Zoo Atlanta

What do you get when you have 4 mommies, 4 strollers, 4 kids ages 5, 4, 3, and 2, and 3 1 year olds at Zoo Atlanta? 7 tired babies and 4 tired mommies that had a great time and would do it all over again!!! Yesterday, Caleb, Abby and I headed to the zoo with our supper club mommies and babies. It was crazy and hot, but a lot of fun. We had a nice picnic at the zoo and saw a ton of animals. Caleb's favorite were the lions and Abby loved the goats in the petting zoo. I took a ton of pictures, so I will let them to do the talking...

Caleb and mommy

Abby LOVED the petting zoo

she screamed at the goats

but she wouldn't get too close

Caleb and the lizard

Abby and baby Peyton

Caleb loved the lions

having a great time at the zoo

the big kids (notice Caleb and Peyton holding hands)

the whole gang

Our Daddy

Even with the festivities of the wedding this weekend, we were still able to spend Father's Day with all of our favorite dads. Caleb and Abby have been blessed with an awesome daddy who loves and dotes on them all the time. I often joke him about being a softy to them. His response is always "well, I'm the daddy!" They are also very fortunate to have 2 grandfathers who think they are amazing. We are very blessed with all of our daddys!!! I think pictures do a better job of talking, so here is our Father's Day in pictures, well mostly....

this little girl loves her daddy!

Caleb and Daddy

more lovin' for daddy

Grandpa with all 5 of his grandchildren

Grandpa with all of his children and grandchildren

Michael and his dad

Happy Father's Day to all of my favorite dads!!!

Fathers Day Weekend

Our weekend was anything but relaxing. Not that it wasn't great, it was just very busy. Michael's cousin, Rebecca, got married Saturday night, so our weekend was filled with Bridesmaids Brunch, Rehearsal Dinner, wedding and reception.

On Friday Abby and I were invited to the Bridesmaids Brunch. On our way to meet my mom (she was keeping Caleb), we stopped by the Dry Cleaners. As we were getting into the car a fire truck pulled up and parked right beside us. Caleb was in awe. So, I took him a little closer to get a better look. The next thing I knew Caleb was getting a first class tour of the truck, and I was snapping pictures like it was his prom!!! It was awesome! A huge thank you to the fireman who took time out of his day to make my little boys day super duper! 

After we got Caleb to my mom, Abby and I headed to the Bridesmaids Brunch. My mother-in-law gave the brunch, and it was so nice. Many of Michael's cousins were there with their babies, as well as, all of Rebecca's bridesmaids and future in-laws.

Miss Abby at home before we left.

Aunt Mary Evelyn, Grandmother, and Abby

cousin Evelyn Grace (Evie Grace)

All of the Anderson ladies

Saturday was the main event! Rebecca and Jacob actually got married at the same church Michael and I did, so it was nice walking down memory lane. The wedding was great, even if I didn't see but 5 minutes because a certain little girl thought it was be a-ok to squeal during the ceremony. Side note funny -- last year there were 5 baby girls born in Michael's family. 4 of them attended the wedding. 3 of them were in the foyer of the church within in the first 10 minutes. 2011 did not fare well! :) The reception was held in Rebecca's parents backyard. I wasn't sure what it would be like, but it did not disappoint! It was beautiful. I wasn't great at taking pictures of the wedding, but I did get some great pictures of the people there! :)

with the bride

typical Abby

my children are *slightly* obsessed with their Uncle Grant....but I think the feeling is mutual :)

The Anderson Family -- kinda dark, but it was the best we got!

The Anderson men.....and Abby

Aunt Mary Evelyn and Evie Grace

Rebecca (and Jacob in the background)

I LOVE the picture of Abby, Grandmother and cousin Harper

Aunt Morgann and cousin Harper

Overall, it was a great weekend celebrating a beautiful couple!

