The Nelsons

Noah is 4 months old

2011-11-29T12:58:00.001-08:00

Noah is now four months old and he has begun eating baby food. He is still getting accustomed to the different tastes and makes very entertaining faces as he eats the different foods! So far he seems to like sweet potatoes and carrots. Noah is also rolling over now. He started this about a week before turning four months old. He rolled from back to front and shortly after from front to back. He was so proud of himself when he first started doing this that I could not put him down for several days without him rolling immediately :) With two movers in our house life is going to get very exciting! We love you Noah and are enjoying watching you grow and explore the world around you!

Happy Fall Y'all

2011-11-16T12:44:00.001-08:00

Although each of these pictures really deserve their own posts....I can't seem to find time for that! We have had a great Fall so far making some great memories as a family......

Downtown Disney in October

The Magic Kingdom is always fun for little ones and big ones!

We enjoyed the petting zoo and riding some rides at the Perry, GA National Fair with my parents, and some of Caleb's cousins and Uncle Shannon in October.

Our newest little Turkey! About to start some baby food to fatten him up more :)

Daddy won a snake and two bears shooting hoops in the Animal Kingdom. He made Caleb one happy camper leaving the park.

Caleb enjoyed a chance to run wild at the dinosaur area in the Animal Kingdom!

Painting a pumpkin is much easier and less dangerous than carving one for a two year old!

3 months old

2011-11-04T10:56:00.001-07:00

Noah was 3 months old October 22nd and the time is flying by! He has definitely what I call "woken up" and is showing off his little personality these days. He will smile and coo in one moment and a split second later show his feisty side. I can't wait to watch his little personality develop and see just how different two boys from the same parents can be. Noah is beginning to swat at toys hanging above him when he is on his play mat. His favorite place though is in someones arms. He still will not take a bottle so he is staying very close to my side and goes everywhere I do. He loves bath time and will calm down immediately when placed in the water. We just began rice cereal and seems to like it so far. I know the next 3 months will be fun with rolling, crawling and lots more eating!

Noah is 2 months old

2011-09-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Noah is now 2 months old and is growing so fast! He is such a great baby and we love him more and more as each day passes. Noah is a very happy baby and melts my heart each time he gives me one of his gummy smiles :) We had his 2 month check up and his football stats are the following::
Weight 12 pounds 6 oz
Length 23 1/4 inches

We are still working on getting him to sleep through the night, but I know we are so close! Like most second babies he is very adaptable and naps in the car, stroller, and anywhere else we are going.

Noah we love you so much and are enjoying you so much!

Noah Larry Nelson

2011-07-30T06:38:00.000-07:00

We joyfully welcomed our precious new baby boy, Noah,this past Friday, July 22 at 6:56am! He is such a great baby and we are enjoying him so much already! I forgot just how much they sleep these early days, but with the feedings throughout the night it still makes for a tired mommy. We are all adjusting well to our new family of 4 and feel so blessed to have two boys to call our sons! Here is a preview of Noah's first few hours of his life. More to come as well as an incredible birth story full of answered prayers!

Summer Days

2011-06-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

Summer has always been my favorite time of the year. Here are just a few reasons....the beach, the pool, Braves baseball games, Josh and my anniversary and soon to be Noah's birthday. Here are a few pictures of what has been an incredible summer for our family.

Josh and I went to Hilton Head for our "babymoon" & 7th anniversary

Braves game with two of my nephews Parker & Collin

Caleb has really enjoyed the pool this summer and is jumping off the diving board and going down the slide all by himself!

St. Simons Island

Amelia Island, FL

2011-05-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago Josh, Caleb, Aspen and I packed up to head south to Amelia Island. One of my childhood friends, Lauren, and her husband, Jake, own a beautiful condo there and we joined them and their little boy, Asa, for an incredible beach weekend. Aspen enjoyed his time at the beach with their dog, Georgia. It was so much fun to watch them run in the sand and ocean. It had been a really long time since Aspen has been with us to the beach so it was really a treat to be able to bring him! Caleb also enjoyed his time playing in the sand, ocean and pool. It was such a great trip and we can't wait to go back!

Our BIG little 2 year old!

2011-05-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

We officially have a two year old in our house! Caleb turned two on May 2nd and we had a great celebration with family and friends. We had Caleb's party at our house and I can easily say he had the BEST time at his party. We had a couple of baby pools, cupcakes, ice cream sundaes, pizza and balloons (the making for a great two year old party)! Once Caleb discovered the baby pool in our yard, we could not get him out of it. He would belly flop over and over into the pool and would just squeal and laugh each time. Caleb enjoyed being the center of attention as we sang happy birthday to him.

Caleb enjoyed the cupcakes that Aunt Andrea and daddy made.

Caleb enjoying the bubbles with his friend Karcyn

Caleb and his great grandmothers

A few fun Caleb facts...
Weight 29 lbs (60%)
Height 34 1/2 inches (55%)
Caleb wears size 7 shoes and 2 T clothes
Caleb loves swimming as mentioned previously and is not afraid to go under or jump in from the side of the pool. He loves the beach, going to the playground, playing golf, digging for worms and getting dirty! Caleb is very outgoing and will try to engage most children and adults to play with him. He can count to 11 and knows a lot of the ABC song. Caleb will repeat just about anything you ask him (or don't ask him) to say. Don't say anything you do not want to be repeated :) Caleb loves to climb any and everything and is a daredevil like his daddy.

Caleb, mommy and daddy cannot believe you are already two! You are our favorite little person and we adore you. You bring joy and laughter into our home and we could not be more blessed to be your parents! We love you sweet boy!
Happy Birthday!

Easter Weekend

2011-04-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a great week visiting family in Warner Robins, Reidsville and Savannah. Caleb was a trooper and traveled like a champ. We enjoyed visiting with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and lots of other extended family.

Riverstreet in Savannah
My sister, Andrea, and me on Easter Day
Caleb hunting Easter eggs
Caleb and Mommy at church celebrating our Savior's resurrection
Caleb and some of his cousins
Caleb enjoyed opening his Easter basket full of goodies
Caleb enjoyed playing in the water in Savannah
Caleb had a chance to meet the Easter bunny at our hotel in Savannah

Newport Beach, CA

2011-03-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

Monday we returned home from a week long work/vacation to Newport Beach, CA. We had a great trip and beautiful weather! Caleb enjoyed playing in the sand at the beach, sword fighting with his Grammie and Pappy and riding the escalator like the big boy he is becoming! It was quite funny though when Caleb first got on the escalator it didn't dawn on us that we probably should take a minute to explain to him how to get on/off of it because he did the Will Farrell thing in Elf when he got on (one foot above and one below) and he wasn't sure how to move it. It was too funny and too cute!

Newport Beach has incredible malls as you might can imagine! This is at an outdoor mall called Fashion Island. Caleb loved all of the fountains they had.

Caleb's Big Boy Room

2011-03-14T16:45:00.000-07:00

We have been busy preparing Caleb's big boy room to make the change when he turns two in May. Caleb has already learned to climb out of his crib and knows how to get down off a bed safely so we think the transition will go smoothly. We chose a sports theme for his room since we think he is our little all-star and already loves all types of sports balls.

Josh transformed this trunk that his grandfather once used to one that is safe for Caleb and looks great in his room. It was a cedar chest that Josh used his creative juices to stain in two different colors.

Once again Josh in his creativity, thought of the idea to use his dad's old golf club heads as the curtain rod for Caleb's room.

We love you Caleb and can't believe you are becoming such a BIG BOY!

Disney World 2011

2011-02-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

Last week Josh, Caleb and I went with Grammie and Pappy to the most magical place on Earth....Disney World! We had 3 fun filled days at the parks starting with the Animal Kingdom. Caleb loves animals and I think this was one of his favorite days. The animals were all out and Caleb was able to see most of them. We went to the Magic Kingdom on the second day and had a blast. It was so much fun just watching Caleb taking it all in! He especially enjoyed the afternoon parade because he could watch all of his favorite characters on floats. On the third day we went to Epcot. Epcot was fun, but did not have a lot of rides for Caleb's age. There was, however, a spot to meet several Disney characters which was my favorite part. Caleb got to meet Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald Duck. He gave each one a hug and kiss! It was so precious to watch. Here are a few pictures from our trip....

On a side note, I started having what feels like Sciatica and had to get a fun ride of my own to get around the park....

3 out of the 4 nights we were in Orlando we went to Downtown Disney to enjoy one of our favorite spots.....Ghiradelli for sundaes!

Thank you Grammie and Pappy for taking us to the most magical place on Earth!

Boy oh Boy!!!!!

2011-01-15T13:12:00.000-08:00

Thursday 1/13 I went in for my 12 week ultrasound. Josh and I agreed we would find out the sex of this baby this time so I knew there was a slight chance we could find out at this appointment. We decided that if the doctor got a good look and was in the 90-95% of knowing the sex of the baby we would let him write down what he thought in an envelope and open the envelope together after the appointment. Sure enough he had a good look and said he was 95% sure of the sex. So off I went from the doctor's office with a perma grin to the Great American Cookie Company. I handed the worker the envelope and said to please make a cookie cake with the name Noah if it said boy inside and Abigail if it said girl inside. I then expressed to him that I did not want to see the cake when he was finished so to please box it up tightly before I came back. The drive back home seemed like it would never end and traffic was bad due to the ice on the roads. Finally, it was time to see the design God had for our family and learn of our newest family member.

We were thrilled to learn that Caleb was to have a little brother! We know Caleb and Noah will be fast friends being just a little over two years apart. We look forward to lots of laughter and sporting events with our two boys! Noah, we love you already and cannot wait for your arrival in July!

SNOW!

2011-01-10T13:55:00.001-08:00

This morning we woke up to the most beautiful snow coverage I have ever seen in Atlanta! We were anxious to get Caleb outside to play in it and see how he liked the snow. He was a little nervous at first and didn't know what to think about it all, but ended up enjoying it. Believe it or not we were even able to slide on our side yard. We have a small slope and it was just enough to get some momentum to get moving. We each had a turn. One time was all Caleb wanted so that was short lived. We were not able to build a snowman because the snow didn't pack well, but we did manage to hit daddy with a few snow clumps :) After our fun in the snow we headed inside to enjoy some hot chocolate and snuggle down for the Auburn game. War Eagle on Josh's behalf!

Santa Claus and Caleb 2010

2010-12-17T11:43:00.001-08:00

As you see, Caleb did not think too fondly of Santa Claus this year! I knew he was at the age where it was going to be questionable and low and behold it was immediately BIG tears as soon as I placed Caleb on Santa's knee. Maybe next year buddy we will like Santa a little bit better. Who can blame you though.....I don't want to go sit in the lap of a big man that I don't know either! For anyone that is wondering about the moose in the background, we drove to the Bass Pro Shop in Lawrenceville to see Santa. They give you a FREE picture and you can also take pictures with your own camera. No big mall fees! I thought he looked like a great Santa as well. To top it off we were able to see the fish in the aquarium and every other kind of stuffed animal you can imagine!

BIG Brother!!!

2010-12-17T11:08:00.000-08:00

Just a few days before Thanksgiving Josh and I found out we were going to be parents again and that Caleb was to be a BIG brother! We are very excited and anxious to see if Caleb is going to have a little sister or little brother. We did not find out the sex with Caleb, but I think we will find out this time so I am that much more anxious to know now that we are just weeks away from that answer. It was a blessing to find out before Thanksgiving so we could share the good news with family over the Thanksgiving holiday. We found the BIG brother t-shirt for Caleb to wear and did not say a word until someone noticed what it said. And believe it or not it took a few minutes for everyone to catch on since Caleb is a busy bee these days he didn't stop very long for anyone to read it. Caleb will be two years and three months old when this new baby comes. Caleb you are going to be the BEST BIG brother and your little sister or brother is going to love you very much!

Caleb is 18 months old!

2010-11-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

Where does time go? I feel like I was just posting on Caleb's first birthday party! Happy half birthday my darling Caleb! You are growing like a weed and learning new things daily. I love your sweet heart and your precious smile. You now will tell us "love you" back and give us kisses. You will blow kisses to your friends. Your favorite place to play is in our side yard where there are sticks, leaves, a slope and Georgia red clay. You love to go to Chastain park to see the horses. You have had two haircuts and could use your third, but mommy just loves your hair long and shaggy. You have a full set of teeth and are cutting more teeth in right now (evidence of lots of drool and waking up during the night). I love to watch you wrestle with your daddy. I love to watch you try to ride Aspen like a horse. You have great manners and will say please and thank you. You LOVE to climb on tables, chairs, the couch and anything else you can find. You are my precious, sweet boy and I love you very much! Thank you for bringing mommy and daddy so much joy!

Tagged.....

2010-10-21T07:09:00.001-07:00

So I was "tagged" by my friend Sherri to answer the following questions, so here goes :)

1. What's your most embarrassing moment?
Do I really have to share this?!?! I have tried to forget :) OK so I do have several, but one that immediately comes to mind is in 5th grade while walking back to a friends house with her and 2 boys our age that we liked I "expelled gas" (as my mom would say) LOUDLY from laughing in which I tried to blame it on my shoes which were unfortunately in my hands so clearly it couldn't have been my shoes so I just had to take the teasing and deal with it! Why is farting ALWAYS embarrassing, but also so funny!

2. How did you meet your husband/fiance?
Josh and I met at our church Buckhead Community Church through a new singles gathering. We began to hang out in a large group (often) and then he asked me out on the churches Labor Day retreat for singles at the beach in Destin under a sky full of shooting stars. God really set him up perfectly for a romantic setting to ask me on our first date! We went to Twist for sushi and had the best time....5 months later we were engaged :)

3. What is one thing you would change about yourself, if you had the chance?
So there are a couple of physical things that come to mind, but one thing that isn't physical would be my fear of public speaking. I wish I was more comfortable talking in front of large groups of people.

4. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Easy.....Smacking!

5. What's your favorite word?
Not sure????

6. What is your favorite place in the world? Be specific.
I love a great beach...(St. Simons with family, and Santa Rosa/Destin area with friends, Pebble Beach for the views), a close second would have to be Italy--I would love to go back there and experience it all over with Josh.

7. If you could re-name yourself, what name would you pick?
Growing up I always liked the names Alexis and Ginger....I would not choose to change my name now, but thought that would have been fun as a child!

Summer to Fall

2010-10-09T19:32:00.001-07:00

As Summer ends and Fall begins, I am reminded of some of my favorite days with Caleb this Summer....

Daily visits to the pool

Caleb melted my heart in this bowtie!

Enjoying the sprinkler on a hot summer day

Enjoying Pebble Beach in his PJ's

Chick fil A (a weekly favorite)

Pebble Beach, CA

2010-09-09T13:06:00.001-07:00

Labor Day we returned home on a red eye from an incredible week long work/vacation in Pebble Beach, CA. We went with Josh's parents (Grammie and Pappy) for a golf tournament and had several days to enjoy off the golf course as well. The trip started off with a bang....what was suppose to be a 7:30pm flight from GA to CA didn't end up leaving till 12am GA time which had us landing around 4am and with an hour drive to the hotel it was 7am our body time by the time we arrived. With all that being said we were some sleepy travelers.
Once we arrived at our hotel (Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach), we realized it was all worth it! This is one of Josh and my favorite trips we take (4 years running) and just love our views from our room, eating Ghiradelli (almost daily)

and strolling around in Carmel/Monterrey. It is also kinda cool there which was great to get out of the GA heat! The flowers are magnificent everywhere probably because of their incredible weather. We enjoyed watching Caleb run around at the beach and also enjoyed watching Pappy play great golf! We visited the Monterrey aquarium for the first time and it was another highlight of our trip. Caleb RAN through the aquarium and was so excited as he saw fish, sharks, penguins, flamingos, jelly fish and more!

We are almost back on track with GA time, but it has been a challenge for us (especially Caleb). He has been staying up late and sleeping in.

Daddy caddying at Pebble Beach!

Josh and me enjoying the fire pits they had outside our hotel room overlooking the ocean.

Pebble Beach will always have a special place in our heart because it is where we found out we were pregnant with Caleb and told Grammie and Pappy they were going to be grandparents!

I do have to mention that Caleb had his first x-rays...and first visit to the ER after going down a slide with mommmy and getting his leg turned backwards. After 2-3 days of being off his feet he is back at it and running. Turns out there were no broken bones (Thankfully) and what appears to have been a strained/pulled hip. I just hated seeing my baby so hurt :( Hard to believe by this picture though!

15 months old and counting....

2010-08-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

On August 2nd, Caleb turned 15 months old! Where does the time go? I know we will be celebrating the holidays and then his next birthday before I know it, but for today I am so blessed to have Caleb for the 15 months we have. If I had to give you one word to describe Caleb right now, that would have to be BUSY! Yes, I have heard boys are busy, but I had no idea just what I was in for :) Caleb loves to go back and forth at the pool we go to from baby pool to big pool (back & forth, back & forth). He loves the water which is great, but has no fear of it either. Caleb will dive head first into the pool (hoping we catch him at some point--which we do ofcourse). At his 15 month appointment, he was 32 1/2 inches long
(90%) and weighed 23 lbs and 15oz (45%) which means he hasn't gained any weight since his 12 month appt. In fact he lost a few ounces. This is totally normal especially with such an active toddler so I've heard. The Dr's. first words when she came into the room to check Caleb were "Is he an active child". At that moment I thought, you have no idea :) So fortunately, she wasn't concerned considering how active he is. Caleb is talking a good bit more and has lots of words including (mama, Dada, ball, night night, pool, berries, moon, pizza, choo choo, hot, juice, please, thank you, ho ho, hop, up, bubbles, pee pee, poo pooh, diaper, shoes, cheese, bye bye, Elmo, Gigi, and hi. It is so much fun every time he repeats or grasps the meaning of a new word! Caleb enjoys getting out and will tell me bye bye when he is ready to go somewhere and do something. He is also telling me most of the time when he has a dirty diaper! Does this mean he will potty train early--one can only hope :) Caleb loves to be chased and will do a sideways step until you catch on to play chase with him. He is not much of a mall shopper so I have begun taking him in his wagon full of toys so I can do some shopping every now and again. So if you see a crazy lady in the mall pulling a wagon please don't make fun...it is me and for just this season of life I had to get creative! I could go on and on about my favorite little person, but for know the laundry is waiting while sweet cheeks sleeps. I love you Caleb with all my heart!

Caleb's First Haircut

2010-07-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

I finally broke down last week and decided it was time for Caleb to get his first haircut. I am not sure why that first haircut is such a big deal, but I think it has something to do with his growing up and moving from the baby stage to a little boy/toddler stage. Needless to say after being called a little girl for the umtenth time I thought I better get Caleb's hair cut. He did a great job sitting for his first haircut. I didn't let her take too much hair off, but just a shape up/trim.

$18 later.....(I think Daddy will be cutting Caleb's hair after this--seems a little expensive for a little clip!) But how cute am I now!!!!!!!!!

Chastain Park

2010-07-23T12:58:00.001-07:00

Sunday night one of my sweet friends, Suzanne, invited me to join her and a couple of girls for a concert at Chastain Park. I had been to one other concert there, but this time we had a table which totally made the concert. We had all kinds of yummy food and were able to sit and enjoy good music at the same time! It made for such a great evening and I had a couple hours without sweet cheeks pulling at me and saying "up"! Although, I thought I would know more of the music from Counting Crows....I think I recognized just one song. Oh well, it was so much fun regardless....thanks for the invite Suzanne!

Aspen is back!

2010-07-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

We were so excited to welcome Aspen back after six long months from being away on summer camp down in FL! When we dropped him off we had no idea it would be six months later picking him back up. He and Caleb have quickly become best buds and it is so cute to watch them play together. If you can believe it, Aspen has grown just in the last six months. We are guessing he weighs in the neighborhood of 140-150. He is a big boy, but as I like to say "Gentle Giant". I told Josh last night that I didn't realize how much I missed Aspen till we got him back. He brings so much joy and love into our little family. I sure do sleep better at night after having him back.

Aspen and Caleb playing a game of tug of war. Notice how hard Caleb is pulling and Aspen is so relaxed...I am guessing he is thinking can't you pull harder than that!

St. Simons

2010-07-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

Caleb and I just returned from a really fun trip to the beach with my mom, my Aunt Brenda & Uncle Louie, cousin Daphne and my sister Andrea and her family. We had the best weather and such a wonderful vacation. I grew up going to St. Simons and love to return for visits. It is so quaint and charming. Caleb enjoyed his second visit very much and looks forward to going back!

Caleb loved playing in the ocean and the sand as well. He liked the sand so much that he tried to eat it on multiple occasions!

We went to the pier every night to see what was being caught and to let Caleb's cousins go crabbing. We saw two baby sharps being caught one of the nights we were out on the pier.

My cousin, Daphne, and I prior to eating seafood at The Crab Trap. I grew up going to eat at this restaurant and I cannot go to St. Simons without eating there.

There were ducks in the pond where we stayed and Caleb loved feeding and chasing them everyday. We were also fortunate enough to be there while 2 (yes I said 2) ducks were sitting on the same nest with 17 eggs below waiting to hatch!

Independence Day

2010-07-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

We had a great 4th of July weekend up at Lake Rabun with some of our favorite friends! Caleb came along to entertain the crowd and prepare our friends that are expecting for parenthood. We had lots of fun floating in the lake, eating lots of yummy food and what girls do best talking....talking....talking. I decided to ski on Sunday before we can home and enjoyed all 7 minutes of it. I realized I had not used some of the muscles that are required for skiing in a long time and was sore for the following 3 or 4 days! This mommy is getting older than she'd like to admit and it is harder to recover after activities I use to do for longer periods of time and with less pain :)

Six years later......still in love!

2010-06-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

Today Josh and I celebrate our sixth anniversary! We just returned from Hilton Head where we celebrated early and were able to get away just the two of us for several days. I had never spent any extended time in HH and just loved my time there. We stayed right on the beach and were able to soak in the sunshine (which was very hot, but perfect). We ate at some delicious restaurants (Salty Dogs, The Oyster Factory and on the bay at Harbour Town). We enjoyed sleeping in late....which I hadn't done in such a long time. It was just wonderful! Today I want to take a minute to list my top 6 reasons why I love my wonderful husband and they include:

1. Josh is one of the most gracious people I know. He extends grace when often undeserved and is quick to forgive. Thank you ,Josh, for extending me grace day after day!

2. Josh loves to play. This is one of the first reasons we really connected. We both love playing games, sports, etc. You are my favorite playmate Josh with Caleb pulling a close second :)

3. Josh loves Jesus! This is so evident by his passion to serve the Lord and others. He is eager to honor the Lord with his life. I have grown so much in my walk with the Lord because of you Josh....thank you!

4. Josh is my knight in shining armor. Not only is Josh still opening my doors, but he is also still as good looking as ever (even with a little less hair)!

5. Josh is a dreamer and keeps my life exciting. I admire and love this about Josh because he keeps me on my toes (and sometimes this may even involve moving out West).

6. Josh loves me. I am confident in Josh's love for me and that feels really good. Thank you for loving me unconditionally Josh!

The list could go on, but for six years you just get six reasons :)

Josh, I love doing life with you! Happy 6th Anniversary!

1st golf lesson

2010-05-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

OK Caleb, grip the club like this....

OK....I got it Dad...

MR. INDEPENDENT

Did you see that shot????

Zoo Atlanta Grrrrrrrrr

2010-05-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

Today Caleb and I went with "Papa" Sapp to Zoo Atlanta. We had such a great time and had perfect weather to visit with the animals! Caleb tends to growl at most animals, but began making other noises as he continued to realize that not all animals growl. One rather large bird was showing off with his loud coos and Caleb preceded to "coo" back at him--it was quite entertaining. We went during a great time of the day (mid morning) and most animals were up and about and easy to view even by a 1 year old. My favorite were the gorillas who apparently were having some problems with one another and were putting on quite a display of aggression/territoriality while we watched. We finished our day with the Panda bears which were so cute and cuddly. Papa, thank you for a wonderful trip to the zoo! We had such a great time!

One year old appointment

2010-05-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

Caleb had his one year old appointment and checked out well according to the Doc. He is 24lbs (approx. 65%) and 30" long (90%). We dropped the bottle cold turkey the day after he turned one and he has done well. He is drinking whole milk out of a sippy cup and looks like a big boy carrying it around on his own. It makes me kinda sad! He is walking everywhere now and practically refuses to crawl. Occasionally he will still fall, but walks around like a champ. In fact, I am preparing myself for him to start running soon! Caleb is eating 3 meals a day with snacks in between. A typical day of meals would be the following:
Breakfast:
Milk
Blueberries
Yogurt
and maybe a
Slice of toasted bread w/ jelly or pancakes

Snack:
Cheerios
Juice

Lunch:
Cheese
Fruit cup
Turkey (deli meat)
Veggie--offered not being eaten much now unless it is sweet potato fries

Snack:
Juice/Water
Animal crackers

Dinner:
Lasagna
Bread
or
Spaghetti or
Pizza
or
Beans/Rice

Caleb LOVES balls (bouncy balls, golf balls, basketballs--any really)! He takes two naps a day that usually each last around an hour. He has never met a stranger and loves laughing, smiling and has become quite a talker. He knows several words like bird, ball, balloon, lights, sky, duck, horse, and dog to name a few. He can say several words also like "Ma ma", "Da Da", "Ba" (ball), "Boon" (Balloon), "thank you" (not crystal clear), "juice", and "cheese". Caleb loves bath time and doing anything outside.

Caleb, this year has been an incredible year for your mommy and daddy! Thank you for giving me the most incredible and challenging job I have ever had. I love you more than I thought was possible. You make me light up when I get to talk about you or when others compliment you. You bring so much joy into my life and days. I am honored to be your mother and will always love you no matter what!

Caleb is a 1 year old!!!!

2010-05-12T12:30:00.001-07:00

Caleb turned one May 2nd and being that Cinco de Mayo is one of Josh's and my favorite holidays we decided to have a Dos de Mayo party for Caleb. We were so excited when we found a poncho and sombrero for Caleb to wear (which he would not wear the sombrero, but did not mind the poncho with his name on it)! One of Caleb's favorite foods is beans and rice so we thought that was another great reason to have a Fiesta for his first birthday. We had his party at a park on a sunny, but very windy day. Other than the fact that the wind blew some of the sombreros off the table and some of the picture frames down it turned out to be a great day. Caleb had a little personal cake, but did not really dig in like I thought he would. I wanted to have his first party on his actual birthday since it fell on a Sunday and that will not always be possible so we had it at 2pm (which is usually nap time for Caleb). This I think influenced him digging into his cake since he was a little bit sleepy. We all had a great time though especially Caleb's cousins playing pin the tail on the donkey and hitting the pinata for candy! Josh and I made all the food for Caleb's party including the cupcake cactus you see below. Happy 1st birthday Caleb we love you so much!

Caleb with ("Gigi" Sapp & "Gramma" Nelson)

Caleb's cousins picking up candy after the pinata busted.

