The Lovelady Chronicles

Chatting it up with the big guy

2011-12-13T18:30:00.004-06:00

We've been talking for several weeks now with William about going to sit in Santa's lap, and telling him what we want for Christmas. I was a little skeptical of how it was going to go, but he surprised me! He was chatting it up, telling him he wanted a fishing pole and trucks. When it came time to sit in his lap, he wasn't too excited about the idea, but obliged to getting his picture taken beside him...baby steps, people!

It's definitely an improvement over last year!

"Cheeeseee!!"

Spooktacular Halloween!

2011-11-02T20:00:00.005-05:00

Tiger Woods before candy-collection

Doing an equipment check to make sure the pumpkin is candy-ready

Performing equipment check on the clubs

Warming up with a few practice swings

Practicing his "give me candy" grin...trust me, it worked too well...he was bouncing off the walls by the end of the night!

Pumpkin Patch Madness!

2011-10-24T12:36:00.007-05:00

Well, we decided to jump on the bandwagon, and see what this pumpkin batch business is about. Let me say that it was worth every penny, and we will definitely be going back next year!

the sunflowers were everywhere and breathtaking

stopping for a sniff

a huge pile of dirt with trucks...he could've stayed there all day

....until we got to the huge vat filled with corn kernels and trucks...then he wanted to stay there all day

hay maze

my child loves to pretend to milk a cow...like goes crazy

finally able to get a little out, hilarious

and I'll wrap it up with this, no words needed

and yes, I know that there are no actual pics of us with pumpkins, ha! We visited the pumpkins last, and they were a little puny, so we didn't walk away with one...maybe next year :)

The next Tiger Woods??

2011-10-15T09:53:00.004-05:00

Well...we're not quite there, but he's having fun practicing!! Had to post this for grandpa :)

WA-TER, Part Deux

2011-09-03T14:42:00.005-05:00

What do you do with an active 2 year-old boy when it rains all weekend??

Well, break out the water boots, of course!!

He was so sweet and inspected the gutter to make sure it was working properly

School days, school days....

2011-09-01T15:49:00.005-05:00

Well, I'm about a week late with this post, but I had to include his first day of school....well preschool anyway. He started going 3 mornings a week to the little school at our church last week, and absolutely LOVES it! He wears his little backpack, carries his little lunchbox and runs down to his classroom like a big boy. I was thankful I was able to get a few descent pics before we left, considering the morning that we'd had trying to get out the door! Oh, and please forgive the jungle-like appearance of our yard in the background, ha!

He's perfected the "cheese"

And he's done...

went straight to work when we got there

In the land of happiness

2011-08-10T07:01:00.008-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I took William to the children's museum in Jackson. If you haven't been, and you have children...it's an absolute must. It was 3 stories of everything a child needs to explore, play and have fun. We really could've spent all day there, and probably not seen it all. William had so much fun...and it ended up being a real challenge getting him out of there!

This is his "I'm not really sure where to start" look

Getting acquainted with the water-shooting catfish. I think he actually told me that he needed one of these in his room!

My child has a slight obsession with water, so he made a b-line to the huge water exhibit, where he spent most of the time.

Gone fishin'

Turning the water on and off

And....he's back to fishing again

Trying out his banjo skills

And completed the trip by baking mama a cake...well, it was really an egg, but whatever.

Check out my new ride, ladies

2011-07-06T15:20:00.005-05:00

Now I know it's going to be hard to contain yourself. Your all going to want one, so just get ready...and William said to let the ladies know that he is available to give out free rides in his new wheels. Check him out...

I know I look good...it's the helmet

And they're off

Cruisin' through the 'hood

I just love a man in boots!

2011-06-29T14:23:00.004-05:00

I think the diaper really adds to the look, don't ya think? We got these boots for Christmas for William, and he insisted on taking them out for a test-drive this morning before getting dressed. They finally fit, and he's now in love with them. I think it's a pretty sweet look...as long as it's only for here at the house!

Here's a little clip of him showing them off

Big Boys Get Haircuts

2011-05-23T19:45:00.008-05:00

So, I guess we officially have a "big boy" then, or at least that's what I kept telling him while he was sitting in the chair to keep him still! He went in a sweet little mama's boy, and came out on the other side stylin'. He's still a mama's boy, though! I'm sure the lady thought I was crazy snapping pictures over a little haircut, but it only comes once, right? Up until today, he'd only gotten the "mama's special" in the kitchen. We thought it was about time, though, as he was getting more hair than I knew how to handle, and we wanted a fresh look for his upcoming ring-bearer role!

