One Boy. One Girl.

Moving day

2009-11-10T01:15:00.001-05:00

Thankfully, just in the blog world. I'm back to blogging, and you can now find us at reedandmolly.com.

Sitting Up!

2009-08-09T15:50:00.003-04:00

So I know I just posted about 10 minutes ago - but in the meantime, Molly sat up on her own! So now, I'm blogging again. Check out this strong little girl - sitting up at 4 1/2 months!

And to see Reed sitting up for the first time check out this post - so fun to compare the pictures between them! Now off to find the johnny-jump up! =)

some photos

2009-08-09T15:20:00.003-04:00

Reed helping us unroll a new rug.

Helping Michael flatten it out.

Molly sucking her fingers - she's also started sucking her thumb...

Sweet smiles...

"Kaki" and Molly.

quick update

2009-08-04T16:07:00.007-04:00

Molly is growing so fast! I cannot believe it has already been four months! Time sure does fly. She went for her four month checkup today. She's in the 25% for height and weight. And otherwise is doing great! The doctor said she's already close to getting teeth. Crazy! She did awesome with her shots, too, only crying for a second. Unlike some very vocal child down the hall.

Reed also did really well at the doc, even though it wasn't his appointment. He really was on his best behavior. He charmed the nurses as usual and got a sticker when we left because he did so well.

As I type, Reed is napping and Molly is taking full advantage. She's rolling/scooting all over the floor, and laughing at me every time I look at her. She's very proud of her new found ability to move around!

Reed has also been helping me cook lately. I heard recently that dogs need tasks. I decided that my child, in fact, needed tasks as well. And so I've been letting him help me with chores. He really loves helping me cook, and has done really well following the rules.

He's also gotten a new cell phone (Michael's old one, minus the battery). He thinks he is big time with this, and walks around the house talking on it. He says, "Hi Nana. Hi Nana. O-oo-oh. Bye Nana." Or Daddy. Or Papa. Or "ama". And he's so serious about it.

We've also started potty training. He's doing okay, but mostly likes to sit and read.

Molly has also discovered herself in a mirror on her activity mat. I'll catch her looking and talking to herself all the time.

giggles

2009-07-16T11:22:00.004-04:00

granna and papa t came to visit us at chattanooga market and molly sure did enjoy papa!

watching the homerun derby

fourth of july - was hoping for smiles, but it was a bit past naptime

and the first time molly slept on her back was today. she tuckered out playing with the mesh on the playpen. and the other one is reed when he was about molly's age. i think they get this from their daddy.

Summer catch up

2009-07-04T08:22:00.006-04:00

I've gotten so far behind on blogging that I'm taking Amy's approach to a catchup blog - all pictures and just a bit of explanation. Check out the album to the right for more. Here we go ...

We did the Riverbend Run a few weeks ago - well, we did the walk - Michael and Kathryn did a 10K run. Here's the kiddos before the race.

And here's all of us after the race.

Molly loves peeking out of the back of the stroller - and of course, she'd much rather be reclined on her belly in the stroller. I'm sure the manufacturer would love to see the way I strap her in there!

The next day we headed to the lake with Amy and Chris and Anna Kate. The kiddos had such a great time, and the adults did, too!

The next weekend was Jackson's first birthday! Brittany captured a few shots of the kiddos for me. Isn't she awesome?!

Later that week the gang met up to bring the kiddos to the zoo. The kids seemed to really enjoy it, even though it was in the upper 90's!! We decided to wait until fall to revisit.

Reed loves his new sidewalk chalk he got from Jackson's party!

And well, isn't she just adorable?! Love that dimple =)

The following weekend Michael's parents came down for a short visit, and we headed to the Aquarium. Reed really enjoyed all the animals!

Another day at the lake.

And Reed playing ball. His Daddy loves this picture!

And if some of you are thinking, "this looks familiar," you would be correct. Here's Michael about 27 years ago.

Reed and our newest addition to the yard

2009-06-10T23:00:00.006-04:00

Michael here. We finally got the playset we ordered for Reed and Molly on Tuesday night. Although Molly still has a little bit before she appreciates it, Reed fell in love right away. We left the installers here working as we went to my softball game (we won by the way.) Fully expecting the work to be continued the next day, we were very surprised to come home and find it fully completed. Even though it was a little late we had to let Reed play. Right off he ran to the edge of the driveway and pointed at the playset with the biggest smile on his face. Just when I thought he couldn't be more excited, he climbed straight to the top and laughed has hard as he ever has. Then down the slide he went. Here are some pictures from this evening. He enjoyed the playset while Jessica and I took turns mulching leaves and watching Molly.

My favorite, Reed on the tire swing underneath the deck.

About to go down the slide.

Most of you know that anything with a motor or a wheel is a "vroom vroom" to Reed. Well the playset even has a place where Reed can make his favorite sound.

My birthday and father's day are right around the corner. But seeing Reed's face when he discovered his playset was all the gift I need. The are more pictures in the gallery to the right, enjoy.

Tara & Graham's trip to the 'Nooga

2009-05-25T22:07:00.005-04:00

We had such a great weekend! Our friends Tara and Graham came for a long overdue visit. We hadn't seen them since the Christmas after Reed was born, and that was only for a short breakfast while crossing on the road. They made the trek down from Cincinnati for a much needed weekend visit. The best thing about great friends is that it doesn't matter how long it's been - you can just pick right up where you left off, as if it hasn't really been a year and a half. And that's how it was. No awkwardness, no need for explanation. Just great company and lots of laughs.

Reed really enjoyed them, too. He warmed up right away to Tara, especially since she taught him how to ring the door bell. Which, by the way, thanks for that. =) And he warmed up to Graham shortly after over a plate of guacamole. Reed began petting him. Graham didn't mind. What a good sport!

So glad you guys came for a visit and can't wait to see you again soon! Check out the album to the right for more photos!

a few random ones

2009-05-25T22:05:00.002-04:00

A few random pics of Reed and Molly ...

trip to the beach

2009-05-25T21:39:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago Amy and I decided on a whim to escape to the beach for a few days. Michael was out of town, several of our friends had been/were at the beach, and it was pouring down raining all week. All which made us yearn to dig our feet into the sand and take in the salty beach air. So after finding a steal on an awesome condo, we went for it! The kiddos did great on the way there and back. We had such a great time! Michael came down for part of the trip when his conference in Nashville was over. So much fun! Here's a few pics of the trip, and check out more in the album to the right. You can also see an awesome slide show of some of Amy's pics here.

The only proof I was actually there. Next time Amy and I need to get at least a few pictures of ourselves, too!

Awesome pictures

2009-05-01T17:04:00.005-04:00

Check out these awesome photos by Brittany, aka Moncrief Photography. She came over to our house one evening to get pictures with Reed and Molly. Love them all!! Click here to see them!

Yard work

2009-04-29T12:22:00.004-04:00

Every evening when Michael gets home from work we've been working out in the yard. Reed really loves the outdoors, so he's been loving helping us work! Here's a few pictures from yesterday. There's a bunch more in an album to the right.

My little tree hugger:

Helping us plant shrubs

Reed discovered me taking pictures, and was trying to look into the camera lens ...

Afternoon at the Park

2009-04-24T16:05:00.002-04:00

We spent the afternoon at the park today with some friends, and the fountains were on for the first time this spring! Reed really enjoyed the water! Here's a few pics from the water. Molly seems to really enjoy being outside, too! She snoozed the whole time we were there. No pictures of her this time - I was carrying her in a sling while chasing Reed around.

Reed showing us his 'bebo' ...

Yes, you are seeing this correctly. Reed got a little thirsty.

Easter bunny fun

2009-04-17T16:58:00.005-04:00

Today we went to the park to meet some friends, and had two special visitors - bunnies! Brittany had them from another photoshoot she did, and brought them along today so we could get pictures of the kiddos with them. All of them loved the bunnies, except for Jackson, who just wasn't quite sure about the whole idea. We still got some great photos though! Check out the album to the right for all the photos (the ones I got at least. Brittany took some too, so look forward to seeing them on her blog sometime soon!)

