Justin.

photo by Aunt Dana....this was at the Pumpkin Patch last week....you could check out Tootlepops for more photo's of all of us.

A flower.

So, today I was putting the kids in the car and I saw a flower that had fallen from the hanging pot....I haven't told anyone, but secretly I have cherished this flower that sits outside my Dad's window. We hang out with Dad every night and I can see it right out the window. It was brought by my Aunt Elaine before Mom passed away so that Mom would have something nice to look at from her bed.

It didn't bloom for months after we arrived here, and when Clayton arrived it bloomed. To me, it was just a special something.......I always think of Mom when I look at it...and that it bloomed around Claytons arrival meant something to me too. So, today I see this flower 20 feet from where it should be....the top had blown our way.....It just meant to me she was still watching, still there...at least this is how I take it..I had a really hard week last week. . . not with missing Mom, just life in general. I would have called her if she was here. That is when it hits me...when I want to share anything with her, she isn't there to say hello. What I wouldn't give to have time with her again.

Who woulda thought a simple flower bought almost 2 years ago would still have such meaning....

We went to the pumpkin patch today!

Daddy

Looking for the perfect one

Papa

Found it!

Riding back to the car

Our house is almost done...

Well, our house is pretty much done, they are now just fine tooning it...have some touch ups to do...

I was curious what Justin looked like at the age Clayton is now. I found a picture of Justin wearing the same shirt that Clayton has on below. I didn't think they looked that much alike, but now I think I see similarities and differences too.

Cheese...

Justin loves his brother so much. He always asks to hold him. Clayton is sure growing and such a good baby. He is a momma's baby for sure. He does well for a while with Daddy and Papa, but sometimes just wants mommy.

I find myself wondering if I can possilby give each one the attention they need. Some mornings while Clayton is sleeping, Justin and I cuddle up on the couch and do "activities" or watch Thomas the Train together. He likes for me to sit "right' next to him. Then, when Justin is napping, I try to have time with Clayton - but now he is still sleeping most of this time....

Justin has become much more independent since Clayton's arrival. He has his train and that keeps him entertained for hours.

Our house this week. . .

Here is the fireplace in the living/great room.

The kitchen

and, this is our master bathroom...

We are very excited to see such progress....they will be putting the carpet in on Monday...was hoping it might be in today...they are down to finishing touches and final inspections, etc....still looking at moving mid - november.

more house pics

We went to see our house today...here are updated pics....

Clayton

My cousin had her baby last week and Dana, the boys, and I crashed her house for 30 minutes to visit...Aunt Dana took these pics of Clayton....I weighed him last night and he is 11.4 pounds.

More Rite Aid Deals....

So, I think my brother thinks I am the coupon queen...so they are calling me now days....I am working on getting them to be couponers...you can't go wrong on diapers...even though I will be cloth diapering....they aren't great for nights and days out...so I will do Disposables during that time...hoping to potty train Justin in the next few months...so I am not buying too many for him, but 2 packs are for him.

So here are my deals...I had to make 2 purchases...to get the better deal.

Here are 3 Jumbo packs of Huggies...they are on sale at rite aid this week...

Transaction 1:
3 for $33.00
I had (3) $3.00 coupons...total of 9.00 off
There is a rebate for buying 3 of them for $10.00 off
and with this and the other special going on, I will get anohter $5.00 rebate for the fall gift of savings program....total will pay after I get all my rebates, etc.
So, basically I am paying $9.00 for all these Pure and Natural diapers!

Transaction 2:
3 Jumbo packs of Huggies Diapers $33.00
I had (3) $2.00 coupons - total of $6.00 off
Also had an additional doubler coupon for Rite aid of $1.00 off
I will get the $10.00 rebate for these too.

There are 3 packs of Ivory (3 pack) of soap that were on a deal for $1.00 each. I had (3) $0.25 coupons, making them $.75 each

The dove bar of soap was totally FREE....I had a Rite aid coupon for $1.00 off.

And, the huggies body wash was on sale for 2 for $5.00. You get a 1.00 rebate and I had 2 coupons....1.25 and 1.50 off.

I will also get another $10.00 back for fall spending (i had a few other smaller items on another purchase that make the total $50 to get the $10, but close enough)....so I will have paid 9.50 for all of these:

A New House

We have been on the house hunt since we moved here and more aggressivly since we sold our old house and Clayton arrived. We looked at some older homes and found that what we loved was some homes we had seen on our first trip at the first of the year. It will be penny pincher to live here, but we are exstatic to have such a nice home and layout. This home will be an open floorplan (much like our last home)...and only a little bit smaller...slightly over 1400 SF.

3 bedrooms, 2 baths.....we hope to be moving in right around Turkey day..pending it is done on time without delays....here is a photo of it today.

We are also selling our Tahoe....so if you are interested, let me know. We are ready for a Mini-Van...something we never thought we would do...but with 2 kids, it just seems like the logical thing to do....the tahoe is great, but we would like little to no payments and a better access to the 3rd seat....our current tahoe has the 3rd seat, but you have to climb over the middle...great for kids, etc....it will be missed....OR - if any of you have loads of cash and want to pay it off for us...well, we wouldn't turn you down :)

One Month old

More Pictures from our last visitors....

Aunt Elaine sent us some pics she had taken during her visit...thought I would share some with you all.

Justin is sure a HAM....he LOVES corn.....his favorite item for dinner....

Just thought this was a great photo of Dad and Clayton.

3 Weeks Old. . .

Clayton turned 3 weeks old this weekend...hard to beleive that 3 weeks have passed...he is growing so much..changing daily.


Aunt Elaine came to visit us and to come to my cousin Becky's baby shower. She came early and was a wonderful visitor....had her help me with the boys....Here she is with Clayton....Justin kept her busy busy playing with trains all day Friday....

Lindsay (my cousin) came too, but I didn't get any pictures with her....I think Aunt Elaine did, maybe she will send to me so I can post some of those....

Our time with Oma...

Oma has been here for a week and 2 days...she left us this morning to go to Jim and Dana's. It was so great to have her here....Justin was her sidekick the entire time. They read a million books and are now great Pals. Here was a rare moment where Oma was able to hold Clayton and visit with Justin.


So, this afternoon we haven't taken a nap...after 2 hours of trying to nap, it didn't happen, so I let Justin come downstairs and we aren't going to nap today. Here is what he has been up to.....

Wet washcloth on head - it is hot here today....and stickers on leg....whatever makes him happy is fine with me...

Our Days...

Here is Todd holding Clayton....he was a bit hungry and willing to eat anything - including Daddy's ear.

Yesterday we got to meet up with my Cousin Lindsay as she was on her way home....Clayton was one week old here.

Gina, Boone, Abigail, and Treston sent Justin some Crayola color wonder art supplies...it has been a hit! And, the best is that it won't get on my couch....

pictures from our hospital stay

These are in no order at all, sorry, I have baby on chest and Justin sleeping...blogging while I can.

Dana, Oma, and the 3 boys came to visit on day 2..all boys are enamored with Clayton. Aunt Dana showing the boys.

Uncle Jim

Becky and Jason came to visit too.

Grandma Nellie

Here is Justin on day one showing Clayton his Thomas book. The first visit wasn't easy for Justin, seeing mommy and daddy in the hospital wasn't too great and he had just awoke from a nap. Luckily Aunt Dana showed up and took pictures of his Thomas book and he was much better...she had him read to Clayton, etc.

with Papa...

Christina came from 2 hours away to visit.

This is our going home outfit.

The three boys on the rocking chair

With Oma

So, the birth story is.....I was due to have a scheduled C-section Monday morning at 6:00 am. It was the Saturday before my "C" and we had picked up Nellie in town so she could spend the night here with us. We had planned out our day on Sunday to have dinner and drop off Justin with Jim and Dana, etc...Dinner was over, Justin played with Grandma Nellie and we relaxed for the evening just visiting. I took Justin up to go to bed about 9pm or so...we read books, rest our eyes and lay there until he falls asleep. So, Justin was still awake when I had this insane PAIN in my stomach. I thought that the baby's head must have really just moved down a lot....I did my breathing...(Justin copied me too - says "Mommy, He, he, he)....and soon he was asleep. I was going to just go to bed myself, but I thought to myself I had better go to the bathroom (as I often have to go to the bathroom). So, I start to stand up and notice wet - interesting - I stand up and realize that I am leaking....so off to the bathroom I run (thinking I will be dripping all over as I did with Justin). Anyway, made it to the bathroom. Now- I have to get Todd and Nellie's attention without waking up Justin who is in the room and try not to walk on carpet. Well, had to go on the carpet but wasn't leaking too much.

I called for them and told them my water had broken. I wasn't sure what I aws to do. Should I go ahead and labor at home, go to the hopsital, have a C? We had decided to go with the C, but I could try the VBAC. It was now 9:40....Nellie has me call the doctor...she askes what I want and decide to go via "C"....(I do have my reasons for those of you wondering). We did a little bit more packing, woke up Dad to come over and sleep with Justin....and were off to the hospital.

I was on the operating table at 11:45pm and Clayton joined us at 12:23AM on August 2nd. We didn't sleep an ounce that whole night. I had a blood oxygen counter on me and every time I would dose off, it would beep...I wouuld try really hard to stay awake, and let Todd get some rest, but I just couldn't...I would fade...then be awoken. It took them till Noon the next day to get it working correctly....I wasn't low on oxygen, just the computer was set up with small diameters...that night we finally got "some" rest.

We really liked our hospital. Nurses were great...food was great...they even fed Todd every meal, so he didn't have to leave me alone all the time. Couldn't have asked for better....we were ready to come home by Tuesday...my buns could only handle those beds so long....so we came home and are still adjusting to being a family of 4 + Papa :)

comparisons

So, I wanted to see what Justin looked like right after birth....here he is...
and here is Clayton...

Big Brother thinks Clayton is a keeper...

Justin holding Clayton today... he kept wanting to hold his brother--warmed the mommy's heart!

Clayton...