The Park, Library and Build a Bear

Tuesday of Owen's conference was his big meeting day so the boys and I had a day to explore and have fun in Memphis. We left the hotel when Owen did and the three of us drove to Germantown (my comfort zone). We went to Target, then to my old neighborhood park.

Sam was trying to feed the ducks.

After the park I took the boys to the Germantown Library. Andrew has been talking about going to a library so I looked up if they had story time and they did! How lucky were we??? So they boys got to read books and listen to children's story time. It was a win win!

They had a play fire truck the boys could climb on

Andrew was in heaven. He LOVED the library.

After story time we went to eat at McDonald's and then they took a nap in the car.

 I drove around for an hour looking at places I used to go. It was fun for me. Then I took them shoe shopping. This was probably the worst decision I made that day. It was not fun for mom. At 3:00 we meet my cousin Nellie and her girls at Build a Bear. Sam picked out a dog to make immediately. Andrew wavered back and forth and finally decided on a blue bear. After Build a Bear we went to Nellie's to eat and the boys and girls played so hard. It was great to watch.

Ella, Emma, and Andrew making memories. 

It was a really good trip for our family. :)

Memphis Zoo

Owen had a conference in Memphis this past week so the boys and I went with him. We were able to spend time with Adam and Nellie while we were there which was a nice treat. We stayed at the Peabody too which made it extra fun.

Our first excursion was the Memphis Zoo. Adam arranged for us to feed the giraffes and it will go down as one of my most favorite memories. Andrew was unsure of it and said he didn't like it. Sam loved every minute of it and wanted to feed them all of the food - no sharing for this boy.

I loved that we were able to do this! It was a good memory for sure.

Re-Decorating

I have not really liked the way Andrew's room was set up. We had his bed to the side wall mainly to make sure he didn't fall off. But that made everything in the room off centered to me and that bothered me. I wanted to move his bed to the middle of the room underneath his Walter Anderson and then I wanted to get a book shelf so we can store his books better as well as let me put pictures on the top shelves. :) So this weekend we worked to make that vision come true.

Andrew's room

We went to Charles Phillips in Theodore. It has become our favorite furniture store. We love antiques and this is the mecca of antique stores. They get containers from Europe and have 3 or more warehouses full of furniture. We spent two hours there shopping and then the last 10 minutes buying 3 pieces of new furniture for our house!!!

Along with the book case for Andrew's room; we bought a coffee table and end table.

While Owen and I shopped the kids had a ball playing in the dirt and finding sticks that become fishing poles. :) Our boys were great and humored us while we shopped. They did get rewarded with Strawberry milkshakes. It was a win, win for all of us.

Sam fell asleep immediately on our way home. Andrew didn't not take a nap at all except for a 10 minute one.

It was a very fun and productive weekend. My favorite kind. We love updating and improving our house.

April 3rd - Andrew Update

I realize April 3rd was a day ago but I meant to post this yesterday. Every time the 3rd of the month rolls around I think of Andrew. Maybe it was because I wrote monthly updates for 2 years. But I thought it had been a while since I wrote an update on Andrew. There is so much to write about this little boy that I hope I can remember the things I do want to remember in 20 plus years.

These are the most recent pictures of Andrew.

He is a funny kid. He makes jokes all the time. He is learning alot at school too. I have had to get my momma bear status out this past month with school. First was a biting incident (s) with another boy at school. This little boy is a friend of Andrew's and I know his parents pretty well. So it was hard to realize that this little boy was hurting my son on a daily basis. Andrew was being targeting with the boys biting so I had to talk to the teacher and the directors to make sure they were doing everything they could to keep this boy from biting Andrew. I realize the school can only do so much b/c I know you can't really control a child. Like Owen said this boy's parents can't stop him from biting just like we can't make Andrew go to the potty. Kids can be strong willed. But I still had to make it known we were concerned. Luckily it has stopped (that I know of).

The 2nd incident is that Andrew had been acting out at school. Throwing things, not listening, ect...It concerned me b/c some of the behavior had rolled over to home as well. I realized that he is 3 and they will get into these moods, but I was concerned. It didn't help that one of Andrew's teachers told me that this little boy (same as above) would bring out the wild side in Andrew. So I talked with the directors again about possibly moving Andrew or at least separating them in August when they move up. I cried 3 times that day talking to Owen and the directors. It was alot of me being emotional but my sweet boy was being a little bit of a brat and I couldn't take it. But as with the biting things seemed to have gotten back to normal.

Andrew still only wants me in the mornings and it hurts Owen's feelings. I tell him that friends of mine who have girls say they the daughters only want their daddy's, so boys only want their mama's. I don't think that helps his feelings, but I am trying.

