Two Years!

My baby will be two tomorrow!
Where has my baby gone? He is so big, he's not a baby anymore.
I praise and thank the LORD for Bob! Life would not be the same without him, I can't even imagine it.
I'm very thankful:
for his cheerful spirit
for his good obedience and patience (for a two year old)

for his contagious giggle
for his butchered words
for his clear words (Daddy!)

for his snuggly hugs
for his kisses that are more and more like real kisses
for his soft, warm feet rubbing my leg when we snuggle

for his adventurous personality
for his goofy dancing

for his soft blonde hair and big brown eyes

for his efforts to be a big boy
for his thumb sucking and belly button fiddling
for his little "thank you"'s

for his "singing" out of the hymnals
for the little mole/freckle on the back of his arm

for his help with chores (he is really good at unloading the dishwasher : ) )
for his love for his little brother (it melts my heart when Bob hugs Tom, or holds his hand)

I have been blessed greatly with this little boy!
I love him very much! He has a chunk of my heart, right next to his daddy and baby brother.

Bob, I pray that you become a great man for the LORD. That you follow his Word. Always honoring your Father, by respecting and obeying your earthly father and authorities, and loving your brothers in Christ. I pray for many more years for you to live for the glorification of the Lord and edification of the brethren. I love you so much son!

Major Adventures!

We have had a number of adventures as a family. Here are just a couple of the big ones:

Marriage, Oct. 2011

Me moving to Missouri, Oct. 2011

General Lee's birth, June 2012

Buying our first home, Dec. 2012

General Stonewall's birth, Feb. 2014

Moving to South Carolina, June 2014

We praise and thank our LORD for his guidance and protection of our family over the past 2 1/2 years! He is all powerful, and all that has happened is part of His perfect plan!

Gender Prediction

A fun part of being pregnant is dreaming about the gender of the baby inside you:

Will you be flooded with bows and dolls, or boots and tractors?

There are many Old Wives Tales that can "predict" the gender of your baby. 
I did about a dozen just for fun. : )

Chinese Calendar: I'm not exactly sure how this works, so I just used a tool on the internet. It has something to do with the age of the mother, the conception date, and the lunar calendar.

Mayan Tale: You add the age of the mother at conception and the year of conception. If it is even, it is a girl; odd and its a boy. 20 + 2013 = 2033

Baking Soda Test: You pee on baking soda. If it fizzes, then it is a boy. No reaction and its a girl. 

Heart Rate: Above 140 its a girl, lower than 140 its a boy. Ours was 141.

Shape of Belly: High and sticks out, its a girl. Low and round, its a boy. I don't have too much of a belly yet, but it is low.

Skin/Acne: If you break out more, then it is a girl. If you stay the same, or clear up, it is a boy. I've been about the same.

Ring Test: There is an episode of LHOP where this test is done. Caroline sees a gypsy, and is told that she will be having a boy based on this test. Well, she ended up having a girl; Baby Grace. Anyways, you hang your wedding ring on a string, and hang it in front of you belly. It it swings back and forth it is a girl, if it swings in a circle it is a boy. The first time I did this, it ring didn't move : D I did it again a few weeks later, and it moved in a circle.

Cravings: If you crave sweet things like fruit then it is a girl. If you crave savory things or protein, then it is a boy. I've mostly been craving chicken sandwiches and fried/mashed potatoes.

Morning Sickness: If you have it, then it is a girl. I had it worse than when I was pregnant with Bob, but not as bad as it gets.

Moodiness: If you are moodier than usual, then it is a girl (because of all the extra hormones, they say). You're usually the same or happier if you are having a boy. Bryant says that I'm about the same as before.

Daddy's Weight: If Daddy gains weight, then it is a girl. If Daddy stays the same or looses weight, then it is a boy. Bryant has stayed the same.

Sleep on Left or Right Side: Sleep on your left side, its a boy. Sleep on your right, its a girl. I like to sleep facing the edge of the bed. So, on my side of the bed I lay on my left side, but I do lay on my right when I'm on Bryant's side.

Ultrasound: Not an old wives tale, just the ultimate predictor... or should I say confirmer. It took the technician some poking, prodding, and patience, but we did get to see that we are having another little General. 

Thomas Jonathan Jackson Cutler

(named after General "Stonewall" Jackson)

Again, this was just for fun. We mostly went by father's intuition : D then were confirmed yesterday with our ultrasound.

Bob is A'movin!

Bob has started to move around the house more rapidly. He does this thing where he lunges, or catapults, himself a little bit at a time. Bryant and I had him do it while taping...

So for your enjoyment...

