Thursday, May 24, 2012

Zoo Day!

Zoo Day! We went the Dallas Zoo with a few friends from church last week and I figured I would share some pictures with y'all! The pictures say it all! It was a great time and the kids slept like rocks as soon as they went in their car seats! The Dallas Zoo is definitely the best I have been to so far for kids. They let you feed and pet the giraffes and even have a little children's area that has an awesome water play area and petting zoo. Way to go Dallas!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

I'm sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time. Unfortunately you will be getting a brief synopsis and all I can do is tell you that I'll be better so that I don't have to keep doing this!

Family updates:
In October- we went to Galveston for Brent's work. It was a blast! We stayed on the beach! Most of the time it was gorgeous- although it was cold and windy when I took the kids down there by myself so Tucker and I just had mud wars of course and we danced on the sand! We went to the Rainforest Cafe and Tucker was totally freaked out about all the fake animals. Other than that- we just hung around the hotel, and especially laid out by the pool! The week after we got back- we went to the Texas State Fair which was a blast!
In November we went to Brent's brother's place for Thanksgiving. All the Douglas clan were there minus a few and it was great. We got to see our nephew, Brice get ordained while we were there. And also got to meet the new cousin, Cameron, that is a few weeks older than Austen. It was so fun to see everyone. We went to the Art museum which was actually very interesting, and someday I will have to go do something like that without kiddos making me anxious.
The kids and I went down with Brent to San Antonio while he was working down there in the last week of November. SOooo fun! Since Lucy was barely moving in to her new house that week I got to help watch Isaac while they were doing home stuff. I took the kids to a drive thru Safari which was hilarious! I think kids are awesome. I'll have to post some video of Isaac getting freaked out over the animals ;-) Tucker was freaked out at the Rainforest Cafe for some reason but not during the Safari. Hmmm....We stayed at the San Luis Resort- which was amazing! Their pool area was ridiculous...like a water-park. I wish we had more time to hang out there.

We had a blast during Christmas in CO with all the fam. We stayed with Brent's parents the first part of the trip and my parents the last half. I just love Christmas and all that it entails! Brent surprised me with tickets to see Celtic Women on my birthday which was amazing. The first half was not too good because the sound was off and our seats were awful (behind and way back). But after the intermission we were able to get great front row seats which made it worth it. Then we got free tickets to the venue since the sound was off. WIN! We gave them to Brent's parents since we don't live in CO anymore.
The day after Christmas, Brent flew home and I actually skipped my flight and stayed with my parents for an additional week. It was great! Then Tucker, Austen and I drove down 14 hours (Ahhh) to San Antonio with my parents to Lucy's place to help paint their new house. It turned out amazing! I love that kind of thing! While we were painting away- The boys (Brent, Clint, my Dad and friends) were hog hunting in San Saba a couple hours away.
Michelle and I went down to the Vera Bradley outlet store while we were there and I got the most amazing Baby bag ever invented. It's beautiful! Practicality is a must for a mom of two- so it's perfect for me. Big, lots of pockets, waterproof inside, chic, and it even has like these little knobs on the bottom of the bag so that when you set your bag on the ground- it won't get dirty or torn up! I love it... and I got it for a quarter of what they go for now in the Stores!

Other than those fun things-January and February was spent doing the normal day to day living. I really enjoy hanging out with my kiddos! Yes of course it gets hard sometimes and I get frustrated... but I wouldn't give it up! The good far outweighs the bad a hundredfold. I get those precious moments where Tucker and I just dance to music until we fall down from laughing because Austen thinks we are so hilarious that she is crying. Or that tender moment when Tucker puts his hand on my face out of the blue and just looks at me with loving eyes (I get crazy eyes like that too though when I know he wants nothing more to rip my hair or rattle my brain!) Or we'll be watching Tarzan and he just comes up to rub my shoulder. And poor Austen will be in her exersaucer while I'm trying to cook dinner, or clean the house, or take care of something for Tucker and I look over to make sure she's still doing ok and she will just give me the widest grin I've ever seen with a little giggle as if she's been waiting for me to  look her way for the last 45 minutes. I love the day to day! Although I love it when Daddy gets home too and is there to share the weight. Tucker gets so excited to see his Daddy! We all do. I am definitely appreciative of what he does and his help when he gets home from work.

So here are just a few of the things that are going on with the kiddos.

Tucker:
1. Moved on from Toy Story- WOOHOO! I think he finally hit his breaking point where he had seen it way too many times and then- bam. Hates it. Haha
2.Tarzan- Is the new Toy Story but not too much obsessed. Maybe he learned his lesson last time. Now he watches all different movies or shows in-between too. Lion King, Tangled, Beauty and the beast are some of the frequent ones, but somedays he doesn't even have to watch TV! What a blessing- because I was getting so sick of the repetitiveness. Playtime is so much better than watching TV anyways.
3. Basketball is his favorite word- I love this! He sounds so cute when he says it too!
4. Says Agua for water- Haha Okay so I had said "agua" a few times instead of saying water, but not that frequent. And of course- Tucker picks up on the Spanish word! He won't say water! Although now I think it's so cute- I'm encouraging it.
5. Food issues- He is such a picky eater! Ahh! I'm absolutely positive I did this to myself though because I was trying to make him food that was more kid friendly than making him eat what we do. SO now he thinks that he doesn't have to eat what we do. Ugh! We are going to break this.
6. Frustrated- Tucker is getting very frustrated because he is speaking now and he thinks that I should understand him. I can pick up some words here and there so he knows I understand some of what he says. But if I'm not understanding what he says- he will either whine or get really mad. I can't wait for him to use sentences so we can try and kick the whiny stage.
7. Weenie- no Chuck E, Lorax, Disney characters, etc. He starts to scream, and shake and cover his eyes. So unfortunately no Disneyland for us anytime soon :-(
8. Wants to watch TV in Mommy and Daddy's room- this just started this week as he has discovered that our TV is more level with him!
9. Loves playing with Austen. Now that Austen is getting more interactive, Tucker just adores making her laugh or trying to share his toys with her. He is trying to sit on her too while she is laying down.



Austen:
1. Rolling over and over- she won't stay on her back if you put her on her back, or on her front if you put on her front.
2. Sitting up- She is now sitting up unassisted for the most part. I have to watch her in case she takes a nose dive. Which means she is now taking baths with Tucker in the big tub! Yay!
3. Loves Batman- she thinks he is just hilarious. What is wrong with that creature all covered in hair? I seriously wonder what she thinks about him.
4. Cheesy smile like Tucker- Oh. My. Goodness. She makes me melt with her exaggerated smile. I think she knows it too! Tucker used to give us this big cheesy fake smile when he was around 7 months. But it seems like Austen's is not so much a fake smile, but more genuine.
5. Loves to explore my face and pull my hair- Whenever she nurses, both her hands are trying to go everywhere. She does this to me when we are not nursing too, but I definitely notice it when I'm trying to get her to sit still.
6. Plays games- She loves to fake cough all the time and also she will best anyone in a high pitch squeal contest.
7. Loves food- I have been making my own baby food for a couple months now and man does she love it! I never know how much she is going to eat but anywhere from 4-7 oz twice a day right now. (She is over 20 lbs now- haha)
8. So happy- I do NOT remember Tucker being this happy all the time! She is content to just do whatever during the day. She definitely goes with the flow. The only time gets fussy is right before dinnertime.. because she is starving of course.
9. Grabs feet- She loves to hold on to her little feet. all. the. time. Lying on the floor, sitting in her Bebepod, her carseat, the stroller, in her crib... She is obsessed! It's so cute!