10 months and ALL boy!

Wriston turned 10 months on the 1st.  He is growing up so quickly.  By the time Christmas and New Year's comes around, my baby boy will almost be a year old.  

We put up the Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving.  Despite my fears of Wriston knocking it over, he has been quite the perfect boy.  He is allowed to touch the tree.  When he goes to grab, he is told no-no and he actually listens!   He is amazed by the tree and if you ask him where the reindeer is on the tree, he points right at it.  He is so smart. 

I took him to the mall on Black Friday to start our Christmas shopping.  Santa had a short line so we decided to wait in line.  Unfortunately, Wriston was not too cooperative and cried the entire time.  I could not help but laugh because Stephen did the same thing when he 1st met Santa.  Like father, like son.

Wriston is still pulling up on EVERYTHING and graduated to holding our hands to walk.  I believe he will be walking on his own within a month.  I cannot wait! 

It's funny because I do want him to walk soon even though I realize every move he makes, every skill he learns, the less of a "baby" he becomes. 

But no matter what, my Wriston is still my baby boy.  He still wants to cuddle, he still wants his mommy to rock him to sleep or hold him while he goes to sleep, he still needs comfort when he gets hurt, he still smiles when I go to pick him up from his crib in the morning or pick him up from daycare, he still says ma-ma in the sweetest voice and still reaches for me when he wants his mommy. 

And that makes me the happiest and richest mommy in the world.  I love you Wriston!

Holidays and the final ten

The holiday season is here!  We hope everyone had a perfect Thanksgiving.  We had a nice day at the Bailey household.  We had my side of the family over for a big lunch.  We fried our turkey and had all the sides imagineable.  Everything was delicious!!  Stephen and I went out with our niece Charity at midnight to visit Target and Best Buy.  We were home by 2 am.  We slept til 445 and got up and went to Home Depot and Lowe's.  Charity, Wriston and I went out shopping again after W's morning nap and stayed til dinner time.  I did buy a few gifts for Stephen and Wriston.  Yesterday, Wriston, Charity and I went shopping with my parents at the Gaffney Outlets after I put up our Christmas tree and a few decorations. 

So, with November closing, it is time to list my final 10 items I am thankful for this year.

1. Naps!  After all that shopping, we needed a few naps!
2. Pictures with Santa.  While Wriston was NOT a fan of Santa, the picture is priceless AND looks like Stephen's 1st photo with Santa (he was a crier too) 
3. Christmas ornaments.  Each one has a special memory.
4. Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.  Wriston's favorite song since a baby! 
5. Long weekends with the family.
6. Holidays.
7. Yesterdays, Todays and Tomorrows.
8. Smiles
9. Sunshine! 
10. Having more than 30 things to be thankful for

Guess that ends the list of 30.  I think my list could go on and on and on. 

10 more

Ten more items of which I am thankful for:

1. Amazing coworkers - they help my days go faster and have become wonderful friends!
2. My sweet Georgia Mae.  Precious puppy who came to our family 4 years ago.
3. Digital photos - great way to capture memories without having to print every single one
4. MY NEW KITCHEN - while not 100% complete, I. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. it!
5. Redbox.  Enough said.
6. DVR.  Necessity with a child.  And even without.
7. Advancements in cancer treatment.  I pray the treatments help my uncle and dad in their battle.
8. Blogs.  Perfect to catch up on friends, find new recipes and get inspired.
9. My neices and nephew.  I cannot imagine my life without them.  I love them to pieces.
10. Christmas music.  It puts a smile on my face every single time.  By far, my favorite holiday!

I am looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with the family in a few days.  I'll be sure to post pictures!

30 Days!

So, it seems everyone on facebook started doing 30 days of thankfulness.  It's a nice concept.  With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I decided that instead of listing everything out one day at a time, I would go ahead and list 10 of my top things I am most thankful for nowadays.  10 more will come in a few days.. followed by another 10.

In no particular order:

1. I am thankful to be a mommy.  My sweet, amazing, perfect little boy Wriston Todd Bailey brings out the best in me.  Being a mom is such an honor and I am lucky God blessed us with such a precious gift.  I love my boy!
2. I am thankful to be a wife to my very best friend.  Stephen and I are lucky to still be in love almost 12 years after our first date.  We always have fun together.  I could not ask for a better friend, husband or father to Wriston.  I love you Stephen.
3. I am thankful for my family - all of you.  Being the youngest of four and the only girl had its ups and downs.  Today, I am thankful for my 3 older brothers, my fabulous parents, my inlaws and everyone else who I consider family.  You all mean the WORLD to me.  
4. I am especially thankful for my parents.  I have the best parents in the world.  They are always supportive, loving and understanding.  They let me make my own mistakes, follow my dreams and become the person I am today.  I am nothing without them. 
5. I am especially thankful to Gran and Pop Bailey.  Having lost my grandparents at an early age, I am so blessed to have them in my life.  They have never been anything but my Gran and Pop. 
6. I am thankful for my friends.  All of you accepted me for ME. You accepted my quirkiness, my loudness, my talkativeness, my ramblings, my outbursts... you loved me for who I am and who I want to be.  I could not ask for a better set of friends.  I love you all.
7. I am thankful for smiles in the morning from my sweet boy.  Nothing starts a day like seeing my baby grin. 
8. I am thankful for my remodeled kitchen.  While not completely finished, it is gorgeous and I love my house a little more than I did before.
9. I am thankful for my nephew and neices.  I am lucky.  I cannot imagine my life without them.
10. I am thankful for college football.  I love my gamecocks and the georgia dawgs :)
 

 



Taste of Charleston

Wriston just returned from his first visit to Charleston.  We took him this past weekend to attend the Taste of Charleston with my parents and Tim.  The weather was nice - cool and windy in the morning and warmer afternoon.  We toured the gardens and tasted a few samples.  I tried some Cajun Shrimp and Grits and a Crab Cake Slider.  I highly recommend everyone going next year.  It was worth the money (tickets are cheaper if bought in advance) and let's you try different area restaurants. 

Unfortunately, Wriston and I brought back a wicked cold and fever.  I stayed home with him today and we're hoping to be back to normal tomorrow.

Latest Wriston developments:

• Wriston is learning to snap.  While he does not make any sounds, he can put his fingers together like he is snapping.
• Stephen and I took Wriston to the pediatric dentist last week.  He had his teeth cleaned (remember, he has two) and we saw he has TWO new teeth making a total of FOUR.  The top two just broke the skin so it may be a week or two before you can really see them.  I cannot believe how fast he is growing.
• Wriston is starting to put his hands on the ground and straighten his legs - trying to stand on his own it seems.  

Catch up!

I am way behind on blogging!  Life has been a crazy one between work, gym and family life.  When I get home from work, I try to avoid the computer if at all possible.  Tonight, I am making an exception to get you all caught up on the Bailey's life!

Wriston talking on the "phone"

Stephen and I had a great Labor Day weekend.  We spent Saturday - Sunday in Greenwood with Gran and Pop as well as the rest of the Bailey family.  I think Wriston is such a lucky boy to be loved by so many.  When we walked in, Pop wanted to hold him immediately.  He held him and gave him several kisses.  Pop's love for him is obvious.  Moments like that are meant to be cherished forever.  Gran also spent time holding Wriston.  She sat and watched him play while he showed her his new tricks.  Last time we were up there, he was not sitting up but was rolling around.  Now, he's sitting and CRAWLING (more of an Army crawl at that point -- or "high crawl" as his Uncle Michael corrected us).  I think the highlight of his weekened - although, Stephen may disagree as Wriston was sleeping - was when he watched the Gamecocks win their first game against ECU!!  GO COCKS!  haha.   When we left on Sunday, Stephen and I talked about how blessed Wriston is to have his great grands in his life (mine passed well before I was born).  We only hope that Wriston will always know just how MUCH his great grands (especially) love him.  If Wriston grows into half the man Pop is today, he will be just fine.  He is such a special.little.boy.

So far, September has been a fabulous month.  Here are a few of his accomplishments:

• As I said earlier, Wriston began it with a high crawl, but now he is truly crawling.  While he goes faster while scooting, he can hold himself up and does at times. 
• He is also showing his curiousity.  He crawls over to drawers to open them up, he crawls to toys and under tables to pick up other toys and never seems to want to sit still (I think he inherited this from me??). 
• Furthermore, on Labor Day Monday, we went into his room and found him STANDING UP in his crib!!!  Now, Wriston pulls up on everything (or tries to) and likes to try walking.  When "walking" he does a high march with each leg.  I foresee him walking within the next few months.
• Wriston also likes to talk on the phone.  When given the phone, he says hey (or what I know is hey) and then adds some gibberish. 
• He CLAPS!  It is precious.

So, that's the gist of our life for the past few weeks.  I hope to post new pictures of Wriston soon!

Weigh In

I just started week 4 of the Biggest Loser Competition at the gym and week 1 of Weight Watchers.   As of Saturday, I am down almost 5 pounds.  I am so pleased.  I really did not expect to lose weight as I thought I would gain muscle.  Any loss is great loss.  I just want to be healthy.   It's nice to be on a new path! :)