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!

Maddox's Dedication & Fathers Day

Maddox was dedicated at church on Sunday morning. It was such a special day. To top things off it was on Fathers day. Greg seemed so grateful and told me numerous times throughout the day that he was grateful for Maddox and for our family. He was thrilled.

We feel so blessed to have found a church where we can show our child how great our God is and where we can fellowship with other families. We hope to raise Maddox in this church and look forward to watching him grow here. It was a really special day for us to formally dedicate ourselves to raise our child in a Christian home and dedicate his life to God. Maddox was so cute, so calm (with the exception of a few yelps and screams) and so loved. Greg's parents came in town from MO, my parents were there. My brother/cousin Derek, two sisters, brother-in-law and three sweet nieces were there. To top things off my friend Jennifer came to the service and Alicia traveled in from Austin to be there for Maddox's special day.

My Meme & Papa also came to town all the way from McAllen, TX!

Maddox loved looking around at the beginning of the service and watch people sing. He did great. It does not really matter how good he did....we got to dedicate ourselves as parents to raise a child with love, with values and in a Christ centered home.

He has blessed us in so many ways.

We are grateful to all of our family and friends who helped make this a special day.

After the dedication our pastor Ken Horton honored all of the fathers in the congregation. He started by asking all of the Great Grandfathers to stand up. Tears welled up in my eyes b/c my Great grandfather (my dads dad) was there and he stood up so confidently and strongly. He was one of maybe 5 or 6 in a group of a couple hundred. It was such a special feeling to have him and my Meme there. Maddox will look back on this special day and realize how loved he was by so many!

Before leaving for church!

In the foyer before the service with our parents. We realize more and more each day all you did for us and we are so grateful!

This was when we first handed Maddox to Ken and he immediately went in for the kill with Kens microphone headset. Way to make an entrance Son!

The scripture verse we chose for Maddox was Luke 18:16

But Jesus called the children to him and said "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them from the kingdom of God belongs to them".

I think this was the part where Ken handed Maddox back to us and chuckled and said...

"Those girls are sweet and easy but these boys are 20 lbs. of squirm aren't they?"

Needless to say, the 2 precious Angels that were dedicated before Maddox were sweet calm little girls...opposite of our little monster Angel!

Those eyes make me so happy!

Oh Yeah...

Happy Fathers Day Greg!

I have loved watching you father our Son!
You amaze me every day.

You and Maddox are my two favorite boys!

Your my life and I love you both!