Anniversary Dinner & Weekend Away

Well, last week Jesse and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary! Can you believe it? 3 years!!! I know for some that doesn't seem like very long at all, but for us and everything that we've gone through in the past years- this is an accomplishment & something to be proud of.

One song that comes to mind when I think about our anniversary is Shania Twain's "You're Still the One." You know- the opening lines... "Looks like we made it- look how far we've come my baby. We might have took the long way- we knew we'd get there someday. They said, I bet, they'll never make it but just look at us holding on. We're still together - still goin strong." .... And then there's the chorus..." You're still the one I run to- the one that I belong to- you're still the one I want for life. You're still the one that I love- the only one I dream of- you're still the one I kiss goodnight. You're still the one." (Is it bad that I just recited that out of memory?) Anyway, after everything that we've been through a lot of people would probably or have probably said that we didn't stand a chance. We had 2 choices: walk away from each other or fight like hell and come out better and stronger. And that is just what we did. It hasn't always been easy- heck, I'd be lying if I said it's been a fairy tale. But one things for sure... We've learned a lot and we've learned how to lean on each other. 

So, 3 years was definitely something to be celebrated. A premature birth, family issues, snake bite, job loss and another baby have only made us learn some tough lessons and have helped us to realize what truly matters most. How did we celebrate? 

Well our anniversary was on the 22nd- a Wednesday. So of course Jesse had to work. I planned a homemade meal for him for when he got home. I cleaned the house (i.e. I picked up the millions of toys) and sent the boys to Mama & Papa's- then I got to cooking. I had trouble deciding what to cook because Jesse absolutely LOVES steak and I don't. So I wanted to make something that we both really liked. I decided to make the first meal that I ever made him while we were dating: Chicken Parmesan. Along with the chicken I made  Red Lobster biscuits and of course you can't have chicken parm unless it's over a bed of noodles. So I made spaghetti noodles with garlic & olive oil sauce topped with toasted breadcrumbs. For dessert I made Red Velvet Cupcakes along with Homemade Red Velvet Ice cream ( recipe came from Kaitlyn at Wifessionals). 

Jesse got home late that night- so I kept the dinner warm until he got home. It was delicious. And the ice cream- oh my goodness- you have got to try it! 

This past weekend the real celebrating began. We were off for a night away- kid free! It was well needed and so relaxing! We left Saturday afternoon and made our first stop at Jimmy Johns! I mean, who doesn't love some JJ!? (I must confess- we ordered this wayyyy to much when we were in the hospital with both boys). Then we headed up to Fairview Heights for the evening. We checked into our hotel room (complete with a jacuzzi) and the headed out to shop. Now I love those thrift shops so of course we headed to Goodwill first. I was on strict instructions to not buy any toys. I know, depressing! However, I walked out with some pretty good deals. I got the kids some clothes, an ice cream maker for $4, and some new shoes. I got a pair of Gianni Binni shoes for $6 that I wore that evenig and a pair of Jessica Simpson heels for $3. I plan on doing a Pinterest project with the JS ones and glittering the bottoms. Jesse's not a fan of Goodwill so he went out to the car and took a little nap while I shopped. It's always better this way since he follows me around and makes me feel like I'm on a schedule. Haha. 

Next we were off to Savers! This store is like Goodwill on crack. Jesse needed some new clothes... Bad! He would disagree but trust me, he did. So, I of course went through the racks and grabbed things that I liked and that he might like and then I let him decide what he wanted. Surprisingly, he only decline one shirt. He also picked out some pajama pants and sock hats. Ok now here's the best part... All of the things he got were like brand new. Seriously they didn't look like they had ever been worn. Even better? This store gives a military discount of 30%!!! So, we ended up getting him a ton of things for $60! Seriously you can't beat that! Especially since we would have spent just that much at the mall on like 3 things. 

After shopping, we headed back to the hotel to freshen up and to go to dinner. We decided to go to Joe's Crab Shack since neither of us had been there in a while and seafood sounded really good! We sat at the bar for about 30 minutes waiting for a table. The food was delicious! Probably my new favorite place to go to up there.

