October? What October?

I only a have few things to post and then I'll let the pictures do the talking...those are usually so much better than my ramblings anyway.

Calvin had his 6 month check up way back at the beginning of the month....too many shots if you ask me, which were too numerous to count, but as a good friend of mine kindly pointed out "meningitis will just say, 'oh your not 5 yet? ok, I'll come back when your older and can fight me off a little better'". GUILT, mommy guilt is why I let those nurses stab my baby over and over with those needles.

So at his check up the Dr said he has very strong legs and you could tell that he was very interested in being up and running around with big brother....I'm undecided if I want to let him be a early walker. That's right, I said "let" cause mama can keep him down if she wants to..ha! ha! So the big stats were: He weighed 17lbs 3 oz and was 27.5" long.

We also had Jackson's 3 yr old check up and he weighed 33 lbs and is 3 ft tall. Did y'all know he turned 3 on the 3rd this year too....I thought it was odd that he was all 3's for his 3 year check up.

This picture is over a month old, but don't they look cute in their matching outfits. Jackson loves trying to hold Calvin, and as you can see Calvin LOVES his big brother.

My friend Kari made this shirts for the boys....so cute!

For daddy's birthday we made him some cupcakes and a cake. The "red" frosting didn't turn out so red, but daddy was still proud of Jackson and his cake making skills.

Ahhhh, His mercies are new every morning

He has the biggest grin and he squeals like a girl when he laughs.

Opening the 1st of many bday presents. His 3rd birthday was like Hanukkah.

This card plays a song from the movie. Jackson LOVED it and was a little surprised when we first opened it.

Playing with his new kabob grill set from Grammie and Papa. Calvin sitting on Grammie's lap, just hanging out

Wrestling....that's what Jackson loves to do. He's so gentle with Calvin, though, and I'm so proud of him and what a great big brother he is

Uh, oh! looks like Calvin his getting a few jabs in already. This pic is hilarious!

At the zoo checking out the new reptile exhibit. Check out that gator

Calvin's first ride on the carousel at the zoo with his Great Aunt Leta (Travis's Aunt came for a visit with Gramie back in September)

This face is so funny. Riding with Gramie on the carousel

Proof that yes he does sleep in his crib...well not all the time, but we'll get there.

see, no need to break the swing habit, he did it all by himself....stinker. Look at that little smile, he has no fear!

My little work-a-holic. Loves helping daddy or mommy do anything work related. I paid him a nickel for every window that he helped me with, which kind of back fired because he was throwing a fit to wash all the windows outside so he could earn more money and Mommy only wanted to clean the sunroom windows.

I could just eat him!

Boppo and Meme came for a visit too in October.

Love dressing them the same....Here's Meme with the boys in their matching PJ's

Swimming with Meme

Sleeping through Jackson's 3rd bday party

We had a few friends with their daddy's campout with Jackson and Travis in the backyard. It was FUN FUN FUN and going to be a yearly event for sure!

The buddies and their daddies. We got the friends some hats with lights to clip on them so they could see in the dark. It was more of a homing device so the dad's could take a head count, but they didn't know that.

Jackson wanted a pumpkin pie instead of a cake....mmm, Costco pumpkin pie is mommy's fav!

I was so proud of Jackson for letting his friend help him open his presents. He even suggested it on his own after Benjamin's mommy tried holding him back. I have the cutest video of it, but since I have no patience uploading video, ya'll unfortunately won't ever get to see it :-(

The dad's after the smore's debacle

The Meador's hanging by the fire, while their tent in the back was being invaded by Jackson and Benjamin.

Picking out their favorites from the homemade chex mix Miss Brenda made.

We got some heavy rain last weekend and Jackson wanted to go play in it. Getting suited up with daddy's help. Within in 5 mins T-rav was out there with him, I think he thought it looked fun too

This one is a keeper!

Later after getting dried off, we did the pumpkin carving

Not wanting his picture taken with the pumpkin

Watching a football game over at Miss Georgie's house. He was amazed by the big screen tv

Jackson playing with Austin....they played so well together that afternoon that we only had to go check on them once in a great while. It. Was. Fantastic

Calvin crawling backwards for everyone to see

The greatest ever babysitter that came to watch Austin while his mommy and daddy went to the game. Our boys loved her too, till we had to go home :-(

Trying out brother's "car"

Mr Intenso....he was beating the side of this with such a serious face....not sure if it made him mad or what?

I've decided that my cookbook shelf was not a great idea after all....at least not during the next year or so

After I told him "Calvin, no sir" He turns and looks at me with this "what's your problem, mom?" smirk. Good think he's so cute!

Awwwww

That's all folks!

This is my new motto

Cooking and cleaning can wait for tomorrow,
for babies grow up, much to our sorrow.
So settle down cobwebs, and dust go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.

