10 Months (a day late, oopsie)

Miss Olivia is 10 months old!! Yes, you did read that correctly. We have started planning the BIG birthday party and I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad about it. We still have her swing in the living room because I have not mustered up the emotional energy to put it away. It's like the last bit of itty bitty baby left in our house. On to the more important information.

Olivia is one active baby, she just hasn't gotten the crawling down pat yet. We know it is right around the corner so we are not going to worry but enjoy our neat house and not having to chase after a baby all the time. The last month she has gotten her first major sickness (hands, foot, mouth disease) and her first ear infection. She is still a very good eater. She loves all her baby food plus some "real" food and has also tried whole milk. She has to have at least one lovie when going to bed and is not a big fan of being rocked to sleep anymore, which absolutely breaks my heart. She loves gazing at Lilly and the fish tank. She is also still a big daddy's girl and loves when he comes home from work. She gets the biggest grin on her face when she sees him. She has learned to raise both arms when we say touchdown (which her daddy is very proud of) and wave bye bye, but not very consistently. She is a growing little girl and learning new things all the time. Thank you God for such a sweet spirited little 10 month old sleeping in our house tonight.

Our Thanksgiving Holiday in Pictures

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving! We spent a long weekend with family and friends and could not have asked for more. We have so much to be thankful for and we sometimes forget exactly how blessed we are. Here are just a few photos from our holiday. I forgot to take pictures at two of our Thanksgiving celebrations. We were having too much fun and it was too crazy to capture everything in pictures so those will just be memories that hopefully we will remember.

Thanksgiving day started off with a 4 mile turkey trot. A few high school friends and I started this tradition when we were in high school and still run it. It's a great way to burn calories before you indulge.

Olivia at the Collins Thanksgiving

(she had an adorable Thanksgiving dress that didn't make it the entire day)

Wil Franklin and his excited face.

Gigi with her babies.

Me and Amberly

Hays watching the Saints.

While we were in Memphis we celebrated Thanksgiving with two more dinners that were fantastic. We also spent great quality time with family and friends. Saturday night we took the older cousins to the zoo lights and ice skating. That was a lot of fun and I highly recommend going.

Happy Birthday to Wil Franklin!

Wil Franklin turned the big 2 the day after Thanksgiving. He had an Elmo party last weekend where Elmo actually made an appearance (Hays dressed up as Elmo, what a good uncle he is). Olivia and I were unable to make the party due to her being sick. We heard that we missed a grand time. Happy Birthday to Wil Franklin! We can't wait to see what this year holds!

Just Some Things I'm Thankful For...Some Big and Some Small

1.The Lord, without Him we have nothing....period.
2.Olivia, she is truly the most precious thing God has entrusted me with.
3.My husband that has carried me through highs and lows but is always the same person.
3.Friends and family that are always by my side.
4.Our house that has really become our home the last several months. :)
5.Coffee in the morning, oh...how I have needed thee in the last year (especially pumpkin spice creamer this time of year).
6.The big smiles and deep belly laughs that come from my girl (especially when they're at her daddy).
7.Books, even though I don't get to enjoy them as much as I would like.
8.Our church family and a preacher that teaches the gospel not just preaches it.
9.Being able to spend every day with our sweet girl and not having to drop her off at daycare every morning (I truly don't see how other moms do it, hats off to them).
10.Coke Zero at lunch time that carries me through the afternoon.
11.Every evening when Hays comes home from work and gives me some relief and a BIG smile on our girls face.

Geaux Saints!!

Hays traveled to New Orleans this afternoon to cheer on the Saints. Olivia and I are hibernating due to she being under the weather the last few days. She is on the back end of having hands, foot and mouth disease. YUCK!!! We're praying she'll be 100% by Thanksgiving this week. We're also hoping for a big win today in New Orleans! Doesn't she look adorable in her Saints cheer leading outfit? We're thinking it will bring the team some luck.

Cousins

So Amberly and Matt asked us to keep Wil Franklin for a few hours the other night. Of course, we were delighted to watch him. We had dinner, played and took a bath. Hays and I now completely understand what people mean when they say you are not true parents until you have at least 2 kids. Although we enjoyed ourselves, it was some HARD work. I have some major persuading to do before we go for round 2. :)

Yep...That's MY Husband!!

As most of you know, Hays is a freelance photographer that has had pictures published in the Mississippi magazine, Sports Illustrated, local newspapers and now....The Wall Street Journal!!! His picture was in the Sports section of Tuesday's paper (I would have copied the link but it wouldn't let me). I am so proud of him and all of his accomplishments. When you see him, help me in congratulating him on such a big achievement.

An Old Favirote

In Christ Alone

There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain.
Then bursting forth in glorious Day; up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death; this is the power of Christ in me.
From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from His hand;
Til He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

*I know I have put parts of this song on here before but we sang this in church this morning and I just love it. It has such powerful lyrics and can bring me to tears every time.

Turning A New Leaf

Miss Priss may be turning a new leaf on her perspective with church and the nursery. The past few Sundays she has been the angel we knew she could be. What a relief it has been to sit through the church service without worrying about Olivia crying in the nursery and being paged out. She seems to really enjoy playing with the other babies and is always in a good mood when we pick her up. We have our fingers crossed that things will continue to go in this direction.

Olivia's First 5k

Today, Olivia completed her very first 5k with a little help from her daddy. We completed the Mississippi Family for Kids Step Up for Adoption 5k. Hays took on the responsibility of pushing the really heavy jogging stroller. We had a good time, it was for a good cause, and I think Olivia really enjoyed herself. I am sure this won't be her last 5k.

Maybe...We Have a Vegetarian!!

Olivia trying meat for the first time. Please disregard me and Hays laughing at her, we couldn't help ourselves. We hope for great improvement with eating meat. I mean...who knows how many times she might have to have a Wendy's burger for dinner!!

Happy Hump Day!!