Double Take

The same face....wow, I look at them sometimes and am amazed! Someone said to Kennedy the other night, "You sure look just like your daddy!" Her reply, "I sure do!!" Crazy girl!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The house is decorated. I even got to the outside of the house today. I wish with all my heart, that one year my sweet husband will go to all the effort of lighting our house up in an obnoxious way. It is my dream. I want to live it the glowing house that screams CHRISTMAS!! He does not understand my obsession at all so each year I drag myself out and do what I can with my chair from the dining room table. I did get the garland on the columns and the windows done. It brings back such memories because for two years in a row I was pregnant with someone so I had to have help doing this. Greg huffed and puffed but did what I asked. It is something I now appreciate being able to do. Gosh, time flies. It seems like yesterday I was told to not climb on anything because I was pregnant with Whit and now look at them.....

As always during Christmas I am thankful. I hope I can take time to slow down and enjoy the season. It is truly my most favorite time of year. Merry Christmas everyone!

Silent Night....for a minute at least. :)

My sweet boy.....he was SO tired after church today he was SOUND asleep in Greg's arms. I never get to catch those moments on camera so you know I had to snap a few. I do so love a sleeping baby. Whit has never been my baby that let me rock him so I appreciate any moment he sleeps in my arms....or Greg's for that matter.

Then nap time is over and he is EVERYWHERE. That is just Whit. He loves life. He loves us. I love that about him. Here he is in action this afternoon.

Surprise!!

15 month check up...errr...ok 16 1/2 months

We are a bit late in going to our 15 month check up. He was so sick around 12 months I couldn't ever get him to that appointment that we got behind! I find myself really BORED with going to these well visits the second time around. I know my baby is fine, I don't need another trip to the dr to find that out. Then I have to realize how truly blessed I am to be bored at a well visit. My child is healthy. He is growing and strong. So, I'll enjoy my boring visits. Here are the highlight for baby record of course....

24 lbs 6 ounces....woo hoo!!!!!!!!!! He gained like 2 lbs this month. It is all muscle in my opinion. I have never seen muscles on a baby but this child has some chiseled legs. Seriously...come by and see. :)

31 1/2 inches long. This one makes me laugh. He has almost grown a ruler's length since he was born. Gosh, they grow fast!

This puts him around 40th percentile for weight, which has never been that high. He is in the 70th for height so maybe he will grow a little taller than these short Olliff men! Not that I don't love all the short Olliff men. :) He is like 90th in his head circumference. He's pretty smart you know. :)

I was asked to list his words. He has too many to list. He knows all the animal sounds, everyone he loves he can say their name and point...even you SuSu although he holds out on that one and whispers it and then announces Poppa's arrival! I love his conversations lately. They sound like this MaMa....gla gi skibba go la go boo sa ga. Yes, Whit. I understand.

So much to be thankful for. Praise God for my healthy son. I am feeling like a super blessed MaMa right about now. We love you Whit. Sorry for taking you to the dr. I know it is not your favorite place. :) Maybe one day we'll go and you won't get shots. :)

Thankful

There are many things I am thankful for this year. There is one thing I am the most thankful for though. A few years ago, I went through my most trying time in life. I questioned and even was angry with God. I never lost my faith, but my most important question was why me? I am truly, truly, thankful for that time in my life. Out of all of it, I was given a gift. I learned that life doesn't always turn out like you want it to. I learned that time really does heal you. I learned that if you wait and have faith, God will bless you much more than you can ever imagine. From all of this, I was given the gift of thankfulness. Sounds silly, huh? I am truly thankful for the small things. I don't take things for granted. I don't want to sound perfect and high and mighty here because that is not what I mean. I have the gift of knowing the things you love the most can be taken away. From that, I can spend each and every day being thankful. There are times I am more thankful than others, but for the most part, each day that I wake, I know what a wonderful life I have. So, in honor of Thanksgiving and my sappy, sappy self, I'll walk you through just a few of the things that this mommy is thankful for....

