"Nathan has pajamas on his head"

Okay, in order to understand the following pictures there are a couple of things you must do:

1. Watch this video on YouTube.  It is one of Nathan's favorite singers and a song that has helped him recognize certain animals.
2. Now, watch the video a second time and instead of singing "Laurie has a pig on her head" and so on, sing, "Nathan has pajamas on his head"
3. Finally, view the pictures below.  You will understand why some of the pictures are blurry because Nathan was actually bouncing along with me as I was singing about his pajamas on his head.

Amazingly, Nathan kept the pjs on his head long enough for me to get the camera out and snap several shots (even though they're not the best quality - maybe do to the bouncing and dancing around?!)

Little Swimmies 1 Year Birthday Splash

Nathan's 1 Year Old birthday party slideshow is now available to view.  Make sure you move around while listening to the music.

The Mom Behind the Camera

I'm often the photographer of the family.  Not because I'm a great photographer.  Only because I want to capture everything and I'm usually the one who is fanatical about making sure we have the camera and use the camera at almost every snap-worthy function.  And most functions, no matter how small or large, are "kodak opportunites"!   Although, my camera is a sony, so I guess it would technically be a "sony opportunity".  Anyway, Brian captured some really good pictures so I wanted to share.  These pictures were all taken outside of Brian's grandparents' house in Burlington, NC.

Peek-a-boo!

At the splash park.  We're not sure what this wheel actually does.  But a wheel is a wheel - one of Nathan's favorite things in the world.

Pool Day

Thursday Pool Day has become a favorite with us!  We meet our friends there and make some new ones along the way.  A friend told me after watching Nathan explore the pool one day that it seems that he spends more time out of the water than in the water.  It's true.  Nathan prefers to run around the spray park and whenever he feels like getting a little splash of water he walks over to one of the water spouts, gets sprinkled, and then he's off, circling the enclosed spray park platform.  It's quite entertaining to watch him.  It's Supervised Freedom!  Nathan's happy - Mama's Happy!

Observing... should i get wet? or stay dry?

how about we get other people wet instead?!

okay... time for a little splash with my friends

woa!!!

Yes...He understands!

"I don't think he understands".  I have personally said that phrase and heard it said by many parents referring to their young child.   So, you asked the child not to touch the bookshelf, not to put their fingers in the outlet, not to open Mommy's purse...and you think they don't understand you.  UNTIL.... 

Julie: "Nathan, please put this in the trash can."

Nathan: (walks to me to take the napkin out of my hand, walks to the trash can, opens the lid, puts the napkin inside the trash can, closes the lid, walks back to us and looks at us with a smile on his face)

Brian (to Julie): "Did you point to the trash can?"

Julie: "No."

Brian: "Wow, he understands much more than we think."

Julie: "Yes.  He does."

So, if he is able to put an article in the trash can and you didn't even know that he knew that bin by the back door is called the trash can, do you think he understands not to touch the bookshelf, the outlets and Mommy's purse?!

Ch-ch Ch-ch, ch Ch-ch-ch Ch

when you wake up in the morning 

and it's quarter to two, 

and you just don't know what to do 

you brush your teeth...

Nathan's 10 Month Slideshow

It's been a long time since I've blogged, so instead of trying to update in words, here is a beautiful pictorial update of our family taken when Nathan was 10 months old.   Don't forget to turn up your volume when you view the slideshow.  

Surgery Summary....more to come

The Bug is Walking

Nathan's 7 Month Slideshow

Enjoy the slideshow!

From Rocker to Business: Nathan's First Haircut

This morning I realized that my baby is truly growing! I was watching him eat this morning and was overwhelmed with how quickly 8 1/2 months has gone by. Not only did he get his first haircut today, but he also wore size 3 diapers for the first time, and wore a new Old Navy outfit today that is size 6-12 months. What a big boy! Here is the picture chronology of our journey to get a haircut. Enjoy!

The Rocker: the before picture...

