Granny Cato comes to town.

Catching up over here. . .
     Early October Melody took Granny Cato on a grand adventure, an ambitious road trip to meet the great-grand-babies and also visit old places and friends. She's done this before and it has so inspired me. Melody is so good at prioritizing special relationships and in this instance, making sure the new generation meets the old. I believe it truly was a blessing to all those involved.
     We love spunky Granny Cato and wish we could see her more often. We are so thankful her health allowed her to make the trip! I know I benefitted from her lighthearted joking and especially from her wisdom. My kids don't quite understand how special it is to know her, but I do, and for now, that's what's important.

(Granny Cato and Baby Wells (2mo), Phoebe (1mo) and Tobias (2yr))

Well's on the porch.

     My babies are fuzz heads and I love it. Tobias had the wispiest bird like hair for so long. Just recently has it decided to grow in and thicken up and I'm afraid this change has turned my first baby into a boy. This is why I'm so relishing Well's and soaking in all those baby things that tend to change so quickly.

(Rigg's butt totally photo bombed this picture, haha.)

     I took these photos at two months. He just turned three months and from the time we found out I was pregnant until now, I feel like I can't catch my breath. Keeping up with both my boys and soaking in all the details as they morph and grow takes all of my time and leaves me dizzy. I know I miss things, but I hope that somehow the big things imprint themselves on my brain.

     Right now I'm loving Well's chunky thighs, his knee dimples, his buddha belly, his healthy arm creases, and just his overall thickness! I spend a lot of time squeezing him. He is seriously so yummy. His huge open mouth smiles that happen every time you catch his eye make my heart stop. And man oh man those occasional giggles, well, they just make the world a better place. He is definitely a talker, he babbles and blows bubbles content to communicate with whoever or whatever happens to be in his line of sight. No rolling yet just some great head support along with push ups and wiggles he can turn himself around if you aren't looking.
     He does all of his naps in his crib. I'm pretty sure he would sleep well in his crib at night, but currently he still sleeps in his rock n' play by my side of the bed. A good night he sleeps from 7:30pm to 5:30am, he eats and goes back to bed until 7:30am. He takes three naps during the day and if he needs it a short cat nap before bed. It took me awhile to figure him out, but once I did, he has been the happiest of babies!
     He is obviously a great eater. He doesn't struggle to put on the pounds. He does struggle to take a bottle or a paci. Also known as he refuses both. It makes him pretty hard to leave. I have to time my absences just right. Occasionally I'm over all of the attention, but then he smiles and I forget all my frustration.

     Tobias loves him dearly which has made the last couple of weeks hard. Ty came down with a fever and has had a lasting cough and runny nose. I've had to curb the touching because sick babies are no fun! Despite the sick he still asks to hold Baby Well's and is the first to tell mommy when Baby Well's is crying or unhappy. He even throws away Baby Well's dirty diapers, he is a huge helper.

Family photo attempt #50,000,000

Why is it so hard to get a decent family picture?
     One word, kids. They make it ever loving hard, like pull your hair out hard, like slap somebody silly hard. You need an army just to attempt one photo. Not just anybody will do mind you, they had better know how to jump, hoot, and holler like crazy circus clowns!

(Out of 50 this was the best one...)

     It better be the best time of the day, if not, forget about it. The kids should be well rested, fed, and in a generally happy demeanor. You better know exactly where you want the pictures to be taken and how you are going to pose. You must have incentives, and not just any incentives will do... A kid isn't going to sit for pretzels, it better be marshmallows or maybe even fruit snacks!

(This picture represents perfectly my thoughts on family pictures.)

     And once you've thought about all of that, you better be prepared to sit down quickly, smile and look pretty in 2 seconds flat. Any longer than that and you'll be pushing your luck. Any tips you have would be happily received.

Sincerely, 

The Exasperated Mom. 

Bringing baby Well's home.

Well's second week of life Nana and Poppa came to visit.

(she's the best Nana my kids could have, so selfless and generous)

     We spent more time on the porch and even went to church! Gray wanted a female singer and since I had someone to hold the baby (thanks Nana) I obliged.

(I think my pictures make it seem like this kid can never keep his clothes on)

     This was the week the epic tantrums and meltdowns started. I think the fact that this new baby wasn't leaving, finally hit home. Ty was in desperate need of some extra attention. We even had to stop the car to administer a spanking at one point. It seemed like Gray and I were constantly looking at each other and asking "what have we done?!" If only you could explain to an almost two year old how special it is to have a sibling ...

