Lita and Grandaddy visit

My parents stayed with us last weekend. How I wish this was an every weekend occurrence. What a treat!

Jones (and Grandaddy and Lita) had a big time playing in our neighborhood park...

Please notice his wind blown hair. This kid has gotta get a haircut!Our friends met us at the park. Pretty sure the two dads had more fun than the boys.

Grandaddy bought Jones a soccer ball. He is in love with this thing. And is pretty good at kicking it already!

Saturday night we went to The Halfshell. It is one of my very favorite restaurants here. Although, I will admit, I haven't branched out much since I have lived here. I tend to stick to what I know and like.

It was my parent's first trip to The Halfshell - they loved it! So yummy.

Trying his first lemon
Sour...

but wanted more!

While they were here, I made Key Lime Pound Cake from this month's Southern Living. Oh my. It is mighty fine. It may have been as pretty as theirs in the magazine and I made have not used real key limes, but it was still delicious. Trey has already asked for another. They have several pound cake recipes this month. I may try them all. I may also gain 20 pounds in the meantime.

So here is the recipe. Try it for yourself. Delish.

Key Lime Pound Cake
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 cup fresh Key lime juice

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
2. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) tube pan.
3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.
4. Prepare Key Lime Glaze, and immediately brush over top and sides of cake. Cool completely (about 1 hour).

Key Lime Glaze
Ingredients
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Whisk together powdered sugar, fresh Key lime juice, and vanilla until smooth. Use immediately.

Come back soon, Grandaddy and Lita!

Daddy's day!

Trey and a sweet 2 day old Jones
Happy first father's day to my sweet husband! He is, hands down, the most amazing daddy to sweet Jones. He LOVES Jones. Go back and read the posts he wrote the day he was born. True love. I can't wait to watch the two in the years to come. Best friends, for sure!
Jones and I are so blessed to have him in our lives. I love you so much, Trey.
So glad you are my baby daddy!

And a special shout out to my daddy on this father's day! The first man I ever loved. He is amazing and I am so thankful for him. I knew I wanted to find a man that would love his children like he loved the three of us (and loved my mama!) And I did. So thankful for my dad's example of true love! Happy Father's Day, Daddy! Wish I could spend it with you. Pirated from LT's blog, here is my sweet daddy and his three girls back in the 80's.And here he is holding his second grandchild when Jones was 1 weeks old.

We love all the daddy's in our lives!

The Hobbit, aunts and wonderful blessings

Jones and Daddy reading The Hobbit.

Is this premature? We like to think by reading to him often and playing music constantly for him(he is a fan of classical), that Jones will be a step ahead. I threw in the ABC gown and hat for good measure.

Speaking of gowns, all of his sweet little clothes are too big for him. We have one or two newborn sleepers that fit him well, but other than that, he is swallowed by his clothes! My sisters are running out today to get him a couple of smaller things. Sweet little baby.

And about sisters: mine are the best. Laura completely changed her schedule and surprised me by driving down for the weekend. Kristen and Henry came in yesterday as well. So now my mom and both sisters are here with us. I can not tell you what a blessing it has been. They are stocking my pantry as we speak, has been doing the laundry and dishes, demand that I nap when he does (I should listen to this more), and wait on me hand and foot. Not to mention they give Jones lots and lots of loving. He loves his aunts and Lita. I am forever grateful for them - especially during this time. What sweet memories we are making!

Loving on his aunts

Sweet Dreams!

what Jones likes

Its 5:39 am on Monday morning- hopefully within a few hours the Skaggs family will be home. The hospital and its staff have really made us comfortable throughout this experience, but nothing provides comfort like home.
Jones has spent nearly every moment of his new life in either Heather's or my own arms. As we are now experts on his every move- here is a list of his favorite things-


-Jones likes to eat. He's been breathing air for 43 hours- about 15 of those have been spent feeding. He'll eat for 90 minutes, rest for 5 and go back for a post supper snack.

-Jones loves his mommy. I mentioned comfort earlier, for Jones home is cuddling on his mother's chest while she rubs his hair- I can't blame him.

-Jones love to be swaddled. I can swaddle a baby to near perfection lines and folds in under 10 seconds. I can play a mean guitar too, but swaddling (this weekend's new vocabulary word for me) is now my favorite.

-Jones loves to dance and be sung to. When he is upset (rarely) we waltz around the room while I sing to him. Usually Van Morrison or Billy Joel- this immediately soothes his soul.


Now what we love about Jones

-everything


Trey

blessings

Yesterday at 10:33 God blessed Heather and me with a perfect baby boy- Jones Edward Skaggs. It is truly amazing at the amount of joy Jones brought along with him- parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nurses- all have been given a piece of this happiness. We cannot help but to walk these halls with a perpetual glow.
We've been awestruck for 9 months, but as of yesterday that feeling was taken to a higher place. Any and all parents will tell the newly expecting couple that "everything changes" in that moment- the moment you lay eyes upon the very thing you've desired for so long. And now, with roughly 24 hours of fatherhood under my belt, everything has changed- I will forever look at my wonderful, strong wife with a newfound respect, I will try and be the best, most selfless dad in the world and I will constantly pray for his future- a life full of God's love, family dinners, storytime, and puppy dog tails.

God is so Good-