Hank is 6 months old

Baby boy, I cannot believe 1/2 of your first year is gone.  Everyday you become less and less of a baby.  Sad.

You are almost sitting up unattended!

You still have no teeth, but slobber, slobber, slobber all over everything.  You love to chew on your blanket, and Sophie, and basically anything you get your hands on.

You are still momma's big boy.  You are currently wearing 9 month clothing.

You laugh, laugh, laugh all day long and are seriously the happiest little fella.

Your favorite activity right now is sitting in your excersaucer.

You got your first taste of real food on January 1.  You were not so excited over pears, but mangoes, oh, they're your love language.  You kick your little feet and open your mouth for more.

Currently you wake around 10 and go down for the night around 10.  Ever since getting over your little sick spell after Christmas you have become my champion sleeper.  You take a 30-45 minute catnap around 12 every day and a 2 hour nap around 2:30.

You love to jabber and made your first ma-ma and da-da sounds this week.  When you get really frustrated you make bu-bu-bu sounds and blow bubbles.

You are such a joy, Hansford Mitchell and everyone who comes around you is instantly smitten!

Its the Little Things..Or So I Tell Myself

I will preface this by saying I'm typing this on my old trusty refurbished laptop in the playroom floor. I'm in my mom uniform of black yoga pants and my hair is in a ponytail. I actually did yoga today so that makes it ok, right? Hank is passed out in his bouncy chair and Carsyn is glued to the TV in a Mickey Mouse coma.  I'm sipping a McD's latte because I ran out of coffee and would rather face the drive thru than the grocery store aka "flu city" with the littles. Plumbers are working in Carsyn's bathroom and I've spent the morning online lusting after spring clothes and planning some mother/daughter Lilly outfits.   

I'm really working on being present in 2013.  I'm not on social media sites much and only blog when the babes are asleep.  Carsyn has been going to bed at midnight so that doesn't leave a lot of time.  Truth be told I've been curled up on the sofa engrossed in Downton Abbey until 2 in the morning.  Its been pretty blissful.  Back to the point.

Carsyn has become really self sufficient and quite independent.  She definitely has her clingy times but for the most part is completely content to play by herself.  Hank's favorite activity is watching her.  And truth be told I could watch them like that for hours..if only it lasted.  During the days we're at home I feel like I do a lot of house work while the kids play around me. (I  promise if you came to my house you wouldn't believe it.)  I've been trying to do my yoga while Hank takes his morning nap and Carsyn has been getting on the mat and imitating me.  Its pretty hilarious..."mommy, you stretching?" "Look, I'm stretching, I DID IT!" By the time I pick up the toys which are scattered everywhere, do some laundry and get lunch finished its nap time.  Hank has been napping at the same time as Carsyn lately so I've been trying to take a little nap too. Selfish, but necessary. Once they're up we start prepping dinner and await W's arrival home. The evenings are our family time; we all have dinner together and usually watch a movie.  Lately Carsyn has insisted on watching Hank's Baby Einstein movies.  Since W is home I really try to devote a lot of my attention to the kids.  We practice sitting up with Hank and play whatever game Carsyn wants to.

The kids got some books to bed gifts for Christmas and we've been making a really big deal out of getting in our jammies and reading. 

Carsyn loves to pretend she's reading to Hank too.

I'm trying to make it a point to do one fun activity a day. Or at least devote a half an hour or an hour playing Carsyn's favorite game. The other day it rained and Carsyn and I splashed in puddles awhile. 

We've been baking cookies and she actually helps cook dinner lots of nights by stirring the pot.  I feel like we spent the latter part of 2012 on the road and I'm trying to savor the little moments right now.  I hope someday my kids will say "mom was always there for us" and "we had fun no matter where we were."  When I was growing up my best memories were not beach trips or ventures to amusement parks..it was the rook tournaments when we were snowed in with my grandma, and impromptu pool parties with my cousins.



What is important to you?  Are you savoring the little moments?

Priorities and Getting Back in the Swing of Things

Are Resolutions still on your mind?  I guess they are on mine as well.  Being busy during the holiday season is NOT a good reason to skip church.  Ummmm..pretty sure Jesus is the whole point of Christmas.

We finally made it to church this morning and Carsyn was so happy to be reunited with her friend, Kyria.

Can you tell?  I even took Hank along and I think he enjoyed the service as well..especially the singing and attention!  Now, if only I could quit worrying about the kids being loud and concentrate on the sermon :)

I told myself I would do better with reading the Lord's word in 2013 and so far I have.  Several people have mentioned Jesus Calling so I downloaded it and have been trying to read a little every night before bed.  I've been jotting down notes and just a few things I need to remind myself of daily.  I've dusted off some other books and put them on my nightstand as well.  I'll keep you updated.

Changing the subject, W and I had a little date night Saturday night.  We planned to see a movie but everything started too late so we ended up having a quick bite to eat.  Honestly, I think date nights are important. Really. But, I do not know which is more distracting, keeping 2 kids happy at the table or texting your mom every few minutes under the table wondering how the kids are.

