backbloggin'

We are in Tallahassee right now. One of the best things about living three hours away is jetting "home" whenever we darn well please. Fabulous, really. It is rainy, the kids are watching Mickey Mouse (still in their pj's) and I was searching through my mama's archived pictures. What better time to do a little back blogging?! Ashton's first FSU football game. A historic day in our household. I know a certain daddy and certain papa that had probably dreamed about that very day many, many times.  Thank you mom for bringing your camera!  So glad I found these!  :)

We started the day off right with a tailgate.  Ashton honed in on this bag of chips and when Papa asked if he could have one, Ashton said, "No thanks, Papa."  After I assured him that the bag would be taken swiftly away if he didn't share, he obliged and broke off the teeny, tiny tip of one chip and handed it to Papa.  Serious as a heart attack with his chips. 

 

The band was warming up near our tailgate.  Daddy took him over to listen.

 

As if his first game wasn't exciting enough, Ashton had a super special treat in store.  He got to walk on the field with Papa for Alumni player appreciation day.  He was pumped. 

On their way in...

 

NOT a flattering picture, but wanted to preserve the moment.  Aunt Tatie and baby Hagen ;)

 

Practicing his three point stance while they wait.  Just like the "senimole" players.

d

Celebrities.

 

Waving to adoring fans is tiring work.  Especially when it's past your nap time. 

 

My fave.  Also my mom's new screen saver.

 

Very special moment for daddy and Ashton.  Their first of many football games together.  Notice Ashton's wardrobe change.  Grammie and Papa bought him his very own jersey.  Future "Senimole".

 

Ashton took this pic of daddy and Uncle Tripp during a lapse in excitement on the field.

 

His favorite thing about the outing.  Junk food.  And lots of it...  A huge treat for this primarily organic eating little man.

 

It really was a wonderful day.  He lasted until 7 minutes were left in the game - I couldn't believe it. 

This is the first of many Seminole games to come.  As Ashton yelled repeatedly all throughout the game...  Go Noles!  Scalp 'em!!!!!

Nostalgia

I didn't mean for it to be a nostalgic weekend. But it got cold. And Hayes has decided to break the "Kerr mold" and grow as if he were training for some sort of freak baby Olympics. He's big. Big enough to be wearing Ashton's 18m and 2T clothes.  SO - I had to break out the trunk of Ashton's Fall baby clothes. They were folded so neatly. No stains, no wrinkles, no "wear". Remnants of a mama with one baby. A mama who had time to neatly fold and stack clothes in a bin. I truly couldn't help but feel a stinging, emotional swell in my chest. Memories of "Baby Ashton" wearing his corduroy osh kosh overalls, starting to waddle and babble, combined with feelings of "How is this possible?!" when thinking of Baby Hayes now babbling in the same corduroy overalls. Sheesh. It was a bit overwhelming. Honestly, every milestone with Hayes seems to become quite overwhelming for me. I haven't really figured out why. Last baby? Conjures memories of when first two were babies? Not sure. Daddy thinks I am certifiable when he finds me blubbering away over a swaddling blanket or old paci or, yes, cordoury overalls. Hopefully this passes.

 

Our first true Fall weekend in Macon. Ahhh. Pumpkin spice lattes, wagon rides, enjoyable yard work and food from the crock pot. True bliss.

 

Is it weird that I am going about this post and not mentioning the fact that I haven't blogged in well over a month? Happy Fall Y'all!

four.

How could daddy and I possibly have known four years ago what real, true joy meant? We didn't. Not until 12:43 AM on August 7th. Ashton Thomas. Fireworks went off in my heart the day he was born. Perfect and pink and lookin' just like his daddy. Four years later and the fireworks for this boy just keep getting bigger. Always putting others first, gentle, patient, smart and the best big brother. He told me tonight that I am his best girl. Oh, he has no idea...

Ashton, baby, I love you <-THIS MUCH->. Always.

Right now, Ashton:

• 
  
  loves his siblings. he is always looking out for them and making sure they have what they need.


• 
  
  is a big buzz lightyear fan. "to infinity and beyond" is a favorite phrase while jumping off of something high.


• 
  
  loves goggles, better known as "gobbles". not for swimming purposes, more for aesthetic purposes.


• 
  
  is starting to divvy out chores to his little sister. "emory, go get me my gobbles from my room"...


• 
  
  says "actually" and "always be a-peared" (aka, always be prepared) quite frequently.


• 
  
  would survive on gummie snacks and "red gator-gade" if we let him.


• 
  
  continues to eat peanut butter sandwiches to the point in which he may actually turn into one.


• 
  
  thinks of eating and sleeping as a mission to get "big and strong like daddy" so that he can play sports. We hear this a lot.


• 
  
  carries around a handy manny wallet full of pictures, coins, dollar bills and business cards that grammie put together for him. best.thing.ever.


• 
  
  favorite books are "dino baseball", "fishing adventures with johnny" and his "animal encyclopedia".