It was also my first outing with both kids by myself, and I think I did okay! When I was getting ready to leave, I planned to put Reed in the car first, then come back and get Molly in. So as Reed and I headed to the door, he starting yelling, "Mama, mama, mama ..." and pointing to Molly in the bassinet. I guess he thought we were going to leave her here. But he made sure to take care of her and not let me forget her. Too sweet!

Also got an etsy purchase in the mail today for Molly - an adorable beanie and bootie set. Love it!

Easter

2009-04-13T15:03:00.002-04:00

We had a nice Easter, spending the evening at Granna and Papa T's. Reed enjoyed hunting Easter eggs, and then re-hiding them when he was done! We had a yummy dinner with them and also with Kathryn and Mammaw. Molly slept through the entire thing, but she looked cute doing it! And Reed entertained everyone, as usual. He, too, looked cute doing it!
Here's a few pictures from the day, and the rest are in an album to the right. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Granna made a bunny cake for dessert. Yummy!

Molly Ruth

2009-04-07T13:37:00.004-04:00

Yes, I know. About time I blog about Miss Molly! Now that she's 8 days old, it's finally setting in that we have two children now! And we're loving it.

Molly made her grand entrance last Monday, March 30th, at 8:42 am. She was 7 pounds 13 ounces and 20 inches long. After faking us out a week earlier and sending us to the hospital for a night, she decided this time she was ready, and she didn't waste any time! I was awoken to my water breaking at around 5:30 am, to which I told Michael, "My water just broke. Wait, hang on, I might have been dreaming. Nope, it broke." So we hopped up, made a quick call to the Moncriefs to take them up on their offer to keep Reed when the time came, packed our things in the car, and headed off. We dropped Reed off at the Moncriefs who were ready and waiting for us, and headed to the hospital (see Brittany's account of the morning here). A short 3 hours later and Molly Ruth was here! It was great to have Brittany watch Reed for us, and later Michael's parents stay overnight with him at our house. Very nice to not have to worry about how Reed was doing. He seemed to really enjoy his adventure!

We've been lucky this past week to have dinners prepared by family, friends and neighbors, and we really appreciate you all! Granna has been helping me during the days while Michael is at work, and I'm sure going to miss her (she's headed back to her real job tomorrow). It sure makes it easier to recover when she's here to help with Reed, cook and clean!

Well, on to the good stuff. Here's a slideshow that Brittany put together, and more photos here. Thanks again to Brittany for all the great photos! Most of these are hers - I'm sure you'll be able to tell which ones!

Playing outside

2009-03-24T16:08:00.003-04:00

Now that the weather is warming up, we've been spending more time outside. And trying to make our yard look a little better rather than it's current state of neighborhood dog-poo stop. Michael's been working hard the last few days raking leaves out of the side and back yard. The lady who lived here before us, as a neighbor told us "discouraged grass to grow by letting the leaves pile up". Meaning there's about 30 years of leaves and branches that needs to be cleaned up! But the plus is that the soil underneath seems really good! Reed has been a big help. He LOVES playing outside, and as soon as Michael gets home from work he's ready to go! He helps Michael move leaves around, eats dirt by the handfuls (or just lays on his belly and licks it up), puts rocks in his dump truck and runs all over! Here's a few pics from yesterday. Enjoy!

Oh, and on the Molly front - still not here! She's just enjoying her time in my belly I guess. The doctor says any time now! Of course, she said that last week, too. So we'll just have to wait for Miss Molly to decide she's ready!

What's been going on

2009-03-17T21:30:00.002-04:00

We've been pretty busy. Sorry for the lack of blog updates. Hopefully you'll get your fill out of this post, as it may be a while before I have time again! So biggest news: I went to the doctor and even though Molly is not due for another 3 weeks, doc says it will probably be this week. And probably sooner rather than later! So we were busy today working on her room. Mom and Dad came over to watch Reed while I was at the doctor and to help around the house. Mom and I worked on a mural in Molly's room, while Dad played with Reed and worked on some trim. They also got her window treatments hung, and they are gorgeous! Here's some photos of her room:

So Reed has had a lot going on, too! We've been working on his sleeping. We are no longer rocking him to sleep anymore, and he's going to sleep on his own. Which is going really well! Although sometimes at naptime he chooses to play instead of sleep. This is what we found the other day when we went to get him after a nap in which he choose to play instead.

That's right, he apparently got a little hungry and took a chunk out of his crib. And he was pretty proud of himself. He made sure to show me what he had done. And couldn't understand why I wasn't happy about this! Hopefully this will be a one-time thing!

And this last one is him and his Daddy reading books after Michael got home from work. So sweet!

Playdate at the CDM

2009-02-17T16:10:00.003-05:00

We've had several playdates lately at the Creative Discovery Museum, and I finally remembered to bring my camera. We met Amy and Anna Kate this morning for a visit. We decided to get a membership recently, and it has been such a good deal and great place to meet (especially good deals since they let two families split a family membership!) And the kiddos really seem to enjoy it!

And well, these photos are thrown in here just because they are fun. Reed is really getting good at using a spoon! And he especially enjoyed his oatmeal this morning with fresh strawberries mixed in!

weekend fun

2009-02-10T13:00:00.010-05:00

This weekend had just beautiful weather! And we took full advantage. On Saturday we went to Miss Ada's first birthday party, which was a ton of fun! Happy Birthday, Ada! And then on Sunday, Michael's parents and grandparents came down for a visit. We took them to Signal Point to enjoy the views and then to the Pumpkin Patch playground so Reed could play. He loved it! Here's a few photos from the day. Enjoy! Oh, and thanks to Corneice for the photos! I brought my camera, however the battery died right after we got there! Whoops!

Pacifier Free!

2009-02-02T23:50:00.003-05:00

Well, it's official. Reed has been pacifier-free for over a week, and doing great! The first few nights were a little rough, but he's doing great now! I'm so proud of him! I have to sort of laugh at myself for thinking this is blog-worthy material - but then, my blog is how I remember things. So I guess it's more for my benefit than yours! Oh well.

So instead I'll finish up with just a few pics from this weekend ... Maybe it's a fair trade.

Reed carrying around Granna's purse. This is before he realized he
could drape it around his neck and carry it like a mailman.

Reed helping out with piling up the firewood from the
trees that Papa T and Daddy cut down.

Weekend in Gatlinburg

2009-01-25T21:46:00.004-05:00

We spent last weekend in Gatlinburg partly with the youth group from our old church, and partly with Michael's family. Even though it was really cold, we had a great time! We tried to ride up into the mountains to get some snowy pictures, but the roads were closed. So we settled for some creekside shots instead.

Here's a few photos from the weekend, and you can see the rest here.

Gramma, Grumpy, and the grandkids

Aren't these the sweetest boys ever?

Caleb "climbed" some of the rocks on the mountain.

Kaelyn towering over the rocks. Isn't she a little cutie?

playing in the cabinets

2009-01-23T11:47:00.003-05:00

This was the start ...

And this was this morning after he mastered the art
of emptying the cabinet in 30 seconds flat.

Reading and Vacuuming

2009-01-12T13:51:00.002-05:00

Reed enjoying rocking in his chair by himself,
and reading his "big brother" book.

We bought a new vacuum cleaner, and Reed had
a really great time trying it out for us. I think I may
be able to put him to work soon!

Mommy & Daddy's Big Helper

2009-01-09T18:35:00.003-05:00

Helping Daddy move his big boy bed into storage until he's
ready for it. He even grunted when he picked up "his end".

Then he helped Mommy in the kitchen. He did this completely
on his own.

And after looking at these photos, I cleaned the finger/face
prints off the oven door.

Then after all that hard work, he grabbed his blanket and
a book and crashed on the rug.

