Airport Welcome

Saturday night the whole gang went to the Atlanta airport to welcome home Mom and Vern and the group from Quest church.  They were arriving home from a week-long mission trip to Belize. We knew that we would only get to see them for a few minutes but we had a good time making signs and preparing goody bags for them. 

Brad, the artist, made this good looking sign. 

I, not the artist, made this one while using Mark's sense of humor. 

The picture below is so funny to me because everyone looks grumpy!  We waited for over an hour while the group went through customs.  Chasing Caroline and Kelsey around the airport was quite a challenge.  I'm not even sure where Kelsey is in the picture below!    

We survived the wait and were glad to get to hug Mom and Vern's necks before they got on the bus to head to Augusta.  I was encouraged to see so many young parents on the trip.  Mark and I would like to go on a mission trip in the next few years.  Maybe sometime soon...

Nativity

Last year Grandma and Grandpa Taylor sent us home after Christmas with a Little People Nativity set.  We thought we might decorate for Christmas this past weekend but pulling this out was as far as we got! 

Caroline has really enjoyed playing with it so far.

I just hope she doesn't get any crazy ideas and want her hair to look like this donkey.  Mark and I like to call him "punk rock donkey."  What were the Little People thinking?

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving felt a little bit like this...

crazy, chaos at our home.  Lindsay, Brad and Kelsey joined us along with three other couples and a couple little ones from our Sunday School class.  We were really thankful to have a houseful of loving friends and family with whom we could celebrate the day.  Although, I think it still surprises me what a difference there is in my "normal" yearly traditions now that we have little ones toddling around.  We are now busy feeding babies

and keeping them entertained. 

I was reminded of the importance of traditions and teaching them to Caroline. Of course, they need to be age appropriate but I hope that they will instill in her the meaning of the holidays.  Although I may have felt a little crazy keeping up the activities of the little ones, the meaning of Thanksgiving did not go unnoticed.  I am thankful for our table full of family, friends and food and for the warm home in which we could gather. 

I was especially grateful to have my sister with me.  My Mom has always made "family" a big deal and even more so around the holidays.  While Mom and Vern were in Belize, Mark's parents in Springfield and my Dad and Janet in Ohio, it was a blessing to share Thanksgiving with Lindsay.  I am thankful for my family and for the friends that are increasing our sense of family.  I look forward to more folks at our home next year and maybe a tradition or two so that we can acknowledge the meaning.

Gobble Jog

I think we have a new tradition!  I've always wanted to be the person that got up and ran before the big Thanksgiving meal.  This year Mark, Sarah, and I all participated in the Gobble Jog!  We had been training for the 10k but Mark injured his achilles and took a month off so we ended up doing the 5k. 

The morning started off a little cool and gloomy but it turned out to be a beautiful morning. 

The only problem that I had with the Gobble Jog was that is was really a walk.  The picture below shows the crowd right after the race began and the crowd never thinned out!  Over 8,000 people participated in the race.  Mark weaved in and out of the crowd and was able to run but with the jog stroller it was just too hard!  

We were still really thankful for a fun, active morning.  I definitely want to do it again next year but I hope to be trained for the 10k so we won't have to deal with the masses of people walking the 5k. 

After our little exercise, we thought there would be nothing better than a few Krispy Kremes to round out the morning.  For those of you who know us well, you may think it was Mark's idea but we can actually blame Sarah for all of the calories that we ate back.  :-) 

Caroline and Reagan approved of our decision!

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to Mark!  He turned a whopping 38 in case you were wondering.  We (at least I) had a great day celebrating. 

We started with opening a few presents in the bed.  I didn't have any tissue paper so I used the next best thing...socks to cover up the presents in the bag.  It was a split second decision.  :-) 

Mark was really excited about this present before he even knew what it was.  Thankfully, it did not disappoint.  A new GPS was inside.  I had a little buyers remorse after I got it because he is flying now more than driving.  I'm glad that I did not return it though.  Mark said excitedly, "I didn't think that you would ever buy me present like this!"  I think that transaltes to, "Nicole, step away from the clothing racks and into the world of technology."  What can I say?  I'm trying!

After Mark opened the GPS he calmly told Caroline that it wasn't a toy with which she could play.  She responded with some serious tears!

After present opening we headed to breakfast at our favorite spot, Canvas.   Hello, french toast!  Afterwards, we dropped Caroline off at Lindsay and Brad's and we did some shopping for Mark.  We exchanged some gloves for him at REI and he got fitted for some running shoes at the Big Peach.  I think I have my running partner back!!! 

We picked Caroline up from Brad and Lindsay's and prepared for a quiet afternoon nap but that was not quite how it worked.  Poor Caroline, she has had a runny nose and cough for two weeks, while getting in 4, yes 4 teeth!  She has been happy as can be this whole time...except for the past two days.  She's been a bit more clingy and not sleeping as well and then you add in a little constipation.  YIKES!  She woke up after about 45 minutes crying her eyes out.  We brought her to lay down with us and she was just rolling around the bed in pain.  Sadness!  I began searching for prunes and Mark started some warm bath water.  Poor girl was so hysterical she ended up taking her little blanket in the bath tub with her! 

