Bath time

We all went to the Bynum Children's Kids Party last night. It was so much fun! Jake got his face painted with a green dragon with yellow fire. Too bad he isn't picky or anything. Marshall had a ball dancing to the music and flirting with all of Mommy's friends.

I'm not sure why, but I tend to get the best pictures in the bath! May get creepy when they're teenagers to take pics, so I'm doing it now!

Happy with dragon and silly glasses

Sad because dragon washed off

Torturing Marshall...under his little hands he's laughing, I promise!

Time for Marshall to get out...love his teeth in this picture!

Jake actually smiling for pictures...shocking.

I'm taking requests...

Per the requests of one of my MANY followers, I've attached this picture of Jake. It was taken at the ranch one day when he was cold and wanted to warm up by the fire, but not without the iPad or pants for that matter...

What my boys taught me today

Here is a super cheesy, inspirational post....but I just had to include it because it's a great philosophy to live by, cheesy or not...

This morning we were all playing and Marshall just started breaking out in dance! Jake said "Hey! He can't dance, there's no music!" I'm always having to stand up for Marshall when Jake gets bossy like that and say "He can do/say/eat/wear whatever he wants. YOU aren't the boss!" So, after he said that Marshall couldn't dance because there's no music, I said "Well, sometimes you just dance, even when there's isn't any music"...I thought about it after I said it and although it sounds like something that would be on a poster with a mountain, beach and sunset in the background, its something that I need to remember. The way I took it is that you have to celebrate the little moments even though its not a Holiday or party or a special day. Regular ol' days are perfect for celebrating and it made it smile.

P.S. Not five minutes later, Jake started dancing...he didn't know I was watching him. And there wasn't any music either. We can all learn a lot from a 14 month old!

Lesson #2...Bibs are for babies.

We're in!

We spent our first night in our new house on Monday, January 10, 2011! After a very tiring 4-day weekend (without kids, thank you Gaga & Grandy!), we are happy to call this house a home! The decorator is coming tomorrow to help me with the accessories that spruce it up, but overall I am extremely happy already with it. The boys love it and have both transitioned very well. At first, Jake thought that this new house had all new toys, so that was a plus. They have both slept so well, too, as have I...I'm thinking the annoying air-conditioner from 1960 was keeping me up at night in the old house! Tom has been hard at work at Mr. Fix-It and Mr. Project-Man. He is in his element. I've been organizing every thing and enjoy cleaning since it's a new place, but that will wear off quickly, I'm sure.

Our first dinner in the new house was Luigi's. Now that my pantry is organized, I've lost my excuse to not cook anymore. Here are a few shots of the boys at their first meal.

Happy-to-be-eating-Marshall

We're having issues staying in our chair at the table. If it were up to him, he would take 3 hours to eat a meal and just take bites as he passed through the kitchen.

Marshall's first breakfast here...pancakes, of course.

He just wants to be big!

Big news! Marshall turned 14 months old today and finally started to say "Mama" again when he's in his crib or wants something! Jake said it at 14 months old, too. They both said it a few days when they turned 9 months, but took a long heart-breaking (for me) break from it. There's nothing greater than hearing "Mama". One day, it'll be "Mommy", then "Mom", then "Whatever, Mom"...I'm enjoying my name today!

Before and Afters

Since we are moving tomorrow, I thought it would be neat to do a little before & after post...all "befores" are taken the day we looked at the house for the first time. The "afters" are as of the past few months...we've come a long way, baby!

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE- That's Jake, 5 months old, on Grandy's lap!

That's their little boy in the kitchen...he looked a lot like what I thought Jake WOULD look like when he was that age, which is why my heart was attached to this house from day 1!

AFTER

BEFORE- Blue tile!

AFTER- This lighting makes it look yellow, its off-white

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE- Master Bedroom

AFTER- Master Bedroom

BEFORE- Master Bath

AFTER- We didn't do anything, except paint.

BEFORE- Jake's Room

AFTER

BEFORE- Marshall's Room

AFTER

BEFORE-We had to take down the big tree and vines and fence...I could go on and on...this backyard was Tom's enemy for 3 years. Glad to say adios!

AFTER

I can not take any credit for the "after" shots! I give it all to my mother! She transformed this house into something beautiful that I couldn't even imagine! Thanks, Mom! Now, it's time to "play" in our next house;)

Marshall's First Day of MDO

I now declare Marshall as the Champion Baby of the MDO! He did so good at Mother's Day Out today! Today was his first day at First Baptist. He's in the Brown Bear room and has two very sweet teachers. I didn't put him in his stroller to go inside this morning (even though he weighs close to 30 lbs and had a backpack, lunch box and a huge bag of diapers and wipes), so he would feel all grown up AND so that I would feel less guilty for sending him to MDO so young! But all guilt was left outside the doors because he didn't even cry when I left him! He went straight to the toys and the "bubbies" (babies)!

The report from the teacher (his Cuddle Gram...awww!)

He napped for 50 minutes, longer that I expected since I didn't expect him to nap at all! He ate almost all of his lunch...no surprise. He ate applesauce and yogurt. I packed a cheese sandwich, which he only ate half of, probably wondering why it wasn't "grilled"! Then he ate his package of blueberry muffins when we got in the car.

I picked him up at 1:15 so I could make it in time to pick up Jake at 1:45 from Hillander. When I arrived, they were on their "walk", which is a little ride around the church on a stroller for 4 babies. SO CUTE! He was in front and when he saw me in the hall his eyes lit up and he said "Hiiiiiiiiiiiii!" in that high pitched voice (like me???) over and over again with this big smile. Best part of my day right there.

Then when we got home I let the boys burn more energy by playing in Jake's room for "Rumble Tumble Time", as we like to call it. They were finally dressed during these shots...and even matching, so I couldn't pass up the photo opp.

Playing "Patty Cake", I swear.

I mean, really, how do you say "no" to this kid??

Marshall loves to play with Jake's shoes, no one else's, just Jake's!

Sweet boy

I love how he looks at big brother

Hungry again, he decided to finish off playtime with a block snack

So far, it has been a successful day. I got so much done and both boys had fun at their little schools and are napping like little angels now! Life is good.

P.S. One of those little angels is up already...talking...pretty sure that if I don't go in there then I can pretend they are both napping.

And I wanted to include another picture...here's Marshall eating breakfast this morning. I just think he looks especially cute here. But I'm super biased;) In this pic, you've got those gorgeous eyes, fat cheeks, fat little hands and monkey jammies...what else could you want!?