Simmons house is Sick... ugh

For starters, my linked within isn't working and I have no idea why. 

So it all started with the food battle between me and Eli.  I figured out a few days later that he was just not feeling well.  And now, two weeks later, I have what he has and I can understand.  I haven't eaten much either.  Wow, I feel like a bad mom.

Eli and Tae got sick two weeks ago now.  I remember after a Wednesday basketball practice, I knew Tae wasn't gonna make it to school.  He stayed out for a whole week, which is huge for my little social boy.  He loves school.  He missed basketball again today, once again huge.  He loves his basketball too.  Eli is finally eating better.  It was oatmeal, yogurt and applesauce there for a while, but we are most certainly back to grubbin'.  Now I have an awful sore throat that just stinks and Tae has been saying he has had a headache for the last day and a half.  He said tonight that he was going to be better for school tomorrow, we will see.  Maybe just the morning. 

Then there is Eli...  There is a reason God gives you so much love for your kids.  Because sometimes, well, I'm sure you get the picture.  I don't want to ruin it for future moms or moms with perfect kids.  Just know that I thought I had it all together too, with Tae and the first 6 months of Eli's life.  Then I had an awakening.  So Eli is not a good sleeper.  I don't know what to do.  He wakes up in the night, not to play or eat or anything, sometimes he just cries until someone gives him his binkie.  But he doesn't soothe himself very well, so most of the time if we let him cry, he doesn't stop.  And he shares a room with Tae, and while Tae does sleep pretty hard, it has got to bother him.  Heck, it bothers me and I am a room away!

The bummer thing is that I feel like I have tried everything.  Advil, Doliprane, nose stuff, cough stuff, the poor kid is getting drugged up every night before bed.  I went again to the pharmacie last night and they gave me two more things for sleep, both homeopathic, so I thought I would try them too.  He did a little better last night.  But I was still a stinkin' wreck today.  I had to get Lavar and I laid down for three hours. Yes, you read that right, 3 hours.  I don't remember the last time I did that.  I could have gone longer too.

So far tonight I haven't heard him and it is not yet 10.  So I am going to post this and lay-it-down as my husband says.  I am just praying that I can sleep.  That Eli sleeps.  That Tae doesn't get woken up.  With all these sickies in the house, we can't get better when no one is sleeping!  Eli, get the memo!!!!!!!!!!!  But I love you.  But seriously, sleep.  Ugh, I am getting delerious.

Journée des Doudous

At Tae's school they have something called the Cahier de Vie.  It is a little book with pictures of the students and the activities that they do together.  Each student gets to take the book home with them one of the days so they can look through it and add their own things.  I found a few things funny in this little 'book of life' of the students at Ecole d'Orielles.

these are all Tae's classmates.  Can you spot Tae?

 This would be the first thing I thought was cute/funny.  There is an entire page dedicated to Tae, the new kid from Los Angeles.... ooohhh ahhhhh.  How cute is that?  All the kids think Tae is cool anyway, because he is different, and I love it.  He has so many friends at his school.

It says 'Since October 5, there is a new student in our class.  Here is Tae (pronounced Tay), he is from Los Angeles.

Now here is what I think is funny.  At the beginning of the school year for Tae, he still didn't speak any French and didn't know many people.  There was a day for their doudous.  They had a party for them, etc. etc.  A couple days before they gave us a sheet of paper that told us when the kids should bring their doudous.  Well, Tae doesn't have a doudou, so I asked him what he wanted to bring.  I think it was the first toy he had seen or something, but he chose to take this little dog thing that I am pretty sure we got in a happy meal or something.  haha  Check out the pictures...



To the left it says 'A recption with our doudous.' and 'one is happy and it shows!' 

Now look at the left hand page.  I know it isn't all that clear, but each picture is of the kid standing up and showing their doudous. Can you spot Tae?  I'll give you a hint, he isn't nearly excited as the other kids.  Below is a little better picture of that page.

It is the second to last row, picture on the left, Tae is sitting down like 'what is going on here?'

 Now this picture really cracks me up.  All the kids sitting with their doudous.  Check out Tae, bottom row, third from the end.  hahahahaha Holding his little doggy.  This cracks me up.

'Our portrait with our doudou'

the little boy to the right is Tae's best friend in school

So I was showing Lavar the book last night.  Journée des Doudous.  Day of the doudous.  Lavar says "you know you're in France when they have a 'day of the doudous.'"  Then we laughed about it a bit.  We love our life... haha

Oh Tae...

So Tae has two teachers at school, one that is Monday and Tuesday and another that is Thursday and Friday.  They don't go to school on Wednesdays at all, and they still score higher than America... Anyway, that is another blog for another time...  Back to Tae.  Both teachers are great.  They don't speak English, but then every French person understands a little English.

So a few weeks ago, we were having lunch as a family (2 hour lunch break, I know!).  Tae randomly says 'Mommy, my teacher has a big bottom!"  Um, seriously?  He's 3.  Three-year-olds notice that kind of stuff?  Anyway, thankfully Lavar was there too, so we talked about how it isn't nice and it is disrespectful to talk about other people like that specially behind their backs.  He understands, as the comment was truly innocent, and it was time to go back to school. 

When I was picking up Tae from his afternoon session, right outside the classroom, as Tae is getting his gloves and hat etc etc on, he says "mommy, I didn't say that my teacher has a big bottom."   "oh, good job Tae, that is better, thanks for listening."  Now the teacher was in ear shot, but because she never speaks English, I thought 'oh good, I avoided one of those embarrassing mom moments because of a language barrier!  Awesome, this could really work out for me!'

Well...  Just the other day, we were in the classroom and Tae told me something.  I translated to the teacher.  She then proceeded to tell me, still in French, that she understood English and could speak a little.  Hmmm...  It didn't really click right then, but as I was thinking about it, it all started to come together...  It turns out I didn't avoid an embarrassing moment at all, I just didn't know I should have been embarrassed!  Needless to say, I was a little embarrassed after that, but thank you to the language barrier, I can still avoid it! haha  Just thought it was a funny little story you might enjoy.  Gotta love kids!

Tae Simmons ~ Future Basketball Star!

Watch for the name Tae Simmons coming to basketball courts near you 2026!

I thought he looked so handsome in his basketball gear!

I'm Back!

D'accord, it has been too long!  At the beginning of December Eli, our lovely little Eli, pulled the cord of our computer and it tugged the computer off the counter it was on.  It wasn't that big of a tug, but it certainly messed up the computer.  We lost everything.  No pictures, no videos or anything we had before.  Serious bummer.  Most of our pictures are somewhere online or on my mom's computer, so not so bad, but still a bummer because I am sure we are missing some things.  I haven't really surveyed all the damages yet.  Not sure I want to...  Anyway, now that I am back, I have a lot of pictures to post!  First I will start with some randomness.  And I am not going to do it all in one day, (sorry mom!) but there are too many.

Our little Randy! (get it, Christmas Story)

My boys

He is very smart. Already reading!

Mom!

Look at that face!

Love that smile!

funny boy

me and my boys

handsome little boogers

 

Brothers

I was cooking and looked over to see this... so sweet

Eli looks a little worried...

Aren't they cute!

{I know the Grandparents won't argue with that!!}

Karaoke Night!

So the other night was family night in the Simmons house. Basically mommy had been trapped in the house all day and decided we needed a break. So we went out to get some pizza and drove around town for a bit waiting for it to be done. Then when we got back home, that is where the fun began... Karaoke!! (Tae loves it and yet, Lavar did get into it. You'll see.)

Told you! :)

DJ Daddy

So handsome

Even Eli chimed in!  (not really)

Tae is a natural star!  haha

yep, had to get on the chair. (might have been mommy's suggestion...)

