Some Quiet Time

This morning was a little different than most mornings. Daddy woke up later than usual. Mommy decided not to go to work. C.J. did not go to the baby sitter. Was something strange? No, things were just altered a bit. Daddy had a fair to work in Perth Amboy. Unfortunately, he had to return to Trenton as well. Today Mommy also needed to be at a very important meeting. So Daddy was going to leave the fair early, go back to Trenton, leave his normal time, and get Mommy where she needed to be. Things changed once Daddy's job became demanding. The plan was set but too many variables surfaced. Praise God that things ended up how they were to be but just a little bit altered.

So the day left Mommy with C.J. Every time I called I heard my girl making all the noise she could. I asked Mommy if she slept and she told me no. When I came home Mommy told me that C.J.'s tooth finally broke through the gums. It is a happy day for us because we have been waiting on that tooth for months now. Soon C.J. will be using that tooth for munching.

So the evening left Daddy and C.J. home together. Daddy had a rough day at work so he wanted to relax. On her way out the door Mommy looked at both of us and instructed Daddy to have C.J. bathed and in bed by the time she returned. At this point that is a check! So Daddy got down on the floor with his girl and laid down for a bit. She rolled and scooted all over. Daddy then pulled her close to him to keep an eye on her and began playing a video game. C.J. watched for a while but then started to scoot. By the end of the game I looked over and she was asleep. So I gently picked her up, bathed her, prayed with her, then put her to bed. She was asleep within seconds. I guess she was tired from being awake and active all day long.

So Daddy had a minute to unwind from his hectic day. His Princess is sleeping and the Queen is out checking the foundation of the kingdom. Daddy is sitting here just trying to make sense of it all. It's a good thing today though. Just taking it down slowly. So now that I have soaked in all the quiet time, I remind you to pray. Prayer changes things, people, and situations!

One Long Day

Simply put, today was a very long day. It rained all day. Daddy could not complete all of his work by the time he wanted to. CJ was irritated, for what I could not tell you. Daddy had to work all night at home, so he could not spend any quality time with CJ tonight. Daddy is just finishing up so he is headed to bed.

Not much to report today, the day lingered and now it is time to rest. Please continue to pray for the movement of the Holy Spirit to dwell within us all. We know prayer changes things, people, and situations.

Take this one for the road, at least we get to sleep a little later tomorrow. Daddy has to work around the corner from the baby sitter in the morning!

Roll With Her!

Daddy left the classroom as a Science instructor. He taught students all about the water cycle, chemical reaction, simple machines and more. One thing that he remember is that human beings walk. Well you try telling that to C.J. She has devised her own preferred mode of moving from place to place and that is to roll wherever she wants to go.

This leads me to believe she might be leaning toward a major in fire science when she goes to college some years from now. She will have the Stop, Drop, and Roll drill down packed by then. You really have to see this girl move. She will clear a room in a matter of seconds when she is on a roll. (no pun intended) Daddy really gets a kick out of her as she gets a kick of herself. She moves around things, over things, under things, and if need be, through them. She is a force to be reckoned with, full of momentum. Many parents have to child proof the house for walkers but I think I will get to work for this roller I have on my hands.

C.J. is also beginning to pull up on things too. We had to move her mobile so she doesn't pull the thing on top of her in her crib. C.J. is really coming into her own these days, and it becomes more and more exciting as the days go by. I rarely want to be away from her for fear that I will miss her do something new and exciting.

Today C.J.'s bank account was open too! Now Mommy and Daddy can start to put monies away for her education. That is something Daddy takes seriously and wants to do all he can to ensure she has access to all she needs. God is blessing us so I will continue to follow his lead.

So a rainy Monday is slowly coming to an end and C.J. is being read to by Mommy. Daddy read when he puts her to sleep. Listening to us now will help make her an avid reader when she develops the ability. If I have not said it before I will say it now, I love that girl and she is my joy!

So continue to pray for Daddy and C.J. as we continue to grow. God is moving and it is a great thing. So keep praying! We all know that prayer changes things, people, and situations!

Palm Sunday 2010

One thing C.J. will remember for years to come is to never schedule pictures for a Sunday afternoon. Today started out well. We were late leaving for church but for some reason that is becoming the norm for us lately. C.J. wore the dress that her "Pop" selected and bought for her. She looked really nice in her first foofie dress. Her cousin Breezie had a matching dress and he wanted them to wear them together. Next week they will wear the Easter dresses...compliments of "Pop". The one good thing of this all is that they will be in worship!

This morning Daddy woke up and wanted to start getting his praise on early. So that meant that since C.J. was up she had to get her praise on as well. He played sermon clips of his favorites, E.Dewey Smith and Leroy Elliot. The song of the morning was "All In His Hands" by Varn Micheal McKay. Daddy is living by this creed now, not worrying about anything; the job, finances, school, the economy, nothing.

C.J., Breezie, Brooks and Jaylen looked nice for their pictures. The experience was tiring for all those who went but you have to live and learn sometimes. Mommy, Auntie Milk and C.J. all came back saying never again. While they were out Daddy was out visiting and praying for the sick. When you on the battlefield for the Lord your job is never done. It is a good thing that Daddy is not just a Sunday server.

