Russell is ONE!

Russell had a very special first birthday and I can't believe it's already passed and over!  We started the festivities with mini cupcakes on his actual birthday, Thursday the 26th, after dinner with our little family of 4.  Russell also got to open his presents from mom and dad that big brother Palmer helped wrap earlier in the day.  He got a few cute board books that will be getting a lot of bedtime attention I'm sure.

A tired boy on his birthday night

Mini cupcake yumminess

I'm committed to making each of their first birthday cakes a little fancy!  Two down.

Playing while mommy & daddy cleaned up for the party

Saturday we were so happy to have lots of family over for his official party!  Some even drove from Oklahoma for the occasion :).  Russell was a little tired, but enjoyed some pizza, cake, and lots of attention.  Palmer did a pretty good job of letting Russell have the spot light and showed some impressive restraint during present time.  We encouraged him to help quite a bit and he liked blowing out Russell's candle and giving him the next gift to tear into!

Cutie!!!

Wardrobe change and some new bath toys

He was seriously interested in the instructions on this one.

Musical turtle- we're going to be hearing this song a lot!

Our sweet little one year old loves to crawl into mommy's lap, upend piles of laundry, EAT, and put things in and out of containers.  He's been wanting to be held lately on account of some molar teething pain, so we've been getting back to wrapping more.  I "wear" him into MDO for Palmer's drop off and pick ups and he is just happy as a clam up on my back in a rucksack carry, or on my side in a rebozo hip carry.  It takes just about the same amount of time to wrap him up as it does to stick him in a stroller, but keeps him close to me (where he wants to be) and lets my hands be free!  I don't care to wrestle a stroller through the glass doors and crowds.

Russell's 1 year doctor visit went well!  He recovered quickly from the horrifying surprise of immunizations and got rave developmental reviews from the doctor.  We recently got health insurance through Tyler's new job, enabling us to get immunizations at the pediatrician instead of having to make a separate trip to the county clinic.  The staff always treated us well over there, but the convenience of getting shots at the well visits will be sooooo nice.  This will be especially true when baby girl arrives since they go to the doctor so often when they're tiny.  County clinic waiting room with a newborn, 1 year old, and 3 year old. . . we're lucky to have another option now!!

give and take

Having two little ones so close in age is fun, exhausting, and chaotic. A year into it, I feel like I have a really good handle on. . . the reality that it's just impossible to do everything!  Or even most things!  Some days we have homemade bread with dinner.  Some days we have clean counters and dishes.  Some days the hampers are practically empty.  These things NEVER happen on the same day!!!  If one thing IS getting done during that precious 20 minutes when both boys are playing happily in the other room, there are always ten things not getting done at the same time.

I'm ok with not doing it all, all the time, because if I did, I would probably be missing the good stuff.  Like seeing the wonder on my 11 month old's face as he takes the lid on and off the same container 700 times to find the toy inside.  Or spending half the day at a playdate catching up with other moms even though we left the house a huge mess after breakfast.  I'm glad the potted plants withering in my backyard and the Cheerios all over the floor don't bother me enough to skip building a new train track with Palmer during Russell's nap.

I probably could have been cleaning the bathroom sinks, fixing a photo worthy pinterest lunch creation, or scraping the goopy banana out of the high chair, but I just watched the babies play piano for a while this day. 

This day Palmer wore a shirt that's almost too small and the ONLY pair of clean shorts he had for his first day of school this year.  Oh, and his new backpack didn't come in the mail til the next day.  Woops!

Striving for perfection is overrated.  When you give time to certain areas of your life, that time gets taken away from others.  Let's give more to times like these.

who needs a parrot. . .

When you have a 2 year old??  Palmer has become quite the chatterbox lately and it. is. so. cute.  I love hearing him talk!  It used to take so much cajoling/repeating/encouragement to get him to say a new word, but now it seems once is enough.  Like at dinner the other night when I was describing someone new I met (don't worry it's probably not you ;)) and said "she just seems a little crazy".  "She crazy?"  says the parrot!  Eeek. . . got to be more careful.

