21 Week Belly.

Christmas post to come but since I have been so bad at taking belly pics this pregnancy, I had to include one that I remembered to take over Christmas. 21 Weeks!

Little Man Sneak Peak.

Last week we got a sneak peak of our little man. I've been feeling him kick and squirm for several weeks but it was so exciting to see him on screen wiggling and bouncing around like crazy. This was by far the best and most clear ultrasound we have had. He kept stretching his legs out completely straight which we had never seen before and the tech got some pretty funny photos of it which you can see in the last two pics.

Silly boy, we cannot wait to welcome you into our crazy family and hold you in our arms. Love, Mommy & Daddy ( and Addie!)

A Christmas Pageant.

Addie's school put on a Christmas Pageant and it couldn't have been more adorable. She was a sheep and her class sang a song about all the animals in the manger (there was a lot of "mooin" and "baaa-aaa-ing hahaha) and Jason and I sat with our camera and video camera in hand beaming with pride. This is what Christmas is all about!

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Just The Two Of Us.

Jason was gone to the deer lease this weekend which left Addie and I for a whole weekend of slumber partying and tea-partying and watching Lifetime NON STOP.

It was pure awesomeness. Not that we don't get heaps of time to spend together during the week since I am a stay at home mom and all but I made sure to have activities planned to make this weekend extra special. Just the two of us. Last night we put together our annual gingerbread house and I don't think I have laughed that hard in a looooong time. She was eating it just as fast as I was decorating it. Dancing to the Christmas music we had playing in the background between shoving gumdrops in her mouth like no one was watching her, I think I pulled a gaggillion muscles in my tummy laughing at her.

This is what Christmas is and when she is 16, I doubt she will be as happy to help me with the annual gingerbread house so I soaked it all in. :)

The Perfect Tree.

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I am a total sucker for all things Christmas. One of the traditions we knew we wanted to honor with our kiddos is picking out and cutting down our tree from a Christmas tree farm. We bundled up and off we went to Dewberry Farm in hunt for the perfect one!

^The picture above is exactly what I had envisioned... Addie running wild down the rows of trees, breathing in the cold winter air and giggling all the way. :)

We even found a Tate-sized tree! It is so wild to think that next Christmas, we will have two little ones at the farm with us!

And finally, the traditional tree on top of the car photo. The tree looks so tiny compared to my huge Mack-Mobile but it is 9 ft tall, my car is just a beast! I think Jason's idea when we bought it was to get as much weight and metal around us as possible as he is all too familiar with my driving. :)

18 Months.

Cannot believe we created such a beautiful little girl on the inside and out.

Thankful.

A lot of folks on Facebook are doing the name-something-you-are-thankful-for-everyday thing and though I haven't been doing it, it doesn't mean that there isn't so much in my life I am thankful for.

Most importantly?

My family. My extended family, my in-laws, my girlfriends that are like sisters.

And especially my own little family. My loving and supportive husband who is truly the greatest man I have ever known, my sweet sassy but tomboyish little girl who makes my heart explode on a daily basis and our sweet baby boy Tate growing in my belly who we have not met yet but already love so very much.

I am building the family I always dreamed of and that is what I am thankful for most of all. Without them I am nothing!

~Addie's Thanksgiving Feast at School~

It's A.......

We had a bit of a scare this weekend but all is well. The super fabulous exciting news though is that we found out we are having................... A BOY!!!

I am so excited and feel so blessed that we have been given a daughter and now a son. A son, a still can't believe it!

I hope he is just like his Daddy. :)

3 Years.

I know I have said it a million times but I will say it again. And every year.

You saved me.

Happy Anniversary, baby.

Because We Can't Hold It In Any Longer.

..... and baby makes 4!!!

Happenings.

Like I said in my previous entry, I need to catch up!! So I will try to sum up the past months happenings in photos.

Addie's First Trip To The Beach:

Laci & Mark's Texas Visit:

Kemah Boardwalk:

And to show you how busy we have been, this entry has been up on my computer half written for almost a week now! Eeep. Addie starts school twice a week next week so I will hopefully have more time to keep things updated! There are a lot of exciting things going on that I cannot wait to share. :) Until next time.....

The Luckiest.

I have so many blog entries to catch up on but can't seem to get motivated. Laci and Mark's Texas visit, our Kemah Boardwalk day trip, Addie's first trip to the beach and the list goes on. Instead, I am sitting here tonight, the hustle and bustle of the day behind me as I sit quietly, feeling very thankful. For my husband who loves me and supports every single thing I do and want to do. For my sweet angel daughter who is amazing in every way and is somehow on the same crazy wavelength I am. :)

I did not even know this kind of happiness was even possible.



In my daugher's eyes, I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I want to be
In my daughter's eyes

Reason #3,749...

.... why I love this kid. She can run around outside in nothing but her diaper, chasing bugs and getting dirty head to foot, then come inside and put a dress on and do this.... with accessories no less!

Two Days Late.

We celebrated Jason's birthday on the 3rd! Complete with Laci and Mark (who are visiting for the week), Smurf themed banana pudding, balloons, underwear and socks and a Disney Princess birthday card (from Addie!). :)

Now if I can just coax his hairs into turning gray faster.......

