A New Way

A big baby requires a new technique...

well, new to Davis, not to this family. 

With the twins i really liked to give them baths in the bumbo...it made it easier to manage both at one time before they could sit up on their own.  Now that Davis has grown to big for his baby bath, but he's not sitting up yet...we're back to bumbo baths again.  His reaction was priceless.  

When he's ready to rinse off, i've just been letting him lay down in the water and splash around and he absolutely loves it.  It's a nice improvement from a few months ago when he screamed incessantly throughout the bath ;)

Gotta love a clean, happy baby. 

disclaimer: I am aware Bumbo's are not intended for bath use.  They float and are very wobbly in the water.  If you try it, don't take your hand off of the baby or leave him unattended (obviously).  

A Success Story

I sure hope i'm not speaking too soon...

but i think we have one kid potty-trained. (well not at night, but really, who cares about that :)

here she is after her first "dry" day at school.

Potty training has been the hardest transition we have had in the kids short 3 years of life.  A valiant effort this summer took us nowhere and as the third birthday's came a went i was beginning to get discouraged.

But then, out of nowhere, it just clicked (like everyone says it will).  She is wearing her big girl undies at church, school and out running errands and it's been a week since she's had an accident.

What was the key you ask?  Well, after a frustrating first week back at potty-training--we told her she couldn't wear her princess dresses if she pooped/peed in her undies.  A few tears later, we have had clean undies ever since.

I'm one proud mama.

And even more...i'm excited about less diaper changing and diaper buying.

Hopefully soon i'll have more good news to share as we start to work with Holden this week.

Movie Monday

We probably should have been working with the kids well before now on learning their letters...but as i've said before, the last year has been crazy and not a lot of time (or energy) for normal routines in the day to sit down and teach them.  Anyway, the past few weeks i've tried to make time everyday to work with both of them on whatever "needs" work.  After just a couple days of letter flashcards, Holden learned to identify half the alphabet and say their sounds. We're now working on the rest.  Here's a video from a couple of weeks ago. Very proud of our smart boy.

Playin' All Day, Everyday.

We play a lot around here.  obviously.  

we've also made some new friends over the past few months. 

we went to play at the park with Jack and Channing one day.  Afterwards we went back to Chan's house to play. He has a fun mini trampoline and a gator that Holden LOVED driving his friends around in. 

Jumping in puddles at the tennis courts

jack and nora jumping

 Holden and Channing the Giraffe.  These pics crack me up. 

 We also love to go outside and cruise the neighborhood in our new cars with neighbor Charis. 

This day Charis was driving and Nora was making sure the stroller was safe in tow.  Neither Nora nor Charis are any good at steering...i really love how Charis' dad is chasing them around in these pics. 

 

 just a little bump up

 Charis has a little brother, Bryce, just a few days younger than Davis...they like to stare at each other in the stroller while the kiddos play.  

love having good friends to play with.  our days are so much more fun when we are spending them with others :)

It's January!

I haven't posted much this month...really because it didn't feel like we were doing much of anything...but then i was looking back on both mine and Mike's phones and there were tons of random pics.  So here they are...

Nora "made" me breakfast

and it was so very healthy!

 snuggling with my princess one cold morning

 When Daddy has late nights, getting dinner ready can sometimes get tricky around here.  this was a moment when it was under control...it's not always this pretty ;)

 notice Nora gave her baby to Davis to play with...also notice Davis knocked her over.  Guess he had other plans. 

 love this sweet face

 Sweet after-nap faces

and i found this in their room the other day.  they dolls are really more decorations in the twins "hawaii" room than toys...although i don't care if the kids play with them.  I did find it funny that they were placed in this position... a conga line, perhaps?

 the twins playing with Jack...that always makes for an exciting day

 there's that sweet face again

 watching their dinner cook.  they were quite interested...or maybe just very hungry

Nora is doing much better eating these days...she's nowhere near being a "good eater" but we have much less strife at dinner these days.  that makes me one happy mommy.

 my three babies.  ready for church.  well..except for the absence of D's pants

 there has been a lot of driving around here.  if holden had his way, it'd be all that we do. 

 Davis and Daddy like to hang out in the wee hours of the morning and do homework.  Mommy thinks they are crazy.

 Holden has been practicing with his T-ball set 

 Davis is starting to enjoy being upright in his jumparoo

Nora being her silly self

 Friday nights are movies and pizza nights. the kids LOVE watching movies while eating.

 a cute pic that i received while out running errands one day. 

 snuggles before bedtime

 Nana came to visit one Saturday 

 Messy Girl learning to clean it up...like Cinderella, haha

 Holding Davis.  Davis really loves N & H.  He watches them all the time and never seems to mind sitting with them.  It's so sweet. 

 most days are spent like this...deep in their toys...doing silly things

what they were looking at...Thomas pushing the digger around the living room.  pretty exciting stuff

and when watching the trains and trucks get boring...there is always baby brother to check out..

Back Posting

Because I'm funny about posts actually being "posted" in the year they happened...here's some links to a few posts i just caught up on.

Three Months Old

All I Want For Christmas 

Merry Christmas   Yeah, just our Christmas Card, in case you didn't see it

December Dump

Cause I Just Can't Let This One Slide

tonight i made chicken pot pie.  the kiddos were literally on the edges of their seat waiting to eat it....

(tucking Holden in bed tonight)
J. I love you Buddy.
H. (wraps little arms around my neck and puts his mouth right next to my ear) I love biscuits, mom.  And chicken. And Peas.
J. You love biscuits, or you love mommy?
H. I love biscuits.

Guess he liked dinner. If it wasn't so funny, i probably cry.

(tucking Nora in bed)
J. Do you love mommy, or biscuits?
N. (giggling, she cups my face in her hands) Mommy!!
J. sigh of relief...

2013 Bookself

Well I just told my friend the other day that i was giving up on making another book list this year...but i just can't do it. I've been inspired by a few other book posts and here i am doing it again.  Admittedly, i'm ashamed of my reading this past year.  The quantity was poor--and really i didn't accomplish much other than pleasure reading and some parenting books.  Alas, i'm giving myself a break--it was a busy year.

This year's list is more of a selection of books i think sound good and would like to read--they are my "hopefuls".  No Pressure.  Just room to enjoy, relax and be proud of what I have made time to read.

I'm already feeling good about this.  So good in fact that i'm getting ready to go on a hunt for my Kindle charger (yep, it's dead as a doornail) and apply for a NC Library Card.

Check out my 2013 Bookshelf here.

If you have any other books i should add to my list, let me know.

A Glimpse of 2012

Here's are annual Year-End Review...  

and for a look back at the past 2 years, click these links 2010, 2011

Happy New Year!

(Nora keeps saying Happy New Hair.  I love it.  Here's to lots more laughs this year!)