Almost September already...

I think the best idea is just to start into this blog as if it hasn't actually been about 85 days since we last blogged. No one noticed, right? Not like anyone has been busy...
I'm guessing your family is a lot like ours: one minute you're enjoying spring flowers and looking forward to summer, and the next thing you know school is back in session and the mornings are getting cool again. Well that certainly happened for us again this year. There's been all kinds of things to talk about...trips with family, lots of studying, stressful jobs, Reece pooping in the potty, etc., etc., etc.
The best thing would probably be to just let the pictures do the talking.... (and these aren't all...we need to post some from Davis family vacation, and several other things later)

We're alive and blogging...

Life has been crazy, but we know we aren't the only ones who can say that. I am making time, to maybe not write as much as I should, but I will post a number of pictures. Since I am finally getting a post up, quit sending me hate mail! :) Actually, I love that so many of you keep up on our family and appreciate you following the drama of our life. Thank you for caring and cheering us on. We are blessed to have such great family and friends.


Reece will turn 18 months tomorrow. Wow, where has the time gone? He is a fast moving, Mickey Mouse loving, giggling big boy. He started attending the Children's Center with me yesterday and loved it. He was so worn out that he slept for 4 hours afterwards. He has continued to be such a joy, even with the addition of the whining stage (ugh, this is like fingernails on a chalk board to me). We go to the doctor on Friday for a well visit so watch and see what our newest stats will be and I will post some more of his latest antics. In the meantime, Joe has been studying for his month away at school and I have been working a lot more than I thought I would be. I have been putting in hours on multiple projects, enjoying the work and challenges but finding myself working long days and nights and still trying to find time to enjoy moments with Joe and Reece. I will catch you up more very soon.

To Grandma's House we went...

Last weekend we headed south and stayed at Great Granny D's house, Joe's Grandma. It is always a treat to see her. Not only does she make the most amazing food - the best corn bread, potatoes, baked chicken, peach cobbler, biscuits and gravy, eggs, oh my I am hungry again... but she also makes us feel right at home.

Grandma also tends to always give Reece whatever treats he wants and then gives him a few more when Joe and I aren't looking. :) Is that a grandma and great grandma given right- is there a contract that you sign somewhere once you have grandkids that no matter what you will spoil, spoil some more, and then come back and add a little more spoiling? Anyway, Reece loved it. He loved the ice cream that Granny D gave him and then the two of them had a great time hysterically laughing as she tried to feed him with a 'flying' spoon. Thanks Grandma Davis for a wonderful time.

Baseball and friends...

After a morning of being not so stellar, I was really worried about taking Reece out to the Ravens ballgame. Especially since it looked like rain and could quickly turn chilly. What a worrisome mom I am. Reece absolutely loved being outside among friends, family and even better - ballpark food! The weather stayed perfect and as you can see, Reece found a new girlfriend. I have posted pictures of Bella and Reece before, but this is a keeper. Not be left out, Sam was there and it is always so much fun to see how well Reece and Sam get along. They are old pals who seem to know each other so well. What a gift that is. Speaking of gifts. Joe and I both caught up with friends from college. I was able to sit and relax with my girls (as we laughed at the little ones). I cannot tell you who the Ravens played or what the score of the game was, but I can tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed the entire evening!

Yay - outside pictures! We're so glad to be able to get out and about around the neighborhood with Reece. We kind of forgot that last time it was nice enough to be outside he wasn't really old enough to walk yet - so he's literally never walked outside before last week. Which kind of explains why he can't get enough of walking around the neighborhood now. We've spent some time in the back yard watching daddy move around mud and dirt, and lots of time circling the neighborhood in the stroller and in the Radio Flyer wagon that Nana got Reece for his birthday.


Other events of the past two weeks include an all-day party at Paul and Janelle's with all five kids and three stressed moms, several Reece tantrums, trips to work with Mom, and blowing chunks all over the car seat on the way to Lowe's. All in all a relatively tame couple of weeks. Hopefully you enjoy some of these random shots.

Knock, Knock...

