Christmas

I can't believe Christmas is over, 2011 is almost here and we are a couple of weeks away from having a 1 year old! We had a very busy, happy Christmas this year with 4 family gatherings.

We spent Christmas Eve & Christmas morning at my Gommy's house. Every year she has a party... I can remember running around as a child between all the grown-ups. Her tree was pretty big this year and was as beautiful as always!

We even got to sing Christmas carols with two of the guests- my Gommy's cousin Stacy who is an singer/pianist on a cruise ship and another friend who sings opera. It was beautiful and so much fun! (And I really liked how the tree looks in this picture so I had to include it.)

Christmas morning we were up early after Caroline kept us up much of the night. She is usually such a good sleeper... but not Christmas Eve. She must have been waiting on Santa!

Santa definitely came! At Gommy's house and again at Nonnie's house that evening! Caroline didn't pay much attention to unwrapping her toys this year but we will definitely get lots of play time in now that we're home. I hope your Christmas was as blessed as our was.

I can't stop thinking about all the dogs outside with it being so cold tonight.

I'm a weirdo... I know. By the way, my dog Shelby (who is a sheltie) is having a terrible, awful, horrific time with allergies. We don't know what she is allergic to, but I've recently changed her to a allergy pet food and it hasn't helped. So far all the vet has done is give us steroids and we know this is not good for her long term. She itches like crazy and her skin gets so red and raw if I take her off the steroids. Have you had any experience with this? I feel so bad for her and I have a feeling we are going to end up spending lots of money before this is over with. It has been going on for about 6 months now. I think the next step is to take her to the coast to see a dog dermatologist.

Schoooools... out... for... the summah!!

Or winter... whatever...         

I made 5 A's and 2 B's! MUCH better than I expected! I had pretty much convinced myself a B is as good as its going to get with me being a mommy and a student at the same time. The semester really did go by quickly... I cannot wait to get next semester over with so I can start earning some moo-lah again!! I can't believe I'm actually going to graduate in 5 months!

I've been home with Caroline now for about a week and I really have been enjoying all this extra time with her and having a taste of stay-at-home-mommyhood. I have been getting a little bored/lonely/stir crazy from not leaving the house so I've started cleaning out our guest room (REALLY needs it) and I pretty much make it a point to leave the house every day even if its just to go to the dollar store. I haven't had a hard time coming up with errands to run. I finished Redeeming Love and I LOVED it! Now I'm looking for other good books to read and enjoy on my break! Pretty please leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite books are. I've already read the Twilight series (soooooooo good). I'll like pretty much any kind of book except westerns! Ha!

Here's a pic of what I caught Caroline doing yesterday

(I know... not the safest thing... I took them away right after I snapped a picture.)
She also screams bloody murder if I buckle her in her stroller or shopping cart while I'm in a store but stands up like a stunt devil if I don't buckle her in. Any tips there?

We saw Santa at the library a week or so ago... she hated him.

That's all for now! Let me know about some good book recommendations and if you have any advice on my little stunt devil!

1st tooth!

This was the last week of the regular semester and next week is finals! YIPPIE! I only have 2 exams and a presentation to give so I really feel like its almost over! My group turned in our business plan for Entrepreneurship Thursday and I felt the weight of the world lifted off my shoulders that afternoon when we turned it in. What a relief.

Today I had no school so I got to stay home and play with my sweet girl all day! I took advantage of the perfect weather and snapped some shots of her. I was trying to get a picture or two of her gracious may shoes but she wouldn't cooperate and I was lacking the talent and patience.

We enjoyed our day together. :) She has been a little bit cranky lately because she finally has a tooth! And I think another one is quickly coming in right beside it!

Can you see it!?

On a side note, does anyone know how to remove the template from my blog? It isn't an html code it's from the 'template designer' from blogger thing and I can't figure out how to remove it. Let me know if you have some advice!

I rented "Redeeming Love" from the library today so I think I'm going to start it tonight! I've heard from several people that it is really good! I have a terrible habit of starting books and not finishing them... hopefully that won't be the case this time. Goodnight!

