Saturday, November 28, 2015

Thanksgiving 2015

Oh boy, y'all. My heart (and my stomach!) are so full.

Thanksgiving is my favorite. The food. The family. The love. The gratitude. I adore it all.

My duties this year were to make something chocolate-y (Paula Deen's Pine Bark - so rich but super tasty) and pumpkin bread. Somehow, our traditional green bean casserole got nixed from the food list but that was okay because there was so much other food to consume the day of.
On the big day, we woke up slow. Thankfully we didn't have to make too much food since the majority was done the night before. Peyton was dying to make some homemade cranberry juice as a special treat for everyone, so we prepared that via this recipe.


While the cranberries were simmering on the stove, Peyton decorated the chalkboard with a beautiful turkey and this little stink ate some breakfast, as he supervised the kitchen happenings. 


As breakfast was munched and the parade played on the television, we then decorated place cards for everyone that would be attending dinner - Peyton's idea. She is so crafty, that little one of mine.


This year's feast was held at my Aunt's house and to say that her dining room was packed with family would be an understatement. Everything was delicious, of course. And everyone enjoyed each other's company, of course.

^^the obligatory thanksgiving dinner plate picture^^

After everyone stuffed their bellies full of all of the delicious food, we took the party outside to take some family pictures. AND we even got some decent ones! #doublehighfiveemoji

^^poor quality iPhone picture, but look! We're all in a picture together!^^



The evening finished out with singing "Happy Birthday" to my Uncle Bob, everyone enjoying the most delectable of desserts and Rhett playing with pots and pans in the kitchen. We didn't even do black friday shopping this year!! It was so nice to not be out in the stores until dawn, for once.



I can't believe that next year, Everett will be 20 months old! and Peyton will be 7, almost 8! Gosh, time sure does fly. I am grateful that I have so much to be thankful for and I can only hope that next Thanksgiving will be as wonderful. Now excuse me as I go raid the fridge for some leftovers.

xo,
Sara

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

8 months // Everett Orion


Length| Just about 28 inches!

Weight| 23.5 pounds. I think you're starting to plateau a little bit with your chunkiness. But I'm perfectly okay with that! Stay my little (not-so-tiny) baby forever? Yes? Okay. Glad that's settled.


Hair| You have quite a few lengthy hairs on top of that big ol' noggin of yours. But it's still really not that long. It seems to be getting thicker though, so we're on the right track.

Eyes| Still hazel, just like your Mama and Dada's.

Nicknames| Rhett, Sir Chunks-A-Lot, and any combination of chunky man, baby boy, little man, sweet boy, sweet man, etc.


Eats| You love your puffs! And graham crackers. And fried plantains. And dust bunnies. And toys. And basically anything you can get your chunky little hands on. In all seriousness though, you eat just about anything that we try to feed you. Which is way different than your sister's current eating habits. ;) Let's hope we can continue to keep your diet so varied, even for so little a person.

Sleep| You are such a rock star sleeper, Everett! Gone are the days of bedtime protesting (as long as you aren't overly tired and cranky). You fall asleep around 9pm and wake up somewhere between 6 and 8 - mostly around 7/7:30am.


Clothes| Well, today I squeezed you into 6-9 month pants but they are certainly busting at the seams. Your wardrobe ranges from 6-9 mo. all the way up to 18 mo.! We just went through all of your drawers and put away the 0-6 month items (which made me so very sad). I can't even believe that you once fit into those tiny newborn onesies. So little!

Diapers| Still size 4. No diaper upgrades just yet! Though, we are currently using those Huggies I'd mentioned last month and even though I don't mind them, I think when we get more at the store, we'll go back to the Pampers.


Loves| Everybody! Still. You love to eat. You love to chew on anything and everything, particularly magazines and your toys. Speaking of toys, you are absolutely bonkers about THIS one. It is your favorite-est toy in the whole wide world. I don't know what we would do if we ever lost it. CRAWLING- and just being a squirm in general. You have always loved when I say "TOES!". Remotes, phones, and anything else you aren't supposed to have (like the cat and dog's food bowls, gross!). // Bath time! You are such a little water babe and love to splash around in your tub. It makes me wish we had a regular sized tub to bathe you in (and, let's be real, for mama to take her own bubble baths in) but for now, we don't. One day, that will happen, though!


Dislikes| Being tired but not wanting to go to bed. // Not being held when you're cranky. Or tired. Or when you just want to be held. // Still not a fan of Mama trying to get your boogies out of your nose. Don't think that will ever change. // Having your diaper changed! Oh my word, has this gotten so difficult. You want nothing to do with diapie changes anymore. The second we lay you down on the changing pad, you fuss and try to flip yourself over immediately! Sometimes it takes two people just to keep you belly-up for the single minute it takes to get a new diaper on you. // The same goes for changing your clothes. Such. A. Hassle! // Being confined to your jumper or your walker for any period of time, unless you're in a really happy mood.



Milestones| You are a not-so-lean, not-mean-at-all, crawling machine! You zoom all over the house, no problem. We've had to start being more mindful of the things that we leave on the floor or within reach of your tiny little hands. // You can pull yourself up on just about anything and we officially had to lower your crib (the whole way down!). // You will walk while one of us is walking with you, bent over to hold your little hands. // You said your first word!! And it was "Dada". Sure, I was hoping it would be my name ;) ... but watching your Dad's face light up when we heard that word come out of your mouth was priceless. A moment and a feeling that I will not soon forget. // You've started playing peek-a-boo! For a while, one of us would hold you and sway back and forth in a doorway or behind a wall to play peek-a-boo with the other - but now you lean forward and backward all on your own and it is the cutest thing ever! Though, I think everything you do is the cutest thing ever, as parents do. // You have FOUR teeth now! Both bottom and both top in the front. I sure hope you keep that gap between your top two, just like your Dada ;)


Events| Well, the mudroom that your Dad and Papa Ron are working so hard on renovating, is almost a completed project! #highfivesallaround // Your Dada turned 29... which means he'll be 30 next year. Which means he's definitely an old man! + Papa Ron turned 60 this year. Craziness! We celebrated with Mexican food and margaritas (Not you, though. You just had a baba ;)). // Halloween! You have your first Halloween in the books and, naturally, you dressed up as a tiny, muscle-clad Batman. Your sister, however, made a perfectly beautiful little witch and was more than happy to collect all of the candy for the both of you. We carved pumpkins and watched Charlie Brown. It was a good holiday, for sure. // We have been lucky enough to have GiGi around to watch you every weekday while your Dad and I are at work, but her schedule has gone through a mandatory change with her work that resulted in me having to go part-time at my job. It's bad because that means less in our bank account each month, BUT it's also absolutely great because that just means more time spent with you and your sister during the day. // I am anxiously awaiting this upcoming holiday season so that we can celebrate your first Thanksgiving and Christmas... and to eat some delicious holiday meals because they're my most favorite of the year. I am hoping to start new traditions with you and Peyton that you two will (hopefully) remember forever and maybe pass on to each of your children once day. Being both of your mama is my favorite. I love you, sweet stinky sir.




xo,
Sara