Other Studly Links:

Recipe Box: My "on the go" resource to all my favorite recipes!

www.msrbdudley.blogspot.com

The Kids and Their Stories: A way to archive our children's adventures.

www.msksdudley.blogspot.com

Our second son, Eli, has a major heart defect known as Tricuspid atresia. Basically he is missing the right side (blue blood side) of his heart.

Here is a link to his blog, which has a lot of information on him and his congenital heart defect.

www.elihasheart.blogspot.com

Bama in a Photo nut-shell

Here are a few photos of our Alabama-Get-A-Way January Trip

Isaac and I went with my mother during one of her "Miss Annie's Educational Adventures" programs. 

Namely, Penguins&Polar Bears. 

Here, check out her web site: www.missannie.com

My mom is hot stuff. Love her to death, 

along with every other K thru 3rd grade child in the Birmingham Area!

Isaac enjoying a granola bar. 

We had so much fun being outside! 

Most of the days were 45 thru 60 degrees, and Grammie and Gramps have a trampoline! 

Which I grew up with... I am surprised it still stands. A few springs are missing, and no guard pad, the way it should be. 

Isaac discovered the "woods," or just trees. 

He loved walking around in the brush and chasing after my parents' dog. 

Eli also had tons 'o fun. Lots of baths in the kitchen sink while dinner was being prepared. 

(Our sink is too shallow for this fun.) 

Look how chunky he is! Well, just 21 lbs... but that is huge for a heart baby.  

And I grew and grew and grew to 17 weeks!

Baby has started kicking and wiggling. 

This is me freaking out about the reality of this pregnancy: 

"I am really going to have a baby! What in the world?!"

Matt and I had a lot of fun... eating! 

We went to: 

• DreamLand (bbq)
• Full Moon (bbq and wonderful carrot cake)
• Zaxby's (fried chicken)
  
• Chick-Fil-A (fried chicken and really great chocolate milk shakes)

We also visited the Vulcan Park, Matt's first time and mine since 4 years of age. We pretty much freaked out when we got to the top! It a lot higher than we anticipated. Still, really cool. Oddly, we don't have any pictures of this adventure. Check out Birmingham's Statue--the largest Statue ever cast in the United States! www.visitvulcan.com

Oh... Our plant lives! It lives! Sing praises! 

Just took a few days for the water to kick in, and some time by the window. 

It still looks a bit pathetic because a lot of its leaves(?) have died. 

But I am so happy it has come back.  

Our Vacation Casualty

We are back from Bama! But not whole.

Sadly our only plant has taken a serious hit from lack of watering. 

2 weeks of Christmas in Boise + 4 weeks in Alabama in January+ me not remembering to water when home = one sad plant 

Sad Plant

Action Figure Hand, 

which Isaac threw there when a year and a half old! 

I love it, so I cannot move it. 

I blame Matt for this sadness! 

Well, I forgot to tell him to water... so... maybe not his fault?

I love this plant. It has stuck with me and my not-so-green-thumb for the past... um... three years?

I love green. And I seriously miss trees and happy green grasses and woods. This plant was my one connection to my past green life--as in when I lived in Alabama. Now, its no fern (for the life of me I cannot keep those alive out here!) but it is the closest thing I got.

To be honest, I am no fan of the geography of the Inter-Mountain West.  Culturally and socially I have really enjoyed being here, and there would be no other place I would rather live right now... but I could use some trees! Real ones. That grow BIG and can hold my weight when I climb!

 Dogwood trees and happy green moss with a huge old Magnolia tree, pretty much my heaven... 

This is why I decorate our home in Spring Happiness all year round! 

So sad plant, I pray that you will live and be happy. 

 

Morning Time with the Boys

Matt likes to take pictures. He really likes to take picture. 

No, I don't think you understand: Matt really, really, really likes to take picture... 

...And boy, I am sure glad he does! 

9 Months Old!

Alright Mr. Eli, here is your 9 month old post!

This past month you:

• Had your very first Christmas
• Went on your first plan ride, to Alabama
• Got your first two teeth--finally!--both bottom
• Started eating toast and other table foods
• Started sleeping, almost always, on your tummy
• Went to the Emergency Room on your mommy's birthday, because you were showing signs of heart failure... but instead had a tummy virus. Scared us to death! It was just a five hour visit, and full recovery in 2 days.

You love to eat... almost anything. Which includes black-eyed peas and turnip greens. You are now very much a "Mama's Boy," but do enjoy Daddy's company. Especially when he brings out the guitar. Isaac loves to take baths with you, but would rather have you not mess with his books. Sleeping through the night is pretty consistent, along with two naps a day... Hooray! You are so happy and quick to smile, and many say you look like the "Gerber Baby." We love how chunky you are, and cannot wait to see you grow even more!

A Hard Day's Night

This pregnancy has been a breeze (comparatively speaking)... until Sunday! Agh! What is up? 15 weeks hits and I am floored with nausia, all through the day and all through the night. Take last night: I woke up at 1am and felt so sick I could not get back to sleep. Finally I run to the bathroom at 4, empty my stomach and crawl back to bed. I get 30 minutes of rest before I must make another midnight run to empty my tummy. It was truley A Hard Day's Night. Happily Eli did not wake up during the night and slept in till 7am, and Isaac did not get up till 7:30am. Also, Eli took a great nap this morning so while Isaac had his time with Sesame Street I was able to rest on the couch.

Oh, and Isaac has his shirt tucked into his underwear! Goodness, he brings a smile to my face.

Has this happened to anybody else? I've had the my gallbladder removed, so know its not that. I have no fever and I don't feel "sick." I just feel pregnancy sick! Maybe its just for this week.

On a happy note, I am in Alabama visiting my fam for the whole month of Janurary. 60 degrees, baby! Matt flies in tomorrow... which equals happy me, and extra hands with the boys. A couple of cousins are coming up from Florida on Friday to visit, too cool. I have met up with two old friends, and had a wonderful time being an adult. And I have eaten at Chick-Fil-A and Zaxby's, yummy!

Eli's 9 month post is coming, I just don't have any pictures! No fear, Matt is bringing them with the laptop on the flight tomorrow.