Taking over for the dog

What you can't hear is our son "woofing" in the first two pictures. He started imitating that sound Monday and then decided to imitate Jasmine...quite funny!




















As you can see, he is quite proud of himself...



















and Jasmine appears unmoved by her demotion...she sits perched on her "throne" completely oblivious!















Another picture captured that day during playtime

Discovering the Christmas Tree

Jbird didn't show much interest in the tree until today - he even ignored the boxes while I was decorating Monday. He discovered a red ball and a frosty one with glitter this afternoon and I caught him having some fun...

Taking a swing at the ball...



















Just looking after Mommy said not to touch...



















Mommy caught my follow through!



















Maybe she'll let me touch the tree...



















What, me? I wasn't touching it!

Somethin' just ain't right

Somethin' just ain't right when it's 79 degrees outside while I decorate our Christmas tree! Crazy to think our high on Thursday will be in the 30s...gotta love livin' in Texas!

Night #2

Night #2 in the big boy bed went GREAT! He didn't fuss at all, and I didn't hear him until this morning. He even got out of bed, shut his door (we gate him in), and read his Elmo book. Nap time today went without fuss again and he slept his normal time - I am just now hearing him beginning to stir. How thankful I am that thus far this transition has gone so smoothly... gives me hope for bringing home a pink bundle in 3 months!

Big move

There is much to write about since my last post (we were gone for 9 days driving over 1800 miles!), but that must wait until later. I did want to take a moment to share a monumental milestone that occurred last night...Jbird spent his first night in his "big boy bed" (ie. his crib mattress on the floor of his room)!





The night went much better than we thought it might. We thought the easiest way to transition to this new bed would be to try it out our first night home after being away from home for over a week. I wish we could have captured the look on his face as we laid him down and walked away. He was holding both his bunnies with wide eyes - he seemed a bit unsure of what was going on.

We didn't hear a peep out of him for over an hour so we went to check. He was too adorable and looked SO BIG! We just stood holding each other, watching our miracle boy sleep, and I wept. It's the small things that just grip my heart - I can handle the big milestones, but this one was too much. I decided we needed a picture and thus what you saw above (it really was dark in his room, our flash lights up the whole block I think!).

Another 15-30 minutes went by and we heard him wail...he had rolled off the bed. He rolled off two more times before we decided to put the bed rail on. It took a bit to calm him back down, but then he was out...or so we thought. He would cry out and then quiet down...finally I went to check on him only to find him hitting his head against the wall as he tried to turn over. He was still asleep so I scooted him down and over a bit and prayed for the best...and I didn't hear anything else until this morning. I found him sitting on his bed with both bunnies thrown over the rail. So night #1 was pretty good in our opinion - and I have a plan for preventing the head hitting tonight.

Nap time today didn't go as well. He slept at church this morning so that usually means no nap at home...and today proved no different. He did lay quietly for a bit playing on his bed. Then I heard a sound I know well: the vibration of the doorstop. I found him behind the door playing. Back in the bed we go...wailing commences...and I find him in the middle of the floor. So he has figured out he can get off the bed which might make tonight a bit more interesting. I am waiting to put some toys in his room until we have the sleeping thing down a bit more. Overall, this first 24 hours is not the battle or trauma I thought it could be.

Our little boy is growing up - much faster than I wanted, but only out of necessity so his sister can have a bed when she comes home! He gained a lot of confidence with his walking while we were gone too - so now we are working on learning how to stand up without needing something to pull up on.

What a precious gift he is to us...I love being a mom!

He's walking!!!

Up to this point when someone asked me if Jbird was walking, I would smile and say, "He'll take a few steps between Mom and Dad with encouragement, but he's so close." Well, today he turned a corner and he spent over an hour total walking to various parts of our living room tonight! He had been playing tag with us for a few days - not stopping long before he turned around to head back to the other - and today he started between me and the ottoman. Before it was all said and done, he was going back and forth between the fireplace and coffee table of his own free will. With each pass, he got faster and more steady. He is doing a great job steadying himself, but when he does end up sitting down he simply says, "uh-oh", and crawls to something to get up and go again. He is so proud of himself...and so are we! It's hard to believe he wasn't even crawling 2 months ago. He is growing up so fast, but this is a big help to me as I continue to grow another little one inside. So now when asked if he is walking, I will smile and say, "YES!" We are still in the early stages, but something tells me he'll be running before Christmas.

A few changes

With the upgrade of Blogger, I decided to update my template. Also to avoid favoritism, I sorted my links alphabetically. I hope this doesn't cause you too many problems and that you might even enjoy the new look. Have a great day!

I have a crown

I have a crown...unfortunately it isn't one that sits upon my head - it's in the back of my mouth! I inherited my grandfather's and mother's bad teeth - lots more work than one soul should have to endure in their mouth in one lifetime...and today the dentist found I had a fractured molar. The amazing part is that I had no idea and no pain or sensitivity due to the fracture or decay. So, now I sit with the left side of my face swollen and tingly as the meds wear away and I get to go back next week for the permanent crown. I do love my dentist - he doped me up well so I didn't feel a thing (not even the shots) and he kindly gave my jaw a rest throughout the ordeal. So, I now always carry my crown...and I might try to milk it for all it is worth! Something tells me this won't be the last...thanks, Mom, for passing along your thin enamel...couldn't you have opted for something a bit better to give me?

Halloween fun

We had a great time last night! He did a bit better in his costume, and he was a trooper as we walked our friends' neighborhood. He got a kick watching their daughter go door-to-door. Here are a few pictures...I'll post one of Jbird and his friends later once the system stops bugging out!

A close up of his face














A picture from the front (where he is actually walking toward me which is why my mom looks so surprised) and a rear shot

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?

Here's a preview of tomorrow night...we had our church's fall festival last night so it was Jbird's first interaction with his outfit. He wasn't too fond of it... especially the hat! We did catch a few pictures before he completely broke down.


One of the few smiles from last night!




Daddy showing Jbird what he looks like in the mirror.



Here Jbird stopped in the middle of his tantrum to pose for the camera! It was too funny!

The most important things

My heart swelled with joy and excitement at lunchtime today. We changed two routines lately now that Jbird is older and can start participating - 1) mealtime prayers and 2) nighttime family devotions/prayer. At lunch today, I asked if he was ready to pray and he immediately put his little hands together without any assistance from me and smiled. He's getting it... each meal and every night he sits quietly while we talk to God. While we want him to know words and other skills, a love and respect for God is what is most important for us to teach him. It's a small step, but it made this mama's heart swell. A definite moment I will treasure for years to come.

Gotta love the Backyardigans

One sure-fire way to keep two boys from pushing each other over the edge: the Backyardigans. These two boys don't know what will hit them this winter as they each welcome a new sibling...they think sharing is hard now! Thank you, Backyardigans creators.

Who needs a sit and spin?

My son surely doesn't...he created his own with his hand, feet, and our wooden kitchen floor. He spent about 10 minutes yesterday turning himself in a circle making sound effects and everything! It was too cute...and he kept coming back for more! And yes, I did capture it on video!

Smart or too much TV?

So this morning as Jbird is watching Meet Blue's Baby Brother, I noticed his eyes moving to the next character that would sing before they would start singing. My first thought was "Wow, he remembers what happens next!". Then I realized it may simply be because he has watched this episode a lot... maybe too much! Just another thing I said I would never do/allow before I became a mom that hasn't proven true... there are moments The Backyardigans and Meet Blue's Baby Brother are the only way either of us keep our sanity!

Book recommendation

May I recommend a good read? God at Your Wits' End by Marilyn Meberg. If you are at your wits' end with life or a certain circumstance, if you have ever been there or think you might ever be...you need to read this book. I wish this book had been out during our infertility struggle or other tough times, but now I feel much more prepared to face my next wits' end experience. The book confronts faulty thinking and how that affects our faith. Marilyn does a great job of relating truth with humor and grace. If you can't read the whole thing, at least take an hour to go to Barnes & Noble and read the last two chapters!

Benefit of illness

Jbird was sick a few weeks ago (ear infection and some kind of virus)... it was a long week for all of us and I think "detox" after illness may be worse than the actual illness. However, I have discovered one benefit to his illness: he transitioned down to one nap a day without fuss. I hesitated saying something too soon for fear it wouldn't stick, but for over two weeks now he has been taking one long nap after lunch. I know many other mothers and children who battle this transition for weeks; but thanks to his illness, we made this transition smoothly and quickly. So, my perspective has changed on illnesses...there is always the possibility of a few benefits!

Her first pictures

Here are our little girl's first pictures... we think she is beautiful.

It appears she has more my face shape than Clay's along with my big feet so she may favor me like Jbird favors his dad...

her profile

Her face
(tilt your head to the right to look her face to face)

Making things a bit more even

Come February our home will be a little more even... 2 boys to 2 girls!

Yep, we're having a GIRL!!!!

We are quite excited... and she's already been given a pair of shoes - black patten leather Mary Janes complete with bows! I plan to post her first pictures soon so keep checking.

I think she's already wrapping her daddy around her little finger... heaven help us all!

The Texas State Fair

We had much more success at the State Fair barnyard area than we did the zoo. Jbird did seem to have more fun playing with the shovels intended for feeding the animals than looking at them - as you can see by the pictures below. I made him touch a camel and that didn't go over well. He was really just excited to hang on to the gates and take it all in - he is a definite people watcher!

This picture we took at the end in the designated "picture spot" shows his excitement over the entire adventure. My expanding belly is hidden a bit in this picture, but rest assured - it is getting bigger!












This is my favorite shot, I think... we are looking at the goats... then I had to post the pic with the "do not feed fingers to the animals" sign...too funny!














Even with a goat right beside him, Jbird enjoyed watching a little girl fill the shovel with feed! I'm still not sure if he ever saw the goat! What a great day!

The zoo with Mimi and Grandaddy

I'm sorry for the long lapse in posts...Mimi and Grandaddy came to visit and then Jbird got sick after they left - an ear infection AND a virus. We are now in "detox" from the illness...Jbird doesn't quite get why he isn't getting whatever makes him happy now that he is feeling better. He's developed a new scream and his temper tantrums are now grade A. We are just thankful to be back among the healthy.

During Mimi and Grandaddy's visit, we made Jbird's first trip to the zoo. He was not as interested as we had hoped. It ended up being the hottest day we had in over a week by 15-20 degrees so the animals weren't moving much. Jbird was much more interested in the water flowing through the exhibits. We did catch a few pictures before he fell asleep...

Notice that his eyes are focused down (on water) while his dad's are higher (on the animals). He did get a little intrigued with the gorillas at one point or maybe he was just excited he could stand on the rocks!

Christmas came in September

Christmas 2005 finally came - in September 2006! Last Christmas I asked for a new kitchen faucet (ours leaked unless you held your mouth just right), and my sweet husband threw in a whole new kitchen sink. We decided to wait to get it until after the holiday season since I had no real idea what I wanted. I finally picked it out in April or so, but long story short we ended up not buying it (and we ended up getting a different model anyway) until June. It sat in our garage for over 2 months as we had a busy July and a surprise pregnancy. Finally, he and a friend installed my WONDERFUL new sink in early/mid September. Isn't it beautiful? I just love it!!! Clay thinks I'm odd that something so practical excites me like it does, but none-the-less...I smile when I see this shiny new sink. Christmas is great any time of the year! Now, we need to work on the pink countertops!

Fun with Pop

Jbird had some time with Grannylou and Pop this past weekend while we went to dinner with friends. Grannylou caught some of the fun on camera...so I thought I would share. How cute are they?

Here they are concentrating hard! Then here's proof he is crawling!


I love Pop's face in this one and then can you even see J's left hand?


Grannylou actually caught the process of him standing up without holding on to hands or anything...Pop the jungle gym...what great moments!

Melting Daddy's heart

Clay's heart has been melted a few times over the last few days... Jbird began crying when Clay leaves! This is quite a change from a boy who wouldn't care if Daddy was right there playing with him if Mommy left the room. However the last few days have produced many tears as Clay left the boy's presence... and if it was simply to head into our bedroom, Jbird quickly made his way following his dad's path. I know this is only the beginning of the male bonding that will happen over the years. What a joy it is to watch!

You are God alone

God has been speaking to me clearly over the last weeks through His Word, music, others, and the book I am reading. I love these times of sweet communication with Him in every area of my life. Nothing is new, but it is all fresh to me at this time in my life. One song has been going through my head repeatedly, and I wanted to share it. It reminds me that He is the one in control (not me), nothing phases Him or surprises Him, He does not need me (but He sure wants me involved where He is working), and that He is simply GOD ALONE.

You Are God Alone sung by Phillips, Craig, and Dean
(words are listed as we sing it at church)

You are not god created by human hands.
You are not god dependant on any mortal man.
You are not god in need of anything we can give.
By Your plan, that's just the way it is.

You are God alone
From before time began, You were on Your throne.
You are God alone
And right now, in the good times and bad, You are on Your throne
You are God alone

You're unchangeable
You're unshakeable
You're unstoppable
That's what You are
You're unchangeable
You're unshakeable
You're unstoppable
That's what You are

You're the only God Whose power none can contend
You're the only God Whose name and praise will never end
You're the only God Who's worthy of everything we can give
You are God that's just the way it is

You are God alone
From before time began, You were on Your throne.
You are God alone
And right now, in the good times and bad, You are on Your throne
You are God alone

You're unchangeable
You're unshakeable
You're unstoppable
That's what You are
You're unchangeable
You're unshakeable
You're unstoppable
That's what You are

You are God alone

Tennis shoes!!!

We got tennis shoes on Jbird's fat little feet!!!! It really makes him look like a little boy. He did well walking in them - even better than his sandals which are really too small now. We've had such a hard time with shoes...his feet are so small (he's just now in a size 3) and so thick that the smaller sizes barely go over his toes. Thankfully, in a box handed down from my sister and her son, we found these velcro shoes which allow for thicker feet. As you can see, the velcro isn't overlapped much, but they stay on his feet! He was so cute when I put his socks on...I think it's been since March/April since he's had socks on...he showed much interest in them and the truck on the side. As you can see, the socks were a little tight, but the blood still seemed to flow.

Amazing progress

The little one continues to amaze us with his quick grasp of the motor skills he skipped. Over the weekend, he made his first attempt at crawling...and he gets better every time. Sometimes it is an interesting way to crawl (on one knee and the other foot, and sometimes on one hand and the other forearm), but he is getting it! We are so excited! We have watched his confidence grow over the last 2 weeks - he is just so proud of himself and what all he has learned. I will add pictures soon... they are hard to get since he usually crawls to me! Our cup overflows...

One of those days

I thought it was going to be one of those days when I first came to consciousness this morning... it was WAY too early to be hearing from my son on a Saturday. He didn't quiet down so I decided to try starting some music for him, but that didn't work. I kept hoping he would settle down for another hour or so as I pulled the covers tighter, but his volume only increased. I finally gave up and went to rescue this poor little guy from the solitude of his room. The morning didn't get much better as he proceeded to whine throughout breakfast and a bath. I got a few moments of silence as I took a shower, and he seemed excited to head to watch Daddy's team play their first Upward football game. We had not been at the field long when the whining began again...I guess I can't blame him, he had been up much longer than normal! Juice satisfied for a bit, but soon not much would bring a smile. He crashed when we came home (as did I), and I hoped his nap would help wipe out his whining...I wasn't sure I could handle much more of it today... I, too, was feeling the effects of less sleep after a busy Friday, a short night, and a busy morning.

Wouldn't you know that I found myself overwhelmed by this precious little boy after lunch? Then it became one of those days where I just can't seem to get enough of him...I can't squeeze him tight enough or get enough kisses or grasp that he is really here. I am silenced by this blessing given us by our Father...and humbled to think we have another one on the way. I am so undeserving...so thankful...so awestruck by the goodness of our God.

How great is our God?!?!?!?!

Fun weekend

Here are pictures from our weekend...mainly Clay's birthday party. Clay is now on his way to 30... doesn't he look happy?















Pictures of the young boy playing during the party...




A major accomplishment over the weekend was watching our son learn how to sit up on his own. For those who don't know, he has skipped some gross motor development steps. Long story short, we will start physical therapy soon to teach him the basics that he missed (how he skipped some and got harder things, we'll never know!). At the evaluation with the therapist, she showed me some ways to help him learn how to sit on his own and such...and he caught on like wildfire. My mom caught him in action Sunday night...he is always so proud of himself! Our fun now is that he doesn't know how to lay back down yet...so nap time has become quite interesting! He has turned a major corner with things and will now pull up on me if I am anywhere close by. He isn't far from walking on his own... requiring less and less to steady himself and feel comfortable. As our pediatrician said... he's just an interesting little boy doing things in his own time... he walked before he could get himself to sitting or pull up... Clay just hopes this means he didn't get my athletic ability!