Give Thanks!

My dad said a blessing this Thanksgiving from the movie "Places in the Heart."  He prefaced his blessing with how thankful we are that we have a holiday like Thanksgiving to just stop and flat out, give thanks!  We have so much to be thankful for and busy days often get in the way of stopping to just thank the Lord for all of our many many blessings.  This Thanksgiving was especially special with Sam.  We had so much fun visiting with family.  Lewis, Sam, Kate and I did our fair share of traveling in order to visit with our family that we are so thankful for.  Wednesday we all got to Wilson (Sam got to Wilson earlier than his mom and dad in order to hit up his Granddad's work Thanksgiving lunch), then Thursday lunch at NaNa's in Wilson, then off to Chapel Hill for dinner.  Then Friday morning to Morehead where we spent the weekend.  Sam did awesome on the trips.  He is getting much better at traveling.. thank goodness!  So after lots of traveling, visiting, eating, and playing we got back to Wilmington Sunday.  We had a great time celebrating this holiday where we make time to give thanks!!

My aunt Wendy's delicious cranberry granola scrumptiousness. 

 “Make us thankful for your generous bounty and unceasing love

Help us to remember in these hard times to be grateful for what we have been given,

not to ask for what we cannot have,

make us mindful of those less fortunate than us as we sit at this table with all of thy bounty.

Places in the Heart, Tri Star Pictures, 1984

New camera

Cameras and pictures take on a whole new meaning when you have a child. Lewis and I decided to get a new one for each other for an early Christmas present. I am loving this thing. I am trying to learn all of the "advanced settings" but I have a ways to go.  I can't wait to get some good pics over the holidays.  Here are a few of my favs so far.  

"Dang, how did you find me up here mom"

sam LOVES his play mat

this one might be our Christmas card picture. :)

Vivvy is here!!

"Can't wait to meet my Dad!!"

Congratulations Matt and Steph!! She is beautiful!!  Vivian Louise Cox (love her name!!) was born Novemember 12th at 9:40 am.  5 lbs, 12 oz and 17 inches.  Basically, perfect!  Matt is currently deployed but by the grace of God he is going to be able to come home and hold his baby girl!  SUCH A BLESSING!! I cannot wait for Matt, steph, and Vivvy to be together and enjoy this absolute miracle.  Sam is so pumped to have a baby cousin!  It is so amazing that they are so close in age.  We are going to have so much fun watching these two grow up together.  We love ya'll so much and can't wait to see you SOON!!

2 months! (halloween & home photo sesh)

I cannot believe Sam is two months!! it is crazy how fast the time is flying.  I especially can't believe I go back to work in 2 weeks!  ughhh... I know it will be good for me but right now, I am dreading it.  We are just now starting to get into a little routine.  It is still not all that predictable but I can usually expect Sam to eat, play, then sleep.  Sam has really taken a big interest in his mobile.  We had an old 1970s crank mobile on his crib and once we saw his love for that thing it didn't take us 1 day to realize we needed a battery powered mobile with a remote!  I don't think he likes the new one quite as much as the vintage humpty dumpty, but he does like that it plays for 10 minutes and we don't have to disturb him to restart.  Simply push the catepillar's stomach and you have another 10 minutes of pure joy.  :)  He has also really started to like his snuggily soft blankets and little holdie things.  He holds them up to his face and nuzzles into them with heavy eyes.  It melts me heart to see him do this.  It is so sweet.  Now I know why babies get so many of these soft blankets and "holdies." 

I have survived 2 months of this craziness...

 

is this why mom always calls me pumpkin? 

First Halloween!  Sam had a great first halloween!  We went to Lewis' office for the proud poppa to show him off.  All the ladies were so excited to see Sam.  Sam and I then made our maiden voyage to Harris Teeter.  He did great and gave me just enough time to purchase a very random frozen box of mini corn dogs for the neighborhood get together.  I didn't claim the corn dogs that made my house smell like the state fair after 18 minutes in the oven.  Sam snoozed right through the neighborhood halloween gathering so he went as the cliche pumpkin that every newborn has to be if born around halloween.  We had plans for sam to go as Sambo in his camo but I wasn't about to wake him up to get dressed. 

 Olan mills in the house! I have been trying so hard to get a good picture for an announcement.  These are my favs from our photo session so be on the look out for an announcement in the near future.  My goal is to get it done before I go back to work..ugh..