Two boys in a tub

When we found out that we were pregnant again, one of the things I was excited about was having the kids take baths together. I just love all the horribly embarrassing pictures that people take with their kids in the tub. We haven’t been able to do it until recently because Ben was in his little tub (which he could still be in with the sling thing). Ben can sit up pretty good when supported, and even for a few seconds unsupported so we decided it was time to try the bath seat.
Zeke LOVED having Ben in the bath with him. Ben just stared at Zeke the whole time. It was pretty cute! I can’t wait to do bubble baths with the two of them.

Ben liked his chair

He just stared the whole time

Check out those rolls!

Zeke helped us bathe Ben

Thursday Throwback

Today’s throwback will be in honor of Shelly (or Shellie as she prefers). Shelly turned 18 at the beginning of the month. In May she will graduate and go to college. I have tried to narrow down a favorite Shelly memory for my throwback this week, but I can’t seem to do it. So instead I thought it would be fun just to write about how special she is to me. Shelly and I are 10 years apart in age (and her mom and I are too, isn’t that cool?) Shelly was my baby when she was born. I stayed over almost every weekend. Being a mom now, I am thinking that Susie was a nutjob for taking on a 10 year old as well as her newborn and 3 year old. But I am so thankful for that time because we have a sweet special bond.

I think Shelly was about 8 here and Sierra was 2.

The girls are great candy makers

Even though they fight, they love each other

Me and my girls

A bunch of MC girls

18 months and 4 months stats

We went to the doctor Monday for the boys checkups. My mom went with me because I knew there was no way I could comfort two crying babies at the same time. I had lots of questions for this visit since it was a double whammy of a visit. I so love our doctors because they remember my kids (duh who wouldn't when you have been there as much as we have), they take as long as I need, and they really do listen to me. I have delayed a couple vaccinations and they have listened to why and not pressured me to go ahead if I am not comfortable with it. They listen to all of my crazy worries- does Zeke have some kind of immunity issue, what's up with this waking up and screaming and crying at night, why does Ben only want the bottle right now but only for about half of his feedings. Seriously I am sure the whole office breaths a sigh when I leave.

Anyway, I know what you want to know, here are the latest stats:
Zeke- 25 lbs 9 oz (50%), 32.5 in tall (50%), 48.5 cm for head circumference (75%). YUP still gotta big head :)
Ben- 14 lbs, 8 oz (35%), 24.5 in tall (25%), 42 cm for head circumference (35%). YUP still a little peanut.

She cooks

Can you believe it! I know, right?! I have in the past few months gotten much more into my role here in the home. I take my job seriously and think that it includes not just getting by. I have started couponing to help with our budget and I am working on preparing healthier meals for our family. This week I jumped right out there with something that I have never done, I bought a whole chicken after Lauren told me she had done it. I figured, hey if she can so can I. And after only a slight mishap and one curse word after dropping the whole thing in my oven (UGH, the mess, and sorry Brooke for my tongue slip and then hanging up on you), I roasted it one night Then I made chicken pie another night and chicken and dumplings another! Yes, that is 3 meals for a $5 chicken.
And to make things even better, my boys L.O.V.E.D. those meals. It did my heart serious good to have Spence praise me in my efforts. I have been having a bit of a "poor me" period over all of this sickness/not sleeping for going on 2 years now, but that's another post for another time. And Zeke, oh sweet mercy, just check out the pictures and video. Ben just laid in his bouncy chair, but I am pretty sure he would have loved it too.

You can't even tell I dropped it!

Say what, is that something green that you are going to eat Courtney?

Insert angelic music

He couldn't push in the potatoes fast enough, so Spence found another solution:

Yeah, we are those parents

The reason we had to get Holt to our house

Hanging with Holt

Holt and his daddy came over to play and have lunch. Zeke and Holt had a blast hanging out. Spence and Jason had a blast making fun of their own and each other's kids. When it was time to go we asked the boys to give each other a high five:

Then we told them to give each other a hug, wait for it, this is when things turned awkward:

Child Labor

A little catching up to do

The boys aren’t really napping at the same time right now. I mean like once a week they will nap at the same time. So, I’m not really getting a moment’s break. I am totally not complaining, I am just wanting to explain my lack of posts. So, let’s have a catch all post to get us back on track:


Zeke has been his usual crazy self. He is adding words and phrases like crazy. This week everything is big. He walks around saying “big car”, “big bite”, “big water”. As long as he doesn’t say “big mama” we will be on speaking terms still. He is also super interested in colors, and wants to know everything’s color. He is labeling everything with who it belongs to “mama’s car”, “daddy’s water”, “ben’s paci”. Oh and we have been working on family and friends names. (I’ll be doing a separate post on the game I made to help with this) But let’s just say we have been hearing A LOT of “KeBA” (Keva), “I-A” (Isaac), “HOTE” (Holt), “Ka-ee” (Katie), and “Jasuh” (Jason). We hung out recently with Jason and Holt and I have some cute videos I will be posting

LOVES Bo's

Cute mama/son black eye moment


Peek a boo at dinner

Peek a boo at bath

Running around after bath

"playing" with Holt

Dinner attire optional

Ben slept through the night for the first time Monday February 15!!! He slept from 11-6 with just a brief moment around 4 where I had to go in and move him because he wedged himself perpendicular in the bed. But of course the very next night he learned how to roll over. I had to go in 4 times to roll him back and calm him down. We haven’t actually seen him roll over yet. I just keep finding him like that at night. During the day, we are putting down blankets and trying to encourage him to show off his new skill. This kid is not interested in letting us see his moves. He has gotten super ticklish and chatty recently, but every time I try to video it, he stops.

