tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20865906624061790382024-03-13T11:50:42.200-04:00One Day at a TimeLaurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-65711508114826572242011-01-25T20:58:00.013-05:002011-01-25T22:21:39.869-05:00Big BoyToday, my Little Bear turned a year old. I'm going to say my usual bit about how fast time goes by and I can't believe how big he's getting, blah, blah, blah...because it's true. It seems such a short time ago that I woke up at 4 AM with a strange pain in my belly. Or that I lay in the labor and delivery room and prayed that the anesthesiologist would hurry and show up to give me the blessed epidural. Or that I was on the operating table with "labor induced Parkinson's" (uncontrollable shaking, very frustrating) while they did a C-section after waiting 16 hours to have a baby that was too big to have the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">ol</span>' fashioned way. How did an entire year go by so quickly?<br /><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div>I have watched my Bear go from a healthy, screeching baby to a healthy, laughing toddler. There have been so many changes. So many milestones. So many moments that I have thought, "I will always remember this" and have already forgotten them. I have tried to write things down, but things slip from my memory before I even reach for the pen and paper. He amazes me everyday. Learning something new all the time and developing into his own little person, independent of Danny and I, with his own little personality. He is happy and talkative (he babbles on and on) while he plays by himself. And then there are times when he is serious and studies what is going on around him, soaking it all in like a little sponge.</div><br /><div>He loves it when I sing silly songs to him and hates it when we lay him on the changing table to change diapers. He eats foods at daycare that he won't touch at home. He chews on the spout of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">sippy</span> cup, but until Sunday wouldn't dare drink from it. He loves books. He likes for me to read to him but is just as happy turning the pages and reading to himself. These are the things that I want to hold onto. The silly little habits, routines, and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">mannerisms</span> that I want to remember. I'm trying hard not to wish for the days gone by. Or to wish for days to come (things like "I can't wait for him to be able to..."). I'm afraid that if I spend too much time wishing for days that have already come and gone or wishing for time to hurry and pass that I'll miss the here and now. To miss out on right this minute would be a total waste. What good does wishing do anyway?</div><br /><div>I can hardly believe it's been an entire year since the Bear came into our lives. But it's also hard for me to remember a time when we didn't have him. It's amazing to me that we've done so much and come so far in this short amount of time. I still struggle to think of myself as a mother sometimes. I was just Lauren for so long that it's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">inconceivable</span> that this boy, this darling little creature, depends on me for so much. Up to this point, people depended on me for different things, but I was not responsible for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">anyone's</span> happiness, well-being, SURVIVAL! I can not think too deeply on this important job I've been tasked with...it kinda makes me freak out.</div><br /><div>On to the fun stuff...to celebrate the Bear's birthday, we had a busy weekend ahead of us.</div><br /><div>Our busy weekend started with his first haircut. Danny has been fussing for months about how long his hair was. I couldn't cut it until his first birthday. My good friend Lora did the honors. She had the patience of Job while she cut little one's hair. It turned out pretty cute, he looks like a little boy instead of a baby.<br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-eBNmiBP0frKc0GpJ1OmJGe2Zk15ah4yXPG-tjSmrOW4Y3-5rg0I3JdLMReddyINDvP5wee2u__qb1H4KXr0a6QE6bwhLl4vpv2dSqwBDkQHrEeD5Gc5l4w81z8gq-go75o-KzI6Oq_Z/s1600/DSC_0018-9%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566313366925372274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-eBNmiBP0frKc0GpJ1OmJGe2Zk15ah4yXPG-tjSmrOW4Y3-5rg0I3JdLMReddyINDvP5wee2u__qb1H4KXr0a6QE6bwhLl4vpv2dSqwBDkQHrEeD5Gc5l4w81z8gq-go75o-KzI6Oq_Z/s400/DSC_0018-9%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><div>We had a good time at our Cowboy birthday party. We had about 30 people to squeeze into our little house to wish the Bear a happy birthday. People came from as far as Atlanta and Alabama. We appreciate y'all coming so far to see him. It means a lot to us.</div><br /><div>A few of the decorations...</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvH2mxrnoyT69iSe9fNoWSwdnKltUtFoMsZfgF830Jl0_hco44lMfuscvDA_DYovpUk5v1Ad94SB89JlwD66CQ8Nz82Zu5GjnoF8PmpAmoR5LiqqGox8pgzUowiPJ7d-gfWEpr1aM0UDUd/s1600/DSC_0047-10%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566319369236628706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvH2mxrnoyT69iSe9fNoWSwdnKltUtFoMsZfgF830Jl0_hco44lMfuscvDA_DYovpUk5v1Ad94SB89JlwD66CQ8Nz82Zu5GjnoF8PmpAmoR5LiqqGox8pgzUowiPJ7d-gfWEpr1aM0UDUd/s400/DSC_0047-10%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><div>The delicious (and adorable) cake...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB6wWM6MGCvyfi2frkHo7ZpBUu3MwRtLOUA4P3_eyM4cANHs3nqGGGFj4_0_lc_fwuS7eZDb8eU5jNI_H5erIOf7V0sf_ISCgv2yDjc_bLCH1rls5yGJWlzzOfV3xuMparDsQvXNNzt5q/s1600/DSC_0025-11%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566312776258526754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB6wWM6MGCvyfi2frkHo7ZpBUu3MwRtLOUA4P3_eyM4cANHs3nqGGGFj4_0_lc_fwuS7eZDb8eU5jNI_H5erIOf7V0sf_ISCgv2yDjc_bLCH1rls5yGJWlzzOfV3xuMparDsQvXNNzt5q/s400/DSC_0025-11%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div>The Bear getting messy with his smash cake...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIgyboJr41gNOUt7s2NptuSI-KYLKVZiot1ekuogcX7KMGn3q_tZJ11h3NKMwugoHMHFGdxukriidBawF7O4HQE-rZoS8iwjw8OiWgCsPsO1JXj5NMZ9EI0XFIXUTcZkAfKDlkyEECkx0/s1600/DSC_0028-13%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566314065654322434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIgyboJr41gNOUt7s2NptuSI-KYLKVZiot1ekuogcX7KMGn3q_tZJ11h3NKMwugoHMHFGdxukriidBawF7O4HQE-rZoS8iwjw8OiWgCsPsO1JXj5NMZ9EI0XFIXUTcZkAfKDlkyEECkx0/s400/DSC_0028-13%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div> </div><div>Our little family (our feet anyway)...</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInpLVrr8e5hhSTUK5fQC8G44N9BitdeVW7fS1gEXsMdt67edM4dp0NqhSk8k1Z_BWZ61EyoZITlGdY4pygyU3WIrSKHKfBaz37ngToiAwzbiLCwHlUsWoXX6KL5cYcCbpEPssXCAG5983/s1600/DSC_0483-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 202px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566314767071066482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInpLVrr8e5hhSTUK5fQC8G44N9BitdeVW7fS1gEXsMdt67edM4dp0NqhSk8k1Z_BWZ61EyoZITlGdY4pygyU3WIrSKHKfBaz37ngToiAwzbiLCwHlUsWoXX6KL5cYcCbpEPssXCAG5983/s400/DSC_0483-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div><br />The guest of honor...</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Q6Mbb2-W6tzVTg4UajQZIIRTHteV7ck7sF-jgdRDc0JgubcXp5YJSyJhBmEAJ0bZws0brLEt2Agcff9zna2o2SZkL13lSq1tM3LaqV4bXg4Ddxu-jcXzBJlRwgrNuffGDmCrcVZQEDed/s1600/DSC_0450-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566317116345460322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Q6Mbb2-W6tzVTg4UajQZIIRTHteV7ck7sF-jgdRDc0JgubcXp5YJSyJhBmEAJ0bZws0brLEt2Agcff9zna2o2SZkL13lSq1tM3LaqV4bXg4Ddxu-jcXzBJlRwgrNuffGDmCrcVZQEDed/s400/DSC_0450-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div><br />His darling little boots...</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBq7dA9YcbO8eG91862BkzpJrwC4HpNT4vk29ILTr2JWP1IihAVr_rAoOGZem6a12K1y55CrCVu46W20b6rWpvkGr3StKP2yiLRVW0uQ9OwaPDVsrUYA3_zQm3oT_NXa1mtUnik5ErGnt/s1600/DSC_0334-3%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566318136184529346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBq7dA9YcbO8eG91862BkzpJrwC4HpNT4vk29ILTr2JWP1IihAVr_rAoOGZem6a12K1y55CrCVu46W20b6rWpvkGr3StKP2yiLRVW0uQ9OwaPDVsrUYA3_zQm3oT_NXa1mtUnik5ErGnt/s400/DSC_0334-3%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div></div><br /><div>What's a cowboy without his horse?<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuDTRt_kIBons04uzrdWDrdfwrtAuXtUgIXYA3JtSfIqWrczN03wL55HpkcqidZ_0h4dvv2kWg3dNHhAZIB_UoU3bk7fQG5HqJoqiyM92klUQZxTFPGSVipZP4-Ulws3iuBJz1HYRfXdv/s1600/DSC_0389-3%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566325333615957026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbuDTRt_kIBons04uzrdWDrdfwrtAuXtUgIXYA3JtSfIqWrczN03wL55HpkcqidZ_0h4dvv2kWg3dNHhAZIB_UoU3bk7fQG5HqJoqiyM92klUQZxTFPGSVipZP4-Ulws3iuBJz1HYRfXdv/s400/DSC_0389-3%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>I think he had a good time, even if all the excitement wore him out a little. He got all kinds of good toys and we've had a blast playing with all of them this week.</div><br /><div>I hope his next 40 birthdays are as much fun as this one was. I'm in no hurry to experience them, but look forward to enjoying them, one at a time, as they come.</div></div></div></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-44315073919871162672010-12-30T05:59:00.023-05:002011-01-01T17:06:17.667-05:00The Bear's First ChristmasI appoligize for taking so long in getting this up. I wanted to have some time to really get all the details of Bear's first Christmas on this post.<br /><div><div><div><div></div><br /><div>I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and that you're now gearing up for a new year. That always strikes me: New Year. It's a chance to start over. A reset button. A do-over. It's like passing go (except maybe without collecting $200). I always look forward to a new beginning. I hope you do too.</div><div></div><br /><div>Bear's first Christmas was a lot of fun. I had to work Christmas Eve day. We started making the rounds when I got home and the Bear got up from his nap. First we went to my Dad's house. We visited and opened gifts. It was a lot of fun. It's such a rare thing that my siblings and I are all together in one place that it's become quite a treat when it happens. All the noise and craziness going on reminds me of growing up. Someone talking, someone laughing, someone fussing, usually the TV on in the background. It's noisy and sometimes a little overstimulating (even for Bear), but that's just us.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRoZVwscYDt6lYpSHzlUlx8pAIe5RNJDpi771tRtQwz7WKIQ3f4aq5aDjNsN8VjLXaAriy3NEwoFZemXwhgsaTFRK8SGE3OUNYg9D8DA31cbaQTI5peUmWzTaz1nBKOYhDrYClGB4GvT9/s1600/DSC_0048-8%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557338457905626914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRoZVwscYDt6lYpSHzlUlx8pAIe5RNJDpi771tRtQwz7WKIQ3f4aq5aDjNsN8VjLXaAriy3NEwoFZemXwhgsaTFRK8SGE3OUNYg9D8DA31cbaQTI5peUmWzTaz1nBKOYhDrYClGB4GvT9/s400/DSC_0048-8%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>When we finished there, we went to Danny's parents house. We got the biggest kick out of Bear climbing up on some of the bigger boxes. He would get as high as he could and peek over packages to see what was on the other side. He pulled ornaments off of Mimi's rotating Christmas tree. When you looked at him he glimmered and shimmered a little from all the glitter from the ornaments he pulled off and gnawed on. He wasn't so enthused about opening presents. It took him about twenty minutes to open two small gifts. He would pull a little paper off, play with that piece for a while. Wave it around. Eat it. Then tear another piece off when I took the first one away. He finally got all his presents opened with a little (a lot) of help. I think the most fun he had all night was sitting in an empty shipping box and shoving the eggs Nick and Marci got him around the box. That entertained him for longer than two minutes, that's how I know he had a good time. The Bear also had some potatoes and sausage from our low country boil. That boy is just like his Daddy, he inhaled the sausage.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpz1R0bx9Ur-ofhG3oDyKxW4HyvKvZdn-4L9daKWrWvsHUT95Lk4aZDXtD172k6lF916xZBNeFigEKzEmlQBFVLyDXCaPU8zCwtCopYY6y1trAYvnp7Xt-lepZs5UwwLSGbLXiv5DmBHG/s1600/DSC_0105-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557335494591611426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpz1R0bx9Ur-ofhG3oDyKxW4HyvKvZdn-4L9daKWrWvsHUT95Lk4aZDXtD172k6lF916xZBNeFigEKzEmlQBFVLyDXCaPU8zCwtCopYY6y1trAYvnp7Xt-lepZs5UwwLSGbLXiv5DmBHG/s400/DSC_0105-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnorwdq6WQXcGVyeFPaW38ADCR9N-8qmMaq80MpJenRkZh52Zp1VpIQ-kM0DMcaoICnPdc9iITnVei_Gh40jh4HUXCoPQIv0FlONs71S-8B8SbNNzmQ4RfLZrymxarl0mabjWsC1bSxMv3/s1600/DSC_0052-8%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557337444724309362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnorwdq6WQXcGVyeFPaW38ADCR9N-8qmMaq80MpJenRkZh52Zp1VpIQ-kM0DMcaoICnPdc9iITnVei_Gh40jh4HUXCoPQIv0FlONs71S-8B8SbNNzmQ4RfLZrymxarl0mabjWsC1bSxMv3/s400/DSC_0052-8%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><div>We got home and did our usual bedtime routine. Once the Bear was in bed, Danny and I got busy. We didn't bother wrapping any of Bear's presents. After he took so long opening his other gifts earlier that night we decided it wouldn't be as much fun as it will be next year. This year he doesn't really understand what a present is. Fine with me, less work. We went ahead and took everything out of boxes and set it up so all he had to do was come in and play Christmas morning.</div><br /><div>Christmas morning, I was up long before the Bear and it took everything I had not to go in and wake him up. I was so excited! When he got up, we looked at Santa's half-eaten cookies and the nibbled on carrots for his reindeer. Then the toys...oh, the toys. He was a little apprehensive at first. He sat back and took it all in. Crawled over to a few DVD's and scattered them. From there, he just moved down the line to whatever came next. He would wave his hands around so that toys went sailing, grab something and chew on it, then move down to the next grouping of toys. He had a big time.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysh9kEPMPwFxTjxNIKznoPXQflHselTIk6ImORI9NN4O_xNFAW21hoostIWkS0ySUiXZ3cFqis9_adEzojIix30hQ9Umwa4gDiXK0HvClm_vtwy8PwAUPwrrBaXzZDuomiAjlZZXrNNgX/s1600/DSC_0018-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557333071124055138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysh9kEPMPwFxTjxNIKznoPXQflHselTIk6ImORI9NN4O_xNFAW21hoostIWkS0ySUiXZ3cFqis9_adEzojIix30hQ9Umwa4gDiXK0HvClm_vtwy8PwAUPwrrBaXzZDuomiAjlZZXrNNgX/s400/DSC_0018-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>When we got through with our little family Christmas, Danny's parents and Jon came by to see what goodies Santa had brought the Bear. Then mom came by to spend some time with us. She brought a breakfast casserole and what was probably Bear's favorite toy. It's a ball maze where balls pop out of this tube then roll down to be spit back out of the tube. When you turn it on, he squeals and giggles. Honestly, I do too. It's so much fun!</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTfAPKjhNn-LNYJgdnPJcXnHjZI-q84bO7PxiUZaV2d3txh4-TuzK_q1Ty_wvSIdlr_piynCbQQcVl-XII5YYYhyhVdN_kX0eM7zEiEfzbrD5SsF_XB_acxTKBmPOkIpfjcxlGFk2VVGS/s1600/DSC_0080-8%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557331739479543858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTfAPKjhNn-LNYJgdnPJcXnHjZI-q84bO7PxiUZaV2d3txh4-TuzK_q1Ty_wvSIdlr_piynCbQQcVl-XII5YYYhyhVdN_kX0eM7zEiEfzbrD5SsF_XB_acxTKBmPOkIpfjcxlGFk2VVGS/s400/DSC_0080-8%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>It was by far the best Christmas I can remember. Christmas is so much more fun when you have kids. We spent the day in our pajamas. Napped. Ate. Played. It was a good day. We did talk about the real meaning of Christmas, but at this age he had no understanding of what I was talking about. But I figured it was better to start talking about it now.</div><br /><div>We hope that you had a very Merry Christmas!</div></div></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-42873365806736301712010-12-22T23:34:00.014-05:002010-12-30T05:59:24.503-05:00Christmas TraditionsYou don't think about traditions very much when you're a kid. You think about how something is fun and you look forward to it. But you don't think about any preparations or planning involved. You just do it and have a good time. Looking back at growing up, there are things that I'm glad we did every year, especially at Christmastime. Some of these traditions, I want to pass on to the Bear. This year was the time to get started.<br /><br />The first thing I wanted to start doing with him is building gingerbread houses. We had a lot of fun with this. Growning up, we used graham crackers instead of actual gingerbread most of the time, but that was so you could decorate your house any way you wanted to. So that's how I did it with Bear.<br /><div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzz5ZtZL3nnFgGVVfLoPP0tJ__HasKm4Ae51Exv5fmXyb3X8ZWmiJ_twRB_BDHoz__UDubBhmAok1DtDnBe4O3NGAyBopNm-golyzI8aumUA8bqYYvF5ekVn6WM8vRzYmmUcDKvDTntEPD/s1600/DSC_0441%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553732503186940434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzz5ZtZL3nnFgGVVfLoPP0tJ__HasKm4Ae51Exv5fmXyb3X8ZWmiJ_twRB_BDHoz__UDubBhmAok1DtDnBe4O3NGAyBopNm-golyzI8aumUA8bqYYvF5ekVn6WM8vRzYmmUcDKvDTntEPD/s400/DSC_0441%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div>For some reason, I didn't realize until this moment, the second he stuck his hand in the icing that this was going to be a messy project. What was I thinking?</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehNBPmM6fD5e8L77sJUHl339VFZiqUk5LHqWIzdGJMu_pYdVo_KcrvaR5Dm5YQKDMxwXrvyP4uUj5oP0hIiasLizt593umj1qEP5mGArTvfq4iG7RC4TagXD0PcCRzLSJBIhEPGtPsXeC/s1600/DSC_0452%2528rev+0%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553732863587800450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehNBPmM6fD5e8L77sJUHl339VFZiqUk5LHqWIzdGJMu_pYdVo_KcrvaR5Dm5YQKDMxwXrvyP4uUj5oP0hIiasLizt593umj1qEP5mGArTvfq4iG7RC4TagXD0PcCRzLSJBIhEPGtPsXeC/s400/DSC_0452%2528rev+0%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div>Believe it or not, I did get all four sides up and a roof on before he took one of the walls and did this...</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhb-EFt5p_e2yiaNmctadi3AafFD3so3MIEIXt_x-8oAXdGA8oXuhsHHaGfj9125USsptKFOS0axWzDiv4dlh3NNQukHemdXwpBLFYrkBCXHNE5GN4hagSmyOAb6QkJpLwly0ozbRDriN/s1600/DSC_0501%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553733274519229394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhb-EFt5p_e2yiaNmctadi3AafFD3so3MIEIXt_x-8oAXdGA8oXuhsHHaGfj9125USsptKFOS0axWzDiv4dlh3NNQukHemdXwpBLFYrkBCXHNE5GN4hagSmyOAb6QkJpLwly0ozbRDriN/s400/DSC_0501%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div>Yummy!</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6m0qtaIKMH-0Qs8s9t-36fHqvb_NeY-ESZ6S9H9nY2b9fUPz_9WDlg5qDu_lcbe3Q735moblzyrO-Nsq5I-bOCqLtspMMUnEZeN_3Ni2eFOdmKPYxW7Mc8tKBMWUr80xQ_3tjHZZxafd/s1600/DSC_0517%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553733654614197202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6m0qtaIKMH-0Qs8s9t-36fHqvb_NeY-ESZ6S9H9nY2b9fUPz_9WDlg5qDu_lcbe3Q735moblzyrO-Nsq5I-bOCqLtspMMUnEZeN_3Ni2eFOdmKPYxW7Mc8tKBMWUr80xQ_3tjHZZxafd/s400/DSC_0517%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div>And a sticky sweet kiss when we're all through. He did this on his own, no prompting. Maybe he's thanking me for letting him eat all that icing.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoYa0V9eJ41RRVKniGq5MHjVQe2bDhJbxMvB_aIm_nM4JZCcjmTKd0vVRrl5ODibW4_vlsQhNdYJiQz2m5O2rFocTypkv5P-WBnyMO-nrKerCR-i9NkLPLy4q-n4CHODStR7GUKkI2XGLy/s1600/DSC_0532%2528rev+0%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553734029669811218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoYa0V9eJ41RRVKniGq5MHjVQe2bDhJbxMvB_aIm_nM4JZCcjmTKd0vVRrl5ODibW4_vlsQhNdYJiQz2m5O2rFocTypkv5P-WBnyMO-nrKerCR-i9NkLPLy4q-n4CHODStR7GUKkI2XGLy/s400/DSC_0532%2528rev+0%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div>This is the final house. It looks more like a gingerbread house after a tornado. I bought candy to decorate the house, but Danny and I ate it instead. Trust me, the Bear didn't miss it at all.</div><br /><div>The day after we did his gingerbread house, we went to Lenox in Atlanta with Mom, Brandon, and Dylan to ride the Pink Pig. What is the Pink Pig, you ask? It's a pig that rides on a monorail. My mom rode it and we rode it growing up at Riches in downtown. The real Pink Pig has been retired to the Atlanta History Center but her little sister (who is really a train) is now riding kids around in Macy's parking lot.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9GcjsbY4hHu6O6sdx-H_Kratwo3s0KyEHdMBkn82gmc6DsGBE8RLbyTnuQDivwujwlwTEJM-neQVk64YFpdyICPBwcSEKVOHClKK52c-7Z4OWOZYzloOQULbbkqE4dPFBpTdyqitjhfV/s1600/DSC_0570%2528rev+0%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553735081183754946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9GcjsbY4hHu6O6sdx-H_Kratwo3s0KyEHdMBkn82gmc6DsGBE8RLbyTnuQDivwujwlwTEJM-neQVk64YFpdyICPBwcSEKVOHClKK52c-7Z4OWOZYzloOQULbbkqE4dPFBpTdyqitjhfV/s400/DSC_0570%2528rev+0%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div>We waited in line forever. Even Aunt Kathy came to keep us company in line! I don't know that we'll do this every year, but I like being able to say that Bear has done things that I did growing up. I feel like I'm keeping the torch going that way, giving him all the things I so enjoyed growing up.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutyO3cqCdYOdZQAvJKyxPkIa9KV1SLmiHvW43-MjVUsg9Tc8m0PPjdQcNAqjkZ5xtyxEzP9i9qLpSk4sIp6yo-sbLgPc0vV9_1eX9vmPODErYAcckG-PB-QLMON0v02PILHIyMfRv51RN/s1600/DSC_0611%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553735852937999890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutyO3cqCdYOdZQAvJKyxPkIa9KV1SLmiHvW43-MjVUsg9Tc8m0PPjdQcNAqjkZ5xtyxEzP9i9qLpSk4sIp6yo-sbLgPc0vV9_1eX9vmPODErYAcckG-PB-QLMON0v02PILHIyMfRv51RN/s400/DSC_0611%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br />We finally made it! Here we are on the Pink Pig's little sister. You can see Priscilla the Pink Pig (the real one) in the background. He had a lot to look at as we rode!</div><br /><div></div><div>And to round out the holiday traditions, a trip to see Santa! Until recently (like two weeks ago), I assumed that everyone went to see Santa every year. It was something we did every year. Sure as there was Christmas, we went to see Santa. I wanted Bear to see a good Santa, not some young guy with a scratchy fake beard. A real Santa. I think this Santa is pretty dang real.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGcX7716zCKW17zjdtNdIYPWERVSzBawF_40P33BiyA71-dfRNX9CF8ULvO6gBp0NfKhkDBIXJDac7jKhCN29iOU4LEMAhH-ZB6slozNhkhuiX1ivzYJZbFV9qFCS9XRsytciSK6-CpGB/s1600/DSC_0630%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553736124485266706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGcX7716zCKW17zjdtNdIYPWERVSzBawF_40P33BiyA71-dfRNX9CF8ULvO6gBp0NfKhkDBIXJDac7jKhCN29iOU4LEMAhH-ZB6slozNhkhuiX1ivzYJZbFV9qFCS9XRsytciSK6-CpGB/s400/DSC_0630%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div>Bear was completely serious the whole time. He looked at me and Mom. Looked at Santa. Looked at me. Looked at Santa. Then wailed. It was pretty cute.</div><br /><div>It was a busy weekend for the Bear. He was sick the whole next week. So I'm glad we went on and did it all at one time. I'm glad that we started doing some of the things that I want to pass down to him. Things that he can look back on and remember doing every year or most years. He'll really have a blast when he has cousins or siblings to do them with. This parenting thing can be pretty dang cool.</div><br /><div>I haven't just dosed him up on commercial Christmas. We talk about the nativity in the entry at home. I point out Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. We've talked about the meaning of Christmas. Not that he understands any of it now, but I figured this was as good a time as any to start.</div><br /><div></div><div>Hope y'all are having a good time preparing for Christmas as well. Check back soon...I've got new Bear tricks to share!</div></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-14408359356609719462010-12-14T21:04:00.004-05:002010-12-14T22:10:27.241-05:00sick leave<div><div>I have been at home with a sick bear today. I thought on Sunday that we might be getting sick again, but prayed that he'd just get better. Like some how it would be heading our way but by some miracle we'd miss it. No such luck. He's had a fever, runny nose, coughing and just general yucks. But he's done something today that he hasn't let me do in a long time: hold him. That's how I knew he really wasn't feeling good.<br /><br />Gone are the days of curling up on the couch and snuggling my boy for hours on end. He is too big for that now. There are too many things to dump over, eat, pull up on, inspect, and just generally get into. But today he has put his head on my shoulder or chest and just sat. We've watched too much TV because that's what you're supposed to do when you're sick, veg out in front of the TV. Ironically enough, it was VeggieTales that we watched all day. We laid down on the couch and he got so still that I thought he had dozed off. He hadn't though, just taking it easy and being lazy. He took a long nap while I get a few things done. I am very sorry that he's sick because I hate to see him uncomfortable and miserable. But since he is sick it has been nice to hold him, stroke his hair, and smell him.<br /><br />The Bear is going through a Mommy phase right now. He wants to know where I am and cries when I walk out of his sight. I hate that for all the snuggling he and I have done today, he wouldn't let Danny hold him any longer than usual. Sorry about that, Danny. I love this phase and hate it. I love that he wants to be with me, gives me big, slobbery kisses, smiles a brilliant smile when he spots me, and can't crawl over to me and climb up my leg fast enough. I hate it because I feel so guilty when he cries when I leave him at daycare. He doesn't cry everyday. Maybe once a week. I know that soon, either next week or in a few years, he will be a Daddy's boy. They will hunt and fish and do stinky boy stuff without me. He won't let me give him sugars or laugh like crazy when I make funny noises for him. I will hate even more for this phase to be over. I will have to remind myself to look back on these sweet days when he would rather catch bugs than sit and snuggle with me. Those days will come all too quickly.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidl6pK7WlhQ6kUQGuRnh-in5TAE_YENg5F17-Abw7E5v7Nrvt2LvnlBMHsvEaO5oiKbIGkdpR_xMXhz-Z5zuYp2Yhmmn8mfocnehblLjHWliIUgKtbdeObV0L2f1Ad9aDVqO-duqU9BP9v/s1600/DSC_0199-2%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550738105864454994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidl6pK7WlhQ6kUQGuRnh-in5TAE_YENg5F17-Abw7E5v7Nrvt2LvnlBMHsvEaO5oiKbIGkdpR_xMXhz-Z5zuYp2Yhmmn8mfocnehblLjHWliIUgKtbdeObV0L2f1Ad9aDVqO-duqU9BP9v/s400/DSC_0199-2%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>Technically, this isn't a very good picture. But there are two things I love about it. I love the way he's sticking his tongue out. He does that sometimes and it always cracks me up. Then there's those lashes! They're getting so long. Almost too pretty for a little boy. Sometimes when he blinks I imagine a *woosh, woosh* sound like you hear in movies when they do slow motion. I can almost feel the wind from it!</div></div><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41iDSexYfDYssBLgKh9L2hxCPLEX3NL50UCTsYU2Toygn9DtJPADChzZzn_U5_1B7fW0XHekCkbD-v5cFn31j2T9CKNypVTO75QuS9kf8N-HVqr7xl8YpyV0k0WYaAJ3zpGj9Ro4Pf9dF/s1600/DSC_0225-2%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550739218472730402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41iDSexYfDYssBLgKh9L2hxCPLEX3NL50UCTsYU2Toygn9DtJPADChzZzn_U5_1B7fW0XHekCkbD-v5cFn31j2T9CKNypVTO75QuS9kf8N-HVqr7xl8YpyV0k0WYaAJ3zpGj9Ro4Pf9dF/s400/DSC_0225-2%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></p><p>Gotta love that sweet face and easy smile. He does make me work for it sometimes when I take his picture, but this particular day he was lovin' the camera. It surely loves him.</p><p>Here's hoping that he feels better tomorrow. I always have a huge internal debate anytime he's sick: take him to the doctor or let it run its course. I never know for sure if I've made the right decision. Guess that's called parenting, huh?</p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-89849960956318339232010-12-12T22:19:00.001-05:002010-12-12T22:23:46.942-05:0030 before 30I've mentioned before that I was making a list of 30 things to do before I'm 30. I've still got over two years to do all these things, but I wanted to get a list done so I could start checking things off. Then when the big day gets here I can at least say I've accomplished a few little things in 30 years. So, without further ado, I introduce my 30 before 30...<br /><br />1. Take the Bear to Disney World<br /><br />2. Run in (and finish) a 10 K<br /><br />3. Finish the damn hutch<br /><br />4. Enter a really good picture in the fair<br /><br />5. Sew a dress I'll actually wear<br /><br />6. Sew a quilt (even if it's just a baby quilt)<br /><br />7. Learn to open champagne<br /><br />8. Finish the Bear's baby book and birth scrapbook<br /><br />9. Finish our wedding album<br /><br />10. Throw Danny a kickin' 30th birthday party<br /><br />11. Learn to use Photoshop<br /><br />12. Take a long weekend just Danny and I<br /><br />13. Finish the Bear's crocheted baby blanket<br /><br />14. Learn to make creme brulee<br /><br />15. Take riding lessons and become comfortable with riding<br /><br />16. Have most of our last credit card paid off<br /><br />17. Start Bear's "Rules for Life" book<br /><br />18. Be a stay at home mom (or at least only work part time)<br /><br />19. Go to the Atlanta Aquarium, World of Coke, and the Bodies Exhibit<br /><br />20. Learn how to jump start a car<br /><br />21. Find and join a church<br /><br />22. Learn to skillfully apply eyeshadow<br /><br />23. Find a flattering red lipstick. And wear it. In public.<br /><br />24. Get the patio set up as an outdoor living space<br /><br />25. Finish this list...<span style="color:#ff0000;">done</span><br /><br />26. Make a video of Bear's first year<br /><br />27. Get props and backdrops to use for photos<br /><br />28. Hang pictures in our house<br /><br />29. Do that "list of questions for your parents"<br /><br />30. Do better about keeping up with a journal<br /><br />So there ya go. Thirty things I want to do before I'm 30. I love to make lists because it makes me feel like I've really accomplished something when I look back and have a bunch of stuff crossed off. And would you look at that? I've already done number 25! It took me a while to think of 30 things that warranted going on to the list so I wasn't sure I'd actually ever finish it. I'm already on my way! See, crossing something off helps to keep me motivated.<br /><br />I've got two bonus things that I'd love to get done and may give myself extra credit for in case I don't get something else done.<br /><br />Bonus #1 Organize our home so that it functions better for the way we live.<br /><br />Bonus #2 Throw myself a kickin' 30th birthday party.<br /><br />Those are pretty big. My house overwhelms me so we'll see if that gets done. I've always thought it was kind of tacky to throw yourself a birthday party but I just might get over that. We'll see. If I accomplish everything on this list I'll throw a party just to celebrate that.<br /><br />Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the progress of the 30 before 30 list. This should be interesting. And just because no post is complete without a picture of the Bear...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS528oygZzFIZ8-n1BM3C8ScFBUgJOt8f8PRrqAk1XEmcOEHWLbtiVsqX4pvQLbIuBkJTwi654g54HSty6-Ne7ZS9osDPdClFAHLResiGM3NPRhGLN1qRu6mG7MGfDMuri3HvSUBgPpimF/s1600/DSC_0396-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549999338900524114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS528oygZzFIZ8-n1BM3C8ScFBUgJOt8f8PRrqAk1XEmcOEHWLbtiVsqX4pvQLbIuBkJTwi654g54HSty6-Ne7ZS9osDPdClFAHLResiGM3NPRhGLN1qRu6mG7MGfDMuri3HvSUBgPpimF/s400/DSC_0396-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-7220034438238327252010-12-04T06:48:00.013-05:002010-12-08T18:49:18.758-05:00Shutterfly's Fabulous Holiday CardsI love <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Shutterfly</span>. I've used them to print the Bear's pictures from when he was born. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Unfortunately</span>, those are about the only pictures I've ever had printed of him. Welcome to the digital age. I've also used <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Shutterfly</span> to make Father's Day photobooks. They were a big hit. The grandpa's loved having a little brag book. I've been pleased with the quality of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Shutterfly's</span> products. But...oh. my. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">goulashes</span>. Their holiday cards are uh-dorable.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/pretty-package-holiday-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93491&fe=1&fc=1"><img style="WIDTH: 289px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548452372611279378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KokINtChUe0S8cLqoTwTI8TgnBCHuT7QR5ctk62ubLxo1VK8S-fHCQZ9nAy3cwGvpFoHEDnKw9yQifvNkWtH9_hJJOYdSDHgnQwuQWvxZy28h4YyVsBVPrDm3-bR1bRmMC-LkULirmCH/s400/STATIONERYCARD_5x7-23017-2619-MERCHLARGE_FRONT-v128103988600090620.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards/stylish-snowflakes-black-christmas-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93491&fe=1&fc=1"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 289px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548452802117633234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEuAPL7mi4Yfv0DtiAUM_rBSOTnEImRlUZ6K2zaQzsLqP_qnd7xwtYHdO0bw0Hn5llk41E8eGS4SdGRsdYKa1jw4apqqnbHe62GhtpicYbhyo1u9UxFj_9IungafMYD4Ys_ncikgMTu3R/s400/STATIONERYCARD_5x7-23046-975-MERCHLARGE_FRONT-v127917104400075803.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/swirl-greetings-christmas-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93491&fe=1&fc=1"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 289px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548454219925331906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvquCTKnf1JPAD6X0q0396Obl8lQ_TubkGjrCKBSMrmgv9t-OK-hEGH4BLiUoO-Nlp8TdYzqziMzVBVLFsujVmz6XgVr5Nx3HHo_joBgmNh-T9XUlSBIt8TVeXMUflLdWShoEunrhy9SY/s400/STATIONERYCARD_5x7-23046-2731-MERCHLARGE_FRONT-v128103923900099786.jpg" /></a><br /><br />They are classic contemporary. Classic without being stuffy and too frilly. Contemporary colors and graphics. I've really thought about using a card that has places for multiple pictures on it so that I can put pictures of the Bear throughout the year on it. He has changed so much over the year that I'd thought our Christmas card would be a good place to reflect that. I haven't decided for sure whether I'll do multiple pictures or just one or two. I'll have to really decide which card style is my favorite: simple or lots to look at. Click <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards">here</a> to pick your faves.<br /><br />I'd bet that grandmas and grandpas would love a <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars">calendar</a> for the fridge at home or desk at work. Or a coffee <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts/photo-mugs">mug</a> to boast the pics of the grandyoung'uns.<br /><br />But as beautiful as their holiday cards are you've also gotta love that Shutterfly is giving you 50 free cards just for blogging about your favorites.<br /><br />Hope everyone is having a great week. Get over to Shutterfly and click around for a while. Prepare to be inspired.<br /><br />Visit my Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1182611901">here</a>.Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-54812539163811172912010-12-02T08:00:00.003-05:002010-12-02T08:00:13.629-05:00Embrace the Camera: December 2<div>It's time for another fun-filled edition of...<br /><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQ35Mm1dGy0ImkBNgu8212nW8C4QpGZceix-iKEsWttfI8GYnmlmU3-ZF7BWFqHXIGRUxiKhYesDa0MBfg4rFZsZmiD3oIbfXSE37dGww33s1l0aKMvt5YteRW9OYH4StX3ZM_7KAPLgO/s1600/Embrace_the_camera-2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 175px; HEIGHT: 175px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545556649276055202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQ35Mm1dGy0ImkBNgu8212nW8C4QpGZceix-iKEsWttfI8GYnmlmU3-ZF7BWFqHXIGRUxiKhYesDa0MBfg4rFZsZmiD3oIbfXSE37dGww33s1l0aKMvt5YteRW9OYH4StX3ZM_7KAPLgO/s400/Embrace_the_camera-2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>These are from the Bear's first Thanksgiving. My sister took these and I couldn't be more pleased with how they turned out. Thanks <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">KK</span>! I normally only put up one, but they were so cute I couldn't decide.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnvruX_QywxLBTveVjR1iw9cnbfDOIm4kUKEKbuqqBIBJ-D46WNzfW85HZaTpULUPgnritX4Mst3G0GsLLR4fpl3vvQRoCeI-VMfTf9_WJwzc-AbV0oXn_ubj0Tnz0DUEZBcbVxMYHaVx/s1600/DSC_0071-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545554865842079218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnvruX_QywxLBTveVjR1iw9cnbfDOIm4kUKEKbuqqBIBJ-D46WNzfW85HZaTpULUPgnritX4Mst3G0GsLLR4fpl3vvQRoCeI-VMfTf9_WJwzc-AbV0oXn_ubj0Tnz0DUEZBcbVxMYHaVx/s400/DSC_0071-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545555324177218402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_KdnBSyZhyADSPDuu664JfIbQZJMI7cJpmozu7u-hLg75p778tsg1CtEsTchkyHcmPkiSJrUNdhHTyOKl7FH-fNADczKWX9j6MBcAc-HqGZiu0UJu1ZuS7YysBkU6xb9LcLot_uWUdcV/s400/DSC_0068-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></div><br /><div></div>And our first Thanksgiving as a family...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PbuX6SGkHLQPk_XyprveTCZXgQJkk-N8FILe8rLUpbPpKzmr8PgQFtUm1GjxEgvRrXgny7AtXzDbEjkPucEDHhukNYMQdl36s0Z-WnTGvmBy3vBE1FSvK3-_8zEf5SN0DYMMZijDQYG-/s1600/DSC_0095-8%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545555867406767042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PbuX6SGkHLQPk_XyprveTCZXgQJkk-N8FILe8rLUpbPpKzmr8PgQFtUm1GjxEgvRrXgny7AtXzDbEjkPucEDHhukNYMQdl36s0Z-WnTGvmBy3vBE1FSvK3-_8zEf5SN0DYMMZijDQYG-/s400/DSC_0095-8%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>Thanks for playing along!</div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-34615241727009233252010-12-01T08:00:00.001-05:002010-11-30T23:51:23.503-05:00Lamar and Jerrica's Maternity PicturesOur sweet friends are expecting their first baby. Tomorrow. Actually, her due date was almost two weeks ago but she's still pregnant. So she's going to the hospital tonight to start being induced.<br /><div><div><div><br /><div>When I told her I wanted to do some maternity pics for her, I think she was a little hesitant. But she told me that if I could talk her husband into it then she'd go for it. He (surprisingly) agreed. I had taken their Christmas card pictures a couple of times, but this was new territory. She'd only be pregnant with this baby once and if I messed up I would feel terrible. I had also never done maternity pictures before. I know how difficult it is to feel pretty when you're pregnant so I really wanted her to look back later and see how beautiful she is during this time. And she is a gorgeous pregnant gal. Take a look for yourself...</div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ebQPK8ldFpYdW7vIV89pfLtBUMpfTBxLUkcui7Asc8SJCsRKaDG5V8jM6QrA5TECEcix-CDvxSSIfkpvqe9_IF_kKsJgpplvrtej2VjrfLZLYkNWcLFhsg8DAdZiYoIP3lrkBCZ9Uuqt/s1600/DSC_0307-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545563616023741938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ebQPK8ldFpYdW7vIV89pfLtBUMpfTBxLUkcui7Asc8SJCsRKaDG5V8jM6QrA5TECEcix-CDvxSSIfkpvqe9_IF_kKsJgpplvrtej2VjrfLZLYkNWcLFhsg8DAdZiYoIP3lrkBCZ9Uuqt/s400/DSC_0307-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpUCWQmhOuIWiX9dHCWwAhboVTTaGovJeFGTTbE6X3gAWnzQoJazmmBT-9qBwDZrrIGnMPJN_C1Zc1I_vCgGU7zeZsNGZ8NpXalFFxoSZZGrSkof-qjYpaHrVhJYzFizHB_BeACHD0nCu/s1600/DSC_0424-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545564375775854642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpUCWQmhOuIWiX9dHCWwAhboVTTaGovJeFGTTbE6X3gAWnzQoJazmmBT-9qBwDZrrIGnMPJN_C1Zc1I_vCgGU7zeZsNGZ8NpXalFFxoSZZGrSkof-qjYpaHrVhJYzFizHB_BeACHD0nCu/s400/DSC_0424-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8m8N-u5c9lC-ldSZupinAJ1omBOgFU6M6ujGabvgV7p_j3TpEysKnha_CkFWIx-dP1X3u31UOFVM-yl64PiwgFu9J7cc92khsMtTTfLd9nxa5E_ChbHyfbPyardcgC7tYHJDnEjRA69e/s1600/DSC_0395-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545563244252361458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8m8N-u5c9lC-ldSZupinAJ1omBOgFU6M6ujGabvgV7p_j3TpEysKnha_CkFWIx-dP1X3u31UOFVM-yl64PiwgFu9J7cc92khsMtTTfLd9nxa5E_ChbHyfbPyardcgC7tYHJDnEjRA69e/s400/DSC_0395-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8aXsiPYv3nz3JdVV_bULxWY3mnkRNLCRMBCEObC9gG8yswZqps9BIm7sOyelEPv2O4eSAoJP0NXqCx2j7Oh0i0OzAN3X7bWn1ZKrE6_OdZebXxXfuD3CTXvRXjA6Tqq126YbLxqHEDSi/s1600/DSC_0396-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545564054374855058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8aXsiPYv3nz3JdVV_bULxWY3mnkRNLCRMBCEObC9gG8yswZqps9BIm7sOyelEPv2O4eSAoJP0NXqCx2j7Oh0i0OzAN3X7bWn1ZKrE6_OdZebXxXfuD3CTXvRXjA6Tqq126YbLxqHEDSi/s400/DSC_0396-1%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a> </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjleA24XWUMKT-FcPRA6x1AAE35YlmS-HJvGeby9RN8EKVCzrS1retNAcfCjWepkkMghHgIj_wCGvAkFNvQkK7oU38swaoW63G5EXY92LkkrNVimcEbvEjGi-24US05Sd3KA7dRb4u_3JHp/s1600/DSC_0122-2%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545565908764113410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjleA24XWUMKT-FcPRA6x1AAE35YlmS-HJvGeby9RN8EKVCzrS1retNAcfCjWepkkMghHgIj_wCGvAkFNvQkK7oU38swaoW63G5EXY92LkkrNVimcEbvEjGi-24US05Sd3KA7dRb4u_3JHp/s400/DSC_0122-2%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JH1GSHzN0RI5NQT67d3rzZZ_veiu2wyDArTS1iapZC9SSj2hdt_05KaLTzpK3hxNqAMevekEE5RX8DAseg-p8fGXefkSzlST1sgqKx4y-rh3etTJcUAsaWAuNosaaKdBtW7KVMfgUfYu/s1600/DSC_0104%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545562266730017074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8JH1GSHzN0RI5NQT67d3rzZZ_veiu2wyDArTS1iapZC9SSj2hdt_05KaLTzpK3hxNqAMevekEE5RX8DAseg-p8fGXefkSzlST1sgqKx4y-rh3etTJcUAsaWAuNosaaKdBtW7KVMfgUfYu/s400/DSC_0104%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>They are keeping the baby's name a secret. Which is driving everyone (ME) crazy! I'm dying to know! My imagination has gone wild with all the names they could name this baby. Cledus? Adolf? Jack Daniels? King? Trust me, I work in healthcare. I've seen it all. And all of these names are coming back to me now. The anticipation is killing me.</div><br /><div>Thank you so much, Lamar and Jerrica for humoring me and letting me get some more practice under my belt. Thank you for being such good friends to us. We have found family in you guys. I look forward to many years of calling each other to fill the other in on our boy's (meaning children, not husbands) latest antics. The Bear can't wait to meet his BFF!</div></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-48839880976302032122010-11-30T21:51:00.014-05:002010-11-30T23:01:25.166-05:00At 10 months...I can't believe you're already 10 months old. You've been in this world as a whole person longer than you were in my belly. It amazes me all the time how much you've grown and the new things you're doing all the time. I enjoyed your first Thanksgiving so much and can't wait to watch you experience your first Christmas. You are such a funny little Bear. Your personality develops more and more all the time.<br /><br />At 10 months you...<br />-crawl on all fours<br />-crawl really fast! You're in a different room (and doing something you shouldn't) faster than I can catch you<br />-pull up to stand on any and everything. This means coffee and end tables have to be cleaned off.<br />-cruise the furniture<br />-love Morty the Moose. You carry him everywhere you go.<br />-have gotten tubes in your ears<br />-cry when Mommy and Daddy leave you<br />-don't love a bath like you used to. I don't think the ear plugs help with that.<br />-look for an item when I take it from you and hide it. You don't fall for the bait and switch anymore.<br />-cry when you want something<br />-bite. You think its funny when Mommy tells you no.<br />-do your "silly laugh." It sounds kind of goat-like. You do it a lot when you're being a stinker.<br />-have four teeth. Two on top, two on bottom. And a fifth peeking through.<br />-still hate to get dressed. Especially your shirt over your head.<br />-don't like to have your face or nose wiped. You cry and get mad.<br />-could care less about a sippy cup. You bang it around and chew on the spout and bottom of the cup.<br />-don't care anything about juice either.<br />-not only reach/lean for who you want to go to, but lean away when you don't want to go to someone else.<br /><br />And this is what you look like at 10 months...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIGxrt5hOWIpQNb0ztHaWgkeiqMmvpf1dRAGCq9sFhXib6i2gNsDp4tFb-emrA3kNpfer6kTkBuGns_yXzl-s2MoG8JI0Z5UmsvbXroq-o-s46VGO66QGqOIWn6Et0G3xMlUXpsQh2Ilk/s1600/DSC_0109-6%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545542392563029298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIGxrt5hOWIpQNb0ztHaWgkeiqMmvpf1dRAGCq9sFhXib6i2gNsDp4tFb-emrA3kNpfer6kTkBuGns_yXzl-s2MoG8JI0Z5UmsvbXroq-o-s46VGO66QGqOIWn6Et0G3xMlUXpsQh2Ilk/s400/DSC_0109-6%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><br />You're always standing!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTh6nZJYsramoUyEmgtl7B9DQpsDFis7eAsdVuM1Nmd_lVleGVC3u4NRtnv0ujvXkohW-274VmQ7_5ATNuaIezLDXjDM8Ezgjzajf5Nn6kNcwKJPJqsDCnNqTx2h1fqxlnmntJqj-DAJGS/s1600/DSC_0133-8%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545544011385894530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTh6nZJYsramoUyEmgtl7B9DQpsDFis7eAsdVuM1Nmd_lVleGVC3u4NRtnv0ujvXkohW-274VmQ7_5ATNuaIezLDXjDM8Ezgjzajf5Nn6kNcwKJPJqsDCnNqTx2h1fqxlnmntJqj-DAJGS/s400/DSC_0133-8%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A close up of those toothies...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6zH-0MF4n6Rgci0xDiuhzUVg_siWLCykPhDzRNJJ3YMcyRUbP_A-vlSTwbvte2VnsXKTe2_KqwGo5V_7ABXrIic7l__LhkA0rSUaIlfXY7DlhjGQ8J0qFNDj7sx_-IkhMX1bIF699uA6/s1600/DSC_0150-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545545525266665394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6zH-0MF4n6Rgci0xDiuhzUVg_siWLCykPhDzRNJJ3YMcyRUbP_A-vlSTwbvte2VnsXKTe2_KqwGo5V_7ABXrIic7l__LhkA0rSUaIlfXY7DlhjGQ8J0qFNDj7sx_-IkhMX1bIF699uA6/s400/DSC_0150-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And the sweet face your Mama and Daddy love...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bsCUCjN_HseHXT4QEo-mot5Gn7Y5mz45DVhJpTONE3rhjeZgePMWea6M-bgaDvO3UAS82CAX2Rno4cI0M9bdfrSIpbriP9Ff88vfLypZXzoF55PdWCohuoMFtJXD0B3w6he0BkFLV4cG/s1600/DSC_0151-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545545961193067906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bsCUCjN_HseHXT4QEo-mot5Gn7Y5mz45DVhJpTONE3rhjeZgePMWea6M-bgaDvO3UAS82CAX2Rno4cI0M9bdfrSIpbriP9Ff88vfLypZXzoF55PdWCohuoMFtJXD0B3w6he0BkFLV4cG/s400/DSC_0151-7%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The hours drag sometimes, but the days fly right by me. I find myself worrying about the wrong things...dishes, laundry, the dust you could write your name in. I have to remind myself all the time that this sweet face will not always look for me to play with him. I try to keep the word <em>intentional</em> at the forefront of my thoughts. I find myself saying "I meant to..." a lot. And I do mean to do things, but time always gets away from me. I have to be <em>intentional</em> about what I do everyday otherwise the days when he climbs up my leg while I do dishes or does his "silly laugh" and crawls faster to get to something he wants while I chase him...these times will be gone. He will be grown and moved away without me having done so many things that "I meant" to do. Like take him to the park...another thing "I meant to do" before it got too cold.<br /><br />I have so many sweet pictures to share of Thanksgiving. Check back soon, I'll get them up ASAP.<br /><br />Edit: I have changed the settings so that you can comment without having a special ID. From what I understand you previously had to have a Google ID to be able to leave comments. I think I now have it set up so that you don't have to do that. Comment away!Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-16681351080882635222010-11-17T20:27:00.000-05:002010-11-17T20:27:00.309-05:00My first real "shoot"<div><div><div><div><div><div>So, most of you know that I love to take pictures. I would love to be able to quit my job one day and supplement our income by doing portraits. That's many years away, if ever. But in the meantime, I have great friends that don't mind me practicing on them. And their kids. I've done a few Christmas cards for friends and that's always fun. But this was the first time I did a "shoot" involving kids. (I use the term shoot loosely, in no way am I professional enough for that yet!)</div><div> </div><div>I work with Tracie and over the past year and a half, we've become good friends. She is wonderful...compassionate, thoughtful, and a great mom to three beautiful kids. I asked her if I could do some pics of them because I thought it would be good practice for me. She humored me (bless her heart) and she was sweet enough to let me share them here with you!</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOR4TrbN-59gnfWVAUkVBpD5uZbOf2USywLkYt5Bua4cbkBuMp4VMoSqWaQ2sJefAphC1oE8D3_IFHLWqKoW0ZoxkaFDmQhqG7sZ07u7HiLRE-tuOAQ8SBg8VlQi7IjiW8CgYvfLZmpGJI/s1600/DSC_0130%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540644803249659010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOR4TrbN-59gnfWVAUkVBpD5uZbOf2USywLkYt5Bua4cbkBuMp4VMoSqWaQ2sJefAphC1oE8D3_IFHLWqKoW0ZoxkaFDmQhqG7sZ07u7HiLRE-tuOAQ8SBg8VlQi7IjiW8CgYvfLZmpGJI/s400/DSC_0130%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxW_Ko-vf0gGlXl0oBQlMNT9J7rLtklN_OAHZsvNe2PUHvM6vaiWpGuDeNSjccE-OKRlgr2OXtpLANcheXwxfCZnZL1W9V7yM7UdEGIRKiDauVjaQIynw77nYtDOdStfooj8kl7r4CguAz/s1600/DSC_0261%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540642598168526162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxW_Ko-vf0gGlXl0oBQlMNT9J7rLtklN_OAHZsvNe2PUHvM6vaiWpGuDeNSjccE-OKRlgr2OXtpLANcheXwxfCZnZL1W9V7yM7UdEGIRKiDauVjaQIynw77nYtDOdStfooj8kl7r4CguAz/s400/DSC_0261%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-OnHo_ImTdiA-65b9c2AJTKm4_uU2nRyap0HUHC96UxqKwV7EoNBOtik1A4yE00mG8bnC7bHzRbSoUR2c7tr6QCVYO-5Y9eVW41Xx5_nYZkuWY2yWgmkN5wg0NvDFU_lQYrTOqrVyTBJ/s1600/DSC_0313%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540643506517702386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-OnHo_ImTdiA-65b9c2AJTKm4_uU2nRyap0HUHC96UxqKwV7EoNBOtik1A4yE00mG8bnC7bHzRbSoUR2c7tr6QCVYO-5Y9eVW41Xx5_nYZkuWY2yWgmkN5wg0NvDFU_lQYrTOqrVyTBJ/s400/DSC_0313%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVfIV_vOAz4VtnRJK_kGS7HsU9kWLTIXGxZZuC4mavTBjPosSV1cZWTXUfG4KZxRs8JLbVtz_FNUmTOj1RHIAyOsSOM9tnLavkRf1ulqZ15rLqBHBdlcfVb1Jk5Q9RiB-Nxzga53K3RKO/s1600/DSC_0188%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540642052754570626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVfIV_vOAz4VtnRJK_kGS7HsU9kWLTIXGxZZuC4mavTBjPosSV1cZWTXUfG4KZxRs8JLbVtz_FNUmTOj1RHIAyOsSOM9tnLavkRf1ulqZ15rLqBHBdlcfVb1Jk5Q9RiB-Nxzga53K3RKO/s400/DSC_0188%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7UOOB69gWdI6ch3oJIcjEdhgv7Ig0besZObaLaIhkBY_QGG2pu5HJiM-tnAZUb5IS1jCgwZQkAwc5-sttkd7ePfwFU-IXqPPVSu0z5st3At50zSDU1iArkoF6_tYoxHHRrNYU-TvaaCb/s1600/DSC_0323%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540644227373903858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7UOOB69gWdI6ch3oJIcjEdhgv7Ig0besZObaLaIhkBY_QGG2pu5HJiM-tnAZUb5IS1jCgwZQkAwc5-sttkd7ePfwFU-IXqPPVSu0z5st3At50zSDU1iArkoF6_tYoxHHRrNYU-TvaaCb/s400/DSC_0323%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>Just a note...they held hands all on their own. No prompting from me or Tracie...isn't that sweet! The kids were troopers. I'm still very slow at getting everything set up right and it takes me a while to decide what and how I want to do things. The kids did great in spite of me! I think the lure of Halloween costumes and candy when we got done helped. Here's one of all of them in their cute costumes.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjswfYuugtysM4zgQ5mDgCk6QbviixVN6RmSg3Ju2QBei3rrweKg5iJiC0o5muzzda43ER_-pIDAy3BDbsQ4LX8FQHuJBApjmayP7_CAQjniM_x1lmjGBNs3Gy4XyaFvfhfTG6GQLang9eL/s1600/DSC_0462%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540646835746916226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjswfYuugtysM4zgQ5mDgCk6QbviixVN6RmSg3Ju2QBei3rrweKg5iJiC0o5muzzda43ER_-pIDAy3BDbsQ4LX8FQHuJBApjmayP7_CAQjniM_x1lmjGBNs3Gy4XyaFvfhfTG6GQLang9eL/s400/DSC_0462%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>It was Halloween when we took these and Tracie was already thinking about her Christmas card. Hence the red and plaid shirts. She's so organized! I hope we got one you're proud to use!</div><br /><div>Thank you, Tracie, for letting me spend some time with you and your sweet kids. They're a lot of fun and it was a great way for me to get some practice!</div></div></div></div></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-59545084155828876742010-11-10T18:19:00.000-05:002010-11-11T22:28:17.519-05:00Embrace the Camera: November 11<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HtwV8ynJiqToZ1o56Osr6odcwgZyGyi-Jx1nfKKwCC25jAnpQZa_7B01iU-02YIKzzw68K45qZILNCiSq1CHObFLle_0QwJnsumtkstjqTK8IoTrTkQ21kwrwhBFs2UOdxORhOKL38kM/s1600/Embrace_the_camera-2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 175px; HEIGHT: 175px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538066548409851282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HtwV8ynJiqToZ1o56Osr6odcwgZyGyi-Jx1nfKKwCC25jAnpQZa_7B01iU-02YIKzzw68K45qZILNCiSq1CHObFLle_0QwJnsumtkstjqTK8IoTrTkQ21kwrwhBFs2UOdxORhOKL38kM/s400/Embrace_the_camera-2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Happy Thursday! Danny is out of town fishing so Little Bear and I are holding down the fort. Should be an interesting night since Daddy isn't here to help.<br /></div><br /><div>It's time to Embrace the Camera!</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa4yOAxnwTMERog9cz4ZixJimj2Isj3J3T7qJzqFvswQM8F7rnRhS1g2WdzXMsjrOEw3qXmoUqIaMnqZmNEhj3u8hgIrKRja_5u-AeKvW229Nv2jLNHOLc8u2RS6Dxlo15NJ3XbzLtdgi/s1600/DSC_0172-4%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538065316080495522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa4yOAxnwTMERog9cz4ZixJimj2Isj3J3T7qJzqFvswQM8F7rnRhS1g2WdzXMsjrOEw3qXmoUqIaMnqZmNEhj3u8hgIrKRja_5u-AeKvW229Nv2jLNHOLc8u2RS6Dxlo15NJ3XbzLtdgi/s400/DSC_0172-4%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>This is what I look like when I say "tickle, tickle" to get him to smile. There were better ones of me, but this was the funniest one of him. He almost looks crazy he's smiling so big! Gotta love that "church hair!"<br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbiR7zW3q1_ciMW-9dAIk_PKC4P-GsTaK0PA5kMnNPPOicsJqjm6WGhRcPTR8JRyo9KKgGKhgm3jdEPVNIMD8Q3ZwRdfWBw9l89MFFuVb35nKha1xXQFngteDVuw3zhZZ_yY-EztnEPlI/s1600/DSC_0184-4%2528rev+1%2529.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538064942790741282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbiR7zW3q1_ciMW-9dAIk_PKC4P-GsTaK0PA5kMnNPPOicsJqjm6WGhRcPTR8JRyo9KKgGKhgm3jdEPVNIMD8Q3ZwRdfWBw9l89MFFuVb35nKha1xXQFngteDVuw3zhZZ_yY-EztnEPlI/s400/DSC_0184-4%2528rev+1%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Oh, my boys! The Bear thinks it's hilarious when I fake sneeze. Gets him to smile for the camera everytime. Can you see those top two teeth? They're there!</div><br /><div>Thanks for playing along!</div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-7815266933485417852010-11-10T16:58:00.000-05:002010-11-10T18:05:00.893-05:00A Manly ManI was at work today, talking with a co-worker. The subject of our conversation led me to think to myself, "Thank God I married a man." When I say this I don't mean I'm glad I married a man instead of a woman. I mean I'm glad I married a <span style="font-size:180%;">MAN</span> instead of a <span style="font-size:78%;">man. </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Allow me to illustrate my point.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">When faced with a large bug or small rodent, Danny doesn't hop onto the chair with me and shriek. He squashes it and rolls his eyes at my hysterics. While maybe chuckling a bit.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br />He can tend to our dog's health issues. He has nursed our pups back to good health after run-ins with vicious animals and other events that left them with angry looking wounds. Heck, he helped <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">deliver</span> Becky's puppies by c-section. Yes, dogs need c-sections too sometimes. I think he <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">should've</span> gone to vet school. I know what you're thinking..."If he's such a good doc then why do y'all spend so much time and money at the vet's?" And the answer is this: he doesn't have any <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">meds</span>, silly. No, you can't just buy them online. We thought about that.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">When there is a problem with our vehicles, he doesn't take it directly to a repair shop so that they can charge us $600 to replace the brake harness. (Which even I know doesn't exist. It's a WIRING harness for your brakes when you tow something.) But some men aren't mechanically inclined and don't know this.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">He can hunt and fish. (I feel like I should grunt and beat my chest here.) He can put meat up in our freezer to feed our family. And then (this is the good part) he can cook that meat. I don't know how to cook quail. He does.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">When there is a problem with our garbage disposal (like this week), he doesn't hesitate to stick his hand into the black, unknown abyss to dig out the shards of the broken glass baby food jar. I know that deep down that's the last thing he wants to do but he knows that they aren't going to jump out on their own. Although I don't know why they don't jump out on their own...that's how the baby food jar got in there in the first place. Yes, that really happened.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">He knows about firearms and how to work them. Not in a crazy, militia radical way, but in a way that he can protect his family and property. This makes me feel safe.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">When the lid will not come off the jelly, he does not meekly grunt and groan while making feeble attempts to get it off. He gets in there and shows that lid who's boss. It may sound like a little thing, but those jelly jars are hostile.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">If we were stranded with a broken down plane he could fix it. No questions, he's a good aircraft mechanic. If we were stranded like Lost we'd be pretty screwed. But he could take care of us while out there in the wild sci-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">fi</span> jungle. He'd find a shelter, food to feed us, and ways to protect us. So maybe we wouldn't be that screwed.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">When things break around the house, he fixes them. We don't do without an item while it's at the repair shop, he gets the parts and tools out and he fixes what's broken.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">He can build stuff. He knows how to use hand tools and power tools to construct what needs <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">buildin</span>'. He can demolish stuff. He's tearing down our little patio fence now.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">He knows about sports. Maybe I should say college football. Thank goodness he doesn't watch all of them and quote stats from 1947's world series game or insist on hanging women's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">field hockey</span> memorabilia in the living room or scratch himself and belch every night of the week while watching "the Game." Thank goodness. I don't know that I could live with that. But he knows about and loves college football. That's plenty manly.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Danny is just the right amount of man. He isn't a macho, knuckle-dragging, poker night every week, cigars in the living room, womanizing asshole. Thank God. He doesn't insist on doing things that are outside the realm of his knowledge, capabilities, or what he is equipped to do. He knows when to call the professionals.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">He is a self reliant and self sufficient kind of man. He doesn't depend on others to provide or maintain his family. His responsibilities are HIS responsibilities.</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">He is my kind of guy. Now I'm going to fix his meat and potatoes.</span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-75252384989805519852010-11-06T11:40:00.000-04:002010-11-06T12:31:17.622-04:00Time well spentThere are about 3 dozen things I should be doing other than blogging. Especially since it takes me about an hour to do one post. Does it take everyone that long or am I just slow? Anyway, while the Bear is napping I wanted to take this opportunity to get on paper (or the web) what I was feeling right this minute. <div><div><br /><div>I have had more fun being at home over the last few days than I ever thought we could have right after a surgery (even one as minor as tubes.) I took Thursday and Friday off of work to take care of the Bear after his surgery. Danny was at home with us Thursday and it was nice to just hang out at the house. After the Bear got his nap, it was fun. He was ill as a hornet when he woke up from the anesthesia. But after that we played patty cake, peek-a-boo, gave high fives, and played with toys all afternoon.</div><br /><div>Yesterday and today, the Bear has gotten to sleep in until he's ready to get up. I've gotten up before him and had time to eat breakfast or shower before he's started stirring. This morning I could hear him moving around in his crib and talking his sweet gibberish. I left him in there for a few minutes and listened to that sweet baby talk through the monitor. When I opened his door to get him up he was still on his tummy with his legs tucked up under him and his hiney in the air. He smiled when he saw me before picking up his little head and trying to stand in the crib so I could get him.</div><div> </div><div>I've also gotten to rock him for a few minutes before putting him down for his morning nap. He lays his little head on my chest and does his slow blinks until he just can't fight it anymore and dozes off. That has probably been the highlight of the past few days. Holding and rocking my baby for his nap. He doesn't often let me cuddle him and put his head on my chest. He's too big of a boy to do that anymore. I love how the sun shines through the curtains and makes his hair look a little lighter and casts shadows in such a way to make his little cheeks look even juicier.</div><br /><div>While he naps I've gotten kitchen cabinets organized, the living room vacuumed, and a living room cabinet straightened up. But when he's awake we play. He's cruising furniture like nobody's business. He crawls so fast I have to run to get to him before he plays in the trash or finds the minuscule crumbs on the kitchen floor to eat. He's so mobile these days you can forget about household chores when he's awake.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsT2CPZKwai9WogB6yUVyV8oRJh5Wc5Sg4l1axsUBLlPzJE373xpqubLtkPRw6XGsY-hqDAvAuHwzeHM_ASTHcn5efF50qGh131vZJ_VAp_BCfwD5uemlbc_mLvO406AQ3mr1hZes9AxIu/s1600/DSC_0158-6(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536468737366950194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsT2CPZKwai9WogB6yUVyV8oRJh5Wc5Sg4l1axsUBLlPzJE373xpqubLtkPRw6XGsY-hqDAvAuHwzeHM_ASTHcn5efF50qGh131vZJ_VAp_BCfwD5uemlbc_mLvO406AQ3mr1hZes9AxIu/s400/DSC_0158-6(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><div> </div><div>I even cooked dinner last night! *SNAP!* Alright, come to already...I know it's shocking but nothing worth fainting over. I cooked dinner AND made a pumpkin pie! Now I'll wait while you regain consciousness......welcome back. Anyway, I think Danny was in a bit of a shock too. Bless his heart. He certainly didn't marry a Martha Stewart. As is evident by my meager dinner offerings of Hamburger Helper on at least a weekly basis. Isn't that sad? When I do cook dinner it's something like Hamburger Helper. I don't like to cook. I do like to bake.</div><br /><div>I'd like to tell you a little about the Bear and his BFF, Mortimer (we're on a first name basis, we call him Morty) Moose. Wade loves Morty. He drags him all over the house, he went with us to the hospital, he plays with him in the car on the way to daycare. Here they are playing under the coffee table.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY5p5WPn2ept8ilRkMAWxPkA5rTwV-h3yefV6IYSuBC4s09ZMHKNX5wrQ3EtXRAHdIanlukqYoMHbuT9uDJXZejv-4rfjP-UnHMaxuC4Cj5eV1xR1Sb5fw-WSrsYgj7NPsHs1DX4yce9EH/s1600/DSC_0136-6(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536469858343022130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY5p5WPn2ept8ilRkMAWxPkA5rTwV-h3yefV6IYSuBC4s09ZMHKNX5wrQ3EtXRAHdIanlukqYoMHbuT9uDJXZejv-4rfjP-UnHMaxuC4Cj5eV1xR1Sb5fw-WSrsYgj7NPsHs1DX4yce9EH/s400/DSC_0136-6(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>And playing in the kitchen...the Bear is laughing because Morty tells hilarious jokes...<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgco719_OBv_TycsS2NYPe_WEuQh018N6RB0PbmqrUtjsnkvh5fhcfFDwhgfLx5hqLKvU23s3Nc6gVbU5xEo5pH2bGImrBqfAzS_PPrQ7yAi0xxwKI00YC6SDgeMgaCVNCXGvmQJnxWnXax/s1600/DSC_0143-7(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536470679010466226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgco719_OBv_TycsS2NYPe_WEuQh018N6RB0PbmqrUtjsnkvh5fhcfFDwhgfLx5hqLKvU23s3Nc6gVbU5xEo5pH2bGImrBqfAzS_PPrQ7yAi0xxwKI00YC6SDgeMgaCVNCXGvmQJnxWnXax/s400/DSC_0143-7(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>But this is how sweet Morty spends most of his time: with one leg in the clutches of the Bear and one of his colorful, bell-ringing feet in the Bear's mouth. Like this:</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5UqJu-5XpoaUiSdZXOxY8UnJHdPMw5u2n87zH6-tp0LSH70lB0sPcIRwX18lOIzwa2QayWWPeMOi57ZsC3D9hILCVlQjbII1x3jPLFZbnZBfpQuNOTMruFufEzMeBPT05IcGLy1yJk_k/s1600/DSC_0146-6(rev+0).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536471641300779074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn5UqJu-5XpoaUiSdZXOxY8UnJHdPMw5u2n87zH6-tp0LSH70lB0sPcIRwX18lOIzwa2QayWWPeMOi57ZsC3D9hILCVlQjbII1x3jPLFZbnZBfpQuNOTMruFufEzMeBPT05IcGLy1yJk_k/s400/DSC_0146-6(rev+0).jpg" /></a></div><div> </div><div>They're quite a pair.</div><div> </div><div>Hope everyone is having a happy Saturday! We've got a busy one when Danny gets home from work: Bama game then a party with people Danny works with. I won't know a soul, but I'm kinda looking forward to meeting some new peeps. Have a restful weekend!</div></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-61364682860830842222010-11-04T15:07:00.000-04:002010-11-04T15:46:34.722-04:00Embrace the Camera: November 4<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk_haIUIoyowQcRJ8ujT4gVhM6oUVnRQCBPUbn5V6TKA1z06NwelW9Iik04w8lzDiAmnUUcvYPR8ih71_lLvgqtSxo_oMs4d1ebWQL7F47GMwDVbZkt2CVUPjQREKBnP2i9AZ-2xVoDqW/s1600/Embrace_the_camera-2.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 175px; HEIGHT: 175px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535774199430703666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk_haIUIoyowQcRJ8ujT4gVhM6oUVnRQCBPUbn5V6TKA1z06NwelW9Iik04w8lzDiAmnUUcvYPR8ih71_lLvgqtSxo_oMs4d1ebWQL7F47GMwDVbZkt2CVUPjQREKBnP2i9AZ-2xVoDqW/s400/Embrace_the_camera-2.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I should've combined this with the last post but wasn't thinking. So...two in one day. Some sort of record for me! Here we are Embracing the camera on Halloween.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi743JU9YRVXZA3_DKpwjgctbzugyCTooqzBn90Fz1m8WpIP07qhC6uWBupuXTOpiW2wagzEmZ2wjWITg7jbv1WdsvdkBzPqVnzwGUPHFPukd3ZrmfqZJd1R0WC3ae9SeXLrhT97XaKottG/s1600/DSC_0044-5(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535774034048406066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi743JU9YRVXZA3_DKpwjgctbzugyCTooqzBn90Fz1m8WpIP07qhC6uWBupuXTOpiW2wagzEmZ2wjWITg7jbv1WdsvdkBzPqVnzwGUPHFPukd3ZrmfqZJd1R0WC3ae9SeXLrhT97XaKottG/s400/DSC_0044-5(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br /><br />See the previous post for his adorable costume and its sweet little history. Now go get your camera and embrace it. Love it.<br /><br />Also, Wade's surgery (tubes in his ears) went fine this morning. He was really grumpy when he woke up but after a good nap and something to eat he was set to go. He has played like crazy this afternoon. Thanks for thinking about us!Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-6560948572781711062010-11-04T14:41:00.000-04:002010-11-04T15:07:36.104-04:00Halloween and the Great PumpkinI know I'm a little late getting this up and that you've already seen his costume, but I just had to post some of the cute pics we got with him. I also wanted to tell you about his costume. My mom made this little pumpkin and I wore it when I was about 6 months old. Since then about 18 other kids have worn it. And now my little Bear has worn it. It's got holes in it and the stuffing is coming out in places, but it's still precious. I think that's a pretty neat little story. Just thought I'd share.