Christmas Card

Here is our version of a Christmas card:

Brian: Brian is still working at IHC in their security department part time.  He works two, 12 hour shifts on the weekends.  During the week he gets to be a stay-at-home daddy to our boys.  We appreciate all he does for our family.  

Karlie: Karlie got a new job in the fall and is now an achievement coach.  She loves working with teachers.  Karlie also finished her administrative license degree in December!  She has interviewed with a district for a principal job and is just waiting for open positions and hoping for a job next fall.

McCoy: McCoy turned 3 this summer and started preschool this fall!  He loves it!  He loves Ms. Holly and all that he is learning there.  He talks non stop and has already started to out smart his parents.  He keeps us laughing with his jokes and stories.

Eli: Eli turned 1 in December and continues to steal our hearts every day.  He has started pulling himself up and shows more personality every day.  He "talks" a lot and LOVES to eat.  He will eat anything we put in his mouth.

It has been a great year for us and we look forward to what next year brings.  We are grateful for each of you in our lives and wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

And so it begins...

We have attempted to start potty training in our house.  McCoy is a complex little guy and he will tell us he has to go, and then go.  The next day, he wants nothing to do with the potty.  I bought him Bay Max underwear to help motivate him and they only had 4T so they are hanging off of my skinny little dude, but he likes wearing them over his diaper when he goes potty.  When I am off work next week, we are going to hit the ground running.  Wish us luck!  Also, I love how Eli's chubby legs are sticking out in this picture.

My precious little Eli has the sweetest personality.  He will just sit and stare at people.  He will just sit and study my face and I wish I could get into his head and know what he is thinking about me.  It is like he is trying to memorize everything about me.  He also never takes his eyes off of his big brother when they are together.  It is adorable.  Love my sweet boys!

Pure joy!

McCoy has been EXTRA hard lately, but he has also taught me what pure joy is.  He discovered the swings at grandma's house this weekend and we could not get him off of them.  He is so happy in this picture.  He is at that age where he is soaking every new experience in and he loves every minute of it!  I can't wait for him to go to preschool and learn more because he loves to learn so much.  Sorry, I was far away holding Eli so this is the best that I could get.

And here is a picture of his "little" brother experiencing the joy of sitting up.  Now that he knows that he can sit up, he will not lay down on your chest.  He always has to be up!  He is also experimenting with moving his legs to crawl!!  Ahh!!

Blah

This picture of Eli pretty much sums up how we have all been feeling lately.  These last couple of weeks of school are hard on all of us.  We are ready for summer break!  They boys are ready to have me home and I am ready for a break and ready to do stuff around the house.

I have my principal Praxis test on Saturday so I have been staying late at work to study for that.  I wish we could all be as chill as Eli about life.  He is the most chill baby.  He just loves to be held and talked to.  He LOVES his big brother and thinks that whatever he does is the funniest thing ever.  Eli will watch McCoy ninja fight all over our living room and just laugh at him.  It is pretty dang cute.

Far Away

Since my parents are living far away and internet is limited, I have decided to take up blogging again so that they are able to see their grandkids doing fun things and growing up.  I didn't want to have to blow up my facebook and instagram feed with pictures of my cute kids.  Plus I have been horrible at journaling since I became a mom and I need to be better so that my kids have something to read about themselves when they get older.  Here are the highlights of the last little while:

McCoy:

McCoy went pee in the potty for the first time!  He just told Brian he had to go and we took off his diaper and he went.  We went and bought him Batman and Bay Max underwear and he has been pretty excited.

McCoy decided to walk to the park by himself the other day and give me a heart attack!  I was so worried, but so grateful that my neighbors recognized him and brought him home.

He is as sassy and funny as ever.  I don't know where he learns the things he says, but he keeps us laughing and is such a good big brother.

Eli:

Eli is consistently rolling over from back to belly now!  He is also trying to hold his heavy head up when we sit him up.  He is not a huge fan of that.

When someone walks in to the room, he smiles with his whole body.  He always has his mouth wide open to smile and to "kiss" people.

He NEVER holds still. He is constantly squirming.  I am really hoping it is not a precursor of his toddler years.

I love these little boys of mine and am excited to spend my days during the summer with them.