Chewy's at Christmas

I know I am so behind and have not even posted one picture of Christmas. But I found these pictures yesterday and downloaded them real fast before work. My brother and his family come in town for Christmas so we get to spend a few days with everyone, which is really nice.

It is really hard to get a good picture with two small children to look your way at the same time. So these were the best pictures we could get. My family and Dustin and I love Chewy's Mexican Restaurant, every time we are feeling cheap we go here for the happy hour. They serve free chips with queso, taco meat and beans. We usually fill up on the free stuff and share one meal between the three of us. We always feel bad that we are being so cheap so we of course give the waiter a big tip, to make us feel better.

Harlowe and Parker look so cute together. This was the first year they could really play together and really get to know one another. Their at the age where they parallel play but I still think they had fun. Harlowe loves children, she loves being around other people her size. So hopefully she will be nice to the new baby on the way. She really doesn't understand I am pregnant so I hope she is not completely shocked when there is a new addition.

My brother and his family

Harlowe loves to play with rocks, I don't know what is so fascinating about them.

Harlowe is seventeen months now and doing a bunch of new things. She is slowly mastering the fork and spoon. She is not really interested in coloring yet, she will just make a few squiggles and be on her way or she will put them in her mouth. I think I need to offer her more opportunities to color, I think that will be our next project.

My baby can read DVDs and books has really helped her, and no I don't own stock in this company, ha. Although, I think it has been a good tool for her because she can point to all her body parts and she loves the flash cards. She will bring you the flash cards everyday and goes through all of them over and over.

She is starting to say a few words: nose, I see you, hi, bye-bye, mama, dada, juice, bah (sheep sound). I really cannot think of anything else but Dustin states she says things everyday that I don't hear. But when he asks her to repeat herself she won't do it.

She is starting to point at her diaper when it is dirty so I have been introducing her to the potty chair. It really has not caught on yet but we will see. She will just sit on the potty and point to her privates without any pee-pee or poop. Yet, when I gave her toilet paper for the first time she knew what to do with it.

I probably could go on and on but I will save it for another post. I have been watching the news a lot and the people in Japan have been weighing on my heart. My grandparents still live there and are doing fine. But just take a moment to pray for the people who are still suffering there.

Kemah in November

We went to Kemah on a sunny, nice day in November. For the people not from Houston, Kemah is a waterfront area with lots of restaurants and a small little amusement park area. It is pretty nice for Galveston water, which is brown. Although, we had a good time and we got to go on some of the rides.

Harlowe and I on the Farris Wheel, it only went around a couple of times and Dustin was like, is this it? I think Harlowe liked it despite the short ride. She wasn't that scared of being so high, either.

Harlowe still loves to wave at everyone and anyone, I think in her mind she thinks she is a princess blessing everyone with her grace, ha. Just kidding, it is so cute, she is so friendly, I know she got that from Dustin because he can talk your ear off. He can pretty much talk to anyone, and me on the other hand, complete opposite.

Dustin was trying to put on a happy face for all the festivities. I think he was bored, but he hung in there for Harlowe's sake. Poor Harlowe was looking perplexed in both family pictures. It is hard to get a good family picture with a baby.

We went on a little kiddie plane ride that went around and lifted us up and down. Harlowe had fun playing with all the gadgets in the plane.

My two babies, this is a pretty good picture of both of them.

I wanted to thank everyone for all the well wishes for the new baby. My aunt and uncle sent this really nice card and we enjoyed hearing from both of them. And my brother even sent us a post card from Afghanistan. We really appreciate all the nice thoughts and all the prayers, ha. We need all the prayers we can get, ha. Dustin always looks at my stomach, getting bigger and says I cannot believe we are having another baby. I always say, me neither, but I think I put him at ease when I told him this is not a phenomenon having two children. People do it all the time and still survive, ha, he said that's true.

Playing in the street

Harlowe is thirteen months, it seems like I over did it at thirteen months. Dustin was at work so it was a lazy day at home, trying to occupy her time. Harlowe loves to play in the dirt and she even partakes in some dirt pie. I don't know what is wrong with this girl but she puts anything and everything in her mouth. I thought it was a phase but it is still here to stay. And it never fails when we go to the park she will put at least two little pebbles with some tire sheds in her mouth. If your wondering about the tire sheds, our neighborhood park is cushioned with old tires, yum.

I have gotten over it real quick about trying to tell her to spit it out of her mouth. Because two minutes later she will put some more in her mouth, what's a girl to do. I know my mother will be utterly disgusted but a little dirt never hurt anyone, right?

                                                     See mom, look am my dirt clog!

I love her little belly, I could eat her up. She loves, loves, loves to be outside. She got a pink push car from my brother and his family (really his wife picked it out, ha) and every time we go outside she will just sit in it even if we are not going anywhere. She just wants to cruise around town in that thing. Dustin thinks I should jog with her in the car but I think not.

                                                     Getting some leaves off her feet.

