Our McMoments

Some of my favorite things...

2012-01-22T21:06:00.000-06:00

So these are the things either Campbell or myself are into these days!

Yobaby Yogurt! Campbell loves this stuff. It did take her a few tries to acquire the taste, but now that she has, she will eat the whole container! I also have gotten her to eat applesauce! I know, right, isn't that supposed to be one of baby's first likes...well, not mine, it just took her a while!

Bath time! I have always loved bath time in our house and so has Campbell! It is an established part of our bed time routine and another way for us to enjoy quality time with our girl!

Pumpkin Spice Pinion Coffee! Mom ordered some of this for Christmas after they bought some when they were in Albuquerque, NM. The flavor is so yummy!

Jesus Calling devotional! I received this devotional from my MIL for Christmas. I am trying to be better about my time with Jesus, and this has been a great devotional to read through. I want to learn to listen for His calling.

These are not all of our favorites by any means, but just a few we are enjoying right now! Here are a few more pics of my girl playing in her crawling tunnel! Hilarious. We play lots of peek-a-boo in it, and she just laughs and laughs! I absolutely adore this time with her!

Excuse the hair; static electricity is killing our hairstyle these days!

Song on my heart...

2012-01-18T18:23:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to share this song with all of you. I heard this song for the first time a few days ago and used the Shazaam app on my phone to see who sang it (love that)! I just love the words! I hope it blesses you like it has me!

Here are the lyrics:

What a Savior (Laura Story)

Atoning sacrifice
Keeper of this life
Hallelujah You are savior
Beginning and the end
Forgiver of my sin
By Your mercy You have saved us

CHORUS:
Jesus You are stronger
More than any other
Hallelujah what a savior
Jesus You are higher
My soul´s deepest desire
Hallelujah what a savior
You are the shepherd king
You lead us by still waters
Hallelujah You are savior

You are my only hope
Your kindness is my friend
In Your presence You restore us

You are the way the truth and the life
You are my joy and salvation
Stood in my place taking my shame

4 Generations

2012-01-15T16:17:00.001-06:00

This picture makes me smile and be so thankful I have these beautiful women in my life! I am so blessed to be Mo & Poppy's first grandchild, and to have Campbell, who is their first great, and my parents' first grandbaby! Lots of firsts here (My mom is the first daughter, I am her first daughter, and C is my first daughter)! It is so much fun :) Love you all so so much!

I'm also posting a pic of all the grandkids with Mo & Poppy! Thanks to Casey and Aric for these sweet memories!

Cami is 8 months old...

2012-01-09T21:04:00.000-06:00

To my amazing baby girl...

You are 8 months old! (You turned 8 months on Friday, but since you have been sick, Mommy is just now getting around to writing your update)

You never cease to amaze your Daddy and I. We have loved watching you grow and move and explore this past month. You enjoyed your first Christmas this last month. You also got your 2nd bottom tooth! You have a pretty cute smile ;)

You, my dear, got your first "shiner" at daycare because you think you can do anything and those legs of yours aren't quite on board! You pull up on ANY and EVERYthing and you are a pro at crawling. Your Daddy chases you and you crawl as fast as you can while you just giggle and giggle! You are pretty good in your walker too!

Campbell Grace, you are the best thing that has ever happened to us! We just love this stage you are in. You are especially a Momma's girl!

You are a big girl too! Not sure what percentage, but you weigh almost 20 pounds (it was 19.5 when we weighed you at Nini's house at Christmas). You wear mostly 9-12 month clothes, and size 3 diapers. We keep trying shoes, but you don't keep them on or your socks for that matter.

You are eating most of what we give you. You still aren't the biggest fan of apples, but you love your pears, bananas, squash, and sweet potato. You tolerate most of the green stuff, but make funny faces when we give it to you! You also like a cookie every once in a while!

I know there's so much more, but that's what I can remember right now. I pray you will get over this upper respiratory infection soon. The coughing has been hard on you and me, especially at night.

I hope you always know how much I love you sweet girl!

-Mommy

Yummy Shredded Beef Tacos

2012-01-03T21:03:00.000-06:00

So, I posted on Facebook how yummy my house smelled today with my special creation in the crockpot...and I said if it turned out I would post the recipe on my blog...well IT TURNED OUT BETTER than I even imagined. I was super proud of myself :) And it was so incredibly easy because it was in a crockpot! But I must say, I will make this again and again...

I always google for different/easy recipes. I came across this one. It sounded good, and I had a 3 pound roast. (I made this for a friend of mine who just had a baby girl a few weeks ago; so no it wasn't all for Jacob and me ;)) I did tweak it just a tad...I didn't have any tomato paste and I just had regular paprika...and also after I put everything in the crockpot, I covered it with a little bit of salsa verde! Mmmmmmmmm.....

So here's the recipe if you don't want to click on the link...

Shredded Beef Tacos

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds beef (boneless chuck roast)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Flour tortillas
Favorite taco toppings – lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, lime, cilantro, etc.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.

Rub the spice mix into the beef, covering each side evenly. Once the oil is hot (it will shimmer a bit in the skillet), place the beef in the skillet and sear on each side.

Remove the beef from the skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker. Leave the pan on the heat, and deglaze the pan with the beef stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato paste and minced chipotle and whisk into the pan sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.

Add the diced onion and minced garlic on top of the seared beef in the slow cooker. Pour the pan sauce down over the onions, garlic, and beef. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours .

Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks (if necessary – mine was so tender it just fell apart when I took it out of the slow cooker). Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the slow cooker, and mix into the shredded beef.

Serve the beef in the flour tortillas, topped with your favorite taco toppings. I like to top mine with fresh lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

I made guacamole too & added sour cream to my burrito along with black beans, pico, and cheese :) It was pretty tasty!

I also made butterscotch pound cake...and if you've never had it, it is a must try (maybe I'll post the recipe at a later date...it's super easy)! My friend, Becky, and her husband, Nate, enjoyed it!

If you make it, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

2012

2012-01-01T20:41:00.000-06:00

Well, last night I rang in the new year with a patient, his mother, a 2 fellow coworkers, and our sweet anesthesiologist...we even had some sparkling cider! When I got home, I found my hubby getting Campbell back to bed; she has been waking up occasionally just screaming/crying and it takes a bit to calm her down. I'm guessing it's related to her teething. I guess neither of us spent the night how we wanted to, but I am so grateful to have a pretty amazing job & a great hubby who loves his baby girl so much!

We were so blessed in 2011 by the birth of miss C and a new job for J. I was luckily able to only work 2 days a week so I could stay home with our girl! We learned a lot about ourselves as we became new parents and I can't think of a better man to go through parenthood with!

For this new year I have a few goals:

1. Enjoy every moment with Campbell. I know I can't turn back time, not that I want to...this phase with her is THE BEST!!! But I want to remember and truly cherish it ALL :)

2. I want to be better with my time with Jesus. I'm in need of his grace and mercy everyday, and I want to learn more this year and grow in this relationship.

3. I have struggled this past few months with housework...my goal is to be more consistent with keeping my home picked up and organized.

4. I just hope this year brings new growth in myself. I want to become a better mom and wife. I want to quit being lazy about so many things and be proactive. I want to give everything I can to the 2 loves of my life!

Here's to 2012...may it be all you hope for and more!

Christmas 2011 Recap!

2011-12-31T11:44:00.001-06:00

Where do I begin? I have so many pictures, but will try to post my favorites. We had a very AMAZING and BLESSED first Christmas with Campbell Grace! We spent time in Brownfield, Denton, and Fort Worth. We are happy to be back home and into our normal routine. These holidays can be hard on a baby and momma! Enjoy the pictures!

Aunt Casey took this gem...cannot get over this sweet happy face!!!

I took so many pictures, but still wish I had taken more, with more family members. We love you all and hope that you all have a very special and happy New Year! We pray blessings on each of you in 2012! We are so excited to see what this year holds for us.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T14:36:00.000-06:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas with lots of peace, joy, and the love of our Savior!

7 Months

2011-12-06T21:11:00.000-06:00

Every month I can't believe that it has already gone by...and this one is just the same! We are so excited for Christmas this month and feel so blessed to get to have a sweet baby to share it with!

The highlights of this last month include....sitting very well on her own. And going from her tummy or back to sitting pretty easily! She is loving food more and more...still enjoying bananas, apples, pears, sweet potato, especially SQUASH, and carrots and peas are hit or miss! She is moving more and more, trying so hard to crawl, but not quite there. Campbell has pulled up to standing quite a few times too. She's a good sleeper and napper and has been pretty healthy the past few weeks...(as I keep my fingers crossed). C is still in the same size clothes and diapers.

She enjoyed seeing everyone for her very first Thanksgiving! And now onto more cute pictures of the girl!

so in love with this girl...

