tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58086150466683543292024-03-06T02:01:14.631-06:00The Harris FamilyOur Adventure with Two under TwoChristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-84636032377956799972011-03-01T23:00:00.000-06:002011-03-01T23:00:28.091-06:00Colic...What can I say about colic.. well in not so many words here it goes..it SUCKS!<br />
<br />
Colic is a living, breathing, frustrating, exhausting, maddening thing. It turns your beautiful, bouncing, pink cheeked, fresh from the womb baby into a primal animal. It makes you question everything you ever knew as a parent, as a woman, and as a person.<br />
<br />
It is a god awful, madness inducing, no explanation for, "there is nothing we can do for you" and "don't worry it will get better" thing. <br />
<br />
I call it a thing because it is not an illness, an illness would indicate that there is a cure, and there is none...well none except for time. Time that turns days into weeks and weeks into months and before you know it, sleep deprivation, and constant screaming is "Normal".<br />
<br />
Colic is something I prayed we would never deal with, Abby slept through the night at 10 weeks, and to this day still sleeps 10 to 12 hours with no issue and takes a "good" nap, by good I mean more than 45 minutes and is not speckled with Screaming. <br />
<br />
Jax on the other hand, has screamed from day 4, he was perfect in the hospital and we got him home and POOF! sweet little boy turned into screaming wildabeast, at first we thought, ok well maybe it is his jaundice, he must be hungry because his levels are high, soI fed him round the clock ...it didn't help. Then it was "oh he has a milk sensitivity" (which turned out to be true and changing his formula which he was on by then helped some) then his doctor said "switch him to soy" and that didn't help...none of us wanted to admit that he had colic.<br />
<br />
We tried Gripe water, colic tablets, I walked the living room for HOURS with him in the Moby, the colic hold, mylicon, car rides, and bouncing, you name it we tried it and nothing helped. <br />
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It was at this point that I begun to question myself as a mother, "Maybe I am not doing it just right, maybe if I try it this way it will help". I cannot tell you how many times Donnie got home from work at 5:30 in the morning and found me on the couch sobbing with Jax Screaming in his bassinet in the bathroom with the door locked because all I could do at the point was walk away and put him in a safe spot. I began to question everything I had ever learned about raising a baby, and my competence to do it with number 2. I was already having mommy guilt about what bringing baby home was going to do to Abby and couple that with the Colic and it was a recipe for disaster.<br />
<br />
I looked at my son and wanted to love him, to have the feelings I had for Abby when she was first in my arms and her subsequent days when she was FINALLY home and they just weren't there, and I hated myself for it, I felt like a failure, a bad mother, because I looked at my baby and all I felt was sadness, sadness that Icouldn't fix him, sadness that I couldn't stop him from writhing in pain 20 hours a day. I mean come on I am his mother... I SHOULD KNOW WHAT TO DO!?! right...WRONG.<br />
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There is nothing to be done, but survive, and that is what we did, it took a toll on my marriage, my other child, My Husband and me, but we survived, and we have been rewarded with a beautiful, bouncing, amazing boy! Who we love more than words can describe, Who we thank god every day for, and who we know has an amazing future!<br />
<br />
So while this post may not have any "tips" for surviving colic, or any advice so to speak, know that if it is something you are dealing with, have dealt with, or ever have to go through, you are not alone, and there is a light at the end of the VERY long tunnel, and the reaward is more amazing than you could ever imagine.<br />
<br />
You will get that perfect ending, you will get a happy baby, and you will appreciate it so much more because of the trials you went through to get there!Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-64145007489002717892010-12-14T00:11:00.000-06:002010-12-14T00:11:00.961-06:00The beginning of the endof my 20's,...which will lead to a new beginning and new chapter in my life. I started out my 20's as a fairly seasoned College student as I was a junior, so looking forward to my future and hopeful of all the things life would bring me. I was living in an apartment off campus, as a psuedo adult, and was a member of a service sorority that kept me busy, I filled my days with service projects, studying, sisterhood events, paper writing, planning my future and the boyfriend, and my nights were living for the moments I may not remember with the friends I would never forget. <br />
<br />
My 20's have been a decade of great change and transition for me, I went from being college student, with all these ideals and ideas about the world, to being a fairly seasoned worker, with quite a few jobs under my belt, a wife, a mother, and most recently a stay at home mom and a member of the large unemployed population, but having the best job in the world. I have changed and grown more in my last 10 years of life than I think I ever did in my first 20. Some days were fantastic, some sucked a whole lot, some days I wanted to just go to bed so I could wake up and start new the next day, and other days I never wanted to end. <br />
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I have learned what family truly means to me and have begun to appreciate my parents much more now as I am happy to not just call them Mom and Dad, but to call them friends as well. I have learned to hang on to the lessons of the past that will help me with my future and to forgive myself for things that will not. I have realized that there really are people that you must have in your life, for example, a best friend who holds so much of your past that no matter the physical distance, your hearts are still in the same place. That as much as you bicker when you are younger, your sisters will become good friends and confidants when you get older. I have learned that my past will not define me, but that it did help shape me. <br />
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I found that love crops up in the strangest of places, most notably in front of a fraternity house on a random Thursday night when I was least expecting it, but most definitely hoping for it. That, that love would test me in ways I never knew existed, but at the same time teach me so many things about myself. It would also take me to some dark places but light up my world more than I ever knew it could be.<br />
<br />
I have found that being a mother is the most challenging yet rewarding experience that I have ever had. That it is truly possible to fall in love at first sight, and that I am much stronger than I ever thought that I was. That loud music in a smokey bar, surrounded by my friends, would pale in comparison to quiet nights in, and 3 am feedings when I get smiles cause my babies bellies are full. That even though I miss those nights some times, I would never give up what I have now. <br />
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My 20's have been such a great learning experience, and have opened my eyes in so many ways. I am looking forward to my 30's, but am still a little sad to close this chapter of change in my life. I realize though that as with anything closing the chapter does not mean forgetting it, it means building on it and creating more memories in the book of life. It means taking all of the lessons learned and moving forward, it means evolving once again and it means a new era.<br />
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So heres to the next decade...may it have as many wonderful moments, heartbreaks, challenges, and tests as the last one!<br />
<br />
"grow old with me, the best is yet to be"Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-76650194613464103342010-12-09T12:03:00.000-06:002010-12-09T12:03:02.548-06:00Promises to my BabiesWhen Abby was Born I recieved a book from my Mom, it is called "100 Hundred Promises To My Baby" It is written By Mallika Chopra. It has been something that I read when it is quiet or when I am getting Abby ready for bed, and soon I will share it with Jackson, I obviously cannot get through all of them because Abby is hardly patient enough for a Curious George book much less 100 promises each with an anecdotal story, so I pick my favorites throughout the book and read them to her every once in awhile. Now I will share my favorites with you, not only because I enjoy this book and think it is one every Mom should have but because I am vowing them to my babies, and want to share it with the world so here goes...<br />
<br />
"I promise to always remember that you are my gift from God"<br />
"I promise to always cherish the moment you came into this world"<br />
"I promise to help you know that we are always together"<br />
"I promise to keep an open heart and mind as our relationship changes and evolves"<br />
"I promise to trust my own instincts when caring for you"<br />
"I promise to hold you, but never hold on to you"<br />
"I promise to help you see that you are perfect just the way you are"<br />
"I promise to always tell you the many reasons I am proud of you"<br />
"I promise to give you gifts that build your character, values, and spirit"<br />
"I promise to help you see that happiness is not dependent on circumstances"<br />
"I promise to teach you that some of the most important lessons in your life can be learned from your darkest and most challenging moments"<br />
"I promise to teach you not to take life too seriously"<br />
"I promise to help you always reach for the stars"<br />
"I promise to remember the importance of humility"<br />
"I promise to show you that sometimes the most special friendships are found in the most unlikely people in the most unlikely places"<br />
"I promise to always remember the first moment that I realized I was a mother"<br />
"I promise to remember how your happiness makes my heart pound with utter joy"<br />
"I promise to love you with no limits, from the depths of my soul, even when it makes me more vulnerable than I have ever felt before"<br />
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There are so many other things that I know I will promise to my babies over their lifetime, but I think this is a good start. Being a mother has profoundly changed my life, it has taken me to places I never knew existed within myself, it has tested my abilities, my patience, my faith, and love, over and over again. Each day though I come back to the same place, the place where I was when I first became a mother, the place where I was when I first watched my babies fall aleep in my arms, the place where I was when they smiled for the first time, or found their laugh, and that is a place of pure and unending love.<br />
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So all of this and more I promise to my babies, I love you Abby and Jackson, and I thank god everyday that he chose me to be your mommy, and to let me raise and care for two of his most precious gifts and blessing.<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwfztPtEDCDroPmbVTC4f5X4r0__5ROrRcfCRNXbK2wC6SaQ9LExTc6Gnp18lq24Ie_k_0B91HTJgey_qRZIDMnVcYgVlJG527EDGrOrK5imxgnDEBQIXru3sfi-b3BruylrrKLuJjd1k/s1600/63437_468245016765_505746765_6208555_1262588_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwfztPtEDCDroPmbVTC4f5X4r0__5ROrRcfCRNXbK2wC6SaQ9LExTc6Gnp18lq24Ie_k_0B91HTJgey_qRZIDMnVcYgVlJG527EDGrOrK5imxgnDEBQIXru3sfi-b3BruylrrKLuJjd1k/s320/63437_468245016765_505746765_6208555_1262588_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97BBc4QVhhJzze7-_EVgT2mjs4MZ5FXka4zmNi7xKFvy_HObXT_Xlj9Y9DY5JdIH4vqs7WTHvu6lOBOIshb3M2EVIsuUJD9Gw4Vr0frf3leQJIybgXMohMoSR1U29nOiMMiKmh0dWJjgb/s1600/73253_447925846765_505746765_5917416_824019_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97BBc4QVhhJzze7-_EVgT2mjs4MZ5FXka4zmNi7xKFvy_HObXT_Xlj9Y9DY5JdIH4vqs7WTHvu6lOBOIshb3M2EVIsuUJD9Gw4Vr0frf3leQJIybgXMohMoSR1U29nOiMMiKmh0dWJjgb/s320/73253_447925846765_505746765_5917416_824019_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/374/8D5E5ADE6BE84681A92F7B0940935EBC.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-5698865354664374922010-12-06T22:14:00.003-06:002010-12-07T12:34:26.975-06:00Charles Dickens once said..."It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness"<br />
Well that is the best way I can describe our trek into the terrible two's with two under two.<br />
Some days are wonderful and I thank god for my blessings and cry as I look at my beautiful children, and other days I cry when I look at my beautiful children and wonder what the hell have we gotten ourselves into.<br />
