Austin at 18 Months...Continued!

This morning we had Austin's 18 month check-up with our pediatrician, and so I'll always remember, I wanted to include his "stats" and what the doctor had to say about my littlest man. Plus, I forgot to include lots of things in his original 18 months post. I guess I was trying too hard when I sat down to write it because since then I've been amazed at all the things I left out. I guess I was just over thinking it. Since then I've been jotting down everything that comes to mind that I left out.... so hopefully I'm making up for it now!

Austin did great at his appointment. He was so calm and did everything without a fuss. He only had to get 1 shot and he cried hard and then got over it. I was so proud! He currently weighs 23 pounds, 1 ounce and is 30.5 inches long/tall. He is in the 15-20th percentile for weight and the 10th percentile for height. (Although when I went back and read about Garrison's 18 month check-up it seems like I might have the percentiles switched since the boys are closer in height at this age than weight.) Austin is still our little guy but perfectly healthy and proportionate. We actually weren't supposed to see much of a growth spurt at this check-up anyway. More than anything we are thankful he's healthy! And that he loves to eat! And that he sleeps all night! And takes good naps! And talks a bunch! We just have lots to be thankful for when it comes to our littlest love. =)

Now for some important things that must be documented...

*Austin loves to slide. Every time Terrell and Garrison are playing baseball in the backyard Austin wants mama to do nothing but put him on the slide, catch him, then put him back on the slide. Over and over and over again. It's one of his favorite things ever. He will slide 50 times in a row if you let him.
 

*Austin also loves pickles. He is his mother's child. =) One day Garrison and I were having one with our lunch and Austin demanded to have one as well. (For some strange reason I thought he'd spit it right out. I don't know why I thought that since I LOVE pickles and Garrison has loved them from a really young age too.) Anyway, since he got his first taste of a pickle he loves them now too.

*Speaking of meal times, Austin reminds us to say the blessing at every single meal. He folds his little hands together and grunts at us and makes noises until we acknowledge him and bow our heads to pray. Sometimes he even demands we say the blessing during the middle of our meal or possibly before snack time.

*Wagon rides are one of his favorite things.  

*He takes his socks and shoes off almost every. single. time. we get in the car. It drives me crazy. Sometimes we're literally in the car less than 5 minutes but getting those socks and shoes off are the first thing he does after he's strapped in. Ahhhh. Now we give him a couple of books in the car on the way to school or the grocery store or short little trips in hopes of a distraction so he'll leave them on. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. You just never know.

*Getting rides from big brother is a fun hobby. Austin loves it. And can't wait for the day he'll be able to drive.

*His favorite inside hobby is playing with puzzles. He loves doing puzzles even though he can't really make the pieces fit all by himself yet. He always wants me or Garrison to do them with him multiple times a day. And, he loves sitting in a lap to play. Whether it's building or playing ball or putting puzzles together, his favorite spot to sit and play is in a lap. LOVE.

*Austin also loves peek-a-boo. He's really into doing it himself now. He covers his face with those sweet, chubby hands and then says peeaboo after he gives you the big reveal. Precious. I love watching and hearing him play this little game. It's too sweet.

*A few very important words I left out that he says lots and lots are uh oh, choo choo, stop! (he likes saying this to Bailey when she barks), rock rock (when he wants to rock before bedtime or naptime, or when he just wants to be read to in the rocking chair), yaaaay!, beep beep, moo (for the sound a cow makes), and baaaa (for the sound a sheep makes).

*We're working on learning where his eyes, nose, ears, etc are. So far he knows hair, ears, and toes/feet the best.

*His other favorite hobby is sitting on daddy or Garrison's back and bouncing on top of them. It's the most fun ever!

That's all I can think of and all I had jotted down so hopefully I'm not forgetting anything too big this time. We are so thankful for our sweet baby boy and this fun age!!

My Favorite Kind of Weekend

While I love having weekend plans and going to the hometown, spending time with family, catching up, and being back at our home church, one of my favorite kind of weekends is when we don't have tons to do, the weather is nice, and we're just home hanging out and playing together. And that's the kind of weekend we just enjoyed. It was bliss.

