Dear Sweet Lilly-Bug,

I am baffled... how has it been six months already?  I am convinced that with every child that comes into a family, time speeds up exponentially... and if I could, I would keep you just as you are for awhile longer.

I never really had the fear that some moms get before their second child is born.  I have heard of mothers who worry that they will never be able to love a second child as much as they love the first.  I somehow knew all along how capable of loving you I would be, even if I had to "share" the love with your brother, but I am in awe of how much I can love you.  Boys and girls are different... I already knew that.  And I love your brother to bits, but with you it's just... well... different.  When you came along I just wanted to hang onto you and never let you go.  I want to protect you from the world by keeping you all to myself.  I want to cuddle you until you won't let me (which is what I fully intend to do) and squeeze those sweet cheeks until they turn red.  You are so incredibly cute that I could eat you up... and I can never get enough.  You're a borderline obsession for me, and I'm okay with that.

I think a big part of this has to do with your personality- talk about laid back!  I used to say that your brother was an easy baby, and I still think that he was in a lot of ways, but you redefined what an easy baby is for me.  Nothing ever ruffles your feathers and all you want in life is to be talked to and smiled at.  If you do get fussy, it's usually because those things aren't happening and even if I just pass by and talk to you for a minute, your whole face lights up.  And your smile is just about the prettiest thing I've ever seen... and we see a lot of it.  You are so very alert and watch everything that goes on around you.  I am always impressed that you can spot me from across the room and know who I am, even from far distances.  It melts my heart every time.  You also love to watch your brother, and he makes you laugh the most.  In the rare moments (that are becoming more frequent) that he comes over and talk to you or pats you on the belly, you giggle yourself into fits.  I'm still trying to catch it on video and will hopefully be successful eventually.  You are truly his biggest fan and nothing makes a mama happier.  We've already taken you on a long car trip and an airplane ride and you've proven to be a champ at world traveling.  Aside from pooping up your back (which is your favorite thing to do apparently), we hardly even knew you were with us!  You even fall asleep when you're being carried through the airport in the Moby wrap... now that's impressive!

Another "rumor" about the second child is that they get the short end of the stick a lot.  While it is probably true that I do not have fourteen thousand of the same picture of you sitting in your bouncy chair like I have of Jake, you are so much more spoiled in other ways.  Because I've done this before, I have parented you without fear that I would do something wrong.  I have gone with my own instincts, even when they aren't "by the book."  I also understand now how quickly you'll go from being my baby to a non-stop toddler, so I try and cherish the baby-moments before they're gone.  So with that, I rock you to sleep just about every night, and if it spoils you to the point that I'll be paying for it later I'm okay with that.  When you fuss in the middle of the night I pull you into bed with me, and you sleep soundly between me and your daddy until the morning.  On many occasions, you even start out there.  I know it might develop bad habits later, but we'll deal with that when the time comes.  Waking up right next to your smiling face is worth it... and you smile the biggest in the morning!  Someday you may not want to snuggle so I'm going to get it all in while I can.  You are a night owl and generally don't go down for the night until close to 10 (which would explain why I am always exhausted!), get up around 4 to eat, and then love to sleep in until 8 or 9.  You are definitely my kid in that way.

As for what you're up to these days, well, you're moving at your own pace.  Another benefit of being the second child is that we're not always "pushing" you to do the next thing.  Nope... there is no rush at all.  For the longest time you were just content laying in one spot.  There were days when I thought you would never roll over.  And then on your 4-month birthday, you did it!  Both ways!  And you've been rolling back and forth across the living room ever since.  You recently enjoy sitting up to play with your toys, but cannot get into the position on your own.  You'll topple over occasionally, so we usually put the Boppy pillow behind you for support.  And over this past week you've spent a lot of time on all fours rocking back and forth.  I'm not quite ready to have you crawling all over the place, but it will happen before I know it.