I guess this is a good time to let everyone know that Dustin and I are expecting a new addition to the family. I am almost five months pregnant and we are expecting a baby boy in July. We are excited, scared and have so many mixed emotions. Dustin has always wanted two children but when the time came we were both like two kids, yikes. Having one baby is so easy, I don't know how we are going to maneuver two.

I always admire those mom's you see in the grocery store with two little ones, just sitting in the cart, content. Of course Harlowe is the one trying to cart surf in HEB. I have to bribe her with donuts or food to make her sit down.

Or the babies that sit in the high chair at restaurants, just looking around taking in the scene. Although Harlowe is the one crying and bucking out of the high chair. So mainly I am trying to eat my food with her on my lap trying not to get food on her head. When I leave restaurant's, I have most of the food on my shirt or pants because I either drop it or Harlowe smears it on me. I know somethings got to give but all in due time, right God, ha. Please pray for us, ha.

I am just savoring all the time I have with Harlowe because I know it will be a big change for her and for me, mostly me, ha.

Curious George

Harlowe is twelve months, I believe, I know I need a better system to remember all the dates. She is my little climber. She still loves to climb on things, I guess that is normal for her age. She just started climbing on her activity table, stands on it and looks at stuff on the coffee table. I am just waiting for the day I find her standing on the glass coffee table.

I love this face, she knows she is doing something wrong but gives you a smile anyway. She just gives you this look like look at me now! Are you going to say something? And if you do, I still won't listen. I love this child to pieces.

We have since learned to child proof our home, not really to protect Harlowe. But to prevent her from messing up the whole house. Is that bad or what? She will pull things out and most of the time our house is a disaster. I think it is probably only clean one day out of the week, the day we decide to clean. Is this normal?

Dustin has got into the habit of calling Harlowe, tootles, I don't know where that came from but I guess that is her new name for now. I know your thinking, random, but I just wanted to blog about it in case he switches it up. Memories, ha.

The Disaster

Dustin was looking for Harlowe because she was so quiet and I was getting ready. This is what Dustin first saw while walking through the house. I think she was about 13months at the time.

I had already gotten her ready and we were about to head out the door, when my mischievous child got into the Desitin. Let me tell you Dustin was so mad, poor thing cleaned up the carpet, floors and the baby.

This stuff is like an oil slick, it was so hard to get up and even off the baby.

What a face, I think she has gotten her mischievous side from Dustin, because I was an angel as a child, ha!!!

Poison control was never called, ha, and who knows how much she stuck in her mouth but no side effects as of yet. After this incident, Dustin and I learned a very valuable lesson, this child is a hot mess (just kidding). We make sure never to leave any goodies for her to get into lying around in arms length.

Merry Christmas (Belated)

On the blog Harlowe looks cropped out but if you click on the picture, you can see her better.

This was our first Christmas picture with Santa and as you can see, Harlowe did not appreciate Santa this year. I tried to let her sit in Santa's lap but she was not having it. So Santa said we both could sit on his lap but I let him know I would probably break his poor leg, if I attempted that. Needless to say, I sat on the arm rest while Harlowe looked so pitiful. Dustin did not want to be in the picture because he was having a bad hair day, men, ha! He is probably going to kill me if he ever reads this but luckily he has been too busy to read my blog, so I am safe for now, ha.

The poor ladies taking the picture were trying so hard to make her smile but no such luck. My poor baby was frowning and drooling, a picture to remember.

The Santa looked pretty good, he looked like the real thing. Luckily the mall was not crowded because we went on a weekday and there was not a wait at all. God blessed us that day, because some of my coworkers said they waited for an hour. I am not that good of a parent nor am I that patient, I guess God knows me too well.

We had a great Christmas and spent quality time with both of our families which was nice. I was scheduled to work on Christmas but I was lucky enough to get cancelled. I will post more pictures of our Christmas, hopefully soon.

Happy Halloween

Dustin's mother's birthday lands on Halloween so they threw a birthday bash. I guess we were the dud's that didn't dress up. It was an interesting party to say the least! Dustin and I agree that the next bash, I will stay home with the children. His parents know how to party down, ha!

Dustin's head looks funny but he was standing in front of a Halloween type tree on the mantel. Dustin's mother went all out on the decorations and their house looked so good for the party. She even had a dancing little boy dressed as a ghost, that Harlowe loved. It danced when there was movement around it, she just danced and danced with it. I really should of taken a picture, it was so cute.

Dustin's dad singing karaoke, there was a lot of singing going down and they even had a fog machine. One of Dustin's high school friends even brought it inside for ambiance.

I am far behind on my blogging but I am hanging in there and trying to catch up. It seems like the holiday's are crazy with work and trying to fit in family time. Let me tell you it seems like every day is crazy, I am just trying to stay afloat. Although, I would not change it for the world. Hopefully soon I will find a balance and fit some fun stuff in because lately it just seems like my days off are filled with grocery shopping, cleaning (which is a never ending battle with a little one and a husband, ha.), and cooking. We haven't really fit anything fun in as a couple or as a family. I guess that is a good New Year's Resolution, figured out in January, ha.

All in all we had a great Halloween, we did not go trick or treating with Harlowe. But this year, I think she will have fun with it so we will definitely go all out.