Little Blessings

Where has the year gone!

2010-04-19T22:49:00.007-04:00

I'm almost embarrassed over the fact that's it's been almost a year since I last blogged. I guess that's what happens when you have a rough-and-tumble, 100% all BOY!!! He makes me giggle, blush, run, feel exhausted, laugh hysterically, and smile every single day! And when he wraps those sweet arms around my neck every night says "night night momma", well I just melt. I am still completely smitten with him.

So what's new with little man? Well he is one tough little boy. He stays scrapped up and bruised most every day. He can proudly show you where all of his 'owies' and 'boo-boos' are. He loves being outside. Loves helping his daddy work outside or do anything that involves power tools. He loves his momma and he's his daddy's little buddy. And he is the sweetest, dirtiest little boy ever. He's got such a tender heart. And is so full of life and energy. And I am not biased at all! =) And to prove it, here are some recent pics =)

"I am too cool for words"

I was trying to get a sweet picture so I told Tyler if he smiled pretty he could get a popsicle. So I got a big "Cheeeeeeeesssssseeeeeee"

"I'm happy because as soon as you go to put your camera up, I'm going to draw a pretty picture on the wall just for my mommy."

"Momma, I'm can't talk right now because I have to help Daddy cut the grass."

"I'll smile really pretty if you give me another popsicle momma." And like any good momma would do, I got him another popsicle =)

So, as you can see, I'm not biased =) I will admit that this sweet little face has his momma completely wrapped around his finger! And I'm ok with that!

First Beach Trip!

2009-06-11T21:21:00.008-04:00

Last weekend we took a mini family vaca (along with our good friends Tara, Jason, Jayce and Julianne) and took Tyler to the beach. Now he's been to the beach a lot to see the grandparents, but this was his first visit to the ocean. And he loved it! He ran from the water, back to the sand, and then back to the water about 100 times. He ate a lot of sand, dug some holes, and overall I think had a ball. Saturday night we took him to Broadway at the Beach and he road a few rides...he even road the cars with Jayce and he smiled the entire time! I think the pictures speak for themselves...

Tyler LOVED running all over the beach!

My first dip in the ocean
I love the sand!

I packed so well! We didn't forget anything...unfortunately we didn't put a whole lot of thought into how we were going to load everything down to the beach! HA! Poor Frank.

Riding the cars just like a big boy.

He loved the carousel too!

And the pool was a big hit!

My Funny Little Boy

2009-05-31T23:33:00.005-04:00

My funny little boy loves a mixing boy (as you'll see in the post below).....so much so that sometimes he even likes to sleep with it :-)

Speaking of sleeping, when Tyler gets tired now, he will pull all the pillows off the couch and get a blanket and lay in the floor and fall asleep. You have to love a baby that puts himself to sleep :-)

Getting So Big

2009-05-31T23:07:00.003-04:00

Look at this precious, crazy haired, bright eyed adorable little boy! This is what I wake up to every morning and I LOVE IT! He's much cuter with crazy hair than his daddy is...but shhhhhh, that's our secret.

As you can see, Tyler is full of personality and I could just eat it up. He is not the least bit interested in toys. He just wants to explore and copy everything you do. He likes rolling around on the floor with you and enjoys 'knocking me down'. It's really cute. Tonight, we were playing on the floor and I was laying down and my shirt was pulled up a little on the side. Well Tyler saw this and took full advantage...he blew on my belly to make all sorts of funny noises and laughed and laughed. His face was bright red and he laughed so hard he lost his breath. It was so cute! Here he is wrestling with Daddy....I think Tyler won.

As I mentioned, he does not like toys right now, but his favorite thing to play with is a mixing bowl and spoon. This will occupy him for over an hour! He walks all over the house just mixin away! So funny. And if you're nice to him, he'll even let you taste what he's been making.
He is growing up so fast. His personality is so much fun...definitely all boy! But I must admit, he loves his momma! Every night he crawls up on my lap and covers me in kisses. He is a real sweetheart! When he gets tired and likes to lay down beside me and put his hand on my face and just talk away...it's moments like these that I realize how lucky I am. I just melt.

Here's an update on what's up with Mr. Tyler:

Likes: Mixing Bowls and Spoons, Remote Controls, Telephones, Cheese Grits, Animal Cookies, Pillows, Sleep (and Mommy likes this too!), anything with Tomato Sauce on it, Sweet Tea, Zucchini (this is actually the only vegetable mommy can get you to eat), Balls, tissue paper, going outside.

Dislikes: vegetables-especially sweet peas and green beans, jello (I think you are going to be a texture eater), the car seat for long rides, getting dressed, having your diaper changed, and when mommy or daddy says no :-)

My Messy Little Boy

2009-05-17T22:32:00.004-04:00

The other night I had to run to the grocery store so I asked Frank to feed Tyler. Big Mistake. This is what I came home to...

Do you know how hard it is to scrub Ravioli out of eyebrows? So this is the conversation that occured between Frank and I:
Angie: What were you thinking letting him completly feed himself (while I am dying of laughter)
Frank: Well I saw you letting him feed himself spaghetti, so I thought this was close enough.
Angie: But Frank, I only give him 3 or 4 noodles at a time. What did you do, dump the whole can on his tray?
Frank: (with a smile) Well yea, how else was he going to feed himself....
I think I would have been better off just waiting till I got home to feed Tyler. Not only did I have to clean him up, I had to scrap it off the window seal, scrub the floor, and I'm still applying Shout to his clothes......Oh my messy little boy.

Happy Birthday My Big Boy!

2009-05-05T22:52:00.003-04:00

I can not believe my sweet little boy is ONE!!!! Where did the last year go to? I've got mixed emotions right now. Part of me is so excited because Tyler is learning so much and it's so much fun to watch him grow. The other part of me wants to scream, "STOP! SLOW DOWN! You are growing too fast!" It seems like yesterday I was bringing home my sweet bundle of joy. And now I have this little unique little boy who thinks he's a big kid!

You just amaze me right now. You are only one, but you think you can hang with the big boys! HA! You are definitely a boy on the move. You don't sit still very long at all. You love exploring. And you do not take "no" very easily. You can already throw temper tantrums! If Daddy or I take something away or tell you no, you will throw yourself on the ground and start crying. We are trying to ignore this in hopes that this will be a habit you will break. You are very strong willed and when you have your mind set on something, nothing will get in your way...I don't know who you get this from :-) You are an independant child for sure. You love doors. Your favorite thing to do is open and close doors. And you can't stand for a door to be open. I purposely leave the pantry doors open in the kitchen just so I can watch you race to them and shut them. I think this is going to be your pet peeve when you grow up.

You LOVE to laugh and smile. You are such a happy baby. You love to feed yourself...although mommy has to hose you down when you get done. I'll say you get that after your daddy :-) One thing is for sure, mommy and daddy sure do love you. You have no idea how much we love you.

I could just eat this face up! That smile is priceless!

Yummy! My birthday cake taste so good!

Happy Birthday to Me!

My Sweet Little Man

2009-04-11T22:48:00.006-04:00

Dear Tyler,

I cannot believe you are just a couple weeks away from being a "big boy!" You continue to amaze me everyday. You are so smart. You try to copy everything you see. The cutest thing you are doing is telling everyone your name, which is "Tyler Tyler Stop." I guess you hear that a lot :-) And yesterday you really started trying to walk. You will walk while holding someones hand, but when we were at Wal-Mart, Maddie got you to walk all by yourself, just like a big boy! And today, you were playing in the kitchen and I told you to come here...well me and Daddy almost fell off the couch when we saw you WALKING into the dining room! As soon as you saw us looking at you, you dropped to the floor and started crawling. You just continue to amaze us everyday. And I love you more than words could ever describe. I can just think about your sweet little face and get the biggest smile. You're the best thing that ever happened to me and Daddy and I could just eat you up!!!

You have a little personality of your own. You definitely have the "No" look down. you can say No and you shake your head all over the place. And when you get finished eating, you start to spit your food out. Even though I say No, No, I still think it's funny. And at night time, you insist on giving me a dozen kisses and then you just hug me and lay your head on my shoulder, and that makes mommy's heart melt. When you are tired, you want your crib. You don't want anything else, but your crib. And as soon as you get in there, you flip on your stomach, slide up to the corner and bury your head in the bumper pad. And you still love to sleep. I think I am the only mom that gets to sleep in until 8:30 or 9:30 every Saturday. And boy do I love you for that! You've learned the power of a 'fake' cry. And it's works on everyone. When we take something away from you, you scream for 5 seconds and then just stop. You love being in the kitchen with me and Daddy, and you love getting a bowl and spoon and you just mix away. You are just amazing, and I am so lucky to be your mommy. You are the apple of my eye, and my heart is just over flowing with love for you. You are my sweet, sweet little boy!

Love, Mommy

This is your Fake Cry...So Pitiful

Look at my Crazy Hair...

I love my new swing Daddy put up. I giggle every time my daddy pushes me in it.
This is when Mommy and Daddy almost fell off the couch...Walking all by yourself! (With your mixing bowl and spoon in hand)

Mommy, I don't want to look for the prize egg...I like the 2 I have.

Look Mommy, I can play the piano. Don't you think I'm funny.

Such a silly little boy.

Hmmm...do I want to go to sleep or do I want to play?

I'm full...no more

Daddy said he bought mommy a brand new fishing pole. So mommy said since it was hers, I could play with it. Daddy changed his mind really fast and decided it was his fishing pole...and Daddy won't let me play with it. That's when I gave Daddy my sad face.

Then and Now...

2009-03-16T23:26:00.003-04:00

4 months Old...Just big enough for my Jumpy!

6 months old...and wearing my self out in the jumpy!

10 months old...quickly out growing my favorite toy and still playing until I can't stay awake!

My Big Boy

2009-03-16T23:06:00.003-04:00

Tyler is growing like a weed. He is just too much fun! I can't believe I am about to have his first birthday party. It seems like we just brought him home. He's so full of energy and lately he copies everything we do, which his daddy finds hilarious. I have a feeling Daddy is going to get Tyler in lots of trouble! Tyler is so sweet. When he puts his little hand on my face and talks to me, my heart melts! I am so in love with him. Words just cannot explain how a mommy feels about her little boy. People warned me, but I could have never imagined! I love watching him learn new things and he's fascinated about everything. He can't sit still for longer than 2 seconds (get's that from his daddy), he has to open every drawer, cabinet, you name it he has to touch it and play with it. He keeps us on our toes! And he's a human vacuum cleaner....if there's something on the floor he's going to find it and eat it...food, dirt, grass...doesn't matter. It all taste good! And speaking of food, our little man has 4 teeth and boy does he know how to use them. If he sees you eating, you better be prepared to share! The other night I went to KFC and got a pint of mash potatoes and gravy...Tyler left me about 4 bites!!!! He ate the ENTIRE container by himself!!! He's just a barrel of fun and we are loving EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of him!

Feed Me Mommy!

I am played out! And I've got all my stuffed animals to keep me company.
Look at my shoes!

Streeeeeeeeech! Almoooooost.......Mommy help me! I want the phone! (look at those Tippy Toes!)

Too Cool for Words

2009-03-16T22:58:00.004-04:00

Tyler loved the warm weather we had a few weekends ago. We pulled him around the neighborhood in the wagon and he wore his hat and sunglasses the ENTIRE time! I was so tickled! I thought he would pull them off but he didn't. He was too precious!

Look at him holding onto the side of the wagon! Too sweet!

My Boo Boo

2009-03-16T22:52:00.002-04:00

I was sitting in church on Sunday and about had a heart attack when I saw Tyler's number flash on the big screen, which means a parent needs to go to the nursery b/c something is wrong. So I race out of church to go and rescue my baby.....well he was fine by the time I got there. Apparantly Tyler thinks he is a big kid and trys to copy everyone. He pulled up on the chair to get something, fell and busted his lip. By the time I got to him, he was fine. Apparently a nice bottle and a very nice lady rocking you can easily make a fat lip feel better. What can I say...he's a rough and tumble kind of boy.

Redneck Child Proofing

2009-03-16T22:47:00.004-04:00

When you have a child that does this....

You become forced to do this...

Fun New Website

2009-03-10T23:25:00.005-04:00

I have to admit, I am addicted to shopping online. Even more so now that Tyler is here. I just don't have time to do 'real' shopping like I used to. Well, I came across the neatest website recently called Ebates. All you do is log on to ebates and connect to your store you want to shop at. You earn rebates just for shopping! I've already earned $10! You earn money for shopping on ebay, Target, Vista Print, Sephora...you name it and it's probablly listed. And they give you referral dollars too! Hint, hint...go and sign up and I get $5.00 and YOU get $5.00! Hey, it's a win-win!

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=nv%2FDtu1FGSQrwhSHXt99jg%3D%3D

On a "Tyler Note"...he has strep throat but is still so incredibly happy. I really don't know how we got so blessed with such a sweet baby! Frank has been really good with helping watch Tyler. I stay home in the mornings and Frank comes home at 1:00 so I can go into work for a few hours. Most dads would not do that, but I didn't even have to ask Frank! He just offered! And it's been such a big help. I've got some really good pictures to post from this weekend of little man but my camera battery is dead. I'll charge it and post tomorrow.

Happy Belated Valentines Day

2009-02-24T22:20:00.003-05:00

Tyler made the cutest Valentines for his class....I hope you like Bananas :-)

STOP!!! You Are Getting Too Big...and Oh So Smart!

2009-02-24T22:11:00.007-05:00

Little Man is getting so big and so very smart. It amazes me how he can think and figure things out on his own. He began saying Mama last week and he will say baba sometimes. He loves waving bye-bye and if he hears anyone say bye, that little hand starts waving up and down. He is still the nosiest little boy. He watches and takes in everything around him. He can stand up all by himself for about 30-45 seconds and then he loses his balance when he starts clapping for himself. Yeah...he likes to brag :-) He is getting such a personality and loves to laugh. It is so sweet. But he also has a very stubborn streak to him to. When you take something away from him, he will throw himself on the ground and cry....I know...he is too young for temper tantrums! But he is so sweet. He will give me kisses when I ask for them and he loves playing with any kind of riding or push toys. He is definitely a man on the move. Speaking of which...if he disappears you better go check the bathroom because he still has a fascination with playing in the toilets! I have a feeling he is going to be ALL BOY!

Since I haven't updated in a while...here's a whole bunch of pictures! (If you click on View All Images you can see the captions and look at them faster.)

Getting So Big

2009-02-11T21:51:00.006-05:00

My sweet baby is getting so big. He is in to everything! All boy!!! He is a ball of energy and I love every minute with him. He's still a very good baby, but is so curious about everything! He has to touch, feel, and see everything. I love looking at the world through his eyes. Right now, he's pulling up and walking along the couch while holding on. And I swear he can crawl in a complete circle around our house in 10 seconds! He eats like a pig, and even if he's already eaten, he still has to have a little bite of what you're eating. And other than green beans, I haven't really seen anything that he won't eat. He loves ice cream! HA, who doesn't!?! He is saying Dada and sometimes Nana, but he just laughs at me when I try to get him to say Mama. Maybe one day. And he waves Bye-Bye now, and will give you a big slobbery kiss when you ask him for sugar. He loves to laugh and has the sweetest giggle that's contagious. I love his smile with those 2 little teeth shining. He loves bath time and playing in the floor with MaMa. And I think he's the coolest kid in the world! I can just eat him up!!!

He loves riding in his new wagon!

Even with sweet potatoes on his face, he's still cute :-)

My first temper tantrum! He did this tonight when we took something away from him.

This is the face I wake up to each morning and I could just eat it up!

And he's still playing with his 'friend'.

Giving Mommy Sugars

Hanging out with Daddy

I still love bath time!

And now...we will leave you with a smile! Priceless!

Prayer Request

2009-02-10T20:58:00.002-05:00

I love blog surfing and I came across this blog tonight, and I am completely heartbroken for this family. They have a beautiful 10 month old baby girl that was diagnosed with cancer 2 weeks ago, and this weekend she went to be with Jesus. I have cried harder tonight than I have in a very long time. Tyler is almost 10 months old, and I can not even begin to imagine how I would go on with out him. And I can imagine this family loved their baby girl just as much. Please pray for this family. As a mother, I don't know how you would ever survive this. Here is her blog if you'd like to read their story. I'm going to go and say a prayer of thankfulness over my sweet baby right now as he sleeps peacefully. I just want to hold him even tighter right now and savor every second with him.
http://themcclenahans.blogspot.com/

What Am I Going To Do With Him!

2009-01-29T22:10:00.002-05:00

Tyler loves playing in the bathtub...well actually the sink. He splashes all over the place. Guess what else splashes? The toilet....yes you read that right. I turned my back on him for 30 seconds tonight to change shirts and I heard water. I looked up and there was my sweet little boy with both hands in the toilet having a ball.....

Now for his new chew toy....my big toe. Yep, not joking. If I have my feet on the couch and I'm not paying attention, he decides to latch onto my toes with those 2 razor sharp teeth of his. I think it has something to do with the red toe nail polish. Note to self: avoid red polish.

So I've got to break my son of biting on my toes and playing in the toilet....kind of sounds like training a puppy...

Tyler Is TOO Young For This

2009-01-27T22:08:00.005-05:00

Tonight I was changing clothes when Frank yelled for me to, "Come look what your son has done." And this is what I saw...

This was his "I'm Busted" face!

He opened his can of cheese puffs all by himself and dumped the entire container on the floor and began eating them.
He had a ball! When he got done, Daddy cleaned it all up for him.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

2009-01-20T10:32:00.005-05:00

WOW! Can you believe it's snowing! I'm so excited. I had to bundle Tyler up tight and get a few Kodax moments in. Here's my little man! I only got a couple of shots with him with his tongue in his mouth because he wanted to eat the snow!

Mommy, you've got too much clothes on me. I can't even sit up!

Yum...Snow taste good.

Look at that smile!

He doesn't know what to think! He looks like the Michelin Man with all those rolls in his outfit!

Being a Mom is Not All Glitz and Glamour

2009-01-18T23:00:00.001-05:00

Here's My Disclaimer before I get a ton of comments suggesting that I am not thankful for having my little man: Let me first state that I am THRILLED to be a mom! I am so unworthy of the incredible blessing that was bestowed upon me and I would not trade it for the world! And I realize that this blessing is not something everyone receives, and I am very thankful for my sweet, sweet little boy.

Now that I have given my disclaimer, let's get down to business. When you are pregnant, no one tells you how hard being pregnant is. I mean, let's be honest. Pregnancy, like motherhood is not Glitz and Glamour. The changes your body goes through...it's like an alien has taken over and your body does things you never knew were imaginable. And just to spare you the details, some are quite disgusting. But you finally get through the 40 weeks...yes 40...someone miscounted when they said 9 months of pregnancy because it's more like 10....but anyways back to my ramblings...you finally make it through the 40 weeks of pregnancy and you think you are home free. You are going to get to take back ownership of your body and WHAM!

To all the new moms out there...THEY LIED TO YOU AGAIN! You will never have your body back. In fact, I don't even recognize mine. All I know is it looked like I was growing a line backer in my belly and instead, a tiny little 7 pounder came out. But as if the pregnancy memories didn't scar my brain forever, now I have a map of the United States permanently etched on my stomach. That's right folks, I-95 runs straight through my belly button. And if that map isn't clear enough for you, you can check out the one on my legs! I had a few veins before, but WOW! (I know, I know...This is Too Much Information. If you want to stop reading now I won't get mad.) And then there's the case of gravity taking over way to early. I chose to nurse Tyler for almost 5 months and now I resemble my grandmother...if you get what I am saying. I've tried that $100 bra that Oprah recommends to try to hold the girls up and I should have just burned that money. Oprah and I apparently have very different genes! (and the whole bra fitting for one of those fancy smanshy bras is a whole ordeal too...I'll get to that later) I've determined that if I want to get these girls back in place then I'll need a rope and a pulley system! And we're not even going to talk about my back side because I refuse to look. I believe that God knew what he was doing when he put eyes in the front of our head instead of the back! He doesn't WANT you to look back there!

I am not a huge plastic surgery supporter and I don't have any desire to be Barbie. But I did like my curvy, non-stretch mark, tankini wearing pre-baby body. And as many of you know, it's still wasn't a really pleasant site to see, but you know...I was somewhat happy with it. I'll tell you pre-baby looked like a super model compared to post baby! So the deal I have with Frank is after baby #2...which is not coming anytime soon unless God has different plans....Momma is getting tucked, sucked, and lifted. And then when I can comfortably fit back into a tankini (and it can still be a double digit size) without feeling like I'm wearing a moo-moo, then maybe he can get a pontoon boat :-)

And now that I have scared all the new moms, I will tell you the one thing you always hear that is true...My Little Guys is worth ever gripe and complaint I have about my new body. Because at the end of the day, he loves me just the way I am.

My Not-So Miracle Bra

2009-01-18T22:39:00.004-05:00

I broke down and went and got professionally fitted for a bra. For a well endowed girl, the is a huge necessity. And I had heard all these wonderful things about those high priced bras and I finally broke down and bought one. But before I tell you about the results, I've got to tell you about the fitting.

First, I thought there was no modesty in child birth...the same goes for a bra fitting. They go right into the room with you and measure you and check everything out! (And let me add...this fitting was post-baby and I was not yet ready to share my road map with anyone else!) Then they leave you there while they go and get a whole mess of bras to try on. Then they teach you 'how to put on a bra'. I know...I didn't think it was rocket science either, but apparently it's an 'art form'. I say this is more like a workout! I was sweating by the end of it!

You see, first you must put on the bra and then you bend over until your body is in an angled position. Then you must take your right arm and reach around your left side and grab your "back fat" (yes, she said back fat) and pull it forward and tuck it in your bra. I looked at the lady and told her there wasn't a bra big enough to hold all my fat! But she insisted that this would give me that smooth effect. Then you do the same to the right side. Then you stand up and 'fluff' the girls. This left my girls touching my chin just about! But I have to admit they were standing at attention and I did have a waist for the first time in my life. But by the end of the day, I was hating life. I just don't think there's a comfortable bra for busty girls. I mean honestly, I think anytime you're carrying around 10 pound weights...you're going to be uncomfortable. If I'm wrong, please enlighten me. I'm willing to try anything!

So for now, I'll just hold onto my deal with Frank...tucked, sucked, and lifted.....

Too Stinkin Cute!

2009-01-13T21:29:00.008-05:00

I know he's my baby and I am very partial, but he's just too stinkin cute! He's a handful these days, with a very stubborn personality. But if you just let him be, he's a barrel of fun!

Look Daddy, I've got your hat and I'm not giving it back!

If Tyler goes missing, he's usually in the hallway playing with his 'friend'. His 'friend' is a lot of fun. He laughs with Tyler, talks to Tyler, and they kiss each other bye bye!
You always need to High-Five your 'friend!'
Tyler has outgrown his bath tub. Unfortunately, the big bath tub kills mommy's back. Daddy figured out that Tyler fits perfectly into the sink right now! And now Tyler and Mommy enjoy bath time!
Look at that face! This is what I mean about TOO STINKIN CUTE! Man I love this little guy! I can always count on him to make me smile.

Mommy's Weight Loss Plan

2009-01-06T21:41:00.002-05:00

Well it's the new year, so I am joining 2.5 billion other people and vowing to lose weight in 2009. I have a new weight loss plan this year, and his name is Tyler! HA! You thought I was serious for one split second didn't you! You should have known better! (Well I do hope to lose some more weight, but it's not really a resolution.)

Tyler is however going to force me to lose weight because I can't keep up with him! The child has an attention span that last 1/50,000,000,000th of a second (he gets that from his ADHD Dad). He is a little busy body and has to be moving non-stop! In fact, he got all these great toys for Christmas that he has no interest in. Instead, he wants to pull up, grab what ever is on the ottoman or end table - yes that little hand can reach the edge of the end table when he is standing on his tippy toes! I've even had to move the coffee table into the hallway because he kept bumping his head. He loves cords, paper, the phone, and the remote. He can turn the phone on and off, and he can change the TV channel too. Did I mention he just turned 8 months on December 30th?!?!?! And I now have to play on the computer after he has gone to bed, because he loves typing. Anything that Frank or I have, he has to have. And he does not take no for an answer.

Needless to say, I love this little boy beyond measure! And he just amazes me each and every day. I say he's a nosy little boy, but I really think he's just very inquisitive. He has to look/touch/see everything that is going on and he just takes it all in. And he has his own personality! When I feed him now and he gets full, he will shake his head to tell me no-no...it's too cute. And when he's getting into trouble (he does this a lot) and I say no-no, he laughs at me and just keeps doing it. He's also started being the center of attention. When he does something he's proud of, you have to clap for him. Otherwise he will squeal for himself until you clap. It's so adorable. And when he doesn't want to do something, he's not budging. He definitely has a stubborn streak (he gets that honest from both of us!) And I believe he already has a jealous streak in him as well. Yesterday when I picked him up from school, there was another little girl crying and the daycare worker was changing a diaper so she couldn't pick her up. So I, being a sucker for a crying child, picked Tyler and the little girl up and rocked them. Well she immediately laid her head on my chest and started to go to sleep. Tyler was not having this. He reached over, grabbed her paci, threw it on the floor and pushed her! I said no-no, picked her paci up and gave it back to her. Well he did it again! He did not like sharing his mommy! He could have been trying to play with her, but I'm just not sure.

All I can say is I just love being with him and watching him learn. And now that he's going to help me lose weight, well I love him even more :-)

Who needs Santa...I've got Grandma!

2008-12-29T22:49:00.005-05:00

Tyler was so much fun at Christmas! He didn't quite get the hang of unwrapping presents...he just wanted to pull off just enough paper so he'd have something to chew on! HA! He was so funny. He was overwhelmed with the presents. He didn't know what to play with first. He was so excited. And I have to admit, between my family and Frank's, Santa looked pretty sad. He's going to have to kick it up a notch next year if he wants to hang. Here's some of my favorite Christmas pictures.

Our Happy Little Boy on Christmas morning.

My new ride...

After all these presents, all I want to play with is the paper... My first Boo-Boo! Mommy tried to tell me not to climb up the coffee table, but I didn't listen.
Ohhhh, look mommy. It's talking to me!
His first look at what Santa brought. What should I play with first?
Christmas Eve at Nana's....my first present I've unwrapped.
My family

Dear Tyler,

2008-12-15T22:55:00.003-05:00

It's late at night, and I just checked on you. You were sleeping so soundly in your crib. All curled up with your little butt sticking up in the air. You're so sweet and innocent. And you are just growing up too fast! Tonight as I watched you sleep, I realized how big you've gotten so quickly. I wanted to just scream, "STOP! STOP the clock. Time is passing too quickly!" And then I just wanted to grab you and hold you tightly and rock you, because I know one day you will claim to be too big to rock. And I wanted to squeeze you and kiss you and take all your sugars, because I know one day you will be to embarrassed to kiss your mommy. And then I wanted to get on the floor and roll around and play all night, because I know one day you won't want to play with toys. And most of all, I just wanted to spend time with you. To tell you how much I love you and I how lucky I am to be your mommy. And how you are more than I ever could have imagined, dreamed, or hoped for. You are my sweet, sweet little boy. A little boy that can light up a room with his smile, and who has a giggle that's contagious. I wanted to tell you all of this because I know one day you will be too busy to sit down with mommy, and hearing this would make you blush. I wanted to do all of this at once because I am scared to miss a moment with you. You get bigger and bigger with every passing day and I love ever minute with you. I love you more than words could ever describe! And I am so blessed to have you! I pray that you will always be as sweet and as loving as you are right now. And that you'll be my little boy.

Love,
Mommy

Look What I Can Do...

2008-12-11T22:10:00.008-05:00

This morning I heard Tyler playing in his crib so I went in to take a look. And this is what I found...

Tyler has figured out how to pull himself up and stand in his crib! I was so proud of him. And he was so tickled with himself. He would hold on to the side of the crib so he wouldn't fall.

Tyler is also getting a 2nd tooth! The first tooth is just coming in and already another one! It's coming in right next to the first one. He's going to be so cute with 2 little teeth showing!

Tyler is getting so big and I continue to be amazed at how much he is learning and growing. I love to watch him examine whatever his tiny hands can hold. He is such a happy baby. He cries when he's really sleeping or hungry and that's about it. Although he has learned if he "cries" when we walk out the room we'll come back in. And he's milking that right now, but when you walk back in he's just so darn cute! He keeps saying Dadadadadada. I'm working on Mama, but no luck yet. But he sure does love me. He gets so excited when I pick him up from 'school'. And when we are playing on the floor, he'll crawl up to me and put his hand on my face and cuddle next to me. And my heart just melts! He has definitely won my heart a million times over. I just can't believe how much I love this little guy. I read once that having a child is filling a place in your heart that you never new existed, and that's so true. My prayer is that Tyler grows into the child and man that God has designed him to be. And that Frank and I can be the parents that God has called us to be. What a huge blessing God has given us!

Supper Club Christmas Party

2008-12-11T22:05:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas Party with our supper club last weekend. Even Santa came and handed out presents to the kids! Tyler had a great time. He loves watching the 'big kids'. We're so lucky to have such a great group of friends.

Belly Flop!

2008-12-01T21:56:00.002-05:00

Tyler has had another first....he fell off the bed! Actually, he crawled straight off the bed and did a full belly flop onto the hardwood floors! It SCARED ME TO DEATH!!! It was so loud! And it scared him to death to. He cried, I mean the "Mommy I think someone is trying to kill me" cry, or more like screaming at the top of my lungs type cry...for 15 minutes straight! Then he threw up and got sleepy. Now let me say, he just had a bottle, and he always spits up and then takes a nap after the bottle, so I don't really think that had anything to do with the fall, but still. I was thinking, ohmygosh!! He's got a concussion! I watched him for over an hour and he was fine. So I think it scared me more than anything, and my heart just broke into a million pieces when he cried. I know I will have this feeling a million more times as he grows up and I am not looking forward to it at all.

Now for the disclaimer (since my husband has already asked how I "let" him fall off the bed.) I put him in the center of our king size bed every morning so he can have his bottle while I get ready less than 2 feet away from him. I also surround him with pillows...tall pillows. So it wasn't that he just crawled off the end of the bed. He had to crawl up and over 2 big fluffy pillows (stacked on top of each other) and then go off the side of the bed. So it was not an easy task for a 7 month old. And, let me also mention, he only army crawls. So we are not even talking a full "stand on all fours" crawl. I think he's going to be athletic because that took some skill. So no Frank. I did not 'let' him crawl off the bed. Tyler saw the pillows as a challenge that he was determined to overcome. And our smart, athletic little boy accomplished his goal...but quickly realized that mommy put those pillows there for a reason.

Oh the joys, and tears of motherhood.

Be All That You Can Be!

2008-11-30T13:05:00.002-05:00

Tyler has the "Army" crawl down pat! He can really move now! So much fun.....I'll post pictures in later on today. Gotta run....he hasn't mastered army crawling towards the bottle and putting it in his mouth. He gets mad when the bottle rolls away.

Dadadadadadadada

2008-11-23T17:04:00.003-05:00

Huge Announcements!!!! Tyler is getting a tooth and is saying Dada. Now, his tooth is just now breaking the skin, so it's not in yet, but hey it's progress! And he's saying dada. More like Dadadadadadada....I don't think he realizes he's saying it, or even knows who "Da-Da" is, but again, it's progress :-) He's getting so big and so sweet! I can just eat him up!

CRAWLING!!!

2008-11-15T09:11:00.004-05:00

Tyler can get up on all fours, and he can take one little 'step' (i guess that's what it is.) The funny thing is, he can't even fully sit up yet without tumbling over, but he's trying to crawl! He will get up up on all fours and rock back and forth and move his arm to take a step and then fall. How funny! I'm kind of worried b/c he can really move now sliding on his stomach and rolling, so I have a feeling when he starts really crawling, he's going to take off!!! He's going to be my new weight loss plan with all the running after him I'm going to be doing. He's into everything! He wants to touch everything, hold it, examine it. I have a feeling that he's about to be a lot of fun!

Grown Up Decisions

2008-11-14T19:56:00.003-05:00

Well, I didn't go on my girl's trip. I just couldn't leave without knowing if Tyler was getting better or not. And I thought, I'm never going to regret spending time with my baby. But If I leave and something happens, I'm going to regret leaving. So that helped me make up my mind. As for an update on Tyler, today he has been happy one hour and miserable the next. Of course he made me look like a complete liar when the girls came to my house to leave. He was a complete flirt and showed off for them. He didn't even look sick! When they left, he cried, moaned and groaned for the next hour. All in all, I think I made a good decision. Although I must admit, when the girls left my house I was very sad and teary eyed. I LOVE MY GIRLS and I was so looking forward to this getaway and catching up with everyone. I have the best group of friends and I just don't get to spend enough time with them. But, I guess that's part of being a mom. Making tough decisions and hoping you made the right ones. I wish there was a manual for this type of stuff. And I can't wait until everyone gets back on Sunday so I can hear how the trip was.

Beautiful Words

2008-11-13T20:17:00.002-05:00

I stole this quote off of another blog, but it just spoke to me.

Making a decision to have a child--it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.-- Elizabeth Stone

And I heard this on TV the other morning, it makes so much since because in today's world, we want and think we deserve to have it all.

You can Have it All, just not All at the same time.

Not Much Better

2008-11-12T21:36:00.003-05:00

Little Man is still sick. I thought he was doing good Monday and Tuesday, but today he's been running a fever and was very fussy. So I am going to take him back to the doctor tomorrow and hope that they tell me that he's getting better. I am still supposed to go out of town this weekend, and up until now, I was OK with leaving (well, as OK as I can be leaving him for the first time.) But now that he seems to be getting worse, I am not sure if I can leave him. So I am going to the doctor tomorrow to get some reassurance. I have to admit, it's tough being the mom. You know as a child, and even now, you think of your mom as being the wisest person you know. Moms always have the answer and always know what to do. Now that I'm the mom, I realize what big shoes I have to fill, and to be honest, I just don't think I'll ever be as good of a mom as the one I have. I hope I get wiser as time goes on and Tyler thinks I'm the smartest mommy.

And I wish I could figure out what to do now. I think either decision I make I am going to have regrets. If I go and leave Tyler, I'm going to feel like I am abandoning my sick child. If I don't go, I'm going to wish I was there all weekend long. And plus, I was soooo looking forward to this get away with my girlfriends. And we're staying at an adorable Bed and Breakfast and I've NEVER stayed at one before. And I really need this weekend to get some sort of sanity back. But am I going to be a bad momma for leaving and enjoying myself while my baby doesn't feel good? Oh the tough decisions.......

Any Advice????? I could use some right now.....

Sick Little Man

2008-11-10T12:46:00.002-05:00

Tyler has had a congested cough that started on Saturday. I didn't think too much of it, because he was still incredibly happy and playful. But at night time his cough would get worse and he'd wake himself up coughing. So I decided to take him to the doctor this morning to be safe. Well, primarily out of selfishness to be honest. I've got a girl's trip scheduled for this weekend and I am really looking forward to it. I didn't want him to get sicker this week, because I don't think I can leave a sick baby. So this morning we headed to the doctor, and boy am I glad we did. I told them I thought he had a cold because other than the congested cough at night time, he didn't really have any other symptoms. They decided to do a test to check his oxygen levels. The normal range is 100. His were in the low 70's. When the doctor listened to his chest, it didn't sound too good. So they gave him steroids and breathing treatments in the doctor's office and said they wanted to check him for RSV. After the treatments, they re-did the oxygen test and they were able to get him in the high 80's, which was much better. But the RSV test came back positive. The doctor said it was a really good thing that I brought him in this morning because I caught it very early. If we had waited until the end of the week, he might have had to go in the hospital. So we are at home for the week, and on breathing treatments every 6 hours for the next 3-4 days. The doctor said he should be good to go by the end of the week. But now I am so nervous about going out of town. I feel like I would be the worse mother in the world if I left him. But then on the other hand, the doctor said we caught it so early he should be good by Wednesday or Thursday. I am so torn. I really want to go on this trip, but the thought of leaving Tyler right now breaks my heart. Any thoughts/comments/suggestions????

P.S....I guess since he's sick he's off restriction :-)

Tyler is Grounded...Yes Grounded!

2008-11-08T21:30:00.003-05:00

Tyler is in trouble. You see...everyone knows I am very 'conservative' when it comes to spending money. Well, I finally broke down and bought Tyler one of those cutesy boutique outfits. Primarily out of pure desperation. You see, I needed to get Tyler's pictures taken and everyone with a boy knows that there are NO CUTE BOY CLOTHES ANYWHERE!!! So I finally found a precious little boy outfit and I paid an arm, a leg, and a couple of toes for it. So, I get Tyler in his outfit and he is TO-DIE-FOR cute. I mean, I could have eaten him with a spoon! We start taking pictures. All is good. Final picture is taken and then there he goes...or I should say there he blows. Carrots come flying out of his mouth all over his brand new outfit. DID I MENTION THE OUTFIT IS WHITE???? Just my luck! I spend a portion of my retirement on his new outfit and now it's covered in orange carrots. Great. Just great.

So I rush home and treat it with shout. Well shout ain't doing anything! I'm on my 3rd wash right now, and I am really crossing my fingers. Otherwise Tyler's on restriction. And those pictures better turn out good!

