Back to work!

Well I made it through my first day back at work and it could not have been more perfect! Thanks to everyone praying for me, Kevin and Ayda! I had a great crew to work with and a good assignment. The babies were very nice to me!!! And Kevin and Ayda had a good day as well. She even went to class with him and was an angel! It was so clear to me that God was answering prayers when I got up this morning with so much peace and even excitement about going back. I was sad to leave Ayda but my attitude the whole day was to be excited to see her when I got home. And after feeding her when I got home, she was so full of smiles and had lots to "talk" about! Precious!!! Also Kevin and I decided sort of last minute that me working two night shifts a week would work better for us and me, so I mentioned it to my boss and assistant manager. I really was not expecting much but thought I would ask...and let's just say I start working nights Sunday! This should allow me more time with Ayda during the day and Kevin more flexibility to finish up school and then work on our future plans with his business! So after saying for two years I will never work nights again...I'll be pulling an all nighter Sunday night!!! God is providing for us and it is so neat to see! Thanks again for your prayers today! :)

A wild few days

Ayda and I hit the road again yesterday! Kevin is down in Florida checking out some possible places to set up camp for us so Ayda and I headed west for a couple days. I had offered to come lend a hand for my sister-in-law and brother. First we stopped at my best friend's house for lunch and spent time with her and her precious baby boy! We have tried several times to get the babies together for a play date and something always seems to happen. So we finally got them together and they had quite the stare down of each other! So funny. No pictures because Ayda decided to take a nap and then when she got up Nathan was ready for his. So typical!!!
Then we headed to my brother's house and Ayda got a good dose of stimulation for sure. She was a deer caught in headlights as she watched kids running around. Her cousins adore her though and it is so sweet to watch. Jack especially can't keep his hands off of her and gives her tons of kisses! Even Isabel gave Ayda a few pats on the tummy! I watched their three kiddos this morning and had Ayda while they went to a meeting. Let me say four kids four and under is interesting. I had Ayda in my arms because she screamed if I put her down, Isabel attempting to get up the stairs, Jack playing guitar, and Abby wanting to pack to go to Grand-Pam's house. It was awesome! I have a whole new appreciation for Allison's daily life. No wonder she is tiny. I think if I spent a week there I would lose my pregnancy weight in no time!!! We had a blast though and it was so good to spend so much time with the kids. It has been forever since I had good quality time with them. And Ayda took it all in and had fun too. So we are back home now and as Ayda is sleeping I am realizing how very quiet our house is. Soon enough there will be the sweet sounds of feet running on the floors, guitars playing, kiddy laughter, and more! But for now I am pooped and heading to bed! No pictures of this trip (though the camera made the trip). I never could figure out when or how to get any sort of picture. Perhaps next time!!!

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! Usually I feel like it is Hallmark's way to make a lot of money but for some reason this year I was really in the spirit. Kevin and I enjoyed a nice dinner out last night (didn't feel like fighting crowds!) while Ayda stayed home with her Godparents, Josh and Kaitlin. It was nice to get away but I am always so happy to get home and scoop her up as well! She did great with Josh and Kaitlin though while we were out! Then today I got Ayda all dressed up in her V-day outfit! She was adorable. We only got to show it off at the post office and grocery store but that's ok! Tonight I cooked dinner for Kevin, Josh and Kaitlin and followed a tradition my mom always did when my brother and I were growing up. I made everything PINK!!! I was a fun meal! Then we all watched a chick flick just because. ha! So Kevin and I had fun today!!

Ayda fell asleep in her bath tub last night after we got home from our date! Clearly she had fun with Uncle Josh and Aunt Kaitlin!!!

She knows she is cute in her pink shirt and tights with hearts on it!!!

I could not get over the heart on the rear! So stinkin cute!!!

And for our Pink dinner (above) and dessert (below)! Even our ice cubes were pink!


PS-Keep praying for my brother! He got home from the hospital today. I know they are happy to be under one roof but he has lots of resting and recovering to do. It is so clear that his body went through so much the past few days. I'm just glad he is home with his family. His kids are his world so being away from them was difficult I'm sure. Thanks for your prayers!

