Easter

We had a great Easter weekend!  On Saturday we dyed Easter eggs, and Cade had tons of fun experimenting with the colors.  The Crandalls invited us to their home for Easter dinner on Sunday and it was just perfect.  They live in the most beautiful setting and have a small farm.  Cade got to feed chickens and a donkey - though he was a little hesitant at first.  Cade and Olivia had a little Easter egg hunt and had fun blowing bubbles and going through their eggs.  We are so thankful for our family away from family!  :) 

Spring Break 2014

Last week was spring break!  We spent the beginning of the week at Everland and at the park with friends and we wrapped the week up with a trip to KY.  The car rides there and back were a little rough with both Cade and Luke wailing - tag team style at first...then they decided to make it a duet and scream and cry at the same time.  We had a great time while we were there though - during daylight hours that is.  We spent time with Todd's family, went to Dinosaur World, and Todd and I even had an entire 24 hours to ourselves!  We went to Louisville to hang out; we had lunch and dinner outside, visited the Muhammad Ali museum, walked around downtown and spent time with Todd's family and friends.  Cade loved, loved, loved hanging out with Grandmother, Granddaddy, Betty, Taylor, and TJ and although Lukey can't really express his love and excitement just yet, I know he loved all of the attention as well.  Both boys had a TOUGH time being away from home when it came to sleeping - Cade in particular. He was on a sleep boycott the first day and night we were there and cried and threw fits well into the night.  I know that one day I will look back on all the crying and fit throwing and laugh, but, whew, it was stressful at the time!  Our trip was well worth the sleepless nights and we are always so thankful when we have the opportunity to spend time with our families.

7 Months Old

Sweet Lukey,

You are 7 months old!  Well...actually you're about 7.5 months old.  We've been super busy around here and I got behind.  Your little personality is more bubbly than ever and you get cuter and cuter by the day!
Here's a little more about you these days:

• This isn't a check up month for you so I'm not sure of your height, but you seem very tall!  We went to the doctor today to get your ears checked (you keep rubbing them so I was worried you had an ear infection, but you don't) and you weighed 20lbs, 6oz.  
• You wear size 12 month clothing.  
• You eat 3 meals a day and nurse/take a bottle of breastmilk about 7 times a day.
• You go to bed around 8 and wake up around 6:30 during the week.  You usually wake up once to eat - usually around 3AM.  You take two naps a day.  
• You are still a super happy baby and are content most of the time.  You smile very easily and don't cry too often.  You will cry when you are hungry and sometimes when we change your diaper.  You are also starting to cry if we walk away - like you miss us and want us to come back!  
• You are now somewhat mobile!  You roll all over the place and Daddy says that he's seen you scoot yourself belly-down, penguin-style, on the hardwood.  
• You are a good eater and you at least tolerate everything we've given you so far.  Your favorites seem to be fruit, carrots, sweet potatoes, and peas.  You drink water with your meals.  
• You have 3 teeth (on the bottom).  
• You love your sippy cup, TV remotes, playing airplane, taking pictures, and things that surprise you.  
• We love your happy disposition, the way you stick your tongue out, you chunky legs, your sweet laugh, to hear you talk

A Few of My Favorite Things, Vol. 1

There are so many things about Cade and Luke that I don't ever want to forget. While I look forward to all of the milestones and hurdles we will see as they age, there is something so special about these early years...and because they are SO early, I know I won't be able to remember everything that I want to. And that makes me incredibly sad. Here a few things about Cade and Luke that I hope to always remember:

• The way that the second we open Cade's door every morning, he immediately jumps up with the BIGGEST smile on his face...I have no idea how ANYONE could be THAT happy at 6:15 in the morning, but I love, love, love that he is!
• The way that Luke stares into my eyes and tries to communicate with me. Sometimes the sounds get stuck in his little throat because he's trying so hard to get them out.
• The way that Cade climbs into our bed each morning and says, "I wanna watch a little TV."
• The way that Luke reaches up and strokes my face as he nurses. His little hand is so soft and smells so sweet.
• The way that Cade dances in his high chair when we tell him to chew his food well.
• The look on Cade's face when he roars (very loudly) like a dinosaur.
• The way that Luke squeals and kicks his legs when he gets really excited.
• The way that Cade says, "Don't go, I have something in my pocket...for you. It's a garbage truck." as I'm leaving his room some nights at bedtime. The garbage truck is imaginary, of course.
• Their smiles. They both smile all the time and it still melts my heart every time.
• Lukey's crazy hair. I thought Cade had crazy hair...until Lukey came along. It's long and curly, and I love it!
•  Snuggle Bear. Cade, you will die of embarrassment about this when you get older, but sometimes you pretend to nurse Snuggle Bear. You put my Boppy pillow on your lap, pull up your shirt and hold Snuggle Bear to your tummy. :) You also put him in all of Luke's baby gear - his jumperoo, bouncy chair, swing, etc. You're going to make a great dad! But we'll leave the nursing to your future wife.
• Lukey's breath. There is no better scent in the world.

