Dress-up

Who said boys couldn't have fun with accessories? Since we have been locked in this apartment (still out of my fear to leave the house and have it all together), I have had to find some new ways to entertain Holden. And today he had fun accessorizing. It was raining outside, so we tried on our new hand-me-down rainboots. Not that he wore them outside or anything, but he thought it was pretty cool stomping around in those boots. Thanks cousin Cameron!! We love our hand-me-downs. (And this is the cute face we see when we say "say cheese".)And then here is our winter hat that he may never get to wear. I mean, it may fit him when he's 16 but he might not find it so cool then. I bought an extra small at baby gap last year and oddly enough it fits my head!Anytime I put something on his head: a hat, his halloween costume headpiece, etc, I take him in front of the mirror, he gives me this shy smile and lays his head on my shoulder. It's like he's not too sure about himself. It's pretty cute. At least I've found a way for him to cuddle with me. By putting foreign objects on his head. Whatever it takes. :) And this has been the recent entertainment in our lives.

Is this how an 18 month old eats?

Well, I think I have mentioned Holden's longing for independence. And it shows up everyday in everything we do. Although this week we taught him sign language for the word "help". That has killed some frustrating moments, which has been ever so "help"ful! But for the most part, he wants to do it all himself. So here I am . . . letting go. Meal time is a struggle at our house. We've often done alot of finger foods. Which often leads to him throwing food on the floor. And none of our discipline techniques have stopped it so far. Starvation might be the next option. :) But you can't make everything into a finger food. Eventually, he has to learn to use the fork and spoon. And he has been so eager to do so. He doesn't want us feeding him anymore. HE WANTS TO DO IT! Unfortunately, he normally ends up playing with the empty bowl and spoon/fork and not using those utensils so much. Argh! So I don't think this is normal toddler mealtime. Please tell me how to train. And with your advice, please remember that my sweet, cutie, little boy is BULL-HEADED.
And just to clear my name, that is NOT hamburger helper on his tray. It's just spaghetti made with rotini pasta. There is no way that any of it would have made it into his belly, had I used thin spaghetti.

Because I love to talk about ADOPTION!!!

I could preface this blog before I send you on to read someone else's words, but I've decided not to. I've had too many conversations lately that left me feeling . . . ugh. Like people don't get us and this adoption thing. Okay, I'm prefacing and I said I wasn't going to do it. So click here and read. It's long, but oh so good! I read it almost a year ago and held onto it because I loved it. Please read. Even if you have no interest in adoption. Read! Do it for Holden. He wants you to.

Paxton at 2 months

Well, this little boy is 2 months old. And I believe it this time. With Holden I was always so surprised with how time seemed to fly by. Maybe I am more prepared for it this time. I'm not sure. Paxton is doing your typical 2 month things. It's so fun to see him smile, coo and talk to us. I love those joyful moments with this guy. He constantly rolls from his tummy to his back. He has been doing this for a week or 2. I put him on his tummy and he pushes off and rolls over. So we don't get alot of tummy time these days.

We had his 2 month appointment 1 week early so we could get it out of the way before the big move. Paxton weighed 12lbs. 3oz. and measured 21.5 inches long. Which is wrong because that is what he was measured at 1 month. I wasn't watching for the measuring, but Jeremy assures me that the nurse didn't pull on and straighten his leg out. What is it about these daddy's that love those big numbers?

Paxton loves to play on his little playmat. He still loves to be held and cuddled. He loves to smile at his big brother when Holden gets in his face (which is often). Those 2 boys are IN LOVE! When Paxton starts crying, Holden runs down the hall for him yelling "bubba! bubba! bubba!" until he arrives at his bassinet or wherever he happens to be. Holden to the rescue all of the time. It's pretty cute. And I can only imagine that this little relationship is going to be a special one as time creeps on.

Goodness Paxton! You have made us a family of 4! You have made Holden a big brother, which has allowed him to learn important lessons at a young age. He is learning to share, to love, to be gentle. You are the second little miracle added to our family tree. I say "second", but it's just as powerful as the first. Your journey to our family is one with God's fingerprints all over it. We are blessed because of you! Thank you God for choosing us for this little life!
Now look at that precious grin! And the chubby belly. Goodness, he's gotten big!

off to the pumpkin patch . . .

Sunday afternoon we found a little pumpkin patch close by. I wanted Holden to be able to run free. Man, he loves his freedom at this age. Any freedom he can get his hands on. So he ran and ran and ran.And so we chased and chased and chased.
We got to take a little train ride. This was Holden's face the entire ride. I thought he would be AMAZED by the little train. Nope. Apparently, he does this kind of stuff every day. It was nothing special. But as you can see Paxton LOVED it!! ;)And I wonder when we'll ever get a good picture of the 2 of them together. You might notice in this picture, Holden is LOVING his little bubba. He absolutely loves him!Doesn't he look thrilled to be posing for me?Daddy and Holden in the patch.
I love this picture. I have let him drive our car down our old street a handful of times. He knew exactly what to do once we put him behind the wheel.Holden pulling the wagon. We had him sitting in it, but the boy likes to be in control. So he got out and pulled the empty wagon.
Petting the artificial piggies.
There was no way he was crawling through that dark, scary tunnel. You just never know what they will do at this age. But this was a NO!
It was a fun little family day for our new little life in Texas.

Pinch me!

We are here and I can't believe it. We're back in Texas and it still hasn't sunk in. It kind of feels like we're just on a little vacation. We arrived at our apartment Wednesday night and it definitely had the nice hotel-feel (which aided to it feeling more like a vacay). And we have spent the last 2 days getting everything settled to make it home for now. And honestly, it's great. It's only 100 sq feet less than our old house, so we have plenty of space. It's really better than I could have imagined. So we are happy to be at this apartment until we get into a house. We even have an extra bedroom, so feel free to come and visit! Today we got out and explored the area. This particular area of DFW is pretty unfamiliar to us. But I think I am really going to love it here, once I am brave enough to jump out there with the little ones. Today we also drove through 2 of the neighborhoods where we have found possible houses. And so we just sit and wait to see if our offer will be accepted on our first pick.
You might be wondering about our health. We all weren't feeling so hot in my last post. Jeremy has caught none of it. And we talked with Brandy today. She is still in the clear. So we are thankful for that. The boys seems to be feeling fine. They will finish their Tamiful tomorrow. I am tons better. Still queasy at times, but oh-so-much better.
So here we are. We've moved. We're in Texas now. Yep. Still not sinking in . . . just a fun little vacation. :)

germs germs go away! *updated*

Well, the nasty sickness hit our home and it began with me. Apparently I had the flu over the weekend. If you remember, I have hardly ventured out, so I have no clue how I got it. But I do know that my immune system could be weakened due to lack of sleep with the new baby and all. But I went to the doctor today as it is now all stuck in my chest. I still felt bad and I have a ton to get done around the house. Remember, the packers are supposed to come tomorrow. We are supposed to be moving tomorrow evening. On Sunday we started to think I had the flu and we started calling family. My mom is in Colorado helping with Miss Ava. She is always the first pick because she is retired and that is what retired nana's are for. But my dad showed up Monday morning to help with the boys. Jeremy needed to be at work these last few days to tie up lose ends. A few hours after my dad showed up, Jeremy's sister Brandy came to help. And she has been here ever since. That enabled my dad to go back home and get back to work. 2 family members came from the Dallas area to help us. They drove and came to stay in my germ infested house, so my babies wouldn't catch this flu. This week has reminded me of why I am glad to be moving. It will just be nice to have help close by in times like these. Anyways, today I went to the doctor. He told me I HAD the flu. Past tense. But then he put me on an antibiotic to get me on my feet fast. Paxton had started coughing and had a fever last night. I was immediately worried. Kind of hopeful that he might be in the clear because he had 2 month vaccinations yesterday. I thought maybe this could just be side effects of his shots. But he was tested today and sure enough his mean ole' momma gave him the flu. My sweet doctor gave me the news and I was heartbroken and just started crying. Boy I am going to miss our pediatrician! And I wonder if it's just a matter of time before Jeremy or Holden come down with it all. Such a mess. And such bad timing for us. Jeremy has tried to get in contact with the packers to push them off until Friday. We haven't heard back yet. But we are definitely not ready to be packed up. And the saddest of all is just the way we have spent our last days here. Not playing with our friends that we will dearly miss. But rather quarantined to our home out of fear of spreading this stuff. So join me in my little pitty party. I just wanted to be able to really say goodbye to people. On the upside, it might be a whole lot less emotional this way. But still, not what I was planning for. I don't know that I've ever posted such a complaining and whiney post. But here you go. Say a little prayer for Paxton, that the Tamiflu will help him to recover quickly. And that the other 2 boys will stay healthy. Brandy is still here helping and so we are praying that we don't infect her also. But now I am able to deal with Pax since we have both had the mess. I know this stuff is little in the grand scheme of life . . . but say a little prayer for us if you think about it. Thanks friends!