Saturday started with cinnamon rolls for breakfast, morning baths, and getting ready for Easter pictures. Capturing "posed" pictures was a tad more challenging this year with Austin, but I still think we got some good ones. Danielle gave us a preview on facebook and here are two of my favorites. I can't wait to see them all!

 

After pictures we came home for lunch... delicious homemade barbeque my mom shared with us, then naps and then lots of time outside. We all had such a good time. We went for a walk together (Garrison rode his bike with Terrell close by while I pulled Austin in the wagon and walked Bailey), played baseball, let the boys ride around in their cars, and went through Spring/Summer clothes for Austin that used to be Garrison's. We stayed in for supper and everything. The only time we went out to eat the entire weekend was Friday night. We didn't go back to a restaurant or get take-out the rest of the weekend. It could've been a record for us. We like getting out on the weekends and not cooking, but this weekend it just worked out for us to stay in and it was so nice.

 

Yesterday was really laid back too. We even went to Scoops for ice cream after naps. So yummy! Then we played outside all afternoon and I even got to come inside early to tackle my workout solo... without an audience! (If you don't count Bailey... but she didn't bark as much this time so I think we're making progress.) 

 

Terrell and I ended the weekend with the 2 of us sitting at the table last night cutting out eggs, tissue paper, and little "chick feet" for an upcoming craft I have at school. I love him. He is such a good husband and daddy.

 

I am so thankful for weekends like the one we just had and my family to share them with!

 

Now we're gearing up for seeing lots of family over the next few weeks and are excited to be back "home" with our favorite people. =)

The Good and The Not So Good

I'll start with the not so good...We found out at Garrison's appointment with the pediatrician on Tuesday that he did in fact have strep. Again. If he comes down with it one more time before the Fall (I think?) then we'll have to look at having his tonsils removed. Apparently if you have strep 5 times or more in a year then you're forced to consider removing tonsils. It's some kind of insurance thing. And it's kind of scary. I don't want him to have to go through it, but I know it could be a good thing and make a huge difference for the better. Thankfully he's back to 100% now and we know it's all in God's hands so we don't have to stress over it.

Moving onto the good...We also found out Tuesday at Austin's appointment with the ENT that he has perfect hearing and that both tubes are clear and open. Yay! We are so thankful things are looking great with our littlest man's ears!

More good...My sister's super smart boyfriend (who I hope is my future brother-in-law =)) determined all my Jeep needed was freon to start blowing cold air from every vent! Yay!!Apparently our Jeep is designed to stop blowing cold air from everywhere except the driver's side when it's low on freon. Praise the Lord! That was such an example to me of why you shouldn't worry. God knew we only needed freon... not some complicated crazy expensive something else. We were thrilled with this money saving good news. =)

A little bit of both... I've decided it's time to start working out and attempting to get into better shape. Before anybody rolls their eyes or gets insulted, I'm not doing this to lose weight. I'm a small girl and weight isn't the issue. Being out of shape is. I guarantee you my resting heart rate is higher than it should be. Plus, everything I eat shows up in my waist line as soon as I'm done. Probably because I am small so it just shows up. Like food baby every time. Like are you 3 months pregnant or 4? Like my 4 year old gives me a hug and starts rubbing my belly and says, Mama you feel like you have a baby in your tummy. Oh my. At first it was funny but then it was just sad. He still has a thing or two to learn about things you never say to a girl. Ever. On the bright side at least he said feel and not look. Gracious.

Since we don't have the time or money for the gym and I can't do outdoor workouts in Spring or Summer due to allergies and blazing hot temperatures... unless you count a family walk around the neighborhood once the pollen passes but before it's 100 degrees out... I'm going back to my trusty Fitness at Home that I did a few times last year. (Wow. Writing that I worked out a "few times last year" sounds pitiful.) I did it Tuesday afternoon for the first time with the boys watching and participating and getting in the way. My second time was today. And Bailey decided to join in the fun and bark at me until she finally lost interest. Of course I have to modify. I do girl push-ups, I don't do a minute wall sit (more like 20 seconds but I strive for 30), and I only do the routine twice because duh, I can't pass out with my children watching. So I am bad out of shape but I'm determined to change that. Slowly but surely. I'm not expecting crazy results I just want to be and feel healthier and my waist line to not automatically expand like a pregnant lady the second I finish I meal. It probably wouldn't hurt to go a little lighter on the portions either...

