You say goodbye and I say hello

Happy New Year!

2012 has been wonderful is so many ways. Randy and I completed a half marathon and enjoyed a week at Disney World in January.  We added furbaby, Luna, to our family in February. We had several great weekend getaways, including a snowy trip to the mountains to see the Biltmore House and several trips to the beach. Aaron graduated from USC in May and Zachary moved into his own place this November. I started a new job a few weeks ago and Randy continues to find new opportunities to advance his career.

But with all those awesome things combined, nothing can top the arrival of Miss Emily Grace. A whirlwind of an experience that changed us for the better in more ways than we can count. She's the light of my world and the center of her daddy's universe. She's surrounded my so many people that love her and it's impossible not to feel thankful and blessed every single day.

As we say goodbye to 2012, I am excited to say hello to 2013. A new year always brings such an incredible feeling that anything is possible. I'm sure we will make a few resolutions that we won't keep, but it's fun to make plans and set goals even if we don't quite get there.  Over the next 12 months, I'm looking forward to making some wonderful memories with my family and reflecting on them come January 1, 2014.

Here's to health and happiness in 2013!

*M

5 Months!

Little EGB is 5 months old. Every month I say, "I love this age!" and this month is no exception.  Here are a few highlights:

• Emily is sitting up with help! It's so cute to see her propped up and trying to play with her toys. One of her favorites is a Christmas present that lights up and sing songs about different animals.
• She has found her feet and has also managed to pull her socks off a few times.
• She tried (and liked!) applesauce for the first time. Still not a fan of rice cereal but glad she is starting to eat solid foods.
• Unfortunately, she did have her first ear infection. But after some antibiotics and extra cuddles, she was better in no time.
• The smiles and giggles are non-stop and it's so awesome. She smiles every time she wakes up and it melts my heart to see that first thing in the morning.
• She's started laughing in her sleep which is hysterical!
• She's noticing the dogs more and is getting lots of extra sniffs and licks from them.
• She watches us as we move around the room and fusses when we leave.
• She talks constantly. She's also growls, which is very amusing.
• She is still trying to sit up. She can hold her head off the ground for a long time when she's on her back. She grunts and squirms, trying so hard to pull herself up!
• She is putting everything in her mouth and is definitely starting to teethe. I can feel a few bumps on her upper gums. She chews on things constantly and is quite a drooling machine.

Aside from being all around awesome, Emily has had lots of fun experiences recently. With the holidays, I was able to take almost a week and a half off work which has been wonderful. We've seen both sides of the family and Emily got lots of great Christmas presents. She really enjoyed trying to open them and was fascinated by the wrapping paper. Her big brothers spent some time with us Christmas morning and she is just smitten with them (as are they with her).

We also spent sometime in Wilmington with my family. On Emily's inaugural trip she enjoyed a horse drawn carriage ride downtown, seeing lots of new animals at the aquarium, and a ferry ride! I had the best time taking her around. I even bought her a cute handmade dress in Southport that I can't wait for her to wear this summer.  I'm looking forward to bringing her back in the coming months and sharing more adventures.


*M

Merry Christmas!

I can feel it in the air. People are winding down at work and looking forward to upcoming days off. The shopping list is getting shorter and shorter. Gifts are wrapped and under the tree. Travel to see family is underway. The hustle and bustle of our every day lives is becoming less and less. The closer we get to Christmas, the more we begin to feel the magic of the season.

I love this time of year for everything it is. Time to remember the gift of Jesus. Time to be thankful and spend quality time with family. Time to love and show love to others.

We have so much to be thankful for and so much love to give this holiday season. We wish you and yours a very merry Christmas and a wonderful start to the new year!