starting a family tradition

Happy 1/2 birthday beautiful B!!!

pictures were taken. 'happy 1/2 birthday' was sang. cake was eaten.

life is grand. 

(no, I did not feed Blaykleigh any cake ... just gave her a taste of the icing)

6 months old

Happy 1/2 birthday to you my little bird.

You are SIX months old today Blaykleigh. That is approximately one hundred and eighty two days ... 182 days. It's hard for my mind to grasp how you went from being just one day old to already reaching the half a year old mark. Six months ago today, your daddy and I got to give you your very first kiss; we've given you so so many since then that trying to count them is just silly. But little girl let me remind you how very much you are loved. You have made me a better woman. After all, I want to be the best mother possible for you - you are my little bird, my love, my life. 

At 6 months old, Blaykleigh ... 

• weighs around 17lbs (again, this is according to our bathroom scale) and is around 28 inches in length (her 6 mo. check up is in a few days so I will update her actual weight and length then)
• is quite the 'talker', she babbles and babbles and will throw in a "da-da" from time to time
• started sleeping in her BIG girl bed, but when she wakes somewhere between 4-5 a.m. to nurse we spend the next few hours snuggling in bed together
• has learned to sit up like a big girl, although still tumbles from time to time
• loves sweet potatoes and really any food we have fed her thus far 
• is starting to teeth, you can see where one day soon her two bottom teeth will be making their grand appearance, that also means she gets pretty fussy at times - but can't blame her one bit
• is such a happy baby and loves everyone she meets, always leaving them with a smile 
• gets super excited when she sees other babies, even if they are on the t.v. - I love seeing her face light up
• still loves her baths and her paci or "nuni" as we call it in our house
• isn't struggling as much as she has in the past with her acid reflux which is absolutely wonderful

November 30 days of thanks

Day thirty.

found.

1. I am so, so, so very thankful to have been given the best gift in the entire universe - motherhood. There are no words that can possibly begin to describe how much love I have for my daughter. Motherhood truly is a gift that keeps on giving. BLESSED.

November 30 days of thanks

Day twenty nine.

2. Thankful for cake in a box. Here it is 11:50 pm and I am up making a cake for Blaykleigh. Why, you ask? Because tomorrow is her half birthday and I want to start a tradition of celebrating her (as well as any other future child of ours) half birthday(s) ... it's going to be a family tradition type of thing, it's going to be a beautiful memory I hope she will forever keep. Yes, I know she is only 6 months old and won't even get to enjoy her cake or even remember this particular "half birthday" hoopla that's about to go down but I am determined to start our tradition now ... so let the celebration commence! And hopefully in the years to follow, I can whip out my baking skills and bake her a made-from-scratch-cake or cupcakes or cake-pops (whichever she prefers) and I won't be up so late baking a cake from a box! But with school ruling my life these days, I find ways to make due. 

Love is a virtue

... Stumbled across this post (i am a mama again) this a.m. while drinking my cup of coffee, it was so amazingly sweet and real. It made my heart smile knowing that these two beautiful girls have a place to call home so I thought I would pass it along. God does wondrous things.

And in the spirit of Christmas, take a look at our first christmas tree video while you are at it. I promise, you will be glad you did.

November 30 days of thanks

Day twenty eight.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go to his courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name ... Psalm 100:4 

3. Thankful for relaxing bubble baths. After a long day like today, a soak in the tub is just what I needed. Not to mention that it is 58 degrees (that is basically freeeezing down here in Sparkles) making a warm bubble bath even more enticing. What a lovely way to wrap up ones day! p.s. World Market has the worlds best bubble bath that of which I am sure of.

November 30 days of thanks

Day twenty seven.

4. Thankful for Sunday lunches out at my Nana's house! She works so hard each Sunday to feed her kids, grandkids and at times great-grandkids (she has eleven of them!) a lovely home cooked meal. And it is so nice being able to get together with family and visit. 

She always says the best prayer too:

We thank thee Lord for happy hearts 

and 

rain and sunny weather.

We thank thee Lord for this our food

and 

that we are together.

(I plan on making this our meal time prayer for when B is a older)

A year ago today ...

... a girl married a boy.

Happy Anniversary babe. 

You're forever mine.

I love you. 

November 30 days of thanks

Day twenty five & twenty six.

I was super busy yesterday getting stuff for our first Christmas tree, a real one at that (pics to come shortly) and didn't get a chance to post sooo going to do a double 'day of thanks' today!

5. I am thankful for our Christmas tree! It's a beautiful seven foot Noble Fir and makes our house smell like a forest. 

6. I am thankful that a year ago today I got to marry my best friend ... first anniversary post to follow here shortly. 

November 30 days of thanks

Day twenty four. 

7. I am thankful for today!

most beautiful little turkey around. 

The Thanksgiving decor.

** in love with my thrift-store milk glass vases and little bird s&p shakers from Pier1.

The Menu.

smoked turkey breast

corn bread and herb stuffing

cheesy carrot casserole 

green chili corn casserole

yeast rolls

and

streusel pumpkin pie 

The family.

What. A. Wonderful. Day. 

November 30 days of thanks

Day twenty three. 

8. Thankful for family game nights, nothing like a little friendly competition. Tonight was Yahtzee with the in-laws, Bonnie and I dominated the two males at the table AND on the last game I got not one, not two but THREE Yahtzee's! Boo-yah. It will probably be the first and last time that it will happen but I will boast in all my glory for the time being.  

Sittin' on Santa's lap

November 30 days of thanks

Day twenty two. 

found.

9. Thankful for the beauty that I am surrounded by in my everyday life. 

November 30 days of thanks

Day twenty one.

Be thankful and say so to Him ... Psalm 100:4 

10. Thankful for these delicious cookies! They are heavenly. Gingersnaps all the way from Sweden and I do not lie when I say that we are already on our 2nd tin within a month - we like our food in this house. Thin, crisp and full of flavor makes them hard to resist. And the tins are super cute; would make an awesome gift to give a 'foodie' and can be purchased at Cost Plus World Market (one of my favorite stores). 

B says "da-da"!

Our little girl sure is growing up fast! She started saying "da-da" this week. Words can't even describe how proud I am of her. ... Now it's time to start on "ma-ma".

November 30 days of thanks

Day twenty. 

There is always, always, always something to be thankful for.

11. So thankful to have such an amazingly comfortable bed. We were in Austin for the day yesterday and didn't get home until after 3am. Words can't even describe how wonderful it was to come home and crawl into our bed. Tempurpedic is the way to go folks!

November 30 days of thanks

Day  eighteen & nineteen. 

It's been busy around here, so today (well, what's left of it being that it is after 11pm) and tomorrow are going to be rolled into one post.

12. I am thankful that my in-laws are going to be able to spend Thanksgiving with us. Jason's parents haven't seen Blaykleigh since she was born; oh man, are they in for a treat! I am soooo excited to get to spend time with them and for them to be able to soak up as much B time as physically possible. Being so far away from both of our immediate family is definitely not easy to say the least. 

 p.s. this is going to be our very first Thanksgiving in our house - can't wait to make tons of beautiful memories. 

13. I am thankful for the chance to get to visit a dear friend of mine! She just recently moved to Austin from Colorado and tomorrow afternoon/evening Blaykleigh and I will be spending some much needed girl time with her while Jase supports his Wildcats. 

Insta-Friday

a peek into our week!

"does someone need a hug?"

"it's delish, this teething biscuit is."

"see! proof all over ma face."

"what do you mean it's allllll gooooooooone???"

"oh. hi."

"feets."

flowers made me smile. okay they are prob weeds but nevertheless they looked kinda pretty sprouting between the crack. 

(hahaha) had some dental work done this past week ... my pucker was a tad off for a bit 

P.S. I can't stand the dentist but I have a new friend; nitrous oxide.

such a big, big girl

praising Jesus!!!

Mannie: You talkin' to meh?

"Mama! I do's your makeup for you."

So precious. Caleb and Blaykleigh. Thanks to Heidi, I have been able to go to my last two study sessions before my A&P exams.  

Yup, yup. She has been sleeping in her big girl bed.