Happy birthday Sweet Baby Ray!

Ray,

Today you are a year old, and my eyes swell up with tears thinking about how much you have meant to me from the day you were conceived. We prayed for a healthy baby boy and God gave us just that. You gave me the easiest pregnancy and the quickest labor- 2 hours after we got the hospital.

When you were born you had beautiful auburn hair and baby blue eyes. Since you have had 3 sets of hair come in, but have maintained your eye color from your Mama! You have been unbelievably readable. You have followed a schedule since you were born and have been sleeping through the night since you were 6 weeks old. You love playing in your crib and you have never woken up unhappy (but maybe a few times from teething). You have the loudest scream I've ever heard but it makes me beam when you and Joey have scream offs thinking about all of the fun times ahead for you and your brother.

You are absolutely polar opposite of LJ!!! I love that you two have completely develeped into your own and still own my entire heart. You have never met a stranger, and many of my friends call you "Smiles." Since the day you were born I can honestly say I could drop you off anywhere and you wouldn't miss a beat.

Even the sweet old Asian lady (who can't speak a lick of English) at the Farmer's Market completely agrees with me that you might be the happiest baby alive! After seeing her at all of the local markets this summer, we grew to recognize this lady. We went a few months without seeing her and she spotted us in the mall. She motioned for her group of 8 to come over and see Ray Ray because "he is the happiest baby I've ever seen."

Ray Ray- I know God molded you. I know you are going to be the most laid back easy going kid to raise. I know you are going to make so many people happy as you cross their paths through the years. I pray for you every morning and every night. I pray that God helps me raise you to be ther very best you can be. Today I couldn't be happier and couldn't feel more lucky to have you be my son.

You are a sweet baby, and I can't wait for you to grow big and strong and turn into our Big Play Ray!

Happy birthday Raymond Eli! I love you!

Mama

Crazy Boys!!

Having 2 boys is a joy!! They are starting to play together, which brings a huge smile to my face-- even if they games are scream offs or chase (crawling style). We loooove jumping in our cribs! We officially love school. We started carpool which has really helped. We have a number in our car window (lucky number 7) so the teachers know which kid it is and bring them out. Ray and I don't have to get out of the car. It's awesome! This is Joey's typical school outfit. He requests his letter jacket with jeans for school days.

We went to Ft Myers for a week with my folks and had a ball. February is such a great time to see the beach. We swam 3-4 hours a day and soaked up the sun on the beach. LJ was soooo into the flight. The pilot even let him take the plane for a spin.

Ray has 6 teeth now- 2 on top and 4 on bottom. He had his first ear infection before we left, and I'm a proud Mama to say it was the first time on an antibiotic. It's amazing how 2 kids can be sooo different.

Trying to get a family pic- hahahhaha!

This is what we went to bed to at night.... need I say more.

Books with Grandpa every night was a must. Thanks Pop Pop!

Baby blue learned how to sit in a high chair finally..... thank goodness!

I want to go back.

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?!?!?!