Bulldog spirit

EB has bulldog spirit!! Samford had a pep rally for the incoming freshman last weekend and we joined the festivities donned in our SU colors (or kinda). The weather was FANTASTIC and now we are fired up for fall and FOOTBALL!!

Evie meeting Libby.

Aren't pigs the only animals that are supposed to snort? (that's for you, Erin).

Life is tough for ol' Libby and she just wanted back on her ice.

Who's behind the mask?

The mascot can dance too.

...and so can Amber and EB.

EB's first experience was a good one. She needs to work on "Yea Alabama" before she learns SU's fight song, but we'll get there!

School is good!

Did I mention earlier how thankful we are for EB to be at her new facility?! I can be a bit redundant. This week has been awesome for her. We are on our third day with no paci, REAL food, sleeping on a nap mat and no melt downs to date (well, beside the pesky two teeth she decided to sprout this week).

My little carnivore stole a sausage patty off of her friend’s plate (that may break the friendship right there, EB) and then proceeded to steal his snack later that day too. For lunch yesterday she had two helpings of lasagna!! I promise I feed her at home. We are off to a great start and I occasionally want to the hug the building when I see it because everyone there is wonderful- which helps to ease the mind when you have to leave your child in their care.

This child is tuckered out EVERY afternoon when I pick her up……

….yet not too tired for a spin around the 'hood.

New shoes (that lace up- no velcro)…check. I mean, every girl needs a pair of white Keds for school, right?
nap mat (with monogram, of course)…check.
no paci in tow…check.
bottle JUST in case she won’t drink from a sippy cup…check.

food JUST in case she won’t eat table food…check.

sleep baby...check check. Getting up for school is TOUGH!

SOOOOO, EB started “school” today (really it was yesterday..but I'm not rewriting this). I am so excited for her and we feel very blessed that we were able to get her into the early learning center that my work sponsors. It can be tough, but we really prayed about it and felt like this is where EB should be…..VOILA…she got in! We’ve been waiting about two months for this day and it finally got here. I packed ALL of her supplies up last night (with a few tears shed over the panic of her adjusting to their rather rigorous schedule) and could hardly sleep. We really feel that she will truly thrive in this environment and we REALLY could NOT be more excited. Secretly (I love how I throw that term out there like NO ONE will read this and my “secret” thoughts won’t be exposed)I’m worried that it will make her grow up too fast, but I know that this program will be good for her and her little personality. For example, her paci was taken away today, along with her bottle and most baby foods. She will also learn to sleep on a cot and not in a crib. I know it may sound torturous, but it’s all part of them exercising her development. This facility is awesome and I trust them-well, I guess you could say with my most precious little thing.
Off we went this morning on a new adventure. I caught myself griping the steering wheel for dear life because my nerves were on edge, while EB just hung out in the back with no cares in the world. We got to the ELC (early learning center) with our load of supplies and began what will soon become normal procedure to me, I HOPE. I think I was sweating buckets, but all was well. I sat her down while I filled her cubby and I was soon a DISTANT memory. She busied herself with new toys and new friends and didn’t even bother to wave bye (a new trick we’ve recently discovered). SIGH……

T-town gals

A little background, if you will… Back in my Tuscaloosa days I had the honor of working with a group of 10th grade girls (is that right? wow). We had so much fun. I probably had more fun than them because they did have to deal with me on a regular basis. Anyway, time went on, they went to 11th grade and then became seniors, I graduated, moved home and we kept in touch through the years. Well, they are FAR better at this game than I am and they go above and beyond to always come to Birmingham and visit us, and now to visit EB. They are AWESOME! I’m so proud of them and who they have become. They are now college graduates and have made their way in this crazy world to adulthood. They have moved away from home to other states to do AMAZING things, had incredibly careers in athletics during college, became teachers, soon-to-be lawyers…JUST AMAZING! I’m so privileged that they have been in my life for almost 7 years, is that right, y’all? WOW! I love them and celebrate this season of life with them! Now if they'll all just move to Birmingham!!

"Graham," Liz, Callie and "Karlotta"

(aren’t y’all glad I don’t have a scanner to scan in pics over the years?! ha ha)

WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!

We're happy....

….and we know it so we clap our hands. EB learned to clap this weekend out of the blue- as most things tend to happen, I suppose. She is so sweet and deliberate when she “claps.” Of course, I had my handy point and shoot camera nearby….

I’m REALLY not very savvy and filmed it sideways. SIGH! So, I had a friend flip it for me and she seems to be a tad distorted. Oh well.

It's the weekend...

And as one of my coworkers used to say….

“Pat your husband”

“Love your dog”

“And just relax!" (we don't practice manners at our house evidently)

Happy Friday!!

We’re on the crawl…

The babe officially started crawling Monday night (she may have started this weekend, if so, my parents have their lips sealed). I think I’m excited becuase she’s funny to watch, but sad all at the same time. TIME IS FLYING- just in case I’ve never mentioned that before on here.

Sometimes she has to be motivated to crawl, be it a lotion bottle, keys, you know, typical “baby” toys. So, for all those who have asked to see footage, here ya go. Straight off my little camera, of course. HEAVEN FORBID I learn how to download the footage off of my real video camera.

All the while, she thinks this is HIGHLY hilarious!

They call me “the wanderer”

That we do! This child is seconds away from being into EVERYTHING. She is ridiculously agile and can swing her legs, toes, arms, hands, etc around anything to get to her final destination- be it a plastic bag of diapers, an outlet or anything harmful to her health. WHY?! I cannot answer that. Heaven forbid we grab the pink fluffy elephant.

…… but she is so darn cute, I can’t really help but to eat her alive.

Last night I turned my back to simply grab a t-shirt to fold and when I turned around, her little fat fingers were IN.THE.OUTLET. I slightly panicked and my scream didn’t even deter her (yes, I have plugs and will be putting them downstairs TONIGHT). She will be a handful due to her curious and nosey nature. I was informed that she reminds folks in my family slightly of Clay. SO HELP ME! He was like four handfuls in his day.

She crawled two little steps (that’s a weird word to say for crawling) last night and face planted…… whew…..oh no… she then just pulled herself up on the ottoman to a full stand. This baby girl is growing before my eyes and I’m REALLY trying hard not to blink or she’ll be graduating.

We had a fun weekend at the beach while Evie stayed at home and played with her Grand Millie and Pappa Ron. Thank you for keeping her for us. We had such a fun weekend and I didn't pull my camera out once. That's unfortunate

8 months and chair pics

You AGAIN?

I felt as though we had JUST battled (why is it ALWAYS such a battle?) chair pics and now it’s time to do them all over again. Sigh.

While none of these pictures are sweet and precious, it captures her PERFECTLY and the wanderer she is trying to become.

SHE.IS.THE.NOSIEST.BABY.I.HAVE.EVER.BEEN.AROUND!!!

*In the past month, she has put a new spin on her mobility. The child has no fear (hence, nose-diving off her chair last night during the dreaded chair pics session).
*She is napping-finally-like a champ
*She just started trying to pull up about two weeks ago.
*We are mere days away from crawling FORWARDS. We have backwards down.
*We occasionally will be brave and try big food. Is it weird that she loves guacamole? I think not.
*LOUD! Boy, the child is SO loud and when she starts talking, she doesn’t stop.
*As previously mentioned, she has a new move that we call “dancing.”

This has been SUCH a fun month. I just feel like the months are getting shorter and she’s getting bigger and bigger. Every time I blink it seems like it’s time for another update.

Evie 8 months old.

Am I 8 months old?

Indeed you are, EB! It is sad, but true. However, we have yet to battle chair pics…… coming soon.

Time is FLYING and I’m just hanging on for dear life and catching every sweet second.