***Update: After 3 washes, still no luck. It has faded down to a yellow color. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get this out??? I've got it soaking in water (with shout) right now so it doesn't dry. HELP!!!!

6 Months Old!!!

2008-11-05T22:12:00.003-05:00

My sweet, sweet little man. Oh how your momma loves you! I am so intrigued by your personality. You are definitely the nosiest little guy, but you got that honest. I am so amazed at how quickly you learn. And you have the most amazing facial expressions. You are just the brightest, most lovable little baby! I don't know how we got such a blessing. You've added so much to our life and I adore every minute I spend with you.

At 6 months, my little man can hold his bottle! I'm so proud of you!

Tonight, Frank watched Tyler so I could have a girl's night. Frank said the living room got quite, and he went to check on him...this is what he found. He played himself out!

Look at my little man. He's got such a sweet 'little boy' look.

When you wear overalls, you are officially a little boy! This laugh is priceless to me! I just can't get enough of him! He's the sun, moon, and stars all wrapped up in one!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-30T22:52:00.004-04:00

We hope your day is filled with lots of Treats!

Bedtime With Tyler

2008-10-20T22:25:00.002-04:00

I love my mommy and daddy. When they pick me up from 'school', we go home and have so much fun. After they play with me, they feed me some yummy food. I haven't quite got the hang of eating yet, but mommy says I'm still learning.

After I finish eating, I get to play some more in the bath tub. I am learning how to splash and I think it's fun.

All that playing makes me so sleepy. My mommy loves watching me sleep. She thinks I am so cute when my tushy sticks up in the air.
When I wake up in the mornings and see my mommy, I get so tickled. She smiles and says, "Good morning sunshine. Did my sweet baby sleep good last night?" And I just giggle and kick until she picks me up.

My mommy and daddy love me so much. I'm such a happy little boy because they always play with me and make me laugh.

Mommy, I want hair like that!!!

2008-10-14T22:00:00.004-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Madison, Walker and Izzie came up to keep Tyler company for the weekend. Tyler was in awe of Walkers hair....as you can see below (it was Freaky Friday at school so Walker had a special hair do!) Izzie got tickled every time Tyler "grabbed Izzie". And Momma Maddie was just that...a little momma. Here's a couple of pictures that I thought were cute.

A Powerful Love

2008-10-01T22:46:00.005-04:00

Wow how time flies! My sweet baby is 5 months old! I can't believe how much my life has changed in such a short amount of time. It's amazing how quickly your life becomes so different... my life is so much more enriched, so full of love, and I am constantly in awe with this sweet, beautiful little boy that God has given us. It's a love that I can't even begin to describe...all I can say is it's a momma's love. And it makes me think about this...If I love Tyler this much, a love so strong that I would do anything humanly possible to protect him and provide for him, imagine how much God loves us. Being raised in church, you are always taught that God loves us and he gave us his son, but I don't think I ever truly comprehended what that love was like until I had Tyler. It's amazing how someone so tiny can teach us so much about life. Tyler has completely changed my outlook on everything and I realize that I am so incredibly blessed! I love you sweet baby boy...more than words could ever describe! And I am so lucky to be your mommy. I hope I can show you that love each and every day and you never doubt how much Daddy and I love you and how so very proud to have you as our son! God has blessed us beyond measure!

Look, I can Fly

I laugh because my daddy laughs, so it must be funny

I think I'm supposed to eat with my mouth, but I keep getting it in my nose.
Sleeping so good in my 'big boy' room.
The outfit's for my daddy...camo and blue jeans. But the smile is for my mommy!

My Big Boy

2008-09-29T15:52:00.002-04:00

Tyler slept in his crib last night for the first time. He did much better than Mommy did. He slept like an angel...mommy on the other hand had to keep checking on him. I don't know why, but my heart just felt lonely without him in our room. And I missed waking up to him this morning too. Every morning he lays in his pack-n-play and plays and talks to himself. And this morning I didn't have that and it made me so sad. I had to rush in his room when I woke up...and he was still sleeping. In fact, he must have slept great because I had to wake him up for school (that's what we call daycare)! And he's just next door to my room....Imagine what I'll do when he stays away from me for the first time. I'll really be heartbroken!

So In Love

2008-09-26T11:34:00.002-04:00

Dear Tyler,

Last night you did the sweetest, yet simplest thing in the world and but it just made my heart melt. I was holding you and feeding you your bottle and you stared straight at me the entire time. And then you took your hand and just put it on my cheek and held it there for the longest time. I know it was so simple, but my heart just melted. You have the sweetest, most cheerful personality and I love every single minute with you. I still look at you and can not believe that your daddy and I got so blessed with such a sweet and lovable baby. You have definitely won mommy over! You get cuter and cuter every day. I could just eat you up!!! And you have the sweet little giggle. Your daddy loves to tickle you. But now, when you see him coming you start giggling before he ever even touches you. It's so funny. You just light up my life. And I am so, so, so in love with you.

Love, Mommy

Angie's Big Splurge!

2008-09-14T21:17:00.003-04:00

After months of debating I finally broke down and bought a Nikon camera! I reasoned that I was missing so many 'kodak' moments so I really, really 'needed' this camera. Needless to say, I wore Tyler out today taking pictures. I think I ended up taking 137 pictures!!! Yes...in one day I took that many. Here's a few of my favorites. (I don't think I did too bad for my first try. Of course, it may have something to do with this cute, adorable baby!) He is getting bigger and bigger each day! Today he laid in the floor and just squeeled and screamed with excitement...for 2 hours! Frank and I just sat back and watched and got so tickled watching him. He is just perfect and boy, oh boy do I love this little guy. I keep thinking, I can't imagine loving him more. And yet, everytime I look at him, my love grows and grows. He's just precious!

Happy 4 Months

2008-08-30T09:55:00.003-04:00

My big boy is 4 months old today! Time flies so fast. I can't believe how much Tyler has changed in such a short amount of time. His personality is coming out more and more each day. He is laughing now and gets the biggest smile when me or his daddy walks in the room...which just melts my heart! Since he's a 'big boy' we decided it was time to put him in his jumper. He loved it! Here are some pictures of my sweet, sweet baby.

Poor Frank

2008-08-28T11:45:00.002-04:00

My husband is dying. He has a sore throat and ear ache and we are certain that he only has a few days left to live.

Last night Frank had to watch Tyler while I went to dinner with the girls from work. He could not believe I was abandoning him during his hour of need. So he calls his sister (a nurse) because he is on his death bed. You should have heard how pitiful he sounded. But miraculously when he called me 5 minutes later, he sounded just fine. So I then said, "Frank, if you feel this bad, you shouldn't go to the Carolina Game tomorrow night. That night air and all that noise is really going to bother your earache." He replied, "I'll stick a cotton ball in my ear." So what a dedicated fan...Frank on his death bed, but still able to cheer his team on to victory. Sounds like a Lifetime movie doesn't it.

So my poor, poor husband is so sick. I'm glad I have life insurance on him b/c it's not looking good. So please remember, in lieu of flowers, you can just make a donation to the Tyler Mac college fun.

My Big Boy

2008-08-17T23:07:00.006-04:00

My Little Man is getting so big! He loves to talk and is getting so expressive. I love watching his personality develop. He is feeling much better now...mostly due to NaNa (my mom) coming up and SPOILING HIM ROTTEN! She kept him from Wed. to Saturday and he loved every minute. And Frank and I got to get some sleep and a clean house...so that was really nice! Tyler will lay and play on his own right now and Frank and I just watch him and laugh. He gets so tickled with himself. He grins from ear to ear now and gets so shy. I could just eat him up! Here's some pictures from the last week or so and you'll see why we are so in love with out little man!

Sick Baby

2008-08-05T22:58:00.005-04:00

Tyler has not been feeling too good since Friday. I called the doctor and they told me to give him the medicine they prescribed last time and see if it worked. So I began giving it to him, but he still had a pitiful cough that would wake him up at night time. So Monday I called and spoke with the nurse and she told me to bring him in on Tuesday. Well I had a big meeting today at work that I could not miss. So Momma came up and took him to the doctor. I felt like the worse mom ever b/c I couldn't take him myself. Any other time it would have been more than OK to miss work, but not today.

So momma took little man to the doctor and he told her that he didn't think it was allergies, which is what we thought it was. He thinks he may have asthma!!! POOR LITTLE GUY! The pitiful cough was actually caused by him wheezing. The doctor doesn't want to run any test right now b/c he's still so little. But he has him on albuterol drops. The good news is, he may grow out of it, which is what I am hoping for. Frank and I both have asthma, so we knew he stood a good chance of having it as well, but I didn't think it would show up this soon. Even though little man isn't feeling 100%, he's still the happiest little baby. He just grins and laughs. I love him so much . He's brightens our lives so much. Here's some recent pictures for you. I hope they make you smile!

He's getting so BIG!! Just look at that sweet face!

Izzie LOVES Tyler! She gets so tickled with him. She just smiles and says, "Tyler loves Izzie. He like me!" And Tyler gets the biggest smile on his face when she talks to him.

My 2 favorite guys. Don't they look so peaceful...you'd never know they were BOTH snoring in this picture :-) " Mommy...please don't put me in this car seat. I want to play!" 30 seconds after this picture was taken, he was asleep! But I thought this was so funny.

Mommy...I'm Trying to Sleep

2008-07-24T22:22:00.003-04:00

Everyone knows that while I was pregnant, I prayed for a child that liked to sleep. Well, I got what I prayed for and I am thrilled! Tyler loves to sleep, loves to nap, and loves to snuggle! The other night, Tyler slept from 9:30pm to 7:30am. Finally, I had to wake him up so I could get him dressed for 'school'. I went to his pack and play and this is what I found. (Notice the HUGE drool stain...he was sleeping soooo good!)
He has never sucked his thumb before. I thought it was cute (not that I want this to turn into a habit.) So he continued to lay there asleep. I finally said, "Tyler it's time to wake up for school." He didn't move, but he opened his eyes and cut them in my direction to see why I was waking him.
He then took a deep sigh, still not moving his body, and went back to sleep!!!! You would have thought I was waking him from a nap or something. But he had slept 10 hours!!!
I finally just had to pick him up and he immediately laid his head on my shoulder. It woke up a few minutes later with the biggest smile on his face and just a talking away. He's so sweet! Frank and I are so incredibly blessed. I just love him more and more everyday!

Tyler and Laura

2008-07-24T22:10:00.003-04:00

Not to long ago our good friends Brent and Deann invited us over for dinner. They have 2 little girls, Weatherly and Laura, that are too precious. Laura was born the day before Tyler and was supposed to be a little boy named Ben...and he was going to be Tyler's best bud. Instead, they were suprised with a sweet little girl, so now Tyler has a little girlfriend instead! When we arrived, Deann said Laura had an outfit that matched Tylers, so of course we had to change her so we could take their picture. So here's Tyler's first picture with Laura. Aren't they too cute!

Tyler's "Manly" Outfit

2008-07-23T16:22:00.005-04:00

Frank's going to kill me for putting this up, but I think Tyler is too precious in this outfit! (thanks Maggie!) Frank, however, disagrees. Apparently, Tyler's outfit is not "Manly" enough. Now let's not forget that he isn't even 3 months old! Hope you enjoy. (Catherine, thanks for taking these pictures for me.)

He just woke up and Tara was nice enough to love on him.

I think he thinks I'm crazy....what do you think?

This smile just melts my heart!!!

Tyler Talks to Mommy

2008-07-15T20:54:00.004-04:00

He gets a little camera shy in the beginning, but after about 35 seconds he starts "talking". It's too cute...or at least I think it is.

Tip: Be sure to pause my playlist on the left hand side so you can hear my sweet little boy.

Video

2008-07-14T23:00:00.001-04:00

Does anyone know how I post a video? I did a video today with a digital camera and I downloaded it on my computer. But when I tried to post it...after an hour of downloading and it still wasn't done...I gave up. Do I need to convert it to something? I'm not sure and it's so cute that I really want to post it.

Boy Have I Grown

2008-07-10T21:59:00.006-04:00

Fortunately, Frank has his own camera so I was able to use his and take some pictures. I can't believe how much Tyler has grown. My little man is already 2 months old!!! Time really flies by. And I am just loving him more and more each day!

P.S.: Over look his crazy hair. The first 3 were taken before 8:00 this morning (Can you believe I was up!!!) and I hadn't gotten him dressed and 'prettied up' yet.

My sweet, sweet baby. Words can't describe how much I love you. You are absolutely perfect. You have such sweet expressions and you love to talk to me. We talk about how 'school' was. And you just smile so sweet. It melts my heart. No one could have ever prepared me for how much I love you and what happiness you've brought in my life. I never realized how much love was missing from my life until you came in to it. I thank God each day for you and pray that he will always watch over you. You're such a joy and Mommy loves you so much...more than the sun, the moon, and the stars! Now that's a lot of love!

HELP!

2008-07-09T11:09:00.002-04:00

I need you to say a little prayer for me...and I realize this is a silly request but it's so important to me. I think I lost my camera!!!! I am so frantic right now. I would be so devastated if I lost it b/c I have not downloaded the last set of pictures...and there are so many adorable ones that I would ball my eyes out if they were lost.

So I know it's a silly request but say a little prayer for me that I will find it. With my mommy brain being so mushy, I just don't know where it could be. I thought I knew the last place I put it, but when I looked it wasn't there. So I am praying (and I really mean that) that God will guide me to it. And the first thing I will do with it is download my pictures!

Not So Happy Baby

2008-07-01T13:56:00.001-04:00

What a weekend. Tyler (and mommy) survived his first week of daycare, so we decided to head to the beach Friday afternoon for a birthday party. Frank had to work on Saturday so I was planning to get some quality time with little man. He, on the other hand, had other plans. He just wasn't his usual self. He was a bit cranky and either didn't want to eat, or wanted to eat a gallon at a time. Either way I just didn't know how to satisfy him. And with him being such a good baby, I don't have much practice with a cranky baby. Saturday I had planned to go shopping and then head to Cherry Grove for a birthday party on the beach. I didn't get to do either! So we headed back home Saturday afternoon. Saturday and Sunday night were not good. He started feeling bad around 6 and Frank and I didn't know what to do. He cried when he ate. He cried when he was hungry. He was just miserable.

So I took him to the doctor on Monday and that made matters worse. He has thrush and he had to get his 2 month shots while we were there. So then I felt bad b/c he had been so cranky because he had thrush and I didn't even know it! I felt like I made him suffer for 3 days just because I didn't know what was wrong. And the shots were horrible. He screamed like someone was killing him, which broke my heart. He was so pitiful. He couldn't sleep last night because his legs hurt. If you even accidentally brushed his leg he would scream. And it is bruised where they gave him the shots. He just looks at me with his sad eyes and my heart breaks all over again. And he hates his medicine for the thrush. He gags on it and then throws it all back up. So I have a screaming baby that I can't touch his legs when I hold him, all while I am trying to clean throw up off me.....Welcome to motherhood :-)

Let's All Help the World Become a Prettier Place

2008-07-01T13:36:00.003-04:00

I just got this advertisement via email from a company that shall remain nameless...but let's just say Vicki doesn't have anymore secrets if she's wearing this.....advertising bathing suits at 25% off. And I found this email it quite humorous. First because a woman of my size shouldn't even be getting an email like this. Now before everyone starts emailing me and telling me I'm too hard on myself, let me state, I am perfectly happy with my size. I like my curves and I do not feel like I am too big (but I do have some post-baby weight to loose). Frank might disagree but that's a whole other post for another day :-). (Just kidding Frank....have I told you love you and want to go part time?)

Back to my soap box. I clicked on this image and pulled up all these pretty sized MINUS ZERO models who look fabulous in these pint sized suits. However, if you pull up the size chart...THESE COME IN MY SIZE!!! I'm sorry, but these should not come in double digit sizes. That's just not right. And I feel like the fashion industry should take more responsibility and quit selling these in double digit sizes because some poor "fluffy" girl is going to think she really looks good in it. And her friends are going to lie to her and tell her she looks good.

So, here's my plea...let's help keep our beaches beautiful this summer. Take ownership and know when you are too big to wear something. And if you're not sure, here's a hint for you. If the strings on the side of this bikini are hidden...you are too big to be wearing it.

I Survived

2008-06-24T12:35:00.002-04:00

I survived...barely. I took him into daycare yesterday and I did not want to leave. He's was smiling and talking and that just made me want to stay there forever with him. I just didn't want to miss anything. Needless to say, as soon as I left the room I cried all the way to my car...then all the way to work...and once I got to work I just shut my door and shed a few more tears. I stayed at work until 4 and then I just couldn't take it anymore! I had to see my little man. And when I picked him up, he was sleeping like an angel!

Today was a little easier, but my heart still hurt when I left him. But I just have to suck it up and realize I have to work. But he has already changed me so much in such a short period of time. I am so focused at work now...I say this as I blog while at work, oops....but I realize now that the better I do at work, the more it will benefit Tyler. And if I can work hard the rest of this year and accomplish my goals, hopefully it will benefit me enough to cut back my hours a little bit next year. Ideally I would like to work about 30 hours.....Frank doesn't know that yet, but after he reads this he will....so let me throw in: Frank have I told you lately how much I love you? I really do...and I might even love you a little more if I cut back my hours next year.

So for the mean time I am surviving. I miss the little monkey so much. All I can think about is I wonder what he's doing. And I hope he doesn't start liking Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Stephanie (his teachers) more than me...I know that sounds silly b/c it isn't possible, but you still wonder. I just love him so much. It amazes me what a different person I am because of him. Everything I do now I want to do ten times better so he will be proud of his mommy.

When I get home I will post some new pictures of my cutie pie...and No Frank that's not you, that's Tyler.....But have I told you how much I love you lately :-)

I Couldn't Do It!

2008-06-19T14:48:00.002-04:00

I just couldn't send him to daycare today....but not for the reasons you are thinking. Little Man is sick!!!! Yes, I said SICK!!! Me and little man both have horrible head colds, courtesy of Daddy Tank. He was sick last week and he has given it to us. Tyler has the cutest sounding cough. It is so pitiful. But he is still in the best mood. He just looks at me with those sweet eyes and smiles. I took him to the doctor yesterday and the doctor gave him a decongestant. He doesn't have a fever, but the doctor told me not to send him to daycare until Monday. So I CALLED IN SICK my first day back!!!

So Tyler and I have a couple of more days together. I secretly think Tyler knew he was going to go to daycare and couldn't stand to be away from his mommy so he got sick. Well I gotta run, Tyler just woke up.

Dreading the Day...

2008-06-11T22:59:00.002-04:00

I go back to work in a week. I will have taken a total of 7 weeks of maternity leave, and yet it feels like I've only been home a week. Next Thursday is the dreaded day...not the work part...but it's the first day I will drop my sweet baby off at daycare.

What's got me so sad is that I went by the daycare today and sat in the room he will be staying in and talked to the ladies that will be keeping him. I stayed for about an hour. The ladies could not have been any nicer and you could tell they really love the babies. But as I sat and rocked Tyler he just looked back at me with his sweet eyes and I suddenly felt my eyes welling up with tears. Just thinking about me coming to this room next week and leaving him there was enough to make me cry. I am going to be a basket case next week!

I keep telling myself that Tyler will learn so much by me doing this. He will learn to play with other children. He will learn to be independent. He will learn to sociable. And I keep telling myself that it will be good for me to get back to work to. To get some adult time. To have a sense of accomplishment. These are all things I keep telling myself, but yet I still feel like an awful mother. I feel like I am abandoning my child. I feel like he is still so tiny and he needs his momma. I feel like no one could possibly take care of him the way I can...because I am his mom. I'm all he has known for the nine months I carried him and for the short 6 weeks he has been here. And now I am leaving him. My mind tells me one thing, but my heart tells me something completely different because it is breaking in a million pieces.

I Am One of Those Moms

2008-06-09T12:59:00.006-04:00

You know the ones I am talking about. Think back to the time before you had kids. You would hear other moms doing baby talk and coming up with silly sounding words for everything and you would roll your eyes and hope they didn't see you...Example: I used to think, "Why don't moms just call it a pacifier?" Well, Tyler doesn't have pacifiers...for some reason I started calling it a Binky. A BINKY!!! What am I thinking?!?!?! And then he has a little blanket with a stuffed puppy attached. What do I call it? It's a Pup Pup of course. And then there's the issue of spit up. Pre-Tyler days, I could not understand how a mom could walk around with spit up on their shirt. Well I have joined them. As long as I can rub it in, who cares. I do good to get a decent shower, so little spit up doesn't bother me one bit. And then there's the stinky diapers. Why are we so fascinated with poop? Probably b/c I never knew it could come in so many colors!!! It's like a rainbow!

And my mind has turned to mush! I used to believe this was just an excuse. You know, women who say that they lost their mind once they had kids. We'll my mind is so lost I would probably have to fly half way across the world to retrieve it. Actually, it's probably floating in outer space somewhere. I can get up to walk in the kitchen and then I can't remember why I went there. The other day I told someone I was coming over to pick up something. Well Tyler had a stinky diaper and by them time I changed him I had forgotten. She called an hour later to see if I was OK!!! I'm not losing my mind...it's already lost...gone and never to return.

All those years of college and work and I have resorted to spit up, Binky's, Pup Pups, and discussing how poop can be orange, yellow, green, lime green, etc. But its the greatest thing that ever happened to me and I couldn't be happier. I'm off to look at more poop now. I wonder what color it will be this time?

That is Good Sleep!

2008-06-08T19:48:00.004-04:00

Tyler loves to nap. And he is so cute when he does it. He loves sprawling out and throwing his legs up on something. I've just noticed that I have been taking a lot of pictures of him sleeping because he is so darn cute! So I hope these put a smile on your face.

Somehow, he wiggled out of the wedge that is supposed to keep him in place, and then he threw his legs on it! He slept like this for 2 hours!

He took a nap in our bed and wiggled into his Daddy's spot and slept so peacefully. Anytime he is having trouble falling asleep, we lay him in the spot and he goes right to sleep.

This was his Sunday afternoon nap today. I don't know what he was hiding from, but he covered his eyes so he didn't see :-)

Who Does Tyler Look Like?

2008-05-27T22:55:00.003-04:00

Sorry Frank...I win. Not by much, but I still win.

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

What You've All Been Waiting For...

2008-05-21T23:49:00.002-04:00

I Love Being a Mom!

2008-05-21T23:39:00.003-04:00

I know it's taken me a while, but I have just been ooohhing and ahhhing over my sweet little boy. He's 3 weeks old today! I can't believe it. He's just the sweetest most precious baby and I am still in awe that he's ours. He's such a good baby. He's sleeping through the night most of the time, and if he does wake up, it's just once and he's up long enough to eat and then back to sleep. And he likes to sleep in like his momma! We usually crawl out of bed around 10! I know...this may all change, but I am loving every minute of it while it last.

My first mother's day was wonderful. Frank and I laid in the bed with the baby until 11! Tyler doesn't sleep with us, but sometimes in the morning we'll put him in the bed with us. It was so sweet. And I got another slide charm for the bracelet that Tyler gave me when he was born. I know...he's a quick shopper! And I got a rather interesting mother's day card...it had a little 'chocolate' baby on the front. Frank swears he's just tanned, but he is definitely 'chocolate'. I have never laughed so hard in my life. But at least I'll always remember my first card.

I am loving every minute of motherhood. He's such a good baby. And he gives me the sweetest little looks. And he does the sweetest thing right now. When I put him on my shoulder to burp him, he rubs my back with his hand. It's so sweet. I just love every minute with him.

Completely Smitten!!!

2008-05-05T14:42:00.005-04:00

I am HEAD OVER HEELS in LOVE!!!

Completely Smitten with the new man in my life. He's absolutely gorgeous...perfect...pure sweetness! I just sit and stare in amazement of how much I love this little guy. He's more perfect than I could have ever dreamed of...and the best part is I am HIS MOMMY! I am just in awe of this little blessing that God has give us. I'll post more pictures in the next few days, but until then, allow me to introduce you to our handsome little guy.

First "Family Picture"

My Pride and Joy...Oh How You've Already Changed My Life!

Massage Update

2008-04-29T10:35:00.002-04:00

Apparently my hint about getting a back massage was not clear enough....I received no offers last night. I did get my bedroom curtains hung...but no massage. I guess 1 out of 2 isn't too bad. And the curtains do look good. He always does a really good job of measuring things out just right and lining everything up. I don't have that much patience, so I am glad he does. Although I don't think Frank is crazy about them. But at this point, they look better than what we had, which was nothing.

So after not being offered a massage, I decided to take matters into my own hands and I called this morning and scheduled myself a pregnancy massage for tomorrow morning, and then I will check in to the hospital that afternoon. It will either be a complete waste of money, or it will be the nice calm before the storm :-). I am hoping it will relax me. I got no sleep last night. My back is killing me...the doctor says it sounds like I am going to have back labor. So I am hoping this massage will at least help out temporarily.

Almost There!!!

2008-04-28T11:53:00.002-04:00

I just had my checkup and surprise, surprise...still no progress. I thought for sure I would have started something because I had contractions and horrible back pain all day on Sunday and all night long. But no progress. I think Dr. McDaniel had pity on my because I looked horrible at my appointment. So I check in Wednesday afternoon and they'll start the drip on Thursday morning. So Hopefully we'll have a little baby on Thursday!

Now for a "Poor Frank" story since I've been hearing how hard this pregnancy has been on HIM! I was in pain all day Sunday. I had horrible back pain and contractions all day long. And Frank comes in at lunch time and wants to know what's for lunch. Now he knows I am hurting and he honestly wants to know what I am going to feed him. The poor baby apparently doesn't know how to feed himself. So I huff and puff and go get takeout. Then...as if asking for lunch wasn't bad enough...later on, he wants to know what's for dinner. Well after hurting ALL DAY long I had literally had it at that point and told him whatever he found in the kitchen was for dinner. And then he had the nerve to tell me "I didn't have to be so mean to him." ARRRRGHHHHHH!!!!! I mean honestly. I have received no credit at all from him for carrying around this little Husky and he has the nerve to say I am being "mean." (Boy is he in for a rude awakening when the real contractions start!)

So here's a topic for discussion...why are men such babies? If Frank plants a new flower in the yard I have to put an ad in the paper congratulating and thanking him. But I have suffered through morning sickness, back pain, being miserable, and all the other yucky details that go along with pregnancy and I haven't gotten anything. All I get is, "What's for lunch." I even asked for a back massage on Sunday and he said, "I'll rub your back if you rub my feet." Well I don't want to rub his feet in between my contractions...I just wanted my back rubbed. And at this point in the game, I feel like I deserve a massage without having to do anything in return. And if Frank is a smart man...which lately I have been having some doubts...he'll give me a back rub tonight without asking for anything in return. (Did I just make that Hint obvious enough for him?)

So that's enough for my moaning and groaning...Wildcat will go back in her cage and cool off so I can see my little bundle of joy on Thursday :-)

Still Baking....

2008-04-24T17:02:00.002-04:00

Yes I am still VERY pregnant...not by choice! I am huge! I have hit that beyond miserable stage where even my maternity clothes are starting to look like I bought them out of the juniors department...and just so you have a really good mental picture...I think the last time I shopped in the juniors department was middle school! I am not one of those glowing pregnant women. And my feet are huge! They look like Shrek feet!

I was so disappointed at my doctor's appointment on Monday. I saw my least favorite doctor in the group, and as always, he rushed through the appointment. He was only in the room for 2 minutes and he didn't even examine me!!! So I have no idea if I have made any progress. I see my favorite doctor on Monday and he is the one who said he did not want me going until May b/c Tyler would be too big. So I am crossing my fingers that he's going to 'help me out' next week. Otherwise I am liable to have a nervous breakdown and just start crying on him. So we shall see.

Thanks to everyone for all the phone calls checking on me. I've been very slack lately about returning calls. Mostly b/c I lay on the couch after work and do absolutely nothing while Frank works in the yard (which looks amazing!). Hey, I figure I've got the next 18 years to wear myself out...I mine as well enjoy these last few days of peace and quite!

Another Week to Bake

2008-04-16T10:31:00.004-04:00

I had another check up yesterday and Baby Tyler has hit the 7lb. mark. Unfortunately, my body is still not cooperating. The has been NO change, NO progress, no nothing. But Tyler is in position, and as my doctor put it, 'he's in the tunnel, but he just can't get to the light.' She said that's why I have been hurting so badly is he is trying his best, but my body won't budge. And when I say I'm hurting, there are times when I can't walk b/c it hurts so bad. And yes, I know I am a wimp...but seriously...should it hurt this bad? The doctor said he's ready, but she would feel alot better if my body showed any signs of being ready, but at this point she is doubtful that I will. So she wants to give him 1 more week 'to bake' and see if anything happens. She did reassure me there was no way she'd let me go until May 4, b/c he would be at least 10lbs. if we waited that long. And I know my limitations and I am NOT woman enough to push a 10 pounder out!!!!

So we'll have to wait at least 1 more week to meet my little Husky. Maybe that will give me a chance to get rid of this sinus infection....did I forget to mention that not only am I miserable, but I'm also sick? I know...it just keeps getting better.

On a side note...ever since I found out I was pregnant, I've had the date April 24th stuck in my head. Don't know why. I just dreamed about it the night I found out about Husky and it's been in my head ever since. My next appointment is on Monday, the 21st, so we shall see if my dream was right. And, might I add, next week is also a full moon....

MISERABLE

2008-04-08T14:53:00.004-04:00

This one word sums me up right now...I am miserable. I continue to drop lower and lower and Tyler is head down, but I am not making ANY progress. Surprise, surprise...when do I have a normal anything. 3 weeks ago he was 5 lbs 3 ounces, and the Dr. is estimating he is around 8lbs now. Right now, I am measuring at 40 weeks, but technically I am only 36 weeks! So I have another ultrasound on Tuesday to check the baby's weight again and make sure developmentally he is ready to be delivered and then they will schedule an induction. Which in a way worries me b/c they say induction actually makes the labor a lot longer. And I am a wimp. I really don't want an all day ordeal. But I am ready for him to be out. I can't sleep. I have the worse cramps at night time, and he is right on my bladder. I can go to the bathroom and before I get up, I already feel like I have to go again. (I know....too much details, but I'm whining right now so bear with me.) This little Husky is probably laughing his tush off. He and his daddy are secretly enjoying this, I just know they are.

And now the icing on the cake....I can't wear any of my shoes b/c my feet are too fat....along with every other part of me. It's been chilly all this week and I'm walking around in flip flops that don't even match! Of course, nothing I wear right now really matches b/c I've outgrown everything. My belly is dropping, my pants won't stay up, and my shirts insist on riding up. Go ahead...get a visual and you'll laugh your butt off! It's not a pretty picture. And if Frank ask me one more time if I'm into "belly shirts" right now, or gives me that look that guys get when they see a fat girl in a bikini...I am going to suffocate him while he sleeps. To be honest, I already want to strangle him. I toss and turn at night, then get up to go to the bathroom, and then toss and turn some more. And the more I listen to him snore away, the madder I get at him. It might sound mean, but I would personally like for him to suffer just a little bit along with me. Misery loves company :-)

Male Doctors....

2008-04-02T13:28:00.002-04:00

I went to my check up today and everything is looking good. The baby is head down and moving into position. However, I am very 'narrow' so that's why I've been hurting so bad. I told the doctor I saw today (who is a man) that I've been hurting so bad that I don't sleep. And he says..."I think that's God's way of preparing US for the sleepless nights ahead." I cracked up when he said that and he looked at me kind of funny. And I looked at his nurse and said "US? When has he ever popped out a baby. I don't know about other patients, but my husband has been sleeping just fine at night!" Us......I mean honestly. How can a man say God is preparing US.....I don't know about you, but Frank hasn't had morning sickness, sleepless nights, or having the feeling that his hips are about to snap apart. Other than a few hormonal days that I've had, I'd say he's had it pretty easy. I could be wrong, but I'd switch places with him any day.

I hope this gave you as much humor as it did me. Thankfully next week I see the lady doctor :-)

Packing Bags

2008-03-27T10:38:00.002-04:00

Here's another cute Frank story :-)

The other day after my check up, Frank and I were in the back yard enjoying the warm weather and talking about everything we needed to get done before the baby gets here. I told Frank that I needed to go ahead and start putting together my overnight bag in case I do go into labor early. And Frank said, "That's a good idea. Will you pack my bag to so I don't have to." And I looked at him with a confused look on my face and asked him why I needed to pack a bag for him. As sweet as anything, he says, "Well I am going to need clothes and stuff to stay at the hospital too." And I said, Frank, we aren't exactly checking into the Hilton. I'll pack your toothbrush and some basics, but if you need to take a shower or something, you can just run home. And he says, "Oh. Well I didn't think about that. I thought I would need to stay with you the whole time." So if anyone wants to visit us after the birth, you can fund us at the Hilton Resort :-)

It was both the cutest and funniest thing I've heard. He is so excited about this baby. But he is starting to get very nervous....not about the baby....about the delivery. He keeps checking to make sure that my Mom is also going in with us. When we talk about the delivery he says, "I'm getting a chair and setting by your head and I'm not moving or looking at anything. And when the baby gets here, I would prefer if they went ahead and cleaned him and wrapped him in a blanket before they give him to me." He's so funny about everything! It cracks me up.

Laughter pretty much gets us through everything. Our wedding....our arguments....and most likely the delivery. I feel like I should video tape Frank during the delivery and sell copies of it!

My Little Husky

2008-03-19T14:38:00.002-04:00

I just had my checkup and I got to see my little Husky! At 33 weeks, he is already 5 lbs. and 2 ounces!!! According to my doctor, I am measuring at 36 weeks!!! He said there is no way I am making it to my due date. So I have mixed emotions....first pure elation that he's almost here and then pure fear that he's almost here!!!

I have not started 'nesting' yet, but boy has Frank. As soon as I told him what the doctor said (he went to the ultrasound, but skipped out on the exam) he immediately started spouting off our list of things that we needed to go ahead and get done. So I think Frank is going to be a little mother hen. I told Frank that my body is technically at the 36 week point, so I couldn't over exert myself. :-) Hey, I need to go ahead and milk it while I can!

So I am now in overdrive mode b/c I really think this baby is coming mid-April and my doctor seems to agree! I told him today that I am not woman enough to pop out a big baby, and he assured me that he had plenty of drugs to help me through the process. I'm starting to get nervous now...

Nursery

2008-03-17T14:03:00.002-04:00

The crib is up and the dresser is in. I'm getting the nursery organized, so I should have pictures up this week! It is looking so cute. Frank won't admit it, but he is in love with the fishing stuff in the nursery. I think I compromised very well and gave him a true "little boys" room, but it is still so precious! I can't wait to show everyone.

And Sunday, I was actually nice...ALL DAY LONG!!!! The claws didn't come out once! I feel the need to brag on myself since Frank has been giving me such a hard time about my 'mood swings.' And the house is starting to come together...after 2 years! Our new living room furniture is supposed to be in at the end of the month, and we have been getting window treatments made, so hopefully those will be hung by the end of the month too. And Frank is working on a flower bed in the front of the house...I hope he knows how to keep them alive! I do not have a green thumb! By the time everything is done, we'll feel like we are living in a brand new house! Which is good b/c we'll be so broke by the end of it that we won't be able to go out anymore. So we'll be at home eating sandwiches and potato chips if anyone wants to come over and join us :-)

Wildcat

2008-03-10T14:00:00.003-04:00

Wildcat is my new nickname according to Frank. Apparently my claws can come out at a moments notice. So I thought naming this post Wildcat would make him feel special.

I had my 32 week checkup last week. I can't believe my due date is so near! I am beginning to feel pretty miserable and feel very uncomfortable. My doctor's eyes got huge when she measured me this week and immediately started asking a ton of questions. Apparently, my 'growth' has not slowed down at all and according to the doctor, "I've got a big one growing in me." But she said not to worry too much b/c it's all baby since I've only gained 10 lbs so far. (No I am not bragging...we all know I wasn't tiny to begin with.) So she is scheduling another ultrasound to make sure nothing is wrong, and to see if they might have miscalculated my due date. My Mom went with me to this appt. and I was so glad. The doctor asked her a lot of questions b/c child birth is hereditary, which I was not aware of.

I'm moving a lot slower now! I have to constantly take breaks if I'm cleaning the house because my legs start to swell. And I get the feeling that something is about to 'fall out'. That's the only way I know to explain it. (Sorry for the details.) But my sweet, sweet Momma and Madison came and stayed Friday night with me. Maddy had a field trip in town, so after it got over, she and momma just went to my house Friday while I was still working. When I got home, my entire house had been cleaned and ALL the clothes had been washed and folded!!!! Madison even scrubbed my bathrooms! And she insisted on buying the cleaning supplies with her own money! My bathrooms are so clean. Frank had the biggest smile on his face when he saw how clean our house was. He asked momma if she wanted to come and stay every weekend with us! She has no idea how much it helped me out. My house has been driving me crazy, but physically, it has been impossible to get everything clean.

So now, I am slowly getting the nursery complete and ready for my little man. And I am taking it easy from here on out.

I've Made Progress and Mood Update

2008-03-04T09:28:00.005-05:00

The nursery is now painted and Frank hung the new ceiling fan. Which really surprised me, because he usually does not mess with electricity so I was impressed. And I bought bedding that I think is adorable. It's by Kelly Rightsell and is called Fly Fishing. I wasn't really into the themes, but I loved this one. And I thought Frank would appreciate having a really 'boy' nursery, so I secretly picked this out just for him. I was going to do more of the circus animals- elephants and monkeys, but he wasn't really crazy about that. So I sure do hope Tyler likes fishing! And I finally decided on a pale green color called Aloe for the walls. The furniture is being delivered this week. As soon as it is set up, I will post pictures. But for now...here's a look at the bedding.

Now for my "Mood Update." It is still very unpredictable. My house is a complete mess and every time I go home, it makes me ill. And apparently there is some rule that only females can operate a vacuum cleaner. And while we are on that subject, did you know that grocery stores only allow women to do the shopping. I don't know who came up with those rules, but if I knew who it was, I'd do everyone a favor and shoot them! So you can see that the horns are still out and Frank can not win for losing right now. I am going to call someone to clean my house for me as soon as I put it back together. Which still seems silly to me...You have to get your house clean so that someone can come and clean it. Go figure. Momma is coming up this weekend, so I should have everything together by then. And once my house is put back together....I don't plan on doing ANYTHING until the baby gets here. I mean, I am not lifting a finger! No cleaning...no cooking...no nothing. We'll either starve or do take out.

And the baby is getting HUGE, which means I am getting HUGE!!! So that doesn't help either. I have to do a "roll" just to get out of bed in the mornings b/c I can't sit up! I feel like Porky the Pig! I just don't see how my stomach can stretch any further out before it explodes. So I have definitely hit the miserable stage. And I look at my other pregnant friends and they are just so darn cute right now. And I feel like a blimp. And it doesn't help out when Frank points out that I have a new stretch mark!!!!! He finds this very funny and he keeps asking me, "Will they go away after the baby gets here." I want to reply, "Will you go away after the baby gets here." But I don't. So would someone please give him a call and tell what What TO say, and more importantly, What NOT TO say to a very pregnant woman!!!

And just for the record, yes I love Him and no he is not THAT bad, but this is my outlet to vent so that I don't strangle him, Palmetto Alarm, and annoying people that keep calling me on the phone. (Which by the way...the alarm people are SUPPOSED to show up today and god help them if they don't.)

The Hormones are Raging!

2008-02-27T10:45:00.003-05:00

WARNING: I am venting in this post. Read it at your own risk.

All through my pregnancy I have been pretty level headed. I haven't had the crying or emotional outbursts. But boy have things started to change! I'm to the point now where I can't sleep and everything on me hurts and aches. So needless to say, I have a very short fuse these days. And it all started yesterday...

During my kitchen re-do, I had to get my alarm system taken down and I have been trying for 4 weeks now to get it reinstalled. I have been nice through the reschedules, and the "we can't be there until next week." And after 4 weeks of this, last night I got tired of being nice and went off on Palmetto Alarm for about 30 minutes. I think what really set me off was when I tried to explain that I had tried to work with their schedule for the past 4 weeks and now I just wanted it put back up, considering I have been paying for the service while the stupid thing isn't even hooked up!!!!! And the smart a@@ had the nerve to say, "Well we didn't tell you to take it down." At that point, I literally lost it. And I have NEVER gone off on anyone like that. Frank, who was calmly listening to everything, got a look of fear in his eyes. So just for the record, if you are looking for an alarm, I would not recommend them. They kiss your butt when they want you to sign a contract, and then once it's signed their customer service is crappy!!!!!

So then, after I am in a bad mood, Frank starts asking me "When are you going to pick out a paint color for the nursery." So one question to everyone...are husbands really not that smart? I mean honestly, if I had just got done chewing someone out and the horns were clearly protruding from my head, would you ask me if I was able to get a paint color? Bad timing!!!!! And then after he sees the demon coming out again, he tries to back track by saying, what color are you thinking. And I say, either light blue or light green. At which point he says, we'll just go and tell them that's what you want and let's go ahead and get it done. At this point I am thinking if I could plead temporary insanity and avoid the electric chair for killing my husband. Because apparently he has never been to a paint store.....DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY SHADES OF BLUE THERE ARE? So I tell him if he's in a hurry, go pick a color himself. And when I don't like it, it's going to be repainted. At that point, he goes to bed and the demon in me calms down...at least for now.

So poor Frank is living with the devil. The alarm people probably have me on their "Top 5 Most Hated Customers" list (although they deserved getting chewed out). And the horns are still out, b/c I'm still ticked off about my alarm. But now I feel better having vented. And for now, I don't think Frank wants to divorce me. Just 9 more weeks............and hopefully I will be back to normal.

Great Weekend!

2008-02-25T09:26:00.004-05:00

This weekend was really good and productive. I had my living room just about cleaned out on Friday, when Frank began bringing everything from the 'soon-to-be-nursery' into the living room so he could take down wall paper. For the past 2 years we have used this room as our junk room so you can imagine what was in there. And once again, my living room was covered with boxes and piles of stuff to go through. It was emotionally draining just watching him bring everything in and pile it on the floor. Just as I was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel....

So on Saturday morning I started cleaning again. Then Mom came up around lunch time so I could take her to the furniture store and get her opinion on a crib. And she loved it, so I bought a crib and a dresser (and I got an AMAZING deal on the dresser.) Then we went to lunch and went back to my house. Momma felt sorry for me when she saw my living room. It's starting to get difficult to clean for a long period of time. My body starts to hurt from all the bending and standing up on hard wood floors. So Momma said, "I'll help you go through a couple of boxes before I leave." Needless to say my momma was amazing. We had the ENTIRE living room cleaned and all the boxes gone through within 2 hours. I could not have done it without her!!!

And Frank got all the wallpaper taken down. It took 2 days of non-stop work but he did it! I would never tell him this...but I would have never had the patience to do that. But he slaved away and did an amazing job. So now the nursery is ready to be painted...and no I have not picked out a color yet. It's on my extremely long to-do list. But I will get it done. Maybe I need to call momma back up here to help me with that list :-)

THE BIG REVEAL!!!

2008-02-20T10:57:00.005-05:00

After weeks of remodeling...the kitchen is DONE!!! And I am in love! Specifically with...you guessed it...the DISHWASHER!!! We are having to wash everything before putting it up, and I actually washed 12 plates, 8 bowls, 6 glasses, and 14 place settings of silverware at ONE TIME!!!! It would have taken at least 3 loads with the old dishwasher! I am in love. So here goes for the big reveal!

Before...

And After...

This is where the old doorway, pantry and table was before. We closed that doorway in so we could have a wall of cabinets. There it is...my precious new dishwasher! Isn't it pretty! And all the counter space. I am in love!
Notice...no bars on the door! And look at the new pretty window!!! We put new windows in our entire house too.
Our new microwave has a venting system on it, so now we don't have that gosh awful 1938 ventilation fan in the wall!!! If you didn't notcie the fan before...look up at the before pictures. It was hideous!

Words of Wisdom Courtesy of Frank

2008-02-18T15:37:00.007-05:00

Frank Swears he works hard all day long...but somehow I keep getting emails during the day with stuff like this in it. And stuff like this just tickles him too death. (If you click on the images, they'll enlarge so you can read them.)

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T09:58:00.005-05:00

For God so loVed the world,

That He gAve
His onLy
BegottEn
SoN
That whosoever
Believeth In Him
Should Not perish,
But have Everlasting life.”
–John 3:16

I stole this from someone elses blog, but I thought it was appropriate for Valentines. We are so loved and so blessed!

Here are just a few of the things I am most Thankful for on Valentines Day:

Frank: He drives me up the wall the majority of the time, but boy do I love him. I love him so much it hurts!!!!
Baby Tyler: Even though I haven't met you yet, I have already fallen head over heels!
My Momma: She's my best friend, and I can't even begin to express how thankful I am that she's MY MOM!!! I hope I am half as good of a mom as she is. I love her so much.
My Daddy: I will always be a daddy's girl and he knows it!
My Brothers: Growing up with 3 dads was rough...but I sure do love them.
Izzie, Maddie, and Walker: Life is so much fun when they are around. I can't wait for Tyler to be able to play with them.
My Friends: I've got the greatest girlfriends in the World!!!!!

Special Friends

2008-02-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

I have the best group of friends that a girl could EVER ask for. When I began FMU, I never imagined meeting such a special group of people as my ADPi sisters. God knew what he was doing (as always) when he blessed me with each of them. Most people don't keep in touch with their high school or college buddies, but it's amazing how we all come together to help each other celebrate those special times in our lives.

My closest group of 'sisters' threw me a baby shower this month and I was so touched by how many people came. Girls drove in from out of town, and some even left their kids for the afternoon to come and celebrate with me. It meant so much to me. More than they will EVER know!!!! We all became so close in college and it's amazing how after being out of school for 6 years, we are all still close. Many have moved away and yet we still find time to catch up with one another. These truly are the sisters I never had.

Thank you so much for making this day so special and loving my baby before you've even met him. I can't wait for him to meet everyone and know how lucky his mommy is to have such special friends!

What Were We Thinking?

2008-01-25T09:35:00.000-05:00

When Frank and I bought our house, we knew we were going to have to redo the kitchen. It's the room I hate the Most!!! It has a very bad layout and a tiny apartment sized dishwasher that only holds 1 pot, a couple of plates, and a few glasses at a time. So with the baby coming, the dishwasher just isn't going to cut it b/c I hate washing dishes!

So we decided to go for it. Let's just gut the kitchen and redo it before the baby gets here. WHAT WERE WE THINKING!!! Our kitchen is now demolished and our house is COVERED in dust. And they've only begun! We've still got 2.5 weeks to go!!!! Last night we vacuumed and moped everywhere trying to get the dust out. And I know what you are thinking...why did you do that when it's going to get dusty again today. Well between mine and Frank's asthma, and the chance that there is lead in the dust (since it's an old house), we could barely breathe. So we had to get some of it out.

Our house is a complete disaster. We have no kitchen. The rest of the house is piled high with stuff out of the kitchen. And Frank and I are sneezing and coughing like crazy.

But on a brighter note...our new kitchen is going to look amazing!!! Landra did the design and it is going to be much more functional...and the best part is the dishwasher!!! It will be a FULL-SIZED, stainless steel dishwasher that will even sterilize my bottles for me!!!

We took some before pictures, so as soon as it's done I'll post the before and after looks!

The Name Game

2008-01-17T10:32:00.000-05:00

Many of you know that Frank has been driving me up the wall about a name. And he has finally decided on

Tyler MacRoy Branton.

The middle name has a special meaning. It's Frank's grandfather's middle name (Macadoo) and my papa's first name (Roy) put together.

On a funny note: Frank and I went to register at Babies R' Us on Sunday. Frank wanted to register for Tonka trucks and I assured him we were a few years away from this. But it surprised me that he registered for all the saftey stuff: outlet plugs, cabinent locks, etc. And I wouldn't have really pictured him knowing about all of that, so that was a nice surprise. Tonight we are registering at Target, so that should be another adventure. It so much fun picking out baby stuff. I wasn't this excited about registering for our wedding!

2 Years and Counting

2008-01-15T12:23:00.000-05:00

Frank and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary yesterday, and this makes 6 years we've been together...and more importantly, we haven't killed each other yet! We've come close a few times, but no funeral yet.

The second year has been much better than the first. Not that the first was horrible, but it was definitely an adjustment to learn to live with each other after we were both used to having our own place. This year has been full of surprises and lots of fun. It has been neat to watch Frank and I transform into the "husband" and "wife" rolls. We are learning more and more each day and I love being married to him. Now if I could just remind myself of that statement when he comes in the house with dirty boots on after I just got finished sweeping the floors. And for anyone who has hardwood floors in their entire house, you know what I'm talking about. So I guess we're not perfect yet, but we sure do have a lot of fun.

The thing I love most about Frank is even when I am livid, he still makes me laugh. Which aggravates me even more sometimes, but that's just us. He can be so mad at me and I'll start picking on him and he can't help but to bust out laughing. We pick on each other non-stop, and I think that's what makes us work. Laughter. That's our key to avoiding a funeral.

And now that we will soon be parents...I can't wait to see how we do as Mom and Dad. I'm sure laughter will be our key to making that work to.

Frank has some "Concerns"

2008-01-09T14:39:00.000-05:00

Frank completely cracked me up this week. First, I have been trying to find nursery bedding that I really like. And shopping for a little boy is not easy, and I know it will only get harder. Everything is made for GIRLS! And he is so worried about me making the nursery "girly". So he came up with an idea. Frank has a 'boys room' that has several deer on the wall and wildlife pictures up. He thinks we should turn the 'boys room' into the nursery and leave the deer on the wall and do camo crib bedding!!!! Ahmmm....I don't think so!!! He wants my sweet baby boy to learn to hunt before he even walks!!!

So then after this conversation of "Frank, you're getting your little boy, so just let me have my fun doing the nursery." Frank looks at me with this concerned look and says, "I'm really worried about you." And I ask him why, b/c to my knowledge I haven't had any psycho moments lately. And he says, "I don't know what you are going to do when you don't have anything in common with the baby." And he is DEAD SERIOUS!!!! And I bust out laughing. And he says, "I'm seriuos. What are you going to do when all he wants to do is go fishing with his daddy." My response: I'm going to let him! And momma is going to go shopping and get a pedicure!

So that's my funny story of the day. Frank has even asked me how soon is he going to be able to 'load the baby in the truck' (like he's a bag of deer corn or something) and go off with him. I said he could take him after the first week :-)

Oooohhhh....this is going to be such an adventure. I will now have 2 children to raise! HA!

Christmas

2008-01-04T14:24:00.000-05:00

Now that things have finally settled down, I can finally talk about Christmas. It was a whirlwind. Frank and I are still recovering. The Sunday before Christmas we went down and spent the day with Frank's dad and his family and really enjoyed ourselves. On Christmas Eve, we headed to the beach to see my family and had so much fun. It was so neat watching the little ones get so excited. And that got Frank and I excited about have our little boy next Christmas. We can't even wait. Izzie was probablly the funniest to watch...everything was "Oooohhhh, Aaggghhhhh" and she would get so excited about opening presents that she had to open other people's presents too. On Christmas Day, we went to Frank's mom's house and spent time with his family. It was nice having everyone together and spending time catching up.

Before Christmas, we had the best time at our annual "Progressive Dinner" that has stopped being so progressive now that there are so many little ones. Frank and I have the best group of friends and love getting together. Now there are so many kids, that Frank says we just need to rent out a daycare center next year. And we had a very special visitor...SANTA! But it's funny, b/c Frank somehow disappeared while Santa was there :-) Here are some pictures. Some of the kids loved Santa, while others just weren't too sure. And I got to sit on Santa's lap too and even got a kiss....I'm glad Frank didn't see that.

Sweetest Gift of All

2007-12-27T13:55:00.000-05:00

Baby Branton moved!!! I was so excited I could barely contain myself. Saturday night I was laying on the couch half asleep when I felt something 'thump' me. At first I woke up thinking Frank did it, but I was by myself. And it thumped my stomach again, almost as if to say "Mom, it's me...I'm down here!" I was so excited and I couldn't wait for Frank to get home so I could tell him.

Now he is moving and squirming all day long. I can be in a complete daze and I will feel him move and it reminds me that I have a sweet little baby inside of me. It may be strange, but some mornings I would wake up and forget that I was pregnant because the only evidence was a growing belly. But now I feel pregnant.

So Baby Branton gave his momma the sweetest gift of all for Christmas!! Now I can't wait to meet my little man.

I'll post pictures of my growing belly and Christmas in a few days, but I couldn't wait to share my exciting news!!!

Great Check Up

2007-12-14T11:02:00.000-05:00

I had my 20 week check up today and everything is looking great. The baby's heartbeat was 157, so we've got a strong little guy in there. I still haven't felt him move, but my doctor said that should happen any day now. Probablly next week while I am in Disney World.

I promise I will post pictures next week so everyone can see my growing my belly. It's starting to really stick out there. I've only gained 2lbs. since my last check-up, but my doctor told me it's all baby. And from here on out, he said I will probably begin gaining 1 pound per week. So I should probablly go ahead and wave bye-bye to my feet, b/c after this month, I won't be seeing them for a while :-)

It's A...

2007-11-26T09:58:00.001-05:00

It's A BOY!!!!!

Frank is bouncing off the walls with excitement. He's already talking about tee-ball teams, boy scouts, and hunting. It cracks me up just listening to him. The baby got his first camouflage outfit from my sister-in-law Crystal, and Frank just beamed when I showed it to him. I think he would do the entire nursery in camo if I let him. Crystal also picked up a lion costume for him---and what ADPi would not LOVE this. Frank on the other hand was not thrilled. He said he needed to be something more "manly---like a deer or something." Now let me remind every one that our little boy will only be 6 months next Halloween...but his daddy already wants him to be a man. HA! How funny is that.

I on the other hand am thrilled about having a momma's boy. I can't wait to cuddle up with him. It's hard to believe that at this time next year, I will be a mommy. (Kind of scary too.)

And I am so excited too about our good friends Brent and DeAnn having a little boy as well. DeAnn is about 2 weeks ahead of me, so our baby will have a best bud from day 1. And it seems like so many of our friends have little boys, that Frank will have no problem recruiting for his tee-ball team!

Who Shrunk My Clothes?

2007-11-01T11:03:00.001-04:00

Well this is the first week I can actually say my pants are snug. To be completely honest, I'm actually sitting at my desk with my pants unbuttoned. It's really hit all of a sudden. Last week my clothes fit fine. I choose to believe that Frank accidentally dried my jeans and they shrank. But deep down inside I know the truth...baby butterbean is growing strong. And it only gets bigger from here!

The all day sickness is easing off. Now I only get sick in the mornings, which is extremely nice. I still don't have much of an appetite. I do however love sweets right now. I made funfetti cupcakes for Halloween....they lasted a day. I had no self control. Although I did have some help since Frank couldn't let me eat alone. I actually had cupcakes for supper! How sad is that. Hmmmm....maybe that's why my clothes are snug today......

Everything Looks Great

2007-10-24T12:52:00.000-04:00

I just had my 12 week checkup and everything went well. I've gained .9 lbs this month, so that was wonderful news! I heard the baby's heartbeat and Dr. Coker said it was really strong. That was exciting. The best news of all...I get to find out what I am having at my 16 week checkup, which happens to be the day before Thanksgiving! That's going to make the 'day after Thanksgiving' shopping a complete blast! I can not wait....this is going to be so exciting.

When Will It End....

2007-10-22T10:27:00.000-04:00

The morning sickness is starting to ease up. I still get sick about 2-3 times a day, but nothing like it was. But now the tiredness has set in. I thought this was the one thing I was going to skip, but this past week has been awful. I feel so lazy. I sleep in, lay on the couch, take a shower, and then I have to take a nap. My house is in desperate need of a cleaning, but I have no desire to get off the couch. Is this normal?? I have my 12-week check up on Wednesday and I hope Dr. Phillips can give me some advice on how to increase my energy.

Some of you have asked me what my cravings are, and to my disappointment, food in general does nothing for me right now. It's become a chore to eat. And for someone who normally LOVES to eat...this is quite a change. I'm ready for the 'good symptoms' of pregnancy to start kicking in.

Chinese Prediction...

2007-10-19T15:54:00.000-04:00

In the past, whenever one of my friends gets pregnant, we always look at the Chinese Calendar to see what they are having. And to my surpise, it has always been accurate for us. So I finally found the Chinese calendar online, thanks to Ashley, and it says....

Baby Branton will be a BOY!!!

So...we'll have to wait a little longer to see how accurate it is. Here's the link to the calendar if anyone wants to take a look.

http://www.thelaboroflove.com/chart/cal.html

Girl or Boy?

2007-10-10T11:06:00.000-04:00

Everyone keeps asking me if I want a girl or boy. And it's the strangest thing, because for forever I've always said I wanted a little girl. But now I am not sure. Of course the decision isn't up to me, but I honestly think I will be thrilled either way. When I found out I was pregnant, I immediately started calling the baby "He". I told myself that I was going to go ahead and assume it was a boy, that way I wouldn't get my heart set on a little girl and get disappointed. But as time passes, I am beginning to think a little boy would be so much fun.

My little girl wish most likely stems from my close relationship with my niece Madison. She was the little sister I never had. I dressed her up, put make up on her, painted finger nails and did all that girly stuff. And now that she's almost 10, we're still close. We even call each other each week during "Dancing with the Stars" and talk about the dresses all the girls wear. And now I have another niece, Isabella, who I call Izzie. And now that she is 22 months old, she is quickly becoming a girly girl too! I love it. She prances around in my high heels and gives the sweetest little kisses followed by a hug that just steals my heart! Me, Izzie, and Maddie are going to be 3 trouble makers together...I can already tell!

But then there's my nephew Walker, who I swear has the most tender heart out of everyone. He is all boy. He loves playing video games and lets me play with him, until I start losing. Then he takes away the control and explains if I can't play right, then he's not going to let me play. HA! How funny is that. And he has the biggest vocabulary---everything is beautiful, or exceptional. He is so smart.

So I have been surrounded by these 3 forever, and when I got married, I became an Aunt to Mary Katherine. She's a little explorer...always wanting to know why something happened, or how something happened. She loves My Little Pony, Dora, and all things girly. And she reminds me so much of Frank it is not even funny! She acts like him and I swear she looks like him, although I know she looks just like her mom and dad, I swear I can see Frank in her. After my mom saw her for the first time, she said "I know what your kids will look like." And Frank purposely aggravates her sometimes. I keep telling him to leave her alone b/c Mary Alice is going to pay us back one day. And that day is almost here! And now Baby Will is here. Only 9 weeks old. I am so curious to see if he turns out to be a little hunter like his daddy and Uncle Frank.

So as you can see, I have such a mixture in my family. I thought I wanted a little girl...but now I think I would be happy either way. I just can't wait to meet our little one. I am getting so excited!

Meet Our Little One!

2007-09-26T12:22:00.001-04:00

Frank and I had our ultrasound today and this is our little baby. He is 8 weeks and 6 days old and we even heard the heartbeat! It was beating 152 times per minute! It was really neat seeing a tiny little baby, that actually looks like a baby. You can see the head and the body really good. My baby already knows how to strike a pose! Takes after it's momma!

Also at today's doctor appointment, I begged for drugs to cure my morning, noon, and night sickness. The doctor weighed me and I have lost 3.5lbs in 2 weeks. So he wrote out a perscription. But my main question....why can't I loose weight when I'm not pregnant? It just isn't fair. But I'll take this as another blessing my little one is bringing me. :-)

Baby Butterbean

2007-09-25T13:15:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow Frank and I will get to see our baby butterbean. We have an appointment for an ultrasound at 9:30 and we should get a more accurate due date. I didn't think I would be nervous but I really am. I am hoping they will give me some medicine for my Morning, Noon and Night Sickness. This baby is already grounded for a week for making me sick! HA!!!!

As for the "Is it a Boy of Girl" vote.....it's 6 to 5 favoring a girl. I think Frank would be completely devastated if he doesn't get his little "Tank". But mommy would be tickled pink!

Frank is really getting into this baby stuff. He was watching a show on babies inside the womb, and it was showing how babies learn flavors based on what their mommy's eat. He said butterbean is going to love chicken fingers. Which to everyone's surprise...I have not wanted chicken AT ALL!!!! Mashed potatos and corn though....that's another story.

I'll let everyone know how butterbean is doing tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed!

The Shock of a Lifetime!

2007-09-21T15:02:00.000-04:00

Most of you know that Frank and I weren't expecting a little bundle of joy any time soon. Or I should say, I wasn't really planning on it but Frank has been hoping and praying since the day we said "I DO". I was thinking more along the lines of maybe trying next year....the end of next year to be exact. But some of the greatest blessings in the world are also the biggest surprises of our lives. You see...this is how we found out.

I went to the doctor for a small kidney infection and he was writing a perscription when he casually asked, "You're not pregnant are you?" and I said, "I'm 99% sure I am not pregnant." When I asked him why he was asking he said the medication he was perscribing has been know to cause birth defects. I left his office and went to CVS and never gave it much thought until I was walking out the store and thought....hmmmm, I better double check since it causes birth defects. So I went back inside and bought the cheapest test I could find.

I then swung by my house on the way back to work, because again, I was 99% sure I wasn't pregnant. Well let's just say it only took .5 seconds for that pink line to show up. I was in complete shock. I immediately called my doctors office b/c I was positive it was the kidney infection that caused the positive test. I went back to work and waited. I knew it wasn't a good sign when the doctor himself called back to congratulate me on my good news.

So after it all sunk in, I am very excited. Frank was bouncing off the walls from the first minute I told him. I on the other hand kept thinking, "Oh my gosh...I am going to be responsible for another life." But the more I thought and prayed about it, I realized that although this baby is a surprise, it's also the biggest blessing God has ever given me.