He will not go #2 on the potty. He is a master negotiator. We will offer something we KNOW he wants and the minute we pair it up with potting - Andrew no longer wants it. His technique is great (for him). I know we aren't consistent and I really think this is more of a parent issue. But we are trying every day and keep telling ourselves there are not children five or older not potty trained. It will come on his time. It HAS TO, right???

He likes for us to tell him stories. He gives us the subject, for example...tell me a story about tow mater, buzz light year, Easter Bunny, etc...

I see really positive things when it comes to Sam. He also doesn't like it when Sam is upset. Yesterday in the car Sam was crying and I couldn't do anything to make him happy - mainly because I was driving. Andrew finally stepped in and said "stop" and reached out to hold Sam's hand. Then he tells me, "I think Sam is sleepy. Sam just fall asleep". It was really funny.

He really likes Eric (Abby's soon to be husband) and Eric's dog Sherpa. In fact for Easter Sunday Andrew told us that Sherpa, Eric and Annie (Abby's dog) would be at Aha and Mick's house but that Abby would be at home in Jackson with a fever. Random but funny.

Ralphie and Andrew are also glued to each other. Andrew feeds Ralphie in the afternoons and tells him to sit while he pours his food. He always has to be the one to shut Ralphie's gate before we leave the house. I am glad those two are forming a friendship (well it's actually formed, I am glad the bond is getting stronger).

Andrew can tell us where he likes to eat if we go out to eat.

He is an observant person and a caring person. I am in awe of our 3 year old.

A glimpse of his sense of humor - which is very similar to his dad's

He loves wearing hats

Sweet boy - this was at Emery's 2nd birthday party

Just a little insight into our Andrew at 3 years and 3 months :)

Sam's 15 month doctor visit

Sam in the waiting room.

Today was Sam's 15 month check up. We had to take Owen to the Jeep dealership to drop off his car so we left early. Sam's appointment was 9 am so for two hours we were in the car taking Owen to work and Andrew to school. So when we got to the appointment Sam was pretty tired and wanted to stretch his legs. The Clinic was running late so we were there a long time.

But Sam is growing well and all is well :) Still has a little fluid in the left ear but it is not infected. He said he congestion may not clear up until allergy season is over :( Poor baby always has a runny nose and a cough.

He weighs 24 lbs and 8 oz (70%)
He is 32 in long (78%)
His head circumference is 19.49 in (99%)

He is a big boy! 

Easter 2013

This Easter was a fun holiday. I had been very excited about it. With the boys birthdays and Christmas all in one month - I love having these holidays to give the boys new surprises and gifts. Owen and I went out Saturday night so the boys had a babysitter, Tori. Tori told us that Andrew did not play around with bed time because he told her had to get to sleep so the Easter Bunny would come. How precious is that. Both boys actually let us sleep in until 7 am so there was another Easter Miracle :)

Here are the boys first thing in the morning looking at their baskets from the Easter Bunny.

The Easter Bunny did come!!

 Then we took pictures with our bunny ears

The boys eating some of their Easter candy

Playtime always includes Ralphie

We went outside for a little bit and the boys chased bubbles that Owen was blowing. It was fun to burn off a little energy

 We were able to have a relaxing family morning before church. Before we left I took pictures of the boys. This is same pose we did last year. It is scary how much both of them have grown.

My favorite picture

They are looking at Owen who was being especially funny

After church we went to the Munton's for Easter lunch and we had another Easter Egg Hunt. Andrew has mastered the Easter Egg Hunt!

posing with Aunt Abby

Sam's turn

 We ended our holiday with our weekly Sunday pizza party and all of us slept very well Sunday night! Definitely a successful holiday.

Good Friday 2013

What a wonderful Easter Holiday we had. It was exactly what I needed. We had a lot of fun things going on yet it was laid back too.

I am in a Garden Club and we host an annual Easter Egg for our members and their children. Last year Andrew was a little young to really get into it but this year was a little better.

Here are some super cute pictures of my two boys...

Brantley with Andrew and Sam

Andrew very excited about his smiley face egg

Sam happy to be out and socializing

After the Garden Club Easter Egg Hunt we came home and rested until the Canebrake Easter Egg Hunt. Andrew really got into this one. They had a magician to entertain the kids and then the hunt (which lasted 10 minutes). After Andrew got all the eggs he wanted we stayed and ate dinner. It was a really fun event.

Andrew ran out and enjoyed the hunt. We loved seeing him enjoy it so much

Coming back after getting all of his eggs

Sam didn't "hunt" eggs...he was happy with his one.

Checking out all of his goodies

Sam is in awe of the Easter Bunny

Family Picture 2013

I loved everything about this day!