We had to take advantage of bath time before the cut. I think he kind of resembles the "Who's" from "Whoville" in Dr. Suess' "The Grinch Stole Christmas"

Getting ready...

The locks...
The first snip...and the tears roll...

"I want my hair back..."

"Where did my hair go?"

"Thank you, Ms. Casey."

A true Mama's Boy! And Mama loves that...

The men...(Nathan's business look)

Eating...eating...eating

Picture from the Past

I was going through some pictures on a cd today and came across this sweet one of little Nate-bug. This was taken back in the beginning of December. On this day, Nathan was roaming our house (old house) and found the air vent on the floor. He decided that he really liked the vent. He was playing with it for hours. Well, not really hours, more like several seconds. But he really, really liked it.

More pictures from December...

Nathan, we dedicate you to the Lord Jesus

We had Nathan dedicated at our church this past weekend. Here are the words of one of our pastors in explaining the purpose of Baby Dedication:

1) To thank God for the gift of life He has granted to these children.
2) We want to praise and honor God for his work of granting precious children to the care of these families in our church, and we want to encourage the parents with the promised grace of God to accomplish their task.
3) It is a public opportunity for parents to say to the congregation, "This child is God's, I pray that this child will belong wholly to God, and I need your help as a church to raise this child in the ways of God."
4) Finally, it is a way to remind our people what we are saying and what we are not saying, theologically. This time of dedication does not get rid of original sin as many Catholics believe about infant baptism. That can only come by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus.
Nor does it guarantee that these children will be believers. It is not a baptism. Baptism is an outward demonstration of an inward change and is for those who profess faith in Jesus as their Savior and Lord and their only hope for reconciliation with God.

Baby dedications are great ways to declare that as parents and as a church we are going to fight to nurture, model godliness for, spiritually fight with, pray with, admonish, and feed these children with the Word of God in a healthy Christian atmosphere.

Here are the words we say over the children:
"(Child's name), together with your parents, who love you dearly, and this people who care about the outcome of your faith, I dedicate you to God, surrendering together with them all worldly claims upon your life, in the hope that you will belong wholly to God forever." (Adapted from Bethlehem Baptist Church)

So...

Nathan...We dedicate you to God, surrendering all worldly claims upon your life, in the hope that you will belong wholly to God forever.

Last month in pictures...

We went to cousin(Brian's cousin) Billy's wedding on December 1st. It was the first time we weren't in the same state as our sweet Nathan. He had a play date all day long with Glindy in Maryland, while we drove up to Pennsylvania for the wedding. It was hard to be away, but we made it. Nathan had a great time playing and was fast asleep when we got home.

Nathan playing with Callie on his play date with Glindy. As you can see Callie is not to fond of the baby because he steels the attention whenever he is around. Princess Callie feels "dethroned" when Prince Nathan comes to town.

Nathan composed his first piano sonata while we were attending the wedding.

Here we are back in NC in the middle of December when we packed up all our precious items and moved into our first house.

FAST FORWARD... Christmas 2007 in Ellicott City, Maryland

Nathan was initiated into the Grandpa swing...and now it's the Great-Grandpa swing

He may look nice, but he plays a mean game of Cribbage...

"Come on [your name], use your brain!"The obvious holiday treat

"My first Candy Cane and I'm only 6 months," Nathan exclaims excitedly.

"Sshhh...don't tell him the wrapper is still on," Mama secretly repliesMore pictures on the way....

A Slideshow

Check out this slideshow !

We Love to Laugh

If you want to have some fun, you've got to get our friend Kristin to come take pictures of your family, especially once you've had a baby. She is such a great photographer and friend. She is a joy to be around and we love her. We just laughed and laughed and laughed....in fact that's usually all we ever do when we're around her. We laugh at ourselves, she laughs at Brian, I laugh at Brian, we laugh at Kristin because she's laughing at Brian...and on and on and on...it's really lots of fun as you can see. Here are a few pictures from our photo session with her. Lots more to come....