Tonight, we attended the Allred/Taylor Christmas party. These are all the great grandchildren...minus one...who was just born 24 hours ago and is still in the hospital. The age range in this picture is 8 months - 14 years. Coincidentally, the oldest (Braxton) is holding the youngest (Noah).
My son spent half of the party vacuuming. He came over to show me the toy and said "I vacuum like Lallis". Funny or sad that he has never seen his mom vacuum?!?!
A sweet picture of Jude with his great grandfather who he calls "E-Pa". I love their matching shirts. Dressing like a 94-year-old is in these days. :)
Noah spent the majority of the time in the arms of his girl cousins. He especially loved Maddie. He covered her with slimy kisses. Love.
And, just like that, the party is over for another year. Next year, this picture will have 2.5 more babies it...Baby B Allred (just born) and Baby E Allred (due February 15th) and one in my tummy?!?! We'll see!
Noah was born tongue tied just like his older brother. It is not a major medical condition. The surgery is completely optional and some people never have it. But, Porter and I decided to go through with the tongue clipping on both of our children for various reasons. We wanted to prevent possible speech issues. We wanted to increase their chances of learning a speaking a second language. We wanted to give them full range of motion. It's a personal decision. We have always preferred to have surgeries done in Salt Lake City due to my father-in-law's connections in the medical field. Our ENT of choice is Dr. Meads. We loved him the first time around and knew Noah would be in good hands. On Wednesday, Noah had his consultation to confirm that he is tongue tied. Noah was all smiles...like normal.
On Friday, we arrived at the surgery center at 5:30 am. Surgeries are in order of age...and we were the youngest. Despite being so early, Noah was in great spirits. He won over the doctors and all the staff with his dashing good looks and funny personality. :)
Th surgery lasted 15 minutes. The recovery is a DIFFERENT story. Waking up from anesthesia is very difficult for young babies. Noah was confused for a long time.
He slept for a long time...a side effect of the anesthesia. He's on Advil and an antibiotic. But, for the most part, he is just fine. If you look under his tongue, it is still bloody. He has a few stitches that will dissolve over time. But, he is not in any pain. In just a day, he has discovered his tongue's increased range of motion already! Overall, a success.
This year, we took our Christmas card photo down in Alabama. I have no idea how we were able to get both boys to smile...but, we did. I hope we can get our whole family in the picture next year.
Our Christmas morning was peaceful, quiet and cozy. My boys enjoyed a few lazy hours of alone time with their grandparents. We were here...enjoying the closest thing to a winter wonderland that I've ever seen.
We played in the snow. We snuggled by the fire. We feasted on a table full of breakfast pastries and quiches. We watched movies. We napped.
Doesn't Christmas achieve a whole new level of excitement with kids? Porter and I had a great time setting up and anticipating what morning would bring. I was able to find some things that Jude didn't already own. I swear, the kid has everything. I added a search and rescue helicopter, a school bus, Magna-Tiles, See and Spell puzzles, a new Nemo, some new animals figurines and a few other things. I am proud of myself for keeping almost half of his stash educational.
Noah didn't get nearly as much...but, that is dictated by his age and his status as the 2nd boy. I racked my brain and could not come up with much of anything. Poor guy. :(
Santa brought him one big toy...a V-Tech Sit and Stand. He loved it! The rest was mostly clothes, a new stuffed animal ( both boy's were Nemo themed) and lots of chew toys.
Out of all the things Jude unwrapped, the little stinker was most excited about a box of Snaps ( those little firework poppers) that we saved from the 4th of July. Within minutes of laying eyes on them, he was fully dressed and outside in the cold...popping away! Kids are crazy. It's the little things, right?
Once he worked his way through them all, he decided to come back inside and give his new toys another chance. :) We worked long hours with the Magna-Tiles...a 3-D magnetic building system...rated the #1 educational toy in its category. I love watching Jude learn about structure and play with different shapes.
And, yes...I play with them when he goes down for a nap. So fun!
This week, we've been operating under a veil of secrecy.
I haven't been able to talk about much since we didn't want anyone to now about our plans. At the last minute, we decided to bump up our trip to Utah by 3 days. In order to pull off our surprise, we needed Santa to come to Vegas early. Porter and I had to kick things into high gear to prepare for Christmas.
On Wednesday, I did some last minute shopping and delivered holiday treats.
On Thursday night, we left cookies and milk out for the fat guy. After the boys went to sleep, we wrapped and set up all the toys.
On Friday, we had a wonderful Christmas morning. We played with our new toys all day long.
On Saturday, we packed and packed and packed some more.
Today, I'm proud to say we were on the road by 7 am. A record for us!
And...our surprise went over wonderfully. We are here...ready to celebrate another round of Christmas...ready to hang out with family and friends...ready to welcome a new baby into our family...and ready for some R&R.
I couldn't post pictures of our Christmas...before, during or after. But, I can change that now. :)
This is the second year that I've made my MIL's English Toffee as holiday treats for friends. It's a long process, but the candy is delicious and totally worth the effort. For the last few days, there has been toffee all over my house.
And, I've enlisted help from everyone. No one is safe. If they were near the kitchen, they got called in for help. I put Porter and Jude to work.
I had trays and trays of chocolate dipped pieces. Thank goodness for outside refrigerators providing extra storage space.
We started delivering last night and will continue over the next few days. I'm excited to take Jude with me to teach him how to do nice things for people.
Is it absolutely painful for Noah to sit inside while Jude gets to go outside and play. He walks his Jeep right up to the glass doors and watch Jude run back and forth, blow bubbles, draw and play cars. He'll look at me with hope in his eyes...wondering if I'm going to let him out soon. Nope...sorry kid...it's too cold for a baby.
Our morning was normal. We spent it eating breakfast in bed, cuddling with our boys and watching Little Einsteins on TV. I couldn't help but think about those parents whose morning was vastly different than normal. I am so grateful for another day with my boys.
I am grateful for the times they play well together. Jude is a picture perfect older brother...handing Noah toys when he drops them, reading him books and sharing his cars.
I am grateful for my quirky little man who makes me laugh on the hour. He reminds us of his Uncle Parker when he sits and "works" like this. Don't disturb him because he's deep in thought.
I am grateful that I get to squeeze and kiss on these thighs that go for days. Ankle rolls are only cute at this age. I am grateful for the chance to see Noah learn and grow on a daily basis.
I try to make the most of each day because I never know what tomorrow will bring. I think we all learned that lesson by watching the events unfold in CT.
This morning, a cowardly 20-year-old man named Adam Lanza walked into an elementary school in Newtown, CT and killed 20 children and 6 adults before ending his own life. The death toll makes it the 2nd largest mass murder in the last 30 years.
What is wrong with the people in this world? Innocent children?!?! Who does that? I feel no one is safe...anywhere, anymore. It makes me never want to leave the house.
I am thankful that I am safe tonight...in my warm house...surrounded by my husband and children. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones today.
Newtown, CT is one town over from where my father and brother live. When things like this hit close to home, it scares you that much more.
Jude had a one track mind on the way to visit Santa last night. He kept repeating "cars, trucks and lots of presents" to himself. He was determined to relay a message about what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas.
I was pleasantly surprised at Jude's behavior. He had plenty of time to get used to the idea of sitting next to this large fella seeing as there were about 10 people in front of us. He passed the time by waving Santa him from his place in line. When it was our turn, Jude would absolutely NOT sit on Santa's lap. He insisted on sitting next to him. And, even then, he leaned away. Noah didn't have much choice since I plopped him front and center. After the photos, Jude jumped down and looked at me with wide eyes...like he was trying to get a message across to me without speaking up in front of Santa. Then, I remembered that we hadn't discussed his toy requests. So, I told Jude to tell Santa what he wanted. Jude looked right at him and said, "I want cars and trucks and lots of presents please.". Santa responded with "I promise to come to your house on Christmas Eve and bring you everything you want. Be a good boy for me.". I saw a glimmer of hope in Jude's eyes as he received confirmation that cars and trucks would soon be on their way. I loved it! I want him to believe in Santa forever!
And, just like that, another Christmas memory was made. I can cross Santa off my list for 2012.
A quick family photo.
Christmas is in 11 days. Santa needs to start wrapping presents!!!
...the laughs I get when I watch Jude try to do something like his daddy. We interrupted a garage workout the other night to see what Porter was up to. Jude watched...and then, tried to imitate. This is his version of jump rope. I freak out in the video because he was getting closer and closer to getting hit with a kettle bell. Ouch.
...baby dancing skills. Porter is forever doing funny things with the boys. His favorite is to make them dance. No idea why this is SO FUNNY to me each and every time he does it. But, I die laughing.
...the bike track in my house. It's too cold outside to visit the park, so Jude is going stir crazy. Being able to ride his bike inside helps a little. His balance is amazing for such a little guy. He takes the corners with his feet up...and hasn't collided with a kitchen cabinet in a long time. Knock on wood.
...the patience that the staff at Kidville shows when working with children. Jude loves TJ...the man who comes in at the end of class to play the guitar during music time. On this particular day, he wanted to play the guitar too. TJ agreed...even when he messed up the song a bit. TJ's small act of kindness meant so much to Jude. He talked about the guitar for days.
The thought of facing the day without any caffeine frightens me. So much so, that I'd willing take these two knuckleheads to the grocery store at 8 am on a chilly morning to stock up. Have I mentioned that Cousin Eddie Jude still insists on pushing and filling his own buggy? He's pretty helpful, so I don't mind when he detours to the bakery to cash in on the free kid's cookie.
Noah seemed to enjoy his first time riding up front. His head was on a swivel taking in all the sights and sounds. He's an enormous flirt...even more so than his big brother...so, he was zoning in on the ladies.
I couldn't pass up these beauties. Christmas Tree Cakes hold a special place in my heart. I grew up eating these during the holidays. I decided it was time to pass on the tradition and give one to Jude. He loved it...and might have had seconds.
Bribes work. I use them. I promised these guys donuts if they behaved in the store. They were PERFECT...so, we hiked across the parking lot to Dunkin' Donuts for our 2nd breakfast. Noah doesn't think it's fair that he doesn't get any. He kept trying to grab one of Jude's with his sticky little hands. But, nothing comes between Jude and his donuts. Nothing.
The highlight of the morning was seeing a RED firetruck, a YELLOW firetruck and a BLUE garbage truck in the parking lot on our way back to the car. Jackpot! I thought Jude was going to jump out of his skin in excitement.
Watching: Once Upon A Time: Season 2, X-Factor, RHOBH, Survivor, The Challenge, Top Chef.
Listening to: Humidifiers. From 10 am to 5 pm, I have one child asleep. Therefore, I carry a video monitor around with me all day long. I've got one ear tuned into whatever is happening in that particular child's room. Normally, I'm listening to the quiet hum of the humidifiers while they take turns sleeping peacefully.
Thinking about: Always being needed. From the moment I wake up until 8 pm at night, someone is always needing something from me...a snack, a bottle, a diaper changed, a meal, someone to play with, a bath, the channel changed, a mess cleaned up, a nap, a shoulder to cry on, discipline, etc. Not to mention, between tending to children, the household needs attention too. The laundry has to get done. The kitchen needs to be cleaned. The errands need to be run. Dinner needs to be cooked (but, most days, isn't). Somedays, it's absolutely exhausting. It's no wonder that when the last little head hits the pillow...I want to collapse. I want to crawl in a comfy bed with the lights off...zone out with 20 minutes of mindless TV and fall asleep. I need as much rest as possible to deal with the next 24 hours of Groundhog Day. I'm in a funk. I miss the afternoon nap I used to get when my kids slept at the same time. I'm losing my identity in all this chaos. I can't stay awake long enough to have a decent conversation with my husband...who is equally as exhausted from dealing with a whirlwind of issues at work. This too shall pass, right? Maybe I need a bottle of 5-hour energy. Lol.
Trying to figure out: How I can suck it up and be a better wife/mother/individual.
Looking forward to: The holidays. I might get a nap or two since there will be no shortage of helping hands around.
Reading: People magazine. I've been stuck in the same book (No Easy Day) for about 2 months now because I have no time to read anything for an extended amount of time. There are so many new books out from my favorite authors that I'm dying to read. Maybe over the holidays?
Making me happy: A helpful, understanding husband. Two beautiful children. Gel manicures so I don't have chipped nail polish for weeks. New Frye boots that I wear 24/7. Sun-dried tomato hummus. My bed.
Man...what a tough day. It's barely 2 pm and I'm ready to check myself into an insane asylum. My two little ones have been especially difficult today. Jude is in a very needy stage. I think he notices how much of my time Noah consumes...and gets jealous. He's always grabbing my hand and asking me to sit with him, play with him, eat with him, etc. I know there will come a day when I'm begging him to hang out with me...I keep telling myself that. But, come on...I can't even walk to the laundry room without him calling my name. It didn't help that Noah decided that instead of taking a 3 hour nap, he'd settle for 28 minutes. 28 MINUTES is not okay with me? And, it's not okay with Jude because it screwed up his alone time with me.
They say no one puts Baby in a corner, but today...I did. I loaded Noah's chew toy with some peaches, threw him in his high chair and shoved him in the corner of the kitchen.
Luckily, the snack bought me about 30 minutes to make lunch with Jude, sit down to eat with him and cuddle on the couch for 5-10 minutes during his pre-nap cartoon. After some quality time with Jude, I went back to tend to this one. I found him covered from head to toe in sticky peach syrup. I didn't care. At least, he was having a good time. And, he smelled and tasted delicious!!
Since Noah boycotted his morning nap today, he went down earlier than anticipated for his afternoon nap. Both boys are asleep. That NEVER happens anymore. So, I'm going to make the most of it and catch a little Zzzzzzs myself.
The proper way to eat raspberries uses the 5 finger method.
Pirate Noah in his blue boat. This is what desperation looks like. I needed Noah in one place while I ran all over the house for a few minutes. This is what I came up with. And, it worked...until, he tried to climb overboard. I will be happy when this little one is mobile. He's sick of sitting still.
