Jay, Eli, and June!

Jay, Eli, and June!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Christmas Time!

Excited about seeing all of the decorations!

Putting together his nativity set

He says that baby Jesus is in the "barn" when we ask about him

100% shatterproof ornaments in this house for the next several years. :)

He actually was very careful when handling the ornaments....a complete turn around from last year.

ALL of the santas had to be on the same limb and he demanded that they stay together...
 
I should have known putting my Christmas village within his reach was a bad idea...

While I was cooking supper Jay thought he should unload my pantry to help decorate....

This child will make anything into a microphone!

"Jay, I need that back!"  He replied, "no, you can just get some more at the store, mama"

We actually had to have a conversation about why I was not going to the store for more plastic wrap and how he WAS going to give it back to me.

We babysat Joshua for a few hours the other night. The boys had a ball. Wes and I had second thoughts about having two boys. :)

I asked Wes, "are you ready for two?" and he said, "as long as you don't go anywhere"   There goes my plan for a year long vacation next year.

Driving Mario Kart....Jay loves to crash...Wes is having a hard time explaining that is not exactly the point.

"Little Wes", just in case you needed more proof that they look exactly alike!

Wes convinced me to let them get a Wii by explaining how it has made him a better eye surgeon because it improves eye hand coordination and dexterity.   Seriously, he thought I'd believe that???

I was tired and ungroomed but this is another picture of growing Eli...at 36 1/2 weeks

And, of course, with our other growing boy cheezing. :)

Kissing baby brother
These are the pictures from the week. We are packing up to head to Helen for Thanksgiving so I will keep this short. As far as updates...
Eli is getting big....he has taken over all of the space I have and he is still pushing and prodding for more.  We had an ultrasound last week to check his weight.....they said he weighs 6 lbs 4 oz. Which makes him an 8 1/2 pound baby by the due date.....it was not in my plan to push out a baby over a pound bigger than what Jay was.....so I have been pouting this week.....and blaming Wes because he was a big baby too. Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful that he is healthy and growing baby but I do hope the u/s was just a little bit off. Call me crazy but it just doesn't thrill me to imagine an average sized baby coming out of me in a few weeks....much less a big baby!  So I have decided, in light of my overall morale as I go into labor, that I am going to forget the possibility of an 8 1/2 pounder and just pretend that he is no more than 7lbs....whatever I find out after the fact is fine but I'd rather not know going in. :)

Other than me and my fear of childbirth, not much is going on. I remember being scared to death with Jay as his due date approached and I thought, "at least with my next child I won't be scared since I'll know what to expect."  Haha!  The fact that I know what will happen is making me even more scared this time around!  But I will stop talking about my dramatic issues and just say that we are soooooo excited about Eli getting here soon!  I have four stockings hanging in my living room and every time I look up at them I smile. We can't wait to see his face (Wes thinks he will look just like Jay) and hold a sweet little newborn in our arms again. And I can't wait to see Jay as a big brother. He has been saying that he is going to be my "helper" when Eli comes which just melts my heart. I know a transition is inevitable but I also know that Jay will love and protect his baby brother for the rest of his life. And, as Eli grows, we will get to watch our little baby turn into a boy with his own personality and character, just as we have with Jay. We absolutely could not be more grateful that God has chosen to bless us with another precious boy!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

What's going on with us...

Jay and Wes are currently entertained racing cars on mariocart so I am going to try to update you all on the last few months.

We have been so busy since I started back with clinicals and Wes, as usual, has had long hours at the VA since Sept. I have enjoyed working again but it has occurred to me this week that I have done nothing to get ready for Eli because I kept saying, "I'll work on that after clinicals are over" and now it's five weeks away!  Of course, all of the necessities are here since we used Jay's old stuff but I  have little things to get and a lot of organizing/decorating to do before he comes. I am keeping Jay in school 3 days a week until Dec 8th which means I will have several days all to myself to be productive....unless my hugely preggo self decides to just lay on the couch and watch movies all day. :) 

I have a doctors appt on Tues and they are doing an ultrasound just to check on Eli's weight...the doctor isn't worried but she just wants to make sure everything is on track. I have been measuring a little smaller than is expected but I did that with Jay too so I'm not concerned.....honestly, and selfishly, I am more worried about a big baby to push out than a small one! :)  And I am excited about seeing him again, of course!

Wes had Friday off for Veteran's day and we are enjoying this long weekend to just hang out and get a few things done around the house. He was planning to take Jay on their first camping trip last night but we had a cold front come in and it dropped to 31 degrees so that was cancelled. Wes was disappointed....and I was also because that meant my quiet night alone with a good chick flick wasn't going to happen. So instead, I have put Wes to work with little projects for the boys. I said to him last night after he had completed the "honey do list", "aren't you glad you got to stay home and work on your day off instead of play in the woods?"  I didn't get a response.

Now on to Jay. He is getting taller, smarter, and bossier every day. We have had MANY power struggles but I think Jay is starting to entertain the idea that, maybe, just maybe, he isn't the one in charge. And as most families go, Wes is able to get him in shape a lot quicker than I am. I just can't seem to stay firm on the discipline thing like Wes can....Jay knows exactly how to react to get my heart to soften and give up. Which is why I am so thankful for Daddys and their ability to stay firm with very manipulative children!

