Courtside

Happy Due Date Weston!

2012-02-09T14:12:00.003-05:00

Well son, you have followed in the footsteps of your brothers...

You have made it to 40 weeks.

I hope this shows something about you Bethancourt boys: mostly that you have perseverance and know how to stick with something until it's done! No quitting early in this family!!

We got to celebrate your due date Weston by going to eat dinner at Chick-fil-a and your older brothers played on the playground (which I know you will be climbing before I know it)! We even let them get some ice cream in your honor! Your mama made a stop at the convenience store for her dessert: a Snickers ice cream bar. Boy was it tasty!

We are so ready to meet you and see what little man God has knit together for our 3rd son. Nathan keeps asking if Weston Luke is still in my tummy and I must, for now, say "yes." You should be with us very soon and we look forward to what being a family of 5 is like and all of the joy and adventure you will add to our Bethancourt abode.

Weston, we love you and pray that you will be a blessing to this family. See you soon!

Love,
Dad, Mama, Nathan and Lawson

A Baby's a Comin'

2012-01-25T15:05:00.003-05:00

Well I've been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning some more
It must mean a baby's a comin'
There's swaddle blankets out and tiny socks folded
It must mean a baby's a comin
His brothers are asking all about him
It must mean a baby's a comin'
There's excitement and hope and a twinge of fear
It must mean a baby's a comin'
Prayers abound for a boy we haven't yet seen
It must mean a baby's a comin'
He will make our family of 5
It must mean a baby's a comin'
The month of February is almost here
It must mean a baby's a comin'
Weston you are on our minds and hearts
It must mean a baby's a comin'

Holiday Season in a Nutshell

2011-12-02T14:18:00.002-05:00

Here's a preview/review of our holiday season 2011:

Trying to remodel new house
Traveled to TX for 2 weeks at Thanksgiving
Aggie games
Upper respiratory infections for everyone
Still remodeling new house
Hoping to move into new house in 2 weeks
Managed to get Christmas stockings up--even one for Weston!
No Christmas tree however
Phillip graduating next week
Both sets of parents coming to town (who I will put to work!)
Celebrating Phillip being done with school!
Lawson will be 18 months old
Traveling to Abilene for Christmas for a week
Nathan is almost 3 yrs old
Happy New Year in our New House
Celebrate 7 years of marriage and Phillip's 30th birthday
HOPEFULLY if the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise!

What's In A Name, Part III

2011-11-01T14:58:00.004-04:00

The time has come again and we've chosen a name for our 3rd little boy...

Weston Luke Bethancourt

Weston--I (Cami) just truly love the name! I told Phillip before we were even pregnant that I just thought there was another boy named Weston coming to join our family. I don't have a lot of specific rationale, but it was a lot like Nathan's name that I just couldn't let it go before and during the pregnancy. It also fits my 2 syllable first name criteria so I will have completed the naming trifecta equally. Also, I am from the region of West Texas which is known for good folks so perhaps it's a bit of an homage to my roots as well.

Luke--It's biblical. There is the gospel written by Luke (a physician) and he also wrote the book of Acts. Luke is Greek in origin and can mean either "wolf" or "bright." The Christmas Story is most commonly told from the Gospel of Luke Chapter 2. My mom's maiden name was Lucke (pronounced Luke-ee) and there was a family connection on Phillip's dad's side as well. We also have a sweet nephew named Luke!

We truly hope this name will fit the little boy who will bear it. May he be strong and courageous, faithful, and a defender of truth. Weston we are so excited to meet you!

And then there were 3: Nathan, Lawson, and Weston and I really love these 3 little men!

The Boys of Fall

2011-10-27T10:18:00.003-04:00

New Fall photos from our neighbor/photographer are hot off the presses!

LJB

NRB

Finding a Pumpkin (or a ball :)

A Silly Pumpkin Decoration

Finally got a couple of these pics printed up for Phillip's new office! About time, since Nathan is almost 3 now...sheesh...delinquent on all things photographic. Maybe I'll get one of the new baby up there before he learns to drive!

Tic-Tac-Toe

2011-10-08T10:58:00.003-04:00

Three in a ROW! It's another BOY!

I'm a little behind on the blog announcement, but we are having a third boy and couldn't be happier!

Here's some photos of the little fellow:

Please excuse the photo skills. It's a webcam photo of the sonogram photo (not the highest quality you know)!

I had sonograms with the 2 other boys at almost the exact same times and this guy weighs 2 oz more than they did at this stage. 2 oz doesn't sound like much, but when you're only 11 oz total, that's a huge difference by proportion! So I hope he slows down a bit in there because I don't want a 9 lb-er!

We are getting closer to having a real name picked out, but for now we most commonly call him Tres or Trip. I've also considered Hat Trick ( 3 goals in a game of soccer/hockey) or Turkey (3 strikes in a row in bowling) but no one has locked in with those options.

Having boys has been so much FUN and we are really looking forward to getting another chap in the mix in February. So, bring on some more blue for another Bethancourt boy!

"There's A Spirit Can Ne'er Be Told"

2011-09-02T10:07:00.003-04:00

Nothing like your son trying on his Daddy's Aggie Ring...

Eyes on the prize!

Gig'em Class of 2031!

Uno, dos...

2011-08-11T20:36:00.003-04:00

TRES!

That's right Baby Bethancourt number 3 is coming soon!

For those who are curious: on the left is the head and then you can see tiny arms and legs. I was 9 weeks along.

Due date is February 8th and we'll find out the gender on September 12. So far the older brothers aren't aware that there's about to be 3 amigos around here. I am feeling exactly the same as I did with the boys so perhaps a third boy is in store? But, a girl could sneak up on us too!

We're excited to see who this new addition to our family will be! I'm sure he or she will fit in just fine!

Lawson is 1!

2011-07-31T20:32:00.004-04:00

Our sweet Lawson turned 1 year old on June 13th. His sweet mom is just now posting about him. Que sera, sera. Here's some pics to remember his birthday and his party.

On his birthday testing out the tricycle and sportin' his Lil' Texan Shirt

Demolishing his cupcake. He basically ate it in 3 bites. YUM.

Presents!

The party was a TX/western theme since we were celebrating it in the Lone Star State. We had hamburgers, queso, guacamole and homemade cupcakes for dessert. All the little guests had bandanas and there was even some stick horse riding around the ranch. It was so nice to celebrate with friends and family!

Things to remember about Lawson at 1:
Still mostly army crawls (figured out how to REALLY crawl in TX right after his birthday)
Eats anything placed before him
Is truly happy most all the time
Sucks 2 fingers for comfort
Has 4 teeth (up to 6 now!)
Drinks from a sippy cup
2 naps a day
Has a little hair growing in--blondish, brownish, reddish--who knows!
Has a really hearty laugh
Says: go, hello, row row (for row row row your boat), mama, dada, ball (now added hi, bye, bubba)

Stats:
Height: 30.5 inches (75%)
Weight: 23 lbs 10.5 oz (50-75%)
Head Circumference: 18 3/4 in (75-90%)

What a joy this boy is!

TX Summer Vacation

2011-07-09T15:21:00.003-04:00

So we just got back from being in TX for 3 weeks. I didn't bring my camera so no pictures but I'll tell you what we did:

Airplane rides
Phillip went to SBC in Phoenix
Ate snowcones (which they don't have in Louisville!)
Swimming
Visited Great-grandparents
Phillip wrote TONS of his dissertation
Playgrounds
Walks
Ice cream
Nathan saw his first movie Cars 2 with Daddy Doc
Camp Chaos with Mammaw and Grandpa and all the cousins
Phillip got LASIK
I went to Hilton Head SC for a college girlfriends trip
Celebrated Lawson's 1st birthday
Ate at all our favorite places

What a fun trip!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-26T14:12:00.002-04:00

Here's some photos of me and my boys on Mother's Day. Some of these faces/poses by Nathan and Lawson are excellent!

I am so thankful to be a mom to such wonderful boys! The boys got me some flowers (which Nathan told me on multiple occasions were "very beautiful"), a new vacuum, some caffeine free diet coke, and a new toilet paper holder. All things which I needed! Plus they took me out to lunch at 5 Guys and it was so yummy!

Just 3 years ago on Mother's Day I was wondering if I would soon become a mother...little did I know that Nathan was already with me...thanks be to God.

The 12th Man

2011-05-05T20:53:00.003-04:00

The newest 12th man jersey wearer...

Gig'em Aggies!

WHOOP!

Dad 'n Me--NRB with the double Gig'em

Thanks Miss D and Daddy Doc for my new Aggie gear! I sure love it! Now there can officially be more Hullabaloo around here...

Easter Sunday 2011

2011-04-28T14:55:00.004-04:00

Nathan (he looks just like Phillip here!)

Lawson

Both (i.e. the best I could get)

No family picture, but Phillip and I were matching too. I kid, I kid.

We enjoyed a lovely Easter Sunday service and then lunch with some wonderful friends. Nathan had the best time playing with all the other little boys there. We hardly saw him because he was having so much fun! Lawson's favorite activity was sampling all elements of the Easter lunch spread. He was happy as long as he was eating. Bless his heart.

He is risen indeed!

Lawson at 9 months

2011-03-31T21:07:00.005-04:00

Since we are updating statistics around here, I'll give a little Lawson update. At his 9 month check-up a couple weeks ago:

Height: 30 in (90-95%)
Weight: 22 lbs 9.5 oz (75-90%)
Head Circumference: 18 1/4 in (75%)

He's still a big fellow and happy and healthy! He is quite proficient at his army crawl slither across the floor. No official crawling yet--could be due to his um, how do I say it...rather large tummy?! But he is mobile and can get most anywhere he wants by way of his tummy. I've seriously contemplated putting a Swiffer sweeper cloth on his tummy and having him clean my hardwood floors as he plays.

He is getting pretty good at standing holding on to the couch or other things. He likes to tap and bang with his hands while he is standing. Cheerios and puffs are his new favorite items to eat and he can now feed them to himself which is awesome. I often hear him babbling, talking, or singing sweet baby syllables to himself like: mamama, bababa, ooo, ahhh. He is often quite content to explore around and discover new things keeping himself entertained.

Here's a video of him blowing some serious raspberries:

We sometimes refer to Lawson as Law-dawg and Nathan as Nate-dawg, but lately Nathan has started calling Lawson Law-dawg/Law-Man a lot and it cracks me up. Nathan loves going to greet Lawson in the morning and they are starting to really become great friends. Looking forward to more brother memories.

Lawson has now officially outgrown his infant seat, so we're shopping for the next upgrade in car seats to accommodate our growing boy...love you Law-Man!

NRB at 2

2011-03-29T14:04:00.003-04:00

Well I've done it again and forgotten to post Nathan stats from his 2 year check-up. So here they are plus a few other little funnies about the resident big man on campus...

Height: 34 3/4 in (50-75%)
**I think he really was taller than this, but it's hard to keep him still on the scale while he's looking up at the height measuring device, so anyway...)
Weight: 27.5 lbs (25=50%)
Head Circumference: 19 3/4 in (75-90%)

Once again tall, skinny, and a big head...it's the usual for him.

This age is really fun to me! Nathan is getting great at saying short sentences to communicate what he wants which is really helpful. You can really see his personality shining through in all he does. He is vibrant, energetic, and particular. There is always a method to his madness even if you might not see it at first. He loves doing things right the first time (shocker I know) which can cause frustration, but also helps us teach him that most things don't go right the first time but you can always make every effort excellent.

Here's a video of him singing his ABC's

I think he looks more and more like Phillip every day (confirmed by Mammaw), but I do see an occasional look that reminds me of myself. He is a learning sponge and a parrot. Currently he can count to 10 in English and Spanish (almost to 20 in English), knows the days of the week, sings completely Twinkle Twinkle, ABC's, Ring around the Rosie, recognizes all uppercase and lowercase letters and numbers to 20ish. One of his favorite phrases is: "Can you believe that?" Hilarious.

I am looking forward to warmer weather to get him outside and exploring some more. He is a wonderful boy with a joyous heart!

Hey Ma! Look at These!

2011-02-23T21:32:00.004-05:00

Check out the bottom gums. Front and center. 2 new teethies.

The littlest man now joins to world of the toothed. Congrats bro.

Sweet Tea

2011-02-10T20:30:00.003-05:00

Oh sweet tea
At 83
How glorious it will be
To drink sweet tea
At 83
Because
Rich will be
The memories
And reverie
And praise to the
King of Kings
Who so kindly
Would grant me
To drink sweet tea
At 83

Nathan Turns 2

2011-02-04T14:40:00.004-05:00

Well this past week Mr. Nathan turned 2! Yes we officially have a two year old and he is so much fun!

We spent his birthday hanging out in the morning and singing lots of "Happy Birthday!" Nathan sings it as "Happy to you Happy to you" Then we went and picked up Miss D and Daddy Doc at the airport. Mr. Man was kinda hyped up before his nap and would have rather stayed up, but the mama won the battle. Let's face it: even boys on their birthdays need naps. That night we had dinner at 5 Guys, but brought in a Happy Meal for the birthday boy. Sneaky trick! He was super pumped about that happy meal! We came home and opened presents then called it a night.

The next evening we had a party for Nathan and had some friends over to celebrate. Miss D & Daddy Doc, the Dockerys, the Powells, and Robbie all came over for some birthday fun. On the menu was chicken enchiladas, queso, guacamole, rice and birthday cupcakes for dessert. (He's still young enough where I can pick the menu so I opted for something the adults would enjoy!) It was great fun to celebrate with wonderful friends! The biggest hit of the evening was the tent and tunnel we set up for the kids to play with, but ALL the boys got in on the fun too! A great evening!

Happy Birthday! Sporting his new cowboy boots! He might be going for his gun holster too...

Cupcakes!

Eating his Birthday Cupcake

Birthday Boy (Party outfit: Maroon "Aggie" shirt, camo pants, argyle socks. All chosen by him :)

Family Photo Post Party

Happy Grandparents & Happy Grandson

Playing with his new Block Table

Nathan at 2 years old loves: dancing, singing, cars, BALLS, Dunah (a throw the balls down the stairs game he made up), puzzles, books, running, trains, planes, helping, laughing, being tickled, and being chased.

We are so happy to have been given such a delightful son 2 years ago. We could not have thought up a better one ourselves, so thank you Lord! Nathan, we love you and are so proud of you! You bring us such joy!

The Big Bed

2011-01-25T14:17:00.004-05:00

So for a week and a half now, Nathan has been sleeping in his big bed. The whole transition was quite smooth I must say. It was however the first transition that made me a little teary...the whole "he's not a baby anymore and he's getting so big" tears. It's not at all that I still want him to be a baby (because I don't), it's just the almost 2 years have flown by and he's becoming more of a little boy every day.

Anyway off the mushy, because Nathan did awesome! We went for the bed at night at first because we figured he'd be more tired and Phillip was here to coach him up. At first, he thought we were just playing fake night-night and was laughing and waiting for Dad to come back in, but Phillip went back in settled him down and he seemed to get it. We'd been talking it up all day about how tonight was the night for the big bed and he was excited.

We also made up a song to the tune of the old show COPS theme song. It goes like this:
Big bed big bed
Whatcha gonna do?
Whatcha gonna do when I sleep on you?
(Repeat until you and your toddler have had enough)

This song is also accompanied by a squat dance move that Nathan made up. And he now requests the "Big bed" song on a whim.

He hasn't tried to escape the bed yet. I'm sure that he will at some point, but hopefully down the road when he's a little older and I'm less concerned about immediate safety hazards. One night he slept with his head under the pillow. Yes under the pillow for a significant portion of the night. When asked about it in the morning, he just laughed and kept saying "under" exuberantly.

Here's some photos of the big man:

All strrrrrrrrrrrreeeettttccchhhed out!

Oh how rested I feel!

Happy sleeping Nathan!

In case you are wondering, we had to put the bumper barrier up on the daybed because he slid through the bars one day and got stuck. No crying, but a look of "uh-oh what have I done?" So the bumper keeps him happily unstuck. And we've got the rail on the outside edge because he's a mover.

Thoughts During the Quiet

2011-01-11T14:18:00.003-05:00

So it's currently quiet in the house. The two little men are sleeping away for their afternoon naps. Laundry is humming and I'm drinking sweet tea.

This is about the only time it's quiet around here from 7 AM to 8 PM. That can be both frustrating and delightful. Frustrating when the older just does a seat drop to the younger making him squeal in pain. Delightful when the younger is laughing and learning how to blow raspberries or the older sings his own versions of "Ring Around the Rosie" or "Happy Birthday."

I like quiet, but I like little boys more.

I just have to keep telling myself that all of this hubbub, play, and learning is for the glory of God. That the "no whining" mantra is for the good of his future wife and family. And that parenting produces sanctification in the parent and, lord willing, imparts the Gospel to the child.

Let the noise reconvene.

Behold The Lamb of God

2010-12-22T15:33:00.003-05:00

Gather Round Ye Children
Andrew Peterson

Gather 'round, ye children, come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the power of death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man
Gather round, remember now
How creation held its breath
How it let out a sigh
And it filled up the sky with the angels
Son of God, Son of Man

So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
Therefore God exalted him
To the place of highest praises
And he gave him a name above every name
That at the very name of Jesus, Son of God

We would sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
So in heav'n and earth and below
Every knee would bow and worship
And ev'ry tongue would proclaim
That Jesus, He reigns with the angels

So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
So gather 'round, ye children come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the power of death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man

Listen to one of my favorite Christmas albums here:
http://andrew-peterson.com/players/btlog/

December Time

2010-12-15T14:13:00.002-05:00

Well 2010 is on the way out and I can hardly believe another year has gone by...

The Christmas season is a wonderful time and it is so special to see our own children celebrating. Nathan has been very excited to read lots of Christmas stories including THE Christmas Story, The Animals Christmas Eve, and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. So far, his favorite Christmas character is the donkey that carried Mary to Bethlehem. He calls him the "Donk" and gets extra excited when we get to his picture on the page. He has also loved this Fisher Price Nativity set that Aunt Teenz sent him (which conveniently has a "Donk" too!) He can actually pick up the characters in the Nativity and we talk about them and he gets to maybe grasp a little more of the story. He has decided that the basket of food that rides in the back of the cart in the Nativity should be for Lawson. So, he always makes sure Lawson has his food basket to "play" with. Ha!

Phillip has finally finished all of his class work and is now officially ABD (All But Dissertation). He is hoping to get some more writing done over the Christmas break and then steadily on throughout the spring. He has also just been asked to take a new job at the seminary. As of January 1, he will become the Executive Assistant to the Academic Vice President and Dean of the School of Theology (Dr. Russell Moore). We are excited about his new opportunity and he will have a wonderfully gracious boss whom we love dearly.

Lawson just turned 6 months old on the 13th and is looking great. His stats are:

Weight: 19 lbs 6.5 oz
Length: 27 1/2 in
Head Circumference: 17 3/4 in

He's dropped a bit from the 95% to between 75-90%...but nevertheless is still a chart topper. He's really starting to push up more and we've even seen him get on his knees and forearms so it might not be too long before he gets the urge to crawl. He and Nathan have started interacting a lot more and are starting to have some brother fun which I'm sure will only increase as Lawson grows.

Merry Christmas Y'all!

Thankful

2010-11-30T21:31:00.005-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday enjoying some dear friends here in Louisville. And here's two reasons we're thankful...

Our very own turkey

Nathan counts to 10

We are indeed thankful...

Lawson at 4 Months

2010-11-03T21:22:00.003-04:00

So, I forgot to post my latest Lawson statistical update. How could I forget this? These are some of my favorite blog posts to go back and look at. Alas, here it is better late than never.

Height: 26 1/2 in (90%)
Weight: 18 lbs 3 oz (95%)
Head Circumference: 17 1/4 in (75-90%)

The little man is growing up fast! He is a roller both ways and a tummy sleeper. This month (with his acquired rolling skills) he tried rolling during the night just for grins. He thought it was fun, mom not so much. It is fine now, but early on he couldn't fix himself and would get wedged into places he couldn't get out of then cry for help. Then I'd come down and fix him and sometimes the stinker would just roll right back! Anyway, we've conquered the intense fixation and now he's just sleeping at night instead of rolling the night away!

He also has become a Finger Muncher (that's what I call it instead of finger sucking because that sounds gross to me). He likes to chomp on his pointer and middle finger together and either hand will do. He does it to pass the time or soothe himself. Certainly not 24/7 but he does enjoy a good chomp when he feels so inclined.

The Finger Muncher in Action

Lawson has lost all of his hair except for a little tuft on top. It's not too much of a tuft though because it stays smoothed down. So maybe it's more of a swoop--a smooth swoop that is. He has new hair coming in and it appears to be mostly brown, but it might be lighter in some areas. It's still a bit hard to tell. His eyes are still grayish blue. Sometimes they look really blue and sometimes green. We'll have to see how they settle out.

A 4 Month Smile

His hearty laughing continues and Dad and Nathan get the most laughs. I guess I don't tickle his funny bone like they do!

Glad we have this boy around!

The Boys Halloween 2010

2010-10-30T14:24:00.003-04:00

For Halloween this year, I decided the brothers should go as kind of a combo. You know separate costumes with a related theme. Thus, we came up with:

A Football Official

AND

A Football

Nathan's outfit is an authentic jersey that was my dad's oldest one. He also had a real flag and whistle. We, as his authority figures, decided not to teach him how to operate the whistle. That would have been a little too much noise for a 21 month old to produce repeatedly in our opinion.

Lawson was happy lounging in his cozy football outfit. Mostly he chomped on his two fingers, which is his new favorite pastime.

Together

The Football Lovin' Family

The boys got lots of compliments on their costumes. We enjoyed both our church's fall festival and a trick-or-treat in a park near our house. Lots of fun with these two little guys!

"First thing I remember knowin' was a lonesome whistle blowin'..."

2010-10-21T10:37:00.002-04:00

Merle Haggard and Lawson have something in common.

Apparently, both grew up by a train track and therefore heard train horns which were their first memories.

About 30 trains travel by our house each day. And, on average, each train blows their horn about 20 times. Do the math. That's 600 separate train whistles every single day.We're the fourth house down from the track on our street. That's not very far from the intersection so that means the train whistles are ultra loud!

It wasn't always this way at our house. But, since June 24th the train horn has been blowing long and loud every day. This is due directly to the severe incompetence of our city government. Basically, they didn't complete upgrades to intersections in a timely manner and then when they could have asked for an extension to do the work they screwed that up and had our quiet zone abolished. With much paperwork and filing, they managed to reapply for our quiet zone and by an act of God got the Federal Railroad Commission to accept our application. The application was accepted on Friday October 8th. This should be and for the most part is good news.

The bad news was that the railroad company who conducts business here has 3 weeks to implement the quiet zone ruling. Yes that's right 3 weeks to tell their conductors to stop blowing their horns through our area. Clearly this doesn't seem like rocket science to me. Just don't blow your horn Mr. Conductor! It seems to me sometimes (especially in the dead of night) that the conductors are blowing their horns as loud and as long as possible out of sheer spite. It's not like the 5 intersections in question have no gates or are completely unsafe. And how many hooligans are out at 3 AM and need reminding that a train is coming? Honestly, it is ridiculous. I'm all for safety and I even realize that there are times when a car or person is crossing the tracks when the train is coming and therefore a whistle might be needed. But 20 whistles at 3 AM?!! I don't think so Bucko.

But, the deadline for implementation is fast approaching. It is October 29 to be exact. Oh what a day that will be! Finally, Lawson (and Nathan and Mom and Dad) will get to sleep without blaring horns rattling their walls. We're thinking of throwing a party.

Update on the Boys

2010-09-28T14:43:00.005-04:00

So I am always getting behind on the blog because the boys are just doing something new all the time...here's a quick one to get you caught up:

1) Nathan started "school" this fall and is enrolled in a Mother's Day Out program one morning a week for 3 hrs. It is held at a church just down the street and he is really having a good time! The teachers mostly comment on his fun personality and his dancing (apparently he shows off his moves during music time!) I am pretty sure one of his teachers could have been the backup for Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire. Except she really is a woman! She is originally from Finland and is quite a jovial character. It is helpful for me to have one morning a week to get some things done around the house that I can't always do when Nathan is here.

2) Lawson is a little over 3 months old now. I took him to the Dr. to be weighed and measured at 3 months because I was curious how big he was and here were his stats:

Weight: 16 lbs 15 oz
Height: 25 3/4 in
Head Circumference: 16 3/4 in

Basically he's above 95% in every category! Seriously, we are raising a lineman around here. Just to give you an idea, he is wearing some 6 month and mostly 9 month clothes and he isn't even 4 months old yet! Sometimes his dad just refers to him as The Seventeen Pounder.

3) Lawson is rolling over! He rolls tummy to back and has been since about 12 weeks old. He has done the back to tummy a few times, but not consistently. But he's getting closer to getting it every day! He tries so hard to get his arms in the right place, but it doesn't always happen. This new found trick also disrupts his sleep sometimes. He just wants to practice his new skill in his bed rather than during playtime. Hopefully he'll get the other roll down soon and then it won't be so novel anymore and he can chill out and sleep instead of practicing so much!

4) Nathan is getting more teeth. His bottom two canines have poked through and I don't think the top ones are that far away either.

5) Today Nathan is 20 months old. Can't believe it! He's closing in on 2 years old already!

6) Lawson started laughing this past week. It's a funny little chuckle. Sometimes it sounds like a moan because it's deep in pitch, which makes it even funnier.

Seminary Fall Festival 2010

2010-09-15T09:15:00.003-04:00

Our latest family picture:

I LOVE the seminary fall festival! It has certainly grown into quite an event since we first attended in Fall 2006. And, for that matter, our family has doubled in size since 2006! The boys loved being outside in the pleasant weather and seeing all the sights. Nathan's favorite was the bluegrass band. He practically crawled up on stage with them to check it out! Lawson's favorite was being held by our friend Robbie and then enjoying a nice evening cat nap (which is what he's doing in this photo).

This year they had parachuters fly in to open the evening, several different food tents, a ferris wheel, mechanical bull, carousel, military vehicles, live musical entertainment, and a frontier land. After we had dinner, they passed out frozen chocolate covered bananas to everyone and Nathan thought that was a great dessert. It was so good to spend the evening with all our friends and see the children having so much fun. What a great way to kick off the fall semester!

When Winter Comes to Town

2010-09-01T14:49:00.006-04:00

I thought it would be a good idea to check out the boys winter clothes options to make sure things were on track for the cold weather up here. Nathan was in the market for a snow suit and I found one at a consignment sale for only 15$! Jacket, pants, mittens and boot covers with a train embroidered on the front--luuuvv it! I had picked Lawson up a coat back at the end of season sale last winter and it looks like it will fit the man just fine. (Whew...I was a little worried our chunky monkey might have outgrown it!) Here's the boys:

Lawson sporting his brown dog coatA hint of a smile...Nathan is excited to have a real train on his jacket!The whole snow ensemble

It won't be long before these two will be romping in the snow! (Probably more like Nathan pushing Lawson over in the snow :) These guys will be ready for any cold headed our way, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet. I think I will enjoy a nice crisp fall first before Old Man Winter makes his way into Kentucky.

Lawson at 2 Months

2010-08-15T21:15:00.003-04:00

Lawson had his 2 month check-up on Friday. It's hard to believe he's already been with us for 2 months!

Height: 24 in (75-90%)
Weight: 14 lbs 11 oz (95+ %)
Head Circumference: 16 1/4 (75%)
Well, we discovered in fact what we already had theorized:

WE HAVE A BIG FELLOW!

Lawson is well proportioned--and he's proportioned large! Maybe even an extra-large...

We looked back at Nathan's statistics and Lawson is bigger at 2 months than Nathan was at 4 months!!! Can you believe that? I know that the boys are two entirely different people in all kinds of ways, but that stat blew my mind. Truly remarkable.

But, the plus on Lawson's awesome growth is that I'm getting to reuse more of Nathan's clothes than I expected. They should be off in the different seasons of their clothing, but because Lawson is pleasantly plump he is using some of Nathan's 3-6 month clothes right now. At. 2. Months. Wow. Also, Nathan is not even 10 lbs heavier than Lawson now, so it's clear that the little brother is quickly and stealthily bulking up to attack the older brother...perhaps more quickly than Nathan realizes...Lawson is just biding his time until he can pounce and make his move. Watch out Nate!

Overall, Lawson is healthy and happy. He is so easygoing. He has started smiling and cooing in the past couple of weeks. He was especially smiley when Daddy Doc was in town! He really enjoyed chatting with him. He's getting oh so close to sleeping through the night, so I'm hoping it won't be too much longer before he conquers that skill. He's pretty consistently going from his 10:30 pm feeding to the 5 (or very near) o'clock hr in the morning and then starting his day between 7 and 8. So, just a couple more hours sleep and he'll make it!

We are loving our Lawson boy!

NRB at 18 months

2010-08-09T14:15:00.005-04:00

Our big boy is now 18 months old! He is really fun these days and entertains us regularly with his antics!

At his 18 month checkup:
Height: 32 1/2 in (50%)
Weight: 23 lbs 4.5 oz (10-25%)
Hear Circumference: 19 in (50-75%)

He's got a 50+ word vocabulary (not always recognizable to others quite yet :) but he sure loves to chat! Most often heard around our house are: uh-oh, ball, baby, Laaaaaaaw (Lawson) with a true Texas drawl, go, gone, bye, beep-beep, wa-wa (water). Nathan has always been a music lover but recently he's started requesting songs from Dad. His favorite? "All My Exes Live in Texas" by George Strait. A little man after my own heart. He is also quite fond of hymns played by piano that Phillip has on his computer. Not only is he a music lover, but he's a dancer extraordinaire. His best moves include: the spin, the stomp-stomp-stomp, gettin' low, the above the head clap, and the peg leg--where he keeps one leg straight and rocks back and forth. We'll have to try to capture some video footage.

He moved up to a new Sunday School class at church this week and he came home with arts and crafts! I love that he's getting old enough to bring home artwork treasures for his mom and dad. However, I hope he doesn't take after his father in the art department. Phillip almost failed Kindergarten due to insufficient arts and crafts. I think he's recovered from the trauma though.

Here's the man playing on the deck:

A Family of 4

2010-07-25T15:48:00.002-04:00

Our latest family of 4 photo

(Amazingly enough we are all dressed, smiling, looking at the camera, clean, and happy. These shots may be few and far between with boys 16.5 months apart...treasure this one)

Lawson at 1 Month

2010-07-22T15:07:00.003-04:00

Here's some Lawson photos from the past few weeks:

Hanging out in the sunshine in the office
All squeaky clean and pajama-ed

"Brothers don't shake hands--Brothers gotta hug!"

The littlest man on his one month birthday

At one month, Lawson is a pretty easy-going fellow. He is just waking up once at night and has been for a while. His longest stretches have been from 10:30 at night to 4:30 and then a morning wake-up at 7:30/7:45 AM. He is definitely "getting it" that he should sleep a long time at night and hopefully we aren't too far away from making it through the whole night. He has been great at going back to sleep in the middle of the night after eating and I am thankful for that! Overall, his night sleeping has been very similar to Nathan.

Lawson is starting to try and talk to us with some ohs and coos. He's even ventured into trying out a few smiles. He is certainly MUCH chunkier than Nathan ever was, so I'm having to figure out what to do with rolls and creases! I have been blessed with another sweet happy baby boy!

4th of July

2010-07-18T21:03:00.002-04:00

We spent the 4th with two little firecrackers...

Nathan enjoyed the sparklers
Dad had fun showing Nathan how to have a good 4th!

Lawson just slept while the sparklers were going. I almost filed a complaint because of everyone in our neighborhood shooting off fireworks! Low sleep for the mama plus two sleeping boys means DONT WAKE US UP PEOPLE! We survived all the snap, crackle, and pops of the evening (thankfully)! Happy birthday America!

Lawson at 2 weeks

2010-07-05T17:04:00.002-04:00

Well, he's three weeks now, but here's how his 2 week Dr. visit went...oh the life of a second child a day late and a dollar short on the updates...

Height: 21 in (75%)
Weight: 9 lbs 12.5 oz (60%)
Head Circumference: 15 in (75%)

He is nice and juicy butterball! He has really put on the weight since he was born at 8 lbs 7 oz. Over a lb in only two weeks! He is now definitely over 10 lbs and busting out of his newborn attire. He has already long passed the newborn diapers (which were beginning to look like a speedo on him before he was 2 weeks old!)

He is eating well and fast! He is a gulper for sure which makes him take in much more air than he needs to and then he is a slow burper. This is a bad combo. Too much air and no burp means large spit-up, so I have to work and work to get those burps out. He seems to be getting a little better with giving up the burp, probably because of all the "burping prayers" I've prayed!

Speaking of prayers, there have been a lot of simple "Lord help us" prayers being said at our house. For all kinds of simple things. But, I know we serve a God of all who delights in helping his children even with things that may sound trivial. No task that he has called us to is trivial and laboring through in prayer is a fight worth fighting.

We are thankful for our sweet Lawson James!

More Pictures of Lawson

2010-06-19T15:48:00.006-04:00

The paparazzi has been on Lawson's trail all week and have captured him doing all sorts of fun things:

Big brother Nathan is holding Lawson for the first time. Just after the picture was taken, Nathan tried a WWE wrestling move on him

Nathan is showing some brotherly love after the wrestling match by giving Laswon a kiss on the cheek

Lawson is all dressed up and ready to leave the hospital in his going home outfit

The first photo of our new family of four

Lawson is enjoying his first bath (unlike his brother who screamed the entire way through his!)

We are really enjoying having this little man around!

Pictures of Lawson

2010-06-14T16:18:00.008-04:00

Here are some pictures of Lawson. Enjoy the photos!

He is our wide-eyed boy...observing everything around him through those big eyes.

Tipping the scales at a meaty 8 lbs. 7 oz.

Look at all that hair! He's sporting a mohawk on his first day.

Momma and baby are happy that Lawson is finally here.

Nathan sized up his little brother for the first time and heartily approves. He's wearing his "Big Brother" t-shirt in honor of their first meeting.

Lawson is snuggled in. Check out those Thunder Thighs!

The new family of four. We love our latest addition to the Bethancourt clan!

Lawson James Bethancourt Is Here!

2010-06-14T15:15:00.004-04:00

A guest post from Phillip

We are pleased to announce the arrival of our second son:

Lawson James Bethancourt

Born: 6/13/10 at 11:33 PM

Weighing 8 lbs. 7 oz. and 20 inches long

We are so thankful to God for the blessing of children and look forward to raising our son to be a man who loves and trusts Christ.

There will be plenty of pictures and updates on Phillip's twitter account at twitter.com/pbethancourt. We will also update the blog with more details as well as pictures and video.

We would love to hear from you, so please don't hesitate to send an email, respond on twitter or leave a comment on the blog. We may not be able to get back to you right away, but we would love to hear from you.

As a request, we would ask that you pause and pray for Lawson right now - that he would come to know and love Christ, that he would be healthy and that we would raise him in a way that honors God. We appreciate each and every one of you.

A Photo from Lawson's Due Date

2010-06-09T08:56:00.004-04:00

Here we are after a walk at Seneca Park to try and motivate Lawson to be born:

Our neighbor Tony (who use to be a pro photographer) snapped the photo! We are waiting with smiles for you Lawson!

Happy Due Date Lawson!

2010-06-08T10:00:00.003-04:00

Well son, you have made it to your due date and congratulations are in order!

40 weeks is a long time to be anywhere, so you obviously have some fortitude. You have joined your older brother Nathan in the "we are boys who make it to our due date" club. And he decided (well was medically coaxed) to join us just 4 days later, so now we ask when will you make your debut? And how big will you be? And what will you look like?

Mom and Dad are headed out on a date tonight to celebrate while Miss D keeps Nathan. Surely we will have food and fellowship in honor of you--that is if you don't decide to join the world first! We love you son and look forward to meeting you so soon!

Love,
Mom and Dad and Nathan

Anybody out there have a guess on Lawson's weight and length and time of birth? Feel free to guess away in the comments section!

License Plates

2010-06-07T09:37:00.002-04:00

I have noticed a funny thing with license plates I see here in the Bluegrass State.

They seem to regularly contain the initials of family members. Weird. Yes, I have noticed a trend. I have mentioned before that I love monograms and initial combinations so perhaps my brain is attuned especially to these things, but I still find it quite entertaining.

The most prolific by far are male members of Phillip's family. With Phillip's dad, brothers, and our nephew John Thomas being the most frequently spotted. It is really uncanny!

Most often I am sitting at a stoplight and notice the car in front of me contains familiar initials. Voila! It's like a little game I play now to see if I can spot more because I've seen so many. So, when I see your initials on a KY license plate know that I'm thinking of and praying for you! Who doesn't appreciate a little well wishing even if it comes from an unlikely place?

In other license plate news, I was headed to my Dr. appointment last week and noticed a minivan parked in the "Labor & Delivery Physicians Only" spot. Do you know what their license plate said? "OK PUSH" Ha! An Ob/Gyn with a sense of humor for all the world to see. I actually chuckled out loud. Then I thought, do their kids have to explain what that license plate means to their friends? That could be dangerous...

Family Photos

2010-05-20T14:55:00.004-04:00

So for Mother's Day I asked for some photos of our family and especially of Nathan because he's never had "official" pictures taken in his short little life. It would be a time to celebrate our son Nathan and have a few nice photos as a family of 3 before we expand to a family of 4. My husband was glad to oblige and got our friend Devin Maddox of Charles Smith Photographers (www.csphoto.biz) to help out. Here's a few shots from the session:

I think Nathan looks like quite the little man! He did really well up until the very end when we couldn't get him to sit still for even the slightest moment. All in all considered, the shoot was a success. So thanks Devin for your work!

Nathan's 15 Month Check-up

2010-05-05T16:04:00.007-04:00

We went for Nathan's 15 month check-up last week and here's the stats:

Height: 31 3/4 in (50-75%)
Weight: 21 lbs 13 oz (10-25%)
Head Circumference: 18 3/4 in (50-75%)

This guy is getting big! He truly is turning into a little boy who is on-the-go!

Love this face!

Gigglebox!
Showing off one of his favorite toys--a dog--and running towards me excited and squealing!

I am really enjoying seeing Nathan's personality develop more and more. He is just FUN most all the time! I just laugh sometimes seeing this little fellow toodle around the house discovering things. Lately, he's been extra interested in wearing his baseball hat every time we leave the house. We have it hanging on a hook by the door and he excitedly points to it when we're leaving, so I put it on for him and it just about makes his whole day! Now, he doesn't leave it on the whole time, but hey it's cute seeing a little guy in a baseball hat anytime.

He is also an emptying and filling master. He loves to take things out/off and put them in/on all kinds of containers. His frustration is starting to show more when he can't get things "just so" and requires help when he doesn't think he needs it. I think that's a mama gene :) He says all sorts of words now: mama, dada, dog, go, car, hi, bye, tuh (light), tah (cat), ball, done, gone. He can sign: more, all done, and please. I'm not too overzealous with the sign language, but these few have been helpful so far. Lastly, this guy is loving the spring weather. He has always enjoyed being outside and he is really loving it now! We try to go on walks or to the park quite often so he can burn up some good energy.

We sure love our big boy!

Lawson at 34 weeks

2010-05-02T20:17:00.001-04:00

Can't believe our second little man is almost here! Here I am at 34 weeks:

It's been great for me to be pregnant again! Everything has been smooth sailing so far just like with Nathan--strangely similar. Now, I will pray that there is no ice storm in June when Lawson arrives! That would be TOO similar...

I have my next Dr. appt next week and will go in for weekly checks after that. Phillip says he can go ahead and come :), but I say to stay in and cook as long as possible. We don't want, as my pediatrician said, a "wimpy little white boy" making an early appearance! No, we certainly don't want "wimpy" in the same sentence with a Bethancourt boy.

We're working on getting Nathan's big boy room together and the nursery back in shape for a newborn. I'll put up some pictures of Nathan's room when it's together more. It's still willy-nilly right now and you wouldn't want to see it I promise. Soon we'll get two car seats in the car and bags packed for the hospital! So excited for Lawson to arrive!

Cali Trip

2010-05-02T20:09:00.004-04:00

We got the chance to go to visit Mammaw and Grandpa in California in early April. Nathan really enjoyed himself, despite having a cough and runny nose, he persevered. We visited the aquarium, Pebble Beach, and even ventured down to the water at Carmel beach for Nathan to touch the ocean for the first time. The weather wasn't totally cooperative, but we tried to make the most of it.

Grandpa and Nathan checking out some fish

With Dad at the penguin exhibit

Mammaw showing Nathan what it's like to be inside a wave

An family photo at the beach (it was freezing and windy, but you'd never know from our smiles!)

Close-up of Nathan's first black eye. Given to him by the coffee table right before we left for Cali. Ouch! But he was a tough little guy

The west coast was good to us. We also enjoyed In-n-Out twice, a cruise on 17 mile drive, some outlet mall shopping, and just all around fun. Too bad California and Kentucky have to be so far away from each other! That east coast to west coast travel is a bear! For future reference the Phoenix airport had several things to keep kiddos entertained including some climbing toys and a big puzzle board. Great way to burn off some little boy energy!

Thanks Mammaw and Grandpa!

Bethancourts are Allergic

2010-04-23T16:00:00.002-04:00

Spring has certainly sprung in the past month in Kentucky. It was told to me that because we went from being pretty cold to pretty warm faster than normal this year, the trees went into "survival mode" and basically overproduced pollen for the season. I tried one afternoon to speak with the trees about this and tell them to "chill out they weren't going to die" and they didn't have much response. So, it has been a haze of pollen in the bluegrass for several weeks.

This spells trouble if you're a Bethancourt.

All three of us (maybe Lawson too :) have been suffering from seasonal allergies. Nose junk, throat itching, drainage cough, sinus pressure the whole nine yards. Poor Nathan hasn't yet learned the art of blowing his nose so he just has to be stuffed up until his nose runneth over. Thankfully, we haven't experienced any sinus infections or ear infections due to the allergies. I'm hopeful with the rain we are supposed to be getting this weekend that it will knock some of the haze from the sky and get things back down to a manageable level around here.

After the month of April, I have renewed my hope that perhaps AstroTurf or FieldTurf lawns will come in style soon. Just think about it: a one time cost to put the stuff in, maybe some minimal maintenance costs over the years, NO MOWING, NO WEEDS, always green and precisely the right length. Plus you could paint logos on your lawn with the field paint they use for sports!! Mark out a baseball field or boast a fat ATM for all the world to see! Then you could just plant the things you want to plant trees, bushes, flowers and whatnot and just deal with those. Doesn't that sound great?!!

If your a turf dealer out there looking to get in to the residential market give me a ring! I just might be your first customer--for a knockout first customer rate that is--Bethancourts might be allergic but they are also excellent deal finders. So, don't think you can pull one over on me...

Wanted: Dead Critter

2010-03-31T15:53:00.003-04:00

So, this week we had a mysterious varmint visitor. One morning one of our trash cans had been tipped over and one of the bags busted with some trash removed. Next morning, another trash can over and the same scenario. I was pretty ticked and wishing I owned a gun so I could stake this critter out. And if not that, I was ready to fly my heat-packing father and father-in-law out here for a real covert Operation Eradication. Not only are they both true Texas men, they have experience in offing pesky animals stealthily--woodpeckers, deer, snakes, pheasants, all types of wild game.

There was also a thought in my mind that the invader could be this ultra-annoying neighborhood cat, Murphy. And if it was him, I wouldn't mind one bit if the same fate awaited him that could be awaiting another varmint...not one bit would I mind. He's always hanging around on our deck and he once ran into our house while I was unloading groceries. I almost lost it! Grrrr Murphy! I have also once (a while back mind you) spotted a possum behind our garage. So, I know there is possibility of crazy critters lurking around these parts.

But, after we cleaned up the trash the second night, no more invasions. Not a trace of midnight morsel thievery. The only other clue we have is that we saw our strange neighbor two doors down go out to his wood pile, lift the tarp, and then start yelling vehemently for something to "git on out of here." But, it could've just been Murphy...or it could have been The Varmint! Who knows? It was the same day said neighbor was shop-vacuuming his lawn. Yes, meticulously vacuuming his lawn, so I don't know if our source is truly reliable here.

I'll keep you posted if there's any more shenanigans...but for now it's still an unsolved mystery...cue creepy music...

Flashback

2010-03-24T10:32:00.002-04:00

Here is Nathan sporting a 1980's classic warm-up with a hint of Aggie Maroon:

Posed and ready for an adventurous day

Action shot of a boy on the move

Super Smile!

Now, this sweatsuit used to belong to me when I was a wee tot. Nathan seemed to really enjoy wearing it! He just needed a sweatband and some 80's hair band music and he could have been jazzercising! Do you ever look at kid's clothes and think 'man was I really that small once'? I do! Hard to believe this guy is as big as he is already and I can't believe he'll grow up one day into 'man size' (whatever that 'man size' may be I'm hoping for 6' 4") But I'll take what I can get...

The Walking Man

2010-03-23T20:33:00.003-04:00

We've got a walking man on our hands!

Over the past week Nathan has really taken off as a toddler. He can walk about 10-12 steps unassisted, so basically across the room from Mom to Dad. Previously, he had been going about 4 or 5 steps between us and then lunging into our waiting arms. Then, he just decided he could take off a little farther. He still is not completely striking out on his own, but getting a bit bolder every day. He kinda has the Frankenstein walk going with the arms up and stiff legs! And if he throws a few grunts in there he really sounds like him! :)

I will have to post some video of him in action...

LJB at 24 weeks

2010-02-28T14:21:00.002-05:00

Some have been asking for a "belly shot" of Mr. Lawson's humble abode. So, here's a picture (about a week and a half ago) of a happily-pregnant-for-the-second-time-mom:

The second time around has been pretty much exactly the same as the first. I truly enjoy being pregnant and getting to grow these little ones is incredible. I have now started wondering how Lawson and Nathan will be alike and how they will be different...hair color, eye color, personality, natural giftings...it will be so exciting to see them develop into young men and then grown men. Looking forward to this little boy's arrival...

Birthday Boy Photos

2010-02-24T16:25:00.003-05:00

Realized I never posted more pics from Nathan's 1st birthday party...a serious mom infraction...amended now

The boy dressed up for his birthday outing with Dad and Grandpa

The first look at the cupcake

Deeee-licious! Finger lickin' good!

Family Photo

The Cool Cat opening gifts after his party

Trail Mix

2010-02-22T10:45:00.002-05:00

I like trail mixes/party mixes (especially while pregnant and I eat snacks more) but by far the most frustrating thing is avoiding the parts of the mix you don't like. Ideally, you want lots of good stuff in one bite and if it gets invaded by a "spoiler" your whole taste is ruined. Therefore, after many frustrating snacks I have decided to make my own.

Here's the ingredients:
Cashews
Almonds
Craisins
Yogurt covered raisins
Semi-sweet chocolate chips

It has been tasty! Plus you can make it in larger amounts than the little bags you buy at the store. I did buy the mini-chocolate chips and they were too "mini" for the mix so I'll stick with the regular. I am thinking about doing a more salty one with Goldfish and Chex in it--yum yum! Nathan has liked sharing in the snacktime with me and he eats the craisins and yogurt raisins and maybe a few chocolate chips :) So, go on try your own trail mix!

What's In A Name? Part Dos

2010-02-10T20:38:00.002-05:00

After lots of thoughtful consideration we have decided on a name for our second son:

Lawson James Bethancourt

Now, here's our thoughts on his name:

Lawson--is the closest we could come to a name that would be similar to my maiden name Lawhon. Because I am the only child of my father, who is the only son of my grandparents, the Lawhon name had ended in our family once I was married. So, we thought Lawson which most commonly means "son of Lawrence" could mean "son of a Lawhon" in our case. We love how it sounds, but more importantly the meaning it carries.

James--a solid biblical name that happens to sound great with Lawson :) Seriously though, we wanted to include a biblical name and there are 2 fellows in the Bible with the name James that are certainly noteworthy. There was James the Apostle, who along with Peter and John, was in Jesus' inner circle. He witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus and was able to be with Jesus during many important aspects of his ministry. The second James is the brother of Jesus and the writer of the book of James. His book contains many nuggets of truth that are often cited and clearly speak to areas where Christians are called to live out what they say they believe. Other fun James facts: it's the most common name of Presidents of the US and happens to be the first name of one of my favorite singers Mr. James Taylor.

So, we're excited about Lawson James entering the world in a few mere months! His name also kind of makes me think of a legendary cowboy or country singer. For example, "Now put your hands together for Lawson James and the Worn Leather Band!!!" I can hear the hits now...

