Helen, GA January 2007

We went to Helen, GA as a family for the New Year. Bryan, Amanda, Makayla, Gavyn, Bryton, Mom, Colin, Devin, Hillary, and me. It was fun to be able to spend family time together. Hillary used my shoulders as her mode of transportation while we were there, and we got some really cute shots of the kids together.

4th of July 2007

Here is a pic of Hillary and me that was taken on the Fourth of July last year. Again so neat to see how much they grow from one year to the next. Kristel had asked for me to post some of the old pics that I had so everyone could see just how much has changed since I have not been blogging. Hope ya'll enjoy all the pics.

4th of July 2008

Here is a pic of me and then Hillary and me on the Fourth of July. I was 22 weeks and still carrying all in the belly! She enjoyed watching all the fireworks that night although when they first started they scared her. She didn't like hearing the big booms.

Trip to James and Cari's in Ohio (June 2008)

As most of ya'll know Mom, Devin, Hillary, and me went to visit James and Cari and the boys before they had Katie. It was a lot of fun, but Hillary was just not herself at all while we were there. She had a lot of rough days and a lot of time outs. But on the days that weren't rough the kids really got to enjoy themselves. Here are a few priceless pics of Hillary and Logan in a water fight, Logan driving Hillary around in his jeep, and all of them sitting in James chair watching tv one morning. After the trip both Hillary and Devin were worn out and slept most of the drive home.

Easter 2008

Look at the difference in Hillary in just a year. She loved her Easter basket because it had a pocket book and necklace in it. Hillary is at the stage that she thinks she has to take a pocket book everywhere with her, so when I saw this basket I just couldn't pass it up. She was so pretty and even let me do her hair in curls and pull it up. I love her hair!!

Easter 2007

Here is Hillary and me in front of the church on Easter Sunday. She looked so cute, but we couldn't get her to take a picture just by herself. So here we are just a cheesing it.

Halloween 2006

Here is my beautiful little angel out in the front yard at Mom's house! It was a real cute idea because she went trick or treating with one of my friends little girl and she was dressed up as the devil.

Hillary's First Time in Snow (Jan-Feb 2007)

Hillary had never experienced the snow before so we had enough that it covered the ground so I took her out and let her play in it. She thought it was neat to feel the texture of it, but she didn't want to stay out in it long because it was so cold. Here are some cute pics of her all bundled up!

Hillary's First Camping Trip Summer of 2007

These pics are priceless. Rickey's family always has a family reunion camping trip the first of June and I let him take Hillary with him. His mother gave me a few pics that she took that were just to cute. Hillary experiencing her first roasted marshmallow, her first time holding a fishing pole. Look at the fish that her and Rickey caught (she was so thrilled although I didn't see it in the picture). Her first time in a canoe (she was a little scared they said), and then the cute one of her in front of the tent. My favorite one of all is the one where she was just so tired she laid down in the chairs and they said she was out in a matter of seconds. They told me she had a blast! I am glad that my child enjoys to go camping.

"I am the Queen"

I am not exactly sure how old Hillary is in this picture but this was a picture that Rickey's mother gave me of Hillary at her house acting like she was the queen. She grabbed her beaded necklace and put it around her head like it was a crown. Her dimples really show up in these pics though. I love watching children and their imagination while they play.

Hillary at the Wedding (November 3rd, 2007)

Well for all of ya'll that didn't get to come to the wedding and have not really got to see wedding pictures here are a few of how cute Hillary was the day of the wedding. While we were getting dressed she was a perfect little angel and let me get her dressed and put her necklace on. She was so cute dancing in front of the mirror saying she was a little princess. While I was getting dressed she started practicing early with throwing her flowers out of her basket all over the floor, so I had to bend down and help her pick them all up. I think the cutest pic I have of her was when the ring bearer walked down the isle but Hillary just stood there and would not move until Mimi (Mom) went and walked with her down the isle. She was so precious and looked just like a little princess.

Hillary at the Russ House in January 2008

I know that a lot of these last couple of blogs are old pics but thought ya'll would enjoy to see pics that I haven't really had a way to share until I started blogging lately. As all of ya'll know Mom, Hillary, and me went down to Amanda and Bryan's when Cayden was born. One day all the kids decided they wanted to go outside and roll around in the dirt like they were all pigs. They were absolutely nasty, so we decided that instead of letting any of them run around the house filthy we would just put them all in the tub at once. The tub was black when we finished. Its so funny how kids could care less how dirty they get when they are having fun.