Daddy and C.J. did not get to watch any basketball games today but will make a date to catch the final four next Saturday. He and C.J. will have a date. Hopefully Daddy's team will continue to win and somehow C.J. will get to see Daddy happy due to athletics this year. Well the Lakers did win it all! Once we arrived home Daddy bathed C.J. and put her in the crib. She does not seem tired but she needs to go to sleep.

So today begins the journey to the cross. Daddy has a lot to reflect upon and will be in deep meditation this week. What is on his mind? God will determine that. So as the week begins and you are settling down when you pray keep Daddy in your prayers. We know that prayer changes things, people and situations. As a gift to all of you I am including the lyrics to, All In His Hands"!

All In His Hands Lyrics
Performed by- Charles Hayes & The Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer Choir
Written by- Varn Micheal McKay

Verse 1
All in His hands,
I put it all in His hands.
(repeat)
All of my burdens, problems
if I have a question;

Chorus
I put it all,
yes, I put it all;
I put it all in His hands.

Vesre 2
Whatever the problem,
I put it all in His hands.
I know that He can solve them,
I put it all in His hands.

Verse 3
This and that,
I put it all in His hands,
He can handle it that's a fact,
I put it all in His hands.

Bridge
No matter how great or small
He's the Master of them all

Chorus

CRY, CRY BABY!!!

There are times when C.J. is an adorable child. Her smile radiates the room. Her giggle soothes any pain, and her laughter reminds you of how it feels to be a kid. When C.J. is sweet and innocent everyone around her enjoys loads of fun. We play on the floor, we watch television together, and Daddy gives her all the kisses she could ever want. Now I have painted the picture of a most pleasant child. Wonderful is a word I would use to describe her. Today was not that kind of day.

When I called home as I drove home from work today, I asked Mommy what kind of day C.J. had and the report was not good. When I arrived home I found out why. C.J. was in BRAT mode today. This is when she wants to be held for no reason, wants to be lazy, whines and screams as if someone was mistreating her. It is these type of days where C.J. does not fulfill the description above. The baby-sitter once told us that C.J. would begin to whine and nag anytime we left from her presence and today she is in rare form. Her shriek is beginning to get old really quickly. The funny thing (and I am saying this sarcastically) whenever you pick her up she seems to be perfectly fine. The only problem is that she has parents, OK a mother, that will not tend to her every beck and call. Daddy is the soft one.

So the crying somehow has to stop. I do not know if Daddy can take it. He loves his little mama but her loud whining has to depart. When she did not cry from a needle Daddy said she was tough. When she cries for no reason he takes it back. Hopefully she will go to bed without incident tonight. Daddy and Mommy both will need a rest from her shrills. So as you pray tonight remember C.J. and her noise. Daddy knows that prayer changes things, people and situations and C.J. needs them all tonight.

Just Chillen

Today was an interesting day. Daddy over slept, I guess the two straight night of getting home late really took a toll on him. The roads treated us fair this morning because he was able to make good time getting into Perth Amboy and then to work.

Today after work Mommy went to get her hair done so that left Daddy to pick up his princess alone. Again when he walked into the room she looked up and saw her Daddy. CJ's face lit up and of course Daddy smiled on the inside but that smiled burst out the seams and showed up on the outside as well. Once Cj was all packed up he then needed to figure out how to spend the time until Mommy would be ready. So he decided to go hang out at the mall.

When CJ and Daddy arrived at the mall the problem arose. Daddy noticed that he did not have the stroller in the truck. That meant either he had to go someplace that had a cart, carry the carrier, or plan C which he felt was the most feasible at the time. he took CJ out of the carrier, wrapped her up and carried her into the mall. Now the trip would be much faster than intended but he was not going to waste a trip. CJ and Daddy went trough the anchor store, road the escalator, went in the store, got what we needed and where back in the truck in record time.

Once we picked Mommy up we all came home. Once we arrived home we really just hung out. Daddy tried feeding CJ milk in a cup but she is not feeling the cup at this time. he also tried to give her some macaroni and cheese but it did not taste all that good. So Daddy promised to get her some good macaroni and cheese from her great grandmother.

Usually CJ gets to stay up as late as she wants on Friday nights but tonight Mommy was not feeling that at all so Daddy put her to bed. She was not really ready so after a while Daddy went to get his Princess and brought her out to the living room to chill for a bit more. Sooner than later CJ was fighting her sleep so Mommy took her back to the crib and she fell asleep rather quickly. We need to get the batteries changed in her mobile, I think that would put her to sleep a lot easier.

So tonight we chilled at the mall and chilled at home. It was an all around chill night for Daddy and CJ. Mommy too! Daddy has to work tomorrow so you all pray for him. Hopefully he will not miss CJ too much because the state is impeding on her Daddy time. So remember to continue praying for Daddy to allow God to place him where he needs him to be. We all know that prayer changes things, people, and situations.

