The Reynolds Family

Waiting for the Trash Truck

2012-01-08T17:50:00.000-08:00

My neighbor snapped a cute picture of the boys in their normal Tuesday/Friday morning position...waiting for the trash truck! It's a big deal on our cul de sac. Here's my big boys, our neighbor, Joshy, and his cousin, Isaac. Exciting times for little boys!

First Stitches

2012-01-03T12:55:00.000-08:00

Well, there's a first time for everything, I guess. Alex got his first set of stitches last Thursday. Thankfully he was not seriously injured. It might have been as traumatic for Mommy as it was for him...

The story:
I was at home with all three boys in the middle of day last Thursday. It was between lunchtime and naptime, when everyone is really wound up and needing a rest. The big boys were getting really crazy inside and started chasing each other. Running in the house is NOT something we allow, but if you are a parent, you know that kids forget such rules on occasion...

Anyway, Alex ran past me into his room and the next thing I heard was glass shattering and he screamed for me. I have never had a more frightening moment than that one! When I came around the corner, he was in the flower bed outside his room and the window was broken. He had gone right through it like a rocket. I reached right through the window and pulled him back inside so I could check him over, trying really hard to stay calm and not upset him. Thankfully he did not have any cuts on his face or other obvious places, so I was already thankful. I put the little boys in safe places (their cribs) so I could thoroughly check Alex for cuts. He had a single deep cut on his wrist so I called Jason immediately. I'd like to say I was calm, but I wasn't. Jason was very calm (as always) and talked me through examining it. He determined on the phone that it was not serious enough for immediate attention, but he would come home from work in an hour and check on it. I was utterly amazed that Alex did not have any other injuries. He had a big scratch across his tummy from when he went through the window, but he was wearing a double layered shirt that protected him from a deep cut. I am thankful he won the clothing battle that morning and wore the shirt he picked out. =)

This is a picture of his window. X marks the spot where he went through.

There are so many reasons to be thankful in the midst of such a scary day.... I am not sure what happened when Alex actually went through the window. He probably tripped, but I am not sure. In any case, he must have gone through in just the right way to avoid serious injury. He must have landed just the right way on the ground to also avoid injury. He was wearing long jeans and a thick shirt, both of which protected his body from serious cuts. Ultimately, I believe God completely protected him. We pray every night for God to keep our boys safe and healthy (along with a laundry list of other requests for them =), and we believe God answered our prayer that day. God was merciful to help me through a very scary few moments and gave me grace to stay calm and care for ALL of my boys that day.

Needless to say, hearing shattering glass and finding a kid outside a broken window is NOT on my list of things to experience again. I know that with a house full of boys there will be plenty of injuries, but I'm not quite ready for them yet. I'm guessing five stitches is a warm up for the years to come...Consider this as a request for y'all to join us in praying for protection for our active little boys! =)

Thank you, Dear Target, for providing an inexpensive solution to avoiding this problem again.

Preschool Christmas Program

2011-12-19T11:55:00.001-08:00

Last week we attended Alex's preschool Christmas program at his school, Good Shepherd Episcopal School. It was so fun to have a kid up front singing! The sanctuary was packed with parents just like us (taking videos/tons of pictures) and we enjoyed this "first" in our life as parents. Alex loved the singing and when he spotted us in the crowd, he got all shy and smiled really big. It was really cute. Enjoy the photos!

Alex in front of his school Christmas tree.

He's on the front row in the middle.

Singing proudly.

Henry wasn't as thrilled with the show as we were. =)

Alex and his teacher, Mrs. Lankford.

Exercise

2011-12-13T19:46:00.000-08:00

The last time I downloaded the video camera I was shocked that 6 months had passed since I uploaded a movie of the boys. I resolved not to let so much time pass next time. Well, it appears that it has now been 12 months since my last download. So here is a classic from about 6 months ago.

You might also want to check out the "High Kick."

Here is a shot of the "pre-game" warm up for Trick-or-Treat.

Henry Lately

2011-12-11T12:49:00.001-08:00

Here's Henry with his new shiner. He fell at the park and busted his eye - evidently right on the part that bruises real bad. He doesn't seem to mind, though. Daddy says it only goes to display how really tough he is. Here's what else he's been up to lately:
- He is a true almost 2 year old. He is in the "into everything" age. Cabinets, drawers, the trash can, and the Christmas tree. He's a meddler for sure. =)
- He is learning how to communicate with words. The words we hear the most: please, no, yes, cracker, mama, daddy, night night, baby, brother, and ball.
- His favorite foods are eggs, broccoli, oranges, and crackers.
- When I am cooking something or he sees dinner on the table, he immediately gives a hearty, "MMMMM". I love that he gets excited about food on the table. =)
- He is very affectionate. He loves to give hugs and snuggle before bed. He has learned how to give Baby Ben very gentle hugs and kisses. It's very cute to watch.
- He is playful. He is always trying to get a laugh or a smile out of someone.
- He is tough. I pity the fool that meets Henry on the football field in the future. He is going to be one tough guy....of course, with a soft inside. Such a great combination for a man, I think.
- He is determined. He loves to do his best to keep up with Alex at the park. He can climb, jump, and swing in the big boy swing right alongside his big brother.
- He loves dogs. Our neighbors have dogs and Henry is the one who always runs to the dogs to say hello and pet them.
- He is a night owl/late riser. He prefers to sleep late and is cranky if someone disturbs his sleep. It is quite the compromise for he and Alex to share a room. Alex is an early riser and he has figured out that it is best to sneak out of his room without waking Henry in the morning.

He loves oatmeal for breakfast.

He was supposed to be playing by himself and I walked in a caught him red-handed in this little "unload the entire dresser drawer" project. Toot!

Alex Lately

2011-12-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

Alex is a full blown three and a half year old these days. Here's what he's been up to:
- He is really conversational now and is fun to talk to.
- He loves to tell stories about "when I was a little boy..." Last night before bed, he said, "when I was a little boy, I had a really cool skateboard." I think sometimes he gets confused with a real story and a made up one. =) Cute, though.
- He is very sweet to his brothers and takes good care of them. He's a little rowdy with Henry (normal!), but is very sweet and protective of Ben.
- He eats oatmeal every day for breakfast. When he kisses me goodnight he often says, "Mommy, in the morning, make my oatmeal, ok?" So cute. As if I'd forget!
- He loves to go to Old McDonald's and play. His favorite treat there is the yogurt parfait with granola.
- He has memorized 3 bible verses so far: Brothers love each other (Romans 12:10), Love comes from God (I John 4:7), and Do everything without complaining or arguing (Phil 2:14) He makes a mama and daddy proud!
- He hand picked a big 'ol bulldozer to give away today on "Giving Sunday" at church. He helped me wrap it and everything and is excited to give it to a boy that doesn't have any toys. I am proud of his generous heart.
- He loves riding his bike, playing with the neighbor kids, going to the park, and playing sports - any kind!
- He is very sweet when he prays and often remembers small requests to give to God. This week our neighbor was sick and he remembered to pray for her before bedtime. One night he also prayed for God to clean up the playroom. Fun to see how a child's heart learns to pray!

He and Brother wanted to wear aprons yesterday and of course, ended up chasing each other around the house in them.

Alex loves the one with cupcakes. He's also requested that we have cupcakes for Jesus' birthday.

Ben Lately

2011-12-11T06:03:00.000-08:00

Baby Ben is changing so much these days. Here are a few things he's been up to:
- He is quick to crawl anywhere he wants. Seems like he's extra fast when he's heading towards the potty or the trash can. Mommy is watching him like a hawk.
- He is pulling up on things and standing up on his knees.
- He is eating mostly all table food now. He loves beans, hamburgers, Cheerios and oatmeal.
- He has six teeth. Two on the bottom, three on the top, and a new one just broke through to make four on top.
- He loves to be entertained by his brothers and laughs hysterically when they say "boo Ben!" or make silly noises.
- He takes two naps during the day and sleeps all night.
- He is a super happy baby.
- He is very ticklish and laughs when you change his diaper. So much more pleasant than fussing.
- He puts EVERYTHING in his mouth. This week I have found the following items between his jaws: a button, a leaf, mulch, and dirt. Needless to say, anytime he coughs, I'm running to make sure he isn't choking. Fun times. This too, shall pass...Hopefully without any real choking incidents!

Pulling up.

Little budding chef in the play kitchen.

Meeting Santa

2011-12-10T12:14:00.001-08:00

Looks fun, doesn't it? =)

Bike Ridin'

2011-11-25T11:31:00.001-08:00

Yesterday Alex told Daddy he wanted to take his training wheels off. They got out the wrench and took them off together. Jason worked with him for a little bit in the cul de sac and then Alex took off! He came inside yelling for me to come outside and see him riding his bike like a big boy. Even though I was still in my pajamas, I went out and watched him and I can honestly say that I haven't felt so proud since the day he walked. It's such a wonderful feeling. We are so proud of him! Today he was riding around like he's been doing it all his life.

Such a big boy!

Even taking a minute to smile for his doting Mama.

Concentrating.

Riding down the street.

In motion.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T10:35:00.000-08:00

We are enjoying a lovely Thanksgiving day in our home. The boys worked hard in the yard this morning and I prepared the meal so we could eat promptly at 11:00 a.m. ... We are still on toddler time around here! Anyways, we enjoyed food and talking about what we are thankful for this year. Here are a few snapshots from the day...

Baby Ben is thankful for three new teeth (for a total of five!) to help him enjoy the Thanksgiving feast. He can eat turkey with the best of 'em now!

Henry (since he doesn't talk much yet) is clearly thankful for the remnants of his meal. And the sweet potato pie finale.

Alex is thankful for the trash truck, Mommy & Daddy, and brothers. In that order. =) He's also thankful he has such a gracious and fun-loving Daddy, who allowed him to borrow these swim goggles for the day. I know they sort of make it appear that Alex has special needs, but really he is just super excited to wear something that belongs to Daddy all day. So cute.

Daddy is thankful for God who gives us so many good things, Mommy, his boys, and his job that he likes to go to everyday. He's also thankful for our new home.

Mommy is thankful for ALL of these boys. So glad God had in mind to give them to us. I'm also thankful for our new home and the joy it gives me to warm it up with good food and fun with our family.

Thankful!

(I'm also very proud of this candle holder Alex made at preschool. It made me very proud to use it as a centerpiece. Who needs pinterest when you have a 3 year old preschooler to make crafts?)

It rained.

2011-11-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

At the Reynolds house, we love a good rain. My boys have come to expect that as soon as the storm has passed, they will go outside and get completely wet and dirty. It's a fun tradition for us. Especially fun because they love it so much. Enjoy the pics...

Here they are trying their best to fall into the storm drain. Don't worry, Mother, there is a very large piece of wood covering the opening...to prevent small children from falling in. =)

Alex loves to jump and splash.

They love it when their feet are all covered up with water.

Mud. They love mud.

Henry Hubs in his boots...muddy face and all.

Boys in Costume

2011-10-31T19:58:00.001-07:00

Dog.
I love how he has two candy buckets ready. Two words: candy addict.

Lion.
He loved to "ROAR" on command.

Little Lobster.
Sweet little Baby Ben was a good sport while brothers roamed the streets begging for candy.

Henry

2011-10-25T03:52:00.000-07:00

He's a happy boy these days!

Ben Lately

2011-10-25T03:50:00.001-07:00

He digs sweet potatoes. Love that little sweet potato face!

He's sitting up all by himself. Check out those bottom teeth, too!

Play Time

2011-10-25T03:44:00.000-07:00

We have lots of playtime at our house these days...
Starting with morning playtime: Big Brothers playing dozers and dumpers:

Afternoon playtime with Alex and Ben. Henry is our long napper, so Alex and Ben play together while Henry sleeps. Alex loves to park himself right next to Ben's exersaucer and show him all the toys. So cute:
Ben playin' in the saucer. He is chewing on EVERYTHING these days, so sometimes he's just as content to sit there chewing on a spoon. Hey, whatever makes him happy, I guess!

2 Teeth

2011-10-08T12:05:00.001-07:00

Baby Ben has his two bottom teeth. He has been working on them for the past 3 weeks, but they are really visible now (not in this photo, but this is the most recent one I have). He's already in the highchair and he's on his way to big boy food now!

Trained!

2011-10-01T04:12:00.000-07:00

A while back, I mentioned that Alex was potty training and wanted to give a little update on that. Partly because you might be curious (if you have time to wonder about such things), and partly because this blog is a journal for our family too. If we don't write it down here, we don't write it down...

Alex is completely daytime potty trained, including naps, outings in public, and school. He has been trained since the very end of August. He doesn't even need any help with toilet paper, flushing, etc. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how easy the process went at our house. I think it is because we waited for what seemed like forever for him to be really ready. It was tempting for me to give into the social pressure to "train him", especially when he was nearing three and just didn't seem interested. But you know what? We waited it out and I am so glad we did! I read an excellent book another mommy of a toddler boy gave to me called Potty Training Boys the Easy Way.
Such a great read and the perfect resource for a relaxed potty training experience. Check it out if you have a boy you think will never go.

Another incentive we used at our house? Candy. Straight up...lots and lots of candy. =) I was worried in the beginning when my pediatrician husband suggested such rewards that our little sweet tooth would be asking for M&M's after going tee tee until college. But, as usual, my husband was right and he has mostly grown out of needing a reward for number 1 or 2. Eventually, though, I started using 1/2 a stick of sugarless gum as a reward for number 2 and that made me feel better about all the other candy he was eating. =)

We are so proud of our very big boy! Such a big milestone on the growing up horizon.

Want my potty training advice for a toddler boy? If you have a boy and are worried they will never use the potty, don't fret. Wait till they are truly ready - which, for boys, is almost always closer to age three - and read the book I mentioned. And figure out a good reward. They might surprise you with a very easy training experience!

House Helpers

2011-10-01T04:04:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late in blogging about this, but thought it deserved a good shout out. We are thankful for our dads who helped us out with tons of house projects before we moved in to our house. Wow, so great to have older (we said older, not "old" =) handy men around to fix little things for us! My dad has been awesome - painted, fixed tons of little odds and ends, and gave us a whole week of his time to help. Jason's dad spent a long weekend helping him enclose our deck off of the master bedroom, making it a lovely place for us to enjoy. They gave us a huge head start on house projects.

Thanks a million, Dads! We love you!

Happy Fall!

2011-09-23T15:45:00.000-07:00

Today is the first official day of Fall, but in Houston the weather's still hot enough for a swim. We are thankful that our new house has a lovely pool in the backyard. It provides a nice afternoon activity for Alex while the little boys are sleeping.

He is in hog heaven, y'all! Obvious from the photos...
Come see us and you can take a dip too. =)

Happy First Day of Fall!

He loves to jump in. Over. And over. And over....

Sittin' in the pink floatie. Mimi brought it last weekend after she picked it up on clearance. She had no idea it was pink when she bought it, but it's a pool toy and it's fun so no one cares.

Happy Kid!

Peas Please

2011-09-19T12:40:00.001-07:00

Baby Ben is getting a promotion. Looks like he's going to be moving up to the highchair. Henry also gets a promotion to the booster seat. Seriously, time is flyin'. One thing is for sure, though, Ben is a regular Reynolds boy - super happy at the dinner table!

Home

2011-09-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

We are finally home. We moved in last week to what we hope will be our forever house - a great place to raise our family. The inside still looks a little unorganized, but I thought you might enjoy seeing some pictures of the outside and seeing what we have been up to....

The front of the house.

The little boys riding in their new Bob Duallie. Since we are right next to the greenbelt trails, it only made sense for us to have a functional jogging stroller. I found this one on Craigslist for a whopping $300 less than the retail price. Although I wish it weren't burnt orange (UT's color), it will do for this money-savin' Aggie family. =) I am really loving jogging with the boys on the trails.

A close up of Henry and Ben.

The entrance to the greenbelt, right on our side yard.

The cul-de-sac. We have already met the two 3-year-old boys who live on our street and a whole handful of kids. Most evenings the kids are playing outside and parents are chatting. Wonderful suburban fun!

Alex's First Day of School

2011-09-15T10:04:00.001-07:00

September 6 was a big day. It was moving day and it was also Alex's first day of Mother's Day Out in Kingwood. We basically got up in our old house that day, got ready for school, said goodbye to the house and went on to "school". Just another normal day for Alex, I guess. All the while, the moving company showed up, packed up our house, and moved all our stuff to our new house that day.

He was very excited about his new school and couldn't wait to see his teachers. Daddy took him that morning and there were no tears. He ran right into the classroom and got busy playing! I'm thankful that he loves school and really loves the interaction with the other kids. Such a big boy!

He picked out his own outfit. This boy loves to be in control of his clothes. I'm glad he picks things that sort of match or Mama would have to intervene more. =) He loves to wear jeans because they are also Daddy's favorite thing to wear.

He also picked his own backpack this year. So big!

Movin' On Up

2011-09-05T05:18:00.000-07:00

Well, tomorrow's moving day. We are really, really excited about movin' on up to the suburbs!

Since we moved to Houston, we have been "shopping" suburbs. We have loved living "inside the loop" (Houston terms for being inside the city), but ultimately we came to the conclusion that we just don't have the energy it requires to live in the city anymore. We both grew up in smaller communities and decided that's the kind of life we'd like for our boys. So we have spent more than a year now shopping the 'burbs. We would drive out to one, play at the parks, check the home prices, consider the commute for work and decide if it was in the running or not. After a year of looking, we finally found where we want to plant...

We fell in love with Kingwood. It's about 25 minutes north of Houston and was actually the first master planned community in the area about 40 years ago. It has about 75 miles of greenbelt trails for bike riding and outdoor fun and LOTS of trees. It is a very family-oriented community and has a wad of good churches and schools. Last, but not least, the houses are affordable. For those of you familiar with inside the loop home prices, this was the real selling point for us. We were thrilled that we found all of those things in Kingwood.

We prayed about whether it was the right time for us to move and if Kingwood was the place. Once we started looking at houses and found the one we bought, everything went so smoothly. Literally every little thing fell into place. Very clear that God was making the way for us to finally settle. We are really excited about this new chapter in the life of our family.

We'll post some pictures in the coming weeks of our new place. Just wanted y'all to know so you could be excited too. =)

Ben @ 5 Months

2011-08-31T04:44:00.000-07:00

Baby Ben is 5 and a half months old now. He's sleeping all night, taking good naps, and loving life as the youngest brother. His older brothers adore him, which is SO sweet. When he wakes up from his naps, they run to his room, peek over the bed, and say, "hi Ben! hi Ben! hi Ben!" When he fusses, Alex comforts him. Yesterday, he went over and sat right down next to his bouncy seat, patted Ben gently and whispered, "it's okay, Baby. I'm right here. I'm right here." Henry loves to kiss his feet and bring him toys. Ben has it good with such sweet older brothers! Here are a few five month photos...

All stretched out on a blanket knitted for him my his Great Grandma.

Looking pensive.

So happy on his tummy!

Close up. Drool and all.

He loves playing with his feet!

Big Boy Markers

2011-08-29T11:58:00.001-07:00

Alex is really getting a lot of practice with the big boy markers these days. It's a no brainer for mommy because he loves them so much and it's the perfect indoor activity when it's over 100 degrees.

Henry plays too, but mostly because that way, Mommy can strap him into the high chair and let him think he is also drawing marker masterpieces...just like Brother. But usually he ends up looking like this:

Funny because I would have never thought it was okay to let a one year old play with/chew on markers, munch on Goldfish, play play doh, and sit in his high chair for half the morning - all at the same time - when I only had one kid. But things change when you have three! =) I'm rationalizing that it is more educational for him than the television. Ha!

Thank you, Dear Lord, for washable markers!

Kitchen Helper

2011-08-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

Alex loves to help me in the kitchen - especially if I am making something he can taste. =) He also likes to wear an apron like I do. He loves this cupcake one. I tried to explain to him that this one is a little feminine, but he still loves to wear it since it's covered in pictures of all sorts of cupcakes. I guess in this case, his love for cupcakes overrules his dislike for "girl" things!

Mountain Vacation

2011-08-13T06:28:00.001-07:00

In the Reynolds Family, we love a good mountain vacation. Especially when it means we will enjoy temperatures 30-40 degrees cooler than Houston in August. AND enjoy our families and friends, too. This is our third year to vacation in Ruidoso, New Mexico. This year was the first year Mommy wasn't pregnant - hooray! We had a wonderful time hiking, grilling, and enjoying ALL things outside, thanks to the lovely weather.

Already looking forward to next year! Enjoy the pics...

The "big" boys.

Alex laughing with cousins on the balcony.

Mimi and Ben enjoying a cool morning outside.

Uncle Jeff and Tara managing the barbeque on the balcony. We all rotate cooking meals each night. Since we don't get to visit each others' homes much, it is a nice way to "host" for the family. My brother lives in Amarillo and my sister in Lubbock, so it is a little too far for us to drive to come to dinner. But sharing the cooking on vacation is a nice compromise.

Henry and his cousin, Alice. My boys were totally smitten with their little girl cousins. Very cute to watch them be fascinated with little girls.

Mimi and Henry. Henry loves to get his picture taken...can't you tell?

Fun on the patio.

Baby Ben - bouncin'.

Alex loved to hold hands with Alice and "lead" her places. I think he loved having someone Henry's size to play with - someone a little more cooperative in his attempts to "lead" them. =)

Henry and Alice sharing a bath in the big tub.

My brother's beautiful family.

My sister's beautiful family.

Baby Alice...as my boys call her.

Alex and my friend, Shawn's, little girl Brooklyn. Bradley and Shawn are good friends of ours and they came with their four kids for a few days. We loved having them there and the kids had a blast. Alex and Brooklyn were the early risers of the bunch. They enjoyed watching videos and drinking milk together every morning.

Eating cupcakes for August birthdays. Uncle Jeff and twin cousins Matthew and Mitchell all have August birthdays.

Henry eating a pink cupcake for Karlee's birthday. Karlee is Jason's sister's little girl, who also has an August birthday. Jason's family got to come and stay a few days at the end of our time in Ruidoso. Fun to get to celebrate so many family birthdays together...which means tons of cupcakes!

Karlee reading a book to Alex.

Henry and Karlee playing on the balcony.

All the kids on Jason's side. Not the best picture, but it was the only decent one! Cute to see them all together.

Of course, there are NO pictures of Mommy and NO Reynolds family pictures. I have learned at this stage in the game that I am lucky if I even get to turn on the camera. I keep reassuring myself that someday there will be pictures of us all together...someday!

We ended our L-O-N-G road trip with a night at Grandpa and Grandma Judy's house and a visit with my Grandparents, Dad, and Aunt. Hard to believe that we saw our entire family in one long vacation, but so glad we did! Not bad for a once a year jaunt around Texas and New Mexico!

The Potty Train

2011-08-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

Alex is finally on the potty train. It's taken us a while to get here (I know, I know, you are probably asking yourself how come because we have SO MUCH free time on our hands...), but he is doing great. Here he is on the throne holding the play ice cream cone. I guess he figures that if he's gonna sit there, he might as well bring along a treat!

Play Kitchen

2011-08-11T06:55:00.001-07:00

One of the mommies in my mom's group gave us this kitchen and the boys are really enjoying it. It has a full kitchen on one side and a grill on the other - perfect for the budding boy chef! Alex's favorite part is the play ice cream and the coffee pot. He often brings me a cup and says, "here, Mommy, have some coffee!" This boy knows his Mama. =) Henry loves the dishwasher and fridge magnets - just like real life.

Yay for free fun toys!

Flurry of Activity

2011-07-23T04:31:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of Ben hanging out in the playroom with the big boys. He's finally allowed in here now...under close supervision, of course! Welcome to the flurry of activity that is the playroom, Ben!

Cheese

2011-07-23T04:11:00.000-07:00

During the week, Jason usually comes home from work around 4:30 p.m. every day. Corrie, our nanny, comes each morning to help me with the boys. So that leaves about 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. every day where I am flying solo taking care of my three little boys.

Most days that two hours is completely manageable and a fun time for us to wait for Daddy to get home. Yesterday, though, it got a little crazy because Baby Ben decided he didn't want to nap. He wanted to scream and fuss instead, making for a stressful half hour while I tried to calm him down. I finally settled on sitting in the nursery to rock and nurse him. I left the door open so I could see and hear the big boys. They were watching a video and playing with toys - pretty quiet and happy. I was glad to have a chance to focus on the baby for a few minutes, even if it left the big boys (sort of) unsupervised.

After I was all done with Ben, though, I walked into the kitchen and discovered an empty block cheese wrapper on the floor. I had left it on the cabinet after cheese and cracker snack time. When I asked Alex what happened to the cheese, he said, "We ate it, Mommy!"

Guess they are figuring out how to entertain (and feed) themselves when no one's watching!

Popsicles

2011-07-23T04:07:00.000-07:00

The boys are loving homemade popsicles lately. With the help of the blender, some dixie cups, and popsicle sticks, I think we have found a way to keep the kids at the table for a few extra minutes. And, yes, Mommy is all about finding ways to keep them at the table...they are strapped in when they are there and it's easy to keep an eye on both of them!

Alex's Birthday

2011-07-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Alex had a great third birthday. Enjoy the pics!

Singing the Happy Birthday song for birthday cake at breakfast. He loves to sing the Happy Birthday song - even for himself! I made him a 6" basketball cake with a 3 on it. But you know what? I have the worst luck with homemade icing in July in Houston. Seriously, it is a drippy mess a mere five minutes after it comes out of the fridge. Oh well, I guess it still tastes good and probably doesn't matter to him if it drips. I really enjoy making everyone in our family their own little cake for the special day...and especially love that we get to eat it first thing in the morning!

All done with his cake. He looks so sophisticated. Like he's saying, "okay Mommy, I'm ready for my cappucino now!"

Henry using his sign language to say More Please. He was super excited about cake for breakfast.

Baby Ben, the bumbo, the birthday cake, and Mama's coffee.

Alex had a dozer-themed birthday playdate for his neighborhood friends. We made these dozer t-shirts as part of the party favor bag.

The cupcakes. Notice the drippy icing. July+Houston+birthday=dripping icing...always!

The party food.

Alex's birthday cupcake at the playdate.

Here's Alex playing with his gifts from Mommy and Daddy - a cool set of big machines. A cement mixer, a trash truck, a dozer, and a dumper. The best part? A lady in my neighborhood gave me the set because her son had outgrown them. I'm all about recycling these days - especially when it saves a little cash. He LOVED the gift, so I have zero guilt about not spending any money on fancy gifts. At this age, I've found that the gift really doesn't matter much. It's much more about being the star of the birthday day.

Playing with his new red bulldozer from his friend Campbell. It was his favorite gift!

3

2011-07-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

Our firstborn son turned 3 today. Don't tell him, though, because we are "officially" celebrating tomorrow. I figure that at three years old, they don't really care if the festivities are actually ON their birthday. As long as there's a day devoted to cupcakes, party junk food, and friends, it doesn't matter. That day is tomorrow.

We are hosting his neighborhood friends for a birthday playdate. Alex is so excited that I am not sure he will sleep tonight. I picked up his cupcakes this morning and the first thing he wanted to do after his nap was go look at them. Once he looked at them, he smiled sweetly and said, "Do you want to open them, Mommy?" "I don't want to open them. I want to wait til your birthday - tomorrow, " I replied. He half smiled looked down and said, "okay Mommy." In that moment I was so proud of his three-year-old self control. It seemed like it would never come and now, here he was agreeing to wait to eat a cupcake for a whole 24 hours!

Alexander Lee,
here are my favorite things about you being 3:

- You are the sweetest big brother. Thank you for loving your brothers and going out of your way to share with them.
- I love that you always greet someone when they enter a room. And then you always follow up with an intentional question. For example: "Hi Daddy. Did you have a good day at work today?" or "Hi Henry, did you have a good nap?"
- One of the things you are eating these days is raw oats. In a bowl with a spoon. One day when you insisted on having granola, I insisted we had none. You pointed to the oats and said, "I want those." I didn't argue and filled up your bowl. You've been requesting it for days now!
- You love bike riding with Daddy after dinner and are happy that Henry tags along in the trailer or the wagon.
- You have learned the art of a compliment...often commenting that you like someone's shirt or shoes.
- This morning you picked out a "church" shirt and wanted to wear it with shorts. After you were all dressed you said, "I'm pretty cute, Mommy."
- I love that you always ask for prayers before bedtime, rest time, and meals. Nothing is sweeter than to know that several times a day you hear Mommy and Daddy tell God that we love Him and are thankful for our children.

Alex, your mama and daddy love you and are so thankful that three years ago, God gave us you. Happy real Birthday, Buddy!

Play Doh with Miss Corrie

2011-07-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, we are totally into indoor activities in these dog days of summer. Alex is a big fan of play doh and has been requesting it more and more. He makes fake cookies to eat, bugs, dozers, and all sorts of other stuff.

Thankfully he has Miss Corrie to help him with his creativity. Miss Corrie is our fabulous nanny. She has been with our family since January and we consider her to be one of the greatest blessings God has bestowed upon us this year. She came to us after finishing a long stint overseas with a missionary family who also had three boys. To say she is experienced with all the boy shenanigans would be an understatement...She's highly qualified and highly treasured in our family - especially by our boys! Thankfully, she's also really good at eating pretend play doh cookies. =) We are so thankful for her!

Even Henry is getting really good at play doh. I'm amazed that he will sit at the table for 20 minutes to do such an activity...and not eat any of the play doh! I think it's because he's so determined to do all the big boy activities. He even pretends (without it going in his mouth) to eat the play doh cookies. So cute!

4th of July

2011-07-05T04:25:00.001-07:00

Our neighborhood has a really great 4th of July carnival and parade each year. The parade is only for the littles in the 'hood and consists of wagons, bikes, tricycles, and other cute people movers. The kids line up and make a parade to the local elementary school, where the carnival is set up...complete with bounce houses, pony rides, free ice cream and more. It's the perfect totally-wear-'em-out morning activity. =) We had a blast this year. Enjoy the pics!

Alex and Henry all ready for the parade. Special thanks to Daddy for pulling them in the blazing heat so they could be in the parade.

The parade remnants.

Alex waiting to get into the bounce house/obstacle course thing. We were so happy to have Mimi here this weekend for the holiday. It is a real vacation for us to have one adult per kid!

Hubs is too little for bouncers so he gets to watch with Daddy.

Daddy and Alex

Mommy and Ben. His Aggie hat kept the sun out of his eyes at the carnival.

Check out Henry's patriotic tat.

Alex riding the pony at the carnival.

Alex and Mimi riding the fire truck.

On the way home Alex declared, "I need to take a break" and plopped himself down on the grass. Poor kid was SO tired from the morning festivities. He took a great nap, though, so no complaints from Mommy!

Pics from Daddy's Phone

2011-06-29T19:27:00.001-07:00

Daddy captures some really great things with his phone. Here are a few of my favorites from the last download...

Mommy and Ben totally sacked out.

Alex and Henry playing at their favorite park. It's the coolest neighborhood park where people just donate old toddler toys for community use at the park. Someone dropped off this little homemade cart and it's one of Alex's favorites. Guess he suckered Henry into getting into the seat so he could push him. This is a great example of the kinds of things that go on when Daddy is in charge at the park. =) Probably all the mommies at the park were having a heart attack wondering if this 2 year old should be pushing his little brother on an old cart with wheels and no seatbelt...while the Daddy takes pictures with his iPhone.

Henry and his A&M paci. It was recently recovered from underneath Grandma's couch. She was kind enough to mail it back so Henry could work it into the paci rotation. Look at those eyes! If I do say so myself, he is such a handsome kid.

There's a big dozer parked in a yard down the street - getting ready to tear down a house tomorrow. Alex was super excited to go see it up close. I will be surprised if he sleeps tonight knowing that a house demo is on the agenda for tomorrow morning. I think it's kinda like Christmas morning for him!

5

2011-06-25T08:22:00.001-07:00

Here are FIVE pictures of our sweet 3 and a half month old.

It is interesting to me that all the boys look very different, with different combinations of Mommy and Daddy. I think, though, so far I see a lot of Daddy in Ben...

Finger Painting

2011-06-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

Lately we have been doing indoor activities as much as possible because it's just too hot to be at the park at 10:00 a.m. So Mommy has been searching high and low for indoor crafts. One of the boys' new favorites? Finger painting with chocolate pudding. I'm not sure it produced much "art" but it sure did taste good!

Bedtime.

2011-06-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

My big boys love sitting on the couch with Daddy reading books and hearing stories before bed.
Such a sweet way to end the day!

*Oh, and just in case you noticed and were wondering....yes, that is a pink pacifier in Henry's mouth. It's the only one they had at the grocery store during a recent "emergency" trip. He's secure enough in his masculinity to rock a pink paci for bedtime!*

Baby Ben

2011-06-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

Baby Ben is 3 months old! He is such a happy baby. These days he is really cooing and smiling a lot. He also occasionally laughs out loud, which is super cute and makes Alex and Henry so excited. He eats like a pro (never even had a bottle yet!), sleeps wonderfully and is an all-around very content baby. We are so thankful that he is such a good sport about being the newest addition to the Reynolds Family. We love you, Baby Ben!

Is it over yet?

2011-06-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

The hot days are here. We have a fabulous little blow up pool for the backyard and the boys run around squealing and splashing until they are all spent. Here's a picture of Henry - all spent. I feel like he is saying, "is it over yet, Mama?"

Breakfast is cool.

2011-06-13T12:14:00.001-07:00

Here's a picture of Alex with his prized possession - his red sunglasses. He loves these glasses and wears them as much as possible. He loves to put them on and say, "I'm a cool cat, Mommy." He loves to try to put them on Henry. He loves to try to put them on Ben (I keep a close eye on this because I don't want Ben to lose an eye). He takes them everywhere and even wears them at the breakfast table on occasion. It's the cutest thing that he's doing these days. In these almost-three-year-old days, I find that I need to focus on the very cute and funny things he's into. 'Cause the other almost-three-year-old behavior isn't very cute sometimes.=)

Thank you, Target Dollar Spot, for providing my kid with his essential summer accessory!

Oh and in case you are wondering what might happen in the event that the red glasses disappear, Mommy has stashed multiple pairs in the cabinet...right next to the candy. He never knows the difference!

Good Morning, Ben!

2011-06-04T04:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday mornings are quiet around our house. Usually it is just Ben and Mommy up early so we have some sweet minutes together without the threat or distraction of brothers around. Ben is starting to coo and smile and even laugh out loud. These days are so sweet.

Thought you might enjoy a little video of how our Saturday mornings go - complete with a little spit up. =)

Memorial Day weekend

2011-05-29T08:22:00.001-07:00

Enjoy a couple of pics of the boys in their patriotic gear...

Alex is finally old enough to pose for mommy.

I tried to get the boys together. No dice this year. Maybe next?

Cute little patriotic Henry.

Baby Ben. Look how big he is!

Smilin' and sportin' his double chin. He's a growing boy!

Puddle Jumpin'

2011-05-18T05:15:00.000-07:00

It rained last week for the first time in a long time. One of Alex's favorite activities when it rains is to go in search of puddles and jump in them. He gets completely soaked, dirty, and tired. Can you imagine a better morning activity for a toddler boy?! It's fun to watch too because he gets so excited. Here are a few pics of us heading out with the tricycle, the rain boots, and a stroller for the little Reynolds boys...

He started out all dry and headed for the first big puddle he saw on our street...

First he jumped...

Then just went for it and plopped all the way down...

Then rode through a few times...

Then posed a little for the camera.

The little boys sat in the stroller to watch big brother and the puddles. Henry laughed hysterically and even got splashed a little by Alex. He loved it.

Ben wasn't crazy about it, but he was a good sport.

We ended up at the park and the big boys played. They love going down the slide together.

Henry loves to climb. There's nothing this kid won't try. We might be in trouble. =)

He can't wait for the day when he can ride the big boy trike.

On the way home we spotted a few more puddles and Alex couldn't resist.

I love that such simple things create such huge smiles. So glad I get to spend these days with my little boys - nothing more fun than a little puddle jumpin'!

8 weeks old

2011-05-08T07:47:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that Ben is already 8 weeks old!
Guess you gotta grow up fast around here. =)

Ice Cream Training Camp

2011-05-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

Every night after dinner, our boys play in their rooms for about 15 minutes while we clean up the dishes. This usually proves to be good independent playtime for each of them and a good time to do their dirty diaper business too.

But last night, Alex decided to get into some mischief during his after dinner playtime. When Jason opened the door, he found him holding this nearly empty container of Desitin (diaper ointment). He said, "look, Daddy, I put ice cream on my tummy." Oh yeah, he did! And on his clothes, his mouth, and squirted a little all over his dresser too for good measure. We were actually kind of amused with this little stunt. I mean, after all, it was much easier to clean up than baby powder.
I guess my only question is... Should be feeding this kid more sweets? Cause I'm not sure that Desitin can be confused with ice cream.

On this summer's agenda: Ice Cream Training Camp for Alex.

Tomato Harvest

2011-05-06T16:52:00.001-07:00

Here's a photo of our first tomato harvest this year - lovely! And oh so yummy. Thank you, Daddy, for growing us yummy food to eat.

Helping Daddy

2011-05-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

Oh how the boys love to help Daddy in the backyard. They even help clean out the gutters!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2011-04-29T05:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Daddy!
Thanks for being another year older today so we can eat cupcakes in the morning.
(Sorry, Hubs, you were sleeping late today and missed the morning cupcakes. You'll get one at dinner, though.)

We wish you a very special day today. Who cares that it's the Royal Wedding day? Today is Daddy's birthday AND his very special opportunity at work - teaching at Pediatric Grand Rounds at Texas Children's Hospital. If you are not so familiar with what that means, it is a big deal. We are so proud of you, Daddy.

YOU are a big deal. How blessed we are as a family.

Much Love from your biggest fans at home!

Cookies & Ketchup

2011-04-16T10:48:00.001-07:00

Alex talks up a storm these days and he says the funniest things. Thought I'd share some/document them so I don't forget these fun days of conversation with a 2 year old...

First, we have a book called Big Truths for Little Kids. Basically it is the catechism in kid form. A great way to teach kids the basic truths about God in a way they can remember. It is a question and answer format.
The first three questions/answers are:
1. Q: Who made you? A: God.
2. Q: What else did God make? A: God made all things.
3. Q: Why did God make you and all things? A: For His own glory.

Alex knows all the answers to the questions, so we often review. But once this week when I asked him question #2, he said, "cookies and ketchup". I laughed and said, "well...um, sort of. What else did God make, though?" He answered, "God made ALL things Mommy." I guess he has a point. But clearly he has some favorite things he thinks God made. =)

Second, every morning when he wakes up we go through the usual greetings. "Good morning" "Did you have good sleeps?" and "Did you have any sweet dreams?" When I ask him about sweet dreams lately, he always gives me the same answer. "Mommy, I dreamed about cookies and ketchup."

I guess the best things in his 2 year old world are cookies and ketchup. So cute and simple, 2 year old desires!

5 weeks

2011-04-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

Thought you might enjoy a few pictures of our sweet little Ben these days. He's 5 weeks old today and it's impossible to believe that he's already that old! He's still mostly kept away from the brothers but he has started joining us for dinner (in his bouncy seat) and occasional backyard fun. Overall, though, he still sleeps, eats, and poops a lot. Normal 5 week old, I guess!

Ben is wondering, "Just exactly how do I get this thing in my mouth...?"

Sadly he's losing all of his hair (the other boys did it too). He looks like a little old man - nothing on top and a few hairs hanging on for dear life on the sides. Hope it grows back soon.

Working on his smile.

A big toothless grin! So cute.

The Trailer

2011-04-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

This month we got a new bike trailer so Daddy can tote the boys around the neighborhood. Alex and Henry love it and are so happy to be hanging out with Daddy. Mommy loves it too because the "big boys" are gone with Daddy for about an hour just before dinner time. A cherished hour of quiet with Mommy, Ben, and dinner preparations!

I should note that we tried to be responsible parents and have the boys wear helmets. Henry was NOT having the helmet thing on his head. I was afraid he was going to choke himself trying to pull it off! And, although Alex has a helmet he likes to wear, he didn't want to wear one if Henry wasn't. Oh well! I guess you can call us risk-takers around here. =)

Getting all strapped in and ready to go.

See ya Mommy.

Daddy's big bike is great for pulling two cute boys!

Double Duty

2011-04-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

I know I am biased but I think my boys are growing up with the greatest Daddy in the world. Here he is doing double duty...

Mommy is not the only one who multitasks at our house. Daddy is great at it too! Check him out:

1. Spending quality time with our boys in the yard.
2. Mowing the grass.
3. AND getting a little exercise.

Now that's a creative way to maximize your time!

Sprinkler time!

2011-04-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

It's time to start watering the grass and the garden. Alex is a great helper for Daddy. Right, Daddy? *ahem* Right, Daddy? Daddy?

Oh. It seems there is no comment from Daddy on the helpful part. But it sure is great fun for Alex!

Trust me, Ben...

2011-04-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

...the safest place for you is on the other side of that gate. =)

Your middle brother is very curious about you. He looks concerned when you cry. He immediately takes notice when you are in the room. And he cannot WAIT to play with you. But right now all he knows how to do is grab your blanket, poke your eyes, and stick his fingers in your mouth.

Don't worry, though. Mama is protecting you fiercely right now. And that means we play in the playroom and you "play" in the kitchen. We're pretending that the kitchen is your own little gated community for now. You're safe in there!

Alex Lately

2011-03-30T07:14:00.000-07:00

Alex is really into "big boy" activities these days. He has graduated from his tricycle to riding his bike. He was getting so fast that Daddy could no longer follow him on foot. Now he has to ride to keep up with him! Here are some pictures of his very first big boy ride with Daddy. It's already an after dinner tradition thanks to more daylight in the Spring and Summer.

Starting out at the end of the driveway - and Daddy giving him one more reminder about the rules. =)

He needed his essential sunglasses for the inaugural ride.

And they're off!

Henry Lately

2011-03-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

The Big Brothers have been busy in these past few weeks, too. Here's some pics of Henry's newest ventures...

Ready to walk...

Walking!

Playing shapes in his new baseball pj's. (thanks, Maw!)

Hanging with Big Brother at the front window. Yesterday there were some tree trimmers working on our neighbor's tree. Great free entertainment for little boys! Oh, and it was trash and recycle pick-up day. Bonus on the free entertainment for the morning!

Ben's First Week

2011-03-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

We are a little behind on posting photos due to the fact that Mommy and Ben have been camping out in the back room. We have been working hard on breastfeeding and protecting him from the little fingers that want to touch him. So far he has been eating well and gaining weight - doing all the things he is supposed to do! We are grateful.

Here are a few pictures from his first week...

He is only a few minutes old here. Daddy snapped a quick picture of his hair. I wasn't able to hold him immediately and I didn't believe he had dark hair like Daddy was reporting. Thanks to Daddy for documenting it so soon. My nurse asked me if I had bad heartburn with this pregnancy - which of course, I did - and then said we could blame it on his hair. She said it's one wives' tale that she has found to be true. Hey, I'll take that explanation over the one that (is probably more accurate) I ate too many cupcakes. =)

Ben is a few hours old here, chilling with Daddy in our room upstairs.

Mimi and Ben.

Before we left the hospital, we took a picture of him in the big bed. I loved this one so much that it's already in a frame on the wall.

He has long fingers, toes, and feet.

Mommy and Ben already to load up in the car and head home.

He looks so tiny in the carseat!

Here he is at home - checking out his new room...oh, I mean, Mommy and Daddy's room that he's sharing. =)

Benjamin Gene is here!

2011-03-13T09:48:00.001-07:00

Our New Brother has arrived! His name is Benjamin Gene. Benjamin is a classic name that we loved and Gene is a Merrell family name. My grandfather and father both are named Gene. Ben is the third boy in our family to have a family name for his middle name. Alexander Lee - Lee is a family name on my mother's side - and Henry Lewis - Lewis is Jason's dad's name and also a Reynolds family name.

We are grateful for our newest gift! He is healthy and eating well. We are thankful!

Happy (Real) Birthday, Henry!

2011-03-10T18:17:00.000-08:00

We love you, Henry! Love that you laugh easily. Love your smile that shows your cute little teeth. Love that you are a super fast crawler. Love that you adore your Daddy. Love that you are a good sleeper. Love that will eat anything....and feed it to yourself. Love that you have a favorite blankie. Love that you put your head on Mommy's shoulder when a stranger talks to you. Love that you are tough because you are growing up with a toddler brother. (He loves you but sometimes he plays rough!)

Love that God blessed our family with you exactly one year ago today!

Happy Birthday, Hubs!

Spring is Here.

2011-03-06T11:30:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been a lovely beginning to Spring. Winter doesn't last long in Houston and it is followed by a few wonderful weeks of Spring. We are enjoying the backyard and mild air...before we are invaded by mosquitoes and heat. =)

Enjoy our newest bunch of photos...

Henry likes helping Daddy mow the backyard. This used to be one of Alex's favorite activities too.

Alex is into bike riding these days. Move over, Lance Armstrong. There's a new cool bike rider on the loose.

Henry says, "Look, Mommy, I found my ear!"

Alex looks like a cute motorcycle cop, doesn't he? He's sporting his new big boy haircut. It's a tradition at our house - when we are about to have a baby everyone gets a haircut! (It's not the only time of year we get them, of course, but it's part of the nesting checklist.)

Here's Baby Brother #3...38 weeks old!

Henry's Early Birthday

2011-03-02T10:22:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we had an early birthday party for Henry. His birthday is not until March 10 but I had this fear that the baby would come early and Henry wouldn't get a proper party. Since he's the middle child, I wanted his first birthday to be every bit as special as all the other kiddos. I am a middle child, so I think I am sensitive to making sure everyone gets equal treatment around here. =) We had a blast with friends at the party and enjoyed watching Henry in all the birthday fun. He loved having all the "big kids" at his party and tore into the cake. Such a fun day!

The party was one of the last things on my to do list before the baby comes. So, First Birthday Bash, check. Now, Baby Brother #3, we are ready for you to come join in the Reynolds family fun!

Enjoy the pics.

The homemade cupcake tower.

The birthday banner. I love birthday banners.

The party food + (not pictured because it doesn't photograph as well) Domino's pizza

All the kids playing with Josh, Jason's friend of 25+ years.

Henry playing in the yard with all the big kids and toys.

Alex riding his trike.

Henry doing one of his favorite activities - stealing big brother's sippy cup and draining it. =)

Henry's very own cake to smash.

Alex helping brother blow out the candle.

Alex was SUPER excited for Henry, which was really cute. I think he was also excited because he knew that after the birthday song, everyone gets cupcakes!

Henry diving into the cake.

Actually it takes pretty good too.

He wasn't shy at all about digging in!

Okay, that's probably enough cake destruction.

Alex finally enjoying the cupcake, uh, I mean, icing.

Milestones This Week

2011-02-27T12:56:00.001-08:00

This week we had a couple of big milestones...

First, we got a new-to-us minivan. We are now fully embracing our status as a soon-to-be family of five! We looked at lots of options that would suit three carseats (something our other car wouldn't do), but I just couldn't get away from the convenience of doors that open at the push of a button. And, honestly, I love it! I never realized how helpful it could be to have the doors already open by the time I get to the car. Awesome.

We also had a major financial victory in purchasing this car - we paid cash. We have spent the last couple of years as a family working towards financial freedom. We have eliminated all our debt (including medical school - whew!) with the exception of our unsellable condo in Iowa. It was such a major victory for us to buy a car with cash - something neither one of us have ever done before. It was definitely worth the wait to save and worth every small change we are making as a family to be more responsible with money.

Another big event this week is that Alex rode his tricycle all the way to the park. Daddy gave him two rules: 1.) Stop when Daddy says stop and 2.) Stay on the sidewalk. He followed both rules and pedaled his little heart out all the way there. We were so proud!

Mr. Independent

2011-02-21T10:46:00.000-08:00

I feel certain that one of Henry's first phrases to say will be, "I do it myself". Lately he has decided that he will no longer eat anything from a spoon. If he can't feed it to himself, he doesn't want it! It is a messy process. For now it seems that his diet is limited to whatever it is for dinner that can be chopped into tiny pieces for self feeding. He's pretty happy with that arrangement, so we are happy to oblige his non-verbal cues to give up on utensils.

I love that he is Mr. Independent. Somehow I wonder if his subconscious knows that he needs to help Mommy out a little bit and get moving on his milestones. After all, another Brother is coming soon!

Thank you Hubs for being a little bit ahead of the game. =) We love you, Middle Brother!

Exploring the Cabinet

2011-02-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

It's Henry's new favorite hobby while Mommy is busy in the kitchen!

Past the 2.5 year mark

2011-02-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe that Alex has sailed past the 2.5 year mark and is heading towards his third birthday. He's already talking about his party where there will be cake, cupcakes, and cookies. You can see that he has his priorities in order. =)

This is his new tricycle. Our driveway extends into the backyard, so he gets some good practice back there. He keeps requesting to ride it to the park, but we'll have to wait until Mommy has a good 2 hours to make the five block trip with the trike. It's adorable and he's good at riding, but it's quite slow. =)

I asked him if I could take his picture and he said he would get his blue ball. Then he sat down and said, "ready, Mommy!"

Practicing his baseball skills with his tee from Papa Gene (the family baseball legend). He has decided that it doesn't really matter what type of ball is on there, the bat still works just fine for hitting. He almost always hits it right off the tee!

Henry's Push Toy

2011-02-05T07:48:00.001-08:00

Mimi was here last weekend and we enjoyed the weather out in the backyard (unlike this weekend when it's freezing outside =). We also helped Henry practice his big boy walking skills with his push toy.

He's going...

...going...

...gone!

It's a Snow Day...except not yet!

2011-02-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

I am not sure I have ever lived in a place so ill-equipped for cold weather than Houston. And, really, I guess it comes naturally to a place that boasts mild winters, lots of sunshine, and ever-growing citrus fruit trees.

But this week it's getting a little ridiculous.

Granted, it is cold and windy - 29 degrees right now, and the forecast isn't much warmer for the next few days. But today my nanny requested the day off on Friday because the weather was supposed to be icy and snowy (60% chance of precipitation). My OB called to cancel my appointment on Friday because "the weather is supposed to be really bad". And this morning when I was out running errands, I was in Michael's getting some much needed items when the electricity went out. Unfortunately that means everyone has to leave immediately...without any crafting goodies. When I went outside to finish up my errands, I found that all the stoplights within a 5 mile radius were out due to power outages (as my neighbor said, "everyone's running their heaters, ya know? The City can't take it!") ....

Really, Houston?

Well, even though it's sunny today (albeit cold), I guess we are planning for some serious winter weather around here!

If we get slammed with a blizzard, I guess I'll be the one caught without a generator, extra gallons of milk, chili ingredients and a fireplace!

