Fun February Day

Max & Emma dreaming the minute away!

Serious Conversations here...

The relationship between these three is so special. They are all SO extremely different yet they play with and love on each other continuously. Maddox sure does love "his girls".

Daddy is away on business and so tonight was a Date night for Max & Momma!

Maddox chose the place he wanted to go....Milanos it was!

He wanted Swagetti and swagetti is what we ate!

It was so fun to be out to dinner with Max just the two of us for the first time in a while. He behaved perfectly, he didn't ask to play with my phone and we chatted a lot. It sure was sweet!

Gymnastics - Day 1

Maddox started gymnastics @ TCC last Wednesday. We're hoping this fun new adventure brings him some balance, strength, energy exertion and lots of fun! He had a blast and we loved watching our boy flip, run and jump high!

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Fun Week!

Had such a special Saturday with some of our besties the Murphy's! They made it to the Fort from Austin for the weekend to visit family. We went over to Alicia's parents house for a wonderful dinner and some really sweet time together. Little Larkin is getting so big and she watched Maddox run around and wanted to be right behind him. They were so sweet together. I was so proud of how easy and gentle Maddox was with her. We have a lot of plans of fun for these two!

Loved our Murphy time. Looking forward to time together again soon.

We are loving this early springtime weather. It has been nice to play outside, enjoy the crisp air and watch Maddox play in this new season of his life. It has been a few weeks since it was warm enough to really run around in short sleeves, ride tractors and just play. Watching him approach his toys with a new mindset even after a few weeks of them sitting amazes me.

This guy is my world. He has really grown up in the past few weeks. He uses these words that I have no idea he knows and his energy thrives on conversation. He gets more and more excited when the conversation bounces back and forth between us. These conversations...relevant or not are moments with my boy I will always cherish. He is the COOLEST kid I know!

It's 2012...Time to Blog already!

It's been a while I know since my last blogpost. It would take me too long to sit and say all the reasons why I have not blogged recently. Bottom line is I could not fit it in the list of things to do in my daily life. I have missed it. I have missed sitting in the quiet and writing about my life and my two guys. So for now...I'm Back! I am going to do my best to be back for good. At least once a week. Not for anybody else (because let's be honest my blog is not one that anyone really reads for daily insight or motivation) but for me. My husband has begged me to blog. He knows that I love that short time where I post pictures, post a few words and hope to leave a little trace of whats going on in our lives. So this post is for him....

Today I am grateful! I am blessed, humbled and smiling! It has been a rough few weeks for me. A painful few weeks, physically and mentally. Besides Maddox I didn't think there was much to make me smile over the past few weeks. However, there was this amazing man by my side everyday. Don't get me wrong I realize that my hardship is nothing compared to most but in my reality life was little tough. I'm smiling because through it all I had this amazing man who held me at night when I went to sleep and was awake before I was in the morning just to be sure I was OK. This was the man I know God sent for me. I don't know if i show him often enough how grateful and appreciative I am of him. This post is not about me...It's about my amazing husband. You are more than I dreamed of. You lead our family in a way that makes me proud to stand by your side. You just got a promotion at work that is so well deserved. You love Jesus. You love me & and you Love Maddox oh so well! Please know with all that we are...we love you too!

Trying out Blogpress for the 1st Time

I have been terrible at keeping up with my blog so I added the blogpress app to my phone to see if it will help me try to keep things more current! We will see. Here is my favorite picture of Maddox from yesterday. Despite all the laundry scattered on the floor he sure makes me smile when I see him playing with Daddy's iPad!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

This is the life....

