Phone Calls

This is how Alex talks on the phone...

It's rough to be him :)

3 Month Pictures

Jax had his three month pictures taken on Friday.  Our photographer, Kim Greenfield, was kind enough to post a sneak preview on her blog.

I think they turned out so good, but then again I am slightly biased :)

Here is the link to Jax's pictures: Baby Jax | 3 months

Happy Birthday, Larry!

Today was Larry's 29th Birthday!  One more year until the 30's...enjoy it, babe!

We decided to bring Larry lunch today and we surprised him (and his co-workers) with a YUMMY cookie cake!  We also stopped to bring him in balloons.  Alex insisted on the balloons.  Apparently it isn't an appropriate birthday without them :)

For dinner we went to a local mexican restaurant with Grandma Becky.  Becky inadvertently told them that it was Larry's birthday, so they brought out a sombrero, sang "Happy Birthday" in spanish and gave Larry a sundae.  I think he was slightly embarrassed, but he took it in stride since Alex was having such a good time!

We came back to the house after dinner to eat cake.  Alex had decided a few months ago that he wanted his Daddy to have a "Cars" party.  We got a "Cars" cake along with "Cars" plates and napkins.

It was so much fun to celebrate Larry.  He is wonderful husband and an amazing father.  He amazes me each day with his love for me and the boys.  He works hard, so I have the opportunity to stay at home. We are so lucky to have him and love him more than he will ever know!

Happy 29th Birthday, Larry!

Here are a few pictures from the day:

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day is an extremely emotional and bittersweet day in our house.  This year will be even more bittersweet than in years past.

Today, we will celebrate Larry for being an incredible and amazing Daddy to Alex and Jax.  I love watching him wrestle with Alex one minute and the next minute cuddle and love on Jax.  I have never been more in love with Larry than when I watch him with our two boys.  Larry works hard everyday, but somehow always has enough energy when he gets home from work to play with our sons.  He never lets a day go by when he doesn't tell them or show them how much he loves them.  He helps with parenting responsibilities and doesn't shy away from a dirty diaper (or several).  He will gladly feed Jaxon a bottle at dinner time, just so I can eat a warm meal.  He looks forward to taking Alex and Jax to Alabama football games, Atlanta Braves baseball games and NASCAR races.  He can't wait to create memories with his boys and I can't wait to watch him do it.  Larry makes sure to show his boys how to treat a woman - he treats me with kindness, respect and love.  The same kindness, respect and love that Alex has begun to show me.  I love that Alex and Larry have their own special time together - moments that Alex looks forward to each day (and moments that Jax will look forward to as well).  

We love you Larry and we are so blessed to have you in our lives.  Our boys are so lucky to have you as their father.  I look forward to raising our sons with you.  Thank you for all you do for us!  

Today, we will also remember and honor both of our Dad's (Jim and Larry, Jr.) that were taken from us way too soon.  Both of our father's hold a special place in our heart and our family.  They are men that we love and respect.  And men that we miss greatly.  Our Dad's have helped shape us and guide us both into the people (and parents) we are today - and for that we are eternally thankful to them.  In our boys, we see qualities of our Dad's and I can't begin to explain to you how comforting that is.  Both of us wish that we had the chance to see our Dad's fully enjoy the role of a grandfather, but we know that they are watching over both Alex and Jax all of the time and delighting in the things they are doing.  We know that they watching over them each day.  We love our Dad's and miss them so much.

Today, we are wishing all of the other father's in our lives a very Happy Father's Day.  The men who have helped raise us, have cheered us on, have been there for all of the important (and not so important) moments in our lives.  The men that have stood by us through the hard times.  Men who have played such an important role in our lives and men we are so thankful for.  

We are also wishing our friends a Happy Father's Day.  They are the father's that have inspired us, laughed with us, shared the joy of raising children with us and who are traveling this road along side of us.  We are blessed with an incredible group of friends that we are proud to have in our son's lives!

Happy Father's Day.  Remember to never take your dad for granted - love them while they are here so you can have the memories when they are gone.  Take time today to spend with your Dad.  They are the reason for today.

Celebrating Grandpa Jim

Tonight, we celebrated Grandpa Jim.  Regardless of if he is in heaven or here on earth, it is important to me to celebrate him and the life that the lived.  My boys need to know him and need to celebrate him as well and this is a great way for them to do so.

We had a nice steak dinner (something my dad would have LOVED), ate cupcakes and sent balloons to heaven.  

