Emerson says...

Hey, ya'll!  Life has been pretty good in the Gutshall home!  Lyla started sleeping through the night a little over a month ago and I am a new woman.  I am getting 8 straight hours of sleep at night and it is glorious.  I am actually energized enough to do things like clean, cook, and not nap and I am generally pleasant to be around!  In all seriousness, though, 2013 was just a hard year.  With foster care and transitioning into have two kids, one of which is a baby with a milk protein allergy and terrible sleep habits, the entire year was just. hard.  As Lyla has hit 10 months old, she is just getting easier and bigger and really fun.  I am amazed that next month I will have a 1 and 3 year old.  I can't even wrap my mind around it.  I have to say that having another baby is not even on the radar yet, because we are JUST getting past the hard stage and I am loving my "big kids" and our little family.  We had such a fun night tonight just rough housing and wrestling and Lyla totally joins in on the fun now.  I am totally savoring this fun stage.  Ok, so here are some funny recent Emerson quotes...

1.  While face timing with my parents...
Emerson: I have water in my ears from my bath!
Nana: Oh no!  You're going to have to shake that out!
Emerson: No, I'll just use those little sticks with the fuzzies on the end to get it out!
(AKA Q-tips).

2.  While face timing with my parents later...
Nana: You are going to be so smart just like your daddy! (I still can't figure out why she didn't say mommy, but that's beside the point)
Emerson:  No... I don't have moles on my head like daddy does.  Maybe I'll grow some when I get older! (Apparently moles make you smart, folks!  That must be Caleb's secret!)


3.  Caleb's grandpa passed away about a month ago and while trying to explain this to Emerson, the conversation went like this (Emerson hasn't really been exposed to the idea that people die)...
Caleb: Do you remember who great grandpa is?  Where did we see great grandpa last?
Emerson: At the doctor.  (true statement)
Caleb: Well, grandpa didn't get better.  He died and he went to be in heaven with God.
Emerson: (without skipping a beat) Is Goliath with God?
Caleb:  ......... I'm not sure.

4.  One day, Emerson pointed out to me that girls have hair like mommy (long) and boys have hair like him (short).  So, in an effort to prevent awkward public comments (ie: is that a boy or girl? etc.), I told him that sometimes you will see women with short hair or men with long hair.  And I listed some people like that, that he knows.  Later, as I was laying him down for his nap, Emerson says... "Some boys have long hair, some boys have funny hair, and some boys have smoke detectors."

??? This was one of those moments that I laughed out loud in that moment.  SO random.

5.  He has a hard time keeping the words "strong" and "heavy" straight.  Therefore we get lots of comments like, "Mommy, you are so heavy!" when he means "strong".  lol.  It just makes me laugh when he says that.

6.  Emerson is into telling secrets these days, but it is always the same secret.  Thankfully, it is a very good secret that melts a momma's heart.  He comes over to me...
Emerson:  Mommy!  I have to tell you a secret!
(He moves my hair out of the way so he can find my ear and whispers...) I love you, mommy.

That secret sure never gets old!

About 6 months ago, I wrote a "funny quotes" post and it had some good ones on it.  It is just pretty fun when they say crazy things.  We love that boy!

Emerson has a few good buddies that I hope he stays friends with for years to come.  Great boys.  Graham and Emerson know each other from play group and have been friends since they were babies.

This is Little Caleb (my husband is Big Caleb) and they have been friends since the womb days.  They have loads of fun together.

Emerson got bronchiolitis and had to do breathing treatments :(  I was very grateful that Lyla didn't get it because it would have been much more serious in a baby.

Flowers for mommy!  Training him to be a gentleman early :)

Loving the snow days.  This boy will always have momma's heart.

My little race car drivers.

E's first goatee.

That's all folks!  Happy early Valentine's Day!

Gone Campin'

Over Labor Day Weekend, Miss Lyla had her first camping trip!  It was a great, relaxing weekend.  The kids did great too.  It was in the mid 90's for the weekend, but we actually kept pretty cool!  I tried to document the whole weekend with my camera, since it was Lyla's first campin' trip and all :)

The first Razorback Game of the Season called for Lyla to wear her Hog Call Onesie :)

Do you think that is a dimple on her cheek or just how her cheeks are?