Another Late Night

Tonight was another late night on the job for Daddy. After being out late last night Daddy had to do it all again. This time he left work to pick C.J. and Mommy up. He brought them home, changed clothes, then was out the door again. The event was a success but he missed his girl. When I picked her up today she cheered with glee and it was my night to bathe her but I was not home. All I saw when I came in was her sleeping peacefully. I gave her a kiss and then went to watch television. I owe her a day of fun since I have missed her two nights in a row. Please continue to pray that I allow God to bless me the way HE wants to bless me. I need to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord and his glory. We know that prayer still changes things, people, and situations. A change needs to happen in my life!

AM and PM

This will be short, simply because I was not with my baby girl much today. This morning I dressed her as I usually do. I am sure Mommy was not pleased with the footwear but oh well, lol! We prayed and then it was off to the sitter for the day. I had to work late this evening so I was not home to play with her tonight. By the time I arrived she was sleeping soundly. So AM and late PM was the only interaction we had. I missed her so much but she understands that Daddy has to work to be able to provide for her. I did manage to give her a kiss once I came home. I pray she felt it to her bones and knows that Daddy is home so she is comforted.

So tonight is here and I am home and ready for bed. As you pray I want you to include me in. Pray that I allow God to move me to the place where he wants me to be. The place that will open up more doors and opportunities for my family. I have already looked at the Man in the Mirror and Michael Jackson's words ring loud. I'm Gonna make a change for once in my life. A change for me and a change for C.J.! So if you believe in prayer please exercise your belief because prayer changes things, people and situations. I know mine is on the verge of a change!

Cell Phone Bandit

Today we were able to arrive home earlier than normal. Daddy did not have to go down to Trenton so he was able to pick up C.J. and Mommy as soon as Mommy was done at work. When I arrived at the babysitter's I found C.J. playing on the floor. I must say, when I arrive in a room and she looks up and is smiling from ear to ear, my heart melts. That is exactly what she did today. She looked up and our eyes connected. That moment is so powerful for this growing Dad.

So we came directly home today, no stops. When we were all settled, Mommy took a nap. Daddy prepared C.J. a bottle and gave it to her. She nestled in between Mommy's legs, finished the bottle and the next thing I knew, she had dozed off. While they slept Daddy played a video game. Mommy suddenly woke up, but C.J. beat her in rolling over. So once C.J. was up Daddy decided to play with her on the floor. The only problem was that she was enthused with his cell phone. So much so that she fell down trying to get it from him. OK, Daddy was trying to maneuver C.J. and the phone while it was charging, and he let her slide down his leg. She was not harmed and did not cry. Months ago Daddy bought C.J. a cell phone so he looked for that and gave it to her. It entertained her for a moment but it was his $500 phone that she wanted...to put in her mouth, to drop, and to develop her tactile development. However Daddy was not having it. I believe that she is fascinated by the lights so I am on a quest to find her one that lights up.

So prayer is still working and I will always advocate for it. So continue communicating with God. Your life will be much better by doing so. Prayer changes things, people and situations.

NOTE TO C.J.: This is a random one but something I want you to keep in your back pocket. When you want things done right, sometimes you will need to do them yourself. You're the best! Love Daddy!

Tennesee or Duke?

No I am not playing a name that state game. Tonight CJ had the opportunity to sit back, relax and watch what could be herself in the future. When we came home after making a few stops Daddy needed to complete some work. He did take the time to read to CJ tonight. He read a book by Steve Jenkins entitled, "Biggest, Strongest, Fastest". It was a book about animals, and as usual, CJ was all ears. If you know CJ she was all hands too because as I read she wanted to turn the pages herself. It was then time for Daddy to eat. Mommy made one of his favorite meals, fried shrimp and a fantastic citrus dipping sauce. The question was what did CJ do?

Since the NCAA tournament is on television he figured he would set her up to watch some good ball. Two games were on of interest, Tennessee against Dayton and Duke played LSU. Now some great players have come from both schools. Duke may have an edge academically, which is important for Daddy. However two of his favorites had great careers at Tennessee...Chamiqua Holdsclaw and Candace Parker. Daddy told Uncle Big Duke that CJ needed a CP3 Poster for her room. He said he would handle that. So I handed CJ her basketball and she played with it, and when the game came back from a commercial break, she held as it she were chilling and proceeded to watch the games and suck her thumb. It looked so good I had to take a picture. Of course Mommy uttered those famous words, "I hope she is actually interested in sports." I responded that it did not matter if she was or not. Whatever she does, her Daddy will be proud.

Right now I would have to say CJ is verbally committing to Duke. She is assured a great education and can play ball there too. We are accepting all offers so Standford, Michigan State, Georgia Tech, Virginia, Vandy and even my nemesis, UNC. You can all state your case in the sweepstakes, and in the year 2026, we will make our final decision.

So as I leave you tonight, the theme was basketball today. She wore a sweatsuit and her Kobe's. CJ watched some games and played with her ball, but this was after I read to her because academics will always be first. You all continue to pray for us when you send up your timber. Pray that Daddy is not a wild fanatic in the stands when his baby girl plays, if she plays. We know prayer changes things, people, and situations.

Is It The Weekend or A Weekend

It all started very early this morning. To be exact it was around 5:30am. Daddy needed to get up to finish preparing his sermon for the day. Usually on Sundays we get to sleep a little late because we don't have to be at church until 10:30am. Today was different because it was a third Sunday and Daddy had to go preach at another church. That meant Daddy, C.J. and Mommy needed to be rolling off by 7:30am to get to the 8am service on-time. Well folks, we tried but we did not leave the house until 7:50am. We arrived to the church in time to hear the word but Daddy does not like being late.

C.J. is really a good baby and when she goes to church she participates in the service. Daddy says, "As she should!" That is what believers ought to do. They should go offer up their praise to God and C.J. has no shame already at the ripe old age of seven months. At the 8am service, she was attentive and tried to read the hymnal. At the 11am service, the one I preached oddly enough, I noticed she took a nap. At the 3pm service I did not hear her too much, but Mommy said she was up and chatting with her cousin.

Even though we have been pretty busy this weekend we did get to enjoy it a little bit. Hopefully we will have our weekends back to be together real soon. Daddy has to work on a few of them but he will do what is necessary to make sure he spends ample time with his Princess. Daddy has become accustomed to hanging out with his girls so now he is spoiled.

So now we are rounding out the day. C.J. has been laid down and Daddy is about to chill out for a bit. We did get to watch a lot of basketball in between all of our running around. March Madness is in full throttle and our team is still in the tournament right now. So once I am right and sleepy I will hit the bed and go to sleep. Before I go I will remind you to keep praying...it really does change people, situations, and things!

In Preparation

CJ was a little whiner tonight. it probably stems from her not taking a solid nap today. We dropped Mommy off to a workshop then it was up north only to find Grandma a little sick. CJ hung out with Breezie so she would not catch anything. Daddy needed to write but Cj was being a little spoiled. Will fill you in on more tomorrow.

It Is really Friday Night

Even though it is 12:40am I am considering it to be night time. We just arrived home from another family night out. Well CJ has been out for hours and Mommy has been out for the past hour and a half. When I say out I mean sleep, complete with snoring and a little bit of grogginess.

CJ Easter Pics

to be cont.

On The Road Again

You would think that we did not have a place to stay or beds to lay in with as much as Daddy and CJ find themselves in a car. We get up early in the morning and get in a car. Then we end our day in a car riding home. Some times like tonight we have to drive north to go to church, then it is back down south to come home. Daddy drives from east to West to get to work and then to get back home. While Daddy is driving CJ is either sleep or playing in her seat. One day Daddy will teach her some songs to sing as we pass the time away.

This evening we went from, Perth Amboy, through, Woobridge, Elizabeth, and Bayonne to get to Jersey City, then we went through Kearny, Harrison, and East Orange to get to church in Newark. Nine cities, four counties what a journey we went on. It is fun though, we see a lot and enjoy our time together.

So after a very rough day for Daddy at work he is thankful he got to drive his frustration out on the long ride home because when he is with CJ he wants to negativity in the area. So now we are home and we are calling it a night. Please remember to pray as someone testified tonight in church. prayer changes things, situations and people!

Exercise via C.J.!

So the season of spring is only a few days away. The good thing is that after God blessed us with all that rain and wind this weekend, he flipped the script and today was sunny and bright. A while back, because he noticed he put on a few pounds that needed to be shed, Daddy mentioned to Mommy that once the weather broke that they should begin walking once they got home from work daily. So today the weather broke and walk Daddy, Mommy, and C.J. did.

Now once they get a whiff of that good old fresh air, most babies usually doze off and enter la la land. However, my darling C.J. always has to be different. This girl was up and vibrant for the duration of the trip. She was looking all around at her surroundings. She was playing with her blanket. She also was making sounds which were quite interesting. It was such a joy to watch her as she investigated her surroundings. That is that inquiry based education already at work. Go girl!

So the daily exercise is on. We had fun today. Mommy and Daddy chatting...C.J. learning about the sounds of nature. But of course the goal being accomplished is a good thing, now we have to work on the follow through. Prayerfully we can work around our schedules. We will not be able to walk as a family daily but it will be priority when we can.

So now we have put C.J. to bed and I'm watching Mommy prepare the bags for tomorrow. We have another long day but at least we will all be together. God takes us through all we have to endure and we are blessed with good health and stamina. We will get our worship on tomorrow night, Amen! So as we chill out for the rest of the night and feast on some Cold Stone for dinner, you all make sure you pray. I have and I will tell you this, prayer still changes things, people and situations.

NOTE TO C.J.: Daily exercise is a must. Set it as a daily priority and pray for follow through!

All 4 "CJ"

If you could see C.J., you would see that she is growing rather rapidly. A long time ago the time came where we could not dress her in sleepers and onesies all the time. We had to go buy her clothes. Now the season has changed and we really were not thinking so now we are stuck with having to pay full price for all the spring clothes we get. Nevertheless, we headed out after work to make sure that C.J. has all she needs.

Now Daddy is obsessed with strolling the carriage. It all goes back to when he was a little boy. Daddy would tell his Mommy that he hated to see mothers carrying newborns. He would ask, "Why do they not have strollers?" From that point on, he always vowed that whenever he had a child that the first thing he would make sure of was that that child had a stroller. He held true to his word too. Now whenever the stroller needs to be pushed it is Daddy who is at the helm. He lets no one get a turn, not even Mommy. She can hold the bags.

So C.J. did allow Daddy and Mommy to get a bite to eat. She had already had her dinner as we strolled the mall. Mommy made mention to the fact that we could remember a time where we had to stop in the mall to feed C.J. However, now that she is able to feed herself, we can give her the bottle and keep moving along. It is so mind boggling to see how C.J. advances on a daily basis but it is a joy to witness.

She is all snuggled in now and Daddy has handled some evening business. Now it is time for him to kick back and relax. So as I go, remember to stay in prayer. We all know that prayer changes things, people and situations! Be blessed!

So today her wardrobe became extended a little bit and the highlight of the day was a red blazer and white country girl hat. Daddy loves to see his Princess with hats on. Also contrary to what everyone believes, (Mommy has people not liking that Daddy buys his girl boy sneakers. I can not help it, I want her to be athletic) Daddy picked up all dresses for his baby girl today. Even though he loves watching basketball and other sports with her he loves the fact that he has a little baby girl to get all cutesy.

Rainy Days and Sundays

Today was not the usual Sunday morning. Time advanced one hour and I should have felt like I lost an hour of sleep. That was not the case. I was excited and full of happiness. I guess because it was a Sunday and that meant I would be able to go to the House of Worship and get my worship on. After yesterday's traveling ordeal I had some lifting of Jesus to get on. I have learned here recently that calling on the name of Jesus is all you need to do sometimes. Life's circumstances will force you to get your act together and lay prostrate and call on his name. As I continue to grow and fix my foundation nothing can separate me from giving God my all! Worship was so great today...you felt the Spirit move all over the place.

Now I had to drive alone today because Mommy and C.J. remained home today. I prayed with them before I left and prayed for them when I got to church and all the way down the road as I prepared myself for worship. Driving alone through the pouring rain and wild winds, and getting to and from my destinations without incident or accident again, just showed God's grace and mercy. God reminded me that I need not worry because he created all of what was occurring.

Today was also different because I came home immediately after church really. I stopped and made some plates to go and I came home directly to my ladies. When I got home C.J. received a good report from Mommy, which is also rare, lol! We played a bit and relaxed, and it is almost nine o'clock and we are all ready for bed. C.J. is whining (no tears) and Daddy is twitching from wanting to go get her but we have to help her understand that when it is bedtime she must lay down without episodes.

So now is the second attempt to put her down. As Mommy took her away C.J. actually kissed me on her own. You all know a huge smile came upon my face. She has also been dadadadadadada-ing it up lately too. Soon she will look me in the face and say Daddy! So as we get ready to call it a night, Daddy is still in Worship asking the Spirit to Fall Down on me. This was the song that we ended church with today. We had to have a praise break! So make sure you pray because prayer changes things, people, and situations.

Rainy Days and Sundays always get me up! Contrary to what the Carpenters sing about rainy days and Mondays.

NOTE TO C.J.: Here are the two links to the songs mentioned today. They both can get you through a day.

Spirit Fall Down - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rel2jMeLuDs
Rainy Days and Mondays - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPmbT5XC-q0

Love you much, be blessed!

IS IT A HURRICANE?

First let me apologize for yesterday. I do not even have a respectable reason for not posting. I had the page up, I planned to post but when I woke up this morning the computer was sitting idle.

Now on to today. When it rains it pours. All morning, all day, and all night the rain poured upon everywhere I went today. To my meeting, my training, my casing out of a joint and all the way home. My truck swayed from side to side as the winds became more and more ferocious. I was alone because I had to leave my Princess and Queen earlier in the day. I do not think they knew the severity of the weather until I arrived home because they usually would call to check on me. I know they love me anyway.

So when I was home, out of my wet clothes and rested I realized that C.J. needed water for her bottles. (Now I will admit that Mommy told me not to do it.) So Daddy put his clothes back on and trudged through the high waters and the howling winds to make sure that his Princess had everything she needed to make it through the night and the next few days. I got soaked but it was for my baby girl. While I was out I heard a mother tell her son that this was a hurricane. Actually it has been labeled as a Nor' Easter to be correct, meteorology wise. Luckily C.J. and Mommy did not have to go out in this messy weather. She stayed at home with Mommy and and the only thing that got wet on her was her pamper.

We lose an hour of sleep tonight so that should be interesting. I wonder how C.J. will react? Will her sleeping change? Will she have a difficult time adjusting to the longer days? We shall see very soon and as usual I guess Daddy will have to make adjustments to her patterns. So as I get settled a little early to make my adjustment smooth you all remember to pray. Even as lights go out, the wind blows, and the rain continues to pour, prayer changes things, people, and situations.

What Is The Problem?

Ok people we have to talk tonight. Recently C.J. has been undoing everything she has done so well since birth. I have talked with people and they say she is in a stage now where she is trying to manipulate every situation to fit what she wants. So when for seven months Daddy could lay her in her crib, turn out the lights and call it a night, C.J. now has figured she wants to do things differently, and begins to yell and scream harshly as soon as a hair touches the crib.

Folks, this is a problem. One, because Daddy or Mommy, after a long day at work, does not want to hear her screaming like she does. We also had become accustomed to her routine. Now I understand that she is a baby and will break plenty routines. This one, however, we wanted her to keep because it allowed Mommy and Daddy to get the proper rest they both needed.

Another problem this causes is between Daddy and Mommy. Mommy wants to teach C.J. a lesson and break her out of this pronto. Now Daddy agrees with Mommy that she needs to be broken, however, his method would be a little different. Now you all know that C.J. is Daddy's girl, his Princess, his Baby girl, and his partner in crime against Mommy. So he naturally would want to comfort his baby whenever she calls. I mean who cares if she is crying wolf or not? Who cares if she stops when I pick her up? Who cares if she cracks a smile at Mommy when I am holding her? Daddy does not care, lol! I understand all the psychological and behavioral issues it may cause. I think I got an "A" in that class. I understand all of the technical stuff but when it gets right down to it, Daddy loves his baby girl and that is no problem for him.

So the jury is still out on what we will do. Tonight has been easy thus far. She is actually asleep now. We had a great Daddy bath night and she cooperated while getting dressed. Since I bathed her a little early we watched some ball games tonight too, the Big East and ACC tournament are in full swing. Let's Go Duke! Oh yeah I almost forgot to mention, she sat in her high chair today and tomorrow will be her first feeding in it. She likes sitting in it so let the messes begin.

So as I get ready to catch a movie with the Mrs. you all remember to pray tonight. Prayer changes things, people and situation. Also pray for Haiti and Chile tonight, we must never stop the efforts.

NOTE TO C.J.: Always work to develop solutions to problems. Before you try to work it out, seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and you will be alright!

Let The Church Say Amen!

Tonight C.J. went to Lenten Service with Daddy and Mommy. Usually Mommy keeps C.J. home because it is a long day for her. You have to remember C.J. is up at quarter to six in the morning. Today was different because there was a dynamic preacher that Mommy wanted to hear.

Once we arrived at the church Daddy went in the study like he usually does and CJ and Mommy went towards their usual area. They sit close to the door so if CJ needs to be fed or changes they can make their exit quickly without fuss. Tonight Daddy helped the Worship Team lead Praise and Worship. CJ is use to Daddy talking from up front bu this was her first time hearing him sing some of his favorite songs. She is familiar with these songs because we listen to them all the time at home.

Now the Amen's come in here. I was sitting in the front row of the church feasting off of the word. Suddenly I started to hear a baby. The first sound was not mine because I can recognize her voice from miles away so I did not even turn around I stayed in tune with the preacher. The second time the sound I heard came from someone familiar that was CJ, so I shifted a little. Then I heard it again and had to turn around and low and behold it was my Princess making noise in church. I figure she was saying AMEN in her own way. Everyone else was because the word was good and CJ who is use to good preaching decided to join in! All I could do was shake my head and turn around.

So my baby girl loves church and good preaching. What more could a preaching Daddy ask for? I am going to be sure to listen to the tape from when Daddy preaches next to see if she lets out as many Amen's as she did tonight! We all enjoyed Worship tonight, CJ is sleep and Daddy and Mommy are headed that way. We prayed in church but as always pray some more because prayer changes things, people and situations.

What Shots? No Problem!

Tonight I will be brief. We had the quickest doctor's appointment ever, literally 10 minutes. The doctor came in, he administered two shots and we were out of there. We then went to IHOP on the wrong night. It was Senior night complete with an air tank on the table. Then we came home and C.J.'s high chair met us at the door. Tonight she is being a little difficult with going to bed so I have to go rescue her from Mommy who is not pleased with her bed behavior. So she started off well tonight but she is not ending in a positive way.

So as you pray keep her in prayer because she might need it a lot. Besides we know that prayer changes things, people and situations so your prayers can change her bedtime behavior!

Young, Black, and Fabulous

Today was the first pretty day we have had in a long time. The sun shined all day long, not a cloud was anywhere in sight and the temperature tickled around 60 degrees. So what does C.J. do? I guess she is going to gauge her temperament from the weather. This girl seems to just be warming up.

When we went to go pick her up today Mommy told me that she did not sleep a lot today. The only thing was that she looked like she did not want to go to sleep anytime soon. When we got home we took her out and she went right on the floor. We spend a lot of time on the floor these days. So much so that Daddy and Mommy fell asleep on the floor last night. She was all good until she wanted to flip on her diva switch. It all went down hill from there.

When C.J. is in her young, black, and fabulous mood she wants attention at the 150%. She wants it from Daddy, Mommy and anything else that has life in her presence. She refuses to sit alone, she refuses to play with her toys and she refuses to be quiet. I am doing laundry today so I had to go outside and I could hear C.J. yelling at the top of her lungs. All I could do was shake my head.

One thing that I am learning to do is how to calm her down. She likes to be talked down. Since Daddy has to try and not always give in to her I have had to devise another mechanism. So when she flips the diva switch on, I will deepen my voice but talk calmly to her. I will sit with her or lie down next to her and just talk to her. I will ask her what is wrong? Why she feels the need to make so much noise? Also, what does she want? She usually will connect eyes with me and then I will either kiss her on the head or rub her belly. Then she seems to calm down a bit.

This DIVA switch seems to be very potent. The problem is that C.J. has the remote control. So Daddy is creating the circuit breaker for her. Discipline from Daddy will be rough because C.J. is my baby girl. However it is clear to me that discipline must be in place.

Missing You!

OK, OK, OK, Daddy missed his Baby Girl a whole lotta bunch today! On most Sundays the Johnsons of Old Bridge worship together. Today, however, we parted ways. Now when we are in church, I am not with C.J. because I am in the pulpit leading service. C.J. and I make contact though and I hear her throughout the few hours we are in church, but at least we are together. Then you have to be reminded of the fact that we are apart because everyone is going to ask where she is or how she is doing. I think I should have created a sign to wear around my neck with a message so I did not have to say the same thing over and over.

So I may be over the top but I really miss C.J. when I am not with her. Most of the time no matter where we are, we are together. Whether it is shopping, driving, relaxing, or just hanging out C.J. is in Daddy's presence. I have to admit the little girl is cute and I never want to miss out on anything she may do.

So now that we are home we are back together. We played on the floor a little bit and now she is getting ready for bed. She also played with the cookie her Pop made her for Black History Month. He put all of his grandchildren on a cookie. She will not get to eat any of it...OK, maybe a smidgen. So that is it for today. I missed her a bunch but we have to work on being apart from each other. When you're dealing with a King and a Princess, that concept is hard for us to grasp.

So in parting, always remember to pray. We all know and have faith that prayer changes things, people and situations.

Party Marathon

In the past few weekends we have celebrated quite a few birthdays. First it was Jaylen, then next up was CJ#2 (Christian), then Brandon and today Briyana rounded out the marathon. Both C.J. and Daddy will agree that it was a long journey that we did not properly prepare for. We learned a few things about the birthday craze and we will be better prepared. One thing we learned is that there is no such thing as to leaving a party early. You are there for the duration. We also learned that the competitive nature during the games is serious so you better practice at home. We also realized that you must never forget your phone, or you will wait 2 hours for the birthday boy, and three hours to eat if the party is at a popular restaurant.

So the question arises of what will C.J. do for her 1st birthday. Daddy and Mommy have talked about a simple barbecue. Hopefully that will still be the case come August. Daddy still believes that a party is not necessary. C.J. will not remember it and why have a party for other people to enjoy. So a simple BBQ would do just fine. I have found a cake that I want and we can throw some burgers, dogs and shrimp on the grill. We will keep you up-to-date on the proceedings and please look forward to the blog that night, August 7, 2010 to be exact. Stay tuned...

in any case, whether it's at McDonald's, the church, the Rain Forest Cafe or at the house, it is really a sight to see when the birthday boy or girl's day is here. Their smiles light up the room. From musical chairs to doing sand art, the creativity of the party parents makes the events more joyous. To say it plainly our first party marathon was tiring, and new for us, but we have made it through. We will now start developing our game plan so we can be more prepared next time around.

So as with any race, you always thank God that it is over. So as I now watch the rest of the Duke vs. North Carolina game (without C.J. because Mommy played us and saw fit to give her a bath during the game tonight. We will speak to her about that shortly and ask that it never happens again. The nerve of her!) Anyway, you all remember to send up some timber tonight because it will help change things, people and situations.

Relax, Relate, Release

Another work week has come and is slowly fading away. The long drives back and forth. The tolls, the gas stations and the potholes will have to wait a few days until it is back to business. The weekend is here. How will you start it off? Johnny Kemp would say, "Just got paid, Friday night
Party huntin', feelin' right
Body shakin', all around (Body shakin' all around)
No one thinks when I'm gettin' down".

For me it would be a little different and tonight is what my blueprint would be. I would simply say as Debbie Allen told Jasmine Guy on the early 90's television A Different World, "Relax, relate, release!" I would say that for both C.J. and Daddy. Tonight we all came home, got in our pajamas and relaxed. Daddy got on the floor with C.J. Mommy started to listen to some ole skool music and we all just relaxed together at home.

Daddy needed to relax from his long week of reading applications, answering phones, talking to parents, driving an hour to and from work, having to go up north and so much more. C.J. needed to unwind from the early mornings, the days at the babysitter, the germs from the other kids, and from being a busy body. Tonight she made me tired while trying to dress her because she wanted to scoot, roll, and turn around and reach for everything she did not need to have. So we need to relax and that we did.

We also had some relate time too. C.J. and I listened to a few cuts that are sentimental for us. One is Wildflower by New Birth and the other is the Whispers' Chocolate Girl. We were going ole skool so some other cuts we have did not make it into the rotation tonight. C.J. and Daddy sing these songs together and we try our best to harmonize. We do pretty well too!

