Austin....

In trying to get caught back up in my "blogging" I thought I would dedicate a post to each of us to get every one caught up on how we are doing!
So first up of course is Austin..cause he is really who most people want to hear about!

He loves to "work" with his daddy! Here they are working on the new dirt bike "face lift!!" I LOVE seeing them together likes this...makes my heart smile!


The kid is Killing us--in so many ways!! He makes us laugh all the time, says the craziest things...and just does not like to sleep!
He is obsessed with Trains, cartoons about trains and Caliou. ( Caliou is a little boy on a cartoon on PBS--and Austin often likes to do things "like caliou!)

He is thrilled that he can get his own water out of the fridge now--and loudly proclaims to me " All by myself mama."
He says things like " I probably want to take a bath because its sunny outside."
(what??)
After i tell him our plan for the day, he usually follows up by saying " that sounds like a pretty good plan mama."
He loves to jump in our bed in the morning and say " its time to get up! Its not time for night night anymore!"

He is still in school twice a week and although drop off is still not easy for him, he often gets in the car after school and says " that was a fun day."

These are from school this week. It was pajama day and pizza day---he had a blast but he would not let me just take a picture--it had to be an action shot!



A few months ago he told us he had "bird poop" in his ears--and continues to maintain that thought. So sometimes I will catch him digging in his ears and he will ask me to "help him get the bird poop out!"

Often he can be playing around and I will say "Austin be careful--you bonked mama's tummy." And he will say "your ok mama. Its ok." OR " it was an accident mama--its ok."









This was on our way home from Steamboat in the Eisenhower Tunnel. A very long tunnel through the mountains and Austin was in awe!!


We moved his race car bed into his own room about 5 days ago and while it has not been awful...its not been smooth sailing like I dreamed about!! Granted--he is sleeping in his own room for the first time in his life---which is a big thing. But I dont fall sleep easily these days so when he wakes me up to come tuck him back in at 3am--he falls asleep within minutes and it takes me usually 1-2 hours! But---we know this is the transition phase and it hopefully will get better. He has not cried at night or really "fought" being in there...he is just fighting sleep all around. So we have a strict bedtime routine we trying to stick too, got him the cool turtle night light that shines the moon/stars on the ceiling and are trying to hang in there with it. ( I admit--it is so much easier to have him in our room so when he does wake I just speak to him and goes back to sleep...this whole going through the house in the middle of the night wears me out!! How do people do that with newborns??Insanity I say! ) Its funny though cause it can be 2am, and he will burst in our room with his Thomas pillow and his cup...even though he knows we will be potting back in his own room and bed...but its almost like just in case we give in and let him stay--he wants to have his "stuff" with him!! Crazy kid!!

This age is challenging with behavior and discipline--and we definitely have a strong willed child who likes to push the line.Its really challenged Shea and I to hone in on our parenting skills. And although some days I want to hang my head in defeat..and just say "do whatever!" There are other days where I can see that some of what we are doing is getting through and working...and it give me hope that we have not failed yet!!

As he is getting older, bigger (the kid is like 75th% percentile in weight and 90th% in height but his pants are still too big on him!)and as I get closer to have this new baby...I catch myself being completely overcome with emotion by him. He is really very sweet most of the time--and I can see his daddies heart in many things he does. Some days I just want to cry that we have come this far and I have made it! Other days I cant believe that the Lord blessed me with THIS child to be ours. What an honor.