Tommy the Builder

Lowes has these “Build and Grow” workshops on certain Saturdays. We were finally home and available for this one and I was excited to sign Tommy up- The Ice Cream Truck. Matt said Tommy was doing really well with the hammer. I assume that meant Matt’s thumb was still in good shape

Tyler cheered him on!

He added stickers to his truck and it was ready to rock and roll. Afterwards, they realized it was his first time and gave him an apron. They also give goggles but were out of them that day.

Tommy and Tyler had late naps on Thursday and since Matt was out of town, we headed to the Lowes so I could pick up a few things for a craft. We had to go to Lowes in the north part of town because apparently they are the only store that has these steering wheel carts. I made the mistake of telling Tommy about them and headed to the closest Lowes to our house. He was very disappointed. Anyway, Tommy AND Tyler loved the wheels and every now and then Tyler would reach over and grab Tommy’s wheel. There was almost some road-rage!

*Couldn’t get any cuter!

Jared’s Graduation!

Matt’s cousin Jared, graduated from Ruidoso High School on Saturday. We have been sick this last week, so we didn’t make it up there until Friday morning (originally planned to be there Thursday night). Matt got back into town Wednesday night from business and Tyler was still having fevers off and on. As soon as the Tylenol/Motrin wore off, his temp would spike up again. The highest it got was Tuesday night at 103.9. He has a lot of congestion and was throwing up his milk at least once a night. He wouldn’t eat any solids this last week either. Thursday morning we took him in and although his ears weren’t terrible, they were still infected. Because Tyler was so miserable, the pediatrician suggested an antibiotic shot. We are really considering tubes in his ears now and have an appointment with the Ear Nose and Throat doctor in June. If it will keep these ear infections from happening, I think it will be worth it.  Thursday night was another long one full of coughing and crying and he literally didn’t sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time, until about 3:00 am. Then he slept for an hour, then we woke up to leave for Ruidoso. Tyler AND Tommy did sleep almost the entire way there though. (and I got some rest too!).   Friday we just hung out while Tyler got a little more rest and we added some Dimetap to his medicines. It seemed to help him sleep a little bit but Benadryl works the best I think. Gotta love those antihistamines Friday afternoon Matt went golfing with Jared, Buster, and Roddy. Tommy had started feeling warm but also had the chills and he was ready for a nap. Although, he woke up 20 minutes later (because Tyler was loud and fussing). That night we had dinner and tried to get to bed early. Tyler was still up through the night coughing  and crying because he couldn’t suck his thumb from all the congestion (the only way he falls asleep).
Now for the fun stuff-Saturday morning we headed to the graduation. It was outside and extremely hot. Matt and Tyler found some shade and he ended sleeping through most of it (Tyler)
It’s crazy to think that I remember this dude getting baptized! I was dating Matt and remember hearing about it. I feel so old!
We are very proud of him and wish him the best of luck in college! I really think he’s an awesome kid! I have from the beginning since he was the one that said I fit right into the family!
We sure love him and we’re glad we could be there to celebrate with him!

We didn’t get any pictures of Jared in his gown but we snagged this one before he went out on the town (literally) for his Senior Party.

Tyler finally started to feel better Saturday and was putting golf balls behind his back…not realizing where they were going.

I didn’t take many pictures but Tommy had fun golfing in Nana’s yard and we had a yummy barbeque that day. It was fun to visit with the cousins, uncles, aunts, and especially Nana. I’m glad she got to see the boys. Tommy was telling her all sorts of stuff on Friday. I don’t think he’s ever talked to her so much and Tyler has changed a ton since Christmas. It was a short but good trip.! Congrats Jared!

Baby Colton!

Our newest nephew Colton David Duke came into this world on Monday and we are so happy he joined our family safe and healthy! Shilo has had a pretty tough pregnancy and ended up having a mandatory C-Section because of high blood pressure. She has a great doctor (my old one, Doc. White) and was in good hands though.

He weighed 6.9 lbs. and was 18.5 “ long. Pretty good!

This little guy is so cute and a mini-Dylan. We can’t wait to meet him!

My Happy Mom’s Day:)

These were some fun pictures we took after church. Tommy was giving me a ‘massage’ in some of them (Gatorade mustache and all). Then he would run off into the grass as we would tell him to come back for more. I am very lucky to be a mom of such adorable, handsome, and crazy boys. They are my sunshine!
I got some flowers and Tommy loved watering them. In nursery they made pins with their pictures on it. The last pictures is Tommy trying to show the badge for the picture. I can’t look at it and not laugh

Macho Man. LOVE IT!

11 Months & Tommy Update!

Tyler-This guy doesn’t hold still for a second!
Tyler had his ears checked on the May 4th and they looked great! The antibiotic worked and now the goal is to keep him from getting that drainage-which means constant allergy meds. The doctor suggested I try children’s Allegra and it’s been working so far. He still seems to cough and have congestion on random nights though. He weighed 21.5 lbs. at that appointment which is what Tommy weighed at his 12 month well visit. He’s a porker! (And DONE with posing)

Some new things he’s showing off:

• He intentionally grabbed a book and started poking at it with one finger. (too much iphone for mommy, shame shame)
• He will hold a toy, spoon, ball, chap stick, or toothbrush, with his teeth and let go. Then he’ll look around and smile at you. He knows he’s funny;)
• He will tear his food into pieces, as I do for him, but then throws them on the floor
• Loves deli meat, most any food he can pick up and eat himself BUT will not eat fruit! He’ll occasionally eat applesauce mixed with cereal but no baby food fruit OR bite size pieces of fruit. Matt said, (and I agree) ‘he’s definitely related to me!’
• He plays fetch with Tommy. Tommy will throw a toy and Tyler will crawl to it and bring it back to him.
• He put his hands on my cheeks, grabbing my head with both hands and softly ‘donked’ our heads together.
• Tonight-Day one of Tyler sleeping in the playpen by our bed….wish me lots of luck

Tommy-oh my this dude can be such a crack-up and also a terror within seconds of each other. About when he turned 3 any attempt at redirection was pointless. He wants what he wants when he wants it. I would take terrible twos again over terrible 3’s any day! This age has been the most difficult and has brought out the worst in me. All of our family, immediate and extended, know what little patience I have and I am very aware that I need to work on it. I compare myself to other VERY patient moms I’m surrounded with, and know I have a long way to go in better parenting….poor Tommy. I’m crying now, just thinking of those times I’ve lost it and how it’s hurt him and accomplished nothing.  He really is sweet and caring. He loves to make Tyler laugh and genuinely cares about others. Even when he sees someone sad in books, it really bothers him. He makes us laugh all the time and here are some examples:

• I picked up Tyler from his nap and Tommy came running into the room with his fireman hat on. He looked sad when he saw me holding him and said, “But mommy, I was going to rescue him!”
• He is remembering his dreams. The most recent one he woke up and said, "Mommy! Dylan and I were by the spiders and Shilo came and got us!" He'll occasionally wake up and cry about something that I can tell he just dreamed about.
• He opened up the mirror in my makeup bag and said, “I’m just lookin’ great!”
• When he went potty when Mimi was visiting she said, Yee haw Tommy! Tommy said, ‘You can’t say Yee haw Mimi. You are NOT a cowboy!’ This was the third week of March and after this push of potty training by Mimi, it seemed to just stick. He was pretty much completely potty trained after a few days of reminding him. I didn’t even use pull ups at night and he’s still great. Every once in a while he will have an accident when he’s really into playing. Or if he’s going poop, he’ll end up peeing all over the floor…..I’m not complaining though!
• One day Tommy said, “I don’t like you mommy.” I said, awww. He said, “Don’t be sad. Sooomebody likes you.” Thanks son…
• Matt hesitated when Tommy asked him to come run with him. Then Tommy said, “But you’re my best friend!”
• On a walk in our neighborhood Tommy said, “That’s the house Connie showed us.” It was the house we had looked at twice before buying our house and I was completely shocked he recognized it.
• He helped make snickerdoodle cookies and like it!
• He said, “This is going to be hilarious!” (when making juice, for some reason)
• After being in timeout, he said, “mommy, I’m going to treat sweet.” (a mix of treat him kindly and being sweet)
• At bedtime, we had finished reading books and Tommy said he wanted another story. I told him no, he already had his stories. He then said, “I want a story out of Daddy’s mouth.” I didn’t know Matt had been telling him stories at bedtime. It was pretty cute. They are usually about puppy dogs that play sports and Tommy LOVES them.
• Started ending his sentences with “or somefin like that”
• Where’s my DVD player? Who’s been messin’ with it?”
• When Matt went to the bathroom after Tommy, he said, “Don’t flush. Whatever you do, don’t flush.” (I guess Tommy wanted to do it)
• I screamed when Tommy wacked the ball at me and he said, “Mommy, it’s not a fly. It’s just a ball.”  (This kid has an ARM bytheway. He can throw AND swing a bat….hard)
• ”I just wish I had fire in my shoes.” He had just watched a movie called “Astro Boy” and was completely enthralled with it.
• When he talks about or plays with our neighbor girl, Tommy gets this low voice. “Hi Lexy” It’s quite hilarious.
• He’s been very interested in learning his left hand from his right. He’s constantly asking me “is this my right hand?”
• Like I said above, he plays fetch with Tyler.
• Tommy will let Tyler ‘pat’ his head/hair.

• I spilled some dinner on my clothes and when I sighed about it, Tommy said, “That’s why you have to get Nakie!”
• He saw Joey and Tyler in the calendar pic and first noticed they were sleeping. Then he said, “They sure are cute!”
•  He started coloring and then told me what he had ‘written.’ (Completely on his own) Apparently it said, “ I was sorry that I didn’t say “Please move him” (what we tell him to do if Tyler’s in his way, rather than bulldozing him over)

Things he loves right now:
Octonauts (show on Disney Junior channel)
Backyardigans (Nick Jr.)
Cars 2 (picking up a lot of the Hi-ya and fighting from it)
Softball and wants to play rather than watch daddy play
Flashlights!
Sand
Water
All books on firefighters. He loved a particular one called “Fire Boy to the Rescue” that talked about fire safety. Tommy talks about calling ‘9-9-1’ for an emergency.
All books on astronauts and spaceships.
AND a book called 'Shark vs. Train'. LOVES it!


A family home evening on Samuel the Lamanite and trying to knock him down with m&m’s.

Sand and Water!

(Made some ‘soup’)

Tommy recently had a playdate with his friend Luci. Luci’s mom had a great activity where they painted bread with milk and food coloring. Then it was toasted and used for their P.B. and J. sandwiches. So fun and he loved it!