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLd-izK6vGs-VnrDhbUtVIwJp0is2wBACb388IBVuBLgJqul33Jaq6POUch10_4HYEwl_hVphHI7Uu7rEkeY1dUg5fV1TzxomwYsxUGvAtw1AHcRozePk2o9vn8Ys6DiSxbM_TqKPBXIND/s1600/DSC_0069-5(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535769160833785090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLd-izK6vGs-VnrDhbUtVIwJp0is2wBACb388IBVuBLgJqul33Jaq6POUch10_4HYEwl_hVphHI7Uu7rEkeY1dUg5fV1TzxomwYsxUGvAtw1AHcRozePk2o9vn8Ys6DiSxbM_TqKPBXIND/s400/DSC_0069-5(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6kFYDIbzStMgIrz1No2USWDbvLJYGDpT0Lt6KAlJdD3lDl3uAOFFZEgpP4IPKNQ7JeCM3GRPXy1wdWA_42x2gPd5tIL4IIp0KPyRmSl-1Si8F91ev96teLHfsLpU7Fd8cH8SsINL-itzx/s1600/DSC_0063-6(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535767642291983762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6kFYDIbzStMgIrz1No2USWDbvLJYGDpT0Lt6KAlJdD3lDl3uAOFFZEgpP4IPKNQ7JeCM3GRPXy1wdWA_42x2gPd5tIL4IIp0KPyRmSl-1Si8F91ev96teLHfsLpU7Fd8cH8SsINL-itzx/s400/DSC_0063-6(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>These are of the cute outfit his Nana got him.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6vfA4RfWPJZD_a4mJ2Qpbc_CIz6e3ytsZivOoEbMzHiTaVwN34chjI3bDa8wyAc8IJDq4zEJKnXwWBhUbQ0VBKrPl3WkfsiTYRXIgXPxti0XkUhcN3wINgpfGhhQyXkoIGOlA1eF3KNt/s1600/DSC_0480(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535769976722423010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6vfA4RfWPJZD_a4mJ2Qpbc_CIz6e3ytsZivOoEbMzHiTaVwN34chjI3bDa8wyAc8IJDq4zEJKnXwWBhUbQ0VBKrPl3WkfsiTYRXIgXPxti0XkUhcN3wINgpfGhhQyXkoIGOlA1eF3KNt/s400/DSC_0480(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LxBrajyArKVmm_2oSQ2gMfm_HPQRwfYKwYn69DZ_RabLQ4z-MQs1hyDGQNYuTXPJhGJdDXlr8y9GXdRWhC29lJ6Jua6e2UHW68vwfBZJ_9G1ErIVlurFStP6kq225ea44hu4PakUFMJd/s1600/DSC_0005-8(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535770620922602770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LxBrajyArKVmm_2oSQ2gMfm_HPQRwfYKwYn69DZ_RabLQ4z-MQs1hyDGQNYuTXPJhGJdDXlr8y9GXdRWhC29lJ6Jua6e2UHW68vwfBZJ_9G1ErIVlurFStP6kq225ea44hu4PakUFMJd/s400/DSC_0005-8(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><div> </div><div>We didn't actually trick-or-treat. We just went to the grandparents houses and showed him off in his little costume. Next year though, look out. Hide your candy.</div><div> </div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-49952497895063815482010-11-01T21:25:00.000-04:002010-11-01T18:24:23.151-04:00I Love OctoberJust a few reasons I love October...<br /><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div>1. It finally cools off. Somedays you can still wear shorts, but it isn't as hot as Hedes anymore. Finally.</div><div></div><div>2. The FAIR!</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0uUNSC06YIxegbw0pi-EvV3vDA0ZszfTelPks3-sPKbPG-_0mQyep1Mkx24q1fmq7A3HyAflh8_CxvYKQk08aWzzYhkkGBFkAEs7XN0bLkksTzkPKY1YnVoi5_vtsxMZ0v2ELo6HfZlv/s1600/35379816_GeorgiaNationalFair1015162004019web.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532848646645916690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0uUNSC06YIxegbw0pi-EvV3vDA0ZszfTelPks3-sPKbPG-_0mQyep1Mkx24q1fmq7A3HyAflh8_CxvYKQk08aWzzYhkkGBFkAEs7XN0bLkksTzkPKY1YnVoi5_vtsxMZ0v2ELo6HfZlv/s400/35379816_GeorgiaNationalFair1015162004019web.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.pbase.com/mmccreary/image/35379816">source<br /></a><br />3. Hubby's Birthday<br /></div><div>4. Our anniversary</div><div></div><div>5. Pumpkins<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4m3vklPH2jWc4jdQwRifyMz5FcKRUL6SWXbr-PiewL99Q8rDp_ZoHHRa6XTCQvQVKXwbDL21-LQSP1Vyu8BckWRD7Tc9HLfcoaP5f7_HCATiJ2v8iQEZKTBcV-WmBPQNjEV8k1Wv-G1D/s1600/DSC_0196-4(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532847262566445410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4m3vklPH2jWc4jdQwRifyMz5FcKRUL6SWXbr-PiewL99Q8rDp_ZoHHRa6XTCQvQVKXwbDL21-LQSP1Vyu8BckWRD7Tc9HLfcoaP5f7_HCATiJ2v8iQEZKTBcV-WmBPQNjEV8k1Wv-G1D/s400/DSC_0196-4(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br /></div><div>6. Beautiful leaves</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9x23_ERPFOsfZvcl-IXk0sNnWDYUpLAa_fMbr-BJahvylOrw9S0kStc9KoauM-S_ELC_90TIHhh-5QuNmylyHPcX5D85jHwB_TYyrK7tnUAlHuriI-fTw6aMxmjHcGukEf8pPVdZx1fSY/s1600/fall-leaves.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534709290958802162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9x23_ERPFOsfZvcl-IXk0sNnWDYUpLAa_fMbr-BJahvylOrw9S0kStc9KoauM-S_ELC_90TIHhh-5QuNmylyHPcX5D85jHwB_TYyrK7tnUAlHuriI-fTw6aMxmjHcGukEf8pPVdZx1fSY/s400/fall-leaves.jpg" /></a></div><div><a href="http://blogs.targetx.com/hbu/DawgTracks/2009/10/fall_foliage.html">source<br /></a></div><div>7. Football. Specifically, University of Alabama football.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7eHBEWpsRn6GObsSNMaaLPPWT29bEOstPTUA4pGZinP69laRG0fBZslQUfRifdDEN3COlHjKKG4iwisrqlj1tHQjHOXb_Ht4L5PC8YIZEPMq_LjPwrjM2QNLNyP6sYBvzH8TFNf7S-_0/s1600/greg-mcelroy-cac60f5d12c9c3eb.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 302px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534700507894811250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7eHBEWpsRn6GObsSNMaaLPPWT29bEOstPTUA4pGZinP69laRG0fBZslQUfRifdDEN3COlHjKKG4iwisrqlj1tHQjHOXb_Ht4L5PC8YIZEPMq_LjPwrjM2QNLNyP6sYBvzH8TFNf7S-_0/s400/greg-mcelroy-cac60f5d12c9c3eb.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://photos.al.com/alphotos/2010/10/greg_mcelroy_24.html">source<br /></a></div><div>8. Punkins</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAup7l2a6sbcA5eH02ckfEIPe3cG0sMr1Z6QRqSkwUuSEhpZLaBo6On_NOHuJ2Rq9CgjTDxiH_wg_0FhOm5vlI8dvONyGiuZtTe9k49knqQnUR1W6cC-iQanr-xE2SRzdmH_nV80LTQcHF/s1600/DSC_0097-5(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534707723655390770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAup7l2a6sbcA5eH02ckfEIPe3cG0sMr1Z6QRqSkwUuSEhpZLaBo6On_NOHuJ2Rq9CgjTDxiH_wg_0FhOm5vlI8dvONyGiuZtTe9k49knqQnUR1W6cC-iQanr-xE2SRzdmH_nV80LTQcHF/s400/DSC_0097-5(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><div></div><div>These aren't in any particular order. Although I have to admit that number 8 probably is my favorite. Hmmm...I miss October already.</div></div></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-42937845788458378762010-10-27T23:48:00.000-04:002010-10-28T22:25:54.534-04:00Embrace the Camera: October 28<a href="http://www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/"><img style="WIDTH: 175px; HEIGHT: 175px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533283154941094770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnp22x2oWzinw8EDSZ24IVpL7WM2eKiAsA2WEluSu9RLBafV1L-Yrr44JZEECpHXaFfzVjSytZypqJMHG2TFxIRCwE-ZZp839rMtOZUuc6XpSLp3XqnjUnXPiUBwi2pVQOMPy_kYiGImvo/s400/Embrace_the_camera-2.jpg" /></a><br /><div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>I know you're shocked. Three posts in three days. What can I say, I wanted to get the Bear's 9 month pics and new tricks up for everyone to see. And I couldn't miss out on Embrace the Camera.</div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNO7xgbMdCAma58EDqNFGz5BHW27KBYc8PisBJ6tIkga2_zqM6oAYEFJFy72Ysm_mBT8WPZ0VKS7-aiu72aUr619dJpMKubu1CWNAqAxuI7-8eTOhTlLaP1Qu13iGe5T_iHaf1Vt06G8X/s1600/DSC_0100-6(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533282857876697794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNO7xgbMdCAma58EDqNFGz5BHW27KBYc8PisBJ6tIkga2_zqM6oAYEFJFy72Ysm_mBT8WPZ0VKS7-aiu72aUr619dJpMKubu1CWNAqAxuI7-8eTOhTlLaP1Qu13iGe5T_iHaf1Vt06G8X/s400/DSC_0100-6(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>I didn't do this one tonight (surprise!) This is one Danny took last week. Again, one of these days I'll get it done ahead of time and it'll be a really great pic. But until then, this is life. </div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>We've got a busy weekend coming up. I'm helping to throw a baby shower </div><div>Saturday morning (thank God it's not at my house). Remind me to tell you about making punch. What an adventure! Then I'm taking pics of a friend's kids. She wants to use one of these pics for her Christmas card. No pressure. Ha ha. This will be the first time I've done pictures of kids (that aren't mine.) Anyway, hope I can get at least a few good ones for her. This is good practice for me and without practice I can't get any better or get comfortable doing pictures for other people. But still. Saturday night I'm supposed to stop by a wedding reception (they got married in Vegas a few weeks ago. They planned to get married there. It wasn't a drunken spontaneous thing.) We're also taking the Bear "trick or treating" that night. When I say trick or treating, I mean he's going to knock on a few doors of people related to us. Not strangers in the neighborhood. Although I'm pretty sure Danny and I could eat a few fun sized Snickers and Butterfingers. Hmmm...I'll have to think on that, maybe we'll knock on doors after all. </div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>Have a happy Friday! I'll post pics of the Bear in his costume soon. You're gonna love it!</div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-53124593671644296072010-10-27T18:10:00.001-04:002010-10-27T23:31:41.624-04:00At 9 Months...The Bear turned 9 months on Monday. It's hard to believe that time is going by as quickly as it has and I'm doing another one of these posts. He is as happy as ever and is doing great tricks.<br /><br />At 9 months you...<br />-have found other people's ears and noses.<br />-commando crawl.<br />-get up on all fours and rock. You'll even move your hands and knees forward a time or two before dropping back down on your belly and commando crawling again. I think you do this because you're so much faster when you commando crawl.<br />-pull up to standing without help (including in your crib).<br />-go from sitting to crawling and on your belly to sitting.<br />-clap.<br />-give high fives (though I think it's just hitting hands, not so much a high five).<br />-have started reaching and leaning when you want someone to take you from somebody else.<br />-look at Mommy/Daddy when asked "Where's Mommy/Daddy?"<br />-cry when I leave you at daycare in the mornings.<br />-love to eat!<br />-have added chicken and brown rice, sweet pea turkey wild rice, blended fruits and oatmeal, beef carrots and corn, and vegetable turkey dinner to your diet. But your favorite is chocolate syrup. (I hate to give this to you, but it's the only way you'll take your antibiotics without a fight.)<br />-feed yourself finger foods like mum mums, sweet potato puffs, veggie puffs/crunchies, and biter biscuits.<br />-hate to get dressed, especially your shirt. You hate for it to go over your head.<br />-found out you have to get tubes in your ears. You've had double ear infections for about two months and four rounds of antibiotics haven't done a thing.<br />-have started getting your two top front teeth in.<br />-are still learning to use a sippy cup. You don't like it when we try to help you use it.<br />-love to play at your workbench.<br />-don't like it when we take things away from you. It makes you mad!<br />-poke and pick at things with one or two fingers instead of your whole hand.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2utaHyA0ivj8Pi4_x8M0GxVwbJJJuWGDt1f6lck4_3zTByLX-xZShVLqPwzO-Rf7tZd1zTeUggP5OKcZaogkwjCW5ZmXFVHgJ0En88tG9qIwQeZAnkR2_VaWI9c-KeAb-nsmUV7a4s-p/s1600/DSC_0180-4(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532854716587527666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2utaHyA0ivj8Pi4_x8M0GxVwbJJJuWGDt1f6lck4_3zTByLX-xZShVLqPwzO-Rf7tZd1zTeUggP5OKcZaogkwjCW5ZmXFVHgJ0En88tG9qIwQeZAnkR2_VaWI9c-KeAb-nsmUV7a4s-p/s400/DSC_0180-4(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br />Sitting up by himself is easy peasy these days.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhGYKBtACwMXdY1ypIxIh0_moAxdUYAwwQ1J_paYQYcCOhDv_XoSQGwgjqMDFIqTmO7pyZzJr2r4ZrAof3rK83tjnnSZuNZH5fRKnj6VYrF2BSHcvnl4l6QOwI8R2UTOlr0wXBd0qHf-D/s1600/DSC_0161-4(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532853910664190818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhGYKBtACwMXdY1ypIxIh0_moAxdUYAwwQ1J_paYQYcCOhDv_XoSQGwgjqMDFIqTmO7pyZzJr2r4ZrAof3rK83tjnnSZuNZH5fRKnj6VYrF2BSHcvnl4l6QOwI8R2UTOlr0wXBd0qHf-D/s400/DSC_0161-4(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br />He's getting so big! We took his four month pics on this blanket his Aunt Marci made him and he was so much smaller.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdhRoxhX8X2-RxQcsxbHOwF8YNbkW-nCRfzacvUrKYm61nXy8Mp1_G7p3Nlt_BWXH2RVqwajvz_IXjNA0gCF5TeBKbzQDpVzwHuR7lHIH_2V24DpjLh5oXdRzA5ZFKqd2wRsvZVayBRUk/s1600/DSC_0155-4(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532852824310694210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdhRoxhX8X2-RxQcsxbHOwF8YNbkW-nCRfzacvUrKYm61nXy8Mp1_G7p3Nlt_BWXH2RVqwajvz_IXjNA0gCF5TeBKbzQDpVzwHuR7lHIH_2V24DpjLh5oXdRzA5ZFKqd2wRsvZVayBRUk/s400/DSC_0155-4(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br />It's hard to keep him in one place for very long. Once he's on his belly he's ready to motor away!<br /><br />I'm sure I'll say the same thing every time I post what he's doing this month "He's getting so big. Time is going by so fast." But it's true. When I got him up this morning he looked bigger than he did when I put him to bed last night. How is that possible? He's changing all the time and each stage is more fun than the last. He explores more and more of the world around him all the time. He wants to know what's going on all the time. He cranes his little neck to see around me or a corner if he thinks he's missing out on something. These are good times.<br /><br />Hope everyone is having a great week. Tune in tomorrow for Embrace the Camera!Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-26248236655456344242010-10-26T22:20:00.000-04:002010-10-26T23:28:36.345-04:00Laughing at Myself -or- Nine to Shine is Nakie TimeI have to laugh at myself sometimes. Ok, I have to laugh at myself a lot. There are days when I should cackle all day like the village idiot because I do so many goofy things. When I really have to laugh at myself is when I do something and think, "Wow! I am so clever!"