Lots of Lotto

My dad, like I imagine most are, is awful about stocking stuffers. I don't think he ever really knows what to do. This year apparently he had a brain storm. In everyone's stockings he put scratch off lottery tickets. It sounds crazy, but it was SO much fun. We all had a blast scratching off to see if we one. I think the grand total we won was about $30. I think it went over so well we are going to do it every year. So, next year if you can't think of stocking stuffers or if you need a good gag gift, I highly suggest scratch off lottery games!

Moses' First Christmas

Moses started out his holiday season by going for his four month check up. Here are some quick stats: 15lbs 12oz (70%), 26 1/2 inches long (97%). The doctor says he looks great. The only real problem we have is with his stopped up tear duct. I have been massaging it with a warm wash cloth but it just won't go away! Suggestions anyone?

We started our holiday celebration at the Barker's in Rocky Mount. We spent some time catching up with the family and opening gifts and of course eating! Moses was a little fussy at first, but after a nice nap/watching football with the boys, he was back to his happy self. Mom came up on Tuesday and we did some Christmas shopping at Crabtree and Costco. Dad came up the next day and we started our Christmas Eve celebration. Moses marked the occasion by trying solids for the first time. The doctor had told me at his check up that he was ready to try anytime. With all the travel and crazy schedules it was the first opportunity we had to give it a try. It went fairly well. He is still not sure what to think, but hopefully will get the hang of it soon. After, we all played with Moses and watched Christmas Vacation.

Christmas this year was great. After Brett's mom and stepdad arrived, we started opening presents. If you are wondering how spoiled Moses was, it took over an hour for us to open everyone's presents. I think the gift we will get the most use of is the high chair that mom and dad got him. It was so nice to have him at the table with us. Another great gift was the toy box that Brett's stepdad made. It is so pretty and I am sure that it will be in our family for years to come.
We still have one last celebration to go at my aunt's house in Grifton on Saturday and then friends coming in to town on Monday and a bowl party at our house. We are also gearing up for our anniversary and Moses' dedication in January. WHEW! I hope everyone has enjoyed their holiday. I know we have!

Tis the season!

Things have been busy in our lives so I haven't posted much lately. The house is decorated and the tree is up! My parents came Saturday and spent the night. Mom and I worked on the rest of the decorations and dad spent most of the time playing with Moses. Babies have always loved dad and Moses is no exception. They were giggling and playing for a long time.

Since they were in town, Brett and I went to a Christmas party at the Hamilton's. It was so nice to get out for a few hours. It is still hard to leave him even for a few hours! I felt really bad because he was trying to go to sleep when we left, which means he was crying some. Of course, he was fine and Brett and I did ok too! Sleeping is getting better, slowly but surely.

On another note, this is the time last year I found out I was pregnant. I could not imagine then how wonderful life could be with a child. It has been wonderful for Brett and I and has done nothing but bring us closer together. It makes us very happy that every year as Christmas approaches we have a happy memory to make the holidays even more special. I hope everyone else is enjoying this joyous time of year. God Bless!

My little ironing JoJo...

Last night I was ironing some shirts and I thought about my dear sweet Joelle. When we lived in our little duplex, she did all the ironing. I was much better at the cooking and the bathroom scrubbing. I would make the half hearted attempt, and she would take over. The days of graduation were so bittersweet because we were also moving out. I came in from work, and Joelle was ironing our graduation gowns. The thought had not even occurred to me. She had already retrieved mine and was working out the wrinkles, knowing I would never remember.

When I got married, I spent three nights holed up in a hotel room with her. Even though it had been several years since we shared a space, we fell back into our same routine. She even went so far to pack my suitcase for my honeymoon. Could anyone ask for a sweeter maid of honor or friend? I don't think so!

Michelle Young

The girls at Christy's bachelorette party, Michelle is in the pink

Most of you have probably seen news reports about Michelle Young's tragic murder two years ago. I did not know Michelle extremely well, but was introduced to her and her husband Jason by our friends Christy and Jeff. Michelle was an extremely sweet and loving person from what I knew of her. She was always talking about her little girl Cassidy and you could just tell she was a great mom. I'll never forget when I found out that Michelle had been murdered. Brett was in San Francisco for work and I was home alone. I was extremely scared because the Youngs actually did not live too far away from us. I could not fathom that Jason could kill his wife, especially knowing she was five months pregnant. They has been at our home a few months before for a BBQ for Christy and Jeff before they moved to Texas. I had never felt comfortable around Jason. It was only the third time I'd been around him. Nearly all had been a disaster with him being rude or drunk.

Today Jason was found liable in a civil suit for Michelle's death. People have often asked me if I think he is guilty or if he was the type of person who would kill his wife. I don't know him well enough to make a judgement. I do know things that have not been in the news about the case that make me very suspicious. I just pray for little Cassidy and hope that she is shielded from this as much as possible. Her life has been terribly altered regardless of the outcome of all of this. All we can do is hope justice is served for Michelle and the little boy she was carrying at the time.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/4081439/

Doctor's Appointment

Well the only thing that I got any sort of use for was his weight, 15.5 lbs. Which in baby terms is HEAVY. We've up the dosage of the reflux medicine but no rice cereal in the bottle for now. He's fallen asleep once tonight only to wake up as soon as we put him in his crib. Had some crying and using me as his personal pacifier and the thing that has worked best was sitting in our laps watching basketball....seriously, he cried during time outs and half time.

As of now he is sitting next to me on the bed looking at me as if he has NO interest in going to bed. At least no tears! He did get a good nap while I ran some errands today. He slept right through lunch with daddy and a visit to the office. At this rate I don't know when I will get the house cleaned much less decorated for Christmas!

Hello Mr. Skywalker...

Sunday afternoon out little family met up with Ben and Brittany to go to the NCSU basketball game. I was sure Moses was going to be good and I was right! He was definitely very into the lights and his surroundings. He also loved all the attention from everyone around him.

Brett and Ben went to get drinks at half time and spotted David "Skywalker" Thompson sitting in our section. For those of you who don't know your college basketball history, David Thompson is probably the best college basketball player ever and he played at NC State. After debating whether we should bother him or not, Brett and I made our way over during a time out and David Thompson very graciously held Moses and talked to us for a few minutes.

On another note Moses rolled over from his back to his belly today. What a strong boy! As far as sleep goes....it doesn't. We are actually taking a little trip to the doctor tomorrow to talk about maybe introducing rice cereal and see if his reflux is worse. I need all the advice I can get!

Things that I love about my Parent's home...

My grandfather's desk and chair. I am sure the builder never thought a laptop would perch on top of it.
The outdoor kitchen. Mom painted and tiled the backsplash.

The men in my family hand make thier own lures.

Papa's Navy clock

Mema's collection of bird mugs.

The old wooden boat they found after a hurricane and turned into a flower pot.

Mom's greenhouse that overlooks the dock

This little bell. I don't know the story behind him.

And of course the the view....

Thanksgiving

Of course we have a special reason to be thankful for this year. Moses celebrated his first Thanksgiving at Mimi and Papa's house! Of course the food was great and it is always wonderful to sit down in a warm loving home and share a meal and thanks together. I hope everyone had a wonderful day like we did. I also hope everyone realizes how truly blessed we are. Here are some pictures from the day!

The Ultimate Grilled Cheese

Today we had one purpose. Our goal was to make it to Atlantic Beach so Brett could get his favorite sandwich, the Ultimate Grilled Cheese. Since I was little, my parents and I have been eating at the NY Deli by the Crow's Nest in AB. It is one of my favorite places. The deli has six or seven tables crammed into a sliver of space. The walls and ceilings are covered with wine, NYC, and Italy items.

