Summer Fun

I can't believe we are halfway though summer already! He's a look at what we have been up to so far...

Ryan did two weeks of camp at HPUMC and loved it! His friends Charlie and Ford were also in his class so he was excited to go every day - especially splash week! The first week was sports camp and the second splash camp. I tried to pick him up a little early one day so that I could get him and Grayson to nap at the same time but he was so upset with me because he didn't want to leave. Oops...won't do that again. We go for another session in August - lego week! I am sure he will have a blast!

We have been loving music every Wednesday afternoon and I have been able to take the boys to the same class (which is really nice). Most kids in there are siblings and they are around the same ages so it works perfectly...but a little chaotic for any newbies. Anyhow, Grayson loves to crawl around and play with everyone while Ryan tends to stay close to me. Such different personalities! 

And of course there is a lot of playing at home! The boys are starting to interact and play together which is great for them and for me :)

I have also had lots of fun girl nights - here we are at Driftwood (our D restaurant) celebrating Lauren's birthday! So much fun!

And at Sur La Table (with Nat) for Susanne's bachelorette party!

We made it to the zoo with our friends Charlie and Evie. The boys had a blast with the exception of feeding the giraffe - Grayson was not a fan!

Charlie and Ryan checking out the cheetah

Packed swimsuits so they could play around in the children's area and of course we had to ride the carousel on the way out!

We have been spending lots of time with friends! 

Visiting with Jack!

Hanging with Hayes at the Arboretum!

I have also had time to do some organizing and rearranging...of course with my special helper!

And of course lots of water time!

Also lots of cooking! Ryan loves to help out in the kitchen so I have been trying to include him when I can. Here we are making brownies! Yum!

We love going on walks around the neighborhood. We usually head down to the park and/or stop by our cousins house! Here are the boys eating some PB&J while we walk. 

And when it gets too hot we play in the playroom! The boys really love the tent that Yia Yia and I made.  

Although it looks like Ryan is trying to strangle Grayson here I can assure you it was a hug!

Playing with Grayson's tootsies!

It's been such a wonderful summer so far! We look forward to our trip (with our cousins) up to Montana to visit Gigi and Papa - I know the boys will have a blast!

4th of July Weekend

I look forward to July 4th every year - we have a little reunion with friends, spend the day out in the sun (usually at the lake), grill out, watch fireworks and stay up way too late!  We usually head to the Terry's lake house, however, this year the house doesn't exist! They are in the process of building a new one soooo we were left to our own devices and had to find a place celebrate. 

We found a place in Austin that was large enough to host all of us - that's all six families and two single men. I often get a funny look when I say two single men...people wonder why on earth two single men would want to hang out with 11 kids under the age of 4...and I don't really know why they do either. Except they are just good guys. They are the cool uncles - not to say we don't already have some cool uncles. Anyhow.....before we left I wanted to get a quick pic of the boys. 

So I tried...but it's darn hard. This is what happens when he doesn't have his paci in...eating rocks. 

So I had to plug up that little mouth

After three hours in the car without stopping - wohoo - we made it to the Rockin' Y Ranch.  It's actually kind of an odd location as you are driving through a pretty normal neighborhood then all of the sudden you are at the top of a hill and there is this huge property. The ranch is on 30 acres and there is a party barn, pool, two outdoor fire pits (which we didn't use because there was a burn ban) and a chicken coop (which you are allowed to eat the fresh eggs that are laid daily). Anyhow the house is older and has a rustic feel but it was perfect for us with the amount of space it had!

 There was a big pool! The kiddos loved it!

Ryan and Grayson playing together in the pool

Reese and Ryan eating ice from the keg...that's sanitary right?

We were five minutes from the Austin Zoo. There were lots of animals including a bear! Which Dallas doesn't have...and there is a train...which is a big hit with all the kiddos.

Holding hands with Marin

Marin, Blake and Ava

Ryan loved Bruschi

Walking up to the Party Barn!

The guys playing washers

Benjamin and Ryan checking out the chicken coop

One fresh egg!

Baby central!

Hanging out with the littles! Grayson, Peter, Blake, & Clive. Cuteness!

 The whole gang minus Rob & Jeff. 

 All the kiddos. From left to right: Peter, Reese, Ava, Blake, Marin, Benjamin, Jack, Ryan, Aiden, Clive & Grayson. Whew!

And Grayson going after Blake again...

So much fun! Usually we only stay one night at the Terry's but it was so nice to spend 4 days with everyone. We had amazing food every night (and day) all the kiddos were entertained and happy! the adults had fun during the day and also were able to relax a little at night and have a few drinks up in the party barn while the kids slept! I had my doubts heading into the week but it was definitely something I would do again - so much fun!

10 months

So I am not sure the above picture is the best picture but I was having an incredibly difficult time getting you to stay still! It's just not your thing....

Yeah, you are all over. And you love playing with balls. You love soccer balls and footballs...you get so excited when you get it and you try and pass it to me.

So let's get down to it!

We are really digging this age! You are so interactive and fun. Sometimes I just like to sit and watch you explore because you are so squishy and cute and everything you do is so darn adorable. You always turn back around to find me almost like you are saying "Hey mom, follow me".

Eating:
You nurse 3-4 times a day and get one bottle of breast milk or formula before bed.

Feedings are a little odd and not completely consistent. You usually wake up between 7 and 8am and I nurse you. This use to be my most successful feeding but you don't seem to eat much. You are so darn eager to start playing that it only takes about 5 minutes. After you nurse we play for a little bit in your room and then head downstairs so I can get things going for breakfast. Around 8am your brother gets up so we go and get him then you guys have breakfast together.

