Morning Playtime With Carter

Is every mom as fascinated by their kids as I am by my son? He amazes me everyday with his smiles, giggles, and keen interest in simple objects that he notices for the first time. I am absolutely loving every moment. I captured a few moments of Carter's morning playtime to share with friends and family who don't get the opportunity to see him all that often. I'll try to add new video clips from time to time as Carter continues to grow and change.

Here you will see Carter hanging out in his highchair. We started placing him in it during meal times to get him used to it. Right now it's a great place for him to play while I eat breakfast and grab a cup of coffee. He enjoys sitting with me at the table and it makes for a fun interactive time together. You'll get a glimpse of his precious smiles and new babbling sounds. His newest sound is the "th, th, th" sound.

(Disclaimer to my friends from up north: My southern accent has become very thick in the two years that I've returned to TN. It's true that I am indeed a southern girl at heart.)

After making several failed attempts to post the video directly into my blog using the blogger video upload, I posted it on youtube with the link. If there's any special trick to posting a video using blogger that you'd like to share, please do. I'd love it to be a bit easier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmGMgLrDEkM

I have snuck onto my wives account and fixed her video issue. You should find the video below...JJ

The New Mr. and Mrs. Taylor

This past weekend we enjoyed celebrating the marriage of Ted and Marie Taylor. Marie is JJ's sister, who has truly become my sister too over the past eight years. We are also very excited to welcome Ted to the family. For those of you who've been around the two of them, you already know that Ted and Marie make a fantastic couple. We are thrilled for them as they begin their life together.

It was a joy and a privilege to be the Matron of Honor. Marie and I got to spend quite a bit of time together before the wedding. On Friday we went to a nail spa, then on Saturday, we went to the salon to get our hair styled for the wedding. It was fun just goofing off and hanging out together. Marie was calm, with a fun sense of humor the entire time. One of my favorite moments was right before the wedding as we were fastening her blusher veil in place. For those of us who have been "the bride," it was that excitement in the air that could be felt as she was dressed and ready to meet her groom down the isle. She was breathtaking! I really enjoyed getting to be a part of such a special moment.

You may be wondering, "Where was Carter during all of this?" While I was being pampered, Carter enjoyed some "man time" with his daddy and grandpa. My parents were a huge help before and during the wedding. Carter sat in the back of the church and was quickly rushed out when he began to fuss. He enjoyed visiting with many relatives and friends at the reception. When he finally reached his breaking point, my parents took him home and put him to bed. It was the first time he'd ever ridden in a car and put to bed without his parents present. He did great with my mom and dad and went right to sleep. We were so grateful for Mom and Dad's help so that JJ and I could focus on the wedding activities. I'm also proud of the way my son hung in there with the total loss of his regular schedule and all the extra attention from relatives and friends. He really is a wonderful baby and I'm so blessed.

The outfit that Carter is wearing in this picture was JJ's when he was Christened. I thought the wedding would be a neat occasion for him to wear it.

JJ was delegated the job of all the wedding photography. Taking pictures happens to be one of many hobbies that my husband enjoys. However, the pressure of doing his sister's wedding was a little nerve racking. He worked really hard on the night of the rehearsal to make sure lighting and positioning would be just right. I was so proud at how seriously he took his role. He looked like a professional! Having seen all the pictures, I was very impressed with the outcome. The pictures turned out beautifully! Once the bride has had a chance to view them, I'll try to post some of my favorites. JJ never ceases to amaze me.

Being the photographer, this was one of two shots that he was actually in, taken by the lovely bride herself.

Another neat part of the Taylor union is that now my friend, Cindy Taylor, is also now considered family. Cindy is married to Ted's brother, Mike. That makes us sisters-in-law-in-law. So I guess I can say we officially have family right here in Knoxville! I'm thrilled that Cindy and I are friends and family.

Cindy's son, Sam, was the Ring Bearer in the wedding. He did an outstanding job! Here's a pre-wedding photo of Sam and the Flower Girl, Emma.

The wedding was a beautiful event and we were so excited to be a part of it. Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Taylor. May God richly bless your new life together.

Firsts

There are so many "firsts" to experience as a four month old boy. JJ and I are enjoying every minute with our son as the world continues to open up in front of him. Sometimes I'd love to just freeze time and hold him just a little bit longer because I realize how much he's growing and changing so quickly. He's no longer my newborn baby. He's asserting his personality, showing his preferences, and observing everything. But, we are having so much fun watching him experience new things everyday.


Recently, Carter met his Great Grandma Blanton (my grandmother). He took his first trip out of state to South Carolina, where I grew up. It was also his first stay overnight in a hotel. Meeting my grandmother was very special. She just adored him and loved holding and kissing his feet.





We bought Carter an exersaucer that he immediately fell in love with. When I brought it home, you would have thought it was Christmas time. JJ and I were so excited to give him a new toy. We are impressed with how well he's figuring out how all the little gadgets work.






Carter experienced his first time in a swimming pool. After being completely slathered with spf 50, we slowly lowered him down into the water (caution: a baby covered in lotion is extremely slippery) . I was surprised at his reaction, since he's still apprehensive about bath time. He really enjoyed standing in the water. He seemed mesmerized by the color and the way it rippled around him. He didn't seem to mind the chilly water at all. When we tried to place him in his baby float (thank you Cindy!), we discovered that he's still a bit small. His little legs when straight out in front of him and he ended up on his back. Maybe by the end of the summer he can hang out in the float. Until then, it looks like we'll be spending most of our time on the pool steps.





Today Carter enjoyed his first trip to the zoo. We went with a friend of mine from college and her two baby boys. It was perfect weather and the animals were active and fun to observe. Of course, Carter is a bit too young to really enjoy the animals, but he loved riding around in his stroller experiencing new sights, sounds, and smells (some, not so pleasant). I think the zoo is quite a jewel right here in our own town.




There are many more "firsts" to come. I'm enjoying every minute!

Storms

We had a severe storm the other day that was one of the worst I've seen in a long while. Our weather radio had been going off all afternoon, but the warnings were for areas east of us, so I thought we were in the clear. I was talking on the cordless phone and bouncing Carter in my arms, trying to keep him occupied, as the weather radio continued to beep for what seemed like the hundredth time. The caller was a prospective teacher who was interviewing to take my position, so I quickly hit the alarm to turn it off and continued my conversation. I heard thunder in the distance, but had no idea of the ominous dark cloud that was slowly creeping over our neighborhood.

It wasn't long before the thunder became so loud and frequent that I was having trouble hearing the person on the phone. Then all of a sudden, there was a huge cracking sound, an instant boom, a quick blink of the lights, and the phone line went dead. Evidently the lightening had struck and traveled through our phone line because I felt a brief shock that ran into my ear and down my body. My ear was ringing, but other than that, everything seemed okay. Carter was pleasantly looking around the room as if nothing had happened.

Now that my phone conversation had been halted, I began walking around the house and looking out each window. The lightening was frequent and it seemed like it was zapping all around us, but that wasn't as troubling as the sound of the wind and hail pounding our house. Being from tornado country, I was very disturbed by the way the wind would gust in one direction, blowing the trees near the ground, then blowing with the same furry in the opposite direction. The dime sized hail looked as if it were coming down in sheets. The sound was deafening.

The intensity of the storm began to worry me as I witnessed tree branches floating down our street, so I took Carter to our "storm safety" room, which happens to be a hall bathroom in the center of our house. The storm seemed to last an eternity as I sat there and rocked Carter. As anxious as I felt, and with the violence of the storm swirling around us, it amazed me that Carter was perfectly relaxed, dozing in my arms.

As the wind and hail began to calm down a bit, I heard a dripping sound coming from the kitchen area. I assumed that the worst of the storm had passed, so I ventured out to find the source. I looked above our kitchen table and there was a line of water steadily coming from the ceiling. With Carter still dozing in my arms, I pulled out the biggest pots I could find and lined them up along the kitchen table. Water was even dripping through the light fixture.

Needless to say, this was one of the worst storms I had experienced in a long time. Once the television was up and running again, I flipped it on to see the radar picture of what had just hit us. The color on the radar was not red, which would indicate a severe storm. It was purple, meaning it was intensely severe (which I already knew). Besides the water damage, our phone and internet services were out for several days. A couple of our neighbors lost big trees and I witnessed several roofing guys out repairing roofing damages. I'm thankful that there were no major damages or injuries.

It later occurred to me that during the entire experience of the raging storm all around us, Carter never seemed disturbed or upset by the loud noises, or the fact that his mom was frantically pacing back and forth around the house. He was so relaxed that he drifted off to sleep! God used his example as an object lesson for me.

I pictured myself resting in the arms of God as the storms of life swirled all around me. It occurred to me that God desires that I trust in Him and give over my worries (big and small) to Him, and in turn, He will give me peace of mind during the tough times in life.

1Peter 5:6-7 says, "Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Lovin' Summer

Here's 10 good reasons why I love the summer season in TN.

1. Longer Daylight
2. The sweet smell of honeysuckle
3. Flip Flops
4. Reading a good book on the screened-in porch with a tall glass of ice tea
5. Fresh summer veggies
6. Trips to the mountains
7. Soaking in the sun by the pool
8. The care-free feeling that always accompanies this time of year
9. Grilling out
10. Enjoying the cool of the evening after a really hot day.

What do you enjoy about the summer season?

Need Any Help With Those Bags???

Carter is four months old and I'm just now getting to the point where I feel like I can go places with just the two of us without it being some major ordeal. Today was actually the first time I've attempted to take Carter to the grocery store with me. Usually JJ or I will go on a weekend while the other stays home with our little man. But, neither one of us likes to tackle the madness of grocery shopping on the weekends. Plus, our pantry and fridge were completely bare. So I figured today was as good as any to see how shopping with my little man would go.

I was pleased with how Carter behaved in the car, riding quietly in his car seat and checking out his cool hanging toys (as you some of you know, this is a major breakthrough). When we arrived at the store, I strapped him in a little jeep carrier that is worn like a front backpack.....very stylish might I add. I figured this was a great way to have plenty of room in the buggy, plus allowing me to be hands-free. This was the first time he was strapped facing outward, so he really seemed to enjoy being able to see all the colorful stuff. I ended up buying a ton of groceries, completely filling the cart to the point that it was difficult to push. Carter was fantastic the entire time. We proceeded to the check out and one of the young employees began unloading my stuff onto the belt. I was thrilled to just stand there and watch someone else unload my huge grocery pile! Then, I was asked if I needed help out to my car. I've never actually taken them up on that offer until today. It was so nice to have someone else load my car. This may sound silly, but I felt totally pampered! I gave the girl a few bucks for her help and was on my way. I think it was the most enjoyable grocery trip I've ever had. I'll probably never go back to loading my own groceries!

A New Blogger

Hello friends! Here I am! I'm finally joining the blogging world. This could get dangerous since my mind is filled with all kinds of nonsense. But maybe I'll surprise you with a pithy word or two now and then. I've always enjoyed writing, yet I don't do it frequently enough. Maybe this is the outlet I need to get the pen rolling, so to speak. Sometimes I wonder if I have anything to say that would be worth a moment of your time. My life is pretty simple, yet it has dramatically changed in recent months with the birth of my son. I am learning some of the most profound life lessons in the simplest of moments. It's the day-to-day that life is made of. I hope to capture some of those moments here.