Dear Third Brother

2011-01-29T06:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Baby Brother #3:

We can't wait for you to get here. Alex is constantly asking to "play Baby Brother", so he is excited for you to come out and play. He knows that you are doing a lot of sleeping right now in mommy's tummy, so in his mind, you will be well-rested for all the playtime ahead. =) And since Henry is a big boy and wants to do everything that big boys do, he'll be ready for some fun too. He can't wait to show you all the trains, blocks, and toy tools in the playroom.

Mommy and Daddy are ready too. We can't wait to see if you are as active out of the womb as you are inside it (if so, we might be in for trouble!) We are excited to see exactly what you will look like...will you have hair? what color eyes will you have? and since we think Alex and Henry look so different from each other, we can't imagine how a third brother will look! We look forward to holding you and introducing you to your family.

Much Love,
The Reynolds Fam

Almost One

2011-01-29T06:42:00.000-08:00

Henry is looking more and more like an almost-one-year-old instead of a baby. Middle brother is growin' up!

Boys Rollin' to the Park

2011-01-29T06:35:00.000-08:00

This is how we roll to the park...in the double stroller, hoodies up, and sunglasses in hand...all the necessities for the lovely mild winter days in Houston.

Henry at 10 Months

2011-01-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

Here's Henry's Stats at 10 Months:
Height: 2' 6"
Weight: 20 lbs., 13 oz.
50th Percentile in both categories. A very normal check up. Although my doctor did say that he looked like he was on a See Food diet, I'm sure he meant only that Henry is a healthy growing boy...perhaps preparing for a successful football career. =)

Henry is pulling up and cruising everywhere around the house. He has also learned to stand up on his own for a few seconds, so I feel like it's only a matter of time before he's walking all over! He claps and smiles anytime someone says "good job", signs "all done", and loves Cheerios. He also says Mama, Dadda, and Ba Ba Ba a lot. He adores his big brother. He and Alex have lots of fun playing together. As soon as Alex wakes up each morning, he goes to wherever Henry is in the house and says, "Hiiiieee Olliieee" and gets down in his face for a kiss. So cute. On a side note, his nickname - courtesy of Alex - is Ollie. Since he couldn't really pronounce Henry when Brother was born, he called him Ollie. Even though he can say Henry now, he prefers Ollie.

Henry is a very, very sweet boy. He loves to laugh and smile, showing off his 4 teeth. Two on top middle, two on the bottom middle. He takes two good naps a day and sleeps like a champ at night. He loves to play with all the big boy toys and LOVES his Daddy. We love our little Hubs!

Hubs in the Tub.

Hangin' with his favorite Aggie.

Standing up.

Boys in the Backyard

2011-01-22T06:53:00.001-08:00

My boys love to be in the backyard. Usually Daddy has plenty of gardening - yes, even in the winter in Houston! - or other yard work to do on Saturdays, so everyone typically joins in the fun. Alex loves to get his work boots on and "work" too. (Although mostly for Daddy he tends to create work more than he works, but that's okay...he's only 2, right?) Henry is very happy to sit in his exersaucer and watch the show.

Just a little slice of Saturday around here...

Takin' a break. With a Goldfish snack, of course.

Hard work requires alligator work boots.

Happy Hubs.

6 months of Videos

2011-01-21T06:42:00.000-08:00

I am just now getting around to downloading a few videos from the last 6 months. Nicole does an excellent job of getting the photos up in a timely fashion. I will try to do better with the videos. Enjoy!

This first video is from one of the many rainy days this past summer. All I can say is good thing his feet are staying dry.

Alex loves to raid the shoe cabinet...

All worn out by the exersaucer...

A few of the many things Alex got for Christmas.

Alex has taught Henry to clap. So cute when Alex is playing with Henry instead of trying to sit on his head.

By the way, if you don't have one already, thisis probably one of the best $89 you can spend on your family.

Christmas Photos

2011-01-10T11:40:00.000-08:00

This is pathetic for a person who loves to take photos, but here are the 2 photos I have of Christmas morning. Seriously, if you have young children, you know how difficult it is to take photos of them on a normal day, under normal circumstances. Well, since Christmas morning is far from normal (but oh so wonderful!), this is what we got.

Daddy got lots of videos, but I am just no good at downloading them and posting them. So, enjoy the two photos. We'll try to do better in 2011. =)

Henry's Teeth

2011-01-08T04:16:00.000-08:00

Finally got a picture of Hubs smiling today and showing off his teeth. He has his bottom two in the middle, and a top middle one. He's working on the other top one as week speak...chewing on everything he can find. =)

Love this cute little face!

Thanks, but no thanks, USPS.

2011-01-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

I was reading a magazine in November and an advertisement from the US Postal Service caught my eye. There was a tear off card to fill out and send in to receive 5 flat rate boxes delivered to my house. I guess this was a big promotion they did this year in order to get people to use the flat rate boxes and get them early for Christmas. I was super excited because I am really into getting everything (except groceries) delivered to my door these days - thank you Amazon and Diapers.com. So I got online and filled out my request - before Thanksgiving, mind you - and waited for my boxes. And waited. And waited. Around December 15 I was getting a little nervous so I picked up my own boxes, packed them and sent out the family gifts - from my local pack and mail, NOT the post office.

Then, on December 22, this little packaged arrived. Seriously, USPS...thanks, but no thanks! Maybe next year they will get them out in time to accommodate the organized people in America who need to mail gifts. =)

Christmas Playdate

2011-01-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

We are playing catch up around here, so I'll probably have a post or two detailing Christmas...

Me, Alex, and Henry hosted a playdate for Alex's friends Campbell and Treasa the week of Christmas. Since he and his friends were out of school, it was the perfect opportunity to get together for a special time to play. Both of these families live on our street and we have enjoying getting to know them this year.

I was brave and set up a cookie decorating station for them and let them decorate some Christmas tree cookies. It actually went WAY better than I could have imagined and the kids and mommies had lots of fun. As you can see from my photo documentation, Alex only wanted to eat the cookies. He could have cared less about decorating them. I think this is probably because he watched me bake them, helped me make the icing, and set out all the goodies without getting to eat any of the finished product. I promised him he could eat ONE COOKIE once we were done decorating. He slapped some red sugar and green icing on there and went to town (as you can see from the photos)! Good toddler fun!

Trying to get a good picture. Alex is eating his cookie.

Still trying for the photo and Alex is still eating...

Clearly Alex could care less about the photo. Bring on the iced cookie!

One big fat iced cookie down the hatch!

Alex and Santa

2010-12-19T07:09:00.000-08:00

On Friday, our neighbor, Campbell, invited us over for a toddler Christmas party. Campbell's mommy is a party planner extraordinaire and it was so much fun! Here's a picture of Alex sitting on Santa's lap. There was also a train that shuttled kids around the block, candy, cookies, Christmas petits fours, toys, and Chick-Fil-A nuggets galore... who could ask for more in a toddler party?!

I only got pictures of Santa because, well, it's not easy to take photos while watching out for my 9 month old among the toddler craziness. But I figure I documented Alex's first time sitting on Santa's lap, so that will probably do, right?

We had a blast and are thankful for such good friends in our neighborhood who invite us to very nice parties. After all, we don't eat many petits fours around here. =)

The Return of the Gate

2010-12-17T03:20:00.000-08:00

About 3 weeks ago, Jason suggested we should just take down the gates we have up in our house. "We don't really need them right now." And then all of a sudden, Henry decided he wanted to be mobile. He's all over the place now - crawling, pulling up, and cruising! So, we were gate-free for about 3 weeks...and now they are back up. Here's Henry and the new/old boundary. Doesn't he look thrilled to welcome back our old friend that stays between the kitchen and the playroom?

Christmas Cutie

2010-12-12T15:30:00.001-08:00

Don't grandparents have the greatest ability to choose the cutest things for their grandkids to wear? Both my mom and Jason's are great at choosing super cute outfits for our boys. We are thankful for them and their shopping. =)

Thank you, Mimi, for the new Christmas outfit for Hubs. Too cute!

Reindeer Run 5k

2010-12-05T09:14:00.002-08:00

Yesterday morning Daddy ran in a 5k and the whole crew went to cheer him on. The boys enjoyed clapping for Daddy and were proud of him for finishing 5 minutes faster than his goal!

The boys before the race.

Daddy at the start.

Finishing strong!

They had some blow up toys for the kids and Alex was super excited about the huge slide. He climbed up the ladder all by himself.

Whee!

Sharing a snowcone with Daddy - a very big treat. =)

When we got home, the big boys worked in the backyard and Mommy and Henry played in the front in Henry's new swing. Now he can watch the world go by from the front yard!

Pulling Up...Already!

2010-12-05T09:14:00.001-08:00

Playing Together

2010-12-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

I found this folding tent with a tunnel at a garage sale recently and the boys love playing together in it!

Christmas Jammies

2010-12-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

Cheesy smile and his big boy Christmas jammies. 'Tis the season!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

This year Jason took off the whole week of Thanksgiving and we made a whirlwind tour to see family. We figure this will be the last time we attempt such things for a while (3 under 3 in the car for 7 hours - no thanks =), so we did it! The boys actually did great and we enjoyed seeing everyone.

We started out in Abilene and Albany, but sadly I have NO photos of our time there. My camera didn't even come out of the bag! So, you'll just have to imagine that it was super fun at Grandma's and Mimi's...

We spent actual Thanksgiving with my grandparents and my dad. Here's Henry. His shirt says
"I'm stuffed."

Alex with his Great Grandfather. Paw Paw was showing him how to use the vintage viewfinder.

Next we went to Jason's dad's house. Alex LOVED playing in the big backyard.

Henry loves snuggling with Daddy - no matter the location.

Daddy had to keep Henry warm at the park.

Alex and Grandpa.

Matching Bumps.

Henry is like Alex and loves the swing.

Jason, Alex, and Grandpa.

This is what happened when I tried to get a good photo of all the grandkids. Better luck next time! =)

Henry on the Move

2010-11-29T17:49:00.000-08:00

Henry is crawling! He has been getting up on all fours for about 2 weeks now and just this morning he took his first forward crawls. By this evening, he was crawling all the way from Alex's room into the bathroom (where big brother was taking a bath). He has amazed us with his ability and motivation to move. I guess when you have someone to keep up with you gotta move to stay in the game!

We are very proud of our big boy crawler. These boys are really keeping Mama on her toes!

The Boys in Action

2010-11-18T13:50:00.001-08:00

Alex working on his tallest tower yet.

Henry playing with the big boy toys in his snowman house shoes.

Halloween at the Park

2010-10-31T06:19:00.000-07:00

Our neighborhood always has these great parties for kids and families. Yesterday we strolled down to the park - with the boys in costume - and enjoyed some of the festivities. They had little tents set up for the kids to trick or treat, a costume parade, and snacks. Besides, of course, the normal park attractions which include the jungle gym, swings, and basketball courts.

Alex and Henry were cute little monkeys. Since their costumes are fleece, I was getting a bit nervous that they were not going to be able to wear them. (The temps have been in the high 80's lately) Thankfully, though, Friday night we got a cold front and the fleece was bearable in the morning.

Henry always has the best seat - right on Daddy's chest!

Two little monkeys. Notice that Alex wasn't going to give up his cookie to pose for the photo.

Chubby Little Monkey. He still isn't feeling 100%, but was a good sport for the outing.

Alex loving the park party - sucker in one hand and cookie in the other!

Poor Sick Henry

2010-10-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Poor Henry has been sick for the past couple of days. Of course, we are following Daddy's advice to let him rest and get well on his own. Since he has spent so much time in his bed the past few days, I thought he might want a break. So this morning I put him in his exersaucer for a few minutes to play. When I turned around he had his head laid down and was sleeping. Poor kid! I guess he didn't need a change of scenery after all. =)

I promptly put him in his bed for a proper nap...after I video taped him, of course...

Monkey Goes to School

2010-10-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a little Halloween preview for ya. Alex and Henry will be matching monkeys this year and they have several parties this weekend. I will be sure to post more pictures of both of them for your viewing pleasure in the coming days. This is Alex before school today - he was very excited to show off his monkey costume to his friends and teachers!

Henry has a tooth!

2010-10-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

His first one. He has been drooling like crazy lately and I decided to stick my finger in his mouth and check his gums. You know what? He's already cut his first tooth on the bottom middle!

He is really rockin' his big boy status these days. Eating baby food like a champ, sleeping for 2 good naps a day, sitting up, and reaching so far that sometimes I think he's gonna crawl! Our little Hubs is growing up...

The Reynolds Boys

2010-10-27T03:37:00.001-07:00

Well, it looks like we will continue to refer to our children as "The Reynolds Boys".

Baby #3 is a boy.

Yay for trucks, blocks, and lots and lots of dirt in our future!

Alex Carries His Own Load (Literally)

2010-10-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

Alex decided he wanted to start helping with the trash - beginning with the diapers. He was very excited to help carry his own load all the way to the outside trash.

Hey, can you blame me?? I gotta put these boys to work around here! =)

Henry Swingin'

2010-10-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

Now Henry is joining in the swinging fun on the big boy swings!

The (It so doesn't feel like Fall) Fall Fest

2010-10-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to a Fall Fest here in Houston. They had lots of fun things set up in the park and a few pumpkins to choose from. Of course, you'll notice the recurring theme in the photos - it was HOT and did NOT feel like Fall. But that's okay. I guess you can't always have Fall weather and Fall festivities - so is often the case in Texas. =)

Henry sittin' in the stroller in his sun hat.

The pumpkins were a little picked over by the time we got there, but we still gathered a few for a punkin photo.

They had a blow up obstacle course for the kids. Alex LOVED it. He was literally giggling as he went up and down and climbed over all the obstacles. They had bigger kids helping them at first, but after his first go-round he didn't need any help.

The entrance to the course.

Climbing the ladder.

Daddy helping Alex get back to the starting gate.

Henry is such a big boy and rides on Daddy's shoulders now.

Here's the snow cone stand. Because every good Fall Fest in Houston has a snow cone stand.

Grandpa, Aunt Jen, and Kaden came to meet us at the fest. Unfortunately, out of the whole bunch, I only got Grandpa's photo.

Alex is a Houstonian

2010-10-13T10:21:00.001-07:00

Today my son proved to me that he is now an official Houston, Texas resident...

This morning we spent some time playing in the backyard. It is hot (around 80 degrees) and sunny these days since we are still waiting for Fall. In the meantime, we are trying to enjoy the outdoors and the "cooler" weather. After all, it's not 95! We are also still waiting for the mosquitoes to disappear. I positively hate the mosquitoes! They always seem to find Alex and eat him up, so we are constantly covering ourselves with OFF before we go outside. I have learned that OFF is pretty much the only perfume that's necessary in South Texas.

Anyways, today when I was putting him down for his nap, I laid him down in his bed and noticed he had a couple of bites on his legs. "Oh those mosquitoes got you, didn't they?" I said. Alex popped out of his bed and ran out of his room. "Mommy, I need the spray!"

Sad that my kid actually thinks he needs OFF before his nap. But, hey, I guess he knows what to do to avoid the little pests. Hopefully we are setting him up for longterm success as a Houston resident - with OFF as his constant companion!

The details

2010-10-10T09:54:00.001-07:00

Since my best friend requested them, here are some close-ups/details about the banner and frames in Henry's nursery. These are easy projects and super cute money-saving details for any room...

(click on the photo to enlarge)

As I said in my last post, I saw this banner on The Land of Nod's website (This is the kid store connected to Crate & Barrel). They used ribbon and wallpaper scraps for the letters. However, when I started looking for wallpaper scraps, I couldn't find them. And the rolls were $20 a piece! So, instead I used heavy scrapbook paper (a much more budget-friendly $.49/sheet) in different prints for the letters. I also bought some stencils because I didn't want to get frustrated trying to cut my own letters. Then I just punched a couple holes in the top of each and strung the ribbon through. All the supplies for this project can be found at your local craft store and probably for less than $10 total.

Now, these frames were not as dirt cheap as the other project, but I already had them in my closet so I decided to utilize them. As a side story, these great frames came from Iowa - the one unique home decor item I brought home from the American Heartland. For you Iowans, there's this great store in the East Village called Found Things. It's an architectural salvage shop, with also some new local handmade things. These frames are made by a guy the owner described as "an old hippie who lives in a van down by the river... but he's very artistic." He harvested the bark from local trees and made the frames himself. They were actually very reasonably priced (I'm guessing his lifestyle doesn't require much financially... =), so I got all three for around $30 total.

I decided they needed a little color, so the fake bird seemed to fit the bill for this particular room. I got it at Michael's for the aforementioned $2.39.

While you may not have handmade frames to work with, you can easily do this with any old wood frame. Sometimes you can even find ones at garage sales or salvage shops. You can easily remove the glass in order to "perch" something inside. Or, if you find some that are already very colorful, use just the outside of the frame part to hang on the wall. Who says you need a photo in a frame...?

There you have it, folks. All the details for you interested would-be decorating copycats. Copy all you want!

For a reminder of what the rest of the room looks like, check out an old entry on my personal blog. Then you can see how it all fits together!