Silly Pictures

Sunday I was invited to an engagement party for my friend Melissa.  It was held at her grandfather's lake house and was a beautiful day!  Everyone went out on the family's boats to ski and tube but I am not a boat person.  I get very motion sick and just can not handle the waves!  So Ashley and Angela stayed behind with me and things got a little silly...

I am trying not to throw up on the dock in this picture...

It was rocking wildly from all the waves on the lake. 

I am so excited because I get to be a bridesmaid in her wedding next May.  I am looking forward to being a part of her special day.  Yay! I also love that I can still be silly with my friends.  We are complete goofballs.  I hope that never changes.

Have a great week!

A Bonfire and A Home Game

This weekend kicked off with a bon fire pep rally on Thursday night.  The girls did such a great job  and the seniors got to twirl fire batons!  They were pumped!  Our football field is turf and we are not allowed to use them on Friday nights BOO. There were a lot of people there getting pumped for the football game the next day.

Ashley and I before the bonfire

The seniors with their fire batons!

The new majorettes near the bonfire

Friday was the first home game for the girls and they did a great job! Ashley and  I were so very proud.  We got to debut our new uniforms and everyone LOVED them.   We won the game and all had a great time.  I really love Friday nights because it is kind of like a date night for Artie and I.  He always comes to the games with me AND videos during halftime.  Smooshy stays with his Mimi while we are at the games so he does not have to be around the heat and the people.  I LOVE FOOTBALL SEASON!!!
Here are some pictures from the game and a video of their performance.

The show this year is "Now That's What I Call The 80's!"  

The song list includes:

  I Want My MTV, Eye of the Tiger,  Bad,  Mr. Roboto, Danger Zone, and  Don't Stop Believing.  

One Month Old

Dear Grayson,

Today you are one month old!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!  This time last year I would never have imagine that I would be celebrating your one month birthday today.  It makes my heart hurt thinking about how quickly this month has gone by.  I want you to stay little for ever, but I can not wait to share with you all that life has to offer.  Maybe just at a little slower pace!

Here is what you are up too!

-You weigh 9 pounds now.  Daddy and I love this because you are looking like a little pork chop!
-You have now moved into size one diapers.
-You eat VERY well.  You are still on soy but are taking almost 4 ounces every feeding.
-You are still wearing newborn size clothing.  We were definitely not prepared for this and have had to buy you a few outfits!  We though you would be a super chunk!
-You wake up every 2 hours or so to eat.  When you wake up hungry, you want to eat THAT SECOND!  It is an EMERGENCY!! I call you my angry beaver baby when you do this.  The second we put the bottle in your mouth you stop screaming ha!
-You really love to poop right after your bath! Mommy has learned to put a diaper on you immediately or the towel gets it!
-You make the cutest little sighing noise that I would LOVE to get on video.
-Daddy and I are competing to see who can make you smile first...the only thing you smile about right now is gas.
-Mommy started calling you Smooshy and it stuck.  Now everyone calls you Smooshy (I apologize if this continues the rest of your life)

Grayson, you are the joy of my life.  I can not imagine my life without you.  You are also the light in your daddy's eye.  He loves you more than you will ever be able to know.  We are so grateful for you and do not want to take one single moment of your life for granted.  

Love,
Momma

That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.                                     Psalm 30:12

Sweet Baby

Look at this sweet face.  

We love him so much!!

This picture makes him look so big it kinda makes me sad.  

Friday he will be one month old. Ok.  That's it.  I am done with this getting bigger stuff.  We can just stop right here! I am trying to savor every moment I have with him at this age.  We are so lucky.  

In other news-

I am excited to say that I am finally getting a blog makeover!  Yipppee!  That is one reason I have not changed my header to include Smooshy man.  So look for that in the coming weeks!  

Have a great week everyone! 

First Football Game of 2010

Friday night the band performed during halftime at the Jefferson County-Greeneville game.  We WON!  Wahoo! The girls did great but decided that they are glad the game was away.  This gave them a chance to get their jitters out before a home game.  PLUS this Friday they will get to wear their new uniforms.  Friday it was so hot that the director decided against the band wearing their uniforms.  Ashley and Austin rode with us and we had a blast.  Here are some photos from the game.  Oh! The show this year is an 80's theme, hence the pack man game on their shirts.

The girls in their band tees ready for the game to begin!

The seniors having fun

Is it almost halftime?

And since I have not posted any newer pictures of the Smooshy boy:

Look who is ready for the Titan's game tonight!

Jackson LOVES Grayson so much,

one day Gray will be riding him around the house! 

I hope you have a great week! 

Gone so long

Oh my word, time has passed by so quickly!  It has been a while since I blogged.  

I have been busily getting things ready for the first football game that took place on Friday (I will post pictures later!).  Did you know that it takes 3 times as long to do anything with an infant?  Ha! I laugh and say that it takes me 3 hours to get ready because by the time I feed, bath and change Gray - it is time to start all over. Phew.  He is a wonderful baby though.  We took him to church last Sunday and I did not even get a picture!  I was going to after church because, of course, we were running too late to do it before (see above reasoning) but he needed to eat right afterwards and was screaming.  Everyone LOVED him and they can not wait to get their hands on him.  He will be getting Baptized in September. I am excited to share this with our family and friends yay!  Can he really be turning a month old on Friday?  Here are some of my favorite newborn photos, these were taken 3 days after he was born.  I love them so much because he looks SO different now.  

Update on the adoption:

Last Friday ended the period of waiting for the birth mother to change her mind.  I woke up at midnight that night and said a prayer.  A prayer of gratitude, joy and relief.  Artie and I are now on the road to adoption, our lawyer turned our paperwork in to the state and now we wait some more.  I believe he said February 18th we would head to court to make it official! What a blessing.

Sad news:
One of my friends lost his battle with cancer Saturday night.  His name is Todd and he is my age (28).   Todd is a husband and the father of a one year old.   Please say a prayer for his family during this difficult time.  We are sad he is gone from earth but rejoicing that he is with our Father.  

I hope you have had a restful weekend!  

Sneak Peak

In the hospital

We have been home a little over a week and the time is just flying by.  Gray will be 2 weeks old on Tuesday WOW!   I am finally getting around to posting pictures from the hospital.  I can not say enough good things about this hospital.  They worked hard at making everyone involved in the adoption feel comfortable.  The day the birth mother was admitted, we stayed in her room.  I know the nurses were walking on egg shells because most adoptions are tension filled.  It surprised most people (our family included) at how normal and comfortable it felt being in the room with the birth family.   Once they met the birth family, they understood why we have such a great relationship/friendship with them.  (We actually consider them family now)

A few hours after Grayson was born, we were able to have our own room with him.  Our room was the last emergency birthing room and so if someone needed that room we had to get out.  The whole first night, anytime a nurse would come to check Gray we would hop up thinking we had to leave.  Ha! Luckily no one had to have that room and we stayed for 2 nights.  I was happy to be able to hang the wreath I made for the door!

Artie feeding monkey

My good friend Rebecca came several times and was actually there during the c section!  I was so glad for her because she took all the pictures and was just as excited as we were.  She brought Tyler once and he said that Grayson was "so cute" and kissed his head.  I love that kid.

The Santel Family (minus Scott)

Tyler, Rebecca and Callie with Grayson

After a few days we were able to go home.  WE WERE READY!! 

He has been a dream come true so far.  We are still adjusting but I think it is going pretty well!  The birth family has been so very supportive.  I am so happy we are choosing to stay close!

The photographer came last Friday to take his newborn pictures and we got a sneak peak today!  Eeeek! The only thing I wanted but forgot to tell her was a picture in the zebra chair!  So I tried to take one today that ended with him peeing on the chair.  So I cleaned it and let it dry so we could try again. This time I left his diaper on!  (Plus I knew a poop was coming!)  I think it turned out cute! Probably not as good as Rhonda but I am learning.

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend.  We have just relaxed.  I am glad to be home but ready to start back at church...maybe next week!   Blessings!

1 week old (and one day)

It is hard to believe little man is already a week old.  I know that everyone says this but, PLEASE STOP GROWING UP!!!  

This was the best darn picture I could get! He is wiggly! 

Update on Grayson-
He is such a good baby, He only cries when he is hungry!  That's it.  Man is he a good eater too! We had a few problems at first with his formula but a quick switch to a soy blend and all problems were fixed.  I have a problem leaving him by himself right now.  I feel a panic attack coming on every time I try!  In fact, I have been sleeping in the floor in his room because I am a little freaked out.  Last night I slept in our bed for the first time since we brought him home ha! He is waking up every 2 hours or so at night but will eat, be changed and go right back to sleep.   I can not believe how fast this week has flown by!

We have had a few visitors and everyone is in love with him!

Ashley also came by but for some reason I did not take a picture sad!

Update on the legal matters of the adoption-

Tuesday was our first court appearance for Grayson.  It is the day his birth mother terminated her rights.  I got a little emotional when we were in front of the judge.  I think the magnitude of what was happening hit me.  The birth mother is doing well considering the circumstances.  She is feeling better everyday. Tuesday started a 10 day period in which she has the right to change her mind.  Once that 10 day period is over, we will have a 6 month wait to formally adopt Grayson.  I am sure those 6 months will fly by!

I really want to tell the story of this miracle but it is really wordy and somewhat confusing.  I am working on it.  Just know that it was very out of the ordinary and a HUGE blessing.

In the next few days I will post some pictures from the hospital.   I hope everyone is having a wonderful week.  I am off to bed because Gray will be up in an hour to eat again!