Happy Birthday Riley!

My handsome little guy is 7 years old now!  It's hard to believe that 7 years ago he was only a few days old.  When people tell you time passes quickly once you have children they are not kidding!  It's been an awesome 7 years and I can't wait to see what kind of man he becomes.

Sword fight!

Me and Riley - he's so beautiful!

With his buddy from church, Kayden.

With his Mamaw...undoubtably the most important person in his world...even more than Mom - but I'm ok with that :)

Opening present with his friends Rylan and Jessica

And here's Jack, learning how to play the guitar with his Papaw...but mostly he just tried to slobber on it!

Pretty in plaid

The title says it all!

Mmmmm.....

...my hands taste yummy!

This is how Jack spends most of his day - with his hand in his mouth.  Once he discovered that he could chew on it, it hasn't been far away!  He had his 4 month checkup last Monday and he is 25 3/4 inches long and weighs 15 pounds, 11 ounces.  He has almost tripled his birth weight.  He is in the 70th percentile for his weight and the 75th for height, which I find strange because he seems so chubby to me.  He can roll from back to front, and has been doing that since he was just 3 months old and two Saturdays ago he figured out how to roll from back to front, which he does any time you lay him down and then he gets mad because he doesn't want to be on his tummy.  He makes noises constantly, and has starting make the "m" sound.  I can't wait to hear him say mama!  He is a big ball of love, sweet and cuddly - until naptime, and then he has definite ideas on how he wants to be held, rocked, etc.  His doctor said it's recommended now not to start them on cereal until they're 6 months old, but each doctor is different, and he's HUNGRY!  I'll record it and post it on facebook, because I'm sure it will be hilarious.  I am so ready to sleep all night, so maybe once his tummy starts getting more full this will happen.

We got to spend the whole week of Thanksgiving at my parents, because Riley was out of school and we had a wonderful time!  Riley got to go to work with Papaw almost every day we were there.  They bought the 2 acres beside the old house and have been clearing it out, ripping up trees, and Riley was in heaven getting to help so much.  I don't think he would ever leave if we didn't make him :)  We're already looking forward to Christmas here in the Campbell house, but we've got to get past Riley's birthday first.  December is such a crazy month!

Lovin' this smile!

And lovin' watching him sleep!  He naps so well on my bed when I'm back there doing stuff - and the blanket isn't really in his face, it just looks like it.

Thankful!

I am always so thankful for many things, and wanted to list a few before I show the pictures of my little butterball turkey :)

I am incredibly thankful for my husband, Tim.  He cooks dinner for us if I need help, helps vacuum, changes diapers, feeds Jack, takes Riley to school, reads the Bible to him every night, is a wonderful spiritual leader for our family, treats me like a queen, is thoughtful, warm, loving...it goes on and on!  I'm thankful for Riley because he always makes me smile!  He is smart, sweet, loving, helpful with his baby brother, very protective of Jack, makes wonderful grades, is very polite, always says yes ma'am & no ma'am to his teachers, plays hard and has fun all day long!  I am so blessed to have 2 wonderful sons and even though I thought I wanted a baby girl, I'm so glad I have two boys.  Rough and tumble, rowdy, dirty boys. (I'm also thankful for having NO MORE babies - I miss my sleep, lol). I'm thankful for my parents because they raised me to be the best wife, mother, daughter, sister, etc. that I can be.  Also, they treat Tim like he is a real part of the family and has from day one - he thinks of them as blood family, not just "the in-laws!", they are always there with support for us, and let us live our own lives.  I'm also thankful for my church and church family, my many wonderful friends, our home, our vehicle, the food we have to eat, the fact that Tim works so hard to provide for us so I don't have to work, Jesus, because without him there is no chance for any of us to get to heaven, my extended family (especially my amazing Memaw), my health, my families health, and my brother, who is one of mine and Tim's best friends - he is always good for a laugh and is SO, SO good to both of his nephews!  I'm thankful for so much more, but this seems long enough already :)

Last weekend my parents came and stayed Sat. night with us and we went on the bayou tour.

I am SO in love with Jack's overalls and matching hats...he reminds me of a little 50's newspaper delivery boy :)

My little butterball turkey!

Riley and Mamaw before our yummy Thanksgiving lunch

I LOVE his turkey britches!

My Mom and hers - my Memaw

Tim, Jack, me...

...and Riley - he wanted his own picture!

4 Months Old!

I can't hardly believe Jack is already 4 months old...at 4:52 this afternoon!  He is such a sweet, good natured baby, smiling all day and talking to me.  He's getting to be such a big boy, trying to sit up if he's laying down, scooting all over the place, and if he's on his tummy he will push his whole bottom half into the air!  He has been rolling over for about a month now.  I love when I come into his room in the mornings and he's laying on his back looking up at me, always with a big gummy grin on his face!  He talks all the time now, he's hardly ever quite anymore and when he gets mad at me sometimes it sounds like a little MA sound is coming out.  I don't want him to grow up too fast, but I can't wait until he says mama for the first time!  He loves his big brother so much, when he sees Riley he can't stop smiling and he talks up a storm.  He normally has his last bottle any time between 8 and 10, just depending on when he's eaten that day, so he still gets up around 4 or 5 some nights, but he has also slept until 7 in the morning.  I can't wait until he's sleeping all night long, I don't remember what a good nights rest feels like!  He loves to swing, sit in his Bumbo and watch me cook, go for walks in his stroller (he loves to be outside) and sit propped up on our legs and talk to us.  His favorite noise is the "dove sound" and likes hearing me and Dad make that sound, and he always makes it back.  That was Riley's favorite sound too!  He has made our lives complete and we love every minute of being Jack's Mommy and Daddy - even at 4 in the morning!

He has the sweetest gummy grin I've ever seen!

And he loves his swing...for about 10 minutes.

I love this look - like a deer caught in the headlights!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I'm not too crazy about this maroon business, but Daddy loves it!

I know I'm a week (and a couple of days) early, but I probably won't be posting again until after all the festivities are over.  We went to a play at the high school last night (The Music Man), a couple of our youth group were in it, and it was a lot of fun!  Danny and Tanner did a great job, Danny was the male lead and Tanner was the only one from the middle school choir who had a speaking part, so we were so proud of them both!  About 1/3 of our members were there, and half of them weren't even related to the two guys...these are such great people!

Saturday afternoon my parents are heading here and we're taking Riley on the little bayou tour then they're going to stay the night with us and hear Tim preach on Sunday morning...we're all really looking forward to their visit!  After lunch on Sunday the littlest boys and I are going home with them to spend all of Thanksgiving week and Tim will be heading there after Wednesday night church.  Thanksgiving day we will get to see all of my Mom's family and it's always so much fun when we're all together!  That weekend Tim has got something planned for me - I keep asking, hoping he'll forget and answer me, but he never does :)  Whatever it is, I know it will be a lot of fun and I'm really excited about it!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, and a safe holiday!
Love, The Campbell Family

TO: Mamaw and Papaw

Dear Mamaw and Papaw,
     We love you so much!  And not just because you buy us stuff and take us places.  Even though we really like going to Atwood's and Taco Casa and Wal-Mart.  We love you because you treat us both super special, give us both our own attention and you never play favorites.  We know you love us more than anyone else (except for my Mom and Dad) and we think you're the best grandparents that any kids could over have.  We love you!
Love, Riley and Jack

Mamaw with Jack the day after he was born.

Papaw with Jack, also the day after he was born.

Mamaw with Riley on the last day of Kindergarten.

With Papaw outside one of their rental properties.

What is it about baby boys in overalls? (Thanks for those Mamaw!)

The two most beautiful Campbell boys ever!

And just because this is hilarious:  This is where Jack started out...

...and this is where he ended up!

Happy Halloween

We have all had such a great time for Halloween this year!  This is the first time we've lived somewhere where it was feasible to trick or treat, apartment complexes aren't great for that.  First, we went to the Fall Festival that was downtown in the historic district.  They had a cake walk, trunk or treating, face painting, free food, a little "train ride" and games with prizes.  Riley had a wonderful time, and the rest of us did too.  Once it cooled off a little more we headed back downtown to trick or treat with friends from church and their little boy and they had the best time.  Riley got a pumpkin full of candy (no candy corn though, so I was disappointed!) and even won a cake on the cake walk.  He declared it the best Halloween ever!