Let's see... what else?  Oh yes, those deliciously chubby thighs... we say that you have rolls on top of your rolls... and everyone loves them so much.  I'm curious to see what you weigh (we have our doctor appointment this Friday) and am impressed that you are so round on breast milk alone, with an occasional bottle of formula.  We've put off solid food only because you are so content with the milk, but we'll probably introduce it in the coming weeks.  The only other thing you have tried is some rice cereal and peas, and you liked both.  Your roundness has you wearing 9 month clothes already and I'm trying to use up the rest of the size 3 diapers so that we can move you up to 4's.  Your brother is in 5's, so the thought of this is killing me.  Your eyes are still a mystery color and I think they'll be gray-ish like your Aunt Mindy's.  Your hair is always in your eyes, but it is a beautiful auburn color that looks red in the sunlight.  As the only girl cousin on this side of the family, you're admired a lot.  I feel like this will always be the case and might cause some problems in your teenage years, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.  For now, I'm okay with everyone fawning all over you... you really are that cute.  You have your daddy wrapped around your finger and it doesn't help things that the only sounds you really make are "da-da."  Yep, he's smitten... and it's the cutest thing ever.  Speaking of smitten, both of your grandpa's and your uncles are, too... you are one lucky little girl.

Sweet angel, I could go on and on and on for days about you.  You have proven that second babies are just as special and loved as first ones are, in some ways even more so.  I cannot believe how in love with you I am, and that love just grows bigger everyday.  Thank you for being so sweet and loving all the time.  Thank you for making my day everyday.  And thank you for being mine.  I am one lucky mama.  Happy half-year birthday, baby girl.  Now do me a favor and make sure the next half goes by a little bit slower.

Forever and ever (which is how I sign letters to your daddy, and now to Jake and you!),

Mommy

6 months

4 months

1 month

Jake's Birthday Express No. 2

"It's a train-a!" 

Jake loves trains.  Or "train-a's" as he calls them.  No, seriously... it's L-O-V-E.  Almost to an unhealthy level.  As in, his Thomas and Percy engines are in his hands 99% of the time.  They are on the table at meal time, in the tub at bath time, in the car when we're going places, and in his bed at night.  Obsessed?  Maybe.  So with this in mind, we made birthday party #2 all about trains!  For starters, my super-talented sister, Mindy, made the invitations once again this year.  I'm referring to the cute invitations that look like old-fashioned train tickets that she so lovingly designed for me.  What?  You didn't get yours?  Oh that's right... I literally forgot to mail them.  Or hand them out.  Yeah, having two children in two years has officially destroyed my brain cells, so here is what you missed:

Next up?  The cake of course!  My mom made all of our cakes growing up, so I was bound and determined to do the same as soon as Jake came along.  And apparently I can't just buy a pan and decorate a pre-made design.  Nope, that would be too easy.  I of course have to come up with my own original concept and design and make it far more complicated than it probably should be... but also so much more fun!  So using the same concept that my (same... again, very talented) sister and I used to make her son's firetruck cake (seen here), I set out to make my very own Thomas the Train cake.  Midway through construction, I admit I had my doubts:

But... I think in the end we pulled it off!  My other sister, Angie, was kind enough to help my tired hands out by adding icing about half of it.  And both of them helped me make all of the green-themed food since the party fell on St. Patty's Day this year.  Here's the final product and the spread... my favorite were the fruit skewers (behind the cake):

The party was originally supposed to be at the park, but with a forecast calling for rain, we decided the night before just to have it here at the house.  Knowing that there would be a lot of kids of all ages, Josh looked into the possibility of getting a bounce house.  I knew as soon as he picked up the phone that we would end up with one.  What I did not know is that it would be huge!  So yes, we are officially "that" family.  I think my favorite part of the day though was right after it was delivered.  We were all still in our pajamas and Mindy and Jake's cousin Adam had spent the night.  Our families got our own private bounce time... it was priceless:

I have to admit, that purchase was the best decision of the day.  Our living room is pretty small and this kept the chaos outdoors.  So while the kids did this:

(By the way... a bubble machine = the best present EVER for a 2-year-old!

 The rest of us hung out and, well, admired Lilly mostly.  That child never gets tired of an audience:

Oh yeah, somewhere in the mix we had cake, ice cream, and presents, too, of course!

All in all, I think that Jake's second birthday party was pretty much as good as it gets for a toddler!  And even better, the adults had fun, too!  Even though I still can't quite believe he's another year older, I love making birthdays special... it's how they should be.  And my little Jakie is about as special as they come!

Happy birthday, little man!  

We love you more and more with every passing day!

Oh, and in case you're wondering... Jake's (and Adam's) shirts were made once again by my friend Jenny.  You can check out her blog here!

Here's Looking at TWO!

Two years ago at 11:20 PM on March 15th, my world changed forever... and I cannot remember life without this little guy.  At two Jake is a ball of energy, babbling non-stop in a language we only understand part of, climbing on everything (with amazing balance and spacial awareness I might add), loving trains, and giving kisses when asked.  Although I'm always a bit sad to see him growing up so darn fast, I love watching him grow, change, and learn.  I know that if I could freeze time like I always say I wish I could, I would spend my time being sad that I would never know what he'd grow up to be.  And if you ask us, this kid is going to change the world.  If he sees a stage, he's on it.  He can preach a sermon with such intensity that even though we don't know what he's saying (yet), he sure is convincing.  Our little fire cracker keeps me laughing everyday (and sometimes makes me want to pull my hair out) but I love him just the same.  I thought that this would be a good year to start "birthday interviews" where I would ask some of the same questions each year and record the answers, but apparently that was not part of Jake's plan.  However, this video captures our little boy perfectly at two... he babbles a lot, does NOT sit still, gets distracted if there is a toy around, and is always on the go. 

The happiest of birthdays to you, baby boy!  

Words can not express how much we love you and how proud we are to be your parents!

Happy Birthday To...

ME!!!

On Tuesday I turned the ripe old age of 31...

I have a husband who loves me unconditionally, accepts me for who I am, and encourages me to be a better version of myself everyday.

I am helping said husband accomplish his dream of planting a church... and though it's been trying at times, God has truly been moving and I cannot wait to see who he sends us when we open our doors on February 12th... less than a month away!

I have a great job in a not-so-great economy that allows me to work from home, which also allows me to spend more time with my kiddos.

Speaking of kiddos, I have two of the most amazing, beautiful, kissable, wonderful babies that God has entrusted me to care for in this life.  Jake and Lil are my world.

I have a a mom and a dad who are still married and am super-close with both of my sisters and their husbands and children.  We're a fun bunch to be around (in my opinion).

When I married Josh, I gained another family, and I love them all to pieces.  They are also a very fun bunch, and about ten times louder (which explains a lot about Josh's personality)!

I have come to a place where I firmly know who I am, what I will and will not stand for, what I believe, and what is truly important.  I definitely could not say that about myself 10, or even 5, years ago.

I am a child of God, no matter what the numbers of my age say.

I am... BLESSED.  Next time you ever hear me complain, please direct me to this post.  Oh, and make me watch this video:

Yes... I think I'm going to like my thirties JUST fine.

Ohhhh... dancin' in September!

Random title, I know.  It's just that every September I can't seem to get Earth, Wind, and Fire out of my head, so I thought I'd get it stuck in your head today, too!  At the start of this month, I was convinced that I was going to be a great blogger because so much has been going on!  What I didn't account for is that since so much has been going on, I don't find a whole heck of time to blog!  Not to mention that I've been working my tail off to try and wrap things up with work before maternity leave.  So alas, although my intentions were good, here is everything (well, not everything... but close enough) wrapped up into one blog post.  Here's what we've been up to this month so far:

We've been having more fun times with the family... Jake is loving all of the fun with cousin Adam!

 Enjoying the last days of summer... although it already feels like fall (and we're loving it)!

Crafting!  A few weeks ago Josh took Jake down to Georgia for a couple of nights to help his dad move up here (hooray for having more family in town!) so I drove up to Cincinnati to stay with Mindy and Adam for a couple of days, since her hubby was on a trip, too.  We stayed up way late one day working on some fun projects with my friend from my UT days, Laura.  Together they made this beautiful cushion for the bench in our entryway:

And here it is up close.  We almost didn't have enough fabric (HA!) but it came out beautifully and I love it!  It makes such a difference since the bench was just boring and plain before.  Now our shoes have a place to live!

While they worked on that, I had a project of my own.  Since Jake has his name spelled out in his room (remember this?):

Well, they actually don't hang like that in his new room, but you get the picture.  I knew that Miss Lillian needed letters of her own, so while I originally just planned on painting them white, Mindy and Laura had ideas of their own and introduced me to the (very messy) art of Mod Podge (which I had never even heard of!).  So we started with plain wooden letters, scrapbook paper, Mod Podge glue, and a paint brush...

And after a few hours of (extremely) tedious and messy work, ended up with these beauties:

And yes, that is my belly peeking into the picture!  We used 3 different combinations of the paper... here they are up close:

I love the outcome despite the meticulous work they required.  The project itself was actually pretty easy- a lot like paper mache actually- but my one word of advice is to avoid doing this to anything with any grooves or beveled edges.  These letters had both, which slowed me down a bit.  Oh, and we did spray paint them white first, just in case we didn't get paper on every part.  My sister is already looking for something new to Mod Podge.  Me?  I'm taking a break for awhile, although I'm sure I'll do it again in the future to a picture frame or something to match her room.

Speaking of arts and crafts, our son is very into Crayons lately.  Here is his latest artwork:

Jake's Pawpaw was watching him when he got away with this!  The funny part of the story is that when we got home and asked Jake, "who did this?" he said "Pawpaw!"  What a stinker!  Luckily I had a spare can of wall paint to cover it up again and we're now working on, "Jake, where do we color?"  "On paper!"  The message still has not sunk in.

Wow, like I said, September has been a full month.  Last Sunday night I took my most favorite person in the world on a date night for his birthday to see Rob Schneider at the comedy club here in town and then we had a nice dinner outside.  His comedy was great... we highly recommend seeing the show if you ever have the chance!  After the show, he was nice enough to do a meet and greet with everyone there.  Josh and I decided that he has got to be one of the nicest celebrities ever!  He talked to us for a good three or four minutes, asking when the baby is due and congratulating us on her arrival.  He even rubbed my belly and told me I looked fantastic... always a nice thing to hear at nine months pregnant! 

Other than that, we've just been enjoying our last days as a family of three.  As excited as I am to have our daughter join us, there is a part of me that is a little bit sad that Jake won't be our only one... I know it sounds silly, but he's been my little buddy since day one and it's just me and him on a lot of days.  I don't worry about having enough love for the both of them considering that every parent in the world will tell you that there is more than enough, but sharing my time will be an adjustment, especially since he's a bit of a mama's boy.  But we'll get through it... every family does.  And as long as he keeps entertaining us with bits like this, it will be all smiles in Mauneyland:

The fun just doesn't stop... my Mom arrived into town last night as well as Michael, Mindy, and Adam, who will be down again next weekend in the hopes that Lilly might decide to make an appearance before or during their visit.  Tonight we are having friends over for Josh's 29th birthday celebration while we cheer on the Vols and the Cats and tomorrow Josh will be preaching again, which is what he loves to do most.  I can't wait.  And then next week, we should probably all slow down a bit (yeah, right!), take it easy, and do a lot of this in preparation for baby #2:

So that wraps up the first half of the month and I know the second half will be even more exciting as our due date approaches.  The family is here now so she has full permission to arrive anytime now!  Stay tuned...    :)

Surprise!

Before marriage, a family, and all the fun that comes with this season of life, many of my weekends were spent with my girlfriends.  In Florida, I was so fortunate to find a great group of gals so surround myself with, and about four times a year we'd pile in the car and head out of town.  Well actually, we always went to Disney, but we never got tired of it!  I miss those trips, and even though I had some new great girlfriends when we lived in Illinois, I was knee-deep in pregnancy and dirty diapers during those two years that a trip with them just never panned out (yet, right?  You know who you are!).  So I was ecstatic when an opportunity for one of those rare girls' trips came up two weeks ago... this time with an old friend who I haven't seen in awhile and my best friend since high school.

The South Florida crew... and Pluto

Aside from living near family now, I have also quickly found that it's equally as lovely to be near some old friends.  As a graduate of the University of Tennessee (go Vols!... that statement could get me killed around here, but it's a risk I'm willing to take) we are now about two and a half hours away from Knoxville.  Even though most of us grads did not stay in K-town after graduation, all of my closest friends from those years seem to be within three hours of the place.  Once I graduated I spent five years in south Florida and the next two in Small Town, Illinois, so needless to say, I have not lived within driving distance for quite awhile.

About three weeks ago, my best friend's boyfriend sent out a mass email with plans for my best friend's big 30th birthday bash.  We had literally just moved into the house, but I knew immediately that I wanted to be there.  Elizabeth is probably winning in the who visits who more tally, and she even surprised me to be there for my bridal shower a couple of years back.  Yep, she's the best.  The party would be in downtown Atlanta, about six hours away, and Josh and I knew that we just couldn't get away for an entire weekend.  I was bummed because I knew that I didn't want to go all that way by myself, especially at 33 weeks pregnant!

Not long after that, my friend Kristen and I started emailing each other to see if the other was going.  Kristen was Elizabeth's college roommate (as was I in different years) and is honestly one of the nicest people in the universe.  If someone doesn't like Kristen, then they have serious problems... but I digress.  Up until this point, it had been a little over five years since we had seen one another, even though we keep up with one another on Facebook and in the blog world.  She mentioned that she was trying to work it out so that she could go, but would probably have to go alone so that her kiddos could stay home with their daddy.  And so from there, a plan was born!

Last weekend, I drove about four and a half hours to Chattanooga and met Kristen at a random hospital that we found on Google maps.  It was close to the Interstate, and a hospital was the safest place we could think of to leave a car overnight.  I'm not sure if I was more excited to surprise Elizabeth, or to see Kristen!  Because of some traffic snafus, we estimated that we would be at the restaurant about an hour late, so we texted Dara and let him know.  Kristen thought that Elizabeth might have had an inkling that she was coming, since she mentioned that she was trying to figure out a way to be there the last time they chatted, but we figured that if we were late, she would lose all hope... not part of the original plan, but sneaky sneaky on our part!  The drive to Atlanta went much faster than the rest of it had since we had such a great time catching up and we were downtown in no time!  We realized that we both needed to changes and scoped out the surrounding area for someplace that we could run in and use their restroom.  Feeling a bit awkward about that, we ended up in a non-crowded area of the mall parking garage and changed in the car!  I have to say, what sounded like an easy task proved to be quite a bit more difficult than usual with this belly of mine, but I managed.  We both put on some make-up and headed to the restaurant, arriving exactly an hour late.  Perfect.

The actual surprise itself could not have worked out more perfectly.  As we wandered through the restaurant looking for a big party, we saw two long tables flanked by balloons and figured that it must be them.  I spotted Dara right away and  noticed that Elizabeth was sitting right next to him, with her back turned to us.  Convenient!  We walked right up to her and tapped her on the shoulder.  When she turned around, she let out the loudest squeal, right in the middle of the restaurant!  We also  got hugs and a few happy tears, which was awesome and made the drive totally worth our while.  We were told later that some of her friends at the other end of the table thought that she had seen a mouse or something based on her unexpected scream!  BEST. REACTION. EVER.  She was absolutely giddy with excitement as she introduced us to everyone and her friends were kind enough to scoot down a bit so we could sit next to the guest of honor.  Again, our timing could not have been better considering that the waitress came around to take everyone's order about five minutes after our arrival.

Elizabeth, Kristen, and Me... back together again!

Dinner was delicious (sushi, which I rarely get... yum!  And don't worry, mine were cooked to keep the little one safe and healthy) and then we headed over to an upscale Irish pub nearby.  The place was really nice and not too crowded, which I appreciated, and we found a table and sat right away.  As the others in the group mingled with one another, Kristen and I just sat and caught up some more, even though we found that being blogging buddies over the years has made it feel like we had chatted last week!  It's funny how I feel closer to some of my blogging buddies than I do to some of my close friends that live far away.... just another great reason to not be so lazy and continue with mine I guess!  By quarter 'til one, the two of us were probably visibly tired and just trying not to show it and so we were happy when Elizabeth came over and said that she was ready to call it a night.  By the time we got back to her place it was already after 1:30am and I must say, I was quite proud of myself for hanging in there because this mama likes her sleep!  It was worth it to celebrate with my best friend though!

We would have loved to stay longer, but we had to head out pretty early the next morning as we both had things that we needed to get back home for.  On our way though we did spend about two hours at another friends' baby shower in Chattanooga (another one I hadn't seen for years) and there were some other familiar faces there, too.  It was just amazing to see some folks that I hadn't seen in a long time, hear about the great places their lives have taken them, and learn about their families.  It filled my heart with so much joy.

Needless to say, when I finally arrived home Saturday afternoon, I was pretty exhausted.  I managed to catch a little nap before we headed back out for the evening and actually felt pretty good for the remainder of the weekend!  I also realized later that this was officially Lilly's first girls' trip, too, and it makes me very excited to think about the trip that we will take together someday.  I used to get a little bit sad thinking about Jake going off with Daddy for a weekend of fishing or camping, but I know that this will be a big, special part of his life someday.  He is my little man and I know that I'll miss him like crazy and wish that I could be there, too.  But now I realize that on those weekends, I will have some girl-time with my little one where we can go have our fun, too!

O-N-E

My dearest Jakie-boy,

It seems like just yesterday we were anxiously awaiting your arrival and feeling like your birthday would never get here.  And now, before my very eyes, you have grown into my sweet little one-year-old and I already wonder where the time went.  Some days seemed incredibly long, especially there at the beginning, but now looking back it all went by too fast.  I hardly even remember you as a squishy little newborn anymore, which is good since it means that we are living in the moment.  Since I know every year from here on out will go by just as fast, if not faster, here are some things that I want to remember about you at one:

• Although you walk everywhere you go, you do still lose your balance on occassion and get very clumsy when you're tired.  Watching you catch your balance always makes us laugh.
• You look at lights and fans and say "dah."  I'm not sure what it means... Aunt Mindy thinks you're saying "that."  Although when we say "where's the fan" you can look up to find it, so who knows.
• Your other words include mama, dada, ball (ba), book (buh), and dog (da).  Your favorite word is probably "dada" though and you chatter a lot.  You recently learned how to answer, "What does a cow say?" with "Oooooooh!"  So cute!
• If we turn on music you always inevitably bop up and down to it, dancing to the beat.  I have a few videos, but have not yet figured out how to upload them yet.  Any time you hear music you stop what you're doing and try to figure out where it's coming from.
• You walk around church like you own the place, and always beeline for the stage.  If I have you in the sanctuary, you're very good through worship and then try to talk over Daddy as soon as he gets up there.
• You LOVE water.  The tub, the dog bowl, the toilet (ugh!), and even just spilled water on the floor.  Once we dripped some on the kitchen floor when doing dishes and you tried to lay and roll in it!
• You have figured out how to turn up the volume on the system downstairs.  You like it LOUD and we are constantly fighting you with the remote to keep it at an acceptable volume.  I already see a long future of me telling you to "TURN THAT MUSIC DOWN!!!"
• You are such a good sharer!  You are always trying to share your food with us and you sweetly gave your cousin Adam any toy you were playing with when we visited last week.
• You also love babies (thank goodness since we have one coming!).  You practically try to climb in the carseat with them!
• You have quite the temper, but only when we try to take something away from you or close a door when you want to go in that room (mainly the bathroom).  You basically scream at the top of your lungs for a few seconds and then you're over it.
• You eat just about anything with vigor.  Grapes are probably your favorite though!
• You sleep great, too!  You go right down for your naps with no fuss and wake up with a smile on your face.
• Stairs are just too much fun!  You get up them rather quickly and recently learned how to slide down them on your belly.
• You are ALL BOY.  You love to be outside in any weather or temperature and it immediately makes you happy, no matter what mood you were in.  You love to play in dirt, sand, or whatever else can get you dirty.
• You have a healthy obsession with books, which I love!  I didn't think you'd ever sit still long enough, but now we can read one or two before bed and you almost always choose a book over a toy when you're playing by yourself (which you're very good at).
• You've recently started hiding things (like your cousin and friend Cai do!).  I found a toy phone in the hamper today, a tube of drop-ins in the refrigerator, a mega-block in the dishwasher, and a can of hairspray in the toilet.  That one was my favorite.

Oh my I could go on and on and on and on.  It's amazing how much love your daddy and I have for you... it's completely immeasurable.  And every day we love you more.  At every month I look at you and say, "this age is my favorite" and I hope that continues.  I miss my squishy newborn but I love the little boy that you are.  You are so very special and I can already see so much of your daddy's drive and ambition... you will do great things, my son, and I am already so incredibly proud of you.  No matter where life takes you, just know that you are loved tremendously.  Never stop being my sweet-natured, happy, curious, lively little boy.

Happy birthday, baby boy.

Love, Mommy

Adam is ONE!

