These Days

These days my baby is changing so fast and every day and week she is doing something new. She is getting in so many teeth. Right now she has 4 top teeth and 2 bottom teeth and another bottom tooth is on the way. She is pulling up and letting go and she can walk along the couch holding on. She is a pretty fast crawler now and it keeping up with her cousin Hunter. Where ever he goes she is close at his heels. We have started her on meats now, and she doesn't like chicken. It's actually pretty funny to watch her face when you fed it to her. I have to mix it with a fruit or a vegetable to get her to eat it. She is talking more; saying "dadadada"," hey"," yea", and last week when I was home for Thanksgiving, no lie, she looked at me and said "I love you". It wasn't as plain as you and I would say, but I have two witnesses her Nana and Grand Dad and they would tell you that she did say that. Which is the most precious thing to my ears to hear my baby girl tell me that; it warms your heart. She is clapping now like all the time; she holds her right hand still and just moves her left hand. She is blowing bubbles and like spitting. When she gets excited about something she moves her arms, legs, and hands really fast, and says "ooooooo". She loves animals, stuffed or real. She really liked my cat Evie at my parent's house and whenever you give her a stuffed animal she just laughs and smiles. She is also ticklish under her arms and will just laugh and laugh. I love to hear her laugh. She is a very happy and content baby. She wakes up happy and unless she gets sleepy or hungry, you don't hear much from her in the way of crying. I am trying to make sure to enjoy every minute of her being little because she is growing too fast and already wants to be on the move.

She is very excited about driving her car. She is saying "ooooo!"

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1st Horse Ride

When Madalyn and I got home today, we looked out the window and saw Pop, Aunt Katelyn, Hunter, and Uncle Ryan riding horses. So, Aunt Katelyn took Madalyn on her first horse ride just a little bit around the back yard. She didn't know what to think about being on the horse.

Happy Thanksgiving

We celebrated Thanksgiving as we normally have been able to do: in Greenville at my aunt Ann's house. Madalyn and I came up yesterday morning and Kevin came up yesterday evening. We are so blessed to have such a happy and healthy baby girl. I am so thankful to have her in my life. Kevin and I are also blessed by our families and friends. We hope you all have a blessed day!

Our little turkey

Grand Dad, Madalyn, and Nana

Grand Dad, Nana, Madalyn, Me, and Kevin

Our family

Cousin: Brooke, Madalyn, Emily, and Casey

This Thanksgiving card was started when I was born. Each year a new member of the family comes to Thanksgiving dinner at Ann and Bob's house, they sign the card.

So, continuing with tradition, Madalyn had her name added to the card. If you look closely you will see my name is the first one on the card because I was the first grand baby.

Madalyn 8 Months Old

I can't believe that my baby girl will be 8 months old tomorrow! It has been a fast 8 months. She has filled our lives with such joy and love we couldn't have begun to imagine having. We are loving every moment we get to spend together. I'm so glad to be feeling better because that was the hardest thing about being sick, staying away from her to try to keep her well.

I kept on taking the hay away, and she kept on putting it in her mouth.

Our little country girl!

I'm Back

For the past week I have been sick. I started feeling bad last Friday evening. Madalyn woke up that night at 2:00 (we believe that her teeth were bothering her. That's the first time since she was like a month old that she has woken up during the night). I got up with her and I was so nausea feeling that I had to put her back in her crib after an hour of trying to get her back to sleep. Kevin got up with her and she finally went down around 4:00. Then she was back up at 6:00 and I felt even worse. I still had the nausea feeling, a headache, running constantly to the bathroom, you name it, I had it. We said that I had sinus/stomach bug. Saturday night I was running a fever. I went to school Monday, but couldn't make it and was on my way home by 8:00 that morning. Then I shared my germs with Kevin and he came home early from work and was sick with the stomach bug, running a fever. Madalyn had her first sleep over at Meme and Pop's house. Then the rest of the week I have struggled with a cold and I'm not 100% back yet, but I think I'm getting there.

You can't put Madalyn down without her pulling up on something. These were taken last weekend when I was sick.

My happy girl!

Happy Veteran's Day!

For most of you, you are still cozy and snug in your beds as I am awake at 3:47 and have been awake now going on for two hours. I have tried and tried to go back to sleep, but I just have too many things rolling around in my head. Or it could be the excitement of not having school tomorrow. Tomorrow or today really, is Veterans' Day... which as a kid, it's hard to comprehend what that means; but as an adult you begin to understand. I just wanted to say thank you to all those men and women who have severed or who are still serving for our country. It doesn't matter if you have seen action or not, you still gave of your time (no matter if you volunteered or the if you were made to volunteer) and you still knew the risk you were taking. We, I, could not enjoy the freedoms that I have if it wasn't for you. Thank you!

For the Veteran's in my family:

1. My Dad-served in the National Guard. He spent most of his time in New Jersey, where the winter's are colder than anything we in the South have yet to experience.

2. My Papa-served in the Army during WWII. He was the first wave to hit Normandy and ended up being a medic and following General Patton around. He has seen and experienced things that none of us could begin to imagine.

3. My Papa Pick-served in the Army during WWII also.

4. My Uncle Bobby-served in the Army during the Korea War.

5. My Uncle Dan-served in Germany.

6. My childhood best friend, Rhett-served in the Army and spent most of his time around here with the Cost Guard.

7. My best friend from college, Noelle, her husband Dee, is still serving in the Army Reserves and just got back from about a 6 month leave over seas.

81st Birthday for Grandma Thelma

Today we celebrated Kevin's grandmother, Mrs. Thelma or Grandma Thelma to most, 81st birthday. Mrs. Katie (Kevin's mom) with the help of her sister Wanda, planned a surprise birthday party for her today. (Tomorrow is her actual birthday). And if you can't tell from this picture she was very surprised and grateful.

She is blessed to be surrounded today by family and friends that love her very much. She has many grands (7 grands) and many more great-grands (10 great-grands).


There was a big blow up slide and jumpy for the little kids and us big kids too had to join in. (Jared and Kayla on the slide)

Hunter in his coon cap. It was a bit windy out.

My precious little one. Love that smile and her expression! She is doing her favorite thing...bouncy, bouncy, bouncy!

4 Generations: Mrs. Katie, Madalyn, Kevin, and Grandma Thelma

4 Generations on the other side: Kevin, Madalyn, Mrs. Kitty, and Mr. Tim

Some of these pictures were taken by me and the others by Brantley. (As you can see the ones that are more professional looking are done by Brantley.)

Play Time

I have been trying to teach Madalyn how to play Peek-A-Boo and patty cake. With patty cake, she will put both of her hands around mine and try to push my hands together. In these pictures we are playing, "Where did Madalyn go?" There she is! She just smiles and laughs!