Like American Honey...

This is the perfect little song for my sweet little girl. I pray that we can not only give you strong roots that give you balance and will, but also the desire to grow with intricacy, freedom and with a fearless and ardent heart.


She grew up on a side of the road
Where the church bells ring and strong love grows
She grew up good
She grew up slow
Like American honey
Steady as a preacher
Free as a weed
Couldn't wait to get goin'
But wasn't quite ready to leave
So innocent, pure and sweet
American honey
There's a wild, wild whisper
Blowin' in the wind
Callin' out my name like a long lost friend
Oh I miss those days as the years go by
Oh nothing's sweeter than summertime
And American honey
Get caught in the race
Of this crazy life
Tryin' to be everything can make you lose your mind
I just wanna go back in time
To American honey
There's a wild, wild whisper
Blowin' in the wind
Callin' out my name like a long lost friend
Oh I miss those days as the years go by
Oh nothing's sweeter than summertime
And American honey
Gone for so long now
I gotta get back to her somehow
To American honey
~Lady Antebellum

6 Months Old

This morning we went to see Dr. Clifford for your 6-month check-up.  You got your final Polio, DTP and Hep B vaccines.  Your legs are sore but you did a great job handling the shots. You have had a few crying fits today, but you deserved them! You are 27 1/2 inches long, 21.1 pounds and your head is a little over 17 inches. So you are still pretty, really big, but you are starting to even out. The doc said everything looks great and that you have a really sweet demeanor. I have been thinking about that a lot and it really is true.  For the most part you are pretty laid back, happy and calm (unless you are hungry).  

Here are some fun pictures from Friday.

You loved cousin Ashley reading to you!

Hanging out.

Your favorite thing to do!

All of that fun wore you out! Snuggling together!

Sporting your Mohawk.

Outside getting fresh warm air with daddy.

Chomping on your carrot before we went to see Westen and Olivia!

The fuzzy little hairs on your head result in a new nickname of Birdie. It looks like you have feathers flying on your head. You are starting to try to twirl it when you drink your bottle which is the CUTEST thing ever!

Happy Half Birthday Sweet Thing

We are spending today playing outside, listening to music, hanging out with cousins from Alabama and going to see your friends Oli and Westen tonight! 

Pictures to come!!

Thursday's Thanks: Home Sweet Home!

Your daddy and I took a little trip this week to Las Vegas. We left Sunday and came back Wednesday.  He was on business and I was traveling west of North Carolina for the first time. It was three very, very hard days.  I worried about the plane ride. I was nervous you wouldn't take your bottle.  I missed you.  I talked about you  A LOT.  I had that homesick pit in my stomach. But...I made it. Along with about 10 bags full of fun new clothes for me and you :) Here we are in the big city.

Here you are with your sweet cheeked face that I missed from my toes to my head. Today was full of all the things I have been missing! Playing, reading, cuddling and eating.

Chewing on ice from your teething/feeder thing.

This is your new favorite thing: BOOKS.  You read, look at books, flip pages. Your obsessed and you cry if I take the book away.

After you cleaned your bowl, we celebrated your "Happy Bowl" which I learned form your Auntie Dee. You had other ideas of celebrating.

And licked any reminent of squash that was left. 

Sometimes...

...I tip toe into your room and pluck you out of your crib in the middle of nap time, your sleepy head heavy until it finds its nest in the nape of my neck. I sit in the yellow chair placed in the corner of your cozy room sprinkled with girly girl, and think about how you don't fit in my arms the same as you used to, and hold on to the fact that you still fit in my arms quite nicely.

...I read you stories from Gossip magazines and pretend we are just two girls chatting it up. By the end you have usually ripped the page or made it wet and swollen with drool.

...I have to read you the same book over and over and over again so you can get your share of On the Farm and Puppy Love.

...when you are having a rough day, I make and utter fool of myself to get you to smile. Goofy faces, loud laughs, silly songs and dances.  I mean utter fool, the kind people could use for ransom if they video taped me.

...I get lost in our day. Forget to change the laundry, start the dishwasher, make the bed. Realize it's night time before I realized what the date was. All because we are just too busy living.

...I let you play in the bath until your fingers and toes start to shribble into raisens.

...I spend way to much time getting you dressed in the morning. Trying on different outfits, playing dress up, trying on shoes.  I figure I only have so long to dress you in what I like.

...I let Sully give you kisses all over because the laugh that comes out and the face that you make is absolutely priceless and only he can get you to do it.  Don't worry we wash up afterwards.

...I try to fathom how much love, admiration and protection I feel for you and it just seems impossible to comprehend.  I hear it stays that way for forever.

Weekend in Review

The last days of February snuck up on me and I am sitting here typing this wondering where all the time went.  This weekend we spent a lot of time trying to console you as you are either teething another tooth or have an ear infection, stomach ache...I don't know but it caused you to cry 85% of the time, you have not taken a nap and have not slept at night.  Pitiful. You seemed better today, but I am calling the doctor tomorrow to have you checked out. Through all of the tears we still managed to get some smiles out of you.

Friday morning.

Hanging out watching Lifetime..I mean educational baby cartoons. ;)

You were rolling around so much you wrapped yourself in the blanket and lost a sock.

Sunday lunch at Grandma Charly's house. Uncle Jimmy decorated you with his Harley toboggan.

You have figured out how to put your passy in your mouth on your own, and you also use it to chew on.

Watching the Canda vs. USA Hockey game with your Honey Bear.

Chewing, sucking and drooling on your fingers.

We never get pictures together but daddy snapped a quick one before bath time.

You love standing on my lap; I can't believe how big you are.

Thursday's Thanks: Daddy is Home!

Thank you for Daddy to be home safe and ready to play!!  Your daddy has been in Arizona for business this week but he came home tonight! We missed him very, very much. As soon as he got home he scooped you up, fed you dinner and gave you a bath.  He proudly brought you back two outfits from the Lilly store in his Hotel.  He rocked you to sleep and snuggled for a while.  I think he missed you something awful!

5 Months

At five months you are 21 pounds and 27 inches long. Your still wearing some 6-12 months clothes, but when it comes to anything "onesie-like" it is a few 9 month but mostly 12-18 months. Oh, the pain your daddy felt when he realized I bought you some Lilly bathing suits while I was pregnant that you will never wear. Oops ;) You have two teeth and a big smile to show them off.  The first one came and then a few days later the second one showed up which meant lots of discomfort. Your favorite food is pears, but you also eat sweet potatoes, carrots, apples and bananas. You cackle loudly, squeal and say the syllable "ba", and you love to spit. We think you have discovered how to really cough lately becuase now you will cough and then laugh and smile wildly. I am a pretty big fan of all that you are.

I can't seem to get a good picture of your teeth, so this is the best I can do for now.  Teething has proven to be quite the event. You were not a happy camper about it, but now that they have come through your gums you are doing a lot better. 2 down 18 to go...eek.

This is your perma face.

Any time I sit you on the couch you love to wiggle and scoot until you are laying flat ( I am thinking this is so you can get into rolling position). You also find this very amusing. I find this meaning I can no longer leave you alone on the couch.

Sitting with your Musical flowers.

Bright eyes.

This morning you had so much fun as you discovered how to pull the covers over your face and play peek-a-boo.

There are so many things I want you to know.  Like how the hints of glitter in your hazel eyes make me smile. How I want you to ride roller coasters and jump off the high dive with no fear (trust me I will have enough for both of us). And that the sound of your giggles fullfill my day. Or that I hope you let yourself fall in love even if it hurts. How you make me feel so special when I am holding you and you squeeze and hold on to my arm. And that you should never settle for anything less than butterflies. But since you are only five months old and we have lots of time to get to all of those things, I want to share with you something simple, something that keeps repeating in my head. A little bible verse, that is big and full of exactly what I want you to know today, and for forever. "I am with you always." Matthew 28:20. I know I have said it before, but my cup runneth over sweet thing. xoxo, momma

My Funny Valentine.

Today was a fun one. You opened a few presents, some cards. We played with your new stuffed animals and you learned how to "kiss" them which to you translates into "eat their face". We fingerpainted and got hot pink paint EVERYWHERE.  It was just one of those days where I did not want to put you to bed.  I wanted to keep you up in my arms all night long. Here are some moments from your very first Valentine's.

This morning, hanging out in the playroom.

Staring at your CUTE patent leather shoes. That's my girl.

Playing with your new friends. Daddy got you a dog that kisses you, and grammy and grandaddy got you a dancing and kissing snoopy.

More fun.

Going in for a "kiss".

MUAH.

The word L-O-V-E never held so much.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

This is your new tub!

It looks like a floaty raft you would put in a pool, but it is a great solution to our baby-bathtub-is-to-small problem.  As soon as it came in the mail your daddy blew it up and we let you sit in it in the living room to get used to sitting on your own.

You were very quiet and interested in all of the colors. We may have found a keeper!

What is this thing?

No, seriously y'all, what is this thing?

Ah, I see.

This is kinda fun.

Yeah, I think I might like it...just a little bit. ;)

First Tooth!

You have a tooth! It is one of your bottom front teeth and it is very sharp and you are pushing it with your tongue and drooling like crazy! I will take pictures of it later :)

Thursdays Thanks

Thank you for being such a sweet and calm patient and we are also thankful for you not having a fever so far!  This is your first time being sick, and I promise this yucky cold will go away soon. You have been waking up in the middle of the night with such bad congestion that I am putting you in our bed propped up on pillows so you can breathe and drain!  Your lungs are froggy, your tummy is queesy.  Poor, pitiful thing! We keep passing this stuff back and forth. 

You couldn't quite make it to bed time before your eyes got to heavy to hold open.

After a warm bath.

Sick baby.

love you bunny.