Christmas "Eve"

Before we had the "wee ones" in the family my mom's side of the family would get together on Christmas eve to exchange gifts and eat and visit with one another... well since then we have had to alter the date a little bit to accommodate the little ones being in their homes and beds when "Santa" comes... Anyhoo with that said, Today we had our Christmas "Eve" at Buster and Bj's... ((minus Buster and Jake)) We ate, open gifts, play basketball, jumped on the trampoline, played with silly string, and when on a hay ride to look at Christmas lights..... Need less to say it was a fun filled day!
Here are just a few pictures from today...

Christmas with Santa, I mean NANA...

Last night was Christmas with Kevin's mom's family.... Athen got all kinds of goodies.... Mickey Mouse and Elmo books and some new Pj's.... A good time was had by all....

"LOOK Momma, MOUSE!!!"

"LOOK! Toodles!!!"

"That's Athen's Book"

Athen isn't "allowed" to say MINE so he's found a way around it, he now says "Athen's" so smart that child!

The Whole crew - Kevin, Athen, Nana, Grandma Becky, and Grandpa Buddy...

After presents at Nana's, we (the four of us) went Christmas light looking. We let Athen get out of his seat when we got to the "Dancing House" its the house that the lights are set to the music, very neat! PLUS! There's a BIG Mickey Mouse blow up there!

Dancing House, sorry, none of the picture really turned out... you should go and see if for yourself, its really neat!

Tis Better to Give Than to Receive...

To much???? NAH!!!!

I L-O-V-E to give, its my FAVORIT part of christmas....

Hope everyone is working on getting their gifts wrapped... only 11 more shopping/wrapping days!!!

Happy 51 years PawPaw

aka, Papa, Daddy, Coach Randy, Uncle Randy, Brother Walker....

Today is my Daddy's 51st "Happy" day is Athen calls it...

If you know him, you know what a nice, caring, sharing, loving, giving, man he is....

Also, a shout out that he won the Spirit Award at his company's Christmas party this past Friday night. It is an award that is voted on by your co-workers... I am very proud of him!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!! We love you!!

((sorry, only picture I have of Daddy that is somewhat "recent"))

I would give you the moon...

... Well Grammie and Papa did! The picture doesn't do it justice. I couldn't figure out how to take it with out the flash going off so you could see it all lite up... Athen LOVES the moon, and when I say "love" I mean that's all he talks about... we have to go out side and see it ALL the time... morning noon or night... MOON MOON MOON.























Also, I put up the "big" tree... nothing fancy... just the same ol same ol...






















and last but not least...
Boo is working on that "potty" thing... I just could resist... =)

No Christmas is complete...

....with out a UGA tree!!!

One tree down, one to go...

Every year I put up a UGA tree. This is Athen's special tree, not only cause of the obvious, but because it has special ornaments on it. Every year Grammie buys Athen a special ornament for HIS tree. Also, Nana started our collection of Danbury Mint UGA ornaments. She gave us our first one for 2004 and also 2005. I keep the tradition going and I have all them to date. I REALLY want to find the 2003 that way I would have one for every year we have been married, no luck yet. So you see Athen's tree is VERY special and is a tradition that I plan to keep going for many many years... Even if I have to go to his house when he's grown =)

Thanks Grammie and Nana for giving Athen his very own special tree!

This one Grammie bought before Athen was on his way here....

2006 From Grammie

2007

2008

The start of the collection... 2004

2006, year Athen was born...

2005

Happy Birthday Aunt "Sherrr"

Tonight we had Aunt "Sherrr's" birthday party that she throws for herself every year... we ate, played games and then the boys (Kevin, Eric, and Athen) went about their own business. In the mean time, we sat around and took pictures.... Here are just a few...

Hope you had a GREAT birthday Aunt Sherrr! Can't wait till next year... The BIG 5-0!!!!

What a big boy am I!

Today was Athen's two year check up. Again, doctor confirmed what we knew all along... He's PERFECT!

Here's his stats: He's 36 in tall (3 ft), and weighs 30lbs, and he head is 18 in. I would think it was bigger with all those brains in there....

He's in the upper 95th % for height and the mid 75th % for weight...

