whistle while you work

I have so much left to do. Seriously, I need a couple extra hours in every day! It doesn't help that EJ won't let me put him down. We are attached at the hip all day long. Between his three new teeth coming in and his current cold/upper respiratory bug, he wants to be held non stop. I love snuggling that boy but man is it hard to do the dishes one handed!! He currently naps about 30 minutes a day, and usually it is while I am nursing him to get him down. Then I try to slip away and POP, he is awake! What a stinker!

Easton has been changing sooo much the past couple weeks. He is starting to stand more and more all by himself and can almost push himself into the standing position with out pulling up on anything. Crawling is second nature now and cruising is easy. I think it wont be long till he takes his first steps! I just can not believe it!
What has really changed though is his personality. He is no longer a baby. Not in any sense. He is a toddler and I don't know how it happened! He is talking more and communicating what he wants (and what he doesn't want). He is VERY vocal and very loud. This is new to me because Austin was and is a very quiet and very calm child. Easton is the opposite. Loud and proud. He is demanding, loving, short tempered, snuggling, hitting, kissing, screaming, whispering, angry and super sweet. He is a complex little man to say the least. The temper tantrums he is already starting to throw are...well...perplexing. I so thought this behavior wasn't suppose to appear until 2 lol!
He is still really attached though. The independence hasn't really emerged yet. I have to be in eyesight and usually he has to be held or be able to touch me at all times.
He still nurses great and we are co sleeping with no end in sight. He is a joy every minute of every day and I am so thankful to have this beautiful boy.
His new thing this week is that he can point to your eyes, nose, and mouth on demand. He can even say "eyes" and point to them! He is so smart! He has started coloring also and will take a crayon and color on paper. His eyes light up and he gets the biggest smile when he starts to color. He is amazed by that!
To think where we were. Facing a stroke and brain damage, to hitting and exceeding milestones. God is so good!
He is also eating like a champ. He demands his meals promptly and usually eats three servings. He is such a hungry babe. His next appointment is February 11th and I can only imagine he has gained some serious weight.
He is sick right now with a nasty bug (we all have it) and I am praying it doesn't turn into more. No fevers! I don't not want him in the hospital next week. I actually want to make it longer than 5 weeks without having to be hospitalized. Especially since his birthday is next week! Here is to a healthy and amazing birthday! One year...one whole year. Amazing.
I can not wait till his party on thursday. I am so excited! I wish you all could come :)

Austin is the best big brother ever. He has really taken his role seriously. He is my wild, calm, loud, quiet, playful, shy, genius, inquisitive, talking, sweet, beautiful boy. He is so smart it is astonishing. He flies through his school work books with little instruction. He is fiercely independent and can do most everything by himself. He loves making me food and I love eating it lol! His imagination is so inspiring. He loves taking care of Easton and often pours him a drink or gets him a snack. He recently has been playing with him more and more. He loves him so very much.
We have decided homeschooling is the avenue for us and I have been looking into a curriculum for him. I am so excited to share in his education. I was an elementary education major in college and since I will never teach in the classroom, I am excited to help Austin learn. He truly is a joy to teach.
He is staring to read some words now and his handwriting is getting better. When we do math he cracks me up. He says "Two plus one is three, Two plus one MINUS, is one." He adds the minus to the end. I love the way his mind works and I can see him learning and growing before my eyes. Getting him to sit down for school work is interesting though so I have to be pretty creative there.
So anyone with advice on homeschooling curriculums would be great! What have you done, what do you like? Recommendations?

Our new home is slowly coming a long. I still have all the decor I need to put up and lots of pictures. I also still need to unpack all the clothes. All in all though we are making progress!
See for yourself...
day one

day three

I like unpacking. It is so soothing and methodical. I love putting things in their new home. In that perfect spot.

And last but not least pictures of my cuties!
my blue eyed red headed baby

my sweet big boy (who was freezing in this pic! It was snowing on move in day!)

wanting to join in on our school lessons!

Thanks so much everyone for your well wishes on our move!!
I can't wait to share EJ's birthday with you all!!I just love birthdays! It only helps that my birthday is next week as well and then valentines day! What an awesome week! What are all your plans for V day??

we are home

Well, we are moved in. Still some unpacking left, but for the most part we are comfy and cozy. And I mean cozy.
Our new home is about 1/3 of the size of the one we just left and a lot of stuff had to go to storage. But, it is just stuff and I don't really mind its absence at all.

Both boys now have mild colds most likely from the sub freezing temps and snow we got to experience first hand on moving day and the following two days with no heat. Did you know if you turn your oven on and keep the door open it can warm up a little room?

So now, we have heat, hot water, and two amazing little runny noses smiling faces. Things feel right here. I can't explain it really. It feels like home in a way the other home never did. It has such a better flow. I don't know how long we will be here but I know everything will be alright.

No one ever expects or hopes to lose so much and to be financially devastated. This is something I never imagined would happen to us. But, I wouldn't change it. In the end we still have a life that is so abundant, so beautiful. I am so blessed. And time will offer opportunities to rebuild. God has already started. He is so good at rebuilding.

So no matter what lay ahead I have hope. I have no fear. For I have weathered a lot and been carried even more. So my friends, we are home. And I couldn't be happier.

(some certain little someone is having a birthday bash coming up!! I can't wait!!)

Pictures

I love flowers! These are from our house in Florida right before we left.


The last time I saw our stuff. Hopefully we will find a home soon and we can get our things back!


My cutie patootie. Man I love my little red head!


I also love butterflies! I had to take these today while we were outside braving the 103 degree weather!


His look cracks me up!

We are house sitting for a friend right now and they have pet chickens. Austin adores them! He even got to name one! Here he is with his new "friends"!


Alright there ya go! Please please continue to pray we find a place soon. We are running out of places to stay and going back to the hotel is not an option. We have weeded through almost 100 homes. So think of us in the next couple of days!!!

I hope everyone has an amazing 4th tomorrow! Be safe!

who loves applesauce?

A certain little boy named EJ, that's who!!!!
Well EJ has been showing signs that he was ready to eat solids for a couple of weeks. Since he is only 4 1/2 months old though, I delayed giving him any. Plus with his allergies, I knew I had to be careful. So instead of actually letting him eat, I would let him suck and "taste" certain things. I did bananas one week and apples the next. Whenever I ate one, I would let him suck on it.

Well yesterday, he made it quite clear that was not going to cut it anymore! Every time I ate, he would grab my food and try to eat it! So last night I gave in and fed him some applesauce. He ate the whole thing! He loved it so much! He would open his mouth wide and then smile after each bite! He just loves food!

I just can't believe how fast he is growing up! His first foods, his first tooth which should break through any day now, his first words. He is even pushing up while on his belly and rolling all over the place! They grow so fast!

Austin loves EJ so much and now that he is more interactive they just play and play. Austin is going to be home schooled this year (Pre-K) and I am really looking forward to doing that! He is so big and his reading skills are getting better and better. I just need to pick a curriculum for this year. Any suggestions?

The house search is still continuing. So pray that we find a place soon!
Thank you for all your continued prayers and God Bless!

Home again, home again, jiggity jig!

Well we made it! I am here in glorious Dallas Texas! Oh boy does it feel great! I had forgotten how much I really loved Texas. This is truly my home and I feel such a peace now. This is where we belong!

We spent the day with our amazing realtor and we put in an application for a beautiful home! Pray we get it! So until then we are living at the Westin and I can not wait till we move into our home and can grow some roots. I am ready to settle in!
I dont have much time to type but just know we are safe, enjoying every minute of our new surroundings, and to continue to pray!
God Bless!