Valentine's Day

This was a special Valentine's Day because it was our first with our little boy! Canon got me a rose, the sweetest card, and a little green frog. Canon is very attracted to green frogs, it seems he has lots of them so he wanted his momma to have one too. Jess got me some tasty treats and beautiful flowers. I love flowers! They just brighten up the house!

Jess and I were able to go out to dinner. One of our sweet friends, Sara came to babysit Canon. He of course was great for her (at least that is what she says every time she watches him) even though he pooped through his clothes up to his neck and she had to give him a bath, ha!

Jess and I went out to the mall and walked around and then went to eat Mexican! I LOVE Mexican food! I could eat it everyday!!! And boy did I eat a lot! It was so nice to eat without entertaining a baby (even though we love having him with us). We had a great time talking and having some good laughs while we were out! I love Jess very much! He is very thoughtful and such a sweet husband and father!

Love,

Rachel

Debbie Downer

Debbie Downer

This past week or two has been challenging for me to say the least. This post is just me being honest and open about my emotions about some challenges I am finding in motherhood. I know that I am blessed beyond comprehension with a sweet beautiful baby boy and I am thankful the Lord blessed me with Canon and the responsibility of motherhood.

My entire life (well the years I can remember) I have had tendencies to be negative. I tend to harp on the "bad" or "inconveniences" of life at times. I know this is sinful and is a struggle for me. Being a mommy (and being married) was all I ever wanted when growing up and is all I ever wanted as an adult as well. So what is there to be negative about?

I am a type of person that is organized and very scheduled. I like to know what my day is going to consist of and what time everything is going to happen. I am a very punctual person and like everything to run very smoothly. (This can be a very positive thing, but it also can be a very selfish quality as well.) So, all of you that have children know that it is impossible (especially with a baby) to have an organized/I know what my day is going to look like type of life. Motherhood in this aspect is a struggle for me. The Lord is stretching me and teaching me the hard lesson of "selflessness". Before Canon came into this world I really wouldn't have considered myself selfish, but now that he is here and I he totally relies on me for all of his needs I have been rethinking this. Canon is such a sweet easy going baby, so what do I have to complain about? The answer is nothing if I really think about it. Instead lately I have been choosing to be negative about Canon not sleeping through the night, or how he won't take a nap in his crib, or not getting household things done. I have been stuck on it and it is starting to effect my attitude and my mood. Stupid, I know! I have really been convicted lately (and my sweet honest husband has called me out on my negative attitude as well) about my attitude. So what if he isn't sleeping through the night yet. So what if I'm not getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. So what he won't take a nap in his crib, at least he naps. So what if he needs rocked to sleep at 4 a.m. So what if the house is a mess. How selfish can I be? He is a baby, I like that he needs his momma. The Lord has blessed me with a perfect creation and there is nothing negative about that. I pray that I choose to see the positive and joys out of every aspect of motherhood even if it is hard and challenging. I am thankful the Lord is stretching me so I may become a better follower of Him and for "teaching" me to seek after Him in all things (even my child's sleep habits) instead of complaining. I pray that I put others first rather than what I want or how I like things to run.

Thanks for letting me be honest, hope it all made sense!

Love,

Rachel

Mom, Look what I did!!

We were at the Waggoners for lunch when all the snow was outside and we put Canon down for a nap on the landing of the stairs. Being the great napper that he is (sense my sarcasm) he started squirming. He was laying on his side and then started working hard to turn over from back to stomach (he had done this once before, but no one saw him do it cause he was in his crib). He was one determined little boy to get to his stomach (anything to get away from not taking a nap)! He grunted and grunted and started hitting his head on the wall (I of course moved him so he wouldn't hurt him self). And then with all of us looking, except for Jess because he had gone to go get batteries at our house, he ROLLED over from back to stomach!! He looked up as to say, "Mom, Look What I Did"!!! He was so proud!

He is very frequent at it now and yes Jess has seen him do it, probably more than I have!

Love,

Rachel

Snow Days

Snow Days

In Wake Forest, NC we had around 4 to 5 inches of snow last week (some people say 6, but I don't think it was that much). If anyone knows Jess and I, you know that we LOVE snow! We woke up to a blanket of snow on Saturday and you would have thought we were two 5 year olds waking up on Christmas morning. It started snowing the night before, so when we woke up to feed Canon we looked out the windows to see how much more it had snowed.

We pretty much spent Friday night and all day Saturday with the Waggoners (Brandt and Jill). Friday night they came over and we played games. On Saturday Jess went sledding with Brandt and a few more of his closest friends. After his first sledding adventure Jill had us over for lunch. We bundled Canon up and trekked over to their house (just a few doors down) and had a good time of fellowship. The boys went back out to sled, so Jill came over to our house (so Canon could take a nap) while we waited on the boys to get back from sledding. Once the boys were done sledding Brandt and Jill stayed for pizza and a movie! I think we all ate a little too many cookies over the weekend, but what fun we had! I wish it would snow more often!

Love,

Rachel

Weekend Getaway!

On Thursday night Jess and I decided on a whim to get away for the weekend. It's funny how Jess and I are more spontaneous now with a baby than we were before Canon. :) We went to Charleston, SC Saturday morning through Monday afternoon. We stayed in downtown Charleston and we had such a great time! Canon was such a trooper throughout the trip. He is such an easy going baby and we are so blessed! We just packed him around and he just looked around and smiled. He is starting to not like being in his car seat, so we did have a few meltdowns, but can you blame him?

On Friday it was raining so we went to the outlet mall and then went to a local pizza place after we checked into our hotel. Sunday morning we slept in (well as much as we could with an infant) and took it easy. We then went to Market Street and experienced looking at the shops. We then went on a carriage tour of the city. I was really nervous to take Canon on the tour as I was fearful he would be really restless and cry and disrupt all the ppl that were serious about hearing the history of the city. Canon did great, he was a little restless due to not really being able to move cause they have you packed in the carriage like sardines, but he did great! He just looked around and the guy sitting next to us liked the fact that Canon kept touching his arm, ha! So anyway, the carriage ride was a success!

We then walked around the city some more and then went and got some cupcakes! Yum!! Later that night we went to an awesome Italian restaurant where we had a delicious meal and met a really sweet couple sitting next to our table. They were a christian couple with 6 children and the wife was very encouraging!

Monday, we walked around the city some more and then headed home! What a great weekend, it was our first trip as a little family! We love going to new places and can't wait to get away again some time in the near future! I love my family!

On the carriage tour! I forgot to bring a hat, so I just put the hood on Canon's head. ha!

It was such a beautiful day! It was in the 60s!

Picture in front of the horse, Zack that guided our tour.

A cupcake from Cupcake

Tummy time in the hotel! Such a sweet happy baby!

Walking around the city! Canon did not like the sun in his eyes.

On the way home... He was a sleepy baby, but had a few break downs due to being in his car seat. Bless his heart...

Thanks for reading, sorry if I was too detailed about our trip!

Oh, and Canon laughed for the first time on Sunday morning. I will have to post the video soon! He had laughed a little before but not like really laughed. It was so cute! Jess was the one that got him going. It was a sweet moment!

Love,

Rachel

Roll Tide Roll

Jess had been waiting for this day for a long time - Bama wins the National Championship!! Canon was so excited too! He pretty much stayed up to watch the game, which was WAY past his bed time.

Roll Tide Roll!

Love,

Rachel

First Sunday at Church

We were advised by the pediatrician to not take Canon to church until he had his 2 month shots due to cold and flu season, so January 3rd was Canon's first time at our church! I was a little nervous to put him in the nursery, but he slept the entire time! The second Sunday he was awake the entire time, but did great! All the ladies said he talked and smiled the entire time! They asked if we talked to him a lot b/c he was so vocal. Canon and I have a lot of conversations through out the day and when Jess comes home they have lots of conversations as well. I think Canon will be a talker (just like his momma)!

Here he is looking like a stud!

his sweet shoes from my mom (the nursery ladies loved them)

Love,

Rachel