Caleb and mommy hitting the pinata!

Savannah

2010-04-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

Caleb and I drove down to Savannah with Grammie to watch Pappy play golf this weekend. I was fortunate enough that this trip also aligned with my family reunion which was not too far away. We have had a great time and Caleb was able to ride on his first boat ride along with his cousins Ariel & Coby, Aunt Jessica and Grammy.

While here in Savannah, Caleb has started doing some serious walking. He has taken 15 + steps in a row, but will find himself going too fast and in evidently take a spill. I am so proud of him and so happy his knees are getting a little break from the beaten they have been getting.

Today I put shoes on him for the first time since he is wanting to get down more and practice his walking. It is bittersweet for me because I feel like he is growing up so quickly.

Friends

2010-04-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we visited with some of our sweet friends Dave & Laurie that recently moved to FL and we miss them so much! They have a precious little boy, Will, that is just a few months older than Caleb and they had a great time playing together in the mall playground. As you can see, the daddy's are very proud of their boys!

We also have been fortunate enough, while here in Tampa, to see our favorite furry friend Aspen. Aspen has been living at his breeders house while we were on our golf adventure out West. We are hoping to bring him back to Atlanta this summer after we get settled in our own place again. If you can believe it, he has had yet another growth spurt! He is quite the beast!

11 months old

2010-04-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

Caleb turned 11 months old on Friday, April 2nd! He is just weeks away from his first birthday and I can hardly believe it! Caleb is becoming more and more independent each day. He loves climbing up and down the stairs, being outside and going for walks, splashing in the bathtub, playing with any dog he can lay his hands on, and mostly being the center of attention. He weighs 22 lbs and 14 oz. He enjoys eating spaghetti, salmon, yogurt, sweet potatoes, and lots more. He has 5 teeth and a sixth one cutting through. Caleb enjoys clapping his hands, waving bye-bye, bouncing and climbing in, under and on everything. He is a speed crawler so he has not found a need for walking very much yet. He will cruise around holding on to things and will occasionally take a step or two from one piece of furniture to the next.

Caleb, you fill our days with laughter, smiles, joy and love. You are my darling, precious boy, and silly one! I love you more than words can describe and am blessed beyond measure. You will always be my sweet little baby boy!

Congratulations Josh!!!!

2010-04-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of Josh and his recent efforts on the golf course! He is officially a member of the Canadian tour and plays in his first Canadian tour tournament in two weeks. Unfortunately, Caleb and I won't be attending since the tournament is being held in Mexico--weird I know. Why in the world is a Canadian tournament being held in Mexico? I don't know exactly, but I guess there was just a sponsor that wanted to hold a tournament there so that is where he will be going. We decided it probably wasn't the best idea to take an 11 month old to Mexico so Caleb and I will be in Savannah that weekend watching Pappy play golf and at a family reunion.

Josh/Da da we are so proud of you and all your hard work! We will be cheering for you back in Georgia :)

Easter Weekend

2010-04-07T07:51:00.000-07:00

Easter weekend has come and gone, but we took lots of pictures to remember Caleb's first Easter. Caleb and I enjoyed the Easter weekend with family in South Georgia where my parents were raised. We attended church with my Grandmother Adell, my parents, Aunt Virginia and our cousins Christie, Greg, Alexis and Austin at a Primitive Baptist church in Collins, GA. The church did not have a nursery for Caleb so he sat through the entire church service and did great! We went to 3 different egg hunts and Caleb quickly understood the concept of hunting eggs. He would get so tickled and proud after finding a bright colored egg hiding in the pine straw. He then of course would want to put each egg in his mouth to see what they tasted like. Unfortunately, daddy could not be with us since he was driving the car and our stuff back across the country from Arizona. We will have to do another egg hunt with daddy now that he is back :) Hunting eggs never gets old for children. In fact, my parents and aunts/uncles still like for my cousins and me to hunt eggs so they hide money eggs at the farmhouse for us "big kids" to have our own hunt. It turned out to be a great year for me and I found $52 worth of eggs!

My Auburn boys

2010-03-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

Although I am a huge UGA fan, I can't help but think the Auburn Tigers look pretty dang cute on Caleb! And since he loves growling like a Tiger this outfit is most appropriate for him :)

Caleb with Santa Claus 2009

2010-03-19T10:46:00.001-07:00

OK, so I know it is mid March and I am just now uploading the picture of Caleb and Santa Claus.....where does time go! We couldn't quite get a smile out of Caleb sitting with Santa, BUT he didn't cry so it was altogether successful. I was waiting for Caleb to grab Santa's beard (he was checking it out so intensely), but unfortunately he didn't do that either :)

East Coast Bound

2010-03-15T19:19:00.001-07:00

As we prepare to make our journey home to Georgia, I will say I will miss several things about our being in Arizona. The weather and sunsets here are amazing! Today I was able to lay out while Caleb took his nap. The skies were blue as the ocean and the temperature perfect (mid 70s). I know I would not have been able to lay out today if we were in Georgia! The mountains surrounding us are also beautiful to look at each day on our daily walks. The desert has a different kind of beauty that takes a bit of getting used to, but once I did I have really enjoyed it. I will also miss our walks to the nearby park for Caleb to swing, and the ability to walk to the grocery store, library and Target. I will miss our simple days and our adventure out West. However, with all of that being said I am so excited and longing to get back to Atlanta. Being close to family, friends, and our church has definitely been missed. We are so blessed by all three that sometimes it takes being away for a little while to realize just how much all of those things mean to me. The countdown is now on for April to come and our journey back East.

Over and Under

2010-03-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

Why is it that all children (especially boys) want to climb under, over and in anything they possibly can? Caleb has discovered so many new fun places to play like under the table, inside the kitchen cabinet, the drawer of the stove, and onto the couch (to name just a few). I have to constantly keep my eyes on him so he doesn't get stuck or fall off of something. I am currently reading a book by Dr. Dobson called Bringing up Boys. This book and the previous book I read on boys by Robert Lewis called Raising a Modern Day Knight have given me some insight on what the next 18+ years are going to look like. I highly recommend both books, but especially Raising a Modern Day Knight (which is geared for Dads). It is very exciting and scary all in one. It looks like we are in for quite the adventure and challenge as we try to raise Caleb up to become a man. Which brings up a great question from one of the books. When does a boy actually become a man? Many people have lots of different answers for this question. Wives, ask your husband this question--when did they consider themselves a man? It makes for an interesting conversation.

10 months old!

