say cheese

So Santa brought the boys a digital camera for Christmas. I have to say I'm really impressed with the durability of this thing. I mean, Gray is the clumsiest kid I know. He has probably dropped it 15 times already, and it doesn't even have so much as a scratch on it. It's easy to use, shuts off after a few minutes of not using it, and doubles as a video game system. The only problem is that every time I break out our camera to get a picture of the boys doing something cute, this is what I get....
....one of them taking a picture of me taking a picture!

Keegan sandwich

hot dogs & peas

I think we found something he likes!!!!

just brothers

Just three little brothers watching TV together on a lazy Saturday morning.

And the band played on...and on....

My house is like a high school football game at half time (but with slightly less talent). The boys run (march?) around the house playing "Marching Band", something they learned by watching this year's Christmas Parade downtown.

Thanks Jenna and Patrick. I'm thinking of gifts to send for Macie's birthday....a drum set? A whistle? A tambourine?

Long weekend...Thanks, MLK!

We have thoroughly enjoyed our long weekend together.



The boys had a sleepover at Nana's last night (hooray for a night off!). They went to see a movie and lounged around the house this morning before heading out to China Super Buffet to meet us (seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I need a long nap followed by an even longer run!).


After the bike ride, the boys enjoyed some quality "man time" with Daddy and put Santa's gifts to good use at the "Battery building" (a state office building that looks like a battery).

They found a nature trail and went on an adventure.

And a day outside would not be complete without Logan finding a stick to use as a sword/weapon on his brother.

(photos taken from Jay's Crackberry...I mean, Blackberry)

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo. How 'bout you-o-o?

Friday night the boys got to go to Nana and Papa's for a sleepover. They went to the park and Chick-fil-a that evening, followed by a trip to the zoo Saturday morning. Do you think they might be spoiled????We had a nice evening home "alone" with Keegan. Funny to think how four years ago we wouldn't have considered it a relaxing evening home alone with a 7 month old, but it's a piece of cake to us now. It's nice to have that time alone with him sometimes and I think he enjoys it as well. He got to eat with us and didn't have to share the bath with anyone!

I love my Great-Nana

(see what I mean about him holding that yellow ball all the time?)

The day has finally arrived

7:00am EST. Santa has arrived!

And he brought new big boy bikes!

In their stockings, the boys found candy, toys, and tape measures (so they can be just like Daddy and measure stuff). Even Keegan got one!


Gray was particularly excited about the Nerds he found at the bottom of his stocking.

And here we have the coveted Bat Cave.

This was not on the original Christmas list, but as Christmas drew closer and the advertising execs. had a ball pumping the cartoon channels with toy commercials, the Bat Cave rose to the top of the list and was repeatedly requested to Santa in person. So much so that "Santa" had to run around town on 12/23 in search of said Cave so as not to ruin Christmas for two "good" little boys. Luckily, he was successful seeing as Mommy really did not want to pay extra for overnight shipping. In all seriousness though, they have not stopped playing with it (or fighting over it) since Christmas morning. Christmas would surely have been ruined, despite the living room full of new toys, had Santa forgotten the Bat Cave.

Warm mittens and a hat from Mommy and Daddy. We wore shorts on Christmas day, so I'm not really sure when we'll really need these.

Keegan's favorite toy -- a ball and cup set from Ashley, our Nanny. Although you only see one picture of him here, every single picture of him from Christmas morning includes the yellow ball either in his hand or in his mouth. He simply would not put it down. We lost it on 12/26 amidst all the Christmas clutter, but subsequently found it again during the New-Year's-Day-Resolution-Clean-Up and it remains one of his favorite toys today.

Thank you to all our friends and family for the wonderful gifts you sent. If you sent a noisy gift (like the ones pictured here from Jenna and Patrick), and you have children of your own, then don't worry -- your time will come. We will resend obnoxiously loud gifts in return for your child's next birthday! But really, I must say that the band instruments are a hit (separate post about that later).

Yay! Transformers from Grandma Cathy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

the making of the gingerbread house

Mad because I won't let them eat the candy (Gavin refuses to even look at the camera).

After consuming a few pieces of candy, Gavin shows off his Gingerbread guy.

Logan...always posing properly so I can get good pictures for my scrapbook/blog.

Finished product.

