Merry Christmas!

Eston 3 1/2 years old. Anna 5 1/2 months old.

Baby ElleJust about an hour old


Sweet family

Happy Birthday!

Mimi and Elle

Proud Dad

Proud Aunt!

Whitney holding Anna (5 1/2 months old and trying to unwrap the blanket) and Elle

Our new neice/cousin is here! My brother, Corey, and his wife, Whitney, had their first child, a daughter, Wednesday, December 15th at 3:19 pm. She was 7 lbs 5 oz, and 19 3/4 in. We all headed over Wednesday morning to NWA to meet her. I'm glad we got to be there for her birthday, but unfortunately had to head back late that night. In some ways, I can't believe my little brother is old enough to be a dad! I'm very proud of him, and of the wonderful family he has!

Here is Anna after eating cereal for the first time a few weeks ago. She didn't love it, and likes bananas so much better. She went to the dr yesterday for her 4 month check up, even though she'll be 5 months tomorrow. She was 17 lbs, 1 ounce; 28.5 inches long. She loves to stand up in our laps. Probably even more than sitting. So, she really likes standing up playing in her saucer. It's really funny to get her giggling. She loves to watch Eston around the room. If she starts crying, Eston will go over to her and talk to her or start singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to try to calm her down. Her left eye tear duct is clogged and has been since she was born. So, it runs constantly. We had to get Eston's opened up when he turned one year old. I really hope hers opens up soon, but it's looking like we may have to do the same with her. She sleeps through the night well. Mostly sleeping from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am. We do have some nights where she wakes at 5 am hungry. She is a pretty happy baby now, once we got her on a formula that she likes.

Here are pictures from the Mountain Home Berry Farm's pumpkin patch. We went a week before Halloween. This is Eston picking out a pumpkin to take home to Anna. We thought it would be easier if she didn't go this year. He picked out a cute miniature one.

Eston and Travis at one of the dead ends, or "dead ways" as Eston called it, of the corn maze. We were just about out of it on our first go around, and Eston stopped and looked at me so seriously and said, "Mama, why are we walking in corn?" This child thinks way too much. I thought it was fun! Eston is in the Why Stage. He asks endless questions all day long. Why, Why, Why? I try to take it as a compliment that he thinks I'm so intelligent that I know all the answers! I really try to answer all of his questions, but by the end of the day, and when I'm exhausted from them, I spout out "That is just the way it is," or "Just because." I even challenged him to not say Why the rest of the day. You know what he said? "Why?" :-)

Happy Halloween! This was Anna's first Halloween, and the first one where Eston really understood it. Last year, we didn't go trick or treating because he was sick and running a fever. Before that, he was too young to get it. So, this year, he went trick or treating to a few houses. We went to Nurse Di's house, Pam and Chris Brannon's, and Miss Lilly's. And of course, to Mimi's house, who had a special basket waiting for both kids. Actually all the houses had something stashed special for Eston! Di had cool candy for Eston. Pam had saved "the good stuff" and Miss Lilly gave Eston bubbles and a light up toy. Pictures are kinda dark... Eston was a Razorback. We dressed Anna up in a Halloween outfit. Her polka dotted pants had a black kitty cat on the bum. The hat resembled a ghost.

Carving Pumpkins....

What do you get when you add a dump truck + a trailer + a tractor. A very excited 3 year old boy!! Travis has been busy hauling dirt and rocks in to work on our new house's yard and driveways. Eston has had so much fun driving the tractor and watching Travis dump loads. He and Travis drug our back yard one weekend afternoon. Eston rode in Travis's lap on the tractor for about an hour. Loved every minute of it! It was now time to take them back to Grandpa's house. Eston wanted to be a part of that too.

Travis put Eston's car seat in the dump truck so he could ride in it with him. Eston was all smiles. Good father son bonding time!!

