Barrett was on a golf weekend with my brother and a big group of guys last weekend, which meant it was just my buddy and me ALL weekend! We had such a good time. It was a pretty busy weekend as we had 2 birthday parties, a baptism and brunch. Champs was an angel for me most all weekend, but a switch called the Terrible Twos seemed to go off on Sunday night and it hasn't switched back yet. UH OH!!! We are working through some new issues this week! :)
Here are some pics from our weekend!
Leaving school and ready for our Mommy/Champs weekend!
We started with Edventure on Friday afternoon. We had never been before. He really enjoyed it, but honestly just liked "driving" the firetruck, tractor and other truck they had there!
Saturday morning we took a long walk/stroller ride through Heathwood neighborhood and went to Heathwood Park half way through.
Saturday afternoon we had a birthday party for his buddy, Charlie. Charlie is in his class at EDS! He's the sweetest thing! Champs looks a little unsure in this pic, but he had an awesome time at the party!
A little reading before bed! This is one of the books he got for his birthday. My mom's friend Miss Mary gave it to him and he loves it!
Sunday morning we had Layne Prevost's Baptism and brunch at their house afterward. She was beautiful! All the kids had fun playing on Townsend's cool swingset.
Ann Mac was a rockstar Mama and also had Townsend's 2nd Bday Party that afternoon!
Champs' new favorite thing is hanging like a monkey!
It was a great weekend, but we were happy to have Barrett back!
Our Champs is TWO years old! I think what's most amazing for me is to think about the little baby who turned one this time last year and then look at him now, one year later. The leaps and bounds that he's grown in every possible way (including hair) is remarkable. Watching children grow has to be one of the most rewarding things in the world for parents.
AUG 2014
JULY 2015
Champs is the light of our lives. Like all doting parents, we think he's the cutest, funniest, sweetest and smartest little monkey we could have ever asked for. I am so proud to be his Mommy. His personality is definitely an exact replica of Barrett and me combined. He's strong-willed, BUSY, funny, smart, feisty, social, stubborn, adventurous, loud and very, very kind-hearted and sweet. He's all boy for sure. He loves to climb, jump, play with trucks, trains, sticks and all those good things.
Champs is a total song-bird. He spends so much of his time while he is playing around the house and outside or just in his crib when he first wakes up SINGING! He LOVES to sing. Some of his favorite songs are:
#1 and most sung: Old McDonald had a Farm
ABC's (He sings them allll the way through to "Next time won't you sing with me")
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Farmer in the Dell (which he thinks says "Hi-Ho the Video- Farmer in the Dell")
Jesus Loves Me
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Pat-A-Cake
London Bridge
Here is a video I like to call the ABC's/Pat-A-Cake Remix. It's SO hard to get singing on video b/c if I pull out my phone while he's singing, he stops!
Champs is a total chatter box. If he isn't sleeping, he's talking. To think how his vocabulary has grown in the last year is incredible. There really isn't much he can't say and he knows so many words that make us laugh that he knows them. I guess the main change in the last few months is putting all those words together into sentences. He definitely talks in sentences now and is getting better and better about using the correct pronouns. "What's her name? Where did he go? She's my friend" etc etc He says so many funny expressions that I know he gets from Barrett and me. He'll say things like, "Where's Landon?" (our neighbor) and then he'll say "Maybe he's at school" or "Probably he's eating his supper" He's real into saying "maybe" and "probably." He also loves to say "Let's see" as in...."Where is my Daddy? Is he downstairs? Let's see!" Or "where is my dumptruck? - Let'sss see." He says "Poor Champsie" or "Poor Mommy" a lot now. If he gets a boo boo from falling (Poor Champs) or if Mommy says I'm so tired (Poor Mommy - with a hug).
He knows most all of his letters and is super into them. Tried to start teaching him how to spell Champs, but he keeps getting CHAMPS confused with CLEMSON, which he loves to do the Clemson cheer!
He still loves to read so much. Bedtime has become a bit more of a struggle - it's always been so easy - but now he's lingering it out wanting to read one more book, one more book, okay now one while I'm in my bed, etc etc.
Eating...oh eating....not my favorite topic!! He is not a great eater and that's all there is to it. Very much unlike his Mama, he is PICKY!!! I try my very best not to let it bother me, but the daily attempts to get him to eat and eat decently healthy food is a struggle. He has his moments where he eats better than others, but most days he drinks a whole lot of milk and eats a LITTLE! I just pray this will get better over time!
At two years old, I am not even thinking about potty training yet. I am still very proud we've gotten rid of the paci, wants Raffi wayyyy less and I hope to move him to a big boy bed in a new big boy room this fall. My plan for potty training is next late spring/early summer - but I am sensing his teacher at school may have other plans....we'll see!! :)
Champs at two years old - you are an absolute delight!!! Yes, at times you can be trying like two year olds are - but goodness gracious you have our hearts!! Thank you, Lord, for blessing us with this most wonderful little boy!!
Barrett and I decided we would find out what the baby is the week of Champs' Birthday and then reveal it to everyone at his party. I got a lot of grief about this from a few friends who were furious they couldn't know right away, but it was a lot of fun to tell everyone at once!
We are so excited to add another sweet boy to our family. The thought of brothers just warms my heart. I know Champs and Boy #2 will be the best of friends and I just cannot wait to watch them grow up together! We can't wait to meet you BABY BOY!!
Here's the video and pics from us announcing it!
As you can see Champs was not thrilled with this reveal going on during his party, or at least didn't want the balloons in his face! Here is a video from earlier in the week after I first told him he was going to have a baby brother!
Champs' 2nd Birthday Party was on Saturday and it was a blast. It was so much fun planning his party this year because he was truly SO EXCITED about his birthday. Ever since he learned his birthday a month or so ago, he's said it constantly.
Every time I'd ask him what he wanted to have at his party, he'd say cupcakes, so I knew that was definitely in the plans. I decided to keep it "simple" and just have the party in our backyard. We invited close family, friends and classmates and just let them play in the yard, enjoy Italian ice, cupcakes and lots of dump trucks, diggers, firetrucks, etc!
After the party, our parents and Will & Ashley stayed for pizza and cake. Champs was still rocking and rolling at 9pm when I finally said okay, we have to go get this monkey in the bath and bed! He had such a great day!!
The next morning, (his actual birthday) Will, Ashley, Barrett and I took Champs to the Original Pancake House for breakfast and he loved his pancakes. We had the waitress put candles in them and we sang to him!
Will and Ashley played with us for a little while before heading back to Charleston. Thank you so much for coming!!!
For Champs' Birthday night supper we grilled hot dogs just the 3 of us. He especially loved it since he had just gotten his new grill from KK & Boo. He loved pretending to grill while Daddy was grilling on his grill!
