Christmas With The Sports.

On the 26th, we traveled to Auburn and celebrated Christmas all over again. What a great way to do things! That gives me three days in a row to open presents!

This year, however, the focus was on little man. Here he is doing the present-opening shebang one more time. Santa was T.I.R.E.D.











Morgan

A Week of Firsts.

This holiday week was a week of firsts (both good and bad) in the Sport household.

The biggest event of the week was Liam's first Christmas! I had been waiting for this day for months, buying toys and clothes, putting up decorations and even baking. Santa (and the rest of our family) showered Liam with gifts, including a riding lion, soft books, a baby laptop, a workbench, a tool belt, new burp cloths, a glow worm, Auburn p.j.s and a mountain of bath toys to name just a few. But even with all these shiny new toys, Liam was much more interested in tearing up wrapping paper and eating tissue paper.

Here are pictures from the big event!



~The tree pre-present opening.



~ Liam's Santa toys. Thanks, Santa!







~Toys, toys, everywhere! I should've taken some pictures from the Sport Christmas, too. Liam had a great time ripping up paper!





~The boys enjoying their gifts.



~Mom looking hot.



~The dutiful dad putting together Christmas toys.

Santa also brought Liam one gift that was definitely not on his list: his very first ear infection. The congestion started on Wednesday night. By Thursday, Liam had a nasty cough and just wasn't his happy-go-lucky self. On Christmas night, Liam served up full-blown fussiness with a side of projectile vomiting (twice). On Saturday morning, I overreacted (according to Dow) and took Liam to the doctor. As it turned out, mother's intuition was right. He had developed an ear infection in his left ear. We were given antibiotics, dimetapp and Tylenol. Within 24 hours, he was a new baby.

Finally, Christmas Eve was my first birthday with little man. We celebrated 27 in style with some strawberry cake, a church service that was reminiscent of a zoo, and quality time with my parents. Although Dow had to work, I was thankful to spend my day with Liam.

Next year, Santa, make Christmas as great as this year. But, please leave the ear infection in the North Pole.

Morgan

Happy Five Month Birthday, Liam!

Happy Birthday, Liam!! We love you!

Mommy and Daddy

Zoolight Safari.

Tonight Dow and I took Liam to Zoolight Safari at the Birmingham Zoo. Yes, Liam wasn't old enough to fully enjoy all the fun, but he does love lights, and, let's face it, I really wanted to go myself.

It was actually very pretty (and crowded). We spent about 45 minutes just walking around. I'm really looking forward to taking Liam back next year when he is old enough to ride the train and hayride.

We managed to get some good pictures from the outing. Here are some shots of the lights.





Here are my boys. I love this picture, but it would be much cuter if Liam would stop opening his mouth every time we take a picture of him. That's his new "thing." If we put the camera in front of his face, particularly with the red light of the flash blinking, he opens his mouth in amazement. The little things really entertain him these days. We buy all these toys, and he'd much rather chew on his hands. But, I digress....



Here is Liam with Santa. We chose to have a picture taken with inflatable Santa because real Santa charged $25.00. Seriously.





Go Auburn!



Boo Alabama.



Overall, it was definitely worth the $14. Although this was Liam's face upon arrival.....



Here's his face when we left. Good times.




Morgan

Just Checking In.

Don't forget about me, Santa! I'm leaving cookies and milk especially for you!

"Me" Time.

I miss it. Terribly. I can't say that I wasn't well aware of the fact that it would disappear when Liam came. But, that still doesn't make me miss it any less. Hopefully, I can sneak a couple of "Morgan" hours into the mix over the holidays.

Sleep has also been an elusive memory these past few days. Liam has started waking up earlier and earlier each morning. Although he is still sleeping through the night, his new "rise and shine" time has suddenly changed from 6:30 to 4 a.m. Yes, my friends, 4 a.m. This has been especially hard for me, as I'm a girl who really likes her sleep. However, this isn't the first time Liam has thrown us for a "sleeping" loop, and I'm sure (and I pray) that he will revert back to his normal sleeping routine.

Is this week over yet?

Baby-Ness.

Liam will be five months old on the 21st. I can't believe it. So, I am now attempting to capture as much of his "baby-ness" as I can before I wake up one day with a toddler.

Here are his adorable, soft feet (well, just one foot).



Here is his even more adorable baby face.







My sweet little baby.....



It also snowed in Birmingham last weekend. Yes, I'm a little behind on that update, but it's been a busy week at work. I deserve a little slack!





Neither Liam nor Otis were thrilled with the snowfall. They both elected to admire its beauty from the safety of our warm and cozy house. I suspect my baby will be as big of a baby about the cold as his dad, Otis and Popi.

Morgan

Walking Pneumonia and Strollers.

For the past three days, I have been slumming around in my nightgown, robe, and, during the times I am with Liam, a surgical mask. Why, you might ask? Well, it turns out that what I thought was a bad cold was actually much worse: walking pneumonia. Walking pneumonia is basically a bacterial infection of the lungs that makes you feel pretty terrible, and, if left untreated, can develop into full-blown pneumonia. Thank goodness I got to the doctor before that happened, and I'm feeling much better.

