Hot Fun in the Summertime (Almost!)

It sure feels like summer! We took Kirkley to the neighborhood pool where they have a little shallow kiddie section! It was a fun way to top off a long day of fun -- Byron's for breakfast, doctor visit (still have an ear infection...starting to talk tubes), Wynnton's birthday party (so fun -- thanks Martins), and CityFest! So she'd had lots of fun by the time we hit the pool -- not quite as excited as we expected, but she still liked it! Lots of eye rubbing and sleepiness by the end! She especially loved her new bikini (thanks Litkenhous fam) and her very own towel (thanks Prather)!! She's wondering when some of her friends will come join her for some fun in the pool! My mom called shortly after posting this to let me know swimming+ear infection=not a great idea. I assured her the shallow pool was warm and we didn't get her head wet! :)

Shots at the Doctor

It is that time for Kirkley...so off we went Monday afternoon to the doctor for shots. But it wasn't for Kirkley! Mommy instead! Long story, I cut my foot {at her daycare}, so embarrassing, when I was picking her up. And, as I've already admitted, my pain tolerance is pitiful so there I am in front of the daycare workers, with my eyes welling up as they all tell me I will certainly need stitches. Really?? That upsets me after having a c-section?? I am crazy, I know. Well, Alex had to come get us and off we all went to the doctor. No stitches and not too bad now, but it was a first for Kirkley watching her mommy get a shot at the doctor. She was so sweet and sympathetic, but I know secretly she was grateful it was someone else! Her one year appointment is right around the corner though!

Things have slowed down after the celebrations. We came home last night after the drama, and I was rocking my sick little girl. She got off ear infection antibiotics at the end of last week and immediately got {another} cold. Could be worse, and I'm glad it was after the festivities. It also granted me a moment to be still with her. She's spoils us going to sleep on her own; these quiet moments of rocking and sitting still are so rare. It was great to just sit and think about what a blessing this year has been. With all of the commotion, there's been such little time for reflection.

We had a miscarriage in early 2006, but were pregnant again with Kirkley that July. At the time, it felt like such a journey to get to this point. I never realized how much I wanted children until it was a fear that we may not see that desire fulfilled. And now that we're at this point, I realize how lucky we are that, all in all, our journey was relatively short. As we rocked last night, she still seems so tiny and trusting. As I hold her little hand, look at her beautiful eyelashes, and think, how can this child be ours! It is just amazing to me. We certainly prayed for this child and here she is right before our eyes. Sometimes I still can't believe it. I pray so often that we enjoy and savor each and every moment, not looking to the next. And, truly, each moment has been such a joy! I can't imagine the years to come!

So I have also dedicated her to the LORD;

as long as she lives she is dedicated to the LORD.

1 Samuel 1:28

An Afternoon of Birthday Fun!

We rounded out birthday week with a party with some of Kirkley's friends. We had a great time seeing everyone and getting to visit! Kirkley was so excited that her Aunt Judi, great grandmother Mimi, and cousin Dawson came from Texas! A big thanks to my parents for letting us party at their house! We had a blast! Please email me any cute pics you have, and I'll add them to this! I'm missing a few sweet babies despite my efforts to not miss anyone! Kristin has great pics here!

So this concludes all of the birthday fun...for this year anyway. Couldn't resist sharing this picture. She'll hate me for this one day, but it is too cute not to share!

Kirkley's First Movie!

We had the best time putting this together. We've watched it at least a zillion times. Fair warning that it's about 10 minutes long; however, you may spot yourself or your sweet baby in it!

CAKE!!!

Now this is how you eat your birthday cake!!!

We celebrated with the family today!

Rockin!

Out to eat tonight with the fam!

Kirkley loved the bluegrass band and rockin!

Spilling the beans...

Brooke tagged me to do a little self-revelation. I never do those things you get on email, but this seems a little more fun than that. It's late for me so I'm hoping it makes a little bit of sense!

What was I Doing Ten Years Ago?

I was in the spring quarter (yes, quarter, I'm old) of my sophomore year of college. I was chaplain of my sorority and had just gotten put in charge of Freedom at Auburn University for 1999. This was also the time of year we were all engrossed in campus organizations and interviews. I can't even remember what went with what year now and what we were going out for -- shows how important all of that was in the grand scheme! That seems like a zillion years ago. I was dating Alex then. We first started dating in 1993. It was off and on -- the first break up was my doing my sophomore year in high school: note in the locker; I was brutal. Then we started dating again my senior year of high school until my senior year of college -- brief break up, then down the aisle! I was also working part time at the Methodist church as assistant youth director and a discipleship leader for precious girls. They were in seventh grade then and we were so close for those four years of my college career! Now some are married, one is expecting, and one is my sister-in-law! So fun to keep up with them. I was living on the Alpha Chi hall where I wish I would have stayed my junior year too -- apartment living was overrated.


Five Things on My To-Do List Today:

1. Hang drapes in my living room. Completed with the help of my entire family!
2. Go to Sam's for pictures I uploaded. I LOVE their photo and pharmacy department! They have not picked up speed yet and they are SO helpful!
3. Get Kirkley's daycare stuff organized -- she is starting a new place tomorrow. New things to organize, label, etc.
4. Dishes and Laundry-- these are always on my list. I gave up bottled water, so between my thermos containers, Kirkley's bottles, lunch containers, etc. we make a heap of dishes in our house. I dish wash everything so it's not like it's that much work. Just always unloading and loading again! Laundry is not as bad as dishes as we washed like six loads on Sunday. But we amass a lot of this also!
5. Get ready for the weekend! Yes, it's only Tuesday, but tomorrow night I'm going with my aunt to corks and canvas again (tulips -- anyone want to go?), we have Granddaddy and Cynthia coming in Friday afternoon through Monday (can't wait!! then more fun company next weekend!), Kirkley's family party on Saturday, and my lucky husband is heading to the last day of the master's on Sunday! We are taking lots of pictures this month so all of these exciting events don't pass us by in a blur!

