Short Week

We are heading to Greenville later this week for the 4th and despite only being home 2 days this week, we packed it full! 

Monday, we finally got to spend some time with Hayes, Charlie, and Anna Clare at the Zoo. It ended up being a great day for the zoo. It was not too hot at all. We used to good to spend even 2 hours there now we are there for 3-4 and don't even realize it! I love these pics of watching our boys grow. 

Tuesday we had our church Play group at Sarah-Beth''s house for pool day. We had a great group and the kids had a blast as usual. It was actually really cool out and the pool was freezing. This did not seem to bother the kids at all!

Gaines has pulled out every vehicle we own (which is a lot!) and set them up in his room and has called it his "SQUAD" for emergencies. The best part about it is each time he adds something he wants us to take a picture of it. I can't complain since I'm always making him take pics! We seriously have at least 20 pics on mine and Garrick's phone of the "Squads." 

Watching Gaines build his squad in his room 

He let Will add to it for this picture.

So excited! Will is petting the animals. I really am happy he is getting over the fear of animals!

Zoo with the Blands

PUMC Play group Pool Day

Zoo Day with the Kellys

Jess and her family were in town for Memorial weekend and we made plans to meet at the Zoo really to take pictures of our kids in their matching outfits! Will played with Elizabeth and Caroline and Gaines wanted to stay in the stroller and whine most of the morning.

Waiting for our friends.

Mommy, let's get a picture in front of your favorite tree!

We could not get Caroline in picture but I love this one too! Love Elizabeth's legs crossed like she is 16.

The Odom Boys & The Kelly Girls

Sweet boys!

Love this pic - even matching strollers!

Our little ones are getting so big.

Caroline and Will

Gaines would not ride the train so Will and E went on their own.

Will and Caroline were cracking up at each other in the stroller. This was the first time I really saw C come out of her little shell.

Pictures like this I will cherish forever!
The Odoms and The Kellys
Nashville Zoo 2013

Zoo with Ezra

I had an emotional parent moment when you hurt for your child and your child does not even realize it is going to hurt. Ezra's dad told me that they had decided to put Ezra in another school next year and I thought I was going to loose it. I mean seriously boo-hooing (not in front of him but as soon as I got in the car). Gaines and Ezra have been together since they were 20 months old and truly he was the only child Gaines would play with for 2 years. I have gotten to know his parents and they are great people and it breaks my heart that they will not be together next year. I know that I have to put my big girl pants on but Gaines will not even realize it until the first day of school. He keeps saying, "It is not true. That he is just going in the Fall." 

With all that being said Ezra's mom and I are trying to make an extra special effort to get the boys together so we headed to the zoo today. 

I l ove to hear them call each other by name and what they talk about.

Will just hangs right in there!

Zoo!!!

I decided to take the boys to the zoo after the Y today. They have been so good about just playing at the Y or the house lately I wanted to get them out to enjoy some sunshine. Well it was a little more crowded and colder than I expected but we did end up staying for about 2.5 hours.

Will loves the monkeys. I think he could watch these crazy animals for hours.

Gaines freezing at lunch.
"Mommy, I cannot feel my fingers!"
Gotta love Spring Weather in Tennessee.

I was interested to see how Will did with the animals in the petting zoo with his new fear of any animals. He did ok - he finally petted one. It is so crazy to see such a drastic change, he used to chase them and would be on top of them with no fear whats so ever.

Fall Break: Zoo Day with Friends

We are still "enjoying" our two week Fall Break (cannot wait for school next week!!!!) and we headed off to the zoo today. It  has been a gorgeous week with perfect fall weather. We met Hayes, Baby Charlie, and Anna Clare. This is the first time we have gotten to hang out since Baby Charlie was born. The boys had so much fun. Hayes and Will were so cute together. I love watching Will with his little friends. They are getting so big. Gaines kept talking baby talk to Charlie.

We did have some drama, Will threw a hissy fit and ended up bringing in his orange blanket and we lost it. Luckily, after worrying about for quite some time it turned up at Lost and Found. Thank goodness - talk about a crisis!!!!

Will and Hayes checking out the merecats

"Come on Hayes!" - Will pulling Hayes across the zoo and the both of them just squealing!

Hayes and Will
October 2011

 Hayes and Will were tickling and talking on the train! Too cute!

Trying to get out All Vol group shot of our boys

The best we got...

Gaines talking baby talk to Charlie - "I just love Baby Charlie."

Will showing Charlie his trick Poppy taught him - Very appropriate...

Summer Week 10

August kicks off with Garrick being out of town a LOT this month. I'm sure the boys will really be tired of me after this month - Nonni and Poppy are even leaving me for about 9 days! 

Sunday, Garrick left for Chattanooga for work and the boys and I burned some energy outside before getting ready for bed. They wanted to play in the water table. As I am getting the hose from the side of the house I turn around and see Gaines with his pants down on the back patio and Will with only a diaper on and both yelling they had to pee. I see Gaines make a great fountain off the side of the patio and Will just watching in awe. I just thought to myself, "this is my life - this is it." 

Monday, we were out the door pretty early and headed to the Zoo with our church's Play Group. I was really kind of dreading it because of the heat but it turned out to be a great trip. It was fun hanging out with some new friends.

This was half of our zoo crew

boys checking out a tree - they were very intrigued by this stump. We see a wasp's nest on the side and I tell them not to touch and Will of course sticks his hand right into it. Luckily, nothing happened. He will be the death of me.

Love this! Phoebe Armstrong & Will plotting

Who cares about the giraffes - can I have another penny to send around this thing?

 Crazy boys after naptime! We headed to Chic-fil-a to meet some friends to eat and play since Daddy was gone and had quite an eventful evening. The kids had a blast playing until Gaines and another little girl crashed head on into each other. He got a terrible goose egg. I called the doctor and he thought it was ok in the big scheme of things but it looks terrible. Gaines was fine after the initial shock and wanted to stay and play.

 Tuesday, we were supposed to go play at Hayes's house but I was a little worried about leaving Gaines at his My Gym class with his head and Will was not wanting any part of anything this morning. I am praying Will is getting sick because he is being unbearable. Will and I stayed and watched Gaines's class. Gaines loves it! They start out with saying their name and answering a question. This week was name your favorite drink. Gaines said, "Apple Juice." It is so interesting watching him. He is not disruptive in class but his teachers have to ask him a few times before he gets in the circle or whatever they are asking. He just pretty much disregards them until he is ready to come. They told all the kids to put glue on their bellies and lay in the red circle. Gaines was the last child to the circle and then they all had to wait for him to "apply" his glue to his belly and lay down. Dear Lord, give me patience! They learned to do forward rolls and flips on the bar today. This is so good for his coordination!

Gaines would not nap today so I made him play in his room and this is what he came into the playroom wearing:

"This is my underwear costume"

Wednesday, we went to the Y and then to the grocery store. I never go on Wednesdays to the grocery store and it was crazy busy because of senior citizen day! Luckily, we ran into Mimi and Papa Jim and they helped me entertain the boys and came over for lunch.

Thursday, we went BACK to Brentwood to our last My Gym class of the summer, got haircuts, and met Nonni at the Puffy Muffin for lunch. Will was a nightmare and I thought I was literally going to have to sit on top of him at the restaurant. I do not know why we keep trying to eat out with him right now. We had a really rough afternoon with Gaines and he got pretty much everything taken away from him so we just stayed in Thursday night. Garrick left today for a conference.

Friday, we had Pool Day at Sarah-Beth's house with the MJ gals. It was so much fun! The weather was perfect - overcast and not hot at all. The boys played and played. On a swimming side note, Gaines would not practice any of his swim lessons at all. Totally freaked out. Really debating on what to do with him next summer.

Look at all these boys! Lydia is the only girl and missing from the pic.

Gaines talking Baby Talk to Lydia - the only sister he will probably ever have!

Look at these boys!

Checking out the dog next door 

Horray for popsicles!!!

Nonni watched the boys Friday night where I could go celebrate Sarah-Beth's birthday and Saturday Aunt Stacie came into town. Summer is quickly coming to an end.