Yet Again!

Again, like last Sunday, we were just so busy that I forgot to take any pictures. I even took my camera with me to small group in hopes of taking a couple there, but I still forgot!

So, I thought I'd give you all a quick update on Baby Smith #2. Really, we don't know anything new, except that {depending on which site or book you read}, I'm finally nearing the end of the first trimester! Which hopefully is going to translate into less morning sickness, more energy, and more things accomplished and finished around here! We have another appointment with the OB on Wednesday and can't wait for another look at our newest little one!

Heading Back Home

Due to the fact that there were no seats available on the Heartland Flyer for the return trip to Oklahoma City today, we {Ben, Mom, Daddy-Man, Noah and I} all loaded up and headed to Wichita Falls, TX to meet BB and Jessie so we could "exchange" the parents. :) It made it nice because not only did we get to see the girls for a little while, but this way, neither side had to drive the entire way to OKC or Abilene. We had such a great time visiting with Mom and Daddy-Man - thank you for coming out!

Noah had a good time looking through Aunt Jessie and Aunt BB's pictures from their trip to New York City last week.



Last minute snuggles with Aunt BB.

See you soon!!

Welcome to the Zoo

I've been wanting to take Noah to the Abilene Zoo for a while now, but up until today, a good opportunity had not presented itself. So, we packed lunches, loaded up the Sequoia, and headed out for the zoo. Being Noah's first trip to the zoo {we have taken him to Sea World in San Diego, but he slept through a good portion of it}, we were most excited to see if and how he'd react to the animals. It was so funny to watch his reactions and facial expressions!

He loved the flamingos {though I think the fact that they are pink helped quite a bit}.

The monkeys got quite a few "whoos" from him too!

And we all thought the giraffes were pretty amazing... especially when this one went to town on the crackers we fed him!

Noah was too involved in what the other kids were doing to look at Mommy for a picture.

We can't wait to use our pass and go back again!

Bubbles and an Armadillo

This afternoon, we broke out the bubbles for the first time. Noah wasn't so sure about them at first, but eventually became intrigued by the bubbles that landed on the garage floor. By the time we finished playing with the bubbles, it was time for a bath!

***

On mine and Ben's anniversary, we had really wanted to try out Perini Ranch, a local steak restaurant. However, reservations are a must. So instead, we went tonight and took Mom and Daddy-Man {and Noah too} with us! It was really good {I loved the Cowboy Potatoes!} and the atmosphere was fun.

Noah and Papa as we were walking up to Perini's.

{I think he was looking back for Nana... he tends to make sure she is always in sight.}

After we ate dinner, we had to stop by the huge armadillo statue outside the restaurant.

I'm honestly not sure what they were laughing at, but this ended up being my favorite picture of the night!

And this is what Ben was doing while we were taking photos with the armadillo.

Choo-choo!

For Mom's 50th birthday, my sisters and I all chipped in to get her and Daddy-Man train tickets down to Ft. Worth from Oklahoma City. She's been wanting to ride the train for a while and we finally found a good weekend for them to cash in her tickets! Noah and I drove into Ft. Worth to pick them up at the train station so that Mom and Daddy-Man could spend some time with the three of us in Abilene. We got to the train station just before their train arrived and Noah loved watching the train pull into the station.

The Heartland Flyer

Mom and Daddy-Man as they were getting off the train.

Once Noah got into Mom's arms, he wasn't about to let go - he loves his Nana!

We spent a little more time in Ft. Worth/Dallas - we ate lunch at PF Chang's and stopped at IKEA {two things that I've really missed!!}. Needless to say, the four of us didn't get back to Abilene until nearly eight... but we're thrilled to have Mom and Daddy-Man here for a visit!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

From the little spiky-haired leprechaun!

Oh.... and look who is learning how to climb. Definitely time to get those book boxes out of the playroom!

Just for you...

...Aunt BB. You just might get your little musician! ;)

My favorite part is when he plays with his toes. Well, that and the Cow.

Busy Days = No Pictures

We were so busy today that I simply forgot to take any pictures at all! And truthfully, some days, that is simply okay.

Be an Adoption Advocate

I'm truthfully not sure how to start this post. I guess the best way to start is to say that my whole family has been touched by adoption, in one way or another. My extended family has been touched by the simple fact that one of my dear little cousins was brought to us through a domestic adoption. My little family {Ben, Noah, and I}, as well as our extended families, have been affected by our own attempts at adoption. And even though that particular adoption failed, we still plan to pursue adoption again in the future. Which is why all of this is so dear to my heart.

A friend of mine from college, Molly, and her husband Blake, have adopted two beautiful boys and are in the process of finalizing the adoption of their adorable little girl - all in the great state of Oklahoma. And Molly is so lucky, in that her sister is her adoption attorney! Molly's sister, Becki, was also working for a friend of Molly's, Kim. And, as we all know, Birth Moms change their minds. {As it is their right to do so, but that doesn't make it an easier on the families that are wating to bring this child into their home.} This happened to Kim, after the baby had already been at home with them. You see, in Oklahoma, the Birth Mom must wait 48 hours before she can sign the consent to terminate parental rights... but she also must go before a judge to sign it. Which means that it can be days {or even weeks} before rights are relinquished. That can leave quite a while for a Birth Mom to rethink the decision that she had already decided on.... all while she is dealing with the after-effects of giving birth. Not to mention, when the Birth Mom has to go to court to sign the paperwork, no social worker can be there with her and some judges do not treat them with the love and care that they so desperately need and deserve during that time.

Becki is working to get that particular law changed, to protect both the Birth Mom and Adoptive Families. Changing it so that Birth Moms can sign the consent as soon as they are ready {after the 48 hour waiting period} in the hospital or at the adoption agency. Changing the law in this way is honoring and protecting of the Birth Mom - there is no need to appear in court and she can have the support of those she wants with her. Please, be in prayer with us about this law - even if you are not in Oklahoma. Go read Molly's blog, Kim's blog, and then go visit Promote Oklahoma Adoption. And be ready to help support this law if it goes to a vote in November!

***

And, because we can't have a post without a picture of Noah.....

Five.

Time seems to be slipping by me faster than I ever thought it would or could. Today, Ben and I are celebrating five years of marriage! I know it's not as long as some {I mean, two sets of our Grandparents have made it to 50+ and my parents are already well past 30!}, but we're on our way there. Has it been easy? Oh, heck no! At times, it's been downright difficult - and that's when dealing with just the two of us! But has it been worth it? Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes! I wouldn't trade Ben in for the world - he's my best friend and an awesome Daddy to my kiddos. An amazing man of God and my fun-loving companion. I love you, Benjamin, more than words could ever say - you are my lobster!

The two of us, before we left for dinner....

{thank you David and Stephanie for watching Noah for us!! Hopefully we'll be able to repay the favor someday! ;) }

My anniversary roses.

{Can you count how many?}

Five dozen... for five years.

{Do I have the sweetest husband, or what?!?}

Happy Fifth Anniversary, Dear One.

Brought to You Today by the Letter N

Noah doesn't get to {or need to} watch a lot of TV. We don't turn the TV off the moment he comes into the room, but we do try to limit the amount and type of shows that he watches. We do, however, watch Sesame Street and Word World if he is awake while it is on. I'm a huge believer that TV, particularly when being viewed by children, should be educational and have a purpose. And Sesame Street and Word World meet those criteria for us.... not to mention that they are funny, even to me! Thanks to the wonderful thing that is DVR, I've even got a couple of episodes taped for occasions like today....... Noah desperately needed a haircut. So, I turned on Sesame Street, plopped the kiddo in his Bumbo {he still fits in it!!}, and snipped away at his hair while he enjoyed Elmo, Big Bird, and Oscar the Grouch. After the haircut, and the necessary bath, he finished watching the last 15 minutes in his favorite spot:

Noah's haircut was brought to you today by the letter N and the number 15.

New Cars!

We bought a new car Monday night! We didn't actually get to pick it up until last night {they needed to fix something for us} and by the time we got home with it last night, it was too dark to take a picture. And even now, it's raining, so you only get to see the outside - I wasn't about to get out in the rain! It's a 2005 Toyota Sequoia with only 28K miles. We absolutely love it - especially the fact that it has three rows and seats eight - it's going to be perfect for our ever-growing family.

I came back in from taking the picture of the Sequoia to find Ben and Noah playing with Noah's "new car"! Noah {like most kids} has a fascination with boxes - especially boxes that he can climb in. So when I had emptied out the latest box of diapers, I left the box out for him to play with. Luckily, he knows he can always count on Daddy to pull or push him around the house on one of his toys!

Yay for new cars!

15 Months

Happy 15 Months Noah!

I know I say this every month, but time is just flying by us. We can barely believe that this little guy is 15 months old!

This is what he does when you tell him to hug or kiss a stuffed animal {or in this case, his "birth" doll} - he lays down on it!

And then he's done.... and moving on to other things.

The best way to get him to sit still for a few minutes is to hand him his favorite book!

***

Things you love at 15 months:

• Books, books, and more books! But lately, your favorite has been Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.
• Bananas - you would eat them for every meal if we let you. You even reach for them, saying "nana, nana!"
• When Mommy or Daddy try to "get you". You laugh and scream and run as fast as you can until we catch you and tickle you. And you come looking for us if we don't chase after you!
• Playing on the computer - whether we're on Skype or Starfall, if Mommy or Daddy is at the computer, you want to be also!
  

We love you Dear One and are so lucky and blessed that we can call you our baby.

Just for you....

... Aunt Jessie. :)

Your very own little Beatles Buddy.

Lollipop, lollipop...

I've been seeing these absolutely adorable photographs of kiddos eating on a lollipop everywhere and have been wanting to try it out with Noah. For quite a while, actually! I was looking for fake ones around Christmas-time and had even bought a real one {it was red and would have been just perfect!}... and just as we were about to start taking pictures with it, Noah dropped it and it split in two. Bummer! I wasn't about to go back to the candy store to buy another one of those {expensive} things. So, I've kept my eyes open and finally found some at Wal-mart of all places! Of course, it's slightly egg-shaped, but I think the $1.00 price tag was much more reasonable and the pictures {while not nearly as well-shot as some that I've seen} still turned out pretty cute.

He also dropped this one, not long into the shoot, but at least I was able to get a couple of pictures! And he really seemed to enjoy the little bit that he was allowed to taste!

Spoiled Rotten.

So, this afternoon while we were in Target, Ben and Noah went off to check on some video games while I went to check on the usual baby stuff. When I caught up with the two of them, Noah had a {literal, not proverbial!} monkey on his back! Ben had found a pretty adorable little plush monkey backpack that even came with a blanket tucked inside. Noah was walking around the aisle with it on his back, so proud of himself. And when Ben took it off his back, Noah started cuddling it and looking so unbelievably sweet and adorable. Oh but wait, it gets better! We put the monkey backpack back where it came from and Noah was not at all happy about that. With the sad puppy-dog eyes that I was getting from both Noah and Ben, I had little choice but to allow the purchase.

And, I can already see it now - in a few years, it'll be sad puppy-dog eyes from both Noah and Ben for things like Transformers and castle Legos. Let's hope that I learn how to say no a little better before then!

A Word to the Wise

Never, ever, turn your back on a freshly folded basket of laundry and a toddler who loves socks and clothes. This is what can happen:

How to Play with a Ball

I think it's so funny how kids can fixate on certain toys or books. While Noah is still way into Chicka Chicka Boom Boom {he picked it up and brought it over to me to read to him not long after I snapped this picture}, he is now also very much into gathering up every ball in the playroom and bringing them over to you to play with. It's hysterical to me! So tonight, when we were having our family play time before bed, Noah gathered up two of his favorite toy balls and took them over to Ben. The best part is, he doesn't want to roll them or throw them, he just wants to hand them to you and have you hand them back!

What a silly boy. :)

Wordless Wednesday

Proof

Everywhere that I look, I find proof that a little toddler lives here:

Sippy cups can be found anywhere and everywhere.

{Oh, and Angie, did you notice? Faithful to "true-Samantha-form", the original pictures are still in the frames! haha! I will make it a point to put real pictures in before you arrive in August!}

Some pants have to be rolled.

And that adorable little face just begs to be kissed!

Gimme a FIVE!

{Sorry, I've been slightly obsessed with videos lately!}

I love it when Noah learns new "tricks" and there's little doubt that we're always super-proud when he learns something new. Today, he learned how to give a high-five! I think though, by the time I pulled out the camera, he was "fived-out" because he only did it once while I had the camera going.

{Oh, and please ignore the very messy playroom!}

Baby Smith #2: Q & A

Since I forgot to take any pictures today {and even took the camera with me to small group in hopes of taking some there!}, I decided that today's post is going to be a question and answer session on Baby Smith #2! :)

1. How are you feeling, physically? Well, honestly, not nearly as good as I did with Noah. With Noah, I was nauseous, but I never actually got sick. This little one however, has made me sick more times than I care to count. But, I'm starting to feel a lot better and can definitely tell that the second trimester is getting closer.

2. How are you feeling, emotionally? Truthfully, I think we're both still a little in shock. And there are times that we actually forget that I'm pregnant {though Ben more often than me, since I have morning sickness to remind me}. But we're really excited. And happy. And so thrilled that we didn't have to deal with fertility treatments this go round. But I'm nervous. Nervous because, well, I want a full-term, healthy, under-10-pounds {even if it is 9lbs 15oz!}, no-NICU-time baby this time. So please be praying with us for this!

3. How's your diabetes doing with this? Hmm. Well, it's been tough. I don't have an Endocrinologist here in Abilene - there are only two in town and only one is covered by insurance... and he knows nothing of insulin pumps. But I'm not on my own - after we found out that I was pregnant, I immediately emailed Dr. Peters with the news and she {along with the rest of my endo team from Los Angeles} has agreed to help me via email. And what a difference already! And, luckily, I've got a great family doctor who is taking care of all my blood work and our new OB is amazing too. So, even though half of this baby's team is on the west coast, we've got the best team possible to make sure Mommy and Baby #2 are going to be as healthy as possible.

4. Boy or Girl? Well, until the ultrasound, I was convinced it was a girl, due to the fact that I am so much more sick that I was with Noah. But now that we have an actual due date set, I'm starting to think it might be a boy. I'm still not sure. Ben hasn't given a guess yet and since he was correct with Noah {I was wrong!}, I'm betting he will be again. Once he gives his guess, I'll make sure I post it! ;) Personally, I'm hoping for a girl {and secretly think Ben is too}, but I'll also be happy with another boy!

5. Do you have any names chosen? None! :) Well, I take that back. We have a couple of middle names, but nothing that is set in stone. We didn't really start thinking very hard about names until we found out that Noah was a boy, so we probably won't really start talking names again until we know the sex of the baby.