The Cothren Family

Six Years

2011-10-21T23:06:00.000-04:00

Dear Mom and Dad,

Today marks 6 years since you have been gone. There are times when it feels like thepast six years have flown by in the blink of an eye and there are times when itfeels like an eternity has passed. I just can’t believe 6 years have come and gone without you here.

There are days that I wake up and it still seems unreal tome that you aren’t here. I knowyou see me reach for the phone to call you when something exciting happens orwhen something sad happens. And Iknow that you see the disappointment in my eyes when I realize I can’t call youto share the news. Those momentsare becoming less frequent, but each time they happen it takes my breath away.

This year has been full of so many highs and lows. I would have given anything to have youby my side through it all. Therewere so many moments where I needed a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen tome or just a nod of reassurance. Iknow you hear me and I know you are still guiding me in the right direction,but it isn’t the same as having you here in person.

Your second grandson made his appearance this year, but youalready knew that. I know youspent time with him before you sent him to Larry and I. Jaxon is a joy – one of the happiestbabies you will ever meet. When hesmiles, his whole face lights up and the crinkle in his nose melts my heartevery time I see it. He made quitean entrance into the world. Hescared us for the first few hours of his life – I was a ball of nerves, prayingto God and the both of you, to make sure my baby was okay. In the moments of uncertainty, I had asense of calmness about me – I know that was the two of you. I know you held him in your arms thewhole time he was in the NICU. Iknow you sat by his bed every moment he was away from me, guarding and protectinghim. You watched him get strongerand gave me the strength that I needed.

Alex is growing like a weed. He is changing everyday and becoming such a good kid. He has a tender heart and such aneagerness to learn. He is athleticand smart and Larry and I are so blessed. Of course, he isn’t perfect. We have our trying moments as well. It is in those moments, that I laugh and think of the smileyou are getting on your faces watching me deal with him! There are so many qualities of the twoof you I see in him. His“attention to detail” that he gets from you, Dad! And his compassion and empathy that he gets from you, Mom! He knows all about the two of you. He knows how you lived, how you loved,who you were and how much you love him. We talk about you all the time and remind him that even though youaren’t here on Earth, you are in Heaven watching him. Please keep guiding him and protecting him, Lord knows heneeds it!

We lost Larry, Jr. this year. I know he is with you two and he is watching over us aswell, but it was so unexpected and it completely rocked our world. I wonder if the two of you were just asshocked to see him walk into Heaven, as we were to lose him? I know that there are reasons foreverything, but I still am not sure why God keeps taking the people welove. My heart breaks for Larrybecause this road is all too familiar and it is such an unpleasant road totravel. He is hurting and the hurtgoes much deeper than anyone can see. I wish that I could take his pain away, but I know that isn’tpossible. I pray that you werewith Larry Jr. in his final moments and that you were there to welcome him intoheaven. I pray that you were with my Larry in those moments of fear when he firstlearned that Larry Jr. had died and I pray that you both are with him everydaywhen he hurts and needs you.

Mom, there are so many times in the last six years that Ihave needed you. I have hadquestions that have gone unanswered and experiences that I wanted you to sharewith me. No one will everunderstand how difficult it is to become a good wife and mother without havingyour own mother to guide you. Iknow I have many faults, but I hope that you are proud of me and the woman Ihave become.

Dad, you have no idea how much I miss you each and everytime Alex has an “OCD” moment. Iknow it is you that is laughing while he has to have his animals “just right”before going to bed. You wouldlove these boys more than you ever thought possible. They have a way of wrapping you around their finger withjust a smile and a giggle. I neverunderstood just how much you loved me until I gave birth to Alex (and Jax) – itis an incredible, unexplainable love. Thank you for loving me in that special way and for teaching me how tolove my boys in the same way.

There are moments when my heart physically aches for the factthat you never got to hold your grandsons. You never got to kiss their chubby cheeks and tickle theirtiny feet. I cry knowing that theywill grow up never having been read a story by either of you or will never feelyour warm embrace. Those are themoments when this all seems so unfair. Those are the moments when I cry to God and ask Him “why”. And those are the moments I trust inHim that there was a reason for this and a plan that only He can comprehend.

Mom and Dad, I know it is you holding my hand and comfortingme when I am crying so hard that it hurts to breathe. When I am alone and hiding from the world, you are there,aren’t you? I always hear how strongI am and how much people admire me, but the reality is I am weak and I hurtmore than anyone knows. I amstrong because I don’t have a choice, breaking down every minute of every dayjust isn’t an option. My worldchanged forever on October 22, 2005. Nothing is how it was “supposed” to be. Prior to that date, I could never have imagined my lifewithout you - now living without you is my reality.

I know you watch me from Heaven. You give me strength on my weak days, you give me fight whenI am being bullied and you have shaped me into the person that I am. Thank you for continuing to guide meand protect me. It is with yourstrength and guidance that I am able to live without you.

I love you both more than you will ever know. I love you for who you were and who youcontinue to be.

Always,

Sarah

Jax's 6 Month Pictures

2011-09-26T16:09:00.000-04:00

Jax had another great picture session by a greenfield photography.

We had his 6 month pictures taken on his half-birthday (September 24). We were blessed with incredible weather and a happy boy.

Kim posted a sneak peek of the pictures on her blog and I couldn't be happier with the way they turned out. I am so anxious to see the rest of them!

Here is the preview on her blog: Jax | 6 Months of Cuteness

Enjoy!!

Jaxon's New Seat

2011-08-19T16:36:00.000-04:00

When Alex was a baby, he loved sitting in his Bumbo seat. He would sit there for long stretches of time and watch me as I got stuff done around the house.

Unfortunately, Jax has not liked the Bumbo nearly as much. He would sit there for about two minutes and then commence yelling at me. At first I thought it was because it was something new and eventually he would get used to it. After several days and one agitated child, I finally figured out what the problem was. It was pinching his chunky thighs and making him uncomfortable.

The other day, we went to Babies R Us and found a new seat for Jax. We discovered the Summer Infant 3-Stage Super Seat. Big enough to fit his chunky thighs and plenty of stuff to keep him occupied while I cook dinner - a winner for both of us. Now, if only they had something in Alex's size :)

Here are a few pictures of Jax in his new seat:

Stick Family

2011-08-19T13:08:00.000-04:00

Saw this cute little stick family on another blog - thought we needed one for ours :)

My Stick Family from WiddlyTinks.com

First Day of Preschool

2011-08-16T14:36:00.001-04:00

Alex had his first day of preschool today! He was so excited to go! I love that I have a child that is excited for things like this - it makes dropping him off so much easier :)

He has a new teacher this year. Her name is Mrs. Butler (often times he calls her Mrs. Butter). She seems like a wonderful, loving woman and I am so happy that Alex is in her class. She also has two aides in her class. Mrs. Corning helps out on Tuesday and Thursday and Mrs. Chaplin (Amy - his teacher from last year) helps out on Wednesday. We are so glad that Amy is in his class. Alex absolutely adores her and it is so nice to have a familiar face around :)

When I dropped Alex off at school this morning, he walked right in and put his bag on the hook and lunch bag on the floor. He acted like he owned the place - of course that is nothing out of the ordinary for Alex! After he sat down, he asked Mrs. Butler where the bathroom was. She pointed it out (it is in the classroom) and asked him if he needed to go. He told her "no, I was just checking for when I will need to use it later"! Ha - always prepared!

In his classroom this year, they are all about independence. He carries his own bag, goes to the bathroom when he needs to, cleans up toys, plays independently (as well as in the group) and he is even able to do car pool (no need for me to drag Jax in and out of the car to drop off and pick up Alex). I love that they are teaching him these things, but also a little sad because it means that my little man isn't so little anymore! He is growing up and I can't stop it!

He also will have chapel this year on Wednesdays. They will get to go into the church sanctuary, learn about Jesus and learn to pray. I am so excited for this. He has such love in his heart for Jesus and loves learning about Him.

I went in to pick him up today (this morning he told me to come in and pick him up because he was "just not ready for the car pool line") and Mrs. Butler told me that he was a wonderful little boy and that he cleaned up after himself without even being asked to. She said that they really enjoyed him. Apparently he is quite the social butterfly too.

When we got in the car today, he told me all about his day. He was so proud of the handprints he made, told me all about eating his lunch, playing with his friends and he told me about hanging out with all his friends from last year on the playground! He even told me that he thinks that he is ready to try the carpool tomorrow because he is a "big boy" now :)

I am so happy he enjoyed his first day and I am so hopeful that he will be this excited the rest of the year!

Here are a few pictures that we took this morning before we left for school:

Ready for school:

Mommy and Alex:

Brothers:

Love that they are holding hands in this picture :)

Soccer Star

2011-08-11T20:57:00.000-04:00

Alex is finally able to play soccer this year with the YMCA. He has been looking forward to this for awhile....so have I (I am secretly hoping that he will get some of his energy out and sleep really well on the nights he has soccer practice).

