Do I look too thin in this hat?

Because people might think my Mamma doesn't feed me.

Thanksgiving in the Loo

This year was our every-other-year trip to St. Louis for Thanksgiving with Vince's family. I am not going to go into the hassle/hell of travelling with a 2.5 year old and a 4 month old. If you have done it you know and if you have not please take my advice and DO NOT DO IT. Or at least schedule better flights than our heidous choices of an 8pm and 8am flight.

Here is James in IAH ready for his first flight. This was before I was bouncing him up and down the aisle and watching the person squeezed into the seat next to me play Angry Birds.

Once we were there the trip drastically improved! The Wall/Morris families are busy and kid filled, which is right up the alley of Alex and Zach. They also do a lot of eating and talking which makes James and I happy. The first night we arrived at the house to see this sign courtesy of the sweet Engel cousins. What a way to make a baby feel welcome (and his mamma). 

We stayed with another set of Alex's cousins who had two darling twin girls who are 7 and a sweet boy basically the same age as Zach. The first morning we arrived I knew my big boy was a Wall through and through when the second he had woken up, Alex plopped him in the middle of those three (whom he had never met) and promptly left. Zach was happy as can be and didn't notice or need us for the next 24 hours. That is not the way of my family.

Zach really attached himself to Hannah. She was so sweet to him and he just adored her. Luckily for her, her family left on Thanksgiving so she got a break - Zach however was detestated and still talks about why Megan and Hannah had to leave.

The Friday after Thanksgiving is always the Wall/Morris soccer game. It was breezy and chilly this year, which was a nice change from Houston for sure. James spent the game like this:

 Being pushed all around by his Ollie so he would not cry.

Zach really wanted to go out onto the field with the adults and big kids and finally got to play during halftime with the other little kids who don't understand sharing the ball, what a goal is or why they can't use their hands. His Auntie Tami and Uncle Dave were very patient with him.

We only go every other year and every other year I stress out about it for a good month, dread it as it gets closer, then thoroughly enjoy myself once I am there. All the cousins are so warm and gracious with their time, shops (Hi Beth!!) and homes. Plus there are no fewer than 5 children around at all times to spread out all that Zach talking and busyiness. Please, they are Walls - they are nothing but busy. And they all love my babies. And as my mother says; anyone who loves my babies I love. 

5 Months

Last week James hit the 5 month mark - and the 16 lb mark. Skinny babies need not apply here.

I know how much he weighs not because we visited the doctor for a regularly scheduled check up, but for yet another cold. Apparently, me saying "Get OUT of his face, Zachary!" while his brother kissed, patted and sang to him did absolutely no good. But aside from a hacking cough, (followed by a sneeze and an "Oooo") you would not know he is sick. James is just the happiest baby on the block. He just beams when I catch his eye and has started to giggle. We play this little game while we bath Zach: He sits in the Bumbo and we look at Zach, then look at each other and smile - his followed by a mini giggle. It is nice to be someone's favorite I am not going to lie.

He also has noticed he has feet. He tries to reach them in the Bumbo, gets his chubby legs stuck and starts to cry. His has more hair now and it is pretty dark (contrary to how it looks in photos). I am thinking maybe he will have brown hair with auburn highlights. A girl can dream. 

James is getting excited about Christmas (Shhh don't tell him he is getting clothes and some of Zach's hand me down toys) and starting school the first of January. He goes for some trial days next week, but who am I kidding; he will be fine, I need the trial run to remember how to get to work on time. 

James at 4 months

James at 3 months

James at 2 months

James at 1 month

Like Zach

On a recent Costco run I spotted some footed pajamas and luckily they had them in both my boys sizes. Zach had a pair of normal pajamas that had sports balls all over them and wanted to wear them until they started to cut of his circulation, so when I found some similar, though footed, I snatched them up. However, the print x2 is a bit much.

Zach loves to have James match him and James obviously does not care, he just likes to be close to Zach to do some solid staring at him.