 From Daddy...

•  Lukey's happiness. He is such a happy baby and smiles so easily. He gladly goes to anyone and is content in most situations.
• Cade's humor, wit, questions (this morning out of no where you asked..."Where do alligators live? What do they eat?", and your surprises (you will say the funniest, sweetest things at the most random times - like today, you were giving me a bit of a difficult time as we were shopping for new shoes for you, then out of no where you jumped into my lap and said, "Mommy, I love you!".)

As crazy as life is right now, I remind myself almost daily to cherish it because I know there will come a time when I would give a limb to be able to squeeze, smell, hold my sweet 6 month old Luke and 2 year old Cade. We are so blessed!

re

6 Months Old

Sweet Lukey...it's your half-birthday!! I can't believe you are half-way through your first year. At times it feels like you were born mere days ago and at other times it feels like you've always been a part of our lives. We are so proud to be your parents and I can't help but smile when I think about you. Being your mommy is truly an honor. Here are your 6 month stats:

• You weigh 19lbs, 1.5 oz (74%tile).
• You are 28.25 inches long (93%tile).
• You wear size 12 month clothing and size 3 diapers.
• You love to eat!  You still nurse around 5AM, 5PM, 7:30PM, and sometimes around 3AM.  While you're at Ms. Debbie's you eat three 5 oz. bottles of breastmilk.  You also eat rice cereal, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, pears, apples, and carrots.  You eat solids in the morning and at dinnertime.  You started drinking water from a sippy cup this week and you love it!
• You're sleeping pretty well.  Your nights vary.  You usually go to bed around 7:45. Sometimes you will sleep until 5AM, and at other times you wake up several times a night...usually just once though. You're an unpredictable sleeper!  You love to sleep on your tummy.  Your crib is still in our bedroom.  I get so sad when I think about moving you into your own room, but I know it needs to happen soon.
• You are a happy baby and don't cry too often.  You smile a lot and will usually smile every time we smile and talk to you...unless you're tired or hungry.
• Your favorite things include Mommy, Daddy, and Cade...especially Cade, drinking water, exploring things with your mouth, playing in your jumperoo, playing with Cade's toys...which will soon be your toys, reaching for and playing with balls and other toys, and anything with an element of surprise (like peek-a-boo, for instance).  
• Things that you're not too fond of:  having your nose wiped, anything covering your face, having to wait for the next bite of food, being tired.  

You make us soooooooooo proud and happy Luke!  We love you!

Growing and Changing

Lukey and Cade are doing what they do best...growing and changing!  This week Luke started eating real baby food!  He has been eating rice cereal and oatmeal for about 3 weeks or so and this week we added sweet potatoes and carrots to his menu.  He doesn't seem picky at all and has eagerly accepted  everything we've offered him.  He even cries sometimes if we don't get the next spoonful up to his mouth fast enough!  :) 

Tonight Cade sang his ABCs to me all the way through all by himself!  Hearing his little singing voice was one of the sweetest things I've heard...maybe ever.  I'm glad it was dark in the room (he likes to sing before he goes to sleep) because I couldn't hold the tears back. 

To My Future Self...

Your life right now is hectic.  Nonstop.  Draining.  Exhausting.  You wake up at 5:15 and don't stop doing mommy or teacher stuff until 9:30 or 10.  You're up throughout the night to tend to one or both of the boys.  Work is stressful because you're never fully prepared - you get there late and leave early every day and the time you have to spend at home working has been cut drastically.  You're worrying yourself to death over... well, everything.  Why is Cade whining so much?  Am I spending enough time with Luke?  Am I working hard enough with Cade to make sure he's learning as much as he can?  Why is Luke's head tilting like that?  Am I doing everything I can to ensure that Cade and Luke grow up to be loving, happy, successful people?  Yada, yada, yada.  You feel like you are constantly doing SOMETHING yet NOTHING is getting done. Your 32 year old self will never forgive you if you ever take getting to sleep 8 hours straight or using the bathroom without an audience for granted. 

Your life right now is amazing.  Purposeful.  Fulfilling.  Perfect.  Each morning you are greeted with smiles from two of the most beautiful babies God has blessed this world with (not to mention one pretty handsome husband :)).  You always have someone to talk to and your days are filled with laughter.  Two little people adore you like no one ever has nor ever will.  Your family is happy and healthy.  Every single day you get to watch Cade and Luke do something they couldn't do the day before.  There are times when you are filled with so much adoration that you think your heart might just burst.  You have never laughed so often, smiled so big, or loved so hard. 

Parenthood is everything I thought it would be yet nothing like I anticipated.  It's harder, much harder; yet better, much better.