The Birthday Girl

It's my birthday!!!

The much anticipated birthday weekend finally arrived, despite sweet girl having teething pains and a cold all week. I woke up at 4am Friday morning, which is not unusual for me in this pregnancy. Lucy Mills was born at 3:10am and I thought to myself "Happy Birthday...we had just met you for the first time a year ago around this hour." I got up from my cozy comforter and walked down the hall into her pale pink nursery to just rock in her chair for a while. It seems like so long ago that I used to drag my aching, sleepy self out of bed to go tend to a crying newborn in the middle of the night. And now I just sit in silence in her room remembering the moments that made up her first year.

Being a mom is the most wonderful gift I could ever ask for.

I few short hours later I heard that sweet voice on the monitor, ready to rise and shine and start her birthday.

Lucy Mills received lots of thoughtful cards in the mail Friday and she helped Mommy open them and read them.

She especially liked the one from Aunt Shirley because it played a fun tune. When the music started she would throw her arms up and dance to the rhythm.

Suggie came over to give her namesake a present and card...

"Suggie, you expect me to read this?"

"Oh, you mean I get birthday cards AND presents!!!"

Mommy thinks I am tutu cute!

Sitting pretty. Patiently waiting for her party day.

"I am finally getting brave on my push toy and Mommy thought that it would be a fun surprise to Grandmother and Granddad if I could walk at my party..."

"But I decided that I like crawling just fine. I mean why rush these things when I have parents and grandparents who want to carry me anyways?"

It's party time!

Lucy Mills' very first birthday cake.

Her decorated high chair...

And of course everyone was anticipating what color the inside of the birthday cake would be...

"The secrets out...I am going to have a baby brother!"

I gave LM a lick of icing to start with and once she realized it was sweet she immediatley put her hands in it.

Hmmm...not bad.

In fact, she decided that her cake was so yummy Daddy needed to try it...

And then it was time to open presents!

"Can I open this one next Mom?"

"Score! My very own PINK cell phone!"

All in all, I would say that this little angel had a very happy birthday.

Lucy Mills is Going to Have a...

baby brother!

We are thrilled to announce that we are adding a sweet boy to our family. Lucy Mills' birthday party was a special day for us in so many ways. I felt blessed to be able to celebrate BOTH of my children.

Thank you to our family and friends who supported us this weekend. It is a memory I will always cherish.

More party pictures to come...but for now this mama is tired!

The Days of August

Life. is. good.

I say those words to remind myself because in the midst of 100 degree temperatures and coming through my second summer in a row being pregnant; I know that despite the discomfort I will one day look back on this time with fondness. For example,

everything my little girl is doing is brand new and exciting to her. Whether it's splashing in the swimming pool, testing out walking with her push toy, or mimicking words I am saying, she is so proud of herself for trying new things. We are totally interested in toys right now. When we go to friend's houses or to the gym nursery, she makes a bee line for the pile of toys beckoning her name.

She loves balls and whispers "baaa" when she sees one

{notice her amazing eye lashes!}

The funny thing is that you don't even have to give her a traditional toy to make this child happy. Any old thing will do. Discovering Mommy's make up drawer and hair rollers satisfied us for hours one afternoon...

Another thing we have adjusted to this summer is Travis' work trips away. And not the fun kind, the conference kind. As he pulled out his suitcase last week to pack, this is what occurred...

Take me Daddy!

I have to say that while Trav is away, Lucy Mills really pulls her weight around here. She even helps me fold and put away the laundry.

Always setting a good example for her pal Lindsay.

We are counting down the days until somebody turns the big O-N-E around here!

We can't wait to have our family and friends come to celebrate this special day with us. And in about four months (yikes!) we will be celebrating another new birthday. I am almost 21 weeks pregnant now with Baby Mason #2 and many of you have asked if we know what the sex is. Yes we do and I will tell you...

in two weeks!

We had an ultrasound about a month ago and discovered what this sweet baby is. We are keeping it top secret until Lucy Mills' birthday party. We wanted to tell our family all at the same time and in a memorable way. So at her party the inside of the birthday cake will be pink or blue to reveal the big surprise.

Boy or girl?

Do you think Lucy Mills will have a baby brother or sister??

11 Months Old

Sweet Lucy Mills,

Where has this year gone? I can't believe a month from today you will turn one. You have changed our lives for the better and now I can't imagine being without you. Look how far we've come in just 11 months.

Your first week of life started out like this...

And here you are today - just as happy and healthy as ever.

For the sake of our monthly tradition I am still taking your picture with your bear. Although by the looks of it I can tell you are over these trivial poses...

Thank you for putting up with me Punky.

And at least having a sense of humor...

As you can see your top two front teeth came in last week while we were at the beach. Lets just say you were not in the greatest mood and we are so happy that you are back to your usual pleasant self now.

At 11 months old you still love to clap your hands and a big smile comes across your face whenever we ask you to clap. It's precious.

Your newest trick is waving bye - bye. You are so proud of yourself when those little hands start waving...even though you have only mastered waving at yourself. We love it and are not ready to correct you!

Daddy is still your best bud...

Well other than this guy...

Lucy Mills you LOVE stuffed animals. Before you were born I remember friends telling me to be careful what toys I allowed you to sleep with and become attached to. For a while we didn't put anything to bed with you. Then I eventually started giving you Loveys, and pretty dolls, and even monogrammed blankets. You never seemed to fond of any of them, and then you discovered stuffed animals. In this picture you are kissing "Lindsay" who was my puppy when I was a little girl. Lindsay is still in good condition and it has been love at first sight for you two. Whenever you get one of your stuffed animals in hand you immediately hug it tight then bite/kiss its nose. When Grandmother was in town she showed you a pink puppy animal while we were strolling through Dillards one day. Had she only known the hysterical meltdown that would occur when we tried to claw your arms off the pup! Neither of us could bear the utter sadness you were experiencing so Pink Puppy came home with us that day. Now every time you go night night you hold both your puppies, lay your head on one of them while sucking your thumb. You haven't cried at bedtime since! Wish I had discovered that trick months ago!

Today I pulled a little lamb rattle off your toy shelf and you were so excited for a new animal. Guess we know what to get you for your birthday?!

One of my favorite times of the day is in the morning before Daddy has to leave for work. You are usually in a happy mood when you wake up, and you just want to be with us. After breakfast you and Daddy have guitar time. When you were a small baby you would just sit there and watch Daddy, but now you are a girl on the go. You had us laughing this morning when you discovered Daddy's hat...

"I can hang with the boys too Mom."

My darling girl, you are more beautiful than words can describe. I am trying to hold tight to every moment that comes until you turn one. You have been the best baby sweet one. Please stop growing up so fast!

Toes in the Water, Toes in the Sand

We enjoyed a wonderful week of vacation down at the beach. Lucy Mills has loved every minute of being in the pool this summer so I was eager to take her to play on the ocean shore now that she is big enough. However, that fantasy lasted about one minute as Miss Priss realized that playing on the beach requires getting sandy. She wanted NOTHING to do with being "dirty." Once she crawled and placed her hands in the sand she immediately started crying and would put her hands behind her back in attempts to get the sand off her feminine fingers. It was pretty funny to watch but I soon realized that relaxing vacations for me might be a thing of the past.

At least this bathing beauty was content at the pool.

She loved swimming with Daddy and trying to blow bubbles.

And her favorite aunt was always close by her side.

Even though the beach time didn't last too long, I was still able to snap some fun pictures.

Here Lucy Mills is getting spoiled with kisses from Daddy and Papa Jack.

On our last night before we left to come home I really wanted to try to get some shots of Lucy Mills on the beach, and yes, in the sand. She cooperated as long as we kept her hands clean. I absolutely love this age and I can not believe my little girl will be one next month!

She is so sweet and pure - what a gift from God!

By the looks of these pictures you would think she loves the beach. Let me give you a glimpse of what occurred between almost every shot I took...

But we still adore our little sweetheart. And I secretly love that she has a prissy side to her...maybe she takes after her mama after all.