My Peanut is Turning One

9 Month Pictures

My baby will be 1 year next month!!!!! I'm just now getting around to posting a "few" of my favorites from his 9 month shoot. (Life has been crazy busy.) My dear friend, Jenn, and her husband do a fabulous job and I'm soooooo thankful to have them capture these fleeting moments in my baby's life.

Hard Times

A small collection of some favorite quotes:


People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;


forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

be kind anyway.

If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies;

succeed anyway.

If you are honest people may cheat you;

be honest anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the end, it is between you and God;

it was never between you and them anyway.


Only God can remove the poisons of greed and hatred and jealousy in our hearts, and replace them with contentment and compassion and forgiveness. Only He can subdue the violence and anger that rage within us, and replace them with His peace and love. Whatever wars rage in your life, lay them at the foot of the Cross and ask Jesus to give you His peace.



We know not what tomorrow brings ... Although we plan ahead


For only God alone can know ... the pathway we must tread.

We cannot know the future ...not one minute nor one hour

Each circumstance that we must face ... lay only in His power.

It's vital that we live by faith ...from minute unto minute

And trusting that each step we take ... He's walking with us in it.

This Moment

Here I sit, 3:30 in the morning. Cooper sleeping in my lap. It's been a weird night, a somber night. My mind has been drifting for hours AND hours. I guess I awoke around midnight, after my dreams traveled to my darkest time - the NICU. Pillow soaked and eyes swollen . . . . it's been nine months! We've come so far since those L-O-N-G November/December nights.  He's basically 5 times the size that he was! On some level, I think maybe the thoughts and dreams return to remind me of how blessed I really am. This baby, beautiful & perfect, will be ready for a bottle in another hour or so. The house will be awake and my family will start their day. However, this time next year, as I prepare for the upcoming school year, THIS baby will no longer be a "BABY'. He will no longer take a bottle, he won't be wearing his little sleep sack, or be sleeping in a pack-N-play beside our bed. This time IS fleeting. I sit with a huge lump in my throat, thankful for this journey that God has ALLOWED me to embark on. Praying for all the "mama" hearts out there. Mamas with and without babies - may we all find comfort in the Lord during our "darkest times".

Love Him

It amazes me. . . . the blessings that God pours down on me daily. These eight months have been a roller coaster of emotion. My precious miracle baby is really starting to come into his own and is sooo full of personality! I really enjoy being a mom and getting to spend each day with him (watching him change and grow). I'm really sad that I'm getting ready to go back to work in a few weeks. I know I am VERY blessed to have a mother that watches him while I work . . . however, I must admit that I am very jealous that she will be spending more time with him than his very own Mama.  :(

Wordless Wednesday

Cloth diapers

I'm not a hardcore "cloth diapering" type of momma. However, I do love the "g diapers" and the fact that Cooper's little tushie is not constantly being rubbed and suffocated by chemically treated materials. 98% of the time when we are lounging at the house  . . . . he is wearing a stylish "g pant". See adorable little boy below.    ;)

Wordless Wednesday

First Swim

Cooper went for his very first swim last Friday. In attendance: mom, Karen, Kelly, and Joe. The weather was beautiful and the water was nice. He seemed to enjoy it for the first 10 minutes. However, Coop spent most of his time watching the ladies swim from the sidelines. He and Mr.Arwood bonded quickly. Joe is now at the TOP of our babysitter list. The two seemed to really enjoy one another. :)