Lucy Laughs and Matthan Sorts Silverware (7QTs)

It's Friday! Which means it's time for 7 quick takes!

~ 1 ~

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit this past weekend. Matthan was so excited. He got to ride in their car and they gave him pretzels....and that makes me think we deprive him of any pleasure around here...nah. 

"Grandma, I have them wrapped around my baby finger."

~ 2 ~

You want to see five variations of the same picture? Of course you do. About 5% of the time Matthan wants to hold Lucy, or talk and drive his cars over her tummy...the rest of the time he tolerates her.

Included because this is a very classic Matthan face.

Not the best of the boys but I love Lucy's face

Probably the best of the bunch

Lucy sticking her tongue out

He looks like he likes her

~ 3 ~

Lucy is over two months now. We took some pictures, but that requires me to get them off the camera and I'm lazy, so maybe next time.

~ 4 ~

Matthan gets a kick out of sorting the silverware. He also cleans the table and spins the salad in the salad spinner. My little helper.

~ 5 ~

We always pass these, (I don't know what you call them, cars you put money in and they move I guess) on our way into the mall and I always say no when Matthan asks to play on them (because we're usually on our way to doing something not because I'm mean). This day I finally said yes and he was so excited! Note that I didn't actually put money in any of them, he just had a blast climbing in and out. Maybe one day I'll remember to bring cash and I'll really rock his world.

~ 6 ~

I don't think he has enough cars...that's not even all of them.

His favorite past time

~ 7 ~

And in case you haven't had your dose of adorable for the day...

Happy Friday!

Now go see Kelly for more 7QTs blog posts.

"Mom, Puppy wants to drink your smoothie" and Other QT's (7QTs)

It's Friday! So that means quick takes! In honor of link-toberfest, probably my favorite 7 quick takes was "...you might be potty training" inspired by real texts that I sent to my sister while going through potty training boot camp with my son. I do crack myself up! Now on to this week...

~ 1 ~

Matthan decided that Lucy wanted to play with his train tracks. Then he decided that she'd make a good train track and rolled his train on her tummy.

~ 2 ~

We went to a "fall festival" last weekend. I was a little skeptical because the information provided said it was at a fort five minutes from us and I had never seen a military fort around. Turns out the fort use to be in what is now some guy's back yard. They had a couple archaeological digs going and a few other booths that didn't make much of a festival. They did have a table with Lincoln logs which was the only thing Matthan found interesting, until he found a tree on a little hill and proceeded to dance around until we left. 

~ 3 ~ 

Lucy is two months old and getting cuter every day. 

She is rather smiley and likes to eat moose. Her sleeping at night is getting marginally better.

At her 2 month checkup she weighed in at 10 lbs 14 oz, and measured 22 inches long. She was not a fan of the shots.

~ 4 ~

We had a play date this week. The babies usually sleep through these play dates but we had brought lunches for the big brothers and so the babies made an appearance out of their carriers.

Baby Maurice and Baby Lucy

~ 5 ~ 

We celebrated the anniversary of Matthan's baptism day with dinner at the food court (Chickfila of course), a ride on the carousel, and a ride on the escalator. He's easy to please.

~ 6 ~

"Mom, Puppy wants to drink your smoothie."...The three year old equivalent of "are you going to eat that?"

~ 7 ~ 

Matthan got his first haircut from someone other than Daddy. He looked very handsome but did not want to take a picture.

That's all folks. Now go visit Kelly for more quick takes posts while I clean up the apple juice kefir that is now all over my counter, in the drawer, in the cabinet, in my spice rack, on my floor and under my fridge. 

Happy Friday!

The Family That Hikes Together ~ Amicalola Falls

Let me tell you about last Sunday...

~ 1 ~

Amicalola Falls...a beautiful end to a crazy, poorly planned day. 

#viewfromthetop #doesnotdoitjustice

It was suppose to be a day of rest. We had done chores, gone to mass, and gone to a party on Saturday. When I went to bed that night I had visions of a day of rest at home. 

~ 2 ~

But there is something about fall air that makes us crazy, and by the time I was done nursing Lucy first thing in the morning we had decided to drive to a pumpkin patch up in North Georgia. We threw things together and got the kids in the car and left. We had no diapers assembled so I threw all the diapers from the dryer and assembled them on our drive. 

#theclothlife

~ 3 ~

After being stuck in traffic, going about one mile in 30 mins, to get into the pumpkin patch, we realized that other than a hay ride, which also had a very long line, there were just...pumpkins. We had just assumed there would be things to do. There were so so many people and nothing to really do, since we already had a free pumpkin (probably rotting) on our porch at home, we decided not to stay. After one nursing session in the car (where I saw an argument for the parking spot next to us almost come to blows), and a few minutes of Matthan dipping his feet in the water, we hopped back in the car and drove about a half mile to Amicalola Falls.

#peopleareseriousabouttheirpumpkins

#feetinthecrick  #mykid

~ 4 ~

A quick car ride later, we were headed towards the waterfall. Matthan climbed the 175ish steps to the falls. 

#waterfallselfie

Here is our attempt at a family pic. Resistant toddler, sleeping baby in the carrier...

