Logan 8 Month Update

Our baby has officially moved to big boy status. It has been a busy month around our house with Logan fine tuning his motor skills, experimenting with new foods, and putting some serious rug burns on those chubby little knees.

Earlier this month, we upgraded Logan to a convertible car seat (so long pumpkin seat - ain't nobody gonna miss ya!) which led to sitting in high chairs at restaurants and riding shotgun in shopping carts with big sis. We also ditched his bath lounger which has greatly decreased the amount of splashing in the tub each night (hallelujah!). Our sweet little boy is gaining more independence with each milestone he reaches. I can't believe that in just four short months he'll be a year old!

The biggest milestone in Logan's life thus far has to be crawling. He had been rocking on all fours and crawling backward for over a month but finally mastered forward mobility this past week. Since then, he's been practicing non-stop and can zip from one side of a room to the other in a matter of seconds. He is increasingly aware of the stairs that separate our living room and kitchen and looks at them as if they are Mt. Everest just waiting to be conquered. I'm sure it won't be long before he learns to climb them and experiences his first tumble back down (thankfully, there are only three and they're carpeted). He enjoys jumping in his exersaucer and will stand assisted for approximately 2 seconds before his knees buckle. He's intrigued by the vacuum cleaner and insists on crawling directly behind it, following me from room to room as I clean. His favorite toys include anything that lights up or makes noise and anything he can stack or throw. He loves playing with Taylor's stuffed animals, ripping pages out of her favorite books, and chewing on her dollhouse furniture. All of which she just loves.

If you've seen this boy eat, it's no surprise that he continues to be a very healthy boy! Weighing in at 22 lbs, Logan is outgrowing his 12 month clothes and is quickly moving into 18 month pieces. He's intrigued by shoes and will usually tolerate them but hates having anything on his head (which is unfortunate since winter is rapidly approaching). He has advanced to stage 2 foods and loves trying a variety of new combinations. His favorites so far seem to be chicken & apples, pear/zucchini/corn, and banana & mixed berry. Occasionally, we give him a handful of puffs but he mostly just slobbers on them and then sticks them to his high chair and/or his face. We also tried giving him water in a sippy cup but he just chewed on the spout and threw it on the floor 57 times. Baby steps.

Logan still loves to sleep and continues to maintain a pretty consistent schedule. He usually wakes between 6:00-6:30 AM, takes an 1 1/2 - 2 hour morning nap, followed by another 2 hour nap in the afternoon, and then goes down for the night around 8:00 PM. The recent time change was a major struggle for our little guy, but after a week of 5:00 AM wake up calls we are finally returning to a normal routine. The only two things that can throw a wrench in his sleep schedule are teething and a stuffy nose and, unfortunately when they hit, they hit hard and none of us get any rest. On the bright side, Logan finally has some teeth! After months of drool, those pesky bottom teeth finally broke through giving our baby something to show for all of his hard work. And if the past few nights are any indication, the top two will be breaking through before long as well. #allIwantforChristmasismytwofrontteeth

Our Logi Bear continues to be the happiest baby on the block, giggling and grinning his way through life. He is fascinated by faces and will touch our eyes, nose, and mouth every chance he can get. He laughs when we make animal noises (the pig is his favorite) and likes when we cheer him on. He gets the biggest kick out of us clapping our hands and saying "Goooooo Logan!" When he fusses out of boredom, I pick him up and we dance around the living room together. He smiles as I sing and twirl him around, letting out a high-pitched giggle when I add in a dip or two. He says "dada" and "baba" upon request but only cries out "mama" when he is in distress. He hates to be left alone and will follow me all over the house just so he can be by my side. He will snuggle only when he's sleepy or sick and, lucky for me, has been extra cuddly due to a recent cold. I hate to see him suffer but welcome his affection with open arms.

We love your sweet and mischievous personality so, sweet boy. I can't wait to celebrate your first Thanksgiving later this month. Bring on the mashed potatoes!

Halloween 2016

Let me just start by saying that this was the best Halloween I've had since my mom let me get a tacky, store-bought Minnie Mouse costume (complete with creepy plastic mask!) that I wore like three years in a row as a kid.

It was that good.

Initially, I was bummed because Halloween fell on a Monday this year and that meant trying to squeeze trick-or-treating in to our already jam-packed nightly routine, but thankfully my boss let us have the day off which meant a three day weekend! We started our festivities off Saturday afternoon by having a pumpkin painting party on our back deck. It was nearly 85 degrees outside so we stripped the kids down to their skivvies, laid a plastic tarp down, and let Taylor go to town. She had such a great time and actually got the majority of the paint onto her pumpkin this year (as opposed to her arms and face like last year). Logan was his usual happy self and spent most of the afternoon laughing and jumping in his bouncer. While the pumpkins dried (and I hosed off the tot), Jake fired up the grill and we feasted on pork steaks and veggies. I know this weather is completely abnormal for this time of year, but I'll embrace it as long as it's willing to hang around.

Sunday was a chilly, low-key day consisting of errands and a quick trip to the park. We took long afternoon naps and rested up for all of the Halloween fun to come. On Monday morning, I woke up so excited to spend the day with my little monsters! I told Taylor I would make her anything she wanted for breakfast to which she replied, "I want cereal and to go to Lisa's (her babysitter)." Love you, too.

Originally, I wanted the kids to dress up as Charlie and Sally Brown from "Peanuts," but Taylor had a different idea (which she conveniently informed me of about a week before Halloween). A little creativity and some last-minute online shopping led to the most beautiful little Cinderella, a slobbery Gus Gus, and a half-ass attempt at a Fairy Godmother (although Jake thought I was Blanch from "The Golden Girls.")

After nap time, the kids and I put on our costumes then headed out to make our rounds. Our first stop was at Jake's work followed by a quick hello at the hospital before heading to their daycare party. We played games and ate snacks, and Taylor twirled around in her dress 47 times. Next, we hit up an indoor trick-or-treating event hosted by a local business (which was mostly just crowded and chaotic), but Taylor had fun and encountered lots of other Cinderellas! By the time we made our way home, the sun was setting and our street was full of kids, so we headed down the street for some trick-or-treating. Taylor had the time of her life running up and down driveways and proudly yelling "Trick or Treat" at each house. She was polite and patient, waiting her turn and only taking one piece of candy at each house while poor Logan spent his first Halloween chilling in the stroller, likely wondering what was going on, why he had a tail around his waist, and who all of the strange looking people were.

Trick or treating was short lived due to Taylor's new shoes causing blisters on her feet (we've all been there, right ladies?), so we headed back to the house to hand out candy and put the boy to bed. Taylor decided to stay outside and hand out candy with Jake, and girlfriend had an absolute blast! She really got into the gig, scaring kids as they walked up the stairs and complimenting the girls on all of their pretty dresses. She made certain, however, that she handed out the candy, giving each kid 3-4 pieces of the same kind (whether they liked it or not). She has such a strong personality, and I just love to watch her shine!

Overall, it was an awesome weekend, and we're slowly working our way through the kid's Halloween candy. Taylor is elated when we give her a single Starburst and Logan doesn't have any teeth, so I'm guessing it'll be hanging around for a while. But that's okay, because the next candy-laden holiday isn't until February and it's going to be a long winter.

2016 Pumpkin Patchin

Fall wouldn't be complete without a trip to the pumpkin patch. This activity is usually at the top of our fall to-do list along with painting pumpkins, roasting marshmallows, and going on a hayride. I'm happy to report that we have crossed the latter items off our list along with visiting not one but two different pumpkin patches so far this season. I've obviously been spending more time in corn mazes than blogging, but I'm hoping that the photo overload below will suffice as an apology. There's just so much to do this time of year and with these 70 and 80 degree temps hanging around, the last thing I want to do is be indoors on the weekend.

I must say that the pumpkin patches in mid-Missouri have really stepped up their game! The amount of activities for the kids (and the variety of snacks for the adults) is quite impressive. For our first visit, we decided to try out Lloyd's Pumpkin Patch in Ashland, MO (our soon-to-be hometown) where we all had a great time. We arrived just before noon on a Sunday, and it was the perfect time to go. The weather was cool and overcast and the kids were in great moods. Taylor loved the barrel rides, corn maze, and ducks, and Logan was mesmerized with the giant corn pit. We only stayed a couple of hours as nap time was quickly approaching, but we definitely got our money's worth and will be sure to put it on our list again next year.

Logan in these bibs makes my heart swoon. I swear, I envisioned him in this exact scenario when I purchased them during my pregnancy.

Our second visit was to Pete's Pumpkin Patch in Rolla, MO. We had so much fun there with my parents, sister, nieces, and nephew last year that we decided to make it an annual thing. Jake was out of town competing in his first Tough Mudder, so the kids and I headed south for a weekend at Granny and Papa's. If you're anywhere close to this place, I definitely recommend checking it out. It is by far the best pumpkin patch we've been to (and we've been to our fair share). Although there are a lot of activities and it's usually packed with people, you'd never know it. It's very spacious and built to hold a lot of people at once. Our kids ran around like chickens with their heads cut off, constantly pulling us in different directions because they were so excited to get to every activity. We had our usual kettle corn break halfway through but substituted the hot chocolate for ice cold water since it was 75 degrees and the sun was blazing. After a long, sweaty afternoon running from one activity to another, we headed out to the patch, picked a few pumpkins, then headed home. Logan was asleep before we pulled out of the parking lot.

How funny that my dad thought he could nonchalantly take Logan for a ride on the train without everyone else wanting to tag along! I took the first photo below and before I could even get out of the way, the rest of the troops were climbing into the car with him. Definitely more than he bargained for!

As I was going through my photos, I realized that the photo below depicts each of their personalities to a T. Taylor always looks sweet and innocent but is usually up to no good. Riley (to Taylor's right) is mother hen, watching over the younger kids and tattling to the grown ups whenever they do something they're not supposed to. Garrett, the sole boy of the family until Logan arrived, is typically quiet and usually tries to make a friend wherever we go so that he isn't stuck dealing with a gob of girls. Logan is interested in what everyone else is doing and is probably trying to squirm out of Nat's arm so that he can eat something off the ground. Nat is the oldest of the group and therefore the true mother hen. She is so good with all of the kids and usually has 2 or 3 of them in her sights wherever we are. She is the absolute sweetest, most selfless person I know. And then there is Reagan, as sassy and outspoken as they come. She knows no limits and has no fears. A true force to be reckoned with.

I love these kids with every ounce of my being and spending time with time with them is always entertaining. I hope that we can continue our pumpkin patch tradition for as long as possible, and I can't wait to watch little Logan running alongside the big kids next year. Hope you're all having a wonderful (yet warm) fall!

Life Lately

In case anyone is wondering, no, I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth nor am I being held captive without access to the internet. I have just been consumed with tending to two very needy little people, embarking on a new career path, remembering half of the things I need after I leave the grocery store, folding endless loads of laundry, and constantly shopping for Logan as he continues to outgrow everything I buy him. Life is truly wonderful and I am thankful for every blessing that I have been fortunate enough to receive, but, man, a lot has been going on.

First things first, I took a giant leap of faith in myself and decided to embark upon a new career path earlier this year. Upon returning from maternity leave, I began a series of interviews that ultimately led to a job offer in a field that is vastly different from anything I have done before. Thankfully, I am still with the same organization which has made the transition much easier. It's always nice when you don't have to start completely over and are able to see the same friendly faces day after day. My new role offers more flexibility and allows me to utilize my degree, get involved with the community, and hopefully have an impact in something that I am very passionate about. It really is a win-win. I have successfully survived my first month and have dove in head first with the utmost confidence in my abilities knowing I have a great organization behind me. I feel like the sky is the limit, and I'm incredibly grateful for this new opportunity. Thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated as there is a great deal of (local) travel involved!

Let's see...what else? We traded in my Explorer for a 4Runner this summer, and I am in love! I have always wanted a 4Runner but could never afford one (since they hold their value so well), so when we stumbled upon a fairly new one that was in great condition and in our budget we went to see it immediately. Now, test driving a vehicle with 2 kids is certainly not a fun experience (more like car seat rearranging hell) and waiting for the dealership to work through financing paperwork by yourself with 2 kids is probably even worse, but the rush of accomplishment I felt upon signing those papers was totally worth it. Although we completely destroyed the waiting room, left a trail of Honey Grahams through the main lobby, and walked out of the place looking like the Hot Mess Express, I felt like a total badass pulling off the lot in my brand new-to-me ride. But my moment of glory was quickly shattered by Taylor's screams of hunger and Logan's dirty diaper, and before I knew it my 2 year old was throwing french fries on the floor while I was changing what may have been the worst blowout ever in the back of my brand new car. Ah, motherhood.

We made another slightly larger purchase at the end of the summer when we closed on piece of land in Ashland, Missouri, a small town about 20 minutes from where we currently live, where we plan to build our forever home. We decided early on that we did not want to send our kids to Columbia Public Schools (mostly due to the size and ever-changing district lines) and decided that Ashland would be the perfect place to raise our children based on size, community, school system, safety, and distance to work. After watching every decent house in our price range sell within 24-48 hours of going on the market, we quickly realized that building was going to be our only option. We went back and forth on whether to build on a smaller sized lot within a subdivision (similar to our current home) or buy a few acres out of town to provide ourselves with a little bit of privacy. At the end of the day, we decided that building within a subdivision would allow our children to be closer to school, the park, and their friends. And when we found out that our best friends had purchased a lot in the same subdivision we were interested in, our decision was made. We ended up buying the lot adjacent to their property, so we will literally be next door neighbors to four of our favorite people in the entire world. I couldn't be more excited! Well, I guess I could if we weren't waiting until Spring of 2018 to break ground, but life is expensive and we hope to pay off our land before building which is basically like buying the most delicious looking cheesecake, sitting it on your kitchen counter, and then telling yourself you can't eat it for 18 months. It's just not fair.

Aside from buying things and making big life plans, we have mostly just been enjoying this amazing weather and some bonding time with the kids. Jake is gearing up for his rush season which will completely consume his life in about 5 weeks, so we have been making the most of our weekends by alternating trips to visit friends and family (and pumpkin patches) and spending leisurely weekends at home (complete with neighborhood walks and trips to the park). Jake's mom and step-dad came to visit in late September, and we celebrated not one but THREE birthdays in the same weekend. Of course, Taylor's took top billing with a carnival themed party that she is still thanking us for. The kids and I had our first bout of sickness last week, so that was fun as well. I'm looking forward to a couple weeks of health before the next round hits. Tis the season!

All jokes aside, this life really is oh so good, but if it could slow down for just a moment I would really appreciate it. One thing is certain, 2016 has been very good to us, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the year has in store.