Go Heels!

Here is what I got when I asked for a smile...is that what I do?

So it's happily basketball season, and we're gearing up for the long hunt for a championship! Let's hope we're not disappointed. My other goal is for Steven Edward to be able to say "Go Heels!" by the end of the season and sing the fight song....okay....maybe not, but at least the first. Thanks for the paraphernalia Nanna and Poppy!




So far this Christmas season, we have only broken two window candles. I figure this is pretty good considering the house is littered with things my toddler is not allowed to touch! Half of which (the nativity) look just like his little animals and are somehow off limits?! He also, when asked not to touch the tree will smile....turn around...and walk backwards into it. Nice. I have also heard jingling and come down the hall to a boy with a sheepish grin that is 6 feet away from the tree. Sinner.

Cold Winter Days

So...during sick season, this is what we do to pass the time. This is a picture of the boys watching football while eating popcorn.


Here Steven and I smile....as Sam spits up. Nice

Our first live Christmas Tree....Steven Edward is impressed...and pushing the limits of what no touching truly means.

The Holidays

I should preface this by saying if all of my days are like today....my blogging is going to slow down dramatically. It seems being a mother of two is quite a bit more time consuming and my top priorities are eating, showering, sleeping, and making a latte. After that comes cleaning my house....and occasionally I have time to check my email. Needless to say....this is taking a back burner. Sorry to all the faithful who love the pictures....I will do my best.

I hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving. We had a great time with family. We spent most of the break at my parent's house, but were able to get up to see Steven's family for a day. Overall it was one of the best Thanksgivings yet. I suppose as our children grow, the more they can interact, and the more fun we have! My sister's family, my nanny, and my family spent time together and the kids played well....everyone got a long...and we were even able to make a trip to the zoo. The pictures I want to put on this blog are being held captive in my sister's camera due to computer problems, but they may make an appearance another time. It seems the only time I got out my camera was when a grandparent or great grandparent was holding Sam...I suppose that is because I wasn't!

Nanny Sunshine and Sam

My Nanny and Sam

My Nanny and Steven

My mom and Sam...

I can't wait for Christmas! This is the way my life feels now... plugging along looking forward to weekends and holidays. Nice.

A Shout Out for Vail

Beth, this post is especially for you!

Well - we had a HUGE storm come in this morning. We woke up and could barely see out of the window because there was so much snow. Luckily we didn't lose power because I'm sure there were lots of outages around the area. The snow was so heavy at times that despite all of our amazing highway equipment the local schools (and therefore my husband's as well) thought it would be wise to close down for the day. I took some pictures of the boys playing in the snow. It was the first time since we've had snow that Steven Edward has been walking....he has learned all about it from a Dr. Suess book so we decided to let him see what it was really like! I know the snow is deep but look close to see if you can see them over the top of it! Luckily we had a left over snow suit from New York! (What we didn't have were any boots or gloves... but we went to Target this morning and remedied that just in case we ever get a real snow here).







In all seriousness, this day was truly a gift from God to a very tired mom that thought Thanksgiving came a week too late this year.

New Words

Steven Edward is steadily working on a new vocabulary. He is constantly adding new words, most of which we can understand and some of which non family members can understand too. He has also taken to saying some of these words on command. Our most recent addition to our vocab is not only amusing but incredibly well enunciated.

I was changing his diaper about a week ago and I simply said, "you have a smelly bum." He looks straight at me and says "bum." He then continues to repeat this while running around the house smacking his bottom. This is the beginning of potential embarrassment while waiting in the line at the grocery store. I suppose the only thing I have to hold onto there is that I'm not allowed to pick him up by myself for 3-4 more weeks so hopefully once I can do that (and therefore go to the store alone) he may be out of this phase.

So this morning I went to my 4 week check up (all was well other than the fact that I may have pulled some internal stitches because I took the no lifting a little too liberally....so now I'm on a 3-4 week longer probation. Ugh) and I had a friend watching Steven at my house with her son who is a month older than Steven. When I returned home she informed me that (unprompted) Steven not only knew where his bum was....but he also knew where Eli's bum, where her bum, and where the bum of a stuffed scare crow where. Nice. Evidently he ran up to them, patted their bum and happily pronounced it's existence. We may have an issue we need to deal with if he starts transferring his knowledge to strangers when we're out and about!

