June...where did you go??

Summer has been going by so fast.  June is almost gone and I only have about another month left at home and then it is back to school.  (we won't talk about that)

This time last year, I was so excited because I knew I would get to meet my little baby girl the next day.  I told Artie last year, I will never forget what we did the night before I went in to be induced.  I finished packing my bags, mopped the kitchen floor, ate nachos (which I ate a lot during pregnancy) and Artie and I sat around talking about what our little sweet pea would look like and what July 1st would hold for the both of us.  Like most new parents, you don't really know what you are getting into until you get knee deep into it and experience all of it...good and bad.
So tonight...I am not packing any bags, would have loved some nachos, saving the mopping of the floor for Sat. morning, and no talking to Artie he is no where to be found.  He is working late...as he has been doing a lot lately. 
Some random pics for fun tonight.  Next post will be the 12 month post.  YIKES!

This picture is for Amy...I love my shirt you gave me!  "That is how I roll"

This child loves her some books.  She is surrounded by them.

"F" came to visit this week and take swim lessons.

My mom and he came up to have lunch one day.

Mi Mi and her babies.  (and my kiddo was actually smiling in this one ;-)

"V" loving on her bottle.  Lucky for me, it has been pretty easy taking it away.

Look at that hair...it is so hard to tame!

"V" got her first b-day card in the mail.  She had fun reading it!  Thanks Sharon and Jimmy!

"V" is back to her good old eating self.  She had a 2-3 week time where she was a little picky about what she ate.  We are back to all our good meats, veggies, and fruits!

Curl?  Yes...I think we are getting a little bit of curl on the end!  SWEET!



And the countdown begins!

We have 10 days until I can say I have a child that is a year old!  Everyone says it..."Where did the time go?"  I look back and can't believe that it is has been 17 years since high school, 13 years since college, and have been teaching for 13 years.  In my own life, time has flown.  I hate that now I have to see it fly by in my own child's life as well. 
I am in full preparation for a family party here at our house.  Artie let me know that we needed to have a pinata.  CHECK.  We have a cake on order. CHECK.  Some extra tables and chairs on order. CHECK. Invitations are out! CHECK.  All we need now is the countdown to July 1! 
2 summers ago, Artie and I tried to figure out when it would be best for us to do our fertility.  We held off doing it in the summer and opted for Sept/Oct.  I guess for us, it worked out well!  We pray it also will happen that way again...whenever that happens to be.
So many things have happened in a year and I thank God he gave us this opportunity to experience.  Being a parent has been the best thing we have both done so far in our life and nothing will ever come close!
Party plans continue for the rest of the week!! 
10...9...

Daddy's Day!

This is what I gave Artie for his father's day present.  He loved it and read it with Vivian.  She loved looking at each of the pictures and even cracked herself up by some of her hairdos.



Thank you Artie for being a great father to "V".  She loves you so much and I don't see any way around her being a daddy's girl.  I am so glad God chose you to be her daddy!

Click here to view this photo book larger

It's a Thursday.

Yesterday, we went out to water the plants and decided to let baby girl play around in the water since it was a crazy 102 degrees.  She loves the water!

Otis is getting in on the action.  He loves him some water too!

This is our new smile.  Can we all say "BRACES?"

She is nothing if not intent!

We look like a whole different kid without the hair in our face!

"Honey, we have a problem."

Trouble in paradise. I got a call from Artie that his truck is making some not so good sounds. Poor truck. This was a brand new truck in 2006 and it now has 195,600 miles on it. To say the least, he uses it way too much. He basically drives it for a living. So, yea for AAA. We got a free tow to Ennis and I met him there to pick him up. By this time, it is 8:30pm. We get a call today that the work will be like $2,000. Happy June!! Such is life. We rejoice at the fact that we are healthy, have a roof over our head, and many more blessings that we could never begin to measure. So yes, who wants to shell out that much cash unless it is a Hawaiian vacation!! Not me at all. But I will if it means that Artie can go to work and help out with all those other special blessings...money for snowcones!! It is summer ya know!!

Day at the pool

Today, some of us girls (and 2 little guys) got together and hit the pool.  We headed out to Telico and had a blast.  This was "V"'s first time in the pool.  TOO MUCH FUN!  We invited her sweet friend "E" and it was her first time in a BIG pool too!

Melissa and "E" preparing to swim!

"V" all ready to swim.

"J" having a blast!

"G" trying to squirt everyone with a water gun.

"E" looking super yummy!

I love to drink the water!

"E" followed suit...chlorine for everyone!

Momma and da baby

Thank you Melissa and "E" for coming with us!

Happy First Birthday Tomorrow!!!

Summer fun

"V" and I have been having a blast here at the casa since school has let out.  We have played, played, eaten, played, and played some more.  We have been having loads of fun.  Friday, my college friend Melissa and her little girl (born 15 days before "V") came over for a play date.  It started off great...then my kid pulled out her kids bow and then mine took her own out and then it was just a wild hair crazy fun play date.
That evening, "V" and I went out for a little stroll in her wagon.  She is LOVING it!  (Thanks MiMi and PawPaw).  She also had some spaghetti for dinner and it was super funny to watch her eat it ;-)  She had a blast!

"V" and Mr. Moose getting ready to take a ride.

Time to hydrate

Checking out the view from the backseat

Moose chillin' with the mail.

This is the #1 sign that she is Artie's child.  When both of them sit down, they cross their feet like this.

BEFORE

DURING

Saying she is finished

AFTER



School's out for SUMMER!

Today was my first official day of summer break.  I got a few things done and spent most of my day playing with "V" and loving on her.  I actually got to go work out at 6 AM and then "V" woke up about 7:30 AM (which is late for her).  After I changed her diaper and picked her up, she threw her little chubby arms around my neck and gave me the biggest hug.  HEAVEN!  I just love that now she has learned to give hugs...so precious.  The rest of our day was spent playing, taking naps, and waiting for daddy to get home.  "V" tried black eyed peas for the first time tonight.  She liked them alright.  Been trying to think of table food to get her eating instead of me making her food still.  I do make fruit still.  Just love the fresh fruit.   I am thinking that she is allergic to strawberries.  She had some the other day and has had a small rash on her face and then her eczema flared up on her knees and elbows.  Poor thing.
We finished out our night by letting "V play in her little pool.  I got this small pool for her just to play in in the evenings.  She loved it.  Otis even got his pool (cow trough) filled up!