Christmas 2009

We had a fantastic Christmas!  We are so blessed!  J.David loved every minute of it.  He was so into it this year and it made it that much more fun.  We had our very first Christmas morning in our own house and it was so special.  Christmas Eve evening we went and celebrated with my mom's side of the family and J.David had so much fun with all the cousins.  He LOVES watching "big kids".  That night we of course set out cookies for Santa (that JD made that afternoon) and carrots for Rudolph.  His reaction to these being eaten and gone when he woke up the next morning was priceless.  He wanted to put more out.  He got a new trike, lots of Cars goodies, and of course the Zebra Pillow!  I was so proud that I had his shopping done fairly early and felt really good about all the things we bought.  That was until he saw the Zebra pillow.  At Breakfast with Santa he told Santa he wanted the Zebra pillow (these pillow pets at the mall).  WHAT?!?  who would've thought.  He talked about that stinkin' zebra pillow up until Christmas Eve and everytime we passed it in the mall we had to stop and visit.  Good thing Santa came through. 

Christmas morning after our family Christmas we headed to my parents' house and had a wonderful breakfast followed by a fun afternoon of more gifts, eating, and preparing for my Dad's side of the family to come over for dinner and ANOTHER Christmas!  Yes, three in one day!  Let's just say that JD started the day by being encouraged to keep going with his gift opening (he would have stopped and played with each item as it was opened) and by the end of the night he was saying, "more gifts please".  ha ha ha.  Here are the pics from our Christmas:

J.David and Daddy reading the Story of Jesus.

J.David expressing that Christmas Eve with 40 people might be a little noisy.

Our tree and Christmas room A.S. (After Santa)

J.D on his new bike

Hugging that Zebra Pillow, this was his last gift.

Trying to  pose with all his gifts in the new underwear he got in his stocking.  He had to put on the Lightning McQueen pair as soon as he opened them.  ha ha ha.  Notice Mac in his hand and take a guess what his favorite movie/toy theme is right now.

The tale of the terrible H1N1 vaccine

Ok, so maybe the title is a bit dramatic, BUT what we've gone through to get this and the booster is deserving of a good title.  The actual vaccine took us 3 trips to the dr. office to actually get.  Trip 1 was cut short by a certain little boy getting sick (yuck!) in the car on the way there.  Trip 2 we actually made it to the dr. but he had a fever so we were able to be squeezed in to see the dr. and sent home.  Trip 3 a success!  Now we are trying to get the booster shot.  It was scheduled for yesterday morning and guess what?!?  J.David was up the night before, sick!  yuck!  So now I am thinking i might wait til Christmas is over before I schedule another appt.  ha ha ha!  Poor baby!  Maybe someone is trying to tell me something?  ha ha ha. 

Hockey and Manners

We have said before how much J.David LOVES baseball.  Well apparently this LOVE goes to all sports.  He calls the hogs with is Daddy when watching football, can shoot toddler free throws with his basketball net, and cheers for all sports on TV by saying "woooo" jumping with his fists in the air and then cheering "GO ALBERT" no matter what he is watching.  ha ha ha.  Well, a couple weeks ago he got to attend his first st. Louis Blues hockey game and he did not disappoint, nor was he disappointed.  All we've heard about lately is hockey, hockey, hockey.  When asked about it he will say "GO BLUES" and show you how they skate.  ha ha.  Here are some pics from that adventure:

These comments are more for my records, but lately J.David has appeared so grown up!  Some of his new "phrases" include answering "i do, mommy" instead of a simple yes and saying "thank you mommy" upon receiving something I hand him.   This is not all the time, but he's been doing it more and more without being prompted and this is something the melts my heart.  There is nothing sweeter than a gracious child and I am so thankful that he is that way.  But have no fear, as sweet and cherished as these moments are his most commonly used phrase is stil..."no mommy!" ha ha ha.  Such a toddler!

