Lovin' From Aunt Lauren

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Things are crazy.
I promise to be a better blogger!

Uncle Clay's Buddy

EC sure loves spending time with his Uncle Clay. They talk and talk and talk. They play so much and he makes EC giggle by saying silly things like, "LIZARD! LIZARD! LIZARD!" Uncle Clay is such a nut, but that is why EC loves him so much!

WW - Lazyboys

For more Wordless Wednesday, hop over to 5 Minutes For Mom.

Mother's Day Bouquet

With a little help from Granddaddy, EC picked me a flower on Mother's Day morning...

...but it took a lot of willpower not to eat it before he gave it to me!

Luther Lake

Green Thumb?

EC loved helping Daddy with the garden. He sat in the shade and told Daddy where to plant each row.

Living Above Worry and Stress

I know that I haven’t posted in a while. First let me apologize and state for the record that it is completely my fault. Second, let me state that stay-at-home-moms ROCK! How in the world do you do this ALL THE TIME???? Don’t get me wrong, I love my kid….but really, how do you get anything done?? I set out my goals for the day and I am lucky to accomplish a few of them, and they need to be done again by the afternoon.

Anyway, I guess that the reason for the absence is the elephant in the room. Some of you already know that I was downsized from my job a little over a week ago. I was pretty downhearted, since Birddog was laid off back in November and still has not found a full time position. My purse strings were already tight, but I think we will be okay.

The good thing is, I have already had two interviews and already have two others scheduled. It actually feels pretty good to be away from my other job, a relief that I was not expecting. I am exciting about the prospects of another position. One interviewer actually said, “Wow, your employer had you for a bargain, didn’t they?” My answer……”YES! Yes they did……I am worth WAY more than what they were paying me!” Let’s just hope that I get THAT job! Everyone put on your prayer bonnet and do a lucky dance for me.

On top of that, Birddog has some medical issues that we are working through. He had an MRI this morning and we should find out the results early next week. There are two scenarios that we are worried about: either this is something that the doctors should have caught during is back surgery a year ago, or the doctors caused this illness by doing the back surgery. All prayers are appreciated.

How much stress can I handle? Apparently a lot. To tell the truth, I am really pretty calm. Crazy calm, not nervous at all. I guess because one of the ladies in my small group told me that if I am going to pray about things, not to worry about them. If I am going to worry about them, don’t pray. I have been praying and it is working!

Speaking of my small group, one of the group leaders stepped down and guess who stepped up? Yep, I am leading a small group! Poor Kyle is waiting for me to turn into a missionary any day now. Anyway, the first study that I am leading is a study called Living Above Worry and Stress….I think that I am well qualified! Sign-ups are at church tomorrow, so be looking for the nervous girl that hopes people join her club! Haha!

I promise that I will post more EC pictures coming soon. I know that the majority of the people who read this blog don’t care much about my life since EC came along…..all they want to see are pictures of my child. I went from being Ladybird to being EC’s mom in two seconds flat.

Hope Now

I meant to post this much earlier in the week, but I got distracted (more on that later). Anyway, there is a new series starting tomorrow at church and I am super-excited about it. Check out the promo!

After my distraction, I really need this series.

Mommy Of The Year Award

I have been awarded with The Mom of the Year Award by Mommy of M’s. I am super-excited, as this is only my second award! Hop on over to her blog, because she is an awesome mom too!

Rules for Mom of the Year Award:

(1) Admit one thing you feel awful about involving being a mom. Get it off your shoulders. Once you've written it down, you are No Longer allowed to feel bad. It's over with, it's in the past. Remember, you're a good mom!

Ok, let me get on my soapbox then! I hate that I ‘beat myself up’ over statements that other people say about the way that I am raising my child.

Don’t get me wrong, I think that I am doing a good job of raising my son. I also understand that I am not a by-the-book mother and that some people will never understand that. I just should not be judged because I am not raising my child the way that you raise/raised yours.

I hate that I lie in bed at night and let those comments and questions eat at me. I hate that other people make me second guess if I am a good mother. I hate that I am concerned about what other people think of me as a mother. And most of all, I hate that I don’t stand up for myself more and tell everyone how their comments make me feel.

The important thing is that EC is happy, he is healthy and I could not ask for more. I can’t be doing that bad of a job, can I?

(2) Remind yourself you are a good mom, list seven things you love about your kids, you love doing with your kids, or that your kids love about you. These are the things to remind yourself everyday that you Rock!

I love that EC is a total ham. He loves to smile and he lights up a room. He was even laughing in his sleep the other night….that is one happy baby!

I love that EC does not cry when he wakes up in the mornings. He babbles to himself and it is adorable to hear. I sometimes lie in bed and listen through the monitor for a while.

I love how EC smiles when I pick him up from the babysitter. His smile, because he recognizes me, can melt away the worst of days.

I love to practice crawling with EC. Since he HATES tummy-time, we have been practicing together. He gets the giggles and it is so much fun.

I love that he has his daddy’s dimple chin.

I love EC’s snuggles when he is sleepy. I love how he buries his head into my neck and grabs my arm. I love his fuzzy hair tickling my chin and his baby breath on my
shoulder.

I love his giggle. I can think of no sweeter sound.

(3) Send this to five other Mom's Of The Year that deserve credit for being great moms and remind them that they are the best moms they can be!! Remember to send them a note to let them know you've selected them, and add a link to the person who nominated you.

Shortymom – for keeping up with her three kids. I have no clue how she does it sometimes!

Itty Bitty Bits Of Me – for raising her girls with a believer’s heart. Plus, her kids say the cutest things!

