Crayola Color Bubbles

I had heard that the color bubbles that Crayola came out with were great but that they stained clothing & skin so I never bought any for my bubble obsessed kid HOWEVER I guess I forgot to tell his JuJu that I had heard they stained & she brought him some last weekend!  I couldn't tell him no when he saw them so I just said screw it & if they stained his outfit I would just chuck it & move on!

We were playing out back in the water anyway so what was a little green bubble mess right??  

Well, B decided that they made better body paint than bubbles..........

The bubbles are non-toxic & they actually didn't stain his clothes at all but I wouldn't recommend them to anyone unless you are ready for a bath right after playing with them.  The actual bubbles are very thick & didn't even pop when B would touch them..........it was a fun messy afternoon though & I think that I'll have to buy more very soon!!

"Binky"

B is going to be turning 2 in just a little over a month & I have sworn that, that is when the "binky" will be gone for good but as the day gets closer & closer I wonder how in the hell I am going to make that happen.

He only gets it at nap & bed time & he actually doesn't even suck on the thing anymore; he just chews the crap out of it & it hangs out the side of his mouth.  I think that it is a big security blanket for him at this point & am fearful to take it away; plus I know that it is going to make nap & night times hell & I am just not looking forward to getting less sleep than I am already getting (I know selfish).

Any advise that you ladies might have regarding this would be greatly appreciated.  The only thing that I have started with B regarding this is telling him each time that we give it to him that "big boys don't have binky's & since he is about to be 2 & that is a really big boy he shouldn't  need it anymore".  He doesn't care & reaches for it anyway :)

Smiles

I love that Colton smiles so often; he is such a happy & laid back little guy!

His gummy grin melts my heart each & every time that I see it (which happens to be a good bit of the time).  It amazes me that the boys look so much alike but they really are so different as baby's.  B had so many belly issues & his colic was horrific that we spent his infant stage just trying to help him poop & with Colton (other than the occasion issue here & there) we see this most of the time!

I thank God that Colton's belly isn't like B's was & I pray each & everyday that it stays that way.  It was the hardest thing I have ever done watching B go through colic pain & not be able to do a damn thing about it.

Father's Day

The boys were both excited for Father's Day & even though Lance had to work we got to spend the morning with him & give him his presents.  I am a huge card person & love to pick out just the right one for each occasion; I am that person that stands in the card section of the store for about an hour reading all of them until I find just the right one for the person or occasion........crazy I know.

Even our pups give cards at each occasion!!

Lance loved his cards & his presents too; the boys got him an accessory for his IPad & an engraved pocket knife!  Lance loved both things but I think that Brayden loved the IPad keyboard more than Lance did since he loves anything & everything with buttons on it.

I hated that Lance had to leave for work & he did too but at least we had a great morning together & we got to spend some of the day together as a family.  The rest of the day the boys & I spent with PaPa & JuJu at Monkey Joe's; B really does have such a great  time there & e have decided that we are doing his birthday there & although I am going to miss doing all the decorations & set up that we would do if it as at the house it just isn't something I have time for this year with the baby.  I know that B (& all of the other kids) will have a great time there & I think that we will enjoy not stressing over the planning process this year BUT next year both boys will have parties at the house for sure!

Little Boy Gone.........

Lance decided that he was going to attempt cutting B's hair this time; he cuts & trims his all of the time & it always looks great but I was afraid hat B would react to his dad doing it just like he has when I have taken him somewhere to get it cut.............it was not pretty!!

Thankfully B was OK (with a Capri Sun & a pen in his hand) & actually didn't even get bothered by the fact that his daddy had scissors near his head. That is until Lance turned on the trimmer; I think the noise makes B have flashbacks!!

 

With Lance cutting his hair B has gone from my curly headed little boy.......

 to this........a big boy that I barely even recognize.  

I know that he is going to be 2 in less than 2 months but I guess a part of me doesn't want him to grow up; at least not as fast as he is.  I have to admit I love his new hair cut but love his curls even more so I; I mean we are going to let it grow back out & just see what it looks like as it does.

This grown up thing is hard for this momma to handle; next thing you know I'll be walking him to the bus stop & then dropping him off with all of his stuff in a college dorm.  Excuse me I have to go cry in the corner now!!

; Dada ;

Happy Father's Day Daddy!!

Thank you for all you do for us & mommy too; you are the best dad that a boy could ask for!  

I only wish you didn't have to work today :(

Baby Shower

I hosted a baby shower for one of nearest & dearest friends last Saturday; I was just about to type that she is the last one of my friends due but my SIL is still due too.  I swear there has been something in the water in the last year because everyone I know has popped out or will soon be popping out a little one & strangely enough there has only been 1 girl born out of the 6 that have or will be arriving........huh!

April is due on July 31st & she & her hubby can't wait to meet Brady!!  Here is the mommy to be with her mom & sister. 

She loved the shower & received lots & lots of gifts for her little guy & I was so happy to throw the shower for her BUT can I just say it was a rough day.  Colton of course would nap that morning so I was stressed about getting everything done.........it all turned out well I think though.

I cheated & ordered chicken salad sandwiches & chicken strips from Chick Fil a  then just made pasta salad & spinach dip to got with the veggie tray & then had a fruit tray as well.  It was a lot to do with 2 kids at home but I managed to pull it off & was pretty impressed with myself!

& just because..........B LOVED the chicken strips!!  I only really mention this because we have tried the nuggets from Chick Fil A before & he hated them so I am really happy that he likes them now!!

It's Getting Better.......

Slowly but surely B is coming around to his brother; maybe he is just starting to realize that he isn't going anywhere or maybe he is just becoming OK with not having all of my attention all of the time.  Either way it is getting better!

B of course still has his moments & even his days where he is not happy with me holding, feeding, changing, or even looking at Colton but he also has his days like this.........

& I am very thankful for these days & will take what I can get at this point!!  I love these little guys so much & it melts my heart to see B loving on his baby brother.............it gives me hope for more better days to come!!

I hope that we slowly have more good days & less & less bad days & am excited for the day when B loves him & isn't jealous of him.  I know that as they grow up they will fight & carry on like boys (siblings in general) do but there will be love behind all of that & that will be perfection as far as I see it!!

Suggestions Please..........

Brayden will not stop doing this............

& it is driving me crazy!!  I was so thankful that he never had any interest in sucking his thumb because I think that it is just so gross but he has now started to bite/chew his fingernails & fingers & I don't know how to make him stop!  He is biting them down to nasty little nubby nails & I HATE that.  I see people nails like that as adults & it drives me crazy; not to mention B's hands are washed all day everyday but that doesn't mean that they are clean; he is a toddler & the germs that he probably has on his hands 2 seconds after they are washed are probably endless!!

I have tried that thum stuff that you put on his nails like nail polish but it didn't phase him one tiny bit & it has cayenne pepper in it!  I would love any suggestions that you guys might have.

Monkey Joe's

I feel like I am never going to get caught up on my blogging & it is driving me nutty!!

I have no idea how I had never heard of or knew about this place but Monkey Joe's is the BOMB (do people even say that anymore?).  A friend suggested it to me a few weeks ago so we took B 2 Sunday's ago & it was a huge hit with him.  So much so that we might just be having his 2nd birthday party there!  It took him a few minutes to warm up to it all & to actually get into the jumpy things but once he did he was a crazy man & had no fear..........unless you count the fact that he wouldn't get into any of the really big ones.

Taking it all in.

They really did have some BIG jumpy things & I could completely understand why he didn't want to get in them but I am hoping that the more we go the less fear he will have. 

Of course he had to get in & drive for a minute.

The under 3 jumpy thing was pretty cool & he played in it for about 2 hours........he slept really well that night!  

This smile says it all!!

Colton had a great time there too............... 

What Have I Done??

When Brayden was born I thought I knew what stress was......I thought I knew what lack of sleep was.......I thought I knew what it was like to be stretched to my limits mentally & then stretched some more.  B was colicy for quite a while & his newborn stage was very difficult & some days I thought I was going to crack.  I mean who wouldn't after listening to your baby cry for hours on end & you are not able to do a thing for him??  I thought I knew what stress was, BOY WAS I WRONG!!!!

Let me start this by saying this is just a vent & I love both my boys VERY, VERY much!!  Having said that having a 22 month old & a one month old is HARD & sometimes I ask myself what did I do to our family by having 2 kids so close in age??  Brayden has had the hardest time adjusting to not being the center of my world & although he is of course getting better & even kissing Colton at least once a day now he still has his moments where he is very upset & it breaks my heart to see him like that.  If only I had a few more arms so that I could hold them both everything would be perfect; unfortunately extra arms aren't going to grow overnight so what to do?

I try not to cry when B looks at me, reaching his arms out to me saying "momma" & I am holding his brother (who doesn't nap in the afternoons very well) but it is hard not to sometimes.  He wants me to hold him too but all I can do is sit in the chair, pull him up there with us & hug him one handed & pray that it is good enough & that he knows that he is loved so much.  I know that his jealousy will fade away with time & I know in my heart of hearts that he & Colton will be the best of friends & closest of brothers & that this too will pass but my goodness it is hard.

I am alone with the boys about 95% of the time because of Lance's long work hours & although I knew & of course accept this fact I wish he was here more to help.  I let him sleep at night since he has to be 100% focused at work so I do all of Colton's nightly feedings & although sometimes I get upset that Lance doesn't help...........I don't let him.  I am tired exhausted all of the time & tend to take out my frustrations out on him & that may not be fair but it is part of being married I guess plus it is the reality of him being the only adult that I see on a daily basis!  Thankfully Lance loves me & knows that this is a rough time & also knows I don't mean to snap or fuss at him I just can't seem to help it lately.

The stresses that I have now have doubled from when it was just Brayden & not only is there stress but there is heartbreak for B too.  I would love any suggestions anyone might have on how to show B that he is just as loved & important as Colton is & that will never change.  Right now I am working on getting Colton napping better so that when he does B & I can have "our" time but what do I do until Colton's napping gets better?  He is only a month old so who knows how long it will take.

I guess I will just keep doing what I am doing & before I know it the days will get easier & the boys will be on a schedule & then they will be laughing & playing together.  They will love me no matter what & won't think I am a bad momma for holding one more than I did the other........RIGHT??  We are all going to be fine & these growing pains will be gone soon enough, I hope!

B & Colton's Friends

We had our friends over a few weeks ago so that everyone could offically meet Colton; it just so happens that we were all pregnant at the same time so our kids are all going to be close in age which is going to be great!

Olivia & Jones are both 3 months old & seem to have bonded already.

Poor Matt had an unfortunate biking accident but you can still see that Olivia looks just like her daddy!!

Jones is already trying to get around; he is going to keep his mommy & daddy very busy. 

Brayden of course had a good time & was his normal happy & chipper self! 

April is due July 31st (I am throwing her shower this weekend) so she was getting her practice in. 

And Colton was such a good boy. 

It will be so neat to watch all of our kids grow up together & hopefully be the best of friends.  There is only 1 girl in the bunch so hopefully the 3 boys won't get into a fight over who get to date her......hahaha!

New & Improved

B has been playing with the same worm that I had when I was a kid for quite a while but I noticed one day tat it was getting a bit small for him.  

This made me very sad but Grams fixed the problem & ordered him the new & improved & taller Radio Flyer Inchworm!!

B loves it but still plays on the other one too.  I will pack it away soon & bring it back out when Colton is old enough to play on it though.