Long Overdue

Hello friends! We've been extra busy these past few months and have not been able to update. I thought I would give a quick rundown since the last post.

Right after Halloween, Addison and I flew to Jackson, Mississippi to join Forest. Yes, flew on a plane. Yes, it was horrible. Yes, I totally don't recommend flying with a 9 1/2 month old. And yes, the person beside me moved after being kicked in the ribs constantly by a crazy baby (not to mention the person in front of me rudely asked ME to stop kicking her chair...like I was the one kicking her chair). But we made it and had a fun few weeks exploring Jackson. We were able to visit with my dear friend Brittany, have milkshakes at the famous Brent's Drugs, and go to the most awesome park ever! Forest enjoyed his final clinical rotation at St. Dominic's where he was able to learn about Hand Therapy. 

Addison is growing like crazy. She took her first steps in November and is now practically running. She is also getting a mouth full of teeth (finally) and loves to brush them. 

Halloween Happenings

Hello all! We have been a little busy this month...mostly trying to prepare for all of the changes we have coming up. Also, we are enjoying as many Halloween outfits as possible. Notice how the polka dot bow goes with everything! This Friday we had a little get-together with a few fun church folks. The kids (and some of the more awesome adults) dressed up. Addison was a little monster (see her t-shirt) in a tutu:). It was pretty cute. Her little friend AJ was a precious little tiger. They were holding hands during the photos.

It's October!

October is my favorite month. I love the fall weather, the leaves changing color, autumn scented candles, pumpkin bread (muffins, chai, cookies, and so on), excitement about the upcoming holiday season, and fall clothes of course! So far, the only thing Addison is excited about is pulling up on everything (and eating the falling leaves:). I'm learning what it means to babyproof the house and how tiring it is to chase a very busy almost 9 month old. Here are a few photos of our month so far. Enjoy!

Uncle Jonnie

As many of you know, my dear brother has graciously invited our little family into his home for the past year! So he knows firsthand about living with a baby! They are really adorable together.

PS She started crawling the day after the last blog post. It's been crazy!

Labor Day and 8 months

Our little mama turned 8 months old yesterday! We decided to celebrate with a  little ponytail! I love little baby ponytails. She's moving like crazy...a few crawls forward but mostly rolling still. She doesn't quite get the whole crawling thing yet. That's okay with me...I feel like I'm already chasing her all over creation. AND I've finally heard a ma-ma. Most of the time I say, "Addison say ma-ma." Then she looks at me and says, "da-da." Oh well:) Also, we took baby girl to the beach again. She had a blast visiting with her Dutton grandparents and Aunt Holly and Uncle Jake. Vacation was fun. Not sure if the word relaxing will describe vacation anymore. After discovering the taste of sand, she attempted to dive out of her baby pool constantly. No more laying quietly on a beach towel (for anybody really). The last piece of developmental news is that she is clapping (yes, I realize that developmental news sounds nerdy). It's really cute but impossible to catch on camera. 

That's all of the Addison Joy update. Otherwise we are trying to endure clinical and figure out the one million things we have to do before Minnesota. Happy Wednesday everyone!

Addison's Baptism

 A snippet from Forest's speech about Addison's baptism on Sunday...

"It is a privilege to stand here before this church, friends, and family and to celebrate the grace of God through the sacrament of baptism. My wife Amanda and I wanted to baptize our daughter, Addison, to proclaim the faithfulness of God in making a covenant with us and to our children. As we talked, studied, and prayed about this day it is our conviction that Christ has promised to ingraft her into himself, to cleanse her from all sin by his blood, and regenerate her through the Holy Spirit. With today’s baptism we set her apart from the world and admit her into the visible church to receive all the benefits that it gives. Isaiah 12:1-3 is above our daughters crib. It speaks of joyously drawing water from the wells of salvation found only in Christ.  We as parents pale in comparison to the shepherding love and care that Christ stands to give to Addison throughout her life and this is our deepest comfort: that he a gracious Father and the fountain of living water".

The Great Baby Escape

It's just another Manic Monday! Remember that song (I mean I was three...but I do remember it later!)? My child currently has zero teeth but is working on four this week! Y'all pray for me:) And speaking of prayers... just check out the images (and video) below. I do have a feeling she's going to be a child like her daddy. It frightens me slightly that Forest's family members still tell stories about how wild he was as a child. Like climbing (and getting stuck) in giant trees at four years old. Well, I'm hoping that growing up with another wild one helped prepare me! We'll see...Happy Monday!

Seven Months!

My baby turned seven months old on August 11th! My, my how time has flown by. It's not been the easiest 7 months (duh!), but I am so thankful that I get to stay home with her and see all of the sweet moments throughout the day. God has certainly provided for us! How will I ever resist those baby blues! In the past week or so, we visited with Aunt Holly in Charlotte, strolled around the Blythewood Ball Park, played in the pool, went to the park with baby AJ, and met some ducks among other things. Not glamorous but simple and sweet. How was your week?

A few good reads...and a video!

Top of the morning to you! This greeting is in honor of the London Olympics. So proud that two former Gamecocks took home medals last night! This video may not be as impressive as The Games but wanted to share it anyways. Just a little clip of my growler. 

Summer 2012

Hello friends! We have now entered our "fall" semester! For the most part, the lazy days of summer are over and the routine is back. Can't say that I'm totally sad over it...I needed a little routine in my life. Addison and I are spending our days practicing sitting, rolling, eating, eating, and more eating. She is consuming all kinds of fruits and veggies, even some bread, and of course Baby Mum Mums. Gotta have those Mum Mums!

In other news, July was a packed month with many fun visits with friends and family. We are thankful for you all! Warning: there are quite a few photos of our summer adventures... 

A bunch of Duttons and a couple of lovely Blackmans

Sittin' and Swimmin'

That's what we've been up to lately. Addison is sitting up now! We are enjoying the last few days of summer as a family before Forest leaves for a faraway land (aka Chapin:).

Remembering Steve Irwin...

I wanted to show off a few chompers in my life. As her Nana would say, "Addison is sucking the toe jam off". (Sorry if that's too graphic:) Her toes are in her mouth constantly. I can't imagine having that flexibility! Her daddy can barely touch his knees. In other news... this is the huge gator we saw in our backyard at Kiawah. The Crocodile Hunter would truly be proud!

leg·a·cy noun \ˈle-gə-sē\

Watching my sweet grandma spend time with my little one always makes me think of our heritage. It is amazing to see four generations of women! I wonder how my grandma must feel to see her daughter now a grandma? It also makes me ponder my own life and legacy. The online Merriam-Webster dictionary defines legacy as something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past. What are the things I want to leave behind for future generations? What things do I want to teach my daughter that will outlive me? I found this poem in an Elizabeth Elliot newsletter that describes what I want to be true of me when I stand before Him: