Spencer Cole's News

If you're sick of shopping, licking envelopes, baking, or wrapping gifts, check out this site for some fun.
We've definitely gotten a lot of laughs out of it this season!
5 days until Christmas! Are you ready?

you decide?
I think I"ve made up my mind... putting in a good word to the big man in red.

He IS cuter than this picture allows, promise...we were setting up the tree at our house and he crawled in the box and was being super cute. There's a dog ornament about his level (we didn't decorate the bottom 1/3rd of the tree for obvious reasons) and he points to it, says "puppy" and proceeds to go "ruff, ruff". Seems like he's got the dog thing down! He is saying so much, it's amazing. It's been neat to watch him make more connections lately, too. He'll get a bowl out of the cupboard, walks to the pantry and goes "cracker" or "O's (cheerios)" and stands there! Here's a few more words he's saying: tractor, water, turkey, pasta, mote (remote, what is it with guys and remotes?), Lucy, done, all gone, movie, Elmo (his favorite!) and many more I can't think of because it's 12:25am. He also says "pee pee" and puts his hands on his diaper. I didn't teach him that, either, must be a male thing...

Here's my official proposal for a new camera with quicker shutter speed! It is SO difficult to get good pictures with a child on the move who won't sit for a nano second. These seem to be the quality of pictures we're getting these days! I wonder what Santa will bring me?

PS: I highly think that spending money on a nice camera is extremely worth it. Can you tell?

We had a super Thanksgiving in Texas with Marc's brother and family... short trip but wonderful! Cole wore us out as he was so interested in all the new things to see. He even had a reaction to some medicine the night before Thanksgiving, and was up from 9:45pm-3:45am! We were thankful to get some sleep! Seems the problem has been solved. Hope your Thanksgiving was fabulous, too!




Snatching O's from Papa Ron..

This is the very first video I ever took (it happened to be close to Halloween last year) ... there's a surprise!

Make sure your volume is on....

We may not put out fires, but we're heroes every day!

I had to post this tonight because I was looking through pictures and as I came across this one, I realized it was exactly a year old!
I can't believe how much Cole has changed and grown. I'm sure I will continue to marvel at the changes in him, as well as us as parents and individuals. I think Cole looks so much like Marc in this picture....

It's Sunday and we're spending the day continuing the process of "baby-proofing" the house. I don't know if any of you have had the dilemmas we have had, but, this has been such a process and I'm entirely ready for it to be over!

It's been an interesting week around here. I am dealing with back issues. After having an MRI on Friday, the Dr. confirmed my pain is linked to a ruptured disk. I am having an epidural treatment Monday and am hoping this relieves some pain and I can resume life as I once knew it! Needless to say, I have had to have a great deal of help with Cole and I am SO thankful that I have family in town. This is Marc's busiest season so he's been busy working hard and pulling days that are 12 hours +.

I don't have anything exciting to write about today. I still need to get a picture of his new haircut. I'll try to do that today! Seems like the only pictures we're getting today are when he's A: in his highchair or B: in the pack-n-play. He doesn't stay sill long enough to snap a photo!

Consider this picture his "pre-haircut" one.

We are VERY excited for fall, it's been unseasonably warm here and I'm ready to put on a sweater and enjoy the crisp fall air! Lets hope for some cooler weather!

This picture doesn't show either the tooth or the shoes, but I though it was cute. Who do you think he looks like? Should we cut the hair?

This weekend, I had my 10 year high school reunion! It was so fun getting to see people from that phase of my life! It also encouraged me to keep in touch with some special friends as well. This is a picture of 2 high school friends with me!

This may seem trite or awkward for some of you but I am asking to search in your heart of hearts and pray for this dear family.
I know this woman, who is my age from a bible study I participated in right after Cole was born. I did not know her. About a year later, I received an email prayer request from church regarding her pregnancy. This woman (or girl) at a young 28 years of age, is expecting a little girl that will be born next Tuesday. Their little girl has been diagnosed with a rare genetic complication, trisomy 18 which has been labeled: "incompatible with life". Over the past couple months, I have been reading her blog and it has touched me and so many more people in indescribable ways. She is a woman of immense faith who is dealing with such a life struggle many of us couldn't imagine, and on the other hand, have personally experienced.
My hope is that you will pray for them and through this, you may be touched.
I will include a link to their blog and if you feel compelled to read, I know she would love it.
I hope you find her writing an encouragement and a testimony about Jesus Christ.
So, with this being a very different post for me, I write this heavy laden and know my sorrows and burdens are felt by my Father.
The link to the Farley family is http://conorbootheandgirls.blogspot.com

Not much new going on here lately.
Tooth update: snaggle for sure: 1 top, 3 bottoms
Hair update: long, went to get a cut, got denied, trying to go back this week
Cuteness update: increasing daily
Don't know what else to share. We've been really busy but are looking forward to having a chill week at home and maybe the weather will cool off enough to spend some time at the park! We're really looking forward to fall weather.


Evidently, he feels like an official "big boy" dancing on the box of new diapers (which, by the way, Costco's diapers are the BOMB!)

I had to post tonight for three reasons:
1. I am avoiding doing laundry
2. I wonder if people are interested enough in reading, it makes me think so, when I share stuff
3. Cole did something funny today

Since teething began, Cole's nights have been a little difficult. It's been a bit tougher getting him to sleep. He wants to cuddle for a LONG time before heading to bed. Tonight I went out with the "girls" for a while and Marc had Cole at home. When I got home, Cole was still up (which was totally fine with me...) but it clearly past his bed time. I snuggled with him in the bonus room and reminded him that "it's night-night time". He then rubbed his head on my shoulder and we walked into his room. Right when we got in there, he looked at me, looked at the door and pointed, rather intently to the door. No dummy would deny that he is suggesting he'd rather be in the bonus room with mom and dad! I thought that was funny. He did go right to sleep though. Maybe he'll wake up with another tooth!

Cole's vocabulary is growing, too. This is so exciting because I feel like we are having "mini conversations". Yesterday we were at our community group and there's a new little boy, Brock. Cole said "Brock" a lot last night. Today, he said "bath" when the water started running. Another new favorite is "cracker". This is such a fun age. I wonder what he'll say next? I'm just afraid I'll wake up to find him speaking sentences in his crib. That would be a little alarming.

Some pictures are worth 1,000 words and some are priceless, like this one (I think!). Cole is so attentive and such a concentrator. He is constructing something with wooden blocks in this picture. I love his chubby cheeks. This picture reminds me that I need to get his bangs trimmed. I have given him his first "official" haircut while in the bathtub, but, reminded myself that I am in no position to get scissor happy on my child! His hair has really gotten lighter over the summer. I still think it has a tint of red, like it did when he was a newborn.

Ok...
After a couple month sabbatical from blogging...I am feeling a surge of guilt for not keeping up with this. I have, however, been so amused by the blogs I keep up with and am trying to figure out where I want to go with this one. I have several friends, who, use their blog for an online journal, per-say. Others whose stories are so touching, sad or cookey like mine. In telling you this, I am going to include some links where you can look at some stories that have been on my heart.
SO, I know I have a lot to update.
Since the last entry we have had several things happen: Cole and I went to the beach with some dear friends (while my precious husband has been working in this heat to keep us afloat), Cole's had his first "unofficial haircut", taken steps and finally....TEETH! We've had LOTS of company, including a surprise visit from Marc's brother and family, my Mema, and some of our greatest friends from California. Our house has been crazy but I love it!
It's been a busy month with happenings. Oh, I also got a job! VERY part time, and I"m loving that. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow and include some pictures. Too tired to start them now.
So the answer to your question: knock, knock whose there? I am here. I am making better attempts to blog.

As previously mentioned, the Tepner family loves to dine at Puckett's. Today, we met our friends Leigh and Brady there for lunch. Leigh and I were pregnant at the same time and actually due a day apart. It's so nice to have a friend to share "new mommy" stories with. Although we have had our boys together a lot, today was one of the first times the boys interacted with one another! They are too cute together and will remain friends forever...we're convinced...

SO... since Cole's birthday, things have been interesting at the Tepner household. On Friday, June 29, I tripped and fell and felt a shooting pain go up my back. To make a long story short, I ended up at the Vanderbilt Walk-In Clinic that night (after attempting a romantic and much needed date night, man, did I ruin that). After visiting the orthopedic and chiropractor, I am feeling better but not quite 100%. I have been taking it easy, trying not to pick up Cole as much and laying around a lot, which is quite hard for me! Thankfully, my mom has been helping so much and Marc, too (when he's not working). It's very difficult feeling out of capacity when you have a young child. SO...this week, I will work on more updates and pictures. For now, the following is appropriate for tonight:

This is a picture of our dear friends, Mary and Llyod with Cole. Mary and I taught together at Walnut Grove and immediately became friends. I thought I would put this picture up tonight because tomorrow is Mary's birthday! Mary and Lloyd are like relatives to us and it has been amazing to watch them embrace Cole. So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT MARRY! We all love you so much. Thanks for celebrating with us, too.

I had to point out the cakes because they were particularly amazing. Not only are they the cutest things I have ever seen, they tasted amazing. They were white cake but very dense cake, the kind you keep wanting to eat. My friend Elizabeth made them, she is so talented and I plan on having her do every cake for every occasion from here on out.