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Most days I survive, they are a flurry of diaper changes, bottle feeding, snacks of goldfish which are then mashed into the carpet, snacks of animal crackers fed to the dog, bananas mushed into the sofa, whilst trying to change Jax, and attempting to keep Abby's clothes on because she is lightning fast when it comes time to take them off, which is whenever she deems necessary. They are days of beauty, wonderment, and amazement that we created these two beautiful people, they are days of trials, and sheer exhaustion, when one is sleeping the other one is getting up, when one is eating the other one is screaming, when one is crying the other one wants to be played with. I have never felt so divided yet whole in my entire life and still I feel overwhelmed and at times nostalgic of days gone past. Days when my husband and I could enjoy a quiet meal, days when we could have a conversation that did not happen over a crying baby/child, days when we could come and go as we pleased and stay up till all hours on Friday night because we had nowhere to be on Saturday. Days when that last $10 could go to a cheap bottle of wine and a movie, instead of Diapers.<br />
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But when I think of those days, as happy as we thought we were, they will never compare to waking up at the crack of dawn to a toothy grin, and warm snuggles, to seeing my babies first step, or their first smile. To seeing when they find their feet for the first time, or realize that they have self made Binky's on their hands and are quite happy with those. <br />
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Motherhood takes me to the brink most days, the brink of happiness, the brink of exhaustion, the brink of tears, the brink of frustration, of pure joy and of never ending love. While there are times when I feel like I can't put Abby back in her bed for the 37th time, or when I can't rock Jax anymore because my back is aching and my ears are ringing from the screaming, I go on, I go on because when I've sung the baby tree song till my voice is hoarse or I have finished lap 200 around the living room with my poor colicky boy, I look down at their sweet, little faces an realize that I will miss this. That someday not to far from now I will watch my daughter walk down the aisle, that I will watch my son, hold his first born, and I will remember how small they once were and how long some of these nights were, hell how long some of these days are, and I will miss them.<br />
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The terrible two's have started in our house, They are a practice in will, and defiance, and rule breaking and creation of boundaries. We have gone from having a perfect sleeping through the night child to one who wants to play at 5am, from having a child who understands the meaning of no! to one who understands it but doesn't care and will do what she wants anyway. Meals are usually a battle of wits, and eaten on the run most days, and diaper changes, well I never quite knew the herculean strength that a toddler could have.<br />
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I think the two's test us more than they do the kids, it is a test of control for me, especially after the 30th time of taking Abby off of a chair and from climbing onto the table and then the breakfast bar, when truth be told all I want to do is lock her in the dog's house so I can have some peace for 5 minutes, but instead have to tell her in my most calm mommy voice that tables are for eating and not climbing. That Dudley is not a horse, and that it is not OK to throw your sippy at mommy when you want more milk. That Jax is a baby so if we sit on him he gets hurt, and yes baby I know the bouncer used to be yours but big girls don't sit in bouncers, or swings, or bumbos, or infant seats and as fun as it may look you will break them. <br />
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It is a true test of patience as well, of finding new ways to say no, especially when they start yelling it back at you...with a huge smile on their face while running the other way to do just what you told them not to. Patience to sit in the bathroom when they ask to go potty but really just want to sit there and then flush because it is fun for them, patience to deal with a screaming infant who was just sleeping but because his sister beaned him with her snack cup he is now awake and screaming.<br />
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Organized chaos is the best way I can describe most days, and while it is frustrating, and challenging, and some of the hardest work I have ever done, I know that everything I do is shaping these people that Donnie and I created, every hug I give after a time out is helping Abby and one day Jax to understand that while what they did was wrong it doesn't mean that Mommy and Daddy don't love them, and while we are disappointed in the choices they made we will never be disappointed in who they are. <br />
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I truly think the terrible two's lay a foundation for the rest of your parenting, and the approach you will take to it. So while some days I want to run and hide, or head off to a far away place free from toy land mines, dirty diapers, and baby puke, I stop and remind myself, that we are in the business of teaching and growing human beings. Growing them into successful, well mannered, and happy adults, and while most days I survive, most days I also feel truly blessed, blessed that I get the opportunity to raise my children and teach them and grow them, and watch them change. So I think Charles Dickens had it right, it is the best and worst of times all rolled into one.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/374/8D5E5ADE6BE84681A92F7B0940935EBC.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-22409266256580827982010-11-30T22:20:00.000-06:002013-11-21T08:09:56.318-06:00In which I talk about myBreasts....Well Breastfeeding anyway, or my body's unwillingness to, or my baby's unwillingness to, or any combination thereof. It Sucks that is all I can really say to sum up my breastfeeding expereiences with both Abby and Jackson.<br />
<br />
Abby's experience was tainted from the start, between being unable to even begin breastfeeding till she was almost a week old, the fast flow bottles in the NICU because she was so sick and they just needed to get nourishment in her after her feeding tube was removed, and my extremely fast let down which nearly choked her, we were all but doomed. I gave it the old college try though and I spent days and nights crying because she wouldn't latch or crying because my baby was screaming because she was so hungry, and then feeling like a failure because this is all so natural it should just work right?!?...WRONG! so in an effort to continue to do what was best for my baby I pumped for seven <b><u>LONG</u></b> Months. <br />
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It was a prison sentence of sorts, 8 times a day 20 minutes at a time, constantly worrying about whether I was producing enough, toting my pump to and from work, making sure I made enough time in my work day to pump, racing home everyday to pump before my boobs felt like they would explode ad not running to kiss my baby the second I walked through the door, but rather stripping down to my nursing bra to relieve the pressure of my rather engorged chest. 7 months of planning our days around when I needed to pump, making sure we were back in time from wherever we were going so I could make sure I pumped enough times so my supply didn't dip. 7 months of Pumpng in the car...yes the CAR! on our way to events, on our way home from events, to the park, to the lakehouse, all in the name of what was best for my child. At about 7 months my body begin to tell me that it was done so I weaned from the pump and we gave Abby formula once my freezer stock ran out. <br />
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What I failed to realize at the time was that what was best for Abby may not have been what was best for our family, I resented pumping, don't get me wrong I did it because I wanted to give Abby everything I could to give her the best start in life and to me that meant breastmilk, pumped or otherwise, and when otherwise, ie. Nursing didn't work I strapped on my milking machine and became Bessie. It was so mechanical, so cold, yet I pumped on and knew that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, my goal was one year or when my body quit. Sadly, I didn't realize how much it was a hinderance to our life until I was done, I was so much happier without constantly having to plan our lives round that blasted machine.<br />
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When I found I was pregnant with Jackson I vowed that I would only pump when I was away from him, I googled, I read books, I did everyhing I thought I needed to do in order to ensure a successful breastfeeding experience for both me and my baby.<br />
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He was born and I told the nurses that it was of the utmost importance to me to be able to breastfeed right away, I read that would help, so I did, and he latched right on, perfectly might I add, and the thundercloud over my breastfeeding days lifted...or so I thought, at about 2 days old he got very jaundiced and was unable to latch because he was so tired so I pumped and we gave him bottles,but I made sure they were the slowest flow, most natural bottle we could find. Then he got thrush, and when a baby gets thrush usually so does mommy, we tried to treat it for weeks but it wouldn't go away, all the while I was nursing though, through cracks and bleeds, crying while he would latch on, even with a nipple shield the pain was right up there with labor. So I started pumping again, and the prison sentence began again, I pumped to see if I could get my thrush to clear up and was hoping it would help his clear up as well. Oh was I wrong, I remember pumping one night not really paying attention to what I was doing and looking over and seeing this horrified look on Donnies' face, I looked down and my left side bottle as full of BLOOD. I can handle a lot and I have seen a lot but when you see blood spurting from your nipple...well nothing can ever prepare you for that! I got the bleeding to stop and called the doctor, who couldn't see me till Monday. On Saturday I developed a high fevr and the shakes, I thought I was getting the flu till I got in the shower and noticed a large mass in my breast with red streaking all around it...Mastitis. I massaged and iced and massged and iced, took tylenol, hot baths, anything I could to get rid of the horrible abcess that was forming. I finally got into the Doctor and I was diagnosed with a resistant case of thrush that had turned into staph, and entered my breast tissue. About 3 days later I was feeling better but my supply had dipped so low I was barely getting anything out while pumping, and since I had to dump anyway, I decided that it was time to wean. <br />
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No without guilt though, I had guilt because Jackson was colicky, I had guilt because he had thrush, and the list goes on and on, I blamed myself for everything, and when the time came to wean, I was in hysterics. I felt horrible, I only was able to give him Breastmilk for 4 months, what kind of mom was I if didn't keep going, what kind of mom was I if I didn't give my second born all the benefits that I had given Abby by pumping for seven months. <br />
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Then I took a step back and looked at what type of mom all of this was causing me to be, I was losing time with my toddler by constantly having to pump, I was crying all the time, because of the pain, the guilt, the frustration, and the list goes on and on. I finally said to myself what kind of Mom am I now, I am certainly not at my best, I am certainly not enjoying my children and all in the name of "Breast is best"...so I came to my own conclusion, that statement does not apply to all women, and it for damn sure did not apply to me.<br />
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Now if and when Donnie and I decide to have a third baby, I will give breast feeding the old college try again, and if it goes well I will continue to do it, because I truly do feel that in the right situations it can be the most amazing gift you can give your child, well other than life that is. I have not yet had that expereince and I would love to, in fact I crave to have a great breastfeeding experience, but if it isn't in the cards then so be it, and I will stop, and know that I am doing what is best for my family and children by being the best mom I can be for them. A mom that is attentive and playful, a mom that is more worried about when they get to the park then when they need to leave so I can stop the throbbing in my chest.<br />
