The Big One.

Yesterday was Little One's big birthday number 1! We are so blessed to have a community of friends and family who love us and love Little One. We celebrated big - Mr. Favorite got to use his oh-so-cool grill and had his friend, we'll call him Mr. Earthy-Biz until I can think of something better (He's very in-the-know on organic foods, etc. and has an incredibly sharp mind for business.), was able to bring his matching grill over to help with the food. We had steaks and chicken, grilled corn-on-the-cob, squash, and potatoes. So, so good! For the sweet I had cupcakes.

Here's a note-to-self regarding the danger of cupcakes vs. cake: If you have a cake, you're not as tempted to partake of the sweet before the party. With cupcakes, who will know if you eat one? There's little to no evidence! I wouldn't even let myself un-tape the box the cupcakes came in until just before the party. They smelled SO good even through the cardboard of the box!
On with the story... We gave everyone a chance to eat and then let Little One have his first real taste of sugar. He was too funny - he kind of acted like he wasn't sure it was ok and was very hesitant at first. Didn't take him long, though, before the whole thing disappeared.
Mom & Joy Lin (I told them it looked like Mom was resisting!)
Joe's neice, CurlyQ. So cute!
What joy to have my home filled with people I love.
Layla (Spanish for Granny) was loving the cupcake time just as much as Little One!
By this time, Little One was through! He was so stinkin' tired!
And, he rarely just sits in a lap. This was a super tired Little One.
But, he must have gotten a second wind! He LOVED the balloons! (and, yes, this is the third wardrobe change! - a fourth to come)
This was too fun...
His face was too cute watching the balloons go. So sweet.
So, I think it may be appropriate now for Little One to be Big. He'll always be my sweet little boy, but as a mom, I know that he will only continue to grow and change. So, from here forward... (this is a little bit sad) Little One will be Big.

At Exactly the Right Time.

I just left Little One's room where he is still sleeping soundly. His little hands are tucked up under his chin and I am melted on the inside. The thought whipped through my mind that if I had known how sweet, how precious this motherhood thing was, that I would have done it years ago - and immediately I realized how untrue that was. You see, I am not the same person even that Mr. Favorite married six years ago. My heart has been transformed over and over into a generous and kind one that wears the cloak of motherhood well. Years ago, this person would not have made as good of a mother and would not have been so patient and would not have understood just how powerful peace is in the making of a home. I love my sweet little life and understand that God gave me this gift of motherhood through the birth of Little One at exactly the right time.

Edited to add: Oh! I just noticed that I have a new follower! Welcome AvonLady! I think you're my first follower who I don't actually know in real life! I feel honored to have you along for the ride. And to those of you who have said, "Oh, I read your blog all the time" and are still not following, why not click a few links and make my day?! I'm SO not about manipulation, though, so if you're feeling that way, don't. It certainly isn't intended!

A Name for Little, Too.

This whole pregnancy, I've just been undone over not having a name for this precious life. On here, he is Little, Too because just like Little One, he is also little... Not sure what I'll do when the next little life comes along... Maybe Little Also. :) Just kidding... Anyway, Mr. Favorite and I've been thinking of a certain name for a while and it seems to be sticking. (Funny - Pandora is playing the song Name by the Goo Goo Dolls as I compose this blog post.) In fact, I've been calling him by this name for a week or so and even when I talk to Little One about his baby brother, I use that name. I'm pleased. It isn't a traditional name, but it isn't so weird that he'll be made fun of in elementary school (for that anyway). It's meaning is "church official" which is cool with me - given my bloodline and all. And his middle name will be my father's name. I am honored to use his name...

I'm still sad sometimes that I can't (or won't) use my brother's name. Mr. Favorite just happens to have a brother by the same name and I imagine having to explain to my baby that no, he's not named after that Joshua, but after my deceased brother - who was so great. Anyway... just another sad little spot in this journey of family.

A Little Momentum.

Little One started walking at 9 1/2 months. He's now 11 months and thinks he can run. It's just fun watching him explore and be all boy. I'm going to let my lazy self off the hook on writing today and just post cute pics of Little One. It is my blog and all.
He has great taste in movies:
Gotta go:

The Sweet Life.

