Way Behind!

Wow! I can't believe my last entry was from October 15th. So much has happened since then. I think I'll tell you through pictures.

Ben went on his annual golf trip with family and friends, so Hampton and I went to OKC and OSU homecoming again. From the second H got out of bed he was asking to go outside. He would make the sounds of every animal he could think of - cat, dog, cow, horse, elephant, gorilla, monkey, etc.- and ask to go see them. My mom was gracious to let me sleep while she played with Hampton. We had lots of really dirty PJ's when we got home, because he couldn't even wait to change before he started to play.

Here he is playing on the screened in porch watching the dogs.

Sweetie and Pops have lots of fun things to play with at their house...

horses...

Big play toys...

Slides...

Wagons...

Kitty Cats...

Airplane swings...

Little chairs...
Firetrucks...that sound like real ones...

Fun ride toys...

Puppy dogs...

A fancy bathtub...

that has a faucet that looks like a telephone...

push toys...

and fireplace ashes.
But best of all...UD and COUSINS.

We had so much fun! I am so thankful that Hampton has grandparents that love him so much and are able to spoil him just a little bit. We are looking forward to our next trip to Sweetie and Pop's house.

I LOVE FALL

Last week our playgroup went to the Arboretum to play in the pumpkins. It was a BEAUTIFUL day and the kids loved running around. Hampton and Caleb naturally found the water and Hampton ate his lunch in his diaper while his clothes dried on the park bench. These kids and their moms are so precious to us. I am so thankful for good friends and the fall.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

Sweet Friends

They didn't even get wet in the fountain.

The waited until they could splash.

Notice Caleb's new clothes?

The Boys

No Pics Today

When Hampton and I got home from running errands, I made the usual diaper change, took off his socks and shoes and put him down for a nap. He did not sleep at all, but played quietly for well over an hour. When I opened the door to his smiling face, I noticed his jeans on the floor. I asked him, "Did you take off your pants...and your diaper?" He was standing there as proud as could be in nothing but his shirt. Several of my friends have warned me about him discovering how to take off his diaper. They advised me to always put him down for a nap with pants on so that he doesn't have the chance to learn how to take his diaper off. I guess he has figured out how to get his diaper off AND HIS PANTS. Some times he is a bit too smart for his own good. His bare bottom was pretty cute, but pictures on this post will someday be very embarrassing. I love being Hampton's Mommy!!!

HELP!!!

I forgot how I added the music and now I can't get the stupid thing off. It's starting to get annoying since the same song starts everytime. Any suggestions???

Fire Trucks

October is National Fire Prevention month. The Plano fire stations had an open house on Tuesday. Ben was out of town, so I called Jamie and Caleb to come with us. As Hampton was eating dinner, we watched fire truck videos on YouTube. He loved hearing the sirens and cried when I turned it off to leave. He acted like a fire truck all the way to the station.

When we got to the station, the firemen greeted us (we were the only ones there) with cookies. Hampton wanted nothing to do with cookies as soon as he saw the Ladder Truck in the bay. He took off running saying, "woooooo, wooooo." He was in awe! He was so overwhelmed he didn't know what to do with himself. I didn't realize how HUGE those trucks are...or how little Hampton is. The firemen let the boys climb inside and all over the truck. Hampton even let one of the firemen carry him around. They were so kind to the boys. After about 20 minutes, the truck had to go out on a call. That's when we discovered the lawn mower!

He LOVED sitting in the drivers seat. He put both hands on the wheel like he knew exactly what to do.

Hampton was fascinated that he could see his reflection in the huge wheel.

Caleb and Hampton in the front seat

Who know that fire stations had lawn mowers too? Once Hampton spotted the RIDING lawn mower, all he wanted to do was climb.

Hampton made fire truck sounds all the way home. As I was putting him to bed (he actually let me rock him) he would snuggle me, sit up, take his pacifier out of his mouth and say, "woooooo, wooooo." He did this over and over between hugs and kisses until finally he just laid his head on my shoulder...and continued making the fire truck noises. I think he enjoyed the outing :). It was such a special time for Mommy too.

Here is a video taken on our way home from Bible Study on Wednesday with a special shout out to Gran...still working on Sweetie.

So Much FUN!!!

You'll want to pause the music at the bottom of the page so you can hear Hampton.

Boys and Their Toys

One evening last week, Ben mowed the yard. Of course, Hampton wanted to be outside too. He followed Ben all over the yard and really wanted to help push. I wouldn't let him get that close. He loves being outside and loves to imitate his Daddy. The next day Hampton and I went to a consignment sale. He was in the stroller and I was shopping around. All of a sudden he started pointing, signing please and grunting. I looked up and there it was...a completely faded and worn out plastic lawn mower (I think it used to blow bubbles). I let him down and he pushed that thing all over the place. When it was time to leave, I wanted to put him back in the stroller to make things easier on me. Hampton did not want to let go of his lawn mower. I finally convinced him to let go, but he was definitely not going to let it out of his sight. We bought the tired, worn out lawn mower for $2.50. It is his favorite thing in the world. The whole way home, he pointed at it and signed please. When we pulled into the garage, I unloaded him and his new toy. We have started a new routine where I unload him and he knocks on the back door for Ben to let him in. This time, he was especially excited to see Daddy and show him his lawn mower. He pushed it to the door, knocked and entered with his chest up and a huge smile on his face. He was so proud to have a lawnmower like Daddy's. He was so excited he couldn't even take his afternoon nap. Sweet boy!!! That was a week ago and he still doesn't want the thing out of his sight.

It's harder to push in the grass.

Parking beside Daddy

Check This Out!!!

Our yard sale was a success. Aside from the money we made...

LOOK AT THIS

Those of you who have been to our house, probably don't recognize this as our garage. But it is!!! We actually have our bikes hanging and you could probably fit 2 cars in there. We still have some things that have to be stored out there, but we have made major progress!!! Thanks for your help Ben!

This past Saturday we had a yard sale with some of our friends, The Kreusch family. Their son Jack is exactly 1 week younger than Hampton. They have become really good friends and our sale would not have been any fun without them. Thanks so much Jay and Caren for your friendship and fun!!!

First Haircut

I put off cutting Hampton's hair as long as possible. It had gotten pretty shaggy and was really long over his ears. So, Friday I took him to Kids B Kids for his first haircut. When it was finally his turn, he got to sit in a police car and watch Elmo while she cut his hair. As I was strapping him into the car, I asked if she had been unable to cut a child's hair because they wouldn't sit still. She said, "No, because if they are too wiggly, I just give them a sucker." I replied, "Hopefully he will sit still, because we don't do suckers." She sprayed his hair, made 2 cuts and apparently decided he was too wiggly. So she popped a grape sucker in his mouth. It happened so fast that I couldn't stop it. She also took the liberty to spike the front of his hair...just the front. Oh well. He ended up with a cute haircut and a sticky face.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Each morning when I get Hampton out of bed, the first thing he says is, "Dada?" as he points to the door. Yesterday morning when I told him that Daddy was not home because he was working he sat down and burst in to devastated tears. The boy absolutely LOVES his Daddy.

Thank you, Lord for giving my little boy such an amazing Daddy who strives to mirror Christ to Hampton.

Add to the Beauty

I read this recently on the myspace page of Sara Groves. I think it paints a beautiful and exciting picture of our faith. I pray that my son lives a life that adds to the beauty.

God has invited us, as mere human beings, to add to the beauty of his plan and creation. Unbelievable. The Kingdom of God transcends politics and policy, nationality, gender and race. It transcends the way we do church, and makes us a real live body of believers. It gives us the ability to be very different and still bear with one another. It gives us the power to extend the same kind of grace that has been extended to us, and to love each other with a love that never fails. The very real kingdom of God calls out of us, its inhabitants, beautiful art, creative lives, and redemptive work. Adding to the beauty is for all of us: homemakers, businessmen, clergy, car dealers, bowling alley attendants in the everydayness of the kingdom we are invited to be brilliantly beautiful, all of us moons with no light of our own, invited to shine.