3 months

Ah yes, how nice to see you 9 p.m.  This seems to be the only time I can sit down to update these days--the hours just seem to slip by ever so quickly.

I want to take better pictures of this precious 3 month old but alas, I forgot today.  Imagine that.  Me.  Forgetful.  So, the trusty iPhone will just have to do.

But I can't not post on her 3 month birthday!
 In a way it feels as though she's been with us forever, and then the next minute, as though we've just met.  I was looking back at my iPhone pictures last night and came across one that I had sent to Steven one night when he was working late and I was up with a screaming newborn that just wouldn't stop.  I sent him a picture of Lillian's red face as she was crying uncontrollably.  I saw that picture and just had to smile.  I smiled because for one, I am EXTREMELY glad we are past the colic screaming nights that haunted my every existence, but two, I've realized in the past month or so that Lillian's difficult newborn stage has made me fall in love with her and that time all the more.  I know what you're thinking...fall in love with the screaming newborn phase!!??  While I don't wish that phase on my worst enemy I wouldn't trade it for the world.  We learned a lot about each other, me and her, in just these few short months.  Maybe she showed me a picture of what my relationship is like with Christ--me, a screaming newborn that is dependent on the Father, and Christ, like a comforting mother that holds us tight and continues to fall in love with us even more despite our weakness.  Of course I love all my babies equally, but I told Steven the other day that I feel as though I have a special bond with this third one.  We've been through a lot together in just these 13 weeks. :)

Okay, I feel like I'm rambling.
Without further ado, here are a few phone pics of my little rascal as she was sitting with me before bedtime.

Life may be easier without this one in the mix, but I sure wouldn't want to go through life without her.

2012 Year in review

Yeah, I know.  I didn't update the blog yesterday, Steven has already reminded me. :)
I didn't forget you know.  I FINALLY sat down around 9 p.m. last night and quite frankly, the last thing I wanted to do was work on the blog.

But I think you'll forgive me because I finally finished our year in review.  It's worth a month of blogging as far as I'm concerned

This was quite a full year for our family and looking back it amazes me how much we experienced--good and bad.

I'll let the review tell the rest...

HAPPY NEW YEAR friends!

JANUARY

We enjoyed yet another National Championship win with fellow friends and alums, Isaac celebrated his third birthday at the McWane Center and didn't know what to think of all the attention, and Vannah girl began sitting up.

FEBRUARY

Savannah began scooting/crawling, we found out we were pregnant, and Steven left us to go to Africa for a month.

MARCH

Steven lived in Africa, the kids and I traveled to see Meme, and Steven finally came home at the end of the month.

APRIL

April brought many play times in the backyard, and we celebrated Easter in Sylacauga.

MAY

I began to "show" with Lillian, Isaac said goodbye to Briarwood MDO, we enjoyed Memorial Day at the lake, and our beloved Major left us forever.

JUNE

My brother got married, Savannah Bannah turned ONE, Steven graduated from residency, and we packed up our house and moved to Fairhope.

JULY

We celebrated the 4th overlooking Mobile Bay, Savannah walked for the first time, a trip to the lake was made, and we toured the USS Alabama with our cousins.

AUGUST

Steven and I traveled to Pasadena, CA to visit my sister, Steven surfed the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, Isaac played with his best buddy Ryder (although technically I think it was July), we enjoyed the beach with CoCo, and Steven and I celebrated our 8th anniversary in California.

SEPTEMBER

We enjoyed a nice lazy month in anticipation for Lillian's arrival.  Walks on the pier and trips to the park were a common occurrence.

OCTOBER

Our Lillian was born!!!!

NOVEMBER

Savannah slowly became okay with a new baby in the house, Lillian began growing chubby cheeks, the Sprayberry clan came to visit, and a friend took our Christmas card picture down by the bay.

DECEMBER

We scared Santa half to death, Isaac helped me bake Christmas cookies, we traveled to Bellingrath Gardens to see lights with friends, Christmas was magical, and we ended the month traveling to see family.

