The Litte Red Wagon

For Christmas my brother, also known as, Uncle Brown, gave Beau a red wagon. This was such a special gift for Beau and one that he can have forever. Matt and I spent hundreds of hours in our red wagon as a child and I know Beau will do the same. Once we put it together Jon took Beau on his first ride around our house and he feel in love with it!

 

This month has been super cold but one day it was in the 60’s so I bundled Beau (and Lilly) up and we went for our first ride around the neighborhood. The “both” loved every second! Beau would sit in the back with his hand holding on to the side just looking around while Lilly manned the front, looking for any danger that was head. (Danger being another dog or person walking within one hundred yards of us). Everyone who saw us laughed and thought it was so funny that our dog would stay in the wagon and that our little boy would just laugh and smile at everything.

 

 

 

 

I cannot wait to go on more walks with the wagon and I hope Beau enjoys it as much as I did as a child!

 

New Years Resolutions

Every year I come up with some New Year’s resolutions and start off the year with a ton of new goals. This is not a bad thing on my part bust most of the time I come up with about ten things that I think I should change in my life and I can honestly say that less than half really become part of my daily life. This year I decided to come up with three really good ones. I think that if I can come up with just a few that are actually feasible then I will be able to do them. So here they are:

1.      Eat more fruits and veggies. Jon and I hardly ever eat out. I cook for us every night and so we do eat pretty healthy already but we can always add more fruits and veggies to our diet. We have not been sick this year at all and we have been taking EmergenC packets almost every day which has helped a lot but we need to make sure and add the “real” thing into our diet a little bit more. Veggies are something we have a hard time with. We typically have one veggie at night but we need to add a few more. The grocery has a ton of the Steamer Veggies that are so easy to make and are good for you. I plan on ramping up my grocery list each week with a few more healthy items!

2.      Exercise. I have always been a pretty active person. I hate to say that when I was pregnant I was not very active though. I was working full time and when I got home all I wanted to do was sleep. After I had Beau I would walk with my friends around the neighborhood while pushing our strollers. We walked almost every day and some days we would get up to 3 miles. Now that the winter has set in we don’t walk with the babies due to the cold air but I need to get back into some kind of exercising. My body needs the activity and I feel so blah without it!

3.      No phone/iPad until Beau goes to bed at night. This is one that I feel is super important to Beau’s childhood. I want to make sure that when I pick him up from Mrs. Pat’s in the afternoon that I give him my undivided attention and make him feel important. With our world being so driven by social media I see how parents can get all caught up in their electronic devices and not pay attention to their kids. I don’t think that parents really mean for this to happen because our phones are pretty much attached to our hip but if you don’t watch out then it will happen. I would hate for Beau to think that my Facebook or Instagram page is more important than him b/c of course it is not!!!!! So, I am not going to text, talk on the phone, and look at Facebook or anything until he goes to bed. I feel that I can call people back after 6:30pm and the world will not fall apart. Of course, if there is an emergency or if Jon calls to say he is on his way home from work I will answer but other than that I will not. Beau is already growing up too fast and I would hate to miss anything!

Those three things are my goals for 2014. I think they are all very attainable and I cannot wait to start!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

This was probably the most relaxing, non-eventful New Year’s Eve that I have had in years. The funny thing is that I loved every second of it! Being a mom really changes your life in so many ways and one particular way is that I woke up on New Year’s Day with no hangover! Ok, so that might sound a little bad so maybe I should say I woke up feeling great and full of energy. New Year’s fell in the middle of the week this year which kind of stinks. We really prefer holidays like this to fall on a weekend or closer to the weekend, not on a Wednesday.  Jon got a new gun for Christmas so he was itching to go hunting with one of our close friends during the New Year’s holiday. I agreed that it would be a good for him to have some “guy” time and for me to have to alone time because this rarely happens at our house.

Jon worked on New Year’s Eve and then headed for Mark’s hunting camp that afternoon. Beau went to Mrs. Pats and I had New Year’s Eve off work so I planned a full day of shopping. I got a bunch of gift cards for Christmas so I wanted to see what sales were out there and use them! Beau enjoyed seeing all his little friends at Mrs. Pat’s house so I did not feel guilty leaving him there for the day while I spent the day doing things for myself. I found some awesome black leather boots that I have been wanting and found everything I needed to redecorate our guest bathroom. I also found some great sales on some work clothes so the day turned out to be a great success. I have plans to really decorate our house after the holidays so I thought redoing our guest bath was a good start. I picked Beau up early that afternoon and we played at home for the rest of the evening. He ate a good dinner, played in the bathtub for a while, messed around with Lilly, played with his toys and then was in bed asleep by 6:30pm. After he was asleep I put on my PJ’s and relaxed on the couch. There was one second where I checked Facebook and saw my friends going out and getting ready for a big night and I felt jealous but then that thought was quickly gone. I loved the fact that I was home, with my little man, warm, not out driving around, not fighting crowds and could go to bed early! I did miss the fact that Jon was not sitting next to me on the couch but I was happy that he was out doing what he wanted to do with his good friend. Time apart is always good for the soul! Jon did call to say Happy New Year to both Beau and I so that is all I needed to hear before heading to bed!

