Day 26: Sibling Love

Day 25: Disney on Ice

Tonight, we went to see Disney on Ice at the James Brown Arena. Alabama has known we were going since last Thursday and was sooooo excited about it. She would randomly tell me "I'm so excited to go to Disney on Ice!" She wanted to dress up like Tinkerbell (instead of a Minnie outfit like I wanted! ha!) so I bought her a new dress, did her hair like Tink, and even put on some shimmer makeup and green eyeshadow! We went with friends and met them at Chick fil A before the show then picked up Adam. She was still excited when we got there, but when we got in the arena, she wanted to sit with me and didn't talk much. When the show started, it was pretty loud and she didn't like it. Then Minnie and Mickey came out and their car backfired and she started crying and saying I want to go home! I tried to calm her with our $10 bag of cotton candy, but it continued to get worse and worse and when Ursula came out, she lost it! I had to take her out in the lobby and she just kept saying, Please don't take me back in that room! Poor thing! I did get her to stand in the back while I held her so she could watch Tinkerbell but we left before it was over. Adam said we weren't going anywhere else until she was 15! ha!

In other news, Pate went to the Doctor today for his 1 year checkup and he weighed 22 lbs 9 oz (47%) and was 29 1/2 inches (41%) and his head is 18 5/8 inches (76%). He had to get four shots and he was not too happy! She said he is doing good!

Day 24: Pate is One!

Pate you are one year old today! Big birthday boy! We had an uneventful day but are so thankful for your life that God has blessed us with! We went to BSF this morning then ran a few errands went home for a little bit and then went to church tonight. When we got home from church, you opened your gifts from Mama and Daddy and from Alabama. We have you a little wooden train set puzzle and Alabama gave you were Ernie and a baseball from her playroom. She gave you those because she thought you would like them and because she still wanted them and Daddy told her she shouldn't just give something she didn't want anymore because that wasn't a sacrifice. So sweet! You are the sweetest little boy and oh so cute! You look a lot like me when I was a baby! We have the same cheeks and chin for sure! You are so much fun and are always looking for something to get into! You love cars and trucks and tractors. You love to throw balls. You want to ride outside on anything you can with Daddy. You like to sing and dance to music and you pat boths hands on your belly. So funny! Your hair is a hot mess and so long and crazy! You wear size 12 month clothes, size 4 shoe and size 4 diaper. You can sign more, eat, bottle, drive, bye, bath, and blow kisses. You are a full time walker and hardly ever crawl now. You say sounds all the time like "uh" and "buh" but really only say "dada" and "bye" sometimes. Everyone in nursery loves you so much and say what a good, good, baby you are. You like to climb up on everything and stand in chairs, though. Such a daredevil! You like to do flips in my lap. You always want to get down and go, you never sit still long! You will sometimes cuddle with me for a minute and love to attack me and give hugs! ha! You are so funny and love to make silly faces and play funny games! You point at things all the time.You are somewhat of a picky eater. You love to eat yogurt. That's probably your favorite. You will NOT  eat green beans! You like to eat most of the things we eat but if you don't like something you spit it right back out or throw it on the floor. You like to eat the baby food pouches by yourself.  You are only nursing a couple of times a day now and are taking a bottle the rest of the time.
 You love your sister and love to wake her up in the morning. She loves you, too, and is a great big sissy! She is a great helper! She thought that you were going to be so different this morning! When I was waking her up to get ready, I said, remember, it's Pate's birthday! She was so excited and said "I bet he's going to be a big boy now! I bet he can talk!" ha! She was disappointed when she saw you and said, "Mama, he's still a baby!"  hahaha!
I can't believe how much you have grown in this year and I can't believe how fast it went by. It seems like just the other day we were in the cafeteria eating strawberries waiting to check in the hospital to have you! It makes my heart hurt to think about how fast it went by. I'm so thankful for a happy, healthy baby! We love you so much and you bring such joy to our family! We couldn't imagine it without you, PayPay Brown!

Day 23:Sleeping Beauty

A rare daytime nap for Bama!

Day 22: A Visit with Granny

We went to visit my Granny today (we try to go at least once a week) and we had a fun time! I actually got Granny to come outside and sit to watch the kids find acorns. Pate loved picking them up and throwing them. My aunt has 5 or 6 planters that now just have dirt in them on the porch so he had a ball playing in the dirt and throwing it out! He had dirt everywhere! Alabama had Granny be the teacher and call the kids to come inside and then she was the mama to drive them around!

Day 21: 4

Pate has four teeth now! I think the top right tooth came through on Thursday or Friday. He grits his teeth together and makes me crazy! So funny how teeth begin to change his look.

Day 20: babies

On the way to Sparklers practice this morning, Alabama asked Adam if there were some Daddy's who liked to have more babies. He hold her yes I'm sure there are. After a long pause she wistfully said "i wish I had one of those Daddy's!" haha!!!

Day 19: Name

Alabama is doing so great at writing her name and I thought I'd show you a sample! She also wrote Mama and Daddy on the back. She can spell by herself: Alabama, georgia, Thomson, fox, Mama.

Day 18:

We got to go see Anna perform in the Harlem band at the football game tonight. She did great and it was so fun to see everybody at the game. We got to sit right in front of the cheerleaders so Bama loved it! An added bonus was that they were playing Josey: the Sonic Boom of the South! Ha!

Day 17: Daddy or Ryan's?

Alabama told my mama on Tuesday that she couldn't go eat with her on Wednesday because she was going to eat with Daddy after Bible Study because she liked him better! Ha! So after BSF I asked her again and suggested maybe she'd want to go with Mimi since she was about to leave to go to Atlanta so she agreed. When I asked where she wanted to go she of course said Ryan's. I told her no, I don't like Ryan's. She replied, "but you like steak. I was thinking about having steak!" that girl's got an answer for everything. Ha! ( btw: Mimi couldn't go so we ended up w/Daddy after all!)

Day 16: sweet times

I'm going to miss these sweet times with my PayPay as these days of nursing are coming to an end. Love this boy!

Day 15: pillowcase and party

Today we went to eat breakfast at McD with our friends to celebrate Annalise's 4th birthday! Alabama and Pate had a fun time playing! Then I had a pillow saw dress making night at church. About eight ladies came to learn to make dresses and several others came to help see. It was a great success and everyone's dress came out so cute! We are planning to make Christmas stockings and then bow ties next! Here is a new friend Sohailla and her mil with their dresses.

Day 14: serving others

We had a great opportunity to give some encouragement and show thanks to our local fire stations, EMS workers, and police at church on Sunday. We bagged cookies and wrote a note that we attached to each one while the children made giant cards to take to each station. It was a lot if fun! Then we delivered the cookies. Adam and I took them to the Appling sheriffs department and the fire station on Clary cut. I'm so thankful to be a part if such a loving church!

Day 13: farm day

We had quite a busy day on Saturday! Alabama and Pate are so happy to have Adam home on Saturdays! She starts asking about it on Monday! Ha! He cooked breakfast and then I left to take her to Sparklers. When I got back to the house, there were emergency vehicles everywhere! A deer hit a jeep in front of the house and went through the front windshield and out the back windshield! Crazy! We went to pick her up and then went straight to Steeds Dairy. Maxine had two tickets for us so even though we didn't have much time we wanted to go. They had a great time. We went to see the animals, went to the pumpkin patch, Watched them milk a cow, went down the big slide, jumped on the jumping pillow, rode the train, got her face painted, and played on the wooden trucks and castle! It was a great time! We had to leave to get home and get ready to go to the marriage conference we had at church that afternoon. It was very good and glad it all went smoothly and everyone had a great time. Then, on the way home Adam got pulled over to ask if he'd been drinking. Fun times. Ha.

Day 12

Friday we set up for the marriage conference at the church then joined our friends for lunch at CFA. Thankful for great friends and a great church!

Day 11: Princess play

When Alabama is playing princesses, she says they are going to the "ball game" but she means the "ball" like a dance! Haha! I took this picture of her playing and notice Pate coming to destroy her set up of ring around the roses! Ha!

Day 10: He's Everywhere!

Have I mentioned Pate is into everything? Well, he is!

Day 9: school days

We are learning about farms this week and will be going to visit Steeds Dairy Farm on Saturday. So today we learned about dairy farms and made butter! Here is Alabama taking her turn shaking! It's really easy--just add some heavy whipping cream to a glass jar, screw on the top and shake! When it forms to almost a solid, add some salt and enjoy!!!

Day 8: Temper Tantrums

You have never seen a temper tantrm until you have seen one from Pate Smelts! Nothing Alabama has ever done even compares to this boy! ha! Every single day when Adam gets home, or tonight, when Pate woke up and discovered Adam was home, he wants to go outside with him and ride the golf cart that Adam is working on. He waves his arms like he's driving and points towards the door and says "Uh" and gets so excited. If you don't get him out there right away, he goes crazy! He will scream and cry and roll around on the floor flinging himself every which way. I've got to get it on video. There is nothing you can do to calm him except get the boy on something that moves! How can he be so so so opinionated at 11 months? How can he love things that go so much at 11 months? I don't understand it! As soon as you head for the door he's all smiles. :) Tonight, the tire was flat on the golf cart, so Adam had to ride him around on the tractor. I think we have a problem on our hands! (This picture was actually taken on Labor Day and I think he has been in love with the tractor since then!)

Day 7: Sunday Funday!

We had a great Sunday this weekend. I worked in the nursery at church because there were several out if town this weekend. We had a fun class in the 1s with only three there. After church we met my sister Audra at Cracker Barrel to eat and that's where I took these pics of my sweet ones. I love them so much! Alabama didn't feel good or maybe has been tired lately but she's just been whiny and wanted to sit in my lap the entire time. We went to look for a couple things at Academy after lunch (which they didn't have) but I did find a Duck Dynasty shirt! Yay! Both babies fell asleep on the way home and slept until it was time to go back to church and then all the way to church! Ha! After the evening service we went to Shane's with the Pritchard's which is always a fun time!

Day 6: Little Mama

Ooops! I got a few days behind but I'm catching up today! Alabama thinks she is such a little mama to Pate. She tells him things like: "Pate, Mama told you to get down 3 times" when he falls off a chair. (Have a little compassion, girl! ha!) or Sunday, when he woke up he had a booger. She would not let it go that he didn't want her to get it off his nose for him. She kept saying, "Hold still, Pate. I'm getting this booger for you. Just a minute." I was laughing so hard and Adam was jut shaking his head. I looked over and she had him in a head lock getting it out! hahaha! Adam said, "This is what you've got to look forward to, Pate."

Day 5: Sleepover

Alabama is spending the night at her Grandmas for the first time tonight! She was so excited and wanted to stay! I am just hoping we don't have to make a trip back to Augusta to pick her up! When we left she was eating a PB&J and had plans for ice cream layer. Ha!

Day 4: Party at the Park!

We spent the day at home today cleaning out Alabama's closet that is also where the gift wrap/bags are stored. Love that feeling of accomplishment when utter chaos is transformed! Tonight, Alabama had a birthday party to go to so we left Pate at home with Adam and went to the park! She was glad to get to go because she's had a stomach bug the past few days but thankfully it's gone! Here's a picture of Alabama with the birthday girl and another friend in her class at church. So thankful for our wonderful friends to share life with!

Day 3: Pate the Walker

Pate has been walking so much!!! He took his first steps a few weeks ago and has been walking more and more lately. Right now he still crawls more than he walks but I know it won't be long. Here is a picture of him walking and using Alabama's baton as a cane! Ha!

Day 2: It's Fall Y'all!

It's Day 2 of my 31 Day Series: Everyday Moments! Today I put out our fall decorations! It's my favorite season and I've been so looking forward to getting out all the pumpkins! Here are a few pictures of our home all ready for fall. Alabama wanted to make sure I took a picture of her kitchen so it's here, too!

31 Days of Everyday Moments

I'm joining in with The Nester to write about a topic for the 31 days of October. Since my blog is to capture our family memories, and sometimes I don't do a very good job of that, I thought it would be great to be purposeful in writing about our memories...everyday! So my series will be called 31 Days of Everyday Moments. Some days it may be a funny quote from Alabama, or some days it may be a fun time we had together, or a first for Pate. I'm excited and can't wait to see what October holds for us!

We were riding to Aiken on Saturday to pick up a birthday present for my Mama (long story!) and I said, "I'm hungry." Alabama quickly responded, "Me, too, girl!" ha!