Jillian at the Christmas Party

A girl in out neighborhood hosts a Christmas Party every year where you bring your kids and Santa is there and hands out one gift to each kid. There are cookies and lots of crazy kids running around everywhere! You also get your kid's picture taken with Santa. This was our first year to go and of course Seth had to work late (stupid end of the month)...so I was wrestling an 18 month old and trying to take pictures all by myself. Since we already did the picture with Santa, I didn't stay all night for another one. So, Jillian just got her gift and we opened it in the car on the way home! She was just as excited though about her new DVD...and so is Mom and Dad...we are hoping for a little variety in the car on our way to Arkansas!!!

None of the pictures turned out great...but I was just so excited about her outfit, that I had to post some pictures. Summer and I went shopping for Christmas clothes the other day and we got these great deals on some really nice Christmas outfits. The deals involved packing up the girls and driving to the gas station for a coupon out of the paper...but it was so worth it in the end. WE got GREAT deals! Here is Jillian in one of her cute and festive dresses.

Waiting patiently for Santa to call her name

Opening her gift on the way home

On a Happier Note...

My dad told me that my last post about Miller was too sad and so I thought I would put something a little more up beat on here for today. Below is this collage that my photographer put together for me of Jillian's latest photo shoot. I thought these pictures turned out great!

You can click on the collage and make it bigger...

The Miller Man

It was one year ago today that our first child, Miller, died. Seth got Miller for me for my 23rd birthday...right after we were married. We babied Miller and loved him like our child. He was the cutest puppy of all time and was such a good dog! We took him everywhere and even stopped going out at night because we didn't want to leave him!
Miller was so well behaved. He was not wild or too rambunctious...just such a sweetie. He was a big licker...and loved to lick our faces and ears all the time ( I know that sounds gross to non-dog lovers!!!). He was completely unaware of the fact that he was a dog. We got Tyson one year later so that Miller would have a companion...and Seth and I are sure that Miller thought Tyson was the family dog! We would take them to the park and Tyson would run free with the other dogs while Miller just sat beside me the whole time. It was as if he was annoyed by all the dogs everywhere!
After Jillian was born, Miller started having seisures. They just got worse and worse until finally there was nothing else we could do. On December 19th, 2006 Miller died...and I will say that was the worst day of my life. I cried and cried and couldn't get off the couch for almost two weeks. His death was the worst I have ever had to go through....I really thought that I would never get over it.
We still have nothing but sweet memories of our first born and have a hard time even looking at all these pictures below. I am sure that him and Jillian would have been great friends. He was always very interested in Jillian...the newest family pet in Miller's eyes!
WE LOVE AND MISS YOU MILLER!!!

The Miller Man

He just let me do whatever I wanted to him...and was happy about it

This is where Miller would hide in our new house after we got Tyson. Tyson couldn't get up the stairs and Miller knew it. This was his safe place.

My two boys...brothers

Miller laid out on the couch with Tyson sleeping on him

Pretty Pugs

This was the day before Miller died...their last picture together

Miller liked to try out all the baby equipment to make sure it was safe. We ALWAYS found him snoring in Jillian's papasan chair. Seth would even turn on the vibrations for him...what a baby!

Here is big brother Miller keeping watch over his little sister.

This was Miller's last day at home. He still was staying close to his sister even though he was very sick.

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.