Well after a few failed attempts, here is the link to the video...


http://youtu.be/phC6VXtt9pw

2012

What a wonderful year! The Lord has blessed us greatly with many things and here are a few:

Bob ~ what a sweetie! We love him so very much!

Joining the Church ~ I am excited to have joined our little body! Even more so since I joined with another Brother and Sister! 

ITP ~ It was a blessing in disguise. We both grew closer to each other and our Lord in that event a few weeks ago. What a great practice in trusting our Sovereign and Omniscient King!

Visiting ~ With my parents and most of our grandparents! It is fun to travel and be visited from those that are far.

New Jobs ~ How thankful we are for Alpha Foundry and the ability to babysit! McDonalds was helpful for its season, too.

New Friends ~ The few families we have met have been so fun! Learning, playing, and just spending time together has been great and profitable!

Our Home ~ The Lord blessed us greatly with a new home to live in and raise our little family!

2012 has been full of blessing, gatherings, and a few trials... growing us in the Lord. May 2013 bring us closer to our God and Savior, and glorifying Him with all of our words and actions!

Five Months

Such a sweet little boy! The LORD has blessed us greatly with a good-natured son! I love him so very much and can no longer imagine life without him. He is so good, he is healthy, usually happy, and just as cute as a button! The LORD is so good and merciful to have given us such a sweet little boy to love and cuddle!

Lord, may we, as parents, gain/have the understanding to lead this little one in Your admonition and truth!

P.S. He absolutely loves his little pig (a.k.a. I love his pig)! Thank you Granny!

One year

 One year ago, yesterday, Bryant and I were married.

Bryant surprised me with a gift basket sitting on the table when he left (and I was still in bed).

He and Brytni put it together when we were at their house on Saturday. 

I spent all day cleaning and making sure that the apartment looked nice for him to come home to. I also opened the basket and rearranged it on the table.

Our supper table

Top layer from our wedding cake
It still tastes good : )

 I pray that we have many more years together, and we do our duties increasingly better with each one.The LORD has blessed us greatly this past year! We are very thankful to him for that! One of the greatest is this big guy. . . 

Cuddling with my Aunties

Aunt Bellhannah
She love to give kisses!

Aunt Brigitta

Aunt Bethany
We like to look at each other

My three little aunts!

Aunt Brytni and Uncle Berean
He likes to give me kisses too!

Aunt Brytni and Grandma

Talking with Auntie Amy
Photo Credit (mom's blog)

~ Bob

Oh! the love for this little boy! I am thankful the Lord blessed us with a large family with many loving arms to cuddle Bob!

Can you believe it?

I can't! 

It has been one year since this:

It has been nine months since this:

And a week since this:

Oh! How the time does fly!

I have enjoyed the time with my husband and our son immensely! 

The Lord has blessed us greatly, and I am thankful!

The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

 All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.

~Psalm 145:8-10

Robert's Shower

This past Saturday was Robert's baby shower!

The shower was hosted by my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. They were very creative and detailed in the whole thing. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I had a great time myself! I am very thankful to them both for putting it all together and making it fun for everyone, including the little girls. I'm also thankful to Sarah for helping them, and me, during the shower. It was a wonderful time!

"That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth"
~Psalm 144:12a

Mmm... Fried chicken and watermelon 

Cake and Haystacks

The Picnic Table

The cute place setting

"Cheese!"

All the guest-decorated onesies

Mrs. Cutler also prepared a devotion on child raising concerning the five inputs:

• Prayer
• Daily Bible Reading
• Friends
• Music
• T.v. or Movies

It was very thought provoking on my part, in helping my husband, in raising Robert. I am very thankful that the Lord has blessed me with mothers that love children, and are more than willing to give me creative, practical examples of how to teach Robert about the Lord, while keeping his mind and body busy and focused. 

"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

~Proverbs 22:6

Thanksgiving Thursday

I am praising and thanking the Lord for His Wonderful Grace and Kindness!

A list of thanksgivings continues:

• My new church family!

Source: Brytni's blog

Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

~ Psalm 149:5

• My old church family!

• My little friends that I miss playing with!

Vida Jo

Sara, Alston, Ragan, and Lauren

Kaytee Beth

• The many "new" technologies that are so very beneficial to us.

• The Lord's healing and protective hand on my father and family!

O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me live, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

~Psalm 30:2-4

• Another week added to my pregnancy! (week 19)

Olive is now about half a foot long, comparable to an heirloom tomato, and weighs about half a pound.

• Anticipation of seeing Olive next week!

• Hearing Olive's tiny heart beating last week!
• An upcoming trip to see my Mom and Dad!! and Amy and Will! :)

• Seeing Granny on the above said trip!
• Arising opportunities for my husband in the workforce! He is just now leaving to go to an interview for a teller position at a bank.