4th of July in Memphis

Last Thursday we headed out of town to Memphis to see our best friends Keith and Courtney. This was Jack's first out of town trip. It was a memorable one at that! Jarod and I never thought we would get there on Thursday. Jack was not loving being in his car seat and screamed off and on for the first part of the trip. The trip was also stretched out longer b/c of him needing to eat. After we made it to Arkadelphia, we decided to put me in the back between him and Allie. This wasn't that easy in our Malibu, but we made it work. The front seat folds down, so I was able to stretch my legs out. It did help and make the trip more bearable, but we still didn't arrive until midnight (took 11 1/2 hrs. and usually takes about 8). Allie was a great car traveler as always! She never napped but she kept herself entertained by watching movies, coloring, playing with toys and playing on her ipod touch (or as she calls it, her touch iPhone).

We had a wonderful time with our friends. It was so nice to spend some time with them. We ate a lot of yummy food, Courtney and I saw Eclipse, I discovered the best accessory store ever (Charming Charlies and learned there is one by my house), Allie played in the sprinkler, shot off fireworks (they live out of city limits) and just enjoyed hanging out. I love it when we are together and I miss them so much!

Our trip home went a lot smoother. I still sat in the back and Jack was a much happier little boy. He enjoyed snuggling with Allie's lovie and pink blanket. It only took us 9hrs to get home. Not bad! Thanks Courtney and Keith for having us!

This is Jack on the way there. He had just finished crying. Poor guy!
My awesome traveler!

Soaking up some sun

Courtney with Jack. Courtney is due in November and we find out tomorrow what she is having!

Courtney and I have been friends since our sophomore year at Harding. Jarod and I are lucky that our best friends married each other!

I just want to kiss Jack's chubby cheeks in this picture!

Sparkler time (Allie called them sprinkles)

My sweet kiddoes

The flower headband that Allie is wearing is from Charming Charlies. She also loved that store. That headband has become her new favorite.

Snuggling with Allie's lovie on the way home

His new favorite toy!

3 Months and First Cold

Jack turned 3 months old on the 24th of June. It is hard to believe my little guy is already 3 months! Time really does fly! Jack's personality it really starting to come out. He really is a different baby than Allie was. Allie was a laid back, go with the flow kind of girl. She chilled on her own and was very independent. Jack, not so much. He is a people person and loves being with people. He likes to be talked to and will smile or talk right back to you! He's not a big fan of someone not being in the room with him. He wants to be able to see you! He loves Allie and Allie is quite good at entertaining him!

Jack also got his first cold last Friday thanks to me! He was pretty stuffy and coughed because of his snot, but other than that you wouldn't have known he was sick. He had a few restless nights but still slept through the night. Now his big sister has the cold!

Here are a few things I would like to remember about Jack at 3 months:
He is 15lbs. (this is by us weighing ourselves on the scale and then weighing him with us)
He is about 25in. long (guessing)
Sleeping at least 9hrs at night, every now and then 10!
Has found his hands when sitting up right-they've always kind of been everywhere, he now has more control of them
Grabs for toys and likes to put them in his mouth
Smiles, laughs and talks a lot
Had his first cold (thanks to his mama!)
Getting close to rolling over from tummy to back and back to tummy
Has pretty good head control and we are still working on it
Starting to outgrow 3-6 month clothes because of length!

New places he has been:
Movies (toy story 3)
Jarod's softball game
Mimi and Poppy's new house
His first road trip is tomorrow to Memphis!

Special Memory:
Celebrating Great Granny's 88th Birthday

*some of these pictures are from my phone, so the quality isn't all that great

I love his sweet smile

He drools a lot and blows spit bubbles. If you look closely you can see them in this picture.

Father's Day

We had a great Father's Day (at least I think we did and I hope Jarod did too!). We started it off Friday with Allie giving Jarod his present. We are not good at our house at waiting! Allie made Jarod a card and then gave him a bag of sunflower seeds and cotton candy. They are to take to the Rangers game this Friday (his real present). I thought it would be fun for Allie and Jarod to do together. We think it's a little too hot for Jack right now to be out there. Allie is really excited because they are having fireworks after the game and she gets to have cotton candy!
Father's Day always reminds me of how blessed we are as a family. God blessed my two kids with the most loving and supporting daddy. Jarod's whole face lights up when he is around his children. He is an amazing daddy and we are so blessed. I am also lucky that I am able to spend Father's Day with my own daddy. I love that I get to be with him and that my children get to be with their grandpa too!

For Father's Day we made breakfast together that morning and then we went to church with my parents, my brother's and their family. Then we ate amazing lasagna at my parents new house, opened a few presents and then we were off to see Toy Story 3. Jack did great for his first movie. He ate and then slept through the entire thing! I wish I would have gotten a picture, but no such luck. The movie was awesome! I even teared up at the end. I think a fun time was had by all. I hope all of the other dad's out there had a great day as well.

