3 Months?!

Whaaaat?? I have a 3 month old?? Where did that come from? I love every stage more than the previous one. She is so much fun for us these days. She laughs sporadically, but not on a consistent basis. She can completely support her head and it's so nice to just prop her up on my hip. She is "talking" up a storm and usually whoever I'm talking to can hear her on this end going "blah blah blah" in the background. Libby has the best smile and her whole face lights up when you talk and smile to her. I can't wait for my friends and family to get to meet her! Right now she's sitting on my lap while I type and she's trying to get at the keyboard, fun! Breastfeeding is going really well, we've really got things down to a science so feeding times are quite speedy. We've tried giving her a bottle a couple of times, but it was confusing and frustrating for her so we haven't really pushed it too much. I've got some extra milk stored in the freezer in case of an emergency but I'm not too worried. Unfortunately (and this might be TMI but I want to share for those who are about to give birth) my period has come back already so that affects my supply at times. We want to have more children but I would rather have more than a year between them so we're being somewhat cautious. Anyway, enough of that! Eventually Libby will have more siblings, lets just hope it's not this year! :) So beware, it's possible to start up again even while you're EBF (exclusively breast feeding). Which is why Libby's cousins are only 14 months apart!! :)
Well, here are some new pics of our little scrunchy baby. I'll take her monthly growth pics this afternoon and post them.

She seriously fell asleep like this. I guess chewing on Jacques wore her out!

Visiting dad at work!

About to leave for a grocery run with mom.

Chillin' with dad

Sooo cute!!

Hope you enjoyed these snapshots!

More than you ever wanted to know...

About CLOTH DIAPERS!!! Yes, we (or I should say I) cloth diaper Libby on the most part. I've been putting her in them during the day and while we're at home. And it's been working out really well! I'm actually going to start using them when we go out too. They're really not as difficult and gross as you might initially believe. There are a lot of great resources out there so I'll share those with you as well as telling you what works for us.
First of all: why? For me the main reasons are economic and health. Disposable diapers have a lot of chlorine and other chemicals in them (which is why they're so absorbent) and that is not good for a baby to be exposed to on a long-term basis. They're so much cheaper because you only have to buy them once! And they can be used for multiple children. I'm not sure what the exact numbers are but I've heard estimates that it can cost up to $2000 to diaper a child! So far I've spent about $200 on my cloth diapering supply and I'm hoping to get away with only spending about $50-100 more as she grows. Also, a lot of people are really concerned about the environment these days and honestly that's not one of my main reasons but it is a perk. It takes 500 years for a disposable diaper to disintegrate in a landfill!
There are definite pro's and con's to cloth diapering. It is more involved than simply using 'sposies as you have to wash and put away the diapers vs. simply tossing them out. Some people are grossed out by having to mess with the poop, but I really don't think it's that big of a deal. Breastfed baby's poop isn't too bad, although I'm not sure how grossed out I'll be when she moves on to solids! Also, babies who are cloth diapered tend to potty train quicker and easier because they can feel the dampness of a wet or dirty diaper more than in disposables. You do have to change CD's more often, and this is why I put Libby in a disposable at night. Maybe I'm lazy but I really don't want to have to change her in the middle of the night! Maybe I'll get braver with putting her in them at night and I'll just stuff them with more padding! :)
My set-up includes both pre-folds and one size fits all, all in one diapers. I'll explain that more and include a bunch of resources in the end.
I have 24 pre-folds in small (yellow) from Green Mountain Diapers and I also bought several covers from them. I really like the Bummis Super Brite but I only have two of those. I also have two Litewraps in sz. newborn (although these still fit Libby). A couple Super Whisper Wraps and a couple that aren't on that webpage anymore. That is my pre-fold and cover system and it works really well. You just change out the pre-fold each time it's soiled but the cover doesn't need to be washed every time, just when it gets dirty or every few wears. These should last Libby for a couple more months, I'm guessing. I don't think she's going to outgrow these diapers or covers any time soon.
Here are a few pics of Libby in her pre-folds...



