photograph

Scout had a photo shoot on Saturday for his first birthday.  I wasn't sure we were going to get ANY good pictures because he was not cooperating for a long time.  But, Shelby got some great shots.  These are my top five!  If you need pictures, Shelby Taylor Photography from Liberty City is awesome!

This was one of the last pictures she took, I like it because you can see all 3 of us, but it's obvious who's the center of our world!

love this face!

HEY!

So happy!

Helping redecorate!

my sweet potato

hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving...this was my best one ever, thanks to Scout!  if he made Thanksgiving that much better, i can't wait for Christmas!  he was here last Christmas, but he was 3 weeks old on Christmas Day.  we had spent a lot of time in those three weeks going back to the hospital and back and forth to the doctor's office because they were worried about his weight.  i was still recovering from his delivery, we were all seriously sleep deprived, and my sister wasn't home.  i don't even remember much of Christmas, but there are a ton of pictures of Scout!  i'm thankful for the week off, next week is going to be crazy getting ready for his birthday party!  can't wait!

pin cushion

we've been a little busy around here!  but, i've been keeping up with my thankful posts on facebook.  and, i've been on pinterest a lot...when i have time to sit down. i already posted pictures of the wreath i was inspired to make by pinterest.  last week i made a weekly calendar to hang by the back door.

all i had to buy was the frame.  i think it was around $3 at walmart.  i bought some dry erase markers, too, because all the ones i had at work are either fat or i used the school's money to buy them.  i used scrapbook paper and taped it to the sheet that came in the frame.  i already had the stickers in my craft stuff.  i like it.  gingham is not usually my style, but it fits in well in the laundry room.  i need to figure out a way to keep the marker by the calendar.  i had it set on top of the frame, but when i shut the back door, it fell off the frame and is now stuck between the wall and our dryer.  i saw someone on pinterest used a binder clip, maybe i'll come up with something this week.  this is one of my favorite weeks of the year.  we are going to thanksgiving at my aunt's house.  i get to take the sweet potatoes and the green bean casserole.  hopefully, we'll get to watch part of the parade, too.  i want Scout to grow up watching that, just like we did.  i'm seriously conflicted about black friday this year.  what's the fun in shopping at midnight!?!?!  then again, i missed the last two years due to being in tokyo and being 39 1/2 weeks pregnant!  i want to shop!  Scout's birthday is in two weeks!  can't wait to celebrate!  he cut 2 new teeth this week.  he's getting so big, way too fast!     
 

we are family

i have been posting one thing i'm thankful for each day on facebook.  but, i needed to expand on here.  i am thankful for the amazing support system Scout has.  he stays with my mom while i'm at work.  my dad meets us at the car, before sunrise, to get Scout out of the backseat.  there's really no need for me to even walk in the house with them.  they have their own morning routine until gram gets up.  i usually don't even have to take anything with him.  he has his own room, his own toys, food, extra clothes, and all those supplies that go with a baby.  i get pictures on my phone throughout the day, so i never miss anything while i'm at work trying to teach and raise 43 other kids.  for a long time, Scout didn't even realize that gram and poppa had their own house.  he just thought he lived at both places with all 4 of us! 

we had  problem tuesday afternoon.  Scout's gram had an injection to help her pain.  the nurse had told her there was no down time.  after she got the injection, they told her she couldn't drive or lift anything for 24 hours...Scout weighs around 23 pounds and can't walk yet.  my dad and i had both already been off work tuesday, so we couldn't take off again.  Suzanne to the rescue!  She is the mom of our little friends, 911, doolittle, piggies, and violet.  i called her at 7:30 and asked if she could keep Scout on wednesday.  no problem.  he has never stayed anywhere other than my mom's or MDO (which is only once a week for about 5 hours).  i took him to their house wednesday morning, he went straight to her.  then when she put him down so she could write her number down, he crawled off into the living room with piggies and violet.  didn't even care when i left.  he played all day, went to lunch at another house with more kids.  never fussed or anything!  he loves those girls and their momma! 

this weekend is the holiday tea at church.  i have decorated a table for the past 6 or 7 years.  i didn't do it last year, i was about 9 months pregnant...but i was back this year.  k-dogg took care of Scout most of thursday evening and ALL of last night while i was getting stuff together and decorating at the church.  today, they are going to hang out at home while gram and i are at the tea.  a lot of daddies can't (or won't) do that!  k-dogg took care of Scout A LOT during the first few weeks of his life.  i was worn out after such a hard delivery...and k-dogg and my mom just stepped in and took over.  every other night for the past 11 months, k-dogg has been in charge of getting Scout ready for bed, feeding him the last bottle, and getting up with him in the middle of the night.  it's not a big deal now, but for the first few months...that was huge!  and, it was his idea!  he wakes up with him at least once every weekend.  he may not do everything just like momma, but he gets it done and Scout loves it!