Author Uknown

Professional Pic Sneak Peak

This family picture is my ABSOLUTE favorite....All of our personalities are shown right here...The handfuls on the left and the in-shock ones on the right...ha! ha!

Are they related?

Clearly they both started wanting to stand early...

Both pics are of them at 3 1/2 months

my cup runneth over

Thank you Lord, for a new day to enjoy and try again to love well and take care of my husband, and the 2 very precious boys you have given us. That you for food in the house to cook, the ability to walk to the kitchen and make a cup of glorious coffee. Thank you for the ability to smell, taste, see. Though I may struggle with so many other things, which you have allowed to help me remember that I can't do a single day with out you, I am so grateful for those challenges......what a spoiled brat I would be with out the struggles, because through those You have shown me more about You.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Lord!

Little bits of my memory

On the first day of school (Wed) we were driving down the Interstate and I was trying to talk to Jackson about his new teachers. We are working on manners when we interrupt mommy, so of course Jackson is going to mimic back to me the lessons I'm trying to teach him. Apparently he was in mid-conversation when I tried to start a new one with him

Me: Jackson do you remember the names of your new teachers?

J: Um, mommy I was talking and you need to say 'excuse me, Jackson'

M: (grinning slightly) Oh, you're right....excuse me Jackson

J: Yah?

M: do you remember the names of your new teachers?

J: mommy, please don't talk to me right now, I'm praying

M: what are you praying for? your day?

J: no, I'm praying for Calvin....for him to be strong and brave and to know that God is with him today when I'm at school

It was so sweet, but his tone was with irritation towards me....need to work on tone of voice....hmmmm, I wonder if he gets that from me too? It's funny how children can show you with out knowing it all your downfalls.

Last night Calvin was TIRED from some errands we had to run late and by the time 7:30 pm rolled around he was clearly showing his tiredness. I brought him inside and laid him down on the changing table, reached under it to get some more diapers and by the time I stood back up he was out.....like a light. I changed his diaper and clothes and he didn't even budge. I laid him down in his crib and he didn't wake up till 2 am!!! It's bizzare to me that he doesn't require a huge ordeal at bedtime, he just goes to sleep! I guess if I don't get the books read before he gets tired, he'll just skip em and conk out. I know of another little boy in this house that has fought bedtime since birth and is STILL the king of stalling. I hate comparing them....but the bedtime business is exact opposite with these two!

From Sleeplessness to Smiles

What a difference a year can make and thank God for that!

As Calvin turned another month older yesterday (so sad!) I was asked yet again that same question that seems to boggle everyones minds when they see a family with two healthy happy boys.....

"when are you going to try for that 3rd to get a girl?"

hmmm....I always find that question super interesting.

Anyway, I was thinking back to a year ago. Jackson was in the dead middle of his terrible 2's (even though he wasn't 2 yet) and I was in the 1st trimester with Calvin and struggling horribly with insomnia from my out of whack hormones. The Dr had even put me on a prescription sleep aid which had little to no effect. I was drowning in a emotional mess from being pregnant, constantly nauseaes and having only about an hour or two of sleep a night. Now being a year past it I can honestly admit that I was not emotionally well. I clearly remember begging God one night after only an hour of sleep to let me have a miscarriage so that I could be out of the misery......it was so sad and I am so ashamed. I clearly understand why people with cancer that go thru chemo only to have the miserable side effects of being nauseas and dealing with insomnia decide to forgo further treatment. That kind of quality of life is no quality at all. My heart breaks when I hear of people struggling with insomnia.....somedays it felt like there was no end in site.

The great news was despite that happing, God was still gracious in His love and ushered in the greatest friends that I have ever experienced in my life. These ladies came running with food every other night, picked up Jackson for a few hours during the day to let me try to sleep, prayed over me and just listened when I felt like I was at the edge of the cliff. I will never be able to repay them and I hope they know just how thankful I was and still am. Their example of loving and taking care of me for the simple reason that they wanted to show the love of Christ and what He can do to help others in need was amazing. I am still so so so thankful!

Well since I dropped the ball on getting this posted yesterday.....here's to my little 5 month and 1 day old baby boy Calvin James

Calvin 24 hours old

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

Daddy's little hunting buddies

Part of the Big 3 that daddy wants to instill in his boys....God, Guns and Football

He loves this hat, we use it when he's swimming to keep the sun off of his sensitive skin

Jackson pushing him around in his "car"

Jackson wrestles with Calvin, but he's really gentle about it. See the grin on Calvin's face...he loves it!

laying sideways with his face smashed in the swing....he gets himself like this

I love this picture!

Still missing a neck! ha! ha!

