The boys' birthdays: Lane.

Way back in December, we celebrated the boys' birthdays. Lane, who turned three on December 4, came first.

For months, he requested a monster jam cake. My mom is in charge of making all the birthday cakes for her grandbabies - and always does an amazing job - but she really outdid herself with Lane's cake.

It was, for sure, aside from Lane, of course, the hit of the party.

There were lots of little people admiring it - and taste testing the icing.




I booked a room at the rec center figuring the weather would be cold and rainy and the kids would have more room to run and play there than at our house.

To our delight, and luck, we woke up the morning of the party with sunny skies. So, instead of keeping the kids inside, we held the party behind the rec center underneath a pavilion.

We offered all of Lane's favorite foods to eat and competed in some awesome monster jam races around the walking track.


There was also an awesome hill that was perfect for rolling trucks and tumbling kiddos.


The day couldn't have been any better. Of course, the besties, Andrea, John Oscar and Lily were there. All of his cousins. The gang from the gym - twins Jackson and Gracie and Kaylee. Drew and Preston. And Lane's very first friend he has made on his own, Brady from school even joined us.

All those kids and all our family members and good friends completed the party.

After the races and hill rolling, everyone enjoyed the cake and my mom's famous cupcakes.







Then we sent the kids off to play on the playground.
























The day combined all of Lane's favorite things: playing with monster jams, hanging out with his friends, and running around outside.

Perfect way to turn three.

Let it snow.

I know most people would not consider this morning's light dusting snow. However, it doesn't take much to make my boy happy. As I was in the kitchen cleaning the morning dishes, he caught a glimpse of the flakes falling from the sky out of the hall window and proclaimed, "Mama, look it is snowing."

Sure enough, he was correct.

When he told me he wanted to go play in it - with his rainboots, coat and mittens - I had to say yes. I bundled him up in all requested clothing items, except the mittens because we don't have any - and sent him out to play.

His fun in the snow was almost as short lived as the snow dusting itself. After a few short minutes outside, he wandered back in to let me know it was cold outside.

"My hands are so cold, Mama," he told me as he began tearing off his many layers. "We got to buy some mittens."



This little one was content to watch from inside where it was nice and warm. He happily stared out the window and said hi to each and every falling flake he could see.

Say cheese.

My mom got Lane a kid friendly digital camera for his birthday. I had a feeling he would love it because he's always taking random pictures of random stuff with the camera on my phone.

Probably his favorite birthday present.


He hasn't quite mastered how to use the camera yet. I should say how to take pictures yet. He knows exactly how to use the buttons on the camera. He just can't seem to get a shot in focus.



He looks through the eye holes, tells you to smile and then takes a picture of your chin, or elbow or the couch pillow next to you.

Then he will look at the photo and tell you, "That turned our great."



Someone else in our house loves the camera too. You would think it is because he loves to have his picture taken.


Not the case. He wants to take the pictures.

So, a lot of the times when we play with the camera, this is how it goes.

Lane takes some pictures.

Evan sneaks up trying to ease his way in to grabbing the camera.


Lane won't let him have the camera.

Evan gets angry.

Lane gets frustrated.


Evan gets his picture taken looking like this.

That turned out great.

Wrapping it up: 2011.

I might be jumping the gun, but I'm going to say June might have been my favorite month of the year. What's not to love about June?

Right off the bat, James and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary with a fancy date night at the pool, including to-go sandwiches and our boys.


The babe taught himself how to sit up, which made life so much more interesting and easier for mama.

Our pool opened - and we were there almost every night. Evan followed right in his big brother's footsteps and fell in love with being in the water. I wasn't quite brave enough to take both boys to the pool by myself during the day. Lucky for me, our good friends, The Harrison girls, invited us to their pool quite often and Papa purchased a nice, big kiddie pool for the front yard. We set up shop in the driveway, and the boys and I spent quite a bit of time hanging out in the water.

We took our last trip to Monkey Joes, before falling in love with Catch Air this Fall, and Lane and Andrea had a little dinner date right on the floor.

Papa and I got really brave and took the boys, along with my parents, to Chicago for Father's Day weekend. Evan loved the city. Lane hated traveling. And, perhaps one of the few times he cracked a smile all weekend was when he got to ride Thomas. I did give him a great surprise when I returned home from a baseball game with that picture of me and Elmo.

The highlight of that month: Evan met Duck. Poor Duck doesn't look nearly that good any more. However, he is well loved.


Oh, and Evan continued to amaze us with his ability to sleep any where: the water park, a party for a two-year old and the pool.

I guess July will go down as the month Lane got that shiner on his face, and grocery shopping got a lot easier for me. These two, as long as their bellies are full and they are not tired, will happily sit in the racecar buggy together - with minimal complaining from Lane when Evan touches him.


