Best Gift Ever

The past few Christmases have been very emotional for me.  Three years ago we had just found out we didn't get pregnant on our first month TTC.  I was surprised, as all of my friends got pregnant easily the first month out, why didn't we?  Two years ago my world was completely shattered.  Our home had been destroyed in a fire fifteen days before and we were in the middle of a miscarriage.  Last year I was 12 weeks pregnant and scared to death.  I prayed all three of those Christmas that God would bless us with a Baby's First Christmas one day and if it wasn't too much to ask, could we have a little snow then too.  I am so happy that day is here!  I think it is true, "good things come in small packages"!

I want to tell my friends out there that are still waiting on a baby that I have thought so much about you this week.  I have found myself so emotional this week and I know it is because I am so overwhelmed with so many emotions.  For the past few years (even before we were TTC and I felt like so many of my friends had children except for us) I have felt so sad on Christmas.  Something was definitely missing and I felt like we might never have a Christmas with a baby.  God has given me such a wonderful gift this year for being patient and faithful (even though it was SO HARD at times).  We have sweet Nicholas and we are getting our first Christmas snow in over 20 years in Chattanooga!  Don't tell me that isn't part of His plan!  I spent so many sad days over the past few years and I'll tell you that I honestly wouldn't change a thing.  I came through it all such a different person.  I am truly a better wife, mother, daughter, friend, because of what I went through.  God knows exactly what He is doing.  THERE IS A PLAN for you!  Trust Him and have Hope, I know it is hard sometimes.  Know that I am praying for you all this week, and every other day of the year.  I've been where you are and I know the hurt you have during the holidays.

I bought this shirt two years ago even though we were pretty sure we would not be having a September baby that year because I needed to buy something to give me hope.  I bought it in a three month size, so it is a little small! Haha!

 My boys love each other so much!  I just had to show you this picture too!

In the two years we were TTC I had all of these ideas of how things were going to be when Baby Ledford came.  I was judgemental of mothers and things they did.  I was going to do things so differently.  Well, Nicholas came and I realized that I was not half the mom I thought I was! Ha!  I have always loved the song "A Baby Changes Everything" by Faith Hill, but this year it has such a different meaning to me.  Can you imagine being a teenager, not married, and knowing that not only were you pregnant, but having THE SON OF GOD?!!  I cannot even remotely imagine how scared Mary must have been.  God is so good to us and continues to give us amazing gifts every day.

Merry Christmas to all of my real life and blog friends (even though so many of you are both now!).  

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Nicholas saw Santa two weeks ago at school and as you can see, he loved him!  (Sorry for the bad quality of the picture, it is a picture of a picture)  I hope we have such good luck next year, but Michael and I both hated Santa the 2nd year and from what I am seeing from all of my blog friends, I will be VERY surprised if we have this much success next year!

Christmas Lights

One of my all time favorite Christmas traditions was always riding around with my parents to look at Christmas lights.  Michael and have made a point since we've been together (this is our 10th Christmas together!) to do the same at least one night during the season.  Last night and tonight we continued that tradition with our newest little family member.  Last night was somewhat of an epic FAIL.  We drove about 40 miles and only saw one house that was worth it...a mile from our house! Ha!

That picture is just PART of the front!  The sides are decorated too!  Next year we will get out and take Nicholas into the yard to look at it all (seriously y'all, there are cars for a block of people stopped to get out and look!).

Tonight we ate chili (and squash for Little N!) and headed up to Rock City with Melissa and Matt.  Rock City is one of my most favorite places in Chattanooga.  We bought annual passes for our family and we've already been twice!  Michael and I used to go up there every year until we got married, then we just never made it.  Well, we started the tradition back up tonight. He did so good even though it was pretty cold.

 Nicholas was so excited while we waited in the gift shop for Matt & Melissa to buy their tickets.

 You go through a trail through the mountain that has been lit with close to one million lights (according to the sign :).  We saw this dancing elf as we walked along the trail. Haha!

 My boys in the candycane forest

 Our family.  I love this picture.

 Some cute penguins and igloos.

 The three of us at "lover's leap".  This is an outlook that looks over the entire Chattanooga area.

 You can see this big star from downtown Chattanooga.  I see it every night on my way home from work.

 This cute gingerbread house sits on an angle, but I've always thought it was so pretty.

 When we last went about eight years ago, we had our picture taken in front of this tree in the entrance to the courtyard.  I wish I had a scanner to show you that one, but here we are now with our newest addition!  He was so sleepy at the end.  He actually fell asleep and just woke up when we took this.

Yum Yum

Nicholas has discovered a love of solid foods!  We gave him some squash this morning and he L-O-V-E-D it!  I started with just a little bit and ended up eating an entire container! Haha!  He also ate some more at dinner!  He is too funny!  You can't give it to him fast enough, as you can see, if we were not fast enough he wanted to eat it off of his bib!  

This video is a little on the long side, but it is so funny.  Please ignore our crazy commentary and sound effects! Haha!

Let The Parties Begin

I have always loved Christmas parties.  Last Thursday night Michael's dealership had their Christmas party, but I had to miss it because I didn't leave work until 6:00 and it started at 6:30 almost an hour away from my office.  That was ok because I had a night of snuggling with my favorite little snugglebug!  

This Thursday night was my office party.  It was at the Chattanoogan hotel (which ironically was the where we got engaged 7 years ago today, also at an office party on a Thursday night!).  I was so excited because it was a great excuse to dress up and go out while Gigi and Grandpa kept our little man.

It was great having a fun, relaxed evening out with my favorite work friends. This our team on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.  Dr. Barker, our MA Kaitlyn, and myself.  We have been a team for a year now and work great together.  Kaitlyn was a great addition to our team!

 This is 2/3 of our team on Monday and Wednesday afternoon.  Dana and I are really good friends that have worked together for over five years now.  It is almost scary how well we work together with Dr. Smith.  We usually know exactly what he will do before he does it.  We missed him, but he had to study for his board recertification that he took early Friday morning.  Don't you just LOVE Dana's doorprize! Ha!  I love that she posed with her chair.  If you know her, you are not surprised! Haha!

We had a great time, but after dancing for two hours and getting home late on a worknight, I was exhausted on Friday morning!  I think I realized that I can't have keep up quite as much at almost 30 as I did at 20!  Ha! 

GI Appointment Update

We saw Nicholas' GI dr yesterday for his five and a half month check up.  He said he is doing great!  His intestinal lining has all grown back and he is ready to start baby food!!!  I am SO EXCITED about this!!!!  I am going to Target Friday night to pick up some apple and banana baby food!  I think I am going to start out by mixing it with his cereal for a couple of weeks, then move up to plain food.  He encouraged us to wait to give him straight up baby food until six months, but that is just two weeks, so we are starting with mixing his cereal now.

Nicholas continues to be a BIG boy at 16 pounds, 2 ounces, and 27 inches!!!  He has grown almost two inches in six weeks!  No wonder we've had to move up to six month pants (even some 9!!!) and move his car seat straps up a notch.  He played with him and watched him sit up.  He thought he had met all of his developmental milestones.  We elected to continue using pregestimil because he has done so well on it.  He will see him again at eight and a half and eleven and a half months.  At 11.5 months he will have his milk challenge.  I am nervous about that already, but hopefully it will go well and he will be able to have cake and ice cream at his birthday party at the end of June!!!!

I just had to show you his super cute outfit of the day from yesterday.  I have a major weakness for reindeer and this sleeper jumped out at me and we HAD to have it!

 And his little hiney...

LOVE that little reindeer suit!

