1 Year Old!

OK, I officially fail as a blogger. I really need to be more dedicated to posting updates! :)

Elliott is now officially 3, and Oliver just turned one this past week. Elliott started school again last week and is enjoying his new class. It's a little bit of a transition since some of his classmates from last year aren't in his class anymore, but he's doing just fine. He is officially potty trained (#1 and #2 - YES!) and I couldn't be more proud of my little guy. One of his latest phrases when we ask him to do something is "not yet". It's starting to wear on me......a bit. He's just so stinking cute, sometimes it's hard to be upset!

Wearing his "earmuffs" while mowing with Daddy.

Eating cake at his Monkey Joe's birthday party!

Oliver is now 1 year old! He is crawling and pulling up now, and I know that cruising around furniture is not far away. I have a feeling that he might walk around the same time Elliott did - about 15 months. Only time will tell! He is quite the chunker, weighing in at 21 lbs at 1 year. Considering Elliott didn't weigh 19 lbs until he was 15 months, Oliver's much larger! I have a feeling that he might catch up to his brother soon weightwise. Elliott only weighs about 30 lbs or so! (He's built so much like his daddy - long and lean!)

We had his birthday party today with friends and family. We couldn't have picked a more beautiful day! Here are some outtakes:

Can we say "sugar buzz"?

Until next time............

Sara :)

7, 8, 9, 10, and almost 3!

OK. I admit that I am a horrible blogger. I can't believe that it has been almost 4 months since my last post. I just uploaded 100+ photos from the camera dating back several months. Time has just gotten away from me. So, get ready for a marathon post with lots of pictures and updates. Bear with me. :)

April brought many things. Easter. Check out some ridiculously cute photos of the boys in their Easter outfits (and other things) here thanks to our friends Dan and Brooke Brand of Brand Photo Design. We also took a trip to Saginaw, MI where both my parents' were born, I was born, and where I spent some of my younger years. It was nice to visit my grandparents' graves and show Jack where they lived, and the houses where I first lived as well. We went up to celebrate my great-uncle's 90th birthday. The boys not only met Uncle Nels, but they were able to meet Aunts Carole and Shawn and Uncle Dale from California as well as Uncle Dean and Aunt Kathy from Michigan. Oliver got his 1st TWO teeth - the two bottom ones - a full 5 months earlier than his brother got teeth. We also had Oliver's follow-up appointment at Riley - all is well. Right kidney looks perfectly healthy and left kidney is gone (meaning no surgery to remove it down the road - YAY!). Finally, toward the end of this month, the boys started taking a bath together - good times. They get such a kick out of splashing each other. It's hilarious! :)

May brought the end of Elliott's first year of school. What an amazing year it's been. I'm floored at the development he's gone through, physically, mentally, and socially over the past year. My little boy is now a little man. With that comes independence and exertion of that right. I now understand why some people say that the "threes" are worse than the "twos". We just take it one day at a time, one moment at a time, and act accordingly. The boys are starting to interact more and more and it just melts my heart to see the two of them play nicely together.

Mommy goofed and doesn't have any 9 month photos (OOPS!). Oliver and Elliott had great checkups (9 months and 3 years). We found out that Oliver weighed 19lbs. Elliott didn't weigh 19lbs until he was 15 months old! Both boys are very healthy - I am very blessed and very thankful for that! June also brought us successful potty training efforts! YAY! Elliott still has occasional accidents and we're working on #2, but so far so good!

July will bring us Elliott's 3rd birthday. I can't believe it's been almost 3 years since we welcomed our "handsome devil" into this world. It's been an awesome ride - and I look forward to watching him continue to develop and grow. And Oliver - I can't believe he's almost a year. He's my baby, and I want to push the pause button!

Oh, how I love those little men of mine (and my big man of course!). Thanks for sticking with me this long. My goal is to not to go so long before my next post.

Sara :)

6 months....and sitting!

Time is flying and now it feels like Spring will soon be on its' way! Elliott has enjoyed the warmer temperatures and has LOVED being outside in the yard with the dogs. This summer will be SO much fun!

We are still in the throes of the "terrible two's" -- although I keep telling Jack that they are not so terrible comparatively. I've seen two year olds that were WAY worse. He most definitely has his moments - and I think sometimes we struggle as parents to make sure that we are disciplining him as we should.....it's an ongoing battle. He was doing very well with trying to go on the big boy potty - complete with a chart and stickers and an ample supply of M&M's. However, lately, he shows NO interest. I'd rather not force him and let him go on his own. He needs to be day trained by 3 for his preschool class, so we've still got this summer! He continues to LOVE his school and is going to go to summer camp with his teacher. She holds the summer camp with another teacher that will teach his class next year, so we thought it would be a great transition! His favorite things to say right now are "That's gross!" - thanks to his cousin "Obo" and "Why?". He likes us to say "why" and he says "because". Guess we should probably revamp our answers when he asks us "why"! :)

Here's a cute video of him singing one of his favorite songs:

Now onto Oliver news......Oliver is over 6 months now - actually closer to 7! SO incredibly hard to believe that our baby is growing so quickly. He's starting to sit unassisted (for very SHORT periods of time). He just has the cutest little impish smile and loves to babble and interact with his brother. He continues to have the cutest blonde hair! I just wish he had Daddy's curls to go with it! He loves his Jumperoo and is starting to get the hang of baby food....SLOWLY. He doesn't enjoy the vegetables nearly as much as the fruits. We go back to Riley in April to check on his kidneys - but more than likely he's just fine!

It has been such a joy to watch the boys start to interact and play together. Elliott really has adjusted well to being a big brother - no jealousy, etc. But....as Oliver gets mobile, I foresee some arguments and toy-stealing in our future. Oliver looks at Elliott with the widest eyes and just loves to watch what big brother is doing. We recently got some of Elliott's old toys out for Oliver now that they are age appropriate, and Elliott had a fun time playing with some of his old things.

Jack's business continues to do well......and we're rolling into prom season and prime wedding time. Hopefully it will be a busy Spring and Summer for Antique Limo!

Until next time...........

Sara :)

a LOT of catching up to do.....

As I went to our blog this morning, I couldn't believe that I hadn't written a new post since the first week of DECEMBER!?!? Where has the time gone? Oliver is now just over 5 months old!

We had a wonderful Christmas holiday - spending time with both sides of the family. We went to my parents' house and spent Christmas Eve with my mom and dad, sisters, and brother. We spent the night at our house Christmas Eve and had a visit from Santa! In the afternoon on Christmas Day we went to Aunt Gretchen and Uncle Todd's and Elliott and Oliver had TONS of fun with their cousins.

The new year brought us the stomach flu - Elliott and I were hit pretty badly. Oliver and Jack (thank goodness) both were spared - I'm still in shock that neither of them got it!

I'm warning you right now that this blog post will be filled with pictures - mainly to catch up on what's been going on.

The boys with Santa

Opening presents with Daddy on Christmas morning


4 months old!


Cooking with Daddy in the kitchen

Plowing with Daddy

5 months old!