Forrest

We are in love with our boys! Forrest is such a joy. He has a way of always bringing a smile to my face and joy to my heart. He is a gift, and I'm thankful to the Lord each day for the precious boys He has given to Wilson and me.

The 6 months since he was born have gone by so quickly. I'm one of those sentimental ones that actually wishes that my babies could stay little for longer. It is even easier for me to want that for Forrest because he is just so sweet and happy.

He is doing great. As I mentioned in an earlier post, his 6 month's measurements show he is growing well. :) He's also sitting on his own. He's at that great stage where he'll sit in his crib or on the floor and play by himself. In the past week, he's starting to want to pull up in his crib. Tonight, May-May was over at the house and he pulled up onto his knees in the crib. Time to lower the mattress! He loves to play with toys and gets upset when I take a toy away. I think he must feel like he's a big boy (I guess he gets that from watching his big brother) because when he's not sitting, he wants to be standing in your lap. He thinks he's way too big to need to lay down - like to get a new diaper! :)

He rolls back and forth from front to back and will try to get on his hands and knees, but he hasn't quite mastered that yet. I think that his favorite thing to do is to jump in his "jump and go". He LOVES it! I keep trying to get a video of him jumping but every time I pull out the camera, he just wants to smile at me. I love it. :)

He has a good bit of light brown hair. And I think his coloring is going to be fairer than Andrew's. He cut his 2 bottom middle teeth the week before he was 6 months and he's working on the top 4 now. Poor guy has a constant wet shirt because of all the drool! And he always has something in his mouth!

A few pics taken around his 6 month b-day...





It's been fun to see the boys interacting more. They are definitely boys! Already tumbling and wrestling - how do they know to do this???

Andrew was leaning over on top of Forrest, but Forrest knows how to fight back... pulling a little hair. :) He knows he got him, too. Look at that smile!

I love this... Andrew helping give Forrest his juice one night during dinner.

Sitting and playing on the floor by Dada. (Wilson is at his desk behind them.)

Andrew

Still setting the curve!

Well, Forrest is not technically 6 months old until tomorrow, but I took him today for his 6-month check-up. He is doing great and growing so big! I really feel in shock about him being 6 months old already. I don't know whether it's because we traveled so much this summer or because of all the "bumps in the road" we've had with the boys' health - but it just doesn't seem possible that this little bundle (or should i say big bundle) has been with us for 6 months. The time has flown by!

Before I get too sentimental or start saying all he's up to (I'll save that for his actual "6 months" post), I'll give the stats for my little man. He weighs 22 lbs 6 oz (greater than 100%) and is 28 inches long (100%). He's following the same growth curve that we've charted at our past doctor's visits, so the doctor thinks he'll probably stay big. Andrew might have a bigger little brother one day! It looks like it runs in the family - it's true of his daddy and his Uncle David.

Funny thing... today I realized that Andrew and Forrest were wearing the same size diaper! And it fit both of them! It's so crazy to me to think that a 6 month-old and a 25 month-old could wear the same size diaper. Andrew normally wears a 5 but a 4 does fit... and 3's fit Forrest best but he can wear a 4. Maybe I should just buy 4's in bulk and split between the two of them! :)

This picture was taken tonight at the dinner table. Wilson fed Forrest while I finished dinner. We began eating and let Forrest sit in his high chair at the table with us. I noticed that Forrest was quiet and that his eyes were looking a little heavy. In a few minutes time, we realized he was asleep! He took about a 30 minute nap while we ate and cleaned up. He must have been tuckered out from his day!

The Fair

We had the most fun at the fair last week! It was Andrew's first time and he loved taking it all in. Our first stop was the big yellow slide. He told us he wanted to slide. As he and Wilson climbed the steps, I wondered if he'd change his mind at the top. But he didn't - what a big boy! He loved it - see the post below.

Next, Andrew and I rode the trucks. They were a little jerky - after that, I didn't think I could do anymore rides :). It was fun riding with Andrew though.


On to the bumblebees... Wilson and Andrew rode this and had fun. Up until this point, Forrest had been asleep but when he awoke he watched the bees circle around.


We parked the stroller and all rode the ferris wheel together!

Forrest and me

Wilson and Andrew

We had a great night. We walked thru the petting zoo which Andrew was not too fond of! Enjoyed eating some yummy food - chicken on a stick and a funnel cake. Andrew played a little game & won a prize. He chose a sword... how does he even know what a sword is?? Wilson says its just a boy thing! We even walked thru the Trademart and looked at the antique cars. Forrest was content in the stroller the entire time - he loved riding and watching everything going on. He and Andrew both had a lot of fun. This last picture was taken as we were leaving - 2 tired boys!

The Big Yellow Slide

At the top - it took awhile to climb all those stairs!!

Halfway down - all smiles and a little belly showing!

The bottom - Andrew had a stunned look on his face - like "How did we get to the bottom so quick?" He immediately began saying "again, again" to Wilson. He loved the slide!

Happy times...

After yesterday's post, I thought we needed a few fun pictures to see of the boys! I have several cute ones to share from the past couple of weeks. Tonight, I'll add some of Forrest from Labor Day. I went on a girls trip that weekend, so May-May and Bubby kept Forrest at their house. They helped Wilson with Andrew some, too... they are so good to us! These are actually pictures Mom took with her camera. I think they're pretty cute!

Forrest had a lot of fun on his weekend at May-May and Bubby's... it's written all over his face! And I love these of Forrest and Rebecca. He and Sissy have a very special bond. It's really sweet to see.

Sick Again!

It's seems to be the story of our life these days...

After enjoying 2 or so WONDERFUL weeks of good health, sickness has come to our house yet again. (Warning - This is a long post about how our week of sickness/hospital stay came to pass.)

It started last Friday with Forrest. He was a little congested - frustrating for him but one of those little colds that you really can't do anything about. We went on about our weekend - a birthday party Saturday morning, seeing the Bulldogs play Saturday afternoon for Wilson and me (along with some nice adult conversation!) and a play day at May-May and Bubby's for the boys. I kept Forrest home from church Sunday morning but Wilson and Andrew went on and were great. But when Andrew woke from his nap that afternoon he was coughing. I commented to Wilson that Andrew must have caught Forrest's cold. Well, Monday morning, after a terrible night's sleep, Andrew was coughing more but still talking and playing. He began to get worse though, and at about 10:00 we gave him a breathing treatment because we could hear a little wheezing. He was breathing better for a little while, but he soon was having trouble again. The breathing treatments should be spaced at least 4 hours apart, but by noon, only 2 hours later, Andrew was wheezing again - and BAD! We had called after the 1st breathing treatment and made him a doctor's appt. with his allergy/asthma doctor - and boy, was I glad we had made it! Wilson had gone to work but was going to come home about 1:00 to pick up Andrew for the doctor - I was going to keep Forrest, still congested, at home. Andrew's wheezing scared me terribly - it's awful seeing your baby having such a hard time getting a good breath - and I probably called/texted Wilson 10 times within the hour. (Wilson has always had asthma/allergy issues himself and knows how to handle this with Andrew - i'm always at a loss as to what to do.) Wilson got home and agreed that Andrew did need a treatment. We gave him one and then they left for the doctor.

Wilson calls me from the doctor to report that after another breathing treatment and oral steriod, Andrew is still not doing good. The doctor sent them for a chest x-ray suspecting pneumonia! I begin praying that this would not be the case and worrying about my sweet boy. Later, Wilson calls... the chest x-ray didn't show anything but Andrew's oxygen levels are still low, he isn't responding to yet another breathing treatment, and he's very lethargic. (wilson later tells me how pitiful andrew was. :( - poor thing.) The doctor still thinks it could be an early case of pneumonia and thinks we should go to the hospital. As much as we hated to take Andrew to the hospital, the Lord gave me a total peace about it. I knew that was the best place for him. I would have been on pins and needles had we been at home watching him struggling to breathe all night.

So, we had a 2 night stay at UMC children's hospital. After IV antibiotics, fluids, around-the-clock breathing treatments, and oxygen, Andrew was much improved by Tuesday night. They treated him as a pneumonia patient although it was never clearly diagnosed - 2 more x-rays still came back clear but his symptoms were that of pneumonia.

Thank you to everyone for your prayers!! We really felt them and were so thankful how quickly Andrew responded to the meds. They sent us home on lots of meds but we were so glad to be at home! Andrew still has a yucky cough but is overall much better. Of course, Forrest hated to miss out on all the excitement. After being up all night with him Thursday night, I knew something wasn't right - Forrest is my baby who sleeps! I took him to the doctor only to find BOTH ears were infected - just what I suspected. We are a little tired - no, ALOT tired - but happy that these illnesses can be treated and thankful to have our babies home with us.

We had to take a few pictures of our hospital stay to document the time there...

Once Andrew was able to be off of oxygen Tuesday afternoon, we could walk around the 4C block and pull him in the wagon. He LOVES going on wagon rides (we have the same on at home) so this was really a lifesaver!

This picture is a little blurry, but can you see the smile on Andrew's face? Poor, sweet boy... he truly made the best of it. He made friends with all the nurses & staff, as well as other patients on the floor. Andrew's nurses couldn't believe how well he did with his IV. He was such a big boy about all of his treatments. We were very proud of him.

Yea! We're going home!!

Never would I have thought that we would have made 2 trips to the 4th floor of the Children's Hospital within 6 months (remember Forrest's stay)! Since being a mom, I've heard a wise thought from older moms at my Bible study - be thankful for those long, routine days at home with little ones... even though they sometimes are hard, those days mean that for the most part everyone is well and happy. Be thankful for those days of good health and not having greater struggles. We are so anxious for good health and routine now!

The Big Day!

We had so much fun celebrating Andrew's 2nd birthday. He has been feeling lots better lately which made the day even more fun with this sweet boy!

Andrew woke up in a great mood... I think he knew it was a special day. :) He and Wilson went to the donut shop and brought home donuts for breakfast. Andrew had donut holes, and we put candles in them and sang.




This is the cookie cake I made for Andrew to take to Mother's Morning Out. When I asked him earlier in the week what snack he wanted to take to "school" for his birthday, he would say "cake." Well, the MMO director, Mrs. Laurie, said the only rule for b-day snacks is no icing. I can understand that... 2 year-olds & icing can be quite messy. So, I decided to make a cookie cake (with a little icing). I made it Wednesday night after church so it's not the cutest, but it did taste good.

Eating cake at "school" with his friends...


Birthday lunch!


Some cuddle time before naps. (Wilson took the day off and was with us all day to celebrate!! What a sweet daddy!)


After naptime, Andrew opened his presents from me and Wilson. Isn't it funny how the little, least expensive things are the best things? These balls from Target were his favorite!


But the big surprise was.... a Thomas train table!! May-May and Bubby got it for him, and Wilson and I started a set of train and tracks for him. Andrew was thrilled to say the least. We look forward to many fun times with Thomas!

What a wonderful day to celebrate a very sweet boy!

Vroom, Vroom.... A cars & trucks party!

Andrew loves cars and trucks so a transportation themed party was an obvious choice for his 2nd birthday! We played outside and in the garage with cars and trucks and then had a parade (see post below)! Andrew had a lot of fun - and so did we! Our families, a few neighbors, and some family friends joined us for the celebration. Here are a few pictures taken with family...

Birthday Parade!

The birthday parade was so cute! All of the children brought their "wheels" for the parade. We decorated them with balloons and off we went. We paraded around the cul-de-sac and came back to the house for cake and ice cream!

Happy Birthday, Andrew!

Our sweet boy is 2 today! We have had the most fun celebrating his birthday. I'm a bit tired from all the excitement and will have to post pictures and share about his birthday tomorrow. But, I couldn't let the day go by without a quick post saying how much we love this little fella. I can hardly believe he's been a part of our lives for 2 years... yet, on the other hand, it feels like he's always been with us! We feel amazingly blessed. Happy birthday, sweet Andrew!

"Happy Camper"

When I picked Forrest up from the nursery tonight, one of the workers commented, "He's just a happy camper, isn't he?"

It's very true... this is one happy boy!

Here are a few smiles for you...

Just a spoonful of sugar...

helps the medicine go down!

Andrew has taken so much medicine lately that we've had to become creative in the ways to give it. Some of it just smells terrible so we're sure it tastes terrible, too! He had to take what Dr. Clay called the worst-tasting antibiotic 3x a day for 2 weeks earlier this summer. Anyway... like I said, we've had to spice it up a little. Well, his favorite way to take medicine now is to have a squirt of whipped cream (like Redi-whip in a can) on the end of the medicine dropper - it works every time! Afterwards he usually wants more "cream", too. How can we resist a boy so cute and sweet who has felt so crummy lately?? I took a little film tonight of this... Sorry it's a little wiggly - I was holding Forrest, the camera, and squirting the whipped cream! Oh, and as you can see from the video, our little boy is finally starting to feel better! :)

Forrest's Baptism

Sunday, August 10th was a special day for our family... the baptism of Forrest Hastings Shirley... at our church, Highlands Pres. We praise God for his covenant promises to bless not just individuals but families (Gen. 17: 7 & Acts 2: 38-39 - see below), and we are thankful to have Forrest come into this blessing. We pray that God will bring Forrest and Andrew to Himself at an early age and that they will grow into Godly young men - leaders among their friends, in their community, and one day even of their own families.

Forrest was baptized by our pastor, Joseph Wheat, but my dad, an elder at First Pres., said the prayer for Forrest following his baptism (Forrest is Dad's namesake). He prayed for Andrew in his baptism, too, and this made the baptisms extra-special! Thank you, Dad, for taking part in their baptisms and for praying for our boys and for Wilson and me as we endeavor to raise our boys "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord". One thing that I love that Joseph does in baptisms is he asks the congregation, as they vow to help the parents raise their child being baptized, to say a prayer for that child sometime that day. How wonderful to think that Forrest was lifted up in prayer by so many members of our church that day!

We felt so blessed and loved to have our families with us for Forrest's baptism. It was special to have them with us at church and then for lunch afterwards at our home.

Forrest and I in the nursery before church - dressed and ready. He wore the same gown that Andrew wore, and we had it monogrammed with an "S" in the center of the top section. Then, we had Andrew and Forrest's full names and dates of baptisms monogrammed on the slip of the gown. How special to think of starting a family gown for our children, and hopefully one day, their children, to wear for baptism - it's kind of a symbol of how God does bless us thru families.

Me and my boys after church.

Andrew was so sweet during the baptism. Wilson went and got him from the nursery just before the baptism so he didn't realize that all of our family was there. When we went to the front, Andrew looked out to see all of his grandparents and aunts and uncles! He went down the row and waved to every single person! He actually did this very quietly because I didn't even know he was doing it... they told me after church!

The Bratley Family - Andrew, Dad, Wilson, Forrest, Me, Rebecca, Bryan, Elizabeth, and Mom

The Shirley Family - Debbie, Andrew, Ricky, us, Tory & Michael with their girls, Elizabeth & Alexa, and David & Kim

Our friends, Scott & Maggie Jones, had their cute Lucy baptized the same day as Forrest. Notice how Forrest is sleeping in this picture!

"I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you." Genesis 17:7

"Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
Acts 2:38-39

Bye-bye, See ya...

Today Andrew said, "Bye-Bye" and "See ya" (if you know Andrew you've heard him say this) to his tonsils and adenoids! Thank you to everyone for your prayers. The surgery went well and Andrew is doing great so far. Praise the Lord! Dr. Clay said Andrew had "whopper adenoids" and that they were the hidden culprit to blame for a lot of his troubles. We are now praying for a quick, easy recovery and that the surgery will give our little one relief from his sinus and sleep troubles. We feel so blessed and thankful for our sweet families and friends. What wonderful love and support you have shown Andrew and our family! Andrew is sleeping soundly right now... hopefully he'll get a good night's rest. The main goal is to keep Andrew drinking and to keep him hydrated. I think that if we can do that and keep him comfy then we'll be on the road to recovery! Here is a picture of him recovering today at home. I imagine he'll spend a lot more time like this in the next few days.... in his chair with his "blankie" and "cars" watching "Einstein" or "Baby Praise".


Check out that top ticker... our baby will be 2 in just one month!

Happy 4 month birthday, big boy!

Time is going by too fast - Forrest is 4 months old today!! He's as sweet and cute as ever, and on top of that, he's setting the curve for the growth charts! Today at his 4 month check-up he weighed 19 pounds and was 27 inches long - that put him off the chart for weight (greater than 100%) and right at 100% for height. Oh my goodness... we knew he was big, but 100% and greater in both!?! I didn't expect that... no wonder this little guy has been waking up at night again... he's hungry. We'll be starting cereal this week and getting some food in that little belly of his. Stay tuned for pics!

Here he is today post-doctor's visit. Wilson's getting pretty excited about his future athletic career. :) No, I'm kidding... or maybe not! We sure do love our big boys!

Andrew & Luke

We had a fun time with Matt, Katie, and Luke Humphreys last Saturday! Wilson and Matt roomed together 3 years at State. We always love seeing them, and it's especially fun since our boys, Andrew and Luke, are just about 2 weeks apart in age! Here are a couple of pictures of our playtime at the park on Saturday...

Future MSU Roommates??!!

Looking forward to hanging out with the Humphreys again soon!!