"May we have..."

The words every parent hears from their kids.  In our case, these were the words uttered this morning, followed by a request for pancakes from our 2 and very soon-to-be 5 year old. 

I have to admit, pancakes are easy, very easy... But completely not my specialty. Good thing that they are Adam's or our kids would seldom taste the soft, fluffy goodness, sprinkled with blueberries, chocolate chips, or whatever else we may choose to toss in. 

So, in  an attempt to honor Austin and Kaitlyn's request, out came the griddle, the cookbook, and a counter full of ingredients which would soon become a party if Old Betty Crocket's famous pancake recipe. 

Before long, I had squired quite the helper. Pretty cute isn't she?

She's also pretty independent... As she had to pick out her own clothes this morning.  Matching is typically momm'y forte... So I had to chuckle when I saw what she picked out. 

Before long, fluffy pancakes were coming of the griddle, or as Kaitlyn called it, "girdle."  I thought about explaining the difference but decided that that lesson was better saved for several years down the road. 

I'd offer to invite you over to enjoy some of the pancakes, but they may be all gone. 

And I think they met approval!  

Happy Saturday, everyone!

Austin's 1st Date!!!

Our little fella experienced his first date this week. Our school sponsors a LOCK-IN to encourage reading amoungst our K-6th Grade students. The lock-in was held last night at the school from 2:30-7:00. I helped until 5:00, and then ran out to the babysitter's house to pick up Austin and take him back to the school, so that I could help for a little longer.

Julie, a great friend and co-worker of mine, had her little girl with her. Trinity is 3 1/2 and just a doll! She also attends the same daycare as Austin does, so they're pretty well aquainted.

Austin and I walked into the Lock-In Carnival and Trinity just took him by the hand! She led him around for a while, before Austin got upset and looked to mom for a hug and some holding! There was a lot of action and a ton of kids...I think Austin was slightly intimidated!!!

I know Trinity's daddy is pretty concerned about all the little boys in town and their potential future interest in HIS little girl... BUT, I'm starting to think we need to keep an eye on that little Aldridge girl! :)

Spring has come to Western Kansas!!!

Spring is finally here!!! It's been warm enough outside lately for Austin to get out and do some major "little boy playing!" Adam and I spent the day (several Saturdays ago) moving the swingset up to the backyard for a certain little boy to enjoy! Not only did Austin enjoy it...he was climbing all over it without needing any help from mommy or daddy. I still have a hard time letting him just "take off" but find it a true gift to be blessed with such a content little boy!

Adam and I have been busy making plans for our summer containment of the little fellow. We plan to fence in the backyard as soon as possible to keep him closer to the house where I can definitely keep an eye on him as I begin my new career as a stay at home mom!

I can hardly wait for summer to hit and for us to begin this adventure! I would be fibbing if I said I wasn't nervous or anxious as to how this career change is going to go - but know that God has given us a wonderful opportunity to share with our family. To help ease the adjustment, we have lots planned to keep us busy. I am hoping to start potty-training Austin after school lets out in May. We are also making plans and have begun work on Austin's new "Big Boy" room. He will be making the move to the downstairs bedroom for his 2nd birthday, on June 21st. This is probably going to require a little more adjustment for Mommy than it will for Austin, as he's currently just down the hall from us. Finally...our hopefully - last - big adjustment will be our new addition coming mid-August. We can't wait for our new little one to arrive and neither can Austin. He points to mommy's belly and says baby - and then gives baby hugs and kisses!! XOXO!!

Please continue to keep our family in your prayers as we begin this adventure! More less - you might just pray that God gives Austin and Adam the patience necessary, while I learn to adjust to my new career!

God Bless!!

News...

The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of emotion, for a variety of reasons. With the state's budget in peril, education has taken a big hit, statewide. Weskan has had to eliminate a couple teaching positions, mine included. I'll be employed through the summer and then we'll see what happens. I know I'll miss the relationships and interractions I have with the amazing girls at work. Its been rough to think about not going back to Weskan in the fall, but we also know that God doesn't close one door without opening another one, or a window. :)

Adam and I found out just before Christmas that we are expecting a new member into our family. Baby #2 is due to arrive the end of August. We are tremendously excited that God has blessed us with another child and a possible opportunity to stay home with both of our kiddos. I'm not sure that Austin is quite aware of our situation yet, but I'm sure he will be as we begin making plans for his brother or sister. We have pointed at my belly and said "Baby," but we're starting to wonder if Austin thinks baby is a new word for belly. :)

Who Knew ???

Austin has turned into quite the little "water baby!" His love of the bath and shower has changed dramatcally. For the longest time, Austin was thrilled to take a shower with Daddy. That love of the water has matriculated into his love of bath time. Each evening, after dinner, we ask Austin if it's bath time. Sure enough, he takes off running for his bathroom at full speed. Sometimes he is even trying to climb into the bath tub before we can get his clothes off. Other nights, he is helping get the clothes off so that he can get into the warm, wet, suds!

His new favorite hobby in the bathtub is to play with caps...any kind of caps. Shower gel caps, harispray caps, you name it. Lately, he has enjoyed putting them on his feet to cover his toes and putting them on the shower knobs. What a joy it is to watch him play, laugh, and discover life!!!

Its been a while!!!

There are a few of you who have been houding me to update this - and I feel like a horrible mom for not having done it sooner! Here goes. Austin is now 19 months old and just a big, big helper around the house. He loves helping mommy load the washer and the dryer and feeding the doggie. Trapper waits patiently at the backdoor for Austin to give him his doggie treats! He is such a good "kid" dog.

Austin's doggie love isn't just limited to his doggie...over Christmas, we spent some time with Aunt Kim and Cousins Kayla & Ethan. They have a little dog named Prince, who Austin was just fascinated with. Must be something about little men and their best friends!

9 Months Old!!!

It hardly seems possible, but Austin is now 9 months old! Where does the time go? We had a 9 month check-up on Tuesday and he weighed in at a healthy 20 lbs. and has grown to a length of 28 inches. He is turning into 1 big boy!

Austin is almost walking...we're just not quite there yet. He's still cruising around any piece of furniture he can reach and is now taking 3-4 steps from Daddy to Mommy and back again. He has been shaking his head (as if to say no), but last week he started doing it when someone else does it. And, to add to that - this week he hit yet another milestone. Austin will now wave "bye-bye!" Our little guy is turning into 1 very grown up little guy!

The Clothes in the Dryer Go Round and Round...

Austin had a ton of fun last night. He crawled over to the dryer, climbed up, and watched as the clothes tumbled around inside. Daddy laughed and said, "Like mother, like son" and I had to correct him. I told him that I only did that when they were brand new - kinda like getting a new toy. Austin has done that several times and even likes sitting in the dryer (of course, with the door open) while it has warm clothes inside. What a kiddo!

A Special Message from Austin...

vdxhgf v n, mg h cvv ngf g d t,t5mrjh nnm4f f th nln n m


*You can't tell from this (the computer took out the spaces), but he really likes the spacebar!

Rub a dub, dub...three duckies in a tub.

Wait, make that 2 rubber duckies and one, very happy, splashin' little boy! All this time, Austin has been much more fond of taking showers with Daddy than taking baths and splashing. That all changed last week. Adam was gone for County Commissioner Training and Austin and I spent three days and two nights at home without him.

It was nearing bath -n- bed time Wednesday evening, when I got him in the tub to begin his nightly wind-down routine. Usually, he'll raise his arms to be picked up (this happens fairly frequently), but not this time. I attempted to pick him up several times, but he was much more interested in playing with his duckies than he was at getting out of the bath tub, dried off, and into some cozy jammies. What a little quacker! He was finally done splashin around about 10 minutes later.

On the Move...in more than one way!

Move #1: I arrived home from work on Tuesday to be asked a question by Adam. "Do you want the good news or the bad news?" When married to a rancher, this is never a good sign - and so I must have looked a little like a deer caught in the blinding glare of someone's headlights. As I stammered to say "What?" Adam chimed in, "Well, the bad news is that you weren't here to see it, but the good news is that Austin crawled today!"

"He did?" were the next words out of my mouth. As we visited a little more, I found that he had crawled a few feet and then stopped near the couch. Quickly after, Adam put him back on the floor, in hopes that he would do it again. No such luck! This little kiddo is definetly on his on own scheudle. I just can't wait to see it and get it on camera!!!

Move #2: Just to let you all know, we'll soon be moving to a new address. We'll be moving out of town (YAY!) and out to the ranch! Please pray for us that we are able to keep our sanity together and our tempers mild as moving often brings on a little stress. We are looking forward to lots of crawling and running space for Austin and lots of bunnies for Trapper to chase. As of next week, our new address will be:

1960 Road 3

Weskan

We'll be sure to keep updating Austin's crawling status and add moving pictures as we have time!

Austin's First Christmas Travelling Adventure!

Austin's 1st Christmas sure was an eventful and exciting one! We enjoyed Christmas with Adam's Mom & Steve, Kim, Kayla & Ethan (shown above) the Saturday morning, before Christmas. Austin got to play in his new walker and enjoyed getting his bottle from Great Grandma Smith.

That evening, we were able to celebrate with Adam's Dad & Cathy before our big Indiana trip. He got lots of great toys and even better...lots more attention! It seems that Austin was already very spoiled before we even got to see my family.

On the 22nd, we headed for the airport in Kansas City, with Grandma & Austin (and all of his stuff) in tow. After a not so short delay and an hour of sitting on the plane, we were off the ground in KC and on our way to Indiana...or so we hoped. During our delay in KC, we had heard that Indiana was getting pounded with a nasty ice storm. Thus, there was no guarantee that we would make it to Mom & Dad's once we landed in Minneapolis. We just had to sit back and wait - or sleep, as Austin did. What a great boy. He slept almost the entire flight and showed no signs of difficulty with the altitude.

An hour or so later, we arrived in Minnesota to find out that our flight to Indy was right on time. Within an hour, we boarded and Austin fell asleep and slept all of the way. Boy, were we truly blessed. Unfortunately, the ride home to Mom & Dad's didn't go as smoothly! The normally 2 hour trip turned into 5.5 and at a drowsy 3:30 AM, we finally arrived at the Snipes Bed & Breakfast.

We remained at my parents' home for Chrismtas Day and enjoyed seeing lots of family and a new cousin, whom we hadn't seen yet! The kids sure all had fun playing and taking in all the lights and decorations.

All in all, Austin celebrated at 6 different gatherings and had a fantastic holiday! We hope yours was joyous and that you were able to enjoy visiting with your family and friends!

Best wishes for a Happy and Blessed New Year!

Lots of Love, The Smiths
Adam, Christine, & Austin

Growing...Growing...Growing!!!

Our little guy isn't so little any more! Austin visited the doctor last week for an ear infection (no worries - he's doing great now), and weighed 15 lbs. 10 oz. This week he's been drinking lots and lots of milk. It seems our little "Milk Monster" has returned - and in full force! I think we're in for another growth spurt the way he's been eating!

We also started some cereal this week. I'm not sure that he's a great fan of the rice concoction - but its growing on him...and mommy and daddy. It seems to really help us get through the nights and wake up bright and cheery at 6:00 A.M. Yea!!!

New Tricks!!!

Austin learned a new trick this week! While we were playing with him Tuesday evening, he rolled over onto his tummy, and back over onto his back without ANY help!!! You can imagine how ecstatic we were. Austin must have thought his mommy and daddy were nuts because they were cheering and clapping...not to mention the enormous smiles on both of their faces!

I found that he had done it 2 more times at the babysitter's yesterday. We haven't seen it again since Tuesday evening, but you can bet the next time, we'll be waiting with cameras ready!

We'll be posting Halloween Pictures as soon as we have them. Our HS volleyball team is advancing to state finals this weekend in Hays, so our Trick or Treating has been postponed to Sunday evening. Keep your eyes open for more pictures, coming soon!

Hard Day's Work

Austin and Daddy found some time to relax after a long, chaotic weekend. Friday was a day of being home with Mommy. We woke up really, really early Saturday morning. We went back to sleep and then woke up about 8 to go to Colorado Springs for a day of shopping and odds n' ends. Saturday night followed the pattern of the night before; staying up late and waking up super early!

Sunday afternoon, after running around a bit, Austin found some time to snuggle with daddy! He must have been pretty comfy! He snuggled with Daddy for quite some time before waking up and needing a snack!

Feels like Autumn!

We started off this morning happy as can be, as we got up and had our breakfast! Austin was all smiles. Mommy was heading off to work, Daddy was heading out to cut feed, and Austin was going to Grama Debbie's for the day! As we started getting around, we noticed it was feeling a little chilly out, so we decided it was a great day to try out our new winter outfit! Check out the pictures of our little deer below!

Smile for the Camera!

What's Next, Mommy?

That is the question. What IS next? This week, Austin has really taken to playing with his toes and holding his own bottle. That is...if it's almost empty. The way I see it, milestones are milestones!

He is definetly going to be a roller coaster kid! Adam tosses him in the air (very, very gently) and hangs him upside down a little and Austin just smiles and smiles!

When he is lying on mommy's lap, Austin has begun to push himself backwards so that he can hang his head over mommy's legs and the couch to see upside down! What a little squirt!

Time Flies...

It has become apparent to me how quickly times flies! Austin is now just a little over 3 months old. His 3 month b-day was on September 21st, which was also Grampa Smith's birthday.

This week, some friends of ours had a little boy, who was just a little smaller than Austin was when he was born. We went to visit last night and it just amazes me how quickly a little one grows. I know Austin was that tiny when we brought him home, but seeing Austin and Eli next to each other makes it so hard to fathom. Isn't life just amazing???

Congrats to Aaron & Julie. He's definitely a keeper!

We've Made It!

It looks as thought we've made it! I've survived my first week of going back to work (and not being home with Austin). More importantly, I think Daddy has survived, too! With Adam playing Mr. Mom, I'm sure that this change in routine has taken some getting used to. It hasn't been easy, but I think we're in the clear. We've made it!

I don't think you could tell that things have changed from watching Austin. He has had a week full of fun...and smiles. On Wednesday, he had his first ride in Grandpa Smith's mail car, rode in Daddy's big farm truck, attended a Rotary meeting, and spent afternoons with daddy at the store. He must have really been worn out though. He was napping every time I went to see him after work.

All 3 of us have enjoyed watching the Olympics these past couple of weeks. The litte guy can be found with his eyes fixated on the television, fully observant of the color and movement on the screen. I think he learned tons from watching the men's swimming competitions! A lot of times you can find Austin fully extended with his arms above his head and his legs kicking. I found myself telling Adam that we may be looking at the next great "Michael Phelps!" Only time will tell! :)

Back to the Grinding Stone

Austin sure is growing! We had our 2 month check-up yesterday and the little guy weighed in at 11 lbs. 15 oz. and 20 1/2 inches!

I started back to work today (with students). Austin slept pretty well last night, making it a little easier to get up and get going today. Adam is watching him during the day while I'm at work, so I'm sure that they are out checking on the cows and buffalo, driving the farm truck, and getting lots done before heading back to town. They spend the afternoons at the Weskan Mercantile, the store that Adam and I opened here in Weskan.

Its a little crazy, but we've had over 6+ inches of rain here since August 1st. Yep, that's right - 6 inches! The grass is green, the cows and buffalo are happy, and the hay is growing! Who ever thought that RAIN could be such a blessing!?!