Santa Baby...or not

We've begun a new tradition of going with our family to Bass Pro Shop to see Santa each year. Last year, Aubrey was just about 10 weeks old and she was picture perfect sitting up there on Santa's lap.

 

Aren't these some cuties?

This year was a little different...Miss Priss was not impressed at all by Santa, the reindeer, the carousel or anything Christmas related!

 

See this face...this was her expression for most of the night.

And again...she was perfecting the open mouth, scream at the top of her lungs look.  Pretty good if I may say so myself.

 

 

And not to disappoint...again.  She has talent my friends...real talent.

 

 

But low and behold just when we thought the night was a lost cause...a $16,000 toy is what Aubrey wanted! Holla!!

 

Now it's a party!

 

 

"Oh how I love Bass Pro" -Aubrey Lane

 

I guess we had a little fun after all!

 

Maybe next year if we could just get Santa to sit in the ATV we would be good to go!

Christmas Card

Christmas cards are so fun.  I look forward to creating our cards as well as receiving cards from others. My favorite thing is to look back on previous Christmas cards and see how much we've changed and grown.

 

I accidently only ordered 25 cards this year...I don't know what I was thinking.  I realized it too late and didn't have time to order more!  I feel terrible because half of the people on my list got left off!  Oh well...better luck next year!

 

Here's our card from this year...

 

This was our Christmas card last year...Bre was so tiny and immobile! Haha!

Can't wait to see how our family changes in the years to come!

 

Merry Christmas Friends!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

We finally put up our Christmas tree last night and boy was Bre impressed.  She loved everything from the breakable ornaments to the hot lights to the glass candles...you know...everything safe for a one year old.

 

 I'm trying to implement the one finger rule with Aubrey when it comes to touching the tree but she isn't really fond of the idea.

 

 

Notice her obedience with the one finger rule here?

 

 

She found the choking hazard beads and was once again in love!

 

She's just so happy!  It's hard to tell this cutie no!

 

Even Lexie got in on the fun...or not

 

We took like 10 family pictures and in every single one Aubrey was looking at Lexie!  It was so funny...yet frustrating!  Ha!

 

 

Me and my honey! Just moments before the stomach bug hit our family...Poor Christian!

 

Hope your Christmas prep is going great! Enjoy the season!

13 months old!

I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to keep up these monthly updates, but while I'm able...I might as well document Aubrey's progress.

 

 

Miss Priss, you are now 13 months old!  You weigh almost 18 pounds and are wearing anything from 6 months to 18 months in clothes.  You wear a size 3 shoe and a size 3 diaper.

You are sleeping through the night except for a 5:00 am feeding that I cannot break you of!  You go right back to sleep and usually sleep until 8:00...unless of course mommy can sleep in...on those days you are awake at 6:50! It never fails!

You still take two naps a day.  One from 10:30-12:00 and another from 3:00-4:30.  You go right down and never give me trouble at nap time.  Same for bedtime...you like your sleep!

You are still nursing (even though daddy wants me to begin weaning!).  I have dropped your feedings and am no longer pumping at work.  One reason we haven't fully weaned you yet is because you hate whole milk!  I've been mixing the breast milk and whole milk and you absolutely want nothing to do with it if it has whole milk in it.  I'm hoping this is just a phase because my stash is quickly decreasing and the only option will be whole milk.

You are fast becoming a picky eater. You LOVE crackers, bread and teddy grahams.  You like strawberries, grilled cheese sandwiches, and biscuits. You love yogurt and fruit bars too.  Veggies are not your thing.  You immediately start shaking your head "no" when I put veggies on your tray. 

You are walking like crazy!  I should say you are running...because you are like a tornado.  I cannot keep up with your busy self. You are still a total destroyer and can wreck a room in 3 seconds flat. You love pulling things out of drawers and cabinets and flinging them over your shoulder.  Even glass dishes!

You still aren't saying much...just daddy and bye bye.  We did teach you the sign language for "more" and you use it constantly!  It's hilarious! 

We are so in love with you Aubrey Lane!  You are the funniest, most full of life girl I know! 

Political Ponderings

 

What a week...first our dear Tigers lose a devastating loss to Alabama and then a week full of political drama! I'm not one to get on a soapbox and shout my beliefs or opinions when it comes to politics, but I do want to share some of my thoughts on this past week.

First off, I have to say that LOVE my country.  I feel we live in the best country in the entire world and I am absolutely beyond blessed to have been born in the United States.  I thank God daily that He chose to put me in a free nation, a nation where I can share my beliefs on a blog and not be persecuted or punished.  I'm delighted that we can all have opinions and be allowed to share those thoughts freely without fear.

When it comes to politics, I'm definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed. However, I do my research and follow through with gaining as much information as possible on amendments and candidates. I ask people I trust for their opinions and seek Godly council when it comes to putting people in positions of power. My husband and I pray for direction and guidance before voting and we never make a choice without first lining it up with the Word of God.

With all that said, I'm deeply saddened for the way our country is headed. I'm truly discouraged and troubled with the direction our current government is taking our country.  I believe we as a nation must line up with the Word of God, or we will ultimately see His hand and blessings removed and we will be in a heap of trouble.

I believe the bible 100% and as a Christian I must use that as my moral compass. So many people are proclaiming to be Christians but voting for candidates who do not stand for Godly principles.

It's not about political parties. It's not about race.  It's not about money.  It's about doing what is right. What is right? Living according to the bible is what is right.

I firmly believe abortion is wrong. I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman.  I believe we must not be slave to the lender when it comes to borrowing endless amounts of money that we are incapable of paying back.  I believe prayer should be put back in schools.  I believe one should work hard to support their family and not rely on freebies or handouts.

Let me also say I believe in forgiveness.  I believe in loving all people even if their lifestyle doesn't line up with my beliefs. I believe in giving to others and being a blessing to those in need. I believe in reaching out to those who need to see God's hands and feet.

So what do I do from here? 

So I'm going to continue to pray for our president.  Pray that he will have supernatural wisdom and insight for our country. I'm going to pray for him to make decisions that will benefit our country and bring us to a place of prosperity and growth. I'm going to pray that our president will refuse to allow ungodly things to be passed into legislation and that he will instead lead us onto the path of righteousness.

I'm going to continue to work hard to support my own family.  We are going to continue to get out of debt, save for the future and grow our nest egg so that we don't have to rely on our government for support.

I'm going to continue to raise Aubrey up in the church and pray with her daily. I'm going to teach her what the bible says so that she can stand firm in the truth when she's older.

I'm going to continue to love people.  I'm not going to allow prejudices or hatred to build in my heart but instead reach out to those who see things differently.  I'm going to love them with all I have because that's all I can do.

I'm going to keep on loving my country. I believe America is a beautiful place and there is still hope for our nation.  I will not give up on standing for truth...even if those standing with me are few.

And lastly I will remember that this is not my home.  The United States is a wonderful place to reside but ultimately it will pass away and these petty things will be long forgotten. My forever home is in heaven with the only true Leader and Ruler. I must remember that He alone is what life is all about and I will do my best to live for Him each day.

Join with me as we pray for our president, love others passionately, raise strong children, stand on Godly principles and most importantly look forward to Christ's return.

Time Marches On

Lately I've been struggling with feels of sadness when I think about the shortness of life.  I find myself full of disappointment because life seems to be going by at speed faster than I can comprehend or keep up with.  I am constantly telling Christian that I wish life would just pause...momentarily and let me catch my breath. I want to just suspend moments and be allowed to take it all in...savor the memories.  I find myself holding Aubrey a little longer before putting her in her crib at night, smelling her sweet fragrance.  I find myself giving more kisses to my husband and capturing his hand at a moment's notice just so I can remember his embrace.  I find myself taking deep breaths and savoring peaceful times like a night walk or a hot bath.

Life is so short.  It is so fleeting.  It's just a wind.  A vapor and it's gone.

I see my grandparents aging and passing on...life is not forever.  I see loved ones taken too soon and leaving behind young families...life is but a moment.  I see my own self changing and maturing...and I have to admit, it's hard.  I have to keep myself from getting too down and discouraged. I have to purposefully see the beauty in each and every second.  I pray the Lord takes this sadness and uses it to teach me the real meaning and purpose of life.

For now, I'm taking each second of life captive.  I'm embracing each and every moment...mundane or magical.  I'm storing memories and special occasions in my heart because that's all I can do.  I can't pause life.  I can't stop it from moving by like a rushing wind.  Instead I have to choose to grab it...hold on tight and let it take me where it may. I must seize every opportunity because quite frankly I may not be given another one.

I'm not going to allow the busyness of life to get in the way of the beauty of life.  I'm choosing to breathe deeper. Let my hugs and kisses linger.  Take longer baths.  Read a book a little later.  Savor a meal and eat an extra piece of pie. Tell my loved ones I love and appreciate them. Choose patience and calmness over chaos. Laugh more.  Praise louder.  Let clothes stay unfolded and play more.

Life isn't something to be taken for granted.  I'm not going to allow the sadness of the realization that life is fleeting to get me down because then I'd just be losing more time. Time that I could be making more special moments and storing up lasting memories with the ones that mean the most to me.

I pray as we see our grandparents, parents and our children age...we won't be filled with sadness or regret but instead recall all the wonderful memories with those loved ones. I thank God for each new day...another chance to love, laugh and be with the ones you love.

Kiss longer...breathe deeper...laugh louder...

Happy Birthday Bre!

We had a fabulous time at Aubrey Lane's birthday party.  It was such a special day for my sweet girl. We just kept it simple at our house so Aubrey would feel comfortable. We had a small group of friends and family attend and help celebrate ONE YEAR with Aubrey Lane! 

I chose a simple owl theme simply because I like owls! Ha! Aubrey's room is all owls so I figured why not do her party in that theme as well.  

Aubrey loved her cake.  I don't think it was so much the taste of the cake, but rather the excitement and fun of getting to make a huge mess. She had a ball just playing in the cake...tossing pieces over her shoulder, rubbing icing in her hair, and tormenting the dog for a lick! What a blast! 

This is her kissy face. I know she is enjoying life when she starts giving out free kisses. 

