Ayla, Baby, & Mommy

We decided to go to the pool for a couple minutes today because there was a Farmer's Market set up for the afternoon.  Blair got a couple pictures of Ayla, the Babe, and me.  I'm only 10 weeks pregnant, but I am definitely already showing this time!  Can't believe that we'll have another Little Puddin' before the end of the year!

Memorial Day Weekend

We've had such a nice Memorial Day weekend - the weather has been beautiful and we've gotten to relax for most of it!  On Friday Night, Blair was down in Salem attending Calling Hours for Craig and Lesley's sister-in-law, Amanda (so incredibly sad), and I decided that I wasn't going to cook.  So I picked up Abe after school and we wizzed through the Taco Bell drive thru and ate tacos on the front porch when we got home.  It was nice to relax, and throw away the dishes when we were done.  We played outside all evening until it was time to take a bath and go to bed.

Saturday was spent at The Zoo with our girl.  She loves the elephants so much!  It's exciting to see her little face light up each time she sees the animals.  I love that we got a Zoo Pass for Christmas.  I'll renew it for years to come for sure!  That night, Chad, Fancy, and Grand Dude came over for hamburgers on the grill and to watch the Pacers game.  It was a disappointing loss to say the least.

Sunday morning we got up bright and early to get family photos (those to come soon).  We thought Ayla would be the happiest in the morning, so we opted for the 7:30 am shoot time (it was either that or like a 7:30 pm. time, and we know that she's about ready for bed at that time) but she was "Miss Independent" anyway.  We decided that she's only happy when she can do her own thing and she doesn't have to pose.  Falynn gave it her best though, and she said she's confident she got some great shots!  Thank Goodness.  In the afternoon, we decided to go to the pool in our neighborhood and play for a bit.  Abe was reluctant to get into the water, so we'll have to try again some other time.  But she sure didn't have a hard time posing in her newest little bathing suit on the pool deck!

We loved eating lunch outside the Zoo before going in.  She was so cute sitting on the table scarfing grapes and her cheese sandwich.

On our way into The Zoo!  First time using the umbrella stroller!

 Daddy!  Look at the giraffes!

 Got my snacks and I'm ready to roll to the pool Yall'!

 



Rocking her new bathing suit - can't tell you how much I love that little belly sticking out behind the strawberry!

Little Puddin'

Peeking Around the chair and shouting "A Boo!" (which is peek-a-boo in Ayla Language)

I could just eat up those little chunky thighs

 

So serious

Donuts with Daddy

"You can't beat a Saturday Morning eating powdered donuts with your daddy!" is what I imagine Ayla is thinking in these pictures.  I had no idea she would like the donuts so much - but did she ever!  I came downstairs to seeing her shoving donuts in Blair's mouth, and her giggling away.  There was the biggest mess on the floor I've ever seen after they were done, but I think it was definitely worth the memory!

 



They look identical

True Precision in Tearing Apart her Donut

Yummy Daddy!

Look at that Sweet Little Face

Oh you know, just watching a little Baby Einstein in my rocker.

Baby #2 - 7 Week Ultrasound

We got to see and hear the baby for the first time today!  We are 7 weeks along and the baby looks great.  The heart rate was 145 bpm.  Ayla's was 167 at 10 weeks, so this one's rate is slightly lower.  We decided that either this one is a boy, or it's just a really relaxed girl.  :-)  Ayla can still run the show and this new one will just hang out.  Sounds like Chad and me when we were little!  Just look at that sweet little babe!

The little loop looking thing is the yolk sack - I know that sounds gross - and the baby is the white blob on the left.  The head is facing up and the bottom is downward.  There is a dark white spot in the middle that is the beating heart.  Super cool!  It never gets too old to see your baby like this!

Happy Mother's Day!

I had a great Mother's Day this year.  Ayla is so much fun and such a blessing to have in our lives.  It's because of her that I'm a mom and I couldn't be prouder!  This year Blair got me a really special gift for Mother's Day.  He called up Angie Moon and asked her to create something special from Guitangie.  She made me a super cool necklace that had birthstones from Ayla and the new baby together on it.  I love it so much!  It's crazy to think that we've got another one on the way and that there will be two reasons I'm a mom next year!

 

Me and My Girl

Ayla made me a card at daycare - Love it!

