Discipline

Mommy has resolved to be more disciplined in this New Year.

As part of that discipline, she and I will be taking a Blogger, Facebook, and Bump.com fast for the next 3 days.

Don't worry, though! We will be back on Monday with a "Happy Monthday to Me" post.

Can you believe that I am about to be 11 months old?

Happy (early) New Year

Since I won't be staying up until midnight tonight, I thought I'd go ahead and wish everyone a Happy New Year!

2009 was a great year for me, but I know 2010 will be even better.

(Mommy, Daddy, and I made a run to Kid to Kid today for a new black headband and bow. We never did find the one that was lost on Sunday.)

Have you made your New Year's resolutions yet? Mommy and I have. One of my resolutions is to learn how to walk. I decided to get a jump start on that today.

That brown chair is a perfect "launching pad" for me. Thank you Dickinson paraprofessionals of 2008-2009!

Proud of Poppy

Everyone in my family is so proud of Poppy this year! He has changed his perspective on food, learned to discipline his diet, and put in many hours at the gym.

What has been the result of all that hard work, you ask? Well, see for yourself*: In addition to losing more than 50 pounds, Poppy has been taken off of his diabetes medicine and is no longer considered diabetic. He is also on his way to being able to throw his blood pressure medication out the window! Poppy looks much younger, feels much younger, and acts much younger.

My favorite part of Poppy's transformation is knowing that his health won't prevent him from watching me grow into a beautiful woman!

I am so proud of you, Poppy. Thank you for your hard work this year!

*On behalf of Mommy, I would like to apologize for the squirreliness of this collage. It was her first experience with Picnik and she didn't know what she was doing.

Animal Antics

I've been on a bit of an animal kick for the last week. It started when I figured out how to make a doggy noise (panting with my mouth open), which was quickly followed by a cow noise (just mmmmm, no oooooo). Mommy has been trying to teach me the noises for monkey and duck, but I haven't been so into those.

Then, this afternoon, I saw some real live ducks at the mall! They weren't yellow with orange beaks, so I didn't realize what they were at first. Once Mommy started quacking at me, though, I figured it out. Mommy also kept pointing at some small green things swimming in the water, but I wasn't interested in them (they didn't make any noises).

Tonight I got to see another new animal when we went over to "Uncle" Ryan and "Aunt" Michele's house. This fluffy thing was great!Can you believe I'd only seen kitties in books before this? I was so excited about meeting Betsy...even though she did work hard to keep her distance from me. Hopefully I didn't turn her off to babies too much. She's going to have one in her house in just a few months!

Movie Monday

Micah and I had so much fun together last week. I sure will miss him this week!

Our families are doing a great job of preparing us for the paparazzi.

We both thought Grandma's singing puppy was great.

Another New Friend

Yesterday I got to meet Mommy's friend Jasmine for the first time. We loved each other!

Mommy says Jasmine is one of the most beautiful people she knows...both inside and out. She is smart, ambitious, witty, and always seeking to please the Lord.

Mommy and Jasmine have been friends since middle school. Mommy thinks this is the first picture they ever took together (that's Auntie's hand, by the way). They sure were looking stylish in their denim tops!
Their looks had matured a bit by the time they were seniors in high school. This picture is from their joint graduation luau.

And here they are last night!

Jasmine, I'm so glad I finally got to meet you! I can't wait to visit you in D.C. some day.

Sunday Best

Happy Last-Sunday-of-the-Decade!
I hope yours was as great as mine.

This morning I had a wonderful suprise...Mommy's friend, Monica, was at church! Monica and Mommy have been friends for almost 20 years. I haven't met her before today because she lives in El Paso with her husband, Christian. Thankfully, Monica and Christian came home for Christmas!

Micah and I were in the nursery together for the first time ever today! It was Mommy's week to be in the nursery, too!!
We all had a blast together...until one of the other nursery volunteers gave Aison his bottle. Then Braelynn decided she needed her bottle, which made me realize I needed my sippy cup, which reminded Micah that he needed his bottle. The three of us put on a real chorus of crying!
Once our tummy needs were met, though, we went right back to playing happily.

By the way...if you attend Lighthouse, would you keep your eyes open for my black headband and bow? Mommy dropped it somewhere in the church today. Thanks!

Christmas Round Up

I had a great first Christmas. It was even a white Christmas! Mommy said that was a first for her, too.
Here's an outline of my Christmas Eve/Day festivities:

After my morning nap on Christmas Eve, we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's house to see Uncle Brian, Aunt Becky, and Micah! We were so excited to spend Christmas with them this year.
Micah and I played for a while, and then it was time to go to Mimi and Poppy's house to open Pierce presents.
Daddy posed for this JC Penney catalogue photo while we were there.
After presents, we enjoyed watching the beautiful snow fall to the ground.
The Moss clan joined us in the evening for dinner. This was the first time all of my lovies were together in one place! It was great.
As you can see, we take family time very seriously!
Micah and I had a blast playing in Mimi and Poppy's sleigh. He is such a cutie!
Mommy, Daddy, and I had to leave the festivities early so that I could get a good night's sleep.
When I woke up on Christmas morning, it was time to open my presents from Mommy and Daddy! I love this baby doll they gave me.
Once those presents were opened and we were all dressed, the three of us headed back over to Grandma and Grandpa's for Moss presents.
I was so excited to be at Grandma and Grandpa's house!
Micah likes to look out the window, too! We enjoyed eyeing the snow and throwing down some tight beats on G'ma and G'Pa's door.
Then, it was back to Mimi and Poppy's where our cousins joined us to open stockings and some more presents.
Going up and down the stairs is my new favorite thing to do at Mimi and Poppy's house. I can climb all the way up without any help!
On Christmas night, our Moss family came over to our house to open stockings and play with the Wii Grandpa bought as a family gift...but we didn't get any pictures :(

That pretty much wraps up my first Christmas. I can't wait to do it all over again in 364 days!

Merry Christmas

How many kings step down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Only one did that for me.

Just in case you are wondering if I am a poetry prodigy, I should let you know that this is the chorus to the song "How Many Kings" by the band Downhere.

(These nativities are from Mimi & Poppy's house, Grandma & Grandpa's house, and our church.)

Merry Christmas Eve

Since it is Christmas Eve already, I thought I should share some of my Christmas decorations with you.
Mommy really scaled down the Christmas decor this year. She purged our Christmas tubs of anything that lacked meaning for our family...and she plans to stick with this newfound simplicity in the years to come.

I know I've already shared this one with you, but I just love it! Mommy and Daddy only made 2 new Christmas decor purchases this year, with this nativity set being one of them.

Yes, you've alredy seen this one, too. Even though our tree has a theme, each of the ornaments holds special meaning to Mommy and Daddy. Half of them were purchased on October 25, 2007...the day Mommy and Daddy closed on our home. The other half were gifts from friends or family.

Here's our Christmasy mantle. This year it's housing all of our breakable ornaments. Hmmm, I wonder why?
The Christmas cards we receive get showcased here, as well. Maybe next year Mommy will get it together enough to send out Christmas cards of our own.

The two stockings on the end make up the second new Christmas purchase Mommy and Daddy made this year.
(In case you're wondering...that fourth stocking is for Auntie. No suprise annoucements being made in the Moss home this year!)

Here are the decorations I am most excited about! Grandma made these stuffed ornaments for Daddy when he was just a baby. As he grew up, they went on his own special little tree every year. Grandma brought these over to me last week and said I can use them for my own tree (well, the one Mommy and Daddy are going to buy me for next year). Aren't they cute?

That's it for our Christmas decor...plus the wreath on our front door and the "Emmanuel" banner Mommy made but isn't happy with. It's not much, but every little piece holds significance for the Moss family!

Way Too Warm

That is how I would describe our weather today. It should never be 70 degrees on December 23!

Since the temperature is slightly out of my control, though, I decided to take advantage of the warmth by going on a wagon ride.

This is the face I gave Mommy when she told me to say "cheese".

Here's a unique lawn ornament Mommy and I noticed for the first time today. We've never seen anything quite like it before. Have you?

(In case you can't tell... it's a reindeer made out of logs & branches.)

Movie Monday

Christmas Sunday Best

We had a great christmas Sunday at the Lighthouse! Mommy told me it was going to be a wonderful day, and she was right. One of the reasons Christmas Sunday is special at Lighthouse is because we bless a handful of Lighthouse family members by meeting their practical needs...kinda like a scaled down, KLTY Christmas Wish (for you DFW area readers).

This morning's gifts included a washer and dryer, week's worth of groceries, clothing for a few teenagers, small scholarship for a college student, gift cards to local restaurants, and lots more.

Mommy and I were especially excited about the gift we gave Mia. This is Mia (pretend that I'm pointing my finger at the picture below). Mia is part of Mommy and Daddy's young adult group. She helps out with lots of "behind the scenes" jobs, like getting coffee ready and setting out paper and pens for notetaking. She is also a wonderful example of being a hearer and doer of the Word. Mommy says Mia is always working to apply what she has read in Scripture. Her example has challenged Mommy to do more of this, as well.

Recently, Mia bought an older vehicle...which was a big answer to many of her prayers. So, to help her keep that vehicle in running order, the young adult group gave Mia a year's worth of oil changes! It may not be the most extravagant gift, but it meant a lot to Mia.

Want to know another reason Christmas at the Lighthouse is special? We get to see lots of friends who are "home for the holidays"! Like Joey, for example.

This is Joey (again, I'm pointing below). Joey is in his second year at West Point. You may have seen him shaking President Obama's hand when the President was speaking there recently (sorry Joey- Mommy made me add that part). Joey isn't able to get home much, but Mommy and Daddy sure do love it when he's here! He is super funny, super smart, and super interesting.

In fact, Mommy and Daddy just love his whole family. They have all come to know Christ in the last 5 years or less (please forgive Mommy if she's off by a year or two), and their faith journies have been both inspiring and challenging.
And the main reason I love Christmas Sunday? Because we get to celebrate Emmanuel...God with us! I have lots of reasons to celebrate the fact that the Father sent his Son into the world as a baby, even thought I'm just a baby myself.

What makes Christmas Sunday special at your church?

Nomadic Friend

Last night, I finally got to meet Mommy and Daddy's friend Tammy. She currently lives in Ireland, but came home for the holidays! Tammy is "Aunt" Tara's sister...so that makes her Preston and Ian's aunt (no quotations marks necessary).

Admittedly, this isn't the best picture of me...but what do you expect when it's 5 minutes past my bedtime? Mommy says Tammy is one of the coolest people she knows.
Here are a few reasons why:

• She has lived in more places than any other non-military person Mommy knows.
• She has secretly installed security cameras in ceilings to catch theiving employees.
• She is FBI trained...and she whooped up on all her male trainee collegues!
• She can tackle and restrain men twice her size.
• She knows how to jump out of a moving car, roll on her side, and pop up ready to shoot a loaded gun. Just like in the movies!
• And (maybe the coolest reason of all) she's not afraid to put all of those mad skills on the shelf to follow God's calling.

Several years ago, Tammy left a job with the Department of Homeland Security to serve with Teen Challenge International (a faith-based drug and alcholol rehab program). She has worked in women's centers in Jamaica, California, and Ireland. Her Texas folk miss her greatly when she is gone, but they are excited about what God is doing through her life abroad.

Tammy, I'm so glad I got to meet you. Maybe we can take a better picture at church tomorrow!

I Figured it Out!

This morning it dawned on me that when Mommy flashes a bright light in my face, I get to see a really cute baby on the back of that silver box in her hands.

Pretty cool, huh?

Now that I have this new-found information...

I think I'll start hamming it up a bit more!

P.S.

If you look really closely at the second to last picture, you can see something my gums have been working on for quite a while.

"Slightly Defiant"

That's what Daddy says I was in Target today. I have recently discovered that, if I try really hard, I can stand up in the grocery cart.

And, yes, Daddy did have me buckled in. That buckle is no match for me, though!

And, yes, he did sit me back down and tighten the buckle. Still no match. Being a skinny minny does have its advantages. And, yes, he did eventually take me out of the cart and carry me through the store. Safety had to come before rightness here.

And, yes, we do have a grocery cart cover. Daddy prefers to shop man-style*, though.

*He did wipe the cart down with a Purex wipe before placing me in the seat.

My First Christmas Party

Tonight I went to my first Christmas party ever! Mommy and Daddy's young adult group from church was nice enough to let me join them for their annual shindig. Actually, I only joined them for the first part of the shindig. You know...bedtime and all.

Here I am chilling with Daddy and Vanessa. I did have a bow in my hair (I am sure you were wondering), but it didn't last very long.

And look who else was enjoying his first ever Christmas party. It's baby Kaleb! Isn't he a cutie? Kaleb will be four weeks old on Friday.

Speaking of firsts, Mommy and I bought our family's first nativity scene today. Can you believe Mommy and Daddy didn't already have one of these? Mommy says I can play with this one when I get a little bit older. Auntie, however, is concerned about the fact that Baby Jesus is the same size as the cow.
One of the members of our church has a very extensive nativity collection (35 at last count). This Christmas season, he brought some of them up to our choir room to share. Mommy and I checked them out tonight. Here are a few of our favorites.

This was a Willow Tree set. Mommy has yet to meet a Willow Tree figurine she didn't like. She had never seen this set before. It was really big!

This wooden set was teeny, tiny.

And this interactive, kid friendly set had plastic figurines & a pop-up backdrop!

Thanks for sharing your nativity sets with us, Mr. Wayne!