Not so good... Our anniversary weekend still isn't planned. We talked about it and it just didn't go so well. And it was all my fault. I finally realized what the problem was. I couldn't finalize or commit to any plans because I was having anxiety about the kiddos. Ahhhh. I don't know why letting them spend the night away is such a big deal. I've analyzed it to death. Is it because we live an hour away so it's always a big to-do? Is it because they're so young? Is it because I'm so Type A? Is it because I'm afraid bedtime will be crazy and difficult for everyone involved? Is it because I'm afraid they'll be homesick or confused or not on their best behavior? Is it because Garrison's been known to not like mama and daddy going on dates without him? Yes, yes, yes... all of the above. Whatever the
reason(s), it's just hard for me. It definitely isn't natural and it's never easy. But I think once a year to celebrate our anniversary is important and necessary. It's good for us to get away and focus on each other. So I'm praying about it and trying to relax. And I'm repeating a quote to myself quite often... When we loosen our grip, He tightens His. It really is going to be okay. I even feel like the plans for the kids are coming together so I can finally move forward with planning our trip.

Good!... Terrell lost his wedding ring about a week and a half ago. At the time we thought Austin grabbed it off his nightstand and possibly threw it or carried it around and then lost it. We've looked and looked and have just been waiting for it to turn up. And tonight it did! We were outside playing while Terrell grilled and out of the blue Garrison said, Here's your ring daddy. It was in the grass right in the middle of the backyard. We couldn't believe it had been outside the whole time! Garrison was so proud of himself. Probably because we cheered and hugged him and had a big celebration in his honor. =) He was still saying Are you so glad I found your ring daddy? before bed.

Even though we had a few not so good moments this week, God has blessed us tons and we are thankful!!

Lots of Little Things

There's not a whole lot to blog about this week. We had a super low key weekend and have a pretty low key week planned. Things aren't totally uneventful, but they are sort of boring. And boring is good sometimes.

While we don't have any big or exciting things happening right now we do have lots of little things going on. Things that I'd like to record just so they can always be remembered. Every month I like to go back and read the same month's posts from last year and the year before. (Starting in April I'll be able to read all the way back to 2010. Thank you Megan Lenhart for introducing me to blogging!!) And I love it. It makes me appreciate blogging and having my memories in writing that much more. So, this post is strictly for my own journaling of our life at this point in time purpose, so it probably won't mean much to anybody else. Just thought I should warn you.

Here's what's going on this week in the Selph household...

*Garrison is sick again. Boo! It seems like once he catches something his immune system is down and he's sick off and on for a while. We have an appointment this morning to determine whether it's strep or a virus or something else.

*We also have a follow-up appointment for Austin with the ENT. They're going to check to make sure his ears and tubes look fine and then do a hearing test. Both appointments should be interesting with both boys in tow. Pray for me.

*Since the time change the boys have been sleeping extra late. Which is nice except that it's going to break my heart when I have to wake them up so early tomorrow morning for school. (We stayed home yesterday since Garrison was sick.)

*The air conditioning in our Jeep needs fixin. And it may cost a bundle. But I am not stressing. I can't say the same for my husband, haha. But, God always provides and it'll be fine. We're heading down to B'ville tomorrow afternoon for haircuts and an early dinner with family so we'll be leaving our family car there to be repaired... and hopefully we'll get it back in time for the weekend. In the meantime, the boys and I will be driving around in the cop car (that's what we've nicknamed my mom's car) for a couple of days until our Jeep is blowing nice cold air for us from all vents... not just the driver's side.

*Lately we've been praying about and talking about what our future is with Premier. Where it fits and what it's place is. I've been a Premier jeweler almost 4 years and God has used Premier in a big way for us. It has been wonderful and an answer to prayer from the beginning. I started when Garrison was 6 months old and Premier provided security and hope for me staying home long term.

