I started this weblog to chronicle my thoughts, feelings and experiences with my first son Caden. Now I get to add our newest addition to the loop! :) It's a way to express my thoughts, struggles, and joys...a way to keep my family and friends in the loop...but in the bigger picture, it’s a letter into the future, a letter to my boys. I want them always to know how much I love them. I want them to know that their presence in my life is the very reason I was born.
My Gramma sent me this email and I just couldn't believe it until I saw it for myself...EVERY PERSON I've asked had no clue either... What about you??? :)
I've been using aluminum foil for more years than I care to remember. Great stuff, but sometimes it can be a pain. You know, like when you are in the middle of doing something and you try to pull some foil out and the roll comes out of the box. Then you have to put the roll back in the box and start over with crinkly foil.. The darn roll always comes out at the wrong time.
Well, I would like to share this with you. Yesterday I went to throw out an empty Reynolds foil box and for some reason I turned it and looked at the end of the box. And written on the end it said, 'Press here to lock end'. Right there on the end of the box is a tab to lock the roll in place. How long has this little locking tab been there? I then looked at a generic brand of aluminum foil and it had one, too. I then looked at a box of Saran wrap and it had one too! I can't count the number of times the Saran wrap roll has jumped out when I was trying to cover something up.
I'm sharing this with my friends that did not know this. I hope I'm not the only person that didn't know about this.
So here's to happier rolling in the future!! Geez we're all so dumb... LOL
I'm hearing you right now talking loudly in your crib....you're SUPPOSED to be sleeping right now. Sometimes during naptime you play for awhile before you drift off...I guess that's just fine. :) This blog post is going to be totally random and will have no flow whatsoever....that's just my mood right now. I want to write and show pictures, I just don't want to piece it together in an organized way like I usually do. I'm too tired. :) Those Olympics about killed me as I stayed up too late every night watching. I'm so glad they are done. Since then we've stayed busy and your mommy is just pooped! :)
This is a cute picture I took of you, it reminds me of something your daddy says... Instead of asking "What did I do?" if I'm questioning him about something, he says "What I did?" In this picture its like you're saying "What I did?" Cute...
You are now officially crawling down multiple stairs backwards. You were able to go down one or two stairs, but when it came to the stairs in the house, you were still wanting to walk down forward, thus still creating a MAJOR safety issue. Now I don't have to worry near as much cause you're doing it right. Whew! It's amazing how much stress that takes off.
Gabby is having puppies AS I write...I just went and checked on her and the last count was EIGHT puppies!! Sheesh!! Crazy... I took a video of one being born. I'll have to post that later. Pretty fascinating stuff for sure....I'll have to take more pictures later too. That's another blog!
I took a video of you outside whining cause I wouldn't help you down the stairs. You can do it yourself but sometimes you just want me to help you and you get really whiny. Here's what you look like....child! :)
I love you I love you I love you....even though you were extra whiny today. :) See you in the morning my favoritest!!!
I have spent the better part of last night and this past hour reading blog posts from Angie's Blog "Bring the Rain." Angie is married to Todd (singer for the Christian Band Selah) and they have 3 little girls. They live here in Nashville.. She got pregnant again with another little girl (Audrey Caroline) however things went very badly. This is her story....and boy is it a story.... I should be doing a million other things but I can't stop reading. Nothing that I have ever read has touched me so deeply and profoundly as her blog has. The pain she has suffered and the faith she endured through it all has been life changing for me. I have never been more moved...... She in on my favorite blog list on this site, but I had never gotten to read the whole story. I am including a video that is a MUST see....(it's about 20 minutes though, so save it for when you have time and when you can cry)
She wrote a blogpost a couple days ago called Ever Sweeter and I just cried and cried....the one that made we absolutely WEEP was THIS post. I will never be the same. It's amazing how the story of this woman's struggle and faith has ministered to me like nothing else. I feel....I can't even explain....God definitely used this little girl to do many miracles.....I hope she touches your life as well. I wish I could share this blog to the world.
You are tucked away in bed and actually snoring a little! I just checked on you and actually crawled into your crib just to be close to you and hear you snore. I woke you up though...oops! You sat up and looked at me like, "what the heck are you doing in my crib mom?" hehehe.... I got out and off to la la land you went again. I'm sure you'll never remember the crazy things your mommy will do just to be close to you. I miss you tonight...
So, I've mentioned many times how much you adore being outdoors all the time. If I could put your crib out there at night to sleep I'm sure you'd be in heaven.... :) You just don't like to be inside!! Anyway, since you've become quite the walker we go on lots of walks, and whether it's just here on our street or from the grocery store to the parking lot your walks pretty much follow the same outline. It makes me laugh so I put together a little commentary explaining what its like to take a walk with you...
1. Take 5 steps
2. Stop and point to a rock that is stuck in a crack in the sidewalk.
3. Get really excited about that rock and try getting it out.
4. Get it out of the crack and put it in your mouth.
5. Shut your mouth as tight as possible as mom tries to pry it out.
6. Rock is out, take 5 more steps.
7. See a blade of grass all by itself on the sidewalk.
8. Act like that blade of grass is the COOLEST thing you've ever seen.
9. Pick it up, (of course) inspect it fully, and put it in your mouth.
10. Mom's not too worried about grass, so she leaves you alone as you walk 5 more steps.
11. Hear an airplane. Start SCREAMING in excitement and pointing at the sky.
12. Fall over backwards cause you're trying to watch the plane go over your head.
13. Cry a little and have mom sit on the ground with you to kiss your boo boo.
14. Ok, getting on with your walk....take 5 more steps.
15. FREAK OUT cause the mailman is coming down the street. (and he's still 10 houses away)
16. Start waving both hands furiously at him and stand there and just STARE as he stops at every house until he gets to where you are.
17. Say hi and then take 5 more steps.
18. Oh!!! Another rock!! This is a HUGE deal! Pick it up of course
19. Repeat step 5. :)
20. Start RUNNING for about 10 steps...making progress!
21. Totally wipe out on the sidewalk.
22. Repeat step 13.
23. Take 5 steps and see a bug crawling on the sidewalk.
24. Follow it 10 steps the opposite way we are going.
25. Repeat all these steps over and over and over for a wonderful walk with mommy!!
Aren't walks fun???? I'm not quite sure why mom's eye has been twitching today...
So anyway, even though you can be exhausting for your mommy, I wouldn't trade one single walk with you for anything. You really make me see the world, even our own street, through a child's eyes.... and I'm liking that a lot. Thank you. I love you dearly!!! Miss you...
I don't think I'll ever get used to you getting hurt. Yesterday you took a huge tumble outside on the sidewalk RIGHT on your face. I swear I felt the ground shake (I could be exaggerating, but it was sooo hard!) You cried and cried and I wanted to cry and cry too. Gosh that had to hurt so much. And you have the battle wounds to prove it! Right now you look just BEAT UP...skinned knee...scrapes on your leg and now a big shiner on your forehead. My poor, poor baby. I try so hard to prevent as many falls and "boo boo's" as possible, but unfortunately I cannot prevent every one. Bummer.... Just know that I will always be there to love you up and kiss away every last tear....
You are sound asleep in dreamland and I'm missing you so much right now. You're lucky I don't wake you up sometimes! :)
So yesterday we went to the Nashville Zoo for a few hours. What fun we had! Gosh I love that place.....I think you do too, but you're still so young to know where we are and what we are seeing so much. The day will come that you will be asking me to go...AGAIN :) It's just a great place for you to run all around in a beautiful setting, mostly shaded, and just explore. I think it is so beautiful there. We had fun with you little guy. We saw Elephants, Giraffes, Monkeys, Wild Birds, Meer Kats, Wild Pigs and more. The Monkeys were fascinating as they were screeching and squawking like I've never heard before! I didn't know they did that!! Almost sounded like a siren at times!! They made me giggle.. :) I don't know what it is, but I just LOVE monkeys. I could have watched them all day. I recorded them.....here it is...and you and your daddy watching them...
You went on your very first Carousel ride yesterday!! You seemed just mesmerized with everything. You were looking at every animal around you (you were on the giraffe first) and it was just cute to watch you. It was hard to tell what you were thinking by watching your face. You neither smiled nor complained. It was like a blank canvas. However, when the ride was over and I had to take you off, you started SOBBING. You did NOT want to get off. So.....we got another token and rode one more time. This time with the monkey. :) How fun was that??? Even for mommy. I only remember ever riding a carousel ONCE at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado. I'm sure I went on more than that, but that was the only time I remember, so it was fun experiencing it with you. Everything is more fun experiencing it with you. I get to do all the fun things again!! You make me smile.... Here we are riding the carousel!
Amazingly it has been the nicest August here in Nashville that I have ever seen. Such perfect weather this past 10 days or so. So unusual for this month. This is usually the most miserable month of the year. Lately though it has stayed in the high 70's to low 80's during the day and almost cold at night. I have LOVED it!! When we went to the zoo in June, it was 97 degrees. SOOOO hot I couldn't hang in there long. I'm sorry, but I am not part Mexican like you! :) Anyway, yesterday was wonderful compared to our last trip. You had a blast running all over the place and exploring the zoo. They have the little "petting zoo area" and I caught some cute pics of you petting and eyeing those little goats. Cute, cute.
I look forward to many more trips with you to the zoo, and to other fun places. Thanks for being the most fun little guy I've ever met!! I love you!!!
Love, Mommy
and then of course, you at the end of the day on the way home.....
Today marks 16 months that you have graced my world with your amazing presence. What did I ever do before you? Wow...you are growing so fast and learning sooo much. I am amazed at times how much you understand and absorb. Things I even forget, you remember. Your brain fascinates me. I think most people underestimate the smartness of little ones....you, however, remind me every day. :)
I had started doing "time out" a week or so ago when you were doing something you knew you weren't supposed to do. If I had to tell you NO more than once, than I would take you to a place in the hallway and sit you down. You had to stay there one minute without moving. You did so good as if you understood what I was doing! Well the other morning we were in the kitchen and I told you NO about something...well immediately you took off running and went to the "spot" and sat down. I could NOT believe it! Oh my gosh I wanted to hug you up so tight just then! You totally got it!!! How cute....
I've tried to teach you to nod your head yes when I ask you if you want something that you you want, and to shake your head NO when you don't want it. I wasn't sure if you were getting it or not until yesterday when you brought me a container with grapes in it and handed it to me shaking your head YES. Cute.
These are some things that you LOVE right now:
PLAYING IN DADDY'S CAR: Oh my gosh you can't get enough of it. The moment he pulls in the driveway you are screaming your head off in excitement and you want in his car to play. You make your famous face as you grab the steering wheel and you just love to explore the whole inside. You know how things work too. First of all you can't play until all the doors are shut....(it's the OCD coming out in you) :) and the keys HAVE to be in the ignition. DUH, it's not real driving if they are not! and BOY do you know if they are not and you make it be known!! Funny.... You have been known to spend up to an hour in that car just entertained as can be.
CLIMBING DOWN STAIRS ON YOUR OWN: So funny how you do this....I finally caught some on video. The first time you did this I had tears in my eyes I thought it was so cute. I loved you so much at that moment. Anyway, you do this over and over and over. Climb UP the stairs, climb DOWN the stairs.......climb UP the stairs, climb DOWN the stairs. I'm so thankful that you have figured out how to get down though. I don't feel as paranoid that you are going to FALL down anymore. A huge stress reliever. So yay!
THE SONG "WHERE IS THUMPKIN?": You love all songs, but lately you are in love with Thumpkin. You do the motions with your fingers right along with the song. Today you came to me, turned on the TV and did the finger thing and pointed at the TV. Wow, communication!!! You wanted to watch the Thumpkin Song! Gosh I want to eat you up every day....
YOUR "WOOBIE": Some people say, his WHAT?? Woobie....here is the definition.. I looked it up today... "woobie. a security blanket; a blankie; a favorite toy or object. Also wooby." We always called it that growing up....I never had one but my brothers did. Many of you may remember this word from the 1980s movie Mr. Mom. The younger son, Kenny, has a security blanket that he calls his woobie. In an attempt to break him of this habit, his father solemnly explains, "I understand that you little guys start out with your woobies and you think they're great... and they are, they are terrific. But pretty soon, a woobie isn't enough. You're out on the street trying to score an electric blanket, or maybe a quilt. And the next thing you know, you're strung out on bedspreads." Hahaha....anyway, you keep your "woobie" my love, I wouldn't want to take away the great pleasure you get just to hold it. Maybe I need a "woobie!"
AIRPLANES and TRUCKS: You hear and see every one, I swear. :) And it is now a scream of pleasure each and every time. Good gosh, you practically give me heart failure half the time cause you scare me to death! Driving down the road is quite an experience now, and I never knew there were so many airplanes flying by each day. I never noticed....but boy do you! Your excitement is just amazing. If only we could be so excited over things as adults. I hate that we lose that sweet innocence of enjoying a small pleasure. I hope you hold on to that as long as possible. It is a sweet and wonderful thing. Thank you for sucking me into your world of enjoying these small pleasures. They make me appreciate and love life even more.
YOUR ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH: You spend about 10 minutes brushing your teeth every night. You love that toothbrush. You go into your bathroom about 10 times every day asking me for it and are not too happy that I don't give it to you. You're a silly, silly little guy. I love you bunches....
RUNNING: You have the cutest little run EVER. I just love your little waddle. You always want to run, run, run..... I'll get a video soon.. :)
You are quite the little social butterfly, always wanting to get people's attention and ham it up for all to see. You are so precious... Today the funniest thing EVER happened. I took you with me to the MS Clinic cause I needed to fill out some paperwork to get started on my treatment. We had to wait about 15 min in the waiting room and it was full of people. You LOVE that. Lots of people to go touch and wave hi to. :) Well, you made your rounds as usual making each person fall in love with your cuteness. There was one guy however that was bent over in his chair with his elbows on his knees and his hands behind his head. He had a hat on and wasn't in the mood to look at anyone. He was probably early 20's.....well, you had eyed him several times wondering "what his deal was" cause he wasn't participating in all the fun. Finally you went over to him, crouched down in front of him practically sitting on the ground, pulled his hat off and said "BOO!" OH MY GOSH.....everyone was practically PEEING their pants laughing so hard, even the guy was....it was SOOOOO funny. The doctor even peeked his head around the corner to see what the commotion was. I was just beside myself...the cutest, funniest thing you've ever done. I ADORE YOU!!! Needless to say, everyone was deeply saddened when it was time for us to leave, they said, "Don't go! You're taking away our entertainment!" See what a joy you are sweetie? It's not just me.... :)
I'm including some random pics of you playing at the park chasing squirrels and play8ing with sticks and with your buddies Eli and Cooper....I can't believe one more month has gone by. I love you my sweetness....Stay cute. Always. I'm so proud of you.
You have become more and more verbal as of late. You walk around with my cell phone pressed to your ear just babbling away. Nothing makes sense to us, but to you it is quite a conversation. :) You've started doing the cutest thing as you hold the phone. Apparently you have seen me use my phone without holding it, smooshed in the crook of my neck, and you have adopted this stance. You shove the phone into your neck with your arm straight out in front of you holding the phone close to your face. So funny that you pick up on those little things. Cute, cute, cute. My gosh I love you....you are so smart!!
We were taking our friend Chuck to the airport the other day and you were in the back seat just observing everything that we passed when all of the sudden you yelled "TRUCK!" at the top of your lungs and scared us to death!! It was the first time you had ever said that word and you just repeated it over and over again. I wanted to crawl over the seats and just eat you up! Soooooo cute when you say that word. Later that day we were outside when the UPS Truck came barreling down the road and again you screamed "TRUCK!!!!!" You were shaking you were so excited!! Boy do you love trucks. :)
I can't wait to hear what your little voice would sound like when you really learn how to talk. I'm so impatient for that! I hear you say one word at a time, but I really can't wait to hear your sweet, sweet voice talking to me.
I've been going through collections of old photos from the first year of your life, and I am amazed at how much you have changed, and how much you have changed me. I am truly head over heels for you. There are very simple times that I'm with you, like when I'm snuggling with you on the couch or watching you read a book to yourself on the floor, or just seeing your cute little feet, when the feeling that comes over me is not unlike how it was when I was a kid walking through the gates at an amusement park knowing that I was going to have the most awesome, most memorable day. And it's not the feeling of riding the roller coaster or being allowed to eat an entire bag of cotton candy, it's the feeling before all that. It's the excitement, the anticipation, the general sense of being in one of my favorite places. You are my favorite place, and my favorite love. My heart is forever and eternally yours.....
So I've had ABBA songs running through my mind this last couple weeks and I can't seem to turn them off! I've been playing them in the car and subjecting you to the beat. You seem to love them as much as I do...good boy!! I promise I won't make you watch musicals with me but I secretely hope you will want to!! :)
When your Aunt Kara was in town recently for a visit we decided to go out and see a movie. Anyway, we decided to go see Mamma Mia!, a movie based off the Broadway musical, which is a story told using ABBA songs. By the time you read this you will be very familiar with ABBA. People either love or hate ABBA. You are lucky enough to live with an ABBA admirer.
I had seen the production Mamma Mia twice before, but this was a first for the movie. Oh Lord, child, but it was so fun. I watched all those people running around an island, flinging their arms this way and that, belting out music whenever the mood hit, and I kept thinking, “This is what life is about.” I have always said I think we should break out in song when the mood hits, and I am known to do that at times. :) Anyway, there were times that I had tears in my eyes because I was so overjoyed. You gotta love that feeling.
Speaking of tears, at one point in the movie there is a song about a mom reflecting on loving her daughter throughout the years and how time was slipping away. Even though you aren't a girl, I was touched by the meaning. I was CHOKING back tears. Pass the Kleenex. I swear, I am so sappy.
Meryl Streep is amazing and fantastic, Christine Baranski may be my new hero, and Pierce Brosnan CANNOT sing...Good Lord man, just keep your mouth shut and let us look at you. Don't ruin it by attempting to sing!! Anyway, it really was just so fun to get out, see a feel good movie and sing all the songs! Thanks for putting up with the ABBA songs honey!!
I thought I knew what I was going to write in this post....a lot of positive thoughts and feel good writings,as I am doing pretty well considering, but now that I'm sitting down trying to see my computer screen through my foggy vision it's a little harder at this moment to be happy go lucky. I'm trying, cause gosh darn it, I refuse to go to that place. No moping for me.... I guess I can cut myself a little slack, I did just get diagnosed with MS yesterday, and it is scary even though I knew it was a great possibility, but I will NOT let this darn disease define who I am or what I am going to be able to do with my life. No way Jose`!!! Not THIS woman! This is just no room for it, so there!! I'm upset, but not defeated....concerned but not scared....and mostly, hopeful, not hopeless!!!
I am one lucky woman to have so many people in my life that have been praying for me through all this. I swear, I have never heard of someone with such support! Gosh I'm blessed....and now I at least know what I'm up against and can tackle this head on. So here I am, the SAME person, dealing with a little yuckiness like we all do from time to time. God is good, and I have faith that He has it all in control. If this is in His plan, then I am in..... :)
"I cast all my cares upon you I lay all of my burdens down at your feet and anytime I don't know what to do I will cast all my cares upon you.."
Your mommy is back in the hospital AGAIN and missing you like crazy!!! I can't stand being away from you for a few hours and now it's been two days. I'm in Hermitage and you're in Hendersonville and I'm sad cause we are way to far away! I got to see you today for a couple hours and it made me so happy. You loved sitting in my hospital bed and playing with all the controls. You were even being a daredevil again....I'll show the video.
I swear you get cuter and cuter every day. Just two more days and I'll have you full time again. Hang in there munchkin. I love you tons, and miss you with my life.
So I'm been meaning to post this video for a few days. It shows your absolute OBSESSION for the electric toothbrush. You go crazy with your famous Caden face. Such excitement it just makes me laugh so hard.....you actually SHAKE with excitement!!! Too cute.... Anyway, since you love them so much, we bought you your own electric toothbrush. You actually are in LOVE and sit there and brush your teeth for 5 minutes. Adorable....
Good job with your brushing habits so far!! Keep it up!! I miss you so much, I'll post a few blogs here with some pictures I need to catch up on. Can't wait to wrap my arms around you....
