On The Move Already!!!!

Hey mom...I'm stuck!

How did I get into this predicament?
He started out under the floor gym and scooted backwards, and ended up under the ottoman

What?!

How cute am I???!!!

Unbelievable!!! I can't believe my baby boy is already on the move!!! He just turned 5 months old. He is already getting up on his hands and knees, but only goes in one direction for now, backwards! Time is going by so fast, and we are enjoying all of these milestone moments :)

Bunny Breakfast!

Hollis with the show choir...Kaitlyn is holding him
Hollis and Gi Gi

Mommy and sweet Hollis

My little artist :)

Hollis with the Easter Bunny

Clayton running from the Easter Bunny :)

Clayton playing with his balloon dog

Uncle B and Hollis

Cousin Kaitlyn and Hollis

Clayton stuffing a piece of his cookie in Mommy's mouth

Our beautiful family!

Clayton decorating his cookie

Clayton and Gi Gi with the clown, Clayton is not to sure!

Me and my sweetie pie

This was our 3rd Bunny Breakfast, and Kaitlyn's last before she is off to college!!! We always enjoy watching her perform, and this year was no exception. We had a new addition this Easter, our little Hollis man. Clayton had an absolute ball. His best buddy Owen came too. They saw clowns who made balloon animals, decorated cookies, colored pictures, went in the bounce house, and even met the Easter Bunny! I was surprised that Clayton was scared of the Easter Bunny because he loved Santa this year...go figure! This has become a tradition we look forward to every year!

Easter 2011

So excited about the dinosaurs!

Checking out the goods

On the hunt

Hollis checking out his goodies

Look what I found!

Playing in Gi Gi's backyard

Sweet Hollis laughing at Lilly

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday as a family. Clayton wasn't really old enough last year to know what was going on as far as hunting eggs and the Easter Bunny, but this year he loved it. We had our own Easter egg hunt in the house because the neighborhood egg hunt was cancelled twice...we were supposed to host it at our house this year. Oh well, maybe next year! Anyway, as soon as Clayton woke up and came downstairs he noticed the eggs and started gathering them and opening each one along the way. Most of them were filled with his favorite candy, M&M's, better known as "emmies". He finally noticed his Easter basket sitting in the living room and headed straight for it. He got a Mater coloring book and markers, a puzzle, some candy, and miniature dinosaurs. Hollis opened his Easter basket too...he wasn't able to hunt eggs of course, but he got two books...the same books we got Clayton his first Easter "Guess How Much I Love You" and "I'll Love You Forever". Hollis also got a snail toy that works for belly time and later moves so that they can crawl after it, and puffs (for later). We went to Sunday service at Robert's Stadium, this is the last year it will be there because next year it will be at the new stadium!!! Afterwards we continued our tradition that began three years ago, and got Biaggi's to go and ate at Gi Gi's house. The boys opened even more Easter treats there, and Great Granny joined us. It was a wonderful Easter Sunday!

Hollis is 5 months old! Here's a look at month 4...

Chillin' at the Zoo
Hello Mama

Turning 5 months old is hard work!

Love my peaches :)

Hollis is growing like a weed, and changing and learning new things everyday! I just love watching it all unfold. He is such a beautiful, sweet blessing!!!

Here are some of the highlights from the last month...

*Grabs EVERYTHING...so now you really have to watch what you are holding!

*Can hold and "play" with toys

*Has tried bananas, applesauce, and peaches. He loves baby food, but every once in awhile he will shudder like it is sour or something...hilarious!

*Follows people with his eyes...has a lock on Mommy at all times! He is beginning to recognize "strangers"...meaning he will sometimes pucker up and cry if he is unfamiliar with who is holding him.

*He gets his feeling hurt and scares at loud noises...sticks that lower lip out and belts out the cry

*He is the most laid back, easy going baby. He is always happy and content and smiles from ear to ear. I know I keep saying it, but he really is the sweetest thing!

*He rolls over from belly to back all of the time now! Problem is he is a belly sleeper and can't get back over yet, he reminds me of a little turtle stuck on his back. He gets so upset and those little arms and legs are just flailing :(

*Loves to watch his brother

*Giggles like crazy if you play patty cake, or hold him up in the air

*Still not the best sleeper at night...but we will get there, sooner or later!

*Very ticklish

*Loves to grab your face and pull it to him

*Super strong at pushing himself up when on his belly to look around and he can hold himself like that for a long time

*LOVES the excersaucer!!!!

*Likes to be outside

*Began sucking thumb occasionally

Simply a JOY...we just love our little Hollis Man

Peek-a-Boo...I see you!

Peek-a-boo! You can tell there is a grin on that face :)
Hello Mama!

I went in to check on Hollis during his nap the other day and to my surprise there was a cute little head popping up over the side of the pack-n-play! So cute!!!

