just a few of my FAVS

I was just looking back through some old blog posts for fun, and thought I should do a birth, 3 month, 6 month and 9 month picture.  I can't believe soon enough we'll be planning his 1st birthday party.  Get ready. haha, I hope I will be!!  I love these pictures.  LOVE.  Eventhough they may not be the best way to see the change over time, they are my favorites.  I hope you enjoy them even a fraction of how much I do.

Birth. January 13, 2010

3 Months.  April 13, 2010

6 Months.  July 13, 2010

9 Months.  October 13, 2010

I'll say it again, I don't get tired of it...

I've said it before, I'll say it again. james loves wheels.

My boy can't get enough of his wheels. or other people's wheels for that matter. We go to the play ground and he wants to play with everyone else's stroller wheels too.  I can seriously put him down on the floor to play with his little scooter for close to 5 min.  In baby time, that's forever.

but what will I wear...

Oh fall, how I love you.  I seriously adore being up in NC this year for fall.  Last year when we moved up, it was already cold and Matt had to rake the leaves every weekend.  Seriously, chest high piles of leaves every weekend though November.  But, this year its come a little gentler, more gradual.  We actually get to revel in the falling temperatures and see the colors change before we begin to curse the leaves falling. :-)

Best part of fall: Thanksgiving. But ok, now that I have James to dress up for Halloween, I guess I'll have to include it.  ps. when we take him trick or treating, who will eat his candy?? haha.  At least this year...

We have 3 costumes for James' first Halloween.  1. Dragon from Grammie  2. Bear from Mommy  3. Lion from Mimi

But what will I wear???

Fortunately, the decision was easy.  The Dragon costume (unfortunately) is just too small for James.  We took his picture early in it so that it would fit!  I wasn't sure he would squeeze in when it actually got to be Halloween.  The bear was what I wanted to buy.  I got it for a steal at the Pottery Barn kids, so I couldn't help myself.  Mommy gets to buy something, right??  The Lion is handmade- completely handmade- by my mother-in-law.  So, this is the one he's wearing.  1st Halloween is special.  I'm glad we'll remember it.  Pictures of the Lion soon to come...

Think Pink

My friend Meredith and I ran the Susan G. Komen 5k Race for a Cure last Saturday, and it was a perfect day for a race!!  It is a great cause, and the weather was awesome.  The downside: there were thousands of people there and it wasn't organized well at all.  I've never been to a race where I had to stand in 4 lines to pick up my race bib, my timing chip, and my t-shirt.  You heard right, 4 lines.  Anyways, I tried not to be a negative nancy about not even hearing the instructions for the race until the gun went off and people started moving.  haha, talk about a race to remember.  No time to be nervous!

Meredith and I at the start/finish line. :-)

My biggest fan cheering me on.  Love it.  Yes, this race actually ran past our house twice!!  How could I not participate?  It was kind of awesome; except for the fact that our house in on a monstrous hill.  All in all my goal was to come in under 30 min, and I came in right at 30:01 (I'm almost sure).  So, I call that success.  Not a bad improvement over April's 5k Fools for Fitness!  I had to walk a couple times in that one.

Yes, my boy is wearing a camo hat with his Gator track suit over his pjs.  :-)  My husband is the bomb.

Thrifty Saturday??

My friend Meredith from Living Simply puts up these posts on 'Thrifty Thursday'.  Now, I am not as thrifty as her, but I did find a great deal a a garage sale on my block!  I was pretty excited to find this little item, and as of now, we don't know what to call it.  It's not a bike, nor a tricycle.  No pedals, four wheels, steering bars, and a seat.  We have ended up with scooter. haha.  But for $5, we'll take it!!

My boy loves wheels.  He sits and plays with it upside down so he can spin the wheels.  Its fun to ride, but he'd rather just crawl all over it. :-)

a little overdue. 9 Months!!!

 So, I'm a slacker and wanted to catch up the blog with some other pictures before I set in to put together James' 9 month pictures.  (Actually, its probably that I've taken too many pictures, if that's possible.  I really don't put him in this outfit everyday.  Just he turned 9 months and had 2 playdates on the same day. whatev.)  He was SO HARD to photograph!  He literally almost fell off the couch I had been taking his picture on about 4 times.  Close calls: 2.  Had it under control: 2.  Hopefully I will get better when he can stand?? Does that sound crazy? haha.  Maybe just wishful thinking.  One of my favorites was a blur, but hey, I got a couple to represent anyway.

I really am getting more excited about his first birthday.  The older he's getting, the more I'm hoping to count my blessings because the time is going so fast.  He makes me want to have more! More babies isn't a bad idea. :-)

Big boy on his tippy toes!  Thankfully, he loves this part of the stairs at the bottom and not climbing the stairs themselves.  I know that day will come, but I'm enjoying not having the battle right now!

Just a little love from James. :-)

Oh snappy day...

Here is my favorite fall picture of James from this year.  I just love how the colors turned out and the expression on his face. Too bad I can't take some Halloween ones to enter! I'm pretty excited about those too. seriously. :-)

Playdates. Say hello to my little friends...

James has had so much fun this past week having friends over for little playdates.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself too; it is pretty fun to take a break from housework or the regular errands to have some adult conversation and another baby to entertain you and yours.  Always welcome!

James and Addison.  I just love her name!! I keep meeting all these little girls whose names I adore, and of course, we always joke about how they must be 'meant to be'.  Let's just get one thing out in the open: I may joke about my boy and his little girlfriends, but by golly, he'll know how to treat a lady.  None of this lots of girlfriends stuff.  I have confidence his Daddy will handle that.

Of course, let me just openly embrace the fact that it will be out of my hands I'm sure.  Lots of prayer needed. :-)  Overly protective mom?? Hopefully I will grow up as my boy does too.

Addison makes this hilarious face with her tongue out of her mouth like this.  It cracked me up!  What a little cheeser.

James got to hang out with Josiah this past week too.  Now, this one was more of a learning experience for James.  Josiah may still be bigger than James, and he may not be!  They are getting to be about the same size these days, but Josiah is definitely the most active of all James' friends and the ONLY boy!!  So these two roughed it out.  Started off with a slap to the face and chased each other through the house. By the end of the night Josiah had taught James to wave.  Too much fun.  He'll be back to go trick-or-treating with us!! :-)

Best toy in my house: dog kennel. Still reigns #1.  Look at these two: nobody had to teach them how to play 'king of the mountain.'  Josiah, you are too much fun.

 Boys will be boys.  Sidenote: we laughed about how they were dressed alike.  Almost like two little convicts when you add in the dog kennel. haha.  Thankfully, James is more polite with all his little girlfriends. :-)

Me and Dad, we hang out.

James and his Daddy, the hang out.

They have their snuggle time on the couch.

Dad teaching James some guitar.  I'm crossing my fingers that he learns to play one day.

Look at those little elbows up on the counter top.  Having a snack in Daddy's lap.  I love it.

How embarrassing. :-)

Stand on Grace - Jimmy Needham

In Jesus alone my atonement is known.  

I stand on grace.

In Jesus the king, my salvation he brings.  

I stand on grace.

And Jesus your grace, it's all that I need.

all that I need.

and grace upon grace, it's all that I breathe.

all that breathe.

This song has really humbled me lately, so I thought I would share. :-)

cutest pumpkin in the patch

My sweet in-laws visited us and insisted that we go get James a pumpkin.  How could we say no to that?? Normally, I like to wait and get one nice and fresh to carve for Halloween, but hey, who doesn't love pumpkin hunting? Not James; that's for sure.  We can't even go to the grocery store without him getting all excited about the pumpkin displays, but anyways...

The Proses :-)

My sweet pumpkin.  Number 1 thing we learned that day: James loves wagons. Seriously, he needs one for Christmas.  He was so cute; we didn't know if he would just topple out of it or not.  But, you can see, he held on with both his little hands and loved every minute of it.  Maybe we'll find a hot garage sale... :-)

James is a lucky boy to have such great grandparents.  Now, that is 'great' as in awesome, not as in an extra generation... haha.  I actually had a funny thought about that today.  For me to be a great grandparent, James will have to have a kid who has a kid.  Wow.  One day It will really blow my mind.

Our little family :-)

How blessed are we.

Holstein Cattle

My little cowboy. :-)

Holstein Cattle booties in honor of Richmond's Black and White Days.  The oldest Holstein cattle show west of the Mississippi!!  (Booties hand-made of felted wool by Farol Nelson, my sister's mother-in-law from Utah)

Matching hat made from baby Alpaca yarn.  How much fun have we had already?? I kind of can't wait to take him up to the slopes and put this hat on him.  It is just perfect for a hardcore snowboarder baby. haha

How much he has GROWN!

Hello!!

Hello Hello Hello. :-)

Orange Cat Photo, you've done it again.

I just got these back from Dana at Orange Cat Photo.  My little man was 7 months old. Man does time fly.  He'll be 9 months old this week!  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

are you seeing a common expression?  I have a happy boy.  :-)

My little Pumpkin

I guess I should post this: Lazy 5 Ranch.  There you go, now you may go as you please!  They are doing their fall festivities, but unfortunately, when we were there they had been rained out.  We wanted to do the giant pumpkin sling shot!  Oh well. haha.

But, we got some awesome pictures of our boy with the pumpkins.

yes, we bought this one.

James is a fan of pumpkins.  We can't even go in the grocery store without him spotting them and doing a little happy dance complete with some happy squeaks.  :-)  I can't wait for Halloween!!

I love my Daddy

My boy loved the Kangaroos.  They were probably his favorite animal of the whole trip.  Here are a few of him cracking up while he watched them bouncing around.  He had such a good time hanging out with his Dad.

Love Love Love the Kangaroo!!

Dad, I like your hat.

"I could sit here and watch these Kangaroos all day. What about you?"

Matt has been waiting for the chance to put James up on his shoulders.  Finally!  Our little boy is getting so big.

Neighborhood Animals??

More pictures from our visit to the Lazy 5 Ranch.  I got so many cute ones of James and all the animals he got to see for the 1st time.  We picked a good one I think for his first trip to the 'zoo'!!

"Yeah, I know there's a nose of some kind of Asain water buffalo over there. eh, whatev."

Happy boy.

Feeding the Giraffe.

Hanging out with the Rino.

"Dad, do you see that tongue??"

Talking Parrot!! Yes. :-)

Camels: not gonna lie; they're pretty gross.