Grandmother love...there is something about your children with your parents. I can only imagine the joy it brings to see your daughter with her children. My mom and dad love my children and I love that so much. I love how Kennedy loves the things MeMe loves...like the beach!

Everyday moments....bathed, jammies, and cartoons....the simply things. Who knew I would have TWO children?!!! God is so, so good. :)

Greg.....they love their daddy and so do I. I love the moments he doesn't even know are important like Whit when he runs full force to Greg when he gets home or dancing with Kennedy to CMT. It's those moments that make me love him even more. :)

Our family....Kennedy says and I quote: "We're all together, my family, Mommy, Daddy, Whitty Whit and Kennedy. I love our family together." Me too, Kennedy, me too. :)

Miracles....if you don't believe in them, let me introduce you to two real life miracles. One baby that was prayed for by the world, and another we didn't even know to pray for. God just blessed us when they said it wasn't possible.

Being a Mommy....It is by far my greatest role in life. I didn't know if I would ever get to be one and here I stand with two precious little ones.

Family....cousins, cousins, cousins!!!! They love their cousins! Our first baby was due right when my youngest niece was born. For a long time I wondered what I would feel when I was around her as she grew up. As she and Kennedy prance around MeMe's house calling themselves twins, you know what I feel? Joy. :)

Memories....I love when we are all together. It is the makings of some great childhood memories. Kennedy woke up Thanksgiving morning and the very first thing she says is, "Mommy, I can't wait to see my cousins!" She grinned from the time they got here until they had to leave. She announced as they were walking out the door, " I miss my cousins!" We could still see them at this point. Bless her. :)

In Laws that aren't in laws....I love Greg's family. They threw me in the mix and I never felt like I didn't belong.

My Kennedy.....she lights my world.

This baby....he melts me to pieces.

Childhood wonder....my home is filled with it. Life is magical and I get to see it all over again. What a great thing!

I'm also thankful for so much more. My life is full and happy. It is filled with grace and joy. I could not ask for much more. Thank you God, for the path you have walked me through. Thank you for the gift of thankfulness. It's the best gift I have ever been given.

16 Months!

I just realized about 10 minutes ago that Whit is 16 months old today! I have not missed a day of posting on my children's month birthday's since I started this with Kennedy. So in keeping with tradition I will post the fact that I acknowledge he is older. I am too tired to be witty. I am too tired to be creative. So, my Whit, I love you. I snuggled you tonight and read about trackers until I couldn't anymore. Your daddy went and tucked you in. That is your new thing, the daddy tuck in time. Mommy really likes that. :) I love you, more than any word can say. I promise I will be sweet and post about you soon. Until then, this will have to do. :) Love, Mommy.

All in a picture....

I miss my grandmother. I know just how much it would have brought her joy to see me as a mother. Her heart was broken when we lost our first baby. I could tell it in her voice. And when we called to tell her we were having Kennedy I have never heard such joy in her voice. She and my sister in law helped throw me a mail shower because she couldn't be here. Her gift was a tiny little feltman brother's gown. It still hangs in Kennedy's room. I know she had visions of holding my baby in that gown. She passed away the month Kennedy was born. I miss her. I wish she had held my sweet baby....then my next baby. She would have hated what I named my children. Ohhh....how she would have talked about me. But she would have loved them. This picture speaks wonders to me. I still grieve the loss of a great strong woman in my life, but I can give my children two great grandmothers that are just as great and strong. They aren't my childhood memories but they are Greg's. This picture speaks so many words.....standing between them are two entire generations. 4 generations these women still stand, with so many memories of the ones they raised, then watched their children raise children, and now watch those children raise their children....I hope one day my children look back and see what strong women they came from. From these women, to their MaMa and NaNa they never got to meet.....they come from a long line of truly great people. All in a picture...

I love how a child loves....with their whole soul.....

My children melt my heart. They bring me smiles when I am sad. They are my constant reminder of God's unshakeable love for us....all in just a picture.