Some January 2012 favorites and funnies...

- Someone celebrated their last birthday in their 20's.  Yikes. 

My 20's have been fabulous.  Definitely the busiest decade of my life thus far.  

Decided I had better make the most of this year before I get too old to remember things. 

The boys spoiled me with flowers, a dinner date downtown, and even posing for pictures.  

29 is good.

 - Preschool, preschool, preschool. 
Our house has been learning central this month.  It's been my month to teach both Sam and Max's preschool groups.  It's been tiring yes, but seriously fun.  The kids are patient with me...I try to be patient with them.  It's a win-win. 
The kids are darling and we've learned lots...and yes, Jake is one patient baby!

- Rice cereal taste testing.
We decided to let Jake give rice cereal a try.  Sam was beyond thrilled to help feed him, which is actually a huge help to me.  And this rice cereal thing has been just the trick to getting Jakey Pants to sleep soundly through the night.  We're talking like 9 or 10 hours straight!  Yes please!

-Agency.
Sam (who suddenly looks like a teenager to me in these pictures) gave a talk in church on agency.  Eric and I were those super proud parents who couldn't stop smiling as he gave his talk without help into the microphone.  Little did we know that his new found agency knowledge would backfire a bit. 

"Mom, what's for dinner?"
"Chicken."
"I don't want chicken.  I just want a quesdilla."
"Sorry, Sam.  I made chicken.  That's what we're having."
"Don't you know I have my own agency?  You can't choose for me.  I can choose what I want to eat, and I want a quesadilla."

Hmmm....we're working on it. 

 - Oh, Max.

It seems like each night just as we tuck Mr. Max into bed he tells us he's hungry.  Okay, if you know Max then you know that he doesn't just tell us...he TELLS us.

"I'm hungry.  No, I'm starving!  Just look at my teeth!  They're starving!"

- Score.
I should get points for safely avoiding this booby-trap on the stairs...

   Life is good.

Jakey Pants

Do you ever have those days or weeks or months where you feel like you just can't keep up?  You always find yourself a step or two behind of where you'd like to be?  Your to-do list is ever growing and there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything required of you?

Um, yeah...that's been January for me.  I'm not complaining...okay, I am... a little.  My life is full of so many wonderful things; all are good, but all require time.  I just wish I had the energy to do them all exactly right and give them all the time and attention they deserve.  But I only have two arms and 24 hours in the day.  And those 24 hours go darn fast with three little boys at home.

Too fast, in fact.  Can you believe my sweet baby is nearly five months old?  Oh my word.  Jakey Pants (he'll be so embarrassed by that nickname someday) is my little, snuggly, patient, happy, lovey- dovey boy.  He spends a lot of time in his carseat driving to and fro.  He also spends a lot of time getting roughed up and loved on by his big brothers.  But he smiles through most of it and just loves to be loved.

He is sensitive to loud noises which means he despises the vacuum.  But somehow the shrieks and screams that come out of Max don't seem to phase him.  He can roll over from his belly to his back, but that is a rare occasion.  He's more content to just watch and listen to what is happening around him.  He loves to grab at his toys and loves a warm bath.  He's also my spitter-upper.  He spits a lot, but does it with a grin on his face.  The pediatrician has called him a 'happy spitter.'  A pretty good description if you ask me.

I love my Jake and am so happy that he is one of my three boys that I get to spend my 24 hours with.

Here are some photos to document just how quickly he has changed!

Jakey Pants at 4 months:

Jakey Pants at 3 months:

Jakey Pants at 2 months:

Jakey Pants at 1 month:

Brand New Jakey Pants:

2012

 Six days into 2012 and so far so good!

We had a low key New Year's Eve with the Adams Family..no, not Morticia & Uncle Fester...the real Adams Family (as Sam calls them.)  

Us grown ups went to dinner, then we partied hard with the kids until about 12:05.  This was the first year that Sam and Max stayed up to see the ball drop and they had a blast.

I can't wait to see what this year has in store!