Five Snacks I Enjoy:

1. Kashi Granola Bars -- dark chocolate cherry is the best!
2. Pears -- all of the Muncies are eating pears these days (also a great Sam's purchase)
3. Cheerios -- Kirkley has us hooked
4. Baked Chips
5. Chick-Fil-A Diet Lemonade

Five Things I Would Do if I Were a Billionaire:

1. SAVE -- I am such a crazy person about saving. We try to be strict with our IRAs, Kirkley's 529, etc! I know, you can't take it with you, but I do want us being wise, enjoying life, and leaving something that will benefit our children.
2. Pay off our house and Alex's law school.
3. Start some sort of charity that singles out students that can achieve but are in terrible circumstances. My heart is breaking right now for several students I have that could be and do so much but are really being held back by their friends/surroundings. Alex and I have talked at length lately about what we can do to really DO something!
4. Give to the childcare program at our church. As new parents, I would love to hire lots of staff for the nurseries and childcare rooms so that new parents aren't so queasy about leaving their little ones. I know that this doesn't seem that essential, but it has been a real struggle to maintain good attendance with all of the little ones. It is so important to me that we and our friends are well planted in a church on a regular basis supporting each other -- this has really been a tough hump! I'm hoping the sick season is about over and we'll all get good at this accountability again!
5. I would love to travel lots! I have never left the US! I would love to go to Europe, Australia, and Egypt.

Five Bad Habits:

1. I speak my mind...even when I'm not asked. Yes, precious friends, I am aware and working on this! :)
2. I over analyze every little decision in life. Everything no matter how minor, past or future, gets nit picked in my brain over and over and over again down to every little detail. It will not be one bit fun for me to build a house one day!
3. I avoid organizing like the plague. My mother loves to organize so I like to blame her to this. I love everything in its place, but I hate taking the time to organize it! I want it to magically organize itself.
4. We only make up our bed if 1) company is coming over and 2) if our bedroom is presentable enough for the door to even be open to see the bed!
5. I constantly look to the next step in life. I think this goes back to over analyzing things. I'm constantly so busy thinking and planning for the next step that sometimes I miss out on the joy of the moment! Having Kirkley is helping -- you can't help but find joy in all of her little moments! But on the bright side, it's hard to catch us off guard!

Five Places I Have Lived:

1. Harrisonburg, Virginia - I was born and lived there until I was one. We just returned here to visit for Thanksgiving for the first time since I was in middle school. It was such a treat to see long lost family and tour the area!
2. Auburn, Alabama - Age one through college.
3. Celebration, Florida - One year after college. This was right outside of Orlando. Celebration was beautiful, and it was so much fun being so close to Disney! I have such fun memories from my time there from heading to Epcot after work and visiting the multitudes of outlets constantly with my sweet roommates and friends!
4. Lawrenceville, Georgia - I lived there after Celebration with my sweet friend Allison while I got my graduate degree for one year until I got married. That is a blur of wedding planning.
5. Tuscaloosa, Alabama - We lived there for Alex's last two years after we got out of college. Not a place we'd ever like to revisit, but we made precious friends there that we still keep up with and get together with!

Five Jobs I've Had or Have:

1. Assistant Youth Director
2. Graduate Teaching Assistant in the College of Education
3. Southern Living at Home Sales
4. Food Editor for EAL Magazine (editor is probably a strong title -- but I did edit recipes and prepare them for the photo shoots until I had Kirkley!)
5. Third Grade and Sixth Grade Teacher

Five People I Want to Know More About (a nice way of saying, "You're Tagged!") My Non-Blogging Friends! Give in...start a blog...you know you want to! In no specific order:

1. Scarlotte Vaughn
2. Emily Gross
3. Ruth Ann Fite
4. Rebekah Fitts
5. Mary Johnson

Let the birthday fun begin!

This week has us reminiscing about this time last year. My due date was April 9, and I spent it at school still working. I was terrified that my water would break as I was teaching in front of my class! However, my due date came and went, and we waited...I started having contractions late Tuesday night, April 10. I called in my sub and we packed our bags! We were so excited Wednesday morning as we packed the car, headed to the doctor, and found out...I was not in labor! We did a stress test on Thursday (packed the car again)...and returned home. We scheduled with the doctor to induce me on Saturday, April 14.

Thank goodness I wrote all of this down afterwards so I can remember the fun -- many moments I cherish, a few I try to block so that we will one day want to have another baby! In the wee hours of Saturday morning (day 4 of contractions -- not that I was counting), my water broke and we sped off to the hospital. After much stronger contractions and much coercing for Alex to speed up, run red lights, etc., we spent 13 hours (again, who was counting -- not me because I'd had two epidurals) waiting for me to be ready to push only to decide Kirkley was going to be a c-section baby! It was after the c-section that I realized why I thought I was in labor so many times -- my pain tolerance...not so high. Just ask Scarlotte and Amy who I quickly hunted down to assure them that they had misled me about the ease of a c-section...sorry again Scarlotte and Amy, it was the pain meds talking! :)

Around noon as we waited...

Kirkley arrived within minutes of that decision, and on Saturday, April 14, 2007, our lives have been forever enhanced. I won't say changed because I feel the saying, "Your life will never be the same!" has negative connotations. Our lives are forever enhanced and made brighter by this precious gift God gave us. We are so thankful for a healthy, happy girl who is growing bigger and bigger by the minute! We can't believe the one year birthday is a week away!

Our First Family Picture