The Carters

2 Kids = Lots of Work!

2010-10-04T13:02:00.019-05:00

Since Will was born at the end of July, I have come to a few shocking conclusions... 1. Having two children is much harder than just having one and 2. Having two children so close together is definitely tough! Yes, I realize this should have just been a given, but I'm not sure that I (or Brad) really had an idea of just how challenging it was going to be. I have since had lots of moms who have been where we are now say that you could never prepare anyone for how difficult it is and that's a good thing or it would be a world of only children - ha! :)
Due to limited time and a touch of sleep deprivation, I am not going to do a long post of all things Will, but do want to say that he is wonderful and such a blessing to our family - colic and all! :)
Enjoy the pictures from the past few months of our lives!

Daddy and Will...
One of Will's first baths...

Hanging out in the bouncy...

Lillian giving Will some love (or trying to smother him!)...

Look familiar? ...

Daddy and Lillian at the zoo...

No words needed...
War Eagle!...

Will loved the swing at my dad's...
Lillian's favorite activity these days is coloring...

Try telling Emily that Will isn't her baby...

It's amazing how big she looks with her pigtails...

After reviewing these pictures, I feel compelled to say that yes, we do actually take Will out of the bouncy seat sometimes!

Projects and Tantrums

2010-06-26T13:50:00.022-05:00

As I mentioned in the previous post, we have been doing lots of work trying to get Lillian and Will's rooms done. It would have been much simpler to keep Lillian in her room and just do the guestroom for Will's nursery, but of course I wasn't going the easy route. Actually, I just knew that Lillian would need a "big girl" bed first which means she would need more space so I figured we might as well go ahead and make the change(I definitely started second guessing this decision mid-way through the process!).
To refresh your memory on what Will's room looked like before, here is a link to an old blog post. I am so mad that we didn't take a picture of the guestroom before to show how much different it looks now that it is all "girly" for Lillian. As I said before, Brad put up chair rails and crown molding (he did an amazing job!) and it really changed the look of the rooms. While I am super happy with how the rooms turned out, I am just thrilled that they are done!
Finally, and not nearly as pleasant, our usually sweet and charming little girl has entered a full-throttle tantrum stage. I'm talking complete and utter come-aparts for just about any reason you can think of - or my favorite, NO reason at all! Today I managed to have the camera out and capture one of these moments so I can prove that although she looks like an angel, looks can be deceiving. :)

Lillian's new room...

Will's Nursery...

AND, the tantrums
Going... (I missed capturing her ripping the pretty, white bow out of her hair)

Going...

GONE!...

Whew!

2010-06-09T19:42:00.012-05:00

That is the best word to summarize how I feel these days! Life has been crazy trying to turn the guest room into Lillian's new room, change Lillian's room into what will be Will's room, and keep up with the most active (that's how it feels at least) 17 month old in the world while being in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
We have finished Lillian's new room and she has transitioned into it without any problems at all - HUGE relief! There are only a few finishing touches left to be done in Will's room and I am really excited because I think it turned out great. I will be doing a post very soon with pictures so everyone can see how much work Brad did on the rooms (it involved installing crown molding and chair rails which he had never done before!).
We are now under 7 weeks until getting to meet our little man; a fact that blows my mind! While always excited, I alternate between feelings of complete calm and complete panic - think it could be the hormones? :) Seriously, for me the process of preparing to become a mother for the second time has just been SO different because of what all I know now. Before I could have never understood the amount of work, sacrifice, love, joy, etc... having a baby would bring to my life. I can definitely say that I now completely understand the awesome responsibility God gives you when he gives you a child! Maybe ignorance really is bliss - HA! :)

Mother's Day...

Playing at my dad's...

She loved being outside and playing in the baby pool my dad got her...

With daddy at the beach...

She isn't quite sure about the water yet...

Did I mention she's not realy comfortable with the water?...

She did however love playing in the sand...

15 Months and a Visit With Granddaddy

2010-04-14T13:38:00.009-05:00

Lillian went for her 15 month check-up last week and our BIG girl is doing great! She is 24 pounds which puts her in the 75th percentile for weight and 33 inches tall which puts her off the chart for height. She has finally started to say "daddy" again which makes Brad extremely happy and over the past month has added the word "stop" to her vocabulary. Only my child would have less than five words total, but have that be one of them. She even knows the correct way to use it and manages to say it with the same frustrated tone that I use when I say it to her. The other night while I was trying to put on her pjs (for some reason, this can be very stressful) she looked me square in the eyes and said, "Stop Momma!". If we have this at 15 months old, I cannot imagine what we will be getting at 15 years old! :)
We went this week for Lillian's first haircut because I thought it was starting to take on a mullet shape. I decided to just spend a little more and take her to a children's "salon" that would know what to do with her hair and have lots of distractions to entertain her. All I can say is that she hated every minute of it and when they asked me if I wanted them to take a picture to commemorate the experience (apparently this is part of the "baby's first haircut" package), I wasted no time telling them it wouldn't be necessary. I will say that the cut looks pretty cute though!
Also last week, we went down to Pensacola to visit my dad. This was our first time to go that Lillian was old enough to go to the beach and actually play in the sand. She definitely enjoyed sitting on a towel and playing with the toys, but was not at all a fan of walking on the sand or having the sand get on her. Unfortunately, it was still pretty cool and windy so she didn't get to experience the full effect of a great day at the beach - guess that means we'll have to go back soon!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T20:02:00.011-05:00

As a Christian, nothing could mean more than this day! Now as a mother, nothing could be more fun than celebrating this special day! Since Lillian was only 3 months old last year, we consider this her first real Easter and I think it's safe to say she loved every minute of it. She started her day by coming into the den and seeing that the Easter bunny had made a stop at our house and left her some great toys. Then, we went to Mimi and Pop's lake house where Lillian got to play with all of her cousins and participate in her first Easter egg hunt. I don't think I have ever seen a child as happy as she was to be running around all day with the "big kids" and they were all so sweet to include her. She was so exhausted that she slept - and SNORED - the entire way back to Birmingham. What an amazing day!

The Easter bunny left Lillian some fun toys...

Not sure she knew what to make of it at first...

Mom and Lillian...

Lillian with daddy and uncle Chris...

Lillian and her cousins (we had changed into some egg-hunting clothes :))...

She wasted no time at all starting the hunt...

She actually found lots of eggs - to our surprise!...

A snack after all that fun. (Notice she is double-dipping into crunchers and yogurt melts)...

2 Years!

2010-03-28T20:01:00.009-05:00

It was only two years ago that Brad and I were here, in Highlands, NC, for our wedding!

REALLY... just two years ago! :) I never could have imagined at that time that we would spend our 1st anniversary together celebrating the recent birth of our first child and our 2nd anniversary anxiously awaiting the arrival of our second child .

I am overwhelmed with emotion when I think about how far we've come as individuals, but mainly as a couple since that amazing day two years ago! My life is more full than I ever could have imagined and I want to thank my wonderful husband for that. Happy Anniversary Brad!

Oh BOY!!!

2010-03-07T13:24:00.011-06:00

We found out on Friday that we are having a little boy and ecstatic sums up how we are feeling! While I wouldn't trade my little girl for anything, I have always wanted a little boy. I think it goes without saying that Brad also couldn't be happier to be getting a son to do all of the "boy things" with. Luckily, Lillian and especially poor Emily have no idea what they're in store for. :)

We have decided on the name William Richard, but are going to call him Will. It's a name that truly means so much to Brad and I as it was his dad's full name. Also, Richard is Brad's first name and my dad's name so we are honoring my most favorite men!

Who's getting a baby brother?!?

We tried to take some pre-church pictures but Lillian was having no part of being still and posing.

This was Brad's attempt at a good shot...

I think we know who is the better photographer - just saying! :)

A Little Behind!

2010-02-25T13:44:00.011-06:00

I feel a little bad that Lillian's 12 month update isn't coming until she's almost 14 months. I have some real concerns that when the second baby arrives, I will only find time to update the blog once or twice a year - ha!
Lillian has become such a big girl and can do SO much. She is walking now, but that didn't start until 13 months. Actually, she has been standing and taking independent steps since she was 11 months, but ever my child, she wasn't going to do anything without careful consideration so it took another 2 months to really start walking. She has a mouthful of teeth (seriously, she has 13 teeth!), but doesn't put them to proper use as she is a crazy, picky eater! She is a self-imposed vegetarian - NO meat at all- which Brad and I think is absurd! She eats no other vegetables than peas and carrots (it has to be the combination - no carrots by themselves) and the only fruit she will eat is peaches. Let's just say that it has been a little stressful at our house around mealtime, but I am getting used to my little girl's food "quirks" and making the best out of it.
She still isn't saying many words, but "talks" constantly (wonder where she gets it?). Currently, she only says "momma", "daddy" and "I see". It's funny because all day she is pointing to one thing after another and saying "I see", but doesn't follow it with anything. Maybe that will come when we've mastered some more words. :)
Her very favorite things in the world right now are books and I mean the kid is crazy about them! We spend most days with her bringing me one of her 3-4 favorites (which I have completely memorized), crawling into my lap and having me read and re-read them to her. I like to tell myself that this means she will be a very intellectual child, but that may just be what I tell myself so that I don't get frustrated by having to read these books all day. She also still really likes the baby doll she got for Christmas and the Little People farm set that has lots of animals that make sounds.
She weighed 22 pounds at 12 months, but that was 2 days after having a nasty stomach bug so I think she actually weighs more. She is 31 1/2 inches tall so is still super tall and has lots of hair that has a reddish tint - no idea where that is coming from!
She is a VERY social child and loves other children! She is however, also a very strong-willed child and super sassy (yes, at only one!) but from the stories I've heard about myself as a child, I had nothing less coming my way. :)
The pictures are from her 12 month photo session at our house with our friend, Graham. She did our wedding pictures and the ones of our family when Lillian was 6 months old. She is simply an amazing photographer and person and I am so glad she is willing to do these for us!

Baby Makes Four!

2010-01-16T10:53:00.002-06:00

Yep, the Carters are adding a fourth (and FINAL :)) member to our family! I think because I was so shocked that I was pregnant so early into our marriage, I didn't get to experience as much excitement the first time around. This time however, we were planning and ready for it so thrilled would definitely explain what Brad and I are feeling! I must admit that we are also extremely nervous this time as well, because we actually realize how much work it really is. The fact that our little ones will only be 19 months apart contributes to this fear as well! :)
As someone who grew up with no siblings, their closeness in age is also something I view as a huge blessing! I always desperately wanted a brother or sister and cannot wait to watch the relationship of my children grow through the years. I know that I have said this before, but it's just amazing to watch how much better God's plan for our lives is versus our own! I say this because anyone that knows me would admit that being a stay-home-mom of 2 children under two would NEVER have been my plan. It makes me more than a little emotional (yes, it could be the hormones) to think what joy I could have missed if I were in control of my life.
I realize that these few years of starting our family is just a short season in the big picture, but I pray I'm able to remember it is also the most important!
***New Post Below***

Brad's First Post!

2010-01-15T20:26:00.002-06:00

Out of nowhere, Brad told me that the other night that he wanted to start doing an annual post on the blog. I said, "great" and thought no more about it. Tonight however, he told me that it was done if I wanted to proof-read it. I think it is wonderful and I hope you enjoy it as well!...

Time Flies!!!!!!!
Who would have ever thought that time could really fly by when you have an infant? Heidi recently shared with me a little piece of wisdom she picked up from a friend, “the days are long but the time flies by”. That would hold true in our case as well. I will never forget the experiences that we have been blessed with over the last year. From the look on Heidi’s face after she discovered that we were expecting to the day that Lillian refused to enjoy birthday cake. There were times that Heidi and I would have to sing “Old McDonald Had a Farm” for 30 minutes straight to keep Lillian content as we drove from Alex City or the long trip to Pensacola. You should have heard some of the things that Old McDonald had on his farm. Just like our pets, Lillian has acquired variations on her name as well as nicknames (my favorite is Squirt). She has some of the funniest quirks that only a parent can appreciate such as shaking her head while you try to feed her, crazy sleeping positions, her mother’s laugh and the ability to hide pacifiers. She has been able to scare the living daylights out of both her parents with some of the stunts she performs. There were many text messages and phone calls to friends and relatives with a slight panic in our voices asking “what do we do”? I remember thinking several times that Lillian would be lucky to survive us much less any ailments. A big THANK YOU to all our family for reassuring us that we would be fine and make great parents.
Everyone said that your life would change when you have children but I had no idea how much better it would be. Sure, there are times when you consider that you might"accidentally" get lost going to the grocery store and not return for several days. But those times are far outweighed by the joy you receive from the look on Lillian’s face when I walk in the door from work. I could never relate to the happiness talked about until seeing her crawl for the first time and to see the excitement on Heidi’s face as well. There isn’t anything that can prepare you for the joy I felt when I heard Lillian laugh for the first time. You have to believe that something this special can only be created by God. As our family has grown so has our relationship with God and our commitment to make him the center of our lives.
I wouldn’t have guessed that I would be where I am just a few years ago. Heidi will argue that it took some serious convincing on her part but I have to argue that it was my plan all along. Although we don’t know what lies ahead, we can rest assure that the days may be long but the time will fly.

WHO doesn't like cake and ice cream?!

2010-01-12T20:06:00.010-06:00

That would be miss Lillian! As someone who has an incredible sweet tooth, I just knew that Lillian had to be counting down the minutes until she got her chance at the cake and ice cream she would get on her first birthday. As usual, I did not predict this correctly! :)
We just had a few family members come over on Saturday to help us celebrate the special occasion and I'm certainly glad that's all we went with. I tried feeding it to her with a fork first so that she would realize she liked it and dig on in. Well, that never happened so I just decided to put her hand right on in the cake (not sure why I thought this tactic would be successful!). The result can best be detailed in the pictures to follow. My dad's comment regarding the event is classic and I would like to wrap up the post by sharing it... "Whew, I'm glad I don't have to do many one year old birthday parties!". If I'm being honest, while I am thrilled my baby girl turned one, I couldn't agree more about the parties. :)

Emily was ready to party!...

She was fine for the singing and introduction of the cake...

Then we lost her...

She might not like cake, but she loves gifts!...

She wouldn't eat cake, but tried eating her new puzzle...

Notice the nasty "cake hair"...

The Carter Family Christmas - Joy to the World...

2010-01-02T12:42:00.012-06:00

The title of this post pays tribute to a cornerstone of the Holiday season for Brad and I; the movie, Christmas Vacation. We have watched it at least twice each year (around the Holidays) for the five years we've been together and I just don't think I could do a Christmas post without including it. We are just hoping to be the less dysfunctional version of the Griswalds! :)
As first time parents, Christmas was definitely even more special this year. I have always loved this time of year, but could never have imagined how wonderful it would be having a child of my own. It is so exciting to know we are making memories and starting family traditions that Lillian will take with her for the rest of her life!
We were blessed to spend this time with lots of family and here are some pictures from the festivities.

Christmas Eve at my grandparent's in Ttown which we have done since I was born...

Lillian's most special gift was this rocker that was my dad's when he was a baby that he had recovered for her...

Lillian tackling her stocking...

Who knows what provoked this look!...

Lillian and daddy...

Lillian got this baby doll and this is what she does when we say, "love the baby" :)...

Granddaddy also had to love the baby!...

Lillian and sweet Carson...

Lastly, it couldn't be a holiday without us torturing poor Emily!...

Meeting Santa!

2009-12-11T20:45:00.005-06:00

Brad and I took Lillian this week for her first visit with Santa! With Lillian's apprehension of men with facial hair (my sweet daddy scares her every time!), we really were anticipating a full-throttle meltdown! What we got was something I have never seen before - Lillian so overwhelmed she was emotionLESS. I think the picture describes it pretty well! :)

Photo Shoot

2009-12-05T20:10:00.008-06:00

I now have a serious appreciation for child photographers! Brad and I spent hours - MANY HOURS - today trying to get a picture of sweet Lillian for our Christmas cards. Maybe this was the fundamental flaw in the plan, but I seriously went in thinking... got cute kid, got Holiday props, we should knock this out with a few shots. Does 164 attempts sound like I had any idea what I was getting into? I acknowledge that I am a bit of a perfectionist, but truly there were only about 5 pictures out of all we took that were decent. Brad and I both can sum up the experience in one word - Exhausting!
Two humorous thoughts to close with... 1. Brad said today that next year, he doesn't care if we have to go to the Wal Mart photo studio, we're not doing it ourselves and 2. Initially Brad mentioned getting Emily and Lillian together in the Christmas card picture. Those of you who've spent any time around Emily (aka - the Badger) know why this is funny!
Here's a few of our favorites from today.

No question, she'll know what to do with her stocking on Christmas morning!
Lillian was very intrigued by this "prop"!

Almost December?!

2009-11-21T20:33:00.008-06:00

Seriously, HOW can it be almost December? This is humorous since I'm just getting around to posting the pictures from Lillian's first Halloween. Does this fact leave anyone surprised when I admit that I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet? I swear, there was a time (not too long ago in fact) that I was incredibly organized and efficient. Of course, those were also the days that I was able to take showers uninterrupted, sit while I ate and take naps at my discretion! :)

Back to the reason for the post... Lillian celebrating her first Halloween as a super cute zebra!

Can you see the fear and confusion on her face as I was putting the costume on?

We had a moment where she embraced the new duds...

The moment had passed...

9 Months

2009-10-21T14:31:00.006-05:00

I realize that every mother feels this, but as I get ready to post Lillian's 9 month update, I can't believe we are here ALREADY! Another stay-home-mom made a comment to me when Lillian was extremely young and now I am starting to completely get it... The days go by so slowly, but the time goes by too fast.
As far as Lillian's "stats" go, we still have a big girl! She weighs just over 21 pounds, which puts her in the 90th percentile and is 29 1/2 inches tall, which puts her off the chart. She still loves to eat, but we are in a transition period. She is weening herself from baby food (she doesn't like it anymore), but hasn't quite mastered "real food". Let's just say that meal time at the Carter house has become a bit challenging - Cheerios anyone? That's a balanced meal, right??? :)
She crawls everywhere now and pulls up on everything! Bath time has become interesting since Lillian is no longer content to sit and play with her toys. No, she wants to stand and hold onto the edge of the tub the whole time. She doesn't talk yet(with words), but is constantly making sounds! Brad says that's one thing she and I definitely have in common... and I'm certain that's a compliment to both of us! :)

Lillian in her lowered crib... HA! Working on a little Auburn cheer...

And She's Off!

2009-09-27T20:37:00.006-05:00

It's official, Lillian is crawling! As of this past Friday, our little girl is mobile. Since I am getting to stay home with her, I just assumed that one of the perks is that I would get to see all of her "firsts" - wrong! I stepped out of the room for a minute (seriously, ONE minute) and I came back in to find her crawling around. Yep, this is SO my child! :)

One Very Special Day

2009-09-27T20:09:00.006-05:00

Last Sunday was an unforgettable, incredible day for the Carter family... Brad and Lillian were baptized! Brad never had the opportunity as a child and missed his scheduled date when we joined our church thanks to my emergency root canal. Not that I am thankful for that, BUT how amazing is it that daddy and daughter got to share in such an amazing event!
We had about twenty family members come to the service and over to our house afterwards for lunch. I would like it noted that not getting up with a squirmy child in front of the entire congregation OR the 20 people coming over to eat gave me an anxiety attack! :) It was a truly GREAT day and we would like to say "thank you" to everyone who made it so special!

The Carter Clan...

The Lee's...

Lillian couldn't be happier than sitting with uncle Chris and Carson!...

Eight Months

2009-09-13T19:43:00.008-05:00

Like most of my other friends with babies, I am trying to update the blog each month with Lillian's "stats" so that one day, I can put it all in her baby book. Let me start by saying I am absolutely loving being Lillian's mother! Now let me be clear, I have LOVED her since day one, but I am really starting to ENJOY this awesome responsibility God has blessed me with. While being a stay-home-mom was NEVER in my plan, it was obviously in His and I am trying not to take this wonderful opportunity for granted.
So, sentimental stuff aside, I have a really cool little girl! Lillian eats like a champ (I SO respect this) and has four 8 oz. bottles a day and three 4 oz. jars of baby food (I won't mention the amount of teething cookies and puffs :)). If for no other reason, I know this is my child because she loves to sleep! She sleeps 12 hours every night and is now taking about 2-3 hours of naps during the day. She has three teeth now (2 bottom and 1 top), but looks like another top tooth will be here any day now. She is doing LOTS of babbling and has said "dada" and "momma", but has no idea what she is saying (as much as I would like to believe that she does). Mobility is something we just don't quite have yet and I am starting to think that we may bypass crawling and go straight to walking (she seems much more interested in that). She is already pulling up on things and we are having to lower her mattress. The past few days I have gone in after her nap to see her smiling at me over the side of the crib (very cute, but not very safe!). Lillian is turning into a social butterfly and I couldn't be happier. She loves other children and with the exception of the poor lady who works at the dry cleaners we use, likes adults as well. She goes to Mother's Day Out at our church and the teachers told me that Lillian is their easiest and friendliest child. As the person who is home with her all day, every day I can't say I wasn't a little surprised by the "easiest" part. :) Finally, she loves animals (that's my girl!) and unfortunately finds our pets much more entertaining than they do her. Oh, I almost forgot, she thinks NOTHING is as great as her daddy!