Whew.  So, there in a nutshell was our year.  After creating this I've realized how much I left out...but I couldn't include my entire yearly photo album now could I?

God has been good to us, as He always has.  I'm always reminded of his faithfulness when I do these year in reviews.  Through the ups and downs of our life, our Savior is there.  

I look hopeful to 2013 and what this year will bring.

...Hopefully not another baby though. ;) ;) ;)

Kisses

I'm working on a year in review.
But until then here's a simple iPhone picture that I took tonight.

Kisses from Daddy are her favorite.

Roll Tide!

GOOOO BAMA!!!

This was the best picture I could get.

Even though this one is much more appropriate to our lives wouldn't you say?....

BEAT NOTRE DAME!!!!

Oh the anticipation

Who's excited about downton abbey season 3!!??

I mean...who's ready to watch this love match wed?  I sure hope this soap opera doesn't make us wait until season 4.

We are all ready and waiting here...

Busy

No time to blog folks.
I'm busy in preparation for my downton abbey season 3 premiere party.
Can I get a woop woop!!;)


Wait, so technically I AM blogging...

She

She's 12 weeks and a ball full of joy.

She's wearing 3-6 month clothing.

She smiles the most for her mommy.

She likes to eat in 5 minutes flat.

She still wakes once during the night.

She's growing out of her colic.

She's our baby and we love her to pieces.

Christmas Day

That's a Christmas tree made out of Lego's if you can't tell.
Steven was very proud of that one.

Well, it's 9:30 at night and I'm finally blogging.  I'm very stubborn you see, and will go to great links to keep my word. ;)

We had a wonderful Christmas day!  It was our second Christmas staying home on Christmas Eve and morning...and it was our very first Christmas to not see our family the entire day.  As much as we love being with our family, this Christmas we so enjoyed being together here and not traveling anywhere that day.  We were ready to start our own traditions with our new family of five and we loved every minute of it. 

Isaac was such a fun age this year on Christmas morning.  We all walked downstairs together, expect for little Lillian who was still in her crib sleeping away. 

The night before Steven had to work so when he got home close to midnight we placed all the presents out in the living room ready for the kids in the morning.

Isaac was in childlike awe.

The very first thing out of his little toddler mouth was "Momma...this is amazin'."

It was so cute and thankfully, Steven got it on video.

He was quick to see the one thing he asked Santa for--blue railroad tracks. 
He and Daddy had the track set up in no time.

Isaac was also so sweet with his little sister and loved showing Savannah what presents she had.

"Look Bannah, a baby doll!"

Vannah loved her baby doll.

Steven even enjoyed Vannah's doll.  I kept telling him he had a living one upstairs that he could hold at any point in the morning.

We played for hours only stopping to eat a yummy breakfast of cinnamon rolls, sausage balls, and cheese grits.

Unfortunately there's no sleep for the weary when you have babies crawling on you...

Baby Lillian eventually woke up, was happily fed, and went right back to sleep. :)

I feel like a lot of these pictures are blurry but you get the idea of our fun morning.  It was a special time with our little family. 
Steven had to go to work right after lunch that day so we sadly said goodbye and I was home alone with three kiddos on Christmas day.  Yes, yes, you can feel very sorry for me. ;)
Thankfully it really wasn't as depressing as I thought it would be.  I'm so thankful for a husband who works hard for our family.

I wasn't alone for long because that night I loaded up the kids and we headed to a friend's house with five other families.  I am so thankful for these friendships and it was so special sharing a Christmas dinner together. 
I forgot to bring my camera but thanks to my friend Laura, I'm able to steal a few images from her lens.  We ate a scrumptious dinner, talked, laughed, chased kids around, and ended the night with a fun game of dirty santa.

It was a great Christmas Day celebrating the birth of our precious Savior!

What did we do the day after you ask?  Oh, we immediately took down our tree and decorations.  I usually refuse to end my Christmas celebrations the day after, but this year I was ready to see it go.  I never knew how much a giant nine foot Christmas tree would be in the way with three kids. :)