Our life has been Busy with a capital B since Maddox came to greet us. He is a sweet, charming boy, with a smile that melts hearts. Well, ok, my heart…but when I see his face light up, I know hearts will soon be melting!! He is starting to show a little personality, but so far he is a chill baby who just loves to cuddle. We went to Disney a few weeks ago and since we were all in one hotel room, if he started to cry at night I would toss him in bed with Tim & I…let’s just say Mom loved having her snuggle bug next to her side. And he sure didn’t complain!

He is close to sitting on his own and I promise you, I think he will skip crawling and go straight to walking. He loves to stand on his legs and stretch them out; he is really strong!

Thanks again to all of our family and friends who continue to support and encourage us. It has been a tough transition back to work for me, trying to juggle both boys while staying excellent in my craft, so thanks for those who have listened and leant a helping hand. Here are some pics of Maddox!!

Maddox when he was born - I still love these photos

Jett and Maddox for the first time

around 1 month old...look at all the hair

approx 3 months old

5 months old

1st Georgia game

seriously look at that smile

On his 6 month Birthday last Friday

Hope you are doing well!

Jett: “My tummy hurts, must take Tylenol”

Mom: “Oh baby, you will be ok, let me kiss it and make it better” (I kissed his sweet belly)

Jett: “My arm! My arm! hurts!”

Mom: “OK baby, I will kiss it too”

Jett: “My tummy!”

Mom: “Jett, Jesus can make your tummy feel better, want to pray and ask him to make it feel better?”

Jett: “Yes”

Mom: “Dear Jesus, please come and make Jett’s tummy feel all better, so he can get some rest. Amen”

He then asked me to sing “Jesus loves” (Jesus loves me) so we sang that, I kissed him and left the room, and eventually he fell asleep.

This morning, I was changing his diaper, and I randomly thought about his tummy ache…

Mom: “Baby how does your tummy feel?”

Jett: “Jesus made it feel all better” (in that sweet 2 year old voice that is so heart melting)

I wanted to tear up, but went on…

Mom: “Jett, did you know that Jesus is your best friend and is always there for you? He is a great guy!”

I finished up, put on his new Buzz Lightyear shirt (a big hit at school), and brought him downstairs and as only moms can do, spoke demonstratively to Tim saying “Daddy guess what! Jett’s tummy feels all better!!” And Jett responded and said it again – “Jesus made my tummy better!!”

Then I asked – “What did I tell you about Jesus?”

Jett: “He’s Great Guy!!”

So crazy to me what their little minds absorb. I totally underestimate Jett. i am seriously grateful as I often pray that he will have a deep sense of God at a young age; and always know that he is loved by him. At least Jett already knows Jesus is a “great guy”!!

I have often felt that I struggle when I’m out and about feeling connected to other people. But now that I’m a mom, it doesn’t matter where I am, I always seek out other women with kids and feel a natural tendency to start a conversation with them. It is not like me at all to talk to virtual strangers; but I feel a new and natural kinship with Mom’s everywhere; so it’s easier for me to leap out of my comfort zone and say “hey” to these ladies. Especially when I’m traveling for work, I seem to find the moms with babies working their way through the airport; and I have a ton of compassion for them and try to help them when I can.

I can’t 100% explain it in words how this feels. Ultimately, I think it’s because I’m seeing others who have experienced similar emotions that I have had; and that deep down, Mom’s have this unquenchable fire to want the best for their kids and would fight for them through all things. I call it the “momma bear” tendency – there is no end to what I would do to fight for my boys – and even though we express it differently, I believe at the core of all Mom’s, each one of us has that desire. And it is a deep, complicated and rich emotion – so I think that is the tie that binds us.

Additionally, there have been so many wonderful Mom friends who have reached out to me since I had my boys. Women I barely knew helped and gave advice, and even friends from long ago reached out to help, support and cheer me on along this journey. I love that kinship.

This has just been a really cool feeling personally, to feel connected with people in this manner. Excuse my lack of vocabulary on the word “cool” — but I know that other mom’s understand that sometimes words just do not come to us anymore because our brain is so full!

That has just been in my mind lately. Would love to know what others think about this.

And I can’t blog without showin some pics of my boys…

We have been eating pizza, shopping for the boys, site seeing, and even got to hear Coldplay at Lollapalooza. Pretty sweet. Chicago is amazing – so beautiful and all around wonderful – especially when it is 80 degrees and sunny in the summer!

We do miss the kids though – we had a lull iin our day yesterday and it was apparent that we wanted them to be there to hang with us and make us laugh. They are both at such fun ages right now – Maddox is “chatting” away, and Jett is just learning so many new things it is mind boggling.

Here are a few photos…

Happy

Beautiful

Chunk

Smile

Hope you are doing well!

Jett I definitely warming up to his baby bro, and he’s starting to ask for him and want him to be with us. After we got through the 1st 8-10 weeks, Jett is a lot less jealous. Thank God!!

It is still uncanny to me that you can see traits of a child within the 1st 24-48 hours of their birth that are true to who they are. Maddox came out wiggling and was much more active then Jett right away – and true to form, he is already rolling over – much earlier then Jett. Also, in the 1st few weeks of his life, often times I could calm him by having him lay on his stomach either in my chest or on the floor. Well now that he can roll over, we find him asleep on his stomach every morning in his basinet!!

Here are some of my favorite photos from the past few months… Starting from day one!!

Thx to United Airlines delaying & ultimately canceling my flight, there was no way I was going to make it to the show in time. I spent 9 hours in the Chicago airport. So I flew to Chattanooga to meet tim & the gang for my moms birthday weekend. (I was going to fly here tomorrow).

So bummed to miss the trip and waste a day. Ugh it was boring and felt so pointless. Wish I could figure out the purpose of today!

Wow it’s hot

You can totally hear everything from the lawn at centennial park. Note to self for next time a cool concert comes to Vandy

Walking into Vandy stadium and I remember that there is nothing that compares to SEC football… Only 65 days till kickoff

If anyone wanted to rid Music City of the music business, they could take most of us out on one shot tonight

Body Odor. 40,000+ people in 90 degree heat.

I love Danny and Casey, our U2 buddies. 3rd U2 show for us!!

All those thoughts are before the show started. Now the crowd is doing what big crowds know how to do… The wave.

Such a rock star entrance. Even Better Then the Real Thing.

I can’t believe this much beautiful noise comes out of just 4 players.

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For…loved hearing the crowd singalong.

I love that the stage is a character in this show.

These songs are so timeless. They transcend. I wish I knew how they did it… But that is why they are so brilliant.

I’d also like to meet the genius who came up with the video screen that stretches. So rad.

Only true rockstars can wear long sleeves or leather in this heat. Period.

I can’t believe Bono gave that random fan his guitar!! What a spectacular way to end the show. Wow. Fans first. How Bono achieves a sense of humility in front of so many fans is admirable.

Ending the night in the McDonalds drive thru. Am I back in high school??

A Mother’s Prayer for her Child

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, may she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, that she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back. “My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.”

-Tina Fey

I am so sad; I am going to miss him. But I know that he is going to a great place – we love our daycare – and he will be in the same classroom that Jett was in and with the same caretakers – and we know how much they love and spoil Jett, so Maddox will be in capable hands.

But it is another transition, and it is sad. I am excited to head back to work; but conflicted because I am going to miss my little baby. He is a special guy who is growing up so fast…here are two recent photos that we love…

Be praying for us!!