Already lovin having Caitlyn here. Once we got home the kids immediately ran in to play with her and then went downstairs and I got to fix dinner in peace. Then Aaron and I got to run out to the store once the boys were in bed. It is just nice having another adult body there so that we can leave together. But I PROMISE we aren't going to take advantage of her.

Thanks for everyone's support for my participation in the Susan G Komen race. I ran 4.6 miles this past weekend (I had to walk a little in the 2nd half up hills) so I figure 3.something miles on flat surface should be a breeze. Ok, not a breeze, but I shouldn't die trying.

Aaron started his new job yesterday, and so far he is enjoying it. He said he really likes everyone in the office and the atmosphere is good. I have high hopes for this job. He gets to go out to Tampa in July for a week of training - that's gonna be rough on him I'm sure lol.

Austin has been eating baby food for about 2 weeks or so now and he LOVES it. Last night he ate 2 jars and would have kept eating if I had kept feeding. He is going to get even bigger even faster now. I'm not sure I signed up for this, I signed up for having a baby, I didn't agree for him to start growing up already! But gosh darn the kid is cute, I mean I may be a little biased as his mother, but everyone that sees him just comments about how cute he is too and his beautiful eyes. The other day my neighbor was out talking to me, and after about 10 minutes she just stopped and said "you know, you really have beautiful children" Gosh.....we do make beautiful babies!

Turner on the morning of his half birthday. I let him stop and pick out his donuts for breakfast.

Hanging out with (on) daddy.

Blowing out his candles on his half birthday. Yes, there are many more than 2 1/2 candles on there, but he wanted them all on, and who can blame him. 2 1/2 candles wouldn't have been near as much fun!! :)

Austin enjoying swinging outside. I still can't believe he is already old enough for this. Oh, and I had to get out some stuff this weekend that was 9-12 month stuff, and although it is a little big, it still fits.

I thought Austin looked so grown up when i got him dressed. Had to grab a group shot. Turner has been dressing up as a bumble bee all weekend.



Austin laughing as Mackenzie gives him the tickle bug!! Sooooo cute. This will make anyone's day.

We had a good time last night celebrating. We made Turner a birthday cake and watched E.T. together. The kids loved it. Turner is very excited to be 2 1/2 now.
Nothing on the books for this weekend yet. We don't even have a soccer game, I don't know what to do with myself! I know that at least 1 day this weekend i will be either sleeping in as late as possible, or taking a very good nap - I need to cath up on sleep. I'm running near empty. I was thinking maybe one day we would try to make it to Grant's Farm, and maybe 1 night we will do a backyard campout. We need to go shopping to get Aaron a few more business clothes - he starts his new job on Tuesday!! Can't wait. We may head out to a friend's BBQ on Monday - Kel, we'll just see how the weekend is going. If we come we'll bring something along. Oh, and I almost forgot, my sister said she is planning on moving up on Monday!!! Yippee - I'm SO excited.

Happy 1/2 Birthday Turner

Can you believe my little guy is 2 1/2 today!!! Wow he is getting so old. So I'll dedicate this post to him today. Turner is quite the character. I don't really know how to put in to words to describe him. He is ALL boy. Loves playing sports, he can dribble a soccer ball down the field better than me, he LOVES playing baseball and is always using something as a ball and bat. He does love our new trampoline too. His new thing is that he comes up to me and says "Play me know?" It is so sweet, I wish every time I could just drop everything I was doing to play with him. Some other things he says "Bed time?, eat time?, bath time?" Today Mackenzie woke up crabby and was crying and he went and told Aaron "Si crying" then came back in the living room and was asking her "Si, OK? You OK Si" with those big worried eyes. I thought it was SOOO sweet. He has started throwing bigger tantrums the past couple days, and for sure the best thing to do with him is to just walk away and let him finish. He got in trouble last night while we were outside playing for yelling at me and not listening and I just told him to go inside and sit in time out. He was in there screaming bloody murder for a few minutes, but when he finished he was a perfect angel. And that is one of the funny things about him. Sometimes he can be so strong headed and frustrating, but then he is one of the sweetest boys you've ever met too. And he is just so darn cute about it all that it is impossible to not love the kid. He does get snuggly now too. At night he'll sit right next to me or on my lap before bed, and he comes and gets in bed with me in the middle of the night every night pretty much, but he is so tiny next to me, the perfect snuggle bug. Which is so funny, because this was the kid that had never slept with me from the time he was about 4 weeks old until one time when he got sick at about 1 1/2 years old. He LOVES his little brother, and is more aware of Austin now than ever. He just randomly goes over to Austin and gives him kisses or strokes his head. And him and Mackenzie still love each other and play great together. Sure they have their moments, but they are great friends. We haven't been working much on potty training, just been so busy, but I think this weekend I am going to try him in underwear. Maybe he is just the type of kid that wearing a pull-up just means he doesn't have to use the pot, so we'll see how that goes. But he has been keeping his pull-up dry through the night, so I know he is physically ready. So for his 1/2 birthday today we stopped and got donuts on the way in to Nany's. He got to pick his out, the one with the sprinkles and a blueberry donut. And when i asked him what he wanted for his birthday he gets a big smile and says "CAKE" so tonight I'll make him a cake when we get home and we'll all sing Happy Half birthday to you! Of course Mackenzie is wanting to know how long till her half birthday because she is sick of being JUST 4, she wants to be 4 and a half! lol
Turner constantly intrigues me by his personality. It is very entertaining to just sit and watch him work. I look forward to seeing the man he becomes - although he will probably put the most gray hairs on my head. Maybe it is just the wide range of his personality that make each thing so special. He will no doubt be the one to get in the most trouble and be down on his luck the most, but I could see him being the one to make the greatest achievements. He will be my biggest challenge to know how to parent, and will test me and Aaron constantly, never letting us think we've got this parenting thing down, but he will make me a better parent for it. There is something very special in Turner and I know that there are great things in his future.

Congrats Sis

Congratulations to my little sis Caitlyn who officially graduated from High School last night. Only 6 days and counting till she has moved in!! She has a good head on her shoulders and is going to do great in life.....must be in the genes!

Another busy weekend

This was Mackenzie at 4 months - remind you of anyone??!!




Austin and Sean playing together. They were smiling at each other. Isn't this cute!?






Mackenzie and Aubrey Jo

You know how I love a bathtime picture.

Look at those boobies, chunky arms and belly and that neck - just want to eat him up!

It was another good but busy weekend. Friday night when i got home I got a phone call from a good friend of mine Alisa - I loved talking to you girlie. It was so nice to catch up. I can't believe it was over 10 years ago that we met at college. And I can't believe we are still this cool and hot 10 years later! Way to go us! lol Then I got a phone call from my other good friend Cheri that she was having her baby!! She was scheduled for a c-section on the 6th, but ended up starting labor on her own so they did the c-section Friday night. So after gymnastics I went home and helped Aaron get the kids dressed for bed and then Austin and I went up for a visit. It was short and sweet, i didn't want to intrude, but I knew I wouldn't have time to go up on Saturday and there was NO WAY I was waiting till Sunday to see that little girl. Oh yeah, it was a girl - Aubrey Jo. She is SOO sweet. I didn't even hold her or anything, just wanted to see the little sweetie pie and congratulate mom. So we got home about 9:30, did a few chores and to bed. Saturday Mackenzie's game was at 8, so it was early morning getting everyone up and out of the house in time. She wasn't much in the mood to play, was being really goofy and didn't have her head in the game at all. Poor Aaron, it was making him crazy. He said he had to keep fighting back that Lively blood rushing through his veins (yes Harold, the blood you passed on to him!). Then we went to the gym so Aaron and i could work out - which felt great because I didn't make it to the gym much last week. And by the way, pat on my back, I've lost about 13 pounds in the past 6 1/2 weeks. Ideally I'd like to loose about 13 more, realistically it will probably only be about 4 more. But I'm starting to get a little more comfortable in my own skin, but still a ways to go. After the gym we went to Walmart to get some stuff for a BBQ. Got home, cleaned house, got ready, caught a little 30 minute cat nap, and then it was time to party. We had a few friends and some neighbors over and we all had a blast. I finally called it quits like a party pooper about 12:30, but I knew Austin would be waking up soon for some mommy milk and the kids would be up early the next morning. The next morning, I got up and cleaned our house, got everyone fed, made some banana bread and french toast for breakfast, and then Mackenzie and I headed out. We went over and cleaned Cheri's house. I knew especially since she went early and unexpected that she probably didn't have time to nest, but also having 3, i know that that is something that comes in very helpful. She shouldn't be worrying about anything other than that sweet little baby and getting the family newly adjusted - and taking care of HERSELF! Yes Mam Cheri - don't forget about yourself! After cleaning we had to treat ourselves and go see little miss Pris at the hospital again. Of course Mackenzie had to hold her. By the time i got home it was time for dinner, laundry, play outside, and clean up the house for a second round -- and then to bed. This morning started all too early since I had to come in to work at 6:30 so I could leave early because tonight we drive right after work a little over an hour to do my sister's graduation, and then come back home. So yes, we are running a little ragged, but wouldn't change it for the world!!!

NKOTB Baby!!

Did everyone know that New Kids on the Block have officially reunited! I can't wait to get home and watch their appearance on the Today show today....yes we taped it! I know such a dork right, it is like I'm turning into a 10 year old girl all over again. Anyways, if/when they come to St. Louis, Fran and I WILL be at the concert screaming our lungs out with our little "I love NKOTB" t-shirts on! So be on the lookout and if anyone comes across tickets they don't want, get them for me.

OK, so update on the kiddos. They have been home with Aaron all week. Tuesday and Wednesday both were still running fevers. I took them to the doctor Wednesday afternoon because Mackenzie kept saying her throat hurt and when I checked she had white blisters down the inside. But the doctor said it was just a viral thing, no strep. By that evening, both's fevers were gone. We had planned on keeping them home Thursday too since they were still contagious, but then ended up not having a choice in the matter because our babysitter called and she was sick. So they stayed home yesterday and today too. Last night I had an appointment to get my hair done, and I took Austin with me and Aaron took the kids to a movie. They went to see Iron Man. now surely somebody right now is going "what he took them to see Iron man PG-13 movie" but yes he did. He said the kids loved it. he actually showed Mackenzie the trailer for that and Horton Hears a Who, and that is the one she wanted to see. Of course she is her daddy's girl, some of her favorite movies include Star Wars and Transformers. Turner was talking a mile a minute about the movie and acting out scenes when i got home. Not sure how much was pure excitement and how much was the soda and candy that daddy let them have, but they had a GREAT time. It is funny to see the difference in the kids since they have been home with him all week. Suddenly they want "daddy" to do things, and want to sit by "daddy", man only 4 days home and suddenly all my efforts are overridden. lol

This weekend we have gymnastics,, soccer game early tomorrow, friends over in the afternoon, Sunday recover from having friends over on Saturday (lol), and Monday night after work we have to drive to my sister's HS graduation that is at 8 and then right back home. That will be fun. Who ever decided to have a HS graduation on a Monday night, I don't know, but it is NOT going to be fun, but hey, for you sis we'd drive cross country if needed. And from then it is only 1 week countdown until she is moving in.....whew hooo!!!!