I'm glad to report that I've not been blogging for a good reason... I've actually been out doing fun stuff, but I took my little camera along for most of it, so here goes:

Date Night with the Boys...
Mr. Favorite and I both like going somewhere, doing something on Friday nights. It helps to make our weekends feel longer. So, last Friday night we took Little One out on our date night. Lots of fun to have him with us. He's such a good sport. We had dinner at Carrabba's - one of our faves - and then went to Kohl's because my little guy is growing like nobody's business and I can't seem to keep up with laundry fast enough for him to not grow out of something before I get it cleaned. I'm only kidding a little bit. It's crazy.
Then, we got to go to my very favorite of all time sno-cone place... Oh, goodness. It is a good thing it isn't convenient to go there. The guy who owns and runs the sno shack is obviously gifted for business. He probably is already, but if not, he's going to be very, very rich someday... and he's just a nice guy.
See me with my oh-so-happy-that-I-got-to-have-a-sno-cone face?
And, then, Saturday we went to my school's graduation - I say "my school" because not only did I spend from 4th grade through my own graduation there, but I also went back and taught for 4 years there before having Little One. Just before we found out that Little Too was on his way, Mr. 80'sRock asked me to consider teaching again next year. I was flattered frankly. It's nice to feel like I would be welcomed back. If you've ever wondered what someone thought of your job performance, I think being asked to come back would kind of answer that for you. :) Anyway, since Little Too will arrive in October, it isn't going to work this year. Oh, I guess I got sidetracked here - I'm just noticing that the pic below was supposed to remind me that I was going to mention that this fabulous chica was the only, yes only, girl in the graduating class at our school this year. I think there has got to be some kind of reward for putting up with those boys and still being a very sweet, very kind person at the end. Yea, Miss M!
Whew... we're about to get there folks... stay with me...

On Sunday, after Mr. Fave had to go work on football stuff, I decided to run out to Mom & Dad's just to have something to do. Dad took Little One out to "lock up" and just moments later I look out the window to see Dad driving the tractor. I just thought this was too fun... I love, love, love that Little One has my dad for a grandpa. These pictures represent to me just the beginning of the fun times they've got ahead of them. Makes me a little emotional thinking of just how loved my Little One and Too really are.
And, lastly... Yesterday was the season finale of 24. Our regulars were gathered, minus 2, and we just kept thinking that something was bound to happen... really, surely this can't be it... well, with just 4 minutes to go in the show, the DVR in the living room stopped. AUGH! My mom came to the rescue and was able to get to the last few minutes on the DVR in their bedroom... So, we all gathered in there, again, thinking surely SOMETHING would happen. No. No. No. It was one big dud. It felt like when I was in school and would realize I had written enough to satisfy the requirements of the assignment and I would just end it. It was that lame. So, so very lame. But here we are just before realizing just how lame it really was:

Mother's Day Weekend

So (do I start every one of my blog posts with, "So,"?) This was a fun weekend for me. In spite of my social issues, I made myself go to a long-time friend's graduation party. I'm such a weenie about going places where I don't know anyone, but this friend has repeatedly invited me over the years to different things and so I made myself go. I really am impressed with her for completing this goal. Yea, Mel! Ok... so for the part that feeds my social anxieties: I was the very first to show up at this stranger's (even if she did turn out to be very sweet) home. I stood on the porch for what seemed to be a very long time. I kept saying, "Hello?" in my most non-threatening voice I could manage, but still... nothing. After a while I could see someone in the backyard, but since I didn't know for sure I was at the right place or whose home this was, I couldn't just go in. I just stood there waiting until finally Mel's sister drove up. Yea for blog pics so that I would be sure to recognize Mel's sister. Anyway, it turned out to be a great time. I'm genuinely jealous of Mel and the friends with whom she's surrounded herself. They were all so warm and welcoming. How does one re-create that? Here's a pic of me and Mel - carefully cropped. :)

Now, after just a while at Mel's party, I left to go see my mom and some other friends complete the Full Moon Run. I told my mom that it always makes me feel emotional - like I'm fighting tears - because I'm so proud of her and frankly all these people who go out and run like this. Standing there, I kept thinking that I want to CHANGE so that Little One and Little Too grow up with a different attitude about being active and food. Yesterday's message at church was not about this at all, but you know sometimes God speaks into our hearts what we need to hear. I heard that what I model and display for my kids is what they're going to mimic. If I want children who are healthy, I'm going to have to display something entirely different. I feel like God says it isn't too late.
Here I am with Mom and Dad.
And, here I am with A. A is a dear friend who I count as sister.
And, here's the whole group. The lady in purple, standing next to my mom on the far left, just started running last week - actually only ran two times - and then ran this race. SO impressive to me. The hot blonde chick in white (center right) beat my pastor's race time, so it is ON. There was some talk about that info sneaking into the announcements yesterday at church. :)
And all that was just Saturday night!
Here begins my first Mothers Day morning (I love it that he has his little knees drawn up under him so that his bottom sticks up):
And the first thing that happens every morning - the sweetest moments of my day:
Then, Mr. Favorite came in the room and asked if I wanted my Mothers Day gift right then. Of course! It was so sweet. Mr. Favorite started a video of Little One in just his diaper sitting in our whirlpool tub. While I was gone to all my Saturday night activities, they had a big time creating something special for me. The video shows a blank canvas and then for the next 10 minutes, there's the sweetest little boy and four tubs of finger paint creating a Mothers Day gift. He ate only a little bit of the paint. :) Here's Little One with his creation:And a closer photo:
And lastly, crack me up if my mom didn't have a card for me that totally proved my last little post I Watch Entirely Too Much TV! The card has a little girl on the front who is wearing underwear on her head. The first line of my mom's note to me references the movie Raising Arizona when Nick Cage's character goes in a store to steal diapers and is using pantyhose on his head for a disguise. The man behind the counter says, "Son, you got a panty on your head." We thought this line was so stinkin' funny and it - believe it or not - actually does come up occasionally in conversation! I'm cracking up because I know my mom hasn't seen my post and here she's proven my point!

