First SOCCER Game

Oh my goodness.  There really aren't words to express to wonderful it is to see your children playing in their first sporting event.

It is that, 'I'm-so-proud-to-be-their-mom' feeling.
It is that, 'I-don't-even-care-if-you-have-more-hand-balls-than-kicks,' feeling.
It is that, 'I-love-watching-you-learn-something-new,' feeling.
It is that, 'butterflies-in-your-stomach-every-time-they-get-the-ball,' feeling.
It is that, 'tears-your-eyes-when-they-score-their-frist-goal,' feeling.
It is that, 'I-want-to-go-run-onto-the-field-and-hug-them-but-Im-gonna-play-it-cool,' feeling.
It is that, 'My-kids-are-old-enough-to-play-soccer?-life-is-going-to-fast,' feeling.

I thoroughly enjoyed starting this chapter of our lives.

Leighton:
Oh my goodness.  I was proud of this offensive machine!  He played offense so well, scoring 3 goals!  He was quick, had good coordination, and knew exactly where the goal was.  Every score, he turned toward dad, ran straight to him and gave him a jumping high-five.

McCabe:

Oh my goodness.  I was so proud of this defensive machine.  Without any coaching at all, McCabe was  the best defender in the bunch.  He stopped sooooooo many goals, the outran everyone to catch up and steak the ball away, he got in between the other teams offender and their goal almost every time, and in the words of his proud father and coach, "He naturally knew what to do on defense, he knew his angles, he did so great on defense!" As for offense, his one shot on goal missed by our 6 inches, so he caught up to it, used his hands to move it in front of the goal and proceed to kick it in, only to have an opponent block it centimeters before rolling into the goal.  

The fans:

Here we are cheering, laughing, and holding back tears of joy behind sunglasses!

The League:

One of my favorite aspects of this league is that it is put on my our church, so we know almost every coach and at least a couple families on each team.  Here they are slapping hands with Coach McGargill and the Red Pandas who had the Gray family on their team too.  

Refreshments:

This may have been one of their favorite parts of the game!?!?!?

Playground Buddies:  

They played on the playground for a while after the game.  Oh my dear boys.  I love every waking moment of life with them.  Love it!  Love it! Love it!

(I may post this many picture every game!)  

First Soccer Practice

And so it begins.  Sports.  Tonight was our very first practice ever!  Leighton and McCabe are on a team together with Daddy as their coach.  

There really isn't anything cuter than shirts lower than their knees and socks over their knees.  I must also say that both boys picked out their soccer practice clothes all my themselves!

McCabe's First Steps

I forgot to report on McCabe's birthday post that he took his first steps. He took 2 steps. It was great that all the family got to see it!

Since his first birthday, he has taken 2 more steps two different times, one with much encouragement and prompting and one totally on his own. Oh Boy was he proud when he did it on his own initiative!

I can't wait till he is walking around! Hopefully he is champion at it soon so that I don't have to smash poor baby 3 by carrying McCabe so much! Perhaps this is why I have carried my babies low ... more room to hold the current little one ... or maybe the current little on pushes my tummy down!

Yeah for McCabe!

McCabe's 1st Food

McCabe had his first bite of green beans. Do not be deceived by the picture, he doesn't like it. He doesn't cry much, he just spits it out and smiles, and then refuses to open his mouth!

McCabe's 1st Tooth

McCabe's bottom two teeth are pushing through his gums! He is growing up! Plus his hair is growing in too!

McCabe

McCabe is becoming such a big boy. He has started to crawl and follow me around the house. His personality is starting to show. He is starting to nap on Leighton's schedule. And he is playing with toys.

We think he is soooooo wonderful!

McCabe is Army Crawling

McCabe started army crawling! We are just as proud of McCabe's acheivements as we were of Leighton's. It is fun to watch our boys grow up. I think it is going by so fast... too fast! We consider ourselves so blessed to have 2 happy and healthy children!

McCabe Rolled Over

McCabe rolled over from his tummy to hig back last night. Then today, he rolled from his back to his tummy. What a big big boy!

McCabe SMILES!

McCabe smiled for the first time today!

Leighton Feeding Himself

Our BIG BOY is feeding himself already and it isn't too messy either. He loves the idea of using utensils like mom and dad! We are impressed at how much he actually gets on the spoon and up to his mouth! This allows me to be a little more free during meal time. More free to hold McCabe that is ... not necessarily more free to eat dinner myself!

Happy Birthday McCabe Brooks

Happy Birthday McCabe Brooks.

He was 7 pounds, 12 ounces and was 19 inches long. He was born at 1:46 in the afternoon. We are so filled with JOY! Well Luke and I are filled with joy, Leighton isn't so sure what to think about it all.

Contractions started at 9 in the morning, we came to the hospital at 10:45. I was dialated to a 6 at 11:30, a 7 at 12:30 and was ready to push by 1:30. It was a quick labor and I only pushed about 5 times but it was still painful, so saying the words quick and only doesn't really sit well with me! It was well worth it and we consider McCabe quit a blessing!

First Bath!

Psalm 139:13-18

"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand."

Big Boy Bed

Leighton slept in his new toddler bed for the first time today for a nap. He did a great job. The bed was from Leighton's great grandma Beatrice. I also got to make the bedding while learning how to sew. Now I will have to keep an eye out for a sewing machine.

Blanket Time

Leighton has been learning to sit still on a blanket and play with quiet toys. He is getting better at it as time goes on. We started at 5 minutes and are up to 10, some days he will only get off of it once or twice, other days, he is off to the races and really mad to be put back onto it. This was probably his best day thus far ... I think it was because he was given a hanger to play with, he LOVES hangers!

Sign Language

On the car ride back from MN with grandma and grandpa Ludemann, I started to teach himsign language for MORE. By the end of the trip, and lot's of puffs snacks later, he had already learned it. What a smart boy!

First Word

Leighton says HI! On occassion Leighton has started to say Hi, but he just wispers it for some reason.

And while we were in MN Leighton learned how to say UP! He totally takes advantage of this one and demands to be picked up a lot. We want him to know that he is saying it correctly and to positively reinforce the use of words, but that means we are constantly picking him up!

He also has mastered Uh-Oh! He loves to intentionally drop things, especially behind th couch and then say Uh-Oh, holding the Oooooooooh for a while with his lips in an O position.

Of course he already says mamma and dadda, but we are not convinced that he knows who is who! He also tries to say a lot of words like dog, down, and ball, but only really gets the first sound out.

Two Steps

Tonight, right before bed, Leighton took two steps in a row!

One Step

Tonight we were at a pizza making party for our bible study and Leighton look his first step!

First Baby Food Experience: Carrots

Leighton did not like the carrots. He cried and cried and after about 5 bites Luke rescued him. Leighton wouldn't come to me or even look at me for about 10 minutes. But after 10 minutes he was able to forgive me. I should learn from Leighton and try to be more quick to forgive people myself!