GET the thankfuls before they get you...

I'll carry on with the trend and list 10 things I'm thankful for...even though it's not my birthday. Sometimes I need to be reminded.

1. starts with and h, ends with a d, and has usban in the middle :)
2. being a mommy to the most wonderful little girl
3. my parents AND in-laws, yes, I said in-laws. They're awesome too.
4. books
5. clean water
6. health
7. our **cough*cough** vehicle-although it's hard
8. my few good friends
9. of course, my wonderul Jesus who loves me more than I'll ever know
10. AC...livin in Texas ain't easy :)
11. and because I'm feeling led, my dog who is being annoying right now.

Happy Birthday Bri!!!

my love nugget

I'm on a roll tonight. Two posts in one evening. And be warned, this post contains lots of pictures. :)

My oh-so-precious little girl is 2 weeks and 3 days shy of being a 1 year old! May I ask, what happened to the time?!?! I can't believe the day is approaching. I started really thinking about it today and it almost made me cry. Ridiculous, I know, but I'll never get these days back with her. She'll never be this little again. She'll never depend on me so much. It's kind of sad to think about because I love being her everything. One day she's going to realize that she's actually her own person. Hahaha. I laugh about it now but I know the days ahead are destined to come. The days when she'll start making her own decisions. When I can't make her wear sunscreen, hair bows or pretty pink dresses. The days when I am not her everything. I know it has to happen...no need for lectures. I'll embrace those days as much as I have these and I'll be thankful for every second I have been given the gift of being her mommy. She is one special little girl.

here I am at 39 weeks prego

(she was born at 39 weeks and 3 days)

my baby, just minutes old

one day old

one month old

two months old

three months old
four months old
5 months old
6 months old
7 months old
8 months old
9 months old
10 months old
11 months old

and today, at 11 months, 1 week and 4 days oldGotta love her.

.i.love.newborns.

I was allowed the privilege of photographing one cute little baby boy for a friend of mine. It was so much fun and I would've much rather been doing that than watching the olympics...so I did. :) Here are some of my faves:

Oh my goodness, isn't he the most precious thang!!! I had so much fun and am definitely happy about the way they turned out. :)
Way to go baby C.

new seasons

I'm a pretty scheduled person and I like to know what's coming next in my day. Despite living my life based on to-do lists and planned activities I find myself nervous about KNOWING what my next season in life is going to be. It's one thing when those "seasons" sneak upon you and you don't realize it for a while but it's another thing when you see it ahead of you and are expecting it.

I have been offered a job with a local church as a teacher for the Mother's Day Out program. It starts August 26th (my baby's first birthday) and will be every Tuesday and Thursday from 9-2:30. I have also been offered to work the Mothers of Preschoolers program on Wedesdays from 8-12 starting August 20th. This means that Anna-Kate will be starting her first experience of a "school" like atmosphere pretty much on her first birthday!

I'm a little nervous about how this is going to play out in her little life. I have been with her everyday since the day she was born. She has spent the first year of her life under mommy's wing and now I have to take the risk of offering my little person to someone else to care for her while I'm working with other children. I know, I'm sounding pretty overdramatic here...she'll be less than a minute away in her classroom, with her teacher and little friends, but STILL! This is going to be a huge transition...probably more for me than her.

I'm sure everything will work out fine but I get nervous to think about what might be going on inside her little head when mommy is no longer "right there"...which technically, I will be but not. Anyways, those are my thoughts right now.

11 months old

My little girl is growing up so fast. Why does time fly when you're having fun?! Anyways, I must say, this gal has some personality.
Everytime I see this picture I laugh my head off. I don't know where she gets it from ;).

Here are a few others from today:


Not at all happy with her momma.



Oh, how I love my little munchkin.