Jude is Two

Our littlest man is two.  This kid makes us smile, giggle, and shake our head every single day.  The way he runs around the house on his toes is comical and his long, red locks are, too.  He has us all wrapped around his finger and we just adore him more than we can say.  Here is what Jude is up to these days...

• Jude's favorite things in the world right now are trains.  He will play with his trains and train table for long stretches of time in his room. He is a bit happier if someone agrees to play with him.
• Jude is learning to talk, slowly but surely.  Our favorites right now are: 'I need help', 'Momma' (said so lovingly), Dadda/Daddy (also said lovingly), 'Choo-choo', and 'pizza'.
• Jude has mastered sleeping.  He takes a good two to three hour nap in the afternoon and sleeps through the night.  We love him for it.
• Jude loves it when someone reads to him.  Any books with trucks or trains are a go-to.

• Eating is something Jude does well.  He will plow through food with the best of them.  His favorites are peas, pizza, raspberries, Uncrustables, macaroni and cheese, blueberries, cookies, and any kind of meat. 
• Kisses and 'nigh-night' are a must before bed.  He goes around to each of us and doles them out, me taking all I can get and Luke and Lily reluctantly stopping their play to love on their little brother.
• We joke with Jude about his belly and he always loves to show us his 'big, fat belly'.

• Anything with a lid is exciting for Jude.  He loves to open and unscrew containers.  We literally thought about getting him a bunch of empty bottles for his birthday this year, but for some reason he likes them full.
• One of Jude's secret pleasures is going into his big brother's room to play with his Legos.  If Luke is distracted, Jude will make his way to his Lego table and play with each and every creation. Thank goodness he doesn't feel compelled to put little pieces in his mouth.
• Jude is a pretty social kid.  He will try and talk anyone into reading him a book or playing trains and cars with him.

We feel so incredibly blessed to call Jude our's.  Our lives are better because he is in our family.  We love you to pieces, sweet Jude!

Jude is 18 months

Our beautiful boy is 18 months.  How?  I'm not sure.  I haven't been writing here lately, but I want to keep updating all you sweet readers on our little life.  And here it is, our boy is a year and a half.  He is growing and changing and still our Baby Jude that we all adore.  Here is what Jude has been up to lately:

• Jude is the smiliest kid.  His grin these days is filled with lots of teeth and we can't help but smile back at him.
• Pacifiers are still a thing for this boy.  He sleeps with about five every night and always has one close by.
• Lily knows how to make Jude laugh.  It's like they have a language all their own and it is the sweetest thing to watch unfold.
• Jude loves blueberries, macaroni and cheese, peas, and peanut butter and jelly.  I'm not sure if that's what he really loves or if that's just what we have been eating a lot of these days. (?)
• Judes loves to organize (like his momma).  He will sort and stack and pile things and I absolutely adore watching him do this.

• All boy, that's what our Jude is.  He loves all animals, dirt, tractors, and climbing.  
• Speaking of climbing, we can't get Jude to stop.  Sometimes I feel the most important job in my life right now is keeping him alive.  He wants to climb on everything and he, without a doubt, keeps me on my toes.
• Our Jude has been called a girl more than once these past several months. We just can't cut his curls.
• Bless this child for his sleep.  He didn't always sleep well, but these days he naps and sleeps at night like a dream.  
• Jude loves Abel (our dog) so much and giggles every time he gets the chance to pet him or see him.

• Outside.  Jude is an outdoorsman at heart and could wander and play for hours in our backyard.  He just needs a lot of sunscreen on that pale beach body of his.

Time is flying by with this one and we are savoring every single minute with him.

Jude is 15 months

Our littlest man is 15 months old (actually almost 16) #thirdchild.  His personality is absolutely starting to shine through and it is a joy to see him interact with us and others. 

