Documenting Life: Week 18, Opening Presents on Christmas

Drake had a GREAT second Christmas! It was so different from last year! Last year at this time, Drake was just learning to walk, talk, and wasn't too interested in gifts or Christmas. This year, he understood what Christmas was, loved saying "Merry Christmas" to everyone, had to let us know when he saw Christmas lights, and loved opening gifts!! His wonderful family and friends were so sweet to bless him with lots of new toys, clothes, etc!! We are all so blessed to have wonderful family and friends in our lives that we can spend this time of year with!

Documenting Life Challenge, Week 17: Picture of the Whole Family

This week's challenge was a picture of all three of us! This came at a great time, because we just had our picture taken in our Christmas outfits this last Sunday!! Drake LOVED his corduroy jacket, that he didn't take it off ALL morning!!! He looked SO cute! :)

Documenting Life: Week 16, Your Child's Room

When Michael and I found out we were having a boy, it was very obvious what theme his room would be decorated in! :) Michael, my dad, brother, and a lot of our family are hunters, so we wanted to create a lodge, hunting type feel to his room. Michael even searched for the "perfect" print of camo for the bedding! We are still changing things and want to do some changes in his room soon. He just got a new toddler bed with a Ducks Unlimited emblem on the headboard! We LOVE it!!!

Happy 23 months!!!!

Watching the OU/OSU game with daddy!!

You were SO excited to sit in the living room with daddy to watch the big game!!!

Watching the Christmas train!

Everyone who came to the Christmas Train with Drake!!!

Watching for the train with Poppa!

Had to get a picture with CoCo!

Nana, and grandma came with us to the Christmas train!

With mommy and daddy at the Christmas Train!

Fixing to go ride on daddy and Poppa's four-wheeler!!

Playing on mommy's piano!

Your bandage from where you hurt your finger

Eating breakfast!!! Just being silly!!

Happy 23 months Drake!!!!

I have to admit that I have tears in my eyes as I'm writing this!!! This is your last monthly blog before you turn TWO!!!! Yes, two years have FLOWN by already!!! I cannot believe how fast it is going!!! As much fun as we're having, it's going way too fast!!!

This month has been quite the month!! You are starting to not only put sentences together, but almost carry on a normal conversation!! :) You love choosing things, like colors, clothes, food, etc. You also LOVE to find things that are red, green, and even blue because you love naming the colors! When driving in the car, you love to point out things such as the birds, towers, tractors, hay, and LOTS more!!! Mommy and daddy are always having to look around to see what you are pointing at! :)

We celebrated Thanksgiving this month, and you really enjoyed it! We went to Gigi and Poppa's house and ate lunch. You only lasted about 30 minutes of lunch, then were ready for a nap!! After a good nap, Poppa, Daddy, and you went on a four-wheeler ride!! You loved playing on the four-wheelers! After a fun afternoon, we headed to Nana's house for a yummy dinner, and play time with Nana's puppy, Maxwell, and playing with Nana's Christmas trees!

We also had a BIG scare this month!!! When mommy and you were walking in to church on November 13th, the wind was blowing very, very hard. You love to hold mommy's hand and walk into church, but when you came into the door of the church, you turned around to point to something, and the wind caught the door, and slammed down on your ring finger on your right hand. You immediately started crying and mommy took you to the nursery to see how bad it was. Thankfully daddy came very quickly and we got in Poppa's truck and rushed you to the emergency room. The nurses and Dr. Robison were very, very nice and fixed your finger. You did have to have surgery, and 13 stitches. But, you did amazing and were such a strong and brave little boy!!! It is still healing and we have to keep a band-aide on it at all times. But, you have adjusted very well, and don't seem to mind the band-aide at all.

You also changed babysitters this month. Mrs. Pam decided not to watch kids anymore, which was a blessing in disquise, because you were able to go to Mrs. Kara's house!! Mrs. Kara is so, so nice, and just loves you so much!! You are also able to see Hadley Jo everyday and you love that!! Mommy and Daddy are SO happy that Jesus brought Mrs. Kara to you and to us!! She is definitely a blessing to our lives!!

After Thanksgiving, we visited the Christmas Train at Dry Gulch!! You LOVED the train!!! We rode the train, rode the carousel, the pony's, the elf train, and even had cookies!!! You could have sat and watched the train all night!!

This next month will be filled with lots of Christmas activities!! We can't wait to spend your second Christmas with you!!! And, then start planning your birthday party!!!

Mommy and Daddy love you SO, SO much!!! We are having SO much fun watching you grow up and become a sweet, handsome little man!! We can't wait to see what this next month holds and we are so blessed that we get to be your parents!!!

Love you to the moon and back!!!

Mommy and Daddy!

Documenting Life Challenge, Week 15 - A Typical Breakfast

Drake usually LOVES breakfast!! On a normal day, he will eat and eat!! He loves pancakes, eggs, bananas, cereal, oranges, sausage, bucuits, and sometimes mommy will treat him to a donut!! :)

Documenting Life Challenge - Week 14: Decorating the Christmas tree

I have to admit, I was a little nervous about putting up the tree with Drake this year!! He is so interested in everything and notices even the littlest change in house, but he did great!!! He spent the day with Nana while mommy and daddy put up the tree, then when he came home, he was SO excited to see "my tree" he kept saying, and "lights on!!" I'm excited to set up his tree in his room also, I think he will love it!! For this year, I just decided to go on the safe side with decorations, so the tree isn't as decorated as it normally is, but nonetheless, Drake loves it, and that's all that matters! :)

For more information on the Documenting Life Challenge, please visit: www.jennycollierphotography.com

Documenting Life Challenge - Week 13: Giving Thanks!

This week was Thanksgiving!! This is Drake's 2nd Thanksgiving!! Last year, he was only 10 months old, so didn't really know what was going on, and I'm sure slept through most of it! :) But, this year, he was able to enjoy all of it! :) We go to my parents house every year for lunch (Drake's Gigi and Poppa's house), then go to Michael's mom's house for dinner (Drake's nana's house). We enjoyed amazing food ALL day, and were so thankful for all of our family!!

Drake LOVES to pray before dinner! We pray before each meal, and he loves to either hold our hands or put his hands together to pray! His favorite part of the prayer is saying "AMEN" at the end!! Then he usually laughs! :) I'm so thankful that he is learning to pray at such a young age!

Documenting Life Challenge: Week 12 - Bath Time

Normally Drake LOVES bath time, although he doesn't like to sit in the bathtub, which makes me nervous!! We recently got new bath markers, and he loves to make pictures on the side of the bathtub! But, every since Drake had his accident with his finger, we haven't had bath time! Bath time has consisted of trying to keep his finger dry while we do sponge baths!! So, once we get back to bath time, I will add pictures on here!

*Finally got some pictures of Drake in the bath!! :) Although, he still doesn't like sitting in the bath!!!

Documenting Life: Week 11 - Favorite Article of Clothing

This was a hard week for me!! Drake is VERY easy to please when it comes to clothing! He will wear anything I pick out for him!! And, I LOVE picking out his clothes, and plan on picking them out until he doesn't let me anymore! :) But, one thing that he does like is his pj's! He would stay in them all day if I would let him!! :) And, I think they are just absolutely adorable!! :)

Be sure and visit Jenny's blog for more information on the Documenting Life Challenge! www.jennycollierphotography.com

Happy 22 Months!!

Drake and his friends at Halloween!

Drake and his buddy Myles

Drake LOVED playing on these blow up horses at the pumpkin patch!!! Daddy and Poppa Mike loved them too! :)

Drake the Pirate!!

Drake,

22 Months!! WOW!! I can't believe it's already time to start planning your second birthday!! Seems like I just got finished planning your first birthday!! We are having SO much fun watching you grow!! You amaze us everyday!! You are still learning new words and talking more and more each day! Now, not only are you saying just words, but now you are saying phrases, and multiple words for what you want. When you grunt or make a noise and point towards something, we tell you to "use your words," since you know how to ask for what you want. It's SO nice that you are talking now and we can communicate with you better!

This month has been a lot of fun, and very busy, as usual. We celebrated Halloween, and you had such a fun time being a cute pirate. We visited First Baptist Fall festival, then attended our Trunk-0r-Treat at our church Sunday evening, then went trick-or-treating to some houses in our neighborhood. You also had a fun Halloween party at Mrs. Pammie's house. Mommy fixed you some really cute treat bags to take to all your friends!

We also visited the Pumpkin patch with mommy, daddy, Gigi, Poppa Mike, and Nana. You loved watching the tractors and picking your very own pumpkin. It was a beautiful day, and perfect for pumpkin picking!

Your favorite songs right now are "Jesus Loves Me," which you want mommy to sing to you every night before you go to bed, and "We have Overcome," by Joel Olsteen, which is one of the praise and worship songs we sing at church. Your favorite word in that song is "Hallelujah" - which is SO cute to hear you say! :)

Your favorite book right now is the Bible. You and daddy read a story out of your children's Bible every night. You like to bring it to daddy and pick out a story for him to read. Then, daddy, mommy, and you say a prayer before going to bed. You help in the prayer by saying "amen" at the end of the prayer.

You have been doing really good sleeping in your big toddler bed. You had a couple weeks where you would get up multiple times before finally going to sleep, but lately, you have been going to sleep as soon as we put you in bed! Mommy and daddy thank you for that! :)

I can't wait for our upcoming Holidays!! You were just a little baby last year and didn't really realize what was going on, but his year you will have SO much fun!! :)

You are the most amazing little 22 month old I have ever known!! You melt our hearts daily, and challenge daddy and I to be the best parents to you!! The Lord has blessed us beyond words when he gave you to us!!

Remember always: You are kind, you are smart, you are important, and you are a child of the King!!!

I love you,

Mommy