Me opening my necklace from Blair

Admiring the new jewels!  Love it!

Cousin KK Comes to Play

Lesley and Craig's sister-in-law is sick right now, and staying up at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.  Although her sickness has been really hard on the family, it's been nice to see them a little more often than normal.  Nini and Pappaw wanted to come up for a visit over the weekend, so Lesley, Craig, and KK came too so that we could hang out and they could run to see Amanda.

The girls took wagon rides, picked flowers - dead dandelions :-) - and ran around laughing together for the entire day.  It was a really good time!  KK brought up her Nun Nun Car for Ayla to play with and she really loved it.  I think KK had just as good a time pushing her!  We ate dinner and relaxed before everyone headed back for the night.  You can't beat great family visits like this one!

 

Posing for a picture in the wagon!

 

Such Sweet Little Kissing Cousins

KK pushing Abe

Handing out Kisses as Usual

Bath Time!  Kinsley really wanted to take a bath in "The Big Tub" - what you want, you get my dear!

Jammie Time!

Story Time By Nini!

14 Months & Growing Up So Fast

It's crazy to me how much she picks up on and how easily she remembers it all!  She seems like such a big girl now - but I still see the little baby inside her every once in a while.  At 14 months, Miss Ayla Blair:

• Waves her pointer finger back and forth at you when you say "no, no, no" (it's adorable)
• Can say almost everything you ask her to say (but it doesn't sound perfect).  If you start your sentence, "Can you say ______", she'll sure make the effort to say the word you ask of her.
• Does an elephant impersonation!  I have no clue where she learned it.  Daycare says they have never taught her something like this, and neither have Fancy or Grand Dude.  She makes the actual elephant sound and then waves her arm in the air like it's her trunk.  So random, so cute, no clue where she learned it.  It must mean that she's a genius.  hehe 
• Sneaks up behind you and either "gets you", or kisses and hugs you.
• Likes to back up to sit on your lap
• Loves to be read to - her favorites are all four Elmo Nursery Rhyme books, and her Shimmer Easter Book
• Still loves holding stuffed animals, dolls, etc.  She will hold them over her shoulder and pat their backs.  She's her Mamma's girl - got a mothering heart already
• Can make the clicking sound with her tongue on the roof of her mouth
• Likes giving kisses in the bath tub
• I think she's starting to dance - she'll bend her knees like she's going to fall and then bounce up and down.  Sometimes her hands wave in the air too.  (I hope she doesn't get my dance skills)
• Is seriously obsessed with our new neighbors' dogs.  They are big Labrador Retrievers and she wants to go over to pet them daily.  (I'm just glad the neighbors have dogs so that we don't have to get one for her)
• Loves riding in her red wagon
• Is starting to enjoy the swing in the backyard
• Waves, says "Hello", and smiles at every stranger and person she sees - It's very rare that she isn't flirting with the guy behind her in a check-out line.  She always get a smile out of whoever it is
• Blows on her food if we tell her it's hot
• Likes to throw things across the room - she may very well have a varsity pitching arm :-)
• Is beginning to throw fits if she doesn't get what she wants right away - she screams, and sometimes arches her back or throws herself into a sitting position.  If you try to reason with her, then she screams a quick, loud scream over you.  Not really sure how to handle this one because I'm guessing that once she can talk, this will end....but time will only tell!  Fancy says that this is what I did when I was little too - Uh Oh

It's crazy to me that Ayla is such a big girl already.  It kills me to think that she isn't going to be my only baby very soon.  I can't imagine it not being ALL ABOUT HER.  But at the same time, I'm completely excited to watch her take care of her little baby brother or sister.  She will be so good at it.  For now, she's my "Best Baby", and I love her so incredibly much!!!!

Morgan & Alby Come for a Visit

My good friend from college, Morgan, trained to run the Mini Marathon this year.  She, her husband Alby, and their little girl Reese stayed the night with us the night before the race so that we could hang out and catch up a little.  The girls had a great time playing together and it was a good time talking about the good ol' days.

 

Ayla played with the PlayStation remotes while waiting for Reese to get here.

Little Miss Reese hanging out

It's crazy how drink coasters can be such an entertainment item for kids

Reese and Ayla played with the toys together....

....and when one had milk, the other one had to have some too.

A quick goodbye after Morgan finished her race.