Lillian at her granddaddy's birthday party...
Lillian laughing at Emily...

This face cracks me up...

Lillian and her boyfriend, Trent...

Lillian and my best friend's little girl, Julia...

Check Out My Chompers!

2009-08-17T20:41:00.006-05:00

Lillian has had two bottom teeth for awhile now, but I was finally able to snap a picture of them today. I absolutely love this beautiful, "toothy" smile! :)

A Visit With Granddaddy!

2009-08-10T20:03:00.012-05:00

Lillian got to spend last week with her very favorite grandparent (and not just b/c he is her only grandparent :)) ... my dad! We went to Pensacola so that Brad could work that area and also because my dad talked him into participating in a race his running club puts on. Let's just say that it was already 95 degrees at 8:00 AM on the day of the race, so there will not be any pictures from that particular part of the weekend. The quote "this is the dumbest idea I've ever had" pretty much sums up that event!

Although Lillian has been to the beach before, she had never actually been ON the beach until this visit. Whether or not she will be a "beach girl" is the topic of much conversation/debate between my dad and I. He was born with an overwhelming love for the ocean while I HATE sand and would much rather have a pool! The verdict is still out on Lillian's preference.

Finally, my dad volunteered to keep Lillian one night so that Brad and I could have a "date night". We were super excited to have some time alone together that didn't involve paying a babysitter and jumped at the opportunity. The night started perfectly with a nice, relaxing dinner at Hemingway's (really good restaurant!) but quickly took a turn. It was the weekend of the Bushwacker Festival (should have been a red flag, I realize) so Brad and I thought that we would go listen to the bands playing on the boardwalk. I'll make this story short and sweet by saying that Coolio (yes, the rapper) was the main act that evening and we were the only "non-thug" people around (yes, at the beach!). Seriously, is that not so mine and Brad's luck?!

Lillian with her granddaddy...

Date night started with high hopes...

It didn't start well introducing Lillian to the beach...

Things slowly started to improve...

By far, the happiest moment of day one...

Day two went much better...

6 Months and Fun Visits

2009-07-18T19:56:00.012-05:00

I know it's surprising, but our baby girl is already 6 months old! :)

We went on Friday for Lillian's 6 month check-up and here are a few of the highlights... She weighs 17.2 lbs which is in the 90th percentile and is 27 inches long which is in the 95th percentile. I know that I have mentioned it before, but it will just be amazing to me if I have a tall child since I come from such a long line of short people! She was already eating three meals a day (a mix of fruits and veggies) along with her four bottles, so there really isn't anything new there. We are moving into the Stage 2 foods however, so she will be eating more and having some combo foods now. So far, there isn't a single fruit or vegetable that she doesn't like, but bananas and sweet potatoes are by far her favorites! She is still not a napper, but sleeps between 11-12 hours a night so I won't complain. Also, Lillian had her first tooth break through last week and it looks like a second one will be here any day now!
We were so excited to have my aunt (Linda), uncle (Chris), and beautiful cousins (Meridith and Caroline) come up from Auburn last weekend to visit! Linda came and stayed with us (aka - took care of us) when Lillian was first born but this was the first time since then that we were able to spend time together.

Also, my friend, Lauren, brought her sweet little girl, Reese, over for a visit. I think it is so cute how children respond to other children... Lillian couldn't take her eyes off of Reese. It was also fun to see how Reese wanted to help so much with Lillian (she helped feed, change and hold her) and this is a very good thing since Lauren is about to have her second little girl! :)
Please have a good laugh at us trying to get a good picture of the two of them together.

Vacation... Not for Sissys!

2009-07-06T14:17:00.019-05:00

A mother recently shared this quote with me and I love it! Probably because "The Carters" just went on our first family vacation and I now understand how true that statement really is. It's amazing how a four night trip can actually be a two week event with the planning, packing, unpacking and trying to return Lillian to her normal schedule (this is still a work in progress). For 35 years, vacations have been relaxing events that revolved all around... well, ME. I have come to realize however, that the days of sleeping in (we were up by 7 every morning), lounging with a pina colada by the pool all day (the one virgin pina colada I did get melted while I tried to make Lillian stop crying) and dinners at nice restaurants (the words "kid friendly" were used to discuss any and every dining option) are long gone. Let's just say that the torch has now been passed to the new queen of the house - and I wouldn't have it any other way!
Thanks so much to the Reeds for the fun trip to the beach and lots of great memories!!!

Family Picture...

Getting ready to try the pool...

So, she didn't instantly take to the water...

Things went much smoother with Trent... Us with the Reeds at the pool...

At least she enjoyed chewing on the float... Sometimes a girl just needs to nap... I think she really liked this hat...

Not as much as she likes her daddy though...
Day two went much better at the pool...

Our big girl can now sit up...

The kids patiently waiting on their dinners...

Fun Pictures

2009-06-21T20:24:00.010-05:00

We bought a Praise Baby DVD and it turns out that BOTH of my girls love it! (If the truth be told, Emily may enjoy it even more than Lillian:))

We went to Tuscaloosa for Father's Day and let's just say that Lillian was a hit with her cousins. I even overheard them arguing over who would get to sit next to me at lunch since I would be holding her- too cute!

Her granddaddy thought that she needed some shades for when we come back to the beach to visit. The sunglasses were funny looking enough, but the look of confusion on her face when I put them on, priceless!

We bought a highchair this weekend since Lillian's legs have gotten a bit too "meaty" for the Bumbo, but I'm thinking she's not quite ready for it yet. Ha!

This onesie is what Lillian wore on Father's Day morning for her daddy.

Good times!

2009-06-14T20:53:00.016-05:00

Lillian may look just like her daddy, but she has a love for food that comes straight from her mommy! Over the past few weeks, Lillian has had peas, green beans, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and bananas and seems to really like them all. She now gets very excited every time that she is put in the Bumbo because she associates it with time to eat (not so good for the times she isn't getting to eat!). She is not exactly a neat eater so it is a good thing that she still LOVES her baths since it is pretty much a necessity after a meal.
She is now a rolling fool and turn your back for even a second and she will be half way across a room. She is getting VERY close to sitting up on her own and I cannot wait for that. Life will be so much easier (especially on my back!) when Lillian can be carried around without the bulky/heavy car seat. She is also teething and everything goes directly into her mouth and there is an unreal amount of drool - yuck! I can feel two little "buds" on her lower gum line so I believe we will have teeth very soon.
Lillian has made a few trips lately and done fabulously! First, we went down to my dad's "fishing place" in Miller's Ferry which is on the Alabama River for the weekend. Thank goodness she was so good because Brad and my dad fished the whole time, there is no cable or Internet and lots of heat and bugs... not necessarily my dream situation! :) Next, we went to Tuscaloosa to celebrate my granddaddy's 85th birthday with the whole family and Lillian let everyone hold and love on her (huge accomplishment!). Finally, Brad took her to Alex City this past weekend to visit with his grandmother and Mimi and Pop. Yes, you are reading this correctly, BRAD took her by himself for the whole day on their first "daddy-daughter day". Things went extremely well and I was so excited that they had so much fun together. I grew up getting this special time with my dad and know how much it means to a little girl. A humorous side note is that even now at 35 years old, I remember like it was yesterday that on our "d-d days", I always got to get a grape slushy and a bag of sugar babies. For a kid who was already off the charts with energy, I'm sure this made for very interesting times for my poor dad. :)

Just a sampling of Lillian's meal-time look...

Relaxing in the tub after a messy meal...

Everything goes in her mouth these days...

Did I mention she was teething?...

My men - the pro bass fishers (I think those are bass)...

A view from the boring - I mean relaxing - porch at the river...

Lillian's aunt Tracy bought her this adorable tutu...

This one cracks me up. She woke up from a hard nap with the paci mark on her forehead...

The Good, the Bad and the REALLY Scary!

2009-05-31T16:22:00.017-05:00

So, let's start with the really scary and get that out of the way. Lillian made it abundantly clear on Saturday that she can no longer be left alone for even a minute and proved to me that this parenting business is not for the weak of heart! I had her laying on her changing table after putting a clean diaper on and had knelt down to get something out of the bottom drawer when I heard an awful thud. Oh yes, my future gymnast had flipped herself over the side of the table, where she hit the door on the way down, and landed on her belly on the hardwood floor. Needless to say there was lots of screaming and crying (from both of us!) following this fall. We immediately called our pediatrician's office and were given a list of head injury symptoms to be on the lookout for. For humor, I would like to share these symptoms... 1. Vomiting (Lillian spits up so much after each feeding that it's hard to distinguish it from vomiting) 2. Sleepiness (When she fell, it was 30 minutes past her nap time so she was barely able to keep her eyes open) 3. Fussiness (Seriously, have you met Ms. Lillian?!? :)). Let's just say I spent the remainder of the day convinced that my child had a traumatic head injury - thank goodness for my calm and rational husband!!!
While we are on the not so pleasant topics, we will address "the bad" as it relates to what toys Lillian likes and does NOT like. Many of my friends with children around Lillian's age have the doorway jumpers that their little ones absolutely love. We didn't have one, so after church today Brad and I headed to Babies R Us where we bought this item that we were sure would provide her/us hours of entertainment - Ha! She hated every second of it and I have the pictures to prove it. :)
She does however LOVE her exersaucer, which leads me finally to the good. This is one toy that I can always depend on to make her happy and give me a few precious moments to get some things done. As she is teething, EVERYTHING is going in her mouth these days and her very favorite is the pig from the exersaucer. Lillian is beginning to love being around other children and we had two great opportunities over the past few weeks for this to happen. First, my friend, Cile, brought her precious little girl, Emma Kate, over to meet Lillian. It was so cute to watch how Lillian couldn't take her eyes off EK and listen to her trying so hard to "talk" to her. Secondly, we got to go to Alex City over Memorial Day weekend for a Carter family reunion and a birthday party for our niece, Carson, who turned 5 years old. She is getting to be such a big girl and is so sweet - hopefully Lillian can follow in her footsteps!

The changing table that was the scene of the fall...

Lillian loving her exersaucer...

Did I mention that she HATED the jumper?!

She has started sleeping this way and I think it is adorable...

She also enjoys sitting in her Bumbo...

Lillian also loves this doll that her granddaddy got her...

Lillian and Emma Kate...

Not that you can tell by this face, but she loves her oatmeal cereal...

Carson's birthday party...

Lots of Growth and Change...

2009-05-10T20:27:00.028-05:00

that is the theme of our lives these days! Lillian is now 4 months old and weighs in at 14 lbs and 9 ozs which places her in the 75-90th percentile for weight. Our girl is 25 1/2 inches long and that puts her in the 75th percentile for heigth as well. We gave her rice cereal for the first time this past week and I swear, she has "fattened up" more already from it. We decided to add this when we did because our wonderful child that was sleeping 11-12 hours every night since she was 10 weeks old (yes, I realize this is amazing!), suddenly started waking around 2:00 am each morning. As I believe in moving forward and not backward, this needed to cease and QUICKLY - of course it had nothing to do with my frustration at no longer being able to sleep through the night! :) We still haven't quite gotten our angel sleeper back yet, but are making progress so keep your fingers crossed for us.

Lillian was invited to her first birthday party on Saturday for her sweet friend Hannah Claire, and we had such a good time. We also went on Saturday to meet our cousin's newborn little girl (and Lillian's future BFF :)), Avery. I cannot believe how tiny she is and it makes me realize how much and how quickly Lillian is growing. Another highlight for Lillian (and for us) was the trip we took to Pensacola to visit my dad that DID NOT end up in the hospital - Hallelujah! All of these events were made even better by the fact that Lillian did not scream the whole time and showed the "happy baby" side our herself that we MUCH prefer. I will spare the details, but let's just say we went through a very rough patch where she "freaked out" every time we went somewhere where there were people other than Brad and I. This was especially hard for me and I left a few events in tears thinking poor Lillian hated people and would not be able to handle any social situations (a little dramatic I realize). I believe that we have worked through this little "phase" however, and I couldn't be more relieved!

While Lillian has certainly done amazing amounts of growing and changing, I can see that I have as well. I feel that this little girl has pushed me (sometimes to the breaking point :)) to become a much better person than I was before she came along. Through her I have gained the patience I used to pray for, the self-sacrifice I never even thought to pray for and mostly, a level of love that can only come as the ultimate answered prayer. So even though there have been hours and even days along these past 4 months that I felt I might be in over my head, I realize that with His help, our little family may just continue to change and grow closer to God and into the people he wants us to be!

Here are some pictures from the last month:

My first Mother's Day...
Lillian with Grandmother Lee...
Lillian with Grandmother Ruth...

Lillian relaxing on HC's pillow at the party. For sweet Emma Kate, notice that she has her paci in :)...

Our niece Carson meeting Lillian for the first time...

first Sunday to go to the church nursery (she did great!)...

Just hanging out on her granddaddy's deck...

Our attempt at a family picture including Emily...

Family picture at my dad's...

I love this picture of my sweet girl!...

This picture cracks me up! I picture Lillian saying "what you talking 'bout Willis?"...

I can't get over how blue her eyes still are and have no idea where they came from!...

Life with Lillian

2009-03-23T20:39:00.015-05:00

Lillian turned 11 weeks old on Monday and is really getting to be a big girl! She is already easily wearing 3-6 month sized clothing and jumped up to size 2 diapers. She is becoming so expressive and does A LOT of laughing and smiling. She is extremely happy in the mornings and is always grinning from ear to ear when we go in her room to get her up. One of her favorite activities that always gets a smile is when her daddy and I make animal noises. She especially likes it when daddy makes the piggy sound and mommy makes the moo cow sound (April, good thing I practiced it so much in Anniston - HA!). She has also started to notice Emily and Riley which has been hilarious to watch. Her eyes get so wide and she starts flailing her little arms and legs every time she sees them (I wish I could say they shared her enthusiasm!).
One of the things that Lillian already does not enjoy is being restrained in any way. She absolutely hates to be swaddled, strapped into her car seat or put into the stroller! It is quite the sight to see me strolling the neighborhood on a beautiful day with a screaming infant in tow (yes, I am aware that most children love this activity!). She may look exactly like her daddy, but I have found one way that she is completely my child... she stays hot. Poor thing can break a sweat at room temperature and like her mother, this can cause a meltdown. :) Finally on the list of things Lillian is not a fan of... naps! As someone who loves to sleep, this is a bit devastating, but we are working on it and I have high hopes that she will come around and embrace this activity.

