Belly

Zach still has this big, round milk belly that I love to poke and pinch. He looks like he is pregnant walking around in his reindeer pajamas, no matter that it is March. It is hard to really appreciate the belly, but trust me, it is large.

We're from the City

Last week my friend Michele and I took our boys Ethan and Zach, respectively, to the AgVenture Kid Corral exhibit at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I was told that it was an entire (inside) place for kids to roam around and see cows, horses, chickens, etc, run by the Ag kids that come to the rodeo to show their animals. It did not disappoint. Zach and Ethan were still a wee bit too small for most of the stuff - Michele and I enjoyed the chicks hatching more than they did - but they got to get up close to a pig and cows. Both of which Zach called a dog. Whatever, it has fur and is an animal.

The favorite part for the boys were the huge tractors. They both spent the majority of the time circling them and trying to sit in the wheels.

Yes, I think I am Martha Stewart

I just wanted to share my photos of the Advent Calendar I finally finished. Or am I early for the holidays?? Anyway, I love to do crafts (always have, talk to my roommates about the candles made on a hot plate at the sorority house) and now that I have a baby - I love to do crafts that benefit him! Having a boy does make that difficult, there are significantly more things to make for girls.

But, I saw an Advent calendar online, made of individual felt pockets hung over a ribbon and knew I had to do that. I have a ton of felt thanks to my grandma Jane, plus beads, sequins, embroidery thread, etc. I even used some buttons from my other grandma for the closures. This year I will put little treats, notes and such in the pockets for Zach to open each day leading up to Christmas. I hope he likes them!

Boots for walking

Here is my sweet boy in his cowboy boots and "western shirt". I put "western shirt" in quotes as the shirt is from the Gap. I think that is very similar to me thinking my plaid, flannel shirt back in 1995 (also from the Gap) was "alternative". I am not, nor have I ever been, alternative - for that matter, neither is the Gap.

Perfect Age

As I was rocking Zach tonight while he drank his sippy cup of milk I was thinking how I love his age right now. He is still a baby, but sleeps through the night, is starting to tell me what he likes, sings, toddles and laughs, laughs, laughs. He is not yet a little boy who gets frustrated with not being able to tell me what he wants, screams and runs away from me. Though we are not too far off from those things, I can feel it. I am just loving him right this second. He lets me cuddle him up to drink his bottle, while I know full well he would be totally happy drinking it by himself on the couch, preferably watching TV like his dad lets him. But I don't do that. I clutch him to me on his boppy and rock him while he drinks. I think about the day and all the things I enjoy about my little man. Then in a split second he is done and spins up to stare at me 5 inches from my face and is talking again.

Safety No

Since I am a neglectful mom and we have baby proofed (i.e. not decorated) our back room and breakfast room, Zach walks around by himself there while I am unloading the dishwasher, switching out the laundry, etc. I can hear him and chat with him while not really paying attention too much attention to him (again, Mother of the Year award is coming my way). In my absence, he figured out that we never close the door to the garage tightly and just a little shove from him can open it. Previously he just busied himself going up and down the stairs, but yesterday I looked out and saw this -


Yes, those are screwdrivers in his hands. I am obviously going to have to start paying attention - or at least lock the garage door. I suppose that is a good excuse NOT to unload the dishwasher.

Saddle Up

This Friday was Go Texan day here in Houston. What is that, people who live in normal city's ask? That is the day where every office in Houston lets their employees wear jeans and "western wear". I don't know how it has taken me five years to realize this is an annual thing. I guess because it has never really affected me; I just enjoyed wearing jeans. But this year Zach is taking pictures wearing his western wear. Which we do not have, because we live in the 4th largest city in the country, not on a farm (not that I did not own Ropers and red boots in high school, and did not live on a farm, thank you very much). Something else I didn't pay attention too? The fact that people drive out to the country to ride horses and covered wagons back into town. I'm sorry what? Yes, Houston shuts down streets throughout the city and a major park, for the trail riders.

But for all my talk, we all know that I am joiner to the fullest. I want my son to have little cowboy boots (I had to email my sweet friend Tracy to find those) and I took off work on Friday morning so we could watch the trail ride. Turns out one come right down a street in our neighborhood. Again, who knew? I thought perhaps I was crazy, as I tend to do things he is a wee bit little for, but he really did seem to enjoy it. And it was a short group. The cowboys and cowgirls were super sweet, all waving and saying "Hi little cowboy". I felt bad I did not have those little boots yet.