Christmas Eve

This Christmas, for the first time, we made a budget and stuck to it. I did most of our shopping on Black Friday as well as Cyber Monday. I also managed to wrap the presents, pester Jay into assembling toys as needed, bake goodies, and prepare Christmas Day dinner all before December 24th. So, for the first time, I was able to relax and enjoy Christmas Eve. Here are the highlights of our day...

Baking cookies with Nana and Papa.

And eating the finished product.

(I'm at home wrapping a few last minute gifts, showering etc. Who knows where Jay is. Probably on another one of his two hour bike rides!)

Our annual trip to Dorothy B. Oven park to look at the lights and run the kids around till they're tired.

The train conductor is pouting for some reason that I can't recall. I think it's because we wouldn't let him in the front until the Daddy of the little girl in front of him took her picture as the train conductress. In other words, he was mad because we made him wait his turn.

Taking a ride on Santa's sleigh.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to successfully photograph all three?

Mad at Daddy for another reason I can't recall.

Me like-e me food-e

The photo that didn't make it into this post, but was just too funny not to share.

He eats!

HE EATS!

...and eats...

... and eats!

In fact, he ate so well that I decided to try a jar of baby food one more time (sweet potatoes). I think he liked it! Do you?

So, I hadn't really intended on giving him food tonight. I'm getting tired of wasting little uneaten but opened jars of baby food. BUT, While I was juggling holding the hip-monkey this afternoon and getting the boys some Ritz crackers he kept trying to grab the cracker sleeve out of my hand. He cried when I wouldn't let him have it, so I thought, "Why not just give it to him? He's not going to like it anyway." So I plopped him down in his high chair and pulled out a couple of crackers with the hopes of simultaneously doing the dishes and giving my right bicep a break from carrying around a 24 pound 7 month old. And so the rest is history.

In other Keegan news -- he's such a trooper. He is currently working hard on pushing through those two front teeth, has a cold and a nasty little cough, and got a flu shot in his thigh yesterday. I mean, the boy is in pain to put it mildly, yet he never complains. If only his brothers would follow suit.

Christmas Cliff Notes

The unabridged version coming tomorrow....

Free Favorites Around Town

Here's a list of some things I enjoyed getting for free this week (and you can too):

CVS
Garnier shampoo/conditioner/styling products (use -$1 coupon from paper)
Children's Throat Coolers (Free plus $4.99 overage with coupon!)
CVS brand toddler bathroom wipes

Walgreens
Garnier shampoo/conditioner/styling products (use -$1 coupon from paper)
Electrosol Dishwashing Liquid (Free plus overage -- use coupon from paper plus Walgreen's Easy Saver Coupon)

I'm happy to report that I will not need shampoo or conditioner for a long, long time now. :)

Our little chat

Good news! Keegan and I had a little talk the other night about this not-yet-sleeping-through-the-night business. We agreed that he was no longer allowed to eat during the night. I mean, come on, you can tell by looking at him that he's not starving. So, he woke up once or twice for the past few nights and entertained himself by crying, playing in his crib, and/or kicking the wall with his feet. Then last night, he finally decided that he'd really rather just sleep since there's really no hope of eating before 6am. I slept 6 hours without interruption (got up once at midnight to return his missing pacifier to his mouth) and woke up feeling recharged and ready to work for a change. Hooray!

In other news, he still won't eat any solids and the doctor is still not concerned. He has a flu shot appointment tomorrow and I'll mention it again at that time.

Back to reality

Things are getting back to normal around here...whether I like it or not. I can't really say that I'm ready to go back to work. I've enjoyed my time at home with the boys. Keegan learns and grows every day. He's always happy and content, just as long as I put him on the floor with his toys surrounding him like a horseshoe. He likes to simply be in the same room as whatever is going on at the time. Which is a lot in our house. Never a dull moment as you can imagine. The boys like to play "big brother" with him -- they do something nice or something helpful and then say, "Look what I did, Mommy. That's what big brother's do. That's what makes Santa and God proud!". Logan and Gavin have been playing with all their new toys from Santa non-stop, but insist they're "bored" and having "nothing to do". Santa and all our relatives were quite good to them (Christmas photos to come). So, tomorrow it's back to work whether I like it or not...unless I win Powerball...which Jay reported tonight that I have a better chance of getting struck by lightening three times. In which case, I guess I better iron my clothes so I can go to work on time thereby reducing my chances of unwillingly becoming a single-income family. But getting back to normal also means getting back to posting. Stay tuned for more Allison Adventures from December and January!