Say a Prayer

I just wanted to ask you to be in prayer for my older brother and his family. He took a bad fall yesterday at his house and ended up in surgery. Ayda and I hopped in the car to be at the hospital with my sister-in-law and see my brother after surgery. He and I are very close and it is hard to see him in so much pain. Please pray for a quick recovery and for the family as they adjust to a new way of doing things for a few months. My brother does not stay down for long but the breaks in his leg and ankle will definitely slow him down. It was good to be there and see him and of course Ayda was a perfect angel. Two hours in the car both ways and a few hours at the hospital and she barely made a peep. My brother was happy to see her as well and she knew just the medicine he needed. Lots of smiles and laughs just for him! It was so sweet to see. She loves her uncle! Below is her taking a cat nap in the recliner in Josh's hospital room.
Get well soon Brother! We love you!

A Visit with Family!

This past weekend my Dad, Step-mom, sister and brother came into town to meet Ayda! It was so much fun having them here. My brother also came over from Alabama with his family on Saturday and joined in the fun. It is so very rare for us all to be together at the same time and we always have so much fun when we are! Ayda went through quite a growth spurt during the weekend but it didn't slow us down. We managed to play outside with my brother's kids, shop at BabiesRUs for a high-chair, stop by REI for some water bottles, and enjoy a great dinner at Cheesecake Factory. It was a full day on Saturday! Then on Sunday Kevin and I took my dad's crew to Canoe for a wonderful brunch. We sat on the patio and enjoyed the amazing weather! All in all the weekend went way too fast but we enjoyed every second of it!

Dad and Jack showing off their matching Converse tennis shoes!

Abby taking a break from chasing Papa-Joe around to strike a pose!

Me and my sweet baby girl!

Finally a family picture! We don't have many of these.

Ayda getting lots of love from her Papa-Joe, Nanna Lori, Aunt Jaci, and Uncle Greg!!!

Gracie has not been forgotten...

So because Ayda has taken center stage in our house, our dog Gracie has been slightly put on the back burner. Don't get me wrong we still play with her and give her attention but she definitely does not have the same attention when it comes to pictures being taken. Overall Gracie has done exceptionally well with all the changes that have taken place! She spent several days at the Sleepy Hollow Inn (place we board her) to get through having Ayda and then the holidays. But she came back to us the same as she left...hyper and goofy! I do have to say I am anxious to get us all in a house now. A two bedroom apartment got a little cramped by adding Ayda to it. Gracie now resides in the guest bathroom (no worries dog lovers, it has carpet and it is not the part with the shower and toilet!). The problem though is when guest come over she is in their bathroom...or should I say they are in her room. So we have to find somewhere else to put her. A house will be nice to spread out in...one day! Anyway Gracie still never ceases to keep us on our toes and give us a laugh! Her most recent rebellion has been to take off when we let her outside and come back whenever she pleases. We have to really watch her now when she goes out. Here are some pictures I have taken the past couple months! Gracie will always be typical Gracie...

Before Ayda was born Gracie pretty much had the freedom to do whatever she wanted. So here she is vegging on the couch...this little habit was quickly broken once we had a little one! Gracie adjusted well though she still tries to see if we forgot about the new rule and will let her just one more time!

For Christmas Aunt Beth and Uncle Bruman sent Gracie a little present (her only Christmas present she got this year...OOPS!). She usually destroys anything related to a toy in about 1/2 a second but she played and played with this doughnut and never demolished it. Thanks Aunt and Uncle B!!!



Ayda meet Gracie...Gracie meet Ayda. Neither seem too impressed with the other!

Gracie has a weird obsession with bottles. She loves to chew water bottles simply to get the top off. Then she wants nothing to do with it. So on Super Bowl Sunday we had some friends over and I put some treats in an empty coke bottle and screwed the top on really tight. She got the top off in about a minute but continued playing with the bottle to get the treats...an impossible task! Finally we got tired of the rattling and threw away the bottle and she got a treat for simply trying!

Two Months Already!

Ayda is two months old today! I can't believe it. I must say the second month was TONS more fun than the first. We finally got breastfeeding under control, she started smiling at us and is now figuring out how to "talk" and laugh! She is so much fun these days and is so curious about things around her. She is always wanting to face out so she can see what is going on!

Here she is all bundled up and ready to go to dinner! She has her daddy's Florida genes so we have to bundle her up a lot to keep her cozy while we are out!

And here is her monthly picture with Tommy the Monkey! She is growing as you can see!
At the pediatrician on Monday she weighed 11 pounds and was 23 inches long! Our doctor was very pleased with all her growth!