FFF- Kite style

Just when I thought the Forced Family Fun was over...not so fast. We bought Nolan a kite about a month ago but the weather hasn't been very cooperative and we kept telling him that it needs to be windy in order to fly a kite. Well on Monday he went outside and realized that it was windy so we went. Little did we know how windy it was and that it was a HORRIBLE day to "blow kites" as Nolan says. When we went out to the field there was dust flying everywhere and Nolan completely had a meltdown about it. We tried to convince him it would be fun. Meanwhile, Campbell is on a blanket in the field and the blanket keeps blowing over his head and he starts crying because he's being strangled by the blanket. There were brief moments of no wind and in those few seconds Nolan seemed to have fun. This first photo pretty much sums up what he thought of the whole thing. Our kite flying lasted about 15 minutes before we packed up in the car again and he said, "I want to give my kite to someone else." Hopefully, he's not traumatized forever and will fly a kite someday.

This picture below is worth the click to enlarge to see sweet Campbell watching the kite

Dad of the Year

My husband is officially the sweetest man and best dad ever. I, on the other hand, feel like the worst mother ever. Last night, Campbell started fussing about 3:00 a.m from what I'm sure was his tummy issues. So since I had been thrown up on 3 times the night prior, I asked Justin if he would take a turn last night so I could get some more sleep.

Apparently, the diaper disaster was beyond any disaster we've ever experienced between our two boys and all over Cam and his crib. Justin calls for backup over the monitor talking directly into it so that I'll hear downstairs and come to his rescue, right? He called for me 4-5 times and even whistled over the stairs. This is my response....zzzzzzzz. I was completely out...good thing we didn't get robbed or anything. He had to give Cam a bath at 3:00 a.m. and then go take a shower himself! After he gets out, Campbell starts fussing again and by then I think Justin had his fill of Campbell for a while and makes sure that I wake up to go take a turn at 4:30. I felt so horrible. I think of myself as somewhat of a light sleeper but I guess this week of sleepless rest with a sick baby and going back to work after Spring Break finally caught up to me. Justin was a lot more understanding than I would have been. Most men would have walked into that room and walked right out. Justin is definitely a keeper.

Tummy troubles

Just when I think that things are getting easier, one of the boys throw a doozie at me. And when I say doozie I mean the tummy bug and everything that goes along with that. Last night Campbell was really going to town at dinner...yogurt, sweet potatoes, mandarin oranges and of course puffs and yogurt melts. Well I was getting ready to take him upstairs for a bath when he decided that it was so yummy that he wanted to show it to me again. It was a huge mess and all OVER me. You're not really a parent until you've been vomited on. So I guess last night I became a parent three times throughout the course of the night. I made the mistake of giving him a bottle shortly thereafter. Note to new parents (or not very smart parents like me last night): Don't give a baby a bottle shortly after they just threw up. You'll never guess what will happen.

The poor guy couldn't keep anything down-not even Pedialyte. So Justin stayed home with the boys today since I'm out of sick days after using them all up at the beginning of the year for maternity leave. I know it was the right thing to do but on days like this I feel like the worst mom leaving him and not being able to take care of him. Justin, once again, was Mr. Mom and took care of him today with good TLC. I'm crossing my fingers for more sleep tonight.

Bath buddies

We've retired the baby tub and the boys are taking baths together now. What a mess! Campbell is going to be a fish this summer at the pool! He was going crazy in the tub just splashing Nolan like he was doing it on purpose. We have to watch him really closely he starts standing up in the tub and he puts his head under the water. Scares me to death but so cute to just see water bead up on his long eyelashes. Nolan thinks it's party time with Bubba in there especially after all these years of solo baths. I have a feeling it's only going to get messier!

Girls' getaway

I finally did it. I went away on a girls' trip. I've never left the boys overnight with Justin alone, not even when it was just Nolan. I have insane mother's guilt, but I really felt like I needed a mental vacation for a few days on my Spring Break. So my friend Andrea invited me to go with her and another girl Jenny on a scrapbook weekend. Even when I'm away from my kids, I'm scrapbooking my kids! I'm such a nerd.

