Craziness

What a crazy time we've had lately. I finally got my new PINK DELL computer!! I also found some time to upload some pictures to this new laptop....So lately we've had TONS of stuff going on and we've been realllly busy. 

Anna and Baby Ian came to stay a few days with us and we tried to take some pictures of these boys....this is what we ended up with!! Lincoln was soooo tired he couldn't stand himself. We wanted cute cloth diaper pictures...but it just didn't happen. Some days are just like that!

We've been to the beach!!! Virginia Beach. Lincoln has officially put his toes in the Atlantic.

 We had a very great time. We spent two mornings on the beach with our sweet beach shade. We spent one morning at the pool in the hotel, that was sadly an indoor pool. We thought the pool next door to our hotel's parking garage was huge and beautiful and ours....only to find out it belonged to the hotel across the way. How disappointing! The indoor pool was so cold we wouldn't even put the baby in. No sun to warm it up, or warm us up. It just wasn't a very good time. However, we went tot the Virginia Aquarium.

It was so nice. They have tons of fish and sharks, and sting rays and such. There is a walk-through tunnel in one of the huge tanks and Lincoln couldn't get enough of it! He loved it....he just looked and looked and looked. 

We also visited Nauticus.

 It's like a science center that's all about the ocean, water, and the Navy. We watched a video about the tides, played with ropes and knots and explored a battleship. 

We even got to board a small schooner, the Virginia. It was all very nice. That was a nice way to spend the super hot afternoons after we'd cleaned up from the morning at the beach. 

We had to sleep in the same room with the baby...of course. That's just not so enjoyable! He makes so much noise at night time. It's so funny! I wonder why he makes so much noise while sleeping?! He grunts, wollers the bed, and sometimes fusses. He also had his very own bed to play on and for changing diapers and such. I thought we requested a king room, but the double queen ended up being wonderful so we could leave all the diapering stuff out all the time. It was beach front and I got to sit in the bed each morning and watch the dolphins jump while I nursed the baby. It makes for a great way to start the day!!  The drive wasn't too bad. We stopped several times on the way there and on the way home. We got the baby out so he could nurse and be out of his car seat for a while. It took longer to get there, but he was a little happier that way. He sure hated going in his car seat after that!

Most recently...and most painfully I have gone back to work. Yuck. There really are no words. I knew it would be hard, really I did. I just didn't think that handing my child to someone else to care for during the day would rip my heart out. They don't love him the way I do. And at daycare he will get every sickness coming and going. I dropped him off at daycare with Anthony the first day he went. It was Wednesday, the 18th. I have to say it's the hardest thing I've ever done, to turn and walk away from my baby....my love...my sweet, sweet boy. I had a terrible day at work and cried allll day. Every time someone mentioned him I cried again. The next day was easier because I didn't have to take him to daycare, Anthony drops him off on his way to work. Not to say it was easy to see him go, but it was infinitely easier than actually having to leave him there. I called a couple times a way to check on him. They didn't feed him at the right times, he didn't sleep well...they didn't follow my schedule. It was a train wreck. Every day something else went wrong and I just couldn't stand it. There are webcams in every room so I can watch what goes on all day....and no one holds him unless they're feeding him a bottle. He rotates from the exersaucer to the floor to the swing....to the exersaucer, to the floor, to the swing. I started coming home every day and begging Anthony to just stay home. He held me and petted me and said he thought I could be strong. Then the next day he didn't sleep well....and I begged again. The latest breakdown came on Tuesday of this week. The day before the kids came back...

It's just one thing after another...and I realized they've been heating his bottles because they were starting to melt on the bottom. I specifically told them NOT to heat them, he eats them straight out of the fridge. Anyway, it was like the straw that broke the camel's back. I just broke down again. I was a disaster when Anthony got home and spent my whole evening promising to clip coupons, shop at Aldi, use ALL cloth diapers, sell my breastmilk....just so I could stay home with him. It was another terrible day. Anthony said he wants to give it at least one more week. He's afraid if I made the decision to go back to work..then walk away a few days in that I'm shooting myself in the foot and won't be able to get my job back next year. I'm willing to take that risk, he's not willing to let me.

SO I've asked a distant cousin to keep Lincoln. I think if he were by himself with just one person he would get the interaction I think he needs. He wouldn't get all those nasty germs from sick kids. It would make me feel a million times better, I think. She wants to try a week trial run next week, so we'll see how it goes. I'll keep you posted!

AND...as if that's not enough craziness: Lincoln got his first tooth today!!! It's officially up through his gums! What a big boy! He's growing up WAYYY to fast. He's still mostly on breastmilk, but he's getting cereal at home once a day. I can start fruits and veggies....I'm just not ready to let him yet! I don't want him to grow up so fast. I know I can't hold him back, but it just seems like it's flying by! The last time we went to the doctor he weighed 17 pounds, 14 ounces. He had a fever before he started daycare last week so I took him to get checked out...just teething I guess. Anyway...tomorrow is support group with the baby girls! I'm so excited to see them all again. It's been a while! We'll weigh him again, I'm sure he's passed the 18 pound mark by  now! 

He'll be 5 months old next week!! He's rolling allll over the floor...he is starting to sit up by himself, too! I think today he sat by himself for almost 3 minutes! It's crazy! I put him in the middle of the bed yesterday and he rolled off!! It didn't take 5 seconds, and there he was...bonk!...in the floor screaming at me! I just turned my back for a second....bless his heart! I know mommies do silly stuff....I guess I can count that as one of mine. I felt so terrible! 

I'm still trying to get over feeling like I had a baby so I can go to work and support him. It's so silly to only see him for 4 hours a day. Why do we do this to ourselves?! Why can't all mommies just stay home and raise their babies? I'll keep you posted, but I'm guessing I'm going to stay at work. I just hope Denise just LOVES this baby and wants to love him as much as I do! 

Meltdown

Ok...I know it's been officially forever!!!! But our computer just kinda crashed and I've been waiting and waiting to get this new one! It's finally here and I promise I'll update you all on the goings on soon. I've gotta get some pics loaded onto this new laptop and then I'll post them!  Sorry, Aunt Sheila...I know I let you down!!

Baby Dedication

Yesterday we had Lincoln's Baby Dedication at church and dedicated him to the Lord. We made a promise as a family to love him and bring him up in a Christian household. It was such a sweet family moment. My parents and Anthony's parents were there to support us. My grandparents and Leslie & Zane came, too. It was so nice to be together and know our families were behind us and supporting us and loving us and Lincoln. We played a sweet video after the dedication of Lincoln's short tiny life. Anthony chose the song "I Want to be Just Like You" by Phillips, Craig & Dean. If you haven't heard it and you have a son...it's VERY powerful. What a moving message it carries and it's so sweet. Many tears were wiped away. 

We managed to snap some pictures of Lincoln & Zane. We haven't had any made together since we were still in the hospital. Aren't they sweet?!

Lately, Lincoln has been doing a lot of helping! He's been helping with the laundry....

Helping in the kitchen.....

And helping take care of the dog...

He's such a good boy!!

Anna and Baby Ian are supposed to come visit us this week...I think we're going to have our first baby sleepover!!!! 

Father's Day and Such

I know it's long past but it's been busy around here! For Father's Day Lincoln and I had a plan. We were trying to think of something super great..seeing as how for Mother's Day Daddy and Lincoln got me diamond earrings. For all those in the "know" Anthony and I have a really cute fish pond behind the house. It's got 8 beautiful fish in it, including one VERY large koi. Beside this pond is the largest pompas grass you have ever seen. Almost as tall as our two story house!

 Needless to say it's quite an eyesore and Anthony and I both hate it. We've been wanting to remove it for the whole time we've lived here, but were really afraid that it was going to be a huge undertaking and we didn't even know where to start! Thankfully I talked to our great friend, Erin, about getting it out. See...Lincoln wanted to buy Daddy a Japanese Maple tree for the pond. And we needed to put the tree right where the pompas grass was. We didn't want to buy a gift that came with work along with it and I didn't want to say "Here's your tree...now dig out the pompas!" So Erin GRACIOUSLY volunteered to help with Operation Father's Day and remove the pompas for us! 

Father's Day morning Lincoln and I gave Anthony his beautiful Red Dragon Japanese Maple tree.

 He was so excited! He's wanted one forever. Then you could almost see his thoughts going to the pompas and how it would have to be taken out. The look of sheer relief when I said Erin was coming to remove it was priceless!! We also gave him a big pop-up shade for when we go camping or to the beach. We've already used it at our neighbor's pool! 

Erin came over the next day and we (she) attacked the giant grass. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be - though I wasn't the one wielding the shovel!! Needless to say, we got it out and got the tree planted in its place. It was very symbolic to plant a tree for Baby Lincoln's first year of life. As we watch the tree grow we'll always remember it was for Anthony's first Father's Day. It is sooo pretty! It looks so good. It was the perfect finishing touch to our fish pond. 

Here are my beautiful boys by their tree!


Lincoln is rolling over allll the time now! He always turns over his left arm but yesterday he rolled over his right arm! We're rolling from back to front..he chose to do it the hard way first! This is what we now see as soon as we lay him down. 

