No Stopping him now!

He learned to go up and down the small stairs in grandma and grandpa's rec room Sunday. He also learned what a glass door was. Should have got that on camera, his nose was all smushed up on the glass-too funny. He really likes playing in their rec room there is so much room to crawl around!! But once he tried the stairs he went up and down and up and down!! Why do kids find stuff like that so amusing?!

He is on the move!

Let's try climbing stairs. . .

. . . one stair. . .

 

. . . two stairs!

Can you see my mom and grandma in the doorway?

Mom found a turtle out in the yard and thought for sure he'd be scared of it- Nope! He wanted to hold it! She had to take it back out, because he got mad that she wouldn't let him touch it. Ewww! I guess he is 100% all boy!

Welcome baby Archer!

Archer William Johnson was born Friday morning and weighed 7lbs 4oz and was 20 1/2 inches! Stratton is so excited to have a cousin and we are very excited to have a nephew!! Archer and Jennifer are both doing great! Jennifer is bouncing back so quickly! Only a couple of hours after having Archer she didn't even look tired?! She's been up doing laundry and all sorts of stuff it took me weeks to be able to do! And Jennifer and Daniel are both handling new parenthood really well! Archer is such a great baby he is going 4 hours between feedings and at night will go almost 6 hours?! They have no idea how blessed they are!! 

Nothing sweet than a sleeping newborn!

Man! This family has sure grown in the last 5 years!!

2 weddings + 2 babies= one big happy family!

Nan, and her boys

Jealous, ya think?

Proud Uncle!

This is so funny! He's like, "Uh, Aunt Jen, you're supposed to be holding ME?!"

Slow down!!

Ok, I knew once Stratton started to crawl things would never be the same, but I didn't expect him to go from crawling to pulling up and trying to walk so quickly! I thought he'd crawl around for awhile, but apparently not. He will walk if you hold his fingers and he will walk around the ottoman or other furniture anything that he can hold onto for a little support, which makes me really nervous! The lady at daycare said she wouldn't be surprised if he started to walk on his own in the next couple of weeks?! What??!!! I am so not ready for him to walk yet!

We have had to keep the pack and play up to put him in while we get ready in the mornings. It was just taking up way too much time trying to keep our eyes on him and keep him out of stuff he should stay away from or out of. We tried the baby gate, but even just in our bedroom he can find something to get into!

He will crawl over to this window and pound on the blinds until I raise them. Then he and the dog can see each other! It was cute. . .until Sadey started scratching and chewing the screen on the window to bits! We had to take it off!! She has also started chewing at the trim around the back door and my patio chairs, now too! Just when we think that she has been doing so much better at chewing stuff! I do not recommend getting a puppy while you have a baby. It's too much sometimes! Trying to "train" them both! And when I say "NO!" to the dog, I think I am confusing Stratton!

[he beats on the window until she comes]

[then he stands there and talks to her]

[yeah, she's got a rough life!]

Unfortunately, Stratton is sick- again. The daycare called yesterday and said he had thrown up. Luckily Jarrod was in town and we were actually having lunch together when they called me. So, Jarrod took off yesterday afternoon and went and picked him up from Daycare and took him to the Dr. We decided to go ahead and take him in since he has still had a really runny nose and cough and we have a busy weekend planned, so if he was getting sick at least we might get a jump on it before it got too bad. Well sure enough, his ears were really red. So, they put him on more antibiotics- the third round in a month! And also gave us a decongestant. I hope it helps this time! He hasn't ran a fever or acted like he felt bad so hopefully it won't get worse before it gets better. And I didn't know this but babies throw up when they have ear aches and congestion, it's very normal. Since they can't blow their noses like we can to get rid of it, like we can a lot of times they throw it up- yucky!! Anyway, he went back to daycare this morning and was acting just fine! Kids have such a quick turn around. 

Girls and Babies Weekend: Day 3

Sunday we got up and went to church, we skipped class. I was impressed that we were all fed, dressed and ready to go for church at 10:00am! We went to lunch at Fat City since neither Meghan or Kristen had ever been there. And we got back to the house and put the boys down for a nap and got to visit some more before they left around 4:30. We had such a good time. I am so glad I finally got to meet baby Ian, and glad the girls got to meet Stratton for the first time. And so glad that Ian and Stratton got to meet and become friends! I mean after all,  they will be roomies in college some day. . .the college they attend is still debatable, Harding or U of A. I guess it depends on where they get their football scholarships, I know their daddy's are rooting for these future Razorbacks but Kristen would have major issues with that- she is not a fan, and that is putting it politely!

[Ian really liked Fat City, even though all he got was a bottle]

[Group shot:: Take 1]

Meghan decided she needed to hold Sadey since K and I both had babies to hold, we were laughing so hard. Can you see that look on S's face?! He's thinking "these chicks are nuts!"

[Group shot:: Take 2]

You can see what the boys were interested in!

[Group shot:: Take 3]

No dog this time, but the sun was really bright!

We had such a good time this weekend. It went by way too fast, though. I think we could have talked non-stop for a week! But we did have a lot to talk about! I am excited for Meghan and her hubby who are moving into a new house this weekend and she is due the end of July (and they aren't finding out what they are having so that makes it extra exciting)!! And Kristen and her family will be moving again, back to D.C., in the next few months, so that is super exciting! Jarrod and I have no plans to move or have a baby- so we are the boring ones! I am so glad that the good Lord decided that our 3 paths should cross, these girls are such a blessing to me! I love when we get to spend time together, but it makes me sad that we don't live closer and could do it more often! It's very exciting to think that the next time we do this there will be 3 babies. . .hopefully 3 boys! : )

Girls and Babies Weekend: Day 2

Saturday morning Stratton got up at 6 am, which is normal so I fed him in our room and laid him down in bed with me (which I never do) and he went back to sleep and slept until 8:30-9:00am. I got up at 8:00 and didn't even wake him up! Jarrod left about 6:30 to go his fraternity's alumni association meeting that was in Conway so we had the bed to ourselves and I was glad he went back to sleep! For most of the day on Saturday we just hung out and talked. Both the boys took a couple of good naps so we had some good time to visit.  Jarrod got home about 4pm from his meeting. He offered to keep the babies so we could go out to eat and to the movies! (Do I have great husband or what?!)

We went to Lazzari's for supper and then went to see "Letters to Juliet". We had such a good time! Then we ran into Target to pick up a few things, have you ever been to Target as they are closing? They start turning the lights off on you, creepy!!  We got back to the house a little after 10pm, where Jarrod had successfully fed both boys supper, changed Ian into his jammies and put him to bed about 7pm, bathed Stratton and got him ready for bed and put him down about 8:30! Not that I didn't think he could do it, he is great with kids and babies, but I was impressed!

Girls and Babies Weekend: Day 1

My two best girlfriends came to visit this weekend! Both are college buddies from Harding and we don't get to see each other very often! Kristen, lives in Tampa right now and we see each other on average about once a year. I think the last time we saw each other was last May. We were both pregnant! It's been a busy year for the two of us! And my friend Meghan lives in Memphis but she is a nurse at Le Bonheur and has crazy hours, so we don't get to see each other very often, even though we live so close!  Kristen and her baby Ian flew into Memphis Thursday evening (she left Kate at home this time) and Meghan picked her up and they stayed in Memphis Thursday night. Friday after a fun maternity photo shoot (Meg is about 31 weeks pregnant and Kristen is am amateur photographer) and a trip to Target to get Meghan's baby registry going they finally made it to Jonesboro- they only got a little lost. . .

We stayed in Friday night and I cooked supper and we just hung out. The baby boys cracked us up! Ian is almost 7 months and Stratton is 10 1/2 months. They acted like little boys act, I guess. Head butting like little rams and taking things from each other, and wanting to grab at each other.  Stratton was a little more aggressive than Ian, but then he is crawling and Ian is just on the verge, so he has a little advantage over him! Stratton loved Ian's hair. He wanted to pull it and touch it. I assume out of curiosity, Like "What is this stuff and why don't I have some?!"

   

We put Kristen and Ian in Stratton's room, since there is a twin bed in there already. And set Meg up a room in the office with the wonderful airbed Jarrod bought while we were in the hospital during my pregnancy. And we put Stratton in the pack and play in our room. It really worked out well! I was surprised that Stratton slept though the night and we didn't wake him up when we went to bed.

Yummy! I love a new twist on old favs!

I am SO trying this tonight!! Of course I won't follow the recipe, I will have to make a few changes to make it "mine"!

Mac & Cheese Cupcakes

Ingredients

8 ounces small elbow macaroni
Olive oil
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
2 cups sharp cheddar
Butter
Seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chives, snipped

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cook the macaroni until tender. Drain, toss with a little bit of the oil, and set aside.

3. In a medium nonstick saucepan, whisk together the milk and cornstarch until well blended. Stirring often, bring to a boil over medium heat.

4. Stir in the mustard, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened.

5. Stir in the cheddar until it melts, then fold in the macaroni.

6. Butter two cupcake pans and coat with the bread crumbs. (Be sure to shake off the excess.)

7. Fold the chives into the macaroni mixture. Spoon the mixture into the pans and top with bread crumbs to taste.

8. Bake until golden on top, 15 to 25 minutes.