Nevertheless, on Thursday morning, I knew I couldn't go to work. I just didn't feel up to it. So, my sweet neighbor stayed with Liam while I went to the doctor and got loaded up with prescriptions. She also was kind enough to bring me homemade vegetable soup. I am so thankful to have wonderful neighbors! This brings me to my two cents on strollers (and carseats).

While I was waiting for Dow to come home from work, I had to take Liam with me to the pharmacy to have my prescriptions filled. I didn't want to wait any longer (i.e., until Dow could go) before I started taking them. I was feeling bad, and the thought of having to deal with the stroller and carseat didn't make me feel any better. But things could have been much worse.....

You see, I consider myself a "smart" carseat/stroller kind of gal. I researched carseats and strollers for hours online. I read reviews (not just on carseats, but on practically EVERYTHING I registered for). I ask my mom and dad friends. I spent countless hours at Babies-R-Us, a place in which I dread darkening the doors, test driving strollers and carseats. I would even sit down in the middle of the floor and take them apart/put them together/pick them up to see how easy (or difficult) they were to assemble and how heavy they were to carry around.

I had originally registered for the Chicco Cortina travel system, but after "sleeping" on it for several weeks, I changed my mind. Although Chicco had better fabrics and some extra features (higher cupholders for water bottles, stroller arms that would adjust with height), I decided to go with a Graco travel system for this sole reason: the wonderful STROLLER FRAME.



Whoever thought of this should get credit for the best idea ever. The stroller frame is lightweight, easy to carry around (for a stroller) and allows you to simply snap your infant seat into the frame and go. No 20 lb stroller to haul in and out of the car. It was so easy this week when I felt horrible to just pop this baby out of my car and snap Liam in. I would highly suggest that any new mommy seriously consider going with a brand that gives you the option to use the stroller frame. While the nicer carseats/strollers (like Bugaboo, for example) feel wonderful and look beautiful, I think you can make a better investment (and, seriously, carseats/strollers are so expensive they are literally an investment). Also consider that, at least in our household, Liam spits up in his carseat/stroller on a daily basis and the stroller has been dropped numerous times. I'm glad I went with durable and functional over pretty and expensive.

That's my two cents on carseats/strollers. I am feeling better, but to keep it that way, I'm off to bed.

I Love Christmas.

The time to celebrate Christmas and my birthday has finally arrived! Like so many of my other blogging friends, I spent a good part of my Thanksgiving holiday decorating our house for Christmas. Our inside decorations are complete, and our holiday cards have been ordered. Presents are purchased, wrapped and under the tree. All we (and by "we," I mean Dow) have left to do are outside lights (and since that is Dow's job, they'll probably be put up on December 23).

Here are some pictures of my fine decorating skills (by the way, that's a joke. I hate decorating). Although I do have to admit I had a small hissy fit with the mantel garland (just like I did last year...but I no longer have pregnancy to blame), everything eventually came together. Martha Stewart should be jealous.





Did anybody notice the stocking addition??








I really like this last picture. In fact, I spent about an hour Monday night trying to get a picture like this for my blog. After numerous attempts, and even some lengthy counseling from one of my photography guru friends, I had to let Dow take over. Our digital camera, while a good bang for our buck, has a built in lens and, consequently, limited capabilities for taking pictures in low light or with moving subjects (i.e., Liam).

Santa, please bring me a "photography for dummies" book for Christmas. I've got to learn the relationship between shutter speed and aperture to maximize the abilities of my current camera. Or, better yet, Santa, please bring me a Nikon D3000 for Christmas. It's only a mere $550.00.

Morgan

Thankful

Although turkey day has passed (in what felt like a split second), I do have to say that on this very day exactly one year ago, I found out that I would soon have something I would be VERY thankful for: Liam.





This time last year, I had to work on Sunday (the 30th) to assist with my first-ever jury trial. So, after a long day, I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some strawberry beer (yum) and, while I was there, a pregnancy test I knew I really didn't need (heck, how worried could I have been if I was buying beer?). I just wanted to reassure myself that I was not pregnant, just stressed.

By the time I got home, that test was burning a hole in my bag. What if I really was pregnant? Was I ready to be a mom? I promptly locked myself in our bathroom and took the test. When I came out crying, Dow knew that it was positive. I hate to say that I was crying after I found out, but I was COMPLETELY overwhelmed and unprepared. Four pregnancy tests and one doctor's visit later, Dow and I knew without a doubt that Liam would be arriving in July.



Now, one year later, my life has completely changed. I am a wife, daughter, attorney and mother to a beautiful baby boy. Although it is often an exhausting and thankless job, I am oh so thankful for my surprise.



So, happy (belated) Thanksgiving everyone!

Morgan

Rocking Around the Toy Department

I couldn't wait any longer. I had to buy at least some of Liam's Christmas presents, or I was going to burst.

Note to anyone else in my family: You won't be getting much this year. Liam is first (and pretty much the only) name on my list. Sorry.

Here are some of the toys Santa will bring Liam this year:



-The VTech Learning Laptop



-Sassy's Baby's First Books



-Fisher-Price Go Baby Go Walk & Ride Lion



-Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Fun with Friends Musical Table



-Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Toolbag

They are all so colorful and fun. And you're welcome, Fisher-Price.

I can't wait for Liam to open these gifts Christmas morning (or, better yet, me open them for him)!