Who are you, and what have you done with Ashley?

Why am I up at 5:30 A.M.?

Lily and Josh are asleep, I do not have to leave for work for another 2 hours and 45 minutes, and there is nothing I can really do around the house because I don't want to risk waking Lily.  I have absolutely no reason to be up at this time.

A lot of you might be saying to yourself... Big deal, I get up at that time or even earlier... that is wonderful, but I do not lol.  I remember a time, a very lazy time in my life, that I had a hard time getting up to be at work at 9 A.M.  True that was pre-baby and husband, but still... I was the teenager who slept until 11:00 on the weekends and during the summer.  I guess when you don't have much "you" time throughout your day you have to get up early to get it.  I have around an hour and a half before my day has to officially start.  So for now I can just lounge back and catch up on all the blogs I like to read.  

That's another thing.  I'm not sure what I ever did with my time before Pinterest and Blogs.  I couldn't wait to get up and read what all of these wonderful women have to say.  I just wish some of their motivation would rub off on me!

In Lily land it has been a hard few weeks.  She is trying to pop out her first 2 teeth and sadly for her I think they are the ones on the side that I hear can be most painful.  She is constantly gumming on her hands and toys, running low grade fevers, and if I'm being honest.. just being downright cranky as well as not sleeping well.  My old sweet baby a few weeks ago would wake up and give me a huge grin.  I can tell she is still excited to see me, but I will just get a little smile before the crying starts.  I hate when I tell people this and they say "well I'm sure its painful for her" in a tone that suggests that they think I am not being sympathetic with her.  Trust me, that is the problem....  It bothers me so much because I know she is in pain and their is nothing I can do about it, but to give her teething toys and Tylenol.  I do realize that this stage will pass, but I am just so ready to have my sweet, happy baby back!

As much as I love the Holidays I am was ready for January, and for things to slow down.  I get really excited 2 times a year.  October (my favorite month) because the holidays are starting, the cool weather sets in, and Halloween is my favorite holiday. I also love February.  No big holidays for 5 months, and spring is just around the corner.  Of course our biggest day this year will be Lily's first birthday which is in April.  

Not much has happened the past few weeks.  We went to Hot Springs to visit Josh's family.  We had a good time and it is always fun to go see them.  Not to mention a great get away from our normal every day life.  

My biggest and most exciting event though was finding out that some really good friends of ours are having their first baby!  We get together often with Wes and Ashton, and we always have a good time.  They are those great kind of friends that although they never had a baby they had no problem just coming over here on the weekends that Josh and Wes didn't work to hang out, play cards, and chat.  Josh and I have never been much on the going out and partying or clubing, and now that Lily is here we just can't bring ourselves to leave her with someone on the weekend to go do that.  Now here pretty soon they will have a precious little one... so not only does that mean sweet, cuddly baby time for me, but Lily will have a little friend haha.  She will be 18 months old before their little bundle of Joy arrives so I am anxious to see how she will act around Him/Her.  It might give us a small glimpse into the future and how things will be with baby number 2 in the hosue!  So I would like to give a big CONGRATS to the Marsh's!  You guys will be wonderful parents, and I can't wait to hopefully get to watch our kids grow up together!

The excited parents-to-be at our house after sharing the wonderful news!!!

9 Months!

Weight

17.4 Pounds

Height

28 & a half inches

Diaper Size

3

Eating

6 Ounces 5 to 6 times a day

2nd Foods. Still will only willingly eat 1 meal a day.  Working on it.

Sleeping

Goes to bed between 9 and 10 pm and wakes up at around 7:30 am

Still wakes one time a night

Takes 2 or 3 naps a day

Likes

Drinking out of a grown up cup, socializing with people, hitting everything with her hands and of course tasting everything she sees!

Dislikes

Still doesn't like the car seat 

Anything cold (if you give her cold food she gags)

What's New?

We are in the stage of Lily's life where things are changing every day.  All at once she is starting to do things that she hasn't done before.  This past month she has started holding her bottle on her own, trying out new sounds like mama and nana.  We finally got her to drink from a sippy cup last week although she still prefers her bottle. I thought we were gold considering she isn't attached to a pacifier (pretty much never uses one) or a blanket, but it is starting to become apparent that her thing is her bottle.  Most babies I have seen love to eat food... she would rather drink her milk lol.  She has never been a fan of her car seat but has been okay in it during the day for the past few months, however at night she would scream and cry if someone was not sitting back there with her.  Last night she finally rode in the car seat at night by herself on the way home from eating and not one tear so maybe that is gonna get better haha.  