Alex had his first practice today and loved it. He thinks he is going to be the "winner" of his team. I keep trying to explain to him that they are a team and they work together. Apparently, I am not getting through to him - after one of the goals that he kicked he turned around to the rest of his team and yelled out "woohoo, I'm the winner!" Yep, that was my kid...never a dull moment!

The coach is teaching them the basics and it is pretty funny to watch these three year olds run around and learn soccer. You have kids who are really into it, kids who are just there because their parents are making them and other kids who are just running around the field without a care in the world. I can't wait for games :)

Here are a few pictures for his first practice:

Yep...that is my little superstar posing:

On the field:

Practicing:

Taking time out from practice to give a little wave to his fans:

Team huddle:

Speaking of fans, apparently Alex thinks he is running in a parade waving as he is running around the field. This kid cracks me up:

And of course, a picture of the cutest little brother I know:

Soccer Practice, Double Rainbow and Captain America

2011-08-01T21:51:00.001-04:00

Soccer Practice:

In preparation for Alex's upcoming Soccer season, we got him a soccer ball, cleats, shin guards and socks. Well, of course he had to try them all out. We suited him up and let him loose in the backyard to "practice" his soccer skills. Fortunately for us, we discovered that he isn't all that bad. Of course, he does have my gracefulness and falls down pretty frequently, but if we can get that under control, the boy actually isn't too bad at soccer. He kicks the ball pretty well and even dribbles it better than I expected :)

Here are a few pictures:

Such a crazy kid:

Kicking it around the yard:

Super Star:

Had to take a break to cry about how far away the soccer ball was:

Pretty good form, right?

I think Daddy and Alex were practicing hitting it off his head. Not really a requirement for soccer, but something Larry thoroughly enjoyed:

Double Rainbow:

After practicing soccer, we went out front to play in the driveway. While we were sitting there, we noticed a double rainbow. It was absolutely beautiful - my pictures do not do it justice!

I love seeing reminders of God like this. He surely has fulfilled His promise of bringing me a rainbow (my boys) after the storm (the death of my parents).

Captain America:

Larry said it best "Who needs to go to the movies to see Captain America when we have our own Captain America living with us?"

Little Brother:

And because I can't leave Little Brother out:

Laughter

2011-08-01T21:22:00.000-04:00

Jax is finally laughing! He makes us work for it, but it is so worth it! Tonight, he was in an especially giggly mood, so we took advantage of it and got it on video and on pictures.

I love these laughs. The kind where they surprise themselves and get a shocked look on their faces after laughing. The kind where their whole body shakes when they laugh. The kind where you can't help but smile along. These are the moments that I live for as a Mommy :)

Here are some cute pictures of our little man:

My favorite:

Getting all serious:

Buckwheat and Jax (love the look on Jax's face):

Kisses for Daddy:

And here is the video (I'm not sure how to turn them around...sorry):

Jaxon's 3 Month Photobook

2011-07-23T13:12:00.002-04:00

Here is the photobook that I made with Jaxon's 3 month pictures:

Click here to view this photo book larger

Happy Birthday to my Best Friend!

2011-07-14T00:00:00.003-04:00

Today is Aunt Jenny's birthday!

Happy Birthday Aunt Jenny!!

I have always believed that God brings the people into your life that you need. God knew that I would never have a sister...instead, He gave me someone better. One day almost 20 years ago, God gave me Jenny!

Jenny is my children's Godmother, my should to cry on, my first phone call when I need to talk to someone (other than Larry), my sounding board, my advice giver, someone who celebrates happy moments with me and grieves in sad moments, my number 2 on speed dial (number 1 is reserved for Larry), my favorite Target shopping buddy, the mother of three of my favorite kids in the world (besides my own), the person who I can be myself around, the person who loves me for me, the person who knows me better than most and most importantly, my best friend.

Jenny is intertwined in most of my childhood memories. Meeting outside her house the summer we both turned 12 years old. We shared countless hours on the phone. We spent so much time at each other's house that we considered each set our second parents. We had pool parties and sleepovers. We learned how to drive together - me in my parent's Mitsubishi Eclipse and her in her dad's Izuzu Truck (both parents thought it was important to learn how to drive a manual car). We watched as each other went through high school relationships and comforted each other when those relationships failed! We went to homecoming and prom together. We cheered each other on as we graduated high school. And we watched as acceptance letters came in from different colleges. We watched each other grow from little girls into young women.

Our friendship doesn't end with childhood memories and it didn't end with graduation from High School. Today, Jenny is just as much a part of my every day life. She is there for me on days that I am missing my parents - knowing that she doesn't need to say anything, just knowing that I need her to be there for me. She flew to Alabama the day after Jaxon was born and watched with me as he lay in the NICU. We talk or text daily. She is involved in my life and the lives of my children. They know her and they love her - something that is so precious and important to me. We are navigating our lives through motherhood and adulthood...together!

And our future is already planned. Girls trips to escape the stress of everyday life. Laughing as our kids go to school, sharing our worries when they begin driving and watching with pride as they all graduate high school.

I am so thankful that God gave me this friendship. I am glad that He knew that I would need someone like Jenny by my side, not just through the good times, but also through the bad times. He knew that our lives would be rocky, but our friendship would help us through those difficult times. He knew that our laughter would be great together and our memories would be treasured. He knew that instead of giving me a sister, He would give me a best friend! And for all of that, I thank Him!

Jenny - Happy 32nd Birthday! We love you and we are so lucky you are in our lives! Thank you for being a part of my past, my present and my futures. Thank you for loving my boys just as much as I do. Thank you for giving me two beautiful nephews and one gorgeous niece! Thank you for being there for me and for knowing me the way you do. You are the best friend a girl could ask for :)

Bowling and Heaven

2011-07-09T20:17:00.000-04:00

Today we took Alex bowling for the first time. He had a great time! Not only did he love rolling the ball down the lane, but he really loved running back to see the animation on the tv screen about the pins. Jax had a great time as well, he slept for the first half and then woke up and watched us bowl.

A funny little story about it - ever since the tornadoes that went through Alabama, Alex has been terrified of bad weather. In an effort to ease his fears, we have been telling him that thunder is just God and his angels bowling. We even try to incorporate our angels into it. For instance, we tell him on a really loud boom that Pa Larry must have got a strike because it was really loud or when it is just a little rumbling in the distance, we tell him that Grandma Kathy probably threw a gutter ball. He loves that :) Well, when I first mentioned going bowling he kept telling me that he did not want to go. I wasn't sure why - he had never been so he had no idea whether he would like it or not. Eventually he told me that he did not want to go bowling because he was not ready to go to heaven. He said when you go to heaven you don't come back and he did NOT want to go bowling there. Poor kid :( I explained to him that we were going bowling near Daddy's work and that they have bowling places here on Earth as well as in heaven. I felt so bad for him for being so worried. My poor little guy!

Here are a few pictures from our adventure:

Getting ready to bowl:

This kid knows how to rock the bowling shoes! How cute does he look?

Putting Alex in the computer:

Sleepy Jax:

Picking out a bowling ball:

Bowling with Daddy for the first time ever:

It took awhile to finally get down there :)

The next time bowling...he tried it "granny style"! Worked much better:

Thank goodness for bumpers:

Love this one:

High-five for Daddy:

Happy Jax:

Sarah and Larry:

Alex:

First Stitches

2011-07-03T20:40:00.001-04:00

I know that little boys will get injured and little boys will get hurt, but when it happens to YOUR little boy it just breaks your heart!

Today, we took Alex to the Bridgestreet. They have a fountain area where little kids can run around and and play in the water. Good idea, right?! It started out great. Alex was having fun, playing in the water and being silly. In an instant it turned out not so great. Larry and I looked down at Jaxon's stroller to move it and the next thing we know is Alex runs up to us, telling us he has fallen down and with blood gushing from his chin. Larry, being the quick thinker, grabs a diaper and holds it to Alex's chin so the blood doesn't get everywhere. Eventually, we calmed Alex down enough and we were able to look at his chin and realized that it was cut a little more than what a simple band-aid could handle. We quickly left Bridgestreet and headed to the ER.

At the ER, they numbed him up and stitched him up. He got 2 stitches on the inside and 6 stitches on the outside. The nurses and doctor kept commenting on how well behaved he was and how brave he was being. He just laid there and let them stitch him up like it was something that he has done everyday.

A little funny story about the whole incident:

While we were waiting to be seen by the doctor, another lady came into the room. I forget what exactly her title was, but ti was one that I didn't recognize. She told us that she wanted to ask Alex a few questions and explain to him the procedure that he was about to have done. This is how the conversation went:

Lady: Hi Alex, I work here at the hospital. Can you tell me what you did today?!
Alex: Mommy, what did I do?
Me: Alex, tell her what happened.
Alex: I fell down and hurt my chin, right Mommy?
Me: Yes, Alex.
Lady: Alex, where did you fall down?
Alex: Where did I fall down, Mommy?
Me: Alex, where were we?
Alex: At the fountains. Right, Mommy?
Me: Yes.

You get the picture. I was so afraid this lady was from child protective services checking up on us. All the while, Alex was asking was asking me for reassurance. I was hoping she didn't think he was being coached in any way. Fun times.

Turns out the lady works with the hospital and explains to kids what is going on - in ways the child can understand. She told Alex he would be getting blue strings in his chin to help heal him and showed him a doll that had blue strings in it. He was able to touch and feel the strings - which helped calm him down a little bit about it. She also told him that he needed to stay very still so the doctor could put the strings in.

All in all, Alex was such a trooper during the whole ordeal. He only cried for a few minutes - I was so proud of him!

Here are a few pictures of our time at the fountains, before he fell down and a few pictures while we were at the ER:

At the ER:

Phone Calls

2011-06-28T22:11:00.001-04:00

This is how Alex talks on the phone...

It's rough to be him :)

3 Month Pictures

2011-06-27T17:17:00.000-04:00

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!

2011-06-20T20:49:00.000-04:00

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!

2011-06-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

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

2011-06-18T22:48:00.001-04:00

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

2011-06-18T22:29:00.000-04:00

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!

2011-06-18T00:00:00.001-04:00

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

2011-06-15T17:46:00.002-04:00

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

2011-06-06T22:45:00.001-04:00

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:

7 Years

2011-06-05T15:20:00.000-04:00

Because I don't feel well today, I am reposting our Anniversary post from last year! Good thing I like it :)

To have and to hold

From Wedding/Reception

from this day forward,

From Wedding/Reception

for better or worse,

From Wedding/Reception

for richer, for poorer,

From Wedding/Reception

in sickness and in health,

From Wedding/Reception

to love and to cherish,

From Wedding/Reception

until death do us part.

From Wedding/Reception

Makes Me Laugh

2011-06-03T22:28:00.001-04:00

This picture makes me laugh every time I see it :)

Two Months

2011-05-24T21:50:00.003-04:00

Jaxon Charles...today you are two months old!

In the past two months, you have captured our hearts, gained a big brother and best friend, made your Mommy so happy and brought so much joy to your Daddy (he has needed it). You have fit so easily into our family, it is hard to remember a time without you in our lives.

Your big brother loves you more than I could have ever hoped for. I was worried about how he would like someone invading his territory, after all he was an only child for 3.5 year before you got here, but he has accepted you and welcomed you with open arms. You are the first one he asks for every morning when he wakes up and you are the last one included in his prayers before he goes to bed. I think the two of you are going to be best friends forever...and I am so thankful for that!

You wear 0-3 month clothes and I even put you in a 3 month onesie the other day - it fit and it made me sad. I can't believe how quickly you are growing. My little baby isn't so little anymore!

You weigh 11 pounds and 3 ounces and you are 22.5 inches long. Your head is 15 cm around. You and your big brother are right around the same growth curve!

Your favorite place in the world is in our arms, but because we can't hold you all the time you have decided your second favorite place is the swing. You love "talking" to your fish friends and watching the lights.

You have started smiling this week and I have to be honest with you - it COMPLETELY melts my heart! I love those gummy smiles!

You love to eat and that makes Mommy so happy. You are a growing boy and knowing that you are getting all of your nutrients from me is an amazing feeling!

We love you, Jaxon, more than you will ever know!

Here are two pictures before we took you to your two month doctor appointment:

Family Photo

2011-05-14T23:16:00.000-04:00

I love this picture - it is one of our only family photo's since Jaxon has been here.

There are so many things that I love about this picture - my husband has his arm around my waist, Alex is giving his best "cheese" face and Jaxon is looking up at me with such a cute look in his eyes!

I am such a lucky girl to have these three amazing boys in my life!

Larry Ellis Cothren, Jr.

2011-05-10T17:10:00.000-04:00

I've started and stopped this post so many times, realizing that publishing this post on our blog will make it even more truer than it already is and not quite able to find the right words for the enormity of our loss.

On Sunday, April 24, 2011, Larry's dad, Larry Ellis Cothren, Jr., passed away from an apparent heart attack. He was 47 and had so much more life to live. We had no warning and no reason to believe that when we saw him on Thursday, April 21, 2011 alive and well, that we would be seeing him for the last time. His life was taken from us instantly and our lives will never be the same.

Larry, Jr. will be missed by so many people. He was a great son, father, brother and grandfather. He took pride in his kids and grandkids. And my heart aches for the two boys that will never know how much their grandfather adored them. We are blessed that we moved back to Huntsville a year ago, allowing a stronger relationship to be built between Alex and Larry, Jr. We are even happier that while God took him from us way too soon, he was able to meet, hold and love on his newest grandson!

I have watched my husband for two weeks try to come to terms with all of this and I know that he never will - there will always be questions that he will never have answers to. I have watched him in awe as he spoke at the funeral, never more honored and proud to be by his side. I have seen him hold his boys a little tighter these past few weeks and have felt an indescribable amount of love for him. I wish that I could take him pain away from him. He is walking down a road that is both familiar and scary for us. Unlike most, we know the grief and pain that is in front of us and it is not an easy thing to face.

Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.

We love you Dad and Grandpa! You will forever live on in our hearts and memories!

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Below is the obituary posted on both the funeral home website and the Huntsville Times.

Larry Ellis Cothren, Jr. age 47, of Lacey Springs, passed away on Sunday April 24, 2011 at his residence.

Funeral services will be on Thursday April 28, 2011 at 1 pm in the chapel of Spry Funeral Home of Huntsville with burial to follow in Huntsville Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends on Wednesday April 27, 2011 from 5 pm until 8 pm at the funeral home.

Mr. Cothren is survived by his children, Larry Cothren, III and wife Sarah of Owens Cross Roads, and Claudia Cothren of Pennsylvania; his parents, Larry Cothren, Sr. and wife Jean of Huntsville, and Wanda Kyzer and husband Bill of Lewisburg, TN; his brother, Kevin Cothren of Valhermosa Springs; his sister, Kim Ethridge and husband Robert of Lewisburg, TN; his grandsons, Alexander and Jaxson Cothren; his nephews, Cody and Evan Ethridge; and his special friend, Teresa Church of Lewisburg, TN.

Larry grew up in Lacey Springs and graduated high school from Brewer in 1982. After high school, he joined the Air Force where he spent over 20 years until he retired. While in the Air Force, he spent time in New Mexico, Korea, Alabama, and Florida. After retiring from the Air Force Larry moved back home to Alabama to be closer to his family. He enjoyed spending time with all of his family whether it was wood working with his Dad, visiting his Mom and sister in Tennessee, canoeing with his brother, spending time with his son and daughter, or spoiling his grandkids. Larry was an avid NASCAR and Alabama Football fan. He never missed a race or game, either in the stands cheering, or watching on TV. Larry was a loving son, father, brother, and grandfather.

Larry will be missed. We Love you.

Spry Funeral Home of Huntsville is assisting the family

Jaxon's Birth Announcement

2011-05-10T16:16:00.001-04:00

With all of the craziness in our lives the past few weeks, I completely forgot to post Jaxon's birth announcement. Once again, my friend Amanda from Little Bean Shop designed them for me and did an amazing job!

I am absolutely in love with them!

Hard Sleeper

2011-05-07T00:02:00.001-04:00

I love these few pictures!

Our littlest boy is sleeping so hard that he doesn't even notice that his pacifier is hanging out of his mouth :)

And a cute one of our bigger boy:

A Few Smiles...

2011-05-06T17:40:00.002-04:00

Just a few cute pictures of our newest addition! Words can't describe how much we love him and how perfectly he fits into our family :)

Always sticking that tongue out:

Smiles caught on camera:

He is growing so quickly:

Lunch Date

2011-05-04T23:17:00.000-04:00

With all of the craziness in our life lately, the four of us were able to go on a lunch date at one of our favorite mexican restaurants here in town. I love days like this - the boys were great, we ran some errands and we were able to spend some time together! These are the days that I always want to remember :)

After we got done eating, we snapped a few pictures:

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T17:00:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pictures from Easter morning:

Hunting Easter eggs:

Easter baskets:

Looking at all of his eggs:

Yes, he got a broom for Easter. Don't judge us...the kid likes to sweep:

Totally my kid...he loves him some Peeps:

And look at the excitement over money...yep, he is definitely mine :)

Examining his loot:

Jaxon...clearly underwhelmed by his first Easter:

Told you he was underwhelmed:

Love those chubby cheeks:

Random Pictures

2011-04-12T22:41:00.000-04:00

Here are some random cell phone pictures from the past couple of days:

Daddy with his boys watching a NASCAR race:

A little smile:

One of the cutest little brothers that I know:

Sweet picture of my boys! I love how Jax is looking up at Alex :)

First time in his bouncy seat:

Ready to go to the doctor:

Eyes open:

A little dark, but a super cute picture:

My Helper

2011-04-12T22:24:00.000-04:00

There are moments during the day that despite the craziness of the day, melt my heart!

