10 months

Our sweet Lily Claire is 10 months old!! Favorite food: peas Favorite book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Favorite activity: riding around the neighborhood in her wagon Favorite game: Pat-a-cake Words she says: Da-da, yay, hey She also waves hello and bye-bye; makes the touchdown motion when you say, "touchdown Auburn!"; claps her hands when you say pat-a-cake or yay! She is standing up by herself and taking a few steps! Here is the link to her recent pictures: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.582555866800.2065963.58903261&l=8e14c35c71&type=1

9 months old

     Lily is 9 months old now, it is so hard to believe how fast she has grown! (I know I say that every time!) She is changing so fast and doing so many new things! At her 9 month check-up she weighed 18lbs and she was 26 3/4 inches long, her iron was low so she takes a daily vitamin. Lily is crawling all over the place, pulling up on everything, and loves to walk around when you hold her hands! She has her two bottom teeth now too!! She says "dada" constantly, I'm talking all through the grocery store and repeatedly at home! She is still loving the swimming pool, If we walk outside by the pool she reaches for it and grunts (that means that she wants to swim)!! She is trying all kinds of new foods... mandarin oranges, bananas, and the stage 3 foods! She drinks her milk out of a sippy cup most of the time now and still loves her snacks!

     I took her 9 month pictures today, these are a few of my favorites!

This one has to be my absolute favorite!! 

Here is the link to the rest of her 9 month pictures!! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.578700078830.2065039.58903261&l=7212d03818&type=1 

3 year Anniversary

On July 26, 2008 Zach and I said "I Do"! It has been three years since that day and we have accomplished so much together! Zach worked hard to support us while I finished college, in December 2009 I graduated with a BS in Elementary Education. He has been through many schools in the past three years with Prattville Fire Department. I am about to begin my second year at Clanton Intermediate School teaching third grade. In June 2010 we bought our first house and on November 24, 2010 we welcomed a very special little girl into our family! Sometimes it is hard to believe that we are parents....but we are so proud to call ourselves mommy and daddy! Lily Claire is a gift from God and we thank God for her each and every day!

Here are a few photos from 3 years ago!!

This is my favorite picture of us from our wedding!

The groomsmen were being a little aggressive!! haha! I love how my brother looks like he is going to pull my feet off! AND how sweet little Kaden is "holding" me up!!

Happy 8 months

Lily turned 8 months old Sunday, my how time flies! Last week Lily began to crawl instead of scoot...as of Sunday she was crawling all over her room and wanting to come into the hall. I had to coax her to crawl into the hallway, she wasn't fond of crawling on the hardwood floors, she prefers carpet! Monday she was playing in her room, I stepped out of her room for a minute and then I heard her slapping the hardwood in the hall. When I walked into the hallway she was sitting just inside her bedroom door peeking out into the hall. She was slapping the floor to get my attention so I would come back in there! She is so funny, she has the cutest personality I've ever seen in an 8 month old! Monday morning she was sitting in Zach's lap and quietly she uttered the words, the words I've been patiently waiting to hear...she said "mama"!!!! AND I didn't even hear it! It still made me one proud "mama"!! Zach is at work today(Tuesday)...I was talking to him on the phone and held the phone up to Lily's ear for him to talk to her, she smiled and said "hey"!! It was the sweetest little "hey" I've ever heard, it was quiet and he could barely hear her but she said it and that's all that matters!! Oh, Lily has also tried mashed potatoes and mushed banana...she doesn't know what to think except... yum! As you can see Miss Priss has reached many milestones in the past few days and we are all VERY proud of her! We have to show off her crawling skills every time someone comes over and she likes to show off too! :) She makes my heart smile, I never knew I could love something SO MUCH...but now I know and I will NEVER forget these precious moments!

Happy Eight Months Lily Claire!!!

7 months

I am really late posting this considering Lily will be 8 months old Sunday...but here it is!

Lily has recently discovered her love for snacks...she likes to snack all during the day and after every meal!

She has started crawling and can navigate all over her bedroom!

She loves splashing around in the swimming pool!

I will update more on the 8 month post so here are her 7 month pictures!

Father's Day

On Zach's first father's day the three of us stayed around the house and enjoyed the day together! We worked on training our dogs in their in-ground fence, watched HGTV most of the day, and straightened up the house a little. Training the dogs for the fence is looking like it will be a full-time job for us in the next few days. Lily got her daddy a very special Father's Day card and even traced her handprint on the inside! I must say that he is getting a VERY special gift for his first Father's day...a SWIMMING POOL!!!!! The pool company will begin working on our pool Tuesday or Wednesday of this week! Let's just hope that the weather cooperates with the process because we are READY for the pool to be completed!! He will also be getting pool and patio furniture. I had made my mind up months ago about his Father's day gift (which was not a swimming pool) it was going to be the aquarium he has always wanted when the idea of the pool came into the picture the aquarium was scratched off the list forever!! lol

It is so hard to believe that last year Lily was the size of a grapfruit inside my belly and now...well we will just say that she is growing up WAY to fast! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY ZACH! Lily and I are so very thankful for Zach and all that he does for us! He is the husband I always dreamed of and the best daddy in the world! :)

6 months

Lily Claire turned 6 months old on May 24th at 4:34PM! (I'm a little late on the post!) At her 6-month check up she weighed 16 lbs, 5 oz and was 24 1/2 inches long! I cannot believe that she is already half a year old! Time certainly flies by when you're having fun and that is certainly what we've been doing around here! She is such a blessing to Zach and I, we couldn't possibly imagine life without her! I will never forget the day that she graced us with her presence...it was the best day of our lives, it changed us forever. You never know how much you can love someone until you have a child, it is a different kind of love that I wish everyone could experience.

Playtime:

Lily is rolling all over the place these days. She will push up onto her hands and knees and try her best to crawl but she just hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet, instead of moving forward she scoots backwards! She loves to sit on a palate and play with toys, she looks so big when she does that. She likes to go outside and would probably stay out all day if we would let her. She likes to play in her jumparoo and she can FINALLY touch so she can actually jump! She loves to communicate with people and thinks she has to be the "center of attention" everywhere we go! She likes to laugh and giggle especially when you tickle her! She likes to "dance" and sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider. One of her favorite things to do at Gram's house is ride the golf cart and be spoiled by her PawPaw.Playing outside~ I took off work this day because my niece, Allison, was scheduled to arrive. Lily and I had a great time!

Favorites:

Lily has been attached to "bunny" since she was about a month old! She thinks she has to have bunny to go to sleep and bunny soothes her when she is not getting her way! Bunny is definitely her favorite item! Lily also loves puppy dogs and I must say that Junior, our shih tzu, is her favorite! They are best buds and Junior always makes sure that Lily is okay. If Lily gets upset about anything Junior is usually there for her to love on and it makes her all better. It is the sweetest thing seeing the two of them love each other so dearly. (After we found out I was pregnant we worried about how he would adapt to her. We thought that he would be super jealous and not like having a baby around. Well, we were definitely wrong and I sure am glad that we were!)Lily and Junior

Mealtime:
She is eating stage 2 foods, puffs, pinwheels, and yogurt melts. She eats three meals a day and drinks 3-4 bottles a day. She likes to "play" in her food that drops on the highchair and when she thinks you've caught her she cracks up!

When we had Lily's 6 month pictures made I had Sheena B. Photography do a picture of Lily like one that I have of myself when I was little. I even borrowed the wash basin from Photos by Becky (who took the picture of me) so that they would be identical. I thought it was a cute idea and just for fun I put our pictures side by side.

HAPPY 6 MONTHS LILY CLAIRE! Mommy and Daddy love you to the moon and back! :)

5 months & Mother's Day

Lily Claire turned 5 months young on April 24th (Easter) so I am a little late posting this but it has been wild around here the past few weeks. My classes started today(master's degree) so it is about to get a little more hectic than ever!!

5 months
Let me just say that we absolutely cannot believe that Lily is 5 months! Time truly flies by when you are having fun and that's just what we are doing! She is more fun than ever right now...rolling over constantly (she will NOT stay on her back anymore), grinning and giggling, playing the tickle monster, and eating 3 meals a day of baby food! She is such a "ham"...she thinks that she is the cutest thing ever (and she is) and she is a camera hog! She sees the camera come out and she is all about it, smiling and giggling, putting on a show to be exact! I mean just take a look at our Easter pictures, we were able to get so many good ones because she LOVES it, which makes me very happy considering I love to take pictures especially of her!

Take a look at her 5 month pictures...

Mother's Day 2011

My very first mother's day....where do I even begin!?! First of all I had a 3 day weekend to spend with my princess so that made it even better! Friday Lily and I spent the day lounging around the house playing inside and out (which makes her very happy). Friday night we did a little shopping for the both of us and went out to eat with my mom and my friend Shelley! Saturday Lily joined my mom & I at Fancy Nails for us to get manicures and pedicures! That afternoon Zach, Lily, & I visited with friends and later cooked out for dinner! And best of all, Sunday morning we went to church, had lunch, and the three of us spent the day together! I love when the three of us can spend the entire day together! Sunday night my family, Ken & Fran, and a couple of our friends came over and we all had dinner together! There is nothing I cherish more than spending time with family and them getting to see Lily grow up! Needless to say I couldn't have asked for a better 1st Mother's Day! Spending my 3 day weekend with friends and family was just what I needed!

Lily and I on the front porch after church!

Happy Easter! (better late than never!)

Lily's first Easter was a great one! We celebrated Easter on Saturday because Zach & Bryan both had to work Easter Sunday. All of my family joined together at my parents' house to eat and celebrate our Christ and Savior. First, Zach, Lily, and I took our Easter pictures...if I do say so myself they turned out fantastic! Here are a few of my favorites...

After taking pictures my family arrived and we began getting dinner ready. We had a great time visiting with everyone!

On Sunday, Zach had to work...he ended up getting off at 12 and was able to come spend the day with me and Lily! Easter morning Lily and I got dressed and ready for her first Easter Sunday at church! My mom went with us to church and we had lunch afterwards. When Zach got home we played in the yard and grilled out with friends that night! It was a very special Easter weekend and we are so glad that we were able to spend it with my family and our friends!

4 months & vacation

Lily Claire is four months old now... time has certainly passed quickly. I waited until after her 4 month checkup to post this because I wanted to post her stats! Lily Claire weighs 14 lbs, 9 oz and she is 23 1/4 inches long! She is very close to sitting up all by herself! She has tried cereal, bananas, and green beans! Here are her four month pictures...

This past weekend she went on her first trip and to her first wedding! We traveled to Americus, GA to Zachs cousins wedding! We were able to visit with Meme (Lily's great grandmother), Gloria, & Carlene (Lily's great-great Aunts) and lots of cousins!! Meme hasn't seen Lily since she was a few weeks old so as you can imagine she was VERY excited to see her!! We had a great weekend with Zach's family and were so happy to be able to go visit!! Here is a picture of the 4 generations (Meme, Ken, Zach, & Lily)...

Here are a few pictures from this past month...

Sneak Peek

Lily Claire and I had pictures done Monday....Joe Jones came to our house and spent the morning capturing our mother/daughter moments! We had a blast and Lily did a great job! He sent me a sneak peek picture so I thought I would share it with everyone...

I absolutely LOVE this picture and can't wait to see the rest!!
Thank you Joe!!

Happy 3 Months!!!

Lily Claire,
You are 3 months old now! I cannot believe how fast time has passed! You have grown so much in the last month and it seems like you change each day! You love to "talk" to anyone you can find, during tummy time you like to scoot with your feet but refuse to use your arms, your favorite thing to do is stand up and take little steps up your daddy's chest! You love to eat and usually eat about 6 oz each time. You like to shop...thank goodness because mommy & Gram like to shop too! You love to see your cousin, Will. He makes you smile when he talks to you and touches your cheeks! Will calls you "Wi" and when he gives you hugs he says, "Aw Wi"! It is so cute and you love it! You are such a big girl now and it seems like just yesterday we were packing the car up to head to the hospital!

We are so incredibly blessed to have you Lily Claire! We cannot remember what life was like without you because you have brought so much love and joy into our hearts! Happy 3 months Lily Claire, you are our little "diva" and we love you so much!
Love, Mommy & Daddy

Pictures from the last month...

Snow Day 2011

Valentine's Day 2011

Our little DIVA!


Silly girl!Happy 3 Months!

Happy Valentine's Day

Lily Claire's first Valentine's day has been a wonderful day! It was beautiful outside so me and her went for a stroll in the neighborhood! She enjoyed being outside and riding in her stroller!

Meme (Zach's grandmother) sent her first great-granddaughter a Valentine's present! She sent a white blanket with a pink monogram and an adorable white bear! I took a few pictures of Lily Claire and her gifts from her Meme!

If only she would have parted with the pacie!

Gram & PawPaw gave Lily Claire two outfits, I can't wait for her to wear them this summer!!

Lily Claire also received a card from her mommy & daddy, a stuffed animal, and a "Drama Queen" box of candy(Zach picked this out because that is what he calls her! He said that he would eat the candy for her!! :) )

HAPPY 1ST VALENTINE'S DAY LILY CLAIRE!!! We all love you more than words can say!

Happy 2 Months!

Lily Claire is 2 months!!! I cannot believe how fast time has passed by! It seems like yesterday we were going to our first doctor appointment after we found out we were expecting our first child! Now, our sweet baby has already been here for 2 months! I will never forget the first time I saw her beautiful little face! I especially won't forget these first little smiles! They will make your heart melt!! :)

Zach took Lily Claire to her 2 month check-up today while I was at work :( She weighs 11lbs, 2 oz and is 21 1/2 inches long! She hasn't grown any in length since last month. She had to get a few shots but she hasn't been fussy so far tonight!

For those of you who haven't heard Lily Claire will have a baby girl cousin to play with in May! Will is going to be a big brother! :) Will loves playing with Lily Claire when Gram has both of them! He will have to look out for Lily Claire & his sister as they grow up!

Here are a few recent pictures of our sweet girl!

"Daddy's Little Love Bug"

Happy 2 Months Lily Claire!!

7 weeks

On Wednesday Lily Claire turned 7 weeks old! She is growing so fast! She is holding her head up so good now and she also smiles all of the time! ;) She likes for you to kiss her feet, it makes her especially happy!! Here are pictures of her from this week...