As the night grows upon us it will be time to release all the tension from within. C.J. took a nice bath, was greased down and is now sleeping soundly. Daddy in a few moments will drink some water, lay down and let all my limbs and brain release and recharge. So as I continue to recite those three words to myself I remind you all to pray because prayer changes things, people and situations!

Also because we know God is all that and more it makes it easy to relax, relate and release because God is in control!

All Giggles

C.J. is a bundle of joy! Wherever she goes she always has a smile on her face. Tonight was no different. We went to Red Lobster for dinner. (This was Mommy's choice...you know good and well on Thursday nights we are usually IHOP-bound). From the moment we walked in C.J. was ready to let everyone know that she was present.

As we waited she caught the attention of a couple who sat across from us. All through dinner the waitress fell more and more in love with C.J. She mentioned her smile, her laugh, and oddly enough, her eyelashes. She said that she looked like a doll and asked C.J. if she wanted to go home with her. As we finished up she finally told us that she had a set of 8-year-old twins that would love to play with C.J. It is too bad that C.J. is not being lent out or traded off anytime soon.

I really like the fact that C.J. is such a happy baby. It shows that she is loved abundantly by her Daddy (of course) and her Mommy. Everyday I wake up, I pray for C.J. and I pray for us. Then, as we pray as a family, we ask God to continue strengthening our love for each other. A family that loves each other is a family destined to grow. So I guess as long as my baby girl continues to be all giggles and smiles we can be rest assured that she is pleased with the blessing that God has showered her with. She is definitely a blessing from God to Daddy!

So she is asleep now. We did not engage in our normal bath time because we were out tonight, and she fell asleep, so I just put her to bed as soon as we arrived home. So as I finish up tonight please remember to pray. Prayer changes things, people and situations!

The Simple Days in Life

Some days are meant to be spent without too much excitement. That is how I would describe today. Of course we are excited because the Lord granted us another day! Daddy also got to hear a word at Lenten Service. CJ stayed home with Mommy after another day at the babysitter.

All reports were good! One of Daddy's students even realized that God is a good God because he delivered her from a situation only he could get her out of. I am glad she realized the power of God. It helped me to realize that the scripture is right. If you train up a child in the way he/she should go, when they are old they shall not depart. Sometimes them coming of age comes a little sooner than expected but you must get the word in them young so it grows and matures with them.

So today CJ and Daddy rejoice in another day that the Lord made. Though she was not awake when I came home tonight, I hear her wrestling as I type. I am going to give her a soft kiss once I finish. So you all remember to pray because prayer changes things, situations and people as one of my students can testify too!

Other Plans

Today was supposed to be another one of those days when once I dropped C.J. off, I would not see her awake until the next day. I was scheduled to stay down in Trenton for a program sponsored by my students. However as soon as I arrived to work, Mommy called me to tell me that I needed to come get them after school. So Daddy quickly made the calls necessary to inform all who needed to know that he would not be attending tonight's program. Instead he would be home with his two leading ladies.

Now of course Daddy was OK with this. Any time he can spend with his darling C.J. and Mommy he welcomes with open arms. Daddy developed a major headache on the ride home. He let Mommy know that he was going to chill out on the floor for a while. Mommy chimed in that she would be doing the same. So we both were on the floor with C.J. as she played with her toys. Before we knew it C.J. had somehow ended up on the other side of the floor. Now this is funny because she does not crawl. This girl has mastered rolling and that is how she gets where she wants to go. So again Daddy and Mommy had their plan but the Princess had other plans of her own.

Now we are winding down for the night. C.J. is in bed. Daddy is blogging. Mommy is washing dishes and preparing C.J.'s bag for tomorrow. All is well on the Old Bridge front. Another day has come and gone, and though it did not go as planned, sometimes other plans occur to make what should happen come to fruition. So as we continue to wind down and Daddy has a small cup of tea, please remember to pray because we know prayer changes people, things, and situations.

NOTE TO C.J.: It is great to be organized and follow a plan but sometimes you will find great joy in just going with the flow!

Johnson Bay Medical Center

What better way to spend a Monday evening than in a hospital. That is what we did tonight. Now you may recall that C.J. and I laughed at Mommy on Friday when she had an upset stomach. The funny thing is that tonight it was Daddy and C.J. at the mercy of Mommy and the doctors. Daddy went bowling yesterday and when he arrived home his pinkie was throbbing in pain. He could not sleep well, could not dress properly and had to drive with one hand all day long. Complicated, but he did it...he had to because C.J. and Mommy had to be picked up.

Now C.J., on the other hand, had a different situation. For the past few weeks, C.J. has been dealing with some nasal congestion. We bought a new humidifier. Mommy has mastered the saline treatments. We have even applied a little Vicks Vapor rub to help our cause. The good thing is that when we saw the doctor today he assured us that the mucus had not gone to the ear nor had it camped out in her chest. He told us to continue doing what we were doing. Daddy was proud of Mommy because she really takes the lead with CJ's well being and health. Daddy enjoys the fun stuff and the outfit management.

So now we are all home. C.J. is asleep and Daddy is on his way. So please continue to pray for us both as we deal with our situations. We know wholeheartedly that prayer changes things, people and situations. That includes severely sprained fingers and nasal congestion.