Who's there - you ask... Well, let's just say that if you want the short story, then I was knocking and Reece was locking me out. Yes, Reece has learned how to open, shut and lock our doors. And to top off his feat - we didn't have any keys to open the door. However, he is out and fine.

Now, if you want the longer and always dramatic side of the story - then I'll do my best in telling it: Reece and I were at home playing in his room, I gathered up his dirty clothes and headed out the door asking him to follow me. Typically, I can count on hearing his laugh and steps right behind as I flow into the next room. However this time I heard the laugh followed by the door shutting and a click. I didn't even have time to place the laundry basket down before Reece had locked the door. My heart start pounding, Joe and I had just discussed the fact that we couldn't find the keys to any of the doors and how Reece was opening them more and more on his own --- we really were going to go and get child proof door knobs to prevent him from locking himself in somewhere. My stomach was literally in my throat, luckily Reece was in his room and not in the dark bathroom or laundry room where he so often likes to hide. I immediately looked for a paperclip, coat hanger and a screw driver. Anything that might help me in this nightmare. Our door knobs are the kind with a small hole that need a skinny long key - so I way keeping an eye out for anything that might fit. I also ran my hand over every door frame again just in case we had missed that key we thought we hid long ago..nothing. My heart is still pounding hard and fast at this time, but I can hear laughter coming from the bedroom (at least he has toys to keep him busy)the paperclip isn't working, okay I am now calling a neighbor to see if they have a key, the coat hanger isn't working.. Ugh, my stomach is going to come out of my throat... The neighbor doesn't have a key... That's it, I am taking the door handle off... Okay, it is coming off - wait Reece is trying to take the door knob off on the other side - no don't do that ( and is that his pajama drawer that I can see now spread all over his room as I look through the little space in the door knob, ugh!)... Okay, deep breath, think. think. think (now I am quoting a Winnie the Pooh cartoon -- Lisa concentrate)... Get another screwdriver and drive the hole again... I run down to the junk drawer - and HALLELUJAH I have found a key (where was this earlier)... I run back upstairs (literally tripping up the stairs) and YES it worked! Reece is out! Wait, Reece doesn't seem to care as much as I do. Oh well, at least now I won't have to get sick! And why is it that now I find 5, yes 5 keys in the junk drawer -- I know those weren't there earlier. Welcome to our crazy world!

And time goes by...

He has RISEN indeed! I hope that everyone enjoyed and truly set aside time to reflect upon the meaning of this glorious weekend. Don't let it end, continue to seek His love and truth.

The last we wrote we were heading to Boston for my (grandmother) Nannie's funeral. It was a beautiful ceremony and wonderful to be with our Baldwin side family. Right before we left, we got a scare as Reece was crying for hours and after a rush to the doctor's office we found out that he had ear infections. Luckily we got him on antibiotics and started praying for peaceful travels. Prayers were answered. Reece was AMAZING, as always (I am his mom and this is my blog, so I will brag often and enthusiastically). He was so good and quiet on the plane both to and from, was great while we stayed in a hotel, slept wonderful at night, even sat quietly during the funeral service, and had an overall great attitude the entire trip. Reece did demonstrate his first signs of jealousy during the trip ---- my dad was playing with Reece and then pick up my cousin's little boy and when Reece turned around and saw dad holding Nolan, man was he mad. Reece's face and stance just froze, then he scrunched up his nose and just stared at my dad. It was so funny. He quickly forgot his jealousy though when he made a couple of new friends shortly after the funeral - Molly the dog and Max, Callie, and Cleo the cats. We stayed a couple of nights with Aunt Sharon and Uncle Robert and their kids, the aforementioned pets. Reece loved having Molly chase him around the house and the two of them played so well together. They even developed a secret language and used it to share their food (I was seriously grossed out when I caught Reece allowing Molly to lick his food and then Reece would proceed with eating it... ugh).

Once we got back to Indy we were all drained from the travels and had to take a few days to truly recuperate. However, now we are hitting everything full force. Joe is reading, writing and hitting the books again. I have taken on another project that is going to eat up a lot of my time in the evenings. Reece is chatting all the time (still sounds Chinese more than actual words, but using sign language a lot), can climb up and down stairs, can climb off couches and beds, loves to tackle Joe, can drink from a big boy cup, and we had to get a new car seat due to size - he is now weighing over 31 pounds and we will go Wednesday for even more updated stats.

Today, we went to Easter Service with my parents over on the west side of town. I think it was the first time in years that my entire family actually went to service together. It was nice have everyone there. Afterwards we had dinner and then did an egg hunt with Grant and Reece. I really didn't think that Reece would have any interest in the hunt except to throw the first egg he found. Well, we had three rooms - a Grant room, a Reece room, and a combined room. While Grant was hunting in his egg room, we took Reece into his room to see if he would want to 'hunt'. To our surprise, Reece picked up the basket and went right to work. He would laugh every time he found an egg, and while yes he did throw an egg or two, he had so much fun searching and finding the hidden treasures. He did such a great job looking behind chairs and in plants and behind doors. I was very impressed! I was even more impressed with Grant, this 4 year-old came and helped his baby cousin and was a saint about it. While they were searching in their combined room Grant would steer Reece in the direction of some of the eggs and then if he thought that Reece wouldn't find it himself - Grant would get it, show it to Reece and then put it in Reece's basket for him. They were SO cute together. Of course, Grant kept wanting to hug his younger cousin and protect him, and all the while Reece just wanted to tackle Grant --- guess I better get use to watching football games. :)

Reece is really in a fun stage right now, I know that I will probably say this about every stage we go through; but I love how he actually understands what Joe and I are telling him and will shake his head yes or no in response and then do something to demonstrate that he really does understand what we are saying. I love when he runs to me with his arms wide open and gives me the biggest hug and then a sloppy wet kiss (yes, I thought I would always hate those wet kisses, but I truly adore them). And best of all, I love his laughs ---- there is nothing, nothing better than his laughs. They are so sweet and innocent... and even cuter when he squints his eyes and wrinkles his nose. Can you tell that we adore this kid?

Cuts, Shades and Goodbyes...

Again - the one thing I didn't truly believe from all of you with wisdom of a toddler, was the sickness that either you or your little one may have for during a number of months. Reece was so healthy for the first year, and I swear, since January someone in this household has been sick every week (typically Reece). This past week it was me - ugh, I caught the dreaded strep throat monster who has been ransacking all the schools, businesses and homes in the area. IT was horrible! God was amazing as always, and protected Joe as he needed to be in Terre Haute for classes and Reece escaped healthy (except for a little yeast infection).

We took Reece to get a professional hair cut. Yes, I said professional. Joe and I enjoy cutting Reece's hair, yet we figured the poor boy deserved to have someone who knows what they are actually doing to clean it up and give it shape. But really, what kid would prefer to go to a store where they get to sit in a car, play with a steering wheel, have a pretty young lady cut their hair and all the while watch 'Diego' on a tv? Personally, I would think that Reece would prefer to sit on my lap in the bathroom bawling at the sight of Joe coming at him with the clippers, kicking trying to escape, and at the end look like he just crawled out of the movie 'Edward Scissorhands'. I guess some choices are just easier than others.

This coming week was going to be a little get-a-way for us. Time for Joe to take a break from school and a chance to visit some of my mom's family. We had plans to head to New Hampshire to see my Aunt Sharon and Uncle Robert, and my grandmother (Nannie). However, we sadly received news that Nannie passed away last night. This wonderful woman of God was a true inspiration and I am extremely sad that I didn't make it out there again before her passing, but what a blessing that we already had tickets and I won't have to go alone - both Joe and Reece can be there for the funeral as well. Nannie was 92 and let me tell you, this woman was strong! Strong in her faith, strong in her convictions, strong in her love, and mentally strong. She has been through more in her life, through the death of her husband, loss of her son, loss of other family, physical pain and yet she never doubter, not once, that her Lord and Saviour was there to care for her. She always had words of wisdom to pass on to those of us willing to listen. May I praise my Lord as willingly and comlpetely as Nannie - that is my goal!