5.20.2012

We're baaack! WIth lots of updates!

I guess life got busy but we're back and will try to keep this thing more updated so we can record CAROLINE'S milestones!!!

So much has happened since last October when I last updated....including the beautiful new member of our family that we added. Graham's a big brother!!!



Caroline Grace  arrived May 2, 2012 at 8:36am....was 8lbs, 5 oz, 20-3/4"long and as perfect as can be! She's now 18 days old, and keeps proving to be a sweet little angel baby. She eats and sleeps like a champ, is super laid back, and I think thrives off the chaos of the little 2 year old running around in circles around her! Sweet baby has a little congestion, which has been causing her to be a tiny bit fussy, but all in all she's beautiful and amazing in every way. I often look at her and can't believe she's really ours.
Graham meeting Caroline for the first time



As for the little two year old, we just celebrated Graham's birthday and can't believe he's TWO! Caroline came home from the hospital on the 4th, and we celebrated Graham's bday with a little party for him on the 6th! Everyone told me I was crazy for doing it, but so glad we did it, because he had a blast with the attention on him for the day, and got lots of new distractions to play with! I hadn't really thought of that, but that worked out perfectly! So when sibling rivalry hits, it's easy to find something new to entertain with! Yessss.




It's not all rivalry though...Graham loooovess his baby sister or "sissy". He gives her hundreds of kisses every day and talks to her in a cute little baby voice. Of course, he tends to get a little too rough at times while being sweet, but that goes along with little boys I guess.


G holding Caroline and showing her how his jeep works


Ok, I'm rambling, so I'll skip to some other highlights in the last 6+ months (sorry if this isn't news to you but just want to make sure that I have some deets on here for the sake of looking back):

-Graham experienced his first Trick or Treating experience on Halloween...he was a Chick Fil A cow!

-Thanksgiving was spent in Dallas...we had a nice relaxing day at Emmy's, and Pops was in town for it as well!

-We had our little family of 3 Christmas in Dallas, and also at Mom's with Lauren via skype, and then it was an Ohio Christmas this year....we had a great time hanging out with the family and the cousins are all so cute together! Our big Christmas gift that we opened on Christmas day was finding out that our baby was a GIRL! Such excitement! (the Ohio pics are too large for me to upload! They were all taken on the real camera vs the iphone, which is what most of these are taken on. BOO.) We flew up to Ohio and drove back to Texas...stopped in Nashville on the way home.


G's obsession with trains begins around now


-Jan-April: I grew and we stayed put for the most part! Getting things done around the house, getting babies rooms ready, and staying busy with all of that! Pictures of rooms to follow.

pics taken approx 5 months along, and then the day of checking into the hospital!

-Aunt Lauren came and stayed with us for 10 days as soon as Caroline arrived...it was GREAT having her in town!
-Pops made it to Dallas in time for her arrival and was ready and waiting with Emmy at the hospital to meet her!
-We are looking forward to Noni's visit in a month, and then having Grandma Judy and Aunt Lisa soon after!!
-Mark and I are still working together at Looney, and it's still great!
-However, I'm on maternity leave till August and so happy about spending the summer with my babies!











OK, that's all for now! Except for a few more of my favorites! I wish I could add 100 more, but these will have to do for now :)
Graham and his bud Nash in Graham's other obsession: the Jeep

Kali remains a best bud of G-man



a self portrait of our crazy family of 4 (with Kali) right before the 5th arrived!



And for my MOST FAVORITE.............







-

10.25.2011

Grahamism's

Graham is 17 1/2 months old, and I must record some of my favorite things he does:

-"mo' mo'" which means "more please", as he touches the palm of one hand with his pointer finger of the other, such a sweet little voice. he's been doing this for a while, but it still melts my heart
-"ki" which means "kali"
-"baaaalllllll" which is the excitement he gets when throwing the ball for Kali to fetch. mark is proud to announce that Graham can throw a spiral with his pint sized football
-"bat" which means "bathtime". we will say, ok graham, it's time for your bath, and with no fuss or questions asked, walks towards the bathroom saying 'bat, bat, bat' because he loves this time of night
-"buh" which means "book". he loves to bring us a book, back up, and plop down in our laps to read a book
-he loves to dance to the beat of music, and by dancing, he tries to jump off the ground, which he can't really do, and go up and down. it's the funniest cutest thing ever!
-if we are laying on the floor while he's playing, he will come up and tackle us but the tackle is a great big snuggly hug. priceless.
-he loves to come home every day and play in the backyard...he's recently accomplished going up the ladder of his little slide and going down and then do it over and over. this finally took place after giving up trying to go up the slide.
-his favorite foods are: lasagna, spaghetti (esp the meat), chicken nuggets, ketchup, steak, sweet potato fries, fruit filled granola bars, and goldfish! not a huge veggie fan.
-his favorite juice is prune juice straight up, and thank goodness, because he's finally a regular pooper
-when he's at home, he's hyper, wild and crazy at times, but when he's around new kids and new people, he's very reserved, checks out the scene, and slowly warms up. he's not really shy, just reserved. so funny.
-oh, there are so many more things, but these are the highlights for now! we love our little man...........

AND CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IF HIS LITTLE BROTHER OR SISTER IS GOING TO HAVE THE SAME HAPPY, LOVING, EASY GOING PERSONALITY!!!

G's first fair ride, on an airplane of course!
mark's words: he's going to be an adrenaline junkie!
he was so into all of the rides, and wanted to go on all of them!
a fun time had by all at the great State Fair of Texas 2011!

9.26.2011

Pumpkin Patch

Even though it got up in the triple digits again this past weekend, we braved the heat and went to the annual Arboretum pumpkin event. It's fun to pretend it's fall even if it doesn't feel like it. :)

in a castle window

so many pumpkins!

G&M

we sure seem to have a lot of pictures of Graham just taking it all in.. :)

a fairy tale princess house  made of pumpkins 

what goes through that serious little head?

fish!

once again, hard to pull this little water boy away from it.
notice mark holding on so that he doesn't just jump in...

lunch time! doritos are his favorite....
hey, why not, went with the orange theme. :)

Beach Trip!

Labor Day weekend, Mark was off to a boys weekend at his favorite getaway with the guys - Dale Hollow Lake with his best buds and more from Ohio. A trip that only all boys should take...12 hour days on the lake...making up tricks like Human Dolphin Surfing. (don't ask)(actually do, Mark loves to talk about it.)

So Graham and I decided to take a trip out to Cali to see Aunt Lauren!!!!
We got to do so many fun things! Here are some pics. And if we can get our hands on any of Mark's trip pics, will post those too.

We started off with a fun trip to Zoomars where we met up with the Timmons family...a cute little petting zoo, and of course on a beautiful California day....

Ashley, Penelope, Graham, and me on a train ride...
sadly, this is the best pic I have of us...sweet baby Violet, JC, and Aunt L were all there too!

feeding the Z-donk...we all look a little weirded out by this thing!
(very well accessorized P in the background...so PRECIOUS)


G loves cows!
He calls them "mmmmmmmmmmmmmm" (like the sound a cow makes)

We had so much fun, and I wish I had more pictures from the day!!!

Next day...beach trip! 

Graham's first experience at the beach...
checking it ALL out.


G: "Whoa!! Freezing cold water coming at me! And I LOVE IT!!!!"


So fun!!!
(check out the super crowded beach...all the more to check out, so exciting)


Heaven

"Look at all of these kids running into ice water! One day I can be like them. All I know is I never want to leave this place."

But we did...and off to the San Diego Aquarium...

Aunt Lauren!!!!

2 sisters and a baby boy

water experiments and making friends


very intriguing...
and because I'm so delayed in getting pics up...can you believe what a little boy he's turning into??

ahhhhh!!!

a nice stroll through La Jolla Bay...
Fun fun fun trip to Cali!! Thank you Lauren for having us and letting us stay in your sweet new pad!
we had so much fun and can't wait to come back!
Love you!

8.10.2011

Cary Cousins

Since we've had two recent trips to Ohio, we have been able to get some good Cary cousin time in! These munchkins are too precious for words, and we are so happy that they were able to get some quality time in together.

trouble 1 & 2
(max and graham)

lucy star

trouble 1 & 2 at it again

guess who got talked big cuz Lucy into giving wagon rides...
Can't beat this fun time of ages 1, (almost) 2, and 3! 

...and again

deep thoughts

little man

sharing

cousin love

so much fun!

Noni and her boys

hi big cuz Dan, I want to be like you

trouble 3 & 4
(Dan and Jason)

learning from the best

cousins Rachael, McKenzie, and Caleb
Graham wanted to be held by the girls all day long

precious face of little Max