Merry Christmas from the Mauldins!

Snickers and Cashews and my best goofy look,

I couldn't ask for more!! :-)

Merry Christmas from the Mauldins! We hope each of you had a great Christmas as well. We had a great time, watching both our "babies" open Christmas presents. Of course, Zachary is the old pro, Samuel is the new guy. Big Bubba had to show him the ropes. Samuel was quite fond of the crinkly paper! :-)

If any of you are wondering why there is only one picture of Carrie in this little collection, she was either the one taking the pictures, or she didn't like the ones we had of her. She didn't want the others posted! :-)

Our boy looking far more like a young man
with his new church clothes.

Bubba, this Christmas thing ROCKS!!!!!!!!!

Zachary looking quite happy with his "big" gift this year!
(Video games, what else????) :-)

Cool! Bubba check this thing out!

Bubba show me how this unwrapping thing works again!

YES! What every 13 year old wants for Christmas,
A RAISED TOILET SEAT FOR HIS BATHROOM!!!!
OK, seriously, we just used the box, it was full of clothes! :-)

OH Yeah, I'm getting the hang of this now!

Bubba, I couldn't do this without ya,
but, if you think you are getting my toys, your crazy!

I bought Carrie a BMW for Christmas this year
(not pictured), it is in the driveway.
You didn't actually believe that did you? :-)
I couldn't afford a matchbox BMW!
Here are some of Carrie's gifts! :-)

The Mauldin's blessed this year with an unexpected bit
of business that provided a little money for Christmas.
We had to stretch it, but it was enough.
God is good, all the time!

Post Number Fifty

I'm mobile, and getting more so by the day,
LOOK OUT!!!!!

Hard to believe in eight short months we've reached fifty posts and almost 1,300 visitors! I've enjoyed working on the blog and the constant feedback has been a blast. We continue to receive emails about the blog, our boys, the family in general, and as usual they are encouraging and such a blessing. Not a lot of news really, Samuel is cutting two top front teeth and I've stapled Zachary's lips shut! :-) Samuel is close to crawling, really close. Right now, he is just a really talented dragger, not really a crawler. Just kind of drags himself around by his arms. I'm continuing to feel much better and Carrie is working too hard and doing too much, as usual. I've put together a little montage of recent pictures. I'll shut up, here they are, love you all:

I'm one of the BIG kids now!!!!!

This is the real me, slobber, snot,
and my police motorcycle,
doesn't get much better than this!

This is my Bubba's idea of baby sitting!!!
(Actually Zachary was watching the baby while Carrie and I worked
on something and Samuel LOVED being in the box!)

Bubba, you gotta show me how to do some tricks on this thing!

Pa Pa, I'm following in your footsteps!!!

HEY! Am I the only one who thinks the crossed suspenders looks geeky?

Bubba and me just chilling on the couch!

Yep! Dad taking more pictures of me sleeping! Well, I am kind of cute!

Don't worry about me,
I WOULD NEVER GET INTO ANY TROUBLE DOWN HERE!

Daddy, Bubba, and me getting a little snuggle time on the couch!
(Notice the food stain on my Daddy's shirt, what a slob!) :-)

You know, I think this Daddy guy loves me!

A Generation Apart

Hi everyone, check this out. As Samuel has gotten older, I've commented a couple of times about how much he was looking like my Dad in his baby picture. When we went home over the holidays, Candice dug the picture out, and the similarities were amazing! I've put together a couple of pictures that really show the similarities. I think you will be as amazed as we were. A generation apart, but still so very much alike:

My Dad, Michael Mauldin at 6 months old.

Samuel at about 6 1/2 months
(Look at the eyes, hair, nose, chin, etc...but not so much the smile)

Samuel again at about 6 1/2 months
(Note the smile and nose especially)

Bye Bye Braces

Pray for us, I think the no braces look makes him look two years older! Yikes!

After about 2 1/2 years, the braces are no more! He had a gorgeous smile before, but man does he have a great one now! His orthodontist really bragged on what a good job he had done taking care of them. One kiddo down, we'll play wait and see on Samuel. I'm sure by the time Samuel hits the age for braces, they'll cost us $20,000.00! :-)

Little britches actually had to go to the dentist himself today, with all two teeth!! We noticed that his teeth had what looked like cavities or dark stains on them, all of a sudden. Kind of freaked us out, its not like we put Dr. Pepper in his bottle or anything. Carrie got him an appointment with a pediatric dentist who checked him out and told us he thought it was iron build up, either from our water or his formula. They did a cleaning and they are sparkling white again. We brush his little teeth all the time, but it won't brush off, but it can be removed by a dentist. We are supposed to watch it over the next couple of months He will go back in three months for another check up and cleaning. Looks like pearly whites all around!

Overdue Update

Da Da, I can't believe you would think that I could ever
be mischievous or in the least little way get into ANY trouble at all?????
(The look on that face says IT ALL!!!) :-)

We had a lot of fun over the Thanksgiving holiday. We were able to spend a little time with my Mom and her crew and a little more time with My Dad and that bunch as well. We were able to see a few folks from Hickory Street, our last church, on Saturday before we left town. That was great!

Everyone is doing great! The boys are growing like weeds and after all of that food over the holiday, I'm sure I am too! :-)

I did get my test results back that we've been waiting on. As some of you know, my doctor has been looking into whether I might have Lyme's Disease. Lyme's Disease would explain not only the long term symptoms I have suffered with, but also the more recent episodes of extreme muscle weakness, etc. Well, for any of you familiar with my track record, you guessed it, inconclusive! I believe the exact word she used, was indeterminate! My previous doctor called me an enigma, defined by Webster as a mystery: something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained. That would be yours truly! :-) The test results did show some very clear evidence of something lurking in the blood, likely Lyme's disease. They are going to continue the treatment, which we THINK has been a big part of my recent improvement. The good news is, after continued treatment, likely about two years, I SHOULD, if it turns out to be Lyme's, be disease and symptom free! Yep, completely cured! I'll be retested in a month or so, and the treatment should have more time to drive the Lyme's out of my cells and into the blood stream for a more conclusive diagnosis. Thank you for all your continued prayers! Please keep them up!

Here are a few more recent pictures:

Yep! Won't be long till I climb up and out of this old bed, then, LOOK OUT!

You guys are SSSOOO funny!

What do you mean NO? What does that mean?
Don't think I like that word!