Around 9:30 you are tired and go down for your first nap. This is usually your best nap and it can last 2-3 hours. (It sounds good in theory but somedays it's difficult because basically when you get up Ryan needs to go down and that means mommy is stuck at home all day and does not have any time to herself to get anything done. And that's why the laundry piles up pretty consistently. but enough of that.)  Anyhow, when you wake up I nurse you again and then we usually play with Ryan for a little bit and have lunch. Once Ryan goes down (around 12:45/1pm) we have some time to play together again. Then you tend to go down for another nap around 2 or 3pm and its usually an hour or maybe a little longer. It's nice when you both are up at 4pm because we can get out and do an afternoon activity - like music, swimming, or playdates. I hate having to wake you up but I would say that definitely happens a lot more with you than I ever did with Ryan. I nurse you one last time around 4 or sometimes 5:30pm.

We try and eat as a family around 6:15 or 6:30 depending on when daddy gets home from work. You eat anything and everything which is awesome. (One of the things I am trying to work on is giving you a larger variety of food so we don't get stuck in the same ol rut and that's another post I am working on.)

After dinner you, daddy and Ryan play while I clean up the kitchen. Then around 7:15 daddy takes y'all upstairs for a bath! Sometimes you guys take a bath together but more often than not you go first and then Ryan gets in after...and you try and get back in because you love it so much. We hang out in Ryan's room and play and read books. I usually give you most of your bottle and then we head to your room and I turn the lights down and your sound machine on to give you the rest. Most nights I can drop you right into the crib after and you will fall asleep but we definitely have had a few nights where I feel like I just gave you a cup of coffee. Luckily it takes about another 15 minutes of running around and then we try again successfully.

Milestones/Sizing:
You are pulling up on everything
Crawling like a mad man
Six teeth (four on top and two on bottom)
Wearing 12 month clothing
You will say Mama, Dada and Ball
Still trying to teach you how to wave and clap - haven't quite masted it yet!

Love:
- The pool & splashing. Your brother was never a huge fan of water on your face...but you don't seem to mind it. You love splashing and getting crazy in the water.
- Bath time - again, with the splashing. Once you get out you will crawl back over, pull yourself up on the side of the tub and lean over to try and grab a toy and splash with it. I really need to snap a picture of you doing this because it's pretty darn cute seeing your little backside and the effort you make to try and get a toy.
- Eating - you really love it. You want to feed yourself which is nice but you are incredibly messy. I try to give you a little bit at a time but somehow it doesn't seem to minimize the mess. I mean...it's kinda ridiculous. It's always smashed all over your face, rubbed in your hair, down your shirt....just everywhere.
- Balls - you love the ball pit and all the balls that we own. When we play and roll the ball back and forth you get so excited (obviously when you roll it back it is a little hit or miss but I do believe you are intending to roll it...you just don't know how)
- Ryan - You love playing with Ryan but sometimes its difficult because you will grab him really hard and pinch him and he isn't a huge fan of that. Or if you grab his hair (like you also tend to do with me) he doesn't really like that either. Y'all play best together when mommy or daddy is also playing - it helps minimize contact. It really is adorable to see you guys play together - I love seeing Ryan be so sweet with you!

Other
Definitely have some sort of separation anxiety? You get shy around others and sometimes won't get anyone else hold you. You tend to do ok if I am not around but once you make eye contact with me it's all over and I have to hold you. I love how much you want me...but sometimes I wish you were just a tad lighter :)

I just realized I never posted your stats from last months doctors visit on you 9 month post so I have gone back and updated it - oops! We don't go back until one year so I don't have any new ones.

You are the happiest baby that I know. I love that I can get a smile out of you so easily and I love that you are ticklish. A baby belly laughing is one of the cutest things EVER! Especially when it's my baby :)

Honeymoon Bridal Shower

A couple weeks ago we celebrated my friend Susanne! She is getting married in August and going on an amazing honeymoon to Paris, Istanbul and the Seychelles. Jealous? Cause I am! They decided they didn't want to do a traditional wedding registry since they basically already have everything they need. Instead they did honeyfund which is a site that allows your friends/family to give the gift of an experience rather than an actual tangible. For example, one of her gifts in Paris was tickets to the Eiffel Tower and a champagne toast. I wasn't quite sure how the opening of gifts would go but it was actually really cool to hear all the cool "experiences" that everyone bought for them. We were all jealous of their honeymoon by the end!

Anyhow, on to the actual shower. Myself and two other girls hosted it. (We all use to work together and try to get together on a monthly basis to catch up but haven't been able to in a while so it was fun to work together on this.)

Cat from Everything Design created the invitations which set everything for the shower. She is awesome - I emailed her with an idea of what I wanted and she created it perfectly! One of my favorite things about her is that she handles all the printing herself! Everything comes fully assembled which is so wonderful! I loved getting my custom party in a box!

Since they are going to three different places on their honeymoon we decided to incorporate each place into the shower somehow. We ended up serving Mediterranean food, Parisian deserts and then a tropical coconut drink for The Seychelles. Everything was delicious!

We served pita bread sandwiches, babaganoush and hummus from Cafe Izmir. We also served a Greek salad and a mediterranean couscous salad I found on pinterest. 

The deserts were from La Madeline and Central Market...they were delicious!

Raspberry lemonade with coconut rum!

Some cute shower details (made by Everything Design)...

Silverware 

And now for the guests

We played "Who Said It" where party guests had to guess if it was the bride or groom who answered the question that I read outloud

The guests

Cute bride opening gifts!

We also made a photo area where guests wrote messages to the bride on little chalkboards and took pics! We even had a # for the weekend (we also had her bachelorette party that night!)

Bride with the hostesses!

Yay! Can't wait for the wedding!