Lane's Monster Jam collection grew when I attempted to bribe him with the cheap toys every time he went poo on the potty.

I joined a new gym, where Evan napped every morning while 10 to 15 screaming toddlers played around him. We went to the pool A LOT. And, Evan continued to amaze everyone at the Deer Run pool with his amazing ability to sleep. (Yes, there is a baby under that blanket, towel and hat.)

Papa and I had a very special date with our baseball loving oldest boy at his very first Atlanta Brave's game.


I cracked myself up one August morning when I took this picture in a public bathroom. (Kroger, maybe. I can't remember.) Lane had to go. He needed my help. I couldn't bring the buggy in. I couldn't leave Evan out. I couldn't put my crawling toddler on the ground. This worked.



The weather was real hot in August so we spent a lot of time playing inside, going to the mall and took a trip to Monkey Joes, again.

All in all, August was an uneventful, yet productive, month considering Evan decided playing wasn't just for the big kids and Lane figured out the camera app on my phone.

Oh, and lots of peaches were consumed - by everyone.


Actually, I think I've got a tie for favorite month of 2011. September was pretty awesome as well.

We started a little donut love affair for our boys when we started visiting Dunkin Donuts every Friday morning. I don't think there were ever two boys who love donuts more than my two do.

They come by it honestly.


In other September news, Evan ate a lot. He ate cereal, crackers, peas, donuts and one night, we took the boys for ice cream and a beautiful sunset. I also found out Evan is not allergic to peanut butter when I found him happily munching on Lane's afternoon snack of Pirate Booty and peanut butter crackers, which he pulled off Lane's little red table.

The four of us went to the beach in September: Lane loved the water and sand. Evan loved the food. Are you surprised?

This was also the month Lane perfected what we call kissie face game. I say, Lane show me kissie face. And he makes that model face for me. He also does angry face, sad face, scared face and yelling face - to name just a few.

We took Lane to see some baby alligators, which was perfect for September because that's the month he learned the crocodile song. Goes a little like row, row, row your boat. Just ask him to sing it for you.

Finally, we rounded out our month with a big trip to Dixie Speedway to see some Monster Jams. However, before our Saturday night show, we sweet talked our way in on Friday night to have just a quick peek at the big guys.


Really, what's not to love about October? My boys continued to grow as brothers and buddies - and I enjoyed watching every minute of it and capturing some pretty special moments between the two of them.



We played outside a lot. Went on an ice cream date with our best friend. Discovered Catch Air. Tub time became fun for Evan. Oh, and there was that little battle with Lane's yucky allergies in October. The boys got sick for a week or so but we didn't let that get us down.

October was the beginning of big, bald, baby head in adorable hats - and I haven't stopped covering Evan's head in one since. He looks so cute. It is also the month Papa heads down to deer camp for the first time of the year - and I spoiled my boys that weekend with a late night trip to Dunkin.

Most importantly, it is the month Lane bought his first pair of cowboy boots.



In November, we started partying, and I don't think we have stopped since. The weather was awesome. The boys were healthy. We were busy.

Life was good.

There was so much to see in do November. We went to Red Top. We got our membership at the Botanical Gardens, where Lane fell in love with the train village and I tried to get another picture with a holiday character.

We went to Catch Air. We found that old truck that Lane named Rusty. We stayed in our pjs until late in the morning and played at home.

Lane got the cute pig cupcake at Bub B Q one afternoon, and apparently, I forgot to feed Evan one morning because he decided to eat his toes while waiting for Lane in the pick-up line at school.

I celebrated an awesome birthday - the boys got me a vintage gumball machine - and again, I watched my boys grow.

The most special moment, which I'm so glad I caught, the morning Lane talked Evan in to going down the slide. He patiently waited for him at the bottom. He gently coaxed him in to coming down. He encouraged him with sweet words. He cheered for him when he finally did it.

My cup runneth over.

Did December come way too soon for anyone else but me?

In our last month of the year, we patiently waited each day for our deer friends to arrive in our yard for their evening snacks. One afternoon, as we watched two deer for more than 20 minutes, I caught this picture of Lane hugging Evan - as he told him, "Be quiet Evan. Don't yell. You will scare the deer."

Favorite photo ever.


To say December was busy would be an understatement. We celebrated Lane's birthday, and Lanna gave Lane an awesome build a birdhouse kit. The birdhouse hasn't been built yet but the boys have enjoyed wearing the safety goggles that came with the kit.

Evan continued to grow and grow - and charm us with his ways. Much to my dislike, he decided to start taking a few steps and one morning I found him happily cruising around the gym. (He no longer naps there. He must be part of the action now.)

We played at Catch Air and spent lots of time in our pjs playing at the house.

Lane had his Christmas party at school. I left Evan with James so I could have some alone time with my oldest boy, which apparently was not the thing to do. The two of us had fun at the party but as soon as we got in the car, Lane asked, "Hey, where Evan?"

I think the little guy is starting to grow on him.

We wore our rainboots and splashed in puddles.

We celebrated Evan's birthday and then Christmas.

Lane received a postcard in the mail all the way from Germany.

And, most importantly, Lane got football guys.

Our little family ended the year together at home - letting off fireworks, jumping on the couch and loving on each other.

What an amazing year it was.

2011: Our Year in Review.

According to my phone, there's quite a bit I did in 2011 that I didn't blog about.

So, I present to you, 2011: Our Year in Review - according to pictures from my phone.

Of course, we ushered in 2011 with a new baby. Our little Evan was just a week old when we rang in the new year. A newborn sleeps a lot, and I've got quite a few photos of my brand new babe doing just that in the month of January.


It was also the month I ventured out on my own with two kids - if you count meeting up with some friends at Monkey Joes as going out on my own. All in all, January was a laid back month - with lots of hanging at home, sleeping and enjoying our very funny two year old.



February changed Lane's life forever. Oh, you thought that happened back in December 2010? Wrong.

In February, James and I casually decided to take Lane out for a night with just his mama and papa. We left Evan at home for the first time and took Lane to see Monster Jams.

Every day since, we've talked about Monster Jams and played with Monster Jams.

Best night ever.

Also in February, I celebrated my first Valentine's Day as a mama to two. Evan slept, slept some more and got very sick - causing us to make our first trip to the ER. And, Val and Jay made a quick trip down south to find a new home before becoming official Georgia residents.

March is always a rough month for me. It is cold and dreary. I'm ready for spring. I'm tired of being in the house. March 2011 didn't disappoint.

When I think back over the last year, I have to admit that March was probably my toughest month as a mama - or so I thought.

I'd been taking care of a newborn for three months. I was tired of being stuck inside. My body was full of post pregnancy hormones. And nursing hormones. And synthetic hormones since I started taking the mini-pill that month.

I never blogged about it but I came down with a little case of postpartum blues in March.

I felt inadequate as a mama. I felt like I wasn't giving enough as a wife. I hated the way my body looked. I hated the way I felt. My house was ALWAYS a mess.

All of that combined with the never ending case of RSV that lingered from February until April made for a couple of yucky months for this mama.

It was such a temporary time - easily recognized for what it was by myself and my husband. Easily fixed by dumping those nasty pills in the trash.

For what it is worth now, I look at all the pictures I took in March and I am amazed.


March, it turns out, wasn't so bad.

In fact, it was amazing. Sure, I might have taken Lane to Monkey Joes one too many times - as given by the fact that I had a lot of pictures from that place in my phone and one of the last ones is that picture of Lane lying flat on the floor - but look at all the other photos.

My babe's eyes opened and his wonderful cheeks got chubbier and that delicious head got even rounder. He cracked a smile and started holding his head up - way up. He continued to amaze me with his laid back personality and ability to sleep any where and through just about anything.

And Lane. Look at Lane. His Monster Jam collection grew. He started dabbling in potty training. And James and I had a few awesome nights out with just our big boy.

Note to myself: Don't let March 2012 get you down mama. Your boys are awesome. And, your not so bad yourself.


Unfortunately, April didn't do much to make me feel better.

It was a slow month around our house. Even my pictures show it.

Thank goodness for my boys. Even though I spent a few weeks in a slump, I never once felt sad about my boys. Most of my sadness was directed at myself. In fact, being with them was one of the only things that made me feel good.

The babe continued to blossom in April - smiling more, spending much more time awake and even enjoying the Exersaucer.

This was also the month the boys really started to notice one another. We had a chill month - going to parks, visiting the zoo, nursing a bunch, and taking yet another trip to Monkey Joes, where Lane enjoyed a cupcake.

I attempted to take a picture of the boys with an Easter Bunny at Lane's school party, which didn't go over to well. And, most importantly, I had my first night out without either one of the boys when Val's sister, and my childhood bestfriend, Kristina, came in to town. Oh, and it was Papa's first time to take care of both boys on his own for an extended period of time - with Jay's help. That night might not have gone over so well. But, I'm proud to say he's a pro at taking care of two now.

We said hello to the sun and farewell to my funk in May. My confidence soared when I carted three boys around the zoo one afternoon - Lane and John Oscar in the stroller and Evan in the Bjorn - making me wonder if I just might be able to handle one more boy one day.


All that sun did a baby good and Evan's size proved it. The boy burst out of all his clothes and sent me to the store to buy nine month clothing for my five month old. He also grew out of his carrier, and we were forced to move him into a big boy carseat. (Rear facing, of course.)

We got out almost every day. I started doing Zumba. The whole family went to James' parents' lake house for a weekend. Lane went fishing. And, Evan figured out Monster Trucks weren't just for big boys.