Dear Paul,
I love being your mommy. You are such a joy to be around. Your daddy and I can't believe you are already THREE months old today. Time is going by way too fast sweet little boy. It seems like it was just yesterday that I got to meet you for the very first time.
Your daddy tries to take a day off work every once in a while just to be home with us because we enjoy you so much. I try to reserve at least one day each week for us to lounge around in our pajamas, dance to the radio, swing on the front porch and watch Bella chase squirrels in the back yard. Those are my favorite days.
I love rubbing my cheek and my chin on the top of your fuzzy head to feel your soft blonde hair that is growing in. I love when your socks match your outfit. I love it when you make noises and coo at strangers that peep in to look at you while we're grocery shopping. As if on cue, you once tooted right as a friendly elderly man touched your toes through your blanket. :) He said you "made his day" and gave us both a good laugh.
Your daddy loves taking you to the "deep end" of the baby tub during bath time because you like to push against the side of the tub with your little legs and are just starting to get the hang of splashing. We try not to let you watch it, but you will turn your head and wiggle around on the floor as best you can just to see the TV. You are starting to take an interest in your furry sister now too. You rarely spit up, but when you do...you like to wait until you are dressed and ready to go or when it is difficult for us to change or clean up. Thanks buddy.
You haven't discovered your thumb just yet, but you really like your first finger and occasionally your entire fist. You also really like sucking on your pacifiers. As much as you LOVE to be swaddled at night, you end up breaking free every morning so we get to wake up to the sound of your happy babbles. When we bend over your crib, you greet us every morning with an ear-to-ear grin and some explosive kicks and punches to the air. We love that!
Thank you Paul for adding such joy and wonder to our lives. Your daddy and I love you so much. Although we didn't think it was possible, we love each other more now too. We started dating when we were only 16 and 17 so we've been through a few of life's transitions together. We've both been able to watch the Lord change our hearts and draw us both closer to Him and neither of us are quite the same as we were when we first met. We've both watched each other change and grow into different people and the Lord has given us both new things to love about the other. With your arrival into the world, though - you have brought out qualities and perspectives in both of us that we never understood before. This world looks different now. The unseen eternal things mean so much more to us now. Although I'm still vain and materialistic at times, we really do care less about superficial things because of you. We care more about instilling values, creating new traditions and upholding certain morals as best we can while parenting - in whatever way the Lord leads us to do it. We care less about whether people agree with our opinions now or not. You have also helped us both realize that neither one of us can do this parenting thing without the other. We're in it forever and we'll be here for always. Thank you son.
We love you,
Mommy and Daddy
Your daddy tries to take a day off work every once in a while just to be home with us because we enjoy you so much. I try to reserve at least one day each week for us to lounge around in our pajamas, dance to the radio, swing on the front porch and watch Bella chase squirrels in the back yard. Those are my favorite days.
I love rubbing my cheek and my chin on the top of your fuzzy head to feel your soft blonde hair that is growing in. I love when your socks match your outfit. I love it when you make noises and coo at strangers that peep in to look at you while we're grocery shopping. As if on cue, you once tooted right as a friendly elderly man touched your toes through your blanket. :) He said you "made his day" and gave us both a good laugh.
Your daddy loves taking you to the "deep end" of the baby tub during bath time because you like to push against the side of the tub with your little legs and are just starting to get the hang of splashing. We try not to let you watch it, but you will turn your head and wiggle around on the floor as best you can just to see the TV. You are starting to take an interest in your furry sister now too. You rarely spit up, but when you do...you like to wait until you are dressed and ready to go or when it is difficult for us to change or clean up. Thanks buddy.
You haven't discovered your thumb just yet, but you really like your first finger and occasionally your entire fist. You also really like sucking on your pacifiers. As much as you LOVE to be swaddled at night, you end up breaking free every morning so we get to wake up to the sound of your happy babbles. When we bend over your crib, you greet us every morning with an ear-to-ear grin and some explosive kicks and punches to the air. We love that!
Thank you Paul for adding such joy and wonder to our lives. Your daddy and I love you so much. Although we didn't think it was possible, we love each other more now too. We started dating when we were only 16 and 17 so we've been through a few of life's transitions together. We've both been able to watch the Lord change our hearts and draw us both closer to Him and neither of us are quite the same as we were when we first met. We've both watched each other change and grow into different people and the Lord has given us both new things to love about the other. With your arrival into the world, though - you have brought out qualities and perspectives in both of us that we never understood before. This world looks different now. The unseen eternal things mean so much more to us now. Although I'm still vain and materialistic at times, we really do care less about superficial things because of you. We care more about instilling values, creating new traditions and upholding certain morals as best we can while parenting - in whatever way the Lord leads us to do it. We care less about whether people agree with our opinions now or not. You have also helped us both realize that neither one of us can do this parenting thing without the other. We're in it forever and we'll be here for always. Thank you son.
We love you,
Mommy and Daddy
Grapevine High School made it to the playoffs this year and the last playoff game that we both went to was about 11 years ago in Lubbock, TX. Blake was on the field playing and I was cheering him on from the front row of the student section.
Grandma and Grandpa showed up with spirit stickers for under Paul’s eyes, noise makers and Blake’s old game day shirt that the team wore on Fridays to the pep rallies. As dorky as it might sound, being back at a GHS football game brought back lots of fond memories for us.
Sadly, GHS lost to Marcus. It was still a fun time, though. Oh yeah – and the Cowboy stadium is awesome!
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On Halloween morning we drove to Waco and met Blake’s parents, his Uncle Spike, cousin Riley and some family friends for the Baylor vs. Nebraska game. Baylor lost (no surprise) but we had fun tailgating and the weather was wonderful.
Paul wore his skeleton onesie underneath his bear suit with a BU hat and Halloween socks. We had to strip him down at the stadium though because it got much warmer than we were expecting. .JPG)
After the game we visited Roxanne’s Uncle William and Aunt Wanda that live in Waco. Uncle William is Roxanne’s father’s brother and he is 88 years old. I’m waiting for the good photos that Roxanne took, but I did manage to sneak one of Paul napping on Wanda’s lap. He totally zonked out! 
We got home from Waco at about 8:00p and then headed (foolishly, we know…) to a friend’s Halloween party. We had our cowboy boots, hats, pearl snap shirts and Texas-sized belt buckles all ready to go, but Blake and I were so exhausted that we decided to skip the western wear and join Paul by wearing our pajamas as costumes instead.
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GRANDMA & GRANDPA PEDERSEN
ALL OF US
Paul's favorite Aunt!
From left to right: Lisa Farden with 16 month old Maile. Kirsi Ingram with 2 year old Taryn, Me with 6 week old Paul, Hannah with 5 1/2 month old Drew and 3 year old Addi, Whittney with 9 month old Sophie. Drew belongs to Whittney. Addi and Sophie are Hannah's little girls.
Our little baby is now too big for the infant sling on the bathtub. Plus, I had to retire all his newborn clothing last night and we won’t be buying anymore newborn diapers either. Once we use up what we have, we’ll be moving up to size 1 and next thing you know he’ll be riding his bike and then he’ll be driving…! :( So sad.
