The Joy Dare, Days 6, 7 & 8

•  I love that a day where my husband gets to stay home is so enjoyable! 
• Rich loves to learn from reading.
• And then, he comes home and tells me about what he's learning. Love that! 

• A beautiful day on Saturday to go for a January walk to the library.
• The excitement of a 1 year old getting to touch a prickly bush on our walk
• When Carson laughs and puts his head down, barreling ahead while crawling.

• A family lunch date at Culvers...I love my little family.
• Time to scrapbook during Carson's nap time.
• Matching clean socks. Because matching socks are so hard to keep track of... 

The Joy Dare - Day 5

• For the sweet privilege of doing dishes while hearing giggles and roars from the living room... Rich plays with Carson so well! 
• Carson's snuggliness. He is so very busy, but he stops several times a day, usually, to snuggle with me. 
• A healthy dinner that tasted good... Half whole wheat spaghetti/half zucchini ribbons with spaghetti sauce, green beans, and salad with apple... Haven't eaten so many vegetables at one meal in ...a long time! :) 

The Joy Dare - Day 4

• My husband let me get out twice today all by myself and told me that he really enjoys having time with just him and Carson home! What a good man.
• Carson's afternoon bubble bath and the bubble beard that ended up on his chin.
• Two big floor to ceiling windows in our bedroom that let in the sunlight and make our room so cheerful.
  

The Joy Dare - Day 3

• Hugs from my husband when he gets home from work. He gives the best hugs.
• Snuggles from my sleepy, sick Carson Davis. We just laid on the couch today snuggling under a blanket and it was one of the best parts of my day.
• Time to work on Baby Boy's scrapbook today... I love reliving those special moments through photographs.

The Joy Dare - Day 2

• For a husband who finishes the dishes after I go to bed, so that I won't have to face them in the morning and feel automatically behind. 
• For extra snuggles with a teary eyed baby boy who is cutting some teeth... even though it involved THREE HOURS of awake time in the middle of the night. Despite my exhaustion this morning, I do love holding him when he's cuddly. 
• For coffee to keep this sleep deprived Mama awake and leftover soup for dinner tonight. What a relief that I don't have to plan dinner when I can barely see straight and the thought of spending a lot of time in the kitchen makes me want to resign as cook for the day! 

The Joy Dare

One of my goals this year is to record 3 things that I am thankful for each day. Choosing gratitude can make a powerful difference in my daily life. Now, I love being a stay-at-home wife and mom, but there are moments when I would rather complain than choose thankfulness. I am looking forward to seeing how this Joy Dare changes the way I think about my husband and son, as well as day to day life.

Beginning a little late today (due to after Christmas company and my son and husband's birthdays), I hope to share many of these things I am grateful for. I know that gratitude will change me...and I am excited to see those results in my life.

Day 1

• A husband who provides for our family. He works hard and is great at his job!
• For a one year old son who is learning new words each day. There is nothing more fun than saying "Carson, say 'duck'" and from the back seat of our mini van, we hear a tiny voice say "Duuuh". Total joy.
• Two hours to eat lunch and clean house while little guy is napping! Very long naps are so rare.

One Year Old

Carson Davis, you are 1 year old!

By the numbers...
Size 12 mos clothing (although you can fit into a few 18 month shirts), Size 4 diapers, 2 daytime nursings and 1 before I go to bed (time to drop that one...), 2 cups of whole milk a day (although you only drink a few ounces), 1 cup of "juice" (1 inch juice to 5 inches of water!), 4 solid meals a day (Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime snack).

Carson, at one year old, you are saying lots of fun words: Daddy, Mama, Baby, Doggy, Kitty, Fishy, Eat, Bubble, Mimi, Papa, Pop, MomMom, Hi, Byebye...
And you repeat us so often, even if you don't know what we are talking about! Today, you even said "Pizza!"

Although you are not yet walking, you cruise around the furniture and across the living room with your shopping cart. You get around quickly and efficiently! You occasionally stand for just a moment without holding on to anything!

Favorite foods: Banana, black beans seasoned with cumin, taco meat, spaghetti, cheese, bread, enchiladas, peach and pear bites, banana bread, and chocolate cake!

Favorite toys: Piano pop-up toy, Piggy Bank Fisher Price toy, kitchen spatulas, electric guitar, fish and net bath toy, and anything that makes noise!

You get in trouble for: Touching things that have buttons like our computers, Daddy's Xbox, the TV remote, the space heater and power strips.

Your favorite books: Have flaps or touch and feel pages, or your favorite Sesame Street books with baby Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, and Big Bird. You've loved their big black and white eyes since you were a small baby!

You are a people person who enjoys getting out. You love to play in the nursery on Sunday mornings and Sunday nights. You are not afraid when I drop you off and you jump right in the fun. You also enjoy quiet days at home, playing and reading with Mommy and Daddy.

Your future professions: Carpet cleaner and vacuumer by day (you squeal with excitement when we use the vacuum and despite how loud the rented carpet cleaner was, you loved it!), and musician by night... You love listening to music, watching Daddy and Mommy play guitar, and playing music on your piano, guitar and xylophone.

What I'm looking forward to this year:
Our new family routine of reading you a Bible story from one of your Bibles before you go to bed each night. Most nights, we'll read out of The Jesus Storybook Bible with Daddy, but if Daddy is at work like tonight, we'll read out of The Beginner's Bible. You like to listen and look at the pictures. Our prayer for you is that you will follow and love Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Happy 1st Birthday, Carson Davis! You bring so much joy to my heart. Every squeal, cheesy grin, hug, and ornery laugh reminds me of how blessed I am that God has chosen to entrust you into our care. Love you so, Baby!