the aquarium :)

We spent a fantastic afternoon at the aquarium! I loved it, and Bridgette really loved it! :) Mason followed the jellyfish around. It was amazing how much he could see and follow. Mimi Kay went with us and played. Bridgette really was amazed by the sharks. Afterwards we went to eat at Best Italian...YUM.
I love this time of year, when the air is crisp, the leaves are gorgeous, the sun is shining. The best time of year brings the best holidays of the year! Yay Thanksgiving and Christmas!!!
Mason is smiling and cooing so much. He picks up his head and follows voices, especially mine. He is getting really good at nursing (finally) and sleeping 5-7 hours still at night, then another 2-3. It's very nice.I love my little babies.
Travis and I had a great date night at Market Square. We have so much fun together and it was much needed. :)
Last, my little Halloween pumpkins got dressed up to trick-or-treat, and Mommy got the day wrong haha (we were going to a church function and got the day wrong). So we dressed up, drove to Newport, got treats by our Buda/Sparks family, then came back home. Here are some pics of my little Minnie mouse and Buzz Lightyear. I would have assumed that a 3-6 mo costume would fit a 2.5 month old...but it was a tight little muscle shirt. WHOOPS.
Last, Bridgette decided that she was "fart" ("Smart") and I caught it on tape. HILARIOUS.

Loving life

Life is so good. I hope I always am reminded of my blessings. My family is so special to me. God has blessed us in incredible ways. Bridgette is growing up to be this sweet, loving, gentle girl. Mason smiles all the time and exhibits the sweetest disposition. Travis enjoys his job, and I feel like I was made to raise these children.
Bridgette speaks so well, and surprises us so often with what she knows. The funniest moments though are the true "rugrats" moments where she says a word that is so funny and remarkably close to the actual word-- it just makes sense to her. Her latest word that I still haven't figure out is: "gokie-gokie". Anyone? Haha. She mostly says it In reference to certain pink necklaces she has, but also refers to a teddy bear rattle as this. Hilarious.
She loves her baby brother- this am while getting ready for preschool, she wanted to be sure he was comfortable, so she brought him a toy and covered his toes with a blanket (saying "keep your tosies warm"). Kissed him then said she will miss him today. Precious girl. Then she loved on me :)
Mason is holding his head up really well when on my shoulder. He is also following my face around, then turning towards people when they talk. He smiles all of the time. Such an easy baby. He will sit in a swing and look at the mobile while I get work done. He goes to sleep on his own-- amazing. I just wish he would nurse without fussing. Why couldnt I have babies that nursed calmly and enjoyed it? Neither have. Always fussing.
We had a pleasant visit with Travis's dad, stepmother, and sister Gina this weekend. They played so much with the babies. Bridgette had a blast and was truly enamored with Pappy Jim. She just went in step with Gina and Nana Lee like she had always played with them. It was great to see them.
Travis and I had a much needed date night last night at markets square. I love that man so much. We always have such fun together-- it was nice to relax. Thanks to Mimi Nina and pawpaw Marshall for keeping the babes. :)
Tonight Bridgette is with her Mimi Kay and papaw billy. She has a blast with them. Just got back from gparents farm. I'm spending the evening loving on my son. Love having some one on one time with him. Always miss Bridgette though. Here's some pics!!

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY BRIDGETTE

Well, 2 years ago 2 was the most exciting, scary, and wonderful day of my life at that point. Getting married was wonderful and exciting, but not scary to me. Having a darling daughter was all of those things and more. I was very nervous and had a difficult delivery (but a wonderful pregnancy). But when I FINALLY got to hold our sweet baby...there are no words about the level of love that I was experiencing. It was soooo good. I cried, I laughed. I was swelling inside. Travis and I felt like our life had just been completed and our love increased amazingly.
Bridgette- we are so happy and our lives are so much better now that you are here. We love you with all our hearts. Your smile and laugh makes our day. THe sweet and funny things you say are so amusing and very often way too smart! I look back over these last two years and I just wish you would have the capacity to remember some of the sweet moments. When I was nursing you late at night and it was just the two of us. Quiet and so happy. When you took your first steps. When you truly became a daddy's girl (and need to help him fix things all over the house). Reading "booka-bookas" at night. When you saw your baby brother for the first time and commented on his "little toes, little eyes, little nose" and told him you loved him. As I am writing this I am tearing up. So many good times. When you were learning to talk you would wake up and say all of your words "puppy, milk, daddy, mommy!" in no particular order haha. The first time we took you to Disney and you just were amazed by the animation. There are so many moments I cannot begin to name them all. I am just so proud of you and who you are becoming.

Ok a little about your party- you had a blast! It was Dora themed (shocking) and you LOVED the cake :). There was a singing Dora balloon that sang Happy Birthday when you touched it and that became a very fun activity for you. The amount of gifts you received was insane haha, and you have played with them all so far! You got a red trike that you have climbed all over and played with. Perhaps the most exciting part though was the bounce house we bought for the basement. you and your friend Carys Bible jumped and laughed for a very long time. You were worn out after haha.
I loved watching you :). You would jump so excitedly, then run and dive face first off the slide and scream "slide!!". Too funny. You spent the night with your Mimi Kay and PaPaw Billy. You had a wonderful time, then the next AM you went to your Grandad and Grandmoms

Aunt Momo was your first birthday phone call today. :)

smiling pics

Mason is smiling :)

SO MUCH to report!! First off, Mason slept 6 hours straight last night, praise the good Lord! I am so happy and hope this continues! His spitting up has significantly decreased.
He is gaining weight and growing so much. He is now wearing 3-6 month clothes and he is 2 months old! WOW.
He has started smiling and he smiles most at Bridgette! He just loves to sit and stare at her. She plays very well with him. For some reason she wants to touch his eyes. Whew.
Mason and Bridgette have very active social lives. :) We have several play dates and always have family coming in and out of the house. The kids just love it! Bridgette is still doing great at preschool. They say she is really good.
We went to the zoo this week with Mimi NIna, Daddy, and of course the three of us. WE had a blast! I will post pics as soon as I get them off the camera. the cutest thing Bridgette said was, "Where's the 'cracker-dile'?" (Crocodile). Too cute. Also in the gift shop, she bypassed all the cuddly bears, elephants, and went straight for the alligators and snakes. Ah well.

Bridgette's antics:
She has a hole in the back of one of her chairs and today she got a large sticker and covered it, then came to get me and said "Look! I fixed it!!" She loves to help her daddy "fix" things around the house. I think it's so cool that she understands that covering the hole "fixed" it. :)
This one is a little late, but really cute. Last week we went to Cracker Barrel to have brunch with Daddy and she couldn't decide what she wanted to eat. Everything we asked her she said no to. Her father eventually said "Do you want a pinch on the hiney?" (A popular phrase in our house) and she laughed. The waiter came and we looked at Bridgette and said what do you want? She looked very serious at the waiter and said, "Macaroni and Cheese, and a pinch on the hiney." Classic.
Pics to follow!!