Please tell me I'm not the only one?

So, what are your priorities??

Chicago

We took our annual Chicago shopping trip the weekend before Christmas...(not doing that again) and had a great time as always.  We did bring the flu back with us so perhaps next year we'll reschedule for November??

We had a nice little pajama party our first night there.  Clearly the kids weren't a bit excited to see each other.

 Maddox is such a sweetheart- I caught him whispering to Hank they were going to be best buddies when he grew up.

We loaded up the troops and went to Navy Pier the next morning and the kids ran wild.  Hank was ready to go, but just couldn't hang with the big kids once we got there :)

That evening we took Carsyn to pick out a pair of earrings for her Christmas present.  She was so excited and insisted on carrying her bag...love her little heart.

We shopped a little more the next morning and then headed to Macys and The Walnut Room for lunch.

Carsyn was so infatuated with the big Christmas tree and I have to say this was my favorite one yet.

Carsyn and Maddox also mailed their letters to Santa.

We also made time for Carsyn to get her first mani.  She did so well and surprised me with her patience.

Maddox and Mel decided to ditch the girls awhile and do a little sight seeing.

We spent our last evening at the American Girl Place.

 Little Hank was such a trooper...He pretty much napped in his crib most of the day.  I know I should be grateful, but I'm so excited for next year when he will enjoy it more.

And...why does seem when one kid is wide awake the other is killed..(Or...Wait?? Please tell me its not just me.)

We finally got Hank awake for a family picture and little miss is out like a light!

 

 

Good night Chicago!!

"Dubbya"

The day is here.  I might say I dreaded it, but in the words of the boss...its been a long time comin..

The hubby reads the blog. I always had a sneaking suspicion, but it was recently confirmed.  I have been informed that he thinks "hubby" is ridiculous.  I challenged him to come up with an alternate and he couldn't.  I proposed SW (his initials) because a) every body's doing it, and b) it flows.  It was shot down and shortened to just  "W". We live in KY so that would be pronounced "dubbya".

I'm not sure it'll stick.  Shoot, I'm not even sure this little blog of mine will cross his mind anymore.  Now I'm all paranoid....and wondering if I ever insulted him in past posts...or posted unflattering pictures of him.  That's all for now...I've got DVR'd episodes of Buckwild to get to.

OH. YES. I. DID.

Happy Friday!

2013

2012 was a roller coaster year.  I spent the first half sick and worried how I was going to take care of two littles and work the amount I wanted and manage a household and the second half figuring out it wasn't possible.  Now, I don't sweat the small stuff.  Dinner is rarely on the table, the kids are never in bed before 10:00 and work piles up.  I'm so blessed to have supportive parents and an awesome hubby who do not care about the small things.  I think I"m hard on myself for not getting certain things accomplished when in reality no one else cares.

I feel like 2013 is going to be a fresh start.  Baby girl is becoming a little lady and baby boy is settling into a nice little routine.  I'm so excited for this year.  I'm not one to make a resolution list but as always I'm hoping to be a better person in 2013.  Here are my goals:

be present
be mindful
be accountable
be patient
be healthy
be kind

That's not a lot, right?

Remember above when I said the kids are rarely in bed before 10?  NYE was no exception.

What can I say?? We're party animals?  Well, the girls are anyway..Daddy and Hank just couldn't hang!

Its a Wrap- Christmas 2012

Are you as depressed as I am that Christmas is over?  Maybe its the fact that we all have had the flu and didn't get to enjoy it as much as always, but I just kept thinking of this quote from Ralphie in A Chistmas Story "Oh, life is like that. Sometimes, at the height of our revelries, when our joy is at it's zenith, when all is most right with the world, the most unthinkable disasters decend upon us."  

Dramatic, much?  Nonetheless Christmas came and it was a happy occasion- except for the fact I did not get to watch one minute of A Christmas Story marathon....you better believe the family won't be making that mistake again next year.

We woke up Chistmas Eve morning and the littles were in such high spirits!  Santa had left a few presents under each of the kid's trees and they opened them with sheer delight.  Do you love Hank's tree as much as I do?  I swear it was pretty in person!!

Santa brought Carsyn and Hank their own little beach house!

In true Carsyn fashion she ditched the blue box for a big book of boo-boos and declared Hank's basketball goal "CARSYNS!"

We made a quick trip to my mom and dad's Christmas Eve night and then to Shane's papaws.  Carsyn LOVED playing with her cousins and aunts!

We spent the night at Shane's mom and dad's and woke up Christmas morning to more presents!! Yay for family matching pjs!! The kids won't mind wearing those until they're 30, right?

Have y'all seen this Barbie Dream Home?  Carsyn is already pondering why mommy and daddy's home is not as nice!

We headed back to mom and dad's that evening and Carsyn's sickness began to set in.  I thought for a minute she was going to go to sleep in her new sleeping bag.  Poor girl just set in her Barbie car for an hour.

How about this boy?? I swear he has stolen momma's heart!  Happy Hank loved all of the attention.

I just adore my parents-aren't they the cutest?