Nolen is 5!

For some reason 5 is an age that is bittersweet for me.  I am so happy that Nolen is healthy and growing but 5 just seems so old!  Nolen is no longer a toddler....he is a little boy. He will start school this year. Almost all of his baby fat is gone.  Nolen was our baby for almost 4 years and now he is 5!

Nolen is at a very shy age right now.  He is definitely a home body which is nothing new.  He LOVES Legos.  He can sit at the kitchen table for hours and play right by himself with them.  I am so glad that he has an imagination.  Eric and I decided that he needs some social interaction....so him and Gavin are both taking JiuJitsu.  At first he didn't want to do it and would not really participate but after a little bribery encouragement he is doing much better.

Nolen is very loving and sensitive.  He will cuddle all day.  He very rarely has to be punished because all it takes is one look and he bursts in to tears and says he is sorry.

For his birthday this year all he wanted to do was have a Lego cake and go to Mamaw and Papaw's house.  I couldn't go and buy a Lego cake because then Gavin wouldn't be able to have it so I had to make it.  Honestly, I just didn't have it in me to spend 4 hours trying to decorate a cake and since he wasn't having a party....I didn't.  Ha!  I told him that it was made with love even if it is ugly...but my sweet boy said he loved it and he thought is was awesome.

He wanted a Lego cake and he got one.....a cake with Legos on it.  They were new Lego's so he was very excited!

{Nolen and his pitiful cake}

{Nolen and his cousin Elliott}

{He was very excited about his new Dino Legos}

{He got cool guys from Old Mamaw}

{Mommy and Daddy got him a real bow!  Gavin got one for his birthday and Nolen has been wanting to get out there and practice with them....now he can!}

Christmas Day 2011

My boys actually slept until about 7:45 which is pretty good for Christmas morning...and for Nolen.

The first presents my boys wanted to open were the ones that my Mom sent back from Florida.  They have been shaking them for 2 weeks, Gavin said his sounded like sand and Nolen said his was Legos.

Gavin was wrong....apparently tissue paper with a shirt and money sounds like sand.

Nolen was right....and very happy.

Gavin has been asking for "real tools" so he could help Daddy.

Nolen got boxing gloves and a Bozo punching bag.  We are hoping they will take their frustrations out on Bozo instead of each other.

Cohen just wanted to eat....immediately.

Daddy got a hunting umbrella so he can go hunting in the rain....YAY!  Now even the rain won't stop him from going hunting.

Gavin got a jacket all the way from the Volcom store in Soho.  He loves it!

He threw a fit over this hat when he saw it a few weeks back and I told him that he couldn't have it because it was Christmas time.  He was so happy to get it....can you tell?

Nolen and his action links.

Daddy loves his t-shirt that he ordered for himself.

Gavin is helping his baby brother....so sweet.

Puzzles! Nolen loves puzzles!

Cohen didn't care about the presents but he is happy anyways.

Gavin was very happy to see that Nolen got a Wii!

Cohen opened a present!

This is Nolen's reaction to getting jeans.

Gavin and his new skateboard.  He was sooo excited!

We had a great Christmas!  We are so blessed.

Christmas Eve 2011

We had a great Christmas Eve!  We started it off with an amazing service at OneLife Church.  It was the perfect way to start off the evening....remembering what Christmas is really about. 

Afterwards, we headed out to Eric's parents house.  We had a great dinner, read the Christmas story and opened gifts.  The kids had a blast, such a great night!

Daddy and Cohen.

Trouble.

Adorable Elliott.

I said let me take your picture and she put her hand on her hip and gave me her best smile....love her!

Papaw with grandchildren #9 and #10.

The 2 best of about 30 pictures of our family.

Cohen and Caedmon "playing".

Cohen with his name stool....I think he likes it!

Gavin is so cool and grown up ;)

Nolen and Elliott

Nolen opening his present.....I think Gavin likes his gift.

Cohen getting a little help opening his gift.

How sweet is Baby Caedmon?

This is how the kids tell Mamaw thank you for their gifts....she is under there somewhere.

Eric has to make Christmas cookies every Christmas Eve with his Mommy. How sweet?

Cohen in his new pajamas.

Mommy and Cohen...it is past his bedtime.

Gavin and Nolen got to open a present from each other on Christmas Eve.

Gavin is 7!

Gavin turned 7 this month!  

Gavin has changed so much this past year!  He used to be so shy....or so we thought--he is NOT shy at all anymore.  He is very outgoing and funny....and very loud.  I am constantly telling him to use his inside voice and he says he doesn't have one--I am beginning to agree with him.

He is very smart and so far school is pretty easy for him.

Gavin is very in to football and hunting.  He is passionate about anything and everything that his Daddy likes.  He loves skateboarding and riding his bike...and just being outside in general.
Gavin LOVES sharks.  At this point in life, he really wants to be a marine biologist and swim with sharks.  Aaaahhh....hopefully he changes his mind about the swimming with sharks part.

He hates homework but he does it right when he gets home from school so he can have the rest of the day to play.

He is still allergic to milk and it actually seems to bother him more now than it used to.  We are still praying that he outgrows it soon so we can have a "milk party".

Gavin is an amazing big brother and says that he is ready for me to have another baby.  He is praying for a girl so I will have someone to help me clean....so he doesn't have to.  He does help some around the house but doesn't do it willingly.

Gavin's role models are his Daddy and Tim Tebow....what better role model is there than Tim Tebow?

We are so blessed every single day by him.  He is a self-proclaimed Daddy's boy but he loves his Mama too.  He fits perfectly in our family and we love him so very much.

New York City

Ever since Eric surprised me and took my to New York for my 30th birthday, we have been wanting to go back.  I have always wanted to go at Christmas time and since Cohen is a year old and no longer nursing, we decided to go in December.  I have never been away from him for more than just a few hours so I was a little apprehensive....but so excited.  Let's just be real here--I knew Cohen would be fine, he is very social and loves anyone and everyone.  I was worried for myself.  

Anyways, we left the house at about 4:30 on Friday morning and Cohen slept horribly all night which is very unusual for him.  When the alarm went off and I got up, he woke up and thought it was morning.  He was ready to party....and eat breakfast.  When Eric and I left, he was screaming in Mamaw's arms which broke my heart.  But she fed him and then he went back to sleep and was completely fine the rest of the weekend.

 We walked like crazy and I don't care how comfortable you think your shoes or boots are, your feet are going to hurt.

 We saw The Highline, Central Park, Times Square, Battery Park, The 911 Memorial, Soho, Chinatown, The Radio City Rockettes, The Lion King and everything and everywhere in between.  

 We ate amazing food at Carmine's, Fig and Olive, Del Friscos, Roxy Deli and tons of other places.

We had such an amazing time and it was so nice to get away with my husband and good friends.  It is good to know that we still have things in common and can have fun that doesn't involve being parents.