Long Hair

I've heard several comments lately that M's hair is getting so thick or so long. Well, you ain't seen nothin' yet!!
Can you believe that? Crazy long when it's wet!! Gotta love the curls!

Past Several Days Randomness

I'm really starting to have to get creative with blog-appropriate photos!
Fun at the spray park with baby B.

Her new favorite stance.

We have had a wonderful past week!!

Over the weekend we went to Wichita Falls to visit Josh's family. We drove down to Fort Worth on Saturday, since my MIL bought tickets for us (me and her) to see Legally Blonde at Bass Hall! It was a fun and very engaging show!! THANKS, Pam! We also got to see Josh's grandmother on our way back to Wichita Falls and see all of her fun house updates she's been working on!

M had an appointment yesterday and she weighs 18lbs 1oz and is 28" long. Looks like she will be rear-facing for quite a while more! She turns ONE a week from Saturday (the 22nd)!! I REALLY can't believe my baby is growing up so quickly! She is so much fun! She's got quite the quirky personality and I just love it! She started cruising on Monday and has really been on the move! I've been working on her polka dot pool party and getting her dress made, etc.. We're having our families up to celebrate next Saturday! Her adoption is taking longer than expected. We haven't been given an update with any potential timeline, but it is looking like late September or sometime in October. It's taking a while, but the good thing is that we have her and that's all that we really care about! However, we are looking forward to having everything finalized and having a huge Gotcha Day party in the near future!!

Yesterday me and M went and saw Viv and Vi. They are just too cute!! Mandy gave me tons of 12-18 month clothes for M to borrow...THANKS!! I've been sorting through them today! After seeing the girls, my mom took me for a deluxe pedicure! It was THE best pedicure I've ever had (not that I've had very many, but still it really was the best!!)!! THANKS, Mom!! Then, we went and had a fun lunch!

Today we had a playdate at the spray park and stayed for just a bit. M seemed to enjoy herself!!

I am excited to be writing over at an adoption blog twice a month on foster/adopt types of things! I'm thrilled to have an outlet for all my detailed, nitty-gritty, TMI foster/adoption info! For those who wish to follow, I will be posting the links soon!

Photo Shoot

Last night we were able to enjoy our photo shoot gift from Holly (and her precious daughter, K), of Portratins by Holly Austin! She did such a great job! M wasn't super cooperative, but she was still able to get some great shots! As always, I'm only posting the back and side views of M. There are so many great shots of M that I really wish I could post!! Thanks, Holly, for the great work and gift!!

I Won!!

I feel terrible that I have neglected to share with you the WONDERFUL item I won a few months back!! This is my first time to win something from a blog!! Andrea of Lil' Munchkindoodle made M this fabulous reusable sandwich bag! Her little name is on it and I can't wait for her to use it at Sonshine School this fall! Thank you SOO much Andrea!! Check out Andrea's other super cute things here!

New Fave Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, I had one for breakfast, 2 for a snack, or was it three, another one for a snack and I still haven't even had dinner yet! I'm in trouble!! If you like a crispy on the outside, soft on the inside kind of cookie, these are for you!

Chocolate Chip Cookies---my mixture of a few different recipes

2 sticks butter (the REAL stuff), softened
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 heaping tsp. dark chocolate cocoa powder (like Hershey's Special Dark)
1 pkg chocolate chips

Beat butter, sugars and eggs together with an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Add flour, soda, salt and cocoa, mixing just until blended. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoon on an ungreased, foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, transfer to cooking rack. Store in airtight container.

11 Months and Sweet Violet

It's hard to fathom that my little baby girl is 11 months old today! I can't imagine life without her! She makes me so happy! Can't believe a month from today my little one will be a year old!! Life flies by!

M got a beautiful new cousin yesterday with tons of hair, and we got a new niece!! Violet Lane is gorgeous and is the perfect addition to my brother's family! I think big sis Vivian will have so much fun!! We're super excited!!!

Dallas Weekend

Watching the ice skaters at the Galleria...she loved watching all of the kids

At the Rangers game
M in her cap from Daddy! Yes, she did get called "Buddy" b/c she looked like a boy in her blue cap:) She was still super cute, though!!
After the game with Mommy
After the game with Daddy...she was falling asleep on the way back to the car.


We decided to take a long weekend and get out of town to the Dallas area. We stayed in The Colony at a nice 2 month old Residence Inn....those are my favorite with a baby! We pretty much always go for a suite-type of hotel now that we have M. It was great, because we could put her to bed and then stay up late and watch TV in the other room. It also had a full kitchen, which was great for her meals.

We had fun eating, shopping (Ikea, Galleria, Central Market (where we got some GREAT video footage of M dancing to a live band), Home Goods, etc.), exploring some new areas, eating some more, and attending a Texas Rangers game! This was M's first baseball game! They were playing the Twins, which just so happened to be Josh's first game back in 1986! She loved clapping and people-watching!

Wish I could share all of the pictures from our fun weekend. Soon, very soon!! We really had a great time and M did great! I am so thankful she is such a great traveler!

Now, we look forward to meeting M's new cousin, Violet, tomorrow!!!


On a side note, thank you for all of the sweet comments and encouraging words on my last post. I am so thankful for the great support system that we (and M) have!! I hope that you will continue to support the voiceless little ones out there, because it's all about THEM!!