She got as close as she has ever gotten to crawling this morning so I am hoping that over the next week or so she will finally meet the big milestone of being mobile, you can tell she wants to move so bad!

For now she is a social butterfly and will stare at anyone until they look at her and then grin when they do. She doesn't mind when most people hold her but I can tell she is starting to really observe them and then either decide they are okay or start crying lol, but she always warms up!

Other than that she is still the same sweetheart she has always been.  Love to smile and give kisses.  Can't wait to see what this next month holds!

Happy New Year!

 Happy New Year everyone!  I cannot believe that we are already in 2014.  I also can't believe that Lily will be 1 year old in a little over 3 months.  Josh and I were exactly where we wanted to be when the clock struck 12.  In Lily's room with her as she dreamed away with no clue what was going on.  Some people might think that is silly, but I don't.  I wanted to end the year and start the new one with both of them.  

Like I said in my last post I am looking forward to this new year, and I am excited to say that my blog will be getting a makeover as well.  It will still be the same blog just different colors.  I had this one made when I wasn't sure if Lily would be a boy or a girl and I didn't want it to be all girly if all my posts were about a boy haha.  Anyway so check back next week to see if it has been updated or not.  Andrea does a wonderful job and I can't wait to see what she has in store for my blog makeover.

In the mean time here are a few things that happened this past week.

 

 Lily and I had a girls day out with Ashton.  It only lasted a few hours but we had fun.  We went to Virgila Dale's prop sale.  She is a wonderful photographer and was selling a bunch of her old props to make room for new ones.  Then we went to Hobby Lobby and walked around.  Lily saw a bunch of things she really wanted to play with and I saw a bunch of things I wanted to buy.  After that we went to Sweet Bay and got coffee, then ended the trip meeting Elizabeth to buy Lily's Shopping Cart Cover.  It is so cute and I can't wait to use it.

After we dropped Ashton off we met my mom and dad at Zaxbys for lunch.  Lily was so happy to see them and really happy to help me eat my pickle.  It was a little sour at first but she kept coming back for more.

 After that we hung out with Lora and Ben for a while.  It is always good to see them, and they got to see just how squirmy Lily has become.  Its so hard to hold her sometimes these days as she is all over the place.  After they left we headed over to Ashton and Wes's house to help them reupholster their chairs.  Ashton had bought the Chevron fabric at Hobby Lobby that day and I think they turned out wonderful!  I am so happy they live so close to us now.  It is great having good friends close by.

We don't have too much going on this week.  One night we are going down to Josh's dad's house, and I am planning on decorating our Laundry room.  Other than that it should be a pretty quiet week.  

See you all next Saturday!

Crazy Christmas!

I always get excited about Christmas.  It is my favorite time of year.  I love the Christmas Music, Movies, and food.  Their is just such a different feeling this time of year.  Sadly this year although we got to see family and got some amazing gifts this Christmas was more about trying to help Lily get through sickness.  I remember being pregnant with Lily last year at Christmas and wondering what the next year would be like.  I had a lot of assumptions that were nowhere close to how things turned out.  First off for some reason, even knowing Lilly would only be 8 months old, I assumed she would actually open presents haha!  Instead she would tear a piece and then wanted to just play with the paper or then wait for us to do the rest.  The good news is she acted excited with each new toy she got and took time to play with each before opening the next.  I also never considered she might be sick because you just don't think about things like that!  Lily had a very bad cold including a fever of 102.5.  This lasted from Monday night when we opened gifts with my parents and came and went off and on until yesterday the 27th.  So needless to say she didn't do a whole lot of celebrating this year, but hopefully next year will be spectacular!  She will be 20 months old and will know more what is going on.  I see crazy paper ripping in our future.

I also always get excited when the craziness of Christmas is over and we get to look forward to a new year.  A lot of people see New Year's Resolutions are stupid but I don't see it that way.  I think they are a fun way to evaluate your past year and then plan on how you would like to improve the next year.  Josh, Lily, and I had a great 2013.  It has been our best year yet I think.  I am not much of a bragger but here is some of the best of 2013.

1. Month 4 brought us the best gift we could ever receive in Lily.  She had changed our whole world and made it that much more magical and Wonderful.  I can't wait to watch her grow and change in 2014.  

