our 2 year old boy

Yesterday our boy turned two! We had such a sweet day with him. We started out the day by going up to his room and throwing yellow balloons in his crib while he had his morning "cha-nuk".

He came downstairs and opened his presents: a truck, Halloween socks, spiky balls, a Nutella and breadsticks snack, new boots, and a pair of pants.  He played with the truck all day! 

We went to church and I made brownies to share with his little friends in nursery and they gave him a blue balloon with his name and age on it.

We we got home John's parents came over and we had lunch together and they gave him a gift and then we spent the rest of the day outside while Pops and John played disc golf in the yard. They were practicing throwing and sharing tips. Shelley and I ate persimmons and chased the kids around.  Avett must have run at least 3 miles pushing his $1 big red truck all over the yard.

Avett is such a sweet little boy. He loves me so much and never hesitates to show it.  He loves kissing me and giving me hugs at any opportunity.  He is a naturally very affectionate child.  He loves his momma.  He wants to be touching me, in my arms, or snuggling.  He is also very active.  He loves anything but with wheels on it.

Some of his favorite things to say right now are: I changed my mind, cool huh?, and I strong. 

First thing in the morning while drinking his chocolate milk he will put his arm around the back of my neck like he is my boyfriend trying to make a move on me. I love it.

His answer to almost anything we say to him is "What?" or "Why?" 

He loves to pray and will interrupt almost anyone because he wants to pray too, he's even tried to do that at church during sacrament. He says, "Anem." at the end of prayers.

We love him so much and can't imagine life without our boy. 

We love you Avett!!

as big as your face

This past weekend we took Avett to Washington Farms for a little pre birthday celebration.  They had a sunflower field where you could cut any stalk down for $1.  John found one with 15 sunflowers on it and I found one as big as my face! Avett had so much fun exploring and walking through the fields and trying to pick up the pumpkins.  He would say, "I so strong!"  Evie was is a rough mood since she has recently decided to give up naps and her sleep schedule is completely off. She fell asleep 20 minutes before we got there and was deep asleep when we had to wake her up.  When we were paying for our warty pumpkin and sunflowers she saw popcorn for sale and cried for some. We didn't get it so it turned in to a melt down. Such is life with children.  

When we walked over to the pumpkin patch the weather was perfect.  It was slightly chilly with a breeze.  I'd say it was the perfect October day.  This is such a fun month and I just get giddy over any sort of fall activity.

I chose a playground

25 was a fantastic birthday.

This is how it went down.

12:01am-  I had gone up to bed so Mr. Murphy could pull an all nighter and get his work done.  He did this so he could suprise me by taking the whole day of my birthday off of work. (unknown to me!)  He pops in a little after midnight saying, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"  

12:02-  My birthday is started off perfectly right with a kiss from my John and a little hanging out before I go to sleep.

7:00- EJ wakes me up for a little birthday snuggle.  We play in the nursery til 8.

8:00- Time for first nap.  Evie nurses and we fall back to sleep.

9:10- Wake up and go down stairs to find Bek, Joe, and Parker.  We decide to get ready and go to Chic-fil-a for a little b-day breakfast.

10:00- drive there

10:20- Arrived at Chic-fil-a and the cute one gives me my first present of the day.  A nice big diaper blow out.

10:25- All is well and Bek has gone in ahead of me to order.  When I get to the table she has my biscuit waiting on a beautiful blue and pink antique plate she bought me. Can't wait to hang it on the wall somewhere. Because that's what cute plates are for right? Certainly not eating on.

11:00- John, Evie, and I get ready to drive into ATL.

11:30- John gives me my present! Some fabric push pins and a kitchen towel. I'm in love...with the boy and the gift.

11:45- We hold hands and chat while EJ sleeps in the back seat.

12:40- We spend quite some time dreaming and praying about something. (more on that to come later)

2:00- John,"what do you want to eat?"
Me,"Flying Buscuit, no Fresh2Order, no Schlotskys. Definitely Schlotskys."
John,"Of all the cool places to eat in Atlanta, you pick Schlotskys?! Does anyone even eat there?"

2:01- I realize my grave mistake and decide on Tin Lizzys instead.

2:30- We enjoy delicious tacos and I get my fish taco fix for the week while Evaleigh captivates everyone she sees with smiles and waving and her huge leopard bow.

3:00- Goodwill Birthday shopping. I come out with a mustard crocheted pillow, two teeny gold frames, a turquoise and black frame, and a brass owl trivet.

3:30- we head home to beat the rush hour traffic.

3:50- John is a sleepy face so I take over driving and he falls asleep on my new pillow.

5:00- We go to Target to meet my dad while he is on his way back to ATL from Athens.

5:05- We get Starbucks and feed EJ pumpkin bread.

5:40- She takes a ride on Pawpaws shoulders and pulls out some of the hair he has left. She was loving it! Thanks for the velvet leggings dad, I'm wearing them right now!

6:00- Get home and I get to hang out with my mom. She gives me some gorgeous new black flats, a dove chocolate bar, a pair of earrings, and a yellow dessert tray that I've been eying at Target! We talk about the day I was born.

6:30- She hugs me and says, "Thank you for making me a mother."

7:15- I put my little girl down for the night and its party time for me and John!

7:40- We get in the car and John tells me we can do anything I want. I decide I want to go to a playground.

8:00- We swing, we slide, we run, we seesaw.

8:20- While on the swings I tell John I don't want to grow up. I don't mind getting older but I never want to grow up. We promise to make each other laugh everyday.

8:40- We walk over to Jonny's Pizza and I have a raspberry sprite and some garlic knots.

9:30- We drive to the dollar theatre and see Rekall. Liked it. We snack on Reese's Pieces and Snow Caps. (John still doesn't know why he chose Snow Caps.  That's like the Schlotsky's of candy.)

11:57- Drove home and got to the house just in time to see mom for my birth minute. I hug her in her bed and she says, "Hi, how are you? We are just meeting for the first time." 25 years ago of course.

12:00- I snuggle up with my Johnny and we go to bed.

Last years b-day.  And the year before that.

garden birthday party

Last night Janie(and her cute baby bump) and I threw a little Garden Picnic Birthday party for our dear red headed friend Lisa.

We had:

big balloons

watermelon popsicles

brie and homemade crabapple jelly

chocolate coconut milk cake

pomegranate gingerale

ultimate dance party 1997 iTunes mix

layered vintage table cloths (many from the old oat house on the ranch, THANKS KATHY,I LOVE THEM!)

binding garland from last Christmas

fresh flowers from Trader Joes in milk glass vases

big balloons

Happy Birthday sweet friend, we love you!

He's here!!!

Welcome to the world little Parker. I love you so much.

Born to my sister and Joe on May the fourth.

I am so proud of my little sister.  She is a mother to a son.

Meeting him was pretty incredible.  My uterus burst into a tiny million pieces of hearts and flowers while my ovaries were exploding in to chants of "more babies more babies more babies!!!".  

I want more babies...now.

Its so crazy how quickly you forget how tiny they are.  My rotund baby looks preeeety huge next to Mr. Parker.  

Now is when the really fun parts of life start to happen.  I am so looking forward to watching our babies grow together to be friends.