Happy Fall!

I love the month of October! I am definitely a warm-weather kinda gal and can't stand being cold..however after sweltering Alabama summer heat the crisp cooler (not cold) temperatures are quite refreshing. I love the smell of pumpkin, spice, apple and cider. It doesn't get much prettier than when all the leaves turn bright red, orange and yellow. My favorites decorations are our Fall decorations. Now that we have a little one the decorations are even more fun because he is starting to enjoy them too.

Here are my favorite napkin rings my sister gave me several years ago for my birthday.

Who doesn't love the candy corn pumpkins? I have already eaten way too many of these. Cameron has had one or two as well--if you click on the picture you can see...(we haven't used our baby bjorn in several months, however Jason and I are considering a vacation and I was wondering if he would still fit in this-- (says it goes up to 25 lbs...but he sure looks big in it!)

Jason and I got married in October of 2006 and had our reception at the American Village Barn in Montevallo. In the front of the barn we had haystacks, pumpkins and two scarecrows. When we returned from our honeymoon in St. Lucia my parents had set up the scarecrows on our front porch. This year I pulled them out of the attic and set them up in the same place. Cameron LOVES the scarecrows! Every morning we go outside to check the temperature and Cameron always waves and points at them with a huge grin on his face. If he wakes up a little early from a nap and isn't a happy camper I automatically know what to do to cheer him up.

He also has these pumpkin lights that I strung in his room (probably mid-Sept) that he gets so excited about. In fact they stay on all day. The other day I was in another room and I heard his getting SO excited...I came in his room and he had discovered how to turn the lights on all by himself. He was so proud!

He was such a big help decorating!
(ignore the mis-matched pajamas

I know I can pick this up!

Today I got out his trick-or-treating pumpkin and he carried it around all morning long.
I can't wait to take him this year down our street. Last year he was just shy of 3 months at Halloween so of course we stayed on the front porch and passed out candy. Halloween is a BIG deal in our neighborhood. You have to have a pass to come into the neighborhood because they want to keep as few cars as possible on the road since there are so many kiddos out and about. It really is a fun time! We learned after our first year that a few bags of candy just won't cut it...unfortunately we actually had to start handing out packs of peanut butter crackers (that doesn't go over well with kids expecting candy)

Happy Fall Everyone!

God's Bigger Plan

One week ago today I had a D&C (dilatation & curettage), due to a miscarriage. I am writing this for myself, because I don't want to deny that it happened(even though internally I do). September 14th I took a pregnancy test. To my suprise two pink lines appeared! It just so turns out Jason was working a funny shift that day and wasn't going into work until later that afternoon. I took advantage of his presence and wanted to take a shower, but decided to take a pregnany test first. Two reasons- First: I thought my tummy looked a little bigger than normal (even though I know I wouldn't be showing that early) Second: I had my regular yearly appointment with my OBGYN the following week and thought I would take it just in case he asked. It was very unexpected but something that Jason and I were thrilled about. We haven't necessarily been "trying" to get pregnant but know that we want more kids and for Cameron to be a big brother one day--hopefully sooner than later.

I called my Dr. right away and they wanted to know how far along I thought I was---I honestly had NO idea. (May be too much info, but I'm not the most "regular" girl out that). Jason, Cameron and I all went to the Dr. that afternoon and I had my first ultrasound. The lady doing the ultrasound said I was super early around 5 weeks. At this point we couldn't see anything except for the sac where baby number two should be. However, being that early she wasn't super alarmed not to see the baby yet. I had all the bloodwork done I needed and was sent home to come back in three weeks when I should be around 8 weeks. One day later I got a phone call from my Dr.'s nurse telling me my progesterone levels were lower than what they like to see 12.3 (they like them 15 or above). They prescribed some extra progesterone for me to pick up and take until 30 weeks pregnant! Wow that seemed like a long time but of course not an issue at all. From that day forward I really just had a sinking feeling that something wasn't right. I really think I had this feeling the day I took the test.

Of course I was worried about my low levels and called the nurse to see if I could come in any earlier than 8 weeks. Three weeks just seemed to long to wait to see if I could see my baby's heartbeat. They agreed to have me come in a week earlier--so now I just had two weeks of waiting. I really felt like God was nudging me so many times to prepare for what was to come.

Sept. 28th I went in for my ultrasound (Jason, Cameron and my mom all there with me). I had just been praying for God to breath his breathe of life into this baby and give him/her a strong heartbeat. Deep down I knew that it just wasn't going to happen this time. Every devotion I read I felt God saying "My dear child, this baby won't be in your arms...I love you and want you to prepare yourself"...really how do you do that? I tried not to get excited. I would read ahead in my book hoping to change God's "nudging" at me...but He didn't.

That day as I laid there having my ultrasound the nurse just couldn't see anything...no changes, no baby, and no heartbeat. Apparently everything started to get ready for that baby and then just stopped. I began to cry as well as the nurse (what a job, to have to tell an expecting mother--I don't envy that)...her tears were real and genuine even though she didn't really know me or my family. She had the Dr. come in for him to look as well and he confirmed that I had lost my baby. He scheduled me to come in the following day for outpatient surgery (D&C). My sweet husband and best friend was scheduled to leave right after my ultrasound to head to TN for a work trip..he cancelled everything and stayed by my side the whole time. Luckily I didn't have to break the news to everyone. I had only really told my family and just a few others. Unlike with Cameron where I announced to the world. I just had a deep down feeling that I wanted to wait to share with everyone after I saw that heartbeat.

Even though I don't understand why something like this would happen I trust that God has a master plan and will provide good things for my husband, son and I. Since that day I have heard lyrics to songs in a new way and look at my son as even more of a miracle...he is a masterpiece created by God.

Here is the devotion I read the day before going into my ultrasound:

God Knows What He's Doing
"Surely I spoke of things I did not understand; I talked of things too wonderful for me to know."
Job 42:3

It's easy to thank God when he does what we want. But God doesn't always do what we want. Ask Job. His empire collapsed, his children were killed, and what was a healthy body became a rage of boils. From whence came this torrent? From whence will come any help?

Job goes straight to God and pleads his case. His head hurts. His body hurts. His heart hurts.

And God answers. Not with answers but with questions. An ocean of questions.....

After several dozen questions....Job has gotten the point. What is it?

This point is this: God owes no one anything. No reasons. NO EXPLANATIONS. Nothing. If he gave them, we couldn't understand them.

God is God. He KNOWS what he is doing. When you can't trace his hand, trust his heart.

When I can't trace his hand, I must trace his heart.

Hike! Cameron the quarterback!

Go long!

So Cameron has recently gotten into playing football. The other day we were out in the garage and he saw our mesh hanging bag full of different "outdoor" type toys. He pointed and clearly said "Hike"! Not ball (he doesn't know that word yet) but Hike he does. Daddy has been playing with Cameron since Auburn football season started. We might need to invest in a ball more his size. Words he can say at 14 months: Mama, Dada, Hot, Hi and now Hike.

Tackle him!

The Great Outdoors!

This past weekend Cameron took his first "real" camping trip to Tannehill State Park with Jason and I and Grandmommy and Grandaddy. Uncle Nathan and soon-to-be Aunt Cambre came by to make smores and hang out both nights too! Cameron loves nothing more than playing outside, so this was probably his ideal weekend.

We Hiked--Cameron rode on Daddy's back for the first part and then used his own hiking stick to walk the rest of the way.
(Jason with his GQ model pose)

He also took several rides on the back of Grandaddy's bike. We have a little bike trailer at home that he rides in where he doesn't have to wear a helmet so I was a little worried about how this was going to work. He refuses to wear anything on his head...however with a little singing distraction and some bribery with food he did pretty well. He fell asleep on the back on two different occassions. He was worn out each day!

We also stopped for some yummy cherry vanilla blue bell ice cream. He enjoyed eating his cone the opposite way bottom to the top.
Another first was this train ride. He loved it! We sat in the caboose and he smiled all the way!
We made smores! Yummy!

He even got to sit in his own little Bass Pro Shop chair we bought when he was a newborn.

And played on the playground. He LOVED the slide!
Having fun playing in the water at the Griss Mill.

We had such a fun weekend! Thanks Mom and Dad for making life easier on us yet again and having everything set up and ready for us!

One Year Check-Up and more

So I am WAY behind on this! Other things just always seem to come first over the blog. Anyways Cameron had his one year check up a couple of weeks ago and it was a toughy! Three shots and blood drawn from his arm. It was by far the worst as far as shots go. A little milk afterwards, an airhead and when we got home a popsicle seemed to help alot. He has never had any reactions from his shots which I am very thankful for!

12 months:
Weight: 21lbs 9.9oz (25th%)
Height: 30 1/2 inches (75th%)

Today I got my flu shot at CVS while Cameron sat in my lap eating a sucker. I think he liked it much better this way! :) To be honest I wish I could take all his shots for him!

Cameron has now tried eggs, stuff with peanut butter, and cows milk (still working on this one). The Dr. called today and said his iron was a little low--nothing to be concerned about but that we should try a multivitamin with iron (it's liquid and from what I've heard tastes really bad)...we will give it a try tomorrow and see how he likes or dislikes it! He is right on track growing strong and healthy. Praise God!

He now can drink from a straw!! Jason and I were just at Bass Pro Shops a couple of weekends ago noticing how this much younger baby was drinking from a straw...I let him try mine right then and he acted as if he had no idea. So four days later we go over to my Uncle Dale and Aunt Eloise's house and Uncle Dale said to give that "country boy" a juice box....sure enough right then and there he drank it up. I think he really enjoys his big boy straws now!

He is saying "mom" ALL the time now. It's so funny to here him walking around the house when he doesn't see me just saying "mom, mom, mom". We really have so much fun everyday together. He is a walking machine and has really mastered this over the last 2 months! I can't believe he has been walking for that long. I told Jason the other day I feel like things are much easier now. He can go where he wants to go and can actually play for a short amount of time on his own. We go on walks outside everyday--part of the time riding in the cozy coupe and the other part him walking on his own two feet.



He is such a little boy and loves to play outside no matter how hot it is. Sometimes we cheat and do bubbles inside too.

Peak-a-boo!

My Helper!

Now that Cameron is completely mobile on two feet he tends to get into things that he didn't before. He is just exploring our house and drawers, pantry, trash can, you get the point. For example:

This morning while I was getting ready in the bathroom he opened all my drawers and brought me each one of my bathing suits very proudly!

He also decided we needed to take ALL of his books off his bookshelf and rearrange them.

And the other day while he was napping I went through all my old coupons and threw out the expired ones. When he woke up he thought I should hang on to them a little longer and pulled them all out while I was in the kitchen.

He is a very big help these days! :)

Birthday Party continued...

Saturday we had a small little birthday party with family for Cameron. Jason finally had a great excuse to upgrade our grill and get rid of the one that we purchased with the house. We had such a great time celebrating with the people we love and whom we know will continue to help us shape and influence Cameron's life.

Round two of the birthday song went much better! He smiled the entire time and scanned the room looking at each person singing to him! What a memorable moment!

I made a giant cupcake for him. Chocolate on the bottom and strawberry on the top with homemade cream cheese icing dyed blue, with tiny colorful fish sprinkles on top.

I had bought this pan before I was even pregnant hoping to use it for our future baby's 1st birthday. I can't believe that day has already come and gone. Cameron did as I expected and started picking at all the sprinkles. He never completely smashed the cake but seemed to enjoy the icing the most. Daddy helped him get into it a little more.


He did however make a huge mess and went straight to the bathtub before he opened up all his gifts. He has been playing with all of his new toys and I think Jason and I are almost as excited as he is about new things to play with! :)


Jason did an excellent job on his Big Green Egg cooking our beef and chicken kabobs. He also grilled some sprimp. I have a feeling we are going to be grilling EVERYTHING from now on. He is just a little bit excited about his new toy.

I'm so proud and even more in love with my little guy than I was 12 months ago. Happy Birthday Big Guy!