Anna is smiling and giggling now. For the past two weeks she has been a happy baby! I think we have finally found a formula that agrees with her. She was so cranky before and never happy. Maybe her tummy was hurting...poor thing. I don't like that they can't tell you those things. I so wish she could talk! This formula is thinner and more broken down than the others, so she has been waking up during the night hungry. Usually 3-4 am. We were doing so good there for awhile sleeping through the night. But I can't complain. I will take happy baby and tired mom over cranky baby and rested mom.

This past Saturday, Eston, Mom, and I went to Fayetteville for the Razorback football game. Here is Eston eating a cookie with a Razorback in the icing before the game. My brother, Corey, and his wife, Whitney.

Corey and Mom.

I was trying to get the Goodyear blimp in this picture. It was circling overhead. Although you can't see it very well in this picture.

Here is a picture of Mom holding both of her grandkids. She looks pretty happy! Corey and Whitney are expecting in December. I bet Mom will find a way to get all three kids on her lap!

Anna at 9 weeks sitting in the bumbo seat. You can't tell very well, but they were both sporting their Razorback attire last Saturday. We didn't go, but it was the first football game of this season. Anna has a white hog on her onsie. Eston either has a huge cheesy smile or an ornery look on his face on all pictures he poses for. This time ornery!

Anna had her 2 month doctor's visit last Friday. She was 13 lbs 6 oz, and 24.5 inches tall. That means in 2 months (9weeks) she gained about 5 lbs and grew 4 inches. Seems like a lot to me! Those measurements were in the 97 and 98 percentiles from what they told me. Already growing out of 3 month sized clothes. She's doing great. I'm so hesitant to say this for fear of jinxing myself, but she is sleeping through the night. It is so wonderful! I feel like a normal person again! I'm so surprised since Eston didn't sleep through the night until much later. Heck, he still doesn't most nights. We get up with Eston more than we get up with Anna now. He never has been a good sleeper. Maybe she'll turn out to be a sleeper like her mom?? ;-)

Anna's first day of daycare with Miss Lilly and Miss Diana. Actually it was just for the afternoon, but this mom needs baby steps.

Eston playing t-ball in front of Mimi's house. Anna sleeping... from the pictures, it seems like that's all she does. That's the only time I have my hands free to take a picture, I guess. (Mental note...take one with her eyes open.)

Here is a generation picture. My mom's dad, Papa Troy and Eston and Anna's great grandfather; my mom, a/k/a Mimi; Eston; my brother, Uncle Corey; and me. 4 generations. Eston and Anna have another great grandparent, my dad's dad, Papa Herol. I cherish generation pictures like this. When I was born, no lie, I had 11 grandparents living. Crazy, I know. My dad's familiy had children at a young age, so I had 4 great great grandparents when I was born. And I actually had one of my great great grandmas alive throughout my childhood until I was out of college.

Oh, here is a picture of Anna awake! Pardon the little bit of spit up. She's in the swing, which she doesn't love, but doesn't hate. I think she looks alot like my baby pictures in this one.

We've had this bull dozer in our front yard for quite awhile now. And you know how Eston is crazy about tractors, trains, and trucks. Well, Travis took him on a bulldozer ride today. He didn't get scared at all. They ran it up and down the back yard a couple of times, and spread some dirt out, so Eston could make the scoop (not sure what it's called) go up and down. He loved it! How many three year olds can say they rode a bulldozer this weekend!

Notice the shades. Recently he has to have them when he goes outside. One funny note....Eston came inside after his ride. He asked me if I knew how to drive the bulldozer. I told him I did not. He looked at me so seriously and said, "When you get as old as Dad, will you know how to drive it?" Hee hee. I laughed and of course, had to tell Travis. He was quick to tell Eston that he was not THAT much older than I am.

Here are some pictures that Eston's school had taken of him.

Anna loves to sleep in her car seat. Eston did too. I guess they like the way the sides come up around them. Does it make them feel more secure? If we are at home, I usually put a blanket in it to make it a little softer. Here you can see the cute, pink, soft, cuddly seat that she could sleep in. Nope. Just give me the car seat, Mom. I like it better than anything else you have tried.

Here is Anna learning all about the the legal system at work with Dad!