Bedtime Snuggles

Some nights before bed we bring L into the Bigs room.  The Bigs LOVE to have him snuggle with them in their beds.  L seems to truly enjoy it too.  

The above are all of M and L.  The camera battery died before I could get a decent one of G and L.  Good thing this snuggle time is happening more and more often because I want a cute one of the two of them too.  

Two and a Half

The Bigs turned 2 1/2 on September 11th.  I can't believe they are growing so fast.  I hate it!

It's hard to tell you about these two.  They are just so outrageously awesome that you just want to know them.  

M

 M is a goofball.  He loves so hard.  When he kisses, squeezes (hugs), wants to be close he does it with all of his might!  Have you ever loved someone so much that you just want to squeeze them so hard they loose a little breath.  Well that's how he loves EVERYONE!  He has no fear.  He jumps from super high heights, he tries new foods (more than once), he runs and tackles Daddy with no hesitation, he happily goes into nursery at church, he talks to 'kids' whenever he meets them.

G

G is so playful.  He loves to play and he loves for people to play with him.  He'll bring you a toy and say come play with me.  He wants to make sure people are always involved.  He is a snuggler.  Lately he loves to be held, even if it's just carried from this spot to 5 steps away.  He loves to snuggle in bed with mommy or daddy or even just his big stuffy's.  He too is fearless.  He is a little bit more cautious but still fearless.  After a few face plants and falls in his short 2 1/2 years he makes sure he's not going to get TOO hurt before jumping from this to that or running and tackling someone.  He loves to try new foods.  He will taste something (for example a green olive) and if he doesn't like it let it fall out of his mouth and then ask to try another one (I guess just to make sure it really isn't something he likes).


I have to talk about both M & G when I talk about their speech.  They both have such an amazing vocabulary.  I have NO idea where they learn some of their words and phrases.  Lately M's favorite is "no way" or "yes sir".  I remember when their yes reply was just "k".  It then moved on to "mmmhmmm".  Then yes,  now "yes sir".  They know just about every vehicles name (cherry picker, excavator, fire truck, dump truck, train, fork lift, just to name a few).  They count and say their ABC's (mostly just sing their ABC's but we are getting there).  They say their prayers and sing songs.  They ask people around them "What you talking bout" when they want to be included in the conversation.

Fall Days

All of a sudden the leaves started to turn and fall.

Jersey LOVES our new back yard!

So does G!

M is thrilled with it too!

Daddy's not looking forward to raking all those leaves, but he's enjoying playing in the yard with the boys.

This doesn't look like G at all to me!  He looks so chunky here.  I just want to smoosh those cheeks with kisses when I look at this picture.

Hubs tried to put G and M in front of the arch for a picture but that was a no go.

We don't have any outdoor furniture so for now camping chairs it is.  I can't wait until we can get a set out there.  

Brotherly Love

There is nothing that touches a momma's heart more than her loves loving each other!

My boys are becoming such good friends.  

The above pictures are of M and L.  He has gotten so attached to his little brother.  He is still very rough with him but in a loving way.  He kisses him which is more like smooshing his face against his or head butting him.  He hugs him, which is more like flattening him.  He holds his hand, which is more like cutting off the circulation.  BUT he loves him!

It's so hard to tell him to back away from baby brother because he just doesn't get the fact that he is a giant compared to the Little.  I feel like I'm always hurting his feelings.

G is a little bit more independent when L is on the floor.  He enjoys to continue playing with his monster trucks or cars rather than joining in on baby playing time.

L rolls this way and that in order to see what the Bigs are doing.

Look at L here.  You think I'm kidding when I say he just stares at them.  Look at the way he is looking at M.

G

M & L

Some how I was able to get them to all lay on the floor long enough to get a simple shot of the three of them together.  Not what I want professionally, BUT perfect since them staying still long enough NEVER happens.

M, L, G

All three of them are obsessed with the tv.

Wow, I'm sure it may sound silly because it's been 5 months... but I just got really teary eyed looking at these pictures getting ready to push the publish button... I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE 3 KIDS!!  I don't think the fact of that has hit me yet.  I mean the month after L was born I packed us up.  The next month we moved half way across the country.  Then we lived with Hubs parents for 2 months.  Now we are getting settled into the new home and WOW!!   

L is 5 Months!

This little nugget is always so happy.  Well... I'm not sure how to say this without sounding bad.  He's always so happy... until we try to put him to bed at night :/  Kid you are driving me nuts!!  BUT I LOVE YOU haha 

He has been doing really well with his naps.  It took A LONG time to be able to get him to go down for his naps on his own, I mean almost 5 months long.  When we moved into our home (pictures soon I promise) I decided to become hard core mommy and 'teach' him to nap on his own.  I swaddle him give him kisses and sing Jesus Loves Me.  I give him his binky and then I lay him down.  For the first day I went back into his room every 10 minutes.  I rubbed his belly sang some more shhhed or 'shook' him (basically like rocked him while he was still laying down in his crib).  I refused to pick him up (unless he was unswaddled) :(.  It was HARD, but at the same time it was nice because I was able to sit on the floor with the Bigs and play with them.  Granted I was getting up and walking away but that only lasted for about a day and a half maybe 2.  Since then he's been napping really well on his own.  Sometimes I have to rock him (rare), sometimes he skips it completely (even more rare), BUT it is MUCH better than before!!

(What up dawg!?!)

However, night time is a different story!!  I am trying to be hard core mommy at night but it's just NOT working.  For a week and a half two weeks it was going well.  I fed him at 7 we played and then put him down at 8.  He woke up anywhere between 10 and 12 (or I would wake him before I went to bed).  I fed him in the dark, changed his diaper and put him right back in his crib.  He was going right back to sleep on his own.  If he woke up between then and before 4am I would just reswaddle him and give him his binky.  He would go back to sleep.  I refused to feed him before 4am.  Listen, he's healthy.  He's got meat on his bones.  He's ok.  He doesn't have to eat.  It's night time... for me and my family night time is sleep time not eat time :/  I probably sound so mean.  If he woke up at or after 4am I decided it would be ok to feed him.  I wanted to do that until he slept straight through from 10pm to 4am.  Then I figured I would refuse to feed him all the way until 7am (his normal wake up time).  This is what I did with the Bigs.  It worked great.  Yeah, yeah, I get it every kid is different... but like I said.. NIGHT TIME = SLEEP TIME for me and my family.

Anyway, he did great for about a week almost 2.  Then all of a sudden he's getting up again every 45 minutes to 2 hours.  Staying up.  Screaming.  Wide eyed.  Laughing.  Just UP.  I gave in and I started feeding him (if I can't get him to sleep in the duration of 2 to 2 1/2 hours).  UGH!

Hey sleep monster, Mama's coming for you!  We are going to get you to sleep STRAIGHT through!  Some how :/  SOON!

When the nugget is up he is so happy.  He loves to watch his brothers play.  He loves to coo.  He LOVES to kiss his mama!

He loves to eat his hands.  

He loves wrestling his elephant.

He loves to talk.

He loves to eat his toys.

He loves to grab his feet.

Now he just needs to start to LOVE SLEEPING AT NIGHT!!