Monday, November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving Lunches at School


 Every year the sweet  people at our daycare invite the parents for a Thanksgiving feast with the children.  It's delicious home-cooked food made by the director and her helpers.  We get to sit with our children and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal while watching them interact with their peers and teachers in the school setting.  This year was extra nice because I got to go twice! 
 I had lunch with Patrick in his class on Thursday and lunch with Sam's class on Friday.  
Special lunch dates with my boys--two days in a row! 

It always amazes me how grown-up the boys seem when they are at school.  I especially felt that way seeing Patrick sitting at a little table with his friends.  I usually strap him in his high chair to feed him.  I didn't think he would sit still long enough to eat a meal without being strapped in!  But, he did very well.  Although he would rather use the spoon to beat on the table than to use it as an eating utensil :)  He's getting there...

Patrick and one of his favorite teachers, Ms. Karen

Sam's class sang songs for us while we were waiting for the meal.  I enjoyed hearing the songs and learning the words that I've been trying to make sense of for months.  Sam loves to sing at home and at school, but when he is singing by himself at home I can't make out all the words.  
I also learned where he gets his dancing moves...because it certainly wasn't from me!  I think its a combination of this father and his friends at school.  
I recorded some of the songs and posted the link to the video at the bottom of this post.   

Sam and Emma as Pilgrims 

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Halloween 2012

This was a fun Halloween for Sam.  
He had been looking forward to dressing as Spider Man since he found the costume in a bin of clothes from Aunt Amy a year ago!  

Patrick was a Monkey...the same one that Sam was when he was one.  So if the pictures of Patrick look familiar, that's why :)

Mommy and her little Monkey--who still loves his paci.

Spider Girl, A Cute Little Spider, and Spider Man


Sneaky!  Patrick and Buddy trying to get into the candy basket

Sam and his Jack-o-lantern (lovingly named Frankenstein)
Pumpkin carving by Grandpa Loss

Look Who's Walking!


It's been a while since I last wrote....I'm sorry for that.  
But... I couldn't let too much time pass before I documented this milestone!  
Patrick still prefers crawling to his wobbly walk, but this video shows he can do it!

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Future Pilot??



Sam was so inspired by Boshear's Sky Fest today!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Happy Birthday Patrick!

Birthday Boy!

Wow...I know everyone says it happens, but really where has this past year gone?  Do we really have a one year old baby already?  I can hardly believe you are a year old today (I actually started this post on your birthday).  It seems like yesterday that you were born.  We love your sweet smile and contagious laugh.  We love your big hugs and kisses.  We love your expressiveness---you aren't shy to share your emotions (the good and the bad!).  We love your playfulness and curiosity.  You truly have been such a blessing to us.  We are thankful everyday for you!

Now that you are one, here are some highlights from the past year--as best as I can remember them :) 


Eating
 From 6-10 months of age, you refused most solid food (unless it was Orange Vanilla Greek Yogurt) and I worried so much that you weren't going get enough to eat and that you were going to be a picky eater (even pickier than your brother Sam!).  Aunt Caroline even worked her speech therapy magic on you to no avail.  I bought books, researched on the internet, tried all kinds of food, but nothing interested you except milk.  My how things have changed since then.  Now you eat almost everything and anything.  You even enjoyed a dill pickle spear last weekend!  You sucked on that pickle like it was a popsicle!  I think you eat more than Sam, now...seriously :)


Sleeping
The day you turned 11 months was the first day that you slept through the night.  It was a long 11 months before that night!  I attributed your waking up in the middle of the night to the fact that you weren't eating what most babies your age were eating...I figured you needed the calories and you were actually hungry at night.  I don't know if that was the true reason, but once you started eating regularly you really did start sleeping  better at night.  Now you sleep through the night except for an occasional outburst --if you wake up in the middle of the night you can usually fall back asleep again on your own within about 5 minutes.  That is a milestone in my eyes!  I've always said there is nothing else in this world that I would get up in the middle of the night for night after night except my baby.  I love my sleep, but I love you more.  I think I was supposed to let you "cry it out", but I just couldn't do it.  Night after night, it was like sleep walking to me!  You'd cry and I'd crawl out of bed...even when I promised myself to let you cry.  Anyway, it has been a struggle, but you are finally sleeping all night.  I love it.

Playtime
You love to play with the push toys right now and what ever Sam is playing so now we are starting to see the struggles with sharing between you.   Even still there is a brotherly love that I can already see between you, also.  I hope to foster that love between you as you grow.   My favorite is watching you play cars and make the car noises like Sam.  I can already tell you watch him carefully and like to mimic what you see!  You also impress me with your block tower building skills.  I can't leave a laundry basket on the floor without you climbing in, either!
Just Look at that Smile!
We love you!


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Not Your Average Barber

Alan is definitely not your average barber.  
I shot this video last night to record his unique way of cleaning things up after the hair cut.  
Be sure to stay tuned until the end so you can hear Sam's sweet words to his Daddy.  

I've been looking for some "before" pictures and this is the best I could find.  
I took this a week or so ago while grocery shopping with the boys.  
They both love the race car shopping cart.  
Sam made it his priority to teach his little brother how to "drive" the cart.  Very. Sweet.


Now, for the "after" pictures.  
Please excuse the spaghetti stained smile :)  
I think this was Alan's best haircut yet!  


Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Introducing Samuel Grady Rogers