Sunday, April 1, 2012

Getting Ready

We've got a big week a head of us!  Sutton will be ONE on Saturday.  Um, what!  That little bug has grown up way too fast.  In true Barker fashion, we celebrate birthday week.  We had dinner with my parents in Emerald Isle this weekend and ate at Rucker Johns where Sutton had the waitstaff sing to him and bring him some dessert.  He had his first bite of cake and he loved it of course!  He will have a party on his actual birthday with some friends and we are excited to do all the first birthday fun again!

Birthday week overlaps Holy Week this year.  Probably the most important week in the year!  Even though Easter falls a little earlier this year, I love that all of the beautiful flowers and trees are in full bloom already.  Even the flowers seem to scream out, He is Risen!

Friday, March 23, 2012

Sutton at 11 months and Moses at 3.5



(Disclaimer: I wrote this with intentions of publishing it like two weeks ago.  Didn't happen.  So, here it is finally!)

A month away from one and six months away from four...what!  These boys are growing and changing every day.  I was talking to the sweet girl who watches Sutton in the nursery at bible study today and she said she couldn't believe how much he's changed the the last couple of months.  It's true for both of them!

Sutton at 11 Months

Sutton is a walking machine!  He toddles, well waddles, everywhere.  He has the cutest walk.  These last few days he has been standing un assisted in the middle of the floor.  Just call him Mr. Mobile.  I've even caught him climbing things recently.  He is constantly trying to scale something!

He and I have lots of grunting conversations.  He thinks it's SO funny.  He started doing it at meals when he wanted more food and now does it when I talk to him.  He can say the word "ball" and if you ask him to find it he will go to the toy box and get it!

Sutton is 100% a mama's boy.  He's starting to have a little separation anxiety when I leave him.  He quickly gets over it if I leave, but if I'm around he wants me.  We are going through that stage where he wants a lot of full attention which makings cooking dinner and doing other chores a lot harder than usual!

His appetite is in full force!  I love letting him try new foods.  He loves peas, bananas, cheerios, rice, and usually whatever I've cooked for dinner.  He is a pretty slow eater and meals tend to take forever after preparing and cleaning up.  He likes to feed himself a few things, but if something has a mushy texture he's too busy playing with it to eat it.  He still gets 3-4 bottles a day and I am going to introduce whole milk this week to try to start the process of weaning him from the bottle.

Sutton is still getting a solid 12 hours at night.  No matter what we do he wakes up around 6-6:30am so he goes to bed by 6:30pm so insure he gets plenty of rest.  Lately he has been waking up in the middle of the night once but goes back to sleep.  He is also still taking two naps a day averaging 1.5 to 2 hours.

Lately, he has been playing a lot of balls and cars.  He will also carry around Moses' Woody (from Toy Story) around by his pull string.  He thinks it's the most hilarious thing.  He is also super curious about the toilet.  I have to make sure all the bathroom doors are always closed.  Once, Moses was going the potty and I heard him yelling.  I ran in to find Sutton hanging on to the potty watching Moses go.  Um, YUCK!

Moses at 3.5 years

Oh, Moses is my wild man.  He absolutely keeps me on my toes.  He is full of energy all the time.  I am so ready for warmer weather so we can be outside more and he can burn it off!  I get the impression from his teacher that he is the same there.

Moses eats all.the.time.  We can't go an hour without him telling me that he is hungry.  If kept a tally on how much he eats during the day and it is staggering!  I have set up rules a long time ago about snacks which has helped.  He knows that the only time he gets a "pantry" snack is after his nap.  He can have a cookie, piece of candy or something like that then.  We went for a long time where he was eating almost three apples a day.  His teacher even asked me to pack extra food in his lunch because he was eating everything in it (sandwich, carrots, pretzels, and fruit)!  He is weighing in at around 36lbs and comes up to my rib cage.  He is so tall and skinny!  We are very lucky he is such a good eater.  We do have some struggles, usually at dinner, but we have learned to be firm with him.

I can't say enough how proud I am of him and potty training.  He is totally self sufficient!  I guess that is the only plus of it taking forever.  He just runs to the bathroom, does his business, washes his hands, and comes out.  Doesn't need or want me to do anything.  I am SO ok with that!

Moses has the cutest personality.  The things that come of out of his mouth are hysterical.  He's also started trying to bargain with us.  A lot of times when you ask him something he'll start by saying, "Well, actually...." followed by something completely crazy.

Moses LOVES his friends.  He is such a social butterfly.  Some of his favorite friends are Chesson, Connor, Reese, Cameron, Wally, and Hayden.  I am really proud of how nicely he plays with others.  He can walk into any room and feel right at home and enjoy everyone there.  Moses LOVES a birthday and is always asking me whose birthday is next!

Moses has lots of things he's "into" right now.  He loves playing with cars and balls.  He is also into legos and transformers (thanks to daddy).  He has mastered using the ipad and knows were his games are and how to access his shows on netflix (with permission).  He even showed my 88 year old grandmother how to play angry birds!  He still shows a lot of interest in outer space and I bought him a book about the solar system which he seems to like.  He also plays constantly with his pirate ship he got for Christmas.  He has finally gotten MUCH better about playing independently.  I love listening to him chatter and pretend.

Moses is still taking an afternoon nap about 75% of the time.  He sleeps with the covers over his head (which drives me nuts) and wants to leave his overhead light on with the door cracked.  I've tried turning out the light when I go to bed but he just wakes up and gets mad that it's off.  Oh, well!

Our one problem has been obedience.  Somedays I feel like all I do is discipline all day long.  One day he told me that Jesus was upset with me.  When I asked him why, he said because I put him in time out!  Oh, that boy!

Moses and Sutton are starting to play together pretty well.  Moses makes Sutton laugh more than anyone and loves him dearly.  Moses is usually pretty good with Sutton but he can be rough.  I don't think our problem is jealousy, but sometimes he feels Sutton is getting in the way or "bothering" his toys.

These boys are just the best.  I love them SO much!

Monday, March 5, 2012

Crickets...

Is that what you've been hearing from this blog?  Yep!  Honestly, I have taken a self imposed hiatus from blogging because I have been toying with setting my blog as private.  I have not made up my mind completely, so if you want to email me or leave a comment with your email so I can add you to the blog list let me know!

I am going to do some update posts but for now here is an update on what's going on with us!

One of my worst fears came true, we had the norovirus.  That stomach virus that is worse than food poisoning got the best of us.  Sutton got sick on a Thursday night and by Saturday afternoon Moses was sick too.  By late Saturday night, Brett and I were goners.  The way it all fell worked out for the best.  I could not imagine trying being sick with two well children.  It took FOREVER for the rest of us to get better.  Moses couldn't go back to school until Thursday and even then wasn't his usual wild self.  His teacher informed us she missed her spirited little boy!

And you know what was delivered hours before the stomach bug hit?  The couch I have been dreaming about for two years.  Let me tell you that you might as well had wrapped that thing in caution tape because NO one was going near it until the little buggies had been banished.  (Side note:  I taught Moses how to be sick in a bowl at around 18 months.  Sutton learned at 10 months.  I can handle being sick in bowl, but puke clean up around the house is NOT my thing.)

I am crazy busy trying to get ready for the next consignment sale.  Emails, phone calls and other errands while trying to parent is insane but some how I am managing.  It will be the first sale I have not been pregnant or nursing in a year and half so I consider myself much more functional!  I am also ready to shop and find cute clothes and shoes for the boys!

My husband is awesome,  I just thought everyone should know.  He is so supportive of me and the boys.  He loves us like no other and works so hard to provide for us.  I hope both of our boys grow up to be smart, Godly, caring men just like him.

That's all for now.  I promise if you come back later in the week you can read about the circus, photos, 11 month and 3.5 year updates and whatever else I can remember to post!  I promise!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Friday FYIs

A lot of my friends do tidbits and lists at the end of the week to sum up things that don't need an entire blog post.  I think I might join in on that band wagon, so here goes!

