Walking {and other stuff}

Please excuse the shrill of my voice in the following videos...

This afternoon E wanted to play outside, so she bundled up and headed to the playhouse. Luke stood at the staring out like a lost puppy. I know all too well, though, that in the blink of an eye both of my babies will be out there!

Luke: 14 Months

Luke, you are fourteen months old!

Here's what you're up to these days...

• You weigh about 25lbs.
• You are approximately 31.5 inches long.
• You are wearing mostly 12 month clothes with some 18 month mixed in and size 5 diapers.
• You are usually a great night time sleeper, with a fairly routine schedule of 6:30PM-6:30AM (sometimes later on weekends). However, last week you were sick with an ear infection. You woke up a couple of nights, I rocked you for a few minutes, you went back to sleep. Last night you apparently you thought you'd try that again. You woke up about 1:30AM, which is rare so I got up to check on you. I rocked you, laid you down, you cried...and cried...and cried...until I picked you up again, of course. You woke everybody in the house up. Finally, around 4AM (after a diaper change, rocking, playing cat and mouse, some milk, and a bowl of applesauce) you went back to sleep. You were not a happy camper when we woke you up to go to daycare at 6:30AM. Let's hope you don't do that again...for everybody's sake! ;)
• You don't nap much at daycare, but you have gotten back into the routine of taking a good 2-3 hour nap on the days we are at home. For that, I am thankful!!
• You still love your milk, but you could definitely live without juice.
• You are not a picky eater at all. You love most anything we put in front of you. I do try to feed you at least one jar of baby food each day, because I don't want you to start refusing it. It's so convenient when we are out and about!
• You love to snack on puffs and melts. We've also started trying the fruits and veggies in a squeeze pouch, which you LOVE!
• All this talk about food reminds me of your new favorite thing to do...stand up in the highchair. If I turn my back for one.single.second. you are either standing up or sitting backward on the tray...go ahead, readers, I know you want to nominate me for mother of the year! ;)
• You can walk...when you want to. You've been taking about 10 steps at a time at home, but rarely anywhere else. Then yesterday when I picked you up from daycare Mrs. Elizabeth told me that Reese had something you wanted, so you followed her all the way across the room to get it, ha! Today you have been in constant upright motion. I have a feeling my job is about to get a bit harder!! :)
• You love to pull out all the toys, dishes, food, etc. out of every toy box, cabinet, and drawer you can get your hands on.
• You are still saying "mama", "dada", "daddy", "sissy", "uh-oh", "hey", "hi", "bye", and "uh-uh" (as in no), which is your current fave. You stayed with Nana while we went to the Alabama game a few weeks ago, and you said "nana". I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't heard it myself, although you haven't said it since. Which is fine with me, since you rarely say "mama" either! ;)
• You are a mama's boy...and that's probably an understatement. If I'm in the house you must have your eyes on me...or else!
• You lay your head on my shoulder when I hold you...steal.my.heart.!
• You are a friendly baby. You smile and wave at people, but you're not quick to go to others...including Daddy! If you think I'm about to leave you will have a complete meltdown. I have to sneak out of the church nursery and daycare most days (although, oddly enough, when I pick you up from daycare you crawl/scoot away from me and whine when I pick you up, taking you away from the toys!).
• You give wet, sloppy kisses...but you are stingy with them, making them all the more precious!
• You have ten teeth...four on top, four on bottom, and two molars on the bottom, which you can see pretty well in the picture above.
• Jesus, Mommy, Daddy, and Emma love you to the moon and back...Happy 14 months baby boy!

Yea Alabama!

Win or lose, we love Alabama!

(Excuse the quality of the pics...my phone + 2 moving targets=poor pics)

But it sure does feel good to win...

Alabama - 42   Auburn - 14

*Every November I let my students color their choice of Big Al or Aubie, and we hang them up. The losing team must take theirs down after the game, while the winning team gets to leave theirs up until Christmas. I'll be so glad to rid my walls of all that orange and blue on Monday!! ;)

The End of an Era

Tonight a 90-something year old tradition was laid to rest.

The Aggies took the field for the
final time in a 24-14 loss to Tanner.

While I'm excited about the opportunities that will be
afforded to my own children via Central High School
of Clay County (what a name:/), I'm also sad that my
children will never experience the history that was LHS.

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

He's Baaaaack!

Can you spot him?

There he is!! You better be good...:)

Happy Thanksgiving!

It must be a sixth sense that my kids have been given.

You know...when the holidays are coming up and we have strict schedules and no time to hang out in the doctor's office.

It never fails.

That's when they get sick.

Monday I got a phone call from Mrs. Elizabeth saying Luke was running a fever. I was in Anniston, so Justin went to pick him up. He acted fine the rest of the night and the fever went away.

(The boy got to ride in Daddy's work truck for the first time...facing forward!)

Tuesday he seemed fine.

Bring on Tuesday night...fever was back. He woke up at 4AM Wednesday morning screaming. Then at 6AM Emma calls me to her room, where I find throw up...everywhere.

Helloooooo Holidays! :)

I headed to Dr. Ray's office with Luke, while Justin took Emma to her Nana's so he could work. The prognosis...a pretty bad ear infection in his left ear. I think E just had a 12 hour bug...she threw up two more times before lunch, but she never ran a fever.

Today they are back to their normal selves.

(Watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade:)

We did the Thanksgiving thing...stuffing ourselves sick.

My favorite of the many attempts..."Enough Mama!"

We have so much to be thankful for!

Alabama vs. Georgia Southern

We packed up Saturday morning, dropped Luke off at Nana's, and headed to T-Town to watch the Tide play. This was Emma's first trip to Tuscaloosa, and she was in awe. Her experience with football games consists of watching the Aggies play on Friday nights. She watches a lot of Alabama football on TV, but I would imagine it would be hard for even an adult who has never been to understand the intensity and vastness of Bryant-Denny.

Alabama won 45-21:)

Thankful Thursday

It's that time of year again.

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching.

I have so many things to be thankful for each and every day of the year.

In honor of the holiday, here's my list...which I'm sure is incomplete...because I'm blessed beyond measure (and memory;)!

I'm thankful for...

• the toys that cover my living room floor.
• the never-ending laundry basket.
• the sticky spots on my kitchen table and floor.
• the milk stains on my leather sofas and car seats.
• the car and house that we're outgrowing.
• the 92 kids I have to remind repeatedly to use their inside voices.
• the little girl who changes clothes no less than 10 times a day.
• the little boy who drags everything out of my kitchen cabinets.
• the grown man who leaves his socks in the living room floor.
• the family and friends who stick around despite all of the above. :)

Veterans Day Weekend

Wednesday Justin headed to Arkansas, leaving the wee ones and myself behind with the sweetest.note.ever. If he actually read "the blog" he would be embarrassed to know I shared this, but those who know him know that he's not exactly the romantic type...so when he does something sweet I have to brag...

The girl was my snuggle buddy for the night...and we decided we can't wait until Luke is big enough to join in our sleepovers when Daddy's away!

After school yesterday we headed to Anniston to get the second half of Luke's flu shot (he was a champ:). Then we ran into Target to get a few things. It was FREEZING cold, so Emma insisted they needed their blankets...

Friday was Veterans Day, so we were out of school. It was a completely lazy day. The girl played and helped me take care of the little guy (when it suited her:), while the boy showed off his walking skills 8 and 10 steps at a time!

 Guess who took a three hour nap?!

Favorite "toy" of the day...

Friday night we did manage to get out of our pajamas and head to Upchurch Field to see the Aggies win big and advance to the third round of the playoffs.

Today was a typical fall Saturday...gameday! Here are a few pics of one of the two cutest Alabama fans I know to get you through the week...

"Freedom isn't free"...I don't know who said it first, but true it is. I'm thankful for the simple things in life that I so often take for granted, like hanging out with my kids in our pajamas with the doors unlocked. Not once did I fear for our safety. A simple thank you isn't nearly enough, but it is heartfelt! God Bless America and the men and women who have made (and continue to make) this the greatest country on earth!

Bullet Points of Lately

• Thursday night the kids and I were solo...and when we're alone I like to be close to my babies, so the girl slept right underneath me...

• Then Friday morning she was whisked away for the weekend (against my will, I might add;). She came to work with me, taught a lesson or two, then headed to the Peanut Festival with MawMaw and Poppa Dale. They sent me lots of pics to let me know how much she missed me and wanted to come home. She had such a terrible time that I'm certain she won't ever want to leave her mama again...

• After school Friday, Ashley and I headed to Birmingham for our semi-annual trip to the BJCC and The Cheesecake Factory. I've decided that we rarely buy much at Christmas Village or Cottontail's...the main reason we continue to go is for the company and the cheesecake. :)
• Saturday was Heritage Day. We bundled Sarah and Luke up and headed out...

• We (I) really missed Emma. I sometimes forget how much help she actually is...Luke had to entertain himself while I got ready...


• We won't talk about THE game.
• I will say that I am proud to be an Alabama fan:)
• Today the girl came home. Justin is working, the kids are playing, the house is in chambles...I guess you could say things are back to normal...just the way I like it! I'm not looking forward to Monday, but at least it's a short week! :)