Our little boy

I don't know where to start on this update. Not that many (or any) of you care about Caleb at 3 years 8 months, but I want to keep this documented for my own memory. :)

Caleb has really completely turned into a little boy and has lost almost all of his baby tendencies. He is completely potty trained (day and night!!!), is only drinking out of a big boy cup (except for in the car), and is learning to swim without his puddle jumper. He still loves to cuddle, give hugs and give kisses. He is such a sweet little boy and a joy for his daddy and me.

Caleb has also entered the "terrible 3's." The 2's were great for us, but once he hit 3 it was a different story. :) Don't get me wrong, Caleb is a very sweet boy who we really enjoy, but this year he has found his own personality, big time. In that personality there is a stubborn streak.

So....at 3 years 8 months Caleb loves:
- Anything and all things sports. His recent favorite, and we don't know where this came from, is hockey. Caleb calls it honky. Mommy, look at all those honkies playing honky. Too funny!
- His sister. Sometimes he loves to love on her, play with her and teach her things. Other times he loves to annoy her and be an older brother. Either way, he loves her.
- Swimming - he just got done 2 weeks of lessons and he made huge improvements. He thinks he is hot stuff now. :)
- Playing make believe. He has recently really gotten into this.With this has come make believe guns. Mommy doesn't love this. Daddy says all boys do it. Humph.
- As much as he loves all sports, baseball, is still his favorite. He is obsessed with watching the Braves every.single.night with his daddy.
- Talking and asking questions. He talks ALL the time. And he loud. I have no idea where he gets that from!
- Chick-fil-A (aka: Chicken from the Cow). I think he would eat it every day if we let him. This is new and mommy and daddy are so happy he is branching out. He also likes Zaxbys and Wendys. We are still working on ordering at a restaurant.  
- Dora and Diego, Team Umizoomi, Jake and the Neverland Pirates are some of his favorite TV shows. He also loves Cars 1 and 2, all of the Toy Story movies, The Lion King, Aladdin - he loves watching TV and movies and would them all day long if he was allowed.
- Davis his cousin. He is obsessed loves his cousin. When Davis is around no one else exists.

At 3 years, 8 months Caleb is not a fan of:

- Eating. He has always been picky and this has always been an area of frustration for us, but in the last few months (with the exception of his new love of Chick Fil A) it has really gotten worse. He has about 4-5 things he will eat. And getting him to actually eat it doesn't come without a battle. I hope this passes SOON!
- Stopping what he is doing to do something mommy or daddy ask him to do. This goes with the terrible 3's I was referring to earlier. ;)
- Staying in bed/going to bed. This is new to us. I have always bragged said that Caleb was a great sleeper and has been since he was 5 weeks old. This all changed in the last few months. It's either I have to go to the bathroom or I am hungry or, the newest, There is a monster under my bed.

That is our little man in a nutshell. Even with the challenge of the past few months he is such an amazing little boy and an absolute JOY in our lives.

Our little slugger

Caleb has always dreamed of playing baseball. Maybe it is because of his cousin, Davis. Caleb has grew up watching Davis' games and idolizing his older cousin. Maybe it is because his daddy always has sports on, and when it is baseball season it is always on. It doesn't matter what team is playing, we are watching. Whatever the reason, it is in his blood. Both of our families loves sports, with baseball being at the top of that list.

All set and ready for the ball. He LOVED playing pitcher!!!

 

With all of that said, Caleb is playing t-ball for the first time this season. I have to say I don't know who is loving this more....Caleb, daddy, or mommy! He is playing at a church by our house with his friend Robert and his cousin, Owen, both on his team. They are on the blue team, but we call them the Cubs. ;) Caleb is number 7 just like his mommy, Davis and Grandpa.

Caleb takes his baseball very seriously. Every Saturday morning before his games, he is up before the sun wanting to put on his uniform. So, he is in his uniform all morning on Saturdays, and sometimes we can't get him out of it. Oh well -- some battles are not worth fighting. He starts his mornings with a dose of ESPN Sportscenter. No joke. This is what he prefers over cartoons.

#7 sliding into home

A few weeks ago Caleb got the game ball. I have to say this was our proudest moment for our little slugger. He was over the moon excited about this accomplishment, and mommy and daddy were super proud of him because it was a goal he set for himself that morning after a few weeks of not getting the game ball (he REALLY wanted to get it!).

This season has been wonderful and we have learned a lot and loved watching Caleb grow as a ball player. I see many of my Saturdays spent at the ball field in my future.

Abby at 1 year old

Tuesday our baby girl turned 1 year old. We spent the day enjoying Abby and spending time together. I was so happy that my Spring Break fell on her birthday. Here is some info on Miss Abby Sue on her 1st birthday....

At 1 year old Abby is...
* walking/running everywhere. She started walking at 10 months and hasn't looked back.
* starting to jabber more and more...she can say mama, dada, bye (pronounced like biiiiii!), ni-ni (night night), Bubba (brother = Caleb), a-lo (hello), and hi
* eating anything and everything. She loves to eat, and hasn't met a food she doesn't love. Her favorites are pancakes, cinnamon rolls, pineapple, and anything sweet.
* not really taking a bottle anymore. We offer her one once or twice a day, but she is mostly completely using sippy cups.
* FINALLY sleeping through the night. It only took her 11 months to decide that sleeping wasn't a suggestion, but she seems to finally have it down (knock on wood). She also takes 2 naps a day -- an AM nap that is about 1 hour and one PM nap that is about 2 hours. I plan on eliminating that AM nap this summer.
At 1 year old Abby likes/loves...
* food
* her brother
* her baby cousins Harper and Evie Grace (or any baby, really)
* her baby dolls
* her "lovey"
* her mama
* her daddy when mama isn't in sight
* bath time (minus having her face washed)
* taking the phone/remote/anything she shouldn't have and running away with it laughing
At 1 year old Abby does not like....
* hairbows/ties
* having her face washed
* having her diaper changed
* when mommy leaves, except when she is at Ms. Anne's house (our nanny)
* her carseat (I am hoping that changes when we turn her around this weekend)

Here are her stats from her well baby check up today...
weight - 18.6lbs - 13% - this is down almost a pound since last week when she got sick
height - 28.75 in. - 30%

Abby's birthday party will be perfectly pink this weekend. I will post pictures afterwards.

PS - The super cute pigtails lasted for about 5 minutes (please see what Abby doesn't like). This is what she normally looks like...

1 year old

Dear Abby Sue,
How in the WORLD are you a whole year old today?!?! It seems like yesterday that we saw the word pregnant on that little stick. Little did we know how drastically our lives would change, and how incomplete it had been before your birth. The day you were born is the day our family was finally complete.

I remember when we found out you were a little girl. I was in complete shock. Even though my gut told me you were a girl (everyone else thought you were a boy), I was still in shock. I was going to get the little girl I had always dreamed of!!! I knew your name before we left the doctor's office. Abigail Susan: after your mommy and Grandmommy. This is where Abby Sue came from. Everyone in mommy's family calls me Jenny Sue, and so naturally you became Abby Sue. ;)



You were originally due on mommy and daddy's 5th wedding anniversary, April 1st, but that was changed to April 5th. I still think the 1st is more accurate. So...you were either 2 days late or 2 days early. Either way, you entered this world much how you act each and every day....with wild abandonment and excitement...and absolutely perfect! :)


I started feeling labor around 3:30AM on April 3rd. I didn't realize what it was until the "cramps" I was having started becoming more and more regular, and began hurting. This is when I woke your daddy up. He fell right back asleep. I woke him up again....and we started timing the contractions. By 5:30 AMwe were on our way to the hospital. At 10:12 AM on April 3, 2011 Abigail Susan Anderson came into the world and mommy, daddy and Caleb were instantly smitten.
The past year has been amazing. You have amazed us with your personality, your ability (and want) to eat anything and everything, your obsession love for your big brother, mommy and daddy, and your spunky personality that Grandmommy calls my "payback."

You are the most perfect little girl, and I thank God every single day for blessing me with the privilege of being you and Caleb's mommy. I love you sweet girl!!!

Happy 1st Birthday, Abby Sue!

I love you to the moon and back,
Mommy