Barnes meets Miss Tennessee

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, Barnes got to meet Miss Tennessee on the fourth of July. We asked if he and Gavin could have their picture made with her and she kindly agreed! She was singing the national anthem at the fireworks display we attended.

Here is the photo, not sure why it scanned so small!

Miss Tennessee 2010 Nicole Jordan

First Movie Memories

Barnes went to his first movie at the theater today! We went to see Toy Story 3 with his friends Gavin and Matthew. We got popcorn, lemonade and fruit snacks before we sat down and he thought the box all the snacks came in was super cool.

I must admit, I was a little nervous before going to the movie because I didn't know if he would sit through the entire thing or get bored. Through the movie, the boys all were ooo'ing and ahhhh'ing at different parts. They were so good. Barnes sat in his chair almost the entire movie, except for a few minutes. He was such a big boy, eating popcorn and drinking his lemonade. I had such a great time just watching his sweet little face during certain scenes.

I remember my first movie. I went to see The Fox and the Hound in 1981 with my mom, aunt and cousins. I was about Barnes' age. I remember thinking how special it was. Hopefully Barnes will remember the first time he went to a movie with his Mommy and smile one day too.

Buzz Light Year is so cool! Gavin, Barnes and Matthew My sweet boy Mommy and Barnes

He's and AR-teest!

So tonight in the bathtub we were coloring with the bathtub crayons that Nana got Barnes for his birthday. Usually he just scribbles away and never puts much thought into it.

Tonight, after he finished his work, he declared to me (without my ever asking) that the purple at the bottom of the tub was a horse and the orange to the right was a doggie.

This is the first time he's ever told me what any of his drawings were. I'm impressed! He has an eye for art. I'm pretty sure Summer 2010 will be his abstract phase judging by his current works.

Two year olds are so fun! Its always an adventure and they constantly surprise.

Barnes and his artwork!

And moving on to an unrelated topic~

I've been thinking all day how the last two years have been the best of my life and part of me feels immensely guilty (by having another baby) that I'm changing the dynamic that Barnes and I have. Each day is an adventure and we can go and do and are so independent at this point. I know having a new baby will change all of this to an extent and we will have to be on a strict feeding/sleeping schedule for the first time in a long time. The other part of me says that Brad and I are giving him such a gift of a sibling. A gift I never had and always longed for. I've been trying to make the most of every minute of this summer and enjoy all that Barnes is. Good things are to come, but I also know a chapter is coming to an end too and its a little heartbreaking.

I'm so blessed that God gave him to me 25 months ago. What a gift these months have been just the two of us everyday (and of course Daddy too when hes home!)

Thanks for reading and I'm sorry for the mushiness tonight. Must be the prego hormones. :)

Love to all!

A Day To Remember

Today we did something special. Something unlike the fun, light-hearted things we usually do.

Today we went and remembered those who came before us. We went and picked up my 85 year old, great-aunt Ruth. She is my paternal grandfather's sister. She also married my paternal grandmother's brother. So my father (and his siblings) and all their cousins (Aunt Ruth and Uncle Lawson's children) were double first cousins! Does that even make sense?

Aunt Ruth is a great woman. The kind of woman who has seen adversity in her life but also enjoyed much joy and love. The kind of woman who loves God and will share her testimony with any stranger on the street. The kind of woman that would take you fishing instead of shopping. Or take you to look at a tractor or a piece of property she was thinking of buying if you were with her on a random afternoon. She told me stories about how she and Uncle Lawson and my grandparents had a double wedding and what fun they had together.

She told me how her family (my grandfather was a baby and she wasn't even born) went to Arkansas in a covered wagon in 1921 as land prospectors. While they lived there (just over two years) three of their siblings drowned in one day in the White river and my great-grandmother demanded they move home to Tennessee and she never crossed the Arkansas state line again. Not even to visit their graves.

We went to Koko, TN and visited the graves of my grandparents and then drove back to the cemetery in Jackson where my daddy is buried. As I look at the picture of my sweet Barnes beside the grave of my father it makes my heart ache. I know daddy would have loved Barnes with all his heart and would have spoiled him rotten. I'm saddened most by the other side of it. That Barnes will never know daddy and never get to do the fun grandaddy things other kids get to do. In my world, that meant... riding the tractor with him, tromping cotton, having a pony and bottle feeding baby calves. I hope I can tell Barnes about him one day and that he might understand a small part of who he was and how much he would have loved him.

Enjoy the time you have with those you love.

With Aunt Ruth at Daddy's grave
Barnes at his great-grandparent's graves

Even the cemetery was kind of fun to Barnes!

Summer Fun!

We had a fun weekend on the fourth of July! We are thankful for our country and enjoyed celebrating the day! Barnes played in the water all day and watched fireworks after dark. I bet he said, "WHOOOAAA!," at least 500 times during the fireworks show! He even got to have his picture made with the newly crowned, Miss Tennessee! Photo to follow... I don't have it just yet!

Barnes loves being on the water and is fearless! He had fun with his friends, Gavin, Nolan and Brody on Saturday! After a long day outside, they needed a shower in the outdoor shower... What a cute shot I was able to capture! They are going to LOVE it in about 10 years! Barnes is to the far left...

Jumping on the trampoline with daddy

Boy bottoms!