Growing with the Gunters

4 Months!

2012-02-16T13:49:00.004-08:00

These past four months have really flown by! I just can't believe they've come and passed so quickly.

4 Months Stats:

Weight: 16 lbs 7 oz (90%)

Height: 25 1/2 inches (90%)

Eating: 6-7 oz every 3-4 hours (usually takes 5-6 bottles)- She usually eats every 3 hours with one extension during the day

***We just introduced rice cereal at 4 1/2 months

Sleeping:

For about 3-4 weeks she was sleeping 8:00 PM- 6:30/7:00 AM- but, this past week she has started waking up around 4-5 AM again- I think she just got a little off with everything that has been going on with our family

Naps: 4 (last anywhere from 45 minutes-2 hours)

She usually gets tired after about an 1 1/2 or so

Development:

Rolled from tummy to back! Yay!

She's also very close from rolling from back to tummy!

Talking, cooing, gurgling, and laughing

grabbing toys

can hold a mini push up position

practicing sitting up- still very shaky

LOVES:

being talked to

looking in the mirror

playing underneath her jungle gym
sitting up and looking around

Hates:
sudden noise- like a sneeze or cough
hats
sitting in the car seat
the bottle being taken out of her mouth when she is being burped

Cutie pie!

Getting in the Jump and Go for the first time!

Tummy time!

She LOVES the mirror!

Just learning how to sit up- just chillin!

Not sure what to think about rice cereal!

Sweet Valentine!

Looking in the mirror AGAIN! :)

Multitude Monday: 477-492

2012-01-16T17:00:00.000-08:00

Since life can be a blur at times with two children under the age of two, I'm going to continue to list what I'm thankful for informally (not day by day- but rather composing my list into a weekly view). I think I'll be able to manage to complete my MM doing it this way for now :). I don't want this to become a monotonous task...but rather one of reflecting and remembrance of what I'm thankful for.

I am thankful for...

477. Meme watching SG Monday and Friday

478. Trey leaving Monday after he helped me get the girls in bedso I wouldn’t have to do it alone

479. My mom’s help Wednesday night while Trey was gone

480. Trey’s safe return from Nashville

481. Trey having the time to look at a few houses on my listwhile in Nashville for work

482. getting to spend time with friends while grilling out andplaying Speed Scrabble- with Sarah and

Taylor

483. getting to have an opportunity to catch up with my friendMelisa via phone! It’s hard for us to find the time since we both have smallchildren.

484. getting to watch Miss America with the Hubs in order tocheer on Courtney Porter, Miss AL!

485. being blessed by watching other contestants save her frombeing eliminated so she could move on to the next round of competition- I thinkthey knew how important it was with everything that she has

gone through.

486. Listening to Caroline’s sweet voice while she talked to uslots this week- it’s so sweet and so soft

(compared to SG’s)

487. SG’s little cute quirks- this week she’s been kissingcharacters in her books-it comes out of no where and is hilarious!

488. Watching SG try to mimic the dance on “Yo Gabba Gabba”

489. Trey’s help cooking meals- it makes everything run smoothlyand he loves it- so why not?

490. Caroline sleeping through the night 9:30-5ish several daysthis week!

491. Trey’s 30^th birthday- I also thankful he was homefor it. He has been out of town on his birthday the last couple of years.
492. finding out that several of my Auburn sorority sisters live in Nashville- it's nice to know I'll have company where I live!

Here are a few pictures from our week:

Birthday boy with the Johnny Ray's pie I bought him!

Blowing out his candles! Make a wish!

Caroline- holding her keys

just reading

Tummy time!

We got to get out and take a wagon ride!

SG painting a masterpiece!

feeding Sissy

Sweet girl- just waking up from a nap :)

reading with Daddy

CG thought Mommy was funny!

2-3 Months

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

I've noticed I've created a habit. For some reason, with both children, I just don't quite get to updating my blog when they're two months old. I guess I'm just a little too exhausted and busy during that time :).

2 months stats:

Wt: 12 lbs 6 oz (75%)

Ht: 23 inches (75%)

Hd: 15 3/4 inches

3 Months Stats:

Wt: 14 lbs 9 oz (85%)

Ht: 25 inches (90%)

Hd: 16 inches

Eating:

~5.5-6 oz every 3-3 1/2 hours (She mainly goes 3 hours between feedings with an extension in the late afternoon)

~Her typical schedule: 8:00 or 8:30, 11:30, 3:00, 6:00, 9:00 or 9:30 + middle of the night feeding

***In between 2-3 months she went through a growth spurt and wanted 6-7 oz! She was acting crazy hungry!

Sleeping:

~at 2 months we had just started letting her cry it out a little bit to go to sleep for naps so she still didn't have a solid routine.

~Now, she gets tired after about an hour and a half. So, after she has been up for about an hour and fifteen minutes I put her in the swing so that she gets a little drowsy. Then, at an hour and a half I pick her up, swaddle her tight, turn on her lamb sound machine, give her her paci, and walk out the door. It usually doesn't take her long to go to sleep.

~She is pretty much like clock work during the day!

~However, night time is a different story! She has not been very consistent. She has slept through the night a couple of times (9 pm-6 am and 10 pm-5 am) but still has random spurts when she wakes up. It's usually only once to eat. We're trying to work on that. Sometimes, she wakes up at 1:00 or 2:00 and other times she goes until 3:00 or 4:00 am. It's very frustrating. I think the main culprit is that I did hold her at night for a period of time because she was sick. I've had to break that habit. It's not been fun.

Development:

~She started smiling around 6 or 7 weeks here and there. It really picked up at about 8 weeks!

~At 3 months she has been smiling LOTS and LOVES to talk (cue/gurgle) to you!

~She is very strong and can lift her head and chest off of the ground

~The child tries to sit up all the time by herself! I have to buckle her into the swing because she would

fall right out of it if she wasn't fastened in!

I never in a million years thought I could love another child as much as I love Susannah Grace, but I do. It's crazy how much love God gives you to share with your children. I love Caroline so much! She is absolutely precious. It brings joy to my heart to see her grow and develop. I think I cherish it much more with her than I did SG because I know how fast it all passes by. I just can't believe she is already 3 months old. It's just amazing how unique and different she is from SG. She is much more quiet. I think she is going to be much more like my mom's side of the family, which is more even tempered, easy going, and gentle. While her personality is easy going, she sure is a squirmy little thing. She constantly moves her arms. I remember feeling her move ALL the TIME in my womb and wondering if she would be that active when she was born. The answer is...Yes! We have to swaddle her (arms and all) because her squirmy arms wake her up. It is so funny. I love every little part of her, squirmy arms and all! Trey and I are so very thankful for her little life. We praise God and owe Him so much gratitude for letting us be her parents.

2 Months

Sweet Love

learning to play under the jungle gym

hanging out with Daddy

Christmas

3 Months

Sweet smile

Can't you just see the love in her eyes?

This is her silly face

Serious

She's got lots to say!

Here she is sitting tall in her Bumbo!

Just chillin in the bouncy seat :)

Tummy time- her little cross-eyed face cracks me up!

winding down in the swing before a nap

It looks like she's waving "Hey" in this one :)

Sleeping beauty :)

Multitude Monday: 446-476

2012-01-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

So, I've gotten a little off course with counting my blessings on Monday. I honestly feel terrible about it. Of course, there are a ton of excuses I could think of...I have a 22 month old and a 3 month old, Caroline still is not sleeping through the night consistently so I have been a tired mommy, the holidays were busy, we've ALL been sick, etc. Nevertheless, I'm most thankful for a forgiving Savior who knows that I'm not perfect and chooses to love me despite of it. In leu of the several weeks that I've missed counting my blessings I have chosen to count my blessings a little informally this Monday. I'm listing all the blessings I've been thankful for these past several weeks, during the holidays. I've also included a few pictures for you to view. Say tuned...I'll be posting a 2-3 month update for Caroline soon!

I am thankful for...

446. The greatest gift of the season...Jesus Christ my savior!
447. Trey getting to spend several days with our family while he was off of work for the holidays.
448. staying within the budget Trey gave me for Christmas.
449. getting to spend time with family during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!
450. Seeing Susannah Grace's sweet excitement as she walked into the living room Christmas morning to see all of her toys.
451. Caroline's sweet and content spirit Christmas Eve when she barely got a good nap in because of all of our family's festivities.
452. Caroline sleeping from 9 pm-6 am- Merry Christmas to me!
453. SG mimicking me after we said our prayers by putting her hands together, speaking some gibberish, and saying "Amen" while smiling at me.
454. The Lord allowing me the ability to breastfeed Caroline for 3 months, thus far...It's not always an easy task and I didn't make it very long with SG.
455. Caroline's sweet personality. She's been cuing and gurgling a lot lately.
456. watching SG pretend to be a "Mommy" to her luvies- she pushes them around in her new stroller all around the house, puts them in Sissy's swing, kisses them, holds them and sings them lullabies, and sometimes chooses to discipline them by telling them "No, no, no."
457. Listening to SG sing with her sweet voice in the back seat of the car.
458. Caroline's daily routine becoming more consistent.
460. being able to spend time with SG all by herself while doing "school" at home with her
461. finding this awesome website: www.abcmouse.com to help teach SG basic learning fundamentals
462. finding time to have more of a consistent quiet time rereading the book The Purpose Driven Life
463. the girls taking their afternoon naps around the same time.
464. getting an opportunity to go on a date night with the hubby even though he wasn't feeling well
465. SURPRISING TREY for his 30th birthday- His mother and I planned a surprise party with just a few of his closest friends really early to surprise him...and it WORKED! WE GOT HIM! This is probably the last time we'll ever be able to surprise him. He is way to observant.
466. Caroline sleeping 10 pm-5 am two nights in a row!
467. The Lord reminding me how VERY BLESSED I am to have two healthy babies through the sorrow of another families loss.
468. finding out we are moving to Nashville instead of Atlanta this upcoming year
469. having time to clean out and de-clutter most of our house so that I can start deep cleaning. We're going to put our house up on the market this month.
470. medicine for yucky illnesses. During this holiday season, Trey has had a staph infection and walking pneumonia. SG has had a sinus infection, and I think she caught what Trey had. Caroline has had a cold that has made her nose run and eyes water. I caught what Trey had. So, we're all thankful for good medicine (except for Caroline- she can't take anything just yet but she is getting better).
471. how this website: http://www.aholyexperience.com/ ministers to me often
472. getting a new grill for Christmas so that Trey and I could enjoy more delicious meals at home.
473. a husband who enjoys cooking
474. Trey's thoughtfulness in getting me an iphone for Christmas so that I could take more pictures and videos of my girls
475. Nana watching the girls while I had some alone time just to myself- I got to go shopping and drive around in the car solo!!!
476. a new year filled with the hope of growth and many blessings to come

SG got to decorate her very own Christmas tree (awesome pinterest find). My friend, Melisa, made one for her children. I could tell they loved it! So, naturally, I made one for SG too because it looked like so much fun!

She had a ball decorating it.

"Cheese!"

Meme's Little People nativity

Meme trying to read the girls the Christmas story while they opened presents on Christmas Eve!

The girls opening their Barbies

I got a sweet smile from Sydney :)

Uncle Phillip loved on Caroline.

Meme got SG a beautiful kitchen- made by Kidkraft

I think they enjoyed it!

Sydney got a playhouse!

Sweet loving with Meme

Christmas morning SG woke up to see what Ho Ho brought her!

Please excuse my face on this one...I like SG's expression

SG trying out her new chair!

She LOVES this stroller...

her Dora cup...

and Dora bubble bath, of course!

She couldn't quite figure out how to open the candy cane.

This is a picture of the girls on Christmas day! It cracks me up! Caroline looks wide-eyed!

Nana got to snuggle with this love bug....

and so did Pawpaw!

During the holidays, we also got to see our cousins Edna (SG is a mess in this picture)

and Elizabeth!

Our Christmas season was filled with LOTS of joy and blessings!

Multitude Monday: 415-445

2011-12-12T20:13:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for...

12-5-11

415. Meme keeping SG

416. Having time to do some Christmas shopping with only onechild

417. Caroline snoozing while I shopped around

418. Checking a few more gifts off my list

Sweet Caroline- 2 months old

12-6-11

419. Meme taking the time to meet me and help me at the dr.office for Caroline’s 2 month check up

(Trey was out of town)

420. Caroline’s healthy report at the doctor’s office

421. Tylenol for a sad baby after shots

422. Nana and Pawpaw letting us visit them for dinner

423. Getting the girls to bed by myself

Before

After

12-7-11

424. getting to hang out with Amy, Livi, and Anna Kayt

425. making a yummy gingerbread house with SG while Carolinenapped

426. Caroline sleeping from 9:30 until 6:30 (9 hours)!!!

Momma's little helper!

I think she did more finger licking than "helping"

12-8-11

427. Trey’s safe return home

428. White chicken chili for dinner- YUM!

It sure was yummy!

12-9-11

429. Getting to go shopping with Meme for Caroline’s Christmas(clothes)

430. SG good behavior as we went from store to store

431. SG taking a nap after our shopping trip

432. Caroline snoozing while we shopped

433. Trey grilling out for his girls

Daddy had the girls in place so they could see the parade!

12-10-11

434. hanging out with our family

435. getting to spend quality time with Trey while both girlsnapped

436. getting to take SG to the Moody Christmas Parade- I lovedwatching her little expressions and 437. seeing her wave and say “Hey” as eachportion of the parade passed by.

438. Going out to eat with our family

Watching the parade with Mommy!

12-11-11

439. Caroline sleeping well last night- 10:30-5:30 J(7 hours)

440. getting both girls ready by myself (Trey had to go out oftown for work again), and making it to 441. church for the first time since Carolinehas been born

442. being blessed by our wonderful church choir’s voices

443. SG’s sweet excitement to see her grandparents and me as wepicked her up after church

444. Caroline’s easy going spirit during the Christmas musical atour church

445. Both girls taking a good nap at the SAME time J

She wasn't sure what to think at first, but she quickly warmed up to the idea when they through candy!

It was a fun experience!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-29T12:16:00.001-08:00

Here are a few pictures from our Thanksgiving festivities:

We spent Thanksgiving day with Meme and Poppy!

SG with Meme. Look at that face. She was in an interesting mood that night.

SG LOVES her Meme and Poppy and is sooo thankful for them!

I finally caught a little smile!

She just had to try on Meme's shoes!

All our girls. Sydney's face really cracks me up in this one!

It looks like Sydney and Caroline are chatting it up while SG is in her own world!

Pretty girl!

This was the only giggle I got from her during our little photo shoot.

This is the face I saw most of the time. So serious.

sweet girl

Friday, my parents came over and brought us some yummy barbeque for lunch!

Caroline with Nana and Pawpaw

Nana and Pawpaw with both girls!

SG decided to smile so Caroline decided to frown. Ha!

We also got to hang out with some special friends during the holidays, Livi and Weston!

Three little monkeys jumping on the bed!

Now, there's only one little monkey still jumping. Can you tell who it is?

Serious moment...they all paused for a picture

Livi had to take an important phone call while she was here :).

Sweet children

I think the little expression between Weston and SG is cute!

And they're off...

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends!

To God be to the Glory for all these wonderful times and blessings!

Multitude Monday: 392-414

2011-11-28T12:13:00.000-08:00

11-21-11

392. my dad’s 60^th birthday

393. surviving a long day with the girls- Trey had to work late

394. cooking dinner while watching both girls by myself

11-22-11

395. a good report at the eye specialist for the small cataractin C’s eye- it turns out it’s just a beauty 396. mark in her eye. The doctor said itwon’t affect her vision at all. Praise the Lord!

397. Trey taking off work to go with me to the eye specialist

11-23-11

398. the aroma of Thanksgiving in our house as I cooked dessertsfor the next day

399. finding delicious recipes on pinterest.com

400. having time to make Carmel Apple Cheesecake Bars while thegirls took a nap

11-24-11

401. having time to make a pumpkin roll for Thanksgivingfestivities today

402. Meme taking the time to cook a delicious dinner for us

403. Meme and Poppy bringing dinner over to our house to makeeverything convenient for our family of four

11-25-11

404. getting to celebrate Thanksgiving with my parents

405. Nana and Pawpaw bringing us lunch

406. shopping for Black Friday deals online- my parents helped usout so we could get a new washer

and dryer! I also ordered a few things for SG!

11-26-11

407. getting to spend time with Melisa and Lauren and all ourkids at the park!

408. a lazy day at the house

409. getting to take a good nap

410. leftovers- yum!

11-27-11

411. a long weekend to spend time with our family

412. Nana’s and Trey’s help so I could hang out with friends

413. going to dinner with Melisa, Lauren, and Cynthia.

414. the Lord’s providence this month- this is the second monthon our new budget and we are doing

well. God is so good!

Multitude Monday: 369-391

2011-11-21T01:36:00.000-08:00

11-14-11

369. Meme keeping SG during the day

370. Getting to run a few errands with Caroline

371. Nana’s help at night while Daddy was out of town

11-15-11

372. surviving an entire day and night by myself with the girls

11-16-11

373. the Lord providing safety during bad weather

374. Trey’s safe and early arrival home- he surprised me bytaking an earlier flight home

375. Nana bringing over dinner and helping out with the girls

11-17-11

376. Trey’s help giving SG breakfast while I fed Caroline-everything always seems better when he’s home

377. SG’s prissy little walk- it is so cute and funny to watchher body move with such sass

378. SG talking to Sissy saying, “Hey baby” while putting ablanket on her

379. Getting to eat Mexican with the fam

380. Trey waking up and talking to me during the night while Ifed C

381. C sleeping 6 hours

11-18-11

382. Meme keeping SG today

383. My eye dr.’s patience with me and c at my appt.

384. Having time to plan a grocery list and get my couponstogether for the store

385. Spending $90 and saving $46 at Publix! Spending $26 andsaving $23 at Winn Dixie!

386. Trey’s help with the girls at the store- It’s a two man jobthese days

387. C sleeping 7 hours!

11-19-11

388. Trey fixing our family breakfast this morning

389. A husband who prays with me for our family

11-20-11

390. getting to catch up on some of our favorite shows and gettingto watch Captain America together

391. having time to play with SG while C napped

Multitude Monday: 351-368

2011-11-14T22:38:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for...

11-7-11

351. Meme keeping SG

352. having time to go shopping with just one child

353. spending $94 and saving $72 at Belk on several outfits for Caroline- her season of clothing is completely different from SG so she didn't have hardly any 3m and beyond clothing

11-8-11

354. getting to have the impression of Caroline’s hands and feetdoe today with Meme

355. going to the park and to lunch with Meme

11-9-11

356. having a little down time with Trey while the girls weresleeping to watch a few of our favorite shows on the DVR

11-10-11

357. Caroline's content spirit in the sling while SG and I bundledup and played outside- she just slept the whole time because she was so snugglyand warm

358. finding SG sitting in her room quietly reading a book aftershe had been a little “too quiet” while I was cleaning up a few things aroundthe house

11-11-11

359. going to A Play Place with Amy, Livi, and Anna Kayt

360. listening to SG say her “name” –“Zannah Grace”

361. organizing the items with Trey we were planning on sellingin the garage sale- Our neighborhood had a neighborhood-wide garage sale

11-12-11

362. having a last minute yard sale and making a little extramoney

363. date night with the hubs- we went to dinner and a moviewhile Meme watched the girls for a few hours

364. Trey letting me get some make up at the new Mac at Belk onour date- I was completely out

11-13-11

365. getting to take SG to the park while Trey watched CG whileshe was napping

366. SG’s little hand grabbing mine while leading me around thepark

367. SG’s consistent naps this week- Praise the Lord

368. having a chance to take a nap while both girls napped

One Month

2011-11-10T11:06:00.001-08:00

Stats:

Weight: 10 lbs (75%)

Height: 22 inches (90%)

Head: 14 1/2 inches

Caroline turned one month November 4th! I can't believe this sweet little baby is already a month. Where has the time gone? It's hard to believe I've been sleep deprived this long! Ha! But, hey, she has had two nights where she's slept 6 hours. Woohoooo, what a blessing for a tired momma. It has not become consistent, though. I sure can't wait for that day. SG and C definitely keep us on our toes. SG has been a terrific big sister so far. She has really surprised me, not that I thought she would be a bad big sister. I just thought she would be a little more jealous. She has definitely had her moments, but they have been fewer than I anticipated. SG is super sweet to C. She pat, pat, pats the baby and gives her kisses lots. Sometimes, she just gets a little clingy with me and wants her momma to "hold you, hold you." The first two weeks were pretty easy. C was mostly sleepy and content. However, she is definitely becoming more awake. She has a few long spurts during the day where she just has a hard time getting to sleep. In addition, she is more of a hold me baby than SG was. Although, I do remember that SG had some spurts at this stage where she also wanted to be held all the time and eventually that deminished. I think with the second child you don't mind it as much because you know, based on the first, there will come a day when they don't want to be held as much :(. Needless to say, we are enjoying Caroline's addition to our family. We love her so much already! I've posted a few pictures below! Enjoy!

Eating: 2 1/2-3 hours (mostly every 3 hours)
I mostly breastfeed her but she has had a few bottles of breast milk too.

Napping: She has a really long spurt in the morning where she is awake and has a hard time getting to sleep. After about noon her naps start getting easier and longer.

Sleeping at night:
3-6 hours- She mostly wakes up around the 3-4 hour mark
I have been holding her a little at night because she has been a little congested- a bad habit I need to go ahead and break

Development:
She's become more awake.
She has smiled a few times (once at 3 weeks and again at 5 weeks).
We are working on tummy time- she doesn't love it but needs it.

Likes:
snuggling with mommy and daddy
eating
hanging out in the sling while SG and mommy play
being warm

HATES:
baths
having her diaper or clothes changed
being cold
noise- This is funny because her sister is ALWAYS LOUD!
light

Three Lil Pumpkins

2011-11-08T03:53:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of the girls in their matching outfits.

They all got together for their Meme's birthday and had a blast!

Multitude Monday: 320-350

2011-11-07T23:30:00.000-08:00

10-31-11

320. Meme watching SG

321. Having time to make SG’s costume over the weekend

322. Fellowship and fun with the Webbs

323. watching SG’s joy as she went from house to house trick ortreating

This photo cracks me up!

11-1-11

324. a restful night- Caroline slept 6 hours- Woohoo!

325. Getting to spend time shopping with dear friends at market

326. Nana watching SG today

327. Finding the girls a few outfits at good deals

328. A safe return home

Caroline's waving "Hey"!

11-2-11

329. Meme’s birthday- We love you and are so thankful forEVERYTHING you do for us!

330. SG’s sweet little voice saying “Happy Birthday” (orsomething to that extent) to her Meme on the phone

Wide-eyed

11-3-11

331. having a chance to talk to a dear friend and receive someencouragement

332. Meme keeping SG tonight while Trey and I enjoyed some downtime

334. getting to catch up watching a few of our favorite shows onDVR

335. a yummy meal provided by the Duckworths

336. getting to go to bed early

just hanging out

11-4-11

337. a healthy report at Caroline’s 1 month check up

338. Trey taking time to go with me to her appointment before hehad to go out of town on business

339. SG taking a nap at Meme’s- She has been going through aphase for the past two weeks where her 340. nap has been hit or miss which is notlike her

341. Nana coming to spend the night and helping with SG andCaroline

SG's messy face enjoying an M&M

11-5-11

342. Nana’s help helping me take the girls to the store to getsome groceries

343. SG taking a nap

344. getting to rest while both girls take a nap

345. Nana’s help getting the girls ready for bed

346. Trey’s safe travel back home

SG's new do- a ponytail

11-6-11

347. having time to do a little shopping as a family

348. SG’s long nap

349. Getting to read the first chapter of One Thousand Gifts

350. a good night’s rest

playing in the "weaves"

Caroline's Newborn Photo Shoot

2011-11-05T15:43:00.000-07:00

When Caroline was 2 weeks old we went to have her newborn photos done by the lovely Kim Maye! She always does such an awesome job and is so easy to work with! Here are a couple of my favorites from the shoot!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-05T03:26:00.000-07:00

Our little butterfly princess fairy had a blast this Halloween!

On Sunday, the day before Halloween, we took her to our church's fall festival! SG was able to jump on the inflatables for the first time, play fall festival games, and eat yummy candy. Then, on Monday night, we joined the Webbs for a little trick or treating in their neighborhood. SG was quite the social butterfly as as she made her way from one house to the next telling people thank you (after they had given her candy), bye bye, and blowing them a kiss. I can't believe what a "big" girl she's becoming. She's just growing up too fast!

SG with Meme at the fall festival

SG eating some yummy candy!

She LOVED fishing for ducks!

jumping in the inflatables

trying to figure out how to get up in the tutu I made her :)

LOVING trick or treating

Sissy came along for the ride! She was asleep in her stroller most of the time :).

Her Meme bought her these cute sock covers. Aren't they adorable.

I just couldn't resist dressing them both up! We had a blast!

Multitude Monday: 302-319

2011-10-25T02:03:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for...

10-17-11
302. Meme watching SG
303. Caroline and I getting to visit with our friends Lauren and Ruthie
304. having down time and cleaning up the house a little

10-18-11
305. Meme's help with the girls today
306. getting to go to a breastfeeding support group
307. finding out Caroline is back up to her birth weight- 8lbs 8 oz (she's actually a little over)
308. finally getting to lift SG- it's been so hard not being able to pick her up these last 2 weeks because of my c-section- it felt so good to be able to hold her
309. the Stembridge family bringing us a delicious dinner

10-19-11
310. Meme's help with the girls again today
311. Caroline feeling a little better after we put saline drops in her nose- Bless her heart, she's been really stuffy lately
312. Trey's help in the evenings- giving SG a bath and tucking her in

10-20-11

313. having the girls by myself today and SURVIVING
314. the Adamson family bringing us yummy barbecue

10-21-11
315. Meme keeping SG
316. getting to hang out and have dinner with the Webbs

10-22-11
317. spending time as a family today- I love the weekends
318. getting to watch a movie with the hubby tonight

10-23-11
319. getting out to go to the store and Olive Garden with the family

Multitude Monday: 278-301

2011-10-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for...

10-10-11
278. Meme watching SG while Trey and I took Caroline to her first dr.'s appt.
279. a mostly healthy report from her visit- we are going to have to take her to a specialist at UAB to get a small spot on her eye checked out- please pray for us. Her pediatrician says it looks like a cataract
280. a day of running errands and getting to eat a yummy lunch with the hubs

10-11-11
281. Meme's help with SG since I can't lift her right now
282. getting to run errands and eat a yummy lunch at Olive Garden with my girls and Meme
283. Meme getting SG a few new outfits at Whoopsie Daisy- she needed them!
284. Jennifer sending over yummy chicken enchiladas for dinner! YUM!

10-12-11
285. Caroline's sweet demeanor
286. SG being a sweet big sister- she has really surprised me with how well she has been adjusting to everything
287. Meme making a very yummy chicken gumbo and chocolate pie for us for dinner!
288. getting to see Kay Kay and Sydney- Sydney was so loving to her baby cousin

10-13-11
289. Meme's continued help during this time
290. The Hooie's bringing us some delicious pizza and bread sticks from Carpenetti's

10-14-11
291. Meme watching SG while I spent some quality time with Caroline
292. getting to go out to eat at Jason's deli as a family

10-15-11
293. getting to go to BuyBuy Baby and do some shopping to complete our registry
294. My grandparents sweet monetary gift allowing us to purchase several items off our registry that we still needed
295. going out to eat for lunch at one of our favorite restaurants- Firebirds
296. Kim Maye's patience during our photo shoot- let's just say both girls were not happy campers and Mommy and Daddy were exhausted after the shoot, and Nana's help watching SG

10-16-11
297. getting a visit from Ray Ray and Grant
298. getting a visit from Gigi
299. Gigi bringing us YUMMY chili for dinner
300. making it to #300 with a newborn
301. Gigi playing with SG and making her feel extra loved!

Caroline Elizabeth Gunter

2011-10-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

Trey and I are happy to introduce our newest addition to you! Meet Miss Caroline Elizabeth Gunter. After 22 hours of labor (I made it to 9 cm and was 90% effaced but my body would not cooperate from there), 3 epidurals (the last two didn't work), and a c-section she finally decided to join us. Let's just say I came real close to experiencing natural child birth- NOT by choice. Nevertheless, the Lord has truly blessed us with a sweet and precious angel. Her temperament is so easy going and laid back. It's been a joy to watch SG with her too. Susannah Grace has been a terrific big sister so far. I can't wait to watch them grow together.

Mommy and Daddy are ready to meet Miss Caroline!

Birthday cake- it's a tradition we started with my niece, Sydney

Hello world!

What a beautiful baby!

We still see this face a lot...one eyed Willie...aka the stink eye

Look at that long skinny foot

8 lbs 5 oz 21 inches long!

I think she might have my lips.

This was such a special moment.

Mommy and baby

First family pic

We're so in love already!

Dr. Tamucci congratulating us...I LOVE her!

Sweet snuggly baby

Big sis patting the baby

The proud big sis!

This is what she does most of the time...

Sweet angel

The Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

So, before Caroline's big arrival Trey and I decided to take Miss Susannah Grace to The Pumpkin Patch in Hayden, AL. We were so excited to do something special for her since it would be one of the last things we did together as a family of three. I wish I could say it was a wonderful experience, but I can't. SG was in a foul mood that day. I think she was coming down with a sinus infection at that time. Therefore, she was NOT a happy camper at the patch. We had our moments of joy, but most moments were filled with temper tantrums and whining. However, we managed to get a few good pictures. Looking back it was quite comical how she was acting. In the moment, not so much. Lesson learned= Life's not perfect, but we're oh so thankful for all the moments- good and bad. :)

Not loving the hay...

"Uppy, uppy momma"

Clucking like a chicken

She did enjoy seeing all of the farm animals at the petting zoo!

looking closely at the gobble gobble

Perhaps, her favorite part of the trip was dancing with the big kids on the stage in the barn!

She wasn't very amused by the pumpkin

Her daddy helped her pick out just the right one.

walking back to the tractor

stopping to look at the pretty flowers

This is the face/attitude we dealt with most of the time...

fake happy moment...haha...I can laugh now

Can you tell it was HOT that day?

riding on the tractor with mommy

Trying to cool off with dada

See you in a couple of years pumpkin patch...

Multitude Monday: 245-277

2011-10-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for...

10-3-11

245. one last day as a family of three to spend together

246. time to get everything organized and clean for the big daytomorrow

10-4-11

247. the kind nurse who chose to stay with me, even though shegot off earlier, to help me deliver Caroline

248. Caroline’s strong heartbeat throughout the entire labor

249. the three different anesthesiologists that worked very hardto get my epidural to work – even though it didn’t

250. The Lord’s hand on mine and Caroline’s health throughoutthe labor- mom and baby are both healthy

251. Dr. Tamucci’s skillful hands while performing my c-section

252. Trey’s kindness and tenderness to me throughout the wholeprocess

253. our beautiful baby girl and the immediate joy she hasbrought to both of us

254. Susannah Grace’s sweet reaction when she saw her Sissy

255. Gigi’s sacrificial help keeping SG while we were deliveringCaroline

10-5-11

256. Mom’s help keeping SG while we were in the hospital

257. SG’s sweet voice on the phone saying “Hey or hewo” andgiving me two kisses

258. Nana bringing SG to the hospital to see Caroline

259. SG delicately stroking Caroline’s head- mimicking me

260. Caroline nursing well in the hospital

261. the continued excellent care provided by the nurses anddoctor’s at Brookwood Hospital

10-6-11

262. Sweet time alone with Caroline to bond with her

263. Caroline’s easy spirit- so far she is easy to console andlaid back

264. Meme and Poppie’s visit and the yummy food they brought-Five Guys for Trey and a salad from Brio’s for me J

10-7-11

265. SG not having diarrhea today- we were worried she mighthave the stomach bug because she had diarrhea the night before

266. Getting to see SG at home when she woke up from her nap

267. SG saying “Hold you, hold you, hold you” in her criblooking at me- you could tell she missed her momma

268. SG saying “Baby” while patting Caroline

269. getting to celebrate Mom’s birthday

10-8-11

270. having a good breast pump- Caroline has had some troublenursing since we've been home, so I have been having to pump a little

271. SG being sweet to Sissy

272. Meme and Poppie bringing us yummy Chick-fil-A for lunch

273. Mom coming over to help with SG and clean a little for us J

10-9-11

274. a relaxing day as a family of four

275. going to Target with Trey and the kids- ahhhh somethingnormal

276. eating out as a family and the girls being sweet

277. a restful night-Caroline slept well

SG's Room: The Reveal + Preparing for Caroline

2011-09-27T01:00:00.000-07:00

We've finally finished getting the girls' rooms ready! Susannah Grace is now in her "Big Girl" room and Caroline's room has been rearranged slightly for her arrival! I've included before and after photos of our journey preparing both rooms! Enjoy!

Susannah Grace's Room

Before:

We bought SG this "Big Girl" bed- it's a convertible crib that will convert to a toddler and full sized bed when she is ready!

This ugly yellow color was the color of SG's room...

After:

Tah dah! Here's one half of her room!

We repainted the basket to the left of her bed with spray paint and glammed it up a little ribbon and my great grandmother's broach :). We plan on doing the same to the basket on the right- minor detail.

My mom helped me sew the toddler blanket you see draping over her crib! The pillow is currently being embroidered. I love how sweet it turned out.

I wish I had taken before pictures of this creation. The frame was originally metallic- I bought it 50 off at Hobby Lobby. I painted it and then sanded it to get a distressed/shabby chic look! I also mounted the burlap fabric you see to a foam board using a stapler. The doily was inspired by my friend, Lauren's nursery. She used doilies to decorate a wreath with. When I saw it a light bulb immediately went off in my head about what I wanted to create. I traced this monogram and used a paint pen to fill in the gold color. I added the ribbon and broach to give it a vintage look!

Before:

Yucky flat blue painted dresser- $129

I don't understand why the previous owner painted it this color...

After:

And, here it is Shabby Chiced! I used a tutorial located on my pinterest account that was very helpful. It took some time, but I think it turned out beautifully!

I sanded, primed, sanded, painted, sanded, distressed, and used a paste wax to get this look!

I thought the original hardware was beautiful once I stripped the blue paint off of it.

I bought this lamp at a flea market for $13, put a new shade on it, and used a tutorial to figure out how to get this ruffled look using extra fabric from SG's drapes.

If you can't tell, we're going with a ballerina theme for SG's room. I think it fits her personality perfectly because she LOVES to dance and walks on her little tip toes. I got the printed painting 50% off at Hobby Lobby! Whooo Hooo!

I splurged a little on this french cottage style chair at an antique shop. I just couldn't resist. I didn't have to do a thing to it! This is where we read night night stories before bed.

This is the basket that we spray painted. It holds SG's night night books.

Before:

I fell in LOVE with this dresser at an antique shop! I had been searching everywhere and finally found exactly what I was looking for for the right price. I used it as inspiration for the chest I shabby chiced.

After:

This is the other half of SG's room!

We still use a changing pad for her. It's just easier on our backs, and she enjoys seeing herself in the mirror!

close up view

I found this dress form at TJMAX for around $30. However, it was HOT PINK.

So, we spray painted it ivory and put a $10 tutu from Target on it!

Caroline's Room

Bow holder- I'm not sure if she'll have a head full of hair like SG or not, but we're ready with our bows just in case! It will be interesting to find out!

I took the wreath out of SG's room and put a "C" on it instead of an "S". Since we had to take down the wall monogram I thought the wreath filled the void and really pulled everything together.

Here's where we'll be spending LOTS of time together :)

We've got our bags packed and ready to go.

Now, we're just waiting for her to get her so I can hold and snuggle with her in this sweet little smocked coming home gown her Nana bought her. I'm getting more and more excited. I can't wait to find out what she is going to look like and be like! Caroline, Mommy and Daddy LOVE you and can't wait to meet you!

18 Months

2011-09-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to devote a blog post to this sweet little time in SG's life for the past month now. Better later than never, right? This little girl has definitely been keeping us busy, along with preparing for her little sister, Caroline. I've included some things she is doing below along with a few pictures.

Stats:

Weight- 29 lbs- 97% percentile

Height- 33 3/4 inch- 94% percentile

Eating:

3 meals a day- milk with breakfast and lunch

2 snacks- around 10 am and after her nap around 3:00ish

+ a little milk in a cup at night before bedtime

Sleeping:

Goes to bed at 7:30-8:00 PM and wakes up at 7:30-8:00 AM each day

1 nap- 2-3 hours long- there are days here and there where we are rebelling against a nap- not crying- just playing in our crib instead of sleeping- It drives mommy crazy

Personality and Development:

*Talking LOTS and starting to string words together- she will pretty much try to repeat anything you say

*Some of the words she is saying right now- Momma, Dadda, Meme, Poppie, "Nee Nee" for Sydney, Nana, Pawpaw, Gigi, Ray Ray, helwo- for hello, hey- sometimes she'll say Hey Momma or Hey Dadda, bye bye, no, k- okay, all done, ank you- thank you, "pease" please, "mommy" for monkey, at- cat, "dawg" dog, ball, baby, swing, on, sheep, alright, eat- while going to her high chair, stars, moon, nigh nigh- night night, wuvy- luvy, wight- light, etc.

*SG is really into animals right now. If you ask her what certain animals say she can tell you. Some of the sounds she makes are:

Cat- she will meow and hold her lips in a pucker, monkey-whoo whoo while making arm motions, dog- she will bark, bird-tweet tweet while flapping, sheep- bah, cow- moo, horse- she makes a blowing sound, elephant- makes a different blowing sound, lion and tiger- rarrrrr, duck- quack quack, pig-she makes this hilarious oinking noise- I will have to get it on video, etc.

*She can touch and name most of her body parts: head, eyes, ears, mouth, nose, neck, shoulders, elbow, belly button, knee, toes, etc.

*She LOVES Dora the Explorer and will try and sing the songs from the show- such as: "Backpack Backpack" and "I'm the Map"

*She absolutely loves any kind of nursery rhyme song: "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," "Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee," "Patty Cake," "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," and "I'm a Little Teapot"

*Every night we read her the bed time story Lullabye Little One- in the book she will point to various things she knows and names them including: fish, duck, moon, stars, nigh nigh- It's sooooo cute!

*She is currently at the stage where she thinks the world is a grand audience- she will say hey and wave to pretty much anyone if she's in the mood- especially if she's the center of attention

*She's constantly BUSY- loves getting in to anything and everything

*She definitely likes to test her limits right now and see what she can and cannot get a way with- this is not so much fun for mommy

We sure do LOVE this little girl. While there are challenges here and there, she brings us an overwhelming amount of joy. We are so thankful the Lord has blessed us with her precious little life!

Daddy walking with SG

SG running in her flower girl dress for Ray Ray's wedding

being silly with Daddy

So grown up- tear

Pretty girl!

just rocking...

with her sweet little grin :)

My little turkey...

so stylish in the outfit I made for her :)

Here she is with her first encounter with sponge rollers for Ray Ray's wedding- I just couldn't resist!

back view :)

Multitude Monday: 212-244

2011-09-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for...

9-19-11

212. having a day to clean and prepare for Caroline after alittle scare last night- I had a couple of contractions, which I didn’t havewith SG until labor. Therefore, my mind was in a MILLION different places and Icouldn’t go to sleep until 4 AM because I was thinking of all the things Ineeded to do before her arrival- I’m so glad I had a day to get them done!

213. Meme’s help watching SG while I got A LOT of things donetoday to prepare for Caroline- I didn’t think she as going to be able to watchher so it was a real blessing

214. having time to wash the car seat, swing, bouncy seat, andjungle gym covers for Caroline to snuggle in

215. Trey’s help raising SG’s old bed for Caroline so I couldput the bumper back on, hanging a cross in SG’s new room, and do other chores Iam physically challenged with at the moment

216. Trey picking up the bassinet and a few much needed itemsfrom Meme’s

217. a healthy report at the doctor’s office- I’m currently 2 ½cm and 75% effaced at 37 weeks

218. SG’s excitement to see and play with all of her new “toys”(i.e. Caroline’s baby stuff)

9-20-11

219. SG’s sweet demeanor as she played with her baby doll- Shekept wanting to take it in and out of the swing while loving on it and givingthe baby it’s pacy

220. the excitement SG displays when we turn on the swing- shewants the music on- when I turn it on she rocks back and forth with a big smileon her face while saying “Star!” “Moon!”- since little stars and moons rotatearound as the music plays

221. listening to SG’s sweet voice mimic things I say all daylong

222. Gigi’s much needed help cleaning my bathrooms- It’s hard toscrub when it’s painful just to bend down

223. having time to embroider several burp cloths and tworeceiving blankets for Caroline

224. Trey letting us order pizza night- I was too tired to cook-Little Caesar’s $5 pizzas are quite yummy!

9-21-11

225. Gigi coming over and offering to help me clean my bathroomssince I have trouble bending over and scrubing at this point

9-22-11

226. Mom taking off work to spend some quality time with SGwhile I ran a few errands

227. having time to take the pillow we made for SG’s room to beembroidered- I was too nervous to embroider it myself J

228. time to prepare a grocery list and shop without having toalso entertain SG

229. a mommy make over- not really- but getting your hair cutbecomes a privilege when you have children ;)

230. My contractions subsiding- I was having some pretty close ones and hoping they would go away so we could make it to our pampers and prayers shower the next night

9-23-11

231. sweet sacrificial friends throwing a small intimate showerfor the arrival of sweet baby Caroline

232. my dad getting to come to my shower- especially since hehas had to be out of town for a couple of months taking care of my grandparentsin Florida

233. Gigi watching SG since she wasn’t feeling well while wewent to our shower- it was such a BIG HELP

9-24-11

234. spending the day with Susannah Grace and Trey at the zoo

235. Trey buying me a disposable camera since I forgot our camera’sbattery at home- I was very emotional about not having pictures of our timetogether at the zoo since it will be one the of the last things we do togetheras a family of three

236. Susannah Grace’s excitement each time she saw a new animal

237. SG mimicking the sounds the animals made

238. SG saying “Mommy” for monkey because she doesn’t know howto pronounce the “k” sound while making her monkey sound, and the people aroundus thinking it was funny

239. SG saying “Choo Choo” each time the train made that soundwhile we were riding the train at the zoo

9-25-11

240. getting to celebrate another birthday with Poppie- Walt(Trey’s Dad)

241. enjoying some yummy yogurt with family at Yogurt Mountainfor Poppie’s birthday

242. SG and Sydney enjoying each other’s company at YM

243. the brief period without whining all day at YogurtMountain- SG is getting her 2^nd K9 tooth and it has been verychallenging

244. Trey buying me a new battery for our camera since I lostthe other one- I have no idea where it went

Sew Busy...

2011-09-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

One of the MANY reasons I have neglected to post pictures on our family blog lately is that I have had various sewing projects I wanted to get done before Caroline's arrival. I LOVE for my girls to match (Susannah Grace, Sydney (my niece), and Caroline). Therefore, I've been working like a crazy woman to get some things done before Caroline's big arrival. I've included some pictures below of my latest creations.

Auburn outfits for my girls and an Alabama outfit for Sydney

(SG and Sydney have shorts that match their tops!)

I made SG and Sydney the outfit on the left and Caroline has the matching onesie outfit on the right :).

Fall owl top and pants to match for SG and Sydney!

BIG SIS and LIL SIS outfits for my girls

Here is the reversible fall outfit (Halloween/Thanksgiving) outfit I made for SG and Sydney!

The "S" is a turkey face!

I also made Caroline a coordinating outfit to match!

I can't wait to put her in it!

Monogrammed gown and matching receiving blanket for Caroline

Cute monogrammed receiving blankets for Caroline

LOTS of embroidered burp cloths for sweet Caroline

One of my favorite burp cloths and a bib I made

Multitude Monday: 193-211

2011-09-19T01:59:00.000-07:00

***So, it's been a busy week trying to get everything prepared for Miss Caroline. I'll post a few pictures
of SG's new room and how she is growing in the next few upcoming posts. Stay tuned!

I am thankful for...

9-12-11
194. Meme watching SG while I got some sewing and embroidering done- I finally got all of SG and Sydney's
fall outfits done! YIPPEE!
195. a good dr.'s report- I'm dilated 1 cm and 70% effaced at 36 weeks and everything seems to be going well

9-13-11
196. Trey safely traveling to MS

9-14-11
197. getting to spend time with our friends Amy, Livi, and Anna Kayt
198. realizing how very blessed I am to have such a healthy pregnancy thus far through a friend's sad situation

9-15-11
199. Mom helping me finish SG's bedding
200. reaching #200!
201. Trey's safe travels back from MS

9-16-11
202. making The Sandwich King's codwich sliders with Trey
203. enjoying a movie night at home with Trey
204. getting to put SG in her new big girl room to sleep tonight- it was bitter sweet- She's just growing up too fast

9-17-11
205. Nana watching SG while Trey and I went to a dear friend's grandfather's funeral
206. down time in order to relax- I have really needed to slow down lately
207. Trey helping me with SG

9-18-11
208. good fellowship at church
209. a refreshing nap after church- I usually have a really hard time taking one
210. a fun time at the park watching SG as she enjoyed playing
211. SG's cackle as her daddy spun her around in a diaper box- she could not even sit up straight afterwards- It was HILARIOUS!

Multitude Monday: 172-193

2011-09-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for...

9-5-11-

173. Meme watching SG while I ran a couple of errands

174. getting to appliqué four shirts today for the girls J

9-6-11

175. my sweet husband ordering and picking up my new devotional book- Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

176. getting to order the fabric for SG’s big girl bedding! YAY! I can start making it now!

9-7-11

177. having some time while SG was napping to distress the dresser I have been shabby chicing

178. movie night with the hubs- It was nice getting to hang out

9-8-11

179. getting to talk to my sister in law about my niece’s pathology report- the growth was cancerous- However, her perspective was encouraging. She reminded me of the important perspective that our children belong to the Lord. They are His first and ours second.

180. another week of SAVING $$ at the store! WOOOOHOOO!

181. Nana coming over to help me measure and cut out SG’s big girl bedding after a long day of working

182. Trey fixing us a meal off of pinterest while we worked on the bedding- chicken lasagna rolls- YUM!

9-9-11

183. Meme watching SG again so I could get some more sewing done!

184. getting to cut out pants to go along with the shirts I appliquéd earlier this week

9-10-11

185. getting to spend time with Rachel at her wedding rehearsal

186. Trey’s help with Susannah Grace while we rehearsed

187. SG’s cooperation, as much as could be expected for an 18 month old, b̶e̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶e̶s̶c̶o̶r̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶b̶y̶ ̶T̶r̶e̶y̶ “walking” down the aisle

9-11-11

188. having my hair and make up done for Rachel’s wedding- it’s been a LONG time since someone else has done this for me J

189. getting to have some quality girl time at the salon

190. SG’s hair cooperating with the sponge rollers I used to curl her hair- It was too adorable!

191. SG walking down the aisle with Daddy like a big girl

192. sunshine for Rachel’s wedding

193. a beautiful day and beautiful bride and groom- I was so blessed to witness my "sister" marry the man of her dreams- such a good feeling

Multitude Monday: 147-172

2011-09-05T17:08:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for...

8-29-11

147. a shopping day with Nana and SG

148. getting to pick out Caroline's sweet coming home

dress and a few things for SG

149. time to finish priming the dresser I'm shabby chicing

150. time to clean up a little around the house

8-30-11

151. getting to spend time with Haley and Lola at the squishy park :)

152. yummy yogurt mountain helping cool us all down

153. SG eating her yogurt with a spoon all by herself like a big girl

154. time to do some sewing

8-31-11

155. Meme keeping SG while Trey and I went to Nashville

156. getting to chill out in the hotel and NOT MOVE while

Trey was doing some work around town

157. having my first meal at a DDD

(Diners Drive-ins and Dives) restaurant with Trey

158. getting to catch up with a dear friend- Love you Melisa!