A Little Crazy & A Lot Of Love – for capturing such wonderful photographs of everyday brotherly love.

Brandi & Boys – I love the adventures of her kiddos. I think that Tee-ball season is going to produce some wonderful blog-worthy stories.

At Shore’s End – she is a SAHM that lives on the beach. [insert jealousy here] Plus she is expecting baby number two and I am excited for her.

Just A Swingin'

I am blessed beyond measure to have a GREAT babysitter for EC. I was so worried about putting him into a daycare. While I was pregnant, a friend and neighbor asked if she could keep him when I went back to work. Um, YES!

In the past two weeks, EC has gone on several play dates, he took his first trip to Chuck E. Cheese and has had a bunch of lunches at the elementary school cafeteria. Last week, he went on a 1st grade field trip to the library, which she said that he loved.

Today, he went on another field trip with the first graders to Montgomery Bell State Park. My babysitter sent me this picture to my phone. Looks like he is having a great time!

Sunday Best

EC and I ventured to Kentucky this past weekend. As usual, I forgot my camera. But I snapped this shot with my cell phone before we went to church on Sunday morning.

TWT - Four Years Of Love

A Thousand Words Thursday is the brainchild of Cheaper Than Therapy. I love that she got the idea from her screensaver. I have the same setting on my computer and can sit for hours just watching the pictures tell little stories in my head.

To participate, you are supposed to choose a picture that is powerful, that expresses emotion and speaks volumes. Today, of all days, I couldn’t pick just one picture. Today is our fourth wedding anniversary. We had so many wonderful pictures from our wedding and they are some of my favorites to see on my screensaver. So instead of posting just one, I picked some of my favorites and put them in a slideshow.

Happy Anniversary Birddog! I love you more than I could ever express in a thousand words!

If you want to see the pictures without the slideshow, go HERE.

For more Thousand Word Thursday posts, hop over to

Cheaper Than Therapy!

Month Seven

Dear EC,

Today you turn seven months old. It is so hard to believe that my lil’ punkin’ baby has grown so much! It seems like you learn or do something new every day. Maybe I should write these letters by week instead of by month.

Talking has become your newest trick. You have really discovered your voice this month and are using it to your advantage! Your favorite word is, “Dadadadada! Daaa! Daaa!” I have really worked with you on the “mama” sound, but you prefer to say “dadada” more than anything else. Your father thinks this is wonderful! Whenever you are really tired or sometimes when you cry, the “mama” sound really starts being more predominant. These are not the only sounds that you make though. You can really carry on a great conversation now by combining your vowels and consonants. Sometimes you talk really softly and then raise your voice really high. You make great eye contact and it seems like you are really trying to tell us something wonderful. You particularly enjoy talking to the cat, even though she stares at you like you are crazy.

The picture above is probably not the best picture, but I love the way that you are cutting your eyes. Your daddy does this all the time and I am sure it is a habit that you have picked up from him. The eye-cut is usually accompanied by a mischievous smile, also a trait that you have picked up from your father.

You looooove to play in your excersaucer. You have really learned so much about the toys on it this month. At first, you were just interested in chewing on everything. Then you discovered that some of these things MAKE NOISE!!! SOUNDS!!! Now you hit the buttons and spin the spinners with such vigor….and then look up and smile at us like “Do you hear that? That noise? I MADE that noise! Here, let me show you again!”

I am pretty sure that Daddy is teaching you an Allman Brothers’ song.

You love any noise, but you especially love music. Any time that music comes on the television or radio, you really pay attention. You love to watch American Idol and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and stop and stare at the television when a song is playing. You especially like jam sessions with your Daddy! He plays the guitar and sometimes you even sing along. He is getting much better at songs that are more age-appropriate for you, like the alphabet song or the puppy-in-the-window song. This is a huge improvement over the beer drinking songs that he had been singing to you.

Touch has become a fun thing for you too. Not only do you reach and grab items, but you stop to feel them now too. Well, at least before you put them in your mouth. You stroke my sweaters, caress my hair and pat your toys. You giggle with your whole body when you feel of Daddy’s prickly hair. One of your favorite books is one that Uncle Clay and Aunt Lauren gave you about animal tails. You especially like the fuzzy tiger tail and run your hand across many times before you try to fit the entire book in your mouth.

You reach to touch everything now….including the camera.

You also celebrated your first Easter this month. I told you the wonderful truth of how Jesus died on the cross and arose, so that you may be the wonderful person that God designed you to be. I told you of what a priceless gift that you are and that you are truly a gift from God. Well, I tell you that every day, but I told you a BUNCH on Easter. I know that you are too young to understand that right now, but I look forward to celebrating the many Easters to come.

EC, you are absolutely amazing in every single way. It is like I am relearning the world with you at each step. You teach me the wonders of small things. I can’t wait to run home to you every afternoon to see what we are going to learn today. Now, if you could only master that “mamama” sound for me.

I love you forever,
Mommy

WW - Play Time with Daddy and Elwood

For more Wordless Wednesday, hop over the 5 Minutes For Mom!

Happy Birthday Birddog!!!

Today is Birddog's 39th birthday! (Gasp! Next year is going to be lots of fun!)

We celebrated this weekend by doing lots of fun stuff. EC rode with Daddy on his lawn tractor ("It is NOT a mower!") on Saturday. Then we went to Cross Point in Nashville and then on to dinner at one of his favorite places, Texas Roadhouse. EC celebrated by saying his name ALL. WEEKEND. LONG. "da da da da da daaa daaa daaa daaa!" (I will be so glad when the kid learns a new word. LOL!)

Happy Birthday Daddy! We love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck!