A Not-So-Happy Halloween

Unfortunately, Porter didn't have the best 1st Halloween experience today. We had a rough night last night with some congestion and a pretty poor night's sleep and this morning he woke up with his first fever of 101.4. I called the doctor right away and she had us come in since it was his first fever. He is super congested and she said his right ear looks a little red and has some fluid, but is not yet infected. She gave him a prescription for antibiotics and will have us start this weekend if his fever doesn't break. We have given him tylenol, which seems to make him feel better, but as soon as it wears off his temperature rises again. I am really hoping and praying that he will sleep well tonight and feel better so we don't have to start the antibiotics! We have also started breathing treatments three times a day.

So, Porter had to miss his first Halloween party this morning! I know it wasn't really for him, but for me! I am sad I didn't get to see the little cuties in their costumes, but I am glad we made the trip to the doctor. I did put him in his little golf outfit since it's still comfy, and the doctor and the nurse LOVED it! They even took pictures of him! He was a champ tonight and is sleeping peacefully now in his swing where he can breathe a lot easier. Hopefully the trick-or-treaters are done for the night and we won't have any more doorbell rings!

We hope tomorrow brings less snot and lower temperatures...

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! Porter will be decked out this year in his spiffy golfer costume...Daddy is so proud! He got dressed up last week for our "Trunk-or-Treat" for our ward, and tomorrow we will attend a Halloween Party for our weekly playgroup! I can't wait to see all the little cuties in their costumes! (There will be pictures!) His outfit was given to us from a few people who love him a lot! Thanks to Auntie Shannon for the awesome golf hat, socks, and snazzy golf shoes - complete with a tassle (the shoes and hat make the outfit for sure!) and to Aunt Krissy for the rockin' pants and cousin Paige for the polo. Aunt Tori found the perfect pint-size golf clubs to make it official. He's a natural!

We went to the pumpkin patch as a family last weekend, and unfortunately Porter was still feeling pretty icky from his shots the day before, so he was a grump! We didn't get good pictures...but ONE turned out pretty cute, so it was worth it!

Look what we learned this morning!

I promise we do clothe him...he had just pooped in his jammies! He is getting SO big SO fast! We love you, noonie!

giggly boy

Just wanted to share a video of our giggly little man! This was about a week ago.

Poor baby

I hate when Porter has to get shots. I hate it and it doesn't get any easier.

Farewell, rice cereal

Well, after ten fun days of feeding Porter rice cereal, we have decided to stop for a few reasons...One being that he has been a little crankier than usual, and paired with a couple of the other things going on, we figured he was trying to tell us something. His *ahem* bowels haven't been right since the third day of cereal. Our faithful at-least-4-a-day pooper became a once-every-two-days pooper, and turned into quite the tooter, too, which is very unusual. I know...poop details on the blog. Wrong, but so true, and quite pertinent in this case if you ask me. I suppose this is baby version of constipation...poor baby! He has also been spitting up exponentially more than he has in the past. Not fun. Developmentally, I know that Porter is ready for food. I studied all the "how do you know if your baby is ready for solids" websites and books, and I feel confident that he is ready. He opens his mouth wide, he can take the food off the spoon with ease, he doesn't spit any of it back out (his bib is clean every time!), and I can just tell how much he LOVES it!!! He cries when it's gone! However, I don't think his little body agreed with the rice cereal, unfortunately. So, now I am on the hunt to find the "perfect" first food for MY baby (I know they aren't all the same!) and I am REALLY surprised at how many differing opinions there are! I am a little embarassed, actually, that I didn't put more thought into this before I shoveled rice into my 4-month-olds accepting lips. In the mean time, back to exclusively breastfeeding, which now he is wanting to do more often, of course. I'm not sure if it's because he is actually hungrier, or if it because since giving him cereal I was breasfeeding him less so my milk production decreased, and now he is just nursing more often to build it back up. This whole experience has been much more stressful than I anticipated! So, if any of you Mommies out there have any experience with the first foods that passed through your tiny one's lips...do tell! I'm on the hunt for good, reliable info that will be the healthiest and best option for Porter...and not necessarily the most popular one!

Prom Pictures

As promised, pictures from our Senior Prom. I think we look more like 12 year olds than Seniors, but Seniors we were! Class of 1999! My dad took these in our livingroom. Ah, memories!

Ten Years!!!

Today is the 10 year anniversary of my first date with my sweetie! Ten years! SOOO much has happened, it almost seems like it has been a lifetime. Craig has been a huge part of my life since I was 16 years old. He is my very best friend and we have been through so much together.

Just a few of the zillion things we have been through together in 10 years:
~Dating
~High school drama (not the class)
~Breaking up
~Dating
~Prom and Homecoming
~Breaking up...you get the idea.
~Going to separate colleges...boo hoo!
~Getting back together...again.
~Making boo hoo cd's for each other, and sending millions of care packages. (I still have every card and momento he ever gave me, and he does too!)
~Road trips between University of Tennessee and Florida State University to visit each other (mostly him making the trips)
~A few awesome football games and Dave Matthews concerts.
~Breaking up...again.
~Listening to each other talk about our other boyfriends/girlfriends...this was awesome ;)
~First jobs out of college
~Craig's conversion to the gospel
~Acting like we were an old married couple (not THAT way!) every time we were together, even though we weren't "together"
~Getting back together when we were "adults"
~Getting engaged...October 1st, 2004. He came fron Tennessee to surprise me in my parent's front yard (in front of the tree where we first kissed!) with candles and a big 'ol diamond! I said YES! and I was SOOO excited to marry my long-time love!
~Getting MARRIED! Woo Hoo!!! September 2nd, 2005.
~Buying our first house
~Best vacation ever to South Africa with his family (and deciding to have a baby when we got back!) March, 2007
~Finding out we were PREGNANT! October 5th, 2007
~Becoming PARENTS! Porter came into our lives on June 10th, 2008! It is crazy to think that if we had married different people our little man wouldn't be here. We are SO thankful for him!!!

I am so blessed to be married to my VERY best friend! (Way better than any girlfriend...sorry, girls!) I wouldn't want to take this journey of life with anyone else! I am looking forward to ten more years, then ten more, and tens and tens and tens after that!

I love you, babe!

I don't have any digital photos of us back in the day, but Craig will take our Senior Prom picture into work on Monday and scan it in. That will give you a good laugh!

Rice cereal

Porter enjoyed his very first taste of rice cereal on Saturday. Daddy did the honors, and he really loved it! We have given it to him about 4 times since then and he is really getting the hang of it quickly. He finishes the bowl every time! He is definitely a growing boy with a hearty appetite!

Yum!

Full tummy + Clean Shirt = Happy Baby!

Four Months Old

I can't, can't, can't believe my baby turned four months old today. Where does the time go? My favorite thing to do lately is watch the slideshow that comes across the computer screen for our screensaver flashing all the pictures of Porter since he was born. I can't believe how much he's grown and how much he's changed in such a short time. He is JUST the sweetest thing ever. Craig and I are really, really enjoying him. He is so playful and smiley now. He loves to put anything and everything in his mouth, especially his lovies, or anything fabric like a blanket or burp cloth. Last night we put a bib on his for the first time and it was like a permanent lovey around his neck and he LOVED it. He is super talkative and loves to say "ooo-ooo-ooo." It is so cute the way his upper lip comes to a little point when he's saying his "ooo's". He LOVES his daddy and gives him the biggest smiles of all. He loves to stand up. He would stand there all day if you let him! He rolled over twice about three days ago. Once for me and once for Craig, but he hasn't done it since. He loves to go for walks and he still loves tummy time, which is great. His little neck is SO strong. Even the doctor commented on how strong he was today. He also loves songs! I sing to him a lot and we both really enjoy it. His favorites are songs where you move his hands like "If you're happy and you know it" and "The wheels on the bus." He also loves "Part of your World" from The Little Mermaid. Don't laugh. It's an awesome song.

Our little moose was 16 lbs. 10.5 oz at his well baby visit today. He is doing well and we have the all-clear to start rice cereal, fruits, and veggies. We will start with the rice and go slowly because Mommy is paranoid! He is in the 80th percentile for his weight and the 75th for height. I also realized today when I was talking with Craig that it is my four-month breastfeeding milestone. He is really proud of me...and I am, too! It has been a great blessing to all of us.

Porter is such a joy in our lives...the biggest and best joy. I know it's cliche, but I really can't remember life before him, and I would never, ever trade what we have now for what we had then. He has brought so much meaning and love and fun onto our lives! I love his month birthday when I can sit and reminisce about what has happened in his tiny little life so far. What a change. It brings tears to my eyes.


He absolutely loved playing with the paper on the table in the office! Oh, the simple joys in life!

That sucks.

Okay, so I just have to share a funny story that happened to my sister yesterday. She was in the drive-thru at the bank making a deposit, and when she tipped the little capsule thingy to send it back, it SUCKED her hand up into it, and she had to YANK it out! She screamed super loud (duh) and a bank teller who was on her break outside heard her and came runnning! Apparently the capsule thingy with her moola got lost for a while, too. My nephew, Bryan, had a doctor's appointment that afternoon, so when she took him she had the doctor check out her hand, etc. He said she pulled and possibly even tore ligaments in her elbow and shoulder. Ouch. That sucks. (Get it....sucks? hee hee hee) Sorry, Tori! Hope you're feeling better soon, and that you have a good lawyer!!!

I have to go to the bank this afternoon, and to be honest I'm a little nervous!

I fixed the missing pictures!

Okay, we were having some difficulties with some of the pictures from our trip (posted below), so I have reposted them so you can actually see them!


This is my favorite little man in front of my favorite little store. The Christmas Tree Shops. I am so sad that we don't have one in Jacksonville, but my I can assure you that my bank account is happy about that. It is the greatest store ever.

This was at my cousin Jenny Ruth's wedding. It was SOO beautiful! Everything was perfect! Jennifer was the prettiest bride. I wish I had a picture, but unfortunately my hands were quite busy with the little man, and I absolutely can't believe it, but I left that night with not one picture of the wedding. So crazy. Here is Uncle Spencer making him smile before the wedding started!

