the BEST ever

We all spent a wonderful, warm-winter weekend in Wimberley a couple weeks back trading the camera back and forth and capturing some sweet shots of moms and dads and babies. The big group shot went as expected, but all the small, sweet moments ended up being very sweet. 

we have (a) COUSIN

Since Blue was born, we have been patiently but anxiously awaiting the arrival of cousins. We were extra lucky in the arrival of little Woods Tilly that he and Brother are only two months apart. We can only imagine all the shenanigans these two will get into.

I keeping on thinking forward twenty years and imagining this picture reenacted with our grown boys. I'm guessing Brother won't be quite such a bruiser and Woods will have caught up and more. We have grand plans for cousin summers spent in Texas, Colorado, and anywhere else we might fancy. I'm looking forward to those slow, crazy days and raising our kids together.

happy FIVE months

Almost to the half-year mark! Brother can roll from back to belly and from belly to back - but he has been doing that for months. We have just failed to record it... I had to sprint across the living room the other day when he rolled over and almost off the couch. He is all about reaching out and grabbing for toys and is not far off from sitting unassisted. His fingers are always in his mouth but no signs of teeth yet. He had been taking five little 45 minute naps spaced about an hour and a half apart until a couple weeks ago when he dropped down to three 1.5 hour plus. It is still a bit hard for him to settle into a routine - my after lunch school pickup and our afternoon activities make his schedule unpredictable. But the longer naps and the longer periods between them has made him much more settled and happy. We started him on solid foods this week and such a difference from my older two! No grimaces! No squeezing his lips shut and turning away! He ate avocado the first night, oatmeal with applesauce for breakfast, and mashed cauliflower (full of garlic!) the next. Something has to keep those cheeks going. They don't grow by themselves! He is the sweetest thing. Generally undisturbed by the antics of the crazy older ones. He sees them and bursts into grins. Unless they are roaring like some wild beast and then he bursts into tears.



First Foods from Micaelan Davis on Vimeo.

PS - All the bibs are packed up except this vintage Christmas one from my younger days.

working it OUT

Organized extracurriculars take two! We tried karate and soccer in Japan just after Blue turned three and it was a bust. It could have just been Japan but I think it was mostly just Blue being three. We got back to the States so late in the summer and I had 6-weeks to go til baby #3 that we dropped the ball on swim lessons too. So we decided we would start Blue up after the holidays so he could build up his skills before the summer comes. We went back and forth on where and when to go. And then we thought, oh, it would be fun to do gymnastics too (I was a gymnast for 11 years). And then everything just clicked into place at Crenshaws, my old gym. Blue does swimming twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays and takes gymnastics on Tuesdays. We started last week and I have absolutely no complaints, both programs have been excellent. The swim class is fun but not chaotic. And Blue seems to be paying attention and trying to do what his instructors show him. Plus, he gets to wear a uniform and generally look adorable. Go Blue!

love my BOYS

Sorry bubba, more comparisons with your older brother. He doesn't have the nose twitch but wouldn't trade those sweet smiles and kissable cheeks. 

RED riding hood

We went to the Austin Zoo recently... and yes, we did see a wolf.

babies are SLEEPING

Wiley is a natural little mother figure. She spends the majority of her own "nap" time putting her dolls down for nap. I'll go into her room to let her out and find napping stations all over the room. Her clothes have been emptied out of her closet to make room for nap space for the babies. She got a kitchen for Christmas so now I think they might get a snack first. Beware though, if you join in her game she can be a bossy mama. 

the HAIR cut

So, I cut Blue's hair. Or rather, I don't cut it ;). But that isn't true. Long hair takes quite a bit of fiddling with to keep it from looking wrong. And it can look wrong very easily. But I really loved Blue's hair. He has good hair. But then Graham took this picture of Blue:

And although the hair is still distracting, I loved being able to see his sweet face. So I decided he needed a trim and asked him how he wanted his hair to look. First off, he gets a lollipop every time I cut his hair so he is always eager for one. He said he wanted the hair out of his eyes. I asked him if there is anyone at school or that he knew that he wanted his hair to look like. We settled on his friend Eliott. Whose hair is very short. So I got him in the chair and proceeded to "trim" his hair for about thirty minutes asking him over and over again if he was sure and clarifying what we were about to do. I didn't want to cut those beautiful locks off for nothing and I certainly didn't want him to freak out that they were gone. The clippers were an adjustment but we made it through. He liked it immediately and kept catching glimpses of himself in the mirror the rest of the night. He would pause, turn, and smile a bit.

We'll see where it evolves from here. But in the meantime, doesn't he look years older?! 

WINTER in wimberley

Summer is the more predictable season to hang out by the river but I have always really enjoyed the winter as well. It is quiet and calm and just the right amount of cold here in Texas. Perfect for an afternoon s'mores session. Poor Brother wants one too ;).

the HOUSTON part

We were in Houston for all of Christmas week. We hadn't been in a couple years since we get to enjoy the Davis grandparents in Wimberley so often. But we thought it might be a fun change of pace. We broke up the drive down with a BBQ stop for lunch and a nap for the second leg. It was easy-peasy. And Houston did not disappoint. I was exhausted at the end of each day but we packed it in and had fun. We hit the zoo, the Children's Museum, the Galleria, a Christmas Eve service, a drive through River Oaks to enjoy the lights, several trips to Rajin Cajun, and several Christmas day visitors.

the xmas SEASON

December seems to go on forever and yet be over in a flash. There is always so much I want to do but the days fly by. Blue was very interested in Santa this year so he visited with him on two separate occasions. Brother was too young to know any better and Wiley was definitely NOT interested. She did like sitting on Santa Dad's lap though. Blue enjoyed all the sweet treats that come with the holidays and he enjoyed Wiley's helpings as well. She eats like a bird. Unless its spaghetti. We tried The Elf on the Shelf this year, sort of half-heartedly and without the naughty or nice angle. My lack of pictures tells you just how into it we were. We visited the live nativity scene out in Burnet put on by a local church. It is hard to describe unless you have been but it is pretty impressive. Blue had a great time and it was a great way for him to engage with the Christmas story. 

a DOUBLE take

It's fun having another boy and recreating some of the moments and images that I remember fondly of Blue. We spent Thanksgiving day with my grandparents and Brother was all snuggled up in Mimi's arms when I realized something similar had happened before:

Blue:

Brother: