Life with my sister

Henry was tickled to get behind the wheel of his new Power Wheels truck. We purchased it at a seasonal resale a few weeks ago in Memphis. Randall did an overhaul on it (tricked it out...for those of you who know the lingo!) and finally let him drive it. It was more of an attempt to drive it. Henry only pushes the pedal when he feels like it. He sure looks cute in it, moving or not. It has a radio in it so he likes to sit and listen more than anything. Watch out neighbors, Henry Patton is going to be on the go this spring! The dreaded haircut with Henry. We have been cutting his hair since he was 10 months old. He has some thick and curly hair, just like his mama and daddy. Up to this point I have had to hold him and hold him down, kicking, crying and swatting while the hairdresser cuts his hair. This past weekend he proved what a big boy he is becoming. She set the seat up for him without knowing I hold him. I played dumb and went along with it to see if he would sit down. He did. He t...

School Days, School Days... The kids went to school today. Not "real" school, as we call public school, but a homeschool academy that meets on Tuesdays. Everyone was excited, and everyone was a bit apprehensive about going this morning. They all looked so cute. I wish I had taken a picture. I just don't even think in pictures anymore! Shameful I know. I woke up early this morning fixed breakfast and made lunches for the three in our family that don't care for spaghetti, which is what was being served for lunch at school. Sadly, I didn't think ahead about lunches and was out of bread and zippy bags. So, I made peanut butter crackers and wrapped them in foil. Poor things, they don't even know to be embarrassed ! Samuel is taking Geography, Civil War History, Music, and Drama. David and Daniel are taking Music, Science, Art, Cooking, and English. Anna is taking Music, Art, Cooking, Thinking Skills, and Grammar/Reading. I hope they love it. I hope I love it. I al...

My little turkey can say "gobble gobble" and "give thanks". It makes my Mama heart so proud. He is a sponge and I love it! This week I am making a thankful tree for us to have on the table at dinner time. It has made me think of all the little bitty things we have to be thankful for. Henry absorbing things and learning so much is something I am most thankful for this year. He has been saying his ABC's for about 2 months now and it is clear as a bell. You can even start at any given letter and he will pick it up and finish it. So smart! He is counting to 14. I have the cutest video of he and his daddy counting but downloading videos is my downfall. I don't take time to do it. Maybe I will this week if time allows. His little voice melts my insides. He also knows all his shapes. You can even throw out a diamond or an octagon and he will tell you exactly what it is. You should hear him say "octagon". Preciousness! It makes me laugh because it is sur...

Daniel scored the first big buck of the family. We are so proud...but not near as proud as he is. Look at that smile!

I am loving this boy. I know you already know this, yet I just can't express it enough. I am just loving this stage. Every stage has its perks. This one makes me laugh...and we all know how I love to laugh. It also makes me tired in a whole new tired way. It is a good tired and not the "drunk" tired of the infant stage. This is a sleep good tired and I like it, even though I sometimes complain. I really shouldn't. Henry does and says the funniest things. He is a little character. I admit that he is my child. Beware! He is a little clown and I adore it. Henry will get into things and find things I did not know we even had. He found this water gun in the above photo in a random cabinet that I had for the Fab 4 a few years back. Never a dull moment. He had never played with a gun so his Daddy was demonstrating. I am not sure Henry thought it was all that fun...shooting his mother and all. I am really trying my hardest to cherish all these sweet and simple times because I...

Henry took his first trip to the beach this past week. We visited Orange Beach, on the Alabama Gulf Coast. It was great fun for all 3 of us....yet Henry had the most fun, I think! It was such a joy to watch him get hit by his first wave. I love that I actually captured it. His squeals and laughter will be stored in my heart forever. He is just too funny. I love that child. We had our photos taken on the beach one morning while we were there. I am a social media junkie...though I am trying to cut back some for fear the state may come take my baby if I don't mop the floor more often...but it my social media escapades I found a new friend on the Alabama Gulf Coast who was kind enough to lend her photography talents to my little crew. Henry did not pose for any of his shots. I know some of you who have seen the full online album are in awe at his photos. I am afraid he is a natural...like his Mama! ha. I love how Michelle captured him in true Henry form in all her shots. It ma...