And I take the pictures.  So no pictures of mommy being silly or hitting Mariah Carey high notes.  Lavar sang to Celine Dion and Bob Marley, Tae sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow, a house favorite, and mommy sang Killing Me Softly.  We all sang eachother's songs too.  Overall, it was a fun night!  I love my family!

Proud Momma

Today is the first day that Tae is staying full day at school!  Ever!  I am a little torn about it.  After all, I am a stay at home mom and I stay home so I can be with my kids and raise them.  But now I am sending Tae off to school full days?  So part of me feels a little guilty about it.  Then, with the help of my always sensible husband, I started to think it through.  First of all, Tae needs to go to school.  He is a social kid and loves to be around people and have friends.  To keep him home would be torture for him.  Second, he needs to learn French.  It is the only way that he is going to feel comfortable here and be able to make and maintain friendships.  Not to mention that it will be awesome when he is older.  Thirdly, he wants to go.  He likes his classmates and enjoys whatever it is they do there.  Anyway, all that to say that the good out way the bad and it will make it easier to make things fun for him at home.  Like I said, today is the first day, so we will see!

French school is very family centered.  Or at least I think that is the reason.  It could be that the teachers don't want to work as much.  But French school starts at 8:30ish and goes until 11:20.  You take a break from 11:20 to 1:20 and then the kids go back.  So you get a nice little break to have lunch as a family.  Then they take a nap at school and stay until 4:20.  Then you come home for the day.  So the good part is that I am not leaving him all day.   He does get the nice little break.  But he loves it.  He loves his friends and teachers. 

So now I must say, I am so proud of him.  On a few occasions I have seen kids in his class, these are 3, 4, and 5 years olds mind you, with a doudou (remember that post?), and a BINKI!  A binki??  These kids are not even toddlers anymore, they are kids.  They have teeth.  And they can't go to school without a binki and a doudou?  Today Tae walked back to school after lunch and right into that classroom.  He went to his teacher who showed him his nap-time bed and he said "bye, mommy!" and was ready to be back at school.  No binki, no blanket, no doudou.  He is such a big boy.  As I was trying to prepare him before he left that the other kids were going to have those things (I didn't want him to see them and think he needed them), he just said "ya, but I'm a big boy, mommy.  I don't need those things."  Wow.  I must attribute most of this toughness to Lavar.  He is an excellent dad.  I know most people that see him in action think he is too strick, but we are raising an eventual man, not a boy.  And this eventual man is going to conquer the world. 

{Sorry if I offended any moms out there who let their older kids have binkis.  But seriously, it might be time to give it up... :)}

Tae has a friend!

Today Tae had a friend come over and play!!  Yay for friends for Tae!  However, it was a little touch and go...

As much as I do love our life, the traveling and seeing other parts of the world, there are down sides.  One is that we have to leave our awesome awesome family and friends and move to a place where we barely speak the language (or not at all) and we don't know anyone.  It is difficult to say the least.  When you have to translate in your head everything you want to say before you say it.  And when you work so hard to do it and think you got it just right and they just stare at you.  Yep, that's the best.

So Tae has seriously been the ultimate trooper.  He goes to a school where he can't understand anything and didn't have any friends and he hangs in there.  He doesn't cry when I leave and he is smiling when I pick him up 3 hours later.  I don't know many adults who would manage the same.  Well, with all the moving we have to do all the time, Tae doesn't have very many toys.  And it is okay, I don't want Tae to have a ton of toys or anything, but he seriously has nothing.  Like it is a little embaressing (for me).  I love that it is fine for Tae and he never complains, but when friends come over and they are like, 'This is crap.  I'm bored already.'

