The latest Blake stuff....

We have been having so much fun and I feel like I am unfortunately forgetting to post about everything!!!!

I have only one excuse...our laptop kicked the bucket and I am so technologically illiterate sooooo, I have to to wait to use Rick's work computer at night and I am usually just too tired by that point.  All excuses aside, we are looking into some new options and hope to have a new "something" up and running by maybe January???!  

Anywho, here is the latest....

Bad news first.  We are in sick season and Liam has the worst cough.ever!  I should not complain because he really has not been sick since April, but I feel so bad for him.  We have been doing breathing treatments a few times a day and he has been really great with it overall!

And Rowan needs tubes.  BLAH!  She has apparently had chronic ear infections and her mom of the year had no idea!!!  No antibiotic seems to work and she NEVER complains AT ALL!!!  My strong, sweet girl.  ENT appt. on Halloween to schedule the procedure and hopefully she will be 100% after that!  She is just such a good baby!!!

Speaking of baby, this is sad and somewhat happy news I guess???!  Third round trying, no third baby.  BUT, for some reason, I feel ok with it.  I feel like if it was truly meant to be, it would have been.  Now that I am FINALLY sleeping through the night, I am kinda ready to move to the next phase and be done with "baby stuff".  I would have regretted not trying for sure, but I feel so thankful and blessed with the two very SPECIAL children we have.  We are truly VERY LUCKY!

HAPPY STUFF!  And we have so much...

Liam is LOVING SCHOOL!  He had to stay for the first time yesterday and he was so sad to miss.  He loves his sweet teachers, especially Miss Suuuuuuu-dan as he says...aka Miss Susan.  

Liam is talking so much...he is FINALLY saying "Ro-dan" for Rowan but we are still working on his own but I know it will come.  He is SOOO scared of the "l" sound.

Liam had his last soccer game last Saturday.  We are so thankful to have found this team.  The coach was amazing and we are looking forward to next season which will start in a few weeks.  We also booked Liam's bday party at Blue Sky with a soccer theme and I think he will have a BLAST!  

Tonight, we went to "Trunk or Treat" at St. Francis.  We parked near Elsa and had a blast.  I feel so lucky to have met so many amazing moms through my MOMS group as well as the KDO program.  There are so many great families who attend that church and we just love it.  

Here are some pics of the fun...

 Rowan...the SWEETEST little witch ever.  True meaning of the "good witch"  ;)

 My little train conductor.  Simple and cute costume that he was pretty happy with!  PHEW!

 Running, playing and being silly!

 Daddy putting my hat back on!

 SHE WAS IN HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Lollipops and people..her FAVES!  ;)

 They are the best of buddies and it melts my heart.  Today at the mall, our sweet friend Elizabeth's daughter Kate was taking such good care of Rowan and playing with her.  Liam came over and grabbed her away with a big hug and said "my Ro-dan, my baby, ok baby"...already looking out for his sis (even though Kate was being so sweet and making her so happy!!! ;).  SOOO CUTE!

Me and my bud trying to stay warm!  ps we really did have SOME decorations but Rowan was playing in the back of the van, fell and broke our witch decoration and candy bowl all at the same time.  HA!  And, the two stuffed pumpkins she thought were "balls".  ;)

We also painted some pumpkins a week ago.  Liam LOVED every minute.  Only one quick call to Poison Control after Rowan stuck her hand in the acrylic paint and right into her mouth.  Pure blue teeth and fingers, but all was good. ;)  They said to give her some milk and it went pretty quickly through her system by the next morning...just as dropped Liam off at school and had plans to visit Kristi and Emmie...a quick wardrobe change and we were good to go.  OY VEY!  ;)

Here are some pics...

 Pretty much right before she ate the paint I think.

 After the debacle with the blue, she did GREAT with the brush and NO PAINT!  ;)

 He was so excited and cute with this...he is like my little nerd.  In the best ways possible!  LOVE HIM!!!

 His creations.  BEAUTIFUL!

 SOOO PROUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And of course did NOT like getting dirty.  ;)

I know this post is sooo long, but I am getting as much in as I can!  We have also had so many birthday parties the past few weekends and they have all been a blast.  Last Sunday, was Lily's at MyGym...second week in a row there and both Liam and Rowan LOVED it!!!  

Here is Rowan in her dress which was supposed to be for her own birthday party.  But, since it was so cold we are getting good use out of the cupcake smocking for other peoples' birthdays!  ;)

 She is HILARIOUS!  We have no idea where this personality came from, but she makes us laugh every day.  The latest...the pointer finger and yesterday she started waving it back and forth--I guess to tell us "no-no" although, I have never, not once, done that to her!!!!???!  The eyebrow crinkle...when she is mad, confused, just trying to tell you something.  Then, she gets the HUGEST smile as if to say "just kidding!"....and peek-a-boo HAS TO BE THE.CUTEST.EVER!  LOOOOOOOVE my Rowan!

She is talking so much, even behind that binky and with her supposed chronic ear infections.  Amazing little human being!!!!

So, in closing, first I apologize for the length of this post.  However, I feel so full of happiness and love as I finish it.  We are so extremely lucky and I cherish every crazy, busy moment of every day!!!!  Happy weekend!  We are looking forward to Gattitown tomorrow for Liam's soccer party (hopefully if he not hacking all over!!), trick or treat in the square, and Sunday a festival with the twins and Farabe and Justin.

HAPPY HAPPY FALL!!!!

Such a relaxing movie night tonite!!!!  :)))))

Rowan's 1st bday party

I am so tired so I am just going to let the pictures to tell the story.  We are SOOO truly blessed to have so many amazing friends in Texas.  Rowan had an AMAZING DAY!!!!

30 degrees less than what we thought it would be, but well worth every smile!!!!  We love you Rowan Carley!!!!!

Rowan is ONE!!!!

My sweet girl.  You amaze us every day and we cannot even believe you are ONE!
You have filled our lives with SOOO many smiles.

Here is what you are up to:

DO NOT want to jinx this, BUT you have FINALLY slept 7-7 or 8!!!  for 1.5 weeks in a row.  Mama feels like a new woman.  And you are taking one nap...usually for about 1.5 hours.

You are currently drinking 3 8 oz. "baa-baas" a day and LOVE 2 cups of coconut milk throughout the other parts of the day.  Baby steps it will SURELY be in order to get rid of your bottles, but we are making progress!!!

You are SUPER sweet.  You LOVE to grab onto my neck and just hold me.  You also give the BEST slobbery kisses.

You are pointing to EVERYTHING!!!!!  Cracks.me.up.

You are talking a lot!!!  words include:  baa-baa, baaaaa-(binky), balllll (love B words!)  ;), dada, more, milk, up, go, hi, bye-bye, mama (sounds like baba).  You are doing fabulous with language and I am sooo happy for that!!!

You are wearing some clothes that are 12 months, most that are 18 months, and some that are 24 months.

You did fab with your 12 month shots!!!

You weighed in at only 22 lbs 1 oz and a whopping 30 and 3/4 in.  Your head was still only in the 60th percentile.

You love balls (still), DOLLS!!! ANY DOLL!, ANYTHING your bro is playing with, eating crayons and toilet paper ;), FOOD!, pumpkins (you call them balls), climbing (on Liam's "thinking chair), RUNNING (on your toes ;), and your new cupcake kitchen.

You make the most HILARIOUS faces!!!!  The latest is the "eyes crossed" telling me that you are mad or wanting something.  I am calling it the stink face!

Fave foods are PASTA!  You try to eat the table every spaghetti night and everytime we are at an italian restaurant.  Others include shredded cheese, string cheese, vanilla greek yogurt, pouches (like big bro), grapes, coconut milk, LOLLIPOPS! (you are obsessed!), rice, chicken, pork, steak, ham, ground meat....notice any trends????

You LOVE to play peek a boo and it is the CUTEST thing!  You cover your eyes and wait til we say "where's Rowan???" and then you "appear".  LOVE.IT!

You are a PURE JOY!  An angel from above and we feel so completely lucky to have you!!!!  HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!  Never ever lose your zest for life!!!  :))

 

So out of pocket over here!!!

Sooooo, this would be the longest post EVER if I tried to catch up on everything that has been going on.  I will start with the Blake visit and see how far I get!

We were so lucky to have Rick's grandparents and dad come to visit for a week and we fit soo many fun activities in!  I still cannot get over that they are in their 70s and SOOOOO active and helpful and "with it"!!!!  We had an amazing visit!!!!

We were able to spend some time at home grilling and playing.

bad lighting, but how lucky is Rowan to have a GREAT grandpop??!!!

the men at dinner....:)))

We also made it to the State Fair.  We have been wanting to go since we've moved here, so there was not better time than this year!  The kids did GREAT and we all headed out in the good ol' swagger wagon.  ;)

We ate corny dogs (which Rowan LOVED!  SURPRISE!  ;)  And Liam enjoyed some great rides.  Rowan was able to join in on one of them with daddy.  Lastly, was a visit to the petting zoo--AN AMAZING PETTING ZOO!

how we roll ;)

Thursday was a relaxing day at home prepping for the party and shopping while Liam was in school!
Friday, Rick was able to leave early from work and we headed to the Ft. Worth Stockyards.  Ummmm, Rick and I NEED a date "overnight" there ASAP.  It reminded me of a "country" Key West.  LOVED IT!  And the BEST part was how EXCITED Rick's grandfather was.  We has an amazing time!!!

waiting for the cattle crossing.  which, um, I thought would be longer or something.  I don't know if I thought they would dance or something, but it literally lasted one minute!  HA!  But a great experience!!!

Liam having fun at Billy Bob's.  Rick's grandfather was in HEAVEN!  We got there in between shifts, we were able to get a drink before they closed from 5-6.

Bad lighting but us with our drinks!  Liam got his first shirley temple and he was super excited.

Saturday morning, Liam had a soccer game at 9 am.  While the boys went there, the girls headed to the pumpkin farm to prep for Rowan's first bday party.  A separate post for sure!!!!  AWESOME DAY!  And, we were so lucky to have family to spend it with!

Sunday, we took them to Blue Goose for brunch (which we all LOVED) and they left for their flight at noon.  Such a great week.  We feel so blessed and cannot wait to see everyone again at Thanksgiving!!!!  :)