Today, Alex was acting crazy. Felt like every time I picked Jax up to do something with him, Alex was off doing something he shouldn't. At one point, I was feeding Jax and Alex was in the pantry sneaking Oreo's (maybe he is an emotional eater...ha!)..

But in the midst of all the craziness, Alex melted my heart with this moment:

He wanted to help me feed his "Baby Jax". He held him in his lap and fed him his bottle. And the best part was how proud of himself he was!

Especially in these early days, I treasure these moments of sweetness. These are the moments I hold on to and the moments I look forward to :)

Breastmilk Supply

2011-04-11T22:42:00.001-04:00

With Alex, I always produced a ridiculously large amount of breastmilk. We had more than enough for our son and probably enough to feed a third world country with what was left over. There is only a certain amount of time you can store breastmilk, so once that time had expired it broke my heart to throw out a bunch of milk.

So far, this is my breastmilk stash:

We totaled it up and I have 491 ounces in my freezer as of today. Jax nurses and also gets bottle fed, this is just the excess that I am pumping. I have looked into donating most of this milk and hope that is something I am able to do. If you know of anyone that needs breastmilk, please send them my way :)

Jaxon's Newborn Pictures

2011-04-10T23:45:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, I received my CD of images from Jaxon's newborn photoshoot! I absolutely love them! Kim did such an amazing job capturing the sweetness and wonderfulness of our newest blessing.

I had tears in my eyes as I scrolled through the images - it is still incredible to me to know that we have created such beautiful children! The pictures that Kim got with my Mom and Dad's crosses and wedding rings are some of the most beautiful pictures. It is bittersweet seeing them. It makes me sad to know that my boys will never know them, but makes me so happy to have them photographed with something that was so special to them. I will treasure those pictures always (I have some with Alex and their crosses as a newborn as well).

There are too many great pictures to choose from, so this post will have quite a few pictures. I hope you all enjoy the pictures just as much as I do :)

Brotherly love:

I love the expression on Alex's face in this one :)

Bobblehead Alex...ha ha:

Sweet baby:

With my Mom and Dad's crosses & wedding rings:

Naked baby...is there anything better?!

Being so cute is hard work:

Love this one...one of my favorites:

I love that he let us pose him however we wanted:

So small:

With his Jaxon bear and blanket:

Mommy and Jaxon:

In his crib:

A few shots of his room:

Newborn Pictures

2011-04-07T17:58:00.000-04:00

On Monday, we had Kim Greenfield from a green field photography come over and take Jax's newborn pictures. We didn't do this with Alex and I deeply regretted it. I especially regret it now that I have seen how amazing Jaxon's pictures turned out.

We had a few pictures taken with Alex and Jax. They turned out so cute! Alex wasn't all that cooperative since he felt icky (snotty nose, sore throat, etc), but the few that she got were great! For most of the pictures, Jaxon was asleep. It was great because it allowed us to pose him however we wanted...and pose him we did!! I also had her take a few pictures of Jaxon holding my mom and dad's crosses (that they were wearing in the accident) and their wedding rings. Kim posted one of the crosses and I am so anxious to see the rest of them!

I am waiting to get the full CD of images from Kim, but in the meantime she posted a few previews to her website. I wanted to share her website and also recommend her to anyone in the Huntsville/Madison area. She takes amazing pictures and captures wonderful moments! This is the second time that we have had Kim take pictures for our family - the first was in October for Alex's third birthday!

Here is the link to her blog with Jax's pictures: Dreamy Jax

Jaxon's BIRTHday and Meeting Big Brother

2011-04-02T23:33:00.000-04:00

I finally downloaded some pictures off of our camera tonight! We definitely did not take nearly as many with Jaxon's NICU stay, as we did with Alex. I am sure that I will make up for all that in coming weeks :)

Here are a few pictures from Jaxon's BIRTHday and when Jaxon and Alex met for the first time (I will blog more about that later):

Finally out of Mommy:

7 pounds and 2 ounces of pure sweetness:

Holding on to Daddy's finger:

My favorite big brother:

Holding Jaxon for the first time:

The new family of FOUR:

I love these next two:

Kisses for little brother:

Holding hands:

Laying together...so sweet:

Our newest addition:

Jaxon Pictures

2011-04-02T20:24:00.000-04:00

Here are a few of the pictures we have taken with our cell phones in the last few days:

In the hospital...not a happy camper:

All hooked up to his machines:

Sweet boy:

His going home outfit:

Sleepy boy:

Love this one:

In his "bilibed":

The closest thing to a smile I have been able to capture on camera:

Doesn't get much sweeter than this:

A little brotherly love:

I promise he wasn't eating his nose in this picture! He was actually giving him a kiss:

Jaxon Charles Cothren

2011-04-01T12:40:00.000-04:00

Jaxon Charles Cothren was born on March 24, 2011 via c-section. At birth he was 7 pounds 2 ounces and 19.5 inches long!

He had a rough start. He was breathing too heavy and hard and had to spend the first few days of his life in the NICU with an IV attached to him. It was so pitiful, but pales in comparison to what other parents of NICU patients are going through! Since coming home, we found out his bilirubin count was a little too high, so he got spend a few days in the baby tanning bed to lower his bilirubin count. Now he is perfect and healthy and we couldn't ask for a sweeter newborn!

He is beautiful in every way (of course, we are a little biased)! He sleeps and eats like a champ and so far only cries if he is getting his diaper changed or getting a bath!

Alex is loving his title of "big brother" and is eager to help out with all of Baby Jax's needs :) I think we will use this to our advantage as long as possible!!

Because his first few days were a little rough, we don't have as many pictures with Jaxon as we did with Alex. When I was able to visit him in the NICU, getting pictures were not my first priority! I promise to start working on that :) The few that we have on our camera, I haven't had a chance to download yet.

Here are a few pictures from our cell phones of our new bundle of joy:

Playing Outside

2011-03-23T19:12:00.000-04:00

Now that the weather is nicer (in the low to mid 70's), we are trying to get out and soak it up as much as possible. Not only is it so nice to sit outside and enjoy it after being cooped up all winter, but it is great for wearing Alex out at night :)

We have made great friends with our neighbors, so we can usually be found playing outside with them. We all usually just drag out all the toys from the garage and let the kids go to town. So much fun...for both the kids and adults! I love being able to have some adult time in the afternoons and evenings!

Here are a few pictures of Alex from our recent outdoor activities:

Riding in his truck:

He is not a fan of having sand or dirt in his shoes...silly boy:

Wearing his golf club as a "sword". Yes, it is in his shirt and thru his back pocket. You never can be too prepared:

He is totally checking himself out in the car:

Pretty good form for a 3.5 year old! Maybe we have a future baseball player on our hands:

Scooter time:

Pouty face...he is working the camera:

So, I make him wear his helmet when he rides his scooter because he is a klutz like me. However, I don't check it to make sure it is on correctly (it is on backwards)! Mom FAIL:

Bike time:

He made me take pictures of him so he could see what he looked like. This was the first in a series of quite a few:

And here is another:

Hiding behind his basketball hoop:

Not too bad with a basketball, either! Maybe a basketball player:

Sassy pants:

37 Weeks

2011-03-21T18:24:00.000-04:00

Here is my ginormous 37 week belly:

Alex Funnies

2011-03-16T14:00:00.002-04:00

Lately, Alex has been cracking me up. I love this age where they say whatever they want and ask questions that only a 3 year old can get away with :)

I want to remember some of these funny moments, so I can share them with him as he gets older!

Here are a few of the fun things heard around the Cothren house:

Alex (yelling upstairs): Larry!
Me: Alex, you call him Daddy!
Alex: Why, Sarah? His name is Larry!

Well played son, well played!!

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Alex: Mommy, why is my pee-pee real big in the morning?

Not real sure how to answer this one...I'm open to suggestions :)

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While we were all sleeping, we hear Alex start yelling out for "Daddy".

I wake Larry up and send him upstairs to Alex's room.

When Larry gets up to Alex's room, Alex says "Daddy, my feet are uncovered, cover them up!"

Larry covers his feet and Alex falls right to sleep!

Spoiled much?!?

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Since finding out we were going to be expecting another baby, we have been trying to get Alex used to the idea of another baby coming into the house.

When we found out the baby was a boy to be named Jax, we include Jax in our talks and remind Alex that Jax is growing in Mommy's belly.

However, according to Alex, this is how the pregnancy is going:

Alex has Baby Jax in his belly.

Mommy has Baby Girl in her belly.

Daddy has Baby Daddy in his belly.

There are times that Alex knows that Jax is coming home from the hospital with us and there are other times when he is convinced we are bringing home a baby girl.

This should be interesting!

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The prayers at night in our house have been the following:

God Bless Alex,
God Bless Mommy,
God Bless Daddy,
God Bless Sarah and Larry,
God Bless Baby Jax,
God Bless Baby Girl,
God Bless Baby Daddy,
God Bless Alex James,
Amen

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Alex is starting to notice the difference between boys and girls.

He told me that he was going to "pray to God to give Mommy boy parts, like him and Daddy"!

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Heard at prayer time in the Cothren house two night ago:

Alex: God Bless Alex, God Bless Larry, God Bless Sarah....
Me: No Alex, it is God Bless Mommy and Daddy, not Sarah and Larry!
Alex: That's silly, Mommy! You aren't God's Mommy and Daddy. You are Larry and Sarah!

Again, outsmarted by the 3 year old!!

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In Alex's Mother's Day Out class, they are growing "capitillers" into "butt-flys". And when the "butt-flys" are big enough, they are going to let them "out of their net to go to God"!

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While watching TV:

Alex: "Mommy, I want to be a movie star!"

Awesome! Go out there and make us money, kid!

I love this kid!

Circus

2011-03-05T22:15:00.000-05:00

The Ringling Bros Circus came to Huntsville and I was so excited to take Alex! He absolutely loved it!

Each time we saw the commercial on TV prior to going, he got so excited and would ask me if we could go right then :)

He really liked the "action" parts of the circus - the motorcycles in a huge metal ball, the people jumping on trampolines and doing tricks and the opening/closing numbers. And of course he loved the animals - it was a tie between the elephants and tigers for which was his favorite!

We had a great time and I'm so glad we took him! I love creating memories like this!

Here are pictures from the circus:

Getting all tattoo'ed up:

Why can't he be this patient at home?

Showing off the goods:

Nothing like a big giant box of popcorn:

The opening number:

The tigers:

Watching the motorcycles...he couldn't take his eyes off of them:

The motorcycles:

The elephants:

Alex Likes Markers

2011-03-02T22:22:00.000-05:00

And this is what happens when I finally have a few minutes to talk to Larry on the phone.....

I left Alex unattended with markers (rookie mom mistake) and he came back with a very colorful face, chin and neck. Funny kid :)

Bathtime

2011-02-28T22:24:00.001-05:00

Alex had quite a bit of a fever tonight, so I went ahead and put him in a cool bath to try and control his temperature.

Apparently the bath did the trick...he was a much happier kid after that :)

Rough Life

2011-02-26T15:39:00.000-05:00

Alex has a rough life! He told me that he was going to take a nap in his wagon.

I look over and he was "sleeping" and even fake snoring! Love this kid :)

Alex's Room

2011-02-23T15:22:00.000-05:00

Since we painted Jaxon's room, we decided to go ahead and paint Alex's while we had the supplies and paint out!

Alex had recently gotten a new Buzz Lightyear bedding set, so we gave Alex a few different color options that matched his bedding and let him pick out which one he wanted. Because his latest favorite color is blue, he chose a solid blue wall with a green chair rail around the middle of the room. We decided just to use the same blue shade we used for Jaxon's room - it is a really great shade of blue (not too dark, but not too light either). For the chair rail, we used a green that was similar to the green on Buzz's space suit - it think the name of the color we used was "Spinach" :)

He loves his new room and can't stop talking about it! And even though I complained about doing it (I kept telling Larry that there was so much more I could be doing to get ready for Jaxon, rather than painting Alex's room at 8+ months pregnant), I am so happy with how the room turned out. Seeing Alex's face light up when he saw it was worth everything!

Here are pictures of Alex's room:

Before:

After:

Big Brother/Little Brother

2011-02-23T15:13:00.000-05:00

How cute will my two little guy's look in these shirts?!

In my head, I just keep imagining cute little pictures of Alex and Jaxon in their matching shirts...and it makes my heart smile!!

Jaxon's Nursery

2011-02-23T15:10:00.000-05:00

Jaxon's nursery is done. Well, mostly done! We still need a shelf for above his crib, some books for his bookshelf, a canvas of some sort and a few other decorations. Most importantly, the big stuff is done, the room is painted and the room is ready for our new little man!

The idea for the paint came from the bedding we found for him. We chose the bedding Short Latte by Bananafish. Mostly blues and browns - super cute for a little guy! We picked out the Legendary crib, dresser and hutch by Baby's Dream. This is the same brand that we got for Alex. It should last the boy's for as long as they are in our house. The bed turns from a crib, to a toddler bed and then into a full size bed. And finally, we got a great recliner/glider for his room. I can imagine spending many nights cuddling my sweet son in that chair :) We hung up chocolate colored black out curtains, along with a valance that matched the bedding. And also hung up his name that was painted to match the bedding.

The room (as well as all the rest of our house) was a tanish color to begin with. We decided to keep the tan color on bottom of the room and paint a blue color on the top of the room. And finished off the walls by putting up a chocolate colored chair rail around the center of the room.

I love the way the room turned out. It is so calming and so relaxing, just like I imagined!

Here are some pictures of Jaxon's room:

Before - this is the tan color that is painted on the walls throughout the house:

After - Jaxon's crib, glider and curtains:

After - Jaxon's changing table (that was Alex's) and his name:

After - the bookshelf (it definitely needs some books), and the dresser/hutch:

After - his curtains and a certain big brother's bum:

After - Jaxon's crib:

After - I opened up the curtains so it was a little brighter in the room:

After - his name on the wall (these letters make me so happy):

Warmer Weather

2011-02-22T15:32:00.000-05:00

Neighbors are coming outside, dinners have been delayed and we are soaking in this small taste of spring!

The past week has been so nice outside, we have been trying to go out and enjoy the weather as much as possible. Alex has been riding his scooter, driving his truck and taking full advantage of his sandbox that has been neglected all winter long. We have played on our neighbors swingset and trampoline and enjoyed every second of it!

I'm hoping this weather will continue...I love seeing my boy run around outside and play with his friends and I especially love being able to talk with our great neighbors!

Here are a few pictures of how we have been spending our afternoons:

He is getting so good at pedaling his bike - he can go both forwards and backwards:

Yes, I am THAT mom! I make him put on his helmet and kneepads to ride his scooter! I am realistic about his (and my own) klutziness:

Larry has a slight obsession with his new-ish Shop Vac...he has shared that obsession with Alex! My only wish is that he is this excited to clean when he grows up:

Meet Nemo

2011-02-22T14:33:00.001-05:00

Alex got a new fish! A new blue beta fish that Alex quickly named Nemo!

And so far, this fish has survived longer than our first three a few months back! Nemo has been a part of our family for 5 days so far :)

We got Nemo in an attempt to make bedtime and naptime go a little smoother. Alex has reached a terrible phase where he is "scared" of everything in his room come bedtime. We aren't sure if he is becoming more aware of shadows or darkness, but whatever it is he is not a fan of going to bed in his room. As soon as we finish our bedtime routine (story, prayers, songs and kisses), he starts saying he is scared. Some nights he will cry and yell for us for 10 minutes, other nights it can be up to 2 hours. It is exhausting - especially for parents that are used to (read: spoiled by) a great sleeper. Anyway, back to Nemo....a few nights ago, I had a great idea to get a fish and letting him sleep in Alex's room. We told him that the fish will help him not feel so lonely and keep a lookout for anything that scares him during the night. And we may have told a little white lie - something along the lines of "If you yell real loud, it will hurt Nemo's ears and he will be sad"! So far, nights have gone a little better. Nemo hasn't "cured" the issue, but at least it has helped to ease a few of Alex's fears and made the crying and yelling just a little bit quieter :)

Here are a few pictures of Alex with his new friend:

Jaxon's 4D Ultrasound - Take 2 & Belly Pictures

2011-02-03T21:28:00.002-05:00

Today I had my 30 week doctor appointment (I can't believe I am 30 weeks along with this pregnancy)! Gina tried to scan me again so we could take another look at Jaxon, since he decided he was done about half-way through the first one!

Of course our son decided to be difficult...yet again! If this is any indication on how he will be in the future, I am in for a world of trouble :) When she first tried to look at him, he was facing my back and there was NO moving him. We gave up for a little bit and I went ahead and saw the doctor and we hoped that he would move while I was up and moving around. After seeing the doctor, Jax moved enough so we could see a little of his face. Unfortunately, he had the umbilical cord up near his face (it was making him so angry) so we never got a clear shot of him - you can see it on his cheek in most of the pictures.

In the few pictures we did get, we noticed that he has some very full lips and I am still not quite sure who he is getting those from! He is estimated to be 3 pounds and 13 ounces - average is around 3 pounds. His head is measuring 2 weeks ahead - I still can't believe that we might have a child with an average/larger head!

As for me, I am doing pretty well. Starting to feel VERY pregnant and there are days that I can't figure out how I am going to expand much more. I have some pretty icky heartburn when I eat any red sauces or sausage - nothing that Tums hasn't been able to help yet! I have gained 15 pounds total - not too bad for 30 weeks along. And I am treasuring every kick, roll and punch that Jaxon gives me! He is so active and I love it. I think knowing that this will be our last (that we plan) has made me thankful and appreciative for every movement!

Here are a few pictures of our stubborn little man from today:

Look at that sweet face:

His little ear:

Another cute face shot (the mark on his cheek is the umbilical cord):

He was swallowing here...so cute:

Look at those lips! Where are those coming from?!:

And because I haven't posted any belly pictures yet this pregnancy, here are two from January 23, 2011 - in these pictures I am almost 29 weeks:

Multitasking...

