Two months...really?

Today Tommy is two months old! So hard to believe how fast time flies when you are having fun! He is now smiling a lot and giggling some. He continues to get stronger holding his head up. You can also tell he can see farther, he likes to look at ceiling fans and the mobile on his swing. He also likes to hold on to my fingers and stand for exercise :-) Tommy is still sleeping well, for the most part he wakes up two or three times a night to nurse for five to ten minutes then is back to sleep. We are very blessed, he is an amazing little boy. Here are a few pictures from today!

Shark boy :-)  Thanks Heather!

Two month picture

Brotherly love

Little Cyril is doing great! He had picture day at school today and picked out his own clothes :-) I was asking my mom if I should pick them out for him and she said "Don't you remember what you did?" Then I was reminded of the time I switched clothes with my best friend Mekenzie on picture day because I didn't like what my mom had picked out for me to wear! I was about Cyril's age when I did that because it happened when I was in preschool! So I am glad I let him make the choice himself, he usually chooses what he wears everyday anyway so why should picture day be any different?! Cyril is still enjoying being a big brother and loves to help all the time. I sure hope they get along like this forever :-)

As for us...I am having surgery on my wrist tomorrow. I have a ganglion cyst that developed while I was pregnant, and it changes in size but is usually a little larger than a marble. So it causes pain when I bend my wrist back (like doing push-ups or anything where my hand is in the bent back position). I tried the old fashion trick of hitting it with a bible, but it only made it really sore (imagine that). I was informed by the hand surgeon that he doesn't recommend that treatment! So while I am off on maternity leave I am going to get it taken care of. Then on Friday we are off to go introduce our newest family member to his Great Grandparents (both Cyril's and my grandparents), as well as other extended family. I am looking forward to seeing everyone and hope for a relaxing week! 

Big Bad Bagworms

 So our huge and beautiful pine tree out front has become infested with bagworms. We caught it way too late and they are ruining our tree. I love this tree. Every Christmas for the past six years we have put strands and strands of lights on it. Probably my favorite Christmas decoration we put up. Now the tree has to go. The only solution I have found is to pull off all of the cocoons by hand. This morning I pulled off half a bucket full then quickly realized they were all the way up the tree and even with our ladder there is no way we can reach the top. This Christmas will not be the same...

before the lovely bagworms...

...and after

Out and About

First I would like to say thank you to everyone for all of the prayers for my cousin Erin, her husband Tony, and their new precious addition Brynn. For those of you who haven't seen an update or don't know what I am talking about I will explain... Baby Brynn was born on Friday August 12th via c-section at 36 weeks gestation. She weighed a whopping 7lbs 11oz. She suffers from Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome and had to have surgery immediately after she was born to have a shunt placed in a duct in her heart. This was imperative for her survival. The surgery was a success! She is absolutely beautiful and looks like her Mommy. Here are a couple pictures. The first one is right after she was born before surgery and the second one is after. Please continue to keep them in your prayers!

On Saturday and Sunday we visited with our friends the Adaline's who live on the lake. Bo and David's son Travis is about to be deployed to Afghanistan and was home visiting before deployment. We were able to visit a little as well as enjoy the water :-) Little Cyril was concerned there might be sharks in the lake, but we reassured him they are only in the ocean. So he finally got in up to his chest, but then it was time to go. Maybe next time he will get in all the way, or continue to be like his Mommy...scared of fish and not going in the water.

Cyril on his first motorcycle...doesn't he look thrilled! 

 We forgot his life jacket on Saturday so we borrowed the Barbie one :-) Here he is just watching Christi and her friends telling them not to float too far away from the dock. He didn't want them to get "swept out to sea."

Trying out the water.

 Travis was trying to catch a fish for Cyril, but he thought it was more funny to feed the ducks and then Travis would have to scare them away because they were eating the bread they were using for bait. I think Cyril fed the ducks half a bag of jalapeno chips! He thought it was hysterical.

Learning to fish.

Tommy and Bo

 Let's try this again, maybe the water will be better on Sunday?

 Tommy taking a snooze

Proud big brother 

On Saturday night we went to the Tennessee Smokies baseball game for Cyril's company picnic. We had a nice time, but little Cyril was more interested in the playground than the game. Until he saw the zooperstars (big inflatable characters that bounce all over acting silly) when he finally came back to the seat and constantly asked when they would be back out again. His favorite one was "Mackerel Jordan" who was a fish. And his skit was to pretend to pick a fight with the ball boy and then he ate him! So you see the boy going into the mouth of the mackerel all the way. Next his shoes and clothes get spit out by the fish. Then the boy gets spit out wearing only boxer shorts. It was pretty comical. 

 I guess this little boy wanted his picture taken also.

This week is going to be interesting for us. Cyril left this morning for a business trip to NYC. This is his first trip to the big city. He is going up there to take a class for work. Hopefully he will have a little bit of time to explore and see what the big apple has to offer. Tonight he is meeting up with one of my cousins and her husband for dinner in Central Park if the weather cooperates. As for me I am home with the boys. Right now Cyril is at school and Tommy is snoozing in his car seat. My mother in law has so graciously agreed to stay with us this week and help me out with the boys.

Hope you have a wonderful day, and thanks for reading! 

Let's give this a try...

I never thought I would do this...but I am going to start a blog :-) Now that all of my family lives out of town other than my parents and in-laws, I though this would be a great way for everyone to see what is going on in our lives at their convenience. I am not really sure what to write, and do not want to put anyone to sleep but here goes...

Last week one of my oldest friends, Jennifer (Nichols) Dokos that I have known since I was 6, came into town and was gracious enough to take a ton of pictures of the boys. Here is one of Cyril. She is very talented and I cannot wait to share the rest with you! It was great to see her and spend quite a bit of time with her while she was here. She is my inspiration for starting the blog because I love following hers.

As for Cyril he is doing great. He has been going to his new school (Oak Ridge Schools Preschool) for about 3 weeks now and really seems to be enjoying it. He has met many new friends and believe it or not has tried many new foods! I couldn't be more excited that I no longer have to be a short order cook! He is also still loving having his new baby brother. He loves to help in any way possible which is a blessing. With the four and a half year age difference I wasn't quite sure how he would react.

And for Tommy. He is growing like a weed! He will be seven weeks old tomorrow and I can't believe it. He has rolled from his tummy to his back on multiple occasions and is starting to smile at us. He is still sleeping fairly well, we usually are just up a couple of times a night. My sweet husband is always so kind as to sit up and keep me company while I nurse then he changes Tommys diaper and puts him back to sleep. I am spoiled i know :-)

My maternity leave is quickly passing by. I am pretty sure I could get used to this stay at home mom thing. It will be hard to go back to work in September, but I will enjoy seeing my co-workers again. My mother in law has graciously agreed to keep Tommy while I work (which will still be part time).

As for my husband, he is working hard as always to support our family. He is still enjoying his job which I am very grateful for. I have always been a true believer of being happy with your work, if you are not then it is up to you to do something about it.

I guess that is long enough for my first blog. Take care and may God bless you and your family today and everyday.

Jenny