Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Alexandria Houghton, our brand new baby girl!
She was born Tuesday morning, October 17th, at 10:01am.

She weighed 6lb and 5 oz. (one ounce bigger than Wilson) and was 18 and 3/4 inches long.

We are so blessed... We love you so much!

Still ticking, but not so quickly...

The tick tock has faded a bit...
two weekly OB visits-- still one cm and not much else...
so we've got some time...
I am trying to savor these days of simply sweet Wilson and full nights of sleep (kind of).
My due date is 2 weeks from this coming Monday... Wilson was 10 days early (that would be next Friday).
Anyone up for a girls night out next week?

Tick Tock

I feel like the clock is ticking... and it's getting louder and louder. My complaints are getting more frequent and more whiney and more frequent. One minute I am ready to go ahead and have this baby and then I look around my house and the list of things to do sets off the nesting alarm! I am almost done with the sewing machine-- I wish I had a picture of our new cornice in the living room, curtains in the dining room and kitchen, and the baby girl's curtains which aren't up yet... but her room is coming together slowly. I just keep reminding myself that Wilson didn't even have a room until he was 4 or 5 months old and he made it ok.
Brian and I are going out on a date tonight (dinner and a movie-- after months of begging, a little birthday guilt and the threat of baby #2 chaining us to this house). And the the tick tock continues... what the heck are we gonna do with another baby? I am glad to have wonderful friends that have gone before with their #2's-- I will be eagerly seeking your wisdom and encouragement.
The Wilson alarm just went off.... naptime's over, and therefore this post is too.
Tick tock
Tick tock
Tick tock

Hip hip hooray!

Wilson has been going to "school" at our church two days a week for 3 or 4 weeks now...
The first week was pretty rough-- when I picked him up one of the teacher's said "He didn't cry the whole time..." (Just most of it...) The next school day was a little better, but still pretty rough. TODAY... I walked him inside, he walked right into the "classroom", started playing, I left, and when I picked him up they said he had a great time and didn't fuss a bit! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! ( I knew in my head that this would be the result, but it's just so hard to not question your own parenting when you leave your child screaming... oh the adventures of parenthood!)

I've Upgraded, I think?

Wilson has always been a great sleeper at night, so I can't really complain. But lately I have been complaining about his naps... we've been "transitioning" to one nap for over a month now, and the mornings can get nearly unbearable. Overall, he had become a fussy child, which I would quickly blame his lack of sleep during the day.

This past weekend, someone upgraded my child to this model... he slept in each morning until after 8am (he goes to bed around 6:30pm), and took 2 hour-plus naps each afternoon. THE EXCITING PART OF ALL THIS is he is so much happier, so much more himself, more playful, focused and coordinated...

So last night as I went to bed I anticipated Wilson waking up around 7 this morning, due to morning traffic noise, etc...
I WOKE HIM UP at 9:15... he went down for a nap at 1, and is still asleep... it's 3:30....
what to do?
perhaps it's a growth spurt?
what do I do tomorrow when he is supposed to go to Toddler Time at 8:30?
I want this to become a norm... day-by-day motherhood...
I think I am going to go wake him up for playgroup at the playground...

Tickled Pink

Well, I don't like posting without pictures, as I believe pictures tell the stories of our lives, but that is another plug for another day.

I was out running errands today, and I must digress for a bit about how little I get accomplished with so much effort these days...
Anyway, I am in WalMart (I don't recommend going to the Super WalMart on a Saturday) and I came across a bag of PINK M&M's... suporting the SGK breast cancer foundation. I immediately tossed the bag in my cart and justified the purchase with supporting a good cause. (Not that I need any reason these days to buy anything chocolate-- not much could have stopped me!) I found myself tickled by how excited I was about pink M&M's, contemplating possible uses since I am having a baby GIRL in a few weeks. Getting the nursery together has been quite the ordeal, but I think it has sparked my excitement about PINK!

As I checked out, I had another realization in WalMart. I wondered to myself, why did I, who really doen't like Halloween a whole lot, just buy a plastic jack-o-lantern for my 16-month old son? I just kept thinking about the smile on his face when he could show me the pumpkin, and put things in the pumpkin, and dump things out of the pumkin and shake shake shake the pumkin... it is simply amazing how much joy little people can bring to your life!!!!!!!!! (And I can't wait to post some pictures of Wilson in his Halloween costume!)

A few favorite pictures...

from the beach. We spent Labor Day weekend at the beach-- a "last chance getwaway". These are a few of my favorite pictures:
1st up we have Wilson watching the sunrise (yes, sunrise!) with such wonderment that I was semi-glad that he woke up at 6:45am.
2ndly, Wilson's mood and willingness to try new or out of the ordinary things is very dependent on his highly unpridictable naps... here he is well-rested and loving the water and little waves on his feet.
3rd... now that we can walk, the beach is a whole new world... chasing his shadow was a whole lotta fun! I love his little footprints in the sand!
And the 4th picture of this blog update is just one of my favorites.... no particular reason.

More beach pictures to come...

 

Wilson's 1st Diaper Rash

I am one of "those" moms that pediatricians talk about.

So last Friday afternoon I noticed some bumps on Wilson's bum--
He's never really had a diaper rash before, but I knew how to handle it, no problem. By Friday night it was bigger, brighter and spreading...

Saturday I was with some other moms, one of which noted that her son had a really bad diaper rash and that her pediatrician called in 2 prescriptions for a viral rash that has been going around... I heard "virus" and "going around" and being on hyper germ/infection alert, I thought perhaps I should have my pediatrician call something in. By Saturday night, Wilson had a few bumps on his legs & arms.. and some were beginning to blister up.

Our pediatric practice won't just call something in, I had to take him in... on a Sunday afternoon, to see the on-call doctor and show him this frightening viral monster that was overtaking my son's body. Actually by Sunday morning the diaper rash was going away-- a sudden turn of events, yet I still found myself in the Dr.'s office on a Sunday afternoon... showing the kind and patient doctor my child's DIAPER RASH........ we did leave with a couple of scripts, but nothing truly necessary, and the whole thing ended up costing nearly $75 (and a little please-take-me-seriously-when-I-call dignity!!!)

That is one pricey diaper rash!

Happy Birthday SaSa!!!

Happy Birthday to YOU!
Happy Birthday to YOU!
Happy Birthday dear SaSaaaaaa!
Happy Birthday to YOU!

mmmmmmmmwaa!
Consider this a kiss from me to you!

Who dat det sez who dat when I say who dat?

Love, Wilson

Ready to call it

a day, week, whatever!

Mom calls this morning with grand news-- they are sending her home from the hopsital. She will still have to go in everyday on an outpatient basis, but hooray! She gets to recover at home (for the most part). But then, I get a call from one of my dad's employees-- Dad's in the ambulance on the way to the hopsital with abdominal pains. Ok, so what do you do with a 15 month old in a stroller at the ER? Well, all of God's angels were looking out for us-- Wilson went home to play with Mamaw, Mom's home (thanks to her sister), and I took Dad home (waiting to pass a kidney stone-- yikes!!!). The pharmacist commented "Y'all aren't having much fun this weekend?" after my aunt had been in to pick up mom's meds followed by me, picking up similar meds for dad. Probably not...

Playdate With James

Thanks for a wonderful morning, James! You have very fun toys... I had a blast! I especially enjoyed our sing along session-- you rock on that guitar!!! We look forward to getting together again VERY soon! Thanks for being such a great mentor. Love, Wilson
 

Babies & Big Kids

This is a glimpse of the process of getting a group photo at playgroup this past Monday... the pictures truly speak for themselves! It's always reassuring to know that other children prefer not to cooperate at times too!

I haven't checked the other blogs yet to see what other pictures were taken... I will do that tonight, especially since this blog is no longer a dead end-- thanks, Nancy!!!!
 

Beautiful Baby

This is my dear friend, Jamie and her sweet baby, Charlie. First of all, who looks this good just months after having a baby???? You look amazing, Momma!

Congratulations Jamie and Scoot! Charlie is absolutely beautiful, and blessed to have such wonderful parents. We love youand cannot wait to see you again soon. Wilson is eager to show Charlie the ropes of Charleston!

Happy Birthday Catherine!

Our Godchild, Catherine had her 5th birthday last week-- and the party was a blast, as always!!! (Cyndee needs to be a party planner!!!)

It was a beach party, complete with hula lessons pictured here. That's a glimpse of the birthday girl all the way to the right. I'm sorry that is the only picture we got of her!!!

Lily (all the way to the left) is way into the hula dancing... and Wilson was qite pooped after ice cream cake, chik-fil-a, slushy drinks, hula dancing and boogy board lessons in the surf!!!


Happy Birthday Catherine!!!! We love you! 

Sweet Moments

Quality time with Grandaddy-- I'm not sure who had more fun!

Happy Boy!

Oh how Wilson loves to swing!! How this sweet smile warms a momma's heart! 

Happy Birthday Amy!

Dinner at Coast on Sunday night... Not such a great picture, but it was a great dinner! I hope you have a great day, and year!!!
Love you! 

Six Down, A Hundred To Go!

Happy Anniversary to us! Six years ago, Brian and I were wed in dear-to-our-hearts St. Michael's Church, followed by the reception in Society Hall... it was a fabulous party that we didn't want to end! Today's weather is a reminder that God can do anything-- even a semi-cool day in Charleston in July, just like it was 6 years ago! We've had 5 addresses (3 of which were on Colony Drive!) but are finally in our own home, with sweet Wilson and baby girl on the way! It's STILL good to be back in Charleston, though in ways it seems we never left, but we have a renewed appreciation for HOME! The past 6 years have been better than I ever dreamed, yet I am sure the best is yet to come.. I love you, Brian with all of my heart! Happy anniversary!!!

The Newly Ordained

These are our dear friends Lizzie and Hamilton Smith and their precious children David (9 wks) and Charlotte (3 1/2 yrs). They have just returned from 3 years of seminary at Oxford University in England! I remember spending the evening with them after a Christmas party about 4 1/2 years ago when Hamilton first brought up this possible calling... what a blessing they are to us for their faithfulness!!!!!

I could go on and on... but I won't... I just love them so stinking much!

The ordination service was neat-- Hamilton was one of 6 newly ordained deacons. The Holy Spirit was indeed there! Shay Gaillard preached a great sermon-- you can tell Hamilton is pumped up!!!
 

VERY Scary Thought!

I suppose owning a home is an adventure, but the sight of Brian and his father, Tom, on the roof of our house attempting to fix a leak (that was supposed to be fixed before closing) truly frightens me!!! Just look at the ladder they are using...

Today's storm was a good test of their workmanship, and so far... no leak!!

Good job, boys!