The Reynolds

Monday, January 2, 2012

Goodbye Zest

We decided that part of Marshall's sickness may be an allergy to our dog Zest. He has been snotty ever since we got home from the hospital so we decided to find a new home for Zest. We had Zest for a little over a year and we enjoyed having her. She was our "child" for a year. We were a little worried at how she would react to a new baby in the house because she didn't adjust well while we were working in his room but once we brought him home she did great. She was very protective of him and always wanted to make sure we were watching him especially when he cried. We hated to give her to just anyone and some friends of ours, Tim and Kasey Brown, offered to take her for us which was a blessing. They have 4 kids and a fenced in back yard which will be great for Zest. She loves attention and is great with kids so I think this will be the perfect home for her. We sent Zest to her new home today and hope she will be a great new addition to their family.

Zest and her new owners

Two Months Old

Our precious Marshall is growing up way too fast! He was two months old yesterday. His second month was filled with lots of Christmas festivities with family and friends. He also had to make a couple extra visits to the doctor this month. I took him in for congestion in mid December and found out he had his first ear infection. He took 10 days of antibiotic and continued to get more congested and developed a nasty cough and rattle in his chest. We took him back to the doctor the day after Christmas and found out he still had the ear infection and had to get another 10 day round of antibiotics. That trip to the doctor got him two nose swabs and a trip to the hospital for a chest x-ray. All the tests were negative which we are thankful for. We decided that it may be an allergy to our dog so we found her a new home and are praying that he gets better quickly. We go back to the doctor tomorrow for his 2 month appointment and recheck. Hoping for good news!

Happy Two Months Baby Marshall!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! 2011 definitely had some sad times but I must say that the birth of our little Marshall made it one of the best years of my life! My dream has always been to be a wife and a mother and now I am both of those. Mark is the most amazing husband and has been a real trooper this year dealing with me and my pregnancy hormones during and after the pregnancy. I did not and some days still don't make life easy for him. (Sorry Honey!) He is the best daddy ever and is so good with Marshall. My heart melts every time I see them cuddling with each other. Marshall has been a true blessing to us. He is perfect in every way and is our precious "Little Man". The births of our nephew Sam and niece Anna Kate also made 2011 a happy year. The Reynolds family was definitely blessed in 2011. I look forward to watching these babies grow up together and can only imagine all the memories they will make together.

We spent the New Years weekend with Mark's family, the Abraham clan, near Memphis in Olive Branch, MS. We had our Christmas celebration with them on New Year's Eve. We had a great meal and a fun game of Dirty Santa. It was a great weekend! Marshall did great on his first long car trip and first hotel stay. He slept the longest he has ever slept at once 11:00-6:00 in the hotel. We're going to have to go on vacation more often...ha.

This is Mark's Mimi, Marshall's Great Mimi. His middle name, Abraham, is after this side of the family so Mimi is determined to call him Abe. She called him that all weekend.

Anna Kate and Great Mimi

Sam and Great Mimi

The five Reynolds kids on New Years Eve

Here's to a great 2012! I am striving to be the best wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, teacher, and most of all Christian that I can be this year. Maybe I'll be a more faithful blogger too :) May God be the center of all of our lives each and every day of this new year. Looking forward to a great year...

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Marshall's First Christmas

Marshall had a wonderful first Christmas! It was a busy few days and he slept right through most of it but Mommy and Daddy enjoyed it for him :) Our festivities started on Christmas Eve night with the Reynolds. We had a wonderful meal and then opened gifts. We all got lots of goodies

Marshall loves his Uncle Matt. They are going to be big buds!

Grammy, Anna Kate, Mark, and Marshall had to have a time-out from all the fun on the couch.

Grammy and Papaw's house was a little warm that night so Marshall spent most of the night like this.

The Reynolds' Triplets enjoyed their first Christmas together. Can't imagine what next year will be like.

After our fun with the Reynolds we came home and went to bed so Santa could come and he did!

We woke up Christmas morning to this!

Mommy and Daddy's best Christmas present this year is our precious Marshall. Doesn't get any better that that!

Marshall is wondering what all the hype of the morning is.

He looked at all his toys and was so overwhelmed he decided he would just go back to sleep. Too much excitement for such a little guy.

After the Christmas morning excitement, we finished up some cooking for the "Feeding of the 800" our church was doing that day for Meals on Wheels people as well as others in the community then we got ready and headed to church. After church we delivered some meals to a few families in Hartselle then went home to do more cooking for the Voss Family Christmas at my grandparents house that night. We gathered with the Voss' that night and had another wonderful meal, our annual game of Mexican Train, and fun with family.

Marshall slept right through most of the fun. He loves to sleep on his Meager.

Mark and our niece, Sidney, had lots of fun together. They are big buddies and are just alike.

After we left Mamaw and Papa's house Mark, Marshall, and I along with my sister's family all went home with Mom and Dad to spend the night and have Christmas together the next day. When we got there that night, Santa had been and filled all our stockings. So we opened our stockings and then played the Wii until midnight.

Once again, Marshall slept right through it. His cousin Abbey took care of him most of the night. She fed him and got him to sleep. They both loved their cuddle time.

The next morning, Monday, we all got up and got ready for another day of fun. We went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and then came back and opened presents and played the day away. Mom and Dad let us open one gift before breakfast. They were our special ornaments that we get each year. Every year we get an ornament. Marshall got to start his collection with his Baby's First Christmas ornament from Meager and Papa and his Snowbaby Baby's First Christmas ornament from Uncle David and Aunt Gretta. Mark and I got a hand print ornament to put his hand print on to keep for years to come. We love our special ornaments!

When we got home from breakfast the kids were all ready to open gifts. Marshall was ready too!

Marshall and Mommy's favorite gift from Meager and Papa was his Auburn bib and burp cloth. He already has an Alabama bib and socks to please daddy so it's only fair he has something Auburn too, right?

My most special gift of the year was from Marshall with a little help from Aunt Gretta. It is a heart locket with his newborn picture etched in it. I love it and will cherish it forever!

Marshall was definitely spoiled this Christmas. He got lots of toys and TONS of cute clothes that have already been washed and put away to start wearing.

Meager and Papa got him a walker that he will be using before we know it.

Santa brought him this activity jumper. He will be using this soon too!

Some of the toys he got.

More toys!

His first piggy bank from Grammy and Papaw.

Thank you to everyone who helped make Marshall's First Christmas so special. We are looking forward to another Christmas gathering this weekend in Olive Branch, MS with Mark's mom's family and then another gathering with my mom's family mid-January. Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The First Month

The first month was full of lots of adjustments and getting used to having a little one to care for so I was not good about blogging. So, here are some shots of Marshall's first month.