*Packers are still coming tomorrow at 8am. Lovely, isn't it? And Holden has caught the bug and is starting tamiflu tonight. It will be a blasted miracle if Jeremy and Brandy don't get it. Please say a prayer for them both.*

Accomplishments this week

I have a new look on the blog. It’s temporary until Jeremy can go to work on it. I had to get Paxton up there in that header since we are now a family of 4! I mentioned before that we are starting to get some smiles from Pax. And they are oh-so-sweet! So tonight Jeremy snapped away while he cooed and smiled at his momma. Goodness, we are in love!

Here you’ll notice that he fell asleep during tummy time. Apparently it’s exhausting stuff . . . laying on your tummy and looking around.

We have finally mastered the swaddle. Hooray! I can now see sleep-filled-nights in our future. Pax sure didn’t love it at first. But, I guess straight jackets can grow on you over time. So he is now sleeping so well at naptime and bedtime all swaddled up nice and cozy.

Jeremy and Holden spent some time outside today while I started making dinner. They played golf in our front yard. I know that Jeremy would love for his boys to love this sport as much as he does. Maybe one day. I think Holden just enjoyed getting out of the house and playing with his daddy. Man, he loves that guy.

I left the house a few times this week. Which is huge! Just me and the boys. We had a successful shopping trip at Target where Paxton slept and Holden behaved well. It was great. It gave me a small boost of confidence that I can leave the house with these 2 boys. We also went one day to play at Lyndon’s house. Another success. I guess we won’t have to be homebound after all! :)

Look who's here!!!!!

Miss Ava Elizabeth Marey Kolman!! Isn't she a BEAUTY!!? Love that sweet face!
So we have a new niece! She arrived on October 13 @ 9:03am. I think she is the perfect blend of her 2 older sisters. And she is the perfect fit to the Kolman family.
I love that my sister now has 3 girls. Maybe I love it because it is so similar to our family. (And Ava takes my spot as the baby!) It's also identical to my mom's family, as she has 2 sisters and no boys as well. And for the past week, knowing her arrival was soon, I have just kept thinking: 3 little girls, from 3 different wombs. But all uniquely purposed to be loved and raised by these parents. And destined by God to become sisters through the miracle of adoption. If you don't find that incredible, then there is something wrong with you! :) Loren and Amanda, you have a beautiful family. I love what God has done! We can't wait to meet little miss Ava! We love her already!Click here for updates on this sweet family. Because I know my sister would love some new blog-stalkers. Actually blog-stalkers kind of freak her out, while I embrace these new friends. Unless, your a weirdo, then I do not embrace so much.

1 week

1 week from tonight, my little family should be in Texas. To reside. Possibly forever. I don't think it has sunk in. Nothing feels different about right now. Maybe I'm avoiding the sad thoughts of leaving here. There are many sad thoughts: our friends, our wonderful church, our adoption playgroup. And then just heading into the somewhat unknown, new place, new faces and the unfamiliarity that comes with any move. But whether I am allowing it to sink in or not, the packers come next Wednesday and load everything up. And it looks like everything will be going straight to storage, while we'll spend about a month, maybe a little more, in a furnished apartment. The word furnished is important because it means our stuff is only moving once! And even though we aren't the ones doing the packing and lifting, once still sounds really good in my head.
We found a house in Texas this past weekend and made an offer. BUT, big but, it is a short sale. And we were offer #3, thus far. More could come in. The bank is in no hurry to move this little process along. So it could be a long wait. Jeremy and I are only waiting for 30 days because we're just not that patient and the house isn't worth 6 months of unsettledness for our family. So if the house isn't ours by November 12th then we are off to plan B, finding another house. Which, if still available, we will make an offer on option #2. It is about 5 minutes from option #1. So that's where we're at. We looked at some apartments and hopefully we should have one lined up by next week. Otherwise, family . . .who wants us? :)

My sparkly-eyed baby!

Well, 2 weeks ago today we had Paxton’s newborn photos done. Jeremy contemplated doing them himself. And I was fine with that. A little worried, but fine with it. I just didn’t want Holden to have these amazing newborn photos from a professional and then baby #2 get the shaft. Unbeknownst to me, Jeremy got in contact with a photographer and started getting Paxton’s newborn session all set up. She is a photographer that participates in Celebrating Adoption (which you adoptive families should really check out). But since we were calling last minute for a session, her CA sessions were filled up. But out of pure generosity, she still gave us an INCREDIBLE deal! I mean, incredible!! And she promised to do a Celebrating Adoption photo shoot in Texas this spring with our family. From my little research, each photographer that participates in CA has different “deals”. Sometimes a free sitting fee and pay for prints, or vice versa. If I understand correctly, her Celebrate Adoption deal is free. Period. Free sitting fee. Free edited prints on a CD. Wow! So that is what we have to look forward to in the spring. The session must be booked within the first year of the child’s placement. Anyways, so here is a little shout out for Art and Soul Photography. Angel did an amazing job with Paxton’s newborn photos. She also snapped a few of Holden and some of our family. I can’t wait to see them all! But she did share a sneak peak with us today. And of course I have to share it with you all. Just get a glimpse of my sparkly-eyed baby! I know you can do a lot with photo editing, but there truly is a sparkle in his little eyes. Click here to see some beautiful pictures of baby Pax.

Pray for Ella

Some friends had their baby girl, Ella, 7 weeks early. Tiny Ella is in the NICU progressing well, while tests are being run. She went with out oxygen for a period of time, which obviously is a concern. Please pray for this family; Jason, Traci, Carson, Cooper and especially sweet baby Ella. Jason and Traci have begun a blog to follow this journey. Please click here, read and send your prayers. MacKinnons we love you guys and are praying right along with you!

An update with pictures

So there's not as much time for my long-winded posts on the bloggy-blog these days. But I haven't stopped snapping pictures of my boys and so I thought that I would share a few. Okay more than a few . . . alot!

Paxton enjoying his warm bath.
All cozy and clean!My bed must be so comfortable for this little guy. Sleeping so soundly for a nap! We are starting to get a few smiles from Paxton and he occasionally tries to talk to us. Just like Holden, he loves his play mat and I attempted to catch some smiles here. Obviously, I didn't "catch" any for you. So just take my word for it, his smile is pretty cute!
Jeremy went to Babies R Us to pick up our stroller (one that I am debating on returning because it's such a tight fit in the trunk. HELP!) and he found this little costume for Paxton. I had already bought him a pumpkin sleeper (close enough to a costume), which I guess I will return now. But Jeremy thought the giraffe and lion would be great brotherly costumes. And though he doesn't look super comfy, he does look super cute. And on Halloween, that is what's most important. I do love that it was cool enough last night for Holden to wear these! They're a little snug, but so cute! Grandma came for a visit. She had to meet Paxton and squeeze our newest little blessing. Holden took the opportunity to show her his dance moves. And that little show had us all cracking up! Perhaps I will post a video of it soon.
And here are the boys today, dressed in their oh-so-spooky halloween outfits. Scary boys, huh?! Just wait til you meet the little lion and giraffe in a dark alley on Halloween night. That will leave you frightened for sure.

And yes, I realize that there are many more pictures of Paxton than Holden. Reasons are 2-fold. 1) Paxton is changing at the speed of light. If I don't get pictures, I might possibly forget. 2) Paxton is much slower than his older brother and doesn't have to be chased for a photo op.