Happy 30th

My Husband is now 30!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY

I love you and I hope that your next 30 years will be even more wonderful and amazing... there are so many exciting things ahead of us...

the awesome slide my husband just built for our little guy

our little bear wants to be like his Daddy and always wants to "help"... change the filter on the frig, hammer, lawn work, whatever... he loves his Daddy!!
HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY
I LOVE YOU!

Fever After MMR Shot

My little guy has been running a fever since Monday and last night was rough. I, personally, did not go to bed/sleep until 6AM!! We got him in to go see the doctor today and they checked several things... not an ear infection (possibly a minor one, but not one that would cause this kind of fever), not urinary / bladder, not strep, and there are really no other symptoms. Just a fever. It spiked last night and the Tylenol did not break it. I was concerned. It was not just the typical low-grade teething type. Poor guy. The only other symptoms were some greenish poopie diapers lately - ever since he had his shots two weeks ago. Then the doctor said that all of this, the fever and the diapers, could be a reaction to the MMR shot. From two weeks ago?? Huh? I would have thought it would be out of their system in a few days. He said usually if kids have this reaction, it takes place on days 8 - 10 after the shots were given. We had them two full weeks ago, but he said he had seen that before & even up to three weeks after the shot, some children can still have a reaction. He also said to look out for a rash, possibly. And then after saying all of this can happen as a reaction to the MMR shot... he said that they consider this to be a normal reaction. WHAT? I don't get that. My little guy has not been feeling well and it kind of upsets me to think that it could be caused by the shots. What do you know about this? As a new Mom... each time your child is sick or something is different, it's my FIRST time dealing with it so I feel a little unprepared. Have you ever heard of a child running a semi-high fever, or a fever for several days as a reaction to the MMR shot??

I want to thank my wonderful Mama for coming along today and helping me out so much.

Happy 17 Month Birthday

Happy 17 Month Birthday
little guy

Month 16 Highlights:
- Made a toy go and said, "I did it" each time
- Early in month 16 said, "I put it in" while playing with a cup in the bath
- Dec. 29 -- found your shadow while running outside
- TEETH: We saw his first molar (his top left) just before Christmas, but I guess the other 3 could not wait! We saw the top right on Jan.1, on Jan. 2 the bottom left, and then the bottom right broke thru on Jan. 4
- Learned how to use a flashlight and walked around like an investigator
- Lots of traveling (went to see Papa & Nana 3x / then uncle Josh & aunt Katie once over new years)
- Reading more books with Mama & Dada (My mother found some of my books and I've loved getting to share those with my little bear!) And he got a few new books for Christmas.
- Enjoying new DVD's like The Fox & the Hound (certain parts), The Jungle Book, a New ELMO/Sesame Street anniversary DVD, and others... Still love 'Pooh & Tig'
- Still nursing (but you know you did not want to eat very well while you were teething and I was grateful to be able to nurse you so that you were getting something good in your tummy)
- Sleeping by yourself some more -- still in our room for now
- Your Great Grandmother, Nanny, fell and broke her left shoulder
- Well visit and more shots!! Mama hates the shots.
- More words... you've picked up SO many words. Dad and I keep saying that we are going to make a list, but I'm certain that you have 60 - 75 words now. We should make a list. Maybe more?
- Discovered a love for Pears
- Jan. 9th -- 2nd Hair Cut (& 1st by Mama)
- Saying YOUR NAME!!! It's too cute!
- Playing a game where you dramatically pretend to fall in the floor
- Acting shy around others (especially women who make a big deal about you)
- Trying to say other people 's names: Papa, KK, Jarrett, and many other TV and movie names... but best of all, you've tried to say JESUS
- Toward the end of 16 months your molars are still coming in and yet not in all the way
- Singing! Sings on cue now! (Mama loves to hear your sweet songs!) And when we sing, he claps and says "more" so we sing again and again!!
- Hard month for diaper changing... flip flop, squirmin' worm

- Seems that you finally have a fav toy, a dog, that you LOVE

Sidebar: I love the number 17. I can't really explain that, but it's always been one of my favorite numbers. Happy 17 Months my sweet love!!!

NEW - I love Boz

My son got a Boz book for his birthday, several months ago, and he loves it. (Thank you Zoe & Henny!) I used some of his Christmas money to buy two more Boz books from our local Christian book store and I found out that they had DVDs also. We got two Boz the Bear DVDs!

Mama's, I'm shooting straight, I'm not being paid or even asked to write a post about Boz the bear... I want to. The Boz books are beautifully done, read well, and they have a great Christian message. I was so excited to buy him a few more of these colorful books because I know that as important as it seems for me to teach him colors, shapes, and letters... teaching him about family values, and ultimately about God, is my top priority. The things I believe in MOST are not always conveyed to him through other entertainment choices. (Not that that makes other things bad... it's just a question of what would be better.) I am thrilled with the DVDs!! He loves to watch them and I feel so much better about these movies then I do about some of the things that come on TV. The teaching aspect is GREAT! The colors, movement/animation, and music aspects are EXCELLENT! The messages and themes are BIBLE BASED! And overall, the Boz the bear DVDs & books are fun and positive!

Two thumbs way up from this Atlanta Mama!

http://bozthebear.com/

Our Collection (so far):

God's Colorful World

Let's Say Thanks to God!

Good Night Boz

Thank You God for COLORS and SHAPES

Thank You God for B-O-Zs and 1-2-3s

This past week brought

--> 4 new molars

TEETHING

--> well visit shots

And ELMO STICKERS

--> a love of Pears

--> a home cut hair cut

2009 Has Begun

It's hard to believe, 2009 has begun.
Here we go... Another year. A fresh start.
God has given me renewed hope and I am believing for a GREAT year! I think we may go thru some job transitions and other transitions with our toddler and still more life transitions with a new President and a less than perfect economy. But overall I think 2009 will be wonderful. And I guess change is part of growth.
What does your 2009 look like? What are you hoping for? What's on your life list?

2009 LIST:
1.) Intentional prayer times/prayer & intercession
2.) Intentional time of reading or listening to God's word
3.) Intentional worship
4.) Intentional giving & tithes
5.) Intentional relationships (be connected to others)
6.) Intentional service (community or church)
7.) Intentionally go on a mission trip
8.) Intentionally grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus

If we are not intentionally growing and moving toward the Lord, in 2009, then we will unintentionally be drifting away. (These are sermon notes from Tom Tanner)

When I hear the word drifting, I always think of a story I heard from Mark F several years ago. He described laying on a raft in the ocean and just drifting along and allowing yourself to go with the current and the tide. Eventually you would end up way down the beach somewhere, very far away from your hotel. He also talked about a lot of the specific waves that effect us in our American suburban life and how those waves want to carry us. But we have a choice to get off the raft and STAND UP. It's not always easy to stand up against a strong wave or current, but then again doing what is easy (just drifting on a raft) can lead to destruction or even death. Drifting may be good intentioned. Drifting may be apathy. Whatever causes us to drift on the waves will still culminate in the same results. Do lives and life effect you? Carry you? Pull you out to sea? Or do you STAND UP and live your life intentionally?

This challenges me. I hope it challenges you to make wise decisions as we look ahead at a bright new year. God is so good to give us the choice of how we will live this life and what we will do in 2009.
Let's live life on purpose!

Story in Pictures

This is the toddler...

This is the game...

This is the toddler IN the game...

This is when he bumped his head getting out...

This is the happy ending to our story...

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

2009

is

Here

What will you make it?

Where are you headed?

Who are you becoming?

Running Shadow

I took my little guy to a near by park today so that he could run in freedom. This park has a great open field that is pretty flat so he could just GO! It was really fun. It was sunny, for a late December day, and he discovered his shadow today!!! It was so cute to watch him run and then look around to find it again. At times he would try to run toward it... like he was going to get it. But of course that little shadow boy kept running faster and farther away. Sometimes he looked around for it like he was just not sure about it and wanted to get away from it. It was very cool to watch him learning and investigating what this "shadow thing" was all about. I showed him Mama's shadow too and even waved my arms and danced a little bit so he could look back and forth from the shadow to Mama to see that we were both moving. Fun times and a neat memory. He loved being able to run freely, without me saying, "slow down" or "no touch". Oh, the freedom!!! We also took turns kicking a little basketball. He loved finding sticks and rocks too... such a BOY!

Happy Birthday Lil Sista

Today is my little sister's 19th Birthday! WOW!!!

It's hard to believe.... And yet, I'm so happy for her and where things are in her life right now. She is loving the tide at the University of Alabama and I've really seen her making decisions in a new way, now that she's sorta on her own. She's very smart and very beautiful and has a bright future and destiny ahead. She is great with my little guy and they both really have a connection. It could be the fact that they have the same nose?! Could be?!! She is a fantastic Aunt! My sister is wonderful and I miss her when she's away at school. Happy 19 years and many, many, many more!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008

Our little drummer boy...

The book was the only thing he really looked at...
loved the balls

Merry Christmas Eve!

It's Christmas Eve!!!

We love Christmas Eve, because it's part of the whole Christmas tradition. When we were young, we got to open one of our "small" gifts on Christmas Eve and that was always fun. A foretaste of the next morning I guess. But my favorite memories of Christmas Eve are going to church, singing Christmas songs, being a part of the Christmas story being told at church (dressing up and sitting up in front), going to the Smith's big Christmas Eve party for years and years, and then our family time... we would sit or even lay down near the tree with all of the light off in the room except the tree... we would sit and talk about what we had done that year, what we were looking forward to in the next year, what we were grateful for, etc... It was very nice.

Now, as a Mom, I spend Christmas Eve at my in laws house which means we usually miss our church service. But it's great to get to see them and have our Christmas with one whole side of our large family. Family is Christmas tradition in the best way!

We celebrate Jesus birth, Family, and count our blessings tonight!
Merry Christmas Eve 2008!!!

2008 Top Baby Names

The Year in Baby Names
The top 100 names for 2008 are in! Big news this year: Aidan is at the top of the list for boys for the second year in a row, while Isabella skyrockets to #1 for the first time ever.

Top 10 Girl Names of 2008
1. Isabella
2. Ava
3. Emily
4. Elizabeth
5. Abigail
6. Madison
7. Emma
8. Addison
9. Madeline
10. Olivia

Top 10 Boy Names of 2008
1. Aidan
2. Jayden
3. Jacob
4. Michael
5. Ethan
6. Caden
7. James
8. Caleb
9. Andrew
10. Matthew

More from Parents.com

Happy 16 Month Birthday

Happy 16 Month Birthday

little guy

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH

Highlights from Month 15:
-learning to run
-falling and running into things
-a lot more of mom saying, "slow down" "sit down" "calm down" "don't run" "hold still"
-first nose bleed (the day before Thanksgiving - due to running into a table)
-family photos from the Christmas card
-first pair of brown dress shoes, size 7 (hard sole)
-speaking MORE and more ...over 40 words now
-loves ELMO and POOH ("ea-mo" or "mo-mo" and "pooh" & "tig")
-blows on hot food and feeds himself with a spoon
-new love for 'the dog movie' (Lady and the Tramp) LOVES IT
-ring around the legs game... this is when Mama or Dada are trying to cook dinner or wash their hands and the toddler grabs one leg and spins around and between your legs
-bending in half to "stand on his head" - we're not sure why?!
-working on counting but will only say "two"
-working on colors but will only say "blue" but can point to others
-working on letters but only have "S" "P" "O"and "G" right now
-stacking blocks instead of only knocking them down, ok not really instead of, but in addition to
-15 mo shots, wt. 28# 6& 1/2oz, ht. 34"
-18-24 mo clothes, still size 4 diapers
-when we say, "in Jesus name", he says "Amen"
-Saturday, Dec. 13: Got his first molar (his upper left side) and discovered the mall escalator and loved going up
-requests tea and often says "tea" when he sees his juice cup (that's Mom's fault, I love tea!)
-Dec. 17: Said, "I love you" while we were all driving and I started to cry
-started saying "Mama" and "Mommy"
For the longest time he's called me "Da" or "Nulk" (his word for milk) and now, at last, I am Mama!!! = )

OTHER THINGS WE WANT TO REMEMBER:
-waking up and kissing Daddy on your own w/o being told
-the 1,2,3 run across the room at Daddy game
-the new squirrel feeder
-saying bath and requesting to have a bath first thing when you wake up
-still nursing
-the 1st blue sucker from the bank and the mess you made enjoying it
-your 2nd Thanksgiving with your grandparents and three Great-Grandmothers and lots of family...you riding in the power wheels jeep with Chandler, you saw horses and cows and Nanny's big German Shepherd. You loved "playing" football with the guys around Gran Gran's pool. And you enjoyed seeing Taylor's new puppy and playing with Jarrett's basket ball goal and indoor slide.
-your love of finding a good stick continues
-constantly learning and talking and taking things in
-Mama & Dada are looking forward to new DVD's and new books for you next week... we only have about a dozen books and they are all memorized!!
You are very joyful and such a blessing to our lives!!!