After a whirlwind of a few weeks with lots of work for both of us, Greg traveling and me hosting a shower two weekends in a row for friends getting married or having babies Greg and I decided that Sunday was going to be a family day. A day of rest and a day of giving all of our attention to the little man we love so much. When Maddox napped...we napped. When Maddox wanted to play....we played. We went downtown and ate at Mi Cocina and then let Maddox run up and down the sidewalks. He was in heaven. We walked by Razoos and a bunch of waitresses came out and gave him a balloon. He loved it and carried it with him for a few blocks. We stayed until we got too hot to think straight and figured if we were that hot then Maddox probably was too (although he was to busy to realize it). As we drove home in the late afternoon I couldn't help but look out the window with a smile on my face as my little one babbled in the back seat. I have no big worries in my life. Yes, there are the daily struggles. There are times when I think I have more than I can handle. God gives me strength and helps me to show grace during those times. At the end of the day though I am SO blessed. I have more than I deserve. I have a husband who cares deeply for Maddox & I. He tells me everyday I am beautiful and he makes smile more than once a day. I have Maddox who shows me each time I look in his curious eyes how precious life truly is. We are not millionaires, we are not glamorous in societies eyes, we are certainly not perfect...but we are happy. We are loved and we are taken care of. I couldn't help but think yesterday after enjoying the afternoon with my little family....This is the life. It is my goal and true desire to try and remember the simple things are what matter and the small moments are the ones that are the most special. This truly is the life!

Summer Fun

Maddox's new favorite evening activity...mowing the yard.

Greg says if this continues then Maddox will have his first weekly chore by the age of 1!

He's not going anywhere in his truck yet but he sure likes to pretend that he is and make truck noises!

Sharing Ice Cream with Daddy @ the zoo!

My 2 boys with the giraffes!

Maddox turns ONE!

Our little guy turned one on July 2nd. He is the reason why I started this blog and as his birthday approached in a few moments of anxiety about my little monster turning one I took some time and read through some of the posts over the last year. He was my reason for starting the blog before he was born and now he is my reason to breathe everyday. He is my reason for waking up and he is the reason for the smile on my face 99% of the time. He is amazing, he has grown so much and fulfilled us in so many ways. I find myself thinking every day numerous times how fast the time has gone. That is one of the things that people would say to me when I was pregnant or right after Maddox was born and while I would politely smile I was rolling my eyes in my mind. I thought it was annoying and cliche. Now I can't stop saying to myself...WOW the time has really flown by.

I am so proud to be Maddox's mom. It is not always easy and its not always fun.

However, at the end of the day I put my head on the pillow happy, loved in an amazing way and so proud of Maddox.

He is all boy, he is walking everywhere, he is saying a lot of DADADADA and he says Ball, he smiles when he sees Greg & I walk in the room, he still lets me hold him for a short minute before bedtime, he still sleeps really well, he has three teethe, he plays peak-a-boo and anytime you say "wheres Maddox?" he pretends like he is scaring you, he loves me, he loves his Dad, he knows his family, he feels safe and I truly believe he is a happy child. My intention everyday is to make him and Greg happy. They make it really easy for me. I love my two boys and I am so grateful for all I have learned and gained over the past year!
Happy Birthday Maddox! WOW your ONE Buddy!

Greg decided that this truck was a good idea for our little monster! My thought was that he was a little to young! Daddy won and Maddox is in heaven. He gets in it and makes truck noises and then when he is not in it he pushes it around!
All smiles on his Big Day!

Loving on his Meme and of course sucking his thumb!

On Friday the 2nd we just had a few family members over for dinner and Maddox got to eat one of his birthday cookies and open gifts from Mom and Dad. We saved the big smash cake and other gifts for Saturdays cook-out at my parents house!

Greg was sure to make a grand entrance in the new truck at my parents house!

The Gass family got Maddox this cool new fort for the backyard! He loves it!

Walking around, playing with sticks!

Maddox has chosen to break my heart a bit and not say Mama yet. I know he loves me, it is evident by the way he is either in my arms all the time or tugging on my leg so he can love on me. I will say though that I wanted him to Say Mama, Mom, Ma, Mommy, anything!

He says Dada, when he sees Greg or just about any other time. I don't think that is really his first word b/c he uses it for everything.

There is one thing though that he says loud and clear and with purpose...BALL!

It was only appropriate to have ball cupcakes to go along with his cake.

I'll get Mama or something close one day. I think he is making me wait so that its all the more special when he finally says it.

This cake was so cute. One of my sisters (Natalie) friends made it for us. It was adorable and so perfect for our little guy!

