Christmas Part II

Since we have family that lives out of town we get to have Christmas not just once but twice and even sometimes three times!  Nan and Nannie Marge came in the day after Christmas and helped keep Eli and Reese who were both under the weather on that Thursday and Friday.  Eli had a rough two days since he wasn't feeling the best but thankfully he had his Mo, Mimi, and great aunts there to cuddle him.  Reese managed to keep everyone entertained for about 36 hours.  She was her typical self by getting into Nannie Marge's lotion and then the Vick's vapor rub.  You can not let her go for a minute or you will be sorry.  She is definetely a curious one!  Ashton was still in Midland enjoy some quality time with Molly and Grandpa.  Then on Saturday Nannie Marge and Nan headed home, Mo and Mimi headed to the lake to meet Jac, Mark and the boys, and then Molly, Grandpa and Ashton arrived home.  Oh how I missed that boy!  I just wanted to hug and kiss him as soon as he walked in....he on the other hand was ready to have Christmas with Molly and Grandpa.  Thankfully he agreed (not very willingly) to let us have dinner and then we did Christmas again. 

The kids, and Casey and I all love when Molly and Grandpa come to visit.  They graciously kept all the kids on Monday while Casey and I worked and then headed home today.  We are always sad to see them go, and get questioned relentlessly from Ashton on when Molly is coming back.  So hopefully they won't stay away for too long!  Here are a few pictures of the weekend.

Presents gallore!

I think the BIG wheel may be bigger than her

 

 

 Under the weather but cute as a button!

 

 

 We tried to get a happy family picture....Ashton didn't get the memo to smile

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See he was happy to be there!

 

Our Princess all dressed up and ready to entertain

 

Eli spent a lot of time snuggled up in Grandpa's arms

 

This is the face I now get when I ask her to say Cheese for the camera (oh and please notice the bended knee as she "poses")

 

Where did my baby/toddler go...this picture makes her look SO grown up to me :(

Happy Half Birthday and Happy New Year

Six months, a half year?  Wow!  Oh Eli, all you bring is joy, well maybe a little sleeplessness too, but that is quickly forgotten when anyone just looks at you and you show that melt your heart smile. 

Nicknames: Eli, Peanut (still daddy's favorite) and Booga Bear(mommy's name)---nothing has changed here oh but Mommy sometimes calls you Lil' Man

Likes: Mommy, Daddy, Ashton, Reese, bathtime, being outside, your activity mat as long as your favorite octopus is hanging down and you are trying to swat at it, exersaucer and banging on the buttons, looking in the mirror, having people blow on your belly, tickled under your neck (that is your sweet spot), frog carseat toy...and you have figured out how to hit the buttons and make him light up

Dislikes: Medicine!  Oh and we have had to deal with this a lot lately as you have had a rough month with illness, being left alone (crave attention), food (work in progress)

Milestones: Rolled over from your back to your stomach and then grabbed on to something to scoot yourself to where you wanted to go....you are a smart little cookie!, started eating solids, sitting better with support

Feeding:  Still taking roughly 4-5 bottles a day but now have rice cereal or oatmeal in the morning...you love oatmeal, rice not so much.  We have tried bananas, apples, and sweet potatoes and so far none of them seem to have you reaching for the spoon like the oatmeal does.  We are working on this though and hoping things change....I really hope you aren't as picky as Ashton.  I am still nursing and have no plans to give it up yet as long as you are willing, I will be too.

Sleeping:  Oh this is a sore subject.  As mentioned before, this has been a rough month with illness.  Pretty much since Thanksgiving we have had something going on.  This last week we have been fighting RSV so between horrible coughing and middle of the night breathing treatments we are not very successful in the sleeping category.  We just need to get better and then we can get some good nights in.  You are still taking 3-4 "cat naps" during the day...anywhere from 30 min to an hr each.

