Thursday, November 27, 2008

Our Thanksgiving

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving! My parents, Grandma, and brother Nick and his girlfriend Brandy all joined us for the big meal. Nick, Brandy, and Grandma all spent the night with us last night, and after Ayden and Grandma fell asleep, the 4 of us stayed up late playing board games and laughing until we thought we would die! This was officially my first time to cook Thanksgiving dinner, and I am proud to say that everyone ate and ate until they couldn't move...what better compliment could a chef want? Mom and Brandy both made yummy desserts and Chris grilled a very delicious turkey. It was definetely one of those meals that makes you start planning your diet in January! Ayden napped through the big meal, but he was more than ready for leftovers when he woke up! We had such a great time being together and today was such a good reminder of all that we have to be thankful for this year. Hope everyone else had a wonderful holiday too!
Chris getting ready to carve the turkey!
All my hard work on display... :)

The family enjoying Thanksgiving in an apartment :)

Ayden checking on Andy and Sunni on the balcony


Ayden and Great-Grandma






Happy THanksgiving Pictures, Images and Photos

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Hats!

Ayden loves to put multiple hats on everyone...including Andy :)




Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Uh-oh...

Okay, so I made the mistake of letting Ayden have the whole box of Cheerios to feed himself...but it was making him happy and between his stomach bug, minimal napping, and being weaned from the bottle, not much has made him happy today! It was a small price to pay I guess and like I've said before...at least Cheerios don't stain!







Monday, November 24, 2008

Toddler Miracle Diet

I came across this while researching toddler diets and thought it was hilarious...and parts of it very familiar!


Americans are always on the lookout for a new diet. The trouble with most diets is that you don't get enough to eat (the starvation diet), or you don't get enough variation (the liquid diet), or you go broke (the all-meat diet).

Consequently, people tend to cheat on their diets, or quit after 3 days, or go right back to stuffing their faces after it is all over. Is there nothing you can do but give up and tell your friends you have a gland problem? Or is there a slim (groan) hope? Well, now there's the new Toddler Miracle Diet!

Over the years you may have noticed, as I have, that most two-year-olds are trim. It came to me one day over a cup of black coffee and a carrot that perhaps their diet is the reason. After consultation with pediatricians, X-ray technicians, and distraught moms, I was able to formulate this new diet. It is inexpensive, offering great variety and sufficient quantity. Before embarking on this diet, however, be sure to check with your doctor... otherwise you might have to see him afterward. Good luck!

DAY ONE ------- Breakfast One scrambled egg, one piece of toast with grape jelly. Eat 2 bites of egg, using your fingers; dump the rest on the floor. Take 1 bite of toast, then smear the jelly over your face and clothes.
Lunch Four crayons (any color), a handful of potato chips, and a glass of milk (3 sips only, then spill the rest).
Dinner A dry stick, two pennies and a nickel.
Bedtime Snack Toast piece of bread and toss it on the kitchen floor.
DAY TWO ------- Breakfast Pick up stale toast from kitchen floor and eat it. Drink half bottle of vanilla extract or one vial of vegetable dye.
Lunch Half a tube of "Pulsating Pink" lipstick and a handful of Purina Dog Chow (any flavor). One ice cube, if desired.
Afternoon Snack Lick an all-day sucker until sticky, take outside, drop in dirt. Retrieve and continue slurping until it is clean again. Then bring inside and drop on the rug.
Dinner A rock or an uncooked bean, which should be thrust up your left nostril. Pour iced tea over mashed potatoes; eat with a spoon.
DAY THREE --------- Breakfast Two pancakes with plenty of syrup, eat with fingers, rub in hair. Glass of milk: drink half, stuff pancakes in glass. After breakfast, pick up yesterday's sucker from rug, lick off fuzz, and put it on the cushion of your best chair.
Lunch Three matches, peanut-butter and jelly sandwich. Spit several bites onto the floor. Pour glass of milk on table and slurp up.
Dinner Dish of ice cream, handful of potato chips.
FINAL DAY --------- Breakfast A quarter-tube of toothpaste (any flavor), bit of soap, an olive. Pour a glass of milk over bowl of cornflakes, add a half-cup of sugar. Once cereal is soggy, drink milk and feed cereal to dog.
Lunch Eat crumbs off kitchen floor and dining room carpet. Find that sucker and finish eating it.
Dinner A glass of spaghetti and chocolate milk. Leave meatball on plate. Stick of mascara for dessert.

15 month check-up

Ayden had his 15 month check-up today, and the timing couldn't have been better because he has been feeling bad too. He has a stomach virus with diarrhea and vomiting and is running fever, but his ears, throat, and lungs were all clear, thank goodness! So it should run its course in a few days. He weighed 27 whopping pounds and is 32.5 inches tall. I really like his new pediatrician, she is really nice and very thorough. With lots of fluids and some TLC, he should be all better just in time for some turkey :)


Just taking it easy...



Friday, November 21, 2008

Trip to Texas

Ayden and I spent the week in Texas visiting Jenny, taking Ayden's Christmas pictures, and helping Jenny get ready for baby Finleigh! Ayden was kind enough to give Jenny and Kyle a crash course in living with a toddler :) Also, thanks to Jenny's adorable baby bump, Ayden is now obsessed with everyone's (pregnant or not) belly! We are so excited for March to get here so we can meet the precious baby girl! We had such a fun time, I wish we could have stayed longer!


Checking out Aunt Jenny's studio
Eating on the run...oops...good thing we brought Andy!

Hiding in a closet

Precious grins


How sweet!
Show me that belly!








Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Ayden's fun day

Ayden had such a fun day today! We attended a Gymboree music class and we both had a blast! There were 2 other babies there, both girls, one a month younger than Ayden, and one a month older. He interacted very well with both the girls and the other adults and teacher too. Once he figured out what the heck was going on (the first 5 minutes or so he looked at me like "where on earth have you taken me, mother?" lol ) he jumped right in and danced and participated in all the activities. It was a very structured class, but completely age appropriate with each activity (playing drums, rolling balls, shaking rattles, playing peek-a-boo with scarves, etc all to the beat of music) lasting just long enough to keep his attention without boring him. After each activity they would change out the instruments and that was by far his least favorite part...he did not like having his drum taken away! But overall he was a very good boy and I loved seeing him participating in a group setting. Tommorow we are attending a Gymboree Gym class and then I will decide which class I want to enroll him in full time. The music class was fun, but I think he will enjoy the Gym class more because he is so active. He took a great nap after the class and then helped me with the dishes while I cooked dinner. What a fun day!


Washing dishes (with baby soap :)

Playing in his rocking chair






Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Ayden and Tanner

Christy and Tanner came up to see us today and the boys were so cute playing together! I can't believe how big they are both getting...almost 15 and 19 months old!












One month update...

I can't believe it's already been a month since we moved! Time has flown by, we have been so busy getting settled. We really like our jobs, but like with any major life change, it hasn't been without some stress! I have worked full time days the past 3 weeks while orienting to the unit, and that has been very challenging and exhausting! We could not be more grateful to our families for all their help with Ayden while I was working days. I really like the labor and delivery unit I am working on, the people are so nice! The paperwork and computerized charting is so very different from St.Edwards, and that has by far been the msot challenging part of the job for me. I start this weekend working Friday and Saturday nights again, and I am looking forward to getting back into our old routine and being home during the week with Ayden. Chris is loving working for Wal-Mart. It is very different from his last job and he is constantly learning new things, but he loves the challenge! Ayden has adapted amazingly well to the move and has loved spending time with everyone while being shuffled around the past few weeks!

Our house in Greenwood is still very much FOR SALE! It has been shown numerous times but it seems it is just over the price range that people are buying right now. We are considering putting it up for sale by owner so we can reduce the price significantly. Our real estate contract runs out in one month, so we'll see what happens...

As far as the holidays go, we are not coming to Mena for Thanksgiving because we both have to work the day/night after, but Ayden and I will be coming in for the entire week of Christmas and Chris will be joining us Christmas Eve. We can't wait to see everyone!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Fish face!

Today Ayden started making a "fish face". I have been showing him how to make the fish face (sucking in my cheeks and puckering my lips) when we read one of his books that has a goldfish in it for weeks now. Tonight I got a box of Goldfish crackers out of the pantry and showed him the box, asking if he was hungry, and he looked up at me and made a fish face! I didn't even say fish, just showed him the box... What a genius, I know :) So anyway, here is is the best attempt at the fish face I could catch on video! Stand by, he has a little fit at the beginning of the video...

Monday, November 3, 2008

Sweet snapshots from our day

Here are just a few pics of Ayden from today. They are not of anything special in particular, just precious moments I want to remember of when my little boy was still a baby...as he is growing up more and more each day...

Hiding behind the chair playing with mommy's notebook (a no-no)
Getting caught...
Too cute to scold!

Sweet little sleeper...





Saturday, November 1, 2008

Our little Monkey goes trick-or-treating!

This was Ayden's 1st Halloween to go trick-or-treating and it was so much fun! He made an absolutely adorable monkey! I am so glad I was able to bring him to Mena, he trick or treated all his grandparents and great-grandparents who were all thrilled to see him and loved his little costume. Although he is too young to remember this Halloween, we made some very sweet memories and the photos are priceless!

Trick or Treating Nanny, Mimi, and Aunt Freddie

How perfect that this little monkey LOVES bananas!




Grandma and Papaw's house
Tired little monkey



Great Grammie and Papaw's house




Ayden put 3 hats on Great-Papaw :)
Eating a yummy sucker at Papaw and Memaw's house!
Precious!









Visiting Papaw and Linda at the shop
More candy...