We were going to go see a movie at a theater that serves you drinks and food at your leather reclining seats. However, the movie playing wasn't something that either of us really wanted to see. We were stuffed and decided to grab some wine and just head back to the hotel and relax. Around 11:30 we were hungry and didn't want to get out- so we had some pizza delivered to our room. One full night of sleep with no kids. Did I mention that it was amazing? I really needed to catch up on sleep. 

The next day we headed to the mall to do a little shopping and then we had lunch at Lottawatta Creek. As always, the food was delicious!! But I must say, I enjoyed

Joe's more this time! Then we headed home to see our boys. It was a fabulous, well needed weekend. 

Chicken Parmesan

1 large Chicken breast per person

1 can of spaghetti sauce

1 box of Angel Hair pasta 

1/4 cup olive oil

1 spoon minced garlic (use fresh garlic if you have it) 

1/2 bag of Mozzarella cheese

Breadcrumbs 

Grated Parmesan

Directions for chicken

Mix about 1 cup of breadcrumbs with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan. Set aside. 

Beat chicken so it's thin and flat. 

Coat chicken on both sides with breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture.

Put in oven safe pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30-45 minutes or until juices run clear. 

Take out and pour spaghetti sauce over chicken and top with mozzarella. Put back in oven until cheese is melted.

Directions for noodles

Cook noodles of choice according to directions on box.

Meanwhile, heat up 1/4 cup of olive oil with 1 spoonful of minced garlic in another pan. Once garlic is fragrant, pour oil over small strained into a bowl to get if of garlic pieces. 

Once noodles are cooked stir in infused olive oil.

Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and pour about 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs. Toast for about 3 minutes in 350 degree oven. Be sure not to burn. 

To serve:

Spoon noodles onto plate and top with toasted breadcrumbs. Place chicken on top of noodles. 

Serve with garlic bread. 

Coming up this week...

I've been MIA for the past few days. Jesse and I went out of town this weekend to celebrate our anniversary. We enjoyed a jacuzzi, great food and shopping. Very relaxing and well deserved! :) I have a lot to catch you all up on this week. Here's a glance at what you can expect: 

* Recipes from our homemade anniversary dinner & a family favorite

* Pictures from our weekend away

* More thrifty shopping trips

* Diet Cleanse which I'm starting tomorrow

* A look at one of my latest embroidery/sewing projects

* And of course, an update on our boys! :) 

I'm so excited to share all of this with you all! Until then, I'm going to bed since both boys are sound asleep! :) 

Potty Training Bootcamp: Day 3

Well, this is a day late. Yesterday was our 3 year anniversary and the boys went to mama and papa's for the day. So no potty training Bootcamp happened. We're going to give it another go next week.

Potty Training Bootcamp: Day 2

Well today was Day 2 of Potty Training Bootcamp. It's been a slow process. I'm beginning to think that this is going to take longer than 3 days. I keep reading that every child is different. So, I'm torn on what to do... Keep going or take a break after tmw. I know Gabe is old enough and I know he understands. The question is: "Is HE ready!?" If he's not ready then he's just not ready. I think I'll stick it out through the end of the week at least.

Anyway today- well today wasn't easy. Gabe did pee in the potty but that was only after he POOPED in the floor. To say I was disgusted and aggravated is an understatement. But, I kept my cool and took him straight to the potty and again, I explained how we go poop on the big boy potty and not in the floor. It was a lot of the same thing as yesterday. Hopefully we get there soon! Tomorrow's another day. Oh & it's also our 3 Year Anniversary! 

Potty Training Bootcamp: Day 1

This post is a little late due to the fact that both boys thought it'd be fun to stay up until 1 a.m. Seriously this has got to stop!

Anyway, today was Day 1 of Potty Training Bootcamp for Gabriel. We tried this a few months ago but only lasted a day. This time we're hitting it full force. I know there are a couple different approaches to this Bootcamp- but in my opinion you find what works for your child and you.

Here's our approach: Most say that the Bootcamp takes 3 days. I knew that I needed to do this at a time when I knew we could stay home all day for 3 straight days. No interruptions (i.e. Doctors appointments, errands...) So this week is perfect. 

