I'm 31!

Yesterday I celebrated my 31st birthday! This day was extra special this year because today Anniston is 7 weeks old! We had the best day together. Brandon was off work and the weather was yucky so we all stayed inside and had family time together. We had an awesome night as well- I fed Anniston at 9 pm and we slept until 2:30 in the morning! She ate and went back to sleep until about 5:45. I was so proud of her. When we got up this morning we had some fun "awake" time by ready Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas." This was the first time I have read to her and she loved it! She just stared at me with those big, beautiful eyes in such wonder as to what I was saying. It seemed she was hanging on to my every word. I think it was more about the tones of my voice that she loved.

That afternoon I worked on some scrapbook pages with my new digital scrapbook software while she napped. I was able to get 4 pages completed! I'm LOVING my new software. It is so much easier than hauling all of my supplies out, setting up, and then cleaning up. "Going digital"as I call it, is also much faster and less expensive. Tonight we all got down on the floor (Ruby included) and played on her activity mat. I took some video and pictures because she was being so good! Hopefully the worst of her gas has passed us. She is already doing so much better than she was the first few weeks after she was born. Then we all hopped up on the couch and watched the snow falling through the windows. This is Anniston's first snow! I feel so lucky to have this time to spend with her.

Thanksgiving Wrap-Up

This year was Anniston's first Thanksgiving! I was a little worried about how she would hold up at all the family dinners but she did fantastic! Last weekend we had an early dinner with the Hopper family. She got a little fussy towards the end but was really good for the most part. I had ordered her a turkey onesie with her name on it from Etsy and she looked so cute!

Wednesday night we had dinner with Pat, Nana, Tara, Tracy, and the twins. She was good the entire time! Tara fed her a bottle and then Pat and Nana took turns holding her while she slept so peacefully.

On Thanksgiving day we drove to Jackson to have our Thanksgiving lunch at Nancy's. We ate, hung out, and then had a photo session in the front yard. It had been a while since all the cousins had taken pictures together. Then we lounged around looking at all the Black Friday deals. It was a great day!

Kay Kay and Poppy kept Anniston Thursday and Friday night so Brandon and I could get some much needed sleep! After we got back to Memphis, Brandon and I went up to RP Tracks to eat some food and watch some football. We didn't make it long though- we were ready to crash for a full night of un-interuppted sleep!! And boy was it nice! I think I slept for about 10 hours Thursday night!

On Friday, neither of us could muster up the energy to get out and about with all the crazy shoppers. We stayed around the house getting chores done. It felt so nice to get caught up on housework because it's so hard to do it when Anniston is here. Friday night Brandon took me out for my birthday. He also got me a gift card to Pavo salon. I can't wait to use this- I'm thinking a pedicure or a massage! Whoo hoo!

This Thanksgiving was really great- I have so much to be thankful for. It's amazing to look back and realize how much has changed since last Thanksgiving. I feel so blessed!

Momma's Shopping Again!

Ahh- can I just say how great it is to be able to shop for normal clothes again? It's so awesome to not have to shop in the maternity departments anymore! I will SO not miss that. I've still got about 10 more lbs before I'm down to my pre-pregnancy weight- but that hasn't stopped me from buying some new clothes. I mean, hey, I've got to look cute for the holidays, right? I've mostly been doing a lot of internet shopping, but I have managed to make it out to my favorite store, J Crew, a couple of times.

A couple of weeks ago, Allie and I took Anniston on her first shopping outing. We hit up Saddle Creek- mainly J Crew and Gap. I was really nervous about taking Anniston out- what if she got really fussy in a store and started screaming at the top of her lungs? I was going to be so embarrassed. Luckily, I had Allie there to help me out. We had so much fun! Anniston was so good- she slept nearly the entire time. The sales people at J Crew know us- even thought it has been awhile since they've seen me! They are so nice to me and Allie- once they saw that I now have a baby they got us set up in the largest dressing room to accomodate her stroller. Allie and I had a mini fashion show in there- one of us would try on clothes while the other gave fashion advice while holding Anniston. Then we would trade off. It was so much fun- I think Anniston likes J Crew- and shopping!

I cannot WAIT for Anniston to be able to wear some of the clothes from their Crewcuts line- she is going to be so fashionable. Look how cute some of this stuff is! We are gonna be in trouble...

My First Girl's Night Out

Jodi, Allie, and I had big plans to attend the Breaking Dawn midnight showing last Thursday night so Anniston had her first sleepover at Kay Kay and Poppy's. We met up with mom and dad at a halfway point between Jackson and Memphis Thursday night and Anniston was going to stay with them until our early Thanksgiving get-together with the Hopper's Saturday afternoon. This meant I would have girl's night Thursday and the ENTIRE day on Friday to run whatever errands I wanted to. I had been looking so forward to this all week. I hadn't been out with the girls in a LONG time!


I knew I would miss her while she was away but I was so unprepared for the stream of waterworks that appeared as I was handing her over to mom and dad. I cried, kissed her, peered through the car window at her, opened the door to kiss her again, and then cried most of the entire way back. I felt like the other half of me was gone! Up until now, I have not been away from her for more than about 2 hours- and she's almost 6 weeks old. I seriously considered cancelling the entire arrangement! But I didn't- and I had such a great time.


