January

I was trying to come up with a cute name for this post - but really I just need to write something for January.  I cannot believe I haven't put anything down about January yet - Yikes!  So, January it is.

We started off the beginning of the month having just celebrated Corben at 10 months (no pics in the official number shirt).  But, Corben has started clapping and can do so on command.  He thinks he is pretty awesome for being able to clap.  He can also wave.  He waves, really big waves.  He is still trying to walk.  He has been pulling up and cruising for what seems like forever.  Now he will stand alone and also sway back and forth between furniture.  He took 1.5 steps the other day but that is it.  I think I'm happy for him to wait until after our big trip to Disney for his birthday - but, then I remember I have no control.  Yikes, again!  Corben likes to eat but when he is done with one particular type of food (meaning that he may not be finished eating - but he is done with that particular food) he tosses it gently to the floor.  Over, and Over and Over again.  This does not make a happy mama - but at least he is eating.  He is eating ground beef, chicken, turkey too.  Also veggies although he hates spoons.  Literally hates them.  So, options are more limited with him.  He did eat some yogurt one day with a spoon but the next day he wasn't having it.  So, back to finger foods.  He loves him some crunchy puffs.  He is also totally interested in Connor and Cora's cups - but not drinking out of them.  Just holding them, turning them upside down, etc.  It is going to be tough to get him to stop drinking his bottle I think.  Speaking of bottles.  One of the many things that happened in January was the Snow Dusting of Birmingham, aka Complete Paralysis or aptly named the Snowpocalypse.  The day started off fairly normal.  We got ready to go to Cora's dance class which started at 10:10.  We weren't running late, but we weren't early either so I decided to wait to get gas until after class.  Mistake Number 1.  It was snowing on the way to Homewood, but it was literally dancing on the ground.  Wisked away by the wind and literally nothing to worry about.  Mistake #2 (if you are counting).  Homewood cancelled school at 10:25 for 10:30 pick-up.  That raised a few eyebrows but still operating under Mistake #2 - this is nothing to worry about.  My mom texted me that snow was sticking - I shrugged it off.  Connor's school had not cancelled and I was literally right down the street from school - like 1/4 mile.  But back to Mistake #1 I needed gas.  Dance class ended at 11:00.  We hurried out to the car and started driving to get gas.  Roads were super slick.  Uh Oh.  I pulled up a small incline at the nearest gas station.  Uh Oh.  Mistake #3 - pretending I was in my old SUV not the minivan.  I slid sideways down the "hill" barely missing the jerk who was too close behind me anyway.  I was freaking out at this point because I had NO GAS and couldn't get up the hill - oh and had two small kids with me and one kid stuck at school.  I proceeded to the highway thinking that it was more travelled and so probably not as slick.  Wrong again.  And it took me 45 minutes to get from one gas station to the other and it is less than 1/4 mile.  It is a miracle that I didn't run out of gas.  After I got the tank filled up it was a short 1/4 mile on fairly flat street to Connor's school.  It took 1.5 hours to get to his school.  I had no food (Mistake #4 - not buying some at the gas station but there was a huge line of people at that point waiting for gas and I felt bad running inside - leaving kids in the car - oh and I was now super late to get Connor - and I didn't know that it would take over an hour to go down the street).  Corben was sleeping, thank goodness but then Cora got hungry and started screaming bloody murder for food.  I finally found 10 stale cheerios in an empty (uhoh) formula container.  I tossed it back to her.  She caught it - both slightly miraculous.  Then she couldn't open it.  I tried to talk her through it - but she was just getting more and more frustrated so she threw it back and I carefully tossed her individual cheerios so as to keep CB asleep.  When we finally got close to the school, I decided to actually listen to Colin and slide into the handicapped lot in front of the Church - which luckily was empty.  Got the kids in the stroller, some diapers and a old water bottle from Connor's seat and headed into the school.  At this point I knew I couldn't get out of the parking lot in my van so we were going to have to spend the night unless Colin could come get us.  But I told him to stay at work for the time being - there was no point in sitting in traffic for 5 hours to go 3 miles.  Connor's school was so sweet.  The got us in the library and got Cora some food (which she devoured) and CB some milk.  I had no formula or a plan so I put milk in the old water bottle which had a pull up top and tried to get him some food.  He ate cheetos and real milk - all to celebrate turning 11 months old, that day.  We ended up sitting around until about 6pm.  They kept us warm, played games, and fed us some delicious pizza.  Colin showed up with my dad and my 4WD and after installing all the car seats and reconfiguring the seats in the way back - we all piled in the car to try to make it home.  About 7:15 we pulled into my mom's driveway.  And it was so good to be there.  But if I had it to do over again, I would have stayed at the school.  The drive home was the scariest drive ever.  Our car was fine and probably only slipped once but the roads were horrible.  Covered in ice and people abandoned their cars on every stretch of every roadway in the most haphazard fashion the only way I can describe it (since I didn't dare try to take a picture) was that Aliens descended from the sky and people jumped out of their moving cars and ran.  There was no rhyme or reason to the way these cars were abandoned.

No one is in these cars in the photo - no one.

No one tried to push the car to the side or anything.  Just got stuck and got out.  I guess it was unavoidable since hardly anyone here has 4WD but we couldn't treat the roads because of all the cars and some roads were impassable for days because of abandoned cars.  It was a day I hope never happens again.  We had 3 snow days a few weeks later and only 1 day and 1 inch of snow.

Look how happy they were at school - Connor cried when we were leaving to go home.  It might have been fun to stay if I hadn't had the baby with me - I would say maybe next time but I really hope there isn't a next time.  No one wants to relive that day.

I did escape earlier in January to St. Louis with my best friend, Caitlin.  She got me watching Resale Royalty on Style Network.  It is about a mom and her 2 daughters owning a few resale boutiques in St. Louis.  The show is pretty cute and Caitlin had a free Southwest ticket that was going to expire on MLK so we just had to go!  We have never been to St. Louis.  I honestly don't think I had ever been to Missouri.  But there was a tv show about high-end resale and we went.  I was a little worried that if the store was a disappointment that the rest of the trip could be a let down too.  I did some research on St. Louis and asked around and had a plan in the event our first stop was not the same as it looked on tv.  Caitlin and I can pretty much "make our own fun" as my mom would say so I wasn't too worried.  We arrived via a stop in Tampa together.

Got our rental car, very easily I might add - no waiting no problems - oh, except that it was snowing!  We requested a snow scraper and took off to find a place to eat - Mexican of course.

Then off to locate Women's Closet Exchange.  To me, the outside looked the same as it did on tv (with the exception that the super sketchy bar next door was conveniently cropped out on tv) - an average older strip mall in the middle of suburbia.  As a side note, Caitlin checked the bar out on TripAdvisor - the description was "strong drinks, super cheap" - we skipped that bar and headed to shop - and as luck would have it - they were having a 70% off sale!  Everyone in the store was super nice - we looked around for hours - but the store is definitely way smaller than it appears on tv.  But nice.  We both got a few items after trying on a ton!  By then the snow had stopped and we were ready to find our hotel and stay warm.  I wouldn't say the store was a letdown.  It certainly was not any nicer than I expected.  It was great in the sense that Caitlin really feels like she can have a shop like that one day - and maybe in a less sketchy strip mall.  We both wonder how in the world Stlye Network found this place.  But it was a great start to the trip!  Next stop Moonrise Hotel in the Loop.

Our hotel was in a very eclectic part of St. Louis and had a very fun rooftop bar (indoor).

We grabbed a delicious dinner at a local spot and then sipped some drinks up on the rooftop and met so many nice people.  Seriously, everyone we met in St. Louis was over the top nice and accommodating.  We met a chef who explained why everyone was so nice - no one comes to St. Louis for vacation - ever.  Sort of like Birmingham!  But, I am definitely going back to St. Louis in the summer - it is such a fun place!  We slept in (something as moms of 3 we rarely get to do) and headed out to do the Budweiser free tour downtown.  For free, it was a great tour.  Some people with cheap hats and shirts paid $20pp for the same tour - we were happy to escape without ugly hats and for free.  We saw the Clydesdales and of course the beer.  After the tour we got to sample some beer (also for free!) and then we decided against going back to Women's Closet Exchange and instead we went to a Chocolate Bar I read about online.

Our lunch of cinnamon pretzels and coffee

The Chocolate Bar did not disappoint and neither did the nearby restaurant Vin de Set recommended by our Budweiser tour guide.  It was so delicious I just cannot explain and its location seemed random but then once we got upstairs we saw the view.  You could see all of downtown from the restaurant and they too had a rooftop bar - closed due to freezing temps - but will be so great in the summer!  So happy we chatted up the tour guide!

To make up for our less than filling lunch - we enjoyed a cheese plate with our hot chocolate martini.  Yummo!

So delicious!

Back to our hotel - not without making another wrong turn.  I love Caitlin so much - more than I could ever say but she cannot navigate.  She is very open about her inability to navigate - but I really didn't think it would be this bad.  We were never actually lost but we got off on the wrong exit every time we got in the car.  Every time.