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All in all I think Breastfeeding is a beautiful and amazing experience, and while I have not had one such case yet, I am hopeful that I will someday, but if I don't get that I know my babies will be ok, they are far better off with a happy mommy than one who is all consumed with how I will feed them. So to the ladies at Target who needed to make it a point to loudly talk over and over again about how their daughters breastfeed ALL of their Children until were 2, all while staring me down as I fed my baby the apparent "poison" that was in his bottle, please kindly step off and judge someone else, especially when you have no clue what I have been through.Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-66089333776888749182010-11-21T22:40:00.002-06:002010-11-21T23:27:21.946-06:00Welcome back....<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So in Lifes crazy times of new jobs, life changes, moves and babies, I have been unable to update my blog...so I am making a commitment, a commitment to blog at least once a week, and I will do my very best to do more if possible.</div><br />
So let me see if I can sum up our summer and fall as concisely as possible:<br />
<br />
May:<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">May was an eventful month to say the least, Donnie got a new job, although temporary it was a step in the right direction and a hopeful beginning, I was having success at work and was pretty happy in my position. Abby was growing into a beautiful toddler and amazing us everyday with a new word or discovery she found, and little man was getting bigger by the day, causing everyone to as if I was sure it wasn't twins.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Shortly before Memorial Day Donnie was burned badly in accident while working on my car, while he was lucky it was a long recovery and he lost his job. It was a defining moment in our marriage as I had never been through anything like that with him, or anyone for that matter and nothing makes you feel more helpless than watching your spouse writhe in pain after his 5th dose of morphine. Thankfully he recovered better than expected and is completely healed now. We also found out we needed to move out of our Condo by the end of July around this time so it became a very hectic time trying to find an apartment in 60 days, and knowing that we would be moving within a few weeks of my due date.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>June:<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">June was relatively uneventful thankfully. Donnie turned 26, Abby was becoming more of a little girl and less of a baby everyday and little man continued to grow big and strong, although I was getting uncomfortable and HOT! We continued to search for an apartment and had to make some big decisions about where we wanted to live and what we could afford as far as area. Ultimately we decided to move north, near my family as we knew we would have alot of help with the new baby on the way, and the prospect of Donnie having a job and both of us working we knew we would need the support to help defray the cost of Day Care. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>July:<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">July was a huge month of transition for us. I lost my job, a month before Little man was due (more on this later as we are pursuing a lawsuit), and became a stay at home mom. We moved, and we also had a few false alarms thinking little man was coming early. Moving while 9 months pregnant was frustrating to say the least, not being able to do much was very difficult for me while I watched everyone run around and move our things. Although I am thankful for our gracious and amazing family that helped us so much and made the move smooth.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>August:<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aq8N-jcwmSRhfcBocXxXxj2mQRmpNi8-HBHo4PrVXQVb2fb7glJPwo24NcZ7uQWYkU32qriv8zUSwae2Vnyk_-WSTpjqCy4QyLWw1ziEgdXL4vLZHXTFTuWLEy78ppNwf_Iot-CLb52b/s1600/Harris-53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Donnie got a great Job and began working nights, it was a big transition for me not to have him home at night, but we adjusted and fell into a routine.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Three Becomes four! Jackson Donald Harris Joined our family on August 13th at 8:38pm. My Labor with him was a complete 180 from my labor with Abby. I began to have braxton hicks contractions a few weeks prior and the day before I went into labor I had a normal appointment, I was dialated to about 3.5 to 4 cm and the Doc was pretty sure I would go into labor soon, at least that was the hope as he was measuring big. The next morning at about 6 am I started having irregular contractions. Donnie had gotten home from work at about 530 so I didn't want to wake him until I thought I needed to, I took a shower and the contractons continued, Abby woke up at about 830 and we went about our routine and while the contractions were stronger they were still pretty inconsistent and irregular, About 11am I had 4 big contractions in a row so I decided to wake Donnie and call the doctor, they said Congrats your going to have a baby today come on in. We alerted our parents but had them wait to tell the families until we were positive they were keeping me (I guess I was in denial LOL).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> We got to the hospital about an hour later and I got hooked up to the monitors while we waited for the doctor to finish a c-section about 45 minutes later the doctor came in, checked me and said you aren't going anywhere. They started the Strep B Antibiotic and 2 hours later about 430pm Dr. Akinenni tried to break my bag to get the contractions more regular. They were unsucessful but at about 5 PM I felt my water break during a huge contraction and then everything started happening pretty quick I went from almost 5 CM to 9 in 2 hours. At about 730 a huge thunderstorm rolled through and the power went out for about 15 minutes, I was scared I was going to have to give birth in the dark.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">At 8 pm the doctor had me push to see if we could bring the baby down since he was still pretty high and I was fully dialated and effaced, One push later and he was crowning. The room got really busy all of a sudden and 3 pushes later Jackson was born, he weighed in at 8 lbs 1 oz and 20 inches. I kept asking if he was ok over and over again and He let out the biggest most beautiful cry to let us know he was a-ok. After Abby's traumatic delivery I was scared going in and that cry was a huge relief. They put him on my chest almost immediately and Donnie cut the cord and my mom who was there for the birth snapped a ton of pictures. I got to hold him right away and snuggle with him before they took him to clean him up, We both were in Disbelief that it happened so fast haha. Once he was cleaned up I got to breastfeed him right away and he stayed with us till we were moved to the family unit around 11pm. We stayed til Sunday afternoon and headed home.</div>The last few months since August have been a flurry of Diaper changes, Breast feeding issues, long sleepless colicky nights and huge adjustments for all of us. It has been an adventure so far and I would not change a second of it, Jax as we affectionately call him has finally started a routine of sorts and calmed down alot, and Abby is finally starting to adjust to her role as a big sister and is a great helper most of the time.<br />
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I plan to blog about our trek into the terrible twos, colic survival tips, and adventures in being a stay at home mom in the coming posts but for now I will just post some pictures from our maternity/family/Abbys Big sister shoot and Jax's newborn pictures. Enjoy and I look forward to sharing our life with you once again!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJ3Qmhp_4zp31kx47HLRjhBcTTkzNlwv-mQ3wOGPY42xl9ABK1gVBOqG12PIX7KrbILCldU1IGwvr9W9RP4XHjn8dLoRePBaIdqidBEjjmUOJVJ6jDL_AXg4M_qA2nnzjLO-cVkRFyymX/s1600/13834-IMG_9517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJ3Qmhp_4zp31kx47HLRjhBcTTkzNlwv-mQ3wOGPY42xl9ABK1gVBOqG12PIX7KrbILCldU1IGwvr9W9RP4XHjn8dLoRePBaIdqidBEjjmUOJVJ6jDL_AXg4M_qA2nnzjLO-cVkRFyymX/s320/13834-IMG_9517.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAgO8fDPYmBp2RFmpuugfvH6-E7jQphwIdynlGnyWZlmKOWaNYfdkjPfjcaV_T_jq7y0BD7jBOqbUREBHnyYg2f_C9ro5CWvPpUNGP3nnHEoMqpwL1iM4-2rnOgnIZib3PFhxPdempDk0/s1600/13852-IMG_9528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAgO8fDPYmBp2RFmpuugfvH6-E7jQphwIdynlGnyWZlmKOWaNYfdkjPfjcaV_T_jq7y0BD7jBOqbUREBHnyYg2f_C9ro5CWvPpUNGP3nnHEoMqpwL1iM4-2rnOgnIZib3PFhxPdempDk0/s320/13852-IMG_9528.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KScXSTguLm-KF7i32QgGUo-9sLWCU7ZlSdF1hNhWTcPzPpIq6TSQ891W6E647e7JpMwZn7oxrelbrttS8qQ48eitDGjYNHbu2u8SJDYJgUEI9Zvyb-dp7mFOg0d4hQQpljHQs5Y40hCk/s1600/13883-IMG_9538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KScXSTguLm-KF7i32QgGUo-9sLWCU7ZlSdF1hNhWTcPzPpIq6TSQ891W6E647e7JpMwZn7oxrelbrttS8qQ48eitDGjYNHbu2u8SJDYJgUEI9Zvyb-dp7mFOg0d4hQQpljHQs5Y40hCk/s320/13883-IMG_9538.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-2211578721317290492010-05-07T21:19:00.000-05:002010-05-07T21:19:37.683-05:00been a long time...<div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It has been a long time since I have posted...but that is because of all the changes going on in our house, and well life got in the way :)</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We are doing great, my job is going well, Donnie is working again (<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">YAY</span>!!) and I am finally in a phase of my pregnancy where I don't feel awful all of the time.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Abby is growing by leaps and bounds and amazing us everyday with her walking skills and she is babbling more and more. She finally said Momma and the best part is she realizes it is me, and she of course loves her Dudley, much to his dismay, and she enjoys chasing him around ALL DAY LONG! </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I think she finally realizes that something is going on with Mommy's belly, mostly because if we say belly she points to her tummy and if we say baby she points to my belly :).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div></div>I know I have not updated since we had our big ultrasound and I have some pictures to put up of that as well...but the big news is that<strong><span style="color: blue;"> it's a BOY</span></strong>!! and we couldn't be more excited, We are having a hard time with names this time around but I think that is because we always knew that if it was a girl her name would be Abigail. We will figure it out and it may not be till he is born but I am OK with that if that is meant to happen :)<br />
<div>We do have one other big change coming and that is that we have to move 3 weeks before my due date, so we are on the hunt for the perfect place for our growing family, and hopefully we will find somewhere that is comfortable and affordable and has plenty of room!</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">All in all things are pretty good in the Harris house, busy but good and we will just keep on being positive that every change is a path that God is leading us on for his greater purpose and know that he will not lead us where his love cannot protect us.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div></div>Now for some pictures...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YlpXu0WRDCTyfqs1HK4wZhHn8CgJlVKJhZeBzoSEeVesFQ2I3i9y1EQjuv1n_aKzLGJ4Okt0kkrEOMk66n5SVkHYXCNIy-X_6ggobk5WzaHp88qvO_BJ6rHWTktqlfEsykydQYyKX3ki/s1600/002_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YlpXu0WRDCTyfqs1HK4wZhHn8CgJlVKJhZeBzoSEeVesFQ2I3i9y1EQjuv1n_aKzLGJ4Okt0kkrEOMk66n5SVkHYXCNIy-X_6ggobk5WzaHp88qvO_BJ6rHWTktqlfEsykydQYyKX3ki/s320/002_2.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beautiful boy...with a nose just like his sister</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAMfIAptOs-dlQB5JrEKFuIa2UaSOf-DUmhqNI-0pJFDN9e8_TzQTtsJXsEoLNM4Hpw06Sdntj1UdYWYAlaNFt3SJvejbv1_peIF0q9p_4vWyoKQkd2AwYZ8Mp2rHJyPWwEavrKTORtbI/s1600/005_5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAMfIAptOs-dlQB5JrEKFuIa2UaSOf-DUmhqNI-0pJFDN9e8_TzQTtsJXsEoLNM4Hpw06Sdntj1UdYWYAlaNFt3SJvejbv1_peIF0q9p_4vWyoKQkd2AwYZ8Mp2rHJyPWwEavrKTORtbI/s320/005_5.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Definitely a boy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifzhXti7u67X-2qKEzt54QfGmBrFCGQGgnzVdKmdstaTGPdwd60UfEIrFyXv5f2G8A6H9THRrfw6KfNODu8eAO59aggeQGT7CZ9xpXOO32dua3ffsty_vsLWI8k3XlurS3COmJHlFugoo/s1600/006_6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifzhXti7u67X-2qKEzt54QfGmBrFCGQGgnzVdKmdstaTGPdwd60UfEIrFyXv5f2G8A6H9THRrfw6KfNODu8eAO59aggeQGT7CZ9xpXOO32dua3ffsty_vsLWI8k3XlurS3COmJHlFugoo/s320/006_6.JPG" tt="true" /></a><br />
Sucking his thumb</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Z57OUBBgkPcR2V6OQTuf1PbICB4YR0cwUc4uvfgdcoL_KoGW9ToqStlf-AHynwmwn6_JPHOBAkRpewgv5neSfW8DyoQ03Ib6lILUdHh4x6pUCKRfCC2sFvKpFcNsJp2LXIWrPNXB4SDq/s1600/277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Z57OUBBgkPcR2V6OQTuf1PbICB4YR0cwUc4uvfgdcoL_KoGW9ToqStlf-AHynwmwn6_JPHOBAkRpewgv5neSfW8DyoQ03Ib6lILUdHh4x6pUCKRfCC2sFvKpFcNsJp2LXIWrPNXB4SDq/s320/277.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The best Easter candy...PEEPS!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSV5HFQ_crCwKRSegAxiosEHCiQNhu_mRB3cdFigzozChGVjd-GkpMv8aAn4q05yvUUHzUFnqk5QpfrGQ5cGzCNBOkxlLR8RV5xofHdCvuo9_zZZeDO0K0euGXytGIJ-keWQcslkdDOxL/s1600/288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSV5HFQ_crCwKRSegAxiosEHCiQNhu_mRB3cdFigzozChGVjd-GkpMv8aAn4q05yvUUHzUFnqk5QpfrGQ5cGzCNBOkxlLR8RV5xofHdCvuo9_zZZeDO0K0euGXytGIJ-keWQcslkdDOxL/s320/288.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Going through her Easter basket</div><div></div><br />
<div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0TvFL2YU2doPJrggyqcN17VjQYUkC7Wh8HnCEuA3EoybJ2TNTFeRlK_B_E6cHK0j_o0XQVwCVvr5uqdLvtC0Cv7mszgM-KUPYaGPTpsNv0_PgcVgYed41WG-60c4aB5UDdY6wXYJbpbZ/s1600/322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0TvFL2YU2doPJrggyqcN17VjQYUkC7Wh8HnCEuA3EoybJ2TNTFeRlK_B_E6cHK0j_o0XQVwCVvr5uqdLvtC0Cv7mszgM-KUPYaGPTpsNv0_PgcVgYed41WG-60c4aB5UDdY6wXYJbpbZ/s320/322.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Getting into the Easter Egg Hunt at Gammy and <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Grumpa's</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5O5kOH9sZTBGws7nVXaEwxn0SvuOEDYSCclphhn7a7w9-1HcGWIKSk3q9pMMYP7mRYirJYaPvuqxcQxYFZcpFx9YZz0nFWrvpRlWh-Mvn1BhaqkHeQ6WBLWMTJpaeXeZ7XUheoeu_CFL/s1600/324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5O5kOH9sZTBGws7nVXaEwxn0SvuOEDYSCclphhn7a7w9-1HcGWIKSk3q9pMMYP7mRYirJYaPvuqxcQxYFZcpFx9YZz0nFWrvpRlWh-Mvn1BhaqkHeQ6WBLWMTJpaeXeZ7XUheoeu_CFL/s320/324.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Look at all that loot</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRohXCn6ZLN1CPfiq-v4Gdnx2UvBosYG-qul7TMXQp48QLCXFwAEnV9GZ31Kf_SMelicCvzGlP51ao6EmqkxBPA0CfpJWd4S0ew7maVviiWnv1MmajL49LmXvrtGty26e3p1oT9d6Wq5B/s1600/300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRohXCn6ZLN1CPfiq-v4Gdnx2UvBosYG-qul7TMXQp48QLCXFwAEnV9GZ31Kf_SMelicCvzGlP51ao6EmqkxBPA0CfpJWd4S0ew7maVviiWnv1MmajL49LmXvrtGty26e3p1oT9d6Wq5B/s320/300.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Is this an egg Momma??</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWffk4j-_DfW2OXqMByyHKh7bwZIaYJowpRUbmyJOvcMmCGNRmCsw11dgCp0lXZpW26m2-ET4VAOAcK7fgVutu2VbtjTFeM-QUpaZyrcIOt8HBf3nx5-qLCr-7BRZ2s9699_Lwcy7HJXGB/s1600/331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWffk4j-_DfW2OXqMByyHKh7bwZIaYJowpRUbmyJOvcMmCGNRmCsw11dgCp0lXZpW26m2-ET4VAOAcK7fgVutu2VbtjTFeM-QUpaZyrcIOt8HBf3nx5-qLCr-7BRZ2s9699_Lwcy7HJXGB/s320/331.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Such a big Girl</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Rbj57UoJ-Yn7QFdJGdgFCPRMFZhtF8wSsx6IVSH2MfmdAVl3czzcaHeUHOhmPBLmiK6BlVM8-d9RIviiWhamQkCR5LloFifkoweNabNB3iHohbr7JJEjMVO7qmQGLOLRe-c1N43_Bi2M/s1600/21+weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Rbj57UoJ-Yn7QFdJGdgFCPRMFZhtF8wSsx6IVSH2MfmdAVl3czzcaHeUHOhmPBLmiK6BlVM8-d9RIviiWhamQkCR5LloFifkoweNabNB3iHohbr7JJEjMVO7qmQGLOLRe-c1N43_Bi2M/s320/21+weeks.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">21 weeks and growing!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2TZcwYdVR43xawBqWmJPBX0jLP-8B72QCMBzm-PA6fyw_r3C9PDQ9abOI3RYbrt9gyKgJdaQKMJQay3Bbcxv9uFRRRDaWF-Vg5DkTkVpgCuvQZTDEARIkJldBm9_hDOWa__rukXoAvN7/s1600/24+weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2TZcwYdVR43xawBqWmJPBX0jLP-8B72QCMBzm-PA6fyw_r3C9PDQ9abOI3RYbrt9gyKgJdaQKMJQay3Bbcxv9uFRRRDaWF-Vg5DkTkVpgCuvQZTDEARIkJldBm9_hDOWa__rukXoAvN7/s320/24+weeks.jpg" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">And the most recent shot...24 weeks, I can't believe how big he is already</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQfavsQfhI7otQX4y7nS35pS46R09txh-dSYbIdvDAvrrGIxW60Vzj_hIxJswJDP1HZQQj59MZByUYDobqcJeE1r7Vst7zOAqs9xdnmBu5XkLtLAm1iWANtvVje30CcXgx8JyM6Wa2rw9a/s1600/265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQfavsQfhI7otQX4y7nS35pS46R09txh-dSYbIdvDAvrrGIxW60Vzj_hIxJswJDP1HZQQj59MZByUYDobqcJeE1r7Vst7zOAqs9xdnmBu5XkLtLAm1iWANtvVje30CcXgx8JyM6Wa2rw9a/s320/265.JPG" tt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">And this is simply <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">beca</span>use I love this picture so much</div>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-20566249691193956092010-03-27T11:39:00.003-05:002010-03-27T11:45:18.297-05:00The Video I promised<p align="center">Uh Oh!! We are in trouble now!!</p><p align="center"> </p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz0lG61YfL76K0UvYIzg80g25HOkiXIoWC5GVWRAKTvYzmGAJrZgdg4q04x_fpSdMMzvRkjWLxU5VOtUfOj' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="center">Please Excuse the toys everywhere, it makes no sense to clean them up before she goes to bed, so our living room looks like a daycare most of the day!</p>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-42047939537341215172010-03-24T20:42:00.005-05:002010-03-24T21:50:46.317-05:00A day in the Parkand Abbys accomplishment!!<br /><br /><div align="center">Stop Taking pictures and push me<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZH3bxOf25VUD7sJRCwDnHwkYIPVIrLxIIZhP1dhWZk-l-ajYUoLIau3ALmcJK6GhBEPQOEupp4et1wCpLZhZ51ygknjs2JlQOqmzIr2Vi1kQTlWmCDDLKjNn-Q_B0Q674lpKOSHbjTf1/s1600/DSC03452.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZH3bxOf25VUD7sJRCwDnHwkYIPVIrLxIIZhP1dhWZk-l-ajYUoLIau3ALmcJK6GhBEPQOEupp4et1wCpLZhZ51ygknjs2JlQOqmzIr2Vi1kQTlWmCDDLKjNn-Q_B0Q674lpKOSHbjTf1/s320/DSC03452.JPG" nt="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator" align="center"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQc5GuCJ3m_zrfEoSy-swzFbYn2TVEmCHsHCwmVKrp9ZppCh6HaeeAQ2WtQnqQZzN6rZAciibNS1ElFKOQJqV88ihSQxEhWeAwOyfDpZO-_I2HGFviTLk_js-DeyA9LKlqJ29QYHJ74NGo/s1600/DSC03450.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQc5GuCJ3m_zrfEoSy-swzFbYn2TVEmCHsHCwmVKrp9ZppCh6HaeeAQ2WtQnqQZzN6rZAciibNS1ElFKOQJqV88ihSQxEhWeAwOyfDpZO-_I2HGFviTLk_js-DeyA9LKlqJ29QYHJ74NGo/s320/DSC03450.JPG" nt="true" /></a><br /></p><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKLVwe-t26c5UTrv1Euz_BlgWrQcPg63P6gdt_5v0maG1c797f4tpRmNflJSEHu-PVcD2ra2KOcv2Uo7gEQCYDSVvviuqd4Ro9vjy5AcrBf29IQfE4yjN2AikInd1GbLwT-W29TYtXUr8/s1600/DSC03443.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKLVwe-t26c5UTrv1Euz_BlgWrQcPg63P6gdt_5v0maG1c797f4tpRmNflJSEHu-PVcD2ra2KOcv2Uo7gEQCYDSVvviuqd4Ro9vjy5AcrBf29IQfE4yjN2AikInd1GbLwT-W29TYtXUr8/s320/DSC03443.JPG" nt="true" /></a></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBULdk1CRdH1SC89H_8y6SGEXQMTufIaCueE3pU4__3uQ0cY5X5ZadvWdHeOBGvfxQnNnVrJeBRvlYZ_a53ZU5TvbhujoJ_5jxTu2eCB7F5OU2jiIVO-kj8vwZkcTRuETAylsUqMl9usac/s1600/DSC03444.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBULdk1CRdH1SC89H_8y6SGEXQMTufIaCueE3pU4__3uQ0cY5X5ZadvWdHeOBGvfxQnNnVrJeBRvlYZ_a53ZU5TvbhujoJ_5jxTu2eCB7F5OU2jiIVO-kj8vwZkcTRuETAylsUqMl9usac/s320/DSC03444.JPG" nt="true" /></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator">Watching the world go by<br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGTftcgxtcQWho6GedpYTywKhpUznuOuPjS_sJvc9fGVLPXV9VfPqpe50IX9uOIkSttnHRDc6YdarBE6ZuuaWIhisFVX-AH0zY2mbCuzCXdahFFa8P_dJgTW8EvfCqfFGYEKkdEawVzSJ/s1600/DSC03451.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGTftcgxtcQWho6GedpYTywKhpUznuOuPjS_sJvc9fGVLPXV9VfPqpe50IX9uOIkSttnHRDc6YdarBE6ZuuaWIhisFVX-AH0zY2mbCuzCXdahFFa8P_dJgTW8EvfCqfFGYEKkdEawVzSJ/s320/DSC03451.JPG" nt="true" /></a></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator">And since Blogger is taking forever to upload videos I am going to have to do it tommorow :)</div>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-21988989571131238242010-03-24T20:41:00.000-05:002010-03-24T20:41:52.488-05:00The View from here...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoiCXedGSudoKl_lX821-s4R8tRPeKY0VSvCU-Jem8MSAuYNnCssEoa8gpb28JxsxLhbyx5L_cl4Rhf38z6U49df53KMQPfifnMOKKQEsDIGBFsdXBNK1gX4RoxK0C6LJW6VoyM9LRt_8/s1600/DSC03464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoiCXedGSudoKl_lX821-s4R8tRPeKY0VSvCU-Jem8MSAuYNnCssEoa8gpb28JxsxLhbyx5L_cl4Rhf38z6U49df53KMQPfifnMOKKQEsDIGBFsdXBNK1gX4RoxK0C6LJW6VoyM9LRt_8/s320/DSC03464.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Is beautiful!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My Two Babies in one picture :)</div>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-2315225291529295222010-03-10T21:30:00.000-06:002010-03-10T21:30:02.269-06:00New Abby Pictures<div>I haven't put any pictures lately because our camera has been MIA, but I got a few today and I have a few that are a little older to put up! So enjoy and I will work on an update post for this weekend, if I am not too beat :)<br />
<div align="center">Cheese!!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-bZOG2Wth2JUfyiqSmVbih1ey6DIL5B155H0BooXoR2tM-uUBdshoV-Z1uABtl9P8cgEEIig1j-rCBB1q5qbk78_NLVrM0Lj0pAWrGBJot7GkNXIRnragYLQM0nCi1s-O2kH58bbOn_P/s1600-h/DSC03408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-bZOG2Wth2JUfyiqSmVbih1ey6DIL5B155H0BooXoR2tM-uUBdshoV-Z1uABtl9P8cgEEIig1j-rCBB1q5qbk78_NLVrM0Lj0pAWrGBJot7GkNXIRnragYLQM0nCi1s-O2kH58bbOn_P/s320/DSC03408.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Abby and Her Cousins</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjipxJDpWqahkp_Kr69o5UvSk-3jJpwlcUixNLWH5_Ulk83-_l3ojDCSZcsu3t22kxRZlVYgccJ-pFvPAqYW6JZYLkaggw9GH_7SZhcwS0jtmuYaHf-qkJuazMgmQ-w1IAu4zUFex5oZRg/s1600-h/DSC03405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjipxJDpWqahkp_Kr69o5UvSk-3jJpwlcUixNLWH5_Ulk83-_l3ojDCSZcsu3t22kxRZlVYgccJ-pFvPAqYW6JZYLkaggw9GH_7SZhcwS0jtmuYaHf-qkJuazMgmQ-w1IAu4zUFex5oZRg/s320/DSC03405.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our Pretty Girl</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1avZExmLo22C_hqgRh5V-DTURH0hBN9yqcSyRDf7YVjfuurwrFqqPdLoShhPOBoQxzkpLg7w4bOSermund1-6WwNf8OkcAaJqSt84aRDZfsW2frT4YSs8Zs38zX5W95BtQI25vdcJrsUm/s1600-h/DSC03416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1avZExmLo22C_hqgRh5V-DTURH0hBN9yqcSyRDf7YVjfuurwrFqqPdLoShhPOBoQxzkpLg7w4bOSermund1-6WwNf8OkcAaJqSt84aRDZfsW2frT4YSs8Zs38zX5W95BtQI25vdcJrsUm/s320/DSC03416.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">First walk of the season</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVp8OxdisfaxFoRQDwnpg9YJ12saBE5aauYF1oETMEAlA_f9SDgUQFFWTlRdHW5jmrd-sIo_Zi1GMOAlY4OELus4g4bk1ciMNqjmmD_uDMKhR9qPuwim2WdweMOZqk4isW2p48uN3xB-4A/s1600-h/DSC03427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVp8OxdisfaxFoRQDwnpg9YJ12saBE5aauYF1oETMEAlA_f9SDgUQFFWTlRdHW5jmrd-sIo_Zi1GMOAlY4OELus4g4bk1ciMNqjmmD_uDMKhR9qPuwim2WdweMOZqk4isW2p48uN3xB-4A/s320/DSC03427.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Such a Big Girl!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4CtwNIkJJmOUEXe9Q3xIaQjCsXzRnU4JX8O6ZMC7_q585gKq4lJ2o2A-vhyphenhyphenkvY9iXUcw-aYQhCAEkvIX9G9r-Br4-44FirDQ8VGxK7NpN-DcZ4J3mMqlr8s2olzEegUQFMT1xP3KxUhT/s1600-h/DSC03428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4CtwNIkJJmOUEXe9Q3xIaQjCsXzRnU4JX8O6ZMC7_q585gKq4lJ2o2A-vhyphenhyphenkvY9iXUcw-aYQhCAEkvIX9G9r-Br4-44FirDQ8VGxK7NpN-DcZ4J3mMqlr8s2olzEegUQFMT1xP3KxUhT/s320/DSC03428.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hey what you got there momma...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_YO93XzeshQGTe6C6-Ksy68hHw8UiuBmZhO34am_seyBph4DYifTdctJVqV3pfs44mkSFTcj48rDE5yrhsQPDdYDa_UzmSryYu9qv8fma6y_nLe11lgsvMQf4vKCEd7ar8D6QHgHXM8N/s1600-h/DSC03434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_YO93XzeshQGTe6C6-Ksy68hHw8UiuBmZhO34am_seyBph4DYifTdctJVqV3pfs44mkSFTcj48rDE5yrhsQPDdYDa_UzmSryYu9qv8fma6y_nLe11lgsvMQf4vKCEd7ar8D6QHgHXM8N/s320/DSC03434.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh is that a camera...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRls77YzgrVKMsEEclC-JoriQ1wyWMBNYx4JtvlbjAaHS0CeTmyXYFP5HkKuEWF56ZBfrDuqDGRMPCSLMHC4zvFj3piCP9d_G7gO2yc4-xvCSW-S57FpelxnRoYj-lUXE2LB3Q6Gh-8_-l/s1600-h/DSC03435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRls77YzgrVKMsEEclC-JoriQ1wyWMBNYx4JtvlbjAaHS0CeTmyXYFP5HkKuEWF56ZBfrDuqDGRMPCSLMHC4zvFj3piCP9d_G7gO2yc4-xvCSW-S57FpelxnRoYj-lUXE2LB3Q6Gh-8_-l/s320/DSC03435.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center">Ok I will pose for you</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGz6FFSAFRvylLiqs3flR0cRUuKob2Jdy3DpF1q1Jn0EgGKJTJVSHqhJdATbOekaOTJDNckRb34ppqTDeGuWvIdyZZXLS9FyR4B9M8JjsqMlrkcZFcTY5QehzWObk4ezn7EKJ79nbueUD/s1600-h/DSC03436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGz6FFSAFRvylLiqs3flR0cRUuKob2Jdy3DpF1q1Jn0EgGKJTJVSHqhJdATbOekaOTJDNckRb34ppqTDeGuWvIdyZZXLS9FyR4B9M8JjsqMlrkcZFcTY5QehzWObk4ezn7EKJ79nbueUD/s320/DSC03436.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br />