Brad really likes St. Patrick's Day and insisted that Lillian have an outfit to celebrate!

Lounging in the bouncy with her St. Patty's outfit on...

This is the face we get when we make the animal sounds...

She loves laying on her changing pad...

Sometimes things are so bad that not even Emily can make it better! :)

April and Trent came to visit...

Seriously, could they be any cuter?!?

This snuggle time could only happen since daddy wasn't here - HA!

Lillian LOVED April's mom and grinned every time she talked to her!

What A Weekend - Part 2

2009-03-08T21:20:00.012-05:00

The Carter family has had another exciting weekend! Brad and I took Lillian on another road trip on Saturday and went to visit his family in Alexander City. Lillian got to meet her other great grandmother (Brad's grandmother) for the first time and it was super sweet to see them together. We then went over to Aunt Pat and Uncle Fletcher's (aka - Mimi and Pops) where miss Lillian got LOTS of love! Her uncle Chris came over and let's just say that Lillian is crazy about him. Maybe it's because he has raised a little girl of his own, but she couldn't get enough of him. Not a good sign for daddy, but she may just really like boys because she also took a liking to Brad's cousin's little boy, Dylan, and kept trying to hold onto his finger. :)
We had to hurry back to Birmingham because that night we had a birthday party for my friend, Bethany, to attend - SANS Lillian! Yep, Brad and I left Lillian for the first time with a sitter and went to an "adult only" function. I can't say that we weren't a little apprehensive about leaving our little girl for the first time, but our friends, Lauren and Jason, hooked us up with the most fabulous babysitter ever. I would like to say for the record that I only checked my phone twice the whole time to make sure that I hadn't missed a call from her! I can't however, say how many times Brad may or may not have checked his phone or that he didn't have it sitting out on the table throughout dinner. Ha! I am just thankful that we survived (and it wasn't too painful) this first milestone because I know how important it is for Brad and I to still do things as a couple.

Lillian and her Great Grandmother Carter...
Lillian with Mimi, Penny and Dylan...
Getting loved on by Uncle Chris...
Lillian and Mimi...

What A Weekend

2009-03-01T17:02:00.013-06:00

This has certainly been a very fun, event-filled weekend for us! We took Lillian on her first road trip and went to Tuscaloosa for her to meet all of her family on my side. We started by going to the assisted living home where her Great Grandmother Ruth (my mom's mom) lives. This was very special because this was the first time they were able to meet. Also, we were lucky enough to have her Uncle David (my mom's youngest brother) come meet her and spend some time with us.
Next, we were off to her Great Grandparent's house (my dad's parents) to celebrate her Great Grandmother Lee's 81st birthday with the WHOLE family. I had been warned that my aunt and cousins were already fighting over who was going to get to hold her first and most, but nothing could have prepared me for how much love she got! In the 4 hours we were there, I did not hold my child one time - except for the times she needed to be changed when strangely, people were glad to give her up. HA! I must admit that I enjoyed the break, but I'm not sure her daddy (who is a wee bit protective :)) felt the same way. In fact, I think he was more than ready to get home and have his "daddy time" with her.
Finally, we woke up this morning to see SNOW!!! The excitement here at the Carter house left no room for doubt that we are true Southerners and not used to the white stuff. We made sure that we did all of the mandatory activities... build a snowman (Brad went with a snowBABY), make snow ice cream (SO yummy!!!), and take no less than 50 pictures (just to prove that it actually did snow in Alabama). An absolutely fabulous day made better by the fact that I never took off my pjs! :)

Lillian with her Great Grandmother Ruth...

Lillian and I with Uncle David...

Lillian with her Great Grandparents...

Our family...

Lillian and her Granddaddy...

Brad's Snowbaby (complete with one of Lillian's hats, bib and paci)...

Lillian and daddy...

Lillian and mommy...

Emily (did not enjoy the cold snow!)...

Lillian in the PRECIOUS hat her aunt Fay sent her...

Another cute hat picture...

1 Month Old!

2009-02-07T18:30:00.018-06:00

Our little girl is officially one month old! I am torn between feeling like Lillian has been with us for so much longer than one short month and disbelief that she is already that old. According to my dad, she has already experienced a "birthday" and came to visit this weekend baring LOTS of gifts to celebrate. The humorous part is that since I have an actual birthday (the yearly kind!) coming up on the 14th, I assumed that the large bag of gifts he brought were mine and got quite excited. You can imagine my surprise when I was informed that they were all for Lillian's one month birthday. Luckily, I love her so much that I am more than happy for her to get all of the attention - which is probably good as I have a feeling that will be the case for a long time to come! :)
We went to the pediatrician on Friday for her 4 week checkup and everything looked great. Lillian is already up to 9 lbs and 5 ozs from the 7 lbs and 6 ozs she was when we left the hospital! She is in the 50th percentile for weight and head size (I never even knew this was something they rated) and in the 75th percentile for height. Not that I think she will be tall, but coming from such a long line of short people, I do find it funny that she is above average in the height category!

Brad is already the most amazing dad and loves her SO much! Her little feet sticking out the bottom cracks me up.

Finally, I couldn't resist getting on the bandwagon and posting our results from the look-alike meter. I find it interesting that it says Lillian looks equally like Brad and I because I still see so much more of her daddy than me when I look at her!

Lillian's World

2009-01-24T13:03:00.010-06:00

I chose the title, Lillian's World, for this post because that pretty much sums up the situation at the Carter household these days! Not that we mind at all, but this little girl is definitely the boss and we are just trying learn what makes her happy. Lillian will be 3 weeks old on Monday and she has not quite gotten her days and nights sorted out yet. Currently, she likes to sleep all day long and then wants no part of sleeping at night. I think you can figure out why this is a problem for Brad and I (poor Emily is suffering from sleep deprivation as well)! A few other facts about our little peanut is that she is a really good eater and is most happy when she is being fed. Also, she is already very independent and doesn't like to be held for too long at once. I can't for the life of me figure out where those traits come from - HA!

Still not quite sure about bath time...

She does like her hooded towels after the bath..

Just lounging around...

Spending time with big sister, Emily...

Our Baby Girl!

2009-01-14T21:17:00.000-06:00

So, I am a little delayed with this post, but we had our little girl! Lillian Elise Carter was born January 5th at 5:50 pm weighing 7 lbs and 11 ozs and 19 3/4 inches long. We had a few setbacks along the way and she ended up coming into the world by C section and we had to spend 5 nights in the hospital. Brad and I now believe that may have been a blessing because we had the most wonderful care at St. Vincents Hospital and used the extra time to ask a million questions and maximize all the resources of their incredible staff. I really believe it made me more prepared to take our little girl home.
I know that every new mom says this but now I get it... you can never imagine just how much you can love until you have a child! Brad and I are reminded just how amazing God is every time we look at our little miracle! My goal is to keep updated pictures coming in a timely manner, but it turns out babies need a lot of attention so I can't make any promises. :)

One of Lillian's first hospital pictures... First picture of our new family...
Finally going home... She slept the whole way home and through her first pictures...
Even the excitement of seeing her room for the first time didn't wake her...
So we just gave up and let her get comfy in her crib...

Christmas

2008-12-27T19:54:00.007-06:00

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas; we certainly did! It actually started the weekend before when we went to Alexander City to do an early Christmas with Brad's family. We then headed to Tuscaloosa on Christmas Eve to visit my grandmother on my mom's side and then over to my grandparent's house for our annual Lee family dinner. We are now up to 19 people who gather for this dinner and I absolutely love the chaos of it all! :) If you can get past the crowdedness, NOISE and this year, the heat of having that many people in such a small space (my grandparent's house is not that big) it is just amazing to have so much family together who love each other so much. After dinner, my dad followed Brad and I back to Birmingham and stayed with us for a few nights. The highlight (at least for me) was the annual watching of my favorite Christmas movie of all time... Christmas Vacation! My poor dad has been subjected to watching this with me at Christmas more than he would probably have liked to. :)
A quick Lillian update... Brad and I went to the Dr. last Tuesday and were told that we have made quite a bit of progress and he predicts we will be about a week early - bring it on!!! We have another appointment on Monday so we are praying that this still seems to be the case and hopefully, we will be meeting our little girl sometime next week.

We had such a good time getting to do our early Christmas with our niece, Carson. My dad, Brad and I on Christmas Eve at my grandparent's house.
One final belly shot before Lillian's arrival.

Ready and Waiting!

2008-12-19T21:01:00.015-06:00

It is just under 3 weeks until Lillian's scheduled arrival and we are getting super excited and also a little nervous! I have been so fortunate that between vacation and maternity leave, I have not had to work this past week and won't go back until April. This has allowed me some much needed time to get things ready for Miss Lillian - oh, and that small holiday known as Christmas! We finally have the nursery finished so enjoy the pictures...

Emily is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her sister and strategizing how she can get in the crib :) Lillian's crib and the monogrammed painting that really did turn out so cute.
The piggy bank on the dresser was my mom's when she was little and I feel so honored to be passing it on to Lillian!
The glider is fabulous and so comfy - hopefully that will make middle of the night feedings a little better.
The changing table with the bunny painting that her daddy picked out.
This is wreath that will go on her hospital room door and then on our front door once we come home. Also, Brad's sweet family had a little shower for us in Alexander City a few weeks ago where we got some great gifts for Lillian. We had such a good time and feel so blessed to have people who already care so much about our little girl. Here are a few pictures from the shower...

The cake was so cute (and yummy!) and matched the plates and napkins exactly. One of the precious outfits we got for Lillian - can't wait for her to be able to wear it!

What a difference a year makes!

2008-11-30T21:02:00.012-06:00

Brad and I decided that we would tackle Christmas decorating today which means that we had to first go and pick out our tree. I am super excited that Brad gave in and agreed to a live tree as that is what I grew up with and believe it is the only way to go (my dad will be so proud)! Two Christmas tree lots later, we had the perfect tree and it was time to start decorating.
These days (almost 35 weeks!), I do everything I possibly can in my pjs since they are so much more comfortable and I figured this project would be no exception. That is until Brad told me I needed to stay dressed because we had to take pictures since this would be our first real Christmas together. What?!? I couldn't believe it but he was right. It will be our third Christmas together, but first being married and getting OUR house ready for the Holidays. It is crazy to think about that just one year ago, Brad and I had not had our amazing wedding and certainly did not have any idea of the blessing we would have with Lillian! It was a very clear reminder that we can never imagine how quickly our lives can change or the many gifts God has in store for us.

Can you tell I am a little overwhelmed by the task ahead?

Brad trying to keep Emily from taking out the tree - Already!

Baby Shower

2008-11-03T15:38:00.012-06:00

I had my first baby shower Sunday in Birmingham and it was so much fun! I was able to spend time with some of my favorite people in the world and got some fabulous gifts for Lillian as well. I cannot say enough about how blessed Brad and I are to have this type of love and support during such an exciting time in our lives!

This is my life-long best friend, Tracy, who came in from NC to help with my shower...
She also MADE this incredible cake - I cannot believe how talented she is!...
My other best friend, April, is due just 10 days after me so we had to do a belly shot...
My precious grandmother also came...
These are all the wonderful hostesses that made this day so special for me (They are all so amazing and I can't thank them enough!!!)...

Happy Halloween!!!

2008-10-31T18:43:00.003-05:00

Poor Emily! Since Lillian is not here yet for us to torture with costumes, our dog was forced to be our victim for yet another year. I cannot say enough about how much she hated it OR how much Brad and I loved it! Seriously, we both laughed until we were crying. I believe the look on her face sums up her humiliation and frustration at being dressed in the rooster costume (which I must add is a little too small). Lillian has no idea what she is in for! :)

Pictures!!!

2008-10-26T16:45:00.013-05:00

So, it only took ALL weekend, but Brad was able to figure out how to get the pictures from the 4D ultrasound where we could post them. Here are just a few - Enjoy!

She looked so peaceful with her little hands up by her face...
Was I kidding about how much she looks like Brad?...
Towards the end, we even got this little grin...
We love her so much and can't wait for January to meet her!

Lillian in 4D

2008-10-22T20:16:00.006-05:00

Brad and I went for our 4D ultrasound today and it was truly amazing! I had debated whether I even wanted to do it since it is fairly expensive and many that I have seen either didn't produce good pictures or just looked really strange (sometimes even creepy). Now, I can't say enough about how happy we are that we chose to do it!
There is some good news and some bad news however, from the experience. The good news is that we got some fabulous pictures of our beautiful little girl, but the bad news is that we only have them in hard copies and on DVD so there is no way for me to post any of the actual images. You will just have to take my word for it when I say that she already looks EXACTLY like her daddy! From the first glimpse I had of her, I was blown away by being able to see Brad's nose, mouth and chin on Lillian. This is not just something I see... the ultrasound tech, our doctor and both of my friends that have seen the pictures, all said that she looks just like Brad. As I find him to be super cute, I couldn't be more thrilled for this to be the case. :) Maybe she will be as precious as our niece, Carson, who also got the strong "Carter genes"!
The one slightly interesting (and possibly a little disturbing) thing that came out of our ultrasound visit is that the tech said that Lillian is weighing in at 3 pounds and 8 ounces. Although that amount seemed extremely large to both Brad and I, she assured us that was average and we let it go. I have since done some research however, that says the average baby at 29 weeks only weighs about 2 1/2 pounds! Obviously, we are now praying that she either doesn't know what she is talking about or meant to say 2 pounds and 8 ounces! I am comforting myself by focusing on the fact that Brad and I are both small people and it seems highly unlikely we would produce an abnormally large baby - right???