2011-12-05T22:17:00.000-06:00

I think these photos will speak for themselves...but once again, we are so thankful for Aunt Casey and Uncle Aric for giving us amazing photos of our girl and our family! Love you guys!

Check out their website here!

THANKFUL Wrap Up...

2011-11-30T21:24:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that November is OVER...It's kind of sad, Christmas will be here and gone too soon. I just love this time of year! I'm going to finish out my thankful post, but it's going to be simple and to the point...

24-I'm thankful for my health and the health of my family...Poppy had surgery on Monday...it was very extensive and we are praising the Lord for bringing him through it and asking that He will continue to heal Poppy.
25&26-I'm thankful for my wonderful church and homegroup! We have been blessed with great friends through Providence!
27-I'm thankful for FAMILY! Always...I can't imagine living without each and every member...and can't wait for the ones to come ;)
28-I'm so incredibly thankful for the Lord's provision for our family! He always makes a way and we are blessed beyond measure.
29-I thank God for his protection over me and my family. With Jacob's continuing travel with his new job...I can't pray enough for his safety on the roads. With Campbell attending daycare, and learning to do new things everyday...I am thankful that He watches over her...the list could go on and on...
30-Last, but most importantly...I'm so humbled and ultimately thankful for the Lord's LOVE! I am an awful sinner, I'm selfish and ugly, but with God's Love and His Son...I'm saved, and forgiven, and I have a little light to shine and His grace and sacrifice makes it all possible!

Thankful, days 21-23

2011-11-30T20:18:00.000-06:00

Nov. 21- I am thankful for the rain! God knows how bad we have needed it here in Texas, and it is a blessing to get...even if it is along with cold temperatures.

Nov. 22- Once again, I'm thankful for the days I have with my baby girl, to see her grow and change everyday! We are up on all fours like a monkey for a few seconds, rocking on our knees, and trying her darndest to pull up to standing...WHAT?!?!?!? I'm so thankful that she is happy and healthy and that she is right where she is meant to be! What a joy she is!

Nov. 23- I'm thankful for lunch dates with the hubby! Lunch time is so much easier than dinner time in our house right now, so any time we get to spend with Daddy, we love to! And, of course, we are so thankful for a job that allows these lunch dates ;)

I wrote these before the holiday, but never got around to posting them!

Thankful, days 15-20

2011-11-20T20:34:00.000-06:00

Nov. 15- I am so very thankful for my husband! He's my best friend and I can't imagine anyone else I would want to go through life with! He is an amazing father and provider for our family. He is THE MAN God created for me, and I'm so grateful for his love and fear of the Lord. He is so supportive and loving, yet extremely playful and a true man's man! Campbell Grace is so blessed to have him as her Daddy! We sure do love you Jacob!

Nov. 16- On this day, I am thankful for my past experience through a miscarriage. I know that it has helped me become the woman and mom I am today. I'm thankful to have love for a baby I will meet again one day, and I'm thankful for the process of suffering, healing, and ultimately of knowing true redemption. It is an experience that has helped me share and comfort others in their times of need. On this day I found out that one of my friends was experiencing a miscarriage and I ask that you pray for her and her husband.

Nov. 17- I love my Dad, and can't say enough about how thankful I am for him! He is an amazing man: genuine, loving, funny, smart, dedicated to his girls :), a hard worker, a man of God who has taught me so much, and an incredible Grandpa to miss Campbell Grace! There are so many more words I could use to describe him, but I just want him to know how grateful I am that God chose him to be my daddy! I am so blessed :) Love you Dad!

Nov. 18- I am thankful for my Mom! She is not only my mom, but one of my best friends! I'm blessed to have such a great relationship with her. She is a wonderful teacher/coach ;) She is honest, down to earth, beautiful, dedicated, focused, and the best Grammy a girl could ask for! How did Cami get so lucky? Mom, I love you, and I can't say enough about how thankful I am for you!

Nov. 19- I am thankful for my sister, Casey! Even though she is my younger sister, she is someone I look up to. She inspires me everyday to do what you love! She loves Campbell Grace more than anything and I couldn't ask for a better Aunt for her. She is fun-loving, smart, gorgeous, an amazing photographer, carefree, sweet, and a beautiful woman of God! She is one of my best friends! We are total opposites, but that's what makes our relationship so special! I love you Casey and thank God for you everyday!

Nov. 20- I am thankful for my sister and Aric, her husband, once again! They are our very own family photographers, and we love the sweet and amazing moments they catch for us! Everyone loves a great photo, and we are blessed to have some awesome ones of Campbell and our growing family! Aric and Casey are a beautiful couple who love each other more than anything. This shows in their work and overall attitudes! We are blessed to have Aric in our family! He sure does treat my baby sister right! We love you Casey and Aric :) And stay tuned for a sneak peek of our Christmas card photoshoot! They captured some sweet pics for us!

And enjoy a few pics from the past couple weekends! We are having so much fun with this girl :)

Thankful, days 11-14

2011-11-14T21:41:00.000-06:00

Nov.11- On this Veterans Day, I, like most, am thankful for the men and women who have lost or are risking their lives everyday so that I can be free! I am so appreciative to our armed forces, past, present, and future who fight and defend our nation! I am proud to be an American!

Nov. 12- This weekend we spent time with Jacob's family! I am so thankful for them! We had such a good time, even if Campbell was sick and we didn't get tons of sleep :) The love us so much and I couldn't ask for anything more. Campbell is one lucky girl to have so many people to love on her. We really missed Uncle Aaron (although we did Skype him one night)! We are so so thankful for Nini, Papa, Aunt Liz and Uncle Aaron, Thomas, Elijah, and Uncle Aaron! Cami has 2 wonderful Uncle Aaron's :)

Nov. 13- Yesterday, we drove home...and Campbell was not the happiest girl. She was not having sitting in the car for 6 hours...sooooo it may be a little silly, but I am so incredibly thankful for my iPhone...and it's ability to play YouTube videos to keep Campbell happy. I felt like I was bribing her to quit crying, but after trying everything else for an hour and a half, Jacob and Duke and I couldn't take the screaming anymore. She watched BabyTV for almost an hour and finally fell asleep! So on that note, I can say that I am thankful for the technology of the amazing IPHONE!

Nov. 14- Over the weekend, I was reminded of how undeserving I am of so many things, especially all the amazing blessings that God gives me! I am a sinner and in need of his forgiveness daily. I am so thankful for Jesus's sacrifice, and that he makes me deserving of God's love! I'm grateful for Jesus...his love, his redemption, his grace and mercy, and his sacrifice!

Here are a few pics from the weekend! Campbell got to meet her great Aunt Frances and Uncle Arnold! It was so sweet to see them!

Thankful, days 8-10

2011-11-10T10:11:00.002-06:00

Nov. 8- On this day I was/am thankful for the career I have as a pediatric nurse. I love taking care of kids and seeing the smiles on their faces! I am also thankful to my precious hubby for letting me only work 2 days a week so I can stay home with my girl...(more on that later down the page)! I am constantly reminded during my work hours how IN CONTROL God is....if I'm taking care of a 5 year old getting his tonsils out or an 18 year old who blew out her knee playing basketball...He is always in control, and he heals, and knows our futures!

Nov. 9- I am incredibly thankful for the girls who take care of Campbell while I have to work. 9 times out of 10 she is smiling and giggling when I pick her up! They truly enjoy her while she is there and she is taken good care of. It's never fun to have to leave your baby, but when it's with people who love on her, it's a little better :)

Nov. 10- Today, especially, I am so so thankful for the days I get to stay home and be with my baby girl! Days like these make me appreciate my mom, and grandmother! Being a mom is the best thing in the world! And watching your baby change and learn and grow right in front of your eyes is truly amazing! Once again, God is amazing, and babies are miracles and ultimately BLESSINGS!

Enjoy these pics that Casey took while she was here a few weeks ago. I love all the JOY I see in these pics!

(by the way...hate the quality that blogger makes these photos look...they are amazing, sorry Case...)

6 Months Old!!!

2011-11-07T14:16:00.000-06:00

So, for November 6...I AM SO INCREDIBLY THANKFUL FOR MY BABY GIRL! I could scream it! She makes me smile from ear to ear and makes my heart swell with so much pride. She has shown me what it means to be redeemed. She shows me the meaning of life, but also reminds me that we are all sinners and only Jesus can save us! I pray that she comes to know Him at a very early age and that we will be the parents that God intends us to be, to love her and teach her from the Word!

Campbell Grace...you, my dear, are my sunshine and the best thing that has happened to your dad and me! You have had lots of changes in the last month. You are growing and doing more complex things everyday. You truly amaze me! I wish I could bottle it up and remember every single moment, every smile, every laugh, every tear, every darn second!

