NC Zoo and Connor is 6 months!

What an awesome day Landon and I had with Caroline and Allison on Monday! We went to the NC Zoo in Asheboro. The day was beautiful, the company was spectacular and the kids were on their very best behavior. It was a perfect day. Allison is my best friend from college. We have been through many many ups and downs together in this life. Her little girl, Caroline, is just a doll. It is so special to me to see the almost instant connection that Caroline and Landon have had since the beginning. It is almost like they just know...how special their mommies are to each other. Just as Allison and I are much like kindred spirits, so are these two.

Some moments at the zoo were quite interesting, I must say. We were introduced to chimpanzees and their crazy antics. Caroline and Landon were standing at the double Plexiglas window that separates the chimps from us. All of a sudden, without provoking I might add, a chimp thrust his entire body at the glass where they were standing! I picked my little buddy right up and held him. He was ok and said, "Mommy, that was a little bit scary." Followed by, "Mommy, that monkey was a little bit nuts!" Too funny. I must say, I was startled myself. I had no idea chimps were so aggressive!

Also, while visiting the Lions and talking about "Alex" from the movie Madagascar, we overhead a woman saying to her son, "Don't swing on the rail. You will fall in the cage and the lion will eat you. Lions eat little boys who don't listen to their mommies!" One word for that comment. Nice. Needless to say, we found another place to view the lion away from the lovely mother teaching her child all about the dangers of predators while Landon and I were happily waving to our "friend" Alex. You all know what followed. Landon asked, "Mommy will that lion eat me?" Aughhhhh- that woman!

In other news, my Connor turned 6 months old on Friday. I have always heard that time flies with the second and boy is that true! Connor weighed in at 19.3 pounds, 27 3/4 inches long. He is our 85th-90th percentile kid in all areas! It is just so crazy! He is sitting up really well, he is cooing like crazy, has dropped a nap and is sleeping through the night most nights! He has found that he loves to roll over on his stomach at night and sleep snuggled up with his little hippo (his raffie). I am so glad to have my video monitor as the belly sleeping is a little nerve racking... :)

Connor is a very happy baby who is also very content the majority of the time. He has a wonderful smile and is very good at giving hugs. He loves his babysitters, Kim and Candace. He loves to watch Landon and frequently laughs at him. He loves to dance with me, sit on my hip and simply be with me. It is awesome being his mother. I never imagined being able to love another child as much as I love my Landon. It was so hard to fathom. But, much to my delight, the love I have for my sweet Connor is just what it is for Landon. A mother's love is so unique. When I look at these two boys, it is so hard to believe that they lived inside me for 9 months and have always been a part of me. It is just amazing. I feel very blessed and grateful.

Connor with the little girls in our playgroup that are close to his age. We all turned around and saw the "next generation" of our kids playing- look how big Connor looks!

Connor snuggled up with his sweet sweet babysitter, Kim. I am going to have to watch this ladies' man! :)

Top 10 Reasons we love Lyckebo!

First of all...in case you are wondering, Lyckebo is the name of my parents' cabin in Old Fort, NC. It means, "Happy Home" in Swedish. We took our very first overnight road trip with both boys this weekend. Here are the top 10 reasons it was a fabulous weekend.

10) Raffi learned to fly a Rocket ship (a plastic cooking spoon), complete with a song, "Rocket ship, Rocket ship" sung over and over and over and over.

9) Mom-mom got a chance for some real bonding with little Connor. So sweet how they rocked and how he smiles at just a glance of his Mom-mom now. :)

8) Landon had lots of one-one playtime with mommy, daddy, Pop and mom-mom. He even was caught peeing off the deck, he felt so free and one with the beautiful nature of the mountain! Pop and Daddy were so proud...I guess the re-training begins!

7) Pop's ribs. No need to say more except for YUM!

6) Landon got to see his very first waterfall. He was so thrilled with it and when asked about his favorite part of our trip, he said without hesitation, "Getting to see a waterfall!"

5) Lewis stories on the deck with Pop. Landon will literally sit in my dad's lap for an hour and listen to him tell stories about the squirrel named Lewis. It is just plain precious to watch.

4) Getting to see Pa Cole on the way down. He is an amazing great-grandfather to our boys and just plain proud. He is definitely one of the most genuine people I know and is always happy to see family. He is happy to share his wisdom and the many happy memories he and Ma Cole made throughout their lives. They were married for 65 years- what a legacy. We really miss Ma Cole and wish she could have had a chance to meet our Connor.

3) Connor got to bond with his namesake, my dad, Doug. What a gift to watch my parents as grandparents. What wonderful memories it brings back for me from growing up.

2) Raffi got to see the waterfall. Heehee.

1) Two wonderful little boys who travelled great! They rode in the car, slept and ate great. They made Stan and I SO proud!

Beautifully Inadequate Me

New daisies planted this weekend.

Stan and I pre-kids at the beach 7 years ago! Hard to believe!

I read the greatest BLOG post a friend sent me this week. See this. I started thinking about it and it really resonated with how I have been feeling lately. My life has changed so much over the past 3 years. All for the better. All for two other human beings. What a huge gift it is that Stan and I have been given. How truly inadequate I feel so often. But, where do I find my strength and my "adequacy"?

I was challenged by the quote "Humility, selflessness, and freedom await us when we embrace our inadequacies and rest in the shadow of the Perfect One." How do I do that when my day starts at 5:00am and doesn't end? I stay in the presence of the Lord. I cry to HIM for mercy and to HIM for help. I ask HIM for patience. I keep my "gaze on the beauty of the Lord" (Psalm 27:4).

I believe it is totally awesome that God gives us these insights just when we need them most. Sometimes I feel alone in my feelings and I put a little (or big) wall up. I shut down. It is in those times when I realize that I am not allowing God to pick me up. How easy! Just let him do it, let him pick me up, let him guide me. I wave my surrender flag and lift my life as a mom up to the Lord. How better a way to raise his children, his beautiful gifts, Landon and Connor.

How beautiful my women friends are. How beautiful my flowers. How beautiful my husband and I's relationship. How beautiful our children. Today, I celebrate my beautiful inadequacies. I celebrate them because they are what makes me rely on my Heavenly Father.


Connor playing (and loving) the piano.

Stan calls him the smallest "fratboy" ever. :)

Landon fingerpainting.

Landon and his Easter "popsicle"- as he calls it. :)

Landon is SO glad it is spring!

Easter, Connor's Milestones and Mickey Mouse!

We had a lovely Easter together yesterday and even got a few family shots and a couple of the boys (major effort there- esp. since Connor missed a nap!) We went to church after opening our Easter Bunny Baskets and talking about the Resurrection Story. A highlight of that conversation was when I asked Landon what happened to Jesus after he rose to heaven to which he replied, "That's when Buzz Lightyear and Zurg came." Not quite, but I can see the imagination trying to put all this together! :)

We got the boys together and Landon's incentive to smile was getting to watch the new movie he got for Easter, Toy Story 2, hence the reference to Buzz and Zurg. :)

Here is my happy boy! He loves loves loves to laugh at his mommy. He has also grown quite attached to my hip...

Connor is learning to sit up. I cannot believe it!

For Kay and Landon's birthdays I got them tickets to go see the Mickey Mouse Roadshow. It was a blast and particularly because Buzz and Woody were there! Landon was thrilled and Nanny bought him a lighted ball as a souvenir- he loves it and lights it up all the time! Those things are quite the rip off though. 20.00!

Here are the two birthday Mouseketeers! Landon was born on Kay's birthday which has always been really special. These two have quite a bond.

I even managed to get a squeeze in with my little man. He sure is growing up fast!

I hope you all had as nice an Easter as we did!

Fun Times with the Cole Boys

What a wonderful weekend we had! I got to visit with two of my best friends on Saturday. Crystal and I have actually been friends for 20 years in June! It is so hard to believe that I am old enough to have had friendships that are that long lasting! Heather and I have been friends for 14 years - also just hard to believe! We went shopping, sat and had coffee and donuts, ate dinner at the Olive Garden and did more shopping. It was just what I needed.

On Sunday we spent the whole day as a family. We actually played hookie from church, which is not something we ever do. We would NEVER make that a habit, but we needed a day not to rush around everywhere. Connor got to take his full nap, we went to Sam's club and the pet store for Landon to see the fish and were home by 1:00 to eat pizza and settle in for our afternoon naps. Connor didn't sleep so long, so he and I went out and I got a run in with the jogging stroller! Then we played outside when Landon and Stan got up and our neighbors came over. Porter and Landon had a blast playing ball with their daddies!

