Fixing Her Eyes

On Thursday Lucy Mills underwent eye surgery to correct the muscles in both of her eyes.  While at first this was a tough pill for me to swallow {letting your 2 year old be put to sleep and having both of her eyes cut on} but Travis and I knew that this was the right thing to do for her.  She is healing beautifully. 

The night before the surgery I was bathing both the kiddos and we were all being silly and splashing around in the tub.  I usually don't let Lucy Mills splash me, but that night I didn't stop her.  The next thing I knew I hopped in the tub, clothes and all, and we had our own indoor pool party.  

It's funny how something like handing your baby over for surgery can make you realize how powerless you really are.  The days leading up to it, I got tunnel vision and worrying about her is all I could do.  I knew she would be fine and I had a peace about doing the procedure, but something inside of me still stirred.  As we were driving to the hospital Thursday morning I felt God speak to my heart, Lil, I love her more.  I've got this.  
And He did.


Here is Lucy Mills dressed in her hospital attire.

Checking babydoll's vitals. 

Doing some cruising around with Daddy to stay entertained.  

Maybe this won't be so bad after all? 

Highlight of the morning - this sweet pup came by to see the kids in the hospital.  Lucy Mills went right up to Levi to love on him. 

And feed him some treats. 

That is where the fun ended.  I later handed my sweet girl off to the doctors to fix her eyes, hopefully once and for all.  She was so brave amongst the confusion and I received a phone call moments later that she didn't even cry and went to sleep fine.  ( If only the aftermath of her coming out of anesthesia had been as dreamy. )


Surgery was a success and Lucy Mills is doing great.  She is still healing and her eyes will be red for another week or two, but she is bouncing off the walls and back to her normal self.
Thank you to all of our friends and family who rallied around us this week.  We are grateful! 
Here she is post surgery enjoying the yummy fruit basket from the Murphys! 

She dove right into it. 

Grease Lightning!

Sweet girl was recently invited to her boyfriend William's Sock Hop themed birthday party.   It was such a fun party and Lucy Mills made for one cute little 50's gal. 

::The birthday boy::

How cute are these girls in their poodle skirts? 

Lovin on the Fonz, oh I mean Cole. 

:: Golf cart drag races ::

:: The girls ::

:: Ready to ride ::

These guys enjoyed the drag racing, juke box playing, milkshake slurping party too. 

And so did I. 

Happy 2nd Birthday William. 

The Back Deck

You can find our crew outside on the back deck during the nice days of fall.  

We bring our snacks and sippy cups out with us. 

And even play a few tunes to keep our hearts happy. 

Our little artist likes to make the back deck her own canvas using the sidewalk chalk. 

Mommy colors too. 

We can't go too far without bringing Bitty Baby along. 

The exersaucer gets plenty of use out here.  

Mommy can even run inside to start dinner while also enjoying the view. 

Love these days on the back deck! 

from my iphone

The camera on my phone seems to be handy whenever my big camera is not.  So here is the picture dump from the past few months that make for some memories. 

Sweet girl on the official first day of fall.

 I've been waiting all year for this stuff . . . 

It just makes my mornings complete.  

Enjoying the fireworks {and the touchdown} at one of the Carolina games.  

This is how I found McClain when I came to pick him up at CBS one Thursday.  Super Buddy usually has to forego his morning nap but here it looks like he gave in.  Sweet thing. 

Speaking of sweet things, our little ladies man was eating up all the attention from the girls at church. They took turns planting kisses on McClain. 

Lucy Mills is hanging in there with our weekly story time at the library.  We have even started reading books before bed and she now asks for Mozesss (Moses, from the Storybook Bible). 

Here she is doing puzzles with her library bud Cole.

Daddy and I have been enjoying our date nights whenever Aunt Marian babysits.  We walked the dam one evening and got to see this beautiful scene. 

With McClain's birthday being 7 weeks away I have started thinking about what to do for his 1st party.  Here is a little hint . . . 

Last weekend Susan hosted a girls weekend for Lucy Mills, my mom, and myself.  

So.much.fun.

We shopped til we dropped and also went to Fall for Greenville. Lucy Mills loved walking down main street and eating the delicacies from the vendors.  She also saw the "Pesto Princess" from one of the restaurants and was not a bit shy to run up and get a hug.

We later crashed an ice cream shop and a sugar high was totally worth every bite. 

More to come. 

Look Mom!

I turned my head for two seconds to put some dishes up and look who climbed up to give me a hand.  

Geez . . . pay attention mama.  

10 Month Old McClain

This month, exactly one year ago I was six months along into a high risk pregnancy and put on bed rest with my second child.  

What a difficult journey that road proved to be. 

Yet what a glorious outcome awaited us.  

Had I only known the little man that was depending on me for his very life, would be this amazing, this adorable, and this irreplaceable. 

As they seem to do, the months since he has been here have flown right by.

But what joy and laughter they have brought us. 

I remember a year ago people commenting on how full my hands would be once the baby arrived.  

While that statement holds truth, my heart is by far, fuller than my hands. 

Happy 10 Months McClain.

God has special plans for your life little man.