You Are One Today!!

My Sweet little boy...today you turned 1!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLT!! At 8:24pm you made your debut into this world and have kept us on our toes ever since. A few things I want to remember about this wonderful age.

- started walking at 11 months

- saying dada, tan tu (thank you), mama, bye bye, do (dog), yaya

- claps, dances, gives and blows kisses, plays peek a boo, gives high fives and loves to snuggle when he's tired

- weight about 25 lbs (same as his sister) and no idea on the height

- loves balls, trucks, four wheelers, tractors, and digging through cabinets

He's learning every day and I love to watch him and his sister interact. She wants to hang on him all the time and hug him and kiss him. He'll allow it for a couple of minutes and then start to pull her hair. She screams and cries for a second and then the cycle repeats itself. But they do LOVE to hold each others hand. It's so so sweet!! She walks real slow so he can keep up. If he cries she will be the first to run over and say "what's the matter little baby? You want your mommy? Hang on, I'll go get her!" It's hilarious! We pray every night to thank the Lord for this miracle baby. We only hope that we can raise him to be a Godly, humble man who walks in the way of the Lord. Who stands up for his family. Who treats women and others with respect. Who finds his place in this world and strives to do the work that the Lord has prepared long ago for him.

Big Tractors and Punkin Pickin

Just a few pictures of some fall fun!!

Pray Always

I found this verse the other day, and it has captivated my heart. I wanted to share it with you.

"I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my cry for mercy. He bends down to listen. I will pray as long as I have breath"

Psalm 116:1-2

What a beautiful picture of my Father and Savior. Bending down and scooping me up. Listening to my still, small voice even at the most insignificant times.

Mr. Blue Eyes

This little guy melts my heart. He truly does. To say that I'm totally in love would be an understatement.

No Elephants at the Zoo

So in the past few weeks we have been spending some serious time at the zoo!! While its no secret around my house that I don't love the zoo. Animals should be in their rightful habitat not in a cage (alright i'm off my soapbox). But as a child there is no greater excitement! We went to the Hattiesburg zoo and then to the Jackson zoo with our sweet friends Anna and Walker!!! I don't have any pictures :( Anna and I were too busy have some much needed catch up time!! But Walker (2 mo old) was such a sweetie and didn't even make a peep. My child on the other hand...well she never shut her mouth. Just like her momma when she was little. She repeats things like a million times as she processes them and had a real hard time with all the noises. As Anna would say..."we're not scared, we're surprised!" Hahaha. Good times were had by all. We missed you Karen and Grace!!

This Is How We Do It

This is what we do while mommy gets dinner ready. I'm so glad that they are finally at the age where they can kind of play with each other. Usually Briley does something super cool and Colt just tries to copy her. He is fearless. Sometimes a little reckless, but does everything with complete abandonment. I love that about him and at the same time I'm sure its gonna give me a heart attack about 100 times before he reaches adulthood. Briley is always so cautious. She thinks things through and always has. I never really had to babyproof the house for her. Babyproofing these days...Check!

Are You Ready?!!

It's that time of year!! After about 50 pictures this was the best we got!! It's funny to go back and look at them, and I'm sure all you parents of multiple children know how hard it is to get a good picture of both kids. Someone is always making a silly/sad/mad faced while the other is smiling. Oh well...Hope you're ready for fall!!!

You know you're a mom when...

It's past your child's bedtime and you're frantically searching through the DIRTY clothes trying to find the least dirty pair of jammies to put on your child. The laundry had not been done in a week or so. Good job, Leanne. Ten minutes later, dressed with speckles of cheese grits and grape jelly, BK was ready to hop into the bed and put her paci in her eye. Yes you heard that correctly: IN HER EYE. It's very funny but strange. Her baby doll next to her, "Rock Rock" had to put her paci in her eye. Finally, prayers were said, and the music playing to cover the noise of the thunder outside. Mommy fell fast asleep... And the laundry still wasn't clean :) Oh well, there's always tomorrow!

Out of the mouth of children...

You never know what to expect. My little BK is talking up a storm. CONSTANTLY! I love it. I really do. She sings anything and everything she can think of. She remembers lines out of movies and thinks it's quiet hilarious to repeat them. She is also asserting herself and testing limits. CONSTANTLY. This I do not love so much. She is very determined, and I hope that she maintains that spirit; on the other hand she must learn to listen and obey. We are struggling with that concept but making progress. I have learned that each child is different (really Leanne...that's pretty obvious!) So the punishment has to fit the child and their understanding and personality. We have now created the punishment song. She responds really well to it and is a completely changes her attitude the moment I start singing it. Thank you LORD.

The other night we sat down as a family to pray. This was mommy's version of the prayer.

"Dear God, please bless mommy, daddy, colt and Briley. We love you God. Please help us to obey mommy and daddy and please help us not to be afraid" Then I asked Briley if she would like to pray. Here's her version "Mommy, daddy, mommy, colt, daddy, briley. You no scare me God. Disobey and you sit in time ouch! Amen." I had to fight both laughter and tears. She was so proud as was I! You never know what they will say these days :)

Growing Up In Heaven

Today has been a hard day. I've written and rewritten this post about a dozen times. Words filled with sorrow, desperation and utter helplessness. I miss my Layla. Sometimes so much it physically hurts. It is a feeling that so many mommies, too many, know so well and yet at times I feel as though I'm the only one who has ever hurt this much. I want to hold her and feel her heart beat. Just once. She is growing up in Heaven. I hope she knows how much we love her. How many dreams we have (had) for her. We wanted to give her the world, and yet she has so much more.

About Time for an Update

Her Face on the train at the new orleans zoo...hahaha

Tshirts for a Cause

See our blog post below for information about the march of dimes. We are selling southern belle designed tshirts to help raise both money and awareness for the march of dimes. The shirts will be teal blue and will have the following quote on it:

A Legacy born to small

Can impact the world

and

Change us all

I Will Carry You

We are asking for a minimum donation of $18 each for the tshirts but more is always welcome. Just give as you feel led. ALL PROCEEDS WILL GO TO THE MARCH OF DIMES! You can email me if you would like a shirt or with any questions: leanne.malik@gmail.com If you cannot give but would like to still show your support please walk with us on April 30th in downtown jackson!!! Here is our team link where you can donate money and sign up to walk http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t1515777.

Many of the therapies developed to aid preemies or sick full term newborns have been developed by the march of dimes. This organization has given life to many babies that previously would not have had a chance.

Layla's Legacy: Marching for babies

Layla Grace Pettway

Zephaniah 3:17-20 "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. ... At that time I will gather you; and at that time I will bring you home."

As most of you know, we lost our baby girl just two days after she was born. Many people that we love rallied around us offering support and love during that time and still continue to do so today. Layla Grace was born 13 weeks premature. A carbon copy of her identical twin sister...I can only imagine what it would be like to have her here today. Making the same silly faces Briley does and hugging my neck each night saying "oh night mama". God has given me peace. Not to say that each day isn't a struggle, but I smile when I think of Layla and rejoice in the moment that God calls me home and I give her all the kisses I want. It is because of the March of Dimes that our Briley Kate has life today. She did not have the same birth defect her sister had, but she was so tiny. The ground-breaking work the March of Dimes does on a daily basis gives babies like mine a fighting chance at life. She hugs her momma and daddy each night because of our doctors, NICU nurses and research completed by organizations committed to the cause of prematurity. Its an organization that is near and dear to our hearts and is the reason that so many babies are being held by their mothers and fathers today. They have LIFE. We are walking for Layla's Legacy and in honor of Briley on April 30, 2011 in Memphis, TN. The walk is a 4 mi walk and money raised goes to support babies like my girls. This organization might not have touched your life in a personal way, but if you are a parent, wife, sister, mother, father, or brother chances are at some point in your life you will encounter someone who has had a premature baby. If you know Briley...and get to feel the warmth of her love then you should raise your hands and praise God that an organization like this exists.

Our team name is Layla's Legacy. We would LOVE for you to join our team and walk with us on April 30. However, I realize that some of you live very far away...please consider donating to our cause. Your love, support and prayers have made a difference in our lives and for that I am truly thankful so please do not feel pressured to donate, but we would love to have you walk with us in honor our children. Please go to
http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/t1515777 from there you can join our team to walk, donate money, or help raise money. We have a team goal of raising $2000.

Love,

Leanne and Brian

Little Boy Blue

They were thrilled to be in the stroller for a walk...NOT



Don't hate on the pink bouncer...he's still a man

Two months Old

Our little man is growing so fast!! Compared to Briley he has been a little more high maintenance which makes me laugh ( well sometimes it makes me cry because i'm so exhausted). He's been fussy and very gassy...I mean VERY GASSY. He cried a majority of the day for the first two months. Which will bring a mother to the brink of tear almost everyday...that coupled with little sleep and chasing a toddler made me realize what God must feel like constantly chasing us. Briley will sit there sometimes, cover her ears and say "hush Colt hust". But as the weeks have gone by our baby boy has learned to digest better and that has made for a much better day.

Here are some stats from our 2 mo check-up:

Weight: 11 lbs 10 oz

Height: 22 3/4 in

Developmental Milestones: Cooing and smiling (he smiled for the first time on Christmas Eve :)

Eyes: Still blue

Hair: Blonde

Sleeping: about 6 hours a night