Crazy Sleepers

I do not understand what goes on at night. These boys are some crazy sleepers.We put a pillow at each end so they could each have their "own space" without squishing each other. Somehow they both ended up off the pillows squeezed at Reese's end.
Since Gus has a button down shirt on with sweats I'm thinking this was a naptime....Gus had to leave room in the bed for the Lego building in progress. Reese has his feet on the pillow.
This was what I saw when I walked by to go to the kitchen. Reese has his Captain America shield blocking his eyes from the glare of the kitchen light. He was complaining about it earlier. I thought he just fell asleep when he got quiet. But I guess he just solved his problem. Gus...well Gus just can't stay on the bed.

The After Party

When we left JUMP! we hit Costco for some pizzas then headed home to have dinner, MORE cake and presents with the Grandparents.PlasmaCar from grandpop! The boys have actually been riding this together.I wish I knew gift garnered this excited reaction.
Posing for Grandpop's photos (this was taken with my camera from a different angle.)
So funny everyone craning to see the The Chipmunks cd.Darth Maul's mask and double bladed light saber was a huge hit!
Reese cared not about bad luck he was so excited with his Scooby umbrella and then my camera battery died.....
We had pizza and cake but I failed to take any photos of Reese with the Grandparents.

Reese's Birthday Party

Reese asked to have a "friend party" for the first time this year. In the past we've always had a party at our house with just family present and it's been a full house. This year we decided to have a destination party since February wouldn't allow for an outdoor BBQ. We headed to JUMP! for a bouncy house party.

Reese, Gus and ten friends had the bouncy house place to themselves for an hour. Six of the kids knew each other and have played together (bounced even) before, but four of the kids only knew Reese. Everyone got along really well. I think there were even some new friendships were forged among the older siblings.At the end of the allotted bouncing time all the guests gathered for a group shot. Instead of "cheese" they were supposed to yell "JUMP!" for the photo which of course led to a lot of actual jumping. I'm not sure that we got a really good shot. Now that I'm writing this I realize I didn't get a photo from the place. I'll have to email them about that.Reese loved his "friend" party! My dad took photos with his fancy camera, but he left his card reader at home. I was kind of waiting for some good photos from him, but he has to process them. As you can see I'm fine with posting my SOOC shots. Ha ha, so forgive my cruddy photos.After our bouncy house time we headed to the party room for birthday cake!Reese and all his friends gathered round the Scooby Doo table to sing "Happy Birthday" and for cake and juice boxes.Then it was time for presents. They set up two chairs so Reese could sit in one to open his gifts and his gift giving friend could sit next to him. I think the friend's were as excited to have Reese open the gift and he was to get the gift. Oh yeah, I think we may have just become a "friend party" family from here on out. Gus is busy planning his Thomas the Train party now.

BIG Boy Beds

Gus normally describes himself as "Mommy's baby" in response to any remark indicating he's big, a boy, or in any way belonging to Daddy. But the other night he announced, "I am big....because I growing. My bed too old." He proceeded to spend the next couple of nights on Reese's floor as not only was the crib for babies but apparently the whole room had become beneath him.A couple of nights he slept on blankets on the floor, then I brought in his crib mattress. Then Sunday afternoon at about 3 pm we decided to head to IKEA. We dropped the boys off at Grandma's, removed the car seats, put the chairs into the sto and go floor area and headed out. We came home with this low bunk bed. Once it was built we headed out to choose sheets. They got jersey sheets. Reese chose blue and Gus chose purple (of course).They begin each night on top together. Gus is so excited by this whole concept he won't stop talking and touching Reese. Eventually Reese yells "Gus is making me nervous" (aka getting on his nerves) and I move him to the bottom. They both love the new bed. They like sharing a room. It is still taking a solid 90 minutes to 2 hours for them to fall asleep. I'm hoping once the newness and excitement wears off that will go back to normal. They both wake up earlier since they're in the same room. I hope that wears off too.
They both noticed Reese's shadowboxed preemie diaper, hat and hospital wristband since they can now see it at eye level on the top bunk. That has provided lots of hysterical giggles and shrieks "Tiny baby diaper! Funny!"

