Graduation/Memorial Weekend

This past weekend was crazy. We drove to Chattanooga to see Uncle Houston graduate from high school. We are so proud. He will be attending Ole Miss next year. Alder's cousin Josie, who is 14 months older than him, was staying at Yaya's house and we got to spend some time with her. Josie was so sweet and gentle with Alder is was really neat to watch. She loves babies and you can already tell she is going to be a great mother someday. Then we came back to Birmingham to be together as a family for Memorial Day. Jared desperately wanted to cook something over a fire and so he resurrected the old outdoor grill thingy in our backyard. He and Alder roasted a fine pork tenderloin and a lone hot dog as an appetizer. The two of them look halirious, dirty, and very manly. Oh the joys of summertime.

Swimming Fun

Happy Boy at 4 months

Chattanooga

*Picture of Chattanooga from Point Park. The Tennessee River snakes through the city so beautifully and mountains surround it on all sides.


We spent the first two weeks of May in Chattanooga. It was a wonderful time with grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends.
Alder has really turned a corner. He has become a more happy and content baby with such a personality. He has come out of his "newborness" by taking longer naps during the day, sleeping better at night, enjoying his awake time during the day more, and even giggling some. Alder has started a new thing of getting red in the face, grunting really loud and straightening his arms and legs all at once. He also bites down on his gums and with his lips thinly opened blows bubbles out the corner of his mouth. He looks very funny doing this as well as when he sticks his tongue out and bites down on it. Can we say teething? I believe this little boy will be very full of life and will probably spend some serious time in the time out chair someday.



Alder at 3 and a half months

Shopping Spree

Alder and his friend Winston went shopping this past week together. They found some really great deals on diapers, wipes, toothpaste, toilet paper, and paper towels at Target. Winston was kind enough to share his seat with Alder after he got tired of being in the wrap. Winston gave him a lot of love pinches on his leg and Alder just smiled at all the babble that Winston was telling him.

Just Reading....

"Surprise" visit from KeeKee

We love KeeKee! My Mom has really taken to being a grnadmother and she just absolutely loves Alder. Of course I knew she would as well as my Dad, but to see your parents become grandparents for the first time and love on your child like they do really is a wonderful experience. KeeKee came down a few weeks ago on a whim and we were so so excited to see her. Thanks Mom for coming and all the generous love you so freely give.

Number 7

Alder is number 7 in the long line of Wingfield cousins. We were with the whole family at the beginning of April and it was the first time for Alder to be with all his cousins. From left to right and all under the age of 6 it is Shaw, Stoney, Strib, Alder, Josie, Demi, and Teddy. I look forward to more cousins (number 8 is on the way) and the many years of fun they will all have together.

The Bumper Pad

After his nap today he was just "talkin" to his bumper pad. I'm glad its not only decorative, but also very entertaining. He was 14 weeks yesterday and just continues to grow so big. He has even started to love on a little green blanket. You can see it in the video. I just love watching him do new things everyday.

The Amazing Godwins

Several weeks ago around Easter we were visited by the amazing Godwin family. The Godwins mean more than they will ever know to Jared and I. They were our adopted family when we were at Auburn. They have four wonderful and dynamic children who really are not children anymore but rather young adults. Jared and I have never been around such well behaved children and the respect they show their parents is amazing. Sara Caitlin, their only daughter, was a flower girl in our wedding and I just love her sweet spirit. Mary Ann has taught me so much about being a Godly wife and mother. She invested so much time into my life while at Auburn and continues to do so. I can call her at anytime and ask her any question and she always gives such a well thought out and wise answer. I pray that I will someday be as wonderful a mother and wife as she is. Norman is such a honest man with strong convictions and does an incredible job as husband and father. We also appreciate his willingness to offer his house as part of bail money when Jared was part of a certain heist operation in Auburn back in the day. We were sad not to have had all the Godwins here, but we understand Harris (their almost 16 year old) that you are now just too cool..haha and Norman we understand you had to work. Harris, some of these pictures I am posting are for you specifically because I want you to see that your two younger brothers had no fear at the local skate park. They were hanging with the best of them with their "ripsticking" moves. I was impressed. So these pictures are to prove the stories Clay and Ellis probably told you when they got home.
It is a true gift to call such amazing people as the Godwins friends.

Ode to the Great White

This post is for all of you out there that know the infamous Great White. This truck has been around the Wingfield family for years and years. It has "lived" in Auburn, Demopolis, Birmingham, and Chattanooga, "seen" the wild west, been chased by cops, raced through cornfields on the Auburn plains, caught on fire, crashed into, and driven at ungodly speeds down a certain dirt road. This truck is priceless in value and its history is legendary. Last weekend we went just up the road to the Martins for Winston's birthday party and Alder had the great privilege of riding in it for the first time. (Note: To all grandparents-it was just up the road and this thing is a tank so no need to worry for the safety of your grandson) So for those of you who have enjoyed the Great White by either fast rides, running from cops, carving your name on it, or back firing please find comfort in the fact that the Great White is still running and is being "passed down" to the next generation of Wingfields.
*You may want to click on the photo since it is small to see all the rust and etc. on the truck. Sorry its not a great picture with all the sun.

Easter and Etc.

Happy (late) Resurrection Day to everyone! It took me a bit to post these Easter pictures. We had a great day with wonderful worship at church and fellowship with our dear friends the Martins that afternoon for lunch. The day before my brother and his friends along with my Mom came through town on their way home from the beach after spring break(mostly so my Mom could see and hold Alder, but she claimed it was a potty break). Yes, my Mom took 8 teenage boys to the beach with another friend of hers and survived. She swears she had a great time and that they all behaved themselves...or so she thinks. Spring has officially sprung and the flowers, weather, and fresh smell are just lovely. I am so thrilled winter is over. Love to all.

Wild Hair

Well last week on my birthday I decided to chop my hair off. Never in my life have I had such short hair, been so impulsive, and loved such a rash decision. It is great. I love it short...partly so Alder's spit up doesn't gets in it anymore, but mostly I think I love it because its just totally different. When the stylist cut around 6 inches off I did not even have one ounce of "mourning." I guess its true what people say about having a baby and cutting your hair off. All to say that several friends and some family have requested to see pictures. I took this by myself and I feel very vain putting a picture of me on the blog, but know I am not and this was the best I could do.

My First Friend

Alder just keeps growing everyday and I stand amazed at how quickly he is changing. He is just wonderful. Although a very intense baby he is seemingly happy. He loves to interact with me and others. He is very intense about this and can do it for a rather impressively long time just smiling and "talking." He also has this toy called a whoozit that has all sorts of bits and bobs hanging off it with bright colors and it squeaks and he just loves smiling at it and trying to reach for it. One thing that I have enjoyed recently with him is when I am trying to get him to sleep he has started this kneading motion with his hand on my chest. I believe it is his way of trying to get to sleep and I feel wonderful because he must feel so safe and secure. It just melts my heart. This past weekend our friends Hannah, Joseph and Winston stopped by to say hi. We sat outside on the porch and enjoyed the fresh spring air and warm sunshine. Winston was loving Ally and riding her like a horse. Winston seems to be entertained by Alder as well. Winston is Alder's first real friend. We are blessed to have such great friends like the Martins.

March Pictures-Alder 8 weeks old

Alder sees Ally

So today Alder was hanging out in his swing (which is rare as he does not love it) and Ally came to "check on him" as she usually does. Until now Alder has not noticed her, but today he did. I cannot wait for the two of them to become big buddies. I look forward to looking out in the backyard and the two of them playing, Alder chasing Ally around the house, and the two of them snuggling during story time. Ally already tends to be the second mama. She runs into his room when he cries, puts her paws on the crib and changing table to watch him, and like me, tends to sometimes tune out his crying spells when going down for a nap, etc. She knows him as "baby" and will go into his room or over to the swing (or wherever he is) when we say "find baby Ally, find baby." She is pretty smart. Haha.

Rolling Over

Alder is rather advanced...just kidding!!! This week though when wonderful Yaya was here she went in to get him out of his crib and found him on his back (he sleeps on his tummy). From very early on Alder has loved being on his tummy and pushing up his upper body and now that has led to rolling over. I know he does not mean to do it, but he is just so strong that this is what happens. I took this video and by the end of the video he starts fussing because before I could even start recording he had already rolled over twice ( I kept having to pick turn him back over to try to video it). He was 7 weeks on Thursday and I cannot believe how much he has changed and keeps changing everyday.

Alder at 6-7 weeks

A Good Night's Sleep=A Fluke

Well, Alder does not seem to think sleeping through the night is something he wants to do anymore. Too cool for it I guess. So I have fallen back into that fog of early motherhood once again. Bless his heart though he's just so precious and I do not mind the middle of the night feedings. Sleeping during the day is a whole different story. Honestly, I do not have as much patience when he does not sleep during the day as I do at 4:00 in the morning. I cannot figure it out. He fights it and fights it. After crying himself to sleep for oh... 20 minutes, wiggling himself all the way to bottom of his crib laying now sideways and completely under his blanket he will then manage to wake himself up after 30 minutes or so. He will wail and scream and I have to start the process all over again. Yesterday though I just had to take some pictures. I went in to wake him up to nurse and found him at the bottom of the crib hidden by the blanket (this was not the first time) and when I pulled it back he was waking up in a pool of sweat. His hair was soaking wet and beads of sweat were pouring off his head. His little day gown was wet and his face was beet red. No telling how long he slept like that. I picked him up and he was just smiling at me. Now how come he did not wake himself up from that? Oh well...I hope that he will get the whole sleep thing, both day and night, down soon.


This is Alder completely covered under his blanket

A Good Night's Sleep

So I awoke the other morning at 6:30 to suddenly realize that "oh my gosh Alder slept through the night....is he still breathing?" I ran downstairs to his room and sure enough my little boy was just beginning to stir. I picked him up and he looked at me, smiled, and started moving his mouth like he does when he is hungry. I sat down to nurse him and thanked the Lord for this great gift and at the same time it dawned on me that I myself felt wonderful. I felt rested. Since getting pregnant and then having Alder I realized it had been a long long time since I had slept through the night. Life has changed. The fog I have been under for the past 6 weeks seems to have lifted. He has continued to to sleep through the night and I pray he continues to do so. For now though I count my blessings and even (as crazy as this will sound) miss the middle of night feeding and that sweet time I had with him. Yes....I truly miss it and I think mostly it is because I am mourning the fact he is getting older.
I took this picture that morning...he was so happy and still had sleepy eyes.