what's up mom!

Miss Harlow was giving me some good faces during tummy time.

 And after all that work, she literally toppled over the boppy pillow head first, and just decided to lay right there, still smiling. I wish I had a step-by-step picture of her somersaulting, but I was laughing too hard.

This one is just too funny. Looks like she's punching me, perhaps a kickboxing move.

Maddi and Nala came to visit Harlow on the floor too.

her head

I took this picture to remember what her beautiful little head looked like at 1 month old. She's sporting a bit of a mullet, short on top and long in the back. Although I think she's lost most of that top hair now and this picture was taken only days ago. Sad. She also has a birth mark which Grandma calls "stork bites".

Awe.....

a day with all three

The boys still go to daycare 3 days a week; to keep somewhat of a routine, so they don't get bored home with me and sister, to give me and sister some time alone, to keep my sanity, and mainly because...they want to. Daycare is in our backyard (neighbor) so we walk over most mornings and the boys and their friends wave at me and sister as we walk back home. It really does make for a happier week for everyone :) But, on the days when all three kids are home, I do what I can to pay attention to all of them, to keep them busy, to keep myself sane, and to make sure everyone gets ample sleep.

I still take many, many pictures of this girl, awake and asleep. I often wonder what the heck I'm going to do with them all, but she is just too darn adorable!! Seriously, I know I say this alot and I'm sure it's getting annoying, but man alive she's cute!

 And when that beauty sleeps...we play. For the upcoming HOT week, we set the pool out and the boys love it. They both ended up swimming in their shorts and undies because even with the 90 degree heat, the pool was still FREEZING!! Seriously, like swimming in ice. I did not expect them to get in, but I should've known better. They didn't seem to care a bit. Me, I put one toe in and was pretty sure I had hypothermia! I'm guessing after the 110 degrees its supposed to feel like today, they'll be swimming in a hot tub.

 We were out all afternoon. It's so fun to watch Hudson play. He has quite the imagination and always, always wants Paxton to play with him. In the picture below, Hudson told Pax to grab his toes in the big bucket, knowing that when he'd try his head would most certainly go under the water. He's pretty clever that biggest brother!

 And later that night, one of the boys gave me the scare of a lifetime! I was in the basement doing laundry, and when I came back up no one knew where Paxton was. We yelled for him, looked in every room twice over, even every closet. I went outside, walked around the house (because he can unlock and open every door) yelling his name...but there was no sign of him. My heart was beating out of my chest when Jamie finally yelled, "He's up here!". And there he was, sound asleep in Hudson's bed. I had walked right by him at least 3 times and never noticed him. Jamie said the only reason he found him was because he could hear him snoring. Poor thing, out like a light at 6:30pm. And at first Hudson thought it was funny, even cute, until he realized Paxton still had underwear on and in danger of peeing in his bed!

Herman the German

Every year we attend a birthday party at Harman Park, so at least once a year, we climb up Herman the German.

  My 3 boys (looking down the hatch).

 Just to prove I went up too! Hudson and Paxton climbed all the way to the top by themselves.

 This little beauty stayed safely on the ground.

 After the park, we headed out to the Country Club golf course to honor Uncle Warren's memorial golf tournament.

 We stayed well into the night and the boys needed a snack....parmesan cheese in a bowl, no fingers or utensils necessary.

He's 4!!!!

Our first born turned FOUR years old on June 22nd. Hard to believe Hudsy is growing up so fast. Bittersweet. Per tradition, he woke up to balloons galore. See his first "fake" smile below.

 You would've thought it was this little guy's birthday for how excited he was to find a living room full of balloons! He got to play with them for about an hour while he patiently waited for the sleepy birthday boy to wake up (at 9:30!!).

 Second "fake" smile of the morning, while making blueberry muffins.

 He could NOT stop talking about his presents, he was over the moon excited to open them! First year that he's actually cared about opening presents so it was pretty fun watching him. And he was so nice to include his brother. Giving him one to open or letting him rip some paper, then telling him how much fun they were going to have playing together.

 Third "fake" smile, with his birthday blueberry muffin breakfast.

 Snuggles with Harlow. She sported a birthday cupcake shirt for him.

 The middle child couldn't give a good, genuine smile if he tried.

 Hudsy with his favorite person. No one beats Grandma! In fact, his restaurant of choice for his birthday supper was "the rice place" (known to most people as Chinese) because "my grandma loves it so much". He's a thoughtful 4 year old.

 Smoke bombs from Grandpa.

 These 2 love nothing more than to blow out birthday candles...over and over and over again!

Daddy bought Hudsy a tent...they camped in the living room.

It was a great birthday for Hudsy, and he'll celebrate all over again a couple more times with family. Birthdays never seem to end for these kids! But he's well worth it! He is an intelligent, mature, caring, high anxiety, nervous, and thougtful boy who doesn't like kissing his daddy because his whiskers scratch him so he insists he shave first, always wants his little brother to play with him, thinks Harlow should go back in Mommy's tummy so he doesn't have to hear her cry but still says she's HIS baby and no one else can have her and that she's beautiful/gorgeous/adorable, and always says I love you. The kid drives me absolutely crazy most days, but I'm sure lucky he's mine! 

Hi!!

She's getting stronger! Harlow LOVES looking around, so she'll actually tolerate tummy time for as long as her little head will stay up. A different view for her, and she usually smiles at silly mommy laying in front of her making funny sounds with a big, black camera in her face.

 And when she's done, she flops over.

Grandma Sharon and Morgan visited.

Dad's Day

Even though it is supposed to Dad's day, he got up and made breakfast with the boys. French toast and bacon. It was his plan so Mommy didn't want to intervene ;) Afterwards, the kids gave them their presents.

Daddy and his kids. Can you tell which one loves their Daddy the mostest?? That would be Paxton. He's Daddy's boy.

 The boys each wrote Daddy a letter (please ignore Harlow's expression).

Hudson's letter read: Happy Father's Day Daddy! I don't want to kiss you when you have whiskers on, sorry. I love you. I wanna watch a movie in the toy room. And maybe play Wii and go fishing. You are a good daddy, yea!

 Paxton's read: Happy Birthday, not happy Father's Day. I like you Daddy, ever, ever, ever. And Happy Father's Day. I wanna play bucky horse one more time.

 This little boy wants to be just like his daddy and do everything Daddy does! He cries when Daddy leaves and cheers when he gets home.

 Grandpa came over and brought some poppers (no idea what they're really called, but the things you throw on the ground and they pop). 

 Bedtime stories- Daddy and his boys.

Duck Days Parade

The whole family made it to Lake Crystal for the annual Duck Days parade. The boys were very excited, but someone should've warned Paxton that there might be a few guns shot off to start the parade, he was not a fan of the noise! I watched his whole body shake as he grabbed on to his daddy! Once those were over, he was good to go. Hudson got a bag full of cand and he never let it go!

 Little miss Harlow slept through the whole thing! All two and a half hours. Through the guns, the fire truck sirens, and the marching bands!!!

 Thanks Nordbys for inviting us out again!

in her crib

Harlow had her first little nap in her big crib. The boys were running around loud and crazy downstairs and Daddy was putting a new TV up in our bedroom, using loud tools, so we resorted to her own room. It was a quick little nap.....probably because Mommy was disturbing her by snapping a million pictures. But she looked so tiny...and not to mention adorable!

HUGS

Doesn't get much sweeter than walking into the living room and finding Paxton giving his sister a hug. Add in a little Mickey Mouse butt and I've melted. The boys are often pant-less in this house.

when its storming outside...

When we're stuck inside, Hudson thinks of lots of fun things to do....like jump off chairs onto pillows lined up across the living room! What could be better??

Toddler Bed

We turned Paxton's crib into a toddler bed tonight. We're a little late in doing it because he loves his crib and going to bed. He's been able to climb in and out for a while now but he never does when he's not supposed to. However, he is growing up and isn't my little baby in a crib anymore. We likely won't keep him in a toddler bed very long either and he'll move to a full size bed like his big brother.

 When he got over the fact that Daddy dismantled his cribbie, he tried it out and let his sister visit.

And right now, its midnight, he's been sleeping in his new bed for 3 hours....not a problem!!