Kids' well check stats

I took Adelyn and James for their well check up this morning. It only took 2 hours....yes, we have wonderful, thorough doctors/nurse practitioners.

Adelyn weighs 43.08 pounds (91st percentile) and is 44 1/2" tall (99th percentile).

Bean Pole, I mean James, weighs 24.1 pounds (19th percentile), is 35 1/4" tall (87th percentile), and his head circumference is 19.5" (72nd percentile)

June 22nd, 2013

Happy SECOND birthday, James Mahlon Thomas! He's growing up waaaaaaay too fast! He gives great hugs, is silly, thinks and talks about vehicles 100% of the time, and has that infamous red-headed temper (or is that just his age?).

James is a thinker. He studies things and learns how they work. I think he'll be a very smart boy (like every mother thinks of their child). He's like his Daddy. 

And speaking of thinking, when he's concentrating his tongue goes out (again, just like his daddy!). 

I know I've mentioned once or 5,000 times that he loves tractors. Here we are at one of those steak houses that you throw your peanuts on the floor. Not James....they're for scooping the shells up with a backhoe ("dackhoe") and a tractor ("trac-TORE")

James is so tired by noon, he often falls asleep while eating lunch. This is mid-sip. Poor little guy!

He loves his food! He's always hungry a few hours before meal time. He dragged a chair across the kitchen, stood on it to get the chips off the shelf, and then parked his hiney in the chair and dug in. Can't blame him....I love me some baked Cheetos too. 

I think it's the cutest thing when little boys lay down and play with their trains. (this is in church nursery)

James prefers to eat RIGHT when he wakes up. So, when we were at a hotel, I was the mom in my pjs in the breakfast room getting milk and whatever else to bring back to the room (at 6 am....this child doesn't sleep in). Thomas the Train video, cheese stick, and milk- let's get this party started! 

For his birthday, James got a Black and Decker worktable with all kinds of tools. I got it at a consignment sale for a killer price. It has a leaf blower, chain saw, drill, a bird house making kit, hammers, screwdrivers, etc. 

He also received the John Deere tractor (from Grandma and Grandpa) and Tonka dump truck (from us). These are great for playing with outside! Get those weeds, son! 


We spent his birthday evening at the Jordan's floatin' in the lake and eating a yummy dinner. The kids had a ball! This was James's first time swimming in the lake and he did pretty well. I didn't think he'd put a life jacket on.

Cookie Cake! I had them write it in his favorite color, John Deere Green

Happy 2nd birthday, sweet boy! We love you so much!

Happenings over the last month

We are loving our non-schedule! Everyday is different, and it's actually nice. I am tutoring a lot, so that's been great! :) James will be TWO in a week. 

On a sad note, we had to put our 13 year old Sheltie down. Riley's kidneys and heart just couldn't keep up. He was a great dog and it's really weird not having a pet anymore. He's buried next to his sister in the pasture and I'm sure he and Peri are reunited in doggie-Heaven. 

Just a glimpse at how awesome our dogs were....this is at a party long ago at my apartment in Brookhaven (Seth and I weren't even married yet). Dogs are playing poker and clearly, Peri's game isn't going so well. 

Here's Seth with his fur babies on our wedding day. His aunt Martha bought them a lace collar and bow tie (not pictured). Such good memories!

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Sometimes, we go for rides in the convertible (just on our street). James loves it, so when he's cranky it's a way to get him settled. We're selling it soon, so have to get them in while we can! :(

Stawberry Pickin' at Warbington Farms with the Shirley kids

Jackie and Maddie

James LOVED the strawberries! (as you can tell...juice is dripping down his arm)

We enjoyed eating strawberries at every meal for the next week. Adelyn was really good at picking them. She filled up over half the bucket!

I helped with the 4/5 class at Vacation Bible School. When I signed up, it didn't click that Adelyn would be 4 by then. It was fine that we were together. Actually, I loved watching her! She is still totally into the VBS songs and we listen to them all the time. She practically has the whole CD memorized. This was a sweet, funny group of kids and I really enjoyed watching them learn all about Jesus! She had 4 of her friends that she's known for a while in class with her and these girls were precious together. 

James finally started Mom 'n Tots gymnastics. Mrs. Trish has been Adelyn's gymnastics teacher since she was 18 months old. She's awesome! I spend the majority of class chasing James around. He likes pony kicks and the balance beam. 

Emily and Adelyn doing karaoke

Who knew Lite Brite would occupy this foursome for so long??

Adelyn has been working hard to save money for Saige, the 2013 American Girl Doll. She's had a piggy bank since she was 2. We counted the money and she had $30 in change plus another $30 from birthday money. I told her we'd pay half, so she had more than enough for this doll. Here she is with her pocketbook FULL of change. We paid with a credit card, but it was SO cute when she thought she was really paying for it herself. It was a proud moment.  

I've never been on board with buying such an expensive doll for a 4 year old. BUT, Adelyn has proven that she really wants one by earning this money. I have to say, the experience of watching her get extremely excited by going to this store and picking the doll out was 100% worth every penny. 

Now we're reading the Saige book (a lot is over her head, but oh well!). Saige and Kate (her Dolly and Me doll from Christmas) are a major part of her little life at this point in time! So cute.

Seth's latest race was Mid Ohio. It was chilly the first day we were there, so we took the kids to the Carousel Park. There's a gigantic carousel in downtown Mansfield. At first James just clung to Grandma but by the end (they rode it 700 times), he loved it!

Adelyn wanted to ride all by herself the last time. She chose her animal, got on and off all by herself, and rode! She was funny waving each time she went by.

Afterwards, we went to Little Buckeyes, the best children's museum I've ever been to. Seriously. So if you ever find yourself in Mansfield, OH....GO! We will definitely return next year. They even had a John Deere kids' tractor. Score!

Race Day! Someone gave them a moon pie and they were begging for it. Fine, they can eat it at 10:15 a.m. 

James slept in Grandma's lap the bulk of the race. Seth and Dan finished 12th.  

Of course, I have to say Happy Father's Day to my own wonderful father! I love you, Deddy! 

This apple tree was purchased on Seth's first Father's Day and we take a picture in front of it each year

Happy Father's Day to Seth! Adelyn and James are lucky to have a God loving, fun, and smart daddy. Seth gets pulled in a million and one different directions with his full time job, racing, and coaching. He is able to put family first, provides for us, and allows me to stay home with them during these important years. He's a great dad, and he learned from the best. His dad is wonderful.

Check out my girl jumping of the slide and swimming on Father's Day! http://youtu.be/64v9OLhrbu0. I just wish James liked the pool. We start swim lessons tomorrow...I have a feeling it's not gonna go so well. 

Princess/Tractor Birthday Party

Adelyn turned 4 on May 11th and James turns 2 on June 22nd. This year, we decided to combine their birthdays. I'm sure that every year from here on out they'll be too opinionated for us to get away with this. We had about 15 children attend plus adults/family. Luckily, the weather cooperated- it wasn't TOO hot, nor did it rain. The party was pretty simple- a princess bounce house, tractor rides, our playground, and some miscellaneous toys (tricycles, sports activities, etc). It was from 3-5 pm, so easy food prep for me! :)

Seth's cousin's wife designed these cute invitations for me! Believe it or not, I was having a hard time finding Tractor Princess invitations. 

 My favorite part: NO GIFTS! We requested guests bring food for food pantries or toy donations for CHOA. If you're local, check out http://www.foodforthought-project.org/. They will pick up your food donations from your house and deliver to food pantries in the county. Guests were very generous- this isn't even all that was donated!!

The set up: tractor and trailer, playground, and princess bounce house. The bounce house was delivered Friday evening and we had it until Sunday. You better believe we used it as much as we could (and that Adelyn was out there Saturday morning in her nightgown)

Celebrating our kiddos 

Grandma and Grandpa on the tractor with the birthday kids. They got them a soccer net and a ring toss game- perfect for our backyard party

Nana, Grandeddy, and Uncle Joe with the kids at the princess bounce house. My parents got them a basketball goal, which was also used at the party. 

Party favors were a gift card for an ice cream cone at Dairy Queen

Oh yeah!

Having a blast jumping!

I filled our water table with rice, beans, peas, and little trinkets (rings, bouncy balls, etc).

Good old Publix cakes

Cake + Tractor = Happy James

Seth's Uncle Dewane was the official tractor driver

Food spread: chips with Georgia cavier, grapes, pineapple, and watermelon (plus lemonade)

Dean-dog

Cara and Adelyn were two peas in a pod at the party

Who's ready for a tractor ride?

James sneaking some watermelon

I love how Adelyn is blowing too (this is James's 3rd or 4th attempt and Adelyn's went out on her first try)

Everyone digging in!

Charlie on the roller coaster

Post cake jumpin' 

A special thanks goes to everyone who attended and brought the donated items! We had so much fun celebrating James and Adelyn's special day!