Wednesday, July 25, 2012

She. Is. One.


Aubrey Lane, you are ONE!



You have officially transitioned from a baby to a toddler.  Although, you will always be my sweet baby.  I was telling you just the other night that you will always be my baby, and you shook your little head no at me... in front of your daddy and grandparents.  And they thought it was hilarious.


I am a mean mommy... I took you to the doctor for your 12 month shots and check up on your birthday, but you only cried for about 5 seconds.  You weighed 19.5 pounds and were 28.5 inches long.  That put you around the 25th percentile for weight and around 50th percentile for height.




After your doctor's appointment, I brought you to a little water park where we had a great little time.  You just loved splashing, sliding, and floating around.  Once we finished up, got home and had lunch, you passed out and took a four hour nap.  I didn't get any pictures from the water park because I was too busy playing and splashing with you.


At one, you aren't walking yet, but you push a walking toy everywhere and have taken a couple steps here and there, so I doubt it will be much longer before you are walking.  




Aubrey Lane, at 12 months old, you are on table food which you can handle well because you have TEN TEETH!  I started giving you whole milk in your straw sippy cup and you love it.  I still nurse you a few times a day, but I'm not sure how much longer that will last.


You are such a big girl, Aubrey Lane.  You mimic all sorts of words and phrases.  You are even trying to say "Thank You" now, which is so important because every little southern belle must be taught some manners early on ;-)


You can also play along with singing "If You're Happy and You Know It" by clapping your hands and stomping your feet during the appropriate times.


You are very strong willed and you want what you want when you want it.  We've started discussing appropriate methods of disciplining you because right now when we tell you "NO" you just shake your little head at us.  It's very cute, but... well you know.


You had such a sweet little first birthday party.  It was a pink lemonade stand theme.  I'll do a post for that soon!




Bath time photos... 


newborn



6 months


12 months



You are growing so fast sweet girl, and every stage has been so fun!!  I know the toddler stage you are entering will be so fun as well.  




newborn

one month

two months

 three months

four months

five months

six months

seven months


eight months

nin months


ten months

eleven months

Thank you, sweet girl, for such a fun and surprisingly easy year.  I can't wait to see what's in store for this next year!!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Happy 1st Birthday, Aubrey Lane!!


I can't believe it's already here, Sweet Pea!

Exactly one year ago at 8:26 am, this beautiful perfect baby girl came into our lives.  And we will never be the same again.


I have lots of pictures to post, and your little monthly biography as well, but they can wait for another day.  

TODAY is your special day, so I want to spend it with you!  

Happy First Birthday, Aubrey Lane!  I just love you so very much!


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

She is my Nineveh



I read a very sweet, encouraging, and endearing blog called Pearls and Grace.  It is written by a lovely Christian woman that has a unique gift of making you feel important and loved.  Her name is Sibi. You should hop on over there and check her out... and know that she is completely to blame for this post.


I originally logged onto the blog tonight to post some medical updates on both Jude and Aubrey Lane... but one of the first things I do is check my blog roll to see what's new in all my beloved blogs.  A blog post [Pearls and Grace] titled "What is Your Nineveh?" quickly whisked me back to a couple years ago during a time of hurting in my heart.


Before Aubrey Lane was born, the desire for another child was so great yet the prospect of one was so out of reach.  The longing turned into an obsession and intense pain.  


I prayed constantly... Lord, please give me a child or take this desire from my heart!


But the desire never left.  It only grew stronger.


I always felt prompted that stepping out in faith and trying to conceive a baby would be a crucial act of obedience on my part, but I just couldn't do it.  


It nagged at me.  It tormented me.  The desire for another baby was always there in everything I did every part of the day.  So I specifically remember that during the Priscilla Shirer Bible study of the book of Jonah, I could relate with refusing to go to Nineveh.


There I stood, with a desire so strong that it completely consumed me, a prompting from the Holy Spirit to be obedient and try for this baby, and a fear so powerful that it prevented me from doing so and receiving the blessing the Lord had in store for me.


I even shared this with my bible study group at the time.


But His mercy and grace...


Then came my whale... two unplanned little pink lines.  And off to Nineveh I went.  Right during my study of Jonah....


I spent the next 9 months begging for health, pleading for life.  And asking for one more thing... although I know I didn't deserve it because this pregnancy was not a result of my obedience but one of provision.. 


BUT, Lord, you know I am pleading for a healthy baby, but may I be so bold as to ask for one more thing... one of the most delicate things on the face of the earth... a daughter?


And here she is... a healthy, beautiful, perfect, little daughter, just one day shy of being one year old.


THANK YOU, LORD, FOR YOUR NINEVEHS!!!




I often regret not naming her Jesse like we originally intended to.  The name means "gift".