Palmer is the keeper of all doors and gates and insists upon mommy going through first- "Here you go mommy!" before he slams it behind us.  He also likes to say "Come with us" even when it's just him, and "be careful guys" as we walk down a whopping flight of two steps.  His pronunciation of some old favorites is getting better, tear ;(.  Waddeee is now wadder (water).  He's getting so big!  We all got a good laugh when he saw his slice of angel food cake after dinner and exclaimed with his hand to his heart, "Oh, my!!".  Adorable.

Speaking of adorable, Russell is getting more and more of a personality!!  He is loving peekaboo lately and mimicking movements like waving, tapping, and shaking.  My favorite is when he crawls around a corner, plops down on his fluffy bottom, and leans around to peek at me.  The giggles when I say peekaboo are just to die for!  He is 10 1/2 months now and I need to get on the ball with the baby sign language if I want him to be able to communicate like Palmer could as a one year old.  More, eat, milk, and please were all the signs that helped us a lot!

Baby gump #3 is cooking along here at 16 weeks.  Strong heartbeat and no news is good news at my last appointment this week!  Still have another MONTH before we'll find out boy or girl.  Don't get on the edge of your seats yet!  I haven't been blogging much or taking many pictures since I tend to try and rest or keep up with housework whenever the kiddos let me, but here are a few photos from late July and early August :)

chasing Daddy in the sprinkler

good throwing form with the splash ball

he does not love it in his face. . .

the back is much better!

my precious skinny man

love him

attack face

happy happy!

peekaboo baby

big news!

Ok, I won't beat around the bush.  As you probably saw on Facebook, we are expecting baby #3 in February 2014!!  Crazy, huh?  I'm still a bit in disbelief, but heard the sweet heartbeat this morning and it's getting real!  At almost 12 weeks I'm *hoping* the fatigue and nausea are almost a thing of the past. Pregnant with an infant and toddler ain't no picnic, lemme tell ya.  Luckily Palmer likes to lounge and watch a show with mommy sometimes, and Russell takes at least one good nap a day. . . most of the time.  We are excited to be using the Allen Birthing Center again and can't say enough good things about our experience with them throughout my pregnancy and birth of Russell.

Yes yes yes, a girl would be verrry exciting, but three boys would have so much fun together.  We'll find out in September and keep you all posted!  Tyler suggested not finding out the sex of the baby this time, but I just can't handle 40 weeks of suspense.  Too much.  Plus I know a FEW people who will want to buy some itty bitty girly clothes if that happens to be the news!  We have a couple other changes happening around here, including Tyler starting at a new job this week.  It's similar to his last position, but for a larger company that will provide me and the boys with health insurance (YAY).  I'm excited for him to have a change in his career and I know he is too.  The only slight downside is that the commute and hours will be longer, so I'll no longer be able to teach piano lessons in the evenings while he watches the boys.  I'm sad to say goodbye to my students, some of whom have been with me for a long time, but I think I would have had to take a lengthy break anyway once baby #3 arrives.

It will be an adjustment for me to get the boys fed their dinner and do some other evening tasks before Tyler arrives, but I'm sure I'll figure it out!  Either that or we'll just eat Chick fil A every night, live in a pig sty, and never bathe again.  See?  The worst case scenario isn't so bad :).

We had a great 4th of July that I never got a chance to post about!  My brother, his girlfriend, my sister, and her boyfriend were all able to come too to my parents' lakehouse to celebrate.  We played horseshoes, kayaked, ate brisket, built a fire, made s'mores, and shot off some fireworks.  All the makings of a fun time.  Palmer also rode around in his power wheels truck that he is finally learning to steer!  You still have to be on guard though, since he prefers watching the back wheel to watching where he's going.  I got CHASED.  Like seriously chased.  By a huge bumblebee.  Thankfully there is no video of me running in circles around the yard.  Here are some pics of the lake fun!

Playing inside with the fun lake toys

kayaking with Grammy

Casey, my sister Adrienne's dog

It was not easy to keep him on this blanket

boarding his truck!