Parade of gifts for kids

On Monday morning we got up, checked out of the hotel - luckily the guy at the front desk asked Caitlin to show some ID to pay for the room.  Panic - she can't find her ID at all.  After a mild panic the ID was located in her coat pocket.  Whew.  Glad that didn't happen at the airport!  We headed back downtown to shop at The Collective - a collection of little shops all in one - and we ate pizza at and see the Arch - I mean, you can't go to St. Louis and not see the Arch.  Did you know you can go inside the Arch?  You did?  I didn't.  We went - up - and I am not really claustrophobic but the "elevator" was so small I almost didn't go up.

did you know St. Louis thinks it is famous for pizza?  weird.  we ate at Pi which was made famous by Obama eating there

The Arch

the elevator for the arch.  picture doesn't really capture how small this is

It was worth the trip and then - off to the airport!

Catholic School Christmas

Our Angel

Christmas 2013

Christmas 2013

View the entire collection of cards.

9 Months

Corben enjoyed his first Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday) and even sampled a bit of turkey.  We hosted our first house guests, Pop Pop and Grandma Cathy, at our new home.  The new playroom/guest room combo worked out well and the kids loved all the extra attention.

 Bryan and Corben are almost identical - it's scary

This was our first Thanksgiving without Nina.  Even though she was here 91+ years, Thanksgiving week was also her birthday - I can't seem to separate the two.  Nina and Thanksgiving.  I made Orange rolls for breakfast on Thanksgiving.  Nina would make those for us every time we stayed with her - and sometimes just for lunch.  I am so lucky to have had her for almost 35 years - and Thanksgiving with family is a great reminder.

On to happier news.  Auburn won the Iron Bowl and in truly dramatic fashion.

Still cannot believe this game

I let Bryan and Colin go to the game with the other football fanatics while my Mom and I stayed back with the kids and Colin's step mom.  Mom and I were wine sipping, muffled yelling (to make sure the kids got a nap), football fools.  I'm sure Cathy was truly horrified that women can act this way over football!  I have seen people videoing themselves watching sporting events.  At first I thought this was really odd - ok, it is still really odd but I really wish I had been videoing my kids when Davis ran back that missed Field Goal.  Cora had on her precious Auburn dress, Connor was wearing his lucky Auburn "Moorhouse" shirt courtesy of one of our favorite Alabama fans! and both were double fisting shakers screaming "AUBURN" - pretty much like maniacs.  Corben didn't cry with all the excitement so he must have really understood the importance of this game.  Sure, it was an amazing win and I would love nothing more for Auburn to win 2 more games this season - but in Alabama winning the Iron Bowl isn't the only thing, or even everything - but it sure makes the next 364 days tolerable.  We believe that the sunset the night of the game foreshadows the winner  - we also joke that "You Can't Get To Heaven in a Red Canoe, because God's favorite colors are Orange and Blue - see the sunset the night of the game at the lake . . .

And the sunset from the stadium - looks less orange but I'll just blame the photographer (ahem Colin) - it was truly Orange and Blue.

Over the weekend Corben turned 9 months old.  He is cutting his top two teeth and one of them was pretty painless (from my vantage point) and the other one has been hurting all week long.  Why do teeth take so long to come in?  I used to joke that I would pay 100K if I could have children already born with teeth.  On top of the teeth Corben got a double ear infection.  These boys and ear infections.  He's been sleeping ok considering.  Some nights are perfect - other mornings start early and occasionally he is waking up at 1:30am.  The tooth is almost thru so I am hoping we are back to a normal routine soon.  Mama is tired.  All.the.time!

He is cruising and thinking about taking a step but isn't quite steady enough yet (thank goodness)!  We are slowly introducing foods but it is much slower than usual because there is just so much else going on that sitting down to feed the poor baby doesn't happen usually unless we are eating dinner.  Puffs are his friends.  Everyone calls him the "Happy Baby".  He isn't happy all the time but he loves people so he is happy about 99% of the time around new people.

Corben weighs 19 pounds 13 ounces and is 29 inches tall.  So that is 55% for weight and 75% for height.  To compare . . . Connor at nine months was 20 pounds 2 ounces and 29 3/4 inches tall.  Cora was 16 pounds 3 ounces and 28 inches long (at 9 1/2 months).

We got our exterior work done to the new house - finally!  Honestly, it didn't really take that long and it wasn't really disruptive but the kids couldn't play outside safely until it was finished.  Well, it is finished.  Now that it is cold, rainy and all my kids caught colds.  Perfect.  Ready for Spring now!  Oh, and our backyard - which used to be a pool and is now a beautiful green yard - is covered in leaves.  I mean covered.  Kicker is - we have no trees in the backyard.  Seriously.  Can you imagine what it was like to clean a pool in a yard that has no trees but gets covered in leaves?

