T-Ball Star

Cole has started playing t-ball, and he is loving it!  I am loving seeing him in his cute little baseball uniform!  He has been looking and playing great!  Murray is Cole’s coach, and he really is great with the kids.  Not only does he really know how to help them skill-wise, he also knows how to help them fun-wise too! I have enjoyed watching him coach almost as much as I have enjoyed watching Cole play.  He brought them all Big League Chew, and he taught them that the most important part of baseball was knowing how to spit.  I could not believe it.  The boys of course loved it.  Most parents laughed.  One got onto her kid.  Haha. 

A little fielding practice…

Getting a team game plan before the game!

He learned a lot in practice… He played great!

And then he got to bat!

Happy boy, happy team!

He had quite the cheering section for his first game too!

The second game was a little chilly!  We were all bundled up, but we were just as proud!

Cole stepped it up this game… didn’t even use the t!

He plays hard!  Such a serious little guy!  Love his intensity!

And that he and Murray get to do this together!

We are loving t-ball and our little star!

11 Months!

You are changing every day little boy!  I know that this hasn’t just happened this month, but I noticing the other night as I rocked you how big you are getting.  Maybe I am just trying to convince myself of that since you will be a big brother soon, but truly you are.  You used to be no longer than the width of my body when I rocked you.  Now I have to wrap your legs around the side of me to rock you.  You have had 2 official haircuts, you are getting 2 more teeth which will bring your total to 4, and you are either learning new tricks or perfecting old ones all the time!

You are now the fastest little army crawler around! You move from crawling to sitting with no trouble, and you can pull up with ease!  You are even starting to cruise a little.  You have figured out how to get up a single step and would probably figure out more if momma let you have a chance, but I’m trying to hold off on that for a bit!  Your favorite mode of transportation however would be on my hip.  Haha. 

You babble a lot and definitely have “Momma” down pat!  You have also said Dadda , bye-bye, and ball a few times too.  I may have even heard the word “no,” but I am not admitting to that one yet!  I wouldn’t say you have those few down consistently yet though. 

You are still a great eater and are up for trying most anything.  You’re favorite new additions this month have probably been peanut butter and jelly (I know you aren’t supposed to have peanut butter yet… take that up with your Daddy!) and grilled cheese!  You still eat fruits and veggies well.  You have eaten potato soup and taco soup.  Other than meats that you can’t really chew yet, you pretty much eat whatever we eat!  Those 2 new teeth on top will make eating a little easier- or at least biting.

You have also learned to drink out of a sippy cup!  You can do basically any kind now… soft top, hard top, straw… You LOVE being able to have a cup.  I can tell you think you are such a big boy.

You love to point at things lately.  This has been really helpful when trying to figure out what you want.  You especially love to point at animals though and like to touch them if possible.  The deer head on the wall in Daddy’s old room at Mimi and PopPop’s is the best, but animal statues, the cats at piano lessons, Lexie, etc. are all pretty great too!  You love hearing animal sounds, and your favorite books to read are the ones about animals!

You are getting so good at using your little hands now, and I promise you  must have more than 2 the way that you grab everything!  You have legitimately earned the nickname “octopus!”  However, you are so proud of how you can use those hands to turn off AND on the lights now!

You also love to play!  You especially love to play rough!  Fighting with Daddy on the bed is probably your favorite thing to do.  He knocks you down with pillows, and you just giggle!  You also love to pick on your brother and sister.  We are working on not pulling Jordan’s hair, but Cole takes your beatings pretty well. 

You have had 2 new play experiences this month too!  You got to play in the pit at open gym and in the sand at Pickwick.  You loved both.  Even when you put sand in your mouth (yuck!), you didn’t fuss.  You just kept right on playing!

You have learned a few things this month that I would be happy for you to unlearn!  You LOVE to find the bathrooms!  I have caught you playing in the toilet water, sitting amidst big piles of toilet paper, and inside my cabinets with everything else outside my cabinets.  Haha.  I haven’t had my phone on me at the time so I have no physical evidence, but it’s just a matter of time baby boy!  You also have started throwing serious fits!  You are terrible about arching that back and throwing that head back when you get mad!  You also can turn on the “Poor Pitiful Me” face and tears.  In fact, we have witnesses who have seen you squeezing your eyes tightly to make tears come out… How can you know how to do that?!?!  Trouble!!!  And then there is your new favorite noise…

Despite those less desirable habits, this is how you still are most of the time… I just thought you were too cute the other day when I was stopped at a stoplight and turned to check on you.  You are the sweetest thing and always have a smile for your momma!

Happy 11 Months Sweet Boy!  We are beyond grateful for you and all that you add to our family.  We couldn’t love you more!

Guess Wh-at???

Yep!  You are seeing it right!  There are 6 hats in that picture, and one is very strategically placed!  We are super excited to announce that we are adding one more sweet baby to this family!  I am 11 weeks along, and our baby is due April 25.  We are all excited!  Even look at Hayes holding the pregnancy test!  (Please know that this was super early in the morning thanks to him and excuse my exhausted appearance!)

In fact, when we took it away from him, this was his reaction… I’d say he definitely loves his new baby brother or sister! 

We didn’t really make a huge deal out of how we told Cole and Jordan, but they were really excited and super cute about it.  They keep asking when we are going to know if it is a boy or girl, when it will be big enough to come out, if they can feel it, etc.  They are going to be a great big brother and sister again!

And for now, here is a picture of our sweet baby. 

Happy in Huntingdon!

Murray  had to go to the TN State Podiatry Meeting to teach a couple surgical labs and get some continuing ed hours so the kids and I decided to spend the weekend in Huntingdon!  We had the best time with grandparents, great grandparents, cousins, AND the kids even got to experience the Huntingdon fair and a football game! 

We started off our time getting some sweet snuggles and playtime with Great Grandaddy Howard and Great Grandmama Marilyn!

We spent Friday with Banks!  He was so sweet to Hayes.  Hayes wanted to be everywhere Banks was, doing everything Banks was, and playing with everything Banks had.  Banks was so patient, and Hayes wore himself out!

“Flying” at the park!  Banks also adores Cole and Jordan so it worked out pretty well!

The girls and Hayes opted to stay home, but Cole and PopPop were super excited to head to the high school football game!  Cole thought he was such big stuff… especially when he got to go on the field after the game and see his big cousin Kenneth that plays!  I just love these pictures.  Cole is so stinking cute!

We had a bunch of silly moments too!  I mean… look at Jordan.  She was just sitting there wearing these.  For no reason. 

Hayes got busted pulling over Mimi’s lamp.  I told him that he was lucky he was at Mimi’s where she thinks everything he does is sweet!  He also LOVED playing hide and seek in her curtains!

Oh sweet Cole… you funny little boy!  We got lots of laughs outta this one!

Cole and Jordan also got to spend some time with Jo, Meg, Easton, and Harlon.  They got to ride on four-wheelers and build a clubhouse! 

And if that wasn’t all fun enough, Mimi and PopPop took the kids to the fair!  They didn’t have enough amusement park fun with them in Disney World I guess.  Haha.  Cole and Jordan love the fair though and came home raving about all the rides they did!

And a trip to Huntingdon wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Walmart to find a prize!  These babies are SO spoiled!  This time they picked out their “VERY OWN UMBRELLAS!”  They are so proud and carried them around inside and out despite the lack of rain.  Too funny!

And right before we left, Hayes found the bowl of chocolate oreo cookies that Jordan had left after licking all the icing off them.  Oh boy was he a happy kiddo!

Thankful that my kids have such a wonderful extended family, a super fun place to visit, and happy memories made every time we go.