Cruzie-Woozie - 4 Months

Despite my best attempts to nick-name Cruz "Little Bear", it just hasn't stuck! Probably because there isn't much little about him. At 4 months old he is wearing 9 month clothing and is pretty near the top of the percentile charts for size.

Considering how sweet and round and yummy Cruz is, I've gravitated to calling him Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Pumpkin and Punkie. These just roll more naturally off the tongue and certainly describe him better.

Another name that we all call him is Cruzie-Woozie. Noah chose that name and it's definitely stuck! It's so cute to see the big boys loving on and playing with Cruz. It gets my imagination going in to the future and what they will all be like playing together once Cruz is mobile.

Despite the fullness, loudness and messiness of life, not a day goes by that I don't stare down in to that sweet round face and feel such enormous blessing. I love watching his eye lashes uncurl in to a beautiful frame around his big blue eyes...I love watching his mouth make that peaceful, "nursie", sucking motions while he sleeps...and I love counting the chubby rolls on his legs right down to his fat little kankles!

Oh, to remember these moments! I know they will be grown before I know it!

Fun with Friends!

When the boys have friends over to play, there are always photo opportunities. One of their favorite things to do is jump and wrestle on the trampoline.

Recently, our friend Donovin came from San Angelo for a visit. The boys were so funny running away from Noah who was pretending to be the "bad guy!" He had on his Incredible Hulk mask and was chasing Luke and Donnie around.

Not too long after that Lil' Luke was over here. The trampoline was, once again, the focal point of the fun, but this time the boys were all dressed in costumes.

I had to laugh at Luke when he chose his army man costume from when he was **3**! I told him it didn't fit, but he insisted it did! So, we stuffed him in it. He literally looked like a stuffed sausage crammed inside that thing. Making it even funnier was that the pants were high-waters on him, the ridiculous belt he put on with it and his flipped up collar. Oh my gosh, I can still look at that picture and laugh!

Life with 3 boys is always busy, loud and extremely laughable! I never know what's coming at me next...and the camera is never too far away!! Who would have ever thought we would be so blessed!

Spring Baseball 2011 - Luke Hits a Grand Slam!!

Well Braves Fans, Spring baseball season is off with a bang!

Luke is really doing well this year - he hits a home run almost every game! Actually the whole team is doing well! We're winning more than we're losing...and that's saying something considering last year all the kiddos were newbies. This year Leo is an official coach and I do believe he's having as much fun (if not more) as Luke!

This last game was a nail biter. The bases were loaded and Luke missed the first coach pitches. I yelled to him from behind home plate, "You've got this one Bubba! Hit a home run for Mama!" And, the next hit off the tee was just that - a GRAND SLAM home run!! Luke ran around those bases as fast as his little legs would take him. And, when he rounded home plate, he looked up to see me jumping, and yelling and cheering ...all with a sleeping baby Cruz in my arms!

I can't completely express in words to the look of joy and pride in his face. Those chunky little cheeks were lit up with a smile from ear-to-ear! And, to top things off, he was given the game ball!

I think I've come to accept that we are a baseball family and that this is what we will be doing for the next 18 years. I'm officially, ALL IN -- I have the hat, the shirt the bleacher chair ...and the boys! And I do LOVE my boys!!!

Luke Loses His 1st Tooth!

THIS has been a long time coming!! Ever since school started and Luke's friends began losing their teeth, Luke has been wiggling his - just hoping one would come lose. Finally, about 3 weeks ago one did!

Every day, Luke has been ever-so-gently wiggling his tooth. He kept asking when it would fall out and I told him he had to wiggle it harder! "But it hurts!", he objected! "Ah...yes...it does hurt a bit, but if you want your tooth to fall out you've got to wiggle it."

This past weekend Luke was fed up with waiting and wanted his dad to "punch out" his tooth. Problem was, his dad couldn't bring himself to do it. So, mommy to the rescue! I got a wet wash cloth and tried to pull it straight up, but it wouldn't work. It was REALLY lose though, so I changed my tactic and pulled it forward instead. Two tugs and it was out! And, waiting right behind it was a new shiny white tooth!

Luke was SO excited. He couldn't believe all the blood on the wash cloth! That was soon forgotten about though when we picked out the perfect little Tupperware box to put it in for safe keeping until the tooth fairy could come that night.

The next morning Luke was SO funny! He came out of his room, leaned back and did several fist pumps in the air. It took me a minute to figure out what he was so happy about, but then he held up two $1 bills!

Now Luke has $$ in his eyes and is busy wiggling his other teeth! We'll see how long it takes to lose his next one!