Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Day by Day

We're taking it day by day here.
We are heading out on our first family vaca this weekend. Jake and I and our littles, along with three other couples, and one other little, are headed out to a quiet, relaxing house in the middle of nowhere. It kind of reminds me of the vacations that my family took when I was little...kind of. I think it will make some good memories.
Cady's Birthday is right around the corner, so we are beginning preparations for that. Next week she starts back to school. I'm a little nervous how potty training will go while she's there. She has been doing such a good job and I just don't want to mess it up! I keep trying to remind myself that there are not very many 5 year olds that aren't potty trained, so I know ONE DAY we will totally get it. 
I'm really excited to have just a little time for me and Wyatt. He is such a sweet little boy! Something that's not so great is that he seems to only like his mommy right now. Daddy is okay sometimes, but usually it's momma. I'm sure one on one time is really going to help that, but that's okay. We'll just have to figure out a way for him to spend a little more time away from his momma, so he knows that he's going to be okay when I'm not there. 
 Aunt Jamie came over and spent the night with us one night last week. It was great fun! Cady was SO excited!
Jamie tried to explain to Cady that Baby Krease was in her belly. Cadence would then point to her own belly and say "Kease!" It has taken about a week, but I think that she finally understands that Baby Krease is ONLY in Aunt Jamie's belly.
Jamie and Chad came over later in the week to have dinner with us. Cady had SUCH a great time doing things with her Uncle Chad... 
like spitting in the grass... 
and riding horses in her room.
(notice Uncle Chad DID NOT get the big horse) 
And this little guy, is still going and going! He is ALL over the place, and has recently discovered Cady's little potty in the bathroom...This is bad, bad, bad! It's not that easy to just close the door when I'm trying to convince Cady to go to the potty as soon as she feel she needs to go. When Cady finds him trying to go into the bathroom she grabs him by the feet and drags him out. It's so funny!

In other news, God has really been blessing our family. Jake did a little engineering side job a few months ago and put the money he made into the savings for a new TV. We were finally able to get one that fits our living room a little better. We were also given another little climber from some neighbors that are moving. It's a little bigger than the last one, so just perfect! God is so good! He has also blessed us with a really great couple that we are now really good friends with. They are strong believers, which makes our friendship even that much more special (Something I have been praying for since we moved here).

In other, other news, my sister is now blogging. You can check it out here: http://whatthepalmer.blogspot.com/ 
I would recommend that you read about "The Crazy Lady" on her profile at the right side of her page before you read her blog... you know just in case! :)

Much love, and I'll talk to you all again soon!


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Life...

We've been living a busy life here. Maybe it's not really that busy, but it seems that it is. Maybe my children are just coming to a point where they need me more of the day.
Wyatt is sleeping a lot less during the day; he is already down to only 2 naps. One good morning nap, and one shorter afternoon nap. For the last 10 days or so he has slept all through the night. A REAL night, not what pediatricians consider a night. We have been putting him down about 9 p.m. and he has been sleeping until 5:30 or 6 a.m. when he eats, and then usually sleeps until 7:30 or so. What a blessing. He is crawling all over the place now; only it's not a traditional crawl, it's an army crawl. From what I have read, some children crawl this way until they walk, while others eventually learn to crawl traditionally. I guess only time will tell. He eats like no baby I have ever seen. 2 containers of food in the morning for breakfast and 2 at night for supper, he has one bottle of milk in the afternoon and then he is still nursing 5 times a day. No wonder that he is wearing 12month clothes and headed into 18 month soon. Since he has been on the go he hasn't been gaining quite as fast. He still doesn't have any teeth, but that doesn't stop him from attempting to eat everything he touches.
Cadence is...well getting ever closer to being 2. In her attitude she has been there for a while now, but it gets better every day! She is such a sweetie, when she's not giving her momma attitude, and she is SO funny! We are almost totally potty trained!! We are still having a little trouble when we put a diaper on for a car ride (for some reason she thinks that means she can just go whenever) and when she is really engrossed in something. Currently she is calling me "Cole" (as in Ni-cole) instead of "Mommy" or "Momma". I think it is because when other children come to our house, they all call me "Nicole" and so it would only make since for her to also.



3 weeks ago we went to a couples shower for our nephew, Krease, who will be arriving in October. Then we also attended my nephew, Lane's, birthday party. He turned 4 at the beginning of August. He is heading to preschool this year! SO BIG!! It's wild how things change so quickly!
2 weeks ago Jake and I took a weekend trip down to the Rowdy Float Trip to watch our friends, Ben Morris and the Great American Boxcar Chorus, play. We had a lot of fun visiting with everyone and listening to some great Texas Country Music. It was my first time leaving Wyatt for an over-night trip so I was nervous, but of course he was fine.
Last weekend Amber, my sister, and I (along with 5 children) loaded up and headed to Abilene to do a little shopping. It was CRAZY! We managed to cram 2 double strollers in my car, along with all our kids and their junk. Then we bought stuff and made the kids hold it on the way home...just kidding (kind of).
This weekend a friend and I threw a baby shower for my Sis-in-law. We are very excited to be welcoming Baby Krease into the Hamilton family! Only about 9 weeks now and we will be officially meeting.
It was tons of fun to put together. Here are a few pictures of the day.







We did all kinds of fun things, like make Jamie answer impossible questions. My favorite part was where we got each guest to write down a wish for Krease. I think it's special because someday when he is older he can look back and see that even this far back there were people thinking about him; hoping and dreaming for his future.
And that brings us to today...Jake just got home a few hours ago. He and his dad went to a wedding reception close to Houston. They drove down yesterday and then back today. We have been to Academy and WalMart hunting for pool floaties for our kiddos for a swim date that we have this week...we didn't find any. Oh well. Jake is home, Cady is whining because she wants juice, and Wyatt is attacking the cup Jake is trying to make for Cady. All I can do is smile and think,"Thank you, Jesus, for the blessing of family." :) 

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Being a Potty Mouth

There are a lot of potty words going on here in the Hamilton House... No, no. Not THOSE kind of potty words. Like, ACTUAL potty words. Are you following me here?

For the last little while we have really been working on potty training with Cady. She did really great at first, then we had a horrible day or two, and now she's doing really good again (thankfully!).

It makes me laugh to think of all the words I say to Cady during the day. I mean the sentences that come out of my mouth, I'm sure are offensive to some, but what can I do?

 - "Cady where does pee pee go? That's right in the potty."
 - "That's gross, don't touch that"
 - "Mommy will put it in the potty!"
 - "Can you push?"
 - "toot!"
 - "Yes, daddy goes in the potty too!"

Then there are whole conversations while we are "practicing" in public. The important thing is that we are getting there, and it's too late to change my mind. We just try to keep it light and remember that bathroom humor is indeed funny!