Mark has become such a great Dad. Sickness, poopy diapers, rights/wrongs that used to hinder him before are no longer a challenge. If a blanket in the tub makes Caroline a bit happier then it's an easy choice. Thankfully, you can see that she perked right up and we've had a little relief tonight. :-)

After Mark's favorite dinner of macaroni and cheese and cornbread (I added some peas so that there would be something nutritious on the plate) we had some cupcakes!  Mark wanted strawberry icing, thus the pink frosting!

For awhile now, we've been telling Caroline that her food is hot and showing her how to blow on it.  Now anytime we say "hot" she starts blowing.  A couple of weeks ago, we were outside together and I commented on how hot it was and she started blowing.  It was so funny!  We encouraged her to blow out the birthday candle tonight and she did pretty good until the end.  

 

The pesky cough got the flame out in the end.

Fun day!

Caroline and I had a great day together.  We visited the GA Aquarium with William and Noelle.  The aquarium was celebrating it's 5th birthday so when we walked in we were given glow in the dark bracelets and cookies!  Although the aquarium employees and volunteers were celebrating, there were not many folks visiting.  We enjoyed a peaceful time walking through the aquarium and checking out all of the fish. 

When we got home, we unloaded the car and it looked like Santa had come a bit early!

Noelle and William graciously shared all of Williams old toys.  We are so thankful for them and their generosity.

Meet Dr. Caroline.

I'm glad that she is getting started on her doctor skills at such a young age.  :-)

Uh-oh

I'm not sure why but I was kind of proud of us Caroline because up to this point she has not used the words, "no" and "uh-oh."  I wasn't keen on her using those words because once they start with those that's all that you hear.  Well, all of that changed a few days ago.  I had heard her say it a few times in the past week but two nights ago when Mark got home and heard it, he loved it and now she is saying it constantly whether the "uh-oh" is purposeful or not.  We're both a little sleepy in this video but she's still cute!

Peace

I think Sophie and Caroline are finally making peace with one another!

Beautiful Day!

Here are a few new pictures of Caroline just because it's a beautiful day and we were playing outside.

She is really into puzzles lately.  Well, mostly the one below. She has figured out where the circle goes and that is always her first piece.  :-)  I've been trying to teach her some of the others.  I think she may be a perfectionist because she always has to get it right before she will pick up another piece.

She loves airplanes like her daddy!

I have decided to dress her the way I wish I could dress...leggings and a little sweater dress. I may not fit into the latest fashion trends but at least I can try with my baby!

In other news, I have to watch her more closely when she squats down, like ine picture below!  Last night after her bath she was running around naked while I got her pj's out.  All of a sudden I look over and she is squatted down and plop out comes a little brown present.  It happened so quickly all I could do was giggle and then go over to clean it up.  I was surprised though because I thought she would try to touch it or check it out.  Thankfully, that was not the case.  She is a still a little one...there is no mystery to the bathroom experiences yet...she just poops whenever/wherever she pleases and moves on to her next task!

The good news is that I still love her to pieces!

Me... Lately

I've been feeling the need to write lately.  I'll find myself taking a deep breath and trying to collect my thoughts or simply hearing a WWII-era radio show in the soundtrack to my brain.  Things around me are changing and growing (Caroline, other good things) and others are dieing (mostly the leaves).  The weather has made it the perfect setting to wrap up in a blanket and get personal, or contemplative, or both.  Caroline has been both challenging and a wonderful spirit of joy and love and excitement. 

I went to the doctor today to check on my heel "injury".  I ran through what I thought was a blister on the back of my right ankle.  I figured I'd finish the last mile and would look at it when I got home.  When I did, nothing looked wrong.  I haven't run in the last two weeks hoping that the pain would go away, but it hasn't.  I can wear slip-on shoes, which is quite fortunate, because that's what I wear for work, but I can't stand the pain when I lace up my tennis shoes or running shoes.  The X-ray today told the doc that there wasn't a small bone spur on my heel.  He suggested that I had strained my Achilles tendon somehow and that it would take some time (and Ibuprofen) for the tendon to quit hurting.  He said to refrain from running for two more weeks.  I don't like this as I'd become rather proud of how I'd been progressing.  I've learned since about the 10% rule that says that in any given week, don't increase your total mileage more than 10%.  I should have also listened to Nicole when she said that I should run every other day.  I'd been doing 4 miles back to back.  That was dumb.

I hope that I get to spend more time with Nicole before I have to leave again (Saturday to Phoenix till Wednesday).  She's taking me to a suprise place on Friday, and I'm excited. 

I guess that when I try to wrap my mind around all that God has laid out before me, I get dizzy.  I need to be more like Caroline, who simply eats what's in front of her without worrying about what she'll have next.  I need to continue to be a willing participant in God's plan for my life instead of trying to be the director.  I have been blessed beyond what I deserve!