Cheers to 2 wonderful years!!

Each time a certain holiday or special occasion comes along I can't help but ponder back to the year or years before on what it was like then vs. now.  Daniel and I just celebrated our 2 year anniversary yesterday.  As I thought back on the past 2 years I couldn't help but smile thinking of what all the Lord has blessed us with along with all the trials and tribulations that He has brought us through.  Don't worry, I'm not going to write a sappy post on how much I love my husband and how he's the best thing the Lord has ever put in my life, etc. etc. because you already know all that.  However, it sure is neat to compare where we were each year on our anniversary thus far. 

Of course the first year was our amazing and forever memorable wedding day.

We went to the beach on our 1 year anniversary and I was oh, 34 weeks pregnant with our first little angel, Hampton.

And this year we happened to go to the beach as well, but we stayed with my cousin, Cheri.  Sweet Hampton had a blast!  His 3rd cousin, Lydia was down there for the week as well so he had a playmate for the weekend.

We didn't get down there until late Friday night and when we woke up Saturday morning to clouds and 60% chance of thunderstorms, I knew it was going to be an inside and peaceful kind of beach trip.  And that it was.  We lounged around ALL day and listened to the monsoon.  Cheri and Chris have an awesome backyard complete with 2 porches, one that is screened in and the other with a tin roof.  Ahhh, a little piece of heaven when you're lounging under a screened in porch, listening to the rain hit the tin roof...even at the beach.  Thank you again Chris and Cheri for sharing your beautiful beach house with us!  Sunday, of course, was gorgeous!  Not a cloud in the sky, but the best day to fly a kite.  It. was. windy.  Like 25-30 mph windy.  So what else to do than get in the golf cart and ride around.  We went to the pool first.  (Lydia just THOUGHT she wanted to swim until she got her whole teeny tiny body in).  That lasted about 2.5 seconds.  Oh well.  I got some cute shots of our little man. ;)

 Next, we ventured over to Frank Brown Park for the kiddos to play a bit.  This is the face you get when Hampton is sleepy and had no nap for the day.  Who can blame him?! :)

 I guess he got his 2nd wind...

Annnnnd, finally, this is our little family of 3 on our actual anniversary day.  2 years later. :)

Uncle Jerry and Aunt Brooke were nice enough to keep the kiddo while Daniel and I went to eat at Ichiban baby free!!   Thank y'all again! 

Happy Anniversary, Daniel. 

Hampton and I love you to the moon and back!!

I wouldn't trade my life for anything and I'm looking forward to many, many more with the ones I love!!!

Busy bees

Well, it is officially April and a week has already come and gone.  Just as my title for this post reads...reason # 76 why I haven't had a chance to blog at. all.  We have been busy little bees around here.  Last weekend I was at the beach for Brooke's last fling before the ring! :) 

There was a total of 11 girls and boy did we have fun!  It was a rainy Friday afternoon on the way down, but it had cleared up by the time we got down there.   When we woke up Saturday morning it was ugly out and raining, yet again.  We weren't letting a little rain get us down though.  When we ALL had enough energy to move more than from the couch or bed to the kitchen we decided to get out and about and have some lunch on the porch at Bud and Alley's in Seaside.  By then, the clouds were making their way out and the sun was beginning to peak out.  It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon and we DID soak up a little vitamin D that afternoon.  We had Brooke a fun little lingerie party before going to eat at the Red Bar that night...mmmmm.  Their mashed potatoes are to die for. Seriously.  We didn't make it out too late that night.  I think we were all still a tad exhausted from the first night down there!!  Usually it is a VERY sad day to leave the beach, but this time was a little different.  1. The weekend was fun and memorable, BUT I was more than ready to see my 2 favorite men in my life.  I had missed them SO, SO much.  2.  It was overcast.  That is the ONLY time I can easily transition from the beach back to reality if it is raining, cloudy, or overcast.  Despite the ugly weather, the whole weekend was so much fun and I wish Brooke and Andrew the best in their future together!!  Bring on the wedding this weekend!! :)

Once I got back from the beach, the following week was my Spring Break (from 1st grade maternity leave).  I was SO excited to be able to sleep in with my little man again and get to play with him ALL day.  I had missed that.  I had actually forgotten how fast breaks from school FLY by.  To say the least, it was NOT fun when my alarm went off this morning before the sun had even come up!!  It ended up being a pretty busy week, but we did make time for some fun too!  We went to Hughes' baseball game Tuesday night.  I LOVE going to his games and being at the ball park again.  Just the feeling when I get out there is THE best feeling.  Memories always begin to flood my mind from us literally living out there growing up.  Hughes plays 2nd base and is really good (and I'm not being biased b/c he's my nephew!).  Hampton was intrigued by his surroundings (especially all the loud, smelly, and silly boys in the dugout!) and even gave a few claps here and there!! 