Clothes/Diapers:  Size 2 diapers but you have really started filling those out.  You are in 3-6 month clothing.  You are over 15 lbs and have really put those two pounds on in the last two weeks I swear.  I love that belly you have and I have been known to kiss it a few times between diaper changes and bath time

Firsts:  First time with cereal, and LOVED it!  First Christmas was wonderful, and First New Years Eve...we saw midnight with a breathing treatment, and today is your First New Years Day, First time to roll from stomach to back

Looking Forward To...trying some new foods, getting a better nights sleep, getting our other exersaucer that can let you "walk" in it, snuggling up on our winter nights (that is somewhat of a joke living in Houston)

Eli the only thing I can say is your Daddy, brother, sister and I love you more and more each day if it is even possible.  You are a little ray of sunshine everyday and I adore you.  Happy Half Birthday Buddy!!!!

Lookin' pretty cute even though he has RSV 

Christmas 2012

It never fails, we prepare for over a month for Christmas Day and try our hardest to remember the real reason for the season and then in a blink, it is over.  Right now I really should be cleaning up the tornado that blew through my house yesterday, but instead, I am blogging.  This Christmas good probably not have been more perfect than it was.  We have three happy, HEALTHY children whose faces lit up yesterday morning as they came out of their rooms.  (okay, Eli really didn't know what was going on, but he was pretty darn happy still to say the least and just went with it) 

To back up a little, Casey had to work on Christmas Eve in the morning so the kids and I decorated Christmas cookies for Santa...we started with 8 and by bedtime there were only 2 left for Santa.  Then we spread some Reindeer Food in the front yard so the Reindeer could find our house and they could refuel.  Then we went to the children's mass where we met my parents.  The kids were awesome in church which is always a blessing in itself.  Then we headed home and my parents came to spend the night so they could be here when the kids woke up and spend Christmas morning with us.  Well Eli decided 3:45 was a good time to wake up, thankfully the other kiddos slept until 5:45-6ish.  And then the unwrapping began.  Ashton had asked Santa for Power Rangers Samuari Sword and at the last minute a skateboard, and Reese asked for presents...thankfully Santa came through for both.  We openned gifts, ate breakfast then everyone got ready for round two and Mo and Mimi's.  We had a great time with Jac, Mark, Cash, Walker, Bill, Diane, Mo, Mimi and all of us, celebrating Christmas day.  Ashton and Reese were knee deep in presents and when I asked Ashton if there was anything he didn't get, he said No.  So I think that means it was a successful day.

The Christmas celebration did not end there though.  Casey and I had been saving the best present for Ashton for last.  For over a year Ashton has been talking about getting on the airplane to go to Molly and Grandpa's house and we finally figured out a way to make that happen.  So for over a month Casey, Grandpa and I planned this trip.  Around 4 pm yesterday Ashton told me that Daddy had said I had a present for him.  So right then we told him that he was going on an airplane to Molly and Grandpa's house.  The smile on his face brought more joy than anything I have ever seen, which was good considering I couldn't stop crying.  So a couple hours later Casey and Ashton boarded a plane and flew to Midland.  Meanwhile, Casey's dad asked his mom if she wanted to go with him to pick up a friend of theirs from the airport that needed a ride.  Kathy went with Hal not knowing who she was really picking up.  The text I got from Casey "Well that was a big hit." explains it all.  When I tried to talk to Kathy a few minutes later she was speechless.  While it was hard to go to bed on Christmas night without my husband and oldest baby, I am so thankful that Ashton got to brighten his Grandpa and Molly's Christmas.  In a few days they will be heading here to do Christmas with us and will bring Ashton home, but until then, Ashton gets to hang out in Midland with two of his favorite people.

All in all it was a wonderful Christmas and I wouldn't change a thing.

Cereal

We waited a little longer before trying cereal with the advice from our pediatrician.  Eli didn't have the best head control/strength at four months, so after a little extra tummy time...two a days, and some time in the exersaucer and bumbo we got there.  So this past week we tried cereal and you would have thought I gave him a hot fudge sundae!  He loved it!

Christmas Program 2012

Ashton had his Christmas program last Monday night.  I loved last years and this years did not disappoint.  Thankfully Molly and Mimi were there to join Casey, Reese, Eli and I watch Ashton.

'Tis the Season

Last weekend Casey, my dad, and my brother in law (Mark) went hunting leaving the rest of us behind.  While the guys had a good time unfortunately they had nothing to show of there trip.  While they were gone we got into the Christmas spirit.  Ashton helped me stamp all of our Christmas cards, the cousins had some time together and there was a lot of santa hat wearing to go around.  I love this time of year!

 

5 Months

FIVE whole months!  Wow!  Elijah Hayes Lee all I can say is this is the time of year where I feel extra thankful and really reflect on all the blessings in my life and this year, you are one of the greatest blessings I have and am beyond thankful for.  So here you are little man broken down...

Nicknames: Eli (guess not really a nickname anymore but your day to day name, Peanut (still daddy's favorite) and Booga Bear(mommy's name)

Likes: Mommy, Daddy, Ashton, Reese, bathtime, being outside, your activity mat, exersaucer, bumbo seat, sitting on Mommy's lap and leaning up against her thighs to a "sitting up" position, eating, being held and cuddled, nap nanny to snooze or to look around in, your changing table to look out the window...you LOVE to be held, which is a catch 22...I love to hold you and try to take it all in since you are my baby, but sometimes Mommy/Daddy need their hands to be free!, Love your frog light up toy on your carseat that plays music...this is mesmorizing!

Dislikes: being in a room alone...you prefer to have people around, while you love being held, you do not like to be put over my shoulder because then you can't see everything...always facing forward seems to be the preference, TUMMY TIME!  Ugh, this is a hard one...we are still working on trying to strengthen your neck and need to do this, but you hate it.  This morning though you did roll over from your stomach to your back twice in a row, so you finally seem to be getting it that maybe you won't be forced to do Tummy Time as much and/or will start to enjoy it

Milestones: As I just mentioned you are finally rolling over!  You are grasping toys much better and change hands with them and you are starting to play in your exersaucer by hitting the buttons and grabbing the toys on it

Feeding:  Still half and half.   You usually get 2 bottles of breastmilk and 3 of formula a day and then I feed you in the morning, afternoon and before bed. You tend to eat about 8- 9 times a day with one feeding around 3 am, 5 am, then five bottles between 6-4:30 when I pick you up, 5 PM we nurse and then around 7 PM to finish the day. You are taking about 5 oz at each feeding...this really hasnt changed since last month...no cereal yet, this will be very soon though!

Sleeping:  Well, as mentioned last month, I was worried about Daylight savings and it did hurt.  Your pretty good sleep schedule regressed to going to bed around 6 and waking around 2 am.  And then, you got sick!  Ugh!  So the last week and a half you have been a) sleeping in mommy/daddy's room b) in the nap nanny so you can be elevated and can breathe a bit easier and c) waking up at 1 am to eat....I am thinking this is part illness/part growth spurt since you seem SO hungry then.  So hopefully we can get over this cold and get back to better nights.

Behavior: You are a happy go lucky guy.  Even grandma said, she had never heard you cry but just once, and that is when you were feeling really crummy with fever.  You have such a great disposition and you SMILE ALL THE TIME!  Oh how I love you!

Clothes/Diapers: You are in size 2 Pampers diapers and 3-6 month clothes.  You are a small guy according to the doctor, which I find kinda funny considering you are bigger than Ashton and Reese both were at this age.  Due to your recent illness we went to the doctor a week ago and you weighed in at 13 lbs 9 oz.  So apparently small, but you know what they say, the best things come in small packages!

"Firsts": You celebrated your 1st Thanksgiving and unfortunately you also got your first fever that day along with your first real cold which developed into a double ear infection and eye infection.  You took your 1st road trip to San Angelo and got to meet Mema, Grandma and Great Grandma.  You rolled over for the first time as well.

Looking Forward to: Trying cereal, using the jumperoo and working on sitting up.

Eli you continue to fill my heart with more love than I ever could have imagined.  It is hard to remember life before you.  I never knew I wanted three children but now I never could imagine life without three children.  You are my sweet baby boy and will always be.  I adore you my lil man and look forward to the next month!