Today, you got your regular 6 month shots, along with your flu shot :( but you were so brave! You also woke up this morning with an awful upper respiratory infection and cough...bummer! This is the story of our lives and will be probably through the winter time.

You weigh 17 pounds (75%) and are 26 1/2 inches long (90%)! You are still wearing size 2 diapers until we get through this box...you wear size 3 at night! You are in 6-12 month clothes...all depending on brand.

You are sleeping through the night when you aren't sick...mostly 8p-7a, but sometimes up to 13 hours long, woohoo! You sleep mostly on your tummy and end up in the corner of your crib with your face right in the corner...sometimes you put your butt in the air, it's so cute! You also nap twice a day usually, never a consistent amount of time, but on good days it's 30 min-1 hour in the morning and 1 1/2-2 hours in the afternoon!

You are rolling around and scooting (mostly backwards) everywhere. It won't be long before the crawling begins...and Mommy and Daddy are NOT ready for that! You are trying more and more everyday to sit up on your own...you do for little bits at a time!

You still love your Jumperoo...you could bounce all day if we let you!

You still nurse or take a bottle, sometimes with formula...and you LOVE your oatmeal and rice cereal! You like it with bananas mostly! You are still trying to get used to all the new foods...you have eaten avacados,peas, carrots, pears, bananas, and apples. On the list to try are sweet potatoes, green beans, squash, prunes, and many more. Mommy is even making some of your food!

You definitely have found your voice! You are making more and more sounds...and even say them in a way that makes it sound intentional! Mostly "baba, and mama"! You always seem to say this at night when I am trying to get a bottle made for you and you are tired and wanting me! I still think it might just be pretty intentional.

Ok, enough of that...I still think I could go on and on, but I won't! On to the adorable pics of my sweet 6 month old!

Can you believe that 6 months ago I was here...

And I got to take this precious girl home just a day and a half later....

And now we are here looking at this angel...

Don't you just want to eat her up!

I love you Campbell Grace and I am so blessed to call you mine! You make my days better and give me more purpose in life! Becoming your mom is better than I could have ever imagined!

And for Nov.7- I am thankful for Campbell's pediatrician, Dr. G! He is a fellow believer and is always there for us when we need him! And we have needed him over the past few months! He always makes me feel better about what I'm doing, and always greets us with a huge smile and down to earth personality! He's a fellow West Texan too, a good ol' country boy we can trust!

Thankful, days 3-5

2011-11-05T08:27:00.000-05:00

Nov.3- I am thankful for my inlaws; and for the relationship that Jacob has with my parents. They love us so much and I am so thankful for everyday that they tell us and show us that. On this day, we received in the mail from Jacob's mom, a box full of new clothes (since my girl is getting so big and needs to go up a size) for Cami...it was just so thoughtful! I love that Jacob can talk to my parents about anything, and that he and my dad can go hunting, shooting their guns, or even go shopping (to Cabela's, of course) and enjoy it so much. There are many families where marriage just makes things worse, but I am blessed to say that, in my case, it has only made our family stronger and more happy! Jacob and I have both been blessed with the most amazing parents who love us, pray for us, and only want the best for us!

Nov. 4- I am thankful for my Starbucks coffee on these cool fall mornings before work! It just is a pick-me-up for the day and a little indulgence I can enjoy! Sometimes I just need a Grande Mocha or Pumpkin Spice Latte and my morning is just a little bit better! Oh it's the simple things sometimes!

Nov. 5- I woke up this morning and am so thankful for a full nights rest! My baby girl has been sleeping so good, but we all especially needed it last night. She even went to bed without her normal bedtime routine (actually fell asleep in daddy's arms, with no bath, bottle, and jammies) and went 13 hours without eating and full of uninterrupted sleep! Praise the Lord! This, I know, is just one of the many first steps to my baby not being a baby anymore. She is changing so much everyday, right in front of my eyes...and when we have nights and days of bad sleep, it makes me cherish these mornings/nights so much more!

Tomorrow will have it's own post, but if I don't get it done, it will be completed by sometime Monday...it is, of course, all about miss Campbell Grace who is 6 MONTHS OLD tomorrow!

Hope everyone has a great Saturday!

30 Days of Gratitude

2011-11-02T16:04:00.000-05:00

So, everyone on Facebook is updating their daily status with things that they are thankful for throughout the month of November...I am going to try to do that here on my blog...but no, it won't be a new post everyday...I will just put multiple days in each post!

Nov. 1- I am thankful for my grandparents! MO & POPPY have been the most amazing and supportive grandparents a girl could ask for, and now they are GREAT-MO & POPPY to my sweet Campbell Grace. I cherish the moments I get with them and am so grateful for the wonderful memories we have made over the years. They have taught me so much. I am so blessed to be the first grandchild who named them! I am Mo's SUNSHINE and it means the world to me to be! I love you Mo & Poppy!

Nov. 2- I am thankful for the job that Jacob has and that the Lord always provides! Jacob is such a hard worker and when he made the decision to leave one job and take another with some question marks still in place, he had the ultimate faith in Jesus that he would always provide for us! There are still many unknowns with the job, don't get me wrong, and he has been gone so much because of it, but I am so so thankful that he has and enjoys his job. We have been blessed by it!

What are you thankful for today?

Hi there!

2011-10-31T22:11:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to say hi and sorry for the lack of posts lately...we are pretty bummed around here that Texas did not win the World Series...and we have been busy and going, going, going; especially Daddy who has been traveling all over the past few weeks.

It is hard to believe that in less than a week this angel is going to be 6 months old...yes that's right...I'm not sure where the time has gone, but we have enjoyed every minute of it! She is the BEST part of my day!

Since Daddy was gone most of the weekend, we spent it at Grammy and Grandpa's house! C had a blast and Mommy got some rest :) We love our time there and they love spending time with their grandbaby! (I promise to get pics of C and Grandpa next visit...I seemed to only have the camera out when Grammy was lovin' on Cami)

This next picture cracked me up...since Campbell has become more mobile (rolling around) she is never where I left her even if I turn my back for a second...(she started out on the blanket)!

And enjoy a few more of the girl...she's getting so big...look at this pic of her on her changing pad in her room, she won't fit there much longer :(

Hope you all have a good week! On Sunday we will celebrate Campbell being 1/2 a year old...another post on that to come!!!

GO RANGERS!

2011-10-25T09:56:00.000-05:00

So my sweet husband bought World Series tickets for his dad, me, and him. Of course, we went to the game that they lost...boo, but we still had an amazing time and can now say we've been to the World Series! Jacob is a huge Rangers fan, but is also a Cards fan too(boo)! His dad grew up in Missouri, so their whole family are rooting the Cards on...but it's the Rangers' year! I am so pumped after last night! Just 1 more win and they will clench the Championship title which I believe they deserve!

I must say, one of my favorite parts of baseball is how AMERICAN it is! I love the atmosphere and the way they sing God Bless America in the 7th inning stretch! I got chills after the National Anthem was sung and 4 F-16's flew over the ballpark!

I have 2 cousins who play (pitch) baseball in college...and I hope to see them out there one day playing for a World Series title!

Dirk throwing out the first pitch!

And Grammy and Grandpa kept Cami...the cutest little Rangers fan ever!

La La La...

2011-10-21T15:47:00.001-05:00

Where do I begin? It has been pretty crazy around here lately. We are missing Daddy a lot lately...and being sick and cranky (both Campbell and myself) just makes it worse. Anyway...enough complaining...we have had a fun few days with Aunt Casey and Uncle Aric visiting, seeing Grammy, Grandpa, Mo, Poppy, Dav, Brandon, and the kids; watching baseball, rolling over - yes!!!, and just hanging out! I'm praying everyone stays well and we have a good couple weeks left before Cam turns 6 months old! Can you believe it's already that time? I CANNOT! Enjoy a few pics...and a couple of sweet videos of C rolling over (it's actually pretty hilarious, she just throws her head over, and lays there for a while before she decides to roll on over)!!!!

Just to make you smile!

2011-10-12T20:22:00.000-05:00

I hope you all are having a good week. We are NOT...poor baby is sick AGAIN...and this Momma is tired! But we are hanging in there. I watched this today and it just made me smile and remember that even in this "season" of sickness, I cherish being C's mom to love and take care of her through it all. And I also know that God doesn't give us more than we can handle, right? Well, enjoy this sweet baby and her daddy getting her to giggle! She absolutely melts my heart!

Our love is 5 months old!

2011-10-09T17:40:00.001-05:00

Well, another month has flown by and our sweet girl is 5 months old. I have been loving the past few weeks with my girl and know it's only going to get more and more fun! She is busy and happy most of the time! I am truly blessed to be her momma!

Here's what she has been up to lately...

Not sure on height or weight, we get that next month...but she is still in size 2 diapers, size 3 at night! She wears anything from 3-6 months, 6 months, or 6-9/12 months depending on brand.

She still loves bath time and is all over the place when it comes to sleeping...sometimes it's all night, sometimes we get up once a night anytime from 2-4 usually, but I'm not complaining. I love our sweet quiet times, I know it won't be long and they will be gone...

Campbell is still eating cereal...we started oatmeal on her 5 month birthday and she LOVED it. I think it's much better than the rice cereal...I am so excited for her to start real foods next month. I bet she will love it.

C still takes morning naps and is non consistent on her afternoon ones. Sometimes they are 2 hours, sometimes 30 minutes. At daycare, she is only taking short catnaps throughout the day.

She is super content. She goes with the flow and will go just about anywhere I take her with a smile. I get so many compliments on how happy she is.

We have been loving the way she talks and giggles and smiles so much. It is just infectious. She can melt my heart with one grin and make my bad day go away.

She is enjoying her jumper and has figured out how to actually jump in it. It can keep her preoccupied for a pretty long time, thank goodness (especially when I need to get things done)!

She still doesn't really care for a pacifier, but her fingers have been doing the job just fine. She's not a big thumb sucker or sucker period to soothe or calm herself.

Our sweet girl continues to amaze us everyday, and everyday I'm so thankful that God allows me to take care of her and be her mom. I am continually reminded how faithful our Lord is and in her face I see so much hope and joy and peace and love.

We are so proud of you baby girl!
~Mommy and Daddy

What October means to me...

2011-10-04T13:44:00.000-05:00

I will always look at October in a new/different light from now on. I do not associate it with Halloween or even Fall and beautiful weather, I will always look at it as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month (more specifically October 15 is the day we light a candle in honor of our babies). Since June 25, 2010, when our world was forever changed, I want to share my story with whoever will listen, and become a supportive shoulder to cry on for those who need it. This is what God is wanting me to do.

We recently had another loss in our family. I will not go into details, but the amazingly strong woman that this happened to is grieving the loss of her 16 week gestation baby boy...he was stillborn into this world at 2.7 ounces and had all 10 fingers and toes. He is another glory baby in the arms of Jesus. We are so so thankful to know that we will meet our babies again one day.

Here is the button that I display as a face of miscarriage. If you want to support those that you know who have gone through this, please go here and donate in memory of your loss. Of course I donated for our Glory Baby McFarland who is looking down on her little sister and parents and smiling! And now she has a sweet cousin to play with up there in Heaven.

And the best part of my day...my sweet little love...

Pizza Rolls, Yummy!

2011-10-02T19:05:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe a while back and have tried it twice now...it is so easy and makes for a yummy weekend lunch idea, especially when you are playing with a baby and don't have much time to sit and eat...just pop one in your mouth and you are good to go!

If any of you know my family, you know we LOVE a good Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza! It has a yellow mustard base, hamburger meat, onions, bacon, and CHEESE! Who wouldn't like that? So I thought that would be perfect to make today for lunch. It turned out so so good. Here's the website I found the recipe from.

Here are a few pics of the yummy goodness!

And ENJOY! We had a great weekend, Grammy and Grandpa kept C last night so Jacob and I could have a date night, and it was so nice! Hope everyone had a great weekend too!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T09:06:00.000-05:00

Campbell eats cereal and sleeps 11 1/2 hours...

2011-09-27T22:06:00.000-05:00

I have been so tired lately and my girl was waking up so much during the nighttime...well I decided to start supplementing her some formula, just so I know she was/is getting enough to eat, and I also started her on rice cereal. She did so so good with it, and she just keeps getting better. She might be a tad impatient...gotta constantly have that spoon in her mouth, lol.

And after starting it, she slept 9 hours, and 11 1/2 hours back to back nights. I'm sure I'm jumping the gun here and hoping this will solve all our night time problems, but here's to dreaming! I will say that it has been nice, even though I still wake up at night and have to check to make sure all is good. Plus, Duke is going through some jealousy disobedience and it's driving me nuts...so I'm constantly having to deal with him at all hours too.

Gonna leave you with a few pics of my girl lately and part of the video of her eating rice cereal (Please excuse us talking...I hate the way I sound on video)!

Isn't she precious in this outfit?!?!?!

Sweet open mouth grin!

Cereal face!

Playdate with Shepherd!

YUCKY...

2011-09-19T17:47:00.000-05:00

So...as soon as I put up that "all smiles" post...I got sick...and then wonderful Grammy who helped take care of Cami when I was sick, got sick...then Daddy...who didn't get home until Saturday morning got sick...so the only one who has made it without feeling awful has been C and Grandpa...and he said it's because he's too ornery!
With that said...one of these days when everything is back to normal in our world, I will post some new pics!

so happy!

2011-09-15T17:27:00.000-05:00

Even though we've had many days of this lately...

I'm so happy to see this...

I also want to send up a prayer and ask all of you who read to do so as well for our sweet family members dealing with that awful cancer. We received some shocking news today and know that ultimately God is in control and we rest in knowing that!

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.

-Isaiah 40:31

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits,

who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

-Psalm 103:2-3

4 cherished months

2011-09-10T11:25:00.000-05:00

To my sweet Campbell Grace,

This week you turned 4 months old. It was a rough week for the both of us. You were really sick and had your first fever for 4 days. We made a couple trips to the doctor and you didn't even get your shots because you were too sick. It was so hard for Mommy to see you this sick. You didn't want to eat, had a hard time sleeping, unless you were in my arms, and just felt awful. There were no smiles and you hardly made any noises except to cry. You became so weak and it just broke our hearts. We know this is only the first sickness of many in your life, but we know that it is good for you to develop your immune system. It's still no fun though.

Lately you have been sticking your tongue out, making this "bitter beer face", haha, and also making squirting noises with your lips. We haven't seen any teeth yet, but have been curious if they might be there ready to come in at any time with all the gumming you have been doing.

You have started playing in your jumper. You love to stand up when we hold you in our laps. Daddy calls you his little ballerina, because your legs are always crossed and you stand on your tip toes.

You still only roll from side to side, but don't have any interest in rolling over it seems. We have to be patient, you will do it when you are ready, but we do work with you everyday, trying to get you to do it. Dr. G says it shouldn't be long.

You have been grabbing and holding onto toys longer. Especially your rattles, you shake them and occasionally hit yourself in the face when you get a little crazy. On your tummy, you reach for and push your toys around.

Since you have been so sick, you have NOT been sleeping through the night. And since you have had a cold/illness for what feels like a month now, it has been hard on Mommy getting up with you at least 2 times a night. I'm hoping this is just a phase and part of the being sick and stuffy. We have had a humidifier going in your room every night to help you breathe. I'm praying you start sleeping ALL night again soon! Our routine has been so off, so it's time to get back to it.

Speaking of sleep, you are still putting yourself to sleep at night, praise the Lord. You talk and play with your Glowworm and love the look at the mobile I made you as you drift off to sleep.

You are still wearing size 2 diapers and 3-6/6 month clothes. You are 14 lb 8 oz (Mommy was a whole pound heavier at this age, 75%) and 25 inches long (80-90%).

You have been doing better and better each week at the daycare. Last week you were there, you took two 1 hour naps...previously you would have a few catnaps up to 30 minutes each...and you were exhausted by the end of the day. You also are taking your bottles well for them!

I'm sure I could go on and on about all the things you amaze us with everyday. We are so lucky to be your mommy and daddy! You are one loved baby girl. It's hard to believe it's September...in just 3 short months you will be having your very first Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. I can't wait for that, but really I can, because I am cherishing every single day with you. You are growing so fast.
All my love,
Mommy

4 months and a sick baby

2011-09-06T15:17:00.001-05:00

This will be short and sweet...our sweet girl is 4 months old today and so so sick. Please pray she can kick this virus fast...we are at 36 hours with fever and not eating much of anything...we had her 4 month check-up today with Dr. G, but didn't get shots...who would've ever thought I would want her to be able to get shots so much...so we have to make a trip back next week as long as she is better. She weighs 14lb8oz (75%) and is 25 inches long (80-90%).
Hopefully sometime this week, I can put more effort into a good 4 month post for our girl and all the exciting things she is doing! Right now, she just laid down for a nap. I hope she starts feeling better soon. Dang viruses...I know this is only her first of many, unfortunately! I love this girl so much, and it makes me so sad to see her hurt.

A baby book and a mobile...

2011-09-01T21:30:00.001-05:00

So I don't have tons of time, but I wanted to update the blog with some of my projects I've been working on...
I finally ordered and received Campbell's baby book! I absolutely love it! I searched all over the internet and in stores for the perfect one. No I didn't have it before she was born, but better late than never! She's only almost 4 MONTHS OLD!?!?!?! Yikes! Anyway, I better get to it, there's so much that's happened in the past 4 months to document :) Here are a few pics of the gorgeous book!

I also made a bow holder a while back...here it is:

And last, but not least...THE MOBILE!
So I knew I wanted to make a mobile, but I'm not necessarily that crafty. So awesome AUNT DAVNEY made Campbell the sweetest little birdies to go on the mobile, and I found the guts to an originally $87 mobile at Lone Star Baby. I got it for $5, yes that's right, 5 DOLLARS! That totally made my week! It's not the most well put together thing, but it works and I know Campbell already loves it! Here are a few pics of it!

And here's a few more from our week! Hope everyone has a Happy Labor Day weekend! We are heading to the lake for a little sun and R&R!

...more lately

2011-08-29T16:05:00.000-05:00

Once again, sorry for the lack of posts lately. We are trying to figure things out with Campbell again. She is working on cold #2 in a month. She is not sleeping good at night (we are up at least twice every night), she isn't sleeping good during the day, she still doesn't nap at daycare, and she is needing to eat more often. It has been a rough few days...but she is such a trooper and doesn't seem to act like she feels too bad. Aunt Casey was in town this weekend and we had a fun time. I have lots of things I want to post about but I'm so behind on laundry and cleaning house, and Campbell is asleep in my arms. I will leave you with a few pics that Nini took while we were in Branson!

Campbell Grace Loves Her Daddy!!!

2011-08-21T15:44:00.000-05:00

Some of the best parts of my day are watching my baby girl with her daddy! There's just this look that she only gives him. A look of adoration...He is her hero! And she has this special voice just for him! Enjoy the sweet video of them I took last night!

Home Sweet Home

2011-08-18T13:23:00.002-05:00

We are home! I enjoy going on vacation, but I always LOVE coming home. It is the best feeling to sleep in your own bed! I know Campbell is happy to be home too, but she is trying to get adjusted and caught up on sleep. She made our 7 1/2 hour drive home a piece of cake. She was such a good baby! Everything I was worried about with traveling just went right out the window. I will go ahead and get some of the pictures from our trip to Missouri! By the way, the weather was gorgeous...I did NOT miss the Texas heat :)

Uncle Aaron!!!!

She loved the boat...

Sun bathing...

Elijah was being shy...

She refused to look at the camera!

Aunt Liz watched Cami while Mommy and Daddy rode the SeaDoo

Thomas and Kaitlin

Elijah and Aaron

Granny Nell and Campbell

Baby Blues!

Vacation...

2011-08-11T15:50:00.000-05:00

Hey all,
I wish this could be longer, but I have so much to get done before we head out on vacation tomorrow. We are meeting up with Jacob's dad's side of the family in Hollister, MO, just outside of Branson at Table Rock Lake for a few days. We are excited to go, anxious to see how Campbell does on the road trip, and ready for some R&R. This week went pretty smoothly, yes, Mommy cried when she left Cami in the arms of the daycare worker, but got over it...I just absolutely miss my baby girl when I'm at work. She has had a hard transition to daycare, by 1. getting her first cold, and 2. not napping well (10-30 minute naps at a time, at home it's 1-3 hours at a time), and 3. not taking full bottles at feeding time. She still seems pretty happy though when we get her. She just isn't used to all the other loud babies, and she doesn't want to miss a thing by sleeping...so her days at home are spent sleeping a lot. Just wanted to say a quick hi and sorry for the lack of posts this week...I'll try to catch up next week/weekend...but yay for getting ready for vacay!
And it wouldn't be a real post without a picture :)

3 Wonderful Months...

2011-08-06T15:45:00.001-05:00

To my sweet Campbell Grace,

Today, you turn 3 months old. We absolutely cannot believe how fast you have grown and that it has already been 3 months since you blessed our family with your presence! You have changed so much over these 3 months. We love to listen to you. You talk, and squeal, and coo, and giggle, and they are just the best noises in the world! You are much more observant of things these days. You definitely recognize your hands and you are trying and successfully grabbing objects and pulling them up to your mouth. Everything comes up to your mouth.

You have wild and crazy hair, but we love it! It has grown so much. You will most definitely end up with a mullet, lol. You have a wide range of colors in your hair. The roots growing in are platinum blonde. I can't wait to see what color you end up with.

Your eyebrows and eyes can tell us the whole story! We love to watch your facial expressions every second! You have your daddy's beautiful dark blue eyes. I could look into them all day.

You are rolling from side to side. You haven't quite figured out how to roll over from tummy to back and vice versa, but I know it won't be long! You do kick and squirm your way all over your crib. You never wake up in the same position I put you down to sleep!

Right now, you are starting to wear size 2 diapers all the time, not just at night. You are still wearing 3-6 month clothes. Those that are specifically 6 months are quite large, but you still wear them some... I just started putting away your newborn and 0-3 month clothes...I just can't believe it's already time for them to go. I just remember yesterday bringing you home and thinking how tiny you were.

You are still sleeping throughout the night and mommy couldn't be happier! You have been putting yourself to sleep at night for the past 2-3 weeks as well. I'm so proud of my girl! You have taken so well to the Eat, Play, Sleep schedule!

Speaking of play, you love this time! You really like your Sophie the giraffe, your buzzer bee, and the owl and bird on your play gym! You have also started sitting in your Bumbo chair. Although, you have some extremely chubby legs, so who knows how long you will be able to sit in it!

You are such a joy to me! I can't imagine my life without you. Your daddy and I love you so so so much!

By the way... You start your first full day at the daycare on Monday, while Mommy and Daddy go back to work. I have mixed feelings about this, but know you will be loved on and taken care of. I pray you will continue to take a bottle well, and be able to continue your routine there like at home. There are so many changes for us this week.

Such a happy girl!

We love the buzzer bee!

BUMBO :)

Love her expressions...and she loves her Sophie!

...lately...

2011-08-02T14:00:00.001-05:00

Hi all,
Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Lots of things have been happening lately. I'm actually recovering from surgery. I had it this morning. Nothing too bad, a laproscopy procedure, but general anesthesia none the less...and my first time ever for it. I had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am this morning and my mom kept Campbell while Jacob and I were at the hospital. Miss Campbell woke up around 4 wanting me. It definitely made me feel good even though I had to get up so early, but I got a little snuggle time with my girl before "going under". I am feeling great so far...hoping for a nap later today!

We had a wonderful weekend at the lake! Pictures to follow.

I will also have another post sometime this week for our sweet boy, Duke! Today is his 3rd birthday. He is such a good puppy dog!

Grammy got Campbell a Glowworm...she loves it!

Talking to Grammy :)

Abby helping Campbell get her lifejacket on

That lifejacket is bigger than she is!

First boat ride :)

She was asleep within 1 minute of being in the boat...

Lol, look at the wind blowing that hair!

Sink bath at the lake

Grammy and Campbell, look at that curly cue!

Campbell and her Poppy :)

Campbell likes to talk to everyone

Casey, Abby, and Ellary tubing!

Me and the best sister ever, Casey

Sweet Ellary and Abby Kate!

Love this sweet boy, Caleb!

my little gilligan :)

Ellary and Aric

We love the lake!

Cutest grin ever!

Love these blue eyes :)

11 weeks

2011-07-22T09:13:00.001-05:00

Wow, 11 weeks has flown by. I'm so overwhelmed by the changes we are about to encounter in a little over a week...but we will be fine. I have to keep reminding myself that it will all be ok! A good friend reminded me yesterday that "one of the best things I've learned from working away from home, even just 3 days a week, is that it makes you value your time with your babies SO much more... It's good for both of you, even when it's hard."

So miss Campbell Grace is 11 weeks old today. This week we have worked extra hard and she is finally getting the hang of the bottle. PRAISE THE LORD! My stress level has decreased so much! I have come to realize that she will cry and scream if she really doesn't want it, or will only take an ounce or two at a time and not a whole bottle, ALL of which is fine with me. I know she isn't starving and she is happy, playing, and napping just fine like that. So far she has taken the bottle from me, Aunt Dav, and Jacob. This weekend she is staying with Grammy and Grandpa for a few hours, so I hope she cooperates and takes one or two from them as well! She is even taking a pacifier more as well! Mostly she just wants to drool and suck on her hands or whatever she can get to her mouth!

I am kinda sad, because my baby is no longer a newborn. She truly is growing and developing so fast. She wants to sit up, not on her own, but she tries so hard to. I have found her slumped over in her swing because she pulled herself forward and couldn't sustain it...so scary and sad, but accomplishing at the same time. She wants to stand when you hold her out in front of you. She has some chubby, but super strong legs! She is smiling and cooing more and more.

I took her to dinner the other night with some of the girls from work, most of who hadn't met her yet. I was so blessed, and they were all like she is such a good baby! She hardly cried...only when she was getting tired. She let everyone hold her and played in her carseat so I could eat most of my meal! I loved it! And I do love showing her off! She is the highlight of my life and we are so proud to be her parents.

What else, I'm trying to think of all the new things my girl does these days. I'm happy to have this blog so I can use it to go back when I finally decide on a baby book for her. I know, I'm a bad mom because I don't even have a baby book yet for my girl. I just was not impressed by the ones in a few of the stores. I think I will end up getting one off of Etsy. I just need to do IT! I do have one of those calendars though, so at least I can document things on there as well.

I guess that's all I know for now. I did get my hair cut and colored yesterday, and now I feel like a new woman! My next goal is to start working out again and lose a little more weight. I am already back to my pre-pregnancy weight which is awesome, considering I haven't done anything different from when I was pregnant except nurse Campbell. I guess I need to start my Jillian Micheals DVD again since there's no way I'm working out outside in the heat. I really need some motivation to do it though. Yuck, I hate getting started. It always feels wonderful once I do it, but it's painful and so hard to start! We'll see if it actually happens...

Alright, love to everyone. Hopefully I will get a pic of my girl with me and my new hair! It's shorter than I thought it would be, but it will grow and it feels amazing! Plus I added a few feathers to my hair too! Jacob isn't impressed, haha, but there's not much that DOES impress him!

new opportunities

2011-07-19T16:19:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to update a little about what has been going on in our world the past few days...

Jacob put in his 2 weeks at Merit yesterday. This is the big news I mentioned in an earlier post. He has been given the opportunity of a lifetime, and we felt like it is where God wants us to be. It may be challenging considering there may be many days of extra travel for him while I am home alone with Campbell, but we know that without struggles, there wouldn't be rewards. I pray that this new job is just what Jacob wants and needs. He has been blessed by working for Merit, and it was a difficult decision to leave. We have met so many incredible people and hope to maintain those relationships as we move on to the next stage in our lives. We aren't moving anywhere, his job is still based out of the DFW area. He is going to work for Urban Oil and Gas Group as an engineer with hopefully the chance to oversee all operations one day. He will eventually get the chance to be in management, something he will be incredible at!

I will continue to work 2 days a week at Children's in the recovery room for the time being until we feel that it is possible for me to stay at home with Campbell full time. I go back to work in less than 2 weeks and I am really dreading leaving my girl. We have gotten her settled into a daycare which I feel great about. I just don't want to leave her :( Mommy is sure gonna cry that first day, I guarantee it!

Campbell is continuing to struggle taking a bottle. She absolutely hates them. I have tried about every kind and have a few more in the cabinet to try. She gets the nipple in her mouth and either immediately starts screaming or just chews on it. I don't know if she doesn't know how to suck on it or if she is just refusing it all together. It has been a hard few days and I'm having a hard time not nursing her when she's hungry and won't take a bottle. I'm the mommy, I'm supposed to comfort her when she's upset, not make her mad and cry more because she won't take the bottle. I am struggling being tough. I've always had this problem. So please pray for both her and I as the next few days will be rough and exhausting. There will be lots of tears I'm afraid. I just want this to be a happy time since I have to go back to work soon.

Our girl continues to amaze me everyday. She has been sleeping through the night and putting herself to sleep! She is growing like a weed, and is happy most of the time! She has a gorgeous smile which is coming out more and more everyday. She is in 3 month clothes mostly, 3-6 month depending on brand, and thank goodness the 6 month clothes are still too big. She continues to be the best part and sometimes the hardest part of my days, but I wouldn't trade it for the world! This is what I was meant to do :) I am cherishing every moment and trying to soak them all in! We are not guaranteed a lifetime or even promised another day, so I praise Jesus for the ones I have with my baby girl, and with each member of mine and Jacob's families, and with our friends!

I'll leave you with a few more pics that Aunt Casey took while she was here. I absolutely love them!

I did it! Here's my story...

2011-07-18T12:23:00.001-05:00

I finally did it! My story was just posted on the Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope website. I found this site just right after I miscarried when I was trying to find support and other stories of loss. This website was a huge blessing to me. I have been approached by more than one person about my loss and how my words have encouraged them. Jacob told me the day after our loss that God was going to use this horrible experience for His good. He has given me the chance to share my story with others and show them that He is the ultimate comforter and healer!

I don't claim the diagnosis of "miscarriage" over my life because I serve a God who is so much bigger than that. I do however put a face to the loss we experienced, the pain and the suffering. It was real and it was a huge part of my life. And I'm so thankful for the story of hope and redemption that has come from the brokenness.

Here is my story!

Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5c

WHAT A PROMISE!

And here is a face of hope, joy, love, sweet redemption, grace, mercy...the list could go on and on!

Oh how I love this girl!

10 weeks old and a mini-shoot with Aunt Casey!

2011-07-15T16:14:00.001-05:00

Our sweet girl is 10 weeks old today! My girl is growing up before my eyes, and I need it to slow down. I am cherishing every moment with her. I'm so so blessed to be her mommy. I'm so thankful for the love and joy she has brought us. I love seeing each member of our families be in awe of her. She is one of the greatest things to ever happen to me.

Sweet face :)

Love her rolls...

Sleeping in her swing, our daily morning nap hang out.

Kisses from Daddy...

Aunt Casey got this while we were in Key West.

Wild morning hair!

Then I begged Casey to do a mini-shoot with this cute little lace romper! I'm in love with every shot she got! I think Casey was happy too. These are unedited and amazing, just the same. When Casey gets home, she will edit her favs and I can show you those too! We have such a beautiful baby girl!

Absolute favorite!

Aric's favorite, our little model!

Love this one too!

Look at those rolls and that sweet baby face!

Duke wanted in on the action too :)

We had such a fun few days with Casey and Aric again! They are off to shoot another wedding outside of Austin tomorrow.

And yes, more big news is on the way...but it won't be until next week sometime! Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Thursday

2011-07-14T17:06:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to stop in and say hi! We are enjoying a visit from Casey and Aric! Here's 2 pics of me and my amazing baby girl!

a few pics from the past few days...

2011-07-12T17:43:00.001-05:00

We have enjoyed visits from Aunt Tracy and cousin D'Lynn, Martie, and Brock! We are blessed with amazing family and love every chance we get to see them!

An adorable grin after waking up from our nap!

Play time after a long nap...after those darn shots.

My 2 babies!

She just talked and smiled at Tracy, love this!

Great Aunt Tracy and Campbell

Mo and Campbell

Daddy made Campbell have silly hair!

Bath time with Daddy, one of the best parts of our day!

D'Lynn and Campbell

Duke got some attention and loved playing with Martie!

Brock and Campbell, she was not happy at this point.

Grandpa and Campbell

Mommy and Campbell, love this baby girl so so much!

Hope y'all enjoyed!

new blog love

2011-07-11T19:33:00.000-05:00

Been working on the new blog background, etc. Since I'm not that blog savvy, it has taken me most of the day! I'm still working out a few kinks. But I really like it! Hope everyone had a good Monday. Stay tuned for some fun posts, because Aunt Casey and Uncle Aric are coming to town tomorrow!!! Plus, possibly some more big news on the way!

Our sleep...

2011-07-10T11:41:00.000-05:00

Campbell must know when mommy and daddy need their sleep! This weekend she has slept through the night both nights. I woke up Saturday morning at 6:15 because of Duke, not Campbell. She had slept all night! This was her first true night to do that for us. She woke up shortly after I did, but it was so nice. AND...she kinda put herself to sleep. Jacob rocked her for a bit and laid her down. She was awake and squirming but not crying. He left her there and within 5 minutes she was out!

We spent Saturday with her Great Aunts Tracy and Davney, and Grammy, Grandpa, and the rest of the Bunchkins! We watched 2 baseball games! Caleb hit 2 homeruns! Woohoo! Now with all this excitement, miss Campbell did not sleep much. She would cat nap throughout the day, but did not have her usual 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon. She was exhausted. We got home late, but still decided to bathe her since we had been outside in the heat/dirt for a while. She enjoyed the calming bath, ate, and immediately fell asleep at 11. There was no crying or fussing before bed (partly because she cried most of the way home). She was out.

All that to say, this morning when Duke woke me up at 7, she was still sleeping. I fell back asleep and didn't wake up until 9:15!! What??? She was just starting to stir. She wasn't upset, and I was so proud of my girl for sleeping that long.

She must know that we were all tired and needed our sleep. That's so encouraging knowing that maybe she is starting to learn to sleep all night!

We have another big week ahead of us. Aunt Casey and Uncle Aric are coming to visit! I can't believe that Campbell is 9 weeks old...I only have 3 weeks left at home with her before I have to go back to work :( It's so sad. It is going by way way too fast. I am enjoying every minute though. Who wouldn't, looking at this sweet, chubby face all day!

Here are some more pics from our week. From riding in her stroller, to the cutest face talking to her daddy while she was taking a bath! (All of these were taken on my phone, so sorry for the yucky pics).

We love you so much Campbell Grace!

2 Months

2011-07-06T15:44:00.003-05:00

Well, I can't believe today is July 6, 2011, and my baby girl is 2 months old. She's growing like a little weed! She's happy and healthy and we couldn't be more blessed!

We had to go to Dr. G's office today, and most of it was fun, except those dreaded shots. Campbell cried and then mommy cried...it's crazy, being a nurse I should be used to it, right? Well I can give shots all day long, but when it came to my own baby girl, I saw the sad sad look on her face and teared up. She only cried for a few seconds and stopped as soon as I picked her up and loved on her. She was so brave and did so incredibly good! Dr. G. is happy with her growth and development! She's a good baby. We have to work on her taking a bottle and her schedule of laying down to go to sleep still awake. She's pretty good at her Eat, Play, Sleep schedule, which is a plus! Dr. G. told me not to stress about the bottle. He said I can go on strike with her. He said usually if she hasn't eaten in 2 feedings, she will take it (the bottle) on the 3rd one. He said a few days of this and she should be taking a bottle just fine. Davney said Ellary was the same way and she eventually lost her attitude! I love it, hopefully Campbell will lose it soon. Mommy has to go back to work in a little over 3 weeks :(

Here's the stats on our little Miss:

Weight: 12lbs 12oz (95%)
Height: 23 inches (75-90%)
Head: 15 inches (50%)

We go back in 2 months! Yay for a growing, healthy, and content baby girl!

first pic of the day :)

happy 2 month old!

didn't have much luck with our 2 month pics

mommy and campbell at dr. g's office

waiting on dr. g to check us out!

so happy daddy could come to the dr with us

poor baby...2 shots (4 total vaccines) and 1 oral vaccine

4th of July weekend...

2011-07-05T14:56:00.001-05:00

We had a great weekend with Jacob's family in town! Here's a few pics of our weekend. Plus, my baby girl smiling at me this morning!

sweet girl just woke up from her nap...

always love tummy time

sporting our red, white, and blue all weekend!

nini and campbell

elijah and thomas as pirates! (early birthday gift from uncle jacob and aunt lyndsay)

they love playing with their uncle jacob

this was the only pic i got of her in her actual 4th outfit...
she got it dirty before the day was over

love this grin

and love these bubbles!

Tomorrow we celebrate Campbell being 2 months old. Unfortunately we have to go to the doctor and get shots. I hope to get some 2 month pics of her before she feels bad the rest of the day.

Our week in pictures..

2011-06-30T11:58:00.001-05:00

Hope you enjoy the many pics of our girl! She is definitely my little sunshine! (Mo, we love being your Miss Sunshine 1 & 2)

Campbell loves her activity gym. We are on this thing multiple times a day!

Clean Baby :)

Had to add the silly crossed eyes..

Loved the drool!

This is her "cry" for her daddy.

You can only imagine what it sounds like.

And it's ONLY for him! She has him wrapped

around her finger already...

Our little Red Raider! The cutest little fan you will ever see!

I love my hands!

Tummy Time!

She loves her daddy!

Sweet girl!

I've been trying to get her to wear her big bows, but she obviously doesn't like them!

And after trying for almost an hour to upload a video, it still wasn't ready. My patience is gone.

Hope you all enjoy the pictures just as much.

A First..

2011-06-27T14:32:00.001-05:00

Today Campbell and I made our first real trip to the store...WalMart! I was nervous, but had quite a few things to get. Campbell was a trooper and slept through most of the shopping. I definitely got more stuff than I actually needed, but we are having company this weekend and didn't want to have to go back for any reason! Needless to say, by the time we got to the end and ready to check out, Campbell was not happy. I got all the looks and tried to calm her down. The only thing that did that was to swing her around in her car seat, and you know how heavy that is! I luckily got a nice lady to push my basket to the car so I could carry Campbell in her car seat. She even helped me unload my groceries. I'm proud of myself for getting it done, but I'm exhausted! Campbell and I are about to have a nap. I think we deserve it :)
I know it will hopefully get easier...the first time is always the hardest.

And just in case you didn't see our pics, here are a few of my favorites:

simple & sweet

2011-06-25T12:34:00.001-05:00

...remembering what this day was like last year: losing a sweet baby, and so thankful for what this day is like this year: holding a sweet rainbow baby...the Lord redeems, is faithful, and provides for us...from a season of loss & sadness to a season of life & pure joy; oh how grateful i am...

It's been 7 weeks...

2011-06-24T13:19:00.003-05:00

Can you believe it's been 7 weeks since I gave birth to this beautiful baby girl?

And here she is now...

Here's what we've come to know lately...She has the most incredible smile! We see it more and more each day! Campbell loves her bouncy seat, tummy time (for a little while), any ceiling fan, being outside, her baths now (yay), her mommy and daddy :), sleeping on her tummy (only for some naps), and being carried in my Sleepy Wrap. She is sleeping pretty good at night still. We only wake up once between 4:30 and 5:30am usually! She is a good sleeper! We are incredibly blessed by this precious girl! One of these days I will take a video and post it here. That was a suggestion from her Aunt Casey!

On another note: I want to remember our sweet glory baby in heaven today. Tomorrow marks 1 year that we lost her*. (You all know that I only had girl names picked out and just have a feeling that it was a girl). We have come such a long way in 1 year, but I will NOT forget her. Because without her, we would never have miss Campbell Grace now. And the experience of losing her, we wouldn't feel as deep a love as we do for Campbell now. She brought us joy and excitement! I will never forget the pain and sadness from losing her. I tear up just thinking about who she was, would have been, and IS now up in heaven in God's arms. I am absolutely thankful for the experience we had with her. She is now looking over us and her little sister. I am thankful for the peace that God gave to us after we lost her, and the comfort we found in His word and in the people he used in our lives. You were only with us for a short time sweet baby, but we love you the same and couldn't imagine our lives without knowing you. You made your mommy and daddy stronger and love each other so much more. And we want to THANK YOU for that!

Here are a few words in your honor GLORY BABY MCFARLAND:

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted Matthew 5:4

As Long As I Live You Will Live
As Long As I Live You Will Be Remembered
As Long As I Live You Will Be Loved...Author unknown

"An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth.
Then whispered as she closed the book "too beautiful for earth".
~author unknown

Father's Day

2011-06-19T10:14:00.001-05:00

Just wishing a Happy Father's Day to all the amazing men in my life! I have loved seeing Jacob become a daddy, my dad become a Grandpa, and my Poppy (granddad) become a Great-Poppy! Each of these men mean so much to me and now they will be a huge part of Campbell's life. We are extremely lucky girls! I also want to wish a Happy Father's Day to Ray (PaPa, Jacob's dad). We love each and every one of you so so so much. Here's a pic of my sweet girl and her special men!

Campbell's Photoshoot

2011-06-18T10:57:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone. Just wanted to post a link to miss Campbell's photoshoot. We got some really cute shots. Susan, the photographer, said there were so many good shots, she will have to finish editing after they get back from vacation. These are the ones she did get finished. I think they turned out great. Hope you all enjoy too!

twosistersandabubba: outdoor mobil

Campbell is 6 weeks old today

2011-06-17T16:53:00.003-05:00

I will continue to say...wow, how time flies! My sweet baby girl is 6 weeks old today! She is continuing to bring us so much joy! We've had a busy couple of weeks, from baby dedication Sunday on June 12, to Aunt Casey coming for a visit! It has been so much fun! I will leave you with pictures of our fun week!

What fun we've been having! Can't imagine life without her :)

my anniversary...

2011-06-16T10:20:00.002-05:00

Today, Jacob and I celebrate 4 years married...that means 10 years total together :) I can't imagine my life without this wonderful man. He is my best friend and I love seeing him with his daughter. He is such an amazing daddy! I am so lucky to be his wife, and I thank God everyday for picking this man for me! Jacob, thank you for being the man you are, and for being such a strong, Godly leader of our home. I am so blessed to grow old with you! I am so excited to see what our future holds. I know with you and our Jesus, we can get through anything. We have so much to be thankful for!

I love you Jacob!

6 and a half hours...

2011-06-10T11:01:00.001-05:00

Our baby girl slept six and a half hours last night! Praise Jesus! It makes me so excited. I feel 10 times better today because of it! Now let's just see if we can keep it going. I know I am jinxing myself by making such a big deal out of it, but this momma can't help it! I'm sure it's not permanent yet, but we gotta start somewhere. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depends on who you are, it happened while daddy is out of town....but mommy is not complaining one bit! We love you sweet girl!

Here's some pics just because!

Minutes old to 1 month old...how time flies. I'm trying to remember those first few hours, they were filled with the most love and adoration...and everyday is getting better!

You have brought and continue to bring us so much joy baby girl!

1 Month Old

2011-06-08T17:58:00.001-05:00

Happy 1 month birthday to my sweet baby girl! Well, actually, it was 2 days ago. Today we had her 1 month doctor visit. She had to get her 2nd Hepatitis B shot..boo. She did great! Cried, but comforted easily. She seems just like herself today, so it didn't affect her too much!

To my sweet Campbell Grace:

- Today you are 10 pounds 12 ounces! Such a big girl! Dr. G was so impressed. You are a great eater! 90-95th percentile!
- You are 22.5 inches long...whoa, super tall! 95th percentile!
- You are getting stronger everyday. Holding your head up more and looking all around!
- You have given your mommy and daddy a couple nights of 5 hour stretches of sleep, but mostly you are a 3.5-4 hour sleeper.
- You are starting to make little sounds here and there. You love when anyone talks to you. You try so so hard to make noises and talk back. Dr. G says this next month you will start smiling and cooing more, can't wait!
- You are now in size 1 diapers...uh yah, definitely since you are almost 11 pounds!!!
- You are easily in 0-3 month clothes...soon it will be 3-6 months!
- You still like to be swaddled, especially when things get crazy and you just need to be calmed down. We still swaddle you at night.
- You still sleep in your bassinet in mommy and daddy's room...soon you will be in your own room and crib!
- You are pretty good at your routine of eating, playing (even if it's a change of clothes, and some tummy time, or sitting in your bouncy seat, or walking around with mommy) and sleeping, except at night. You usually go back to sleep right after eating at night.
- You hate to be put on your back. Which is killing mommy and daddy. You, right now, have to be rocked or walked to sleep, which will be changing in the future. You need to be a big girl and learn to self soothe. This will be harder on mommy and daddy to listen to you cry. But it will be better for you in the end. One of these days in the next couple of weeks, we are going to try to put you in your own crib and put you down awake, to put yourself to sleep.
- We are getting ready to introduce a bottle to you. We probably waited too long, but hopefully you will like it! Mommy and daddy may need a date soon :)
- We are praying for longer sleeping at night soon. Dr. G keeps saying it shouldn't be too long.
- In the past 2 weeks, you have started enjoying baths more. You don't cry immediately when you are placed in the water. You like to have the water on you. You don't, however, like to get your hair washed at all. That is the last thing we do, so your screaming is to a minimum.
- You still aren't the biggest fan of your pacifier. Rarely you take it when you are trying to calm down, but only if we give it to you while you are calm, not when you are upset.
- You went to your first baseball game this last weekend. Caleb was playing in a tournament, and we took you! You were good luck and such a good baby on day 1, on day 2, it was just too hot, and you were tired and cranky, plus you weren't good luck that day.
- Your dad gave you the nickname "Thumper", because you have this twitch or leg shake when you get excited! I thought it was a cute name :)

That is all mommy can think of right now. I attempted a few 1 month pictures in your crib and you weren't having it! It was a long day, that day!

Mommy and daddy love you more than you know. We still can't believe you are ours and we thank God everyday for you! You are our sunshine and little miracle. We pray that we are the best parents we can be, and we hope we are doing as much right as we can!

We love you Campbell Grace McFarland, and Happy 1 month Birthday!

wordless wednesday

2011-06-01T12:43:00.001-05:00

What day is it? Our week(s) in pictures...

2011-05-27T12:09:00.002-05:00

Campbell Grace is 3 weeks old today and I keep asking myself, "What day is it?" I can't believe my baby girl is already 3 weeks old. It is flying by way too fast! This week we had Jacob's mom, sister, and her boys visiting! We had a great time. I'll just get to posting the pics. They are the best part! I am loving being a mom and spending all my time with this little miracle. Jacob and I are so blessed by her. The pics are from the past 2 weeks.

Campbell in the cradle my dad made, she looks so tiny!

She loves her grandpa, and look at that grin on my dad's face, I love this!

He loves holding her...getting a little sun!

Grammy and "?" (we need to figure out what he is going to be called)

Mommy and Campbell

My little ballerina, lol, I love this outfit!

Elijah loves holding Campbell, even when she's screaming...

Auntie Liz and Campbell

Daddy and Cami

Elijah likes to see pics of himself!

Thomas, Jacob, and Cami

She still wasn't happy...

Campbell had her 2 week appointment on Tuesday. She weighs 8 pounds 11 ounces, and was 21 1/4 inches long. She looked great according to Doctor G! She's growing and growing! She has gorgeous blue eyes, that will steal your heart. And she still has the best head of hair! She still doesn't like diaper changes or baths. She started tummy time, and can turn her head from one side to the other and hold it up for a little bit without getting mad! We really love our vibrating bouncy seat! She loves her carseat too! We had a mini road trip to visit my parents in Fort Worth last weekend and she did so good. She was asleep before we even left the driveway, lol. That's awesome! We will see what this next week holds!

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day/weekend!

Love y'all,

Hospital Photoshoot

2011-05-17T13:18:00.002-05:00

I just got the CD from the hospital photographer of Campbell's pictures. Thanks to PaPa Ray for buying us the CD! Looking at these pics makes me smile, and think that she's grown so much in the past 10 days!

Enjoy the pics!

1 Week Old

2011-05-14T10:14:00.001-05:00

My sweet Campbell,

It's so hard to believe that you are already 1 week old. It has been the best week of our lives, and I know it will only get better! You are such a good baby. We are so thankful for our healthy and happy baby girl! You bring so much joy into our lives and we have a new found love that both your daddy and I have never experienced. It is truly the best feeling and we are so proud to be your parents. We pray that you will learn to know and believe in Jesus at an early age, and we pray that you will always know how much we love you. You are our sunshine! And we are thankful to God that He redeems. You have an angel brother or sister in heaven looking over you, and we could not be more thankful for our time with you both. You are our rainbow baby and the best, most beautiful gift we could have ever imagined! You are perfect, just like God made you!

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful
- Psalm 139 14

I constantly stare at you and am in awe of you. I pray that I can be the best mommy ever to you. I know we both will fail because our flesh is sinful, but we will put our trust and faith in the Lord to redeem us, save us, and forgive us.

This week we have come to know that:

- You hate having your diaper changed...you scream at the top of your lungs, but when we are done, you are immediately quiet! (Your Grammy says you're like a water faucet, on and off)
- You aren't too fond of your baths either.
- You can go 3-4 hours at night without waking up.
- You are a good eater, unless I eat something that makes your tummy upset, and then you want to cluster feed every 1-2 hours thinking it will make it better.
- You were pulling your head up on day 3 of life. You are such a strong girl!
- You know your mommy and daddy's voices. I love how you look at both of us when we talk to you.
- You definitely love to be talked to. We can't wait until you start talking and cooing back!
- You have the most amazing smile when you sleep, one of these days you will start smiling on your own, and we can't wait!
- You have the most amazing head of hair! Natural highlights like your mommy, lol, well when I was young!
- We love you more and more everyday sweet girl!

We are so blessed to have you baby girl! Your mommy and daddy love you Campbell Grace! Thank you for making me your mommy!

She's HERE...

2011-05-10T17:56:00.001-05:00

Campbell Grace McFarland is finally here! She arrived on May 6, 2011 at 10:49 pm. She weighed 7 pounds 5.5 ounces and was 20 1/4 inches long. She has the biggest head full of sandy blonde hair, it's absolutely gorgeous. We are so in love with our baby girl. We are still getting used to our new life, but it has been the most amazing ride, we wouldn't trade this for anything. We are so blessed and thank God everyday for our new, healthy, and perfect baby girl! Here are a few pics of the past few days!

Me, waiting on the doctor, getting ready for delivery...

Jacob, about to meet his daughter...

Meeting Campbell for the first time...opening her eyes at me...

7lb 5.5oz, 20 1/4 inches, and screaming the whole time

Jacob getting to hold Campbell for the first time

Our first family photo

Meeting her Grammy, my mom, her first visitor...

And then meeting my dad, we're still figuring out his name...

Waiting to go home in her new go home outfit

Precious baby girl

Photoshoot with the hospital photographer

Sweet girl, look at that hair

Casey took this of my dad holding her, what a sweet pic with grandpa's hands

Hope you enjoyed these. There are so many more, but that's all the time I have to post for now. Love to all!