Colton is 2 Months!

Colton is 2 months old and growing like a weed. Stats:
- Weight: 13 pounds 13 ounces = 95%
- Length: 24 inches = 50%
He got 3 shots at his 2-month checkup and was not at all pleased.

He is sleeping about 6 hours at a stretch, but doesn't usually like to go to sleep until around 10pm. Then I typically get up at 3 or 4am to nurse him unless Grant happens to be awake. He enjoys being swaddled, but doesn't require it to sleep. The only time he really throws a fit is in his car seat.

Colton often does this move with one hand up and the other stretched out. We call it the "Super Colton!!" This is at his doctor checkup.

More smiley every day!

In Kansas City wearing an outfit of my brother Eric's! Adorable.

Jack Ranger is 3

Jack Ranger turned 3 on Oct. 18 and he just went today for his annual checkup.

Stats for my little ball of energy!
- Weight: 29 pounds = 20%
- Length: 3 and 1/4 feet = 30%
- He needs to work a bit on fine motor skills, but other than that all his development is right on track

He is making the transition to being a big boy. In early September he moved into his new room and into his big boy bed. He loves his cars and trucks sheets and he had no trouble sleeping in a twin versus his toddler bed. This month we are tackling potty training and he is having almost no wet accidents but he still hasn't mastered #2. He hides and then comes and asks us to change him. He is sucking his thumb less, but needs lovey dog just as much as ever. He loves anything transportation related and rarely goes anywhere without a car, truck or plane in hand.

My favorite recent JR conversation:
- JR: "What is married?"
- Mom: "Your Dad and I are married. We are a family together. We sleep in the same bed and we love each other very much."
- JR: "Are you and me married too?"
Note: We often wake up in the morning with all 5 of us in the bed!

We love you Jack Ranger!!!

Magic All Around

There is a lot of magic at our house, mostly created by Miss Cadie Walsh! Here is the proof...

- Cadie: "Mom, can I have some of Colton's hair?"
- Me/Mom: "Ummm, No. Why do you ask?"
- Cadie: "Colton is very magical and I am making a new potion."
While I did not let her have Colton's hair, I did agree that Colton is magical and so we agreed to dip his head into the pretend pot of potion. That seemed to work just fine.
****
- Jack Ranger: "CADIE, GIVE IT TO ME!!!"
- Mom: "What is going on?"
- Jack Ranger: "Cadie told me should would give me the invisible car and she won't give it to me."
- Mom: "Cadie, do you have an invisible car that you told him you would give him?"
- Cadie: "Yes"
- Mom: "Please give it to him then."
Cadie then held out her empty hand, Jack Ranger took the car out of her hand and all was well again. And here I have been, a chump all this time thinking I needed actual cars to bride him and I could have been using invisible cars all along!
*****
I hear Jack Ranger yelling and I go to investigate. Jack Ranger is lying face-up, with his head, arms and legs flat on the floor.
- Mom: "What is going on?"
- Jack Ranger: "Cadie put a no-moving spell on me and I can't move."
- Mom: "Cadie, please take the spell off of him."
- Cadie: "But I don't want him to move! He is bothering me."
- Mom: "Cadie, please take the spell off of him because he is getting frustrated by it."
Cadie then waved her hands and Jack Ranger was magically mobile again. However, I do wish I also had a no-moving spell that I could put on both of them when needed.

Here are a few pictures of my magical children during a morning walk/bike ride last week in the beautiful cool, fall air. They light up my life.

San Antonio

The kids, Grant and I, DD and Big John and my sister CJ and her husband Ryan took a long weekend getaway to San Antonio! CJ and Ryan drove down and stopped off in Austin to visit friends, Grant and I and the older 2 kids drove down together and DD and Big John flew with Colton. We all met in San Antonio on Wednesday evening for dinner on the riverwalk. The mariachis sang happy birthday to the kids. I was happy to avoid a crisis when I realized that I had forgotten a nipple for Colton's bottle, but HOORAY there was a drugstore right next store with a bottle. The kids were a little wound up and I was thankful that CJ and Ryan took them to explore a bridge going over the rivewalk.

On Thursday we visited the Alamo and then CJ and DD took the older kids to a Fire Truck museum while I took Colton back to the hotel room to rest. The boys went and saw a movie. On Thursday evening we took a boat tour along the river and then everyone had a casual dinner. We ate with DD and Big John and just got food at a food court and then ate at a table on the river. CJ and Ryan found a tavern that they reported had really good food.

On Friday we moved hotels and then went to Sea World and made it there just about when they opened at noon. We saw Shamu, rode a few rides, the kids played a bit in the splash park and then we were all tired and hot by around 5pm so we went back to the hotel. DD and Big John kept the older kids in their room and Grant, me, CJ and Ryan all went for a yummy dinner at the CheeseCake Factory where Grant's good friend Downing Riley is the manager. We had a good time visiting with Downing and it was nice to have an adult dinner (we did have Colton, but he barely counts).

On Saturday I was wiped out so I stayed at the hotel with Colton while the rest of the gang went to Fiesta Texas. I had a wonderful day cuddling with Colton and watching travel channel shows about Disney. I stayed with the kids that evening while the rest went to dinner and then Grant and I packed up most of our things for a very early morning departure on the train!

Our train was scheduled to depart at 7am so we arrived with DD and Big John at 6:30am. DD and Big John then drove our car back to Dallas. There was one issue after another with the train and I don't think we departed until around 10am and then a 3pm arrival back to Dallas ended up being at 10:30pm arrival! We had breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining car and the kids had fun watching movies and hanging out on the bunk beds in our "family room." However, it felt like a long day for Grant and I and we arrived back in Dallas pretty tired.

All in all it was a fun trip and a good maternity leave memory.

Our only group photo! I am glad Grant went back to Sea World to buy it.

We were all tired as we waited for the train to depart. None of us are early risers.

Go Bears!

On our way to our San Antonio family getaway we stopped in Waco for lunch and to see the Baylor Bears. The bear pit has been upgraded and the kids had a great time watching the active bears. We also visited the bookstore and had lunch at Fazoli's. We were sporting the BU gear and we even made a few additional purchases in the bookstore. Colton is not in the pics because he doesn't love car rides and so went with DD and Big John on the airplane and they all met us in San Antonio. The big kids were great on the drive and it seemed to go pretty fast. Sic Em Bears!

Cadence is 5!

Our little lady is amazing in every way! She is an extremely caring big sister, she get more imaginative every day and I am often stunned by her emotional intelligence.

She had her 5-year doctor checkup today and here are her stats:
- 45 pounds and 10 oz. = 75 percentile
- 3 feet and 9.5 inches = 95 percentile
- All her other tests including pulse, cholesterol, etc. were normal
Basically, she is a strong, healthy, tall and lean little girl.

Here are a few recent funny Cadie stories:
****
Mom/Me (while sitting in my bedroom): "Cadie, I am pumping a bottle for the baby right now, do you mind giving me some privacy?"
Cadie: "No problem Mom. I will sit right here beside you and make sure no one bothers you."
****
Mom: "Cadie, why is there a princess sticker on Colton's bottom?"
Cadie: "Because he is a super pooper!"
****
Mom: "Time to say bedtime prayers!"
Cadie: "I am going to hum my prayers. I don't have words tonight and God knows what I mean."
Then she closed her eyes and hummed the most lovely tune - it made me almost cry.

Cadie's birthday celebration at school

Happy Birthday Party!

On Saturday we celebrated Cadie's 5th birthday and Jack Ranger's 3rd birthday. The casual event at our house featured lunch, canvas bag decorating craft (to collect candy from the pinatas), playing in the backyard, two pinatas and cookie cakes. Little kids hitting pinatas is hilarious!

Even though it was a bit rainy, the party was not dampened a bit. We just moved under our huge carport and it worked out perfectly. The kids had a great time driving motorized toy cars on the driveway under the carport. We couldn't even get Will and Ranger inside to eat or make their bags - they just wanted to play outside with the cars!

Birthday party attendees - thanks for helping us to celebrate!
- Will Waldo, Jack Ranger's best friend at school, and his parents Carlyn and Michael
- All 4 Riley kiddos and their Mom Emmy
- Avery Gray, Cadie's BFF, and her Mom Shauna
- Emily, Cadie's friend and our next door neighbor, and her Dad Jeff
- Nanny Mary and Nanny Sarah and their boyfriends
- Aunt CJ and Uncle Rhino
- DD and Big John
- Uncle Preston and his girlfriend Amanda
- A quick drive-by from Mimi

Our friend Miles wasn't able to attend the party, but he helped make the cookie cakes.

We picked out the pinatas from Fiesta and Cadie and Ranger stuffed them with candy themselves.

Decorating bags to collect pinata candy.

Lining up for the pinatas - this is the closest I got to a group photo.

In Cadie's opinion every party must include a bit of dress-up.

Cadie and her dolly and me outfit from Mom.

Dad got the kids Baylor gear. Go Bears!

We Three

These three so the sweetest! Cadie and Ranger really enjoying "showing" Colton his new things and "helping" him get adjusted.

Helping Colton get adjusted to his crib! He still prefers the swing or in bed with mom and dad, but we are working on it.

All three of my babies have enjoyed this mobile.

First time in the Bumbo!

Cadie showing Colton what he looks like.