My Little Thumb Sucker...

Hmmm...Hollis has found his thumb on more than one occasion. He may just be a thumb sucker...so cute! I know, I know a pacifier is easier to take away, but he is just so darn cute!!!

The Sunday Paper

Clayton has come to LOVE the Sunday paper...the toy ads that is. He looks for it every Sunday and will literally sit and "read" it for 30 minutes or more. He studies every single toy with this serious look on his face. It is so cute!

Clayton Rides a Harley!

Pop Pop came over for dinner last night and rode his Harley. Clayton got to sit on it and boy did he think he was big stuff. He got to honk the horn, and Pop Pop even turned it on while he was sitting on it. He didn't want to get off!!! That is about as close as he will ever get to riding one though...until he is old enough to veto Mommy's vote ;)

What's Clayton Up To?

Since he is two now, I do posts all of the time about what he is doing, but I don't do the monthly updates like the first two years. Even though I may not necessarily be posting monthly lists of all he is doing and learning, I do keep track. So, I thought I would update on all the many wonderful things our smart boy is up to these days!

* Knows MANY letter sounds and can identify MANY letters!

*Very independent, but still good at holding your hand when needed. I worked on this a lot before Hollis was born, knowing I wouldn't always be able to hold both of them. I wanted him to know the importance of holding my hand when asked, and most of the time he does.

*He is eating so much better. The foods he eats are limited, but the amount is much better. He still loves his milk and fruit! Those two have always been consistent. He has become very fond of peanut butter which makes us happy because he really doesn't eat much meat or cheese. He knows what he likes and doesn't that is one thing for sure! And...like all kids (and adults) he of course likes junk! How they learn that so quickly I will never know!

*He is a climber!!!! Scary, I know! He has scaled the gate to the stairs, climbed onto the bar stools, and can pretty much conquer everything at the playground...which terrifies me. SURPRISINGLY...he hasn't attempted climbing out of the crib!

*Talking in full sentences

*LOVES the outdoors and literally doesn't want to come in, he would play in rain, sleet, snow if we would let him

*When watching his favorite movies, he will act them out along with the characters and if he has the toy to go along with it he will run to his toy room and find them to watch the movie with him

*Going through major separation anxiety from both Mommy and Daddy...I very rarely leave him at all since I stay at home, but he isn't fond of me leaving him and cries when Daddy goes to work

*Got a new tricycle, but isn't quite ready to pedal yet

*Loves trains, cars, Buzz and Woody, frogs, animals in general

*Loves to sing and sings along with commercials he knows, show theme songs, and knows and sings songs from Kindermusik class

*Learning his good manners...when he burps he says "cuse me"...so cute! Once I let a burp slip and he said (before I could) "cuse you mama".

*We are still mama and dada and I love it...I swear I never tire of that sweet word coming from his mouth!

*Can build with his train tracks all by himself now

*Daddy and Clayton have been working at separating letters and numbers in the tub...sticking letters on one side and numbers on the other

*Knows and recognizes locations, he recognizes when we are pulling into the subdivision and when we are in Donut Bank parking lot (before even seeing the menu) he starts asking for his doughnut, and when we pull into Gi Gi's driveway he immediately starts asking for Lilly (Gi Gi's dog)

*When Daddy is mowing the lawn, he also mows on the deck with his play lawnmower

*Can identify some numbers, and is beginning to count

*For some reason the child has NO interest in learning his colors!! I have tried and tried and obviously if he wanted to learn them he could because he knows his letters and their sounds for goodness sakes! Either that or he is color blind and we just don't know it yet!

*The child forgets NOTHING...sometimes this is not a good thing! For example, one time after we got his haircut we met some friends at the Zoo...several weeks later we went to get his haircut and he starting asking about the animals and whether or not we were going to the Zoo. Are you kidding me!? We weren't going to the Zoo that day, so that didn't go over very well.

*Speaking of haircuts...he is not a big fan, but our hairdresser is AWESOME and is so patient and good with him! She earns every dollar she makes during that haircut!

*I know there is much, much more but he does and learns so much it is hard to keep up with :)

Can You Tell Me How to get to Sesame Street?

Daddy and Hollis Looking for the cookies in Cookie Monster's mouth

Daddy taking Clayton to see Cookie

Cookie Monster

Clayton having fun in the bounce house

Mommy and Hollis...I didn't get a picture of the boys together, but they were both dressed in their button down matching shirts and jeans...so cute!

Hollis taking it all in!

My friend had her little boy's 2nd birthday and did a Sesame Street theme. She is super creative and pulled out all the stops at this party. She had character cupcakes, Sesame Street themed games and party favors, and a big bounce house in the backyard. Cookie Monster even made a special appearance!!!!Clayton had a ball, but had a hard time understanding why all those cool presents weren't his!