We truly hope along with his brother Nathan that these boys will grow into men of wisdom who stand for truth and exhibit courage, valour, and strength. And most importantly we ask that Lawson will come to know the Way, the Truth, and the Life that is Jesus. May it be Lord, may it be.

Well Hey There February

2010-02-07T15:16:00.003-05:00

At one year old, here's where Nathan stacks up against the national averages:

Height 29 1/2 in (near 50%)
Weight 20 lbs 7.5 oz (about 18%)
Head circumference 18 1/2 in (about 70%)

So based on that, he's an average height string bean with a big head! We just call him cute!

We've had several snows recently and it looks so nice and pristine for a while, but then it just gets old. The snow turns into slush and then sludge. Then there's all that salt and road grime on your car--ewwww! I can't stand a dirty car and this winter weather is just cramping my style. I'm ready for some warmth around here or at least not bitter cold. I could probably handle 50 degrees right now, just not 20 for much longer!

Our second little man is growing like a weed and I'm now a few days shy of 23 weeks pregnant. He is about a foot long and weighs about 1 pound. And he's just as cute as his big brother I'm certain!

Happy 1st Birthday Nathan!

2010-01-28T21:06:00.003-05:00

Nathan, it has been a wonderful year having you as our son. You have grown from a little baby boy into a fun adventuresome 1 year old. Time has gone so fast, but we've enjoyed every minute of having you in our family. We look forward to watching you grow...

Welcome to the world NRB! Born at 2:36 AM 7lbs 8 oz 19 1/2 in long

First family camp out in an unfurnished apartment after you were born because we had no power at our house due to the ice storm

Our big boy on his 1st birthday opening presents

To celebrate your big day today you, Dad, and Grandpa visited the Louisville Slugger Bat museum. You loved it--especially watching the workers make the baseball bats! We had dinner at 5 Guys burgers and you helped Mammaw eat her hamburger. Quite a big day for our biggest boy! We love you son and are so thankful for you! Happy Birthday Nathan!

Projects Please

2010-01-27T20:55:00.004-05:00

We are just finishing a week of projects around the house.

Our project manager has been Phillip's mom Debbie and she has been fantastic! She came to visit us last Thursday and has been here churning out projects left and right. If she was up to it, I'd print her up a business card and give it to everyone I know in every industry--she could find a way to contribute to all kinds of business and do it well!

Here's what we've done:

reorganized kitchen cabinets and created a pantry out of an armoire. Complete with shelves all organized
sewn curtains for the kitchen and basement windows
frosted the glass of our basement windows so natural light can come in and creepy peering eyes stay out
hemmed and mended suits
installed child safety cabinet locks
fixed our broken leaf in the kitchen table
cleared out our paint closet that probably had paint in it from JFK's administration
organized and cleaned out Nathan's soon-to-be big boy room and bought some SUPER cute bedding and accessories for the decor. Theme: The Great Outdoors/Pieces of Americana
sorted through loads of stuff and determined whether it was keep, sell , or trash
helped get Nathan back on track after his first legitimate illness: an ear infection

Plus we've had a grand 'ol time doing it all! Lots of hard work, but it has paid dividends for certain! We've also made plenty of time to play with Nathan and laugh and just enjoy each other's company. It's always great having Mammaw around and now we just added Grandpa to the mix and Miss D and Daddy Doc will be arriving tomorrow! Lots of fun times coming up!

A Comedy of Errors

2010-01-15T16:19:00.002-05:00

This week has been a true Comedy of Errors

Phillip's car wouldn't start
Dishwasher wouldn't drain
Shower curtain rod broke and wouldn't stay up while showering (quite frustrating)
Folks coming to insulate our main floor walls and attic=maddening loudness
Had 2 weeks where it never got above freezing (relieved yesterday when we crept into the forties)
Trying to settle in still from travel over Christmas and get back into a routine

Yowsers

I will expound on the Insulation Team. I described them to Phillip as a mix of the cast of "O Brother Where Art Thou?" and I have truly been singing "in constant sorrow all my days." These guys are coun-try. But not just good ol' boy country. We're talking backwoods country here friends. One guy is about 5' 4" on his tiptoes and smokes like a chimney. He's the leader of the group and I call him Short Smokey. Our second character is Silent Sam. Never heard a peep from him the whole time. Our third character is literally the spittin' image of Delmar O'Donnell from the movie and that's what got me on the whole thing in the first place. Delmar is also quite a talker and a nice fellow. But, the best character only made an appearance today. He's a dead ringer for Billy Ray Cyrus in his prime complete with braided ponytail. I thought once about asking these guys if they could get together and sing, but decided against it. Luckily, they're characters because it's the only thing that has kept my sanity over the past two days amidst the raucous noise and yelling.

And they're coming back on Monday...another day full of adventure

The Dos is a...

2010-01-08T13:32:00.002-05:00

BOY!!

We are thrilled thrilled THRILLED with another boy in our home! We both predicted a boy. More cars, trucks, cowboys, and laughter is headed our way. Look out for two lil partners coming your way soon. Here's some photos:

Profile shot: you can see both head and torso

Here he is turned facing us with his hands up by his face. You can also see ribs (the stripes) and the heart (the blackish spot in the center of the chest)

One thing about this fellow is that he is a mover and a shaker! He be-bopped around for the camera the whole time. We could hardly keep him still! If this holds true out of the womb, he will be giving his big brother a run for his money. Everything looked healthy and he's right on track as far as growth. Phillip and Nathan got to be in the room for the ultrasound which was too fun! As for those who might be concerned about the accuracy of the ultrasound, I'll just tell you it was a no doubter that he's a he. Thank you Lord for another healthy bouncing baby boy!

Vote Now

2010-01-06T10:22:00.003-05:00

We go in for our big ultrasound on Friday morning...so...

Boy or Girl?

What say ye? Cast your vote in the comments section!

We'll let you know the outcome (assuming Dos cooperates) as soon as we can!

Happy New Year

2010-01-03T22:23:00.001-05:00

From Mr. Handsome

December Happenings

2010-01-03T21:53:00.003-05:00

I know it has been shamefully long since I posted. Please no grief Justin and Kyle. I know.

December was quite a busy month so I am going to hit the highlights:

Nathan got his first tooth on December 5th. FIN-A-LLY. It didn't seem to bother him too much, but I was feeding him that day and noticed a little pearly white peaking through. He seems to be working on his other bottom front tooth now and we're expecting its arrival any day.

As for Christmas parties, we had a Sunday School White Elephant Christmas Party, a Ladies cookie exchange, and we hosted the Dockerys and Powells at our home for an end of the semester celebration. I flaked out at the cookie exchange because it had been a crazy crazy day and the thought of baking made my eyes twitch and my head spin, so I opted for the holiday Oreos. Tasty and easy. I didn't win any awards with them, but hey sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

We had an interesting Christmas Eve because our flight from Houston to Abilene was cancelled due to weather. Therefore, we had to bum a ride to Austin and then my parents came and picked us up and we arrived in Abilene about 11:00 PM. Ugghhhh. Not my preference for spending my Christmas Eve, but we made it safely and without too much trouble. Nathan has had bad luck with weather related events in his short life, so we would like this streak to be over thank you very much.

The little man had his first time away from us over night for 4 nights after Christmas. He stayed with Miss D and Daddy Doc in Abilene. So, Phillip and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary a bit early and took a Tour of Texas to some favorite and legendary Texas hotspots. Our trip included: Fredericksburg, Luckenbach, San Antonio, Gruene, and finally Ft. Worth. We slept well, ate well, and had tons of fun. Some notable moments include: a small intimate Cory Morrow concert, fireside chats at the Hyatt Hill Country, walking the floors of Gruene Hall, and a night with Robert Earl Keen at the Bass Hall in Ft. Worth. Legendary. I can't even begin to name all the great places we ate, but needless to say my tastebuds were not left out.

Lastly, we rang in the New Year asleep because we've all had allergies, Phillip had a sinus infection, stuffy noses, and all around nasal discomfort. Terrible. We're on the mend now thankfully.

Hope your December was exciting and memorable

Super Powers

2009-12-05T15:47:00.003-05:00

I think I might be becoming a super hero.

It seems to me that since I have become a mom, my senses have gotten keener.

Most notably, I think I now might meet the minimum standards of being classified as ambidextrous. My left hand has really proven itself worthy in this past year. I dare say that I can do almost as many things with my left hand as my right. I haven't tried too much writing yet, but I might be up to the challenge. Maybe I'll write all my Christmas cards left-handed? Or maybe I might make a few extra bucks doing left-handed art?

Also, my hearing is exceptionally acute these days. I can tell what toy Nathan has, in what area of the house, within a few inches. Rarely, ever does he surprise me with what he is doing--that is unless he is being silent--that's when things get interesting... However, I think it's pretty remarkable that I can tell the difference between a paper crinkling appropriately and someone pulling inappropriate papers out of the trashcan, the noise a Daddy book vs. a Nathan book makes, and lastly the subtle scratching sound of little hands on a phone jack. So, don't try to sneak up on me these days, I'll know you're coming and half to pull out my mad ninja skills on you. You have been warned.

Finally, I can fly across rooms in a single bound. Grabbing dangerous items, preventing falls, or scooping up a crying child with ease and accuracy. I'm thinking about seeing how fast I can run 40 yards, there's a good chance I could give some D1 running backs or Usain Bolt a run for their money...

Supermoms out there agree right?

1+1 is...

2009-11-14T09:44:00.003-05:00

2

And that's exactly how many children we will have by June 2010! That's right I am expecting our second child and my due date is June 8th. (It might perhaps be moved to June 15th, but it is safe to say the 2nd week of June)

We are excited and thankful to be parents again to another wonderful baby. We would certainly appreciate your prayers for "Dos," (the Spanish word for 2) that's what we've been calling baby number two, and for myself to stay healthy all throughout the pregnancy and beyond for that matter. So far I have felt great. Pretty much the same as I did with Nathan, no sickness, which is awesome!

For those calculating types, Nathan and "Dos" will be between 16 and 17 months apart. Just the perfect age to have a good time together and entertain each other. Here's the first photo of the new little one...
Thanks for all the love and support. We truly appreciate it!

9 Month Update

2009-11-12T15:41:00.003-05:00

Nathan had his 9 month Dr. visit last week and here's where he stands:

Height: 28 3/4 in (50-75%)
Weight: 18 lbs 10 oz (10-25%)
Head Circumference: 18 in (50-75%)

This basically means he is a long and lean boy! Everything else looked great. He did all the right things and he's a happy healthy boy.

As of today, not only is he crawling and pulling up, he has started clapping, waving bye-bye, and he put a piece of cereal in his mouth by himself for the first time yesterday! It's a motor skill marathon around here! It is fun to see him learn to do what you ask him to do and you can tell that he understands you. I hope the self-feeding (Cheerios, puffs, etc) takes off soon as that will be a big help to me!

Here's some photos of Nathan helping Phillip rake the leaves:

Every boy needs to play in a leaf pile when he gets the chance! It just looks so appealing and makes such fun sounds...do you folks in Texas even know what a leaf pile is?! :)

Also a Happy Birthday today to Grandpa John! We love you very much! If you were here, I would make you chicken fried steak for dinner and gingerbread cookies for dessert!!

It's the Great Pumpkin NRB!

2009-11-03T14:23:00.005-05:00

Bear with me, this is a photo heavy post.

For Nathan's First Halloween, I pondered lots of fun costume ideas and perused lots of stores checking out their selection. But nothing really stuck out, until I remembered the classic kid's TV special It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! I used to (and still do) love to watch those Charlie Brown specials and it seemed to me that sweet Nathan would make a good Charlie Brown. So, my decision was made easily and with some help from Miss D, Charlie Brown was brought to life.

We went to our church's Fall Festival a few nights ago and Nathan had a blast getting to see all the sights.

Fall Festival Photos

Distressed? No, just a crazy camera face

Nathan's new favorite photo pose: The Scrunchface Dad n Me

Feeling Hay for the First Time

FamilyThere is a street in Louisville that goes all out for Halloween every year. One of the best displays on the block is one house with scenes from It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! So, naturally we had to stop for some photos there.

Great Pumpkin Photos

Next to his Costume Inspiration

What a great little Charlie Brown we had! And his sidekick Snoopy was a hit too. Nathan squeezed and hugged him the whole time he had him. I really had a blast getting to see our son have so much fun. Can't wait for next year! Maybe we can fix that Scrunchface by then...

