.

Toddler vs. Young Man

2012-02-08T20:41:00.003-05:00

I knew that having a little boy was going to have its complicated moments that I would not fully understand how to deal with. The other night was one of those moments.

I said a few post ago that I wanted to document all the funny things that Christian says. This conversation between Shaun and Christian had me in tears and I want to be able to remember it forever.

For the last couple of months Christian has had a hard time going to bed at night alone. He keeps telling us that he is scared. He either wants us to sleep with him or for us to sit in an area where he can see us from his bed. We have been opting for the "sit in an area where he can see us" move.

Anyway, the other night we were sitting in the living room and Christian was in his bed going to sleep. We THOUGHT that he was finished with the whining, calling our names and asking for different things, and telling us that he could not see us.

All of a sudden we heard this whining coming from his room. We paused the TV and this was the conversation between Shaun and Christian:

S: Christian what is wrong?

C: My pee pee is big.

S: Your what?

C: My pee pee is big.

(Mom is in background beginning to die laughing.)

S: Christian that is okay. Just go to sleep.

C: But I can't get it to go down.

(Mommy and daddy are crying because we are laughing so hard...not just because of what he has just said but because his voice is very whinny as he is saying it.)

S: Christian that is alright. Sometimes that happens. Just leave it alone and close your eyes and it will go away.

OH MY GOSH! Really. I was totally not prepared for this when he was a toddler. I was hoping that I had a lot more years to prepare...haha.

"Prunes" are Good

2012-02-02T12:30:00.000-05:00

Prune - "It's incredible how something this size can change our lives so much...this is how big Baby Spivey is right now."

(8 weeks mark)

(Baby Spivey "Little Bit" at 8 weeks, 6 days)

Lover or a Fighter?

2012-01-21T20:35:00.004-05:00

Last night when we should have been putting Christian to bed (schedules, we don't need no stinking schedles) we were playing the Wii instead. This is Christian's new favorite game. Just ask him and he will tell you..."it's my favorite game."

We have played baseball, bowling, tennis, golf, and his all time favorite boxing. Are we teaching him to be a fighter, to be a protector, or skills to stay in shape? Whatever it is, he is just so cute to watch while he is playing.

He may be boxing but I truely KNOW that I am raising...a lover, not a fighter.

Muscle Man

2012-01-17T17:50:00.009-05:00

I know that I say this all the time but gosh is my little boy a FUNNY man. I could laugh at him all day long. It is so true about kids and how they say the darnest things. I sometimes wish that I could record him 24/7 so that I don't miss a thing or forget things that he says or does.

So, instead of me taping a recorder to his chest, I thought that I would try to post about all the funny things that he says...or the ones that I cry at because I am laughing so hard.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The other night Christian had me laughing so hard that I was literally crying. Shaun had him showing me his muscles. Just imagine this little guy...

showing me his muscles (with shirt off) and asking me which "gun" I liked. TOOOOOOOOOOOOO FUNNY!

Here is the conversation:

C: Do you like this gun? (holding up his right arm up in a muscle pose) This gun? (holding up his left arm up in a muscle pose) This gun? (holding both arms down in a muscle pose) or This gun? (hold both arms up in a muscle pose).

M: I like this gun (showing my arms down in a muscle pose).

C: Daddy, mommy likes this gun. (showing his arms down in a muscle pose).
He keep doing it over and over and over again.

Of course, it is probably not as funny to some one reading it but boy was I crying. I was crying so hard that when I thought about video taping him, he stopped doing it (of course). However, now I have this memory written down and when we go back and read it years from now, I will laugh as hard then as I did the day he did it. Hopefully I can get him doing it again one day so I can tape him.

Time Flies

2012-01-15T17:51:00.001-05:00

November 24, 2008 was one of the happiest days of my entire life. My little baby boy was born at 3:42 p.m. that day. When he was born he weighted 6 lbs 10 oz and was 19.4 inches long. Gosh, he was so tiny. I thought that if I moved him in a certain direction or way he might break. He was certainly my "littlest" and best present ever.

I NEVER would have thought that my little boy would grow up to be such a BIG boy. Last week we went to Christian's 3 year old well visit. When the nurse asked Christian to stand on the scale (I had to bribe him a little...mommy will give you a sucker) I was shocked to see how much he weighed and how tall he was. I grabbed him, gave him a hug for being a big boy, and then called him my VERY big boy. The scaled showed 40.5 pounds. His height was 40.5 inches. Yes, that is my big, solid boy.

He is in the 97 percentile for his weight and the 96 percentile for his height.

Life is just so amazing...one day you are the size of a large blueberry in your mom's stomach and the next you are 40.5 inches tall and 40.5 pounds.

A Mother's Test

2012-01-14T17:31:00.004-05:00

Every Sunday when we are getting ready for church, Shaun and I are in the bathroom and Christian is in the living room watching either Wow, Wow or Super Why. Last Sunday was no different...I was getting ready and Shaun was in the shower.

All of a sudden Christian came in the bathroom asking for a baby wipe. I thought to myself..."Why does he need a baby wipe?" Then I found out why...I turned to the bathroom door to find this...

He had drawn with an orange Expo marker all over his face. He needed the baby wipe to clean it all off. HA, HA, HA.

All I have to say is this is what happens when you leave a 3 year old in the living room by himself with an easel and an Expo marker.

Silly Little Monkey

2012-01-06T20:07:00.004-05:00

There are some days when I look at Christian and just can't believe that he is mine and he has grown so much since November 24, 2008. There are also other days when I look at him and think to myself "I am going to scream if he does not listen to what I am trying to tell him." From those happy times to those frustrating time...he is always my heart and soul.

As he grows up, he gets more and more of an imagination. He also gets more and more of a personality everyday as well. There are times when I wonder where in the world he heard some of the things that he tells me.

For example today at dinner time he said the darnest thing that had me rolling on the floor. Here was our conversation...

M: Christian sit down and eat your oranges and green beans.

As I am telling him this he is running around the table and playing in the living room. Once I am finished telling him to sit down he goes and sits down to eat a little bit. A short while later he gets up and runs around again. This happens about three times then...

M: Christian I am not telling you again...sit down and eat your green beans.

C: Okay, Okay. Stop fussing, stop fussing. (arm stretched out to me telling me to stop and all).

I could not hold it together. 1 Christian, Mommy 0.

What A Year!

2012-01-02T20:23:00.022-05:00

What a year we had in the Spivey household. There were wonderful times, happy times, sad times, angry times, scared times, and exciting times. We could not have asked God to provide us with a more successful and wonderful year.

January 2011: First snow of the 2011 year.

February 2011: Family train ride at the zoo.

March 2011: There is nothing wrong with taking a little nap in the buggy.

April 2011: Happy Easter from the Spivey's

May 2011: Family Beach Trip

June 2011: Swimming in the lake with daddy.

July 2011: Fourth of July fun...I got this dad.

August 2011: Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles

September 2011: First day of preschool. Gosh he looks so happy. Now, I can not tear him away from school.

October 2011: Halloween as Thomas the Train and Super Why.

November 2011: Christian's 3rd bithday on Thanksgiving Day and party at Monkey Joe's.

December 2011: Merry Christmas from the Spivey's

Happy 2012 from the Spivey's!

Merry Christmas (2011)

2011-12-25T21:37:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas To All.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends while remembering what this is season is all about. God gave us love with the "presence" of Jesus.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

Reindeer Cake Pops

2011-12-23T11:32:00.011-05:00

Yesterday and today I made a new craft for Christian. I tackled cake pops. This was the first time that I made cake pops. So, why not go all out and make them in the shape of reindeer.

My Christmas spirit is certainly shining through.

Pinterest Crafts

2011-12-22T08:50:00.027-05:00

I just love being a Pinterest craft mommy who LOVES to make treat for my son. I was not much of crafty person until I discovered the amazing site of Pinterest. Now, I find tons of crafts to make and have a great time doing it. Here are some of my treats that I have made so far...

Mummie treats for Christian's friends at school.

One of Christian's birthday cake...a baseball cookie cake.

A little "turkey" appetizer for Thanksgiving dinner with the family.

Reindeer cookies for Christian's friends at school.

Reindeer ornaments for my students and one for Christian.

Oh there is many more and many more to come.

Gingerbread Trains

2011-12-21T09:44:00.001-05:00

My little monkey man LOVES trains. He has asked Santa for two things this year...a trampoline and a train...two trains actually. So, when my mom found this Gingerbread Train she could not pass it up. What treat! He had a great time helping me put it together today. At times he would say "You do it and I will sit and watch." Ha, I thought we were suppose to do it together. He also had a great time taking some of the pictures.

Here is our Gingerbread Train adventure from start to finish...

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Christian at the Park

2011-12-20T16:37:00.004-05:00

What a beautiful day today! Yes, it is December 20th but it feels like September or October. Where is the winter weather? Actually, I am not complaining because I DO NOT like cold weather. I would rather it be 100 degrees outside than cold. I know I can put on more clothes than I can take off; however, when it is hot, a boat ride and playing in the water sounds like a much better option.

Since the weather was sooooooooo nice today, Christian and I headed to the park for some outside play time. Actually he played and I played photographer. I am just loving this new hobby. Certainly not a professional (by far one) but it sure if fun capturing all the wonderful moments that Christian has.

Free digital slideshow created with Smilebox

What Do You Get...?

2011-12-17T08:24:00.008-05:00

What do you get when you cross a little boy

and a set of pots, pans, spoons, and forks?

A very loud little boy who likes to play the pots and pans all morning and night.

Christmas Photos (2011)

2011-12-12T22:03:00.005-05:00

I attempted to play "photographer" yesterday at my mom's house. Every year we go to my mom's house for my favorite Christmas tradition...luminaries. We went to my mom's after church, had dinner, took pictures, then rode around the neighborhood in a trailer attached to my brother-n-law's truck to look at the luminaries, see Christmas lights, and eat some food with friends.

Our photo shot was so much fun with Carmen and Christian. He was actually a good sport this year. Hope it gets better every year.

