Whirlwind Thanksgiving

I feel like the last few weeks have flown by and the next few are going to go even faster! After having my mom and dad here for Drew's birthday, we went to Laurel for Thanksgiving. Hal's dad is in the hospital and we really just wanted to be there, so we headed up there on Wednesday. It was great to see his dad and mom and we had a great time with Ed, Jess, and Madison. The girls helped me cook Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and Saturday morning we randomly decided to hop in the car and head for Starkville. I loved getting to see a place that means so much to Hal and Drew got his first cowbell and SEVERAL other things. :) And State came away with a win over Ole Miss!

Please join us in praying that the doctors can specifically determine what is going on with Hal's dad and determine the best course of treatment. We are hoping to get some results today.

It was a great weekend and I am so glad that we went. I will just choose to forget the 10 hour car ride there and back. :)

Ed and his girls

Drew wasn't very cooperative for pictures

Helping Madison post to facebook

In Starkville with Uncle Ed

Little man was exhausted. The Paci was the only way we could get a picture without him screaming!

At Little Dooey's with Daddy

Watching the game

In his State Jersey. I think he looks good in maroon & white!

Hal & Madison

In the front porch swing before we left.

Lots of Birthday Fun

We have had several days of birthday fun! Hal waited to go to work on Thursday so he could be here when Drew woke up. Then we took him to a birthday lunch with Hal and that night let him have a birthday cupcake. He tore into it quickly! Today he had his 12 month wellness visit and his birthday party was this afternoon. I think all the birthday fun caught up with little man! He wasn't to into his cake today!

To say the last year has been amazing is an understatement. It has been filled with many challenges and frustrations, but has also been filled with laughter and full of joy. I think about how terrified Hal and I were the night we brought Drew home. We felt so ill equipped, but in His grace, we have made it through little man's first year! I am grateful to have Hal who has encouraged me every day this last year and told me more times than I could ever count that he appreciates what I do and that I am a good mom. What would I do differently? I remember my friend Kim saying, she would slow down and not worry. I agree. I wouldn't worry about how much I held him when he was so tiny. I would worry about messing up.

Now to the pictures...that is what you want to see anyway. :)

Birthday morning with Daddy!

present from Grammy and Grampy

Birthday cupcake

Reading books from Paw Paw and Maw Maw (notice he is sitting in the box they came in)

Present from maw maw and paw paw

Ready for the party!

Oh...what is this??

The crying begins. I think he was mad because we blew the candle out. He is holding on to it in this picture.

Phone time with Daddy

I really need to take a video of this! The last few weeks Hal has left for work before Drew gets up, so they have been having a morning phone call. It really sounds like he is trying to tell his daddy something important. He will just jabber on and on and he MUST hold the phone.

Weekend

We had a great weekend! Even though Hal had to work until 2 on Saturday we were able to squeeze in some fun. :) Friday afternoon Drew's first birthday present arrived. We waited until Hal got home and then let him open his gift from Hal's brothers family. He was more interested in the bows on the package than anything for a few minutes, but then started loving his new truck.

Saturday morning Hal had to work. I took Drew to get his H1N1 shot as well as a seasonal flu shot and then we headed to a birthday party.

Sunday we were off to church and then to lunch. After Drew's nap, we headed back down to the park in Sarasota where we had been for the bday party. There was a neat play area that Drew really enjoyed.

This silly face cracks me up!

How he as grown since the last time we took a picture in this spot!! The picture below was taken in late January.

Return of Random Friday

1) We haven't had a random Friday in a while, so I thought I would bring it back. :)

2) We took a quick trip to the park yesterday afternoon. It was actually cool enough that we needed a jacket. Surprisingly, he didn't try to pull his hood off.

3) We are going through a schedule change around here....I hate trying to figure out his new schedule! I think he is trying to drop his morning nap, which doesn't make mommy too happy!

4) Looking forward to having family in town next week for the big birthday.

5) I am studying James right now with some women at church. The book of James challenges me more and more every time I study it. Last week really made me examine how I treat others.

6) I love Thanksgiving, I think it might be my favorite holiday. I wish I could have a Thanksgiving meal once a month.

Grammy's Update

I got in a little bit of trouble with Grammy because she had seen a new picture of little man in over  a week.  So here is what we have been up to over the last week or so.  I told her there weren't too many pictures of him smiling because the poor little guy is working on several teeth and a molar!

We stayed here at the house for Halloween.  I guess I am a Halloween scrooge because I didn't even put him in a costume! He did have on a Halloween shirt, so I guess that counts.  His girlfriends came by to visit.  This was our best attempt at getting all 3 of them to look a the camera!

Such a big boy eating out of a bowl!  I gave him some vegetables and beef out of the soup I had made for dinner.  Surprisingly it didn't end up on the floor.

Lately he has been crawling around with his bear in his mouth.

Never still...tried to get a few pictures before church last night without much luck.

Playing ball with daddy.  Over the weekend he entertained himself for quite a long time just throwing and chasing 2 balls.