The Wall of...

Here it is... what I have been waiting for...

It's the Picture wall that I have been "planning" for months!!! BJ got it done this weekend - granted, I still need to add some coloring to the shelves - but they look AWESOME!!!!

This is my favorite picture from our last photo session - hope you can tell something about them!!!???

And here are a couple of pictures that I had on the camera...

It looks like he's ready for a snow storm!!!

Mama just emailed me a couple of pictures that they have taken this weekend... get ready - these are SO CUTE...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

All throughout my house...

Yes, it is so. We have decorated for Christmas!!! This is the earliest we have ever decorated, but next weekend BJ's mom is going to be here, then it's Thanksgiving (and we always go to Rome to see my grandmother that Saturday), then it's December - and it would be a travesty if my house wasn't decorated by December!!!!! =)

Mama and Daddy have Sam this weekend - I went out there on Thursday - they hadn't seen him in over 2 weeks because they have been out-of-town! He changes so much in a week's time!!! Mama and I cooked 12 casseroles on Friday... for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We do all these casseroles and freeze them so all we have to cook on the holiday is a turkey - it really makes it so much easier to spend time together with the family instead of cooking all day!!!! Needless to say, we were wiped out! Daddy took care of Sam (and washed dishes when Sam would allow it), so he was wiped out too!!!! And Sam has discovered that if he SHREAKS, then someone is HAPPY to hold him! Should be LOVELY to be in our house through this phase!!!

So, today, BJ and I got up and busted our butts to get the house done - it's still in shambles, but should be good-to-go by tomorrow afternoon!!!! We stopped in time to go out on a date - to that Japanese place at the Mall of GA. It was pretty good... the people were what was entertaining!!!! We were at a table with the reddest red-neck couple we've ever seen, an inter-racial couple and a couple of lesbians!!!! The red-neck guy asked the (obviously Oriental) cook if he was Spanish - and when he said "no," he replied, "me neither!" I almost lost it - BJ and I were rolling! It was a fun date - and we're stuffed! Stormie has enjoyed Mommy/Daddy time as an only child - except for when she was growling in the dining room and BJ (who was in the basement) hit the floor underneath her with the hammer - she couldn't get traction fast enough on the hardwoods in order to get to me! It was pretty funny!!!!!

I'm really excited for Sam to come home and see all the lights! He is fascinated when I turn the chandelier on and off, so I know he is going to LOVE all the Christmas lights!!!!!

More updates later... Fa La La La La La to you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some Pictures...

Sam is turning into a little boy right before my eyes!!! He no longer looks like a baby to me (most of the time!) Here's my case in point...

FYI - his shirt says: "My Grandparents don't spoil me, they're just very accommodating" (So true =)

Here, Sam has crawled all the way from the other side of the living room, into the kitchen, and has pulled these boxes over that were sitting by the door. It is AMAZING how many toys this child has to play with, and he ALWAYS chooses the boxes, the TV remote, the real phone or Stormie's toys...

This was us ready to go to church last Sunday... Sam is wearing a flannel button-up with a puffy vest and corduroys - he was so cute!

Shifting gears (no pun intended)... this is my brother again. He went to FL this past weekend to race his motorcycle. It still just amazes me that he can drag his knee on the ground going over 100 mph!!!!!

That's Bo in front (orange helmet)!!!

He Scoots!!!

Yes, it is so... my baby scoots like a champ!


And it happened just that quickly. Yesterday, he was rolling wherever he wanted to go, and, today, he moves everywhere on his belly!


He looks like he's swimming, so it is incredibly funny to watch! He doesn't just go a couple of inches, but, like, the entire length of the living room!!!!


And, do you know what I finally motivated him with? THE REMOTE!!!! Yes, he is a man (in training anyway!!!) He was trying to get it from me, so I put it a good ways away from him and told him that if he got to it he could have it... see, he IS a genius!!!!!!


Of course, I took pictures - this one kind of gives the "swimming" effect!!!!

Happy Halloween!

Well, it's halloween, so here's our Little Pumpkin - all dressed up!!!!

He outgrew the pumpkin outfit I bought him for Halloween, but our gracious neighbors let us borrow theirs!!!

Gotta have a close-up of the hat!!!

I am a cow - I just don't have my hat on... Sam actually kept taking it off!!!

BJ, as he is every year, was BJ...

Here's more pictures that I forgot I had on my camera from this past week... I'm falling down on the job here!!!!!