(I look at these pictures and laugh, he didn't stay skinny for long!)

     He's getting the hang of it now and as that week went on I realized that taking intentional time away from Well's, to love on Tobias, directly translated to good behavior. He needed me to acknowledge that he still had a place, that I still love him, and that I wasn't neglecting him.

     As silly as it sounds it was during this week that I truly realized, parenting is no joke. I was also desperately wishing someone had written a manual. Tobias has had rough moments before then, don't get me wrong, but when you throw another kid into the mix everything gets a lot more complicated!

But, we made it! That week is over. Even though the tantrums and meltdowns continue on, and some days play out like scenarios from my worst nightmares the days come to an end, the weeks pass by and the babies grow up. And when I let that sink in I start praying really hard that God would give me grace on those days. That on those days my children would see Him and not me.

(Our attempt to get a good family picture will continue, Ty will cooperate one day...)

     I want to take every moment and cherish it. I want to model and express with genuine honesty the importance of Christ. I hope my kids leave home knowing what Christ means to me and what living a life for Him looks like. Beautiful, messy, real, full of grace and mercy, full of forgiveness and love. I want them to know that living life to it's fullest means being rooted in the one who created and brought that life into existence. All else fades.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, 

and the darkness has not overcome it. -John 1:3-5

Splash pad living.

     This kid had soooo much fun and I took way too many pictures. It was seriously too hard to pare it down and pick the best ones. Ty's expression or stance in each one just made me giggle remembering the pure joy he had while walking in and around the fountains of water.
     It was over Labor Day weekend when we traveled to Ohio that we decided to walk around The Greene (a shopping mall near my parents house). We hadn't thought about the Splash Pad, but couldn't resist once we saw all the little kids prancing around in their suits screaming and squealing with delight. What is it about splashing water that is so exciting? I have no clue, but prepared or not, we just had to join in. So off came the pants and out came the camera and the introduction was made. Ty, splash pad. Splash pad, Ty ...

     There were several times when my mom and I had to rescue him from big kids and fountains that caught him by surprise, but no deterrent was too big! Once consoled, he was twisting in our arms trying to get back out there. So many laughs, such a good memory. 

-And Gray caught some of the excitement of video, for those who are interested!

Squeezing through legs ...

because everything is a potential fort.

"I love pictures...the best thing about them is that they never change, 

even when the people in them do."

-Anonymous

11 Months.

     Two posts in one day! Only because on principle I need to get these out of the way before his birthday on Saturday . . . gosh one year, it is just now starting to sink into my conscious. These 365 days went by so fast, I can only imagine how the next ones will go. You blink and it will all be over they say, I am starting to believe them. I am sure I sound like a broken record, forgive me, it is all a little surreal.
     At 11 months you could walk. Unsteadily and with many plops and redirections, but it did not deter you. You were just starting to get into everything, but had yet to become the tornado you are now. Your main interests were cords and remotes and pens. You loved to annoy the dog and still do, but there is less poking and slapping, you mostly observe, point and laugh now. In these pictures you had managed to remove the lid from the puffs container and subsequently you spilt them all over the floor all while mommy went pee. Our morning routine most days was pretty lazy. During this month you graciously slept till 8:30 most days and upon waking we would lounge in our jammies and you would snack on cherrios/puffs while mommy slipped in bites of yogurt and banana. Not because you did not like them, but because you were too busy playing to care. This was the month that you noticeably started to take an interest in balls, much to your daddy's delight. You loved to "throw" the ball, i.e. drop it while staring at the person encouraging you to hand it to them. You babbled all the time, your favorite syllables were da-da and ha-ha. You learned uh-oh while in Ohio with Mimi and Poppi and came home and forgot it. Even now you only say the uh part. This is the month you took a special interest in mommy and that has yet to wear off (secretly I love it). You started to show us the fart part of your personality. If we took something away from you you would clench your fists and grunt in frustration. Only recently have you started to throw tantrums which consist of laying on the ground and rolling around, ya, you are that kid. You were growing more hair, but it still stood up on end and gosh I love it. Dog food was your favorite snack no matter how many times mommy told you no. Our nap routine started to get a little longer, because mommy did not want to stop rocking you, especially when you would lay your sweet head on my shoulder. And to be honest kid, you are too darn cute for your own good. You force your mother to give you unsolicited snuggles and kisses all day every day that sometimes annoy you, but maybe, just maybe might be wearing off on you. Please stay this little for just a while longer.