</div>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-51215215497807460872010-02-26T21:19:00.002-06:002010-02-26T21:39:26.092-06:00HeavyMy Heart that is...<br /><br />I laid our sweet girl down to bed tonight and watched as she snuggled into her blankets. Watched as she smiled up at me with her big blue eyes right before they got heavy and she went to sleep, and I wanted to stand there for hours, to take in the sound of her soft breath, the smell of her soft skin and curly hair.<br /><br />There is a family doing the same thing tonight, but they are waiting for the end. They watch their daughters breaths as it may be her last, and smell her sweet warm skin and watch her peacefully sleep as they wait for peace for her poor sick little body.<br /><br />I, along with many others have been praying for a miracle for this little girl, for her parents for her 2 sisters who are still so young yet old enough to understand what is happening.<br /><br />No Parent should have to bury their child, it just isn't how the world should work, and while I know that God has a greater purpose for this sweet girl, I cannot imagine how they are getting through this.<br /><br />I cannot even begin to imagine what our life without Abby would look like, for 21 years it was just me, and my family, for 6 years it was just me and Donnie and our families, and for the last year it has turned from an us to a we when we added Abby to our lives, and now another blessing is on the way. As I think about the last year, I am amazed what an impact 1 year VS. 27 has made. <br /><br />So tonight I am no longer praying for a miracle for this little angel but rather for peace, for peace from her pain, for peace for her parents, and peace for her family as they walk this awful and terrible road. Would you pray with me? would you help <a href="http://laylagrace.org/">Layla Grace </a>by praying her transition to a healed place with no more needles, or chemo, or sickness is a smooth one? Would you pray that her parents broken hearts will mend with time, and that the sweet memories they have of their daughter are the ones they carry with them?<br /><br />My heart is heavy tonight, heavy with joy for my own beautiful Angels and heavy with grief that a family is about to lose theirs.Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-83223978452198375522010-02-17T20:34:00.002-06:002010-02-17T20:59:35.444-06:00Our little Abba DabbaA daughter is the happy moments of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future~ Author unknown<br /><br />Our little girl so beautiful and bright, you are such a wonder to watch. You're days are full of curiousity and learning and it is such a gift to see you change into a little person.<br /><br />Abby has been quite busy in the last month, she has learned how to climb onto the couches, has taken a few steps and seems to be creating a language that only she, and sometimes us understands (well at least we think we do).<br /><br />It is so strange to me that a little over a year ago she was so tiny and fragile, and to look at her today is such a difference, she loves to rough house with her daddy and climb all over dudley, who tends to escape to the other side of the gate where she can't get him. She is defiant at times and full of curiousity at others. So interested in the world around her, and what everyone is doing. She looks for her toys when she loses them, and loves to DANCE! She has a fascination and somewhat obsession with shoes ( much like her momma).<br /><br />Having a toddler is a new experience and we are learning right along with her, just when we thought we had baby proofed we had to do it again, and yet she still finds things she shouldn't have and ways to get into things. <br /><br />While I miss the days when she was a little newborn who curled into my chest at 3 am, and went to sleep, I love this stage, exhausting yes, but truly a different experience everyday.<br /><br />I am still waiting to hear mama but I am just as happy to see her face light up when I go to get her in the morning and she has to show me every stuffed animal in her crib before I can take her out, along with playing peek a boo with her blanket, and I love coming home at night and hearing her squeal when she realizes mommy is home.<br /><br />I love to watch Donnie and her play together and how she giggles when he blows raspberries on her cheek and his beard tickles her, or how gentle he is with her when she bumped her head, or isn't feeling well and she just melts into his arms when she is tired at times.<br /><br />All in all this month has been a great one, I got a great job, told them about my pregnancy and was congratulated and reassured that it was a great thing and they were happy for us. Donnie took his CNA test and is waiting for the results (although he is sure he did great), and is on the hunt for a job. <br /><br />So far 2010 seems to be a great year (yes I realize it is only February, and I am knocking on wood that it will continue that way)!<br /><br />Hope yours has been off to a wonderful start as well!!Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-37699973040429258822010-02-12T20:35:00.001-06:002010-02-12T20:36:46.955-06:00Abb's updateI promise to update on Abby this weekend, I had a snow day the other day, and we got a lot of pictures of her in the snow,. But for now I am going to watch the opening ceremonies and then go to bed because I am beat!Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-6004664306059804162010-02-12T20:18:00.002-06:002010-02-12T20:34:29.581-06:00A much needed baby Update...Baby Bean that is...<br /><div align="left">He/she is looking great , and at the ultrasound at 9 weeks 5 days the heart was beating away and the bean was right on Target for growth.</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I, on the other hand am having a much harder time this go round, alot of morning sickness, and not much food coming in to replace what I was losing. Things are looking up though I will be 13 weeks tommorow and am finally starting to feel better, and the baby has decided to have a voracious appetite and so I have been eating about 6 small meals a day to keep up, and of course lots of water, which makes me run to the bathroom about 20 times a day. </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Donnie and I are both amazed at how fast my belly has popped out this time around too, this little one sems to want to make his/her presence known right away, I already am into my maternity clothes, which is surprising because I didn't need them until about 18 weeks last time.</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">All in all I am enjoying this season in our lives and we are eagerly anticipating Baby beans upcoming months and arrival. I can't wait for Abby to be a big sister, and I know it will be an adjustment for her but I am so happy she will have a sibling :)</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">And just for comparison sake here is a picture I put together of me pregnant with Abby and baby Bean at 12 weeks...the difference is SHOCKING!</div><br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 363px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437549819912692130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyAHFeN1OUD0DWEt3uqHZO7e0szQppH31WeQRmYh1luikRH_XdL50oaGQiDMPB3F9J9bXYXkNirDfwVbWHu8CRzDegdSatmxkWlVcbhqlWn7GSpIf_fN-dIVyI8BX-GetnJSOeqRDenUE/s400/belly+1.jpg" />Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-61582096339809553922010-01-24T18:49:00.002-06:002010-01-24T19:00:22.515-06:00Birthdays and newsIt has been a busy weeks in our house ( well a few weeks to be honest) with all the preparations for Abby's First Birthday Party. It was a smashing success, and all the hard work paid off, although I am now thoroughly exhausted. The theme was Abby in One-derland, and I think she had alot of fun. We used our Church's Gathering room because frankly our apartment is not large enough by any meas for all of our family, and I think it was a perfect fit. There was plenty of room for people to spread out and talk and for the kids to run around so everyone was happy.<br /><br />I had a THIRD, yes third interview with a company and I am hoping that I get this job, it is with another not for profit organization and would be a perfect fit, so our fingers are crossed.<br /><br />Donnie is still applying for Jobs while he waits to take hist CNA test in February, Hopefully after that it will be a much easier task.<br /><br />We are thinking about Day care options for Abby, even if Donnie works some nights he will need a few hours in the day to get some shut eye so we are contemplating a half day option for her, plus being around some other kids will be good for her :).<br /><br /><br />And we al so have some very big and exciting news to share...Abby is going to be a big Sister in August, while it was a complete surprise we are overjoyed, and looking forward to being a family of four...well 5 if you count the dudster, who is adjusting to life with a toddler very patiently :)<br /><br />That is all from our house for now, I will try and post pictures after the peanut is in bed.<br /><br />Love,<br />Christie, Donnie, Abby and Baby beanChristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-33948530662916945642010-01-21T14:34:00.002-06:002010-01-21T15:18:42.490-06:00Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!One year ago today our lives forever changed, one year ago today God Chose Daddy and Me to be you parents, and gaurdians, to raise you and love you and be there for you every step of your life in this big world.<br /><br />You are such an amazing miracle and everday when you wake up Daddy and I thank God that you are in our lives. This has been a year of monumental change for us, and while things have been tough at times we have held strong and known that our only job was to be your parents and take care of you and love you the best way we knew how and that got us through some of the hardest days.<br /><br />I still can't believe how fast one year has gone and how much you have changed and grown. Your life had a rough and shaky start but to see how far you have come is truly a wonderment. Being witness to a child's first everything is truly a miracle, although the climbing puts a little fear in Mommy's heart, my little monkey. Watching you grow over the last year has been a privilege and I am so thankful that God gave you to us. You see angel girl, not only have you changed but your Daddy and I have as well, profoundly. I never knew how such a little smile, laugh, stretch, yawn, and yes even cry could affect me so much. How much it would mean to me when you first reached for me, or started giving kisses back. I never knew that you could love someone so much from the very first time your eyes met, nor how much the first grab of a finger could change me.<br /><br />You are an amazing and beautiful little girl, and we can't wait to see what your future holds in all your years to come!<br /><br />Happy Birthday Sweet Girl we love you to the moon and back and all the way around again.<br />Love,<br />Mommy and DaddyChristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-88943206740501158772010-01-20T23:02:00.004-06:002010-01-20T23:05:07.960-06:00A year ago today...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGeEucPg3K8G-Vi-qTGDS5vpKUd50VYj1adftmWbue6EVhSWGO6IITu3_CdiUpd8B5HytJxRSa8_1oVJByqPw_UZs_V3jN66fOds2Mx-0EtFj5GxaiH8t6NFhJ212F0BJKUmeLEZzsTXE/s1600-h/232323232%7Ffp5364__nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=324;3;_2_532;nu0mrj.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429054445077268082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGeEucPg3K8G-Vi-qTGDS5vpKUd50VYj1adftmWbue6EVhSWGO6IITu3_CdiUpd8B5HytJxRSa8_1oVJByqPw_UZs_V3jN66fOds2Mx-0EtFj5GxaiH8t6NFhJ212F0BJKUmeLEZzsTXE/s400/232323232%7Ffp5364__nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=324;3;_2_532;nu0mrj.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16JYFAtKu-_gJ0ZRYasVw6tF6xn2bscyYRDJltZGRH6-Qf73qFPC2yd9qI_E3ehQ0i9nUZIIxUGWt6PQdG5gX9ZqdhclmXqK_K67Ej3JNFysrtdqP6nS8dVo7TPcWTdyVRcgyCsohlsQL/s1600-h/232323232%7Ffp5364__nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=323_74_;_3988nu0mrj+-+Copy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429054440212030226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16JYFAtKu-_gJ0ZRYasVw6tF6xn2bscyYRDJltZGRH6-Qf73qFPC2yd9qI_E3ehQ0i9nUZIIxUGWt6PQdG5gX9ZqdhclmXqK_K67Ej3JNFysrtdqP6nS8dVo7TPcWTdyVRcgyCsohlsQL/s400/232323232%7Ffp5364__nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=323_74_;_3988nu0mrj+-+Copy.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>This was us....</div><div>Awaiting the arrival of our Beautiful Miracle Abigail Rose!</div><div> </div><div>More to come Tommorow and if I can dig up my Birth Story I will try and post it, if not I will post an abridged version...Happy almost Birthday Sweet angel you will never know how much you have changed our lives!</div></div>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-25070784553008648552010-01-05T09:47:00.002-06:002010-01-05T09:58:08.437-06:00An update of sortsThe last few weeks have been busy, hectic, emotional, filled with joy, and family, and sometimes downright frustrating.<br /><br />I finished out the Year at Boy Scouts and am now part of the unemployed population, hopefully not for long, as I will have an in person interview with a company in the next few weeks, I also have been in contact with a recruiter and am hoping to use that as a Plan B if this other job does not work out ( although I am really hoping it does as it would be a perfect fit).<br /><br />Donnie finished his CNA Class and is currently waiting to take the test, he is still on the job hunt and is hoping something will come up very soon, even if it is short term until her gets the results from his test back.<br /><br />Abby is growing like a weed, has started the beginnings of Dada, and is amazing us everyday as she learns something new. She is working on standing, although she is strong enough to do it and has done it several times she is having a courage gap, and only will stand when she doesn't realize she is doing it.<br /><br />Other than that we are just trucking along and hoping that 2010 will bring new opportunities, jobs and adventures for us. <br /><br />We are heading to California for a few days and are really looking forward to the warmer weather and spending some quality time with family, and getting a much needed break from the past few months.<br />Abby will also be taking her very first plane ride and I will post how that goes when we get back, also what worked for us, what didn't and what traveling with an almost one year old is really like.<br /><br />we hope everyone had a joyous Holiday season and that 2010 is a year of promise and hope for your family.Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-31611251768161958432010-01-05T09:40:00.001-06:002010-01-05T09:46:21.443-06:00A pictoral Year in review<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; CLEAR: both" class="separator">I have been a bad blogger and life got in the way and I haven't posted in awhile, so without further Ado here is Abby's year in review, I will post another update post after this one as well :) </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; CLEAR: both" class="separator"> </div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; CLEAR: both" class="separator" align="center"> January<br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtHfSGy6z3tmstMphm2xaKSMPOnU7C-kixw6Pz_UDCNMQqhhCvFuzcDa9vP6JRCppTqYO1EowKfYiiVFyGLTCNiROwNPAf0MPiubUQ4KE-Yes2Y_oXF9ilBKcXu8xF9fFMDaeavQwqEb0/s1600/232323232%7Ffp53655_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=323_74_;_3995nu0mrj.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN-TOP: 0px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423275456843668802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtHfSGy6z3tmstMphm2xaKSMPOnU7C-kixw6Pz_UDCNMQqhhCvFuzcDa9vP6JRCppTqYO1EowKfYiiVFyGLTCNiROwNPAf0MPiubUQ4KE-Yes2Y_oXF9ilBKcXu8xF9fFMDaeavQwqEb0/s400/232323232%7Ffp53655_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=323_74_;_3995nu0mrj.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" align="center">February<br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4dRgLlzip_THTUlYaPrlUTB91EUWfrB6-v03FDPWfGJDROk34hxn7NA5UQMxfo6yzbQqlF_mMH3OeUME_DdUhQSuoyr2YyDBQN37U7tdzrFIuHoFZCAxFiMVGjdmz6ae9UvxTV2CDl-M/s1600-h/232323232%7Ffp53692_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=324;44785332;nu0mrj.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423275462368757650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4dRgLlzip_THTUlYaPrlUTB91EUWfrB6-v03FDPWfGJDROk34hxn7NA5UQMxfo6yzbQqlF_mMH3OeUME_DdUhQSuoyr2YyDBQN37U7tdzrFIuHoFZCAxFiMVGjdmz6ae9UvxTV2CDl-M/s400/232323232%7Ffp53692_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=324;44785332;nu0mrj.jpg" /></a> March<br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijYjNeHoimRfqqcnqO_HZiUXa3FumRnEM6VAZbBnLupcOfBbl4GZHwYQk3CX5e9y5QfBma2J0L6pbvH2goTuj0mloklsW_44_TFAPhti2jT1rKQwazcKK2IDwb0qnrNf1jYdoClt1VP9Zb/s1600-h/232323232%7Ffp53684_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=327834623332;nu0mrj.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423275467168600274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijYjNeHoimRfqqcnqO_HZiUXa3FumRnEM6VAZbBnLupcOfBbl4GZHwYQk3CX5e9y5QfBma2J0L6pbvH2goTuj0mloklsW_44_TFAPhti2jT1rKQwazcKK2IDwb0qnrNf1jYdoClt1VP9Zb/s400/232323232%7Ffp53684_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=327834623332;nu0mrj.jpg" /></a> April<br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HmC-KaqvIxU4iCpTZSZk4Lmqgf1Ns0W7pxOy-fDI6jXoBv3VakUsrNfv8OH739yiNNBLrQM3xfx3FcdIv43Jy8jrUu410WscnLoVqPoglZoU8uXS_iJ9QMO-ggLQIlcStViNqh2-DUG5/s1600-h/232323232%7Ffp53655_nu=324;_549_248_233_54933923_ot1lsi.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423275470888028578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HmC-KaqvIxU4iCpTZSZk4Lmqgf1Ns0W7pxOy-fDI6jXoBv3VakUsrNfv8OH739yiNNBLrQM3xfx3FcdIv43Jy8jrUu410WscnLoVqPoglZoU8uXS_iJ9QMO-ggLQIlcStViNqh2-DUG5/s400/232323232%7Ffp53655_nu=324;_549_248_233_54933923_ot1lsi.jpg" /></a>May<br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjSafGHVhOjVSkfMwPCcvTahgjw066na20FBKg6aTjUCZvfpUt1n7fXc-yPl0NK8ehTNu06noqR3q001skFVQgsKwt_rAqDsn4e570kXN_XK5iQGm16x5XF3wSMT8V1MjN9fXzxySfJHH/s1600-h/232323232%7Ffp536;6_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=32_548_64832;nu0mrj.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423275476261202866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmjSafGHVhOjVSkfMwPCcvTahgjw066na20FBKg6aTjUCZvfpUt1n7fXc-yPl0NK8ehTNu06noqR3q001skFVQgsKwt_rAqDsn4e570kXN_XK5iQGm16x5XF3wSMT8V1MjN9fXzxySfJHH/s400/232323232%7Ffp536;6_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=32_548_64832;nu0mrj.jpg" /></a> June<br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilrgQfXZca-Xi-7crYCLrKUSpYYjogo6Z6lo7COx7GYf2sahqS0cJ9XHV-w7vavRHr5aTuiH-bqgzgJt79_R2CVJoJcTpR6PoCpGAZDBSJrJZsQaIBHkekB3muUaY_iSh94qOCgeXOIFsu/s1600-h/232323232%7Ffp53662_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=3277_3_85632;nu0mrj.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423276265202176194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilrgQfXZca-Xi-7crYCLrKUSpYYjogo6Z6lo7COx7GYf2sahqS0cJ9XHV-w7vavRHr5aTuiH-bqgzgJt79_R2CVJoJcTpR6PoCpGAZDBSJrJZsQaIBHkekB3muUaY_iSh94qOCgeXOIFsu/s400/232323232%7Ffp53662_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=3277_3_85632;nu0mrj.jpg" /></a> July<br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEzwxG7o7BPKQrOQe97F25oMeabTdL2VZefb5BbqVv_F_UkC_9XDGdofxjw3Ktv04hFOHHwSiTSQor9PPV-HJ2v2dKrfBikIKpbDYyVRMDNVn28mlcg1M4rW4u6-OAlm4PqJqbk1jh2iR/s1600-h/232323232%7Ffp53693_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=32_548_6;832;nu0mrj.jpg"><span style="color:black;"></span><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423276269507981826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEzwxG7o7BPKQrOQe97F25oMeabTdL2VZefb5BbqVv_F_UkC_9XDGdofxjw3Ktv04hFOHHwSiTSQor9PPV-HJ2v2dKrfBikIKpbDYyVRMDNVn28mlcg1M4rW4u6-OAlm4PqJqbk1jh2iR/s400/232323232%7Ffp53693_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=32_548_6;832;nu0mrj.jpg" /></a>August </div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"> </div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJu8wjAeNoj5vt3LN8P7R6wkj1oA0RgsJ26jXwBPe3OW9H8wPrIQWrCBm2ajU_X468xPO-T_RNwn9qgc9wjGZ3cujUY-dlCDFbonE_fu3dKtI1bpk0UOdrFbE2xsauVn0onlu1a8-o5UlF/s1600-h/232323232%7Ffp6323;_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=33356;839232;nu0mrj.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423276274399261474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJu8wjAeNoj5vt3LN8P7R6wkj1oA0RgsJ26jXwBPe3OW9H8wPrIQWrCBm2ajU_X468xPO-T_RNwn9qgc9wjGZ3cujUY-dlCDFbonE_fu3dKtI1bpk0UOdrFbE2xsauVn0onlu1a8-o5UlF/s400/232323232%7Ffp6323;_nu=32_6_787_9_6_WSNRCG=33356;839232;nu0mrj.jpg" /></a>September<br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423276276166976914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTzDu-Mgegs7aEJwUn8hpqHi47v0BGBsFY97GF0MXPkJsIog18RT9Zh2NB9Xk1ybUX6QqrOZrYe-stJSiT0NZPpYYS4EIa-VABaiOwhJIj8P01MipNShw-8cV2UbRqbdPC80pKU0ktLAn/s400/232323232%7Ffp63239_nu=3335_646_578_242664666923_ot1lsi.jpg" /> October<br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbft1ModgxNuV2lJlqdEKVzlH9qGbxPRasjb4uPktZP1VPaz4yI056snnihZayirxlmbSsBsLadTnxEi-le4VNAEnOCWQ_KcMAE6b0beWZ586Wq2I1P6lgbtQ47po2ugC5542qQmML2rEi/s1600-h/Fall4.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423276286108848018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbft1ModgxNuV2lJlqdEKVzlH9qGbxPRasjb4uPktZP1VPaz4yI056snnihZayirxlmbSsBsLadTnxEi-le4VNAEnOCWQ_KcMAE6b0beWZ586Wq2I1P6lgbtQ47po2ugC5542qQmML2rEi/s400/Fall4.jpg" /></a>November </div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"> </div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG6IW2HgZZNtVmtKq9FJIs8sWku-TyaISql3EKnGGVU_tcluUjRmXvV9B2XRkx6Zb6EgZJOwcRauA3lIOBxqMjpmOFhlyfUh_bJDc1p00CP28iR63e4Kqo1XG1Aoie6ZBfRzIEWs568_I/s1600-h/DSC02805.jpg"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 237px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423276547386920770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG6IW2HgZZNtVmtKq9FJIs8sWku-TyaISql3EKnGGVU_tcluUjRmXvV9B2XRkx6Zb6EgZJOwcRauA3lIOBxqMjpmOFhlyfUh_bJDc1p00CP28iR63e4Kqo1XG1Aoie6ZBfRzIEWs568_I/s400/DSC02805.jpg" /></a></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">December<br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; TEXT-ALIGN: center; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CLEAR: both; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPJWxYqKqkkpps37dOvU0qF9W9eaAih7cWh9eEaBAeRI8ceRs0UyXH347YvthHPvI4fYNW6lV9T3Iy3YjnrKQ1F0CNVsAmFC_ogv2ctPzqPWDyFsAFDLU1hmxZLYCG2qlxawHAp_GWD41/s1600-h/Christmas.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 238px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423276552967459842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPJWxYqKqkkpps37dOvU0qF9W9eaAih7cWh9eEaBAeRI8ceRs0UyXH347YvthHPvI4fYNW6lV9T3Iy3YjnrKQ1F0CNVsAmFC_ogv2ctPzqPWDyFsAFDLU1hmxZLYCG2qlxawHAp_GWD41/s400/Christmas.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none">You have come a long way little girl and we can't wait to see what all the years to come will bring!<br /></div><div style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none">We love you so much angel. </div>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-7058755261549490982009-12-03T09:19:00.005-06:002009-12-03T11:13:32.045-06:00Thankful<div align="left">I know it is after Thanksgiving and all but it has been a busy few weeks and I haven't been able to post this yet.<br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">This has been a challenging year for us, and every year we make it a point to sit down and think about what we are Thankful and grateful for. To say it was easy this year would be a big fat lie. We have had so many ups and downs and challenges to overcome that it has made us a little jaded.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">With that being said when we sat down and started thinking about it, and made an effort to really look at things in a positive light it got easier, so here is our list!</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">We are thankful for...</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">Our families, we never would have gotten through all of this without them, and knowing that they support us, love us, and are there for us every step of the way has been a comfort on our tough days.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">Our amazing and beautiful daughter, she is the light in our lives, our greatest, and most amazing blessing and miracle. I look at her everyday and and fall more and more in love. I cannot imagine our lives without her in it, or what our life was like before as it pales in comparison. To be able to watch a child grow and learn and change is the greatest gift anyone could ever be given.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">Our marriage, we have struggled as of late but we are better because of it, if this year has shown us anything it has shown how much love can really change you and soften you. Even on our hardest days, if all we had to come back to was our love for each other that was enough to pull us through.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">The changes we have gone though, yes they have been difficult and this year will be full of more changes but, the ones we have faced and taken on have been an amazing transformation for us. We have learned to live with less, and make due when needed, but we have also realized how full our life really is and that material possesions are not what matters, rather love, compassion, family, and a relationship with God are what save you from your hardest times. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">So even though we look around and see how much we have had to endure, how much change we have gone through and how much change is to come; we are thankful, even for the smallest things, like food on the table and a roof still over our head, family to celebrate with and cry with, a community of faith that came together in our hard times and helped to pull us through, and the fact that no matter how far gone things can get there is always a light. No matter how far off it seems it is there, you just have to go through hell sometimes to get to the end, but what matters is that you keep on going, right through it and in the end you won't look back with regret but with thankfulness that you had to struggle to get where you are, so you could be evermore grateful for the things you will have.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><em>“But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you're fighting for.”</em></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><em>~ Paul Coelho</em></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">Moving on, below are some new pictures of our little miracle and from the holidays...Enjoy!!</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">So thankful to have such a beautiful table to come together at<br />(thanks to Tess and Aunt Mary Fran)</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411053820489923746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzK4qIKE7gEeWx8jf1nOWVUGtnq0nJNhTFbMlzOGHnv2-cscUH322ot_o_3hgLbO-d8ba_epPsv1_1onBlEncYREJ58ZPhGZ-FFLVmOKfCUuq6TaV8DrLh5PozSHP2PYC3cH7jx3JB6Gzf/s400/Thanks+Table.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">First Thanksgiving </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411051820322986946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 237px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfi4Ey7O_IS4yv2AXxJMU-fSVi-T-gCG_a1gyChG81lHeQJ4ycD3ksTx-4DU2Ag3tsOpNaF6hTBgnSa0E-BFsIhBeAsMcXfPeeagwFg8ucQFD9YEgYHpgao7Ijq2WTVsRBmTai1QoWrWp_/s400/family+thanks.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><br />All ready for Turkey<br /></p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411058036912756002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 272px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VeP7mC70Lkherzch7wfSVBmd_6l3liPjNQfa2fnsdaTZG3oqEgd7l04dHaBgNh-nHCV3meZ72tXEcvwO5mvKQDNoCfPvP2rVJOGSeb9X_ZrWLGU-YhNlmMwkKj35GkBhKGe-6Loe1pWq/s400/First+thanks+1.jpg" border="0" /><br />Gammie and Abby, and of course Abby made her stinker face right on cue for the picture</p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411051843541083778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 291px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFn_fwHVShhg0FCtqYeDFnuXfXdmP5GJb-1JnWw12njHv8pA-kyurJl3R-ag0-D90p11gBt_ba45iC5-DlmpybRmR6DaHfdeHa8eQDku8v1E-tPvUEPjKU9CHiyWLqLqYXyygNyjFmiZf/s400/R+and+A+Thanks.jpg" border="0" /><br />Grandpa H and Abby all ready for the Holly Days Parade<br /></p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411051834549073778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguf038bgpGd8uN0nZfWIf_S4hk-Z5B-Ac0_r2wfPjKB50KQw7oUqXly6xiz7Y8CQxzFwsK6sGPgNc_p91bi5_FJtgFexElflbKxZP7hv3lVwSV5gdGuGLcBpIJP35RMvWMZrdyrIYCJwGy/s400/GPH+and+A.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><br />All Bundled up at Holly Days</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411053810296876018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ56uNRl3Mqi1hrEiqMeXJFK7HEd2pr1fqz2AZInmds8NrNk2TOH9H7g5OS5PJSTmw4beA9CJKGfc0F2B4afayzNCzd8UI3ShUuU3cA161A2Ion1tE95EDWmp1lUgHp1TD29Iy0ce5mK1D/s400/Holly+Days.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p align="center">Hitchin a ride with Dad<br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411053802034958370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 359px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUTpjcNwQjpS4HyCNIqLvoC5CQaB_zoYuQdMY_elUpyUyBLdlzONpt6_Gv_qNRzd8I2PToeNCvoJ7BzY2MLqfM77SJp5kEqUyKBQXzcWIUvtt9aRH9QfZci0LoBXUTGpMpmZr6_marm_E/s400/D+and+A+Holly+Days.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">As you can tell it was pretty cold that night :)<br /><br /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411053814777145954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 244px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ObhdCobS04yRlZSgwSdIZYjbaWXYXqKsQ6GFUjKJ8zMp594MyrYsnYx0ns3Uv5hoqxbYrv54RA_9QKtYAdWbHFRDLKQGGrjUpiI-3QCW3nRWMSzYXXyWRzWcenErZ5H9fK4ITkbFIazM/s400/Holly+Days+2.jpg" border="0" /></p><p> </p><p>Love,</p><p>Christie, Donnie, and Abby</p>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-52850676456082064662009-11-16T09:24:00.005-06:002009-11-16T11:09:30.739-06:00Not the original post<span> I had planned...<br />So it has been awhile since we have posted and I promise pictures and videos at the end.<br /><br />I came on here today and planned to post an update on life and post some pictures and be done with it, but I am feeling a little nostalgic and emotional today so I feel like writing....bear with me and like I said above I promise new pictures and videos at the end :).<br /><br />I can't believe our daughter is 10 months old, I am so much enjoying this stage in her life but at the same time I am having some sadness, sadness that my baby is gone, the angel I used to cuddle and wanted to be rocked to sleep is perfectly happy to do it herself now. The little baby who needed me and her daddy to do everything for her is growing more and more independent with each passing day. She pulls away when you try and cuddle her for too long because she has far more exploring to do, she likes to hold her own bottle now, and really doesn't like to fed anymore either.<br /><br />While these are all things that are exciting, and amazing to watch, they are hard to accept. In 2 short months she will be<strong><em> one</em></strong>, and the next time I blink we will be leaving her at college, and sending her off into the big world, a confident and amazing woman.<br /><br />This year has been full of changes, and trials, and tribulations, moments of pure terror and fear, and yet so many moments of pure bliss. Months when we didn't know how we got through them, or how we managed to pay the rent and still have money left over at the end.<br /><br />I look at our beautiful girl and feel so blessed that we have her, feel so blessed that although alot was taken from us this year, we got more in return than we could have ever imagined. I know a lot of people may wonder how we got through this so positive, and finding the silver lining...I will tell you how, <strong><em>God's grace, our families, and our love for each other</em></strong>.<br /><br />I firmly believe that is how we got through many of those months on one income and fear, that week in the hospital with Abby, The months of trials that our marriage went through. At the end of the day when we felt like we had nothing left, but tears, at the end of the day when we were sure it was over, and we had nothing left to give, we clung to our families, each other, our daughter and God. We asked for help, we asked for peace, and we asked for Grace.<br /><br />I post on here alot about how we have been positive and happy to just be, and that isn't always the truth, there have been some dark and stormy days, some days when Donnie and I were not sure we could get through, some days when we needed some outside help to get through our marriage and just be able to live in the same house, in order to deal with the bigger challenges we were facing. There were days when we just dealt with being parents and the growing stack of bills on the table, and forgot about our needs in our marriage.<br /><br />We are are on the right path again, and we are good, we are happy and we are communicating. I think that is why I feel comfortable talking about it now. In the thick of it we were angry and bitter, at each other, at God, and just in general. In all of that it is easy to lose sight of the big picture, to trust that there is a reason we are going through this and while we may never fully understand all the tests we were handed, and I believe passed, we know one thing, we are strong.<br /><br />Stong in our love and strong in our faith. If this last year has done anything for us it has shown us that we can do anything, get through anything, and overcome anything.<br /><br />We have another year of challeges ahead with me losing my job, and Donnie changing careers and re-entering school, while working, but I am not scared, I don't have any fear, because I know we will overcome it, and I know that we will again be stronger because of it. I know that there is a plan in it all, one we don't need to know about, yet have faith that it will work out the way that God wants it to.<br /><br />So we will cling to our families, each other, our Daughter and God , and ride out this storm. We will look for the Silver lining and the rainbow at the end and know that God will provide a way, and a window will open, allowing us to get through.<br /><br />We don't know what our future holds but we do know that it is great, and wonderful, as long as we have each other, Abby, our families and our faith.<br /><br />So without further delay...please enjoy the pictures and video of our beautiful miracle, and a little girl who will never know how much she saved her parents on their hardest days. She is and was the reason we get out of bed everyday and put two feet on the floor, and keep fighting. We fight for her, for her future and for her to grow up happy, peaceful, and confident.<br /><br />We love you Abba Dabba, and you will someday hopefully understand what an amazing blessing you have been to your mommy and daddy.</span><br /><br /><div align="center"><br /></div><br /><br /><div align="center">Her first go at pears as finger food...<br /></div><br /><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404732082270462178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEawzyvhyUEkeSoVIR5XNDHQOkuceoSiD72ga4cFDRjy0_RPrb2-JCPztUS_EWHiAGOr8AdiTQSH37XZ-vWDn3Gzr_I0tGtC0vYshm6yjXmGwBx7P2E96ey5s4jWNqdrg3ijH_v5GtHHq4/s400/Abby+Pears+2.jpg" border="0" /><br />The Aftermath, she really likes to run her sticky, soggy fingers through her hair<br /></p><p> </p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404732101130422914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifie0xZeTUpNu7wKrGE_8KkQ9Tljcd1DbMhbGsIIKiiPiyHYfNn5C8pLLCWQ__KAVP1M4WzGRKUbqHLrq5-xdYlnJweZIhOmQzNAqEbq2ubBVN6X_lnqtK-c6eKpXz5iH4gPESBaxlfnzj/s400/Abby+Pears.jpg" border="0" />Our Cheeseball...and the reason we laugh so darn hard some days<br /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404732085139698322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxafzllFnf89wTFtlOy-eeSPTn6tfhCgsEEqmtUH2FCsawbyb73RnYb6gdtGyBnyPkMpu7e7ltIgjUOeqKGlp4Nq82rJzqoW5eipKWnyCTTPYOV8q_XcTdiNgx2aZOGjn6P5aDR5tioMi/s400/cheeseball.jpg" border="0" /></p><div align="center">As she has gotten bigger, so has her love for dudley...<br /></div><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404732091244475618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 394px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Hggx_syylBYNJRMMCOHj4bMLcUJQgUmEG6RxDH3SmrmWSLf2fPVdhvnhtWwbhS29k83a_7q7Xz6aLEgvS-1VYQQSnlYnXADdmz387i2w3nToWHi-G3JdfaRDgJ5HVv58wxcfAr68Baay/s400/Abby+and+Dudley1.jpg" border="0" /></p><div align="center">Although I am not sure he feels the same way most days </div><div align="center"><br /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404732095751092098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVj4BR6D5ICy-vpBy-_uGzGVIKa24RVeZeR-ZgJk-2bjQZ97fFnHmXC_ggsT0tFFD8ko45sQLhmJ-vLF3nSJz87_IQFUowOLkdLxDFsyVYyd8vhvnsIyT8zIVhhlRXyQZp2K__zt3KSPuC/s400/Abby+D+3.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">Our solution to our wanderer<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404735497379806658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 233px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_qbQQQ_XHfXL2uuqaEwgGsYQ_RWPtnGQO3PVPEaabVCHqD1WP3yZhRrlwWCP0gZsejuHD6FtDVenF-6shSFwmz3p4sGO4x9wQBGCJ9dQxfz86i2OVWzgwn-BnYpFpty0qfUgpWe1-xo4/s400/Abbytb1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">But she knocks it over since it is full of her toys, and has managed to figure out how to get past it...on to the next idea<br /><br /></p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404739309605580130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 331px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXRDhHmtCwqjWngFBDSF6RNz97IjKYBYt0wDgCOc1VTJekFjoziMHQlnhoSM29mOaoYFKA8H66SggoXRU2OJCSKtZQxU2zFBLIxeTqFoPA5ootRGyBExFrD5wKrdMBAD1XkxVpy1ZJODY/s400/Abbytb2.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center">She loves her new (to her) jumparoo courtesy of her Aunt Ashley and Cousin Scarlett...thank you for letting her borrow it :)<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyG2ytKxUzdaLRgmKTILpq0VJc4T5-IyCXcCCrIW4vYOumcYH-zuuyW7CoBe-_F22JF4Nz8XkjaRLv-XI5mIA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="center"> </p><p align="center">Abby has learned to clap!!!...everything now gets applause, diaper changes, food, dudleys toys, getting up in the morning, etc. It is her new favorite thing to do!<br /><br /></p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz76No0kLb-I2gx07sLi4QXwLJP0JEEX-BVbBjnUsTiiCWNOgny7KArnF8z89lj9_jD8EOAjmiE-fj5igViSg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-20330621076248086022009-10-22T09:47:00.004-05:002009-10-22T10:12:38.266-05:009 Months...Whew that was fast!<span><span>Little Abby girl is now 9 Months old! It is so hard for us to believe that she has been outside of me now longer than I carried her.<br /><br />She is such a wonder and amazement to us daily, and it seems she learns something new and wonderful (sometimes not so wonderful Like her yelling voice) everyday.<br /><br />We are soaking her in as much as we can and it is such a gift to watch her explore and discover things.<br /><br />Here is what Abby has been up to the last month:<br />~She went from an army crawl to a full on crawl<br />~she is now successfully pulling up on everything she can get her hands on (including poor Dudley)<br />~She is Cruising along the Couches (video of that below)<br />and has discovered how to yell really, really loud when she wants something :).