Lyla (5 mos) and Callie (10 mos) keeping cool

The boys playing on the top bunk

 

 

 

 

 

Boys bein' boys... making forts!

 

Going on a hike!

E's first time fishing!

He caught a fish on his first cast!  Beginner's luck.

Nana and 2 of her 3 girls :)

Devil's Den has a great kiddie pool!

Ashley and Callie

Nana and Papa!

We had a sudden thunderstorm, which forced everyone into the camper... always exciting!

Roastin' Dogs

I think Miss Lyla already approves of the great outdoors!  She's outside about every day watching brother play, so she better like it!  I absolutely love how my kids have cousins their age to play with.  They are already becoming such buddies and it is such a joy to watch!  What a rich blessing family is :)

Branson

This past weekend we made a little trip to Branson.  We stayed at a hotel, which Emerson LOVED.  There was a mini fridge in the room and Emerson kept going up to it and saying "my very own!".  He said the same thing about the TV.  Hotels are so exciting for kids :)  The next day we went to Silver Dollar City.  Emerson was super excited about that too. 

Enjoying the hotel :)

Look at that face!

Emerson loved the rides so much that he would bawl when he had to get off.  And Caleb insisted on taking him on that ride (which he was barely tall enough to ride) that has swings that go very high and spin around in a big circle.  I just knew he would cry and hate it.  When he rode it, his face looked a little serious and I'm not sure he breathed the whole time.  But, apparently, he LOVED it!  And he cried once again when it was time to get off.  I guess dad has a future roller coaster buddy!  We are hoping to spend a whole weekend there soon, so we have time to swim at the hotel pool :) 

* And Lyla was actually there on our trip.  I just didn't get any pictures because she slept the whole time, which made for an easy trip!

Remember me?

Hey friends.  Sorry for being a stranger lately.  Tonight the house is quiet.  The hubs is out with friends.  The babies are down.  I tidied the house, emptied the dishwasher, put away toys and now I am sitting drinking hot coffee (a rarity these days), ready to update you on our lives!

LYLA:
I cannot believe Lyla has been with us for 6 weeks!  It seems like it's flown by, but it seems like we were at the hospital welcoming her so long ago.  This girl is a sweetie and I love her.  She does wake me up 2-3 times a night to eat.  And she has removed my diet of chocolate (!), caffeine (!), beans, and DAIRY as of yesterday!  What can I eat, I ask :(  She has been a big spit upper from day 1 and still deals with tummy/gas issues.  But she is becoming more and more content.  She has the best sheepish smile sticking her tongue out.

And she loves to be talked to.  She takes good naps and sleeps til 7:30 or 8 in the morning, which is a nice treat for us, since Emerson has been such an early bird.  She is petite and when I pound on her little back to burp her, I just feel like her back and rib cage are so TINY!  Of course, I'm used to the "hearty" boy God gave us first :)  Most people say she looks like mama.  Nana says she feels like she is looking at me when I was a baby.  I'm not sure how much she weighs now, but she grew out of newborn clothes around the 1 month mark.  We started having her sleep in her own room this week, so around the 6 week mark.  Sorry, I'm just splurging all the info I want to remember :) 

We took our first road trip with 2 kiddies this past weekend to KC and are now in search of a mini van!  I don't want to go on another long drive until we have one!  lol.. but seriously. 

EMERSON:
Emerson is doing well these days.  I have to say we had a few rough weeks in there.  He has had an adjustment with all the shared attention.  He has always been very sweet with Lyla and has never taken any of his frustration out on her.  But he had a few weeks where he acted out and disobeyed constantly.  It was SO hard, because I wanted to love on him and have sweet time with him when the opportunity arose, but we ended up having to constantly discipline him.  I have to admit, it was very hard for my mama's heart to see him struggle with the biggest change he's ever had to go through.  Thank God, this past week has been better.  There are definitely still those "twos" moments.  Sometimes I even wonder why I thought having a baby when my other child was entering his "terrible twos" was such a good idea.  But most of the time I feel very blessed and I know it will just keep getting easier from here.  I've started praising him abundantly over the good things he does, like helping or obeying, to encourage him to do those things more.  A little positive reinforcement :)  And he's been doing much better.  I think he's getting used to our new life.

