Growing Up

I did it.  I bought a twin bed for Collin, and I helped Jarrod take down the crib.  I was in GO mode during the whole process, but once the crib was in pieces and leaning up against a wall the water works started.  I just kept thinking about how long that thing has been a part of our lives, and how my boy hasn't ever slept in anything else.

We painted Collin's room last Sunday, so he had to take a nap in our bed that day.  It was a good chance to see how he would do in a "big" bed.  He did great, of course!

He looked like such a big boy, his Daddy snapped this picture!

He loves his bed and he's sleeping really well since we updated his curtains to blackout curtains. Heck, I've been tempted to take a nap in there myself!

Big boy room!
Plans to add more to the walls later :)

I'm just amazed at how much he is growing up.  He says things that knock me back sometimes and remind me he is his own person.  He has long, in-depth conversations where he is so assertive about his position, the only thing you can do is laugh!

And in other news, we decorated for Christmas yesterday.  Jarrod would tell you I have been very vocal with my thoughts regarding all things pre-maturely Christmas this year.  Really, what is going on?  We went out of town the weekend before Veterans Day, and when we returned it was like everyone had chosen to decorate for Christmas.  People!  I. Love. Thanksgiving.  Like, a lot.  From the food, to the parade, to memories of sitting at my Grandma Margaret's house all dressed up for the day, watching the parade and listening to my dad and grandma cooking in the kitchen.  She had this giant, metal mixing bowl.  GIANT.  My dad has it now, and it's used to make the cornbread dressing.  They would let me sit and crumble up biscuits and cornbread for the dressing, and it was my contribution to the meal!

Don't even get me started on pie.  I have been talking with Collin about pie for weeks now.  My dilemma is always whether to start with my mom's chocolate pie or to eat some pumpkin pie before my brother downs it all.

And then we all sit around and watch football games or movies and play card games.  Oh, Thanksgiving!

So it was a tough call for me yesterday but we're spending Thanksgiving in Texas, and I couldn't stand the thought of having to decorate when we return.

Also, another chance for Collin to prove how much he's growing up!  He insisted on helping put the "Kissmas balls" on the tree.  He only broke one, and he felt so bad about it that he cried and instantly outed his self when his Daddy came in the room!

Concentrating...

So proud of his self

He loved all the decorations, but he especially loved re-discovering this Christmas themed Sock Monkey that our sweet friend, Courtney Reeves, gave to Collin three years ago when he was just a few months old. The monkey has been all over our house in the past 24 hours, and he is currently sitting in a dining room chair.  Collin told him this morning, "You stay here 'til I get home from school!"

But I made sure Collin still knows what's what...we watched all of the Thanksgiving episodes of Friends yesterday!  Yep.  And he woke up this morning and ran to find me while asking, "We going to Mimi and PawPaw's today for Fanksgiving?!"


And for your viewing pleasure, we had to take a group photo on Tuesday night of our Community Group.  I realized on the way home, this is one of a kind.  We don't ever take pictures...  So in spite of the fact that we are missing one husband, here we are closer to one another than many of us were comfortable with :)
Love these people!