2011 in review: march

The original plan was to post about 2011 at the start of the new year... then my body decided to freak out over being pregnant. So you get them now!

first row, left to right:

1. I am so in love with Nick's lips. I have no idea whose genes contributed these beauties, but I love whoever did.  The same goes for his eye color; Rob and I both have green-hazel eyes and pretty much everyone else in our families have brown (including Max).  But Nick has these beautiful dark blue/gray-hazel eyes.

2. Max's army pj's are my favorite!

3. Baby feet!  Nick got his dad's hobbit feet as well:)

4. Nick and I at an army picnic, one of the few pictures of me that exists.

second row, left to right:

5. Someone found all the bath toys and bottles while brother was in the tub.

6. Max in either a striker or a bradley vehicle. We have a feeling he may be a soldier like his dad...

7. Field Artillery!

8. I can't get enough of his squishy face!

third row, left to right:

9. Max is very left brained, numbers and all that "math stuff" comes easy to him, but he's not as interested in reading. (this is SO hard for me because I'm the exact opposite!) (although he is learning, just at a much slower pace than the numbers) But what little interest he showed at first came in the form of reading video game labels and manuals.

10. Nick wishing he could be in there too!

11. Checking out Max's freshly painted room. With a nerf dart in hand.

12. Max has inherited his dad's gift of falling asleep anytime, anywhere. (I do not have said talent.)

bottom row, left to right:

13. Gotta love cloth diapered bums! And I know I've said this before, but the light is AMAZING here. It can get a little intense at times, but it's nice to have perpetual sunshine.

14. This is what I get 98% of the time I try to take Max's picture.

15. If you can't hear the maniacal laughter in your head when you look at this you have no imagination.

16. Always checking to see what big brother is doing.

Next up, April!

2011 in review: february

The original plan was to post about 2011 at the start of the new year... then my body decided to freak out over being pregnant. So you get them now!

first row, left to right:

1. February was pretty uneventful for us. We stayed at home a lot and I continued to unpack/organize. And my kids looked very cute, even simply munching on some cheerios.

2. The Goodwins made a slight detour to visit us on their way to Ft. Lewis! Their visit was WAY too short, but we'll take any time with them we can! It does make for some sad goodbyes though.

3. Max was VERY upset when they left, if it were up to him (and me!) they would be our next door neighbors everywhere we go.

4. Mom's studio has the best toys. (ahem.)

second row, left to right:

5. I'm amazed I can get two kids on my lap. But that's what happens when you play Yo Gabba Gabba videos on the computer.

6. My happy, smiling baby! We had the best walks this month, the weather was gorgeous! And the light is DIVINE here!

7. Again, so happy!

8. Poor exhausted Rob. Being a soldier means long hours, which means passing out every time you sit down.

third row, left to right:

9. Playing with our shadows on one of our evening walks.

10. That, my friends, is astro turf. It is legit here. Before moving here I had NO idea people actually used it in their yards. I thought it was just for sports arenas and trailer parks. But no, you will have a mansion with straight up astro turf instead of grass. Craziness.

11. Max looking at the camera for once!

12. It must be nice to be so little and get pushed around everywhere.

bottom row, left to right:

13. Max noticed we have the same type of shoes. Twinners!

14. Love that face. And those eyes. Gah, I just love babies!!

15. Again, mom's studio is the best place to play! (he's holding a big knitting needle.  Don't worry, he was supervised the whole time. Nick mostly used it to beat on furniture)

16. Our house has that magical circle in it that means lots of chasing and lots of running laps!

Next up, March!

sunday best: pregnancy edition

So... I was hoping to put together such an awesome pregnancy outfit you would all say "WOW!" But the truth is, I have felt very homely this pregnancy and don't feel cute in anything. It didn't help that the outfit I had created in my mind for yesterday did not look the way I imagined on my body. So that was scrapped and this one was thrown on since we were running reeealllly late for church. It's the same dress as here, so not a maternity dress at all. Looking back, I wish I had put a belt on under my bust to help define my belly more (I'm not a fan of clothes that "hide" the belly, I feel like it just makes you look bigger than you are). And a cute jacket or cardigan would have been nice, but I was sweating just getting dressed (it got up to 97 degrees at one point this past week!) so that was nixed. But I have a cute accessory so that makes up for it, right? Oh, and since the last time I showed this dress I got some gladiator sandals! They work so much better! And, I also have to give a shout-out to Halftee, I'm wearing their boyfriend one here... it's so nice not to have the "shirt bump" along my bum when I have to layer! I think I'll be investing in a couple other colored ones at some point.

dress: Target
shirt: Halftee
shoes:  Forever 21

And as I was putting the pictures in, I realized maybe someone out there wonders about the boys clothes too...  So for Nick:

shirt:  Old Navy

pants:  Old Navy

shoes:  no clue.  They're hand me downs from Max, so probably Target.

and Max:

shirt:  Target (I'm in LOVE with Shaun White's clothing line there)

pants:  Old Navy

shoes: boot store here in El Paso

weekly interrogation: Max Harmon!

Today I give you my five year old, Max. I find the way his (and all kids') brain works fascinating so thought it'd be fun to interrogate him this week.  It was a little challenging figuring out how to ask these questions in a way he'd understand when the original question stumped him.  (Like how do you explain a pet peeve?  Or something that's priceless?)  I hope you enjoy his answers!

name:  Maximillian.  Max is far away. (he has an imaginary friend that is a clone of himself and lives in NC) 

1.What do you “do”?

