Cole: 8 months

Oh my.  8 months, Cole... didn't I just blog about you turning 6 months old?!  I think about how quickly your big brother has grown... and I cannot believe how your precious babyhood is flying by even faster!  I swear that if I blink you might just be celebrating your third birthday...

Like last month, you did not have a well-child visit at the doctor's office.  So, we don't have your official weight/height/head circumference stats this month.  But, I can tell you this:  My little baby isn't quite a baby any more.  After all, I sat you on the scale a few days ago and you were 27 pounds!  Aye ca-rumba!

Here are a few other fun facts about our little:

• Cole loves to pull hair.  He is fascinated by the texture... so much so that he loves to yank handfuls at a time of his momma's hair (I fear I may go bald soon).  
• His fine motor skills are getting better and better with each day - today he mastered the art of holding a toy car in one hand and spinning one of the wheels with his pointer finger of his other hand.  The boy's got skillz.
• One of his favorite things to do is wrestle with his daddy or his big brother.
• Cole's two favorite children's shows:  Yo Gabba Gabba & The Fresh Beat Band.
• He is a baby who loves his routine.  Naps, meals, bath time and bed time are always around the same time... or this boy starts to whimper.
• Cole is already an animal lover.  Our kitties and the doggy at daycare make him so very happy.
• He is probably the biggest fan of his own voice... and the raspberries he likes to blow.
• The boy is very ticklish on his feet and ribs.
• Just like his daddy (when the hubs' was a little boy), Cole has a little fear of men with facial hair. 
• Cole is a boy who loves to make decisions and will make sure you know it.

Want to see Cole's post from last month?  Click HERE.

A Few Good Reads.

Kingston and Cole are two very lucky boys.  As we walked into my parents' home last night for family dinner Thursday, my mom surprised them both with a big bag of books - a few discarded from her elementary school library and a few new.  Kingston could hardly contain his excitement... and he has been enjoying looking through each and every one of them today.

My personal favorites?  The discarded ones from the library.  They have some great illustrations in them, are easy reads... and who doesn't love a book still complete with a barcode and library book card pocket?  Pretty much in love.

Cole + Foam Numbers = Teething?

Our little Cole likes to put foam bathtub numbers in his mouth during bath time.  You know, so that he can hold 3 numbers instead of just two... or play hands-free while still holding on to a toy.  Sort of like a pocket.  And kind of like a puppy dog.   

Books, Cars, and One Sick Boy.

Last Thursday, the hubs came home early from work with a stomach bug.  We did our best to keep our distance from him... but Kingston ended up catching the same thing.  The past day and a half we have been working on lots of laundry, watching lots of cartoons, reading piles of books, taking a few baths, drinking cups of water and apple juice, and just hoping our sweet big boy would start to feel better soon.  

When he pulled out his cars and started lining them about around lunch time today, I began to think he just might be pulling through.  

My new wish?  That our house is too squeaky clean to carry that darn bug around anymore and no one else gets sick in our household.  We'll see. 

Valentine's Day Week: Pretty Flowers.

The hubs was a trickster this year when it came to giving me flowers.  He's done the delivery to work option... the waiting at home option... but this year, he opted for the surprise option.  He, Kingston, and Cole picked out these lovelies for me on their way home the night before.  They snuck them into our garage refrigerator... then the hubs place them into my car the morning of Valentine's Day.  I have to say it was pretty fun finding fresh cut flowers before heading to work.  Thank you hubs; whatta guy.

Valentine's Day Week: My Love

{Lincoln City, Oregon - August 2012}

Dear Hubs, My Love,

Happy Valentine's Day!  Today marks our 7th Valentine's spent together and I could not be more happy.  Such a loving husband and father - you are a wonderful person and I am so happy to say I am your wife.  

I thought you would appreciate this photo for a few reasons... 

1. It's candid and in the moment - you're always a fan of the "un-posed" photos.
2. It doesn't show your handsome face... although I think after all this time you are getting used to me taking your photo (the hubs has never been a fan of smiling for the camera). 
3. It is one of our first pictures together as a family of four.

