pb&jtime: September 2009

Our Little Spelling Bee

Sunday Tate and I were talking through the day and what we were going to do. It was after 11 and we were trying to decide if we should do a snack and late lunch or an early lunch. To avoid a mad rush to the high chairs I spelled it out - should we do an s-n-a-c-k? or l-u-n-c-h? Peyton chimed in and said E-I-E-I-O!

Crib Climbing

The boys sleep with Glowworms and for those unfamiliar they are a plush worm with a plastic head and when you touch them the face lights up and they play various lullaby's. Brett loves his and enjoys making it play in his crib. Jackson and Peyton love to try to toss them into each other's cribs or on the floor. When they hit the floor between the plastic head and the batteries inside they make a pretty loud thud. Upon hearing many stories of friends with children who climb out of their cribs I flinch with fear every time I hear that thud and have even had dreams of them wandering around the house after climbing from their cribs. But, Thank God, they have yet to show any interest in climbing out of their cribs.

Jackson and Peyton have always been good sleepers/nappers so maybe that is why my boys are trying to climb INTO their cribs and not out!

Peyton

Jackson

Brett's Big Week

For the past month Brett has been on a new medication that is a muscle relaxer to combat some of his muscle stiffness. We were (are) apprehensive because new medications always increase the possibilities of seizures. But Brett is making great strides. He really has all summer. He is maturing in a lot of ways, but in the last week he has been repeating word sounds and picking up and holding toys! It is so amazing and such a blessing to see his progress. He's also been laughing a lot more so here are some videos of his new feats as well as some laughter because it just makes our hearts soar!

Brett with his occupational therapist Miss Jolene:

Brett trying to say Giddy Up! (Jackson & Peyton use the bolster Brett uses in therapy for a horse!)

Brett repeating Daddy saying Hey! and giggling!

Good Ole Rocky Top!

Well we not only survived but had a great time on our first family trip to Tennessee! It took 12+ hours each way and we went for a long weekend so essentially the boys were in the car for about 24 hours+ over a 5 day period. The boys were amazing! Jackson & Peyton had a few occasional fusses but nothing major and seemed to enjoy looking out the window at trucks and horses. Brett does not like to ride in the car and did well on the way down but had a tough time on the way home. The boys slept really well our entire visit too!

When we got out of the car at Aunt Delta's they were first very excited to see their great aunts, but then they spotted the field of cows behind the house and they spent the rest of the trip saying cow and moo! When we got home the first morning we were back they ran to the front windows and started saying cow and moo and almost cried when I said there were no cows - what a let down!

The boys had so much fun visiting with their great Aunts and Uncles and cousins and getting lots of loving! One of the highlights was when Uncle Bert took the boys to the farm and they saw calfs, cows, cows being milked and got to sit in a tractor and truck!

While the boys were at the farm me, Tate and Nancy took a drive to the mountains and had a good time just hanging out together. We also had a great time at the UT tailgate and game, even though they lost. We had a wonderful time visiting with Aunts, Uncles and cousins on Sunday too!

We were so spoiled with great home cooked meals and sweets.

We were a bit nervous about the long car ride and that the boys would have a hard time sleeping and keep others awake but they amazed us. It was a bit tiring, but worth every second and we can't wait to visit again!

A special thanks to Grandma and Granddad and Auntie Rhonda and Auntie Nancy for being so supportive and helpful on the road trip and everywhere else!

Big thanks and appreciation to all of our family for being so welcoming and gracious to all of us.

Below are some pictures from the trip - some of the cow pictures are on Auntie Nancy's camera and Grandma has video/pictures from the farm visit and some of the other aunts and uncles so I'll have to do a follow up post, but wanted to blog before it got away from me.

Here are some photos from our trip:

Jackson spent time in the car catching up on his reading.

And making some phone calls.

Peyton discussing his ideas for vacation videos with Jackson

Jackson behind the camera

Peyton riding in a car is tiring!

Grandma, Brett & Tate playing during a rest stop.

Me and Nancy in the Great Smokey Mountains!

Tate, Me and Nancy at the UT game

Brenda and Brett hanging out.

Me and Peyton catch up with cousin Jenny

Brenda and Peyton

Aunt Peggy with Brett - she came from Georgia with cousin Kim to see the boys and we were so glad to have some time with them!

Weekend in Wisconsin

Me and the boys spent a long Labor Day weekend at my parent's and had such a great time. The boys did great on the drive. Grammy & Poppy had a house full - in addition to me and the boys my sisters all came and my sister Amy has two daughters so there were 9 of us visiting (the husbands stayed home to work/relax!). Total there were 6 adults and 5 children - we need every advantage we can get!

There was chaos at times, - to be expected with 5 children all under 2 1/2 - but overall it was tons of fun. We went to a fish fry, played at the beach, went to the swimming pool, rode on Poppy's tractor, played with all the toys and shoes Grammy has accumulated and just spent a lot of time outdoors! It was so nice to have the family time together and have the boys spend time with their cousins.

Here are some pictures from the trip: