One Year Old

Today you turn one years old and Momma cannot believe it! Each day that you have been in our lives has been one of the greatest blessings from God. Daddy and Mommy cannot imagine our lives without you and we are thankful for the opportunity to parent you. For your special day we went to Chick-fil-a and celebrated with one of your friends even letting you boys play in the play area after you ate lunch. When Daddy got home from work we ate your favorite dinner spaghetti and green beans and then Mommy made you some bananna pudding for dessert. Our little monkey still loves his banannas! We played outside, took a bath, read some stories, put you to bed and prayed over your little life and the years to come.

Reasons why I adore my son and milestones I want to remember:

~you are officially a toddler and no longer a baby

~you have been such a good boy playing by yourself often while Momma has been sick with the new baby:(

~you are learning to listen when we tell you not to climb the stairs

~you love playing with other children and look forward to our playdates

Stats from your doctor's appnt:

Weight- 23 lbs. 9 0z.

Length- 30 1/2 inches

Elijah,

Mommy and Daddy cannot believe their first-born son is one years old today! This past year has been filled with many joys, hard days, laughter, tears, new emotions experienced, and great pride. We are so thankful to Jesus for choosing us to be your parents and we are anxious to see how He will continue to allow us to help shape you into the man God created you to be. We desperately desire for you to believe the Gospel and to allow God's love to transform your heart. We are excited to keep living life with you sweet boy and see all the new things you will learn and accomplish this next year. Thank you for loving us and know our love is forever and we are here for you!

Love,

Mommy

Eleven Months

Elijah one month from today you will no longer be considered a baby but you will officially be a toddler. I am not sure Momma is ready for this transition. You are growing so big and strong and we see your personality coming out more and more each day. Daddy and Mommy love watching you learn new things, try different foods, figure out how to make a mess especially in the kitchen, and become more affectionate in your touches. This month was filled with many more firsts but the biggest news is that you are going to be a big brother!!! Mommy is pregnant and due sometime in the fall. We are so excited to see how you will watch over and love your little brother or sister one day soon.

Reasons why I adore my son and milestones I want to remember:

~Daddy had to install cabinet locks in the kitchen and bathroom to keep you safe since you are crawling everywhere

~Second flight to MD to visit Papa, Nana, Aunt Amy, G.G. and some of Mommy's friends you did great!

~1st time crawling up the stairs and so the instruction/ discipline begins:)

~Learning to communicate by pointing your finger

~Tooth #9 broke through and I did not even know because you were so brave

Stats from your doctor's appnt:

No doctor's appointment for you until you turn one!

Elijah,

Mommy and Daddy were so excited when they found out that you were going to be a big brother. We know that you will love your little sibling so well and enjoy playing with him/her in the days to come. You are growing up so fast and we cannot believe that you will be one next month! Watching you explore the world around you brings us much joy and we are anxious to keep teaching you new things. This month really started consistent discipline with teaching you not to climb past the landing. We have already seen your strong-willed personality and determination to do your own thing, but we are confident that God will give us the grace to parent you well and guide you through this life. Each day keeps getting better with you in it and we are thankful for your sweet smiles, tender hugs, and many other ways you communicate love to us.

Love,

Mommy



Ten Months

Elijah you just turned ten months old! This month has been filled with many firsts some of them not as fun as others. You cut teeth #'s 7 and 8 back to back and also had your first ear infection. On Christmas morning we found you sitting up in your crib for the first time and it was just a few days later that you learned to pull up and stand. The only problem is you have not figured out how to sit back down:) Next you took your first crawl at a friend's house and have been mobile ever since! When you look in the mirror you will say hi and wave to yourself it is so cute.

Reasons why I adore my son and milestones to remember:
~ you still love fruit but will eat almost anything we put in front of you
~ you enjoy nursing and Momma enjoys rocking and cuddling with you even if it is in the middle of the night
~you were a trooper and traveled to Lynchburg so Momma could finish up a grad class intensive
~ celebrating your first Christmas was priceless and we will remember it always
~hearing you constantly babble and say the word "bob" brings a smile to my face any time of the day

Stats from your doctor's appnt:
No doctor's appointment this month except for when you were sick with your ear infection.

Elijah,
This month was both so joyous yet so trying at different times. You came down with a bad ear infection one day before we were supposed to leave for Mommy's intensive in Lynchburg. Thankfully Nana was already planning on watching you and she did an amazing job nursing you back to health. Each night we were there was very rough for you and I felt so sorry that you could not get comfortable, sleep well, and wanted to eat constantly because of your antibiotic. I think you also just wanted some extra snuggle time with Momma since it was the first time we were apart all day! I will remember those sleepless nights and the grace of the Lord that brought us through that hard week. HIs strength alone carried both of us and I pray that you will come to know this personally very soon. I will always love you and strive to take care of you the best way I know how, but in the end I will fail often and the Lord's grace will have to cover me.
Love,
Mommy

Nine Months

Elijah you are nine months today! You have been a part of Daddy and Mommy's life for now 18 months (that is longer than just the time it was the two of us) but we would not change a thing:) This month you started table food and let me tell you I don't think there is anything that you have tried that you don't absolutely LOVE! You have been such a good boy while Daddy and Mommy finish out another semester of grad school. We are thankful that this holiday season we are able to slow down a little and enjoy the holidays through your precious eyes.

Reasons why I adore my son and milestones to remember:
~ you ate grilled chicken, string cheese, tortellini, applesauce, green beans, yogurt and mandarin oranges all for the 1st time
~celebrated your 1st Thanksgiving with Daddy, Mommy, and Aunt Kristen
~you are not a big fan of your winter coat but with weather in the 20's here in NC you have learned that bundling up is not an option
~started wearing 18 month footed pajamas to bed...Mommy just might have shed a tear that night
~enjoyed playing in your 1st snow
~survived teething pains and you now have 6 teeth

Stats from your doctor's appnt:
Weight- 21 lbs. 4 oz.
Length- 30 inches

Elijah,
Mommy cannot believe that she has a nine-month old son living in her house. That is crazy how fast nine months have flown by with you as our son. This month was especially fun because we were able to see you enjoy table foods like a big boy. Needless to say you have LOVED everything we have given you and are constantly asking for more. You are able to drink out of your sippy cup really well which is great. It has been really cold these past few weeks but you have learned that we must bundle you up if you still want to go for walks and be outside. Last weekend was your first chance to see snow and you tried to eat it of course:) We have really enjoyed watching you change before our eyes as you continue to mature and grow each day. You have had a few rough nights with teeth #'s 5 and 6 breaking through and have wanted to nurse in the middle of the night. Even though Mommy has been more tired she has enjoyed the sweet times with you comforting you and praying over you sweet boy. We continue to pray that God will be your one consuming passion and you will be saved at young age. We are excited to experience your first Christmas and teach you the importance of Jesus birth at Christmas time.

Love,
Mommy

Shutterfly Christmas!

I love Shutterfly! My mom first introduced me to Shutterfly after our wedding. We ordered pictures for the scrapbook that my mom compiled for us of the pre-wedding festivities, wedding day, and our honeymoon. I have never been disappointed with the quality of pictures, but have been so impressed with the wonderful website, fast delivery time, and overall awesomeness of this company. Last year we even ordered Elijah's birth announcements from Shutterfly. We received so many compliments and have since told several people about Shutterfly.

This year I told Jason that I really wanted to send out a Christmas card rather than write a letter like we have been doing. One because of the time factor with a 9 month old and finishing grad classes I don't have time to write a letter and two I thought it would be fun to let our family and friends see pictures of our ever-growing boy! So the hard part was narrowing down my selection and finally choosing the Christmas card that I thought would be perfect for our family.

Here is the link so you too can peruse awesome Christmas cards:
 http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards

And I will leave you with two of favorites that did not make the final cut:)
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/o-mod-tannenbaum-christmas-5x7-photo-card-5x7-photo?sortType=1&storeNode=93480

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/sharing-the-love-christmas-5x7-photo-card-5x7-photo?sortType=1&storeNode=93480

Shutterfly is AWESOME about giveaways and great promotions all year long so my vote is for you to choose Shutterfly as your one stop shop for Christmas cards and all other photo needs you may have!

And did I mention that just for doing this blog post I receive 50 free Christmas cards...can it get any better?
http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/

Eight Months

This month you are looking more like a little man than our baby. We are so in love you with Elijah and thankful that we get to be your parents. You have really taken a liking to solid foods and you are continuing to cut some more teeth to prove you are ready for table food.

Reasons why I adore my son and milestones I want to remember:
~you are growing so big, you don't fit in 9 month clothes anymore now you are wearing 12 months
~you decided that bottles are for babies and you prefer to nurse or drink from your sippy cup
~learned to give big, open-mouth kisses to Mommy and Daddy
~celebrated Halloween as the cutest dragon ever at a friend's church fall festival and trick or treating
~learned to sit-up and started pulling on the crib so we had to lower your crib to keep you safe
~said "da-da" for the first time

Another month of no doctor's appointments but Mommy can tell you are continuing to put on the pounds as her arm gets tired easier carrying you around:)

Elijah,
Each month as you grow bigger and continue to discover the world around you we are amazed at the gift God gave us. We love being your parents and having the extreme privilege to care for you each day. There is no doubt that you are a talker from the time your eyes open up in the morning you start talking to your animals in the crib and then when you see Daddy or Mommy you squeal in delight. Sometimes we have to remind you to use your indoor voice because you get excited very easily. You loved your dragon costume for Halloween and had a fun time at the church fall festival and trick or treating. This month you have been such a good eater and sleeper and this has made the days so much fun! We love every day that we have with you and are thankful to experience life as a family of three. Mommy cannot believe you are 8 months old and hardly my little baby anymore. But I also love the independence you are gaining and am excited to continue to have the first row seat as you grow into a little boy. I love you son!

Love,
Mommy

Halloween

Saturday night we were invited to join our dear friends and neighbors the Rainers out at their church in Zebulon. We had a great evening filled with food, hayrides, a train ride, bounce house, and lots of fun! Elijah was a dragon and thoroughly enjoyed his costume and everyone telling him how cute he was.

Rachel with Canon the lion and Robin with Elijah the dragon

  Here he is smiling big with his Grandma when we first arrived at the church!

 

 Daddy said I was the happiest, smiling dragon he ever did see:)

 Look at me, I'm the first dragon wearing glasses that Grandpa let me borrow 



Sunday we were invited to trick or treat with Elliot and his mom on North Main Street in Downtown Wake Forest. Aunt Kristen was able to join us later on and we met lots of people that we knew while we were out and about. Here is one picture of Charlie Brown and the dragon along with their Momma's:)

All in all I would say Elijah had a great first Halloween! We are excited as our family grows and our children get older to be able to enjoy dressing our children up and actively sharing our faith with the neighbors on this day each year when they come to our house looking for some treats!