I know I say it every day, but I hope you know just how much I love you.  Here's to another lovely Valentine's Day spent together.

Love,

Your wife

xoxo

{PS - if you think this is a little sappy... just wait until you see my card!!}

Valentine's Day Week: My Little Valentines

Dear Kingston,

Valentine's Day is almost here!  Tomorrow you will finally get to hand out the superhero Valentine's Day cards you have been just dying to get your hands on this past week.  Momma may have even snuck one in for you too (Batman, of course).    

Even though I make sure to show and tell you that you are loved each and every day - I hope you always know that you are.  I love you my big, silly, smart, and active little boy!  

Love,

Momma 

xoxo  

Dear Cole,

Your first Valentine's Day is tomorrow - and I cannot believe you are this old already!  Although you may not understand this day to share love with those who are important to you, I hope you can tell how much this momma loves you, always.

Enjoy your heart balloon and know that you will always be in my heart, my baby.

Love,
Momma
xoxo

Valentine's Day Week: Goodies

1. Caramel Apple + Heart Shaped Sprinkles for the Hubs (I have one for Kingston... and maybe one for myself, too). 
2. Two Mylar Heart-Shaped Balloons for my two little loves.
3. Twine, Mini-Clothes Pins, and Paper Heart Doily Garland; a quick DIY mantel decoration for Valentine's Day.
4. Superhero Valentine's Day cards for Kingston to hand out at daycare this year (he is beyond excited for the Batman card, so I made one out for him too).
5. Kingston's bag of goodies for his Valentines at daycare... and a few of the Cherry Tootsie Roll Pops we have left over.

Valentine's week?

Just like last year, Valentine's Day came early in our household (see last year HERE).  I brought home two heart shaped balloons for the boys yesterday and they, of course, saw them right away.  Luckily, Cole sat patiently with his balloon so that I could get a few pictures - Kingston, on the other hand, needed to run as fast as he could through the house with his balloon, or jump with his balloon, or shake his balloon...  Boys.

So I guess yesterday officially started our Valentine's week here at our home... which is fine with me.  Why not show your love on other days besides February 14?

Yes, please.

Here's hoping our weekend is just as relaxing as our kitty Jack's day so far.  He's doing a pretty great job at keeping our window seat company.  Thanks, buddy.

Momma's Looks, Daddy's Charm.

While Kingston definitely has some of his daddy's features, we always hear how much he looks like me.  And for awhile, I didn't fully believe it... until I looked at a few photos of me that were taken around his age (see an example I posted last week HERE).

So, okay... I suppose he does look like me... but his mannerisms?  100% his daddy.

Take the above photos, for example.

When the hubs was a little boy, he would touch his upper lip with his finger.  He would do this so much, that he would get a little blister on his lip.  Now, on to Kingston.  The above photos were taken on our drive up to visit family nearly two weeks ago.  But since then, I've seen Kingston touching his lip (like pictured above) a time or two.

A small example, but something I can't help but smile at.

Let Them Eat Cake.

On Sunday, we celebrated my dad and aunts' birthdays (February 3rd and 5th).  So Saturday Kingston and I got our bake on to prepare.  My dad turned 60 this year, so we made sure to celebrate right with his favorite cake - yellow cake with chocolate fudge frosting.

While I'd like to say we worked from scratch, that didn't quite happen... all thanks to a little cold my family picked up last week.  But, the cake still turned out pretty yummy and Kingston was so proud to have helped make something special for his papa.

Close-Ups

{Cole, 7 months.  Kingston, 3 years.}

These two finally started to feel a little better on Sunday - their colds hit them pretty strong this last week and I am thankful they are finally pulling through.  Maybe it was having some of their favorite people in town this weekend that helped.  

Photo credit: THIS lady.

Paper Hearts

This happened today.  And I can already feel all the love and cheer it is spreading throughout our home.  Such an easy way to decorate for the month of February - do you think the hubs would mind if I threw up a few more of these throughout our home?!

Supplies used:

• Catalogs (Serena & Lily, Land of Nod, Anthropologie)
• Thread (pale pink + cream)
• Scissors
• Sewing Machine