The May Family

Mothers Day 2009.

2009-05-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful Mothers Day this year! I am so thankful that I am still able to spend Mother's Day with my wonderful mother!! I am so thankful for her and would not know what to do without her! Luckily she lives within walking distance from my house or I would go crazy!! I can call her anytime of the night or day and she will be there for me !! I am also thankful that she takes such wonderful care of my precious LuLu!! I am also thankful that God has allowed me to be a mother!! What a gift it is! One that changes your entire life and makes it so much more meaning ful. My husband did such a wonderful job pampering me this Mothers day with a nap and a back rub and gifts! We also went to dinner at Outback with my family which is where the above pictures of LuLu having her dinner were taken. Dinner consisted of a grape blow pop dipped in ice cream! YUMMY!

" Go bye bye side with the kids"

2009-05-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

Elmo balloon

Balloon man

Lulu's famous phrase these days is the above. She loves to go anywhere that there is a combination of slides and kids. She asks constantly if she can go bye bye and anytime that we get in the car she asks to go " side" with the kids. We have gone to Chick Fil A so much that she knows the road to get there and the entire way there she repeats " go side" " kids" constantly like 20 times . She amazes me everyday the way she sponges it all up!! Tuesdays we have been taking her to Chick Fil A because they have a kids night with music, games and singing. She loves it!!! She even loves the 10 foot cow and gives him hugs and high fives while the other kids are screaming and running! I am telling you that this child fears nothing ! Here are a few pics from one of our Tuesday adventues.

Mini Pigtails

2009-05-12T19:45:00.000-07:00

This is the latest way I style her hair. I love to shop at gymboree because I can get these cute bows that match all of her outfits. I thought this was a cute pic and a major Daddy look a like!

2009-05-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

Sneaky ...

2009-05-12T19:35:00.000-07:00

The other day I was using the bathroom and LuLu came in there with me because she loves to follow me everywhere.. even to the potty. As I was using the bathroom she started to shred that toilet paper ( which she knows is not acceptable in our house!! ) I quickly told her NO firmly and sent her on her way. She came back of course for seconds and when I went to spank her she ran off. The next thing I knew I see her tiny little hand reaching around the door as her body hid behind the wall. She was going to grab the toilet paper from outside the door because she knew that I was on the toilet and could not reach her so she would not get a spanking. Wow! Learning how to cheat the system already.. man are we in for it! And why I had my camera with me in the bathroom I dont even know!

Skillet in Concert

2009-05-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

Chris and I went to the Skillet concert a few Saturdays ago and had a fabulous time! Mom and Dad kept LuLu for us so that we could go to dinner first and then enjoy our late night together. We had dinner at California Pizza Kitchen and then off the Lipscomb arena we went!! It was so fun but was pouring rain all the way to our car... we ran .. and I was WINDED!

Makeovers by Lulu

2009-04-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

LuLu is such the girly girl! She loves purses, makeup , lotionand all theother girl stuff. It is so funny because she will get in my makeup and put it exactly where it goes on her face. The other night she got in my lipstick at Applebees and it entertained for her 20 mins or more.. any takers for prom or wedding makeovers??

Cheetos , Gotta Love 'EM !!

2009-04-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love Cheetos?? They are yummy and make a huge mess!

LuLu by Mommy in sidewalk chalk for your viewing pleasure !!

2009-04-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

LuLu the Mommy

2009-04-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

LuLu loves to push her baby around outside in the stroller. She will push her on the sidewalk, up the stairs, in the street... just where ever she thinks that baby wants to go. After she pushes for her a few mintues she will stop , go around the the front of the stroller , pick up the baby and then hug her , pat her on the back , kiss her and then drop her back in the stroller. What a good little mommy she is!

Yes they call her the Streak.. fastest thing on two feet..

2009-04-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

Playing with clothes on prior to the incident
Hiding from us..wonder what she was thinking.....

LuLu's new favorite thing to do is take her diaper off and run around without clothes. We cannot leave her in just a diaper without shorts or pants. She will run away and then we will catch her in the buff!! Chris and I were talking in the kitchen the other night and then when we came around the corner this is what we found. LuLu realized that bare bottoms do not make for a good trip down the slide.

Our first go round with the stomach virus

2009-04-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

Walking with the balloon " ba eew n" from Nana

Laying in bed watching Dora

LuLu woke up vomiting last Tuesday morning around 1 am. Chris and I walked into her room to a bed and a child covered with vomit!! I felt so bad for my sweet little baby. We had to give her a bath and change and wash all the sheets. We ended up with her in our bed the rest of the night because she woke up like every 30 mins vomiting. It is so pitiful to see a toddler vomit. She would cry every time because she did not understand what was going on. The vomiting stopped around 6:30 that morning and then came the fever of 102. My sweet mom ran to the store for us to get some Tylenol along with a few other things so that we would not have to get out. When she came back she brought LuLu some balloons which were a HUGE hit!! They made her feel better instantly. Moms/ Nanas are the best, and I would not know what to do without mine! LuLu carried the balloons from Nana every where including bed that night ( I had to sneak back in and get them from her once she was alseep) . She even woke up the next morning asking for them.
Anways, the vomiting started back that afternoon around 2 pm , and our wonderful doctor called in some anti vomiting medicine which did the trick!! She still ran fever the next day so we layed in bed and watched TV and just lounged around that morning. She is feeling better FINALLY !!! and I hope that we never get this again.. YUCK!

Easter at Church 2009

2009-04-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

Me and my grandmother
My sister and my grandmother
LuLu
LuLu and Aunt April

LuLu was saying "cheese" in this picture while she was eating a cracker
Jacob, Zachariah, Cutter, LuLu and Riley
Mouth full of crackers
Jacob, Zachariah, Cutter and LuLu

LuLu feasting on crackers
LuLu and Grandad

After our exciting morning with LuLu and her Easter basket goodies we got all dressed in our Easter best and traveled to church. We had a great service thanks to our wonderful pastor Donn and then an Easter egg hunt after church. LuLu was not at all interested in hunting eggs this year. I think that it is because she hates to touch the grass and she hates for her hands to be dirty so picking up things off the ground was not at all appealing to her. She threw her Easter basket down and ran off. All she wanted to do was hang out with Jonathan ( our pastor's son and the love of her life .. HA! ) and run around on the wheel chair ramp. I did get a few pics of the kids at church on Easter morning all lined up on the alter... how cute!!

Easter Morning 2009

2009-04-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

LuLu pulling out her Barney coloring book
Posing for a picture with her coloring book and crayons
Discovering the bathtub crayons
Easter basket for LuLu ( she loves Mickey Mouse which is why her Easter basket is a Mickey one)
Waking up Easter morning...

This year was LuLu's second Easter. Chris got called into work at 6:30 and was not able to spend the day with us because he did not get home until like 8:00 that night. I felt really bad that he had to miss all of the fun and excitement of the day but we took lots of pictures for him. When she woke up I had her Easter basket sitting in the hall in front of her room. It was full of her favorite things ( Barney, Mickey and Pooh coloring books, Bathtub crayons, a Barney and Elmo movie and a Barney book) she was so excited to see what we had left for her !!

Easter Bunny and Pump It Up.

2009-04-16T19:22:00.000-07:00

Riley one of the birthday boys
Cole birthday boy number 2
Me with pizza faced LuLu
Eating pizaa or " pee" as she calls it from the top down.

Going down the slide with daddy
Obstacle course
Me and LuLu
Easter bunny and LuLu ( thanks Mom and Dad for her cute Easter dress - PBK on sale last Spring for just $20.00!!!!)
Riding in the car on the way to Chik Fil A with TWO boo boos in her mouth.. oh and her latest favorite.. her baby that Grandaddy bought her.

This past Saturday, April the 11th, we took LuLu to see the Easter bunny. We had such a good time. My mom and dad were able to come with us and to also have lunch with us at LuLu's favorite hot spot.. Chik Fil A. She did not want to eat because she wanted to play so that was fun to deal with. It is kinda funny that she even likes to play there because she is SOOOO short and has a hard time climbing on the play set. She cannot even climb to the slide. I actually ( while no other mom was looking through the glass ) got in there with her so that she could slide. She just likes to run around on the bottom and watch all the other kids. It is so fun for her! After we ate we made a mad dash for the LONG line ( that my mom and dad so patienty waited in for us ) so that we could se the Easter bunny. She actually went to him without a problem. She held his hand and all. My child has never been scared of anything like that . Actually she is not scared of anything ... wait... yes she is the racoon ball at Cracker Barrel, but that is it! She looked so cute sitting in his lap. Dad and Chris took LuLu to the mall playground while mom and I did a little shopping and then it was off to Pump It Up for Riley's 5th birthday and Cole's 2nd birthday. Our friends have kids that were born on the same day just three years apart. LuLu did not want to play and kept asking to " Go Bye Bye Car Mommy" so we had to leave the party early. I guess she was tired from all the playing that day... but we did not leave too early to catch the VOMIT VIRUS!! UGH!!!

And these were a few of my favorite things when I was 20 months old

2009-04-16T19:14:00.000-07:00

" Boo Boos" ( pacifiers) " Cacker" ( crackers RITZ CHEESE of course), and " Night Night" She actually passed out in the car while eating these. She was worn out and already in her jammies !
Warm bath and then comfy towels
Swimming in the bath tub
Piggy back rides
Coloring ( thanks for the table Aunt Pam! )
Coloring

Mommy's Bra. Lulu's Bra

2009-04-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

LuLu's latest thing that she loves to put on is my bra. If I leave it anywhere she will find it and put it on. She loves to wear it around her head and her neck. She will also say "bra" which I think sounds so funny coming from a little one . She is such a mess!!!

Nature Park

2009-04-16T19:05:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday the weather was wonderful so we decided to take LuLu to the nature park near our house. They have a lake and trails and a wonderful huge playground. We had so much fun and she cried when we had to leave. She loves to be outside and her most favorite thing ( besides coloring) is to slide!! We also fed the ducks for a few minutes but then left because one of the ducks was just laying beside our feet, shivering and with a runny nose. I dont know what illness it had but I did not want it... YUCK!

" CuLur CuLur Culur"

2009-04-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

Playing with our neighbors water spout
Sidewalk Chalk
Chris bought LuLu some side walk chalk because she is obsessed with coloring! That is all she talks about, asks to do , wants you to do. It is very funny. She did not really care for the chalk because it made a mess on her hands and she does not like for her hands to be dirty. She made a few marks and then threw it down. I love it though so that just makes more sidewalk space for me. HA!

Sick Sick Sick..

2009-04-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

We have been battling illness for several weeks in our house. I am hoping that it is drawing to an end. LuLu has had fever , vomiting twice in the past month and then bronchitis as well. Last night she was up from 1-6 vomiting every 30 mins. It was horrible. Please pray that our family continues to feel better and that illness will stay away. More posts to come when things calm down.

PumP PumP PumP it up!!!

2009-03-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

Going down the big slide with Daddy
She fell on her head.. oops
The obstacle course with daddy
Climbing the wall to get to the slide
Wee.. and this was the small slide
Sitting on top of the dome

Group picture
All the kids running away
Ice cream!!
Me helping her eat ( after she slid under the table)
More ice cream!! She ate the whole cup. She loves it!

The birthday GIRL!!

Pump it Up....
Our sweet friends Matt and Michelle had a birthday party on March the first , which is tonight, for their daughter Anna at Pump It Up. We had never been there before and did not know what to expect. We had a WONDERFUL fun filled night . Chris and I were both having the time of our lives just like the other kids. All Lu Lu wanted to do was " side , side, side" !! Since every slide in the place requires physical activity to reach we had to join her. She was not afraid of anything! She even went down the 10 foot ( maybe not that high but very high) slide all by herself and laughed when she got to the end. She rolled on her head, slid on her face, got pushed and shoved and she did not care a bit. She was in heaven with all the slides!! She thought she was as big as all the other kids. Ice cream and cake brought a little bit of a scene for our family. She was sitting on the picnic table with all the kids and I turned my back for just one second so that I could get her some ice cream because she was the only one at the table that the girl SKIPPED, and she slide off the chair and under the table!! I heard all the mom's in the room GASP! She rose from under the table screaming . So do you think I will still win mom of the year? We had to leave the party early.. sorry Anna... because LuLu did not understand why she could not go back in the room and "side". . I guess that would be a little confusing for an 18 month old!

Valentine's Day 2009

2009-03-01T18:15:00.000-08:00

Valetine's morning.. her new Elmo mailbox shapes sorter
Chris looks like he is sleeping in this picture.
On the boat
At dinner
The view from our table
Our special set up on the boat

Ready to leave .... like my bodily tribute to Happy Heart Day??

I will start by saying we have been SOOOOO busy lately. Valentines Day was so much fun this year. Chris and I keep saying that it was our best one ever. We woke up and gave LuLu her Valentines gifts.. ALL ELMO of course. She loved them all. THen we spent the rest of the day together until Chris and I sent solo that night. My mom and dad were so sweet to keep Lyla Brooke ( without any convincing) on Valentines night. My dad and mom never say no to keeping her no matter what holiday or event it is. They are the BEST!! Acutually I even think that they offered to keep her without me asking. They went out for an early Valentines dinner to accomodate our plans! Chris and I went to Opryland Hotel and had a wonderful dinner at the Cascades Restaurant. It was so relaxing, so romantic and sooo YUMMY! We had also reserved our own private cruise on the Delta Riverboat inside the hotel. They had it set up with hershey kisses and sparkling cider.... complete with our own personal waitress and SINGER! It was absolutely fabulous. Lyla Brooke spent the night with mom and dad... and yes I was in bed by 9:00!! I am such a loser.... but I was exhausted after our wonderful Valentines Day. Chris also suprised me with an MP3 player/radio walkman that he said I could use at the beach and in the tanning bed... he is so thoughtful and knows me so well. Thanks April for all the downlaods because I have no clue how to work that kind of stuff. I had such a fabulous day, the best ever.

Its Gonna Be Worth It.

2009-02-11T19:58:00.001-08:00

I love this song and wanted to share it with all of my fellow bloggers. It is really going to be SO WORTH it in the end. It is by Rita Springer I was trying to put the actual song on my blog but was not successful you can view it on You Tube .

I don't understand Your ways
Oh but I will give You my song
Give You all of my praise
You hold on to all my pain
With it You are pulling me closer
And pulling me into Your ways

Now around every corner
And up every mountain
I'm not looking for crowns
Or the water from fountains
I'm desperate in seeking, frantic believing
That the sight of Your face
Is all that I need
I will say to You

It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it all
I believe this
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it all
I believe this

You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it all
I believe this
You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it all
I believe this

Welcome to the home of LuLu May

2009-02-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

We got this for LuLu for Christmas ( which reminds me that I never posted those pics either) and she loves it.... We put it in her playroom and she acts like a little Mommy. She will sit in the chairs that are built in and wash her hands in the sink or grab the phone and chat . She is so crazy about owning her first home! Chris and I try to crawl in and sit down but she feels crowed and most often pushes us out of the way.

Sweet Angel Face

2009-02-01T18:07:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to post a few pics that I love... she is so PRECIOUS!!!

Elmo Comforter...

2009-02-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

Mad love for ELMO!!

This pic was taken prior to the below " first hair cut" pics.. check out the mullet!!

I bought this Elmo comforter on the internet. Needless to say she LOVED it! The first time I gave it to her she placed it on the floor and layed on it. She will even kiss Elmo on the mouth like he is real . It is crazy how much she truly loves this big red puppet creature!!

First Haircut

2009-02-01T17:56:00.000-08:00

Mullet in full force
Being good ( for the moment)
Mullet again...
In the chair not sure why they put a BOYS drape on her... oh well
We took Lulu to Sweet and Sassy and got her first haircut. She was starting to grow a mullet and it as much needed. She hated most all of the process regardless of all the distractions ( elmo shoes, bubbles, toys, boo boo) . Her hair looks fabulous now and is much thicker and has been growing so much faster..... BYE BYE baby hair :( !!!!

Croup, Pneumonia... Pneumonia... Pneumonia

2009-02-01T17:51:00.000-08:00

LuLu has been sick since Dec 13th. She had croup and then Pneumonia ( HORRIBLE) she had steriods, four antibiotics and finally Rocephin. It has been a crazy , sick , no fun past month and a half. I have neglected by blogging for seveal reasons , but mostly because there is little time when you have a sick child. I thank God that she is better and has been back to herself!!! I posted a few pics below from Saturday morning of her and Elmo. My Mamaw kept this couch that she is sitting on in the below pictures. It was mine and my sister's couch that our Grandma and Grandpa gave us when we were little. It is around 23 years old and looks brand new!! I was so happy that Mamaw kept it in her attic for me. I got it out Saturday and cleaned it up and she has been on it ( with Elmo) every since!!

Vocabulary

2009-02-01T17:43:00.000-08:00

Lyla Brooke amazes me with all the words that she says. I feel like she says something new every day. She can also count to three perfectly and can go up to ten ( missing a few numbers here and there). We started counting as we walk up the stairs and my mom counts out her Teddy Grahams each day at meal time so she was able to pick up on number very quickly. Below are a few of the words that she is saying:

Bath
Sink
Hello
Okay
Bye bye
Grandad ( Guh Dad)
Nana
All gone ( gone gone)
Cold
Hot
Sink
Please ( Peas)
Shhhh ( as she puts her finger over her lip..so cute!)
Car ( Cah)
Shoes
Socks
Nose
Eyes
Elmo ( MoMo)
Mouse ( Mose)
Snow
Light
Dog
Fish ( ish)
Cow
See
Whats That
Drink ( dink)
Cookie
Boo Boo ( pacifier)
Bottle ( BaBa)
Feet
Teeth
Outside
Tree
Go
Play ( pay)
Slide ( side)

The list goes on and on ... but I cannot list them all.....

Move over Elmo I am getting in!!!

2008-12-18T19:21:00.000-08:00

Lulu loves to ride in her car with Elmo. She likes to be pushed around and around the house for as long as you will allow her.

Our First Christmas on Braxton Bend Drive.

2008-12-18T19:01:00.000-08:00

Our gingerbread house.. Chris made that ugly big white blob in the center.. he messed it up
What it looks like... What is is SUPPOSED to look like
LuLu and Nana at the Christmas Tree
Chris sampling the icing
MMMM smells go yummy!
The contents
LuLu stealing some water while Daddy has his back turned
LuLu helping put up the tree
This year is our first Christmas in our new house!!! I was so excited and ready to get the Christmas decorations out. We put the tree up on Dec. 6th covered in Sesame Street ornaments ( which I said I would never do.. NEVER SAY NEVER) , we hung the stocking by the fireplace and even made our first ever gingerbread house. Chris and I had so much fun making the gingerbread house. It looked nothing like the display on the box but we laughed and enjoyed each other so much in the hour we spent making it. Lyla Brooke loves the lights on the tree and will stand back, point and say "ooohhhh or wow" . She wants to show everyone the tree and will run over to it stomp , squeal and point . She is so excited about it all. I let her pick some ornaments at Macey's to make the tree a little more special for her, and of course she wanted the "MOMO" ( elmo) ones. When we got them home and attempted to put them on the tree she cried. I do not think that she understood that they were not toys, and she wanted to hold them and would stand at the bottom of the tree and cry . Finally, she got over the fact that they were out of reach and she is now ok with viewing them from a distance. She has done really well with not touching the " TEE" as she calls it. I was very proud and surprised at how well she has done with leaving it alone. However, I did go downstairs during her nap this morning to clean up her toys and I found a Big Bird ornament in the back of her Little Tikes Ride in car.... sneaky sneaky. I will be sad when this time of year is over because I love the look of excitement in her eyes when we go in a shop with holiday decorations and I see her face light up , or when we drive by a house with lights outside and she squeals and yells because she is so happy to see the "dogs" aka reindeer. I just love this season and wish it could last all year long.

Mega Blocks Wagon AKA Transportation

2008-12-18T18:55:00.000-08:00

Grandad pushing Lulu across the floor. Notice the smile.
Sully and Lulu

Daddy pulling Lulu in the pink wagon

Mom and Dad ( Grandad and Nana) have a mega blocks wagon for Lulu to fill up and pull around.. looks like it has now become her newest means of transportation. It was all fun and games until she flipped backwards.. guess that it why it is not meant to climb in... they do put those warnings for a reason.

Cuddle Time

2008-12-18T18:52:00.000-08:00

Chris loves to cuddle with Lulu but most of the time she is not keen on the idea. Notice in all the pictures how she is pushing him away .. she is wild.

Cheesecake Factory and Santa Trip

2008-12-18T18:40:00.000-08:00

The Pottery Barn St Jude bear , My sister , Lulu, Me and Chris
Munching on bread from the Cheesecake Factory
Christopher and Me ( he looks so happy huh?)
Sweet Lulu in her Yugoslavia Christmas dress
Austin and April

This was the second year that we have taken LuLu to see Santa at the Green Hills Mall. This year I was really worried that she would freak out when we tried to sit her on his lap. She has been VERY clingy to me and cries when I am out of her sight most all the time. Chris took her up to Santa and she looked at him a little funny but then went right to him and sat on his lab without a peep. Even Santa commented on how good she was .. I guess this is abnormal for a 15 month old. I wish that I had a scanner so that I could post her picture with Santa on this blog because she is smiling and has her hand clinched around one of this fingers.. SO CUTE!! She was wearing the cutest smocked gingerbread dress ( that her Dad hated and that April's boyfriend thought was a fall dress because it was brown and white checked) they do not know fashion She looked ADORABLE! Before we went to meet Santa we had a yummy lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and for the record she did not cry . There is some kind of bad vibe she gets from that place because every time we go there she usually screams the whole time.

8 Things

2008-12-18T18:23:00.000-08:00

8 things I've done today:

1. Woke up at 6 am to my sweet baby girl

2. Washed my husbands work clothes

3. Ate at Chick Fil A and Logan's w/ Lulu , Mom and Dad

4. Wished my husband was not working late...AGAIN!

5. Cleaned up pancakes and milk off the floor

6. Bought three new ELMO movies to fuel the obsession

7. Watched Lyla Brooke run and play with other kids at the mall on the playground

8. Shopped with my mom
8 things I watch:

1. ELMO

2. My neighbors glorious Christmas yard display.. Lyla Brooke loves it

3. My husband hold Lyla Brooke and pray

4. Survivor!!!!

5. My husband grow to be such a Godly man more and more each day

6. The Elf every Christmas... I love that movie

7. The Hills

8. Mamas Boys ( we are new fans!! )

8 things I wish for:

1. Good health for my family

2. More time in the day to spend with my babies big and little

3. That is was May so that I could be in Jamaica with my amazing husband celebrating his 30th bday

4. A clean car and that it would stay that way

5. That I could be more Christ like

6. That I did not have to work

7. That I could be on Survivor and win

8. For everyone to go to heaven

8 things I look forward to

1. Heaven

2. Thursday Chik -Fil -A day with Mom and LuLu

3. Getting off at work at night and coming home to my sweet family

4. Titans games

5. Lulu's face and sweet smile.. Oh how I love my baby !!

6. Alone time w/ my husband

7. Holidays with my family!

8. The new People magazine every week.

Toy Basket or should I say Lyla Brooke's newest play spot

2008-12-03T19:54:00.000-08:00

Lyla Brooke's newest adventure is climbing in the toy basket, throwing all the toys on the floor and then climbing out. SHe is so into climbing these days if it is off the ground she wants on it. She has climbed up the baby gate while holding on with her hands, the stairs, into chairs ( her favorite is the extra dangerous rocking chair in her bedroom that she loves to climb in and stand up to get books off the shelf ... broken arm waiting to happen), the end tables, the crib... you name it she climbs it.

" Mo Mo" obsessed

2008-12-03T19:45:00.001-08:00

Lyla Brooke all of the sudden started to love Elmo or Mo Mo as she calls him. I am not sure where that all came from or why she started to like him so much. She has his movies, dolls, books and of course the above house slippers. It was really funny because we were shopping for house cleaning products one day a few weeks ago and I was holding her as I was gathering up what I needed. We walked by an isle and she kept saying MoMo, Mo Mo and pointing. I looked down and saw these sweet little Elmo house shoes and knew that she would love them and after all she did pick them out. She is so funny because if she sees them sitting out at home and she does not have them on her feet she will pick them up, sit down and try to put them on her feet. She gets so happy when I come to help her put them on. After they are on she will sit and point to her feet and say Mo Mo over and over. Oh and yes she does have a Boo Boo in her mouth and I know it was not bed time.... wonder where she got that?

Halloween 2008

2008-12-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

Lyla Brooke w/ Sugar - Chrispin's baby
Digging in the candy bucket at Mamaw and James' house
Back in the bucket again.. this is my favorite picture look at her sweet little hand
James, Lyla Brooke and Mamaw on the front porch at their house
Not sure why she was making this face but it was cute
Lyla Brooke and the pumpkin
Mamaw pointing to the pumpkin in the picture above
Lyla Brooke walked up to the porch of Mamaw's house and started banging on the screen door
Scarecrow that scared her at Donn and Michelle's house
Little bitty finger pointing to something
Begging for candy
She was saying " bye bye " in this picture... she was ready to move on to the next house
Donn, Michelle and Lyla Brooke
Me and my sweet fairy angel
Michelle hugging Lyla Brooke as she was pointing to the scarecrow
Looking off the deck at Donn and Michelle's house
Fairy Lyla Brooke carrying her Halloween bucket

This year Lyla Brooke was a fairy for Halloween. She looked so cute and the weather was great. We just made a few stops at house of family and friends. I did not take near enough pictures but there are just enough to see that she had a blast!

Just get on the floor and do the NEW KIDS dance...

2008-12-03T19:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, we were so close during the Dirty Dancing Swayze song
NKOTB

Please dont go girl.....

Me with my NKOTB shirt
Me and April at the concert
Jonathan with the huge robot

At the hotel prior to the concert
Me and April
Chris in the hotel

Chris and Jonathan on the way to Atlanta.. they just watched movies the entire way.

In October my sister and I traveled to Atlanta along with my husband and a friend to see the New Kids on the Block concert. It was amazing to be able to see and hear them again after all these years. I remember dancing in the playroom while they were singing away on our " boom box" via cassette tape!! How time FLIES! We had a great time in Atlanta, had AWSOME seats and loved every second of hearing our childhood band back in action! It is a memory that I will always cherish... and too bad they do not come to Nashville so we can see them again.

Halloween Party 2008

2008-12-03T19:05:00.000-08:00

Chris w/ Stacey's wig on
Callie and Megan dancing
Matt singing
Michelle
Brooke and Callie
Richard Simmons and his work out girls
Brooke having FUN!
Me and Chris sitting on the couch .. we were the party poopers as usual
Me and My one of my best friends.. Callie
Stacey and Mark

Mike and Kim

Me and Michelle ( my costume was off after about 20 mins and I was in comfy warm clothes)

We went the Trey and Megans house for their annual Halloween Party back in Oct. Chris and I had alot of fun but we left early and got there late. We are not much for the party scene these days.. way too tired!!

The finished product Sept 2008

2008-12-03T18:59:00.000-08:00

Our new house along with my mom's car and half of Lyla Brooke.

We moved into our new house in September and I am just now posting a picture of the completed project. Chris and I are so happy in our neighborhood and LOVE our neighbors!! We still have a few projects to do ( including re do on the landscaping) , but for the most part it is WONDERFUL!! Lyla Brooke has a huge backyard to run and play and plenty of extra room in the house to make her own.

Teeth!!!

2008-12-03T18:56:00.000-08:00

It took Lyla Brooke so long to get her first tooth. She was 11 months old when she finally got a tooth on the bottom. Now she has a total of six,...four on the top and two on the bottom. Man are they SHARP!! Oh and for the record ..yes she is wearing a Fourth of July sleeper in Novemeber.

We Voted!! ( in November anyway)

2008-12-03T18:52:00.001-08:00

Here are a few picture after Lyla Brooke and I went to the polls to vote. This was her first time to ever go and too bad that she will not remember it. Everyone that was working the polls wanted to hold her and talk to her which helped me while I filled out paperwork to change our address . We were smart and early voted one Thursday with Nana and had to wait in NO lines. It was great. Chris stuck the " I voted" sticker on her head... what a good Dad he is !!

Halloween Bucket A.K.A. " Bye Bye" bag

2008-12-03T18:46:00.000-08:00

Lyla Brooke knows that anytime we go " bye bye" that I take my purse with me. She will run to my purse anytime that she wants to leave and put one of the straps on her arm , say " bye bye" , and drag it behind her. Her halloween bucket and her easter basket ( not pictured) are her " bye bye" bags. She will drag them out of the toy basket , fill them with goodies, put it on her shoulder , say bye bye and walk out of the room. My sweet smart little angel !!

Meet Tiny Miss Fairview

2008-12-03T18:40:00.000-08:00

With her crown and sash
Playing on the stage stairs
Prior to the win w/ Aunt April ( or half of her anyway)

Mommy and Lyla Brooke after she won

Lyla Brooke was in her first pageant in September and won the title of Tiny Miss Fairview. I was so proud of her as was her Daddy and the rest of our families. She looked so sweet and walked across the stage so well. Oh, and do not worry I am not going to be the crazy pageant mom who enters her kids in pageants all the time. This was a fundraiser for the local high school and just looked like fun for our family.

"Boo Boo" and "Babble" crazy....

2008-12-03T18:32:00.000-08:00

I was on the computer one morning after Lyla Brooke had woken up from her nap and I had gotten her out of her crib and then put her down to go play. I did not notice that all of her " boo boos" ( or pacifiers) were on the floor under her bed ( which is a favorite hiding place) becuase she knows that we only get boo boo when she naps or is sleeping at night. I guess that I had left a bottle in her room as well... as in the picture above. She decided that she wanted all four boo boos and a bottle all at the same time and came in the room with them all in her hands. I laughed so hard because she looked so innocent and so sweet. Needless to say she was marched back to her room to put them back in her crib and the bottle was taken downstairs to be washed.

Chris's 10 Year High School Reunion

2008-12-03T18:24:00.000-08:00

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Chris had his 10 year reunion in Oct and we had so much fun!! I think I might have had more fun than him and it was not even my class reunion. I love all of his friends and have made some of them my good frinds as well. He was so excited to see everyone again and everyone looked so great. I am in none of these pics and I am pretty sure I was at some point so I guess I accidently deleted them... Oh well.

A revolution.......

2008-12-03T18:21:00.000-08:00

Lyla Brooke used to NEVER sleep in the car. She would either scream the entire way to and from a place or she would ...... well actually she would just scream. However a few months ago she decided that she was tired of screaming and fell asleep. Now this is kinda a normal thing for her when we are out on busy days and she misses he nap.

Halloween Oreos

2008-12-03T18:17:00.000-08:00

Since I am so behind on blogging this is actually left from Oct. Ha. I bought some of the Halloween oreos and guess who was a fan?

Pinecones and Sticks

2008-08-31T19:45:00.000-07:00

Lyla Brooke loves to be outdoors. She would live outside if we would let her. My dad always takes her out for walks in the yard when she is at their house. One day on their walk they picked up a pinecone and a stick . She loves to carry them around for some strange reason so my dad saved them for her in the garage and when they get ready to go outside he gives them to her to carry around. My daughter is easy to please and enjoys the natural beauties of life instead of toys and material things. She loves grass , water , bugs and of course her pine cones and sticks. I hope that continues!

Lyla Brooke and Daddy

2008-08-31T19:33:00.000-07:00

Lyla Brooke is the light of Chris's world. He loves her so much and she lights up when she sees him. They love to wrestle in the floor, go on walks, play and pray together. They also enjoy their alone time together while he puts he to bed at night and snuggles her close. I peak in sometimes on them to watch him hold her as he prays for her. It is so comforting to know that she has such a great Christian father by her side to battle the world.

Splish splash Lyla Brooke was taking a bath..

2008-08-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

Lions , Tigers and Bears.. HOW FUN!

2008-08-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

I bought Lyla Brooke this ride on toy and actually she never rode on it unless we put her on it . SHe just loves to push it around all over the house, bump into the walls, and turn it upside down...whatever occupies her is fine with me. It is kind of funny because the pictures were all taken before we moved and looking back I actually kinda miss our old home .. I will get over that fast when we move to our new home!

Mother's Day 2008 ( yes I realize that was 4 months ago) .

2008-08-31T19:12:00.003-07:00

Me and April
Goofy girls
Lyla Brooke w/ Daddy and Lance and her boyfriend Jonathan.. she really does love him!
Kiss Kiss
Great Grandma Helen and Lyla Brooke
Daddy and Lyla Brooke at church
The Girls...
The women of our family ... and silly Lance in the background
Our Family

I had the best first Mother's Day! God blessed me with the best baby in the world and I was so excited to celebrate with her! Chris let me sleep in and then we all went to church and then out to eat at Outback Steakhouse. Lyla Brooke bought me the Goo Goo Dolls greastest hits ( Chris knows that they are my favorite!!)

Our Summer 2008.. park time....

2008-08-31T18:45:00.000-07:00

Aunt April and Lyla Brooke on the slide
Chris and Lyla Brooke on the zip line
Chris and Lyla Brooke on the slide... well Chris's legs anyway and my dad
Lyla Brooke gymnast in training
Lyla Brooke and Grandad looking at the ducks.
Dad and Lyla Brooke - notice her sweaty greasy hair.. HA!
More ducks.....
In the baby swing
Moneky Bars
Me and Lyla Brooke in the seat swing
Lyla Brooke in the baby swing
Grandad and Lyla Brooke swinging
Flower child
Me and Lyla Brooke and the ducks

Our Summer 2008

2008-08-31T17:13:00.000-07:00

April and Chris
Daddy and sweet Lyla Brooke swimming in the pool
Big girl on the adult float
Aunt Pam w/ Lyla Brooke and my big ugly toe in the pic somehow.
My baby

Mamaw w/ Lyla Brooke

3.) Fourth of July

We went to Aunt Pam's and Uncle David's annual cookout and swim on the 4th of July. We had a great time as usual swimming, eating and enjoying the company of our family.

Our Summer 2008

2008-08-31T16:56:00.000-07:00

Our Family!
Me and Chris
Sweet Lyla Brooke
Hey Everyone!

Before swimming
Wild hair w/ sunscreen
Me and my baby

2.) The Pool

We were able to take Lyla Brooke to the pool a few times this summer. She is such a water baby! She loves baths and pool- basically anything outside or in the water ! We got her a float but Chris would not leave her in it. He wanted to " play with her" the entire time we were in the pool! I hate to swim so I just wanted to relax in the pool or on the deck.

Our summer 2008

2008-08-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

Giraffe
Chimp
? not sure what this was.....anyone know?
Elephant
Tiger
Chris and Lyla Brooke in the Bamboo shade
In the stroller arriving at the zoo. I had packed the hood to her stroller when we moved so she had full sun beaming on her ....poor baby!
Me and Lyla Brooke in the bamboo shade. I did not realize how short my hair was and how much it has grown. I will NEVER cut it that short again and I had no make up on... YUCK!
Lyla Brooke and I with the lama.
Meerkats!

Since I did not get to post alot this summer and I have tons of pics of the things that we did I will do mini post and include the pics.

1.) The Zoo

Chris and I took Lyla Brooke to the zoo for the first time. I had never been to the Nashville Zoo either ( I KNOW CRAZY HUH!) We had such a great time and it is such a wonderful place. I kept telling Chris that I felt like I was on vacation. It did not seem like we were in Nashville. Lyla Brooke did really well while we were there and loved the blue slush that I bought to cool us off. It was hot and crowed but we stuck it out and had a wonderful time as a family.

LIttle Bitty Titans Fan

2008-08-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

Chris and I both share the same love for football and especially the Titans. I came across this cute jersey for Lyla Brooke and had to share some pics. GO TITANS!

Lyla Brooke's Birthday.

2008-08-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

Lyla Brooke w Grandad after her bath
Prancing around in her birthday suit and towel cape

Allergic reaction to cake
Eating cake icing w/ her " Boo Boo"

Bath time after cake

Lyla Brooke turned ONE on Tuesday. So hard to believe. This past year has flown !! Chris and I took her to see Dr. Patton for her check up , had lunch and then came home to have cake with my sister and my Mom and Dad. Her big party is today and I will have more pictures of that to come. We are so excited that our little girl is healthy and happy. She weighed 19 lbs and was 28.5 inches long. This put her in the 16 th percentile for weight and 20th percentile for height! She is SO TINY!! She did not really care too much for her cake and where the icing touched her body she turned bright red . We had to do Bendryl and an immediate bath! She did like to stick her paci in the icing and then lick that off.

A Work in Progress

2008-08-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics of our new home. We get to close next Friday and are so thrilled . We have great neighbors, love our neighborhood and cannot wait for Lyla Brooke to have a huge yard to play in. God is so good!

Finally...

2008-08-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to apologize to everyone for not blogging since MAY! Our family has been so busy. God has been blessing us beyond belief. We are currently living with my sister and waiting for our new house to be completed. She has been so kind to allow us to stay with her since we sold our house before our new one was complete . We have been going non stop trying to get our house finished, chasing after a now ONE year old, and enjoying the company of my sweet sister. I will have tons of pics and old blogs to post so stay tuned!

Over and Under.

2008-05-13T13:16:00.000-07:00

Lyla Brooke started crawling when she was six months old. Since this time she has been crawling into and under everything that she can find. She loved crawling under her exersuacer to get her pacis that had fallen underneath. The crib was another favorite hiding spot .

Easter 2008.. a little late.

2008-05-13T13:10:00.000-07:00

Wow! I am so behind on this. Well, Lyla Brooke had a wonderful first Easter. We were able to spend some time with our family once again which was nice. Mamaw made a great Easter feast for us all!!! Just wanted to say thanks to Dawn who did a wonderful job making Lyla Brooke's dress!

Pulling to stand by 7 months.

2008-05-13T13:04:00.001-07:00

Lyla Brooke is almost 9 months old ( yes I am very behind on blogging) however she learned to pull to stand when she was 7 months old. I thought I was post a few pics of her new skill.

Once again Daddy was in the backseat and the result was not good...

2008-05-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

The suction cup!

Excited that the suction cup was gone.
The suction cup was gone but she was still keeping an eye on Daddy to make sure he was not going to do it again.

On Mothers Day we went to eat at Outback. Chris rode in the backseat because we had other people in our car. He loves to " pest" Lyla Brooke so he found a suction cup in the back seat and decided it would be fun to stick it to Lyle Brooke's head and take pictures. My husband is crazy but that is why I love him.

Mother's Day 2008

2008-05-13T12:40:00.001-07:00

Funny Pics.....
More funny pics...
Daddy and Lyla Brooke
Great Grandma Helen with Lyla Brooke
My mom , Me , Lyla Brooke and April
Me and my Sister
Aunt Linda, Mamaw, Mom , April, Me, Chris and Lyla Brooke.
The May Family
Great Mamaw Pearline and Lyla Brooke

I had such a great first Mothers Day!! Chris got up with Lyla Brooke and let me sleep in and then we went to a brunch at our church at 10:30 that was fabulous. I was able to spend the day with my family and it was wonderful. We all went to dinner at Outback that night. I got the Goo Goo Dolls greatest hits from Chris and Lyla Brooke and anyone who knows me knows that I was THRILLED about that!

My best friend's wedding. March 15th 2008.

2008-03-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends whom I have known since 2nd grade got married on Saturday. I was so excited to be a part of her big day. We had such a great weekend in Bowling Green with her family and friends. She looked amazing and I could not be more happy for her and her new husband. I just have a few pics from the big day. I did not have my camera with me for most of the weekends activities so I did not get to capture many good moments. We had no sleep the entire weekend and ran around like crazy . I was so exhausted when I got home but it was worth it! I just wanted to say an extra thank you to my friend Miako who saved the day my fixing my HUGE dress an hour before the wedding. It is amazing what safety pins can do!

Never leave Daddy, Lyla Brooke, a camera and a huge headband alone in the backseat.

2008-03-20T07:51:00.001-07:00

Chris was having too much fun with Lyla Brooke on our way To Zaxby's after church. I know now that I shouldn't leave him alone in the backseat with Lyla Brooke.. he has way too much fun trying out new styles with this headband. Enjoy!

Gatlinburg 2008

2008-03-20T06:28:00.001-07:00

Us girls in our rainboots.
View from our hotel
Gatlinburg from our hotel
Me and Chris at Kutless
Jenna, Brandon, Erica, April and Makayla at the Kutless concert

Mini Golfing got a little crazy.
The girls and their new man.

My husband and I went to Gatlinburg with out church in Feb. I am just now posting this blog because I never have time to do this anymore. We had such a great time spending the weekend with our friends and my sister. We stayed in a great hotel and had great weather. We played mini golf, rode go carts, went to the Kutless concert, shopped and ate. I enjoyed several caramel apples which are my favorite! I found some really great rainboots at Gap outlet for 14 bucks! That was one of the highlights of my weekend. Here are a few pics!

Lyla Brooke was 6 months old.

2008-03-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

New toy from Grandad because Lyla Brooke was sick and she is spoiled. HA!
Lyla Brooke lounging in her chair. Yes, My child was naked in the middle of winter.

Crawling
Lyla Brooke playing with her basketball goal .

Lyla Brooke turned 6 months old on Feb 26th and being the bad mom that I am I forgot to post. I am not exactly sure how accurate her measurements are because I did them all at home because I was afraid to take her to the doctor in the middle of flu season. So, nurse mommy did her shots andmeasurements from home. She weighed 14 lbs 8 ounces and was 25 inches long. This puts her in the WHOPPING 20 th percentile! Big GIRL! HA! After her shots she ran a fever and I felt so bad because this was the first time that she had ever ran a fever after her shots , and the first time that I gave them to her. I was advised to do this by Dr. Patton since I was not going to take her in for checkup so that she would not get behind on vaccines. It was horrible actually.. Chris covered her face and I gave them really fast. I cried more than she did. She was over it all in like 2 seconds. She started crawling as well at 6 months ( or her version of it anyway). She is fast and in to everything! She is like a little sponge and copies noises and sounds that you make. She has also learned to clap after you do it first. She is so fun and I look forward to each day that she learns something new.

I wish I had some ruby slippers....

2008-02-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

One of the most frightening nights of my life was the night the tornado hit Tennessee. They came right through the town that I live. We had an eventful night crouched over in the bathroom floor. Lyla Brooke slept the entire time oblivious to her surroundings. As the rain came down so did the hail and wind. I was on my knees praying to God that he would keep us safe and protect our families. I actually was a nervous wreck. Chris kept trying to calm me asking me why I was so worried. At one point he asked me if I was afraid to die. As I sat there in the bathroom thinking of those words I began to tell myself.. no I am not afraid to die. I would love to be in heaven, but I did not want to leave my sweet Lyla Brooke. The more I thought about how I was not afraid to die the more calm I became. We all trusted in God and he did keep us safe. We had quite a bit of hail damage on our cars, but I will take that any day over loosing a loved one, a home or our priceless possessions.

Dr Swogger's Birthday.

2008-02-28T09:20:00.000-08:00

A bunch of us girls from OHPA went to the Melting Pot for Dr. Swogger's birthday. It was so much fun to hang out with everyone outside of work. I was really sick that week and was on Bactrim for a double ear infection. I had taken my Bactrim prior to leaving for dinner and it made me SO SICK. Dr. Swogger had to stop in the middle of 2nd ave so that I could quickly open the door and puke in the middle of the road( oh yes while cars were waiting). It was crazy. I could not stop throwing up so Kelly Goodman found a cup and I started using that until I could jump out of the car and run to a bathroom. I still got to enjoy my dinner and felt much better after my episode of hurling! Sorry girls about having to put up with that , and no more Bactrim for ME!

Valentines Day 2008

2008-02-28T09:06:00.000-08:00

All dressed up for Valentine's Day on my way to eat dinner ( prior to the huge fit)

My new toy. Thanks Daddy . You are the best!

Valentine's Day came upon us so quickly this year. I felt like it was just Thanksgiving. Lyla Brooke and I spent the first part of the day with my mom. We went out to lunch and did a little shopping. Chris had a really bad day at work so when he got home he was really bummed out and not in much of a talking loving mood. It was not his fault and I tried to make him feel better, but the situation that he had dealt with that day was weighing heavy on his mind. I felt so bad for him, but I knew that there was not much else I could do but be there to support him. He ended up cheering up a little and we decided to go out to dinner with my parents and my sister. When we got the restaurant it was like 7:00 and that is Lyla Brooke's bedtime. She ended up screaming so much that we left. We took her back home and put her to bed. My parents brought our dinner home to us and we ate in the floor of the living room ( because we had sold our furniture and were waiting on the new stuff to arrive) . We talked and watched TV and spent some time together just the two of us. It ended up being a great Valentines Day aside from the few minor set backs that we had. Oh, and Lyla Brooke got a new basketball goal from Daddy because she was his Valentine!

A walk down memory lane....

2008-01-27T15:25:00.001-08:00

Just a few pics..

2008-01-27T15:20:00.001-08:00

The Sink AKA Bathtub.

2008-01-27T15:18:00.001-08:00

Lyla Brooke loves her baths. The older she gets the more fun she has. She loves to play with the water that comes from the faucet and splashes around in the water. Her are some pics of her and her rubber ducky from Aunt April.

Peaches ,Peaches ,Peaches for ME!

2008-01-27T15:13:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of Lyla Brooke making a mess with her peaches. I think that she actually was wearing more of them than she ate. She is learning to like her foods. It took her a little bit to get used to them. Now she opens her mouth and pants like a dog when she sees the spoon!

Lyla Brooke is 5 months old.

2008-01-27T15:10:00.000-08:00

My sweet baby girl is 5 months old today. Man does time fly. She is so amazing to us and changes so much by the day. Currently she is sick with a GI virus and a URI and has been feeling terrible. She weighed 13 lbs and 6 ounces at the doctor last Thursday. She is growing big and strong by the grace of GOD!

8 Things about Lyla Brooke.

2008-01-27T14:57:00.000-08:00

1) She loves to watch TV already. You can sit her in front of the Disney channel in the morning and she will watch the cartoons and play for a very long time.

2) She is already a Daddy's girl. It is amazing how that happens. She thinks he is funny and loves when he dances and sings to her. He calls her his "SHORT STACK"

3.) She loves the table paper at the doctor and when we were there last Thursday she tore it all into little shreds and stuck it in her mouth. That was fun to clean up!

4) She loves her bottles but is not much of a paci girl. Just at night and for naps.

5.) She is very observant .....everything we have she wants. She cannot sit still and is constantly squirming and turning her head to make sure she does not miss a beat. She , like her mommy, loves to people watch!

6.) She has huge blue eyes and I hope they never change.

7.) She loves music .. especially Nana's Twinkle Twinkle Little star song and dance.

8.) She is the Queen of the May house and when she does not get her way she throws tantrums. Head slinging, back arching, mouth wide opening yelling full out tantrums!! ( Boy are we in for it!!)

All my tricks...

2008-01-12T17:46:00.000-08:00

Lyla Brooke started rolling over about three weeks ago. I have yet to inform everyone of that and I am sorry. She is also independently sitting which is amazing to me. She is so strong and alert. She teaches me new things everyday and I absolutely love to watch her discover the world.

Lyla Brooke is 4 Months old.

2008-01-03T17:40:00.001-08:00

Lyla Brooke had her four month check up last week. She was doing great and is very healthy. She weighed 12 lbs 6 ounces and was 24 inches long. She is a petite little thing!! She had learned to roll over - pictures to come and can sit on her own ( but she leans really far forward). I have pics of all her new developments to come!

Fun times with daddy.

2008-01-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

Hello Camera
Reach for the stars
Big Blue Eyes
Talking to Daddy

Laughing at Daddy

Better Late than Never!!

2008-01-03T17:25:00.001-08:00

Lyla Brooke and Santa
Lyla Brooke sleeping at the Cheesecake Factory

We took Lyla Brooke to see Santa several weeks ago. She did very well and actually never even looked up at him. She just sat there and looked around. Her Nana and Grandad bought her cute dress and shoes. She looked so sweet! We also ate at the Cheesecake Factory compliments of Nana and Grandad! We were so glad that they along with Aunt April joined in on all of the fun of our first visit ( of many) with Santa!

2nd Annual Chaffins Barn Dinner Christmas Outting.

2007-12-27T20:44:00.000-08:00

Mamaw and James
Me and Chris
Me, my sister April and my Mamaw ( I was laughing because Mamaw said she looked like an old hag)

What a better way to bring the in holiday than dinner and a Christmas play at the Barn Theater. Last year was our first year to go with Mamaw and James ( who are regulars) to Chaffins Barn. We had such a wonderful time last year that James took us back again for our Christmas gift. We ate and ate and then ate some more and then enjoyed the play Sorry Wrong Chimney. I am already looking forward to going next year! Oh, and an extra special thank you to my Mom and Dad who took Lyla Brooke with them to the Cheesecake Factory and shopping at the Green Hills Mall so that Chris and I could go. I love you FAMILY!!!

Christmas at Bettye's.

2007-12-27T20:34:00.001-08:00

On Dec. 17th we went to my Aunt Bettye's house for our annual Christmas lunch and dirty Santa get together . This was Lyla Brooke's first year to attend ( well in person anyway) and she had such a great time. She got the cutest outfit from her Aunt Pam and Uncle David and a new favorite toy from Aunt Bettye. The food was fabulous and we had such a wonderful time eating, chatting, watching Titans football,and enjoying the holiday cheer!

Baby It 's cold Inside...

2007-12-27T20:26:00.001-08:00

Chris and I went to the ICE at Gaylord exhibit a few weekends ago with some of our friends. We had such a great time and it was nice to get out of the house. We all loved the slide , the colors, the parkas ( HA) and the hot chocolate at the end. I loved the exhibit but was very ready to get outside ( which was like 60 that night) so that I could warm up.

I love TV!

2007-12-27T20:21:00.001-08:00

Lyla Brooke loves to watch TV. It is funny because she will sit and watch most anything. It does not even have to be baby/kid oriented. She and my mom watch the Todays Show and Regis and Kelly most everyday. She loved TV so much that we bought one for her to watch in the car and strapped it to the back of the seat. I know she is spoiled but it was the best investment that I have made since she was born. She hated her car seat and would scream everywhere we went until now. She just sits in her car seat and watches her movies!

And these little piggies go wee wee wee all the way to my mouth

2007-12-27T20:18:00.001-08:00

Lyla Brooke loves her feet. Chris and I were thrilled the day she finally discovered them although it was like a month ago ! I am a bad mom and am just now blogging about it. Now she sticks them in her mouth constantly! It does work nicely when we are changing her diaper though.

Bye Bye Bumbo.

2007-11-29T05:53:00.001-08:00

So I found out on Monday, thanks to Carol at work, that the Bumbo Babysitter has been recalled. Lyla Brooke loved it while it lasted but I feel as though a fall and a fractured skull just is not worth keeping it. We will return it this weekend and find a new item that she will love just as much. I was able to get some pictures of her sitting in it before I found out this news.

Black Friday.

2007-11-28T20:39:00.000-08:00

This was the second year that my sister and I braved the crowds, got two hours of sleep and shopped until we dropped! We had such a great time and this year we were fortunate enough to have my Dad join us. Our day started at 3:30 am and we were at Walmart by 4:00 am ready to grab those $3.00 movies ( what a steal). Walmart was a little crazy and they would not let anyone grab any of the sale items until 5 am. We waited patiently by the movies as we made a new friend, caught up on some girl talk that even my Dad joined in on, and longed for Starbucks! It was so early! After we left Walmart we were able to grab some Starbucks before we headed to Toys R US. I was going there for a Baby Einstein Christmas DVD that was on sale for Lyla Brooke, but when we got there the line was wrapped all the way to the back of the store. I decided that I would not wait in the line to save six bucks. On our way out I ran into some friends who were shopping for their daughter they were so sweet and bought the DVD for me so that I could still get the good deal without standing in the line! After Toys R US we went to Target, LifeWay, Dick's Sporting Goods, Old Navy, Staples , Academy and were at the mall by 9:30 !I got some good deals and cannot wait until Christmas to give them out!

2 o' clock Thanksgiving at Mamaw and James's house.

2007-11-28T17:10:00.001-08:00

My Dad and his Mom
My sister and Chris
Beth, Chuck and Mamaw catching up.
Bunny ears, closed eyes and a laugh added the perfect touch!
I love my sister SO much!
Kiss! Kiss !
The girls
Just Us.
Lyla and her Great Grandma Helen.
Lyla loves her cousin Pam!
April, Mamaw, Chuck , Gary and Me!
Lyla getting ready to punch Pam and Aunt Linda!
My cousin Chuck and his first time seeing Lyla.

After our wonderful morning at Mom and Dad's we went home to get ready for our big family Thanksgiving at Mamaw's house. Chris was looking forward to this the most because he loves her creamed corn, fried okra, macaroni and well .. EVERYTHING! The food was wonderful as usual and we ate until we were sick. We had such a great time being with our family. We were also glad that my sister's friend Chris spent Thanksgiving with us. His family is in California and I know it must be hard to be away from them during the holidays. I always love when we all get together and can sit around and catch up. April and I sifted through all of the sale ads to see where we were going to start shopping on Friday! I was so thankful that Chuck, Beth and Gary were able to come down from Iowa to be with us. I hope that Jen , Mark, Meredith, Madison and Olivia are able to be with us next year! We missed you all SO much! Lyla Brooke had a cute Thanksgiving outfit with am embroidered turkey on the front, but at the last minute Chris and I both decided that it was too scratchy to put on her and too hot to put a shirt on underneath so unfortunately she was wearing a Christmas shirt on Thanksgiving.. HA! We were just trying to get in the spirit early. After our wonderful meal and time with our family we ventured out with the crowds to see a movie. My mom and dad were so awesome and kept the baby so that Chris and I could go have fun. Lance and Jonathan ( friends ) and April, Me and Chris all went to see... YES..... ENCHANTED! It was such a good movie and we all ( even the boys) enjoyed this pick!!!

Thanksgiving 2007. First stop 9 am breakfast with Mom, Dad and April.

2007-11-28T16:25:00.000-08:00

Chris taking a nap
Nana with Lyla Brooke
She was over the Bumbo by this point!

Aunt April and screaming Lyla Brooke
Lyla Brooke chewing on her hand in her Bumbo
She had tears in her eyes because she was screaming!
Grandad and Lyla Brooke napping.

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving and I hated to see it come to an end. I had family in town from Iowa whom I only see once a year and every moment with them is precious. We have been so busy that I have not had a lot of extra time to blog and post pictures but I finally had a free moment and hopefully I can catch up. We spent this Thanksgiving with my family because we had Chris's families earlier in the month because some of them live out of town and were in town at that time. I unfortunately did not have my camera at that Thanksgiving feast because I was not feeling so well from my kidney stones.
We started the day off at my Mom and Dad's house for breakfast and the Macey's Day Parade ( which is one of my favorite things on Thanksgiving). Chris, Lyla Brooke and my dad fell asleep during the parade because they are party poopers! We had a wonderful breakfast and were able to spend some time with them before we hit the big Thanksgiving Dinner with the whole family. I was trying not to pig out on breakfast because I knew that a big lunch was coming! I did not succeed in that but I did get some cute pictures. Lyla Brooke was in her PJ's because it was kinda cool that morning. We never go anywhere without our bow so of course we had to stick that in before we left the house.

Riding in the backseat with Daddy.

2007-11-20T06:32:00.000-08:00

Chris always rides in the backseat with Lyla Brooke when we are in the car. He finds that it is a wonderful time for a photo session. We were on our way to lunch after church on Sunday when these pictures were taken.

Chew on this!

2007-11-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

Lyla Brooke has started chewing on everything !! She loves her hands and finds it convenient that they are always around to stick in her mouth as she pleases. If she cannot find her hands she will chew on whatever she can find. She loves arms, blankets, necks, hands, clothing...whatever is in front of her mouth gets shoved right in!

Daddy's Little Girl.

2007-11-20T06:23:00.000-08:00

Lyla Brooke loves Chris so much. It is so funny how she smiles and laughs as soon as she sees him walk in the door when he gets home from work. He really is the love of her life!!

A Playdate with Nana and Aunt April

2007-11-20T06:18:00.000-08:00

Lyla Brooke loves to lay and play on her playmat. She will look around at all the bright colors as she coos and smiles. Here are a few pictures of her at my mom's house playing with my mom and sister.

And on this day we dedicate you to God.

2007-11-18T19:16:00.001-08:00

Today at church Chris and I dedicated Lyla Brooke to God. It was such a wonderful day and we are so fortunate that God allowed us to bring this sweet little life into the world. It is a privilege to be able to give her back to God; to promise Him that we will raise her in a Christian environment and teach her the right paths to take. We strive daily to do as God would have us to do in her life and to love and provide for to the best of our ability. God has truly blessed me with such a wonderful husband, daughter and family. It is my duty to serve and follow him and I am so glad that I am able to say that I have such a wonderful Christian husband to help me in that. Our pastor and his family worked very hard on the presentation for today and Chris and I are very appreciative of all they did and have done for us. I was so glad that my Mom, Dad , Mamaw and sister were there to take part in this special day with Chris and me.

And the stones were rolled away.

2007-11-18T19:05:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday I had surgery on my kidney stones. Everything went well and recovery has been great. I have actually not taken any more pain medicine since Thursday morning and was out and about this weekend in moderation. I just wanted to thank everyone who prayed for me to pull through this. I was more scared about the anesthesia than the procedure. Chris and I are so fortunate to have such great family and friends! We would not know what to do with out all of you. We are especially thankful for my mom and dad who kept her all day and night on Wednesday and for my mom who kept her Thursday and Friday so that I could rest. I hope that this is the last time that I have to deal with those crazy stones!!

Thanks Nana and Grandad!

2007-11-18T14:23:00.000-08:00

Last night we went to dinner with my Mom, Dad and sister at Logan's. It was very yummy and we all ate until we were stuffed!! After dinner we went to the mall to do a little shopping. Of course we just had to go to Baby Gap ....a store that I never even stepped foot in until Lyla Brooke was born , but am now entering EVERYTIME I go to the mall! It was so hard to just buy a few things, but lucky for us we had Nana and Grandad along to buy some extra items that were too cute to pass up!! Thanks so much for the new clothes for Lyla Brooke she will love wearing them!!