• 
  
  wants to be outside all the time, but is terrified of "bees". this was fine and was brushed aside until this weekend when he received four hornet stings after upsetting a nest, proving this fear and theory that being outside could lead to "bee stings". we will work on this.


• 
  
  prefers to walk around all day in his undies or post wake-up pull up.


• 
  
  let's me cover him in kisses and still requests to be picked up and snuggled at least once a day. the thought of this ending makes me nauseous.


• 
  
  loves his daddy. as he told me this morning after being scared during a power outage last night and being comforted by daddy, "daddy rescued me last night when I was scared of the dark. he is a really good daddy."


• 
  
  is a match car junkie. carries at least one everywhere he goes.


• 
  
  is baby hayes' idol. and emory's, for that matter.

Full of life and plenty of love to go around. Never change, sweet man. Happy birthday.

Home Sweet Home.

After all of the tears and emotion, it was nice to be "home" and focus on our new beginning in Macon. I must say, while super exciting, it felt strange the first few days. Almost like we were on vacation?! Especially when I would be drinking my coffee in the morning, looking out at this.

The dining/kitchen area. My gourmet-cook-husband's favorite place.

Front entryway. I love the doors in this house. They are all almost fully paned and old and heavy.

Looking in from the entryway. The massive amount of natural light from these windows have made for some fun pics of the kids.

Baby Hayes' room. Quite a step up from a pack and play in the corner of mama and daddy's room.

Playroom. One of my favorite places. The kids have absolutely loved having this space with TONS of room for their toys. We spend a great deal of time here.

Playroom built ins. These are now stacked with books and bins and frames.

Sunroom off of the playroom. Guest bathroom.

Master bath.

My favorite room. The master closet.

Basement family room. Super cozy. That fireplace makes me yearn for Fall!

Basement bathroom and stairs leading to the main floor.

Be back with more later. Kids are waking up and boxes are still waiting to be unpacked! Home sweet home.

The Big Move

I've been putting off this post. Things are hectic, boxes are piled high, we are all a little under the weather and time seems to tick by much faster in Georgia. While those are all great excuses, the truth is this is a hard post. I know I won't be able to adequately portray everything that I want to. There are simply too many memories. Too many stories to tell. Too many "firsts". Nothing will ever compare to our home in Texas. Our first home together. The place where all three of my babies were brought home. The home where they took their first baths in the kitchen sink. The home where... There is just too much. Seven years too much.

Our last night in the house, I walked around tearfully reminiscing. I tucked Emory into her crib for the very last time. I gave Ashton a bath in the bathtub where I learned how to bathe a newborn. I sat down on the kitchen floor where John and I ate our very first meal, picnic style, after sneaking in through a window before we were given our keys.

Ashton taking his last bath in his first bathtub, incredibly thrilled about having his picture taken.

The send off committee. Going to miss them more than they could possibly realize.

The dead end gang. Determined to make sure these little ones continue to grow up together by way of vacations and skype ;)

One more stop to shed a few more tears. Corbin and Cayden. Good thing there isn't a pic of Steph and I. Blubbering messes.

We will miss you, 2909 Morning Brook Way!

And then, after many tears and one very longggg drive, we were HOME. New house pics coming up next...

I'm here. I'm alive. AND I'm working on our "big move" post... Be back soon!

shiner.

Baby Hayes got his first shiner the night before last. I must say that I am in a bit of unchartered territory here. Ashton and Emory both chose to take their time progressing from scooting to crawling to eventually pulling themselves up onto furniture. Nice, slow progression. Baby Hayes? Not so much. Sweet boy literally crawled and pulled himself up onto our ottoman all in the same day. And that was just the beginning. He has now added pulling up onto his jumperoo, our couch and a sidetable in our living room to his repetoire. Being a trendsetter can be dangerous. After trying to pull himself up to a standing position on a sidetable, he fell and hit his eye a drawer knob.

Can't really even see it. It's on his left eyelid.

He's really broken up about the whole situation.

The first of many battle wounds...

mobile.

The Kerr household is officially MOBILE. Baby Hayes started crawling yesterday. Takes my breath away. He is just too too scrumptious. Just took this video. Grammie and Papa are here (yay!!) to help us pack up for our big move to Georgia. I guess he figured that since Grammie and Papa are here, he might as well pull out all his tricks because not only did my sweet baby Hayes start crawling yesterday, this morning he pulled himself up to a standing position!! Oh father time, slow down the clock. Pardon my high pitched southern drawl. Talking to Haysie always brings it out in me.

daddy's girl.

Emory has turned into a massive daddy's girl lately. "I wuv my daddy!!" is a phrase that we all hear about a million times a day. She wants to be around him at all times, tells me "My daddy is at work" throughout the day, sits by the front door and waits for him in the afternoons and would seriously prefer to just hang out in his arms all day. He taught her a few days ago to yell "Daddy's GIRL!!!!" when he asks her whose girl she is. Daddy has certainly seemed to be filled with pride lately. If she keeps up this daddy lovefest, his head may just swell up so big he won't be able to fit through the front door. That's ok though; she'll just have to run outside to outstretch her arms and scream "daddy's girl". ;)