Basketball

Charlie Banks started his first organized sport...if you can really call it that!  We started basketball at the Y and the league is for 3 and 4 year olds. So...he just turned 3 and is playing against some professional athletes almost 5 year old kids.  Haha. He is not into it, but he sure looks cute in his jersey!  He definitely gets shy and unsure when trying new things, but I know by the end of the “season” he will be all about it. Love this little boy sooo much!

Orange Picking

The boys and I went to Dooley Groves to pick oranges last Friday. It was a quick drive from Tampa and we had a fun time roaming the groves looking for the best honey bells.  We left with a basket full and some fresh orange juice!  Another sign that we are definitely in Florida now!

Charlie Banks is 3!

We traveled back to Tampa on Charlie Banks’ birthday, so we celebrated with daddy the day after!  We had a paw patrol celebration and mostly stayed inside playing with all of his new toys, because it was cold!  I’m not sure where these past 3 years have gone, but they sure have gone fast. What a little joy this boy is.  He loves to go to school, but also gives the sweetest welcome to me when I come pick him up. He sleeps great at night, but appears to have pretty much dropped his nap for the most part. He does great on the big boy potty if he is naked, but has accidents when we try to put on undies. His favorite restaurant is Chick-Fil-A - strawberry shakes and Chick-Fil-A dip!  He loves avocado toast, strawberries, popsicles, grits, milk, pizza, and any junk food he can get his hands on. I had been following the advice of not making a big deal about what he’s eating, but continue to offer healthy choices. And that just wasn’t working at all. We have had a few battle of wills this week where I am making him take one bite and it appears to be working. Thankfully, because something really had to give!  He has certainly inherited his mother’s hard headed-ness.  He is very supportive of others and can often be heard telling friends, Haines or us good job!  He is playing really well with Haines and is always wanting Haines to come into his room with him.  He has been saying some really cute things lately and I made a little list so I would remember the cuteness. One night I was about to put Haines to bed and he wanted Jimmy to take him instead...but then he said “but daddy don’t have boobies”!  If I ask him to pick something up and he doesn’t want to he will say “but I don’t have two hands”.  One day I wasn’t feeling well and I told him he was going to have to take care of me and he so sweetly was holding out his arms and said “but you’re too heavy”.  He was in a foul mood one day and I was smiling at him when he told me not to open my teeth to close my teeth. And last but not least, the other night he wanted to throw his ball to me and I had a glass of wine in one hand and my phone in the other. He told me to “put your wine down and your phone in your pocket”.

A long post, but he is turning into a big boy so fast and we love him so!

Charleston

The day after Christmas I loaded the boys up for our first trip home since our big move!  I must say I was nervous about the drive, but mostly about how Charlie Banks would react about being at our old house and then leaving again, etc. All went well on that front. We were so happy to spend time with family and friends and to visit a few of our favorite places. We really missed having Jimmy with us and I know he was sad to not be there as well. It was sooo cold the entire time we were there!  We had a fun play date with friends at Chick-Fil-A, a crazy morning at the children’s museum with cousins and friends, a special Christmas celebration at Red Drum, a fun filled day of play like old times with sweet cousins, lots of coffee from my favorite coffee shop, a sweet coffee date with a bestie, lunch at Groucho’s, dinner at Santis, bridesmaid dress shopping, and a lot of sleepless nights with Haines in the room with me!  Ha!  Jimmys parents were so sweet to have us destroy their house for a few days!  It was a nice trip and great to see so many friends and family, but we were happy to get back to our own beds, daddy and milder temps!