Owl Cupcakes are a must!

 Those dang monthly pictures came in handy!  I tell ya...those are fun to begin with...but later on down the road, they are just doggone painful. I think I took them way too seriously.  I mean, I did a full out photoshoot for each month. I'm not sure I will continue that tradition with all my children! HA!

 "You're a HOOT! Thanks for coming to my party!"

 My fabulous friend Becky made these adorable cakes. I will not admit to eating 3 pieces and causing my grandfather not to get a piece because we ran out. Nope...wasn't me.

Seriously--this is the best cake I've ever tasted. Hands down the most delicious thing to ever enter into my mouth. If you are in the Baton Rouge area...you must let this chick make your cakes!

 The party table!

I am still amazed that I even have a child...much less that she is now ONE! God is so good and He is so faithful to our family. We are amazed at His goodness to us. A special thanks to all our friends and family who came and celebrated with us...we adore our family and friends to pieces!

Happy One Year Birthday Aubrey Lane!!!

We love you as big as the sky!

One year

My sweet baby girl is one year old today.  My emotions are running wild this morning and I can't quite figure out how I feel about this milestone.  On one hand I'm thrilled to see her growing and becoming this beautiful little person, but on the other hand I'm devastated to see this precious time pass by so quickly.  I'll never get to have her as a baby again.  I'm so blessed to have this angel in my life.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine life with her would be so amazing.  She's the joy in my step, the laughter in my heart and the love of my life.  Happy Birthday Aubrey Lane!

Busy, Busy Bre

Miss Priss is what I like to call "speedily destructive". I just know she is going to use her ability to destroy a room in zero seconds flat for something positive and productive...one day society will benefit from her talent. Home girl can open and fling out every item in a cabinet before I can run across the room.

 

Not to mention her fascination with toilet paper.  I have a feeling potty training Aubrey will be a breeze because she is so in love with toilet paper!

 

What is more fun than tearing a whole roll of toilet paper into 594,865 million pieces? Not much!

You know what is not fun...having to wait for mommy to heat up dinner...patience is overrated.

 

 

Sporting my LSU wear at Wal-Mart...my favorite place! 

Aubrey Lane loves rocking chairs.  She loves to climb up in the chair and attempt to rock back and forth.  Seriously...she does this for long periods of time...just sits and rocks! I can't tell you how much I can get accomplished in the 15 minutes Aubrey Lane is rocking!

Rock on Breezy...rock on!

And if you thought toilet paper or rockers were fun...you should see this lawn mower walker!  It's a complete riot!

 

Cutting grass in my jammies!

 

 And a little more grass cutting after nap.

 

Get these dang shoes off my feet, Mom!

 

 I love to swing!

 

I love my mommy! (even if she does take forever to heat up my dinner and fusses when I try and pick apart the toilet paper)

 

 

Pondering my next destructive move...

Get outta my face with that camera mom!

 

Mommy loves her busy girl! Keep on destroying, rocking, tearing and walking Breezy!

 

11 months old!

Aubrey Lane you are now just one month shy of being one year old! I cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by.  I never knew a year could go by so fast. 

You are absolutely my favorite little buddy and I want to spend every minute with you!  You are hilarious, smart and full of personality. 

You love to take in everything that is going on and you don't want to miss a single thing. You are very observant and aware of everything around you.  I can't put much past you! 

Your hair is coming in like crazy and it is all over the place! I almost took some scissors to the back because it's starting to look like a mullet!  Bows won't stay in your hair by themselves and headbands are starting to look silly because you have so much hair!  I don't know what I'm going to do with you!

 You are about 18 pounds and wearing a size 3 diaper.  You wear clothes anywhere from a 3 month-9 months. You are very petite but lately I've noticed you are getting longer and taller.  Perhaps you won't be short like mommy and daddy! 

You still nurse 4-5 times a day and mommy is devastated to think about weaning.  Mommy is cherishing every single feeding because the time will soon come when you won't need to nurse anymore. 

You eat three meals a day and some of your favorite foods include Cheerios, crackers, sweet potatoes, roast, and chicken.  I'd say chicken and Cheerios are your absolute top two favorite foods. When I break out the Cheerio's box, you immediately start squealing with delight!

You are sleeping over 12 hours a night!  Praise the Lord.  You still get up to nurse at 4:00 in the morning, and I know I should probably put an end to that, but I'm giving you one more month before I drop that feeding.  I'm just not ready to let you go! 

You go to sleep around 8:00 and I usually have to wake you up at 8:15. You wake up smiling and laughing and are just so sweet in the mornings!

You still only have two teeth and they are absolutely adorable! 

You are starting to climb on everything!  You are definitely not scared of a challenge. You will climb into the dishwasher or dryer in a heartbeat. I've found you in baskets, tubs, cabinets...you name it and you will climb into it! 

Our 11 month photo shoot quickly went down hill when mommy decided the rocker was becoming dangerous...you are not afraid to express your feelings on any given situation!

Exhibit A

 We absolutely love you Aubrey Lane and cannot imagine our lives without your sweet self. We will miss this infant stage but we are also excited about watching you grow and develop! 

Happy 11 months my love!