Pregnancy Journal

Well, being pregnant when already having a 2-year-old is different.  The second time around is always different, I guess.  When I was pregnant with Patton I wrote down tons of memories of my pregnancy and took more belly pictures than anyone really needs to.  I've only taken 2 this time around.  It's not that I'm not excited about this pregnancy, I guess I just realized that I don't have to make a big fuss about every single week's bump picture or what the books and websites tell me I should be feeling.  Some of the excitement I guess is gone because I've been here before, but that doesn't mean I don't cherish it.  So, below are some of the things that have stuck out in my mind lately about this pregnancy...things that can eventually be put in Jack's baby book.

Ultrasound - November 2nd, 2012:
We found out that Baby Lewis is a boy!  Patton called it first!  His name will be Jackson Thomas Lewis, but we will call him Jack.  He moved and gave us quite a show at the ultrasound.  He looks a lot like Patton as far as we can tell.  He was healthy and estimated to weigh 1 lb.  Thanks be to God!

Kicks, Punches, Karate, Flips, etc:
Jack is definitely a mover and a shaker!  His kicks make my whole body jump sometimes.  Patton was a mover too, but Patton seemed to be in my rib cage more than Jack is (so far!).  Jack doesn't really get the hiccups like Patton did either.  But when he starts moving, he's moving for a while!  He rolls and turns, bends, and practically jumps sometimes.  You can actually see him moving from across the room!  It's amazing and a blessing!

Cravings: 
Due to acid reflux, I've drank more milk during pregnancy than my husband could probably drink in 5 years.  We go through 2-3 gallons of milk a week, and 80% of that consumption is all mine.  The past 2 weeks I have been craving root beer...badly!  Every time we go grab lunch or when I go to the store, I'm getting root beer.  I'm also on a Frosted Flakes kick.  It's never been a favorite of mine, but lately I have been having bowl after bowl for breakfast (and sometimes for other meals and snacks). 

Coincidence:
I turned 28 weeks pregnant on December 28th, which happened to be my 28th birthday.  A little ironic!  I actually made Josh take a bump picture that day :)

Jack's Nursery: 
We are reusing all of Patton's nursery decor, furniture, and clothes.  Pop and DebO came to visit on Saturday, January 5th to help us out.  Pop got all of the baby items down from the attic, DebO played with Patton, and I went through box after box to decide what to wash, what to put back in the attic, what to store in the closet, etc.  Now the baby clothes, blankets, burp cloths, towels, washcloths, sheets, etc. are all washed and ready!  The crib is made and ready!  The closet is now organized (mostly).  The curtains and sheers for the windows are in progress.  Josh has almost finished Jack's name sign that will go above his bed.  As soon as the weather dries out, Josh will put the white paint on the frame and finish it up.

More Baby Book Entries for Patton

Well, since my last post, we have found out that Baby Lewis is indeed a boy!  So now his name is Baby Jack...Jackson Thomas Lewis to completely accurate.

Patton has made this pregnancy so entertaining.  It seems we can't look at this pregnancy without seeing it through his eyes at times.  He has been so excited about getting a baby brother, so here are a few of the memorable moments that HAVE to be documented.

November 2nd, 2012 - We had our 20-week ultrasound, and we took Patton with us.  Before the ultrasound tech called us out of the waiting room, we asked Patton to give us his last guess, "Boy or girl."  He said, "It a boy, Jackson Thomas."  The words sound simple enough, but if only you could have heard the incredulous way he said them, like we were silly for asking, of course it was a boy.   Not only did he say it was a boy but he remembered the name we had told him a week before.  He couldn't remember the girl name, but then again I guess in his mind that name didn't need to be remembered since obviously he was getting a baby brother.  Well, he was right of course!  He called it before anyone else did.  When we had the ultrasound and officially found out it was a boy, we asked Patton what he was going to do with a baby brother.  He said, "We play ball together."  Melts my heart!

Thanksgiving Week 2012 - First Long Stay Away From Home
Pregnancy hormones can be blamed for my blubbering the whole week before Patton left to visit my parents for 5 days, right?  I was a crying fool!  Patton had a wonderful time though visiting with all my family while Josh and I chaperoned the youth retreat that weekend.  He went to an Alabama football game with my dad (his second game in the sky box).  He ate fruit, popcorn, and hot dogs, and he loved the band and Big "Pal" as he calls him.  He got to play with Luke at mom's house, and he went to the park with Aunt Ashley.  When I finally arrived at mom's house for Thanksgiving, he was so happy to see me, and I was moved to tears by that sweet hug.  He informed me that "Baby Jack" was "Jackaroo," because Papa T told him "Patton Poo and Jackaroo."  He told everyone the baby's name was Jackaroo.  He loved seeing Baby Amelia and holding her, he fell asleep right before we all ate dinner, and he loved playing trains with Luke.

Christmas Tree 2012
Patton loves Christmas trees, Christmas decorations, all of it.  Josh and I put the Christmas tree up when Patton took his nap Sunday after church.  We only put the star on, and then we woke him up to come see it.  He said, "Oh wow, my Christmas tree!"  He was amazed.  We told him Santa must have come put it up for him, and he was looking everywhere for Santa.  He loved the star on top and he sort of helped us decorate the rest of the tree :).  He was sad when I took it down after Christmas.  I took the ornaments off while he was at school on a Friday.  He came home and didn't notice it for an hour or so, and then he asked me where it went.  I told him I had to pack them up.  When Josh got home that night, Patton opened up the sunroom, pointed at the bare tree, and said, "Daddy, look."  Josh said, "What happened?"  Patton replied, "My mama did it."  I made sure to include Daddy in taking down the tree, just to share the blame.

December 19th, 2012 - Church Christmas Program
This doesn't have anything to do with Baby Jack, but Patton and I were shepherds in the church Christmas program.  He was adorable with his little roller skate sheep (a "sheep" made out of a roller skate, poster board, cotton balls, and a pull string).  He loved pulling it up and down the aisle.  I asked him what his sheep's name was.  He said, "Patton."  He and Lawson (who named his sheep "Bear") were so cute pulling their sheep.  Patton cried throughout most of the program, but maybe next year we will get past the tears...at least he enjoyed the sheep.

Christmas in Birmingham 2012
Patton loved opening gifts this year.  His first Christmas celebration was at Papa T & Nona's house.  He was blown away by all the Alabama gear he got.  He got an Alabama jersey, so he stripped down to his diaper and put it on right in the middle of opening gifts.  He also got a red Schwinn tricycle (same color and brand as my dad's bike), and we had to follow clues to find it.  Dad had made clues with Jake (from Jake and the Neverland Pirates) on them.  It was so precious!  He rode that bike until he was too tired to ride anymore...their poor baseboards.  Patton's second Christmas celebration was at Nannie and Poppy's house.  He got some pirate gear, an easel, fireman rainboots, and movies.  The sweetest part was how he reacted to gifts we received for Baby Jack.  Patton would help me open them and then have to show off what Baby Jack got..."Look, Baby Jack got new PJs.  How cute!"  He also loved for other people to open gifts.  He would either help them unwrap their gifts or stand there and watch saying, "It's a, it's a, it's a...sweater!"  He was excited about every gift that was opened. 

Christmas at Home 2012
Patton was practically the assistant sound guy during the Christmas Eve service.  He loved putting the headphones on as Josh worked the sound board.  He loved the candles at the end of the service.  He got Mickey Mouse slippers that night, so he was happy with the one gift we let him open on Christmas Eve.  Christmas morning he woke up and came to our bedroom, and he was completely oblivious to it being Christmas.  He cuddled inbetween us until Josh said, "Mama, I thought I heard some reindeer last night.  I wonder if Santa came to see us."  To which I replied, "I thought I heard some sleigh bells."  Patton was quiet and then whispered, "I heard bells too."  Josh asked him if he thought Santa came and brought him some toys.  That got him out of the bed and down to the living room.  He was amazed by the empty milk glass and half-eaten cookie.  He was thrilled with the candy canes and gloves at the top of his stocking, and then when we opened the sunroom he was just elated when he saw his Spiderman bike!  He moved everything else out of the way so he could get to that bike!  He rode it in the living room for a bit, then came back to the sunroom to see everything else.  He loved his Alabama bean bag chair and drum set, his Lightning McQueen car, his soccer ball, his baseball glove, everything.  He even got a book from Baby Jack about being a big brother, and he thought it was so cool that Baby Jack got him a gift!  Josh read the book to him, and he loved it.  After presents, we ate cinnamon rolls and sausage balls for breakfast.  Patton said, "I want Santa to come to my house."  Josh and I explained that Santa was busy delivering gifts to children all over the world.  Josh said, "Why do you want him to come back to your house?"  Patton said, "So I can tell him thank you."  Sweetest boy ever!

Christmas in Butler 2012
We traveled to Butler during a break in the rainy weather on Christmas Day.  We had steaks and ate until we were all miserable.  Patton was so excited to open gifts and help everyone else open their gifts as well.  He made everyone laugh as he would pull one piece of wrapping paper off at a time and then have to put it in the trash bag before removing more.  He was the slowest unwrapper ever, but it was so cute.  He became the trash collector, cleaning up all the messes of wrapping and bows.  He loved his monster trucks that his aunts and uncles gave him.  He was excited about the tool work bench he got too.  The weather started getting bad towards the end of our unwrapping, so we all started rushing and then headed over to Katie and Patrick's house to spend an hour in the basement.  All the women and children were downstairs in the basement while the men kept watching the weather channel.  The storms passed us and we all returned to Pop and DebO's house for dessert and playtime.  Patton enjoyed playing with all the baby toys Luke and Anna Whitley received.  He loved playing with his cousins and holding them too.

Baby in His Belly - January 2013
Patton informed me the other morning while we were watching cartoons (and not talking about Baby Jack at all) that he has a baby in his tummy too.  I asked him, "Well, what is your baby's name?"  He told me, "Baby Luke.  You want to feel him kick?"  So he proceeded to pull his shirt out and put my hand on his tummy.  He sucked in his stomach and then puffed it out really quick.  He said, "He kicked you!"  He then had to let Josh feel it and anyone else at church on Sunday that would feel his tummy.  He will still come up to me, especially after I have asked him to feel my belly when Jack is moving, and I have to feel his "baby" kick me too.

Fireman Patton - January 11, 2013
Patton wore his fireman raincoat to school this morning, and when I told him the raincoat said "Fire Chief," he was certain that he was now a fire chief. The whole drive to school he "called" the police on his cell phone and told them to get out of the way because he was on his way to a fire. When we arrived at the church, he rushed into Sheila's office and said, "Fire Chief to the rescue!" He told her that he puts out fires and puts out cones (to keep people away from the fires). He pretended to put out a fire with an imaginary hose, and Sheila thanked him for putting out the fire. He said, "Just doing my job." Where does he learn this stuff? Now that is his saying whenever you tell him he did a good job (like cleaning up toys). Just doing my job!

Baby Jesus - January 13, 2013
The nursery Sunday School lesson that morning was about John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River.  I showed Patton and Gage a picture of John and Jesus in the river and asked them to tell me what they saw.  Patton thought they were in a pool.  Gage noticed that he had hair like John the Baptist.  When I mentioned that the men in the picture were John and Jesus, they gave me funny looks.  We had last talked about Baby Jesus during Christmas, so I explained to them that Baby Jesus grew up and this was him in the story.  Patton said, "Oh, I'll go get him for you."  He went to the toy bins and found the baby doll that had been used by them during Christmas as Baby Jesus.  He said, "Here he is!"  So "Baby Jesus" joined us as we learned about John baptizing Jesus in the Jordan.  Patton still remembered who our story was about the following day, "John and Jesus," he said, "in the river."

Things I Should Put in the Baby Book

As a mom of a 2 year old, there just never seems to be enough time to drag out the baby book and write down the funny, cute, amazing, smart things Patton does every day.  Believe it or not, I'm actually busy doing more important things, like, I don't know, chasing a 2 year old around all day when I'm not at work ;)  Anyway, since I don't have time to actually write it down in the baby book, it might be easier if I start typing it here...I type much faster than I can write, plus I would completely smear everything due to being left-handed.  So here we go, here are some things that need to be remembered (so that I can totally embarass Patton in 14 years when he brings a girl over to the house):

Olympics 2012 - First Impressions: Patton LOVED the Olympics!  We watched the qualifying round for individual women's gymnastics first.  Patton was mesmerized by the girls doing the vault.  He noticed the pattern: they would run, flip, and then hug their friends.  He had to do the EXACT same thing!  He said, "I fwip too, Mama!"  He would run around the living room, get on his hands and knees and flip, and then he would come hug me.  Then he would repeat.  He did enough "Patton-version" vaults to make me dizzy!  Later that night, he saw the U.S. men's swimming team preparing for a relay race.  They all took their shirts off by grabbing the collar and pulling it over their heads.  In our house, we pull by the bottom hem, so this was a new technique for him.  He had to be just like them.  "I in the Owympics too, Mama!" he said, as he did his best to pull his shirt collar over his head.  His arms got stuck in the shirt behind his back, but we helped him so he could be in the "Owympics" too.  That night, Josh was getting him dressed for bed.  He protested putting a t-shirt on.  "I in the Owympics.  I swim."  We finally convinced him that he could swim in the Olympics tomorrow, but he needed to be a Patton in his bed tonight.

Olympics 2012 - Gabby:  Patton loved cheering for the U.S. women's gymnastics team.  He would cheer with me, "Go U.S.A.!" and "Go Gabby!"  He really liked Gabby (who won the women's individual all-around gold medal).  Last night (more than 2 weeks after the Olympics), he saw a commercial about Olympic highlights, and as soon as she was on the screen, he said, "Go Gabby!"  It's so cute!

Olympics 2012 - Swimming and Diving:  Patton loved watching the swimming and diving competitions.  He wanted to be just like the Olympians.  He would "dive" off the couch, and even told me during a torrential thunderstorm that he wanted to be dive at our neighbor's pool, so he could be in the "Owympics."  Later in the week, we did go swimming at the neighbor's pool, and he would jump ("dive") into the pool and say, "I in the Owympics!!" 

Olympics 2012 - Lasting Impression: On Sunday, August 19th, Patton swam!  He had floaties on, so I guess it doesn't "technically" count, but for a 2-year-old to be able to swim across a pool without any help from adults is just awesome to me!  He has always been one to need to hold on to me when we swim or one who doesn't really kick.  That day he did it by himself, and the Olympics were his motivation.  He would jump ("dive") in and then swim back to the steps to get out and do it again.  "I swimming like the Owympics!  I in the Owympics!" he would shout.  It was precious, and such a milestone.  I guess we can hang another medal around Michael Phelps neck for that one :)

Baby Lewis - Finding Out:  Patton is going to be a big brother!  On July 10th, 2012, we found out we are expecting another baby (due March 2013).  Josh and I didn't really know how to tell Patton, but we couldn't keep it from him.  We told him there is a baby in mommy's tummy.  He said it was a boy.  For the rest of the day, he told me it was Baby Luke (his newborn cousin), Baby Mickey (as in Mickey Mouse), and baby boy.  We came up with "Baby Lewis" as a name for now. 

Baby Lewis - Ultrasound: We took Patton with us to our first ultrasound on August 1st.  We couldn't see much, since I was only about 7 weeks pregnant, but that didn't bother Patton.  The ultrasound tech was so sweet, and she made sure to explain what she was doing to Patton.  "I'm going to put this lotion on mommy's tummy so I can tickle her belly and see your baby brother or baby sister."  He loved it!  When we were done, the tech handed me the pictures, and I handed them to Patton.  He took them and showed them to the tech.  He said, "That picture of my baby brudder."  He had to hold the pictures all the way to the car, and he showed them to the nice lady in the elevator as we left.  He had to show them to Sheila in the church office.  "That my baby brudder," he'd say.  Gosh, I love that boy!

Baby Lewis - Exhaustion:  The first trimester of a pregnancy is always the worst of the 3.  You feel yucky, ugly, hormonal, tired, and so much more but you don't look pregnant...so people just think you are one crazy, lazy, psycho lady...until they find out you are indeed pregnant.  Anyway, I have felt yucky and tired, and trying to explain that to a 2 year old is, well, difficult.  I don't want him to blame Baby Lewis for making me feel bad, so I just tell him, "Mommy doesn't feel good."  His reply is always, "I not feel good eider."  And then he runs off to play.  Man, I wish I could feel that good when I "not feel good eider."

Music - The Harmonica: Patton was given a harmonica when we visited my grandparents in mid-July 2012.  He loves that harmonica.  He can't play a song, but he can keep a beat.  He loves to play it in the car as we drive to school, but he's a little shy when asked to play it for anyone besides Josh and me. 

Music - The Church Piano:  Last Thursday, August 23rd, Patton got to play on the church piano as I finished some work around the church (which I didn't think of until after I had signed him out at daycare).  He played for a bit before we left, and our music director came out of his office as we were leaving.  He asked if Patton had been playing the piano.  I thought it had bothered him, so I tried to apologize.  But he was actually really impressed.  He said, "He was playing single notes.  He was playing a melody.  Wait, how old is he?"  I told him that Patton is 2 and a half and that he loves music, he's always playing something.  He said, "That's really advanced for his age.  Patton, maybe you should take piano lessons with me."  I don't know if Patton is ready for that, but if he is a music genius some day, we can say our music director discovered him when he was only 2 :)


Well, let's wrap it up for today.  Tropical Storm Isaac is expected to impact us in the next 2 days, so I'm sure I'll have some memorable events to add later.

Blessings and Hopes

I used to keep a journal in which I wrote down my "thanks" for today and my "hopes" for tomorrow. It was a way of constantly reminding myself that no matter how bad a day felt, there was always something (actually, many things) to thank God for. Since I have been in a blogging rut and feel a need to focus more on God and the ways He has truly blessed my family, I am going to start using this blog as a "Blessings and Hopes" journal. I hope it will be something I can stick to, as well as something that might inspire others to remember the way God has abundantly blessed them as well. There is no possible way I can write down all of the blessings God has sent my way, but I will mention a few for each day. If you aren't mentioned or something seems to be missing, it might be because I have already thanked God for it today (or because my mind can only remember so much, even though my heart can hold so much more).

Blessings:
-Relief from back pain
-Rest
-Time with Josh
-Hugs and kisses from Patton
-Lunch with one of my church kids
-Wendy's Frosty (one of my comfort foods and reminder of my childhood...shared with Josh)
-Family

Hopes for Tomorrow:
-More pain relief
-Time with Josh working on home projects
-More rest to help my back
-That Patton will enjoy his visit with the Lewis family
-Safe travels as Patton comes home after visiting family
-Family dinner time
-Snuggling with my little cuddle bug, and my big cuddle bug too!

Dear God, You have truly blessed us more than we could ever deserve. I thank You for the amazing family You have given me. I know that it was by Your Hand that Josh and I met, and that it was by Your Guidance that our relationship blossomed, and it was by Your Grace that we were given such a remarkable gift known as Patton. I thank You for the ways You have blessed us this week: for a successful procedure on my back, for pain relief, for family time, for rest, for time with friends, for time with our church family, for the safe travels, for our jobs, for our income and the material possessions and food that it affords, for the love You shower upon us every second of everyday, for our supportive and loving extended family, and for the countless blessings we are unaware of. You have given us so much, and we are forever grateful for Your Care and Mercy. Most importantly, God, we thank You for Your Son, who is our Salvation, our Way, our Truth, and our Life. By His wounds we are healed and made whole in You. Amen.

The Sunroom

I think everyone in our home would agree that our favorite room is the sunroom. Patton loves to play in there, Charlie practically lives in there, Josh and I love to sit in there. I particularly like the sunroom when it's actually not sunny at all. This week, I've enjoyed 3 lunches curled up on that old green sofa in the sunroom watching the rain drops slide down the window panes and the wind blow the leaves around. I love watching it rain, especially when I can curl up with a peanut butter and banana sandwich, a good book ("The Help"...amazing!), and Charlie all safe and cozy in the sunroom.

The sunroom has become a playroom lately. It's filled with toys, and at times they seem to just drown the room in bright colors and pieces that hurt your foot when you step on them. But, it isn't just a play room...it's become our family room. It's where we play blocks and assemble puzzles together as a family. It's where Patton, Charlie, and I all climb onto the couch and wave at Josh when he comes home, or when he leaves for work, or when he is mowing the grass, etc. It's where we put our Christmas tree. It's where Josh and I spent so many evenings that first Christmas season, staring at the tree and wondering about the days to come after Patton would be born a couple months later. That's one of my favorite things to do in there too...stare at a Christmas tree while wearing flannel pajamas and wrapped in a quilt my Nana made. Maybe add a cup of hot chocolate for good measure.

It's a wonderful place to be, it's the homiest place in the house, even when it isn't necessarily sunny.

Patton, our Entertainer

Well, 2 months ago I posted...I'm really bad at blogging regularly, but I have a lot of wonderful distractions in my life so I can't complain.

Life has been great! I love our little family of 3...I guess 4, since our dog Charlie plays a big part too. We went to the beach last month with my dad and family, and it was Patton's first beach trip. He loved it, and I really don't think I have ever enjoyed the beach more than I did on that trip. Patton was the main attraction that whole week, but then again, he's the main attraction everyday here.

I hate to be one of those mothers that can't stop bragging about her kid, but I really can't stop myself sometimes from just going on and on about the new words he has learned this week or how cute he was when he did "..." the other day. He really is quite something, if I do say so myself. He loves to read books, and he loves to learn new things. We talk about animals quite a bit, so we are constantly learning animal sounds and names. It seems like he learns a new word or sound everyday. He loves to dance. If he hears a slight beat, even background music during a movie, he stops whatever he is doing to dance. He spins, he shimmies, he bobs his head, and he bounces. He is a dancing fool for sure! He also loves to be outside. He helps me water flowers and he tries to help daddy rake the yard. He also loves his dog Charlie. She stayed with my mom while we were at the beach and then stayed an extra week with them until we could work out a return trip time. Patton missed her. He kept putting his pacifier and his toys in her empty kennel. When she finally did come home, he tried to give her hugs and he even tried reading to her. It was precious! Tonight, he tried giving her kisses as she watched him in the bathtub. He then proceeded to scare her as he splashed violently and cackled at how funny he thinks he is.

Josh and I feel so blessed to have him in our lives. Each day we seem to come to the realization that we are so lucky. God is so good!

Storms

I guess you can say that I am a total "chicken" when it comes to bad weather. I've been that way as long as I can remember, but then again, I was always a scaredy-cat of a child. Growing up, we always had at least one bad tornado scare each semester of school. I remember huddling in the halls, hearing the whispers of my scared friends, and listening to the teachers talk on walkie-talkies as the principal gave them the latest weather update. We would hear the name of a community, and all of us would start our own little panicked conversations: "I have a friend that lives in Kimberly" or "Our house is in Brookside." Most of these tornado drills (which, I guess weren't really "drills") seemed to also include tears, frantic drives home in the rain, and lifted prayers as we were all kneeling in the hallway outside our classrooms. It's amazing how certain events seem to stick with you as you grow up. I remember one time when I was in fourth grade, kneeling in the hallway by a window-surrounded doorway (which was supposed to be "safer" than our classrooms, uh no). I huddled there by my best friends, and we quietly shared our fears as we tried our best to hear what was being said by the teachers as they passed along information. I remember tears, I remember being scared, and I remember that they weren't letting children leave the school even though it was right at 3pm. They changed their minds, and let the parents come inside to check their children out of school. My mom was one of those parents. I remember hearing my name and my sister's name over the walkie-talkies. I remember walking down the hall with a teacher while all the other students stayed huddled into balls against the walls, and I remember seeing my mom at the front office. And that's it. I don't remember anything after that...probably because from that moment on, I was safe. I was with my mom and my sister, and I was safe and secure. I remember another time or two in high school. I remember Mrs. Dorothy Taylor (the scariest, yet most amazing teacher in the whole school) sitting in a chair by the double doors that led out to the parking lot. The wind outside was actually pulling the doors open, and she would close them and use her humor or a threat to "take someone out to the parking lot" to calm our nerves. Another time, I remember opening double doors as well, but it was on the other side of the school. Ashley and I were trying our best to conceal our cell phones as we frantically tried to call our mom since we had overheard someone mention our neighborhood on the walkie talkies. I remember the ride home that time. We had to take detours around fallen trees and downed power lines. I actually remember the sights on that trip home...I guess I didn't feel safe until we actually got home. I guess this post just goes to show that I am as long-winded as they come. I started this post to make a simple point, but I think I have beat it into the ground. I'm a chicken when it comes to storms, but I believe I have a right to be so. Growing up, we dealt with floods, severe weather, tons of tornado "drills" at school, and even damage to our home in one way or another. Even now, being 26 years old, married, and a mother...I am scared of storms. The mere mention of tornado warnings just fills me with anxiety. I close the sunroom doors so I can't see the lightning and the trees blowing. I turn the TV to the local weather station and make sure to check on Josh (since he is usually on a 24 hour shift when the bad weather hits...what luck!). Storms just make me uneasy, but eventually they pass, and I get to curl out of my huddled up ball and be thankful that this isn't a night that will forever be engrained in my mind because I am safe at home.

Our Normal

I love how the warmer weather and Patton's growth have changed our daily routine. Instead of coming home and struggling to take Charlie outside with Patton bundled up on my hip before hurrying back inside to play in the warm house; now, we all walk outside and play out there as long as we can. Patton wanders around the yard, pulling bark off the pine tree, trying to pull his big wagon around, chasing Charlie, and pulling my pansy blossoms into pieces. He is just so happy to be outside, and I love that we can play in the yard. That's exactly what Josh and I imagined when we bought this house. We saw ourselves out in the yard playing with our future children, and now we can't wait to all get home (especially now that it doesn't get dark so early) and go swing or run around the yard. I love our family time, and it gets better and better every day!

Spent & Lent

The weather was wonderful for a couple weeks, and then our household was invaded with sickness, which was then followed by rainy, cold days. Oh well, it is March, and that "in like a lion" thing is supposed to explain it all away.

Josh and I went to the Mardi Gras Party in Gardendale with our pals (Fab 4 plus guys), and it was great to reminisce about that same party 3 years ago when we first met. And of course, it was great to catch up with our Gardendale gang of friends. While we were there, Patton spent the night with my mom (his first night spent away from me), and we all did great. No tears shed on my part, although I did keep my cell phone at hand all night. He had a double ear infection, so most of his night was spent awake, and he apparently swept my mom's floors at 1am, but she promised that it was all enjoyable for her.

Saturday, as we headed back home, Josh was plagued with the stomach bug, so I drove us home through the torrential down pours, and we finally made it home around 6pm. I sent Josh straight to bed, and he slept until after Patton and I left for church the next morning. Oh that reminds me, I woke up Saturday morning with no voice. Must have been allergic to something, but my voice was still not better for my children's sermon on Sunday morning. It was sorta fitting anyway since my children's sermon was about how some things are hard to understand (like my voice that morning) and some things about God and Jesus are hard to understand, like Jesus' transfiguration, which we were studying that morning. So I guess it worked out.

Now we are all healing. Josh is back at work and feeling much better. Patton is going to school and spending his nights in bed instead of sweeping, and my voice is creeping back into my throat a little bit each day.

Now it is Fat Tuesday, and my one action of celebration for this day was eating a Wendy's frosty. I would try to convince myself that I ate it in hopes that it would help heal my lack of voice, but in all honesty, that's a lie. The truth of the matter is this is the last time I plan to enjoy a Frosty or anything else that includes chocolate until Easter. No Sunday breaks, no "accidental" lapses in judgment. No chocolate for Lent. No, it's not a publicity stunt. This is my way of celebrating Lent (wait, is "celebrate" the right word?). This is how I will mark the period of time known as Lent. Instead of eating chocolate or focusing on how much I love chocolate or how great it makes me feel...I will spend this season of Lent focusing on how I should crave God, how much I love God, how much He loves me, and how amazing it feels to know that His grace is sufficient for all of life's twists and turns. All those moments that I usually turn to chocolate, well, I need to learn to turn to God. His comfort is more amazing than a Reese's cup or scoop of Bluebell's Milk Chocolate ice cream. This season of Lent, I am going to crave God!

Birthday Recap

Patton had an amazing 1st birthday weekend! The weather was absolutely wonderful! It felt like spring, and we just soaked it up. The weekend was filled with lots of friends and family, and Patton did so well with all the visitors and excitement. We spent a good part of the party and the rest of the weekend outside: playing ball, lounging on the patio, or taking wagon rides. We ate cake, opened gifts, and just enjoyed visiting with everyone. It really was the perfect day. Josh and I couldn't have wanted it to be any different than how it turned out. I think Patton enjoyed his special day as much as we did!

Patton's Almost Birthday

Since I am sure I will not be able to post on Patton's actual birthday due to festivities and company, I just want to take this moment to wish our son a very Happy 1st Birthday! Patton has blessed our lives in so many ways, and we are just so thankful that God allowed us to be his parents! Josh and I were always a fun and laughing couple, but we have never laughed as much as we do now. Patton keeps us rolling with laughter as he plays and giggles. He just makes our family complete (for now, yes we want more children, but not right this second). Patton has brought Josh and me from a newlywed couple to full-blown parents, and we are just so grateful for this past year that is filled with so many lovely memories!

3 Amazing Years

Three years ago today, I was forced to meet the love of my life. I don't think that back then I ever thought that the man I was going to meet that evening would be my boyfriend, let alone my husband, love of my life, and father of our wonderful son! Three amazing years have passed since that night. To celebrate, Josh and I went to lunch today and grabbed some ice cream...oh, and I wore the same polka-dot dress I wore 3 years ago to that Mardi Gras dance.

That night was something special. It started out as a headache since neither one of us wanted to meet the other, but it turned out to be the night we both reminisce about when we get in bed at night and have a conversation. That night, we stayed up all night (seriously, until the sun came up), and we practically told each other our life stories through silly questions and answers. That was the night he learned where my favorite spot in the world is...and that is where he proposed to me about 6 months later. We shared our childhood memories, our fears, what we order on our pizza, and our favorite holidays. It was like a relationship crash course, we got it all done in one night, and from then on, we were head over heels.

God really does work in mysterious ways, but they are some amazingly wonderful ways as well!

Wisteria Weekend

I'm sure we're not the only family that enjoyed the amazing weather this past weekend! Friday, Josh and I were able to spend most of the morning together shopping for Patton's birthday party decorations and eating lunch at Little Tokyo. Friday afternoon, since the weather was so nice, we took Patton on his first trip to Mason Park to swing! We all had a great time, and some of our friends were even there (The Mobley Family). On Saturday, we were ready for a day filled with tasks outside of the house. We woke up and had a family breakfast at Huddle House followed by our weekly family trip to the grocery store. Patton fell asleep on the way home from Walmart (yes, the less than 1 mile trip home), so he took a nap while Josh and I tackled the huge tangle of wisteria in the corner of our front yard. We've been wanting to get rid of it for a while, but on Saturday it was finally warm enough for all of us to be outside, including Patton and Charlie. After Patton woke from his nap, he joined us outside in his playpen (since he still has a tendency to try to eat anything he picks up). He played and laughed as we worked on pulling up the wisteria. Eventually, he took his afternoon nap, while Josh and I trimmed some hedges and just took on any project we could think of before the sun went down. It was such a great day full of accomplishments!

Sunday was a good day to be inside, since the weather was icky, so after church we stayed in for the rest of the afternoon except for Josh going to a meeting. He was elected to be on our Pastor Nominating Committee at church, and I am so proud of him! He was chosen to represent the youth and children of the church, and I know he will do a great job!

Manic Monday

Well, not too manic, today is actually a fairly calm day compared to the past 5 days in the Lewis home. Last Wednesday (oh Wednesdays!), our washer overflowed and flooded our hallway. Water was practically pouring out our back patio door. We spent most of that "fun" day sucking water out of carpets and purchasing a new washer and dryer. Thursday and Friday were spent constantly checking carpet for moisture or foul smells. Saturday...and I mean ALL of Saturday, was spent installing our new washer/dryer. Josh and his dad labored for hours...this was no easy installation. The washer and dryer are an apartment style set (one on top of the other), and they have to go in our hall closet. In order to get them in the closet, the closet door as well as the patio door had to be taken off their hinges and moved out of the way. Also, a water line had to be modified so that the washer/dryer could completely fit in the closet. Oh, and a hole had to be drilled into the side of the washer/dryer for the vent duct. Once it was in and we washed a load of clothes, we thought we were good. Wrong! As I emptied that first load of laundry after church yesterday afternoon, I discovered a huge crack in the plastic basket in the washer (the basket that holds the clothes...has lots of holes in it). Looks like we will be getting a new washer/dryer (for free) due to the defect, but we will use this one for the next month (since Josh's dad is needed for installation again).
There have been a lot of times these past few days that I have wanted to break down in tears or just kick a wall, but Josh and I have tried our best to see the good in this. God has a funny way of working...and by funny I don't mean that it is always comical. Things could have been a lot worse. Josh could have already left for work that morning, my mom could have decided not to stay with us Tuesday night, something could have shorted out and started a fire, the water could have reached the bedrooms and our furniture, or Patton and I could have found the water many hours later when we would have come home that afternoon. You see, God has blessed us in the midst of what could have been seen as something tragic and horrible. We are all safe, we are all cared for, and we are all together. God is so good!

Oh, and can I just say that my husband is amazing too! He has worked his butt off during all this, and even though we don't necessarily enjoy going through tough things like this, I do like the fact that we can always get through these things TOGETHER.

Wednesday...oh how I loathe you

Wednesdays are my horrible days. They usually start off with me being late for work, and they end with me getting home late from work. In between those 2 moments of complete running-behind-ness, my Wednesday is packed full of work, projects, phone calls, and other tasks that have been handed to me. Wednesday isn't just another work day for me...it's my looong work day. Instead of being in my office from 8:30am (ish) to 3:30pm, I might actually be at work until 7:30pm. Which will probably be what happens today. I went home for lunch (and put pork chops in the crock pot for a new recipe...I hope it turns out), and then I hurried back to work to finish up my lesson plans for the 2 (yes, 2) lessons I have to give tonight. One for the youth, and one for our lone 3rd grader. Luckily, they are covering the same subject ;)

Wednesday is long because it includes our church's Wednesday Night Supper. So, not only do I come to work as usual, but then I have to pretend like I haven't been in this same building all day when they all show up for dinner. I have to act like I am refreshed and prepared...and I'm usually neither. I'm usually running around, trying to get Patton fed or taken care of while at least 5 people approach me with some sort of concern, question, or task for me. I don't even get to eat...I don't even try to anymore. Sometimes I can at least get Patton fed, but that's not always the case.

I know for a fact that Wednesdays would not be so horrible if I didn't start out dreading them by Tuesday night, and I want to change that. I want to stop groaning because I have to take all the youth's phones away so that they will stop texting, and start being excited that I actually get to see the youth. I want to stop worrying about if my lesson will be "cool enough" for them to actually listen, and start being excited that I am able to share God's love with them. I really want to stop dreading the moment I step into the fellowship hall to be bombarded with people, and start appreciating who these people are and what they mean to me and the church. I want to try, but it gets pretty difficult.

Maybe "liking Wednesday nights" should have been put on my New Year's Resolution list.

Maybe next year.

It's Been A Long Time

Well, I haven't posted since last year...actually it's been over 6 months! The main reason for that is because I have started a new site on shutterfly.com where I can post pictures and such. It's been a much better format to keep my family up-to-date with Patton's milestones and moments. I plan to use this blog more this year as well...maybe as more of a personal blog for me (although Patton and Josh will definitely be a big part of it since they are a huge part of my life).

In the past 6 months, Patton was baptized, we traveled to the mountains for a vacation, Patton enjoyed his first round of holidays with tons of festivities and new traditions, and we are now looking forward to his first birthday in February.

Life has been wonderful...we are so extremely blessed. We have had such a wonderful year as a family. We love just spending the evening all three of us on the floor playing (I guess I should say all four of us, since our dog Charlie is usually right there with us). Patton is such a happy baby, and he is just such a funny kid! I laugh so hard at him everyday. His reactions to Charlie' kisses, his need to wave at the security cameras at daycare (and say "Mama" and "Dada" to them like he knows we are watching), the look of pride and excitement as he realizes that he has pushed the button to turn his toy on all by himself, his enthusiasm in telling me some long story in jibberish (he must be saying something very important), and his need to push all of his toys around like he is rearranging furniture: all of these things just make my day.

Here's to trying to keep up the blogging in 2011!

Patton Lately

Well, so much for posting regularly. It's hard enough for me to find time to take a shower in the morning (which did not happen today...oh well), let alone find time to remember to blog. It gets put on the side burner along with quite a long list of other things like mommy time, cleaning, work, and sleep. But the smile on Patton's face makes it all worthwhile.

In the past month and a half since I last posted, Patton has grown in leaps and bounds! He has had his first laugh, rolled over from belly to back, and increased his talking and muscle strength/coordination. He loves to sit in his bumbo, play on his play mat, and splash in the tub! He has outgrown so many clothes, and he is filling out nicely. He is now on formula, and we are in the process of getting him used to rice cereal before bed. Actually, I want to work on that a bit more diligently now...I've been a bit hesitant and cautious about it for some reason lately. My fear of being a bad mommy has surfaced its ugly head. During my pregnancy, I read alot about what to expect with a newborn. I felt confident about the newborn stage, but now that he is getting older, well, I didn't have time to do my research about feeding a 4 month old. The rules of feeding have changed so much over the years, so trying to keep up with what is "right" for right now is a bit difficult.

Anyway, this week we are busy preparing for Patton's baptism this coming Sunday. I am getting his gown today, and I can't wait to see it! We are having TONS of family and friends in town for the baptism, and we are cooking lunch for everyone after church...so needless to say, I have my hands extra full this week. I will post again after the baptism with pictures (hopefully within a week or two instead of a month and a half).

Patton and His Pup

When I was pregnant with Patton, our dog Charlie became fairly protective of me and followed me wherever I went. She would nap with me and would always lay her head on my belly. Well, when we brought Patton home from the hospital, I realized that I wasn't the one she had been following for the past 9 months...it was Patton. She could care less where I went once Patton was born. From that first day, Charlie has been like a second mommy to Patton. She is constantly checking on him, wanting to lay with him, and always the first to know if hid diaper is wet or dirty.

Well, this past week Charlie did the sweetest thing. Patton is starting to move and coo a lot more, and I think this has peaked Charlie's interest in him. Last week we got out his playmat for the first time, and he loves it. Charlie loves it too, and she will lie down beside him (or lick his face all over, which we are trying to stop). But anyway, one day after playing on his playmat, Patton was sleeping in his swing. Charlie checks on him during his naps fairly often, so I'm used to her putting her paws up on his swing to get a quick sniff or lick him. This time her visit was different. Charlie had found a long-lost squeaky ball of hers that morning after 3 months of it being lost. She was playing with her ball while Patton slept, and then she went over and laid the ball in his lap. Her little way of saying, "Play with me." It was so cute, and I'm sure it won't be long until those 2 do play ball together.

Our Little Alarm Clock

Well, it's only been 2 weeks since my last post. I think that's progress.

The past 2 weeks have been pretty busy. We surprised my Nana during her 70th birthday party on the 17th. She had not met Patton yet, so she was in tears when she saw us there. Josh and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary on the 18th by going to church as a family and then going home to take a family nap (after which I got sick with a stomach virus, so poor Josh spent the day caring for me and Patton). Josh's sister Katie got married on the stormy 24th, and luckily the weather passed through before the wedding and reception began. Josh and I were both in the wedding, so my mom joined us for the weekend to help out with Patton. Now we are finally looking forward to a weekend without any plans. I'm actually excited that it might rain all weekend...gives us an excuse to just stay at home and enjoy some family time.

Something that Josh and I have started to enjoy is our little alarm clock. No, not that black beeping thing on the nightstand, but our handsome little boy. My husband is a very heavy sleeper and hits the snooze button in his sleep at least 5 times in the morning, much to my dismay. But I've realized that a visit from Patton will wake him up quite efficiently. Patton is a morning person like his mama. After his 5/6am feeding, he is so happy and playful. When I get the chance, I take him in our room after his feeding and let him lie in the bed with us. He will lay there and talk and coo. It's the sweetest thing! Josh loves it too, and it definitely wakes him up. Who would've thought such a soft sound could wake my hard-sleeping husband, but Patton's ooo's and coo's do the trick! And what a wonderful way to start off the day!

And the failure to post regularly continues...

Yes, it's been one month and one day since I last posted, but finding time to post and deciding on what exactly to post has made it difficult. Why would I have trouble deciding on what to post? Well, there's just so much to tell, but too much to tell. I can't possibly blog about every precious thing Patton does, although I want to. There just isn't enough time in the day, and to be honest, I would rather spend my time looking into his beautiful eyes and listening to him coo than to sit at my computer and type. No offense blog-readers, but he's pretty much my world!

So, to recap the last month, I think it's time for a top 10 of events and (of course) Patton-related items:

1. He has a precious smile! He's got my dimples, and he is definitely a charmer! But don't be offended if he doesn't smile at you...the ceiling fan still gets more grins than I do.

2. Easter! Patton went to church for the first time on Easter Sunday, and he got to meet the church family. He also got to travel to Butler to DebO and Mike-O's house. Oh, and he got to play with his BFF Jasper!

3. Gallbladder surgery. I had gallstones, so surgery is what the doctor prescribed. I did not enjoy the day of surgery: I wanted to be home with Patton so bad! Everytime the nurse would come in and suggest that I might have to stay longer or ask if I needed anything, I would start crying and say, "I just want to go home and hold my baby." I was pathetic, but as soon as she said I could go home, I was a completely different person.

4. Acid reflux. I had horrible acid refluc when I was pregnant with Patton, but the day after he was born it was completely gone. I was so excited that I didn't have it, but now it turns out that Patton has it. I would take it away from him if I could, but his medicine is starting to help.

5. Work. I returned to work a few weeks after Patton was born. We set up my office like a mini nursery. I have a pack-n-play in here with a changing table as well as a whole shelf full of diapers, wipes, blankets, and extra outfits for him. It's been fun having him with me, but not much work gets done.

6. Sleeping. Well, it happens at some point, but not always when Mommy and Daddy want it to. Patton is a pretty good sleeper, but that doesn't always mean he is a good sleeper at night. He has gotten into the habit of being wide awake after his 1am or 2am feeding. Luckily, we bought him a new swing this week, and it was a lot of help at 2am this morning for sure.

7. Ellie. Ellie is Patton's blue and green fleece elephant toy that is on his changing table. Josh and I bought it a couple weeks before he was born, and we got it for like 1/3 of it's actual price. You pull it's tail and it makes music. We thought it was cute, but Patton absolutely adores it. It's the only toy he has really grabbed for or held on to. One night during his wide-awake-at-2am time, Josh put Patton in his crib, turned him on his side, and put Ellie in there in front of him. He carried on a conversation with the elephant for a good 10 to 15 minutes!

8. Breastfeeding. Ok, so I won't get into the details or anything like that, but I mention it on this Top 10 List because I honestly didn't think I would last this long. During those first 2 weeks, I was miserable and we were feeding Patton mostly formula because I didn't think he was getting enough from me. Turns out he wasn't hungry all the time, he was just wanting to eat to soothe his burning throat (result of acid reflux). His pediatrician said that the formula could be making the acid reflux worse, so she asked if I could strictly breastfeed him. How could I say no? My baby was hurting by me not breastfeeding him. The doctor's orders are what got me back in the game because, believe me, I was about to throw in the towel. I went from breastfeeding him once or twice a day to doing it everytime he eats. I don't know how much longer I will continue to breastfeed him, but I'm just really proud of myself for sticking it out this long.

9. Shots. On Monday, Patton got his first round of shots. I was so nervous! I even had a pack of Kleenex in my purse in case I started crying because I was certain that he was going to cry. He took those shots like a pro...actually, he took those shots like he was a big burly man who had barely gotten pinched in the leg. He yelled when she pricked him with all 3 of those needles, but as soon as it was done, his crying was too. I picked him up and he gave one last sad "ooooo" and that was it. He then let us get him dressed and strap him into his carrier, and he fell asleep before I even made it to the car from paying the co-pay. Oh, and I didn't even get my Kleenex out!

10. Daycare. Yes, Patton is now in daycare. He started on Tuesday of this week. I haven't cried about it once. He is actually right down the hall from my office. I can check on him anytime I want to. I go and get him every 3 hours to breastfeed him, and then take him back so they can change him and put him down for a nap. He loves the swings in there, and I think he sleeps better in that room full of other crying babies than he does at our house.

Ready for his first day of daycare!

Ok, so there's the Top 10. Maybe I will update in a week or two instead of a month. Time will only tell.