Monday, January 31, 2011

First Day of Mother's Day Out

We were up a little earlier than usual this morning - Bryson had his first MDO today! The entire time I was getting him ready I kept telling myself I can't believe he's old enough to start to "school!" Oh how the time flies. I wanted to take a few pictures so that I could remember his first day.

Can you tell how he was excited? He was ready to get out the door and in the car before I was! Ha!!

He was SO happy to carry his backpack! I can't get over what a "big boy" he looks like in this picture.

The director asked me to bring him in a little late so I could give her my paperwork and answer a few questions. He cried a little when I left him, but I'm sure when he saw the rest of the kids he did just fine.

After I dropped him off I came back home and did some much needed cleaning around the house and packed up some old clothes to give to the Hannah Home. I didn't realize how much I would miss him. The house was so quiet without him! Needless to say I was happy to go and get him.

I love that his MDO has a carpool line and I don't even have to get out of the car to get him. This is great for when I'm having an "off" day and don't really feel like dressing up. Ha! His teacher brought him out to the car and said that he did great for his first day. They all loved him and said he was one of the best little boys. She told me all they talk about was all that hair he had:)

Before we pulled in the driveway he was passed out! He ended up taking a 3 hour nap.

I think overall he had a great first day of "school" and I think he's really going to like it!

Friday, January 28, 2011

18 month check up

Well we had Bryson's 18 month check up today. He is developmentally right on track and he's doing great! He has a little from his last check up and I want to write them down so I can remember them:

Weight - 26lbs 10oz - 75%
Height - 33inches - 75%

Dr. G was happy where Bryson was at and we were too. We are just very blessed and thankful to have a healthy baby!
I had a few questions for the doctor today. One was the possibility of Bryson going through the "terrible two's" EARLY. Yes I said early! Of course she confirmed my suspicions and said everything I told her was normal for Bryson's age. I have to tell ya'll I was somewhat thrilled that my child wasn't going crazy and completely out of control. Ha!
My other question was about the passy or "pappy" as we call it at our house. When would be the best time to take it away and figuring out how to go about it. Dr. G gave me some helpful ideas on how to wean him off and my goal is by his second birthday. I only have six months, but we can do it!
I about fell out when she told us we wouldn't be back until his second birthday. Oh my goodness...I can't believe that is even possible. My baby will be TWO in six months!!!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Bryson's Canvas

Ya'll remember the post a few months back where I asked for help choosing one of Bryson's pictures to put on a canvas???

well here it is...


I wanted to have a few more canvas's done so the cost was a little more than what I originally planned. Clay bought them for me as my Christmas gift. I was so excited when they came in!

I don't know how they are all going to look hanging up - I have this picture in my mind, but I will definitely show ya'll the finished product and how it turns out. I am waiting on my living room to get painted before I hang them up.

I have a lot more projects in the works - most of them in Bryson's room.

Oh...and I visited our church's MDO program yesterday and am very excited for Bryson to start. I think he's really going to like it!

Hope ya'll are having a wonderful Thursday! Bryson is taking a nap and I'm on my 3rd episode of Brother's & Sisters. Such a great show :-)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Just Happy Being His Mommy


I've been thinking a lot today about how blessed and thankful I am to be Bryson's mother.

I've also been thinking a lot about women who are struggling with infertility. I, like so many other bloggers have a heart for these women. When I first started this blog I wanted to get connected with other women going through what I was going through. I needed and outlet - someone to talk to - someone who knew how I was feeling. I can't thank God enough for giving me such wonderful blogging friends (most of whom I have never met). For my friends who are still on this journey please know that I pray for you everyday. My heart breaks for each one of you. I know how desperately you want to become a mother. I came across a verse today and wanted to share it with ya'll...

But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. Habakkuk 2:3

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Championship Celebration


Today we traveled down to Auburn for the National Championship Celebration. We were really excited about going - this would be Bryson's first trip to Auburn! To say that I was a little nervous about him going would be an understatement. I had no clue how he would act with alot of loud people around and also having to be confined for a few hours. But he did awesome!


I can't even being to tell ya'll how many people were there. I believe they estimated around 78 thousand if not more. We got pretty good seats - plus they were close to the exit just in case we had a meltdown. Ha!