It is another COLD, icy night in Chattanooga.  I went to a hair appt after work and Nicholas went to my parents and by the time we started him the roads were icy and it was hard to see because the windshield kept icing up!  I saw a car slide across the bridge by our house and they closed the interstate overpass on our exit because it was a solid sheet of ice.  CRAZY!  It is supposed to warm up during the night, but possibly not above freezing.  I am hoping we are able to work tomorrow because our office Christmas party is tomorrow night!  Mommy and Daddy are looking forward to dressing up and getting out!

Wordless Wednesday - With a Christmas Theme

BURRRRRR

We just THOUGHT it was cold last week!  We had a fairly mild weekend compared to the weather we have been having, but yesterday the temperatures dropped from 45 to 24 in 24 hours!  BURRRRR!  This is what it looked like at our house late last night.

We had about an inch of snow that caused our office to be delayed two hours this morning.  Poor little Nicholas has been dressing very warm and wearing hats as much as possible.  Today poor baby probably thought his mommy was crazy.  He went to school in a long sleeve onesie and fleece pjs.  Hey, it was 19 degrees and windy, I just wanted him to be warm! Ha! This picture is from last Thursday, I think he looks super cute in a hat, if I do say so myself!

Saturday my mom and I took him to BRU to try out the Jeep walker.  I know that walkers are not supposed to be safe and most people do not use them anymore, but my parents and us both have flat, one story homes and he will be supervised the entire time he is in it.  The idea is for him to have it at their house, but something tells me it may be coming home with us.  Probably because he LOVED it and cried when we took him out!  haha!  Sorry for the poor quality, I took it with my phone and he was jumping up and down squealing.  PRECIOUS!

Also, I wanted to show you what our Elf has been up to.  My good friend Jane was at our house while we were gone on Friday and Nicholas and I came home to find the Elf hanging upside down from Nicholas' ceiling fan.  Apparently Jane and Buddy had a lot of fun while we were gone!  :-)

We really had a pretty lazy weekend overall.  Nicholas has put a whole new meaning to the song "All I Want For Christmas".  He is trying to cut his bottom two teeth and he has been quite a handful.  He was very fussy, runny nose, low grade fever, and ear ache at the end of last week.  He seemed to be doing better today, but yesterday we spent the cold, snowy day at home in our pjs.  Just an example of how he spends most of his time.  He is LOVING his fingers.  Poor baby does NOT like teething toys, he just prefers his fingers (or ours).

Baby It's Cold Outside

It has been COLD here the past few days.  The high today was only 34!!!!  We are used to mid 50s this time of year, so I'm thinking our unusually hot summer has turned into an unusually cold winter.  I've been dressing Nicholas pretty warm for school.  I just had to show you how cute he looked this morning in his monkey sleeper, bib, and hat!  ADORABLE! 

Yesterday when we got home I sat him in his chair and he sat up in the middle of the cushion all by himself, unsupported (at least from the back!).  I was so proud, I ran to get my camera take a picture of course!

 He is growing up so fast, it makes me a little sad.  :-(

I met an amazing little boy this morning that made my day!  Those of you who have followed me for a while know about my friend David's sweet miracle Baby Jake.  He was born with a rare birth defect and has done amazingly well.  On my way into work this morning I was walking through the medical mall and saw this sweet family and got to meet the one and only miracle baby, Jake!  I can't tell you how you how it made my day to meet this precious little guy!  He is just such a wonderful testimony of what God can do. (I stole this picture from his mom's FB, but I just had to show you how adorable he looked too all bundled up this morning! I LOVED his bear suit!  Haha!) 

 A couple of weeks ago I went to a Thirty-One party at my neighbor's house and I got the cutest bag ever.  I saw the sample and HAD.TO.HAVE.IT!  I got it to carry Christmas gifts/food when we go to parties during the holidays, but for right now it is toy storage in the living room.  It is too cute by the tree.

