While I'm Waiting...

Brad and I love the movie "Fireproof." We also love "Facing the Giants" that was made by the same people. There is a song from Fireproof that I hear on the radio a lot, and I just love it. I thought I would share it today and maybe help someone who needs to hear it. I have come to realize the importance of waiting on God for the right decisions and His timing, even when it is hard. Hopefully this video will help someone who sees/hears it today...enjoy!!

Oh, and you will have to pause the music to the right...yes, mom, there is music. Haha!

Will's ready to be the next Spiderman...

Look at that pose...I think he's ready...

Fat lip, but still smiling...

Will fell down while playing this morning and got a fat lip. It poured blood for quite a while, but it turned out to be okay. He still keeps smiling though!!

Aunt Abigail's Pictures...

Aunt Abigail, why are you taking a picture of me when you know I am sleepy?

Sleeping in the van...

Granddad, Gayle, Aunt Abigail, Mama, and Will on Folly Beach
I think this is the cutest little picture...it looks like he is thinking, "would you STOP taking pictures of me??"

"Hello, Room Service??"

Our trip to Charleston

Friday night, Will and I loaded our things in the van, picked up Nana, Granddad, and Aunt Abigail and headed to Charleston. We lived in Charleston until I was in the 5th grade, so it is always nice to get back there for a visit. We got in to town around 10:30 that night and went to the hotel. Boo-boo had never spent the night in a hotel before, so that was fun for him to run around and check everything out. We didn't get good sleep that night for various reasons, but we had to get up early anyway and head out.

We went to Perkins for breakfast. For those of you that don't know what Perkins is, it might be compared to IHOP. My dad's family used to own a Perkins in Charleston, so dad wanted us to eat in one. Boo-boo is getting his molars, so he was not feeling real good at breakfast. The picture of him and his Aunt Abigail is outside of Perkins.

We then went to get Gayle, who is in town from Costa Rica. We picked her up at the shop her mom works at. Once she was in the van, it was off to Folly Beach.

Will had never seen the ocean, nor touched his feet in the sand, so that was fun to do. He didn't like the soft loose sand, nor the soft wet sand that your feet sink into. He did like walking on the hard wet sand closer to the water. He even enjoyed going into the water, until a little wave caught his big red shovel and pulled him down and under the water. Granddad scooped him up before the screams could start. After he calmed down, he started running around again. He screamed again once Mama stripped him down and put him under the shower at the beach. :)

From the beach we went to Bessingers BBQ for lunch. Will was not feeling well again, so he just ate some applesauce and had some milk...then fell asleep on Nana on the swing.

After lunch we headed to downtown Charleston to the market area. I love walking through the market. Spoleto festival was going on this weekend, so it was especially busy and crowded. I found a lady who makes beautiful handmade dresses and john-johns, so I got her card to look at her website. Then we went in a store that dad likes to look at the onesies. He bought Will one that says "Lock up your daughters, Charleston, SC."

We walked around inside Charleston Place while Granddad and Aunt Abigail went to find the van. Mount Pleasant was next on the list...we rode around several neighborhoods and looked around. Then it was time to take Gayle back to her mom. :(

We always hate to say good-bye to Gayle. Oh, and she and Bobby gave Will a precious stuffed frog and an Elmo book for his birthday. He has already loved on his frog and scraped most of the paint off his eyes with his front teeth. Haha!

After saying good-bye to Gayle, we went to the S&S cafeteria that mom and dad used to take me to when I was Will's age. He ate a really good dinner of broccoli, spinach, squash, green beans, baked spaghetti, and some milk.

Then we headed to Aunt Winnie's house in Columbia for the night. They just moved into a beautiful patio home, so we were excited to get to see them and stay there. We all slept GREAT that night...Will didn't even move until 8am.

We spent the morning with Aunt Winnie and Really Great Uncle Don, and then headed on home. It was such a wonderful trip, but like all trips, we were glad to get home...especially to see Daddy and Toby. Here are some pictures from our trip, and I will post some more when I get some that Aunt Abigail took! Enjoy!

The table is for eating...

Before Will came...and even until VERY recently, Brad and I have eaten our meals in the den. This is a bad habit, but most people I know do this. Now that Boo-boo is eating "human" food, I feel it is important to show him that we use the kitchen table for eating our meals. His high chair is right next to the table, and we pull it next to the table like he is sitting there, too.

Every morning for the past three months, he has watched from his high chair as Annsley climbs onto the bench and eats her breakfast. After taking her to school this morning, I guess he wanted to sit in that spot. He climbed onto the bench and was waiting for something to eat, I guess. I don't think he liked it when I took him from the table to his room for a nap! :)

Will, what's for dinner?

One of Will's favorite things to do during the day is pull out my cookbooks. He actually will sit there and look through them. I wonder if he is admiring the pictures, or trying to figure out how many he could rip up before I notice? :)

We had a great weekend. It was so nice to be home and be able to relax. Saturday night we went to Athens to celebrate Uncle Zack's birthday. Daddy and I went to dinner with Uncle Zack and Aunt Beth at a place called The Last Resort. It was yummy. Meme and Poppi watched the kids.

While I was at a Pampered Chef party Saturday morning, Daddy and Will had some play time. I guess he took these pictures while I was not at home.

Will knows what he needs when it is time to go...a phone and some keys.

I got my Mother's Day present yesterday...a new dryer. It works GREAT!! I was shocked when my sheets dried in one cycle instead of almost two hours. It's little things that make my day...like my baby's smile most of all!!

Nothing too exciting...

There is nothing too exciting going on today...or this week. :)
Here is a cake I made today for a lady whose daughter graduated from nursing school last weekend and will be celebrating tomorrow night.

Will is loving "human" food (I call it). We went to Great-Grandmother and Papa Lou's this past weekend and while the girls went to the mother daughter banquet at the church, Granddad and Papa Lou had Will. While they ate their dinner, Will had a ton of speckled butterbeans. Then when I got home he helped me eat my butterbeans and collard greens.

On Sunday we ate at Picadilly and he ate black eyed peas, spinach, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, and a little turkey. And he loves his whole milk. I haven't found a food yet that he won't eat. I am glad about that...and hope it stays that way because his daddy is VERY picky!! I hope he takes after my taste buds...so far, so good.

We will actually be home this weekend...I won't know what to do with myself. The past two weekends Will and I have gone to Birmingham and to Lake Oconee. This weekend we are home and then will head to Charleston next weekend. What a busy month!!

I took these pictures of Will after breakfast this morning. He was banging on the pantry asking for a cracker, so I gave him a banana cookie...for some reason he drools a lot when he eats these...I don't know why. He also likes to share it with Toby (To-to as he calls him)...he usually gives Toby the first bite of whatever he is about to eat. Too funny.

I hope everyone has a good rest of the week and a great weekend. Will and I are going on Friday to Ms. Jackie's house where he will stay next year while I am at work. We are going to go play for a little while and visit. I will try and get some cute pictures soon and post them...I know the fans are getting restless without new updates. :)

Just picking berries with my Nana...

Will had his second trip to Washington Farms this morning. He first went at 8-days old, but I don't think he remembers that. :)

Last year, I was unable to bend and pick with Nana because I was recovering from my c-section, but this year, I helped her pick a bucket. Will helped a little, too!!

Did somebody say oranges??

Will loves oranges!!

What is that you said, Will?

Taa-ter? Oh, did you say cracker??

Yes, Mama, that's what I said, taa-ter...I want a taa-ter.

Will has said his first official word...cracker! :)

He can say it after I say it and then he goes to the counter and reaches and says "taa-ter" meaning he wants a cracker. It is so cute!!

12-month check up

I just realized that a year ago today Brad and I left Northside Hospital with our precious new bundle. Because I had a c-section, I had to stay overnight for three nights...really four if you count the night I was induced, so we were sent home on Monday after he was born on Friday. Wow...our lives changed that day. :)

Yesterday I took Will in to see Dr. Messick for his 12-month check up. He weighed 24 lbs. 1.5 oz. They usually triple their birth weight by their first birthday, and he weighed 8lbs. 9 oz. at birth, so not too bad!! He was 31 inches long. He still has a big head...99th percentile. Haha! There must be a lot of brain in that head! :)

He got his big toe pricked for a hemoglobin test, which turned out fine. He didn't even cry when they pricked him for that. Dr. Messick said he looked great, and that he can start eating any foods he wants, or that we want him to have, except for nuts...you have to wait until their 2nd birthday for that.

Then the fun came...the nurse came in with vaccines. YIKES!! She held his legs and I laid on his arms and tummy and kissed his face while he screamed!! He got two in one thigh and one in the other. Poor little guy. He did get band-aids that matched the one on his toe though. :)

Overall, it was a good visit. He will go back in August for a 15-month check up. It happens to be the first week I return to work, so Daddy may be taking him to that one.

On the way home, I looked in the mirror and Boo-boo was chewing on something blue. Yep, he took the band-aid off his toe and decided to taste it. What am I going to do with this little guy?? Then when I took it out of his mouth, he peeled one off of his thigh...took that one, and he went for the other one. He didn't have band-aids by the time we got home. Too funny!! He has definitely added a lot of laughter to our household this year!!

Happy 1st birthday, Boo-boo!!!

Well, we did it...we made it to Will's first birthday!! It has been a WONDERFUL year!! I can't remember a year when I have been more tired, yet happier!! Will has added so much joy, happiness, laughter, and love to our family. We feel so blessed that God chose us to be his parents!! We had an AWESOME birthday party

yesterday. Will had so many friends and family there to celebrate this special day with him. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Shortly after the party, Will and I packed up the van, picked Meme, Aunt Beth, and Kate up and we headed to Birmingham for Meme's family reunion that was today. It was a LONG day yesterday, and an even longer day today!! Here are Will and Kate this morning on the way to the reunion...haha...a little sleepy.

On the way home, we were following tornadoes most of the way. We made several stops along I-20 due to the weather. The picture of Will in the high chair in the green outfit is at McDonald's. He got his first McDonald's chicken nugget tonight...he loved it. :)

So, there you have it...Will's first year!! What a wonderful and joyous year it has been. I look forward to what this next year of life holds for all of our family!!!