BOY! BOY! BOY! BOY!

It's a BOY! This house is going to be full of MEN!
We went for our ultra sound this past Tuesday. We took Spencer with us and he did really well. He sat in Jake's lap and gave a play by play of everything the Tech was doing. The Tech said, "Well, he doesn't miss a beat."

Jake and I said "BOY" before the technician had a chance to say it. I have yet to see a ultra sound of a girl, but when it's a boy you know it's a boy! The baby's profile looks so similar to Spen's ultra sound pics. So this house is going to be full of men who all look a like! :)
Baby boy #2 rubbed his little head and face and is adorable and loved already.

Unfortunately, they found what's called a choroid plexus cyst. We have very high hopes that it will just disappear as many of the CPC's do. We are praying that it goes away and he is healthy and happy. He will be loved tremendously no matter what. He's already being bombarded by kisses from his big brother.

We had a celebration with balloons and signs for the baby on Wed. night. Spencer loved the balloons and knows that they are for the baby so he kept pushing them up to my belly so the baby could play! So sweet!

Here he is!!! Look at that cute profile!

"READ IT, READ IT!"

Spencer LOVES books and has since he was a tiny baby. We've read every book in our house over a hundred times (well it feels like that). Spencer knows most of them by heart. He'll say several of the words right before we do and he already knows if you try to skip a page! It's funny to watch him pretend to read to us, himself or his dolls. He actually does a good job of it! He gets SO into each story. I hope his love of books continues!

Reading a few of his books before dinner.

Reading with Daddy. Too cute!!

Making sure Mama was as amazed by the book as he was.

It's soooo funny!

Think I need a Hair Cut???

Well Spencer did need a hair cut in a bad way! I had been putting it off for a while because I knew I was going to have to take him to someone to get it done. I've been able to get a few trims here and there, but no luck on me being able to get him to sit for a full fledged hair cut.

I went with great intentions of taking pictures. However, I was being held on to so tight by Spencer there was no way I could have snapped a photo. I knelt down so he could hold on to me and I think I ate half of the hair that was coming off of his head. I should have asked to wear the cape myself. We had to both come home and change our clothes. Anyway...needless to say getting his hair cut by a strange lady coming at him with scissors was NOT his favorite thing. He prefers to be the one in control! It was kinda humorous to listen to him.

Spencer's talk during the episode, "ALL DONE LADY, ALL DONE LADY, ALL DONE LADY!!!" (he said it over and over and over) with his hands out attempting to push her away. "HOLD YOU MAMA, HOLD YOU, KISS IT KISS IT." I hated that he was causing a scene in the beauty salon, but I was glad at least he was using words with tears to complain rather than just screaming.

So now we talk about how handsome he looks with his great new hair cut. I'll ask him what he got done to his hair and he replies, "Hair cut, lady" "Cry!!" Poor child has the best memory of anyone I know so I'm going to have to work hard to make the next hair cutting experience the most amazing thing ever! :)

Here's Spen's new cut. Considering he was pushing and turning and wiggling like crazy she did a great job. He has a double crown, which means if it's too short up top he's always going to have issues with being Alfalfa!!!! I call him that and he rubs the top of his head!!

Thank Yous

Spencer had fun making his Thank you cards. He's very into coloring right now!

Christmas in Mississippi

After Christmas in TN we headed for West Point, MS, to visit my family. Spencer's going to get the idea that Christmas is a two week long gift getting session. We had a great time with my family and were so happy to get to be together. It seemed like forever since we were all in one spot. I'm always amazed at how well Spencer remembers every one's name and knows what couple goes together. He such a genius! :)

We enjoyed our traditional Christmas Eve which includes going to the church service and then to my Aunt Judy's for dinner. There were tons of kids and gifts at Aunt Judy's so Spencer was in heaven. We were very pleased with how he did during the hour long church service too. I was very nervous, but he sat well eating cracker and listening and talking. He loved when we sang and would say "sing song" after everyone was quite. If only we or the choir could have sung the whole time! He saw my parents in the choir and stood up and said "Papa, Bevie, Kiss it" and then blew them kisses. He lasted the entire hour and I was so grateful! This is a pic of our sweet little family in front of the church on Christmas Eve.

Thanks to Uncle Carlisle we have some great pictures of our time in WP. Spencer got so accustomed to Carlisle taking pictures he would often stop and pose. Spencer still talks about Papa's arm, Bevie giving him ice cream, Carlisle and Katie taking him outside and Betsy tickling Santa with him.



Once again Spencer had to cause a little excitement by locking himself in my brothers room. It was funny and scary at the same time. We couldn't get the door unlocked so we decided to take off the door knob. In order to unlock it we needed Spencer's side of the knob to stay intact. But, Mr. Spen took that side off. We told him to put it back and he tried so hard to get it back in the right place. It was funny to watch him through the hole trying so hard to help. Finally, Jake got the door open by using a credit card! Spencer thought it was all great! He enjoyed helping Daddy put the door knob back together.




Bevie convinced me to let her put Spencer's pack-in-play in her room for the entire time we were there. I was a bit nervous about it because like I've said before, Spencer's not a great night sleeper. Bevie, Papa and Spencer did just fine and I got several full nights of sleep! Spen loves getting up in the bed with you when he wakes up in the morning. Bevie and Papa, I hope you don't mind me putting these pics up. I thought they were sweet.



One afternoon after a lunch out I heard Spencer in the back of the car saying, "Papa's arm" I turned around and found him pretending to have an arm like Papa. He's too cute and smart! He came up with that all on his own. Spen is sporting his new jacket his Papa gave him!



We were excited to get to see our cousin, Julia Kate, and her three boys, Bailey, John Douglas and Ethan. The boys all had fun together. Spencer had a blast watching them run wild. We attempted to get a group shot...it was rather difficult. Spencer now talks about them all the time.




We had a fun family filled time! Just the way we like it!!!

Morning Hair!


We had a wonderful time and I enjoyed having so many helping hands with Spencer.
Thanks Bevie and Papa for taking such good care of us all.

Christmas in Tennessee

We flew to Nashville a few days before Christmas to have our Christmas with Jake's family. We had a great time and Spen loved playing with his Oma, Opa and Aunt Kate. He still thinks Opa is "noisy and loud" and loved destroying Opa's great block creations before they were complete! He of course was spoiled with gifts and attention. Like always Spencer keeps things interesting. He fell down a few stairs and got a huge egg right in the middle of his head. It made for beautiful pictures the entire Christmas vacation!!

Thank you Oma and Opa for a great Christmas in Tennesse!

Playing with Opa's Oven mitts and playing outside

with Oma and Opa.

Playing with Aunt Kate and my new Bug!

Notice the yellow head and eye. This was a few days after his fall.

Christmas in Virginia

Santa was kind enough to visit Spencer a few days before Christmas since we were traveling out of town to visit family. Spencer was so much fun to watch this year. He saw all of his toys and almost was out of breath with excitement. He acted like he didn't know what to touch first. Then he saw his "VACUUM"!!! The kid vacuumed for hours. He didn't want to stop to eat because he wanted to keep vacuuming. He loved everything, but notice the block pictures. I think Daddy played with the blocks longer than Spencer. Now Spencer plays and plays with them pretending to build "HAPITALS" (hospitals) just like his Daddy. We had a great start to our very blessed and family filled Christmas.

John Wells Stanley is here

Our great friends, Stephanie and Byron, had their little boy Dec. 23rd. We were so excited he decided to enter the world while we were visiting Nashville. Wells is perfect and is blessed to have such great parents. We can't wait to visit and see how much he's grown.

SNOW

It snowed before we left for Christmas vacation. Spencer and I loved watching it and he enjoyed attempting to catch the snow flakes. The grown was of course to warm for it to stick. We miss Alaska's snow, but I'm very thankful NOT to have to bundle Spencer up for the Alaksa cold every time we head outside.

Christmas Photos

Getting a good picture of Spencer this year for our Christmas card was far from easy. I swear it was making me crazy! If we were outside he wouldn't sit still. I had many pictures of half of his face or either the back of his head. If we were inside he just wanted my camera to try and take photos himself. Luck was on my side the day we were out watching our town parade and he happened to turn - look - and SMILE just as I was snapping the picture. Finally!

I had so much fun dressing him up last year and posing him in all different ways. He was only 3 months then and it was much easier and way more fun to have photo sessions then.

Here is a look at how much he has changed in a year. It's crazy how fast they become little people. He's ALWAYS moving, helpful (at least he thinks he is) and talks constantly. He keeps us laughing!!!!

This is the photo we sent out for last years, 2006, Christmas Card

This is one I took and loved during one of our many fun photo sessions last year. Our Christmas Card for 2007! What a big boy!

Surprise.....New NEWS

Most of you know our new News. Baby number two is due to arrive July 1st!! We were very shocked, but laughed so hard out of excitement (and probably fear) our cheeks hurt!!! I have been in a state of denial. When it's your first pregnancy all you do is think about having your little one. Now I hardly remember how far along I am. My friend Steph often has to remind me!! However, my growing belly is starting to be a "large" reminder of what's really about to happen. We don't yet know if we will be here in VA when this child arrives or if we'll be in a new home some where in a different town and state.

We find out girl or boy on Jan 21st if the little one cooperates. I'm excited to be able to tell Spen if he's going to have a brother or sister.

Here's Spen with his babies...he knows them by name and actually posed for this picture. He sat them in his lap and waited until I got my camera. These dolls were mine when I was growing up. That's why the little girl looks like she could use a day at the beauty shop!
He loves to take care of them, put them to sleep, kiss them and swing them. I think he will be good with his sibling. He's going to be quite bossy but sweet. We just will have to work on the part when he's done playing with the dolls...he tosses them clear across the room!!