First Day at School

Today was Noah Timothy's first day visiting Eminence Independent Schools. Jennifer brought him up to spend lunch with Daddy and see all the teachers. He received the gushes, squeals of excitement, compliments, and knowing how lucky he is to look like his Mommy! It is hard to believe that Monday we will be dealing with the daycare/ babysitter situation and I will be teaching students the joy of music and Jennifer will be back in her office that is so dependent upon her. It has been a great summer, but now we must get a new schedule going in our lives and upsetting the order to which Noah has grown accustomed. However, I figure it is best it will all happen at one time. Increments rarely work in life, it seems like a sudden change is always easier to deal with than know a next step is coming soon. Please pray for Jennifer and I as we experience a little separation anxiety and slight trust issues. I am sure it will fade to a situation we become comfortable with, but I have a great Army weekend to think it over. However, this gives Jennifer and her parents a couple days to spoil, love, and smother him with hugs and kisses.

We all have the choice to make a change in our lives, may you make it happen all at once and continue on your journey of hope and change.

I can't believe Noah is 9 weeks old!!

It is so hard for me (Jen) to believe that my baby is already 9 weeks old! The tiny baby that I used to hold in my arms for hours at a time is getting so big that my arm falls asleep after holding him for about 30 minutes now. I am very thankful for the Boppy Pillow that you see in the picture, because it allows me to hold him but takes the pressure off my arm. I use this pillow to feed him and sit him on the couch next to me while I'm playing with him, and it works great! This week is the last week that I get to stay home with my precious boy because I will be going back to work next Monday. Tomorrow is when Curtis starts back to work, so I will be on my own with Noah. I have to admit that I'm going to miss my sleep time when Curtis usually takes over and watches Noah for me, but we will make it work like we always do!

Every since Noah turned 2 months old it seems like he is growing some everyday. We had to buy him new onesies (size 3-6 month)this weekend because the 0-3 month size was getting to be snug on him. In his clothes he can wear sizes 0-3 month and some 3 month, but most of them are still very loose on him. He is staying awake a little more each day, and he wants you to play with him now, which is a lot of fun for us. As you can see in the picture, he loves when daddy and mommy act silly! Noah is starting to wake up from his afternoon nap now, so I'm going to spend some more time with the biggest blessing in my life, my family!

Shots and Smiles

Noah got his shots today. But, we'll get to that in a minute. His check-up went well, he is almost 12 pounds now and is 22.5 inches long. Do they not call it tall until you can stand? Everything was great and Dr. Lyons was happy with everything. When Noah got stuck he did let out a little cry. As soon as all three sticks were over and Mama picked him up, he stopped and looked around as if to say that was it? As you can see in the picture, he has been all smiles. He smiles when Jennifer or I talk to him for a minute and get him to. Also, since I was gone to South Carolina for Army duty, he has started really using his hands and grasping things very well.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank any and all of you who checked in with Jennifer while I was gone to S.C. I had already done my mandatory two-week stint knowing that Noah was going to be coming this summer. However, in the future, I will be going for two weeks to different places and knowing Jennifer has a local support system and her parents really puts my mind at ease as I am gone.

May your love be rekindled and reaffirmed without you having to leave home!

Lots of Love

Today was another big day for Noah! We went to visit his aunt nana (Amanda) again today to get out of the house and he got a suprise while we were there. I asked Amanda to watch Noah for me while I ran up to the store to get some grocery shopping done, and she was very nice to do this for me. While I was gone, Noah got a visit from his aunt Allison and cousins Saylor and Bella. He had a great visit with them, and it helped him get his mind off of missing his daddy! He stayed awake for a little while for them, so the girls were able to see his pretty blue eyes. As you can see in the picture he had so much fun that he is wore out! I would like to say thank you once again to Amanda and Allison for watching Noah for me while I was gone, because I greatly appreciated it. It makes me so happy to see both of them with him and to know that I have someone to depend on if I need them! They have and always will be like my sisters so that is why I will have Noah call them his Aunts. Allison's two daughters (Saylor and Bella) are my nieces in my heart and they always will be. Noah can't wait until he gets to see you all again.

Tomorrow is the day Curtis comes home to us, and we can't wait! Noah and I will go and pick him up at the airport and I can't wait to see him walking down the escalator to us, because I know Noah will put a big smile on his face. Even though I have been telling Noah every night that his daddy loves and misses him, it isn't the same as when he is here in person. Noah and mommy misses his time with daddy in the mornings. We had an ok night again last night, but I will love when I have your help again. We miss you, love you, and we hope you have sweet dreams.

Dressing Like Daddy

Today was a big day for Noah because he got to dress up like his daddy for the first time. He was wearing his new carpenter jeans, tennis shoes, and a golf shirt just like his daddy wears all the time (as you can see in the picture). He looks so big in his outfit that it brought a tear to my eyes, but put a huge smile on my face! Once I got Noah ready this afternoon, we went to visit his great mamaw. He actually woke up for a while this time, so she got to see his eyes in person and not just in pictures. It is always special to me when I see my mamaw holding Noah and talking to him. She also had fixed dinner for us when we got there so that was very sweet of her, and it was delicious as always. Anyone who has ate my mamaw's fried chicken will agree with me! We don't get her home cooking very often anymore so when we do it is greatly appreciated. Yes, Curtis I was thinking of you while I was eating it because I know you love it also.

I would like to take this moment to thank everyone that reads our blog, and to tell you all that we hope you enjoy it. We also love when you leave us comments and helpful hints to raising Noah! We hope that one day Noah will look back on these posts and enjoy reading them and not be too embarrassed. We just want him to know how much we love him, and that we are doing our best on raising him.

Curtis, we missed you even more today than yesterday. Last night was ok, but it's never the same without you here with us. I have been giving Noah your love, and I will continue to do so until you return. I always give him a kiss and hug especially from you. We love you, miss you, and we hope you have sweet dreams like always.

8 Weeks Old

Today Noah turned 8 weeks old! It seems like just yesterday Curtis was bending down telling me that he had a head full of dark hair while we were in the delivery room, and meeting Noah for the first time. He is such a good baby, and we are truly blessed. It amazes me how much he has changed just in 8 weeks! Today was a big day for him because not only did he turn 8 weeks old, but he also graduated into a size 1 diaper. It makes me laugh when I remember all the times my doctor would tell me that he thought Noah was going to be a bigger baby, but instead it took him 8 weeks to out grow Newborn size diapers. Noah goes to the doctor on Thursday to get his 2 month old shots, so I'm not looking forward to that even though I know it is for his own good. I am looking forward to seeing how much he weighs and how much he has grown since he was born at 6lbs., 15 oz. and 19" long. I will let you know how that goes, so keep checking in with us.

Noah also had his first trip to the mall with mommy and mamaw today. I had to go buy me some new clothes for when I go back to work the first of August. I was worried that Noah might get restless, but he did really good for us! He cried once and that was when we first got there because he was hungry. My mom fed him while I went to find some clothes, and then she met back up with me while I tried them on. Noah slept the rest of the time, so it worked out perfectly. He is becoming a little pro on our little outings we do together. I also bought Noah a few new outfits since he is starting to outgrow his newborn outfits. We have outfits that we got for gifts at different baby showers, but he needed some more to hold him over until he grows into them. I can't wait to see him in them, because like always he is going to be adorable.

Curtis, we missed you a lot last night. We hope you are enjoying your trip as much as possible. Noah slept very good throughout the night in his craddle, so I'm hoping he does the same tonight. He only got up twice during the night and it was only for a diaper change and to be fed both times. I did miss having you here to wake up and make the bottles for me, but we did ok. We have had a big day today, so we are starting to wind down for the night. We miss you, love you, and we hope you have sweet dreams again tonight. I will give Noah a kiss and hug from you!

Goodbye Until Tuesday

Well today was the day that Curtis left for South Carolina until next Tuesday evening. Noah and I dropped him off at the airport this afternoon. It was so different this time when I dropped him off compared to all the other times I have ever taken him. All I kept thinking was how hard it would be for me to leave Noah for even a day, so I couldn't imagine how he was going to do it until next Tuesday. I admire him for leaving us as hard as it is to help our family. I promised Curtis that I would write on the blog everyday while he was gone so that he can see pictures of Noah, and so that he doesn't miss out on his day. I took this picture today while I was holding him in my arms telling him about how much his daddy was going to miss him while he was gone. As you can tell by the picture, he was listening to every word I was saying. Trust me.... he knows his daddy loves him and misses him already! After we dropped Curtis off at the airport we went and spent the afternoon with his aunt Nana (Amanda). Noah slept most of the time, but he did wake up and swing for a little bit while we were there. Noah loves spending time with her, so we are going to go back so we can stay a little longer on Monday. This is good for mommy too, because it gives me a chance to get out of the house.

Curtis just called and he has arrived in South Carolina safetly! (Thank you God for answering my prayers once again) Curtis, I know that Noah and I aren't there with you physically, but please know we are there with you in your heart. We have been spending a lot of time together lately, which can be a little stressful every once in a while even though we love each other with all our hearts. This being said, I am still missing you already, and I wish you were here! I just keep telling myself that the time apart will only make our marriage stronger. I will give Noah a kiss and hug for you tonight when I put him down to sleep, and I will tell him that you love him. We miss you, love you, and we hope you have sweet dreams tonight!

So Many Emotions

Jen- I have been experiencing a lot of different emotions lately, and it makes me wonder if this is part of being a mom, or if it is just me? I love being at home with Noah and would not give up this time with him for anything, but I have also been going crazy being at home so much! We take Noah to visit family about once a week, but I still don't like taking him out too much because he is so young. As the weeks go on we will begin to get out more and more. Even though I love being a mommy full time, I still need some time to myself every once in a while so I can keep my sanity. I feel horrible saying that, because it makes me feel like a bad mommy. Are these feelings normal I wonder? I had to go into work this morning for a couple of hours to attend a mandatory meeting, so Noah got to spend some alone time with daddy. I am not looking forward to going back to work full time, but it did feel good to get out of the house for a couple of hours. Even though I enjoyed the time to myself, I was thinking about Noah the entire time I was gone and couldn't wait to get back to him! I know I'm confusing. I hope that everyone knows that I am trying my hardest to be the best mommy I can be for Noah and in order to do that I need some just "Jennifer" time every once in a while. Just getting that couple of hours today did wonders for me. As soon as I walked through the door to see my adorable little bundle of joy I went back in mommy mode, which is perfect for me! I gave Noah a bath, and then we played a little before we took a 2 hour nap together because we were both so wore out. This picture was taken before our nap while I was playing with him.

On a different note, Noah and I would like to wish safe traveling to Curtis and his Army Unit tomorrow. Curtis will be going to South Carolina until Tuesday evening for another Army job, so we will miss him a lot. I know he will miss us too, but hopefully he will be able to check the blog daily while he is gone to see his adorable son to brighten his day. We love you Curtis and will miss you!

Cute As Can Be

These pictures were taken at my (Jen's) cousin Samuel's wedding shower 3 weeks ago. This was Noah's first family event, so it was special to us. Like true Noah fashion, he slept the entire time, except when he woke up to eat. The girls holding him (with a little help from their mom) in the pictures above are his cousins Saylor (the oldest), and Bella (the youngest). They are both very adorable little girls and we love them more than words can say! I'm sure Noah will be very protective over them when he gets older. You will be seeing them in more pictures with Noah throughout the years to come. Noah is very blessed to have so many people love him. Just wait until you see all of his cousins on his daddy's side of the family! We will have a lot of those pictures when his daddy is on fall break if not sooner.

I would also like to say congratulations to my husband for passing that big 6 hour test he took back in June! He scored 1 point above average, which is great!! Noah and I are very proud of him. We know there are big and bright things in store for him in the future. God continues to bless our family everyday, and we are very thankful!

Some of the Fam

As you can tell by the picture Noah is wore out. Uncle Chris (Curtis' bro), Aunt Tracie, cousin Clayton and Kelsey came to visit from Illinois. Although it took them a little longer to get here than they thought, we had a great Friday night and Saturday. Noah got all the lovin', kissin, and holdin' he could handle! He slept through the night and only woke up once, hungry and wet. Afterward he went off to LaLa Land, letting Mommy and Daddy get some more sleep.

Hannah (our dog in case you don't know) had a great time at Bob and Beth Keiser's house hanging out with their dog's Blue and Jake. I went to pick her up and she let me know she had a great time, but was ready to get back home to Noah, Mommy, and Daddy. She was also wore out and immediately lay down for a quick nap.

May your journey lead you to make that extra phone call or visit today!

Happy Days!

