Kingston Chronicles-2 1/2 years old!

On March 24th you turned 2 and 1/2 years old. You currently weigh 26.8 pounds on our bathroom scale! The opportunity came up for us to go to Gatlinburg so we decided to take you there for this big event! We had a wonderful family vacation and it was so awesome getting to spend 5 undivided days with you and your brother. You are such an awesome little guy. You are hysterical and you say so many things I know I'm going to want to remember forever. Some of them are very frustrating coming from a 2 year old but still hysterical-The best one is when we put you in time out and you say "Oh no what am I going to do" the entire time you're there. Or every time we get into the car and you ask, "Are we going to wreck.' Or when you say "You snap out of it" and try to snap your fingers. John David and Avery are your friends from school and you talk about them all the time. You call them "my John David and my Avery". You still talk about driving Noah's boat even though we haven't been out on the lake in weeks. You are very good about saying your prayers before bed and you are thankful for so many things, your friends, your feet and legs, your Jesus, your bubba, your mommy and daddy, your food and so many other random things. You are learning to go to the potty and you are doing pretty good. You go many many days in a row with out a pee accident and then sometimes we have a rough day but for the most part you're doing good. We are still working on the poopy though but you will get it. You hardly ever use a sippy anymore unless mommy makes you because we're going to be in the car. You aren't a very picky eater but the new food you are in love with is peas and you ask for them all the time. You love to run and you always ask mom and dad to race you and of course we do and of course you win :)! You love accessories, you won't leave the house without your sunglasses and sometimes you want a hat. You have a very strong opinion about which shoes you wear. You are very head strong and know exactly what you want. You are happy all the time. You wake up happy and you go to bed happy! You know your alphabet and your numbers to at least 10 in both Spanish and English. You can look at objects on a table and count them up to 5. You know more songs than I can even keep track of. You still love music of all kinds and we started you in a music class that you love!You love your stuffed animals and call them your babies. Sometimes you end up sleeping with 10 or more (good thing you have a queen sized bed). You are a great brother and Beckett thinks you are the coolest person in the world. I could seriously go on and on, it's so hard to fit everything I feel for you in a few paragraphs. I know all of this is going to pass me by so quickly and I want to remember every minute of it. You are one of a kind and I'm so glad I get to experience your growth sweet baby boy. You are amazing and awesome and all other words of affection rolled into one. Since you came into my life 2 and 1/2 years ago my life has gotten nothing but better! I love you and I thank you!

Franklin For the Cure

This Saturday I did the Franklin for the cure run in the West Haven neighborhood. We did this race last year because my friend Steve lives in West Haven and we knew it would be a great opportunity to see his fantastic neighborhood and hang out with him. Little did we know how much "a cure" would mean to him this year and how special this race would become to me! Earlier this year Steve was diagnosed with cancer, I would tell you which one specifically but the name is so long I can't pronounce it much less spell it, I do know it is extremely aggressive and Steve was put on a very brutal chemotherapy treatment for it. 6 rounds of chemo lasting 5 days a piece with roughly 3 weeks of rest in between. Steve is the first person I've ever know while they were actively going through chemo and although it has been very difficult for him at times he has remained positive and even calls his treatments "chemopolooza"! A friend of his sold shirts in support of Steve and his fight, Jodi and I thought this would be the perfect race to sport our shirts for our wonderful friend! And even though Steve finished his last round of chemo last Sunday and wasn't feeling the greatest he came out to cheer us on!

This was also Beckett's first official 5K stroller ride!! I was going to push them but Jodi decided she would walk and push the boys so I could run the race, the boys were great for her! Of course when you grow up in a jogging stroller I guess you get used to it!

Kingston is becoming quite the little athlete and he completed in the kid's 1/4 mile fun run! Here he is at the start line. He was doing stretches before the race and trying to get some of the other kids to stretch with him. One of the other parents said "You can tell his parents are runners" and I smiled because I've worked hard to earn that title!

And he's off!!

Rounding the turn!

Crossing the finish line and getting his medal!!

I sure was one proud mama especially when I asked him if he wanted to be picked up after he told me he was tired and he said "No I'm a runner." And he kept saying "Mama you can do it"

What a great day for a race! I left West Haven feeling full of hope and love and realizing once again how very lucky I am! It sure is great to be an Eller!

