3 Months!

Our baby girl is 3 months old! Every time she enters a new stage I say that it is my favorite and this is no exception. I am so enjoying all the new things that she is doing. Her newest fascination is her hands. She loves to play with them, hold them, and try to jam them into her mouth (still hasn't really figured out the thumb thing). She is also getting a lot better at grasping things and trying to hold things. Hands are her almost constant occupation. It has also been so fun to see her develop an interest in toys. She will now stare at her "Freddy the Firefly" and try to grasp him and put him in her mouth. Very fun :-) Right now she is in the midst of her first cold which has been so sad. She is so stuffed up at night and I think it has made her a little extra cranky. I gave her a Johnson's Vapor Bath last night (per Mom's recommendation!) and I think it helped clear her nose a bit. I have also been ATTEMPTING to use saline drops in her nose (per Anne's recommendation) but the package directions don't tell you what do do if your baby turns her head and screams and cries! We are praying that her cold is healed quickly. All in all I am loving my baby girl so much. I just can't imagine life without her and I am looking forward to all the years ahead of us together.

Smiling at her much adored Daddy.
When we were in Charlotte for Kate's birth Lizzy and I got to spend some wonderful time together and we also got to introduce our kiddo's. I think this picture is hilarious!

3 of my absolute favorite girls!

Sweet, beautiful baby Kate! It was such a wonderful joy to get to see Kate and Anne in the hospital and spend a couple days in Charlotte. I love my little niece so much...I had no idea that I would miss her so much :-(

Pop and Granni with their little "lovey".

Loving those bubbles!

It is probably mean to take pictures when Laurel is crying, but so funny also! I wouldn't do it if something was truly wrong...she is just fussing because she doesn't want to be in her swing any more.

We certainly have a little drama queen on our hands! I don't know how Laurel learned to make the perfect pouting face...and I don't think we should speculate about it either...This is the face she makes right before she is about to start screaming and crying. For now I think it is adorable!A couple weeks ago Will, Laurel and I went to Cracker Barrel for a family breakfast (although it was noon by the time we got there...life with a baby!). We haven't done a lot of family things all together and it was so much fun! I'm sure we will be able to do a lot more as Laurel gets older and Will is less busy with school.

Laurel enjoying the fall weather outside of Cracker Barrel.

Family picture.

Dad and Mom's Great Visit

We had a wonderful time with Pop and Granni when they visited a couple weeks ago! They just can't visit enough.

This is Laurel enjoying her first trip to Cade's Cove.

She loves her Pop!
I love this picture.
Me and my Will.
Tired after a long day in the mountains.

It was so great to spend some time with Mom and Dad. I so miss living in the same town with them. I am so grateful that I am able to spend more time with them when they come since I'm not working.

In other news, my poor, sweet Laurel had to have her 2 month shots this past week :-( It was terribly sad and I'm so glad that it is all over. At 9 weeks she is 10 lbs. 6 oz. and 22.5 inches. She is in the 50th percentile for weight and the 75th for weight! I am glad that she is so healthy. Will and I are enjoying and loving her more and more! More pictures to come...

This past weekend "Aunt" Bebbie (Bethany Bussell) came to visit this past weekend. We had a wonderful time together but sadly we didn't get very many pictures.

Kate's birth...only 2 weeks away!!! Yeah!!!

7 Weeks and Fall Days

I am so excited about the arrival of Fall! I forget how much I enjoy the seasons until they arrive. We have been enjoying sleeping with the windows open, taking breezy morning (and evening) walks, feeling a little chilly in the morning when we wake up, playing Scrabble, and anticipating the arrival of apple cider, campfires, hikes, leaves, sweaters, and everything Fall!

September has been a great month! Laurel is 7 weeks old today. These last few weeks have been my favorite age so far! She has begun making little noises and interacting with us a little more as well as enjoying blowing lots of bubbles. Also, she seems to be finding out that she controls her hands and is experimenting with putting them in her mouth and holding and touching things.

Will has gotten somewhat busier with his school work, but we are still really enjoying his long weekends and having him home on a lot of week days. He accepted a job offer a couple weeks ago, so he is officially employed by Egerton, McAfee, Armistead, and Davis Law Firm starting when he graduates in May! I am really excited about the law firm. I really like all the people that work there and most of them are Christians and value the family and making that a priority which is SO not typical of law offices. Also, my favorite part about them is how much they adore Will! One of his buddies said that there was "jubilation in the halls" when he accepted the offer. That is a testament to my husband! He is a very hard worker and really excels at what he does as well as being the nicest, friendliest person you could possibly meet. He will be a wonderful addition to the office! As part of working there we are going to be moving to Gainsville, FL for 9 months starting in August 2009 so that he can get his "Masters of Law" in tax. I would love it if we didn't have to move away, but at the same time I am excited about such a big adventure and I know that 9 months really isn't a very long time at all. We will be attending the Sovereign Grace Church in Gainsville and I am looking forward to getting to know the people there as well. I'm sure I will write more about that when I have more details.

The following pictures are in no particular order...just what we have been up to recently:

Laurel with Kevin and Bethany Shipp enjoying one of her first UT Football games on TV.

Poor little Laurel with a scratched face...still looking really adorable!
I just had to include this terrible pictures because it is hilarious!
Hanging out on the couch.
I love it when Laurel smiles in her sleep! Don't worry...she wasn't sleeping here during the night! Just in the morning while I was having my devotions :-)
Laurel loves to play with her Dad!
Although she will suck on a pacifier, by far her favorite thing is to suck on our fingers. She could do this all day!
Our little Sleeping Beauty.
"Gosh Mom, can't this go any faster!" Laurel has been enjoying time by herself recently which has been wonderful because it gives me a chance to take a shower, etc.
Our happy Baby! I think she looks a little bit like a little dinosaur in this one...I think it is her hand.

Chillin' with Dad while he sleeps.

"I love my Daddy!"
She melts my heart when she smiles!!
Finally here is a picture of my new haircut! Mom and Dad have been asking to see it for the last few weeks!
Next up will be Mom and Dad's trip to Knoxville on the 5th, Bethany Bussell's visit on the 12th, and then Kate's birth (yahoo!!!) sometime at the end of the month. I can't wait!!!

Savor the cuteness...

September Days

Will and I have been busy enjoying our little family! Laurel is now 5 1/2 weeks old! She weights 9 lbs. 1 oz. and is in the 50% percent and is wonderfully healthy. For an early Christmas present Will bought me a new camera so I am hoping to post a lot more pictures!!

12 Days with Baby Laurel!

I can't believe that Laurel is 12 days old! In some ways it feels like we have known her forever and in other ways the time has gone very quickly. We are just enjoying and loving her more and more every day! Every day I think we are learning more about her little personality and how to best take care of her. God has overwhelmed Will and I with grace and even in the times that have seemed hard we have been so aware of his kindness and presence with us. What an adventure! We are just loving our little girl so much and are so grateful that she is ours! I could say a lot more, but I know that what everyone really wants is pictures, so here they are!

Baby Laurel less than 2 days old! She loved her thumb in the hospital, but since coming home has mostly given up on it. I'm glad we got some pictures so that we won't forget!

Her favorite place to sleep is being held by her family, but she also likes to be in the corner of a couch or chair. Now if we could convince her to like her crib at night!!!

Sweet baby Laurel! She stays wide awake for about 30 minutes after she eats. This is some of our favorite times with her...she just looks around at everyone and takes in the world :-)

Laurel adores her Daddy! Will has been really wonderful as a Dad, just like I knew that he would! He loves baby Laurel so much and has been so unselfish in the way that he has cared for me and Laurel over the past couple weeks. I couldn't love him more!!

Laurel, 26 hours old