I LOVE handprint art

I do, I really love it.  However, it's kind of hard to get a toddler to sit still long enough to dip his hand in paint and then purposefully place it anywhere other than his shirt, the table, his hair, or his brother.  And don't get me started on Charlie.  If it's in/on his hand, it's in/on his mouth. 

But a friend sent me this link that was so cute I just had to try it for myself.  Well, "Bravo!" I say.  I think they turned out pretty darn cute. 

A Little MORE Off the Top

Before

So Beau has had several haircuts in the last two years, but this month he got his first "Big Boy" haircut.  It was FAR more emotional for Mommy than for Beau.  But we both made it through it unscathed.  In fact, Beau LOVED his new haircut. 

And After

Loving his new look

Seven Months!

And just like that, Charlie is seven months!  He's getting so big and strong and it's been such a pleasure to watch him grow.  Of course, no well check this month, so no official measurements.  However, I can tell you this - he's bigger than Beau was.  How do I know this?  This morning I dressed him in an outfit that Beau wore LAST Christmas. You know, when he was nearly 14 months old...

Anyway, what else is this little bugger up to these days? 

*  He still hasn't officially crawled, but good Lord, is he close!  I think the problem is that he's become so efficient as his own mode of transportation that crawling just doesn't seem that necessary. 

*  He still hates to be rocked.  Yep, every night now for seven months, when I put him to sleep I have had to walk the room with him.  I wonder how many miles that is by now...

*  He LOVES his big brother.  It's so funny to watch them play together.  They actually wrestle and yes, Charlie can hold his own already. 

*  The Bumbo has been retired.  While we struggle taking him out of it because of his chubby little thighs, he has no problem stretching and twisting and getting out of it himself.  Oh well...

Better Luck Next Time

We spent Thanksgiving in Texas with Dee Dee and Bone this year.  Well, we knew things were going to be a little different, what with Dee Dee having knee replacement surgery the Monday before Thanksgiving.  What we didn't realize was HOW different things would be.  I present to you our Thanksgiving feast...

Yep, you're not seeing things.  That's a big pot of spaghetti and meatsauce.  Hey at least we had plenty of good bread and wine to go with it. 

Dee Dee was discharged a day later than originally planned so we thought we'd celebrate Thanksgiving on Friday.  This would have been a great plan except when I retrieved the turkey to place in the oven Friday morning  IT WAS STILL FROZEN.  Ok, maybe it wasn't totally frozen, but that turkey had not thawed out.  Feeling delirious from sleep deprivation (thanks to Charlie and his mysterious fever I got approximately three hours of non-consecutive sleep the night before) I slapped some salt and olive oil on the bird and threw it in the oven. Alas, the turkey came out dry (I forgot to check the exact weight of the bird before I threw it in the oven...not to mention we left the house to pick up Dee Dee and I simply lost track of time).  It's ok, because in our discombobulated state we failed to make any side dishes.  So, instead of our belated feast, we had leftover Mexican. 

Hey, at least the margaritas were good!

This experience has not left us jaded or worse for wear; we consider it a trial run for Christmas.  Afterall, Dee Dee gets her second new knee the week before Christmas and we get to do the whole holiday feast all over again.  Of course this time, we're doing a little better planning ahead. 

Oh and if you're wondering, "Where are all the pictures you took of the boys for Thanksgiving?"  Are you kidding me?  We were the people at the grocery store at 1:45 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day...do you really think we had the ability to photograph the whole crazy experience?  This is the single shot I got of the boys.  It was taken at one of our MANY pitstops on the car ride. 

Don't worry...I'll do better at Christmas.

Say What?!

"I tried to reason with him."

Aunt Izzy learned quickly last week that there is no "reasoning" with a two year old who doesn't want to take his nap.  In fact, there is no "reasoning" with a two year old for much of anything. 

Happy Birthday Daddy!

While we didn't rent a bounce house or invite all his closest buddies for a party, we did have a nice little birthday celebration with Billy on Monday night. 

Earlier that morning Beau didn't seem very inclined to pass on any well wishes to his dad. 

Mommy:  "Beau, it's Daddy's birthday!"

Beau:  "No, Beau's birthday."

Mommy:  "No, sweetie.  Today is Daddy's birthday."

Beau:  "No, Mommy.  Beau's birthday.  No, Mommy.  Not nice." 

That evening when he realized that there was cake involved he soon changed his tune. 

Happy Birthday Billy!  We love you!!

Happy Halloween!!

La, La, La, La...La, La, La, La..Beau's Elmo!

This was Charlie's first Halloween and Beau's first real experience Trick-or-Treating.  All went well.  The only minor problem we had was trying to stop Beau from just waltzing into peoples' homes when they answered the door.  The kid knows no strangers!!

Mommy and her little Lion

 Anyway, we only actually made it to five houses before Beau started rubbing his eyes and asking for the "Star Turtle."  (It's a gift that Core gave Beau for his birthday and which he just LOVES.) 

Once again, THIS is the closest I came to a picture with the boys. 

So, two little boys, two cute costumes, five houses, and one and a half pieces of candy later, the Brian family said, "Good night."  Maybe we'll have a rowdier time next year...but I doubt it. 

Beau and Mr. Tommy's gigantic pumpkin.  He was fascinated. 

Odds and Ends

Charlie is THIS CLOSE to crawling.  However, despite the fact he has not begun to truly crawl, the kid can get around.  He has developed his own method of transportation which includes a combination of rolling, scooching, and thrusting himself forward.  Well, he's nothing if not resourceful. 

Beau has learned his ABC's.  Well, Beau has learned to sing the Alphabet song.  Ok, Beau has learned to sing most of the Alphabet song.  He very loudly and clearly goes from A through V and then sings, "double Y, me, me, me."  Apparently he has something against W, X, and Z. 

At his six month appointment we found out that Charlie is in the 75th percentile for height and 50th percentile for weight.  However, when I informed the doctor of just how much he eats in a day, her eyes got wide and she said, "Well, then we can assume he has a very high metabolism."  So, once again we had confirmed something that Beau and Charlie have in common - healthy appetites.  And, once again I have confirmed the validity of my fears of future grocery bills.  (I thought about starting my own garden, but maybe I should invest in a couple of chickens and a cow too...for some reason I think our neighborhood has covenants against raising farm animals.) 

Which reminds me, Beau still wants a horsie. 

Charlie is becoming more and more of an independent baby.  He now contently plays by himself for ten minutes increments (I know, it doesn't seem like much, but you'd be surprised how much I can get done in ten minutes).  Also, and this one I'm not too excited about, he no longer likes to be rocked to sleep.  Sure, he'll let me hold him a bit and maybe even sit down in the rocker for a minute or two, but when he's really ready to sleep he squirms and grunts as if to say, "Woman, put me down in my own bed."  Once in his crib, he grabs a hold of his blanket, turns on his left side, sighs, and passes out.  Alas, I guess he doesn't need me as much any more. 

Lately Beau has decided to mimic me most of all.  And what does he mimic?  My terms of endearment.  One day on the ride to school when Charlie was crying, Beau turned to him and said, "Honey, don't cry, don't cry."  It took everything I had not to bust out laughing.  But, it didn't stop there.  Later that week when I was walking him up the stairs, he put his arm around my neck and said, "Night, night, Mommy.  Night, night, sweetheart."  And it continues...in addition to, "Honey," and "Sweetheart," he now calls us "Darling," and "Cutie."  Hey, there could be alot worse things coming out of his mouth, right?