Thursday, January 28, 2010

Chatham's in the paper!

The Observer News here in Newton is having The Cutest Baby in Catawba County Contest for 2009...

Of course I entered Chatham....
this picture to be exact.
YAY Chatham!!!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

ten months and first haircut.....

The before shots....


The during shots.....



And the after shots.....

A good ole game of TAG!


8 TV Shows I Watch
• American Idol
• Top Chef
• Biggest Lopser
• SVU
• Wonder Pets
• Dinosaur Train
• Fox News
• Jon and Kate plus 8

8 Favorite Places to Eat and Drink:
• Wild Wok
• Fox and the Hound
• Mellow Mushroom
• Shucker's
• Magnolia's
• Quizno's
• Jason's Deli
• Bojangles

8 Things I Look Forward To:
• seeing Katie
• sleeping through the night
• Girls Night Out
• Going to the Beach with family
• cutting down our Christmas tree
• Moving to a bigger house
• Shopping
• Our annual Superbowl party

8 Things That Happened Yesterday:
• Gave Chatham a bath
• Went to the Bank
• Dropped of hangers at Mama's
• Talked to my sister on the phone
• Made Chatham a veggie quesadilla (his first ever)
• Talked to Suzanne about what I need from Chatham to file taxes
• Got Chatham's stuff together to file our taxes
• Had dinner and watched a movie with Devin

8 Things I Love About Winter:
• Snow
• Snow Skiing
• Fires in the fireplace
• Bundling up under a big blanket to watch a movie
• Wearing big furry polar fleece Jackets
• scarfs
• Wearing Jeans
• Football

8 Things on My Wish List:
• Have a baby girl within the next two years
• Chatham to live a successful happy life
• To make more money
• The economy to turn its self out of this mess!
• Have an entire season's wardrobe by Ann Taylor Loft
• Lose 25 lbs.
• A cancer cure in the near future!

8 Things I'm Passionate About:
• My Son
• My family
• My Marriage
• Child Abuse Pervention
• SHOPPING
• cooking
• ending hunger
• helping others

8 Words/Phrases I Use Often:
• I love you
• Oh really....
• O my gosh
• Did you know....
• Wake me up earlier tomorrow
• I'm tired
• Let's go to the gym soon
• No, Chatham

8 Things I've Learned From the Past
• A relationship must have mutual respect
• Things change in the blink of an eye
• Always say I love you
• GOOD Friends are hard to come by
• Love NEVER fails
• Learn from your mistakes
• Let God be in control
• Children are the BEST thing that can happen to a person

8 Things I Currently Want/Need:
• A Nap
• More hours in the day
• A maid
• Some SMALLER Thighs (butt....arms....and stomach)
• A new computer
• More energy
• A better income
• Some upgrades to our house (new heat pump, some paint, new kitchen table, and a rug)
I tag Amy Leigh at Life with Baby, Suzy at The Cadwallader's , Mitzi @ Goodson Family Journey and Missy at The Fabric of Our Lives

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Playdate....

This is Eva....
She liked the blue puppy, I can't wait to get the rug for the play room so it can crawl across the floor a little faster.
This is Emerson.....
Her mommy, Amy Leigh, wrotes about her adventures at Life With Baby

I told you earlier, I think...if not I meant to, that we've been having lots of play dates, I've posted some pictures, but here was our first play date in the new playroom....Chatham and Emerson had a ball with the balls.

