Christmas

Christmas Morning
Aren't my men just so handsome!?

I think Samuel made out all right in the toy department this year!

Foaming at the Mouth

Samuel LOVES yogurt. He would eat it for every meal if he was allowed. Trust me those diapers are NOT fun to change. Since it is a well loved dish, I don't mind having it for lunch but I typically sneak in peanut butter, juiced veggies, chunks of fruit or all of the above! Today he refused to eat Fettuccine Alfredo (hard to believe) and so he sat through lunch hungry and upset. Now before you label me a terrible mother I did not let my son starve all day. We stick to our guns at every meal, but at snack time I do offer(bribe) Samuel with a win-win food. As I sat feeding him yogurt, his roaring belly overtook his table manners and he slurped, slopped, and chomped the peaches and yogurt as soon as I could get it to his mouth. Halfway through I noticed his face and neck were COVERED! Instead of being sensible and pausing for a napkin, I pulled the remaining sock of his foot and soaked up the "foam." I'm glad my little man isn't as particular on napkins as he is on meals!

Christmas is upon us

For the Christmas card... I think it just took 40 takes...

Here are my wonderful boys.

Samuel is now 17 months. He loves animals and is adamant that anything furry says "woof-woof." He even pointed out a faux fur blanket to me at Target and commenced with "woof-woof." He is certainly noticing his surroundings. His curiosity takes him into cabinets, onto the kitchen table, under the bed, into the china cabinet and well just running in all directions. He totally takes advantage of freedom when I'm sitting and nursing David! Silence is worth hunting him down... and a squeal and a giggle means Samuel KNOWS he's been caught! :)
David is now 5 weeks old. He is already out of the "itty-bitty" stage. How can they grow so quickly?! He is so alert and can hold his head up with great strength. He examines the face of his captor with great seriousness. David has also officially outgrown his NB(newborn) clothes and gained a little chub!
Samuel has taken David's arrival in stride. He is our official diaper tosser and proudly takes diapers (and anything else he wants) to the trash for me. He talks in his own language and pokes or strokes his little brother who typically doesn't object. We taught Samuel to pet the dog gently and have carried the same philosophy over for David. haha! So far, so good.
Christmas decor will be simple and sweet this year. Its a miracle we got the tree up and its STILL a miracle Samuel hasn't stashed ALL the ornaments around the house. Sweet David may not have any haphazardly wrapped gifts under the tree, but I did manage to purchase a stocking for him!! We've all enjoyed the Christmas melodies across the radio waves and random CDs I can still find around the house.

Merry Christmas From the Metcalfes

We went from a family of 3 to a family of 4 on November 6th!

David Michael is making his voice known! He was very active in the womb and continues to be so outside.

Samuel was definitely a bit leery when he met David, but has since warmed up to his little brother. We have to watch his fast fingers-- for the sake of David's eyes and ears... (Samuel is learning his anatomy)

Besides no sleep and a fight of jaundice we are all doing well and slowly adjusting. Its so fun to have a wee one to snuggle with and Samuel is more eager to give and receive cuddles too! :)

DRUM ROLL...........

Announcing the arrival of David Michael Metcalfe. BORN November 6, 2009. He was 7lbs 11 oz and 20 in. Here are our 2 boys at birth... Can you tell the difference?

37 Weeks

Preggo update! I am 37 weeks. David is cramped and quite the little kicker! I visit the doctor each week now and he says I'm moving right along. I would be perfectly happy to have this sweet boy YESTERDAY! What I do remind myself is God is our Creator. He knits us in our mothers womb. Every fiber, every breath is designed by Him alone. He is obviously still knitting and I can feel those sharp needles at work. So for now, I continue "nesting" and driving my wonderful husband crazy.

From sickness to playtime

Our family was hit by the dreaded Stomach Virus! Not just one or two of us and not just the 12 hour run. Samuel gave it his best shot and managed to keep the nasty thing for a week! The poor guy had it the worst and Tim's family stepped up to the plate and helped us shower TLC on our little man. For thanks- it passed thru Tim, myself, both Grandparents, cousins, and Uncle. Lets just say I don't care to see Gatorade or saltines anytime soon! :)

This is the last day of recovery. We fed Samuel whatever he would eat because he had lost so much weight. He LOVES waffle fries from Chik-fil-a!!

These pictures are backwards. This is the first night of h---! My protruding belly did not stop us from major cuddle time. We snuggled up on top of garbage bags and beach towels.

Our new favorite toy! Purchased at consignment with brand new stickers and a "wax job," our like-new Tikes car is moving and grooving!

Watch your toes, he is finally getting the hang of moving forward on his own!

