Easter came early this year!

With Kylie's next eye surgery schedule for Good Friday, we decided to celebrate Easter early with a trip to my parents house for a full afternoon of dying eggs, hunting eggs, eating, and of course... digging through easter baskets. Kylie and her cousin Peyton had all their eggs picked up within minutes and were VERY excited to find that some of them were filled with dollar bills. Beck chose the more laid back approach of having dad just pick them up for him. We all had a blast and were glad we got a chance to relax and have some fun before we get ready for the next surgery...=(

just the COOLEST man ever...this is a hat that was in Stratton's easter basket, but Beck decided it was really for him...(he wouldn't take it off)

Big girl Peyton riding her bike training wheel free!

Silly little grin for mom...

I promise he does have a neck...its in there somewhere....maybe behind his many chins...

Clearly its not big enough for his HUGE head...but he doesn't mind...

Bunny hop...

The baskets for the two boys and ky...

Strat took it all in stride napping on the couch most the time...

Ky after the egg hunt...

The three kids getting ready to hunt...yes, he's holding a pink heart basket...its all we could find =)and he didn't care in the least....

Enjoying the nice breeze outside on Nana's porch...

Strat dog is starting to get a little personality...

Stratton is slowly becoming more aware of his surroundings, and he has started to smile when his eyes finally focus in and find my face. This is so nice for me to see, because it helps me to think of him as a little person rather than just this blob that eats and poops! Here are a couple pics I snapped the other day while Beck was napping.

The price you pay for kids...well, three anyways

Alright...here it comes....

Even though I gained over 30 lbs. when I was pregnant with Ky, it came off within weeks, all by itself. And while nursing, after giving birth to Beckham, I actually weighted 5 lbs. less than my pre-pregnancy weight within 3 weeks. With Stratton? Not so much. I'm not sure if its age, or the fact that he and beck were pretty much back-to-back pregnancies, but I can't seem to shake these last 10 lbs. I have been fortunate, and blessed with very good genes, that I have never really had to watch what I eat (we all have our battles, this just has never been mine), and although from time to time I get in exercise kicks, its more just because it makes me feel better than it being really needed..well, in my opinion at least, maybe the hubby would disagree =) And truth be told, its been years since i've had one of these 'kicks'....

J took this shot of me and the kids while on our trip to the Dallas Arboretum. Now, I realize that Strat is only 5 weeks old at this point, but when I saw this shot, it almost brought tears to my eyes. LOOK at how big I am! look at that gut!

Now, while taking a stroll down memory lane only days ago, we ran across this picture of me in our house in New Orleans my senior year of college. Once again, it leaves a very depressing thought in my head. I want THAT back. I want to look like THAT again. But truth be told, it will never happen!
So...I gave myself till Strat was 8 weeks before I would start doing something to try and lose this weight if it wasn't already gone. Well...we only got a little over a week to go, and I'm stuck around 8 lbs, and I'm fairly certain that unless a genie comes sometime soon, these 8 lbs. aren't just going to disappear. I'm just not sure I can do the diet thing. The working out thing I probably can, but let's be honest, I get enough of a workout each day running around after these kids and there's no time left in the day to fit in one more activity...let alone to make that one activity working out! I know it comes down to what and how much I'm eating...but man, that's a tough one for me.

Anyways...I thought writing about it might help make me a little more accountable. I appreciate each and every one of the changes I have had over the last 10 years, from every wrinkle to every pound....but that doesn't mean I have to like them. I know each kid and day in the sun with them since then, is well worth it, but man....when did I become so OLD????

So..here's to losing weight and trying to get THAT back, well, as close as I can anyways. Besides...at some point, I have to either fit into my old clothes, or admit that those days are gone and do some shopping...I'm hoping for the first, then maybe we can do the second just to celebrate the first! =)

Just because he's such a ham...

This is beck's new 'cheese' face he taught himself...now that's special, huh?

Stratton hits 6 weeks!

A very upset Beck tries to comfort his lil' bro who won't stop crying...

Beck has decided he's not quite ready to give his little brother the play gym, as evidenced by the fact that he's trying to climb through it while Stratton is in it. No joke, he climbed right over him as though he wasn't even there...

Brotherly love...well, we can pretend, right?

So much more aware of his surroundings now...

After a much needed bath

Love this pic, although it does make his head look even bigger than it already is =) you know what they say...just roll with it

Here are a couple pics of my big boy! Happy 6 weeks my love!

Check ups

On Thursday, both Kylie and Stratton made a trip to the pediatrician for check ups.

Ky did great getting the last one of her shots before starting kindergarden. She was in the 95% for height at 45.25 inches and 50% for weight at 41.1 lbs., none of which is surprising.

Stratton weighed in at 12.11 lbs, which puts him in the 95% for weight and 23.5 inches for height, putting him in the 95% as well. Again, not that any of this is surprising, the boy is close to outgrowing his size 1-2 diapers and has been comfortably wearing 3 mo. clothes for sometime now. Everyone who meets him says he looks more like a 5 month old than a 5 week old, and I have to agree.

Time is already going too fast without him looking like he's older than he really is....I don't need him growing MORE....=)

Life is going pretty well. Stratton is starting to be up more and more during the day, which is nice to see, but harder to handle since i'm juggling him while trying to entertain a somewhat jealous Beck. There isn't a dull moment, and if there is, its usually filled with laundry or cleaning. J and I keep talking about how we'll blink and they'll be in college...so we're trying to appreciate every CRAZY minute we got !

More from the visit with Memaw and Papap

Beck and dad, both pooped out on the couch

Trying to get a picture with the kiddos...

Lovin' on the littlest one...

Reading with Beck before bedtime...

The kids decorated J's herb planter he got over the weekend.

Say cheese....