Really, REALLY?!?

2009-10-15T14:06:00.003-04:00

I don't know if y'all have watched SNL recently, but on the Weekend Update segment a lot of the time they do a piece called Really?! It is where the two hosts say several astonishing/funny things and then say REALLY?! at the end. So, it seems there have been several notable things happening around our family lately and I think I have enough material for my own Really segment. Here goes...

When traveling back from Houston by airplane, the guy at the security checkpoint made me take off Nathan's baby shoes and send them through the x-ray machine. As if those paper thin suede soles about 4 inches long could hide something dangerous. REALLY?!

The city is doing construction near the end of our street. It literally sounds like one machine is eternally backing up because there is a beep-beep-beep I hear all day long without ceasing. Interspersed in between the beeps are jack hammers and ultra loud clanging where they are breaking up the asphalt. Makes it hard for any peace and quiet. REALLY?!

My beloved Target that is 2 blocks from the house opened 4 days ago. And, today I scored the best diaper deal I have ever come across: 116 diapers for $14.98. That's about 13 cents per diaper and regularly they are about 29 cents per diaper. I bought the only 2 packages of Size 3 they had and it was worth it. Other moms check out Target ASAP. Awesome. REALLY?!

It is a fact that at our house we get mail for every single blood related Bethancourt in Phillip's family. That's right. We get mail for John, Debbie, Justin, Kyle, and Christina all at our house and most ALL of it is junk. I believe it is a product of being the last ones to live at the Lincoln house in College Station and therefore we just end up as the final forwarding place for junk mail to die. No offense John, but the AARP wants your business badly! (According to the amount of mail they send you...) REALLY?!

Nathan is officially crawling. REALLY?!

I think our house would be a good candidate for an HGTV show. We could redo the basement or the master suite or the landscaping/garage seriously. Except, I want them to pay for it all. If you know how to make that happen that would be a great Christmas gift for us. REALLY?!

Our Very Own Rugrat

2009-09-23T09:58:00.003-04:00

The boy is just minutes away for crawling so it seems. But, what tides him over in the meantime is that he can do a pretty successful army crawl. This involves a pulling with the arms, slithering with the tummy, and a push with the legs to get from one place to another within a reasonable distance. He is especially gifted on the hardwood floors because they are the best for sliding.

So, that takes us to the latest incident. I had put Nathan in the office floor with some toys to occupy him while I was putting dinner in the oven (about 7 minutes). I could hear him getting progressively closer to the kitchen, but he usually gets stopped at the air vent (ours are in the floor up here) and he likes to beat on it and enjoys when the air kicks in and blows in his face. So I assumed that is where he had stopped. But, when I came around the corner to check on him this is what I saw...

Yep the guy had scooted all the way into the hall AND grabbed up the rug off the floor AND managed to get underneath it somehow. I just started laughing! How does this guy do these things? I think he was trying to get to me in the kitchen because I was talking to him while I was working, but that rug just seemed so interesting he had to check it out. Oh boy.

Sweaters are Better

2009-09-16T21:12:00.002-04:00

I was just remembering today as I was out shopping how much I love sweaters. Just love them. There is just the hint of coolness in the air around here and I am dreaming of wearing sweaters soon. Cardigans, pullovers, v-necks, scoop necks, with buttons or without they are just all so lovely and I am always so happy to pull one out of the closet. My only lament is that I don't own MORE! Literally, every cold day or even semi-cool day should have a nice sweater. Mr. Rogers and I could have a neighborhood sweater club if his show was still on. Okay enough sweater love...

Phillip is off to a good start with his semester's classes and really enjoying them. He is taking classes on the Holy Spirit, the book of Ephesians, and his systematic theology colloquium. It is shaping up to be a great second year.

And lastly, Nathan has recently added da-da-da-da to his vocabulary. He has always been a talker, but these days he really sounds like he's carrying on a conversation with you. He has also had his gigglebox turned on recently and seems to laugh anytime and every time you laugh, look at him funny, or his personal favorite is when Phillip yells "Touchdown!" The boy goes bonkers when his Dad yells "Touchdown!" The laughter is uncontrollable and he starts flailing his arms and legs in excitement. We are working on him throwing his arms up to signal touchdown when we say it, but it might be a while before this skill is perfected. Nathan is quite the charmer and his sweet spirit is absolutely contagious to anyone he's around.

Knees If You Please

2009-09-06T17:46:00.003-04:00

This just in...

Nathan in the past 3 days has started attempting and then attempting successfully to push up on his knees. That is like one minor eensy weensy move away from crawling...yowsers. And about 5 minutes ago, we heard a bump bump in the crib and when we checked the video monitor it was our son up on his knees and rocking rocking rocking back and forth then bumping the side of the crib. Oh. my. goodness. I don't know if I'm fully ready for a mobile Nathan! I understand it could still be a while before he actually gets everything going together for a full out crawl, but I know my days are numbered with a non-mover. Perhaps I should go shopping for some new running shoes to keep up with the little man? Get ready.

Happy After Church

2009-08-25T09:04:00.003-04:00

A little peek at Nathan enjoying folks after church...(video courtesy of RESagers videography)

Mr. Longfellow

2009-08-22T22:17:00.003-04:00

My sweet husband has been gone to South Carolina the past two days and I have missed him greatly. In my time here by myself, it's been pretty quiet in the evenings and so I've been listening to music and thinking a lot. Tonight, I was thinking about poetry. I love the stuff, but I don't read near as much as I use to. I was that girl in high school that looked forward to the poetry analysis lesson in English, while others bemoaned I rejoiced! I enjoy writing it too, but it has been a while since I composed any lines.

Well, in my head most days you can find a scrolling of songs, Nathanisms, prayers, items to take care of, scripture, Phillipisms, hopes, how-does-this-work thoughts, and poetry. One of my often remembered lines is the last stanza from this poem. I used to have this piece posted up in my room near my bed probably during junior high and early high school and I read it most nights, which is certainly why I remember it so well. It seems to sneak into my thoughts as I am crawling into bed at night or turning off the lights downstairs. And it's slight hints of sadness, seemed appropriate for these evenings missing Phillip. So without further adieu...take it away Mr. Longfellow


"The Day is Done"
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The day is done, and the darkness
Falls from the wings of Night,
As a feather is wafted downward
From an eagle in his flight.

I see the lights of the village
Gleam through the rain and the mist,
And a feeling of sadness comes o'er me
That my soul cannot resist:

A feeling of sadness and longing,
That is not akin to pain,
And resembles sorrow only
As the mist resembles the rain.

Come, read to me some poem,
Some simple and heartfelt lay,
That shall soothe this restless feeling,
And banish the thoughts of day.

Not from the grand old masters,
Not from the bards sublime,
Whose distant footsteps echo
Through the corridors of Time.

For, like strains of martial music,
Their mighty thoughts suggest
Life's endless toil and endeavor;
And to-night I long for rest.

Read from some humbler poet,
Whose songs gushed from his heart,
As showers from the clouds of summer,
Or tears from the eyelids start;

Who, through long days of labor,
And nights devoid of ease,
Still heard in his soul the music
Of wonderful melodies.

Such songs have power to quiet
The restless pulse of care,
And come like the benediction
That follows after prayer.

Then read from the treasured volume
The poem of thy choice,
And lend to the rhyme of the poet
The beauty of thy voice.

And the night shall be filled with music
And the cares, that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away.

Recent Favorites

2009-08-17T13:53:00.003-04:00

The boy is just getting cuter every day I tell ya! I go to bed thinking that he can't possibly get any cuter and then I wake-up to his sweet cheeks in the morning and my prior declaration is stamped VOID. Here are some of my recent favorites:

This eating business is serious...

Finally Mom triumphs over the intense fascination with the camera and captures a smile! Can't you just eat those cheeks right up?

Lightning struck twice and I captured a smile en route to grabbing a toy

Still no teeth for the little man. But, that's fine with me. You just gotta enjoy the toothless smiles for as long as you can. Nathan has been enjoying his solid foods including new additions of: carrots, green peas, applesauce, peaches, and plums. I am becoming quite the puree master by making most everything he eats myself. I am really enjoying being a baby food chef and my only customer has given me rave reviews, well, except for the carrots. He looked at me like "what kind of crazy woman makes these things and expects people to eat them?" He has actually gotten a bit better though and seems to mildly tolerate the Bugs Bunny favorites now.

It was also reported to me (by a mom friend with a little boy in Nathan's class) that yesterday in the church nursery he was in the swing carrying on quite the conversation with himself. She said "Nathan was just singing, talking, and entertaining himself and I would look over and smile at him and he'd smile back and keep right on jabbering!" It's SO nice to know that your children are pleasant when you are away from them. That has been one of our goals for the little man: that he would enjoy us and also enjoy other people when we are not around. It's good for him to spend time with others that care for him. I just love the couple that keeps him in the church nursery! They are so kind and excited to see him every week. They say he's their star student and I don't mind that one bit!

Welcome SGK!

2009-08-10T21:26:00.003-04:00

The third member of the Bethancourt-grandchild-2009-trio has arrived! Christina (Phillip's sister) gave birth to Miss Sadie Grace Knips on 8/7/09 weighing 6 lbs 15 oz and 19 in long. Nathan is 6 months older and cousin Anna is 4 months older. This means these three will be having all kinds of fun together at family events! Here's a photo of the sweet girl:

We are thrilled to have this new little lady in the family! Congratulations Chad and Christina on your new little sweet pea! Nathan sends hugs to his newest cousin...xoxo

Seen and Heard Around Courtside

2009-08-05T21:08:00.002-04:00

Last week perhaps, I witnessed one scene that could have appeared on National Geographic or Planet Earth. I was driving back from campus when about 15 yards in front of me a wild bird of prey crossed my path . It was a HUGE owl, but not just an owl, it was an owl carrying a rabbit!! I literally almost stopped my car to check out this wild animal encounter. It was one of the most interesting things I've ever seen--especially since owls are nocturnal by nature and this was in broad daylight. It reminded me of my days in GT investigating owl pellets (aka owl barf balls of fur and bones). You think digging through animal barf would seem gross, but it was riveting to an elementary school girl. We could even take home the bones we found. I still have some on display--just kidding. But, you can sign me up for an Animal Planet series.

We have been hearing a lot of "Gah, Gee, Ah, Goo, Oo-gah" from Nathan. His verbalization is really taking off! We are trying to coach him up on putting the "Ah" and the "Gee" together to say "Aggie" Wouldn't that be an awesome first word?! We think so! We are also trying to get him to say some "da-da" "ma-ma" "ba-ba" sounds, but he seems to really like the "G" sounds. He also has quite a vocal range. One minute it's super high pitched squeals and then he drops into his lower register of throaty grunts. It is quite entertaining to carry on conversations with him these days. You never know what will come next...

6 Month Boy

2009-07-30T21:29:00.002-04:00

Nathan had his 6 month check-up yesterday and here are his stats:

Height: 26 3/4 in (50-75%)
Weight: 15 lbs 15.5 oz (25%)
Head Circumference: 17 1/2 in (50-75%)

Phillip said that if he would have just held the liquid in his bladder a bit longer he would have crossed the 16 lb mark! Half an ounce away from sweet sixteen...For those who are curious, 6 months is truly 26 weeks. Sometimes the weeks don't equate exactly to the months of age for babies, but at this mid-way mark they equal out.

He is doing lots of things: rolling both ways ALL the time, creeping forward and backward, loves to stand, can sit unassisted for a few moments. So it won't be too long before he can really start moving somewhere!

At 24 weeks we ventured into the world of solid foods. Starting with, you guessed it, rice cereal. He was good at eating from the get-go and is only refining his skills with each passing day. He has now added to his repertoire bananas and pears. Bananas were not too successful the first time, but have come on strong during the repeat offering. I am going to start with the veggies soon. Although, I must admit the prospects don't look good for the boy. Being that his genetic lineage does not have strong veggie lovers, but hey I will still give it the 'ol college try. Sweet potatoes are probably on deck with green peas or green beans in the hole...oh boy.

We have also introduced Nathan to drinking water from a glass and from a sippy cup. He is on board so far and seems to think it is pretty fun. With all of this extra eating and drinking, the dish washing sure does increase around here! But tiny dishes are cute to clean I must say.

Nathan is now half way to a year...what will the next 6 months hold?

That's a Racket

2009-07-17T08:51:00.005-04:00

Nathan looks like he's taking after his Dad's fondness for racquetball early...

Thanks Mr. Sagers for letting me wear your RecSpecs! They allow me to see better so I can whip your Oregonian tail all the way down the Oregon Trail! Watch out, I've got a killer backhand...

A List Blitz

2009-07-13T14:28:00.002-04:00

Because it would take too long to get caught up with individual blogs about everything we've been doing since the last post, I have opted for a list version instead:

-Nathan was 5 months old on June 28th. I know he weighs right around 15 lbs (a little over now) and he should be gaining about a pound a month from here on out. It seems like he has really grown in the past two weeks. He is turning into a little boy right before our eyes

-Phillip officiated the wedding of his old college roomie Isaac Currey in Grand Prairie, TX on June 27th. Isaac is now married to Becky--yes a real live Isaac and Rebecca--and they will be heading to Thailand soon to teach at an international school for the next 2 years.

-We headed to Abilene for 10 days to visit my family. I learned how to make homemade yeast rolls from my Mama Sug--scrumpdeliumpshus! Phillip got to preach at South Side Baptist Church. We had steak twice and it was awesome both times! Nathan practiced his Pee-pye skills (peek-a-boo to some).

-Next we ventured down to College Station, TX to visit Phillip's family. We saw everyone except Justin and Chad, sad to miss them, but glad we got to see so many. The Indonesia Bethancourts are in the states for the summer so we caught up with them. Mam-maw and Grandpa had all 7 of their grandkids in one place at one time, which is quite an accomplishment. It will only be 7 for a little while longer because Sadie Grace is on the way soon!

-Now, we're back home for awhile. Catching up and scheming up some projects. Perhaps painting the kitchen cabinets...

The blog is back from vacation! Hooray!

Pics Galore

2009-06-25T09:58:00.003-04:00

It has been a busy week! The SBC was in Louisville this year and so Phillip has been conventionizing every day and we got to participate in some of the action too. Nathan enjoyed meeting lots of friends at the convention--especially Chris and Peggy Osborne (or Pops and Honey as he was told to call them) for a breakfast at Lynn's Paradise Cafe. We are so thankful for the faithful ministry of Chris during our time in College Station and now to continue our friendship with them is a blessing.

Here's some good Nathan shots.

Good Morning Mom! He generally takes a little while to get going in the morning after his breakfast, so he sometimes likes to relax in his chair to wake-up.

Playing on his tummy is a favorite pasttime

Boy Meets Chevron Car. I sure am proud of my Grandpa who works hard at Chevron! Note: Nathan is also wearing one of my old A&M outfits-ha!

Phillip's First Father's Day

An exciting new toy for me to play with now that I enjoying standing so much!

June Bugs

2009-06-13T10:03:00.005-04:00

Sorry it's been so long...

We've been busy with summertime fun including a trip to Texas. While on the trip, Nathan got to play with his cousins John Thomas and Anna. John kept coming up to him and saying "Naaaytun!" and smiling with a friendly smile. He even would ask about him when he wasn't in the room--so sweet! It won't be too long before these fellows can really get some serious playing in! Anna is not mobile yet, but she sure gave Nathan a good talking to when they were on the floor together. I think they enjoyed having someone who could speak their language, you know Aye-ya-ya-hoo-hoo-squeal language with a Texas drawl of course!

We also enjoyed visits from Mammaw, Granny, Papaw, Miss D, and Daddy Doc. Nathan is quite the charmer and he showed them his infectious giggle and lovable smile! We stayed at Christina and Chad's and got to see little Sadie Grace's room all fixed up. Just a few more weeks until she debuts! Christina looks great and she will complete the 2009 Bethancourt Grandbaby Trio with Sadie's arrival. It will be fun to have so many cousins to play with!

Nathan got to take his first swim while we were there. He was a natural! Just hung out in the water relaxing and enjoying the dip. Seems like swimming may be one of our regular activities now that I know he likes it so much:

First Dip

Family Swim

Trying out his boogie board

Cruisin' in the bug mobile

4 Months

2009-05-30T14:49:00.003-04:00

Our little buckaroo is 4 months old!

Here's his stats:
Height: 24 1/2 in (25-50%)
Weight: 13 lbs 14 oz (25%)
Head Circumference: 16 1/2 in (25-50%)

Based on these numbers he is a smallish 4 month old boy. Can you believe it? Everyone is always saying how "big" and "healthy" he is and someone even asked if he wore "husky" clothes (just kidding). We are not concerned in the least because he is doing wonderfully! Some of you may remember that I reported him at 14 lbs 7 oz at 14 weeks. Well, the data was false. I had weighed him at the campus clinic and their scale is off to the tune of 1 whole pound! Being my investigative self, after we had him weighed at the doctor (3 times for accuracy) I was more than perplexed that perhaps we had a shrinking boy. So, I promptly took him up to campus the next day and he weighed in at 15 lbs 4 oz on their scale (with his diaper on). Obviously something was wrong here. So Phillip checked the scale with nothing on it and it balanced at 16 oz which is why there was such a discrepancy. By subtracting a pound and a few ounces for the diaper we were right at what he weighed at the doctor's office. Boy was I glad! I was convinced he was shrinking or had a tapeworm!

Other than that, he once again got a clean bill of health. Our Dr. commented on how toned he looked. The dude has some cut arms. Biceps and shoulders look like he's been working out. Seriously though, we are thankful that he is so healthy and such a delight to be around.

Here's a few 4 month photos:

His new favorite activity--grabbing and chomping his shirt and hands

Sitting up like a big boy

A nice face--"What is this woman doing to me?"

Video Debut

2009-05-21T14:30:00.004-04:00

Here is Nathan's video debut on the world wide web. The cinematography is in need of an award no doubt. The main character is obviously Nathan and he is showing off his rolling skills (with a little prompting from Dad).

Apparently, he has taught himself to roll over from his back to his stomach in bed as of yesterday. Previously he could roll during playtime, but he couldn't yet master the confines of the crib for a roll. So, from his afternoon nap yesterday all the way through right this moment he has managed to move himself to his tummy sometime during his sleeping sessions.

I think I had one of those Mom moments today where you realize that your child is starting to do things on his own. No longer does he stay exactly the way I put him where I put him. He's got a plan of his own. Scary and exciting all at the same time. Also, it's little league season and I see these little boys all over town dressed up in their uniforms and I can't help but smirk to myself about what team Nathan will play on in just a few short years...I'll hope for the Texas Rangers or Houston Astros or maybe we can convince them to name the team the Texas Aggies! Bring on the juice boxes and fruit snacks, well not too soon, but I'll look forward to that day. I love watching this little boy grow!

First Haircut

2009-05-20T15:59:00.005-04:00

I decided Nathan's locks needed a little trim not too long ago. Mostly, the bangs were a bit long and the back of his hair could almost be combed into a rat tail and that had to change. No rat tails in this family. The result was not a drastic all-over transformation, but it got the job done. Here's the photo footage:

Before

During
After
After Styled

I thought I did a pretty good job for a rookie. It hasn't been that long since the trim, but I am eyeing the "rooster" that tends to stick up on the back of his head. Perhaps with a little cut we could tame that rooster...I'm not certain though. It is pretty unruly.

Fact or Crap?

2009-05-08T15:19:00.003-04:00

Fact: Today is Phillip's last day of the semester. Whoop! He is basically halfway done with his classes for the PhD program. I am such a supportive wife that I had a dream the other night that I too was having to write a 30 page paper. It was on a literary classic (which I don't remember which book I picked, but I'm thinking Dickens) and it was supposed to be written within the next two days and I hadn't started it. When I woke up, I was so relieved yet stressed at the same time. Glad Phillip finished his papers on time and worked diligently on them.

Fact: I took Nathan to be weighed today. The result at 14 weeks old: 14 lbs 7 oz of all boy. Hearty like a boy should be. He is also 24 1/4 in (most likely something around there) I took the average of my measurements and that's what I came up with. Maybe Grandpa is right that he is on his way to Offensive Tackle stats...

Fact: Today I vacuumed like a mad woman. I canvased the basement carpet not once but twice. In the process, I sucked up the adapter to my Dust Buster in the vacuum. Awesome getting that out. However, this seems to be a recurring problem with me. Other items my vacuum has eaten: dryer sheets, contact case, fabric belt from one of my shirts...I'm sure today's adapter won't be its last meal. Luckily, every time it has eaten something me (or my husband) has managed to get it out somehow.

Crap: Is what I say when I hit another pothole in this crazy city. Literally, they are out of control. Is it appropriate to contact FEMA for pothole relief? I am seriously contemplating writing Obama for a little help around here...

Roly Poly

2009-05-05T14:57:00.002-04:00

As of May 1st, Nathan is a roly poly. He mastered the back-to-tummy roll on Saturday much to our surprise. He has been doing that a few times each day since the first. He even did it twice on the web cam for Miss D and Daddy Doc. But, as of a few minutes ago he championed the tummy-to-back roll. He was doing his tummy time for the day and working especially hard. There was actual grunting like he was doing push-ups. A true manly workout. Then he just rolled himself right over and came up with a big smile. Being a curious mom, I decided to put him back on his tummy to see if he'd do it again and voila he complied for a second and third roll. So it's official he's a back-to-tummy and tummy-to-back roller now. Look out world Nathan's on the move!

3 Month Photo Shoot

2009-04-29T18:11:00.005-04:00

Here's the compilation from our 3 month photo shoot...

He's handsome most definitely. Hope you enjoy a sample from his portfolio. It's hard workin' for the camera...

Arm Wrestling, Boot Scootin', and The Smiley Man

2009-04-24T09:32:00.004-04:00

Nathan is getting much stronger these days and he has decided he's into arm wrestling. He is wiggling, punching, flailing his arms constantly. He is loving learning to bat at objects, grab onto things (mostly my hair-ouch!), and move and groove. But his sleeping habits are being a little disrupted by his favorite new appendages. He can't seem to decide if he wants his arms swaddled down, swaddled up, unswaddled, or one in and one out. It truly is a love/hate relationship for him right now.

These arms that he loves he can't quite control yet, so sometimes they surprise him when he is settling in for sleep or during sleep. This makes a difficult quest for the parents. We would happily do whatever he prefers for his sleeping habits if we could only decide what that was! It seems it can change throughout the day. I'm sure it won't be too long before he decides what he likes, we're just going through a transition.

He has also become quite the scooter--especially in his crib. I heard him rustling about 5 am this morning and found him scooted all the way to the top of his crib with his head in the corner! I moved him back down and he settled in for some more sleep. Crazy scooter! He is also just a busy boy in general. When he's awake, he's moving and talking just as fast as he can. This may be foreshadowing of what's to come when this little guy can actually crawl or walk somewhere...no doubt he'll keep me on my toes!

Also, we've been singing him a new song called "Smiley Man" sung to the tune of the Spider Man theme song. It was adopted because our son loves to smile and he always does when we sing this song, so it's a good combo. "Smiley Man, Smiley Man, does whatever a smiler can..." and so on and so forth based on whatever we feel like singing at the time. It's "good times" as Phillip would say.

Easter

2009-04-16T13:08:00.004-04:00

We had a joyful Easter! Not only was it the first one we got to celebrate with our son, but we got to share it with so many wonderful friends. Including, but certainly not limited to, my old college roomie Carrie and her husband Bryan who came to visit from California. With them they brought the news that Carrie is expecting a baby on November 10! We were thrilled! This means that all of the ladies I lived with in college will be having babies in 2009 AND we all took international trips almost immediately after finding out we were pregnant. Crazy and awesome. I love when things happen in exciting ways! So I had Nathan on January 28th, then Julie had Abigail on February 25th, then Christina will have a baby girl around August 13th, and Carrie will have her little one around November 10th!

Here's Nathan's Outfit: Button down shirt, khakis, and little saddle shoes

The hearty smile: elusive on film but prominent in real life

Family Photo

Hope you too got to celebrate the Risen Savior on Easter Sunday...

Fotos de Tejas

2009-04-15T09:27:00.004-04:00

There is an urgent need for more pictures of Mr. Man. Without further adieu...

