Crazy Week!

Over the next week we are going to be super busy. I already changed my blog background to Christmas because I will not have much time to update here. I have been withholding very exciting news from here because I was afraid something would fall through, but now there is no turning back. We are buying a house!!! We are so excited to be purchasing our first home together! The house is older, but all houses are down here. It is four bedrooms and two baths. The house is on a half acre, and has a big backyard! We have just about everything done except closing, which will take place on Friday! We will start moving our stuff this weekend, but the BIG move occurs on Thanksgiving weekend. My parents were nice enough to offer their help in moving, and they will be here from Wednesday night to Sunday morning. Hopefully we will be able to move all the big furniture and be able to live there next weekend! We will still have our little duplex until the middle of December, so we are not too rushed. In the midst of moving, I also must make a trip to Monroe tomorrow for our cashier's check for our down payment, and we will go again next Wednesday for my 19 week doctor appointment. We are excited as this is the first time for Daddy to come hear the heartbeat and meet the doctor. Then we move and move and move. I am tired just tired of thinking about it. Oh and I don't want to forget that we will be having Thanksgiving dinner Thursday night, probably go shopping Friday morning in Monroe, put up the Christmas tree Saturday, and watch the Hogs beat LSU Saturday night! Mama and Dad I hope you are ready for a non-relaxing, but loads of fun and good food weekend! With all that said, I will try to post when I can, but until the next time I hope everyone enjoys their time with family and friends. Be safe while traveling as well!

Pics of the house (just for you Grandmother):

The front door

Fireplace and built in shelves in living room

Another view of living room with the entertainment center we get to keep.

The leather couch that we get with the house and the formal dining room is behind that.

The long hallway where all the bedrooms are located.

These are just a few pictures, but when we move in and have all our stuff put up I will post pictures room by room - so you know exactly what it looks like with us living in it!

Pictures!

Here are pictures from the past couple of weeks.

Swinging at the park

Looking at the mowers with his face pressed up against the glass.

Big Cheese!

Show those big teeth!

Caught in the act!

About to fall off the shelf.

Daddy was using James' arms as drumsticks and they were both loving it! Daddy has a very intense look on his face!

First coloring experience - he just wanted to hold the crayons and try to pull them apart or beat them together. He did great for about ten minutes and then tried to eat one.

Cute little froggy after bath!

Just chillin' reading his new colors book

Beautiful smile with Daddy's hardhat on...we just put the Hog stickers on it. I just love this little boy!

12 Months and Counting

Sorry this is a little late. We didn't get to James' one year check up until today! This little monkey weighed in at 22 lbs. 14 oz. He was 30 1/4 inches long, and his head was 19 inches! Okay, if you have been keeping up with the last well visit...he is now 4 inches longer! I am not sure I really believe that. It is really hard to measure a baby with a pen and paper, but whatever. He is in the 50th percentile for weight and height, but his head is in the 90th! I asked the doctor why his head grew so much and he said it was because his soft spot is getting ready to close all the way and he will just about reach his full adult head in about one year (it will grow significantly slower!).

James is growing more and more each day. Here are his accomplishments this month:

• He has four teeth now! His top two finally made their presence his birthday and the day after! And they are HUGE! I will have to post some pics of the big chompers.

• He is walking! Each day he gets faster. He also does this thing while he is walking where he puts both arms straight out behind him like those Olympic skiers. It is quite funny to watch, and we are not sure why he does this...maybe to keep his balance???



• He is completely done nursing. He now drinks milk everyday along with water and occasionally juice.



• He is in the process of dropping down to one nap a day, but he doesn't sleep long enough during one nap for it to work great yet. Since he isn't sleeping as much during the day, he is going to bed around six each night and sleeps for 12 hours! Hopefully, we can move it back to seven or so because Daddy only sees James for about an hour at night.



• James loves music and/or noise. When he is playing, he likes just about every toy he has to be making some sort of noise. It definitely gets crazy around here.



• He is dancing more whenever music is playing, whether I put in a CD or it is his toys making music.


• His favorite toys are any that make noise or things he can push. He loves to push the laundry basket, his new four wheeler, and his new Tonka truck around.



• I have one of his favorite books memorized, Moo, Baa, Laa, and during a diaper change I have to recite it until I am finished or he tries to get away. He loves that story!



• He is wearing 12 month clothes, and the weather here is crazy so he has to have shorts, jeans, long sleeves, and short sleeves. Maybe towards next month it will start to cool down.



• Bath time is one of his favorite times of the day. All I have to say is "Let's go take a bath." Then I start walking back there, and by the time I start the water he is already there. He even tries to climb into the bath tub with his clothes on!

• One of the best things about James right now is his sweetness! He will give me kisses when I ask for them, when I don't ask, and sometimes when I am holding him he will turn my head towards his so he can kiss me. I love it!

I will post some pictures another time, but I wanted to give an update on our little toddler!

The Giant Spoon

Daddy gave me a large wooden spoon for my birthday and James wanted to play with it right away. He has played with it most of the afternoon. Here is a video to show him walking and playing with the giant spoon.

The Monkey Step Stool!

For James' birthday I asked my dad to build him a step stool. I only expected it to be a normal little step painted with his name on it. Well, I sure was in for a HUGE surprise. Poppi did an awesome job on the chair/step stool. Thanks Mama for the additional pictures. I am so proud of my dad - I just had to show it off! Here are some pictures and a video of the cute monkey.

The beginnings of the step stool.

One side up!

Poppi - was it cold out there?

Painting!

He has such great talents!

Painting the stool with super concentration!

Trying to stand on it!

Big smiles while sitting on his chair!

James is showing you how the step works

Such a cute monkey!

The monkey step stool with a monkey on it!

A video I took once we got it home to show everyone how it works! It is a really neat chair/step stool. James already loves to play with it. He tries to put the step down, he sits and reads on it, and maybe he will watch the Hogs play football this weekend in it!

Thanks Poppi! We love you!

No More Chi-Chi's

Well for those of you who don't know. When I nursed James we called it having "Chi-chi's" (pronounced chee-cheese). My big boy no longer receives this precious gift. He nursed for the last time on November 1st. It really has been bitter sweet. I am sad to not be THE one to provide his nourishment, but I am so excited and happy to see him grow! We think now was the best time because I can now make new milk for the second baby and James will not have jealousy issues in five months. James has not even realized that they are gone. We now spend quality time reading, playing, singing, dancing, and loving. Not that we didn't do that before, but now I really make sure it is even more. He has transitioned to whole milk and drinks about 16 oz. a day. He eats whatever we eat and loves it! We are so blessed to have a happy child who goes with the flow. Maybe #2 will be that way as well!

1st Birthday Party and 2nd Halloween!

Birthdays are so exciting no matter who you are, but for my little guy it was over-the-top fun! We started out the day opening his very first birthday present ever! He was so curious when we started opening a present. His great Grandma and Papa sent a present to my parents house, so we sat on the kitchen floor and opened it. They bought James a super cool turtle that tells stories and sings songs. James LOVES pushing all the different buttons!

James and Mama getting ready to open the first gift!

Look at that cool turtle!

After we played with the turtle for awhile, we made a big breakfast for a big boy! My dad made him scrambled egg yolks with cheese. Even though my dad didn't think it was enough, James sure did love those eggs!

James eating his eggs by the handful!

We definitely had a full day on our plates. After breakfast, James played a little and then had to take a nap. When he woke up, we drove to Party City to buy two birthday balloons. Luckily, I went along because Daddy wanted to buy three balloons that were three feet EACH! I told him James would take off into orbit if we did that! Then we went right over to get his 1 year old pictures made. The pictures turned out great (even though the little stinker would hardly crack a smile!), but I don't have a scanner to show any yet. After pictures, it was straight to the party.

Arriving at the party before all the fun stuff!

We ate a delicious lunch prepared by Gigi, Grandmother, Nana, Peep, and Lolli (I think I got everyone involved). James ate beans and chicken. I wasn't being too picky since he was about to have such a huge change in his diet with his cake! Next, we opened presents. Now I knew this would be interesting because James has never had to sit through something like this, but he did remarkably well! He was really funny. If we tore just enough of the paper for him to see what was inside, he would just start trying to play with the toy instead of opening it completely. :) That was pretty cute! Here are a some pics of all the things he received.

Monkey plates, bowl, and cup from Gigi, Pumper, and Uncle B. He loved the cup!

Carefully tearing off a piece of wrapping paper.

His face is great - okay? He received really cute outfits since he finally fits into 12 months!

Oooo! Look at those Chucks! Just like Daddy used to wear!

Those are just like Uncle B.'s - thank you!

And a Four Wheeler! Thanks Pawpaw and Nana! Look at that happy smile!

We decided cake was next, and after placing James in his Daddy's high chair - I got the cake. We sang Happy Birthday and I helped blow out the candle. James stuck his fingers in it right away but didn't know what to do...so he put it is my hands! Next, thing I knew he was putting globs of frosting into my hands. I gave him some to eat and he decided he loved it. He slowly got the hang of it and ate for about 25 minutes! Here are those awesome pictures! :)

James' 1st Birthday Cake!

Singing to him

Giving Mama the frosting - it took me by surprise!

Eating the cake...well mostly the frosting with Mama's help.

He finally got the hang of it.

The end result...a super tired, over sugared, toddler boy.

I guess that means...BATH TIME! He definitely took a bath and was mostly color free by the end. He might have had just a couple spots of pink coloring, but for the most part you couldn't even tell he indulged in cake earlier. He would not lay down for a nap even though he was exhausted...so my Mom and I went for a car ride. He slept about 45 minutes, but woke up with a little belly ache. He slowly started feeling better, and by the time trick-or-treating rolled around he was better.

Getting ready to go trick or treating in his "birthday boy" costume!

His first house! Thanks Tom and Missy for the candy even though he didn't need anything!

Most of the gang minus my dad. It was a great pic except for me with my eyes shut!

House #2 and still trying to get the hang of it. Didn't he look sooo cute! He is such a big boy!

Dad!!! You finally made the blog! The three of us are looking good!

After the few houses we went to, we came back to my in-laws and James played with his new toys and the rest of us just marveled at the day. James saw a cupcake later that night and started signing for eat and reaching for the cupcake! Oh no...we created a sugar monster. But I didn't give him anything except real food, and we are back on our good eating diet.

Had to ride the four wheeler some more!

James and I are so thrilled how this weekend turned out. We want to thank everyone involved in our baby's day! Without all the help and coordination, we wouldn't have had such a great party or a wonderful time with family. Family is so important to us, and we love each of you so much. Thank you for all your support and love. And thank you for James IV's birthday - it was a blast!

P.S. Awesome pictures of the step stool coming soon!