James' Date with Destiney

Thanks to our dear friend Destiney we were able to go on our first date (sans baby) since James was born. We had a wonderful dinner to celebrate our anniversary (steak, wine, and potato cakes at JAK's...yummy!) and James had a blast with Destiney.




We love you Des, thank you!

My alarm clock didn't go off

Since James was born I have not had a need for an alarm clock because, as you would imagine, I now have a living breathing one. The baby monitor sits beside our bed and as soon as so much as a peep is transmitted over the airwaves, my eyes open up and I creep down the hall to his room to assess the situation. Sometimes he roars like a lion and I know that he needs to be picked up right away, but other times he lets out the occasional sleepy squirrel noise and I know I can go back to bed for a bit.

Today however, my alarm clock didn't go off.

Ryan got up early for work, gave me a kiss goodbye, and let me know that the boy was still asleep but tossing around a bit so wake up time might be imminent. With this news in mind I mentally prepared myself to get up for the day (which was hard because we stayed up late last night watching two of my favorite shows ever....Iron Chef America and Ace of Cakes) but there were no noises and my pillow was calling me back.

So I layed my head back down and figured I would doze for a bit and wait for James to sound the alarm, but he didn't. Instead I woke up on my own an hour or so later completely confused and slightly freaked out.

Of course I sprung right out of bed thinking the worst but when I got to James room (in about .2 seconds) I saw a sweet little sight. James was lying on his back in his crib, crunched in the corner (this kid is definitely not claustrophobic), holding his toes in one hand with his other hand crammed in his mouth. He wasn't making any noise, just looking at his mobile and checking out his toes.

So, long story even longer, I got to sleep until 9:15 today and James is probably the cutest baby on the planet.....but I'm a little partial.

West Seattle

A couple weeks ago Kyle and Ann (and Daniel) Hendrickson invited us to their family's beach house in West Seattle to try to stay cool on an exceptionally hot summer day. James and Daniel had a great time chilling on the floor while us older folks listened to the ocean, tried to fly kites, and watched our babies play.....beautiful. Here are some pictures:

West Seattle Beach House

James today

Today James got to sit in the cart at the grocery store for the very first time.


He liked being in the grocery cart so much that he didn't even cry when I had to put him back in his carseat.

Squirmy Wormy

Last night James decided it would be super fun to squirm around after his bath and make it nearly impossible for us to put his diaper on his bum. After a few failed attempts by Daddy and then a few more by Mommy, we gave up and put the diaper on his head instead.....he didn't seem to mind.





Eventually we got the diaper on his bum and his bum in bed.......where he proceeded to suck his thumb. (Ok truth be told, I took this photo earlier in the day during his nap but it just seemed like such a nice end to the story.)

Two years ago today.

Two years ago today I woke up early in the morning with butterflies in my stomach and the knowledge that by the end of the day I would be Mrs. Ryan Singletary. Although two years doesn't sound like a lot I am struck by how much we have grown up and how our life together has changed since that day.

Since that beautiful day we have become parents to the most amazing little creature, we've bought a house, found an incredible community of friends/family at our church, grown stronger in our faith individually and as a couple and continued to learn about each others hearts.

Thank you Ryan for sticking with me all these years (we've been together almost 8 years) and for asking me to be your wife. It is truly an honor to stand beside you in this life.

I love you today!

~Annie

P.S. Thanks for putting the dishes away this morning, you made my day!

Raspberry Picking and Rice Cereal

Last weekend the Singletary family trekked out to Carnation to pick raspberries.....a little late in the season. The weather wasn't fabulous but we had a great time and got about 4 lbs of rasberries for under $5, can't beat that!

Check out our pictures:

Raspberry Picking

Additionally, with our pediatricians consent we gave James his first taste of solid foods....well if you consider rice mush a solid food.

Here are some photos of his first bites....or slurps:

First "Solid" Food

Hilarious!

Here are some photos of a couple t-shirts that James' cousin Luke (aka Luke's mom, my sister Mary) just sent him in the mail.

This just in.......

James just woke up from a nap and as is our usual custom, I picked him up and cuddled with him for a bit before heading back downstairs. I sat on the guest bed in his room and hugged and kissed him until I went in for the final kiss when I got something I was not expecting.

My lips were pursed pretty tight (thank goodness) and just as I went in for one last smooch James threw up all over my lips and down my face and chest.....fabulous!

Just another day in the life of the Singletary family.

Future James

It occured to me the other night as I lay in bed that James (God willing) is going to be a man one day. This small child that clings tightly to me when he cries and who giggles at toy monkeys will one day be all grown up. This thought made me both terrified and joyous and caused me to wonder what he'll be like. With this in mind I have written out a list of prayers that I have for my son:

James.....

I pray that you will be a man who loves Jesus and is humble enough to know that you cannot do anything apart from Him.

I pray that you will not measure the success of your life by what you have but by how you've loved and reflected Christ's love to others.

I pray that you will be a man of character and integrity and that you will truly love your neighbor as yourself.

I pray that I will not cling too tightly to you when it comes time for you to leave home but instead let you be the man you are supposed to be on your own.

I pray that you always remain close to your dad and even closer to your Father.

I pray that you will not waste your time with lots of "pretty" girls but instead wait for a beauty that loves the Lord and will love you too.

Finally, and most importantly, I pray that you will be a mighty warrior for God's kingdom and a faithful man of God.

That's all I've got for now but I am sure there will be more....

Praise the Lord for Football!

Ryan regularly reads CJ Mahaney's blog and today he showed me the latest entry which promptly brought me to tears.

Click here to read it, it's awesome!

4 Months

My boys are asleep on the couch right now, cuddled together and looking as sweet as can be. James has a little cold and had to have his four month shots today so it seemed that a nap with Dad was in order.

So here I am, tip toeing around the house, quietly making dinner and now this blog entry so that the men of the house can get a little shut eye. Here are the pictures I took of James post-shots and now asleep with his Daddy. Thank you Lord for these men in my life.

Today

Today we danced, James and me. I probably should have been working, folding laundry, or cleaning some surface or another but instead we danced. The music was loud in our living room and James giggled uncontrollably as I leapt around the room with him in my arms. His nose is sniffly today, a baby cold, and he'll be getting some more shots this afternoon so that's why we danced and left all of the things that "should" be done, undone for now.

I love this little boy......gotta go dance some more.