Selph Household Happenings

*Today is my wonderful husband's birthday! He's officially in his thirties now... 31! Even though his birthday is on a Monday this year, we're still trying to make it a special day. This morning I made cinnamon rolls (from the can of course), something we only have occasionally on weekends, and we all sang happy birthday to him before we ate. Plus, Garrison played his little Mickey Mouse doll that sings happy birthday for daddy. Later today we'll give him his presents and tonight we have a date! Terrell's mom is coming to keep the boys so we can go out to eat. What a treat! Unfortunately we'll have to stay pretty close by because my babies are sick.... ugh.

*Austin started with something Friday and was congested and coughing and just not feeling good all weekend long. And it's only the 2nd week of school!! Soooo frustrating. Yesterday I mentioned to Terrell that since it was only the 2nd week of school it might be best for him to stay home with Austin and then if he needed to he could go into work once Garrison and I got home from school. It was the perfect plan and worked for everybody... except Terrell. He had to go into work today, at least for the morning, and had no way out of it. Boo. So the new plan would be for Austin to spend an hour or two at work with Terrell until he'd be able to get away and take Austin home until we got home from school. It wasn't our first choice, but it would have to work. Except Austin woke up sounding terrible and Garrison woke up coughing. We decided at the last minute for me to stay home with both of them.

*One of my worst fears about going back to work was what I'd do when one of my babies got sick. I've never had to be away from them when they're sick, which I'm so grateful for, but that little fact made this morning heart breaking. I felt terrible about having to miss work the second week of school but even more terrible about forcing Austin to sit at the bank with Terrell and Garrison to spend the whole day at school. Finally Terrell made the decision for me. Now we have 2 days to get over these colds or whatever they are and hopefully I won't have to miss another day of work for a while!


*Austin is officially walking!! He stills crawls a lot, but walks about 5 steps at a time all over the place. He's still unsteady and loses his balance pretty easily, but he takes those 5 steps at a time about 25 times a day. =) Nothing much has changed though. He was already into everything and already getting wherever he wanted to go so other than watching those cute and chubby little legs and feet takes steps, things around here are pretty much the same. We've yet to capture any pictures of him so we need to get on that soon. He is the cutest thing ever toddling around!

*Wednesday morning before work I got a call from my Nanny saying that my cousin Elom had been in an accident and broken his back and that we needed to pray for him. He had feeling in his arms and legs but was in a lot of pain and they still didn't know how serious it was. Two hospitals, one 6 hour back surgery, and several days of pain later, he is recovering and actually walking around. Praise God from Whom all blessing flow! Wednesday morning through Friday night when the surgery was finally over were a very anxious and stressful few days. We had plans of going to visit him on Saturday but he had a really tough day that first day after surgery and was in so much pain he just wasn't up for visitors. He has a long recovery ahead of him, about 4 months to be exact, but we are beyond grateful that this recovery is possible. Please pray for him as he endures a lot of hard work, therapy, and pain towards making a miraculous full recovery.

Happy Birthday again to my best friend and wonderful husband! I love you and am so thankful to share another birthday with you!!

My Baby the Braves Fan

A few weeks ago when Garrison found out that Terrell and I were going on a date to a Braves game without him he was pretty disappointed and declared that he wanted to go to da Braves game nex time. And how could we resist that? We even felt a little guilty about our date to watch his favorite team play. Garrison loves baseball and loves the Braves so we just had to make it happen, because sadly he doesn't remember much about his first visit to Turner Field.

So we (Terrell) went to work searching for a game we could go to. It had to be at night because it's just too hot for an afternoon game with a hot natured mama 3 year old in tow. It had to be on a Wednesday night because our weekends are full and that meant the next day we could sleep late and recover from our late night since we don't have school on Thursdays. And it had to be against a team who isn't very good/popular so we could get cheap tickets and it wouldn't be too crowded. Check, check, and check!

My mom came over yesterday afternoon to keep Austin and the 3 of us headed out to Chick-Fil-A for supper and then on to the Braves game. My little man was so excited. All he'd been talking about was cheering for ChippaJones and hoping the Braves would hit it to the fence.

We made pictures and walked around the entire stadium (which we didn't mean to do, however I made eye contact with Brian Jordan preparing for the pre-game and he waved and smiled!! So it was worth it) before finally arriving at our seats and getting settled in. The bad news was that ChippaJones wasn't in the line up, the good news was that Garrison didn't even notice. He was too focused on the baseball mans on the field.

Garrison watched just about every pitch at the start of the game and wanted every player, including the Padres players, to hit it to the fence. Then by the end of the 2nd inning he was digging through our book bag for a snack. Oh goodness. We had to pace him with the snacks or he probably would've made himself sick. The snacks were key to our fun night however.

I think his favorite parts of the game were when we all stood up and cheered for Dan Uggla's home run and Jason Heyward's RBI double, and whenever we did the tomahawk chop. Oh, and when we all stood up to sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Cutest. Thing. Ever. He knows all the words and sang right along with everybody else. It was precious. He had moments of being bored and restless, and even let out a big ole yawn around 8:30, but overall he did great. We left after the 7th inning and he went to bed around 11:00 because he had to spend a few minutes with Granna before she went home and it took him just a bit to get settled. Memories were made and fun was had by all. And we won! Now we're excited about taking Austin one day too! =)

First Day of School 2012

The first day of school is over and we all survived! Yay!!! I think we're all exhausted and ready to pass out, but we all had a really good day and are loving our new home away from home.

Terrell and I both woke up bright and early this morning so we'd have plenty of time to get ourselves ready before waking the boys up and getting them fed, dressed, out the door, pictures made, loaded up in the car, and to school on time. Whew! Our morning was a little crazy, but we made it to school on time and daddy was even too early for work so he came to help us get all 50 of our bags and lunch boxes inside. (A perk to having daddy working 2 seconds away!)

Here's our back to school first day pics...

They both looked so handsome and cute this morning. And I know on the last day of school I'll look back at these pictures and be amazed at how much they've grown!

Our first day was a really big success. And I am so thankful!

(Although I can already tell it's going to be interesting having them both in my room every morning before school starts while I'm trying to get things done and they're making messes and getting into stuff...)

All the little things went well....

*Both boys went to bed early last night.
*Austin woke up right at 7:00 so I didn't have to wake him up... which I would've felt totally guilty about.
*Neither one of the boys cried when they went to their rooms. (I wasn't too worried about Garrison but had prepared myself for Austin to shed lots of tears.)
*Austin took an hour nap from 10:00-11:00! This was a total shock to me! He's used to a morning nap but has a hard time napping when there's lots going on. I was thrilled and so thankful!
*Garrison walked by my room and waved and told me hey and made my day.
*Not one of my 15 students cried or had any major issues with the first day.

I am SO grateful for the day we all had. It wasn't perfect but it was pretty close. God has been so gracious to us today and if I had more energy right now I could probably cry because I had prepared myself for things to go much worse... especially with Austin.

Hopefully the rest of the week will go just as well. Now I'm going to rest awhile before the boys get up!

(First day last year)

For Garrison

Sunday August 5th, Garrison officially turned 3 and a half. Where is the time going? After reading about mamas who've been totally emotional over their babies starting Kindergarten, I've decided I will do my absolute best to soak up everyday with my oldest little man before I become one of those totally emotional mamas. It's gonna happen. Ohhh man. There's no doubt in my mind that I will be that mama. But enough about that. For now my baby is only 3 and a half.

Garrison Cade, here's a peek into your life at 3 and a half...

You Love:

*Playing baseball with daddy

*Your grandparents

*Cheetos

*Raisins

*Driving around your car or jeep

*AnAn

*Being read to

*Hotwheels

*Spaghetti

*Tacos

*Being outside

*Austin (and being a big brother)

*Mama putting you to bed

*Fruit Jammers

*Mickey Mouse

*The Braves

*Bubble baths

*Chick Fil A

You do Not Love:

*Austin getting into your toys

*Going to bed early

*Hotdogs

*Water in your face

*Mama (or daddy) leaving your room at bedtime when you still have things to say

*Loud thunder

*Playing at Chick Fil A when it's crowded

Your Daily Routine:

You wake up between 7:15 and 8:00 every morning by calling Ohhh Maaaama!

Next, it's time for breakfast- your favorite meal of the day most days.

After breakfast we clean up and you and Austin play together for a little bit before Austin's nap.

Then you watch Mickey Mouse while I get Austin down for his nap.

After Mickey Mouse goes off you're ready for my attention and some one-on-one time.

We like playing together most days but some days you help mama dust or clean the bathrooms

Once Austin wakes up we usually get out and run errands or visit the library or Chick-Fil-A.

Next comes lunch, clean up from lunch and toys, quiet play time, and then naptime.

(You typically nap from 1:40ish to 3:00 everyday.)

After naptime is a snack and playtime with Austin (and mama) til daddy gets home.

You love playing with daddy until supper is ready and love bubble baths after supper.

Your bedtime is 7:45 or 8:00 every night and you enjoy having extra playtime after Austin goes to bed.

Your Personality

*Loving and affectionate- you love to give and receive hugs and kisses and just have a BIG heart

*Smart- you soak up everything, catch on quickly, and have an amazing memory

*Compassionate- you are concerned any time you see someone else upset or hurt and always want to make it better. You are extremely thoughtful!

*Curious- you love to ask questions and always want to be in the "know"

*Strong-willed- you're only strong-willed occasionally, but you definitely have a stubborn streak

*Loud- boy oh boy are you LOUD. We're thinking that comes from Papa and the Garrison side of the family... how fitting!

*Athletic- you love every sport you've been exposed to and have great large motor skills



Garrison we are so BLESSED to be your parents and love you so much more than you'll ever know. We are so proud of you, so thankful for you, and are loving watching you grow. We know God has great plans for you and are excited about His work in your life. We love you little man!!

 The LORD bless you
and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26



First Week Challenges

This week is our first, first week of school. This is the week of preplanning for me... getting the room ready, getting materials and supplies organized, attending trainings, preparing for Open House, planning for the first few days, etc. And the first week for my kiddos to experience having a working mama, going to work with mama, and being super tired right along with their mama. Next week will begin our second, first week of school when my babies will start and go to their own classes and my new little students will come. It's exciting and scary at the same time!

This week has been less challenging than I predicted in some ways and lots more challenging in other ways. Lots more. I guess it's just been really different than expected but still a big ole adjustment just like I knew it would be.

Our mornings have been better than expected. Yay! Terrell has been a huge help with the morning routine and so far we haven't been rushing around like crazy or struggling to get to work/school on time. The boys have been pretty cooperative and the start of our day has gone fairly smoothly.

Our afternoons have been tougher than expected. I am exhausted. Worn out. Drained. Sleepy. And so are the boys. I guess you can tell we aren't used to getting up and being away for 5 hours straight. And poor Austin is really worn out because he's used to a morning nap. Bless his heart. We're all ready to crash once we get home and the last thing on my mind is cooking. Both Monday and Tuesday we did simple meals that required no cooking for me. My poor family. I'm thinking they'll survive though.

Our days at work/school have been easier and harder than expected. Monday was great! The boys did really good, I was able to accomplish a lot, and things were easy for the most part. Today on the other hand was pretty awful. Austin was into everything. It was kind of like a nightmare. I think he pulled off the border from our bulletin board no less than 5 times and I think I removed him from something he couldn't have/get near no less than 20 times. (My back hurts.) Garrison had his own issues too... he had trouble sharing with my co-teacher's 4 year old which led to a meltdown and had trouble listening and obeying. They were just a handful and made it very difficult for me to get things done. At one point I wanted to cut my losses and get out of there. That or just have a meltdown right along with them. But now it's a thing of the past so that's where we'll leave it. =) Thankfully tomorrow we're only going in for a little bit to take care of some last minute stuff before Open House on Friday. I'm praying things go much better than today!

My evenings have been sort of rough too because I'm trying to prepare for the next day by making lunches and ironing clothes and working on newsletters, but I'm also trying to cram in Premier stuff that I'm used to taking care of during the day. So that's been an adjustment and made things kind of crazy. I haven't been spending much time with my husband or watching my shows or the Olympics or even reading my favorite blogs. Hopefully things will calm down once we have a good routine and once we're only going to school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On a day, off a day. Yes, that will be much better. On a good note, I am sleeping all night. Yay! I used to really struggle with that when I was teaching 2nd grade because I always had a ton on my mind and a to-do list a mile long... which is pretty accurate this time around too, except that this time I'm still sleeping. Thank you Lord!

The week has been filled with ups and downs and lots and lots of challenges, but we're on the downhill stretch and I know we'll settle in and get adjusted and life will feel normal again soon. Or at least I hope so! I'm sad that I don't handle all of this newness and busyness and craziness better and that it's been confirmed yet again that I am not super woman. But, I am excited about meeting my "students" and their parents and getting the boys on a new, consistent routine and just getting the year started. It will be fun and stress free soon enough. Until then, Terrell Selph is just going to have to put up with me. =)

11 Months Old

My baby boy turned 11 months old Friday. Wow. Almost one! Double wow. Time flies when you're having fun... and chasing down two busy boys. Even though we're smack dab in the middle of planning the big first birthday party we still plan on soaking up every bit of our 11 month old baby.

This month Austin kept me running almost constantly. I should defnitely be in shape now! I only thought he kept me on my toes before. This month has been wild. He's been into everything you can think of and there is never a dull moment when he's awake. He is busy, he is fast, and he is brave. Talk about a combination. He definitely makes life exciting and fun and we are absolutely crazy about him. =)

The lion pictures were a little easier this month... but not much. Haha.

Here's my firstborn at 11 months. I think they still favor a lot.

Stats and Happenings This Month:

*I'm estimating you weigh around 20 pounds, but I have no idea how long you are...

*You still wear size 4 diapers and mostly 12-18 months clothes.

*This month you decided you weren't that interested in your bottles anymore. But since you're still supposed to have at least 16 ounces of fluid a day we try our best to get you to take 5 ounces per bottle plus a little bit of water with every meal. Sometimes you're just too busy to be still and take a whole bottle!

*You've tried a good bit of table food this month. So far you're liking very small amounts of potatoes, bread, teeny bites of spaghetti meat, and fruit. You also really like apple cinnamon puffs.

*You are still taking about and hour and a half morning nap, two hour afternoon nap, and sleeping about 12 hours at night. Such a blessing!

*You had your first haircut this month and look adorable!

*You are still all about your mama and constantly say ma-ma, MA-MA! You also say bye-bye all the time. We're trying to get you to say Garrison, but since that's a hard one we're thinking you'll say brother first instead.

*You are pulling up more than ever AND standing up all by yourself all the time! You love pushing Garrison around on his train and love to walk around holding onto the table or couch or wall. We know your first steps are right around corner!

*Even though you love pulling up and walking around holding onto something, you're still fastest when you crawl. And when you know we're chasing you down you start to speed crawl like your life depends on it. It is so funny!

*You love playing with Garrison's toys and trying to keep up with your big brother. And Garrison is starting to play with you more and more and he's even becoming more patient with you. I am loving watching your relationship and friendship grow. It makes my heart happy!

*You are one of our greatest blessings and we can't get enough of our sweet baby boy! Happy birthday to my littlest man!!

Summer in Review

Sweet summertime wasn't all sweet this year, but it sure was adventurous.

My first summer with 2 boys on my hands and nothing but time.

My first summer I wasn't able to go to the pool whenever I wanted.

My first summer that began with my husband flat on his back and in lots of pain. Wait a second... make that my second summer to begin that way.

My first summer in 3 years that included a countdown to the start of the school year and me teaching. Eeek!

Even though our summer was totally wild and crazy most of the time, it was also full of fun and laughter and adventures. And I'm so thankful for the memories we made and the blessings we enjoyed. Here are the highlights from the Selph Family Summer 2012~

We kicked off the summer with an amazing Memorial Day weekend full of quality time together as a family. One of my favorite long weekends ever.

Then June started on a rough note with an interrupted anniversary weekend and Terrell having major back issues. But the Lord was faithful and Terrell is much better and I survived double duty just fine. Okay, maybe not just fine, but I managed.

One day (early in the summer when it wasn't 100 degrees out) the boys and I pulled out the baby pool and just had fun cooling off in the backyard. Garrison swam while Austin napped and then Austin woke up and got to join in on the fun.

We squeezed in some outside time (again before the temperatures became unbearable) and both boys enjoyed themselves. Maybe cooler temps will arrive eventually and we'll be able to play outside again.

We made a few trips to the library... mainly just to hang out, look for books, and read a little bit. Storytime at our library is right at the start of naptime so we went to Storytime at the library in Madison with some friends once this summer. I think I burned calories that day trying to keep Austin in my lap. Gracious.

Garrison went to his first ever Bible School! It took him a while to warm up but he ended up loving Amazing Wonders Aviation! I was very proud of him for doing such a great job.

Austin got in the big bathtub with Garrison for the first time ever. It was pretty stressful. That's why we're keeping wiggle worm in the baby bathtub for as long as he'll fit!

We got to go swimming with AnAn... plus enjoy some free swimming lessons!

We enjoyed a wonderful vacation to the beach. We didn't relax a whole lot but we sure did have a lot of fun! 

We celebrated America's birthday and enjoyed our yearly traditions.

We made a few trips to Chick-Fil-A. Austin posed for a picture on the slide and played in "Toddler Town" for the first time ever.

Austin discovered just how much fun it is to empty out his diaper stacker... and flee the scene like nobody's business. That boy is into everything!

This summer really was a lot of fun. It was only crazy when Terrell's back went out and when my schedule became insanely busy. On the normal, regular days it was actually pretty great. Thank you Lord!

At the beginning of the summer I thought I was going to be scrambling for things to do everyday to keep us busy and entertained. I truly thought I'd be at Chuck E. Cheese and Chick-Fil-A every other day. But between vacation and errands and Bible School and trips to Barnesville we kept pretty busy and got out of the house plenty. We only went to Chuck E. Cheese twice this summer. We had a routine and a system that worked for everybody. And even though I did lose my mind a few times (especially here recently), I think I learned to embrace all the craziness and to remain grateful no matter what. Going back to work has been a really good reminder for me to enjoy this summer, craziness and all.

These two, my biggest blessings, have made the ups and downs of summer so worth it. There was never a dull moment during the Summer of 2012!

Now it's time for a brand new adventure. Ready or not, we're all going back to school! HELP!! Just kidding. =)