I'm So Excited!

My momma comes tomorrow!

Sister (and family) come Saturday!

Woody had a wonderful report from the neurologist. I have said on my blog that Woody is in speech therapy. He has made tremendous gains, but is still isn't meeting "normal" benchmarks. So today we met with a pediatric neurologist who believes that he just has a speech delay that won't effect his overall, lifelong development. I don't mean to brag (I am, because I am his momma), but you can't help but feel excited when the doctor uses words like "extremely bright" and "just a neat kid" when talking about your child.

Thank you those who have been praying for us. I love Woody so much, and no diagnosis (or lack thereof) could change how remarkable he is. 

Woody feel asleep on our way home from running errands today.

So I decided for a brotherly photo op...

Garden, Daley's Sip and See, Nana Jane Visit

 Don't you love her? Isn't she elegant against our chain link fence? She use to reside at Brooks's grandmother's antebellum home, but when she moved, we decided she would perfectly fit in with our 1960's ranch. Other outdoor updates...

I don't know how, but Dad, we have managed not to kill the thorn-less blackberries. Are there blackberries? No. But is it dead? No.

 I won't show you the flower bed that is covered in weeds. I will simply show you the two out of forty things that are doing somewhat ok.

 All the rain put a beat down on the azaleas. They are the craziest things how they change colors. The red and pink ones are starting to fall, but the white is still doing well.

1) Ferns love rain 2) We, and by we, I mean Brooks has cut the grass since I took these pictures.

Brooks went to Woody's "Dad's Day" at preschool. And even when it is not "Dad's Day," Brooks takes Woody to preschool for me. He's a keeper for sure.

While Woody is at school, Peepers likes to take selfies. 

And sit on his brother's train table

On Saturday, I went to a "Sip and See" for my good friend's, Laura, sweet baby, Daley. There were the biggest roses everywhere.

Susannah (Laura's twin), Tipp, and Laura

I love these girls so much. 

Laura, Daley, and Joie Beth. I met JoJo four or five years ago when the twins and Tippi would babysit for her and her brother. They would come to our kickball games and hang out at the Manor (where Sus, Laura, and Tippi lived) pool. She was such a little lady (and still is) and could make you feel great about yourself. She loves to give a compliment....she will go far in life. Love her. And look at Daley! I can't get enough of her!

Two precious girls!

Today, Brooks's other grandmother, Jane, stopped by to see the boys. She might be one of the most talented people I know. She is an incredible pianist and artist, and was kind enough to bring me a new sketch book and pencils. Gaines decided to sit in on some lessons as well.

The weather was nice, so we spent most of today outside. I get so excited when they play nicely together...even if it is for a few minutes seconds microseconds. 

Woody is hit-or-miss when it comes to naps. Today it was a hit.

...it lead to some epic bed head.

That's all for today, folks!

Show and Tell Tuesday- My Boys' Names

I have never done one of these, but my good friend, Lisa, introduced me to a new blog, Momfessionals, and I am excited to link up!

Today I am sharing where I got my kids' names from. Woody and Gaines aren't exactly names your randomly pull out of a baby book, so people often ask me why I named them that. I love family names since (I feel) they never go out of style. Picking names is hard! So we just went with names that were special to us.

Woodfin James

Woodfin in my grandmother's maiden name. She has always been very special to me, and I thought Finn would be a cute nickname. However, my husband had other plans and insisted he be called Woody. I can't imagine calling him anything but Woody now! James is my father-in-law's name. Brooks and his dad have always been very close. I hope that my boys are as close to Brooks as he is with his dad.

Gaines Alton

Gaines was my husband's late grandfather's and uncle's name. Alton was my grandfather's name, as well is my brother's middle name. You can read more about these wonderful men here!

 With my grandmother, Helen Ann Woodfin Hollon, on her 80th birthday

 My softball days with MawMaw and PawPaw (Alton Hollon)

Woody with his Papa, James Harvard

Gaines with my brother, William Alton

Easter Part II

A big THANK YOU to Sister for being the responsible one and remembering her camera AND sim card. All of the pictures from Saturday are from her blog. You can see the rest here.

We drove down to Prattville on Friday afternoon. Woody had been having a rough go with his allergies and the Alabama pollen really set him off. So he looks like he has pink eye in all the pictures, but after confirming with his doctor, it was just his allergies. I gave him some Benadryl, so he looks a little out of it in all the pictures.

 With his cousins, Jake and Marrell. They were so sweet to him and kept checking to make sure he was okay.

 Next year, this guy will be running (hopefully) around with the rest of his cousins!

 Hollon and Gaines

There is only five months between these two. I can't wait to see what mischief they will get into! Also, look at that outfit! Ahhhhh, dying!!

My happy children

Such a great babysitter! Maddox is way more responsible than I am was at ten.

Woody was napping inside during the Easter Egg. Gaines and my cousin's son, Deacon, enjoyed some guy time.

My sister's MIL made the JonJon Gaines wore. Woody wore it last year, and Jake wore it in 2010.

When Woody woke up, his eye was swollen shut, so we headed home. Some Claritin helped tremendously and we were ready for church on Sunday to celebrate our risen Savior! I wanted to get some pictures of the boys in their Easter outfits. Ugh, why won't a 1 and 2 year old sit and pose!?

 I am so disappointed we didn't get a family picture. Oh well! I also find it comical that both of my children wore size 24 month outfits. 

Framers. I hate this picture of me, but I adore Gaines's face!

Buying for Baby- Where to Splurge/Save

Having two babies in less than two years gave me a big insight to how much money you can spend on baby products. Brooks and I were so blessed that we had friends and family purchase so many things for us. Seriously, we were completely spoiled. However, most people still need to make some big purchases on their own. So in my humble opinion, these are the items you should splurge or save on. Let me emphasize, this is just my opinion. Probably 90% of moms would disagree with me! Every mom is different. Every baby is different!

SPURGE

Stroller- My key advice is pick a stroller to pick your lifestyle. Will you use it mostly indoors or outside? Will it live in your trunk, garage, or home? Can it grow with the baby, or is it just for infants? 

When I was pregnant with Gaines, I figured that I could just get away with our indoor double stroller (that my parents kindly bought us.) However, I quickly found out that my boys were happy during their witching hour when we were outside, and the indoor stroller was getting too much wear and tear. My kind in-laws got us the BOB double stroller. It is perfect going to the park. As much as I know that I could probably get away with one or the other, I like both! I use both! The Joovy (which is a very affordable option for a double stroller BTW) is perfect for walking around the mall and getting in and out tight doors. I also adore the massive basket and sunshade. It reclines almost completely, which is nice with little babies. The BOB is wonderful for our long walks, especially when we venture into the woods. Also, I own both of these strollers in their single versions, so you know I really like these companies.

What I own-

Joovy X2

(indoor stroller)

BOB Duallie

(outdoor stroller)

SAVE

Furniture- By save, I mean don't feel that you have to go to a big box baby store and buy and expensive set. All of the nurseries I love on Pinterest had an eclectic feel to them. We already had some antique furniture that had been passed down to us, and I wanted to incorporate it into both nurseries. Our in-laws purchased this crib for us when we were pregnant with Woody. It was a great crib that Woody used until Gaines came along. Now he happily resides in it. I think it is beautiful and was pretty affordable. Wal-Mart and Ikea also have really great prices on cribs that look way more expensive than they are. Even if that is a little steep, Craigslist is full of cribs for sale. 

I know a lot of people buy those covertable cribs that turn into toddler beds and double beds. This seems like a great option, but my sister let me know that after you buy the expensive crib, the converter "set" is extra $$$. And I am difficult and wanted a twin bed for Woody after he outgrew the crib.

As for the rest of the furniture, think about pieces to reuse from your own home. Dressers make great changing tables. We used a pie safe for a bookcase/storage. And check out flea markets. That is where I bought the ugly, red dresser for cheap cheap. Like less that $100 cheap/ It was a solid, sturdy piece of furniture though. I cannot imagine what I would have spent at an actual baby store. 

Here are some examples of my nurseries, as well as my sister's, where we have an eclectic mix of furniture.

See More of Woody's Nursery Here

See More of Gaines's Nursery Here

See More of Hollon's Nursery Here

SPLURGE

Glider- Ok, so this is the one piece of nursery furniture I would spend a little more on. Thankfully, once again, our parents gifted us with these purchases when Woody was born. I wanted a glider for his nursery that looked like a chair so that I could use it in other rooms once he outgrew it. I tried to pick out a fabric that wasn't too babyish. 

When Woody was about eight weeks old, my in-laws were keeping Woody and purchased a super comfortable rocker/recliner for the family room, which was nice since we had an upstairs and downstairs. However, that can be a really big expense, so try to imagine where you will spend the most time with your baby if you can just choose one. 

SAVE

Bedding- The side of me that loves interiors cringes to write this. However, if money is tight, you can really save here. Guess what your baby needs in his crib? A mattress protector and a sheet. Oh, and those are pretty affordable, so buy several. Now, I love a crib skirt, so you can read here about mine. I spent $100 on my bumper pad and took it out as soon as I thought Woody might roll over (I am super paranoid.) $100 is a lot of money for something that was for pictures basically. 

Again, be weary of sets. They often come with things you won't ever use, like pillows and quilts, but pay $$$ for.

SPLURGE

Diaper Bag- Yes, it is true. However, it doesn't have to be a legit diaper bag or a "designer" bag, but you will want a good quality Mom Tote. I have wasted lot of money on buying cheap bags that fell apart. I never used an official diaper bag, but my favorite tote is this one.

They make an insert I believe if you are organized and like your stuff separated. I am just a toss in the big tote kind of girl.

SAVE...THEN SPLURGE

Swings, Bouncy Seats, Rockers, Etc...- These type things add up quick. Honestly, I think ever baby is different in what they prefer. I had a bouncy seat with Woody that he used occasionally, but Gaines adored it. My advice is to ask friends and family to let you borrow whatever they have until the baby comes. Then test drive the options out. Then you can spend on one that your baby really likes (or keep the one loaned to you and act like you don't know what happened to it!)

Overall, I just think it is wise to stop and think about baby purchases. You can feel like you HAVE to buy everything, when in reality, you're baby just needs love, food, diapers, and sleep (buy whatever is necessary to make that baby sleep.) It is easy to get caught up in cute clothes and the latest gadgets (guilty), but try to invest in the things you can use for many years. I am always interested in what other moms think. What would you add to the list? What would you take off?