5 years and counting

Last Friday Chuck and I celebrated our 5th anniversary. I worked all day and he was sick at home in bed. It was a heck of a celebration, but we are together, we still love each other, he's still my best friend, we have a beautiful daughter, and we're trying to make the positive changes in our life that we need.
I'm happy we have something to celebrate. I'm not sure a year or so ago I would have thought we'd be here to celebrate it. But I'm very happy we are. Marriage never gets easy, it becomes manageable.
Here's a new pic of baby girl....she's growing way too fast for my liking. She's walking all over now, trying to say a couple of words and she absolutely knows she's the center of all of our hearts! Exactly where she should be!

Homeowners!

On yesterday, Chuck and my offer on a house was accepted! Our first home. The Boyles have a residence! And I think it's a great house. I spent most of my life trying to get out of Pinson and where did we buy our first home?? Pinson, of course! I can't wait to close on it and have the keys in my hand to actually feel like a homeowner. I can't wait to paint a wall and know that I didn't just break some cardinal rule in rental land! I can hang a picture without the fear of leaving that dreaded hole in the wall! Yes I'm aware with a house comes all the other challenges: the stopped up toilet, the yard needs mowing, the door is broken...etc......but we're ready for it! My goal was for us to be in our own house by Maleigha's first birthday and looks like we're gonna make it! I hope to be moved in by mid October, but now it's just a waiting game for the paperwork. I hate waiting, but now I know it's coming! It's not just a dream anymore! Now we also have to buy some furniture, and it won't be any time soon. The little bit of money we had saved is going to have to be spent on movers and some repairs that need to be done. Who really needs to sit in the living room right? hahaha, Floors are just as comfortable!
I hope to be able to post pics soon.
Update on Maleigha.....she has two teeth on bottom and I think some top ones are coming soon. She's crawling everywhere and starting to take a few steps here and there. She'll be walking very soon, then there is absolutely no rest!

WOW!!! Where have I been????

I realized today that I have not been tending to my blog so I wanted to update a bit.
I had a revelation today. A friend from high school and I were chatting today on facebook, she just found out she is pregnant with her 4th child and is having a hard time coming to terms with her pregnancy. Not that she doesn't want her child, or doesn't believe that a child is a pure blessing, just that her youngest is about to start school and she thought she was ready to have a "side life" other than being mommy! She told me she feels guilty because of her feelings since she knows so many couples who desperately want children and can't have any and she has now been blessed with 4 miracles. This made me realize that we, humans on earth, really have no control of our lives, only God does. Who knows how are little lives would be if it weren't for Him? He knows what we need, what we are, who we are, and what we can handle. And He will never give us any more or any less.
I know that Chuck and I have truly been blessed with our little girl. We were chosen for her and she for us. I hear other mommies stories of how their baby cried incessently, colic tales, earrache horrors, etc. We've been extremely lucky in that the only times Maleigha has seen her doctor in almost 9 months have been well baby checkups. She had her first prescription filled this past week, for a cream for a heat rash, and frankly, it's 100 degrees outside, I'm not shocked she needs it!
Milestones in the past couple of months have been many. She crawled, or at least her version of it, July 5. She gets up on her hands/arms, rocks a bit and then just kinda slides her legs. She doesn't quite get the motion of pulling her legs up under her and crawling. But, it gets her where she wants to go. And she gets just so excited when she gets there! Her face just lights up. She is also standing and walking with help. She has stood a couple of times unassisted, after someone has helped her balance. But, only a second or so. Then she plops on her bottom! She pulls herself up if she is sitting next to something. Her booty does not like to sit! She wants to be standing or walking. She has started saying "mama" some. Chuck and my mom both say she is saying momma for me, but she only does it when she wants a bottle or is mad. But if I get within her sight when she says it, she stops and smiles, so maybe she is saying it. I really hope so! She also cut her first tooth July 27 (Aunt Sue's Bday). It's on the bottom. Just a little sliver of white. She loves rubbing her tongue across it. She is developing her own personality. We've learned things she likes and dislikes. Likes--Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, being naked, bathtime, Bella, riding on the lawnmower with Pawpaw, cantelope and watermelon, and bread, dancing, singing You are My Sunshine (with Mommy only) and Daddy singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Dislikes--glasses or hats (take 'em off if you want to talk or hold her!), going to sleep without cuddling with Daddy, being hot, putting clothes on, mashed potatoes. We're working on the mashed potatoes part, sometimes she likes them, most of the time, not so much!
I was lucky enough to spend the last 3 solid days with Maleigha, and these have been 3 of the greatest days of my life. I love being with her and experiencing life with her. Can't wait to see what each day holds!

June 8 Pics/Video

Maleigha is doing her best to start walking and she's only 6 1/2 months old! She does not crawl! Here's video of her "walking". Those little chubby wobbly legs are adorable!

It's been a while.....

Sorry for the delay in writing. A lot has been going on.
May 10 Chuck started his new job at TruGreen. He's an inside sales rep and is doing great! He's met all his goals and made commission his first week, placing 7th out of 20 for sales. I'm so proud!
May 15 we moved out of the apartment in with my parents and Lisa. It's a temporary move until we can find/buy a house that we want and can afford. I hope to have a preapproval within the next couple of weeks so we can seriously start looking. There is 1 house we definitely want but it's a bit out of our price range. The agent told me to let her know when I have the preapproval and she'll offer what we have and hope they take it. So we'll see!
This move has left us all exhausted. I can't seem to get any energy back, plus it doesn't help that I have to get up earlier and drive an hour to work, work all day and then an hour drive home. I only get to see Maleigha about 1-2 hrs every night. But I'm thankful to have a healthy baby girl, a job, and nice home to come home to.
May 17--Maleigha turns 6 month old today! Wow! Where has the time gone?? My baby is growing up. She also started staying with Holly today. Holly is a God sent person and we are very blessed to have her willing and able to keep Maleigha for us during the day.
May 20 Maleigha's 6 month old check up. She's healthy and happy. She weighs 21 lbs and is 28 inches long. She got 4 more immunizations. She took them like a trooper. She's now up to Stage 2 foods. She also woke up this morning with a cold, sneezing, runny nose and coughing. Dr Hamm says it's basically a summer cold/allergies and told me what medicine to get for her. Plus she's teething! No teeth yet, but feel like it will be soon.
May 21 We spent a good part of the previous night/early morning with her very congested, running a slight fever and not able to sleep while laying down. So she laid on Mom for a while and then came to me. I stayed home from work. She slept a good bit and you could tell she just didn't feel good. It was so sad to see her sweet little sick eyes.
May 22 Tony got married so we spent the day out in the horrific heat. Maleigha is getting over a cold/allergies so she and I spent a good part of the afternoon in the house. She still had fun just being silly! The absolute greatest thing she did today was she kissed me ---- I've been working with her for 3 weeks trying to get her to, and today, I just said, "give Mommy a kiss" and puckered my lips and she leaned over, mouth wide open and landed on my lips! Now granted, this is not a "kiss", it's the greatest kiss I've ever gotten! Yes, I teared up! And got her to do 6 times before she got busy doing something else! She then kissed everybody around because everyone was laughing and cheering her on!
May 23 Maleigha went swimming for the first time today. We took some great pics but, in the move, I've lost my camera cord so I'm going to try and find one this week and will post them later! She's definitely a water baby!

Well, that's all I have for now, it's way past bedtime and I want to try and sleep a little bit tonite. Sleep is not my friend lately but I'm trying to get better with it!

Bath Time

Bath time is always a hit at our house. So I made a video to prove it. The part you don't see is just before I started filming, she had grabbed her right foot and almost had to her mouth when it slipped and slapped the water. She looked at it as if to say "get back up here!", grabbed it again, and it slipped again. This time, the water splashed on her and she giggled. But of course when I get the camera rolling, she wants to watch me and the camera and not continue on with her foot issue! But it's still cute, at least I think so!

Easter

Here are some pics from Maleigha's first Easter. She received 6 Easter baskets and an Easter gift. Spoiled? Just a bit!

Thankful

Just wanted to share how thankful I am for my beautiful little girl. I was holding her tonite just looking at her precious face and it hit me how absolutely lucky I am to have her. She's a miracle and I hope she knows that. I hope she thinks I'm as cool as she is and I hope I make her happy. As happy as she's already made me.

Some New pics

Just wanted to share some of the newest pics. These were taken St Patricks Day and a couple from earlier in the month.

Cough cough, sniff sniff

Well, we are in the middle of Maleigha's first cold! Yes, I know I posted earlier that she was having her first cold 2 or so weeks ago, but I was wrong, I guess that was just sniffles. Because this is a cold.
I've been battling this crap, and I do mean crap, for about 3 weeks now and Chuck has the cough and stuffiness. And Granny and Aunt Lisa and Auntie Sue have all had the crud too. So, I guess it was only a matter of time before Little One joined in on the action! Lots of coughing and sneezing, which she still finds the funniest thing on earth and today she started having a runny nose. I'm hopeful this means the congestion is starting to loosen and it will all be over by the weekend. It is quite amazing though that she has maintained her happy spirit through it all and really only has one or two crankiness episodes a day, even sick. She is just a happy baby!
And, I am very happy to announce that this afternoon, March 16, 2009, she sat up all by herself for the first time, as in no leaning, no assistance. I was sitting next to her on the bed and we had just changed one of the worse smelling, messiest diapers ever and she was giggling of course! She wrapped her little hands around both my index fingers and she pulled herself up. I played with her for a few seconds and then slowly released my fingers from her grip and she just sat there and looked at me, like "what? I do this all the time!" She sat upright for about 10 seconds or so! It was great! I had tears come to my eyes....yes, I'm going to be one of "those" mommies! Chuck and I both cheered her on and she just smiled.
She's spending the night with Aunt Lisa tonite because Chuck has a job interview tomorrow and is going to a couple of other places to put in applications, so she's spending the day with Aunt Lisa. I'm sure it will be a funfilled day, because any day with Maleigha is a fun filled day! Just her smile is magnificent and there's nothing like it in the world!! Written like a true Mommy, huh?

4 month check up

Today, Chuck and I took Maleigha to her 4 month check up. She weighs 17 lbs, 10 oz, and is 27 inches long. She's making her milestones perfectly, still in the 98th percentile of her age group and a very healthy happy baby. Dr says she can start eating baby food and cereal. I did confess to him that we had already tried a bite or four of jar food on Sunday night and he said it was all perfectly fine b/c Maleigha is ready for it! I will attach the pics. It was hilarious! After the first bite, which just touched her lips, she was reaching for the spoon and enjoying it! Pics will show you! She had a ball!

She's growing so fast. Tonite we were looking at these new pics and comparing to some older ones and we just can't believe she's getting to be such a big girl so soon! Before we know it, she'll be celebrating her first birthday!

She's starting to reach for her paci, she is holding her bottle for a short time, she loves to watch the cats run around and look outside, she's pulling herself up with the help of hands, she sits up by herself for a little bit of time, then tends to drift to one side. She sleeps all night long, usually 9 or so hours, and that we are grateful!

Can't wait for the weather to be pretty so we can get outside and do some playing. We will hopefully get to get out some this weekend, and we'll of course take the pics!!!

Take care!

This Week in our world....

Chuck and I woke up last Saturday morning sick. Sore throat, headache, overall blahs. We still went to Mama Jessie and Arthur's and did our weekly visit/housecleaning, etc. and then on to Mom's to just hang out. When we got there, Mom, Lisa, and Sue were all sick, and Daddy is finally recooperating. We spent the night and woke up sicker Sunday. We spent the day on the couch, in the bed, doing nothing. We spent that night too because Chuck and I both had Monday off. We came home on Monday, still sick. Went back to work on Tuesday and Maleigha went to her first day of daycare. She loves it. And they love her. She went Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and each day her teacher remarked at how good of a baby she is and how cuddly she is. Things we already knew, but so nice to hear! And daycare wears her out, I'm sure it's because she doesn't nap there, either because of the other baby crying or just because she's so nosy and wants to watch the other children and can't sleep, afraid she'll miss something!
Unfortunately, on Wednesday Chuck lost his job at AT&T due to a crazy situation. Nutshell is a customer, who runs a business from her home, had called in for help, in which he helped her as much as he is allowed, and she claims what he told her to do ruined her very expensive computer. She knows an area VP and complained. He called in to a meeting, bigwigs listened to his call, read his transcript and all agreed that he didn't do anything wrong but the area VP insisted that he lose his job, so he did. However, his supervisor and his supervisor both told him to reapply in 6 months and he could get his job back as they would recommend him and help get him back, it's just some policy they have that you have to be off at least 6 months. On the good side of this, on Monday, our off day, he had gone and spoken to a childhood friend of mine who owns his own Allstate agency and was offered a stay at home position with this. We were considering pros and cons when he was let go at AT&T so he called Allstate and told him he wants the job, now just waiting for him to call back with when to start training. I hope it's soon! With this being said, not sure if Maleigha will be going back to daycare this coming week or any week for that matter. Money was already tight, and now it's even tighter til he can get money coming in. The only downside to the Allstate job is it's commission only, so he needs MEGA business and quick!
Luckily, Chuck is feeling better (sickness wise). Me? I'm sicker which is totally wrong! I think I may go to doctor tomorrow because I'm getting worse and my symptoms are getting more and more intense. I'm so tired of coughing and having a sore throat!!!

Sniffles

Maleigha has her first cold and I HATE seeing her sick. This is harder than me being sick. She's still being a good baby, she still smiles a good bit, but she's sleeping a lot and is very congested. I just want to cuddle her all the time. So thankful Aunt Sue and Cousin Rhonda gave her a humidifier for Christmas, because it's being used now. She's laying here now cuddled next to me asleep, sucking her paci, and just tooo sweet! God love this precious baby girl, and make her well!

what I wouldn't give to be a millionaire!

I know I have said this many times before, but since Maleigha came into our life, I now wish I was a millionaire so I didn't have to work. So I could stay home with her every single day and spend every single minute with her. We've had to make crazy arrangements here lately for babysitting while Chuck and I work, so she's been staying at mom's some and I miss her terribly when she's there. Next week, Chuck's schedule changes again and he starts working nights so we have to find something else again. I'm afraid we're going to have to put her in daycare which I really really hate to do....for her sake and for ours financially. We've been very fortunate to have Mom, Dad, Lisa and Sue that have offered to keep her several days and nights and also our good friend, Nan, who has kept her a lot too. She's such a happy, friendly baby that every one says she's a dream baby, and I hope they aren't just being nice. But she really is a happy baby. She wakes up smiling every morning. She sleeps all night long, usually in bed by 10:30 and wakes up usually by 6:30 and some mornings she only gets up because I wake her up to get her ready. She's a good sleeper and (Knock on wood) rarely cries. She gets fussy some, but she's a baby! Oh, and I almost forgot, I think she's about to start teething. We have baby oragel ready!
She goes back to doctor on March 9 for her 4 month check up and we're ready to start baby food, which I have already bought some too!!! We're ready!
On a funnier note, I was telling someone the other day something, I don't recall the conversation, but I said "My daughter..." and I stopped because I think it's the first time I realized I have a daughter!!! I'm a mommy! I know, I know, not a newsflash moment, but I guess my blond roots were showing and I had a moment. It was very cool to say, so now I say it a lot!
Also, just a simple prayer request for us, as a family, to continue to learn each other and our new roles and continue show our love and commitment in all we do!

Here are some pics that we've taken over the past month or so. I've been slacking lately and have just gotten a chance to download them and post. Hope you enjoy!

coming soon

New pics coming soon. I downloaded tonite but I am exhausted and will post them in the next couple of days!!

Some People .......

I'm watching Toddlers & Tiaras show on TLC right now, and am wondering what possesses some people, majority women/mothers (if you can call them that!) to think that acting this way and making your child act this way is appropriate??? A 3 yr old cute little girl with extensions, fake eyelashes, spray on tan, 2 inch makeup, hair out to here, and rhinestones is RIDICULOUS!!!!! In my opinion, it's a form of child abuse!
I'm promising now that if I ever even mention doing this to Maleigha, someone please shake some sense in to me. Now, don't get me wrong, when she's a bit older and wants to be in a local/school pageant because SHE wants to, that would be different. But not for mommy's lost dreams!!!

Pics

2 Month Check up

Today was Maleigha's 2 month checkup. She is healthy as a horse and doing great. She's in the "above 97th percentile" for height and weight. She's 24 1/2 inches long and 14 lbs, 4 oz now. Dr Hamm says she is hitting all her milestones just right, holding her head up steady, cooing and smiling at faces and voices and following familiar voices with her eyes. She also got some immunizations which she was not happy about! But I'm just glad she's healthy and happy, even Dr Hamm remarked about how happy she seemed. She laughed for him!
She's such a beautiful little girl, if I say so myself!
I promise to post new pics soon, my camera cord is at my mom's and we are going over there this weekend and I will get it!

Our New Life

Real life began last Monday when I returned to work. What an adjustment!!!!! Mornings are now much more rushed and have to be timed to a tee to make it all work. I'm becoming a "schedule" girl and it irks me!!! I know it will get much easier as time goes by, and as Maleigha grows and can do more on her own. She is loving her morning baby sitter, Mrs Nan. She is doing great there and is such a happy baby. Her afternoons are Daddy time and she's loving that just as much. She's had a couple of rough afternoons, but both are surviving well! Nights are mommy time and we play and sing and bathe and sleep.
Chuck and I had our first weekend without her this past weekend. Lisa picked her up about 1 on Friday and we picked her up on Sunday. We had a great date Saturday night of dinner and a movie. It was nice to just be us for a few hours and sleep! But it was amazing to see her on Sunday and to hold her and give her kisses! We missed her toooooo much! She smiled when she saw us which helped my heart!
Maleigha has her 2 month old check up tomorrow on her 9 week birthday. We'll get to see how much she weighs...I'm estimating 12-14 lbs! She's a big girl!
Next weekend Maleigha will travel out of Alabama for the first time to Tennessee to see her Pawpaw's family there. I will post pics!

just a typical Wednesday

I'm sitting here, Maleigha is asleep on the couch next to me. She didn't sleep much last night, so neither did I. She just seemed restless all night long and all morning so far. But she's been asleep for about 45 minutes now, so maybe she's catching up on some sleep. We are forecasted for snow tomorrow and I really hope it happens! Chuck is working split shifts (9-1, then 6-10) daily and I'm hopeful weather keeps him home tomorrow night, for us and so he can watch the AL game tomorrow night. If it snows, we're definitely going to get some snow pics. It won't be her first snow, but we were lazy the first snow and it was gone before we got out.
Garfield and Sassy are really warming up to our new family addition. Both have come to her and she's petted them. Sassy even slept next to her yesterday (with me beside them!). And when she cries, Garfield immediately runs to her to check on her. I'm hoping to catch some pics of that bonding too.
I go back to work Monday and I'm dreading it. If I could make a living staying home, I would do it in a heartbeat!!! I'm certainly going to miss this little girl, not to mention being in my pjs and the laundry always being caught up--that's an amazing thing! But she will be staying in the mornings with a great friend who is a former Children's ER nurse, mother of 5, grandmother of 1, and a great person. I think it's going to be wonderful!

2009 gone but not forgotten

Happy New Year!!! Wow--it's 2010! Twenty Ten! Two Thousand and Ten! However you say it, it's a new year and a new decade! 2009 was an interesting year, and a life changing one!
In January we mourned the loss of Chuck's wonderful grandmother, Mawmaw Kay. She lived a long life and is now in a much better place with 3 of her sons who she missed very much. Also in January, Chuck lost his job at Casual Male XL.
In March, the stick showed positive--finally!!! We finally had a positive pregnancy test--we had NO idea what we were in for!
In April, May & June, Chuck worked for Walmart and injured his toe and had a concussion. Then in late June, they downsized his department and he was let go.
In July we found out the little one was a girl! Yeah!!!! Let the Pink begin!
In August, Chuck got his job at AT&T--what a blessing! He's great at his job, one he's wanted for a long time!
In September we celebrated our 4th anniversary---can't believe it's already been 4 years! We've had lots of ups and downs, but I can't imagine any one else I'd want to share it with!
In October, we had our baby shower. What wonderful friends and family we have to "shower" us and baby girl with the wonderful gifts, well wishes, love and friendship!
In November---well, all I'm going to say is---WOW!!!!! November 17 was the most wonderful day of our life. It seems life we spent the entire year waiting on her and in an instant, she was here and it was over with. It was a long day but it produced a happy ending!
And we ended the year learning to be parents, learning that sleep really is overrated, learning what cry means what, and the art of changing diapers quickly and without getting anything on yourself! We're still learning!!!
With it's good and bad, 2009 was a year!
This morning we were talking about 2010 and playing with Maleigha. And it dawned on me, 2010 will be one of her biggest years---she'll learn to smile, laugh, crawl, walk, talk, eat...everything! Can't wait!
Happy New Year--be safe, be healthy, be happy!

I read this phrase yesterday on a friend's facebook and I loved it so I stole it!
--- To love someone is to know the song in their heart, and to sing it to them when they forget the words. ---

Christmas Pics--sorry they are late

This is how Maleigha spent Christmas Day--asleep!