30 Weeks Old

How have so many weeks passed since I gave birth to Hunter? I can still remember being in the delivery room and making jokes about needing to deliver before midnight so he could be a leap year baby. He didn't give us any scares during labor or delivery like his sister did and it was relatively painless - unless I think about the contractions! He's made such a difference in our lives in such a short time and we love him more and more every day.

He loves the dogs! And the dogs love him!

Motherhood Is...{39}

Puzzling

In a fun way and in a not so fun way. It's fun to work puzzles with the kids and show them how to work things out, but it can also be stressful in a way that you're always trying to figure things out and piece things together in regards to life. To watch Eden pick pieces and place them in her puzzle is amazing. She stands and works and works and works to figure them out. I love that it teaches her patience {because I'm not always the best "lead-by-example" for this lesson in life!} She's got to take it slow and easy, look at all the pieces she's got and make a decision based on what she's got - hey, maybe I should take a lesson from her! Hunter is also getting into puzzles. My guess it's because they're always out and about since Eden is playing with them more often these days. Either way, he's enjoying that they're out and it's giving him some great practice too. He's starting to master the pincer grasp with his finger and thumb, so the pegs on some of the puzzles gives him great practice with this. To watch your kids grow and thrive is amazing. The rate at which they learn is just spectacular! It's almost like I can see the gears turning in their heads sometimes. I'm sure it's the same for them looking at me - what punishment is acceptable for certain behaviors, what do we need at the grocery store, what's for dinner, how did this mess get here and who's going to clean it up...it's all so puzzling!

New Phone

It was just over a year ago that we got new phones. We loved them, but then everyone started raging about how awesome their iPhones were. Lane got an iPad because he could use it for work and I guess he just fell in love with Apple at that point. He called me up one day this week and said, "I have a surprise for you, you can come get it or I'll bring it to you after I get off work." Well, he wasn't getting off work until 11 that night and I just couldn't wait that long! My first fear was announcement that he was going on an upcoming deployment...I wasn't going to be happy about that. He quickly told me that it was nothing like that and the surprise really was for ME! Well, I'm the proud new owner of an iPhone and I'm loving it.

I tell you this to {brag about Lane} and say I'm lacking in my pictures this week. I took them...but I don't have service on my old phone so I can't send them to my email like I usually do. I'm sure I have a cord somewhere and I can upload them to the computer that way, but I'd have to go searching, and I've got much more on my plate right now, so you're only getting 2 pictures this week {in addition to Hunters' weekly and monthly pictures! They'll probably come in one post again.}

September 28 - Eden smiling so I can play with my phone!

September 29 - I told you I was excited about fall being here! Lane's sister has a hurricane vase like this and I've always loved it. I'm excited to have stumbled across one. I have no words for the excitement of changing the candy corn out and making it into a focal point on my table that's in the kitchen!!!!

Fall!

Fall is here and that means I'm obsessed with everything pumpkin! I do wish it was a little cooler, but at least it isn't 90 degrees anymore! Well, not today at least...That is one down side about living in SoCal, we don't get seasons. Man I do wish it was slightly cooler, but I'll take what I can get - an iced pumpkin late from Starbucks...oh, and my cool new decoration for my house!

I had these blocks of wood laying around {from the "boxes" in the bathrooms} and I decided to take some spray paint to them and make a fall decoration. I love everything fall and I love that I can look at them and pretend that it's cool outside!

 I painted the one side with orange and yellow {I had both here already} to give it a softer look. I thought the bright orange was too harsh for a simple fall look. I had a paint pen, so I wrote "give thanks always" on the pieces of wood. I think I actually want them to say "always give thanks" now that I've made them.

 Eden loves them and has finally stopped messing with them.

When they're turned around they say "BOO" and I kept them the bright orange because it was perfect for Halloween! I had the feather boa left over from when I made my flight suit for the flight suit formal this summer, so I just wrapped it around the bottom to give it a little something. I'm excited to be able to celebrate fall in the warmth of SoCal while I pretend I'm in the cool crisp weather on the east coast!

So Far

I'm so far behind on my running goal of 300 miles before the end of the year. There are only 98 days left in the year {I have a countdown on my phone} and I've only gone just over 100 miles for the year. Let me remind you - in my first month of going for my goal I ran 64 miles and I was so far ahead. Wow, I ran more than half of what I've run year to date in one month alone! I am now at a point that I have to run about 2 miles a day...every day...for the remaining days of the year. I'm not going to quit. I will accomplish this, and I will do it with a smile on my face!

I have a 5k to run in November, and I think I might try to schedule other runs before the end of the year so I have something to work towards. In June of next year I'm running a half marathon with a friend. I will do it. I can do it. I will not quit...

Motherhood Is...{38}

Caring

Before we left Georgia, both kids and I came down with icky snotty noses and a sore throat. It was no fun, but we've all luckily recovered from it. The kids' noses were runny forever after we got home, so there was a lot of wiping noses and tylenol before bed in order to get a decent nights sleep. Both kids seem to be on the mend now. Everyone is sleeping well without tylenol and life seems to be "normal" again - whatever that may be! While we were coming off the cold, Eden was taking care of everyone to help me out. She would wipe Hunter's nose, her nose, and obviously Nugget's nose too! She was a big helper in announcing when Hunter had snot, when she had a "bubble booger" or when she just plain ol' needed medicine. When she sat down with Nugget she asked him to blow, and when he didn't she said to him, "ok, let's try this again. Blow!" and I think at this point he got tired of her and walked away from her. I'm glad to see that my caring nature is flowing through her too. She's such a "mommy" and enjoys taking care of Hunter and the dogs - when she's not too busy rejecting my ideas or opinions! {And do you notice the hair?! No more mullet!!!!}

29 Weeks Old

We were in the airport for Hunter's 27 week pictures, and then getting back into the swing of real life again, I  let his pictures slip my mind! I did pictures in his diaper this week because we went up a size. He's officially in a "cruisers" diaper because he's officially cruising! How did it happen so quickly? Seriously, Lane left to go around the world {I'm going to try to get those pictures up this weekend!} and Hunter wasn't crawling and he wasn't able to sit up on his own. Well, before we even went to Georgia {so, before a week had passed} Hunter was able to go from laying to sitting. He did it just a few times and it almost seemed like he didn't realize what he was doing, and then all of a sudden...Yep, you guessed it! He's been laying down and sitting up all the time! He falls from sitting, he gets back up. He doesn't even seem to be too startled by the fall, which is good. Hunter is on the move, and he's fast! He's doing a true crawl now and he's putting one hand in front of the other. Let me tell you...he's quick! His toes are actually scraped up a little bit because he's now crawling around outside on the sidewalk. He just wants to move!

Just the other day he started pulling up on things. He's much better at pulling up to stand if the object is at his chest level while he's sitting. He isn't super if he's trying to pull himself up on something that is taller than him while he's sitting. Unfortunately for us, this means that the stairs are a perfect height. He hasn't mastered climbing, just pulling up, but knowing Hunter, I'll find him at the top of the stairs tomorrow and have no idea how it happened!

Lane and I have said many, many, MANY times this week, "I don't remember Eden being like that," with regards to so much - toys, food, emotions, anything! It is so true that kids are so different from each other. Hunter is going through a mommy-phase and wants to be the center of attention, and Eden never cared if I walked out of the room. Hunter seems to play with toys and not just let them be among him in the room like Eden did. Hunter doesn't seem to concentrate on picking things up and you could almost see the wheels turning when Eden used her fine motor skills to pick things up. Hunter loves to slam things down. He pulls his arm up straight over his head and then slams it on the floor/table/tray in front of him. Everything goes into his mouth! When I say everything, I mean every-thing! Dirt, grass, toys, dogs, shoes, everything! Eden wasn't that bad with this! 

Hunter has started eating more foods and I've been able to make them, just like I did with Eden. So far we've tried apples, carrots, avocado, green beans, and squash. He's also had both rice and oatmeal. He seems to like everything except rice cereal so far. He's a huge fan of puffs {sweet potato, banana, banana/peach} and mum mums {original and banana} and now gets an afternoon snack when he gets up from his nap. He still nurses about 5 times a day and is no longer waking up during the night. He's dropped his 2am feeding {a while ago actually} and will wake up anywhere from 5-7 to nurse and I put him back to bed. Depending on when he nursed he gets up between 8 and 9. I'm loving this schedule he's created for himself! 

Hunter loves giving kisses now-a-days. He grabs the side of my face and comes at me with an open mouth! I love these kisses, but love them even more when there's no snot involved. As I'm typing this, Hunter crawled up to Ginger with an open mouth and gave her kisses. We still have no signs of teeth yet, so we'll have to be on the lookout!

Now that I've written a novel to catch you up, enjoy some of his pictures! He's sitting like a big boy now!!!!

He didn't pull up on his own here, but he did stand strong and long enough so I could capture it on camera for proof!

Update

We've been home for over a week, and Lane has been home for a little over a week. I've let the housework slip, and I've contributed to the deconstruction in our house. This means that every pile of everything is just building up. The grass is growing, the tile is piling up, the laundry is growing by leaps and bounds, and there's a longer than ever to do list around here. The number of pictures have also grown in my phone, and I'm here to share them with you now!

September 12 - Hunter is trying to get on a schedule. He's supposed to take an evening nap before dinner around 7...he didn't want to, so I let him watch a show with Eden.

