has clogged tear ducts which means the little hole on his bottom eyelid right at the corner of his eye isnt draining his tears. It is very common in newborns, and they almost always grow out of it by 6 months. Basically they just cant absorb their tears, so their eyes are really watery. The complication with this is that their eyes can become infected and have yellow goopy drainage. My boys are lucky, and both got this. The treatment is erythromycin ointment; the same stuff they get as soon as they are born. Cole's cleared up immediatly with the erythro, but Kellen's are taking a few days. It's looking much better though. He was 5 weeks old at his doctors appt and weighed 9lbs 11oz which is 40th percentile. Justin and I take bets every time the kids get weighed, and I must say that I have won EVERY single time. I'm not sure how I do it, but I'm always within a couple ounces. He was 21.75 inches long (50%) and his head circumference was 37cm (20%). Our pediatrician said he looks perfect, but I already knew that :-) Cole didnt have a 1 month appt (he was at our Raleigh pediatrician office and they dont have one month check ups), so I cant compare. Our next appt is 2 months. Kellen is already half an inch longer than Cole was at 2 months. NBA maybe? Here are some pictures from the last week or two.

No we arent forcing him to exercise, he LOVES the treadmill!

Happy One Month Kellen!

Runny red eyes :-(

Is this not the sweetest thing!

I'm ready to go mom!

The house

Can you tell he's saying "cheese"