Birthday & Anniversary

To play catch up a bit, I'm going to post a few photos from my birthday (waaaaaay back in May) and our anniversary at the beginning of June. Because, even though I'm a blog slacker now that I have two kids, I feel that these two events are important.

Side note: I just got a new computer and during the switch I seemed to have misplaced some of the photos from my phone so...I'm missing some. :( Sad.

First up, my birthday. It was a very important birthday. Not only was it my Golden Birthday (I turned 29 on the 29th of May), but it was my last birthday of my 20s. And probably the age I will tell everyone I am for the rest of my life. :)

I got to wake up to this...always a good thing:

We went out for breakfast at Jimmy's Egg, as is our birthday tradition.

We went swimming at the indoor pool at the downtown YMCA...I had some cute little swimmers. I believe this was the first time for Ren to be in a pool. I just put his feet in and he didn't seem to notice or care. But holy adorable!

And my big guy. Showing off some mad paddle board skills.

After lunch, Adam had booked me a massage across town. So enjoyed a peaceful, kid-free drive on a beautiful blue-sky day.

I stopped for a frappe on the way. The massage was grand.

Then since I had a little cash in my wallet, and since I knew everyone at home was napping, I treated myself to a pedicure.

That night, Adam took me out on a date! We went downtown and walked around Old Town Square. We went in a few shops and he bought me a really cool hand-warming mug.

Then we went to the Old Town Warren theater and ordered food in our seats and enjoyed a movie. X-Men Days of Future Past.

My mom & dad sent me this card that I found perfect and hilarious. I love my mom's sense of humor.

A few days later, Tara and I had a joint birthday party/cookout at their new house since Tara's birthday is only a few days after mine. And a year. I'm a year older and WISER. ;) I lost the photo where Tara had her eyes open, so this one will have to suffice. I apologize, Tara.

June 3 was our 8 year anniversary. I love this man I married...more each day. I also love that he can find simple ways for us to celebrate that don't cost an arm and a leg.

Adam kept our anniversary plans a secret until we were heading out that night. On our very first anniversary of dating (waaaaaaay back in 2002), Adam had a pilot friend fly us in his small plane from a tiny airport in Newton, Kansas to a little bit bigger airport in Hutchinson. We ate at the Airport Steakhouse, and then flew back to Newton. I hadn't been back to the Hutchinson airport since. So Adam made us reservations. Things were a little different 12 years later with two kids. And I wouldn't change any of it.

Much to Sutton's sadness, we didn't see any airplanes take off or land while we were there. But I did see my handsome husband being sweet to my baby boy.

After dinner, we went to Dillon Nature Center in Hutch, to the new free children's area. Definitely worth a stop if you're ever out that way. We walked around and let Sutton play for awhile. I took a photo of Adam and I (you know, since it was OUR anniversary), but that was one that got lost. This was all I had from that adventure.

Edit: Here are a couple more photos from that evening I recovered. Adam and I. I think we look a little worse for the wear after 8 years. :/ Few more wrinkles, a little less hair...

And part of the Children's Garden at Dillon Nature Center.

Sutton's 4th Birthday Party

The Saturday after Sutton's birthday, we had a breakfast birthday party for him here at our house. We rented a bounce house for the backyard, and got a bunch of donuts for all of his guests to enjoy. I'd left decorating, favors, and cake up to Adam since I've been so busy with work...and he went above and beyond.

           

Sutton's obsessed with Captain America, so the theme was a no-brainer. But most of the decor at the party store was Avengers themed, which is fine too. Adam also drew a Captain America on our chalkboard and we printed out Sutton's face for the head. He loved it.

Adam had told me that he just picked up a pre-made cake from Dillons, but when it came time for the unveiling...this is what he'd ordered for our boy. :)

The birthday boy!

We were worried that the bounce house portion was going to be rained out, so his cousins came over a bit early to get started jumping.

Grandma Ancy had to get in on the fun.

This is Sutton's best little friend from school, Zane. They're so cute together.

Donuts and cake. Good combo for 10am on a Saturday. :)

My child sweats. A lot. And he'd had grape juice. He was a mess by this point.

Everyone singing:

Then it was time for presents. More Captain America stuff! :)

Happy Birthday to our big 4-year-old! Maybe sometime I'll get the photos from his actual birthday off my phone and do a post about that day. :)

Edit: Click here for the phone photos of Sutton's Birthday.

Ren {5 Months}

Crazy to think that next month, you will be HALF A YEAR old!

                     

Ren, you continue to be the sweetest, most calm baby ever. This month, here's what you're up to:

*You're probably about 16 pounds by now and you seem long and thin...though you're definitely chunking up.

*You wear size 2 diapers comfortably.

*You're in 3-6 month size clothes mostly.

*Your personality seems to be developing every day. You are now telling us what you like and don't like. Your smiles just light up your entire face and I can NOT get over the cuteness.

*You have probably "known" us for awhile, but you're really starting to show it. You get a huge smile on your face when you see us. You still don't seem to have separation anxiety but you sure get excited when you see me or Daddy.

*Your interactions with Sutton are becoming more fun. This evening, you were sitting with me watching Sutton take a bath and every time he'd splash or make his little bath toys jump up and down, you would just laugh and laugh. You find the most interesting things funny.

*You are really kicking your legs a LOT these days. Bath time includes lots of splashing from your legs that are always moving.

*A new thing in the past week or so...you straighten your legs and push off things. So if you're laying down or sitting up, suddenly you will just do this all in one swift motion so we're having to be more aware of not letting you roll off things, push your way out of our arms, etc.

*You have hair, but it's just so light and so little that you are still looking so bald. 

*You've started wanting to go to bed a little earlier and get up a little earlier. On vacation, there was one day that you were up and ready to go at 6am. No fun. Usually, you start acting tired by 8:15pm or so, but I try to hold you off til closer to 9pm. We rock and sing You Are My Sunshine and Hush Little Baby, then I lay you down and you usually go right to sleep.

*You've definitely regressed in your sleeping. I don't know if it's because of eating, because you're too hot, or because you just want to be comforted, but usually you wake up around the 2am hour to eat, then around 5 or 5:30am again. You're up for the day around 7am ish.

*You seem to have kind of dropped your evening nap, which is probably why you want to go to bed earlier. You still nap in the morning for usually an hour to 1.5 hours, then in the afternoon for a longer nap, anywhere from 2-4 hours. You usually don't sleep straight through though...you'll cry out if you want us to put your pacifier back in, or sometimes you'll get up to eat and go right back to sleep.

*You take your morning nap in the car, in the swing, while someone is holding you, or in the stroller if we're walking or at the park. You still take your long afternoon nap on our bed since you're still not rolling over. You rolled that one time last month, but since then...nothing.

*Nursing has definitely become a comfort thing for you. Sometimes you want to be nursed to sleep, even if I know you're not hungry. Sometimes that's the only way I can get you to sleep.

*You are still only nursing for between 5 and 8 minutes on one side at each feeding. You go 2-3 hours between feedings.

*You've started paying attention to TV. If something bright is moving on the screen, it will hold your attention.

*You're obsessed with your feet! You are constantly grabbing your toes and holding on, and just sitting like this:

*We tried rice cereal for the first time on Wednesday (July 16). We mixed with breastmilk in a bottle and you seemed to not even notice. Our pediatrician said that it might make your tummy fuller at night and keep you asleep all night, which is why we tried it. It didn't work. :) So the next night, I made it a little thicker and gave it to you with a spoon. I put it in your mouth and it was like you didn't know what to do. You just sat there with your mouth open and the cereal was dripping out. So I poured the rest back into the bottle and fed it to you. You still didn't sleep through the night that night either.

*You went on your first road trip(s) this month. We went to Colorado on July 5th, and Kansas City on July 13th. The Kansas City trip I took you and Sutton by myself and was pretty nervous about the 3-hour drive, but you did great. We stopped twice to feed you on the way up and you slept almost the whole time except in the middle where you screamed your head off until I could find a parking lot to stop and feed you at. The drive back was pretty similar.

*You slept in the pack n play and in a tent for the first time when we were in Colorado. You did so great...you kept your same night schedule as you have at home.

*When you sleep while I'm holding you, you always hold on to the neckline of my shirt.

*Your eyes are really changing from the dark grey that they were to brown. I love your eyes...they're so sweet and kind. I think you are such a handsome little baby!

*You laugh all the time these days. Daddy has found your tickle spots...your stomach and upper thighs are the most ticklish. You also love it when we make loud silly noises.

*You're starting to show signs of wanting to play. You have a little baby toy with some hard plastic to chew on and some fabric pieces too. You love to look at it, hold on to it, and put it in your mouth. Yesterday Sutton had a friend over to play and they were running back and forth in the living room. You were sitting on my lap and every time they'd start running, you would start pumping your legs and flailing your arms like you wanted to join in.

And the monthly collage. Definitely a big difference between last month and this month!