IPhone Photo Dump

Can I just brag on my big guy for a minute? When he gets his haircut he sits perfectly still. The ladies at the shop always rave about how sweet and still he is. It's really amazing considering he's pretty much wide open outside of this.



He is also quite the little artist. The Easter bunny brought him some new bath crayons. They are awesome and he loves them. However, they take some elbow grease to come off. It's worth the fun though.



We have really been enjoying the weather lately and the boys love to be outside at Daddy's baseball games. Luke enjoys playing in the sand or with his buddy Trent.













Friday we headed to Ozark and Luke took his nap in the car. This is some good sleep right here.



And here are some other random shots.

Six Months

Half of a year, wow! Time is flying! Alex continues to bring us so much joy. I really can't imagine a happier little guy. It's funny to me that we can already tell so much about his personality. He is very gentle and tender hearted. He seems to easily get his feelings hurt and there are times when only momma will do. Both of these things are very opposite of Luke. It is fascinating to me that two children from the same parents can be so different but both be created so perfectly in His image. Alex just goes with the flow. Even when I think I've pushed him to his limits he's such a trooper. He loves people and attention.
He has adjusted to 4 bottle feedings a day, 3 baby food meals and two naps. He's sleeping great at night from 7-7. He will pretty much only sleep in his crib or in the car.
He still isn't sitting up. Not even trying, not even a tripod. If we try to get him to sit up he just arches his back. He is, however, trying to crawl. He gets on his tummy and rocks as fast as he can. Sometimes he'll get everything off the ground except his chest and rock so hard that he face plants into the ground.
Sweet, sweet, sweet and just happy to be here, that's our Alex!

Stats: 16 lbs 13 oz. (20th percentile)
28 1/4 inches (95th percentile)

my firstborn

Dear Luke,

I'm overwhelmed as I think about you and what you mean to me.  You have the most gentle heart but still manage to be all boy.  My two favorite parts of the day are when you wake up and when I get to put you to sleep at night ;)  Even though you wear me slap out, I dread when I have to leave you.  I miss you when you are gone and when you are asleep.  You throw lots of tantrums but don't we all?  Mine just seem to manifest themselves differently.  You are fearless to your very core and extremely silly. You mirror my control issues to me but also remind me of God's grace.  I am unable to put into words how much I love you, my firstborn. 

Your favorite food:
milk, chicken, strawberries, cheese and waffles

Your favorite activities:
baseball, anything to do with water or being outside, watching Little Einsteins, snuggling

Your favorite phrases:
"Whatcha doin Mommy?"
"I do it"
"I need (fill in the blank)"  We seem to have 'need' and 'want' confused.  Today at wal-mart it was, "Mommy, I need chocolate."
"I dub (love) you" be still my soul
and daddy's favorite "I'll be right back"

You LOVE to sing and some of your favorites are:
Jesus loves me
Jesus loves the little children
The wheels on the bus
The itsy bitsy spider
Twinkle twinkle little star (although you think it's "Tickle, Tickle" and you sing it as you tickle our feet)


You can count to eleven, sing your ABC's, and take just about anything apart and put it back together.

my two little love bugs

pure sweetness

just chillin, eating a cereal bar and drinking some milk

taking a picture, "cheese, baby"

first time to eat and not gag on cereal..he did however gag on the spoon that was shoved down his throat a few times :)

Water Table and Sharing with Baby

Since the weather has been so summer-ish we have spent many days outside...Luke's favorite place to be.  On this particular day he was playing in his water table, which he loves.  Being the thoughtful little guy that he is he decided that he'd better share his toys with Alex as he exclaimed, "Mommy, baby has no toys!"  As you can see he is dumping them all in the bouncey seat with Alex.  I ran in and got my camera and started snapping away to remember this sweet moment.  It took me looking down at the last picture on the camera to notice Alex was shoving the fishing pole down his throat...poor second child.  I still laugh out loud when I look at that picture.  Bless his heart!  I also am curious when Luke will stop calling Alex "baby."

