Swimming

Let me preface these videos by saying..... CORA GRACE IS A MANIAC!!! :)

Yes she is swimming. She throws her head in the water and kicks her feet while holding her breath. I'm so happy she loves the water. I just hope she doesn't loose her love of it over the Fall and Winter.

This last video cracks me up because Evan was so ready to go home. Whaaat!? What other EXTREMELY energetic 3 3/4 year old boy wants out of the pool before everyone else? lol He encourages us and almost begs 3 times for us to leave. Dang! Don't get too happy to leave son. ;)

{that's our nice neighbor Tonya, who's pool we were in, behind C.G. holding Cora's new friend Willow :)}

Evan having fun on a float with Lexi from down the street. She and her sister Dani are always happy to see our kids and our dog (they have a dog they named Smokey too). :) they are sweet girls that Tonya watches sometimes.

Wheeeeeeee! Video proof of CG's wild ways.

Monchichi and other adventures

Various videos taken of all the fun we've had over the last month and a half. :)

Life Vest video's

I don't remember why we bought these life vests, it's not like we live on a lake or have time to go to any water besides our back yard sprinkler but here they are, life vests for both kids. I decided to try them on the kids tonight and boy was it worth it. Maybe not to you but I was dying laughing at Cora losing her balance and falling down so turn your sound down cause I couldn't help histerically laughing. Enjoy. :)

Next, while getting Evan ready for his shoot, Cora stole my prepped for filming phone and ran off with it. This is her directorial debut:

Last but not least is the sad lonely 2 1/2 year old of the house, wishing for the attention of yester year. lol. He is throwing himself on the ground so I will again hysterically laugh at him like I did CG. Sorry son, that time is over. lol.

More fun with Cora Grace

Just an updated documentation video of C.G's walking progress. This is her in the grass with out actually eating any... almost. ;)

Cora is Walking! :)

That little stinker was in our little back yard pool today that is about 3x5 ft inside of an 8x8 inch inflated border. She stood up in that water at one corner and just decided to walk to the other side 3 or so feet away! :) Up until this point she has only attempted up to 3 shaky steps before with me. She loves walking and holds your hand and leads you where she wants to go all the time. Before this she would never let go even though we knew she could do it, we had to wait patiently for her to figure it out. It payed off! After the slippery pool where she decided to take her first real steps, she walked on the grass (though was very distracted by trying to bend down to eat it - weirdo) then in the house as you see on the video, she was walking all over the place as if she's done it forever. :) We are tickled pink about this sweet baby getting her courage up to walk and going all the way. It must be all the hugs and kisses we give her that encouraged her. :) Mike was showering getting ready for his big U2 concert tonight, when all this was going on so when he got out, she showed him her trick and was so proud of herself she had an adorable, infectious, full dimpled giggle to show off to her daddy. It was so adorable. I'm sorry I didn't get a video of it cause I never want to forget these best moments.

Good job Cora Grace! Mommy, Daddy and Evan are so proud of your accomplishment and determination. We can't wait to see what you will do next. * hearts*

Evan Poops

Oh yes he does. It has become apparent that I will have to document this in full color. :) I would like to back track and say that at Easter, I felt like I should prepare Evan for potty training this summer so in his basket went Yo Gabba Gabba and Thomas Train underwear. I was definately of the school that I wouldn't start him till he was ready. Still, I wanted him to think about it and would ask him if he wan't to use the big potty like Mommy and Daddy etc. Eventually he was interested, wouldn't you know it. I started him out on the big potty then "Evan's, little potty" and we'd cheer him on any time he pee pee'd (he's yet to go #2 in the potty as of this post). He loves it and is very encouraged. Still, I feel all this is considered 'training' untill I can get a training manual. ha ha ha. So, on to the "poop" part. I know I've already talked about this a little in a few posts but I'm trying to condence and add to the story here. A few weeks ago, Evan romoved his own diaper when he was alone in his room and it had #2 in it. He dumped it out on the carpet and (myself still unaware...) realizing his folly decided to 'clean' it up. Oh no. He got his wipes down from his dresser and proceeded to clean up his mess. Well... needless to say he made it so much worse and even got it on himself. GROOOOOOOOSSS. gag. This is when I walked in and eventually cleaned it up the best I could. The next week we rented a Rug Doctor from the super market so I could clean both kids grimy floors. It worked like a DREAM and I was sooooo happy with it... for a week. Evan did it again, in Cora's room only he didn't mess with it. I was able to get it up much easier but my clean carpet was now.. not. The next week, he and Cora were playing unsupervised in her room when I heard silence... suspicion set in. As I came around the corner, I saw sweet Cora Grace put something in her mouth, simultaniously I realized Evan was standing to the side, no diaper on and poo poo pellets on the ground. OH MY GOSH! I yelled NO! to Cora and hit her hand from her mouth as she spit out the object in her mouth. POOP!!! ugh!!!!! Yes I wanted to die and yes I'm gagging again as I think about it even though it was 2 weeks ago. I grabbed both babies, threw Evan in the bath tub and stearnly told him to 'stay there'. :) Little C.G. got a double tooth brushing/mouth cleaning and a hand and foot wash. Evan was given a cold bath (so he can remember doing this isn't good. He sees baths/showers as a reward, so poop wash offs are cold water showers.). I was resolved to be more attentive that he's done this when I've let him play alone, something in the past he was very good at. eh hum... I didn't learn my lesson. :( I blew up a new pool for the back yard yesterday as it has been well into the 90's and even said 100+ in my car the other day. Given Evan's love of the backyard and all things water, I knew he'd love it. WRONG. It's a dinosaur one and when you hook it up to do it's magic extra things, it sends a shower out its mouth and a 'volcano' of water spurts in the air. Two things normally that would make him elated only the dino head moves back and forth when the water is turned on high. He literally ran away from it screaming and later that hyperventalating cry kids do. ;( I thought maybe he was just tired so I tried again a few hours later, even going in with Cora myself to coerce him. He would have none of it. Today, I planned on all of us going in the pooled water part without turning on the volcano or the dino head going on but Evan not only said no, he refused to go in the back yard. I was shocked, sad and bummed cause I thought now C.G. and I couldn't get our swim on without him with us. Light bulb. I decided, he could stay in his room playing with his toys but could see us from his window and she and I would still go 'swimming'. He did not fight me cause he did NOT want to go outside. We were out there for about 20- 30min max and I could see him in the window pretty much the entire time. The last 5 min he wasn't at the window but we were getting out anyway so I figured, he was just playing cars. Oh now my friends, he wasn't playing cars. I came in his room to find him naked and sitting on his changing pad that is on top of his dresser, 'wiping' poop off his legs, crotch and changing pad with his wipes. I scour the room with my eyes to see where the 'bulk' of the mess has landed. MUCH to my disappointment I find a very clean, slightly wet diaper on the floor but no poop. I'm scared at this point and watch my every step. I found a smear on a stuffed animal, on the floor and a second on the same stuffed animal but no 'bulk'. I was really worried now so, from the mouth of babes... I asked Evan where his poop was. He said, "I pooped in the book" and pointed to his Thomas book at my feet, I slowly opened it and found the 'evidence'. gross. So I recorded this for my mom and Mike. Lucky for you all, I found it important to also share with you. ;)....

There are a few 'half glass full' moments from this. I'm glad he realizes poop feels bad and needs to be somewhere else (now if I could only teach him to put it in the potty! ha ha ha). I feel encouraged that any day, he'll go poop in the potty and we'll be on our way to being trained. So, send all your laughs, sympathy and prayers, it is needed. :)

VIDEO's

cicadas and kids

a little too eager for toys.

march video

this is a video from (march) 9months old when Cora was just pulling up on things and getting around with an army crawl still but i just downloaded my old camara's pictures and videos and wanted to share.

Overheard Shopping Conversations

I braved taking both children to Kroger with me today. Evan is MUCH better about staying with me if I let go of his hand for 2 seconds but still, he's 2 1/2 and has his own plans so I try to avoid errands and have too much pride to ask someone else to watch them while I go alone. lol. Well, it was a total pay off cause they were both little angels at the dollar store so were rewarded at Kroger by letting them ride together in the little car on the front of the cart. As far as I remember, this is Cora's first time in one and she was a scene stealer (as usual, ha ha ha). Let me back up and say Evan got in BIG trouble earlier today. I left them loose in the living room/kitchen to go get dressed (for all of 4minutes) for the day when I heard Cora's hurt and scared cry pierce the air. I ran in the kitchen to find Evan pinned her down between the back door and unforgiving stainless steal trash can, smashing her head between the two. He knew exactly what he was doing and needless to day, I raised my voice for him to get off of her, spanked him and sent him to time out (as I took a "time out" myself soon after). Later he said he was very sorry and "don't hurt Cora Grace". Fast forward to the Grocery store... I had video'd them for daddy cause they were so adorable in there together and he was as work and wouldn't want him to miss this moment. :) The second video is a 're shoot' of the conversation Evan was having with Cora but the 2nd take was MUCH more adorable and sweet as once, he got her to look at him, he just melted and smiled lol. Anyway, I was shopping, the kids were being cute and good when all the sudden Cora did her cry again (it was bottle and bed time for her so even a little thing could make her mad). I started to react when I looked closer to find Evan grabbing her face saying; "Look at me. Look at me Cora... (forcing her face towards him) Do NOT touch." LMBO!! He was verbatum reciting what I say on an hourly basis to him!!!! Apparently C.G. must have reached out of the car to touch a shelf item and he totally busted her! ha ha ha. Usually he just tattles that she is "BARFTING" (yes with a 'T'). Anyway, I love the take 2 captured in this 2nd video and am about to go watch it like 10 more times. ;)

Video of Evan's joy

This was shot last week in the storm that blew in. Evan had a ball with his pinwheel but he was freezing so I threw the blanket over him. You can see his struggle to keep warm but also enjoy the pinwheel. ;)

Videos from the last month

I haven't been uploading my videos lately but finally made time tonight. Here's a few from my phone that I am pretty in love with...

Jumping fun for all. ;)

riding on a sunny day... in pajamas. :)

9 month C.G.

Oh how will this day go Cora Grace? You are constantly amazing me with new things you are doing and faces you are making. I would like to list a few things you are up to, that I can remember with my "Mom Brain" but first... the 9 month photo shoot from this morning... ;)



.standing is staged.

Cora Grace...

*today you had pulled yourself up on the side of your crib when we came to get you up. scary! guess it's time to lower your crib (I was just wondering how soon I would need to do that).
*when playing in the living room with Evan, you pulled yourself up on his toy wagon to get to the toys!? What the heck? We just turned our head for a minute... no more of that missy.
*don't really like to take a lot of naps anymore, nor for too long but mommy is pretty good at getting you down for at least 2 good ones.
*you love to scrunch up your face, purse your lips and spit through them when you are bored or tired.
*is still stealth. we are constantly forgetting where you are when you are on the ground exploring cause you make NO noise!
*crawls everywhere in a cute army crawl but we get new stages of this constantly including: 'stink bug'=legs straight and arms straight making your booty straight in the air. you are also getting on your knees all the time but don't yet understand that you can crawl from that position. ;)
*has finally got a tooth that popped through on Sunday but on Monday it was buried in your gums again, oh well, they'll all come out eventually. If you are lucky, maybe that means you will get to keep your teeth a long time into adulthood. (you'll care about that later)
*always has a smile, always, even when you don't feel great, coughing, sneezing and thick snot is coming out your nose.
*adores Evan and yesterday crawled from your room to his for the first time, just to gnaw on all his toys and books and stuff.
*your hair is a slightly darker blonde then from birth. it is also growing a lot and thicker. Mommy vows not to touch a hair on your cute little head with scissors till you are at least one but maybe two. (i waited to cut Evan's on his 13mo birthday and even then, it was a baby trim at first.
*you are getting to be a really good eater, rice cereal and also all your baby foods! you even eat willingly, green beans and peas which Evan did NOT like at all and was very opinionated about. don't get me wrong, you have opinions too so we have to choose the right moment to feed you otherwise you will get 'bored' and we all know know what you do when you're bored. i for one do not want green beans all over my face thank you. ;)
* you can sit up! you sat yourself up for the first time recently but also if we sit you up, you will stay there rather than throw yourself back and hit your head. whew!
*you still spit up after every burp (and beyond). Sunday you spit up your whole bottle you poor baby, I admit, I was worried about you but you were fine. I think it was because of your new tooth. it's amazing to me what teething symptoms can translate to!
* 's Adoption is still not finalized and is our families #1 priority in our prayers (after thankfulness for our abundance of blessings of course), that we will soon receive your paperwork and get you sealed to our family.
*still wears some 3-6 month clothes but usually 6-9 or 6-12 mo clothes but the arms are usually too long so you just suck on them. ha ha ha. I hope this means you will still be able to fit in the blessing dress Aunt Jennifer custom made you whenever we finally get to bless you. :/
* can make Daddy smile even though he works very hard on being cranky when he's sick like he is. No one can resist your gums, dimples, happiness, chub and internal joy.
*doesn't have a dr. appointment until next week? so will have to report then on your growth but you seem to being doing pretty well, definitely growing, we are thankful for that.

xoxo Mom

happy birthday to grandma putsie

Since we live so far away, we made a video to brighten your day. :) Miss you Mom and Grandma, we hope you are getting lots of sunshine in California for your birthday. We love you.

Eat your heart out.

We celebrated Grandma Jennie's birthday last night in Nashville (her actual birthday was Friday, Jan 21st). Cora gave us a special show of her laughter. Michael's brother Matt has a gift to make our kids laugh. Cora is his most recent 'victim' in his quest to make them giggle but here, Evan helps out by slapping the table and she about laughs her head off. You may remember her laugh from my December California Visit post in my 1st blog when Ashley made her laugh too. This new laugh is bigger,  better and cuter. :)qqqzzzss3dzsw11qqx4feced ' (< from evan.  explained on next post)

An oldie but a goodie video

As I explained in the 4 video posts I did last night/this morning... :) I have finally got my videos off my phone and this is one I wanted to post from our trip to California December 7-14th. It's my sister Ashley (10th of 11) playing peek a boo with Cora Grace and it was fun for everyone. Cora's laugh is infectous because she's always so silent and content, it was surprising to see Ashley get such a rise out of her. It's also funny because my nephew Liam is trying to make her laugh too so he can be part of the fun. ;D.

C.G.'s spoon food finally in video

These videos are from last week when I tried, yet again to get this girl to eat rice cereal from a spoon. Well, I'm happy to report that she is doing really well with it despite the reaction to push the spoon with her tounge (like sucking a bottle motion). Evan started cereal at around 4 months (Mike reminds me) but when I tried it on Cora at 5 or 6 months she just didn't get it. In the mean time, I started mixing the rice in with her formula a few weeks ago and this week, even started her on Gerber Peas (hated and would NOT eat) then bananas to see if she liked the texture better, she did! Tonight she ate a whole Gerber Sweet Potato! I'm really proud of her for eating so well when she naturally wants to reject the spoon. She has been a pretty messy eater, even spitting the food when she's done but I've learned some tricks. Now to teach them to the poor babysitter :).

Crazy Faces Video

So, I have FINALLY got Michael to figure out how to download all my pictures and videos from my phone to the computer so you're about to get some treats. This first one is actually from tonight and you really don't want your sound up cause I didn't realize how loud my voice comes across (yes i know i'm loud but this is different). Just a warning. Cora has been increadingly making this hilarious faces that I love and hope you do too. :) xo

This was earlier this week. :) I think she's progessing in cuteness. Possible? ha ha ha.

Here is an old post of C.G. at 7 months that I have added a video to.