Sammy and Alex - 9 Months

Oh, Little Man. You continue to capture our hearts!

We have loved these last nine months with you.

You are a ray of sunshine.

And so stinkin' sweet.

You are curious about everything. Everything!

Here's what you've been up to the last month... Crawling and climbing on anything you can.

You love riding your new toy that your Aunt Sylba gave you. We push you all around the house, and you just smile.

You also love riding in the laundry basket. You giggle each time we go up and down the stairs.

You had your first swing ride at the park this month.

You've been trying new table foods - with only moderate success I might add. This photo is of you getting your first taste of gumbo. It was one of the few new foods you've liked.

You will also tolerate scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets, Gerber Lil' Crunchies, Gerber Puffs, mandarin oranges, Taco Soup broth, and Chicken Noodle Soup broth. There have been lots of other things we've tried to give you, but you seem to have "texture issues." Hopefully those will subside with time.

You've also said your first words: da-da, ma-ma, and ba-ba. Da-da was the first.



Here are your latest stats:
Weight: 19 lbs 6 oz (31 percentile)
Height: 28.5 inches (60 percentile)
Head circumference: 18 inches (63 percentile)
Teeth: seven!

It won't be long before we're celebrating your first birthday. It all goes too fast. We love you Little Man.

Little Man Goes High-Tech

On our ride to Chateau Morrisette on Easter weekend, we took advantage of the DVD player in the car. We put the headphones on Little Man and let him listen to the "Praise Baby" video that Aunt Dana gave him for Christmas. He LOVES that video and he kept the ear phones on for quite a while! Even though his car seat is still rear-facing, he was able to watch the DVD in the mirror we use to see him that is attached to the back seat head rest. He was so cute!

Mini Pearl

Are you a "car person?" I've been a "car person" ever since I was a little girl. I have always wanted a cute, sporty ride.

December 2007, my car dreams came true. Meet Mini Pearl.

For months after I got her, I would come home from work each night, look at Jerry and say, "I LOVE this car. I mean, I knew I would like it, but I really, really LOVE this car." I love how she looks. I love how she drives. I love how she sounds. I love how she feels. Love, love, love.

This year, I realized it was time to sell her. Jerry would never have asked me to give up my dream car, but I knew it was time for something bigger (Alex takes up a lot of room) and a lower car payment (makes it a little easier to stay home with the Little Man).

The car finally sold this week. We got the check in the mail today, and the shipping truck is coming to pick the car up tomorrow. So last night I took her for one last drive. I cried.

Y'all. I don't know why I'm so sad about selling Mini, but I am. I don't understand it. All I can imagine is that it has something to do with working hard to achieve something you've always wanted in life and then letting go of it. I don't know. I just know it's been harder to let go than I thought.

Little Man's First Easter

When I spend quiet time thinking about Easter, I tend to reflect on it through Christ's perspective. What must it have felt like to be betrayed by friends who claimed to love you? To be wrongfully accused by a bunch of legalists? To be misunderstood by the very people you wanted desperately to help? To have a love so deep for the Father that you would willingly go to the cross so that others can share in that love, too? It's really too much to fully comprehend, isn't it? 

And Easter, much like Christmas, took on a whole new meaning for me this year. As a mom, I couldn't help but think of the events of Easter through the eyes of a parent as well. How painful must it have been to see your child betrayed? To see your child mocked? To see your child tortured? To see your child brutally murdered among the lowest of the low? All when He was simply trying to love people and show them a gracious and loving God. Just typing those words is enough to make my eyes well-up with tears. I just can't imagine.

I also spent some time this Easter thinking about God's two greatest commandments - love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. 

As parents, we wish only the best for our children. Our hearts ache at the thought of them facing any kind of mean-spiritedness in this world. I think God feels the same way – He wants the best for us. I think He would love for us to be met with all the kindness the world has to offer. That's why He commands love of us - His children.

His word tells us that there is no greater love than he who lays down his life for a friend. I am so grateful this Easter that we have that kind of love. That Christ laid down his life for me. I pray that one day, Alex will come to appreciate that gift, too.

Hope you had a Happy Easter.

Noni and Pop Pop love them some Little Man

 

We sure are enjoying our weekend with Noni and Pop Pop. We've gone to the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, and had a picnic at the Mill Mountain Star. The weather has been perfect for outdoor adventures. Tomorrow we're off to Chateau Morrisette for Easter Brunch along the Blue Ridge Parkway.