My Boys

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Tonight at Bedtime

Every night at bed time we ask the question: what was your favorite part of today?
Blake's answer was:playing in the front yard with Daddy after school where he got the flying frisbee AND the soccer ball stuck in the tree

So Many Things.......

There are so many things that I'm not recording on this blog, but I want to....Let's see. Blake is so much fun and getting so smart. At times he comes home from school and shows us his fingers in the shape of a triangle and says "triangle".... He calls us out on so many things that we say, he says "you said it wrong!"

Blake loves his baby brother. Every morning when Blake see's Preston he gives him a big hug. And now, he kind of picks Preston up. He's says "I'm sorry" if he drops or spills something and "It was an accident" so sweet and so cute. The other day, Preston was screaming/crying and Blake began to cry. We asked him why and he said he didn't want to see Pres upset. He's so tender!!!

Blake pushing Rebecca (Bec Re) his favorite Cousin---he loves all the cousins like crazy!
But the 10 month age difference btw the two of them makes their relationship so special.

Preston......he is a talker. In the middle of the night, he wakes up talking. He will sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at the top of his lungs....only its "da da da da da da daaaaaaaaaaa" And he is always quick with an applaud immediately following. Last night at bedtime, we both took turns singing it. And when I would finish, he'd applaud and when he'd finish he'd applaud.

This boy is coordinated! He can handle most objects with ease and grace. Like in the photo below, it took showing him how to add the Easter eggs to the vase twice and he had it! He's definitely the athlete. Whene Blake runs into the wall, I say "Sorry honey, that's my clumsy gene" So far, Preston doesn't have the clumsy gene. And this boy is gonna be right handed. He's going to be the only one in our household that is.

The First Easter that Preston gets to help "decorate"

Preston loves to play. He can go into his room and start playing with the "millions" of toys and just be happy, undisturbed. And like stated in the previous post Preston loves Ollie! I mean when Blake was small Blake couldn't twitch without Oliver running in the opposite direction. It was Boomer that Blake got to shower with love, but Oliver has done a 360 degree turn and lets Preston love on him like crazy. I never thought that would happen. And speaking of Boomer. We've decided that Boomer passed his love to eat on to Preston. We all say "Preston he's an eater!!" (Blake does too and it's so cute when he does)....But like Boomer, whenever we get Preston out of his high chair he will crawl underneath the chair to scavage for any good that was dropped! He does that every time! Preston now gives kisses. They are so sweet. He will take both his hands and put them along side your neck and lean in for a kiss. Precious! Mommy's heart melts every time!!!

Tool Man

Oliver has really come a long way!

Every night at bedtime. If I take too long putting Blake to bed Oliver will come to be with us. And sometimes Blake begs and pleads for Oliver to stay in the room with him. Unless Blake can shut the door before Oliver escapes this NEVER happens. But one afternoon during nap, because we all laid down together (Preston and myself included) he stayed! When Preston woke up I took him out of the room so Blake could finish his nap. And Oliver stayed with him even snuggling up to his legs--which is where he usually is with me.

They are the most amazing little Boys! I love them "to the moon and back"

Friday, March 15, 2013

Preston's First Haircut

Since Preston was simply born with way more hair than Blake, Preston got his first haircut at 13 and a half months...where Blake's was 2 and a half years old...

Although there wasn't a lot of difference we took off a few of the long pieces....and look what Grandma has all over her hands Granddaddy and Nanny from North Carolina sent Blake stickers for Easter!

Monday, March 4, 2013

Preston's First Word

Feb 26, 2013
Like Blake, Preston's first word was....Ollie

OLLIE SNUGGLES


GIVING KISSES

AND SOMETHING VERY VERY RARE.....

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Gilbert Amos Smith

My Maternal Grandpa (Blake and Preston's Great Grandpa) would have turned 100 today. I wanted to reflect on my memories of him...and compile any of the families memories of him.

Gilbert Amos Smith born Feb 20, 1930 in Jerome Indiana. Died Sept 29, 1998 in Moultrie GA. He was 85 years old. He was buried in Emerald Hill Cemetery in Moultrie GA. Parents were Anna Marie Clevenger and Walter Amos Smith.

During his life as best I can piece together as a child he lived around Howard/Warren Co Indiana. But by the time the birth of his first child Elizabeth he was in Hartford Conn. By 1949 he was living near Coloma, MI. In the 1970s after My Mom and Sisters and I moved to Tennessee my grandparents joined us in Dover, TN and lived there most of their "Retired" life. By about 1994-95 Grandpa lived briefly with his daughter Lori in Blytheville AR and then moved with my mother, Karen to Moultrie. GA until he died.

Facts: At 23 his oldest Daughter Elizabeth Marie was born.
At 42 is first grandchild Debby was born.
His spouses were: Ethel Beatrice Burns 1914-1983
Alice Elizabeth Blake 1919-1990

He loved pastries
He worked in a Bakery in 1940
He slept with his hands covering his eyes

Preston striking Great Grandpa Gilbert's sleeping pose

He had a car wreck as a young adult and wore a neck brace for as long as I could remember
He played the accordion
Having never had a lesson he could sit down at a piano and play beautiful music
When he attended a Baptist church when I was young he would sing ever hymn loudly ;)

This is his accordion. It was made in 1912-1913---It's 100 too!

He had 5 daughters total....no biological sons....he had 4 step children 3 of which were sons. One of those daughters he wanted to name Gilbreta.

Some of his children: Lori, Carol, Butch, Karen

He worked in the Automotive industry in Michigan until he retired
His mother was Anna Marie Clevenger and his father was Walter Smith. Anna Marie was 93 when she died.
Because he was the first born and Anna Marie wanted a girl so bad (she eventually had 3 other girls) she grew Gilbert's hair out and would put old fashioned curls in his hair. (I think there's a photo somewhere-I've seen it)

Me and My "Thappy" in 1976

Born in Jerome Indiana.
Lived in Hartford, CT
Lived near Lake Michigan Beach, Tn
About 1975 moved to Dover, TN
Briefly Lived in Blytheville, AR with daughter Lork
Moved to Moultrie, GA for the last 3 years of his life
After he retired from the automotive industry he washed windows at a local burger joint
and on Saturdays my Grandparents would sell food at the laudrymat
Grandpa loved to Fish
I remember when I could dial 6817 and call my Grandparents with only 4 digits
Our little town didn't have much. There was a couple of restaurant/truckstops. Grandpa would visit the "Restaurant" 2 or 3 times a day for coffee. (1 teaspoon of cream/1 teaspoon of sugar--and ice cubes if it was too hot)

Gilbert and a couple of Grandkids in 1998

Happy 100th Birthday Grandpa!!!

Monday, January 21, 2013

The Wonder Place

On MLK day we were able to take the boys to the Wonder Place. This was Preston's first trip.

Preston had a blast

Blake loves the sand box

Preston loves balls

This is an apple from the Apple tree

He's got a good grip on him

Blake was ringing up groceries for some little girls...the funny thing was it was an old fashioned register with the numbers on it...but he kept scanning everything...because that's all he knows. FUNNY!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Preston's First Birthday

We celebrated Preston's birthday on Wednesday Jan 2nd. My Dad's birthday. Preston did less crying and hiding then Blake did on his first birthday. But when it comes to the cake, Blake enjoyed his cake a lot more..here's the wrap up: