Sprinkler FUN!

Last week, Cutter begged (we're working on it) asked to play in the sprinkler, so when we got home from the store I set it up for Cutter and Gracie to play and have some fun in the sun!  

They loved every minute of it!  Getting Gracie to warm up to the idea was a little hard, but once she realized it wasn't going to hurt her she was all for it! 

I love this picture!  One kid putting his head down and the other one waiting the water to rain down on her!  

 They raced from one end of the yard to the other end, they played with a big water bucket, but in the end they hugged and played together and that makes my heart full of so much love for both of them!  I hope their love continues to be as strong as it is today!!

"Be with who makes you smile" -Author Unknown

Bribery!!!

I don't bribe my kids with a lot of things.  I only bribe when I'm desperate it is important and warranted.

I take complete responsibility for my oldest's bedtime routine.  Cutter is a cuddler, he loves to cuddle and I took full advantage of it when a) he was the only child b) he was the only child and c) he was the only child!  I loved that he loved to cuddle / be rocked to sleep when he was an only child, but since Gracie has been born I've been kicking myself for not being more structured in his bedtime routine.  Our bedtime routine has gone from me or daddy rocking him to sleep and laying him down in his crib to laying in his big boy bed, waiting for him to fall asleep and then sneaking out.  I tell myself that he is only little once and enjoy it, but that way of thinking won't help when I'm trying to move Gracie to her big girl bed.  Gracie doesn't like to snuggle at bedtime and likes to be laid down and most of the time goes right to sleep, oh how I wish it was that easy with my eldest!

22 month later...and we are still laying down with Cutter, BUT Gracie needs to transition to a big girl bed and Daddy can't be in both places when Mommy is gone.  Everything I've ever done with Cutter has been cold turkey - he went cold turkey on the bottle, cold turkey out of diapers, and cold turkey moving into a big boy bed, but falling asleep on his own just hasn't been easy for him, so enter the bribery...

We were at Wal-Mart last week and Cutter begged asked if he could have this little tykes picnic table.  We told him no, but that he could earn it.  So for the last week we have been talking about him being a big boy and going to sleep on his own, he hasn't been too keen on the idea, but I've been persistent!  So, tonight we took the plunge and started our countdown!  Hopefully, Cutter will fall asleep in his bed ever night for the next week and when we get down to ZERO, we will go buy him the picnic table of his dreams! (no pun intended!)

I'll keep you updated...

My Gracie Girl

oh how my gracie girl has changed since my last post!

When I left blogging Gracie looked like this :

Mar 13, 2010

And now: 

Easter 2011

Gracie is the sweetest little almost 2 year old there is!  She loves her babies, she loves to cuddle, and loves to give kisses.

 Nix Fourth of July Reunion 2010

Gracie went from being a sitter to a walker in about 3 months!  She wasn't in a hurry to do anything dramatic. She still takes her time to do things.  She must know that she can do it, before she tries.

 Gracie is certainly my girly-girl!  She loves to play dress-up, wear my heels, do her hair and put on pretend make-up!  She also makes a great model for some tutu's I've made!

 Happy 1st Birthday, Gracie

Gracie wasn't the best of eater at the beginning of when she started eating table food!  Some food therapy and a little bit of time away from Mom and Dad (while we went on a cruise) and she was eating everything, but fruits and veggies!  So that leaves her eating nuggets, mac & cheese and lots of noodles!  She's not much of a junk food eater, and doesn't really care much for sweets, unless it is a sucker!

 Gracie's hair is growing WILD!  She's had her first haircut twice!  The first time, I swore she needed a haircut and I paid $15 for her hair to look just as wild.  The second haircut, she needed more of a trim of her bangs.  She did well and smiled the whole time!

 Oh my Gracie girl, it doesn't take much to upset her.  She is a sensitive soul, just like her momma.  She doesn't like to be told "no", but who does.  She cries any time Bubba takes something away and he is quickly learning that he doesn't like when she cries.  He immediately gives back her toy or tries to make the situation better.

