Hmm...

Oh Gosh....how does this go.....I think I can remember....

WOW!!! It's been a long time and so many updates to be made! I have gotten a little disenchanted with blogging for awhile so that is my reason this blog has gone blank for so long. I'm trying to get back "on the horse" and blog more. And one of my "September Resolutions" is to blog at least once a week. All the mommy's out there know that is not an easy task. It is totally something you have to set your mind to do. So with all that said....

First I want to start of by saying, THANK GOD FOR MY HEALTHY BABY!! Paisley has been sick twice in the last month and it has taken quite a tole on us all. First was a fever and sore throat then this last week was a stomach bug. I felt like we just could shake this last ickyness but finally IT IS GONE!! Praise the Lord! I think I take health for granted. Because when Pais is sick it just wears me out! For the sore throat and fever she was eating nothing but her milk and at times didn't even want that. And I felt like I was pumping her full of Motrin constantly. I HATE GIVING HER MEDICINE. Of course I will when needed but I'm not the kind of mom that resorts to meds first. Then came the stomach bug. Diarrhea and throwing up. WOW!! It's a whole new world as a mom when you're on your hands and knees in the middle of a restaurant cleaning up your child's vomit. And it's just so sad to see her so sick. We had her on the B.R.A.T. diet (Bananas, Rice, Apples and Toast) and Gatorade for a week. But enough with all that she is better now and we are thanking the Lord for that!!!

Next is Pais' hair! Her hair is growing and growing and growing! I mean it looks like kid hair now!! It is very full and absolutely beautiful! The color is lightening up, which I wonder if that will change back dark in fall and winter. And it has a tint of red (like her mommy's) in the sunlight. I trimmed her bangs a couple of months ago just to get them out of her eyes. But they are almost grown back out again. :)

She, of course, is crawling and is up on all fours now. She previously was just doing the "man crawl" but never had a hard time getting anywhere. She's always keeping me running!! :) But now she has started to pull up and push up to standing. Next will be walking....Oh my!

Derek has been home and off the road for a few weeks now and Pais and I are just eating that up!! It is so nice to be able to live like a normal family! Daddy gets to help with the bedtime routine and it may seem small but it's a huge deal to Pais. She loves when her Daddy prays with her, cuddles and lays her down. Maybe this is a glimpse of what God has in store for us soon???? Three years of Derek being on the road is starting to run it's course. We are pretty much over it...but also know that this is where He has us right now. And it provides for me to be able to stay home with Pais and that is VERY important to us.

Pais' best friend in the whole world is her puppy Maggie. They are quite the pair! I totally can see them getting into trouble in the near future! :) Maggie is the perfect dog for our family. She is so gentle with Pais and tolerates a lot! For example, the other day Maggie was laying on the floor sleeping by one of Pais' toys and Paisley crawls over and climbs over Maggie to get to her toy. Once she got over her she plops down and sits right and Maggie's head and plays with her toy. She sat there for about 5 minutes before she moved on to a different toy and Maggie just laid there and didn't even flinch! I love their relationship. It's like they have an understanding....Pais understands that Maggie is hairy and smelly but sooooo lovable and Maggie understands that Pais is rough and disastrous but she's still her "Sisy"and they love each other in spite of it all! Absolute sweetness!

Paisley has been attending Gymboree classes and is having a BLAST!!! I see her growing and growing each week. She has always been a very outgoing baby so that was never a problem but just watching her interact with other babies is so awesome! Her favorite friend at Gymboree is a little boy named Luke. He is so cute and just a sweetie and I think the only reason she likes him some much is because he pays her a lot of attention. He is just intrigued by her.

Over the last month I have started making a HUGE effort to get healthy and lose some weight. So Pais and I have been walking a minimum of 2 miles per day Monday thru Saturday. And it has been a blast. Pais loves getting out in the fresh air and so do I!! We normally go first thing in the morning because it's just so hot here. We end up feeling great and I've already lost 9lbs!! I have put on jeans I haven't worn in over a year!

I believe Paisley's 1 year molars are coming in. I haven't felt anything but she has been chewing on her hands and anything else she can find and she shoves them WAY in the back of her mouth. She has always been an early teether so it doesn't really surprise me. :)

We are in major party planning mode for Paisley's first birthday. Everything is coming together nicely. A friend of ours is making the cake and I am making cupcakes too. We are having it at this nice little coffee shop. It's more like a deli/coffee shop. We know the owner and she said she would love to have her party there. So we are pretty excited! The invitation are already made and ready to send out. Decorations will be easy. I just didn't want to get too carried away. I don't want it to be a production. I just want her and all of us to enjoy and celebrate the incredible blessing God gave us 12 short months ago.

It's getting late so I'm going to leave you with a few pictures. I hope you enjoy!

Playing at Grammy's house with a scarf.

This is how old she is going to be!! ONE!!! :)

Mommy and Pais being silly!