Green Icey Pop

A few days ago, Blake gave Lilli her first taste of an icey pop. She absolutely loved it. She even got mad and threw a fit when he took it away. I think that she liked it so much because it felt good on her gums. She is finally getting big enough that we can let her taste what we are eating.

Movie Night...

A few weeks ago we went to "movies in the park" and had a blast. The Smiths (some friends of ours) went with us!!! I was so glad to have another couple there. They played "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and it was awesome. To me, it is so much more fun if they show old movies at these sort of things. I really thought that it was going to be a rough night, seeing as how we were going to be outside and the movie didn't start until about an hour and a half past Lilli's bedtime, but it really wasn't bad!!! There was a nice breeze so it wasn't too hot, and Lilli did AWESOME. She watched the movie a while, then fell asleep, then woke back up and watched the movie again, and finally went back to sleep for the night. After the movie, we all grabbed some food and came back to our house to hang out. Even though it was a late night, it was a very fun experience, and I can't wait to go in a couple of weeks to see "The Wizard of Oz"!!!


Our Family...



Our friends Tabitha and Heath Smith...

Pearly Whites

Well everyone...the teeth finally have started coming in!!! Lilli has been teething since she was 3 months old and a few weeks ago, I noticed one of her front teeth on the bottom was starting to come in!!! I told Blake this and he said he didn't believe me. He kept saying "I don't see it" or "I don't feel it." And then a few days later, he was sitting in the living room, playing with Lilli and she bit him!!! lol It was so funny. Now Lilli has both of her front teeth on the bottom and about 4 more coming in on the top. Oh the joys of a teething 6 month old...

The first 4th of July...

Yesterday was Lilli's first 4th of July. We really didn't do too much b/c Lilli has been trying to get over a stomach virus (which she was nice enough to give to me, so I have been sick for the last 4 days ugh..) All we did was sit around in our pj's and have family time. When fireworks came on t.v., we watched for a little while. Then we went outside just to sit and wait for it to get dark. We saw a few fireworks but the trees blocked most of our view. We were going to go to the big fireworks display on post but I still didn't feel all that great and Lilli was really fussy because it was about 2 hours past her bedtime. I'm really glad we ended up just staying at home. I think it was a great 4th of July, even though we didn't do a lot. It was great just spending time as a family.

In the big bath tub...

On Father's Day weekend, Blake, Lilli, and I went to a friends house in Dallas to just "get away" from Killeen. While we were there, Blake and I decided to take Lilli in the pool for the first time. She absolutely loved it!!! She thought it was a huge bath tub or something. The only thing she didn't like, besides getting out, was the sun shining in her face. Luckily there was some shade, so that is where we hung out most of the time. She was so cute. Lilli just loved it when one of us would spin her around and let her feet hang back away from her, like she was flying. When we would stop, she would start kicking, trying to make us do it again, but she kinda looked like she was swimming. I definitely think she is a water baby. I'm so glad she likes to swim.

Call us "HOLLYWOOD"

Last weekend we were all invited to a bar-b-que. I had to run to Walmart to get a few things that I had to take. While I was there, I found the cutest little sunglasses for Lilli. As you can see, they didn't fit her very well, but they were still adorable! She kept them one the whole time we were in the car, and by the time we got to the cook out, she had fallen asleep and the glasses were down around her mouth. I think, for the most part, she really liked them!!!

All tuckered out

A few days ago Lilli did the cutest thing. She was playing on her play may (which is her favorite thing to do) and it was getting pretty close to her nap time. I was trying to clean the house, do laundry, etc. to get the house together. When I was on my way to the bedroom to get another load of clothes, I just happened to glance over the couch and Lilli was dead asleep on her mat. She didn't even fuss before she went to sleep. She must have really wore herself out to just roll over and go to sleep like she did. She was so cute though!!! I didn't even move her to her bed, I just let her sleep right where she was. She slept for about an hour too which was kinda long for her. It was so cute!!!!

Very Scary...

On Thursday night, I had to take Blake to the emergency room. He came home from work that day complaining of having a lump under his arm that was hurting very much. He had one of these things before when we very first got to Texas, but it just went away on its own. This time he was in much more pain than he was with the other one, and instead of getting better, it just kept getting bigger and bigger. We decided at about 10 p.m. that night we would just go ahead to the emergency room, because Blake's clinic was closed the next day due to Memorial Day.

Once we got to the ER, we saw we were in for a wait. There were a lot of people there. We even had someone come in that had been drinking and said the thought he had broken his hip, yet he walked all the way from the barracks to the ER, which is about 3 miles! So, once they checked Blake in, we were told that his problem did not classify as an "emergency" so we were in for a long wait.

At about 3 a.m. we finally got back to a room. We were pretty happy because we thought that it was only a matter of time now. We were sure that we only had about an hour to go until we could go home and actually rest. Well, we were wrong!!!

About 6 a.m. the doctor finally came in to have a look at Blake. He said that it was an infection and it need to be drained and packed. So, they took care of all of that (which was not fun for Blake at all). The doctor told him he had to give him a shot in the infected spot so it would be numb when he cut it. Well his idea of a shot was more like six shots. The doctor had to go around the whole spot and give little shots so that it was all numb. Blake was in so much pain. I told him to squeeze my hand, and he did a little, but he was afraid he was going to hurt me.

Finally, after the doctor was finished, he gave us the instructions and Blake's prescriptions, and we could leave. I think it was about 7 a.m. when we finally pulled into our driveway. We were both exhausted, but by this time Lilli was awake for the day. So, I had to stay awake with her, and I told Blake to go get as much rest as he could. I'm just so glad that Blake's problem wasn't extremely serious. I was very worried about him.

And, just in case you were wondering, Lilli slept the WHOLE time in her car seat. She had no clue what was going on. When she woke up, she looked up at me like how in the world did I get in this thing. I think she had the best seat in the whole ER. I know that if someone would have pushed me around and let me sleep that night, I would have defiantly let them!

All about the thumb

Well...it is official, Lilli absolutely loves to suck her thumb!!! She just started this habit three days ago. We were sitting on the couch and I heard some kind of sucking noise and I thought she had her paci. When I looked down at my little angel, I was kind of surprised and nervous. She had her thumb stuck right in her mouth, just sucking away. I thought it was really cute, but I don't want her to start that habit, because it is really hard to break. I can always take the pacifier away, but I can't exactly take her thumb!!! When I saw her sucking her thumb, I just reached down and pulled it out without making a big deal about it. I gave her her paci and I thought that was that. But just a little while later, I looked down and it was not her paci she was enjoying so much, but her thumb again. Once again I pulled it out and offered her the paci. All together that day I caught Lilli sucking her thumb about six times. And ever since then I have been catching her in the act. I am really hoping this is just a phase that will pass before she really starts relying on her thumb. And if it isn't, then I guess we will have to cross that bridge when we come to it. I do have to say though, she is so darn cute sucking her thumb!!!

PCS to Texas

Well...we FINALLY made it!!! In just three short (yeah right!) days, we finally arrived in Killeen, TX. That car ride was crazy!!! It was long and boring. Not a lot to look at!!! Along the way we had some laughter, we had some tears (mainly from Lilli , who ABSOLUTELY HATES her car seat), and we had some scares!!! The biggest scare I think we had was the accident!!! Blake hit a buzzard!!! I was asleep and I heard a huge thump...which I thought was a flat tire!!! I really wish it was!!! Instead I woke up to Blake trying to get off to the side of the road and telling me that he had hit a huge bird!!! We got out of the car and found a big dent in my pretty much brand new car right in the middle of the hood!!! Ugh, I was so ill...but I know it was not his fault!!! After all, the bird did fly right in front of the car!!! Oh well, it will be OK. Now that we have been here a little while, we have finally found a house, and we get to move in tomorrow!!! YAY!!! No more hotels!!! I cannot wait to be in our own house with our own stuff and not having people all around us!!! The trip was definitely long, but it gave us a chance to bond as a family and really get to spend time together before Blake gets deployed. I would not have traded one second of that car ride for anything in the world!!! (YES, that includes Blake hitting the buzzard!!!) lol

Blake and Lilli's 1st bath time

A few weeks ago, Blake gave Lilli a bath for the first time all alone. (Well, I stood there to take pictures and help if it was needed.) It was so sweet. I think they both enjoyed it a bunch, once Blake got over being a little nervous. I think he was just scared that he was going to let her slip or drop her in the water. Once he saw that it really wasn't that hard, he relaxed and they both played and splashed in the water. I'm just glad that I have such a great husband that is willing to help me with Lilli like this!!!

Lilli's first taste of rice cereal...

Tonight we gave Lilli rice cereal for the first time. I know the doctors say that you are supposed to wait until babies are four months old to give them solids like that...but she has been so fussy at bedtime and she just acted hungry. So we gave it a try. She really didn't know what to think. And she kept putting her hands in her mouth. I think she got more of the food on her than she actually ate!!! lol...But it did calm her down enough to go to sleep. We will see how it goes.

Blake's going away party...

On April 4, 2008, Blake's office gave him and the other four people deploying with him to Iraq a going away party. It was very nice and about 40 people showed up. We all went to Ruby Tuesday's and had dinner and just spent time with each other. SFC Pearson had placks made for everyone. Blake was the first person to get his. SFC P gave a really long speech about how she has known Blake since way back in Germany and how special he is to her. And then she brought up his truck and how he has "Southern Thunder" written across the top. (For everyone that doesn't know...that was a truck club that he used to be in.) And everyone started picking at him!!! lol...After that Blake made a speech and we watched everyone else receive their placks. I really hate that Blake is getting deployed in September...but I am really happy that if he has to go, he has got such great people that he knows deploying with him!!!

Lilli's First Easter

Lilli's first Easter was a blast...we had so much fun. The night before Easter, we dyed Easter eggs. Well, actually Blake and I dyed Easter eggs, because Lilli could care less. She was only 2 months old...lol!!! But we all had fun. I, of course, spilt red egg dye all over me and the carpet, luckily it was the food color kind so it did not stain anything. After we got that all cleaned up, it was pretty smooth sailing. Lilli was not really into all of the festivities at first, but once we fed her dinner, she was completely fine. We actually got a few pics of her smiling...Then, the Easter Bunny (mom and dad) came that night and left Lilli a big present. Her first Easter basket!!! She got lots of cool things. We looked at all of her presents and then we got ready to go to church. She looked so cute in her little Easter dress and bonnet. I think she liked it too. She is such a girly girl!!! I really think she likes getting all dressed up. After church, we went to Blake's grandparents house to spend time with everyone. It was actually Addie Grace's (our newest niece) first Easter too. We had a lot of fun. Then we went back to my grandmother's house and spent some time with my family before we had to leave and come back home. All together I think Lilli's first Easter was very special and I am so thankful that Blake was here to spend it with us...

Snoozing with Daddy

I just had to take these pictures of Blake and Lilli sleeping together...they are so cute. We try not to let her sleep in the bed with us, but the night before she had been really fussy and just not happy in her pack and play (which is what she sleeps in right beside the bed). We tried everything to get her calmed down to sleep in her bed, but she just would not have any of it. So, finally, we just gave up and put her in the bed with us. I had to get up early to go to an appointment, so it gave me the perfect chance to catch them snoozing. I guess they both figured that they would sleep in while mom had to get the day started!!! lol...

Becca and Kristen's Visit

This past weekend, my two best friends (Becca and Kristen) came to my house for a visit. They finally got to meet Lilli. They both loved her!!! They got her around 12:00 on Saturday and we all just sat around and talked and played with Lilli. Blake actually had the day off, because his shop was nice and let him have time to spend with the family. At around 5:00, we all went to dinner at The Mellow Mushroom, which is a pizza place, and had a wonderful time. The food was awesome and it was great to get to catch up with my girls!!! After dinner, we dropped Blake and Lilli off at the house, and Kristen, Becca, and I went shopping at Old Navy. It was great to get out of the house and actually shop in a normal store...Although it was weird trying on clothes without elastic in the waist. This was the first time I have went shopping since I had Lilli!!! We got some ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery and then we came back to my house and watched The Heartbreak Kid (which was hilarious). The next day, we all just sat around and talked. They left about 2:00 to go back to South Carolina. It was sad to see them go!!! I had a great weekend and I know I'm blessed for having such amazing friends!!

Oh Dad!!!

The funniest thing happened the other day...Lilli was kinda fussy, so Blake went over and picked her up. He was trying everything to get her to calm down. He went over the list: -was her diaper wet (no), -was she hungry (no), -did she have gas (no). All we could figure was she just wanted to fuss a little, so Blake got up and walked her around. He leaned down to give her a kiss, and, all of a sudden, she started sucking on his nose!!! He was very surprised and just busted out laughing!!! We don't know what made her do this, but it pacified her, so we weren't complaining too much!!!

Lilli's 1st Valentine's Day

This year Lilli had her first Valentine's Day. She was exactly 20 days old!!! She had the cutest little outfit to wear...it said "I love daddy." Although it was way too big for her (at size 3 months), she was still adorable. I had to tuck and fold it into her pants to make it fit, but she was still too cute!!!

Splish, Splash

Tonight, I was giving Lilli a bath, and she was having the time of her life!!! She was so happy and content. I could not believe how much she was enjoying the water and the sprayer on the sink. She normally really likes bath time a lot, but we have a little crying here and there...but not tonight. Lilli actually cried when she got out, and she kept looking at the water like "Mom please let me get back in just for a little while!!!" I am so glad that she has started to become more aware and alert in the past few days. It is so hard to believe that my little baby has been here for three weeks!!! It seems like only yesterday she was born!!!