Wow, it's been a long time.

Well it looks like it's been over a year and a half since I lost blogged.  That is crazy and unacceptable.  Like everyone always says, I'm going to do better... I'm going to update more.  Well let's see how that goes!

So much has happened since I last blogged that needs to be documented.  Nick and I welcomed our second child, Emerson Louise, into this world just before Christmas last year.  She is now 9 months old and a complete joy.  Her big brother, Caden, absolutely adores her.  He couldn't be more in love with his sister if he tried!

Since having two kids, our lives have been totally crazy.  While on maternity leave, things changed for me a bit career wise and I am on the road a lot more now.  Though I wouldn't change it for the world because I love what I do, it has been extremely challenging.  At times I think I've figured the "balance" out between work and family.  At other times, not so much.  It can be extremely overwhelming but oh so gratifying at the same time.  I love having the best of both worlds.

Nick's work has been extremely busy as well and while we're so extremely thankful for having busy work lives, we're just doing all that we can to make it all work.  Our family is our priority and I think we do a great job of making sure that we spend the most amount of time with the kids that we can.  The kids go to Daycare/Preschool 5 days a week.  Thankfully, they love it and it works well for us.  Our families are such a huge help for us and we're extremely thankful for that.  We couldn't do it without them.

Updates on Caden - He is now 3.5 years old, he has the most energy of any child I know, and he is the happiest little boy.  He started playing soccer this fall and he LOVES it.  And he's actually really good if I do say so myself : )  Proud mama here.

Emerson is 9.5 months old.  She is EVERYWHERE!  She is starting to stand on her own some, of course crawling all over the place and is into everything.  She is such a sweet, sweet baby and is smiling all. the. time.  She sleeps great, eats great.  Not a complaint in the world - we have truly been blessed with fantastic babies!

We.  Are.  Blessed.

Almost 2!!

I can't believe we're already into February!  Our family has had a very busy start to the year but hopefully things will slow down at some point.  My boss and I left our old company and have gone to a new one, which has been very exhausting but very exciting at the same time.  Just a lot of hard work and a little more time away from my family than I'd like.  But that's part of it I guess ; )

Caden has been so much fun lately.  He's such an energetic little thing, but also the sweetest little boy!!  He must hug and kiss everyone and every THING goodbye.  This includes all the kids in his class at school as well.  Sorry mamas - I'm trying to teach him to kiss cheeks instead of lips.  He's a great little cleaner upper - he cleans up all his toys on his own and makes sure they get their hug and kiss too.  He absolutely LOVES stickers!!  I can't begin to tell you how many he goes through in a day.  He is doing so great with his manners.  He's really good at saying "please" and is now learning "yes ma'am".  I am so proud of this little boy!!

Now don't get me wrong - this child is very strong willed too!!  We've gone through the tantrums and hitting phases but they seem to happen a lot less these days (thank God!!)  I have found hitting to be one of the hardest things to deal with.  I hope you other mamas out there don't have to deal with that.  But he has really responded well to consistent discipline and now I can't remember the last time he's hit me!  (Knock on wood).

It's so incredibly hard to believe that my baby will be 2 in less than a month.... how is that even possible?!  Well....here's to hoping the "2's" aren't so "TERRIBLE"!!

Holidays are Over...

The holidays are over and I'm both sad and excited for the New Year and what it brings.  2011 is going to be a very different year for me, especially.  I have huge changes coming about with my career and I'm feeling all kinds of emotions in relation to that.  But I'm very excited and ready to dive in. 

Whereas I'm going to miss being at home with my little man during the day, I'm excited to get back to work.  I don't know how you stay at home mamma's do it - IT'S HARD WORK!  : )  But we had an amazing Chrismas this year with our little guy.  He really loved everything that had to do with Christmas this year - Santa, christmas lights, the christmas tree, the presents - EVERYTHING.  What a fun and memorable time it has been!! 

Well Happy New Year and here's to a fantastic 2011!!

Here's a few pictures from the past few weeks.

 With Mommy at Shadrack's Christmas Lights.

 Talking to Daddy on the Phone.

Helping Daddy decorate the Christmas Tree.

Wild Hair Man eating a powdered donut for the first time.

Helping Dawson open up Gramps' presents on Christmas Eve.

Opening up his gifts on Christmas Eve.

Coloring at his new desk that Gramps got him.

Digging into his stocking... so much fun stuff from Santa!!

Sweeping with one of his new brooms from Pop and Mimi.

Super excited about the Choo Choo Tunnel that his Auntrie Tracie got him!!

Playing with his new legos with Mimi.

Wearing Daddy's hat that he got for Christmas, ha!

Always has some sort of boo boo (or 3) on his face... he fell Christmas morning and slit his chin open.

Playing with one of his favorite presents from Santa.



Best time of year

We've done a lot this past month.  We took a quick weekend trip to Chattanooga to stay at The Choo Choo Hotel and visit the Aquarium.  Caden and his cousin Dawson had so much fun seeing the choo choos and all the fish.  They also met Santa for the first time this year.  Dawson was great!!  Caden - well let's just say he loved waving "hi" to him from afar but up close was a different story.  He was NOT having it! 

Then of course we had a fantastic Thanksgiving with both of our families.  So thankful to get to spend the day with everyone!

We went to see the Shadrack Christmas lights with my family.  We all piled in 2 cars (girls and kids in one, boys in the other) and drove through and enjoyed the amazing lights.  The kids enjoyed it.  Then at the end we got out and roasted some marshmallows by the fire.  It was absolutely freezing but the kids didn't seem to mind.  My very accident prone child fell somehow and scraped his upper lip pretty bad while we were there also.  That's always fun!! 

Then last weekend we went to Brunch with Santa.  Thought maybe we'd try this whole Santa thing again.  We had a little bit better luck this time.  Caden actually let his Nana take him up to talk to Santa but he just sat in Nana's lap, not Santa's.  He actually touched his clothes but that was about it.  He did say he wanted a "boat" (of course) then walked off : )  His cousins Peyton and Dawson did much better this year meeting Santa.  Hopefully it will get easier for Caden in the next couple of years. 

All in all we've had a great month and we are very excited for this Christmas holiday.  Caden LOVES the Christmas tree, Christmas lights, and talking about Santa so this time of year is a lot of fun!!  I can't wait to see his face on Christmas morning when Santa brings him lots of new toys ; ) 

Okay it's been way too long since this blog has been updated.  I am determined to start updating more often.

Caden is now 19 months old and such a big boy.  He's alllll over the place.  He absolutely never sits still.  He is a very strong willed little boy but just as sweet and social as they come.  He must say hi and bye to everyone no matter where he goes.  He still loves boats and is recently starting to love cars, trucks, tractors, machines, etc.  He's talking so much these days - I can't even believe it!!  Like everyone says - time sure does fly by.  He's no longer my little baby anymore : (  But he sure is getting to be so much fun!   

It's been very busy around the Woodard household.  Football season is here and that takes up most of our Saturdays.  I've been working full time since January and although I love my job, it can get difficult at times to balance work life and home life. I feel very blessed to be able to have the best of both worlds though - a career that I love and a family that I love.  Caden is at The Academy of McKay's Mill and he LOVES it.  He is so happy when he goes to school and sees his friends and teachers.  Makes me feel so much better when I have to leave him to go to work.  Of course his Nana & Meme help during the week too which he LOVES!

I guess that's about it in our lives.... but here are a few photos from the past couple of months.  ENJOY!

It's Alabama Football Time!!

Look at that sweet Face.

Caden loves the zoo.

Eating a chocolate chip cookie at his School's Fall Festival.  So much fun!

Daddy and Caden at the Pumpkin Patch.

Loves him some tractors.

Picking out the perfect pumpkin.

All he really wanted to do was ride the tractor.

In the bounce house at the Fall Festival.

So we had some professional photos taken and this one is HILARIOUS so had to share!

More "Firsts"

Well Caden has recently added a few more "firsts" to his list. As a family, we enjoyed our first trip to the Emergency Room on Memorial Day. We were at Gramps's house about to enjoy our lunch when Little Man fell and cut his eyebrow open. We rushed him to the ER while trying to keep the cut from bleeding all over the place. He was such a little trooper! After the Doc glued his cut shut, we were out of there and headed back home. I think that it shook up his momma and daddy a little bit more than it did him.

Recently we have been trying to master a few new things: walking up and down stairs, learning new words, and trying to jump! His newest obsession is Pop's boat. This kid is absolutely obsessed with the boat. His favorite thing in the world is to sit in the boat and play with the steering wheel. He is more like his daddy everyday!

A few weeks ago Uncle Greg let us go to his condo in Orange Beach, Alabama. We got there a few weeks before the oil spill started to show up. We had a great time with all of Momma's side of the family. Nana, Gramps, Bradford, Kristen, Dawson, Jonathan, Debbie, and Peyton all had a ton of fun playing on the beach and going out to dinner at night. Caden loved the waves and sand! After a few days, it was time to come home and get back to reality.

Back at school Caden has recently moved up in classes. We will miss his old teachers very much, but also look forward to getting to know and love his new ones!

The Big "1"!

Hard to believe but our little guy turned 1 a week and a half ago. Everyone says that time will fly by and they are definitely correct. Caden brings us so much joy each and every day. He is a strong-willed, loving, outgoing, energetic, sweet, little boy and he is our whole world. He drinks whole milk out of cups, is attached to his blankie, can walk across the room, says all sorts of words (his favorite is "uh oh"), feeds the dogs from his high chair.... I could go on and on. He truely is a little boy now - not my little baby : ) Okay, time for a few recent photos from the last couple of months.....

Blowing out the candle at his birthday party. He had double ear infections at his party so he wasn't feeling too good and wasn't too excited about the cake : (

But he was a trooper and had fun opening his new gifts!

Including his new 4 wheeler....

Daddy with the Birthday Boy.

And Mommy with the Birthday Boy.

His Birthday cake - i loved that cake!!!

Before his actual birthday party, on his actual birthday we had the grandparents over and he had a nice lovely red icing cupcake and he loooveeed it!!

Always sucking that thumb ; )

My handsome boys.

Just some fun recent photos - he's loves cheesin it up.