2011-01-31T15:26:00.000-05:00

Riding his rocking horse and singing me a little song on his piano/microphone!

And Larry wonders why I have headaches most days when he gets home from work :)

Greg McElroy Autograph Signing

2011-01-22T21:47:00.001-05:00

It was a big day for us! We got to meet and get Greg McElroy's autograph!

For those of you that don't know, Greg McElroy is the outgoing quarterback for the University of Alabama. He was the quarterback when Alabama won the National Championship last year. Larry is a HUGE Alabama fan so we definitely decided to go and get his autograph.

We waited in line for about an hour and a half and Alex was so good! When we finally got up to Greg, Alex told him "Roll Tide" and gave him a football to be signed. Larry was pretty excited to get his autograph and to talk to him for a few seconds!

It was a fun day and it was even more fun to know how happy Larry was about it :)

Here are some pictures of our adventure:

Greg McElroy:

Alex waiting in line:

He was pretending to be an elephant :)

Playing "Angry Birds" on Mommy's phone:

Waiting with his football:

Alex and Larry talking to Greg McElroy and getting his autograph:

An excited little boy:

Jaxon's 4D Ultrasound

2011-01-20T22:38:00.000-05:00

Today, we had Jaxon's 4D ultrasound! It was so much fun to see him again - it had been quite a few weeks! He has changed so much and is gaining weight. For the most part, he cooperated for about half of the ultrasound and about half way through he decided he was done and put his hand up near his face and would NOT move it. After that, he turned his head toward my back - I guess that was our signal that he was not up for anymore camera time! Thankfully, Gina (my good friend and ultrasound tech) said that she would scan me again at my next appointment in 2 weeks to see if we can get some more pictures of Jax.

We had Alex's about the same time, so it is really neat to be able to compare the two boys this early and see their similarities. They look like they have the same chubby cheeks and a very similar nose. Jaxon looks to have fuller lips (Alex's were full at birth, so who knows)! Another interesting tidbit - Alex has always had a small head (he can still wear his 6 to 12 month hats), but Jaxon's head is measuring a week ahead. Maybe he will have an average sized head!

Also, during the ultrasound Jaxon was acting like such a character. He was smiling, pouting and sticking out his tongue. I am seriously in for some trouble when this one comes out :)

Here are a few pictures from today:

Smiley boy:

Silly, silly boy:

No clue what this face is about:

Sticking out his tongue:

Sweet boy:

Jaxon Charles - our precious second son:

And for anyone that is interested, here is a link to the album with Alex's 4D Ultrasound Pictures.

Blog Makeover

2011-01-18T21:27:00.000-05:00

As you may have noticed, we got a blog makeover!

Thanks to my amazing and talented friend, Amanda, at Little Bean Shop, we got a new design for the new year :)

I love the design! Amanda does great work and I highly encourage you to go visit her if you are looking for a new look :)

Snow Day #2

2011-01-11T16:06:00.001-05:00

The 8 inches of snow we got on Sunday night/Monday morning stuck around (the temperatures never got above freezing, so nothing melted) and we got yet another snow day! Larry was able to stay home from work for the second day in a row. As you can imagine, Alex was excited to wake up and see that the snow was still around. He couldn't wait to put his warm clothes on and run outside to play! We had another great day playing in the snow!

Larry got Alex's power wheels truck out and let Alex go slipping and sliding down the street. Alex thought it was hilarious driving down the icy road! He is such a boy :)

Here are pictures from Snow Day #2:

All bundled up:

Love this kid:

Driving his truck down the road (Larry weighed down the back with sand):

Larry pulling the turtle:

...and Alex falling off into the snow:

Larry falling down in the snow (Alex thought that was hilarious):

Larry pulling Kayla and Alex:

Kayla loved it:

Snow Day

2011-01-10T15:41:00.000-05:00

Last night, we got almost 8 inches of snow. While snow for Northern Alabama isn't unheard of, 8 inches is a rare thing! When we woke up this morning, it was absolutely beautiful outside. Snow covered EVERYTHING and Alex couldn't wait to get outside to play in it! Luckily, because of the amount of snow Larry didn't have to go to work, so he could do most of the playing with Alex and I could stand around and take pictures :)

We don't have a sled or anything that most northerners have to play in the snow, so we improvised! Larry inflated a few of the pool floats that we have and also inflated the giant turtle pool float. He tried to take Alex down the hill in front of our house, but the floats didn't work so well (there was a thin sheet of ice on top of the snow and t the floats did not slide down the hill very easily). Fortunately for Alex, Larry came up with the idea to pull him around on the turtle. Alex had a great time!

We played outside for almost 2 hours and had to bribe Alex to come inside. It was such a fun morning!

Here are some pictures from our time in the snow:

He was so excited for the snow:

Making snow angels:

Sweet boy:

The house covered in snow:

Attempting to ride the turtle down the hill:

Love this picture:

Daddy and Alex making snow angels:

SNOWBALL FIGHT:

Unfortunately, my child got my gracefulness:

Two of the three dogs came out to play in the snow, too! Rascal decided it was too cold and stayed inside:

Riding the floats down the hill:

More snow angels - Alex was really excited about making snow angels:

Riding the turtle float with one of the neighbors:

Playing:

Three of the neighbors with Alex on the turtle float:

Larry pulling Alex and Kayla on the float:

Alex's New Train Table

2011-01-06T17:41:00.000-05:00

This year for Christmas, when Larry's Dad and Grandfather asked what Alex wanted for Christmas we instantly told them that he would love to have a train table. We had looked at several different ones on the internet, but couldn't find one that we loved! The tables we found were either too small, not the right style or just not what we were envisioning in our head! We asked his Dad and Grandfather if they wouldn't mind making one for us for Alex's Christmas present this year.

Once we got the dimensions to them, they started work on it. The finished product is wonderful! Alex loves it...and so do we! The table is 3 feet by 5 feet and fits perfectly upstairs in the playroom (we have moved it since we took these pictures). They made a space for me to put some bins underneath it for more storage (bins have been added since the pictures were taken as well). Right now, Alex has a few GeoTrax sets on the table!

Not only is the table what we were picturing in our head, but we are blessed that Larry's Dad and Grandfather would take the time to make something so special for our boy. I know that he will get many years of use out of it!!

Here are some pictures:

Alex's train table:

Saying Cheese while playing:

Playing with his Geotrax:

The train table:

Alex's Day at the Zoo

2011-01-01T23:01:00.002-05:00

Don't feel bad for Alex that we went to the Capital One Bowl game and that he was stuck home not having any fun.

Aunt Kristy, Uncle Mike, Josh, Amanda and Mikey took Alex to the Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa. From the looks of the cell phone pictures I was getting all day, Alex was having an absolute blast with his family :)

Here are the pictures I got from Uncle Mike (and two from Amanda):

Alex and Uncle Mike walking - rumor has it that he only wanted Uncle Mike to hold his monkey tail:

Thank you guys for showing our boy such a good time! I know he had a great time with you all and he has been talking about it non-stop since we left. Thanks again!

Tampa Bay Downs

2010-12-31T17:00:00.001-05:00

My grandmother is Director of Security at Tampa Bay Downs. While we were visiting her in Tampa, we decided to go to her work to see the horses (Alex had been talking about it for a few weeks). Alex had a very full morning. He got to sit on a horse, drive/ride in a big green tractor, got a pair of glasses from one of the jockey's, drove a golf cart and sit in a police car and activate the sirens and lights. All of that happened before noon...he is a lucky little boy!

Thanks Grandma for having such a cool place for us to come visit!

Here are some pictures of Alex on the horse...he really liked it:

Feeding the horse some peppermints...yes, horses like peppermint:

Grandma and Alex looking in at the horses:

Alex on top of the big horse! He loved it:

Love this one:

He was so excited watching the other horses get fed. They were neighing and jumping around like crazy. Alex thought it was great :)

Capital One Bowl Pep Rally

2010-12-30T18:00:00.000-05:00

On Thursday afternoon, we decided to go to the Capital One Bowl Pep Rally. It was held at an Orlando outdoor mall. They had face painting for the kids, balloon animals being made, music being played and an all around fun atmosphere.

While we were waiting for the fun to start, one of the photographers for The Decatur Daily took a great picture of Alex and Larry. It was even published on their website!

Going into it, we knew that each team would have their band play, cheerleaders cheer and the head coaches talk for a minute. Fortunately for us, they also had a few players for the teams show up as well and Eli Gold (the voice of Alabama football) was there to introduce Nick Saban and the rest of the team. It was so neat and something great to be a part of!

