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...
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!
