TEC.9 - to you from me

Oh sweet sweet baby boy. Nine months have come and gone. I see you coming to life more and more each day with your own independent squeals of excitement, your babbling, your demands for mommy. You have an affinity for Oscar and your big brother Grey which seem to grow each day along with your ability to imitate and stand on your own. 


You love your daddy and almost jump from my arms when he walks in the room. I love that he's the man that you will look up to and esteem because I am certain you will see Christ by watching him.

You continue to love to cuddle but typically only with mommy. I will take it as I know this time will soon pass. I love to rock you at night right before I lay you in your bed and kiss your cheeks as much as I possibly can. 

Your joy is no doubt contagious. I love to watch people as they notice you grinning from ear to ear at them. I receive many comments in the grocery store that you have made someone's day with your smile. You are a charmer as you charmed me from day one. I love this about you.

You constantly have to be in the know, watching and taking in everything around you. I often catch you peeking over a shoulder or around a chair with those big blue eyes taking in the world that surrounds you.

You are a lover of balls and cars. You would much rather push a car or truck all over the floor than sit and read a book. You continue to practice standing on your own and I'm afraid you may take off on those little feet sooner rather than later. Under the table is still your most favorite place to reside and play. You spend time cruising around the chairs and finding every tiny crumb you possibly can. I can foresee you loving even more being outside playing with trucks and in the sandbox.

To hear you laugh is the most precious and priceless sound. It comes provoked by a tickle on your thigh or under your ribs and unprovoked by watching Grey. I love it. 

I cannot imagine our lives without you. I praise God alone for your life that He has allowed Daddy and I to share in and guide you through. 

the storyteller

Grey could sit and listen to us read The Jesus Storybook Bible for at least 45 minutes at a time. We gave it to him last Easter knowing that he would grow into being able to sit and listen to the rather long "stories." Well, he has reached that point sooner than I thought and I am loving it. When Tucker goes down for his morning nap, Grey goes upstairs and gets his Bible. We snuggle on the couch and I read and read and read. 

Grey has always loved to be read to and can memorize the words quickly. He is very quick to correct ANY word that you may have confused. He is always very particular about which story we read and in what order. I pretty much always end up in tears from reading to him from the above mentioned Bible. It's simpleness of the TRUTH that gets me every time. It sparks really great conversation for us and I am able to use the "stories" (which I always stress to him, they are true) in our everyday life. What a blessing this Bible has been to us! 

Grey has started using his imagination more and more. I love watching it develop. One particular morning last week he was playing in our bathroom in the empty tub and acting out the story of Noah and mixed in a little Joshua and the Battle of Jericho. It was quite entertaining so I caught a little on camera. He was obviously very into the stories! 

I pray the truth of who God is in each story would take root in his heart and blossom into salvation one day. 

preparing to plant!

The warm weather took us outside to play and to work.

After dressing himself on Saturday morning, Grey wanted to go out and start digging. 

Just so I was clear about what exactly he was doing he kept reassuring me, "Mommy, I'm just doing my job."

Tucker also did his job. 

Cleaning up the yard, getting it ready to FINALLY plant some real grass, and being in the warm sun got me excited about all kinds of gardening. Saturday night I sat down to do some researching on gardening in different parts of our yard. I came across this awesome site that is really very helpful! Check it out and it may help you too in your spring fever state.

I cannot wait to get my hands in the dirt and watch God's beautiful creation bloom! Here's to spring! 

valentine number one

I had a cowboy for a valentine. He is so super cute. 

He loves to dance. and I love to dance with him.

I think the left over snow and the cowboy hat really made him jive. 

I loved spending the afternoon with him even if he did have ANOTHER fever.

My sweet sweet boy. 

He even bought me my favorite flower.

What a perfect little cowboy valentine!

the making of...

We had the privilege of having Haley come stay with us for the weekend. We gladly welcome her sweet self any time she needs a break from school. Grey adores Haley. He made her a very special Valentine and talked about her all week before she got here. We got to play in the snow and she helped build our snowman. 


Grey couldn't wait to make a snowman. We waited until late in the day so the snow would be a little more workable for this long awaited event.

Gathering up the bottom of the snowman.  Grey apparently needed a break to dive into some fresh snow. 

My very particular child likes to instruct everyone on the way things should be done. I believe he is saying here "Daddy, you have to pack the snow just like this."

Get it!! That's my husband.

Again, I'm sure Grey is instructing Haley on how to make the perfect snowman head. Thank goodness he let her help.

Lift!

An immediate love for the snowman developed. 

We scrounged around the garage to find eyes, a nose, a mouth, and buttons. I won't tell you what we used.

We asked Grey what we should name our snowman to which he enthusiastically replied "Haley!" So here's to Haley the snowman. She's STILL standing outside, a little weathered, but still there. He goes to the window every morning to make sure Haley the snowman has not melted yet. 
What a fun memory!

as usual

I took a ridiculous amount of pictures in the snow. here's a sampling. more on the making of our snowman in the next post. 

"super edited" grey with a snowball