Starting to Walk!

Although he isn't officially a walker...mostly crawling still, he is taking those first steps and has increased the steps he takes and how often a whole lot in the past couple of days. Just wanted to share his new milestone!

Just Some Pics

Just sharing some pics I took this morning before we headed out for the day.

Eating Out

So, my friend Lauren is always asking why we never really eat out much. Until recently, we have been big fans of To Go or fast food when not cooking at home. If you have more than one small child, you know how much of a struggle it can be getting out. Lillian is excited to go places, but is usually the one that throws a fit in the restaurant and always wants to sit in Brandon's lap, so he can barely eat. Andrew has been fine mostly...he just likes to throw food and his cup on the floor...this makes me wonder if the waiter might spit in our food after seeing what he will be cleaning up later. (Side note: I do usually try and clean up what I can...I don't leave a huge mess and try to pick up around the highchair on the floor and at least put it in a pile on the table, so you know know)

Well, we spent the day in Shiner on Sunday and were driving home just as it was time for the kids to eat, so normally we would have picked up fast food, but decided instead that we would stop at Chili's and have dinner. Just the idea that we even considered this shows we are getting better in this department.

Our dinner turned out great! That is why I'm writing this. The kids were about the best they have ever been eating out. Lillian even sat on her own most of the time and there wasn't a big mess on the floor like usual. What was really great too is that at this Chili's, they have started bringing you your check with your food, so we didn't have to wait around for that in the end and could just leave when we were ready.

So I guess dining with two kids is do-able and just takes some practice. We have been doing this a little more often lately, so, I think they are getting more used to it as are we. And I am still a big believer in going the right times of day....and with kids that have had a good nap! So Lauren, be proud of us! We are branching out!

Sunday in Shiner

We packed up this morning and drove down to Shiner to visit Brandon's parents and family. We had a good visit and the kids love playing outside on the farm. Here are are some photos:

Who Am I????

If you are a mom, you've probably asked yourself this question many times. The commercial that says, "A baby changes everything" isn't lying! Within 9 months, you are handed a new title and also do really become almost a different person. You have to in many ways to adjust to caring for a new life. It is just in the job description and I accept that.

I just finished a book last week called "Everyone is Beautiful" by Katherine Center. It is about a stay at home mom living in Houston when her husband gets a better job opportunity in Massachusetts and moves the family there. She has 3 small children under the age of 4 and being uprooted and starting over somewhere new leads her to start finding her way back to herself again after having kids. She begins working out and begins a hobby she loves.

I definitely recommend this book to any mom. Just reading the funny situations the kids get into made me relate, but also, it was a great inspiration as well. Now, I'm looking for who I am again. What am I besides a mom and wife? As a mom and wife you are constantly trying to please the rest of
your family. What can I do for me that can make me happy?














Have you seen this girl?

Andrew's 2nd haircut

Check out Andrew's new style! Last time, we really just got it trimmed, but lately it has been all over the place, so I wanted it shorter and I thought he looked a lot more like Brandon after his haircut...what do you think?....

A Beautiful Afternoon Outside

Lillian checks out the view

Andrew the Explorer

Lillian is learning to swing in the "big girl" swing

Jumping on the Ilgen's trampoline next door

Saturday visit

Brandon is working quite a few days in a row that he is not home the majority of the day and hasn't even really seen them in a couple of days. The kids miss their daddy and I miss him too as well as the help and him being another person from whom they seek attention from. My friend Erin, just had her new baby, Adam, a couple of weeks ago, so I thought this would be a good time to visit them. Erin also has a daughter, Ava, who is 5 months older than Lillian, so she enjoys playing with her.

We had a nice visit and it gave Erin's husband an opportunity to get out of the house for a bit. The kids laughed and played until they were exhausted and I finally packed them up to go home.

Small Changes Make a Difference

Brandon and I were talking the other day about how when Lillian was Andrew's age, she was already in her booster at the table. I had thought about it before, but wanted to get good use out of our highchair. I finally decided today to make the transition. I cleaned up the highchair and put it away and strapped the booster chair to the kitchen table. Wow, my kitchen looks so open and free without the extra furniture!

I went on from there and asked Brandon if he thought we still needed the baby gates out as well and we decided it was time to pack those away as well. Andrew can climb the stairs well and if he does go up without us noticing, he just cries until we come get him since he is scared to go down yet, so we really don't have the need to block him from getting to the stairs anymore.

It was freeing to take the gates down and vaccuum really good around where they were. They have been in place since Lillian was crawling! It is also amazing to just walk through the doorways without watching where you step. I have already noticed myself automatically still trying to step in the space where the gate was before. Hopefully the baby stuff will stay put away for another 2 years a least in our house! Here is a picture of Andrew enjoying his lunch from the kitchen table for the first time....oh and a picture of his new shirt I just had to get at Walgreens the other day since he spends most of his time at the house in just a shirt and diaper.

Hoping Everyone had a Happy Easter

Lillian and Andrew had a fun Easter weekend. Grandpa JD and Jamie came down to visit us. They got to see Lillian and Andrew at the Forest Creek egg hunt and we enjoyed a meal out at the Cheesecake Factory. The Easter bunny was good to them. They each got a basket full of goodies and Grandpa JD and Jamie also brought them a mini waterpark to play with. It was a little cold, but we did let them test it out. It will be more fun in the warmer weather and they can just hang out in their bathing suits. We enjoyed our weekend visit! Thank ya'll for coming!


Here are some pictures from this weekend:

Do You Want Fries with That?

To my amazement, we are finally reaching the age where Lillian and Andrew are starting to actually play together sometimes. It is a really big hit with Andrew! He loves playing with his big sister and looks at her in amazement when she is doing anything. He just cracks up when she plays with him. I caught them playing yesterday afternoon. Andrew is obsessed with anything that rolls. His main attraction lately has been the car we got Lillian for her birthday. She rarely plays with it, but he has been climbing in and out of it for the past week or so and pushing it around the play area. Lillian was cooking in the play kitchen and decided to feed Andrew the fries she was making. It made me think that Andrew was going through the drive through! I'm so excited to see my kids playing together and happy! Here are the pics:

The Beautiful Texas Bluebonnets

I have joined the mass of parents in the tradition of taking our childrens' pictures in the bluebonnets! I can't help it. They are so gorgeous each year with fields of them just growing everywhere! It really gets me excited about spring. I shared the kids pictures in the last post from this year, but thought I'd share from the past 2 years.