Free digital scrapbook customized with Smilebox

Message from Santa

2011-12-05T18:34:00.003-05:00

Santa left Christian a message today. I am very excited he is on the nice list. It is just amazing how Santa know everything about Christian. Check it out...

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/gBMmZJBXoStb_DXBNgWwVqw

Happy 3rd Birthday Monkey!

2011-12-01T09:53:00.001-05:00

What a day of fun, family, friends, and good spirits at Monkey Joe's.

I hope that you had a great birthday little monkey man. Mommy and Daddy love you to pieces.

Scrapbook design personalized with Smilebox

Kids Say The Darnest Things

2011-11-30T20:49:00.004-05:00

Don't you just love those moments between a child and his/her parents. You know the moment when your child says something that's hilarious but you have to hold the laughter in because it is really not something that you should laugh at. For example, when you drop something and you say "CRAP." Then your child turns to you and says "CRAP." What you really WANT to do is laugh but what you HAVE to do is be the parent and tell them how wrong that is.

Well Shaun, Christian and I had one of those moments last night. We were sitting at the table eating supper when Christian thought it would be a good idea to drop his food on the floor for Rockey and Mickey to eat. Here was Shaun and Christian's conversation...

Shaun: Christian do not drop your food on the floor for Rockey and Mickey.

Christian dropped more cheese on the floor for the dogs.

Shaun: Christian I have told you two times to stop dropping your food. If you do it again then you will sit in time out.

Christian: Don't talk to me.

Shaun: Excuse me?!? What did you just say? I WILL talk to you and you WILL listen when I talk to you. DO NOT THROW YOUR FOOD ON THE FLOOR AGAIN.

Christian: Don't talk to me.

ENOUGH SAID...

I thought I was going to laugh my head off, but of course, I had to be the parent...stay stern with Shaun...and make sure Christian understood that what he was saying to Shaun was not appropriate.

However, you better believe that when we were up from the table and Christian was playing I looked at Shaun and said..."Don't talk to me!"

Oh, kids say the darnest things!

My Favorites...

2011-11-27T20:00:00.000-05:00

These two boys are my absolute favorite. They certainly know how to make my heart laugh, smile, be merry, and skip a beat all at the same time.

Oh, how I am sooooooo blessed.

What Do You Do?

2011-11-26T16:24:00.013-05:00

What do you do for a little boy who's birthday is on Thanksgiving Day? The same thing you would do if his birthday was any other day...make it all about him.

We even went to IHOP that night for supper and they sand Happy Birthday to my little monkey. He was certainly in heaven Thursday and surrounded by family. What could have been better?
Up next...birthday party at Monkey Joe's.

Happy Birthday Little Monkey

2011-11-24T23:07:00.006-05:00

Dear Christian,
I just can't believe that you turned 3 years old today. You have certainly changed from my little baby who needed me for everything into my little man who is very independent. However, please remember that you will always be my "baby" no matter how old you are.
I have cherished watching you grow into that little man each and every day. When you were in my belly, everyone told me to take in every moment as you grow up because it would pass by me in the blink of an eye. Boy were they right! I just can't believe that you are three now...oh how the years go by. I wish that each moment with you would last forever.
Your laughter and your smiles brighten my day and warms my heart and soul. You are always keeping me on my toes. I know that I am a mommy who sometimes loses her temper at things that you do, but I am also that mommy who loves you unconditionally no matter what you do.
One day you will become a man; however, please know that I am right here for you and will forever be by your side. I will pick you up when you fall and hold your hand when you are standing tall and proud. You will always be right here in my heart for no one else will ever know the strength of my LOVE for you. After all, you're the only one who knows what my HEART sounds like from the inside.

I will always love you no matter what. Thank you for making my life so unforgettable and blessed. You are certainly a gift sent from above. I could not thank God enough for the precious gift that he gave to me...being your mommy. (Every good and perfect gift comes from above... James 1:17)

Love you, Mean It.
Mommy

A Conversation With Christian...

2011-11-24T08:34:00.007-05:00

I had a conversation with Christian the other day about some of his favorite things and about the world. I thought it would be a good idea to ask him these same questions every year for his birthday and watch how they change. There were a couple that I had to answer for him. Some I had to do what all good teachers do...lead him into the right direction for answering the questions...PROMPTING!

A conversation with Christian…
My favorite food is…chicken.
My favorite sport to play is…basketball.
The best show on television is…Wow, Wow Wubbzy (mommy answered).
The coolest person on Earth is…Me (Christian).
My favorite thing to learn about in school is…new songs.
The thing that I do the most awesomely is…play...I know it is a simple answer but it is so true. He plays hard when he plays (mommy answered).
If I could go anywhere in the world, I’d go to…John’s house (our nephew).
My favorite color is…red (it changes daily).
When I grow up, I am going to become a…basketball player.
My current favorite song is…Happy Birthday to You! and I Love You, You Love Me (mommy answered).
The book I am loving right now is…Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom (mommy answered)
Three words that describe me…funny, outgoing, and friendly (mommy answered)
When I was little I used to…need mommy and daddy's help; however, I am becoming more and more independent everyday. Favorite saying to everything: "I do it."
My favorite season of the year is…Summer time because I can play outside and I am home with my mommy (answered by mommy)
The snack I like the best is…M&M’s
One food that I really dislike is…green beans (even though he does eat them)
My best friend is…Mommy
If I had one wish it would be…to stay up forever and play, play, play.

Birthdays and Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T08:15:00.005-05:00

Happy 3rd Birthday Christian!

AND

Happy Thanksgiving from the Spivey's.

I hope that you are as thankful for all the things/people in your life as we are. We could not be more blessed. Thank you Lord for all that you give us...you are great!

The First of Firsts

2011-11-22T20:50:00.011-05:00

There are always firsts in life...

first breath of life
first step
first words
first birthdays
first day of school
first best friend
first fight
first love
first kiss
first life decision
first heartbreak
etc., etc. etc.

Well, last week we had a first of first that all children should adhere by. Shaun, Christian, Shannon (Shaun's sister), Michael, John and I ventured out to Frankie's Fun Park and had our very first putt-putting lesson. Yes, needless to say that it was around 40 degrees outside when we went...we were all troopers.

After we were done putt-putting, we ventured inside to play some games. Gosh how it has grown since I went there to play when it first opened. In the back they have a small bowling alley. Christian really wanted to play (and tried to "cut" into some other people's game), but we had to go because it was really, really late.

So, the next night Shaun, Christian and I went bowling. Let me just tell you...WOW the price has really gone up and BOY did Christian have a great time. We should of just let him play by himself because every time Shaun and I went to bowl, Christian wanted to bowl for us. We had a GREAT time!

What a weekend for FIRSTS!

Favorite Fall Photos

2011-11-10T19:10:00.003-05:00

Throughout the Fall season I have been collecting some of my favorite fall photos. Even though Fall is not over yet and we have many more memorable moment to come (birthday, Thanksgiving, etc), I thought I would take a moment and try a new online scrapbook called Smilebox.

Create your own picture slideshow

25 Things About Mommy

2011-11-05T10:55:00.005-04:00

I always write my post about Christian or things that are happening within our lives. However, I never write about me and who I am as a person. So, I thought that I would tell others who I am...

25 Things You Don't Know About Mommy

1. I was a cheerleader from 9th grade until college at USC. I decided to have a different college life than I did in high school.

2. I have had blonde hair; however, when I was born I had black hair. I have had blonde hair since I was very, very young.

3. I LOVE birthdays and think that we should celebrate them for a whole week.

4. I have to have some kind of caffeine in the morning to get me going.

5. I hate being late to work but don't mind being late to other places/things.

6. I talk to my mom and sister almost every day.

7. If I could travel the world as my job...sign me up.

8. I love taking pictures of Christian, my family, my dogs, etc.

9. I love to feel like I am crafty. I see something that I want to make and I do it.

10. I am such a procrastinator, which causes problems with my craftiness.

11. I hate onions. If a dish has onions in it, I will NOT eat it.

12. I always wear a rubber band around my wrist so I can put my hair up by the end of the day (that is always where it goes).

13. I love my pajamas.

14. I am a true country music fan. Put me in Nashville and I would be HOME.

15. My dream is to be a country music singer. Problem is I CAN NOT sing.

16. I LOVE cheesecake.

17. I would rather eat cheese or something sweet than anything else in the world.

18. Anything that is written by Nicholas Sparks is a great read. He is my favorite author.

19. I always have to have my toenails painted.

20. I took gymnastics for 6 years competitively. Then I took up gymnastics for cheerleading purposes.

21. I have always had a dog within my home...my parent's house and then my own when I got marries.

22. I allergic to cats.

23. Say Yes To The Dress is my all time favorite show. I have a dream of opening up my own wedding shop and helping people make their special day special.

24. My mom and my sister are my all time best friends. I know that I can tell them anything and they are right there for me no matter what. Other friends have come and gone but I know that they are here to stay.

25. I just can't wait to extend my family. We are wishing and hoping for another little bundle of joy soon.

Happy Halloween

2011-11-03T20:18:00.017-04:00

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Everyone dressed up in cute and scary costumes (cute ones are my favorite). Everyone walking around trick or treating filling their baskets with candy. Everyone at Halloween gatherings enjoying the company and playing games. What else could one ask for?

Monday night was a night of fun and excitement for everyone. We headed over to my my mom's for our annual Halloween trick or treating and pizza. We had great company, long walks around the neighborhood, and overflowing baskets of goodies. What a night...LONG night!

Halloween Party

2011-10-28T20:48:00.009-04:00

They don't stay young for long do they? Being a teacher, I watch parents come in and out of my classroom to help out and volunteer. I watch parents come in and out of my classroom to join in the celebrations of birthdays and holiday parties. However, this time, I was the parent coming in to celebrate a holiday...Christian's Halloween party.
Thursday was Christian's Halloween party at school. I decided to take a half day at work and go to his party and then spend the rest of the day with him. We had a mommy/son day. Gosh, I love those days. When I got there, they were outside playing. When he came inside and saw me standing in his classroom, he was totally surprise and couldn't really believe that it was me standing there. However, he still did exactly what he was suppose to do...what his teachers told him...go to the rug so they could wash hands for snack. I got to watch them sing their song for washing up, say their blessing before snack, eat snack, play, read books, and make a holiday craft. It was so much fun watching him interact with everyone in his school setting. I just might have to make another surprise appearance again.

Every Time

2011-10-25T21:21:00.006-04:00

It never fails...give me a camera and a setting and I get all gitty. You can say that I go camera happy. Give me a camera, a setting, and Christian and it is all over with. I am always telling him "look this way", "SMILE", "please do it one more time for mommy", etc. Poor thing just looks at me and says "no mommy" or gives me this face...

However, some times I get his beautiful smile and "take a picture of me, mommy." Those are the times when I whip the camera out and say "okay." Last Thursday at the fair was one of those days. I got to take a 100 pictures of him from riding the swings with his daddy to riding the helicopters by himself. I got some Kodak moments of him petting all the animals to him riding his first pony. I also got a picture of the sand castle that he wanted to get in and "help them build." What priceless moments we had a the fair...

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The best part was that I got to act just like a kid with him...riding the rides with him and just watching him enjoy himself each time he got on a new ride or pet a new animal. It made my heart leap each time that he went by me on his ride and waved at us. It made my heart grow each time that he asked me to go on the rides with him. It made my heart smile when he smiled sooooooo big throughout the day. So, I just have one question for you Christian...will you stay FOREVER YOUNG?

Boo at the Zoo

2011-10-23T14:42:00.009-04:00

October is one of my favorite times of the year. Birthdays, anniversaries, trick or treating, and costumes are just a few of the things that make October a great time of year.
Last night we (Shaun, Christian, my mom, my sister, Carmen, my brother-n-law and I) went to Boo at the Zoo to go trick or treating with all the other ghost and goblins. We did the Monster Mash, rode the Merry-Go-Round, and filled our baskets with sweets. We even got to see a few animals while we were there.
We had so much fun and my little monkey was recognized by everyone there...

Christian as Thomas the Train.

The Man of My Dreams

2011-10-18T17:59:00.014-04:00

Saturday, October 15th marked Shaun and I's sixth wedding anniversary. I just can't believe that we have been married six years and together for 10. It feels like yesterday that I was walking down the aisle to his smiling face and his pockets full of ketchup (ha, that was what his groomsmen gave him because he eats ketchup on everything).
I remember being so excited that day to become Mrs. Stephen (Shaun) Spivey. I also remember thinking that once I saw him I was going to bawl my eyes out...boy was I wrong. When I saw him with a huge smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye, I knew that God had put me on this Earth to be here just for him. Our wedding was just beautiful and all that I could have ever asked for.
From 10/15/05 until now, Shaun has blessed me with so many different opportunities that I just can not express how thankful I am for him. I know that I take him for granted every day. I know that I take the things that he does for granted every day. However, to be totally honest he is perfect in every way...he is PERFECT for me. He is loyal, romantic, trustworthy, honest, strong, protective, patient, understanding, and he loves me unconditionally. He has my heart and it is forever his.
Thank you Shaun for giving me the best 10 years of my life. I am blessed and honored to be called Mrs. Shaun Spivey. I can not wait to grow old with you, raise our children, and take care of you the way that God intended for the rest of my life. Happy 6th Anniversary and many more to come!

One Year Ago Today

2011-10-02T21:09:00.003-04:00

I can't believe that it has been a year ago. I'll never forget that day. However, it is just as hard today as it was then. The pain, the memories, the unsureness, the sadness, etc. are all still there. The hurt is still the same. I still feel the same way that I did Oct. 2nd 2010.

I think about daddy ALL the time. When I look at pictures, my mind wonders to that particular day and I just can't believe that he is not here with me to share in that memory. Then I think back to the week of Oct. 2nd and how I felt that whole week. I felt and still feel so bottomless and lonely at times. Some days are stronger than others. I just want him back here with me again so I can tell him so many things that I did not get to tell him when he was here.

So many images come to my mind when I talk about daddy because with out him in my life things just are not the same. If I could just turn back time and hear his voice one more time (Donna Kay Bailey), I would certainly tell him that he has been the best dad ever and he would still be my choice (hand down). I would tell him that I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry for all that I put him through and did (this haunts me every day because I did not get to tell him in person). I was not the best, but I know that daddy knows I had so much respect for him.

I feel that sometimes I have shut a private door in my life related to feelings. This way I don't have to let a lot of people in and go through this hurt with them. I also don't have to talk about it with a lot of people...I just keep it in...deep, deep down. I wish that I did not feel this way. I wish that I was strong like my daddy. This might not be a life skill I got from him but I was always his little girl and always will be...here and at home in Heaven.

Years may come and go but your memories will never be erased. As for now I will just have to adore/love you from afar. I love you daddy now just as I did yesterday and the day before that and the day before that and the day before that, etc. We all miss you GREATLY and can't wait to see you again at home in Heaven. I love you Daddy!

YEAH!

2011-09-29T09:17:00.001-04:00

All I have to say is..."That's My son!"

My Big Boy!

2011-09-28T20:49:00.008-04:00

Some one is turning into a really BIG boy! Can you guess who it is? Yes, that is right...it is Christian. Over the weekend, not only did we get blessed with hand, foot, mouth disease (oh what fun that was) but we also transitioned into a BIG boy bed. So my little one has gone from this bed...

to this bed...

The new room is a big hit. Shaun and I think we might take turns sleeping with him each night because his bed is alot more comfortable than ours is now. So unfair...ha.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-21T17:16:00.006-04:00

"And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years."
~Author Unknown

A Star is Born

2011-09-19T21:24:00.009-04:00

You can always tell when school is back in session because my posts become obsolete. I have things to write about all the time but when it gets down to family time, sleep, or posting...I choose the others before posting. So, now that Christian is down, family time has been had (even though it can always have more), and sleep is calling my name very soon...I thought I would post very quickly.

Christian has ALWAYS loved playing, kicking, throwing, etc. balls of all kinds. Football, basketball, baseball, soccer ball, etc., it doesn't matter what kind of ball, he will take it and run with it (literally). So, our nephew (who is 4 years old) has starting playing soccer at SOAR. We have been out there cheering him on for the last two weekends. However, Christian has been out there wanting to play. Every time we go he says "Mommy, I play too?" I tell him "Not yet honey. Soon, very soon though." You see, you have to be three to play and he is only 2 and a half.

He waits very patiently for the game to be over then he gets out there and kicks the ball around with his cousin. I am not a humongous fan of soccer and have always hoped that Christian would play baseball and baseball ONLY. However, I think my hopeful and wishful thinking has backfired. Oh, well...whatever makes him happy, makes me happy. I can learn to love soccer and understand it...ha.

Not only do we play soccer at SOAR with his cousin after the games but we now have to play at home in the backyard. Oh, a star has been born!

It all cost...

2011-09-03T23:34:00.009-04:00

I normally don't do post like this, but I just had to post about my new creative, art project that I did this weekend. I found the cutest idea on Pintrest (HEART this site) and I jumped on the idea. This was the original picture from Pintrest...

and here is my final project...

The final product is a little different than the original but I made it to fit my taste in home decor and I also made it to fit my colors in my house. I am very impressed and I LOVE it.
The only things that I needed were (and I didn't even end up using the hot glue gun and gun sticks)...

Total cost: $27.25.
Picture frame: $39.99 (50% off coupon at Michaels) = $19.99
S letter (I spray painted it with paint I already had) = $2.99
Burlap fabric = $4.27 ( got one yard for more projects you wouldn't need that much)
I am so happy with my new picture and my new crafty, art bone I found in my body!

School Days

2011-09-03T07:33:00.010-04:00

I just can't believe it...I have a little one that has started SCHOOL! Thursday was Christian's first day of school and I was that mom again with the camera and wanting a BIG smile. Christian was not having it at 6:15 in the morning...

However, when he got to Mrs. Kim's (Momma Kim's) house he started to cooperate since there were other people in the pictures too.

Mrs. Kim said that he got a little pouty lip when they pulled into the parking lot but then she said "Christian, look at all the students." and he perked right up. Mrs. Bonny and Mrs. Jennifer were great because they just took him right in and he did not have a change to get upset that he was leaving Mrs. Kim. He went right on in and did great. When Mrs. Kim went to pick him up, she asked them (for me because it is a worry of mine) if he played with other kids or just by himself (he has a tendency of playing by himself and I want him to venture out). They said the actually played with others throughout the day. They also said that he was actually the ring leader...WHAT!?! What does that mean? Mrs. Bonny said that when other students came in he would welcome them in and welcome them to the class. Oh, that is my boy...sweet, caring, and respectful.
I just can't believe my little boy when was once so dependent on me is now a preschool and inviting others into the classroom like he owns it. He is so independent...

Bittersweet

2011-08-25T18:09:00.010-04:00

I would not call myself an "emotional" person...to a degree. I do get teary at the sappy movie and give me an Extreme Makeover Home Edition and it is all over. I get upset when things happen to my family, friends, and/or myself. I tear up when a moment hits me that strikes up a sad and rough memory.

However, I do not cry at the Hallmark commercials or happy moments or changes in my life (ex: moving out of my parent's house and starting a new life with Shaun) or the milestones in Christian's life. I am sure there are other moments where I do and don't get upset but these are just some to name a few.

I am not sure if you caught the moment where I don't cry at Christian's milestones but it is true. I get very excited, happy, and sad (that he is growing up so fast) but I have never cried as I watched him sit up, crawl, walk, say momma, etc.

UNTIL...

Yesterday when I drove off from Mrs. Kim's house. He was standing in the doorway just waving to me. It filled me with two emotions...happiness and sadness. Sadness because I was leaving him to go to work. Happiness because he was safe and telling me "Bye. Have a great day at work." All I wanted to do was turn the car around, run inside, sweep him up in my arms, and give him a BIG hug.

Staring at him made me realize that my time with him as my little baby, toddler, monkey is getting shorter and shorter. Soon he is going to look at me and say "Mom, please don't walk me into the classroom." or "Mom, please don't give me a kiss in front of everyone." or "Mom, privacy please." OMG, it hit me hard and I just couldn't believe how fast 2 and a half years (almost three in November) have gone by.

To make matter worse we went to very first Open House for 2 year old preschool yesterday. I got to take the teacher hat off...give it to someone else and be a mommy. It was so great and he LOVES his "new" school.

Christian drawing. Christian playing trains.

Mommy talking to the teacher. Christian playing with hardware.

Christian playing Legos. New school "Lake Murray Presbyterian"

Yes, I was that mommy who took pictures during Open House.

2011-08-11T09:41:00.000-04:00

Do you remember the My Poor Baby post that I wrote about Christian's skin and his warts. Well, I just wanted to say how beautiful his skin has gotten in a matter of a few weeks. We are down to soft skin (no rough patches) and either no or minimal warts. I am just amazed and relieved. Take a look...

Past Skin

New Skin

I am so glad that there is a change in his skin...what a new little man.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T16:41:00.000-04:00

"A child is the greatest joy, the ultimate Blessing"."
Author: Emily Laughton

Changes 2

2011-08-09T12:07:00.003-04:00

Like I said before...change can be good, change can be bad, and change can be sad.

I wrote a post a week ago about all the changes that we have made with Christian this summer. Changes that make him a little boy and not a baby anymore. Well, now I have one more change...potty training in remission.

Christian has been doing a great job with his potty training...going throughout the day by himself, going anywhere we are and not being scared, and going in the middle of the night. However, lately (within the last week) he has been having accidents left and right, everywhere we go, and in the middle of the night.

So once again the mother and teacher that I am headed right to the computer. I looked online about potty training in remission and they said...
1. Children sometimes have trouble and go into remission when they have or are going through a change in schedule or life.
2. Sometimes they have trouble going to the potty because they are so occupied with other things (like playing) that they forget to go.

Well, this could be both of our problems. I am about to go back to school in two days. Christian has been up to school with me and helping me set up my classroom alot lately. We have also talked to him about going back to the nanny that keeps him. He is not very thrilled about this...he wants to stay home with mommy (I have been trying to use this as an excuse to be a stay at home mom but Shaun is not having it). He also gets so distracted when playing on the computer, our phones, watching TV, etc. that he forgets to go until it is to late.

So, the experts online said to start back new. PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE and make sure not to shame when he does go in his pants. Let him know that it is okay and that we all have accidents sometimes then clean it up together. We are back to chocolates and LOTS of praise when he does go. I hope this challenge does not stay around long...especially since he is starting preschool this year as well.

The story of our lives is "it will work itself out soon and it will get better."

Flashbacks

2011-08-05T10:37:00.006-04:00

I have a friend who does a Friday post called Fall Back Fridays. She shares pictures about what her daughter looked like in the year before and how she looks now. I just love this post and watching her grow up right before our eyes. It is so amazing how time flies and you don't even know it.
I just love this post so much that I thought I might do one for Christian every now and then, just to watch him grow up. Sometimes it is hard to remember him at such a young age and what he looked like unless I pull out pictures. I certainly want to hold on to that as long as I can.
For this post I just picked random pictures but most of the time there will be a theme behind them. Hope you enjoy watching him grow up as I do.

2009

2010

2011

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-03T21:21:00.006-04:00

Every life has a story.
- A&E Biography -

Changes

2011-07-29T08:22:00.016-04:00

Changes can be good. Changes can be bad. And changes can be sad.

We are certainly facing some changes in the Spivey household. Changes that are good but definitely sad at the same time. My little monkey man is changing from a little baby to a little boy. These are certainly good changes but they are sad because they make me realize that he is not a baby anymore.

We changed Christian's crib...

to a toddler bed.

We changed his dresser. We took down the changing pad and wipes warmer... (don't need them anymore)...

to make a big boy dresser with room for trink-its and souvenirs.

We changed the diaper holder and put it away in the closet...

my big boy is using the potty now and wears big boy underwear.

We changed the dinner table and took down the high chair...

so my little man could sit at the table in a big chair.

All these changes are great for Christian because he is developing and growing as he should. However, they are very sad for me because my little baby is no longer a baby. Boy, how time flies so fast. Although, it will never matter how old he is or how big he gets...he will always be my BABY!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-27T20:59:00.009-04:00

People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.
Dale Carnegie

New Award

2011-07-23T08:09:00.009-04:00

Christian got a new award this summer. It was not chocolate for potty training (however, he did get lots of that). It was not extra pool/outside time for having great behavior (sharing, brushing teeth, etc.). It was not a new toy for being a helper and cleaning up his toys. No, it was none of those. His new award was from the library.

He was very excited about his new award, as you can tell. I think his daddy was excited for him as well...ha.

When Christian was a baby, I prayed that he would be a "reading/listening baby". I hoped and prayed that I would be able to read him to sleep instead of just rock him to sleep. Boy has that come true as he has gotten older. At bed time and nap time, we just read and read and read. Sometimes we read so much that he falls asleep on me reading. I just love it. We actually have to limit his books down to three because if him or I had it our way we would read all night long :)

So, as you can see it did not take us long to get our 8 hours of reading. Now, we are, of course, still reading and spending all of the prizes that we got from the library. Yeah Christian for your reading award and accomplishments. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T08:27:00.008-04:00

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~e.e. cummings

Train Set

2011-07-20T08:07:00.001-04:00

This basket of train parts can certainly keep my little boy entertained for hours... Those parts will go from one train track design to another in a matter of minutes. I have never seen him concentrate on something as hard as he does his train track designs.
Christian used to have us build the train track designs and then he would drive the train around the track for hours. Now, when we go to put the track together he takes it apart and builds it a different way, then takes it apart and builds it a different way...all day long. We just sit back and watch him and he says "See!"

I just love watching his master pieces come into focus...

My Poor Little Baby!

2011-07-14T10:41:00.005-04:00

You know when you're pregnant you pray and hope that you are passing along all the positive genes that you can to your unborn child. Once your child is born, you actually get to see all the physical genes that you have passed along to him/her. As your child grows up and starts to express characteristics and personality traits, you get to see those genes and values that you have passed along to him/her.

Well, my poor little monkey got a gene (if you can call it that because they are not genetic) from Shaun and I that we certainly would not wish upon anyone. My poor little monkey has been "blessed" with warts for about the last year-year and a half. They started off in a very small area under his arm but now they are EVERYWHERE...underarms, the bend of his arms, down his sides, his tummy, behind his knees, etc. You name it, he probably has a wart or two there.

When we first started looking at them with Dr. G. he said that there was nothing that we could really do about them except for let them run their course. He said considering that warts are a virus they "should" go away within one to two years. However, they will look like they are getting worse before they get better. (Oh have they ever.)

Well, this summer has been the worst so far. He has starting itching at them and when he itches them, they bleed, and then they spread. GREAT! So, of course, the mommy and teacher in me did a little research (treatment, home remedies, causes).

The research said that it is uncommon to get warts in infancy and more girls than boys get warts between the ages of 12 to 16...WRONG! Not this statistic in this house. It also said that while medically harmless, warts tend to bother more children than others. Some children are embarrassed by them. Well, Christian is to little to worry about his skin right now and what he looks like, but it certainly bothers me. Babies and toddlers are supposed to have that baby soft skin and my little monkey has his rough patches with warts and eczema. It also bothers me when people look at me and say "Oh my gosh, what is wrong with his skin?" It just brings back those memories when people would look at my legs with that gross look on their face. We can't do over-the-counter meds on him for his warts because of some kind of acid in it (it is not good for his skin), so we even tried how I got rid of mine. I tried EVERYTHING to get rid of my warts and nothing worked so, we had a lady down the street from us "talk them off". I had to rub extra virgin olive oil in a circle for 21 times for 21 days...it worked. They were gone and have never been back. Didn't work for Christian though.

So, of course, it was off to Dr. G.'s again to try and solve this skin problem. Well, we did get some good news (I hope) that the warts are in their final stages. However, he did give us a prescription to try and help move the process along faster (put the cream on each wart, twice a day). Let's cross our fingers and hope that it works because getting him to sit long enough to put the cream on is a challenge in itself. I Just hope that the warts go away long before we have to get to the freezing stage...take it from me, that is NOT a fun process.

Wordless Wednesday (on Thursday)

2011-07-14T09:06:00.003-04:00

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” ~Asley Smith

Priceless

2011-07-08T08:10:00.010-04:00

Yesterday was a very special and priceless moment. Christian and I went to see my daddy and pay him a visit.
Lately Christian is into saying "we're home" whenever we get somewhere. He is also into telling us who's house we are at. For example, when we pull up to our house he says "We're home, Rockey's (our dog) house." Not sure how the dog got to be the owner of the house but to Christian it is Rockey's house.
So, yesterday when we pulled up to daddy's, Christian said "We're home, Papa's house." I proceeded to tell him that it was "part" of Papa's house but his "real" house is up in heaven with Jesus. I also told him that it was not our house yet and I hoped that it was not his for a very long time.
I don't go to many places with out my camera and something told me to take mine up to the grave site with us. Boy and I glad I did...what priceless moments I captured. To bad I didn't have it on video because Christian telling Papa "hey" and "I love you" brought tears to my eyes. I just know daddy was loving it and eating every moment up.

We love you Daddy and we can't wait to visit and play again!

Boys?!?

2011-07-07T08:20:00.005-04:00

There are going to be many "boy" things that I am going to have a hard time teaching Christian, considering I am a girl. Those are going to be the times when he is going to need his daddy's expertise. You know what I am talking about...those things that I have never done because I am a girl. Well one of those things has hit this summer.

As you know we have been potty training this summer and it has been going really well. Christian is now wearing only big boy underoos except at night and nap time. He even insists on wearing his big boy underoos at night time, but mommy is not ready for that. Now, of course, we have accidents every once in a while...playing is a lot more fun than going to the bathroom. One thing I have not mentioned is that when we first started potty training Christian, we taught him to sit down on the potty to pee pee. Well, all of a sudden he wants to be like daddy if you know what I mean...he wants to stand up.

Well, yesterday we were at my mom's house and Christian was playing pbskids (Elmo's page) on her computer. All of a sudden, he came running into the kitchen because he wanted us to help him on the computer and there it was...a BIG wet spot. I asked him if he had an accident and he said "yes" in the saddest and most pathetic voice ever. I told him it was okay and that accidents happen but if he had to go to the bathroom he needed to stop playing and let me know so we could go pee pee (you know the whole bathroom talk). I proceeded to take him to the bathroom anyway (not thinking he had anything left in him) and that is when the adventure began.

When we got in the bathroom I was helping him take off his wet clothes. Let's just say my child is fast. By the time I got his pants off and on the counter he was at the toilet peeing. Now, my child is an independent child but this is not something he needs to be independent at. He was peeing everywhere (in the toilet, on the toilet seat, on the back of the toilet, on the floor, on the wall, etc.) before I could get to him. When I realized what he was doing I got to him, helped grab his little pee pee, and was screaming "Stop Christian, Stop." (like he could really stop peeing in the middle of a streamline). When he was finished I just started laughing and calling for my mom. That is what you do when you need help or you are in trouble you call your mom...boy was I in need of some help.

After the bathroom and Christian were all cleaned up, I went to put some new clothes on him and realized that I had not refilled his bag...no clothes and no big boy underoos. All I had was one pull up. I always keep those in case of emergency and boy was this one of those times. So, I put on the pull up and my mom gave him one of her t-shirts to wear. I wish I would have gotten a picture of it because it was falling off his shoulders and hunging down to his knees. He keep wanting to take it off but I told him he had to keep it on until we got home. You know what he did right when we walked in the house...took off the shirt.

So, the moral of this story is...have your husbands, fathers, or a man teach your son to stand up and pee so they ring the potty...ha. No, for real, I know there are going to be times when I am challenged by what Christian needs as a boy or a man. However, being his mommy, I know I have and WILL step up to the plate and teach him everything he needs to know in order to succeed in those areas. I may not be a boy but I know I can teach him what he needs. So bring on the challenges. I stumped the first challenge but we have succeeded every time after that because he is constantly wanting to stand up like daddy...slow and steady is what I tell him.

That is the moral of the story...slow and steady!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-06T09:55:00.006-04:00

Boy, n.: a noise with dirt on it. ~Not Your Average Dictionary

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T21:30:00.000-04:00

“Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.”

Bribing

2011-06-28T19:44:00.002-04:00

How is it that children learn to bribe and bargain at such an early age? I know that Christian have NEVER learned these skills from me. If I want something I just get it...there is never negotiating from this girl. Now Shaun, on the other hand, negotiates EVERTHING. If there is a deal to be had, he is going to some how make it happen for us. I can honestly say that Christian must of picked up his bargaining skills from his daddy as he listens to him talk to Verizon, Time Warner, etc.

Christian is learning to potty train and is actually doing a great job at it. He is now in big boy underoos all of the time, except for nap time and bed time. For the last two nights he has not had any accidents in his pull ups while sleeping (that goes for nap times too). One way that we have made this "amazing transition" from diapers to big boy underpants is by bribing our child with chocolate. Yes, I am not afraid to admit it, we give him chocolate when he goes to the bathroom in the potty...one piece for pee pee and two for poo poo.

Tonight while I was cleaning dishes after supper, he told me that "poo poo was coming." So, off we ran to the bathroom. While we were sitting there He started bargaining with me about how many pieces of chocolates he was going to get when he was finished. Here is our conversation...

M: Good job Christian. Keep going.
C: Two chocolates?
M: Yes, two chocolates.
C: Three chocolates?
M: No, two chocolates.
C: Two chocolates?
M: Yes, two chocolates.
C: Four chocolates?
M: No, two chocolates.
C: Two chocolates?
M: Yes, that is right. Two chocolates.
C: Two chocolates!

I can honestly say that he certainly tried to get more. But the funny thing was that he settled for two chocolates at the end like he had just won the bargaining and he was on top. Oh how cute he is!

Writing Skills

2011-06-23T10:31:00.001-04:00

For Easter, Christian got a Magna Doodle. He loves it and wants to write on it all the time. Actually he wants you to write on it and he just wants to watch. His favorite thing for you to write is the ABCs and then he will go back and say them to you. Well, recently he has been trying to write his ABCs by himself. The other day this is what I got...

We got the letters A-N. Can you make any of them out?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T09:30:00.001-04:00

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today. ~Stacia Tauscher

Oh, It's Hard

2011-06-20T23:00:00.007-04:00

So, Sunday was my first Father's Day without Daddy. It was really hard. Of course, I was having a great time with Shaun and Christian but in the back of my mind I was thinking of daddy. Thinking about all the other Father's Days that I have spent with him but most of all last year's Father's Day.

The reason that last year's Father's Day is so fresh in my head is because we were given a suggestion at church to write a letter to our Father's. I was to tell him him how much I appreciate him, how much I am sorry for all I did growing up, how much I love him, etc. It was a tearful mess. It was a tearful mess because I understood what I was saying but I am not so sure he understood (I know he knows what I was trying to say that day now).

I know that I am never alone with him. I know that he is always with me. I know that he is in every beat of my heart even when I face struggles, challenges,- and the unknown. I know that his love will always follow me and stay with me...it is never goodbye. It is only see you later (as Christian would say).

However, sometimes I feel that I am losing him. I can't do that already right...it's too soon? I want to remember the good times with him and the fun memories; however, sometimes those are slipping away. Alot of the times I think about him in the nursing home or in the coffin and those are NOT the memories I want of him. So, I thought that I would make a memory post of him and I for Father's Day. Of course, my brain will not allow me to remember all the wonderful memories/times that Daddy and I shared together. So, as I think of them I will add too it. When I feel him slipping away or want to share memories with Christian (or my other children) I will return to this post.

I was named after my daddy...Donna for Don.

My first word was Da Da.

Daddy helped me distroy my 1st birthday cake. I was unsure and did not know what to do so he finally just put my hand in the cake.

People always told me that I looked him when I was growing up.

We both had a BIG love for Carolina football. Tailgating was the most fun (starting tailgating and going to games when I was about 4 years old...still go to this day).

He was my softball coach when I played little league.

He use to get on me when I came off the base to catch the ball at first base. He wanted me to do a split (I was a gymnast) to catch that ball. No excuses for coming off that base. SMILE!

Whenever I needed/wanted something (money, spend the night, a toy, etc.), I would go and sit on his lap and give him a big hug and say "daddy I love you." He would then look at me and say "what do you want."

He was there to tell my first date that he was a BIG, mean, son of a ________ and to have me home by 10:00.

He was there when my first date brought me home at 10:05...it was not a pretty sight. SMILE!

He was my cheerleader when I placed second in the Lexington High School pagent. He was so proud/excited of/for me.

After a long day at work, I was always there to give him a back massage.

He danced (slow and shagged) with me at all the weddings that we went to. My favorite moments.

He danced with me at my high school graduation party to "Butterfly Kisses". It was a BIG surprise...right in the middle of our backyard, in the middle of the volleyball game.

He was always there to kill those spiders (indoors and outdoors) for me.

He was there to watch me walk across the stage to get my high school diploma.

He was there when I cried on his shoulder and told him that I was sooooooo ready to find the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. He told me I would and to just give it time. A few months later, I found Shaun.

He was there to watch me graduate from college to get my undergrad.

He was there when Shaun asked for my hand in marriage. He could not have been happier. He always like Shaun.

He was there to walk me down the aisle and dance with me to "Butterfly Kisses."

During our dance he asked me if I was happy. I told him I couldn't be more happier. He told me, if I was happy...he was happy.

"Butterfly Kisses" is our song.

He was always there to cheer me on in all the things that I did throughout my life.

He was there to hold Christian when he was born.

I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always.

As long as I'm living,

My baby you'll be.

The BEST!

2011-06-20T07:59:00.003-04:00

When I sit back and think about Father's Day, I think of it in a totally different way. I used to think I needed to get Shaun the best present ever to show him how much Christian and I love him. However, now I know that all I need to give him and show him is LOVE from the both of us, TIME from the both of us, and some APPRECIATION from the both of us.

Our love is so real that it is a day to day, down to Earth, what-really-matters, kind of love. I feel so incredibly lucky that my partner in life is you, Shaun. I know that Christian is so very blessed and appreciative to have the best father.
One that helps him when he is sick.
One that helps him when he is sad.
One that plays with him when he needs a chasing partner.
One that makes him laugh when he tickles him.
One that cuddles with him at all times.
One that is loving and kind.
One that is always proud of your triumphs.
One that is patient, helpful and strong.
One that teaches me all the things I need in order to succeed in life (right now)!

The memories that you make with each other are priceless. Wherever life may lead us, I can't wait to share more of these memories with you and Christian. I know that he looks up to you as a hero. Thanks for being the BEST dad that one could ever ask for. God has certainly given us a special gift.

Doing what he loves best, being a dad.
Awesome father and husband to the both of us.
Dad, you're our very best friend.
Dad, we love you with all of our hearts!
You're the best in every way!

Just for Mommy and Daddy

2011-06-17T16:07:00.032-04:00

June 2nd was the last day for students and June 3rd was the last day for us teachers. Well, on June 4th at 3:00 in the morning, Shaun and I headed down to Port Canaveral, FL for some much needed rest and relaxation time for just the two of us. We started our adventure on the Carnival Dream cruise ship and headed to the Bahamas, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.
We have not been away from Christian except for a night or two here and there. We were gone for 7 days. It was rough being away from him (shed a few tears here and there) but oh it was so much fun just relaxing with my husband. We have already started planning for next year.

We first set sail and headed out to the Bahamas. When the boat took off, I was filled with feelings of excitement, nervousness, and sadness. I was so excited to be going away for a week with just my husband...we haven't done this in 3 years, just the two of us. I was nervous about being so far away from my little one, what if something happened and I couldn't get to him fast enough? I was sad because I was not going to be able to talk to him or see him for seven days.

The Dream

Up on the Lido deck as we are leaving the port and heading out to our first destination: the Bahamas.

View from our balcony in our stateroom.

View from inside our room.

Towel animals on our bed each night with chocolates: dog.

Our first stop was the Bahamas. We were only in port until 2:00. Shaun and I spent the day touring the island and the hotel Atlantis. Maybe I should say we got lost in the Atlantis trying to find the beach.

Hotel Atlantis (there was no famous spotting's on our adventure)

Day three was a fun, filled day at sea. Shaun and I literally sat by the pool all day until it was time to get ready for dinner that night.

Day four turned out to be a rainy and gloomy day in St. Thomas. However, that did not stop us from touring the island and snorkeling on Coki Beach. We woke up to this beautiful but gloomy sight of St. Thomas.

We decided since it was not so beautiful (raining on and off throughout the day) that we would stay on the island and nix our plan of taking a ferry over to St. John. First, we toured the island and did a little shopping. Then we went snorkeling on Coki Beach. When they gave us our snorkel gear they also gave us dog biscuits to feed the fish with. It was AMAZING. When you broke some of the dog biscuit off, the fish would swarm all around you just to eat it. They would eat it out of your hand. We had so much fun feeding the fish we got six more dog biscuits. We snorkeled and feed the fish for two hours straight.

Day five was our stop to St. Maarten. I have to say that this was my favorite place. I would go back to St. Maarten in a heartbeat. However, once again we woke up to a rainy and gloomy day.

We were supposed to do an excursion called the Rhinorider that day but because of the weather it was cancelled. However, we did not find out it was cancelled until 12:00 and we had to be back on the boat at 5:00. So, we decided to do a little shopping (I got a new BIG camera) and touring of the island (Dutch side) in our stylish ponchos. There was no beach going this day.

Day six and seven we were at sea heading home. The first day at sea was another day spent at the pool laying out. However, that night it rained and rained. The second day was filled with rain again. So, we just packed our stuff up and got ready for check out the following day. We were ready to be home and to get away for all the rain. We were told that we were in the middle of a tropical storm out in the Caribbean...just our luck right. However, it certainly did not put a damper on our trip and/or our fun...

Maybe next year we will be blessed with better weather...let's cross our fingers early!

We're Back!

2011-06-16T08:33:00.006-04:00

Let me first start off by saying "School's Out For Summer That means time to play with my little man.

Gosh, we have been gone for a long time from the blog world. Sometimes I get all caught up in the moments with my little man that I forget to share about our adventures. When I think about sharing them it is 10 o'clock at night and I just want to put my head down on the pillow. Running around after him all day is an exercise in itself. I think I could bottle it up and sell it...The Christian Exercise...only if it really allowed you to lose weight...ha.

So, summer is here and we already have many adventure to tell about. I, of course, am not going to be able to tell about them all but I am going to highlight on some of the bigger moments. Maybe through our "Wordless Wednesdays" (our posts that we did last summer to highlight pictures that were taken throughout the week of various things) you will get to see some of our other precious moments.

Our first big moment that we are working on that has been going great is potty training. He is doing so good. He will use the potty all day long here at home but once we step foot out of the house, he will not use it to save his soul. It is like the other potty's have the plague. He still has trouble with the whole #2 in the potty but he gets it every once in a while. Like I said we are still working and it is certainly a working process.

Another adventure that we had was right before school let out. It was our "Spivey Family Vacation" to the beach. Shaun's family has a beach house down in Garden City and every year his side of the family travels down for vacation. It is such a blast to take Christian to the beach with the family. Here are a few pictures that recap our adventure...

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I can't wait to share our adventures throughout the summer. To be continued...

25 Things You Don't Know

2011-05-11T19:50:00.000-04:00

I thought it would be fun to do a post on Christian called..."25 Things You Don't Know About Me." I got the idea from US Weekly magazine...got to love the entertainment gossip.

1. My all time favorite candy is M&M's.
2. I call them MMMMMM's.
3. I hate to get in the bath tub but once I am in there it is the best place EVER (I get to splash around).
4. Then I hate it again when it is time to wash.
5. I have two speeds...run and sleep.
6. I have stayed with the same lady (Mrs. Kim) since I was 2 months old.
7. She is like my second mom. I call her Momma Kim.
8. I love to play baseball and can really hit the ball far.
9. I am not the best at catching the ball right now...I am learning.
10. Boy, can I throw a temper though when things don't go my way.
11. I know all my letters and letter sounds.
12. I love to read (pretend) and listen to books.
13. Bruce the Moose by Katherine and Jake Moore is my favorite book.
14. I can count to 10.
15. I can count backwards from 10...blast off!
16. I like to take Rockey and Mickey on walks...holding the lease myself.
17. I weigh 34 lbs.
18. I don't really have a favorite food...I like about anything.
19. I don't like to eat cake or ice cream.
20. I love to color and draw...especially hand prints.
21. My favorite cartoons are Elmo, Dora, Leap and Molly, and Wow Wows Wubbzy.
22. My all time favorite cartoon is Blue's Clues. I even copy them singing and doing the motions.
23. I could stay up all night long and play if my mom would let me. Of course I would want her to play with me. I would tell her "play with me."
24. I love music of all kinds...singing or playing instruments.
25. I love my mom and dad with all my heart...oh wait you already knew that.

There is probably more that I could say that you don't know or that I am missing but this is a good start.

The Best Gift

2011-05-10T21:10:00.006-04:00

The best gift that I have ever received was the gift of motherhood.
Being a mom to me is more than just the state of being a mother. It is knowing that...
I have carried a baby within my body.
I've slept with a baby on my chest.
I have kissed boo boos.
I have mended aching pains.
I have been thrown up on, peed on, and pooped on.
I have spent sleepless nights in a rocking chair, rocking back and forth.
For all of these reasons and many more, I would not trade my perfect gift for anything else in this world. No, my body may not be magazine perfect but when I look in the mirror I see a MOM and there is NO greater gift, honor, or blessing that I could ever ask for.

I know that I got this blessed feeling and inspiration from my mother. My mom has made such a difference in my life that I don't even know where to begin to tell her. When I hear the sound of her voice my spirits are lifted. She has bestowed courage in me that keeps me following my dreams as a mom and a women. I know that my mom has made many sacrifices for me- ones that I know about and ones that she's never told me of. I want to thank her for all the sacrifices she's made and the times she put my needs ahead of her own. I can honestly say that I was terrified I would not be able to give up my needs for my little one; however, that came soooooooo naturally because of my mom. My mom has...
made me laugh
wiped my tears
hugged me tight
watched me succeed
saw me fall
cheered me
kept me going strong during hard times
AND drove me a little crazy at times.

So, mom I cannot put into words the way that I feel about you, but I hope you always know in your heart how much I love you, respect you and thank you for the countless ways you've helped make my life what it is today. You are certainly my promise from God that I will always have a friend forever. You are my best friend. I love you mom and you mean the world to me! Happy Mother's Day!

Boat Captain and Ducks

2011-05-07T08:35:00.009-04:00

I think we have a new captain for "Grizwald" our family boat. We certainly get where we need to go when he is driving but it does take a while. We go in complete circles (doing 360's) and play the freeze and stop game (with the boat). However, it does make the ride so much more interesting.

Feeding the ducks is another part of our boat trip. It would not be complete without finding a couple of ducks Cheez-Its.

Fun-filled Easter Activities

2011-05-05T16:29:00.001-04:00

From Easter egg dying to boat rides, our Easter was pretty adventurous. Here is a little glimpse of our Easter this year. What a fun filled time we had with family and friends.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Biggest Fear

2011-05-04T22:10:00.003-04:00

I think when you become a new mom, you have fears throughout every stage of their life. Fears of when they are in your belly, when they are newborns, when they are starting to crawl, when they are starting to walk, when they are toddles (that is our stage now), etc.
One of my biggest fears has always been that I would shut my children's' fingers in the car door. Do you ever see things happening in your mind and pray that they never, ever would happen? That is what I think about when I go to shut the car door every time. So, I am always making sure that Christian's hands/fingers are no where around the door when I go to shut it.
Today was a day that my biggest fear came true. It was like slow motion, shock, and fear all tied up into one emotion. We got home from walking across the dam. I was taking Christian out of the car, when I went to shut the car door and he went to stick his hand back in the car to get something. There it was...his four little fingers stuck right there in the closed door.
I screamed...
He stared at his hand...
I opened the door quickly, grabbed his hand to kiss it, and check it...
He started to scream and cry...
I ran inside and yelled to Shaun to get ice...
He cried...
I cried and said sorry five million times...
We sat on the couch for about an hour just holding each other.

His pointer finger and middle finger are the worst. They are already bruised and the pointer finger has a cut on the knuckle part. I hope that they look better tomorrow.
Mommy feels like the worst mommy in the world and is oh so very sorry.

So Far Away

2011-04-30T09:28:00.000-04:00

Today on the way to school/work, I found myself shedding a few tears. I was minding my own business, talking to Christian and answering his new and frequent "What's that?" questions, when I heard this song on the radio.

I just froze when the chorus came on because that was me. It was like Justin Moore opened up my mind, took my thoughts, and wrote this song. I think about what it would be like, every single day, if I could just pack up an over night bag and hop on a plane, train, cab, etc. to heaven to see my daddy. Just to talk to him face to face about all the things that are going on in my life.

Thank you Justin Moore for this wonderful song. I know that one day I will get to see and talk with him again "face to face." It just seems like it is so far away.