This week Connor really enjoyed prunes and bananas. He has been such a delight to feed! He just opens his little mouth and eats like a baby bird. He is still nursing like a champ and loves his oatmeal. This picture was taken during breakfast. He was in such a fantastic mood- usually he wakes up cooing and laughing and it continues through his breakfast. He is such a sweetheart!

Connor also loves his toy piano. He looks like a little Mozart sitting and playing the piano. If he ever goes into music, this picture will be priceless.

Connor even put on a concert for his big brother. It even looks like he is instructing Landon. How precious!

Landon got to have some fun this past Friday with his little girlfriend, Sophia and Ryan, two of our friends from playgroup (my sanity savers!). We made Easter cookies- a little crazy with an 21 month old, 2 1/2 year old and a 3 year old!

I let them sprinkle the sprinkles on top. Landon obviously enjoyed that part!

We are having a blast with these boys. Today I took them to the mall play area and Landon, though a little timid at first, really warmed up and loved sliding and crawling under the tunnels. Connor was just as happy as he could be because he got to watch the big kids.

I am constantly in awe of my children. I am also constantly praying for guidance and wisdom to be the best mother that I can be. What a gift!

Mommy Guilt

Well, Stan and I did have a chance to get away this weekend...and boy was it needed. We went to our dear friends Carol and Andy's wedding in Newport, NC. We got to spend one night away thanks to our lovely Aunt Moo-moo and Nanny.

The wedding was beautiful- right on the Albemarle Sound and the weather was absolutely perfect. It was a tear jerker for me as I watched my dear friend marry such a loving, caring, genuine man. It did my heart good.

We were invited to another wedding this weekend too- my cousin, Dan, and his now wife, Kara. It was in Tucson, AZ. We hated to miss it but could not make the distance with the two little ones- esp. Connor. Boy were we thinking of all those Freys though, we were there in spirit for sure!! Dan and his twin Greg, have always been very special to me. Our parents always made a point to get us kids together and it sure made a difference. I have always felt very close to my cousins and just hated to miss Dan's wedding. Booo.

So, where does the mommy guilt come in? Well, I did not feel guilty for leaving my little boys for a night. It was actually very good for Stan and I to spend that time away. I feel very strongly about caring for our marriage first so that we can better care for our children. The boys were left in very capable hands and had a great time.

I guess the guilt is just a part of it. Am I doing all the "right" things and by the way, what are the "right" things? And, particularly with my Landon. Landon has continued to be a very spirited child, one I absolutely adore, but do not know how to parent sometimes. I believe he is giving up his naps. That is ok with me as long as he has a "quiet time" and is not a holy terror at night. That is where the problem is now lying. He will not stay in his room and he screams and throws things. I cannot let Connor nap upstairs because of the noise level. I have tried positive and negative reinforcement, neither of which work. He can get out of his room even with the parent door handle.

Today, I told him he just needed to be quiet and stay in his room (he has books, puzzles, blocks) and I would come get him and we could go play outside. I feel like I am giving him and out, then I think- is he too young to be expected to sit there for an hour by himself being quiet? I don't know. The he looks and IS so tired that nighttime is a continuous battle. No fun for anyone.

One suggestion I read was to let him watch a movie for quiet time. I am not a huge fan of more TV. I try to limit it. I often feel like I know a lot about childhood development and behavior, but he definitely throws me for a loop...and OFTEN. Anyone have any great strategies?

Here are some recent pictures- enjoy!

Every time Landon is Superman, Stan has to be too!

Connor and his little girlfriend, Anna. They are a week apart and next door neighbors! We are so blessed to have playmates right next door!

Landon in our new playroom. I decided to give up trying to have a "sitting room" for now. It is much better used space as a playroom and Landon is thrilled!

Stan and I couldn't figure out what to bring Connor home from the beach as his little prize. After all, 2nd borns already have all the hand me down toys...so we got him some prunes. Hahahaha! You can see, he was quite pleased with our gift! :)

Ain't it great to be 3!

While making muffins this morning, this is what I looked to my right to witness while putting the muffins in the cups!!