<br /></span></span><br /><span><span>She has her 9 month appointment next Tuesday so we will know her weight and height stats then, although we are pretty confident she has passed the 20 pound mark.<br /><br />All in all it has been a pretty good month, not much new with Donnie and I, and it feels good to say that, that things are just status quo right now, no big suprises or changes and after the last few months that is a very welcomed change.<br /><br /></span></span><span><span></span></span><span><span>Abby's baptism is next weekend and we will post those pictures as well as her 1st Halloween pictures, afterwards.<br /><br />Have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend and enjoy her 9 monthday Photos :)!<br />Love,<br />Us</span></span><br /><div align="center">Mommy and Daddy's little monster<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395438521704972290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 362px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzI9WyhWiqyUi2uwGFyzGBtRGuCSGKM2NvqDRh4sRaaXN5uO2O17iSkNddmzjLhiGcDbLBpAgTUHfkulKcwi428-GpPGvHOZtKy-bwTn1Z_hoX5_BttNoV3JnujgwcqZtECfz-25Sg-4gT/s400/Fall1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">Seeing leaves for the first time<br /></p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395438524883393730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 398px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBN25rTV53UNWUGjK_lIO4oH-5jg3SASszQXdfYZsJB7Q7fWauzXNxIFkyN5bXLSa92cUKKyEtzyWmKTpb4Rk-O_sIyBznUbNU6DLJ4rTNJmkca-TCMZPedwrx4RTeUWqS8YKM_L0rYiD/s400/Fall2.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"> Staring at our neighbor<br /></p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395438528586805474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90zmhrL5yvi8S5OCeSTds1hd3HM4RYQkc0cn1Qt4StONknbJI5G4gWOSBQqGugNobCiQcFzsfICBDcVyXF5ZT2Pj-8pukqYCYh9qRwRGj412jpZw5M_8fArkwaJYs3tVntwTxCRJOB3yA/s400/Fall3.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">Finally a big smile from our little pumpkin </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395441290874959170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqjwEOP0btMCS3lCn82_EEB9cwcP78-bEQuXHU2kOUiTlykIPZsYBXlZvfwdtcWBv-9eNOGsVl85bVTGf9kUrHOvxcR7SY1wtqSXSeNUOyyMhU748Labmv7AtCOZBt0W1akyRSZqfmPlw/s400/Fall4.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Abby is perfecting her exasperated side eye look for her teenage years</p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395438540120290898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvmPGCt40tuKn0ycpCJLmfBMH9a0iwsJ4aT6okpoMEMJch0701O9T6bzNbmWi_LTrTDi3yWTela3N2u6oDVuiliLrGY-9UTGDWbn0e0AQMzJYSruqCRi568Yy9J8IknY16UqOAdb9UsDU/s400/Side+Eye.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"> Uh-Oh We are in trouble!<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxLVluxSmMEjIZfn-lWKPptevm1U3L6KqqSnevewBMdaocBDhgwON8iTTGilyjwzlNS-taCKAQP-wVu-fVmQQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-12441755903630008522009-10-16T11:11:00.001-05:002009-10-16T11:14:48.761-05:00VOTE FOR ME !!!!Abby is entered in a contest with Studion one to one if she wins she will recieve a $1000 Savings bond and a $500 Picture portfolio.<br /><br />Here is the link:<br /><a href="http://www.holdmymemories.com/contests/momentdetails/1494360?page=6">http://www.holdmymemories.com/contests/momentdetails/1494360?page=6</a><br /><br />you can only vote once per email address, so if you have more than one please use them.<br />It will send you a validation email and you have to click that for the vote to count ( check your spam folder too) that is where mine ended up.<br /><br />Thank you for voting for her :)Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808615046668354329.post-37733495794222240912009-10-15T08:07:00.002-05:002009-10-15T09:30:20.110-05:00Infant Loss and Rememberance Day<a href="http://www.october15th.com/WaveofLight.gif"></a> <img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 373px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 318px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.october15th.com/WaveofLight.gif" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="http://www.october15th.com/WaveofLight.gif"></a><br /><br /><div><span>I have not Lost a child, and I hope that this pain never becomes a part of our life. We do know quite a few people who have lost Babies, I personally have made some friends who have gone through miscarriage, stillbirth and even the loss of an older child. I view these parents as some of the strongest people I have ever met, be it in real life or through blogs or message boards.<br /><br /><br />I cannot imagine the pain of carrying a child even for a short time and never being able to bring that baby home with you.<br /><br /><br />From the moment Donnie and I found out we were going to be parents we were in love, we started talking about what Abby would look like, what our hopes and dreams were for baby bean Harris. I remember hoping for a girl but also that I would be happy no matter what as long as the baby was healthy and happy.<br /><br />There was a day early on in the pregnancy when I was spotting, and I remember the absolute terror and fear we both felt, we were pretty early on so when I called the Doctor and the nurse said well there is nothing we can do if this is a Miscarriage. I felt hopeless, hurt, confused and angry. How could one be so insensitive, so callaous about OUR baby. Then I remembered that for them this is something that probably happens everyday, and that made me more upset. I was upset because I realized that we have no control over whether they live or Die, that it is all in God's hands and for whatever reason he decides to take some home well before their time, this is not a comforting thought especially for a control freak like me. It does not make me feel any better to say it's ok God decided he wanted our baby more. Thankfully the spotting stopped and the pregnancy continued, but it never left my mind that we could lose baby bean at anytime and that there was not a darn thing anyone could do about it, no matter how much we bargained, prayed, pleaded or cried.<br /><br />Around 22 weeks I started having some very painful braxton hicks contractions and the doctor wanted to see me right away, the entire way to the doctor's office I prayed again, over and over, please Don't take her, we love her so much already, I can't imagine our lives without her in it. I was a wreck by the time Donnie met me at the OB and we sat in the cold office and waited, waited for the cold gel on my expanding belly and the beautiful thump-thump-thump of her heart. It was there and I calmed down but I still wanted to know why I was having contractions, and the Doctor said it happens sometimes, it is completely normal. Normal was not the word I would have used but again they deal with it every day and this is something they telly everyone. So I was put on bedrest for 5 days and again everything calmed down and the pregnancy went on.<br /><br />The day before I was induced with Abby I had my 39 week appointment, got my weight checked, blood pressure, and belly measured. Everything looked great and I was dialated to 2-3 CM and 80% effaced, doc said it could be anytime now and I got excited thinking we could meet our little girl soon. We then listened to the heart and it popped up right away, I thought it sounded great but I noticed the Doc was taking longer than normal and she looked worried. She said she wanted to run Non Stress test and see where we were after that, so I go to the next room get hooked up to a monitor and lay there counting her kicks with a little button. All this time Donnie was at work wondering where the heck I was and he wasn't able to get ahold of me. The nurses were coming in and out, they looked concerned and no one was telling me anything.<br /><br />Finally Dr. Bansore came in and said you are going to have a baby tommorow, her heart rate is high and while things look healthy I want to get her out. I went in to panic mode, I was excited that we would get to meet her but terrified that they wanted to do it so fast and that even though I was progressing into labor on my own they were going to jump start it. <br />I left the office and called Donnie and that is when it all hit me, what if something is wrong, what if they aren't telling me everything so I don't get worked up, what if, what if, what if.<br /><br />Donnie rushed home, we put our parents on alert, and got packed to head to the hospital the next morning. The labor was long and everything was going the way it was supposed to, we joked that Abby was ready to come out so she was doing tricks to get her way. When she came out she didn't cry, and as a mother who has been laboring for over 17 hours that is the sound you wait for, they cut her cord and rushed her across the room to stimulate her, I had no idea what was happening, no one knew really, and then the Doctors started coming in, and then more nurses, and she still wasn't crying. I was trying to stay calm but all I wanted was my daughter and I couldn't get why no one was giving her to me. Hell I carried her for 10 months I think I should get to hold her finally. <br /><br />Then everything got scary, and rushed, and confusing. The next thing I knew she was in my arms and then she was being run down to the NICU. now for a person who has had a "normal" pregnancy, this was confusing. I remember begging God to not take her in my head and saying over and over again to him please just let me hold her.<br /><br />At the time I remember running through my head all the Horror stories you read about people delivering a stillborn, after a normal pregnancy, about babies with undetected birth defects. I remember thinking I don't want to join this club, I don't want to have an angel baby, I want to take her home, I want to show her the nursery her Daddy painted for her, put her in the crib that I slept in, rock her in the chair that Donnie and all his siblings had been in. I want to watch her grow up, please don't take my Daughter, the one we prayed for and waited for, and wanted so badly.<br /><br />Walking into the NICU was the scariest experience of my life, I had no idea what I was walking into and you are never really prepared for seeing your child like that. <br /><br />In all of this I felt lucky though, lucky that we decided to deliver at a hospital with one of the best NICU's in the Country, Lucky that the neonatalogists that were caring for her were the best, and that we have the technology to save her. The first night was terrifying, I remember going to bed that night and her Doctor telling us it was touch and go and only time would tell us what we were dealing with, they also told us that if anything changed they would come get us. Needless to say we did not sleep well that night and It was about 5 AM when we went back down there. The next few days showed promise and before we knew it she had moved to the Step down Side of the NICU and 3 days later we got to take her home.<br /><br />Those days have forever changed my life. I am different because of that experience, it made me realize how fragile life is, and how quickly it can all change. As Abby got better I relaxed but I still was impacted not only by her but by all the babies in there with her, the nurses all joked that she was the "baby moose" of the NICU crew and people would walk past and smile at her and her big blue eyes. The other parents in there were amazing, there was a 23 weeker, a 28 weeker and a 30 weeker all in there with us, at the time I felt guilty because our journey in that ward was a short one and most of them spent months there, every day, and all night sometimes hoping for a miracle.<br /><br />Sadly one of the Babies passed while we were there, it was a nice young couple and it was there first. I still think about them and wonder how they are doing, I remember when the Dad came out and apologized to all of us waiting to see our kids. Because of the circumstances they closed down the NICU whenever a baby coded, and we all had to leave, but I will never forget the look in his eyes, the pain, the confusion, and the utter grief. <br /><br />We held Abby longer that night, we hugged her more tightly before we went home, and we thanked God the entire way home for saving her and letting her stay with us.<br /><br />This has gotten more wordy than I intended and if you are still with me I appreciate it.<br /></span></div><div><span>This entire post was meant to say that I admire the strength that these parents walking this path have. The fact that they still rejoice when others celebrate the birth of a child and they are left with empty arms. The strength they have to raise their other children with a hole in their heart and a piece of their family missing.<br /><br />Today we honor the Babies that have gone before their parents, and the parents that are left to survive and go on.<br /><br />My Family will be praying for all of you and thinking of you today.<br /><br />May God surround and hold you as you walk this path.<br /> </span></div></div>Christiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09541101950595079679noreply@blogger.com1