This is kinda what happened today.  Etienne came over.  He is a sweet kid, don't get me wrong, but after like a half hour he just wanted to watch TV.  I am thinking (total mom-like) 'Oh my gosh, I have to make this fun for him or he will never want to come over again.  He is Tae's only friend!!'  So I am down on the floor racing cars, building towers and knocking them down, trying to interest Etienne is something without truly succeeding.  I called my mom on skype, he thought that was funny for a second.  Then we were in the guest room and I threw Tae on the bed.  Yep, that is what Etienne liked.  Being thrown onto the bed.  So needless to say, that was my workout today!

I am so happy that Tae doesn't really know the difference.  He has never said that he doesn't have enough.  He asks us to buy him stuff all the time, but he never complains about what he has.  (I am sure that comes later in life)  I want him to appreciate what he has and be thankful to who gives it to him, I never want him to be a snob about toys and presents.  But the toy chest needs a little upgrade.  Now all I have to do is convince the husband.  He seems to think Tae is completely fine...

Tae on life after death

So we were walking home from school yesterday and Tae ran across the street without me.  There were no cars, thankfully, but it scared the crap out of me and made me mad because he knows better.  He just thinks he runs things...  Anyway, I was explinaing to him that he could get hit by a car because he doesn't always see things that Mommy sees.  He could get really hurt or even worse, die.  Here is kinda how it went:

Mommy: "Tae, you cannot do these things by yourself.  You have to wait for Mommy.  What if a car hit you?  Mommy wouldn't be able to have you anymore."

Tae: "Okay Mommy.  Sorry, Mommy.  Mommy?"

Mommy: "Yes, Tae?" (kinda annoyed tone)

Tae: "If I was gone from here though, I would be with God in heaven."

Mommy: "Well, um, ya, but um, Mommy wants you here."

How do you answer that?  Heaven is a better place to be.  But selfishly I want my baby with me.  Loosing Tyson this summer has brought a whole new outlook to our lives.  Always thinking about what is ultimately ahead of us.  I am so glad that my 3-year-old is realizing the same things.  Love you Tyson.

After a crazy and long weekend, things settled back into a relatively normal schedule.  Tae went back to school on Thursday and I went back to going to bed early and getting up early.  I like life with a schedule though, I am a little bit of a control freak.  We got a package from Momma!  Thank you thank you, Mom!  We love packages, but this one had something special in it.  A Camera!!  So I have pictures!!  I guess it was in her best interest to make sure I had a camera, so she could have pictures of her grandbabies.  Here is the first picture I took.  This is how Lavar feeds Eli... And yes, Eli is wearing his Bruins shirt.  Represent!



Look at those chunky legs!  (Eli's, not Lavar! haha)



Lavar had another home game on Saturday.  They lost.  Again.  Ugh it has been a rough last couple of games and Lavar is playing well, but his team needs to actually win.  It is a whole new ball game when the game is your job. I mean when he lost in college, it was like 'Ya, that's a bummer.  Okay, let's go out!"  Now it's like "Oh man, how were your stats?  What is the team's rank?  We have got to win the next one to be here.  How will this affect his contract next year."  I don't particularly like it, but Var is living the dream.  So you live it Baby!!   



Tae and his best (and only) friend, Etienne.  They listen to the huddles during the guys timeouts.



Um, so cute.

I can't stop taking pictures of him!

Those lips and cheeks!  Funny boy!

By the way, little side not.  I have to give Tae a lot more credit.  The kid is smart.  His French is improving.  He is already counting to 7, can say 'hello' 'goodbye' 'thank you' 'you're welcome' 'my name is Tae' 'mouth' 'book' and many more.  He picks up French words when people say them, sometimes.  He is doing really well.  I think it will happen faster than I will even know.  He just can't be taught French.  (Because that would mean that he doesn't know something.  Oh no, that could not be true!) 