He sat and watched them in amazement

Our little baseball player :)

I love this boy like my own!

Hampton loves him some Hughes! :)

Wednesday morning Brooke was babysitting Lucy so she brought her over for Lucy and Hampton to put Hampton's new blow up pool to use for the first time!  I don't think Hampton knew what to think or make of all this chaos.  haha  Lucy, on the other hand, had a ball! :)

It's amazing we ever even got this picture (if you know Lucy, you understand!)

Hampton checking it out...

He never really LOVED the situation he was in until he realized he could sit up on the slide basically out of harms way and still not touch the water.  haha

Thursday night we ventured out to the mall to have a little visit with good 'ole Peter.  I was anxious to see how Hampton would do and not to my surprise, he LOVED him!  He checked him out reeeealll good...

and was ALL SMILES and LAUGHS afterwards.  Aaaaaaahhhh.  I began to breathe again. :)  Get back with me next year at this time!!!!

We had his 9 month pics (yes, a month late) this past Saturday morning with Erica Hartzog.  There again, I always am a little apprehensive about how he's going to do.  I'm not sure why I still worry about these things with this child.  Maybe with the 2nd, but not this one.  He is THE happiest baby.  Even when he hasn't had a nap, has tee-tee'd in his diaper 14 times, and has a poopy.  Still. happy.  I'm NOT by any means complaining.  Don't get me wrong.  He's not perfect and he has his moments, but 99.9% of the time, he's happy and chill.  Therefore, to say our shoot with him was a success would be an understatement.  Of course, it had a little bit to do with an amazing photographer we had as well.  I have said it on Facebook and I will say it again, if you need a GREAT photographer in the Dothan area call Erica with Erica Hartzog Photography.  She is SO easy to work with, an amazingly talented photographer, and SO reasonably priced.  I'm in LOVE with his pics and it was only the previews. :)

This is just ONE of my favs...

Seriously, you should look her up on Facebook if you need someone to capture some memorable moments.

Finally, to cap off our first week in April, we celebrated Jesus' resurrection from the tomb, with Easter Sunday.  We had a wonderful church service at Covenant and then headed to my parent's house for a yummy lunch with the family and a little easter egg hunting afterwards.  I got some good pictures to capture Hampton's first Easter. 

Peter Cottontail made his way to our house

Getting his goodies :)



Sweet cousins :)

Family pic :)

Opening his Easter goody from Mimi and Papa...

we think Mimi got a little confused and thought it was

Christmas all over again!! :)

Whew.  Makes me tired just writing about it all again.  I keep thinking one day, just one day life might slow down and then I think, "who am I kidding?!?"  I guess I really wouldn't have it any other way. 

I will leave you with a funny (to me anyways!)...

Easter 2011...

Easter 2012  :)

10 months old

Holy smokes.  10 short months have FLOWN by and we are 2 months away from the big FIRST birthday.  Eeeeek.  Have to be honest, I'm getting a little sad with each day passing.  Hampton is growing SO fast and learning new things I feel like on a daily basis.  We took his 10 month pictures tonight and I must say, he was the wiggliest, squirmiest that he's been yet.  It was a very difficult task to keep him in his green chair.  Hence, having to give him the monkey towards the end.  Anything to keep him in the chair!  haha

Daddy sure is a funny guy! :)

"Hey friend..."

The monkey fell and Hampton almost did too. 

He went straight for him...

As of now...

he loves anything that moves.  Anything he can crawl after, roll, or push.

he loves dogs and thinks they are funny! (No, we don't have a 4 legged furry friend of our own and mama doesn't want or NEED that responsibility right now!)

he loves to swing and be outdoors.  He will actually crawl to the door now and whine wanting to go outside.

A lot of things he is beginning to do and say now I haven't or can't capture them in a picture so I will have the memory written in his book or on here.  For example...

he is an extreme chatter box.  He has really opened up in public and around others this last month.  Up until then,  he was extremely shy.  So far, he is saying da-da, ma-ma, and bye-bye (only sometimes or basically when he wants to.)

he points to things when he wants you to see it.

he waves bye-bye and it is THE cutest thing ever.

I look forward to every new day with this sweet child of mine.  I pray that he fully understands just how much he is loved by Daniel and I.  He is the biggest blessing and we truly do love him to the moon and back.