HOOORAY!!!

HOOORAY!!! She said "Mama"! Okay Okay, It sounds more like "BABA", but I know it! I just know it is "Mama"!!! How do I know, You say? Because when she says it, she looks directly in my eyes and with the sweetest of voices and love in her eyes, she says "BaBa"! (No Aunt Bee and Mimi! It is not "bottle" or "bye bye", it is definitely "MAMA"! =) How sweet! I should YouTube it. It is just that great!

~You'll never guess what she is saying just as I post this while lying in her bed awaiting my retrieval! See ya! Got to go get the precious baby!

I appologize for the goofy posting, but I just had to let you all in on this very special moment! I know I'll probably post again once she REALLY says Mama!

Happy 4th of JULY

I have to admit that I never really stopped to think about WHY I was celebrating the 4th of July until I read a friend's blog today (one whole day later). Yesterday, the REAL 4th of July, was a fuzzy day filled with housework, dinner in the mountains, and ended with watching illegal fireworks that my brother and his father-in-law thought would be COOL until 10pm. Way passed Emma Grace's bed time. Today, was filled with even more housework, dinner with friends, and ended with another display of an illegal fireworks show given, once again, by my crazy brother until 10pm. YES, again I kept Emma Grace out that late. (BAD MOTHER)! But, as I lay in bed, yes in bed, laptop in hand, reading my favorite blogs, I came across one of my favorites, whose husband is going for a year in Iraq, and like a slap on the face I remembered that while yesterday may have been the 4th of July, it was really Independence Day! The day that many men and women fought for just so I would be able to live freely in a country that I love, in the way that I want to live, what a gift! Yes, it's a day late, but to those of you who fight for our country, no matter how you fight, THANK YOU! Thank you for the sacrifice you make from your own FREE lives, from your family, from your homes, from all of the things you love. THANK YOU and may God bless you for your sacrifice.

SPEECHLESS SATURDAY

Well, I've never been too good at posting "Wordlessly" on Wednesday, so here's my first edition of Speechless Saturday. Who knows? Maybe I've started something...

Sisterly Love

Today was a beautiful day and just perfect for Emma Grace and I to go swimming. We packed up our bags after lunch and headed down to Beth's pool to get some great splash time in. As we pulled in, our friends (or cousins!) MaryBeth along with the triplets~ Maggie, Kate, and Sarah were pulling out to go home for naptime, which made us very sad. But much to our surprise, Ella and Scott were still there to play with us! Aunt Bee got there early and must have told Ella that Emma Grace was coming to swim because she was thrilled to see us arrive. Her little "nek-butt" (Ella's version of Naked Butt) threw on her bathing suit and jumped right in!

It makes me happy and gives some relief to know that Emma "Gace" as Ella would call her, will have so many wonderful girls to look up to and grow with in her life. As a parent, there is some fear of the unknown when your children grow up and make their own friends and lives, but to know that God has hand-picked my daughter for this time in a place that He created and with the sweet Godly girls that He created for her to do whatever it may be that He created them to do takes much of that fear away. <---Hope you got that-I even had to read that twice!!!

Anyway, These pictures were taken today of Ella and Emma Grace loving on each other after swimming all day! Can you see how much love they have for each other. Poor Ella, I think you might have another little sister to look after! (And MaryBeth, Ella says she's never too old for the pack-n-play) She even called it a pack-n-play! That girl never fails to astound me.

Ode to Fathers

Emma wearing her "Happy Dada Day" onesie




Dusty on his first Father's Day!



Papa Mike on his first Papa's Day!



Papa Gailey loving on his little Emma Grace!