He won't stay on his back now. And he doesn't want to be on his tummy, so he lets us know as soon as he's flipped by screaming at the top of his lungs! I'm thankful he's not rolling over in his sleep yet. I'm afraid we would have to get up like 10 times a night just to flip him over! We're still sleeping through the night. Most nights he's in bed from 9:00-8:30. It's WONDERFUL! Although, I am well aware that not all babies do this and that he won't do this forever. Anna...your day will come! Ian will sleep 6 or 7 hours at  a time before you know it! Hang in there.


We had some 4th of July fun. We took Lincoln to Valdese to see his first fireworks show! He only jumped at the first two big booms then spent the rest of the time in awe of the show! He was relaxed and just talked to the sky while we watched. We met up with Kelly and all the kids, and Anthony's aunt, uncle, and cousins. 

Elise LOVES Baby Lincoln and had to get in the picture! 


We also had a cookout at Anthony's mom's house. Collin and Melissa and Faith and Corbin always come. They're like family, anyway! We played cornhole and ate some yummies.

I can't tell you how many pictures we have like this through the years! :)

Lincoln and I also went to visit Anna and Ian. We spent the day putting some of Ian's toys together so Lincoln could play with them and chatting about babies. Ian eats ALL the time...so that's how Anna spends her day! Man, I remember those days! Lincoln is going about 4 hours between feedings during the day. Sometimes he'll go longer, it just depends on what he's doing. 

Our boys in their Chicco car seats! We may have to switch soon. Anna's goes up to 30 pounds and I'm certain Lincoln will get there before Ian does!!!!


We're always busy it seems. Anthony just started tearing the deck off. We're going to rebuild it bigger! Then we're going to replace the table we lost 3 years ago to a wind storm. I can't wait to have it covered over so we can sit outside no matter what the weather! 

Here we go again!

Fun Stuff

Baby Ian is here!!! He was born Sunday, June 20th....Father's Day. What a great gift for Jeromy! This is my first snuggle. He weighed a whopping 6 pounds, 15 ounces! He's so tiny beside my giant boy!

Erin has a new man in her life!!!

New mommy Anna...with my chunker!!

Erin's two favorite boys!!! They love you, too Erin!

What a sweet family photo!!

Who doesn't love a yawning baby?!

Can we say 11 weeks makes a BIG difference?!

Our boys...with their boys...on Father's Day.

Sorry it's sideways!! Erin bought both boys their first guitars!! How fun.

Lincoln got his first piece of mail. His Social Security Card!! He's official! (Even though I haven't yet ventured to the court house to pick up his birth certificate!!)

My precious fellas on the way to church! Man they're awfully cute!

We've been spending lots of time in the neighbor's pool lately. Lincoln absolutely loves it! And so do we! It wears him out and he usually takes a nice long nap and goes right to sleep that night! He just kicks away.

Amy and Aydan came to visit just the other day. Aydan had been practicing at home how to play with babies so he could play with Lincoln when he came over. Sweet! We took our boys outside to play in a little splashy pool. Aydan was so cute with Lincoln.  

Kayaking

We decided it was time to initiate Lincoln to the kayaks. We love to go and we wanted him to be able to go with us. It took a few minutes to figure out what we needed to pack and how we were going to keep him in the boat. A friend gave us this wrap and we thought it might help keep him sitting up straight, so he wouldn't be so floppy. Anthony decided he wanted to wear him since he's a more experienced kayaker. 

This is us testing the plan at home to see how it would ultimately work.

He seemed like he was going to tolerate it and didn't mind too much. 

We had on sunscreen, swim trunks, a swim shirt....then we had his super cool shades and his hat to keep the sun off his face. He was asleep for the first 30 minutes then just hung out while we paddled around. It was a lot of fun. We even got sprinkled on while we were there and that helped cool us off. It was a beautiful day, but we shuffled in before the afternoon thundershowers popped up.

Our cute little paddling family!

Erin went with us and was a HUGE help juggling boats and paddles and babies!! She's also in the market for a boat herself, so she took a turn in all three boats to see what they were like. I think she fell in love with Anthony's because it's the longest, so the easiest to maneuver. (It's also the most expensive!!)

Just a few of the pictures from the last two weeks...

I LOVE these elephant overalls. This was the second time we've worn them and it's going to be the last! The little blue shirt constantly rides up (no onesies with overalls) and the straps are tight. It was cute while it lasted!

What a little stinker!!!! Don't you love that smirk?!

We put up the Johnny Jumper the other day and he absolutely LOVES it!! He'll sit and twist and turn and bounce for almost an hour. It's so funny. He turns and looks over the deck for a while, then turns and looks at his exersaucer which is right beside him, then he'll look in the living room. He sometimes even watches TV from it. It's the funniest thing! There's NO fussing in the jumper! He'll sit in his exersaucer, too. It doesn't lower farther so his feet touch the bottom so he doesn't like to stay as long. I put a pillow under his feet so he can push but it's not the same. It sure is cute to see him growing up a little bit more each day!