Where did my sweet baby go?

Davis has been 18 months for three weeks, but my goodness something has changed in this little guy!

We've gone from waving good-bye and screeching with excitement when going to "school" or the church nursery, to a bottom lip bending toward the chin and huge crocodile tears.  Mealtimes have never been the best part of the day, but we definitely could get through a meal without a trip to the bathroom for a "talk".  We've gone from wanting to be in the same room as Daddy to wanting to be as tucked into his lap as humanly possible.  Periodic meltdowns were expected throughout the week before, now I would classify them as consistent and daily.  Testing limits seems to be a new game, one that Mom & Dad do not like to participate in.

Three weeks into the second half of Davis' second year, well, I can definitely say I am finally learning how to be confrontational and practice patience!

We have entered the phase of a child's life where they are experiencing an overwhelming urge to be independent, express their opinions, but still need to know that Mom & Dad are right there.  Poor little guy, I know it's a lot all at once.  I hope it gets easier for him, but I am sure it is going to get a little worse before it gets better. 

Now I know where grey hair comes from!

Project Pacifier Purge

The pacifier has been our family's friend.  Unfortunately, our pediatrician is telling us it is time to say goodbye (well, by his second birthday is to be our goal). 

At fifteen months, we started only letting Davis have his pacifier at nap times and long car rides.  We were doing great, but getting 6 teeth in at once and the dreaded stomach bug, we did some major regressing over the past three weeks, however understandable it may have been. 

Jared is always the one of the two of us to "try" new things with Davis.  He has been the one to have the guts to just try the all important milestones and transitions.  And he's not letting me down now!  Jared is off all this week and we have nothing on the agenda other than lots of home time (and a garage sale).  So, Jared decided this is the week for Project Pacifier Purge!  He's right, it will be easier with him around all week to help me distract him. 

Honestly, Davis will probably do better than me.  It's just so much easier in the car or at naptimes (although he has never slept with it at night) to give him his pacifier. 

Here's to Project Pacifier Purge going smoothly!!!   Fingers crossed!

Annual Softball Tournament for the Boys/Arboretum for the Girls (and kids) Weekend

We had our second annual jam packed fall weekend with the Gurgs this past weekend.  This means that the boys play in an all day softball tournament on Saturday (which leaves them sore for at least a week :) ), and the girls take the kids to the Dallas Arboretum for fun and in hopes of getting some good pictures. 

While the picture taking was much easier last year with unmobile kiddos, this year was so much fun.  It was so fun to see Anna and Davis run after one another, and to hear Anna say "Da-is".  The weather was perfect and thankfully we were able to get our time in before the large crowds poured in.  Crazy to think that next year we will have FOUR kids between the two of us!  Not too sure if we'll be able to handle the Arboretum trip without daddys...

Davis - 18 months

The little ham

Walking around by the pumpkin village

One of our attempts to get a picture of Anna (21 months) and Davis together

Someone is upset, and someone looks guilty...

One of the few shots with them both looking at the camera

As far as the boys' softball tournament, they had a good time and are currently nursing their battle wounds :)

Another great time with the sweet Gurg family!  Love every moment!



Week Long Bug...

We've had our fair share of colds, infections, and bugs.  But I have to say this week's bug has moved in to the top 2 of the worst that we've had to experience as parents. 

The "stomach bug" has been going around town with a vengeance.  I had a version of it a couple of weeks ago, and on Monday, Jared and Davis got their turn.  Jared was able to get over the virus pretty quickly, feeling much better on Tuesday.  But Davis, well, it's Friday and we're still not back to healthy.

After 48 hours of vomiting, we narrowly missed a hospital admission for the little man twice.  Praise the Lord for Zophran (an awesome medicine to control vomiting) and a syringe full of Pedialyte at a time (trivia, 6 tsp = 1 oz)!  From Monday morning to Wednesday night, Davis could/would not take a single step nor a single word.  While I knew we were on top of dehydration levels and nothing was life threatening, it was absolutely heartbreaking to see our active little boy want nothing else but be lifelessly curled in my arms for such a long time. 

We have his smile and chatter back and are working up to the normal "running" and should be able to go back into the world on Sunday.  Episodes like this week make me so thankful for the good health Davis does have and that we only have to experience these times in small intervals.  My heart goes to our friends that experience this on a regular basis.

So sad to miss tomorrow's festivities...  Miss you girls!!! 

Here's to next week being full of chasing around a little guy (and getting out of the house!)!

1.5 and -2/3

Our little 1.5 year old is growing like a weed (but still very much a peanut) and is such a light in our lives.  Davis has such a sweet, loving spirit and the past 18 months have been the absolute biggest blessing to Jared and me. 

Here are a few 1.5 stats for little D:
- Sleeps 11 to 12 hours, down to one nap a day of 2.5 to 3 hours.  Positively loves sleeping.  Gets a huge grin on his face and runs to the stairs when you ask him if he wants to go "night, night"
- Super attached to his blanket, only gets pacifier during nap time (and when he's teething...)
- Adores Mickey Mouse and would watch it all day, every day if you would let him.
- "Talks" constantly, saying about 15 words that the rest of the world could understand.  About 10 more that Mom & Dad have to translate on.  Each week gets more and more verbal.
- Very happy and loving.  Almost always has a smile on his face.
- Not such a great eater.  Got pickiness from his mama.  Eats a ton of what he likes, will pass on a whole meal if there is not anything he likes.  That's just called a determined mind, right :) ?
- Goes to "school" twice a week and loves it.  He starts clapping his hands when we pull up to the building and often says hi and keeps playing when I go to pick him up.
- Saves his best "loving" and "sweetness" for Daddy and meltdowns for Mama (sounds about right, huh :) )
- Favorite activities: being outside, coloring at his table, playing with his golf clubs, riding his rocking horse, reading books, playing hide and seek

Our prayer for little D is that he grows a heart for loving and following the Lord.  We pray that he grows to be a loving, respectful, and hard-working man.  While on one hand it makes us a little teary that 18 months have already passed, each day gets more and more fun, with more and more laughs.


Our second little one is now -2/3 (can't help it, I am such a math nerd) and cannot believe we will meet him/her in just 6 short months. 

I only thought I showed early with Davis, but boy this time around happened very quickly.  While the weight gain so far is actually less this go around, this tummy remembers the feeling of being nice and stretched out and is feeling nice and happy to return to its roomy existence.  This pregnancy has been much harder on me physically, but I am thankful for this miracle, and also thankful for the hardest part to have seemed to be over. 

We have decided to find out the gender of "The Sequel" and find myself so unbelievably curious.  I cannot believe that we were actually able to wait last time!  As amazing of an experience it was with Davis to not know until he was born, we are excited to experience the "reveal" before he/she is born.

My daily prayer is for a normal pregnancy, healthy baby, and a smooth transition for our family.  And Lord, please, oh please, a child that sleeps as well as Davis.  The Lord knows how very poorly I operate with little shut eye...  I pray for this child's heart to become full of the Lord, and like his/her older brother, to be loving, respectful, and hard-working. 


We are so thankful for every day, every moment, every fraction of time with these little miracles!