Today was Dusty's first Father's Day and I think I can speak for him in saying, "It was a good one!" Emma Grace and I woke him up singing Happy Father's Day to You....then we made Emma Grace a onesie that said "Happy Dada's Day", which she wore just about the entire day, later we made him breakfast and made sure he got plenty of daddy/daughter time all day! I am thankful that God has blessed me with a husband who is madly in love with his daughter. I watch him with her even when he doesn't see me and I know that God has made them just for each other (and me). Her eyes light up when he is around and I can see how hard it is going to be for him to ever tell her "no". Thank you to my daddy for being such a wonderful father and for showing me what to look for in a husband, and thank you to my father in law for instilling in Dusty~patience, love, and understanding of what it takes to be a great father. But especially, thank you God for creating such a wonderful gift for Dusty~his daughter and ultimately, thank you for being our Father~Happy Father's Day!

Time Flies

Emma Grace at one week old, 5 pounds, 14 ounces and 19 inches long



Emma Grace at 6 months old, 16.5 pounds and 27 inches long



It's hard to believe that she is halfway to one year. It has gone by so fast and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get it back. I have found myself dripping with tears at night as I lay her down to sleep. My prayers are getting longer and my pleas and "deals" with God continue to increase as I can see my little angel is definitely going to "GROW UP". Each night is exactly the same. She takes her bath, I prepare her bottle with one hand while holding her with the other as she giggles the entire time because she knows exactly what is coming next. I take her to her room, turn on her flowery night light, put a bib on her as she is now grunting because I am taking too long, then as I give her the bottle~she looks up at me with such love in her eyes and watches me sing to her until she drifts off to sleep. It's hard for me to lay her down anymore, so I just hold her asleep on my shoulder as she nudges her face into my neck and in the quiet I pray for God to bring her health, joy, love, and all of the things that her heart can desire. I pray for her to grow into a humble, joyful, loving young lady. I pray for her to respect others, for her to love God so much it hurts, for her to love her family, for her to give to the needy, for me to be able to learn from her and her from me. I especially thank God for giving her to me and I thank Him for the angels that I know surround her each night as she sleeps. Then I kiss her on her cheeks and lay her down for the night, go in my room and thank God that she sleeps all night long.

This place I am in as a mommy, I hope every mommy has in her own experience. I love her so much it hurts sometimes, but the greatest gift of all is knowing that I don't have to be a perfect mommy, just the best one I can be~and to give her to God is the best gift I can give her.

Family Vacation

Well, I guess I'll catch up on some old news and blog about Emma's first family vacation(s). It all started in Hilton Head where we stayed for nearly a week with Papa and Mimi Rogers, Aunt Bee, and John. We spent most of our days at the pool, since the nearest beach was a 1/2 mile down the road and Beach Access parking was a nightmare. Emma Grace enjoyed her first swimming pool experience as you can see in her expression...



John and Emma Grace sporting the shades...




From Hilton Head, Papa and Mimi Rogers, Dusty, Emma and I all drove to Savannah for my first trip EVER. Can you believe it? From my unimpressed trip to River Street during the hottest day of the year to my oh so impressed trip to the squares of Savannah on a trolley. It was a trip that I am glad I made once and I am glad I don't have to do it again all at the same time. Here you can see Emma Grace with her Mimi and Papa. Can you tell how excited she was to be riding a trolley?




Dusty and Emma on River Street


From Savannah, Dusty, Emma Grace and I drove to Amelia Island and met up with Mimi and Papa Gailey, Aunt Bubbles (Amanda), Uncle Trey, Aunt Gina, and Cousins Caitlyn and Blake. In Amelia we spent another week. Emma had more time at the beach since it was right out our back door. She enjoyed the ocean but was quite disgusted with the feel of sand on her fingers. Here are a few photos of her ocean experience...





After taking these wonderful photos a nearby fisherman (I mean only 5 feet away) caught this sand shark that was just swimming around our little toes...



As you can tell, the trip was quite eventful and much to much to blog about at once, but here are some cute photos to enjoy...

On the docks at Fernandina Beach


A big Happy Family

Caitlyn and Trey...
Can you tell who wears the pants in this family?


Blake riding the "boat"