As for me, my little French update.  After church yesterday, we were eating lunch at the missionary's house.  There was another couple there who are getting married this coming summer.  They are both French.  She offered to tutor me, but only if we speak entirely in French.  Super! That got me so excited.  Then there was another friend I met, also at church, who is an American studying at the university.  She suggested that I take a grammer course at the college.  I have never actually taken a French class, so I would LOVE to.  So Lavar and I talked about it and we are going to make it happen!!  It is every morning for 3 hours and I don'tt hink I have do that, but maybe 3 days a week.  That is what we are shooting for.  Nothing is set in stone for that, but in the works.  So I am excited and hopefully this will help me make some progress!! LOVE IT!! 

Teaching Tae French...

This is what it is like teaching Tae French. I used to think that this part of the show was a little silly and exaggerated, until I started trying to teach Tae phrases... It is seriously almost exactly the same. Hilarious. I will try to video Tae doing the same thing. French is tough, people!!

What a CRAZY weekend!! (Emergency room inculded)

I haven't written in a while.  Sorry for those of you that read it!  It is partly due to 2 things.  One is that I don't have a camera to take pictures of what we do, so I have nothing to post and I don't want to write boring posts!  Two is that I have been away all weekend at a friend's house, at the base of the French Alps.  Yep, beautiful!

Tae is on fall vacation for the last week or so.  We were a little bored at first, but then on Friday we packed up and headed out to see some wonderful friends, Eric and Emily Joldersma and their kids, Jack (8), Eva (6), Maizlynn (4), and Van (1).  Yes, you counted right, 4 kids.  But they are an incredible family and it is always fun to be around them.  Lavar met Eric and Emily when they were living in St Quentin in 2005, back when they only had 2 kids.  They are one of the few people that we know who are believers and are just wonderful people to be around.  So Friday we got there in the afternoon and Tae and Eva totally hit it off.  They had so much fun playing together.  We went to Eric's game that night.  He has been playing for 11 years, this being his 12th.  They lost, but it was kinda close, but still a loss and that always stinks.  We didn't get home until 1 in the morning I think.  Kids to bed, us to bed.  Finally.

Then Saturday we got up and the kids played and played inside and outside, they have a great yard.  Once again, Tae loving it.  Then it was time to get out the costumes.  They have a bunch from years prior, so Tae got to choose! How fun!  The first night he chose the Flash.  We have been really into The Justice League, so it was an obvious choice.  The Flash was funny and making jokes like "say it to my face!"  Which Tae/The Flash thinks is really funny.  Well come to think of it, Tae wasn't anywhere to be found, all night.  We got corrected a few times on that one.  So we loaded into two cars and headed out.  We went to a freind of Eric and Em's.  ~Little side note, this family is amazing.  Such a great example and something to look forward to.  They all are fluent in French and English.  Can just switch whenever they want.  Even the 4 year old.  Obviously, not the 1 year old!  :)  But it is so cool!  Someday, someday...~

So at this party, everyone spoke French.  They could do a little English, but mostly all French.  Then they made me speak French... And I did!!  I did, all night I was speaking in French.  I was having conversations with people! I think this had to be my most encouraging moment in France yet.  I was able to enjoy a party that was in an entirely different language!  I am not saying I am fluent, I am just saying it was a huge step and it gave me confidence to keep trying.  It is still very difficult to understand a lot of what they were saying, and these people were very nice to me to help me out, but still I did fantastic.  I am so happy!  It was fun, but then it got late, and then later, and then even later.  It was past 2 in the morning when we ended up leaving there.  It might not sound that late to some of you, but for me, that is late! 

The next day was Halloween.  We got up and hung out and cleaned the house and got ready for yet another party.  This time everyone was coming to the Joldersma's house.  So another night of speaking French.  Except this night was a little different.  For some reason, nothing was coming out right, I couldn't remember my French vocab or verbs or conjugations!  What?! I was practically fluent last night!  Man, my brain only has room for one night a week of French speaking, I am pretty sure.  Hopefully that capacity gets bigger as time goes on, because I was 'un peu retarded' on night number 2.  I almost forgot.  Tae was Batman on night number 2.  Batman, apparently, is very serious.  He doesn't smile a lot and does not joke around!  The costume was a little big, but he was LOVING it.  I mean, he was really Batman.  Once again, Tae w

as no where to be found. I think Batman and Darth Vadar (Eva) even saved the world a few times.  Busy night!

So Monday comes and we are relaxing and chillin and when it came time to go, Tae wanted Eva to come spend the night with us.  So we thought that would be fun.  Then Jack wanted to come too.  So great!  Then litle Maizy wanted to come but once she was told Mommy wouldn't be there, she kinda changed her mind.  So we headed out with two other kiddos in tow for a slumber party.  There is a reason why Lavar and I are only having two kids, and it was reconfirmed.  Not because their kids aren't great, they are.  Once again, it is a capacity thing, I am maxed out with two! 

Well the next morning I get a call from Eric saying Em got sick last night.  Throwing up.  And that everyone might have been exposed to it so keep a look out for it with the kids.  I didn't mention anything to them because I didn't want it to be a mind over matter type of thing, like 'oh ya, now that you mention it, I am sick!'  So we proceeded to have a very fun morning.  We went to this play place that had blown up bounce things, and trampolines, and race cars, and laser tag!  The kids did it all.  And had a blast.  But then, you know, got hungry!  So we headed over to KFC for some lunch.  Here is where things went down hill.  Tae and Eva were playing and it might have been a little too rough and although I told them to calm down, Tae must have tripped or something and he landed on his neck on the pole of a chair.  I was in the middle of getting the food so I kinda took him and told him he was fine.  Then he wouldn't stop crying.  Then he wouldn't stop crying.  He kept saying how much it was hurting.  He wasn't shutting his mouth or talking really.  We tried to sit down and eat,  but he just wouldn't stop.  It made me a little worried because he has been hurt before but he will always settle down.  He just could not settle himself down.  So I called Lavar and he said to bring them home.  Once we got home I called Em who informed me she was on her way to pick up her kids because she didn't want them to start throwing up.  After Lavar looked Tae over and calmed him down, he said he was fine and that he didn't need the doctor.  Well, I decided to take him anyway.  I just knew that he was going to be in a lot of pain and at the very least, get some pain medicine.  So our first time having to go to the emergency room for Tae, AKA Captain Catious 2, was in France.  Nice.  Anyway, we got there and he got checked out and they said it was fine but to just watch if he has a fever to come back.  And gave us some medicine.  I am so glad we did because after our friends went home, Tae was eating dinner complaining about his mouth and jaw hurting.  So I was able to give him his medicine and put him to sleep.  The next morning, with some rest, he was a different kid.  So I felt good about that.

Yesterday we had Tae's first basketball practice.  I will write about that later.  He loved it though.  And then today, school has started again!  Crazy crazy.  I kinda like the structure that school offers us though.  Kids up at 7:30 and in bed by 7:30. 

In other exciting news, I got a waffle maker!!!

I will write again soon.  I am also getting a camera soon, so pics of the boys to come!

Batman, Superman, Baby Monster, and WonderWear

So Tae and Lavar have been watching a lot of The Justice League.  Like the oldies, cartoon kind.  It is hilarious because every time Tae watches it, he loves it, he has to have his cape on and he has to be called Batman.  "Mommy, I'm not Tae, I'm Batman!"  "You're right, Batman, sorry.  Now did you wipe your bottom, Batman?"  You've probably guessed the other names.  Lavar is obviously Baby Monster... haha just kidding.  Lavar chose Superman.  One time, a while ago, I asked him who his favorite super hero was, thinking that he would have to think about it.  Nope.  In less than a second he responds "Superman, duh!  The only thing that can stop him is kryptonite!"  Oh, so you've thought about this before... Eli is the Baby Monster because he tries to destroy everything in his reach.  He is mainly the bad guy for now.  And I am, you guessed it, Wonder Wear!!  Supposed to be Wonder Woman, but Tae can't remember the name... Bummer what he can remember though, Wonder Wear?  Really? 