Few Words Wednesday

2009-01-07T20:28:00.003-05:00

Reed showing us his belly.

Wearing the Tupperware as a hat.

Playing drums on the Tupperware. He pulled it all out and set it up on his own.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T15:00:00.005-05:00

Here's a few pics from this morning. There are more in an album to the right. I'll probably add more to the album later, so check back!

This morning, Reed walked down and was amazed by all the presents under the tree. But when we asked if he wanted to open one, he ran to the kitchen and pointed to his cereal. I thought, how funny! One day I'll be reminding him of the Christmas that he would rather eat cereal than open Christmas presents from Santa!

First Haircut

2008-12-22T14:00:00.002-05:00

So I get that Reed doesn't have much hair. But what he has was starting to get pretty raggedy. So last night after bath time, Reed had his first haircut! Well, at least just a few hairs cut around his ears and neck.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-12-17T14:10:00.002-05:00

Hooray for Dads

2008-12-16T11:35:00.004-05:00

Have I mentioned what a wonderful Dad Michael is? Well, let me take a moment to do so. I think so often all the things Dad's do sort of get shifted to the background. Let me bring some to the forefront.

Michael has always been such a huge help with Reed, but lately, as I'm getting further into my pregnancy, he has stepped it up even more. A typical day: Michael gets to work around 7 am or a little before so that he can be home earlier in the afternoon. So he's usually home by 3:30, unless he's stopped to run some honey-do errands on his way. He never comes in and just sits down, even though I'm sure he'd like to. No, he comes in and spends time with Reed and takes over watching him while I work on dinner. He always cleans up afterward, too. Once it's close to bed time, we usually give Reed a bath together (Michael usually doing the grunt work, as leaning over the bathtub isn't currently my idea of comfortable), and then Michael takes care of bedtime. Read a few books, listen to some music, rock a bit, go to sleep. And if that hasn't given me enough of a rest, he always, without complaining, takes the night shift. Which thankfully, is getting increasingly better. Need a diaper change at 3 am? Check. Need a pat on the back and a gentle, "Back to sleep"? Check check.

And Reed loves to play with his Daddy. He's just so silly! Daddy rolls around in the floor with him, runs around the house with him, makes funny sounds with him. Oh, and plays in boxes with him. Which is apparently really, really funny.

So even though I don't say it enough, I just wanted to take a moment to share how much I appreciate Michael and all he does for our family.

Home Sweet Home

2008-12-08T21:43:00.010-05:00

So we've been super busy. That's my disclaimer to the lack of blogging. Hopefully things will begin to slow down now that we've moved in our house and are wrapping up most of our projects. Here's a few before and after photos of what we've been working on for the past few months. We still have to hang art on the walls, but that's another day.

On another note, Reed has discovered a new favorite snack. Daddy's cereal. Michael has always had a sweet tooth when it comes to cereals. Apparently Reed does, too. He just giggles and laughs every time he sees the box. And loves to dig into it himself.

It's a Girl!

2008-11-18T10:50:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we went for the big ultrasound! I was completely surprised when she said it was a girl. But thrilled! I'm glad we'll have one of each! Here's a few pictures, and there's a video at the bottom of clips from the ultrasound. Enjoy!

Fall Fun

2008-11-11T21:43:00.004-05:00

Also check out the album to the right.

Playing Catch up

2008-11-06T09:08:00.008-05:00

So I'm behind in my blog. I know. I have so many things to share! I've summed up a lot of it in two albums to the right. Complete with captions. Since I last blogged, Reed's had a birthday, visited the family in Clarksville, went Trick-or-Treating, and learned a plethora of new things. Hopefully I can sum it all up.

Turning One

I can't believe it was only a year ago that our lives changed so much. A year ago (pretend it's actually his birthday and I'm not so behind), I woke up and didn't feel Reed moving around. Which was unusual for morning time. I'd had contractions several times over the weekend, including one episode at around one or two AM in which they were five minutes apart, but then when I got up they completely went away. Anyway, Monday morning, I called the doctor after Michael insisted that I do so, fully expecting them to tell me just to lay down and see if I felt him moving around. Instead, they told me to go to the hospital so I could be monitored. So Michael packed the car, while I complained that, "This is a waste of time - they are just going to send me home." To our surprise, I was already 4 centimeters dilated, and two hours later I was 6. Six hours later, a last minute epidural, and an hour and a half in the NICU, Reed was ours. And perfectly perfect. Fast forward one year, and that precious tiny little boy is a mischievous-into everything-running around-toddler. And still perfectly perfect.

He's slowing down on his growth, now in the 20th percentile for height and the 40th for weight. A big difference from here. He can say "Da-DEE," "Mama," "Nana," "Papa," "Bye-bye," "Ba-BEE," and "Ball." He runs around like crazy. He eats like crazy. Which Carlos, a doctor/friend, insists is NOT a tape worm as I had convinced myself it was. He's also started a new trick. He bows. He bows when he's excited, he bows to Harley (the dog), and generally when meeting people. And in perfect form. Hands politely behind his back and bending perfectly at the waist. He's either read too much of Auntie L and Uncle Whit's blog, or he's picked it up from a song we sing in Kindermusic. It's a toss up. But it's oh so adorable. Granna says he just has good manners.

I can't believe by mid-April, we'll have two of them! {Side note - we find out Nov. 17th if it's a boy or girl!}

Visiting Family
Two weekends ago, we visited Michael's family in Clarksville for the weekend. We had a full weekend of family and friends, and capped it off with a birthday party for Reed and a family photo shoot (which I can't wait to see pictures of!). Reed enjoyed his party, even though he was pretty tired. He wasn't sure about his cake, and wiped the icing off his hands without much of a taste. He preferred to eat cranberries instead. He sure didn't get that from him Mommy! Must of been from his Daddy. I sure wouldn't have passed up yummy birthday cake to some dried up cranberries! Reed enjoyed playing with his cousins and watching them. I'm sure there will be many more play times as he gets older!

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

Reed was the cutest little spider I've ever seen for Halloween. He loved his costume and running around in it! We went trick-or-treating for cranberries and bananas at a couple family members houses, and even though we had to take the costume off and on every time we got in and out of the car, he loved it! I wonder if we'll be able to use cranberries and bananas every year ...

Away to the Beach

2008-10-14T16:42:00.009-04:00

We're finally taking a break. A fun-filled week of family, friends, the beach, sun and delicious food. No house to work on, no work to work on (almost), no appointments. Just a week at the beach with nothing to do but eat and play and enjoy good company.

Reed loves the beach. He really loves the water. And he quickly learned he does not like to eat sand. Just took one bite to figure that out. One giant handful of a bite. We also celebrated his birthday a little early with my family on Sunday. Brittany made an awesome cake for Reed, which I couldn't appreciate more! Thanks Brittany!

A few pictures below of the first few days. I'll update more later on!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-08T16:27:00.003-04:00

Playdate at the Park

2008-09-18T21:40:00.006-04:00

Wednesday Reed and I headed to Kindermusik (a new class we're going to with a couple of friends) and then afterward we went to Coolidge Park with Amy and Anna Kate. Anna Kate and Reed had such a good time! We rode the carousel (which Reed wasn't quite sure about), played in the fountain and dried off in the shade with a little cheerio snack. The outing made for some really cute photos! Here's a few, and the rest are in an album to the right. Enjoy!

Quick Update

2008-09-05T08:16:00.002-04:00

Not much time to post now, but wanted to share some photos. Two new albums to the right. Also noteworthy, Reed finally started saying "Ma Ma" this week. Finally!

Will update more later. Enjoy the photos!

Few Words Wednesday

2008-08-27T10:12:00.002-04:00

Reed played in the dirt in the bottom of one of Granna's ficus trees. He's got the, "Busted" look going here.

In an effort to make it up to us, he decided to help Dad with the vacuuming.

Happy 10 Months Sweet Boy!