I had the best time ever. We went to Scrappin' Around the Corner in Denton and it was perfect for us. We watched chick flicks, listened to music and just talked. We were lucky enough to have the whole house to ourselves and scrapped like crazy. I thought I was crazy for staying up until 2:00 a.m but the other two "Super Scrappers" stayed up until 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. each night! We only left the house once to go into town to grab a bite where we met Pete (pictured below) who made one mean panini. Then we went to check out Denton's really cute town square. I got so much done and feel so empowered to get finally get caught up.

Now I understand it's healthy and wonderful to get a break and there's no reason to feel guilty about it. We're already planning our next one! Stay tuned.

Spray tan gone bad

My mom is Hispanic and having her genes you would think that I would be tan year round. Think again. I'm not a believer in over-the-counter spray tans but I have a friend, Jill, that has always has this fabulous tan and told me what she used. I emailed her right before the wedding hoping to help my out-of-control pastiness in the strapless dress I wore. She got my message late but it's a good thing she did. I would have looked like a someone with a Michael Jackson disease walking down the aisle. Right now, I look like a cross between a shepherd in a Christmas play and an Alaskan who never sees the sun. I called my friend in panic today. She answered the phone and I just said, "EMERGENCY!" Of course, she's never had this problem-only me. The things we girls do for our looks. It gives a new meaning to me being half Hispanic!

Across the alley from the Alamo...

We just got back from a fun trip to San Antonio for one of my really good friend's (Courtney) wedding. Thankfully my parents came along to help with the boys. We owe them huge on that one. I don't think we would have had a good time if it weren't for them. They were real troopers. The kids did great in the car and were mostly good for the grandparents. Although, they finally saw the no- nap-cranky side of Nolan. All these years when I call them and tell them how much he's frustrating me, they think I'm lying and can't believe that he would do some of those things. In fact, it got so bad at one point, I had to bust out the Santa Claus card I was so desperate.

We were so excited to get to see Beth and Josh and sweet little Lilly Anna. Campbell was making some major moves on her. She pushed him away. I think her daddy gave her a real stern talk about turning boys down. Most of the weekend was full of wedding plans but we managed to squeeze in the Alamo, shopping and even a River tour! Talk about exhausted though.

"Yogurt" practice

Nolan and I have been practicing saying "yogurt." I think it's so adorable that it says it wrong. For months he called helicopters, "olliegotopters" and it broke my heart when he said it right for the first time. It just reminds me how fast he's growing.

shy guy part 2

Ok, let's see if this works. Please pardon how terrible I look. I've been battling a horrible cold and this is bright and early on a Saturday morning. Just focus on his cuteness.

Shy guy

Campbell does the most adorable thing. It happens mostly when he first wakes up or when he sees you for the first time. He gets bashful and tilts his head down against your chest if you're holding him. The higher the pitch of your voice, the more he tilts his head. He really gets going at church with all the older ladies. I guess they automatically go to their high voice and he just gets as shy as can be. It's so hysterical. We tried to get it on video and we did but I can't get the video uploaded to save my life. Give me time but in the meantime, here's a picture of it.

Turn on the light

Nolan has been doing great on the potty for quite some time now but he definitely doesn't like being away from us. Last night I had a party at my house with my girlfriends and he didn't want to leave all the fun but he really needed to go "big potty". He told my sister to come turn on the light for him. She fell for it. First he told her that he needed a magazine and then he made her sit on the stool and talk to him. His poor Aunt Tonya was definitely ready for a break. She said, "That's the last time I ever turn on a light for him!"

YOURget melts

Campbell has started eating what I refer to as "baby crack". They're called Puffs and if you know any parent of a baby, you will no doubt see them in their pantry or diaper bag. It's the new Cheerio of the 21st century. Babies love them so much, that even Nolan wants to snack on them now when I'm giving them to Campbell. Probably because he vividly remembers eating bowl after bowl of them when he was a baby. Well even since we had Nolan now they've come up with a new version of baby crack called "yogurt melts." Cam loves them and Nolan is always begging for some too. They're little dried yogurt bites and they're not too bad (I've tried them myself!)

