Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

This weekend we pulled all the Christmas boxes down and decorated the house. I'm actually doing a scaled down version this year. With our house already feeling a little crammed with too many people, I decided to keep all the nicknacks stored away and just put up one of the trees and decorate the mantle. And of course, Ky has her tree in her room. We put the big tree up in the living room this year instead of the front window. With the addition of the train table from Beck's bday, the playroom is about to pop all on its own, and since this is the room we're in most of the time, I figured putting my snow covered tree with very fragile ornaments smack dab in the middle of that wouldn't be the best move. I actually like the combo of the tree and mantle together!

I know the colors aren't very traditional, but neither is my family!

If my house was on fire and I could only save a few objects (besides my family and pets that is) it would first be the kids scrapbooks, and maybe second this tree. It was love at first sight 5 years ago and every year I put it up we fall in love all over again!

Beck playing with ky's snow globe. I'm very excited to see how he will take in Christmas this year. I really think he's the perfect age for it. In fact, we even wrote his list to santa and I was amazed at his comprehension level. Among the regulars like cars, trucks, legos, he also had me write bubbles, pig, and money. Interesting choices I think..
Getting ready to help decorate the tree in ky's room...

Putting up the beads, love these two weenies...

Yeah, the tree is leaning, neither of them would let me touch the tree to fix it. =) they were too proud!

Much to be Thankful For...

This past week we packed up all the kids (and what seemed like half our house when all was said and done) and headed to Pittsburgh to spend Thanksgiving with Jason's family. Although the time spent on airplanes with potentially screaming children is never fun, this is a trip that always turns out to be more than worthwhile. The kids did fantastic on the flights and during the trip. Its amazing that not one of them ended up sick (I seriously think this is the first time we have traveled anywhere without one of them fighting some sort of illness.) And although we spent a good bit of time indoors thanks to the rain and cold weather, no one can deny how beautiful this place is.

Here are some shots we took from the front of Jason's parents house.

The creek and "J's tree" that is right outside the house he grew up in.

An accurate picture of their closest neighbors...and there isn't another house to be seen from any direction.

End of their driveway. I was amazed at how green everything was since I was so used to how bad/brown this summer was in Texas.

Dad and his mini-me playing outside. She could care less that is was 45 degrees out.

Checking out memaw's planting and trees around the house...

Kids of "the loop" to date. Gavin, far left, is the most recent addition to what was thus far our family clan. J has a group of guys from back home that we're very close to and we've been waiting for everyone's lives to catch up to ours..its finally starting to happen. We can't wait until Pat and Chris's baby boy joins us next year!!!!

Playing WII dancing games in the basement. No one was more excited than beck. notice he has a ''fake'' controller because he couldn't be trusted with a real one with all the thrashing and dancing he was doing...

Papap and Ky in the wood shop working away on a bird house.

J's grandma with Keith, Jason, and the grandkids. She was so happy she cried when we surprised her with a visit once we arrived.

Uncle Keith and Beck jamming out on the guitar...

Memaw and Beck

Uncle Keith got to meet Stratton for the first time!

Ky and Jacob, these two were inseparable the entire time we were there. here's their ''pose for the camera'' pic.

We even got a chance to drive the 2 hours up to du bois to see my grandma and some of her sisters. Its always neat to go back to places I remember visiting as a child...

Kylie riding papap's tractor. She's always been too afraid....its amazing what a daredevil little brother will persuade you to do...

Stratton with his indian hat hanging at the window trying to keep warm during tractor rides...

Beck LOVED every minute of the tractor. And I'm pretty sure if papap told him he could drive it, he wouldn't have hesitated a single moment..

Beckham playing with the cars his daddy and uncle played with growing up. This was really neat for me. I love sentimental things like this...

With the introduction of over 70 new (rather, old) cars, you can probably imagine beck was very busy and very focused all week.

All in all, we had a blast! I wish we could have stayed longer, but I'm not sure we've ever left thinking that we were there for enough time. We both got to see our grandmothers, spent time with family and friends, and even got to play a little pick up soccer one evening (something I'm still trying to recover from thanks to the soreness).

In fact, Beck did great on the flights home (not taking a nap which he has every day since he was born) until we landed in Dallas and we got off the plane and he asked where memaw was. You can imagine the fit to followed after I explained that she wasn't with us and that we were headed home....

What a wonderful way to spend Thanksgiving, hanging out with family whom you're so thankful for!

Thoughts on three kids...

Jason and I were reminiscing the other day about how far our parenting skills have progressed, or should I say become more laid back, as we've added more kids into the mix. When pregnant with Stratton I came across an article that I think of every so often. It went through a series of scenarios that at the time just made me laugh, but looking back, I believe truer words have never been spoken. With no luck trying to locate the article again, I've decided to recreate it with my own experiences in mind.

Clothing

1 kid: Shirt matches skirt, which goes perfectly with the tights, patent leather shoes, and pink headband. What? She doesn't have a jacket to match? we'll stop at the store on the way....

2 kids: They're dressed and free of stains, put their shoes on and load em in the car!

3 kids: does he really need shorts on? I'm sure he's fine running around the park barefoot in a diaper. Is that snot smeared across his shirt too? well, can't win them all!

Food

1 kid: Do NOT eat that off the floor, we have to throw it away! No you can't have juice, you've already had your one cup week's ration.

2 kids: Here, eat this sucker and have this icee so I can finish grocery shopping. Tomorrow, we'll detox you. wait, tomorrow is the birthday party, oh well, there's always the next day...

3 kids: Is that dog food he's chewing on? hmm...i'm sure he's eaten worse. here... hand him this nerf ball to play with, nevermind the big hole that's missing, he took a bite out of it yesterday while I was busy changing #2's diaper. Yeah, he swallowed it, but its soft, I'll be seeing it again tomorrow I'm sure.

Nap Time

1 kid: No, I can't attend the play date I have to be home so the baby can nap at 11 o'clock sharp!

2 kids: Sure I'll come, can I bring the pack in play over to throw my kid in it at your house?

3 kids: play date here we come! If the baby gets tired, he'll go till he crashes in the middle of the living room with his hands still wrapped around a toy.

Safety

1 kid: Oh my! We must take her to care now immediately, her nose is running and she seems a little warm.

2 kids: Just watch him and if he isn't better by friday we'll take him in to the ped's office to avoid a trip to care now over the busy weekend.

3 kids: (and this was the conversation that took place to prompt the discussion)

me: stratton fell off the couch today

Jason: what do you mean he fell off the couch?

me: he was sitting their one minute then he just rolled off.

Jason: well what were you doing?

me: (short pause) I just wasn't paying attention. He's fine, he only cried for a couple minutes...

...and the list could go on, or at least mine could. Its funny, I know my kids aren't that old and I don't have THAT many, but I look at first time parents and feel like quite the veteran.

Kids really are more resilient than you think, but its a lesson that takes time to learn....

Stratton turns 9 months...

On one hand, I see the light at the end of the tunnel...within 3 months I should be done washing and preparing bottles FOR GOOD! AND, fingers crossed, that we'll have only one in diapers by that time also. On the other hand, where does the time go? Most of Stratton's life so far has been filled with his siblings activities, but he has still managed to create his own identity, adding to the family dynamic in a way that only he could. He is: intense, curious, impatient, demanding, and most of all, quirky. He's thrives on attention, but don't even think about making sudden loud noises, or stroking those locks of curls, least you be faced with bloodcurdling screams in return. He believes sleep is for wussies; he thinks he has full right to be on mom's hip 24/7; he seems to have a bottomless pit for a stomach. He has a million facial expressions that cause him to wear his heart on his sleeve (or rather on his eyebrows and positioning of his lips). He loves toys that move, light up, and make noise, but enjoys teetering with big brothers hot wheels as well. He is nothing like his brother or sister, and I am curious to see how his personality develops over the next couple of months.

At 9 months he:

-Sleeps through the night (finally)

-Is getting ready to crawl (finally) he's pushing himself backwards which only causes frustration and head butts (not good when you've got wood floors)

-Dislikes very much when toys get jacked from him (something that happens very often. you might as well call his brother Beck "the grass is always greener on the other side, now give me that toy now" Alcorn

-Has received 4 haircuts and hasn't come to like the last anymore than the first, rather, quite the opposite

-Makes noise ''talking'' all day long

-Has a mouth full of 8 teeth that make him look a bit like a monster, (uncertain whether its a nice or scary one.)

-Loves playing patty-cake and singing itsy bitsy spider

-Enjoys taking his socks off constantly

-Gets so excited when his brother or sister walks into the room that his whole body exudes love as he kicks and thrashes with anticipation.

Love you my littlest BIG man...

Attempt #1...

So we're scheduled to get family pictures taken in a couple weeks, but I found a picture on Pinterest that I was trying to adapt to fit with the kids. Early last week we got home from picking Ky up at school and they were all in pretty good moods. So I figured...why not? I got them dressed (piecing together outfits they already had laying around) and loaded them up. We went down to the trail at the end of our neighborhood and I tried to snap a couple shots before it started to get too cold and too dark to have them out there. I doubt they will actually be used as our christmas cards (I have to HOPE the ones in a couple weeks will turn out better than these), but nonetheless, thought I would share some of them....It would have been much more successful had I gotten them to stand in the grassy area, but Ky said no way and I was worried about stratton sticking things in his mouth. It would have helped to have the dark background to see the letters (which are painted cardboard made out of diaper boxes, fyi)

Random...

Stratton's new obsession is playing with his bottles after he finishes them. If you walk away with it too quick, he'll break down and start balling...

Looks like trouble to me....

Beck playing uncle john's guitar when he came down this weekend...

Ky's turn...

Ms. Kylie as the flower girl in my good friend Emily's wedding. Her favorite part was being in the room with the ''big girl'' bridesmaids and Em before walking down the aisle...

She did a great job and it was a wonderful ceremony. I'm so glad to have been a part of it...

New bath toys beck got for his birthday, although i think stratton enjoys chewing on them just as much as beck likes playing with them...

I have to share this story before I forget...Beck's newest phrase is "best friends". anytime there is more than one of ANYTHING sitting together, he'll point and say "mama...best friends." Its really cute and makes me smile every time, even when its his and strat's dirty rolled up diapers about to be thrown away, he'll point and state their close connection before doing so.