A tramautic day in the life of a hormonal pregnant lady

So today marked the beginning of an end of our fight with Torticollis. We arrived at the Madison Surgery Center and spent the morning filling out paperwork and trying to entertain a very hungry and grumpy child. I TRIED explaining to the 14 month old why he had to wait to eat until after surgery, but he was insistent on CRACKERS, CRACKERS, CRACKERS! Even letting him flirt with the nurses was not enough. My wonderful husband (who did not flirt with the nurses) played the comedian, the clown, the tickle monster, and the cuddler as we sat in Pre-Op.
Dr. Buckley had great bedside manner and excellent skills to match! Samuel was taken away by Nurse Steven twice the size of my handsome husband and placed in the hands of a skilled physician. I, the hormonal preggo mother, held it together until we were sent back to the lobby to watch fox news for Samuel's procedure. Don't ask me what was on the news-- it wasn't life changing! We were warned Samuel would wake up grumpy from the anesthesia.
HA! Hysterical and begging for crackers was on the agenda. My stomach sank as we entered Post-op and I could hear the cries of my son. Thankfully crackers and juice were on hand. It was tough seeing my son hooked up to an IV, hurting and unsure of what was happenning , but I am thankful we could get this over with before Baby #2 got here.
Samuel had a small slit made on his right neck muscle to help relieve the tension along the right side of his body. Doc says he should be bouncing off the walls by the next day. We will see what tomorrow brings! :)

14 months

Samuel was given many wonderful toys for his birthday! They have occupied his curious mind for a total of 2 seconds, but now he has moved on to bigger and better things... Climbing book shelves, squeezing into small holes, tumbling down stairs head-first, and torturing unsuspecting house pets! Today he added to the list.

Here is Samuel stuck under his crib and on top of the toy.

After his awkward release ( I have a big belly right now), he was not happy to be out...Good Grief! :)

Surgery

We finally have a date for Samuel's surgery. With his Torticollis, we spent almost a year in physical therapy trying to avoid anything more intense. Though Samuel is not an extreme case, he is still affected non the less. The right side of his body still shows signs of overtight muscles. Studies show that once a child reaches 12 months of age there will be little significant change. Later in life, children struggle with hand writing, heights, and vertigo. We would like to avoid this and are following through with a minor surgery. The goal was to squeeze it in before baby David makes his appearance. October 1st is our answer to prayer.

Nesting

Why do they call it Nesting? I'm not gathering sticks and leaves or sitting on eggs. Geeze! What has transpired is a TO DO list. My wonderful husband and father-in-law have already established their woodworking skills by building laundry cabinets. Now they are building storage for the boys closets. Tim, Samuel, and David share one closet in the house and it needed some organizing! Samuel has a new toddler bed, freshly painted, and currently being used as a jungle gym as he gets used to his future bed. When I'm not in "nesting" mode, I wonder and dream about what our next son will look like and how Samuel will react to our new bundle of joy. I am overjoyed to be counting down the weeks...9 weeks to be exact!

A few changes and counting down

Well we have been busy this summer. Gallivanting across the northern back roads of Alabama, we took on caves, water parks, museums, and animals of all shapes and sizes. My nieces and nephew, along with 2 more young ladies, were in my care this summer and we had a mini-summer camp. It was exhausting yet fulfilling to tote 6 kids around!! Now Samuel must adjust to entertaining himself again since his "built-in" siblings have all returned to school. This has prompted him to better his climbing skills, climb into tight spaces where mommy can't reach, run (titter-totter) with banished items such as remotes, cell phones, sharp objects, ect... and expand his vocabulary beyond "cwackeh."

On a side note, I would NEVER admit to a "redneck" lifestyle. Sometimes though a picture will tell on you! Here I am pregnant and riding the John Deere lawn mower. With me is Samuel, in a t-shirt and diaper, enjoying a ride on the twackeh. We just happen to have a perfect view of HWY 231 and proudly boast our outdoor entertainment!


I am now 29 weeks pregnant.

That means I have 81 days to go. David Michael is a kicker, no doubt! Day and night he stretches his limbs and works his muscles. This is a constant reminder that I have yet to do ANY new baby prepping. I haven't reach panic mode yet, but I fear it may be around the corner. I have a mental check list that I am afraid if put to pen and paper will be tediously long. On the bright side, since baby #2 is another boy, we can reuse blankets, toys, and the like. Unfortunately July babies and November babies can't share clothes very well. I am looking forward to the Consignment Sales this fall!
Rather it be hormones or pregnancy blues, I went in for a hair cut last week and came out a Reddish-Brunette. Quite the change from my blondie self! :) I was worried over family reactions- Samuel didn't miss a beat and Tim gladly kissed the "other woman" in his house before his "wife" was due to return. Here is a grand view!

My baby is growing!

We have hit the one year mark! Not interested in cake, but loves his Cwackews (crackers). He is already showing his creative side which definitely comes from Dad. He can push ANY object small or big up to the couch and use it as a step. He has also developed a talent unseen but me. Any small toy that fits on his finger is twirled around and around until it is slung across the room! :)

How to enjoy a hot summer day

Here is a step by step guide to beating the heat while still enjoying the great outdoors.