<br /><br /><div><div><div>I am tired of picking up toys and sippy cups when the Bear drops them while he's in his high chair or stroller. I don't like the idea of them being on the dirty floor or ground but it also becomes very tiresome and occasionally frustrating. For example, when we were at the fair a few weeks ago he kept dropping his peacock. (SOOO cute, you've got to see it. His name is Jacques the Peacock. Super colorful and makes all kinds of squeaks and rattles. The Bear loves him.) Now, I try not to be a germaphobe new mom, but the fair isn't winning any awards for cleanliness. They've got animals (and their poo) and a kajillion people that stomp through there everyday. You don't really want him mouthing on it after it's been on the ground. He doesn't throw things yet but he drops them a lot and I know the throwing days are coming. So, because of all this I knew we needed one of those leashes for sippy cups and toys that I had seen at the store so it wouldn't roll around in all that stanky nastiness. When I saw these sippy cup leashes at the store I thought to myself, "Why pay $12 for that? I can make that!" These words..."I can make that"...are often my undoing. (Ask anyone about the @#!%*$ hutch on my front porch.) It typically means I buy the stuff to make it and put it on my to do list that never gets to done. Well, this time it did get to done...<br /></div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJkHh6-AtW6OUAlC2c5jEpQq3pVlg8hJi-_uAyyWbLQ_7P-E0vQYxitdP2cxpwA5QZFfPuVH_y40fio5HrIEgb8OBNIR79fW6Df89rx_78YuCTFd_04mkdkMSyuwwzLm0ghbuzSMSSZlT/s1600/DSC_0116-4(rev+0).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532549895978689890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJkHh6-AtW6OUAlC2c5jEpQq3pVlg8hJi-_uAyyWbLQ_7P-E0vQYxitdP2cxpwA5QZFfPuVH_y40fio5HrIEgb8OBNIR79fW6Df89rx_78YuCTFd_04mkdkMSyuwwzLm0ghbuzSMSSZlT/s400/DSC_0116-4(rev+0).jpg" /></a><br /></div><div>Now, before you ask what all the fuss is about, let me just say that I used my sewing machine to do this. (Write that down, hubby!) Not only that, but I sewed on elastic AND velcro. A first for me! I made one with velcro so we could loop it around a toy and one with elastic to fit snugly around his sippy cup. (We won't talk about how the first time the Bear dropped his sippy cup it promptly slid out of the elastic and dropped onto the floor. It landed on its bottom and hasn't slid out again since. Go fig.) I'm good with instant gratification projects like this. It was quick. (Seriously, like 10 minutes. Probably would have been faster if my sewing machine wasn't so out of practice.) I got the tutorial for it <a href="http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2010/09/sippy-cup-leash-re-visited-improved.html">here</a>. Yes, I am so re-re when it comes to this stuff that I need a tutorial for something so simple. That and I figure someone has already worked out the bugs, why reinvent the wheel?</div><br /><div>And when the fabulous sippy cup leashes were done, I smiled smugly to myself and thought, "I'm so clever." At which point I had to began laughing at myself. I had to gently and sweetly remind myself that I didn't come up with this idea. It didn't take me several tries to figure out the best materials to use...velcro or elastic, etc. I googled what I wanted and BAM! Someone had already done it. I wasn't so clever, I just know how to use the internet. Still, I did allow myself to pat myself on the back for turning the sewing machine on and using it. (After a little troubleshooting help from Mom. Thanks Mom!) And I actually finished something. Wow, another something finished. I better watch out, I'm making that a habit.</div><br /><div>Okay, now that you've suffered through my monologue I'll get on to the real reason anyone reads this blog to start with. The Bear.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu2O-l92Zez2hAl_aLSSvJBq2Araos1Hn-Qf1nLCGYkKa0KEXzUyHVOYtOm3pHMX6Gy8Q4hDBCKLNxrEec5u8-VqenCgtjFQykVSUJasQJ8ZhCbJ8H3X9XIZrVedFsepGHksfDyy69sfH/s1600/DSC_0122-5(rev+0).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532556069371058626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu2O-l92Zez2hAl_aLSSvJBq2Araos1Hn-Qf1nLCGYkKa0KEXzUyHVOYtOm3pHMX6Gy8Q4hDBCKLNxrEec5u8-VqenCgtjFQykVSUJasQJ8ZhCbJ8H3X9XIZrVedFsepGHksfDyy69sfH/s400/DSC_0122-5(rev+0).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>Why, yes, that is a naked bottom you see. We've been fighting a raging case of diaper rash because of antibiotics. He was letting it all hang out for a while. He likes being nakie (and dumping all of his toys out of the bucket).</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGCk0z26uxh3pPzHtIt7CN_BP_2zqTN4oaZ-OsgWpLAXrDy0YF6auxjyPX7WUqWPn4USqTBXoKCYlSh-gcRn0IE2g-y-Q5KyMcohuwNeZ_ljAQh5rvXMT8kuUQa24sV4iib9t_DOW7_j3/s1600/DSC_0124-5(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532557143503721762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGCk0z26uxh3pPzHtIt7CN_BP_2zqTN4oaZ-OsgWpLAXrDy0YF6auxjyPX7WUqWPn4USqTBXoKCYlSh-gcRn0IE2g-y-Q5KyMcohuwNeZ_ljAQh5rvXMT8kuUQa24sV4iib9t_DOW7_j3/s400/DSC_0124-5(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>Here he is up on all fours. This is a fairly new trick. He'll move his hands and knees forward a time or two before dropping back down onto his belly and commando crawling. And see? He's not completely naked. He's wearing socks. Man, he's gonna kill me for these pics one day.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Just an update...after four rounds of antibiotics that didn't work to clear up the double ear infections our pediatrician sent us to an ENT. We had that appointment yesterday and the ENT says he needs tubes. We pretty much knew that was what he was going to say, but we're still not excited about him having to be put to sleep. The surgery is scheduled for next Thursday. Say a prayer for us. I know everything will be fine, but we were hoping to avoid this. But what else can you do? He's had ear infections for two months. We're pretty much out of options.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Hope everyone has a super week. We're getting geared up for the Bear's first Halloween! You're gonna love his costume...so cute. He turned 9 months yesterday so later this week I'll post his monthly pics and what new stuff he's doing. And Embrace the Camera is Thursday. Y'all come back now. Ya hear?</div></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-18818610292492763592010-10-21T22:53:00.000-04:002010-10-21T23:37:06.048-04:00Embrace the Camera: October 21Hello! Sorry about the weeklong hiatus. No excuses really, just life. The Bear started doing a TON of new things this week. Especially last weekend. It's like he decided to hit all his milestones at one time rather than space them out. He started pulling up on his own last weekend. He could do it with a little help, but while I was gone Saturday night Daddy said he started doing it all on his own. This is what I found when I went to get him up Sunday morning...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQYGZO6ztbOxt3nBooldavVW_oGjux4FYSKHS1e9X8qxXENowih_G868FVH_mEfIHrHZtbs6vNWqcvGSXGpesKYt7ir2F4yRT2wEoa1MOyNWDbFoTGviDUoQTsCfrKWvrpMhlXWsvZ9w5/s1600/DSC_0001-4(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530702476941208178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQYGZO6ztbOxt3nBooldavVW_oGjux4FYSKHS1e9X8qxXENowih_G868FVH_mEfIHrHZtbs6vNWqcvGSXGpesKYt7ir2F4yRT2wEoa1MOyNWDbFoTGviDUoQTsCfrKWvrpMhlXWsvZ9w5/s400/DSC_0001-4(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOsoRgr2XqsQZw_tNioVXQu9Kf1SEBoWbTax4QDLdEITTV0v4NBAfzC4ir20Nm3rspA2abMK1g1i6gtRv53E2ax6Q5OBCUFlxS7H4raUEKbOBgtr_L9lONE2159iciV5tpvBtnEFVI1nA/s1600/DSC_0004-7(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 267px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530701676223186530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOsoRgr2XqsQZw_tNioVXQu9Kf1SEBoWbTax4QDLdEITTV0v4NBAfzC4ir20Nm3rspA2abMK1g1i6gtRv53E2ax6Q5OBCUFlxS7H4raUEKbOBgtr_L9lONE2159iciV5tpvBtnEFVI1nA/s400/DSC_0004-7(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br /></div><div>Isn't that the cutest? He's pulled up like crazy all week. He's wearing me out! There are already little teeth marks on the railing. He's getting his top teeth in now. He did some other stuff too but we'll save it for his monthly birthday post. Next week, can you believe it?</div><div> </div><div>I also wanted to share a pic of him and his favorite toy. This is his workbench. He's a hard workin' man. This is the best $25 I've ever spent. Period. Don't you love those cheeks? They're almost more like jowls in this picture.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJd0QPy_oAyvWpcW0Vm-OtjgEEkqefV7nbSQHaji4it9Lnlgy60SG6zGVO76Csz4aOvSWTs9f568V-LljfRGd3C6Y_ukDPcHMLTj1b2Ii2hlqvGDsa2OeW6w8ytbQabRyFJYFdAcPYlMzp/s1600/DSC_0031-6(rev+0).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530700566062162866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJd0QPy_oAyvWpcW0Vm-OtjgEEkqefV7nbSQHaji4it9Lnlgy60SG6zGVO76Csz4aOvSWTs9f568V-LljfRGd3C6Y_ukDPcHMLTj1b2Ii2hlqvGDsa2OeW6w8ytbQabRyFJYFdAcPYlMzp/s400/DSC_0031-6(rev+0).jpg" /></a><br /><br /></div><div></div><div>And now for the weekly Embrace the Camera shot. Daddy graciously took a some pics of us this evening, but I liked this one better. See...I took some tonight because I didn't think I had any. Again, procrastination. At least I'm consistent.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1g6r6hjDzfmjRw9iAdf8B39G159UETo1nCLBQR7fTLdbKxASo8oo6XrUSHeychMJLEjBJQ2DwZaLjsOPHhZRPveC-wUiVIl0thwHrG9DKdyDlVuV912NbbPcRIwBsqGVpMDX7mGSEGAAu/s1600/100_5120_1_(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530699281099442706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1g6r6hjDzfmjRw9iAdf8B39G159UETo1nCLBQR7fTLdbKxASo8oo6XrUSHeychMJLEjBJQ2DwZaLjsOPHhZRPveC-wUiVIl0thwHrG9DKdyDlVuV912NbbPcRIwBsqGVpMDX7mGSEGAAu/s400/100_5120_1_(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><div> </div><div>I try to add the button for Embrace the Camera every week but can't get it to work. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. If you've got advice on how you think I can fix it (or dummy instructions just in case I'm not doing it right to start with) please lemme know in the comments. And go check out other moms gettin' their picture on <a href="http://www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/">here</a>.</div><div> </div><div>The Bear and I hope you have a lovely day tomorrow. We'll try and get something posted this weekend. I've started several posts, but have yet to finish them. Much like so many other things in my life... Eh, it's good.</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-19830766128709987842010-10-15T02:03:00.000-04:002010-10-15T02:03:00.306-04:00Embrace the Camera: October 14Time for the latest installment of Embrace the Camera. I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">don't</span> know why I always wait for Thursday night to take our picture, it results in me looking like a mess and pictures that I don't just love. I know this happens on Thursday. Why not do a little planning and take the picture early in the week or over the weekend? That way if he would rather play with the duck than sit still and take a picture with Mommy, it's no big deal. Try again later. But we don't do it like that. I wait until 8 pm (when I should be putting him in bed) so that I can post it that night after I put him to bed. Oh <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">yeeeaaaah</span>...now I remember why I don't do it before! I wait until the last minute to do everything! Hello. My name is Lauren and I am a procrastinator. They say the first step to recovery is admittance. I admitted this a long time ago and I'm still a procrastinator. Guess they <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">should've</span></span> said something about a second step. <div><br /><div>While thinking about why I wait until so late to do this, I had an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">epiphany</span>. This is the point of Embrace the Camera. It's supposed to be what you look like and do in real life. Day in and day out. If it was about having your hair and make-up just right with fantastic lighting, I could go to the studio and have our pictures professionally taken. Which is always great, but it's not real life. In real life, I never wear make-up. I usually straighten my hair, but not always. Either way, it ends up in a pony tail or clip of some kind when I get home from work. I change into a t-shirt and pajama pants too. And I procrastinate. That's real life. That's our life right now. One day I hope to welcome my family home to a perfectly clean house with dinner on the table while wearing a dress, perfectly spotless apron, heels, and pearls. But, alas, not at this time of our lives. I'm doing good to cook dinner, much less the other stuff.</div><br /><div>So, maybe one day I'll look decent for an Embrace the Camera post. One day, I'll get my act together and do it before so that it's a picture I'm really proud of. And that will be the picture we look back on one day and I tell Bear, "That one...that one took me all day to get. I combed both our hair, put us both in beautiful outfits. That one was work." But it won't be my favorite. It'll be too posed, too perfect, too planned to really be us.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDwG3hR4SUVl58yi7elD0wmmNzTu6PizCgHgUOvMAfDiZKAiEyBxdkk9V7t-2YA0YXdaPe8wcg1MyXj0RVAAMhznMfOfSrWfN_ntiZv8o4rBLvLQ_sWAnpBYo14kw-J6qM2ghE_v4Ucu1/s1600/DSC_0017-5(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528106284050271682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDwG3hR4SUVl58yi7elD0wmmNzTu6PizCgHgUOvMAfDiZKAiEyBxdkk9V7t-2YA0YXdaPe8wcg1MyXj0RVAAMhznMfOfSrWfN_ntiZv8o4rBLvLQ_sWAnpBYo14kw-J6qM2ghE_v4Ucu1/s400/DSC_0017-5(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>I didn't ask him, but I thought it would be fun for Daddy to Embrace the Camera as well...</div></div><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPebCGjG04ou_KJ8aRyWfAKjwgDYgIIg8TNa4kOcpTfjCCRNGD9CwkkqwumJ62rCyq2qDOJPxrehIAfY6gH8bBkn9J6bvcuwlY2XwGrUkmyzt1_oVTmiElL3DEsa_2xl2rr1pvDvQga2TZ/s1600/DSC_0002-3(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528106955416587714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPebCGjG04ou_KJ8aRyWfAKjwgDYgIIg8TNa4kOcpTfjCCRNGD9CwkkqwumJ62rCyq2qDOJPxrehIAfY6gH8bBkn9J6bvcuwlY2XwGrUkmyzt1_oVTmiElL3DEsa_2xl2rr1pvDvQga2TZ/s400/DSC_0002-3(rev+1).jpg" /></a></p><p>The Bear doesn't normally lay his head on your shoulder. Typically he has to see what's going on all over the room. But he's been doing it a little lately and it always tugs at my heart.</p><p>I tried without success to put the Embrace the Camera button on here. It is very frustrating when I don't understand technology. I can copy the code but not paste it, go figure. So go <a href="http://www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/">here</a> to check out the gal who originated Embrace the Camera. She isn't hosting her usual Embrace the Camera because she has something MUCH bigger going on over there this week.</p><p>Emily and her family are in the process of adopting a little girl from Africa. As I'm sure you know, this is a very costly process. She's doing a very cool fundraiser that she's calling <a href="http://www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/">Share the Love</a>. There are five bundles that you can put in for. Go check it out and buy an entry to win some very cool stuff. Worse case scenario: you don't win, but you've helped a family bring their child home. Best case scenario: you win and help a family bring home their child. Win-win. Good stuff.</p><p>That's a wrap! Meet you back here this weekend!</p>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-82436691671522666642010-10-12T21:40:00.000-04:002010-10-12T22:36:24.201-04:00FirstsThe Bear did a few new things this weekend. It is always so sweet when I catch him doing something new. I run to my planner and write it down on the date that he did it and how it happened. Well, sometimes I run right to the planner. I try to anyway. I don't want to let these things slip by me. I also have to write down the foods he tries every couple of days. He's eating so much now, it's hard to keep up! <div><div><div><br /><div>Anyway...Daddy, Bear and I were sitting in the living room Sunday morning. Every so often I'll ask the Bear, "Where's Daddy? Where's Mommy?" Usually he just looks around and continues playing while I point and say "There's Daddy/Mommy" and make a big deal. But today...today was different. I asked him "Where's Daddy?" He looked at me like he was processing what I had asked him. *blink, blink* Turned to his Daddy and smiled the biggest grin. We made a big fuss while he continued to smile and silently pat himself on the back. I asked him "Where's Mommy?" at which point he turned to me and gave me a big smile. This was one of those times that I can still close my eyes and see his face at that moment. It was the first time that I knew he really understood what I was saying to him. Wow. He picks up some of what I blather on about all day long. Uhh-mazing!</div><br /><div>Alright, the other first this weekend. The fair! I was so excited about taking him this year. I have so many fun memories of going to the fair growing up. A different fair, but still fun. Riding rides. Eating cotton candy. Seeing animals. Playing games. The lights blinking and twinkling like stars. The sounds of carnies yelling at you to come play their rigged games. The smells of various meats on a stick frying in tired, reused grease. Mmm...one of my favorite events of the year. I love the fair. My husband hates it. (What he really hates is living in a town that hosts a fair. Traffic is terrible. Grocery stores are terrible. People from out of town infesting your hometown. I agree with all of this but I still love the fair.) My son will also love the fair. I have decided.</div><br /><div>Anyway, it was an overall success. We planned and timed it perfectly. Shortly after his morning nap but I wanted to be home by the time it got dark. He's had a constant ear infection for the past month+ so I didn't want him out in the cool night air. (BTW, we go this week for another follow up about his ears. Say a prayer that it's cleared up. Otherwise, they want to do tubes. Yuck.) The only thing I didn't plan on was it being so hot and him getting thirsty. I took food, but no bottles. He got his water by me dripping it from a straw into his mouth (little birdie style) from a $3 bottle of water. (Highway robbery)</div><div> </div><div>He saw rabbits. Which didn't impress him, by the way.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8eGfrDxkqSqkOOAAyT_y4OeYx4gTf4gbZDeHs_17-KQMDN9mv54IHxqc2uVZb5RYRyW8pQdsRxndW3qfEHHjXtVdVpQn-9lt1HTDQokquJRbYNO1c0GZLzw6HMoss-gWVA95O2ggCWSt/s1600/100_5079_1_(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527346226224246722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8eGfrDxkqSqkOOAAyT_y4OeYx4gTf4gbZDeHs_17-KQMDN9mv54IHxqc2uVZb5RYRyW8pQdsRxndW3qfEHHjXtVdVpQn-9lt1HTDQokquJRbYNO1c0GZLzw6HMoss-gWVA95O2ggCWSt/s400/100_5079_1_(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>He rode a tractor with his Papa.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJI5urZXHXjmRz2DfBV5izEUV13lmPq29oLDKamB0cjJx6iqQemAGe0FFecIKqRpORsUPG9VZcfBUATvn3J2FR-D7Err-eKo65Aro7oA4QGktwpuLG8sanAY5f4fwym3CCzakVJnd0KwdY/s1600/DSC_0034-6(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 266px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527347524721037698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJI5urZXHXjmRz2DfBV5izEUV13lmPq29oLDKamB0cjJx6iqQemAGe0FFecIKqRpORsUPG9VZcfBUATvn3J2FR-D7Err-eKo65Aro7oA4QGktwpuLG8sanAY5f4fwym3CCzakVJnd0KwdY/s400/DSC_0034-6(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>He sat on a fence like a real countryboy and watched horses.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBcVGK4EYI670gviS8DfCbgsbPo8ESSJN4f6BIaDR0-R38q2w_0PHkcenN-Hx0oCtKEBCyunweAEHC92Mt35OPra2rzPBjxH3Qx5Z1TuEOjrXxFGHK5woYzChUZS_cqdfvWv8FJ0PUo_V/s1600/101_5093_1_(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527348752539138642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBcVGK4EYI670gviS8DfCbgsbPo8ESSJN4f6BIaDR0-R38q2w_0PHkcenN-Hx0oCtKEBCyunweAEHC92Mt35OPra2rzPBjxH3Qx5Z1TuEOjrXxFGHK5woYzChUZS_cqdfvWv8FJ0PUo_V/s400/101_5093_1_(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>And then he fell asleep on the way to the car.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQbXJ4FAizfT6pUCxPeLtXKwlzWBPAMEi_7TnFUCzVDuPAUKMj1g40KN0R6POVlQLIo3i8pphtpK6xm2iPVeNkoKxFOl6zSXUj7t7PzKjkKWtW65SAmwMXqIR2m1lhDb7r6J5pjmoFtPZ/s1600/101_5097_1_(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527349884918062978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQbXJ4FAizfT6pUCxPeLtXKwlzWBPAMEi_7TnFUCzVDuPAUKMj1g40KN0R6POVlQLIo3i8pphtpK6xm2iPVeNkoKxFOl6zSXUj7t7PzKjkKWtW65SAmwMXqIR2m1lhDb7r6J5pjmoFtPZ/s400/101_5097_1_(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><div> </div><div>We had a lot of fun. I'm already looking forward to taking him next year when he can be really excited about all that's going on. And ride exciting rides like the Crazy Bus and the flying Dumbos. Wow...having kids is fun!</div></div></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-62379651610506037202010-10-07T22:10:00.000-04:002010-10-08T08:27:01.468-04:00At 8 months...<div>Alright, as promised...today features pics of a seriously cute baby.<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhPk0gl90JrvBWM4uTyTJP-s-Danv9lFbuYaUqoWLVX48DmR7wOfHyHmUA3if3nyBWbYQD37axwAg5yTh0A3cWqTYv6f9EIz8wrEd-PIBwh_jdpoQmSRizI3Ke0By5GjF977EuJ4WpqjA/s1600/wade_8_months_059(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 528px; HEIGHT: 362px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525493873443410914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhPk0gl90JrvBWM4uTyTJP-s-Danv9lFbuYaUqoWLVX48DmR7wOfHyHmUA3if3nyBWbYQD37axwAg5yTh0A3cWqTYv6f9EIz8wrEd-PIBwh_jdpoQmSRizI3Ke0By5GjF977EuJ4WpqjA/s400/wade_8_months_059(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><div>"Look at my teefies...I'm almost ready for a cheese burger!"</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxcIAfbGt4DzeBIA4hADpJJCDl_7Bpb5HSRsygudmyPLmHO-Da2hoF_BZQB9SQB6zhVBaem9yAc8-SJ0aroHo_mUF2EiNjgTrT9aeDaNmAhFPdmI4Ohqoqu4gqz7UgMtero8FpcCQTlyY/s1600/wade_8_months_078(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 432px; HEIGHT: 600px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525494821496096978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxcIAfbGt4DzeBIA4hADpJJCDl_7Bpb5HSRsygudmyPLmHO-Da2hoF_BZQB9SQB6zhVBaem9yAc8-SJ0aroHo_mUF2EiNjgTrT9aeDaNmAhFPdmI4Ohqoqu4gqz7UgMtero8FpcCQTlyY/s400/wade_8_months_078(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><div>"I'm such a big boy that I can sit up all by myself and wave at you at the same time."</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJxkyTO3eh943eJ_KwVQoDmH1LFUF1_dJzsxUmv9HjOii87MyMmarDmRP_2T-2OSDdb90HvaoxXqRO0Kt5EWZSD47o0i7T8ADl8azvMWg_mCOf9BpjcOJurVr7chf2LIi6LioDLcCYODC/s1600/wade_8_months_066(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 422px; HEIGHT: 580px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525496076568916946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJxkyTO3eh943eJ_KwVQoDmH1LFUF1_dJzsxUmv9HjOii87MyMmarDmRP_2T-2OSDdb90HvaoxXqRO0Kt5EWZSD47o0i7T8ADl8azvMWg_mCOf9BpjcOJurVr7chf2LIi6LioDLcCYODC/s400/wade_8_months_066(rev+1).jpg" /></a></div><div>"Sticking my tongue out at my Daddy. I can get away with that right now."</div><div> </div><div>And now for his list of amazing tricks. At 8 months you...</div><div>-commando crawl everywhere! I can't keep up!</div><div>-have two bottom teeth that have come in really good.</div><div>-eat bananas, apples, pears, carrots, squash, peas, apple butternut squash, sweet potatos, green beans, and prunes.</div><div>-have used a sippy cup but mainly just sling it around and bang it on your highchair.</div><div>-chatter a lot.</div><div>-sit up unsupported. You have to be put in sitting but can go from sitting to laying on your belly to crawl. You can't go from laying to sitting up though.</div><div>-have started sleeping through the night again. As long as you eat a huge bowl of fruit and rice cereal about an hour before bed.</div><div>-still smile when you see us. You also flirt and laugh when we smile and laugh at you.</div><div>-have found Mommy and Daddy's ears. You try to turn our heads (by pushing our faces HARD) when you want to look at our ears. You poke at them and open/close your hand over them.</div><div>-still love peek-a-boo.</div><div>-are still very ticklish on your ribs, back and thighs.</div><div>-sometimes laugh for no reason, just looking at Mommy and Daddy smiling at you.</div><div>-give Mommy lots of kisses. Especially in the mornings or when you haven't seen me in a little while.</div><div>-have started turning away when you don't want to go to someone who wants to hold you.</div><div>-love your Alabama rattle.</div><div> </div><div>He gets bigger all the time. It seems more and more often that I sit down to make the monthly list of what he's doing and take his picture for the month. He's getting a little more personality all the time and I'm always amazed at how much he's already figured out. I keep waiting for time to slow down so I can enjoy him a little longer, but the days keep running by me.</div><div> </div><div>Today is mine and Papa Bear's anniversary...Happy Anniversary, Baby! Five years...where did that time go? Looking forward to at least 50 more. Love you!</div><div> </div><div>Anyway, have a great weekend. We're going to the fair, celebrating Papa Bear's birthday with his family, and hoping to watch a little Alabama football. Roll Tide!</div></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-28112324833958124162010-10-07T21:47:00.000-04:002010-10-07T22:04:51.451-04:00Embrace the Camera: October 7I missed it last week and am late today, but here it is...another edition of Embrace the Camera. It isn't glamourous, but it's me in my usual after-work uniform. T-shirt and hair in a pony-tail. Definately not something I should share with the internet. Oh, well...without further ado...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEL6ssfGkRh2HL_AT56z3HQxQhc0BmHcWI2MbTlAe03zxzOrl6quRBLUdY7yGEjOFyxMU96tUsmLtcTOj4JlSUFdRMkoZ04CRZ_XjOt00_V8jaQQ_zBCBqyYFMOZERRtKlQxzYyuT85Xo/s1600/DSC_0013-5(rev+1).jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525488580942759330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEL6ssfGkRh2HL_AT56z3HQxQhc0BmHcWI2MbTlAe03zxzOrl6quRBLUdY7yGEjOFyxMU96tUsmLtcTOj4JlSUFdRMkoZ04CRZ_XjOt00_V8jaQQ_zBCBqyYFMOZERRtKlQxzYyuT85Xo/s320/DSC_0013-5(rev+1).jpg" /></a><br /><br />He's such a happy bear. Go check out some other moms Embracing the Camera. It's fun! I couldn't get my computer to copy and paste the code for the button, so click <a href="http://www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/">here</a> to check it out.<br /><br />Come back tomorrow for a really great post...the Bear's 8 month pics and list of new tricks! I know you're dying to see his adorableness again!Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2086590662406179038.post-37498686026784345422010-10-04T22:00:00.000-04:002010-10-05T22:31:04.487-04:00Finishing Something {For Once}I always have about 83 projects in the works. Unfortunately, I don't ever seem to finish many of them. This post is about one such project. I got the materials to do this project about 3 weeks before I had the Bear. I had seen a picture of some <a href="http://www.roomzaar.com/rate-my-space/Nurseries/Charlies-Nautical-chic-Space/detail.esi?oid=8621730">shelves</a> that I thought would go great in his beachy nursery. Since he just turned 8 months, I figured it was time to finish his nursery. Here are his finished shelves. I'll post more pics of his room once I get his closet doors back up. <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIMU0IDe1r3xc50ygC5g8p6sZk64d-okjhDIvR2gWDs64Y7DfSy5dgTlpCsEpWbY2oEf-34Jbpf3MbhyphenhyphensgS9T4yGI1klreLDtlOGGHI42TeA-mAAeZpt4_TlIAx3zEiLWFd4STFm75amM/s1600/wade+8+months+001.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524754231822303378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIMU0IDe1r3xc50ygC5g8p6sZk64d-okjhDIvR2gWDs64Y7DfSy5dgTlpCsEpWbY2oEf-34Jbpf3MbhyphenhyphensgS9T4yGI1klreLDtlOGGHI42TeA-mAAeZpt4_TlIAx3zEiLWFd4STFm75amM/s320/wade+8+months+001.JPG" /></a></div><div> </div><div>I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. I'd really like to have a conch shell to put on them but haven't found one yet. Lemme know if you know where I can get my hands on one! Lets here it for one thing crossed off the to do list! Latest pics of the Bear and what he's doing these days later this week. Promise!</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06145342183559279010noreply@blogger.com1