The Beach...

Where did June go!!! We have had such a wonderful summer. Eden is getting more grown up by the minute. Suddenly a little toddler is in front of me... She is talking more and more. She says MaMa, DaDa, Bye Bye, NaNa (banana), PaPa, boo (book), Bipe-Bipe (diaper) and her favorite word is Uh-Oh- and let me tell you, she knows exactly when to use it. It is so funny- anytime anything falls or we toss something on the bed or the sofa "uh-oh". I still can't believe how grown-up she is!

We took a fabulous trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama with Brett's whole family in mid-June. It was such fun! I highly recommend it for a great, affordable, family vacation. We really didn't do much, which is the best part, just a lot of pool and beach time. So, I'll just bombard you with pictures...

The first three days Eden was sick with a fever and sore throat, but with lots of prayer it left as quickly as it came!

No doubt these two are cousins...and both look like their daddies!!

First time on the beach!!! Our little strawberry was still feeling kind of puny, but how sweet does she look...

This is one of five, yes five bathing suits that mad the trip with us. A girl just can't have too many...

This is how Eden liked to enjoy the pool. Just kick back and float... she's just like her Daddy!

Miss Eden and her "Sassy" (Brett's Mom). Bathing suit #2!

Check out the shades... Bathing suit #3!

She LOVED the ocean! Try to ignore the "yes I'm a Momma now" swim suit.

My very smart friend Rosanne gave us the idea of putting a little pool on the beach to keep sand out of little eyes and little mouths. It worked like a charm!

Brett's brother Jim, his beautiful wife Tricia and Garrett, the best cousin in the world.

Daddies and their babies.

The whole family... Sarah (Brett's Mom), Me, Tricia (Sister in Law), Tony (Brett's Dad), Brett, Jim (Brett's brother), Eden, and Garrett

Us.

Sassy & Grandpa and the Grandbabies...

Us again.

My Loves.

Stuff...

We were in the kitchen. I pulled something out of the fridge, walked it across the room and when I came back to close the door, this is what I found...

We knew she could crawl, knew she could pull up, didn't know she could climb.



We took a quick trip to the botanical gardens this morning. Look at the pretty pictures...

WHOOP!!!

OH YES WE DID!!!! We took Miss Eden on her first trip to the Holy Land- oh I mean Aggieland (thanks Jason Karnes)- this weekend. It was beyond fun. There is just something about being there... All my Aggie friends know what I mean. I must send a million thanks to my sister Anna. Her boyfriend Buck is in E2- the outfit that cares for Miss Reveille- so we totally took advantage and Rev was able to fit us into her very busy Spring schedule. We ate Wings and a burger at Koppe bridge (Freebirds has kind of lost its luster for me, but we'll save that for another day), and we had a yummy sausage dog at a crazy fun baseball game- aren't those the greatest?! Now Eden will certainly have her choice of schools when college time comes...really, she can go wherever she likes- we won't pressure her in the least...really... I would never play the War Hymn while she sleeps or frame photos of her and Rev in her room or pin an Aggie jersey in her closet...really... Enough talk, just check out the slideshow on the left.

Happy 8 Months!!

I CANNOT BELIEVE MY CHILD IS 8 MONTHS OLD!!

Highlights-

• She sleeps like a dream (now that she has discovered tummy sleeping it's even better)
• Three square meals a day (I know you were worried by how thin she is :))
• She LOVES sweet potatoes and DOES NOT LOVE green beans (she is, however, very polite about her dislike and simply looks at the floor and refuses to look at me...)
• She has begun feeding herself little bites of banana and cooked carrots (for all my OT friends, she has an excellent pincer grasp)
• She says DaDa and NaNa (for bananas), and for now she says BaBa instead of MaMa, but we're working on it...
• She understands the signs for milk, eat, drink, all done, and more.
• She does raspberries, clucks, growls, and coughs and loves to copy us making those sounds
• She gives kisses when asked, but so far only to Mommy (I just hate that...)
• She's very curious about everything (this has been confirmed by BOTH the church and MOPS nurseries) and always wants to find and investigate sounds, or play with whatever we (or other children) have
• She pulls up on anything she can get her little hands around. Her favorite is our big magazine basket and ottoman. She'll stand and cruise around those forever.
• She has been standing alone for a few seconds (her record is 7 seconds, but I was the only witness :))
• Little Missy can crawl! This video was right after she started so she has gotten much smoother and faster, but she still uses one foot and one knee- it's really funny (people kept telling us how our lives would change once she was mobile, but I really had no idea...)
  
  

There are no words to tell you what joy Eden brings to both of us every single day. I still cannot believe God let us be a part of her life. Isn't His design amazing!!!

Happy Easter!

We've had such a wonderful 2 weeks!!! On April 5 we had the joy of dedicating Eden back to God during our Sunday morning service. God continually gives us so much more than we will ever deserve and that certainly includes our children. I am priviledged beyond measure that God has let us be a part of Eden's life and I am so aware of what an awesome responsibility Brett and I have been given. It is my heart's cry that she grow up with a deep and lasting understanding of the incredible love of Christ and it is our responsibility to create an environment for that to happen. Nothing brings me greater peace as a parent than to know that God loves Eden so much more than we do and I am excited beyond words to see what He does with her life...

Of course our families came to encourage us and commit to Eden girl with us, and of course there was some fun...and food...and fun...and food...

On Saturday we went with Brett's parents to a local organic strawberry patch and yes oh yes WE PICKED OUR OWN STRAWBERRIES!!!!! Now for any of you who don't know, this is the kind of thing that makes me want to skip down the street singing John Denver's "Country Road" then can some peaches and maybe quilt a little. I make no apologies. It was almost magical...

...and then there was Easter. Is there a better day? I mean really? We get to celebrate absolutely the greatest event that has ever happened in the history of everything... and we do it with family and friends that we love... and it's a beautiful time of year (rain or no rain)... and we get to put really pretty dresses on really pretty babies... and we get to eat really good food and watch really good golf... and there's candy for days... not to mention baskets and eggs- two of my favorite objects on the planet... I mean really?!

Happy Easter...

Ya think it was all the prenatal yoga?

Occasionally she even moves from this fabulous plank to an exceptionally good downward facing dog!




Look out, she's mobile! Miss Eden SO wants to crawl, but hasn't quite gotten there. She scoots backwards on her hands and then performs her infamous "plank" as seen above. She started out on the blanket and ended up at the closet. It's so funny to watch!

Just Stuff...

Eden took her first trip to the park for a "play date"




You know that warning about taking off all hats, headbands, bows, etc before putting your infant in the carseat... Eden started yelling and this is what I found (she couldn't get it off because it was tied)...


Yeah for Daddy running a great 10k yesterday...