Christmas Photo

I have been trying to get a picture of the boys for our card. Doesn't this one just scream MERRY CHRISTMAS?? :)

Mornings

I feel like mornings have been looking a lot differently since we had Elliott. They use to be fairly predictable, and now I never know who is going to wake up when, and it can be a trick to balance two babies at once. Here are a few pictures of our recent mornings.

Today Jerel was sleeping in a little because he took night duty with Elliott. Nolan woke up first, I got his milk ready, took Rocky out and got him fed and then Elliott woke up right when I was getting ready to sit down with Nolan. We still hold him while he drinks his milk because he can't/doesn't tip his head back...long story. Anyway, he wants his milk and Elliott is crying, so I put him in the recliner, tilt him back and tell him to go for it! It worked out pretty well! :)

A few days ago I was giving Elliott his bottle and Nolan kept bringing me books wanting me to read to him. I continually tell him that he has to wait until I was done. So he decided to just climb up onto the chair and climb onto me. I felt like a human jungle gym.

Jerel is the breakfast king in this house. He has made us pancakes every saturday since we got married. This past week he found an assistant and Nolan loved it. We are trying to get him more involved in the meal process hoping that this will help him embrace food. He had no problem embracing these pancakes! :)

Head Hugs & Pictures

Everyone asks how Nolan is doing with his little brother. For the most part he is doing much better than I expected. I can tell that he really loves him. This is a classic picture of the "head hug" which is how he hugs everyone. Anytime Elliott is around Nolan is hugging on him. There are still moments when I am holding or feeding Elliott and Nolan throws a mini-tantrum because I can't hold or read to him, but that is to be expected.

I had pictures taken of Elliott at two weeks and just got to see the proofs today. I am always surprised at how well they turn out. I had really wanted him to be asleep, but no go. Here is the link if you would like to check them out www.susanbrewerphotography.com go to website, click on clients and my password is sarah0327.

As for the rest of us...we are exhausted. Elliott is sweet and for the most part easy, but he is a horrible night sleeper. At the most I will get three and a half hours out of him and one of those time he will refuse to go back to sleep. I know it's the phase of a 4 week old, but four weeks of not sleeping can ware on a person. He weighs 11 lbs. 3 oz., so it's not like he is starving but he sure acts like it. Prayerfully he will start sleeping longer hours soon.

Well, need to get Nolan from school. It was a nice, quite morning!! :)

Now I Understand...

why people have more than one child! :) Nolan was such a difficult baby that the only reason we decided to have another one was because we knew he would be a rotten only child! I just couldn't fathom why in the world people repeatedly had babies. I have now been enlightened in the wonderful world of easy, laid back babies. I prayed daily since Nolan was 6 weeks old that our next child would an easy one. I know that the Lord could have- in His goodness- given us a child even more difficult that Nolan, but I am so thankful that he answered my pleas! This little guy has the sweetest disposition, falls asleep really easily, and sleeps great at night. If he is crying it is because he is hungry and then he can get pretty cranked up if I don't move fast enough. I know that this could all fall apart at any moment, but in the mean time I will just be thankful.

An update on my first day with them alone...we did great. It was an enjoyable day for the most part. Today their schedules have collided a few times and I thought I would loose it during lunch, but I made it without tears (I was the only one, however!). So, now I am off to nap so I can make it through the rest of the day! Yea for naps!!

LOVE him!!

Back to Reality

I was so blessed to have non-stop help since Elliott was born, but as of tomorrow, that is all over. :( Jerel had a week and a half off and then my mom came in for a week and flew back to Florida this morning. The help has been amazing, and I have to admit- I am a bit nervous about Monday when I have to fly solo. I keep reminding myself that people do this all the time and that I will successfully keep both children alive and most likely not loose my mind in the middle of it all. Every time I find myself getting anxious, I really try to claim different verses that promise the Lord's sustaining power, strength, mercy, and presence. This helps. I also know that I just have to take it all one day at a time. I'll keep you posted on the craziness.

My mom and the babies

I look ROUGH (as to be expected after being up every 2 hours all night) but Nolan was being so sweet as we colored.

Lions & Tigers &....

BEARS, OH MY!

Nolan was a bear for Halloween. A friend let me have this costume and I continue to LOVE hand me downs! May I never pay for a costume! :) My mom flew in on Saturday to help me for the week and Nolan and Elliott were able to trick or treat at Jerel's parents and then Jerel took Nolan out to see a couple of the neighbors when it got dark enough. It was fun to live in a neighborhood this year and have trick-or-treaters. It was a bummer that it rained but fun was still had by all.

Nolan was very unsure of the costume at first. If you enlarge this picture you can see big ole' tears rolling down his face. I kept telling him to get over it! :)

He got his first peanut butter cup and got over it!

Off to see the neighbors

Elliott was sleeping beauty! :) Isn't he sweet??

My Favorite Thing!

Today was beautiful in Greenville and I was feeling well enough to get out for a little walk downtown. So we broke out the Phil & Teds and loaded up the car.

When I realized that that I was going to have two babies, I began the research of the best double stroller for our lifestyle. Every time I looked at a side by side like the double Bob, Jerel would begin to hyperventilate because they are just so big. I would stop every stranger on the street who had a Phil & Teds and everyone seemed to love it...so we took the plunge and are so thankful! I wasn't sure how Nolan would do in the back (eventually Elliott will be back there) but he did great today and seemed to really like it.

So, if there is anyone out there considering a P & T, I HIGHLY recommend it!!