361 days old

Things I Didn't Know a Year Ago

• I didn't know this much happiness.
• I didn't know you HAD to buckle boys into strollers or else they WILL climb out.
• I didn't know it was complete instinct for a boy to pick up a ball and hurl it across the room.
• I didn't know Julianna could have such a servant heart.
• I didn't know how difficult it could be to make a phone call.
• I didn't know I was going to have to learn to leave the house even earlier for every little appointment
• I didn't know I could bathe and put to bed two kids at once.
• I didn't know exactly how quickly I could run down the stairs.
• I didn't know I could miss my husband so much for so long.
• I didn't know boys really wouldn't sit still long enough for you to read them a book.
• I didn't know I could carry a purse, two bookbags, a diaper bag, three lunch boxes, two pairs of shoes, a newspaper, the mail, and a toddler all at once.
• I didn't know I could love two as much as one.

here comes the rooster

This reminds me of the fancy chickens I saw last week at the Dixie Classic.  The ones with the pouffy hair feathers.  Quite the similarity, don't you think?

360 days old

When Julianna turned one I did a series of posts celebrating her first year.  Now, my mama always said you can't always be fair because life's not fair so I know that my blog won't always celebrate my children equally.  That being said, you're going to be seeing a lot about Joshua over the next week and not a whole lot about Jules. 

Things I Love About Being a Mother:

• I love open mouthed baby kisses
• I love falling into bed at night and being so exhausted that I have no trouble going to sleep
• I love picking out clothes for the day since it's no longer fun to dress myself
• The pure joy you get over teaching your baby a new trick
• I love folding little baby socks
• I love pressing my cheek up against chubby baby cheeks
• I love having *certain* children's music playing in the car without passengers thinking I'm weird
• Before I had kids I didn't always know about free community events like I do now
• I have to admit that I love the precious, excited face I see when I come home from work
• I love pushing a stroller through the neighborhood
• I love knowing what my body is capable of
• I love how people out in public watch my children and smile

just the three of us

Last Saturday while Jonathan was at a car show in SC, I took Joshua to the doctor for his cough.  Turns out he has a double ear infection again.  The cough and drainage running down his throat caused an infection because of his immature ear tubes and now he's on amoxicillian.  I hope that clears it up.  He's been waking up from all the coughing for several weeks now.  He's been on the antibiotics since Saturday and he's already sleeping better even though he still has the cough.

Julianna had to get her flu shot that day as well.  As usual she took it like a champ.  Then she told everyone about it for the rest of the day.

After the doctor's office and Target run to pick up the meds, we went to Pump-It-Up so Jules could get some energy out.  It was a special glow-in-the-dark event there and they gave out glow necklaces to all the kids and turned the lights off.  She had fun but was certainly a little wary of the dark.  Funny girl can take a shot like an adult but gets scared in the dark. 

Then we stopped by the pumpkin patch at the Piedmont Triad Farmer's Market.  I got a few pictures but of course, Josh started playing peek-a-boo through one of the cut-outs and I couldn't ever get a picture with both kids looking through at the same time.

Apparently the pumpkin is more interesting than Mommy behind the camera.



This weekend is Joshua's first birthday party.  I cannot believe my little boy is already one.  Doesn't time go by about twenty times as fast with the second kid?

i remember

I fondly remember last year this time.  I am thankful to be on the other side of that now.  To have a rambunctious little boy to chase around and keep out of the fireplace, off the stairs, and out of the toilets.  To be planning a pirate party celebration and icing cupcakes on my day off.  And to only have aches and pains from pure exhaustion instead of from contractions, leg cramps, and walking... walking... walking...

Thank you, God for my baby boy.

the boy and the girl

Jules just before she turned one:

Josh just before he turns one:



Very different, yet eerily similar at the same time.

love my sweet little family

Many thanks to my SIL for the new pictures.