Memorial Day at the Lake!

This memorial day we went down to lake LBJ and met up with my parents. Lila LOVED everything about the lake. For anyone who has been down to the lake house, you might remember the gray ghost :) It was a boat older than I am. This summer GP got a new boat that is awesome!

Here is Honey teaching Lila all about boat riding.

After about 5 min... this is the face of a child fighting falling asleep. Good thing those cheeks helped hold her neck steady:)

Here is GP REALLY loving his cool new boat.

Lila loved laying in the grass watching the water. We tried a baby pool, but because of the clouds it was a little too cold. She didn't want anything to do with it. We will have to wait until it's hot.

She loved having so much time with her Daddy. From the look on his face, I think he needed some play time too.

I think it's official, we have another lake rat in the family!!

Lila's Baby Dedication

Last weekend we had Lila's baby dedication at church. As you can see...she looked like an angel! At our church a baby dedication is really a parent commitment to raise your child in the church so they can one day know the Lord too.

My parents and the Woods were able to be there. Thanks guys for hanging around late on Sunday! It meant so much to knowing y'all were there supporting us! You can literally see the joy on Ryan's face in this picture :) Thanks Shannon and Susan for coming too!

This is our pastor Greg Matte. We adore him! Our usually smiley baby was very subdued for some reason. Must be stage fright...or she could have uncle Stacey's nervous stomach. About 3 seconds before we walked up there Lila spit up all over herself. Seeing as I didn't have a burp cloth, I wiped it into my hand and just held it there:)

The church does a special parent commitment service 2 times a year. It is before the evening church service, just for these families and friends. It was an awesome service! There is something amazing about watching your husband get on his knees before the Lord!

Pastor Greg's words were very encouraging and at the same time so challenging. Raising a child to love themselves, others and the Lord is a daunting task. Knowing we have the prayers of all our family is comforting.

Here is the sweet baby happy after the show was over.

We were saying goodbye to our girls in the parking lot.

This is one sweet picture of my favorite people!!

Annesa's Wedding

This past weekend one of my best friends, Annesa Lindsey Scott got married. She and I have been friends since I can remember. Our moms are great friends, so we were destined to be around each other all the time. I literally can remember playing in mother's day out at 3 years old. Then we had pre-school, GA's, Bible drill, Little League, Basketball, Ski trips, MHS and now both living in Houston. I was an honorary attendant in the wedding and had a BLAST!

It started with the rehersal dinner at Plazzos that was so yummy! Sadly, I forgot my camera :(

The next morning mom threw her Bridal luncheon at the Omni Hotel.

She brought the awesome mini cupcakes from "What About Cupcakes" in Waco. They are the best.

I helped make the table decorations. Here is a sample place card.

The patio at the Omni.

Here are the favors; chocolates and flower pens (made by mom). The guests signed the frame for Ness and then took a pen and wrote their advice for marriage. She had to guess who gave what advice. It was fun to have a little activity.

Later that afternoon we met Annesa in her hotel to start getting ready. Here is the beautiful bride!

Then it was off to Ouisie's Table for the ceremony and reception. It had the most beautiful garden area outside. The rain started about an hour before the ceremony, so they were flexible and moved all the chairs inside. It looked beautiful.

Here are the Scotts right after saying "I do".

It was so fun seeing some of my bestr friends from high school! L to R Jessica, Katy, Lindsey, Annesa, Me and Kelly.

Josh was on daddy duty all day and night. Thanks so much babe for taking care of Lila so I could spend the day with Ness.

Lila was partied out by the end of the night. She looked so sweet in her fancy clothes!

I need to say a special thank you to my sister Angie for babysitting all weekend so I could be away from Lila Lew. Thanks Ang. We had a blast with you and Ally :)

A New Home!

It's been way too long since I've been able to post. Sorry to those few people who missed me :) The past week has been crazy! We went to Waco TWICE, looked at houses, celebrated a best friends wedding (and all the festivities that fill the weekend), had family visit, and had Lila's baby dedication. All of these events deserve their own post in the near future, but first things first...we found a house!!!

It is in Sunwest out towards McGregor on Ranchgate Trail. We really love the neighborhood and absolutely love the house! We have been praying that God would put us in the right place for Lila and new friends, and this house just felt right. The owners accepted our offer and we are closing on June 30th! I know that lots of things still have to be ironed out over the next month, but I think this is it!

This is the view from the breakfast area looking into the kitchen and living room. I am so excited about that kitchen! The counter space I have now is only big enough for about one pile of dirty dishes :)

This is lookig from the master to the living, dining and entry way.

It has a great back yard (minus some much missed trees). Ryan and Angie were trying it out for us :) It went on the other side of the house too, so we could have a little dog run for Cooper when kids are out running around.

I hope that everything gets worked out by the 30th and we can move into our new house in a new town!!

Happy Mother's Day!

This is a picture of Lila and I on my first mother's day weekend! How great is it to have a day dedicated solely to moms! Now that I am officially part of the "club" I can say it is the hardest and best job there is. I know how cliche that sounds, but it's true! I love being Lila's mom! Some days when she isn't sleeping, has spit up (or worse) on every surface of my body and decides to cry for no apparent reason it is hard to remember what a blessed gift it really is. How amazing is it that God chose ME to be her mom?! I feel so thankful that he brought her into our lives 5 months ago.

I am also so blessed in my family to have amazing moms around to support me that I have to give a little shout out!

Thank you Mom for my life:) and for giving me the gift of unconditional love. I finally get it! You have made me everything I am!!

Thank you Nana for spoiling me and teaching me about family! You have an exceptional legacy!

Thank you Angie for showing me how to raise a child with God's love and for the amazing hand me down clothes!!

Thank you Cary for teaching me the joy that comes from parenting and how to do it in a laid back, creative way:)

Thank you Gwen for teaching Josh to be a great man and for your generosity.

Thank you Granny for making me part of the family and for being so fun!!

Thank you Roxann for showing me how to prioritize with mommyhood and for loving us.

That doesn't even begin to do justice to what examples these ladies are to me. I love you all and wish you a very Happy Mother's day!

Splish, Splash, Lila's Taking a Bath!

Tonight I pulled out the big yellow ducky tub that I have been saving for....Now? I don't know if there is anything better than watching Lila take a bath. The absolute JOY that is on her face for each and every kick is priceless.

When I first put her in it she was a little confused as to why she couldn't lay down all the way, but then she rested her head on the big duck tail and loved that she could watch herself kick. I love how she has her arm rested like she's in a little baby hot tub!

Here she is trying to help me wash. It's hard getting in between all those rolls:)

Here is an example of the rolls I couldn't show you in the tub. I mean is there a better view than this?

Just one more picture for laughs.

May you all enjoy your bath tub half as much!!

5 months!

Lila is 5 months old today! She is so much fun these days. She is starting to get longer than she is round and looks different every day. She is getting a bald spot from sleeping and playing on her back. We are ready for her to roll over any time.

She loves bath time, mornings, her exersaucer, "talking", Cooper, singing, other kiddos, reading books, her toes, and being outside.

She hates her car seat, rice cereal, nap time and staying in her stroller while shopping :)

She has a love/hate relationship with her soothie pacifier, being swaddled and tummy time. She knows the paci will help her fall asleep so she tries not to need it...but, she does. She stays asleep so much longer when she is swaddled and until she can roll over, we will do it. She can roll from tummy to back but sometimes forgets how. That's why tummy time is not always a hit. I don't know why I feel the need to explain all of these?

Lila is really happy until she isn't. 99% of the time she is the sweetest, cuddliest baby in the world. We are so thankful that we get to be her parents and really appreciate all your prayers that we will continue to do a good job!