More of Holt's old toys

Another toy Holt used a lot was his exersaucer. I would put him in there on the front porch when we were in Oxford and study for my classes and read him my notes from class while he would spin and chew on all the little do-dads. Now it comes in mighty handy when it is time to cook supper. Harper Ann loves to watch people and Holt will dance around and sing to her while I get supper ready and when Jonathan cleans the kitchen. Again, I think she just enjoys the little bit of independence this toy affords her.

Well, we have started solid foods. About a month and a half ago we got the go ahead to start rice cereal. We have now moved onto our fruits and veggies, just in time for food season aka the Holidays! In case you couldn't tell Harper Ann is a fan of food. Peaches are the only thing so far that she didn't just love, and by that I mean that she grimaced with every bite, but ate them nonetheless.

Really Daddy?

num num num mmmmmm

Hand-me-down toys

When Holt was a baby he absolutely loved being in his Johnny jump-up. I would put him in the doorway between our little hall and the living room in our house in Oxford and we would dance to Elvis songs and he would bounce and giggle. Now, Harper Ann is big enough for the Johnny Jump-up and she loves it like Holt did. I think she likes being able to move around without help and be a little more independent. It makes me so happy to see her so happy, but it puts a lump in my throat when I think about Holt bouncing around, and how big he is now. Being a Mama is such a blessing, by my goodness time speeds by faster than I can keep up.

She is jumping around now. At first she would just spin around.

Her personality is growing right along with her pants size

Holt and Harper Ann are becoming quite the pair. They are quite fond of each other, and now that Harper Ann is laughing and smiling, no one makes her do so like Holt, and Holt loves hammin it up to make her giggle.

Who knows

This is a common sight around our house

I have no idea what he is saying to her most of the time, but she loves it. Harper Ann loves Holt.

She loves her feet.

I am so glad that they have each other

The Nemo's

So, last December, Holt went through a three month sleeping regression. He had, since about 8 weeks old, put himself to sleep, slept in his own bed in his own room, and slept through the whole night. There have been a few times, like when we moved from Oxford to Cleveland and when he gets sick, when he gets out of rhythm and we would stay in his room with him until he went to sleep, but this one took the cake. Finally after three months of laying with him in his bed until he went to sleep and getting up in the middle of the night to put him back in his bed, we got him to start going to sleep on his own and staying asleep. As a reward we got him some fish. I took Holt to Walmart to pick out his new pets. I asked the oh so helpful Walmart associate working in the fish dept. to make sure we got the most ordinary, plain run-of-the-mill goldfish there were, because I was sure they wouldn't last very long. It was my understanding that goldfish have a short shelf life. Anyhow, we ended up with two very distinct looking fish, go figure. Holt then named them, Nemo 1 and Nemo 3. What I have learned in the past 8 months is 1. I seriously underestimated the nastiness of fish and 2. Goldfish have surprisingly long lives

Rammer Jammer

Pretty much all my life I have been an Alabama fan. I cheer for them in all sports, but football is by far the most important. There is nothing like SEC football in the fall. I get giddy when September rolls around and I can officially start the countdown. I plan on indoctrinating Holt and Harper Ann appropriately, in hopes that they will love the game and Alabama as much as I do. I am aware that there are many obnoxious Alabama fans out there (although all fanbases have there rotten eggs) so I plan on making sure Holt turns out to be one of the fans you like to be around.

Holt has watched many a football game with me and cheers for Alabama pretty much anytime any football is on television, including NFL etc. This season he has gotten into it much more, following plays a little, trying to understand offense and defense (i.e. good tackles and bad). Jonathan and I decided that Holt was old enough for his first SEC game. Alabama played Mississippi State a few weekends ago and we found some tickets on e-bay, called Bacon and Lisa and planned our tailgating. The game was the ESPN night game and was packed. We got to Starkville around 1:30 in time for plenty of tailgating. Holt had a blast eating, drinking (capri sun of course), ringing cowbells against my wishes, exploring the campus especially the kids area.

