Park Fun. Pretty Fall Day.

Fall is here!!  And today we had a fun day at the park.......

......actually a very fun day at the park!  Since Little Man started walking (oh, yeah, did I not mention he was walking? more on that later!) it makes play time at the park so much more enjoyable - for both of us.  I can stand back (take pictures) and let him explore!  He tickles me because he is so cautious right now, always looking back to see if I am still close by. I'm sure that won't last long, but it sure makes his momma happy right now.  Even though he is becoming very independent....I still like to feel that he needs me.  

Not Me Monday!

This is a "NOT ME MONDAY" -  started by one of my favorite bloggers....I have followed her amazing journey and you can too! Beware, it's addictive and inspiring! 

click here to begin:  My Charming Kids

Here it goes....

I did not let my husband pick out the fabric for our curtains in our bedroom.  Seriously, I am way better at decorating than he is!  

I did not stare at the parent paging window at church during the entire sermon, wondering if Little Man was screaming and crying (missing me) in the nursery!   It was not his first trip and it was definitely no big deal for the either of us!  Absolutely not!  

I did not hold Little Man for an hour as he napped on my shoulder after church because we wanted to go out to eat with friends instead of going home. That would be selfish!  

I did not get upset with my huband for missing a turn on Saturday as we were driving to a wedding because he was talking about his magical day at the Ryder Cup!  

I did not decide to turn my dryer back on (for the third time) because I (was too lazy) forgot about them and suddenly they became wrinkled!  I would never do that!

I did not check on Little Man three times before I went to bed, and I did not get up one more time even after I got "cozy, comfy" in bed!  I would never do that!  

I did not pick oatmeal off of Little Man's shirt this morning and eat it.....nope, nope, not me!  

Play along and add your own "Not Me Monday"!

My VERY Amateur Photo Shoot

I LOVE to take pictures...it is my favorite hobby!  And I bet you can't guess who is my favorite client?  It is strictly just for personal satisfaction...hardly anyone ever gets to see my pictures, except for family.  I am still learning how to operate the camera, and well, operate the camera!!  

But I did get to snap a few pictures of my little guy yesterday.  I thought I would share...

Maybe if I close my eyes...

...I'll magically get what I want!!!

Yes, this seems to be a brand new chapter in our adventure as first time parents.   Our 13 month old has all of the sudden.....developed a mind of his own!  Where did this come from?  I have no idea.  Now, he definitely knows what he wants, when he wants it.   I am praying for patience and I am also trying to explain to Little Man what patience is (yeah, right!  try explaining that to a one year old!). As a new mom, I am still learning each and every day.  

Family Refreshes My Soul

Being with family rejuvenates me and refreshes my soul.  

After visiting with family this week....I realized how much I had missed everyone!  We had a great time! Lots of great shopping, resturants, but what I enjoyed most was simply being surrounded by family.  There is nothing like being with people that love you through the years, and through it all.

We ate at D & J's house on Monday night....the food was great and I haven't laughed so much in a long time.  The daughter -in -laws (the only girls in the family) crack me up! Seriously, I could just follow them around all day and it would be like a thousand doses of sunshine.  Our kiddos (all boys, by the way...6 of them!) got to play as we caught up on "the happenings".  I can't wait to see everyone again very soon!  

Here are a few pics to show you what a great time we had...

Little Man with all of his BOY cousins!

Bath Time and Blue Eyes

Fact:

One of Little Man's favorite hobbies -- bath time!

Fact:

One of my favorite hobbies -- starring at his beautiful blue eyes!!

Thought I would post a few pics that I took while little man was taking a bath.....and to show you why I have the greatest hobby ever!

Cruisin' Round this Big Ol' World

Look who walking!  

Little Man finally realized that crawling around on "all fours" wasn't so cool anymore, so he has decided to try the two footed approach.   Even though he took his first steps at 11 months, he has been taking his sweet time completing the process of walking without holding fingers or furniture.  Now, he is everywhere!  Oh, I can just feel that my world is about to change.....people kept telling me, "It's a whole new ballgame when they start walking!"  Well, let's play ball!  I'm ready for the challenge because I love each and every new stage.  With a small hint of sadness and a quick tear, I say goodbye to my little baby crawler, and say hello to my big boy walker. With every new adventure come so many more fun and exciting times.  Each stage is memorable and life changing (never a dull day!)...and this is what I love most about being Little Man's mommy!