We left the celebration a few minutes early so we could get a good view of Tiger Walk. I secretly think that was one of the main reasons Clay wanted to go! For those of you that are not AU fans - Tiger Walk is where the players and coaches walk from the athletic building down to the stadium a few hours before the game starts. Today the team did a reverse Tiger Walk.


There got to be SO many people that Bryson and I ended up watching it from the corner of the street. I started feeling a little claustrophobic and Bryson was in his stroller and all he could see were peoples feet and legs. Ha!! Clay was able to get alot of good pictures.

Aubie!

#90 Nick Fairley

#2 Cam Newton!
He gave a wonderful speech during the celebration. I have been so proud of how he has handled all the adversity that has surrounded him and his family. I wish him all the best in the future. The Auburn family is really going to miss him!!

Coach Chizik

This is the outside of the stadium with the National Championship flag flying overhead


What a great college football season it has been! If someone would have told me that AU would be the national champs this year I would have fallen on the floor laughing hysterically! I'm so proud of our team and ALL the other SEC teams. I can't wait for next season to start!!

It's great to be an Auburn Tiger!!!

Friday, January 21, 2011

18 Months

Bryson...you are EIGHTEEN months today!
I can't believe you are a year and a half old!

what have you been up to these days???

You weigh around 27 pounds. We'll find out your exact weight next Friday for you check-up. You are still in size 4 diapers and can wear a few 18 month clothes but you are mostly in 24months to 2T.

You love feeding yourself with a fork and spoon now. Sometimes you can make a complete mess - but you are getting better and better. I'm still not sure if you're going to be left or right handed...you use them both.


You are down to 1 nap during the day - it's usually in the afternoons. You will sleep for about 1 to 2 hours.

Your bedtime has gotten a little later over the last month. You go to bed around 8pm or 8:30 and wake up at 7:30am or 8. There were several times over the last few weeks that you have gotten up for 1-3 hours during the night - but hopefully that will not be a permanent thing. ha!

You are borderline obsessed with VeggieTales. We watch it at least 3-4 times a day. Your favorite is the sing-a-longs. There is one song that has the word "peas" in it and EVERY time it gets to that part in the song you yell out "PEAS!!!" It's one of my favorite things you do right now.

You love to feed me and your daddy. You will look at one of us and say "bite?" And then come up to the other one and ask us "bite?" Your daddy thinks it's so funny!


You ABSOLUTELY LOVE playing with puzzles! And you are very good at putting them together. I really can't believe how good you are at putting them together. You will sit on the floor or in my lap and put it together over and over again. Right now the sound puzzle you are playing with in the picture is your favorite.

You can point to your body parts (your nose, mouth, ears, and eyes).

You aren't into me rocking you to sleep at night anymore - which I'm having a hard time getting used to. But if we are out in public you will let me hold you ALL the time!

You still enjoy bath time. You like to streak around the bathroom before I put you in the tub and if the door isn't shut you will go over and close it.


You love playing, watching, and listening to music. You have started playing the piano on your music table that Mimi bought you for Christmas. I hope that you will want to continue playing the piano or maybe the guitar like your daddy did when you get older.

Your vocabulary is growing! You can say, "da-da," "momma," "ball," "hi," "bye-bye," "cracker," "milk," "up," "no-no," "dog," "cat," and "cookie" (which is a vanilla wafer). You know the animal sounds a cow, horse, sheep, and lion make. I want to start teaching you a few signs - maybe you will be able to communicate a little more.


You like to help clean up your toys! Woo-hoo! You will put them up one at a time - it's really cute:-)

Every night before bedtime you brush your teeth, we say your prayers, and then you give me and daddy a kiss goodnight. It's another one of my favorite times with you!



I can't believe how FAST you are growing up. You will be two in 6 months! You are a wonderful and special little boy. I love you so much!!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Mimi's Birthday!


happy birthday to you...
happy birthday to you...
happy birthday to Mimi...
happy birthday to you!

Happy Birthday Mimi! We hope you have a wonderful day.
Love Always...your favorite son, daughter-in-law, and grandson :-)

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Being Honest

I am an avid reader of Kelly's Korner. I'm sure alot of you are! She is a wonderful woman of God and her faith and walk with the Lord is so uplifting to me. I always feel that her posts are directed right at me and are exactly what I need to hear. A few months back she wrote a post about honesty and the struggles to "keep it together" as a mom.