Now, almost 4 years later, life has changed. I have a "regular" job and paycheck now. It's not a lot money-wise but it is consistent and important for us to have, at least for now. What it is a lot of is extra work at home. There is no planning period when you teach preschool. Everything you do to prepare is done at home. It's not super overwhelming, but it is time consuming... which leaves less time for Premier.

Also, we've added a baby. Having baby #2, my sweet Austin, has changed things. We are busier. We have more errands and appointments and things to do. And I try to make sure my babies always come first. Which means Premier gets pushed to the back-burner.

Also, we have a son who has started recreational sports. We did soccer in the Fall and now have baseball this Spring. Sports are a big commitment. They are time consuming and change the look of your week nights. And once again, putting my children first means I'm putting their schedules first. And since we don't have family here to help with baby-sitting or chaufeuring in the evenings, it falls on me... until Terrell gets off.

Sooo, we're struggling a little with what to do. We love Premier. Love what it stands for. Love the extra income. =) But we're facing a bit of a dilemma. My renewal isn't until August so for now I'm going to try to get back into it a little while we figure out what God wants us to do next.

*This weekend we have Eater pictures! We rescheduled a couple of weeks ago when it was cold and dreary and we're so excited about a nice weekend (perfect for pictures) coming up! We're going to be doing them at the same place with the same bunny as last year. I hope the boys cooperate!

*This week we're also in the process of finalizing the contents of the boys' Easter buckets. We like to keep things practical and simple for Easter. We definitely don't need too many little bitty toys and we hate to get things "just because" because they always end up being a waste. But we both grew up getting Easter baskets and goodies so we want to do the same for our kiddos. It's fun and light and the boys love it.

*Terrell and I finally started watching The Bible. It's really good. And since I've been reading through the Old Testament it's making it that much more interesting and fascinating for me. We're both enjoying it so far.

*Last but not least, this week we're going to try to finalize/narrow down/make a decision about our anniversary trip. It's exciting but kind of stressful too. We want to have fun and make the most of our time away but we must keep our budget and kiddos in mind too. I'll keep you posted! (For anyone who's still reading....) Happy Tuesday!!

VIP Date Night!

Terrell and I had an amazing, rare, will probably never happen again, opportunity last night. And it was SO fun!! Which means it must be written about!

We were invited to go on a double date with our friends/neighbors Ryan and Katie to a Hawks game. When Garrison was a baby and toddler we hung out with them a lot and considered them really good friends. We went to their church and even went to a couples Bible study at their house every other Thursday night. But since the Bible study stopped before Austin was born and we moved on from their church, and the kids grew (in size and number) we haven't gotten together in a loooong time or had a chance to catch up in forever. Sooo, when we were invited on this little date we were super excited. One, because we love the Hawks and two because we'd be able to catch up and go out on a double date!

(We never go on double dates. We're just not super close to any other couples...unless they're related to us. So we typically only go out on dates together...just the two of us.)

The HUGE bonus to the date was that our tickets were compliments of the company Ryan works for (who does business with Terrell's bank) AND they were for 2nd row floor seats. Squeal!!!! It was AMAZING. We loved every second!!

Terrell's mom came over to baby-sit and she made our picture before we left.

 

 

Then Garrison insisted he be in a picture with us too. I almost couldn't leave this little man after yesterday morning when we told him about our date and he grabbed onto my leg and said But I want you to stay with me mama. Break my heart. It made me feel loved but I also felt a little guilty. He even requested I come into his room to kiss him goodnight when we got home. Bless his heart. Thankfully he was perfectly fine when we left him and only had one Imissmymamaanddaddy moment at bedtime. =) 

As soon as we parked in our super close parking spot and entered Phillips Arena we made our way to the "VIP" area. It wasn't really called that but you could tell you were somebody if you got to go in that way. It was swank. There were upscale restaurants and bars in a concession/food court style set-up. We chose a steak place that offered steak sandwiches. Our meal was delicious. So was talking and catching up!

