Week in Review

I caught her pulling on her crib bumper.

We tried teething cookies

Yummmmmmmmmm

We've outgrown our overpriced underwhelmed baby swing. I keep putting her in it, just trying to get our money's worth. But it is a hazard now unless you are sitting right there with her or unless she is so tired she is about to fall asleep. Otherwise she is trying to climb out of it.  

Playing with brother

The next day, someone got a hold of a Transformer instruction book. She found it hiding under the bench upstairs. I was typing an email and next time I turn around, I notice she was chomping on something. She ate through 5 pages before I could stop her. So far, I've hidden it from Jake. He will freak out if he finds out she did this. He is crazy protective over all of his books or instruction guides. I also had to Google "what happens if your child eats paper?". 

"Maybe if I smile big, he won't notice" -Hollon

For one of Hollon's naps, she fell asleep sitting up

One day, I got out of the shower to find this....

Just standing around

Hollon does love paper, I just have to make sure she has a pacifier in her mouth so she doesn't eat it. I give her old catalogs and she'll play with the pages for a good 30 minutes.

We had no plans on Friday, so we enjoyed happy hour on our back patio.

Saturday, we were all ready for our baseball game, just for it to be cancelled. So we met up with some friends for lunch instead.

She is so sweet when napping
(We'd taken off her bloomers for her nap)

On Sunday we had church. Hollon moved up to the crawlers class. We forgot her pacifier in the car and it was her normal nap time. I was worried we were going to get buzzed. (They give you a buzzer that goes off if you need to come get your child from the nursery.) It never went off. When we picked her up, we asked how she did. They said that there was another little boy in the class that would just look at Hollon. She ate up the attention and would just smile at him. They said it was the funniest thing, and she was occupied with that the entire time.

I was trying to get a picture of that crazy hair

We call this her 'scrunchy nose' face

Our Anniversary - 7 Years

On Sunday, April 19th was Robbie & I's 7th wedding anniversary. Here's a look back at our 7 years of marriage (+ 1 year of dating & 1 year engagement).

We met in February 2006

We got engaged in April 2007. I sold my townhouse in Birmingham and moved to Chattanooga.

On April 19, 2008 we were married in Chattanooga, TN.

During our 1st year of marriage, we welcomed our first born & became a family of 3. That first year was such an adjustment and filled with so many firsts. It was our first time to live together, we were newlyweds and new parents. 

Our 2nd year of marriage, we finally got settled. We enjoyed living in Chattanooga and had the greatest group of friends. But we were starting to get antsy with our jobs. Rob was looking for a more challenging position and I was looking to take a step back in my position.

During our 3rd year of marriage, in the Fall of 2010, Rob got the job opportunity we had been wanting. It was a great opportunity for him and it was in Birmingham, so we'd be closer to our families. It also gave me the chance to take the step back that I was wanting. My company allowed for me to give up some of my roles (and some of my paycheck) and work from home. We packed up our house, tearfully said good-bye to our friends and moved to Birmingham.

In our 4th year of marriage, we moved 3 times. We started off in corporate apartment housing, then we moved in with the Bush's, we sold our house in Chattanooga and finally bought our new house in September 2011. We were finally settled in Birmingham.

During our 5th year of marriage, since we were finally settled, we decided to start trying for baby #2. We lost a pregnancy and then struggled for a year with infertility. 

Our 6th year of marriage brought another pregnancy loss and then another year of infertility. Those 2 years were tough. Miscarriages & infertility can bring up a lot of raw emotion. There were certainly some low points. But it is during the tough times that you see what your relationship is made of. It made me realize, that no matter how tough things got, there is no other person I would want by my side as my partner in life, than Robbie.  

And finally, during our 7th year of marriage, we became a family of 4. 

Our family is complete. 

"Be completely humble and gentle; Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace." 

Ephesians 4:2-3

Weeks in Review - MS Walk, Game Ball & Zoo

What we've been up to since Easter....

Gnawing on our fingers because of teeth coming in

But also sneaking in some smiles

Hollon has teeth coming in & Jake has teeth falling out. He lost one of his top teeth and the one beside it is loose.

Ate Played with our baby dolls

On Saturday, we walked in a Multiple Sclerosis event in honor of Robbie's mom Judy (Jake & Hollon's Mimi). Our team name was Mimi's Minions. It was a privilege to walk in honor of such an amazing woman. MS can be such a difficult and painful disease. But you never hear Judy complain. She is such a fighter and doesn't let it slow her down. We love Mimi so much and are so proud that we got to walk & raise money in her honor. And thank you to all of our friends & family that donated! We love you Mimi!!  

Mimi's smallest minions 

Still showing off that missing tooth 

Our team - Mimi's Minions 

 

Later that evening, we had some friends over

Who needs toys? Boys just need a truck with a sunroof.

This little munchkin enjoyed watching the boys play 

 

Hollon loves to smile without showing her teeth

Sunday, Jake went to a birthday party

Riding go carts with dad

His first time to play laser tag

 We finally got around to dying Easter eggs. They were Star Wars theme. 

Jake went 3-for-3 in his baseball game and got the game ball!

Hollon's new hidout

I love when she sleeps with her hiney in the air

On Friday in the rain, I went with Jake's class on their field trip to the zoo.

Hollon had been using Jake's infant carrier and it expired. So we went ahead & bought her a convertible car seat and just have it facing backwards. It is much cushier! 

Hollon says "finally, this update is over"