FIVE Months

Five months have come and gone, and my little miracle is growing before my eyes.  He won't slow down---and I hate it.  I want him to stay a baby forever.  Don't get me wrong, I love to watch him grow, learn new things, and develop his own personality.  I just wish he could do all of that, while staying little.  Is it possible?  No.  And I know that...it just makes me sad to think that my baby is almost a 1/2 year old.  That is just ca-razy!

Onto the fun stats, and a whole lot of pictures.  Because when you have such a cute subject to photograph, it's hard not to take so many.

-Weight:  15 Pounds 

-How much is he eating now:  During the day Weston drinks 5 ounces about every 3 hours.  We have tried cereal, and he doesn't really care for it much.  So I added a little bit of sweet potatoes to it, and he seems to enjoy it a lot more.  Weston will have a bowl of food at supper time, and then have his bottle later that night before going to sleep. 

-Wears size 2 diapers.

-How long does he sleep at night:  Ha.  This question almost brings me to laughter.  Probably because I am partially sleep deprived, and that just causes me to smile about things that generally wouldn't cause me to laugh :)  He goes to bed about 8:00 at night.  Lately...as in the last 2 weeks, he has been up at 11:00, 3:00, and 6:00 for a bottle.  And will be up for good with the 6:00 bottle.  My child clearly doesn't need as much sleep as I do, because this is just a crazy schedule if I have ever heard of one.  Haha.  But it's ok.  I know this is just a phase, and probably won't last long.  Not to mention, the bonding time during the night really is welcomed, and I do enjoy it!  

-What size of clothes is he in:  Weston is in most 6 month clothing, and some 9 month stuff.  I have been having a lot of fun dressing him in some of Carson's clothes, and remembering the special times I had with Carson when he was a baby.  Unfortunately they don't get to wear a lot of the same stuff, due to the different seasons that they were born in, but I am sneaking in a few things here and there.  And having so much fun with it!

-Learned anything new this month:  This little scooter of ours is all over the place!  He rolls from one end of the room-to the other...in a matter of seconds, I swear!  

This month he has really started to get up on his knees and "rock."  I don't think it will be a few months before we have a crawler (this makes me want to cry!)  I feel like Weston has such a strong urge to keep up with Carson, that he needs to get places.  Oh, and he is a very determined little guy......so pair the two together, and I think he will be on the move sooner than I would like :)

-Is Weston a good traveler:  Weston is a pretty good traveler these days.  We went through a little rocky time, but he is a lot better now.  He obviously has his moments, but it's good!  

-Did Weston celebrate any holidays this past month:  No big holidays this month.  But be on the look out the next few months.  Between birthdays and holidays, we are going to be on the go and very busy!

-Recognize anyone new:  I can really tell that he recognizes Mama and Daddy.  It is the highlight of my day--to see his big gummy smile.  He is so happy, and we get to see it often which makes for things to be even more grand!

-Anything else:  Weston is such a happy baby!  He is such a joy to be around, I just can't express my feelings enough about this little soul.  Our family is so complete with him, and I just smile every time I think of the thought that I have two boys at home.

He is still displaying his adorable array of expressions.  He is so full of them, it is too funny!  We all play on the floor at night, and we usually all just laugh at Weston, and his killer cute looks.

Weston has also been drooling a lot an insane amount lately.  We have now entered into this stage, and I remember it so clearly with Carson.  His shirts are soaked, his fingers are always in his mouth, and there is always a string of drool hanging from his mouth.  Always.  But---only a cute baby can pull it off, right?  Weston still has it goin' on!

Just recently he has become a rather "difficult" eater, and will usually only let me feed him.  Carl is getting rather frustrated, but I continue to remind him that this phase will soon pass.  I am adding this to his journal so I can look back on it, and smile as I remember this phase.

Weston is also really enjoying his jumper these days.  He loves to be upright, and be able to look around.  So the jumper is a perfect place for him---he can play with his toys, and look around.  He doesn't miss a beat!

I don't think any one person has come to the conclusion on just how many chins our little guy is sportin'.  Haha.  I absolutely love it!  :)

I have to add this "big milestone" into this journal entry, because Daddy requested it.  He tells me that this should be considered a "holiday"....but I said no.  So, I am at least adding it in somewhere!  This past month, Weston got the opportunity to enjoy his first Monday Night Bengals football game.  This was a BIG deal in our house----let me tell ya!  If you know the Hubby, you know he is a big die hard fan.  All of my boys were decked out in their Bengals attire, and I must admit---I really enjoyed the view of my Men dressed in Black :)

Carson and Weston are the best of friends, and I can see a relationship developing already.  It brings such joy to my soul seeing these brothers interact with one another.  The second Weston hears or sees Carson, he has an instant huge smile plastered on his face.  I could sit and watch the two of them play all day!

I am going to end with these two pictures.  They are so funny to me, and instantly bring a smile to my face!  I mean, who doesn't love baby leg rolls?  I am in love with them.  And the other picture?  Just makes me laugh.  It's like he is so excited to be the little brother.  The picture truly shows what his personality is---so relaxed, and laid back.  He likes to just "hang out."  :) 

My heart is happy thinking about these two little souls that the Lord has entrusted us with!  We are so blessed.

Happy FIVE months to our littlest miracle!

Cheesy Potato Soup {A Recipe}

If you are anything like me, when Fall hits and delivers the cool crisp air---your body is begging for soup.  Mine is, that's for sure.  I have a few favorites, and a few that are on my "go-to" list when the chills hit.

I absolutely love cheesy potato soup, but have yet to find a recipe that I can make that is just perfect.  So, I would continue to swoon over it, and get all excited when it was the "soup of the day" at a restaurant.

..............that is until now!  You guys are going to thank me later for this amazing recipe.  And, I am so sorry to say that I have absolutely no pictures of it.  Booo!    

I got this recipe from a co-worker, and was a little hesitant to make it.  Only because I had yet to find a good one.  I had almost given up even trying.  Bad attitude, I know.

It is so easy to make, and I will definitely be making it again.  I mean, it was so good that I am sharing the recipe, and I haven't stopped talking about it since I made it.  It's that good.  (Sorry honey---I am almost over the fact that *I* made a good cheesy potato soup.  I promise, I will stop talking about it soon!)

The run-down.......

I am going to tell you how I made it.  You can truly make any modifications you want.  And some portions may not be exact, but that's the beauty of cooking right?  You go with your gut instinct....or something like that.  Ha.

Ingredients:
-1/2-3/4 stock pot full of potatoes
-16 oz sour cream
-family size can of cream of chicken soup (I don't remember how many ounces)
-1/2 block of velveeta cheese
-package of diced ham
-1 package of pre-cooked bacon
-milk

Directions:
When making this soup, I used the little red potatoes.  I cleaned them (about 1/2 a bag or so--just depends on the sizes of potatoes, etc) and diced them up pretty small.  I did leave the skin on them, because we prefer that taste and texture.  You can peel them first if that is what you or your family prefer.

1.  Boil your potatoes until the potatoes are tender.
2.  While the potatoes are boiling, mix your sour cream and cream of chicken soup together.
3.  When the potatoes are tender, drain the excess water.  Add your cream mixture, and stir.
4.  Cube about 1/2 block of velveeta cheese (depending on how cheesy you like it, or how big of a batch you are making) and add that to the potatoes and cream mixture.
5.  Add your ham to the soup mixture.  I used the whole package of the already cubed ham, but you don't have to use that much.  It is very "hamy" (I may have made up that word...but you know what I mean. Ha.) but Carl and I really liked it like that.
6.  Microwave your bacon (I like mine really crispy) and add it to the soup mixture.
7.  Let the cheese melt, and the ham heat thoroughly, while occasionally stirring the soup.  Add as much milk as you would like, until you get the consistency that you and your family prefer.  I added some milk, but we prefer more of a "thick" soup, opposed to it being really runny.

I let the soup simmer for a while, and served it with a caesar salad, and french bread.
You can also add any vegetables that you and your family like.  I know a lot of people like onions, celery, carrots, or other veggies in their soups.  I live with a ridiculously extremely picky eater, so I didn't add any extras.

Side note---it makes for amazing left overs.  It makes a lot of soup, so Carl and I were eating it for a while.  After it's in the fridge, it thickens up a lot, but I didn't add any milk to the batch before putting it in the fridge. I just added milk to each bowl before microwaving it, so people could choose how thick/runny they prefer.

Enjoy!
Let me know if you make it, and how it turns out.  You won't regret it if you do, and I am certain it will be a crowd pleaser!

Sorry for the lack of pictures of this recipe in the making.  But, I have this "after" the soup was made shot.  This would be Carson washing dishes.  It's never too early to start them doing chores, right?  I didn't think so :)  The kid has some mad skills with balancing himself, if I do say so myself!

Happy Weekend!  It's a beautiful Fall day in our neck of the woods.

Happy Harvest

I am in love with the change of Season that we are greeted with each quarter in Iowa.  The cool crisp air that Fall brings--that turns into a snow storm that leaves you stranded inside for a day in the Winter--switching to Spring that delivers brand new babies--and in turn switches to Summer which delivers everything outside.

My body begs for change every few months, and that is exactly what we get.  And Fall?  Fall is by far my favorite.  I love everything about it.  The colors.  The air.  My Fall decorations.  Pumpkins and trick-or-treating.  Baking fresh apple recipes.  And, Harvest itself.  The hustle and bustle of the farmers that are busy in the field.  All the talk that is floating around about how good/bad their yields in the fields are, or how many bushels they have.  How wet/dry their fields are, etc.  I work in an environment that has farmers all over talking about Harvest......and I love that about our rural community.

I see women delivering meals to the men who are busy working in the fields.  It brings back so many memories of when I was a little girl, and I used to help my Grandma prepare the meals to bring to the field.  I have so many fond memories of that, and helping my Dad and Grandpa in the field.

So, I did what any Farmer's Daughter would do, and brought my oldest Son to experience a little glimpse of Harvest himself with Papa.

Carson loves tractors, and has just recently fallen in love with his little combine.  The kind of love that leads him to think he needs to have that combine with him at all times.  In bed, on the toilet, during supper---he seems to always have it in his hands.  Everywhere.

Last year, I brought Carson out to the fields, and we took a combine ride.  He was his true self, and it didn't surprise me one bit that he was very leery, and rather scared.  It is how Carson responds to every new situation, and I was not shocked.  But this year---I just had this gut feeling that it was going to be completely different.  And it was.

We talked about it for a very long time.  I thought preparing him for what we were about to experience would help.  Kind of like what I do before we are ready to go and get his picture taken.  Although, that situation never turns out as well as this one.  I mean, I don't think it matters how much preparing you do with this kid before pictures, he will always refuse and cry.

Anyway---I got off subject.

Back to combining.  We got out to the field, and Carson was so excited to see the combine heading towards us as the bean head was rotating 'round.  His face lit up, and I knew this was going to be good.

As the combine approached us, and got closer and closer---I felt Carson's legs wrap around me really tightly.  I think he was really nervous to get into this big piece of machinery.  And to be honest with you---I don't blame him.  That thing is big, and loud, and rather intimidating through his little eyes, I am sure.  But my little guy was brave, and got into the combine without a peep.  Generally if he is scared or nervous and doesn't want to do something, you will know.  He lets his voice be heard.  But this time, he soaked it all in.