I started by explaining to Gabe the night before that he was going to start going potty on the big boy potty. I also explained that if he started going In the big boy potty that at the end of our 3 days he could go pick out a new car. (It can be any toy but with Gabe a new car does the trick!) Today, I sat him down on the potty after we had woken up. We sit for about 10 minutes each time. I let him go diaper free after that. I took him back to the potty every 15-20 minutes. Each time encouraging him to go potty. I did put his big boy undies on him 2 times today in between trips. He peed in both I them. 

I prepared myself for accidents since I knew it was inevitable. My main goal for today was to get him used to sitting on the potty and to get him to realize when he needs to go so he wouldn't go on the floor. 

Now, there's a few important things that I find to be vital during this Bootcamp. 1) Always encourage him and praise him for at least trying. 2) Don't get discouraged when he doesn't go. 3) Do not get mad when he has accidents on the floor. That's a big one! Gabe only peed on the floor twice today. Each time he told me immediately after he did it. I explained to him why he needs to go in the potty instead of on the floor. I also praised him for at least telling me that he went. Then I took him back to the bathroom and sat him on the toilet and again I explained that he goes potty in the big boy potty. Nap time was the only time that he had a diaper on today. We also put a diaper on during supper and he had it on after that until bedtime. 

Gabe likes to watch Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood. On the show the song a song "If you have to go potty- Stop and go right away! Flush and wash and be on your way!" We sing this song.... A Lot! It not only teaches him but also helps him to realize that when he feels that urge to go it's ok to stop playing and go to the potty. A few months ago he was actually watching that episode and asked if he could go potty! :) 

We also have a Potty Chart. I explained to Gabe that everytime he goes potty in the big boy potty he will get to put a sticker on his chart. I made the chart Mickey Mouse themed so he would like it. We have one star already- but that's from te first time we tried the Bootcamp. 

Overall, today was successful. I'm hoping that tomorrow will be even better and he will at least go in the potty. :) 

Checking out his potty chart! 

Lincoln joining in on the fun! 

Showing off his big boy undies! 

Potty Training Bootcamp

Today we are giving the "Potty Training Bootcamp" another try. Say a little prayer for us! I'll be updating nightly on our progress!

Cherishing Late Nights & Early Mornings

Sleep. It's something that I LOVE and don't get enough of. Before having kids, I enjoyed sleeping in. I loved the days that I could sleep in and not have to be at work until 11:00 a.m. Ah YES! Those were the days. 

I prayed and prayed that my boys would enjoy sleep as much as I do. Guess what!? They don't! :) Yes, my boys have been keeping me up late and getting me up extra early these days. Lincoln used to sleep from around 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 or 9:30 a.m. Now, I'm lucky if he goes to sleep before midnight. On the bright side, he does sleep in now until around 10:00 a.m. Gabriel used to go to sleep by 10:00 p.m. and he would wake up around 8:30 a.m. or 9:00 a.m. Now I'm lucky if he goes to sleep before 2:00 a.m. Seriously... what is going on!? haha. 

Last night, Lincoln would not go to sleep for anything! I was blaming it on his teeth, but the fact that he was wide awake and ready to play made me realize that his teeth were not the problem. Tonight, I put Gabriel in bed and started my nightly cleaning up chores and worked on a few orders. I went to check on him about an hour later and he had managed to get the iPad off of the bathroom counter where it was charging and take it into bed with him. He was watching Curious George on Netflix. So I thought, "Ok, he'll fall asleep watching this... he looks tired." About 30 minutes later I went to check on him again... this time he was in the bathroom trying to get the iPad back on the counter to charge because it had died. He's seriously too smart. How in the world does he know to do this!? 

What's a mother to do? I sent him upstairs to Jesse and he sat on his lap for about 30 minutes and passed out. Whew! I'm glad. 

You would think that with them going to bed so late, they would sleep in. However, Gabe NEVER sleeps in. Despite what time he goes to bed, he is always wide awake by 9:00 a.m. He sleeps in our bed... so I always here this sweet little voice saying "Momma...momma... play with cars!?" He doesn't sit still until I'm awake. Now, I will say that there have been some days when he'll sneak out of bed and go to the living room and play for a bit and then come back into bed and wake me up. But- those days are few and far between. And of course, when he goes into the living room to play, Lincoln hears him and wakes up. And SO the day begins. 

A few nights ago was the worst! Lincoln woke up at 2:00 a.m. I thought for sure that he'd go back to sleep. NOPE! He was wide awake and ready to party....despite all of my best efforts to get him to go back to sleep. Gabriel got woken up by all the "partying" (netflix) around 4:00 a.m. Again, despite my best efforts he didn't go back to sleep either. Can we say EXHAUSTED and MAD? I mean, who wants to be up at those hours? I decided to let Lincoln cry it out and took Gabe back to bed. Jesse couldn't take it and of course brought Lincoln into the bedroom. ANd so-  we were up. It wasn't even light outside. No one should be awake that early if they don't have to be. What's worse? Both boys were wide awake and ready to play! They weren't even tired. I brought a pillow and cuddled with my blanket on the couch while both boys played. I put the baby gate up and blocked the living and dining (Lincoln's room) off with his crib. I contained them to one area, turned on Mickey Mouse and laid down on the couch. I had bottles ready, food ready, and cheerios within arms reach. I told myself to give them an hour and they'd be ready for bed. NOOOO! Bring on 8:00 a.m. and Gabe finally laid down. It was another hour or so before Lincoln finally passed out. Now, someone please tell me the secret to getting them to sleep again! 

I know I may sound like I'm complaining... and let's face it, I am. However, I do realize that one day they're going to be grown up and they won't need me to get them back to sleep or cuddle with them. So even though I dislike those early mornings and late night... I am taking the time to cherish those little moments with my boys. After all, it's during these times that Gabe says the funniest things and he is the sweetest little boy ever! And Lincoln, well he's just as sweet too. They smile or laugh and it sure does make those late nights and early mornings worth it. 

I guess what I'm saying is... don't get too frustrated with your kids if they're not operating on "your schedule." Take the time and cherish those little moments. Those are the moments that count. 

Lincoln's 1st Tooth!

LINCOLN HAS HIS 1st TOOTH!

He's been teething for awhile now but none have popped through...until Wednesday. I could feel 2 of his bottom teeth working their way through and one finally did. It wasn't quite as bad as I had anticipated. We had a few nights where he woke up crying. However, a little bit of Orajel and Tylenol did the trick. He's been a happy baby ever since. And man, let me tell you- that little tooth is sharp! As you can see, I tried taking a picture of it. Obviously, it didn't turn out that well. If you look closely you can kind of see the little white popping through. :) I'm not sure I'm ready for this... I just pray that teething doesn't get too bad and he's stays happy! 

Weightloss Journey

At the end of December I told you all that I am beginning my weight loss journey. I also said that I will be posting on this periodically so you my friends can keep me accountable. So, here it is... the first weekly update on my weight loss journey. 

Pounds lost: 3

Inches around waist lost: 3 

Journey so far: 

I haven't came as far as I've wanted to so far. However, I haven't been working out since the beginning of the year. 

This past week, I have started to eat clean and drink only water. I can honestly already tell a difference. I'm starting to have more energy and can slowly see my stomach shrinking. 

Goals: 

Clean Eating Only

Workout at least 4x each week 

Lose 30 pounds by May 

Goodwill Shopping

As many of you may know, I absolutely L.O.V.E. shopping at Goodwill. I was introduced to Goodwill shopping by my sister in law several years ago. I've been hooked ever since. If you don't shop at Goodwill or stores like it, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. You never know what you will find. I know that the task of going through racks and racks of clothing may look and sound daunting, but I promise you that not only is it well worth it... It's also not that bad. Here's a few tips to help you out. 



1) Always look at the board when you first walk in the door. This will tell you what sales they have that day. (i.e. If the sales sales all Blue tags are 1/2 off- then you know that anything that has a blue tag is 1/2 off the price... this sometimes means that you can get kid clothing (0-2t) for .50 cents!) 

2) Never go in expecting to find a "certain" something. More than likely you will be disappointed. Also, don't get discouraged if you go in and find nothing. Goodwill is always hit & miss. Some days I'll go in and leave with $50 worth of things. Other days, I'll leave with nothing. All Goodwill stores are different. There are some really nice stores and there's some that just aren't worth it. Try them out. You'll quickly discover which ones are worth it! 

3) Depending on what you are looking for (toys, clothes, houseware items) go to that department first. I like to look at the toys and houseware items first. A lot of my boys' toys came from Goodwill. You can find A LOT of toys that are like brand new for less than $5. (See pics below) I've also gotten a new BRITA pitcher (after mine fell and shattered) for $2!

4) Know the prices of things. If you don't know, ask! Most racks and shelves will have a BLUE sign stating the price of those items. All of the items will be this price unless they have a tag on them with a different price or if they have a different price written on the tag inside the item. 

5) CHILDREN'S Books are CHEAP! I mean DIRT CHEAP! Paperback children's books are .30 cents and Hardbacks are .50 cents! Seriously, it doesn't get better than this. While I was pregnant with Gabe and buying books for him- I ALWAYS found my BEST deals at Goodwill! I got a TON of Dr. Seuss books for .50 cents. I also found his favorite book "Guess How Much I Love You" for .50! People, this book retails for $16.00 at Target! :) Mom just found "The Very Hungry Caterpillar there a few days ago for .50 cents! You just can't beat these prices for quality books. Plus, we all know how important it is to read to you kids! 



6) Look through the shelves and racks carefully. You may have to dig, but you just might find something you love! Typically, most of the shelves and racks are organized fairly well. If you get lucky and go to a REALLY nice Goodwill, you'll find that everything is organized by size as well as department. However, most are not like that. You will really have to "hunt" through the toys, stuffed animals, etc. I found several stuffed animals, a hippo and whale, for $1.00 each for Gabe and Lincoln. I knew these were good deals because they are the ones that Kohls sold a while back. They still had the Kohl's tags on them. I also found Lincoln a TY Beanie Monkey for Christmas. It was washable- so I tossed it in the washing machine to make sure it was extra clean. So, don't be afraid to dig! 

7) One of the best kept secrets... ok, maybe it's not a secret- but it's something to know... is that Target donates a majority of their things to Goodwill! You will typically see clothes, houseware items, and toys from Target (with the tags from Target still on them). This past week I found a cute dress for our anniversary, yoga pants, and a cardigan sweater- all BRAND NEW from Target. (see the pics and prices that I paid below!)

8) ALWAYS look in the glass cases! This is where they keep the more expensive items such as name brand purses, video games, etc. Again, this past week I found an Otterbox for my iPhone (like brand new) for $3! You can't beat that! Those cases range from $40-50 New! 

9) Give yourself plenty of time to shop! On the occasion that I get to go "kid-free" I like to spend my time going slowly through the store. I usually pick up anything that I like and throw it in my cart. Then before checking out I'll do the usual "Do I really need this?" test. That way, I don't buy too much and I get what I want. Shopping at Goodwill isn't something you can do in 10 minutes! 

10) Again, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU WILL FIND! Some of the boys' favorite toys and my favorite things came from Goodwill. I found Lincoln's bedding set there for $20 brand new! My mom and dad found Lincoln's bed - like new- for $50. It's almost identical to Gabe's bed- and we paid $200 for it! I've found several of my favorite water bottles there for $2! 

So, there you have it... some of my best tips for shopping at Goodwill! I have A LOT more but we'll save those for another day. Now, here's some pics of some of our most recent finds at Goodwill!

This sweater cardigan is like brand new- $3!

Those yoga pants were Brand New with tags from Target- they were $3.99!

This sweater cardigan was Brand new with tags from target- $3.99!

These Nike shoes will be perfect for Gabe this year. 

As you can see- they were only $3!

This little sweater is perfect for Gabe! $1.00!

My mom found this coat for me! 

It was Brand new with tags from Target- $14.99

All of these books came from Goodwill! 

I didn't pay more than .50 cents for any of them!

I LOVE these yoga pants. I'm too cheap to pay all that $$ for these brand new from VS. 

These look Brand NEW and were only $3.00!

Otterbox for my phone. $3.00

My mom found this to keep at her house for the kids- $3.00!

This is Brand New at Kohls for $44.99! 

DEAL!!

Found these before Christmas and gave them to Gabe as a gift! 

Disney CARS- Lightning McQueen, Tow-mater, and the DJ. All talk and have sounds! 

$2.00 EACH! 

(I'd say this was a great deal- however, my dad found the Lightning McQueen for their house for like .50 cents!) haha. 

LOVE this dress!

I'm planning on wearing this when we go out for our anniversary. 

It was brand new with tags from TARGET. 

I paid $4.99 

Mom got this book for her house for all the kids!

.30 cents! SCORE!

We've actually had this toy since Gabe was little. 

It's been a favorite around here!

As you can see- I only paid $2.00!

Lincoln's Deformational Plagiocephaly

I'm sure many of you have noticed Lincoln's helmet in our pictures over the last few months. I want to talk about this for a bit. I know I would have plenty of questions as to why he was wearing a helmet... so here's the story of Lincoln's Dinosaur helmet. 

During Lincoln's 4 month checkup in September I mentioned to our Pediatrician that Lincoln seemed to prefer holding his head to the right more often than the left. Our pediatrician said, yes he does have a little deformation- he'd be a good candidate for a helmet. So that was it. The doctors office set us up with an appointment at Children's hospital in St. Louis. So, off we went about a week later. Not having a clue what we were in for. 

The first visit consisted of Lincoln getting an x-ray of his lil noggin'. This confirmed that he had "Deformational Plagiocephaly"(Deformational (or positional) plagiocephaly refers to a misshapen (asymmetrical) shape of the head (cranium) from repeated pressure to the same area of the head. Plagiocephaly literally means "oblique head" (from the Greek words "plagio" for oblique and "cephale" for head).

The doctor gave me 2 options. 1) Do repositional exercises to help it correct on his own. 2) Go ahead and get fitted for the helmet. I opted to go ahead and get the helmet for 2 reasons. The first was our insurance covered it so we might as well and the other was we better play it on the safe side and get the helmet just in case.

So off we went, to the Center for Advanced Medicine which was connected to Children's Hospital. We saw the doctor there and he took measurements of Lincoln's. He said that it took about 1-2 months to get approved by the insurance because they typically like to see at least 2 months of measurements before approval. We got lucky and got approved the first month. So at our next appointment Lincoln got fitted for his helmet. They do this by plastering his little head. He actually did amazingly well during this part.  I got to pick out the design for the helmet, which obviously I chose the dinosaurs. 

We went back about 2 weeks later to get his helmet and to make the final adjustments. Lincoln looked so cute in his new head gear. His measurement came in at 15- which is considered severe. The doctor said that ideally he would like to see Lincoln's measurements get down between 5-7. He would more than likely have to wear it for 3-6 months. Obviously, we were aiming for 3 months. 

Well, here we are at month 3 of wearing the helmet. At his last appointment in December (month 2), Lincoln measured in at a 5! A 5!! He was perfect. But the doctor (not our normal one, he was gone for the day) suggested that we leave it on for one more month since his head is still growing and we didn't want him to regress in his progress. So, that's what we did. This past week we went back for his checkup. Lincoln measured in at 7. Really!? I couldn't believe it! But our doctor assured me that there is always room for error for a few different reasons. 1) Each doctor measures just a little bit different than the other. 2) Despite my best efforts to keep Lincoln still during measurements, he still moves. This can also cause differences. Anyway, we were still in the range that we wanted to be. I thought, YES! we're finally done! But no, our doctor wanted us to keep it on for one more month- just to be on the safe side. So that's what we're doing. And honestly, that's perfectly fine with me. I don't want him to regress in his progress and since he's crawling and standing more, I like that he has the helmet. It keeps his head safe! :) 

Now, I won't lie. Jesse and I both had a very hard time dealing with the helmet in the beginning. There was that initial thought of "What will people think of my child?" But we got used to it and Lincoln adjusted very well to it. And quite honestly, I'm glad we did it. I would rather my child have to wear a helmet for 3-6 months now than to get made fun of later in life for having a deformed head. I really couldn't tell that anything was wrong with his head when we first started this adventure, but now looking back through pictures I can see a difference. Now my little baby boy is going to have the most perfect shaped head ever! :) 

First Day with the helmet

8 months old

My baby boy is 8 months old! In fact, he was 8 months old on January 2nd! Where did the time go? And why is he growing up so fast?

I recently read a post about "letting go"'of your oldest child when a new one comes along. About how they always grow up despite our desperate attempts to make them stay our babies for just a whole longer. It's true- I sit and hold Lincoln and I look at Gabe and I see the young boy that he's becoming. It makes me remember those precious days of him in the hospital- so tiny and a miracle in his own right. I remember thinking that he's going to be so little forever and I'll have all this time to hold him. Then reality quickly set in and I realized that my dream of my tiny 2 pound boy staying little was just that- a dream. He's growing up on me.

Now I look at Lincoln and I hope and pray that he will stay little for just a bit longer. I'm not ready for both of my boys to grow up and start running and not needing mommy as much. I'm just not ready for that. Sure Gabe still likes to cuddle and be held- but those times are becoming few and far between. Lincoln still likes to be cuddled too- but he's moving and playing a lot more and I can slowly see those cuddling times becoming few and far between too. They are both becoming more independent and I'm not sure I like it. Though, as a parent I want my children to be independent to a point but I also want them to need their mommy. I know, I know... I still have a few more years before their off to school and really become independent. So, I guess I better make these next few years count and get as many snuggles and kisses in as I can.

Well Lincoln is 8 months and here's and update.

Dear Lincoln,

I can't believe how fast these 8 moths have gone. It seems like not yesterday I was holding you in my arms wondering when I would see you crawl, stand and begin playing with your brother. And now that those days are here- I find myself wishing that you still needed mommy to hold you all of the time. But you're growing up and I see you learning something new everyday. I'm blessed to get to see you take on this great big world and just soak up all of the new experiences daily. I love watching you play with your brother and hearing you laugh when he does something funny. The smile on your face when you see me each morning coming to get you out of bed. I love our sweet cuddle times in the middle of the night when you wake up and need a bottle. I know I may complain about those late night wake up calls- but I do enjoy them because I know that one day - those wake up calls won't happen. You are SO SO SO FAST! Seriously! We call you our baby ninja because you literally crawl faster than some people walk. Since discovering that you can crawl out of the living room into different rooms you have kept us quite busy. I've had to fence you in to just the living room many times. Just the other day I went to the bathroom and came back just a minute later and you were already in the kitchen! I've moved your bed into the doorway of the living room to your room/dining room thinking that would keep you in. Well, it worked for a while until this week when you discovered that you can actually crawl under it and escape! Did I mention that your a ninja? Haha.

Here's some more news:

Favorite Food: Sweet potatoes and applesauce

Favorite snacks: yogurt bites, puffs, and Cheerios

Favorite show to watch with brother: Curious George

Favorite toys: Sophie the Giraffe and anything that makes noise

You LOVE bath time and climbing out of your tub

Everything goes straight to your mouth. Seriously you can find a piece of paper 29 feet away.

You love drinking out of your sippy cup.

Wearing 6-9 month clothes and some 9-12 months.

Size 3 diapers- just like your brother.

Holding your own bottle.

Sitting up and crawling everywhere!

Starting to stand hands-free more and more! (You're gonna be walking soon!)

You head straight to the dog food Everytime you come into the kitchen

You love to help mommy in the kitchen. And by that I mean you walk in your walker and listen to music with mommy!

You love to play with your brother and you think he's real funny! (He's going to be your best friend!)

We celebrated your FIRST Christmas last month and you had a great time!

You are sleeping thru the night (some nights you still wake up). From about 9:30 p.m. to 8:30 or 9:00 a.m.

You snore. :)

You fall asleep in the car a lot.

You weigh 17 pounds.

Well baby boy you are seriously growing up too fast! I know I say that allllll the time but it's true. I'm so happy that you are strong and healthy. You're such a good baby and we are so blessed to have you. I can't believe that in just 4 months you will be 1 year old! Ahh! Can we just freeze time? We love you sweet boy!

Mommy & Daddy