This & That

Only about 3 1/2 more weeks left of the semester and it cannot come fast enough!! The stress I have gone through in the last few weeks is unlike anything I've ever been through... definitely not fun. Life is too short to be stressed like I have been. It makes me feel guilty because I know I haven't been enjoying my family like I should be. It really boils down to this entrepreneurship class that I loathe- I guess everyone has to go through one or two classes like this that really shouldn't be this difficult, but that are nonetheless. I know worrying about something does no good, but I can't flip that worry switch off for some reason. Our professor has required us to come up with a unique product (something that has not been done before) and "pretend" we're business owners and write a business plan around this company. She wants it to be as realistic as possible and she prefers it to be very science/technology oriented. This is not my forte. Anyway, I just can't wait for it to be over with. A celebration will definitely be in store December 9th!!

So what is little Caroline up to these days? I am realizing she is very strong willed and very independent! Most of the time she wants nothing to do with cuddling Momma... she wants to be down on the ground exploring the world! Then there are nights like tonight where she really doesn't want me to put her down. It's rare that she acts like that, so I eat it up! Lately I have only had a couple of hours a day with her and it doesn't feel like enough. This upcoming Christmas break is going to be FANTASTIC... I'll have like 5 weeks off with no work, no school... just me and Caroline doing whatever we please! I plan on organizing Caroline's closet and our guest room closet.

Have y'all started your Christmas shopping? What is on your wish list this year? I'm trying to think of things we need for the house... maybe some guest bedroom furniture? It is in need of some adult furniture... it looks like a college kid's room... it only has a couple of filing cabinets... a bed with no headboard/foot board and a cheap desk that I'm going to get rid of b/c it's huge and takes up too much space in that little room. I just can't decide if I should ask for a bedside table or a small desk for the room. The other thing that I would really love to get is a dresser for our bedroom. We need some drawer space desperately!

And because it's no fun to write a post with no pictures or video, here is a fun video Dan took of Caroline a couple weeks ago. For some reason she thinks its funny when I put my ponytail in her face... weird I know.

The cutest little fishy-face!

Here goes a not fun post.... we found out Tuesday that baby Henry had no heartbeat. I ordered a doppler and got it a little over a week ago. I knew it would be a little early to hear the heartbeat, but I heard Caroline's around 10 weeks (if I'm remembering correctly) so I hoped I would be able to do the same with this baby. I searched several times for the heartbeat over the last week and wasn't able to find anything. I really wasn't that worried but I made an appointment anyway just to be safe. Dan went with me and the doctor couldn't find the heartbeat with his doppler (no surprise there). He said since the baby is still so small, this is normal. He sent us to the sonogram lady and when she did the ultrasound I knew pretty quickly. The sad part was that you could see baby... but no flickering or beating heart. Baby measured about 8 weeks so I guess his or her heart stopped beating about 2 weeks ago.

Dan and I are handling it well, as we did with our first miscarriage... but it is still very sad. I've wondered a few times if we will see this baby and our first in heaven one day. It makes you wonder what the purpose is behind it all, but I know we just can't understand everything here on earth.

Caroline's New Tricks & A Big Surprise!

Caroline's babysitter, Brooke has been telling us that once she hit 9 months old she would start performing tricks... and she definitely has! In the last few weeks she will do "arms up!" and she'll wave bye bye. She'll also shake her head no whenever we tell her no.... but that definitely doesn't stop her from doing whatever it is we're telling her no to. I would love for her next "trick" to be blowing kisses or giving me sugar. She also can push a walker around... I'm sure walking alone is in the near future. She is so precious to us and keeps us busy, busy!

