Wednesday, January 27, 2016

5 Year Anniversary Getaway

It was pretty cold last weekend and I was starting to think hell might have frozen over because my husband, yes John Hamra, planned a weekend getaway for our 5 year wedding anniversary. If you know him, you know this never happens! His strength is not in planning. Nevertheless, he not only set up his Mom and Derrick to come watch our boys but booked us a room at Big Cedar Lodge, a couples massage , and organized the day with a visit to Copper Run Distillery (a tradition of ours) and a golf cart tour at Top of the Rock complete with a bottle of the cider we had been saving from our trip to Dallas. I was very impressed! While it was cold, we packed warm clothes and snuggled on our outside tour, it was very romantic. I gotta say, I sure did snag a keeper!
Copper Run stop
I think we deserve this!
Ready to brave the cold
Maybe this will keep me warm
The frozen waterfalls were gorgeous!

I'm a rule breaker, ha!


This stuff is Yummy!


Monday, January 25, 2016

Scout // 7 months

Another month down and I am still in awe at home fast these little people learn....you quickly forget from baby 1 to baby 2. One big thing that happened since last month was he had surgery. We didn't post much about it because it involves what some would consider sensitive subject matter but as you know, we like to share our experience in hope of helping others going through the same thing. He had Hypospadias surgery which involved redirecting his urethra, which we discovered had a 90 degree curve and pointed downward instead of up. We traveled to St. Louis to have the surgery with specialist Dr. Palagiri at Mercy Children's. The scariest part for me was the Caudal Block anesthesia, which is similar to an epidural. Well, we are a week and a half out from surgery and he is healing great! The first few days were rough and it involved dressing changes and soaks but by day 5, the dressing came off and he was practically back to his old self. We have to avoid any type of straddle toys until after our 1 month follow up. After all the healing is done, you won't ever know he had surgery. I did learn that not only is Scout a tough cookie but pain is definitely mental. 

Here is Sawyer at 7 months. Size is almost identical but the big differences are Sawyer was crawling and had his two bottom teeth. He had also already started saying Mama: Sawyer 7 Months

Scout 7 Month stats


weight: 17 lbs 8 oz. - at 6 months he was 16 lbs 8 oz.

height: 27 in. - at 6 months he was 27 inches

clothing: 6-9 months and 9-12. Wears size 2 shoes - same as last month

diapers: Size 3 - same as last month

eating: we have dropped a bottle at school so he has a pretty strict routine. Nurse at 6 am, oatmeal at 8:30 am, nurse at 11:30 am, veggie/fruit at 2:30 pm, nurse at 5:30, veggie/fruit with oatmeal at 6:30 and then he goes to be about 7 pm. If he wakes int he middle of the night I nurse as well. We have starting trying puffs and teething biscuits and he seems to like both.

sleeping: He had a rough couple days last week after surgery and we think he is teething but besides that he has gone back to sleeping most of the night (7 pm - 5/6 am)

teething: As I mentioned last month, we thought he had two teeth coming in. But when we went to the pediatrician she said what we thought was a tooth was actually a cyst (nothing painful or an issue) that will eventually go away. It looks exactly like a little tooth popping through, ha! He is drooling and chewing on everything though, so I imagine something is trying to come through.

other updates: New this month is he is trying to wave and clap and lots of noises that sounds like he is trying to talk. He still isn't officially crawling but getting around by dragging himself. He gets up on all four and rocks but hasn't gotten himself to propel forward.

Here are a few more photos from the month

and our trip to St. Louis for surgery:


already wrestling

the night before surgery 
wagon ride to relax


Doesn't get any cuter than this!
Right after surgery, still has a smile
starting to get sleepy
can see the pain in his face, heartbreaking!
loved the tub soaks
the day after surgery
a new favorite toy, balloons!
Trying out teething biscuits


He loves our monthly photo sessions
Showing off his new trick of clapping
helping me erase the board
big brother helping too
playing at school together

Monday, January 18, 2016

Scout's 6 Month Photos

Like I have said before...I WILL NOT LET SCOUT SUFFER FROM 2ND CHILD SYNDROME.

I have to remind myself of this constantly because having two kids definitely keeps your mind busy. So, just like Sawyer, I scheduled a 6-month photo shoot with J Design and they turned out adorable (of course!)

It was a very cold day as you can tell by his cute red nose but Scout was a trooper. His big brother was NOT! He refused to get in one photo and threw quite the fit when he saw Scout sitting in "His" yellow chair. Oh well, Sawyer's 6 month photo didn't have Scout in them so it was equal.

Here is Sawyer's 6 month photos (on a much warmer day), amazing how similar they are but also very much their own personalities: http://www.hamratime.com/2012/09/sawyers-6-month-photos.html

Below are a few of my favorites, but check all of them out here: https://karitravels.shutterfly.com/4402


I LOVE this one!!


Monday, January 4, 2016

Holidays 2015

This Christmas was very special, not only was it Scout's first but for the first time in a very long time we just stayed at home and took it easy.  We had family visit us and didn't have to travel. It was relaxing and exactly what we needed with our hectic schedules.

However, we did travel this past weekend to St. Louis to visit my mom's side of the family but we rode with my parents.

New Year's Eve was even more relaxed and we did the "fake" kids countdown off NetFlix for Sawyer and we were in bed by 9 pm. Gosh are we lame, ha!

See all our Holiday Pics here: https://karitravels.shutterfly.com/4183

truck from Grandpa Sam
Going to see the Bagwell lights

Cookies and milk for Santa, Carrots for the reindeer
Adorable Christmas PJs from Auntie Trina
Got to open one gift Christmas Eve
My boys
I caught Santa in our living room!
Christmas Morning!

Holy Toys!

Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Rachel came over for presents that afternoon
Scout learning quickly how to open gifts

My little sis


Testing out his new iPad Facetiming Daddy at work the day after Christmas
Not a fan!
Meeting Cousin Erin for the first time
Love from his Great Uncle Scott
Aunt Julie and Scout are buddies
He doesn't care what kind of bottle it is!
First picture we managed to take together


Cousins!


Love at first site!
Grandma Donnetta came to visit after Christmas too!

Happy New Year! Scout is already asleep 
Sawyer's "Champagne"
Scout and I celebrated the next morning with cuddles and tummy time
Visiting with Aunt Ruthie in St. Louis
Ah, Grandpa putting chapstick on Scout. What a nice guy! 
Cousin Tanya
Sawyer and Chase checking out his new scooter 
They are too fast, couldn't get one non blurry pic!