Carson goes to A&M

This past weekend we took our first road trip as a family! We went to our old stomping grounds, Texas A&M. It was Carson's first trip there (outside of the belly) and it was really sweet to take him around to special places on campus. We even took him to some spots where I had bridal pictures taken. I thought that was pretty neat!





Bridal shots and pictures with the baby in the same spot on campus!

Felt Flower Tutorial #1

I've been making tons of crafts lately for Christmas...many include little felt flowers. Here's my first of several tutorials on how to make them! I think that you will find the pictures to be more helpful than my written directions.

This one is like a poinsettia or something...I also made one using the same technique with rounded petals.

Cut out 5 petals.

Sew one stitch through the bottom of each one, stringing them together.
Be sure to sew each the same way.

Scrunch the petals together and pull string into a loop. Tie in a knot and trim string.

Spread out petals into flower shape.

Attach to something like a wreath, head band, barrette, packages, etc...

9 Years Ago...

9 years ago today Ross asked me to be his girlfriend! We were juniors in high school. Here's our first picture ever taken together! We are in Mrs. Cook's history class.


(and a few other high school ones thrown in for good measure. They are all scans...sorry they're so scratchy looking.)

*Jr. Prom*

*Sr. Homecoming*

*Sr. Prom*

Blog worthy news!

Carson slept from 11-6 last night!
That is BY FAR the best night yet!!
Way to go, baby boy!

***sMiLe***

Happy Monday!


Love, Carson

2 Month Stats

I can't believe that our baby boy is 2 months already! He had his 2 month check up and shots (eek!) this week. Here's the rundown.


-13.4 pounds, 75-90th percentile
-24 inches long, 90th percentile
-lots of smiles and laughs
-cooing and making cute baby sounds
-tracks movements like a pro
-starting to grab things
-sucking on hands
-sticking tongue in and out, in and out
-loves to sneeze :)
-pretty good head control


-likes: laying on his changing table, holding Daddy's thumbs, car rides, mobile, blowing air on his face, swing, vibrating chair, walks, baths
-dislikes: tummy time and gas...that's all we can come up with!

Here's a little video of him laughing and cooing on his changing table. It's his favorite place!

Under construction

I'm messing around with new templates and backgrounds...
My apologies if it gets all messed up.
Recommendations for good background sites?
(besides shabby blogs and cutest blog on the block)

Words

James 1:26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

Lately I have been contemplating my use of language. I mean, I hardly ever, ever, say "bad words" and when I do, I immediately regret it. I instead, use my "Baptist curse words" to release frustration. These include: crap, sucks, pissed...you know...the ones that you can get away with saying with your youth group friends. I mean, most people (except for my mother) wouldn't consider those bad words and...by the world's standards, they are totally fine! The thing is, as a believer, I am not called to live by the world's standards. I am called to live by a higher standard, a standard set by Jesus...and frankly, I just can't see him walking around saying any of those words so, I'm thinking that I shouldn't say them either...I'm committing to work on it because I think that a pure tongue is a resemblance of a pure heart, plain and simple.

*Family Pictures*

Our amazingly talented photographer friend, Leslie, came from California to take our family and baby pictures. Here are some of our favorites!

This is a love story.

Before Carson was born I had this vision of the love I would have for him. I expected them to place him on my chest and for me to be as full of love for him as I would ever be in my life. And I was...or so I thought. At that moment, full of tears and joy and pain and awe, I saw my sweet, precious baby boy and thought, "I could never love you anymore than I do now." You see, I thought that my love was complete, at 100%, but I was wrong.

As the days went on, I got concerned. I didn't feel like we were connecting as much as I expected us to. In hindsight, he was just in "newborn coma" and I was just plain exhausted. We didn't have time to connect. I mean, his eyes were hardly ever even open! But now, ooooh, but now...we are connected. We are like one.

It seems like each day I think, "I could never love you anymore than I do now." And then, the next day, I think the same thing and I just smile. I love him so much. I wish that there was a better way to say it because that doesn't seem to even scratch the surface of the feeling. This is a 100% unconditional, unselfish, unwavering kind of love. (wow- that sounded like a line from a country song) I mean, I love him when he's crying, screaming his head off with crocodile tears streaming down his round little cheeks. I love him when he's pooed half-way up his back side and barfed all over his carpet at 3am. I love him when he's sleeping and his tiny little chest rises and falls. I love him when we are in the bath and his eyes get wide when he feels the water. I love him when he is on his changing table, cooing and laughing and smiling. I even love him when he's screaming at the top of his lunges in Target and people think I'm a horrible mom.

It is truly unfathomable how great my love is for this precious baby boy. My heart aches with how deep my concern is for him and it is just amazing how my love for him grows each and every day. I know that the Lord has given us, as parents, a never ending supply of love for our children. I know that, no matter what he does, I will never be able to love him less. (I may not like him for the moment, but that's another story.) I am thankful for the ability to love. I am thankful for the chance to be a mother. I am thankful for our son.

And, you know what I'm excited about? I'm excited for when he reciprocates...for that hug or kiss or "I love you." I mean, wow. What a day that will be! But for now, each little smile is enough for me to know that he loves me too.