New Pictures

You will all be glad to know that I chose not to use the flower for our pictures today!

Today we took Stella to the photographer to have more photos taken. We are part of their baby club so this was session 4 of 6! The whole day was spent getting ready for our appointment at 4. Jason was able to come home early from work to help us get ready and go with us. Jason does a better job of getting her to smile and giggle, I think it is because he does not mind making a fool of himself in front of everyone but do not tell him I said that. The appointment being at 4 meant that we had to wake Stella up from her nap early. You want to talk about a little girl that does not like being awakend early! I thought for sure that we were in big trouble but we got her dressed in outfit number one ( yes, we always have several costume changes) and when we arrived she was in a wonderful mood the whole time. I really think that we were able to get some amazing photos, when the proofs come in I will be sure to share them with everyone. We went to eat tonight with the Mhoon's, Pianalto's, and Fields. It was fun being able to see everyone and funny to see how in just a year how much our conversations have changed. All we talked about was breastfeeding, dirty diapers and crazy things our babies have been doing. Last year we would have gone to diner and then gone out, tonight we had diner and were home by 8:30 to put the kids to bed. Oh how kids change your life!

Little Hands

Ok so some of you might read this and think that I have gone off the deep end but I was just having a one of those moment this morning! Mom thanks for always holding my hand through the good and the bad, thanks for being there for me.

This morning I was sitting with Stella rocking her, just spending some down time together. She was holding my hand and looking at it and comparing it with hers. It got me to thinking of how much I love having her little plump hand holding my hand, I do not even mind all the slobber that she has all over it because I know that there is going to be a day when she will no longer want to hold my hand or sit and just snuggle with mom. I looked at her hand and was just overwhelmed with the joy of my daughter and sadness of having to let her go and grow up. I thought of what those hands would be doing, they will grasp a pencil as she learns to write, they will grip a bicycle handlebars as she learns to ride a bike. She is going to grow into a teenager (Lord someone pray for me) and those same hands are going to wipe away many tears and slam many doors, they will also hold the hand of a young man, if she is anything like me those hands will flutter around her as she talks with excitement. Some day those hands are going to help her pack her things to leave my home, open doors for her to move forward with her life but I hope that there will be moments that those hands will bring her back through my front door. I pray that those precious hands will spend more time spreading joy rather than clenching in anger. One day those hands will wear a diamond from a handsome young man, they will loosely hold her father's tuxedo arm, eager to reach her future at the end of the aisle. One day those hands will hold the hand of her child and know the love that I am feeling right now at this moment. I hope through all of that she will always know that she can come back to me, her mother, I will always have a hand for her to hold. Right now I am just going to live in this moment and know how wonderful it is to have her as my daughter to love and hold, my baby girl.

Tutu

Today I want to get some photos of Stella for her 8 month page in the scrapebook. I have been very creative lately and started sewing (yes, my mother is in heaven), knitting (no this is not just for old women), and making tutu's. So, I had made this really cute hot pink tutu and thought it would be great for Stella to take her 8 month photos at the house wearing it. She thought it would be great to eat the tutu! Here are some of the better photos that I was able to get of her today.

Thank you Aunt Gracie for the pretty pink shoes, Stella also found them very tasty!

8 months

Stella turned 8 months old yesterday! I can not believe that time has flown by so fast. I was trying to think of what life was like before we had her and I can not even begin to remember. Yesterday was a day of first for us. To start it off Stella was scooting around on her belly and went into a sitting position. She has been able to sit up on her own for a while now but that was the first time she had pushed herself into a sitting position. She also had apple juice from a sippy cup for the first time. She really liked the juice but was not so sure about the cup. We went and meet up with Alison and Gabe today. While we were walking I put Stella just in her stroller instead of using the carseat in the stroller. This way she was able to see were we were going instead of just having to stare at me. You would have thought she was the queen and everyone had come out to see her. She was smiling and waving at everyone that we passed. I am in so much trouble when this one starts to talk because she is going to want to chat with everyone. GiGi got her a baby doll last night, Stella thinks that it is wonderful, wonderful to bite on its face. (not looking so good for any future babies that we might want to have, she is going to bite off their faces)

Baby Shower

This weekend we went to Stacy Fields baby shower. Casey was there with Colby, Alison was there with Gabe, and Connie was there with Lauren. A lot of babies in one room. Stacy looked really great, I am so excited that she is going to be having a girl, Miss Brooklyn will be arriving in 5 weeks. Brooklyn is going to be one lucky lady to have such great parents. Stella and Lauren had some fun playing with one another. These are some of the photos that Connie took of them, I for some odd reason did not have my camera with me. It was funny to see Stella next to Lauren because Lauren in 3 weeks older than Stella, but I do think that my little girl would win the eating contest. In one photo I think that Stella is showing off her bottom two teeth, Lauren is like big deal I have two on the bottom also!

Saturday

This morning Jason was a wonderful husband and got up with Stella and let me sleep in! It was AMAZING! He feed her breakfast and was letting her play on the floor and I had to do nothing. I did come out to find that she was showing her favorite place to play, under the entertainment center. (please ignore the dog hair I did clean it up later that day!) Later on when it was nap time I put Stella down and left the room. Jason had taken the front bumpers off of the bed because Stella was pulling them off so he thought it would be better just to remove them. As I found out it was not such a good idea as about five minutes later I hear her crying out. She has gotten her foot caught in the railing and is not really mad but not really happy. I guess we need to put those front bumper pads back on the bed. Oh the wonderful things that a first time parent learns.

Playing is hard work!

Friday I was getting ready to go and meet Alison and Gabe for our walking workout at the mall. I had put Stella in her Exersourcer (which for anyone that has a child knows is the most amazing thing ever) to play while I was gathering everything up and finishing getting ready. I came out of the bedroom to find Stella face down asleep in the exersaurcer. I guess that playing and jumping had just worn her out! It could not have been comfortable but she was out cold. It was too funny and I had to snap a few shots of her. This of course made us a little late to meet Alison but she did not mind. We have been meeting three days a week to walk at the mall. I have got to finish losing this "baby" weight. Stella and Gabe seem to enjoy it also, they cruise while we walk.

Crafts

Sunday Stella was able to wear the new jumper that GiGi made for her. She just looked way to cute and I could not resist getting the camera out to take a few photos before we left for church. Stella loves going to the nursery she gets to excited, when we pick her up everyone tells us how great she has been for them. I was a little worried this week that she was going to ruin that record because of the teething but of course for everyone but mom she was a wonderful. I have also found one more thing that I am enjoying making is these silly hats for Stella to wear. This is one that I made yesterday evening. Jason likes them better than the hairbows. ( I would never go that far but they are fun to make when I have a few minutes in the day.)

Weekend

We had a very busy weekend! Friday Stella went with me to get my hair done, she was a very good girl. That evening Jason took us to the mall and Target. Jason and I are looking into new carseats for Stella since she will be outgrowing her current in a couple more pounds and one more inch in length. When we got home Jason was feeding her some new food in which she was making the funniest facest that we had to capture with the camera. Saturday Stella and I hung out with GiGi while Jason was doing some work at the office. We went shopping, is there anything else to do when with your GiGi? We also helped GiGi pant her bedroom. (Papa was out of town which is why GiGi thought it was a good time to get this done.) Jason gave Stella a bath on Saturday evening so that she would be nice and clean for church on Sunday. They always have a blast and here are some photos that someday Stella will kill me for showing her dates. She also has a new thing with lifting her shirt and showing your her belly. If only we could all embrace our bellys with this much pride.

Teething

I know that as a new mom that I have been very blessed up to this point with Stella. She has been a very happy, healthy baby that sleeps really good most of the time. Well as of this week Satan has taken my angel and left me with a demon. Stella has gotten the bottom two teeth in and we are still working on more. I think that we spend more time crying than anything else. Stella wants to be held at all times and I mean all times. Oh and do not even think of putting any of the orajel into her mouth, that only makes her scream even louder. I have also found out that my daughter is going to be a great pitcher, she is getting really good at chunking her toys across the room when she is upset (this is 24/7 the past couple of days). She does like cold chew toys and we just bought some so a cold one would be on hand at all times. I know that it is going to get better any day now but in the mean time please keep us in your prayers.

Road Trip (a weekend of first)

This weekend Stella went on a road trip to see her Uncle Kyle. Kyle is playing baseball at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. We left on Thursday evening because of the snow storm that had started that day, we wanted to make sure that we were able to get out of town. This was Stella's first snow storm and she loved the snow hitting her face, she would giggle everytime we went out in the snow. It is a 7 hour drive to Guyman, OK were Kyle's school is located, this is the longest amount of time Stella has ridden in the car and she did great! Stella was also able to stay in her first hotel this weekend. Stella also fell off her first bed this weekend. It was her first big oops! It was of course mom's fault and I felt like the worst mom in the world. Stella did love watching the baseball games, while it was snowing here in AR, it was awondeful 68 degrees with the sun shineing in OK. Stella also had a second tooth break through this weekend, we now have two teeth on the bottom.