I'm one lucky mama

(Yes, MORE pictures of my boys are coming your way!)

My mom and sister, Avery, were here for the past couple days visiting while daddy was in the field. She took some pictures for me and I wanted to share :)

Quick update on Jonah. At his check up a few days ago he was 8 lbs, 15 oz and 21 3/4 inches long! Growing so fast. They said he's doing great and Dr. Lay (the pediatrician we saw, whom I love) commented on how sweet and adorable he was! He's not quite sleeping through the night yet. (Bedtime at 10:30pm, up at midnight, up again from around 2-4, and then sleeping til 7ish). BUT his sleeping is getting better, slowly but surely.

Everyday Life

When you are a military family the phrase "everyday life" seems non-existant in your vocabulary. You're never really living the typical every day life. Always planning for a training or deployment or celebrating that they just returned. Or getting settled in a new house at a new base.. or packing and getting ready to move. Add in normal life events like getting married, having a baby, having ANOTHER baby.. and there's really not much down time for "everyday life".

But what I've come to realize is that this chaos IS everyday life for us. And also I have realized, that in a weird way, I enjoy it. Sometimes the timing of things really stinks, but in the end I'm happy and my family is happy. And that's really all that matters right?

Now for an update on our "everyday life" (:

Jonah is 11 days old today. Wow, time is already flying. He couldn't be more precious. Sometimes I just stare at him in my arms and rub the dark hair on his head.. all I can think of is how much he looks like his daddy (which means he's adorable). Speaking of daddy, I have sooooo enjoying getting to see him with our baby boy. Seeing him talk to Jonah.. and rock him.. and fall asleep on the couch with him. It's those things he missed with Jack that melt my heart. He amazes me everyday (Jeff, that is) with how patient he is with both of our boys. I couldn't ask for a better daddy for them.

Jonah is eating about 3 oz every 3-4 hours. And still sleeping a lot in between. He's starting to sleep a little better during the night. During the first week, he was mistaking nighttime for party time. Silly boy! Unlike his big brother, he loves being cuddled. When he's being held, he curls into you and snuggles right up. Which is why we invested in one of these:

A Moby Wrap!

With an infant who wants to be held all the time, and a toddler that usually requires both my hands to be free, it's perfect for us.

Jack is learning more about being a big brother every day. As to be expected, we've definitely had our fair share of tantrums and battles.. but he's learning. Jeff and I  learned to pick our battles, focusing on one thing at a time.

Like this?

This battle I just let go.. lol.

And he's still just as silly as ever..

[He insisted on putting my foot on his face and saying "NOOOOOOSE!"]

Today was Jeff's first day back to work since Jonah was born. He wasn't supposed to return until Monday but.. it's the Army. So far, the boys and I are doing well. Trying to coordinate feeding times, and naptimes, and playtimes, it's the hardest part. It's good practice for us to get into a routine though. Lots of things coming up that will throw it off.. haha.

Jeff goes to the field next week and my mom and Avery are coming down to visit and help out. And then a few weeks later we head to Ohio for a few days for our "Meet Jonah" party (August  20th). AND THEN.. the week after that daddy leaves for Fort Polk, LA from August 28-September 30 :( The boys and I will miss daddy so much, we will probably be back and forth to Ohio during the month of September. Most definitely for Jack's birthday on the 17th at least!

Pheeww, makes me tired just thinking about it.

And just to brighten your day, lets end today's post with some baby smiles!

Motherhood Wonders

"You are my biggest adventure"

Definitely the best way I can think of to describe my life with my boys. I've been a mother for just under 2 years, and a mother of 2 for only a week. And I can tell you, it's quite the adventure.

Right now, Jonah is sleeping. So are my wonderful husband and toddler. And yet, I am awake. I know I need my rest. I know I'll be kicking myself in the morning for not sleeping when I can. But yet, I'm awake.

Looking at this sweet baby boy cuddled up against me reminds me of how blessed I am. He is the spitting image of his daddy, and his brother is mommy's mini-me. God has trusted us with these precious babies, and I'm still not sure why he picked us. We are not worthy of such a gift. 

I still can't believe I'm their mommy. It's a scary thing to think about. I'm the one they rely on for most everything. For protection, for help, for teaching, and for love. I often wonder if I can do it.. if I can be everything that they deserve.

I keep trying to tell myself that love is what it all comes down to. If I do everything out of love, everything else will come. But man, I really don't want to mess this up. And I know it's inevitable that I will occasionally.

Motherhood is an adventure. The biggest adventure there is. Sometimes on adventures we have to learn by messing up, and sometimes we have to figure out the path along the way, and most importantly...

...sometimes we have to stop and take a minute to look around and love the exact place we're in.

Meet Jonah!

I've been MIA for a while now.. but.. see if this is good enough reason for you..

Jonah Allen Davis

Born July 11, 2011

7:45pm

8 lbs 7 oz

21 inches

Tomorrow he will be a week old, and I can't believe how fast time is flying already. I guess that happens when you have two boys under 2. Speaking of my boys, Jack is learning more about being a big brother everday. It's been an adjustment for him (and it still is). But he loves Jonah and that's completely obvious, which of course makes this mama's heart melt.

Thank you to everyone thats been a help to my family during the past week. To my mom and Avery for coming down and being whatever I need them to be. To my best friend,

Erin, for being the constant fun and love that Jack needed while mommy and daddy were away. And to everyone who has come to visit as well :) We are so very blessed to have wonderful friends and family.

Bear with me as I start my life as a mommy of two.

I will probably post way too many pictures and mention "the boys' did this" way too much. But I'm the mama, that's my job :)

101 things to do with your Toddler

With Jonah's due date quickly approaching, I've been hanging out with my munchkin and enjoying him as much as possible. Because as much as I tell myself that Jack and I's relationship won't change, and we'll be just as close as ever... I know that it will. It's inevitable. It's not necessarily all bad. He will grow into a big brother (and a GREAT one I'm sure!). But I want to make sure he knows, mommy still loves him just as much as ever!

I think just spending time together doing fun things is a big part of that. I LOVE to play with my boy, but let's face it... one can only say "Vrrrooom vrrroom" and crash trucks into each other so many time before he starts to notice my lowering amount of enthusiam. I found this list at Counting on Me through Pinterest and thought it was GREAT :) So I'm sharing.

So get to playin'!

.

1. Color
2. Blow Bubbles
3. Play Hide-and-Seek
4. Peek-a-Boo
5. Play Chase
6. Do Finger-plays
7. Sing a song
8. Collect rocks in a basket
9. Make an obstacle course out of cushions and/or furniture
10. Make a fort out of cushions and sheets
11. Go for a Walk
12. Make a Car out of a Box
13. Read a book
14. Go to the park
15. Finger-paint
16. Play with Play-Dough
17. Toss Bean bags into a Bucket
18. Play the shell and pea game
19. Dance to music
20. Download games for toddlers from the Internet
21. Practice putting things in and taking things out of boxes and bags
22. Make a temporary slide out of a table leaf and your couch
23. Roll a ball back and forth on the floor
24. Scoop dirt or sand into a child's bucket (or use a serving spoon and bowl)
25. Practice climbing by stacking boxes on top of each other (only with adult supervision)
26. Put on a puppet show
27. Go fishing with a yard stick and yarn
28. Make a Horseshoe game
29. Make a Shape Puzzle
30. Play paper basketball
31. Run through a Sprinkler
32. Play with a bucket of water and a sponge (PLEASE WATCH CHILD AT ALL TIMES!)
33. Make a Drum out of an oatmeal box
34. Play with a kazoo
35. Wash windows together
36. Bang on Pots and Pans with a spoon
37. Brush each other's teeth
38. Play dress-up with stuffed animals and your child's clothes
39. Stack canned or boxed food on top of each other
40. Let child stack mixing bowls inside each other
41. Make a playhouse out of a large box
42. Let child play with a sticker sheet (make sure your child doesn't eat them!)
43. Put stickers on fingers for finger puppets
44. Play a musical instrument together- i.e.recorder, piano, etc.
45. Go on a Smelling Hunt
46. Frost Cookies
47. Plant a flower or vegetable plant together
48. Roll a tennis ball into an empty trash can or bucket
49. Draw on a mirror with dry-erase markers
50. Play hide and seek together- trying to find a stuffed animal or other object
51. Have a splash party together in the bathtub
52. Put a leash on a stuffed animal and walk around the house
53. Record each other on a tape recorder (great for scrapbooks or journals!)
54. Make and try on paper hats
55. Give a piggy-back ride
56. Play "Horsey"
57. Talk into an electric fan (it distorts your voice)
58. Play tug-of-war with a blanket
59. Collect flowers (felt, artificial, real...)
60. Make a camera and go on a Safari
61. Play games with frozen juice lids
62. Disconnect your phone and pretend to make phone calls to relatives
63. Leave your phone connected and really make phone calls to relatives- let your child talk too
64. String large beads onto or along a shoelace
65. Squirt each other with squirt bottles
66. Glue shapes onto paper
67. Make sock puppets
68. Make paper puppets
69. Fill an old purse with toys
70. Use a paper towel tube as a megaphone
71. Make binoculars and go "Bird Watching" or "Stuffed Animal Watching"
72. Put snacks in different fun containers (paper sacks, empty canisters, etc.)
73. Act out a story from a book
74. Walk on a balance beam- use a 2x4 placed on the ground
75. Draw with chalk on the sidewalk
76. Sketch an outline of your child on the sidewalk or paper with chalk
77. Paint child's palms with tempura paint and blot on paper. Makes a great card for loved ones!
78. Put lipstick on child and kiss a mirror
79. Make a puddle on cement and splash barefoot in it
80. Let child decorate and eat an open peanut butter sandwich
81. Make a toilet paper barricade for child to go under, over, or through
82. Do the Hokey Pokey
83. Make a super-hero costume out of household items
84. Do Knee-Bouncing Rhymes
85. Play "Red Light, Green Light" saying "Go" and "Stop"
86. Make a shoe-box train for stuffed animals
87. Make a pillow pile to jump on (keep it clear from any hard surfaces, including walls!)
88. Make an easy puzzle with felt and Velcro
89. Make bracelets or collars for stuffed animals out of pipe cleaners and jingle bells
90. Learn numbers from a deck of cards
91. Play the matching game with a deck of cards
92. Make a domino chain
93. Have a picnic in the park, backyard, or living room!
94. Play dress up in Mommy or Daddy's clothes
95. Make a tin cup telephone and talk to each other in it
96. Make a nature collage
97. Mirror each other
98. Make a "Mummy Mommy" with toilet paper
99. Make a tape recording of short music selections and instructions to move in different ways
100. Make and walk along a toilet paper trail
101. TAKE A NAP!