Monday, March 26, 2012

Swirling around in my thoughts.

A little bit of randomness to get me back to blogging after a 2 week break.  

Not gonna lie, sometimes I have Cullen's paci face withdrawals.  You would miss this too right?!

Cutie Pie
Cullen is trying very hard and accomplishing very easily acting just like his older brother, Mr. E!  

Eli is growing like a weed, and has a lot of love for his little brother.  

Speaking of Eli, he turned 4 on March 18.  I believe we may have celebrated him for a full 2 weeks due to all the family and friends we have around town!  

Moments with my boys are swirling around in my thoughts and making me smile.  
Matthew, you are a wonderful man.  
Eli and Cullen, with your daddy as an example, you will be wonderful men as well!  

Love you boys 

Will smile back at this always 
Will smile back at this always as well.
And of course, the one who God made to "complete me"  ... lame Jerry Maguire quote, I know!  Seriously though, This man is exactly what I needed.  
Matt is handsome, period.  Put a beanie on him though and my pulse quickens!   
My bed is calling me and soon so will my boys... I need to get sleep! 

Monday, March 12, 2012

Birthday Birthday Happy Birthday!

BIRTHDAYS!!!
February 28, 1989
My brother Michael was born when I was 4 years old.  He is now 23 years old!  He is well on his way to being a successful businessman.  When I turned 23 I was pregnant with my 2nd child...What?!  

Michael is a classy guy.  My guess is many would describe him as Smart, Loving, Funny, Determined, Handsome, and Genuine.  Eli and Cullen believe he hung the moon and honestly, Mike is a great uncle.  He loves on the boys, plays with them and he takes interest in how they change as they grow.  

Mike is almost graduated from The University of Texas at Austin!  HOOK EM.  His demeanor, professional attitude and, most importantly, the way he was raised are great propellers into the working world for him.

Good Luck Mike!  You're pretty great ;-)

My family, The Greens, Celebrate birthdays!! For Mike we all met up at The Gristmill in Gruene, Texas... mouth watering!

Dinner with the fam, 12 and growing, is always interesting.  Lots to talk about, lots to laugh about and lots of food to eat!

We gave him an Alamo Draft House gift card... I told him he needs to take a little lady out with him!

The meeting 
Candle Lighting Attempt 
Mom and Dad documenting with iPhones 
You can't tell, but Eli is helping 
The Entire Group 
We are more than blessed by our parents!


CROCKETT IS ONE!!! 


Happy Birthday to you sweet little guy!  
Matt's Brother Mike and his wife Christian have this handsome dude Crockett and we were able to celebrate him and his birthday with the family a couple weeks ago!

Christian planned a bow tie party at a park.  It was really adorable.  Props to her on her planning.  
It was windy but it didn't matter, the kiddos loved it!  

Chick fil A nuggets, fruit kabobs, veggies, cupcakes, chips, and precious decorations made the party a success... and of course the birthday boy was the cherry on top.

Cullen and Eli LOVE their cousins, Love is really an understatement.  It is really sweet how well they all get along.  Crockett is soon to be running around wreaking havoc with the rest of them.  

Eli helping out his cousin 
Crockett was delicate with it at first...

Truitt and Torrin Tucker 
Mommy's Encouragement 
... He figured it out! 

Yummy Yummy
Checking out each others progress   

My Green Monster ... I believe he tried each color of cupcake Aunt Cece made
The Yost family 
Birthday Cake Bliss 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPOO
MY PAPOO IS 85!! 

March 16, 1927
Right way to start off another birthday celebration, Piggies and Donuts.  

March 3 was a busy weekend for us.  We celebrated Crockett on Saturday, and headed out Sunday morning to Victoria to have a party for my Papoo and the rest of the family who have a March birthday. 

My Aunt Emily and Uncle Butch bought this fantastic house a few years ago and have slowly but surely been renovating it into something stunning.  This kitchen has big windows that look at the pool.  
Sunlight floods into it and makes it a happy dwelling place and a very happy cake eating place!   
Mammy, my Mom and Olivia 
Happy Birthday to everyone with a birthday in March! 

My uncle made a brisket and sausage lunch and the weather was so beautiful that most of us ate outside around the pool.  

Proof I was around 
E playing basket ball with his older cousin Zane and borrowing his shades 
My aunt took a water troff and painted it copper to make a great planter 
After Lunch people did their own thing.  Some gathered in the kitchen, others slept off the food coma in the living room and the kids ran all around the house!

Having a cousin the same age is a great thing
Meet my 2nd cousin Oliver, he and Cullen are the same age 
We made a stop by my grandparents house on our way back to Boerne.  

I remember a picture my parents took of me with my great grandpa and I wanted to make sure E and C had one with theirs.  Hopefully I will share enough with them about my grandpa's character and life that they will grow to respect and love him just as I do.  

I remember my Papoo as a hard worker, who loved dancing, dominos, going to church and loved his family.

Growing up I remember visiting them and spending most of the time there with my cousins climbing the pine trees in the front yard and picking walnuts and vegetables in their back yard with Papoo.  

He was very proud of the work he did and when we would visit I remember he would drive us around with my parents to show us all the houses he had built in years past.  

Unfortunately our bodies at some point begin to fail us.  But Praise the Lord, that is the beginning to a wonderful new beginning in a brand new body that is one like Christ!  Papoo believes that and it helps watching him age.  He has been dealing with dementia/ Alzheimer for a few years.  It is sad to see his mind drift away and watch the things he used to love become nothing to him.  It is such a sad disease and it effects everyone around, especially my Mammy!  

That is why when I get a chance to visit I try and make it happen.  I enjoy taking the boys along because he smiles when he sees them.  He has even danced with Eli in the living room before!  I am not sure how much longer my Papoo will be with us, but he will not be forgotten when he passes.  

For now, Happy Birthday Papoo!! We all love you!  

Even though Papoo doesn't know Eli and Cullen, they love him and he lights up when he sees them! 
This daddy was good to his daughters 

The is one other VERY important birthday this month in my family... ELI!  My first born is going to be 4!  No way!  He can't already be four!  I remember being bigger than big with him in my belly and waiting impatiently for him to make his grand appearance!  

Looking forward to blogging about him soon!  

Thursday, March 8, 2012

The So long Paci Update

Operation "So Long Paci" COMPLETED!!! 
Yay Cullen, you're such a big boy now!  
With out the paci you have been communicating so much more and oh my goodness you have been talking my head in circles.  

Cullen's now favorite, very clear as day sayings are:
"No!" - very frustrating to me
"Pee pee head... hahaaahhaaahhhaaaa" & "Poo Poo Head...hahahaaahahaha"- I'm not sure how I'll break him of  this! 
 "I love you Mommy"- This one makes my heart melt 
"Jesus Love ME!"- This one keeps me keepin' on

Plus my munchkin sings all the time now.  It's great not having his face plugged up!

It wasn't all easy breezy!  The first nap was brutal.  He screamed, he cried and it all made me feel sooooo guilty for not giving him the paci he wanted.  It took almost everything in me to not give him the paci I told him was lost, but was siting on the desk ready to be loved on by a very sad sweet boy.  

Solution... go upstairs, and give him options.  
Option 1: 
He could take the soccer paci  with a small tear in it that I knew he'd refuse to take.
Option 2: 
He could use the corner of his blanket to chew/suck on in place of a paci
Option 3.  
He could go to sleep cuddling his favorite stuffed animal and we would give the pacifier he wanted and the soccer ball paci to the baby goat we visited the day prior.  

Cullen decided on a combo of 1 2 and 3! 

After about 20 minutes he cuddled his donald duck, told me he wanted to give the paci to the goat, and put his blanket in his mouth to finally drift off to sleep!
Sweet!

Each day has been easier and easier for Cullen.  Now a week and a 1/2 later his pacifier is gone forever.
  My baby is so grown up :-D
Example of Option 2
The Goats that left an impression enough on Cullen for him to be willing to gift his pacifiers to them. 


Bonding

Missy and Prissy- Soon to be recipients of a very loved pacifier 
Feels good to be successful.  Milestone ;-)

... now onto potty training.  Lord help me!

Goats

A long time family friend of my parents and mine is a goat owner.  Two of the mommies had twins recently.  They are adorable.   
Susan called my mom up and asked if E & C would want to play with Missy and Prissy.  
Of Course!

The time spent with the goats set up an opportunity for us to sway Cullen into giving up his paci by telling him the new baby goats need the pacifier more than him! 

You'll read in a later post that it worked ;-D 


Momma Goat- Handicapped because of two neighbor dogs that went under fence and attacked her back legs.
She can't stand on all four legs but she is still a great momma to Missy and Prissy! 
Pre Meet... they were a little nervous.
Gigi got in there and helped them get comfortable enough to pet them
Play time
Both facial expressions make me think they may be watching her nurse...
She was into the jeans
Thanks Susan for letting us visit your precious goats!