Cousins

This post is primarily pictures.  We have gone back to Arkansas twice in November.  Once for Papa's funeral and then again for Thanksgiving.  I titled it Cousins since most of the pics are of J.David and Eden.  They have become best buds and have so much fun playing together.  It is so special that they are so close in age.  Every time we leave he asks about "Edie" the whole way home.  Last time he tried to tell us to go back so he could give her a hug!  ADORABLE!

Cheesin' with Jay Pops!

Eden's funny face...so serious.  ha ha

I sure do love that smile!

Playing in the jungle gym.

Holding hands in Walmart, almost the whole time. 

Santa in downtown Searcy.  J.David is only smiling b/c he has no idea that Santa is behind him.  He wouldn't get out of the car b/c he saw him from across the street...this will more than likely be an entire post on its own later.  ha ha ha.

Playing chase with Daddy/Uncle Morgan, still holding hands!

The next few pics are what happens when you try to get a photo shoot with two 2 year olds....you don't!  ha ha ha.

I wish I knew what they were saying here.

ok guys...we smiled, can we please have our m&m's now...this is so boring!

Nemo

This post is actually from the last weekend in October.  We went down to Arkansas for Harding's Homecoming and to spend an extended weekend with family.  We also had one last birthday party for J.David.  It was so much fun and J.David and Eden had a blast!  BEST BUDS!!  My sister-in-law Leanne created a masterpiece cake for J.David from one of his favorite movies: NEMO!  It was amazing!  Anyone in the Little Rock area i'm trying to get her to start a business so if you see this cake and want one of your own, let me know and I'll see what I can do!  ha ha ha. 
We also got to see the brick that my parent's so generously purchased in memory of Alexander.  Harding redid their Lilly pond on the front lawn and now Alexander is a part of a place of that means so much to us. Thanks mom and dad!
This weekend was extra special too because it was the last time we saw Papa.  We went trick or treating at the assisted living facility that he lived in.  He loved seeing his great grands in the costumes and getting to display them for his new friends.  A special memory for sure!
Here are some photos from the weekend: (there are tons so these are just a few of my faves)

Heading to see Papa

J.David, Morgan, and Papa

J.D. and his amazing Nemo cake!

Best friends and their Daddys

The Brick

They look like they are conspiring...ha ha ha "i'll jump in, you distract them "

My boys playing at trunk or treat

Mimi, Jay Pops and their conductor

Asking for prayers

This has been a sad day from the moment we woke up.  We started off the day learning that Morgan's grandpa, our Papa, went to meet Jesus in the wee hours of the morning.  He was the kind of man that you pray your children grow to be like.  He was such a blessing to everyone that knew him and we rejoice today knowing that he is with Jesus.  Please pray for our family during this time of healing.

Then this evening I got an email that our friends Mike and Angie had their baby girl today and that she has some unexpected heart problems.  According to the email her heart is enlarged and one of the valves is not shutting all the way. Apparently there's not enough oxygen in her heart right now and it's not beating exactly how it should. They think they may have to do a surgery to fix it, but they're not sure yet.  Please pray for Allie as she is battling these obstacles so new to the world and for strength for Mike and Angie.  I can't even imagine what they are going through, but I know that some of you know those feelings all too well.  So please let's send up some prayers tonight on behalf of this beautiful family.  I will post more when I know more.

Taking a break from getting caught up...

Due to the massive number of pics we  took in Arkansas last weekend  I am still in the process of loading them onto the computer.  So for now here are a few pics from yesterday.  Poor Morgan was outside ALL day blowing leaves and bagging them.  This would have felt far more productive if when we arrived home from church today the two giant oaks trees in our front yard had not dumped another load of fall onto the lawn.  ha ha ha.  poor Morgan.  And I was worried I wasn't going to get enough pics of JD in the leaves....ha ha ha.  Looks like I still have a few more chances...sorry honey! Here are some pics of J.David taking after his Daddy...

Ok, maybe not this first one, but the others for sure! ha ha ha