September 23 - Sneak Peek at the hallway bathroom! The tile is down and sealed, so now I have to paint and Lane needs to take out the box around the lighting. We're in the home stretch!

September 13 - The rug and trash can from the bathroom.

September 13 - Big boy in the bath! No more seat for him, he leans forward and wants to splash too much.

September 13 - Eden and "Dottie" her dog. This is the first animal that she's named on her own. She has "Pink  Bear," "Brown Bear," " Special Bear," and "Baby," but no animal/baby doll has been given a true name by Eden before Dottie!

September 13 - Hunter hanging out at the playground while we waited for Daddy to get home from his around the world trip.

September 14 - Hunter is pulling up on the stairs! Help us all! I'm sure he'll be at the top sooner than later.

September 15 - Eden is coloring a picture for Parker. She kind of broke his heart by playing hard to get when we were in GA, so this is her "I'm sorry" paper for him!

September 16 - Eden showing off her "Mimi ear-ins."

September 16 - Eden at story time, waiting for Mr. Pickle. 

September 17 - Trying to decide what to do with this corner of the yard. I thought about putting in an avocado tree, but I've changed my mind.

September 18 - Eden put on eye liner. Later that same day she said to me, "Look Mommy, that boy is cute!" She's growing up too fast!!!

September 19 - I've officially built something on my own! Eden's bed was barely too short to allow the trundle to tuck under, so I made this "trough" to go under the legs. It's just the right height and we put the trundle under her bed for the first time since she's been in her "big girl bed."

September 19 - The whole thing. I still put pillows on the floor, just in case she fell out.

September 20 - The tile is almost up in the master bath! Hopefully we'll be able to get it all up, the backer board up and replaced by the end of the week.

September 21 - Eden sleeping peacefully at nap time. She's such a pretty girl!

Motherhood Is...{37}

Making Memories

As much as motherhood is about making memories, it is also recalling memories. When I brought these sunglasses home from Georgia and showed them to Lane a huge smile crossed his face! He was so excited to see them. He said, "those are mine!" The best part about it? Eden is already wearing them around and making her own memories in her new glasses. I love getting to spend as much time with my kids as I do because we get to share memories and make new ones together. We make memories by painting, coloring, playing, and just using our imaginations!

Hunter has started taking part in our "activities" recently and I'm excited that he's wanting to play a little bit more. Eden and Hunter are becoming great pals and I can't wait to see what kinds of memories they start to create!

Cali Bound

The trip to Georgia was such a blur now that I look back on it. We saw so many people and I was sick 3 of the 5 days that we were there, and not on an airplane. Don't get me wrong, I would much rather not feel 100% while being there and having extra hands, but man did it seem crappy at the time! I was glad to see so many people in such a short time and I was glad that the kids did well with adjusting to the different time zones. All 3 of us were in the same room and it actually worked well for all of us. When Hunter woke up to eat at 5, Eden stayed asleep. When it was bed time, Eden got to stay up {which was great for coming back home} and wait until Hunter was good and asleep before she went to bed.

On our way to the airport we went to the Varsity for lunch with Pop. We got hats, Eden got to eat a naked dog walkin' {a plain hot dog to go} and Pop and I enjoyed our chili dogs with our orange slushes! The best of the best from the Varsity, as always.

The plane ride home was not a smooth as coming to Georgia, but we made it, and we're all alive. There are probably people who were glad to get off the plane because Eden was in a mood. She was tired, her nose was runny, and she didn't want to be there anymore! We made it, she took a short nap and we had an entire row of seats to ourselves, so she was able to lay down and get a good sleep and we didn't have to make someone too mad by sharing a seat with them.

Dance Party

Eden discovered that "cousins" are fun people to hang out with when we were in Georgia. We aren't close enough to any of her true cousins - who are all super fun to hang out with - to have fun with on a regular basis. We had Aunt Nana and Uncle Papa's grandchildren - my cousins kids...or my second cousins, I guess - stand in and be Eden's "cousins" for a few days. They are, after all, closer in age to her than to me! Eden got to spend Saturday afternoon with her Moon cousins before they all came to the cookout. The Moon cousins then spent the night with Aunt Nana and Uncle Papa, so there was a pancake breakfast involved on Sunday morning. After all the pancakes were eaten Uncle Papa let the girls dance to some of the best party music that there is! Eden learned the Chicken Dance, Hokey Pokey, YMCA, and who could forget the Notre Dame Fight Song {only considered "party music" at Uncle Papa's house!}

Super Beast

After taking Eden to her dance class, she got to go to a gymnastics class too. She was excited because, of course, the time in the gym when you take a dance class is shorter, so she didn't get enough time! I was excited to take her back on Friday. Not only did she get to go again, but Mimi had taken the day off and was able to come since Pop went with us the day before.