Oh Cora - is all of terrible 2 but has her endearing moments.  She loves her Corbie and is always looking out for him - like when she makes sure he gets enough puffs so that she can give "One for Corben, 20 for me!"  He he.  

Corben - 8 months plus some

So, Corben is 8 months old.  What happened between 6 and 8 months?  Well, I didn't take the usual photo at 7 months.  I like to do it on the exact day.  And that didn't happen.  And in fact it didn't happen on any of the days from the exact day until today, which is the 8 month mark.  Terrible, I know.  But so much has happened in this 7 month of Corben's life that I feel like I might get a pass for month 7.  Colin was upset because he reminded me several times about the photo and was worried that I wouldn't have the photo for the month frame (like Cora has).  Luckily Corben doesn't have a monthly frame.  Anyway, back to what has been happening around here in place of the monthly photo shoot.  I'll sum it up.  We moved.  The last time we moved was 4 years ago and before that I moved to college and then from dorm to dorm to apartment but those don't really count.  When you can move all your stuff yourself - doesn't count.  The last move was a slow move and very organized (or that is how I remember it).  This move - started off organized and methodical and ended up crazy fast chaos.  I'll just give this one example and it should explain everything:  Colin packed most of our bedroom - the morning of the move I went to put on some make up - because that is what I do in the mornings and no make-up bag.  He packed it.  Honest guy mistake.  Took over 1 week to find it.  Located in a box labeled "Books/Misc - Dining Room" Obviously.  So I wore 2 year old Clinique bonus make up for a week and that is why Corben doesn't have 7 month photos - among other reasons.

As our baby approaches his first Thanksgiving and Christmas here is what he is into - EVERYTHING.  He is army crawling - fast - and regular crawling occasionally.  He doesn't need to crawl because army crawling is such good exercise and it takes him where he wants to go.  He started army crawling right when we moved in early October so he followed that skill with pulling up to standing - on anything and everything.  He isn't walking or even really cruising yet - thank goodness but it is going to happen soon.  Corben is sooo funny.  He smiles at everyone and everything but he sure loves his big brother and sister.  He loves to eat and would probably eat all day like his sister but I don't have time to sit and feed him.  Last night he had yummy mac and cheese with vegetables (Gerber style).

Corben talks all the time.  Babbling of course - but all.the.time.  He must know he is going to have to fight for a voice in this family.  Poor baby.  He is so sweet and smiley - he can brighten up my day with just one look.  He has been napping really well twice a day and sleeping at night still.

Cora has not been napping well or smiling well or really doing anything much other than whining and saying "no" all.the.time.  Connor didn't have terrible twos but oh I think I have 2 terrible twos packed into one strong-willed little girl.  She wants to do everything by herself "me do it" and apparently I was the same way - shocking, I know.  Her favorite pastime is looking at photos on my phone and especially identifying Auntie Cait and Uncle Neal on Instagram.  She has finally, finally started singing the ABC song.  She can do it easily now but I'm not sure she can identify any letters other than X and C, O, R, A.  Well, at least we are making some progress.  Apparently some kids in kindergarten are still learning letters so I guess at 2 she is doing fine.  Cora loves tea parties and all things baby.  She took care of the babies in the childcare the other night when we went out for Wine Night.  In the time it has taken me to write this post we have some updates - Cora is now doing well for naps and at night and staying in bed until her light turns green.  Corben has started screaming bloody murder when we put him in bed at night - well not when he gets in the bed but when he watches me leave.  Super upset.  Not sure if it is separation anxiety/ teething or a combination but it is so sad.  Praying the two top teeth get in soon!

Then we had Halloween in our new house and new neighborhood.  Of course it started raining an hour into trick-or-treating but that was ok- we were tired anyway.  Due to the overwhelming popularity of Toy Story in our house.  We had a theme this year - ok, we always have a theme.

First bath with all 3 kiddos.  Successful but not a nightly routine yet.

Connor got to go to his first Auburn game of the season.  My mom stayed at the Lake with Cora and CB and the big kids got to go to the Auburn/Georgia game.  Finally a 2:30pm game that turned out to be a truly amazing event.  We were sitting in the end zone where Louis made the unbelievable catch - call it luck or whatever you want - it was literally unbelievable.

 Victory Visor - Connor is undefeated at home games - he may have secured a spot at the Iron Bowl!

 Connor played soccer this year.  He was pretty uninvolved in the first few games.  Then we suggested that he be aggressive.  He told me he planned to be "progressive".  Ha! So we explained aggressive and he scored 4 goals the next game.  This is a shot of his final goal in his last game.

 Cora loves her baby brother.  He isn't so sure.  She doesn't care.  Devilishly Cute.