What a difference!

This is what the swing set in our backyard looked like when we first moved in.

This is what it looks like now. It is amazing the difference a little stain will do! We also put up a new slide, tarp, and bought a new swing. Everything else we had left from our other swing set.

This is what we look out at from the kitchen/dining room. It makes for a much better view.

These next two pictures make for an even better view! :)

Some good ones.

These were taken a couple weeks ago by Russell's dad. They turned out pretty good.

11 Months.

Seriously? It is crazy to think about just how different our lives were just 11 months ago. Hmmph. I hadn't even met this little man of mine 11 months ago. We were living in an entire different town, going to an entire different church, living in an entire different house, well you get the point. We have made some major life changes in this last year, all which have been great for our family, especially the birth of Warren.

Warren is into everything. It would be safe to say that he is much like Wyatt was at this age as far as being busy. Some of his favorite activities are too pull every book he can reach off of the bookshelf onto the floor. Guess that is where he thinks they should go. I pick them up, he pulls them off. He also enjoys the kitchen and the many exciting wonders of clanking pans and bowls and such. :) Since Wyatt is using the potty these days we are having a little trouble with Warren playing in the toilet since Wyatt doesn't always remember to close the lid. I have even found a few swimming toys in the potty already. Nice.04.

The only thing that beats all of those other activities for Warren is outside. The little guy just wants to be outside. He is absolutely content to be outside. I love that because I love to be outside too.

On the verge of walking. He is currently mastering the whole balance thing. I have watched him stand alone for minutes at a time. He is taking steps by himself, but quickly looses his balance and resorts to crawling. He'll get it when he is ready.

He is looking more like a handsome little boy and less like a baby :(. He has this adorable big toothy grin. He has 8 teeth now!! His hair still wins the prize for the most comments. At first it was just the sheer volume of his hair, but now people just can't get over the coloring. He has a dark stripe of hair down the middle of his head and the sides are turning lighter everyday. People think I color his hair on purpose. Really? Do people really do that to babies?

After 5 months of constant ear infections we opted to have tubes put in his ears two weeks ago. He seems to be doing much better. When I think of the last few months I honestly think about Dr. visits, antibiotics, thermometers, and our comfy recliner as my bed. But I am happy to say I have been able to sleep in my bed ALL night long for the last two weeks! Sleep does a body and mind good. He had a little bit of hearing loss at our first visit to the ENT specialist, but we are hoping that his hearing will be next to normal next time we go back. He seems to hear more stuff now as well as he makes more noise. He jabbers all the time. The only words he can say is "mama". Ha! Wyatt said "dada" first so I am pretty excited about that.

He is so much fun and we are so thankful for such a happy little guy. Warren will be one this next month. What an adventure this next year is gonna be.

Training An Olympic Ice Skater.

Last week we took Wyatt ice skating in the Galleria Mall in Dallas. Of course this was something we had been watching on TV some during the Olympics and had been asking to go for a while. So with great anticipation on his part we made it to the Ice Skating rink.

Cute little bity skates :).

Can you see the excitement on his face. Don't think Russell could have put those skates on him fast enough.

This is how he spent his time on the rink. Russell would hold his hands and he would lift his feet up and try to do some crazy "trick". Pretty sure he thought he would be able to skate exactly like those people he saw on tv the first time he hit the ice. It was seriously funny.

If Russell wasn't holding on to him he didn't mind to just hold on to the side and skate around holding on for dear life. He would have been there for hours and hours if we would have let him.

Of course I had to man the baby. Who seemed pretty content to watch Daddy and Brother while eating an enormous amount of Cheerios.

It was a great day and a fun experience. Cant wait till Warren is big enough and we can all skate.