Nathan at 2 months (forgot to post this one when it actually happened)

Nathan meets Mama Sug (Cami's Dad's Mom)

Workin' out. He discovered how to shake a rattle thanks to Miss D :)

Dad & Son in Abilene

Nathan meets Gurney (Cami's Mom's Mom)

Daddy Doc holds Nathan for his first introduction to a horse out at Lawhonhill (Cami's grandparents place) This little colt though Nathan was quite fun!

On a rock with Daddy Doc

Let it be known that our son's first steps ever were on West Texas dirt and here's the proof! Nathan you can thank us later for this honor.

Grandpa with Nathan. It won't be too long before these two will be hittin' the golf course...

Mammaw with the three youngest grandkids. (L to R Nathan, Anna, John Thomas) Her lap is always ready for some good sittin'!

We had such a fun trip to Texas getting to see everyone! We hope to come back soon...

Fixing the Coffee Table

2009-04-13T13:32:00.002-04:00

So we ordered pizza last night and ate it off our coffee table in our basement while watching The Masters. All of this was an enjoyable and relaxing finish to a great Easter Sunday. However, when we removed the pizza boxes we noticed they had created white heat marks on our coffee table. Bummer.

Today, I did a mean internet search on how to fix them and came up with a solution folks said worked. The ingredients: a steam iron and white t-shirt. Put the t-shirt over the white marks and apply medium heat from a steam iron and voila! no more white marks. It sounds crazy I know. Applying heat to a table that was messed up by heat doesn't make sense, but I'm telling you it works. Now, I will just touch it up with a little Pledge and she will be good as new.

I love a good home tip...

On Texas Time

2009-04-01T12:27:00.003-04:00

Well, we landed in Texas on Sunday night for Nathan's first trip to the homeland. When the Lone Star beckons, you must heed its call and it had been calling him for his first two months of life. So, now he is official. We're taking after the Powells (who did this for Gunner) and making sure Nathan's first steps ever are on Texas soil. Pictures to come.

We did have some adventures traveling with the little man and it all started before we left Louisville. I had been carrying him in the front carrier all through the airport and he was happy as a clam. When we were getting close to boarding time, I decided I should change his diaper because I knew that things would be cramped in the airplane bathroom. Upon pulling him out of the carrier, we discovered a 4-alarm blowout! It was the biggest and worst to date: poop was on Nathan, his outfit, and the carrier. Gross. So, we went into recovery mode. I swooped him up armed with a new outfit and headed to the bathroom to get him clean.

While I was in there, some nincompoop opened an armed door and this deafening alarm started going off throughout the airport. I wasn't sure if there was a fire or tornado or what, but it was announced that it was just a regular old nincompoop move. However, the alarm was screaming at full tilt and Nathan followed suit. I rushed out of the restroom and then we were able to board the plane almost immediately--thank goodness. Dirty baby plus super loud alarm don't mix well for the already a bit stressed mom. When we got on the plane, I shed a few tears but was able to recover quickly.

He did great on the flights! From Louisville to Dallas he was awake and happy and he slept the entire time from Dallas to Abilene. However, once we landed in Abilene (Nathan was still sleeping and we were hoping to keep it that way) there was a little girl in the seats behind us who knocked the armrest and it cracked Nathan on the head waking him up screaming in pain. I looked at the girl and her mother hoping for an apology and they just looked back at me bewildered. It was a look of I know what my daughter just did, but I'm not going to say anything to her or to y'all. Unbelievable. I wasn't looking for much, but just an acknowledgement that your child just hurt my child and she's sorry would have been appropriate. Thankfully, I was able to hold my tongue.

So, now we're here in Abilene and enjoying it. Nathan has met great-grandparents and is looking forward to heading to Wylie High School (where my mom works) tomorrow. He has many Bulldog fans who want to meet him. Then we will be going to College Station/Houston for more visiting.

What a fun trip!

2 Month Check-up

2009-03-27T18:32:00.002-04:00

Nathan had his 2 month check-up today and here's the scoop:

Weight: 11 lbs 12 oz (50 %)
Height: 23 1/2 in (75 %)
Head Circumference: 15 1/2 in (25-50%)

Overall, he checked out wonderfully! He smiled, cooed, and told the Dr. all about what had been happening during these first 2 months of life. He was tough during his shots, but has been a bit out of sorts the rest of the day. In true Nathan form though, he was crying and trying to smile at the same time. A little uncomfortable, but the smiles tell us he'll make it through. His main performance of the day was that he peed not once, but twice while we were there. The first time he went all over the exam table, the second time he got the doctor during his examination. It was deemed an occupational hazard.

We are so thankful for a healthy boy!

8 is Great

2009-03-25T11:51:00.004-04:00

Our little man is 8 weeks old today, so here's some new photo footage:

Sittin' in the recliner

Sweet boy

I think he truly is the perfect blend of Phillip and me--what do y'all think? Does he favor one of us more?

He goes to the doctor for his 2 month check-up on Friday so we will get his official stats then. But he is getting big for certain! I have a feeling he is a far cry from that 7lbs 8oz and 19 1/2 in where he started...

Nursery Tour

2009-03-23T11:00:00.004-04:00

So, here it is finally. The nursery was a bit of a work in progress and I being my everything-has-to-be-just-so self didn't want to take pictures until it was done. That being said, I love Nathan's room! It is just wonderfully cowboy.

Wall Collections
The first collage contains: an old map of TX with the cattle trails marked courtesy of Miss D, Nathan's initial hooks from Mammaw with some boy sized spurs from Daddy Doc, a framed vest that belonged to Daddy Doc when he was a young 'un, and a wooden plaque with some lyrics from "Deep in the Heart of Texas" also courtesy of Miss D

The second wall area is a copper looking star and some old wooden cross plaques

View when you walk in the door

The 'Ol Lone Star
Ain't she a beaut?

Changing Area and Shelf
Notable items: Texas A&M Chevron car (thanks Grandpa!), Willow Tree from Mama Sug, and an empty Dublin Dr Pepper bottle. We thought about just attaching a bottle nipple to one of those Dublin DP bottles, but then decided Nathan might have to wait just a little bit longer for that one...

Curtains by Mammaw
A nice "old flannel cowboy shirt print" according to her

Bookcase/Display Area
Nathan has some great books and holding them up is an old Abilene brick that our friend John Powell dug up while hunting in West Texas--exceptional

Crib
The little man's bed outfitted in a Buckaroo and pony print and filled with dreams of trail rides and the wild west

Rocking and Reclining Chair
A family favorite! Everyone loves time in this chair!

2009: Nathan and the Ladies

2009-03-17T20:14:00.002-04:00

2009 is an exciting year in our family. Not only did I give birth to Nathan in January, but our sister-in-law Lori is expecting Anna Maye literally any day now, and Phillip's sister Christina just found out today that she is expecting a baby girl August 12!

What wonderful news.

This makes 8 grandchildren on Phillip's side of the family either here already or on the way. As I was praying today both for Anna Maye and Baby Girl Knips I was reminded of this Proverb:

Psalm 127:3
"Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward."

What a gracious and faithful God we serve who has seen fit to bless our family with so many children. Truly, they are rewards for our entire family...

Alex Joshua, Isaac Scott, Luke Andrew, Jack Henry, John Thomas, Nathan Ross, Anna Maye, and Baby Girl Knips...we love you and are so thankful for each one of you.

Miss D & Daddy Doc

2009-03-17T10:57:00.003-04:00

Miss D and Daddy Doc came to visit us while Spring Break was happening in Texas. This time they came to Louisville the weather was a bit more hospitable for them, mainly no ice storm this time! We had a fun filled week of playing with Nathan, shopping, taking them to Claudia Sanders (wife of The Colonel of KFC) Restaurant, playing with Nathan, cooking out on the grill, laughing, and you guessed it--playing with Nathan.

No doubt the little man enjoyed all the extra hugs, love, and attention from his grandparents. He even performed for them and did lots of talking, smiling, and laughing while they were here. We certainly enjoyed their visit.

Miss D and her little man

Daddy Doc and his amigo favorito

Let the Record Show

2009-03-14T21:40:00.003-04:00

That on 3/13/09 Nathan slept through the night for the first time!

After his 10:30 pm feeding, his little head hit the pillow for good at 11 pm and he didn't wake up until 6:50 am. I heard a bit of a rustle in his room about 4:30 am, but he went back to sleep pretty quickly. Apparently, both Daddy Doc and I slept through the night during our 6th week of life so I guess it was in Nathan's genes.

Now, we'll have to see what shakes out with his schedule during the day while he's adjusting to his new found nighttime sleep. The transitions are always more trying for me the mommy because I like everything to be just right. I just have to find out what the new "right" is for his next little phase in life.

We sure are proud of this growing boy!

Jukebox Daddy

2009-03-09T10:14:00.003-04:00

We have a smiler on our hands.

And the source of the smiles is The Jukebox Daddy.

On Saturday morning when Nathan woke up he was in a cheery mood. So, Phillip started singing a random array of songs to him and he loved it! It was by far the most concentrated, purposeful smiles he has given us so far. Normally, he has a few sleepy smiles and some random ones escape when he is looking at something he enjoys, but he was really loving his Jukebox Daddy's entertainment. So, naturally like any good new parents, we kept up the show until Daddy's voice was waning and Nathan fell asleep.

Some highlights from the song list include:
"Macho Man" by The Village People
"I Would Do Anything for Love" by Meat Loaf
"All My Rowdy Friends" by Hank Williams Jr.
"Paul Revere" by Beastie Boys
"Ramblin' Fever" by Merle Haggard
"My Love is Deeper" by Randy Travis

I think the crowd favorite would have to be "Macho Man." Nathan is ready for his manly dominion and leadership in the future...I'm sure the muscle flexing won't be too far away...

"Every girl's crazy bout a 1 month man..."

2009-03-01T14:35:00.004-05:00

Nathan turned 1 month old yesterday and it seems like the month has just flown by! His 1 month gift to us was sleeping the longest he has slept at night yet!! I feed him for the last time at 10:30 pm then put him to bed. He awoke the next time to eat at 3:45 am then went right back to sleep and woke up to start the day at 7:34 am. It was quite an accomplishment for him and us! And just so you know it wasn't a fluke, he did the same thing last night! Well done son. His feeding/waking/sleeping schedule is working wonderfully and so he eats at 7:30, 10:30, 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, and 10:30 each day and sleeps until he wakes up at nighttime. Of course there are variances some days, but for the most part his life is pretty predictable and that makes for a more predictable day for Mom and Dad.

Posed by his 1 month sign, wearing his sheriff star

A serious, yet adorable face

A size comparison with Rojo (I think that's a good name for this horse)--I plan to do this picture each month to show his growth

"Lastly, my point is, I'm 1 month old and have dashing good looks."

Announcing AKD

2009-02-26T16:46:00.003-05:00

The world has another Dockery. And that is a great thing. Miss Abigail Katherine Dockery was born to proud parents Ben and Julie on February 25 at 3:40 pm weighing 7 lbs 8 oz and 19 in long (the same size as Nathan minus a 1/2 in).

Now, this is important to Courtside for many reasons. Most importantly, the Dockerys are some of our most cherished friends in the world. They are the friends that you will be at their 50th anniversary, their kids weddings, and any other event just because you love them. Their friendship makes our family better and we are so thankful for them. Julie is special because we've known each other since we were a mere 18 years old! Now here we are 7 years later, married to wonderful men, and having our first children just 4 weeks apart! This is a true measure of God's blessing in our lives.

So, Nathan is looking forward to meeting Miss Abby and he sends his love by showing off his manly physique. He hopes she is impressed...

Fun Times with Mom & Dad

2009-02-23T08:27:00.004-05:00

We have been having so much fun with Nathan! And I think he likes us fine enough too. Here's some shots with us and the little man...

Our first date since Nathan's arrival (thanks Mammaw!) We had a nice dinner out on the Friday before Valentine's Day. Phillip got me the nice flowers pictured and Moo-lenium Crunch Blue Bell ice cream. Yum yum!

Piggy Back ride--clearly Nathan will have to "develop" his love for this...

Snoozing with the Daddy-o: note the hand precariously positioned to keep the pacifier in. You learn all kinds of tricks as a new parent.

Dressed-up with Mommy after church

Now some solo shots for the adoring fans...

Oh my! This town doesn't have Tex-Mex my world is crumbling!

All snazzy for church in my soft suede shoes. Props to my cousin John Thomas for the duds! He's a real cool cat.