Austin turns 2!

On Austin's birthday I took him to Wheeler Farm. He LOVES looking at all the animals and tractors!

Since it was his BIG day, we went on a tractor-drawn wagon ride! He loved it, and was so excited to be riding the "tractor."

That night, we decided to take Austin out for a special dinner. I gave him the choice of beans or pizza (two of his favorite things that we don't go out to get that often). He chose "beans!" So, we headed to Cafe Rio with Jason, Jenn, and their kids for a celebration dinner!

After dinner, we went to Jason and Jenn's house for cake. (Austin got his very own little cake, the rest of us got cupcakes!) He did a great job blowing out his candles.

May

The highlight of May for us was our trip to Houston. We were able to plan a trip to Texas in order to attend my mom's and sister's graduation from graduate school!

Sarah, Me, Mom, James, Erin, and Shannon

Sarah, Me, Shannon, James, and Erin

Uncle Donnie, Mom, Shannon, and Uncle Mike

(It was especially nice to get to see Donnie and David. I had not seen them since before Justin and I got married...so it was nice to have them get to meet my little family!)

We were able to spend one day with all of my mom's family at my grandparent's home!

Sarah was kind enough to take Austin swimming. He didn't want to get out of the pool, even though his lips were purple and he was shivering!

4 generations

Gran Mama, me, Mom, and Austin

Justin was able to go golfing one day with my uncles, step dad, and brother. Luckily for him, it was a low humidity, cool Houston day!

James playing golf

When we got back in town, it was time to do some serious yard work. Lucky for us, we have a cute little helper!

April Recap

We had a lot of nice days in April, and were able to enjoy the outdoors after the long winter! It was so nice to be able to take Austin outside, and let him run and play...like every little boy should!

We played in the backyard:

Colored with chalk, (He's not the biggest fan!)

and played with bubbles.

We went to the park...

went down the the slide all alone,

and realized the rock wall isn't that hard to climb!

(Mom almost had a heart attack watching!)

We even flew a (Lightning McQueen) kite...

Until it got stuck in the tree!

Don't worry though, even with all this excitement, there was plenty of time for napping!

Easter

We had a fun Easter this year! It was so fun to be able to watch Austin enjoy the traditions and festivities of the holiday! I went a little overboard on the eggs and candy part...oops! Maybe someday I will learn. We were also lucky enough to get to have Sarah with us for the weekend!

Saturday night we colored some eggs. Austin was very interested...for a little while.

Watching Daddy drop the color tablets in the water

Watching the eggs

Taking a little "exercise" break!

Finding his Easter basket Sunday morning

His first chocolate bunny.

(We may have a little chocoholic on our hands!)

Giving his bunny a ride!

The egg hunt. (I know...it is a lot of eggs for one child)

Doesn't he look handsome in his church clothes?!?

Family Easter Party

Yesterday we had an Easter party with Justin's family. Austin had a great time playing with his cousins and running around Jason's backyard. He absolutely loved the slide, and finding toys to push down the slide!

We had a great dinner together. Then we did an egg hunt for all the kids. It was so much fun watching Austin's first real experience with all this. At first he wanted me to help him, then he just wanted me to hold his bag, while he did all the collecting. Then, he got very picky, and only wanted eggs from certain places. It was very funny. (I have it all on video, but can't figure out how to upload them right now.)

Bucket Head

Austin loves his Aunt Sarah! While she was here this weekend, I got Austin's Easter basket out so he could show her. He decided that it needed to be a hat...not just any one's hat, but Sarah's hat. Then, when she would put it on, he would say "March! March!" and they would march around the room together! It was hilarious! (I tried to get a video, but my battery was dead!)

He wouldn't let her take it off. She was a good sport about it, and left it on for him. They played and played together, and even read books with Sarah's "hat" on!

Swim Lessons

We started Austin in swim lessons the end of February. It started out as the 2 of us doing to a parent-tot class together, to get him used to the water, but mostly to get us out of the house. On his third lesson, he started freaking out. We spent the entire 25 minute class time on the first step of the pool, where the water came up to his ankles.

So, I decided that rather than pull him out of the lessons, and try again later it was better to keep going and get him over this crazy fear of water. We switched him into private lessons, and started with 2 lessons a week just to get him used to it.

He is doing better. He has had 6 private lessons, and he only cries for part of each lesson now! So, hopefully he will keep getting better, and will learn to love this!

The program we have him in teaches water survival skills. It is really amazing watching some of the other kids that are there. There are kids his age, and maybe younger, that are swimming. So, when I can get a good picture I will post it. Hopefully, he will have some impressive water skills to show off soon! But for now, I am just happy that he isn't SCREAMING through the entire lesson anymore!