The Boys Growing Up

I have been gathering a photo of the boys every two months of their life.  I don't try to purposefully take photos of them at the intervals, but there is always something, even if it is a really funny photo of them.  It is fun to watch them grow up and to see them next to each other at the same age.  I put the photos in age order with Charlie first and Henry's corresponding photo next.

Newborn

2 Months

4 Months

6 Months

8 Months

10 Months

1 Year 

1 Year 2 Months

1 Year 4 Months

(Henry is showing me how to pray.  Folding his arms and pointing to his "eye" to signify closing them)

1 Year 6 Months

1 Year 8 Months

1 Year 10 Months

2 Years

2 Years 2 Months

  

2 Years 4 Months

2 Years 6 Months 

2 Years 8 Months 

A Little Bit of Cuteness From Our Life

Henry loves textures.  The touch and feel books were his favorite when he was little and now his favorite textures have to do with fabric items.  He loves the really soft blankets and the fabric that I hang for curtains.  He loves to pull the fabric off and cuddle with it or run around the house with it.  This photo was not staged.  He wandered off and this is what I found him doing.  Cuddling with the curtains and looking at a Greg Olsen book.

Here is peek-a-boo with the curtains.

Charlie wanted a photo taken of himself after Henry got his picture taken.  When Charlie gets hurt and I ask him what is hurt he tells me that his bones got hurt.  He loves learning about his body in school and is obviously remembering the things that he learns because he uses it in his every day conversations.

Some of Henry's words:
Bath: bah
Ball: ba
Baby: bay
Bed: beh
Box: boh
Ice: ICE!

Both Henry and Charlie love their trucks.  Its a good thing that we got this second truck for free so they can each have their own.

When the turkeys in the store all went on sale after the holidays we got the smallest one that we could find.  I finally got up the courage to cook the entire thing by myself with no help.  I think that the only other turkey we have cooked in our marriage was by Charles.  Well, despite winging the entire thing  (that's how I normally cook) it turned out pretty darn good (and that's coming from someone who doesn't even really care for turkey).


I think that pregnancy cravings or food aversions are the funniest thing ever; they never last my entire pregnancy, but sure change up our routine.  With Charlie I wanted cereal every morning (I hadn't eaten cereal since about 3rd grade since I don't like it normally).  I also could not stand the smell or taste of pickles or peanut butter.  With Henry I wanted ice cream all of the time.  I ate two large bowls a day which meant I went through about a gallon tub of ice cream a week by myself.  Charles was lucky if he got a bowl once a week.  With this little baby in the womb I have been wanting spaghetti and disliking ice cream (so sad!).  Thankfully I am finally over my cravings and food aversions for this baby and can go back to buying ice cream (yummy).

Here is a picture of me in case you forgot what I look like since I am usually the one on the other side of the camera (I'll never forget when I asked my mom why there were so few photos of her and she said, "That's because I am always behind the camera."  I had never realized that.  It was a real eye opener to me as a little kid.).  I know it doesn't show my cute little belly, but I'll try to get one of those soon.  Everyone at church thinks I am super small and are always shocked to find out that the baby is due so soon.  I am looking forward to labor and delivery (I know I am weird for saying that, I am such a freak) to see how it compares to the boys.  I am also excited to meet this cute little girl.

Here are the three most important men in my life.  I love how handsome they all are.

Charlie and Henry Using the Potty

Charlie has been potty training off and on (mostly on) for nine months.  Yes, NINE MONTHS!  I have officially declared him potty trained a few times (usually right before a vacation or other large interruptions in daily life), but then he regresses.  We have struggled for a long time even though he knows everything, but he is really just lacking the motivation to use the potty.  What really seemed to do it for him was that we took away his undies.  He went around with a bare bum which he did not enjoy.  I let him know that once he keeps the floor clean (or wherever the current accident was) he can have his undies back.  It worked!  He had two successful Sundays at church and has gone on lots of outings without any accidents.  He really thinks he is a big boy now.  Such a big boy that he doesn't need his potty seat anymore.

So in one of my last blog posts I told you about Henry using the potty for treats.  Henry really got into eating treats and so whenever he was hungry he would sit on the potty and get a treat and then a minute later want to repeat the whole process over and over again.  I had to hide the treats and tell him they were all gone for him to stop sitting on the potty just to eat tic tacs.  He still loves to use the toilet and about half of the time things happen.

He goes into the bathroom, lifts the toilet lid, and signs to me that he wants to use the potty.  I put the potty seat on the toilet and then hoist his 24 lbs on to the toilet.  He does his thing and then lets me know he is all done and signs to be taken off of the toilet.