Five Years Old

Oh my word, I can not believe my sweet baby boy is five years old today, FIVE! He was born after I spent 15 days in antepartum for pre-eclampsia. We welcomed Reese Eliot on February 16, 2007 at 29 weeks. He weighed 2 pounds 2 ounces (975 grams). He spent 58 days in the NICU before coming home on his 2 month old birthday. On that first day before I even laid eyes on him the neonatologist assured us he was a firecracker.

A teeny tiny diaper just like he's wearing in the yellow hat photo above at one month is hanging in a shadow box in his room. Now that he's sleeping on the top of the bunk bed (a low bunk) he can see it at eye level and its teeny tiny size always results in huge belly laughs.

He looks almost chunky in this 5 week old photo.
This is the first time he got to wear clothes about 5 1/2 weeks.

Here is the chunky monkey on his first day at home. Two months old and a whopping 5 pounds.

This is today, February 16, 2012. He now weighs 15 times his birth weight and he more than tripled his birth height. He loves light saber battles and Scooby Doo, his speech therapist, drawing, coloring, superheros, movies and his brother.
I just wanted to squeeze him all day long. Reese has made amazing progress these last five years. He began receiving services for speech, gross motor and a cognitive delay at 20 months. He was over 2 years old before he even said "mama" or anything remotely like it. At is 5 year old evaluation he is officially no longer eligible for OT as his gross motor skills are all up to speed. His special ed classification changed from "cognitive delay" to "Speech Language Impaired." The school psychologist was very adamant that this was a HUGE distinction. So he will continue to see the speech therapist through the school system and we'll continue with his private speech therapist. That's it. We have been incredibly lucky that Reese has had so few problems related to his prematurity.
He is a super sweet little boy. He has worked very hard without too much complaining even when his schedule changed so that September through February he had 2 separate speech therapy sessions and his occupational therapy session all on the same day.
He is still as much a cuddle bug as he was as an infant. I almost wish I could just hit pause and keep him just like he is for awhile longer, but then of course I'm overjoyed that he is growing and progressing just like he is.
Happy 5th Birthday sweet boy!!!

My New Business

Want to know what cool stuff is in this box? Let's schedule a party!

Dear Friends, I started an exciting new business venture. I decided to become a consultant with the Thirty-One. I've done a couple catalog parties with a lady in Alabama, but I really wanted a home show. I've had difficulty finding someone so I decided to just become one myself. I'm really excited to get this business going and have visions of it being so fantastic my husband can quit his day job to help me out. ha ha! Until such time I'm going to earmark this as our Disneyland or bust fund. I'm really hopeful this business can fund a trip to Disney in 2013.

The company offers some really great bags (you know I love me some good bags!) in super cute fabrics. Honestly, I want just about every single one. Thirty-One's mission is to Celebrate, Encourage and Reward women in whatever season of life they are living. We all need a little celebrating, encouraging and rewarding. We all need help organizing and looking stylish. I'm thinking Thirty-One will be the perfect outlet to let me keep being a stay at home, contribute some income to our family and connect with some great friends.

I really do want you to schedule a party...I need 3 by February 24, 6 by March 24 and 12 by April 24. I'd prefer to front load them so I'm not anxiety riddled about meeting those goals. BUT since you may need some celebrating, encouraging and rewarding I'm not going to make you wait! You can shop and order online for my LAUNCH PARTY!

Follow this LAUNCH PARTY link to view the catalog and place your order online. The special is for every $31 you spend get an additional item at 31% off. If you spend $62 you get 2 items at 31% off and they do not have to be equal or lesser value. You can spend $31 and then get the $149 bag at 31% off. Woo hoo!!!

Once I get my kit all opened and reviewed I'll come back with some cool use ideas for you. Thanks, friends!

Love, Heather