New Outfit

I saw this online when I was pregnant and thought it was the cutest thing. I'm becoming one of those people addicted to online shopping.....

Saturday Morning

I live for saturday mornings. Not because I can sleep in...no, we're up before the chicken's around here. But it's a time where we just hang out as a family. Kevin usually makes a coffee / bagel run, and we all sit around in our jammies and ease into the day. Today I came out to find Cole and Kevin reading the paper. Cole was VERY proud of himself....and it appears he beat Kevin to the sports page. I think it's really funny how they both are reading with their hands on their heads.

Jammie Time

I'm not really a matchy-matchy type of person when it comes to dressing the kids, but there are exceptions. This year for christmas a good friend gave them matching p.j.'s, only one says 'I love Mom' and the other I love Dad'. Adison is growing like a weed, and so I thought it was time to get out the jammies and see how they fit. And since they did (fit), it was time to get out Cole's as well. One of those moments that just begs for a camera.

Cole is so gentle holding her, he really is a very very sweet big brother. His adjustment has been quite effortless, or maybe since he's going through his terrible two's, we didn't notice what was being two and what was look-at-me-because-I-used-to-be-the-star-around-here. He'll sing to her when she's sad, get her passy, get a diaper for her...he is just an all around big helper. I hope his fondness for her lasts. :)

New Friend

We have a hawk who has been visiting our yard often, recently. He'll perch up on top of Cole's slide, then usually swoop down to the ground and eat something off of the ground. I am trying to get closer to him to get a better picture, so for now you have to click on the pics to get a big version to see it better. He really is beautiful, so it's fun to watch. One of the pictures is of him flying away, it's kind of hard to see. I secretly keep hoping he'll swoop down and grab some unsuspecting squirrel in his tallons.....

Let it Snow!

Well, I've been complaining for months now about how it's winter but it's in the 70's here and all I want is one snow....but last week we finally got it! It was just a dusting, but it was very pretty and gave everything a light blanket.

Cole was very excited about it, so we bundled him up and took him outside. After about 1 minute he was ready to come back inside, I'm not sure why.

The dogs, however, LOVE the snow. It's so funny because they are very prissy in cold weather. But the snow just makes them crazy. They run around full speed, come to a screeching halt and then begin eating snow like they haven't eaten in months.

Faces of Adison (11 weeks)

I can hardly believe we are almost at the 3-month mark with Adison. Time is just flying by and I'm already forgetting what a little peanut of a baby she started out as. What she has turned into is a happy, smiley, HUNGRY, and vocal little girl. She is just so much fun. I have become the person that everyone is annoyed by, making all sorts of ridiculous baby-talk to her. I try to keep it at home, as to not embarass myself. She is just so much more interactive than Cole was at this age. Or perhaps it's her personality, which is truly sunny.

For fun, check out her changes compared to "Faces of Adison" at the beginning of December.

Afro Under Control

It's no secret that Cole's hair can get pretty pouffy.
And after this last stint with a 'fro, we decided to start taking measures into our own hands. Kevin buzzes his hair, and needed some new clippers so we bought the Delux with all the attachments, and used the 1" to cut Cole's hair.

He did really well considering he typically screams and cries uncontrollably when at the Hair dresser. We promised him a chocolate afterwards, so perhaps that was the key. Here hs is during and after the cut.

Christmas

This Christmas I pretty much forgot to take pictures of our own family....but we had a blast. Cole enjoyed opening the presents for the first time so far. He also helped me wrap mine (my high wrapping standards took a hiatus this year). You can see in one picture he loved the bows.

We spent 2 days with the Spillman's in High Point, and I'm not sure who is more excited to open presents each year, all the kids....or Nana! :) It was bittersweet to be on the Spillman farm one last time. They bought a lovely house not far from where they are living now, so we look forward to creating more memories there.

The Mattix's spent a week at the beach living in the lap of luxery! Mom and Dad's gift was a roomy house on the beach during the off season and it was truly a treat. Lots of room for ALL the kids and adults to spread out and have fun. Highlights included lots of movies for the kiddies, playing pool (not me), hot tub, nerf wars, and atari games. It was a great time for all and I hated to leave.

We're so blessed to have such fun with both of our families!

Birthday Girl

I turned 32 this year! Every year I get a cake from this amazing bakery called Edible Art. The tradition is to eat cake for breakfast every morning until it's gone. I also gave a considerable chunk to my neighbor, Kelly, who's birthday is on the same day!

This year my wonderful husband gave me a little spa gift which I have yet to cash in on, but am looking forward to immensly. I got some GREAT dishes, a GREAT coffee mug, and the neatest little verse-holder to put in my sewing / play room. It was a fun day!

Faces of Adison

She is smiling up a storm these days, she just loves to be talked to which is lots of fun for us.
I was trying to capture a smile on camera yesterday, but was always a second too slow. Thankfully, Kevin came home and did the talking while I did the picture taking and we have a little grin!
Be sure to click on the last picture of Kevin and Adison to see a larger look at her little smile.

The Best of Friends

I got a treat recently when my very good friend, Dana, visited me to see Adison and help out. We met over 15 years ago on a waterslide during a church youth group outing. We clicked, and next thing you know we were pretty much inseperable for our high school years. We were talking last night about it all, and said our parents must have thanked their lucky stars for our friendship, because our idea of a good time on a friday night was a slumber party watching Elvis movies (we've been to Graceland together twice).

She was great here, being an extra pair of hands, cooking us dinner and enduring a few tantrums by Dr. No (Grammy's new name for Cole).

I'm grateful to the Lord for bringing such a special friend into my life, and grateful that after 15 years we are still close and keep in touch, "talking" daily through online chats. Kevin watched the kiddies while we went out Friday night and had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and did some window shopping at Southpoint Mall. It was so fun to just laugh and talk like a day hadn't passed since that day at the water park.

Helping Daddy

I've done posts like this I think every month, but it never stops being cute. Cole LOVES to help Kevin outside. They'll be out there together for hours. Today's project was picking up the leaves and Cole actually did a great job scooping up leaves onto his heavy shovel and putting them in the pile. :)

Peanut

I have this sling called The Peanut Shell, and it's super cozy microfleece fabric. We havent' used it much yet, but she's starting to be big enough for it, and she really likes it. It's great to to outside with Cole and keep her toasty warm. She usually falls asleep in it in a matter of minutes.

Anyway, just a picture of her all wraped up in it when I put her down for a minute. Look at those little eyes...wonder if they'll be brown?

Playing Around

I cleaned out our pantry last week, and it's not a large pantry but it's coniserably more roomy now that it's been organized. So roomy, in fact, that a 2-year-old can fit comfortably in there. I was cooking one day and Cole decided this was his new play space. He spent 30 minutes going in and out of the pantry. He'd go in, close the door, yell "I'm in the Pantry!!" , open the door, come out and say "Hi Mama! Glad you came here!" give me a hug and then repeat the sequence again.
He also added some battery powered lights to make it more cozy in there.
I took a picture and then he promptly grabbed the camera, got in the pantry and took another picture of himself.

Deck the Halls

Here are some pictures of the Chrismtas decorations at our house.

Cole had a good time helping decorate the tree, and he strategically placed alll the ornaments in a nice clump at Cole-level.

Kevin is once again master of the outside lights. My new favorite decoration is of our Moravian Star I got this year at Homewoods Nursery.

Who's Your Mama?

That's Right. I am the Mother. I am in Control (supposedly...).

This picture is a sampling of one of our daily battles as Cole moves through his 2-year-old independence streak. It's nap time, and I've started gating him in his room as a way to keep him in there. The rule is, if you're not going to sleep-- play or read quietly, but don't come out of your room. On this particular day, he'd run through all the stall-tactics, and all his little needs were met. So when he started screaming, "Mama! Mama! I NEED warm milk! I NEEEEEED warm milk!!" (which he'd already had, by the way) I simply looked at him from my bedroom and slowly closed my door. After about 20 minutes I noticed it had gotten pretty quiet so I peaked out and this is what I found.

He slept solid for 2 hours and another 30 minutes after that after I tried to get him up. I vacuumed, changed a screaming Adison in his room and he was still out. :) See? I knew he needed a nap...if he would just listen to his mother.

P.S. Mom: I'm sorry for every SINGLE time I didn't listen to you. :)

(Little) Lady in Red

Red is Grammy's favorite color, and I must admit I like it quite a bit myself. There's nothing exciting about this post, except that Adison is wearing a cute red outfit given to her by some good friends. She even has soft, furry, matching booties.

Poinsetta Paradise

Emily, Mom and I went to the opening of a local Nursery's annual poinsetta sale. It was just beautiful! It just puts you in the mood for christmas, and I didn't escape without buying two poinsettas, a Moravian star that lights up, and a small, pre-lit christmas tree for Cole & Adison's room.

It was a fun morning of girl-talk and coffee (thank to mom) and the only thing that would have made it better was if Chris and Carine could have been there too. :)

Mark It.

2:01pm

Mark that time and make a note that, miraculously, both my babies are asleep at the same time.
I can still hardly believe I am a mother of two. I'm sure all the mothers of 3, 4, and 5 are laughing at me right now. But that's fine. I find myself enjoying more of the little things with Adison. I was never one to stare into Cole's face for hours in awe. I loved him as a baby, no doubt, but I just wasn't that fluffy type of mama. I do find myself enjoying her moments more, though. And I look forward to her growing up so I can see what kind of personality she will have and I can't wait for her to be old enough to interact with Cole and see how they play together.

Aside from being 2 and bossy, Cole has been a fantastic big brother. He is eager to help, like getting her diaper and informing when Adison is crying and that I should go get her. :) Even on the rough days, there's nothing I'd rather be doing right now. Well, almost nothing.... :)

A Closer Look

I haven't been able to get that many good close-ups of Adison, so here's one for you.