Steven Curtis Chapman - FAITHFUL

I am broken, I am bleeding
I'm scared and I'm confused
But You are faithful, yes, You are faithful
I am weary and believing
God please help my unbelief
Cause You are faithful, yes, You are faithful

I will proclaim it to the world
I will declare it to my heart
I will sing it when the sun is shining
I will scream it in the dark

You are faithful, You are faithful
When You give and when You take away
Even then still Your name is faithful
You are faithful
And with everything inside of me
I am choosing to believe
You are faithful

I am waiting for the rescue
That I know will surely come
Cause You are faithful, yes, You are faithful
And I've dropped anchor in Your promises and I am holding on
Cause You are faithful, God, You are faithful

I will proclaim it to the world
I will declare it to my heart
I'll sing it when the sun is shining
I will scream it in the dark

You are faithful, You are faithful
When You give and when You take away
Even then still Your name is faithful
You are faithful
And with everything inside of me
I am choosing to believe
You're faithful
So faithful

When I cannot have the answer
That I'm wanting to demand
I'll remember You are God
And everything is in Your hands
With Your hands You put the sun and moon and stars up in the sky
For the sake of love You hung Your own son on the cross to die

And You are faithful
Yes, You are faithful
When You give, when You take away even then
Great is Your faithfulness
Great is Your faithfulness
And with everything inside of me
I am choosing to believe
You're faithful

When You give, when You take away
Even then, still Your name is faithful
You are faithful
And with everything inside of me
I am choosing to believe

You are faithful
You are faithful

15 Months Old

Dear Bloggie, I am sorry you are neglected. Blame Facebook. Love, Monica

Can't believe our little Stinkey Pete is 15 months old, time flies!! I have no idea what he weighs, but when I carry him very much I would bet on 100 pounds. Ok, maybe not, I'm just wimpy. He's solid though and getting taller for sure. I can tell by his clothes!

He wears size 2 or 2T shirts b/c if they are smaller and washed many times his belly shows! He wears size 12 shorts still, but finally the 18 months aren't falling off either. His little legs are so short, bless his heart I think he's just stuck with that problem like his Momma. He wears size 4 diapers still, size 5 night time diapers because he is SO wet in the morning.

Speaking of night. He's still sleeping around 11 hours, we are so thankful. You never know how much you missed sleep until you start getting it again. Every few weeks we'll have a night where something goes wrong and he wakes up for one reason or another, but we are blessed with a great sleeper now. We still do hold him until he falls asleep at night usually. He takes one nap that is usually 1 and 1/2 hours - 2 hours typically. He has 2 or 3 stuffed animals, a few books and a soft toy that stays in his crib. When he wakes up he will play for a good 15-30 minutes in the morning. That gives me time to hear him playing on the monitor and get myself together before getting him.

(Junk food, the only category of food he loves other than fruit. Takes after his Momma ;) He has just discovered cheese puffs in the past week or two, needless to say they are a hit. He was sitting in the high chair, in the living room watching Sesame Street while I did something?)

Cole says: "HEY" (in all caps, his favorite word) "mama" "dada" "ooof oof" (for all dogs, he LOVES dogs) "oooo" (means moo for cows) "ba" (ball) "ca" (car) "bu" (bubble) "zzzz" (for bees that are in two of his farm books) "bab" (baby) "cacka" (cracker) Then everything else in the world starts with "b" it's his favorite sound obviously and along with a bunch of rambling and chatting, there's a ton of "b" things he mumbles about. He chats the most in the car, but he's generally chatty.

He knows and can correctly use the sign for "more" when he's eating.

(One of the things that makes him seem so grown to me. Watching his Daddy cut the grass. He watches the entire time. When Daddy disappears from the front, he knows to go to the kitchen windows to see him cut the back. THEN he knows he gets to ride!!)

His favorite things are first and foremost OUTSIDE. He'd live outside full time if we'd let him. He screams when he thinks he's going out and doesn't. He walks to all doors and points out while fussing. If he sees anyone putting on shoes, he gets his and immediately grabs hold of your legs and wont let go. He prefers just to walk & run around outside, but also enjoys riding in/on his "cars", wagon, playing with his golf clubs, going up and down his slide (tiny one) and swinging. My Dad, Grand Daddy (aka: Grumpy) takes Cole to ride on the golf cart at their house every day that he's there, he drives ;) That is a favorite. He has sat on the tractor, but never with it running. He LOVES just looking at it. He now rides with his Daddy on the lawnmower after the grass is cut too and loves it!

His other favorite things are bubbles (he likes to walk around holding the no spill kind and actually blew a few the other night finally) He loves anything that he can ride on or in. He has a large car inside, plus 5 things here to ride on and 4 at my parents. He has a jumpy zebra animal at both houses too. He loves to be on something and going. We hear the "brrrrr" car noise continuously all day, every day. He spends most of his time on something like that. He loves cars, tractors and trucks. He likes remote controls, phones and his one favorite thing he couldn't live without is BOOKS! His Momma is a proud woman. Seems my reading and love of books has officially rubbed off. He loves, loves to be read to or just look and and talk about books. He also loves anything that sings like his Elmo Live, our Veggie Tale Larry that sings and an Easter bunny that sings and dances. He now likes to dance to music too!

(Cole has now discovered golf, much to his Daddy's delight. These are clubs that Daddy's best buddy Larken and his family gave Cole before he arrived. We got them out a few weeks ago and he adore them, see the smile? He plays with them inside and out. He whacks everything, the blue club is his favorite and how has packaging tape around it b/c it was broken and he had a fit. He does know how to hit the ball now, of course it goes flying and sometimes he claps ;)

Cole still loves Sesame Street and we've seen last seasons 35 episodes 100Xs each, at least! I can't wait for a new season. We have several Elmo DVD's and watch those as well. Sesame Street and Elmo are the only thing that officially get him to stop and watch on his own. Other than that we watch Dinosaur Train and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse some. Then Veggie Tales & Hermie the Caterpillar and friends as well when I need him captured in the high chair or pack n play for something. (while playing or eating a snack)

(One of the funny random things he does that we didn't show him, he just knows to do. He shut his door when he gets in his car, cracks me up that he just knows that.)

He's been coloring for quite a few months now. He does pretty well not eating the crayons for the most part. He likes to see the colors show up on the page. Normally that's saved for in a restaurant, but we've colored at home some recently too. Just this past week we tried painting with water colors. He really enjoyed it though got frustrated after a few minutes and wanted to get wild with the brush.

Cole got to ride on his first "coin car" this past weekend at the mall. He rode in 2 little cars and of course loved it. He flung our hands away when we tried to get him off, like we knew he would. We expected a total meltdown, but thankfully were able to distract him before we drew a crowd.
Cole has a huge thing for girls, older or younger. He doesn't care! He loves baby girls and kisses them given a chance. He loves little girls and blows kisses to them no matter where we are. He notices them in stores, restaurants, church, it doesn't matter. He loves teenage girls, waitress, women in stores. If they don't pay attention to him, there will be a HUGE amount of "HEY" shouting until they do!!

We're still struggling with eating. He has good days and bad days. We have tried so hard to get him to eat mostly "big people" food, but it's a constant struggle. He loves fruit and will eat any "real" fruit. His favorites are bananas, raisins, strawberries & mandarin oranges. He will eat cut up grapes, dried cranberries, applesauce, pears and peaches. He will eat french fries from most places. He likes the cheap variety of rice in a bag, "rice sides". He likes waffles, pancakes, cereal bars, grits and toddler/baby cereal still. Everything else is totally hit and miss. Sometime he will eat a few bites, sometime he wont. If it's a bad day, he wont even taste anything. He simply sticks his tongue off and let's it fall back off. No amount of bribery, playing, teasing, airplaneing, threatening, forcing. etc.. will help. It is a battle of wills. Chicken, peas, beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, noodles of any kind, toddler meals, grown up meals, you name it. Sometimes he will eat a bite, sometimes he wont. Thankfully he loves milk and drinks only milk, chocolate milk and water. He's growing and healthy, so I try not to worry too much about it. He eats when he's hungry and I was a super picky eater as a child too. (Seems that's worn off, ha!)