2008-08-24T19:06:00.006-04:00

Reed is 10 months old now! I can't believe it. I know I say it every time, and probably will continue to in the future, but I just can't believe how fast he's growing. We've had a really busy month. Selling our old house, buying a new one (closing this Thursday). Planning all the remodels. And Reed has been a trooper through it all.

We've had a few major milestones. The first one, we'll introduce in a short clip:

What fun times! He loved to chase his monkey (one that his Grumpy and Gramma bought him before he was born, one that is really his favorite) around. It was some serious motivation. A week ago he would take a few steps if we coaxed him on. Today, it's all he wants to do. I'm sure by next week he'll be running around like he's been doing it forever. Way to go, little man!

Our second milestone was staying in the church nursery two weeks in a row, getting good reports both times. I must admit, the first Sunday I didn't hear a word the preacher said. All I wanted to do was peak in and make sure he was okay. Make sure he wasn't crying for his Mommy. But I resisted, and sat impatiently watching the clock for the minute church would be over. When we went to get him, he was just fine. Hadn't cried. Was sitting with one of the nursery workers smiling and gobbling up his Cheerios - which I'm sure he dug in my bag to find and handed to her to get them out. And today, he did great again. And today, I actually listened to the sermon.

Reed is also eating table food like crazy now. He loves spaghetti, roast, potatoes and carrots. And beans. His crazy Granna and Papa T fed him beans for lunch today, because, "He just wouldn't eat his baby food." Although it's true - he'd rather eat what we are eating - they sure did cause a stinky day!

Finally, Reed has discovered the piano. And loves it. And realized the other day that he can reach it without our help.

Can't wait to see what the coming month brings!

Playing

2008-08-15T19:35:00.002-04:00

Notice where his feet are.

Home Sweet [almost] Home

2008-08-14T10:43:00.003-04:00

Well, it's official. We're buying a house, closing the 28th! It'll probably be a few weeks before we move in, as we're going to rip out all the green/blue/pink carpet that's everywhere (including the bathrooms) and redo all the flooring. We'll also repaint everything. Figured it would be a lot easier to do before we move in. It's on Signal Mountain, right behind the elementary school Reed will go to. Walking distance.

Reed and Michael running through the sprinkler. Reed loves to get wet!

Reed really loves swimming! He usually swims in the lake, like this, but this week we went to Stuart Heights with Ada and Brittany, and Reed loved the freedom of swimming without the life jacket! Thanks guys, for inviting us to come with! We had a great time!
Reed also loves playing in Granna's cabinets.

And also loves playing with Ms. Kitty, the neighbor's cat who has adopted my parents.

Today we went to the park with Brittany and Ada, and some new friends, Amy and Anna Kate, and Ashley and Jackson. We had such a good time! Hope to do it again soon! I didn't get too many pictures, but I'm sure the other girls will add photos to their blogs soon, too. The kiddos seemed to have a good time!

Anna Kate giving Reed some sweet kisses. Reed didn't mind, because she shared her graham crackers with him.
Anna Kate: Reed, you lick Ada's stroller, I'll chew on your pacifier clip.
Aren't they cuties! Sorry I missed photos of the other kiddos, I'll have to take more next time!!

Chew Toys, Tongues and First Steps

2008-08-05T13:36:00.004-04:00

Reed has a new fascination with using his mouth as a third hand. I think he thinks he's Harley (the dog). I've captured it a few times.

Reed also has a fascination with his tongue. It is usually sticking out, blowing bubbles, spitting, or saying "ba ba ba" with it hanging out. Papa T thinks it's funny to get him to do it while he's eating.

On another note, Reed stayed with his Gramma last Thursday while we tied up some loose ends on the house, and then we took him to get photos done. She's been wanting to get one of him with a boat so she can match some photos that she has of the other grandkids, and this was a perfect opportunity. All the photos turned out great! You can check them out here.

One last note - Reed has almost reached a new milestone! He's starting to take his first steps. He's determined to take off at full speed, so I think it will be a while still before he gets the hang of it completely. He doesn't want to take up any time trying to get balanced before he takes off!

Moving Day and Other Tidbits of a Busy [tired] Family

2008-07-29T21:33:00.007-04:00

Sorry for the absence from the blog. But, we've been busy. Really busy. In the past two weeks we've gotten an offer on our house, negotiated back and forth several times, signed a contract, and close tomorrow. Moved all of our stuff out over the past weekend, thanks to the help of family and friends. Whew! Didn't think it would happen so quickly! So now I've finally had a moment to breath, and to sit down and blog. Also taking me longer to blog, since, also in the past two weeks, my computer decided to quit charging and I had to send it in for service. Finally got it back and EVERYTHING is a wreck. New hard drive, wrong operating system, so now I have to spend several hours getting it back to normal. Needless to say, it's been a crazy two weeks.

But we've had some interesting times, too. Reed turned 9 months, visited his new Pediatrician here in Chattanooga and has adjusted nicely to life at Granna and Papa T's (we're crashing here until we find a house). Here's a few photos to recap since it would take entirely too long to write it all out. And face it, that would be a little boring.

The biggest feat of our ninth month - sleeping through the night. We really liked his new doctor, and she told us he was just perfect. He's finally slowed down on his growth, coming in at 18 lbs 13 ozs and 28" long. He's now in the 40th percentile for height (at 6 months was in the 90th) and the 20th percentile for weight (was in the 50th).

Reed's using a sippy cup like a pro now. And he LOVES ice water.

Reed, just like his Papa T, loves the vacuum cleaner. I hear most babies are scared of it. Oh no, not Reed. He loves for it to suck on his toes, and chases it all around as I clean.

This is what Reed thinks about moving day. Barely made it through his dinner.

Dad securing the load. We had a 24-foot truck, a trailer, and two truck beds loaded down. And I thought we didn't have much junk! Big thanks to Dad for driving the truck even though it had zero air conditioning. Piece of junk.

Finally done. Don't we look exhausted? Even Reed, who fought a nap all day with all the commotion.

Reed LOVES riding Harley-dog. And Harley doesn't even mind! He's so gentle and sweet with Reed.

For more photos, be sure to check out the album on the right.

Fun Friday

2008-07-19T00:29:00.003-04:00

Reed got a package in the mail today. His very own sock monkey. And it was love at first site! He even took a nap with him today. My two little monkeys.

Reed is so playful lately! His new favorite game (especially in the tub) is to hand me things. And then get really excited when I say, "Thank you!" Then he wants me to hand the [insert object here] back. Foam numbers, cheerios, toys, pacifiers, diapers. You name it, he hands it to me. He's even learned to hand me things that I ask for and point to. I was folding diapers the other day and Reed was playing in the laundry basket. I asked, "Reed, can you hand Mommy a diaper?" And he reached in, grabbed one and brought it to me. "Thank you!" And he clapped and giggled. I thought it was coincidence, so I tried it a few more times. Same thing. It sure made folding diapers much more fun!!

Gotta love Etsy!

2008-07-15T13:07:00.007-04:00

So I know I've said this before, but I heart etsy! I've just finished working on a custom painting that I'm going to ship out this week. So much fun! Isn't it great to get paid to do something that you love? This is an abstract painting that reflects her family of four (and one in the future). She said if they aren't blessed with another child, they'll say it's the dog. How cute! Love it.

Also just bought Reed this adorable sock monkey from acormier77. Can't wait to get it! He's become attached to this little monkey he already has, but the hair on it pulls out too easily, and he wants to chew on it. Not a good combination. So I found a replacement monkey that he can chew on to his hearts content. And I can even throw it in the wash (gently)!

And speaking of etsy, Lindsay just opened up shop herself. All those great photos you've been seeing on her blog? She's decided to start selling them. I've got my eyes on a few of them myself. Check them out here.

Wordless Weekend

2008-07-13T22:49:00.003-04:00

Oh What A Night ...

2008-07-12T22:09:00.004-04:00

Reed. Finally. Slept. Through. The. Night.

Or rather, Michael and I just let him cry. But it worked. He finally went to sleep on his own. I think he woke up twice during the night, but we still didn't go in, and he went back to sleep. And was so good all day today. So we'll see how he does tonight. So far so good.

Oh, and we went out to eat earlier, and Reed was infatuated with this pretty little Asian baby at the table next to us. She was about 18 months old, and all Reed did was stare at her and talk to her. And he even tried to give her Cheerios.

A few random photos ...

Working on a new tooth. Finally poked out today. He now has two front bottom teeth.
Reading his new book. It has textures, and on this page he's petting the monkey's hair.
We had a really heavy storm this afternoon. Reed and Michael watched from inside.

Independence Day and other tidbits

2008-07-11T12:06:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the absence on the blog. The past week has been busy. Working on a custom painting for an etsy customer (fun), making decisions about my job (stressful), and working on some freelance work.

Anyway, we had such a fun time with our Independence Day festivities. Good fun, good friends and family, and of course, good food! I've posted photos in an album to the right, but here's a few more. Reed really seems to enjoy the lake. Especially kayaking with Papa T! He didn't even mind the fireworks! Of course, Kathryn and I got a good laugh out of remembering how Lindsay used to be so frightened of fireworks when she was younger that she would go sit in the van and cry. But she seems to enjoy them now. We really missed her and Whit this year! It's not the same without you guys.

And check out Brittany's account of the day. She had some really great photos. Oh, and Brittany, the fruit pizza was delicious!!

Give thanks

2008-07-08T14:42:00.002-04:00

Michael here. Jessica had to go into the office today and I got the honor, no the privilege to stay at home with Reed. The first thing that ran through my mind as she walked out to get in the car was Lonestar's song "Mr. Mom". It was vintage "a day in the life of your better half." I had to take a phone conference with my boss, wash some clothes, keep up with my day to day responsibilities at work and watch Reed. He is now down for his second nap of the day and I'm looking at the disaster we call a living room. There is Cheerios on the floor and following Jessica's ingenious lead, I've blocked off every possible danger zone. That allows me to sit back and watch Reed travel without fear of a gas log winding up in his mouth or the TV tipping over on him. So after feeding him lunch and noticing that more of it wound up on his bib and face than in his mouth I realized there is a reason God gave us moms. I knew this already but I realized that today is the first time I've had Reed by myself for more than 45 minutes.

1 Timothy 2:1 states "I urge you, first of all pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them." If you read on you see that Paul is asking us to pray and give thanks for those in authority so that we can live a life of godliness and dignity. Well I'm standing to say thanks for Jessica. She takes authority of the daily needs of our household and enables our family to live with godliness and dignity. During the day she washes clothes, washes dishes, cleans the house, waters the flowers, meets the responsibilities of her job whether for her company or freelance and oh yeah makes sure Reed receives proper care and nourishment. Then after that she is always willing and without a doubt definitely able to cook dinner for me as well. Further, other dads at work have asked "Has your wife been standing at the door with Reed waiting for you yet?" I honestly tell them "Nope". There are times she wants me to take him but she never shies away from her motherly care.

Jessica, thanks for being there for our family, thanks for being there for Reed and most of all thanks for being you. I don't know how you do it but lucky for Reed and me, you do.

Cheerios, Cheerios, Everywhere

2008-06-29T22:39:00.004-04:00

Reed tried Cheerios for the first time yesterday. At first he didn't really know what to do with them. Once he got them in his mouth he looked at me as if to say, "Mom? Am I allowed to have this in my mouth? Okay, so now what do I do?" Finally he got the hang of it, and chewed/gummed them. And when he was done, there may have been more in the seat/floor/shorts then his tummy. But he had fun either way.

Da-Da-Da & Playing Ball

2008-06-24T23:58:00.003-04:00

What a weekend

2008-06-16T02:26:00.004-04:00

We had such a fun weekend! Reed got in the lake for the first time, Reed and I completed our first race (and the rest of the fam ran, too) in the Riverbend Run, spent time with family and friends. What a fun way to celebrate (get ready for all of it) Father's Day, Mom's birthday, Michael's birthday and our anniversary!

There's a ton of photos in the album to the right, but I'll put a few here, too.

My favorites are Reed and Ada together. It's like they had a little conversation, and it probably went something like this:

Ada: Mom, I'm not sure I like him. He's crazy!
Reed: Hey Ada, Check it out. I've got a tooth.
Ada: Ohh, that's really cool, check me out. Do I have any?
Reed: Nah, but I think I'll steal a kiss while I've got you occupied.
Ada: Okay Mom, I think I like him!

Thailand Tee's

2008-06-13T13:08:00.005-04:00

So this is going to be one of those, "I can't believe how big he's getting" posts. But I'm sorry. I just can't believe how big he's getting. When Lindsay and Whit were traveling through Thailand, they picked up this little tee for the Reedster before he was born, and mailed it our way along with some really cool handmade wooden toys (which he currently gnaws on like a little beaver). I remember thinking, "It will be forever before he is big enough to fit in this!" But no, not forever, just 7 1/2 months. It's a perfect fit! So thanks, Auntie L and Uncle Whit, for the cool t-shirt! It fits right in with his 'I love animals' theme he's got going. Someday I hope he gets to ride elephants in Thailand like you guys!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-06-11T22:08:00.000-04:00

Sunday Afternoon at the Park: Family Style

2008-06-08T22:59:00.004-04:00

Michael here. We took Reed along with Gramma, Memamma and G-Daddy for a photo shoot at what the community used to know as "Hollis Park." It's been a while since it was usable but I can remember the days when never a week passed without a visit. We had family reunions, church picnics, or a random softball game. There was a barbecue pit, paddle boat, diving board, rope swing, see saw, swing set and even a volley ball net. Now it's mainly a pavilion by the pond with some of the remnants of the past. When my mom's uncle and cousin who owned the land became sick the park became overgrown and forgotten. Now their family is beginning to clean up and revamp it so we decided to check it out since it's a short walk behind my grandparent's. Of course we couldn't leave the camera behind. Enjoy the photos. Here's a few and the rest are in an album to the right.

First Tooth

2008-06-06T23:54:00.004-04:00

Reed's first pearly white has broken through! Tried to get a picture, but he's not letting me anywhere near his mouth today. He's been quite ornery today (I guess he's working on another one now), so we've been busy with distractions.

First this ...

Then this.

(Michael likes this one since it looks like he's motioning, "He's safe!"

I |heart| etsy

2008-06-05T13:55:00.008-04:00

It's true. I have a new obsession, and her name is etsy. It's the place for all things handmade. And it's awesome. And the people on it are awesome. I first learned of etsy through Iveyhandcrafted, the talented Tobi who made Reed's blanket I posted about here. Not sure how I've missed this jewel of a site, since it's obviously been around for a while. But I did.

I've just used there feature the 'alchemy' to score an awesome new diaper bag. It works like this: Think of something you'd love to have, create a listing with the details including how much you'd like to spend on it, and then sit back as the bids come to you. Then pick the one you'd like, and get your custom piece made! And now, my new 'diaper bag that doesn't look like a diaper bag' is being made. The photos are the bag I'm getting made, and the fabric it'll be made of. Yay!

And on another etsy note, I've started my own store, which you can see here. Not much there yet, but hopefully I'll be adding more soon!

Fun in the Park

2008-06-02T23:17:00.004-04:00

We went to the park in Clarksville today for Kaelyn's last T-Ball game of the season. All of the kids were there so it turned into a lot of play time for me and a lot of photo taking for Jessica.
Hope you enjoy as much as we did. Here is a few of my favorites but there are more in the album to the right.

Sometimes it's more fun to act your shoe size instead of your age. Okay, maybe half my shoe size. They chased me around the park for a while laughing the whole time. Then they started acting like they were falling down tired. Well at least I think they were acting.

You think they will be this nice to Reed when they are all in high school? We'll just have to wait and see.

Jessica wanted them to sit down for a minute for a few calmer photos. Caleb and Lane had a different idea. They decided it would be more fun to throw grass at her. Reed wasn't quite sure what was going on. Eventually he decided to eat the grass.

My nephew, my 2nd cousin, and myself, what a great picture. They both kept climbing in my lap so I would tickle them.

Okay, so only one of them is actually ours as you all know. However, if Caleb had on a baby blue shirt this would have been a perfect family portrait. It almost looks planned.

After the game Jessica was able to corral all the kids for a brief moment (and I mean brief) for a nice picture. Then it was off to the concession stand for their free drinks. Can't forget the juice box.

Boating, Half-Ironmans & Petting Donkeys

2008-06-01T22:14:00.005-04:00

This weekend we went to Chattanooga, and had a busy, but fun, time! Friday night we went boating, where Reed dipped his feet in and watched his Daddy ski. Then on Saturday, we headed to Macon, GA, to watch Auntie K not only beat her goal, but beat her secret goal too, at her first half-ironman. That's right, ironman. That'd be a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run. And she did it in 06:20:27. After that, we headed home and enjoyed a leisurely walk around Granna and Papa T's to see a donkey and a long-horned steer. Fun times. Here's a few pictures of the weekend, and there's more in the album to the right.

Playing outdoors

2008-05-29T16:16:00.002-04:00

Reed and I played outside today, and took a few (okay, a bunch) of photos while we were at it. Here's a few, and you can check the rest of them out in the album to the right.

Wordless Thursday

2008-05-29T12:49:00.001-04:00

Just can't seem to remember on Wednesdays.

Seven Months

2008-05-23T14:29:00.006-04:00

Reed is now seven months old (yesterday)! I know I post every time he's a month older. But he changes so fast, I want to remember every detail! This has been a big month. He's started crawling around like crazy, pulling up on everything, sitting up all by himself. Crawling/swimming in the tub. Playing with new friends (stuffed ones, that is). Trying to stand on his own. And giggling like crazy.

We've graduated to three baby food meals a day. He loves fruit, carrots, squash and sweet potatoes. He sometimes likes green beans. Peas are okay. He shivers and gags on chicken. Of course, if I was eating pureed chicken from a jar, I'd gag, too. I think we'll try making that one ourselves and see what he thinks. He screams when we don't feed him fast enough. And rubs it all over himself when he's sleepy.

And he knows how to entertain. Just a little attention, and he starts performing.

And just today, a new talent. Blowing spit bubbles. And thinking it's the funniest thing ever. He's definitely a little boy. Just waiting for the day he learns he can make fart sounds with his armpit.
Can't wait to see what the next month brings. Happy seven months, Reed!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-05-21T17:12:00.005-04:00

Daddy's MVP

2008-05-16T13:17:00.002-04:00

Not so Wordless Wednesday

2008-05-14T14:58:00.007-04:00

Sorry for the lack of blogging lately, but we've been busy! We spent several days in Chattanooga last week while Lindsay and Whit were in town, and this week we've been getting our house ready to sell. Yep, that's right. We're moving. Michael is transferring with his company to Chattanooga by the middle of July. While we're sad we'll be leaving a lot of family, friends and our church, we're also very excited about the new opportunities to come! So we've been busy painting and cleaning and house hunting and packing, and well, the list goes on and on.

Oh, and for Mother's Day Reed got me a new camera! So get ready for a bunch of new photos, whenever I get time to learn to use it! Reed is changing so much lately! Just in the last week he has started sitting himself up on his own (he's been sitting up unsupported for a while, but now he can get there all by himself), and pulling up to standing. On everything. The crib. The furniture. Laundry baskets. In the pack and play. You name it, he pulls up on it. If I were to baby proof my house, I think the only way to do it would be to pull everything out of it completely. Ha! I guess for now I'll just settle on watching him closely.

Lindsay took some great photos while she was in, and you can check them all out here. Here's just a few ...

Reed's first driving lesson with Papa T.
After a few encounters, Reed and Harley decided that they like each other. While Harley licked Reed's toes, Reed giggled/screamed so loud he attracted a couple of curious neighbors!
Every time I see this picture, I want to sing, "Do the Co-oo-ool Whip, do the cool whip!"

Reed even let Auntie K and Auntie L play dress up with him.

Reed really enjoyed the boat, and Auntie L and Uncle Whit while they were here!

Reed's new friend

2008-05-06T17:06:00.005-04:00

For the Moms ...

2008-05-06T15:35:00.002-04:00

So this is just so awesome I have to share. Because I would love for one of my friends to win something! Over on my favorite blog, Design Mom, they are having a week of mother's day giveaways. With about four giveaways each day. And each thing is awesome. All you have to do is make a comment on the blog for each giveaway, and check back to see who won. You could win anything from this popcorn basket or two darling bags from Sea Cloth. Or a lot more, if you get over there and take a look!

Wordless Monday

2008-05-05T21:52:00.003-04:00

(Okay - a few words. Since I can't remember on Wednesday, and I don't have much to say, Wordless Monday.)

Play Days

2008-05-03T21:53:00.007-04:00

Sorry for the lack of blogging this week. We've been busy enjoying the wonderful weather! Rather than a lot of talk, I'll just post a lot of photos of our fun!

Reed and his cousin Lane swinging. Lane is such a doll, and is turning 3 soon! He had a lot of fun swinging and laughing with Reed.

Reed gets his stunning good looks from his 86-year-old great-grandfather, G-Daddy. He really enjoys bouncing with him!

Today we had a picnic at Corneice's work, and Reed enjoyed the inflatable bouncer! The photos don't really show it, but he really liked bouncing! Should of done a video =)

The cousins also enjoyed the inflatables. I rounded them up for a brief second to snap a photo. Behind those smiles are, "Now that we got our picture with Baby Reed, can we go play on the big slide?!!"

And lastly, now that Reed is very mobile, everything has become more challenging. Including bath time. He wants to crawl/swim in the tub. And he loves it.

six-month checkup

2008-04-28T15:30:00.005-04:00

We had Reed's six-month checkup today. He was such a good boy the entire time! He wowed the nurse and doctor with all his new skills, and flashed his smile to everybody there. He did so much better with his shots than he did at his four-month checkup. He didn't even cry until the second shot, and even then it was only for about ten seconds. He was a little nervous about his shots (okay, I was) when we heard the boy in on the other side of the office (that sounded like next door) was screaming, and I mean SCREAMING at the nurse, "GET OFF ME, NOOOWWW! DON'T TOOUUCCCHHHH MEEEE! GEEEETTTT AWAAAY FROM MEEE!" I told Reed when he gets bigger he better not act like, and he told me he wouldn't =).

He is still growing like a weed, at 27 1/4 inches tall and 16 lbs. 14 ozs. The doctor said he was above average in all his developmental milestones and said that Reed would be walking by his nine-month appointment. And he told us to start giving Reed a sippy cup. I can't believe he is old enough for this! And graham crackers, too, to chew on. Our little boy is growing up so fast!

I don't think he gets the hang of it just yet. The doctor said, "Leave the spill valve out of it at first so he understands the concept of it." I guess he's not going to come over and clean my floor for me.

A marathon kind of day

2008-04-27T13:48:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was a long day. We got up at 4:30 am to get to the race. Bill stayed with us and he still had to pick up his race packet. It rained the whole way there, and continued to rain as Bill, Michael and Chris jumped out. Corneice, Reed and I decided not brave the rain just yet, so after we parked near the finish line we headed to Shoney's for some breakfast as the race started and the rain subsided. I mean, we didn't need to get Reed out in the yucky weather! We made it to the finish line with plenty of time to catch all three of them finish the 1/2 marathon. Reed even took a nap amid all the cow bells and screaming. He didn't seem to mind.

We headed home in time to shower and then head out again to a wedding that was 100 miles away. Granna and Papa T gladly drove up to babysit Reed while we were gone. I'm pretty sure they had a great time! Reed showed off his crawling skills for them. We finished up the day with some pizza, HGTV, and skyping with Uncle Whit and Auntie L. We can't wait to see them in a week and a half!

Needless to say, we haven't done very much today!

Crawling! Sort of ...

2008-04-24T21:42:00.002-04:00

The only things he tries to get is the things he shouldn't.

Now I know my ABC's

2008-04-24T13:45:00.002-04:00

What I learned on my half birthday

2008-04-22T22:11:00.004-04:00

Happy Half-Birthday, Reed! Today Reed is six months old. He has grown so much! He's almost crawling, sitting up easily, eating solids, and gaining so much personality. He's also learning cause and effect. You know, throws things on the ground to watch Mommy and Daddy pick it up. Again. And again. And again.

Today he learned a new trick. He was playing in the crib while I was putting his clothes up and I heard him giggling. So I took a peek, and this is what I found:

And as soon as I saw him, he laughed again as if to say, "Ha ha, look what I did." I went and got Michael and showed him, and again Reed started giggling. He was so proud of himself for taking his diaper off! And the kicker, he had just pooped. Not so funny for Mommy.

Here's a little video of him playing with his new toy. It's a 'crawl ball' that we confiscated from his Gramma's house. He's starting to crawl after it a little. Didn't manage to catch a video of that though.

I think he likes it!

2008-04-18T15:55:00.007-04:00

Reed got a surprise in the mail today! His very own Ivey Handcrafted security blanket! See for yourself, but I'm pretty sure he already loves it! His mommy does, too! We learned about Tobi at Ivey Handcrafted through Ada, and then Anna Kate. Anna Kate got a blanket first, and Reed told me he wanted one just like it!

Thanks, Tobi, for the adorable blanket! It made my day to get it in the mail today =)

He's holding it up so you can see it =)

sunny days

2008-04-17T21:05:00.004-04:00

Reed really enjoys being outside like the rest of our family! Can't wait for boat weather! We went for a long walk today and Reed sported his new uv-protective hat and glasses. And I may be biased, but he looked so cute! See for yourself.

He also is really on the verge of crawling. Any day now, as soon as he realizes he has to move his arms.

And then tonight him and his Daddy played in the floor. Aren't they adorable?

Reed's Christening

2008-04-14T16:21:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was a very special day. We had Reed christened at church, and a lot of our family was able to be there to share this time with us. We did miss having the rest of our family there, but we've got plenty of pictures to share.

Reed was a perfect angel and looked beautiful in his gown that his Granna made for him. It's going to be an heirloom gown and all the boys in Michael and my family will wear it for their christening. It's got Reed's name embroidered with the date of his christening, and with each child that wears it, we'll add a name and date.

Check out the album to the right for more photos of the christening plus a few others.

Who needs toys?

2008-04-08T19:17:00.001-04:00

Who needs toys when you have a water faucet and a laundry basket?

Laundry is much more fun when Reed helps!

Opening Day

2008-03-31T21:36:00.008-04:00

Reed here. Uncle Whit, I know you are all the way over there in Korea missing opening day so I have a little jingle for you.

Take me out to the ball game
Take me out to the crowd
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks
I don't care if I ever get back
Root Root Root for the CUBIES
If they don't win it's a shame
For it's 1-2-3 strikes your out
At the Old Ball Game

Michael here - Well it's here, opening day of the baseball season and Reed watched his first Cubs game. Unfortunately they lost in extra innings 4 - 3 but not before Reed got to enjoy a few moments of the game. He got to wear his Cubs onesie that I bought for him last year at Wrigley Field. After a little excitement in the last of the 9th. I showed Reed how to cheer.
On a side note, the neighbor's little boys came over today. Reed had a great time doing push ups with them.

New Friends!

2008-03-30T20:32:00.003-04:00

Reed met his new best friend Ada this weekend! They liked each other from the very start. They held hands as soon as we laid them down together. And then a little later they shared a crib. Reed was really excited, as I'm sure you can tell. Ada likes him for his toys (she's staring at his mobile). And the last photo is Reed doing pushups. He's going to start crawling very soon!

PS - Reed made it through about one pitch of his first ever major league baseball game. He hopes the Braves will win.

Feet are Neat

2008-03-27T10:15:00.002-04:00

Or so Reed thinks ...
And this was just too cute. Reed napping in our bed.

Growing, growing, growing!

2008-03-26T11:57:00.003-04:00

Reed has grown so much in the past month! When he went to the doctor a month ago, he was 26 inches and 15 lbs, 8 ozs. This morning, he (unofficially) was over 27 inches tall and weighed 16 lbs, 6 ozs. I think he's starting to thin out a little bit. Maybe. Those cheeks sure don't show it, though!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-24T17:21:00.004-04:00

Green Bean Eating Machine

2008-03-22T21:49:00.003-04:00

Reed loves green beans! It was the first baby food besides cereal. And he liked it from the first bite! I believe I had this nickname when I was a baby, and now I can pass it on to Little Man. The 'Green Bean Eating Machine'. We captured a video of it to share. Sorry it's a little long. We're just excited, proud parents! Oh, and it's his 5-month birthday today! I can't believe it's already been five months. He is changing so much every day. Happy Birthday, Reed!

Hoopin' it with Granna & Papa T

2008-03-20T21:41:00.002-04:00

Granna and Papa T came for a visit, and we sure had fun! Count on Granna to come up with some old fashioned entertainment. Enjoy the photos and video.

Our big [little] boy

2008-03-20T10:44:00.007-04:00

I can't get over how much Reed has changed in the past month. Beginning to eat solids, sitting up, scooting and gaining so much personality. It seems like there is something new everyday. And I want to write about them all so I won't forget them. Having a child is the single most wonderful thing I've ever done. Yes, there's the not so cherishable moments. The crying at 1:30 am, and then again at 1:45, 2:30, 3:00 and so on. There's the dirty diapers that make you gag and open the windows all while trying to keep his hands and feet out of it. But these things fade in comparison to the other things. And are so worth it.

Yesterday when Michael got home, Reed was especially playful. I was cleaning the bedroom so he was laying on the bed. I took one of the pillows and playfully "hit" him with it. He laughed. And laughed. I continued to tap him with the pillow, and he giggled and giggled. It was so much fun! He really got laughing more than he has before. I wish I'd caught it on video to share. Maybe next time. Here are a few photos of our big little boy. I couldn't decide which one I liked best, so you're getting all three.

Random

2008-03-19T11:47:00.003-04:00

Like Father, Like Son

2008-03-17T23:29:00.004-04:00

I'm always impressed with Jessica's ability to capture wonderful pictures but this one takes the cake. I'm sure we will see more smiles like this from Reed. Baseball season is right around the corner and by the end of the year hopefully the Cubs will give us plenty of moments to smile about. I guess it will be alright if he likes the Braves, but only if the aren't playing the Cubs. If we have a girl next she can be a Braves fan like her mama. Oh yeah, I didn't wear green today. It was fun. Jessica didn't either.

Sitting Up? Check.

2008-03-14T17:18:00.008-04:00

So I know I've already blogged once today, but this was too exciting to wait for! Reed has learned to sit up on his own, completely unsupported. He's still a little wobbly and quite fascinated with his feet!

And a fun video to end with ...

Reed reading

2008-03-14T12:32:00.005-04:00

Play time

2008-03-11T12:11:00.006-04:00

Reed has been such a happy baby! He is really beginning to enjoy playing on his own, and just discovering everything around him. We finally got batteries in the activity saucer, so it has new things to play with now. He's also finally tall enough to reach the bottom of it without a pillow underneath him. And he loves it. And I love that it's bilingual. We're both learning Spanish animals! He even talks back to it when the animal sounds play (it says the animal's name in English, Spanish, then makes its sound). Soon he'll be roaring like the lion. Or león.