Jack never does well in pictures like this

My two favorite guys!

My favorite guy and my favorite girl

I look like a clown in this picture. My cheeks are so rosy and my lips are all shiny!

My two loves

Hawaiian Falls

Every summer we get season passes to Hawaiian Falls in The Colony. Allie loves playing there with her friends and I enjoy her friends mommies! Last year Jarod got a pass too and he got another one this year. Allie is at a fun age now and enjoys going down all of the slides. It's something nice we can either do as a family or with friends. We made our first trip on Memorial Day. Jack was such a trooper! These pictures are from our first trip. I haven't been able to get the camera out any of the other times because I am one busy momma when I'm out there. Thanks to my sweet friends (Michelle, Kristen and Meredith) for helping me with Allie and Jack. If I didn't have your help, I wouldn't be out there!

I can't believe the only picture I got of Allie was of her eating yogurt!

Jack is 2 Months

I hate that I am just now posting about Jack's 2 month stats. It has just taken me a while to get to the computer. Jack was two months on the 24th of May and we had his check up the next day. If you've seen Jack or talked to me, you know he is a big boy!
Here are his stats:
Weight: 14.6lbs. 97%
Height: 24 1/2 in. 90%
Head: 41 1/2 cm. 80%

Here are Allie's stats at 2 months:
Weight: 12lbs. 1 oz. 90%
Height: 23 1/2 in. 90%

Jack already outweighs Allie's stats at 4 months! He is just going to be a big boy!

Jack has changed a lot in the last few weeks. I'm had forgotten how quickly babies change and I'm already sad that he is not my newborn any more (not that he ever really looked like one :).
Here are some things I would like to remember about Jack at 2 months:
-smiles all of the time; especially if you are talking to him
-coos a lot and always makes us laugh when he does
-starting to giggle (not the big belly laughs, but he came close the other night)
-sleeps any where between 7 1/2 hrs. to 9 hrs. at night
-right now he goes down anywhere between 9:45 and 11:00 at night; we are still working on an earlier bedtime
-usually takes one big nap a day and the other ones are usually 1 hr. It kind of depends on what we've been doing during the day. If we are out and about, the naps aren't so great!
-he sleeps on his tummy (once we started this, he started taking better naps and sleeping through the night). He has been sleeping through the night for 3 weeks now!
-he is able to lift his head up high and move it from side to side. In fact he can turn 180 degrees in his bed when on his tummy. He is a very strong little boy!
-still has a great set of lungs!
-loves laying on the floor and talking to his elephant (has a mirror and plays music)
-not loving his bath these days
-still loves his bouncy seat and swing
-started to put himself to sleep for naps; usually by finding his thumb to suck on

Places he has been:
-church, Allie's school, Target, Wal-Mart, TJ Maxx, my school, daddy's work, Sprouts, spent the night at his uncle Scott's house, Greer's baseball game, Karlie's t-ball game, Allie's soccer games, restaurants, Mimi and Poppy's house, park, Hawaiian Falls, birthday parties, visited my Granny.

He pretty much goes everywhere with me! Sometimes it's hard, but Allie is a great helper!

I could not get this picture to turn around. Love his sweet smile and chubby cheeks!

Look at that big belly. His eyes look brown in this picture, but they are a dark blue.

This is the first time he put himself to sleep and it was by sucking his thumb/finger. What a sweetie!

Allie and Jack

We had some pictures taken of Allie and Jack about a month ago from a good friend of my sister in law Kelly. I think she did a wonderful job! Jack didn't cooperate very well and by the time we were able to get some good pictures of him, Allie didn't not feel like taking anymore so we didn't get any of them together. I will try again when Jack is a little older. Jack is 3 weeks in these pictures. Allie is 4.

Love her dimple!

Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day this year. Jarod and Allie surprised me with beautiful tulips and a gift card to get a mani/pedi the night before. We are not good about waiting to give gifts in our family! Allie also made me a "story" of our family. It was quite hilarious and I will forever cherish it.

I am very fortunate that I get to spend every Mother's Day with my own mother. I love that she lives so close. We spent the day in Arlington with my family. We went to church with them, then out to eat and then we relaxed at my parent's place for a while because Jack had to eat. Then we went and spent a little time with my Granny at her nursing home. This was the first year that she was not with us at my aunt's house. She had gallbladder surgery in March and ever since then she has not been doing well. It was very hard to see her look so weak, but her face lit up when she saw her grand kids and great grand kids. She also got to meet Jack for the first time. I am looking forward to the 23rd of May b/c we will go and celebrate her 88th birthday. I hope to get some good pictures then!

I hope every mother out there had a wonderful Mother's Day. I am truly blessed to be raising two of God's children.

We can never manage to get a picture of Jack awake

Kelly, Annie, my brother Scott, Karlie and Greer

Poppy and Mimi with all of their grand kids.

Kelly and her sweet kids

*I have pictures of me with my kiddoes, but I didn't like them much. They were not blog worthy!