Play toys.  Play games.  Watch tv.  (the last thing is on his mind since it's pretty much all he's been doing the past couple of days since we all had a little stomach bug.  So before you call CPS I will have you know he is doing his schoolwork as I type this up.  Granted, he would watch tv all day every day if I would let him.)

2. Why do you do what you do?

They're my favorite.  (What an awesome life he must lead! :) )

3.Where are you from?

El Paso

4. Favorite color?

Blue

5. Favorite food?

I don't know how to tell it.  (I'm guessing he was imagining how it tastes?)

6. Favorite shoes?

Three of them: bike shoes (his Keens), frog shoes (crocodile crocs), boots (his cowboy boots)

7. Favorite place in the whole wide world?

Playground!

8. Favorite piece of playground equipment?

Slide.  And swings.

9. Your funniest story?

Reading.  (I assume he's talking about one of his books?)

10. Mac or PC?

Mac.  (mommy's computer)

11. Manual or automatic?

Manual.  (daddy's car)

12. What do you consider your best asset?

My heart.

13. Guiltiest pleasure?

Candy.  (I asked him what he likes that he's not supposed to)

14. Biggest pet peeve?

Nick!  (I asked him what makes him angry:) )

15. What do you consider priceless?

My toys.  (they're his favorite thing in the world apparently)

16. If you could sit next to anyone on an airplane, who would it be?

Mom.  And go visit Tiffany and Chris.

17. What would you choose as your last meal?

Cereal.  (What can I say?  He's my child.)

18. What era in time do you connect with the most?

I like growing up right now.

19. Your motto for life?

I don't remember that one.  (That's what he says when he doesn't know the answer to something)

20. Best advice you can give?

Say sorry.

There you have it, words of wisdom from a five year old!

If you'd like to participate, just click on the 'weekly interrogation' tab at the top and follow the instructions there. Hope to see you here!

2011 in review: january

The original plan was to post about 2011 at the start of the new year... then my body decided to freak out over being pregnant. So you get them now!

first row, left to right:

1.  Since we had only been in El Paso a couple weeks the boys spent a lot of time hanging out in jammies/ a diaper while I tried to make some order out of the chaos. And I would stop to take pictures of them when I couldn't stand their cuteness anymore.

2.  Max enjoyed lots of video game time...

3.  We did, however, try to get as much fresh air as possible by taking lots of walks. We get quite pleasant weather during the winter here. (most of the time)

4.  A block away there is a park (which last year was just a big patch of grass) where we like to throw frisbees. Or, at least Max likes to throw them with dad. He has learned mom is not so great in the athletics department.  

second row, left to right:

5.  On her way back to school Aunt Laura came to visit for a couple weeks. Someone was very excited to see her!

6.  I just love that squishy face. And the fact that he lets me take pictures of him as much as I want. (Max, not so much)

7.  A smooch in the airport. Easily one of my favorite photos ever.

8.  Happy happy baby. Especially when given lots and lots of attention.

third row, left to right:

9.  Perler beads are one of Max's favorite things to do, and it's even better when Laura can help.

10.  Happy baby sitting in dad's lap while he's on the computer. Nothing beats sitting in a lap in reach of a keyboard!

11.  Checking out a present from Laura. And looking very cute while doing it.

12.  Max is totally blurry in this shot, but I love it anyway. Pictures of him really smiling and looking at the camera are pretty scarce so I'm not going to let a little blur deter me.

bottom row, left to right

13.  Max putting his hand in front of the camera lens to prevent me taking a picture of him... but I was too fast!

14.  Group naps are the best!

15.  Nick learned very young how to wrestle. And I learned pretty quickly that boys will be boys and that they're pretty durable.

16.  Saying goodbye to Aunt Laura:(  

Next up, February!

the most wonderful time of the year.

At least to me it is. Every year about this time I start getting very homesick for the east coast. I'm not sure if it's the lack of trees, or the crazy sandstorms, or the fact that it's only April and already in the 90's, but I really really miss the green right now. I mean, just look at it!

In my head I can smell it, feel the grass between my toes, feel the humidity hugging my skin. And sadly that's as close as I'm going to get right now. So as this El Paso sun sucks all the moisture from my skin and bleaches my hair you can rest assured in my mind I'm frolicking in the woods and dipping my toes in cool streams.

Although one of the perks of dreaming of home as opposed to being there is the fact I can leave the mosquitoes far, far away. El Paso does have that in it's favor.

back from the dead.

Not literally, but pretty close.  You know it's bad when your five year old asks you pretty much every day for two months "You dying mom?"  But I am alive and feeling more normal than I have since Christmas!

And I just have to give a shout-out to my friend, Zofran (even if we have a love/hate relationship).  Zofran managed to keep me out of the hospital and helped me to function (something important when you have two children who need to be taken care of).  But it makes me oh so happy to say it has been ONE WHOLE WEEK since I have had to take it!!!  That, my friends, is something momentous.

I'm 22 weeks now, over the hump, and yes, we do know what we're having.  What else could we have but a BOY!?  I was pretty much 100% sure this little parasite was a boy so my ego got a little stroked to be right once again.  I also have a name picked out, although Rob says he's not completely sold on the middle name yet (which I take to mean I just need to convince him...).  So here is little Oskar, aka Skeletor:

(yup, this is the best shot I got, my ultrasound tech was lame.  I got five pictures, two crotch shots that were not from a very good angle and three just like the one above.)

And now I get to try and wrap my head around the idea of having three boys... I'm thinking it will be chaos around here, what do you think?