Hillary's 3rd Birthday (February 11, 2008)

Well I know that Hillary's birthday was long ago, but I was not blogging at the time and had some very cute pics to share with ya'll. Hillary was a perfect little angel and sat still for me to roll her hair in sponge curlers, but when it was time for pics she had yanked it all down and all the curls were gone. Typical 3 year old. James, Cari, and the boys came down for the weekend so we had a cake made and had a family party. Well, needless to say Hillary and Tyler got a hold of the cake before anyone else. At least I got some good pics of the cake before they destroyed it. It was fun for them, but the cleaning up was not as fun for us as parents.

31 weeks and 4 days

I went to the specialist for my 31 week check up on Sept 10th and was told that the baby weighs approximately 4 pounds and 7 ounces, and also that I was still due November 8th but that he is measuring 2 weeks further. So that makes it October 29th. No wonder I am so big. This baby is going to be a lot bigger than HIllary was I have a feeling. I might just get my wish and have this baby right after the Peach State Competition. Who knows all the steps you have to climb there and the hike from the car may just start me in labor. LOL.

Hillary's First Day of School

Hillary was so excited about starting school, so she let me do her hair (for once I didn't have to fight with her to keep her head straight). When we pulled up to the school, I told Hillary I wanted to get a picture of her on her first day of school. She decided that the school bus that is parked in the parking lot was a lot more interesting than the actual school itself. She would not go anywhere else to take pictures. Finally after the camera was put up, I talked her into going inside and actually going and playing with her friends, and seeing her teachers. She loves school, and is learning new songs everyday.

Read to Me

Hillary absolutely loves to be read to, so you can only imagine how she is with Nanna. We had gone down to Nanna's house one evening after picking Devin up from band practice and she pulled one of Nanna's little scripture books out and was having Nanna read each scripture to her. It was so cute because Hillary was trying to copy every word that Nanna would say. I could never imagine taking Hillary out of Chickamauga now that she has gotten this close to her Nanna.

A Day at Nanna's

Nanna was working on one of her word puzzles like normal and explained to Hillary that she had to have her glasses on to see the words on the paper, so Hillary went and grabbed Nanna's sunglasses off the table and put them on to see her paper better and was working on making her own crossword puzzle on some scrap paper Nanna had given her. I couldn't pass up the cute picture of her trying to be like her Nanna. What a great person for her to be like! I love being so close and Hillary being able to grow closer to Nanna daily, even if Nanna doesn't always remember that she has been down there to visit. She cherishes every minute that she has, and so do I.

Out Like A Light

Hillary spent the night with her MawMaw, Rickey's mother, while I went to do my sugar test today at the doctor's office. When I finished I went and picked her up, and she wanted to go down to her Nanna's as soon as we got out of the car here at the house. She went down and ate a pop sickle with Nanna, and was falling asleep at the table. I brought her home and put her down for a nap. When I went to check on her just a few minutes later she had grabbed both her big stuffed animals (a gorilla and a dog) and had falling fast asleep. Isn't it amazing how fast they can go to sleep after so much energy all day long.

A Day at the Pool

Hillary has been to the pool with Devin quite alot, but I finally took her over there and got some pretty cute pics of her. She is a regular fish in the water. She loves to swim constantly, and has learned that she can swim all over the pool by herself with her arm floaties although she still enjoys playing in the other form of floats that they have there at the pool. She tells me all the time that she is a mermaid like Ariel.

26 weeks

Well I am now 26 weeks along and am getting to where I am having to wear maternity tops. At least they have a lot of cute ones out for the summer. Here I am at Coolidge park with Hillary. She is patting my stomache and getting me all wet.

A Day at Coolidge Park

My friend, Marti, and me took her son, Dakota, and Hillary to Coolidge Park to play in the Fountain. Hillary had not been up to the Fountain this summer yet. It took her some time before she would go inside it and play but when she did she loved every second of it. The water may be cold, but I don't believe it effects the little ones. They just block it all out.