Less than a month....

until our Little Ray of Sunshine turns 1...... unbelievable, huh?

Sledding

Happy 3rd Birthday Sloanie Taylor May!

Hope you liked your new lunch box!!! We love you!

Winter

Isn't it amazing how winter can give you the blues?? I'm over the snow. I loved December, and two trip in February won't be all bad..... but I'd like to kiss January goodbye!

Hmmm... what's new around here? Ray is cruisin' everywhere, babbles and claps on command. He is such an incredibly easy baby. He waits patiently till someone glances at him so he can give you the biggest grin He sits in his crib babbling and the second we look at him he smiles the hardest I have ever seen anyone smile. He has 3 teeth on bottom and one tooth on top- random, huh? He weighs in at about 24 lbs and is about 75% in height for babes his age. We just started some solid foods, and I'm counting down the days till I can get rid of bottles, formula and baby food. Just recently Ray and LJ have started to play together and I can see how fun it is going to get. They love playing music and I love watching Ray feel the rhythm.

Now for LJ... all we do is basketball and play instruments. He knows every instrument there is and has no problem calling out the Pep Band if they don't have the french horn or cello. Basketball is right up there too. At night before bed he wants me to tell him a story about a little basketball player named Joey that grows up to be a big basketball player that plays for IU, and that is when the Mommy in me comes in where I get to tell him he will only be a BIG basketball player if he sleeps like a big boy. I catch him humming the IU fight song on a daily basis (who is this kid?), and he would rather practice his free throws and jump shots than have a treat.

LJ still drinks Soy milk and I'm having a hard time deciding what I will start Ray on in March. Joey is so close to potty training himself. He prefers to wear big boy underwear at home and doesn't have any accidents. He also likes to take off his diaper at random public restrooms to "try" and go. We really have pushed it much.... just yet. The big boy bed is still waiting on him, but he hasn't tried to crawl out of his crib so we're keeping him there. My sleep just happens to be too important. Ever since we got his adenoids out and a 2nd set of tubes, he's been Mr. Social Bug. He is actually engaging in converstations with everyone at family get togethers and waits for the day he gets to go back to school (Tuesday).

I see how opposite these 2 boys are, but I see their heart of gold shining already. They are so sweet and perfect in my eye and I just love having boys. I peronsonally am counting down the days till opening day at Greenwood Little League this year. Being a mom is hard though. I never knew how much guilt there would be involved. I still find myself going to bed at night wondering if I spent enough time talking to these friends or these relatives, wondering if I didn't spend enough time with Ray Ray or LJ, wondering if I even asked my husband how his day was or called my sister to see how work was going. I find myself feeling like I can't give everyone 100% and that's a tough feeling. I feel like mothers hit a point in their life where they start to feel okay with all of this. I'm still trying to get there. I just can't wait when it does.

Joey-isms

Top 10 "Quirky" Details About Me

10. I must have two blankets (my ups) for bed, but only one for my morning milk. Silky side up. Must cover toes.

9. I will only wear my sleeveless, mesh, generic Notre Dame basketball jersey to play basketball. Oh yea, I've been playing basketball for 72 straight hours. The shirt is getting a little funky!

8. I love sharing with my little brother Raymond. He can play with any of my toys as long as I am not playing with them. But, turns out, I only want to play with the toys that Ray likes. Weird.

7. I've been to a lot of basketball games lately (high school, college, CYO). But, I really haven't seen any of the games. I love watching the band. I CANNOT believe that the Greenwood High School Pep Band (13 time State Champs) did not have a glockenspiel last Friday night. But they did have the Bongos!

6. I am very easy to put to bed at night. I only ask that my Mom and Dad give me a "2 minute" heads up. Then I ask to shoot that basketball "last time". Then I need "2 minutes". Then I need one more "last time". But then, I promise, only "2 minutes". Ok, "last time."

5. Is it normal to drink a gallon of milk? Every morning?

4. Dad thinks I may be spending a little too much time with Mommy. I don't get it. I just told Dad that my favorite thing to do is shopping while I was filing my toenails. Daddy gets messed up sometimes.

3. Mommy and Daddy were laughing at me the other day. I thought I was being very descriptive when we were driving down Main Street and I called out everything I saw. "Hi
chicky shoppe, hi taco place, hi breakfast place...and dinner place, hi coffee shoppe!" (We really drove past McDonalds, Taco Bell, Waffle and Steak and Starbucks!)

2. My favorite answer to "Joey, what do you want to do today?" is, "Do Today!!!"

1. Mom and Dad finally introduced me to chocolate. And cupcakes. And Christmas cookies. And ice cream. And cinnamon rolls. And donuts. Wow! I got these all the time around Christmas time. Why can't we do Christmas all year long?!?!?!

Practicing...

brushing our teeth, sharing,

and kitchen basketball.

You can never start too early.

PS We miss you already GG Kurtz.

Tear

I'm so sad December is gone. I wasn't ready for 2011. I wanted December to stay forever. There was so much to do and so much fun to be had. Here are just a few things....

We saw Santa at least 7 times and found a new love for Von Maur (or just the escalators). The new train ride at the mall completely stole our hearts. I was a little disappointed we just went to Macy's and back though.

We went on the Noblesville Polar Express Train ride, which I will attempt to do every year. We road with Santa, Mrs. Clause, Frosty and the elves. It was the perfect trip to get us ready for Christmas.

Sydney loved it too!!!

We went to the IU/Penn State game and got some serious TV time. Once again, this is somethign I'd like to do over Christmas break every year.

We did so much more- made cookies, Children's Museum trips, Eitlejorg adventures, parties, presents, donating to Santa's piggy bank (Salvation Army), watching Polar Express at least 5 times a day, reading Christmas books, talking about Santa and his reindeers, being a "good boy", cruisin' around to find Christmas lights, staying up late and learning to give.

I'll miss you December. See you next year.