Cole can correctly point to his nose, eyes, ears, mouth, tongue, teeth, hair, belly and (unfortunately, blame it on Daddy) his "boobers". Ugh..

(Cole, in Pappy's lap. At Mimi & Pappy's pool with his cousins. What a mess trying to get 6 kiddos anywhere near each other and still, in the pool no less, at the same time!)

...
I love the little things that make him seem so grown up. I love how you can point to something or ask him to get it and he brings it to you. (ball, car, book) It cracks me up when something rolls under the couch and he lays on his belly to look for it. We always get a kick out of him imitating us with sneezes or coughs. He has a big "aahh ahhh boo" production that his a hoot! I love how he knows to hold up his arms one at a time for putting them in a shirt, how if he's holding something he knows to switch hands while we put an arm in. I love how he can point to what he wants and shakes his head no if you don't guess correctly. I laugh when you mention changing a diaper and he heads to his room and changing table/dresser. (One day Granny was going to change him in the floor and he took the diaper from her, walked to his room and looked at the table. What was wrong with that woman?) If you mention brushing his teeth now he runs to the bathroom and points to his teeth. He likes to play peek a book everywhere, behind chairs, doors, etc... There are so many things that shock us daily and remind us how he's growing up and how smart he is.

We couldn't be more thankful for the little guy and the fun he brings. We are blessed beyond measure. We are praying for God's will in adding to our family now. We have been officially approved for adoption again since July and will continue to pray that God brings Cole a baby brother or sister, how he sees fit, if he so chooses. (and I certainly hope he so chooses!)

What I've been doing . . .
Written by : Cole

I have been very busy the past few weeks. I learned to crawl and I can do it really fast. It makes my Mommy say "no, no, stop" alot these days. It's really funny when she says that and I laugh at her, then she grabs me and puts me back in the pile of toys in that big room where the TV is. I can go back to where I was very fast though, Mommy is just silly. See that rug with bowls on the other side of the table? They belong to that furry guy that says "ruff ruff" really loud, he stays locked in the room with Mommy & Daddy's bed a lot these days. Mommy says he's "old and grumpy", but I LOVE that guy! Oh those bowls, one has WATER in it. Have you felt of that stuff before? I like to play in it, but that makes Mommy say "no, no, no, no" a lot. Then I have to change clothes. Sometimes she puts the bowl far away, but when I'm lucky she forgets!!


See this guy? Granny calls him Grand Daddy, but Mommy calls him Grumpy. He is a very funny guy. He calls me Peanut. He will do ANYTHING I want, I just have to show him or let him know. If I fuss, he takes me on walks anywhere I want to go. I love this guy!!


These are whatcha call balloons! Have you seen them? They are wonderful. I had some at that Disney World place, but had to leave them behind. A few weeks ago Mommy bought me three of my very own. I love them so much and spend hours playing with them. They are so neat. If you shake that ribbon, they dance!!!! When they get squishy, I can squeeze 'em some and they make a crinkly sound. They are not floating very good anymore, so yesterday Mommy took me to a very special store she calls "dollar tree" and bought me two more!


This is my "turn that light off" face. I'm not grouchy at all, I like mornings. I can now stand up in my bed and bang, bang, bang on the rail there until Mommy or Daddy come get me. I give 'em a big ole smile. The light is bright when they turn it on though and then Mommy flashes that picture thing in my face, so I'm NOT grouchy... I just can't see Lady!!

*Edit: My Mommy said to tell you that the bed is lowered now from when the photo was taken. This was one of the first few days I learned the trick of pulling up on my knees in there. Now I pull up on everything, I don't like to sit down, ever! I stand in my bed and bang bang on the top. Mommy says that soon it will be lowered again.*







I made these Valentine's for Granny, Grumpy and Great Grandmother. Mommy put squishy white stuff on my hand and I didn't like it at all!