Milestones are more difficult to describe lately since he isn't learning "new" skills but just enhancing the ones he has. Talking more, figuring things out faster, asking more "advanced" questions (as far as a child goes anyway), and physically able to do more and more. It seemed like in one day he went from a small toddler who still needed a lot of guidance to a big boy who helps me a lot with things in the house. I will forget where I put something and he can usually go find it. He cleans up (when he is in a cooperative mood, of course) and helps me pick up the house during the day. And is great at helping me off the floor (seriously), picking things up when I drop them, and bringing things to me when I am tired. While his demanding personality makes being pregnant much more exhausting this time around, there are a lot of things that are really nice about having a little "assistant" under my feet all day long. :)

We are getting ready to go to the store and later, the zoo, so I will end here. I will try to put more updates up over the next month as we get ready to meet little Eli!!!

Getting ready for trick or treating!

This is his firehose as you saw in the video

Checking out the monster in our neighbors yard...

He was even brave enough to touch its hand...

We had to visit Joshua also, sporting Jay's old costume....cute boys!

I was afraid the lifelike displays in the yards would scare him, while he was cautious, he went up to each of them and said, "look at that monster crawling out of the ground, mama!"

He was very impressed with the smoke and, since he was a fireman, decided that he needed to put  out the fire!

"There's a bunch of smoke in that yard, Daddy!"

These two ended up talking to each other every time they passed in the street....

Going to the next house

Coming back to the car. Jay did not want to leave, we had to take him home crying, "no go home!  need to go to the next house! need to see more monsters!"

33 1/2 weeks!

This was a week and a half ago and I already need an updated picture as I am bigger every day. Wes laughs at me every morning that he wakes up and sees me getting dressed. After a mean look he swears he is just laughing because, "you are just so cute!"....yea right.

My big boy joining me for a picture.

Talking to Papa and Mama Ross the other night...he talked for 45min straight about who knows what.....Wes and I were enjoying the break. :)

He asked them to, "come see me at my house?" at least five times....so sweet.

Going to church the other day I had to get this cute outfit on camera...Katie and Larry gave it to him last year and it is perfect for fall!

That is his gun, by the way.....he had to "go shoot the monsters"

I thought a picture by the pumpkin would be cute but he kept talking while he smiled....imagine that...him talking too much!

Listening to "baby brother's heart"

Jay was performing at Best Buy while Wes shopped. When he came over and saw him he said, "I should have known 'Richard' would be over here"

The only thing that got him to leave was saying, "ok jay, let's go to Target now".....he said, "Target, yea!" (that's my boy) :)

Until he spotted the shot guns....

He had no idea that he didn't shoot a single animal. Every time they ran/flew off screen he would yell, "I got it, mama!"

Focused on the hunt

Here is his new bedding!  I love it because it is a construction/tool theme which is what his nursery was. So all of Papa Curtis' old tools are still displayed around the room and look great with his new bed.

Jay loves it, he calls it "my construction bed"


Sunday, November 6, 2011

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Georgia Trip

These are some pictures from Jay's trip to south Georgia a few weeks ago. We have been super busy this month and I know I have been a slacker at blogging. I will just post these and try to do a complete update with ones I've taken (including our trick or treating extravaganza!) soon. I only have this week and next of clinical and my schedule should be lighter, thank goodness!!

Brooks, Jay, and Papa Tim

Tickle fight with Papa!

These crazy boys had a ball playing that night!

Driving firetruck at Papa and Mama Ross'

Right up his alley...


He thought it was even more fun when Mama Ross hopped on the firetruck with him!

Walking around the Agirama. Jay is dying to go back!

Taking a break at the old house that Wes' great grandfather was born (I think) or someone in the Ross family.

Checking out an old barn that belonged to the Ross family

Feeding the mule

Shucking corn

Amazed at the farmer working with the corn!

Jay was in awe over the well, he could not stop looking in it.

Helping Papa pull up water

Listening to the "farmer" talk about making grits

Jay got to grind his own bag of grits. We had them that night for supper and they were delicious!

"I'm just workin'" Jay told me when I took this picture

Doesn't like the smell of pine tar, apparently

Laughing with Papa

he was working again, so serious


We had to drive the tractor before we left!


He kept wanting to ride the horses...and kept touching their noses

Ringing the bell on the choo choo!



Thumbs up!  This was his new signal for answering us that week.

Focused on something?

Papa had to carry him out, he was "too tired" to walk.
Sitting in the parking lot after we got to the Agirama...ready to go!

Checking out the "choo choo track"

In Valdosta now, sliding down to Mimi!

Soooo fun, he only wanted the big slides though

And convinced his Mimi to go down with him...haha

Only the 100th or so time....

Laughing at silly Mimi trying to get up. I'm just glad I had the excuse of a giant belly preventing me from joining in the "fun" :)
climbing up the ladder for more!