I am a very excited mommy, because Noah is starting to share his little personality with us! If you look at the adorable picture to the left, you will see one very happy baby. I (Jen)took this picture this morning while I was playing with him to get him ready for bath time. Today it is a mommy and Noah day, because we are here by ourselves. Even though we miss Curtis today, it has been a good bonding time for us. Curtis is at Fort Knox today, and he will be there most of the day tomorrow completing a job. Noah and I both know that he does everything for us, and we love him for that!

Thankfully Noah is starting to stay up a lot more throughout the day, and he is sleeping in his craddle a lot better at night! Today we have played while he sat in his bouncer, had story time, played while he rested on his Boppy pillow (in picture above), mommy rocked him while singing to him (he likes this), and mommy gave him a bath! Noah is beginning to smile while you play with him, and it makes me smile too!! He is a very happy baby, so that makes me think that Curtis and I are doing ok at this parenting thing! As big as Noah is smiling in this picture, his mommy and daddy are smiling even bigger.

We hope you all find something in your lives that bring you Happy Days!

Rearranging the Garage

A few weeks ago Jen said she wanted to park on the other side of the garage. I finally got around to this task today. Since I had some time I went through the boxes and diluted some clutter and made a little trip to Goodwill. Going through some of this, I ran across an old love note to Jennifer from me. Generally, I can remember where these came from. However, this one was typed and in a small envelope... the best i can come up with is it came with some flowers or something. While trying to wrack my brain of where this little ray of sunshine to my wife's day (who knows when) came from, I trotted down memory lane as I swept the garage (as long as I am moving stuff might as well do my best). I reminisced about our Dillard's days and how calm we both were at the wedding. Jennifer is usually very nervous, but she was cool as a cucumber that day. I had zero doubts as we stood waiting for the right music to begin.

May you reminisce about old times and enhance the present on your journey today.

Here is a new picture of Noah! We know why you keep coming back!

Happy 4th of July

Curtis - I spent my 4th at Cumberland Gap National Park in Middlesboro, KY. Since joining the Army Reserves in 1998 I have not had duty of some sort for two of them. It always seems, to celebrate America's freedom many places need military personnel. It seems every job has had some memorable moments, from trying to get the soldiers in Basic Training to go to sleep and stop watching the fireworks (I was a drill sergeant at the time and that was my night to stay up all night to make sure no soldier ran away, hurt themselves/ someone else, and make sure all was well in all areas) to the hotel I had the "pleasure" of staying at Friday. It was better than staying out in the field, but not what we were used to. Most of us just hung out in the parking lot sharing stories and talking. It actually ended up being an enjoyable evening with comrades. I must also say I love when I head east into the mountains, while this area has plenty of problems, the beauty of the mountains is one of God's greatest blessings on Earth. If you can't stop and appreciate the beauty of the mountains, are you human?

However, this was my first night away from Noah, and I missed him. Of course, I always miss Jennifer when I have to go away. This is evident in the fact that I refuse a "free" (to me) hotel room to come back in the evenings to stay with Jen (and also Noah now). If i am a complete dork to those in my unit, but a hero at home I feel I have done my job as a husband.

While many people thank me for my service, etc... (never have figured out what to say to this) I have to thank Jennifer. She is willing to know I am going to go away for two weeks every year, and knows I always go away more than that! She knows I will be gone one weekend of every month, at a minimum. All the while knowing if I am needed somewhere as a tank commander, drill sergeant, or Army bandsman I can be pulled with little notice. I chose this for myself in 1998, she has had to deal with it since she met me! To know this situation and simply accept it has been difficult at times, but I GREATLY appreciate the support and love she shows me all the time.

May you enjoy your family on today's journey and stop to think of those families who are apart on the 4th.

Thank You!

Noah asked me to make a special post today saying thank you to his Uncle JC and his Aunt Nana (Amanda)! They both came out today just to spend some time with Noah, and that meant a lot to him. Not only did they spend the day with him, but his Uncle JC also helped out by hanging the letters that spell his name in his room. (Please see the picture above on the right to see what a great job he did!) It was very sweet of him and it meant a lot to Noah, and his mommy and daddy since daddy was away on an Army job. His Aunt Nana played with him a lot and even fed him a bottle while she was here, so he was loving every minute of her visit! The picture you see to the left is Noah laying on his Planet Animal gym set, and his Uncle JC bending down to give him a little kiss on his cheek.

Noah had a great day of playing and is wore out now (this makes mommy happy, because this means she gets some sleep tonight!). Thank you once again Jason and Amanda, and we hope you come back to visit soon!