This one is funny, he's got one arm lopped over the side. He's been so congested that even though he fights the swing I make him sleep in it when he's really stopped up with snot

1st day of school for Jackson and Calvin's 5 month birthday. I got the boys coordinating outfits for the occasion

reaching out to pick up a toy
oh, got it
"Calvin, look at mommy!"
Oh no! mommy you made me lose my balance
still smiling, even as he topples over
laughing now
trying to hide his face. This one makes mommy's heart melt, he does this when I'm holding him and other people are trying to talk to him.

Dear baby brother:

From the moment you were born you have brought a calm and gentleness into our family, which was lacking in a huge way.....you filled our gap! Your sweet smile starts from the moment you wake up and doesn't quit all day. Someone told me last week that you smile with your eyes and I just think that is such a perfect way to describe your big grins.

You love your mommy, want to be near me all the time and your face lights up when I come into a room.....something I want to permentally burn into my brain. I'm going to admit that after seeing how little boys love their daddy's after the age of 2, I think I'm going to hold you close to my side for as long as I can till you figure out that daddy is a hoot to hang out with. You also love your big brother and he keeps you grinning all day long. The other day he was "scooting" you across the carpet by your legs and you thought it was hilarious. He loves to grab your hand and help you touch the toys on the exersaucer and you don't seem to mind his bossy way of helping you, which reminds me a lot of your daddy and how he puts up me mommy :-).

I can tell already that "touch" is your #1 love language. You could lay on the bed all day with mommy smooching on your face. Kisses have become your new passion and you love to french kiss mommy's face when I pick you up.....I love it and you only do it to mommy, so I know you mean it!

Calm and gentle you are but with determination when you want something. We've already found you half way hanging out of your swing because you must have thought, "well, I'm bored with this thing now, so I'll just not bother anyone and get myself out of here." We only heard you crying AFTER you tried to get out. You're also a little "flopper" as daddy says. One day I was in the kitchen making breakfast I noticed that I couldn't hear your adorable squeels coming from the living room anymore so I went to check on you and found two little legs kicking from underneath the couch. You had somehow flopped yourself all the way from your playmat to under the couch. When I grabbed a hold of your little legs and pulled you out from there, you looked up and smiled with your huge grin.

You are a walker and I have a feeling you will be walking by Christmas. When we hold on to your little hands you will just take off walking all over the place. I hear your daddy walked at 9 months and your big brother was walking by then too, so it wouldn't be out of the ordinary I guess.

You've started to respond to your name and look at me when I say it. I love that daddy let me name you Calvin.

You love ladies with dark hair and especially dark complexions. There are a handful of mommy's friends that look this way and you are enamored with them....Miss Susan, Miss Jenny and especially Miss Brenda. I wonder if you will marry a brunette because you've had to look at blonds all your life.

Your daily schedule is not set in stone but usually looks like this:

-8 am you usually start cooing from your crib. I don't run right in a get you cause you seem so content to just chit chat with whatever has caught your attention that morning.

- From the moment I pick you up you are grinning and just happy to be here. It's nice to have another morning person around since mommy and Jackson need a little while to wake up.

-You play a little on your playmat or in the exersauer and big brother will usually help you with something he thinks you need to touch or play with

-10 am Your getting really consistent about going down for your morning nap around this time and it also seems to the most important nap of the day. If we have something going on and you don't get a chance to get a good morning nap, you usually won't sleep very well the rest of the day.....mommy remembers from before that "sleep begots more sleep"

-noon, you get up from your nap around this time. It's lunch time for me and brother so you usually will sit in your bumbo or highchair and I feed you a little squash. You like food a lot but I try not to give you more than a few spoonfuls

-you'll play for another hour or so in your bouncy seat, jumeperoo or having mommy walk you around chasing brother. A lot of times Jackson likes to wrestle with you or have mommy hold you while he rides you around in his back while he plays the horsey. You just smile the whole time

-your afternoon naps are a little less predictable and you usually will catnap till bedtime which can be no later than 8 pm for you. You don't fight sleep and I'm curious if you will be the type of child that will just put himself to bed when you are older.

-during the night you sleep like a rock from 8 till around 1 am. Mommy will bring you into our bed to feed you and sometimes we just fall back asleep because you are so cuddly and love sleeping next to mommy. If I let you sleep with me you will sleep till 5 am, but if I put you back in your crib you'll wake up every 2 hours after that. I know it's because you want someone close to you, so I don't push you to hard on trying to make you sleep on your own. I know that when you are big enough your brother will LOVE to have you sleep with him so there's really no need for you to learn to sleep on your own. I was really starting to think I was messing you up by letting you sleep with us but daddy must have noticed my anxiety told me that "we are not a post-modern family" and he doesn't mind that you cuddle up with him or me during the night. Lucky for you, I guess!

I'm just so amazed that you are so calm, sweet and easy going about everything. The Lord knew we needed a little gentleness in our house and I'm so glad He gave you to us. You make the Kinley crew complete and I'm so excited to learn more about you as you get bigger.....but do you really have to do it so fast? :-(