Thanksgiving Take 2

 Today we celebrated with my family, and since Momma was feeling better there are pictures to show for it.  It is always so much fun to get together as a family and today was no exception.  Since we didn't celebrate on the actual Thanksgiving day everyone was able to arrive early and spend as much time as they wanted since there weren't other dinners to attend.  It was nice.

Great Aunt Carm took some time out of cooking to snuggle with sweet Baby Jack.

 Of course everyone else wanted to snuggle with Jack a bit too - including Great Uncle Vince,

 and cousin Tony - AKA The Godfather.

 

Great, Great Uncle Sam had to get in on the picture action too.  He looks pretty good for 93.  Jack thought his ears were pretty interesting.

As usual the boys were a great source of entertainment for everyone. Max played hide and seek with anyone willing to play the role of seeker - which I think was just about everyone in the family member present.  He did such a good job of hiding that I didn't get any pictures of it.  Will took a great nap then enjoyed his Thanksgiving dinner and some snuggles with Nonna.

We have so much to be Thankful for today and everyday!

Seven Months Old

 

Look whose seven months old today!  Mr. Fancy Pants - I really love this onsie, it is just adorable. 

So what has our beautiful seven month old been up to?  A whole lot actually.  He is now the proud owner of six teeth, with one more just about through.  It is actually pretty funny  - he has three teeth on the top, but the center one isn't through.  He looks a bit like Max with his gap tooth grin.

Jack has become a pro at eating foods - well baby food at least.  He loves pretty much everything we have tried except green beans.  I think peaches are his favorite. 

Pat a cake has become his favorite new game.  He just giggles and smiles like crazy every time I sing it.  He is even attempting to clap on his own to initiate the game - although he usually isn't too successful.

 

He had lots of fun snuggling on the couch with Daddy today.   He recognizes all of his family members and he gets so excited when someone he knows comes into his line of sight. 

Our littlest man is just the most content little guy a momma could ask for.  He loves to sit on the carpet and play with his toys.  It is especially nice now that he has perfect leaning for a toy and getting back up without falling over.  Along with those teeth has come a whole lot of drool and even more toys in the mouth. 

I feel like I repeat myself every month, maybe because I do, but I just can't get over how quickly he is growing up.  This first year is just such an amazing time of growth and development.  I'm so thankful that I get to be home with him each day to see all of the changes first hand.

Thankful

I'm so thankful for these three crazy little turkeys.  They make me laugh and smile even when I don't think I have it in me.  Thanksgiving was a bit rough this year - Momma was at urgent care testing positive for strep throat at 8am.  Needless to say I didn't get to participate in the days festivities.  Daddy took all three boys over to Grandma and Grandpa's house so that they could celebrate.  No momma means no pictures of the fun - but I'm sure they had a whole lot of it.  After all the cousins were in town.  Momma's feeling much better now and we are excited to celebrate with my family tomorrow. 

Gardenland Express 2013

This has become one of my favorite holiday traditions.   For the past three years we have taken a bit of time out the day before Thanksgiving to head over to the Missouri Botanical Garden's for their gardenland express train exhibit.  This year was even more fun because Daddy was off work and our good friend Bev joined us.

 

As in years past, there is a scavenger hunt that accompanies the exhibit and gives the kids something to work on.  Max was immediately a man on a mission.  This years theme was all about the foods we get from plants.  The kids were able to see grapefruit, kumquat, and lime trees on display, although I think they were just more excited about the trains.

 

 Will always wants to be just like big brother, so he had to get in on the scavenger hunt action as well.  The look of sheer wonder on his face when he found one of the items on his list was just priceless.

 

Jack enjoyed taking in the views as well.  He hung out in the ergo and just looked around in awe - until he fell asleep that is.  Which is understandable, after all I did mess with his nap to make this outing happen. 

 

The boys were good sports and explored for about thirty minutes or so before they were done. Here poor Will just really wants to take some pictures, rather than being in them.  His sad little face is just too cute.

 

I'm excited to celebrate the holiday with the Dull clan tomorrow. Max and Will can't wait to see their cousins - and the rest of the family too, of course. 

Boys + Leaves

The boys had a great time on the walk home from the school bus today.  The weather was beautiful and there were leaves to jump in.   I couldn't get them to stand still but this picture just looks like pure joy to me.  Oh, and it was pajama day in kindergarten :)

Happy Jack

 

 What a difference a week makes!  Last week Jack and I visited a pediatric sleep clinic and we came up with a plan to turn no nap Jack into loves to nap Jack.  We put the plan in place last Friday and I have to say it has been a total life saver.  No more glossed over, sleep deprived looks from this guy.  He is nothing but smiles and giggles.  And I love it!  The plan has been really easy to implement - there have been very few tears.  He goes down like a dream for naps and bedtime. 

He has also perfected his ability to sit on his own.  I think this is one of my very favorite milestones.  He seems like such a big boy sitting up and playing with his toys!  Such a joy to watch him grow!

Soccer Star

Max just finished up his most recent session of soccer at our local community center.  This was his third session and I have to say that I'm really impressed with how much his skills have improved.  He does a great job of anticipating where the ball will be and he tries to get there to be ready.  He also is really good at kicking it out of bounds :) 

The usual coach wasn't able to make it to the game yesterday so another dad helped out.  Brian helped a bit too, so  of course Will had to be out there.  It was fun to watch my three biggest boys play out there.  It was crazy cold though thanks to the wind.  About halfway through the game the little boys and I headed to the car to watch the rest of the game without the wind blowing.  All in all it was a great season and Max had so much fun - which is the most important thing of all. 

Jack's First Meal

So it was time.  Time for this sweet little baby to have something other than milk.  My baby is growing up too fast.  We brought up the high chair and Jack was all excited to sit up like a big boy in his new chair.  I think he knew something was up.  I can't get over his cute little hair.  My mom refers to it as 'chicken' hair, because it's just so fluffy and sticks straight up.  I just think it is adorable.  

 

 

The big brothers were all excited for Jack to have his first meal.  Max wanted in on the action, so he posed with Jack before the big event.

While the big brothers were all excited about Jack trying food, Jack wasn't too sure about it.  This was pretty much the face he made after every bite - but before the food came back out, and it pretty much all came right back out.  Maybe he isn't a fan of squash.

 

With a little encouragement from Will Jack did keep a little bit of his goodies down. 

 

 

Jack wasn't too fond of his first meal, I'm really hoping he begins to enjoy foods more.  I'll have to try something a little bit more exciting soon.