In other news, we found out several weeks ago that we're PREGNANT! AGAIN! It was a big surprise and I can't believe how easily I've come to accept the idea. I'm glad that our babies will be close in age (about 17 months apart), but I'm worried about how in the world we're going to be able to pay two daycare bills! We'll be paying over $1,000 a month in daycare alone. I will graduate in early May and I'm due May 29th. It's actually good timing because I'll be able to take a couple of months break in between graduation and starting a job. Maybe I will find an amazing dream job that will pay me bookoodles of money and only make me work like 25 hours a week. Wouldn't that be perfect!? ( ;

A Tour of Caroline's Nursery

I feel like I've seriously neglected my blog lately and I won't have any readers now... not that I had a ton of readers before, but at least I'll still have a little journal of our first born and what life was like in 2010!

I shared a picture of Caroline in her crib a while back & got comments about her nursery. I realized that I never gave an official tour of her nursery! The reason behind this is because I'm the ULTIMATE procrastinator... her room still is not complete. Really, the only big thing I'm lacking are her curtains. I have the fabric but I just have to get it sewn.

I'm not much of a decorator and my SIL helped me a lot... I'm really happy with how it turned out! Anyway, enough rambling! Here is the room I'm most proud of!

Birth announcement my grandmother cross-stitched. This hangs in the hall right outside Caroline's room

This canvas hung on our room in the hospital when Caroline was born. My sister in law did it for us.

This is what you see as you enter Caroline's room

I got the dresser from Walmart and I'm pleased with it for as affordable as it was. I really want/need a chest of drawers for more storage. The mirror above her changing pad was my great grandmothers. It was a goldish color and my husband spray painted it white. The branch with birds is a wall decal I bought off etsy! It was very easy to do!

My SIL also did these adorable appliques for us! LOVE them!

My mother in law bought the bedding and I love it!

My grandmother bought us the heart wreath and my mom bought Caroline the little shelf. I think they're precious! On the shelf are two of the remaining pieces of my Beatrix Potter collection.

(I had almost all of the figurines and books as a child but I broke them by climbing up on my shelves.

I was a good child, I promise.)

My mom painted these and applied the flower details. She did a great job!

 Of course I couldn't snap all these pictures without a few of my sweet girl! She turned 8 months old yesterday... so crazy!!!!

1st time in the rocker by herself! She thought it was so fun to rock!

This is her new favorite face. She does it all the time. We call it her old lady face.

Love this pic!

Alright, enough procrastinating, I'm off to write a mini-paper!

A Quick Trip to Nashville

For the last month or so I've been trying to find a few days when I could go up to Nashville to visit Nick, Julie and Baby Graham and to see all my old Lampo coworkers. I left Thursday afternoon and finally got there at about 10 that night. I would have made it a little earlier but there was a really bad accident on the interstate so I had to take a detour that added an hour and a half to my 7 hour trip.... not exactly the most fun with a 7 month old! I'm just thankful we weren't involved in any accidents and I really hope everyone involved was okay.

It was totally worth it because I had the best time! Baby Graham is so teeny tiny, sweet and cuddly!  I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking:

I could just eat him up! It's hard to believe that Caroline was ever that little!!

Friday when I met some of my friends for lunch I had to hold back the tears a few times...

I miss them all SO much.

Most of my D.R. Girls!

That evening we played on Nick & Julie's swing set! So much fun!

Saturday I had lunch with a few friends in Franklin. I LOVE it when you can get together with a few girls and laugh and really be yourself. We had a great time.

That afternoon we went to the Sweet Tea Festival. Even though it was pretty warm, we had fun visiting, looking at the booths the vendors had set up and listening to music. I don't think Caroline and Graham thought it was all that interesting though....

It was sad to leave and be reminded that I don't have that amazing job anymore (with all those amazing people), but I was glad to be home and with my sweet hubby. I had a wonderful weekend and I can't wait to go visit again!

Last week I completed a 5 day mini-session in Anthropology. It was SO worth it to get one class over with in such a short period of time! The normal semester started Wednesday and I think I'm going to have a really good semester. It will definitely be tough but it beats the heck out of sitting at a desk watching the clock!

Caroline has been at my neighbor's instead of daycare for almost two weeks now and it is going so well. I was just thinking today that it really is a huge blessing.... Brooke and I get along so well and I think Caroline is going to be happier in the long run. Brooke's son Nathan is about 2 months older than Caroline and he has started signing some words. The other day we were talking and she said the word more to me in a sentence (not asking him to do it) and he signed it. I know plenty of babies do this but it was amazing for me to see with my own eyes... and especially from a 9 month old!

I took this video of Caroline & Shelby this afternoon. It is such a joy to hear her laughter and see her sweet smile!

I think it's pretty obvious Shelby has some serious energy! Word to the wise: don't buy an energetic dog if you aren't going to walk them frequently.

Crawling & Squaling!

Caroline started crawling about a month ago but she has really mastered it in the last week or so. 



Ever since she has mastered crawling she seems to want me to hold her more. I'll put her down and she'll cry and crawl right up back to me into my lap. It feels good to know she wants me! She will even follow me from the living room into the kitchen now. Now the fun starts!

I had a little photo shoot with her last week. It was the first time for her to sit in the grass. I love this little outfit... I got it at a consignment shop and paid probably 3 bucks for it! I love love love yellow.

Last Sunday Dan's parents came to visit us (read: Caroline). We had a great time visiting.

Mr. Maxie wasn't very interested in taking pictures. :)

Tomorrow is my last day of work and Caroline's last day at daycare. This weekend and next we'll be visiting family in Jackson. Can't wait!

My First WYHDIH Project!

WYHDIH= Watch your husband do it himself..... :)

Dan worked on the headboard almost all day on Saturday and a good part of Sunday. I had a cranky baby and didn't think it was a good idea for us to stay in the garage with all those fumes! The bed is absolutely GORGEOUS!!! But.... we have a little problem. Let me just show you:

(Please over look all the clutter on our bedside tables. I am not an organized person.)

So.... yea, you can't even see the headboard it's so low. I googled sleigh beds on the Internet and there are actually a lot of them out there that aren't high up. The headboard and footboard (haven't done the footboard yet) have slots in them to attach to rails that hold the bed up. I'm thinking maybe we shouldn't do the footboard and just find a way to elevate the headboard without attaching it to the bed maybe? What do y'all think? It's just too beautiful to leave behind those pillows!

Here's proof:

Didn't the Danman do a fantastic job?! Here is a reminder at what he started with:

 

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Our little family has some big changes coming up in the next two weeks. I have been talking about going back to school all summer and it is almost time! My last day of work is next Friday and I start school right away - on Monday the 9th. I am so ready for a fresh start and a change of scenery.  =)

In other news, a few weeks ago we met a sweet family that lives on the street behind us. My coworker goes to church with them and they introduced us because we're neighbors and have been visiting their church for a while now. The mom stays at home and has a 4 year old and an 8 month old. Her 4 yr old is starting preschool in the fall so she has been wanting to keep another child during the day. I have always wanted a stay-at-home mom situation for Caroline and this family is so very sweet. So, all of that is to say that Caroline will no longer be going to daycare. The same day that I start school, Caroline will be at the Johnson's instead of daycare! I am very excited and I'm really hoping it will all work out perfectly!

Of course that means I won't be able to check up on her like I do now while I'm at work and we are actually really going to miss some of the people we've met at daycare. Caroline has made little friends in her class and the older she gets the more the daycare workers love her. When I told them we were leaving they said "Well we don't like that.... Caroline is a preferred customer!" I thought that was kinda funny!

(Caroline is at the bottom left in this pic... eating lunch!)

Caroline is eating pretty well for the most part. Still not a huge fan of peas and I found out last night that she HATES peaches. I guess because they are tart or strong tasting. Who knows! Anyway, she takes 4 bottles a day (6 or 7 ounces each time). She eats fruit for lunch and for dinner she eats half a container of fruit and half a veggie (sometimes a whole veggie) with some cereal or oatmeal. She has really started crawling well over the last week or so! Last night I was sitting on the ground with her in front of me and every time I put her down she would crawl to me. I would pick her and rock her against my chest and say "loooove, love, love!" and then put her back on the ground and she'd crawl right back up to my lap. So sweet! With this new mobility has come a few "uh-ohs". My heart just breaks for her when she hurts herself. I guess I need to be watching her much closer now that she can travel so easily! =) Either watch her like a hawk or put her in something safe that she can't do too much harm in. We used to use a bouncy seat when I was getting ready for work in the mornings but now this walker is doing the trick for us.