1.  For about two years I have been lusting after a particular couch, we finally purchased it this past weekend.  It was delivered on Thursday and I am beyond excited.  It is our first non baby furniture purchase as a married couple and our anniversary and Valentine gift for each other.

2.  Hours after having the dream couch delivered, the stomach bug has hit our house.  Sutton is currently the only victim and has already recovered.  He is fine and for now so is my new couch.  I have sweetly told Moses a thousand times that if for some reason he gets sick could he please not do it on mommy's new couch.  Fingers crossed for no more vomit!

3.  I've already had my first consignment sale nightmare as well as my first early morning call from a consignor regarding how to do something.  Four more weeks!

4.  My husband rocks.  I couldn't be the mother I am with out him.

5.  Moses' preschool class has been studying Genesis since they started school.  This is also what we have been studying in my Bible study this "school" year.  We've been on the same pace the entire time and I LOVE it.

6.  I'm already starting to plan Sutton's first birthday and today is Moses' half birthday.  He will be four in 6 months.  WHOA.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Sutton is 10 months old!

 Oh little bug, you are 10 months old!  New skills and fun things are coming faster and faster.  You are a cruising machine.  If I am standing somewhere and you want my attention, you scale my legs and start making noise and pulling my pants.  I look down and I see that little squishy face.  You are taking a few steps here and there on your own and soon you'll be running away!  You are a MASTER crawler.  It is amazing how fast you can move.  You can also stand unassisted.  You will stand and hold or shake a toy like it's no big deal.
 Can we talk about that smile?  I just love it!  You started smiling early and never stopped!  Everyone comments on it.  You are just beautiful inside and out.  You still have just four teeth but I think you will have some more very soon.  You can babble a lot.  The words we are catching are "dada," "gaga," and "baba."  Daddy and Gaga are of course thrilled!  You have also started waving and signing "All done!"

You are eating more and more every day.  Just yesterday while Moses was eating his waffle, you grabbed a piece and started eating it too!  You love beans, blueberries, bananas, Cheerios, and meatballs.  You are starting to like cheeses and some sandwiches.  I still am giving you bottles everyday and I am SO glad you have been able to feed yourself more and more.
 You love to play with cars and push them along just like brother.  You have also been enjoying your cube and other baby toys, especially balls.  But by far, you love our Dyson vacuum cleaner.  You do a happy dance when I bring it out.
Sweet, sweet Sutton, you are just the biggest blessing.  You bring joy to our lives.  I can't believe I am already thinking of your first birthday.  I am so happy God blessed us with you in our lives!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Weekend Fun

This weekend we headed east for some birthday fun.  I grew up in Kinston on a great street with the best neighbors ever.  Now, we are all growing up and having kids of our own!  This past weekend, we celebrated Thomas turning one!  One of the advantages of having a father working for the volunteer fire department is having a great place to have a party!  Both boys really enjoyed themselves with all of the new/old friends, food and trucks!




 Since the party was around the corner from my dad's office we took Moses to see where Papa works when he is not traveling (which honestly is only a few hours a week).  As you can see Moses was hard at work!  He was very impressed with Papa's big desk and cool telephone.
 After the office tour, we took him outside to see the big trucks.  Ever since Moses was little he would pick up the radio and yell, "Come in dude!"  It is so funny to me that he still does the same thing!  He loves his papa so much and is always trying to be like him.  He has even started saying "What's going on?" when he sees him or really anyone.

 After the fun in K-town, we continued on to the beach and spent a long weekend with my parents.  We watched the super bowl and ate WAY too much and of course got hair cuts!
The boys had a great time and played hard all weekend.  Sutton is still only taking one or two steps at the time but you can see from two of these pictures he's great at holding on and pushing something with wheels.  I think Moses is liking having someone to play with too.  I will be really glad when this can happen more often...Mommy is exhausted!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Brothers

 We've been having a lot of togetherness lately.  Including mommy (unintentionally) dressing the two little ones alike.  I was even brave enough to try them in the bath tub together.  They were both pretty pumped about it!  For the most part, the boys play really well together.  I'd say around 3-4 times a day we have an issue where someone (usually Sutton) lets me know that he is annoyed.  But the laughter more than makes up for it!