The "before" pic

side-view

pointing out all the football players on the wall

he's a little skeptical at this point

being bribed with chick-fil-a at this point

being patronized about what a big boy he is at this point

the finished product...hard to tell from this pic, but I think he likes it!

PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR!!

2011-04-26T19:52:00.009-05:00

Well, maybe not a rockstar...but we definitely partied like a 2-year old!! Saturday we had his 2nd annual birthday party. It was complete with trains, good food, good friends and, of course, water. After the prep, I can safely say that this may be the last year that we have a birthday party at the house. Chuck-e-cheese was sounding pretty good by Friday night, ha! But, alas, it was a success, and my baby had a blast, which makes it all worth it in the end. So hard to believe that it's been 2 years. Two of the best of my life, and I am so incredibly lucky that God chose me to be William's mom. Alright, enough of that, I'll save the rest for the mushy birthday post. I'll go ahead and get right to the festivities! PARTY ON!!

A year of "Williams"

the spread...mmmm

birthday cupcakes

Our little fam

blowing out his cupcake

lots of sweet gifts

The hit of the party...WATER

WA-TER!!

2011-04-21T20:51:00.010-05:00

This afternoon was rainy, which makes for a long few hours with a child who just wants to be "outside". Since he's obsessed with water, I thought that he might like to help me "wash" some dishes. Well, lets just say there was very little washing and lots of playing. There was also lots of me saying, "keep it in the sink!". I was able to get some pics along the way...notice the natural progression of things as time went by.

Ok...here was our setup

Getting the hang of turning on and off the water

Clearly not wanting to stop to get his picture made, much less actually smile

Trying the old thumb-covering-the-hole trick

Had to lose the clothes, and if you could hear me in the background, I'm consistently

saying, "keep it in the sink!"

But he's obviously ignoring me

obviously

And...I turn around for 2 seconds and he's going nude on me

No caption needed

Mr. Destructo

2011-03-28T20:24:00.008-05:00

8 minutes. This is the amount of time that it takes me to dry my hair. This is also the amount of time that it takes Mr. Destructo to demolish a bathroom. Today he was especially destructive as he reeked havoc. Of course, I had to take some pictures to capture the bathroom devastation. Take a walk with me through our, once clean, bathroom.

Entrance into the bathroom: Jay's clothes from the closet

In front of the shower: more clothes, drawer liner, one of my shoes, one of Jay's socks, and a makeup sponge

Bottom drawer where hairdryer and drawer liner belong: my shoes mate

In front of the tub: towel and another one of my shoes

In drawer where towel used to be: my hairbrush that I needed to dry my hair

In the bathtub: Meet Mr. Destructo himself (please don't let yourself be fooled by the look of innocence being displayed here) "Who, me??"

*No animals were harmed during the making of this post, and the bathroom was back in order by the next morning's hair drying.*

I can do it myself....mom!!

2011-03-14T19:21:00.007-05:00

Ok, so William doesn't actually say that...yet. He has become quite the independent little man these days, though. His days are filled with saying "no"(his new favorite word), swatting my hand away, undressing himself and wanting to do generally everything for himself. I still make this independent toddler stop to give me kisses, though : )

Takes out the trash himself...or at least to the door

will only eat a banana if he does it himself

undressing himself for bath-time (yes, that's the kitchen floor, if you were wondering)

Ravioli boy

2011-02-12T19:21:00.005-06:00

Since, our little man will soon be turning the big 02 (oh my), we decided it was probably time that we started to polish his manners a bit. We started with the use of utensils. It's been a little bit rocky, so far, as he doesn't seem to see the need when he has 10 perfectly fine fingers, but we've been practicing anyway. I managed to capture a few pics on ravioli day, which is becoming more frequently lately. Also, in case you're wondering, yes, he's still in his pajamas at lunch. This just seemed easier than risking a mid-day change...you will soon understand what I mean.

Going in for the kill

Slam dunk!

The aftermath...

Oops...slippery little sucker!

When mama's away, the boys will play

2011-02-01T19:59:00.004-06:00

Jay and William were "hanging out" the other morning while I was showering and getting ready. This mostly consisted of wrestling and watching cartoons in the "big bed". When I went to download pictures from my camera, this is what I found...

"What?? I'm busy watching my cartoons."

Enjoying the big bed

That Choco-holic William

2011-01-23T15:37:00.004-06:00

The apple definitely doesn't fall far from the tree. What can I say, but the kid loves chocolate...who can blame him! Now, if we can just teach him how to let it melt in your mouth, and not in your hands!

What every man should have...

2011-01-21T19:25:00.004-06:00

...is a pair of Carhartt's. Now, thanks to my cousin, Deb, he's now the very proud owner of a pair. He wears them well, and says that they make him feel like a country boy : ) I just think their plain cute! *disclaimer- please excuse the hair...it's winter, and static is not our friend, ha!*

2010 with William Carter...in pictures

2011-01-08T14:50:00.011-06:00

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Christmas...Lovelady style

2010-12-31T14:51:00.007-06:00

We spent this Christmas morning at home opening our gifts to each other, eating cinnamon rolls and otherwise just enjoying our time together. William is getting to the age where the Christmas morning excitement is close to palpable. Santa was definitely good to him this year. It almost made me feel like a kid again too...seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child. I wasn't very good at taking lots of pics this year. I took a few, but I got wrapped up in all the excitement and the camera collected dust in the corner. Here are the few that I did manage to capture.

He wasn't too sure about Lightning McQueen

Moving on...

Here he is getting some last-minute driving instructions

Loved his work bench...thanks Jess!!

Didn't waste any time digging in!

Checking out the loot

Liked the motorized car...

Until he found the "go" button...As a side note, we can't get him of of it now!

Merry Christmas, From our Home to Yours...

2010-12-23T10:18:00.001-06:00

Dear Santa...

2010-12-21T07:36:00.016-06:00

I just wanted you to know that I've been a really good boy this year.

I've helped mom with her cooking...

I've helped her clean out the refrigerator

I helped to clean out the pantry....several times!

I even helped mama wrap presents!

So...in short...please hurry, Santa...

I was a good boy last year....

but this year has just been filled with extra goodness!

Love, William

Lions, Tigers and Bears...oh my!!

2010-12-13T19:22:00.005-06:00

Ok, so maybe just one tiger was at the Hattiesburg zoo last week when we went. It's a fairly small zoo, so William missed out on the lions and bears, but since big cats scare him, I don't think he minded! He loved all the little monkeys and birds...anything smaller than him! His favorite was the train, or "choo choo". He was a little skeptical at first, but was saying "choo choo" the whole ride, but at $2 a pop, I'm sure we'll be taking another ride soon!

Enjoying the monkeys

His fave...Mr. and Mrs. Monkey

Wasn't a fan of this one at all : (

Photo-op with grandpa after the exciting train ride!

Aquarium First-Timers

2010-12-06T20:27:00.009-06:00

Last week we took our first day trip the New Orleans for some family fun. It was the first time Jay and William had been to the "big easy", so it was a fun adventure for everyone. We ended up eating lunch and then hitting the aquarium. Cafe du Monde was on the agenda, but I failed to foresee how busy it would be by mid-afternoon! As most know, we are now in full-blown toddler mode, which makes it very hard to get good pictures of the little man. He's such a little busy bee, that I just have to snap pics as fast as possible and hope for the best...about 1 in 20 is a keeper. So here are a few of the best from our outing, even if everyone in the frame isn't looking at the camera (I'm not naming any names, ha).

Oh, and on a side-note...a blogger that I follow is having a great giveaway that I thought I would pass the info on. Just go to her site and enter to win! http://www.inthiswonderfullife.com/2010/12/yep-two-new-giveaways.html

Taking it all in

He just stared in amazement...

Daddy explaining it all

Who doesn't like sitting on a big frog?

You can just feel his excitement about having to pose with mama

And here we are on the whale...he was too busy for pics!

The Ocean through the Eyes of a Child

2010-11-21T13:43:00.010-06:00

Yesterday, we took a day trip down to Gulfport...one of the many perks of living in Hattiesburg. William had never been to the ocean or beach before, so we had so much fun just watching him take it all in. His reactions were priceless, and reminded us of the amazing beauty and wonder of God's creation. He was in awe and wonder of everything from the ocean to the seagulls. I definitely think we'll be making many trips back in the future. But, first, allow me to show you the ocean in a whole new light...through a child's eyes...

First experience of toes in the sand...obviously not a fan

Still not a fan

Getting a little better

First look at God's amazing creation...wow!

Could've stared at it all day long

And....not a fan of the water!

Safe back in daddy's arms

Until next time...

Hooray for Free!!

2010-11-20T19:22:00.006-06:00

I know that many of you fellow bloggers out there have probably heard about Shutterfly's 50 FREE Christmas card giveaway, but for those of you who haven't, let me give you the scoop! Shutterfly is a wonderful website that I use to backup my photos for storage and for use in the future for cards, stationary or other fun stuff like calendars and such. Well, they are now giving...yes, giving away 50 free cards to all of us bloggers. We have used them before for Christmas and thank-you cards and they are fantastic! Follow me to the website here, and check out all the beautiful cards! I haven't been able to choose my favorite so far, but here are the few that I absolutely love!

I apologize that they are so small, but you get the idea...CUTENESS!! I'll be ordering my 50 soon, so hurry up and click here to get yours too!

Boys will be Boys

2010-11-09T11:46:00.005-06:00

We've been busy over the last few weeks getting settled into the new house. William is loving it, but mostly the big yard with lots of dirt. He's become quite the little boy lately, just wanting to be outside, playing with trucks in the dirt. I suppose that I knew it would come someday, I was just hoping to hold onto my little baby for a little while longer, though. This stage is so very fun, though, as he is constantly cracking me up!

His first pair of Levi's...contain yourself, ladies!

Fun with dad

Who needs toys when there's dirt?

Throwing acorns and watching them fall

Loves walking around with his ear protection!

Love that irresistible smile!

1 1/2 years...my how you've grown!

2010-10-27T17:51:00.007-05:00

My goodness how time flies! Wasn't it just yesterday that I first looked into those big, beautiful blue (now brown) eyes? I'm constantly reminded of how much he's growing every day, and am so thankful to be at home full-time now. It's an adjustment, but we're definitely enjoying our time together. We're slowly getting adjusted to life in Hattiesburg. Our garage has gone from a small tiny walkway down the middle to larger gaps throughout (I can even see the floor!). I'll post pics of our progress later this week.

Today we started out our 1/2 birthday with blueberry waffles (which he tore up), had fun in the park this afternoon, followed by ice cream, and pizza for supper. What more could you ask from an 18 month birthday? Nothing...according to William! Here are a few pics from our day and a couple to compare how far we've come.

Playtime at the park driving his "jeep"

Lookout...toddler at the wheel!

Little 1/2-birthday treat

...and he approves!

How we all started...

Game-day!!

2010-10-09T20:16:00.004-05:00

Our little bully has his game-day face on!! Oh...and he's quickly becoming a fan of the John-Deere, can't you tell?

Day at the Museum

2010-09-26T13:48:00.008-05:00

We recently took William to see the new "Megaladon" exhibit at the natural science museum. It's an exhibit about the largest sharks that have ever lived...and they were definitely huge! We all had a great time, and William's favorite part....of course, the fist tanks!

In the parking lot...the excitement was palpable!

Seeing how we sized up next to the Megaladon!

Who doesn't like riding a big frog?

William's Dance, Revisited

2010-09-06T19:25:00.007-05:00

It's been a while since I've been able to getting William dancing on video, which is pretty unbelievable, because he's dancing constantly! He loves music, and has even learned how to turn on the music on my iphone...amazing! We were on our way to Lowe's here. I was in the backseat riding with him, and was able to catch a little jig! He was a little restricted in the carseat, but you get the idea!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-01T20:35:00.004-05:00

Summer Fun in My New Trunks!

2010-08-26T19:59:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago we took William to a little splash park to beat the heat for a little while. He loves the little splash fountains at Renaissance, so we were sure this would be a huge hit...WRONG!! He hated getting his face splashed, and ended up just walking around the edges of all the fountains. He got to show off his new swim trunks, though, and he loved seeing all the ladies, of course!! I think next time, we'll just stick to the freebie at Renaissance!

Getting lathered up with sunscreen

My cutie

Me and my little man : )

Electronically Gifted?

2010-08-17T13:16:00.005-05:00

William's newest obsession is anything that has a knob or cord attached to it. In fact, that's all he wants to play with all day, every day. From cell phones, to on/off switches, to the AC controller he's all about anything electrical. Of course, he takes after Jay, as I still am challenged in this area, so I'm thrilled that he'll one day be helping his mother figure out the latest technology!

Yesterday, William and I were upstairs, and I started hearing what sounded like music coming from the other room. He's always loved turning the speakers and CD changer on and off, and today, he found the play button. I walked into the room where he was, and he was just dancing! Here's a little clip...

Wanted to end with this sweet smile...which has 7 teeth, by the way!

My Little Houdini

2010-07-20T20:34:00.003-05:00

Guess we need to invest in something a little more William-proof!

Our Walking Toddler!!!

2010-07-13T20:43:00.006-05:00

The last couple of weeks have been pretty busy for all of us. We closed on our house on the 30th of June (praise God), and we moved in with my parents for the next few months. We've started house-hunting in the Hattiesburg area, and plan to move sometime probably in October. So, it's been a big transition for everyone, especially little man. Up until a couple of weeks ago, he'd never slept anywhere except his own room, so it's taken a couple of weeks for him to get his sleep back to normal.

Meanwhile...soon after we moved, he started taking a few steps from person to person. He wouldn't let go on his own, but he was taking 4-5 steps to someone. Well, this week, he's walking everywhere!! I mean, at this rate, he'll be running by next week! He's the cutest thing walking around the house, and even though it's more work for me, at 14 months, I'm really glad that he's started! So here's a couple of clips just to show how far he came in 1 week!

Last week

And....This week!

COHEN

2010-07-01T05:21:00.004-05:00

Cohen was a special little boy who was born with several different heart defects, who lost his brave little battle with life almost 2 weeks ago today. I've been praying for Cohen and his family for a long time now, and today, across the world, we are having a blogging day of silence in rememberance of his life. Please join me in prayer today for his parents, Brent and Megan, and their families, as they have his memorial and burial, that God will wrap His loving and comforting arms around them during this difficult time.

I Heart Pajamas

2010-06-18T20:23:00.010-05:00

So...I just think there's nothing cuter or sweeter than a baby in pajamas. There's just something about it, to me. Because of this, William has always had more than his share of them...footed, non-footed, long pants, short pants, you get the picture. I even keep him in them until after his morning nap every day, which ends up being around 11. So, I thought that I might share my love of PJ's in a few pictures I've snapped over the past 13 months. As you can tell, my child loves pajamas too...this apple doesn't fall too far from the tree

This last one is a bit blurry, but it's hard to get a

good pic of a moving target. You get the idea though : )

The Beginnings of Toddlerhood!!

2010-05-31T20:30:00.011-05:00

I'm sure many are wondering what William has been up to, or into, lately! In a nutshell, everything!! We're still not walking yet, but he cruises and crawls just as fast as I can walk. He keeps me so busy during the day...I just thought that I was busy 6 months ago, ha!! His favorite pastimes are opening and closing anything...doors, drawers, cabinets, anything!! He loves moving furniture around. Last week he rearranged the waiting-room chairs at the ped's office, and he must've thought my mom's house needed rearranging this weekend too, because he gave it a whole new look. For his birthday, we got him a small swing-set for the backyard, and he would swing all day long if we let him! So...what has William been up to????

Oh...a little bit of this

And....a little bit of that

And this...

And a whole lotta this!!

Mother's Day/Dedication Day

2010-05-10T07:58:00.005-05:00

Today, we not only celebrated mother's day, but we also celebrated William's dedication today at church. It was a wonderful service, and William was so sweet. They had pictures of him up on the screen, and he was just staring and pointing at them the entire time. It was too cute!

It's important to Jay and I, as parents, to teach William about Christ and His love for us. Dr. Thomas preached yesterday how mothers are their child's first SS teachers...wow...I love it! What an incredibly important and awesome job, to be the first to teach William of God's love and grace for him. It is our prayer that we will be able to be the Christian examples and role-models he needs, and to provide a loving Christian home.

After church, we spent the rest of the afternoon at my parents, just enjoying family. It was a wonderful day of celebration of all mother's and all they do. Now that I'm a mother, I appreciate my own so much more. I appreciate all the little things that she did for us growing up, and all the sacrifices made for her family. I am proud to say that I am more and more like her every year, and strive to be the wonderful mother that she still is for all 3 of us. I love you, mom!

After William's dedication

William's new trick...pointing

His favorite spot...surrounded by ladies!

Sporting his new shirt...Thanks Jessica! He's sooo cute in it!

Our first birthday party!!

2010-04-25T10:05:00.018-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated William's first birthday. He won't actually turn 1 until Tuesday, but we decided to celebrate a little early. I don't think he really knew what was happening, but he knew that it was a good time...at least for the adults anyway : ) It's hard to believe that our little baby will be turning 1 this week. This year has just flown by! I am so thankful that God chose me to be William's mom. He is such a sweet, good-natured child, and I am so lucky that he calls me mama. This has been the most amazing year of my life, and I wouldn't trade one day of it...not even a bad one. I look forward to this second year as much as I did his first, because I know each new phase is more fun than the last! Here are some pics of his big day.

Elmo and his friends

the food spread

the birthday boy and his Pops

trying to get a good pic of his birthday outfit

me and my baby before the party

William checking out his friend Jake

singing "Happy Birthday" and his mama tearing up

trying to blow out the single candle (only took 4 tries)

not too sure at first

but it soon became the disappearing cake

the birthday boy playing with one of his toys

Tickle Toes

2010-04-22T20:16:00.004-05:00

Lately it has been harder and harder to keep William entertained while I get ready in the mornings. Usually I try to get ready during his nap time, but sometimes that just doesn't work out so well. I've tried everything from letting him play in the bathtub, to letting him play in my jewelry box. This week he crawled up next to me while I was drying my hair, and started playing with my feet (yes, I had just had a shower : ) This was the outcome...

WHAT DID YOU SAY?!?

2010-04-06T09:26:00.002-05:00

That's what I thought you said....FINALLY!! My heart just melted!!

WE THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, BUT.....

2010-03-29T09:56:00.004-05:00

HE'S CRAWLING!!! Even though he's been cruising around furniture for weeks now, William finally decided to jump on the wagon and start crawling. He has brought a new definition to having a baby "on the move". I really have to watch him every second now or he will eat dog-food, try to stick his finger in a light socket or try and pull the laptop off the table (yes, he has done or tried each of these) while my back is turned! And...yes...we have begun baby-proofing! I have gotten a small glimpse into toddlerhood this past week, and it's SCARY!! I'm loving every second, though...well...almost every second, ha! Here is a little video from a couple of days ago. Every day he gets faster, so this is a little slower than he is today! He didn't like it at first, but now that he's figured out he can get where he wants to go, he's liking it much better!

New professional pics!

2010-03-23T09:05:00.008-05:00

We had these made of William a few months ago. It was really cold that day, so he wasn't really in the mood to smile, but I thought they turned out really good despite the serious faces!!

Two peas in a pod

2010-03-15T20:34:00.006-05:00

In the past 6 weeks, William has started doing and learning so many new things. He FINALLY got 2 teeth, started saying "dada", started eating almost all table food, and just last week started cruising! I know, we're in trouble once he starts walking! He still doesn't crawl, but he gets where he wants to go by rolling or scooting. He stands well holding onto anything, and walks around holding onto his play-table like a champ. His balance is getting better by the day, and a few times he's let go completely for a couple of seconds at a time. He's pretty much eating whatever we eat, which is really nice not to have to worry about baby food, however, he's still not taking a sippy cup...yet. We went to the doctor last week, and he is up to 17.11 lbs...yeah!! Hard to believe he's going to be a year in a little over a month. Wow, how time flies. This video was taken tonight, and I just thought it was too hilarious not to post! There's not much sound to it...just Jay and William mimicking each other...too cute!

Can't go on the walk without the graham cracker!

10 months!!

2010-03-01T07:53:00.008-06:00

It's so hard to believe that my sweet baby William is already 10 months! It seems like yesterday that I first held him in my arms, and here we are 2 short months from a year! He's trying new things every day...like standing on his own for a few seconds at a time. He loves eating, and trying new foods, and his current favorites are graham crackers, nilla wafers, goldfish, and yogurt. He has absolutely zero interest in crawling....he only wants to stand or walk (with help : ) His vocabulary consists of "da-da" constantly, and a few other babbles. He's a great sleeper, sleeping 12 hrs a night, and a couple of naps during the day. Oh, and he cut his first tooth this month!! I'll have to post a pic of that as soon as I can get him to hold still long enough. Here are some recent pics from the last few days.

William's dance

2010-02-09T19:56:00.005-06:00

William has gotten to where he just LOVES music! He also loves dancing to the music! Here is a little demonstration he did this afternoon...

My How Your Growing!

2010-01-29T09:42:00.010-06:00

It's hard to believe that William turned 9 months old this past Wednesday! Only 3 more months left in his first year...and it has just flown by so far! He's still small for his age, only weighing around 16 pounds, but that hasn't stopped him yet. We go to the doctor on Tuesday for his check-up, so I'll post the official weigh-in next week.

Things he's doing lately...he LOVES standing on his own while holding onto anything (widow seals, tables, chairs, his bed, his dresser...you name it he'll onto it and stand). He's not quite pulling up yet, he wants you to do the work, but he'll stand as long as you let him. He's eating finger foods now. He loves puffs, yogurt melts, biter biscuits and juice. He's not quite feeding himself yet, but I think it's more of wanting us to do it rather than him not being able to do it. No teeth yet...still waiting. He gets around by creeping on his belly and scooting...hasn't really shown an interest in crawling, but he gets where he wants to go. Loves Loves Loves his walker, and can maneuver just about anywhere in it. He's getting more hair, but it's still not much to brag about. He sleeps 12 hrs straight through the night, but is still not much of a napper..oh well, I'll take it! Loves his mama, daddy, and the dogs very much, and loves giving big sloppy kisses to show it! Here are a couple of pics I took yesterday with his wagon. They're not too good, but he wasn't much in a smiling mood and I was trying to hurry in case he got a little wobbly.

Look what I can do, mom!

2010-01-18T18:27:00.003-06:00

Well, we're not quite crawling yet, but this week he has started standing on his own while holding on to something (dresser, crib, coffee table, etc.). The books say that some babies never crawl, which could be the case with us...we will see! William's new trick...could spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

William vs. Tape

2010-01-18T14:21:00.003-06:00

I think the tape won this one!

Santa, baby....

2009-12-27T20:41:00.015-06:00

We had so much fun this Christmas! It was William's first, and was a very special time for our whole family. We spent Christmas eve here at home, baking, wrapping and opening presents. William got so many nice toys and clothes from our family...he was so excited! We have been so blessed this year with such a sweet and healthy baby, and can't wait to see what this next year holds for our little family!

This was Christmas Eve before we opened gifts

William exploring his new bath toys from Santa

Helping daddy

Thanks for the bow...he loves it!

Daddy being funny

This is my favorite...check out the shirt!

Christmas day at my parent's house

Loved this toy from Sugar and Pop!

Finally...meeting the Big Guy!! Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!

A Whole New Perspective on Christmas

2009-12-12T20:22:00.013-06:00

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year...lights, music, shopping, warm fires in the fireplace, etc. It has always been a time to remember the baby Jesus, and the glorious celebration of His birth. I try to stop and really think what that must have been like for Mary...to travel that far, being THAT pregnant...to not have anywhere to rest in Bethlehem but a stable....to have to give birth to your child next to animals...to smell the stench of the barnyard with every breath...to have no where to lay your newborn baby except in a feeding trough. Now that I have a son of my own, it is much easier to imagine how hard that must have been for Mary. We all want what is best for our children, but God loved us so much that he chose to have His only Son to be born in a stable. A place so ordinary...so human. That is the true definition of love.

We put up our tree and decorations last weekend, and were able to snap a few pictures of William in one of his Christmas outfits. He's not yet crawling, but he's scooting...mostly in circles! He loves bouncing while standing, and loves "Jingle Bells"!

Here are a few pics from the last week, and a couple of videos I thought everyone might enjoy!

Halloween in December

2009-12-07T18:47:00.010-06:00

Today, I was putting away laundry in William's room when I found this little green monster

At first I was afraid, but he assured me that he meant no harm. This friendly little monster said that he was sick at Halloween, and couldn't drop by for a visit in October, but that he wanted to show off his new outfit before it got too small! He and I had lots of fun playing, dancing and even hung around for a photo op!

But, alas, all good things must come to an end. Before he left, however, he let me get a little video of his dance skills. He even added a little monster roar at the end, to say "I'll see ya next year!"

Counting Our Many Blessings

2009-12-01T08:43:00.005-06:00

This Thanksgiving was William's first, so it was a very special one in the Lovelady house. We spent the day with my family at my parents house, and had so much fun. William stole the show, smiling, laughing and showing off his new skill of drinking water out of my glass! He is growing so fast that sometimes I wish time would just stay still. I know that I will look back and wonder where the time went, so I'm really trying to enjoy every moment of every day that I have with him. Every smile is precious, every roll-over is like his first, and every sweet baby-kiss is locked away in my memory.

Jay and I have so much to be thankful for this year, that it's hard not to be overwhelmed with emotion just thinking of all the many blessings God has given. We are all so blessed with a loving and forgiving Father, who selflessly gave his own Son, so that we and our own sons can live...that is the ultimate definition of love. I never really knew depth of sacrifice this was until I became a mother. Now, the thought of having to give up my own son's precious life, so that a sinful nation could be free really puts things into perspective. I am thankful for a wonderful and loving husband, who loves me and William more than anything in the world. I am thankful for a perfect child, who has absolutely been the light and the joy of our lives. I am thankful for a job, and warm home to come home to, and for loving parents who taught me the values of God and family. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

Who Has Time to Sleep??

2009-11-23T19:57:00.008-06:00

Over the last month or so, William has become much more active and interested in absolutely everything that we are doing. He doesn't want to go to sleep, for fear that he will miss something. He's always reaching, grabbing or chewing on something, and doesn't ever sit still anymore. He's mastered sitting, but we're still working on crawling. I took these pictures over the past couple of days. The first was what I found when I went into the nursery during naptime...my little turtle (or parascope, as Jay calls him). The other is of William's new walker. He loves it, although he's still working on the walking part!

Other random pics from the last week

Jay and William playing video games together

Bath-time with his new Elmo mat

My First Halloween

2009-11-16T07:40:00.007-06:00

We had planned on William being a little green monster this year for Halloween, but turned out he was sick the whole weekend. He actually had to go to the doctor on Halloween day, which was no fun! I had to work that weekend, so it was just he and Jay, but we did manage to get a few pics of 2 of his little halloween outfits. We still plan on putting him in his monster costume, and snapping a few pics, so stay tuned...they will be up soon! The first few photos are the Thursday before halloween, when he and I were home alone, and the other is of his pumpkin outfit. You can't really see it well, because he was exhausted after going to the

doctor!

Sitting On My Own

2009-11-02T08:23:00.007-06:00

Well, William is just growing by leaps and bounds! Every time I turn around, it seems like he's doing something new. His latest trick...sitting! It doesn't seem like much to you and I, but to a little one, this is a big accomplishment! We've been battling ear infections, and teething for the last few weeks, so he's had a rough time lately, but hopefully we're on the upswing and we'll have more fun pics to post. Maybe some of those pics will even have a tooth in them!

These are of my boys enjoying some quality time together watching football...Elmo included!

HE LOVES CARROTS!!

2009-10-23T20:48:00.004-05:00

So, after numerous exhausted efforts at trying to get William to eat cereal, we decided to give it up, and start veggies. We were so excited to learn that he absolutely loves carrots!! We also tried squash tonight, and he's a big fan of that also! It's hard to believe that he's growing up so fast. We'll be cutting up his meat before we know it!

These other pics are of my boys while we were mattress shopping. They were trying them out...I think they like it!

Eating our first solids...sort of

2009-10-11T21:08:00.005-05:00

Today, we started William on solid food...rice cereal. We had planned on waiting until he was 6 months, but he has recently become very interested in everything that we're eating. During meals, he has started grabbing at plates, glasses, food, and anything else within reach. Today, while at the fair, he actually started screaming because we wouldn't give him any chicken-on-a-stick and coke! We took that as a hint that maybe he's ready for something other than milk. I'll let the video tell you how it went!

The State Fair

2009-10-11T20:19:00.009-05:00

Today, we took William to the fair for the first time. He spent most of the time taking in all the new sights and sounds. I managed to squeeze in a few photo-ops while we were there. These are of William's sweet baby kisses, and a cute pic of my boys.

This was taken before we went in...all bundled up!

Our First Family Photos

2009-10-10T20:28:00.003-05:00

We had our first family photos a couple of weeks ago, and we are so excited that they turned out so wonderful! William was a bit fussy throughout, with his nap cut short, but Katie managed to get beautiful pics anyway. We hope that you will check them out, and enjoy them as much as we have. Here is the link, just click and then put in your email address for tracking purposes.

http://kstafford.photobiz.com/cart/event_login.cfm?eventID=258975

A Week of New Adventures

2009-10-09T20:12:00.013-05:00

William had several new adventures, to include his first ride in the front of the shopping cart, his first trip to bass pro (his dad is proud of that one) and his first laugh. I wasn't able to get the laugh on video, but I did get a couple of others. I'm throwing in a couple of extras, because they were too cute!

Weekend with dad

His bad habit

His first trip to bass pro, trying on a hat that Jay picked out. It says "my first fishing hat".

This is his new shopping cart cover. We love it because he can't sit up yet on his own, so it gives him a little extra support.

Attempting to sit up

2009-09-27T07:36:00.003-05:00

William has recently been trying to sit up, and has his trunk control has come a long way. He's able to sit up like a tri-pod, and has been scooting on the floor! Here's a couple of pics, excuse the big-head look!

Big boy high-chair

2009-09-27T07:27:00.011-05:00

Friday, mom and I ate ate Cracker Barrel, and we decided to take a some pics of William in his big boy seat. The other high-chair was at our friend Connor's house. He looks pretty good, and said he's going to be ready for some solid food soon!

Family Photos

2009-09-26T20:54:00.007-05:00

Today was the first time we got pictures made as a whole family, and it went really well, despite the humid weather and a cranky baby! I'm posting a couple of the proofs, and will send a link to the finished product as soon as they are through being edited. The other picture is of William sporting his new hat from the Gap. Since he's not any closer to growing a head of hair than the day he was born, I thought that we might need a couple of hats for the winter!

Where to start...

2009-09-22T20:27:00.010-05:00

Well, I finally decided to jump on the blog bandwagon. I've been meaning to start blogging for some time now, but our lives have undergone some major changes in the last 5 months, and time has just slipped by. As most of you know, Jay and I welcomed William Carter Lovelady to our family on April, 27th of this year. He weighed in at 6 lbs 6 oz, and was almost 19" long. Since then, he has grown by leaps and bounds! We just went for his 4 month check up, and at almost 5 months he is weighing 14 lbs, 5 oz! He is 25" long, and is right on schedule developmentally. He is able to push his whole chest off the ground, while looking around to check things out. He will be crawling soon, and walking before we know it! He has been the light of our lives, and I just can't wait to see what he'll be doing tomorrow! These are some recent pics and videos from the last week I though everyone might enjoy.