Easter 2011

2011-04-29T08:02:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter!
From, The Spivey's

Beddy-Bye

2011-04-28T17:32:00.003-04:00

We have been so blessed. Christian started sleeping through the night when he was 3 months old and has been a great sleeper ever since. (Thank gosh because his mommy LOVES her sleep). He has never once tried to climb out of his crib; however, he sure did love to climb in it to play.
Over spring break, monkey got a new bed...his crib transformed into his toddler bed. Right after we did it, he jump right on in and started jumping on it. We told him this was his new bed and he said "Yeah!" I thought...no problem at all.

HA, boy was I wrong. That night he did not sleep at all. He was up and down and in and out of our room. I was trying to be the forceful parent that stated he had his own bed and mommy and daddy had our own bed. That has always been a "rule" of Shaun and I's that we did not want to make it a habit that our children would sleep in our bed with us. So, here I was trying to be firm and stick to my point at 1:00, 3:00. and 5:00 in the morning (gosh it was hard).
However, when he woke up the next morning he was crying, could not sit or stand still, and was pulling at his ear saying "Ouch." I thought, great another ear infection. So, off to the doctor we went. Well, it was not his ears that were hurting it was his throat...strep throat to be exact. So, who felt like the worst mom ever being so mean, firm and strict throughout the night...ME. I thought that after he was over strep throat that he would adjust to his new bed...let's just say that has not happened yet.

Hopefully one day I will get to sleep through the night again.

Flight Anyone?

2011-04-22T10:34:00.001-04:00

My sister works for the State Budget and Control Board. She works on computers for different people around Columbia. Governor Haley is one of the people that she works on their computers. She also works on the computers for the people down at the airport that work on the private planes for SC (Governor Haley's plane, etc.) So, over Spring Break they let us (Shaun, Christian, Carmen, Renee, and I) come down and take a tour of the planes and watch plane take off and land from the run-way. It was sooooooooo cool.
Especially for a little boy who stands outside, looks up at the sky, and says "pane" whenever he hears and sees a plane go by. I think he might be a pilot one day, which won't be bad for me because then he could fly me anywhere...ha.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Future Gamecock

2011-04-20T22:37:00.004-04:00

I hope that Coach Tanner has a spot for my little monkey on his baseball team at USC. Is it too early to start recruiting?

I think I am going to send this video off to Coach Tanner at USC and tell him to keep an eye on this little man for future "college drafting"...ha.

Mickey Mouse on Ice

2011-04-20T22:02:00.007-04:00

Last week we went and saw Mickey Mouse on Ice. I was not sure if Christian was going to like it and be mesmerized OR if he was going to be very scared of the characters and shy away. Well, we got a little bit of both.

Christian shying away when it first started and the characters came skating out.

Christian mesmerized after he realized that Mickey Mouse was apart of the show.

Here are some pictures from that night...

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Now I Know My ABC's

2011-04-10T20:58:00.003-04:00

I can never catch Christian saying his ABC's on camera or telling me what his letter sounds are. However, the other night he was saying them in the bathtub. So, I did what any mom would do...I ran to get the flip camera and recorded him. Yes, in his birthday suit and all.
You got to get it any time that you can right?!?

I am so proud of him and the learning that he is doing with his letters, letter sounds, and numbers.

Makes My Stomach Drop

2011-04-03T11:50:00.002-04:00

As I was growing up I was what you would call a very headstrong, independent, and hard-headed person. You might also say that I am still that way now but in a different way. I get my mind set on something and I think that it should be that way.

When I was in high school I would have been what you called a "trouble maker". Always doing the opposite of what my mom and daddy asked me to do. Always hitting the best parties over the weekend. And always trying to find a way to break curfew or sneak out of the house so that I could stay out and "party" longer. I remember telling my mom and daddy "When I have kids and I go out of town, I am going to tell them that they can have a party because I know that they will have one anyway." My mom said she wanted to get that in writing because she knew that was going to change fast when I had kids of my own.

BOY DID IT EVER!

The things that you think of when you are in high school and college and then think when you have children are totally different. I think about...
what Christian is going to be like when he starts school...
what he is going to be like when he hits puberty...
what he is going to be like in high school...
who he is going to date...
where he is going to go to college...
what he is going to major in...
who he is going to marry...
what his children are going to look like...
is he going to listen to all the advice I give him as he grows up because I have probably been there and done that...
is he going to confide in me...
is he going to come to me for advice...
is he going to consider me a friend and a mother...
is he going to cry on my shoulder when someone breaks his heart...
is he going to be healthy and live a long and prosperous life...
is he going to be a follower of God and confide in him with all his questions, troubles, worries, etc.
Gosh, these are just some of the questions that go through my head as I think about Christian growing up.

However, one thing that I know for sure is that I will NOT let him have parties when I am out of town. Last night my stomach dropped when we were on our way home from Lake City and we had to pass by Camden, SC. The Carolina Cup was over and all the Cup goers were heading home. The Carolina Cup is a big horse race in Camden, SC where lots people go out and tailgate all day long. We happened to drive by a car full of girls who had flipped their car. Two girls were on the side of the road consoling each other and the other girl was on a stretcher. My stomach dropped because my first thought was "what if that is Christian one day?"

I know that I can not guard him from everything and stop him from experimenting; however, I hope that I place values and morals into him that help him make good decisions. Lets just say that I hope he does not grow up to be like his mommy...a "trouble maker" that wants to try to prove her parents wrong when they are and have always been TOTALLY RIGHT!

What a Day!

2011-03-17T19:43:00.003-04:00

Dear Dad,
I woke up Wednesday morning ready to celebrate something that I know you would have told me "it's just another day." That is what you always told me when I said happy birthday to you. However, this birthday was a whole lot different.
I woke up with a little sting and whole in my heart because you were missing from our birthday celebration. I miss you and think about you every day, especially when a song comes on or I look at pictures; however, I do feel like I am getting a little bit stronger each day. You would be happy about that because I know that you would not want me to waste a single tear or minute being depressed. You would want me to live my life to its fullest.
I know that things will never be the same in my life without you here to watch me flourish as a wife and mother, but I am telling myself that it will be okay because I will get to be with you again forever in God's kingdom. I sometimes have to remind myself that everyday because when I think about you not being here it just does not seem real. I have to process the moments and events in order for it to come to life. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. Will this feeling every go away daddy?
I keep waiting for the day that I can talk to you and see you again in my dreams. There was so much that I wanted to tell you that I now tell you through talks in the car, quiet moments, etc. I just want a moment when I can hug you, kiss you, and tell you in person all that I want to, especially I love you and I am sorry for all the heartache that I caused when I was younger and growing up. However, I know you still loved me for all my good and bad. Let's just call that my "learning" phase.
So, happy birthday daddy. I love you and miss you dearly. I know you are looking down on me and my family each and every day. I miss you greatly and I hope that I am making you proud in everything that I do, even though I know sometime you want to say DONNA KAY BAILEY!
Butterfly Kisses,
Donna

Killing Me!

2011-03-17T18:56:00.005-04:00

Oh, this time change is really hurting me. I am so tired all the time and will sleep anywhere. Really ANYWHERE!

The Gift

2011-03-01T20:51:00.003-05:00

Saturday I got a call that I never thought I would get. I had to run to the grocery store Saturday morning to get some things and when I returned there was a note for me from Ms. B at Jewelry Warehouse. I remember just stopping in my tracks and asking Shaun..."Jewelry Warehouse called?", "What did they want?", "Me to call them back?", "They did catch the people who robbed them!?!", "What about all the jewelry?".

Of course, Shaun could only answer the first four. The last one we still don't know about (however, yes they did catch the people that caused all this mess and heart-ache).

I was on the phone with Ms. B in a split second. She told me that she had been looking through some of their catalog books but could not find a ring that was similar to the one that was taken. She wanted me to come in, look through the books myself, and see what I thought. I told her I would be there on Monday around 5:30.

Monday rolled around so, Shaun and I headed up to Jewelry Warehouse to look at double heart rings. When she handed me the catalog book I flipped through it and saw nothing that I thought looked like the ring my daddy gave to my mom in high school. I was thinking in my head and in my heart that it was a wonderful thing that they were trying to help me keep my sentimental memories and feelings; however, I was also thinking if there is nothing that was going to help me with that then I don't want to replace it. I don't want to replace it with JUST a ring. I want MY ring, with MY memories and feelings.

Ms. B could tell that I was seeing nothing that I liked, so she brought out another book. I flipped through that book and nothing again was catching my eyes. I was beginning to think it was not a good sign and I was going to tell her "Thank you anyway and I appreciate all that you have done." Then there it was...a white gold, hammered- double heart ring, with a small heart in the middle connecting the two hearts together, and inside the small heart was a small diamond. It looked SOOOOOO similar to my daddy's ring.

So, Ms. B told me that they would order it for me (on them) and it would be in in about 3 to 4 weeks. Now, it will NEVER be MY ring and it will NEVER be the ring that my daddy gave to my mom, but it is a very close reminder of what he did give her and what I longed for for so long.

My one thought behind this whole situation was that I just did not want ANOTHER ring. I wanted a REMINDER ring...of good times and bad times, about the storms and the calm times that I have gone through. That is what I got. I hope and pray that one day I (or the police) find MY ring. However, a friend of mine told me that maybe all of this happened so that my daddy could give me one last present from him. He wanted me to have his ring but he also wanted me to have a ring from him that was MINE. So, thank you Marni for that wonderful thought. I am taking it and running with it.

Thank you daddy for my beautiful ring. It looks just like the ring that you gave to mom in high school. I love you and miss you terribly.

Roller Skating

2011-02-28T21:49:00.010-05:00

I don't want to grow up...I'm a roller skating kid.

The last time I went roller skating,Christian was about 3 months old...

Well, I went roller skating with him again this past weekend. However, this time he did some roller skating as well. It is so amazing how you jump into "kid mode" when you are with your kids doing kid things. I love acting like a kid with him, playing with him, and being silly with him. Gosh how life changes when you have little ones.

Target here we come to get some roller skates for the drive way...

Circus is Coming to Town

2011-02-18T16:11:00.011-05:00

In the mist of all the sickness that has been going around the Spivey household and my ring getting stolen, I forgot to write about our first experience to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus.
This little boy had such a great time.