The Donley Book of Records

Devin and I often joke about things going into our Record book....worst diaper....shortest/longest night of sleep...most # of pictures in a year (that would be 2009 coming in with a whooping 1794 pictures)


This Christmas we added longest icicle
and most colorless meal...this SO doesn't look appetizing!
But Chatham loved it!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

A Prayer for Haiti

Lord, I just want to say THANK YOU, because this morning I woke up and knew where my children were. Because this morning my home was still standing, because this morning I am not crying because my husband, my child, my brother or sister needs to be rescued from underneath a pile of concrete, because this morning I was able to drink a glass of water, because this morning I was able to turn on the light, because this morning I was able to take a shower, but most of all I thank you this morning because I still have life and a voice to cry out for the people of Haiti. Lord, I cry out to you, the one that makes the impossible, possible, the one that turns darkness into light, the one who can bring peace out of chaos. Most of all, I pray that in the midst of such suffering and horror, the people of Haiti will turn to You. I cry out that you give them strength, that you give them peace that surpasses all understanding, that you may open the streets so that help can come, that you may provide doctors, nurses, food, water, and all that they need. For all those that have lost family members, give them peace, give them hope, give them courage to continue to go on! Protect the children and shield them with your power. I pray all this in the name of Jesus!!!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Date Night



We had date night on Monday- I didn't work because of MLK, Jr's b-day (thanks Dr. King). Chatham and I had played and shopped and napped and walked....all day long. I guess Devin could tell when he got home I was a bit worn out and might possibly need a break....

About that time my mom called and offered to keep Chatham for a few hours while we relaxed- and I don't think I even took a breath before accepting the offer. We went to Red Lobster and a near by bookstore to look for some birthday ideas....

What a wonderful evening it was!

Pardon The Interruption

I have grown tired of looking at the SAME OLD BLOG- day after day- I am not motivated to update, and my blog is looking....let's face it....SAD!

So, while the Donley Clan is monkey-ing around these days....I am redesigning my blog in hopes to inspire my brain to blog a bit better....

Bare with me....I WILL BE BACK!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Food For Thought

Did you know.....

An average size dog's stomach can not hold one full stick of butter.

Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

The pupil of the eye expands as much as 45 percent when a person looks at something pleasing.

The reason honey is so easy to digest is that it’s already been digested by a bee.

The owl is the only bird to drop its upper eyelid to wink. All other birds raise their lower eyelids.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

Every three days a human stomach gets a new lining.

The second best selling game of all time is Jenga.

A monkey was once tried and convicted for smoking a cigarette in South Bend, Indiana.

No piece of paper can be folded in half more than 7 times.

1 in 4 people are now searching for a piece of paper to attempt to fold in half more than 7 times.


I had some cute Chatham stories...but need a mommy break- so here is some useless information for the weekend, and I will share my fun stories on Monday!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Update

So I've been pretty slack with blogging lately... We've had birthday parties, doctor appointments, and play dates...
Here are Chatham and Anna holding hands and trying to swipe each others sippy cups...
Anna's big brother Freddie turned 3 and we went to his party on Saturday...
Chatham was starting to feel bad, so Daddy gave him a ride home early! (thanks for the picture Suzanne!!)
Chatham's cough and wheezing got worse over the weekend so I started giving him the cough syrup from when he was sick in November...hoping that would cut it and we would be revisiting RSV again.
Today we happened to have Chatham's 9 month appt. so I just mentioned the wheezing and Dr. P reassured me that it is very unusual for a baby to get RSV more than once in a season- so we will be continuing the cough syrup for four to seven days as needed- with no fever and over 48 hours of meds in his system he was cleared to go back to daycare!
Also at this appt, we learned that Chatham is still 30 inches long (68th percentile) and 23 lbs. 15oz. (97th percentile). He is hitting all of his milestones right on schedule and is cleared to eat anything but eggs, red meat, peanuts, and honey...also we're going to start putting juice in the sippy cup an not just formula and water.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

A day (or five) late, and a dollar short.....

2009 survey

1.What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? I gave birth...had a c-section actually (I hope that's a one time deal)
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I was going to lose 30 lbs....I made it to -25 before getting pregnant. This year I am raising the bar and want to lose 35lbs.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, I did; my sister did, Ashlee, Brittany, Suzanne, Stacy, Brittney, and Kathleen- I think something was in the water.
4. Did anyone close to you die? I lose a dear sweet coworker, Lucinda.
5. What places did you visit? I went to Raleigh and Winston several times; DC; Charlotte a few times; Gatlinburg and Doe River Gorge, in Tennesee; and Emerald Isle.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Financial security!? I don't know that this is a realistic statement...
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Chatham's birth 9:50AM March 27th; also the 26th when I was sent to the hospital.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Stuck on this one? I have made so, so, many small achievements ... but can't recall a ginormous one?
9. What was your biggest failure? hmmm.... I don't want to go there
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Chatham started daycare in Sept- we have passed every illness there is to have around in our house.
11. What was the best thing you bought? I think we bought my Equinox in January last year- and I LOVE IT!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? We have celebrated most of Chatham's milestones...smiles, crawling, first word, first tooth, end of reflux (that was a BIG ONE)
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Tiger Woods or the Gosslins
14. Where did most of your money go? Catawba Valley Medical Center, Wachovia (Morgage), or Abernethy Child Development Center
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My car, My son, and the end of reflux!!
16. What song will always remind you of 2009? You are my Sunshine or Boom Boom Pow
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder? Happier
b) Thinner or fatter? Fatter!
c) Richer or poorer? I think we've maintained
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Exercise or Sleep
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Arguing over petty things
20. How did you spend Christmas in 2009? My side of the family celebrated on the 19th and it was a white Christmas!!! Christmas Eve was Chowder at Mom and Dad's as always...and Christmas morning we did our Family (D, C, and C) gifts and presents from Santa to Chatham, then left for Gatlinburg with the in-laws for the week.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009? I learned of a whole new love with the birth of Chatham- and how strong the bond with Devin got with the birth of Chatham still blows my mind.
22. What was your favorite TV program? SVU, NCIS, Top Chef, American Idol, the News, King of Queens
23. What did you do for your birthday in 2009? I really don't remember- I know we had dinner at the Barry's; and a dinner with my parents at Wild Wok......
24. What was the best book you read? I have read several funny mommy books- but I think "You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start In The Morning" is a list topper!
25. What did you want and get? curtains for the house
26. What did you want and not get? A new house
27. What was your favorite film of this year? I really liked Four Christmases, The Proposal, and possibly Gran Torino
28. Did you make some new friends this year? I made SEVERAL new friends- and LOVE ALL of them!!! (and their babies-haha)
29.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? can't think of anything of the top of my head
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Well it started out with Maternity Clothes, then PJ's and whatever was clean after all the spit up, then I went back to work and have the same 10 outfits that I just rotate through- I need a change!
31. What kept you sane? Chatham and My mother
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I used to like Kate Gosslin, but that went up in flames quickly. I really like Bob Harper from Biggest Loser
33. What political issue stirred you the most? Obama taking office in the White house
34. Who did you miss? some friends that I lost because of my lifestyle change.
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. I have learned alot about myself as a person and a mother; my biggest change was that I don't care/listen to others as much as I used to.

If you feel.... the urge! Copy & paste, fill out, & share the link in my comments once you are finished with your own version of 2009 @ a glance!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Gatlinburg

Yes, I make my boys match every now and then- but this was purely chance- Devin packed for Chatham and I packed for Devin...

Amber took somepictures of Me with Chatham...Don't have many of those hangin around- I'm normally on the other side of the camera


So we spent Christmas and New Years Eve in Gatlinburg and here is a peek in on the fun...
This is Chatham starting to cruise...

Heading out for some shopping....

Chatham was SO sick of this hat by the end of the trip- he wore it EVERYWHERE!!!


This is my favorite little Christmas Place...called well....The Christmas Place!

New Year's Eve in Downtown- lunch at Crawdaddy's was AMAZING!
More shopping wore this little guy out!

We have NEWS!!!!

Well the camera broke on Christmas Eve--

So you'll have to settle with some of the professional pictures for now--


But we borrowed my dad's camera to take pictures of the happenings around the house--


So get ready for pictures of Mr. Chatham.......


Crusing around the coffee table!!!