Picture-less post

I've decided to post more regularly the fun stuff that happens around the house regardless weather or not I have a picture of my darling son. I know.....gasp. NO picture? Trust me, this weekend will be filled with MANY pictures as lil man turns 1! So, for those of you dying to see how my little guy has changed this week....hold on. ;)

This week Christopher has figured out that he can pull things into his crib. There is a small table next to his crib with a lamp and books. (thank goodness we have no interest in the lamp....yet). The other morning it was about 8 (hes typically up around 7) and all was quiet on the monitor, TOO quiet.

Christopher had not only reached through the slats on his crib and grabbed a book but also managed to turn it just right to bring it into the crib with him. I turned on the video part of the monitor to find C chillin' against the bumper with book in hand, reading. Its now happened about 4 times. Seriously, for an hour? This kiddo makes me giggle!

Jonathan and I just sat in bed and watched him. Then, I cried. Seriously this turning 1 thing is kicking my butt. I will be better on the actual day but all this walking, reading and growing up makes me miss my baby!

Sand + Chalk + Bubbles = a REALLY fun playdate!

My friend Kim had Christopher and I over for a play date Monday afternoon. We got there a little late (compliments of a 3 hour nap!!) but C jumped right in. Of course he sat in the dirtiest part of the porch. Covered in wet sand.




He decided he needed to touch it:

And fling it around.

We then found the sidewalk chalk:

and.....ate it!

Washed it down with some bubbles. He loved it when Kim added some water.

Needed to play in that too

Walked around a little trying to keep up with the big boys.

Got sprayed in the face on accident, I thought it was too funny:

He, on the other hand, did not.

But, in typical easy going Christopher style, he recovered pretty quickly. He was promptly stripped and rode home in just a diaper.

Thanks Kim for a great afternoon.....fun memories!

Mondays and mealtimes

I've been neglecting my 52 weeks of Christopher on my blog. I have the pictures but between photo shoots and editing client proofs, the last thing I want to do is edit my own. I have them, I just haven't posted them....one day I'll catch up. Besides, several of the past posts contain that weeks photo, I just haven't had the time for a separate post.

So, here is Christopher on Easter. We had a great day and he is really starting to walk. It makes me more sad than happy.....I just wish I could rewind this year and do it all again. Yes, all of it.

I LOVE Mondays. Jonathan typically works from home on Monday and it just makes Sunday night a relaxing time instead of me dreading stay at home mom land. Now, if you read the above comments..... I still love everything about my time with C but its nice to have something to break up my week. Even though he works, the house isn't as quiet, it makes the day go by faster for me and the week doesn't seem as long. This Monday I didn't see much of Jonathan though. Christopher and I ran errands in the morning and I took him to the Pedi in the afternoon. He has been battling something for almost 2 weeks and I decided I would sleep better just having him looked at.

Glad I did. Double ear infections. Yuck! Sometimes, like when hes sick, I wish he wasn't so easy going. I would have NEVER known about his ears if his crazy nose wasn't running non-stop. Anyway, we got him some meds. Hope he is feeling better soon, his BIG day is just a couple of weeks away. (cant talk about that now, sigh)

Back to Monday. So Christopher will try anything once....food is no exception. Although, you have to feed him. If he touches it and it becomes mushy or isn't want he expected, forget about it. He LOVES black beans and would eat them all day but if you put them on his tray, he mashes them and gives you this look until you move them off. Yesterday, for whatever reason, was a MESSY day. Jonathan commented that this was the worst case of food displacement since his first meal. So, what do I do? Whip out the camera....here's how the meal went in pictures:

First off, we are by no means sippy cup experts. In fact, to get him to hold it and chew on it is a major accomplishment. Were working on that though. As you might notice, lunch has begun.

Yep, this isn't even self fed. Nice!

This is how the peas get in my hair.....its our new styling gel.

Daddy was making me laugh...

and I just got tickled.

The reaction to learning that 1/2 a piece of corn had made it into his nose.

Working the "gel" in to get that special look.

Nice hair. This is the reaction to the first corn retrieval......it was a failure.

But we got it the 2nd time.

We still aren't sure who won the battle.

And finally, washing it all down ? Nah, had to show off his mad one handed sippy cup skills. Who says you need to actually drink it?

Tomorrow I have a great post from a pretty fun playdate today. Lets just say, little mister sat in the sand, dumped the bubbles on his shirt, ate some chalk and got hosed! It was a great day!

He melts me

I just cant get enough of this little boy. He makes my heart sing!

Christopher's First Easter....

and he didn't disappoint! We've had a lot of firsts this year but this one takes the cake! Yea for our big boy!

Vote, Vote, Vote!!!!!

Jonathan's cousin Travis (on the far left) is a member of Addison Road. They are up for new artist of the year at the DOVE AWARDS this year.....Part of this award is based on a fan vote.

So, we are asking you to check them out if you (live under a rock) don't know who they are and send a vote their way! Check them out on April 23rd for the results show!

Good Luck Travis and Addison Road! Small world, my cousin Luke, worked on their last music video and didn't know the connection until weeks later! Crazy!

Heartbeats....

I take for granted that our heart just beats......that it knows when and how to pump the blood to our body and keep life moving in and through us.

This week I have been reminded not to take that for granted. Yesterday Christopher's Nana (Joy, my dad's wife) had a tightening in her chest, pain in her neck and just felt like something wasn't right. So, they left church and headed to presby. After several blood draws, some meds, a night in the hospital and a stress test we got the word today that it looks like it was just a scare and not anything heart related!! Great news.

Christopher and I spent an hour visiting her in her hospital room this morning.... we think that's what did the trick :)

I also have been following a blog of a photo mommy for awhile now....partly because she is so creative, partly because she and I think alike when it comes to the care of our kiddos but mostly its because her youngest is just a month or so younger than C and he has had a heart problem since he was in the womb and wasn't thought to be able to survive it. He was born perfectly healthy and then, about 2 weeks ago was in the hospital. His heart is not beating correctly and causing alot of problems for his little body.

I am amazed by her courage and encouraged by her strength. Stellan is at the top of my prayer list these days!!!

Biblicial Worldview

Most days when C takes his morning nap I grab some sort of breakfast and sit down to watch "The View". I enjoy the banter and get a little current events for my morning. This morning Barbara was talking about the existence of Satan as a real person or force and the stats about the number of Americans that hold a biblical world view. I was amazed.

I wanted to read more and this is just one of the articles I found. And this was one of the most interesting parts:

There are a several troubling patterns to take notice.

First, although most Americans consider themselves to be Christian and say they know the content of the Bible, less than one out of ten Americans demonstrate such knowledge through their actions.

Second, the generational pattern suggests that parents are not focused on guiding their children to have a biblical worldview. One of the challenges for parents, though, is that you cannot give what you do not have, and most parents do not possess such a perspective on life.

That raises a third challenge, which relates to the job that Christian churches, schools and parachurch ministries are doing in Christian education. Finally, even though a central element of being a Christian is to embrace basic biblical principles and incorporate them into one's worldview, there has been no change in the percentage of adults or even born again adults in the past 13 years regarding the possession of a biblical worldview.

While the numbers are saddening to me, its also a good reminder to examine my intentions, heart and example in all that I do. Especially now that I am raising part of that next generation....how am I letting my light shine?

Trip to Arkansas

Last week C and I went to Arkansas for 5 days. We were able to sneak in a day trip to Branson on Monday to visit his buddy Harper and hang out with some of my sweet friends from High School. It was a great day.

The rest of the trip was taxing. Christopher was either beginning to cut some top teeth or had a little bug. Either way, NOT FUN! We spend most of the week in just a diaper after burning through several outfits in one day and just laying low. I was sad that we didn't get to see the Faddis family, whom we LOVE, but there is always next time. Although, it does help to have an expert mommy of 4 and a hubby pedi for advice when your son decides to poop....well, lets just say it wasn't pretty!

Since C wasn't having a great trip I didn't pull out the camera much. I did get some fun playtime on mom's porch one sunny afternoon. The next day he and I went to the Fayetteville Botanical Gardens. There wasn't much in bloom yet but they have a cute kids area and most importantly a tunnel. I tell you, give this kid a small space and he wants to go through it. This tunnel was plenty big and he had a great time crawling back and forth.

It was a great trip and Krissy and I got some fun things done for my website. Im so blessed to have such a talented sister and am super excited about partnering with her to create neat custom items for my clients!

Blessed!!

I ran across this family's blog a month or so ago and check up on them once a week. I have kept this mommy and her family in my daily prayers since I first read her story. Tonight I clicked on and am so saddened.

God provides for me when I don't expect it, HE has blessed me with a wonderful loving husband and a beautiful healthy little boy. I don't deserve it all. Tonight as I sat reading their blog in tears and was struck by just how blessed I am and how Angie carries herself with such Grace and through her own grief is a source of strength for her sons. I just cant imagine.

I pray that God wraps her in his loving arms and she begins to really be at peace.

To read more about their story. I'm adding this family to my prayer list and am going to remember to put my life in perspective. Jonathan leaving the trash out seems a little trivial.

52 weeks of Christopher - Week 11

The weather was so nice we just had to get out and enjoy the day....even if only in our diaper :) Christopher and I went to Arkansas last Sunday and just got in last night. We have some fun pics to upload soon from our time there but just wanted to share this one.

I always wonder what he is thinking when he looks like this.

52 Weeks of Christopher - Week 10

The weather HAD been so nice that we spend our afternoons at the park after our walk. Christopher loves to crawl around the fields so I just follow him and look for the right time to whip out the camera. This is my favorite from that day and last week!

New Finds

Its amazing to me how time really does fly. In a quiet house with the baby and hubby taking naps and me on the computer to "work"......I look up and times up. I sat down last night to edit and check email before bed and thought I would check up on some of my favorite blogs. THREE hours later I'm off on a rabbit trail 9 blogs deep. How does that happen?

I love being able to be apart of my friends daily lives and although I love the verbal or face to face contact its great to catch up on their weekend through blogs. Tonight I ran across a couple really fun blogs. One, great recipes for when you just get in a rut. And another, thanks Amanda, that has some GREAT do it yourself crafts to do with little ones. I know my 10 month old is too young for finger painting, glue and scissors but I cant wait to tackle some of these fun, and educational crafts with him!

Check them out, on the left side of this page, under blogs I love!

Oh Happy Day!

Yesterday was Kate's first birthday and we were able to have lunch with the birthday girl. Kate, you are so very special to us and very loved!!! Happy Birthday sweet girl!