The fastest 6 weeks ever

Today I had my 6-week follow up doctor's appointment, and I'm cleared to go back to life as normal - as if I have any idea what is "normal" anymore :)

It was quite an experience to go to the doctor with Mark in tow... praying the whole time that he would stay happy and quiet. Of course he slept, all the way to the waiting room. Once I was taken to the exam room, he started getting fussy and I started getting nervous. I paced the exam room with him, trying to help him stay happy, waiting for the doctor to arrive. He tapped the door, I put Mark back in the car seat, and I held my breath. And? Nothing. All smiles. The appointment was fast and as soon as the doctor was out of the room, Mark was making happy noises and smiling, and I was so relieved! He did cry during the car ride home but since the doctors' office had moved 5 minutes down the street from us, I didn't mind that crying nearly as much.

A friend gave birth this week to a beautiful baby girl, who weighed in at 9 lbs and 11 oz. I stood there holding my son, looking at him, and I couldn't get over how tiny she looked and I couldn't believe that Mark had been even smaller than that just a few weeks ago!

There's no shortage of people who will tell you that time just flies, that you'll blink and your kids will be graduating from high school. And I can totally see that is true, and not even in the emotional and sentimental point of view - which its true there too of course. Its true in the sense that my life has suddenly turned into a world of getting to the next feeding, or until the next nap, maybe through the night, or until I can finally take a shower. Every night I collapse into bed more tired than I ever been and before I know it, a week is over and I have no idea what I have done all week long!

Well that's basically it for today. I'm hoping to post more often with little stories and updates but don't worry, I know that in order for it to be worth it for you all I have to post a picture :)

So... here's a little photo I took on my phone of Mark hanging out in the baby papasan chair that he's borrowing from his cousin Andrew! Isn't he just PRECIOUS?? :)

Mommy and Son

So I was told to put some pictures of Ali and Mark on the blog. So here are some quick shots I took yesterday.







Enjoy!

Rack!!

July 18, 2008 -

August 18, 2008 -


And of course a few others for your enjoyment... ok so maybe just my enjoyment but indulge me :) This is the outfit we brought him home from the hospital in, and so we thought it would be fun to see him in this same outfit again! Here are some of the cute faces we see during the day...




Here's one taken special for Papa Waters... we're training him young to assume "the position" :)

Here he is, being a great sport, but a little burnt out on the photo session...

Look who's 1 month old!

And... my absolute favorite :)

Last photo op with Grandma and Grandpa

Here are some photos we took the morning that Grandma and Grandpa headed back out. We tried to get photos of Mark in this outfit with Grandpa when they first arrived, but Mark screamed his head off instead. So this is take two... and the better of the two photo shoots :)

Three Week Birthday

Last Friday while Grandma and Grandpa were here, we went out to dinner with John Mark, Connie & John Joseph Wade at the Firehouse - to get together with friends, and to celebrate Mark's 3 week birthday/first dinner outing and Dennis & Linda's 38th wedding anniversary. Here he is on Connie's lap, barely awake from his nap... what you can't see is that his little khaki shorts are on backwards. We noticed the little sewed-shut fly on his behind later in the evening...


Then, we tried to get his photo with Grandma in front of the firetruck, but he was not enthused...

Look what Grandma & Grandpa brought...

Mark is officially prepared for football season! :)


Grandma and Grandpa Gibbons bought him this Bears outfit, which is awesome. (He will have a Steelers outfit as well in the near future, I promise!)

Here he is with Dad, with Grandma, and then with Grandma and Grandpa both...






More photos to come from their visit - they're just on the other camera and we're having problems with the card reader. Check back in a day or so! :)

Priceless...

"Me & Dad"


More photos to come :)

Grandma & Grandpa Gibbons are here!

Grandma & Grandpa Gibbons are visiting this week, and Mark is enjoying his time with them - awake and asleep!

He's been having daily naps with Grandpa -


And baths with Grandma -


They brought all kinds of books, clothes and baby gear - more photos to come! :)

Mark's Magazine Debut

Guess who's on the cover of Thrive?
Check out http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Thrive.php

Real copies to follow soon! :)

First Sunday Out

Accidental Experiement with Caffeine

Today we went to Starbucks after our short, tax-free shopping trip to Target. Accidentally I was given a coffee that was not decaf. Not realizing how much of a difference it would make, I drank it anyway, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. I came home, and promptly fed my son. Immediately following our own dinner, I realize that he is wide awake. While he's so cute and I'm glad you all can see him looking so alert, I'm starting to wonder when the caffeine is going to wear off. Here he is laying in Dad's lap, and this video is looking down at him from Dad's viewpoint. Pardon our laughing and whispering, and note the point in which the camera angle changes and Mark follows the camera and stares right into it :)

Afterward, I take over the camera to capture what I'm seeing from my perspective next to the boys on the couch. Its a much shorter video but super cute as well!

Mark's Starbucks Outing

Awesome gifts...

So, we have the best friends and family in the world :) Since Mark's arrival just 2 weeks ago, he has received some pretty special gifts from family and friends of ours from out of town.

Here's a picture of a few things, and it includes -
1) An awesome handmade scrapbook from Aunt Sharon, where each page is a month of Mark's first year and we just insert a photo or two and ta-DA!! Its amazing.
2) Three - count 'em, THREE - of the Willow Tree statues from Neil and Diane. They are the 'Angel of Mine', 'New Dad,' and 'New Life.' Just beautiful!
3) A very cool, custom-made wooden alphabet block for our little boy! It has a big "D" on one side, then on another, his full name, another side has all of the details of his birth including time, weight, etc, another side saying Johnson City, TN, and then the last side stating that it was a special gift from our friends Shane & Samantha Oakleaf. Definitely one of the most unique things we've gotten and its so cool!
4) A special gift for when Mark is a little bit bigger - but we got an absolute kick out of it! Amber & Chad sent him a T-shirt that says "Lock Up Your Daughters" and a pair of black converse shoes. We love them!


You guys are the best!! Thank you :)