18 Months

18 months old check up

Height: 31" (10 %) ha

Weight: 27.13 lbs (90%) ha 

One shot today at his check up, and all was good. We took a trip to the park and added some cute shots to our photo collection :) 

LBO Updates

I've been very absent from the blogging world lately, but I have been just soaking up all things Lucas :) Today my TimeHop showed me just how long it's been...

I can't believe it's literally been 2 years since we first saw our sweet baby boy. It completely amazes me that a woman's body is actually able to create another human. I just can't believe it's him in this picture. I am sad time has passed so quickly, but I have loved every minute and I continue to be amazed each day by my sweet boy.

He's grown so much, but a flashback to many months ago where this chatty toddler was a baby just learning to talk

Some updates on Lucas...

He LOVES PawPatrol...it's a new obsession

He is eating with utensils-messy but doing it

He takes ONE nap a day now

He can climb a flight of stairs (or multiple if needed LOL)

He "runs" or walks very fast at times

He enjoys swimming-it wears him out!

He can drink with a straw

We've celebrated Mother's Day and Easter...recently

Easter 2015

Egg Hunter

Mother's Day 2015 with Gigi

Mother's Day 2015 with Grandma and Grannie

Paw Patrol Obsessed 

Inspiration

Where do you find your inspiration? Who is an inspiration to you? That's what we were asked today in our faculty meeting. First, we watched a video called the Science of Happiness.

At the conclusion of the video, those featured were asked to read their letter of gratitude to those they wrote to or about. The research found those who express gratitude in whatever way, big or small, are genuinely happier people. Being an overall happy person, I think I agree. I don't agree because I am bragging on myself for being grateful, but the reason I say this is because it truly makes me happy to make other happy. I love to surprise other people, I love to make them smile, and I love to see them happy. So I find some truth in this study.

Today's challenge after watching the video was to write a letter to one person who has inspired us since being at our school. This wasn't a hard choice for me, but I had a few people that I felt this way about. However, the person I chose was my friend Jamie.

Jamie started the year I did at our school, midway through the year, taking our Science Lab position. The next year, she was given a different position and moved to our 5th grade team. I didn't know it then but we would hit it off and become the closest of friends. From buying a house to attempting Take ONE for National Board certification, to having a baby, it seems in the 5 short years we've known each other, we've been through a lot. 

We truly started to bond when we both attended a Bible study group hosted by our good friend Jessie, another person who inspires me. Our husbands hit it off and so did we, outside of school related topics. Over a year in this Bible study, we became close and started spending more time together.

Although our group changed and eventually came to an end through different life changes, our friendship grew closer. Jamie's first baby was born in 2013, Tucker. I didn't know it, but that little boy was a life changer, even for me. Recently, Tucker was diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. What a heart breaking, gut wrenching, crippling thing to hear. Since then, many times Jamie and I have sat and talked, laughed, cried, and hugged. It has been one of the most difficult things for their whole family to accept, along with ours. Every night we thank God that the Howe's and Tucker were brought into our lives, we praise Him for the blessings and glimmers of hope, no matter how small, and we beg for a cure, strength for Tucker, and hope and faith for their family. And through it all, although it's been tough, Jamie has shown faith, courage, strength, boldness, love, and patience. I have watched her grow and change into a mother over the past 2 years, but I have watched her mature and develop an even deeper love and appreciation for her little boy since December. I cannot imagine being in her shoes, and I just find so much inspiration from her, not only in our friendship, but in her actions. 

I am blessed to know this young woman and call her my friend. It is my honor to be able to not only work with her, but to do life with her, as we cannot do it alone. At the end of this school year though, our paths will part physically as her family moves to Washington state, closer to both sets of grandparents and closer a specialized children's hospital for Tucker, and although my heart breaks for selfish reasons, I am thankful for the opportunities to come for this sweet family I call my friends. I am excited to see what God has planned for Tucker and this beautiful family. 

She has inspired me as a mother, as a wife, as a friend, as a follower of Christ, and so much more. I know this is not the end for us, and I know we will remain close, even though we will be miles apart. I pray only the best for you Jamie, and your sweet family, whom I have come to love as my own. Thank you for the past 5 years of friendship, and no matter how many miles stand between us, I look forward to the many more years of friendship us, our husbands, and our boys (and babies) will have in the future.