CALEB:
Caleb is doing well.  He has been at his job for a year now and still loves it.  We still see it as such a provision from God.  His dad and grandpa came down a few weeks ago to build us a breakfast nook!  I am so excited about it.  It was pretty neat because, if you count Emerson's help, there were 4 generations that helped build these benches!  If we ever move from this house, I'm sure they will be hard to leave behind.  I can't wait to show you pictures of the finished product.  We are still varnishing and painting :)  And we plan to add bead board for the back.  Eventually Caleb wants to build a table to match it.

We are still loving our house.  We are enjoying watching all the new plants sprout up... a patch of daffodils in the backyard, big white iris blooms in the front, the trees are filling up with green.  I love the sweet spring surprises that come with owning a new house. 

We did get some newborn and family pictures when Lyla was 1 week old, and I plan to post some of them on the blog soon, so check back!  I adore them and am excited to share them with you!

Life Since Lyla

Enjoying rainy days (someone loves his umbrella!)

Sweet girl

Dyeing Easter Eggs

Easter as a Family of Four :)  (check out E's suit!)

Egg Huntin'

The girls :)

First real bath... she actually did enjoy it after a minute!

Spending every afternoon outside in this glorious spring weather!

Lyla's first farmer's market excursion!

Sorry for the lack of posts!  We are getting the hang of this 2 kid thing and it is beginning to feel more normal :)  I can't believe Lyla is three weeks old today!  I will try to do a 1 month post about her when that comes.  We are loving getting to know our daughter.  She is definitely not her brother!  I guess that makes it more fun to imagine who she will grow up to be.  I hope you are enjoying this spring season!  This little one hasn't kept us indoors.  I'll try to write again soon!

Turning Two

Five days after Lyla's arrival, was Emerson's second birthday!  We already celebrated it before Lyla came, so we didn't really acknowledge it on the day of with Emerson.  

Emerson,

  The thing I love about you right now is that you are so full of life and joy all. the. time!  You are constantly galloping everywhere instead of walking.  Every day is exciting and fun and you are happy even if we just have a day at home.  You love being a big brother and I am so proud of you, because you have handled the transition wonderfully so far.  You love Lyla and ask to hold her several times a day.  You try to bring her blankets, stuffed animals, and her paci and sometimes, if she is really upset, you act pretty concerned about her.  You are so sweet with her.  I hope you two always have a special relationship. 

The night before your birthday I was feeling a little emotional about you turning two.  You got out of bed several times and we could hear you on the monitor get up and turn off the sound machine and turn on your lamp and say "i want mommy" repeatedly.  When I went in there I ended up rocking you to sleep (which rarely happens these days) and I laid next to you in your big boy bed and ended up shedding some tears because it was your last night ever to be one.  I can't believe the last two years have flown by so quickly.  I am glad you still have some baby tendencies, like crying for mommy.  I just always tend to get all sentimental on your birthdays. 

You are at a very fun stage right now and are talking enough to where I catch you saying some funny things sometimes.  I need to start writing them down right when they happen, so I can remember them.  A sweet one was that a few weeks ago, I was crying the day that Miss M was going to leave.  You noticed I was crying and said "mommy has tears"  and then you went and got Clifford and brought him over to me and said "big red dog" and sat in my lap.  I thought it was the sweetest thing.  You've also been noticing peoples feelings in books and often observe "he's happy" or "he feels like sad".  You say the words at the end of sentences in books, especially if they are rhyming books.  You are pretty good at your shapes and counting to 20 (mostly, a few numbers are skipped), but we are still working on your colors.  Your language continues to grow and you will often say 5-6 word sentences, but you often leave out the small words (a, the, etc.) that make a complete sentence.  The last few months you have done great with being dropped off at church or Bible study.  You walk right in without any tears.  Next fall I am going to start you in Mother's Day Out.  I think you'll have fun.  I guess that is all I can think of right now to share about you as a new 2 year old.  

I wish I could slow down time and just enjoy you as you are, but I am excited to see how God continues to grow you and shape you.  You are a very special boy and I know God has special plans in store for your life.  

I love you,
Mommy