Daddy

He said it... he said daDDY - not DaDa, but DADDY!!! Multiple times!!! It was so unbelievably CUTE! He stood there, holding onto a table with his fingers in his mouth saying Daddy! We would say it back, and he would say it again! He has since said Mommy, but not as many times as Daddy!!!! And, of course, it's only when he feels like it!!!! =)

Yesterday, after a late morning nap of 1 1/2 hours, there was no other napping, and Sam went to bed at 7:30 last night (we kept him up as long as we could... he would have gone to sleep at 6:30 if we had let him!)... he STILL didn't wake up until 7:15 this morning, and he's down for a nap again right now!!!! SLEEPY BOY!!!! Hopefully this means there is hope for an afternoon nap!!!! We shall see!!!

Pray for the Beverlys as they are awaiting a phone call to fly to Guatemala this week... it HAS to be THIS week, or the fingerprints run out....

What's he doing now?

Time for the age-old question...

What's Sam doing now????

• He crawls SO FAST, is into everything, and is there and into it before I can catch him!


• He pulls up on everything, which means that things on the couch, table (yes, he has rubber arms), desk, etc, are fair game!


• He climbs stairs... but only when I'm not looking, and he only gets to the second one at most!


• He looks at me and calls me "Mama" and he also calls me from the other room - usually when he's in baby jail/grotto.


• He is constantly talking... yes, he says "Mimi" now!!! Whew! But not before he looked at Rocky (their dog) and called him "Big"!!!!


• Sam and Stormie play pretty good together now... when SHE'S in the mood!


• Sam eats pretty much anything... but not without a funny face. And, if he doesn't like it, he can potentially spit it back out on you!


• He has experienced his first hematoma... i.e. bruise...


• You can ask him a question, and he'll shake his head "NO" at you!!! For instance, his first time doing this, Daddy was holding him, and I asked him to come see me... he put his arms around Pop Pop and shook his head "NO" at me!
  
• Basically, he has attitude!


• He is almost impossible to change... diapers or clothes!!!!


• He takes little steps holding onto us! YIKES!!!


• He will also feed us... but he has to have a minimum of three Goldfish in his mouth first - THEN, he'll hold one out to you, but you have to be quick!!! And, if there's Cheerios and Goldfish to choose from, he'll feed himself the Goldfish and you the Cheerios... little Turkey!!!! =)


• Just today he started laughing at me when I tell him "no"... uh oh!!!!!!

We laugh all the time - he is SUCH a GOOD baby... talking to friends, I realized how blessed I am that he sleeps as well as he does, and, so far, he's really good! High maintenance, but good!!!

Here's some pictures...

This is when we went to the farm... two dogs, me, Mama and Sam... ALL on the 4-wheeler!!!

Sam DRIVING the 4-wheeler!

Sam swinging in the swing that MY Granddaddy made for me!!!The only way we could get him to sleep while at the farm...The fam...
Sam being mischievous! That grin... I'm in for it!Watching out the front window for Daddy!!!He didn't like it when I went out to get this shot!!! =) He looks so pitiful!

YVEH

I learned something interesting yesterday and wanted to share...

YVEH is the Greek name for LORD. In some cultures, they say it is unpronounceable, because it is all vowels. So, when you say each letter, it is like a breath... hence, every time we breathe, we are speaking the name of the LORD.

Also, we take about 6 breaths a minute - when we breathe correctly (from our guts). Breathing incorrectly (from our chest), we take more like 16 breaths a minute... that's usually when we're stressed and breathing shallow breaths... funny how we speak the name of the LORD more the more stressed out we are! You do the math for how many times we speak the LORD'S name in a day!!!!

Do you think this was a coincidence that we are designed to speak the LORD'S name every time we take a breath? God breathed the breath of life into Adam... and each of us... coincidence that he spoke HIS name to us and we became alive? Is it coincidence that the first thing in life is take our first breathe (speak the LORD'S name), and the last thing we do in life is take our last breathe (speak the LORD'S name)? Do you think it's a coincidence that these people that tell you God doesn't exist are literally BREATHING His name as they speak those words?

I think not... I don't think any of this is coincidence!!! This just proves to me and shows me that God has thought out every little detail, and is involved even in our every breath!

So, breathe happy... and breathe deep - you are speaking the LORD'S name each time - so do it right!!!!

My Name is Tammy...

... and I am a Target junkie!!!!

I am in the midst of balancing bank and credit card statements from this past year (between my usual putting-it-off and procrastination and Sam, I am at least 12 months behind --- SO NOT LIKE ME WHEN IT COMES TO THIS STUFF!!!!).

Anywho... I have realized that I have gone to Target at least once a week since I have retired!!! And they're not little runs!!!! So, here, I am admitting the problem (although, the last few months I think I have been better - but the statements don't lie)... I have a Target problem!!!!!

BJ - honey, I am sorry... I realize it now and promise to be better!!!!??? =)

Beth - I am sorry we ever gave you a hard time - this must be God's way of telling me to watch out for giving others a hard time!!!!!! =)

Christmas... Finally!

In my current state of procrastination, I decided to put some pictures from Christmas on the 'ole blog... finally!!!

Sam's 1st present... he liked the paper more than the actual toy! =)

He really gets into his work!
Sam telling Uncle Bo thank you for his zebra... Bo and BJ 'golfing' off the point into the lake (Bo's Big Bertha head flew off) SO, the got the Zodiak out to go retreive it!Meanwhile, Sam was being cute and telling Santa what he wanted...
Sam ready to open presents... THE FOOD....Happy Boy!Before gifts were opened...
AFTER gifts were opened...

Sam LOVED opening gifts... he was in the middle of everything!

This is pretty much how the gift-opening went... Stormie in lap (a little scared), Rocky looking for his stuff, and Sam crawling all over the place (some of the pictures are like the "Where's Sam" version of "Where's Waldo")!!!!This must have been a good one...
THEN Santa Clause came... Sam got a Power Wheels Hummer... Fully equiped with a machine gun and working blinkers... but the best part ---- he can drive it himself, OR, we flip a switch, and we have a remote control so WE can steer him!!!!!Sam being properly appreciative...

Watch out!!!!Sam in his stocking that Mimi made... now BJ and I have to fill it up every year!!!???? YIKES!!!!

We needed some new teeth...Awww... poor Stormie!!!Sam going for a BIG ride... and NOT liking all that "freedom"... YET!!!!Pop Pop feeding Sam again... =)Family picture time again... out of about 100 pictures, these were the 'keepers'... amongst a few others, of course!!!! Always a comical sight, that's for sure!!! But we sure are glad we have them!!!OK, so that took a WHOLE nap time!!!!!

I'm Bringing Sexy Back...

Well, not me, but SAM is!!!!

FYI... the shirt says "I do all my own stunts"

I know, I know, I still haven't posted Christmas pictures... not Mama's fault, but mine now!!! I have them, just need time to post... promise to do that next week... but, for now, here's some more Sam pictures...

Sam has discovered how to get a little taller - pretty soon he will be able to escape baby jail (or the baby grotto, as BJ now prefers we refer to it)!

Sam trying to imitate us waving!!!! He's getting there... =)

He is just SUCH a HAPPY baby!!!! We laugh ALL THE TIME around here!!!!

Here's to a New Year...

Well, I must spend a moment looking back at 2006 before I look on ahead...

Highlights / What I've learned from 2006:

- Ummm.... SAM was born!!!!!
- OK - that's it, that was easy!!!

No, really, that was huge and the bulk of the year, but there's a little more!!!

- BJ finished his tests for his Architecture license... we're just awaiting the results, then he'll be a REAL LIVE Architect!!!!
- God is SO GOOD - and He truly DOES provide when you are following His will and are in need!
- I have learned the secret to staying young... DON'T have kids - they wear you out!!! And I swear I have aged!!!!
- What the heck is Emo???? Not ELmo, but Emo??? This was news to me, and it has apparently been around awhile... mmmm...
- Babies really do change everything - light bulb moment: when we realized that where we are IS NOW normal for us - waiting for normal to COME BACK will be in vain!!!!
- Babies really are as much work as everyone says they are --- but SOOOO worth it!
- Working is for the birds! I love this retirement thing!!!!! And I still have my youth! It's great! Although, I will say that I work harder now than I ever did!!!

2007 has a lot to live up to - 2006 has been the best year ever!!! But bring it on!!!!

Sniff, sniff...

First, let me say - my little baby is sick!!! Bless his little heart! He was cranky and running a fever last Thursday, so I took him on the the doctor since it was a holiday weekend and all... she didn't see anything except for his left ear was starting to show irritation and potential infection. So, she gave us some antibiotics and ear drops. We get through the weekend, and Monday, he started stuffing up, and by Tuesday, it was a full-on cold! I think that I was just SO in tune with him that I knew he was on his way to getting sick a few days early! =) Hahahaha!!! He is on the (slow) road to recovery. With snot rag in hand and A LOT of TLC, we are making it through!!!

Well, Christmas was great, as was New Year's... and I have lots of pictures that will be way more interesting than me describing everything... but, they are on Mama's camera, and our plans to go back to the lake last week were thwarted by Nanny's two heart attacks (that were not real, by the way - thank the Lord) - she was just suffering from loneliness and anxiety...

So, anyway, I promise to share those (the pictures, not the heart attacks) once I get them!

For now, here's what I had on my camera...

NEVER pass up a good picture of your brother in the kitchen... much less in an apron!!!!!!!!!

Uncle Bo put Sam in his diaper box, which Sam loved... then he tied a string to it (so he didn't have to bend over) and pulled him all over the house - which he LOVED even more!!!! Who says being Santa is hard or expensive????He looks worried here, but I promise he was loving it!!!! Uncle Bo may have just popped a wheelie with him or something!!!!Christmas was hard work!!!!!That's all the Christmas I had on my camera... but here's some of Sam in his new Elmo chair that giggles and vibrates - this is the face he makes when it vibrates his butt!!!! Too funny!!!!He and daddy were so tired!!!! Playing with all the new toys is hard work!!!

Oh, I am so ashamed... that is all I have!!!!! LOTS more to come!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

WOW! It's a new year already... it seems like just yesterday that I was looking at a new year full of baby showers and a baby (that, little did we know, was going to be born a month early!)!!!! Man, it has flown by!

2006 came with so much anticipation, and has gone with such contentment and a sense of accomplishment!

I say that, because, after such a 'hard' labor and delivery, I have the most beautiful and perfect son a mother could ever ask for! BJ has completed all of his tests for his architectural license... we are just awaiting the results of his last three!!! So, Lord willing, he will be a licensed architect before he turns 30! I have held a job for a full four years and have now seen retirement in '06; Mama and Daddy are, yet again, looking at selling the lake house - we'll see if it happens this year!!! =) Bo is as much a dare devil as ever with his flying and motorcycles - and his latest purchase of a 4-wheeler (and the $75 jet ski - funny story - we'll see if it even floats!!!); Brandon is in the midst of his Junior Year at Florida State - and is making the Dean's list each semester; BJ's dad and Inny moved to Midtown this year - right where they belong... All is right with our little world!!!!!!

2007 is beginning with anticipation again, but of a different calibre! Anticipation of being parents and where we'll be this time next year! With God at the helm, I just know it's going to be another great year for our family!!!

New Year's Resolutions for 2007...

I don't really ever make those - I kinda do them all year long, because, as soon as I make them, I get distracted and break them! Last year, I started reading the Bible all the way through and have made it through the June section, so, maybe I can do the next 6 months worth this year!? We shall see! As always, I want to be a better Christian and work on my relationship with God... I wonder if God's "Inbox" looks like the gym for the first couple of months of the year????? Crowded, then dwindles back down to the devoted by March or April... I want to be of the devoted crowd!!!!

Anyway - I hope everyone has a fresh new start for 2007 and that it brings as much happiness and contentment and I am feeling right now!!!