Happy 5 & 23 Months!

Is this not the cutest little face you've ever seen? Bright eyes and all! Logan is 5 months old. (I have done a terrible job of posting Logan's monthly birthdays. It's crazy how things change with baby #2. I promise I do love him just as much, but I'm just so much...busier, to say the least.)

Logan is still such a good and happy baby. He is content most of the time unless he is hungry or just wants to be held for a while. He likes playing in his exersaucer and play mat, but before long wants to held for a while. He constantly searches the room for momma, which I love, of course! I think he is a momma's boy. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Logan is cutting his first tooth. You can't see it, but you can feel it. He has tried rice cereal a few times, along with a little baby food. I need to start feeding rice cereal to him daily, but just keep forgetting. Nursing is so much easier, but I realize he is growing up and needs to start adding a little solid food to the diet. ;)

Logan can roll over from him stomach to his back. He does this when he's playing on his play mat. He giggles when we play with him and we can really get him going at times. He has just started blowing raspberries with is mouth. It is so cute. Sometimes he does it when he is finished nursing and sometimes he does it random times throughout the day.

Logan has never taken a bottle well, but he is getting better. He started attending Mother's Day Out on Thursdays and gets extra practice with a bottle. He also takes a bottle some at Fit Kids (our gym's nursery.)

Big Sister turned 23 months old this month. It's hard to believe that she will be 2 years old next month. Crazy! We are just going to keep it simple this year and have a family party. Parties are expensive and I simply do not have the energy or capability of throwing a big party with two this small. Life with two babies has forced me to slow down. I get so frustrated at times, but eventually just give in. Several of our friends are about to have their second child, and I'm so ready to be in this together. Sometimes it is overwhelming and I'm ready to have some others who can relate with me. Motherhood is no easy task!

I promise she is not sucking her thumb. I think she's just licking her fingers.

Madison is really becoming a "big sister." She wanted to help buckle Bubba in the other morning. He kept trying to grab the seat belt and she would say, "no, Bubba," and move his hand away. She is definitely going to boss him...and us!

Madison is very polite. She says thank you, please, you're welcome, etc. I think it's about time for us to start teaching the "'mams and sirs." She is still as fiery and strong-willed as ever. We (Madison & Momma) often clash with our strong/similar personalities, but hopefully this is just a phase. This is definitely a hard age, with the tantrums and all. Maybe it will get better in a couple of years. Ha!

Happy 5 & 23 Months! We love you!

SNOW much fun!

"Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!"

Yesterday, Madison and I built one girly snowman. This is Mrs. Snow! I really don't like playing in the snow. I don't like being cold and I don't like getting wet and dirty, but...I decided since Madison LOVES snowmen so much, how could I not? We had fun adding tons of accessories!

Madison and her snowman!
Momma and her snowbabies!
Grandma came by for a short visit after work to see our snowman and take some pics with us.

She taught Madison how to make snow angels... Later that evening, we enjoyed a big pot of homeade chicken noodle soup. Mmm. Delicious!
And topped the day off with homeade chocolate chip cookies...made especially for Madison by none other than Grammy, herself!

What a fun day full of memories!

Potty Training

No, we're not "officially" potty training, but it's in the works. Madison got a froggy potty for Christmas and I put it in her bathroom where she takes a bath. My goal is to ask her right before she gets into the bathtub if she needs to go potty. She's actually pee-peed on the potty several times before with Grandma. Grandma has placed on her the "real" potty at random times and Madison has gone.

Yesterday, she told me she needed to pee-pee on the potty and I kind of blew her off. It's a pain to take her clothes off and her diaper off and put everything back on. But, then I thought maybe she really did need to go. So, I let her try and guess what? She pee-peed!!! And she was so excited. She clapped and said, "yeah, I pee-peed on the potty!" And for that, I told her she would get a piece of chocolate. I cleaned the potty up and she again told me she needed to go potty. So, I let her and the little rat went again. Well, we cheered and I told her she would get 2 pieces of chocolate. The girl LOVES candy, so this candy bribe thing could just be the trick!

She's mentioned the potty once today, but I had just changed her diaper and told her we weren't going to the potty right then. We'll try again tonight before bedtime. Who knows? Maybe this potty training thing won't be so bad after all.

Dear Grammy...

I have spent countless hours in my new kitchen trying to perfect your chocolate chip cookie recipe.

I've mixed each ingredient together carefully, refrigerated the cookie dough, carefully dropped a spoonful of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet, and watched them cook through the oven door. But, I'm just not doing someting right! They don't taste like yours.

So, Grammy, I'll tell you what I need you to do. I need you to mix up a double batch of your famous chocolate chip cookies and call me when they are ready. I'll even bring my own cup and spoon over to eat them up with.

Oh, and one more thing, Grammy. I don't have any plans tonight.

A Couple of Firsts

Logan had his first bite of rice cereal this week. This was his first response. And second response. And third... The boy wasn't too fond of the ole' rice!

But, as always, this happy little baby was a good sport!

EDIT: Logan also rolled over for the first time last night. He even rolled over for us several times while we video taped him!

This little young lady started Mother's Day Out again this week. I got her all dolled up on Tuesday. She even let me put a little bow in her hair!

I asked her to please smile for her so I could take a picture and guess what?!! She did!!!

Logan's first day of MDO was today. I was a little worried about him because he has never been great at taking a bottle. I nurse him every chance I can and the only time he normally has a bottle is when he is in the nursery at church or is at one our parents' houses. When I picked him up, they said he did great with the bottle...guzzled them down. That made me feel a lot better! They also said he was such a good baby...because he is!

Momma thoroughly enjoyed her time during MDO today. I feel like a brand new woman. I was able to run several errands and go out to lunch. It's amazing how fast you can get in and out of a store without an infant carrier! I'm so thankful for MDO!

My cousin Jennifer was up in AR visiting this past week and came by to play with the kids on Monday. Madison enjoyed walking around in her boots! She loves Jennifer...or any visitor who stops by to see her for that matter.

I missed the last couple of monthly birthday posts with pics/stats, but I just can't keep up with that. So, that may have to discontinue. I still need to blog a little more on Christmas...I'll get around to it eventually.

5 Christmases...Part I

We had five Christmases this year. (What a statment! And it so describes our busy life!) We had Christmas with just our family, with my family, with Gabe's family, and with both sets of my grandparents in Texas. I'm STILL unpacking from Texas. I believe I only have the kids suitcase left to unpack. It is just so hard to get things done with two little ones. And yes, my Christmas decorations are still up. Hopefully they will get taken down this weekend.

I'll begin with our family Christmas. We weren't sure when to have ours since we would be in TX on Christmas day, so we decided to just have it after we returned home. We celebrated our family Christmas the morning after we returned. Gabe put together Madison's kitchen and I laid out all of her presents around the tree the night before. The next morning she was quite excited! We went and got her from her room and told her it was time to open up her presents. This is her running into the living room. Playing with her new kitchen...Betty Crocker in training!

Logan enjoyed watching...

Her kitchen came with a telephone. Madison wasted no time. She had friends to call!

We gave Madison two adorable outfits, several snowman items (because she LOVES snowmen right now), a few stocking stuffers, and a froggy potty. Potty training is in the near future! I'm not going to rush it, but I thought it was probably time to have a potty sitting in the bathroom just in case!

Stay tuned for 5 Christmases, Part II...

Happy New Year!

Started off the New Year with a bang by running a 5k this morning with a group from church. This year was the 1st annual Resolution Run. It was bitter cold, but I had fun running with friends. My running partner, Megon, is around 18 weeks pregnant. Props to her for completing the race. She's one fast momma!

Last night, we rung in 2011 at the Kirtley's. I figured we'd be gone by around 9:30pm, but the kids had a lot of fun playing (aka running around the house) and lasted until a little after 11pm. Wow!

The Frey Fam

Cale, Madison, & Bennett

The 3 Musketeers plus Logan

Have a blessed year!