Easter Fun!

Yes, I am just now getting around to posting Easter pics...I have figured out my problem with keeping up with this blog. I take way too many pictures, and it takes forever for me to sort through them, and narrow them to what I want to put on here. Anyway, I'll definitely work on it, but for now, here's my Easter post...two weeks late!

Mitch's first Easter Egg Hunt this year was at school. He was so excited about it! He got to take his Easter Bucket (not a basket...that would be too girly...note the sarcasm) to school, and some of the parents hid eggs on the playground. Then the kids all got to go outside and find them. When I got there to pick Mitch up that day, one of the other mom's, Andrea, said that Mitch had gotten about 3 eggs! From the sound of it, he got side-tracked by the slide! He said he had to go down the slide to see if any were hidden on it! He is way too good at making excuses for his age!

Then we went to Mimi's house (for those of you who don't know...that's my mom), and colored eggs. Then I hid them and he found them. He really did a good job of finding them, much better than I expected, but he didn't exactly have any competition, since he was the only one hunting. Then he wanted to hide them for Mimi to find. Wow! He is much better at hiding them than he is hunting them! He was putting them in the bushes and everything! Mimi even missed a few the first time around!

On the Saturday before Easter, we took the kids to the Easter Egg Hunt at the Zoo this year. When I say we took the kids, I mean all 4 of them...and Mimi even joined us! Is so much fun! It was right up Mitch's alley...it was more of an Egg Gathering than an Egg Hunt. They dumped thousands of eggs in the middle of a field and the kids got to run out and pick them up. He didn't actually have to search for any of them. The hunts were divided by age groups so Jake and Mitch went at separate times, but I think they both had fun.

Jake on the way home from the Zoo, eating his animal crackers. This is what happens if you give Jake more than one animal cracker at a time!

Alex helped Mitch on the Carousel
Jack was way too cool to ride the Carousel, so he just sat and waiting on the uncool people to get off!

Jake LOVES the Carousel... He giggled and clapped through the whole ride!

Mitch showing off his two buckets full of eggs! Daddy is so proud!

Mitch filling his bucket

Alex helping Jake with his first Egg Hunt

Not real sure what this face is all about, but I just love that pout! Oh, and yes, that is the beginning of a black eye...he ran into a chair in the restaurant.

Jake "practicing" carrying his bucket

Jake wanted to make sure Mimi had enough to eat!

Is he....

...as sweet as he looks?

From 9th Grade to Now...

Mt. Juliet High School Cheerleaders...

Then...

and now...

Spring Break Vacation

Okay...big surprise, I know...but I'm a little overdue on this post (and a couple others). I actually have an excuse, sort of, this time. Most of the "action" shots we took on vacation were taken with Jack's camera, and he had it with him for the past two weeks... Is that a good excuse?

So....here goes....

We took our first Spring Break Vacation this year and went to Fort Walton Beach, Fl. For anyone who doesn't know, that is on the Floriday panhandle, right beside Destin. Alex decided to stay and hang out with him Mom, so Gary, me, and the other 3 boys headed off to the beach for 6 nights! We had a wonderful time, and had mostly cooperative weather. The first couple of days were a little cool and we did have a little bit of rain, but the last few days were great!

When we go to the beach, we always go somewhere there on the panhandle because it is the closest, only about 7-8 hours. We have had 3 kids who travel wonderfully....and then...there's Jake! Oh my gosh! I was ready to jump from the moving car by the time we got there! He yelled...and I mean YELLED...almost the entire trip! Not crying, not even really fussing all that much...just YELLING! And he was into everything! As you can imagine, it's tough to pack for 5 people for 6 nights, with baby gear and toys, and pack light. So, it was almost impossible to make sure nothing was in his reach. He kept pulling Boogie Boards down on top of himself and then getting mad. Poor Jack was on Jake duty...good thing he is such a trooper! Jake only slept for about an hour of the entire ride down. When Mitch was that age, he would have slept most of the trip! I will say, though, the trip back went much more smoothly! Jake still didn't sleep much, but he was much more content.

While we were there, we hung out at the beach a little, and the pool a little, and Jack and Gary even went Deep Sea Fishing one day, Mitch wasn't quite old enough...one more year. I DON'T Deep Sea Fish! I love it, but my tummy doesn't...I am talking SERIOUS sea-sickness! We ate out a few nights and cooked in some. It was a wonderful vacation, and so nice to be able to spend 6 nights straight with my hubby!

Mitch really enjoyed the sand and the pool this time. Jake loved the pool, but not so much the sand! I remember Mitch being the exact same way when he was this age. The difference, though, is that Mitch would sit and play very happily under the umbrella for hours! Just guess if Jake did that... Ha! 30 minutes, max! I did forget how hard it is to be away from home with a 16 month old. The child was into everything! The first thing we had to do was rearrange the kitchen (knives in the bottom drawers...not a good idea)!

The sleep arrangements worked out great. Jack had his own room, and Gary and I had our room, Mitch had a little "bunk alcove" (nothing but bunk beds in a little corner, not even a door) and he was so excited to sleep on the top bunk! Jake...well...what do you expect from parents who make their child sleep in a closet? We set up his pack n play in the bathroom (yes, it was a big bathroom)!

Okay...enough of my rambling...I know you really just want to see pics, so here they are!

For once in my life, I actually planned ahead and got everyone white shirts and khaki shorts (and me a white dress) so we could get some pictures on the beach! Unfortunately, we didn't get any of all 5 of us together, but the ones we got turned out great...I just wish Alex had been with us! Oh, and, yes, Jack is that much taller than me...he is even standing down-slope from me!

Here are the pics of the fishing trip...They caught an AmberJack and a few White Snappers. We grilled them one night at the condo, and they were great! Mitch even ate them!

For the most part, Jake stayed on the beach chairs...

Leave it to Gary...I don't know how he does it, but he is a pro at getting the kids to do things they aren't comfortable with! Look at Jake walking on that sand all by himself! I think that was a one-shot deal, though!

Gary and Jack decided to take a kayak out one afternoon, and Mitch said he wanted to go with them. Okay...now this is the kid who is scared to do anything new...a kayak on the ocean...yeah right! Gary and I both thought he would last all of 10 minutes before they would have to bring him back in....Boy were we wrong! He LOVED it, and stayed out the whole hour!

Jack dug the sand out from under the legs of the beach chair that Gary was relaxing in and it tipped over! This was payback!

Jack dug a "seat" for Mitch...funny to think Mitch wouldn't touch the sand just 2 years ago!

Daddy really has the touch! I tried for over an hour to get Jake to go to sleep...Gary had him for a few minutes!

Mitch wanted to go around the Lazy River, but the water was too cold for his taste, so Gary and Jack took turns like this!

Mitch with his "circle"...he thought he was so big that he didn't need any help! Neither did he understand why he couldn't go where we couldn't see him! Jake "swimming" between Gary and Jack...Jake LOVED the pool! I couldn't keep him out of it...he would just slide right off the side into the water, whether anyone was there or not...definitely had to be on our toes!

All pooped out! He literally fell asleep just like this...and stayed that way for about an hour!

Who knew Jake was so creative?
This was our one attempt at a group picture of all 5 of us...and it was the very last night!

One tough "Pretty Boy"!

Saturday morning, Gary and Mitch were getting ready to leave to pick up Alex for the day, and I heard Mitch screaming outside. Gary walked in the back door carrying him (I couldn't see his face) and said, very calmly, "I need you to go pick up Alex. I'm going to have to take Mitch to the Emergency Room." WHAT!!!! You can't just calmly waltz in here and drop that bomb on me with no more details than that!?! And what makes you think I'm not going with you to take MY BABY to the ER?!? Then again, it's exactly that reaction that banned me from going! :) Ok, so I wasn't technically "banned". Gary just very nicely persuaded me that Mitch would be better off with him because they could make it an "adventure". So...they did and I stayed home with Jake! Jack went with them to sit in the back with Mitch and keep him awake and keep the cloth on his head. Oh...and most importantly, to send me pictures throughout the day! Forgive the quality, they are from a camera phone.

This is what it looked like before it got stitched up.

The put a "cocaine patch" on it to numb it. It worked so well they didn't even have to give him shot before they stitched it. Good stuff!

I think this is how he spent most of the day...talking on the phone and changing channels with the remote....definitely a guy thing! In this picture, he's talking to Alex, telling him all about his cut!

Here he is getting ready for to be stitched up....FINALLY! It took 8 stitches! And Gary said he couldn't believe how calm he was. They brought in someone to help hold him down while they did the stitches, since most kids that young are really freaked out by someone sewing their skin together....not Mitch! They didn't even have to hold him down. He just layed there while they "fixed his boo boo"!

And here's what my baby looked like the next time I saw him! He is quite proud of his stitches! Good job, Daddy! I guess you were right, after all...he did stay much calmer with you than he would have with me!

Oh! By the way...he fell running to the car and hit his head on Gary's open car door, in case you were wondering how it happened!

No words needed...

...but I can't resist.... Maybe he shouldn't take his first date to a donut shop, huh?

Playhouse Disney Live!

A few weeks ago, Gary and I took Mitch to see Playhouse Disney Live. Mitch watches it EVERY morning for as long as I will let him. He LOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, especially, and Little Einsteins, Winnie and Pooh, and Handy Manny are some of his favorites also. As luck would have it, those were the 4 shows represented. As soon as I heard they were coming to Nashville, I KNEW we had to go! Mimi kept Jake so we could make it an adventure for just Mitch. I don't think just the three of us have done anything together since Jake was born. With 4 kids, none of them get very much individual attention with both Mommy and Daddy!

Daddy and Mitch waiting for the show to start!

This is what Mitch looked like for most of the show. He sat in Daddy's lap, and stared in amazement!

At the end of the show they let the kids go stand up front. Here's Mitch waving "bye" to everyone before they went back home to be on TV the next morning! :)

My favorite story about Playhouse Disney Live took place that morning while Mitch was watching Playhouse Disney on TV. He was very confused about how they were on TV when they were supposed to be "live" that afternoon. After I tried to explain to him that they recorded the show so little boys and girls could still see them, he said, "It's Playhouse Disney DEAD!" Well...at least he knows his opposites! :)

"Mine Does"

Lately, Mitch has been waking up and coming to my room way too early in the morning! So, we implemented a new "rule". He has to stay in his room until "the first number says 7" on his clock by his bed. Yesterday morning, he came downstairs at 5:00am! WHAT!!!! Why are you waking me up this early!?! Really, you don't want to mess with me at 5:00 in the morning! So...I simply said to him, "Honey, the clock doesn't say 7 yet." He very seriously responded, "Mine does..." Guess what my child has been doing? He is CHANGING the time on his clock to make "the first number say 7" when he wakes up! Man...am I in trouble with this one! Way too smart! I have absolutely no idea how even knows how to change the time, but apparently he does!

Whew! February is over!

I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am that February is over! I try so hard to not "wish away" ANY time with my kids (well aside from the time between dinner and bedtime...don't even get me started on that!), but I have decided that February is officially my least favorite month! (Maybe that's why it's only 28 days long! hmmmm...) It's the cold weather...I don't remember it ever bothering me quite so much, but with two young kids, it's just about torture! It is miserable to get them both suited up in their coats just to go to the car and strap them in the car seats all bundled up...not to mention, not being able to get outside and play! Oh...don't get me wrong, we do have an occassional nice day, and then it quickly drops 40 degrees and stays there! It's just enough to remind us of what we AREN'T going to be able to do every day! Did I mention that I am glad February is over?

Thankfully, we had a very busy month, so it passed pretty quickly. Mitch had 6 birthday parties in the last 4 weekends! Yes, you read that right...SIX! And I drug Jake along to everyone except the last one. Mitch had so much fun at them all, though, and Jake enjoyed them, too. We had a "first birthday", then a party at a fire station for a friend at school, then we had a party at "the jumpies", then came Alex's party (also at "the jumpies"), then Gabe's party at an indoor playground, and finally Jack Jones had a science themed birthday at his house! I'm tired just talking about them all! :)


In addition to the many birthday parties, we also made a trip to the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro with Lindsay and all three of her boys! Yep...you counted right, that is 2 mommies and 5 boys...1 six year old, 2 "almost 4" year olds, a 15 month old, and a 13 month old! We figured out that we actually could all ride together in Lindsay's minivan. We got everyone strapped into their car seats, sat down in our seats and turned around to see this...Don't you just love it?!? This another favorite of mine from the day...You already know that Jake will eat almost anything...apparently that includes blue markers!

Mitch actually got to take two trips to the Discovery Center this month. Mimi and Aunt Sandy (my mom's sister) took Mitch and Reed (my cousin's little boy who is Mitch's age). They had a great time playing together and Mitch is wanting to know when he can play with Reed again. We don't really live close, but the Discovery Center is a good middle-ground. We will definitely be doing that again. Maybe next time, I'll even be invited to tag along! :) I would love to see those two together!


We found lots of things to do inside where it's warm and still keep the kids entertained...but, warm weather...we are definitely ready for you!

Jake Update - 15 months

It's official...my baby is no longer a "baby"! He is now a "toddler"! How did the past 15 months go by so fast? He is walking everywhere now, and has learned to open all of the interior doors in the house. I'm sure all of you will be shocked to hear that his favorite door to open is the pantry door! He knows exactly where the food is! :) He still isn't really saying anything much. I am pretty sure he says "yeah" and definitely will shake or nod his head. Just this week he learned the sign for "more" and uses it often!

Last Friday, he had his 15 month check-up. He is 26 pounds, and 32.25 inches long. That puts him in the 75th percentile for weight, and 80th percentile for height. I keep telling you all that their is height in my family...it's just "diluted"! :) Then again, so is the red hair, and he certainly got that! I am so excited to say that I believe the red hair is here to stay! It does appear to be lightening to a more strawberry color, though.

Oh...and as for his little personality...this is the sweetest child in the world! He LOVES to give and get kisses! And his little smile will just melt your heart! He is definitely a more sensitive kid. If I get onto him for anything, he drops his head and won't look at me. And if I am upset with him for something, he tries to love on me or make me laugh...anything to win me back! :) He's a VERY good listener! I am constantly amazed at how well he follows instruction. I'm sure in another year, I'll look back at this post and laugh and that sentence when he won't do anything I ask him to! But, for now...I'll just enjoy it!

He and Mitch are playing so well together these days, too! Mitch loves his baby brother, and the feeling is mutual! They love to wrestle and sword fight! They also like to run together down the front hall in the house. I'm wondering how much longer it will be before Mitch is annoyed with Jake following him everywhere! But, again, for now...I'll just enjoy it!

I believe that's about it...I'll leave you with some recent pics of my baby...oops...I mean toddler!

This is something we see at our house almost every day. Jake loves to get my headbands out of my drawer and wear them. Needless to say, Gary really isn't too crazy about this habit!

Jake hanging out at the park...he got mad because he fell down and didn't have anything to pull up on. He can stand up without holding onto anything, but he doesn't realize it yet!
Jake's newest trick...If he was at home on a rug or in the pack n play, he would have his hands up and balancing on just his feet and head!

That's him walking!

Oh...and you gotta love a good fit! I am such a mean Mommy...I told him "no"...Maybe he does't hear it enough, what do you think? And yes...instead of concoling him, I took a picture! :)

Park Days in February

It has been ridiculously cold for Tennesee this winter, so when the weather finally gave us a break, we hit the park! It has actually stayed nice here for the last week or more, so we have gotten to visit the park a few times.

Thursday, after we picked the kids up from school, my friend, Suzanne and I took the boys to the park. She has "Jack Jones" who is Mitch's age, and they live in our neighborhood. They ran all over the playground and played in the dirt for 2 full hours! There was a boy there who was a couple of years or so older than Mitch and Jack, and he kept tackling Jack. Jack would try to get away from him, but he kept chasing him. After a while, Mitch decided it was up to him to save the day. He looked at Jack and said, "I got this!" (Where did he learn that?!?) Then he ran right up to the boy and jumped to a stop with his arm straight out and his palm out and said, "I force field you! SSCCHHH!" Amazingly, it worked! The kid left Jack alone after that!

Jake wasn't quite as hyper as Mitch was. He was going on only a 30 minute nap all day, and he was so tired! He laid down on the sidewalk and put his head down to rest in the middle of the park! How long did he stay there?, you ask....Well, until I figured out that he wasn't going to get up on his own, so I picked him up and held him for a while....all 26 pounds of him! Then...he almost fell asleep in the swing. But mostly, he was happy finding and playing with sticks on the ground and pieces of playground mulch.

Dads have all the fun!

A few weeks ago, shortly after the Gatlinburg trip, we took a weekend trip to Gary's parents' in Alabama. It was his grandmother's 90th Birthday!

The kids had a great time...they were so excited to see each other again after such a short time. They don't usually get to see each other more than a couple of times a year. Jake was a bit of a challenge, though... He was really going through a tough time with big crowds of people he doesn't know. So, he wanted me to hold him most of the time. And...when Jake wants something, he usually gets it! I am such a sucker with him! We made it, though, and had a wonderful trip!

Mitch LOVES Papa Jack (Gary's dad)! He helped Papa Jack cook...washing potatoes for him and helping him spice up the chicken to grill!While Mitch was helping Papa Jack, Jake was playing on the steps. This is where he spent most of his time (when he was in my arms)...Here are some pictures of the Birthday Girl and her kids...

But...the best part of the trip had to be the cake! After the party was over, and most of the cake had been eaten, the kids were "hovering" around the table, just dying to dig into the icing with their little fingers. Well, Gary, being Gary...told them to to "go for it"! They couldn't believe their luck...and honestly, neither could I! Gary even got Jake in on the action. Of course, that's something only a Dad would do...but it was so fun to watch them!