The Many Faces of Judd!!

Well, I know you all saw the birthday celebration for Judd's one year birthday! September 4, 2007 a day that brought new light into my life! Here is my super sweet baby boy!! I had a few minutes with him without Bowen and decided it was a good time to get some one year pictures. It was short and sweet! They are always the best! We went and had lunch together at Chic--fil-A, and with a full belly and a happy baby we were off ! I wish there was a way to preserve the sounds as well as the images of certain moments(without chugging both the camera and camcorder everywhere). If you could have only been there to hear the deep cackle that came from my child at this point! I do believe that my children's voices are like angels and when they laugh and are happy it is so good to my heart and soul! I had always prayed even before I met Paul that one day when I was married with children, that laughter would be the resounding sound that echoed around my house. My children have helped that prayer be answered, not only with the giggles that come from them, but the continuous comedy that we are entertained with daily!!

Oh, my his teeth...my little child is a year old and still sporting only the 2 bottom teeth, but he is proud, and this picture just shows how proud he really is! It is so endearing to me to see Judd smile, my whole life every picture I see of myself smiling my eyes have disappeared behind these teeny beeny cracks called eyelids....I think Judd has inherited the disappearing eye trick his momma is so good at!!

This would be his squish face! You ask him to do it and he is right on point! Ready to preform!! Again, just another one of the many reasons I am laughing throughout the day...right here, you're lookin' at it!

My serious thinker, Judd really is extremely laid back, he studies things around him and is pretty sharp already if you ask me. Now I know I am his momma, but I am not saying this from a partial standpoint, I just really think he is! Now he is not walking yet, but he has way more complex things he is trying to figure out right now. Give him a few weeks and he will be off!!

This is the dancing machine! Ever since he was 3 months old he has been dancing, moving his head back and forth with serious conviction! I was a bit alarmed at first(I'll be honest) it threw me for a loop, this little baby just moving in this manner, but now we have come to realize that he loves music, and loves rhythm!! I think the apple does not fall far from the tree.
Talking and crawling' this is the life! Here is his usual stance. He is really fast too! Now when he sees me coming he turns around and crawls as fast as he can laughing along the way! I follow suit of course, and crawl after him, laughing right along with him! As soon as I get to him he grabs my face and opens his mouth, as if he really knows how to kiss me! I love it, wet and all...you never know where his mouth will land, he is passionate(another trait he comes by honestly) and will go for it, so you better be ready!!

I love the"many faces of Judd" they are are so dear to me, and I hope this gives you a better glimpse of why he brings so much happiness to our world, he is special in every way, in every laugh and in every cry he becomes that much more special to me, for it is one more chord that binds us together, one more moment I get to store up and look back on.

I am so thankful for all the memories and sweet moments I have because of my husband and my children. I try to savor and preserve the sweet gifts from God, etching all that I can onto the tablet of my heart, for I know one day I will need to pull from this reserve, from this precious treasure in my mind to re live the euphoria I feel for my boys (all 3 of them) in this very day and in this very moment!!

Another day of Outside Play!!

So the plan is to take the kids out and play everyday, and in some way , shape or fashion we always do(weather permitting) Here are just a few of us playing outside! One thing about being a photographer is that I am able to preserve the moments of a lot of people! I am trying to remember to preserve my own moments with my own family! So this blog has almost in a silly way held me accountable. I want to post pictures of my family for the rest of my family to see and enjoy, there fore I remember to slow down, and enjoy preserving my own memories.

So while these may not be the most amazing images I have ever taken, they are certainly taken of some of the most amazing kids! I love to hear them play together, they laugh and chuckle, with belly laughs that make a mother's heart melt! So these pictures are a sweet reminder of this time, for I know it is fleeting....


Tuckered out from jumping for hours..Bowens tuckered out is just a few short seconds, funny the energy children have!

Judd wants so desperately to make it up the slide and jump with his brother.! Just look at that "please help me" face!

Just another venture I have embarked on is a bible study, with some of the best gals ever. I am so enjoying this time of getting to know them, and each week I look forward to the next time we will get together. What a fun group God has formed. I always find it interesting to see such different women with such different backgrounds and different upbringings come together and have so much in common! Well, that post is for another day! I am looking forward to the next few days, I have dinner with great friends, I will go and visit my family out in Gwinnett, get to meet a friend of mine's new baby girl, then sing at church and in between celebrate my nephew's birthday and some of my very sweet friends little girls birthdays too! So lots of posting to come!

By the way if you are reading this, please pray for Paul, as he has been traveling and will be on the road a while and hopefully home this evening! So safe travels, my love, we can't wait for you to come home, right where you belong, see you soon!

A Whole Lot Of Nothing!

Well, this week is off to a good start, a fast one at that. No news to report, just the same old same old! Which I am fine with, Usually we are running around like crazy and this week(until this weekend) I am able to relax and enjoy this amazing weather we have been experiencing!! Paul has been getting home early the past 2 days so we have enjoyed spending some extra time with him as well. This weekend we have lots of birthdays to celebrate so I am sure it will be tons of fun full of junk food and laughs!! I will post pictures!!

I leave you with this sweet face! Hope you all have a great week!!

dream...sweet baby...dream!

So, every now and then while my babies are asleep, I will go and sit in their room on the floor and just stare at them....sometimes I pray sometimes I just press my cheek against theirs, and other times I get in the bed and snuggle with them! This evening was no different. I always walk in and check on the boys before I go to bed. Making sure they are covered up and just lay my eyes on them on last time before I drift off to sleep land!



I love this time with them, it is so quiet and peaceful, which is something that is rare around here during the day! They look so little as they sleep, so innocent and fragile! It is so sweet to me! I love looking at them , I can't believe they were in my body....wierd.....I can't believe that they are mine.....what did I do to deserve such precious babies.....

Wagon Time!!

Well, today was a good day, I ran a few errands with the boys this morning and then we came home and watched Peter Pan and played some games. I had a little bit of editing to finish up so I did that, made dinner and enjoyed the rest of the evening with my family!

It has been so pleasant outside the past day or so, and we took full advantage of that tonight! Paul came home from work and we ate dinner and headed outside for some wagon time! It was nice just being with my boys, this has to be my favorite past time. We went all around the neighborhood and then to the back yard to jump on the trampoline!! It was fun, here are just a few pics from our wandering the hood in the wagon.

Judd turns ONE!!!!!

So here are my baby's one year birthday party pictures....well some of them, my friend Tandy took so many it would use all the memory on my blog to put them all up, so I chose a few of my favorites!!

It is hard to imagine that one year ago, I woke up to some real regular contractions...no mind you I never went into labor with Bowen so I was really surprised when this happened with Judd. We headed onto the hospital after I spoke with my Dr. and he urged us to come on!

We dropped Bowen off and headed that way. Well this whole time I am still thinking that I am having a c-section on Friday the 7th...not the case. The Dr. checks me and puts a few machines on my belly and sure enough my contractions were regular enough for the to take the baby then, September 4th!! I was so scared but excited at the same time!

Well, the moment I new he was here and alright, my life has never been the same, I take that back out family has never been the same.

This baby has such a sweet countenance, he is so snugly and he laughs at everything! He has brought a light to our house that can never be dimmed. I am so lucky to have 2 beautiful children who are happy and healthy!

As I look back and reflect on this year, I am reminded again of God's amazing blessings! How fast yet sweet this year was, filled with tons of love. I hope Judd knows without a shadow of a doubt that he is loved, not just by his family but His heavenly Father.

This day will forever be etched on the pages of my heart...along with many others. I love my family! I love my family!

Now here is a boy who loved his cake, he went right on after it! He was not too interested in the blowing out of the candle, so I handled that, but the cake, well it was great!!

This was just a collage of my favorite images!! I want to thank everyone who was a part of this special day, and for those who we would have loved to have been there but for whatever reasons could not make it!! You were sorely missed.... I am so honored that so many people gathered around my family and celebrated this occasion. Birthdays are special at our house, as for this birthday well the birth of my child....is one of the best days of my life, and I will celebrate this day, God willing for many, many years to come.

This year flew by so fast...just a reminder to savor every moment! Soak it all in and exhale with gratitude that I was able to witness this little boy's first year, his first cry, his first smile, his first laugh, his first word and love on his first cake! I love every second of it! I would change nothing, I am thankful for HIS provision in my life!

My prayer for the next year...well there is not enough memory on here to type it. But I trust that my Lord and savior has it all under control, he loves my baby and cares about his future , I am leaning on one of my favorite verses," For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Judson David Estes, I will love you forever!

xxoo

your momma

Stuff....

No pictures in this post, just some stuff that has been happening in my own life and thoughts.

First off I have just started attending this bible study with a group of ladies I am so excited to get to know better. And I have read the first part of the study and I am already hooked. I think it is so awesome to see how God puts things together. The book is No Other God, by Kelly Mnter, and I don't want to put it down, I will not say much yet, but I am excited to see what God has in store for me to learn these next few weeks! I am ready and willing to soak HIM all in! This past year has come with it's ups and downs, and I am still through it all reminded that God is faithful! Friendships come and go and things don't always work out the way I had planned, but I believe and trust in God's provision and am trying to be content and rest there! Just to wrap that up I am thrilled to be a part of whatever He has for me to learn!!

I have had a low point lately, I don't know why or what, just low....Paul is great, the kids are great and I am blessed, just dealing with the blues. No pity party here, just a season...hopefully not a long one!!

On the other hand Tandy and I were asked to photograph a vow renewal and I just want to let you all know that I am so inspired by this couple!! I know they have been through the dessert the past few years and I think it is so awesome to see the miracle that GOD did to restore them and their marriage! There were so many amazing details, everything was so thought through and had such great meaning! I love that God still is in the miracle business, and that I truly believe this couple would not have made it without trusting and leaning on our Father! I am completely impressed with the marriage I witnessed this evening!! I am so glad that they stuck through it all, I believe God honors commitment and I can tangibly see Him working and shining through what could have been another divorce! I also think it was so awesome for them to have this celebration! It was on their actual anniversary and they had some very close friends who were there to rejoice and celebrate with them after standing beside them with tears and feeling the pain this couple was going through!! I could go on and on, but God is so GOOD!!!! I amazed at the things he does for myself and others...the things he has already done!!

And I was suppose to go and visit my family this weekend out in Stone Mountain and I can't because there is no gas at any of the gas stations in a 50 mile radius....and I will certainly run out before I find one!! So it is looking like tomorrow will end up a family day after all, sitting home and watching movies, let me rephrase that watching one movie, the same movie over and over and over again....who knows what movie Bowen will decide is his favorite tomorrow, but I am looking forward to finding out!! I hope you all (anyone who stops by and had the time to read this blog) has a wonderful weekend! I will post birthday pics soon!