Rare Peek.

Now that Bug has left babydom and entered toddlerhood, it is a rare occurence that I get to watch her sleeping. I remember when she was a tiny newborn I would watch her for hours, the rise and fall of her chest and her warm sweet baby breath on my skin as I held her.

Today we went to her buddy Van's house and they played. And played. And played. So much so that we didn't make it to story time at the library today because 5 minutes after leaving she was fast asleep with her favorite little bunny on her lap. :)

Like A Firecracker.

Our 4th was pretty laid back. We had family over, watched Addie swim in her pool and did wagon rides, bubble blowing and ate. OH did we eat. Baby back ribs, brisket, chicken, potato salad, beans, apple pie and Addie had her very first taste of homemade ice cream:
.It doesn't really get more American than that.

A Trip.

We took a mini family vacation to San Antonio this past weekend. The munchkin fell in love with the butterflies at the zoo:
...... the drapes in the hotel room:

...... and her very first taste of red Icee:

I know she is too young and she won't remember these moments.

But we will.

And when she is gone with a family of her own, Jason and I will smile and remember how she pushed her dolly around the hotel room in her stroller and how she sat with ice cream covering her cheeks and mouth in that little ice cream shop on the RiverWalk.

And how we wished that that weekend, we could have frozen time for just a little bit longer. :)

Her Daddy.

Having a child does not a father make, it is everything that comes afterward. Thank you for being the kind of Daddy I never had but always dreamed of for my children. Thank you for always being patient and kind and unconditionally loving. Thank you for being the reason why a day that used to be dark and twisty is now all warm and fuzzy.

Thank you for being there for our daughter. She has so much in you and she doesn't even know it yet.

Thank you for being you. :)

Catch Up.

I feel like there is so much to catch up on and it feels a little impossible at this point! So to make it easier:

Check out our trip to the crawfish festival HERE.

Check out Addie's Birthday and Party HERE.

And for the biggest news, watch this!





Yes, Addie is WALKING! No we are not bribing her with vodka, I swear!

She is still getting the hang of it (with a few bumps and bruises to show for it) and I had to resist the urge to strap a pillow to her chest and put a helmet and knee pads on her. Poor thing got her mammas grace (or lack thereof!)

P.S. Please excuse my broke down appearance.

One Year (The Sweetest One Yet!).

One year ago today we were given the greatest gift, our little spider monkey Addison Monroe! There is no doubt this spunky, goofy, sassy little big girl was specially picked for our little family. It has been a truly amazing year that has passed much too quickly but we are excited about our adventures ahead. Happy 1st Birthday Addie Bug, we love you to the moon and back! Mommy & Daddy

What It Is Really All About.

Happy (late) Mother's Day to all the mammas out there!

Toes In The Water.

Our get-away to Playa Del Carmen was nothing less than perfect, there is really no place like Mexico. The resort, the food, the beach... all amazing. Every year we look around at different places to travel (Did you know that Mexico is cheaper than most vacation destinations because of the all inclusive packages? I am telling you, GO THERE!) and we always end up on the white sand and crystal blue water. Paradise. We missed Addie like crazy, but sometimes you just have to get away, let loose a little and go back to where it all started. :)

Almost 5 years and one kiddo later and the man still knows how to woo. The trip included a couples hot stone massage, a special Mother's Day gift and this romantic beach dinner set up on our last night. I might possibly be the happiest/luckiest girl in the universe.

Good bye Mexico, until next time!

P.S. Note to self, tiny maraccas might seem like a great souvenir for Addie at the time but not when you get home and she is smacking you in the face with them because she loves playing with them so much. Ouch.

Addie's First Easter.

Yesterday was Addie's first Easter and I think it was one of my favorite "firsts" with her so far. The night before, we put her to bed, put on some music and played Easter Bunny. Jason took his job very seriously and made sure to place the Tinkerbell stickers ever so perfectly on each egg while I just tried to keep my clumsy self from breaking them.

I love this first picture, it reminds me of a conversation I had with my sister-in-laws before Addie was born. We were talking about how it takes a special kind of guy to be a little girl's father. The daddy/daughter relationship is so special and SO important and it takes a super loving, sensitive, patient and affectionate guy. Jason is definitely the perfect little girl's father and as much as I would love to have a son one day, I could see us with a house full of little girls which would be fine by him (and me!). :)

The next morning when Addie woke up, we checked out what the Easter Bunny had brought! She racked up with Tangled, Bambi, 2 books, a Build-A-Bear bunny, Eggs and a Giant Bubble Blower. With a selection like that, the Easter Bunny must be an Amazon.com shopper. ;)

I am pretty sure the eggs were her favorite part as she had fun dropping them on the concrete and watching them crack and trying to share them with Ross (or as she calls him, "Doss").

Jason made waffles while Addie ate the eggs for breakfast she had just played toss with on the back patio. We then all snuggled up on the couch to watch Tangled and then all fell asleep for a nap.

After waking up and having lunch we set out for the lake in our neighborhood to feed the duckies.

Best buds. I love how tiny she looks sitting next to him!

Sometimes the quiet, simple days are the best days of all. :)