Marshal Deadwood

Howdy pardner

Mom with her little Marshal

She cackled, stirred in her cauldron and talked - he thought it was very cool.

He was totally in character and so funny!

Boo Bones

And Mom with her sweet little skeleton!

On a totally different not, I finally saw Jack roll over! He's been doing it for almost 3 weeks now and was such a stinker. Any time I tried to record it, or even watch, he would play possum and just lay there like he couldn't do it. I still can't get him to let me record it, but at least I finally saw. And he is also laughing now, but he won't do it very often. Mostly he just laughs at his ceiling fan :)

This just makes my whole day!

Another year has come and gone...

married to my wonderful husband!

Today marks our third anniversary and it's been a fantastic three years.  Friday afternoon we all drove to my parents house in Greenville, unloaded all the stuff you have to take for a baby and 6 year old boy, and got ready.  Neither one of us really wanted to drive all the way to Dallas in dressy clothes!  Tim took me to The Melting Pot in Addison - it's our anniversary tradition.  We went on our honeymoon and have been for all 3 anniversaries.  I know a lot of people think, "why would I want to pay to eat somewhere where I have to cook my own food?", but it's an experience you can't get anywhere else and we both have so much fun there.  Then we got to spend the night at the Hilton, with no kids to take care of, no homework to do, or dishes to clean up!  Saturday morning we went to Dunkin' Donuts, there aren't any within 50 miles of Jefferson, so it was a nice treat.  Tim loves their coffee and I had been dying to try the pumpkin muffin and latte - I love anything and everything pumpkin.  After that we headed to the Galleria to visit Gymboree (I finally found a specific outfit from their website for Jack I had been wanting) and Victoria's Secret.  I could go into major debt shopping at either of those places!  Then, it was back to Greenville to see our beautiful boys and spend a little time with my family.  But, before we headed home we got to have dinner with them at Tim's favorite mexican restaurant (thanks for our anniversary dinner Mom and Dad). 

Tonight, I cooked one of Tim's favorite meals: manicotti with grean beans and cheesy garlic bread.  He loves Italian, and I love homemade Italian, so it's always a hit at our house.  After church we'll share some sparkling red grape juice, just another dorky tradition that we have!

Tim, I love you now more than when I said "I Do", and that was the best decision I've ever made.  You're a wonderful husband, father, provider and minister.  I thank God every night that I have such an amazing, loving, and attentive husband.  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

3rd anniversary at The Melting Pot

And just for good measure, here are the pumpkins we carved last Tuesday.  The scary werewolf is mine and Tim's and the smaller happy face is Jacks.

And this is Riley's.  He got to pick out his and Jack's pumpkins and he chose the face for his by himself.  He did a great job!

Pumpkin Patch and Fall Pics

We took our first trip to a pumpkin patch as a family of 4 this afternoon.  I got lots of great pictures of Riley, but none of Jack by himself that were any good.  The only one's with him in them are where Riley is holding him.  Jack was 3 months old on Sunday, I can't believe how quickly it's flown by!  He holds his head up very well, people at church are always commenting on how well he does that, and he's been doing that for over a month and a half now.  I think he might be really strong like Riley, which may not be good for me!  He is rolling over, but he won't do it where I can catch it on camera.  He also won't smile and talk for me if he sees the camera anywhere near my face.  As I'm typing this he's laying in his crib, and I can hear him cooing and talking and every now and then I hear a THUD.  He likes to raise both legs in the air and smack them against the crib mattress.  He also likes to lay on the floor in his room and laugh at the ceiling fan.  He does NOT like being on his stomach, unless he's sleeping, but I torment him and make him lay on his tummy mat anyway.

Riley was on the A honor roll the first 6 weeks of school and we are so proud of him, he especially loves math and science (where did he get that?  Not from me!) and he's reading very well now.  His teacher is pretty tough, but I think it's good for him.  He's already doing spelling - I do not remember doing spelling tests in the 1st grade - and he's gotten a 100 on all but one of them, and he got a 90 on it.  We are so proud that he's adjusted to a new house, school, church and teacher so well.

Here are the pictures from the pumpkin patch, plus some others that I took around town.  We want to get family pics done after Thanksgiving and I'm really looking forward to that!