Beckett's Bio-4 Months Old

You are 4 months old today and it has been way too long since I've updated!! On one hand I can't believe it has flown by this quickly, on the other hand I can't believe it's only been 4 months. Daddy and I were talking today and it seems like you've always been here. You have had such an exciting 2 months since my last update. You started daycare full time at 12 weeks and you really like it. You kick your little feet every morning when I go to drop you off in your class room. They love having you there too. They fight over you and are amazed that you never ever cry. Which is another thing---you never cry! I thought your brother was a great baby but you are amazing. You are always in a good mood! You started sleeping through the night on your own a few weeks ago. You go to bed at 8 and get up around 6, we hear you stir sometimes at night but you always put yourself right back to sleep. You gave up your pacifier and switched to your thumb which made it so much easier on mommy! You went to Mimi and Pawpaw's in Ohio for your first overnight away from mommy and you stayed for 4 nights. It was hard on daddy and I but you had a blast and they had a blast having you. Your cousins couldn't get enough of your cute little self. You rolled over a few times on 08/09/10 at daycare, from back to front. Miss Rachel says you really wanted a toy but you've yet to roll over at home or in your crib. You still love your big brother and he loves you. You have been to Chuck E Cheese, Cracker Barrel, visiting friends-it doesn't matter where we take you, you just take it all in and have a good time. You are amazing my sweet little baby! You have your 4 month well visit next week and we will find out how much you weigh and how tall you are but since your wearing 3-6 months and about to outgrow those it's safe to say you're a pretty big dude. You are as laid back as they come!! You amaze me every single day! I don't know what I did to get lucky enough to have you but it makes me so so happy to be your mom! Happy 4 months on Earth Bex!!

Kingston Chronicles-2 Years 3 Months

Well sweet boy you are 2 Years and 3 months old and you are a funny funny little dude!! You have grown up so much in the last 3 months. Partly I'm sure because you're not the baby anymore but also because you are learning to do so many new things. The biggest change we've seen has been your vocabulary. You can say complete sentences and any word you want. For the first time you don't just repeat what we say you actually have thoughts and express those. And boy do you express those opinions, you talk from the time your feet hit the ground in the morning until your head hits the pillow at night! You say "I like that, or I not like that" about everything! You are really funny!

Mommy has had the pleasure of staying home with you for 12 weeks while on maternity leave and we have gotten so close. You are my best little friend. We do so much together. We hang out outside a lot, we do art projects, we dance in the living room with our Beckett's (mine being the real Beckett, yours being mommy's cabbage patch which Mimi gave to you and you pretend is your Beckett), we made up a dance routine because that's how we roll :) and you remember all 32 counts of it,we call it Oh My Goodness because there are some spots where mommy lifts you up and you say "Oh my Goodness", we cook dinner and you have actually gotten very good at stirring and scooping and staying away from the oven, we take care of Beckett, we do laundry which you love to help with, we go shopping and to the lake, we meet friends for lunch and play dates, we do workouts and you even use little cans of tomato paste as your weights, you love when people come to visit especially Jodi! We watch videos on YouTube, you love ACDC and can't stand Nirvana, you could listen to Cold Play as long as I let you watch Chris Martin play the piano, we watch the Swagger Wagon video more times than should probably be allowed and every time the commercial comes on TV you say it's my Swagger Wagon Family. I have loved being home with you and although I'm very sad to go back to work I know you have a good time hanging out with your daycare friends too and you talk about them all the time because you do still go there Tuesday and Thursdays.

You did your First Triathlon this month and you did so good. You can't reach the peddles on your tricycle but you wouldn't let mommy push you. You looked at me half way through and said "Mama this is tough" but you kept going and you got a trophy which you couldn't wait to take to the Music City Runners group and show Stephen, our coach. Mommy, Mimi, Beckett and Jodi all wore shirts that said "We support the King", and Susan came to watch you, we were all so proud of you!

We took you to your first Circus on Father's Day and you loved it! I'm pretty sure you would have ran away right then and joined if we would have let you. You didn't take your eyes off the performers. You road an elephant with Daddy and your friend Noah and his daddy and you boys loved it!

You are a little OCD. You hate to be dirty. You won't drink chocolate milk unless it's completely stirred up because you think it's dirty. You have to be buckled into your booster seat even though you don't really need to be. You are obsessed with people wearing shoes and shoes in general. You take a paper towel and wash your cars everyday because you think they're dirty. Things have to be where they belong or it stresses you out. You ask us to wash your hands a lot! People think you're Mr. Safety because all baby gates have to be shut at all times!

There is so much more I could write about you but this is already pretty long! I just don't want to forget a moment of your sweet life and you are such a busy little dude it's hard to find time to write it all down. So when I get a chance it's a lot to fit into one blog. You are special and an individual, everyone you meet loves you, strangers even tell mommy and daddy how silly and handsome you are. But we already know that! You truly are one of a kind and I'm so glad you're ours!!

Beckett's Bio-2months old

On June 12th you turned 2 months old and you are an awesome little dude. You smile all the time and you even laugh sometimes. You love to coo and your Bubba makes you the happiest. You love when he lays beside you and makes faces or plays where you can see him. You smile at everyone but he makes you smile the most and that makes mommy and daddy very very happy! We can take you anywhere and you will just lay there and look around at all your surroundings and you hardly ever cry. And if you do it's because you're hungry and as soon as we feed you, you are happy again. You have been sleeping in your own room for a few weeks now and you are doing very well. We put you in there wide awake and you put yourself to sleep. You still wake up 1 or 2 times a night to eat but mommy and daddy love those moments with you so we haven't pushed for them to be over. You usually take showers with mommy and daddy and you love when the water hits you. Mommy and daddy take you and Bubba in the double jogger on walks and runs almost everyday and you absolutely love it! You are so calm and happy just like your brother was. I have enjoyed everyday of the last 2 months and I am so glad I get to be your mom. Every time you smile it melts my heart. Every time you lay your little bitty head on my shoulder I am turned to mush. You are amazing and I can't wait to see who you become!

Today you went for your first well visit at the pediatrician and with that comes your first set of shots. When the nurse gave them to you, you turned bright red and let out the worse scream ever. It broke mommies heart that I had to see you like that but I know it's for your own good. You also got weighed and measured today:

Weight: 12lbs. 12oz. 70%
Height: 23.5 inches 66%
Head Circumference: 40.5cm. 58%

It appears to me you are going to be a big guy and will probably catch up with your brother rather quickly!

Happy 2 months on earth baby Beckett I can't wait to see what you do next!

Much needed Family time!

Alfred recently became the meat manager of the new Charlotte Pike Publix so he's been working 6 days a week and long hours getting his old store ready for him to leave and getting the new store ready for the Grand Opening. Although we are so thankful for the promotion it hasn't been the same without him around here. He finally got the weekend off and it was much needed. We had time to lay around being lazy. And he had time to help Kingston work on his art. And we both got to see the boys being silly brothers!
We went out to eat at Friday's with our running group. Here's a picture of Kingston with our trainer Stephen Taylor, and yes Kingston has a Jersey like his triathlon team.


Saturday we went to our friend JoJo's 2nd birthday party and had a great time. We were able to get the rare family photo.

And Kingston had a blast playing on the play ground.

And look what this guy has been doing lately...

That's right! He's been smiling and laughing and cooing! It's so so cute! I could watch these little baby smiles all day long!

We had a great weekend and we have a pretty busy week planned. Mimi will be here Thursday so she can see Kingston's first ever triathlon on Saturday. I'm sure there's a post coming about that and Beckett turns 2 months on the 12th. It's so hard to believe. Thanks for checking in on us! Have a great week!

Kingston Chronicles

So what has our busy little 2 year old been up to the last few weeks! Well Mimi and Papaw came to visit 2 weekends ago so that Alfred and I could go out for my birthday but more about that in a later post because we had a blast :)!! While they were here we took them to love circle to show them both the view and our hill repeat running route. It was a little foggy and rainy but we had a good time anyway.



Kingston really enjoys love circle every time we go he loves running around up there! Of course he really enjoys running around anywhere so I'm not surprised!

When it was time for mom and dad to leave, the boys and I decided to head back to Ohio with them so we could go to Camden Park with Kingston's cousins and hang out for a few days. He had a blast and Mimi and Papaw took an opportunity to get there picture taken with both boys!

