a certain little someone's birthday is coming up...

This sweet little boy turns TWO in only one week! 

I know, I'm having a hard time believing it myself. It seems like just yesterday, we were in Texas celebrating him turning one at his rainbow birthday party. And now, he's about to turn two? How is that even possible? Excuse me while I go cry in the corner.

Last year.

At his first birthday party last year. 

I'll take this perfect newborn baby boy back now, please. ♥

happy birthday, Emmett!

It's hard to believe that Emmett is already one year old. As cliche as it sounds, time really does fly. I seriously can't wrap my head around the fact that it has already been a whole year, 365+ days, since he came into this world. There are so many things I could say, and so many things I want to remember about our first year together.

We celebrated by having a rainbow themed birthday party the weekend before his actual birthday. It was a joint party- our friends' son, Victor, was also turning two, so it was twice the fun! Polka dots and bright colors galore!! I wanted to make it an extra special party, since it is likely our boys' last birthday that they will be celebrating here in Texas. I think it was a success!

Elliot just couldn't wait to dig into that cake ;)

Emmett was in a pretty good mood and had a great day, despite having a cold and battling a high fever! Who gets a cold when it's 80+ degree outside? Only my child... and this kid doesn't do low fevers. Nope, if he's going to have a fever, it'll always be 103 or 104 degrees. I guess he just likes to keep us on our toes?

Grandpa Steve flew all the way from Michigan for the weekend, and they had a blast together ♥.

Grandpa Steve (my father-in-law) flew in from Michigan for the weekend, and he and the boys had a blast together. Elliot played with his "Gumpa" pretty much the whole time.

Emmett's actual birthday fell on a Monday, so we had a quiet little celebration, just the four of us. First, we did his cake smash. We didn't have to worry about whether he'd be like his big brother, who refused to touch his cake at first... oh no. Emmett LOVED it! Especially the frosting... orange and green frosting, everywhere! Once we got the all the frosting out of his hair, off his feet, out of his diaper, etc, we went to a chinese buffet, where both of my boys were in heaven because they could eat all the broccoli and rice they wanted.

ALL the frosting.

SUGAR HIGH BABY!

Some facts about Emmett at TWELVE MONTHS:
♥ He is 29.5" and 20 lbs
♥ Strawberry blonde(ish?) hair and big baby blue eyes :)
♥ he has 8 teeth and is getting some molars now!
♥ Wearing mostly 9 month & 12 month clothing, size 3 sposies or Flips snapped to the smallest setting
♥ He had been walking a bit (a few steps here and there) for about a month, but he celebrated his brithday by really taking off walking!
♥ He says and uses a few words correctly- mama, dada, bye bye, uh oh. He says other words, but I don't think he realizes it.
♥ He LOVES his big brother and is constantly following him around, playing with him, or copying him.
♥ He is still nursing- 2-3 times a day (before naps) and then 1-2x a night, too. I'm in no rush to wean him.
♥ Just like his brother, his favorite foods are veggies (peas and broccoli). He also LOVES rice.
♥ he loves to play peekaboo and hide & seek. He also really loves playing in the sandbox or at the beach.
♥ He is insanely ticklish
♥ Still a very cuddly baby. Whenever he's busy playing, he makes sure he crawls over periodically (every few minutes) to cuddle his mama.
♥ He took an interest in coloring at a very early age- in fact, he likes coloring with crayons or markers or on the magnadoodle now more than Elliot does. Maybe he will be artistic like many of the Gougeons?
♥ Pretty much nothing gets him down- he's happy even when he's sick or tired. We were truly blessed to have such an easy baby, it made things much easier when he was little and I was juggling caring for 2 under 2

Happy Birthday, Emmett Sullivan! We love you! ♥ 
ps- yes, I know this post was a week late. Better late than never, right?

Elliot's Birthday Party

I always feel a little bad for winter babies {having been one myself} because the party options are so limited. We moved a lot when I was growing up, yet we still never once lived anywhere where it was warm enough for me to have a party outside- and my birthday is in November, which is just the beginning of winter.

Poor Elliot was born smack in the middle of winter AND only a week from Christmas. It is improtant to us, though, that we still celebrate and make sure he has a very special birthday every year. Yesterday, a lot of kids were sick and couldn't make it to his party, but we can't complain too much because here in Texas it was 70 degrees and we were able to have his party at the park!

It was a Mickey Mouse themed party, because Elliot is pretty much obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. We were working with a small budget {another downside to having your birthday so close to Christmas!} but at this age, he could have honestly cared less about the decorations. He did LOVE his cupcakes and his Mickey Mouse balloons, though. And he had an absolute blast- and that's all that really matters.

 When we first got there, all he wanted to do was eat the cupcakes. He made several attempts to run off with them and stole a few Mickey Mouse ears.

Then when it was FINALLY cupcake time, it was all we could do to drag him from the playground. He had a blast blowing out the candle (multiple times) BUT barely ate any of his cupcake. Instead, he insisted on having a fork and feeding frosting to his friends...

We are lucky to have such wonderful, generous friends. Elliot received a ton of great gifts... and looking at them all strewn across the floor this morning has made it clear that it's time for me to get him the toy organizer I've been eying for awhile now. That way we have a specific spot for all of his different kinds of toys- little people, play food, puzzles, blocks, balls, cars, etc. We've been using a bin organizer, but since he can't see inside he dumps them. 

This one:

A few more pictures:

Elliot: two years old!

Two years ago:

I never could have imagined how wonderful the tiny person that I was carrying inside of my belly was. He is truly my little miracle baby. Nobody should have to come into the world the way he did, but was a fighter!

 God had a plan.   

On December 16th, 2010, at 10:08 in the morning, a little miracle was born, and my life changed forever. Weighing just 6 pounds, and with several of his internal organs on the outside of his body, that tiny baby had a rough start to his life. He made it through, though.

One Year Ago:

Last year, in 2011, with all of his troubles behind him, that brave little boy celebrated his first birthday. 

Today:

Elliot Reid is turning TWO! Right before my eyes, he has transformed from a fragile newborn into a busy, happy, and healthy toddler. He is the best little son and big brother ever.

Happy birthday, Elliot Reid. Mommy loves you with all her heart. I hope you have a very, very special day. ♥

Fab Friday

The fabulous thing about today is that both of my boys are finally, finally feeling 100% better. Just in time for a very busy, fun-filled weekend!

No more coughing, runny or stuffy noses, red puffy eyes, disgusting diaper explosions, or fevers in THIS house!

My bloggy Samantha from Where the Green Grass Grows made the three hour drive down for the weekend. Since she is a Thirty-One consultant, and 31's products are amazing, I'm hosting a party at my house tomorrow afternoon. We're using the new spring catalog, which is full of all kinds of bright prints and has a whole new organizational line {um, hello!} so that should be awesome.

He destroyed an ornament the other day. Luckily it was one of the cheapies I use soley for pictures

Another fabulous thing?

Sunday is Elliot's second birthday! 

I absolutely cannot believe that my handsome little man will be two already. Where has the time gone?! What happened to my tiny little baby? I'm seriously having a hard time wrapping my head around it.. but ready or not, his birthday is coming! And so is his birthday party! Sunday he will be having a Mickey Mouse themed second birthday party. He is obsessed with Mickey so I can't wait to see his face when he sees his cupcakes, balloons, and all the other decorations.

Naughty almost-two-year-old got into one of the Christmas presents the other day, too.

It was one of Emmett's presents, though. 

... and he made up for it by enteraining baby brother for quite some time so I could get some serious cleaning done!

Okay, I'd better get going. Lots to do in so little time! I'm also hoping to squish a few holiday photo sessions and Christmas crafts into this weekend, too- and I have a blog design to finish! Lots on my plate. 'Tis the season! I'll leave you with another festive photo of Emmett.

One Year Ago...

Exactly one year ago, at 10:08 am, Elliot Reid Gougeon entered this world, weighing 6 lbs 3 oz and 19.3" long, and my life changed forever. I wasn't expecting to be able to hold him, but they suddenly plopped him on my chest. In the minute that he lay there, I couldn't do anything but stare at him and cry. I fell in love. I saw past his bright red skin and the fact that his intestines were spilling out all over my belly, to his dark hair, his cute button nose, his long eyelashes, his tiny tiny fingers and toes. He was perfect; he was mine. I knew that from this moment on, my life would never be the same.


The moment I wrote about above- when they unexpectedly put him on my chest, seconds after he was born.


Just a few feet away from me, being prepped by the NICU team. He was being placed in a sterile bag so they could take him down and examine him. I couldn't see him at all, because he was SURROUNDED by doctors. Aaron was straining his neck trying to see what they were doing, and my parents held cameras up above and just fired away- not even sure what they were taking pictures of.


All settled into his isolette.


A couple hours after he was born, they FINALLY brought me down to the NICU to see him. They probably got sick of me constantly asking, "Can I go see him yet?" I wasn't allowed to stay long, and the nurse kept asking me if I was ready to go, and I kept saying, "no, not yet. Not yet." When they finally wheeled me back up to my room, I bawled my eyes out. I could not stop crying. All I wanted to do was stay with him. Leaving your newborn son in the hands of strangers is something that takes awhile to get used to. In fact, I cried every time we left the NICU for the next several weeks.


The first time Mommy and Daddy touched baby Elliot.


Pure perfection. Who would have guessed that olive skinned, dark haired baby would turn into a fair blondie?!


My sweet, sweet angel. ♥

Happy Birthday, Elliot!
Mommy and Daddy love you so, so much. ♥