Looking Back

Only two months into this pregnancy and I am already nesting. Maybe if this keeps up my house will be in order by the time the baby gets here! Doubtful...

Anyway, I was going though Clinton's old clothes sorting them by size and storing them away. I loved folding all his little tiny gowns and onesies, but I got especially sentimental (a result of the hormones, I'm sure) when I started looking at his shoes. I took some comparison shots of his first tennis shoes, sandals and boots with his current counterparts. This kid is now in an 8...and not the eight with room to grow, but the snug eight edging on 9. I guess he'll be following in his Daddy's GIGANTIC footsteps!





All the shoes this little boy has ever had. I know it looks like a lot, but his foot has grown like a rocket! We feel like he grows out of them on the way home from the store!

The Science Museum

Last Saturday Rodney and I took Clinton to the Adventure Science Center in Nashville. Overall, the exhibits were a little big for Clinton, but he did not care one bit. He ran with the big kids and tried everything they did. He had a great time and we were excited to show him something new. By the end of the hour and a half that we managed, he was worn out! Check out the pics below.

Clinton playing with the train set in the toddler room. At first we thought he did great and were contemplating the idea of getting him a train table...but then we noticed flying trains and the origin of flight was our son's hands...so it's a no for now. Maybe Santa will disagree, who knows.



There aren't a lot of things that Clinton is scared of, but in addition to thunder and fire works, we can now add roaring dinosaurs. They had a display with very large mechanical/robotic dinosaurs. Clinton thought they were awesome until they started roaring and then he would lay his head on Rodney's and wouldn't look at the dinosaurs. Very sad.


A picture to prove that mommy really was there!


I think this may have been the most fun Clinton has ever had in his whole life! He has never squealed so loud and laughed so hard as when he was running around this exhibit. The point was for the kids to grab the lime green circle handle around the outside and then start running in circles with it. It would stir up the balls and then they would spew to show what happens when you get motion sickness. All Clinton saw was kids running in circles and he ran away from us so fast to join in he looked like an Olympic sprinter. He even got trampled a couple of times, but he did not care at all. I still get tickled looking at these pictures...I wish I had gotten it on video!





Clinton driving the electric car. It lit up and made noises...things this boy LOVES! Oh, and a steering wheel...gotta love those, too.


Playing the piano with his feet!


In the human body exhibit was a real ambulance mounted into the floor. As soon as Clinton saw it, he ran for it....and every time he saw it after that he--HE RAN FOR IT! The pedals made noise, there were siren buttons and the beloved steering wheel! He loved driving it! Clinton even got in trouble from another mom for pushing her 6 year old out of the way to get to the steering wheel. Oops.

Noah's First Birthday

Last Friday Clinton's friend Noah turned 1...and Clinton was very excited to help him celebrate. Clinton and Noah play together several times a week at the gym nursery while Kelly (Noah's mommy) and I work out. They really have just co-existed for some time, but now that Clinton is learning to be possessive and pushy they are much more interactive...geesh.

The Birthday Boy


Yeah, Noah...Happy Birthday! Clinton clapping for Noah after we sang the birthday song.


Oh, Mom...did you see that cake?


Excuse me! Excuse me! Coming Through!


Oh, the poor doggie doesn't have any cake.


A lick for me, and a lick for you...yummy!


All the kids helping Noah and Kelly with the gifts.


Always fascinated by balloons.


Hey, what's in here?


Clinton getting some "recovery" lovin' from Noah's daddy, Richard.


Our attempt at a photo with both of them.

Clinton's Cougar

I feel like I should apologize to the mother's of Dalby, Conley, Maguire, and any other mommy of a little girl that I promised my son to. It seems he's into older women...and one in particular, Addie. Little Miss Addie comes over several times a week to help me take care of Clinton. I think she really comes over because she loves playing with him but it is such a BIG help to me. Clinton is so in love with her that he just follows her from room to room and not only wants nothing to do with me but stays out of my way so I can actually get something done...a load of laundry, dinner, maybe even paint my toe nails!

Whenever Addie comes over Clinton spends about the first 10 minutes doing what you see in the picture. My child who won't even stop for a drink for me, will lay his head on his girlfriend's shoulder and just let her walk around.





In fact, a couple of weekends ago I was feeling really nauseated and Rodney was worn out from traveling all week. Addie and a friend came over to play with Clinton and for TWO hours Rodney and I got to lay on the couch while the kids played...it was AWESOME!

