Growing Up

Emery has had A LOT of changes lately, but she has just ROLLED with the punches.  I know she’s mine, but she is an amazing little girl!  She’s moved into her big girl bed, started preschool, had a baby brother, and now she has given up her PACIFIER!! I was sure this would be a HUGE battle, but when Wagner was a week old I figured that since we already weren’t sleeping why not try it.  I told her she was a big girl and that I needed her to give me her paci and I was going to throw them away, she looked at me really seriously, popped her paci out, handed it to me, and said “Okay Mommy, I big girl, baby Wagner use pacis, not Emery”.  And that was that (aside from the few hits she sneaks off of Wagner’s pacis when she thinks we’re not looking).  WOW!  Such a big girl, and I am so proud of her!

What do you think??

Wagner OBVIOUSLY looks like Brad…as demonstrated by this picture…

BUT…don’t you see the resemblance between Emery and him in these two pictures??

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We have so much to be thankful for this year!!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Collins family!

Thanksgiving Party

At Emery’s school they have a school wide Pilgrim and Indians feast.  They make cute costumes and go into the gym for a party, then after the party they come back to their classrooms and sing some songs for their parents.  Emery was true to her school form and didn’t sing a word, but she sure did look cute, and she hasn’t stopped singing the turkey song since we got home.

Emery’s whole class

Here is the boy she always says she plays with, and they are holding hands…HOW CUTE??!!

Daddy even got off of work to come!!

We are so happy with Emery’s school and her teachers are wonderful!

Pumpkin Patch

This year we went to the pumpkin patch with some friends from church and the Jones family!  It was interesting to say the least…Wagner was two weeks old, and lets just say the trip involved me nursing in the actual pumpkin patch.  For the record, nursing a two week old under a vest in the warm weather was INSANE!  We enjoyed the corn maze, petting zoo, corn pit, tractor rides, slide and cow train.  Emery had a blast…Jeter farm you did not disappoint just like always!

And because this blackmail picture is too good not to post…

We have GREAT friends!! :)

What a difference a year makes

Last year

This year

WOW!! Are you kidding me??  Unbelievable…

Lions, TIGERS, and bears

Let me show you the cutest little Tiger in the WORLD!! Emery told me she was a “scary tiger”.  Believe it or not, this was Brad’s costume when he was a toddler…how stinkin cute is that??!!  Love it!  We didn’t dress Wagner up this year because it was just way too much to think about with a one month old, but I do look forward to coordinating their costumes (as long as they will allow it). 

This year our church had a Trunk or Treat, but due to Superstorm Sandy all of the festivities were moved inside.  This was the first year since we’ve been attending our church that they did anything like this, and Lincoln did a GREAT job!  How many churches do you know that would be willing to set up a bounce house and blow up slide IN THE SANCTUARY?  Each room on the main level had a game and a theme and handed out candy. Love our church!! It was fun for Emery to see her friends all dressed up they all kept giggling and squealing at each other in their costumes :)  Haley and Riley even made it up there which Emery loved!

Wagner is one month old!

My precious boy,

You are one month old, already!  Even though you’ve only been here for a month we all cannot remember life before you came.  You are the perfect fourth member of our family.  You and your sister are best friends already, and that makes my heart SUPER happy!  Smiles abound, and not just gassy smiles, but real genuine happy smiles.  You LOVE demand to be held all.day.long, but momma don’t mind! You rolled over the day you turned one month old…such a big strong boy!  You are not into sleeping in your carseat, or anywhere besides in my arms during the day…BUT you sleep pretty well at night (you’re going down at 11:30 and waking up once around 2:30 and again at 5:30).  You still look just like your daddy and I LOVE it!  You have lots of different funny faces you like to make at us, and you crack Emery up.  I have noticed that you really do respond to her, and you like for her to come and talk to you or just hold your hand.  You’re a good eater, and you eat about every three hours (sometimes shorter, but NEVER longer except at night…you don’t miss a meal that’s for sure!!)

Your check up went well aside from the fact that Emery essentially assaulted our doctor’s nurse when she tried to give you your shots.  She did not want ANYBODY hurting her baby brother!  Here are the “stats” from your one month check up:

Height: 23 inches

Weight: 10 lbs 4 oz

Head Circumference: 15 inches

You are precious to us baby boy and we wouldn’t trade you for the world!!

Love,

Mommy :)

**Even though this is posted late, it was written on his one month birthday and the pictures were taken at one month…I’m just now getting around to combining the two…can’t imagine why??? ha!