#thefamilythathikestogetherstaystogether

#onlyfamilypicwehave?

~ 6 ~

I was looking for a place to rest and nurse Lucy, and I saw a sign for the lodge. I didn't have a full grasp of how far it was until I was already part way up and therefore committed. 400-something more stairs later, we finally reached the top. Matthan hiked the whole way up by himself.

#ourhikingboy

I was pretty worn out by the time we got to the top. But I have to say...

...best view I've ever had while nursing a baby. Totally worth it.

We split the protein bar that I had grabbed from the diaper bag three ways and supplemented with some candy I found in the gift shop. Again, awesome planning by us.

#nursingspotwithaview

~ 7 ~

After the more than 600 stairs to the top and a ride down in the hiking pack...

#conkedout

...he got to sleep for 20 mins before we stopped for lunch...at 5:00pm. Matthan was a trooper and we all were worn out but it was a fun day!

Happy Friday everyone!

Now go visit Kelly and find some new blogs to follow! 

Snakes For Dinner and More Hashtags

Today's Link-toberfest question from Kelly is "How many 7 Quick Takes have you posted?". I probably have not tagged or linked appropriately for all of them, but this one is supposedly #27, which makes me feel like a big slacker because I thought I had a much higher number than this. But you don't care, you're here for the kid pictures, and I'm cool with that.

~ 1 ~

So many expressions. 

#canyouhandlethismuchcuteness?

~ 2 ~

#itstiringbeingthiscute

~ 3 ~

On a whim, I told Little Man that I had a special job for him. I wanted to see if he could use the big spray bottle, in hopes that one day he can really do some chores. He went to town and cleaned the breakfast table. He was so excited. Based on the amount of water he used, we won't be graduating to actual cleaner any time soon. Three year old entertained, mommy got to clean the kitchen...

#littlevictories

~ 4 ~

During a play date at the park, the boys became mesmerized by a guy riding a skateboard. He saw how interested they were and gave them each a turn standing on it. That wasn't enough for Matthan. He asked to ride it and the guy held his hands and helped him ride it. Matthan couldn't get enough. 

#cowabunga

~ 5 ~

Whether it's playing cars, riding skateboards, or riding his bike, Matthan seems to love things with wheels...and riding them in weird places. He likes to ride his bike in the crevice between the grass and the sidewalk (making me nervous that he's going to topple into the street). Here he is riding in the gravel behind the bike rack at the library.

#aboyandhisbike

#becausethesidewalkisntgoodenough

~ 6 ~

I made this. Little Man occasionally likes to play upstairs in the office/crap room...I mean craft room... so I steal a few minutes here and there while listening to LM play the cymbals and sing songs that he has made up. His latest ditty is "snakes for dinner". 

#hopethatisnotacrackatmycookingskills

#Imadethistoo

~ 7 ~

We had our first poopsplosion (defined as a poop explosion not properly contained within the diaper). Lucy, me, changing table...

#therewerenosurvivors

#allclean

Happy Friday everyone!!!

Kid Pics Galore, Wedding, and Bike Rides

You should definitely visit Kelly for 7 Quick Takes because 1) she's an awesome blogger and 2) she's doing some great giveaways.

~ 1 ~

Technically it's 7 Quick Takes "Friday" which clearly I'm behind, but you know, newborn in the house and all that. I feel like Kelly would totally understand. 

So how 'bout some nice pics of my girl?

~ 2 ~

My Little Man is not seeming so little these days. At some point I'll record the hilarious things he says but my tired sleep-deprived brain forgets them before I can jot them down. One of his latest phrases, if he really likes something, he says "____ is the best I ever had!!!" 

Example: Tim made bread and gave Matthan some, to which Matthan exclaimed "this is the best bread I ever had!!" His enthusiasm makes it that much more awesome.

~ 3 ~

Matthan also really likes to hit "send" for me when I'm texting someone. He also likes to text selfies and random letters to Daddy. Exhibit A

~ 4 ~

Matthan likes to play "sleep". He also likes blanket "nests". A boy after my own heart.

~ 5 ~

The weather is cooling off which means the beard is back! I'll get a pic one of these days. Until then, I found The Hubs' Christmas present ;)

~ 6 ~

We went to the wedding of Tim's coworker. Getting two little kids ready for a wedding was an all day exhausting process. His coworkers that attended the wedding doted on Matthan and Lucy and allowed us to break out our dancing skills. I came home with some killer blisters but it was totally worth it.

~ 7 ~

We've been taking Matthan on bike rides. Our neighborhood is very hilly but that has not slowed him down, and he likes to go on the same long route every time. We got half way through the route (not a short distance, I assure you) and Matthan decided he was done. He told me to carry his bike. I told him I wasn't going to carry his bike since I was carrying Lucy, and he was going to carry his own bike or ride it home. I was holding my breath for a complete melt down, but instead... he decided to carry his own bike. 

I admire his gumption. He made it about ten feet, and then pushed the bike the whole way home. 

That stubbornness and determination did not come from me. He is his Daddy's son. I'm sure it will serve him later in life...or something like that. 

That's a wrap! Happy (belated) Friday... or Wednesday!