Peighton Update

So today I officially signed up P for ballet class on post at the SKIES building... I hope she is excited as I am about it, ha! She starts next Wednesday.. it's at 12 and a 45 minute long class. We are doing this class for the month of May but if she enjoys it then I will sign her back up for it or we might try tap next. With Brandon being deployed, we have the advantage of free SKIES classes... the ARMY Family Covenant gives children the equivalence of $300 for the duration of the deployment to use toward the SKIES classes... a nice benefit to have! Now I have the task of finding ballet slippers, tights and a leotard by next Wednesday... I love shopping though so it gives me a reason to shop! Hopefully, I wont have a hard time finding them... I think I remember Payless having the shoes at least and I've heard that Target carries them as well. Not sure what the rules are about taking pics during the class... if I can I will be sure to take them and post for all to see... but either way I will definitely update soon on how the first class went :)

New Pics of the Kidos

Kiddo Update :)

Well I can't believe it but my baby boy turned 2 months old this past Monday :) He is growing up so fast... can't believe he was only born 2 months ago... seems like I've always had my little monkey! I love how his personality is blossoming every day... he is more alert and active... and I love getting his smiles and to hear him "talk" to me. I am completely in love with him... his is still mommy's sweetheart! He had his first official doctor's visit for his 2 month check up on Tuesday. And I am proud to say his growing good and healthy. Henry is now 24 inches long and weighs 12.8 pounds... he is in the 75% for his weight and 55% for his height... needless to say I think he is growing just fine! He is starting to fit into 3-6 months clothes already. He is also up to 4 oz. bottle every 2-4 hours depending on his mood :) Henry only gets up twice a night now... he is usually in bed by 815/830 and does not wake up for his first feeding until sometime between 12-1... then not again until 3-4... then is usually up for the day between 7-715. He has a good schedule for the day too... so thankful he is on a decent schedule already! He is such a good baby... he was even a trooper when it came time for his shots... he cried a little but he was lucky to have his big sister there to hold his hand :) Can't wait to see how big he has gotten and all the things he can do at his 4 month check up!

And for a little update on Miss Peighton... she is transitioning to the 3's and 4's side at her preschool... she gets to go the big kid side! She is so excited too :) She went there for a little bit on Tuesday.. about 2 hours... and she did very well over there. My baby girl is growing up!! I think having some familiar faces over there helps her adjust as well... some of her friends have also turned 3 and are already over there... she will be over there permanently starting next week. I am so happy she loves school... let's hope this sets the tone for the remainder of her school life :)

Extended Spring Break!

Well its been awhile since my last post... and I can't believe how busy we've been this past month that I haven't even been able to blog. But oh so happy to say that april is almost over with.. and the time sure is flying! Peighton had the week after Easter off from school and I knew I wanted to take the kids home to SC for Easter so we just left a little earlier and made it a 3 week long vacation. We had a fabulous time and had a busy three weeks there. Henry met a lot of new faces.. and I know everyone was excited to meet the little guy! Peighton too was happy to get to see everyone again and to be at Mimi's and Papa's house. Let's see we went to the park several times, the Children's Museum, Folly Beach, and of course some shopping :) The kids had a great Easter... we went to church that morning... P had an easter egg hunt in the yard... and the easter bunny left them each an easter basket filled with goodies. It wasn't the same with Brandon there... but we will just have to make up for it next year! We had an uneventful drive home with just a little bit of traffic and no major kiddo meltdowns. Now its back to normal for us... whatever "normal" may be :)

Henry's 1 Month Old!!

Can't believe my sweet baby boy is a month old already... yep on Friday, March 12 Henry hit the one month milestone :) He is such a good baby... and has been such a blessing to our family!! I am lucky that he is already on a decent schedule. Henry is up to 3 ounce bottles and feeding every 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours depending on his mood... there are times he acts like he can't make it past 2 hours without feeding again and other times he is content for a full 3 or 3 1/2 hours. He is a very good sleep as well. He usually is taking his last feeding at 8 and in bed by 830.. he usually doesn't wake for his first feeding until midnight then again at 230-3 in the morning then again at 530 then he is typically up by 7 or 730. So yes he is still feeding three times a night but with 2 1/2 to 3 hour stretches between feedings I get a good bit of sleep. During the day, he usually takes a good morning nap with some cat napping in the afternoons... its still hard to get a firm afternoon schedule since that tends to be our out and about time especially if Peighton has school. I can't complain though he is very content and happy baby. He is getting longer and longer it seems... he has such long legs and arms unlike Peighton... it cracks me up how different shaped they are. Henry is becoming more and more alert... enjoying his time on the floor and listening to Peighton read books to him. I am looking forward to seeing him change and grow over the next month :)

another week down...

Well we did it or should I say I did it... a full week of just me and the kiddos. Last Friday, we had to say another goodbye to Brandon as he left to go back to Afghanistan... much harder this time to see him go... we are so grateful for those two weeks!! Then we had to say goodbye to Mimi who headed back to SC on early Tuesday morning... Peighton had the hardest time with that one... she misses her buddy and asks me daily when we going to go to Mimi's house? So now its just the three of us and luckily, we had a successful first week! The weeks are always the easiest to get through... its the weekends that are tough... I am use to handling the day to day stuff but by Saturday I am ready for some reinforcement, ha! Peighton had her typical routine this week with school on Tuesday and Thursday. She was happy that Henry had to come with us this week... she was excited to introduce him to her teachers :) Henry and I enjoyed it just being the two of us during those few hours. We made a commissary trip on Tuesday and had lunch with a friend on Thursday. We are so happy that the weather has been beautiful these past few days and have taken much advantage of it. On Friday, I took the kids to Chickfila and Walmart ( I really should just say I took Peighton but Henry was in tow even if he just slept most of the time). Peighton got a mini golf set, a jump rope and some sidewalk chalk... all great supplies for a weekend outside! Let me just tell you, we had a blast Friday afternoon... our whole front walkway is filled with colorful chalk drawing via Miss Peighton... and who knew jumping rope was such a workout?!? Needless to say, we all were tired that night... Peighton fell asleep on the couch watching her movie. Even Henry enjoyed the sunshine sitting in his bouncer on the front porch :) Saturday was another fantastic weather day... and we headed to the big park on Post. It was very crowded but Peighton still had lots of fun!! And for today, I have an FRG meeting this afternoon... then the weekend will be over/another week down. Its weeks like these that make it seem possible to survive the rest of this seemingly LONG year. But if I look at the smaller picture, it seems even less daunting. The kids and I are headed to SC for Easter and Peighton's spring break. Then Brandon will be home for his R&R sometime around the end of May/beginning of June. Then back to SC for summer vacation... time really does fly!

Henry's 2 Week

Yesterday, Henry Clay turned 2 weeks old... can't believe he is that old already. He is growing like a weed and is a very healthy little boy :) His weight is up to 9 lbs. even and he is in the 75% for his weight. His height is 22.5 inches which puts him in the 95%. He is going through a growth spurt... gaining over a half pound and growing half an inch just since his last check up a week and a half ago. Henry is still doing well with his sleeping and feeding habits. He is up to 2 oz. every 2-3 hours... and sleeps well at night with 3-4 feeding throughout the night. I usually get lucky with about two solid hours of sleep at a time... I know I'll catch up on it one of these days, ha! Henry is also become more alert and stays awake for longer periods of time... his most active is morning and evening... he likes to cat nap in his bouncer in the afternoons. He is still mommy's sweetheart and of course a daddy's boy... and especially little brother to Peighton... she has grown to love him and wants to always be around him. She is being a great big sister and mommy's little helper... if only she could get up to feed him at night, hehe. I'm lucky that she's a hard sleeper and Henry doesn't wake her up throughout the night. We are settling into our new little family of four quite well and we are so blessed to have two wonderful, healthy children whom we love and adore :)