Sistah!!!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you all know the news! We found out this week that TJ will be big brother to a baby GIRL!!! Yep--ultrasound photos show that Sadie Catherine Horton will be here sometime in late April 2008. We got to see her face, too! They have new ultrasound technology--and it's great--but they made a DVD instead of photos. So, while we can enjoy it from home, it will not download to our blog. We will have ACTUAL photos of her to share with you in another 20 weeks!! :)

We did just have a birthday party for TJ! Can you believe that he is already 1 year old?? (Well, on the 28th he will be.) It's amazing!! He is beginning to walk a little on his own now and squats and "dances" in place. He is getting stronger every day and will be running before we know it!

TJ's cake was a "puppy cake" to go along with the "Puppy Party" theme. Here he is with his doggy ears and with a little icing on his hands and face. He wanted to pet the puppy instead of eat it! Can you blame him?

We have another cake to eat on his actual birthday--especially since his Nana and Pappy (my parents) will be here for that special day!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! More updates to come in 2008!!!

Roll Tide!!!

He has GOT to be the cutest kid in the world!!!! I know, I'm biased--but he just simply is!! And although our favorite team has not had the best streak lately, there is always hope for the Tide!!

All is well in the Horton home...TJ is coming up on 1 year old VERY soon! We will be having a birthday party before Christmas and then Christmas, and then New Year! What an eventful time of year! Oh yeah--and we will also find out the gender of our Baby H2 just before Christmas as well! (I had an appointment today and heard the very strong heartbeat!)

Hope you all enjoy your holidays--and count all your blessings--I know mine are MANY!

Happy Turkey Day!! (Gobble, gobble!)

ZZZzzz...

Well, as much as he sleeps on his stomach, he definitely has mastered the art of sleeping in just about ANY position! Our camera is not functioning properly these days, so our pictures are fuzzy and limited, so I wanted to add our most recent photo of TJ until we get a new camera very soon! Enjoy!

OH BROTHER!!!!

Hi everyone! This is a quick post on the blog to let everyone know that TJ is going to be a big brother! Yes, this surprise baby was confirmed this morning! We are excited and are now looking forward to our new bundle's arrival...and all the while anticipating TJ's first birthday in a few months! I'll be keeping you posted with this blog as we know more and more about Baby Horton #2!!!

My Estimated Due Date is May 2, 2008...and since this one will probably be a scheduled c-section, he/she will be born in late April! Can't wait for spring!!!

Christmas in August...and Happy Birthday, Christian!

All he wanted for Christmas was two front teeth...and here they are!!! He's also got a top tooth coming through now.

TJ has the funnest personality and just LOVES to laugh! We chase each other (on hands and knees, of course) and have tickle fights everyday! :) He is pulling up great and walking around the furniture holding on. He tries to just stand up in place, but hasn't figured out how to do that yet.

Right now, I'm working on teaching him how to give kisses. He just purses his lips right now and takes it, but I'm sure he will be dishing them out soon!

Also, since it has been SOOOOO long since I updated this blog, TJ's buddy, Christian, had a birthday! His FIRST birthday! Here is my favorite picture of TJ with Christian at his party--TJ was pushing this wagon, then Christian decided it was his turn, so we put TJ in the wagon and let Christian push him around! It was so funny! And TJ just sat back in the wagon as if to say, "this is the life"--just chilling out in the wagon!

Happy 1st Birthday, Christian!!

More to come as TJ quickly approaches his own 1st birthday! Can you believe he is already 8 months old?!?!

Happy Fall to you--when it arrives!

Up, Up and Away He Goes!

Well, he is amazing us all! TJ is just 6 1/2 months old and he is now crawling well, pulling up to standing and also walks back and forth in his crib holding the rail. He shouldn't be growing up this fast, but who am I to hold him back?!?! I just love seeing him learn he can do something new. He gets this "laser-lock" look in his eyes when he wants something or to get somewhere, and he goes for it with all he's got! He will not be denied!

Here is a picture of him standing up at his activity toy. He really likes trying to figure out how each part works. He is super-smart and is a fun little boy! If you've not met him already, I do hope you get to one day!

TJ is eating his solids well, and he even tried a noodle and a piece of chicken the other day (per Pediatrician's orders). He LOVED them both! He really just wants whatever Buckie and I are eating--so I guess I'm going to have to eat his jar food if I want him to eat that! (Yeah, right!!) Our pediatrician says at 9-months, we are going straight to table foods! So--more to come on that!!

Happy July to you all!

He should get paid for this endorsement...

He makes a good-looking spokes-baby for this energy drink, doesn't he?!? (No, he didn't drink the energy drink--I did!) This is by far my most favorite photo of TJ at this time! Isn't he the cutest!?!

He is getting around bunches now--he has his own crawling style, but he is getting better everyday with the hands-and-knees crawl. He is also pulling himself up in his crib and is trying SO hard to get to standing on his own two feet! I think he thinks he's getting away with something when he pulls up onto his knees--he has this cute sly smile that he flashes when I go into his room and "catch" him almost standing up! I'll let him keep thinking that...THEN we will drop the crib down a notch!

I took him to the beach recently and he got to experience the pool, the sand and the ocean for the first time. He LOVED the pool--especially the float his Aunt Leslie got him (he just wanted to figure out how it made music). He also liked the sand and he ate a fist-full the first time I put him down on it (good thing he has small fists). The ocean...well, he liked watching it from the comfort of my arms, but I think he was a bit intimidated by the sound it made as it came toward him while he was down on the sand. He did not like it getting him wet at all! I'm sure he will get used to it the more we get him in it! (And if any of you have never been to the Gulf Coast--it's beautiful! You'll have to visit sometime!)

Buckie says he is the coolest kid in the world! And TJ loves his daddy! His eyes just light up when he sees and hears him! Our goal and plans are for Buckie retire early in the next two years so he can spend everyday with TJ and me. Besides, somebody has to potty train him! :)
Happy rest of the summer to you all! Post your comment if you have one--I enjoy reading them as much as I hope you enjoy reading my blog! Look for an update again soon!

Happy Half-Birthday TJ!!!

Well, today TJ turns 6-months-old! Can you believe it?!? Buckie and I feel like it has flown by, but we also don't remember what it was like NOT to have him! He is a very special boy--and a tremendous blessing in our lives!

He has hit some incredible milestones in the past few weeks! First, he crawled for the first time on Wednesday, June 20--eight days before turning 6 months! He hasn't quite mastered the hands & knee crawl, but he does this sort-of walrus crawl--he pulls his entire body forward with his arms and pushes with his toes. It's pretty cute--and fast!! He also says "ma-ma-ma-ma" everytime he wakes up and I enter his room to get him, so I've claimed his first word as "Ma-ma"! (Actually, he said it the other day for real!) Today, he pushed himself up into a sitting position for the first time! I was hoping for just one thing to tell his pediatrician at tomorrow's 6-month check-up...now I have a bunch to report! I think she will be impressed! (And for those of you who think I'm pushing him to do these things...think again...he is just a winner! It's in his blood!)

As far as his eating goes, he is now eating solids at three of his meals each day! His favorite veggie is PEAS and he likes ALL the fruits he has tried so far--even PRUNES! Yuck! He loves to drink sips of diluted juice from a sippee cup when I offer it to him--that's a special treat he only gets about twice a week. More juice to come now that he is 6-months old!

So, happy half-birthday to TJ! I'm looking forward to what he does next...and I will post his new weight and length soon--we will find out tomorrow!

Don't Crawl Away, TJ...

What an over-achiever we have here! TJ is right on the verge of crawling...he just needs to figure out how to move his arms without diving face-first into the floor! :) Here are a few photos of him playing on his tummy with a musical ball. You can see how he is pushing up (and seems to be posing for them), and then in the next photo you can see how he is pushing up on his hands and FEET. And he is ONLY 5 MONTHS OLD!!! He is eating his solids very well. We have tried Rice Cereal, Oatmeal Cereal and Peas--and he eats them all up! In another month when he has his 6-month visit with the pediatrician, we will be moving in the direction of three meals a day...more on that when we actually get to it. In the meantime...take a little time to enjoy the great smile I captured after his tummy time play today--it will make you melt!! Happy June to you all! (Can you believe it is June already???) :)

Dinner for ONE...

Tonight was TJ's first night trying something "solid"--though I have to say that the rice cereal was not any thicker than what he's used to! He acted as if he had been eating from a spoon for weeks now AND as if he hasn't been fed in a few days! He scarfed it down in a frenzy!!! He seems to have no problem eating solids, and I'm sure will just LOVE the veggies and fruits when we start them in a few weeks (after we follow doctor's orders and try all the cereals first). This week: rice cereal, next week: oatmeal, and finally: barley (sound appetizing?). I'm pretty sure he'll like sweet potatoes, bananas, and pears MUCH better than these three more bland foods. I'll report later on that experience. As you can see, a lot of the rice cereal got on him (and a little missed completely), but he got most of the 1 tablespoon of cereal. Good thing a little mess in the kitchen never hurt anyone!! More dinner tales later...

OOPS! I forgot to add the pictures to my post!

First Time Blogger...

Hey everyone! Welcome to the Horton Family Blog! I am excited about getting with the times and learning more about how to blog...and I hope you enjoy this new way of getting updates on Buckie, TJ and me!

TJ will be 5 months old on Monday. He is sitting up better when I put him in the sitting position, and he is pushing himself up into a sitting position sometimes. He also gets up on his hands and knees every chance he gets. TJ wants to be a "big boy" so bad--and he is following the lead of his new buddy, Christian, who is almost 9 months old. I'm excited to see what he learns to do next!

We will be starting solids with him next week...rice cereal...yummmmm! He already knows what to do with a baby spoon, so I think he is very ready for something more for his tummy! I'm sure I'll get a picture or two of his first "meal" to share later!

I hope you all have fun summers planned. Enjoy the HEAT!!