What We've Been Up To...

Having play dates with our sweet cousin, Wil Franklin. Amberly and I swapped babysitting duties twice this week so we could both get some things done and so these two little cuties could play.

Playing, playing, and more playing. This is another birthday present favorite. The only bad thing is we have to push her around on it (not so good for the ole back muscles). Lots of amusement for the girl though.

Trying new foods like scrambles eggs. They were a big hit (haven't found anything this girl WON'T eat)!

Getting into EVERYthing. Did I post before how crawling wasn't that big of deal for us? Well...I am now eating my words. Can't take my eyes off either of these two!

"Anyone want a dog treat?? Or, let's see what else I can find..."

Buying new cars. We finally upgraded to a mommyville. LOVE the car, HATE the car note!! Donations, anyone??



Happy XOXO Day!!!

Isn't our little Valentine so cute?? Olivia has been a tad under the weather the last week with a cold and ear infection. I think she is finally on the mend and back to herself. Ughh winter....please go away and let spring be around the corner. We're tired of being inside and sick!

This is what Olivia's Valentine (her daddy) got her. She seemed to be not so sure about it this morning (he was going to get her a humidifier??? but I wouldn't let him). I was telling her how her daddy would be her Valentine at least until she's 35...she seemed to agree with me. :)

We had heart pancakes for breakfast this morning.

I think Olivia enjoyed hers. She either ate all of it or fed it to Lilly.

It's such a beautiful day here, we had to get outside and enjoy it. We ventured to the park to swing and take a walk.

This is what we found on our way out to the park. What a sweet man!! Even though they're Kroger flowers I still LOVE them! (I thought he had forgotten about me since he had a new Valentine this year...I was wrong!).



Happy XOXO Day! We hope yours is filled with faith, hope and most of all, LOVE!

Just Some Silly Pics of the Girl

This is at the end of our 3 hour car ride from Memphis on Monday. She decided, after screaming for a solid hour, that she was mad at me and I guess, didn't want me to see her. She rode like this, very quietly, for the last 30 minutes of our trip. Way to make your mommy feel terrible little girl. :(

 Couldn't resist posting this cuteness...

One of Olivia's favorite birthday presents. This was taken at 7:30 in the morning right after I got her dressed. She was screaming to get on the ladybug.

After eating spaghetti-o's....really? A noodle in the hair?? And we had to get a noodle out of her eye!! Never a dull (or clean) moment around here...

This is one of her most favorite stuffed animals. We call him pup dog. Pup dog had to go visit Gigi with us the other day. I guess Olivia thought he might get lonely at home by himself. 

Jammie Day

It is a pajama kind of day around here. It is cold and dreary outside and all the schools are closed because of ice we got last night. When it's cold and rainy outside that calls for a jammie day around our household. I know these days are numbered with my little lady so we enjoy them when we can. We have played, watched Sesame Street, taken naps and now awaiting daddy's arrival home. What a sweet day...

12 Months (a little late, oopsie)

Yes, we know the "M" is upside down. This is the best picture we could get and realized this afterwards. We do what we can around here. :)

Well, this is our last time to take the pictures with the blocks. It's a really good thing because it was getting harder and harder to get Olivia and the blocks in the same picture. :) As you can see, this time around we had to sit her in the rocker just to get a decent picture. The girl is absolutely everywhere!

Although she seems to be everywhere at times, she seems to be much more laid back then some of her "baby" friends (one of my friends today called her dainty, goo word to describe her). She will still sit in her high chair to eat meals and doesn't seem to get into EVERYthing. The whole crawling thing has not been a big deal for us at all. In fact, she is much more independent then she used to be. She doesn't have to be right up under our feet anymore like she used to.

I never thought the day would come when I would be writing this post. I guess, like every mommy, I just want my baby to stay a baby forever. My mom says that's when it's time to have another one. Hays strongly disagrees... BUT the day is here and we do have a one year old in the house now. She still takes 3 bottles a day (we are going to wean soon, just not yet) and eats 3 meals a day of table food. Her favorites right now are sweet peas, sweet potatoes, goldfish, pears, apples, yogurt and really just about anything we put in front of her. Oh, and she loves cookies and LOVED her birthday cake. I'm afraid the girl has a sweet tooth. She is also pulling up on things but has not decided to take any steps (remember, this is the child that took 11 months to crawl). She is waving bye bye, giving us and stuffed animals kisses, saying hey and uh oh, and putting telephones to her ear. She loves to dance, Lilly, her ninny and lovies, and to be rocked to sleep at night. Olivia is a pure joy and we are so excited to see what the next year brings our way.

The Big Birthday

This is the little 6 pound and 5 ounce bundle of joy that we brought home a year ago. Really?? Where has the last year gone!? Olivia has grown so much and Hays and I actually survived the first year. This year has been full of sleepless nights, lots of rocking and singing, more picture taking than we have ever done, getting so excited over things like burps and big poopies, cheering the little girl on for the slightest accomplishment, watching Sesame Street at 5 am, changing diapers and changing more diapers, kissing cheeks more in one day than we could ever count, staring at God's beautiful work, trying every kind of baby food, changing more diapers, calling moms for desperate advice, cleaning poopie out of the bath tub, reading books, playing and more playing and the list could go on for days and days. How I do wish this year would have gone by a tad slower but how I have so enjoyed every minute of being a mommy to this little (now big) bundle of pure joy. Oh, Olivia, will you ever know how much me and your daddy love you?? One day...when you have your own bundle of joy...you'll know.

 Her birthday party was great and it could not have been a more perfect day. It was perfect weather with a high of 74 and lots of sunshine (nothing like the weather last year). We rented out the club house in our neighborhood so everyone could be invited to join the birthday fun. We had lots of family and friends there, including about 15 kids under the age of 5 (yes, it was CRAZY). The party theme was pink and white with cupcakes. Very girly for the little lady. What a bittersweet day!

Happy First Birthday sweet tater...We love you!

Our Big Girl

Just having some fun with the Tupperware.

First time facing forward...what a new experience.

 What a big girl riding in the little car instead of up with mommy.



Birthday post coming soon....