Brittany Pugh 5K and Shep Sprint

On March 6, 2011 the Lord gave me the great privilege of sitting in Sunday morning worship beside my good friend Brittany. It would be her last time to worship from the pew. The next day the Lord would take her into his presence so that she may worship him in perfection and complete salvation. What an incredible day that must have been for her and her sweet little boy Shep. 

Although her and Shep are basking in the presence of their Creator, their friends and family left behind miss them terribly. On March 10th the Troy Junior Women's League hosted a 5K, 1 mile run and 50 yd dash in their memory. Luke ran in the 50 yd dash (Shep Sprint) and my blessing of a friend Laura Allyson and I did the 5K (my first since pre-Alex).  It was a great event and Brittany would have been so proud!  We miss you Britt and Shep!

so proud!

love this girl, what a blessing!

Luke's first medal

He loves "LA"

They also had a bounce house that he LOVED!!

so much fun!

Sweetness

Luke painted his baby a picture

Luke demanded Alex snuggle with him and sent me to the couch

Stinky feet

Luke's favorite game since he was 9 months old

love them!!!

Location:So much fun

5 Months

Well, we are closer to 6 months than 5 but I didn't want to skip this. I think the big development step at this point is grabbing and holding toys in his hands. We also removed the swaddling blanket and he now rolls to his stomach to sleep. I think he's been wanting be a tummy sleeper since birth but this rule-following Mom was too nervous. He's sleeping from 7-6:30, wakes up, eats a bottle and then sleeps until 10. Big brother is sleeping until 8:30 or 9. This time from 6:30 until Luke wakes up has been great work time. Alex still gags on cereal and to be honest I don't have much time to try consistently. He's still a smiley little guy and loves attention. He does not like to be in his car seat if he's ready for bed. A lesson I have to be reminded of every few days is that he does not want to be rocked to sleep.  Despite the failed attempts, I will try every few days and he reminds me again that he wants to be put down in his bed.  Luckily, my two year old still loves to be rocked! Alex's little life is going by so fast. He is a perfect fit for our little family.

Brothers

I found them like this:







It is one of my greatest joys to watch the love they have for one another. I hope Luke always takes care of Alex and Alex always looks up to Luke with that sweet smile of admiration.







I'm totally overwhelmed and speechless by the gift of these two. I am a very nostalgic person. I'm not one you'd have to remind to enjoy these years. I would absolutely freeze time if I could. I love my babies being babies and wouldn't change the full-time job of raising these boys for anything. Don't get me wrong, we have our fair share of two year old tantrums, messes, diaper changes and sleepless nights. However, the moments that melt my heart happen in the between. And those moments somehow seem to erase all of those hard times. The moments when your two year old says "hold you (me) mommy" and then tucks his little arms between himself and your chest. Or the fact that he still loves to be rocked to sleep and as you do he wraps his arms around your neck and gives you kisses. Or that he insists on pointing out every picture of Jesus (oh what a name) when we read his Bible.  Or how he climbs in my bed, pats the pillow beside him, and commands, "it's yours mommy."
Or the excitement in a 5 month old's face to see you after nap. So much excitement that he pumps his legs and arms as fast as he can. Or the sweet smile behind his paci as you kiss his cheeks while rocking him to sleep.







Motherhood is a beautiful thing. It is a testimony of a God who lavishes grace on this ragged sinner. A role that God uses to sanctify me through and through. A reminder that he offers hope and new mercies each morning. And a sweet, sweet portrayal of the unconditional love our Father has for us (his children).

Luke and Alex, you are a blessing to me, my perfect gift, heritage and reward. I could not love either of you more.

I just found this picture on my phone and thought both boys' faces were hilarious.




We have been so busy with 2 little ones, baseball and tax season. We are finding ourselves more and more thankful that God provides time and energy to get through the days when we aren't quite sure if we are going to make it. Although busy, we are having a ball. Here are some things we have been up to:




Reading Sports Illustrated:




A little trip to Tuscaloosa to transition our Tuscaloosa house from rented status to for sale which included a camp out on the floor and a bubble bath:












Enjoying the beautiful weather with friends:












Baseball season:








Bath time and play time:












And just pure silliness: