Happy Half Birthday Austin

I can't believe it has already been 6 months. Wow, what a difference 6 months ago today was. I'm so sad that my little baby is getting all grown up. But then it is so exciting at the same time. I'm sure every parent reading knows exactly what I mean.

We have Austin's 6 month checkup on Saturday. He is eating a lot of baby food now, and is starting to decide that he doesn't care for some of them. Last night he was spitting chicken noodle right back at me. He is technically sleeping through the night. He goes to bed about 8 and gets up between 5-5:30, then back to sleep till around 7. He is still the perfect baby. I know some of you may think that that is just a mother's point of view, but really, he is perfect. just wait till you get to meet him. He has been starting to try to get up on his legs when he is on the floor, so I'm sure that crawling isn't too far away, but he sure gets to anything he wants right now by rolling and scooching his way. And he just LOVES his brother and sister, always happy to see them. I love this little guy so much - I just don't know what else to say.............

FIRETRUCKS!

Sorry, but had to post before I forget to. So Turner keeps calling fireworks "Firetrucks". lol It is hilarious, he just keeps yelling out Firetrucks! Firetrucks!
And the other funny thing he is saying right now "YES I DO" ...yesterday I told him "Turner, we don't jump from the couch to the chair" and he turns around and says "YES I DO" - so I have to tell him, I know that you do, but I'm telling you you aren't supposed to. So everything this weekend is "Yes I do" and "Firetrucks". Saturday night he was scared when he went to bed because of the fireworks going off, so he came out on the couch to fall asleep, so last night he tried the same thing again. Ended up letting him go in Mackenzie's room to go to sleep so they slept together all night for the first time. It was SOOO cute to see them there this morning. We actually had to do the "Kids, it's time to go to bed, stop talking"! LOVE IT!

"Look mom, I can hold my own bottle!" -Austin is taking some formula now. He has been on 1/2 and 1/2 at the babysitters, and now I give him a bottle here and there when it is inconvenient to stop to feed him, like at the zoo yesterday or when mommy needs a little bit from the bottle too! lol It is kind of the best of both worlds right now, I can bottle feel him when I need to and breast feed him when I want to.

Look mom, I wrangled a dinosaur - this dino aint got nothing on me!

Turner was GLUED to us yesterday at the zoo through the dinosaur display. The kid loves them and goes around all the time roaring like a dinosaur - but once he got up close and saw them moving and making noises, I think he thought they were real.

And he was GLUED to Aaron in the Penguin house too. OK maybe by this point he was just taking advantage of the fact that if he said he was scared when Aaron tried to put him down, then we would coddle him and hold him closer - he is a smart one!

Mackenzie came out all dressed up yesterday. She then proceeded to tell us that she couldn't eat lunch right then because her and Turner were going to the wedding and they would be late and miss it if she had to sit at the table. Ohhh all the memories of me playing wedding: setting up the altar, runner down the hallway, bible on the table, bouquet of flowers, all dressed up - guess I should probably start saving up now for the dream wedding she is already starting to envision!!


Our friend Kelly holding Austin and Sean. We had a 4th of July BBQ on Friday and had a great time. Lots of kids playing together and good adult time. We might just go ahead and adopt the 4th as OUR holiday!!

Doesn't Austin just look so sweet sleeping. And I love the spiked hair that he has all the time now!

Our cousin Kayla playing with Turner. she is SOO good with the kids and such a beautiful and nice girl. When I'm around her I just want to steal her and take her home with me. Makes me look forward to the years when Mackenzie is that age - such a good age - right before she turns into an evil teenage that thinks I'm the stupidest person on earth! OHHHH, can't they just stay babies!


No I wasn't trying to pose weird, I was looking at Turner and the guy was in a big hurry to take the picture. Oh well, at least we are all in it!

OK, so now you've seen all the pictures, let me put a little text around the weekend. Thursday night we went to a neighborhood party and met some more neighbors. Had a great time. Friday we had people over for the 4th for a BBQ. Pretty much took all morning setting up for that and then people were over from about 1 on. Gosh I love having parties. If it were up to me we'd have one once a month or more!! Saturday I took 2 - yes I said 2 - naps. I went back to sleep for a while after Aaron woke up since the kids had me up at 7. Then got up, got everyone fed and down for naps, and down I went again! I can't remember the last time I've been able to do that. Then we got up and went out to our cousin's house to go swimming. Sunday we got up and went to the zoo to see the dinosaurs. It is a great display, I really liked it. The kids did too but it was a little too life like for them. They weren't quite sure what to think about the moving dinosaurs. We just did half of the zoo, then went to the history museum and then home and watched a movie together. All in all, a GREAT weekend.

All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth.....

Aww wait...I already have my TWO front teeth. What am I gonna ask Santa for now?????

Love,
Austin

Batter Batter Swing

Turner completely thinks he is part of the team. Out warming up with the team. He just doesn't understand why he can't go play (I don't either, he would probably whoop most of those kids!)

Turner in time-out behind the bleachers - just chillin'

Mackenzie about ready to bat

Pop and the kids!

Here is a video of Mackenzie's first t-ball game. She was sick that day, started running a fever at daycare, but it was picture night so we went out and then she said she felt up to hitting. Pop was here and got to come to her first game.


Friday I felt awful, was just overly tired and stressed. Thank goodness I had some good girlfriends on my side that agreed to meet me out for a girl's happy hour. So while Aaron took all the kids to Mackenzie's gymnastics, I went out for dinner and a drink. I came home feeling SOO much better and then to boot, all the kids (including Austin) slept through the night and in their own beds and didn't wake me up until 7:30 Saturday morning. I woke up feeling like a brand new woman!
Saturday night we went out to Aaron's Aunt's house for dinner with the family. Had a good time and Ali (8 years old) came home with us to spend the night. The kids had a good time together. Got all the kids to bed and fell asleep on the couch, then woke up to Turner crying and went in to his bed and he had thrown up all over. So he went in to bed with us. Poor little guy was up every 30 minutes until about 3:30 AM getting sick. Then he fell asleep in a deep sleep. Woke up about 9 and was perfectly fine. Didn't show a sign of being sick. I think everyone thinks that I was lying about him being so sick all night. Really, he was completely fine when he went to bed and completely fine when he woke up. Weird, reminds me of the same thing I had 3 weeks ago. I don't know what it could have been. Oh well, he is fine now.
Had a good weekend, lots of family time and got a few chores and errands done. Pop left last night. It was really nice to have him in town.

Now this is how you know there is a God

This will put a smile on everyone's face!!! One of Mackenzie's songs from VBS. She has been singing it non-stop - so yes, by now we all sing along!

I got to stay home with the kids yesterday. Our babysitter took off and Caitlyn was at her freshman orientation. It was so nice. I could totally go to working part-time. I took Austin to the doctor since i was already off work. He has been spitting up a LOT lately, so now he is on reflux medicine. Hopefully it will work. We go back in about 3 weeks for his 6 month (I can't believe it) checkup, so if not then she will try another medication. It has helped some to thicken his bottles at daycare, but since I can't really do that when i feed him and I don't have time to feed him cereal before he breastfeeds everytime, I'm hoping this will take care of it. He was 17.3 pounds yesterday, which means he only gained a little over 1 pound in the last month. He doesn't look like he is missing a meal or anything - but now I'm all worried he is going to start loosing his baby fat. I gotta find a way for that food to stay down and stick to his bones! lol

Friday night we had the end of VBS program. Mackenzie did so good and hasn't stopped singing her song since! Here is a great picture of her and Mason. They are going to have so much fun going to school together this fall.

Saturday morning came quickly. Cailtyn and I headed out early for downtown. I had no idea what to expect. We got down there and walked around to the booths for a while, then it was time to line up for the race. It wasn't so much a race than just a mob of people moving down the street together. It was crazy once we started because we couldn't see the start or end of the runners/walkers. The whole street as far as you could see was covered in people. I admit that I teared up while I was running. To see all of these people, and to think of how lucky and thankful I am that i haven't been more affected by breast cancer. So many people had signs on that they were running in memory of and then there were so many pink shirts (meaning survivor). It was very inspiring to see the magnitude of support and love that is out there. There were like 63,000 people down there! It wasn't hard at all traveling down there and back - we took the metrolink. I plan on going down again next year, so hopefully next year some more of you will join me.

We got home and did grocery shopping then by the time we were done with that it was time to get ready to go over to Aaron's friend's for a BBQ. Our wonderful neighbors watched Austin for us, and the neighbor boy came over to watch Mackenzie and Turner. So Caitlyn got to go with us. We had a good time, maybe a little too much to drink, but a great time! Aaron said that Caitlyn reminded him of someone else he knew a couple years ago......hmm wonder who that could be! lol We were home and in bed by 10 - that is the funny thing!

Sunday we got up and had to go down to Columbia. We met up with my bro and his family, my dad and grandma for lunch. Then went to this great place in Columbia where there is a lake and then a kids pool area. There we caught up with my mom, Steve, and my other sisters. We were there for about 4-5 hours, and had a great time. SOOO much fun - everyone loved it. We will sure miss you when you are in Texas, Bro.

Today I'm tired. Austin was up at midnight and 5:30 last night. He has been spitting up a lot and crying like his stomach hurts, so I'm tempted to take him to the doctor. I don't know how to explain it, other than just that mommy feeling that something just isn't quite right.

Tonight I need to stop and workout on my way home, I've been neglecting that lately. Need to get back in to routine of going to the gym. Tomorrow I'll be home with the kids because my babysitter is taking off to attend a funeral. Maybe I'll be able to sneak in another workout and nap then!