Seven Month Milestones and a New Video

I AIN'T AFRAID OF NO SNAKE! or
DaDa, why don't you send a resume to
one of those snake handling churches!
"I Ain't Scared!"

I know it sounds like a broken record, but we just can't believe how fast our boys are growing up. Zachary is rapidly approaching 14, just 3 months away. Can we say "driver's permit!" SCARY! Samuel has already turned 7 months and his first Christmas is just around the corner.

Zachary is doing super. He is homeschooling this year and is excelling like you wouldn't believe. In less than 3 months he is nearly 2/3s of the way through a very hard and thorough Algebra 1 curriculum. He should finish two years of High school math this year, he is an eighth grader! He is excelling in all of his subject areas. He is a VERY mature young man, both physically and emotionally. The hard part is watching him get "checked out" by girls MUCH older than him. They have no idea he is only 13! We were in a restaurant the other day and a bus load of college girls was in there. You guessed it! AAGGHH! Of course, you know Zachary hated every minute of the attention. I know they didn't think he was college age, but I'll bet you they had no idea he was just 13! We won't be in trouble until Zachary realizes he is as good looking as he is! Then, look out!

Samuel turned seven months old on the 16th of November. He weighs about 25 + lbs. and is wearing 12 mo. to 18 mo. clothes! He is off the charts, both in weight and height. He is just a huge kid! Don't get me wrong, he is perfect, just big for his age being an understatement! For those of you who saw him back in either June or August, you will not believe him when you see him! We are going to be in Arkansas for a few days around Thanksgiving, and I know my family will flip out! He is going to be a giant, don't know where he would get that from? He still only has two teeth, on the bottom and in the front. I call him my little "backwards beaver". If you don't want to lose something, don't get it near his mouth! He is an accomplished public speaker, he often tries to drown out everyone with continuing, loud declarations of "Da Da Da, Da Da, aghhhh, Da Da Da Da" and so forth and so on. You know I hate that! :-)

**Don't miss the new video posted at the bottom of this post!!**

Can you see the resemblance? Yep, both our mouths are open ALL THE TIME! :-)

Them Mauldin boys are hard to beat!

My VERY handsome family if I do say so myself, and I do!
(A copy of a previous picture with a little more of the background left in it)

This bridge is a favorite place to take pictures around Denton,
about a mile from our house.


A few more family shots on our "Picture Day", taken in a gazebo at our church.

A few more snapshots:

Bubba, have I told you lately, "You da bomb!"

Yep, another picture of me sleeping, Da Da just can't resist!

I was saying.......

Not much more I love in this world than my Bubba!

OK Da Da, you are starting to bore me!

(Actually, it was after midnight, and "Stamina Boy" still hadn't given up the fight!)

This video was taken right before the picture above, can't believe he was still going strong. We had made a late evening trip to Wal-Mart, and after we got home, little britches got a BIG dose of his second wind. Cracked us up!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yep! I'm blessed with a pretty awesome family!

Recent family snapshot after church on the Old Alton bridge, about a mile from our house. Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Been really busy. I'm still doing quite well compared to before. I'll try and post a lengthy post soon. Lots of new pictures, more milestones, and some bits of news. Keep us in your prayers, love you all!

New Pictures and Health Update

MAN! I'm loving this park swing!!!!

Hello All,

We have finally gone over 1,000 visitors to this website. We actually probably did that a couple of months ago, because I haven't had the visitor counter (at the bottom) the whole time the site has been active. Kind of hard to believe if you think about it. I don't think we are giving Yahoo or Google anything to worry about, but 1,000 visits is quite a bit!

On that note, no doubt the many visitors have been responsible for the many prayers on our behalf. After more than five years of hell, and the last two years being far, far worse, I am finally experiencing some relief. Don't get me wrong, I still don't feel well, I'm very weak, still in pain, and just all around don't feel great, but the difference today and just weeks ago, is profound! I'm able to go and do like I haven't in years. I feel much, much better! I certainly thank all of you for your prayers, without them, I KNOW I wouldn't be where I am right now. Thank you and may God bless you!

Day to day life keeps moving along, Samuel is almost 7 months old now. Can you believe it? Zachary is closer to 14 than 13 and is getting so big and tall. He is becoming such a fine young man. We sure couldn't handle all we do without him. Maybe I should raise his allowance? Lets see, a 50 % increase of nothing is ?????? :-)

Here are some recent pictures of the crew:

What? Can a boy not play with his toys without an audience???

OK, this hat is becoming increasingly NO FUN! or
What? This is how all the cool kids where it!

Yeah I'm cute, but Dad you seriously need to think about a diet!! :-)

I'm even serious about my sleeping!!!

Yep! We make pretty babies!

More Milestones

If I say Da Da again, can I get another Ba Ba?

As Samuel makes his way from six months to seven, we keep celebrating more and more little milestones. He regularly says Da Da. :-) You know I hate that. He started saying it at about 11 pm last night and of course, I got him out of bed and gave him a bottle. What is a Daddy to do?

He had his six month check up the other day, and he continues to push the boundaries of the growth scale. He was in the 95th percentile in weight, 22 lbs. 9 oz. That is 2 oz more than his brother was at six months. He was 93rd percentile in his height, 28 1/4 inches, 3/4s of an inch taller than his Bubba. No doubt, he is gonna be a whopper! He has my feet and they are huge! :-)

A few days ago, he managed to roll over from his back to his front. After that, he was off to the races! He turns over and over and basically rolls from place to place. The boy is MOBILE!

Zachary is continuing to homeschool this year. He is really excelling again. He is in the 8th grade. Last year was a complete waste of time academically. He was never challenged in the public schools here in Denton. He was bored and didn't learn a thing. The schools here are way behind where he was in the magnet school in Texarkana. They are fine schools behaviorly, but academically not at all. He is flying through 9th grade Algebra 1. His writing skills are way beyond his years. We are placing a big emphasis on vocabulary building and he is doing very well. I certainly don't regret the decision to pull him out. He is flying through it and he ought to be, he is one smart cookie. Now if I could just staple that mouth shut!!!! :-)

PS Samuel got his first OFFICIAL haircut the other day, he was a very big boy getting it too. Only took two of them to hold him! He also got his 2nd tooth just yesterday, the 28th. He has informed us it is definitely time for a steak!

Hey! Can a boy get some toys down here?

NOW THAT IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!

Sleepy Baby

Curse this sleepy swing!!!!!!

Couldn't resist posting this video. Not only is he awfully cute, it is very funny. Zachary and I were in the office with him when he got the nods and just couldn't help himself. The Sleepy Swing of Doom strikes again!

Happy Birthday to Samuel and Me!

Yeah, I know I'm cute!

Hello all, today is October the 16th. It is my 37th birthday. It is also Samuel's six month birthday! Can you believe it? No, not that I am 37, that Samuel is six month's old already! :-) We don't have any big plans, just probably going to go to dinner with my wife and boys. I'm sure I'll buy a book or two or three for my library, that is what I always want. Sounds like a nice day to me! I'm not much into big celebrations anymore, not much use in celebrating just getting OLD! I told Carrie yesterday, that 37 sure feels older than 36 did. Maybe it is the year I've had physically, who knows? Does anyone know what aisle Wal-Mart keeps the Geritol on?

With Samuel and I both celebrating a birthday of sorts, it dawned on me that I am 74 times older than Samuel. Now that makes me feel old! :-)

Samuel cut his first tooth yesterday! It is on the bottom and is showing nicely. He told me now that he had a tooth he wanted a steak! That is my boy! ;-)

Most of you have read since day one about Samuel's volcanic temper. He has REALLY been showing it lately! It is not the same as when he is hungry, or has a dirty diaper, or any other fuss. The last few days, when he sees one of us eating and he ISN'T, look out! He starts yelling, angry, loud, and mean! He is ticked that we are eating and he isn't. He cannot be soothed or satisfied with anything less than he wants....to eat! We have prophesied that he has many, many butt whoopings in his future! You might want to pray for him, and / or us. :-)

Samuel's First Words

DA DA! DA DA! DA DA! DA DA! DA DA! DA DA!
(Check out the nice string of drool under my chin!)
(Click on me for a closer look)

Sorry folks, I've been a bad blogger. Haven't posted in nearly two weeks. So here is the much belated post.

The good news is, Samuel said his first words this past Friday (October 10). Of course, as if there was any doubt what he would say, he said "Da, Da Da". Fortunately, he said it right in front of his mother, otherwise, no one would have believed me! :-) Yep, going to be a Daddy's boy for sure! ;-)

This MONUMENTAL event led us to take out Zachary's baby book and compare a few landmark events. To our surprise, we had forgotten that Zachary's first words had not been Da Da, but Ma Ma, then Ba Ba, then Da Da. We see where his priorities were! :-) Samuel has caught and passed his brother in the weight department. He is fattening up good and proper, as you will see in today's pictures. Both our boys are growing like a weed. Zachary is eating us out of house and home, and Samuel is determined not to be out done in anything!

As for me, I have my good days and bad days, ups and downs. Your continued prayers are much appreciated. Things have been really slow for our business, so your prayers for that would be appreciated as well.

Here are some new pictures:

When riding your horse, grab firmly on his mane and say heyah!

Our only hope is that it takes Zachary a little while
longer before he realizes just how good looking he is!

My pretty Momma with her handsome little man!

I fought and I fought,
but the sleepy monster won again!
Curse this sleepy swing!

After a long day out and about celebrating my first words, I finally tuckered out!

HELLO!!! Can I get a little alone time with my bottle?

Bubba is my FAVORITE play toy!