Here are a few pictures from the Pep Rally:

Alex as Batman:

Larry:

Ok, these pictures are pretty funny....Alex is checking out his face make-up in Larry's glasses:

Our Batman:

Eli Gold - the voice of Alabama football:

Larry and Alex:

The Million Dollar Band from Alabama:

Nick Saban and his players:

Another picture of the band:

My boys:

The Alabama Cheerleaders and Big Al:

The picture that was posted in The Decatur Daily:

Unfortunately, we didn't stay for the part of the Pep Rally for Michigan State University. Alex didn't nap all day and he was getting cranky and we knew that we had a 2 hour drive ahead of us to get to Tampa to see my family! We had a great day and loved all of the Capital One Bowl festivities.

We can't wait for the game....we are so excited!

Citrus Bowl Parade

2010-12-30T14:00:00.004-05:00

Little known fact: I am a Michigan State Spartan fan (my grandfather and my dad both went to college there), Larry is a HUGE Alabama fan (well, that isn't a little known fact).

Normally, this little known fact is not a problem for our relationship. Michigan State is in the Big Ten and Alabama is in the SEC. They have never played each other...until this year! This year, based on their records for the year, they were scheduled to play at the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on January 1, 2011. Because we were going to be in Orlando for Disney, we decided that it would be really fun to go to the game! We also found out about a few of the festivities surrounding the game and thought they might be fun to attend also.

The first thing we were able to go to is the Citrus Bowl Parade on December 30, 2010. Alex had never been to a parade before, so we thought that it would be really fun for him. There were floats that were decorated all with Citrus fruit, both of the teams bands played and the mascots were there, high school bands from across the country were there and there were also people throwing necklaces and candy (Alex's favorite part)!

Alex was making friends with the people we sat near and dancing for the crowd. Our kid really never meets a stranger! I think he had a great first parade and Larry and I had a really good time, too!

Here are a few pictures from the parade:

Larry and I before the parade started showing our team pride:

A few of the floats:

Big Al and the Million Dollar Band (from Alabama):

Alex was asking the little girl next to us if she was okay because she covered her ears while the bands were walking by:

Another float:

Sparty and the Michigan State University Band:

A float:

Our little dancing fool (yes, he was wearing his bandana from his Pirate Day at Disney):

Another picture of Larry and I taken by the people at MyFanPics.com:

Jaxon's Ears

2010-12-29T16:15:00.001-05:00

While we were at Disney, we got Jaxon his first set of mouse ears! I love them!

Now both of our boys have Mickey Mouse ears :)

Disney - Day 3

2010-12-29T16:04:00.009-05:00

PIRATE DAY!!

On Wednesday, December 29, our third morning at Disney, we started out by going to Magic Kingdom. Alex had an appointment to get made into a pirate!! We got there a little early, so Alex and Larry rode the Aladdin carpets and then we all rode the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

Alex did amazing during his pirate make-over. We let him choose the design that he wanted on his face (they had several to choose from) and of course he decided on the one with the most make-up and scariest looking face! Once he decided on the design, they gave him a "pirate name" and took him to get his make-up on. He sat so still and followed all the instructions they gave him. He loved it! Walking thru the park, he was a great hit...most people stopped to look at his face and Alex loved all the attention. He was quick to give anyone and everyone his fiercest "Argh"!! After he was fully dressed like a pirate (make-up, bandana, earring, sash and sword), we rode the Pirates of the Caribbean ride again.

We left the Magic Kingdom with our little pirate and headed to Hollywood Studios. We tried to get a fast-pass for the Toy Story ride, but all of the fast passes had been given out for the day and the wait for ride was over 180 minutes. We decided to grab a quick bite for lunch and then see the car stunt show. I can not even begin to tell you how much Alex enjoyed that show! He had a great time seeing the cars do stunts and cheered out loud the entire time! After the stunt show, we headed over to see the Disney Playhouse show. He really liked seeing all his favorite characters and singing along with them!

We headed back to the hotel for Alex's afternoon nap after the Disney Playhouse show was over. After we all got ready, we went back to the Magic Kingdom so we could see the electrical parade and see the park all lit up for nighttime! The Christmas decorations were absolutely beautiful and the parade was just as magical as I remembered it.

Here are pictures from our third day at Disney:

Getting all pirated up:

And a few pictures during the Stunt Show:

Disney - Day 2

2010-12-28T22:00:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, December 28, we woke up bright and early and headed to Animal Kingdom. None of us had ever been there, so we were pretty excited!

Our first ride of the day was the Animal Safari. It was pretty amazing! They take you out in safari jeep vehicles and ride you through open fields where they let animals roam free. We got several great pictures of animals and a giraffe even walked right in front of our car. Alex loved seeing the animals and seeing them so close to us!

After the safari, we did a walk thru of another area with animals. Unfortunately, since the weather was so cold, the animals were not very active. Many of the animals were just laying around and probably trying to conserve body heat :) We walked around for a little bit, ate a quick lunch and then visited the Dinosaur area of the park. Alex really liked the carnival atmosphere (if you have been there, you know what I am talking about) and the boys rode a few rides. Alex was pretty disappointed because he was a bit too short to ride on one of the roller coasters - he kept telling us that he would grow taller when we come back and he would ride all the roller coasters.

The park started to get really crowded and since the animals were not really moving around much, we decided to head back to the hotel for naptime.

After naptime, we got back on the bus and headed to Hollywood Studios. It was packed!! Most of the rides that we wanted to get on were over an hour and a half wait. Not quite possible with a very excited 3 year old!! We walked around, thinking Alex would love to see more characters. Unfortunately, he was not as excited about seeing them as he was the night before. He got really scared when we got close to Mike and Sulley (from Monsters Inc.) and kept telling us to go back! And then, we waited in line for about 30 minutes to see Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater. He was really excited to see them, but as soon as he got up to them for a picture, Lightning revved up his engine and scared Alex so bad. He was not a happy camper!!

We were able to see the incredible light display at Hollywood Studios. They decorate one of the areas and set the lights to music - so beautiful! Alex was amazed with all the lights. We grabbed dinner, popcorn, hot chocolate and headed back to the hotel for an early night!

Here are some pictures from our second day at Disney:

From the Safari ride at Animal Kingdom:

Alex catching bubbles at Hollywood Studios:

Riding on Daddy's shoulders:

Right before Lightning revved his engine and scared Alex:

My favorite picture from the day:

Disney - Day 1

2010-12-27T23:45:00.000-05:00

Warning: there will be a bunch of pictures at the end of this post!

A few months back, we decided that we wanted to have one last getaway as a family of three. We researched some places, but ultimately we decided Disney. Alex is at an age that he could completely enjoy it and I am not too far along in pregnancy that I couldn't handle all the walking :)

We headed down to Orlando early in the morning on December 26. Alex did incredible in the car. He watched a few movies, ate some snacks, played a few games on his Leapster Explorer. To reward him for such great behavior, as soon as we got to our hotel, we dumped off our luggage and went to Downtown Disney (which was right across the street from our hotel). He loved it! There were stores with toys for him to "need", a lego store which absolutely fascinated him and Goofy posing as Santa. We had a great time walking around for an hour or two, but after a long day in the car and knowing that we would have a very early morning going to the Magic Kingdom, we headed back to the hotel. We all fell fast asleep!

On Monday, December 27 we woke up ready to go. We were all so excited to head to the Magic Kingdom. We dressed in our warmest clothes...it was in the low 30's when we started out that morning and the high for the day was only supposed to be in the low 40's. We rode the hotel bus over to the Magic Kingdom.

The minute Alex saw "Mickey Mouse's House" (aka Cinderella's Castle), he lit up with excitement. The first ride we went to was the Buzz Lightyear ride. Alex LOVED it - for the rest of the day he kept telling people he "got Zurg"! We were pretty lucky to hit it at just the right time and we were able to ride it two times in a row. When we got off the second time, Buzz Lightyear himself was standing at the exit to the ride. Alex and Larry ran over and had their picture taken with Buzz! He was so excited.

After Buzz Lightyear we hit up the other things in Tomorrowland. We rode the Astro Orbiter, rode the people mover and looked in a few shops. Shortly after that, we went over and rode the Tea Cups! Again, Alex LOVED it! I was a little afraid he might be scared of them, but our kid without fear loved them and kept wanting to go faster!! After the Tea Cups, we rode Dumbo, It's a Small World, the Winnie the Pooh Ride and Pirates of the Caribbean. We ate a quick lunch in one of the quick dining restaurants and then went to get a spot for the parade. Alex really liked the parade. He got to see most of his favorites and there was even an appearance by Santa at the end of the parade!

Once the parade was over, we headed back to the hotel for a little rest and relaxing. Alex actually took a great nap and it was really nice for me to be able to rest my feet and body a little!

After getting up from our R&R, we decided we would head to EPCOT to ride a few rides and to try to catch their firework and laser show. Once at EPCOT, we rode the "big ball", Nemo and the Figment ride. After grabbing a quick bite to eat and decided how we wanted to waste time until the firework show, we realized that there was a character meeting spot still open and it had Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto for the kids to meet. There was a bit of a wait, but Alex did so great during the wait. He was absolutely THRILLED to meet all of the characters - he had the biggest smile when he saw all of them!

Once we were done meeting characters, we watched the fireworks. They were beautiful. They were a little loud for Alex, so we kept our distance. When the fireworks were over, we boarded the bus back to the hotel. We quickly got Alex to bed and he was asleep within minutes.

Our first day at Disney was everything I had hoped it would be. I saw the amazement in Alex's eyes all day long and felt his excitement all day long!

Here are a ton of pictures from our first day at Disney:

On the "school bus" headed to the Magic Kingdom:

Seeing Mickey Mouse's House for the first time - the expression is priceless:

Looking at the Buzz Lightyear ride:

On the Buzz Lightyear ride:

Meeting Buzz Lightyear (a big highlight for Alex):

Smiles on the People Mover:

Loving the Tea Cups:

Bundled up in his stroller:

Larry on the Pirates of the Caribbean:

Meeting Mickey Mouse:

With Goofy:

Meeting Minnie Mouse:

Donald and Alex:

Goofy and Alex became fast friends :)

White Christmas

2010-12-25T17:17:00.001-05:00

This year, we had a White Christmas! For this girl who was raised in Florida, it was absolutely beautiful :)

I started coming down with a pretty icky chest cold on Christmas Eve, so I wasn't able to get out and enjoy the snow like I wanted to! When Sheena, James and Ava came over to celebrate Christmas, they took Alex out and built a snowman with him. He had a great time...until later that evening when the snowman started to melt and he was devastated! Sheena took some pictures of their snowman and the kids playing in the snow - I will post those when she sends them to me!

It was so neat waking up on Christmas morning and having everything blanketed in white snow. The snow continued through most of the day - for North Alabama, we got a pretty good amount!

Here are a few pictures I took Christmas morning:

The front of the house on Christmas morning:

The backyard:

Our polar bear...he was actually skiing on snow:

The front of the house again:

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T16:46:00.002-05:00

Christmas morning was magical...absolutely and incredibly magical!

Since my parents were killed, I haven't looked forward to the Christmas. Regardless of what Larry did to make the day special, it hurt to know that my Mom and Dad would never be here for another Christmas. There are so many traditions and memories that I have missed since they have been gone and I felt as though I was just going through the motions in the past few years! This year though, everything changed for me!

There really is nothing better than seeing Christmas through a child's eyes...especially your own child. The smile on Christmas morning, ripping through presents, the excitement about each and every present and trying to squeeze out every ounce of energy to play with the new toys right up until bedtime...it brings a smile to my face just thinking about it all!

Alex's face was priceless when he came down the stairs Christmas morning - I am lucky enough to have captured the smile on his face when he saw all his presents. We had a blast opening up all of his presents from Santa. My little OCD child had to make sure EVERY piece of paper was taken off of EVERY single present. Santa was good to Alex - he got a Buzz Lightyear Scooter, a remote control Lightning McQueen Car, a remote control Tow Mater Car (I think that one is actually for Daddy to play with), a new cape with an "A" on it for Alex, a few books, 2 DVD's and of course the stocking essentials (toothbrush, toothpaste, underwear, a few Hot Wheels and some candy).

The rest of the day was spent enjoying his toys, visiting with family (and opening more presents) and eating yummy food!

I still missed my Mom and Dad like crazy and it hurts to know that they will never see the excitement in Alex's (or Jax's) eyes on Christmas morning, but this Christmas I was given the best gift of all...joy and happiness!

Here are a few pictures:

The cookies and hot chocolate we left for Santa:

Our tree...after Santa came to visit:

Alex's face when he came down the stairs on Christmas morning...priceless:

Riding his new Buzz Lightyear scooter:

Buckwheat wanted to help Alex open his presents:

Bath foam soap...such a big hit in our house:

Crayon maker from Aunt Jenny, Kyle, Katelyn and Joshua:

One of the new DVD's:

He didn't understand why Santa brought him books! His response each time he opened a book "Why did Ho-Ho bring me a book...I already have books up in my room?!":

His new cape:

Opening his Thomas the Train set:

New underwear:

His remote control Lightning McQueen:

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

May your holiday be full of love, laughter and family!

This year, we are looking so forward to seeing Christmas through Alex's eyes! He is full of wonder and excitement!

We hope you all experience the joy and love we are feeling this holiday season!

Merry Christmas!!

Santa's Village

2010-12-22T22:00:00.000-05:00

In downtown Huntsville each year they have a little area set up and they call it Santa's Village. There are Christmas lights, reindeer, little houses set up like "Santa's Village" in the North Pole and Santa make an appearance. Even though we were busy getting ready for our trip and Christmas, we wanted to take Alex! We knew that he would really enjoy it!

Santa's Village was adorable and despite the freezing cold temperatures, we had a great time! We visited a few of the houses, in one of them Alex got to play with a few wooden toys that the elves had made! The reindeer was a big hit with Alex - he could not take his eyes off of it! There were a few areas set up with snow falling down (bubbles from a bubble maker) and he had a great time "catching the snowflakes"! The line for Santa was a little too long, so we didn't get a chance to see him (don't feel bad for Alex, he saw him at the mall a few weeks prior).

We had a great time! It is always so nice doing new and fun things together!

Here are a few pictures from our night:

Love this picture:

Playing with the wooden toys in the elves workshop:

Hugging the Gingerbread Man:

With the Reindeer:

Riding in Santa's sleigh:

With the Toy Soldier - I think he was doing his Toy Soldier impression:

Daddy and Alex acting silly:

Garth Brooks Concert

2010-12-16T23:04:00.001-05:00

My friend, and neighbor, April had an extra ticket to the Garth Brook concert in Nashville. She asked if I wanted to go with her (ok, really I noticed that on Facebook she posted she had an extra ticket, so I begged her to go with her :) ). I had an amazing time! I had so much fun at the concert and with April. Even thought I knew that she was a pretty great person, this just solidified my thoughts on that!

The concert was incredible. Garth sang all of his older and popular songs - the ones you know by heart! At one point Tricia Yearwood came out and sang a song with Garth and then sang one of her own songs. The concert itself exuded energy and I am still blown away with how much energy that man has!

The night was a blast. Oh, and a special thank you to Larry for taking care of our sick/feverish little man so I could go have some fun!!

Here are a few pictures from the night:

Garth from our seats:

Garth on the big screen in front of us:

On the floor:

April and I - cute picture minus the fingers behind us. I might have to have someone photoshop them out for me:

April's friends, Sarah and Todd:

Garth and Tricia:

Garth and Tricia on the big screen:

Garth on the big screen:

Garth on the floor....saying goodnight:

Alex's Christmas Play

2010-12-08T13:05:00.001-05:00

Alex had his Christmas Play at school today. His class is singing "Jingle Bells" and ringing bells. Alex is in the green Santa Claus shirt. I'm not sure if he ever sang his song, but he sure did dance and ring his bell like a champ!

Here are a few pictures that I got during the play:

Ready for the singing to begin:

Ringing his bells and clapping:

Dancing...he was so excited!!

Crazy kid:

Jumping (or dancing):

I was getting a little worried for the girl next to him...he was waving his bells kind of wildly :)

No idea what he is doing in this one:

Dancing a little more:

Hugs for Mommy after his show:

Cute Picture

2010-12-02T22:53:00.000-05:00

Here is a cute picture that I got of Alex today...he was showing off his "HO HO" shirt! I like taking these pictures and posting them so I remember these sweet times :)

Gingerbread House Decorating = BIG FAIL

2010-12-02T22:37:00.000-05:00

Tonight, we decided to try something new. We thought it would be great fun to decorate a gingerbread house as a family. We had a great time, in between telling Alex not to eat all the decorations and icing. However, the final product looked MUCH different than the picture on the box! We just kept reminding ourselves that it was our first time, but each time the icing started to slide down the house a little more, we couldn't help buy laugh at ourselves! Alex had a blast though, both decorating the house and eating the candy!

After looking at our poor excuse for a gingerbread house, we decided that Kid, our Elf on the Shelf, would take our gingerbread house to Santa tonight when he gives his status report on Alex. Alex was actually very excited to send Santa a present - in his mind, he is probably thinking that by sending him a present, he should get more presents :) So, as of right now, the gingerbread house resides in the garbage can - patiently waiting for Kid to take it to the North Pole!

Here are some pictures of decorating the gingerbread house:

Meet Kid

2010-12-01T22:41:00.001-05:00

Meet Kid...

Kid is our Elf on the Shelf. Alex named him "Kid the Ef"....creative, right?!

Kid comes to our house at the beginning of the holiday season. Each night, he flies back up to the North Pole to let Santa know if Alex has been a good boy or not. When he returns in the morning, Kid is in a new place (after the first night he was on the shelf that we put our pictures on, the next time he was on the coffee table in the foyer, and tomorrow when Alex wakes up he will be hidden in the tree).

Alex only is starting to understand the concept! He enjoys looking for and finding Kid each morning. In the mornings he asks him how the North Pole was and asked if he got to talk to Santa. I'm excited to see this tradition in our house in years to come :)