Our pirate and our little walking boy!

Noah's MDO class had their Halloween party today. He was SO excited to wear his Captain Feathersword pirate costume today. He woke up many times last night wanting to know if the sun was awake so he could go to school to the party! All the kids were so cute all dressed up. Noah really was tickled by it all. They even trick or treated the other class rooms.

Andy is really trucking now!!!!!
He made it up to 20 steps earlier today!!!!!

A funny story...Noah fell out of a chair earlier this week (no, that is not the funny part...) once he was happy we got out his Lightning McQueen ice pack to put on the side of his head where a huge knot was coming. He was sitting on the couch with it on his head and Andy crawled over. It took me a minute to realize what Andy was doing, but I busted out laughing when it dawned on me...Andy was holding one of Noah's little matchbox Lightning McQueen cars up to his temple....he was being just like his big brother. It is so cute to see them together, especially when they want to be just like one another:)

We hope you all have a very happy Halloween!!!

Some Videos!!!

Andy walking!!! This was taken this past Sunday. Since then, he has taken 11 consecutive steps - but I did not get it on video:)

Noah golfing. We had so much fun that day!!!! He loves golfing with his Grandma Judy, Granddaddy, & Kelly!

Andy's First Birthday!!!!

October 7th....the day before Andy's first birthday:)

Andy's first birthday definitely ranks up in some of my favorite days ever. We had such a good day. Playing, laughing, opening presents, cooking, and eating cake. It was so fun!

Josh had a big meeting Friday, so he was sadly unable to take the day off. We talked to him on the phone during breakfast so he could wish his littlest boy a happy birthday, then we packed up and headed out to the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco. It is a fantastic zoo. Small enough that it was not overwhelming. Being that it was a Thursday, it was pretty empty too, which made for a relaxing and fun time.

Andy riding in the front of the stroller, looking back at me :)

Probably thinking, "Are you still there Mom?"

Noah and the really cool teepees. He definitely thought those were fun!

Much bigger than ours at home!

Andy pointing at the jaquar. SO cool.
Any time you ask Andy, "Andy are you one?" He proudly holds up one finger. Except on his birthday! I asked him about twenty times how old he was and NOTHING! Then the next day, I asked him and sure enough, up went that little finger!!! Here is my Mom and Andy in the aquarium, one of the twenty times I tried to get Andy to do it!

On October 7th we did a rare thing and let Andy have an early gift! We thought it was best for him to play with it a bit prior to Noah seeing it, otherwise he might not have gotten a turn. Here is that present....

Andy was about as excited as I was! I had NO idea my Dad had designed and made this for Andy. I also had no idea Andy could get on and off a toy like this without falling and proceed to know exactly how to make it "fly!" It was so cute to watch him so quickly figure it out and squeal with joy! Needless to say, both boys LOVE this and play with it many times a day each!

Andy and the craftsman:) Oh - and if you can tell, there is writing on top, it says ART (for Andy's initials) and 08, for the year he was born!

Josh and I got Andy a couple of fun toys. One of which is this ball popper that most little ones seem to have. Noah plays with it at all our friends houses and when he and Andy opened it, Noah yelled "like everybody has!" The boys have had so much fun playing with it. Andy got so wrapped up in the fun, he started standing without holding onto anything, which was a first!!!

On October 7th Andy took one step. He repeated that the night of his birthday!

For Noah's first birthday he got a red chair from my Granddaddy. Andy loves that chair. Here he is showing off his new blue one, just like his brothers!!!
Andy excited over another one of his presents!

Andy picked his cupcake up and took a huge bite, like he knew just what to do!

It was SO cute!!!

Finger licking good!!!

My other two boys:)

Happy First Birthday Andy! We love you!

Happy First Birthday Andy!!!

Our Sweet Andy...

One Year Old and full of laughter.

Trying so hard to walk.

Eleven months old.

So excited to try big boy things! Like riding in this wagon!

Ten months old.

Learned to throw his arms in the air when you say "How big is Andy!"

Talking a lot more...saying block and once he even said basket!

Nine months old.

Learning to clap and play pat a cake!

Drinking out of a straw like a big boy!

Made your second move to a new city!

Eight months old.

Waved for the first time!

Started cruising behind one of big brothers toys!

Seven months old.

Started crawling, sat up on his own and even got his first tooth!
Six months old.
Rolled across the room, sat up in the bathtub unsupported
and reached for Mama to pick him up!
Five months old.
First tastes of real foods, like squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
Loved them right away!
Four months old.
A month full of more firsts. Rolled over his left side,
laughed with his brother, and tried rice cereal!
Three months old.
Really honed that sweet smile. Started a new year!
Two months old.
Made your first move to a new city!
Continued to steal every ones hearts:)
One month old.
Smiled for the first time. Stole my heart.
Two weeks old.
Dressed up like a pumpkin for the first time:)
Spent a lot of time snuggling!
Just born. 10/08/08
4:24 pm (24 minutes past the hour, just like your big brother)
7 lbs 3 ozs of sweet baby boy.

Dear Andy,

My sweet little boy. Words cannot even express what you mean to me. When I found out you were coming into this world, I could not understand how I could love another child as much as I loved your brother. The moment the doctor placed you into my arms and I felt your beautiful soft skin, smelled your sweet smell, kissed your forehead, I knew. I was taken. Completely smitten. You were my sweet little second born son. The younger sibling, just like me. I vowed then and there, to always give you the best chance. To love you with all my heart, just like your brother. To show you that you can do anything you put your mind to. Your Daddy and I have so many hopes and dreams for you and I cannot wait to hear what hopes and dreams you will come up with. Especially those I cannot even think of. You surprise me every day. From the deep looks you give, to your gentle touch and your soft spoken little voice. You give out hugs and kisses every time I lift you up. You love your brother so dearly. Even at such a young age, the way you chase after him and squeal with delight and how you hand him the toy you were playing with. It makes me so happy to see you loving him as your Daddy and I do. You are so special to me. I love you so dearly and although I am sad to see the true baby times go, I cannot wait for all the adventures we have ahead. Happy Birthday, my little Andy-Man:)

love, Mama

Energizer Bunny...

I am still working on the boys Halloween costumes. Noah said he wanted to be a pirate...meaning he wanted to be Captain Feathersword from the Wiggles. The costumes you could buy were sold out, so with my limited ability, a pirate he will be. Andy has outgrown the costume we borrowed from friends when Noah was about his age...so I am still trying to figure him out. Either attempt to do a scarecrow or a fisherman. But, I am really thinking he should be the Energizer Bunny. Seriously, this kiddo barely sleeps! He woke up this morning at 7:30, napped for thirty minutes and is still going strong...and I guarantee he will be awake at 10 p.m. and fighting going to sleep then. NUTS!

It was cute though, last night when Josh told Andy goodnight, Josh said "Night, Night Andy" and Andy looked right at Josh and said "Nigh, Nigh!" and lunged at Josh and planted a big kiss on him! It was absolutely precious!!!!

I cannot wait for this evening. We have a nice dinner cooking in the oven and when it comes out, we are going to bake sugar cookies! Pumpkins, cats, witches hats and stars are what Noah has decided on. And he said orange sprinkles too! No twisting of my arm. I SO love October:)

Welcome October!

I am SO happy it is October. It is my all time favorite month. I always get so excited about the coming holidays. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Halloween. I love orange. I love the smell of cinnamon and pumpkin. I love carving pumpkins. I love pumpkin patches. I love dressing my boys in overalls and white shirts and taking their pictures in the pumpkins. And this year, I am so excited to get to celebrate Andy's birthday in my favorite month too! And on my favorite day of the month, the 8th! It just cannot get much better than that!!!

I am so looking forward to the next few months. October: Andy's birthday, my parents 40th wedding anniversary, our family reunion, hopefully a visit with more family, and Halloween... November: Josh's 30th birthday, hopefully going camping, the Nutcracker Market, and Thanksgiving... December: My Granddads birthday and CHRISTMAS! Need I say more? January: New Years and Noah's 3rd birthday! I LOVE this time of year! I love birthdays, I love celebrating those I love, and I love spending time with family - it is an all around Win!:)

So....the other night, Noah was tired, but once we put him in bed he was being talkative. Josh and I have both grown to know that when Noah gets to be talkative, even at bedtime, we should listen. You NEVER know what this child is going to say! Josh took Andy out of the room and Noah asked me to lay down on the floor next to his bed and put my head on the pillow that we have sitting there for reading on. I did as asked. He then sat right up and said "Mama need a blanket?" I said, "I'm okay sweetie, thanks for asking though!" He replied, "No, no, Mama needs a blanket." Noah proceeded to reach down, pull his own blanket off of himself and lay it across me. I about melted, how can you say no to that! So there I lay, on the big reading pillow, covered with his lightning McQueen blanket anxiously awaiting the crazy things he is about to tell me. Because let me tell you, it is ALWAYS good. I guessed he sensed my emotion over him putting the blanket on me. He reached over and kissed my hand, which was resting on his arm. He then said "Noah makes Mama's heart happy!" I said, "oh yes sweetie, you make Mama's heart very happy. Sharing your blanket and wanting to spend time with me makes me so happy." So I asked him, "Noah, what makes your heart happy?" His response "When Grampy buy Buzz Lightyear and pay for it." I wanted so bad to laugh. It was such an honest answer, but miles from what I wanted to hear. I told him, "Yes Noah, that would make you happy. Buzz is a lot of fun. Are there other things that make you happy?" Noah responded "Yes, if Grampy buy another Buzz Lightyear!" So I explained that things other than toys can make our hearts happy. Wondering if this explanation would be understood by my little 2 1/2 year old. He sat and thought and responded "Kisses make Noah's heart happy!" I thought, aha! We are onto something!!! I asked him, "Who kisses you to make your heart happy?" I thought I might hear Mama, Daddy, Granny, Grandma Judy, Grampy, Granddaddy....you know, something along those lines. But nope...Noah replied "Sally* makes my heart happy, Sally kiss Noah." Wowsers, I about lost it laughing at that moment. You see, Sally is a little girl from Noah's MDO. Noah talks about Sally ALL the time, her pink basketball shirts, what she had for snack, what she drank, what they played with. Needless to say, I think we are in for it! It may be that Sally is just nice to Noah and he realizes this...but it sure seems hilarious to me that he is so taken by the fact that she kissed him!!!

*name changed, in case Sally's Dad ever reads this (doubtful, yes), because I sure do not want to get my 2 1/2 year old in any kind of trouble!