Two.

All of a sudden 2 entire years have gone by since our little amazing Nolie bear joined our "little" family.   I am not sure exactly how that has happened…time flies when you are having fun?  And really that's what I feel when I think about my days at home with this little guy…Fun.    Sure, sure they aren't always and days when I have pulled him off the counter for the 323th time or taken the bottle of spray cleaner away 97 times don't feel like fun but at the very same time they are kinda funny because you just can't help but laugh….eventually.

At 2, Nolan is talking A LOT.  He still isn't completely talking in full sentences but is so close and certainly knows how to get his point across.  Instead of saying "I want to go play outside here are my shoes."  He will say "shoes n socks.outside. play. me."    He likes to walk in a room and said proudly "Hi Mommy, It's me!"   He loves watching "Little Einsteins" aka "rocky" and "Bubble Guppies".   He can walk up and down stairs and jump.  He can ride his little scoot "bikes" and drink out of a big cup with out spilling---until he then just dumps it out.  He loves spray bottles and any sort of bottle with a pump…he loves to just pump soap out and "wash hans" forever.  He will pump an entire bottle of conditioner all over the bath tub with no problem.   He may or may not have ruined 2 pairs of pants the other day by spraying bleach water all over them…I obviously didn't realize it was left out oops!  (also I hate bleach and try to never use it so him getting it was a double whammy!)
He cracks us up all day long with his cute little voice and the little way he says things.  He says "tank oo" so sweet and always says "Your welck" in response to thank you's.  He now says "bless you" and "excuse me" when he burps.  Basically he talks a lot…and is constantly chattering all day long.   He loves playing with cars and trains and out side.  He had a firetruck party for his birthday and loves firetrucks.   He loves playing outside in the back yard, this summer he loved swimming at the pool and was able to go under off the steps and "swim" to us.  He is a busy on the go little go and his curiosity is wonderful.  Watching him learn and discover new things is just fun.
At 2 he still is not sleeping thru the night but is sleeping so very much better.   He still wakes up to get in our bed but most nights sleeps pretty well.  In bed around 8-8:30 and sleeps til around 7.   He naps usually around 1 for about an hr sometimes less sometimes more.  His eating has gotten so much better as well…he still doesn't eat a lot and still spits quite a bit out but is slowly but surely eating better.  He loves to tell us "ewwww" and not trying things haha.  It's frustrating but also pretty darn cute.  He is showing his temper more lately but it still just makes us giggle most of the time…he gets so mad and just yells whatever or whoever he is made at so loudly.  
At 2 he is a very easy guy to travel around with…he naps well in the car or in the stroller or wherever he needs to…I dare say he actually sleeps better on the go.    He loves his brothers and has special names for each of them that we love…Jakeb is "dohbay" Zachary is "Zachary" and Gavin is "Guy Guy".  He is crazy about his cousin Reagan and they are so super cute playing and giggling with each other.
At 2 he is loved so very much.  We all really enjoy him so much and are so blessed and lucky to have this joyful little boy in our lives.  He brings so much happy and joy to our lives.   Happy 2nd birthday Nolan!

Twelve on Tuesday.

1.  I have 2 kids home "sick" today…for the 2nd and 3rd day in a row.   One should be at school and one should have been at school the other 2 days but should be home today.   Go figure.   It's that time of year….JOY.

2.  I say it roughly every other post but HOW is it that time of year already?

3.  My house smells delish…made pumpkin muffins this morning YUM.

4.  I was looking at some pictures of Zachary yesterday…recent pictures actual and I just can't believe he is going to be TEN.

5.  I have been tossing and good willing like crazy this week.   I think I probably do this as every season changes…I need stuff GONE.  

6.  We are still obviously in limbo land with the foster care…

7.  While waiting for Nolan to be older (sleeping thru the night…even?) Is better it's been a process…

8.   Nope…he still isn't sleeping thru the night.   Occasionally but even then it's not a full 10-12 hours of sleep.   His longest stretch without a peep is 10-7/7:30 and that has happened a small handful of times.

9.  I boxed up lego's the other day….Jakeb is kinda over them and Zachary and Gavin were never really that into them.  We have an entire plastic storage box full of them.  

10.  I told the cleaning people to not come this week…come in 2 weeks.  Not ready to completely say no more but it's really an expense we don't need to spend.  PLUS now that things feel a little more "under control" I am wanting to do it myself…they really don't do that fantastic of a job anyway, so I find myself doing some of it over again.   But if they would just come mop that would be great..because they do a rock star job on the floors.