Allie and I met up with Jodi at Old Venice for some pizza, pasta, and wine before the movie. We had tickets to see Eclipse before Breaking Dawn so that we would have good seats and not have to stand in line. There were 8 or 9 midnight showings and every one of them was sold out! It was crazy! It's always fun looking at everyone's T-shirts- people can be so creative.



I didn't catch up much on sleep that night since we didn't get home until 2:30 am, but it was so worth it! On Friday, while Brandon was working, Allie and I went shopping. We shopped for us and for Anniston. Anniston has outgrown all her newborn onesies so she needed new onesies in the 0-3 month size. We also found her some of the cutest Christmas outfits. She is going to be so festive all through the month of December! Friday night Brandon and I went out to dinner and then came home to just relax around the house. By Saturday, I was SO ready to see my precious baby girl! It was nice to have a little time to myself because I got caught up on things around the house and had a little fun too! Oh- and did I mention how wonderful it was to have a full night of sleep? It does wonders for a new mother!

Anniston's Newborn Photo Shoot

My awesome cousin, Kimberly, came over a couple of weeks after Anniston was born to take Anniston's newborn pictures. I had been preparing for this for months before she was born. It seems like I spent hours on the internet looking at outfits and photo props to use. Almost everything she is wearing in the pictures came form Etsy. Have I mentioned that I LOVE Etsy? I don't think I paid over $20 for anything. You can find some really great, unique pieces.

Kimberly did a fantastic job. She was so patient with us all. Anniston was really good for the most part. I can't believe we got so many good shots with her eyes open. Most babies' eyes are closed for their newborn shoot. She was so tolerable of all the outfit changes- suprisingly. I think the pictures turned out so great!

Chickasaw Photo Shoot

My wonderful, awesome, loving sister suggested we all go out to Chickasaw Gardens last Saturday so she could practice taking some photos of me, Brandon, and Anniston. She recently bought a fancy new camera and has been trying to learn some photography tricks. She did awesome taking pictures of Anniston when she was born and in the weeks to follow. If it wasn't for Aunt Allie, we would not have had a lot of pictures from the first couple of weeks after she was born. Things were so crazy and I was exhausted- so taking pictures was not high on the priority list!

Chickasaw Gardens has beautiful scenery, especially in the fall and Allie did a fantastic job of capturing all of it. We got quite a few good pictures out of it. Anniston was so good- she slept like a log the entire time!

Happy Belated Halloween!

I am so behind on my blogging- it's so hard when you have a 6 week old baby! But better late than never! Here is a sweet picture of Miss Anniston with her adorable Halloween hat on! This is the only picture I have of her from Halloween. I had purchased a ladybug costume for super cheap before she born but we never even put it on! I have realized that sometimes it is just not worth upsetting her to get a cute picture! Lol. She does NOT like to have her outfits changed. Aunt Allie says it's because she doesn't like to be naked, even for just a second:)! I was here by myself that day and I didn't want to risk making her scream at the top of her lungs in order to put the outfit on, take a quick picture, and then take it right back off. So maybe we will dress up next year...

Anniston is 1 Month Old!

My sweet Anniston,

I cannot believe you have been in our lives for only a few short weeks.  Our lives have completely changed because of you- and in a good way!  I look at you and still can't believe you are mine.  It brings me such joy to hold you in my arms and to think I have a lifetime of watching you grow up.

I'm not going to lie though, taking care of a newborn is exhausting.  You need constant care and attention.  My life completely revolves around you- which is something I was not used to until now. Being a first time mom is hard- I have no idea what I'm doing and I'm so scared I'm going to mess up in some way.  We've been taking it one day at a time and I think we've been making it pretty good so far!

Breastfeeding didn't work out so well for us- so on to plan B!  I've been exclusively pumping and feeding you breastmilk.  Between you eating every 2 hours (sometimes 1 and 1/2 hours), me pumping in between, cleaning out the pump, and washing bottles I have about 30 minutes before it's time to start it all again!  That has been the most frustrating and exhausting part- but then I hold you in my arms while you sleep and all that disappears.  I look down on your precious and innocent face and I feel so blessed!

You have had really bad gas and acid reflux.  Sometimes you will just cry and cry and I feel helpless.  We have tried a couple of different positions to help you feel better.  You love to bounce- so we do plenty of that!

You are wearing newborn diapers and newborn/0-3 month clothes.  You have scratched your face several times with your fingernails so I've been trying to put you in clothes that have mittens.

You sleep on me or with me holding you at night.  If I lay you down in your bassinet you will only sleep for about 30 minutes.  If I hold you sometimes you can go several hours without waking up.  Your gas makes you uncomfortable and fussy at night but I know it won't last forever.  Daddy usually gets up super early to take over the duties while I catch a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Your favorite face to make is when you purse your lips together as if to say "oooh."  It is so funny and we have so many pictures of you making this face.  You can also hold your head up for several seconds at a time!

I'm so blessed to have you, Anniston.  You have brought more joy to my life than I could have ever imagined.  These first few weeks have been tough, but I would not have traded them for anything!

I love you sweet Annison!

Love,
Mommy