Fall Pictures!

I was playing around with the camera and my editing site, and Allie and a pumpkin. :) Enjoy the pics! They are some of my new favorites!

We Survived! :)

Just a quick update and thank you for all of your prayers. We made it through day one. Everyone is sleepy and ready for bed. Mommy cried a couple times today (normal right?? :) ) I kept reminding myself that I'm working for a reason, and the Lord has me right where He wants me at this time in my life. We will be fine. :) Allie did great with Nana, Papa and auntie D. :)
Thanks for watching her!!!! We appreciate it so much! :) I love knowing that she's with family. They sent texts thoughout the day, so I could know what she was doing. :) How thoughtful.
I could feel everyone's prayers. It was hard to go back, but I've got a GREAT wireless plan- The Lord and I talked quite a bit today... and my "call" never got dropped. :)
Thanks again all who prayed! :) We Love you!!!!

Mommy Goes Back To Work Today

Well, the time off was wonderful. Please keep praying that this new transition goes well. I'm confident that Allie is in EXCELLENT hands all week. I'm sad to leave her so long.
Gracie puppy will have an adjustment too. She's had me home all summer and fall! My babies! :)

Gotta keep a good attitude.... :) I keep telling myself- or whispering this little prayer rather... "More of You Lord, less of Me!" More of Your thoughts and Your strength and energy- and less of my self doubt, worry, and sadness/pity for myself. I am so blessed. Why wallow in my feelings- but rather LOOK to the ONE who has blessed my socks off! Attitude. I have to keep my attitude right- focusing on my Blesser and my blessings.

I worked in my classroom for a good two hours on Saturday- hoping to make this first week back smooth. Towards the beginning of my time there, I thought- I can't do this. My heart isn't here. I felt this peace- and gentle reminder- saying "More of ME, less of you". So- that was my prayer- SEVERAL times over the next few hours- and has been all weekend. I know that I'll be fine- I've got the Lord on my side! :) We can get through ANYTHING together!!!! :)

Oh yeah- another blessing???.....my AMAZING husband. He has been such a help through all this. He has been helping me so much! :) He deserves FATHER/HUSBAND of the Year award! :)

Today might get crazy and busy and I'm sure I'll be exhausted. But I am so blessed! :)
Thanks Mom (and dad and sis) and Grammie (and gramps and krunkle J) for watching our baby. We appreciate you so much! We know you are all excited. Allie is too. :)

Love you all!

Sitting Big

Allie loves to sit up and watch what's going on. She's such a cutie. She is taking in all of her surroundings and loves to watch Daddy and Gracie when Mommy's holding her. She sat in church today on Grammie's lap and just watched everything that was going on. Pretty adorable. Sometimes she gets all excited and kicks and pumps her arms real fast. Sometimes she wants to stand and get a better look. :) She's getting so big! Of course she can't stand or sit up on her own yet- so she's still out little cuddle bug sometimes too. :) I'm sure once she is more independant and get where she wants to go, we'll be chasing more than cuddling. For now, I'm loving the cuddling and exploring from mommy's lap! :)
We took these pictures one evening when we were eating dinner. She usually lays on the table in her boppy pillow and watches us eat. She seemed in the mood to sit up, so we tried the highchair again. (She hadn't sat in it for a while.) I later added some toys for her to look at, and she got all excited and just stared at them.

Allie Talks to Froggie

Allie loves her play gym floor mat. She will lay there and look at her kitty, froggie and bumble bees forever! She'll talk to them and bat the toys with her hand and sometimes kick them. She gets so excited sometimes both her hands and feet get going. :) It's pretty precious! :) Enjoy the video. Hope it works. :)

Gearing Up for More Change

Well, all good things must come to an end....eventually. Although, this isn't an end, it is just another beginning. Mommy is preparing to start back to work on Monday. (Ugh, blech, and waah... just a few of mommy's thoughts on the matter.)

While I would LOVE to be able to stay home with our little peanut, it isn't realistic at this time in our lives. We need the money and it just isn't possible at this time. It is our responsibility to provide for Allie and our little family, and this is how it will work for now. Allie will be in excellent hands with her Nana and Grammie. We are thankful that Nana and Grammie will be able to watch her. We think that they are really excited about this time too. I am sure that the first few weeks will be a huge adjustment, (and could get tiring, stressful and frustrating at times,) but we are choosing to try to have a good attitude about the whole transition. I have to go back, we've known this all along, why make it more difficult.

I will still try to blog, but it sadly won't be every day. Especially at first. Hang in there with us. We could use your prayers as we begin yet another new transition. There are certainly mixed feelings. I want to be here to see all of Allie's experiences and to be the one to care for her, but I also think that it might be good to have her have time with her Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles too. Plus, everyone says that I'll enjoy the adult time. (I've got some pretty amazing friends who are really excited to have me come back- what a blessing!) I know that we will be fine- especially after the first (tough?) few days. God has been amazing and has blessed us in unbelievable ways this far, we've no reason to believe He will stop now. Thanks for following us during the first ten weeks of our little Allie's life with us. We've been so blessed! Your prayers for us, and Allie have been felt. Adjustments and transitions have been so smooth and we are counting on this one going well too. We understand that it might take awhile till everything feels comfortable again, but we'll get there eventually. Thanks for your love, your prayers and your excitement for our little family. Stay tuned! :) This is another new beginning. :)
Love,
R and D

Doctors Appointment # 3

On Friday, Allie went to the doctor for her two month check up. The doctor said that everything looks great. Allie is really healthy and doing really good. She weighs 11.5 pounds. Her length is 22 1/2 inches! She thought that some of the things she was doing were more like that of a four month old. She laid her on her tummy and she raised herself up and looked all around. She almost rolled over a couple times too. The whole time she was on the exam table, she wiggled and kicked and moved. The doctor said we are going to have a busy little girl, and she's going to keep us on our toes. :) We kind of figured that one out before being told Friday. :) Such a blessing to have a healthy little girl!!! God is so good!!!
Allie babe had to have four vaccines by shots- in her legs. Two in each leg. She also had to have one vaccine orally. Poor baby. She screamed and screamed. She was prety fussy that night. She wanted to be held a lot (mommy and daddy didn't mind at all), and she woke up three times in the night too. She hasn't been eating like she was before the shots, and still is fussy at times. I'm sure it is because of the shots. Poor baby! We're on the upward swing of things though. Each day she seems happier and more cheerful and not as fussy. She's backed down to eating about 5 ounces, but she spreads it out during longer time frames. She'll nibble two or three and then wait an hour and drink another one and then finish it later.
She's started smiling more and she gets bored more easily too. She's also found her hands. She loves to hold them and play with her fingers. She puts them to her mouth more, and she grabs ahold of our hands when we feed her and holds on through most of the feeding. Pretty precious!
I think that's all that's new. :) Have to write this stuff down now, so that I don't forget someday!

Helping Mommy Bake

Allie, Gracie and I were in the kitchen one day last week. Allie just sat in her bouncer seat and watched me the whole time. I needed to make a few things, and decided to tackle it and see if she'd be content to watch. She seemed to love it! She watched until she fell asleep. :) When I used the mixer, the noise made her curious. Her eyes got really, really big and round. I was talking to her the whole time, telling her what I was doing. She seemed to really love it! :)

Happy Birthday Mommy!!!!

Glad you are my Mom!

I love you!!!!!

Express yourself!

Allie has been giving us lots of different facial expressions lately. It is fun to try to capture them on camera. Some of them are just funny. These are just a few of them. Enjoy!

"Ooooh maybe I get that kit-kat bar today!"

"Blech....another vanilla milkshake?"

"I didn't do it... it was daddy!"

"Are you serious? You want me to do what?"
"I'm not too sure. I think you're all nuts!"
"Ahhh... daddy's home!"

Story Time

Lots of Lovin'

If you're happy and you know it....

Wordless Wednesday

Little Babydoll

Last week one day, I was at mom and dad's. Mom was going through her closet and cedar chest. She found an old dress that my sister and I used to wear on our dolls. This is also an outfit that we used in the festival parade when we were little. Just for fun, we had to try it on Allie. She's so cute. She wasn't too impressed with the hat, but she was a good sport. My little pioneer baby! :)

Allie's Photo Shoot

Here are some of Allie's pictures from Dana's photo shoot.

These pictures were taken when Allisynn was six weeks old.

Dana did a great job! Thanks Dana!!!