11.  The boys did AWESOME on their report cards for the first 9 weeks.  Super proud of them.

12.  Jakeb has his first swim meet on Saturday…very excited for him!

Hello.

Did I mention that the hard drive on my computer died?   I feel like I did…no worries it was promptly fixed the very same day and due to my mad backing up skills I am fairly confident I didn't lose a thing.  I have spent much of today working on restoring my photo editing software and also trying to track down the product key to "Office".  I would like to also make it known that the customer service for both Adobe and Microsoft is junk.  Both got me no where and I was able to work out the issues on my own with less then zero help from either company.  I may have moderately ranted at both and then finally gave up and thanks to my friend google we fixed it.
I spent some time going thru some pictures the other day looking for something and realized that I haven't taken a picture with my "big camera" in months so I actually brought it along for our "pumpkin farm" adventure on Sunday.  Hence the sudden need to get my photo software up and running.
Nolan is all about animals…and was super excited to see them and watch them…his brothers were equally as excited about HIS excitement so capturing all of that was good to do with the "mama camera".
I have SO many pictures of Nolan and right now it's no big deal he's cute, he's right next to me all day…and his brothers are less "hey take my picture" so he gets more camera time.   But I know in a couple years I will be looking for pictures of the big guys and be kicking myself that there aren't as many.   So I am working on making sure to bust out the camera for their cuteness….despite that attention stealing baby I certainly DO want to remember all the cute and funny and silly things they do just as much.   And being that my memory is for the birds on every day events…pictures are how it's done.  And also this here blog….Baseball season is done so I am working my way back to some semblance of sanity.  At least for the next couple months.
Speaking of baseball the boys rocked out an awesome season.  Zachary's fall team brought in the championship for their league so that's TWO championship teams for Zman.  Awesomeness!   Gavin's team did great as well and they were so fun to watch and cheer on…Gavin could really take or leave baseball but at 7 I think that's allowable!
Nolan's 2nd birthday is so very soon and we are so very unprepared for the shindig we have planned.   As in I sent out evites and may or may not actually get paper invites sent.   For many many birthday's now invitations have been "painstakingly" tackled via my elementary photoshop skills…this year it may be a mad dash to Target to get something cute and call it a day.   Or it may not happen at all.   Tomorrow we will find out!  Somehow I let this one sneak way up on me….maybe it was denial that he is going to be 2?

Um yeah.

I know I say this all the time but I want to write here so much more often then I do but I sit down to type and "write" and my thoughts just float right out the window next to me.  I get so discouraged that I just don't "write" and wait until I can hammer out a "12" or a slap some pictures up and call it a day.  We are quickly approaching our 4th year here and while it feels right....it feels wrong.  Nolan was our first baby born "out of TN" and that's so strange....we are TN folks.   Goodness all 3 of the big boys were born in the very same building I was.  And wow apparently I care about that....and really?  I would never have thought that mattered and it doesn't but it does and doesn't.  I still feel like I blog about this move so much.  The changes and the new stuff and the differences and the sameness and how this is home but not.   How we love it here but.....
And we do love it here but 30ish years in the same place is a long time and adjusting takes a long time and soon I will think....TN is always home but GA is too.  In the meantime we fumble around trying to make this home and it's happening but 30 years is a long time in one place.  We sure love it here and the people we have met and, and, and....but, but, but.....  Exactly.
It's nearly midnight and today I watched a football game where TN vs GA on my own.  For the first time.  I don't watch football but lately anything TN I want to grab and squeeze and make my very own like it's mine and mine only.  But yet...I love being here and this life.  Still I miss so much of before though so much of what I miss is stuff that I would miss TN or not.   But GA brought Nolan and I would never ever want to change or take that back.   And so I will root for Ga and for TN and love them both...but always TN more.
So....Georgia is home and it feels just like that....a new home....a new home to learn and to love.  Even 3+ years later.
I am not sure my point here....just rambling like always and like normal.  Talk to me on the phone and you get much the same.  Jumbled thoughts and run on sentences and I am learning to love and to like that too.  It's me...always and forever.  Something I have been learning to like and love for a long LONG time.  Somedays it works and somedays it doesn't.  I think that's the norm for most....though they wouldn't say that but also they wouldn't say otherwise either.
That's kinda funny really if you think about it...this facade we lead others to believe and see.  One of happiness and "having it all together" but really...REALLY no one I ever talk to feels that way.  Except those that feel that way but really don't but just can't say it to themselves and god forbid anyone else.  And one time not too long ago that was me and now most days that isn't anymore.  And that's ok.  I am so glad...I hate the self imposed pressure.   Goodness like the last run on sentence or two.  I don't even like the pressure of trying to write properly...so I don't.  Rebel like that.   Or something like that.
ANYWAY.
Have a great weekend!