Aren't they cute? As you can see, I have the pre-fold fastened with a Snappi, a great little invention. Although a lot of people forgo fasteners completely and just rely on the cover to hold the diaper in place. I like the snappi because it keeps the diaper snug and secure in place.
I also have about 9 Bum Genius AIO (all in one) diapers from Target. These are great because they fit snugly, are adorable, and grow with the baby. Since they're expandable you only need one size. They're also quite a bit more expensive so I was blessed with these as gifts. Although I found one on clearance randomly for $5 one day! Hasn't happened since then though.
The AIO Bum Genius diapers are a slightly different set-up but roughly the same idea. Here are a few pics of Libby in one.




As far as accessories and cleaning go... I have a normal trash can in her room with a waterproof liner that I put the dirty diapers in. I usually wash them every couple of days so they're not in there too long. I have some cloth wipes I made from cutting up and hemming some flannel receiving blankets (from the thrift store) and those work great. I keep the wipes in the bathroom and on the way to change her I just grab one and get it wet with warm water. I also have a diaper "potion" in a small squirt bottle that I can spray on the wipe to get her lil toosh nice and clean.
If the diaper is just wet I simply toss it into the pail but if it's messy I spray it off in the bathroom with this. Tim was able to easily install this on the back of our toilet. Then I put the rinsed off diaper into the pail. If the cover didn't get messy I just drape it over her crib to air dry for next time. If it did get a little poop on it I rinse it off and put it with her dirty clothes. You don't want to put the liners in with the cloth diapers for an extended period of time because it can effect the water proof liner.
When I wash a load of diapers I dump them all in and first do a hot rinse load. Then I wash them in hot with a small amount of All Free and Clear detergent. If they seem to need it I wash or rinse them one more time. (some people do a rinse with vinegar and I'm going to try that next time.) When they're clean I put the diapers in the dryer and dry them on a very hot setting. I do not dry the liners or the bag, they should just air dry. (The Bum Genius covers can be dried in the dryer if need be.) In the summer I am going to line-dry the diapers, and the sun will bleach them out nicely.
That is our system in a nutshell!! There are probably millions of different ways you can cloth diaper your babe. I think the pre-folds are the cheapest although I splurged on the nicer covers. (I really like the ones with the gussets on the sides so they're nice and tight - makes for minimal leakage). It has not been too difficult and I love the feeling of knowing every time I put in her a cloth diaper I'm saving us about $.20. That will really add up over her lifetime!

Cloth Diapering Resources:
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/index.htm - where I bought mine. A great company with a lot of information and helpful tid-bits!
http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm#pocket%20diapers - a list of safe detergents to use with cloth diapers. We use All Free and Clear, but a friend is going to share a bit of her Charlie's Soap with me to try.
http://www.diaperco.com/store/pg/82-Folding-Instructions.html - folding instructions
http://www.clothdiapershouston.com/ - A great resource and store located in Houston.
http://www.mycharmingkids.net/2009/03/cloth-diapering-101-giveaway.html - one of my favorite bloggers, she has a ton of info and is actually giving away a ton of great diapers! Go enter and if you don't want them, send them to me!! :)
http://mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=221 - diapering forum on MDC, a great place to learn all about cloth diapers.

Well, I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions but there are people out there who are way more experienced than I am! I just wanted to let you know what works for us and that it can work really well, just give it a shot. :)

Libby fix for your day - 2 1/2 months

Skillet Chicken Ole'

Just thought I would share a few easy dinner ideas that you can throw together with stuff on hand instead of eating out or making expensive frozen bag dinners.

Skillet Chicken Ole
4 Boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cubed
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sm. onion chopped
2 tbs. olive oil
1 can Rotel
1 (10 oz.) frozen bag corn
1 (2 1/4 oz.) can sliced or chopped ripe olives
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 ts. pepper
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Hot cooked rice

Cook first four ingredients in a large skillet over med-high heat, stirring constantly for 5 min. Add tomatoes and next four ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 min. Uncover and simmer 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve over rice.
Yum!! Next time I want to spruce it up a bit with more veggies (green bell pepper? and maybe some fresh avocado and cilantro at the end).