That's all for now! Happy almost Friday!

My Very First DIY Project!

Our bedroom is a mix-match of old furniture and hand-me-downs and I have been wanting a headboard/footboard for our bed for a while now but it just hasn't been in the budget. Earlier this week Dan was looking in an antique shop and found an old sleigh bed for 40 bucks! Pretty good for a king sized bed, huh!? Only problem is, the finish is in pretty rough shape so it definitely needs to be refinished. We're going to start on it this weekend. I really hope it turns out well! If we don't like the way it looks, we can always paint over it, right?!

So excited about that!!

As I was feeding Caroline yesterday she kept arching backwards to look at Daddy. I thought it was so funny I made him take a picture!

And this was my view. Ha!

About an hour ago Caroline fell asleep in her bouncy thing so I laid her down in her crib. She woke up a little but I figured she would go right back to sleep. I left and went to check on her about 10 minutes later and this is what I found:

She was just sitting in her crib playing quietly! How sweet is my girl!??

And to wrap up this post I'll share one of my most favorite pics of her to date! I took it last night while giving her a bath (obviously). Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Mobile Visit, Peas, & Sitting Up Like a Big Girl!

How's that for a hodge podge title?

The weekend before last Caroline and I headed to Mobile to visit Wren. We always enjoy our time together and this weekend was no exception. Wren cut my hair and I paid her in ice cream... because, well, I'm an awesome friend like that. Then I gifted her husband Allan with a hysterical baby at Olive Garden. I'm sooo much fun to be around these days! :)

This past weekend was pretty uneventful. We had planned on going to the pool but it's been raining a lot here lately so we were pretty much lazy all weekend. We did get some cleaning done on Sunday which was nice. We're getting to the point where Caroline has a bunch of toys so we need a toy box in the living room and one in her room so we can easily clean up each day. Caroline is doing well and eating a new food pretty much every 4 days or so now. So far she has eaten almost everything I've given her... but she definitely doesn't love peas or green beans. Oh how I hope she doesn't have an aversion to green foods like I do! :(

Warning: She gags in the video below. If you can't handle that I would recommend skipping the video.



Tonight we went to Chick-fil-a for dinner & Caroline sat in a highchair for the first time! We sat her in one at another place a couple of weeks ago but she kind of slid down into an uncomfortable slouch. She did much better today and I kept telling Dan "look how big she is!!" She is sitting up so well now. It's like over night she went from only sitting by propping her self up with her hands and now she sits up without propping herself up!

In other news, the countdown is ON!! 2 weeks & 4 days left of work!! Can you tell I am elated?!? I start a week long "mini-session" at USM on 8/9 and then the regular semester starts a week and a half later. I'm going to try and take 19 hours this fall so that in the spring I'll only have 12 hours to complete.

Anyway, it's almost 10 and that means it's momma's bedtime!! :)

Dream House

This morning while going through my list of blogs I frequent I stopped over at http://www.thestoriesofa2z.com/. I love this blog for her style and decorating and over the weekend she wrote about Steven Alexander Homes. I feel like such a copy cat blogging about the exact same thing but OH how I love this house!

I have never been so in love with a house or a style in my life! Dream big, right?!

.

As beautiful as the outside of this home is, I love the inside even more.

Look at the ceiling in the dining room! I love all the greens and blues.

It looks so comfortable and I love all the molding!

 I think I've decided I want my next house to have a vanity like this

(preferably off to one side insead of centered).

Anyway, I seriously doubt I'll ever need a 3500 square foot house OR something that costs $680,000! It's always fun to dream though... and I could do something much smaller in the same style one day! :)