Little Teeth

Stella had her first little teeth brushing this week! Like everything in else in motherhood – I really don’t have much of a clue as to what I’m doing! I prefer just to wing it ;) That being said, I do believe in the saying “mother knows best.” I feel like if I do everything with love and the best of intentions {and a lot of prayer} that it’s probably the best policy. I’ve also found that you can just about find opposing views to every question you might have about health, behavior, and random issues that are going on with your kiddo.

At Stella’s one year doctor appointment this week I asked him when I should start brushing Stella’s teeth because I had absolutely NO idea {and honestly, it hadn't much dawned on me til then}. He said now would be a great time to start, so that’s what we did.

And I think she’s a pretty darn cute tooth-brush-holding, teeth-cleaning little one-year-old!

Memorial Day {quite belated}

Well, I am a little behind in posting this, but I wanted to share some pics of my little cutie on Memorial day!

My parents so graciously kept Stella last Sunday night so that I could sleep in on Monday – it was AHHH-mazing. Our little love bug usually wakes up in the 6am hour – which, believe me, I’m not complaining because it could be a lot worse. And she usually needs to be up in that hour on weekdays. I just wish she understood the “weekend” concept of sleeping in! I am a huge proponent of getting enough sleep and sadly, I did not fully realize how much my z’s would suffer after having a kiddo! I honestly, no lie, function best between 8-9 hours of sleep. My body genuinely NEEDS it – and it is hereditary {I could go on and on about my dad’s family and their sleep habits}. However, I digress!

I was able to sleep in, read my book for a little bit, make some broccoli salad, and then head over to my parents to spend the day there. My dad and Blake were playing golf that morning, so Stella and I hung out and played. My mom had bought a splash pool for Stella so we played in there a couple times that day and had a late lunch cook-out with my parents, and sister and Paul.



{clearly she had enough pool time}



The little pool turned out to be perfect! It was plenty big enough for Stella and I to both sit in. We could have fit one more person, but it would have been a tad tight. My parents neighborhood does have a pool, but we just didn’t make it there that day. I can’t wait to put Stella in swim lessons! If I can find a person who gives private or small group lessons then we may try it out this summer – if not, then it’s a MUST next summer. I want to her to be completely comfortable and familiar with water.



{deep stare}

{clapping for momma}

{her new chair}

{I'm pretty in love with all the pointing she does}

{she hasn't quite learned the correct way to sit in a chair}

{Dad and Blake chilling on the patio}

{taste-testing her shoes}

{happy girl}

{LOVE this pic - she was watching Blake swing the golf club}

{yay for water!}

{pointing again :)}

May 31st

May 31st holds such significance to me because I get to celebrate not only my anniversary but also Stella’s birthday.

Four years ago when Blake and I said “I do” it was the culmination of everything I had hoped and dreamed of. I don’t want to get all mushy – but let me just say I’m so blessed to have Blake. Most of us girls  think about and wonder who we’re going to marry when we grow up. I just never would have guessed in elementary, junior, or high school that it would be my best friend’s REALLY good looking, outspoken, full of life, older brother…but I’m sure glad God put us together! Life is not perfect and neither is marriage, but I love having a partner that sticks with me through the good and the bad {i.e. hormonal mood swings and an incredibly stressful job}! I can’t really name or count all the reasons that I just down-right love him.

And then our family of two became three! All day I’ve kept looking at the clock and remembering back to what stage of labor I was in one year ago. By this time, Stella was about 5 hours old and I was on cloud 9. When the doctor handed her to me at 4:52pm I truly thought she was probably the best looking baby that had ever been born {truly only a mom thinks this}. The hospital stay FLEW by and then we went home. And the first two weeks at home DRUG by!

I was in NO way prepared for the lack of sleep that came with a newborn. Ya, people tell you – but it does not even register until you are feeling that worn down, delirious, walking-zombie feel. During these two weeks, I really thought about being mad at every mom I knew for not trying to get through to me how hard this was. Not to mention being incredibly sore in places that no one should be sore. And trying to learn how to feed a baby and trying to teach your baby how to feed from you – I know God knew what He was doing, but don’t you think we should be taking some class during our pregnancy about what to expect the first year after our sweet bundle of love is born {and I'm not just talking about the "nursing" class at the hospital - I have something much more in depth in mind}? No? Maybe it’s just me, but I'm still full of questions!



{Stella as a newborn}

However, now, looking back, those first two weeks are barely a blip on the radar {and I will gladly do it over and over again}. I can’t BELIEVE how fast the year went. It really seemed like every three months she was a different baby. There were so many developmental and physical changes that she went through that I can’t imagine how they were all compacted into this last year. I made sure to tell Ryan {Blake’s sis} and my sister, Rachel, to pay special attention to what I was telling them WHILE it was happening, because when I look back at situations they all seem peachy and rosy {which was not the case when they were happening!}.



{3 months}





{6 months}



{9 months}

I feel like a broken record because I know I’ve said it so many times how much I love being a mom and love my sweet, Stella girl. She is so happy and so fun to be with. She is absolutely non-stop, does not slow down, into everything, and already has such a strong-willed personality. I picked her up out of her crib last night while she was asleep just to hold and rock her. It really hit me that she’s no longer a baby and that she’s going to just continue to get more independent from here. I love that she needs me and the sweetness of her laying her little head down on my shoulder and blowing me kisses and leaning toward me for kisses with her little mouth wide open and her tongue hanging out – I want to sear those images in my head forever. I love that she lights up when she sees me and cries when I leave the room. I love that she loves new people and doesn’t meet a stranger. I love that anyone who spends time with her tells me how sweet she is. I love being her momma! She is my little love bug!



{First thing on birthday morning!}

{Birthday donuts!}



{Birthday dinner!}



Harvest Time

This is the time of year where we harvest the wheat Blake has planted this last season. Last year, they started harvesting the day before Stella was born {not great timing!}. So, the day after we brought Stella home from the hospital Blake had to be back out in the fields.



{Driving out to the farm}

This year it seemed harvest time came a little earlier. I’m sure Blake feels the same way, but I’m always kind of holding my breath during this time of year hoping that the wheat makes enough bushels and that there’s a good profit.

Blake has fields that he plants all over the Dallas area, mostly in Richardson and Plano. He has a few other fields in Frisco, Garland, and Grapevine, but then he planted the family farm in wheat this year, also.

So, this morning we went out and watched them harvesting some of the wheat at the farm. You just gotta love those amber waves of grain!

{Apparently, this was old hat for Blake so he was kind enough to let me get out and snap some pics!}

Here’s the big combine!

While we were out there we went and checked on the steers and horses. The steers are just about big enough to rope! And I’m ready! The steers come right up to us now {but just close enough for their comfort} and all the horses follow right behind.

Stella loves being outside and seems to really be fascinated with animals. 

Amos has also finally started to warm up to us. He was so friendly the first couple days out here, but the last couple months he’s not been too friendly. So, I’ve been pretty excited that he’s showing some interest in me again!

And, of course, I can’t forget about this guy – my first love! It's amazing how different he looks in the summer versus the winter. He looks like a different horse {well, kind of}!



{January 2012 - he's my little raccoon}



Mamaw and Papaw {Blake's grandparents} were out there and Stella got some good lovin' from them!

The Bean Bag Chair

Stella got a bean bag chair for her birthday from Blake’s dad, Greg and Lori. And she LOVES it! I’ve never seen her sit still longer than when she’s in this chair {miracle!}.

The first day she got it, she was playing on it and toppled off onto a puzzle and busted her mouth. It was one of the first times I’ve seen her bleed, so I only freaked out a little {not!}. She cried for a second {I’m telling you, she is one tough little cookie} and I quickly gave her one of the teething toys we keep in the freezer, which seemed to work well.

Stella is all over this thing – she’s gotten so good at climbing and pulling herself onto the chair. It’s so cute.

And then, of course, we have Blake pretending that he’s being eaten by the bean bag chair. {I tried this and Stella was not amused – she started hysterically crying! Poor baby – we’re going through an “attached to momma” phase and I’m not minding one bit!}.