Do you have any easy dinner ideas? Please share!! I'll take a picture next time. It was a pretty, healthy, and yummy dinner! Definitely a favorite for us!

Hope

Dear friends,

Thank you all so much for your encouraging words!!! Kacie and Jess, it is so helpful and encouraging to know that others feel the same way. :) (although it would be nice to be within driving distance, JESS) ;)
Even though I didn't feel like it I got out of the house yesterday and ran a bunch of errands. So now I have a lot of things to do. I am going to be in TX a week longer than Tim so I'm going to cook up a bunch of freezer food for him. Plus, I went to Target (it is therapeutic, Jess!!) and bought some cute things for Libby with the last of my giftcards. I can't wait until it warms up so I can put her in outfits that show off her cute little arms and legs!!
And finally, the best thing that happened yesterday...Tim suggested we go on a weekend trip somewhere...so we're going to DC to visit Kristin again!! And we're going to be there for the cherry blossom festival too! I can't wait! So we'll be doing that next weekend if everything goes according to plan. And maybe this weekend we'll head into the city but I'm not sure.
Today and tomorrow I'm going to stay home and finish cleaning the house. It's almost there and it's going to be so nice and clean and fresh. Plus, I'm using my chemical-free cleaners and they're working well so far!
Well, I just wanted to thank everyone, it's so wonderful to have friends!! And what a blessing to have high-speed internet and free long-distance! I don't know how my mom survived back in the day!! (she left her home country of New Zealand and came to America at 19 when she married my dad).
I love you all so much and I hope to get to see you soon!!!
XOXOXOX
~SAM

PS. there are eleven buzzards in my yard...good thing they weren't here yesterday!! :)

Difficult

Sometimes life is hard. Tonight Tim is working late as is often the case. Most of his company's clients are in Japan so when they have conferences they start at 8pm our time. Wouldn't hurt those Japanese guys to have an earlier appointment but oh well. I think it's around 10am their time. It really stinks for Tim and for me too. Life can be rough and living in NY has not been a piece of cake. I am so tempted to think that if we only lived in Texas things would be better. Sure, any company will require extra time of Tim, but just being in Texas would be a help. Seriously, just one mile south of the Red River would work for me. I know that Tim is getting a lot of good experience that is invaluable in his field, and it helps that I keep reminding myself of that. Helps somewhat but not completely. I'm probably just "Eeyore-like" because it's dark and Tim worked a lot last week and was busy on his *new* car all weekend. I am really missing Texas and all of my dear friends down there. Life is marching on for everyone. Jessy is preggers. Abe is one. My sis is graduating. Susan is getting married. Mindy is preggers ith #2, etc... And it seems like every weekend my family or Tim's is getting together to BBQ and just hang out or celebrate someone's birthday. I miss Arlington. I miss my Krogers and the Ranger's ballpark. I miss hanging out with Chris and Katey and Bethanie and Steve. I miss UTA and River Legacy Park where we would go running and throw the frisbee for Maddie. I miss playing speed scrabble until 3am with Jered and Courtney. This isn't helping. I just keep thinking of things I miss.
We will go back someday and this time will seem like a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of our lives. Right? RIGHT?? I guess right now it just seems like forever. We've been here a year and it's been interesting and about what I expected (read: miserable) but it can only get better. We're starting to make friends and I can finally drive without getting lost. Now that Libby is old enough and not sick we can start looking for a church again. I know that will help too. And sometime in the future Tim will have enough of this illusive "experience" and we can move back to Texas. Sweet, wonderful Texas. And I promise to never complain about the hot weather again!!

The test that my pet squirrel peed on before I had to hand it in!

Sweet Ave and I at a Rangers game.

My dad and I BBQing at my family's house. My hair was looong!

With Chris, Katey, and John K. at a Rangers game.

Hope you enjoyed those! It was fun for me too!

The good, the bad, and the adorable!

What should I say first? The good news or the bad? Well, I guess I'll start with the bad...
I read-ended someone yesterday. It was awful. I've never been in a wreck before. Well, I have been in the car but never as the driver. It was on one of those entrance ramps where you merge with the other cars. I was looking over my shoulder and thought it was clear then turned forward and there was a car right in front of me. I slammed on my breaks but *SMACK* we went. Made me feel really stooopid. Thankfully it wasn't too bad, Libby wasn't fazed at all, she just chilled out in her seat and then went to sleep while we waited for the policemen. The guys I hit were really nice. The driver was mad at first but then he softened up. I was really proud of myself, no crying or hysterics. I just stayed calm and didn't get upset. I didn't get a ticket but we're going to have to get my car fixed and I'm sure our insurance will go up. Makes me so frustrated after all the work I've been doing lately to save money and pay off debts. (we just paid off my car!!) But oh well, as my mom said, thats why we have insurance!! And thank the Lord it wasn't too bad and that no one was hurt. Moving on...
The good: I have to stay at home! That means I can get the house organized and I can cook and bake a lot. Today I'm going to make some bread and some oatmeal cookies. Plus, some chicken and other stuff.
Also, another good thing (hopefully) remember all my complaining about my eye troubles when I was pregnant? I just thought all my contact issues were due to changing hormones so I just gave up and wore glasses. Saturday morning we went to the eye doctor and he gave me the news that I have an infection! Yah! It's just sitting there on my eyeball and whenever I put in contacts it would flair up and make my eye turn red!! So I have to put two different types of drops in my eyes for a week and then in about another week I'm going in again. And hopefully it will have cleared up so I can wear contacts again. Crazy, huh? I can't believe I never went in before! I guess I thought an exam would be really expensive but I went to a doc who takes our insurance and our co-pay was $5!!! Another forehead slapper moment. Lets home the evil infection will be gone by the 23rd!
Four weeks from today we'll be in TX!!! That is fabulous news!! Libby and I will be in that awesome state for 10 days!! I can't wait to introduce her to her "home state". Like I told Vincent (our landlord buddy) "Being born in a barn does not make one a cow!" We'll get our little girl to TX just as soon as possible, she is NOT a Yankee!!
Lib is asleep so I'm going to get going on those cookies but first here are some pics for you. (the adorable part of the post!)

What up

So I've mostly been writing about Libby...a lot! I know, I guess this is turning into a Baby Blog but I can't help it! She pretty much is mostly what I think about these days, and she's a lot more fun than the state of our economy or government! I try not to stick my head in the sand but besides listen to my beloved Rush Limbaugh, I haven't been keeping up with things too much. I've been trying to get through the same book for the last month, but when it's time for bed I'm ready to sleep! However, last night after the Libster went down, Tim and I stayed up and watched 24 and Dancing with the Stars on my computer. It was so much fun!! And you'll never guess but I was the one who wanted to watch 24 and he was the one who voted for DWTS!!!! 'Tis true!! We really enjoyed it too. I guess I should disclose the reason he wanted so badly to watch couples twirl around (and I'm sure it had nothing to do with those beautiful "dresses" the girls wear -- rant -- but excuse me! When did wearing one leg of hose stretched across your body with a few strategically placed sparkles suffice for an outfit?! I thought that was supposed to be a "Family" show!!! -- rant complete)
Anywhoo, guess who is one of the stars this year?! Yes, one of Tim's heroes: Ty Murray!! Ty was a bullrider and was seriously one of, if not the best ever. It was really fun to watch a "goshdarnit" sweet cowboy on tv. And it was hil-ar-ious watching him try to dance!!! Our favorite quote: "I see it like bullriding, you never are ready, it just becomes your turn" LOLOLOL!!! We loved that!! Needless to say, the poor boy was as stiff as a board. I don't think he'll last too long!! It was interesting to watch for sure! Totally worth staying up until midnight!
And then 24, one of our favorite shows that has really seemed to have jumped the shark. I am having a hard time believing a few frogmen wearing camo and dragging several hundred pounds of ammo and gear could swim up the Potamic and simply walk into the White House. I was there over the summer and I'm sorry, there is noooo way that could happen!! Anyway, still, I was so very upset that they killed Bill!! They've killed so many of the best characters that I really don't see how this show is going to be able to come back for another season. Although I must say that the end was slightly more interesting, I don't think we'll be able to give it up quite yet.
One other thing, I've been growing more and more concerned with all of the chemicals in our lives so little by little I'm trying to change how we eat and clean, both ourselves and our house. So yesterday I ordered some Dr. Bronner's soaps and I can't wait to try them out! A big inspiration for all of this is my friend Alison's website. She has devoted a lot of research to living healthfully and she generously shares it with us on her blog. She is a terrific girl and I am soo thrilled that we're going to be bridesmaids together in August for our friend Susan's wedding! Which reminds me, I still need to lose a few more "Libby Lbs"!! Better get cracking on that!
Have a great day! Enjoy your warm Texas weather, my friends, I will be down there in about a month!!! XOXO

Why my house is messy

I love this poem!!


Song for a Fifth Child.
Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Growth!

First of all, two nights ago Libby slept from 10:30 straight to 5:30!! And then she slept until 7:30 after she ate! I was so thrilled! Unfortunately these last couple of nights she's had a harder time sleeping with this snotty nose. :( Poor thing! I propped her up a little last night and that seemed to help some. She is sleeping in her swing now and I think that really helps her out. She is battling her first cold but thankfully it's a mild one that's not bothering her too much, just a little runny nose.

Yesterday was Libby's two month check-up and her first visit with her new pediatrician. The first one was not the best in my view so we switched over. And I am so thrilled with him! I felt the complete opposite of how I felt after I left her last appointment with the old group. Our parenting methods are not exactly main-stream so we butted heads slightly with the old group. To me they just seemed like a big machine that checked everyone's child the same way and performed the same actions on every child, never asking us how we felt about things. For one thing (and I know this is hugely controversial) we are not crazy about the many vaccinations that are given to babies in this day and age. We declined the Hep B at birth and that didn't raise too many eyebrows but after that we were expected to just stick her whenever "they" mandate. Uh, no thanks! I'll pass!! However, we also know how beneficial vaccinations have been and are at largely eradicating diseases from the general population. So much so that these days many of these viruses and illnesses are extremely rare in the US. Anyway, long story short we wanted a doc who would talk to us and help us weigh our concerns and not just give us one of those "oh you're THAT type of parent" looks. This doc is completely opposite! We told him our main resource and he was pleased with that whereas the other doc pretty much mocked it and dismissed it as worthless. New doc helped us figure out what was most important and I left feeling extremely confident and pleased with our decision. Now, I know that most people feel confident about giving all the recommended vaccines and that's great!! Every family is different. I just want to see a flexible doctor who realizes that. Ok, doctor discussion is over, thanks for listening! :)

As for her new "stats"!! She currently weighs 11 lbs. and 6 oz. and is nearly 23" long. Now the old office put her length last time at 23" and I know she hasn't shrunk! So I guess it all depends on how much they stretch her out. :) I'm curious to see what my own measurement of her would be so I'm going to check that today. Not sure how I'm going to do that, but we'll see. :) That puts her in the 75th percentile for both height and weight - just perfect!

He was happy with her weight gain and her progresses so far. The whole time I visited with him she sat in my lap happy as a clam (how do we know how happy clams are??). When he checked her lungs she just stared up and him cooing and making her baby growly noises. So funny! He said that yes, she is "talking" a lot. :) And he was impressed that she was rolling over so much and had been doing it for so long. So the Libster is doing really well! I'm so very grateful and pleased for her progress. Having read so many stories of little ones with cancer and other afflictions, I am so very grateful for Libby's health. I just want to treasure every moment with her because we really do not know what is in the future. But as for today I will love her and squeeze her and hold her with a grateful heart!

Monthly growth pics

Here's my little darlin at two months!!!
She's getting so big already! I love the bright green onsie from Sue-Sue. And the tan "irrisitable" t that was a hand-me-down. Can I make a confession? I'm getting a little sick of the pastel pinks and greens. Sure they're cute but I'm wanting a splash of color! Some BRIGHT colors like lime green, fuchsia, and hot pink, ya know, non-baby colors! Those kind of clothes are usually more expensive so I'm going to stalk some sales racks and consignment stores. Anyway, I love the clothes she has but let me say I'm glad they grow out of them so quickly. :)

2 Months!

Libby is now 2 months old! She was robbed of a two month birthday however, as February doesn't have a "30th". :) I haven't taken her "growth picture" yet but I'll probably do that sometime today. I'm moving a little slow because I came down with a cold yesterday. It's not too bad (so far!) but I'm sniffy and sneezey and I have a scratchy throat. Ah well! So far Libby seems unfazed and I'm doing my best to keep her from catching it. That would be so not fun!!
Also, right now it looks like a blizzard outside! It's snowed about 8 inches so far and doesn't really look like it's stopping any time soon. Although that could be the wind swirling the snow around. I'm very disappointed with this awful NE weather!! No fun at all!! Especially since we had been teased in the last few weeks with spring-like weather and Libby and I had ventured out in my totally awesome jogging stroller. Hopefully when it warms up we can make good use of that fabulous present!
So I'm going to make note now of all that Libby is doing these days. I haven't written anything down so I need to so I don't forget.
- The day before she turned one month she rolled from her tummy to her back. And now she's quite a pro at doing that. She's also gone from her back to both sides but hasn't quite made it to her tummy again.
- She smiles a lot at us and has for a really long time now. And she literally has to smile back at someone if they smile at her, except when she's in a bit of a "mood" which is very rare!
- She's almost laughing! I can't wait to hear her really laugh! Right now if something really tickles her she throws her head back and opens her mouth reeally wide but she does this completely silently! It's really cute. She does this especially if you sing to her or if you play with her favorite toy, Jacques the Peacock. She really likes it if he "talks" to her in a very poor French accent (that sometimes sounds a little more "South of the Border"), but Libby is forgiving!
- She can completely support her head and is already trying hard to sit up on her own! She much prefers to sit in your lap or in her Bumpo chair rather than be reclined. If you do lay her down on her back she strains her neck trying desperately to sit up.
- She has always been a really good sleeper and now she's on a really good schedule. She goes down around 8:30 and sleeps until either 12:30 or 2:30, then she wakes up around 4:30 and sleeps until 7:30. Except for the other night when she only woke up once! I was shocked! Hopefully that will repeat itself!
- She is really easy to put down to sleep too. She takes 3-4 naps throughout the day and she'll be happily playing and then all of a sudden get real fussy so I'll scoop her up and snuggle her for a little while with a pacifier and she goes right to sleep. Sometimes I sneak in a little nap with her. :) (oh and yes, she loooves her paci/nuk and loves to suck on it when she's going to sleep - I try not to give it to her much when she's happy and awake though).
- She makes really good eye contact with us and even follows us with her eyes around the room.
- She usually likes everyone and will let anybody hold her without fussing at all. Unless, like I said before, it's sleepytime and then she just wants mom or dad. :)
- Speaking of dad...Tim is fantastic with her! He plays with her a lot whenever he's home and has even changed a few diapers (quite literally, I think!). She is a little daddy's girl and she loves it when he plays and snuggles with her.
- Car rides are usually a breeze except when she's hungry or needs a diaper change. Then she lets everyone know how unhappy she is with the situation! Most of the time listening to her favorite music will calm her down. For those about to "pop" I would highly recommend getting some music by Selah and Fernando Ortego. She loves both of them and they always calm her *very rare* fussiness.
- She loves to play games with us! She thinks its absolutely hilarious when we stick our tongues out at her and she copies us! Too funny! She's been doing this for several weeks now and it's quite entertaining.
- Sizewise: she's still in 0-3 mo. clothes and I put her in 3-6 mo. ones sometimes but they're pretty baggy on her. She had been wearing sz. 1 diapers until today she finished those off and I started some 1-2 ones that fit a lot better. I am using cloth diapers still on a part time basis (pretty much at home and when I'm caught up on laundry! :) ).

Well, that's all I can think of right now! She really is one of the best babies I've ever seen and of course the cutest and smartest. :) You know how that goes. ;) We are just so very blessed to have her in our lives and I can't imagine a time without her!
And here are a few pics to reward you for reading this long post and to hold you over until the next batch!