Kingston went to Camden Park last year but this is the first time he actually rode a roller coaster. The Little Dipper is for kids but it has quite a few dips and turns. Kingston wasn't a big fan. It threw him all over the car and he hated when it went down hill. It was just a bit too much for him although when it was over he said "Yay" and clapped. We also discovered on this trip that he hates any ride that spins really fast and pretty much hates the carousel although he loved it last year. He did however love playing in the water puddles!!

At mom and dad's Kingston and dad found a frog. Kingston loved playing with it. He put it in his little riding car and carried it everywhere. Dad and Kingston let it swim in the bathtub. Finally we let it go and he watched it hop away. It's always good to go back home for a little while and Kingston loves walking everywhere with dad and playing with the animals.

We also have very big news this week!! Someone has decided they want to use the potty!! I'm not really ready for this. I like the security of diapers but he keeps taking his diaper off and going at daycare so I decided it was time to buy big boy underwear and get this process started. We aren't jumping totally in just yet but we are getting our feet wet. He tells me he has to go but doesn't always tell me in time and I'm still working out the details of how to handle this in public but I'm hoping to really get this done in the next few weeks. He's ready mommy just has to get there. He sure is proud though!

Kingston's really been a big help with Beckett. He even fed him half a bottle today with only a little direction from me. He is very good to him. When he's at daycare apparently he "calls" Beckett on the phone and he can't wait to see him when we pick him up. He's a great Bubba!!

As you can see Kingston's been really busy this week and so have the rest of the Eller clan but it's been a blast! I hope you all are getting out and enjoying this wonderful weather!

Beckett's Bio- The Sleeping edition!

Tomorrow Beckett will be 5 weeks old!! It's hard to believe it's already been 5 weeks! According to our bathroom scale he is already 11 pounds even! I checked Kingston's baby book to do a comparison and Kingston weighted 10 pounds 9 oz. at 8 weeks so it seems we have a chunk on our hands! The other day I walked into the kitchen and back into the living room and Kingston had put my cell phone in Beckett's hand! They are already so cute together.

Beckett loves to sleep as most babies do at this age!! It seems that while he sleeps he gets a lot of his thinking done!

Of course Beckett's favorite place to sleep is on a parent or on anyone for that matter.

Or on his play mat when he's supposed to be doing tummy time!!

Or in his co sleeper in mommy and daddy's room!!

Although he sleeps quite a bit he is starting to stay awake for longer periods of time and it is great getting to actually spend some time with him awake. He is starting to get into a schedule with his sleeping. He typically eats at 10:00 or 11:00 before I go to sleep and wakes up about 2:30 or 3:30 and then again about 7:00 so it hasn't been too bad. During the day he takes short naps on and off but typically takes a long nap from 11:00 until 2:00 which is perfect because this is Kingston's nap time. He sleeps in a bassinet or a co sleeper at night in our room. During the day he naps in his crib and does very well. In a few weeks we will make the transition to his room at night. It will probably be really easy for Beckett and really tough for mommy. All in all Beckett is a very easy baby! He rarely cries and goes with the flow. He is really laid back just like Kingston was. He is taking his first 6 hour road trip tomorrow with Kingston and I to go visit my family in WV. I'm confident the trip will go well because so far he loves riding in the car! I'll keep you updated!

A Day at the Zoo!

I haven't been a very good blogger lately probably because my days are taken up chasing a 2 year old and loving on my sweet 1 month old as well as volunteering to help with flood victims and flood clean up every chance I get! However, prior to the flood hitting Nashville we had one of our best times ever at the Nashville Zoo. My friend Elizabeth posted on facebook that they were going if anyone wanted to join and before we knew it there were 4 moms from the moms group there with their kids. That's what so great about our little group, you can always find people to hang out with! Here are some pictures from that day!

It was Beckett's 1st Zoo visit and we was actually awake for quite a bit of it and was a great baby!!

Daddy and Kingston playing in the bamboo!! Kingston loves doing this and I'm pretty sure daddy does too!


Kingston and Madeline in the Bamboo!

Riley and Kingston, yes we spent quite a bit of time playing in the bamboo!

The kiddos at the petting zoo!!

It was such a great day!! It's so wonderful to have friends with kids the same age as ours so we can build these memories together! Stay tuned for a Beckett's Bio our 1 month old is up to a lot these days!

Kingston Chronicles

We've been going and going and going since Beckett was born so although I've had a lot to blog about and Kingston has been up to a lot these days I haven't really had time! So these pictures are a little out of order but I wanted to give you an update on our Big brother! Last night we went to the Baskin Robbins .31 scoop night in support of the fire department. Kingston had a blast getting in the trucks and wearing the gear. The firemen were awesome and we loved meeting them. We didn't wait in line for the ice cream but we had a blast anyway!

Kingston got in trouble for the first time ever at daycare today for not helping clean up a mess he made. So when he got home he had to help us clean the house. Hopefully he will learn to love cleaning again! Prior to this incident he was the first one to start cleaning up.

Kingston's been spending a lot of time hanging out with Beckett and helping us feed him and soothe him, he loves to hug on him. He's very good to always ask before he touches. He is a great big brother. The other day Beckett was crying and Kingston went running through the house looking for a pacie so he could give it to him. It was a very sweet moment.

Kingston's daycare had Storybook character day the other day and Kingston dressed up like a pirate. He loved dressing up and didn't want to take the costume off.

Here at the Eller house we start them playing corn hole early. We went to our friend Marsha's 30th birthday party and Kingston showed her friend his mad corn hole skills.

My mom and sister came to visit last weekend and my sister brought my youngest nephew Corey. Him and Kingston had a blast. They put on shows for us which we loved to watch.

We went to Crockett Park where my sister took this picture and I had to include it!!

Kingston and Corey playing at the park!

The zip line!

Kingston has been a little trooper since we brought Beckett home. He has his moments that's for sure but for the most part he's been amazing! A little more needy and not quite sure how to share us just yet but we're all learning and he knows we love him and we are willing to do whatever it takes to help him adjust even if that means singing at the top of our lungs, dancing around like fools most nights! He is a cool little dude!

Beckett's Bio-A Birth Story

When I went to my 38 week appointment we decided to go ahead and induce on April 12th. It was a back and forth decision for me because I couldn't decide if this was the right thing to do but I was ready to get rid of this belly and hold my sweet baby Beckett! Even though it was pretty fun to belly bump with :)!

So on April 12th we got up bright and early and said goodbye to this sweet baby and headed to Baptist Hospital to check in at 6:00AM. Oh if he only knew how his life was about to change!

I got my computer set up so I could play on facebook and keep everyone updated the best I could. They started the induction at 6:30AM, my doctor came in to break my water at 8:30 and I got an epidural at 9:30. Everything was going good up until the point where I got my epidural. My blood pressure kept dropping really low (77/55) so they had to keep giving me ephedrine. At 11:30AM the nurse came in and told me we'd have a baby within the hour. I was shocked because again this was a super easy delivery!

Then at 12:39AM Beckett John Eller came into this world weighing 7lbs. 14oz. and measuring 21 inches long after only about 10 minutes of pushing! Daddy got to cut sweet Beckett's cord and he was so excited!

They wrapped him up and handed him to me for our first meeting. I was a little teary but very out of it for the first 30 minutes due to the ephedrine but so excited to meet my little boy!

When I came back to the land of the living I got to feed Beckett his first bottle. He was such a perfect little angel. He had a head full of hair and the sweetest little face. He looks a lot like big brother.

Daddy got the honor of changing the first diaper!

And here's one of the first close of pictures we have of Beckett!

The Grandparents had been waiting all day to get the OK to come visit and they couldn't wait to meet little Beckett! They fell in love with him just as fast as we did!

But the best meeting of all was when Big Brother met Little Brother. It was one of those moments I will remember forever. I would have stopped time at that exact moment if I could have and enjoyed it for as long as I could. The look on Kingston's face was priceless! He was already an amazing Bubba!

Beckett's birthday was perfect and all the worries I had about not loving him as much as I did Kingston faded the moment I laid eyes on Beckett. I love him so much. Not more or less than Kingston just the same only different. I know it sounds weird but it's true. I can't put it into words. He is already such a part of our family. He has always belonged here. He's always been a member of our family we've just been waiting on him to arrive. It is absolutely wonderful to be an Eller!