Eventful Week

At preschool Emily's class learned the letter "V". Of course there's, volcano, visor, valentine...and what else??? We had trouble finding things around our house that started with the letter "V". They made this cute little volcano, which got stepped on coming home, but it's still cute.
The real entertainment this week was watching the loggers cutting trees down next door and all throughout our neighborhood. It looked like it did after the tornado at different parts of the week, but it was fun. Joseph LOVES to watch the chainsaw and Bobcat. Every time a HUGE pine, or any tree at all, fell Emily would jump and clap. I know these men cot more of a hoot out of us than we did them. They are still here cleaning up this weekend. They are not a typical residental tree removal service, but loggers who are looking for work because the tree demand is low right now. I will say that our neighbor got a good deal for 7 trees to be removed.


Above: baby food green beans. Below: Real green beans.
We see which ones he prefers!!! I gagged on the baby food, but gulped down the real stuff. I would too. Baby food green beans are the worst smelling baby food there is in my opinion. Also, these green beans had been "seasoned" so that's probably why he liked them. He is definitely my "real food" eater. Emily ate baby food until 18 months or older!!! She loved the stuff...Joseph, just give him some green beans, oatmeal pancake, and let him go...he still loves his baby food fruits and oatmeal though.
Yes, this last picture shows ALOT of our week...you can see a little of that top tooth poking through. He's cutting his top teeth and this week has been filled with screaming, low grade fevers and not sleeping good, BUT we made it through the week, I just know these teeth are going to come in SOON!!!! Hope you have a great weekend!!!

Marvelous Monday

I'm sure that I only have a couple of minutes, but I'm trying to do a better job of blogging. Our day began at 5:15 this morning when Joseph woke up with a shrilling scream. Oh not to worry I figure that he was just cold, or it's the HUGE tooth attempting to break through the skin. Glenn, my wonderful husband, got up and rocked him for 40 minutes and laid him down only for him to wake up in another 30 minute. So I wake and feed him to hurry and get ready so I could get to my therapy for my neck by 8:00.Therapy went good, and was well needed since my PT was out all last week. My left shoulder keeps getting "out of socket" so she helped pop it back in. I guess it comes from holding Joseph on my left side so much. I only have one more appointment (paid by insurance) so I hope she can teach me what I need to know by then.

I got back home by 8:45, so Glenn could get to work (late of course), and I could get Joseph his breakfast and start the "chores" for today. Of course nothing is ever completed in our house, but that's fine, at least we enjoy ourselves! We got to go outside and eat a "picnic" for lunch before the massive winds rolled in. We were very surprised that we got to watch them cut a HUGE pine tree right up the street. Out of this adventure we might be possibly getting a dead pine cut from our back yard since the price was so low...but we'll see how that goes. Money is tight at the end of the month so the tree may just have to wait. Our neighbor said it was her tree and that it looked like it was on the property line so I said we could just split the cost, that would only put us paying $30 (I can handle that)....but when the man came to my door a few minutes ago he said it was on my side, and he could cut it for $60. I said I'd have to talk to Glenn and let hime know in the morning, so we'll see.Both kids have been napping but I hear little girl arousing, so my blogging time is coming to a close. I hope you all have a great week. I'll try to get some newer pictures up soon!!!

Spring in February??

We have had one of the most beautiful weeks in a LONG time here in GA, and all over the United States basically. I think it was even 60 degrees in Boston yesterday!!! Today we spend pretty much the entire day outside...except for Joseph when he was napping. I have MANY pictures posted on here of some I did for Joseph's 11 months photo shoot. I only put a fraction because I think I took like 200!!!
He is such a big boy standing in the grass. He can't walk too good on it, but he can crawl fast as lightening!!!
He LOVES to wrinkle his nose when he smiles, it's SO cute!!!


He was SO tired he gave us a yawn or two! These were taken before his afternoon nap, but you can't tell it because he was smiling in most of them!




The photos below are a few from inside with the wash tub and others we made yesterday outside.





I know you're wondering, "when did they get another kid"...our neighbor Sandy gave this life-size doll to Emily yesterday as a late birthday present. She's kind of creepy but fun too. Emily LOVES her and takes her EVERYWHERE. Since her legs and elbows don't bend you can hear them coming (when she bangs the poor doll on everything getting around the house). Joseph just thinks it's a real girl I think.


I snapped this picture below when I walked up to put the camera up. There's no telling what she's telling him. They are so cute together. She loves her little brother and ran laps around him in the yard. He just stayed in one place and laughed and squealed!