9-1-11

159. getting to sleep in a little longer that usual

160. getting to spend time with the hubby shopping

around and eating a good lunch

161. having time to talk with Trey without interruption on

our way home to Birmingham

162. the warm feeling I have when I see SG after we've been away from each other

9-2-11

163. finally getting paint to start painting SG's new room :)

164. SG's long nap

165. Meme and Poppie's help painting a couple of rooms in our house

9-3-11

166. finding the perfect decor for SG's room 50% off at

Hobby Lobby- WOOHOO

167. Trey and Meme's hard work today finishing painting

and getting everything in order

168. time with Nana while Trey and Meme were painting

169. Mom's help taking up my bridesmaid dress and SG's

flower girl dress for Ray Ray's wedding

170. Sherry's help at just the right time :)

9-4-11

171. getting to spend time with Ray Ray and Gigi

at Rachel's bridesmaids' luncheon

172. getting to spend time with family to celebrate

Krysten's birthday

Multitude Monday: 119-146

2011-08-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

***Sorry for the lack of pictures this week. It's been a busy one! I make up for it next week!

8-22-11 MM

119. some mommy time in order to look for more furniture for SG's room
120. remembering that it will be OK if I don't find what I'm looking for right now for SG's room- there are so many other things that are more important
121. finding a sweet heirloom dress at an antique store for $12 :)
122. Only having to buy a few things from the store for this week

8-23-11
123. my niece's surgery going well- now we have just got to pray that the mole on her arm is not cancerous
124. learning to get over my control issues when my child will NOT take a nap every once in a while
125. being productive taking pictures of old gowns and posting them on ebay to sell

8-24-11
126. Getting to play with Livi and Anna Kayt today
127. SG's 3 hour nap
128. The wreck I saw on the interstate and the thankfulness it made me feel that God has kept my family and
myself safe
129. getting to eat dinner with mom at Habeneros- one of my favorite places while I'm pregnant :)
130. my grandmother's surgery going well- second hip surgery in the past couple of months
131. the "moment" I watched SG have with her baby doll- holding it in front of her little face, talking to it, hugging, patting, and loving on it- it was so sweet
132. SG saying "Uv you" when I put her down for bed- melts my heart
133. Trey coming home early from out of town business- even though he didn't feel very well

8-25-11
134. Sg's 18 months of life- I can't believe how quickly it has flown by

135. Getting to spend time with Jennifer and having time to cut out two patterns for some cute shorts

8-26-11

136. An excellent doctor's report- Caroline and I are growing :)

137. The amazing rate at which SG is learning new things each day- It's incredible to watch and see how she is starting to really connect things

139. Finding an excellent antique shop in Pelham that had an assortment of dressers that I was looking for at just

the right price

8-27-11

140. Trey picking up my dresser and a chair for SG's room from the antique shop

141. Mom watching SG while we had a date night at my 10 year reunion

142. Good conversation and fellowship with long time friends

8-28-11

143. online tutorials on how to shabby chic dressers :)

144. having time to sand and prime the new/old dresser we got

145. getting to help celebrate a sweet little boy's 2nd birthday

146. SG's outgoing and funny personality- she was WIDE OPEN at the birthday party

Multitude Monday: 91-118

2011-08-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

8-15-11

91. a relaxing and MUCH NEEDED pedicure

92. Meme keeping SG while I got some errands and sewing done

93. getting one full set of curtains done

94. Trey hanging up my curtains :)

Progress on curtains for SG's big girl room...

Also, were thinking of going with the neutral paint color on the left for her room :)

8-16-11

95. a productive day of sewing with Jennifer

96. Good conversation with Jennifer

97. the sound of Shelby and SG laughing as they played together

98. SG's sweet demeanor while Daddy was away tonight

99. quality time with my little girl

Here are a couple of elements of SG's unfinished room:

Convertible Crib- This crib converts to a toddler and full sized bed

These are the linens I'm using to make her big girl blanket and pillow out of :)

The dresser I found at an antique shop for just the right price $ :)

8-17-11

100. a fun time at the pool with Amy, Livi, and Anna Kayt

101. saving $$ at the store with my coupons (Publix- spent $11.60/ saved $13.96, Winn Dixie spent $44/ saved $28)

102. Trey's safe travel back from Nashville

8-18-11

103. a productive morning gathering items needed for Rachel's lingerie shower

104. Susannah Grace's kisses and the sound she makes when she gives them

105. SG's long nap :)

106. finally finding the right paint color for SG's room

Pics of Rachel's lingerie shower:

8-19-11

107.11 years of dating my husband- I'm so thankful for him

108. a productive afternoon putting together flower arrangements and crafts needed for Rachel's lingerie shower

109. SG's good mood despite the fact that she would not take a nap

110. a $1.00 balloon and the entertainment it brought to SG for hours

8-20-11

111. Trey's willingness to complete his list of things I needed him to help me with around the house to get ready for 112. everything coming together for Ray Ray's shower

113. Meme keeping SG for the night

114. a fun night of fellowship with Rachel, her friends, and family

8-21-11

115. A fun time with fellow Sunday School members at our picnic/swim party

116. Nana's much needed help pinning my curtains

117. Completion of both sets of panels of curtains

118. A nice conversation with Trey and the peace and understanding it brought about our future

Multitude Monday: 61-90

2011-08-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for...

8-8-11

61. a day at home to recuperate from our trip to Atlanta this past weekend- SG and I built a "fort" and had a good time playing together

62. the shutter coming in for our house that was blown off during the tornado

63. home improvement websites

64. the spackling job I did on SG's wall when I removed her wall decal since I had never done that before

65. Hubby working from home today and taking breaks here and there to spend time with SG and me

66. 31 Days of Prayer Calendar I found a couple of months ago to help me pray more specifically for my

children~ http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_kids_31_days_prayer.pdf?emid=95

SG loved playing in the "fort" we made!

8-9-11~

67. Meme watching SG today

68. a productive day sewing!

69. Meme's company- she spent the night with us because her power went out

70. time to catch up on watching our favorite shows

8-10-11

71. a day at home to hang out
72. SG's 3 1/2 hour nap!

73. Sewing time while SG was asleep

Auburn and Alabama outfits I made for SG, Caroline, and Sydney :)

The back to school outfit I made for SG and Sydney

8-11-11

74. Getting to spend time Amy, Livi, and Anna Kayt today

75. Good conversation

76. Two prissy little girls wanting to wear tutus and twirl

77. SG saying, "tutu" while holding a tutu in each hand and wanting to put BOTH of them on....I LOVE IT!

78. a visit from Gigi and Ray Ray

Olivia and SG in their tutus...

twirling round and round!

8-12-11

79. Meme watching SG while I went to my biweekly obgyn appt

80. a good report at the dr.

81. SG's sweet voice saying "bubbles" when she wants to go outside and blow bubbles

82. Good company and dinner with Sarah and Taylor

83. Taylor helping Trey move Trey's office out of SG's new room

Take a close look- SG wanted to wear 2 tutus,

not just one while eating a graham cracker and holding her purse!

8-13-11

84. Trey getting up to feed SG breakfast at 8:00 while I stayed in bed to rest!

85. a yummy biscuit from Jack's

86. quality time with Sherry and Rachel while Rachel's photographer took her bridal portraits!- They are going to be gorgeous!

SG and Ray Ray

8-14-11

87. my mom's BIG help figuring out a sewing project for SG's new room!

88. feeling productive getting one panel of curtains done for SG's room!

89. Susannah Grace's funny demeanor today- she was a CHATTER BOX

90. a good night's rest- I've been a little uncomfortable lately

Multitude Monday: 31-60

2011-08-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for...

Monday- 8-1-11

31. yummy-delicious cherries on sale $1.99 lb. Caroline and her mommy are LOVING fruit right now.

32. meeting my weekly budget at the grocery store today :)

33. the sound of SG and her daddy playing- laughing hysterically

34. the good chat I had with Anna today about MM

35. finding out that there is a book/blog to go along with this journey - http://www.aholyexperience.com/

Tuesday-8-2-11

36. having time to monogram some burp clothes for Caroline while SG napped

37. My sweet husband bathing SG every night- since I'm very pregnant

38. SG's little voice saying "ot" for "hot" after she heard her mommy say it a million times

Wednesday-8-3-11

39. finding adorable and affordable fabric to make SG, Sydney, and Caroline matching fall outfits with Krysten

40. having time to enjoy and catch up with my sister in law

41. my sweet mother in law's willingness and joy when it comes to wanting to keep SG for me

42. a productive afternoon embroidering a few shirts for the girls

43. a night off from cooking- yummy brisket, grits, and pie at Meme's

44. my husband's sacrificial attitude when I told him I was STARVING at 9:45 pm. He went and got me a yummy milkshake from Jack's. I think this baby growing in my womb is going through a major growth spurt. I can't seem to get full enough.

Thursday-8-4-11

45. a day at home before getting ready to travel to Atlanta

46. Trey being home all week this week

Friday-8-5-11

47. a safe and peaceful trip to Atlanta with Trey

48. a delicious meal and good conversation with my Uncle Calvin and cousins, Evan and Christine

49. quality time spent with Uncle Calvin watching a good movie

50. Uncle Calvin's generous and giving spirit while hosting us at his home

Saturday-8-6-11

51. a chance to talk with Trey about the houses and cities we saw today

52. another delicious meal at Bella's with Uncle C

Sunday-8-7-11

53. a carmel frappuccino to get the morning started

54. a safe drive back to B'ham

55. a good conversation with Trey about preparing to move, relocating our family, and everything else that's on my pregnant nesting brain

56. my hubby fixing the drawer I accidentally broke

57. the joy I felt when I saw Susannah Grace after being away from her for a couple of days and nights

58. Nana's willingness to watch SG and keep her happy while we were away

59. a clean house

60. a night of getting to sleep in my bed after being away for two nights

Sweet Caroline

2011-08-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm proud to announce that Trey and I are expecting a surprise blessing named Caroline Elizabeth Gunter in about 10 weeks! I know, I know...it's terrible that I'm just now blogging about her. However, when you're trying to keep up with another little baby on the move it makes time for blogging limited.

Trey and I found out we were expecting baby #2 in January. While we were thrilled and oh so thankful, we were definitely surprised to find out the news. It's been a whirl wind ever since, getting things in line to prepare for this precious little angel. In between the time we found out this good news and now a lot has happened. At the very end of May, Trey received a promotion with the company he has been working for for the past two years, Millar Electronics, which will enable him to be the new sales manager for the company. This promotion has been such a blessing for our family because it will allow me to stay at home with our sweet babies. I cannot express the amount of gratitude I have for the Lord granting this request. It has been pressing firmly on my heart for a year now. Therefore, as soon as I found out, I went straight to my principal to tell her the news. It was definitely a bittersweet revelation because I truly LOVED my job at Edgewood Elementary. I've been working there for the past four years as a 3rd grade teacher. My administration, co-workers, and students have been an absolute joy to work for and with. I will miss them dearly. However, I am so thrilled about seeing my little ones on a daily basis so that I can "Train them up in the way of the Lord" Psalm 22:6.

In addition to the wonderful blessing of being a stay at home mom, we also found out one other little detail...We'll be moving to Atlanta, GA this upcoming year. Trey's promotion requires that we relocate to this destination. Of course, we are going to wait until Miss Caroline makes her grand arrival! We are thankful the move is not an immediate one. However, after Caroline is a few months old we will be starting the process of selling our house and searching for a new home in Atlanta. Of course, this is all bittersweet as well. Both sides of our family live in Birmingham, AL so I'm sure we are going to be very homesick for a while. Nevertheless, Trey and I are very excited to begin this new chapter of our lives as a family of four. I'll work extra hard to keep you updated! Please continue to keep our family in your prayers as we transition into this new journey.

17 Months

2011-08-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a few pictures of my little sweetie at 17 months!

Multitude Monday: The Beginning of Something Good

2011-08-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

For the past several months, I have been encouraged and inspired by my friend Anna's blog. Her willingness to share 1,000 things she is thankful for on her blog each week has helped me realize it's important to remember even the smallest of details when it comes to being grateful. While I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a pessimist, I do tend to spend quite a bit of time dwelling and worrying about the negative aspects of my life. Therefore, I've decided to take on the same venture for the next several months in order to renew my mind, not only with God's word, but with all of the big and little things he does for me on a daily basis. I will share these blessings each week (Lord willing- I am having baby #2 in 10 weeks) until I reach 1,000! I hope this encourages and edifies you as much as I am thinking it will me.

I'm thankful for....

Monday- 7-25-11

1. Susannah Grace's 17 months of life...I can't believe how quickly it has passed by. What an enormous blessing her little sweet life is to our family.

2. Trey made it safely to Atlanta this week for business.

3. SG was a sweet girl for mommy- She's getting two teeth right now and has been precious despite them today.

4. SG saying "Toes" and grabbing her little piggies on the changing table.

5. SG saying "Up" and reaching for me when she wants to be held.

6. a friend's loss making me more aware how very blessed I am to have both of my parents healthy and living- I don't know what I would do without them.

7. SG finding a bottle in my BuyBuy Baby bag and using it to try and feed her "baby".

8. God's providence in allowing me to be able to stay at home with my babies this upcoming year.

9. Trey's willingness to allow me to stay home even though it may be a little more stressful for him.

10. finding a dresser for SG's big girl room- major stress reliever for a mommy in nesting mode.

11. finding fabric to make her bedding :).

Tuesday- 7-26-11

12. a smooth car ride to and from the Splash Pad without a DVD player.

13. watching SG's exited little face as she went from one section of the Splash Pad to the other.

Wednesday-7-27-11

14. a fun day at Spring Valley Beach with Meme, Aunt Kay Kay, and Sydney.

15. a peaceful and safe trip to and from Spring Valley Beach.

16. a sweet and thoughtful mother in law giving me a box of my favorite Keurig coffee right now, Island Coconut.

Thursday-7-28-11

17. SG's sweet sing-song voice when she's holding one of her foam letters and she wants me to sing the "ABC" song to her.

18. the movement I feel when baby #2 squirms in my womb.

19. Trey's safe return home from a week away for business.

Friday-7-29-11

20. my husband exhibiting patience when I wanted him to pick up SG's crib and dresser in one afternoon.

Saturday-7-30-11

21. Trey's willingness to spend a big chunk of the day moving furniture and setting up SG's convertible crib. Also, Nana's big help purchasing it!

22. much needed quality time catching up with the hubby on our favorite shows.

23. a lazy day at the house.

Sunday-7-31-11

24. SG's sweet demeanor when I peeked into her Sunday school class to pick her up from church. I love watching her play with other children when she doesn't know I am looking.

25. SG's excitement to see mommy and daddy pick her up from her class after church.

26. quality time with my "sister," Rachel, and second mother, Sherry, at Rachel's bridal tea. She looked so beautiful. I can't believe she is getting married! I am so thankful she found a keeper :).

27. a fun night of playing cards, eating good food, and having good fellowship with my MIL, SIL, and friends.

28. my MIL's sweet spirit of giving me a new pair of my favorite earrings that I misplaced.

29. my mom's willingness to watch SG while her daddy went to work out.

30. SG's 3 1/2 hour nap!

Spring Valley Beach!

2011-07-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

Today, we took the girls (Susannah Grace and her cousin Sydney) to Spring Valley Beach. I don't know who much you know about this attraction, but for some reason I assumed it was like Oak Mountain State Park "beach" area. I was very wrong. It's actually a water park right smack dab in the middle of Blountsville, AL, or in the boonies as we would call it. The girls had a great time. Here are a few photos from our trip.

Getting ready to go down the slide...

Weeeeeeeeeee!

That was fun!

Sweet hug :)

Ready for some more water fun!

Cousin Sydney

I was able to get a sweet smile from this little cutie.

See that big blue bucket on top? A bell goes off every so often at the park signaling everyone to watch out! Then, this happens....

Susannah Grace enjoyed watching the big bucket spill over with Meme.

Sydney practices her floating skills!

Here's our best attempt at a group photo with Meme.

Sliding sure is fun!

Can't you tell?

SG also enjoyed splashing!

LOTS of splashing... It was a fun day!

The Beach + Splash Pad

2011-07-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

We've been busy busy busy this summer! Here are a few pictures from our very short visit to the beach to visit my grandmother at Fort Walton Beach Hospital. Unfortunately, she fell and broke her hip :(. We took Susannah Grace down to see her and cheer her up. Susannah Grace LOVED seeing her great grandparents but didn't so much love the beach. I guess that is to be expected since we were only able to spend 5 MINUTES there as it began to rain :(. Oh well, better luck next year.

Waiting on the elevator with Daddy...I don't know what Trey was thinking- goofball!

Not so sure about this sand stuff...

Still not amused.

Signal for: "Help me Mommy!"

The wet sand was no better.

On the other hand...This girl LOVES the splash pad in Gardendale, AL!

Can't you tell?
We've been a couple of times this summer with our sweet friend Lola!
Lola doesn't seem to mind playing in the water, either :).
Susannah Grace walks around like she owns the place.

And, sometimes just can't contain her excitement.

Pure joy!

15 Months!

2011-06-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

I'm a little a late on posting this, but I just wanted to take a moment and record this time in my sweet baby's life.

15 Month Stats:

Weight: 28.5 lbs (98% percentile)

Height: 33 inches (98% percentile)

***This is the first time our height and weight have matched up. YAY!***

Head: 17 3/4 inches (60% percentile)

Eating and Sleeping:

3 Meals a day with three servings of milk

1 nap around 12:30 or 1:00 (lasting about 2-3 hours)

Goes to bed around 7:30 and usually wakes up at 8:00 am

Development:

She's WALKING! YAY!

This has been taking place for about a month or so now (started around 14 months).

Talking lots

Here are some of the words she is saying:

Momma, Dadda, bye bye- while waving, hey- while waving, boo, wee, yay, uh-oh, ball, duck, dog, book, eyes- while pointing to her or your eyes, nose- while pointing to her or your nose, No- this is not my favorite word, stop- another not so favorite word, all done- while doing sign language, thank you- More like "ank you", please- "ease", this- "is" while pointing to something she wants, read- for read book, light- "igh" while pointing to, off- while pointing to the light switch on the wall, and "nigh nigh" for night night

Enjoys:

books- She wants me to read to her ALL the time.
attention
snuggling with mommy
eating whatever mommy eats- she's always gotta have a little bit of my food- she's like a little puppy begging for food
watching "Yo Gabba Gabba"
her luvy
dancing
water activities
being outside
walking everywhere
pointing
strawberries, bananas, kiwi, citrus fruits (limes, lemons, oranges), cheese, chicken fingers, green bean casserole, broccoli and rice, popsicles

Dislikes:

Having to come inside
Being told "no"
diaper changes
Riding in the car- unless she's watching a DVD
Getting in and out of stroller or buggies- mainly after she's been running a few errands
Having something taken away from her
Spankings- Unfortunately, we do have to pop her little thigh to get her attention sometimes.

Here are some of the ways she has been CRACKING me up lately:

She'll stop while walking and just start dancing if she here's music or if she feels the need to wiggle. Sometimes, she also does this when she's eating something yummy :).
Nodding her head to music in the car.
Smiling- she will squint her eyes, curl her nose, and make a real tight looking smile. This smile is all about "Look at me! I'm cute and I know it!"
I've been teaching her how to turn off the light. When she does it, she claps for herself.
Her laugh- She cackles! I will have to get it on video so you can see. It is hilarious.
In the morning when I go in to get her, she'll sit up in her bed. When I go to pick her up, she'll lay back down really quickly and laugh. This game is fun for her but not so fun for her pregnant mommy.
She's at the stage where she wants to give you things and say "ank you." It's really cute.

I sure do LOVE this little girl. She is just so much fun!

Summer Time!

2011-06-23T12:34:00.000-07:00

Well, it's officially SUMMER, and, boy, does it ever feel like it! Susannah Grace has had a blast playing outdoors these last couple of months. Here are a few things we've been up to:

THE ZOO!

In mid-March Amy and I loaded up our girls and headed to the zoo!

Susannah Grace and Livi were amazed by this ferocious tiger!

They also really enjoyed gazing at this little guy. Isn't he cute?

Here's mommy and baby studying the new elephant exhibit.

We also appreciated the beauty of these Flamingos!

Water Fun!

Since it's been SO HOT we've tried to cool off by playing with our water table and our pool!

Daddy was squirting her with water!
Running away from Daddy and the hose laughing!
Time out- I need a little break!
Back for more!

Off to another adventure!

The Farmer's Market!

Trey and I have recently really gotten into going to the Farmer's Market (Pepper Place) to buy local produce on Saturday mornings. Susannah Grace seems to enjoy it to, as long as she stays pretty cool and gets to get out and walk a little here and there.

Susannah Grace was really excited when we told her we were going to the farmer's market!

It's definitely a busy place to be on Saturday morning.

Just strolling around looking at the yummy produce...

We got a surprise visit from this little guy on our stroller.

I thought it was pretty cool. I don't think I've ever seen a dragonfly so big.

On our way out of the market. Look at my big girl. She's growing up too fast!

The Park!

We've been to a few parks here and there when it's not 100+ degrees. Here are a few pictures of Susannah Grace playing at the park in Leeds.

Daddy and Susannah Grace heading to the park!
SG pointing at something interesting.
Swinging!
Riding a grasshopper

Peeking at mommy through the tunnel.

We've really enjoyed doing lots of playing these last couple of months!

Sweet Cousins

2011-06-02T07:59:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of Susannah Grace and Sydney right after SG's 1st birthday and right before Sydney's 2nd birthday. Kim Maye ALWAYS does a fabulous job!

This picture is so sweet of the girls!

This one cracks me up. It looks like Susannah Grace is telling Sydney a folk tale story.

Serious...

Silly...They sure do have fun together at Meme's house!

1 YEAR AND GROWING

2011-05-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

We've been busy little bees around the Gunter household, and mommy has been very tired these days! I'll dedicate another post to the reason for that :). Nevertheless, Susannah Grace is just continuing to grow and blossom. Oh, how I just LOVE this child. I have included a photo diary below to share our latest happenings.

We've been trying out the lastest hair styles for little girls!

This little priss has LOTS of hair!

The Easter Bunny paid us a visit....

and brought us lots of goodies!

Susannah Grace was excited about her Peeps!

She continued to enjoy her Easter basket while she watched a little T.V.

while Mommy and Daddy got ready for church!

We celebrated our Risen Savior at church on Easter Sunday!

Susannah Grace flashed an adoring look at Daddy

while we were taking our picture by the cross. :)

After church, we headed over to Meme's to celebrate!

These two little girls enjoyed each other's company...

and did lots of playing.

We've had fun in the sun with some of our favorite people.

She sure does enjoy the outdoors!

And...this mommy and baby have spent lots of quality time together!

1 Year

2011-05-09T06:56:00.000-07:00

The pictures above were taken shortly after Susannah Grace's 1st birthday!

I've included her stats below!

1 Year Stats:

Weight:26.5 lbs

Height: 31 inches

Head Circumference: 17.75 inches

Development:

*Crawling EVERYWHERE :)

*Pulling up on EVERYTHING and walking holding onto furniture/objects- still not walking alone

*Some of the words she's saying saying: Momma, Dadda, Bye bye while waving, duck, ball, wee, yay, no no no no

Eating: Three Meals a day of table food/ Milk- Breakfast, lunch, and bedtime out of a cup

Sleeping: 11+ hours with 2 naps a day (1-2 hours in length each time)

I sure do love this precious angel. I'm so thankful the Lord allowed us to be her parents. She has been a wonderful blessing to the both of us! I'm thrilled to continue to watch her grow and development. It's been an amazing journey thus far!

1st Birthday

2011-03-14T18:31:00.000-07:00

Susannah Grace's 1st birthday was a blast! I decided to plan her party around the theme of a Sweet Shoppe. It turned out just beautiful. Many thanks to my dear friend, Jennifer Kimbrough, for helping me get everything together and for keeping me sane during the processs:)!

Baby girl's sweet invitation!

Birthday banner for the door :)

This was the sweet shoppe table composed of her cake and pink candy!

Inspiration for the backdrop banner board came from here. I fell in LOVE with this idea while I was blogging around looking for ideas. Although ruffling these streamers is pretty easy, it is time consuming, don't be fooled. In order to create this eye pleasing scene, I used a piece of plywood (4x6 feet), stapled a white sheet to it, draped the ruffled streamers over it, and then stapled them down to the back to reinforce them. Then, I just used white tacs to hold down the banner I made using scrapbook paper and letters I printed, and Jennifer cut out, from my printer :).

Her beautiful cake made by Angie Golden of Springville, AL! She is amazing!

This was her smash cake. Isn't it adorable?

More candy pictures :)

I got the labels for the candy from chickabug off of etsy.

I ordered the lollipops and rock candy for www.bulkcandystore.com

This is one of the centerpieces I created for a table.

We kept dinner simple with pizza, chips, and dip.

I got the flowers from Davis' Wholesale Florist downtown. I always purchase flowers from them when I am doing an event (birthday, shower, tea, etc.).

Sweet baby girl getting ready for some birthday cake!

She LOVED it!

Since we had SG's birthday at a clubhouse, I thought I would need something to keep all of the kids preoccupied. I saw a precious idea on a blog of this girl who created a sweet shoppe out of cardboard boxes for the kids to play in. Since, I didn't have the time or energy to do this we just ordered this cardboard house for the kids to color on and play in. They all LOVED it!

Ivey and Emma Claire signed their autographs!

Shelby played peek-a-boo!

Mommy and SG

Meme with SG

Opening presents :)

This little girl adores books.

Reading a book with her great aunt Ethel

Thank you to all of the friends and family who came to this sweet girl's birthday party. We are so thankful to have had the opportunity to celebrate her first birthday with you!

Georgia Aquarium

2011-03-13T17:51:00.000-07:00

In celebration of Susannah Grace's birthday Trey and I decided to take her to the Georgia Aquarium. We got this wonderful idea from some sweet friends at church. I thought it was such a terrific idea, especially since the weather has been so crazy lately!

Susannah Grace certainly LOVED it!

She was amazed by all of the colorful fish.

She loved watching the Lion Fish with her Daddy.

We walked through a 4 foot tall tunnel and had to take a short break. It was a little difficult to crouch down and help Susannah Grace walk at the same time. We were both tired. So, we stopped in this little nook for a break and photo.

I just LOVED the Sea Turtle! It was amazing to gaze at.

The whales were definitely a sight to see!

These pictures are some of my favorites.

I love seeing their sweet little profiles.

Susannah Grace enjoyed the ride home!

We turned her big girl seat around before we left.

She was able to watch a DVD, which kept her and Mommy and Daddy sane.

Just stretching. :)

Passed out!

All that fun wore her out!

The Park

2011-03-11T18:17:00.000-08:00

I was so thankful it was nice and warm the day of Susannah Grace's real birthday! She ate a yummy pancake breakfast, along with some blueberries. Then, we got ready and headed to the park for some fun! Here are a few pictures of our morning and afternoon together. The favorite part of her day was playing with the ROCKS on the playground. It's a good thing mommy made sure she didn't ingest any of these little objects because all she wanted to do was put them in her MOUTH!

One Year Rewind...

2011-03-05T05:10:00.000-08:00

My sweet baby turned one on February 25th! What a blessing her life has been to us this year.

Birth

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

One Year....

And she's one happy little thing!

11 1/2 Months

2011-02-13T18:41:00.000-08:00

This baby girl is just growing, growing, growing! I just can't believe what a big girl she has become. It's bitter sweet watching her grow up right before my eyes. Trey and I are so very thankful for her precious little life. I've included some things she's doing right now below along with some pictures from her last photo shoot!

Eating:

3 Bottles 6 oz. or less per feedings (2-breakfast and lunch, 1-before she goes to sleep)

Some baby food + table food (Ian's Organic chicken fingers, lots of canned organic vegetables, shredded cheese, breads, biscuits, waffles, oatmeal, etc.)

Sleeping:

2 naps- morning and afternoon

11-12 hours a night

Personality/ Development

*She's talking lots! She says "dada, mama, bawl (ball), byebye, yah (yay), and no."

*She's CRAWLING! I thought the day of "real" crawling would never come. However, during her last photo shoot she just decided to start. I couldn't believe my eyes. She's definitely become a busy little bee these days.

*She has been pulling up to her knees and sometimes to a standing position.

*She is walking with less effort holding onto my hands.

* She LOVES books. I love watching her flip the pages while cooing and babbling like she is "reading" up a storm.

*If you're not careful baby girl will give you a FRENCH kiss right slab dab on your lips. She is going through this funny tongue phase where she tries to lick you.

*She also LOVES looking in the mirror. It's funny to watch her smile at herself and give herself kisses.

*She's getting MORE teeth. We've got 6 currently and I think more are coming in.