Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he!

That's what I've been singing since we read about Zacchaeus while Ashton was on the potty today and I was feeding Collin in the bathroom with him. Ahhhh, the situations I find myself in these days. Waiting for Ashton to try to go potty takes so much time, I am forced to multitask. Anyways, this post is about Collin who turned Six Months yesterday! It is so hard to believe my baby is growing too fast! He is rolling over now, trying to scoot a little, and loving eating his socks and feet and playing in his exersaucer. He is also starting to hold his own bottle and today he mimicked me blowing bubbles with his lips. He's had some rough times this month too though. The picture above of his crib shows what Wes found one day when he walked into the boys' room after nap was interrupted with Collin screaming. I wonder who threw all that stuff on top of him? Needless to say, we have had plenty of talks since then with his brother. Ashton really does adore Collin though. Lately he always says "Collin is a sweet baby" and talks for him saying "mommy, Collin wants this and Collin wants that." I now know he doesn't remember life without his brother since recently we were looking at Christmas pictures from last year when he asked where Collin was. I think we can all say we don't remember what life was like without our sweet Collin!

Doggie PJs tonight

Reading our Rhyme Bible Storybook tonight, Ashton noticed that the disciples were barefoot, "Look! They can't find their shoes and socks" he said.

My Date with Ashton

I am ashamed to say that today was the first time Ashton and I have done anything by ourselves since Collin was born...almost 6 mos ago! Wes has been the one who would take Ashton outside by himself and I have had special times with him at home while Collin was sleeping but it was fun today to get out together. Wes was out of town so my mom came down to keep Collin (thank you!!) so Ashton and I could play at Monkey Joe's. He had been this summer with Wes but this was my first Monkey Joe's experience. Ashton seems so very grown up that I forget how little he still is sometimes and what a cautious, calculating child he is until we are around a bunch of other kids! He was pretty timid there today and kept his eyes on me while he was on the huge blow up things with big kids pushing and jumping all around him. It was hard not to tear up while I watched and tried to encourage him to jump too! Finally he warmed up to the idea and as I told my mom, he looked like a really white person trying to dance at first. Then by the end, he had a ball and was doing somersaults off a little alligator. Today was a huge lesson for me in reminding me how important it is to do stuff individually with the boys but also how important it is to keep our eyes on God when we are stepping out in faith. It's amazing how many parenting moments parallel with our relationship with God. Even tonight when Ashton told me, "Mommy, I liked going to Monkey Joe's with you" reminded me to thank God for every little thing He does with us and how much He must love to hear it. To end with a laugh, Ashton also told me tonight that "our church needs to buy some tractor and truck puzzles." He seemed very concerned about that before bed. That boy loves his puzzles! (we are now up to 25 piece ones and Wes is shooting for a 50 piece and wants to start timing Ashton)

Also here is a very blurry picture from New Year's day in Augusta when Ashton ran out in his new cookie monster towel (and nothing else) to the living room after bath with it flying behind like a cape saying "Crazy!"

Better Late than Never...

Few more Christmas photos from our trip to Augusta...

To Tyrone to visit my grandparents who gave Collin the #1 with the Ladies outift and Ashton the awesome steam engine train!

And celebrating my Grandmother Jo's 80th birthday...

Story behind the helmet...my mom explained to Ashton that they got that for him to protect his nose and then he was freaked out thinking the helmet was going to hurt his nose which is why he covers his face whenever he sees it!

Look at sweet Maddie!

And Last but not least, our boys with Santa!! At least it has been less than a month and I got the post in!

Snow Days

Things I have liked about having the week off with my three boys (in no particular order)...

1. Making oatmeal cookies with Ashton

2. Hearing Collin giggle at peek-a-boo

3. We have been really trying to focus on potty training without much success. Ashton likes to say, " Oh, I sat on the potty yesterday" and, "Oh, I tried." We try to tell him about it when we go which makes for interesting conversation. Tonight I said, "I'm going to go potty Ashton" and he said, "Be careful mommy!" Not sure where that came from!

4. Agreeing with Wes that the Rotel Velveeta dip he made was better than the cheese fondue we ate at Dante's last weekend (when Wes got burned by the fondue pot and we ended up at a drugstore which was the second date in a row that we ended up at a drugstore for Wes...New Year's Eve he discovered a newfound seafood allergy and we made a mad dash for Benadryl)

5. Snuggling on the couch to all watch Sesame Street ESSN (Ernie's sports show network)

6. Sledding down a hill on a cookie sheet and then hearing that my almost 80 year old grandfather had gone sledding down his driveway as well because he said "when I went outside and saw it was perfect snow for sledding, I just had to do it." Ashton by the way did not like the snow as you can see from the picture! I forced him to sled down with me anyway.

7. CLEANING out and taking pictures of our condo to put back on the market

8. Ashton told me today, "I know all about snow mommy"

9. Wes teaching Ashton to sing. "Who let the dogs out"

10. Hearing Wes and his teacher buddies texting all day long to make predictions about having yet another day off!!!

A Semi successful #2 in the potty...

was the cause of a TON of praise and a (soy) ice cream sandwich in our house tonight which explains why as I tucked him in Ashton said, "eewwwwww, I almost want to go poop again!"

Wes also died laughing when Ashton finished the ice cream and I said, "Guess what? Next time you go, you can have a sticker!" I didn't want him thinking he can have an ice cream sandwich every time he goes but he just kind of stared at me thinking about how he could get around the sticker to the ice cream again. ahhhhh. So much for that nutrition degree I have...