The Bob. Billy's BBall Game. Tristan's 1st BDay. February 8-9, 2013.

We're now 29 weeks pregnant!! Getting closer and growing more and more with each passing day. This week, we added a special new member to our family. Mr Bob Revolution, who we found on craigslist for a steal of a deal! This is one purchase I am SO ready to use, despite the fact that baby Tuck is still growing inside me. We went to my mom's farm for the weekend, which was already packed full of activities, but I was insistant that we bring Bob, so I could walk the hills in the country with him. Todd told me the only way we could take him is if I agreed to put a 20lb kettlebell in the stroller while I walked/jogged.

Bring it ON!! You can't really see it, but that is the handle of the kettlebell sticking up from the seat. Of the two vehicles I passed during my 45min outdoor venture with Bob, I indeed received two very strange looks, as I am still obviously pregnant, and I am pushing a stoller without a child. HaHa! I didn't care one bit. And people, if you want a great running or walking workout.....find a stroller and add a 20lb weight, then put on a 20lb vest, and hit the trails. KILLER!! I loved every second of it though.

We had a delicious breakfast at mom's, including 100% dairy free, whole grain pancakes, topped with strawberries and 100% pure maple syrup, scrambled eggs, and turkey bacon. As usual, orange juice on the side (always for this momma to be)! Then we cleaned up, and went to Billy's Upward basketball game. We took lots of fun photos, and Benjamin decided he wanted to try making pictures with uncle Todd's ipod. He's actually quite gifted in photography for a 4-yr old.

These are Benjamin's photos:

Take 1

Take 2

Take 3

Love this guy. He did such a great job, and had such a great attitude despite the other team "scoring way more points" even when they don't keep the real score on the scoreboard =) Billy knows the score in his head. He's so much like his Aunt Janice it isn't even funny.

Next, we took a few maternity photos on the farm, then went to Andy and Collin's house for Tristan's first birthday party. I cannot believe our youngest nephew is already 1!! What's really crazy, is that means we are only a couple to a few months away from having our own little guy, who will turn 1 also before we even know it! 

Tristan is without a doubt, the happiest, smiliest baby I have ever known in my entire life. I've taken care of LOTS of babies and children in my almost 8 years at Children's Hospital, but none of them even come close to showing the constant happiness that Tristan shows every single day. You literally can't be in a bad mood, or frustrated, or upset about anything when you're around him.

Such a cutie. He had the most adorable little birthday party at "Mr McGregor's Garden," with Peter Rabbit, and everything. He had an all natural carrot cake too! Perfect and so fitting for the theme.

I just love his sweet sweet little face, and that red hair!

So thankful for all of our nephews, their health, their beautiful spirits and smiley faces, their parents, and most of all that we are privileged enough to be their aunt and uncle. I can't wait to see them with Tucker, and Tucker with them. Cousin fun has to be the best.... right behind sibling fun, which I believe we're a ways away from at this point =)

28 week Glucose Test. Road Trip to NC. February 1-2, 2013.

On February 1, 2013, my day started out quite differently than normal, as I was not allowed to have ANYTHING to eat or drink after midnight. For those of you who are mommy's in the making with me right now (Tiffany Barton, Stephanie Hale, Suzanne McGaha, and many many more), you have heard my stories of how I am up at least once, if not twice during the wee morning hours to drink my juice, chocolate protein shake, or something of similar nature. Not today. My last intake of anything was at 1030pm. I knew I would be VERY hungry, and I always am anyways, despite the snacks I have during the night to satisfy my growing little man. 

Thank goodness they schedule you for an early AM appointment. Todd dropped me off at the door at 830 on the dot, and I quickly signed in, and asked for my drink. Not so lucky...."just take a seat, and the nurse will be with you very soon." Thankfully, she was right, and within 5 minutes, they called my name for the usual....weight check, urine check, then instructions for the glucose testing. She handed me this lovely orange drink, and told me I had 3-5 minutes to finish it. Oh, well it took all of about 30 seconds for me to down this sucker. Haha!! I loved it. It tasted just like orange Fanta to me. Plus, I was so hungry and thirsty, that it actually satisfied my tummy for a little while. 