So a big THANKS to our wonderful neighbor, Addie!

We're Excited to Announce a New Addition

It seems little Clinton will now be Big Brother Clinton. With a due date of April 1, 2009, we're moving right along with the new pregnancy. We have known for some time because I'm one of those weird ones that knows the second I'm pregnant. I even had to go to the doctor's office shortly after I knew I was pregnant for something, but the routine pregnancy test they give came back negative in their office. I did everything I could to convince them that I knew, but it wasn't until two days later that I got a "plus sign" and got to call in and schedule my first appointment.

I'm looking forward to getting through the next few weeks of severe hunger accompanied by extreme nausea, and moving into the phase where I feel "normal" again!

Clinton hasn't really been able to tell us how he feels about the whole situation, but we're convinced he's very excited!

Oh, and we won't be finding out the sex of the baby until we deliver...we're looking forward to the surprise of it all!

Sorry to say....

...that I won't be running the 1/2 marathon this October. I have been very "sad" about this, but my body just won't be up for the challenge. Hopefully, I'll be able to get back to my running sometime in the future and really get trained for a 1/2 or maybe even a whole marathon. For now, I'll just be taking it easy on the stationary bike and elliptical...oh, and chasing around an 18 month old!!

So, I'll be removing the countdown ticker over on the right hand side soon, but no worries...I'll be replacing it with another one. Stay tuned...

Accomplishments at 18 Months

I can't even believe Clinton is 18 months old already! We went in for our appointment last week and the results are in:

Weight - 28.5 lbs (75th percentile)
Height - 35 inches (off the charts)
Head - I can't remember the measurement, but still off the charts

Clinton is continuing to reveal more and more of his personality and several things he's doing I think are worth noting.

* Clinton can pop his cheek by putting his pointer finger inside his cheek and popping it out... and he does it ALL the time. When I go in to get him in the mornings it's how he greets me and when he sees anyone new they too receive the precious greeting.

* Clinton LOVES to climb....EVERYTHING. He can climb up onto every bed in our house and jump on it. He can climb onto every chair, couch, and ottoman in our house and jump off of it. He climbs into the kitchen chairs just to climb up onto the table, and once even made it to the center of the table where I found him with both hands gripped on the chandelier above...whew, that was close. He has started pulling the drawers out of the dresser just enough to step into them and climb up to the top. Today he climbed the built in shelves in my closet up to the 3rd shelf to get a bottle of lotion--when he realized that I saw the lotion he slowly creeped into my closet and I found him in the fetal position with his eyes closed hidden among the hanging clothes clinging to the lotion. I have to stay on top of this kid constantly...he is always on the move and very quick!

* Clinton is signing a little. He can sign "More", "Eat", "Water", "All Done", and "Ball". We're working on "Please", "Thank You", and "Dog".

*His boots are made for running. Pop bought Clinton some real Justin Ropers while we were in Texas and Clinton wants to wear them all the time. He got stripped down to his diaper the other day for his doctor's appointment and he insisted having his boots back on. So, the doctor walked in to find him in a diaper and boots. Luckily, the doctor's from Texas too and found it precious. Clinton ran circles around us as we discussed his development. The doctor was impressed with how well he could get around in cowboy boots.

* Today we were jammin' to Jack Ingram in the car and the "Love You" song came on. Clinton immediately started bopping his head with his bottle still in his mouth. Then began rocking his head from one side of the car seat to the other...still clinging to the bottle. But as the drums picked up, he threw the bottle to the floor, threw his hands above his head and started clapping and bobbing his head as if he was at the best concert of his life. We listened to the song about 5 times on the way to dinner...I just couldn't get enough...it was hilarious.

Drum Hats - They're All the Rage...says Clinton

A Week in Review - Texas

Excited to be in Texas!







Runnin' 'round the ranch.






Loving the animals.






So sleepy, he fell asleep in his wagon.


Having some swim time in real Texas "pool"...or tank, however you phrase it.




Clinton entered the "Stone Age Costume Contest" at the Alley Oop 75th Anniversary Celebration. If it had truly been judged, we feel we would have had a winner...but the winners were chosen by pulling a name out of a hat. Boo. But still so cute...and how about the dinosaur he is pulling. Mother and I (mostly Mother) made that...oh, a little Chelsea, too.