Working on rolling

Just hanging out

Playing with dada

Snow pictures

Zeke didn’t get to play in the first snow because he was recovering from pneumonia. So I was pretty excited when it snowed again last weekend. It was perfect snow because it came down, was good for playing, and then melted quickly.
Zeke didn’t really care about the snow. He couldn’t walk in it because it built up on his feet and then he couldn’t walk. But he did enjoy getting to be outside playing with his dada. I can’t wait until he is old enough to really enjoy it!

This was from the first snow and this was just for a picture

Poor beat up kid (still sporting the black eye)

Snow with daddy

Thursday Throwback

From Greece and me having a boyfriend to going on a first date:
It's actually not that dramatic. We got back from Greece and in typical teenage fashion I dropped the boyfriend and saw Spencer that day. Was he sitting pining for me? Waiting for me to call? Dreaming of my long blonde hair and killer tan? Nope, he totally blew me off. Are you kidding me? I had just broken up with my boyfriend to get blown off? He called back and apologized and we worked out the details for seeing each other that night (we went and got ice cream and my cousin Abigail came too, but it was cut short because I had lied to my Mama and she busted me) and then also for our first date.
This is where I found out for the first time that Spence had LIED. In order to go on said date, I had to pick him up. Why did I have to pick up a guy who had said he was 16? Oh, because he wasn't 16. So, I went and picked him up and we had dinner and went to see Dr Doolittle. And we went dutch (he was only 15, how was he gonna pay for anything it's not like he had a job). AND we had our first kiss, right there in the Burlington movie theatre with Eddie Murphy big as life on the screen. Seriously one of the most romantic moments of my life, ever. That sweet first kiss is one of the books. The date ended with us driving around Gibsonville and listening to the radio. We totally knew it was meant to be when we heard "When you say nothing at all" by Alison Kraus, followed by "I don't wanna miss a thing" by Aerosmith. To be 16 again and feel all mushy about a song.
Audience participation time: what was your "song" with your high school boyfriend?

You gotta work...

for every little smile outta this kid:

Red & Pink

Friday night, my friend Keva and I hosted a Red & Pink party. This is totally Keva's baby and I went along for the ride. It is ridiculously girly and so fun! Basically, you invite some girls over. The rules are they have to bring something to snack on and a $10 red or pink gift that they would like to go home with. While at the party, we chat and have fun. We also do a craft because Keva is talented and shares her knowledge with us. In the past when I have been an attender to K's party we have made cards and cute little candy holder things. This year we made magnets out of those little glass beads that everyone put in the fishbowls with beta fish when they were popular. Ummm... yeah really cute. Then we play white elephant/yankee swap/dirty santa/whatever you call it. BUT this isn't like the crappy game you play at Christmas where you would rather bring something but not go home with a gift. Seriously, I could have left with every gift. I can't wait until next year!
The following pictures are courtesy of Shannon:

Former office mates/plaid cuties!

Supplies for craft

Hostesses with Shannon

Cute snack someone brought

Love is...

this guy and these two boys:

Thursday Throwback

I thought it would be fun on Thursdays to give you a bit of history. If you want to know something, feel free to post a comment and ask. It can be about anything, mine or Spencer's story of coming to know Christ as our Savior, info about us going to college, embarrassing stories about us growing up, no topic is off limits.

So, here is the first "Thursday Throwback". How Spence and I met. The trip:
The summer of 1998, Spencer and I both went on a school history trip to Greece. Prior to this trip, he and I did not know each other. We went to the same small high school, had many of the same friends even, but had never crossed paths. (Our mothers had even served together on the PTA) I met him the day we left for the trip when our group took a picture in the airport. At that time, he was just a weirdo with a frosty who ended up beside me in the picture. As the trip progressed, Spence and I kept pairing up. When we went anywhere on the trip where we could break up into small groups, each group had to have a guy and an adult. Spence and I paired up and his mom tagged along to chaperone. Pretty soon we were finding reasons to hang out. We had a blast touring Greece together. BUT we left the trip just friends and not knowing what would happen once we got back to the States since I still had a boyfriend back home...

Buddies

I have high hopes that one day I will get decent pictures of my boys together. These pictures do not reflect that that day has happened yet.

Going in for a kiss

Leaning together

The best so far

Zeke's exit

A Year and a Half

Really? My sweet boy is a year and a half? Seriously? I can not believe it. I don't even know where to begin. He is doing so much. He can pretty much say anything he wants. It is awesome because he can let us know what he wants whenever. It isnt so awesome when he repeats "Dang!" or "Jerk" after me. I guess it's a good thing that's about as bad as it gets from me. Some of his favorite things to say right now are: hallelujah, amen, color, blue, orange, ten. He is really into singing ABC's or Twinkle also. He is definitely trying our patience with some acting out. We are gonna have to move from popping his hand to popping his heiny and using time out. He can manipulate like no other. In the midst of all the hospital drama, he was trying to touch an outlet in his hospital room and Spence told him no. He grinned at Spence and went to touch it again. Spence popped his hand. Zeke turned around and waddled sickly over to Spence and in a pitiful voice said "Up". He now has 13 teeth. His tooth that had gotten pushed up into the gum has come back down and is looking great. He wears size 4 diapers. He is still fitting in 18 month clothes (yeah he started wearing 18 months in May when he was 9 months). We have started using some 24 months clothes, but the pants are mostly too long. We won't go to the doctor until the end of the month, but during our week of hospital visits he was around 25 lbs. He is all boy. We have a new bruise almsot everyday. I am thorougly enjoying this stage. Everyday is so much fun.

4 whole stinking months

I can not believe Ben is four months! It just seems crazy that I am not only a mom of two, but that my youngest isn't even a newborn anymore. Yes, I know he hasn't been a newborn for a while now. Ben is really hitting that super fun age. He is so much more interactive now. He laughs, smiles, coos, and talks. He watches Zeke. He is reaching for his toys that hang on his play gym or car seat. We don't go to the doctor for his well check until the end of the month, but when he was there for his cold last week he weighed a little over 13 lbs with his clothes, so I am guessing he is 12 something. He has definitely grown in length. He is wearing mostly 0-3 months stuff still, but is moving into some 3-6 months. The problem is that he is part Tyrannosaurus Rex and his arms are too short for the 3-6 month clothes, so we have to roll all his sleeves up. He is wearing size 2 diapers. We tried cloth, but they just fit him weird so I haven't started them yet. I do plan to try again once he puts on a little more meat.
Check out his latest pics:

Chatting with mama

I had changed his diaper and left him laying for a couple minutes

First picture in his chair that he got for Christmas

And not to be left out.

I forgot to post this last weekend. Zeke threw a train at Ben. (Yeah, I know we gotta get this throwing thing under control). Ben cried and ended up with a bruise, that this picture does not do any justice. He bounced back pretty quickly though. Poor baby

Matching Shiners

It's not been my day. We haven't had any fevers or anything like that. We have just had an "I only have boys in my house" kind of day. First, Zeke decided today wasn't a napping day, but a cry instead day. Then he decided to kick up his throwing-of-all-things habit. It was really my own fault, I took my eyes off of him for a second while we were playing with a puzzle. And no, it wasn't just your typical wooden puzzle. It was one of those chunky, heavy, 500 lbs a piece puzzle. Anyway, while I am looking away, Zeke practiced his screwball right into my eye. It sliced my contact (one part may still be floating in my eye, I haven't located it yet), popped some vessels inside my eye and bruised under it. No, I do not have any pictures of the loveliness.

THEN after that fun, Spence got home. He went upstairs to get Ben and Zeke followed. Spence came back down with out Zeke. I was feeding Ben and Spence was cleaning up. Zeke was upstairs... and then he wasn't. He tumbled right down our first flight of stairs. It is about 7 stairs and there was a pause in the middle where I believe he tried to catch himself. Spence was worried about his leg, but it was clearly obvious he hit his face. Here he is M.U.C.H. later after the crying and drama had ended.

Swelling and bruising

Shiner

All smiles now

African Safari

We got a card from Amber yesterday. Besides being perfectly timed when I needed to hear from her, Zeke thought it was pretty awesome also. I was able to catch him looking at the card this morning on camera, check him out. AAA, we love you!!!

Last hospital post

One week ago all you-know-what broke loose at our house. I am so thankful to be home with my boys right now and not in the hospital trying to figure out what is going on. We are still not 100% out of the woods. Zeke was put on a new antibiotic yesterday and we go back Friday to recheck his breathing again. Ben is still battling a cough which is making sleep nonexistent unless he is laying on someone. AND this morning Spence joined the bandwagon and visited the Urgent Care. He has an infection and a bad cough. He has actually busted some blood vessels from coughing so much and has been coughing up blood. He is on meds also.
I know you are probably tired of hearing about our ailments, but for my purposes I want these pictures.

Looking pitiful in the ER

Aunt Tori came to visit Zeke and he showed her the fish

Zeke flirted with the nurses

He had fun with mommy's sunglasses

And this is now back home and feeling MUCH better