This is how Sam went to church this past Sunday - I think my grandmother would have a fit that he is wearing JEANS... if it were summer, he would be wearing FLIP FLOPS (gasp, gasp, gasp!!!!)!!!!!!

Saturday morning, BJ and I were getting ready for the day. Sam was sitting up in our bed playing (note all the toys scattered), and, he got quiet, and this is what we saw... there is no staging here, folks... this is how he FELL asleep!!!! Too cute, huh????

Oh, my sweet baby...This morning, I was eating some breakfast (next to Sam who was on his blanket), and he rolled right into the kitchen... and under the table and chairs, then was trying to pull himself up (kinda hard from UNDER the chair, but, whatever!) - he's a mess!!!!!

That's all I got - Happy Halloween!!!

The Art of Taking the Family "Portrait"

So at least two or three times a year, Mama decides to take a picture of the family. There is an art to this, as I am about to demonstrate.

But first, let me give a little background... Bo is the first one to say, "Aw, Mom, do we gotta?" BJ is 'the good son' who just does what he is told - as he's cracking jokes about the process. Daddy just laughs at the boys, and I tend to laugh and crack jokes if they come to me - but I secretly appreciate the effort and try to be cooperative and supportive!

OK - so, first, Mama scopes the spot, does a couple of test shots to see where she needs us to sit once she gets us together...Next, she gets us all seated where we need to be. Then, she runs to the camera, and, as many times as we do this, there is the inevitable "oops" shots while she re-learns how to set the timer... Then, there's a few shots where we have to "practice" smiling and looking in time while Mama practices setting the camera and running to her spot. Then, we observe these 10 pictures and realize that Mama's head is covering Sam, and Sam is covering Nanny...
OH - and where are the dogs? We need the dogs... and they need to be looking at the camera - and Sam isn't looking either! Here, we are practicing that... Daddy is yelling "SQUIRREL" to get Rocky and Stormie to look, Mama has just sat on Nanny's foot, and the boys are laughing uncontrollable, which was causing the rest of us to laugh as well, and I was unsuccessful in getting Sam to look...
On about the 100th try, we said that this one will do!!!!

And that, my friends, is the art of the Family Portrait...

The Sam-Date Pictures

Here are the pictures from my post yesterday...



This is what Sam looked like looking at me over his crib rails:


This is Sam and Stormie playing... Well, Stormie trying to keep her toys from Sam. I can put Sam on that blanket, and he rolls off immediately to play!!!???


This is the "OOOO" face... he makes this face all the time! It's so cute!!!!
Then it's right into the BIG SMILE!!!!

OH, and another Sam-date... He got up on all fours today - maybe he WILL crawl for me!!!??? He says "Ba-ba," "Ma-ma," and "Da-da" now too - pretty regularly - but nothing to where I'm ready to say it's his first words!!!! My mom is thinking about changing her name from Mimi to Baba, because he says that the most!!!!!!

Here are some more pictures...

This is the happy family when we were at Nanny's last weekend. She gave Sam this HUGE dog, so we were all laying on it!

Then Sam decided to take Uncle Bo's new motorcycle for a spin...

Sam-date

Time for an update on Sam... or a Sam-date!

Today was a day of firsts for Sam!

I put him in his crib to play while I showered this morning. I sit him up because he is much happier and loves to sit and play that way. Well, I left him for a couple of minutes and before I got in the shower, I went and checked on him. When I looked into his room, here's what I saw:

OK. so the picture upload isn't working - I have tried for two days, so just picture the cutest baby ever smiling a big open-mouthed smile while looking over the rails of his crib...

Yes, he was peeking OVER the side of the crib - and yes, the smile was just that big! I couldn't believe it! He was on his knees, but he was PULLING UP!!!! Yikes! Called BJ, and, amidst the excitement, we made a mental note to lower the mattress tonight!!! That was a huge first for our little Sammy!

He still doesn't crawl... he can roll like a champ to wherever he wants to go... usually off the blanket and to one of Stormie's toys...

After the pulling up business this morning, I don't think crawling will have time to come into play!!!???

Well, our next first was sitting like a big boy in a shopping cart! We ventured out to the new Wal-Mart in Hamilton Mill this morning. Sam sat SO GREAT in the buggy inside his cute little 'cart-cover' thingy!!! He was extremely happy looking (and grabbing) at everything as we went by. I was quite impressed with him AND the new Wal-Mart! Very nice store! We walked around quite awhile... and, just me and the baby, did I just buy a couple of little things? Heck no!!! I bought cases - yes, multiples - of diapers, cases of wipes, baby food (not just a couple, but LOTS), a 20 pound bag of dog food (Stormie doesn't even weigh 20 pounds!!!), cleaning stuff, groceries,... the list goes on - it's WAL-MART for crying out loud - they have everything!!!!!!!! =) And I don't like to have to 'run to the store' for stuff, so I tend to stock up once a month or so!!!!

So, Sam's first time sitting like that in a new environment, one would think just a short trip and get him out... that's what I was thinking - but, obviously, with all I bought, it didn't work out that way!!!! Sam had a great time - little old ladies stopped us to admire him, people were smiling, we were doing great - Sam smiled at everyone, he was talking to me! People were probably laughing at us because I was talking right back to him (in his language!)... then came the check-out...

OH.............. MY........................ GOODNESS..................... HOW.................... SLOW........................ THAT..................... CHECKOUT............................... LADY............................. WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You get the picture???? There were SIX checkout lanes open - of those, two were express (and I was definitely NOT express - I couldn't even pretend I had miscounted!!!)!!!!! It wasn't just my lane - they were all slow. Now, I do believe mine was the slowest!!!!! There were five people in line in front of me. Shouldn't be that bad for Wal-Mart - oh, it was the kiss of death! The TONS of baby food I had, she would scan it (multiple times because she couldn't figure out how that scanny-thing worked), and, as she was looking at the item, bag it, grab the next one (and "grab" makes it sound like she was moving fast - I assure you, she was not!), look at it, scan it (multiple times again), and so on.... She did this with every item!!!!!

Give me a break! I could have gone through the SELF-CHECK lane and been out of there faster! I don't care if she had NO TRAINING, you can't tell me that once you rang a couple of people through that you couldn't AT LEAST get a hang of the scanner!!!!!?????

Well, Sam entertained everyone in line and kept us all from getting too bent out of shape!!!! When I left him and stepped up to put my stuff on the belt, Sam got a little worried that he couldn't see me! The nice lady behind me entertained him by making faces at him, and once he realized that I was right behind him (I kept talking to him), he was fine again! He really is a brilliant child!!! =)

He finally had enough of the buggy when I was paying, so I got him out and put him on my hip. He decided that HE wanted to sign the credit card thing for me, so we had to wrestle with the fake pen - I won!

Oh, and I had a Visa check-gift-card to pay with... oh boy! The poor lady had to call the manager over to help her - because it was a partial pay... Good Lord... did these poor people get no training????? Did they stock the store, hire people, then say - "Alrighty then... let's open - they'll figure it out!!!!"??????????

Whatever!!!!! Great Wal-Mart, but I think I'll wait a few months before heading back to that one - I'll let them figure out what they're doing first!!!! SURELY they will have it down in a few months!? And for the love, don't EVER go on a Saturday! Why does every Wal-Mart have like 40 check-out lanes, and usually six or so are open???? What a waste of resources... you would think they would have learned by now - if you're not going to use them, don't waste the money to put them there!!!! Maybe they should hire me for consulting!!!!! I'm available!!!

Hopefully I can get pictures to upload soon...

No, No, NO!!!!!

I was changing Sam's diaper the other day, and must share this story since we haven't had any good poopy stories lately...

Well, Sam has become a good "helper" when we're changing him. He wriggles and tries to roll over. He also does the worm (you know, the popular dance move - he has potential here =) on his back now too. So, I picked him up and realize that there's a "surprise" poopy in there - I call them surprises, because usually he turns red, grunts and screams with the excretion of solids!!! I take him to his pack 'n play to change him. My mistake, but I undid the straps of the diaper, then started getting the fresh one ready, along with a few wipes to be ready. While I was doing those things (I was standing right over him), Sam starts "helping" by wriggling and grabbing everything. Next thing I know, he's doing the worm and grabbing - oh yes - the diaper!!!! As I'm yelling, "No, No, NO!!!" he's pulling the diaper up all the way to his face - and dragging poop along with it!!!!! I grab the diaper - by this time, Stormie is in there jumping on my leg because she thinks I'm telling her no when I'm telling Sam no... sweet baby - she just wants to please us!!!! So I'm trying to comfort Stormie and tell her it's ok, while still telling Sam to stop (like he listens, but it makes me feel better!) Fortunately, it was a pretty solid doody, so a little got on his cothes, but that was it... I wrestle the diaper from his little STRONG hands, take the clothes off, remove the pad that got the bare butt - with poop - on it, wipe his hands (just in case), finish the diaper change, and finally breathe!!!! Sam, meanwhile is smiling and laughing and having a grand 'ole time!!!!!

I started up the stairs to get him a new outfit, and we're laughing together. I looked at him, and saw DRIED DOODY on his NOSE!!!!! YIKES!!!!! Grab a wipe upstairs to wipe it off, and decided we needed no more surprises... straight to the bathtub we went!!!! He loves splashing around in the tub!!! So, Sam was clean, pooped (as in tired - no pun intended), and so was Mommy!!!!!

Fun times in the Laterveer house!!!!

Picture time... again!

Sam went to Mama and Daddy's this weekend... they had fun, and it sounds like he was good. They tried to get him to crawl, but this child just refuses. He gets mad, rolls onto his back and cries - assuming that SOMEONE will give him what he wants!!!! I have really tried to be good and make him work for stuff... it is so hard to know what he wants and watch him struggle for it; especially when it would take no effort for me to just give it to him!

I have a feeling this will be a recurring trend for us!!!

Here are some pictures that Mimi and Pop Pop took... just a few!!!

They got some good ones of him in his dedication outfit (before it got WAY too small... he was already popping buttons off of it a week ago =)
They turned out SO CUTE... he looks like a little boy now - not just a baby! =(
Look at those rosy cheeks! They are just precious!
They tried some outside pictures with his Halloween costume, that is also on the verge of too small... it probably won't fit by Halloween!!!! He had had enough of pictures, I believe, but Rocky was right there to console him. Sam really likes Rocky... and I'm sure Rocky really likes him too! =) Sam loves to play with the little baby in the mirror! Mama and Daddy let him get up close and personal... I must say that I haven't let him put his hands all over the mirror at home - and I'm surprised that they did!!!! They are full-blown grandparents, that's for sure!!! They'll just clean it up when he leaves!!!!! Whatever Sammy wants...
Mama was up yesterday morning for sunrise... isn't this an awesome picture? This is what they see everyday out their back windows! I have always loved the lake - it's my happy place (if I'm not in bed) - so maybe that's why I like this picture SO much. Still, I think we can all appreciate the beauty! Isn't God good????

Food For Thought...

Background... we had a guy speak this morning about apologetics (not the "I'm Sorry" kind) - basically, he was talking about Truth. In our society, we are brought up with certain beliefs in our homes or communities... whether it's Judaism, Catholicism or Christianity, etc. When faced with skeptics in this world, how do we even begin to 'defend' our beliefs?

Usually with an "Ummmmm..." right? Then, "Because that's what I've been taught," or "because I have faith," etc. All true and fine - to like-minded believers, but what about those who don't believe? How do we convince them that what we believe is right? Or that they should at least consider what we believe? We can't say "The Bible tells me so," because they don't necessarily believe the Bible!!!

Is diving into "the world" and becoming one of them how you minister to others? Only if you believe that what the world has to offer is the way to eternity. As Christians, we live IN this world, but are not OF this world!

How do we live that way? We DON'T always, but we try! It's so easy to get consumed with money, houses, clothes, cars, jobs, friends, guys/girls... I could go on and on!!! Does that mean I walk around thumping my Bible over people's heads? Absolutely not!

Should you notice that there's something different about me by HOW I live my life and interact with you and others? ABSOLUTELY!!!!!

If you (or your wife) were to get pregnant, and they could give your child any characteristic you wanted - basically, you Build-A-Child, not a Bear - what/how would you build your child?

I thought about this, and concluded this: I just had Sam 6 months ago, and, if I had special-ordered anything, I would have messed him up. Have you ever special-ordered a car? You go through the options and pick the ones that best suit you... inevitably, you get the car and realize that you forgot something or should have gotten something a little different! That would be my luck with a child - and, quite honestly, I CERTAINLY could not have special-ordered a more perfect child than God created for me... you see, HE knows me even better than I know myself, so who better to build me a child?

(That is medically possible, by the way - so they say)

This biology professor asked his class to raise their hands if they believed in Creationism - and, if so, prove it. No one did. After some more prodding, a girl raised her hand. He asked her to stand, then why she believed it. She said nothing. He asked again. She still stood and said nothing. He said that was what he thought and told her to sit down. Then, proceeded to tell them that if anyone even mentioned Creation on a paper or in class that they automatically fail.

WHAT?????

I thought again of what I would have done. I would like to say (from a 27 year-old point-of-view) that I could have said: I can't prove Creationism anymore than you can prove Evolution, so what makes mine wrong and yours right??? Or, that I choose to not respond, because he obviously does not believe it nor could I persuade him to, so I choose to, in the interest of my grade, abstain from the question or discussion with him.

As a high school or college student, I am afraid I would have probably just been quiet too.

I know I am all over the place, but I was just thinking and wanted to put something down on paper... Sam is at Mama and Daddy's, so my brain shifted to adulthood instead of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" =)

I'll update more pictures soon!!!

Sam's new friend...

We went to visit Kaden (and Cathy and Jason) today...

Kaden is a cutie - and has so much hair!!! He was asleep while we were there... ahhh... I remember those days - but I also remember that when they're awake they're usually crying!!! Cathy and Jason are tired, as all new parents are (heck, it's been six months, and I'm still tired - although, it's not the same kind of tired!!!!) But they are doing good, and are so proud - as they should be!!!!!

So, you know we took pictures!!!!

So here he is... Kaden Boyce Piper!!!!!

Cathy had a great idea to get the babies' picture together... so, BJ and Jason "manned" the babies while Cathy and I shot pictures!!!! I bet it was quite humorous!!!! Sam was curious at first, and I was just BEGGING him to keep his hands to himself...
So, this is the next shot!!!!! =) He cracks me up!!!!
And this was a good one... isn't it just fascinating what a different six months makes???
So cute - and he sits up so well!!!!

Cathy was about to feed him, so I was able to get a "naked baby" picture.... =)

There are more pictures from the last week in the next entry!

Time for an update...

So it's been a week since my last blog... what's new? Well, a lot, but then it's the same 'ole same'ole!!!!

Sam and I just have so much fun everyday!!! I love spending everyday with him! He amazes me each day with something new and cute!

Here's some pictures...

Aunt Melissa comes to visit each week on her lunch hour! I love it when she comes - it's adult conversation, and quality time with one of my dearest and bestest friends!!! She and Sam are so cute together!!!

Sam has "mastered" the sippy cup. Yes, I thought he might be a little young too, but he's doing rather well - honestly, he would rather play with it than drink, but he DOES get lucky sometimes and hit his mouth with it!!! He has also "mastered" a water bottle... which is him basically seeing us drink from it and then us dumping it on him trying to let him drink from it... he opens his mouth and wants it, so, of course we oblige him!!!!

And Stormie has mastered the swing...
And I don't know what was going on here, but apparently Sam was pretty sleepy!!!!

Kaden is Here!

Kaden Boyce Piper is here!!!!

I can't believe he's actually here!!!! He is absolutely adorable... has a head full of hair and Cat's nose!!! He is healthy, Cathy is doing great, and Jason is doing great! He weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long.

That's a pound more than Sam and only half an inch more... can you imagine what a hurtin' Sam would have put on me if he hadn't been a month early!!!???

Cat only had to push for less than 30 minutes.... lucky thing!!! It sounds like she had a fairly easy time (once she got her epidural =) - given that she was giving birth, which can't be described as "pleasant"!!!!! I am so incredibly excited for them!

I am not a tear-er upper, but I did when I held him! Babies are just such precious gifts, and to have a healthy one is just that much more precious!!!

Speaking of precious gift...

Sam ate at 8 or 8:30 this morning, and didn't eat lunch until THREE!!!!! What a GOOD baby he was today!!!! Usually, if he goes late, it's because he's sleeping, but today, he made it while he was awake!!!! SUCH a GOOD baby!!!! I love that little guy!!!!

I'm sorry to say that I forgot my camera, but I want Cathy to be the first to post a picture of Kaden... so, we will have to wait on the pictures!!!!

Dedicated

Well, Sam is now dedicated. It is honestly something we did when he was born, but now we have formally done it in front of the church and our family.

Sam is God's child, and we get the honor of raising him... and what a blessing he is to our family. He is incredibly happy, and I can't help but grin ear to ear everytime he looks at me. That's probably why I'm so tired - I get a workout everyday from smiling so much!!!!

Here are some of the pictures from the dedication...

Here we are before-hand - Sam was ADORABLE in his little white outfit (which, first of all, he didn't spit-up on, and second of all, is a 9 month size, and he was literally busting the buttons on - he's only 6 months old... whew... we barely made it with that outfit!!!)

This is where I was trying to keep him occupied while Dr. Merritt was talking! It was funny to listen around, because it was a baby/kid fest... everyone was NOT quiet and attentive!!!!!

This is dinner afterwards... Sam was tired and cranky due to lack of sleep, so what did we do? Let's let him try some lemon!!!! Yes, bless his little heart! Mommy let him try lemon!!!!! Not the best of ideas when your child is cranky and it's BEFORE the adults eat!!!!!