Sweet Valentine

I have heard women say that they get mad when they are given a gift by their husbands that has to do with housework.

I am so. not. mad.

Thanks, babe. I love you.

Ready for my closeup

Stay-at Home-Mom & Son's version of Avitar.

Can you tell who painted who's face?

*Also...please ignore the complete lack of makeup or any shred of self-maintenance on my part in this picture. Funny how I will spend time putting makeup on my son, but find it too troublesome for myself. Please note the insane amount of baby hairs I have on my hairline. This is interesting only because for the last 4 months, I have been losing hair like you wouldn't believe due to having Rex. I have contemplated starting my own wig company. Seriously. So over the last month I have started to grow all of it back. At once. Really? Those should be a cinch to style. Motherhood is awesome.

Happy Heart Day

Hope your Valentine's Day was good. Mine was GREAT. Not only did I have three, count them, three sweet Valentines to spend my day with this year...but they picked out a crazy gift for me. I'll post a picture tomorrow. Just like to keep ya' hanging.

Winter...

Baby, it's cold outside....
But that is not stopping us. These boys are bound and determined to PLAY OUTSIDE. Well...Roanin is determined to play outside, and Rex is determined to be carried around and do what we are doing, whcih means playing outside.

The Goat Master

We have added goats to our ever-expanding herd of animals here at the house. They are so cute, and Roanin loves nothing more than helping to take care of them with his daddy. We have even had one baby so far. Although we tried to get a picture with our new baby, he was just a little too quick for us. But our friend Ron also has some goats, and we were able to wrangle one of his little guys. Big boy....big baby.

Thanks for sharing your little one, Uncle Ron!

Happy to report that directly after tattling on my two little munchkins, they have resumed normalcy. Roanin is back to napping and Rex is back to nursing.

I know you all were on the edge of your seats.

I do what I can to keep your lives interesting.

There is change in the air...

These boys are changing, much to my chagrin. Within one weekend, my two year kids have boycotted against all that is normal. I guess that is the job of a mommy...right? To let them wax and wane as time passes. To let them grow. To let them flex their little independent muscles.

Yeah...I am for all that. As long as it fits into what I am used to in our everyday lives. As long as it fits into my plan.

Example #1: My two year old little man has decided he is done with naps. You heard me, people. DONE. WITH. NAPS. Done with my daily break. Done with the saving grace against early evening melt-downs. Done with the only possible time I have to do absolutely anything independently.
At first I thought it was a fluke. He slept in a little late. There was a lot of excitement that day (trip to the museum, lunch with Daddy, etc.). He laid in his bed and sang for 40 minutes. He jumped on the bed for 15. He yelled for me for 10. I gave in and let him out.
The next day....EXACT SAME THING. It was 2:15 and I told him to watch his clock until it said 3:00 and then he could get up....figuring that he would never make it that long. Would you believe there was silence until 3:01 when he is squealing that it is "Tree ohh ohh, Mommy!"
What are you gonna do? Not reward the kid for not only staying still and quiet for 45 minutes, but also knowing the time? ugh....

Example #2: Rex is cutting me off! The nerve! For three days in a row, he has nursed fine when he first gets up and when he is going to bed, but has other plans during the day. Anytime I attempt to nurse him in a public place (and by public I mean in our living room with Roanin and Shawn), he is so over me. He will arch, grunt, turn away, and actually laugh at my attempts to make him do anything otherwise. He is interested in anything anyone else is doing, the tv, the dog, the air we are breathing.....

*sigh*

I'm off to wrestle Rex into some afternoon nutrition while he stares at his zombie brother....

6 MONTHS

SIX MONTHS OLD! Yep! 19 lbs, 10 oz. 27 inches long and a noggin that is in the 98% percentile....he can thank Mommy's side of the family for that. Rex has really become such a little person. I waited until 5 1/2 months to start cereals, and the little monkey was nearly feeding himself by the second time (guess I should have started that a little earlier). I remember having to teach Roanin how to keep the cereal in his mouth when he first started, but Rex looked at me like finally you got the hint, lady. I got this. He loves to sleep late, loves his brother, loves to be tickled on his collar bone, loves to blow out a freshly changed diaper, loves to splash and soak all individuals within a 6 foot radius during bath time, loves to snuggle with the Curious George his Nana gave him for Christmas, loves to slurp an entire mouthful of water from a sippee cup and then spit it out with a grin, loves to pull the shortest and most tender hairs on the back of my head, and loves to be loved by his family.What? When did this newborn become a kiddo? ugh.... Loves to stick that tongue out. Did I really think the fridge was the best backdrop?

Those big blue ones get me ev.ree.time.

Making sure the Bumbo is blueberry flavor, just like it looks.

Someone decided he can sit up by himself.

We love you Rexy. Thanks for an amazing 6 months...our life feels so complete with you in it, and we can't imagine it without you.

Man's Night

I am in a book club that meets once a month. It is a fun group of girlies that meet to drink wine and chat discuss our monthly book selection. When Mommy goes to book club, the boys get to have "Man's Night." This consists of lots of pizza, wrestling, skipping baths, and late bedtime because of excessive movie watching. Roanin has gotten quite accustomed to this new tradition, and when he gets frustrated with me during the day, he will occasionally tell me, "Mommy....go to book club."

So, last month, after "Man's Night," I came home to find this picture on my camera a few days later.

Cuteness (at least we think so...)

There is something about an older woman...

Over a month ago (which was when I was still blogging regularly...sorry about the slack), the two boys and I took a short overnight visit to see Aunt Steph and her brood. Roanin LOVES going to visit Maddie and Kaitlin, and this visit was no exception. They are both so good with him, and were really good with baby Rex too. We were the ultimate house guests...we brought a rowdy two year old and a infant with RSV (we didn't know he had it yet...he got diagnosed the next morning). Don't ya wanna invite us over too? Maddie kept trying to show Roanin how to play dolls at the top of the swing set. She kept trying to change the baby's clothes, and Roanin kept trying to throw the baby down the slide naked. Ahhh...boys vs. girls.

Kaitlin somehow went from little girl to knock-out tween overnight.

Maybe the trapeze act in the circus is not on our wish list anymore for future jobs.

Maddie Moo doing a little practice babysitting. Rex doing a little practice biting.

After dinner and bath, the three oldest decided to try out a good old fashioned throw down on Steph and Chris' bed. This translated roughly to KK allowing the two little ones to beat the living business out of her (especially Roanin). He was thrilled (as you can tell from the face smash he is about to put on her in the picture above).

Thank you KK, and are you busy every Friday night for the next year?

Thank you Steph and Chris for a great night getaway! Love ya'll!