~GIMME GIMME GIMME!!!~

So, as you have read in the past, my beef-cake son, is not petite, nor is he average,... he is adorably fluffy! At 18lbs 14 oz he is in the 99th percentile for his chubbiness. He is also a rather lengthy 27 3/4" long. It is a good thing football season doesn't clash with basketball, right?

Well, at the visit with the Doc for Tyler's 4 month check, it was unanimous that Tyler should start on solid foods. Yay!!!! I am soooo excited! This means I can cut being a "milk buffet" at least once-a-day!!! Whoo Hoo!

We raced home to feed my Hungry, Hungry Hippo! If you ask Eric, I had been carrying the spoon around with me for at least 2 weeks prior... At home, I dished up the yummiest, most tastiest, most bestest temperatured brown rice cereal you have EVER tasted! I am sorry none of you were invited... I only made about 2 tablespoons - times are hard. (Damn economy >:-() But we decided to save and share the moment...

We took some pics:

Since, these pics and a few more attempts at chowing down, my Handsome Guy has decided that maybe food is just not for him at the moment... Maybe too young, maybe not hungry enough, maybe just a boob man! Who knows. We haven't abandoned the thought of food - I know I cannot breastfeed him through college.... Lord knows Eric would be lost without me!

I am off to feed again... afterall - at almost 19 pounds-only nursing... I have some pretty gnarly bragging rights!

~Just a QUICK Happiness Moment~

We were off to another camping trip this past weekend... this time with Grandpa and Grandma to Rio Vista (I was a bad Mommy and forgot my camera...)

Well, on Saturday evening after a long day in the sun, swimming, playing and running I found myself in bed sunggling my two precious babes watching HGTV... there was nothing better than that moment.

~3-Year-Old Princess Party~

My baby is 3... My baby is 3... My baby is 3.....

Such a profound moment for a Mother to realize on her child's birthday that the child is actually getting older and bigger...

We had a small family get-together BBQ with a pool that Katelyne could not stay out of! She jumped in at 3:15pm and we MADE her get out and have dinner, then right back in until 8:30pm!!!! She had a blast! We also had a fun sprinkler... Still not sure who had more fun, the kids or Roxy!!!

Days before we had a hard time picking just 1 Princess cake, so Daddy let us have all 4!!!

Katelyne had the Tinkerbell one.... Made with blue frosting! Yummy!

It was amazing to look at my Little Girl on her 3rd Birthday. She is such a giving, caring, loving little person with a huge heart, she even has a little sass thrown in for kicks... I can sit and have a real conversation with her and she and I understand each other. She seems to be coming into her own - what with independence, confidence and a tad bit of fear. I have to say I pat Eric and myself on the backs as we didn't do too bad (so far) with our trial run.

Just an amazing girl.

Happy Birthday Princess Katelyne!!

~Have You Ever Been So Mad...?~

... That because you were told to go to bed, when you refused to stay in bed you had to find a place to hide in case someone came looking for you - and then you fell asleep?

Katelyne did.

~What-Cha Lookin' At?~

Tyler is starting to figure out that he has hands at the ends of those chubby-whubby arms. And recently started to grab everything in his reach. Today he discovered his new BFF the monkey that dangles from his car seat that seems to follow him everywhere... I decided to take Mr. Monkey off of the car seat and let Ty play with him - you know, up close.

I now recognize that Tyler saw Mr. Monkey as a threat to his own cuteness. He was "talking" to Mr. Monkey in a not-so-cute tone and was looking at him very sternly in the process... I believe there was something to this effect going on...

Tyler's inner monologue: "Look Dude, this is my space, my Mommy, my time... basically - My Show. I am not quite sure what you are doing here or what you are trying to prove, but I am bigger than you and cuter than you could ever hope to be. That being said, please take you place back on the car seat... we'll talk next time we go out... Get it?"...

And just to be sure Mr. Monkey understood that Tyler meant business, he gave him a little nibble....
Hopefully, Mr. Monkey took the point...

~First Hair Cut~

So, what started out as a week of huge milestones has yet to finish, but up to this point I should share my Little Princess' HUGE "Big Girl" moment.

For those of you who know me, you know that I have been terrified to cut my baby's hair. It is just beautiful as it is - flowing, ringlet curls at the bottom, perfect highlights - I did not want to mess with Mother Nature in changing that... With the exception of her bangs, there was never so much as a snip before Tuesday. Then my "Big Girl" decided that she did not want me combing, brushing or to even think about fixing her hair. Me, being the Mom, and being waaaayyyy smarter, decided that I would "scare" the brush to her head.

Our conversation went like this:

Me: "...if you don't let Mommy do your hair, it will get really tangled and if that is what you want we should just cut it..."

Katelyne: "Ok"

Me: "Are you sure? Then you may not have these pretty curls at the bottom..." (A little shakey)

Katelyne: "Ok"

Me: "Alright then, we will cut your hair - are you sure you want too?!?!!?"

*Please say no, please say no, please say no.....*

Katelyne: "Yes Mommy"

So, we did:

Brother watched amusingly....

yes, I cried.... DOES SHE NOT KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVED HER HAIR?!?!?!?! What about me?!?!?!?! Why isn't anyone concerned about Mom?!

In the end, I had them cut about an inch. I chickened out and I really was in denial that my little one would call my bluff! I was traumatized! And look how big she looks! They gave her Princess Braids with a pretty purple ribbon and glitter.... I failed.

Why couldn't she be like every other kid and run scared of a hair cut?

~Lessons From Big Sister~

Before I was a Mommy, I was always told several things by people that were parents already.
*Get your sleep now...
*I hope you have a strong gag reflex...
*You think life is crazy now?.....
You know, the things that come along with parenthood.

But, the one thing I heard over and over after I had my daughter and was pregnant with Tyler was, "...when you see your kids playing together, you will melt..." and I did.

The other night while I was cooking dinner, I suddenly heard Katelyne talking so softly and sweetly to Tyler saying, "push the 1... good job!" I look over and she is holding his hand "helping" him push the '1'... and then she says, "this is how we call on the phone." She was so kind, gentle and loving toward him. It really was a melting point.


Then my Ty-Ty got hungry and took matters into his own hands... I am guessing he was hungry - he could have made a prank call and been doing some heavy breathing into the phone! Maybe?


But, at the end of the day...prank call or teething, he is adorable...

And the love that was in my kitchen that evening while I cooked was amazing. My two little ones, playing together and enjoying each other. Everyday is just that...amazing.

Bring on the teenage years!!! I got this!!! >:-)