Step 1: Go to SAM's CLUB to look at Charcoal grills. Leave with inflatable pool and diapers.
Step 2: Use nap time to inflate pool and fill with water.
Step 3: Be patient while 5 kids change and lather up with sunscreen. Oh! and don't forget the baby.
Step 4: Let the baby scream for 2 minutes then give up. He was content to chill in the lawn chair and watch the action

Step 5: Get bored with splashing. Hook water house to rope in tree. Twist through leaves. Position just above slide and turn on shower.

Step 6: Small inflatable pool becomes slip and slide with waterfall included!

Step 7: 2 hours of blissful fun and the grass got watered too!!! :)

Cake and Climbing

Though its not his official birthday, my dad through him a mini-party complete with sugary cupcakes. Of course he loved his new bouncy balls and bath toys, but I think the cupcake was the topper! :)

He is also climbing....oh dear

and proud of it!

Summer fun

I love summers. They spell freedom from schedules, cool dips in the pool, muddy slip-n-slides, homemade ice cream and mosquitoes. OK, so I live in Alabama where the heat index is always higher, due to humidity. Humidity has a best friend we call mosquito. If we want to play outside in the heat, we must wait till it cools off in the evening.... If we want to enjoy lazy evenings on the porch we must first coat ourselves with bug spray. We also have a fun wagon Samuel received at Christmas that he is now big enough to enjoy. We pull it out in the evenings and swat mosquitos and bump up and down the gravel driveway. Good times!!

Samuel and Owen

Story time curiosity

As picture recognition begins to play a larger role in Samuel's life, he is FINALLY interested in books. I was getting ready this morning and found Samuel enjoying a book in his "reading chair." It was to precious not to snap a few shots!

Frustrations

So I totally understand how baby sign language is an outlet for communication with your little one, but I also wonder whats the point! We have begun teaching Samuel basic signs for eating, playing, ect. I had heard this fabulous rumor that it cuts back on "whinny" communication. I have yet to see any difference. I just needed to vent!! Thanks! :) Guess we will keep trying and see what happens.

11 months and counting

If at first you don't succeed, try try again! Mr. Man here is walking and growing teeth. Though he still prefers to crawl, it is his faster mode of transportation, walking is definitely on the horizon!

Play Day

We spent Memorial Day with friends at Tim's Ford Lake. Ben and Heather Bean from our church invited us up for a rainy day of activities! Thankfully the sun came out and we were able to enjoy the teeth-chattering cold lake and several boat rides. Samuel found their staircase and though we don't have one at home was instantly a master at climbing UP!

Here is Samuel sporting his new life jacket.

Riding on the boat

It was still quite windy and Samuel made a good cuddle buddy! Can you tell I'm 16 weeks pregnant? Its quite noticeable when standing...

I only lasted in the water mere seconds while Samuel enjoyed it for some time.

Growing Update: Samuel is up to 4 teeth now. He is walking several steps at a time, but hasn't quite found his balance so he returns to crawling. His favorite food is graham crackers and french fries, BUT he doesn't get them as often as his veggies. We have cars and trucks scattered across our house already. There is definitly a "boy-gene" that draws Samuel to wheels. We are only a month out from his one year birthday.... UNBELIEVABLE!

Mommy's birthday

So apparently we have been quite busy doing perfectly nothing, because it has been over a month since I have posted anything. Samuel is more curious then ever. He examines toys and objects very carefully before he throws them across the room. His smile continues to display 2 teeth and yes everything goes in his mouth! We celebrated my birthday today by heading to the local coffee shop for a delicious latte and sandwich. Thanks hubby!! Its hard to believe I am already that much closer to 30... well at least I have 4 more years! :)

First Teeth

This is the up close and personal picture. We wanted to focus on those 2 white dots poking up through the gums. Samuel is a much happier baby after these guys surfaced this week!

Of course the only thing that soothes those guys(teeth) are squishy bath toys. Yum Yum!

Apologies

Sorry for all the recent changes. I've been on the search for a design/layout. I promise to leave it "AS IS" now! :)

Farm Life

Samuel seems to be enjoying life on "the farm." He can drive a tractor, hoe a garden, herd chickens, drive the 4-wheeler, and rock away the afternoon on the porch. Honestly, we won't make him work in the garden until he can walk... for now its just a quick joy ride with his Papa and then back to crawling all over our house and learning how to be mischievous!!!

Here is the first ultrasound of Baby M#2. Due date is set for around November 8. Heart rate was around 154. Good sign! :) So who is routing for a boy or girl? I'm ready for cute dresses and lots of purple and pink...but I wouldn't be opposed to more trains, planes, and cars.