Alex's award winning smile

Over the weekend, our county held it's annual pumpkin festival and we joined in the festivities. Saturday morning was the cutest baby contest! Just for fun we entered Alex and he walked away with cutest smile!

It's funny, because normally he doesn't smile on cue, but for the judges, he gave them his best!

I wasn't sure what we were getting ourselves into. I really thought they would just take a photo of Alex and we would go on our merry way. But no! You had to parade your baby in front of a judges panel! Well, you know me, I'm not much of anything in front of a bunch of people. I freeze up faster than you could believe.

But I didn't need to do anything but hold on to Alex, and he was giving the judges his best "cheeeese" smile, like we rehearsed it!

I'm very proud of our little pumpkin, and had such a great time!

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Alex loves planes

We took Alex to our local fly-in not too long ago and he has a new fascination for the sky. He absolutely loved the airplanes.

He had a bored expression when we pulled up to the event. We drag him everywhere and mommy likes to cover all the local summer fun for the paper. Parades? been there. Festivals? seen it.

But when we pulled him out of his car seat and we pointed up to the skydivers that were slowly making their way to the ground his jaw dropped open.

He sat a little taller in our arms and put that pointer finger to work. He would look at the sky and then back at us and then back to the sky.

That day he saw skydivers, war birds take off and fly low over our heads and helicopters take off and land.

This was the fifth time I've been to the show, but I've got to say... it was definitely my favorite.

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On Vacay

I'm on vacation this week! Alex and I are having a great time doing nothing in particular. 

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poor sick baby :(

Last week, as we were getting ready for our first vacation as a family to head down to Tennesee and watch my cousin Jeff get married, a wrench was thrown into our vacation plans.

Our poor little baby, who turned 8 months last Tuesday caught his first cold. We had been doing so well, but as it's gotten nicer, we've gone out to more places and our little guy must have picked something up somewhere.

It's so hard to watch your baby get sick for the first time. You just want to squeeze him and wish there was some way you could take the cold for him. 

But babies do bounce back pretty good. It started last week and by yesterday he was looking so much better! Here is the same little guy, just a few days after his punched in the eyes look. He's still coughing and sneezing, but he's back to his same old tricks. I'm so relieved he's doing better.

Yesterday he tried to pull himself up with the coffee table. We call it chin-ups, since he's mostly trying to use his arms and hasn't quite gotten his legs under him.

I sure do love that little guy.

Now that he's feeling a little better, I'd like to share a few things we learned quickly about sick babies:

1. They do not like the boogie sucker. Not. At. All. If they could  talk, they would most likely tell you "No way are you going near me with that thing. How would you like it if I came at you with a contraption to unwillingly suck boogers out of your nose?"

2. If baby isn't sleeping, no one is sleeping. We did however take some nice scenic night drives over the weekend.

3. There is a difference between throw-up and spit-up. Its very gross, not going to lie.

4. As sick as they are you really don't mind and still love love love them.

5. Even though they're tiny people with colds, they are still contagious and you can get it. But thats ok :) See #4. *sniffle sniffle* *cough cough* 

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On the move!

Alex started to "creep" last night! This was the first time he has ever been mobile by himself, it was pretty exciting. I think he started to get a little frustrated toward the end about going backwards, but it was pretty cute. 

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Future pro bowler?

Alex bowled his first ball Saturday night, and I think we have a future pro bowler in the house. That's of course when he's not saving lives as a doctor and writing another bestselling novel. You've got to dream big you know?

Alex picked up a spare his first time up and almost got a strike the second time. We were very proud.

Just look at that concentration. It takes a lot of baby power to throw a ball that weighs almost as much as you. 

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Our favorite thing to do

Alex has this new trick he likes to show everyone he sees. He's pretty proud of it. Today, he wants to show you how it's done.

First, you take a big baby breath. You really have to lean back for this one and get as much air in your lungs as you possibly can.

And then, when you can't get any more in, you let it all out between your lips. Sometimes you really have to get your tongue in there for more effect. 

That, ladies and gentlemen is how it's done. 

Did you get that? Or do we have to demonstrate it again?

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Teething

Teething. Need I say more? 

Our happy go lucky little man has officially entered the teething stage, and he's miserable. The first tooth? No problem. It popped through and we didn't even notice. The second tooth? Now thats another story. 

Wish us luck.

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Nothing's better than family

Alex got to meet his second cousin Pam and her husband Don and their kids, Connor and Dillon on Friday. They traveled all the way up from Pennsylvania this weekend.

He really enjoyed seeing more of his family. He has decided there is nothing like being with family.

Not only that, he got to hear some pretty funny stories about his mom when she was his age. All in all, a great day.

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look who's wearing shorts!

It is just beautiful out this week! Alex felt the grass between his toes for the first time yesterday and loved it :) 

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No Pants Day

In honor of the nice weather, Alex declares today No Pants Day. 

Why not? 

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The Kitchen re-do continues

I've been pouring on the coal to my kitchen re-do this week. This morning I painted the legs of our little makeshift island green to match my new accent color. I did all of this at 5:30 this morning after Chris left for work. Boy is he in for a surprise when he gets home.

I bet you anything he's going to come home and say, "Has that table always been green?" hehe. I love it.

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Kitchen project

It seems like I've spent a lot of time in my kitchen the past few days. I've been having fun working on some projects.

I put wainscot up along the walls on Saturday and it was suprisingly easy! Time consuming, but wasn't too bad at all. Thanks to the hubby for helping me with problem areas, including that plug in the middle. It looks so tiny and innocent in the photo, but that plug and I had some go arounds on Saturday.

I tried my hand at sewing yesterday for some new kitchen curtains. I'll have to take a better picture of it all once that's all set.

And my bestest friend Lisa Lu sent me this amazing tablecloth for my birthday! :) Thanks Lisa Lu! It's perfect! Just what the kitchen needed for spring.

And Alex was excited that his team won on Saturday.  He fell asleep before he could watch the game, but he was rooting for West Virginia. He wanted them to win not only because it's one of his favorite teams, but it was also his great uncle John's birthday! He lives in West Virginia :)

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The big 2-7

Today I turned 27. 

It has been a great couple of days. I've gotten to see a lot of family, eat a lot of cake and get it pointed out to me that 27 is just 72 backwards.

I guess in some weird way that made me feel younger.

And Alex really enjoyed looking at the cake. He wasn't sure why an ice cream cake was on fire, but that's ok. It was pretty anyway.

I guess I've got to look on the bright side. At least I'm not turning 33 this year. Right Jase? hahaa. Love ya. 

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Kitchen makeover

Ahh Spring. There's nothing like weather warming up and snow melting to get those creative juices flowing. 

When things begin to get nicer out I can't help but think about all the things I want to do. I want to get outside and clean things up, I want to start sewing new curtains and I want to do something new with my kitchen.

Until things get a little more warmer outside I think I can handle the last two items on my list. So I was browsing the Better Homes and Gardens website and found a kitchen with similar colors to mine.

I love the roman shade in the window and the beadboard and tile backsplash. We'll see what I can come up with.

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Hard at work

There's probably some kind of child labor laws against this, but he's just so good at Photoshop. 

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Alex's new duds

Alex took a trip to Children's Place yesterday and is stylin in his new duds. How cute are baby ties? 

He thought shopping with the girls was pretty fun!

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A nice surprise

Alex, his Papa Doda and Grandma Jo swung up to Caro yesterday to have lunch with me. It was such a great surprise! Big hugs to my fam!

It really made my day :)

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Coolest neighbor ever!

This is Ann, our neighbor. 

Possibily the sweetest person you'll ever meet.

Ann and her husband Brian must be pretty sweet to put up with their young neighbors from across the lawn.

Just when they thought they had gotten all of their kids off and out of the nest, here come two new ones to deal with.

And she makes awesome cookies.

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Cousin Colin

Chris has a cousin that looks scarily like him. They could be brothers. Actually, come to think of it, they look more like brothers then Chris's actual brother does.

His cousin's name is Matt. Once, when Matt and his wife Sarah had their first baby Owen, Chris stopped by the hospital to visit and the nurse actually mistook him for the father. 

This is Matt and Sarah's second baby, Colin. He was almost a year in these photos. It's going to be fun to see how much their babies look alike.

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One cool dude

Alex says "Just call me Xander." This cool dude was chillin with his stuffed animal friends yesterday sporting the indoor sunglasses. We told him he was cute and I think it's gone to his head.

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Happy Birthday Theodore!

Six years ago today, a little tiny Theodore was born to Sarah and Gus, not too far from where he lives now. Three months later he made his debut into our lives a spunky little ball of fur with an overbite who was prone to carsickness.

He has always had a love for all animals, even though they have not always loved him back.

He was born with springs for legs. Once, during his "Underdog" stage he tried flying off of the roof of his parent's sun porch. It was never attempted again.

Now he likes to snuggle in with his retired folks, go for long walks and "Monkey parades" where he will prance around the house with his stuffed animal, Mooonkey.

Here's to six great years Ted, and many more! 

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Happy Valentine's Day!

I had two valentines yesterday. A big one and a pint sized one. 

Best Valentines Day ever.

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The other day I realized that next month I'm going to be 27.

It's a funny feeling thinking I'm so close to being 30. You work so hard to be grown up. 

When you're little you want to be big. You want to have independence, stay up late and make your own decisions.

You concentrate on going to school. 

 And getting your license.

You  follow your dreams, get a job and fall in love. You're so busy for the first twenty-something years of your life, it isn't until you're almost thirty you stop and say "hey, life sure goes by fast."

So from here on out I'm going to sit down each day and hug my baby, take in the sounds of my house, and settle in with my best friend in the evenings. I want to stop and take a picture of each wonderful moment and store it in the back of my mind. 

Because Abraham Lincoln said it best. It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

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