Baby Blessings

Life is hard, its messy, it's beautiful and rewarding! This year has been a roller coaster of emotions for our family.  We started out the year so excited because we were pregnant and were expecting our second child in September.  Bring in the hard and messy...we had a miscarriage in late January.  We felt like the rug was ripped out from under us, and it was a struggle to get back on our feet...emotionally speaking.  Even our precious 4 year old wasn't sure why God would take our baby back.  We kept our faith strong and hung on to one another.  We prayed and continued to celebrate the life we were living. Our sweet daughter had her 4th birthday (and her first ER visit that included sutures days before).  She performed in her first dance recital.  Jon and I continued to run together and made a trip to Austin to run with my sister.  We continued to try and pray for God to bless us with another baby.  We spent lots of time together as a family doing typical fun summer things.  We found out in August that we were pregnant.  Excited was the first emotion, but was quickly smothered by fear.  Fear that another miscarriage would happen.  Numerous visits to the doctor and the baby was growing and looking healthy.  Shout out to our OB, Dr. Scotto, she has been great and shared in our grief and celebrated our joy all while easing our minds. The pregnancy hasn't been the easiest, but I'm taking it one day at a time.  Slowly energy is returning and nausea is not as frequent.  I'm thankful! Beyond thankful! We are just shy of making it through the first trimester. While fear is still an emotion, joy and excitement has started to take a front seat. I continue to pray that God protects us and allows my body to nurture and grow a healthy full term baby.  With all that being said, we are thrilled to announce that Baby Cox #2 will be here April 2018.  

Too Much to Handle

People always say "God won't give you more than you can handle."  I completely disagree with this statement.  I'm sure you're reading this thinking, "why would she say our great God would do such a thing?"  Let me tell you why.  God desires for us to have a relationship with Him, to rely on Him, to know that He is our father.  There are times in our lives when we are faced with things that are too much to handle.  Infidelity in a marriage, devastating diagnosis, miscarriage or the loss of a child, losing a job, or maybe a lot of small unfortunate things that all add up to something big.  People are faced with tragedies and hardships every single day.  On our own, we cannot handle the situations. While we may have a good support system through family or friends, it is nothing compared to the support of our God.  He has written everyone's life long before we can begin to plan it ourselves.  He knows exactly what needs to happen to shape us into the person we are meant to be.  Difficult times are meant to bring us closer to God, to lean on him. He tells us in Proverbs 3:5, trust in Him and do not rely on our own understanding.  He brings us through the hard times when we rely on Him and allow Him to guide us in the next direction.  I say all this because I know and fully believe it.  I have had many difficult times, difficult seasons, been faced with difficult news and decisions all because it has shaped me into who I am today.  And I know there are more ahead, because God is not done with me yet.  I also remember all the great things he has blessed me with, so not only do I rely on Him in the hard times, but I praise Him in the good times as well. He is a mighty and loving God who is capable of unimaginable things. Have faith and keep the faith in good times and in bad! 

Mary Did You Know?

I was raised a Catholic so I have some of the beliefs and traditions almost embedded in me.  Catholicism taught me to respect and adore Mary, Jesus' mother.  I have always had a great love for Mary, and once I became a mother, my love and respect grew.  When I was driving to work the song "Mary Did You Know?" came on and it really had me thinking.  It made me think of how Mary felt being Jesus' mother.  In a lot of ways, she can relate to how we, as mothers today, feel and what we are going through.  Imagine the stress she felt knowing she was carrying God's child.  Today we are pressured with eating the correct food, gaining the right amount of weight, doing everything perfectly so that the child we carry for 9 months has the best chance of being born healthy.  Could you imagine carrying God's child? I know I would be a nervous wreck trying to take the best care of the unborn child I was carrying.  Then when she gave birth to Jesus, I can only imagine the pride she felt.  I know that my daughter is my pride and joy.  Her son was perfect, without sin, and God's chosen son! Wow, the amount of pride she must have felt! Then as He grew older and performed miracles, cured the sick, taught of the good of our Father, how honored she was.  I am proud of my daughter when she recites her ABC's perfectly or says thank you without being reminded.  Could you imagine having a perfect sinless child?  And the heartbreak she had to go through watching her son die for all of our sins.  I absolutely could not imagine that.  When my daughter was first born I had this constant fear of losing her.  I wanted to put her in a bubble so that I could protect her and ensure she would always be safe.  As she has grown older, I have become less fearful, but I still worry about her often.  I think it's only natural for a mother to worry about her children.  It's our instinct to protect our children.  Mary could not protect her son from the pain he endured as he was crucified for our sins.  I could not even imagine.  Mary is such a great example for us mothers.  When we are stressed about being the best mom, and raising our children the right way, and wondering if our children will turn out to be good human beings, we can always turn to Mary.  She went through it all and God got her through every step.  So mommies, I encourage you to always turn to God when any need arises with your children.  He will lead you through it all.

All is calm...

All is calm...

The other beating hearts in the house are sound asleep.  The clothes dryer is making a constant hum that is soothing.  The world is not yet awake because the sun is still sleeping as well.  The Christmas tree is the only light in the room, putting off a soft warm glow.  

I'm sitting here with hot fresh coffee in my hand as I have my feet propped up.  I can only think of life as it is right now, where God has brought me and my family, and I'm so thankful.  I feel at peace.

Thank you, Lord, for your mercy and grace. Your constant presence in my life brings me a sense of peace and joy. I will never deserve your unfailing love. Thank you for this blessed life and your guidance always.  I am forever grateful!

Tis the Season

Every year Christmas seems to sneak up on me. I end up frantically running around at the last minute to finish shopping. I put out my decorations so late its almost pointless. I quickly lose sight of the meaning of Christmas because I become so wrapped up in the stress of the unnecessary. This year I vowed to be different. 

Lillian is at such a fun and precious age, which makes Christmas so much more fun and meaningful.  Jon and I have really tried to focus on spending time as a family celebrating this special holiday.  We went and picked out our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving (in the rain might I add).  We had a lot of fun decorating it and even more fun watching Lillian help.  She would get so excited after hanging each ornament on the tree.  The first weekend in December we took a trip to Dallas for the Gift of Christmas at Prestonwood church.  It is always so entertaining and really gets you into the Christmas spirit.  The following week Jon and I ran in a Christmas 5k downtown.  The streets were decorated and lit for Christmas.  There were carolers along the course singing.  It was so much fun! About a week later we drove to Jefferson, TX one evening and rode a Christmas train.  It was not as exciting as I had hoped for, but Lillian really enjoyed it. After the train ride Lillian rode a carousel for the first time and loved it! (She keeps calling it a Ferris wheel) The following weekend we drive to Dallas again and spent time with Jon's side of the family. We went to the ICE exhibit at the Gaylord, where Lillian kept wanting to lick all the ice. We really enjoyed spending quality time with family we don't see often.  Somewhere in between all that we found time to put up Christmas lights on our house, Lillian had a birthday party for Jesus at school, and I sent out Christmas cards.  Lillian visited with Santa one afternoon and was so excited. She told him she wanted a pink helmet and a pink bike, some blue toys, and a banjo.  We still plan on baking cookies for Santa and a birthday cake for Jesus. 

Although I still have presents to buy and wrap, food to prepare, and a messy house, we have surely enjoyed celebrating Christmas. 

I hope to instill the importance of Christmas and Christ's birth in Lillian.  I hope she never loses sight of the real meaning of Christmas and always believes in the magic as well. 

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.  Psalm 126:3

Define Beauty

My daughter has taught me many things so far in her 33 months on this Earth.  One of the most important things is what beauty truly means.  As a woman it is easy to get wrapped up in the latest fashion trends, or makeup tricks, or wearing flashy jewelry.  It's all around us everyday and makes it easy to compare ourselves with those that are perceived by the public as being beautiful.  My daughter is such a beautiful person to me. I have come to realize that in her eyes I am beautiful too.  She compliments my soft hair while running her fingers through.  She pokes her tiny fingers into my deep dimples.  She notices if I'm not wearing a smile and asks why I am mad or sad.   She likes to point out all my moles (she would have a joy of a time playing connect the dots).  She will say "I wuv your eyes maw" (yes, my daughter calls me 'maw'). My nose, the one body part that has caused me the most self esteem issues, is her favorite when we give Eskimo kisses, and then she lets out a deep belly laugh.  Knowing that she admires these things about me makes me proud. Proud of who I am. Proud that she is mine. Proud that she sees beauty in others. 

I'll never forget several months back when my husband and I were getting ready to go somewhere and I was being negative nancy about my hair, makeup, clothes.  It was just one of those days where I didn't like any of it. It was a bad hair day (probably greasy and barely combed). My circles were darker than normal and bags hung under my eyes, really showing my lack of sleep. My clothes didn't fit right and made me feel uncomfortable. My husband pointed out how negative I was being, he reminded me that he thought I was beautiful and he also said something I'll never forget. He told me not to be so negative about myself and to be sure I don't speak like that in front of our daughter, because it would only teach her that it's ok to criticize the way God made you.  That little thing he said really stood out to me (and I'm willing to bet he doesn't even remember it).  From that day forward I have made a point to try to look at myself in a more positive way, or find something positive, especially on those 'down days.'  I tell my daughter she is beautiful or pretty often.  When she points out other people or things, I try to find something positive to say about whatever it may be.  There is so much negativity and criticism in this world, but I hope that I can instill a heart and mind in my daughter that sees the beauty in everything. God made each and everyone of us beautiful in our own unique way.

Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.  You should clothe yourself instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 

1 Peter 3:3-4

Miracle Medicine

In the late summer of 2014 I decided to give running a shot and try out the Couch to 5K program.  I was terrible! I was definitely a couch potato and seriously lacked the motivation to get up and run.  I didn't complete it.  A few months later some tragic things happened in my life that sent me on a downhill spiral.  I knew I had to do something to lift my spirit and get me back on my feet.  I got off the couch and started running.  I ran my first 5k without stopping to walk on Thanksgiving of 2014.  I was so proud! I found confidence that had been hiding for some time. I soon became addicted to running!  While I was running, I found the beauty of the world, of God's creation, in fact, I found myself having conversations with God while I was out for a run.  After I finished my run I felt like a million bucks, like I could conquer the world.  The addiction grew deeper.  I never labeled myself as a runner though, until one day I realized the excitement I got when I laced up my shoes in anticipation of running.  Running is God's miracle medicine.  Running got me out of a dark time in my life and brought a new better meaning to it.  Running has helped me gain control of anxiety and fear that was affecting my life.  Running has helped me feel good about myself, about my body, about life.  

I realized early on that not everyone has the opportunity to feel what amazing things running can do, and for those people I was instantly sad.  I came across an organization that also realized this same thing and decided to do something about it.  Who I Run For pairs up runners with buddies.  A buddy is a person who can not run due to physical or mental disabilities, but who would love to.  Once matched together through the organization, the runner dedicates all miles to the buddy while the buddy encourages the runner to hit the pavement (or trails...or treadmill).  What a wonderful relationship!  I signed up and 6 months later was paired with Summer. She is a 36 year old with Spina Bifida.  We have just touched the surface on knowing one another, but I'm looking forward to running for her and learning more about her life.  I'm glad I have found a love for running and also a way to give back to those that cannot physically run themselves! 

Hiatus

n. pl.  hi·a·tus·es or  hiatus

1. A gap or interruption in space, time, or continuity; a break

There has definitely been a gap in posting to this blog. Life has happened. I am going to try to get back into blogging because I enjoy looking back at what I've posted and I feel it's good for the soul.

The last time I posted our sweet baby girl was almost 1 year old. I will rewind quickly to 2014. February 23, 2014 Lillian turned one year old.  We had a wonderful birthday party celebrating her first year of life that revolved around the theme "Oh the Places You'll Go."  Life continued to go on throughout 2014.  Jon and I were still trying to figure out life as parents, and while doing so we forgot life as a married couple.  Fall of 2014 was not a good time for our marriage, but it did open our eyes to changes that needed to happen.  I can honestly say that I was so happy to see 2014 end, and I welcomed 2015 with open arms!  

Thinking back to the beginning of 2015 a verse from the Bible comes to mind..."Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old is gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

This year has flown by, but I have enjoyed every moment. 

Quick recap of 2015 (as best I can recall)...

January- A new year brought a new perspective on life, a new found love for Jon, and most importantly a relationship with the Lord like I'd never had.   I opened a small business (and by small, I mean VERY small) called Deux Terrier Treats. (I'll post more about it later.)

February- Lillian turned 2! We celebrated at Jubilee Zoo with close friends and family.  It snowed 2 days after Lillian's birthday, and she loved being home with her daddy and building a "no man." We also celebrated Jon's 33rd birthday!

March- We took a trip to Fort Worth to go to the zoo. Lillian enjoyed seeing all the different animals. On March 26th, Jon and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary. This year was particularly special for us because making it to this day was previously a struggle that God got us through.  

April- My granddaddy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and became a patient in the Oncology Clinic where I worked. 

May- Mothers Day weekend Jon and I went to Baton Rouge for him to participate in a relay type race with some coworkers. It was our first overnight trip without Lillian. 

June- We took Lillian to her first circus! We celebrated my 31st birthday.

July- Jon and I participated in our bootcamp's competition called CG games. Jon's team did awesome and made it into the finals! 

August- I left my job at the Oncology Clinic and started working in pediatrics again.  Mom and I took a weekend trip to South Carolina to visit my sister.  The last day of August my beloved granddaddy passed away. 

September- Lillian started back to school at First Presbyterian in the Young Threes class.  Jon and I went to Dallas to see Garth Brooks in concert and spent the weekend with good friends. 

October- We took a road trip to South Carolina for my sister's wedding.  We dressed up for Halloween and went trick or treating. Lillian really had a great time!

This month we will celebrate Thanksgiving with family at our house. 

Throughout this year Jon and I have stayed focused on our marriage.  We make a point to go on at least one (usually more) date every month. We have realized the importance of one another and the bond between us.   'What God has joined together, let no man take apart.' Mark 10:9

Another thing Jon and I have concentrated on is our health.  We have both become active in exercising.  I now cook a healthy meal at least 4 nights a week.  We have also run in numerous 5k during the year. 

This year has been a blessing and I'm so thankful to God for that.  There have been quite a few changes, habits broken, new habits formed, old friends gone, new friends made, the importance of family brought to light, and an overwhelming love for our Lord.  There are still days that are hard and difficult times, but I now know that with God leading our lives, we will always be blessed. 

Until next time... 

Eleven Months Old

January 23, 2013

Lillian-
We are four short weeks away from you turning 1!  These past eleven months have really gone by fast and I have enjoyed every single minute! You make me one proud mommy!  Your sweet personality totally shines these days and can light up anyones day that you come in contact with.  You love to smile  and try to get everyone around you to smile too.  Giving kisses is a new thing you are loving to do these days, and Annabelle is your favorite to give kisses to.   Charley and Annabelle really catch your attention these days.  Annabelle loves to play "ball" with you, but Charley goes running when you come near (don't worry, he does that with everyone).  You also love to dance to ANY music, which includes my terrible singing, the jeopardy theme song, or anything on the radio when we are in the car.  You have so many toys from Christmas to play with, and majority of the time they keep you occupied, but lately you have wanted to be held constantly.  You have mastered the art of throwing a fit, with tears and all, when you don't get your way.  I can't even imagine what the "terrible twos" will be like!  You are a great eater these days, and I'm sure having 6 teeth makes it easier.  There are quite a few things that I would consider your favorites right now...oatmeal, taco soup from Rolling in the Dough, applesauce, and macaroni and cheese.  You do love drinking from your sippy cup, but it quickly becomes a game of throwing it on the floor and watching us pick it up.  Over the next couple of weeks we are going to slowly transition from breastmilk to whole milk.  I am hoping and praying it goes well for both of us!  You are still long and lean, and wearing mostly 12 months clothes, but you can still fit in size 9 month as well. You are a very active child, crawling everywhere or walking while holding on to something.  Your daddy and I think that you will be walking by your first birthday.  You still take 2 naps a day, and unfortunately, you will only nap in your swing (that no longer swings).   Your daddy and I are going to really start working with you to get you to take naps in your bed and get rid of the swing.  I am still thankful that you sleep all night.  I joke with your daddy and tell him that the only thing you got from me was your love for sleep.   You are definitely your daddy made over!  You look like him and are starting to act like him already.  I think its precious!  You are my pride and joy and I continue to thank God every day for choosing me to be your mommy!
All my love,
Mommy

Things she is loving: giving kisses, being held, 

dancing, drinking from her sippy cup

Things she is not a fan of: wearing shoes, 

not having mommy or daddy in sight

Ten Months Old

December 23, 2013

Lillian-
It is two days before Christmas and having you around makes celebrating Jesus' birthday so much more fun and special.  Now that I am your mommy, I have a better understanding of a mother's love and I can't even begin to imagine the love Mary had for Jesus.  I am so thankful that God blessed this world with his son, Jesus, and that He blessed me with you!  You are one fun 10 month old baby girl!  I have one word that I can describe you these days and that is BUSY!  You are always on the go crawling around, or sitting and playing with toys.  You still have not tried walking on your own, but you do walk holding on to things.  The word "no" is funny to you.  You definitely know the meaning, or at least understand the tone of voice I use when I tell you no, and you like to challenge me to see if I really mean what I am saying.  When your daddy tells you no, you think it is hilarious and turn it in to a game.  For example... if your daddy tells you no when you are throwing your food on the ground you will laugh and hold your hand out as though you are going to drop your food and when he says no again you put your food in your mouth and start laughing.  I think your daddy has a hard time telling you no so he has turned his discipline into a game.  I do have to agree with him, it is hard to tell you no, especially when you look at me with your innocent eyes and sweet smile.  One of your favorite things to do these days is to blow spit bubbles (I'm not sure what else to call it).  You think it is so funny to stick out your tongue and blow bubbles and make funny sounds, and it is even more hilarious to you if you can get someone else to do it with you.   Your teeth are still slowly but surely coming in.  You have 4 teeth, 2 on top and 2 on bottom, and there are 2 more on top that are going to bust through the gum any day now.  Teething doesn't seem to be waking you up at night as much.  One way you handle the pain is by chewing on anything you can fit in your mouth. Your daddy and I have to watch you because you will put anything in your mouth, from shoes to paper, to tags and fingers.  Speaking of shoes, you do not like to keep them on your feet!  As soon as we put you in the car to go somewhere, you immediately take off your shoes and socks.  Your feet don't seem to be growing (I know they are, but they are still pretty small), but you are definitely growing!  Your daddy and I look at you sometimes these days and see a toddler and not a baby anymore.  It is crazy how fast time is going by and how quickly you are changing! You are definitely mine and your daddy's pride and joy!
All my love,
Mommy

Things she is loving: watching the Baby First channel, 

crawling everywhere,dancing to music

Things she is not a fan of: wearing shoes and socks, taking pictures,

sitting down to take a bath

Nine Months Old

November 23, 2013

Lillian-
Nine months, baby girl, you are nine months old, already!  You make life so much fun!  You have the sweetest, happiest personality and I hope you that your bright spirit always shines.  You are continuing to pull up on any and everything because you love to stand.  You are trying to let go and stand on your own but you have not quite got your balance figured out.  You do like to hold on and walk as well.  It is just a matter of time before you figure it out and are walking all over the place.  We are still dealing with the pain of teething.  You now have 4 teeth, two on the bottom and two on the top.  Ibuprofen helps better than Tylenol.  You also have an abundance of teething toys that seem to help.  I am just as ready as you are for this teething stuff to be over, then maybe we'll both sleep all night every night.  You are not waking up every single night by at least 3 nights a week you wake up once during the night needing to be rocked back to sleep.  You are eating so much more these days.  When we go out to eat you like me to share some of my dinner with you, like green beans, black eyed peas, and mashed potatoes. You are still eating puréed food but you now prefer the kind that comes in a pouch.  You like snacking on yogurt melts and any type of crunchy baby snacks.  Breakfast is your favorite meal and it always consist of oatmeal and either fruit or yogurt.  The sippy cup is still something you are trying to figure out.  Your pediatrician said we didn't have to really push you to use it just yet.  With all this food you are eating I feel like you are growing so much! You are wearing 9 month clothes and a few 12 month things fit as well. Your foot is not growing very fast, though.  It's been a struggle to find shoes that fit that are real shoes with rubber soles.  Your pediatrician said your height and weight is perfect! You are in the 50th percentile for your weight and 80th percentile for your height.  Bath time is still your favorite part of the nightly routine.  Sometimes your daddy and I feel like we are trying to bathe an octopus because you are so busy playing and moving in the bathtub.  After your bath we have to cover you with really good thick lotion because you have eczema that flairs up if we don't.  Your daddy says you inherited his sensitive skin.  There are so many things I see in you that you get from your daddy and it just melts my heart.  Your daddy and I are so proud of you and I hope that we always find a way to show you!
All my love,
Mommy

Weight: 18 lbs 6 oz

Length: 28.5 in

Things she is loving: standing, babbling, taking a bath

Things she is not a fan of: teething, laying down to have her diaper changed

Thankful for...(Day 2 & 3 combined)

This weekend has been filled with lots of time with friends.  I am so very thankful for our wonderful friends.  Jon and I have really come to realize the true meaning of friendship and who our real friends are during the 7 years we have been together.  We have made some new friends along the way and some of our old friends have faded out of our lives, but those who are still around are very important to us! This weekend we have had the opportunity to celebrate some of our dear friends daughter's 2nd birthday and we found out they are expecting a baby boy in April! We are so excited for them! We also watched two of our friends get married and helped celebrate at their reception. It was so much fun and we hope nothing but happiness for the newlyweds! The next few days we will have friends in town from Fort Worth that we haven't seen since January! We are super pumped and can't wait for them to meet Lillian!  As I said earlier, this weekend has been filled with lots of time with friends who I am very thankful for! 

These are a few of my favorite scriptures about friends...

Proverbs 18:24

Proverbs 17:17

Proverbs 12:26

Thankful for... (Day 1)

November seems to have become the month of thanksgiving, not just the  holiday, but realizing every day what we are most thankful for.  To start out this month of thanksgiving I am thankful for my life.  God has really blessed me with a wonderful family, great friends, a rewarding job, and many other things.  I have been through many things in the 29 years of my life and I'm thankful for each of them, good and bad, because it has made me who I am today.  Life may not always be what we think it should or go the way we want, but He has it planned out just the way it should be. 

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Thessalonians 5:18

Eight Months Old

October 23, 2013

Lillian-
My sweet punkin, you make me one happy mommy!  You are such a sweet and fun 8 month old! You are continuing to crawl all over the place, and now you pull up on anything you can.  Your new found freedom of standing to see the world is amazing to you.  Your smile has changed a bit over the last month and you now squint your eyes and have a true wide smile, it's adorable!  You have figured out what a kiss is all about and you like to kiss your mommy and daddy, especially when you first wake up.  It warms my heart when you grab my face and plant a slobbery kiss on me!  We have been dealing with the pain of teething lately, but you are a trooper and handling it fairly well.  A little Tylenol and some teething tablets seem to really help.  You have two teeth on the bottom, and I think your two front top teeth will be next to make their appearance.  You are continuing to grow like a weed.  Nine month size clothes are fitting just right and you can even wear some size 12 month pants (it's those long legs you have going for you!).  Eating is not always your favorite thing, but you get the job done.  You love to eat your oatmeal for breakfast, but you would definitely go without eating dinner if I would let you.  A lot of your vegetables have to be masked with fruit for you to eat them.  These days you are starting to make true sounds and syllables instead of random babble.  You are saying "da," "ba," th, and k sounds.  I keep trying really hard to teach you "mama,"  but I'm thinking you will say "dada" first.  You love me, but you are a daddy's girl.  He can make you laugh no matter what mood you may be in.  You find it so funny when he tickles your feet or kisses your belly or back. It's the sweetest thing ever to see how much you love your daddy!  You are doing better about communicating your likes and dislikes to us.  If you like something it is always obvious with your smile or excited gestures, and when you don't like something you will grunt and push things away from you. Baby girl, you make your daddy and I so proud and we are enjoying every single minute of being your parents.  Life is so much more enjoyable with you around!
All my love,
Mommy

Things she is loving: standing (holding on to something), 

oatmeal, taking a bath, 

people watching when we are in public

Things she is not a fan of: teething, 

being away from mommy and daddy,

vegetables

Seven Months Old

September 23, 2013

Lillian-
What a lovely 7 month old you are! You amaze me everyday with all that you are learning and the new things you are doing.  Your sweet personality shines so bright and is so contagious.  You can make anyone's day brighter with your sweet smile.  This past month you have started crawling, really scooting, all over the place.  If we take our eyes off of you for more than a minute you end up on the other side of the room.  One of your favorite things to do is crawl after Charley and Annabelle, but they are still too fast for you to catch them.  You also love getting around the house in your walker.  Your daddy and I better get the house "baby proofed" soon because I'm sure it won't be long before you are in to everything.  We went to church for the first time since you were born and that ended up not going so well.  You have pretty bad separation anxiety and if you are with someone you don't recognize and you do not see me or your daddy you get really upset.  The ladies in the nursery at church said you did pretty good for your first time, but we are fairly certain you cried the whole time.  Your daddy and I felt terrible, so we have not been back.  For about a week this past month you dealt with a cold.  You never had fever, but you did have a very congested nose and a puny cough.  You grew to really despise the bulb suction.  During that week you never could get totally comfortable at night while you were sleeping, so we both didn't get much sleep.  I'm glad that is over, and you are back to sleeping all night again.   We have really been introducing you to all sorts of food.  You have turned in to quite the eater, but only when you are in the mood.  Oatmeal is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast and your daddy said you really have the hang of it.  Now that you sit in the high chair at restaurants, you love going out to eat.  Of course you end up being the center of all the attention.  With all the eating you have been doing, you have also been putting on some weight.  You are still long and lean, but you have definitely added a few pounds.  We went to the doctor a week or so ago and you were weighing in at 16 1/2 pounds.  You are wearing mostly 6 month clothes but some 9 month clothes fit.  Your Nonna has bought you so many precious clothes lately, and I can't wait for you to wear them.  Bath time is still one of your favorite parts of the day.  We started giving you a bath earlier because you now like to go to bed earlier.     You usually get in the bath around 7:30 PM and are asleep by 8:30 PM.  You have been waking up between 7 and 8 in the morning.  Mommy and Daddy love that you love to sleep like we do!  Daddy said you take 2 naps a day.  When you are not sleeping you are playing.  Between your jumper, your walker, and playing on the floor on your mat, you are a busy little girl.  You still love to talk and now you love to blow spit bubbles.  Sometimes you find blowing bubbles so funny that you laugh so loud that it makes us laugh too!  You bring me so much joy and happiness!  I love you more than you will ever know!  Thank you for being such a sweet and loving baby!
All my love baby girl,
Mommy

Things she is loving: crawling around everywhere, 

getting around the house in her walker, trying new foods, blowing spit bubbles,

sitting in the shopping cart or high chair

Things she is not a fan of: being away from mommy and daddy, 

being awake past 9PM

Six Months Old

August 23, 2013

Lillian-
Happy 1/2 year to you, my sweet baby!  It's still hard for me to believe that you were born 6 months ago.  It seems like just yesterday your daddy and I were headed to the hospital anxious and nervous and ready to meet you.  We are very proud to be your parents and thank God for you every day.  You are still a daddy's girl.  You look like your daddy, you are dramatic like your daddy, you can't take your eyes off your daddy if he is in sight, it truly melts my heart.  Sitting up (all by yourself) is your favorite position because you get a better view of everything.  This big world is so amazing to you and you take it all in as much as you can.   When we are out in public, people are always stopping to speak to you and almost always tell us how beautiful and adorable you are.  You definitely capture strangers hearts with your precious smile and happy spirit. Mommy is still so proud of what a good sleeper you are (that must be one of the only things you get from me).  You will only nap in your swing, so we had to move the swing to your room so you would take longer naps.  So far our plan has worked.  Size three month clothes are finally too small and 6 month are fitting just right.  You are still long and skinny (40th percentile on your weight and 80th percentile on your height).  We have started feeding you "solids."  Some days you love to eat and others you could care less.  Acorn squash, sweet potatoes, and pears are your favorite things to eat so far.  You don't care too much for avocado and green beans make you have an upset tummy.  You are still taking your bottles during the day, and daddy had to start giving you more milk with each bottle because you are a hungry little girl.  We thought you might be teething because you are a drooling machine and everything you get your hands on goes to your mouth, but your doctor told us that she didn't think you were just yet.  We did find out from the doctor that you inherited your daddy's sensitive skin and you have eczema.  We have to make sure to lather you up with lotion after your baths!  Speaking of baths, that's one of your favorite times of the day.  You are now splashing your feet and playing with toys in the tub.  It's so precious to see your eyes light up when you go in to the bathroom and your bath water is running.  Your personality really shines these days and makes us laugh often.  When you get really excited about different things and you will scrunch your nose and make panting noises.  It is too cute!  Charley and Annabelle always check on you when you play on the floor and you think it's really funny.  I know you will have lots of fun playing with them when you can get around the house on your own.  I am loving watching you grow and learn and do new things.  I can't tell you enough how proud I am of you and the little lady you are becoming.  I hope you know how much your daddy and I love you today and always!
All my love,
Mommy

Weight: 15 lbs 7 oz

Length: 26.5 in

Things she is loving: sitting up, swinging outside (or doing anything outside),

Charley and Annabelle

Things she is not a fan of:  not being in the bath by 8PM, laying on her back 

Five Months Old

July 23, 2006

Lillian-
You are 5 months old today! Time is flying by and I am trying to relish every minute of it.  You are such a joy and bring so much happiness to our lives. You are very curious and observant. You are surely trying to figure out what the big world is all about! The only time you like to lay on your back these days is to play under your activity mat, otherwise you want to sit (with assistance) and see all that you can.  You are such a happy baby and love to smile!  The only time you get upset is when you are tired or hungry.  Speaking of tired, you are a wonderful sleeper.  You go to sleep around 9 each night and sleep until 7 or 8 in the morning.  Your daddy said you take 2 naps during the day and sometimes 1 in the evening after I am home.  Your naps are not very long, we like to call them cat naps, but they seem to satisfy you.  You are still taking your bottles during the day with rice cereal and nursing when I am home.  Your daddy and I tried to feed you rice cereal with a spoon the other day but you were not quite sure what to do.  We will try again soon.  You definitely are not missing any meals.  You are growing so much every day it seems.  We just started putting size 2 diapers on you and you are wearing mostly 3 month clothes.  There are a few outfits that are 3-6 months that fit you and just a couple of 6 month onesies that you can wear.  I ordered some super cute outfits in size 6 months for you, and I am hoping you will fit in them soon!  You are still loving your days you spend with your daddy.  You even rolled over from your tummy to your back for him the other day.  When he has to work, your Nonna (your daddy's mommy) comes over and spends the day with you.   A few days a week in the evenings when I get home from work we go to the park for walks, and you always enjoy it.    Being outside is one of your favorite places to be!  You still love to chew on your fingers and now your toes!  Your hand eye coordination is very good now and you are always picking things up and putting them into your mouth!  You have lots to say, and you seem to make a new sound almost every day.  Charley and Annabelle are becoming some of your favorite entertainment.  You love to watch them and they always seem to make you laugh out loud.  Your personality is absolutely precious!  I love everything about you!  I thank God every day for choosing me to be your mommy!
All my love sweet girl,
Mommy

Things she is loving: being outside, chewing on her fingers and toes,

being tickled by her daddy, "talking," sitting up (with assistance), mornings

Things she is not a fan of: being awake past 9PM, 

laying on her back without entertainment, eating with a spoon

What's for dinner?

Every weekend (usually Sunday morning), I sit down and plan out what we will be eating for dinner during the week.  Thanks to a few food blogs and pinterest, it makes the planning a little easier.  I am still using the menu board that I made over a year ago.  Deciding what we are having for dinner for the week also makes the trip to the grocery store much easier.  I used to find myself buying all sorts of things and spending a small fortune and still having nothing to cook.  Planning ahead really does help, especially now that Lillian is here and she takes up a lot of time in the evening once I am home from work.
This week our menu looks like this....

Here are a few links to the recipes for this week (in case you care to try any of them as well)...

Sunday- I love pasta, especially with creamy alfredo sauce.  Since we are trying to eat somewhat healthy on most days, I decided to try out this healthier version.  I bought some whole wheat noodles to go with the alfredo sauce and blackened chicken.

Monday- We eat a lot of chicken, so I decided to throw in some pork chops when I came across this Paula Deen recipe (she is still a great chef despite all the media hoopla).  The red pepper soup sounds fancy, but it is not homemade.  Campbell's Go soups are so delicious!  You should give one of them a try!

Tuesday- I love stuffed bell peppers, and I love Mexican food!  What a better way to combine the two than with this recipe.  (Just don't tell my husband it's made with ground turkey!)  I also found this cilantro lime rice recipe I think should go perfect with the peppers.

Wednesday- Squash is in season right now, and we love chicken, so what better way to use both than to make a chicken squash bake.

Thursday-  We will join some great friends for dinner for E's night out.

Friday-  I decided to do something nice for my husband and make his favorite meal.  I asked him what his all time favorite was would be, and this is what he said, "steak, my mom's mashed potatoes, and green beans or any type of pea."  My sister came in town when Lillian was first born and made us some incredible steaks using the cast iron skillet, so I will attempt to recreate them.  I don't think I can make mashed potatoes quite like my MIL, but I think I can come close.  The green beans I can handle.  I hope it makes for a happy hubby!

Saturday-  I really like fish, but only if it doesn't taste "fishy."  This is my "go to" recipe for fish.  It is so good!! The fish has a tomato sauce with it, so I decided to make some okra and tomatoes with rice to finish off the meal.  My MIL gave us some fresh okra the other day that needs to be cooked.

Here to hoping I stick with the plan this week...
And as my girl Paula Deen says,

"Love & Best Dishes,"

Our Weekend

via pictures...
**WARNING** picture overload ahead **

I was in the mood to take pictures this weekend.  We didn't do anything super special, but I snapped lots of pics anyway.

Lillian sitting in her daddy's lap at Another Broken Egg.

They were watching us do yard work.

I took a pic when he wasn't looking.

Sweet Charley hanging out with Lillian

I put my sun hat on to weed the flower bed.

Annabelle was following me everywhere and loving the outdoors!

Jon marinated some steaks that he grilled on Sunday night

Lillian played while her daddy grilled

I made a salad with some of our goods from the Farmer's Market.

We ended our weekend with this beautiful rainbow.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  Ours was not very eventful but it was filled with quality time spent together and you can't beat that!

Five on Friday

{one}

I have to brag on myself for just a second...We had a weight loss challenge this past month at work and I won!!  I am so proud of myself.  I had big plans to workout a lot to lose the weight, but that didn't happen as much as I would have liked.  I did really watch what I ate and I kept walking.  I lost 9 lbs in the month of June.  I have lost 51 lbs since giving birth 4 1/2 months ago!  (I gained 57 lbs while pregnant)  I signed up for the weight loss challenge at work this month too!

{two}

I really want to get back in to baking more.  I always love baking and I don't know why I don't do it more often?! I know my husband would enjoy it if I would make more sweet treats, but it may not help me get back to pre-baby weight!  I am thinking about baking these good looking cupcakes this weekend.

{three}

My husband and I have been talking more about getting a jogging stroller.  He runs a lot more than I do, but I have high hopes of starting to run/jog soon.  It's going to take me a little bit to get to where I can run for any significant length of time, but I have to start somewhere.  There are tons of options for strollers out there, and it is very overwhelming!  Any suggestions??

{four}

I could very easily become addicted to online shopping!  It is so convenient to sit on my comfy couch and buy all the things my heart desires without fighting the crowds and driving all over town, not to mention our city has terrible shopping options.  Lately (this week-yikes!) I have ordered myself a pair of shorts, a dress, and a shirt.  I have ordered a Christmas dress (already?! I know!!), pair of shorts, and more bows for Lillian.  My husband doesn't seem too surprised these days when a package arrives at the door.

{five}

There are still a few things I have left to do in Lillian's nursery.  I am not sure why I have not done them yet because they are simple tasks.  I need to buy and hang 2 white shelves.  I need to order a cover for her changing pad (a blanket is our cover right now).  I also want to use some of the left over fabric from her bedding to make this.  Maybe this weekend I will have the motivation to get these things done.  Once I am finished with those things, I will post a picture or two of her room and how it was transformed into a nursery.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! TGIF!