Taco Boy T-Rexes

Total Domination.

The Taco Boy T-Rexes are a force to be reckoned with.

The boys had a great soccer game last week.

Banks going for the kick.

Hughes throwing it in.

This picture gives me a glimpse of him as a 12 year old. He looks so old and mature to me. This was right after he scored his first goal and he was cool as a cucumber.

Game Over - Snack Time!

Woo Hoo!

Happy Birthday, Collins!

Dear Collins,

How has it already been a year? I barely remember you in the tiny infant stage! Here was our first family of five picture. You came into the world with ease.

You have made having a third child look easy. You are relaxed and a go-with-the-flow baby. You can push through your morning nap without a whine yet you can also take some awesome naps.

You are into everything. Your older brothers weren't much of putting things in their mouths but not you, buddy. If you can shove it in then it is going. I can't tell you the number of things I have taken out of your mouth - legos (x100), money from Hughes' piggy bank, a tack from Hughes' wall - you are now not allowed to crawl in Hughes' room. You are starting to cruise some on furniture. You like to stand up holding on to something but you aren't fond of the falling down on your hiney part. You like to stand up in the bath tub which is a constant struggle. The other night you flipped out of the tub while I was helping Hughes take his shirt off. You cut the inside of your lip which seemed to bleed forever. You're fine but the bad thing is that you're not old enough to learn from your mistakes. So, the very next night as soon as I would sit you down you were trying to stand up.

You babble way more than Hughes or Banks ever did. You love to be in the middle of any game that the big boys are playing. Hughes can pick you up and is very proud of that fact. Banks still kind of chokes you when he tries so we've put the brakes on him. You love to swing in the backyard and if I let you then you would play in Charlie's water bowl all day long.

Your birthday fell on a Tuesday so Dad was in class that night. We had a pancake birthday dinner especially for you and your brothers. It was your first time with syrup hence why you are stripped down to your diaper. You liked them a lot!

The Holman Boys

Hughes (almost6), Collins (1), & Banks (4)

I am a boy mama and I love it!

Collins' 1st Birthday Party

Disclaimer - All of my children were born during football season. For some this won't seem like a big deal. For me, it was a huge deal. It means that I missed a great deal of Auburn football. Collins especially got a "pass interference" when I missed the National Championship Game due to him refusing to take a bottle. So, because all my babies are Fall babies their birthday parties have to be scheduled around football home games. Therefore, his birthday party was just two weeks early. Again, to some this will seem ridiculous. To me, it's a way of life.

Collins is (almost) 1!

We had a small family birthday party for this special guy. He was the center of attention and loved all of it.

Collins and BecBec

Quick Shot with the Parents

(ignore the Santa picture in the background - I forgot to take it down last Christmas, realized it in February and now it's become a joke - it's almost time to put it up again so I think I'll keep it up)

Collins and MaeMae (great aunt)

The birthday cake

Clearly, I did better on this one than Banks' spiderman cake.

My only mishap was forgetting to ice between the layers but, hey, it still looked good and tasted good. In my book, that's an A+.

Everyone singing. You can't tell but he loved it. He started bouncing up and down. He loved it so much that we sang it twice just to see him bust a move.

Oh yeah, he liked it.

Because the layers weren't iced, he picked up the entire first layer and tried to eat it.

Making a mess.

"Kudos to the chef!"

Shaking the plate

Then, we let him open his presents. He got a big Caterpillar truck push toy. He had lots of helpers to show him how to use it.

We had a great party surrounded by family. Collins is one loved boy that's for sure.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!

What's going on?

Hughes just informed me that he invited his whole kindergarten class to his birthday.

Ummm, what happened to the 5 boys sleeping over?

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In other news, we've have been sick. And, by we, I mean all three boys. Starting with Banks early Wednesday morning (like 2am) with 103.5 fever. Gave him some Tylenol and he was back to sleep in no time. Send Hughes to school Wednesday morning and get a call at 10am from the school nurse. Hughes - down for the count with a 102 temp. Hughes told me on his way home that when you're sick you get to sit on the couch and watch tv. Soooo, that's basically what they did all day Wednesday and Thursday. By Thursday afternoon, both boys were feeling better and I knew that they would be going back to school. They were pretty easy because all they did was sit on the couch lethargic and sip apple juice.

So, true to fashion not to be left out, Collins woke up at 12:30 Friday morning with a fever and pretty much stayed up for the rest of the night screaming. Oh, and he would only sleep for short increments on my chest - 20 lbs. of hot sweatiness on my chest. And, besides for feeling bad for him, I loved all the snuggling as he's no snuggler regularly. This fussing was not a "my body hurts" kind of cry. It was more like "I'm going to kill somebody if this pain doesn't go away now".

Quick (yeah, right) trip to the pediatrician and he has an ear infection. He just had one two weeks ago. I'm giving him one more ear infection within the month and I'm calling the ENT. I personally think tubes were God's gifts to moms.

BecBec, I hope you're on standby if I get the fever!

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Banks has informed me that only girls like purple and pink while boys only like red, blue and orange. Also, only girls drink Coke. And, when he grows up he's going to be a police officer with Dad. Umm, okay. At what point do I break his heart and tell him his dad is not a police officer?

Banks' Superhero Birthday Party

This past Saturday we had Banks' 4th birthday party with a superhero theme. We had a jump castle, snow cone machine, juice boxes, cupcakes, and football on tv. It was awesome and exhausting at the same time.

Cupcakes galore complete with superhero rings.

Hughes picked up one of the rings and said "I thought these were golden not plastic". Total disappointment on his part.

The Spiderman Cake

Clearly I am not a professional cake decorator. I think I fall into the "kindergarten skills" category. BecBec was unavailable so I had to do it myself.

Anna Banks getting some Collins' love.

Happy Birthday banner my friend Elisabeth Hunter made - you should get one, too!

Some pre-party jumping.

Anne Banks in the process of a toe-touch.

Emma do a flip.

mid-jump

Anna Banks and Emma dressed as Super Cam.

Maiden voyage for the sno-cone machine. They were a huge hit!

First sno-cone of many.

Banks started the party as Spiderman, had a wardrobe change mid-party into Batman and ended the day dressed as himself.

Family Shot - why can't everyone look at the camera?

I mean, good grief, even Collins is looking at the camera!

Having a cold one*.

*no beer was consumed by this baby

Banks & Thomas (friend from school)

Nola & Miller

Super William

Love some homemade costumes!

Batman can't look much sweeter than this!

Jennifer and Hayden enjoying some boiled peanuts.

Super Charles and his 4th sno-cone.

Rachel and Stacey - both supermoms!

Baby Whit - dressed in his super daygown as all babies should be

Super Eloise

Super Elliott

Super Charlie - he's two weeks older than Collins.

Time to blow out the candles!

And, then out came the cupcakes.

Super Lucius

How's that cupcake, Francis?

And, finally, my plant mysteriously bloomed a cupcake.

I owe a big thank-you and possibly some money to my three wonderful nieces - Anna Banks, Emma and Bryce for manning the sno-cone machine and making all the kids happy. Also to Aunt Shell who was sweeping and hanging birthday banners before every one got here.

Banks, you had a blast and kept saying that this was the best day ever. I'm not sure I can do it again, though. I may need a year to recover.

Oh wait, Collins' birthday is right around the corner and then Hughes' birthday. We have officially entered birthday season.