Stuck on the Lazy River

One of my favorite things to do to relax is lay on a raft and float in a body of water! I don't care if it's a pool, the ocean or even a big bathtub. There's nothing more relaxing. But to have that paired up with Lily falling asleep on my chest like she was a newborn just takes the cake. And she was out! Like O-U-T! Like heavy breathing, heavy weight, hands plastered to my chest, slight snoring, did not move a muscle....I was literally stuck on the lazy river! Pure bliss I tell you!! These are the moments they make movies out of people! I'll never forget this...



Bridgid, Ron and their ADORABLE twin boys visited last weekend from Minnesota and the boys said "we should live here" by the end so needless to say they had a good time! I think it was the castle at King Richards that sold them! Or maybe feeding the alligators from a fishing pole...



Or maybe it was because they finally got to the meet "Baby Lily" instead of seeing all the pictures and videos on the computer...they were so sweet to her like they had been waiting for months to meet her...




Or maybe it was the wagon ride they had to share...





Or maybe not as Nick looks a little pained...



While at King Richards, I thought back to a picture Jen took of me with Katie when she was about 2 years old. It's one of my favorites where we're walking away and it's just us holding hands. It's in a frame now, but I wanted to recreate that shot and compare. I took one with Grace too so I can compare when she grows up.
Here's the one of Grace and me (which looks just like the one with Katie and me many moons ago)...




Now Katie and I all grown up...she's almost as tall as me at age 10!!





There's something about seeing a baby/toddler/child from behind that is so profound. I love seeing Lily's puffy cloth diapered booty as she crawls away with a little shake. Then she goes to the sliders and will walk along them like Spiderman. There are so many handprints on the glass and I smile inside everytime I notice them because it represents so much!! She's thinking about her future goals: (those little chubby legs are just too much for me to handle)
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Life is good!

It's a wrap...

Wiping the sweat off of my brow! Working full-time, managing life's daily grind, and staying on top of this book has been such a challenge! I've set my alarm early, scrapbooked through tired eyes while on the pump, stayed up late, skipped my beloved naps, received lectures about too much time on the computer, (wink to D) and thought about this book in the car more than I listen to the radio!! JUST HIT PRINT and will wait by my front door for UPS man/woman to arrive with this nugget of gold that has been my blood, sweat and tears the last year. When it arrives, it'll be like my heart arrives with a big giant bow summarizing the best year of our life.

2nd to last page in her book...this is Kelle's signature shot and let us be honorees too! Thanks to Steph for the cute socks and Kelle for the heels. Kelle did a spinoff to this shot with Skye, Bailey and Lainey. Prepping for this shot was like getting ready for prom where wardrobes were discussed, clothes were flying, backdrops installed and everyone was running around frantically excited about all the poses Kelle could come up with! Lily was fussy, ready for a nap, not wanting to sit and smile for the camera...until Kelle pulled out the ultimate prop that Lily had never seen or tasted before....


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Her March milestones
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This'll be the last page in the book; it's one of my favorites for its meaning and simplicity!! Thank you to Kelle Hampton for capturing our love for our Lily!!

Our entire year can be summarized in 3 little words that aren't little at all...

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Don't tell Lily, but I took her year picture a week early so it'd be in her first year book....here's our little miracle in the last year...

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The back cover of the 12x12 book...
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To see the book in its entirety, click here:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2AbuXDdi3csXeQ


Life is Good!

Happy Birthday Madeline!

I'm not sure if I've mentioned Madeline on this blog, but she is a very special girl that I don't know personally, but feel like I do through her daddy's blog. Kelle found her blog through another blog, through another blog, thought another blog, etc. He blogs all about her like the proud papa that he is.

If you don't know his story click here:

If you know his story and have a box of tissues close by, click here: (turn on speakers)

Madeline is just a week or so older than Lily and is a daily reminder to be thankful for what we have on this precious earth.

Life is Good!

Almost There...

Can you freaking believe it? (props to David for the green grass)

I love her toes on her left foot!



(Thanks for the party hat Heids)

She turns 1 on April 4th! Tears filled my eyes as I looked through the window of my camera snapping this for her scrapbook! It'll be strange the first time someone asks me "how old is your daughter?" and I'll have to say "1"!! OMG!!

She's brought more love and joy into my little beating heart than I ever thought possible. I wish I could fully convey that to her with more than just hugs, kisses, and "I love yous", but will spend my life making sure she knows just how much! She's expanded my heart to love fuller, deeper and stronger! And it's so much fun doing it!

Life is good.

5 Months

A little trip down memory lane...I found these in my blog drafts to post back from Sept!!!! She looks so little!! Everyday, she still seems this little to me until I see pictures like this and compare them! WOW!


This was in my mom's backyard sitting by the water - heaven! (September 2008)



I remember the freshness of this day...



Her new dress from Grandma and Grandpa Hutcheson when they were here to visit...I think I put the headband a little low - she looks like she's going to fight Bruce Lee!



She couldn't even sit up yet, so all of her pictures are laying down, propped up, in a bumbo or us holding her...



She looks SO MUCH like Drew here (colleen's little one) I love the way her hands are folded like she's trying to lay properly






Our first run in the jogging stroller...notice the pillow under her rump we used as a booster seat because the straps were around her neck without it...





Give her mommy some slobbery kisses...the best kind...





I still see this face when I look at her now...



I absolutely love this picture of David and Lily....one of my favorites...



Molly hanging with her favorite little guy who will break hearts with those dark brown eyes! Yummy! Can't wait to see you guys next weekend!!










Ok, this picture makes my heart do a flip flop swip swap! David loves to take her for a walk on the patio while he does his green thumb rounds (checking out the grass, bushes, rain gauge, pool clarity, etc) and she looks like a total newborn here...her wittle feet don't even touch his belt! This was just 6 months ago people! 6 MONTHS!!



Fast forward 6 months and you can see a little emerging toddler...I almost dropped the camera when I was clicking through it to see the pictures...she looks sooooooooo big. This is the first time I've even thought of her as almost a toddler. That word "toddler" never even crossed my mind until this very minute.




And this is her new favorite thing to do now...(hence the bruised forehead and baby gate going up this weekend)





http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j206/kelster5/?action=view¤t=0308091402a.flv

It's all happened so gradually, naturally and beautifully! She's grown exponentially in the last 11 months, but I can't remember any of it happening "over night"...it's not until I go back on memory lane and realize how far she's come in just 11 months. I know I'll look back at pictures from today and won't be able to believe how little she once was. It boggles the mind in a mesmerizing way! Life is good!!

Pray For Jonah

What a heartbreaking story! After a devastating loss last year having a stillborn baby, this couple got pregnant again and had no issues during pregnancy. Once he was born, they realized he had a rare skin condition called EB where any normal friction tears the skin off so badly that it acts like burns. He has "burns" all over him. They're treating him like a burn victim and having to change his dressings on a regular basis and he's in a lot of pain so he's on a constant morphine drip. I just can't stop praying for this family and I don't even know them personally. Please say a prayer for Jonah and his family!

Here's an article about the family on the front page of their local paper.

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/mar/07/all-pulling-for-jonah-messages-pour-in-from-around/

Here's her blog:

http://patriceandmattwilliams.blogspot.com/

My heart is so heavy thinking about this family and their future with their baby when it should be the happiest time in their lives. Say prayers!

Guess Where We Went Yesterday?

Her first trip to the zoo! Had to scrap it quickly because the book will be ordered in just a few days! I'm so nervous to hit "publish" because there's no turning back. Also, we won't be able to make anymore memories between then and her bday bc it won't be in her first year book! ha ha





I also redid her Mother's Day page because I didn't "love-love" the earlier version.

And what is a book without some Lainey Love and Nanny K? The 3 of them have such a beautiful bond that is leaving heartprints on Lily forever! Mommy too!






Just found these in my drafts from OCTOBER!!!

...we're cleaning house people! The printers are breathing down my neck!











We took the wagon the park for a walk and Lily thought she was in a parade.



I have more video than I have blog space to post! I know her future self will be so happy to have these treasured videos! Even if they're only 30 seconds, it gives such a real life glimpse at her energy and spirit she has down to her cute little toes. It's also a great way for faraway friends and family to bond with our miracle. If I haven't raved enough about it, I just love The Flip video camera because it allows you to capture and upload with such ease!! I could go on the road to campaign and sell these by the truckloads!!

Life is Good!

Having a Bad Day?

Is this really my life? I could pinch myself. Sometimes I feel like I'm living someone else's life with someone else's baby. Do I really get to spend everyday with her?



Life is good!

February Milestones

I can't believe I'm just weeks away from hitting "publish" on her first year book to order what I've worked on for months and months and months and months!! It hasn't been easy to stay on top of it, but it'll be SO worth it once it's here. It's already up to 57 pages and will probably add a few more before it gets printed. Eeks, I'm so excited to see it, touch it, smell it and have it in my hands. :)





I can't believe she will be 11 months tomorrow! Watching her grow up has been the most natural, gradual and profound experience of my entire life. She enriches our lives in unexpected ways and makes everything so much sweeter by just being her. She makes me want to be a better person who is deserving of this strong and powerful love she oozes everyday.

Life is oh so good!