He looooooves his Aunt Tori!

What a handsome little man in his wedding outfit!

Porter meeting his Great-Aunt Judy Davis for the first time. (That's where his middle name comes from!)

My neice Madelyn, my cousin Amber, and my boy Porter.

The cousins! Dylan, Bryan, Madelyn, Porter, and Tyler.

Porter and his Great-Aunt Judy. She is great!!!

Big Boy Carseat

Since we only have 1/2 inch before Porter outgrows his carseat, we figured it was a good time to look for a "big boy" carseat. So off to Babies 'R Us last night to find one. Here is a pic of Porter scoping things out. How does this one feel?

Yes, Mommy and Daddy...I like this one the best!

Let's practice with it on the conveniently located pretend car in the aisle! Nice features and cute colors!

Look how cute he looks! This is the one we brought home.
Welcome to our family, big boy carseat! You will have many years of snapping and unsnapping, many roadtrips, McDonald's fries and goldfish, and lots of naps and washings. Hope you're up for the job!

So many new things!

Porter is growing SOOO fast, and doing so many new and exciting things! Here are a few of the latest and greatest...

He is really grabbing his toys and eating them! Everything he gets his hands on goes straight into his mouth. He started really doing this last week. Yum...toys! He also LOVES his lovey's, and they go straight in his mouth and he sucks on them. Kinda gross, but he loves it!

When he lays on his tummy, he lifts his head SO high! He looks back and forth just like a pro. He loves to look at books. Especially Charlie Monkey! It's his absolute favorite! Thanks Anita!

Our big boy is now in size 3 diapers! We've moved on from Swaddlers to Cruisers, which I picture much older babies in (the baby on the box is like 9 months old, and his best buddy Elliotte is in size 3 and she's 13 months old!)... but not our noonie! They fit him much more comfortably! He was actually in a size 2 for a shorter period than a size 1. What a chunk! I LOOOOOVE his big 'ol thighs. They are so delicious.

This is a new development just in the last couple of days! Every time he lays on his back, he goes RIGHT for those toes, especially when he's naked! He loves it so much! He does it on the floor, in the tub, on the changing table...everywhere! He is so proud of his new talent.


He has also learned to laugh in the last couple of weeks. Not just a one-syllable thing, fully-full-on-official laughing! It is the greatest sound I have ever heard in my life! He still only likes to be ticked sometimes, but when he gets to laughing you just can't help but smile!

He is learning so many things SO quickly...We love our growing boy, but I sure wish time would slow down!

Our trip to Pennsylvania

Last weekend, Porter and I flew up to Maryland and Pennsylvania to see my sister, Tori, and her family, and to attend my cousin's wedding. We had such a fabulous trip! Here are a few million pictures from our trip!

Here is Porter hanging out with Daddy at the airport while we waited to leave. Our flight was delayed over an hour, but we were very happy we realized this before going through security so we could hang out with Craig a little longer before we left! I adore this picture! It was a late night flight, so Porter was all ready to go in his jammies. Do you recognize them? I bought them in every size because I love them so much! They are the same ones he wore home from the hospital (in size preemie and now they are 6-9 months!) and worry not...I have them in PINK, too for future babies!!!

Porter was SUCH a good boy on the plane. He was so happy! All the flight attendants loved him.

Hanging out with Nana and Papa! It was a great bonus that they flew up for the wedding, too!

Alright. My mom is always trying to sneak this boy something to eat, knowing that I would lay a plaid rabbit if anything other than breastmilk crossed his lips at this point. So...just to irritate me, she was taunting my sweet boy with a Diet Pepsi. Look at his lips! I think he really wanted it! Mom, don't you know if I was going to give him Pepsi I would give him the GOOD stuff...not DIET!

Nana's big boy!

This is Nicholas and Zachary, my cousin Paige's cutie little boys. I love Nicholas's pout here! I like to pretend he was really sad to leave me, but in reality I think it had something to do with a toy car. Whatevs. Aren't they precious?!

Aunt Tori and Porter snuggling in her awesome IKEA swing on her front porch. I want one!

There was a LOT of this going on. That boy was kissed soooo much!

These pictures crack me up. Here is Dylan holding Porter...awwww, how cute?

Here is Madelyn holding Porter, and Dylan being cheesy in her picture.

Here is Bryan holding Porter, and Dylan again jumping in at the last minute to show us that gorgeous grin. Notice his mother trying to drag him out of the picture...so funny! Little camera hog! He was in every single picture!

This is my favorite little man in front of my favorite little store. The Christmas Tree Shops. I am so sad that we don't have one in Jacksonville, but my I can assure you that my bank account is happy about that. It is the greatest store ever.

This was at my cousin Jenny Ruth's wedding. It was SOO beautiful! Everything was perfect! Jennifer was the prettiest bride. I wish I had a picture, but unfortunately my hands were quite busy with the little man, and I absolutely can't believe it, but I left that night with not one picture of the wedding. So crazy. Here is Uncle Spencer making him smile before the wedding started!

He looooooves his Aunt Tori!

What a handsome little man in his wedding outfit!