Anniversary Weekend in Dallas...

Alex was all over Texas last week on business. We had plans of celebrating our anniversary over the weekend and since he wouldn't have been home until Friday evening, we found it easier for me to meet him in Dallas to celebrate. So on Friday afternoon, I took Amelia to Aunt Joy's house and jumped on a plane to Dallas! This was the first time that we've both been away from Amelia. I have to say that my sister knew how to keep me from calling every hour. She would text me updates regularly on what Amelia was doing. Ya know, important stuff like napping, eating, playing. :) I only called her once and that was when I landed in Dallas. Otherwise, it was a phone-free weekend!

We had the best time. We vowed to make more time for just the two of us. It's so easy to get caught up in work, Amelia's schedule, church responsibilities, etc. I think in order for us to do any of those things well, we need to "reconnect" with one another on a regular basis.

I will warn you that the pictures taken were all taken with my phone. They are terrible quality, but I didn't want to carry around my huge camera all weekend. I didn't take any pictures Friday evening. I was just so excited to have some time alone with my husband!!

I asked some blogger friends for some restaurant recommendations and I have to say, every single place was EXCELLENT.

We made reservations HERE on Friday evening.



From the appetizer to the dessert, it was by far one of the best meals I've ever eaten. We chose the Beef Croustades, III Forks Salad, and Filet Mignon which is served w/duchess potatoes, sugar snap peas, off-the-cob cream corn and ripe tomatoes and spring onions. I was told the cream corn was to die for. It certainly was. We ended the meal with fresh blueberries topped with a chocolate mousse. They even served it to us with a sparkler on top, since we were celebrating our anniversary. :) This entire meal spoke my love language. We give III Forks, four thumbs up!!

I had plans of sleeping in on Saturday morning, but I guess I'm so used to getting up with Amelia, I woke up at 8:00AM, bright-eyed and ready to go! Our hotel had a Starbucks, so Alex grabbed us some lattes while I was getting ready. Our first stop was the Galleria. It had been quite some time, since I had been to the Galleria. I had forgotten how LARGE and spread out it was. I found it a little overwhelming. We walked around for a bit and then decided to eat lunch. We had a couple of people tell us to try the Grand Lux Cafe, so we did. It was yummy!






Their portion sizes were GINORMOUS. I ate half of one of these chicken breasts and had to leave the rest. It was definitely big enough to split with one or four people.



While at the Galleria, Alex wanted to check out The Westin Hotel. He's thinking we might stay there next time. Have you ever stayed there?



After leaving the Galleria, we headed to Alex's heaven on earth. Heaven help. I sat and people-watched, while Alex drooled over rods & reels. :)



Then we stopped at Orange Cup and had the best yogurt I've ever tasted in my life. Alex looked at me (with a very serious look on his face) after the first bite and said, "they've been telling us that TCBY is yogurt...I think they're lying." I laughed so hard. Orange cup...you rocked my world.



After cooling off at Orange Cup, we headed to NorthPark to do a little more shopping. I enjoyed this mall. It was large, but everything wasn't terribly spread out.

And let it be known....I *heart* Kate Spade. It has been forever, since I've walked through one of her stores. From the clothing, shoes, handbags...it's all fabulous. I've already started making my birthday/Christmas wish list!



To end the day, my sweetie took me to get a longer chain for my Mother's Day necklace and then we were off to the airport!



Once back at the airport, we couldn't wait to get back to Amelia. I had only been away from her for less than two days, but Alex had been away for an entire week! We needed to squeeze our baby girl! My sister and her fam took such good care of her. Thank you Gerry & Joy, for loving Amelia like she's your own. We didn't worry about her for one second and without you guys, we wouldn't have been able to enjoy this wonderful weekend!!

Love,

All About Amelia - 9 months old!

Amelia, you're 9 months old!!



We won't know your stats, until your next doctor's appointment.



You're wearing size 3 diapers.



You're wearing size 9-12 month clothing.



Lately, you're fighting sleep. You will literally fight and cry while we're rocking you to sleep. You eventually exhaust yourself and give in. I'm not sure what happened to my little baby that would put herself to sleep, but she needs to come back. ;) Over the last week, you've also started crying out in the night. I think I've been putting you down for your afternoon nap a little late in the afternoon. We changed things up yesterday and you ended up sleeping over 12 hours last night. YAY!!!

Sometimes I go in to check on you and find you sleeping in the most uncomfortable positions!



All in all, you're still a wonderful sleeper and take two 1-2+ hour naps a day.

You're taking 8-10 ounces of formula, four times a day. You eat baby food at lunch and dinner.

I gave you the little Gerber Puffs that melt in your mouth. Though you do a great job at picking them up with your fingers and getting them to your mouth, you didn't care for them at all. I think the texture of things is going to bother you (a lot like your Daddy in that way). You don't like the texture of peas, rice or oatmeal cereal either. As soon as it hits your tongue, you gag like you're going to throw up.



You have said, "Mama", "Mommy", "Baba" (bottle) & "Bye-Bye." Though you won't say them on command, you just surprise us with them when you feel like it.



You will wave when we say, "say hi" or "say bye-bye." You definitely know what that means now.

You have two bottom teeth!



Lately, you've started sitting in a side herkey position. You eventually realize that it's terribly uncomfortable and Mommy comes and saves you. :)



You can sit yourself up from a laying position.



You can pull yourself up to a standing position, so we have now lowered your crib.