At first he wasn't so sure. We have never really given him cake, cookies or sweets so he was in for a big surprise!

After a few minutes he dug right in and loved the audience!

Love this pic!

I would say by the looks of this picture that he enjoyed his first cake experience! Proud parents and filthy little one year old!

Emma helped Maddox with some of the green icing!

My mother-in-law brought a snow cone machine and made them for Maddox's b-day party. The girls loved them! She gave me the machine and I look forward to pulling it out as we endure the rest of the heat this summer! It was a special treat!

Love these girls...one of my favorite pics of the weekend!

Uncle Dwaine held him up on the top of the house once and it was over from there. He didn't want to be in the house he wanted to be on it!

One of our favorite things to do with Maddox is take him to ride the mini train here in Ft. Worth. He loves it more and more each time and we love watching him take it all in and each time he loves it more and more! It was only fitting that we take him to ride the train with Greg's parents who were in town from St. Charles during his b-day weekend!

Choo Choo!

Those curious eyes and precious face allow me to appreciate the world through the Innocent eyes of my child. It warms my heart every time!

Hanging our with cousin Otis at Uncle Dwaine & Aunt Kris's house!

Happy Birthday Maddox! You are so loved!

Beach Baby!

We had a fantastic trip to South Padre this past weekend for a familiy reunion for my Moms side of the family.

It was more than Fun!

It was relaxing and it was so great to spend time with people who I love and respect so much.

I hate that I don't get to see my sweet cousins as often as I do but I promise to make a point to do a better job of keeping in touch!

Maddox had a few first this weekend...

First Road trip (it was long but he was a trooper for a guy who hates the car)

First time at the beach

First time to eat sand

First time to eat fast food (against my better judgement but we were on the road with a leaky cooler and surprising to me....he lived. It was chicken strips from whataburger minus the breading that I pealed off. I'm trying to let go of my paranoia about fast food but as you can tell it sometimes gets the better of me!)

First hotel stay

First Family Reunion

First time sleeping in the same room with Mom and Dad three nights in a row

First time to visit my Meme & Papas house

He learned to play peekaboo and played it for the first time this weekend by himself

Two of my favorite girls!

Love you Laura & Leslie!

Please note....Laura & I were posing perfectly for a picture when Leslie demanded on showing her face....go figure!

Uncle Reg & Dada as he is called by these three precious Angels was the one to snuggle with on Saturday night, as you can tell!

We had a live auction on Saturday night to raise money for the next reunion.

It was so well put on by the Moseley's!

Everyone donated amazing things to the auction....a silver teapot from our great grandmother, an Afghan that she made, secret recipes, etc.!

It was so special and so great.

There were a few things that people really fought for.

That silver teapot didn't go cheap.

I loved seeing family care so much about these precious pieces that that they wanted to keep them in the family.

So special.

My mom donated a simple yet precious picture of Madeleine and our Grandfather, Papa!

They are walking away from the camera. It is when Madeleine was about 3 years old. It is one of our immediate families most prized photographs.

My mom donated it so that Maddy could buy it at the auction.

One of my favorite parts of the night was watching her bid on the picture!

Yes, they are wearing matching t-shirts!

Yes, it was my families reunion!

And yes, this might be one of my favorite pics ever!

This one just makes me laugh no matter how many times I see it!
Me & My Boys!

Beach Bum!

Playing with his girls Emma & Lizzie!

Oh yeah, by the way...We have a walker on our hands!

Starting about 3 weeks ago he began making the two-three step treks and then he would fall!

Now its all about walking.

We are so proud of you Maddox!

Dancing Queens!

I love that Maddox has Lizzie, Emma & Maddy to play with!

These are my precious girls!

Playing in the sand!

Me & My Boys!

Me & Maddox, My Mom, My Grammy, Lizzie & Amy, Natalie & Emma

(It's all the girls except Madeleine...she was playing in the ocean with Greg & Justin!)

This was the first time he touched his feet in the water!

This is one of my favorite picture from the trip and one of my all time favorites of my two boys.

I love these two guys more than anything.

I love the ocean almost as much.

All three of my loves together....perfection!