Tonight I went out and finished up Nicholas' Christmas.  He is only getting a couple of things, but I needed to get him a few small things for his stocking (pacis, a Sophie Giraffe, and bath toys). I am almost done with everything else.  The only thing left is a couple of things for Michael's family and my two bosses.  They are probably the two hardest people on my list.  What do you get trauma surgeons who have everything?!  I've had to get pretty creative in the past, but at a loss this year.  Any ideas?  Also, still need to get something for Michael, but not sure what.  What did you get your husband this year?

Jump, Jump

Nicholas has become a HUGE fan of his jumperoo!  It is honestly the best $35 I've ever spent at a consignment sale!

He spent about an hour jumping today.  He just laughs and jumps.  It makes my heart happy!  Please excuse our messy living room.  It was a cold Sunday afternoon and we just stayed inside and played, so our living room was a bit trashed.

Baby's Big Debut

We have had quite a week!  Not sure what is going on with our adorable little man, but he has been a handful!  He has been fighting sleep and waking up between 4:30 and 5 every morning!  He is also not wanting to nap at school.  Needless to say between a lack of sleep and a busy week at work, this mommy is worn out!  Yesterday morning we got up early, got dressed in our Santa outfit and went to school to meet Santa at 7:30.  Nicholas did so good!  He wasn't scared at all!  He smiled for all the pictures they took, so I am excited to get them back.  Here is a picture of him all ready to go.

 Tonight Nicholas had his big stage debut.  His school had their Christmas program and he did great for Friday night on very little sleep.  Here he is getting ready to leave.  ADORABLE if I say so myself!

 Mommy and Nicholas getting ready to go on stage.

 Funny little Elf!

 I LOVE my hands

 The three baby classes sat on stage with their parents and listened to a story in red and Santa hats. We are the first ones to the left.

 He was great at first and smiled and cooed, but all of a sudden became THAT BABY.  Yes, of course, we were the first to cry!  Haha!  He only cried for a second, but it was ok, he was still cute!  It cracked me up to see all of his little friends looking at him! Haha!

Needless to say, we didn't stay long.  We left after his class before he could get too upset and came home and had pizza and cake for his birthday with his Gigi, Grandpa, Granddad, Aunt Melissa, Matt, and Hailey.  We had a great time and he was a happy baby once again.  Ha!  You can read more about that in the post below.

Five Months Old

 Look who is FIVE months old now!  We celebrated Nicholas' fifth month birthday tonight after his Christmas program (more on that tomorrow).  He has just become so cute!  He has developed quite the little personality! He loves to talk and laugh all the time.  Just totally adorable!

Your favorite toy are your feet. You are obsessed!  I took a video of you playing with your feet the other day I need to upload.  Maybe I'll get to that soon.  Your other favorite things to do are "blow bubbles", swing, sit in your superseat, and jump in your jumperoo.  You still loves going to school and your teacher, Mrs. Wendy.  We've been blessed with a wonderful teacher and class.

You are a big boy.  I'm not sure exactly what you weigh, but you are in 3-6 or 6 months clothes.  You are all legs!  You even wear some 6-9 month pants!  You are long and skinny like your Daddy!  We are pretty sure you are working on two teeth in your bottom gums.  You chew on your hands CONSTANTLY, drool, and have had a crazy sleep schedule lately.  You are also trying to crawl.  You can roll over, but just prefer to scoot on your tummy.  You have become a VERY crazy sleeper.  We still put you to bed in the middle of the bed, but within minutes you are lying sideways or completely turned around.  You still do not like to nap, but will take short naps in your swing.  We aren't sure how you function on such a small amount of sleep!

We love you SO MUCH and are so excited about what five months is going to bring.  Your first Christmas program, meeting Santa, lots of Christmas events, and warm nights cuddling with us!

 How cute is this cake?!  I am so glad we found Becky!  She makes the best, most adorable cakes we've ever seen!  I told her about my love of reindeer and this is what she did.  PRECIOUS!

Wordless Wednesday, Five Month Edition

Official Five Month post coming this weekend, but for now, look how much I've grown!

July 1, 2010, 10 minutes old

December 1, 2010