This past week Henry went to B-I-B-L-E school at our church. Henry loves the "B-I-B-L-E" song that we play in the Tahoe over and over and over and over again, so when I would say "Bible School" he would say "B-I-E " (That is how he spells it and he drags the E out for a long time). I was the preschool "craft lady" (as I was quickly named by the preschoolers) and made the BAD mistake of going into Henry's room for crafts on the first night instead of sending one of my helpers. It is a wonder his teachers did not kill me with the craft scissors. He cried ALL NIGHT because he kept seeing me and hearing me. He is such a mess about going to church, I tell ya. He tunes up as soon as we turn into the parking lot. It is actually funny and I laugh at him now. He does not laugh though. Look at that face. He loves his church, he just plays hard to get so he can get special attention (which he has had great success. He is super-duper rotten with the n...

We took this little curly headed cutie to the Memphis Zoo the other day. He loved the farm animals a lot. I think because most of his animal toys make farm animal sounds, so he was familiar with them. He called the donkey "mama", but he called the gorilla "daddy", so that made it all better! Henry and his daddy were admiring the ducks in this photo. I am not sure they were admiring them the way the zoo intended....admiring them from a duck hunters prospective, of course. Henry loved taking in all the sights and smells of the zoo while riding the Once Upon A Farm train. Henry loved getting out of the stroller and running his daddy all over the place. It was truly too cute. "moo!" He was looking at the cow and saying, "moo". It was not as cool as we anticipated that day, and this poor little fella got hot in his stroller, but he was a trooper. He loved looking at all the animals and soaking up all the other children around him. We had so m...

Henry participated in his first trike-a-thon this week at his little school. It was a fundraiser for St. Jude, which is near and dear to my heart. I was an intern there for 2 summers and then worked in the leukemia clinic for a while after college. So, I am always up for helping continue Danny Thomas' mission and watching my sweet son have some fun! It was THE cutest thing to watch all the toddlers explore each others riding toys. One of the boys brought his lawn mower and it was just like Henry's mower. So, Henry took it and mowed the majority of the time. It was super cute to watch. One of Henry's little friend's had a cool Buzz car that everyone took for a spin. Henry took his cool John Deere 4 wheeler his Nana and Papa got him for his first Christmas. He shared it with a few of his little friends too. I love how they all shared...so sweet. Henry had so much fun showing out for his Daddy and me at his school. He did the robot and danced for everyone. He is such a ...

Something about snow makes me want to belt out the song from White Christmas,"Snow, Snow, Snow..." in my best opera voice. Good thing there is no voice record option on here, huh?! Henry finally got to play in the snow for the first time. Last year he saw snow from the window, but he was too little to go out and play. We were so excited to show Henry what the white stuff was all about! He was slow to take off but when he did he was gone! He loved it. Randall and I loved watching his face and listening to him squeal. I took the cutest video but it was set on the wrong settings and is now too large to load on the computer. Go figure. I don't want him to grow up too fast, yet I look forward to being able to ride 4 wheelers and do a little sledding with him in the snow. He is so much fun and the cutest snow baby ever! Abby

Today we are celebrating the Big 1 with our little Henry. I made this little slide show to share at the party today and thought I would share it here so you could see it too. There is music ...you may want to mute it if you are not a "Sweet Child Of Mine" fan....just sayin! This free digital slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Last year on this day I became a mother at 4:25 in the afternoon. Henry Patton was born and I began to experience a love like I had never known. Today at 4:25 we took this picture ( this was actually taken a few minutes before that time...just being honest). I am in awe at how fast the year has gone by and how much he has grown. Our lives have changed so much since last December 2nd. So much for the better. Thank you Lord, for this precious gift of life. Henry is such a joy to me. Each morning I am able to sing to him is a blessing. Each time I rock him to sleep is a blessing. Each time I hear his laughter is a blessing. Each time I her him cry is also a blessing. Thank you Lord, for all the little blessings wrapped up in this little life. Happy 1st Birthday, sweet baby of mine. Abby

"How does my turkey look?" We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my Aunt Babs house in Memphis. It was Henry's first Thanksgiving. Last year I sat in my chair in my den, wearing pajamas, and Randall brought me food on a TV tray that my dear mother-in-law had brought to us. I was on bed rest, days away from meeting my baby boy for the first time. So crazy to think that sweet baby is already a big ole turkey boy on our hip! Spending the holiday with my fraternal side of the family was so much fun. Our cousin Hollye is more like a sister to us than a cousin. We are a tight little group. She and I carved the fried turkey and insisted that a photo be taken with the best cut of meat being placed on the platter. I love being with people wired like me. It is so nice to not have to explain yourself, excuse yourself or hide yourself with the ole kin folk...I love that! I am so thankful for a healthy, happy, active and handsome little boy who lets me dress him up in crazy outfits fo...