Nursery Update

2008-10-11T09:10:00.017-05:00

Finally... Progress is being made on the nursery! Lillian's bedding has come in and it looks fantastic! We have also ordered the pictures to hang in her room and let me say, that is a relief. Anyone who has read the blog of my friend, April Reed, will find this story especially funny... When Brad and I were looking at prints for the nursery he really liked this one of a bunny (I have included a picture of it). I told him that if he liked it, we should get it. He kept hesitating and eventually told me that he was afraid if we got the one bunny picture, I was going to get stuck on that and have the whole nursery covered in bunny items. He was afraid we would end up with a "bunny theme"... HA! I guess men really do have a fear of a theme getting out of control. :) I was able to assure him that we were not going to have a nursery theme and that I was capable of having just the one "bunny item".

This is the infamous bunny picture and it will hang over Lillian's dresser/changing area. I think Brad did a great job picking it out! We ordered this picture with Lillian's initials to hang over her crib. I LOVE IT!!!
This is the main fabric that Lillian's bedding and curtains are made from... Is it not so sweet?!
We chose this as the accent fabric... I really wanted to have more green (my favorite color) than pink for the bedding.
I can't wait to get everything set up in the nursery so that I can post some pictures of the final product!

A New Job and Growing Belly!

2008-09-20T18:39:00.016-05:00

We got some very exciting news on Friday... Brad got a new job offer! As some of you may know, the job he had with United Rentals was not a very good situation and we had been praying for some time now for something better to come along. The answer to that prayer started about a month ago when a friend of Brad's told him that his company, Medrad, was looking for a new rep for the state of Alabama and that he would be more than happy to refer him for the position. Brad researched the company, felt that it would be the perfect opportunity and three interviews later, got the job! He will be selling medical equipment in radiology labs within hospitals (that is the simplified version that I understand enough to explain :) ). There will be some traveling, but it is a small sacrifice for us to make for all of the benefits this job offers. Thanks to those who have prayed with us for this opportunity to work out!

Also, we are now just over 24 weeks (I prefer to say 6 months because it just sounds further along) and the belly is definitely growing! These pictures are from Tuscaloosa this weekend for my cousin's wedding and you can really see the change from just under 3 weeks ago.

Election Enthusiasm

2008-09-10T20:12:00.009-05:00

Brad and I are officially getting excited (and a little anxious) about the upcoming election!
We decided that we each wanted a McCain/Palin bumper sticker for our cars which led us to the McCain store online (the website is http://www.mccainstore.com/), where I believe we may have gotten a little wrapped up in the "campaign spirit"! Anyone that knows me is aware that I can get more than a little carried away while shopping, but this is definitely the only time that Brad was on board with me. What started as bumper stickers quickly turned into a yards sign, t-shirts and baseball caps. I would like to point out that we were able to talk ourselves out of needing the coffee mugs so we did use some control. It is a good thing however, that we didn't see any items for dogs (yes, I looked) or Emily would be showing lots of support for the Republican party also. :) Oh well, at least our possible over doing it is in support of a cause that we are extremely passionate about!

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-01T08:15:00.018-05:00

I hope that everyone has enjoyed a nice, long Labor Day weekend! Brad and I have had the opportunity to spend time with our families and that is always lots of fun.

We went to Alexander City on Saturday where we got to play with our niece, Carson, and relax by Aunt Pat and Uncle Fletch's pool most of the day. As I am pretty certain that will be my last "pool day" of the year, I really embraced the opportunity and probably enjoyed it even more than Carson did - She's Four! :)

On Sunday, we headed to Tuscaloosa for a great but busy day. I went to a wedding shower for my cousin Scott's fiance, Lesha, and we had a cookout to celebrate my dad's 61st birthday. I can't say enough about how nice it was to have this time with family! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!

The pictures are from this weekend and are our first "belly shots". Yes, I am almost 22 weeks and this is the first pictures we have taken of the growing belly. Hopefully we will be much better at taking pictures of Lillian once she is here than we have been as she is developing!

Our First Big Purchase!

2008-08-23T15:40:00.004-05:00

We made our fist of many decisions and purchases involving Lillian this week and let me say, it was a little overwhelming! For those who have been through it, I am sure this comes as no surprise, but I was unprepared for how daunting the task of choosing baby bedding and furniture would be.
It started at Storkland where I decided that picking the fabrics I like and having the bedding custom made would be a good decision. I came to this conclusion based on the fact that I found the pre-made options just a little too "busy" for my taste and thought I could come up with something more simple and classic. I believe that I did FINALLY accomplish that after 4 trips to Storkland, 1 panic attack, and over 500 fabric swatches! I still don't think that Brad appreciates at all how stressful it was since he was able to just look at the fabrics I had it narrowed down to and simply point to the ones he liked best. Oh well, at least one of us still has our sanity :) I will post a picture of the end result once we get it in about 6 - 8 weeks.
On to furniture... Actually, that proved far less difficult. My friend, Brandi, with the help of the Baby Bargains book (I love it!), had done the research on all the baby furniture lines so I was able to have it narrowed down to two brands before we even started. The picture is of the brand and style that we selected. The only difference is that ours will be in white and I couldn't find a picture of it in that color. Maybe we are suckers, but we decided to get the convertible crib (it will convert from crib, to toddler bed, to full bed), dresser, chest of drawers and night stand because we figure this is the furniture Lillian can keep until she is quite a bit older. Hey, anything not to be making these decisions again in a year or two :)
All that is left for us to choose is the rocker/glider chair that will go in the nursery and I am in no rush to get that done! We will certainly post pictures as we get everything in and the nursery starts to come together!

A Baby and a Blog

2008-08-14T20:41:00.001-05:00

Brad and I are officially joining the world of blogging! Apparently it is a necessity once you find out that you are expecting, to immediately start a blog to keep everyone up to date :) So now I find myself doing one thing that I wasn't sure I would ever do (having a baby) and another that I swore I would never do (starting a blog).
I am 19 weeks along today and we found out on Monday that we are having a little girl! Considering ALL of the old wives tales pointed to us having a boy, we were actually a little surprised when we heard the news. What is the take away from this? ... Don't get caught up in theories with absolutely no scientific basis :) That being said, we could not be more excited about having a beautiful little girl and so thankful that she seems to be developing perfectly!
We did not even have a girl's name picked out at the time of our appointment on Monday, but we immediately started thinking about it and within 24 hours, we had no doubt what our baby girl's name would be... Lillian Elise Carter!
Those who know me well know that there are a few things I felt strongly about when choosing a name. One is that I really love "old" names, second is that the name have a family connection, and finally that the name has a good meaning. I got all of these with the name we have chosen! Lillian is a great aunt on my dad's side and means delicate like a flower and Elise comes from the name, Ellis, which is my granddaddy's first name and dad's middle name. The name Elise also mean Vow of God and I just absolutely love that!
My goal is to be good at keeping the blog updated with news about us and the pregnancy and hopefully (with the help of my friend April) even include pictures to show Lillian's development and my ever expanding belly. Again, this is a goal and as I have had a severe case of writer's block before I even got started with the process, I can't guarantee that I won't need some reminders here and there!