 My turkey, turkey!  

 Gracie is talking up a storm and will repeat almost anything you say or bubba says!  Her favorite words are "NO!" "Yes!" and "MINE!" "Share!"

 She is the most beautiful little girl!  She reminds me so much of myself when I was little.  She has a really caring spirit and love for others.

 She loves her Momma more than anything and shows me with daily hugs, cuddles and kisses!

 But, this girl holds a special place in her Daddy's heart!  I love seeing the two of them play together, wrestle and share kisses!  Daddy is in so much trouble when she gets older, I hope she reserves her kisses just for him till she's 25 30!!!!!!

*~Cutter~*

Since it has been so long since I've posted I'm going to do "Get to know" type post about what our babes have been up too in the last year!

(his first dentist appt - May 2010)

Cutter, a soon to be 4 year old (!), is one of the sweetest little guys I know!  He loves his sister and baseball, in that order.  

Nix 4th of July Reunion 2010

He has got the biggest blue/gray eyes I've ever seen.  We get told that he looks a lot like Greg, but I really thinks he looks a lot like my dad's brother, my Uncle Steve, he looks just like his baby pictures.  He goes back and forth between loving to wear a baseball cap and having to have his hair done.  

Nix July 4th Family Reunion 2010

Cutter loved water last summer and is seems to be true for this year too!  Once it warmed up to a cool 95 degrees Cutter and Greg have been outside every day and evening.  They have their own little pool set up in the backyard and Cutter and Gracie LOVE it!  And it helps them both take good naps!

Ft. Worth Zoo - Nov 2010

Cutter will pretty much do anything we ask him to do, as long as it isn't picking up toys or cleaning his room.  He loves to try new things (a trait he gets from his mommy) and will give anything his all when he puts his mind too it.  He loves to play Nerf Guns with Greg.  His over all favorite thing to do to pass the time is to play hide-n-go-seek, Gracie and I usually team up together and Cutter and Daddy are a team.  This makes for some fun times in our house.  We are trying to teach him that he has to stay quiet and not giggle, but the little guy just can't keep those giggles in!  

Christmas 2010

Cutter really understood Christmas 2010 and is already looking forward to Christmas 2011.  I'm thinking we might are getting The Elf on The Shelf this year. (I just ordered it!!)  He asks all the time when Santa is coming! Little does he understand yet, that when Christmas comes, his birthday also comes and I DON'T want me little guy turning another year older, I love this age!

Cutter's 3rd Birthday Party - Feb 2011

Cutter loves BIG trucks, any kind of truck, Monster Trucks or Firetruck!  I had a hard time locating a Monster Truck for his 3rd birthday party so a Big Red Firetruck did the trick!  Cutter loved having his party at the Wylie Fire Station.  Although, Mommy was a little nervous that they would get a fire call in the middle of the party and sure enough they did.  Sirens, loud horns and red flashing lights are all part of the package when you decide to have a Firemans Birthday Party!

First Airplane Ride - March 2011

I don't know why neglected to take the kids on their first airplane ride, they did SO well!!  Cutter loved riding and sitting in his seat, Gracie did ok.  Mommy was actually working the flight, so Gracie was more interested in seeing what Mommy was doing.  

Easter - April 2011

Easter was so much FUN this year!  All the kids that were babies last year were running around searching for eggs this year!  It was a total blast and just look how much he has grown!  Such a little gentleman! 

Mother's Day - 2011

My best job by far that God has ever blessed me with is being the mother to two of the sweetest kids in the world!! They are my life and I can't remember what I did without them, except maybe sleep, but there will be plenty of sleep later in life.  For now I'm enjoying every bit of these two babes!

We're baaaack!!

New and Improved.  Expect great things ahead with our team!

I think I almost forgot how to blog!

Summer is here, lots of pictures being taken and fun times ahead!

I promise more blogging in the future!!

Mother's Day!

*ahem*  Did I say I was going to post an entry everyday?  Oh I did?  I'm sorry!  I'm bad like that!!  I'm trying I really am!

Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mother and sisters.  We are really missing Grandma these days!  Just trying to take it one day at a time, but today has been especially hard on us.

I woke up to hugs and kisses from my little ones.  Daddy had breakfast going and I was treated to almost breakfast in bed.  I say "almost", because Cutter wanted to eat with me and I was not about to let him eat in our bed, so we moved to the table, where breakfast is supposed to be eaten anyway.  I've had a good day so far.  Cutter is into saying "I love you too", so I am getting lots of those today and extra special hugs and kisses.  Gracie is, oh so close, to crawling, so I'm hoping with a little more time on the floor she might be moving and shaking soon!

Hope everyone out there has a very special mothers day!

Grandma's

This weekend we went to Cove to help my mom clean out Grandma's house.

Cutter and Gracie spent the day with their Aunt Kelly, Uncle Darrell and cousin Hope.  

                                      

It looks like they had a great time, don't ya think.  

Then they headed over to my Grandma Homan's house and we picked them up there!

After an emotional day of cleaning it was good to see my babies again and they were just as happy to see us too...

Whew, where have we been??

The Nix Team is still doing well and hanging in there...

April proved to be a very difficult month for us.  It didn't start out on the best foot.

On March 30, my beloved Grandmother, aka Oma, passed away suddenly from complications from her open heart surgery.  I adored her so much.  She is very missed.  Cutter asks almost daily about Oma.  He knows who she is, but my heart breaks to know that Gracie won't have the memories that Cutter has.  I'm sad to say that I don't have ONE picture of them together.  Since Gracie was born, she had not been feeling well and traveling to see us was out of the question.  We did get them together a few times, she loved all her great-grands more than anything in this world.  She was so proud of each and everyone of them.  She will forever be in our hearts.  We couldn't ask for a better angel watching over our little ones.  I know she is dancing the jitter-bug with Grandpa and getting lots of hugs from Uncle Dennis.  I hope she puts in a good word or two for us, I can't wait to see her smile again.

On April 23, I participated in the Relay For Life event in Wylie and I can honestly say that it was one of the most emotional events I've been to.  Grandma was planning on attending the Survivor dinner and walking the survivor lap.  To see all those other survivors out there, brought tears to my eyes.  I was looking forward to having her out there and being there with me.  I did the Relay For Life for all the cancer survivors out there.  I hope that my kids and grandkids don't have to know what cancer is.  I hope that in my life time there will be a cure for cancer!

Cutter asks about his Oma ALL the time, I took him to the viewing and he just stared and stared at her.  He repeatedly wanted to go see her.  He kept saying Oma sleeping and I would tell him Oma is sleeping forever here, but dancing forever in Heaven.  On several occasions since the funeral, he has asked about her, wanted to talk to her, and even actually called her on his cell phone.  She loved him so much, he had just recently been given the nickname "Snookie" because Emilee said she was no longer Oma's Snookie, Cutter was.  So she started calling him that.  Before Grandma had her open heart surgery I had just started potty training Cutter and she was so proud that he was doing so well.

I love and miss her so much.

We will be back to our regularly scheduled blog starting May 1st, so please come back and visit again!!  :)

7 almost 8(!) Months

Are you kidding me? Has it really been SEVEN months since my beautiful little brown haired baby was welcomed into this world!

Excuses! Excuses!

I am FULL of them!!

All I can say is I've taken very few pictures, had plans to upload them (the few I had) on my overnight (my 1st in 3 weeks) and I can't find my cord!!! errrrrrr.....

I have been enjoying time off with my babes.  We recently went to Houston to help celebrate Abbey's 3rd (!) birthday and I forgot my camera so we have no pictures of us there!!  :(

Gracie and I both came down with the stomach bug and then she came down with some type of cold.  All those things combined with a few other things out of my control have led me to be off for 3 weeks!!  :)

Although, I have enjoyed my time off with them, it is time to get back to a normal routine (I hope, for Cutter's sake) and work 3 days a week!

I want to make a commitment to blogging regularly, but I just can't.....yet!!!