Jillian's Leopard Print Dress

My mom, who loves all things leopard, bought Jillian a leopard dress. I LOVED her in this fun outfit and I wanted to get a couple of sassy pictures of her before church. It went about as well as you could imagine...see how cute she looks??? NOT!

Congrats to Matt and Cristy

Aren't they cute???

Today, one of mine and Seth's best friends from Harding, MATTHEW GORDON LAWRENCE got engaged to his girlfriend, Cristy! They have been dating FOREVER and so we are so happy that Matt FINALLY popped the question! Cristy is so cool and fun and she fit right in with our college crowd from the first day that we met her! I just wanted to do a little tribute to our good friends...we are so glad they are joining the old married club! (Seth and I seemed to get here WAY before any of our other friends did.)




This is a picture of the ring that Matt sent me on my cell phone. The diamond is SO big...way to go Matthew!

Happy Birthday!

Here Comes Santa Clause...

This year starting in about October, I have been talking to Jillian about who Santa Clause is and all of that good stuff. We have read books, looked at pictures...she even got some Santa Clause PJ's from her grandparents! So, the child seems to think that she LOVES Santa. We have even been to the mall more times than I care to admit...and every single time we walk by Santa and wave to him and get all excited. I was doing this routine in hopes that Jillian would become familiar with the Jolly Man and hopefully not completely freak out when we did meet him! I know she is only 18 months, but I guess mothers like to believe that they can make a difference, right?

Well, no such luck. We went to the mall on a Tuesday morning...no one is there and we have Santa all to ourselves. We walk up to "The North Pole" and wave and freak out and get excited as usual. Then I get her out of her stroller...still doing good. We walk up to him...still doing good. I am just about starting to think that my plan worked...and then I sat her in his lap! NOT HAPPY NOW! Jillian freaked just like any kid her age would despite my attempts at making this reunion a happy one! We got several pictures, the one below being the best of the worst...and then I picked her back up. As soon as I did, she was fine again and giving out high fives and waving like a crazy person. I guess she didn't want to give up the control and have to actually sit with him. She gets that control thing from her momma! So, here is the lovely picture...I actually love a screaming Santa picture! They are too funny.





Santa also makes his rounds in our neighborhood each year on a fire truck. We took Jillian outside to anticipate his arrival and she acted the same way! So excited about Santa...until he stepped off of that firetruck to give her some candy. She freaked out and we really didn't get any good pictures. But, it looked a lot like the picture above.

And, Finally...A Flashback to Happier Times:



Jillian at 6 months old

The Verdict Is In...

It's A Girl!!!!

Seth and I went in today for our second sex check on baby #2...and I was just convinced, I guess, that we just wouldn't find out! But, I prayed that we could see the baby and I even drank a huge REGULAR coke from Sonic on the way there in hopes that the caffeine and sugar would flip this little tyke around. I guess God and the coke did the trick because the baby had flipped to head down!

So we searched around and the baby was still being modest with it's feet in front of "the spot", but we finally were able to get a good shot. In the picture below, you will be able to see the three lines that indicate girl.

I really could not believe it! I have been thinking boy ever since I took that gender test in October...so the news of a girl is totally shocking! I have to admit that I am a teensy weensy bit sad about no boy...just because I have been preparing for a boy for 2 months now. But, as I have said before...a girl is what I know! I love bows and dresses...and, oh, the matching that will happen between my two precious girls!!! I am sure they will hate me after a while...but it must be done!

Everyone that I have told so far keeps asking me if Seth is disappointed...but really, he is so excited. Jillian is obsessed with her daddy and so I think Seth is okay with the thought of his own little fan club waiting at home for him to return each night! He believes the same as my dad and Layton...once you have a girl, the more the merrier, right?

So here is the picture of our second girl. My doctor is a big silly man and so he always puts funny messages on my ultrasounds...

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To read the picture, you have to know that both feet are all the way to the left and then the legs lead in to the middle of the picture. The arrow points to the girly parts.

No Such Luck!

Well, Me and baby #2 are not exactly on speaking terms tonight. Seth and I went in for our appointment...both of us nervous and anxious! We get in there and check everything out...heart, brain, umbilical cord, spine...etc., etc....and all is fine...such good news since I had been a little nervous to hear that all day! A healthy baby is the most important information to receive, so believe me that I was thankful to find everything in place and working appropriately.

Then...we look for the good stuff...and baby #2 will not cooperate! First of all the baby is in a breach position. Secondly, the baby is sunny side up (even though my doctor says no one calls it this anymore)...And finally, the baby is sitting Indian style (pardon my lack of political correctness on this term...I don't know what the kids are calling it these days)!

So, WE.SAW.NOTHING. I told Dr. Maxey that I was not leaving until he told me some news...but there was simply nothing to report. We looked for a good 30 minutes and only saw this little foot covering the exact spot that we needed to see! Me, Seth, and the good doctor were all pushing on my stomach trying to get a good shot, but nothing ever happened! I was really sad at this point...I was preparing to walk out the door and go buy the stocking stuffers at Heavensent that I have already picked out for either gender!

In order to get me out of his office in a timely fashion, Dr. Maxey promised to squeeze me in on Monday morning for a quick sex check. So, it isn't all bad...I only have to wait 5 more days...but still! I did have to walk out of there and call everyone to tell them NOTHING! I just hope I have better luck Monday or my doctor will be seeing a lot of me in the next couple weeks!

Here is the first really good picture of the stubborn baby for everyone to see! I realize it looks just like everyone's ultrasound picture...but it is still very special to me!

Baby #2...its about time we heard some news

I started this blog to keep our out of town family and friends up to date on Jillian on a regular basis...and so that is pretty much what every single blog I do is about. There is really nothing THAT interesting to hear about me and Seth each day...he goes to work...I go to Target...and there you have it.

Well, there is a new baby coming soon, so I thought I would give that kid a little air time for a change. I am 19 weeks and counting and we go to the doctor on Wednesday afternoon to find out if we are having a boy or girl. I have been thinking boy ever since I posted about the intellegender test I took in October. At this point, I really will be equally pleased with either! I have spent the last two months thinking about how sweet and loving a boy would be...a real momma's boy. But I also love girls and bows and dresses...and have so many clothes already for a girl. So, either way at this point, we will be happy! Wednesday is the big day, though, where we will find out for sure...hopefully. I have had two friends lately who haven't been able to find out due to uncooperative babies...but I am hoping that baby #2 will show me the goods!

This is such an exciting visit but also a little nerve racking since we will be making sure that everything is in place and all the right parts are there. Summer found out about Macy's heart issues when she was 20 weeks, and so of course that makes me a little nervous. But, after Wednesday, we should know for sure that all is well and what we are expecting. Then I can FINALLY start on the nursery...I know Seth is so excited about this happening again...NOT!

I will try and get my ultrasound pictures scanned and the news out on Thursday...so wish us luck!

And for those grandparents out there who need their daily fix of Miss J...

(sorry baby #2...I am also a second child and you just get used to sharing the spot light!)

Oooooooohhhhhh Christmas Tree

This year I am totally in the Christmas spirit...and I have Jillian to blame for that. I always love Christmas and everything that goes along with that, but this year, because Jillian is so ultimately happy about all things Christmas, I am too! Knowing that she would TOTALLY be into all the lights, I committed the ultimate sin of putting my Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving. Well, it was worth it, because EVERY SINGLE MORNING when I bring Jillian into the living room, she gets this huge look of surprise and happiness on her face as she sees the lights on the tree. She even gets mad if the tree isn't on, and will point at it and look at me and Seth as if to say...Hello, fire that baby up!

I decided to try and capture her face as I turned the tree on so that I could share her sheer happiness.

Oooooooh Aaaaaaah

I love the lights!!!!

Notice anything different about my tree this year? That is right, the ornaments start about 3 1/2 feet from the ground and go to the top of the tree. That is so that a certain toddler will keep her paws off of my ornaments! This hasn't completely stopped her, though. She moved a box up to the tree and stood on it to reach higher! I thought that was fairly smart for a baby!

This is Jillian's favorite ornament

This is my favorite ornament

And this is Seth's favorite

Here are our stocking...Seth, Me, J, baby, and Tyson the Pug

(We might have to do some rearranging so that if it is a baby boy...no pink stocking! We will figure that out as the time comes!)