Updated ** Praying for Tuesday

Sat. Jan. 31st.
The first thing I did this morning after getting Crawford settle was check Tuesday's blog. I just could not get her or her family out of my mind. I was so sad to hear she had lost the battle of cancer yesterday! I am so thankful she will no longer suffer but my heart goes out to her family!! It's amazing to me how we are drawn to something like this and yearn to know more! However we don't really want to know more when it ends like this. I believe there is a reason! This little girl was put on earth for a reason. She was a gift from God and has touched so many strangers lives. I saw that she had 600 comments on the post this morning. 600 to which most were complete strangers! She has definitely touched mine in the short time I have read her story. She makes me think twice about my purpose in life. She makes me want to do more. She makes me feel so Thankful for all that I have and for my healthy child! She makes me want to take that extra time at night to be with Crawford rather than fold laundry, to not worry about the little things and to not take life for granted for one minute! Click on the link to see the sweet video of her dancing with her twin sister! I bet she dancing with the angels in heaven now!

http://half12.blogspot.com/

Instead of being upset with Crawford when he pitches a fit, I will be thankful that I have him here with me to pitch the fit. When he is clingy and wants to be held. I will hold him and cherish the time I have with him. I will savor every hug, kiss, giggle and day I have with him!


Friday Jan. 30th
Well I have not been able to get little Tuesday out of my mind today! During lunch today I got on her blog to see if it was updated. I cried and cried! If you are going to read it consider yourself warned. I sat at my desk wanting to leave and scoop up Crawford and just hold him and hug him! While rocking him tonight I did not want to put him in his crib. I just held him while he slept so peacefully in my arms. I can't get Tuesday out of mind or her parents, her brothers and twin sister who know their sister is dying! I pray for a miracle and strength for their family! And then I start reading and reading about other babies with Cancer. There is Cora. A sweet little girl who has cancer as well! Oh how she breaks my heart. I Cried and Cried with her story as well. I know there are so many stories like the both of these! I am asking who ever reads this to please pray for these sweet children and their families! I am! I thought having a child had changed my outlook on life! Crawford has taught me to live in the moment, to enjoy the time we have with each other because it does go by so fast! After reading these stories these children have opened my eyes even more, to how lucky we are! We often take our health for granted! I can't imagine what these families are going through! I pray for strength for them to get through the battle they are going through! I pray they will continue to have faith! I do believe in God and I do believe he can heal! I hope they will continue to believe in this!

Thursday Jan. 29th
Wow! After reading this blog, you can't help but tear up. We have so much to be thankful for and are so lucky to have a healthy child. It's amazing how much we take for granted! I pray that Crawford will stay healthy and I now will be praying for Tuesday! I absolutely can not imagine what these parents are going through! I get upset and worried and feel helpless when Crawford has an ear infection or does not sleep through the night. I could not imagine how they are feeling and holding it together and also raising there other children! Tuesday is also a Twin! My thoughts and prayers go out to them! I know you will feel the same way when you read their story! Click on the picture below!

Basketball Star

One more Video. This one is from this past weekend. Crawford is shooting the basketball in his favorite outfit!!!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Our little Dare Devil

This is from a few weeks ago. I caught him standing on his bike rocking with NO HANDS!! I couldn't get the no hands on tape because I was not about to encourage it however I did get him standing and rocking.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Play Date at Natural Science Center in Greensboro

Crawford and Hagen had a play date on Saturday at the Natural Science Center in Greensboro. They both had so much fun. They were running all over the place just taking everything in. I also had a great time getting know Hagen's sweet mom Melissa! Below are a few pictures from the day.

Crawford putting food in the cart. He loved this cart. He would push it all over the room and have a fit if anyone tried to take it from him!

Hagen sneaking in Crawford's Cart. Good thing Crawford's back was turned!!

Loading up the Cart with more food!

Sweet Hagen

Working the Register

It ended up warming up outside on Saturday so we were able to go out and see the animals which the boys loved. Crawford would not leave the first ones we came to. He picthed an embarrssing fit when I tried to get him to leave this little creature (which I don't remember the name of) and go see the other animals!

First attempt to try to get the boys to both look at the same time which ended up being impossible!!

Another one of Sweet Hagen

Crawford is running up to give Hagen a Hug in this picture. Hagen ran from him! It was too cute!

2nd attempt to get the boys to look at the camera at the same time!

Blowing Kisses to Mommy on the way home!

Sleeping like a baby. Crawford slept all the way home and then slept for 2 1/2 hours! He was worn out!

I love you more each day, more than yesterday, less than tomorrow!

3 Years ago today we were becoming a family of Two! It was one of the best days of my life! It's hard to believe we are a family of three now and even harder to believe that Jacob and I have been together 9 1/2 years! Some days it feels like we met yesterday and sometimes it feels like forever. :-) Our Wedding day was such a special day and we were so excited to have all of our friends and family with us! I have included a few of my favorite pictures below. These are from our photographer Doug Rice at Allure Photography. He does such a great job.

Jacob and the his boys! This is such an incredible group of boys who instantly accepted me! I have had so much fun getting to know them through the years and definitely know why Jacob is so close with them! My wish for Crawford is that he will have such a great group of friends like Jacob and I do!

Me with my sisters Bailee and Kaitlyn who in just three years are so much older! Bailee is driving and Kaitlyn is on her way to driving!

Jacob and I with the Guys.

I just love this picture of my sisters (Bailee and Kaitlyn) and flower girls (Rebecca and Julie)

Me and my Group of girls! What Great friends! I am so lucky to have such great friends and was so glad they could be part of our big day! Now if I could only see them more frequently! My Goal for this year is to make it happen!

Me and My Mom (my rock). This was such a fun day to share with her. We had so much fun planning the wedding together! She has done so much for me through out the years! She is not only my mom but my best friend! We are so Thankful for all that she does for us. I hope that I will be as good of mom as she has been to me!

Jacob with his sweet parents! They planned the best Rehearsal Dinner Party Ever! We had so much fun. Some had so much fun, they hardly made it through through the wedding! They have been so great to us and we are so Thankful for all that they do for us!

A cute picture of the flower girls peaking out the window. It's amazing how much they have grown up since this day! I will never forget when the wedding party had left to go in the sanctuary and all that I was doing to keep those girls in the room with me! I was singing and dancing and trying my best to hold them off.

We're Married!!

The Beautiful Wedding Party!

Jacob's Dad, Brothers (Adam and Ryan) were his BestMen! My friend's Mandy and Leslie were my Matron and Maid of Honor

I just love this picture of Adam walking the flower girls out.

My Aunt Vicki and Uncle Gary. My uncle escorted me down the isle. Don't they just look beautiful. They have been like my second set of parents always doing so much for me! I hope they know how much I appreciate all that they have done for me! Now they not only enjoy spoiling me but spoiling Crawford!

The Elrod's
Jacob's parents and brothers (Adam & Ryan)

On the way to the reception. This is one of the pictures that made it in the "Knot" magazine and several others.

Introducing Mr. & Mrs.

The most wonderful Cake from Ketchie Creek!

Here is to many many more years of happiness, laughter, love and what all life brings us.

I love you more each day, more than yesterday, less than tomorrow!

(Not sure where the quote comes from but I like it! )

A little bit of snow!

We did not get too much snow to talk about but enough to take a few snow pictures! We didn't get to play as much as Crawford would of liked! He cried when I made him come inside and he would not take his mittens off.

Day off with Mommy

It was so nice to have the day off and for Crawford and I to be feeling better. We went to met Jacob for Lunch today. After lunch Crawford and I came home and played and laughed all day. He kept me laughing and to tell you the truth I still can't figure out why he laughed at me so much today but it made me laugh right back at him! Then we watched Oprah, which was really good today! Crawford played basketball and in his car all afternoon. He was running all over the house. Below are two pictures from today.

Sitting in his car watching Oprah.

Watching Blue's Clues this morning. He is all cuddled up in my grandmother's quilt that was my favorite quilt growing up. Every time I went to her house I would snuggle up with it. So she gave it to me and as you can see Crawford loves it also!

Mommy's Birthday

What a great birthday! Other than Crawford and I both being sick, I had a great Birthday weekend. Mimi (my mom) came to stay with us. Jacob, mom and I played Guitar Hero. Of Course Mom and I were not that great but we still had fun! Grammy and Poppy had us over for my birthday dinner. We had a great time and they even got me a cake from Dewey's. My favorite!! Crawford had so much fun chasing Uncle Ryan and Harley (uncle Adam's dog) around the house!

Here is to ONE more year in my twenties!

16 Months Old

Crawford is 16 Months! Wow! Where does the time go??

He is into everything, starting to talk more, running all over the place and keeping us on our toes!!