That's really about it...no shots (THANKFULLY!!!) and no check up till his three... Hope not to see the doc till then!!!!

Best thing since sliced bread!

A co-worker told me about these.... I know, I know - it doesn't take much to excite me! But these are WONDERFUL... Really, its the best thing since sliced bread! TRY THEM!!!

Twenty Four and more...

Happy Thanksgiving!!! I can't think of a single thing to be more thankful for than Athen Walker Bradford born two years ago on this very day...
Here's Athen's NEW 24...
1. Can say cereal
2. Is a bit of a tattle tale...
3. Can say BAD when he's done something wrong
4. "who's that, momma?"
5. "I want some, momma"
6. "I want that, momma"
7. "moon's gone nite nite, momma" 8. says "momma" after everything
9. Still loves the Hot Dog Song
10. knows the difference between a deer (aka, buck) and a doe
11. "watch this, momma"
12. Pretty much knows every ones name that he has daily contact with... or some form of their name anyway
13. Told on Uncle Eric for spanking him "Eric pank, momma"
14. can say pajama's
15. hat
16. jacket
17. When he has gas, and I ask him if he's toot tooted he says "All gone, momma"
18. Papa is his "go to" when he gets in trouble
19. Likes to pick flowers for special people
20. Has been banned from Junk food
21. LOVES Junk food
22. Likes to speak his mind, I don't know where in the world he could have gotten that from...?
23. His bed time has been bumped up to past 9...
24. Told me this morning, "No Two"... I guess he thought his life was going to change now that he is the T-W-O.

Now for the "party"...
This year, since Athen's birthday was ON Thanksgiving, I didn't want to have a party per-say. Not to mention, we are not into "stuff" and lets face it what else does a two year old get at a birthday party but "stuff" so after Turkey Time we had a small gathering at mom and dad's. It was really just the people that were at Thanksgiving, oh and my BFF Jill...
We didn't have cake. Mama made mini pecan and pumpkin pies. I decorated a little with Mickey Mouse Club House. Also, I had bought some cans of silly string which was a BIG hit...

Here are pictures of the birthday boy and his birthday...

Coming In....

"Happy Birthday To You...."

HOT DOG!!

These were his FAV, tanks Aunt Ninnie!

"Get them Momma!"

Happy Birthday Boo!!!

We LOVE You!!!!

Its all about ME!

Today is my Birthday, I hear that I am now two...whatever that means. I hope it means that I still get to keep my pacie, my diapers, and my crib.... I also hear I am going to have a fun filled day... stay tuned! ~athen

AMEN!

Just a quick cute story....
This morning on the way to church when we started getting close and was turning into church ATHEN stared saying "Amen! Amen!"
So smart that child!

Fun Family Day...

Just a quick post...

Saturday we took our FIRST ((yes, he's almost two)) road trip as a family of THREE... We headed north to Macon to meet with Kevin's uncle, who's only a couple years older than us, his wife and their little boy Leiland. We meet up had lunch and then headed off to Monkey Joe's... the boys had them a good ol' time... This was the first time the two families had a chance to hang out... We all had a really good time...

Can't wait to see you guys again....

ps... I think Leiland was kinda sweet on me, he say RIGHT beside me at lunch, ATHEN didn't like that too much =) Can't wait to see you again Leelee!

Out of the mouth of babes....

A funny story...

Friday night Athen and I stopped by Kevin's mom's place... We had been there for a bit and I had been telling him before that her name was "Nana" and what not... He had said it a couple of times while we were there and when we were leaving Toni (aka Nana) said "You're a Mess" to Athen.... well, for about the next five minutes Athen kept saying "Nana mess" "Nana mess" haha... TOO funny!!!

He's talking pretty good theses days... His new things is if he wants something he says " cup, momma" or " more, dada" whatever he wants followed by whom ever he's speaking to... he's a trip!!! I hope to have video of him soon... stay tuned

What's wrong with this picture...?

*disclaimer: I was doing laundry, thus all the clothes on the bed...*

Lets name all the things "wrong" with this picture....

1. sun glass on at 7:30 at night

2. winter hat on when its 75 degrees outside ((and his INSIDE))

3. Shoes on with his PJ's

4. Sprite all down the front of his PJ's

5. His shoes don't even match! (however, at least his hat does...)

My child, he's SOOOOOOOOOO fashion forward...

Give me a break, he's not even TWO yet...

So…. I must confess, I gave in, I am weak… The pacie is back… I know I know… but really, He’s not even two yet… and the way I see it… MUCH better for him to have a pacie and have a RESTFUL night’s sleep than to not have one and have a RESTLESS nights sleep… Ok, I too benefit from the pacie. ATHEN goes right off to sleep… last night we played stay up/sleep from 8 to 11… NO FUN for either one of us… If that’s the worse thing I give in on, I think he will turn out just fine… Can I get an AMEN?!?!?! – And no comments from you Aunt Ninnie!

My Garbage Pail Kid

Let me set the stage for you...

Before ATHEN came along, Kevin and I use to sit out side on the back porch and enjoy a nice fire... Well since the birth of ATHEN we haven't had the chance to. Well tonight we thought it would be a good idea to have one. Athen is old enough to somewhat listen and he NEEDED some time outside... Well, the fire only interested him for ol' about two minutes.... Therefore, Kevin had to find some other form of entertainment...

This would be my child and my husband... ATHEN is in the trash can and Kevin is spinning him around... I am pretty sure we should live in Naylor with is kind of free entertainment...

ATHEN gives a new meaning to "Garbage Pail Kid..."

((side note: I just googled "Garbage Pail Kids" gross! I do not remember them being that gross! ))

In the words of ATHEN..."All Gone"

While I was off doing my own thing today, Kevin decided it would be a good idea to take ATHEN to town and get his hair cut... There is a reason I wasn't around... I didn't want his hair cut. I like his curls.... I may not like my own but I liked his... So now is hair is "All Gone"...


















This is the only picture I could get with him LOOKING at the camera and saying "cheese" (just for you aunt ninnie) at the same time... just over look me and focus on the hair, or lack there of!

ATHEN'S first football game...

At Halloween when the Dawgs didn't show up to play, the boys got a pick-up game in the front yard...

Athen is right in the middle of it all!!!

Enjoy!

Bad Hair Day...

I guess ATHEN must have toss and turned all night over the election as well....

This is what ATHEN looked like when he woke up this morning... and you thought I had bad hair... ((sorry, pictures aren't that great - took with my phone))
















This is him AFTER I tired to do something with it...
















This is as good as it got....

A-L-L boy

If you need a laugh....
When I got to Mrs Carolyn's today (daycare) I go in and get my report for the day "He's been good, no time outs... etc" Then she added "You are going to have to keep a close eye on him" In my mind I am thinking, "Oh boy, what has he gotten into now..." Mrs Carolyn proceeds to tell me that Athen was looking up Katie's dress today!!! Yep, he went over to her pulled her dress up and bent down to see what was under there! Now, he's dada would say "that's my boy!" I say, where is the nearest ALL BOY SCHOOL??!??!
Actually, I think its pretty funny. I an sure he was trying to figure out how she could get away with not wearing a diaper but every time he tires to do the same he gets in trouble ((she's a bit older than him and is being potty trained))
I think I am just going to chalk this one up to "boys will be boys"...???
Have a great day!

bye bye pye...

No more pacie. Athen doesn't take one at daycare and his aunt Ninnie didn't give him on Friday night nor Saturday for his nap... therefore I concluded that he didn't know one at all.... I throw it away... trash pick up was today so there is not turning back now! Stay tuned!

UPDATE: 11/5/08
still "pye"-less..... Athen is not too happy about it. He doesn't ask for it at night be he sure doesn't go right to sleep like he use to... you have to hold him for a bit and then rub his tummy and he seems to be "ok" with it all after that....

Fall Family Fun...

Tonight we had a SIXTH annual hayride and "trick or treat".... Athen was all about him some "andy" and "chaw" aka candy and chocolate...

This year Athen went as a "Hunter" and this is him with his REAL gun that his dada bought him, guess who WASN'T excited about that gift?!?!?!

When you ask Athen "what do you do with a gun?" he says "SHHHOOOOOOT!" and you say "What do you shoot?" he says "DEER!" So smart =)

Athen was going for the gangsta hunter look - he's a thug at heart... =)