Labor Day Weekend: How we love Thee!

After a VERY fun summer of projects (decks, radiator covers, babies’ new rooms, cribs, etc.) and vacations (Lake Anna, Birmingham, Emerald Isle, etc.), we decided that we needed a “Family Weekend” at home for Labor Day Weekend.  We were excited because Daddy’s team won a contest at work, and he got to come home extra early on Friday!!  Hoorah!  We had a great time this past weekend!  The boys LOVED their time with Daddy, and woke up running around the house looking for him today.  I thought Hudson might cry when he could not find him . . . I tried to warn them about this . . . Daddy going back to work is very sad for us all. 

We started our weekend with our normal routine:  Breakfast, William insisting on everyone wearing “apans” (aprons), and doing the dishes:

The apron-wearing hornet:

The serious cook . . .

The boys are really into “Helpin’” right now.  Here, they are helpin’ Daddy do the dishes!    

One lesson from Daddy:  Wooden fruit does not go into the dishwasher.  (PS:  The pink and green floral apron looks great on Daddy, doesn’t it?) 

After our morning of apron wearing, we switched gears and went “boo-berry picking” . . . Such fun!  There is a farm here, called Swift Creek Berry Farm and they still have LOTS of DELICIOUS berries!  If you are looking for something fun to do in the next week or so, it is definitely worth the trip (even if you freeze your berries, $2.09/lb seems like a deal to me!)     

It was a tad of a challenge to NOT pick rocks and to pick berries instead!  This picture is a perfect example of why I need a stroller that seats 3 children!  These boys cannot be trusted to walk through any area (parking lot, field, driveway, sidewalk, etc.) without having a spontaneous stop for a neat rock or stick!

Ready to go!  (these boys LOVE buckets!)

There were so many yummy berries ripe for the pickin’!  I love these two pictures!

Here, Hudson is trying to show me all of the berries that are in his mouth, but he was facing away from the camera!    

My boys:  hard at work and deep in a boo-berry bush!

 

This is another of my favorites . . . 

W was a meticulous berry picker.  He carried his bucket with him the entire time, and he did a great job of putting the berries into the bucket while only stopping to eat a few . . . his temptation was wanting to “mix mix mix” the berries . . . whoops!   

Hudson did a great job picking as well, but he would shovel the berries into his mouth before getting anywhere near the basket . . . we feel certain that we got a great deal on the berries because we know Hudson ate at least as many as we picked!! 

W was especially fond of picking the “orange” (pinkish?) unripened berries . . .  

the “teeeeeeeeeeeny tiny ones!”

Both boys have been into “runnin’” lately.  Hudson wakes in the morning and says “Run, Mommy!  Runnin’, runnin’!” . . . and, this was a great place for him to run . . . he loved it!

AND, he found this great treasure!

Our yummy loot . . .

 

oh, my heart!

Can you see the berries smooshed on his rear?

And . . . the flags . . . who knew the berry farm would have so many attractions!  berries!  rocks!  flags!

 

and, plenty of space for runnin’!

Please make note of this babe’s running stance . . . it helps with aerodynamics, we’re told . . . 

Oh, three day weekend, how we love thee! 

More to come!

21 Months and 32 Weeks

Somehow, I feel caught between a world where we are “surviving” each day and a world where life and time are just FLYING BY!  My babies, today, turned 21 months.  I CANNOT BELIEVE IT.  And, I cannot even utter the three-letter-word that will become them in three short months.  It just makes me shocked . . . and want to cry (hormones, people!)  These boys are so busy but are just precious . . . William spontaneously tells me that I am “pretty” . . . “oh!  pretty, mommy!  mommy, pretty!”  . . . like, when I wear an apron or when I am at the doctor with him and wearing a hospital gown.  (Other pretty things from this week:  A truck on the side of the road, Hudson, and Sugie!)  I have to say, too, that William kissed my tummy today out of his own initiative.  So cute!  Today, Hudson was so on cue with his manners in his sweet voice that I wanted to squeeze him every time he said please or thank you.  He must have thanked me for dinner and other various things about 15 times in a 45 minute period.  And, anytime anything pink or tiny appears in our house, Hudson automatically says “Anna, Anna.”  OH, so precious!

In addition to my monkeys growing up so quickly. Baby Anna is also growing!  We talked our way into an extra ultrasound, and we were thrilled to find out that Anna is a) still not twins, b) still a girl, and c) (and most importantly) growing and doing very well!  She is weighing in at a little more than 4lbs, which is right on target for her “age.”  We were able to see her heart pumping (which amazes me every time), five teeny toes on what seems to be a chunky foot (like her brothers, perhaps?), a tiny bit of peach fuzz on her head, and we watched her grasp both of her hands together!  They think that she will be somewhere between 6 and 7 pounds . . . personally, I will think it is HYSTERICAL if Anna ends up weighing less than Hudson did at birth!  Time will tell!  It seems that we are right on schedule for our newest big day . . . October 18!

(note:  I was ridiculously tired in this picture!)

Yesterday, we were quite busy, but we managed to grab lunch at a new Chick Fil A nearby.  And, the cow was there.  You would have thought we were meeting someone famous.  Both boys SQUEALED through lunch and every time the cow even “glanced” their way (which, you can imagine how a gigantic cow might “glance” . . . or just be standing facing your general direction!)  Hudson could not get close enough to the cow;  William, on the other hand, was talking a mile a minute about the cow, but he wanted the cow to stay a good distance apart from him.  Hilarious!

High Fives!

Hugs!!

And, a few pictures remaining from August to share . . .

We are still LOVING our kitchen, and we wear our aprons EVERY SINGLE DAY.  More than once, I have been cooerced into wearing an apron, even when I do not need to wear one!  Hudson wears one of my aprons for the time being  . . . ha ha!  We are in desperate need of more wooden veggies, fruit, and food . . . BIG hits around here! Snack time rascals!  (please make note of the hair and the cheeks)     

love love love!

To the office we go . . .

Due to all of the “working” on the deck and Daddy also “working” during the week, we’ve had to be more specific with the boys about where Daddy is working . . . they now know that most days, Daddy is at work at the office!  In late July we decided to take a life-lesson field trip so that the babies could see Daddy’s office (Daddy is a recruiter at People Solutions—need to hire someone for your company?!), and see where he works.  They had a great time, and I’m sure they interrupted everyone’s professional agendas due to their inability to control their sweet BIG voices!  Here they are:

Exploring the chair . . . (william did wear Hatch’s headset for about 10 seconds . . . hilarious!)

Hi.  I am Hudson.  How may I help you?

Several times a day, the boys will say to me “Bye Bye, Mommy”!  I always tell them “bye” and ask where they are going . . . William, without fail, is ALWAYS going to the office.  Then he mumbles something about Daddy.  Hudson’s trips vary depending on his day and mood, but William never diverges from his plan to go to the office!

Here the boys are getting read for a big trip . . . (please excuse the lack of pants on this child . . . you can chalk that up to mama being lazy)

William, going to the office . . .

Enjoying the ride!

It’s all fun and games until someone gets hungry . . . here, Hudson is literally yelling “EAT!  EAAAAAAAT!”  :)  (More pictures from our dinner on the deck to come later)

And, I somehow neglected to post these pictures.  The night before our beach trip, Baby Cousin Charlie came and stayed with us.  We decided to go on a walk with all of the boys (and my large pregnant self) to see if we could make strangers think we were crazy people . . . 3 boys and one on the way!?! 

We had a great time!  Baby Charlie is especially fond of his Uncle Hatch!

And, who wouldn’t be fond of Hatch if you can just snooze right on him while he walks you around?

So sweet!  I just love this baby!

More to come . . .

Big Time: Big Boys in a New Room!

This weekend was our big weekend for moving the boys into their new, big boy room!  In reality, I think that this is Big Boy Room Version 1.  Big Boy Room Version 2 will come later . . . once the monkeys have decided to hurdle out of their beds.  For now, we love containment and we discourage that kind of independence!  Before we entered into the Big Boy Room, we had to say our farewells to the nursery!

  

This picture is one of my favorites, because it is a “life as we know it” shot . . . this was always our view of their room when we first opened the nursery door in the morning, when one of us would try to shower while the monkeys were awake, or when we would be walking down the hallway . . . they were perfectly positioned to peer out the door and hollar down the hall at us!  

BIG boy on his changing table . . . (which, by the way, is a pregnant woman’s best friend!  No one can kick me in the stomach if they are laying in front of me on a changing table!)

In the last 3 weeks or so, the boys have asked to be rocked after their naps and before bed.  It is so sweet . . . I just love it.  “Rock, rock, Mommy.  Rock, rock!”

For anyone who may be moving their children to a Big Boy Room while pregnant, my advice to you is this:  Do it in your 2nd trimester when you have loads of energy and are not a crazy ball of emotions!  Moving the boys has been such an emotional thing for me, but we are THRILLED to have them in their new room!  Hatch did an amazing job pulling everything together this weekend.  (As you know, I do a lot of pointing and brainstorming and less of the actual “working.”  :) 

And, now PRESENTING . . .

Don’t let their smiles fool you!  While the boys do love the extra space in their room to “pway” (play) and spin, there here have been many tears in this new room, mainly from Mr. Hudson.  Sleeping in a new place is hard on that little man!  After a rough night last night and a wild nap-less afternoon for all of us, we have HIGH hopes for tonight! 

William, on the other hand, had the following conversation with me today:

me:  William, do you love your new room?

W:  yessssssssssss.

me:  What do you love about it?

W:  New room.  New bed.  (not a new bed, but okay!)  Paci.  Lovie.  Christopher.

me:  You mean, Zebra Christopher*?

W:  yessssssssss.

(*Zebra Christopher is the zebra that Unkie brought back from his trip to Africa.  We’re not huge on stuffed animals around here, but this one is a favorite . . . it lives in W’s bed along with the purple pool-toy octopus that Lawaaaaaaa gave him!)

The view from the door, Take 1:  (I had to put their baby pictures and toes up on the wall . . . I could not help myself!  Really, I hung one.  Hatch hung two.  I helped . . . sort of!)

View from the door, Take 2:

View from the door, Take 3:  (excuse the bad photography!)

Come and see us!  Nighty Night!

  . . . Now, onto the nursery for Baby Anna, who is likely to be here in about 7 weeks (AHH!) . . .