Happy Birthday Charlie!!!!!

Tonight we had a small party for Charlie to help him celebrate his first birthday!!! Mom, dad and Kristen came over for dinner and we had cake and opened presents. Charlie got LOTS of new things (thanks guys!!) and Reese enjoyed his party almost as much as he did. I'm pretty sure she thinks it's her birthday too!!! Happy Birthday sweet little man.....we love you!!!

All dressed up in my birthday suit!!

Mom made these cute little tags for Charlie's gifts. She put "Happy Birthday Charlie Man" on there because that's what Reese calls him!!

Loves his Poppa!!!


some Mimi loving

some of the proudest Grandparents around!!

Reese doing what she loves best.....reading!

Look at my little man standing all by himself!!

Kristen got him this drum and he LOVES it!!!

group effort!!

a choo choo train table from Daddy, Mommy and Reese

they have not stopped playing with this train table

Mommy and b'day boy

Smash cake!!

Let the boy eat cake!!!

"Really mommy, you're going to let me do this??"

"uuuhhhhhhh"

"I think I like this!!!"

"mmmmmmmmm"

"it is soooo good!!!"

Happy Birthday!!!

Where has the time gone??

How did we go from this.......

....to this, so quickly??

Charlie is ONE today!!!! We are so proud of our little man. He is growing like a weed (literally) and doing something new almost every day. He doesn't say too much thus far, but you can tell EXACTLY what he is thinking most of the time and know when he is about to do something. He is just starting what we call the "swahili" language -- just a bunch of baby babble for like 10 consecutive seconds-- Reese did the same thing and I love it. Sounds like he's probably cussing us out most of the time!! =)
He has taken 4-5 steps by himself, but would still rather crawl. He says bye bye and waves and gives some of the biggest, wettest kisses around. We haven't had his one year check up yet, so I will have to post his "stats" later. We are having a family birthday party tonight, complete with smash cake, so there will be more pics to come. I am having the kids a joint birthday party in November, so that is when we are really going to "blow it out!!!" Happy 1st Birthday my sweet Charlie! You are such a sweet little man and your mommy and daddy love you so much.
We can't wait to spend many more birthdays with you!!!! mmmmmwwwwaaaaaa!!!

Minor Concussion

Reese had a minor concussion on Monday while under her daddy's watchful eye (I was not present -- and yes, I was VERY upset). She and her daddy went outside to play with the dogs, which is nothing unusual. The dogs were wrestling and apparently Reese got in their way and collided with her, knocking her to the pavement backwards. She was of course hysterical, took two small cat naps almost immediately and threw up once. If she would have thrown up 2 more times it would have been off to the ER. We had to wake her up throughout the night and ask her questions to check her neurological status and she was, and has been, fine ever since, THANK YOU LORD!!!!!!

I don't get it.....

....but for some reason, heading up these stairs for bath time is one of my children's favorite things. The cackling and baby giggles that occur while racing to the top of the stairs is almost too much to handle.....it's hilarious!!! We shout, "go Charlie, catch Reese" and the laughter begins!! Sooooo funny!! =)

NOOOOO Charlie!!!!!

Sit your butt down!! Mommy is not ready to chase TWO little ones around yet!!! Charlie is well on his way -- he took his first steps unassisted today and has been standing on his own for a few days now -- oh boy I am going to be a busy mommy -- and I LOVE every minute of it!!! =)

Test run....

...since Charlie's big day is this week, we thought we would give the "smash cake" a test run....I don't think we'll have any problems getting him to eat it!!! =)

yyyuuuummmmyyyyyy!!!

First Trip to T-town!!!

On Saturday we took the kids to Tuscaloosa for Homecoming. We had such a good time. We made it in time (barely) to see the entire parade -- the kids favorite -- and we walked around campus seeing lots of our friends. We went to my sorority house and even made a stop by Joe's fraternity house (brought back some good memories!!). We met mom and dad and had lunch at the Ferguson Center, and besides being so dang cold, it was a perfect day. The kids loved T-town and told us they couldn't wait to go to school in God's country one day!! =) Roll Tide!!

Getting all our gear on in the back of the van!!

Mimi bought us gloves!!!

At the parade

They both sat and watched almost the entire parade

Best seat in the house!!

lunchtime

Reese and her favorite -- Mimi

sweet....

Reese and mommy in front of the sorority house -- I lived here my sophomore year

Joe and some of his buddies at the fraternity house -- wow, how the times have changed! Pretty much all of his friends now have babies.....so cute!!

My Pink Baby

As we all know, Reese loves babies very much....in particular, her "pink baby" as she would say. She would also take this baby EVERYWHERE we went if I let her. I have enough to lug around with 2 children under the age of 2, so I have stopped letting her tote her baby and blankie every time we go somewhere. I tell her that her baby wants to stay at home and take a nap while we go and do whatever it is we're doing. This morning, before school, we were getting ready to go and she was holding her baby. I went through the whole thing again with her and how we leave baby at home to take a nap. She informed me that her baby needed to be read a book before she took a nap. I told her we would read a book when we got home, blah, blah, blah, get your stuff, it's time to go, let's go get in the car, etc, etc. I went about my merry way, gathering all my things and trying to get everyone moving in the direction of the door. Once ready, I went to look for Reese.....

....she crawled her happy butt up on the couch and began to read her baby a book. Quite possibly one of the sweetest things I've ever seen.

I had to get this on camera!!

Even Charlie stopped for a listen!!

23 months already???

My sweet angel turned 23 months yesterday. It's so hard to believe this time next month, she'll be TWO....where has the time gone??

babies are still her favorite thing in the world

and she's quite the little dancer!!!

We LOVE the Pumpkin Patch!!!

We went to the Pumpkin Patch on Sunday and had such a good time. I had no idea what a big deal the Pumpkin Patch was. I honestly thought you just went there to get a pumpkin and that's it. Well, that is not the case. It was a fun filled afternoon event with lots of fun filled activities and food. We rode in a tractor to pick out our very own pumpkin in a real pumpkin patch (a first for all of us). Our pumpkin had literally just been cut from the vine. It was really neat and is now a tradition!! We love pumpkin time!!!!

an honest attempt at a family picture.....oh well, at least we tried!!

they had the Dukes of Hazard car there.....Joe had to have his picture made with it!!

Jennie and Scarlett ready to go!!!

another attempt to get a good pic....at least they're all in it!!

"please quit taking my picture momma"

Yayyyyy, they're both smiling at the same time!!!

big pumpkin

Reese picking out little pumpkins for her and Charlie

soooo many choices!!

pumpkin excitement!!!

waiting on the tractor to come pick us up!!

I see it, I see it!!!

waiting patiently with Philip

so much fun

another attempt

our very own pumpkin -- fresh from the vine!!