This is my loot from Valentine's Day from Mommy & Daddy. Those blocks are so fun for Mommy & Daddy to build towers with, then I get to knock 'em down. The God Bless book has pictures of me, Mommy, Daddy and Granny & Grumpy in it! I have my own music and a book about Noah and a silly monkey.



This is one of my favorite toys and me being a guy they call "Colezilla"


Sometimes I like to help Mommy with the clothes. I don't know what she does, I think she just puts 'em in piles and plays with them.


Guess what I found this week??? It's wonderful. It's in that purple room where I take a bath. It has water inside, makes a swirly swooshy sound and has a shiny handle on it. I really like this thing. When I found it Mommy went crazy "no, no, yuck, gross, COLE". I don't know what the fuss was about. Since then though, I can't find that thing anymore. There is a door that keeps me outta there.


This is a great thing, it's a window door. It use to have a curtain on it and I yanked that thing down a few times, it was in the way! Finally Mommy took the hint and left it off. Now I can see my other furry friend, her name is Millie and she loves me. She licks me when I go out there, I like to watch her. When I bang on this window door though, she runs down the stairs. I think she's a little scared of me.....


This is when Mommy & I roll and roll in the floor. She tosses me around and tickles me, I like it alot. Then she grabs that flashy picture thing, as always.....


I went to this guys birthday, his name is Tanner and he's my cousin. He is WILD, he is gonna teach me alot of stuff...I just know it. He just turned 2. (I snuck a bite of cake at this guys party, shhhh don't tell anyone though)



At that guys birthday, they had bubbles. I get bored when Mommy blows them. At this party though, they had them EVERYWHERE. Like a machine... I like that a lot. I want one of those machines. I like parties.


This girl is Layla, she is my cousin too. She is 4 now and she use to like to hold me really tight and want me to be still. What is SHE thinking?? She had a party too, I love parties! I think she may try to tell me what to do when I'm bigger, good luck with that girl! She wanted a mermaid outfit for her birthday, a tiara and a game. She gave her "order" to my Mommy, she even told her where to shop. We "hooked her up" and now she is a beautiful mermaid!



This guy is Jack, he's my cousin too and he's smaller than I am. I like to touch his hands. Everyone says "gentle, gentle, easy" when I head for him, I don't know why. He's a tuff' guy, I wouldn't hurt him. I see him on Sundays too, he's in my Sunday School class with those sweet ladies who kiss kiss kiss and love love love me. They NEVER put me down, but shhhh don't tell Mommy that.



I have found the coolest things in the big room where we eat. They are spoons. BIG GIANT spoons, I guess they are for a giant. No giants live here, so I play with them. They bang, bang stuff and I like it. One day I took one with me all day. I even took it to the bathtub because I wouldn't let that thing go!


Oh yeah and we went to the mall to see the picture people. I love the mall, I have a cool ride and everyone waves, smiles and talks to me. I "flirt" Mommy says, but I'm just a friendly guy and want to spread the love. The picture people girls were so funny and they said I was "so easy" and happy, they don't know I'm use to that picture stuff. I just smile and Mommy snaps away. It's no big deal and makes her happy. They also took my clothes off and took NAKED pictures of me with a tub and my bath toys. Can you believe that?? Surely Mommy wont put those here for the world to see, how embarrassing!


As you see we're busy at our house. We also had white stuff fall from the sky AND we go to a place they call they park that I LOVE alot these days. I'll tell ya about that later. It's time for a nap right now..... Thanks for stopping by.

Bath Tub Fun

Who else would take over 50 pictures of playing in the tub??? Me!! Cole had an ingrown toenail that came off, got infected and caused all sorts of craziness last week. He's been on meds and last week had to soak 3 times a day in a bath with Epson salt. We're soaking once or twice this week and he's grown to love it more every day. He was already really enjoying bath time, oppose to the screaming fits he'd have the first few months..... but now he just loves loves loves bath time!! He plays with toys, bangs on the side of the tub b/c it's loud and he loves noises, splashes with his hands and kicky kicky kicks like crazy!! It's fun to watch and play with him, so this afternoon I brought the camera along for fun!!

So I wonder what this fishy tastes like?
Hmmm, tastes like chicken Mommy...

And hermit crabs, I've always wanted to taste one of those.
Yep, he tastes like chicken too.

A puffer fish you say?
Sure, I'll bite....
Yep, tastes like chicken.

Sea horse = chicken

Penguin,
you guessed it.

Duck, uh huh ... you're right
(thanks again Ms.April)

Pruney baby toes

Sweet little hands hanging on to the sides

Mommy this bath tub stuff is so funny!!

Ok people, you've had your fun.
Privacy Please!!!

Cardboard Testimonies

Have you seen these? I recently saw these videos on youtube, along with tons of others, that churches around the nation are doing. What a movement, what a testimony, what a brilliant idea. I am overwhelmed when I watch them and they always move me to tears. They are a little longish 8ish minutes or so, they are so worth your time!!

My cardboard testimony ---

We wanted to be parents for almost 10 long years, we thought God might be saying "no" to parenthood.




God was saying, "Yes, wait, my timing is perfect" and Cole is 8 months old!





.............what is yours...............

8 months

Who can believe we have an 8 month old?? Where did the past 8 months (or 17 months for that matter) go?? We waited for 10 long years for Cole to arrive and now his first birthday will be here before we know it!! People always say that time flies faster when you have little ones, we'd never have believed just HOW fast! The memories of waiting so long aren't far from my mind, so I always send out prayers for others who are waiting too. Memories of being pregnant seem like they were yesterday and how could it possibly be that long ago that we brought home the itty bitty 4 lb & 14 oz bundle??

At 8 months old....

Cole weighs 21 pounds!!

He wears a size 3 diaper, though not for much longer! He wears size 9 month clothes, the 6-9 months are mostly too small. He wears 12 month jammies and one piece outfits. He's torso is long, his legs are short like his Mommy! His belly is now hanging out of my favorite little striped sweater *sigh*.......

He eats food 3 times a day, still just jar baby food though. He gags when we attempt any kind of finger food or table food. He usually eats 2 jars of food at lunch & supper. At breakfast he has a very large bowl of cereal with a jar of fruit mixed in. He is drinking about 24-30 ounces of formula a day. He drinks juice mixed with water out of a sippie cup from time to time, more for fun than any other reason. Occasionally he will munch on his "food mesh munchie bag" with something inside, not often though.

A few of his favorite toys are his music, mirror, lights contraption from his Mimi & Pappy for Christmas. He loves to laugh at himself in the mirror and now knows how to make each musical instrument work on the stand. He loves the Lightning McQueen ride on car that his Grand Daddy (aka: Grumpy) got him for Christmas too. He will just sit on it and push the buttons for sounds, holding the steering wheel as long as you will sit with him! He loves his little bowls and uses those for toys as well. He loves anything that rattles and he can shake to make noise, he likes banging things together or on the table, wall or floor. He loves a little phone that came with the Lightning car, it has a clicky button on it. He still loves his giraffe and well, just everything he can put in his mouth. He's still totally in awe of his Elmo Live that Santa brought, it was a fantastic choice Santa!! He likes to laugh, be bop his head and put his hand in Elmo's mouth while he talks or sings.

Cole is finally back to sleeping at night again. The month of the sickies really did a number on his sleep schedule, but just the end of this past week we have gotten back into our routine of not waking up during the night. If he does, it's usually early around 9:30 and only for a few minutes. Otherwise he sleeps from about 6:30ish - 6:30ish!!

Cole usually naps 2-3 times a day. If he takes a long nap, an hour or longer, then the other nap is short and it's just 2 for the day. If his naps are short, 30ish minutes, then he usually takes 3. Just the last two weeks we have started making sure that all naps are in his bed, his pack n play if he's at Granny's. He had previously taken naps in the swing and being held often, especially on the weekends when he & Daddy napped together. Granny liked to hold him and he & I napped together in the afternoons sometimes too. We've discovered he naps much better in his own bed, now that he's use to it. (Wasn't so easy in the beginning, lots of waking up and crying!) He also sleeps better at night now.

Cole loves to be on the go. He likes to people watch and flirt. He typically enjoys shopping or going out to eat. He can now sit in a high chair or buggy (shopping cart for those of you not from the South ;) with his little seat protector. I'd highly recommend the Eddie Bauer one from Target that has little strappies to attach toys too, what a life saver!

Cole doesn't mind riding in the car during the day usually. If he's hungry or tired, he will cry himself to sleep. He will look out the windows, "talk" and play with the toys on his car seat. He can now pull the "jitter bug" toys down himself and likes to hear the noise and watch them jitter back up again. He HATES riding at night in the dark though, he screams until he tires himself out and to sleep.

Cole loves outside, walks to the mail box, riding in the stroller and looking at trees. We can't wait until it's warmer and we can spend more time outside!!!!!!

Cole has two walkers now, one at his Grandparents and one at home. He can RUN all over my parents house in the one Grumpy bought him. They have hardwood floors and he's all over the place!! At our house, with the carpet, he's much slower. He can get around, but doesn't love it yet. He will scoot around the kitchen and play while we eat supper though. He likes to bang cabinet doors that have child latches, so they only open half an inch. He banged so hard yesterday he ripped a knob off. *sigh* Life with a boy huh?!?! He rotates between that and playing in his high chair with his toys when we eat or cook.

Cole likes to put a paci in his mouth to bite on randomly. He was never a big paci baby, he would take it in stages. When he was teeny tiny he'd use it, but over time it became more of a last ditch effort that didn't often work. Now he has a few scattered in toy boxes and he will take them out on his own to chew on when he wants. I think it makes his gums feel better, rather than for a sucking on comfort thing.

He has started be-bopping his head around like dancing and it's the cutest thing ever!!

He now babbles Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma a ton!! In the beginning I think it was more of babbling sounds than actually for me. I do think now he knows it's me, but sometimes it's hard to tell. I've heard him babble Da-Da-Da-Da a few times, but Andy hasn't heard it yet. Same thing, we're not sure if he associates it with his Daddy yet or not. Other than that, he babbles, grunts and yells a ton. He will let out some huge squeals and yells if you aren't talking to him and he wants attention!!

He loves bath time now, good thing with those 3 times a day soaks this week. He likes to have a tub full of plastic friends. He loves to kicky kicky kick and splash splash splash!! There is a toy attached to his tub that he's discovered makes a loud banging noise when he hits it against the side of the tub. He loves that!!! He also cracks us up when he lays back, propping his head on the edge of his tub and kicks his legs up to prop on the outside. He looks like a play boy and it's a hoot!! He use to prop one arm behind his head to lay there, OH MY!!

Our newest fun trick is that Cole is crawling. He has been rolling where ever he wants to go for a few months now. He could get anywhere fast. He was also caterpillar crawling, backwards! He hadn't really mastered creeping at all.... ever. Before we knew it last weekend he got up and crawled a few times in a row. He would do it randomly. Suddenly in the middle of this week, he figured it out and would get up to go anywhere and everywhere. The last two days his speed has taken off and he's literally all over the place. Yesterday I had to put an ottoman in front of the stairs, we bought a gate and his Daddy hasn't put it up yet. This morning I've already had to shut the door to the guest bedroom and bring him back from various places tons of times. Our son is now VERY mobile!! Life is changing~


Above are pics of Cole crawling, fast straight for the stairs!! Him sitting in a cardboard box that Ms. Terry sent him a new Sesame Street quilt in. Him with the new quilt. He's munching on animal crackers in the mesh bag chewie. His New Years 7 month picture, his 8 month old picture. Him pulling toys from a box, one by one. (He'd take one out, examine it. Throw it over his shoulder and keep digging. So funny!!) His car and sitting in a box of toys, just to contain him a few minutes while we played!!

2009
Year in Review
Part 1
Jan. - May

If you read my previous post below, you know I decided to do a year in review post. I started with June-December first, blogging backwards. That's me. Now the blogs will flow in order though, see... I had a plan. 2009 was the most amazing year ever with the last half of a pregnancy and the arrival of our cutie patootie Cole!! What a year, what a year!!!!! We are blessed beyond words~

"God is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine" Ephesians 3:20

January
January 6th was a much anticipated day as we went for our sonogram to find out that little Cole was going to be little Cole, a boy!! Such an awesome day! I went to preschool, beyond excited. Came home to meet Andy and we were off. We had the sonogram, got the exciting news and then wouldn't tell a soul. HA! We went to eat supper and then went shopping, all the while telling our friends and family that baby was safe & healthy, but we weren't sharing yet. It was nice to savor such a big secret for a few hours. By the time we arrived to my parents house that evening, my Momma was angry... he he he.....



We took this picture to post....here of course!! And on FaceBook as the "big reveal"!!




And just a few days later we packed up and headed to Disney World!! What else would you do to celebrate finding out you were having a boy?! We spent a week at Port Orleans Riverside and had an absolute wonderful "last just us" Disney visit!!


February brought Valentines, which I didn't document with pictures obviously.

It also brought shopping


And our sweet Layla turned 3






March came and the weather started to warm up


There were consignment sales to visit and bargains to be bought! (The swing where Cole naps now as I type)



My belly grew and grew





And our sweet great nephew turned 1, Tanner




April brought .. "modified" bed rest - YUCK!

I don't have a picture to accurately display the boredom that became my life on and off during April. My blood pressure went up, my body swelled like a balloon and I spent a ton of time in bed. In theory, time in bed sounds fun huh? When you're stuck there and told to stay put...not so great!


The person who really enjoyed my bed rest, Gizmo. He spent 2 months in heaven saying "this is the life people". He was so confused when we came home from the hospital with another person and bed rest came to an immediate end. Matter of fact we didn't see much of the bed for awhile.....



There was also our first baby shower by Andy's work family


We had farmer day at preschool-




I finished the curtains I made for Cole's room, with help from Momma since I was stuck in bed a ton of the time.




Easter came




May arrived ...and so did Cole!!

In May my belly got huge, but turned out our little Cole wasn't as huge as I thought.




My sweetie hubby bought me a wonderful Mother's Day present. I'd loved my old "Beastie" Durango very much, a favorite vehicle for me. (That's saying a lot if you know me ;) So he arrived home with this surprise!



The kids at school and the Mommies had a baby shower for me. It was so much fun!


My teacher friends had a shower for me!

My friends had a shower for me and some of my "babies" from Pre-K years pass came!!



The weather warmed up and much time was spent sitting beside Mom & Dad's new pool. There are NO pictures of my huge self out there beside the pool, but believe me it was a 'whale' of a sight! (Though it wasn't for months later that I finally got to get in it!)



The school year came to an end and we said goodbye to our muchkins. There were 2 weeks at home resting and wondering when our little man would arrive.

On a Friday, not any different from previous ones, our lives were about to change. What became an afternoon of running by Babies R Us (where we were actually buying something pink for the little sweetheart we thought we were going to adopt when she arrived in the fall) and a routine doctor visit, turned into much more. Next thing we know we are seeing baby Cole on a sonogram, being sent to the hospital for observation which turned into being admitted by the time we arrived. We checked in, made phone calls, panicked because suitcases weren't yet totally packed and then realized this roll of "ready or not" and "you thought you had plans - ha" roll of parenthood was arriving even before we thought!

On the Saturday evening, May 30th @ 6:45 PM....
Our little Raymond Cole Tanner made his appearance into the world!!

We fell in love even more and became parents!!