The toddler days . .

Laney is fun, fun, fun these days! I'm not even sure where to begin! We were able to celebrate Christmas healthy & happy! There is so much I want to share, so I'm just going to list the wonderful thing our little toddler has been up to:

- She is combining words more & more every day!

- She loves to say, "Bye-Bye Daddy, Bye-Bye Mommy, Bye-Bye dog" EVERY morning when we leave!

- She loves anything dairy (yogurt, cheese, milk, ice cream, etc)

- She is left-handed

- She can eat with a fork like a pro & loves to drink from a straw
- She can tell you exactly what she wants (outside, toys, bed, walk, up, milk, eat, cheese, etc)
- Her vocabulary amazes me every day
- She is completely in love with Elmo & anything Sesame Street related
- She calls Murphy "Murcee"
- She loves to talk on the phone (seriously...)
- She is interested in the potty & loves to sit on it & read books about it
- She loves to dance
- When it's time to say the blessing, she reaches for our hands & waits to say "Amen" at the end. (It is the sweetest thing ever!!)
- Books & puzzles may indeed be her best friends! She loves to pretend she's reading!


Laney, we love you more than words can say & can hardly believe that you are going to be two in just a few short months!!!

Gingerbread cookies......

It was a cold, rainy day  - so what better way to spend it, than decorating Gingerbread cookies! Laney loved being able to place gumdrops & sprinkles on the cookies (that mama iced). Once she discovered that she could eat the toppings, it was game on! She kept saying, "Mmm!". It was so cute! I even got her to say "cheese" for the camera a few times! Hope you think they turned out as wonderful as we did!

I love my little family & the traditions we are making - ahh, it's a wonderful life!

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas....

This is truly my favorite time of year! I love the lights, the glitter, the smells, the traditions, but most of all it's a time to come together with our families to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas - Jesus!

The Bernard's were in town visiting for the weekend. We had lots going on, of course, but I was especially excited because Laney's Grandpa had finally finished the playroom bookshelf storage that he had been building for months...just for her!

It looks awesome in her playroom, just as I had imagined!! Thank you SO much Barny! It's truly a piece we'll treasure for years to come!

Also that weekend, the annual tree lighting at Southpark was taking place! We bundled up, picked up our dear friend & neighbor Lisa & headed to see the lights & Christmas tree! We had a great time listening to Christmas music, playing and socializing with great friends!

I'm super excited that yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas......

Breakfast w/ Santa!

We met up last Saturday morning w/ the Bryant's and enjoyed breakfast w/ Santa at Del Frisco's here in Charlotte. I had already prepared myself that Laney was NOT going to enjoy Santa (I even warned the sweet family behind us in line). She recently has this fear of "strangers", so I knew that  a big man dressed in a furry red suit w/ gloves & a big hat wasn't going to be her thing - but we tried anyway.

Breakfast with Santa is a wonderful event put on here in town for Ace & TJ's Grin Kids. All proceeds from this even benefit this wonderful charity for children with disabilities. I couldn't think of a more perfect way to visit Santa & enjoy breakfast with wonderful friends!

Well, it was true - Laney did NOT like Santa & would not let go of her daddy when he tried to put her in Santa's lap. He tried really hard, but she was like a cat clinging to a tree for dear life. I think Santa thought Mic was going to try to sit on his lap too! Needless to say, we got our picture with Santa, but only because Mic knelt down in front of Santa with a crying toddler on his lap. A very interesting experience, I must say.

Afterwards, we headed downstairs and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast with Alan, Leigh & Tucker! Tucker is growing so fast & is so handsome! He even tried sharing his toys with Laney, but I think she was still traumatized from the whole experience.

In all, it was a great morning of making memories! Next year, hopefully Laney will enjoy Santa - I'm not putting money on it!

A trip to the Apple Orchard

A couple weeks ago (10/25/09), we packed the car & headed to the mountains to spend the day w/ our dear friends Gina & her daughter Ave Grace. Since they live in Asheville, we thought we'd take advantage of seeing the beautiful leaves & take the girls to a local orchard.

When we left Charlotte, it was pouring rain and miserable. But the closer we got to Asheville, the more beautiful it became! The sun came out, all the rain was gone & we couldn't have had more pleasant weather!

The girls loved walking around the orchard. Laney preferred riding in the apple cart, but loved being able to pick and eat as many apples as she wanted.

We got to taste homemade cidar, choose from a variety of apples to bring home & even managed to take a lot of adorable pictures!

Thanks to Gina & Ava Grace for having us up for the day! We can't wait to do it again soon!!

Beach bums!!

2 weeks ago, we packed the car & headed south to the beach! It had been a year since Laney had been, and it was long over due! The summer completely got away from us, but I think the timing turned out to be just right!

My dad was also down the same weekend, so we got to spend time at one of my favorite places & see PaPa the entire time! The weather couldn't have been more perfect & the beach any less crowded! We had no schedule, no where to be, it was a much needed mini-vacation for Mic & I both!

Laney thought the ocean was amazing! "Wa-wa!" she said when she saw it for the first time! She loved running around on the sand, but didn't necessarily love the cold water coming ashore on her feet! She would run away from the ocean every time the tide came in - we thought it was hilarious, her...not so much!

We spent the afternoon relaxing on the uncrowded beach, walking up & down and finding sea shells. Once we pointed them out to her, she thought it was her duty to "clean up the beach". I think she had to have brought Mic at least 30 shells the entire time we were out there & couldn't understand why there were so many!

We built sand castles, dug holes & played in the sand. It was a relaxing weekend spent with the people that mean the most! I hope it doesn't take us another year to take her back - she needs to learn to be a beach bum like her mom!

1st haircut!

On Tuesday, October 6th, Laney was on the books for her first official haircut...and boy did she need it! I was a little hesitant at first to cut it - what if she ended up looking like a boy? She has SO much hair though & it was becoming a nuisance & wouldn't stay out of her eyes/face.

I called Aunt Kay to do the magical snipping of her locks! I wouldn't have chosen anyone else! (She is the only person who has ever cut my hair since I was a little kid!!)

We arrived at the salon & Aunt Kay handed her a lollipop - WOW!!! Laney thought she had heaven on a stick! She sat in the booster chair & held onto that sucker like it was the last thing on earth!! She was so funny! We tried to put the hair cape on, but she wouldn't have any of it - only the sucker!

A little off the front & a little off the back - she looks SO pretty! She sat as still as anyone could have asked & kept that sucker in her mouth the entire time! (She's never really had candy, so she didn't know what to think!)

Aunt Kay did a wonderful job! It still amazes me as to how much hair she has - knowing that I didn't have any hair until long after I started school!

She's blessed & there's no doubt that mom & dad are too!!