Greyson is 4 Months

Not too much going on with us...especially in this summer heat! We are sure ready for fall to arrive. We have been trying to find fun things to do while staying cool!! We have our weekly play dates with Emi and Teri. We also had our good friends, the Bedard family, come and visit us from Tennessee. Their little guy Evan, our god son, is growing so fast that pretty soon he will be chasing after Connor...with Greyson not too far behind!

Greyson had his 4 month check up. He weighed in at 15 pounds, 6 ounces (in the 60th%) and measured 25 3/4 inches long (in the 75th%). Doctor said he is doing well!! We might try to gradually start putting dairy back into my diet (and his) since his reflux seems under control. His sleeping is getting better....thankfully! He is going down at 8 and sleeping until 6-7am with 1 (sometimes 2) night feedings. He still wakes up a few more times in the middle of the night, but we let him fuss...he doesn't wail or scream....he just fusses for 15 minutes or so then falls back to sleep. Last night was the first night we put him in his crib totally awake, and he fell asleep on his own!! His napping is decent though....morning nap is always super short, but his afternoon nap is a good 3+ hours. He is also sleeping on his tummy. We know "back is best" but we were desperate...so it is what it is! His neck is strong so we have no worries!
Connor is still into learning colors. Lately he has been obsessed with stop signs, and will spot them all along our drives in the car. He is also getting proficient at some of his favorite books. See the video below of him telling the story of Brown Bear Brown Bear. He is also very much into Mickey Mouse, and the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse tv show. We cannot wait to take him to Disney sometime next year. Potty training is still a no go...we bought all kinds of "cool" underwear with Mickey Mouse and Cars on them, so we talk about them all the time. We also got him to flush the potty...so maybe these things will help stir some more interest!

Enjoy the pics below....I know there are a million of Greyson in his little 4 month sticker...but they were all so good that it was hard for me to narrow down my favs! The last couple pictures on there are of our house. We had some major landscaping done to the outside of the house. It has given it a much needed face lift! Now, the challenge will be to keep all the new greenery alive in this summer heat!! Please ignore the dead grass....next up will be laying sod, but we are going to wait until fall to do that.

Side by Side Comparison

Just thought it would be fun to put 2 pics of the boys at the same age together to compare. So many people think they look alike, and then some think they look different....so I thought this would be a fun way to see them both at the same age. I tried to pick pictures that were similar in pose and face. One thing is for certain....Connor was definitely a CHUNKIER baby. What do you think?

Connor


Greyson


Connor


Greyson

July 4th!

Mimi and Papa were here to spend July 4th with all of us. We spent the 3rd at the Davidson concert on the green. Listening to music and enjoying food with our friends the Schnabels! On the 4th we headed to Birkdale Village where they have a huge kid celebration with pony rides, fire trucks, face painting, splash fountain, and a bicycle parade.
We also went to Zootastic park....well lets just call it a petting zoo. It is a small little operation in Troutman...I bought a groupon for admission, so we thought we would give it a try. It was fun to see Connor with the animals...we were even surprised that he was willing to feed some of them!
Enjoy some of the pictures of the last few weeks....it was hard to pick my favorites...so there are more than usual!

Update on the boys:
Connor is still going to school 3 days per week. They call it camp for the summer. They are doing many fun things including water play every week and the theme for the summer is animals. He is starting to learn his colors. We pick through our crayons and name the colors. He gets orange, black and white every time....and when he doesn't know the color, it is always red! He can count to 30 now...and I think the boy can do his ABCs backwards....just kidding, not really, but he is such a pro he is now spelling things he sees by naming all the letters. Of course he has no clue what it says, but it is a start!
Greyson is doing well....getting more and more on a predictable routine. We are still feeding at night. Sometimes once, sometimes twice. We are napping a good solid afternoon nap in the crib/pack and play every day for about 3-4 hours. Morning and evening he may cat nap but not for very long. His reflux is better, not great, but I think things will change once he begins to eat solid food. He is so much more interactive now. Telling all kinds of stories, grasping toys, and following motion and sounds with his eyes. He loves to get his leg going in his bouncy seat, which in turn bounces the seat up and down. It is so funny to see. I have to post the little video I have of him doing it. He is such a happy and smiley baby 99% of the time. If only we could get him sleeping through the night!!

See the slide show below or click on this link:

Summer 2011

The Boys in Action!

Wanted to share a few videos of the boys.
Connor loves playing the drum (and also likes to say he is playing the violin too...where do kids come up with this stuff, really a violin??)....so here he is jamming on his drum and twirling his drum sticks...



Greyson is quite the little chatterbox these days. But right when you get the camera out, he stops!!! Of course, right? Oh well....here is what we got while he is talking with his Auntie Katie.....



Connor is OBSESSED with his ABCs...and that is putting it mildly. He is quizzing us constantly...so here is in the bathtub with his ABCs...he is even more proficient since shooting this little video, naming all kinds of things that start with the different letters. This video is a little long, just want to warn you....

Florida Trip

Just after Memorial Day we set out on our trip to Florida. This was our first big trip with 2 kids....and we decided to drive. We had a bunch of plans and things along our way, but the main event and destination was Venice for my sister's graduation.
So Tuesday we left the house at 5am. Hoping an early start would allow the boys more time to sleep in the car. That idea went quickly out the window, as both were wide awake. The drive wasn't terribly awful...although mommy had to sit in the back seat between 2 carseats just to make sure both kids were happy. Connor did not sleep the entire 10 hour car ride....but he was a good traveler staying busy with snacks and an ipad. Greyson had his moments...but he did great too!
We arrived in Orlando by mid afternoon, put Connor down for a quick nap and then got ready to go to dinner at our friend's, the McCully's, house. It was great to see them, and their little girl Emma who is just a few weeks older than Connor's. On Wednesday we headed to SeaWorld, where Christine and Emma also met us for a few hours. Connor LOVED SeaWorld (despite a few toddler melt downs and some rainy weather). He especially liked Shamu and the dolphins. We actually got to feed the dolphins too! Greyson was a trooper, sleeping his way through most of SeaWorld.
Thursday we headed on down to Sarasota for my father's veteran's memorial service. It was a small and tasteful event. Only my father's immediate brothers and sisters came. The cemetery provided a nice service and my Uncle Ronnie said a few words of remembrance. They played Taps on the trumpet in his honor, and I was presented with a flag. After the service we went and visited my Aunt Bonnie and spent some time with her. For dinner we spent a quiet night at mom's house and then met up with my friend Erin and her 2 boys for ice cream.
Friday we were able to sneak off to the beach for a hour. Connor had a sudden aversion to sand....so he spent most of that hour on the blanket or being held. He did not want to go in the water either. I think had we had more time, he would have warmed up to it and would have been splashing and playing just as he did last summer at the beach. Friday night was Katie's graduation. She had a pre-commencement ceremony dinner at a Japanese steakhouse. All her friends and family were there to celebrate with her. After that we went and snapped a few pictures of her with her nephews because they were not going to attend the graduation ceremony. It started late and it was just not the place to have 2 young kids. So Jeff stayed with them. Katie did her thing, and graduated from VENICE HIGH SCHOOL...and will attend Stetson in the fall. We are all so proud of her and excited about her future years at Jeff and I's alma mater!
Saturday we headed back to Orlando with a few stops in Tampa. We visited Tammy and Derek and baby Dylan. He is just 6 weeks younger than Greyson. We also met up with Katie and Brett and their little Grace, who is 9 months. So many friends having babies! It is wonderful!! I just wish we lived closer so that we could really spend time with them all!
Once we got back to Orlando we headed to Katie's graduation party that Dad, Andrea, and Uncle Scott had planned for her. A pool party and good food was a great way to spend our last night in Florida with family! We got up early Sunday and headed right back here to the CLT. It was a whirlwind of a trip....and honestly, we were tired by the time we got home....but it was well worth it. And we certainly got to do everything we had set out to do...for the most part! Connor and Greyson were so adaptable...both had their schedules turned upside down and inside out, but they just went with the flow and as long as they got a little nap her or there, they were fine!
That was our main trip for the summer...and as I told all our family down there...we wouldn't be seeing them for Christmas, as the Doehne family will be staying home in NC for the first Christmas ever. So not sure when we will head down again...may not be until sometime in 2012...but we'll see.
We have a lot of pictures to share...so enjoy!!!

The last of Spring...

GREYSON had his 2 month doctor's appointment a week or 2 ago, he measured in at 23 inches long, which is in the 50th percentile. His head was also in the 50 percentile at 41 cm. He weighed 12 pounds, which was in the 75th percentile.
He is doing really well! He is a very happy baby.....except for the evening hour of fussiness :) He likes to be swaddled at night to sleep, and takes a paci, although, not as often as his brother did. He loves to watch Connor....and Connor loves to give Greyson hugs or point out the animal that might be on Greyson's onesie that day.
Here are some more pics of them.





Connor is very much into the alphabet. He loves to say it over and over again...as well as identify letters anywhere he sees them. Here is is doing his alphabets in the bath tub.


Greyson enjoying his bath time too!


We went to the Davidson Concert in the park the other night with the Schnabel family. Here are some pics from the evening. We had a picnic dinner and the kids had a blast dancing to the band of Oz!






We are heading to Florida this week to celebrate my sister's graduation from high school. While down there we have a lot of fun things planned...pictures to follow when we return! Until then, HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY EVERYONE!!!

Mother's Day

I think Mother's Day has become my favorite holiday!! Maybe it is because my husband makes me feel so special for being a mother to our children. Yesterday was such a treat! The gift giving began at 11pm on Saturday night...I went to bed for the first full night sleep I have had since giving birth to Greyson. This little gift began the year I had Connor....Jeff taking all night duties while I restfully recharged my batteries in the guest bedroom :) We went to church followed by brunch. After a family nap hour...we went to the Lazy 5 Ranch to do the drive through animal safari. What a wonderful day!!!
I also couldn't help but share these picture.....I still think they look pretty alike.

Connor as a baby on mother's day 2 years


Greyson in the same outfit (sans sweater vest...too hot) this mother's day




The boys after brunch