Easter.

Just realized (now that it is April 14th), that I never posted about Easter, oops.  Our Easter was a little different this year because I worked in the nursery at the first two services at church because there were big crowds expected!  Of course we had plenty of help and not many kids, isn't that how it always works?!  If there was no help, there would have been an over flow of kids!  I do love volunteering in the nursery at church, its the least I could do.

So my sweet husband got Gage ready for the 3rd service and met me at church.  Grace Covenant never disappoints.  It was a WONDERFUL service and a time to thank Jesus for all the sacrifices he made for us, even though we don't deserve it.

After service, my family and I ate at my moms.  We had a TON of food, as usual but it was all soooo yummy!  Mimi made her infamous mac and cheese and NO.ONE can make it like her, NO.ONE and there is nothing that compares.

As always an Easter tradition in our family is for Nanny and PawPaw (mom and dad) to hide eggs.  Dad likes to put $1 in several eggs and a $20 in one egg, THE "Money Egg".  Mom and Lauren hid the eggs this year while the rest of us sat inside.  They hid a lot that were easy to find and low enough for the little ones to reach them!  Erik and I walked around with Gage and no, we did not cheat or pick up a bunch of eggs.  However, Gage found the money egg and several $1 eggs :)  He racked up....$25!

After visiting with family, we came home.  Erik and I watched the finale of 'The Bible'.  OMG....I hope everyone saw that.  If that doesn't open your eyes and make you thankful (amongst a million other things), I don't know what will.  The crucifixion seemed so real (yes, I know it was a real thing, but it seemed like I was there watching it in person) and I was balling my eyes out.  The punishment and pain that Jesus went through for ME, I can't even fathom.  It hurt so bad to watch him suffer.  I am so thankful that I watched it though, it made me really think about how lucky we are.  Why would he do that for us?  Well, because he loves us.  Still does.  Always will.  Thank you lord for going through TORTURE so that I have eternal life.

Here are a few pictures from the day.

Look what the Easter Bunny dropped off!

Ooooo, ahhh.

Easter Egg Hunt at Nanny and PawPaws.

Um actually Gage, we are going for the eggs, not leaves.

Opening his eggs with daddy. 

Gage would rather have the candy.

Showing off his money :)

LOVES his Bergman Cousins :)

Mia, Gage, Tristen, Bella

Happy Easter!  From Us.

Master Moves Mickey Mouse.

I have to tell you about Gage's favorite toy.  When Chase was little (our nephew), Erik bought him the Tickle Me Elmo and Chase LOVED it.  So, Alicia (my sister-in-law) returned the favor and bought Gage the Master Moves Mickey Mouse for Christmas (Gage loves Mickey and loves to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse).  Well at first Gage was terrified of it.  It dances (like hip hop/break dances) and he moves his arms all over the place.  Even though Gage was scared of it, Erik kept turning it on.  Gage would crawl in his daddy's lap every time. All of a sudden, one day Gage started squeezing Mickeys  nose (that's how you get him to dance) and would not play with ANY other toy.  He absolutely loves Mickey Mouse now.  Now, he will press Mickeys nose 500 times and just sit in front of Mickey Mouse and watch him dance.  When we clean up Gages toys all of them fit in the toy chest except Mickey.  If we ever leave, the first thing Gage does when we get home is try to get Mickey off the top of the toy chest.  He will whine if he can't reach it, its hilarious!  So, thank you Aunt Alicia for his most favorite toy of all!  We appreciate all you do for Gage and he loves you to pieces :)

Master Moves Mickey Mouse

Now that you see EVERY toy he owns in the background of the picture, you can probably tell why Mickey won't fit in the toy chest :)

Action shot- This is Gage pushing his nose (he does this at least 25 times a day)

One Year Update.

Poor little Gage had to get 4 shots at his 12 month check-up :(  He took them like a champ, as always.  He did cry this time though.  The nurse literally stuck him 2 times in the right thigh and 2 times in the left thigh in less than 10 seconds.  Once I gave him my phone, he was good!  We go to Southlake Pediatrics and we absolutely love Gage's pediatrician, Dr. Collier.  She is so sweet and personable.  I love that she has her own kids and can totally relate to us raising our first child.  I am going to post some pictures of her and Gage checking out the stethoscope.  She was letting him listen to his own heartbeat, he was amazed and sat very still :)

12 month measurements:
Weight:  21 lbs, 10 ounces (28%)
Height:  31.25 inches (86%)
Head:  46.75 cm (58%)

One Year.

Gage Timothy is officially one!  I CANNOT believe how time flies, like seriously, a year?!  Although I don't feel like I was just pregnant, I do feel like Gage was just sleeping peacefully in his swing on and off ALL day and waking up every 3-4 hours.  I am posting from my perspective of this past year, but I know that Erik would agree.  This has BY FAR been the funnest, most emotional, life changing, exciting, challenging, and amazing year of my life.  Erik and I knew that we wouldn't wait very long to start our family after we got married.  When I found out I was pregnant (right after our year anniversary), I was nervous because I did not know what to expect.  I have 6 nieces but I didn't have my own, what am I going to do, what are we going to do?!  Well.....I couldn't have asked for an easier pregnancy...well, until the end.  I did not get sick once, I was able to work up until the day I had him, I was emotional from time to time, but other than that, I was so thankful for a smooth pregnancy.  Towards the 38 week mark, I became REALLY swollen.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  It was Monday, March 19th and I worked that day.  The Friday before that my feet were hurting so bad and were so swollen that I had to go lay down in the nurses office at school.  Well on the 19th, I had my 38 week appointment.  I raced to get there after school (we don't get out until 4:10) and Erik met me there. I sat down on the table, blah blah blah and the midwife took my blood pressure.  It was really high, like I think it was 180 over 120, or is that possible?  Maybe I'm way off, but it was REALLY high.  I told the midwife that I had to rush to get there on time so maybe thats what it was.  They told me I had to wait there for 20 minutes and they would check me again.  Well, after I was checked again, it was still REALLY high.  The midwife told Erik and I that I would have to be checked into the hospital so they could regulate my blood pressure.  At this point I was sorta relieved because the midwife said after my blood pressure went down, they would send me home and I would be put on bed rest until it was time for Gage to make his appearance :)  I was pretty excited about not working and getting a chance to rest before Gage came.  Well.....we got tot the hospital and my FAVORITE midwife, Cathy was on call.  She came in and said, "Well, you ready to have a baby tonight?!"  Um, excuse me?  The midwife at the doctors office said I would be sent home, I don't have any of my stuff?!  Well....come to find out, I had preclamsia....basically high blood pressure that can cause the baby anxiety so the safest thing was, was to get him out.  That's when I started to get nervous.  I was in labor until his was born around 5 that next morning.  I threw up a few times, got 2 epidurals, and ate LOTS of popsicles!  I pushed for 45 minutes (GOOD LAWD, that was tiring) and out came our little miracle :)  Seriously, babies are miracles.  The whole process of a baby growing inside of a woman and being pushed out and BAM, you have a baby! Totally a Miracle.  Anyways, after Gage was born, all of our family was hungry.  I told them to all go eat and I would order room service.  I seriously ordered E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. on that menu.  I mean it was "free" right?!  Meemaw stayed back with me and helped me :)  It was a rough stay at the hospital.  With the preclamsia came sickness, lots of meds, and a catheter, ugh.  I couldn't get out of bed for 4 days, talk about miserable.  I was quite emotional at times because I just wanted to go home.  I was supposed to go home that Thursday but Wednesday night I spiked a fever of 103 so I had to stay ANOTHER night.

So then our year began!  The worst night was the second night we were home with Gage.  He did NOT want to sleep.  I remember thinking, "what did I get myself into?!"  After that, he was a great sleeper.  He got up about every 3-4 hours.  After I stopped breastfeeding (right at 7 months), he started consistently sleeping through the night.  Once he started teething, that was all out the door!  He now gets up in the middle of the night about 2-3 times a week.

Now to the mushy stuff.  I don't know what I did to deserve such an awesome miracle from God, but Gage has really taught me so much about life.  Besides God, my husband, family, and friends.....nothing else matters.  Nothing matters but spending time with my family and making memories, even if Gage won't remember them right now.  I know that I use to "bring my work home".  Not.Any.More.  I come home and any bad moods are completely wiped away.  Seriously, when I see him, I realize that nothing is worth stressing over or worrying about.  Life is to short.  Gage is always smiling and will laugh at ANYTHING :)  He is laid back, "tougher than a set of woodpecker lips" (Who do you think came up with that one?!), but busy, busy, busy.  He will make you work but he is TOTALLY worth it. He brings so much joy to our lives and we couldn't imagine life ANY.OTHER.WAY.

Here are some things Gage enjoys doing:

• crawling on the dishwasher door when I am unloading it
• taking everything out of the cabinets
• slobbering on my phone
• slobbering in general, boy goes through at least 10 bibs a day
• taking a bath
• drinking water....that boy loves water!
• drinking whole milk...we are so close to NO formula, yay!
• watching Mickey Mouse dance (Thank you Aunt Alicia!)
• watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Doc McStuffins
• pulling the bumber off his crib
• giving open mouth kisses 
• crawling at 50 mph
• crawling all over Daisy
• Saying Mama
• Saying Dada
• Roaring like a lion :)
• Listening to a CD our church gave us (if he is fussy in the car, I turn that thing on and its instant silence)
• Laughing

Some firsts (the ones I remember)

• Dedication:  May 24, 2012
• Swimming in the Pool:  May 28, 2012
• Beach:  June 17, 2012
• Rolling Over: July 30, 2012
• Eating Oatmeal/Cereal:  August 4th, 2012
• Solids (Green Beans- not very successful):  September 26, 2012
• Trip to the ER:  November 29, 2012
• Crawling:  January 2, 2013
• Teeth coming through:  January 11, 2013

*Walking, I'm sure that will be....Coming Soon!

I am no professional, nor do I have a professional camera, so don't laugh at his monthly pictures :)

All you photographers out there....calm down.  It's JUST a picture :)

Ok this picture right here, s.t.r.u.g.g.l.e - this boy would not stay still!

Camo Jammies :)

Morning time birthday eggos!

 We love you Gage Timothy.

Happy 1st Birthday to the sweetest little booger we know!

First St. Patty's Day.

Of course we have to blog about ALL of Gage's firsts.  On his first St. Patrick's Day, we went to the Whitewater Center with our neighbors, Luke, Megan, and Evelyn!  At the WWC, they turn the rapids green to celebrate St. Patty's....so cool.  However, It.Was.Crowded.  Like, put you in a bad mood...crowded.  Gage wasn't in a bad mood because he LOVES being outside.  It was a B.E.Autiful day so that helped lighten the crowd :) We took Daisy, m.i.s.t.a.k.e.  She has no manners and would not be still.  We stayed about 2 hours and then cooked out later that night with Gage's girlfriend (Sloan) and her parents :)  They just sold their house so we have to get all of our gatherings in!  We are sad to see them leave the neighborhood but happy for their new endeavor!  Ok, got off topic.  Anyways, Kelly (Jared's GF) spoiled Gage and bought him some St. Patty's gear so we HAD to take some pictures!

Gosh I love this boy.  WE are the lucky ones.

Go Heels.

As much as we LOVE the heels, especially Daddy, they stunk it up against Duke.  We were good sports anyways and went and watched it with our family that like Duke, ew.  Gale cooked dinner for everyone and then we watched the game.  Let's just say we left at halftime.  Shame.Shame.  Here are some fun pictures that we took in our Carolina gear :)  Daddy CANNOT wait to take Gage to some games (basketball, football, baseball, all of um')!

Our little fam :)

This is Kelly (my cousin, Jared's girlfriend).  Gage LOVES Kelly.  She spoils him too!  We love Kelly to pieces and are so thankful for her!

11 months.

I seriously cannot believe Gage is 11 months old.  I just sent out his first birthday invitations, AH!  I am not sad, sorta in shock that a year has already gone by, but Erik and I have loved every minute of it.  I find myself saying, "this is my favorite age" about every month :)  He is so much fun and he are some of the things he is doing right now/likes:

• Eating solid foods 
• Teething- has 2 on top, 3 on bottom
• Crawling EVERYWHERE!
• Loves to get in Daisy's dog food
• Giving 'open mouth' kisses
• Waving and saying "bye-bye"
• Starting to drink almond milk mixed in with formula (yah!)
• Clapping
• Loves Doc McStuffins, Jake and Neverland Pirates, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
• LOVES him some water! (he has never had anything else)
• We have come to find out he will probably be bossy (wonder where he got that from?!) and maybe a little 'bullyish'- haha.  When we get together with his little friends, he likes to take toys from them...little turd.
• Loves bathtime- Erik and I bought him some little foam toys and Erik loves to stick them all over Gage...he loves bathtime with his daddy!

We love you sweet baby and are so thankful that you continue to grow up healthy and strong :)

Mm. Mm. Mm. I could eat him up.

Daddy bought him a ball and bat.....hope he likes baseball :)

OMG...look at that sweet hinny (I couldn't resist)

Bath time with my favorite toys :)

Handsome little fella!

Loves his Meemaw!

With my buddies at Azteca!