You experienced your first "fall" from pulling yourself up. You've had a nice little bruise on your forehead for about a week!



You put yourself into a crawling position, but have yet to take off.

You can army crawl really fast...we have to keep our eyes on you!

You mimic Mommy and shake your head no-no. It's funny because you have little control over your head. Daddy says you look like a little bobble-head.

You pull everything out of the baby basket about a thousand times a day. I pick it up, you pull it out...I pick it up, you pull it out. :)



You love to pull the blanket over your face, until I come pull it off and say, "there you are!!" You will be completely still and a lot of times will only giggle under the blanket. (LOL) You have figured out how to go to the corner of the blanket and pull it over your face.



You have really started to notice Diesel. You will smile and talk to him through the glass.



I've started having to say, "no-no." You want to roll all over the place when I change your diaper (even if I give you something to play with while doing it), pull the mirror off the wall that's over your changing table, pull cords out of the wall. (LOL) I called your Granny to ask if it was too early to be saying no, because I couldn't believe it's starts this early. Let the games begin! HA!

You love to scratch things with your fingernails. The wall, your diaper, the leather furniture, me.

You've started realizing to look for the things that we take away from you. Before, you would just go about your business, but now, you know that it's gone and you want it back!

If there is something to prop your feet up on, your feet will be propped. (LOL) You do this a lot in your stroller.



Daddy says that you already have a hunger for God's Word. HAHA! In all seriousness, that's something we pray over you every single day.



Oh how we love and adore you, baby girl...let us count the many ways!!

Love,
Daddy & Mommy

Cupcakes & Chinese...

Thank you all for the sweet comments and Anniversary wishes!

Unfortunately, my sweetie is out of town this entire week on business. I understood that he had to be gone, but missed him just the same. I've been tired/overwhelmed, which always leads to an emotional-mama. I needed a pick-me-up. Joy was quick to come hang out and show me some love.

She brought me some homemade banana bread. She knows that as soon as I set my eyes on food - I forget all my worries. HA!



After Joy arrived, I decided that we needed to get out of the house, so we headed to a new cupcake place that just opened.



Here's me and my little cupcake outside the cupcake shoppe. :)



They had quite an assortment to choose from...



Joy and April chose classic vanilla w/vanilla frosting & vanilla w/chocolate frosting. April is Alex's little sis. She moved in with us over the weekend, so you will probably be seeing more of her around the 'ole blog. :)



We had a glass of organic milk to go with our cupcake. Skim of course.

Sidenote: I actually only ate a couple bites of my cupcake, so just incase my trainer is reading this...please don't be hard on me next week!!



Amelia was licking her lips, wishing she could have some too. A few more months, baby girl...just a few more months. :)



We ran to Target afterwards and then came back to the house. Upon arriving home, these were delivered from my sweetie! It was a nice surprise and made my day.



I talked Joy into staying for dinner. We ordered P.F's and it was delicious.



Joy left after dinner, so I got Amelia ready for bed and spent the rest of the evening watching my redbox movies. This was one of the movies that I watched. It was silly, but made me laugh!



I'm looking forward to the weekend. I get to see Alex and celebrate...just the two of us!

Love to all,

I Will Be Here...

Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the sun does not appear...

I will be here.



If in the dark we lose sight of love, hold my hand and have no fear...

I will be here.



I will be here, when you feel like being quiet...
When you need to speak your mind, I will listen...



And I will be here, when the laughter turns to crying...
Through the winning, losing, and trying, we'll be together...



Cause I will be here.



Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the future is unclear...

I will be here.



As sure as seasons are made for change...
Our lifetimes are made for years...

I will be here.



I will be here, and you can cry on my shoulder...
When the mirror tells us we're older, I will hold you...



And I will be here, to watch you grow in beauty...
And tell you all the things you are to me...



I will be here.



I will be true to the promise I have made...
To you and to the One who gave you to me.



I will be here.



Happy 14th Anniversary, Babe.

I love you with all my heart,

Randomness...

I'm happy to report that my baby is back to her happy, SLEEPING self. She's back to sleeping 10-11 hours at night and for that I am thankful. I still don't know what caused the high fever, but I'm glad it's gone.



She was sitting in the floor today and blurted out MOMMY! It was as clear as day. Alex and I looked at each other in disbelief and busted out laughing, which scared her to death and caused her to burst into tears! She'll probably be too terrified to ever say Mommy again. She'll refer to me as Jill from here on out. She has said Mama, but never Mommy. It just amazes me each and every time she says/does something new. I seriously love it.



I'm still working out with my trainer, twice a week. I'm also having to see a chiropractor three times a week. I have some major pelvis/spine issues. I waited too long to go, so now I'm paying for it. Once we get that fixed, it will make my workouts much easier!



We're planning a little getaway for our anniversary. We're looking forward to it. This will be the first time that we've both left Amelia. We've both left her to go on trips, but the other was at home with her. She'll be staying with her Aunt Joy while we're away, so I know she'll get lots of love and be entertained by her cousins. :)



I'm working on re-decorating our bedroom, sitting room, master bath. I'm searching for just the right pieces. We moved a piece from the living room into the sitting room and we really like it. Now for the perfect desk, bedding, and accessories. I went to some antique stores looking for a desk...no luck yet. I really want to do this on a budget, so I'm going to be patient and wait for something that I love and that's just the right price!



I ordered Amelia's pictures yesterday and I'm beyond excited to receive them. I can't wait to share them with you!

Have a blessed weekend.

Love to all,