Nolan has a hard time saying yogurt and I think it's so adorable. How you can you say Brachiosaurus and not say yogurt?

Looking back...

March 7th is the due date of the baby that we lost in our first miscarriage. I remember how excited we were to go to the doctor and hear the heartbeat and the panic that struck when we didn't hear it. It was so heartbreaking and scary and if that baby would have made it he/she would have been 4. Although, I still wonder from time to time what if...I know now that if that baby would have made it, we wouldn't have Nolan today. Nolan was born six months later in September of the same year. There is no doubt in my mind that we were meant to be Nolan's parents. He absolutely has made me laugh more in the past 3 1/2 years than I ever have in my entire life. He's taught us so much and I'm so grateful for him. In the midst of the miscarriage life seemed so unfair, but now it makes complete and total sense.

Professional sports here we come...

We've been thinking about getting Nolan involved with sports this year. I played sports growing up and so did Justin so we definitely want to get him into something but we're just trying to decide which one would be the best. BUT let me say that I really don't like watching soccer. Anything with a score less of 5 most of the time bores me to tears but Justin firmly believes it's a right of passage for any boy. He loves all those other sports too though. I'm sure I'll give in but I was trying to convince Nolan to pick t-ball or basketball. I asked Nolan at dinner tonight about our options:

Me: Nolan, do you want to play soccer or do you want to play BASEBALL! or BASKETBALL! (really trying to emphasize the sports I prefer)

Nolan: I want to be an ice cream man

Good to know he thinks eating ice cream is a sport. No doubt he's my kid.

Little Botanist

On the way home after school I asked Nolan if we wanted to help me plant some flowers. I bought some this past weekend and really needed to get them planted. Here's how our conversation went:

Me: Hey do you want to help me plant some flowers when we get home?

Nolan: Yea, you need seeds first and you put them in the mud.

Me: Do you know what plants need to grow?

Nolan: WATER!

Me: Do you know what else they need to grow?

Nolan: (silence)

Me: (trying to give him a hint) It starts with an 'S'. The Sssssss.....

Nolan: SAUSAGES!

So there you have it. Plants need water, mud, and sausages to grow.

Batman

"I'm Batman Mommy." I was pretty shocked when he told me this because we've never even mentioned Batman around him. I'm pretty sure his friend Cayden at school has an equal obsession about Batman that Nolan does about Cars. He tells me this usually out of the blue just in case I forget that he has super powers. On the way home the other night, he tells his daddy, "I'm Batman Daddy." Justin the avid Batman lover that he is thinks this is pretty cool and asks if he can be Batman too and Nolan agrees that Justin's worthy of Batman material. I'm feeling a little left out and ask if I can be Batman too. "No, you're a princess, Mommy." Fine by me!

I think this stems from a recently discovered muscle fascination. My mom and grandma would play their infamous trick of reverse psychology on me as a little girl. They would tell me not to eat my carrots because then I would make my eyes sparkly and my hair shiny. Worked like a charm every time even if I gagged a few times. So I mention to Nolan how broccoli gives him muscles and he totally eats it up. Now unfortunately for us, he flexes his muscles after every bite and we have to feel his muscles and talk about how big they're getting. It makes for a long meal time but hey my kid is eating broccoli! Yes, Nolan...you know the kid that survived off snacks for two years of his life. If you would have told me that a year ago, I would have called you a liar!

Jammies

I don't know what it is about my kids in pajamas that makes me just want to snuggle them. The worst ones are those sleepers with the feet in them. Campbell better just be ready for some loving when he has on one of those. I couldn't help but get the boys a pair of matching pajamas. In fact, I've been a little guilty of coordinating a lot of their outfits for this summer. I don't know what I would do if I had twins! They'll probably hate me for it when they get older but for now, I have the say! Or as Nolan says, "Mommies and daddies are the bosses." Like I said, smart kid.