I waited an hour, then she called me back to prick my finger (which I really don't like; I'd much rather have a vein poked for my blood draws). Nevertheless, that wasn't my focus. Rather, the food I was about to inhale as soon as she acquired the needed blood sample for the test. My BG level was 120. Yay!! My Hgb was 12. Both right on track. My first question wasn't anything in relation to the results, but if I could eat my banana and orange, and drink my entire nalgene, then my protein shake. "Why, yes you sure can." =) Happy girl.

The nurse moved me into my room, and I patiently waited to see Sandy, the NP, all while scarving down the fruit I had. It was oh so good! When Sandy came in, she was super super sweet, and very encouraging. She told me I was the only one in the office that morning who had passed the glucose test! I was beyond thrilled that I had passed, and had no idea so many women normally failed. Thankful right in that moment to my Heavenly Father, who gave Todd and I a good kick in the rear last summer, showing us we needed to change our eating habits, or else. It has paid off for sure, and I am grateful He cares enough about our health, and our baby's health, to ensure that I wouldn't have to take the 3-hr glucose challenge. He's again, and always, so so good to us. Sometimes, you see God's intentions from the get-go, but I am learning, that His intentions for our good, are not a "one-time" deal. The benefits are life-lasting.

After our appoointment (the rest of which went very well), we hit the road to visit Evan, Becca, and James in their new home in NC. Evan was just hired as the new Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Western Carolina University; a decision that took place in about 48hrs time. That was quickly followed by an upheavel of them and all of their belongings from Canton to Cullowhee. 

Evan began working right away, as the football team was knee-deep in recruiting for national signing day the next week. Obviously, it isn't that easy for him to unload and unpack while working, and Becca has her hands full most of the time with little James, so we made the 2-hr trip through the mountains, then down into the valley to their new home. 

What a gorgeous drive! I'm normally not a fan of the mountainous drive, but this day, it was absolutely beautiful.

Western Carolina is without a doubt, the most beautiful college campus I have ever seen. Nestled right in the valley of the Nantahala National Park. It reminded Todd and I so much of Tech. We drove through the campus for awhile, of course checking out the football stadium, walking trails, University Center, etc. Then made our way over to Evan and Becca's new place. Todd worked on unloading the UHaul, while I helped Becca unpack boxes, and/or play with James so she could unpack. Either way, it was a win-win situation. Evan finished up his day, then we made a 5-minute trip into the neighboring town of Sylva for dinner.

It's definitely a small, college town, but that usually means there will be GREAT restaurants, which is what we found at Bogarts. Or, as Todd and I say b'GARTS! They had the best home cooked food. It was delicious. That has already become a "staple" restaurant for Evan and Becca, and we will certainly make plans to eat at b'GARTS every time we visit. =)

After dinner, we unpacked a little bit more, then time to hit the hay. I HAD to post this picture of Todd reading James' bedtime stories to him. I tear up every time I see this, and can't help but think about how wonderful of a daddy Todd will be. The next morning, James came straight into our room, and wanted to climb up in bed with Todd....it was precious! 

Saturday, we finished unloading the truck, all while literally watching a snow storm come straight across the mountains and into the valley. Evan and Becca have the most perfect window in their living room. We could see the snow covering and hiding each distant mountain as it approached the valley of Cullowhee. It was the coolest thing ever! I believe we ended up with 4 inches or so. Yes, all while unloading big furniture pieces from the truck. That's okay, I'm really good at wiping down the snowy surfaces with a dry towel, holding the door open to bring it in, and supervising the perfect placement of each piece. Even 7 months pregnant, you can be a productive mover =)

We decided to head back that night, since the weather wasn't looking any better for the next day, and we had a break in the snow for the evening. We weren't able to help unpack all of the boxes, but at least the moving truck was empty (minus those items going into storage), and everything was safe inside their little home. We had such a great time visiting, and I won't lie....I probably slept the best I ever have throughout this entire pregnancy that night. 

We love you Evan, Becca, and Jamesy! So excited for how God is blessing your family, and providing in ways that only HE can. It's the best thing in the world to watch God pour out His loving kindness on your little brother and his family. Ok, he's not so little really...but he'll always be my baby brother. So proud of you Evan!! 

First Fountain City Snow! January 17, 2013

Knoxville weather is SO unpredictable, and has been unusually unusual this year. It literally changes from 69-70 degrees one day, to 32 degrees only two days later, with snow and freezing rain. I won't be one to complain, because this time, it came with at least 3-4 inches of snow!! This was our first snow since we moved to Fountain City. I LOVE the snow!! I grew up on a big farm, with the BEST sledding hills you could imagine. While we don't have ANY hills where we live now, seeing the snow and playing in it brings back some of my best childhood memories. 

I had gone to Kroger earlier in the afternoon, and as I was leaving, it was starting to sleet. Within about 45 minutes of arriving home and unpacking the groceries, this... it came so quickly!

I really love all of the windows in our sunroom, and I love them even more when it snows! So beautiful!! 

Todd was working that day, and it took him 2hours to get home, instead of the normal 40 minutes. I know it was a lot worse for many people, but I was so thankful to see this truck, with my husband inside, pulling into our garage. 

I was scheduled to work that evening, but once again, I work with a stellar group of physicians (Dr Kim, this night) who wouldn't let me venture out and risk anything happening to me, my husband (who would bring me), or baby Tuck. So, we had a wonderful evening at home, a great walk with Micah in the snow (he hates the snow...he tries to eat it, then doesn't like how cold it is in his mouth, so he shakes it out really fast...hilarious), and some warm, cozy, snuggles on the couch by the fireplace. 

I'm so thankful for a beautiful, picturesque night with my husband. The Lord knows our nights together will be very different in only a few months. Knowing this, I believe He is giving us some unexpected, unplanned, speical time together. He's so good; such a loving Father.

A Concerned Colleague. A Great Friend. January 12, 2013.

I love caring people, and working in the field of medicine, especially pediatric medicine, I'm blessed and surrounded by so many people who truly do care about others.

I was scheduled to work a long weekend, meaning the Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday night 5p-1a shifts. In general, even before pregnancy, I would be tired during the last two of the three shifts. As you might imagine, Todd and I are go-getters during the day, even when I know I'll have to work til 1am. Todd is blessed to have every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off, so that is OUR time, and we make the most of it. 

So much so, that at 1130pm during my Saturday night shift, I called him to say, "I need you to come to Fort Sanders; Dr Tan is sending me there now to get checked out for preterm labor." 

Earlier in the evening, I was completely fine, no problems, working my hiny off as usual. As the night progressed, I became increasingly more tired, with some discomfort in my lower back that would "come and go." It was associated somewhat with a "tighter-feeling" abdomen and for some reason that night, my feet were a tad more puffy than normal. In my mind, no biggie. I'd been on my feet all day (all week actually, and all my pregnancy as a matter of fact), so I wasn't concerned really. Well, Dr Tan was not about to let me go into preterm labor during her shift. Nope!

She made me stop working, lay down on the couch in our office, drink 32oz of water, have my BP checked by one of the techs, elevate my feet, all while she called one of the docs in our ER. She hung up the phone, and said, "Janice, you're going to Fort Sanders." She didn't even give me a chance to argue. She walked out of the office, and came back with another cup of ice water, and said, "Drink this, it will slow down the contractions if that's what you're having; I've asked the girls to get a wheelchair to take you over to the Fort." 

Mind you, I am not one that wants to "wheel-chaired" anywhere....not if I have a broken foot, a broken leg, etc. It doesn't matter, I can walk myself. Not that night, as it was not even close to being an option. So, I rode in my lovely chariot through the tunnel that connects ETCH to FSRMC, and into the ER. About 5 minutes later, my night and shining armor husband walked through the ER doors. If there was any benefit to this (besides reassurance that all was well with baby Tuck), it was getting a little more QT with Todd. I can never have enough of that =)

We registered, and they wheeled me up to the OB unit, where they placed these lovely monitors around my belly, so we could hear Tuck's perfect heartbeat,  hear every movement he made, and watch for any contractions...which there weren't any at all. I notified Dr Tan to give her some peace of mind, and we waited for the ok from our OB doctor to head home. 

Two things I learned from this experience: 1--hospital beds are TERRIBLY uncomfortable, so we WILL be bringing our own pillows and back support when this happens for real. 2--Hospital gowns are also TERRIBLY uncomfortable, and WAY too big and stiff, so I will be bringing my own gown to wear as well. (Did you know they make them on ETSY!!?!?) 

I always try to close my blog posts with thanksgiving and praise to my Lord. 

Tonight, I was so so so thankful that our baby Tuck was okay, active as usual in my belly. 

I am thankful that he is growing, which is causing my belly to grow, which is causing my lumbar to be pulled forward, placing more pressure and strain on my back muscles, likely causing the "on and off pain" I was feeling. 

I am thankful I'm able to workout, and walk, and strengthen these muscles in order to minimize this discomfort (haven't had any since this night). 

I'm thankful for my husband, who came in a moment's notice, even though he was tired, already in bed, and well on his way to a deep, peaceful sleep. 

I'm thankful to work with Dr Tan, who recognized that I wasn't myself, and acted promptly to ensure both my well-being AND my baby's well-being. 

I am thankful God has given me so many blessings in my life, and that He teaches me through every situation I encounter to trust His plan, and know He will take care of me and my family no matter what. 

Hiking House Mountain. January 5, 2013.

As if running a 5k wasn't enough for the week, we decided to tackle house mountain that weekend. I believe it's pretty obvious from our blog that we are an active, on the go couple. We love being outside, taking in the beauty and majesty of God's creation, and getting a solid workout in all at once.

We hit the trail early, while it was nice and cold. I knew I had layered too much when I was already warm before we even hit the steep climbs. That resulted in me looking like a packed down mule, all the way to the top of the mountain. Oh but the workout I had with all that extra weight, plus our little Tuck in my belly. He's the best motivation ever. My legs screamed for the mile-high hike, but it was so worth every climbing step to see the view and feel the breeze at the top of the mountain.

We brought a picnic lunch, and as you can imagine, I was ravenous. That was the best orange, shredded turkey sandwich, and pickle I had ever had. Topped off with a kashi dark mocha almond bar...oh man, that was so good!!

It took us around 45 minutes to hike to the top, and about 30 minutes to hike back down. By far, the best hiking trip ever. It's such a wonderful way to spend quality time with your spouse. I love him so much, and can't wait to go hiking again!

Week 24! New Year's Day 5k. January 1, 2013.

2013 is here!! This is such an exciting day as it marks the beginning of the year that our son, Tucker Frank Mills, will be born, come into our home, and radically change our lives and hearts. We are so excited, and are truly just trying to enjoy every second of this journey, our pregnancy, and the planning and anticipation of all that will come with our little bundle of joy.

To kick our year off, we ALL ran the New Year's Day 5k on Neyland Drive. Yes, all THREE of us crossed the finish line, soaking wet from the steady downfall of a soft, misty rain, and lots of rain puddles that completely drown your shoes and feet. It was so much fun though!

It's sponsored by Eddie's Health Shoppe, whom we are a HUGE fan, and from where we purchase our all-natural, post workout, protein recovery powder. It was also sponsored by Calhouns, who catered breakfast afterwards. A much needed helping of fresh fruit, a blueberry bagel, and some orange juice hit the spot....oh but after a bathroom visit first! Haha! The combination of pregnancy, running, and rain, made for a very full bladder =)

I actually had every intention of walking the race. But it was cold, raining, and I knew the race was completely flat. Plus, I have some of the most competitive genes ever on earth. So when the gun sounded to start the race, this mama took off!! Mind you, it wasn't a sprint, or even a fast-pace run, but a nice, steady jog, that I was able to maintain the entire time. Baby Tuck and I finished the race at a flat 10min/mi pace...not too bad for being 6 months pregnant!

I'm so thankful for a healthy body, a healthy pregnancy, the ability to walk and/or run, and a husband that supports my healthy/active desires, even (and especially) when I am pregnant. So many people have fussed at me for walking, fussed at me for lifting weights, working out, crossfitting, pretty much anything I've done to exert energy at all. It's actually humerous to me....

I have had the best pregnancy I could have ever imagined, and I owe it all first, to my wonderful Lord who has blessed me with this opportunity, and who has blessed me with a healthy baby, and healthy lifestyle desires. Second, I strongly believe exercising (whether running, walking, swimming, crossfitting, etc) is a huge part of how great I have felt every day, every week and every month of my pregnancy. The very few times I have awakened with a tight back, or tired legs, I go for a walk or a run, or I hit the weights, and guess what....I feel SO much better! You might too if you gave it a try!! It's never too late to get started =)

I'm also so very proud of my husband, who has worked his tail off in the gym, and has seen the greatest improvements in his level of fitness, strength, and endurance. He would remain humble, and never even mention this, but he had his best 5k time in this race, AND after he crossed the finish line, he came back to me, and finished again with Tuck and I. I know I say it all the time, but I am the most blessed woman, wife, and expectant mother ever. I see LOTS of races and athletic events in our future as a family of three.

Nashville Road Trip. December 2012.

We took some time between Christmas and New Years to make a road trip to Nashville. There are few times we drive through Cookeville, without making two VERY important stops:
1-Tennessee Tech University, where we met and fell in love, and the rest is history....

2-Ralph's Donut Shop, where we ALWAYS pick out a specialty cake donut. They are the best ever, and for those of you who have partaken, I know you would agree. For those of you who haven't had the privilege....please indulge when you  have the opportunity. You won't regret it.

It was a rainy, snowy weekend, so we spent the first night in Nashville watching the most phenomenal musical film production of all time, Les Miserables. Following that, dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, and shopping at Green Hills Mall.

The next morning we went to the Opryland Hotel to visit my sweet and incredibly talented friend, Dawn, who designs and makes the most beautiful, amzing cakes. 

Dawn and I grew up in church together, and have SO many hilarious memories. I hadn't seen her in years, but we literally picked up right where we left off, and had the best visit two close but distantly separated friends could have. Love you Dawn Joy! You made my entire day.

She made this wedding cake the morning we came to visit. I think it's so neat that she works at Opryland Hotel, and gets to make wedding cakes, Grand ole Opry cakes, etc. I wanted to cut a big slice and eat it, but I wouldn't dare.

We did, however, indulge in these goodies that she gave to us. Oh my. This was not a healthy eating weekend to say the least. But, it was super fun, and sometimes you just need to let loose and give yourself a weekend of no restrictions. This will potentially make you sick as a dog, but that will drive you right back into your healthy eating desires and habits ;)

We spent the afternoon (while it was again snowing) at Opry Mills Mall, then dinner at PF Chang's. The yummy eating continues....and my belly pops out more and more as the day progresses, hah! Good thing we stopped at motherhood maternity as we left Knoxville! My new skinny maternity jeans were perfect, and SO comfortable. And good thing we walked a LOT in the malls, and in the fitness center at the hotel.

Our last morning, we had a DELICIOUS breakfast at Pancake Pantry. We walked from the hotel, which was just over a mile there, THEN stood in line for at least an hour. It was so worth it though. Made the hike back to the hotel, packed up, and headed home. A wonderful, much-needed, get-away weekend with my incredible husband, and soon-to-be daddy. I am so looking forward to making fun weekend trips with just the three of us too ;)

Tuck's Fuzzibunz. December 2012.

Todd and I have made the decision to use cloth diapers for our babies. We have had some interesting looks and crude remarks from some, and a thumbs up, high-five, pat-on-the-back support from others. This will be new to us, but we have great resources available to help us with our questions, troubleshooting, etc. Overall, we feel cloth diapers are much more cost effective, without a doubt more eco-friendly, and are just way cuter than disposable....plus I believe they are so much better for your baby's skin....and working at a Children's Hospital, I have seen my fair share of diaper dermatitis and excoriated bottoms.

We have researched many different types, brands, size-options, styles, etc. We are heavily relying on the experience from our sister-n-law Rebecca (who has used cloth diapers with James), and our favorite, all-natural parenting store, Fluff-n-Stuff. We have recieved such great information from them, and certainly look forward to continued learning as we move forward.

These are fuzzibunz one-size cloth diapers, which we purchased during a HUGE after Christmas sale at Fluff-n-Stuff. They were marked 50% off, with an additional 50% off. That's my kind of deal!!

Since we have been asked so many questions, I thought I would share some of the information that we found to be most informative....

This information is taken directly from the Charlie Banana cloth diapering website, which gives you some of the most beneficial and easy-to-understand information regarding the eco-friendly and economical benefits of using cloth diapers vs disposable.

One child will use approximately 6,000 disposable diapers by the age of 24 months, resulting in one ton of rubbish. Disposable diapers take over 500 years to decompose, and no one is even sure if they ever fully break down.  Parents are supposed to remove solids and flush them down the toilet, but this rarely happens. Instead the solids end up in landfills, the bacteria contaminating ground water and posing a threat to wildlife and the ecosystem. Not what one may think about when tossing a disposable diaper in the trash!

And this does not take into account the resources required to produce and distribute disposable diapers, as well as things like packaging, disposable wipes, and diaper pail. Some studies even try to convince parents that cloth diapers are more wasteful than disposables because you have to launder them. Nice try!!! Guess who financed those studies?!

On the other hand, a supply of just 24-36 cloth diapers will use very few resources and will result in little waste. Today’s washing machines are great at conserving water and energy and the laundry soaps are so efficient that you only need to use a small amount. Realistically one load of laundry uses the same amount of water as a few toilet flushes that your baby when a toddler would use daily.

Today’s parents buy for their babies organic food, organic cotton clothing, the best vitamins and toys . . . but when it comes to diapers it seems totally acceptable to let their little angels sit in rough plastic bags full of chemicals 24 hours a day for 2 years! Babies’ pores and skin are so fragile and new; they absorb everything. Some parents often find crystals on top of their babies' skin when opening disposable diapers.

There are so many chemicals, including chlorine and perfume, in disposable diapers, dioxins that can quickly cause a rash. The chemical that was linked to toxic shock syndrome in tampons is still found in many disposable diaper brands. Some independent research in Germany even linked certain chemicals in disposable diapers to infertility in baby boys. Please check for yourself this BBC report.

Why use cloth diapers?

• The designs versatility of the many cloth diapers available today are brilliant and will suit every baby’s shape and parent’s needs.
• They are so cute and will look darling on any little one’s bottom.
• They are so comfortable with their soft liners.
• Your baby will be rash-free and will sleep like an angel.
• Your baby will potty train earlier.
• They will save you a small fortune.
• They are easy to use and to care for.
• You will feel so proud using cloth diapers, you'll show off your baby’s bottom every chance you get.
• You will reduce your family’s carbon footprint.
• And, most importantly, they will make your baby healthy and happy always!

A Georgia Bday for Jamesy. A Name for Baby Mills. December 2012.

Time is FLYING! It doesn't seem too long ago, that I blogged about our trip to Greenville, SC to meet our 3rd nephew, James Lawrence Barr. Now, we are on a road trip to Canton, GA for his first birthday party....simply can't believe he's already turning 1!

On our drive down, we stopped in Athens and toured Mayfield Dairy Farms. I am from Madisonville, but I basically grew up 10 minutes down the road in Athens. My family knows the Mayfield family, and we drove through Mayfield farms and the plant property nearly every single day on our way to church and/or school, and we grew up drinking their milk, and eating their icecream, but I had never toured their facility. 

It was SO much fun! You have to wear hair nets, and for men, that means covering any facial hair also. So my adorable and so much fun husband looked like Santa!! The group we toured with had at least 5-6 little kids among two different families that were traveling together. Their dads didnt have facial hair, so Todd was the only one with a fun beard net resembling Santa's fluffy white beard. I was laughing the entire time because the kids just kept staring at him with this little glow in their eyes!! It was the funniest thing ever. I love that my husband can make me laugh SO much all of the time.

We made it to Evan and Rebecca's, and this is what I see now when I look down....BEFORE dinner!  Mind you, I am a little bit slumped down in the couch, but hey....that's a baby boy growing big and strong!!! The next best part of our trip was getting to tell my family the name we picked for this active little guy. 

We used a website recommended by one of Todd's coworkers to generate a list of names. We came up with 4-5 names that we both really liked. Then we had all of our family names from both sides to sort through as well. I was just certain that it would take the rest of the pregnancy to determine the most appropriate and fitting name. Nope....4 days after finding out it's a boy, we chose his name.

Tucker Frank Mills

"Tuck" 

It changes everything in your pregnancy first, when you find out what your having, and then when you choose their name. The connection between mommy, daddy, and baby Tuck grew instantly and dramatically. Being able to call him Tuck, sing to Tuck, and label everything we think about or buy for him with "Tuck" or "Tucker" is priceless to me. 

My family was so excited, and made such a big deal over how much they loved his name, which meant the absolute world to us. I so love having the best mom in the world, and the best brothers/sister-n-laws ever, who share so much in our excitement. I couldn't ask for anything more. 

After we revealed Tucker's name to Mom, Evan, and Rebecca, we hi-tailed it to dinner! This mama's hungry! They took us to their favorite restaurant in Canton, La Parrilla!! Who doesn't love mexican? Chicken Fajitas are always a healthy and delicious meal! 

Little Jamsey fell asleep holing onto his Aunt Janice's bracelet. So cute!! Something about that carseat...gets him every time. I think he was secretly resting up for the big day ahead tomorrow...his FIRST BIRTHDAY!! We spent the rest of the evening getting everything ready for the party.

This is James' antique high chair (which I'm crazy about), with fun birthday flags for his big day.

We had pimento cheese sandwiches, ham and cheese sandwiches, chex mix, chips/dip....

...and this incredible football cake, which Becca made herself!! Mom and I helped with some of the carving and stacking strategies, and maybe ate a few of the trimmings with icing, but Becca rocked the football birthday cake!

She made an all organic birthday cake for James. I don't remember what she said she used, but he loved it! Happy Birthday, James!!!

Evan, Becca, and James! 

You have to know there are great benefits to your dad being the Head Strength and Conditioning coach at Reinhardt University. Yes, it means you get to have your first birthday party at the Strength Facility, and you get to play football on the field, AND you get to stay after the party with Uncle Todd and Aunt Janice to watch the BCS bowl on 2 massively large projector screens! 

He's already nailed the juke. Becca also embroidered his little 01 onesie. Its so cute!

Look how wittle he is!! Love that little birthday boy! 

Not positive what his thought process is here, but I bet he's thinking "Game Time!"

Of all of the fun toys and gifts he recieved, most of which are actual toys he can play with, I was the aunt that bought the practical "gift for mommy" ... sippy cups of all kinds to try out. To my great surprise, James LOVED his new sippy! He carried it around the rest of the evening, drank lots of healthy water, and made my day over and over again.

We had the best time visiting with our family. I managed to miss a picture again, of Collin, Billy, Benjamin, Tristan, who made it to the party too. We even skyped with Andy while he was at a conference so he could see Jamesy on his birthday. That was really cool, and we also took advantage of that opportunity to tell Andy, Collin, and the boys Tuck's name. They loved it too!!! Day made. Completely made.