Balloons:

Cupcakes :)

Mommy and Jax:

Alex:

Me and my boys:

Jax and Mommy:

Sweet Boy:

Sending our balloon to heaven:

Kisses for my littlest man:

Earlyworks Museum - Circus Day

Today, we took Alex to the Earlyworks Museum.  In addition to being able to tour the museum (which we had never been to), they were having clowns, carnival games, popcorn, magic shows, face painting and crafts.  Larry and I thought it would be a great Alex, Mommy and Daddy date.

The museum was really neat.  It was very kids friends and very hands on.  Alex had a great time pushing buttons, playing cashier at the "store", harvesting vegetables and wandering through the museum.  Larry and I had a great time watching him explore.

Here are a few pictures from the day:

Alex and Daddy:

Trying on his clown nose:

Playing games:

On the inflatable:

Playing the slingshot game:

I'm pretty sure he was marching here:

Alex and Mommy:

Sarah and Larry:

Getting his face painted:

The finished product - a red nose and a mustache:

Harvesting vegetables:

Singing :)

Playing with the mailbox:

Playing in the store:

Mommy and Alex:

The visor that he made:

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Jim!

Just know that your life had a meaning.

Every life has a meaning,

whether it lasts one hundred years

or one hundred seconds.

Every life and every death

changes the world in its own way.

Today Grandpa Jim would have been 54!

We are celebrating the day as we do all his other birthdays.  Having cupcakes, singing "Happy Birthday" and sending balloons up to heaven.  This year instead of sending up three balloons, Grandpa Jim will be getting four.

Don't cry because it is over.

Smile because it happened.

~Dr. Seuss~

I miss my Dad everyday, but today it is especially hard.  Today is a difficult reminder that my Dad isn't here and I am not able to do all of the things I want to for him.  I want to be picking out the perfect birthday present for him, I want to be buying him a birthday cake and watching him blow out the candles with a grandson on each knee, I want to see his smile as he listens to Alex sing "Happy Birthday", but mostly I want him here so I can hug him, kiss his cheek and tell him how much I love him.

While both joy and sorrow are fleeting,

and often intertwined, 

love has the power to overcome both.

And love can last forever.

~Deb Plouse Fulton~

As much as he loved being my Dad, he would have adored his role as Grandpa Jim.  I have no doubt that his two grandsons would have been the light of his life.  His office would have been decorated in pictures of the boys and he would have gone to work regularly telling everyone about Alex's latest antics.  Knowing all that he is missing is one of the hardest things for me.  I would give anything to see him with Alex and Jax.  I would give anything for them to know him!

Perhaps they are not stars in the sky,

but rather openings where our loved

ones shine down to let us know they are happy.

~Eskimo Legend~

My Dad was an amazing man.  He was so full of life and love.  He touched more lives that he ever realized while he was here.  He made everyone around him feel important, intelligent and valued.  He listened to people without judgment.  He cared about everyone, regardless of if he knew you an hour, a year or a lifetime.  I will never forget the days of the visitation and funeral and looking around and seeing how many people were there to honor him and my Mom - it was a true testament to the people that they were.

Grieve not, nor speak of me with tears,

but laugh and talk of me

as if I were right there beside you.

~Isla Paschal Richardson~

Today, we will remember my Dad - not because he died, but because he lived and because he has created a beautiful legacy.  We will share stories with Alex and Jax, because he lives on through our stories and our memories.  We will celebrate this day because God created an incredible man and shared him with us for 48 wonderful years.  We will honor the life that he lived. 

What the heart has once known,

it shall never forget.

~Author Unknown~

Happy Birthday, Daddy!  I miss you more than I ever thought possible.  My heart aches knowing you won't be here on your special day.  But knowing that you are celebrating in heaven with Mom and so many others, eases the pain just a little bit.  Know that you are loved, missed and thought of not just today, but each and every day.  I love you!

To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die.

~Thomas Campbell~

Jaxon's Newborn Photobook

I finally got a chance to make a photobook with Jaxon's Newborn Pictures!

Here is the result:

Click here to view this photo book larger

Bumbo Time

You know your little baby is growing up when he has enough neck strength to sit in the Bumbo seat.  

Jaxon sat in his Bumbo seat for the first time today.  My little man is growing up...and it is all happening way too fast!

Here are a few pictures:

Totally bored with the process:

Such a big man:

"I am Godzilla":

Love this little man: