The "New" Playroom

His cash register, train table, slide, gigantic Spiderman tent with the kitchen in it.

His new art desk all set up with the basketball goal in the background

A view of the slide going into the tent, with a close-up of his kitchen that was a hand-me-down as well.

Here are the pictures of Paxton's downstairs playroom with all his toys set up. We rearranged the furniture and took out the coffee table. He especially loves having his "choo-choo" at home! We are lucky to have gotten the train handed down from Uncle Adam, and the table this year for Christmas! He knows it's down here now, and asks to play with it! Pax likes to pull everything out, play with one thing, and then move on to the next. For now, as you can see, everything has a place, but we'll see if it can get there again! I took these during his nap time so he wasn't pulling things out as I was putting them away! Hahaha!

An Early Start to A New Year's Resolution

Paxton's big boy bed with Fred and Elmo sleeping on his pillow! We didn't know that the bed didn't have a side railing. We just put down a lot of pillows in case he rolled.

It is Paxton's New Year's Resolution to sleep in his own bed, and we started a little early. Whether he knows it or not, that's what we have decided for him. We need to take back our own bed, and it's long overdue. (Yes, we realize we never should have let him sleep in our bed, but until you wake up next to your sweet baby, it's hard to understand! :-) It's the sweetest thing in the world!)

Anyway, he has been petrified of his bed and pack-n-plays, that we couldn't let him "cry it out" as suggested. It wasn't until he spent the night with Mom and Dad did they understand the cry that Pax let out as soon as you got near the bed. I'm not kidding, he was petrified, like something happened to him in the bed! But, we have been playing in the crib, and in his room, and he has been doing better.

We decided that, in order for him to sleep, we would turn his bed into a toddler bed (as mentioned in the previous post). So, Brad worked on it yesterday, and we played in it. Last night after Aunt Sarah left, we thought we'd go ahead and try to put him to sleep in his big boy bed. To our surprise, he actually laid down and FELL ASLEEP!! Brad and I both stayed until he went to sleep, but at least he slept in there. I didn't know how long he'd last, but he made it ALL NIGHT LONG!! He woke up 3 times and I went in and he fell right back asleep once I gave him his paci. He didn't even try to climb out of bed! I thought he'd want to get in our bed, especially the last time at 5:15, and that he'd wake up early, but he didn't. We were so proud of him this morning, and I think he was proud of himself, too!

We'll see how tonight goes, but at least we've made progress, and he had a postive experience in his bed!!!

Monkeying Around

Pax liked the games this time more than the inflatables, I think

Micah, Pax, and Aunt Sarah sitting ON the turtle

Sarah falling OFF--this moment was too great to not put on here

and after:-)

Pax didn't want to stop long enough for a picture

Micah did NOT like Pax sharing this fire engine, and Pax was even ok with Micah doing all the driving. Hahaha!

Pax and Ash (he still wouldn't stop)

Sadie Jane and Mick

Grandma even stopped by for a minute

Sarah, me, Steph, and Ash at Monkey Joe's

Steph doing a silly pose--too cute!

Brad and Pax driving at Taco Mac

Sweet boy sitting with Daddy at dinner

He was almost obsessed with Sadie Jane. He kept watching her throughout dinner, and smiling at her. It was really sweet. He doesn't look too interested in this picture, but he really was!

Aunt Sarah came out to Douglasville so we got a group together to go to Monkey Joe's and then dinner. We had a lot of fun, and I'm so glad that we got to spend some quality time with some great friends. I got even more time with Aunt Sarah, because after dinner, she came back to the house to hang out a little more. She played with Pax in his room as he showed off his new toddler bed that Daddy put together today! We're going to try that new sleeping arrangement.

Lunch with Aunt Kenz

Pax cheesing

Pax and Aunt Kenz cheesing

Pax, Kenz, and Derek

We met Mackenzie and her fiance, Derek, for lunch at PF Chang's. It was yummy!!

Sweet Caroline

The girls--Caroline in the back right

Holding Jenny's belly-she is due in about a month!!

Summer, Jenny (with Pierce), and Caroline

Pax and me

Cute outfit that he got from Grandma and Pops. He loves the "neighs" on the shirt!

Blake (we'll miss you, too) and Josh

Pax, me, Jami, and Ginny

Me, Pax, and Summer (when he was glued to my side and being shy for the first hour!)

Caroline and Blake are moving to Oklahoma and leaving the rest of us B's behind in GA. These pictures were taken by Summer at Caroline's going away party at Ri-Ra, an Irish Pub in Atlanta. We had a great time, and Pax got to see all his aunts that he hadn't seen in a while. Thanks, Summer, for taking all these, and for letting me steal them! And, Caroline, I know we'll see you often, but good luck to you in the mean time!

Christmas at home--Finally

Super Man opening his presents at home. We love these PJ's. Micah gave them to him for his birthday, and he likes to watch the "S" light up!

Say Cheese, Superman! He does this ANYTIME he sees a camera!

Opening Elmo Live

Riding with Elmo

Paxton finally got to open his presents 2 days after Christmas. We didn't get him a whole lot, because we knew he was getting so many neat toys from others. We bought him an Elmo Live, some buckets to use with a water hose this summer, a puzzle, and a Leap Frog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Alphabet. He likes to sit in my lap at the refrigerator and play with the ABC's. He also likes to get all his Elmos together and hug them all!

We have done some rearranging to accommodate all of his new toys. I worked in his playroom downstairs to make it really neat down there. I'll take some pictures when we have all the toys here and arranged. Half of them are still at Mom and Dad's house!

Christmas in Covington

Opening a present with Uncle Brooks, Aunt Shell, and Aunt Tori in the background

Pax and Papa opening another gift

Pax opening his big gift--his art desk

After Papa and Aunt Kathy put the desk together, Pax loved sitting at the little stool and coloring his new Mickey Mouse coloring book.

Uncle Brooks and Aunt Shell got a new puppy and brought her to Christmas. She is so sweet, and Pax really liked her. He wanted to know what she was doing at all times. Pax is giving her a squeeze here. Too sweet!

Cousin Sam, Aunt Tori, and Brad

Another one of Mimi and Pax holding Dally (spelling?). He kept patting his lap for her to climb in!

He loved her so much! If you enlarge this picture, you can see Dally giving Pax a kiss! He even brought his "B" (blanket) and "Be-bo" (pillow) for her to use. He wanted to share his paci, too! He likes to share his blanket lately. He will take the smooth, silky part and rub it on his stuffed animals' ears the same way he does when he's falling asleep.

Christmas day we drove to Covington to spend time with Brad's family. Paxton got some more really neat presents: an art desk, savings bonds, cash for his bank account, a cash register (which was his favorite gift--he wouldn't open any other presents once he saw that), a John Deere book and socks, a Spider Man fishing pole to use with Uncle Brooks, several other books, some clothes, and a couple more Elmo things. These are definitely not all the things he got, but I just named a few.

Lots of Brad's family came over Christmas day, and then we headed to LaGrange to see some more the next day. Yes, he got more presents at Aunt Tammy's house! He is one well-loved little guy! We are so thankful to have families around us that love us--and Pax!:-) A big thanks to everyone for making Paxton's second Christmas so great!

See Rochelle's blog for some more pictures!

Christmas in Charleston

A Mo-mo!!!

His new Lorax riding the mo-mo, too

Gigi, Adam, and the Lorax

Pile on Uncle Adam

Riding his mo-mo around Aunt Cindy's house

(Aunt Suzie--I was playing with the settings, and tried to do what you taught me, but it's so hard to take a moving child's picture with that setting. Hahaha!)

Going to look at Christmas lights around Cindy and Bruce's neighborhood in their new "golf" cart. We had a lot of fun riding around and saw some really pretty lights!

Bye Cindy, Gigi, and Bruce

This was the winning house--they had the prettiest lights. Next time we're going to take a plate of cookies to the winner!

Here comes the ball...

They caught it with Paxton's new glove!

Riding his mo-mo outside at Gigi's house

The family-Uncle Bruce, Aunt Cindy, Adam, Mom, Dad, Brad, Gigi, Pax, and Me

Pax and Me

Giving me a squeeze--he's gotten really good at giving out hugs lately!

Our family picture

Pax and Daddy

Giving Daddy a squeeze

Pops, Pax, and Grandma

Sweet smile!

Pax, Pops, and Top Spin

He loves this dog, and I'm glad this dog loves him, too!

Gigi and 2 of her grandkids plus her only great-grandchild (for now, anyway--my cousin & his wife are due in April, and couldn't be with us this year for Christmas. We also missed DC!)

Me, Gigi, and Adam

SANTA

Warming up to Santa, and Uncle Adam helping Pax give him High 5 (one of his new things--he says it and then does it--pretty cute!)

He got a plate for cookies

Oh Boy---big boy pants!! Thank you, Santa!

Not so sure who this hairy guy is--but at least Pax is in his lap!!!

He gave Santa 3 or 4 hugs! We have made such progress!!!

Opening his cow clock toy from Aunt Cindy and Uncle Bruce

He loved it! In fact, earlier that day, Brad was making a cow sound, and Pax became obsessed with cows. The gift was perfect for this new obsession!

His favorite gift of the night--a T-ball set. He refused to open anything else, and only wanted to play with this.

A Tickle Me Elmo from Gigi-he thought it was fun to tickle him!

Pax got Daddy this collage

Thanks, Aunt Suzie, for taking these and making them into this beautiful collage!! We love it!

Showing me a book that he got in his stocking Christmas morning before we headed back to GA

Holding another Tag Junior Book (he got 2 last night)

Gigi and Pax

He loved sitting with Gigi while she played to piano

It was so sweet!

We had a great time in Charleston with my family! We stayed at Gigi's and got to spend lots of time with her! Pax got all kinds of fun things for Christmas: a mo-mo (which is actually a tricycle--he calls bikes, motorcycles, and now tricycles all mo-mos), a Leap Frog Tag Junior, Tickle Me Elmo, and several Elmo things, a big huggable horse, a toy cow clock, cars, a T-Ball set, (basketball goal and train table before Charleston) just to name a few! Thank you for a great trip and Christmas!