Full of excitement...

and anticipation.

Mommy and Daddy even had a great time. It was great having just as much fun as Christian and acting like a kid again.

Here are some of the things that we saw at the circus that caused the excitement, anticipation, and childlike behaviors.

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My favorite part of the night was when we walked into the Colonial Center and we noticed that Christian had on only one shoe...priceless.

I Love You Boys!

2011-02-14T08:17:00.000-05:00

Will you be my Valentine?

Happy Valentine's Day to my two favorite men!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Good Day, Bad Day

2011-02-11T17:04:00.006-05:00

For as long as I can remember I have been hounding my mom for a ring that my dad gave her back when they were in high school. It is a silver, double, heart ring that looks very similar to this one, but a little different...

I remember going through her jewelry case when I was little and playing dress up, always picking that ring and her first engagement ring to be my favorites to play with. As I grew up, I would ask her if I could wear the heart ring and she would tell me "No, maybe when you get older." Well, the other day became the day that "I got older." Not only did she let me wear it but she gave it to me. I was so excited, happy, sad, etc. (all emotions balled into one). I wore it everyday for about a week. Then I thought I would go and get it resized to fit my pinkie so I could "really" wear it everyday with all my other jewelry. So, off to Jewelry Warehouse I went.
Well, today my great day just turned horrific, terrible, heart-wrenching, and numbing. Jewelery Warehouse told me when I took it in that it would be ready on the 11th. When I got there today to pick it up, I was told that they had been robbed over the weekend and my ring was one of the pieces that was taken. WHAT! Of all the pieces in the store, they took that one. It was almost 40 years old, why would they want that one? Jewelry Warehouse did say that they would take care of all their costumers that had things taken but it is not the jewelry it is the sentimental value that I want back.
I just keep thinking about how long I longed for that ring. I had it in my possession for about 2 weeks and now it is gone. Will I ever see it again or just see the memories that I have about it? Why do people have to be so cruel?

Pray For Me

2011-02-10T16:35:00.007-05:00

Dear Lord,
I am turning to you in this time of illness. Please alleviate my sorrow and worry with your gentle love and grant me your grace and strenght. Lord, I place myselves under your care and humbly ask that you restore me back to my whole self. Above all, grant me the grace to acknowledge Your holy will and know that whatsoever You do, You do for the love of us.
Amen.

Where's the Book?

2011-02-07T18:12:00.005-05:00

When Christian was a baby, I was so nervous that I was going to break him or that I was not doing something right. I turned to "THE BOOK" for all the answers or what I thought were the answers. If Christian was doing something that the book did not say or if it said that he should not be doing something that he was, I started to freak out.
What was wrong?
Why was this happening?
What did "THE BOOK" say about this?

Finally my wonderful husband and smart mom told me to put "THE BOOK" down. They told me that God made me a women with motherly instincts for a reason and I needed to use them, not all the answers to being a mother and raising a child was in "THE BOOK".

However, I am really wishing for "THE BOOK" and "THE ANSWER" on how to get your child to feel better. Today I took Christian BACK to the doctor (third time in three weeks) and they said that he has a double ear infection and the flu. What do you do with that kind of information except for hold your baby tight and tell them it is going to be okay?

Poor baby, Mommy is here!

Sleepover

2011-02-05T15:18:00.007-05:00

When Mattie was born on Tuesday, his older brother, John stayed with us. This was Christian's first sleep over. First we headed to the hospital to meet John's little brother then it was off to the Spivey's for a night of fun. Boy, did they have fun!
They played...

and played...

and played...

and played.

They had a night for laughs that they did not want to end. However, it ended with Shaun holding Christian on the couch and me laying with John in the bed.

Family Additions

2011-02-02T20:01:00.007-05:00

No, No, No...it is not me that is expanding my family. However, I would absolutely love to. It was my sister-n-law who added another bundle of joy. Yesterday at around 11:30 I because an aunt again to Matthew (Mattie) Lizewski.

Welcome Mattie with lots of love!

A new baby is like the beginning of all things-wonder, hope, a dream
of possibilities.
Eda J. Le Shan

I Want To Be Just Like You

2011-01-30T21:35:00.007-05:00

"Daddy I want to be just like you when I grow up!"

Like father, like son: sitting on the couch, eating cereal and watching cartoons on a Saturday morning...what could be better?!?

All I Want To Eat

2011-01-28T17:57:00.008-05:00

After being sick since Saturday, you would think that Christian would want something to eat with some kind of substance. He has not really eaten anything since Saturday morning. I might of gotten him to eat a few Mandarin oranges, half a piece of toast, and half a bowl of mashed potatoes. Other than that he has really only been drinking water and juice.

However, yesterday he went on an eating spree. He ate three bananas (back to back), two cups of milk, nuggets and fries from Chic-fil-A, and two suckers. I think he is getting his appetite back.

Did I mention that his suckers were blue.

2011-01-20T20:56:00.007-05:00

Happy Birthday Daddy!
I Love You!

I love you!

Lots of laughable moments.

Outstanding!

VIP daddy!

Excellent at being there for me when I need you!

You Rock!

One of a kind!

Uunderstanding when I mess up!

Dynamite!

Awesome playmate!

Devoted to me!

Does what is necessary to help me learn!

You are my Idol!

(This is Christian telling Shaun "Happy Birthday)

Now I Know My ABCs

2011-01-16T20:55:00.005-05:00

Tonight I recorded Christian at dinner saying his ABCs. He has been saying them for a long time now but since his birthday he has made leaps and bounds. He got two wonderful presents from my mom and Kristin Gagliardi to help him in this process...Leapfrog DVD called Letter Factory and Leapfrog Letter Discoveries. Not only does he know how to say his ABCs but he can say the letter sounds that go with them as well. It is amazing! I will record him next doing that. We were at dinner the other night and he was playing with his Leapfrog Letter Discoveries game and he was naming all the letters when it would ask..."what letter makes the sound..." OR "find the letter S." The people at the table beside us stopped us when we were leaving and told us how impressed they were. Of course that just made me glow.

What is this mess?

2011-01-11T18:18:00.004-05:00

Do I have hat head? What do you think?

Snow Baby

2011-01-10T19:49:00.012-05:00

What a day!

No School, check.
Play in the snow, check.
Drink hot chocolate, check.
Hang out with my two favorite men, check.
Play the Wii, check.
Watch a movie, check.
Take a nap, check.
Play in the snow/ice some more, check.

Couldn't ask for a better snow day.

Glimpses of 2010

2011-01-06T21:00:00.021-05:00

Gosh, 2011 started way to fast for me. 2010 left in a blink of an eye and 2011 was here before I knew it.

2010 left us with some great memories and some VERY sad times. It will be a year that I will never forget for many different reasons. Glimpses of Christian growing up are the times that I want to share throught out our wonderful and heartbreaking year of 2010.

January 2010

"Playing in Paint...Is it St. Patrick's Day?"
February 2010

"First Snow of the 2010"
March 2010

"Playing outside"
April 2010

"Happy Easter"
May 2010

"Grandmommy's 90th Birthday"
June 2010

"Family Beach Trip"
July 2010

"First Jet Ski Ride at the Lake on the Fourth of July"
August 2010

"Trip to Charleston Battery with Mommy and Daddy" (Too funny of a picture not to put it in.)

"Trip to the water park in Charleston"
September 2010

"First Football Game of 2010. Go Cocks!"
October 2010

"Happy Halloween"
November 2010

"Happy 2nd Birthday Christian"
December 2010

"Merry Christmas"

Goodbye 2010...Hello 2011.

Family Christmas 2010

2010-12-31T10:30:00.001-05:00

What a wonderful Christmas at Omah's, the Spivey', and our house...

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We had a great Christmas but we certainly had heavy hearts. We missed you Papa amd wish you were here!

Potty Time

2010-12-30T21:50:00.001-05:00

Bring on potty time.

Yo-Gabba-Gabba under-roos for training...

AND

M&Ms for potty incentives.

"Sugar" Highs

2010-12-29T22:01:00.015-05:00

Making sugar cookies over at Omah's was quite an adventure with lots of excitement and nuttiness.

Sugar Cookies + Icing = Sugar High = Dancing in Omah's kitchen to "Santa's Coming in a Pickup" (my favorite Christmas song by Alan Jackson and the Chipmunks).

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T12:48:00.004-05:00

Merry CHRISTmas!

From our Family to Yours! May your holiday season be blessed.

The Spivey's

Christmas Family Traditions

2010-12-23T21:39:00.005-05:00

For as long as I can remember I have made (and eaten) M&M cookies with my mom and sister during the Christmas season. My dad just helped us eat them...ha. They are the best cookies that I have ever eaten. They are kind of like Pringles...once you eat one you just can't stop. They are so good that whenever I have a birthday, I always ask my mom to make me a big M&M cookie (it is not as good as the individual cookies, but it is still good).

So this year, I wanted to pass along a Christmas family tradition to Christian that I did growing up. So, we made M&M cookies. Boy, were they a BIG hit. I was not sure what he would think about them because he is not much of a sweets person (he did not get that from me). However, I could not keep him out of them. He would eat one and them go back for another. He must of eaten four the first day that we made them (me I had about four or five as well). See once you pop you just can't stop...

Tomorrow night we will be starting two new traditions of our own...reading The Night Before Christmas and the Polar Express before we go to bed. Then on Christmas Day we are going to make a birthday cake for Jesus.

Message from Santa

2010-12-09T23:35:00.004-05:00

Santa sent Christian a message again this year from the North Pole. I hope you enjoy.

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/guest/pVN98pUryc0NDcTU8eJP2A

I hope he sends each of you a message...http://www.portablenorthpole.tv.

ABC Song

2010-11-27T21:34:00.007-05:00

I know that I am in need of downloading Christian's birthday pictures (I will, I promise); however, I had to show this video of him signing (humming/attempting to sing) the ABC song. He sings it all the time and it just cracks me up. Sorry it is a little dark but I had to catch it in the car on the way home one night.