Afterwards we made our way all the way down to the floor. And our 2nd row seats. It was surreal. I know I sound dramatic but I was so star struck. I couldn't stop smiling and staring at my favorite Hawks who were WAY taller and bigger than they look on TV. As a sports fan it was cool. As a basketball fan it was big. As a Hawks fan it was all of those plus AWESOME. =)

The game went great. We even had ushers checking on us! Then, it was especially cool when my mom sent us a text and asked us to turn around and look up. The backs of our heads were on TV all night long. So we asked her to record the game. Ha! She also saw me taking a picture with my phone and my mother-in-law saw Terrell put his arm around me. Crazy!

My favorite Hawk, Al Horford. He's having such a great season.

Can I just say the game is waaaay faster watching in person from 2 feet away. I was SO impressed. They are professional athletes I guess... but whoa. You have to be in shape to play basketball. And people are sitting so close to you. I found myself wondering how they aren't distracted by the people sitting in the floor seats. It was so out of my league.

Josh Smith had a terrible game. But we still love him. And were thankful he walked over so close to us. =)

We enjoyed ourselves so much. It was great double date and super cool experience. We even got to buy the boys a couple of souvenirs after the game because each ticket had some kind of "Hawks store credit". I'm telling you it was a VIP experience.

HUGE thanks to Nana for keeping the boys and staying up so late for us and to Ryan and Katie for inviting us. We had the best time! And seeing the boys and getting lots of love this morning was priceless. We were VIP's all over again. =)

Baseball!

Technically it's wee-ball, but we just call all things baseball, baseball around here. Afterall, ChippaJones plays baseball... not wee-ball.

Garrison officially began his baseball career yesterday with his first ever practice. It was cold. It was a little unorganized. But it was fun! Yaaaay!!! He was SO excited in fact about his first practice that he was a little wild before we left the house. And he got in trouble multiple times for forgetting his self-control and using his mouth to talk back. Taking away the privilege to play baseball may or may not have been threatened before his first ever practice. Gracious.

Because our practice was at 5:30 I made one of our favorite, go-to, simple meals on Sunday night for us to have yesterday so I wouldn't have to cook. The boys and I ate around 4:30. Talk about a record early supper time. BUT, we made it to practice on time and met Terrell there.  

Garrison did so good following directions and participating in all aspects of practice. We have a big team with 4-5 girls and 8-9 boys. And we're the Braves. Woohoo! Of course Garrison would have insisted our team was the Braves no matter what because he informed me on the ride over that he was a ChippaJones baseball player... and everybody knows Chipper plays for the Braves. (Poor baby hasn't accepted his retirement yet.)

Terrell made all the pictures for me on my phone because I just couldn't lug our fancy camera around while trying to keep up with Austin. So they aren't the best but they'll have to do for documentation purposes.

They stretched as a team. So cute.

 

They stood in the field waiting for their teammates to hit the ball to them.

 

They fielded balls as they trickled out to them. =)

 

They practiced playing catch with one of the dads. The main goal was to try to catch the ball of course but they were also working on throwing it back as soon as they got it. Garrison made 5 catches and was soooo proud.

 

Then there was batting practice. My baby was the only left-handed batter. (Even though he's right-handed he has always batted left-handed. His daddy has dreams of him being a switch-hitter one day.) He did great!

I spent my time between trying to watch Garrison and trying to keep up with this little man. After a while he was bored with being held and watching Garrison and the Braves. He was ready for his own adventure.

We had a really great experience our first go-round. I did have a temporary moment of anxiety once I saw our practice schedule and that we practice multiple times a week at different fields, AND, that we even have 2 practices at 7:30. Shouldn't 4 year olds be getting ready for bed at 7:30??

Anyway, after a closer look at my personal calendar I came to realize that we won't be able to make every single practice every single week because of prior commitments/plans anyway. And that's OKAY. It actually made me feel better. No more practice anxiety for me!

The only other glitch was the fact that we were all hungry again by the time we got home. So we pretty much ate again. The boys shared fruit, cereal, bread, and a few animal crackers. It was almost as if they had never ate supper. Oh dear. I guess next time I'll try to have something ready to go the second we walk back in the door. OR, since we're meeting Terrell there and will have 2 cars, Austin and I may leave early to come home and get supper ready. I'm sure it's going to be trial and error for a while, I just like having a plan. And that plan does not include "lunch food" for supper or fast food take-out after every practice. (We have our share of "lunch food" everyday for lunch and we have our share of take-out on the weekends.) It may include however a frozen pizza or Stouffer's lasagna every now and then.

We are all (especially Garrison... okay, and daddy) looking forward to this baseball season and brand new experience. And we were all thankful for a great first practice. Go Braves!! =)

All About Austin- 18 Months Old

My baby boy turned 18 months old yesterday. In a way it seems like he should be older and in a way I can't believe my baby is already 1.5. He is growing soooo fast and we can't get enough of him!! God blessed us in a BIG way 18 months ago and we are beyond grateful. This post is dedicated to my adorable, loving, funny, affectionate, happy, cuddle-bug Austin on his 18 month (and one day) birthday.

Here's a picture of you at 6 months. You were a happy, laid back, and oh so cute baby. You showed us your personality a lot at this age and were already scooting around and rolling around to get into things and make your presence known. Your mama, daddy, and brother loved holding you, watching you, and playing with you. 

This is a picture of you at 12 months. You were a wild man!! You were fully mobile and got into whatever you wanted. You made everyday an adventure. You loved playing with Garrison and climbing on things and putting things in your mouth. This was a fun and very busy age for you.

At 18 months your personality is a little more mellow. You're really independent and are content to play by yourself sometimes. You are a mama's boy through and through. You still love to be held and rocked. Being read to is probably your favorite thing ever. You LOVE playing with your big brother. And you are extremely tough and resilient. (I guess that's part of having a big brother)

You wake up everyday a little after 7:00. When we have a break from school you sleep a little later but on school weeks you're our early riser. You go to bed around 7:30 every night. You still take 2 naps a day on "non-school" days. Your morning nap is short and lasts from about 9:30ish-10:30ish and your afternoon nap is about 2 hours and lasts from 1:30ish to 3:30ish.

Your favorite foods are all kinds of meat, bananas, apples, pears, peaches, bread, dry cereal, crackers, grits, spaghetti, and cheeseburgers. You're finally starting to eat some vegetables. (Since switching to table food you haven't been a fan.) You like green beans, peas, and baby carrots occasionally. Your typical breakfast is a banana and dry cereal or a cereal bar. Your typical lunch is deli meat, crackers, cheese, fruit, and yogurt or applesauce. And your typical supper is whatever we're eating... which makes us really proud! You have a really big appetite and love to eat!

One of your favorite things to do while I cook or prepare meals (other than let me know you're starving!) is to get inside of your cabinet. You normally empty it out and climb in and want Garrison or I to close the door so you can open it up and play peek-a-boo!

You also love to push your dump truck around. This is something you and Garrison almost always do together. Y'all fill them up with things or race them or chase each other and have the best time. You love doing just about anything Garrison is doing. Most of the time the two of you are the best playmates!

You love climbing into things. We find you in the laundry basket, your toy basket, and your book basket all the time. Reading books by yourself and being read to are your absolute favorite hobbies. We always read 3-4 books before naptime and bedtime and you are so relaxed and attentive. I know you're soaking up a LOT from being read to.

You love playing with Garrison in his room. Especially at his table. This is a big deal to you and you will play there for as long as we let you. You've also been known to climb on top of his table and turn your brother's room into a diaster area. We have to really keep a check on y'all when you're playing together in his room!

You are talking more and more and learning new words everyday. Here's a list of the most popular I can think of: mama, dada, bruba (brother), bay-bay (Bailey), bye bye, blue, shoe, amen, ball, car, bubble, book, whoa, truck, duck, and quack quack. You've attempted "please" a time or two and we can count on one hand the number of times you've said your grandparents names (you're still content to call them mama, haha), but you are starting to repeat almost everything we ask you to say. Yay for a growing vocabulary!

You are so precious to our family and we are so thankful for you! We are all loving watching you grow and learn and change. You make us laugh. You keep us busy. You add fun and excitement and adventure to our family all the time! Happy Birthday to our growing littlest man! We love you Austin Selph!!