A Week.

So, every time I think I should sit down and blog (because I know you're all wondering "Why don't she write?" - a reference to the movie Dances with Wolves) I am just a little stuck. I've actually been really blessed with photography and design work, so that's a plus, but that isn't really the reason I've not had anything to say.... I think I've just got a lot going on in my head. We'll start here:

Last weekend was the ladies retreat that my church puts on each year. What a refreshing time. It was just overnight, but it was exactly the right amount for me. I don't really do well with girly things and feel out-of-place, but somehow I did just fine. I didn't feel obligated to participate in the games after a while and just enjoyed visiting with people I don't often get the opportunity to sit and chat with.

Ok... then there has been the photography appointments. This is still so fun for me. I've had families, seniors, sports teams, and it does my body good to get out and meet people and frankly just enjoy being outside.

Then, there is the neighborhood-wide garage sale this weekend. Garage sales aren't my thing. I've never had one at my home, so it is a little overwhelming to me. Mr. Favorite said he's still feeling pain from the last time I put stuff in a garage sale our friends were having... He says he is still sick about all that perfectly good stuff that I sold. When I asked him what was particularly painful, he could remember only the Pampered Chef pizza baking stone (that was used at the most twice since we'd been married). Funny - I had no idea.... So, today is the day that I've got to get my rear in gear and get that stuff together.

On the graphic design stuff... I've got 4 or 5 projects for my church going (my favorite client) and another one that has been shoved behind the stove (no where near the back burner, if I'm honest) and I'm not sure how much longer her patience will hold. She said there was no rush, but I know her better than that.

Oh! And in Little One news, he's walking... Yes, that's right... The boy is all of 9 months and 2 weeks when he decides to take his first steps to get something his daddy has. It is so stinkin' cute, but I'm feeling so round and slow in my almost 4th month of pregnancy, that I'm wondering if it is a good idea to encourage this behavior. I can almost keep up with him when he's crawling (he's SUPER fast!).

And, lastly... I have come to love this scripture. My friend, K, has it on her wall in her oh-so-fabulous crafting room:
Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. Acts 17:24

I love that in his design, he created this place so that we've got all the time and space we need for living... and not just painfully groping around to find our way, but the true life that is found in being a friend of God. He was purposeful in his creating... He had you in mind when he did it... before the foundations of the world were set, you were in his heart. He had settled on you as the object of his affection. In whatever you're experiencing today, his heart breaks with yours, he rejoices with you and he desires to be your calming peace. He is right there. Right there with you.

Easter Rides Again.

So, most of you were good bloggers and have already blogged about your Easter. Well, that didn't quite make it to my list of things to do yesterday, so here it is today.

Lunch went well. (A couple photos to prove it):I made brown sugar, honey ham steaks (so good), green bean bundles, and two kinds of potatoes. JL brought yummy rolls, and Mom brought green bean casserole and peach cobbler. There are things I'll do differently next year (do you hear that I'll actually do it again?!), but it was great overall. I'm all of 32 years old now, so I guess it is ok if I have grown-up things under my belt at this point, but I still have to conquer my fear of sucking at cooking. Funny thing is that even my dad - actually he was the very first to comment on how good the ham was. He just doesn't do that... Here are a few more pics. Little One was so stinkin' cute that day. Such a delight.And one more... (And, by the way... I made this new springy background all by myself in Photoshop. Certainly not what I should be spending time on, but fun, nonetheless!)

Healthful Choices.

I'm just wondering...


Is it still "Healthy Choice" if after eating one, I wanted another?


And here's the reason Little One still eats his organic baby food and I haven't started him on food from the table - we continue to make poor choices.
It's just not pretty.

Paparazzi.

Little One was supposed to be getting his pajamas on when I snapped a few shots of his little self in just a diaper and socks. He gave me a couple poses that looked like paparazzi shots I've seen.