The Rock.

Two weeks ago Lincoln and I packed up and headed to Central AR for my professional organizations fall conference. Lincoln did not attend b/c that would have just been hilarious but instead he stayed with Gigi and Papa. It was my first time to be away from him overnight so I was slightly nervous. However, I felt that it was time and this would be a great opportunity. I had a stellar and much needed girl time with friends from work and Lindsey who was the hostess with the mostess! We enjoyed hours and hours upon conversation, eating and of course a little shopping. I think I had the best two nights of sleep I have had in a year or more between pregnancy, waking up to feed a baby and now waking up to hearing Lincoln talking at all odd hours of the night! It was very nice.


One evening after the conference was over I took a stroll through C-town to see what all had changed. I went by to see the duplex that Cory started our married life together! It was a surreal feeling to be back there realizing that it has been over five years since we lived there and one child ago!




Cory came down for the weekend and we decided to keep the streak going and visit yet another pumpkin patch for the third weekend in a row. Lincoln enjoyed the swing, petting the goats, hanging out with Papa and Gigi, and riding the cow train with the best dad in the world.

I just love this time of the year.

Wordless Wednesday

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The Others.

Ok, so maybe not "The Others" you were thinking of from LOST but "The Others" in our lives are the The OTHER Calhouns. Cory's twin brother, Cody, his wife and two daughters came to visit us this weekend. Their oldest daughter Mady is 2.5 years old and their other daughter Lucy is 5 months old. We enjoyed Halloween costume shopping, eat at the Catfish Hole, touring the campus at night to show Mady the football field, and visiting a new pumpkin patch.

Cody and Mady with the Razorback

Cody with Lucy and Lincoln (A.K.A. Ucy and Inkin as Mady calls them)

Lincoln with Mady's "Inkin" doll.

Lucy all ready to go to the pumpkin patch

Lincoln is not sure he is quite ready but we buckled him up anyways

Cody and Mady on the hayride

The Other Calhouns helping Mady pick out the right pumpkin


Mady pumpkin searching

Lucy chillin'

The Calhoun grandkiddos

Aunt Cari and Mady riding the cow train

Our happy-pumpkin-patch attending family

Mady, Cody, Jessica and Lucy

Our attempt at a group shot of the kiddos!

We had lots of fun hanging out and look forward to another visit soon!

Wordless Wednesday.

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Eight Months Old.

Happy 8th month birthday, Lincoln!

Lincoln is definitely full of energy, personality and life! He has started "moving" this month by army crawling and he is constantly on the go! He wears my out by the end of the day. I am not sure I am ready for him to truly crawl! He is becoming so much fun to play with and interact with. This month has been lots of fun!


Eight month stats:

• He weighs right at 19 pounds and is about 27.5 inches long.
• He wears size 3 diapers and 6-9 month clothing and 6-12 month clothing.
• He eats a bottle 5 times a day (6 oz. each) along with solids 3x a day. At each solid feeding he eats about 3-4 ounces of homemade babyfood and/or applesauce. He gets SOO excited about eating.


• He has also started puffs and yogurt melts this month.
• He sleeps from about 7:30-7:00 a.m. on school days and sleeps until 7:30 or 8:00 on non-school days and the weekend.
  

• He takes 2 longer naps a day around 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and one cat nap around 4:00 p.m.
• His third tooth has popped through. Its on the top. The fourth is not far behind.
• He started army crawling around 7.5 months.
  


• He lunges forward from sitting position onto all 4's well maybe more three and a half. Yesterday, on his 8th month birthday he crawled two small "steps" but has since returned to army crawling.

• He flew on an airplane for the first time this month to see his Uncle David, Aunt Heather, Carter, Summer, Tilly and Story.
• He babbles dada and mama along with a bunch of other vowels and consonants combinations but nothing else consistently right now. He just loves to talk. He also does this "dancing" motion with his torso while he is in a sitting position while humming/singing. Its comical to say the least. He has more rhythm than I ever thought about having.
• He graduated to the "duck bath" this month and loves it!
  

• He L.O.V.E.S to play with things that are not toys! Who teaches babies that?
• He responds to his name very well
• He definitely understands that "no" means something important but not too much beyond that.
• He loves playing IN baskets

• This month he started "reaching" for us to hold him which is so very cute. However, usually he crawls over for me to hold him b/c it gets him closer to the things that he is not allowed to play with him.
• He can pull up on things that are a little taller than him in a sitting position. So he is very close to being able to pull up on things higher than his head so we lowered his crib this month in preparation for that!
• Overall, he seems much more independent this month and much more comfortable playing alone while we are not in the room.

We love you to the moon and back Lincoln! You are a cuddle bug and love to play sitting in my lap and I secretly love it! You L.O.V.E your dad and jump out of your high chair when he comes home from work. We love being your mommy and daddy -- for sure!

Love M and D

Our lil' punkin.

Today, we ventured off to the McGarrah Farms pumpkin patch.

Our first stop was to document the trip with some family pictures!





We then went in search for a BIG pumpkin for a little project that I have in the works! We found the perfect one. Lincoln loved all the people, the pumpkins and especially the hay. His favorite was riding in the wagon with the pumpkin we chose.




I remember going to the pumpkin patch as a field trip when I was in school and I loved it! It is definitely a tradition and memory I want to create for Lincoln as he grows up! He clapped the whole time we were there. I think that meant he approved.



I just love our lil' punkin.

Jabber, jabber, jabber!

Proof he is my child! He loves to talk!

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Visiting the Party of Six

On September 17th we took off into the blue sky to visit my brother, SIL, one nephew and three nieces. They live in Atlanta {or pretty close} and since we are 11+ hours away we are not able to get there often. So this was quite the treat to go to their house for a visit. But I must confess that our trip definitely had a two-fold purpose. The Hogs and the Dawgs were playing each other on Saturday and the "boys" {Cory, my brother and my nephew} would be attending.

Now let me set the scene for you on the weekend in general -- 5 children 4 years of age and under with 4 adults -- we were outnumbered. Ha! The weekend was full of excitement, children running around, babies getting their diapers changed, naptimes (their children napping better than mine, ha!), lots of baths, feeding baby food and lots of playtime. Needless to say that I am sad about the number of pictures that I did not take! It was just not like me but I was soaking up every minute of the action.


My youngest niece, Story, is 4 months old. She is one day shy of 3 months younger than Lincoln. Neither of them were on the move {yet! Lincoln is now army crawling everywhere} so they were definitely the easiest to catch in a picture together. Here they are playing "together" or as "together" as a 4 month old and 7 month old can.

The sweet babies all dressed up after church and they are holding hands!

And I, of course, had to get a picture with the 2 babies.

Sweet, sweet Tilly and me.

Tilly helping "Court" give Lincoln his bath. She LOVES LOVES Cory! Wherever Cory was she was not too far behind him. And whenever she would fall or get upset she would go to Cory first. She already knows where she is going to get the most sympathy!

I am so so so sad that I did not attempt a picture with all five babies, umm...I mean 2 babies, one very active toddler and 2 mature children (they will always ALL be babies to me!). There was just WAY too much going on. I promise myself that next time I will attempt it even if the whole thing is a bust! I didn't even get a picture of Carter and Summer! That is just not like me!

But I did get this picture and I L.O.V.E it! It is definitely a framer and probably one of my favorite pics of all time. Lincoln and my brother David at the airport as he was dropping us off.

We had such a fabulous time! They were AMAZING host and hostesses with yummy food, a comfy bed and constant entertainment from 4 sweet and precious kiddos. I am thankful for a sister-in-law who is also a dear friend and a great resource when it comes to mommy advice. I picked her brain some and know I will be asking her lots more questions in the future. And I always love to go to my brother's church and hear him preach. I couldn't help but think of his first sermon at PPBC and how far he has come. He is clear communicator that teaches with clarity and a passion for the Word of God. It makes me proud! I love my family.

{In case you haven't noticed.}