Walking and Talking

As it turns out, the 10th month has been a really big month at our house.  Sam has taken his first steps and spoken his first words.  Now, his first word ever spoken was "Mama" but he didn't really associate that word with me (though that didn't make it any less special to hear).  But now, he has finally decided to utter his first intentional, intelligible word and it is....

"Hi"

It's accompanied by the cutest little wave that you ever did see.  He can pretty much do it on cue and just at the right time.  He is also working on "bye-bye" too.  He's well on his way to becoming the youngest Wal-Mart greeter ever!

He also took his first steps today when I went to pick him up from daycare.  I walked in the room and he was standing by himself in the middle.  I walked over to him and held my arms out urging him to go ahead and step out already...and he did!  Just one step, but that was one BIG step for my little guy.  

I was so excited and couldn't wait to get home to tell Michael.  Then, as all good parents do, we immediately set him in the floor at home and cheered for him to do it again for Daddy.  He didn't just stand up and take one step toward Daddy, but four, slow, thoughtful steps toward his best playmate!  Showoff!

And, who is Sam's second favorite playmate these days???

Cameron.  These two are lovin' each other!

Leo Birthdays

Whew, what a busy month this has turned out to be.  I started back to school.  Ethan and Evan flew home a week later to their brand new home in Texas.  Michael starts nursing clinicals in another week.  And, we had 3 family birthdays to celebrate!  Amanda, Kayden and Cameron all had birthdays this month and we finally had a river cookout this year to celebrate.  It has been so hot and the river has been up more than normal leaving us no gravel bar and no good place for a cookout.  So, it's August and we all went to CedarRock for hamburgers and hotdogs by the river.  And, like any good blogger, I have some pictures to share...

One for Amanda, one for Cameron and the blue one is for Kayden...

The boys are waiting for their hot dogs to be ready.

Sam was chillin' in his exersaucer.

Chef Grandad and Chef Michael tag-teamed the grilling effort. 

 All three of the birthday people blew out the candles on the cake.

The boys had dibs on licking the candles and balloons.

Cameron got a little whiny, so Grandad told him, 

"If you don't stop whinning, I'm gonna put you in the trash can..."

Well, he didn't stop whinning, so...

 The moral here is, don't mess with Grandad.  He does what he says he will do!

Happy Birthday Amanda, Kayden and Cameron.  I hope you know how much you are truly loved by your family.  We are blessed to have each of you in our lives.  You bring us so much joy and laughter.  May God bless you all with another fantastic and memorable year. 

Sam Snapshot: 10 months

You know how some days you can just feel God with you?  Blessing your family?  Warming your heart and home?  Sweetening the laughter of your children?  Today was one of those days.  Sam has been 10 months old for 10 days now, and we are having more fun than ever being his parents.  

Highlights from this month are:

• He has discovered his dance skills.  He bobs his head to the beat of a song, shakes his hips back and forth, and twists his hands with delight every time he hears music.  
• Favorite songs:  Go Bananas, This is the Day That the Lord Has Made, My Name is Joe
• He's still cruising around all the furniture and can let go and balance for about 15-20 seconds.
• His favorite toy:  Daddy.  Those two were made for each other.  "Bouncy-boo" wrestling on the bed, pillow fighting in the living room, it's a wonder he remembers who "Mommy" is.  I may sound jealous (and I may be just a little), but mostly I am honored to get to watch the bond between my husband and son grow.  Sam is a lucky little boy to have such a great Daddy to play with and learn from. 
• He can wave "hi" and "bye-bye"
• Bathtime is still a daily favorite.  He's figured out how to work his squishy whale that squirts out water.  His favorite target to shoot water at is me.
• Still only two teeth, but we are expecting the two top teeth any day now.  

And now, some photos of our big 10-month old:

 Oh, the difference a ball can make!

 Pillow-wrestling with Daddy.

 My heart is filled with joy from this day.  An ordinary day.  My boys probably didn't even notice how special today was, but I will remember.

From the Mouths of Babes...

Over the summer I have been collecting little tid-bits of wisdom and otherwise funny things the boys have said and done.  Here's a running list...

• While entering Cracker Barrel, Evan approached a cicada near the door and flicked it in the direction of another family.  When asked why he did that, he replied, "I had to flick it, it was in my instinct."
• Kayden said, "I wish it was already tomorrow.  I can't wait to have my 'annoys' (adenoids) taken out so I won't snore anymore."  
• Cameron loves to play the animal sounds game.  What does a duck say?  He says, "quack quack." What does a lion say?  He'll give you a wide-eyed "ROARRRRR."  What does Cameron say?  He replies, "Be-Bi" (big-bite).  When you ask him what Jenni says, he'll say, "Wa-bu" (love you).  And, when he is asked "What does uncle Michael say?" clear as a bell, without hesitation, he will say, "Noooooo Whining!"  
• A sleepy-eyed Ethan woke up on Sunday morning not too enthused about going to the early service at church then Sunday school afterward.  His suggestion was, "Can we go to Sunday school first and then go to the second church service?"  ...Yes, but we will still have to leave the house at the same time.
• Kayden said, "Jenni, I think Sam just ate a lightening bug." "How do you know it was a lightening bug?" I asked.  "Because his lip and his tongue are still glowing." ...and they were.
• While at the dinner table talking about bath time, Evan says, "Oh, and Jenni, this isn't dirt you see on my knee, it's actually chocolate."  I didn't even ask why he had chocolate on his knee.
• Cameron walked over to Sam and womped him on the top of his head with both fists.  I, seeing the whole thing, threw my hands out to gesture, "What were you doing?"  Cameron looked up at me and said, "Time out?"  I nodded my head, and he put himself in time-out.
• While playing "Just Dance" on the Wii, Kayden is still dancing when he asks, "Hey Jenni, on that song they are singing, is there two girls that just wanna have fun, or just one?"
• Evan, Sam, and I are watching Caillou (as usual) and Caillou's dad takes him to a plane landing strip to listen to "The Loudest Noise."  Evan pops up and says, "Pshhh, there's much louder sounds than that...duh, like an elephant."
•  When leaving the living room to "relieve" himself, Evan announces, "Uh-oh, here comes my camel instincts."
• Kayden was sitting in time out, and I told him, "You have to use your head, you know what I mean?"  He so honestly replied, "No, no one's ever told me that before."
• After eating dinner at the Chinese buffet, Ethan was having a bit of indigestion.  His response?  "Well, it was nice to have that cream cheese sushi roll back, but those mussels...not so much."
• "I love my mom 382 universes." -Kayden

If you're not smiling by now, your mouth is broken.  I have absolutely loved my time with these boys this summer ...and now, back to school.

County Fair

Say what you will about small towns...I do.  The restaurant selection is pitiful.  Shopping, forget it.  You want to buy ladyfingers at the store?  Nope.  So, we work, worship, shop, eat, and visit friends in the big city next door.  But, there are some perks to living in a small town too...like the county fair.  Thanks to Kimmie, we LOVE when the fair comes to town.  For several years now, we have been attending the fair, and for the last few years we have been entering our creations into the Agriculture and Arts and Crafts exhibit competition.  Here's how we did this year...

I entered the photo story of Sam and his cicada and won 1st place.

 Sam's blanket that Kimmie made for him won 2nd place.

Evan's turtle made out of vegetables won 1st place.

Dad and Kim's garden veggie basket won 2nd place.

And, Ethan's wood-carved samurai sword won 2nd place.

Yep, it's official...we are celebrities in this small town, at fair time.

Sam Snapshot: 9 months

Summer is in full swing, and Sam is now nine months old.  We have had a full house of five boys all summer, and the one who seems to want to be a big boy the most, is Sam.  He absolutely loves playing with Daddy and his big brothers.  His laugh is the sweetest sound, and he is such a happy baby.  

We've been battling a nagging ear infection that just won't seem to go away.  We have an appointment this week with an ENT to disuss the possibility of tubes.  I'm ready for some relief for him, however we have to get it.  

Some of the cool things Sam can do right now are:

• Crawl around like a mad man.  He loves to play chase and follow us all over the house.
• Pull up on things and even let go for a few seconds and balance.  
• He "dances" when music comes on.  
• Wave "bye-bye" (although his timing can be a bit off sometimes)
• Play peek-a-boo and pull my hands down from my face when he's ready to see me.
• Do the indian sound right on que for "Ten Little Indians"

His 9-month check up was today, and as it turned out, his brothers joined him for their checkups too.  Ethan needed more shots before starting 7th grade.  Evan needed his physical for athletics, so I just made appointments for everyone, and we all went together.  

The boys would kill me if they knew I posted this photo of them in their gowns, but lucky for me, they don't read my blog.  Sam actually ripped the top part of Ethan's gown when he tried to eat it, thus the toga look for Ethan.  Ethan ended up needing five shots.  Evan got one.  It was both their first times to have a full "boy" physical.  Need I say more?

Then it was Sam's turn to be checked out.  Other than still having pressure behind his ear drum, he is perfectly healthy.  He weighed in at 22 lbs. even and was 30 inches long.  That puts him in the 90th percentile for height and weight on the growth chart.  It's official, he's gonna be a monster!

Now, on to more fun times, here are a few photos that I loved most from our family photo shoot with Ryan.  We met Ryan at 6:30 in Murfreesboro on a hot summer-in-July night.  So, there's a bit of glistening going on, but still, I love them!

Turning 30

I remember when my mom turned thirty.  She got all kinds of "over the hill" memorabilia.  She was officially "old."  But she wasn't, and now, I don't feel old.  In fact, I don't feel any different at all.  I think I am even happy to turn the big 30.  I've always been an old soul, so maybe now my body is just catching up with my soul.  Either way, I greet 30 with a smile, and a happy, thankful heart.  

We met the family at CedarRock for a birthday dinner of my choice, fried catfish.  If you're gonna have a cheat day, you may as well do it right.  Dinner was fabulous.  Dessert was perfect.  Amanda made my favorite, strawberry cake...with a big 30 on it in sprinkles. 

It's been a great start to a new season, new year, new decade of my life.  Seeing U2 in concert, a brand new fancy iron (thanks Mom), some fancy shades, a year's supply of candle tarts, a new skirt purse (thanks Amanda), a dozen eggs from "the girls," and a basket of fresh garden veggies.  What more could a girl ask for...

But, there was more.  My dad and Kim gave me "30 Things to Ponder," an origonal list of advice, life principles, and significant scriptures to reflect on.  My dad also gave me one of his old bibles, with highlighting, notes, thoughts, cool saying on church signs, etc. all included with me in mind.  He read, studied and notated in this Bible for a full year, every page, to be able to give to me.  How cool of a gift is that?! I'm blessed indeed.