Here is what our Jude is up to these days:

• Jude loves cabinets he is not supposed to be in.  He is partial to the cabinets under the sink as well as any cabinet that houses glass jars or serving ware.  
• Sorting, stacking, and lining up are things Jude does in his spare time. His favorite things to use are bottles, but will also use magnets, cans of food, or other small toys.
• Abel is Jude's puppy.  He can say 'Abel' when prompted and is more affectionate towards him than almost anyone else in the family.
• Jude still takes a pacfier.  He sleeps with 5-6 in his crib at a time because he loves to throw them out onto the floor and then is upset when he ends up with none to use.
• Jude can say the words 'Abel,' 'all done', 'Momma', 'Dadda', and can sign 'please'.  He says 'Abel' the most.
• Jude enjoys milk, blueberries, waffles, taco night, peas, and crackers. He definitely tends to like vegetables over fruit.
• Jude still takes two naps a day, but is moving towards only one.  He sleeps from 7:30-7:30 at night.  Usually we can find him playing in his crib when we get him up in the morning.
• Luke and Lily are two of Jude's favorite people.  He loves watching them and trying to join in on their fun.  Luke and Lily try to tolerate it as much as a five and three year old can.  
• All the kids love it when Kevin plays 'Hey Jude', but Jude is the center of attention with his dancing skills.  He sways his little hips back and forth and it is the cutest thing.
• Being outside is one of Jude's favorite things in the world.  He loves to swing, pet Abel, and wander around the yard.

We love our Jude to pieces and he makes us smile each and everyday.  Stay little sweet boy!

Lily is three

Our only girl is three today.  Our Lily Jo has made us laugh until we cry, cry until we cry some more, and smirk and smile at her antics.  She is loving and lovable, fiery and fearless, beautiful and (almost always) barelegged, sincere and silly.  She is our girlish red-headed middle child and fits all the stereotypes to go with those designations.

Photo by Ashley Otte Photography

We absolutely love her more than we can say and our family would not be complete without her free spirit and bright disposition.  Our Lily girl is getting bigger and smarter and lovelier everyday.  

Lily has started loving all the princesses.  Ariel is her favorite, but she loves reading and talking about them all.  She received some princesses for her birthday and hasn't put them down since.  

There are either screams of glee or screams of agony (almost always Lily's) when Luke and Lily play together.  They are best friends, rivals, siblings, and love to play together except when one of them does something to completely upset the other.  But, when they are playing together harmoniously, it's as if an angelic song is drifting through the halls of our home. 

Lily moved into a big girl bed about a month and a half ago and she is loving it.  She loves the freedom it brings to squish every single stuffed toy or doll she has into her bed as well as a flashlight, books, socks, and Jude's pacifiers.  She also loves that Daddy and Mommy can cuddle with her in her bed at night.  (We love this, too.)

Jude is a fun playmate for Lily.  She loves to speak to him in her squeaky-talking-to-a-baby-voice.  She also loves to 'tackle' him (help me, Jesus) and chase him around the house.  Thankfully, Jude usually is happy with excitement.

Lily loves books like her big brother.  Her favorites at the moment are: Minnie Mouse anything, Disney Princess anything, Dinosaur Farm, Big and Little, and The Magic Tree House series on audiobook.

Twinning with my daughter is not something I thought I would be into as a mom, but I am so so in.  Lily loves to dress like me and, I'll be honest, I'm soaking it in as much as possible.  It's one of the only ways I get her to wear what I want her to wear.  She has a strong opinion these days, unless of course, she is matching me. 

Sometimes it feels as if we have a teenager in our home.  Lily's emotions run high and deep and wide.  She can grow happy or sad or mad at the drop of a pink marker to the floor.  Mommy and Daddy are learning patience and deep breathing techniques and how to talk her back down to earth.

Lily has gone back and forth between what foods she prefers.  Right now her favorites are salad with croutons, cottage cheese, goldfish, dried cranberries, over easy eggs, strawberries and raspberries, bacon, smoothies, steak, and M&Ms.  

Lily still loves to care for her baby dolls.  She has a baby boy and a baby girl that each go by that name (Baby Boy and Baby Girl).  She will take them on walks in her stroller, change their diapers, feed them, and ask Mommy to dress them. 

Lily girl's smile lights up our home and I am so thankful God picked her for our family.

  

Here is a walk down memory lane with my beautiful girl.

Happy Birthday sweet girl of mine!