2010-03-09T12:39:00.001-08:00

Caleb turned 10 months old on March 2nd! I can't believe it is already time to plan his first birthday party! As you can see in the picture above, Caleb's hair is still standing up all over his head. We are enjoying this fun hair so much and are stopped about 20 times a day to talk about it with complete strangers. Caleb has never met a stranger so he loves all the attention when we are stopped. He is also showing off his four teeth in the picture which are being used so much right now to try new foods like meatloaf, mashed potatoes, noodles and anything else he can sink them in. As I mentioned above, Caleb has never met a stranger and will do anything to get someone's attention if they are not looking at him. Currently, he will laugh, say "Hey" or make a noise until he can get them to look at him and talk to him. We have quite the socialite on our hands. Caleb has taught himself how to turn around and get down the stairs properly and off a bed or couch as well. He has also figured out how to stand up in a highchair and stroller if he is not strapped in just right. Caleb can say many new things like bye-bye, gog (which means dog), ba ba (which means bottle), and of course mama, dada, and Hey. Caleb loves animals and currently growls at every animal whether they are alive or in a picture (thanks Pappy)! He is the joy of our lives and brings so much laughter to our family. We are so proud of you Caleb and our hearts swell with pride because of you!

While we were gone......

2010-03-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

We just returned back to AZ after being gone for about three weeks to caddy and to visit family and friends. We flew into ATL and then Caleb and I drove to WR for a couple of days to visit my parents and my sister's family. We had a great visit with them before we returned to ATL to fly down to Palm Beach, FL.

As you can see, Caleb enjoyed his time at the beach so much. Daddy even tried to show Caleb how to build a sandcastle....his attention span only lasts so long though and we will have to try that one again another time!

From FL we were able to fly back to ATL and spend a few more nights in ATL & WR before heading back across the country to Newport Beach, CA. We had such a great time in CA visiting with Josh's parents and watching Pappy play golf. While in CA, Grammie, Caleb and I happened to find another carousel in the mall and Caleb had the best time riding it!

Caleb was a trooper flying all over the country...even after several hours of delays in ATL due to snow! That is the second time our flights have been delayed or canceled this winter due to snow in ATL. I know Spring will be welcomed by all once it arrives!

Arizona....Josh says it best

2010-02-11T10:38:00.000-08:00

I have recently realized I have been blogging about being in Arizona, but have not really shared how we even got out here in the first place. It is really a neat story that can be contributed to one thing...God. God is the reason we believe we are currently in AZ and we have just said "Yes" along the way. Josh explains it best in his blog www.moxygolf.com or go directly to this link http://moxygolf.com/category/faith/

It has been a fun journey so far and I am just glad to be a part of it. Currently, I am reading a book titled What Happens When Women say Yes to God. It is really a great read for those of you looking for a new book to read. I have been challenged with what it really means to say "Yes" to God. I really do want to be a part of the plan He has for my/our life and I know that there are times when I have said "Yes" to Him and there are probably many more times when I just ignored Him. My desire is to be more aware of His promptings and be prepared to say "Yes" when I feel that He is moving me to do something, say something etc. Part of that I am learning is being still enough to get to know Him better so that I am more in tune with His promptings. Being still has never come easy for me. I really enjoy doing things and visiting with people. Since we do not know many people out here (and we are sharing one car) it has really forced me to be still more. This has been a great challenge and lesson for me. Hopefully, I can remember the values of this in the future when I am back in a place with more distractions & things to do.

Public Library

2010-02-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

Since moving out to AZ, Caleb and I have been to the nearby public library about 2 times each week. Fortunately, we are in walking distance and are able to enjoy a stroll to the library. We only have one car to share here so this has been a great outing for Caleb and me. Public Libraries are great...not only can you check out books for free, but they have a huge selection of movies to check out and yes those too are free! That is not why Caleb and I have been going 2x/week, but we usually leave with a few of those items. We go to their programs they have for babies called Story time and Shake, Rattle, & Roll. They are geared for little youngsters and have nursery rhymes, singing, musical instruments, puppets and short stories. Caleb has loved this time and I have enjoyed it just as much. So for those of you that are serious readers, don't forget you may be able to check out a book instead of purchasing it and same goes for those movie buffs. For those mothers out there that are looking for something to do outside of your house, go check out your local library and see what they have to offer for children. Not only has Caleb loved our weekly outing, he has started to read...OK he really just likes to chew on books right now, but hopefully he will realize soon books are so much more than just a good teether!

9 months old

2010-02-03T18:45:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I turned 9 months old! Mommy can't believe how quickly this time has gone by. I am now doing many things like crawling, pulling up, walking around everything (holding on), waving, saying "mama" and "da da", playing on my own and into everything. I have four teeth and crazy, fun hair that stands up everywhere :) I love swinging, playing in the kitchen cabinet, bath time, being outside and knocking down stacked blocks. I am now over 23 pounds (quite the chunk) and am already wearing 12-18 month old clothes. I am very social and love going out and about with mommy. I take two naps a day. Each one lasts around an hour to an hour and a half. I am drinking four bottles (every four hours) at 8 oz each. I will also eat other foods 2-3 times during the day. I really like bananas, sweet potatoes, carrots, yogurt, icecream, cheerios and bread. I sleep from 8pm till 7am. I am an early bird :) Well I have to go to bed, so that is all for now :)

Cupcakes, Sundaes and frozen yogurt

2010-02-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

We have had quite the sweet tooth since coming out to AZ! I must say there are some really yummy desserts out here. We first started off by having a sundae/banana split at this old diner that is in "Oldtown" Scottsdale. I knew it would be delicious the minute I entered the diner because everything was pink inside (their booths, menus, doors). This diner, The Sugar Bowl, is where the writer for the Family Circus did a lot of his drawings etc. You can see Josh went for the biggest item on the dessert list and enjoyed every bite.

Our next favorite sweet stop was at Sparkles for cupcakes. Yes, that is plural. We had to get 4! Sparkles started in CA, but has opened up stores in many areas including Phoenix. They were worth every calorie! Our next sweet stop was in Beverly Hills, CA where Josh found his favorite frozen yogurt at Pinkberry. You get to add as many toppings as you would like for one flat fee. It was great and very fresh! Who knows where we will go next, but I can't wait to find out :)

Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh My!

2010-01-30T09:00:00.001-08:00

This past week and a half has been full of fun and surprises! Josh's mom came out to visit for a few days and we made some fresh homemade lemonade for her arrival (which is so delicious by the way)! Josh is the master at making it and I am just his lovely assistant so he gets most of the credit for it's yummy taste. The hardest part is picking the lemons from the trees and not getting pricked. Who knew lemon trees had thorns?!? While Gayle was visiting we went to "Oldtown" Scottsdale and the Phoenix Zoo. Caleb loved his first trip to the zoo and laughed at some of his new found furry friends! He even got to sit next to a monkey (separated with glass of course). We rode a Carousel at the zoo and a Ferris Wheel at the Sainta Monica Pier(CA) where we saw the most beautiful sunset. My surprise came when Caleb decided to start saying "Ma ma" (his first word) on January 26th. He is now babbling a whole lot more and trying to communicate more with the world around him. It must be his new teeth that have come in :) He is now up to 4!

Jumping Cactus

2010-01-14T13:04:00.000-08:00

So, apparently Arizona has what is known as a "jumping cactus"! Unfortunately, I am not sure of what these jumping cactus look like yet and Arizona has a lot of cactus so I am hoping I don't learn the hard way. The trick is not to stand too close to these particular cactus because if you do then you might just find yourself being shot with pricks! We have so many different cactus in our yard and even more exciting lemon and orange trees! I am hoping there are not any jumping cactus in our yard especially near the trees where I will be picking my lemons for lemonade. I am so excited about making my first batch of fresh squeezed lemonade...which you will have to wait to see how it turns out :) This 3 months we will be living in Phoenix (actually we are in a great area called Scottsdale just outside of Phoenix) is going to be great! I am going to have more time to read, blog, take walks/jogs with Caleb, make lemonade and just explore this new area with my two favorite people! I am so excited to be on this adventure! On a side note, Caleb's hair is getting so long and it stands straight up on the top and sides even after I wet it down flat. We have had several people comment on his hair. I have heard "he must have static electricity" and I have to say "no that is just his natural hair". I couldn't help but notice his hair stands straight up and out like one of the cactus you see in our yard! I guess I am going to have to get this little guy some hair gel :) Well, off to squeeze some lemons!

2 months later....

2010-01-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

So, it has apparently been more than two months since my last post. Where does time go? I really enjoy reading others post and want to blog so that my family memories will be somewhere to be read in the future, but I must admit I am not that great at this blogging thing. In fact, I find that most of my blogs are somewhat boring compared to my friends. Josh says I cannot compare mine to theirs, but I do. I never really have been a great writer and just tend to write the facts and that is it. And sometimes I don't even get all the facts written down that I would like. Anyways, that is my disclaimer for the two to three people that read my blog :) A lot has happened in the past two months...Caleb is pulling up on EVERYTHING and is beginning to show signs of his desire to walk. He is now 8 months and we are having more and more fun! As you can see in the pictures, he went on his first trip to Disney and loved looking at the lights and even rode a few rides. He ate his first sand at the beach over New Year's and did not seem to mind the taste! He went on his first hay ride and caroling with my family over Christmas. Although, my family is not known for our musical abilities it was so much fun caroling and the children really had a blast doing it. And lastly, Caleb made a flight to Phoenix, AZ where we will be living January through March. 2009 was such a great year for our family and by far one of my favorites! I am looking forward to seeing what 2010 brings. Hopefully, my next blog will not be in two months from now and I can share more about the beautiful state of Arizona.

Six Months old!

2009-11-04T12:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I turned 6 months old! I am growing too quickly mommy tells me :) I am now sitting up on my own and manipulating myself all over the room. I tried my first pureed vegetable (squash). I gobbled it up the first time I tried it, but haven't loved it the last two times. I was really hungry that first time! I am beginning to interact more with Aspen and I love petting him, watching him run and laughing at him. Mommy thinks it is so funny when we are out and about because she is always having people make comments about me like "he looks like he has not missed a meal" or "he must be a good eater". Mommy loves chubby cats and chubby babies so I guess those comments are ok! You are probably wondering what the picture of mommy and daddy dressed up is....our friends had a Halloween party and mommy and daddy decided to dress up as dice that hung from a rear view mirror and I was the rear view mirror!

Pumpkins, Fairs and Farm Animals

2009-10-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to my first fair in Perry, GA with my Gigi, Papa, Aunt Andrea, Uncle Wade and cousins Grayson, Ila & Maya. I had such a great time looking at all the lights, farm animals and people watching. I watched a lamb being sheered and pigs in a pig race. It was all very exciting! I can't wait to go back next year so I can ride some of the rides (mommy wouldn't let me ride this time). I also visited a pumpkin patch while I was visiting my Gigi and Papa. I picked a pumpkin about the size of mommy's fist. I also was able to "ride" on a giant pumpkin as you can see in the picture! I had such a fun weekend and am enjoying FALL so much!

Happy Fall Y'all!

2009-10-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall Y'all! I am so excited to experience my first Fall! I just touched my first pumpkin and tailgated for my first football game. Mommy took me to Knoxville to visit my Uncle Shannon, Aunt Karen, and cousins Parker & Collin. We tailgated for the Auburn/Tennessee game and had a great time! Mommy even said "War Eagle" in daddy's honor during the pre-game festivities. I am now 5 months old and rolling everywhere. Mommy is constantly putting me back on the blanket so I don't bump my head on the hardwood floors. I love being mobile and will be crawling very soon! On a side note....I am so excited tonight because my future wife "Ally Grace" is currently on her way. She should be in her mother's arms by tomorrow. I cannot wait to meet her! Hopefully, I will be able to contain my excitement and get a good night's sleep.

Frontera Tuesdays

2009-09-29T20:08:00.000-07:00

Tuesday nights are now one of our favorite nights of the week! We have made it a tradition to go with "Grammie" and "Pappy" to Frontera for my favorite food--mexican. We started this tradition shortly after our move to Marietta and I am certain this is one of the reasons I gained a few more pounds during my pregnancy than I was suppose to. And I must say it is not helping me take off the weight either, but it is worth every bite! We now have become regulars there and they expect to see us weekly. Each week we have a server come by and say "he sure is growing". They are getting to see Caleb grow week by week. He is beginning to reach for everything on the table. He will be eating chips & dip with us before we know it, but for now it is just milk and a little rice cereal.

Made in Heaven

2009-09-15T07:28:00.001-07:00

The t-shirt Caleb is wearing in these pictures is from his sweet Aunt Libby. I wanted to share what it says because I love it so much. It reads....
Nelson Creations
Size Small
100% Joy
Made in Heaven
Care Instructions:
Handle gently. Wash regularly, warm water.
Towel dry. For best results, shower with love.
Apply hugs and kisses as needed.
With proper care, this wonderful child will give you a lifetime of love and enjoyment!

Caleb has already increased my joy so much! When he gives me one of his tooth less smiles or one of his new giggles he just lights up my world. He is only 4 months old and I cannot imagine life without him. It is amazing how that happens so quickly. With those thoughts, I have recently thought what we would do if anything was to ever happen to him. My eyes immediantly fill up with tears at just the thought. Then my thoughts go to The Lord and how he sent his only son to die for us so that we may have eternal life with him in heaven. I cannot imagine just how difficult this was for him. What a gift! And what a gift he has blessed me with in Caleb. I am overwhelmed with all the many blessings the Lord has bestowed upon me! What a glorious God I serve.

Pebble Beach, CA

2009-09-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

We just arrived home this morning after taking a red eye flight from Pebble Beach, CA. And yes, I do believe my eyes were red after arriving home. Caleb did such a great job on his first flight across the country and making a three hour time change. He was a champ! We had such a great time and had the best weather we have ever had in Pebble Beach. The views were just breathtaking. Caleb was able to enjoy his first trip to Ghiradelli's (one of our favorite spots for sundaes in Monterey, CA). It is not always easy on the waist line, but it is always worth it! He also watched his Pappy play golf for the first time. Although, mommy was very nervous taking him out on the golf course he did great and did not make a peep. Caleb turned 4 months old when we were out in Cali and we celebrated by giving him his first rice cereal. He is just doing so many new things and growing so much I can hardly stand it! When we came home and I changed his diaper in his changing station I couldn't believe it but his little body has gotten so long he no longer fits inside it and has to hang his legs over. Well, my pillow is calling my name and ten o'clock has not even hit yet. But I think I probably only got a couple of hours (maybe two) last night so I am feeling the need to get some more. Good night!

Rolly Polly

2009-08-22T12:01:00.001-07:00

Thursday, August 20th Caleb started rolling over from his back to his stomach. Apparently, this was a big feat since most babies roll from their stomachs to their backs first. It was so exciting to watch it happen and he was so proud of himself as he should be :) The good news is once he got to his stomach he was happy to spend some time there. He then proceeds to do the Superman position which must be creating a great six pack underneath that cute belly of his. I must admit I have not given him the tummy time he is suppose to have (partially because I have held him so much and partially because he doesn't love being on his tummy). However, since he chose to get on his tummy himself by rolling over he seemed proud and happy to be there. Once he got that first roll down, he hasn't stopped. He currently only rolls to his right so I guess he is like Zoolander and is not an ambiturner :) . He has (by accident I believe) rolled back to his back one time, but I think that was because there was a drop off of the blanket and it helped him to keep going. Well, I know people say enjoy every minute because they grow up fast and that is so true! Caleb is about to be four months old and I cannot believe all he is doing now and how much he has grown.

Caleb's future wife

2009-08-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

So this weekend was lots of fun....some of my friends and I threw a baby shower for Caleb's future mother in law (Sherri) and his future wife (Ally Grace). Yes, we are already setting him up. Who wouldn't want to be able to choose their in-laws and we know the Dickens would be great ones! And since we already know Ally Grace is going to be a knock out I know Caleb would approve of this arrangement. She is suppose to arrive October 1st, but sounds like she may come a little early (every pregnant woman's hopes). Caleb came after the shower for a cookout and did so well! He is such a good baby. In the picture you will see him surrounded by some of his favorite Aunts (Aunt Kerie, Aunt Brooke, Aunt Kristin, Aunt Jenny, Aunt Haley, and Aunt Sherri whom will one day turn into his mother in law) :)

Savannah

2009-08-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Caleb took his first trip to Savannah for our friends' (Ryan & Victoria's) wedding. He did a great job and enjoyed his first rehearsal dinner! We had such a great time celebrating with friends as the last guy in Josh's prayer group was married off. They have been meeting together for a little over five years. Each of the eight guys in his group were single when they started. It has been so neat to see God answer each of their prayers for a wife over the years. We were also able to visit and stay with our friend Jacqueline while in Savannah. She was one of my first friends when I moved to Atlanta after college. We did some of our favorite things in Savannah while we were there.....we ate yummy seafood at Uncle Bubba's (brothers with Paula Dean), we ate peanut butter/chocolate fudge from Riverstreet, and we took Caleb swimming in the pool. It was a great weekend & Caleb has done such a great job traveling in the car.

"Firsts"

2009-08-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

These pictures are of some of my "firsts".....the first time my mommy held me after I left the delivery room, my daddy's first time holding me & changing my diaper, my first time home in my room & one of my first baths (I love bath time).

My Reinassance Man

2009-08-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

Josh has been busy using a couple of his many talents. He finished up the daybed he built for Caleb's room. It looks so good in the room & adds so much to the nursery! He also has been busy weeding & planting in our front yard. The flower bed looks drastically different than it did a few weeks ago. I wish I had a picture of what it looked like before he weeded and planted the flowers. With all the rain we have had it had gotten quite overgrown. Josh has such a great eye & skills for so many things and a green thumb is just one of them.

3 months old today

2009-08-02T13:37:00.000-07:00

Caleb is three months old today! I cannot believe it. This summer is flying by! Caleb is doing great and changing so much. He has began batting at objects in front of him. He loves his hands and enjoys putting them in his mouth. He is such a good baby and we are so proud of him. He weighed in at his two month doctors visit at 13 pounds so I imagine he is probably 14 pounds or so by now. We will take him back for his four month visit in a month. He got three shots at his two month visit & did so well. I think mommy was more nervous than he was! It has been so nice having a baby in the summer because we have been able to get out and stroll and visit with lots of people. Well, I better wrap this up and wash some bottles while my little guy is still sleeping :)

Aunt B's Baby Boutique

2009-07-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Aunt B's Baby Boutique is a baby business I created about a year ago, but have not really told many people about it till now. Aunt B is what my nephew, Grayson, named me eight years ago because he could not say Aunt Kimberly and it has stuck so I thought that would be a great name for my baby bag business. Since I have recently had so many people comment on my own baby bag that I am carrying for Caleb, I thought it is time for me to share more about my business with others. I have hanging bags, diaper bags, and duffel bags that can be embroidered with your child's name or initials. These bags are great for weekend traveling, everyday use or for your special occasion or church diaper bag. They are also great gifts for friends or family! They come in many colors and designs. Attached are a few pictures of my bags. I am hoping to have a website up and running soon with more pictures. I'll keep you posted :)

One year later.....

2009-07-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been quite awhile since I last posted. A little over a year to be exact! A lot has happened in this last year. Our family has grown and we welcomed our first baby, Caleb, on May 2nd. He is now about to be 3 months old and is our bundle of joy! Caleb has begun smiling, cooing and taking in the world around him. We are so proud of him and think he is the cutest thing we have ever seen! Aspen, our first born :) has grown quite a bit as well. He has reached the 130 pound mark and will probably grow a little more. He is adjusting well to Caleb's arrival, but has desired more attention than he is currently getting. This summer has been so much fun filled with lots of firsts for Caleb. He has gone to the beach, lake, and pool for the first time and he will take his first flight in August all the way to Pebble Beach, CA. That should be interesting to see how he does flying all the way across the country with a three hour time difference! Now that I have more to write about I am sure I won't wait another year to post to our blog--that is if I can just find the time to do it :)

Welcome to our family blog

2008-07-21T13:19:00.000-07:00

Josh and I have officially started our family this year with a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. His name is Aspen. Currently he weighs about 50 lbs and will grow to about 135 lbs. He is keeping us very entertained! We also celebrated our fourth anniversary! Time sure does fly by. We are enjoying our summer and have been on a few trips to St. Simons, New Orleans, Florida and have a trip planned to Pebble Beach, CA in late August. Josh is currently healing from his hand surgery. He cut a tendon on his right hand back on March 3rd and had surgery to reconnect the tendon on May 16th. I have been on two Lighthouse retreats this summer in FL and was able to share the experience with my mom for the first time. Thank you for visiting our blog!