three and 1/2. Homer:)

homer is 3-1/2 years old today!!! Definitely, the most...what's the word: interesting . exhausting . adventurous . entertaining . defeating . uplifting . enlightening . happiest . quickest . most satisfying . love-filled years of our lives:)

since turning 3, I decided to scale back on the monthly photos...we're shooting to grab a photo of him on his actual birthday and his 1/2 birthday...for as long as he's semi-agreeable;)

in the last 6 months, Homer's started Preschool. See HERE:) 
His 2, current, favorite phrases:
"are you kiddddddinggggg meeee??"
"comeeeee on, come on, come onnnnnnn!"
No personality at all, this kid;)
Potty-trained, has been for quite some time but not through the night yet. I fear this may take a bit longer:/
He's sleeping in a 'big boy' bed...aka. up off the mattress we had on the floor for him:)

he loves to cook and go to work with Jacob - I love both these loves as well:) He loves Minecraft - unsure how I feel about this yet:/ Homer doesn't get a lot of screen-time, seeing as we don't have cable. But he does get some time on the computer or our phones during 'rest time'. But we try to keep that to a minimum. With me sooooo pregnant, I've probably been taking advantage of his love for Youtube more than I normally would;)

this boy is full of stories, never stops moving OR talking. He's excited to be a big brother again...to a brother. He claims sister's "go crazy", so he prefers a brother;)

i can hardly believe how much he's grown in such a short amount of time. We just looked through his 1st year book the other night - he loves seeing himself as a little baby - and it just seems like a different time...like it never happened. I see him, as a baby...and I can remember it...but somehow it seems like a lifetime ago:( This growing up thing certainly doesn't get easier but I'm SO proud of our boy.

he also likes when I tell him how proud I am of him (when he sleeps through the night in his own bed or goes poop by himself or doesn't cry when I drop him off at school:). He says to me:
"mom, I like when you tell me you're proud of me! It makes me happy:)"

photos courtesy of: Courtney Smith Photography

painted toenails courtesy of: cousin, Rowdy;)

to 3-1/2 wonderful years with our little boy:)

xoxo.

1+1+1=THREE

jeesh. 3 years?! I'm disgusted at how quickly that time has gone. And even more so at how my mind has almost forgotten that he could have been or ever was a little baby!:( Homer as a newborn...Homer as a 1 month old...nursing him...sitting up on his own or crawling for the first time...taking his first bites of food...first steps...It all seems a bit hazy. Now that he's 3, it seems he's never been anything but this age. And it's hard to imagine him as anything beyond this. 

what a privilege it's been to have this boy in our lives. My god. He's so good for us:) There are definitely times that we sit back and laugh (cry?!;) because I'm sure we're being punked with a child that has inherited some of our most awful traits;) - somewhere on the other side of this screen my mom and dad are saying "YESSSSS!!!!!";) But I wouldn't have it any other way. What better way to teach us the patience we most definitely needed to learn:)

we kept things pretty simple this year. Just our immediate family - as usual. Some jello and strawberries instead of a cake, who's leftovers I would have devoured at 11PM;) - and a small donut for the birthday boy - which he shared with his cousin:). Homer and I stayed up late the night before making a quick little 'table cloth'...which was the extent of our decor;) Oh, and who could forget the balloon I had to take a small loan out for...$12.99? Shittttt;/

i think he could just do nothing more with his life. Just eat donuts and live in our basement and drain our savings and I would still feel so much pride for him:) But I know better...our little boy is destined for some really, reallyyyyy fun and exciting adventures in his life:) 

 this photo actually makes me feel fat. All.They.Do.Is.Eat. ;)

favorite gift given goes to Uncle Jordan: Darth Vader Mask.

He didn't take it off for almost an hour;)

this might actually be my most favorite family photo yet!!!:)

and one last birthday gift the next day...his first pet: Gilbert the Beta Fish:) Thanks Aunt Mal Mal and Uncle Chris!!:)

if he can't touch Gilbert, he thought maybe he could blow on him;)

happy birthday to our sweet and sassy little boy:) It has NOT been an easy journey but it has been the biggest and best and most happy adventure of me and your dad's life. Watching you grow and become a little boy and loving you so hard...it's actually painful. Loving something as much as we love you can be a pretty scary thing and I know that fear and that love will only get bigger every day:)

we'll love you forever and ever little man:)

thanks again for all the gifts and the birthday wishes and for the beautiful photos, Courts:)
xoxo

and here's a refresher of a baby Homer. I can't look at these posts without crying like a damn baby. HOW!? WHY!??!;') HERE and HERE.

a-Homer's-eye-view.

after looking at the above photo, I know you're not going to know whether to believe me when I tell you that Homer is not currently being heavily - HEAVILY - medicated;) Those eyes though!??!?!:)

homes has been super interested in photography lately. And by Photography...I mean: taking my camera while I'm hunched over my computer, having forgotten I have children to raise, and taking at least 23 selfies, followed by a photo of everything. 17 times.:)

honestly...I don't think he sucks at it. See for yourself!!

 exhibit A: mom not being a mom. Oops;)

these are just so random and cute and perfect:) I love his little perspective:)

*these were all from a few weeks ago, during Christmas and long-haired days:)*

month 30: Homer:)

this is it. The very last monthly photo of Homer-boy:/ Sad and relieved...my feelings about it at the moment. 

not to worry though. I'm giving-up on the monthly photos of Homer but we will catch up with him at least once a year...on his birthday. So you'll be seeing him in this orange chair again:)

i've - we've:) Courtney - been taking these photos since Homer was one week old. One week.

.break for ugly cry.

arg. So much sucks in my head right now. Just a lot going on. Doing this post on an 'off day' is not good for the tear ducts;') I have so much to be happy about. This boy being towards the TIP TOP of that Lucky List:)

homer is just as vicious.sweet.amazing.over the top.emotional.dramatic.polite.cuddly and fun loving as ever. He doesn't slow down too much. Unless it's to watch "Elsa" - Frozen:) or The Croods. Or "Thomas" - Thomas the Tank Engine. Or "Mickey" - The Mickey Mouse Club. I hate to admit how much 'TV' he's been watching lately. Mom fail. But this week we're shooting to have electronics put away and play. And make something and PLAY!:) And maybe even give this potty training thing a whirl...3rd times a charm?!:)

the photos above are a little blown out...oops:)

i love you Homer Smith:)

month 29: homer:)

i've almost been too busy lately to notice baby boy growing a month older. This makes me sad and relieved, all in one:/

homer is 29 months old...or WAS 29 months old about a week ago. No worries...he's still his crazy little self...times 10 some days;) I'm convinced that his attitude is 90% his own and 10% just the struggles that come with being 2. Regardless...he's on my every nerve most every damn day;)

i'm now that mom who pastes a painful smile on her face up and down the isles while her 2yr old screams and thrashes in the cart. You.Will.Not.Win. But I try, try again:) 

homer may be a handful - hitting-ish, sassy mouth, running from me, not being a very good listener. BUT he's also a very sweet and polite little boy. Most of the time he's the first to say Thank You, without being prompted. He loves to give hugs (when he's not busy hitting;). He still adores his sister's "cheekers" and is always ready for a morning cuddle and kiss. 

most days he still goes down for a 2-ish hour nap. PRAISE JESUS!!!!. And when he is in undies...he's doing really, really well. I'm very proud of him:)

oh, Homer. I adore your spunky ass:)

month 27: homer:)

he sat and took this photo like.a.champ. Quite a different experience compared to last month - HERE;)

homer has really been testing the strength of our patience over the last month. Like...for real. He kinda loves to hit. Throw things after we tell him not to throw things. "NO" is his fav word. He's definitely gotten reacquainted with his time-out spot over the last few weeks;)

butttttttt he's still the most loveable creature:) Overall, he's a lover. He still cuddles with me. He wants to feel your 'cheekers' and just cozy up whenever possible:)

these photos - by Courts:) - are definitely those ones that you laugh while taking and then your husband walks in a few hours later while you're hunched over the computer screen distorted-face crying and he has to talk you down from your "he's old and I'M OLD and what is life?!?!?!? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!?!?!!";)

we love him so. That is a fact. I'll take the bad with the good. This boy makes my heart happy:)

month25: Homer:)

i'm so behind...Homer's actually turning 26 months in just a few days! I think he looks less like a baby now then he does in these photos!:'( And his hair has gotten a tad longer but Auntie Vicki is coming to town in 2 short weeks to give him his 2nd hair cut:):)

what can I add about Homer....

he's such a whipper snapper. SO full of personality! I know I've said it before...but I was convinced we'd get this super chill kid. My instincts are pretty much always off and they definitely were in the case of his personality;) Homer is so.pumped.all.the.time! And about 67% of the time...it's hilarious. Other times...he's hanging off your back, biting your neck. He's an animal folks;) He's taught us more about patience than I'd ever wanted to know;)

but he's such a good kid:) He sleeps so well at night. Has since the day we replaced his crib with his own little star wars sheets covered mattress on the floor:) He likes to tell me "mama, it okay" and give me a kiss when he thinks I got hurt or that I'm upset. There's NOTHING cuter. Nothing:)

every day his eating habits improve. Until recently...I wasn't sure how he was surviving because of how little he was eating. But he's getting better...baby steps:)

homer is speaking SO well. Full sentences. Putting things together that I wasn't aware he was aware of! We've also learned that he has a hard time pronouncing things like: celery or hippopotamus. But the word fuck. Clear as a bell;) Time for mom and dad to clean up their mouths cause we have a mocking bird in our presence;)

potty training has not begun. He shows interest. Sometimes he pees in the potty. Sometimes he asks to poop in the potty but doesn't poop in the potty. Sometimes he asks to poop in the potty but only pees in the potty. Most of the time he hides and shits in his cloth diaper;) It's obvious neither of us is ready for that undertaking;) 

homer is a daily reminder to stop and smell the roses. To enjoy the here and now. I love him. I love him. I love him. I can't imagine him a day younger or a day older than he is this very second. He makes me so incredibly proud...proud of him and proud of what he's helped Jacob and I to become:)

and here is Theo...holding her own and proving that she can make just as much noise as her older brother;)