To the park we went...

Lawson's class at the CLC had Park Day today, and I was able to take off from work a few hours to help his teachers and get to hang out with my favorite 3 year old. We went to Avent's park in Oxford, and the kids had a blast! It was pretty warm so the adults stayed in the shade for the most part. Here are a few pictures from today.

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What a great party!

We had Liam's first birthday party today, and it was perfect! He had a blast, and I enjoyed getting to see many friends anf family that I haven't seen in a while. I can't believe my sweet baby boy is a year old already! Here are a few snapshots from my phone of the big day!

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Happy FIRST Birthday Liam Asher Fortner!

I cannot believe that is has been 1 year since I gave birth to my second sweet baby boy! Liam Asher was born at 7:05 AM on May 27, 2010, and our lives have been changed since. He is such a gentle soul and loves to snuggle. I have enjoyed watching you grow up this first year of life and look forward to many more wonderful years sweet Liam!

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Just a few of their favorite things.

Lawson and Liam are sweet as pie these days! The days are always interesting with them around. Lawson is 3 1/1 going on 15 and still loves to be outside playing soccer! He could live outside if I'd let him, and I am learning that Liam is the same way! Lawson is a very smart little boy, and he never ceases to amaze me with his memory. For instance, just tonight I was reading a book to him before bed, and I was attemping to skip a word or two to finish quicker since of course it was an hour past his bedtime (as usual), but every time I tried to leave out a word, he was very quick to remind me that I left out words, and he usually knew which words it was. He is a daddy's boy these days but loves for me to read him books before bed. He loves his baby brother very much, but the past few weeks he has been extra jealous and attention seeking. I am assuming it is because Liam has been shown extra attention since he's started walking. He has really done well adjusting to having to share attention with his brother this past year.
Lawson's absolute favorites for now:
•Kicking his soccer ball
•Riding his bike and scooter
•Playing outside
•Eating anything sweet with lots of sugar
•Running/jumping/skipping/bouncing/any other energetic movements
•Stalling trying to keep from having to go to bed

Liam Asher will be one year old in less than 3 days! Where has the time gone? I know you'd think since he is my second child I would understand how fast time goes by, but it really seems like the first year has gone by so much quicker the second time around! Not the case. I have been planning his 1st birthday partt for months now, and I cannot believe the big day is this weekend. Liam is just the sweetest baby ever, and I love seeing how his eyes light up when Lawson is around! Liam is really starting to develope a personality much like his big brothers so I am sure Andy and I will have our hands full in the next few years! He is starting to imitate more sounds and can say "mama", "dada", "die die" for diaper, "nigh nigh" for night night, and "bah bah" for bottle. He is taking his sippy cup well but continues to have a bottle at bedtime. He would prefer to drink from a big cup like mommy and daddy but just makes a huge mess. He is so much easier than Lawson has ever been when it comes to going to bed and sleeping. He has been sleeping through the night for most of his life and will sleep until 7:30. We couldn't ask for a better baby!
Liam's list of favorites:
•WALKING (he started about 3 weeks ago and hasn't stopped since)
•Bath time
•Playing anything Lawson is playing
•Brush his teeth
•Pulling Lawson's hair
•His blanky at bedtime
•Eating
•Being outside

I love these two boys more than life itself!!!

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"Fruit-ah-thee-loohs"

Lawson loves wearing his Fruit of the Loom underwear aka whitey-tighties! He has really cute Mini Boden underoos, but he wants to be just like his Charlie so he wants them every night. He points to the words at the top and says "look Mommy, it says fruit-ah-thee-looh!" It's the cutest thing! Here's a cutie patootie picture of Lawson and his cousin Jace rocking their fruit-ah-thee-loohs!

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Just another manic Monday!

I LOVE Mondays since it's my day off, and I LOVE even more to get to spend the day with my sweet chirrens! Today was no exception, but Liam has not felt well and was very clingy and cried whenever I put him down. Lawson did not want to share the attention and was also fussy and not so nice to his brother. Of course I wasn't allowed to nap since Lawson would not nap when Liam did. The pictures below are proof that even when fussy and wild, my boys are the sweetest things I know! This being said I look forward to bedtime so this tired momma can rest in peace and quiet!

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Rotten to the core!

The CLC at North Oxford Baptist Church held their annual end of the year program and graduation today. Lawson's class did a great job! He was an apple if you can't tell. I really enjoyed watching all the sweet kiddos!

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Fortner family garden 2011!

This is our first annual garden, and I am so excited with our progress thus far! We have tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, green beans, black eyed peas, and watermelons. Everything is growing and thriving. It makes me feel good to come home from work everyday to see how my plants have grown. We didn't make it very big this year since it was our first go at it, but next year we'll probably grow more seeing how good everything is growing in our soil. Our only concern is that the deer will have a feast on our veggies, but never fear Mr. Scare E. Crow has been hired to keep watch over our loot! I will keep you updated on our crop as it grows, and we begin to pick it.

posted from Bloggeroid

Bloggeroid

I installed the blogger app for my phone today so I am giving it a test run.
My mother, my two aunts, and two cousins went to eat lunch at Handy Andy for Frances' birthday and mother's day. It was a much needed girls day! The afternoon was topped off with a MUCH overdue nap! Tomorrow is Mother's Day and also Liam Asher's baby dedication at church so I look forward to a great day with my 3 favorite guys!

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Got Faith?

He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.   Matthew 8:26

I felt it very necessary for me to include the above verse in this post as God showed us in a very real way 1 week ago today that we should always have faith that HE will get us through every situation and to never be afraid.  The southearn portion of Lafayette county (which is where we live) experienced something that has never (to my knowledge) happened here...a F3 tornado hit leaving in it's path horrible destruction.  Our home was spared, and we are very blessed to still have a roof over our heads.  The tornado hit on nearly every side of our home within about a 1/2 to 1 mile radius.  Andy and I were both working, and I was in the hallway at work when everything was happening.  The weather reports kept mentioning south Lafayette, CR 369, and the 7/9 intersection which just about pinpoints our house.  My boys were at home with their granny who only lives about 3 miles from our house so I was more scared than I have ever been in my entire life because I was so worried about my babies knowing that the tornado was heading toward them.  God kept telling me to calm down, and He gave me a sense of peace that I will never understand...but only after some serious praying.  God reminded me that day that He is always in control, and He will never foresake His children.  I have never in my short 26 years of life had a tornado hit so close to home so I have been eerily changed, but most of all I have been reminded that God takes care of His children when they seek Him first.  Fortunately Lafayette county did not have any fatalities, but other parts of MS and AL were not so lucky.  I am praying for these families that have lost homes and loved ones daily, and I know that my God will reveal himself to them and show them just as He showed me that He loves unconditionally and will never foresake you.  Below are pictures from our community that was hit hardest.