When people tell you that kids grow up too fast, they aren't kidding! When my sister, Mindy, was pregnant last year, it felt as if the wait was forever long for her kiddo to make his debut. But as soon as he got here, it seems as if 365 days have flown by in the blink of an eye. But one year ago today, I got one of the best text messages that I have ever received along with this picture:

Adam Robert Moreland had arrived! He was quite possibly the most "grown-up" looking newborn we had ever seen (probably due to all that hair he had!), but he was oh-so beautiful! I couldn't wait to squeeze him and it made me even more excited to meet our little one.

Seven weeks later, Jacob came along and much time was spent on the phone with Mindy as we shared stories. It's funny to me now, actually, because when Josh and I found out we were expecting we were actually a little afraid to tell my sister! She and her husband had been married for three years and this would be their first baby, so it felt a bit like we were stealing their thunder considering we had been married for all of two minutes. But as soon as we had them together for the first time, we just knew how special it would be for them to always have a cousin the same age. When Adam was ten weeks and Jake was three weeks old, they met for the first time... although, Jake looks nothing like himself. Adam, on the other hand, looks identical to the day he was born!

Even with her being in Florida and us way up here in Illinois, we got together when we could. We saw each other briefly in Georgia last summer (shown below) and then again in October when we "met in the middle" in Kentucky. And of course, the boys had ten glorious days together over the holidays.

Adam, you are one of the most handsome, happy, easy-going babies in the entire universe and I am so proud to be your auntie. Thank you for deciding to walk for the first time at my house so that I could share in that moment! Thanks to your mommy and daddy for doing such a great job raising you... you could not be more of a joy. Seeing you and Jake play together just makes my heart melt, and I think one day we'll have to find a way to live much closer so that we can get you two together more. Nothing would make your mommy and me happier.


As I post this, however, it makes me realize that in a mere seven weeks, I'll have a one-year-old in my house, too. One whole year that went by far too fast, but was filled with more love and great moments than ever. I better enjoy my "infant" while I still have one!

Oh, and happy belated birthday to my sweet, sweet Nana, too! We love you!

Three-Oh

This morning I woke up at my leisure since my usually early-rising baby slept in. Light snow has been falling all day and we already have about four inches on the ground. My best friend came in town yesterday and made our traditional feast of chocolate chip pancakes and strawberry milk. My husband left me the sweetest card on the counter before heading into work for a couple of hours. I got to take a long, hot shower and take my time drying my hair and pampering myself later. We have plans to drop Jake off with some good friends and go out to a nice, Italian restaurant tonight.

So far, thirty has been pretty incredible. I know some people freak out about it, but surprisingly, I never went through that. I welcomed it with a smile after a refreshing night of sleep. My twenties were marked with too many emotional ups and downs to count. From finishing college to figuring out who I was created to be to going through some seriously bad relationships to finding the one life-changing relationship (well, two really since my husband introduced me to who Christ truly is) to having a baby, I went through a lot. Even though amazing life-changing events came at the end of my twenties, I'm not going to miss them too much. As I enter this new decade, I know without a doubt who I am. I know that I was created on purpose and for a purpose, which after a lot of prayer, I am discovering more and more. I wake up each morning next to a man who loves me with all he has. I spend my days with a baby boy whose smile lights up my insides and lifts me up. Thirty is a wonderful place to be. My thirties will be filled with many special days and exciting journeys. Thirty is not old... in fact, I think it's the start of a new journey. I welcome it with open arms.

PS - I know my posting has been few and far between... there is no excuse and I promise to return to the blogosphere soon. I have enjoyed my hiatus and have spent much more time playing on the floor with my son and cuddling on the couch with my husband. Sometimes a little break is nice, but I do miss my blogging buddies, too, and look forward to returning soon. Love to all my readers!

Another Year Older...

And yet he still can't catch up to me.

Joshua, I cannot put into words how much you mean to me. You make me laugh harder than any person that I know, you make me melt with your words sometimes, and you make me smile just by walking into a room. Some would call themselves lucky to be married to their husbands, but I truly call myself blessed. You are an incredible father and I am proud to know that Jake takes after you in almost every way possible. I think we can both agree that this past year has been nothing short of amazing and I look forward to seeing what this next one brings for you and our family.

Happy birthday, my love. And sorry that this is a day late, but if you remember, I was a tad bit busy yesterday giving the Great American Cookie Company a run for their money. Based on these mad decorating skills, they've got nothing on me.

Hey, at least it tasted good, right?

Happy Birthday to...

My BeFri, Elizabeth! :)

So she may not be family by blood, but this gal is definitely family! August marks the twelfth anniversary of us meeting in Mr. West's class back during our senior year (not that we were seniors twelve years ago... surely not... that can't be right, can it?) and it has been a great eleven so far! I still remember sitting the first day of school... I was the "new girl" in a school where being new was not all that common. Nobody talked to me for three straight periods- nobody. It was horrible. I knew that lunch time was during fourth period and I dreaded it. Lucky for me, I happened to choose a desk right next to Elizabeth and she was nice enough to ask me if I wanted to eat in the senior courtyard with her and her friends. Up until that point I didn't even know there was a senior courtyard. I'm sure had I gone into the cafeteria and done the awkward "new girl stance" as I searched frantically for a table, I would've ended up eating my lunch in a phone booth or a bathroom stall in true DJ Tanner-style. Then again, our school didn't have phone booths so I would have only had one option. Thank you, BeFri, for saving me from that!

Since then we've had too many fun times to count, vacationed together, enjoyed spa days and shopping trips, but honestly probably have the best times when we're doing absolutely nothing. We even have a theory that everything is funnier when laying on your back (discovered while doing crunches together) and all sorts of other random Kim-and-Elizabeth-isms.

I could go on and on but I'll just leave it at her being wonderful and I love her and I wish her all the best in the upcoming year. I can't wait to celebrate with you in person next time we're together!

Happy Birthday To...

Our beautiful, wonderful Mom!

She's not only a great mom to her girls...

But she's pretty great to these guys, too!

She beat cancer She walked a half marathon She housed 2 of her daughters (for too long!) after we finished college She gave a car, furniture, and lots and lots of help to the other one when she finished She's lived in more places than I can count and made us a home at each one She moves in when one of her girls has a baby and cooks, cleans, and loves on us She is the first to get on a plane and be there when anyone needs help She can spend hours on the phone with my husband and I love that they're close She loves to laugh and make corny jokes She taught us the beauty of asking "what's the worst that could happen?" She can't eat a meal without getting it on her shirt (then again, I can't either) She makes our favorite meals whenever we come home whether we ask or not She's selfless and loyal and is always there when you need her She's pretty much the best mom a gal could ask for She's a pretty awesome gramma, too! (Jake told me so this morning)

Happy Birthday, Mama! Thanks for putting up with us for all of these years. I never understood how much you loved us, hurt for us, prayed for us, hoped for the best for us, and tried to let us be our own person without being overbearing until I had Jake. And now... I will gain more understanding with every passing year as I try to raise a son of my own. Thanks for being an example that I am proud to follow. I hope that you get everything you want and more today. We love you!

Happy DOUBLE DIGIT Birthday to...

Our nephew, Kevin!
(Yes, that is a picture of him holding up a garter. Yes, he caught it at my wedding... and then the next wedding we went to. He is a stud. Enough said.)

Oh my, how time flies! It's been TEN YEARS since you were born??? Which points out that it's already been TEN YEARS since I was a sophomore in college??? Yikes! But that's besides the point. (And slightly depressing).

Kev, when you came along we all adored you. Well, we still do. As the first grandson and nephew, you were basically the greatest thing since sliced bread. We all still think that and watching you grow up has been such a joy... you are turning into a smart, witty, athletic, well-behaved young man and we are all so proud of you. It's been a great ten years...

I can still remember the first time I met you. I was scared to death. I think you can probably tell! This photo is weird for me now that I have a son who was that size not that long ago. My how things change!

Here you are, in the same chair that your cousin Adam now sits in. You paved the way for your cousins and I know they'll always look up to you.

I had a tough time deciding which pictures to post, so here are just a few of my favorites through the years...

You've been such a charmer since day one...

And are always fun to take on adventures.

You're also a great conversationalist and love your Uncle Josh

And Minnie Pearl, too, of course.


But most importantly, you're going to be a great cousin to our little Jakey. Get ready... that little dude will be wanting to be just like you before you know it!

Actually, he's already started. I kind of chuckled when I came across this picture today... you with the same dog that Jake takes his picture with every month.

You:
Jake:
Happy birthday, little man and welcome to the double digits. I hope you celebrate being a DECADE old today! We love you so much and wish we were there!