Sunshiney Sunday

It's starting to get cool at nights, we have had windows open for weeks now and my goal is to hold out as long as possible before cranking on the heat.   The daytime temps get us toasty in the afternoon but chilly in the early mornings.  But I am dreaming of that lower electric bill and vowing to hold out.  We currently have 4 kids in 4 different locations.  I am home while Nolan squeezes in a nap.  Sweet boy is such a trooper and just rolls with all of the busy-ness that we have, so I try to get naps in at home as much as we can.   Robert just left with Gavin for baseball pictures and a game.  Zachary is at a birthday party down the street and Jakeb is at a friends house. Yesterday we enjoyed a day mostly at home and enjoyed the fall weather rolling in.   Today is sunny and breezy  with just enough sun to be warm.   A great day for baseball.
I haven't written much lately...not for any reason other than I sit down to type and my thoughts don't really flow.  Driving in the car, taking a shower, sipping my coffee in the morning those are my thoughtful moments, well my most thoughtful.  We moved furniture around in the boys rooms this morning.  Nothing major...unbunked the beds and are shifting toys and what not again to the basement. Slowly but surely getting the basement back into a "hang out" room of sorts for the kids and for us.  
Our laundry list of things that need to be done in the house continues to grow but I still feel content here.  It's nice to have that feeling.  I didn't feel it in our other homes as much...I knew they were stepping stones of sorts.   I don't think we will be here forever but at the same time can almost see and feel that.  This house isn't all that I dream and envision but it's close...the big yard with a creek and room to grow.  The fixing of things and the lay out a resounding NO.   But we will get there one step at a time.   The boys are happy here.  It's home for sure.
The burst of energy I get at season change is always nice to get things done and shuffle things right out the door.   We always talk about garage sales and consignment sales and while I know the money is there to earn back...the work is just not worth it right now.  So out they go to good will or to new homes.  The ever growing mound of clothes I have needs to shrink some how.  Now with the foster care adventure fast approaching I need the extra clothes but the "for who" part is tough.   So I have to hold onto some and some things go.   So season changes are good for me, a clean out is always good.
Enjoy the day friends!

Twelve on Tuesday

1.  Not sure what is up with the giant pictures on the previous post...

2.  Nolan is fast approaching 2...crazy!

3.  It is also fast approaching winter...also crazy.  Today is for sure jean/long pants weather.  It's a bit chilly out!

4.  We had a break last week from school...we didn't go anywhere but it was VERY nice to get a few things finished around the house.

5.  We are STILL waiting on our approval...frustrating to say the least but um we REALLY need to get used to that...pretty sure that is par for the course for nearly every part of foster care.  

6.  Not too very long after Nolan turns 2...Zachary will be 10.  We will have 2 kids in double digits.  Wow.

7.  I went shopping with Jakeb the other day at the mall and it was very strange to be walking thru the mall on a Saturday night looking at all the teens and here I am walking with my Preteen...how did he get that old and also wasn't I just strolling thru the mall on a Saturday night with my friends?!  Weird.

8.  I also have a dr appt tomorrow about my hip pain....clearly I wasn't JUST a teen.   I have hip pain.  Awesome.

9.  I also have a dr appt on Friday about my foot pain...because I can't walk and fell down the stairs (that I have yet to finish) nearly a year ago and jacked my foot all up.   So that's also awesome.  But it kinda is because um a year ago?  and I am just now making myself go...yeah so it IS awesome actually.

10.  I love the cool weather but am not really ready for COLD weather.   I need a state that has 3 1/2 seasons.  I just want like a week of cold and snow....the dreary months of winter are just blah.

11.  Our pup Lucy is awesome but also a puppy and I am kinda over her chewing on things.

12.  Loving having the windows open!

Pictures...

From the beach....from July...it is now September.  Better late than never?