Sunday, November 20, 2011

Two Months!

George passed the two-month mark yesterday.  Clay and I were talking about it on the way to church this morning, and the second month definitely seemed to last longer than the first month.  But there have been so many sweet moments to make the sleepless nights totally worth it.  For instance...George has started smiling at us, and there is absolutely nothing that melts my heart like a gummy smile from George.  Now, George is not a cheap smile.  Clay and I will do almost anything to get this boy to smile.  When he does smile, it lasts only a few seconds, and it is next to impossible to capture it on camera.  Uncle Scott seems to have the magic touch to get him to smile...


Is your heart melted yet?

George's cousin, Rogers, absolutely loves baby George (Orge...as Rogers calls him).  Rogers wants to be wherever George is, and I literally cannot wait for George to be old enough to really play with his cousins.  
 I'm just not sure it gets any cuter.

 Rogers and George realizing that this family takes WAY too many pictures.

So you might as well be sweet and pose for the camera.

 Saty and Pop with their grandsons.  Thanks for such a sweet Thanksgiving dinner tonight.

 This one is for Clay.  I found it at the bottom of his 0-3 month drawer, and realized he never got to wear this little number.  

Happy Two Months, George!  Somehow, you bless our lives more and more each and everyday.  
I cannot believe that the Lord has given you to us, and am so thankful for the way He works in us through you.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Happy Birthday Mom!

Julie's birthday was November 6th and we had a wonderful celebration with her family at Seaside, and my family in Springville (see posts below).  George, Harper, and I are so thankful for her and love her very much.  We are very blessed to have her in our lives taking care of us.  We love you Julie (and Mom)!

P.S. This is where I would insert a picture of George holding up a "Happy Birthday" sign, but I don't know how to post pictures (but it would have been really cute if I could have).....

Family Time

November is right in the thick of birthday season, which means lots of great family time.  One of the greatest parts about living in Birmingham is that we are a stone's throw from family.  Both Clay and I grew up around our grandparents and cousins in the same city, and I am so excited that George will get to have the same experiences getting to see his family all the time.

One of George's favorite things to do is bounce.  And I have to admit that my out-of-shape arms can only bounce him so much.  Inevitably, when I stop bouncing him, he starts to fuss get the most pitiful face and whimper until it just melts your heart.  So I bounce him again until I can no longer feel my biceps.  The cycle goes round and round.
Then Clay remembered that we have this doorway bouncer.  We know George is too small for it, but Harper was careful to monitor George in the bouncer.    I didn't post all of the pictures, but basically, George could have hung out in that bouncy thing for a long time, and Harper loved having him on eye-level.



Pops returned from his camping trip with presents for his grandsons!  Much to Clay's dismay, Chase got a coonskin cap, which he looked so cute in.  George got some moccasins that I am sure he will be wearing as much as possible as his feet grow so fast!  Baby Hank is coming any day now, and we could not be more excited for George's new cousin to arrive!  Pops brought Hank a raccoon puppet that I know he will love playing with over the coming years.  Thanks for thinking of us Pops!



 Clay tried to steal Chase's coonskin cap...it doesn't quite fit George yet.

 Chase was super excited to see the cake...he almost jumped up out of his highchair!

 Just love this face...

Here is one thing that I'm just not sure I'll ever be able to wrap my mind around.  Clay saw a snake in the bushes, and then all of the boys were determined to get the snake out of the bushes.  Why does the snake need to come out of the bushes?  There was a lot of excitement when Clay's hand came out of the bushes with the snake, and everyone needed a picture with the snake.
While I love a good nature moment, this picture just makes me cringe.  I have learned that there is never a dull moment when boys are around...and I could not be more excited about the coming years.

On Sunday, the Lees and the Howells went to Red Mountain Church to be there for William's baptism.  My cousin Anna has three precious babies, and William is her youngest.  This picture makes me so excited for Christmas with SIX kids under 18 months.

On Monday, my cousin, Mary Alice, came by with her little boy Jack.  Both the boys were asleep most of the visit, and this was the one picture with both of their eyes open.  I am so excited to watch these boys grow up over the years, and based on the way they played, I'm thinking they may be joined at the hip when they get together.  

I literally cannot believe that Thanksgiving is next week.  I am chomping at the bit for holiday season to kick off and know it is going to be such sweet time with Clay and George!  

Monday, November 7, 2011

Seaside

The Howell family has started going to Seaside in the fall for the past few years, and no matter what the weather is like while we're there, we always have such a great time.  Lucky for us, it was beautiful everyday, and it was so warm one day that Clay even got in the ocean.  I wasn't quite as brave.  This was George's first vacation, and I'd say that he is fitting right in with the beach-lovers in my family.  

 Clay and George on the beach

 Playground near our house

 George was not excited about all the pictures...

 But he was excited about his new Seaside shirt...Thanks Saty!!

 I've found the key to Rogers' heart...cupcakes.

 On the nature trail in Watercolor

 Just before dinner on Friday night


This picture just cracks me up...I know it looks like George cries all the time, but he really doesn't!  
At least he's pretty cute when he does cry.  

One last family picture before dinner Saturday night

We were so sad to leave Seaside, but it just made us so excited for the years to come.  We celebrated my birthday while we were down there, and I was just overwhelmed by how thankful I am for my family.  It could not have been a more perfect weekend.  
Thanks Saty and Pop for such a special birthday weekend!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Happy Halloween!

After a lot of debate about what George should be for Halloween (if anything), we settled on the $5 special at Buy Buy Baby...a pea pod.  George may be mad at me for dressing him up, but at least he'll have some input in the years to come about what he wants to be for Halloween.  We passed out candy to the trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood with our neighbors and their little 5-month old.  It was such a fun night!

 Chase being so sweet to Baby George

 Chase the Cowboy and George!

 Rogers the Monkey and George

John Grady and George passing out candy

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!