We took Brett for the first time within the last year. That's when he was influenced by my dad to try this particular sandwich. Prosciutto ham, fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil and provolone toasted. It was polished off in seconds! He looked very happy to be eating this sandwich again. Mom got her favorite Reuben and I stuck with the same "Empire State" (turkey and bacon) I have always ordered.

I guess we were so happy, we decided to carry home some dinner as well. Shrimp salad, chicken salad, pasta salad, potato salad, and prosciutto. And bless the man's heart that owns the place, he talked us into taking home a chocolate pecan pie and pumpkin roll for Thanksgiving. It's not even turkey day and I have eaten more than I did last week! I only wish I had my camera to give you a visual...maybe next time!

Barker Thanksgiving in Rocky Mount

Today we drove to Rocky Mount to have Thanksgiving with Brett's father's side of the family. Uncle John (Brett's father's brother) and his wife, Aunt Melissa, have all of their relatives over the Sunday before Thanksgiving for a big meal. So many people and good food, it reminds me of when I was little and my mom's family could still fit in one house!

We haven't seen Aunt Melissa's family since last Christmas when we announced we were pregnant so they were all very eager to see Moses for the first time. Brett and I feel very lucky that even though he father is no longer with us, that we are still such a big part of the family for them. I feel Aunt Melissa especially makes sure we feel included which means so much to us both. I love listening to them talk about when Brett was little and what his father was like. I heard on more than one occasion that baby Moses definately favored Grandpa Moses as well as Brett.

I always feel like the day goes by too fast! We are so ready for Christmas with them in a few weeks.

Santa Visit

Thursday I met Carrie and Tanner, Jessica and John, and Andrea and Julianne for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. It was so great to swap stories and get advice. Moses is the youngest of the group, so I think I benefit the most. I am so thankful that Carrie and I have reconnected. She has been the biggest help and I don't know what I would without her advice.

After lunch, we took the kids to see Santa. Crabtree has an awesome Santa and they allow you to take pictures with your own camera so everything was free. We then went on to do a little shopping and luckily Moses slept almost the entire time. For some reason, he sleeps so well when we are anywhere but home!

It also looks like Moses is definately a good charm as Brett suspected. What a great win for the Pack! I think my little boy is going to be just like his daddy. He "jawed" at the TV for the entire game! It was hilarious! His little shrieks and babbles sounded like he was really yelling at the players. Maybe it will be warm enough next time to try him again. We need all the luck we can get! Below are some recent pics, enjoy!

Crib Sleep

So things are still going a little rough with the crib sleep this week. It seems we have gone backwards entirely. Hopefully this is just a growth spurt! Thought I would put up some pictures to give everyone a visual image of our struggles! This was nap time yesterday. Only a half an hour nap and a VERY hard time going to sleep last night. As I write this Moses is sleeping on the bed underneath his Baby Einstein. Almost forty mintues! I dare not wake him. Pray for us!

We also enjoyed some flakes yesterday. Riley the most! As far as her sleep, she thinks her new spot is the couch!

Three months old!

Moses is three months old today and what a wonderful three months it has been. Moses went to his first football game this weekend. Brett thinks he is a good luck charm because we played well and won! It was so nice to see Julie and Travis and all our other tailgate buddies. I've missed them so much.

The little man has been doing great. We are starting crib sleep. The first three nights went very well. Slept through the night in the crib no problems. The next few days did not go as well. For some reason he has been pretty cranky in the afternoons and refusing to nap anywhere but in mommy's lap or bed. He begins the evening in his crib but eventually wakes up in the middle of the night and needs a little snack. This is making me tired! I guess it is all progress though!

As far as the rest of the sleep goes it changes daily. I have really been trying to make sure he gets a good morning and afternoon nap. I've learned and read that just because he may not want to nap doesn't mean he does not need it. The more he sleeps during the day, the better he will sleep at night. He goes down well but wakes up 15 or 20 mins later. I'm now starting to coax him back to sleep and not let him fight it. It makes our days better.

Halloween Weekend

Boy do we love to pack a lot of travel into one weekend! Last week we visited both sets of grandparents. I feel very lucky that we can do this. So many people have to travle much furthur to see their parents. While we were visiting my parents we also got some professional pictures of Moses made as well as some family ones. He did so well! No tears and stayed awake the entire time. We also visited my dad's office and the studio where I danced. My friend Jessica had a baby a month before I did and Moses got to meet her! Well he slept through it all but she is a cutie!

We also made the trip to Wilmington where we got to spend some time with Judy and Vernon. We took Moses to the Riverwalk and watched some of the triathalon. We also squeezed in a little shopping. Needless to say Moses has a very tired Mommy and Daddy!

Moses is getting so big so fast. I knew it would happen but it still amazes me. Monday night he started rolling over consistantly when we put him on his belly. He coos and babbles a lot as well. It's fun when I am on the phone and people can hear him chatting. I think he is trying to grab his feet now too. He keeps bringing his knees up to his belly. He is so active and loves "marching his feet." I will try to figure out how to upload videos so everyone can see! Enjoy the pictures below!

Sick Mommy and Daddy

After what I thought was going to be a busy week, Brett and I have been hit with really bad colds/sinus infections. Luckily they were staggered so we have been able to take care of each other. My mom came up Tuesday and spent the night to help with the baby. Since I am nursing Moses is getting all his anitbodies and from what I have read he (fingers crossed) will more than likely not get sick. But it also means that I cannot take OTC cold medication which means no sleep!

We did have to cancel our Thursday appointment to have our portraits made. I was really looking forward to it so I'm bummed! We will be going next week instead.

Pray for our health this week! We both need it!

What a Crazy Week!

We've had such a busy week! My parents came to visit on Tuesday. Dad had to do some work but then he met Mom, Brett, Moses and I for lunch at Fosters. Mom and I walked around Cameron Village and then went back to the house and headed to the pumpkin patch! Well, really it was the local Methodist church. Brett's cousin Will met us there and we had a great time. Moses fell asleep but we still got some great shots! We also got to introduce my parents and Will to our favorite Fuquay restaurant Joyce's.

Wednesday, Brett's mom came and we met her at Southpoint to do some shopping. We are having some family portraits done soon and I wanted to get Moses something to wear. We met Brett at PF Changs and had dinner. I had an awful ride home with Moses. I tried to feed him while we were eating but I did not realize something was wrong with the bottle so I thought he was not hungry. I ended up having to pull off the road in crazy traffic where I made the stopped up bottle discovery. We left Durham around 5:30 and I think we pulled up to the house around 7:30. YUCK!

On Thursday we did one of my favorite things in the world...LUNCH AT THE FAIR! We took Moses and strolled around and got some great food. Well I did, Brett had a cavity filled that morning so he was not much in the mood for corn on the cob and ham biscuits. After the fair we walked around the mall and then Brett went to the NCSU/FSU game.

Friday we took Moses for his 2 month check up. I made Brett go with me because I HATE when he has to get shots. He did fine though and mommy was ok too! He's up to 13lbs 7oz and is 25 3/4 inches long. He even rolled over for the doctor which he has never done before! He is holding his head up really well too

Last night we had Will and Emily, Brett's cousins over for dinner. We grilled burgers and got to catch up with them. They brought Moses a Furman tshirt which is so cute! Brett has started to get sick so fingers crossed that the rest of the family is safe! Enjoy the pictures below!

Just getting started!

Moses Jackson Barker

8/17/08

9lbs 3oz

22 inches

Everyone has been after me to do this so here we go! I know everyone wants to follow little Moses and see how much he grows and changes. I am going to post some pictures and some basic stuff to get us started. I sometimes use a site called tumblr because it is easy and quick for short thoughts and I will also post a link to that.