Family Update

Well, the past couple of weeks have been pretty adventurous for the Allen's. James had his first high temp while his 4 top teeth came in. It's so hard to see your baby not feeling well but that only lasted about 2 days and he was up and running again. He also spent the night away from home and me for the first time - he stayed with my mom and Papa Steve for two nights. I'm sure we missed him way more than he missed us but we all made it through!! Baby Allen #2 is doing great. He's moving and kicking all the time and I'm really starting to show. This pregnancy has been pretty easy so far, in fact I sometimes forget that I'm pregnant again. Second pregnancy I think you just don't have the time to think about it all the time like you do your first. I can't believe he'll be here in less than 4 months! yikes!! I jokingly tell people my life feels like "Groundhog's Day" the movie since I am basically going through the
exact same things I was this time last year! Crazy!
We also have a contract on our house - Praise God! Most people were surprised that we were trying to sell our house with the market the way it is but I knew that if God wanted our house to sell it would - so now the craziness begins. We are buying a house on 8 acres that is a total remodel. We won't be able to live in the house during the renovation so I am praying that it is completed before the baby arrives but that may be a little wishful thinking! I've just got to be ready to go with the flow- which is not my strong suit but I'm working on it! Once again, I can see how the Lord so perfectly orchestrated everything up to this point so I have to trust Him all the way! The next several months are going to be pretty interesting!!
James is still moving around the house like crazy and is "talking" up a storm. He is supposed to be napping right now but I can hear him in his room talking to his aquarium! Here are some fun pics. As I've said before, I am having a hard time getting very many good pictures of him because he moves so fast and my camera has a delay -

"I'm coming your way momma!"
look at my two bottom teeth!

Being serenaded by daddy!

"How did I get here and how do I get out?"
"Aha- I think I figured it out!"
This is what happens when I was cleaning up his room and he crawled out - he was honestly out of my sight no more than 45 seconds at the most!

First word!

Well, James has spoken his first real word and it is none other than "mamma"! I was sick this past weekend and when I was finally able to crawl out of bed on Sunday and see him he was so excited but after only about 30 minutes I realized I still wasn't feeling well and needed to get back to bed. As I was leaving him with Jeremy he started saying "mamma, mamma"! I couldn't believe my ears! I asked Jeremy if I had heard him correctly. He confirmed that he had been saying it all morning! He was thinking of not telling me and trying to get a "dada" out of him before I heard it! Can you believe that! I mean, is it not enough that he has a mini-me! Thank goodness I heard him! Oh, it just melts my heart!
No pics this time just wanted to share my exciting news!

Happy 8 months!!

I can't believe it but James turned 8 months old yesterday!! I was looking back at all of our pictures of him and I am amazed at how much he has changed and grown in such a short amount of time! It's going to be crazy when the new baby is born and be reminded how little James started and all the things they learn in that first year! I honestly try to remind myself everyday to cherish each day because they go by so fast but even saying that, here we are with an 8 month old and I have tears in my eyes thinking about how quickly we got here.
Over the past two weeks Jeremy and I have been blown away at how much James has changed - he's like a little boy now. Having mastered crawling he has now become obsessed with pulling up on EVERYTHING! I thought keeping up with a crawler was going to be difficult but it's more scary keeping up with him and making sure he doesn't crack his head in his attempts to pull up on any and everything he sees. He doesn't really know what to do once he pulls himself up since his legs are still pretty wobbly so he attempts to "walk" but usually just falls over and then tries it all over again! One of his new favorite things to do is stand up in his crib. Now when we lay him down for a nap I will peek in on him and he'll pull himself up and sit back down at least 20 times before he finally lays down and goes to sleep. What a Boy!!
Yesterday morning when we went in to get him up the first thing Jeremy did was sing Happy Birthday to him and almost on cue James started clapping and saying "yea!" - How sweet is that! We never knew it was possible to be so impressed with clapping! Being a mommy is the most amazing thing ever!!

James the Explorer!

This past week Jeremy went on a much deserved boys fishing trip and James and I headed up to Huntsville to visit with my mom and Papa Steve. I don't know who had a better time, James or Jeremy! Is there anything better than a full four days with grandparents! Too much fun!
Just before Jeremy left for the week James started to really crawl and by the time he returned he had become a full-on crawler. He follows you around the house from room to room. Gone are the days of sitting him on the floor with his toys and having him play - now he is in "explorer" mode. He goes from room to room and investigates everything! It's fun to see what he goes after. I think over the last week he's heard "no" more than any other word - this may become his first word! Of course he wants to see, touch, eat everything that is not for him: dog food, daddy's guitar, etc. Whenever I tell him no, he'll stop, look at me and grin, maybe try to go for it a few more times, then move on. I had to go to the Christian Bookstore immediately and buy a book on discipline - this is new territory for us but I can tell he is already testing us and seeing what his boundaries are. Apparently, I no longer have an infant, but a toddler! What! When did this happen? I didn't think you were considered a toddler until at least 2! But all the things I read are now calling my sweet 8 month old a toddler! Where has the time gone!
As always here are some fun pics of our sweet boy!
coming into his room -
leaving his room :)
James loves to go into the bathroom and pull himself up on the tub - it's the perfect height for him to pull up on -

Look at what I big boy I am mommy!!
James and daddy reading - too sweet!

Making music with his xylophone puppy
Giving the puppy a kiss -