During the game I was able to walk Holt down next to the field in the Fourth quarter and he met Big Al and got to give him a hug. He loved being so close to the players and mascots. Holt's favorite player is Terrence Cody and everytime he would catch a glimpse of one of the big players he would say there's mount cody. It was funny when Jonathan told Holt a few weeks before the game that we were going to the game, because he immediately asked if he was going to get to see Mount Cody. Later when Jonathan said, "do you know who we are going to see?" Expecting Holt to say Bacon or Lisa or Robert he didn't miss a beat by saying Mount Cody of course. All in all we had a great time and Holt had a blast. He passed out before we were out of the parking lot, that is always a sign of a good day.

We made the sign in the bookstore. Jonathan didn't appreciate it.

Holt was so proud

The one picture we let Holt take turned our pretty good.

The kids area was great and Holt took full advantage of all the inflatables.

Bacon is a bad influence on Jonathan.

Some more of our favorite people, Bacon and Lisa.

Gotta love the the giant foam finger.

Harper Ann was with us in spirit In front of the Alabama equipment truck

A Baptism

On November 1st 2009 we had Holt and Harper Ann baptized. It was a very special day for us, and we were so glad that Rob, Catherine, Irene and Mary could come all the way from Houston not just for Halloween, but also for this special day. What a joy to share this covenant with our family and our church family. I remember watching Irene get baptised and being moved by how good our God is and his love for us. I was overwhelmed by His love at their baptism. I pray that they will come to know the love and admonition of the Lord someday, but until that day, what a comfort to know that they have not just us and our family praying for them, but a loving church family and fellowship of believers praying in earnest that they will at an early age come to know and love Him and experience the same rebirth Jonathan and I have had.

But the loving kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children. - Psalm 103:17

For I have chosen him in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord. - Genesis 18:19

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift - not from works, so that none can boast. - Ephesians 2:8-9

Look at the smiles on everyones faces. It was truly beautiful

She was an angel. Didn't make a peep the whole service. Can't say the same for Holt.

Happy Haunting

Catherine, Rob, Irene and Mary all came to Cleveland for Halloween. I am so glad that Holt has a cousin to share holidays and childhood memories with. I was lucky to have cousins in the most southern sense to share my childhood with. I hope Holt and Harper Ann can have the same with Irene and Mary. So far so good. Below are some photos of the cutest little ghost princess, parrot, cowboy and horse you'll ever meet.

They were both quite excited about the hayride I can only imagine how the generations of memories run together for Grandmama.

Holt's trusty steed.

A few trips to the zoo...

We love the Memphis Zoo. It is just a few blocks from my mom's house and we put our membership to good use. Harper Ann has been twice already, but we didn't have our camera for the first trip as it was out of commission courtesy of Holt, see the post below. This past weekend we made another trip and had a fabulous time. The weather was great and they had already decorated the zoo for zoo lights.

The first trip we made back in September was good, but really crowded. It was opening weekend for the zoo's new exhibit, the Grand Tetons. They have a fantastic new lodge modeled after Yellowstone and a replica old faithful. They have a family of brown bears, some elk and a pack of grey wolves. This leads me to a great Holt story, but aren't they all. Anyway, as I said, it was very crowded and the wolves were the only ones out and about. The wolves are in an area about 75 x 100 yds and there was a huge crowd making it hard for us to get to the end where the wolves were. We just hung back and I held Holt up and let him sit on the fence. Holt immediately starts Howling...loud. People were staring and laughing as the kid threw his head back and alternated between bays and howls. I was trying to quiet him down when all of a sudden the wolves that had been lounging in a circle at the oppsite end of their knoll got up, all of them, and walked over, and resumed their powwow directly beneath my little pup. As if that wasn't funny enough, Holt looked at me and in his most serious tone said, "you didn't know I could speak wolf did you mama?" No, Holt I didn't, but I do now...

The Teton exhibit has a beautiful outdoor fireplace
She loves those feet

The polar bears were out and ready to play.

She has mastered the terrified look.

Holt loves the carosel

My little explorer

Marco Polo