My Sweet Love loves a stick

I love Christmas

Christmas is almost here...
And I love it!!

I love looking at random Christmas decorations that no one really needs but sometimes you just HAVE TO buy. I love little tiny ornaments. Every year I get out our ornament box with great anticipation. It's like a gift in and of itself, because nearly every single ornament has meaning to me. Each one reminds me of the year we got it, the person who gave it to us, or brings back a family memory that I have not thought about since the Christmas of the year prior. My mother collected an angel ornament for me every year of my life until I got married and then our first married Christmas, she gave me all of my angels to start my tree. I'm thinking of doing something like that for my son... only with Trains maybe?!! It was really neat and I love that she passed them down for me to enjoy in a new way. I love that time of decorating the tree and listening to Christmas music. I LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC! I listen to it any time of the year. I DO NOT have the "only after Thanksgiving" rule. I love it. It's joyful... cool harmony... warm... and many of the songs are about Jesus. What's not to love? Especially the oldies like Ella and Frank!! Mmmm. Back in the day I recorded my own Christmas CD (kind of an 'at home' deal) but it was fun. We still have the songs on our ipod and it's sorta flattering to hear myself in our random Christmas playlist just mixed in with all of the other singers. I love the element of surprise so the whole gift giving thing is FUN for me. I don't stress over what to buy like some of my extended family members do. I love looking and planning and finding out what will really make the recipient light up! I was never the "look for our gifts under Mom's bed" kind of kid. I wanted to wait until Christmas morning. It was always HUGE at our house. My parents went all out. And it was always worth the wait! I love the smell of hot cider in my aunts house. She always put a few slices of orange in the pot and a few sticks of Cinnamon. It's funny how smells are connected to memories. I love hot chocolate too, but there is just a deep warmth that comes from enjoying apple cider with family and friends. (For great apple cider, buy Simply Apple apple juice and heat it on the stove with some Cinnamon. It's excellent and there is no need to add any sugar. Try it!) And we used to do a live nativity scene in my aunts front yard with all of my cousins. I think I was usually an angel. We also went Christmas caroling and it was amazingly fun and very memorable. People don't do that as much. We've become more independent of our neighbors these days... more isolated, I guess. I love stockings too... My husband didn't really have a big tradition with stockings, but I did. It was usually just filled with "little" gifts, but it was more of fact that it was tradition. My stocking at home had a puppy dog on it, and at my Grandmothers house my stocking was hand made and adorned with a blonde angel. We did stockings at my other Grandmothers house until my Great-Grand Mother passed and then we sorta just stopped doing that part. I love to watch the parade! I love getting and sending Christmas cards with a picture every year!!! This year I hung a red rope over the top of our bay window where the tree stands and I clip the cards to the rope with clothes pins. When I was little, our church choir did a live concert with an orchestra called the Singing Christmas Tree. They would literally make a giant Christmas tree of risers and the choir would fill in every row and sing a wonderful show. There were also narrations of the Biblical Christmas Story. And the huge tree light up in sink with the movement of the music. We saw that every year until I was about 7 or 8 and then they started allowing our children's choir to sing on the sides. It was exciting. I have also performed for the tree lighting on the Marietta Square, down town Powder Springs, and the televised tree lighting show which I believe was on Thanksgiving day at Lenex Mall. My Dad does not always enjoy decorating for Christmas, but he is the BEST as surprises... he calls it the "fake and go". He would buy jewelry for my mother and wrap it in a huge box with towels so that she would never guess what was really in the box. One year he huge a diamond necklace on the tree (it mixed in with all of the ornaments and lights) and when she opened her gift it lead her on the hunt all over the house and then eventually back to the tree. She gazed at the tree for a while before she spotted it and then she completely FREAKED OUT. I love those memories. I want to make great family traditions with my family of three. It's hard to in a way because we travel so much over almost all holidays. We are blessed with 3 grandmothers who are alive and well and still host BIG family get together. I guess attending big meals and parties IS our tradition ever since we got married. Christmas should be even more fun for our son this year... he was only 4 & 1/2 months old last year and really enjoyed the tissue paper then the gifts. He'll be 16 months old and lovin' it all!!! He's getting an ELMO and a slide and all kinds of things that will truly make him light up!
How we love to give good gifts to our children. How much more will our heavenly Father give us the Holy Spirit, as a gift, if we ask Him.

Merry Christmas to come... Many Blessings!