It's a Par-TEE!

I now have a four year old and a one year old.

Excuse me while I uncurl myself from the fetal position.

 

What a wonderful whirlwind of a week it's been.

 

On Wednesday, Baker turned FOUR!

We had a fabulous celebration of all things HIM!

 

If anybody knows how to celebrate, it's Baker Bell.

 

Boy knows how to party.

 

And yes, that's a brownie for breakfast.

But I did slather natural peanut butter on it, because everybody knows we need protein for breakfast.

And chocolate comes from cocoa, which is a tree, that makes it a plant.

Chocolate is a salad.

So even though it was his birthday, he had salad topped with extra protein.

 

Because, Mom of the Year.

 

We also celebrated his teacher, Mrs. Nicole, who shares his special day!

We love her fiercely!

Then, despite all my pleas and begs, Barrett turned ONE on Sunday!

 

Talk about hitting a momma where it hurts.

Two birthdays in four days.

Ouch.

 

I still remember my ninth grade Biology teacher telling me it was a woman's perogative to change her mind. And by golly, I am all woman and put this to the test every single day.

 

It still baffles my ever-loving crazy mom mind that this idea stuck.

 

On May 17, 2015, we were released from the hospital to bring Barrett home.

On the way home, I said these exact words to Brian,

"Next year, we can totally have their parties together and even though I don't know the first thing about golf, let's do a golf theme.

Barrett's hole in ONE and Baker is FORE.

We can call it a Par-Tee, you know, "par" "tee.

Get it?

We can have Arnold Palmers to drink and club sandwedges,

and chips and mac and tees.

It's gonna be so fun."

 

I really amazed myself at all of the golf puns my sleep-deprived-hopped-up-on-new-baby-hormones  brain was producing. I would have high fived myself and done a little skip if all my nether regions didn't feel like they had just been run over by a Mack truck after delivering every single delectable ounce of a nine pound juicy baby boy.

Instead, I think I cried. "But I don't want him to turn one. And Baker, I'm not letting him turn four.

Why do they have to grow up? Why does time have to go so fast. It seems like he was just born yesterday."

 

Mind you, this was two days after he was born.

I still had 364 days to come to grip with this. 

Praise all things good and holy for Leap Years. 

 

My precious husband didn't know what to do.

Calm the screaming baby in the backseat,

throw me some Xanax,

or leap from the moving vehicle and sacrifice scratches and scars for sanity.

 

Fortunately, he didn't jump and I survived birthdays one and four.

 

And a whole year later, we did just that.

We had a Golf Par-TEE for our boys.

 

Baker is FORE and Barrett's hole in ONE!

 

It was perfect.

or PARfect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

    

 

 

Caddy Buffet:

Cupcakes - Vanilla Cupcakes with Toppers

Chip Shots - Bags of Chips

Club Sandwedges - Ham and Turkey Club Sandwiches

Par-Faits - Key Lime Parfaits

Birdie Nuggets - Chick-fil-A Nuggets Platter 

 

Party Favors:

Thank you for Playing a Round with Us tags on bagged personalized cookies

 

Printables: Amy Tippins at One Good Name 

Cookies: Cookies by Caley

Photographer: Corey Morrison

Birthday Outfits: Sew Whimsy

Cupcakes and Smashcakes: Publix

Location: The Rise School

 

 

Barrett is Four Months Old!

 

Hey there my little sack of sugar!

 

 

 

 

Yesterday, you turned four months old!
 

You love to be held, and we are happy to oblige. Your little eyes light up when you see your mommy, daddy, and big brother. You are starting to recognize when you leave our arms to be passed to someone else, and you are not always extremely fond of the transition. I think we have a stage 5 clinger on our hands and I don’t totally hate it!

 

You love sitting up in your Bumbo, being swaddled, splashing in the bathtub, reading books, singing, your Baker Boy, babbling all the day long, lights, being outside, and watching the fan. We’ve even caught you trying to sneak a peek at the television and you are mesmerized!
 

 

 

 

Little Bear, you want to be a part of everything! You like to sit on the dinner table while we eat, play on the floor of the bathroom while we get ready, and would be perfectly content to spend the entire day in the baby carrier.
 

We think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread! You are rolling over and over and over, sleeping for 3 ½ hour stretches during the night (yes, this is a milestone at our house…maybe one day I’ll be able to forgive all of your friends who are sleeping through the night), grasping at objects, cooing, and clasping your sweet little hands together. Everything goes into your mouth and you drool like it's your Jay Oh Bee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You take a bottle during the day at school and nurse at home. Thankfully, you have weathered the transition well. You are entirely too busy to sleep. You survive on little catnaps throughout the school day. Sunday afternoons are a different story! You’ll nap for a 2-3 hour stretch, which is glorious for all in the Bell residence. Hello naptime for Mommy and Daddy!


I think one of my very favorite things about you is how you are already adore your big brother. I never knew my heart could love in such a way. Watching you two together has me feeling all the feels!






It'll be a miracle if you ever learn your name. You are called everything under the sun. Right now, our favorite nicknames for you are Little Bear, Little Brother, LB, Bear Bear (that's what Baker calls you); but the very favorite name we call you is ours.

Little one, we love you so big! Each day with you is a little sweeter than the previous. Our love for you just grows and grows!

 We are so glad God chose you for us!

 

 

 Monthly Stats:

Weight: 17 pounds, 8 ounces (87^th percentile)

Length: 26.5 inches long (99^th percentile)

Size Clothes: 6-9 months

Size Diapers: threes

Barrett is Three Months Old!

Hey There Little Bear,

Today, you are three months old.

I could say how sad I am for today.

How devastated I am that in two short days, someone other than your momma will be rocking you to sleep, feeding you your morning snack, soothing you with their songs, and stealing those sweet smiles you give so freely.

 

 

 

 

But I won't.

 

I have known your three month birthday would also coincide with the date you would begin a wonderful school (just a few doors down from your sweet Baker Boy) and I would return to a job I love. 

 

 

 

 

For the last three months, I have loved you intentionally.

I chose to snuggle you and leave dishes piled in the sink.

We dug socks out of the dryer and pieced outfits together so I could read your favorite books.

We spent our days singing and dancing around the living room,

and I don't regret one minute.

 

 

 

 

Sweet boy, you are such a joy!

 

You love us so easily and you are so easy for us to love.

 

You spend your days playing with Baker and your favorite toys.

You love music and you love people.

You have become so interactive and animated.

You love to take walks outside, and would spend all day on our back porch if we would let you.

 

 

 

 

 

I cannot wait to see what this next month with you brings!

 

 

I love you so big!

 

Monthly Stats

 

Weight: 16 pounds, 10 ounces

Height: 25.5 inches

Diaper Size: twos

Clothes: 3-6 (mostly 6) months