 

New Year’s Day started out with this sweet boy getting in bed with me to drink his first bottle of milk.

 

We snuggled for a while and then got up to start out day. We spent the morning playing with toys, eating breakfast, walking in the walker and playing with Lilly. He went down for a nap around 11 and I cleaned the house. I had planned to not leave the house all day, clean the house, do laundry, write Thank You notes and play with Beau. I cleaned the house from top to bottom and it really helped that Beau took a 3 hour nap!

My friend Courtney texted me to see if Beau wanted to go for a ride in Presley’s new red wagon. I quickly said sure! After Beau woke up from his nap I fed him some fruit and got him ready for the big ride around the neighborhood. I was so glad to get out of the house and catch up with my friend. Beau had a great time in the wagon and loved every second of it. He just sat there looking around. Presley seemed excited to have a friend sitting with her. The weather was not too cold. It was in the 50’s so we had the babies all bundled up with coats, hats and blankets so they were warm and toasty! It was a great afternoon treat for both of us. Beau got a red wagon from his Uncle Matt and cannot wait to use ours!

 

That afternoon Jon called to say he was going for his last hunt and would be home around 9pm.  He saw some deer but did not get a shot but he was happy to just be out in the woods. Beau and I hung out that evening, I cooked dinner and got things ready for the two days of work that we had for the week.

I am always sad to see the holidays go. I feel like there is nothing to look forward to and kind of get the winter blues. The holidays this year were full of excitement with it being Beau’s first Christmas. We now have the spring to look forward to but have to get through January and February which are my two least favorite months. Football is over, the holidays are over, and the weather is cold and rainy with not much going on. Oh well, spring will be here before we know it and the warm weather will be here!

I hope everyone had a happy and safe New Year’s holiday! From our family to yours, Happy 2014!

First Christmas

This year was Beau’s first Christmas and it was super special. Jon and I talked a lot about how different and wonderful the holidays are with a child. They really bring the meaning of Christmas alive! Our family tradition is to always put our Christmas tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving. I love having a Christmas tree up because it bring excitement, comfort and anticipation of what’s to come. One of our favorite things to do this year was to sit together as a family, turn out the lights, turn on the TV and sit with the Christmas tree all lit up. There is something magical about Christmas trees! This year we got a real tree and it smelled up our entire house which was fabulous! We put white lights all over it and sprinkled on our ornament which made the tree look amazing! This year we bought our gifts right after Thanksgiving so we were finished pretty quickly which eliminated a lot of stress. I had a list for everyone which made buying gifts really easy this year.

Our Christmas plans consisted of the following. Jon worked Monday and Christmas Eve (Tuesday) and we left for Daphne on Tuesday afternoon. He got off earlier than expected so we actually made it for dinner that night with my family. My parents and brother went to Christmas Eve service at church so by the time they got home we were not far behind them. They showered Beau with kisses and hugs which he loved! We all got to hang out that night and then all day Wednesday for Christmas Day. My parents went all out this year. They had everything so organized! The food was prepared, the gifts were all wrapped perfectly under the tree, the day flowed easily and we all had a blast just being together. We spend the morning opening gifts and eating breakfast casserole (family tradition). We all got some amazing gifts this year! The afternoon was spend preparing our Christmas dinner and relaxing in our Christmas jammies. I love lazy days where we have no plan to go anywhere and nothing to do!

The rest of our stay in Daphne was full of family time, hunting and relaxing. My mom loved taking Beau into her sewing room and allowing him to play on the carpet next to her while she made some special crafts for next Christmas. My dad loved playing with Beau and all his toys. They both loved giving him his bath, feeding him and rocking him to sleep. Those are such sweet times!

 Jon killed a deer up at our hunting camp on Friday which was super exciting for him! He shot it with his new gun which made it extra fun!

 

My parents really know how to make holidays super special. Growing up they made all holidays and birthdays very special and always put so much thought into those days. They are always full of new and told traditions, wonderful food, a fully decorated house, a very organized day and warm loving spirits. I hope I can carry on my family’s way of doing things for my family because to this day I cherish all the memories from those past years very closely.

It was hard to leave Daphne but we have some special memories and pictures to cherish for years to come. Wish we all lived closer so we could be together more often but maybe one day that will happen. Beau is very lucky to have so many people that love him!

We wish all of you a very Happy New Years!

7 Months

On Sunday, December 22^nd Beau turned 7 months. WOW time is going by fast! This might be my most favorite age so far (I think I say that every month). Beau is the most perfect baby and I am not just saying that because he is mine! Beau is the most easy going, never cries unless he is hungry or tired, will allow anyone to hold him, does not cry when we leave him, will play in his room by himself for an hour with his toys, falls asleep on his own without us rocking him, holds his own bottle, enjoys his car seat, does not fuss when taken to run errands, loves everyone and smiles all the time. Jon and I cannot get enough of this little boy! When he was younger (up to 5 months) we were gracious for Jon’s parents to keep him so we could get some rest and clean the house. Now, we really don’t like seeing him go anywhere because he is just so easy to handle. Here are some of his highlights:

·        Sleep- he goes to bed every night between 6-7pm. We do not have to rock him at all. We just give him his last bottle and then put him in his crib, turn on the mobile, turn on his sound machine and leave the room. It is that easy! He will wake up around 6:30-7 every morning. Does not ever wake up during the night!

·        Feeding- He is now eating #2 foods. His favorites are apples, pears, sweet potatoes, prunes, squash, chicken & rice, turkey & rice, sweet potatoes & corn, strawberries, mangoes, oatmeal with fruit and carrots. He still is taking about 3 bottles a day. He will hold his bottle but still allows you to give it to him. He eats in his highchair with a bib on and hardly makes any mess.

·        Clothes- he is wearing between 9-12 month clothes. He wears footed PJ’s to bed, loves hats, wears socks but likes to try and take them off and likes coats. Very easy to dress him!

·        Diapers- he is wearing size 3 diapers. He hardly ever has a diaper rash. Wears the 12 hour diapers at night which never leak.

·        Curiousness- he is very curious about his body parts. He has found his private part and will touch it every time we take off his diaper or if he is in the bath tub. He will study his fingers and will bite his toes. He is really into touch our faces and grabbing our cheeks.

·        Mobility- he is moving around in his walker all over the house. He loves to go up to the cabinets and try to open them but luckily the sides of his walker will stop them from opening. He is just so curious about all the things in our house now. He is not crawling yet but is doing the “inch worm” and is almost there. He will roll around to get to where he wants to be.

·        Bath- he still LOVES his bath! He will smile and laugh every time we go into the guest bathroom because he knows why we are going in there. He will splash around, play with his toys, does not mind me washing his hair or body, will scoot around the tub to get his toys, loves bubbles and will laugh when we dry him off. We give him a bath at night before putting him in his PJ’s so we have a good routine down!

Everyone still comments on how much he looks like Jon which brings a smile to my face. He is a beautiful baby and such a joy to both of our lives!

 

A Visit With Santa

Jon and I decided that we would take Beau to see Santa and it was a last minute decision because we originally did not plan to do it. It is not that we are against Santa but we just did not see the “need” to stand in a long line for Beau to sit on Santa’s lap when he is only 7 months old. Well Jon thought we needed to be “good” parents and take him to see the Jolly guy so we did!

After Beau woke up from his long 3 hour nap we dressed him in a cute Christmas outfit and headed to the Madison Square Mall to see Santa. When we got to the mall there was a note that Santa was on break until 5pm so we decided to go eat an early dinner and come back. We took Beau to Buffalo Wild Wings and he loved it! He enjoyed looking at tall the people and looking at all the TV’s that were playing football. I guess all the stimulation got him really excited because he kept letting out this screechy scream. Jon and I just looked at each other and laughed every time he did it. Luckily the atmosphere was so loud that no one heard him. We ate our wings and headed back to see Santa. By the time we went back the line was really long. We really should have stayed in line I guess but the line moved pretty quickly. I think the entire process took about 45 minutes.

 

We were unsure of how Beau would react to Santa so we were very curious to find out. Jon put Beau in his lap and Beau loved him! He thought his beard was so cool and kept touching it! He smiled for the camera like a big boy and we got a great picture of him. It was a success and we were so glad we took him!

 

 

Once we left the mall we headed to Babies R’ Us to get Beau a toy. Jon and I had not gotten Beau a gift yet and we felt like it was the perfect time to do so. We had been going back and fourth with our ideas for him for about a month and never came up with anything really good. One day I was searching on Google and came across a Ball Pit and thought that might be the perfect gift! I showed it to Jon and he loved the idea so that is what we got! Babies R’ Us carried it and so we went there to get it. That store at Christmas time is a nightmare! The second we stepped in we were swarmed with people shopping like crazy! The isles were all cluttered and toys were everywhere. Luckily we knew what we wanted so our time in there was short. Thank Goodness!

We got home and Jon put the ball pit together while I gave Beau his bath and put is Christmas Jammies on. He played in the pit for about an hour and then went to bed. It was such a wonderful afternoon and a perfect end to a great weekend!

 

I forgot to mention that this was Beau’s 7 month birthday! More to come on that in the next post!

Christmas With The Reynolds

Jon’s brother Chris and his wife Kelly came in late Friday night from Daphne. They stayed with Jon’s parents. Saturday morning we got dressed, loaded up our car with gifts and headed over to their house to see everyone. We spent the day catching up with everyone, eating some delicious food, opening gifts and of course everyone loved their time with Beau!

 

 

Chris and Kelly spend the night at our house on Saturday night so we stayed up late watching a football game and catching up that evening. Sunday we all went to church and had lunch at Jon’s parents’ house afterwards. It was so nice to see Chris and Kelly! Beau was the highlight of the weekend and he was just precious. He was very tired by the time we got home from church so he took a long nap after changing out of his precious Christmas outfit.

We had a special treat for him when he woke up!