Seriously. Can't. Keep. Up.

The four of us have been out of town, been sick, on antibiotics, gotten infections, killed a deer, not sleeping well, starting rice cereal, not eating well, and painting like crazy in the past two weeks.  I'm serious, I don't remember what day it is or how we got here, but we have been extremely busy.  I'm not complaining at all, but I can't find time to update! 

We are all now well and moving forward... 

Oh, did I mention the boys turned 19 and 6 months old last week?!

6 Months Went By TOO Quickly...

Actually written a month late on 12/20/10, but a mother's work is UNENDING so forgive me!

In His 6th Month, Samuel:
Found his feet.
Made funny faces.
Laughed out loud when you tickled him...
Laughed so hard when you told him he was "STINKY!"
Ruined lots of his clothes being "stinky." 
Loved attention...  of any kind.
Unless Daniel decided to sit on him.
Or take his toys.
Or push him.
Liked Daniel's hugs and kisses.
Mimic-ed faces others made.
Was checked for RSV, and was FINE!
But had to go on breathing treatments.
Wore size 3-6 months in clothes.
Rolled over and over and over.
Was the sweetest lamb you've ever seen for Fall Fest.
Visited his Nana's family in Dyersburg, TN.
Got a lot of love from his great aunts, Dina and Pattie.
Visited Gatlinburg for the first time with his family.
Loved the lights in Dollywood.
Chewed on Mom's McAllister's sweet tea cup...
We may have a tea drinker on our hands!
Really liked his brother's xylophone.
Tried his exersaucer for the first time.
Was beginning to sit up on his own!

Look, Mommy!  I found my feet!

Well, hello, little Pappy.

Samuel looked just like his Pappy,

who passed away in May of 2008.

Happy boy all the time.

Making the same faces Daddy does.

Watching t.v. with my big brother.

Samuel wasn't so sure about this costume situation.

But he got the hang of it!

The second time he wore it

was to his brother's MDO Trunk or Treats,

and he was such a sweet little thing!

Even Daddy and Lion admired him!

Meeting his great-aunt Dina for the first time!

Getting lots of kisses...

Just like a little monkey.

Sharing the xylophone with Daniel

Looking like Mommy

Watching the parade at Dollywood

With Daddy in Dollywood

Getting dressed up for a day in Gatlinburg

Waiting in the van for our table at Bennett's.

Wanted a drink of sweet tea.

Trying out his exersaucer.

Attempting to sit up.

WHOA!

19 Months FLEW By...

Actually written on a month late on 12/20/10, but who's counting?!

In Daniel's 19th Month, He:
WAS A HAM. 
Made everyone laugh.
At ANY given moment.
Had his 18 month shots, and was AWESOME.
Did not cry over them one bit.
Had a sucker during his shots, and it helped.
Hid all over the house. 
We knew he was up to something if he got quiet.
Loved to make messes.  and not clean them up.
Was a lion for the Fall Fest at church.
Little brother was a lamb.
Would say animal noises...  HILARIOUS.
Visited West TN to see Aunts Dina & Pattie and Cousin James Evan.
Started saying phrases like, "No, No." and "I do it."
Liked playing with his brother and trains.
Did not like sharing with his brother.
Hated when his brother touched his trains.
Gave good kisses and hugs.
Always wanted to hold Samuel.
Went to Gatlinburg with his whole family.
Loved eating pancakes and eggs.
Enjoyed Dollywood and seeing the lights.
Definitely loved the trolley and train rides most.
Rode the "Polar Express" experience.
Visited Cades Cove but slept through most of it.
Wore a size 7 shoe, 18 months in clothes, and size 4 diapers.
Weighed 26 lbs.
Continued loving Mother's Day Out.
Was able to figure out safety covers on the door knobs.
Snuck into bathrooms to play in the toilet water.
Crammed toilet paper into the toilet.
Forced his parents to clean more often.  :)
Loved "colors" which meant coloring.
Sang all the time.
Said his alphabet from A to P.

Sat in Samuel's bumbo...  On Daddy.

Being funny while eating his chicken at Zaxby's.

MDO Pumpkin Party meant he came home with goodies.

This cookie was soooo good,

or so I guessed...

He would not share.

The sucker he received seconds before his shots.

Watching t.v. with his baby brother.

Can YOU spot Daniel?!

Oh, okay.

The Lion and the Lamb

Playing Bingo at church's Fall Fest

At MDO church's Trunk or Treats

Obviously had such a good time...

He didn't want to leave!

Went to Dyersburg to visit his great-aunts

Giving brotherly love

Their first time EVER to share!

Seriously.

Outside the Rockin' Cars track at Dollywood

Hanging with Mimi and Pa in Dollywood

Coloring in Santa's Workshop in Dollywood

You wouldn't believe how hard getting a decent picture is!

Holding his brother

At MDO's Thanksgiving Dinner

Making his teacher, Ms. Dana, laugh!

One of his favorite ladies at MDO, Mrs. Becky

We are B-U-S-Y

I have so much updating to do, but I cannot, for the life of me, find time to do so.  Here are some things the boys and I have been up to lately:

• The boys are really starting to show signs of what they think of each other.  Daniel sometimes gets jealous of Samuel when he's playing with his baby toys; for some reason, Daniel thinks the baby's toys are supposed to be his!  They kiss each other all the time.  They even play together now.
• Samuel is rolling all over the place.  He rolled off the bed the other night after we had walked out of the room, (for approximately 45 seconds) and THAT is how we learned he was so mobile.
• Samuel and Daniel got their first look at Christmas lights this past week and LOVED them.
• Daniel's vocabulary is astonishing!  He is saying, "No, no!"  He loves to point at "Caws (cars)," "Choo-choos," "Hats," and "Sam" or "Yule" (both of which are his baby brother).  He literally will repeat almost any word we say...  Yikes, right?!
• Daniel is a kissing fool.  He walks up to stranger kids and kisses them.  He loves to hug and blow kisses, and if you tell him you love him, he'll kiss his hand and say, "Muah."
• He's learned to hold a fork and eat with it!  He prefers drinking from adult cups rather than his sippy cups.  It's a hot mess most of the time.
• Daniel can "show" you where these body parts are:  eyes (he either squeezes them shut or covers them with his hands), ears (pulls them out like elephant ears), teeth (puts his fingers in his mouth), belly (lifts his shirt and points to it), and nose (sticks his whole finger up it).
• We went on a 5-day vacation to Gatlinburg.  Daniel loved the Steam Engine train ride at Dollywood the very best.  Samuel enjoyed trying pizza for the first time, all thanks to Grandpa.
• Both boys have infections.  Not-so-nice ones.  Daniel also has a sinus infection - he's on antibiotics and Mucinex.  Samuel has an ear infection and early signs of infant bronchialitis - he's also on antibiotics and is receiving breathing treatments three times a day.
• We need to have a yard sale.  Seriously, we have no idea how we've been so blessed with material things!
• I am painting non.stop.all.the.time.every.minute.the.boys.allow.me.  That's probably an exaggeration somewhat, but my wait list is INSANE!  I'm so grateful to have friends and family who support the gift God has given me.
• Brian is busy studying...  He stays busy with his ministry and the church!  He's in 2 or 3 prisons, preaching and teaching God's word.  He's doing some intense Wednesday night Bible studies, and he is doing a GREAT job preaching through the Beattitudes on Sunday mornings. 
• We are so thankful to have each other this season...  We've lost so many friends and loved ones since marrying each other almost four years ago that holidays are a special time for us to reflect and remember how GOOD God truly is to us. 

Playing together with a toy for the very first time

Throwing leaves while in the mountains

Smiley, little dinosaur

Brotherly love

Our family at Dollywood

Boys Equal Noise

Daniel is a loud child...  He makes lots of noise.  He screams...  throws fits....  does NOT need a drum set because he's one all by himself...  fights sleep...  always gets his way.

Tonight was no exception.  In fact, he screamed so much after Brian put him to bed that Daddy ended up going and getting him out of the crib.  Daniel probably danced and played an extra 30 - 45 minutes until his noise outside of the bed was as much as it was inside the crib. 

Did I mention we were trying to watch a movie?!

It was right about the time that Daniel had ripped his train tracks apart and was banging them together that Brian actually sounded like a parent.  You know, the kind of statement that your parents said to you, and you vowed to NEVER say something like that to your children?!  He looked right at Daniel and exclaimed, "Daniel, if you keep making all this noise, I'm putting you back in bed."  As if Daniel really understood.  Like Daniel would actually stop hitting the tracks together.  As if Brian hadn't just gone into Daniel's room not an hour before to get the boy OUT of bed for making TOO MUCH NOISE! 

I have never laughed so hard in my life...