I can't tell ya'll how many times I have "struggled" as a mom the last few months - well really the last year. My life seems so disorganized and out of control since I became a mom. There have been many times within the last 18 months that I have not gotten out of my pj's for several days or let the laundry get so piled up I couldn't figure out what was clean and what was dirty. There have been days where I just can't get down on the floor to play with Bryson and he winds up watching VeggieTales all day because I'm exhausted. I have put my appearance on the back burner because I don't have enough time during the day to get my hair done or a mani/pedi (oh how a pedicure sounds good to these tired feet. ha!)

Working 7 on 7 off night shift is difficult with a family - at least it is for me. I feel like I stay tired ALL the time. My house looks like a "Hot Mess!" most days and it's hard for me to have dinner on the table every night.

I feel like I don't do a good job loving and caring for my husband the way a wife should. I am horrible at returning phone calls - just ask my mother or my friend Mary. I am constantly worrying what people out in public think of me and my motherly skills. I just never expected it to be this hard. I have no idea how you mom's with more than one child can do it?

Clay and I have discussed on multiple occasions about putting Bryson in MDO twice a week. I think this is something that would benefit him and me. Bryson loves going to the nursery on Sunday's and enjoys spending time with other children. I have looked into several MDO programs around our area and have found one that I think would work for our family.

I am very thankful to know that I am not the only mother who doesn't always have it together. I am thankful to serve a wonderful and gracious God that gives me the strength each day to be a good mother, wife, daughter, and friend - even if I fall short. The Lord has blessed me with so much and every time I look at that precious little boy, I am thankful to know that in his eyes I am his momma no matter how imperfect I feel that I am.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Weekend Review


We have had a pretty uneventful weekend. Not very much going on over at our house. It's been so cold in Central AL that we've pretty much stayed in the house in our pj's just hanging out as a family :-) This weekend has been so boring now that I'm trying to think back, I can't even remember what we did on Friday. ha!

Yesterday we had an appointment to get Bryson's pictures made with Alisha. Back in December she and another photographer had an open house here locally and they gave out free 20 minute mini sessions and I received one. It turned out perfect that she had the session this month...since Bryson will be 18 months one Friday. The backdrop was a wintry rustic look and I can't wait to get the proofs back. I'm sure I'll love every single one and want be able to decide and then wind up spending a fortune! But, Alisha does GREAT work and she's affordable which is a bonus.

After the photo shoot we stopped by the small outdoor mall near our house and had lunch at Logan's Roadhouse. Clay, Bryson and I all stuffed our faces full. So much for trying to drop a few pounds. Ha! When we got home I started cleaning out Bryson's diaper bag and noticed that his placemat was missing.
I can't tell ya'll how many compliments I get on this mat. I LOVE this thing! Have you ever used one and what do you think about it? It's so uncharacteristic of me to leave stuff like this at restaurants. But my mind hasn't been really very focused lately...that's another post for another day. So, it looks like I'll be stopping by the store to purchase another mat soon.

Church was such a blessing today, as it always is! It never fails that the Lord will show up and speak to me on just what I needed to hear. Pastor Kevin is preaching on a series about The Big 7 in 2011. Last week he preached on tithing and the word of God. Today he spoke on the benefits of small groups, prayer, and encouragement. Prayer is our way to communicate with God...and I want to be honest and share that sometimes I have gone a day without praying. I get so caught up in my To-Do List and making sure my house and family are taken care of that by the end of the day I am completely exhausted and will lay my head down and next thing I know it's morning again.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to Never stop praying. I can't tell ya'll how much this small three word verse spoke to me. Prayer is so important and no matter what is going on in my life and how busy it gets I always need to take time to talk with Jesus.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Winter Storm 2011 and BCS Title Game

Winter Storm 2011 decided to show itself last night in Alabama. I got called into work a little early and thankfully only had to stay until around 11:30am today. Ya'll I was dreading the fact that I might have to miss my son's first BIG snow! And having to sleep on a sleeper chair in a hospital room didn't help matters. ha!

It only took me an hour and fifteen minutes to get home...it usually only takes me about 25, but with all the ice and snow on the roads and bridges I was extra careful.

Bryson wasn't to sure about all the snow. I thought it was precious that he wanted to use his blanket as a scarf:)

We didn't stay out too long. As you can see I wasn't dressed for the winter weather.

This was Bryson in the snow almost one year ago. He was six and a half months old!

Uncle Charlie, Aunt Jessica, and Owen

I have no idea who's bright idea this was, but ya'll I have never laughed so hard in all my life! HA!!!

Clay tried to get me to go down the hill, but I declined. Seeing that I wasn't dressed for the occasion. Ya'll I would have tinkled in my pants if I would have gone down that hill, ha!!!

Aunt Jessica was a big girl and showed up the boys in her sledding skills

Uncle Charlie had alot of fun too

PawPaw even got in on the fun! I can't believe he did it in short, t-shirt, and house shoes. ha, ha!

PawPaw at the end of the hill

Bryson would clap after each person got down the hill. It was sooo sweet! I LOVE that little man!!

We had fun playing out in the snow! But we had to get back inside and warm up...Auburn is playing in the BCS National Title Game tonight!

If Auburn can pull out a win tonight this will be the SEC's 5th National Title win in a row and the second one for the state of Alabama in two years!
WAAARRR EAGLE!!!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Bryson With A Spoon

All you mom's with older kids, please don't judge me when I make this next statement. But I finally put myself in the right frame of mind to start letting Bryson eat with a spoon. Now, before ya'll gasp...ha...I know that he is almost 18 months old, but my mom and Clay's grandmother have been letting him eat with a spoon for awhile. I just have this Type A personality and am very, very OCD when it comes to the possibility of a mess happening somewhere around me. Ya'll can call me crazy (and I would agree with you), but I am finally learning to "embrace the mess!" So I thought I would share this video with ya'll :)

BrysonEatingWithSpoon from Jennifer Wolford on Vimeo.
Please don't laugh when ya'll hear my southern accent:) Oh, and when I ask Bryson about what he's holding, he calls the spoon a "poon!" It's one of my favorite words he says:)

I finally posted our Christmas Eve events. There are two seperate posts, one for Christmas Eve morning and one from that night.


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

2011 so far...

Not a whole lot as been going on the last several days...hence the lack my blogging. ha! I hope ya'll had a wonderful New Year's! It was a quiet day at our house on New Year's Day. Bryson has been under the weather since before Christmas and we can't seem to kick it in the bucket, so I haven't taken any pictures of him lately (to all the grandparents, I apologize). I will post some as soon as I can!

I started my work week back on Monday and we have been quite busy for night shift. But during these times where so many people have been laid off and out of work I am SO thankful and blessed to have such a wonderful job. My co-workers are great and I love what I do :) Helping children has to be one of the most rewarding jobs!

Sunday, Clay and I got to get out and go to the movies and to dinner. We saw True Grit.

I'm not that into westerns, but my friend Katie said she enjoyed it, so I thought I would be strong for my husband and go see it with him (since he's been dying to see it). Ha! I will admit that I really enjoyed it. Jeff Bridges has become one of mine and Clay's favorite actors. We recently saw him and Maggie Gyllenhaal in Crazy Heart. That was also another good movie.

With a new year beginning there comes a new start. There were alot of things in 2010 that I wish I could go back and change. I wish I would have been more involved in our church and Sunday School class, I wish I would have been a better wife and mother...I could go on and on. So with a new year starting I really want to improve in 2011.

I am so excited that our Sunday School class is starting Love & Respect.
Our class has done this study once before, and I am so glad we are getting the chance to do it all over again. I think Clay and I will really benefit from this book and IMPROVE our marriage.

For Christmas my mother-in-law bought me the book Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson. I was sooo excited to get it!
I have been wanting to read this book for some time now and I have several friends who have boys and have raved about this book. I can't wait to get started!

I also bought several other books for myself...
You can't go wrong with the Pioneer Woman's Cookbook! I'm hoping this will IMPROVE my cooking since I've kinda' veered away from it.

This book was actually on clearance on the Barnes&Nobles website.
I haven't read anything yet by Lisa Whelchel. This book had some great reviews and to be honest I need a little encouragement in the mommy area. I think over the last 17 months I have put alot of pressure on myself to be the best mother for Bryson. I have that Type A personality, so I am extremely hard on myself. This is another book I can't wait to start.

There are alot of things that I want to accomplish this year, mainly within myself. In my last post I said that I really wanted to slow things down...and believe me I do. But I hope that I can find that balance and make 2011 one of my better years!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...