We jumped in, and it didn't take him long to loosen up.  He instantly started to narrate everything that was taking place right before his eyes.  "Combine picking beans, I help Papa pick beans (he calls them green beans--so cute!), I unload beans into the trailer (wagon)" and so on.  Carson then decided that he needed to sit on Papa's lap and help him drive the combine.  This is when it got a bit tricky.  The combine has an "auto-steer" feature, so you are not allowed to touch the steering wheel, otherwise it will kick out of that mode.  It took a while for Carson to grasp that concept, but he eventually followed directions.  Later on, the ground was a little rough, and Papa wasn't using auto-steer, so Carson got to help steer.  I heard a few times "Wow, he has got quite the grip!" and "Let Papa help you steer" come from my Dad's mouth.  I had to kind of laugh, because Carson took this combining thing super serious.

Insert picture of his "this is serious business" face:

He doesn't take the job lightly.  This picture makes me smile, because I can remember all of those times that I thought it was so neat to be the "co-pilot" while riding with my Dad or Grandpa.

Our family may not live on a farm, but my boy may be a farmer in the making.  And if I didn't think he went anywhere without his combine before---he really isn't going anywhere without it now!

We already have another combining date planned for this week.  Only this time we will be in the corn fields.  Carson can't wait!  He actually hasn't stopped talking about it since we left the bean field.

Happy Harvest!  My most favorite time of the year.

Fun with Paint

I'm a little behind on this blog when it comes to our Summer activities.  I am trying my best to catch up!

This Summer delivered some major heat.  I am talkin', 100+ degree temps for numerous days in a row, with very little relief.  With an infant in the house, we felt like one of us were grounded inside for most evenings.  Carson really likes it when Dad and Mama join him outside, so it made for a disappointed toddler at times.  So, we tried our best to come up with creative things to do inside.

I pick the boys up from daycare every evening after work, and I walked into the house with a trying two year old.  I think Daddy must have known this before we even got home, because he came to the rescue.  He had a little painting station all set up, and ready for Carson to dig right in.  (Please ignore the fact that my child has his shirt on backwards.  He likes to dress himself, and sometimes I choose not to fight him with turning it around.  You pick your battles, right!? Ha.)

He had so much fun painting a little masterpiece.  He and Carl sat and painted for a long time, and Carson displayed the biggest smile the whole time.

Thanks to Daddy for his help on this inside activity!  I am constantly telling him to rack his brain for more indoor fun for when the Winter months hit.  Hopefully he will deliver some good ones to add to my already long list.  But, if anyone has any suggestions, let me know!  We love trying new things :)

My boys.....

I seriously can't get enough of these boys.  They are my everything.  They are all so precious to me.

But seriously---trying to get a "good" picture of the 3 of them?  Next to impossible!  Please pray for me when we have family pictures this Fall.  I will more than likely be a stressed out hot mess.  But in all honesty---these are my favorite pictures.  It show exactly what our life is like right now, and I can guarantee you I will miss this someday.  So, I will embrace the imperfect family pictures, and laugh at these.  I can't help but laugh! 

A little run down of our little photo shoot......

......this would be Carson wanting to hold Weston, and trying to crab his arm at the same time.  Daddy tries to swoop in and stop the madness.

.....Carl listens to the crazy lady behind the camera by looking and smiling.  The rest of the boys haven't caught on yet.

......Carl is worried about Carson's books, Carson thinks there is something on TV that is far more interesting then looking at Mom, and I am sure Weston is trying his best to sit straight up.  That is what he does these days---jumps out of your arms to sit up.   

.....this picture is my favorite.  Carl has had it with telling Carson to be nice to Weston, and decides that he should just hold both boys.  The transition is always the hardest part :)

.....the handsome hubby listens to me.  Carson is doing something crazy--like always, and Weston has fixed his eyes on the TV. 

.....and whatever was on TV that captured the boys' attention, has now gotten to Carl. 

.....let's just ignore mama all together, and read a book. 

......Carl and Weston are very interested in whatever is on TV.  Carson is trying to attack Weston, while Carl tries his best to not let it happen.  

.......Aaaaand, we are done with this photo gig!  

Out of all of those pictures, I couldn't find a single ONE that had everyone looking.  I didn't even care if they were smiling!  Haha.  Life with a hubby, a toddler, and an infant.  Ohhh, I love it so much :)