So today Eli is laying on the couch and Tae- I mean Batman - was playing with Baby Monster on the bed.  Well Batman is not allowed to touch Baby Monster's face, for obvious reasons, so he looks at him and says "Uh-oh, Baby Monster has a booger!  That's okay, Wonder Wear can get it!"  Yes!  Wonder Wear to the rescue!  Get that booger Wonder Wear!!  I love my life...

Tae's new watch & Eli's first baby food!

This hair band was his 'timer' before we bought the watch. So cute he would look at it and say "it's time to go"

Wow, we have a lot of firsts today!  Well just two, one each kid.  We'll start with Tae.  It is so crazy watching your kids get older right in front of your eyes.  Tae watches people and notices things that 3 year olds just don't pick up.  Very observant.  Well Daddy wears a watch.  Poppy wears a watch.  Why shouldn't Tae have a watch?  He started asking Daddy for a watch a little while ago.  Well we don't really buy our kids things other than necessities outside of Christmas and birthdays, so naturally we said "at Christmas, Daddy will get you a watch."  Tae was kinda okay with that but still proceeded to ask about a watch every day.  Well then just the other day Lavar found got a contract and found out that he would be leaving for France within the next couple days.  We were at Target running errands and I saw Spiderman watches.  I mean we had to.  I showed Var and he just held up the basket.  I was little surprised, I thought it would take a little more coaxing than that, but Daddy is a sucker for his little man wanting to be just like him.  We bought it.  When Lavar got it out of the bag to give to him Tae said "Whoa.  That is so cool.  I don't need this anymore."  He proceeded to take off the hair tie that he was keeping around his wrist as his makeshift 'timer' until Christmas.  It was so cute.  I made him put it back on because I wanted to get a picture and he was not happy about that!  Here are some pics of our watch opening.

Daddy trying to figure the watch out

Tae climbed on the counter and couldn't wait

Daddy putting it on

Tae showing Poppy.  Notice the Spiderman swim trunks.

Tae showing Eli.  Eli is very excited about it.

Onto our next first of the night.  Eli had rice cereal for the first time!  Some might think it is a little early, and it is, but people don't normally have kids that are as big as mine.  Eli was 16 pounds at 2 months.  I mean this kid is solid.  Not even really fat and chunky, just solid.  I started Tae at 10 1/2 weeks.  Eli was doing fine and I am in no hurry so I didn't think about it.  Then recently within the last week he has been crankier and getting hungrier than usual.  He actually woke up once in the middle of the night and he hasn't done that since 8 weeks.  So I thought it was time.  I wanted to give it a try and see how he did with it.  Well as my kids usually do with food, he did great.

   

He was so happy!  At first he didn't really understand, but once he started getting the hang of it he loved it!  He was getting a little anxious in between bites.  He ate that whole bowl.  Yep, I have big kids.

enjoying his baby food!

WOW, I mean really!

Look at that boy! So handsome!

❤LOVE❤ this picture. What a face!

And then there is my crazy 3 year old... Crazy, but I love him!

My boys

Here are some new pictures.  Tae is such a good big brother, I am so proud of him.  He loves to 'play' with Eli even though Eli can't really respond.  I continue to hope and pray that they will be good friends growing up. 

 

Look at my handsome boys!

 

Eli Looking right at the camera! Yep, he's a fatty!

 

This one is funny.  Anyone who knows Lavar, knows how he likes watching his movies, TV whatever.  Well this is him and Eli 'watching' together.  Uh-oh, he is started young!  They were watching something on the laptop. 

 

This is my little muscle man.  He got a tattoo.  He was so proud. 

 

Daddy and Tae showing off their tattoos.  Daddy's is soldiers and Tae's is a rocket ship.

 

Brothers

 

He was flexing his muscles.  Funny boy.

I love my boys.  All three.  I am so blessed.