Unfortunately Crawford was sick all last week. Between his Molars, Cold, Ears and losing his voice...Crawford was pitiful! I do not remember a harder week with him. At times it seemed like nothing could make him happy or us! It is the worst feeling in the world to see your baby so unhappy and to not be able to do anything. For me the hardest part was trying to figure out what was bothering him. After 3 trips to the doctor, I finally felt better with the last appointment which for me was a 2nd opinion from the first doctor who I was very disappointed with. Our favorite doctor, Dr. Erikson is out on bed rest. She is due next month. I have never questioned anything she has ever said about Crawford and trust Crawford in her hands! When I found out she was out I was so upset. It is the worst feeling in the world to take your child to a doctor and leave more confused of whats wrong than when you went. After a week of a fever, crying, no eating, we still never really figured out what was wrong other than a virus and two molars about to break through any day! At any rate he slept through the night last night and I am hoping he sleeps through tonight! We are so THANKFUL to Grammy for keeping Crawford last week while he was sick. I know he enjoyed it!!

16 Facts about Crawford at 16 Months

1. He LOVES to play chase. He will run up behind me and grab me and then run off waiting for me to chase him.

2. He LOVES to take things in and out of anything! He cleans up so well which I think I owe his teachers at daycare for. All I have to say is, "lets clean up", and he jumps up and puts everything away. He does immediately start to take things back out as soon as he cleans up.

3. He LOVES his Blanket. I am currently trying to figure out a good time to wash it!

4. He LOVES playing and teasing Molly. He will stand at the door every night watching her and when we let her in he runs up to her and puts his fingers right into her eyes! She doesn't move but it still scares me!

5. He LOVES to climb. He tries to climb on almost every piece of furniture we have. He likes for me to stack all of our pillows from our bed up and he will climb all over them. He loves the fact that he can now climb up on the couch and on his chair in his room. He acts like he is king of the world when he gets up there.

6. He LOVES to give kisses and hugs.

7. He says bye all of the time but has different reasons for why he says it. Sometimes it's because you are leaving and he recognizes it because someone is putting on a jacket or is close to the door, but other times it is because he is scared or is ready to see you leave. It's so funny. Sorry, don't get your feelings hurt if he tells you bye and your not ready to leave. He told me bye a lot today and I was no where near leaving!!

8. He LOVES playing with blocks, he will build them up and loves to tear them back down.

9. He LOVES to help me do the laundry and load the dishwasher. (Basically he loves to open and shut the dryer and dishwasher).

10. He has a recent interest in the toilet. (not potty training) Yuck!! I know! We are working on this and making sure we keep the lid down!

11. He is starting to count. :-) When I say one he says two and I think I heard him say three today. I have been trying to get him to say one but he just laughs at me.

12. He LOVES to be outside. If we tell him we are going outside he will run to find his coat and meet us at the door. Sometimes he will stand at the door crying if we are taking to long.

13. He LOVES to take a bath. Only bad thing is he tries to drink the water! But he does love the bath and playing with his bath toys!

14. He LOVES Blues Clues and his daddy is not such a big fan of it! We actually both love the show because if it wasn't for Steve and his dog we would not be able to get ready for work in the mornings. Jacob can sing ever song on the show to Crawford. I should get it on tape one day. It's really funny! :-) Crawford can be anywhere in the house and if he hears the show he will run to the TV to see it.

15. He loves Books. He hands books to me and says Thank you! I think I have confused him with the Thank yous but I am still thrilled that with his short list of vocabulary that word is on it! He can also sign Please! Thanks to Ms. Dorothy and Ms. Lena for teaching him manners!

16. We love this age. He is so much fun. Each month seems to bring a little bit more fun! It's so much fun and rewarding to see him learning and developing his personality! We can't wait to see what 17 months bring!!

Below are a few recent pictures.

Carolina Vs. Wake

Sunday night Crawford and I watched some of the Carolina/Wake Game. There was too much other good stuff on for us to divide our full attention to the game. Jacob was there with his dad and brothers. Crawford wore his Carolina shirt that uncle Adam got him for Christmas! He wore his wake shirt on Monday in honor of the win but he was too sick for us to take pictures. He has had a horrible cold with a fever since Saturday night. I think it is a mixture of things. He had a tooth that finally broke through and has been coughing, sneezing and has lost his voice! He has been pitiful! He can hardly cry and it just breaks my heart. All he really wants is to be held and all I really want to do is hold him. I have held him for hours on hours the last few nights. He has not slept more than 4 hours without waking up so we are all pretty much exhausted! Jacob's Parents (Grammy and Poppy) have kept Crawford Monday and Tuesday and I know he has had fun even though he has not felt well.

Tomorrow our little baby is going to be 16 months!! Wow! I can't believe it!! Below are a few pictures of Crawford on Sunday. Were going back to the doctor tomorrow so I will update you on how is doing.

Go Heels!

I think the t-shirt might be too small! :-)

Taking a break to show Carolina what they need to do!

Watching the Game