A Zoo Visit!

Over Thanksgiving we went to Tyler to visit my side of the family. We had a great time! While we were there we went to the Tyler zoo. Levi loves animals and well, it is fun to watch him because he loves them so much. I got some great shots of him feeding the birds and petting the goats. All the animals that were behind the glass or cage were a little bit harder for Levi to really connect with. You know, he is definitely a feeler so the fact that he couldn't touch them (and rightfully so!) he didn't show as much interest. He like the birds and goats the best. But we thought all the animals were cool! Especially the giraffes!

It's Christmas Time!

I have always liked Christmas, but this year I fell IN LOVE with this time of year! :) All because of our sweet little Levi! Doing all the Christmas festivities is so much more fun once you have a baby! Seeing his face light up and hearing his expressions when we pull out the different decorations and such was soooo much fun! We started the night with going to get our tree. We just went to Lowe's this year, instead of going to a tree lot like Brandon did growing up, because we wanted to get a nice, cheap tree. We found a great one! :) Then once the tree was up and placed and we had reconfigured our den, Brandon started to put the lights on while I made some hot chocolate from scratch! It was very yummy!

I was able to get some great video of him during our decorating time. They are kinda on the longer side, but I just loved watching him. I can see now why Brandon's family had lots of traditions around Christmas decorating because it is really fun. I know that I will always want to do these things every year now too!

Here is a pic of the final product. Not great quality because it is with my phone and during the day, but you can get the idea! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Beach! :D

Earlier this month we got the opportunity to go with my family to the beach in Florida! Well, Levi and I did. Brandon had to stay home because of work. :( I did feel bad most of the time that Bran had to miss it because it was Levi's first time really encountering the beach and everything with it! He LOVED everything about it! The sand, the water, his cousins. I wasn't really sure if he would like the water because he doesn't usually like things splashing up on him. But he did like it! He loved everything about the sand. He would just want to roll around in it and hold it and throw it. He was basically in heaven to a 1 1/2 year old! :) I have a couple of really cute videos of our time. I hope you enjoy watching them! :)

Golf...

Levi seems to be a very coordinated little boy. He loves to kick soccer balls, throw ANY kind of balls, and this past weekend he tried his first go at golf! Haha!

He is just cute and funny. The previous owners of our house left LOTS of stuff here. Most of it is just plain annoying, but they did leave this golf club, which is not AS annoying. Anyways, we got some use out of it ;).

Weekends...

This past weekend was such a fun time. We didn't do anything that interesting, but it was just nice. The weather was great and we spent all day Saturday outside in the backyard, literally! :) Brandon put up a swing that we inherited from my sister so that Levi can now swing in our backyard. (Because walking across the street in the the front is just too far sometimes! Ha!) Levi loves it! We have been out to swing everyday since then.

After we got the swing all set up, Brandon was doing some yard work and Levi decided that he needed help! :)

I hope you enjoyed the videos!

Our Family is Bigger!

The Atkinson family is now bigger! (not because of me! haha!) Our sister and bro-in-law had a baby about 7 weeks ago. Wesely James Carter was born on September 3rd, really early in the morning. He is so cute and sweet doesn't really look like Levi at all! Haha! He has his daddy's hair and his mama's face, for the most part. He is so cute and we just love him so much already. We have only gotten to see him once, and wish it could be more, but that's just life. Welcome to the family Wes, it's a great family to be a part of! We love you!

Wes in the hospital, a few hours old.

One-ish week old.

One week old.

Grammy with her grandsons. Levi - 16 months, Wes - 3 weeks old!

6 Weeks old! So big and cute!

LOVE that smile! :)

SLIPPERS!

As some of you may know, Levi loves SHOES!!! Shoes was one of Levi's first words. Maybe because he loves going places so he knows that if he needs to put his shoes on then that means that he is going to get to go somewhere. Well, recently cousin Jack graciously passed down some gently used clothes and such to Levi. Thanks Jack! (and Lea :)) Well, in the big bag 'o stuff were slippers. I knew immediately when I saw them that Levi would love them. Not only are they "shoes" but they look like the go "ROOOAAARRR!" (Levi's other favorite word). Well he DID love them and has not wanting to take them off!

See, he doesn't look happy at all! ;)

Thanks for all the hand-me-down's Arnolds, especially these fun slippers!

Catch-up Time!

So I have been terribly bad about updating the blog. Sorry! I have gotten a couple requests lately to do some updating so I am going to try to do better. Levi is growing and changing so much. He really is turning into a little boy instead of a baby. Kinda sad, but fun as well. There are definitely nice things about him getting so big. He plays by himself pretty well now, at 17 months, and if it has been a few minutes since he has seen me, he runs up and gives me a huge hug! :) I like that!

He is really into giving real kisses. He even makes the kissing sound and everything! He is a very affectionate and loving boy. Levi even tries to give Grammy and Grandpa and Ashley kisses over the video chat! HAHA!

This is his kissy face!

Levi is now talking up a storm. Mostly still gibberish but he also says quite a few words pretty clearly. I feel like he is a little advanced in his speech but maybe not. Here is a list of the words that he says: dog, dada, mama, papa, shoes, park, watch, out, bye-bye, ummmm, night-night, ball, bird, meow, rooooaaarr!, ow, wow!, walk, Ira, Nile, hi, water, "It's a dog". I think that that is about it but he is learning new words everyday. He is very into repeating things that you say, so if you are ever around him, watch what comes out of your mouth! Don't say the word p-a-r-k unless you are willing to go! Haha!

Brandon is such a fun Daddy and loves playing with Levi. Levi just adores Daddy and he shows it too! Anytime the door opens during the day, and I say "Who's here Levi?" He drops whatever he is holding or doing and runs to the door because he knows that it is his daddy. He gives him a huge hug and smile. It's sweet!

Another thing that shows that Brandon is an awesome daddy is how much Levi loves playing with him. Levi is really into balls and throwing and catching them. We have two footballs, yea that's right, two. Haha! Anyways, Brandon started doing the infamous, "Down, Set, Hut!" with the football in his low voice. They play this a lot that now, whenever Levi picks up the football he says any three syllables of his choosing in the deepest voice he can make! With the pauses and everything! It is sooo funny! I can't believe that he is so smart and picked this up! I want to try to get this on video!

We love our sweet little boy and who he is growing up to be!

We've Moved!

Well, I know that it has been a long time since I have posted and SOOOOO much has gone on! The biggest thing is that we have moved to Oklahoma City! Crazy!!! It has been a big change and have had lots of things to get used, the main thing is the weather. It is sooo hot here! I don't know if we have had more than 2 or 3 days that have been below 100 degrees! They keep saying that this is above average, and that it is not normal, but it doesn't seem to be getting any cooler. I know that I grew up here in the south, but one thing that I loved about living in the north was that it wasn't as hot there. I liked the weather in IL. I know that I will adjust and get used to it, but that is one of the hardest things for me. Brandon seems to be doing fine with the weather though! :) Levi doesn't even seem to notice.

Levi is growing so much and changing a lot. He now chooses to walk every time, over crawling, and is a talker and communicator. I have included a cute video of some of the newer cute things that he has been doing.

We are enjoying being here in Oklahoma. I want to post a video of our new house and a tour, but I want to make sure that it is perfectly clean! :) So that is coming soon.

Levi is ONE!

I can't believe that my baby is already one! Where did the time go??? We had a small birthday party to celebrate Levi so here are some of the sweet moments that were captured. This first video I caught him "helping" us clean the house for the party! Haha! He was so helpful! :)

The next video is of him eating his first cake.

Thanks to all of you who were able to come help us celebrate! We love our little one-year-old! Happy Birthday Levi! Here are some pics from the party.

I made his cake. It's a cow!

Levi was a little scared when we were all singing to him! :)

"Yummy, Mom! I love this stuff!"

Lately...

This is mostly what Levi has been up to lately...

Don't try and run away, we know that it was you Levi!

"Who me? Did I do that?"

:)

Our Little Walker! AGGHHHH!! :)

This cute little guy...

is

WALKING!!!!

Watch the video to see some of his first steps. The end of the video has some of his new cute little things he does, wave and clap. (Don't mind the pepper in his hand and mouth! :] )

The Park! :)

This picture explains itself, Levi loved visiting the park! It has gotten warm this weekend so we were literally outside ALL DAY yesterday. (Levi even got a little sunkissed because Mommy forgot that you have to think about sunscreen with a little pale body like Levi's. Oopps!)

I have been saying it for a while now but, it is confirmed that Levi is such a social butterfly. He loved being there to be with all the other kids. He didn't care that he was the smallest thing by far. He would just talk and talk anytime any other kid came close to us. And by talk I mean scream at them! Haha! He would literally just give it all he had and let his voice be heard. It was really cute and funny! None of the kids really paid too much attention other than a couple weird looks like, "Why are you screaming at me?" :)

It was literally all smiles at all times while we were there, except the one time he got his little finger caught in the grate of the play area.

I would say that the slide was his favorite thing there. But we didn't swing and in the past that has usually been the favorite. This park was so awesome though. Let's just say, whenever it is warm, we will probably be taking a walk to this park.

This one little boy did sort-of "play" with us.

And by play I mean, shoot at me with his pretend stick gun. I told him that I was going to "shoot" him with my camera if he kept doing it, so I did! :) He was cute and even though I don't know how I feel about Levi playing shooting and killing games, I did not feel it was my place to tell this little kid that I didn't think that it was appropriate, his dad was watching him the whole time. So I played along. I guess we will just cross that bridge when/if it comes. He was a cutie though. Reminds me of what our little friend Elias would have looked like when he was a little younger, I think that he is 7 or 8 now.

All in all, we all enjoyed the park! I love my happy, little boy!

"I can't talk to you right now Mom, I'm on the move!"

Sometimes I can't even handle it. When I look at Levi, or even just think about him, I become overwhelmed with love and adoration, for him and our God. I just can't even begin to conceive how God loves his people so much that he would let us share in raising up another human being. To get to experience what it is like to love a child more than you could ever begin to put into words. To feel emotions of every kind throughout each day, happiness, joy, frustrations, fear... Levi is getting to so many new stages so quickly! At 10 1/2 months he is almost a professional crawler, walking around with help, standing on his own, getting into things (see pictures below)

He really is just the happiest little boy I know (although some might consider him and Nile to be VERY close to a tie in that contest). I love to hear him laugh and watch him explore new things. I seriously wake up each day and wonder what new thing Levi will do or discover that day.

He is changing so much. I don't like to discuss his sleeping because frankly, whenever I do, it seems to change. But lets just say he is changing his schedule and he is more happy and I am MORE happy! :)

Levi is so talkative and social, I love watching him interact with others. He is very loving and snuggley, which is one of my most favorite things.

Mommy is still his favorite, but Daddy is quickly gaining in favor, which is fun to watch. Brandon enjoys playing ball with Levi and is looking forward to him being able to throw a frisbee. I told him this will be a while, but he still likes to dream! :)

He recently discovered his tongue and likes to play with it. He is being a very good eater and will eat most vegtables, if he can feed them to himself! He also recently likes to help Mommy with making her jewelry and hold her beads for her. He is such a little helper!

I just really can't get enough of this boy! I love him so much!

Library Play Date

The Elgin library has an amazing play area for kids! A group of fun ladies and their kiddos invited me and Levi to join their play time with them there and we had a great time! It is fun that we all have boys close in age! I got a few good shots of the boys, but mostly sweet little Judah posing quite nicely!

Levi mostly enjoys new tastes and new germs that aren't at our house. ;)

I love Benji's hair!

Sweet Judah with his sweet Mommy!

See? A very good poser!

Again, Levi eating new toys! (He doesn't get to eat pancakes at home.)

All in all we had a great time! We can't wait for more play dates!