2. We sold our house in Month 5.  I won't lie.. as much as I wanted to get to Van Buren, the thought of Selling our house, buying a house, moving, and taking care of a 2 month old all while your husband works crazy hours scared me to death.. but somehow we made it happen and I am so happy to be in Van Buren.

3.  Josh and I celebrated our 4 year Anniversary in Month 10.  Now some of you might be wondering what is so special about that.. but to me every day, week, month, and year him and I are able to have a happy and healthy marriage is special. I am so happy to have him in my life.

4. I haven't talked much about this because I am not one to brag about things I have.  Yes my parents have been able to give my brother and I a lot growing up, but I think the most important thing they gave me was the Knowledge that I am very lucky and that having and not having doesn't make one person better than the other, and I have never really heard them brag about what they have worked so hard to get.  That all being said I finally got the car I have had my eye on the past 2 years.  It is perfect for me.  I will admit though... I look at Lily in the backseat and find myself picturing another child back there haha... no worries that is not happening any time soon.. I think!

We had a lot of exciting and new things happen for us this year so I am kinda hoping 2014 will be a year of peaceful relaxation and great times with our little family!  Here are some things I want to do this next year.

1. I plan to start college back.  After being out of school for 8 years I am determined to go back and finish.  Not just for me but for Josh and Lily.  I am planning to start in the Fall to work on my LPN.  I only have to take 2 pre-requisite classes so that shouldn't be to bad... 2015 will the be the crazy year of nursing school haha.  

2.  I want to finish decorating our house.  Yes I know we have been here 6 months, however, there are a few things I still want to do.

3.  As usual I want to finish my weight loss journey.  I started G-Fit 4 months ago and did great the first 2 months but then kinda stopped going as much in November and December.  Hopefully 2014 will be the year of a new me!

4.  I follow a blog "Shullfamily.blogspot.com" She is an amazing decorator, cooker, and mom of 2 (soon to be 3) wonderful kids.  She is such an inspiration and role model for me.  She did this wonderful thing where she literally took a picture every day of that year and then put them on her blog whenever she posted.  That is a tall order but I want to try it haha!

That is all I have for this post.  Josh is working New Year's Eve day which means he will be up at 4:30 in the morning so I doubt we will do anything to celebrate.  Especially with a little one.  You can't stay up all night when you have to be up all day the next day taking care of a baby haha.  I plan on getting up around midnight and going in Lily's room.  Call me weird or crazy but it is our first New Year together and I want to spend the last moments of this year and first moments of next year with her.. and if you ask me, that is pretty darn special!  

I will post again next weekend, with some pictures. I hope all of your 2013 ends with a bang and I will see you all in 2014!

8 Months Old!

Weight

16 and 1/2 Pounds

Clothing Size

6 to 9 Months & 9 Months

Diaper Size

Size 2 but switching to Size 3 when we run out of 2's.

Eating

5-6 Ounces 6 times a day

Now eating all baby foods

Sleeping

Goes to bed between 9-10 PM and wakes up between 6-7 AM waking once or twice a night

Takes several 30 Min. naps a day

Likes

Giving Kisses, Tasting Mom and Dad's food, Visiting new people, Watching Barney & Mickey Mouse Club and being tickled!

Dislikes

Going to bed and Riding in the car seat at night

What's New?

As Lily keeps growing her personality gets more and more dynamic.  She couldn't be any sweeter.  She has started giving kisses.  Lots of them, however, she is very demanding about it... she grabs your face and won't let go until she gets a kiss!  She is trying to be more independent as well as mobile.  Sitting still is not a favorite thing of hers.  She still isn't crawling yet and I am beginning to wonder if she will... she might be a straight to walking type of girl haha, I guess only time will tell.  On Friday the 20th she opened her very first Christmas Present at day care.  I'm not sure who brought it but it is an elephant that you can fit shapes into the holes.  She hasn't played with it yet but I'm sure she will love it.  She is also about to have her very first Christmas!  I am so excited to share this first with her because its a first that will become a tradition.  

Well I have to be going.  She was taking a nap but I hear her in the other room babbling lol!  I hope you all have wonderful  holidays and a Happy New Year!! 

7 Months!

Weight 

 15 1/2 Pounds

Clothing Size

 6-9 Months

Diaper Size  

2

Eating 

 5 Ounces several times 6 times a day plus baby food (Second Foods)

Sleeping 

Goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:30 PM and wakes up around 7 AM usually waking once a night but sometimes sleeps through the night, takes 3 naps a day.

What's New?

 Lily finally likes food!  She prefers things like sweet potatoes and chicken and rice (all pureed baby foods).  She is finally sitting really well on her own.  Hasn't started crawling yet but tries really hard!  Might be starting to cut teeth!

Likes 

 When you sing to her, watching Barney & Mickey Mouse Club House, ceiling fans, any toy that makes noise, and LOVES music.

Dislikes

  Laying down unless she is tired.

It has been a wonderful month!  Every month I say to myself that there is no way she can get any sweeter and she always proves me wrong.  She is such a Ham and that big ole grin brings a smile to peoples faces where ever she goes.  Her little gums were very swollen at her 6 month check up and she has really been acting like they are bothering her the past few weeks so we are hoping to see some teeth soon. Can't wait to see what this new month brings!!

Picture Update!

I really need to get better about posting more often so that I don't have to do a huge update all at one like this one!  October was a very busy month for us.  On every weekend that Josh wasn't working we were out of town.  I figured instead of just writing about it I would do a picture update and let Lily tell you what all we did this past month!

Hello Everyone!  Let me take you on a journey through October and the beginning of November! 

We all hung out and called those Hogs!  I spent all the games except for 1 at home with mom and dad bouncing in my Jumper and watching it on TV!   In this photo I am chilling at the office with Grandma. 

Then we took off to Gore Oklahoma where we all went camping!  It was chilly and at some points pretty rainy but we all had a wonderful time trick or treating at the camp ground and cooking on the grill.   As you can see I spent most of the time lounging leisurely by the River looking at the pretty view!  First camping experience was a great success!  

I got to attend my cousin Jimmy's 4th Birthday Party out at the Hackett Park.  It was very pretty there and I decided that was where I would like to have my 1st Birthday.   I got to swing in an actual swing for the first time and also got this cool hat from my great Aunt Linda who made it all by herself! 

I spent a lot of weekends hanging out with my other Great Aunt Lora and Uncle Ben.  They usually visit me once a week while daddy is at work to keep mom company and of course to hang out with me!!

Grandpa Roger also tried to teach me to drive!  I could reach out and grab the wheel but my feet couldn't quite touch the peddles yet so I mostly just stared at everything and then drooled on it to mark my territory.  I can't wait until I can actually drive this thing, but for now I will have to just settle for watching cousin Kaleb do it.

I attended my first football game!  I went to watch Uncle Trey & Bryce play for the Hackett Hornets.  I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.  My favorite part was the cheerleaders!

I had my 6 month check up at the Doctor.  I had a great time rattling the paper and looking at myself in the mirror until they gave me my shots. 

At the end of the month I had my first Halloween.  Family came over to my house and I watched them eat really good food but I preferred my bottle.  I was a kitty kat and my neighbor and friend Rayley was a flower.  She came by and showed me how she could stand on her own and I thought that was pretty impressive!  I slept through most of the trick or treating, but woke up in time to hand out a few pieces of candy to some very strange looking people...

I started out November hanging out with my Grandma and Grandpa.  Mommy and Daddy went to the Auburn game with their friends the Marsh's.  I stayed home and ate some good food which I am finally starting to like, however,  formula is still #1 in this girls heart! 

 The End

It has been a great past month!  I cannot believe that Lily will be 7 months old in 13 days.  I have already started making plans for her first birthday.  I am excited about that because even though her baby shower was absolutely wonderful... I didn't get to help plan hardly any of it.   

A few things are happening in the upcoming weeks.  Of course Lily's first Thanksgiving ,

she has her follow up check up at Little Rock Children's Hospital for her neck.  So we are using that as an excuse to go to Hot Springs and visit her other Grandparents (Josh's mom and step dad) since Little Rock is only 45 min. away, and then the next day after Thanksgiving we are going on our Annual trip to Branson with my side of the family to get in some Christmas Shopping, go see a show, and look at all the pretty Christmas lights!

I find myself almost not being able to wait to put up Christmas decorations and pull out the Christmas CD's.  Even though Lily isn't quite big enough to be able to understand what is going on it is still exciting!   That being said I am going to wait until after Thanksgiving but I plan on getting that tree up right after we get back from Branson!

I hope you all have wonderful Thanksgiving!