Ali made the paper today!

http://www.mdjonline.com/content/index/showcontentitem/area/3/section/18/item/115788.html

Happy birthday Mimi!

This little face can make me smile no matter what mood I am in!
Today is Mimi's birthday - happy birthday Mimi!! We celebrated with the family on Sunday b/c it was the only day that the 5 of us could all be there - but we missed Ashley! Ali really enjoyed the cookie cake for dessert! (as you can see below)
Cookie Monster!
You know it is good when you get it on your nose!

Photo shoot with Daddy! Do you think we look alike?
There is nothing in the world (to us) quite like a sweet Ali kiss!!!! (and we are enjoying them while we can!)
Take 2 Mama...are you getting this?

So far, Ali has slept four nights (and three naps!) in the big girl bed and she LOVES it! I am so grateful that this (knock on wood) has been a pretty easy transition b/c I was so nervous about it. I just want to make sure that I do not try to make her grow up too fast just b/c she will not be the "baby" of the house come October. She is such a little person though and she really keeps me in stitches throughout the day! Her vocabulary is expanding by the second and she understands so much - Ryan and I will just look at eachother sometimes in awe at something she remembered/said/etc. Some new sentences she is saying include:
"Oh my goodness!" (This is my favorite - it is SO cute!)

"Mommy, come here!"

"Right here" or "Right there" to tell us where to stand or put something.

"Mommy, sit down!" (I always have to make sure she says please afterwards, but it usually does not come until I ask her to say it) or "Mommy, get up!"

She also loves to point at our cars and go "Mommy's car!" or "Daddy's car!", etc.

And the list goes on and on.... We love our smart and funny little girl! :)

Movin' on up!

Since my dad is a Legislator/Attorney/CPA, there end up being a good amount of conferences he has to attend for each - and a good excuse for little getaways. A lot of times, his conferences are at the beach, so that made for fun vacations growing up! This past week, he had a CPA conference at Callaway Gardens and Ali and I decided at the last minute to tag along for a little brief getaway with Mimi and Big Papa - but we missed Ryan!!! It was soo relaxing there and we had a great time walking the trails with Mimi, swimming with Big Papa, etc. We stayed in a one bedroom cottage and it was just so peaceful - but, I was still happy to be asleep in my own bed (with my snoogle pregnancy pillow!!) last night!!! Thank you Mimi and Big Papa for a fun little trip!! Here are the very few pictures I got from our little trip.

On the way to the cottage pool... (Ali loves to wear her sunglasses!)

Eating breakfast with Mimi

And just being cute...
Ali loved playing peek a boo in the car with her float - some how she dug it out from all of the other bags!

I see you!

Home sweet home....and look what we found!!!!
Well, while we were gone, Ryan surprised me! I have this huge checklist of things we need to do before the baby peanut gets here and one of those includes moving Ali into a big girl bed and moving the crib into the new nursery. We got a new mattress delivered on Friday (turns out the one we had was too big!) and I figured it would take awhile (and a little bit of nagging!) to get the actual bed moved b/c it is heavy and we needed a truck to move it. Much to my surprise, we came home to a big girl bed in Ali's room and the crib in the nursery!! Yay!! I was SOOO excited and am very happy with it!! I can not really find any good "before" pictures (and the "after" pictures aren't so great either!), but these will give you some idea.

This before picture was actually taken before Ali was even born - and there is tons of clutter on the shelves, but you get the idea! Ali's room before.... And, what we found when we got home.... (Ali was soooo excited!! All she wants to do is be on it now!! Thank goodness - and I hope this lasts!)
The cluttery guest room before (I called it my junk room b/c I just threw everything in there on the shelves!) - again, not a very good picture!Ryan and I painted it a different green - and, now, with a crib in it!!
So, now to the biggest news in our little family today!! Ali spent last night in her big girl bed for the first time. Her mama was a nervous wreck, but she did great and I am so proud of her. I am trying not to think about it, b/c I don't want to get the crying started that my little girl is growing up - but I am so very proud of her for how well she did! Luckily, we all 3 went to the concert on the square last night with some of our friends and she was completely exhausted last night, so that might have helped!! She did great though and so far, she loves her new big girl bed!!
Thank you Ryan for the great surprise! We love you and missed you!! Thank you Granddaddy and Grandmommy for the new mattress! Ali loves it!! Thank you Mimi and Big Papa for a fun and relaxing little getaway! Let us know if there are any more conferences coming up that we can tag along with you! Have a great weekend!

Pregnancy update!

I forgot to mention in my post from earlier this morning that everything is going great with my pregnancy! Baby #2 is kicking all the time and my belly is getting bigger and bigger. I had my 27week (& 4 day) appointment on Thursday and everything looked great. I was measuring right on target and gained another pound (since my appointment 3 weeks before). I took my glucose test for gestational diabetes and just got a call a minute ago (reminding me to post) that said my score was perfect! Yay! I wasn't really worried about it since I didn't have it last time, but I did eat a ton of cake last week for Ryan's birthday and was scared my sugar levels would be super high. (especially after a cake binge the night before my appointment - I just couldn't resist!) They did tell me that my iron levels were low again so I have to take an iron supplement, but that is no big deal. I had low iron last time too and kind of figured I might have it again b/c my energy levels have been super low lately and the thought of meat, etc makes me kind of sick these days so I have not been good about eating iron-rich foods. Anyway - that's the update for now! I am 28 weeks, 1 day today - less than 12 weeks until my due date - I can not believe it. Welcome 3rd trimester!!!

And, now, a few pictures Ryan caught while I was sitting here typing away.

This is Ali trying to get Ryan to come dance with her in the kitchen.Still wishing she was dancing...

Uncle Ty and Aunt Ashley!

Lately, it seems like Ali has been spending a good amount of time with babysitters and we feel so lucky to have family all around to help out and for Ali to get to spend time with!! Ali is so good too, when we leave her. I always worry a fit will be thrown (like the crying that begins when we drop her off in the nursery at church - I hate it!) but she is quick to just say " Bye bye!" and start playing with the other people she loves. :) On Friday night, Ryan and I went to a Braves game with our Supper Club and had a great time. Uncle Ty and Aunt Ashley were so very generous to offer to keep Ali - I always worry a little while we're gone that they will quickly regret that decision - but, we came back to find out that they all had a great time! (I know Ali did - she was beaming from ear to ear!!) She has been talking about Ty and Ashley ever since and I'm so glad they got to spend some good quality time together.

Ty and Ashley have been married 2 months now and are in the midst of cleaning out/unpacking everything from Ashley's apartment so Ali found a box to play with and keep her entertained!

So easily entertained! I told Ashley that we need to get a box like this at our house - although I am pretty sure our house would be covered in the little peanuts!
For some reason, this picture reminds me of Ty when he was little. Obviously not from my memory, b/c when Ty was 20 months I was not quite born, but from pictures I have seen. I think it's the eyes and the cheeks.
Hanging out with Uncle Ty and Hadley!
I love this one.
Ali and Aunt Ashley!
Thank you so much to Ty and Ashley for keeping Ali! I know yall had plenty to do on Friday and we are so grateful you chose to keep Ali instead! She had such a great time!! (Also, thank you Ashley for sending the pictures)

Playing with friends!

Last night, I had birthday club at my house (so much fun!), so Ryan and Ali went over to our friends, the Holle's house to hang out and play with Libby and Brian, while Emily was here at b-day club. They live about a block from us and Ali thinks Libby is the bee's knees and her little bff! I asked Ryan to get some pictures of the girls playing b/c they are always hilarious. Unfortunately, the camera was running out of batteries and the girls never stop moving, so the pictures are a little blurry, but I hadn't put up any in awhile and watching Libby and Ali makes my heart smile, so I decided to put them up anyway!!

One of their favorite things to do is to play the "Fridge DJ" in the kitchen and dance. They are quite the pair! Giving eachother sweet hugs!
Playing peek-a-boo!

Ali pretending to go "night night" on Libby's bear...

And Libby telling her night night...


We always have so much fun with our friends, the Holles, and love having them so close! I know that Libby and Ali will be lifelong friends!! Obviously, they had a good time last night b/c it is 8:45 this morning and Ali is still snoozing...with no signs of getting up soon! I better go get showered!

Have a great day!

Getting ready for baby...

So, today I am officially 27 weeks pregnant. No words can describe how fast this pregnancy is flying by for me. Some days I am ready for it to hurry up and then, others, I want things to slow down a bit! Yesterday was the 12th, meaning that 3 months from yesterday is my due date!! It is starting to finally hit me and I am filled with feelings of excitement, anxiousness, nervousness, etc, etc. Today, it is an ugly day outside and I see no reason to leave the house. Ryan and Ali are spending the morning watching Lion King why I start obsessively going through Ali's old clothes, bottles, burp cloths, etc to start getting everything organized, washed, and figure out what all we need to get done the next three short months! Going through these clothes bring back the exciting and crazy feelings I had before Ali got here and when she was a newborn. As much as I feel like she is my little baby, I realize how long ago that now feels to me! I don't even remember what it was like to have a newborn!! Our lives have been filled with so much excitement since November 8, 2006 - every day is something new and exciting - and with all of the events/excitement/etc, it makes newbornhood seem like a long, long time ago! :) But, what an exciting feeling it reminds me of! I can't wait for this little one to get here to meet her big sister!

We were so lucky to have a slow weekend this past weekend, the first one we have had in a long time and probably the last one we will have for awhile! We have been so productive in getting the house ready for the new baby and just getting general household projects done, I feel like I have checked so many things off of my to do list (and Ryan did the same with his honey do list!). :) We have a busy week ahead so hopefully I will get some pictures to share! Maybe even some pictures of the progression of the nursery & Ali's room soon!

Have a great week!

20 months and counting!

Today is our little girl's 20 month birthday! Am I going to go through the rest of her/my life wondering where time goes? Time is flying! I am also 26.5 weeks pregnant - I can't believe I am entering my 3rd trimester. Things sure are different the second time around (except for the growing big, trouble sleeping, etc, of course!)! Baby girl #2 will be here before we know it. And....we have decided on a name! (I think!) But, we are keeping it fully to ourselves until she gets here - there have to be a few surprises in life! Yesterday, Ali, Mimi and I went over to a friend's house to look at their window treatments and she had two little girls two years apart and it was so fun for me to see them interacting and playing like two little best friends. Ali just stared at them like she wanted them to be her friends. It got me excited for our sweet road ahead! Yes, I know that if baby #2 is anything like her Mama and her big sister, our house will be filled with lots of drama and tons of emotion, but also lots of sweetness, love, giggles and happiness! I am so looking forward to what our world together has in store for us!

I want to make sure I try to remember everything I can about my days with my little ones. I'm hoping Ali can come back one day and read all of my blog entries so far and see how much she makes us laugh/smile/etc. Here's my letter to Ali today telling her (what I can remember) just a few things that she is up to right now.

Dear Miss Priss:

You're 20 months old today! It's so hard to believe it was 20 whole months ago that you came into our lives and blessed them forever! You are quite the character these days (as always!) and I'm pretty sure you know it too. You sleep a good 12 hours every night and I have to say, every morning I can not wait to hear you start saying (not yelling) "Mommy!" to get me to come get you - it's a great start to my mornings. You can say so many little words and have become quite the little copycat. You're so good about saying "Thank you!" when we give you something or hold the door for you, and you quickly follow it by adding "You're welcome". I think something that you love most these days is to dance. Anytime you hear music, your shoulders start to move back and forth and we have constant dance parties at our house to keep you going. You love music and you even help me sing your favorite lullaby, Bye Bye Baby, every night. You're so cute when you say your prayers (Amen!) before you go to bed or before you eat or just when you accidentally find yourself bowing your head with your hands clasped. (That's my favorite!) You LOVE to be outside or to go to the pool and to play Ring around the Rosy in the backyard. You're becoming so much more aware of things everyday - nothing gets past you. Last night, we had a storm and you were in bed (and decided you didn't want to be) so you knew just how to get me to come get you. You started saying to yourself "Mommy, I scared! I scared!" and the second I heard that on the monitor, I had to come get you. :) You have blessed your Mama and Daddy's life tremendously and we thank God for you every day! Thank you for making our lives brighter, our days happier, and most of our little moments full of smiles! Happy 20 month birthday little princess! We love you!

Fun on the Fourth!

We had a very fun (and very full!) 4th of July weekend! To be honest, I am a little relieved it is over b/c I am still recovering and exhausted! We were go, go, go all weekend and Ali and I stayed up way past our bedtime a couple of nights!

I only managed to snag a few pictures of the beginning of the weekend - at the parade at the square. We had so much fun!! It was only the beginning of the weekend and I was already dead tired by the end of it - and we just kept going after that! Ali, my mom, and I headed up to the square about 9 a.m. on Friday. My dad was walking in the parade and Ryan was running in the Peachtree - so they both managed to join us by the end. Here are some pictures of Ali taking the parade in - I hope it is a tradition that we do every year as a family! (as soon as Ryan can get there after running the Peachtree!) It really got me us in the 4th of July spirit and we got to see a bunch of our friends up on the square!

Enjoying some apples while we waited for the parade to arrive.....
Still waiting.... (Honestly, I think Ali had more fun running around during the hour and a half before the parade actually arrived than when the parade got there. She still had a lot of fun - but, she just wasn't sure what to think of all of the loud sirens! There was even one part where soldiers shot guns - very loud - and it made everyone jump!)
Daddy made it about half way through!! (can you tell how tired and HOT Ali is?)
Right after the parade we went to our bank for a hot dog cookout and it was a lot of fun! A lot of our friends were there to hang out with and it was shady so we were able to cool down! This is the first year the bank has been open on the square so we are hoping it will be an annual event.
Unfortunately, that's all of the pictures I have from the busy weekend! I hope that everyone had a great 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July! Ryan left a little while ago for the Peachtree and I am waiting for Ali to get up so we can head to the square for the parade! We went to watch daddy in the Peachtree Road Race last year, but it was tough - so I am happy to stay around here this year and head back up there in a few years when the girls are a little older. We have a full day ahead of us! I hope everyone has a happy 4th!

Here are some pictures from the last few days!

Ali came out of the playroom on Wednesday with two purses on each arm and holding a broom with one her hands. Her hands were definitely full - what a little miss priss she is! :) Unfortunately, by the time I got the camera, she had dropped everything (I think it was too big of a load!), but here is a picture of her with all of the evidence! Check me out..... Little Miss Ponytail!
I decided to try Ali's hair in a pony tail yesterday! It cracked me up every time I looked at her b/c she looked too cute. I can't wait for her hair to get longer and longer and for many more ponytails!!! :)

Beach bums

Ryan, Ali and I got in last night from another short trip to Saint Simons. We had planned to stay a little longer, but it turned out to be a stormy day yesterday, so we thought we'd get on back rather than sit inside at the beach during the rain! It worked out well b/c Ali and I had playgroup today and Ryan is out playing golf - so we are having a fun day back in Marietta!

Ali and I went down around lunchtime on Friday with Grandmama (or Memama, as Ali is saying lately!) and then Ryan and his dad (Granddaddy) came down later that night. We had a fun and relaxing weekend and Ali loved playing at the pool, most of all!

Here are a few pictures from our little getaway!

Ali testing all of the different chairs outside (one of our favorites) Gnat's Landing-

This little girl never stops dancing!



With her Grandmama and Granddaddy
Ali loved the bird outside of the house-
Ready for the pool!