Direct TV is the devil. Now, Porter and I don't have to fight over the TV with the DVR anymore. We have DVR in both rooms now. This means we never see each other. =)
Heaven could be defined as a sweet and salty snack all in one. This means only one trip to the pantry instead of two...even though I should probably be burning those extra calories. PB Chocolate popcorn. Delicious.
This is what I like to see over the video monitor...two brothers playing peacefully. Noah loves to be in Jude's room. And, Jude is slowly learning to share his toys. This is a much better scene than what I often see. I've been a witness to a game Jude likes to play called "Push Noah Over". Lol.
I bought my gingerbread house kit in November. That should give a hint to how excited I was. This weekend, we finally brought it out to decorate. Looking back, this might be the last year that I purchase just ONE. Yep, my OCD makes it complicated to let a toddler take over on the design. =)
The kit I bought came with a Christmas tree. I thought this made it much more fun. I was lucky to have enough mint M&Ms for the Christmas tree lights because I was working against Jude's appetite. He was devouring them left and right. He'd hand me on...and eat three. Oh well.
We took a break before tackling the house. I needed to come up with a better way to keep Jude working WITH me and not AGAINST me. =)
Patience should be defined as the act of waiting for a toddler to unwrap a peppermint. I wanted him to feel as involved as possible, so I let him do all the unwrapping...in between licking the icing tools.
The finished product turned out better than expected. Jude's favorite part was lining up the Dots on the top of the house...and sticking the sour hearts on the sides of the roof.
Next year, I'll have two little helpers! I might enlist Porter's help for that.
I love this little guy...but, he's giving me a run for my money these days.
I don't want to use the term "terrible twos" because I don't believe it applies. Jude is still very well-mannered and polite. He follows directions. He says "please" and "thank you". And, I rarely have to discipline him.
But...isn't there always a but...lol...he's having a hard time controlling his emotions. He's become very, VERY dramatic. Recently, he's gotten into hitting himself when he's upset. And, now...if we disagree, it's the end of his little world. He throws himself on the ground and rolls around as if he's been shot. Neither of these episodes lasts longer than 3-4 minutes. And, I know they are completely normal for this age. But, they bother me. It breaks my heart that he's having a hard time understanding the frustration he feels. The only way he knows how to express himself right now is to hit himself. I'm doing exactly what the pediatrician said. I'm ignoring it and just providing hugs and kisses when it's over. It's working slowly. The episodes have shortened. He'll scrap himself off the floor when he realizes that I'm not watching. Thank goodness.
I swear, you need a degree in psychology to raise children. They are curious little creatures. I know together we'll get through all this odd little phases. Until then, all you can do is love them...and, maybe give in and let them have one more Hershey Kiss to avoid a rolling on the floor episode. =)
Yesterday, Jude tried his first soccer class at Las Vegas Indoor Soccer. I've been eagerly awaiting this day. Jude has a pretty busy schedule, so I chose to wait until swimming ended before signing him up for anything else. Soccer runs in my family. Jude's uncle Justin is a phenomenal player who saw success at the national level. I'm hoping...some of that talent got sprinkled on Jude. =)
The program is called "Little Kickers" and this age group is called "Cottontails". The kids are 2.5 - 3.5 years old. Jude and I were both a little nervous when we saw the other kids arrive for class because they were big and loud. There's a huge difference between a 2.5 and a 3.5 year old...in size, coordination, attention span, etc. I think we were both intimidated because Jude was the youngest one.
I knew this would happen. The balls are red...just like the balls in his Kidville pre preschool class. So, he thought they were "bouncy balls"...and he spent the first few minutes of free play wondering why no one else was bouncing on them.
After free play, the group warmed up. They started with a foot race...which Jude actually won. I was shocked! They coach taught us a lot of drills used to develop coordination. I am excited to work on them at home and to teach Jude to not only more forward...but backwards and sideways.
The class was an hour long...which is a long time for Jude. He decided he needed a rest and propped himself up on the inflatable field dividers.
Some videos. They worked on jumping. Believe it or not, Jude just learned how to jump off two feet and land on two feet. It's funny because he yells "JUMP" when he jumps. I'm proud at how well he follows directions. Kids much older than him would lose interest and run off. And, there is a screamer in the class...you'll hear him at the end. He scared Jude to death.
A video showing a great drill to help develop balance and foot skills. I think we need some cones at the house! Here, the cones were trees in a forrest. After we knocked down all the trees by kicking a ball into them, it was time to stand them back up using only our feet.
The best part of any class is the stickers at the end. I don't think Jude has ever worked this hard for a sticker in his short life. They were penguin stickers...which made it lots more fun.
At the end, the group does a little huddle and shouts "Go Team". Adorable.
I think the class was a success. I think it will be good for Jude. We plan on starting after the new year, since we will be busy until then.
Now, Santa just needs to bring some soccer gear so he'll be better prepared. =)