The one thing we noticed today as he was rolling around in the grass was that, he kept sneezing like crazy. His poor face got red spots and eyes were swollen and watery. Hmm....wondering if he'll be allergic to grass too???? No telling, but it wouldn't surprise me. I hope you all have been enjoying this beautiful weather God's blessed us with. We'll be cooling down soon before real spring arrives, although all our trees are starting to bud out. We may be seeing pollen, the dreaded yellow cover, sooner than we'd expect though. Enjoy it while we have it!!!

Joseph's 11 months old!!!

Yes, Joseph turned 11 months today (well to be exact not until 4:45 pm), but today, February 17th. Last night he was enjoying being apart of story time with his sister before she went to sleep. I think he enjoyed looking up at his daddy more than looking at the book. As you can see from the photo above he hasn't cut his top teeth yet. One of them is bulging and ready to pop through, but hasn't yet. Yes, he's been a super fussy teether too, so I'm ready to get them in, even though then we'll start the process for cutting others I'm sure.
At 11 months old, he can do lots of things. Walking is his new favorite thing to do. Standing up in the middle of the floor is now easy for him. If he sees something he wants he will figure out a way to get it. This morning he wanted a chair moved so he could get by and he just turned it right over. If I put up something as an obstacle to keep him from getting in an area he quickly finds a way to either move it, or go over or under it. There's not much keeping him out of it if you don't have a child safe gate up.
At 11 months Joseph loves to talk. He jabbers all the time, but "da-da" and "nigh nigh", and "nah nah" are still his favorite. He has said "ma ma" before but we just can't get him to do it now. He loves to squeal and when he wants something he waves his little arms in the air and grabs with his little hands. If you have seen him do it, it's too funny!!!
At 11 months his favorite foods still include, mommy's milk, oatmeal (made ONLY from mommy's milk), apples, pears, PUMPKIN, squash, prunes, & peas. Yes you can imagine that mommy's getting tired of producing most of his meals! He's one picky fellow with TONS of food issues so I keep trucking on. He is still definitely milk intolerant so if I do try to substitute my milk with anything it will have to be soy...when it happens. He also does tolerate alot of table food. He's eaten some of everything that we've had, bananas, gluten free pancakes, rice, peas, apples cooked, but his little tummy just doesn't handle it too well...so we just are sticking to baby food still.
I can't believe that it's been 11 months, almost a year since he was born. This time last year we were ready and waiting for his arrival. Emily never could imagine what the next year was going to hold. She is such a loving big sister (most of the time, when he's not getting into her toys).
Yes, I'd say we are one blessed family. God has really been working on us all, and I'm SO grateful for the changes He's done. Children truly are a blessed from God!!!! I'm just so glad that God has again reminded me of that. One day when I gather my thoughts I will write more about the BIG Walker revival (that's what I've been calling it). God is GOOD!!! Hope you all have a great week.

What They Learn So Young!!!!

You see this disturbing photo above, I know many of you may ask why put it on here...well this photo just gives you a glimpse of what we hear alot lately. Little Joseph has learned how to scream and pitch a fit when something doesn't go his way. I'm not sure where he's learned this, but I'm thinking maybe from his big sister Emily (who by the way is doing remarkably well with our new discipline structure). Nonetheless Joseph has learned some bad habits. Now all times he does this are not just because he's mad, but he's also been really fussy lately, as they'll tell you in the nursery. He definitely is my baby, as he wants to be held by me ALL the time. If we're anywhere, he just wants me. Daddy will do okay, but once mommy is free and in the room he immediately reaches his arms for me. Yes, this is a precious thing, and I AM cherishing every minute of it, BUT my arms and neck and back are starting to wear down.

When he's not wanting to be held by his mommy, he's on the go, crawling, standing and walking.
Another one of his grumpy faces...we usually don't see many of these, as you'll see some smiles below, but I just wanted you to see a little bit of reality. Sometimes you read blogs and you think "Oh what a perfect family". Because they never put any real-life/kids screaming/toys on the floor/or messed up hair and kids in PJ's...SO I just thought I'd bring things down to reality for a day.
Emily dancing in her P.J.'s...don't know why she rolled her pant legs up.

BUT all in all, we do see more smiles than frowns in our house. This weather lately has been wonderful too. I hope to get outside and make some outdoor pictures soon. Hope everyone has a wonderful week.