My girlfriends and I got together last night for a girls night! We had sooo much fun. We are hopefully going to make this a monthly or bi-monthly occurrence. It was great for me to get out of the house and just relax. This is a picture.... you have seen lots of their children....so here they are. They are all involved in the bible study I'm in on Thursday mornings and have each become a huge part of my daily life here.

Me, Jenny, Alice, Jill and Christina

How in the World?

It is almost time for Steven Edward to go to bed and my husband is taking out the trash. My eldest son and i are entertaining ourselves by dancing/marching/stepping all over the house while singing. It is lots of fun for all, even Samuel who is in my arms. We are laughing and cackling and I decide to lead our march to the living room where the fire is so nicely crackling in the fire place. Steven follows with a smile. As I reach the hall i hear him fall in the nursery. I keep stomping in place to lure him my way. It takes him a little while and so I eventually head back to check on him. He is standing fully clothed with a diaper in his hand. I think this is strange, but his father is emptying the trash, so it is possible one fell out of the trash. I throw it away and our game continues down the hallway into the living room. It is time for Sam to eat, so I sit on the couch and let Steven keep stomping and screaming around the house. I look down and see a bizarre looking shaped toy on the rug....so I do what I always do which is to ask Steven Edward to bring it to mommy. He walks over, picks up the foreign object, and quickly drops it back to the floor.

"No, it couldn't be." I say to myself. Still holding Sam I jump up and pick up the object to find that it is a ball of poo. Yes, that is what I said...a ball of poo. I can't quite figure it out....we have no pet, there has been no naked running....how in the world? I yell down to my husband to come help because I am holding one son with dirty hands while the other runs around touching who knows what after just picking up human feces. Steven comes up and picks up our son to wash his hands and exclaims,

"Oh my goodness. It was HIS diaper!"

"What? How could it be his diaper? He still has his jeans on." I ask

So, it seems that while falling, he somehow undoes his diaper and pulls it out of the back of his pants. Now whether the poo came before or after I'm not so sure...but I am sure that a game of marching and singing leaves traces of his goodness in every room in random places. Sam, sadly enough is neglected already....he is taken from his meal and placed on the couch while I run bath water and bathe my son. My husband begins to clean the house thoroughly. He vacuums, mops.... and eventually after the bath he has a little toddler in his diaper running behind him happy as can be, yelling and pushing his toy broom after his father.

Nice. How the heck did he manage to pull his diaper off with his pants still on. He is either brillant.... or a little off.

Surviving With Two

Yes - I am surviving. Today was the first true day that I felt like a mom of two. Until this morning Sam has slept most of the time (other than from 8 pm until around 11....when i cave and bring him to bed with me...it is pretty much a routine) and I have been able to spend most of my time with Steven Edward. Then this morning happened...the type of morning where I come up from the steps with a load of laundry to a ringing phone and a screaming infant. The morning you dream of when you're 6 months pregnant chasing a 16 month old... you picture both of them screaming at the same time. It finally happened today. I feel pretty lucky that I've made it practically 3 weeks without this occurring, but I suppose I should note that this morning was the first morning where I haven't either had help or a friend come over.....but the thing is, I survived. In fact I could hear people in my head saying tend to the older one, they'll remember when the younger one won't. So I did. I was even able to get a 30 minute nap in while they both slept (MIRACLE of miracles). I'll let you know if I'm in as good of spirits when this day happens again and I don't nap!

Either way - here are some pictures of the occurrences throughout the week.

My Nanny and George came to visit for a couple nights. Steven Edward LOVED George. I think he is actually drawn to men. I suppose this is a foreshadowing of the guns, knives, and boys' time that will be in my future!











Steven Edward LOVES to cuddle with Sam. He will run up to him and lay on or beside him. He is constantly giving him kisses and holding his hand. In fact one morning he was all over him so I decided to move him to the table (in a bouncy chair) and Steven Edward sobbed. He ran to the table pointing at him and crying. I can't wait until they can actually interact because Steven already loves him so much.





My friend Jan came over and brought us great dinner from a famous restaurant here that I've wanted to try called 12 Bones. She took Steven Edward outside to play and then made play-dough with him. He had a blast.







I have also (even though I don't have pictures to prove it) been loved in amazing ways by our friends here in Asheville. People are still making us meals and I have had several friends buy groceries for me, come to help out around the house, and even drive here, load my kids, help me to the store, unload my kids and my things and help me back in the house. I have been amazingly blessed by the network of friends and peole who love us here.

Daylight Savings

If I could pick anytime to not have a toddler....especially a toddler that has just become a big brother...it would be daylight savings time. Seriously - they didn't factor in mothers into this nation wide plan to optimize daylight. We'll let your children get up at the same time....just push back their meals and their nap and put them to bed an hour later. Today was filled with outings trying to appease a whiny 18 month old....and fits every time we got into the car. This is my way to formally protest the seemingly dumb idea that is daylight savings time!

On a brighter note - I am feeling stronger everyday. We'll see if I still feel that way on Wednesday when I no longer have help! Either way, things are going well and I'm in good spirits. Here are some pictures of when we gave Samuel his first bath at home....and yes....it took us 1.5 weeks to do that. My how different things are when you have a second child. Eeeek. I am trying to get individual pictures of just Sam - but my eldest is just so darn cute sometimes



We decided he kind of looked like a puppy dog, hanging on with those two hands. He didn't cry near as much as I remember Steven Edward crying....but then again....Steven Edward slept at night and Sam is not quite as cooperative! Already seeing the difference in personalities! I can't wait to find out what he'll be like.



Here are some pictures of Steven Edward pushing his lawn mower around pretending to help Sally vacuum. He started this when my mom was here and it has become a regular habit. It definitely helps that with this habit I will be able to do this when he is awake, cause gracious knows I'll be sleeping for here on out while he sleeps... at least until Sam is sleeping through the night!


I'm working on getting more pictures of Samuel for you, but he sleeps a lot during the day....and I'm not usually happy enough about his waking at night that I'm willing to get out the camera. Soon enough.

Postpartum Chaos

WARNING - this post may make you think I'm crazy. Be wary of judging....



Yesterday my mom left after a great week of fun. I was looking for something to do with Steven Edward that would make him feel special and that would take his mind off of the fact that he just lost his playmate of the week. I needed to make pumpkin bread for a fall celebration that took place this morning so I thought that would be the perfect solution. He LOVED it! He thought the flower/sugar mixture was a mini sand box.





We made it all the way through the process just in time for my son to pick up the large Morton Salt and attempt to pour it into the mixture. Luckily I did a movie style dash across the kitchen to catch the line of salt in my left hand and grab the container with my right....shew. I even had the energy to clean the kitchen. Overall I was really proud considering I had my son (and surgery!) the week before. Afterward I felt fine! We even had friends come over for dinner to enjoy some of the amazing food that people have brought me!

Then today we had a fall celebration with the women and kids that come to my house every Thursday for Bible Study. We had 7 moms and 14 children running around my house in costume, eating snacks, and painting pumpkins. It was sheer chaos. Now this is the point when you're thinking....."Courtney! What are you thinking! Are you crazy! You just had a baby!" And yes, you're right....but if I didn't do it here, Steven Edward couldn't participate. And I figured it would be like having 6 other moms to help all at once! I was right....and wrong at the same time. Either way it was such a fun morning.














I then pushed a little too far. After Steven woke from his nap, I went to vote. Unfortunately the line was an hour long, and then we stopped by Wal-Mart on the way home. All in all the day was a little too much. Once I got home I had to take an Advil and a nap before dinner. Tomorrow I vow to sit on the couch and do nothing! Luckily my mother in law arrived today to help me for another week, so I will have lots of help and Steven Edward has another fun playmate!