Small Things. Great Love.

I know I promised that I'd post some video, but we are still having some issues with getting the video from the camera to the computer...I'm calling in back-up and seeing if Matthew can try to fix it. HOPEFULLY, we'll have it up soon! I will keep trying...don't give up on us yet!

Because I'm so far behind (I started this post two weeks ago!), I'm going to keep this short and sweet and just give you what you want...pictures!! We've had a crazy month...Nelson & Brenda came for a visit, we went to the country for Labor Day to be with my family, we went to Dallas to go to a TCU football game with Madeline, Darryl, & the boys and see Shannon & Kevin. We've also been teething (well Liam has been teething and Matthew and I have been trying to soothe him!), had a rotten cold (which we're still dealing with), and we're readjusting naps.

Liam's been growing and changing every day! He rolls over from front to back all the time and we're trying hard to get him to roll from back to front, but we're not there yet. He can sit up on his own for a minute or two before he reaches from something and topples over. He's getting a little frustrated that he's not able to sit up longer! He can also stand up when holding onto our hands...I keep telling him if he'll just roll over the other way, he'll be crawling and pulling up on things so fast! He grabs at toys within reach where ever he is, he still jabbers away, he loves bathtime, and being in the pool...he splashes and splashes and then it will get in his face, he'll gasp in surprise, and then go right back at it. He loves to read books and going for walks, too. We've started him on solid foods...he's great at rice cereal now and we've introduced butternut squash, peas, and avocado. He's eating just once a day still, but we will start another meal here soon...he's doing so great with it!

Despite the fussiness and crankiness with teething and a cold, he's really such an easygoing baby! We are truly blessed! He loves to smile and laugh, especially at Jack and at other kids/babies.

Enjoy the pictures!

Love,
Courtney

He's very ticklish!

Grabbing for Daddy's barbeque

At Smitty's in Lockhart for bbq

One cool dude

Matthew thinks this photo is hilarious with both of our mouths hanging open! (We went to the Southern Living Idea Home in Marble Falls)

Reading Richard Scarry with Daddy

With Grandpa during his visit

Sitting up for the first time

He loves his red cup!

Grandpa helped Daddy put the bed together...once we FINALLY got the right mattress springs!

Liam's Grandpa and Great Grandpa made the bed and Daddy and I stained & sealed it...we ordered the parts and Nelson and Matthew put it together

Thanks, Aunt Madeline for the bed! Liam enjoyed his first night in it!

Pool baby

Liam checking out his cousin, Jonah

"See, Dad...your hat almost fits my giant head!"

Grandma with Liam & Jonah

Gran-Gran with Liam

Liam with Mommy's cousin, Julie!

Sunset at the lake

Matthew took Caleb for a tractor ride

The fire that was across the street from our house

Super happy baby!

Teething really bites!

First rice cereal!

Saturday morning cuddles

Jack is definitely our class clown

Eating is dirty work!

I can hardly believe how the time has flown! Liam turned 5-months old yesterday and I just can't believe it! Plus, my little baby sister started high school (we won't even TALK about how old that makes me feel!!)...I think that time goes by quicker the older I get.

We've had a great few weeks. Matthew and I celebrated our 5- year anniversary with a surprise trip to Fort Worth. We stayed with Shannon and Kevin in Dallas on Wednesday night and we had a great dinner with them before we headed to our hotel in the stockyards on Thursday. We went to a baseball game Thursday night...we got there a little late (p.s. parking is free after the 4th inning -- in case you were wondering!), but it worked out perfect for Liam because we got to see the whole last half of the game. Liam was an angel...he slept in my arms for almost the whole time, even with all the noise and the moving around. Our seats were great, too!

Friday, we did a little shopping in Fort Worth before we went to our anniversary dinner at the Lonesome Dove Bistro. Matthew made reservations early because we knew that we'd need to get Liam back before too late. Things started out great...we walked to the restaurant, ordered our appetizers and salads, and then right as we were about to get our entrees, Liam had a meltdown. We tried everything, a fan (the kid gets cranky when he's hot!), a bottle, a paci...nothing was working, so just as our delicious steaks were arriving I decided to take him outside in the 400 degree and stroll him up the street. He fell asleep about 30 seconds after we left the restaurant and when I felt he was good and asleep we went back into the restaurant. Poor Matthew was trying to wolf-down his steak and already had mine in a to-go box. I told him we could relax now and we ended up having a great dinner and conversation and our sweet babe slept the rest of the time! We had a good laugh about it on our way back to the hotel...I always had alot of sympathy for parents who are trying to go out, go shopping, etc with a fussy baby, but now I just want to go give them a big hug!

We left Saturday morning to have delicious breakfast and a visit with Shannon and Kevin in Dallas and then headed to Temple to celebrate Jonah's Baptism. It was a beautiful ceremony and Matthew and I are honored and blessed to be Jonah's godparents...It's quite a responsibility and I think it will make us better people and make us try to be better examples. Madeline and Darryl have certainly blessed us!

We have had the last two weekends at home with Matthew, which has been fabulous...we truly treasure the time we have together as a little family!

As far as Liam updates go, he's growing by the minute!! We had him weighed yesterday and he's 15#4oz and 26" long. We noticed that he wasn't sleeping as soundly through the night, so we started him on a new "schedule" of 3 naps a day and it worked like magic....he's been sleeping great for his naps and through the night again. He had his first night in his own room 2 nights ago and while I was reluctant to make the transition (I loved having him so close!!), it has been wonderful...Matthew and I have had 2 uninterrupted nights of sleep and Liam hasn't had any night wakings at all! This morning I actually woke up before him and had about 15 minutes to myself before he woke up. He's rolling over fairly regularly now...at least once a day, sometimes 2 and 3 times. I think he sometimes forgets he can do it! He's getting really good at getting his legs up underneath himself, too...we will see where that leads! He can almost sit up by himself. He can do it for about 5-10 seconds before he flops over, but he LOVES to be sitting up, either in the Bumbo, the exersaucer, or his jumper. He's really just such a happy, easy-going baby! And he still LOVES to talk...to anyone at all. He also loves reading books...he will get quiet and listen anytime we get out a book...we do a lot of reading around here!

Hope you all enjoy the pictures...Sorry there are so many! I was hoping to get some video posted, but we're encountering technical difficulties. Check back soon and hopefully I will have them loaded!

Love,
Courtney