Reed loves trying to stand on his own. He's propped up on the ottoman, supported by Dad's legs so he doesn't topple over.
Precious. He fell asleep playing in the activity saucer. A few minutes later he woke up and went back to playing. Talk about a power nap!

Wintry Wonderland

2008-03-08T12:04:00.004-05:00

Dad told me last night that 15 years ago today we had the blizzard of '93. We didn't get close to that, but we did get about 5 or 6 inches. The neighborhood kids (and grownups) sure did enjoy it though! We took Reed out for a few minutes for his first real snow. He seemed to enjoy it! Here's a few photos of our wintry wonderland. See the album for the rest of them.

Inspiration

2008-03-06T21:28:00.005-05:00

It never ceases to amaze me how sometimes thoughts run together within a small group of people. My youth group often asks me, "How do you know God is speaking to you?" Tongue and cheek, I tell them, "You have to listen." However, the following is an example of how I know when God is speaking to me.

Just tonight I was once again reminded how much of an inspiration a baby can be. (In this case of course I'm talking about Reed.) Everybody understands that it's not hard to be touched by a baby's smile, but you have to have kids to understand what is meant when you are told the famous phrase, "Your life will never be the same!" Prior to Reed being born I actually told Jessica I don't think our life will change all that much. I knew there would be diapers, crying that would be impossible to sooth and nights where if I could 15 minutes of sleep in a row I would be happy. That to me was only a new sacrifice required to receive the most wonderful blessing from God. Boy was I served a smack in the face with irony. It turns out I'm right about one thing - it's only a new sacrifice. I sure was wrong about my life changing though.

Prior to Reed, I could have a bad day at work and that would just carry over to a bad night when I got home. Now it is impossible to come home in a bad mood and remain that way when he looks up at me and giggles. There is an inspiration to strive to be the best father I can be so that I can see those giggles every day.

Now this evening this all came with a message. There were two events tonight that God used to answer my weekly prayers. I just needed a sign that would tell me my mom was going to be alright. I knew she was but I just needed assurance.

The first event happened on our nightly visit to the hospital. My mom had a really good day and they are telling her there is chance she will get to go home tomorrow. That all came in to an apex when Reed decided to be an inspiration. Gramma hasn't been able to play with her grandkids since the accident until tonight. We held Reed by the bed and they laughed together. It was the most I've seen my mom smile all week. God said, "Your mom is going to be okay. "

The second event came when Jessica and I came home to an e-mail from Granna and Papa T. It was a video of a professor giving his last lecture. He is dying from pancreatic cancer. He talked about living a life of dreams, and how important it is to chase those dreams and have fun doing it. It was very inspirational, especially knowing that he is living his last months. God said, "Your mom is going to be okay."

Having an inspiration like Reed does change your life forever.

The Joy of Consignment

2008-03-05T19:02:00.002-05:00

This week I've discovered consignment stores. Reed has outgrown most of his clothes and still needs some more cold weather ones. Most of the stores are only selling spring/summer clothes now. So by a neighbor's suggestion, I hit the consignment stores. And I'm thrilled. Why have I not discovered these sooner? Not only do you get great prices to begin with, but you get to negotiate. My dad would love it. I've been wanting to get an infant chair, but they're a little on the pricey end. I found one, and I got to negotiate the price! Love it. Also got four outfits that fit and are the right season. For just $6. Amazing.

Building People Up

2008-03-04T21:30:00.002-05:00

Michael here. I've been contemplating becoming a "blogger" ever since Jessica started "Reed All About It." I'm not the best writer and let's face it my grammar is atrocious (Jessica will be proofreading this in a moment). However, I've always been athletic and I think the old saying "practice makes perfect" applies here as well.

So I thought why not start by doing something I have come to love -- spreading the Christian word. Before you read this post you may need to read Brody Harper's blog (which I came across through the breadcrumbs) first which has given me my inspiration here. He has challenged us bloggers to post a blog building someone up. It is one of our Christian duties to do things that are pleasing to our Lord. His post gives a wonderful Biblical study of this so I'll let you check that out there and go on doing my part in "Building People Up".

When I met my lovely wife I would have never thought I would meet a family as wonderful as I did. I've always tried to surround myself with others that challenge me to be a better person. That challenge can come by direction or by example. However, example is my preference. The whole family does that including Jessica but one does so without even knowing. She is very humble and will be very surprised to read this, I'm sure. Jessica has always looked up to her and it's not hard to see why. She is extremely intelligent and wise. She is extremely successful in her career. She is also awesome at her hobbies whether running or real estate. Although real estate may be a career, too. So here is saying thanks. Thanks, Kathryn, for being an inspiration and someone that I also look up to.

I've always loved my mother. We danced to "Wind Beneath My Wings" at my wedding for a reason. This weekend she was in a four-wheeling accident. She was finally moved from ICU into an intermediate care room this afternoon but still in quite a bit of pain. It breaks my heart to see my mother in this condition. She is the strongest person I know. From the time I was three until 11 she raised my brother and me as a single mom on approximately $20K a year. All while going to school, working full time and making sure we never missed a meal and always clothed. My mother never once complained about her situation and always encouraged us to make the best of everything. I owe my every accomplishment to her. She made sure there was always time and resources for us to participate in any extra curricular event we chose from Little League to band. I couldn't make it without her. I love you and get well soon. We all need you.

Cereal Success!

2008-03-03T23:11:00.002-05:00

Thank goodness for Grannas! Thanks to her suggestion, Reed finally made it through a cereal feeding without screaming and crying. Mix it with apple juice instead, she said. And Reed says, "Thank you, Granna!"

Doctor's orders

2008-03-03T10:41:00.002-05:00

We went for Reed's four-month checkup on Friday. He's growing like a weed! He was in the 90th percentile for height coming in at 26 inches! Doc said, "This one's going to be tall!" Then he gently added that he was in the 50-plus percentile for weight (15 lbs., 4 ozs.). He also told us to start Reed on solids. Reed isn't so sure about this change yet, as you can tell from the photo. But I'm sure he'll get the hang of it soon! He also got more shots that have made him a little grumpy over the weekend. Poor little guy! I told him his Aunt Kathryn and Aunt Lindsay cried, too, when they got shots, and they were in high school, so there was no reason to be embarrassed.

On another note, send a prayer up for Michael's Mom. She and Phillip got in an ATV accident yesterday and she's in the hospital with a broken arm in two places, two broken ribs and a punctured lung. Looks like for now she's in the clear for not needing surgery on the lung, but looks like she'll definitely have surgery on her arm. Phillip is doing fine, just a bunch of bumps and bruises and concern. Just keep her in your prayers for a speedy recovery!

A Couple Favorites

2008-02-28T12:28:00.006-05:00

This morning Reed agreed to a photo op after his bath. He was having too much fun! Here's a video to start with:

And here are some of my favorites. You can view the rest by clicking on the album to the right.He got up on his knees all by himself!
He's going to take off very soon!

I think this one was, "Okay, Mom. Enough photos." But I love it anyway!

Baseball talk and good mornings

2008-02-28T10:23:00.005-05:00

Last night one of those sweet moments where you're reminded, "This is why we had a child," occurred. We were getting ready for bed and getting ready to put Reed down in his crib, and he was just not ready for bed at all. So we took him back to our bedroom for a few minutes so he could relax. He and Michael ended up having a conversation about baseball. Reed was talking away, and then would stop and look at Michael and wait on him to say something back. So this went back and forth for a few minutes, and they talked about spring training, the cubs,the braves, etc. It was one of those moments that I will tuck away to remember forever.

Then this morning, as if that wasn't sweet enough, I went in to check on him because it was passed the time he usually gets up and I hadn't heard anything, this is what I found. He was happy as could be and staring up at the mobile (which, by the way, is the single most amazing invention for babies). He sort of looked at me as if to say, "Go away, Mom. I'm busy." So I did. Got a few things done around the house and went back to check on him. This time he was back on his back, and seemed ready for me to get him. So I did.