First Christmas Party & Cookie Magic

Hanging with Audrey Blake at Ms. Debby's Christmas Party

Only Ms Debby could get all of them to sit sit long enough to take multiple pics! She's the best!

Fun cookie making with the Smallwoods

Icing the cookies

Opening presents 

Christmas Fun

Another visit with Santa at the Lake Carolina lights

S'mores fun

yum

Parker and the Howe's were so sweet to let us join

Family Pic

Tucker and Santa

Parker and Santa

We love you Howe family and we had a ton of fun! 

Our First Visit with Santa

I love Christmas and all of the celebrations and traditions that come with it :) So I was thoroughly excited to have a reason to do more of this fun stuff I love but have a real reason with Lucas this year! So first we went to the Columbia Christmas parade, which was long, and not too kid friendly, but it kicked off the season.

But we planned many more activities. Starting with Lights Before Christmas at the Zoo. And Lucas's First Visit with Santa (more to come as the season goes on....)

Andrew even bought us hot chocolate in collectible cups. Yum Yum

Here's a look...

When Your Cousins are More...

I did not grow up with siblings. Later in life I gained a step sister and step brother, but that experience of a sibling didn't happen for me as a kid, and that's ok. However, as an only child, I think I found my substitute for siblings, it was and is my cousins. All of my first cousins are younger than me except one, and I still remember them being born, me spending time with them at my grandparents' house, vacations and holidays with them. They are my best friends, but they are more, they are my siblings.

I can't imagine life without each of them.

I have other cousins who are my age and are children to my parents' cousins. So although they are second/or once removed cousins, we still consider each other cousins. We don't question it, we grew up together and have created some wonderful memories.

But my first cousins, those are the ones I am in constant contact with...holidays, birthdays, vacations, and more. My younger cousins are all boys, and I love each of them as a baby brother. I wish they could truly understand my love and admiration for them. I am so proud of the men they are becoming, and I hope they know that I love them so much. My other first cousin who is older than me is my other girl in the immediate family. Brandy and I grew up together at our Grannie's house or at her house--playing and goofing off a lot.

A few memories in particular that are some of my favorites--

• We would spend the night at our Grannie's house every year the night before Christmas Eve to help wrap presents and be there when everyone arrived on Christmas Eve. One night I remember us being put to bed, but not going to sleep. We played and made a giant mess in our room. Brandy told me if I didn't clean up, at this point it was about 1am, then we'd get in trouble in the morning because Grannie would know we hadn't gone straight to bed, like we were supposed to. So I proceeded to clean up the room, alone. :) She was a few years older than me and clearly a little sneakier, and I was very compliant and didn't want to get in trouble.
• Spending weekends at your house hanging out with Aunt Kim and feeding the pet pig...yep! 
• Being introduced to some popular music at the time, like Chumbawumba's Tubthumpin
• Or learning how to play games on the original Nintendo...it's a good thing you introduced it to me because no one else had one in my family :) 

Here's a throwback that will always make me think of you...

But the thing is you were taken too young. On Thanksgiving, almost a week ago, we were sitting at Grannie's enjoying lunch together. Our plans for Thanksgiving changed and we were able to come to Grannie's house for lunch. God knew what he was doing. God knew I needed to be there with you. God knew you needed to hold and love on Lucas. God knew we needed those memories together. And although, we cannot make any new memories with you, we will have all the memories you left with us to hold onto. Tuesday morning was a shock for me and all who received the news. I was in disbelief, there were no signs, no reasons, it was all completely unexpected. I'm glad to have grown up with you. I'm glad to have these memories from so many different times with you. I'm glad to call you my cousin. You are like a sister I didn't have growing up. So many are left hurting and missing you right now, but we know you'd tell us to suck it up, dry our tears, and move on. It's going to be hard, but one day at a time, we will. Be sure to give Uncle Erv, Uncle Bubba, your Uncle Craig, and Your Grandaddy our love, and let them all know we miss them, too.  I love you dearly and until we meet again...